So, like, what is this stuff, anyway?
I taste a bunch-o-wine (technical term for more than most people). So each week, I share some of my wine reviews (mostly from samples) and tasting notes with you via twitter (limited to 140 characters). They are meant to be quirky, fun, and easily-digestible reviews of currently available wines. Below is a wrap-up of those twitter wine reviews from the past week (click here for the skinny on how to read them), along with links to help you find these wines, so that you can try them for yourself. Cheers!

• 08 Rudolf Furst R Centgrafenberg Spatburgunder Grosses Gewachs (Franken): Pinot centered Zen-like, to carry itself many years hence. $110 A- >>find this wine<<
• NV Berlucchi Cuvee 61 Rose (Franciacorta): Sweet & savory biscuits flecked with strawberries & cherries. And Yeah, we said flecked. $22 B+ >>find this wine<<
• 05 Smith-Madrone Cabernet Sauvignon (Spring Mountain District): The kind of austerity measure that we should all be getting behind. $40 B+ >>find this wine<<
• 10 Trapiche Iscay Syrah Viognier (Mendoza): For those who dig that everything is bigger in Texas, because everything is *bigger* here $50 B+ >>find this wine<<
• 08 Trapiche Iscay Malbec Cabernet Franc (Mendoza): Rocks, silky richness, taught structure, all screaming Focus, Focus, Focus! $50 A- >>find this wine<<
• 12 Trapiche Pure Malbec (Uco valley): No wood, just spicy berry that gives a respectful nod to France before partying Argentine style. $18 B >>find this wine<<
• 11 Trapiche Oak Case Pinot Noir (Mendoza): Comes on bright, smooth, strong, and smoking, and leaves just when things get interesting. $10 B- >>find this wine<<
• 10 Zuccardi Zeta (Uco Valley): Begrudgingly shows off grit, softness, herbs & dark fruit; for now, hanging the Do Not Disturb sign. $45 B+ >>find this wine<<
• 11 Zuccardi Emma Bonarda (Mendoza): Elegant Bonarda? Really? Well, this is pretty much a primer on how it ought to be done, people. $35 B+ >>find this wine<<
• 11 Zuccardi Serie A Bonarda (Santa Rosa): Hanging on to the meaty, red-plummy juiciness, and letting go of the astringent structure. $15 B >>find this wine<<
• 11 Zuccardi Serie A Torrontes (Salta): Long on green fields of white flowers, and on displays of soulful, energetic character. $15 B >>find this wine<<
• 09 Familia Zuccardi Aluvional La Consulta Malbec (Mendoza): Like a gaucho who once apprenticed with The World's Most Interesting Man. $80 A- >>find this wine<<
• 12 Claypool Cellars CC Pachyderm Pinot Noir Rose (Russian River Valley): Cherry, peach, roses &… dang, somebody's getting serious! $NA B+ >>find this wine<<
• 10 Tenuta San Guido Le Difese (Toscana): It's gonna be bright, bright – and spicy – sunshiney, pasta-with-red-meat-sauce meal… $35 B+ >>find this wine<<
• 09 Chateau Mont-Redon Blanc (Chateauneuf-du-Pape): Just when it hit me somebody turned round & shouted Play that funky music whiteboy $35 B+ >>find this wine<<

At this point, I think we can agree that Sonoma winemaker Ross Cobb now owes me some money.

Certainly I’ve reviewed and featured a few of his wines here, with quite favorable results – though that’s not, of course, why I think he should be paying me (really, we’ve had enough of that alleged behavior lately, haven’t we?).

No, I think he owes me money because I might have helped seal the deal on his latest gig. Finder’s fee? C’mon, a little slice off the top of that is kind of standard business practice, right?!??

[ Editor's note: I do not actually think that this guy owes me money. ]

In all seriousness, I’ve been covering the recent trajectory of both Ross’ wines and those of his latest consulting client, Sonoma’s Claypool Cellars – so I’m happy to report that the two are now working together.

During my recent jaunt to Sonoma, I spent a few hours with Chaney Smith Claypool, wife of rocker Les Claypool and the driving force behind their up-and-coming wine venture. The Claypool Cellars wines are quite solid, and very good (in the case of their 2009 Hurst Vineyard “Purple Pachyderm” Pinot, very, very good), and what’s in barrel for their Russian River Valley Pinot Noir is already tasty and sporting a ton of exciting spicy, bright-fruited potential.

Despite the laid-back, bohemian carnival atmosphere of their brand, they make serious juice – and Chaney is serious about taking Claypool Cellars to the next level. One thing she told me stuck with me several days later: “I want a legacy that we can give to the kids… if they’ll take it!” This is coming from someone who’s tasting room is a caboose train car, by the way…

Read the rest of this stuff »

Uhm, like what is this stuff?
I taste a bunch-o-wine (technical term for more than most people). So each week, I share some of my wine sample tasting notes via twitter (limited to 140 characters). They are meant to be fun, quickly-and-easily-digestible reviews. Below is a wrap-up of the twitter reviews from the past week (click here for the skinny on how to read them), along with links to help you find them so you can try them for yourself. Cheers!

• 11 Michel Torino Malbec Rose (Cafayate Valley): Candied strawberry & savory meat make for strange bedfellows… but tasty bedfellows. $13 B- >>find this wine>>
• 09 Landmark Overlook Chardonnay (Sonoma County): Playing a very good-looking hand, though the game might be a bit too rich for some. $28 B >>find this wine>>
• 09 Claypool Cellars Purple Pachyderm Pinot Noir Hurst Vineyard (Russian River Valley): Popping with laser-light-show-like complexity. $42 B+ >>find this wine>>
• 09 Claypool Cellars Fanci Blend (Lake County): A GSM that’s PDG; happily passes you the chocolate, red berry & a side of fresh pepper. $24 B >>find this wine>>
• 09 Halter Ranch Syrah Block 22 (Paso Robles): Strong on being strong, but also strong on delivering dusty, spicy, pruney flavor. $29 B >>find this wine>>
• 09 Mauritson Rockpile Ridge Cabernet Sauvignon (Sonoma County): Blackcurrant liqueur meets the dusty, gritty salt of the earth. $47 B+ >>find this wine>>
• 10 Mauritson Rockpile Ridge Zinfandel (Dry Creek Valley): About as down-home & as delicious as your Uncle’s secret BBQ sauce recipe. $37 B+ >>find this wine>>
• 10 Mauritson Dry Creek Valley Zinfandel (Dry Creek Valley): 8 diff. vineyards, 1 spicy, tangy Zin fit for yer next round of spare ribs $29 B >>find this wine>>
• 11 Mauritson Sauvignon Blanc (Dry Creek Valley): What’s with all the refreshing DCV SBs lately? Not that I’m complaining whatsoever! $21 B >>find this wine>>
• 07 Aurielle Cabernet Sauvignon (Napa Valley): Opulent, certainly, but isn’t afraid to grill a rack of lamb with you out on your deck. $90 A- >>find this wine>>
• 10 Nals Margreid Pinot Bianco (Alto Adige): I see your pineapple, & raise you citrus pith & nuts; and it’s totally a winning hand. $20 B+ >>find this wine>>
• 07 West Cape Howe Two Steps Shiraz Viognier (Great Southern): Meaty/spicy, fruity & floral. Somebody queue up VH’s Best Of Both Worlds $18 B >>find this wine>>
• 08 Twomey Merlot (Napa Valley): Herbal, chocolaty, intense, structured, spicy, dark… & well, just very, very damned tasty. $50 B+ >>find this wine>>
• 10 Twomey Bien Nacido Pinot Noir (Santa Maria Valley): Earthy, serious & tightly wound; will spring to herbal, cherry life later. $50 B+ >>find this wine>>
• 10 Twomey Russian River Valley Pinot Noir (Russian River Valley): Don’t let the flirtatiousness fool U, its head is screwed on tight. $50 B+ >>find this wine>>
• 10 Twomey Anderson Valley Pinot Noir (Anderson Valley): Strawberry cobbler, served up at an upscale but unpretentious local spot. $50 B+ >>find this wine>>
• 11 Twomey Sauvignon Blanc (Napa Valley/Sonoma): Textural, like laying in cut grass and peeling the rind off a fresh grapefruit. $25 B >>find this wine>>
• 09 Twomey Sonoma Coast Pinot Noir (Sonoma Coast): She is racy, maybe even a bit austere but draped in a rich, velvety, elegant dress. $50 B+ >>find this wine>>
• 09 Dr. Pauly Bergweiler Riesling Spatlese (Mosel): Lemon drop, lime rind, & a very strong desire to deplete the whole damn bottle. $33 B+ >>find this wine>>

In the latest installment of 1WD TV, I go backstage in D.C. to talk to rocker Les Claypool about his Claypool Cellars wines, eat the butterscotch cookies in his Green Room, and generally geek out about great Sonoma Pinot Noir.  Les has just kicked off a tour with Primus in support of their new (excellent, dark & funky) album Green Naugahyde, a jaunt that will take them across a wide swath of the U.S., with stops in South America later this year and a stint at London’s famed Royal Albert Hall next April.

This is my second interview with Les (you can check out the first one here), and he’s still clearly very into the CC endeavor, and is quite the CA-boy homer when it comes to Pinot Noir.  Words can not accurately describe the coolness of this interview for me, so just watch the friggin’ video already because it’s Pudding Time, children!!!

Mentioned in this episode:

• Claypool Cellars wine
• Purple Pachyderm Pinot Noir
• Awesome, face-meltingly-good Pinot from the West Sonoma Coast

Cheers!