2014 Schramsberg Blanc de Blancs

Davies Vineyards, Calistoga, Napa Valley, California (USA)

Retail:  $32 (2023)

Two nights of Champagne (ok Sparkling Brut wine) in a row for ending 2024 and bringing in 2025.  This wonderful California Blanc de Blancs is bright and fresh with aromas of green apple orange zest. It is fruitforward with subtle bouts of honey and lemon.  The bubbles are well-refined and so is the long finish.  

Schramsberg has a long and enduring history dating back to the 19th century when German immigrant Jacob Schram started his winery on Diamond Mountain.  Over one hundred years later Jack and Jamie Davies acquired the winery in 1965.  Schramsberg Sparkling wine was selected by President Nixon for the 1972 “Toast to Peace” with China’s Premier Zhou Enlai. Schramsberg’s sparkling wines have served at official State functions by every U.S. Presidential administration ever since.

Food Pairing:  We love to pair Sparkling wine - Champagne with Lay's Potato Chips!  Fresh oysters and other shellfish, crab cakes, ceviche and grilled sea bass but also excellent with grilled chicken and Thai curries.  You can easily serve it with aged Gouda or other hard cheeses.

2009 Pierre Morlet Brut Champagne 1er Cru Avenay - Val-D’Or  Champagne

Avenay-Val-d'Or, Champagne (France)

Winemaker:  Paulin Morlet

Retail:  $80 (2021)

What a way to end the year then to start with something fantastic! Typically, Champagne is non-vintage except when the growing conditions are exceptional that makes a particular year worthy of bottling by itself.  This is called "Millésime".   2009 was a very good year and we are thrilled to have the experience to try this Champagne.  Morlet bottle aged this wine for 10 years before release. It is believed that this vintage will remain at its peak through 2028.   The Morlets have been cultivating vines in Champagne since the mid-1800s so deep history and vast knowledge of winemaking. 

Aromas sweetness of honey, summer fruit and bready yeast.  Elegant bubbles and acidity that tickles the senses.  The finish is what you expect to be long, lasting and refined of a Champagne of this kind. 

During our research we found the 2009 Pierre Morlet served at three star Michelin restaurant The French Laundry in Napa.   It is on the wine list hovering around $1000 per bottle.   

In the Champagne region the Morlet Pinot Noir and Chardonnay grapes are grown in deep, chalky subsoil and have temperate microclimates of the hillsides. Furthremore, a rarity in Champagne, the tradition of barrel fermenting and aging continues to be honored, adding complexity and uniqueness to the Champagne. 

2017 Peltier Schatz Family Teroldego Estate Reserve

Lodi, California (USA)

Head Winemaker:  Gianni Abate

Retail:  $60 (2024)

As anticipated and expected a glass of Teroldego is a deep crimson color.  Aromas of red berries, dried fruits with floral violets.  The palate was heavy ladened with cherry and plum.  Definitely a full bodied wine!

Teroldego is a grape typically grown in Northern Italy’s Trentino-Alto Adige region.  Teroldego is blended by winemakers to add color due to being deep and inky. This wine is a blend of two estate vineyards owned by the Schatz Family. One vineyard is South of the winery that is warmer that helps bring dark berry notes in the wine.  The other estate vineyard is located in the cooler part of Lodi in the Clements Hills sub AVA.  The cooler climate brings more spice and even olive notes.

Alcohol:  14.2%

PH: 3.6

TA:  5.7 g/l

RS:  3.6 g/l

2018 Masciarelli Montepulciano D'Abruzzo

Varietal: Montepulciano

Abruzzo, Montepulciano (Italy)

Retail: $10.99 (2021)

Deep ruby red, the nose expresses an intense and fine bouquet. Notes of cherry, currant and violet embellished with a slight hint of tobacco open to a balanced taste, tasty, well defined in every component.

This winery was founded by Gianni Masciarelli in 1981 who he spent a Summer in Champagne and wanted to return to Italy to grow his own wines.  Gianni was ahead of his time by reducing grape yields and worked sustainably along with new methods of improving fruit quality.  One of things he did was gently and precisely handled the fruit.  Over time he and his wife Marina Cvetic was honored with 29 Tre Bicchieri awards!  Tre Bicchieri is the last word in judging Italian wines.

Today, Masciarelli is the producer in Abruzzo to own land in all 4 provinces of Abruzzo (Chieti, Pescara, Teramo and l’Aquila), and their production of wines is 100% estate.

Non-Vintage Rayson Winery and Vineyards Cabernet Franc

Cabernet Franc

North Carolina (USA)

Retail: $45

Got our hot little hands on the inaugural bottling of Rayson's Cabernet Franc.   JOLO Brands, LLC, a subsidiary of JOLO Winery and Vineyards, successfully acquired RayLen Vineyards and Winery, now operating as Rayson Winery and Vineyards. The ownership team from JOLO Winery and Vineyards oversees all day-to-day operations, vision, winemaking, and guest services at the Rayson property.

Rayson, is derived from the winemaking family's two sons, Joey and Logan Ray, who are the sons of JW and Kristen Ray; hence, the name Rayson.

We found the wine to hit our palate with fresh strawberries and a bready yeasty taste. Plenty of acidity and rounded tannins.  

Harvested: Blend of vintages 2022 and 2023- Harvested September both years

Bottled: March 4th, 2024

Released On: March 6th, 2024

Number of Bottles Produced: 9,075

Cooperage: 90% French Oak 10% American Oak