Cristom Marjorie Vineyard Willamette Valley Pinot Noir

Picture Credit:  HalfWitWines.com

Cristom Marjorie Vineyard Willamette Valley is an Oregon wine producer. The vineyard is located near Salem, U.S.A. Mr. Steve Doerner is the current owner of this vineyard. Mr. Doerner has a degree in biochemistry. He also spent fourteen years in California at the Calera Wine Company to perfect Pinot Noir. There are actually eight estate owned vineyards with a total of 160 acres. Six of the eight vineyards are actually named after family matriarchs. The Cristom vineyards are known best for their pinot noir wines.

Out of the ten thousand cases of wine made per vintage, fifteen hundred cases are that of white wine.

The notes of this wine escape fragrant cherries with a pinch of sage, cardamon and char. As the wine is opened and left to breathe, you will notice an intense cherry scent. Once you take a sip of this wine you will taste black cherries, savory herbs, a little earth and a splash of chocolate.

The good news is that Pinot Noir pairs well with many foods. Foods that will go well with Cristom Marjorie Vineyard Willamette Valley Pinot Noir include shellfish in a sauce, bisque, curry or with seasoned meats. Other foods that pair well with this wine include salmon, Ahi tuna, pasta and risotto, chicken and turkey, mushrooms, beans, duck, goose, pheasant, rabbit, pork, ostrich, venison, elk, ham, pork, veal and cheese. As you can see, most of the meats on the list that go well with this wine are lean. Pinot Noir is a light wine and compliments the lean meats. Most types of fruits that are made into sauces for your meat go well with Pinot Noir. You may actually add the Pinot Noir to the sauce you are preparing for maximum results.

Remember when you are eating and drinking Cristom Marjorie Vineyard Willamette Valley Pinot Noir not to pair it up with citrus fruit and citrus foods, desserts or very sweet dishes, overly acidic foods (think tomato sauces) or vinegar based foods such as dressings or barbeque sauces. Depending on your tolerance to spicy foods, will depend if you want to pair this wine up with it.

Block 949 Cabernet Sauvignon 2009

Picture Credit:  The Purple Teeth Brigade... And the cellar grows

Block 949 Cabernet Sauvignon 2009 is from Sonoma County, California. The vineyard of this wine is The Vineyard Block Estate and has been chosen by the winemakers of California’s most exclusive vineyards. Another reason that this area was chosen is due to the fact that it is ideal for Cabernet Sauvignon to grow. The grapes are high quality with help from the alluvial and volcanic soils. The rustic and wild vineyard is in a remote area.

Cabernet Sauvignon is a red wine. This grape was the most popular for almost all of the 20th century until the Merlo passed it in the 1990’s. The grapes used are very hearty and tend not to rot as quickly as some other wine making grapes. Therefore, with the ease of this grapes cultivation it has become one of the top wines.

Interestingly the word Sauvignon is thought to have derived from the French word sauvage which means wild. The word refers to the grapevine being a wild native of the country France.

Block 949 Cabernet Sauvignon 2009 is a medium purple color and you will notice ruby on the rim. It is a young cabernet. The notes include casis with a slight wood. You will note high acidity with no tannin in the midrange.

This red wine should be served at room temperature. Block 949 Cabernet Sauvignon 2009 has a complex velvety smoothness when one sips it. You will taste dark cherry, plum, blueberry and a dash of chocolate. The finish of this wine is long with chewy tannins with just a touch of spice. Some would describe this wine as having a sophisticated taste.

Bold Cabernet Sauvignon can bring out the flavor of the fruits in the wine when it is paired with steaks or butter cream sauce type of dishes. This wine is paired well with foods that are grilled, smoked or plank roasted. If you plan on having ice cream as a dessert try to make sure you have finished all of your wine. Block 949 Cabernet Sauvignon 2009 or any other wine does not pair well with ice cream.

Vino Family Napa Valley Merlot Duo

The Vino family is headed by Momma Vino. Momma Vino is originally from Italy and came to the United States when her sons, Don and Vito, were very young. The family was poor and Momma got a job at a local butcher shop in Napa Valley where the family resided. Momma Vino had extensive knowledge with wine and would prepare her own blend. She gave the wine to family and friends to drink. Son, Don, took after Momma and learned about wine. When Don became an adult he eventually bought a small area of land to begin a vineyard.

The Vino family vineyard is located in Napa Valley. Wine critics usually give wonderful reviews on the Vino family wines. The Vino family jokes that if a critic does not give a favorable wine review the critic suddenly disappears.

Each family member has their own special bottle of wine. Today we feature the Vino Family Napa Valley Merlot Duo. This bold wine is Vito Vino’s bottle of wine from the year 2004. The color of this Merlo is a rich and medium dark garnet/ruby. This wine appears to be a young wine with notes that have been aged for 18 months in an oak barrel. The aromas are of cherries and vanilla. The aromas will then be filled with cherry fruitiness, caramel and finally a vinous array of layered flavors with each sip you take.

Vito Vino can proudly say that his bottle of wine has won a bronze medal from the Dallas Morning News International Wine Competition.

Food pairings with the Vino Family Napa Valley Merlot Duo include rich and hearty foods such as portabella mushroom dishes, salmon and greens such as chard and radicchio. When drinking any type of Merlo wine stay away from strong and blue veined cheeses. If you do end up pairing this wine with this type of cheese you will notice the fruit flavors become understated. Spicy foods are not a good pair with Merlot either. Spicy foods will enhance the perception of alcohol in the wine which will make it taste more tannic and bitter.