SANGLIER CELLARS OCTOBER RELEASE

Releasing new wines is an exciting time, but also slightly troubling, if like me, you have tendencies toward paranoia and obsessive compulsion disorder. Not that these traits flare up often, but when you compress the pressures of harvesting for some of the best winemakers in the world, making your own wine, and releasing your current wines to the market place all at the same time, it is safe to say the brain is full of what ifs, and scary scenarios. Throw in a little rain like we had Saturday morning and the threat of rain for tonight (excessive rain has the potential to ruin a grape crop) and I believe you can understand how the mind races.

But I digress. Releasing new wines requires writing new tasting notes. Writing new tasting notes requires some trusted friends to lend their opinion. Their opinion must be given in the environment we hope the wines will be drunk…at the dinner table (or if you insist, I can assure you we are OK with lunch time drinking). And yes there is the side benefit of drinking your wine, truly enjoying what you have made, and achieving a evening of bliss during a time of intense work activities.

THE LINE UP:

2008 Kick Ranch Viognier
2008 Russian River Valley Pinot Noir
2007 Kick Ranch Syrah
2007 Kemp Vineyard Syrah

These wines will officially release on October 1.

THE TASTERS:

JimCowan (aka Florida Jim on many websites and blogs) and his wife Diane
Perry Rankin, owner of Thirty Four North Wine Merchant in Healdsburg
Brian Check, Tasting Room Manager at Gary Farrell
Chelsea Alexander, General Manager at Sanglier
Glenn & Melissa Alexander

THE PAIRINGS:

2008 Kick Ranch Viognier

Tuna Tartare with Mango, Avocado, Mango Vinaigrette and Micro Greens

2008 Russian River Valley Pinot Noir

Puffed Pastry filled with Duck Confit, Mushrooms & Balsamic Creme Sauce

2007 Kick Ranch and Kemp Vineyard Syrahs

CK Lamb Chops Grilled over a Fire of Grapevines and Francois Ferrer Barrel Staves
Eggplant Custard, Oven Roasted Potatoes with Garlic & Rosemary

Dessert

Almond Tart with Homegrown Strawberries

TASTING NOTES:

2008 Kick Ranch Viognier On the nose: Gardenia’s, peach skin, cassava melon, kumquat and a hint of vanilla
On the palate: Lime citrus and orange blossom, roasted almonds, spice, and a wonderful mouth-feel…

2008 Russian River Pinot Noir: This is a velvety Pinot that fills up the mouth with richness. Hints of bacon fat, brown sugar, forest floor, chocolate covered dark cherries, rhubarb and pipe tobacco
On the palate: Smoky black cherry slightly laced with dark chocolate. It is a powerful pinot with concentrated, pretty red fruit.

2007 Kemp Vineyard Syrah: This Syrah has gripping texture, but with a cleanness…Cocoa, white chocolate and big black fruit fill the nose.
On the palate: toasted spices, cocoa powder and chocolaty laced blackberry and plum screamed to pair up with lamb!

2007 Kick Ranch Syrah: As Jim put it, “Tastes like one continuous integrated Syrah…”.
Dusty red fruit on the nose. The palate brings cinnamon, coffee with a finish that is long and clean. A crowd favorite of the night…

RAIN AND THE CHANCE OF RAIN

A little rain just washed the dust off…..that is a comforting comment that covers the fear all winegrowers have during harvest. A serious rain is a real threat to the crop, especially for Chandonnay, Zinfandel, Grenache, Petite Sirah and other thin skinnned varietals. So we all sleep lightly during nights of forecasted moisture and hope we can harvest the fruit prior to botrytis setting in. We do have some preventative tools to combat this risk, but they only work if you did a good job with your farming back in May when the botrytis spores develop and settle in, just waiting for some late season moisture to encourage their growth. We are ready and prepared, but the fact is, sleep will be hard to come by until this front passes.