One online reviewer remarked of this wine, “I love wines like this -very giving, but a little unrefined. Like bringing a stripper to the library.” I’m not sure what the hell that means but it’s funny.
This was a WineSmith pairing for the Let’s Dish Sesame Apricot Chicken with Rice. The latter was quite enjoyable; the former, not so much. The pairing was correct flavor-wise but neither of us liked the wine, which reminds one of a Chardonnay but with more sweetness.
Production Area
Trentino, located in the mountainous northeast of Italy. Grapes are grown in the dry and calcareous soils of the Valle dei Laghi (Valley of Lakes), near the village of Toblino.
Grape Varieties
100% Pinot Noir
Vinification
After a traditional fermentation, the juice macerates for eight days to extract color and body from the skins. The wine is then refined for a further six months, partly in barriques and partly in large oak casks
Color
Ruby red, with brick red nuances
Bouquet
Wide aromatic spectrum exalts cherry, sour cherry, cooked plum and tones of spices and tobacco
Taste
Velvety, harmonious and well balanced with excellent structure. With age it evolves in roundness, fullness and complexity
Serving Suggestions
This Pinot Noir pairs well with both white and red meats. Serve at a cool room temperature
We had this at the “The Week Opinion Awards” last night. It was quite good.
We have a simple mission at Sarah’s Vineyard. We produce fruity, intense, refined local wines that taste like the land they came from and the year they were grown in. We make wines that are enjoyable from the first sip to the end of the glass. We make wines that go well with food. The Proprietor and the Winemaker love their food as well as their wine, and want to be able to enjoy them together.
Our Estate Chardonnay, for instance, is a lean, elegant French-style wine with the strong mineral flavors of Puligny-Montrachet, a combination of apple, pear and tropical fruit nuances, a light touch of new French oak and a fresh creamy finish.
Most of our wines are single-vineyard designated, many of our wines are estate grown and bottled, and we use almost exclusively French oak barrels in the cellar. Cellarmaster Roberto is tidy and finicky, and tops the barrels twice a week while the wine is aging. We make everything by hand in small batches, usually100 to 400 cases, and most wines have serial numbered bottles. Since our first vintage in 2001, we’ve gotten some great attention for our wines, and as our experience grows, we expect to keep improving.
To get an idea of what we are striving for, you are welcome to peruse the tasting notes, which are written by the Proprietor. Better yet, stop by the Tasting Room the next time you’re in the area, and sample the wines. While you’re here, take a glass, walk through our vineyards, breathe deep, relax, and enjoy the beauty of the surrounding area.
This wine taught me an important lesson about vintages. We bought a bottle of the 2004 and loved it, so much we went back and asked for a case – they were completely sold out so we order one and waited for it to come in. When it arrived we popped a bottle and tasted it but were quite disappointed. Not nearly as good as our last bottle. Thanks to this lousy wine blog I was able to look up that it was a 2004 vintage we had last time. I did not even think to ask what year I’d be getting from the store…ah well, lesson learned. We’ll stick it in the basement and wait until next year to give it a try, I’ll keep my fingers crossed.
This was one of our wine pairings for a Let’s Dish meal (Cashew Chicken). I’m not a big white fan, especially sweet whites, but I really enjoyed this. As a general rule, James loves Rieslings and this one especially..
Vintage: 2005
86% Shiraz, Cabernet Sauvignon 5%, Malbec 9%
In 1833 John Catto left his native Scotland to seek his fortune in the new colony of Australia. He settled near what would become Bendigo, calling his new home Memsie after the village from where he had come, and planted a vineyard on clay soil rich with limestones. Memsie now produces delicious, round, full flavoured wines perfect for immediate consumption.
Vines are hedged trellised, exposing the grapes to the sun to achieve maximum ripeness. All vines are irrigated from the nearby Loddon river with ground level mini sprays. Red grapes are planted on heavy clay soil with pieces of limestone present in the soil and cropped at 3 tonne per acre.
The wine is fermented in open stainless steel fermentation tanks. Cap pumped over mornings, plunged midday, evenings and night.
Aged in 2&3 Year old American Hogsheads hogsheads for 6 months with monthly rackings.
Winemakers Tasting Note
The 2005 Memsie is deep red, almost purple colour. There is a magnitude of berry and cherry characters on the nose.
Strong berry flavours dominate the palate which has a soft mouth feel, is full and rich in the mid palate, complimented by subtle oak characters. There are smooth tannins that contribute to a clean and persistent finish.
The wine is ready for immediate consumption and will drink well in the medium term.
Memsie wines are great with a range of foods including risotto and red meats.
Notes:
Screwtop
Rating:
4
James and I both really love this wine. It’s light and easy to drink.
Fire Station Red honors two great California traditions: winemaking and the volunteer firefighters who stand ready to serve and protect their fellow citizens at a moment\'s notice.
Fire Station Red is produced by firefighters to help support firefighters. We\'ve committed a portion of the proceeds from our wines to benefit fire service agencies here in California and across the United States. Please read about the Fire Station Red Story.
At Fire Station Red, we\'re dedicated to creating wines of exceptional quality from our own outstanding vineyards and from vineyards in California\'s finest growing regions. Our wines are food-friendly and appeal to wine novices and experts alike. We invite you to enjoy our delicious wines responsibly and join our efforts to help support America\'s firefighters.
Rating:
4
James and I both enjoy this wine quite a bit. It goes with just about everything.
