WOW: Blinded by the Light - Illumination!

WOW: Wine of the Week

Blinded by the Light - Illumination Sauvignon Blanc!

Just as you thought that Quintessa was a one-trick pony; the likes of which were only available to red wine drinkers - ShopUncorked.com is pleased to share that those same Wine Makers have honed their focus to produce Illumination Sauvignon Blanc!

Product Description

"From the makers of Quintessa - 2012 saw a relatively dry spring and summer which created ideal weather conditions for bloom resulting in a great vintage. Harvest stretched over five weeks beginning on August 30th at Quintessa and concluding on October 4th in the cooler hillside vineyards. The grapes were hand-picked and gently whole-cluster pressed, minimizing oxygen contact with the juice, thus retaining more aromatic floral and fruit characters. The juice was fermented with half native yeast in a variety of vessels. French oak barrels (7% new) bring a depth to the body and a hint of oak spice while acacia barrels add a complex floral spice on the nose. Egg-shaped concrete fermenters add richness to the palate while retaining fresh aromas and stainless steel barrels maintain the purity of the fruit. Semillon adds a round mouth-feel to complement the vibrant, tangy Sauvignon Blanc. Lees stirring enhances weight and complexity." - Winery Notes

Illumination Sauvignon Blanc 2012 Tasting Notes

"The 2012 Illumination is aromatic with white peach, Meyer lemon and floral, jasmine notes. Soft tropical fruit flavors lead to a lush mouth-feel with a clean finish enhanced by mineral notes." - Winemaker Notes
Blend: 44% Sauvignon Blanc, 44% Sauvignon Blanc Musque, 12% Semillon

WOW: Celebrating Cinco de Mayo - with Bubbles!

WOW: Wine of the Week

Happy Cinco de Mayo - ShopUncorked.com Celebrates with Bubbles!

ShopUncorked.com is EXCITED to celebrate Cinco de Mayo....and what better way to do that than with bubbles?!

This week's WOW is meant to be your newest pool-side companion!  OR...stock up on this wine for hostess gifts for upcoming Summer parties and as a crowd-pleasing libation for impromptu gatherings.  Either way, at under $15 per bottle, THIS wine is cause for celebration all alone!

Product Description

"The Bisol Estate is one of the oldest in the region of Valdobbiadene area. The winery was founded in 1858 by Eliseo Bisol, who was well known for his distillery. Quality has continued to be driving force over the generations. In the last 30 years the Bisol brothers have succedeed in achieving a balance between tradition and modern technology. Because of the very steep hillsides, this is a difficult area to cultivate." - Winery Notes

Bisol Jeio Prosecco N/V Reviews

"Bisol’s NV Prosecco Jeio reveals notable freshness, vibrancy and crispness in its green apples, flowers and sweet spices. There is terrific energy and harmony here, but like most Proseccos, the wine is best enjoyed in its exuberant youth." - 88, Wine Advocate

Bisol Jeio Prosecco N/V Tasting Notes

The color is a light straw yellow . The nose is fruity and fresh The taste is sapid and elegant.

Bisol Jeio Prosecco N/V Pairings

Due to the 'brut' personality, this wines makes an ideal accompaniment for the entire complement of cocktail sandwiches and elaborate canapés.

WOW: August Briggs Feature - LIMITED time!

WOW: Wine of the Week

August Briggs Features
















Please welcome back August Briggs to ShopUncorked.com for a limited time!  This brand needs very little introduction as their quality is consistent and well respected...without further ado...

Winery Information

"August Briggs Winery is an 'employees turned owners' winery in Napa Valley dedicated to producing very limited quantities of great wines from carefully selected vineyards across  Napa and Sonoma counties. Founder Joe Briggs brings a quarter-century of winemaking knowledge in working with quality grape growers to produce our signature style of balanced wines with intense fruit character.

Our eclectic portfolio includes single vineyard and appellation bottlings of Cabernet Sauvignon, Pinot Noir, Syrah, Petite Sirah, Pinot Meunier, Zinfandel, Chardonnay and Charbono – each one an expression of restrained winemaking and site signature." - Winery Notes

August Briggs Leveroni Vineyard Carneros Chardonnay 2011 Tasting Notes

"This wine opens with aromas of pineapple and mango, with a touch of vanilla.  On the palate, the texture is rich from barrel fermentation, but enough acidity remains to keep it fresh on the palate, with flavors of pear, pineapple and honeydew melon." - Winery Notes

August Briggs Monte Rosso Cabernet 2009 Tasting Notes

"Our 2009 'Monte Rosso Vineyard' Cabernet Sauvignon is another winner from this famed vineyard. The wine is supple and creamy-textured, with ripe plum and cherry flavors that show touches of dried herbs." - Winery Notes

August Briggs Monte Rosso Cabernet 2010 Tasting Notes

"The 'Monte Rosso' or 'Red Mountain' vineyard is so named for its rich, red volcanic soils. Nestled in the majestic Mayacamas Mountain range, almost 1,000 feet above the Sonoma Valley floor, this steep and rugged mountain vineyard has a desirable western exposure that produce intense, decadent, powerful wines." - Winery Notes

WOW: How do you define "Syn3rgy?"

WOW: Wine of the Week

How do you define "Syn3rgy?"

The definition of "Synergy" is as varied as the number of people asked to define it.  But for the purposes of this WOW and truly excellent wine, this week ShopUncorked.com favors the definition by the two founders of B Cellars!

Product Description

"The two passionate wine collectors-turned-vintners Jim Borsack and Duffy Keys, who founded B Cellars, made a great choice when they hired young phenom Kirk Venge to be their winemaker. The son of Napa winemaker Nils Venge, Kirk is considered one of the area’s rising stars and has all the advantages one might expect of an insider scion-connections to great growers and access to fruit and information that might elude someone new to the valley. B Cellars is the kind of project that might entice any young winemaker looking to burnish his résumé, though. It’s focused entirely on handcrafted, no-expense-spared Napa Valley wines. A blend of three single-vineyard Cabs, Syn3rgy is a new wine for B Cellars. While the team loves the expression of single vineyards, in this case they believe the whole surpasses the sum of its parts. Hours and hours of blending were required to get just the perfect wine, which only amounted to 200 cases." - Winery Notes

b Cellars "Syn3rgy" Cabernet 2010 Tasting Notes

"The dark, brooding nose suggests red currant, black currant, licorice and mocha.  Expressive ripe-fruit flavors and exquisitely etched fine, silky tannins characterize this Napa Cab." - Winery Notes

b Cellars "Syn3rgy" Cabernet 2010 Pairings

The B Cellars Syn3rgy’s intensity requires an entrée with ample substance and fat as a counterbalance. Look to simply flavored beef, lamb and game dishes, particularly those that are grilled or roasted. Accent ingredients like lentils, mushrooms and root vegetables will play up the wine’s earthy notes, while fresh herbs and leafy green vegetables will harmonize with its minty, herbaceous character. Outside of meat, look to meaty vegetables like eggplant and mushrooms to stand up to the wine.

WOW: A Place Called Kokomo...

WOW: Wine of the Week

A Place Called Kokomo...

No, contrary to popular belief, this winery name was NOT inspired by The Beach Boys song.  This winery derives its name from the founder's hometown of Kokomo, Indiana!

"Perched on 120 acres of prime Dry Creek Valley east benchland vineyards known as Timber Crest Farms, Kokomo Winery concentrates on small production, single-vineyard wines. Started in 2004 with the production of a single vineyard Cabernet Sauvignon, Kokomo Winery focuses their terroir-driven philosophy on Sonoma County and its distinct appellations. Owner and Winemaker Erik Miller named the winery after his hometown of Kokomo, IN, and decided on a Coastal Cypress Tree for the logo to signify his move out west. Joined by his best friend from Purdue, Josh Bartels, as Kokomo's assistant winemaker, Erik partnered with legendary grower Randy Peters, who has nearly forty years of wine grape growing experience under his belt. The three have formed quite the successful alliance, as Kokomo Winery has now joined the elite boutique wineries of Sonoma County, gaining more 90+ ratings and Gold Medals with each anticipated release." - Winery Notes

Taste true inspiration from the Miller family and enjoy these two new wines to ShopUncorked.com for around $20 per bottle.

Kokomo Chardonnay 2012 Tasting Notes

"This Chardonnay has pineapple, green apple, and honeysuckle aromas.  The bright and fruit-forward mouth feel is followed by apple pie and vanilla with a clean finish." - Winery Notes

Kokomo Zinfandel 2012 Tasting Notes

"Our 2012 Zinfandel gives a ravishing display of ruby red color that leads into a pleasant bouquet of blackberry fruit, coco, and holiday spice.  While sipping, your palate will be delighted by blackberries and plum, refineds tannins, a full body and a finish that lingers." - Winery Notes

WOW: What is a Claret?

WOW: Wine of the Week

New Additions: What is a Claret?

In the spirit of Bordeaux, this Napa Claret is sure to please even the most discerning of palates.  New flowers, new buds on trees and new additions to ShopUncorked.com...'tis the season!

ShopUncorked.com particularly likes this explanation from Dr. Vinny of Wine Spectator:
"Before 'claret' was the nickname for Bordeaux wines, it meant 'clear,' 'pale' or 'light-colored' wine ('claret' being derived from the Latin word for “clear”). This is back in the 14th and 15th centuries, when wines from Bordeaux were actually paler, almost like rosés. In the late Middle Ages, 'claret' also referred to a heated wine poured over a bag of spices.
The first known references to 'claret' as dark red Bordeaux wines were in the 1700s by the British trade. History buffs will recall that France and England were at war during this period, and it was right around then that the English started seeking out Portuguese wines to satisfy their thirst.
These days 'claret' is used as a generic way to refer to Bordeaux wines (or wines styled after Bordeaux) and the associated dark red color that’s also used to describe anything from nail polish to yarn."

Product Description

"Steltzner Vineyard is located in the Stags Leap District where we farm 30 acres of Cabernet Sauvignon, along with small amounts of Sangiovese, Malbec and Petit Verdot.  Our family has owned this property since 1965.  We currently make our wine at Folio Custom Crush and source only grapes from throughout Napa Valley to create our Claret blend." - Winery Notes

Steltzner Claret 2011 Tasting Notes

Beautiful full fruit balanced with dark toasted oak notes.  Classic Bordeaux blend with just enough Merlot and Cabernet Franc to give the underlying Cabernet finesse and grace.  Dark berry fruits with hints of cedar box on the finish.

WOW: New Additions - Ernesto Catena Selections

WOW: Wine of the Week

New Additions: Ernesto Catena Selections










New flowers, new buds on trees and new additions to ShopUncorked.com...'tis the season!

ShopUncorked.com is THRILLED to bring two new wines from Ernesto Catena to our clients.  These two red wines are perfectly priced at just $12 each!

Ernesto Catena, the owner of Ernesto Catena Vineyards in Argentina, is the eldest son of Nicolás Catena of Catena Zapata. A 4th generation winemaker, Ernesto has traveled and lived around the world, and along the way has earned a Bachelors degree in Computer Science and Economy, a Master’s in Design in Milan and a degree in history in London. Defined by many as the "bohemian" side of the Catena family, Ernesto is a tireless and avid reader, painter, art collector, horseman, polo player and archer.

Product Description

"Ernesto Catena Selections are an expression of Ernesto Catena's intense passion for wine, Argentina, art, and life. A Mendoza native, Ernesto personally selects the fruit from the prestigious sites of Tupungato, La Consulta, Vistalflores, Altamira, Tunuyan in the Valle de Uco that is carefully crafted into wines of distinct character and typicity. Tahuan wines highlight Argentina's premier grape varieties, expressing seamless varietal character, enhanced by the microclimate of Mendoza. Structured and intense, Siesta wines capture the depth and complexity produced by the distinct combination of altitude, climate, and soil that define this exciting region which has been a great inspiration to international winemaking." - Winery Notes

Ernesto Catena Selections Tahuan Cabernet 2010 Reviews and Tasting Notes

"Good dark red.  Expressive aromas and flavors of redcurrant, plum, tobacco, licorice, chocolate and herbs.  Sweet and fresh on entry, then juicy and firmly built, showing excellent energy and lift (and a bit of unabsorbed CO2) and conveying an impression of solid extract.  Nicely balanced, honest cabernet with a firm spine of sweet tannins and noteworthy length." - 90, International Wine Cellar
A much softer, gentler, fruitier wine that can be enjoyed when only a year or two old, a blackcurrant juice feel, a vague whiff of milk chocolate, followed up by something ever so slightly salty on the palate.

Ernesto Catena Selections Tahuan Malbec 2011 Reviews and Tasting Notes

"A dense red, with terrific depth to the jammy blackberry, plum skin and fig paste notes, tightly woven with fine tannins and layers of mesquite, cocoa and spice. Drink now through 2017." - 90, Wine Spectator
The Tahuan Malbec opens to not quite a full purple color. On the nose the wine offers lots of toasty aromas, but then, after only a few minutes, the aromas of fresh and juicy red fruits -such as strawberry and cherry- take center stage. There are also intriguing hints of wild flowers and violets. It is a very well balanced wine in the mouth, delivering sweet, yet firm tannins, and with a soft and pleasant taste where all kinds of fruits freely express themselves.