Here, you’ll find good wines you’ll want to share with your friends, right through to the best bottle of wine you’ll keep tucked away at the back of the cupboard for only the most special of special occasions. You’ll also discover the best wine to invest in and the most delicious vintage to drink this year.
Freestone Occidental Bodega Vineyard
Steep, raw and powerful, Bodega sits just under four miles from the Pacific Ocean behind Bodega Bay. This hillside monopole is one of the oldest meter-by-meter plantings on the Sonoma Coast. Our coolest, most exotic terroir, the steep westerly exposure allows for full ripening under cool conditions, yielding wines of incredible depth.
A vibrant opening of wild strawberries, black cherry and forest floor fill the bowl. Wild dark berries, black tea and rose petals give way to savory herbs, Moroccan mint and exotic spice box. The depth of flavors from this cool site come together with a fine-grained tannins and bright acidity, giving it an ethereal texture, leading to a long-lasting finish.
Bassermann-Jordan La Vie rosé
If you get the feeling the look of the Bassermann-Jordan bottles seems quite traditional, then you are right. The winery still uses the same label created in 1811 – one of the oldest in Germany.
Two years ago, I had the opportunity to visit their tasting room in Deidesheim and mostly tried wines from their ‘Rebsorten’ wine range which as an equivalent would likely be classified as table wines. Varieties include different types of Riesling, Pinot Grigio, Sauvignon Blanc, Gewürztraminer and Pinot Noir.
The Le Vie dry rosé is a blend of Pinot Noir, Merlot and Cabernet Sauvignon. It’s a perfect wine for the summer and pairs well to grilled meat.
Interesting wines to learn about:
Promontory 2013
Aromas are diverse and complex, with no single primary scent standing above the rest. Some of the more subtle facets are beginning to surface: wet stone, graphite, leather, and fresh spices. Brighter notes create a tension in the nose that then transfers to the palate. In the beginning it is gentle and silky, developing slowly and purposefully into a synthesis of minerality, freshness, and vibrancy. The wine shows its potential for aging with a balance of structure and lightness, as well as a latent potential only to be revealed with time.
