This new year is getting off to a great start with many exciting things happening and many great wines being reviewed for your pleasure, well and mine of course. Grapelive is launching a sister Website called Fermented Travel and we’ll be talking more about that soon, but you can see the preview and first column all ready at www.fermentedtravel.com.

Just as exciting, Grapelive is turning to young blood to bring you some interesting content and reviews, first we are happy to have Alaya Wyndham-Price on board as a guest columnist, reporting from the Pinot crazy state of Oregon. She is bringing a new view on the Oregon wine industry and the rest of the world as well. With her passion and drive I look forward to seeing more and more of her thoughts and I think you will as well. It is great to have a fresh face keeping me honest and covering the areas that I might otherwise miss. To see her first column read below, and to see her bio click on the link on the right hand panel.

Looking ahead there are some great wines to relate to you soon!

Well, I better get back to work…

Cheers and Enjoy

Hot Pick

Jennifer Pandol

2005 Jennifer Pandol Vineyards Pinot Noir “Schultze Vineyard” Santa Cruz Mountains

Jennifer is a bright spot locally, making superb Pinot Noir’s from select vineyards in the Santa Cruz Mountains. I got to try her premier vintage of which she made only a single barrel, which made just over 20 cases, and I can say she is going places! This was a fine effort that blew me away, I rated it highly and deservely so, this Pinot has wonderful ripe fruit and sublime balance with lush texture and a long finish. Jennifer sourced fruit from and was mentored by Jim Schultze, Schultze Family Vineyards, of Windy Oaks Estate fame. I have been a big fan of his wines and his vineyard since his first vintage from 1999. The bold richness and round flavors are amazingly pleasing and again this was her first Pinot bottling, so look for great things to come. This wine has black cherry and focused red berry fruits and coffee bean and creamy tea spices, and a touch of cola. The earthy and dried flowers notes add to the complexity and the warm sweet oak vanilla finish it off with good style. The bad news is that she is out of this wine, though she plans on bottling her riper and bolder 2006 soon, so we should see it released late spring, and trust me I’ll be watching for it! At this time she does not have a list, but if you are interested, just drop me a line and I’ll pass it on. (Est. $40) 93-94 Points, grapelive

Jennifer Pandol Vineyards, Balmaseda Winery, Santa Cruz.

Negly

2002 Chateau de Negly Porte du Ciel, Syrah, (Coteaux-du-Languedoc), France
This brilliant 100% Syrah cuvee is a powerful and dark monster that belies the region and vintage, in fact this wine is on par with top Hermitage wines! Look out for the intense nose of black olives that is strikingly potent and will transport you instantly to the South of France, then come the waves of blueberry, herbs and cassis. This wine takes lots of air to gather itself, but once loose it is all-together a bold and structured red with creamy, lush fruit and a super long finish that highlights its complexity and balance. This might go another 10 years easy and should get more interesting with each year of bottle age. There are layers of cherry liqueur, rocky earth, game, pepper, lavender oil and sweet fresh picked plums. There are some hints of wild flowers, violets and tarry fruits. This wine is immense, but ripeness is near perfect with out any odd prune flavors, just purity of fruit and terroir. I was just amazed by this wine, especially in such a vintage that was seemingly so tough in this region, proving you can’t judge a book by its cover! *Note, after tasting it, I found out that Robert Parker had rated it highly too, damn it I didn’t scoop the master… (Est $100-125) 94-96 Points, grapelive

Dee Vine Wines

Merry Edwards Pinot Noir

2006 Merry Edwards Pinot Noir Sonoma Coast

This lush and fruit forward wine delivers big goodness now, with creamy texture and lovely flavors. The wine is easy to love and quaff, it is not shy, but there is little acidity to worry about. Everything about this wine says drink up! And of course I did and will! This Pinot has classic Russian River like black cherry, cola and red earthy berries that feel layered and balanced all ready, even for a young wine. Feel free to give it a year or so if you like, but I’d say it is great now. The toasted sweet oak notes are persistent, but feel natural here. A very nice effort from a top producer, now for the hard part, finding it! Good luck and good hunting…($42-75 Est.)

93 Points, grapelive

Sherwin Family Cabernet

2004 Sherwin Family Vineyards Cabernet Sauvignon Spring Mountain, Napa Valley

This is a near perfect example of Spring Mountain Cab, with rich, intense and loaded with fruit that is both dark and flavorful. It is hard to find anything that is not in balance or needed in this wine, it is simply a wonderful and complex wine that is easy to love. The black fruits have hints of briar, black mountain berries and fresh currants and there is a subtle smoky note to them. The structure is spot on and the whole wine is pure and everything it’s supposed to be. There are lovely cassis and vanilla touches that blend in nicely to the hints of lead pencil, tobacco and licorice that are present in the background. I recommend you get on their list and get at least a few bottle of this wonderful Cabernet and look for their other wines that they working on too. This is a great effort from a great location, I for one will go visit this vineyard on my next trip up that way! 95+ Points, grapelive

Sherwin Family Vineyards

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