January 2014 Wines & News

Dear Cellar Club Members,

Happy 2014!  It has been a great 2013 – super wines, super teamwork from our people, a super re-model of the tasting room, a super crush, and, of course, our super Cellar Club support from you.  And lest I forget, I hope that you made it to our truly super-duper Holiday Cellar Club party.  A big thank you to our crew and volunteers headed up by Lucinda and highlighted by Rudy’s BBQ.

Our first wines for you in 2014 are the 2011 Syrah and a brand new blend: “Catastrophe”.  The grapes for this new Syrah come from the excellent El Dorado appellation from which we have gotten some of our best grapes over the years.  The origin of Syrah has long been debated.  Jancis Robinson says that, for a long time, it was thought to have originated in Persia, but that more recently DNA evidence has pointed to the Rhone region of central France as the source.  Regardless, Syrah has long shown an ability to produce serious red wines, capable of ageing majestically.  I think that you will find our 2014 Syrah to match that description.

Here is what wine critic and judge, Rich Cook, has to say about it:

“This Syrah brings aromas of red meat, tar, white pepper and blackberry with a leafy note in the background.  The palate is soft and supple, with bright acidity and medium weight. It delivers the nose well, with notes of chocolate and nutmeg coming through in a dry, food friendly package with a lingering finish. Try it with a slow roasted brisket.”  Amen!  I will add that this wine is a good example of why it is so much fun to be a part of our unique Cellar Club – you get to experience probably the widest range of fine wine experiences than any other wine club on our planet.

Speaking of unique, our next wine is just that!  Our first edition of CATastrophe is a unique blend of 25% Petite Sirah, 25% Aglianico, 25% Nebbiolo, 13% Petite Verdot and 12% Sagrantino.  Wow, how did we come up that?  As I have said before, it is a real kick to work out a new blend, especially when you have success.  Besides the wine, we hope that you enjoy the new label as well.

Here is what Rich Cook has to offer: “So what do you do with the odd lots of wine that didn't go into the varietal bottlings and annual blends?  Here is when the winemaker gets an opportunity to practice the art of blending, in an effort to come up with a pleasing wine that wastes a minimum of juice.  This wine needs some bottle age to fully integrate, but it shows some promise.  Blackberry, dry earth, bay leaf and fall spice aromas lead you to a palate that delivers the nose well, adding notes of dill in a finish that is oak dominated now, but should mellow nicely.” 

I would just add that you can drink this now with a couple of hours of breathing time, but it will definitely improve over the next few years.

I would also like to let you know about a new white wine that we have in addition to our Chenin Blanc and Moscato: a very smooth Sauvignon Blanc.  Rich Cook was kind enough to give us his impressions on this wine as well: “Here's a crisp, mineral driven Sauvignon Blanc that's very dry and refreshing.  The nose shows wet stone, lanolin, melon and lemon.  The palate delivers the nose, with and emphasis on the stony mineral and lemon.  The finish is medium long with a slightly bittering lime zest note adding interest. Try it with mixed greens or with lightly spiced fish preparations.” 

Ditto on “very smooth.”  While we do not send out any whites as one of our monthly selections, please consider adding some to your shipment if you like great white wines.

Once again, Happy Holidays to all of you, and thank you for a great 2013.  And a very Happy New Years from all of us at Witch Creek!!

~ Dave Wodehouse