Tag Archives: Blending Grape

Murrieta’s Well Estate Vineyard

Livermore Valley, Uncategorized, Wine and food pairing, Wine Product Review, Wine Reviews, Wine topics, Wine Variety, Winemaker, , , , , , ,

Murrieta’s Well Estate Vineyard  is a hidden unknown gem in Livermore Valley, California.

Producing some of the best wine grapes and wines in California. And although most true wine loving aficionados and California wine country enthusiast ‘think’ they really know “Wine Country” well, I would bet most would be hard pressed to tell you much about Livermore Valley, or Murrieta’s Well Estate Vineyard.

Well (pardon the pun) Let’s Change This Travesty!

Murrieta’s Well Estate Winery is in Alameda County, and  is one of the oldest original wine estates in California, having 1st began growing grapes in the late 1800’s. Started by Louis Mel in 1884, he and his wife built a Gravity Flow Winery and planted grapevines. But not just any grapevines…

The vineyard has very prestigious pedigree having started from cuttings from the famed Chateau d’Yquem and Chateau Margaux vineyards in Bordeaux France!

Murrieta’s Well Estate Vineyard continues today to produce the highest quality fruit, and the some of the original vines from Bordeaux still grow on the estate today! In 1933 Louis Mel sold the property to his friend Ernest Wente, where it is still to this day part of the Wente Family Estate.

In 1990 Philip Wente & Sergio Traverso together began reviving the original winery. They named the winery Murrieta’s Well paying homage to the rich history of the property.

Fast forward to today and you find the UC Davis trained Winemaker Robbie Meyer. He is dedicated to spending as much time and effort as needed growing fruit in the vineyard, caring for it in the winery, and crafting into amazing wines. Robbie believes the wines are primarily made in the vineyard. Then after harvest; patiently and artistically blending the wines until they are exceptionally pleasing and intriguing at the same time.

“You have to be attentive to all that happens around you in the vineyard and winery. Be flexible, draw on your experiences, trust your instincts and have faith in your palate.”

Robbie Meyer, Head Winemaker

The wonderful Snooth Media sent several samples to me a few weeks back, and we did a Virtual Tasting with Snooth, many of the Wine Bloggers across the US,  and Winemaker Robbie Meyer. Here are my thoughts and tasting notes on the wines:

2017 Small Lot Sauvignon Blanc

Not your average Sauvignon Blanc. Barrel fermented  and Lees aged give it a med body. Complex & layered with Ruby Red Grapefruit, Apricot, Minerals, and Floral. Great acidity and body make this a special bottle. Retail $35 / 14.2 Alc.

 

 

 

 

2017 The Whip

Blend of 33% Sauv Blanc, 24% Semillion, 21% Chardonnay, 12% Orange Muscat, 10% Viognier. Aromatics from the Orange Muscat & Viognier. White Peach & Apricot plus richness  and body are byproducts of the Chardonnay & Semillion. White Peach, Apricot, and floral dominate the nose and the palate. While great with food, I think a beautiful summer sipper on the patio is what comes to mind! Retail $26 / 13.5% Alc.

 

2017 Dry Rosé

2017 Dry Rose

42% Grenache, 39% Counoise, 19% Mouvedre. This is an opulent wine! Not your light weight quaffable Provence wine, this is a unabashed lavish rosé. Salmon in color. Strawberry, Watermelon, Minerals, great acidity and LONG finish! Beautiful dry wine. Retail $30 / 13.5% Alc.

 

 

 

 

2015 The Spur

Blend of 48% Cabernet Sauvignon, 20% Petit Sirah, 18% Merlot, 8% Petit Verdot, 6% Cabernet Franc. Each varietal is fermented and produced individually, then blended with care and patience. This is a powerful red wine, dark & mysterious in the glass. Blueberry, Blackberry, Cherry, Vanilla, and a hint of tobacco and spices on the palate and nose. Full body and smooth integrated tannins. This wine begs for a big juicy Rib Eye! Retail $35 (a steal) / 14.5% Alc

 

 

 

2015 Cabernet Sauvignon

Black fruits, Dark Chocolate, Black Cherry, Olive, Vannila, and fresh cut wood on the nose. Full body, medium tannins, balanced and refined. This is a big wine that is drinking great now, but I would love to lay down for about 15 years to see it’s brilliance evolve.  Very small production at 27 barrels total! 80% Cabernet Sauvignon, 11% Merlot, 6% Petit Verdot, 3% Cab Franc, and the blending is amazing. Think a more fruit forward version of Left Bank Bordeaux that can be enjoyed now! Retail $58 (are you kidding? Napa would charge $150+) / 14.2% Alc

 

Admittedly these were samples sent to me to review. But any of you that really know me understand if the wines are not up to par they will never be featured on these pages.

I have been a big fan of the wines from Murrietta’s Well Estate Vineyard for several years.  The quality overall that is being produced in SMALL LOTS in Livermore Valley are amazing. These wines are all very limited production and great values.

You can order wines  and get more information about the entire portfolio of Murrieta’s Well Estate Vineyard by clicking HERE.

Thank you Murrietta’s Well Estate Vineyards and Snooth Media for the opportunity to enjoy and share  these wines with my followers. Leave a comment below so I will know you were here, and share  your thoughts of these wines and my article please!

Terry Hill is the TEXAS WINEAUX!

P.S. (Petite Sirah) I lOVE YOU!

Wine Variety, , , , , , ,

Petite Sirah (PS) is incredible as a single variety wine. There I said it…

I know what you are thinking: “This Texas Boy has done wandered too far off the trail”. Well 1st of all that may be a little true on occasion, but let me say my piece before you stop reading further!

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This is a real mans red wine. Brash, heart thumping, in your face, tattooed &  Harley-Davidson riding, deep dark devil of a red wine that if you are not prepared will slap you around, steal your lunch money, and leave you crying on the playground like a little boy missing his mommy.

This isn’t a wine for namby pambies that don’t like a big bold red wine. Go open a beaujolais if you don’t like a big wine, because this mamma jamma ain’t kidding around!

While PS can be very tough and tannic on its own, give it some bottle time you will find this black inky, teeth staining wine will tame down yet will still keep that bold, dense black-plum fruits and spicy black pepper that is so enticing.

Most people that have at least a basic knowledge of grapes and wine know that Petite Sirah began in France as a Bordeaux blending grape. PS is mostly used to add structure, tannin, and acids to blends of your favorite red wines, and that is true even today. It is known in many parts of the world as DURIF. While a derivative of the “syrah” grape the berries are much smaller (thus petite) and more intense, acidic, and tannic than its 3rd cousin syrah.

Brilliant winemakers in California began experimenting with this powerful and meaty red grape as a single variety back in the early 70’s.

In fact most of the best Petit Sirah in the world is grown and bottled in California today!

While back in the ’70’s very few winemakers  actually bottled much for retail, most was made in small batches and for themselves and close friends only. It did start a small cult-like following that has grown and there is even a name for the group called “PS I Love You” that has banded together to promote and spread the word about this incredible variety of grape.

If you have never had the pleasure of enjoying a PS as anything but a blending grape, “well son, ya just ain’t lived” as my Grandfather used to say.

For years many winemakers have gone the “ZIN LIKE” way of producing PS, because the grapes have a lot in common. In fact, a lot of foods that pair so well with a Zinfandel will often pair well with a Petite Sirah. These include grilled or BBQ Beef or pork tenderloin, lamb, venison, and Texas red chili.

Petit Sirah Dark as night!
Petit Sirah Dark as night!

But the winemakers I prefer are making the wines more like their Cabernet Sauvignon than their Zinfandel today. A great example of this is Girard Napa Valley Petite Sirah. They sell their PS for $30 and it is one of my favorite red wines…period. It is as dark and inky as you will find in a wine. Notes of blueberry and black fruits jump from the glass!  New oak is evident followed by fresh brewed coffee beans, dark chocolate, and a nice floral tone (lilac or Violet?). Silky smooth on the palate after a few years in the bottle to tame the tannins.

Turley Wine Cellars is one of the top producers, as  most of their vineyards are dedicated to either old vine PS or Zinfandel. They have several vineyard designated PS such as Rattlesnake Ridge, Turley Estate, Library, Hayne, and Pesenti. Larry Turley started Frogs Leap, but sold out and started Turley in 1993. The rest is history. If you are a PS or Zin fan like me you think Larry is WINE GENIUS!

Turley wines are exclusively Mailing List only and it will take about a year before they will even offer you wine typically, but it is worth the wait because Turly makes possibly the best Old Vine Petite Sirah in the world.

I hope you enjoyed the passion I have for this little known grape. Please leave a comment below and let me know your thoughts (good or not so good, it’s all good!).

Terry Hill is the Texas Wineaux