Red Wine Motto Wines Zinfandel Unabashed 2016. No need to decant. The winemakers at Motto set out to make a good wine, plain and simple. When their methods made them appear to push the boundaries and appear not as classic as other winemakers, they decided to embrace that perception and make it their motto. To add texture to the wine yet also retain the varietal character and freshness, a combination of oak barrels and stainless-steel tanks to age the wine. The fermentation process is also done with the grapes separated by the lots they come from to allow each to evolve separately and reveal their true character. The wine produced from the separate lots is then blended together in different ratios for each vintage to present a classic dark and bold California wine with their distinct take. The wine is beautiful and dark in the glass. The first aromas are explosions of bright and exciting fruit notes: cranberry, plum, and marionberry. Once the fruit subsides, soft leathery notes remove the fruity edge. On the palate, the fruit notes evolve into darker notes of raspberry and blackberry. The leather gives way to a soft oak spice and a dark chocolate note. To pair with food, the winemaker recommends some of his favorites: grilled cheese, meatloaf, BBQ ribs, fried chicken, pulled pork sandwiches and spaghetti with meatballs
2016
Red Wine Motto Wines Zinfandel Unabashed 2016
Red Wine Paradigm Cabernet Sauvignon 2016. Decant 1 hour before serving. This Oakville winery was founded by Ren & Marilyn Harris whose families have been making wine in Napa for generations. The couple first started growing grapes in the valley in 1964 and are unusually still heavily involved today in the running of the winery. In 2021 Ren was selected as the Napa Valley Grower of the Year in recognition of his dedication to the industry, which has included founding the California Grower Foundation and serving as the Napa County Farm Bureau president. Their Paradigm Cabernet is a serious, powerful expression crafted from estate-grown fruit carefully selected from several top plots. Once in the winery the fruit is vinified and blended with a tiny amount of Merlot, Petit Verdot and Cabernet Franc. The young wine is then matured in French oak barrels for 20 months before bottling, followed by another 20 months of ageing in the bottle. Aromatic black cherry, cassis and blueberry dominate the nose, along with undertones of baked earth, cigar box spice, and toasty vanilla from the oak ageing. On the palate there’s a punchy full body, firm structure and grippy tannins which will help this wine age beautifully in the cellar for another decade or so. The intense dark fruit character also makes it a natural partner for barbecued meats and hearty beef dishes should you wish to drink it now.
2016
Red Wine Parusso Barolo Mariondino 2016. Decant 1 hour before serving. The story of the Parusso estate dates back to 1901 when Gaspare Parusso bought his very first plot in Mariondino. A couple of decades later the family also purchased the Rovella farmhouse in Bussia which is the current location of the winery. Today the Parusso estate has some 22 hectares of vines spread across the Barolo region, including some top Barolo cru sites like Le Coste, Mariondino and Mosconi. This powerhouse Barolo is crafted from 40 year old vines grown in the hamlet of Mariondino at around 300 metres of altitude. The vineyard itself faces west and is named Söri d’la Seira” in the Langhe dialect since it receives the very last rays before the sun goes down. The grapes are carefully harvested by hand in small baskets once ripe and then macerated and fermented for an extended period using indigenous yeasts. Once the young wine is ready it is then transferred to small oak barrels for 24 months of maturation, followed by another 6 months in the bottle itself. This lengthy ageing process adds extra complexity and polish to the wine as well as subtle hints of spice, woodsmoke and leather to the rich dark cherry and berry notes and characteristic rose petal aroma which is so typical of the Nebbiolo variety. This is a great Barolo to keep in the cellar for a few more years, or to enjoy now alongside hearty meat stews, barbecued ribs, or a prime ribeye steak.
2016