Within the colder months of the calendar year, you are likely to find wine and spirits a recurring part of your social calendar. Whether you are hosting a gathering at home, celebrating New Year’s, partaking in an NFL Sunday or attending a holiday party, odds are that alcohol will be a part of that event’s equation. With craft spirits and specialized vineyards being more popular than ever these days, it is not always easy to keep up with the latest and greatest brands out there on the market.
As a frequent reader of industry trades, a prolific interviewer of brand ambassadors and a follower of key developments within the world of wine, beer and spirits, I regularly take note of new products and developments. Below are 8 winemakers you ought to stock your home bar with the wines of this season.
Bruno Solari and his four siblings, Giulia, Diana, Tony and Kelley are 3rd generation farmers in the Calistoga area of Napa Valley, California. The Solari’s farm merges old-school sensibilities with new-school techniques. New from The Prisoner’s lineof wines is its Saldo 2017, Cuttings 2017 and The Prisoner 2017. These versatile and eye-catching wines have garnered cult-status among A-listers and enthusiasts alike. Opposed to a traditional red, these blends offer an added edge to hearty holiday meal pairings.
The Saldo 2017 is a deliciously-smooth, dark ruby red Zinfandel is filled with bold aromas of black licorice, black pepper, cherry and baking spice. The Cuttings 2016 is a deep and intense Cabernet Sauvignon with flavors of blueberry, dark cherry, and cocoa, filled with aromas of fresh roasted coffee, black currant, vanilla bean and brown spice. The Prisoner Red Blend 2017 combines Zinfandel with a blend of Cabernet Sauvignon, Petite Sirah, Syrah, and Charbono. There’s something for everyone with The Prisoner.
A legendary race-car driver and CEO of The Racer’s Group, Kevin Buckler is the founder of Adobe Road Winery. A colorful character with a unique story, Kevin’s path to the wine world wasn’t a straight one — more of a racing curve. He began his professional career as a race-car driver in 1995 at the California Grand Prix, where he entered his TRG built Porsche 911 and won the race. For nearly 3 decades, Buckler built a racing legacy as a driver and owner with over 100 victories, including iconic wins at the 2002 24 Hours of Le Mans & 4 victories at the Rolex 24 Hours at Daytona.
In 2002, Buckler decided to switch gears and bring another one of his passions to life: winemaking. He and his wife Debra Buckler founded Adobe Road Winery, and it has since become one of the darling boutique Sonoma producers, crafting small, handcrafted lots of select varietals and extraordinary, cutting-edge blends from both Sonoma and Napa Counties. Earlier this year the Bucklers broke-ground on a winery and entertainment facility in downtown Petaluma, which will feature a state-of-the-art winery production facility, interactive tasting room, a motorsports museum and more.
Casillero Del Diablo is the #1 Chilean brand in the United States and the second “Most Powerful Wine Brand in the World,” per the 2018 Global Wine Brand Power Index. Current success aside, interesting about the brand is the mythology behind it. According to legend, to fend off thieves in the 1880s, its founder spread a rumor that the Devil himself guarded the wine, spawning a legend that has spanned generations. The caves where those bottles rested nearly 140 years ago still stand at the Concha Y Toro Winery in Chile’s Maipo Valley.
Its Reserva collection of premium consists of 12 varieties made with grapes selected from Chile’s best wine valleys. Each Reserva creation portrays the essence and typicity of its variety with a combination of carefully cultivated aromas, flavors and styles. In turn, you will discover varieties that are traditional (such as the Cabernet Sauvignon and Chardonnay), or emblematic, (such as the Carmenere), and even exotic (such as the Viognier and Pinot Grigio).
BACA Wines is the creation of next-gen trailblazers Jennifer Brown (director) and Alison Frichtl Hollister (winemaker). Their respective entrepreneurial and artistic talents come through with every sip.”Zin is old California and we are a young Californian winemaker and vintner. “BACA” is Latin for berry. Bounding headlong into some of California’s most noted growing regions — Calistoga, Russian River, Rockpile, Howell Mountain, and Paso Roble — BACA sources intriguing Zinfandel grapes for its wines.
Grapes used by BACA come from gorgeously-old vines and historic areas, which they transformed using masterful winemaking techniques into wines that reflect the unique places in which they were grown. The end-result is complex, charismatic Zinfandels that pair beautifully well with both food and adventure. BACA has winery partners via Hall Wines and Walt Wines, and its wines can be regularly delivered to your home via a member-based subscription plan.
Known for its exceptional California wines, Napa Valley’s Sterling Vineyards has an ideal pour for any occasion, from Thanksgiving to New Year’s Eve. Its 2015 Iridium Napa Valley Cabernet Sauvignon is Sterling Vineyards’ top-tier varietal, a richly-textured, opulent wine with polished tannins and notes of burnt plum, black cherry, caramel toffee and espresso on its lengthy finish. It is reportedly the same wine which winners of the Emmy Awards enjoy.
The 2015 Sterling Vineyards Platinum Cabernet Sauvignon delivers dense, dark elegance and serious poise. Bing cherry, cassis and mocha notes are layered with flavors of caramel toffee, roasted hazelnuts and black pepper spice. On the other end of the taste spectrum, the Napa Valley Sparkling Blanc de Blancs is a bubbly blend with aromas of green apple, lemon citrus, pear and lemon cream offer a fresh palate with fruit forward flavors, zippy acidity and a creamy finish. Sterling’s Vintner’s Collection Cabernet Sauvignon is a more economically-priced option. This rich red opens with aromas of boysenberry, accented by caramel and mocha spices.
My personal favorite is the 2016 Napa Valley Cabernet Sauvignon. This one has a rich, deeply-red garnet color. It is a full-bodied wine with aromas and flavors of dark red and black fruits, including black cherry, raspberry, blackberry and ripe plum. Notes of mocha, oak spice and cassis are accented with sea salt caramel and vanilla bean.
When Robert Mondavi founded his iconic namesake winery in 1966, his vision was to create fine Napa Valley wines that would stand in the company of the great wines of the world, which he did, forever changing the course of the U.S. wine industry. The first-growth vineyard, located in Oakville, California, is renowned for producing some of the finest Cabernet Sauvignon wines in the world, as well as for its Sauvignon Blanc grapes. This grapes led Mondavi to craft his signature wine, Fumé Blanc.
The 2017 Robert Mondavi Winery Pinot Noir Carneros is among the winery’s new great offerings. With crisp acidity and tight structure, this pinot noir exhibits heady aromatics and refined silkiness. Its 2016 Robert Mondavi Winery Napa Valley Cabernet Sauvignon delivers mouth filling, deeply-intense blackberry fruit across the palate with clove and cardamom spice. A Napa Valley classic, this cabernet easily complements hearty fare like roasted beef or sirloin steak. 50+ years while still offering greatness.
Established in 1882 in Sonoma County’s Russian River Valley, Korbel Champagne Cellars produces the United States’ most popular méthode champenoise champagne. So how did Korbel spend its vacation this year? It tasted its way through Italy’s Prosecco DOC region and brought home an Italian sparkler of its own. Now for the first time, Korbel has added Prosecco to its portfolio.
Produced and bottled entirely in the Prosecco DOC, Denominazione di Origine Controllata, located in North Eastern Italy, Korbel Prosecco is made with 100 percent Glera grapes using the traditional Charmat method. Focused on a fruit-forward style with aromas of white peaches, pear and lemon zest, its dry Prosecco is light and crisp. Its sleek and stylish packaging features a bold red capsule and accent on the label for a commanding and eye-catching shelf appeal no matter the lighting at hand.
Terlato Wines is the leading marketer of luxury wines in the U.S. – with a global portfolio of more than 80 exceptional brands and more than 90 wines. Among its acclaimed brands are Alta Mora, Big Max, Boutari, Chapoutier Belleruche, Cecchi, Cusumano, Dueling Pistols, Giuliana Prosecco, Glass Mountain, Greystone Cellars, Hanna, Jack’s House Wines, La Mora, Loveblock, Marius, Maxville, Nederburg, Riondo, Seven Daughters, Shimizu-No-Mai, Tamari, The Federalist, Trenel and Two Oceans.
CRU is a Division within Terlato and synonymous with fine, rare, small production and “Terroir-Driven” wines. The initial focus of CRU is primarily on Burgundy wines from iconic Domaines producing limited amounts of wines of the highest-quality. However, it also includes super-high quality or iconic wines from other world wine regions and producers as well as strongly-acclaimed wines crafted in tiny quantities. But especially in the holiday spirit for Terlato is its Maison M. Chapoutier‘s Belleruche Blanc and Rouge. Meanwhile, its Loveblock Pinot Noir 2018 and Piper-Heidsieck Champagne Brut NV both made the Winespectator “Top 100 Wines of 2019” list.
Also acclaimed from Terlato is the Dueling Pistols brand which intertwines the nine characters you’ll see on the label, including the two main characters, Eli Guyot and Edward O’Rourke. The origination story — crafted by Round Table Companies — presents part-historical fiction, part-mystery and part-time-traveling immersion, while also providing further dimension to the underlying tension in each bottle. Dueling Pistols Wines are designed to pull the customer deep into the fabric of the story while enjoying the rich complexity of the wine. The distinct blends were created with Gen X males uniquely in mind, a consumer segment keen to develop a deep understanding of products they associate with and consume in terms of brand experience and design.
