Bold and buxom, the 2014 Cooper & Thief Red Wine Blend is a full expression of supple fruit and serious barrels. With 38% Merlot, 37% Syrah, 11% Zinfandel, 7% Petite Sirah, 4% Cabernet Sauvignon and another 3% other red varietals sourced from some of California's best regions, this blend was aged for 3 months in retired bourbon barrels. The result is a sultry wine with robust intensity and extreme complexity. Pour with care and caution, as this wine comes in at 17% alcohol. Prepare your palate for a rich experience that lingers with great length.  - Allié Merrick

Kissed with color, the VOGA Sparkling Rosé of Pinot Grigio is a stunning sight to sip. From the Veneto, this wine is vivacious with lively bubbles ideal for solo sipping or pairing up. I opted to match this bottle with my favorite wings rocked out properly with a solid Bourbon sauce. Dark strawberry flavors are rounded off with light raspberry notes for an experience on the palate that's entirely enjoyable and incredibly refreshing. Cheers to a rosé for the win that beautifully sparkles with the best of them.  - Allié Merrick

Produced in Mattituck, NY (on the north shore of Long Island), Maiden + Liberty Wines come from vines in both NY and France. This is what happens when a boy from New York meets a girl from the South of France. They court, fall in love and then make wine where new world meets old world in a courtship of its own. If you're new to Maiden + Liberty, consider this your official invitation to explore what's in store...

Happy Chardonnay Day! Cheers to notes in America's favorite varietal, Chardonnay, that resonates on the palate from 'Fruity & Crisp' to 'Oaky & Buttery'. There's a Chardonnay to please every palate. Raise your glass to finding your fit. #ChardonnayDay #Chardonnation

ART: (n.) the quality, production, or expression according to aesthetic principles, of what is beautiful, appealing, or of more than ordinary significance

By that definition, Lingua Franca produces art both inside and outside the bottle. Labels showcase original works of art that speak to the paralleled story of the wine represented. The wine, itself, is a work of art with aesthetics of great depth and dimension that are by definition 'of more than ordinary significance'. With a name that speaks to the tradition of universal language, Lingua France is an eloquent expression of Oregon Pinot Noir that exceeds all expectation. Please raise a glass to world class art both inside and outside the bottle.

        Cheers,

Allow me to introduce you to Alta Colina Vineyard & Winery. Full-figured with rich complexity and balance that borders perfection, the wines of this Paso Robles estate are a translation of the stunning terroir that owner and winemaker, Bob Tillman, has cultivated and cared for since 2003. Of the 130 acres at 1,800 feet above sea level, 30 acres are planted to Rhone varietals including Grenache Blanc, Viognier, Marsanne, Grenache, Syrah, Mourvedre and Petite Sirah. 

I had the great pleasure of tasting both the 2014 12 O'Clock High Viognier & 2013 Ann's Block Petite Sirah. Delicate and dynamic at the same time, with my first sip of the Viognier I was reminded about how much I absolutely love Viognier when it's done right and done well. Expressive on the nose with extensive acid on the palate, it's a white worthy of serious praise. 

As for the Petite Sirah, which comes from the head-trained vines in the 1.4 acres of Ann's Block, I have two words for you - mind blown. Off-the-chart intensity with inky blackberry aromatics replicated on the palate with chalky tannins and insanely stunning acid, this is a wine to impress palates now and several years down the road. 

​Cheers to wine well done in Paso Robles by the hand of Bob Tillman.

P.S. A special thanks to Maggie Tillman for a fabulous introduction to both the wine and the vineyard. Looking forward to crossing paths again (hopefully sooner as opposed to later).

Epic expressions of Eastern Washington wine, bottled in beautiful limited releases. With depth of character and defined flavors, Fetcher Bay Winery, located in Washington's Bainbridge Island, produces a solid Syrah and Cabernet Sauvignon worth taking note of. Specializing in Bordeaux blends and single varietals since 2008, Fletcher Bay Winery is located just 2 miles from the ferry and is very much worth the trek.

Fletcher Bay 2014 Syrah: From Yakima Valley, this is a serious wine to take your time with. Bound in 15.5% alcohol, this Syrah has sharp acid with edgy candied plum and salted toffee on the palate. The intention of the wine is embodied with intense aromatics on the inhale.

Fletcher Bay 2013 Cabernet Sauvignon: Much love for Walla Walla and its Cabernet. My infatuation with the AVA was only increased with this example presenting dried blueberry, cranberry-ginger sauce and black licorice.  

​  Cheers to Eastern Washington wines in all their glory.

Located in Virginia's Blue Ridge Mountains is a sanctuary of natural beauty and serenity for our nation's wounded warriors to recover and reconnect with their families. As the nation's first privately-funded rural wellness center dedicated exclusively to combat veterans and their families, Boulder Crest Retreat for Military and Veteran Wellness heals our heroes one family at a time. I invite you to learn more here: www.bouldercrestretreat.org

So, what does Cabernet Sauvignon have to do with this? It is Boulder Crest Retreat Cabernet (produced by Tackitt Family Vineyards) that supports these noble efforts. All net proceeds of this wine go to funding this program. My palate had the pleasure of experiencing the 2014 Cabernet Sauvignon. With much love for Paso Robles Cab, I entirely enjoyed each rich, earth driven, blackberry accented and velour textured sip. At $25, it's more than a deal and a half with a worthy cause backed by each bottle.

  Cheers to wine that aids the healing heroes, one family at a time.

At 4,000 cases and only DTC (sold Direct-To-Consumer), Lula Cellars has a highly allocated stock of Anderson Valley wine with intricate flavor and intense acid to back it. Mendocino made, the wine is named after the grandmother of Lula Cellars winemaker - Jeff Hansen. Twenty-two acres with fifteen planted to Pinot Noir, an all estate production resides in the city of Philo, referred to some as 'Mendocino's Place for Pinot'.

Not only does Jeff Hansen have a great palate, but he has a great eye as well. Back in the day, he was a photographer in LA. Upon conducting a photo shoot with Mondavi in Napa, he fell in love with the focus of his attention - wine. Now 33 years a winemaker (25 of which in Napa), Jeff makes wine in the Anderson Valley AVA - specifically Mendocino. Jeff admits, "I would never say I make the best in Anderson Valley, but no one makes better." Having planted all the vineyards himself, Jeff Hansen takes great care and confidence in vines he trains with the methodology as follows: "If it's left handed, I'll leave it left handed... not forcing it to be right."

Reflections are interesting. When looking down, you find yourself looking up.
I took note of this when looking down into my glass and finding the rooftop and sky in my glass. The obvious anime pairing was of course Patema Inverted. - the story of a young girl, from a civilization that resides in deep underground tunnels, who finds herself trapped in an inverted world and teams up with a resident to escape and return home. A down-side up & up-side down sort of film with a story that makes you stop and question our assumptions about not just 'up & down' but 'right & wrong'.

Now, regardless of what the red was, the reflective result would have been the same. However, on this particular occasion, I was sipping the Barton & Guestier 2014 Bordeaux.

Cheers to reflective anime and approachable reds.
May we approach more reflective moments in life more often.