Wine Club Newsletter - June 2014
2011 Andronicus Red, Titus
Growing Region: Napa Valley, California
Varietal Blend: 45% Cabernet Sauvignon, 36% Merlot, 15% Petite Verdot, 4% Zinfandel
Fermentation: French (80%) and American (20%) Oak for 18 Months
Suggested Retail: $30.00
WineSellar Club Case Price: $26.99
Broad Strokes by Gary Parker:
This will represent one of the best buys you can get out of Napa valley for UNDER $30! It has received 92-94 point rating in Cellar Tracker.
From the Winery:
Vintage
The 2011 growing season was cool from the onset. As a result of the challenging weather, flowering and fruit set promised a below average yield. The upper valley floor location of Titus Vineyards benefitted from longer growing degree days and better wind flow. The summer never heated up to any extremes but did offer opportunities to ripen the fruit with proper canopy management. Cooling trends towards harvest time created a perfect storm for moisture in Napa Valley and while creating possible botrytis issues for our neighbors, the Titus estate persevered with ever-present drying winds. While the quantity is dramatically down in 2011 the quality has proven to be high.
Vineyard
Our family vineyard, located on the valley floor just north of St. Helena on the Silverado Trail, possesses well-drained, sandy, alluvial soils and is characterized by its ability to produce complex wines with well-defined fruit flavors, gentle acids and naturally balanced tannins. The Cabernet Sauvignon vines vary in age. They were most recently planted between the years 1996 to 2001 and are a combination of the 337 and See clones. Further north, our Ehlers Lane Vineyard consists of a stony, dry streambed and a knoll composed of thin gravelly soil over hard volcanic ash. Planted entirely to Cabernet Sauvignon these infertile soils produce low yields of grapes with concentrated flavors.
Wine Profile
Titus Andronicus has a shimmering, deep purple to ruby appearance. The nose is pronounced and elegant. Aromas of Bing cherry, strawberry, plum, and dusty rose petals fill the glass. This full bodied wine over- delivers ripe fruit from the nose accompanied by darker notes of blueberry and blackberry. It is mouth-filling with heaps of dark fruit that is nicely balanced with well integrated barrel spice, cinnamon sticks, vanilla, and supple tannins resulting in a beautifully complex red wine. It is too easy to finish of the bottle which has been crafted for you to enjoy now or over the next five years to seven years.
2011 Cosentino Winery, “The Novelist”
Growing Region: California
Varietal Blend: 50% Sauvignon Blanc, 50% Semillon
Fermentation: French Oak for One Year
Suggested Retai: $20.00
WineSellar Club Case Price: $17.99
Winemaker Notes:
Each lot was handpicked, crushed and pressed into tank for juice settling. From there it was racked off of the solids and then barrel fermented in French oak barrels in our cold rooms. Aged for one year prior to blending and bottling.
The first release of The Novelist in 1982, was inspired by the great and rare white wines from Bordeaux such as Haut Brion Blanc and Chateau Carbonnieux. Our white Meritage predates the official formation of the Meritage Association, which celebrates its 25th anniversary this year.
Accolades:
2012 California State Fair - 92 points and "Best of Class" .
Our 2011 The Novelist, starts with lemon, honey dew melon, fig and quince that jump out in the nose. Bright fresh citrus flavors are accented by a mid-palate richness.
Limestone, spice and a minerality anchors the structure of this zesty and expansive wine with a long finish. Expect this wine to age like a red wine for at least a decade in proper storage conditions
Broad Strokes by Gary Parker:
A few years back, Mitch Cosentino met our tour group at our Hotel in the Napa Valley. He gave us an excellent tasting and presentation of his current wine offerings, many of which were excellent. The most outstanding selection in my mind was this wine, a prior vintage of “The Novelist”.
As you WineSellar Club Members may recall, I am a big fan of Sauvignon Blanc Semillon blends, like those of the greatest white wines made in Bordeaux. Mitch said that is exactly what he is striving to do with this wine, to get it the body and acidity and potential to age like those from another continent.
I am sure you will find this wine lively, sophisticated, and a great friend to have this summer . . . or great to have with a friend this summer!
2012 Barista Pinotage
Growing Region: Paarl, Western Cape, South Africa
Varietal Blend: 100% Pinotage
Fermentation: Barrel Fermentation
Suggested Retail: $18.99
WineSellar Club Case Price: $17.09
Broad Strokes by Gary Parker:
When this wine was presented to me by our Beverage Director, Bryan Taylor, I must admit I was hesitant about it. Not because it is Pinotage. I happen to love Pinotage especially when made well. What concerned me was that this is called a “Coffee Pinotage”, and I thought somehow some way they added coffee to the product.
Looking at the Barista web site, they don’t do much of anything to dispel that notion. In fact, winemaker Bertus Fourie is nicknamed “Starbucks” for his “unprecedented advances he has made in the unique world of coffee Pinotage”.
And, for heavens sake, the wine is named “Barista”. “The term refers to people who specialize in making espresso based coffee, so calling the Coffee Pinotage is most appropriate”.
Well, the wine does NOT have coffee added to it, it is just a product of its location, soil, grape type and wine making techniques. In fact, the wine is certified for Integrity & Sustainability by the South African Wine and Spirit Board.
That took a load off my mind. So it’s a real wine, not a fake gimmick. It reminded me, in fact, when we were traveling in South Africa some years back. We discovered a very interesting Pinotage by Diemersfontein Winery being produced that had a distinctive dark chocolate and coffee flavor to it. Everyone loved, including myself, and the wine sold out within a couple weeks of being released.
In fact, this is where our Bertus Fourie held a position of Cellar Master and Viticulturist. Small world story? No, professional evolution is more like it.
Synopsis:
A great, catchy package. Good looking dark red/black wine, which has some intriguing aromatics, all of which are very enjoyable and forward. The wine is smooth and even in the palate, rich with lush cherry, plum, chocolate, and of course, a distinctive yet well integrated espressso/cappuccino/coffee component.
Chicken Paillard with Arugula and Fresh Figs
Here is a delightful dish perfect for upcoming summer dining.
Ingredients:
Vinaigrette:
- 3 Tablespoons honey
- 1/4 cup extra-virgin olive oil
- 1 medium shallot, chopped
- 1 Tablespoon sherry vinegar
- 1/2 medium lemon, juiced
- 1 teaspoon chopped fresh tarragon
- kosher salt and freshly ground black pepper
Chicken:
- 4 boneless skinless chicken breasts (about 1 1/2 pounds)
- kosher salt and freshly ground black pepper
- 1/2 pound pancetta, extra virgin olive oil
- 4 ounces blue cheese, broken into hunks
- 1 bunch arugula, trimmed
- 1 small basket seasonal figs, halved
- tarragon leaves for garnish, if desired
Method:
- Prepare vinaigrette: Whisk together all of the ingredients for the vinaigrette in a small bowl and set aside.
- Prepare chicken: Sandwich chicken breasts between 2 layers of plastic wrap and pound them very thin with the side of a meat cleaver or a rolling pin. Remove chicken from plastic wrap and season well on both sides with salt and pepper.
- Heat a large sauté pan over medium heat. Unroll the pancetta so it looks like big strips of bacon. Add it to the pan and fry it like a tangle of bacon until the fat is rendered, 3 to 4 minutes. Drain on paper towels.
- Drizzle a 2-count of olive oil into the pan with the pancetta drippings. Add the chicken and pan-fry for 3 to 4 minutes on each side to brown the breasts and cook them through. Use a spatula to remove the chicken to the paper towels with the pancetta. Add the vinaigrette to the sauté pan and heat for a few minutes, stirring, to deglaze the bits of pancetta and chicken from the bottom of the pan; take the pan off the heat.
- To serve, arrange the chicken on a platter. Scatter the blue cheese, arugula, figs, and pancetta over. Drizzle the dressing over everything and garnish with the tarragon leaves.