Second Leaf

Dry Creek Valley has to be one of my favorite wine regions in California and David Coffaro Estate Vineyard has become one of my favorite wineries in that area. If you prefer layers of rich red and dark fruits in wines without sacrificing complexity and balance, the wines from Coffaro are worth checking out.

Although the winery does produce fantastic varietal releases such as Zinfandel and Petite Sirah, blending is truly their specialty. The 2004 Block 4 Red Wine, a field blend of at least 6 different varieties from Coffaro’s Block 4 vineyard, is a beautiful example of what’s possible when multiple grapes are grown, picked, fermented, aged, and bottled together. A true team effort, the players in this wine include Zinfandel (50%), Petite Sirah (25%), Peloursin (5%), Syrah (5%), Carignan (5%), and 10% “other varieties”!

This wine is dark ruby in color with a nose that explodes with rich scents of raspberries, blackberries, and black cherries mixed with traces of black pepper, cloves, and cedar. Although full bodied, soft, and round on the palate, this wine is not sweet. The tannins are substantial but play a supporting role and keep the exuberant fruit in this wine in-check. A fruit cobbler in a glass, this wine does just fine on its own but also begs to be paired with cheeses or grilled meats.

While trolling the shelves in the Spanish wine section at a local retailer the other day, this wine caught my eye. The name of the producer, Abadia Retuerta, looked familiar. Intrigued, I took the bottle in my hands, spun it around to get a look at the front and back labels, and somehow remembered recently reading that they had just launched a blog. Also, I remembered that Ryan over at Catavino.net was working with them. I just had to take a bottle home now!

This wine, from the Ribera del Duero DO, is a blend of 60% Tempranillo and 40% Cabernet Sauvignon. The color is medium-dark ruby in color with inviting aromas of red cherries, cranberries, raspberries, and spice. In the mouth, the flavors included more of the same with additional hints of pomegranate and cinnamon. Unlike Tim’s review on Winecast, I didn’t think this wine was over oaked. Although noticeable, I thought the contributions of spice and vanilla from time in the barrel were subtle and complimentary. This wine was vibrant with nice acidity and balance.