Library Wine List
Library wines are limited in quantity. Please call the tasting room to inquire and place orders.
ARIA
2006 - We have a twirler on our hands: She’s lively, bright, and incredibly lithe on her feet, and she loves to dance. The bouquet is one of cherry liqueur, cardamom, and dried sage – a delightful pile of potpourri. Hippie love is universal, and this wine embraces the globe. A palate-load of red candied fruit and cream, complemented by a bright acidity that provides substantial backbone (don’t let it slip, now), making this wine ideal for a wide array of cuisine, though our bets rest on the saucy pizza with pepperoni. Fill your glass, wear flowers in your hair, and leave the bell-bottoms at home. It’s all about showing off your legs. Bottle Price: $66.00
2007 - A carnival of flavors breaks out on the promenade: bright Bing cherry, raspberries both sweet & sour, candied apple & pomegranate swirling amid juicy deep red watermelon, yet a hint of dark meat...just what is lurking behind the feathered mask? A little Rio, a lot of spunk in this blend, with lingering warm & inviting palate reminiscent of lollypops, cherry cola, licorice & dried herbs. Swirl the wine, swirl your hips, & join the samba parade - let Aria lead the way. Bottle Price: 65.00
2009 - Aría is a place of wonder & mystery, here in your glass. Its hue is deep as blackberry syrup, with just a hint of brick around the edge, an auspicious yet inviting sense of adventure. A deep whiff reveals loads of fresh strawberry jam, black cherry, licorice & anise, dried fruit leathers, with a brush of Manzanita & witch hazel. Bewitching, indeed, as a beguiling trail of fudge chocolate, hazelnut, rhubarb & raspberry bursts on your tongue. Oh, but what potion has tempted us farther into this musty forest of flavor? A playful layer of spiced bubblegum strikes us as very Willy Wonka yet, recall what happened to those stubborn children in the candy factory, their manners utterly failing them in the face of sweet temptation? You, though, are bigger than a coddled urchin, & thus more susceptible to the siren of pork tenderloin accented with various roasted sweet peppers & Greek olives, laid before you at the gates of magical Aría. Bottle Price: 64.00
2013 - A ruby red vixen here, with the some meat to her bones & exotic nuances of paprika & chorizo, blackberry & black licorice, mulberry, dried marjoram & rosemary. Juicy & gushing, a mash-up of cherry & rhubarb pie. Aría evokes a landscape of freshly fallen olives, casting about their leathery & oily muskiness, & reminds us of freshly cured meats, hanging by strings from oak beams, just within reach of our ruddy damsel as she rocks back & forth on a wine barrel, regaling tales of mischief & naughtiness - a long & tall Sally, indeed, with her head in the kitchen & her feet out in the hall. Bottle Price: $63.00
2014 - Aria is a flitting jewel, a crimson butterfly sparkling in the afternoon sun. She blithely takes a duster to the carpet, sweeping away the afternoon’s weary doldrums, gingham and lace flattering her soft magenta-streaked curls. A mist of cinnamon, cherry, and fresh herbs waft through the room, a musty potpourri, with splashes of strawberry, raspberry and rose petals - you can almost taste the petals! Linen, lavender and Indian spice subtly complement a bracing touch of…what is that, now, rhubarb? Aria isn’t telling, a grin coyly gracing her visage as she preps a leg of lamb with a marinade of olive oil, rosemary and fresh tomato. Lively, lithe, and beloved, Aria invites you to her treasure-laden table. Bottle Price: $60.00
2016 - In the brackish reaches of Tierra del Fuego, a sentinel glides his craft through a foggy bog, along a river thick and blood-red with crimson in the moonlight. Brooding, he is, until drawn by a twinkle just beneath the water’s surface, a shiny bauble emerging from the murky depths, a string of elderberry and sandalwood. He inhales aromas of lavender and rose petal, as the piney forest on the shore looms in shadow. Scents of cola, blackberry, and mocha warm the night air. The landscape allures with spice, a melange of cinnamon, nutmeg, marsala, currants, touch of green olive, strawberry jam and ripe cherry, and vanilla incense. This river-guard, certainly among the most interesting of adventurers, disembarks from his vessel to prepare coals on which to roast a beast, in anticipation of a feast with his lord, a Kahl Drogo riding in from the north with a cavalry of warriors. Bottle Price: $50.00
2017 - Rugged, cosy in flannel and curiously musky, he croons a paean to his cinnamon girl. He plucks gently on velvet strings of rose petals, raspberry, vanilla and cherry, then breaks out with electric bursts of blackberry, white pepper, strawberry compote, plum, cola. His song is a promise, perhaps of a trip to a fog-shrouded redwood forest, where the duff and musty earth meet the shore and its kaleidoscope of marine scents - salt, kelp and driftwood, a campfire smoldering of pine and cedar, perfect to roast a herb-encrusted pork loin, dressed in succulent coat of mincemeats. What a trip, what a song: hello, again, to your cowgirl in the sand. Bottle Price: $48.00
ASINI
2007 - We start a bit Dazed & Confused, but that's a pretty good feeling. With a color of crushed red velvet, this wine allures with aromas of black cherry, leather, cola, raspberry & lots dried herbs & Indian spices sprinkled about like confetti. A hint of chocolate makes us dive a bit deeper into this virtual celluloid adventure. Savor its concentrated red fruits of cherry, strawberry jam, cinnamon (are those red hots?), not to mention that slight hazelnut-like nuttiness that, well, drives us nuts. But it’s Not A Time to Kill, is it? Not when you can enjoy the rest of this Magic Mike-like show & tell. Let’s get all Matthew McConaughy-silly in agreement: This wine has remarkable Amazingness. Bottle Price: $67.00
2008 – A carnival midway-Cliff Hanger of a ride. Strap it on. Still, there’s slickness to Asíni, like George Jones’ smoothest of Tennessee whiskies, here in a bottle of wine. Flavors burst like a box of waxy Crayola colors, all cloves & oranges, cherry liqueur, cotton candy, & mince pie, dried cranberry, blueberry, raspberry, yet it retains a musky air, like a boudoir in a Southern manse. Wafts of butterscotch & potpourri, & the richness of red velvet cake show off the wine’s playfulness, but vibrant acidity reminds us that it is meant for serious fare, a sauce ala marinara with anchovies & peppered sausage layered on lasagna noodles or some such decadent carbohydrate, because that’s the only thing that will quiet the riot that is breaking out inside as you sip away. To paraphrase the Possum: This one’s hotter than a two-dollar pistol, & faster than a graviton. Bottle Price: $66.00
2010 - Sangiovese is back in this proprietary blend, playing the not-so-coy complement to lush Zinfandel. The combination makes for a hedonistic romp through the vineyards. A taster on our panel noted that Asiní produces quite a bit of “nostril activity” – whiff on that line for a moment. Intoxicating aromas of cherry liqueur & baked blackberry pie, complete with crust! A deeper whiff conjures up earthier aromas of redwood, plum & spices of coriander & nutmeg. Fruit bursts on the palate: Boysenberry, raspberries, cherries & pomegranate. Juicy, juicy, juiciness makes it impossible to form sentences (let alone a coherent description!). No wonder Asiní has established a cult following among Tolo fans. Do not resist let its magic lead you astray. Bottle Price: $65.00
2014 – Down and up, up and down, like a roller coaster with streamers and confetti to celebrate a psychedelic ride. Asini is a chock full of playful surprises, a kaleidoscope of gustatory delights. Sweet sage, cherry juice, root beer, lip smacking red licorice mingled with raspberry cream. Heavy red fruits on the palate belie its soft garnet shimmer, though a layer of dusty spies, white pepper, cardamom and garam marsala provides a delightful rush. Got your ticket? Step right up and take your seat. Bottle Price: $58.00
2015 - Black eyes set deeply behind rugged folds, our normally hard-boiled detective feels vulnerable as he removes his felt fedora and settles into a supple leather chair. A blaze glows in the fireplace, emitting scents of char and smoked meats. He’s not sure what to make of the dish filled with cherry cordials and black fruit leathers on the nearby table – is it a ruse to lull his senses? He is more deeply mystified by aromas of baked rhubarb, rose petals, licorice, cola and spiced jams emanating from the kitchen, decadent accompaniments to a dish of Italian sausage cooked long and slow in a viscous marinara sauce. There’s a crime afoot, for sure, though the stout chef next door could hardly be suspect. Marlowe melts in the wine’s mated morass of Sangiovese and Zinfandel, an experience whose complexities he can’t unravel from the string of circumstances that brought him to this cozy den. Far from a big sleep, this is a dream with eyes wide open, saturated in sanguine riddle. Bottle Price: $56.00
2016 - Though you seek clarity - and it’s here in this glass - the allure of the chase is preternatural, an urgent race to transcendence. You clutch a string of red jewels, dazzling and sparkling. When you look up, there she is, mesmerized by eyes brimming with sweet licorice and black cherry, dancing in their knowing, beseeching you to follow. She escorts you on a dream of soda-fountain conceits: strawberry cream, raspberry, caramel, cocoa, cola and orange peel - a parfait with a sprig of mint and vanilla wafer. Her spell is interrupted ever so briefly by a soft salty breeze, nearly bringing you to your senses, daring you to defy the gravity that grounds you to this place and time. With a cultish charm, she wraps you in sensual arms, and you dutifully follow. Bottle Price: $56.00
2017 - Gobsmacked by the antics of the man on a flying trapeze, the circus guests fix their eyes upon an infinite sky, deep and dark, curiously illuminated by bands of raspberry and cherry blossoms. The airborne artist knows no boundaries as he flies head over heels, higher into the atmosphere, unfazed by a confetti of Middle Eastern herbs and splashes of sassafras. Gravity is his ally. He clings to the air, much like notes of plum and morello cherry linger on the palate of the earthbound circus master, savoring his libation while admiring the bombast of the theatre he has created. A dash of soy piques his craving for a sweet and sour candy, or better yet, a grown-up dish of fried rice and kimchee, topped with slices of ginger-marinated steak. His circus offers many diversions he claps his hands in delight, knowing the allure of the high-flying acrobat will yield soon to the riotous folly of the marching clowns. Bottle Price: $55.00
2017 Reserve- Bottle Price: $56.00
Barbera
2014 - Reflections of Ruby by the fireplace, eyes smoldering as she wraps a crushed felt purple velvet around her willowy frame. Wisps of mahogany, cassis, and sweet tobacco fill the room, a smoky incense, alluring with plummy promise, but of what? Perchance a basket brimming with red and black fruits - blackberry, raspberry, strawberries, and olallieberry - or a compote of licorice, pepper, and tar? The fire crackles, a brambly pop snaps you to attention, awakened from this hazy but edgy dream state. She was but a mirage, though the radiating coals in the hearth and the glowing cigar in your clutch is indeed quite real. Bottle Price: $55.00
CABERNET SAUVIGNON
2001 - A pleasing bouquet of licorice, tobacco leaf & cherry. This Cabernet Sauvignon, sourced from the Carver Vineyard on York Mountain, displays classic notes of earthy aromas & flavors – mushroom, currants, black cherry, & fleshy juicy blackberries come to mind (don’t forget to wipe your chin!). Reminds us of a Tootsie Pop with its candied cherry & fun chocolately center. Just how many licks does it take to get the center of this wine….? A fine smooth finish, though with ample tannins to keep us yearning for a juicy Rib Eye. Bottle Price: $70.00
2003 - Like a stout and stentorian uncle, this wine has ample girth and equally vast stories to tell. Aromas of berry, currants, cassis, cocoa, and lavender – “Hah!” gushes our haughty uncle. “Decidedly Cab, indeed!” On the palate, the wine is warmed by hints of vanilla and chocolate Necco wafer (remember those?) and accented with red fruits and a dash of spice, finishing with a flourish of Cherry Garcia with its chewy chocolatey-cherry center, and - oh goodness - we’ve tapped a whole different species of avuncular uncle. Plush tannins are bound to soften the wine with time. With relish, our robust patron cries, “Give me two years with a rib eye, to enjoy with the apple of my eye!” Bottle Price: $66.00
2004 Reserve - A bouquet of lavender, currants, dried herbs and cherry compote – ooh, la, la. This flirty and flighty cabernet is a tease, racing about the rugged Adelaida hills, blond locks and neck scarf flying in the wind, taking on all the curves in an open-top roadster. The wine is lively, with currants, spice, leather and framboise sours gyrating on the palate like a young, hip-swishing Elvis, with hints of (blue) suede, crushed velvet rose-petal, cedar and cola on the finish. Forget the sideburns and rhinestone suit – give us a feather boa and a big Vegas floorshow high-kick and we’ll be dancing in our seats. Bottle Price: $65.00
2006– A healthy whack of love in this Cab, accentuated by a delightful dose of the sensual, as in sweet thyme & rye, laced with a crazy dose of fun – a roll of Lifesavers comes to mind. Just when you’re seduced by the spirited flavors of candied cherry & cassis liqueur, up sneaks a chocolately meatiness (is that molé?) that leaves you begging to romance a flamenco dancer with a stemmed rose in the mouth. This is a long-lived Cabernet Sauvignon with muscle & finesse – a hard body with a soft spot for, indeed, the good life. Bottle Price: $66.00
2007 Reserve– Like a stout and stentorian uncle, this wine has ample girth and equally vast stories to tell. Aromas of berry, currants, cassis, cocoa, and lavender – “Hah!” gushes our haughty uncle. “Decidedly Cab, indeed!” On the palate, the wine is warmed by hints of vanilla and chocolate Necco wafer (remember those?) and accented with red fruits and a dash of spice, finishing with a flourish of Cherry Garcia with its chewy chocolatey-cherry center, and - oh goodness - we’ve tapped a whole different species of avuncular uncle. Plush tannins are bound to soften the wine with time. With relish, our robust patron cries, “Give me two years with a rib eye, to enjoy with the apple of my eye!” Bottle Price: $67.00
2010 - A deep garnet & regal elixir! This is how Cabernet should taste & smell like (the tasting panel agrees wholeheartedly). It’s lush, with brooding aromas of cassis, blackberry, currants, camphor & cedar. A touch of tobacco & graphite on the nose adds a sophisticated allure. Compote of strawberries & dark cherries coats the palate, while a faint hint of mint vexes the senses. The fruit is nicely balanced by a sly acidity that lingers memorably on the tongue. Did we mention that this is the wine that our winemaker wants to most smell like? If you, too, want to turn heads in the room, bring a bottle or two of this Cab to dinner. And share. Bottle Price: $60.00
CABERNET FRANC
2007– Off you go on a pleasant romp through the rustic countryside with a fair-haired confidante. Dusty silkiness on the nose, a fragrant whiff of rose petals, a patch of Sweetbriar & potpourri. Notes of wild fruit suddenly break out – blueberry, ollalieberry, mingled with scents of cigar tobacco, mint, dried sage & sweet cherry. Chewy, yet lively with a crisp acidity, this wine insists on being shared with a spread of choice morsels, delectable, seductive. Spread a blanket, lay out the feast, forget the time of day. Romp away. Bottle Price: $64.00
2012– A dense, somewhat brooding wine, with a stately structure reminiscent of a matador, standing proud & tall in the ring as he faces down the menacing bull. There’s an air of spiced leather, warmed by the afternoon sun, as the spectators in the arena soak in the spectacle of theater. A whiff of Russian rye bread, waves of black fruits, cola, cassis, vanilla & rum, crushed rose petals, potpourri & lavender. Sweet herbal notes of mint & menthol lend a woodsy balance to the rich cherry compote feel on the palate. The finish is both subtle & overt, camping out on the tongue with smoldering flourish. Inhale deeply & give a lusty cheer for the fearless torero & his brave adversary! Bottle Price: $62
2015 - A plucky lothario settles into the fine-grained leatherette, soaking in the nefariousness and intrigue around him. He is a master of this speakeasy, as he entertains acolytes and rivals bidding his good graces. A sassy vixen distracts him with a cocktail of cassis and cola liqueur, a serving of rum-raisin pudding, seductive with blackberry, peppercorn and cedar. He leans into her ear and whispers, “I used to love you then, now I love you again.” A cigarette girl saunters past, trailing sweet tobacco, dried herbs, cherry and plum. The swarthy underworld bosses in the house take to the freshly sanded dance floor to celebrate their illicit and ill-gotten fortunes, raising glasses filled with dusty libations. There is danger afoot, but for now, mirth and merriment. Bottle Price: $60.00
CHARDONNAY
II- non vintage The merry-go-round goes mesmerizingly round & round. It’s a difficult choice, which dandily painted steed to mount, but the white stallion with gilded saddle, burning yellow eyes & handsome strap beckons, so you hop aboard. It’s your party, & this Chardonnay is the scintillating stone on the jewel-bedecked table. With a touch of Scotch Kisses, a swirl of lemon-crème bar, a nibble of white peach & stone fruit tart, and bite of toasted butter cookie – all whipped up with a grown-up splash of almond liqueur - this wine might leave you pondering the fate of spent youth. Or the beguiled laugh & platinum pleasure of Jean Harlow. Or the sassy smarts of Sarah Jessica Parker seeking that ridiculous, consuming, can’t-live-without-it dalliance. Ah, may you never get off this ride. Bottle Price: $55.00
2009 - As the fairy tale goes, Goldilocks finally found the right bed in which to sink her flaxen tresses. And so we hope you discover similar warmth in this unctuous wine. Because it was fermented on the skins, & allowed to age in barrel a wonderfully long time, this Chardonnay is deeply golden in color - & fantastically toasty in flavor. Swirling about are aromas of almond & pistachio, spiced apple, pineapple & honey the palate is bright with tangy flavors of tangerine, lemon crème, & pain au levain. This wine deserves a partner rich with succulent sauciness and zest, but for that we conjure up a wholly different fairy tale (because bears won’t do for our fair mistress): Goldilocks craves a kingly crab or some-such other culinary specimen of royal quality. And so do you. Bottle Price: $52.00
DELOS
2007 – Délos is an island of archaeological treasures & mythical wonders. Délos is a wine of vinous treasure & sensory wonders. Travel there with us: Inviting aromas of cassis, plum, cherries, tobacco leaf lead into nuanced notes of vanilla, cola & exotic dried spices. Still yet, the palate fills with a waxy texture of mocha, mint, blackberry & plum sauce. Is this god-like stuff, or are we fiddling with our fig leaves? Named after the birthplace of Apollo, Délos offers its own shining light of poetic muses. A wondrous blend of Bordeaux varietals, including 50% Cabernet Sauvignon, 27% Merlot, 19% Cabernet Franc, & 4% Petit Verdot. Bottle Price $67
2008 -At once this wine is ferocious & primal, like T-Rex stomping his way through a forest, kicking up leather spice, cedar, & musky duff, stoking up incense & stirring up sweet tar. Yet there are intriguingly elegant qualities– nougat & nuts, cola & cherry compote, blackberry jelly & candied cranberry, as if our mighty dino has taken a time-out for high tea. Appropriately rich flavors on your palate, with dark cherry, deep cassis, & red plum leading the way, with bracing acidity as a follow-up : Delos roars to be heard – or conversely, we might wish to savor it quietly, sharing our most daring secrets, as if a confessional could mollify our beastly desires. There’s a bit of a ferocious animal in us, & Delos is there to sate the thirst. Bottle Price: $62.00
2008 Reserve – This wine performs like a take-all-or-nothing power couple. Roll the camera: Daniel Craig, cunning eyes & sweat-free on his arm escorting with casual deference an assured Sigourney Weaver, her sassy curls illumed by the lights sparkling off a garnet red carpet on their way to both save & conquer the universe. Sage & other dried herbs, violets, cherry blossoms & expensive flowers whose names we can’t pronounce, mingle with forest duff, cassis, menthol, & mellow licorice, contrasted by the woodsy air of cedar, pencil lead & chalk, clueing us that this wine has a distinct Paso Westside edge. Yes, Délos steels us with the resolve of both terrestrial & intergalactic warriors, ready to wield our honed swords to fend off invaders of an alter-universe. A little James Bond, a little Alien a lot of chutzpah. Bottle Price: $64.00
2010 – Color of luxuriant crimson, a soft puffy pillow upon which to lay one’s head, contemplating the complexities of life, particularly that adage that says the sum is truly greater than its components. Such is Délos, a Bordeaux-style blend of Merlot (46%), Cabernet Sauvignon (30%) & Cabernet Franc (24%). Classic impressions of cedar, sweet tobacco, cola, hints of wild mushroom & anise swirl about your glass. Dusty cocoa complements the alluring chocolate-cherry flavors on the palate. Tannins, firm & rustic, wrap this wine in a regal embrace, much like a Buffalo plaid-clad lumberjack would caress the Queen of Hearts after wooing her with a hardy slab of flank steak. Needless to say, the lumberjack still has his head, & the Queen her lusty appetite. Bottle Price: $60.00
2011 – The night sneaks up, dusk turning to an indigo haze, and your eyes turn skyward toward a swath of stars. Is it the shimmer of Delos, with its opulent cloak of cassis, cola, leathered spice, & rose petal– a charming seducer, immense & intimate, all at once, that lulls you to calm? A Bordeaux-style blend of Cabernet Sauvignon, Cabernet Franc & Merlot, but thick with a California twist – it gushes with dark cherry & black berry fruits, warmed by wafts of smoked meats, eucalyptus, & tobacco. Rest your weary head upon that bed of stars. Take comfort in knowing that this wine, 5 years in barrel before bottling, is preserved for your optimal appreciation. Better yet: Allow yourself a serious evaluation of the gustatory options before you. Will it be pan- seared rib-eye with morels, or veal parmesan with chanterelles? Relax, for the bonfire is set, the glass is full, the night is young yet. Bottle Price: $62.00
2013 - The elements of a sophisticate are all here, bundled in a package of sardonic wit and wry dash, a Cary Grant awaiting romantic intrigue at the top the Empire State building. Garnet in color, Delos exudes exotic notes of menthol, lavender, thyme, soft-grain leather, and rose water. Black and blue berries bruise us with loving caresses (how can that be?). Oh, what a sweet beast with its spirited array of aromas - currants, mint, tobacco, cumin, a bit of mushroom, and cherry chocolate. A classic Bordeaux-like blend: Merlot softens and points the way, Cabernet Franc shines like a star, and Cabernet Sauvignon wraps up the show in a grand song and dance, tuxedo-ed up like an invigorated jar of Junior Mints merrily twirling a raspberry roll-up partner. What a show stopper! Bottle Price: $58.00
2015 - Dusty cinnabar brushed on velvet: This is a song of the earth, its muse a mélange of brambly currants and all-spice, rhubarb, plum and cherry. A crown of fragrant herbs adorns our fleshly hero, who’s hardy with the verve of peppercorn, alive with the allure of mint, sage and oregano, curiously distracted by a whiff of lavender that leads him up a trail to a pinnacle framed in granite and cedar. There, he beckons the gods with a plea for a feast of wild boar, dusted with fennel and mushroom, roasted slowly on the spit, a fête he will share with temporal companions who anticipate his ecstatic rune. Of course, you are among the congregants invited to sip and sing along. Bottle Price: $56.00
GRENACHE
2009 - Like a Blue Angel flying too close to the ground, this wine deliciously skirts danger. It’s dark in color, dark in flavor, yet so bright & welcoming on the palate. Why the Val Kilmer schtick? Someone’s got to ride the Iceman’s edge, & it should be you. Aromas of violet, spiced leather, cola & strawberry-rhubarb pie swirl about a pile of dried sage, basil & lavender, while a backdrop of menthol, Asian dumplings & plum spice evoke a land occupied by exotic, incense-bearing Magi in search of the Next Major Guru. A drop of coffee-smudged caramel over meaty juices in the middle of a sip deepens the mystery of this concoction, which we’ll describe as merely magisterial. Or barely bodacious? In any event, ponder slowly. Bottle Price: $54.00
2013 - Red lace on a grass skirt, dusty garnet chain on a bronzed god. A bit meaty, and thick, a whiff of mocha emitting from the shore of a tropical island. A Polynesian warrior dances a two-step Maori number on the steppes where the sea salt meets the duff of the forest, channeling Jason Mamoa in pukka shells, as he tends to the roasted pig on a spit, calling forth a fire spiced with cinnamon, hard cherry candy, pipe tobacco and blackberry cola. Black olive mingles with cumin and coriander, strawberry fruit leathers. A bit lush with caramel and butterscotch, too, adding to the festive air of a paradise jubilee. Luau-palooza! Book your cabana suite now. Bottle Price: $52.00
2015 - Red lace on a grass skirt, dusty garnet chain on a bronzed god. A bit meaty, and thick, a whiff of mocha emitting from the shore of a tropical island. A Polynesian warrior dances a two-step Maori number on the steppes where the sea salt meets the duff of the forest, channeling Jason Mamoa in pukka shells, as he tends to the roasted pig on a spit, calling forth a fire spiced with cinnamon, hard cherry candy, pipe tobacco and blackberry cola. Black olive mingles with cumin and coriander, strawberry fruit leathers. A bit lush with caramel and butterscotch, too, adding to the festive air of a paradise jubilee. Luau-palooza! Book your cabana suite now. Bottle Price: $50.00
2017 - She’s a crimson jewel, and immediate to love. You are wise to savor her slowly. Rose petals and ribbons of fuchsia weave through her chestnut-colored hair, her ears decorated with baubles of ripe plum and cherry. What a clever lass, as she tosses a pinch of coriander, a dash of cumin, a smattering of dried herbs to scampi on the barbie that she has marinated in hoisin and five-spice, all the while tending cinnamon and nutmeg-laced tarts baking in the oven. As she plates the fare, all of it so adoringly juicy, on a table of seasoned spruce and sandalwood, you inhale again the slight whiff of strawberry lip gloss on her lips, and give in to the elements of surprise, her joie et délice. Bottle Price: $48.00
LEROS
I - There is an ornithological phenomenon in the Adelaida hills whereby birds, woozy after feasting on fermented berries of the native flora, flit about in manic delight over the land’s natural effervescence. This wine, similarly, demonstrates the landscape’s not-so-subtle effects on one’s sensory capacities. A bouquet of unctuous earthiness gives way to delightful notes of chocolate covered cherries, followed by deeper whiffs of plum, cinnamon, Middle Eastern spices and potpourri. Pick your lap of luxury: a sumptuous mud bath, or a ride on the fine grain leather of a Lamborghini. Oh, if men could fly – or if birds could drive? Bottle Price: $68.00
II - As if you’ve stumbled off a boat, a castaway thrust upon some foreign soil, this wine rushes at you with vibrant aromas of cardamom, blackberries, minced meats, candied walnuts & red currants. So dig in, already. If you’ve traveled this far, you’ve shown manly, or uber-womanly qualities (as the case may be), and this wine steps up to the challenge with whiffs of seasoned leather & spice. A bit dusty & sexy, no? Is this the vinous equivalent of the Axe Effect? We think not. Instead, Léros exhibits a fair degree of sophistication, evident in the heady mineral & earthy structure that makes us crave a savory slice of sautéed beast, or perhaps an unreasonably high pile of lasagna soaked in a spicy sauce. One could get used to being stranded in strange places. Bottle Price: $65.00
2007 - As if you’ve stumbled off a boat, a castaway thrust upon some foreign soil, this wine rushes at you with vibrant aromas of cardamon, blackberries, minced meats, candied walnuts & red currants. So dig in, already. If you’ve traveled this far, you’ve shown manly, or uber-womanly qualities (as the case may be), and this wine steps up to the challenge with whiffs of seasoned leather & spice. A bit dusty & sexy, no? Is this the vinous equivalent of the Axe Effect? We think not. Instead, Léros exhibits a fair degree of sophistication, evident in the heady mineral & earthy structure that makes us crave a savory slice of sautéed beast, or perhaps an unreasonably high pile of lasagna soaked in a spicy sauce. Bottle Price: $64.00
2009 - Stare deeply into the ruby stone adorning the headdress of a handsome Persian prince, who leisurely dips his finger in the center of a shortcake smothered sumptuously with plum & sour cherries, vanilla cream, dates & figs, as he takes a deep draw from a hookah pipe emitting aromas of sweet tobacco & camphor. Could Léros take us to a place of such alluring sights & smells? Please, book a seat on this magic carpet: An inky exterior belies a playful spirit that twists & twirls around a panoply of flavors & scents – currant, cherry cola, root beer, compote of blueberry & boysenberry, sponge cake, pomegranate, dried fruit leather & an intriguing tang of nutmeg & cinnamon. A luscious lollipop to savor ever so slowly. Or just dip a finger in - we can be as fetching as any prince of Persia! Bottle Price: $62.00
2012 - Peering through a frosted window of ruby & garnet, your eyes set upon a dazzling figure, refined, stout, debonair. The wine exudes floral aromas of rose & hibiscus, a touch of tea & saffron, even a dash of sarsaparilla & licorice. Rich, also, with strawberry compote, black cherry, cumin & mocha. It embraces your senses with earthy warmth, like freshly turned soil in a mythical garden. Leros is an enchanting blend of 44% Syrah, 39% Grenache, 11% Cunoise, & 6% Mourvedre. If a wine could think, think, think…you just might stop to smell some exotic roses, or follow that smoky haze for a friendly tête-à-tête with that dashing dilettante in the confines of his rustic, woodsy lair. Bottle Price: $60.00
2015 - Always a veritable riot in the kitchen, Maman corrals an abundant cache of farmers market produce and sets to strewing the fresh goods about the room: sunflowers here, strawberries there, plums on the table, blackberries on the counter, cranberries and pomegranates in a colander. Now she heads to the spice rack, where she reaches for a pinch of cinnamon, a dash of cumin, a shot of tamarind. With an electro-technical touch, she orchestrates a purple haze of epicurean delights. She tides you over with butterscotch chews and fruit leathers while she whips up a pie-crust with minced meat filling and rose hip garnish to enjoy later at your gustatory leisure. She, like you, will always be a child at heart. Bottle Price: $56.00
MALBEC
2017 Reserve - There is music in the vineyard, conducted by a phantasmagorical maestro, inauspicious he is, yet open to a flash of whimsy beneath a shimmering red halo. The melody rings heartily, redolent of black fruit compote, spices and plums (at least three varieties of them!). A chamber orchestra weighs in with layers of cinnamon, tea, sage, pepper both white and black, leading to a crescendo as a rhythm section of sandalwood incense and 5-spice (maybe 7!) pounds a loamy backbeat. The performance launches its audience to an otherworldly galaxy of black velvet and dark currants. With a flourish, the devilish composer raises his baton skyward and salutes his ephemeral players for their concord of flavors. Bottle Price: $60.00
MERLOT 2007 - Ruby red, swarthy - the kind of wine you want to warm up your meat & potatoes. It starts with a nose rich with cherry compote, pomegranate, plum & mulled spice, complemented by blood-red rose petal, lavender, & cinnamon. A spicy bite on the palate, mingled nicely with cassis, vanilla & poached black cherries, suggests that this wine has a rhythm & beat far deeper than toasted red bone (whatever that is: Ask your local blues man). It's a bit on the gutsy side. Fire up the Dutch oven & slow cook your way to contentment. Bottle Price $64
2008 -A long, deep whiff unveils anise, minced meat, chocolate, cola, ginger bread – warm, familiar & cozy, like that Christmas sweater you won’t admit you love more than anything else in the closet (don’t worry, we won’t tell). There are also whiffs of outdoorsy scents: juniper bush, rose petal, forest duff, subtle chocolate mint leaf. clove, & cassis. On the palate, gushing black cherry fruit & cola, & wild meat – succulent, juicy, & profuse: a corpulent king’s feast in the great dining hall on the eve of mischievous sport in the lowlands, with fair ladies brandishing bottles high over their heads, encouraging you to fill your goblet high & seize the moment (or whatever else might be within reach). Be careful not to spill on your cozy wardrobe. Bottle Price: $62.00
2010 - Nuanced & warm, like a soft caress on your ear. This Merlot exudes a woodsy character of pine & redwood, a brush of cassis, cumin & tobacco beneath a blanket of black cherry & cola. There’s a smoky meatiness to the mix, a savory touch reminiscent of mushroom & soy – an ideal choice for a juicy steak smothered in morels. Merlot gets a bad rap these days, so you have permission to rap a different tune here. Unctuous morello cherry flavors snuggle warmly in supple tannins. A sprinkling of spices – cumin, cardamom, Morrocan pepper – dances across your tongue. There’s a cargo-hold of flavor, & it’s your ship to steer. More than alluring, it’s downright sassy. Bottle Price: $60.00
MOURVEDRE
2007 - The wine explodes with flavor, like a firecracker. OK, it’s not a good idea to play with explosives, especially in your mouth, but fear not the bright red fruit aromas & spicy flavors that bounce off your palate. Notes of cinnamon, cranberry, pomegranate & curry dance about, like a ’20s-era flapper in her lacy duds, enticing you to flaunt the staid norms that keep you slavishly in tow. With the essence of sour cherry & birch beer - warmed by spiced leather, ancho chili & sweet tobacco – this wine is an alluring invitation to a more raucous party. Do not go quietly into that speakeasy – embrace this mourvedré with a platter of suitably saucy barbecued ribs. Bottle Price $62
PINOT NOIR 2007 - Inhale deeply, & there you are: in a vale, emerald & lush, thrush birds in flight. Earth, sky & everything in between. This Pinot exudes classic aromas of musty mystery: truffles infused with dried cherry & sweet tobacco leaf, pomegranate, cola, oyster mushrooms, & dried herbs. Delicate tannins suggest a secretive veil, revealing just enough to keep you coming back for more (at the least, to get your share before the bottle empties). Even more suggestive is a palate of ripe raspberry & an elegant layer of dried cranberries. Where is your steed taking you? As if you’re the muse of a KT Tunstall song, the black horse lands you at the foot of a cherry tree, & there the heart assuages its never-forgotten longings - yummm! Bottle Price: $60.00
2012 - A traveler combs through the leafy & musky floor of a dark forest, searching for a ruby jewel, sparkling beguilingly in the beam of sunlight filtering through the overhead branches of evergreens. He unearths this wine - his treasure, exuding aromas of dried cherries, leather & sage, raspberry & a dash of cinnamon. It warms the palate with bursts of strawberry & pomegranate, cranberry, a touch of smoke & Stumptown coffee - yes, an earthy & rich mouth-feel, piqued with lively acidity that will satisfy the yearnings of a journeyed globetrotter like you. Bottle Price: $58.00
2016 - Into the dusty twilight, with gentle hues of purple and orange, the quest commences. A brash dandy, doffed in a scarf of velvet burgundy, announces himself. “To whence?” he exclaims, as he lines his warm leather pockets with sumptuous delights, sustenance for the impending night’s adventures. Raspberry compote on toast, candied popcorn, and nuts, plum and apricot chews, clove and cinnamon drops. With a perfunctory wave, he pops a caramel swirl in his mouth and proceeds down the arcade, peeking here, glancing there, unravelling the mystery of the mushroom and mahogany smoked haze of the coming night At last he is tempted by an exotic melange of soy, oriental spices and sandalwood streaming from a bodega. A strawberry-neon light beckons, a window display of Peking duck, mouth watering, tantalizing. He senses that his search for a noble elixir is nearly over, and steps inside to relish a feast. Bottle Price: $55.00
SANGIOVESE
2007 - The wine sits in your glass, bright & shiny red like a Christmas ball ornament. There's a caravan of aromas here, a melange of cardamon, all spice & minced meat, whiffs of strawberry & Jolly Rancher candy. Ho ho ho, indeed! Raspberry, rosehip, a dash of nutmeg, dusted herbs of sage & thyme liven up the palate. Don't let the candied apple color fool you: This wine is suitable for the most rare of meaty treats, like albino bison jerky (the winemaker has made it his zealous quest to hunt such a thing down). Meanwhile, declare every 25th of the month Christmas Day & celebrate with this bottle. Bottle Price: $68.00
2008 - The wine sits in your glass, bright & shiny red like a Christmas ball ornament. There's a caravan of aromas here, a melange of cardamon, all spice & minced meat, whiffs of strawberry & Jolly Rancher candy. Ho ho ho, indeed! Raspberry, rosehip, a dash of nutmeg, dusted herbs of sage & thyme liven up the palate. Don't let the candied apple color fool you: This wine is suitable for the most rare of meaty treats, like albino bison jerky (the winemaker has made it his zealous quest to hunt such a thing down). Meanwhile, declare every 25th of the month Christmas Day & celebrate with this bottle. Bottle Price: $66.00
2009 - In a survey among all of five people, including a devilish Italian deli proprietor draped in a bearskin rug dancing in front of a roaring fireplace, this wine won! Won what, you ask? Smell, taste & survey yourself. Its sparkling rosiness, like a bejeweled Medici princess, draws you in. Defy not the swirl of strawberry, raspberry & cherries, dusty rose petal mingled with sage, basil & tomatoes of the prettiest sorts! A whap of zingy acidity melds all the crazy red fruits like a psychedelic sauce that you might find simmering in a pot tended by a wild-eyed cuoco birichino, as he slices & dices sweet bresaolo, culatello & coppa with a flourish. We knew you’d vote in its favor: This wine is indeed “winner, winner, pasta dinner!” Bottle Price: $65.00
2012- A smooth and portly crooner belts out a funky love ballad, like Cee Lo in fine form, decked out in crimson linen suit and grain leather shoes. Does that make us crazy? Earthy tones of eucalyptus, fennel, hibiscus, violet and rose petal linger in the air. Yet it’s the perfume of juicy red fruits, rhubarb and pomegranate that finds us seeking heretofore unknown notes. We sing along to comforting choruses of cinnamon, pie crust, cream soda, strawberry, even freshly jarred tomatoes. A whiff of caramel corn belies a structured finish, a grip that seizes the palate and compels us to release a song of savory joy. Let your Voice be heard, the voting commence! Bottle Price: $64.00
2014 - With a red rose clasped between your teeth, you and your beloved take to the dance floor. A lively beat flows in a cascade of juicy red fruits and savory essences: strawberry, cherries, raspberry, chocolate, licorice and vanilla. You can’t control the band for a song! Back and forth, forth and back you go, beyond the glass doors the sky painted luminously after a storm, pink and red hues brushed against silver-lined clouds, the air basked in a draft of cloves and baked biscotti, warm and toasty. A dab of sweat breaks out on your cheek - this wine, this adoring partner your reward for daring to tango. Bottle Price: $58.00
2016 - Puling back a curtain of red lace and velvet from a window overlooking a garden of orchid and lilacs, she breathes in aromas of dried flowers and hardwood. She will lead a search soon for chanterelles in the afternoon heat. She reaches for a candy drop, succulent and tart, watermelon and raspberry, cherry and strawberry mingled with spice, cola and blackberries, mouthwatering and playful. She thoughtfully anticipates the hunt ahead, steeds pursuing braying hounds, kicking up dust and smoke, lavender and sage, in the hills where snow princesses take refuge from dark queens amid the brambles. To the riders, a toast for their avocation, to the mountain maidens, a toast to their fortitude. Let’s ride, she exclaims. Bottle Price: $55.00
SYRAH
I – Shimmering in hues of brilliant garnet, this Syrah shows off a playful attitude- brambly & lively with candied berries, cherry, currants & plum yet disarmingly seductive in the earthy spiciness of sandalwood & anise. A dab of cola & sage reminds us that wine, lke life, is sacred & profane, meant to be slurped or sipped, most definitely, sniffed. Without such instincts, how else would we expect to stumble upon that musty back-roads winery, where nearly ancient beret-clad proprietor could charm us with his vinous ways? Can a wine be both Old & New World orders? With a wink, this wine says emphatically: “You betcha!” Bottle Price: $68.00
2005 - An unheralded philosopher, who always seemed to be standing at a fork in the road, once said, “This is going to be great!” We’ve no doubt that he was talking about this Syrah. In barrel for more than 36 months, the wine thinks it’s grown up & sophisticated. It might be all that, but we also know it has the temperament of a sassy teen hell-bent on pushing the cork straight off its tightly wound structure. Start with its concentrated core of cacao, spiced with pomegranate and anise oil. Sift through layers of cherry & plum compote, bay leaf & tobacco. Slightly earthy, slightly gamey – you get the picture. The best is yet to come. Of course, the wine might have benefitted from our first venture in biodynamic farming, by our definition, as it was bottled under a full moon next to the fresh kill of an Adelaida-ground squirrel. Sacrifices must be made, & we have made a few so you don’t have to. Bottle Price: $65.00
2006 Reserve– So there you are, minding your own business & chewing on a rope of licorice (red or black, take your pick), when you spot that chrome-slicked Harley Sportster on the side of the road, its rider sweaty & glistening in the west side Paso Robles heat. Your brain says, “Whoa!” but your palate says, “Yes!” This Syrah has all the richness of ripened plums, layered with all-spice, raspberry, cinnamon, vanilla & potpourri, brightened with a briary dash of olallieberry. Racy yet slick & smooth. It beckons you to hop on the back of that bike & take a ride on the wild side. Bottle Price: $64.00
2007 - Like a Man of Mystery, this wine stares you down from its garnet-cloaked depths until your knees & your will are weak. What to do? Give in, baby. There’s a woodsy, earthy thing going on with this wine, reminiscent of sandalwood & tobacco with a faint whiff of oiled steel (it is that manly a specimen). Then there’s the mouthfeel: Plush & succulent, full of juicy ripeness, a mingling of candied beets, plum, chocolate covered cherries & just a touch of black licorice. Ah, but a little brush of lavender seems to settle the beast. Like a hydraulic-powered Cadillac bumping its way down the boulevard, this wine commands the attention & reverence of even the most well-heeled gentry. Gaudy but good, very good. Bottle Price $60
2008 – There’s a word to describe the fear of clowns. We looked it up: coulrophobia, is what it is & we are just curious enough to wonder if there is an opposite, a word that describes love of clowns. Apparently not, but this wine could define it, because it’s all about embracing clownish fun, the kind of fun that comes from playing with crayons & donning pointy party hats & wolfing down red velvet cake while stomping on balloons just to hear them pop! As one imminently qualified taster said (with consistent notes), this wine “lingers like the best guest at a party.” Aromas of cola & black cherry lead to whiffs of fresh garden herbs like rosemary & thyme, fresh earth, a hint of sandalwood. A bit of waxy texture (there’s those Crayolas again) opens up to a mouthful of flavors: strawberry shortcake, fruit leathers of boysenberry & blackberry, pomegranate, molasses, with just a touch of racy cinnamon. Juicy like watermelon swarthy, meaty & alluring like Zoltar the Boardwalk Teller. This wine is Tom Hank's grownup wish of being big & silly & living with no fear. Yes, indeed: the best guest at the party. Bottle Price: $58.00
TEMPRANILLO
2010 - Another Tolo first, this Tempranillo is decidedly Westside Paso Robles: scrumptious, long-barrel aged richness. Its color of crushed red velvet & garnet leaves a lasting impression on the glass, with legs that go on & on & on. Aromas of sweet pipe tobacco, black cherry, cola, dark cocoa, black cherries & pepper invites a deeper whiff, revealing a warm, resinous quality reminiscent of carefully tended woodwork. The fruity pomegranate & currant flavors are enlivened by a dash of cinnamon stick & essence of rose petals & purple violets. Like a Tony Bennett serenade, it tingles & jingles! Open a bottle & enjoy the show. Bottle Price: $66.00
2011 - Dark & brooding, like a crushed velvet glove on the hand of Darth Vader. Tempranillo can be both other-worldly & of this world: muscular & alluring, spiced & fruity, regal & rough. Our Tempranillo offers aromas of cedar & dried herbs, soy, dark plum, licorice & crushed rose petals. A strong backbone of acidity & tannins brings this wine to life on the palate - leather & spice, dark fruit rollups, blackberries – all wondrously balanced like a wine glass on a mattress on the head of a unicyclist. What a feat! What a wine! Bottle Price: $65.00
TOURIGA NATIONAL
2007 - It is writ in the good book of Disney that one might, on a magical occasion, chance to journey with Mr. Toad on his wild ride, escorted by a companion of hale constitution (perhaps in fishnet stockings & feathered headdress). If only that could be, then this wine would be an appropriate quaff to share, because it’s INTENSE! There! We said it, in CAPS & WITH EXCLAMATION POINTS!! This wine grabs the palate & holds on, with outrageous flavors of tart cherry pie & wild berry, a dusting of fertile soil burnished with toasted coriander & cedar, a whiff of blackberry laced with blueberry compote - all of it steadied by a steely rail of tannins & acidity. This amphibious ride will rock your consciousness. Touriga Nacional is a Portuguese varietal that you should bravely explore in its varied forms, especially over a repast of richly sauced edibles, with a handful of crushed velvet linen to wipe away the crumbs. Bottle Price: $64.00
2016 - Noir, but with clarity. There is love in darkness. A beast climbs the tower, seeking a beauty’s comfort. She is awed and rendered speechless by his svelte and sweat. Yes, she has no words, fittingly so, for the beast is fleeting and ethereal, and she knows there is precious little of him to savor. This gnarly creature doffs a heavy robe with silk purple lining and weighs ponderously with the chewiness of walnut meats and ripe blackberry. Plush, and dastardly, too, with perfume of cola and plum, hoisin, grainy leather, cocoa and earth. Herbed with lavender, spiced with cassis, licorice and pepper. Can he reclaim his regal birthright? Will she speak and undo the vexing spell that has trapped him in this bewitching cloth? But she has no words, at least any that will make sense to this dark prince. Bottle Price: $60.00
2017- A weary traveler wraps himself in a blanket of wool, scratchy in musky hints of cinnamon, dried mint, and pipe smoke. Under a charcoal-black sky, with bones worn by age and nefarious experience, he settles at last to a moment when his mind can wander to memories of toastier evenings, inside fire-warmed lodges, teeming with friends, stewing in the pungent air of peppercorn and coriander-spiced brisket burning slowly on a wood stove. His comrades toast the impending night’s revelry with concoctions of mulled black cherry and sassafras as he hews a rough leather strop with which to sharpen knives that will slice the savory flesh. Now, alone in the brooding night, he slips into slumber and dreams of Duero’s mountain ranges. Bottle Price: $58.00
ZINFANDEL
2009 - Somebody in the room is tap dancing in ruby slippers to Zep riffs - riffs as in Zeppelin, as in a whole lotta love in a glass. Sparkling red jewels mesmerize the eyes, while a luscious menagerie of tart cherry pie, boysenberry, kettle corn, birch beer & cola drum up olfactory hues. This wine is brambly in a sonic way – a riot of warm spices breaks out in chorus: cloves, anise, cinnamon, all spice, sweet tobacco. it goes up to 11! A dollop of molasses deepens dark berry juices as the wine rolls across the palate, suggesting hungry hints of balsamic-laced barbecue. This wine is fit for a rustic gathering of druids, convened to hear a cosmic duet between the Rock Star & Dorothy of Oz, their throaty exchanges flying well over the rainbow & up to the stars that twinkle as sure as those storied ruby slippers. Get your tickets now! Bottle Price: $62.00
2017 –Out of the darkened forest, a beast emerges, a wild-eyed centaur mussed with bramble and lavender. He trots down to the lake, aromas of cassis, mace, and strawberry compote lapping at its shores. Behind him folded in shadows, a cherry-spiced nymph trembles in his wake of tobacco leaf, alfalfa, and black tea, powerless to resist the musty melange of blackberry and stone fruit. She stares in wonder as he leans down for a sip of the moon-lit magic. Ever mindful of spying eyes that beckon him to partake in pleasure, at the least to immerse in the lake’s coolness of swirled toffee and red licorice, he pauses at the stirring of rustling brush. With a bolt, on fleet and sure heels, he leaps into the water’s depths. Bottle Price: $55.00
2006 - We have a twirler on our hands: She’s lively, bright, and incredibly lithe on her feet, and she loves to dance. The bouquet is one of cherry liqueur, cardamom, and dried sage – a delightful pile of potpourri. Hippie love is universal, and this wine embraces the globe. A palate-load of red candied fruit and cream, complemented by a bright acidity that provides substantial backbone (don’t let it slip, now), making this wine ideal for a wide array of cuisine, though our bets rest on the saucy pizza with pepperoni. Fill your glass, wear flowers in your hair, and leave the bell-bottoms at home. It’s all about showing off your legs. Bottle Price: $66.00
2007 - A carnival of flavors breaks out on the promenade: bright Bing cherry, raspberries both sweet & sour, candied apple & pomegranate swirling amid juicy deep red watermelon, yet a hint of dark meat...just what is lurking behind the feathered mask? A little Rio, a lot of spunk in this blend, with lingering warm & inviting palate reminiscent of lollypops, cherry cola, licorice & dried herbs. Swirl the wine, swirl your hips, & join the samba parade - let Aria lead the way. Bottle Price: 65.00
2009 - Aría is a place of wonder & mystery, here in your glass. Its hue is deep as blackberry syrup, with just a hint of brick around the edge, an auspicious yet inviting sense of adventure. A deep whiff reveals loads of fresh strawberry jam, black cherry, licorice & anise, dried fruit leathers, with a brush of Manzanita & witch hazel. Bewitching, indeed, as a beguiling trail of fudge chocolate, hazelnut, rhubarb & raspberry bursts on your tongue. Oh, but what potion has tempted us farther into this musty forest of flavor? A playful layer of spiced bubblegum strikes us as very Willy Wonka yet, recall what happened to those stubborn children in the candy factory, their manners utterly failing them in the face of sweet temptation? You, though, are bigger than a coddled urchin, & thus more susceptible to the siren of pork tenderloin accented with various roasted sweet peppers & Greek olives, laid before you at the gates of magical Aría. Bottle Price: 64.00
2013 - A ruby red vixen here, with the some meat to her bones & exotic nuances of paprika & chorizo, blackberry & black licorice, mulberry, dried marjoram & rosemary. Juicy & gushing, a mash-up of cherry & rhubarb pie. Aría evokes a landscape of freshly fallen olives, casting about their leathery & oily muskiness, & reminds us of freshly cured meats, hanging by strings from oak beams, just within reach of our ruddy damsel as she rocks back & forth on a wine barrel, regaling tales of mischief & naughtiness - a long & tall Sally, indeed, with her head in the kitchen & her feet out in the hall. Bottle Price: $63.00
2014 - Aria is a flitting jewel, a crimson butterfly sparkling in the afternoon sun. She blithely takes a duster to the carpet, sweeping away the afternoon’s weary doldrums, gingham and lace flattering her soft magenta-streaked curls. A mist of cinnamon, cherry, and fresh herbs waft through the room, a musty potpourri, with splashes of strawberry, raspberry and rose petals - you can almost taste the petals! Linen, lavender and Indian spice subtly complement a bracing touch of…what is that, now, rhubarb? Aria isn’t telling, a grin coyly gracing her visage as she preps a leg of lamb with a marinade of olive oil, rosemary and fresh tomato. Lively, lithe, and beloved, Aria invites you to her treasure-laden table. Bottle Price: $60.00
2016 - In the brackish reaches of Tierra del Fuego, a sentinel glides his craft through a foggy bog, along a river thick and blood-red with crimson in the moonlight. Brooding, he is, until drawn by a twinkle just beneath the water’s surface, a shiny bauble emerging from the murky depths, a string of elderberry and sandalwood. He inhales aromas of lavender and rose petal, as the piney forest on the shore looms in shadow. Scents of cola, blackberry, and mocha warm the night air. The landscape allures with spice, a melange of cinnamon, nutmeg, marsala, currants, touch of green olive, strawberry jam and ripe cherry, and vanilla incense. This river-guard, certainly among the most interesting of adventurers, disembarks from his vessel to prepare coals on which to roast a beast, in anticipation of a feast with his lord, a Kahl Drogo riding in from the north with a cavalry of warriors. Bottle Price: $50.00
2017 - Rugged, cosy in flannel and curiously musky, he croons a paean to his cinnamon girl. He plucks gently on velvet strings of rose petals, raspberry, vanilla and cherry, then breaks out with electric bursts of blackberry, white pepper, strawberry compote, plum, cola. His song is a promise, perhaps of a trip to a fog-shrouded redwood forest, where the duff and musty earth meet the shore and its kaleidoscope of marine scents - salt, kelp and driftwood, a campfire smoldering of pine and cedar, perfect to roast a herb-encrusted pork loin, dressed in succulent coat of mincemeats. What a trip, what a song: hello, again, to your cowgirl in the sand. Bottle Price: $48.00
ASINI
2007 - We start a bit Dazed & Confused, but that's a pretty good feeling. With a color of crushed red velvet, this wine allures with aromas of black cherry, leather, cola, raspberry & lots dried herbs & Indian spices sprinkled about like confetti. A hint of chocolate makes us dive a bit deeper into this virtual celluloid adventure. Savor its concentrated red fruits of cherry, strawberry jam, cinnamon (are those red hots?), not to mention that slight hazelnut-like nuttiness that, well, drives us nuts. But it’s Not A Time to Kill, is it? Not when you can enjoy the rest of this Magic Mike-like show & tell. Let’s get all Matthew McConaughy-silly in agreement: This wine has remarkable Amazingness. Bottle Price: $67.00
2008 – A carnival midway-Cliff Hanger of a ride. Strap it on. Still, there’s slickness to Asíni, like George Jones’ smoothest of Tennessee whiskies, here in a bottle of wine. Flavors burst like a box of waxy Crayola colors, all cloves & oranges, cherry liqueur, cotton candy, & mince pie, dried cranberry, blueberry, raspberry, yet it retains a musky air, like a boudoir in a Southern manse. Wafts of butterscotch & potpourri, & the richness of red velvet cake show off the wine’s playfulness, but vibrant acidity reminds us that it is meant for serious fare, a sauce ala marinara with anchovies & peppered sausage layered on lasagna noodles or some such decadent carbohydrate, because that’s the only thing that will quiet the riot that is breaking out inside as you sip away. To paraphrase the Possum: This one’s hotter than a two-dollar pistol, & faster than a graviton. Bottle Price: $66.00
2010 - Sangiovese is back in this proprietary blend, playing the not-so-coy complement to lush Zinfandel. The combination makes for a hedonistic romp through the vineyards. A taster on our panel noted that Asiní produces quite a bit of “nostril activity” – whiff on that line for a moment. Intoxicating aromas of cherry liqueur & baked blackberry pie, complete with crust! A deeper whiff conjures up earthier aromas of redwood, plum & spices of coriander & nutmeg. Fruit bursts on the palate: Boysenberry, raspberries, cherries & pomegranate. Juicy, juicy, juiciness makes it impossible to form sentences (let alone a coherent description!). No wonder Asiní has established a cult following among Tolo fans. Do not resist let its magic lead you astray. Bottle Price: $65.00
2014 – Down and up, up and down, like a roller coaster with streamers and confetti to celebrate a psychedelic ride. Asini is a chock full of playful surprises, a kaleidoscope of gustatory delights. Sweet sage, cherry juice, root beer, lip smacking red licorice mingled with raspberry cream. Heavy red fruits on the palate belie its soft garnet shimmer, though a layer of dusty spies, white pepper, cardamom and garam marsala provides a delightful rush. Got your ticket? Step right up and take your seat. Bottle Price: $58.00
2015 - Black eyes set deeply behind rugged folds, our normally hard-boiled detective feels vulnerable as he removes his felt fedora and settles into a supple leather chair. A blaze glows in the fireplace, emitting scents of char and smoked meats. He’s not sure what to make of the dish filled with cherry cordials and black fruit leathers on the nearby table – is it a ruse to lull his senses? He is more deeply mystified by aromas of baked rhubarb, rose petals, licorice, cola and spiced jams emanating from the kitchen, decadent accompaniments to a dish of Italian sausage cooked long and slow in a viscous marinara sauce. There’s a crime afoot, for sure, though the stout chef next door could hardly be suspect. Marlowe melts in the wine’s mated morass of Sangiovese and Zinfandel, an experience whose complexities he can’t unravel from the string of circumstances that brought him to this cozy den. Far from a big sleep, this is a dream with eyes wide open, saturated in sanguine riddle. Bottle Price: $56.00
2016 - Though you seek clarity - and it’s here in this glass - the allure of the chase is preternatural, an urgent race to transcendence. You clutch a string of red jewels, dazzling and sparkling. When you look up, there she is, mesmerized by eyes brimming with sweet licorice and black cherry, dancing in their knowing, beseeching you to follow. She escorts you on a dream of soda-fountain conceits: strawberry cream, raspberry, caramel, cocoa, cola and orange peel - a parfait with a sprig of mint and vanilla wafer. Her spell is interrupted ever so briefly by a soft salty breeze, nearly bringing you to your senses, daring you to defy the gravity that grounds you to this place and time. With a cultish charm, she wraps you in sensual arms, and you dutifully follow. Bottle Price: $56.00
2017 - Gobsmacked by the antics of the man on a flying trapeze, the circus guests fix their eyes upon an infinite sky, deep and dark, curiously illuminated by bands of raspberry and cherry blossoms. The airborne artist knows no boundaries as he flies head over heels, higher into the atmosphere, unfazed by a confetti of Middle Eastern herbs and splashes of sassafras. Gravity is his ally. He clings to the air, much like notes of plum and morello cherry linger on the palate of the earthbound circus master, savoring his libation while admiring the bombast of the theatre he has created. A dash of soy piques his craving for a sweet and sour candy, or better yet, a grown-up dish of fried rice and kimchee, topped with slices of ginger-marinated steak. His circus offers many diversions he claps his hands in delight, knowing the allure of the high-flying acrobat will yield soon to the riotous folly of the marching clowns. Bottle Price: $55.00
2017 Reserve- Bottle Price: $56.00
Barbera
2014 - Reflections of Ruby by the fireplace, eyes smoldering as she wraps a crushed felt purple velvet around her willowy frame. Wisps of mahogany, cassis, and sweet tobacco fill the room, a smoky incense, alluring with plummy promise, but of what? Perchance a basket brimming with red and black fruits - blackberry, raspberry, strawberries, and olallieberry - or a compote of licorice, pepper, and tar? The fire crackles, a brambly pop snaps you to attention, awakened from this hazy but edgy dream state. She was but a mirage, though the radiating coals in the hearth and the glowing cigar in your clutch is indeed quite real. Bottle Price: $55.00
CABERNET SAUVIGNON
2001 - A pleasing bouquet of licorice, tobacco leaf & cherry. This Cabernet Sauvignon, sourced from the Carver Vineyard on York Mountain, displays classic notes of earthy aromas & flavors – mushroom, currants, black cherry, & fleshy juicy blackberries come to mind (don’t forget to wipe your chin!). Reminds us of a Tootsie Pop with its candied cherry & fun chocolately center. Just how many licks does it take to get the center of this wine….? A fine smooth finish, though with ample tannins to keep us yearning for a juicy Rib Eye. Bottle Price: $70.00
2003 - Like a stout and stentorian uncle, this wine has ample girth and equally vast stories to tell. Aromas of berry, currants, cassis, cocoa, and lavender – “Hah!” gushes our haughty uncle. “Decidedly Cab, indeed!” On the palate, the wine is warmed by hints of vanilla and chocolate Necco wafer (remember those?) and accented with red fruits and a dash of spice, finishing with a flourish of Cherry Garcia with its chewy chocolatey-cherry center, and - oh goodness - we’ve tapped a whole different species of avuncular uncle. Plush tannins are bound to soften the wine with time. With relish, our robust patron cries, “Give me two years with a rib eye, to enjoy with the apple of my eye!” Bottle Price: $66.00
2004 Reserve - A bouquet of lavender, currants, dried herbs and cherry compote – ooh, la, la. This flirty and flighty cabernet is a tease, racing about the rugged Adelaida hills, blond locks and neck scarf flying in the wind, taking on all the curves in an open-top roadster. The wine is lively, with currants, spice, leather and framboise sours gyrating on the palate like a young, hip-swishing Elvis, with hints of (blue) suede, crushed velvet rose-petal, cedar and cola on the finish. Forget the sideburns and rhinestone suit – give us a feather boa and a big Vegas floorshow high-kick and we’ll be dancing in our seats. Bottle Price: $65.00
2006– A healthy whack of love in this Cab, accentuated by a delightful dose of the sensual, as in sweet thyme & rye, laced with a crazy dose of fun – a roll of Lifesavers comes to mind. Just when you’re seduced by the spirited flavors of candied cherry & cassis liqueur, up sneaks a chocolately meatiness (is that molé?) that leaves you begging to romance a flamenco dancer with a stemmed rose in the mouth. This is a long-lived Cabernet Sauvignon with muscle & finesse – a hard body with a soft spot for, indeed, the good life. Bottle Price: $66.00
2007 Reserve– Like a stout and stentorian uncle, this wine has ample girth and equally vast stories to tell. Aromas of berry, currants, cassis, cocoa, and lavender – “Hah!” gushes our haughty uncle. “Decidedly Cab, indeed!” On the palate, the wine is warmed by hints of vanilla and chocolate Necco wafer (remember those?) and accented with red fruits and a dash of spice, finishing with a flourish of Cherry Garcia with its chewy chocolatey-cherry center, and - oh goodness - we’ve tapped a whole different species of avuncular uncle. Plush tannins are bound to soften the wine with time. With relish, our robust patron cries, “Give me two years with a rib eye, to enjoy with the apple of my eye!” Bottle Price: $67.00
2010 - A deep garnet & regal elixir! This is how Cabernet should taste & smell like (the tasting panel agrees wholeheartedly). It’s lush, with brooding aromas of cassis, blackberry, currants, camphor & cedar. A touch of tobacco & graphite on the nose adds a sophisticated allure. Compote of strawberries & dark cherries coats the palate, while a faint hint of mint vexes the senses. The fruit is nicely balanced by a sly acidity that lingers memorably on the tongue. Did we mention that this is the wine that our winemaker wants to most smell like? If you, too, want to turn heads in the room, bring a bottle or two of this Cab to dinner. And share. Bottle Price: $60.00
CABERNET FRANC
2007– Off you go on a pleasant romp through the rustic countryside with a fair-haired confidante. Dusty silkiness on the nose, a fragrant whiff of rose petals, a patch of Sweetbriar & potpourri. Notes of wild fruit suddenly break out – blueberry, ollalieberry, mingled with scents of cigar tobacco, mint, dried sage & sweet cherry. Chewy, yet lively with a crisp acidity, this wine insists on being shared with a spread of choice morsels, delectable, seductive. Spread a blanket, lay out the feast, forget the time of day. Romp away. Bottle Price: $64.00
2012– A dense, somewhat brooding wine, with a stately structure reminiscent of a matador, standing proud & tall in the ring as he faces down the menacing bull. There’s an air of spiced leather, warmed by the afternoon sun, as the spectators in the arena soak in the spectacle of theater. A whiff of Russian rye bread, waves of black fruits, cola, cassis, vanilla & rum, crushed rose petals, potpourri & lavender. Sweet herbal notes of mint & menthol lend a woodsy balance to the rich cherry compote feel on the palate. The finish is both subtle & overt, camping out on the tongue with smoldering flourish. Inhale deeply & give a lusty cheer for the fearless torero & his brave adversary! Bottle Price: $62
2015 - A plucky lothario settles into the fine-grained leatherette, soaking in the nefariousness and intrigue around him. He is a master of this speakeasy, as he entertains acolytes and rivals bidding his good graces. A sassy vixen distracts him with a cocktail of cassis and cola liqueur, a serving of rum-raisin pudding, seductive with blackberry, peppercorn and cedar. He leans into her ear and whispers, “I used to love you then, now I love you again.” A cigarette girl saunters past, trailing sweet tobacco, dried herbs, cherry and plum. The swarthy underworld bosses in the house take to the freshly sanded dance floor to celebrate their illicit and ill-gotten fortunes, raising glasses filled with dusty libations. There is danger afoot, but for now, mirth and merriment. Bottle Price: $60.00
CHARDONNAY
II- non vintage The merry-go-round goes mesmerizingly round & round. It’s a difficult choice, which dandily painted steed to mount, but the white stallion with gilded saddle, burning yellow eyes & handsome strap beckons, so you hop aboard. It’s your party, & this Chardonnay is the scintillating stone on the jewel-bedecked table. With a touch of Scotch Kisses, a swirl of lemon-crème bar, a nibble of white peach & stone fruit tart, and bite of toasted butter cookie – all whipped up with a grown-up splash of almond liqueur - this wine might leave you pondering the fate of spent youth. Or the beguiled laugh & platinum pleasure of Jean Harlow. Or the sassy smarts of Sarah Jessica Parker seeking that ridiculous, consuming, can’t-live-without-it dalliance. Ah, may you never get off this ride. Bottle Price: $55.00
2009 - As the fairy tale goes, Goldilocks finally found the right bed in which to sink her flaxen tresses. And so we hope you discover similar warmth in this unctuous wine. Because it was fermented on the skins, & allowed to age in barrel a wonderfully long time, this Chardonnay is deeply golden in color - & fantastically toasty in flavor. Swirling about are aromas of almond & pistachio, spiced apple, pineapple & honey the palate is bright with tangy flavors of tangerine, lemon crème, & pain au levain. This wine deserves a partner rich with succulent sauciness and zest, but for that we conjure up a wholly different fairy tale (because bears won’t do for our fair mistress): Goldilocks craves a kingly crab or some-such other culinary specimen of royal quality. And so do you. Bottle Price: $52.00
DELOS
2007 – Délos is an island of archaeological treasures & mythical wonders. Délos is a wine of vinous treasure & sensory wonders. Travel there with us: Inviting aromas of cassis, plum, cherries, tobacco leaf lead into nuanced notes of vanilla, cola & exotic dried spices. Still yet, the palate fills with a waxy texture of mocha, mint, blackberry & plum sauce. Is this god-like stuff, or are we fiddling with our fig leaves? Named after the birthplace of Apollo, Délos offers its own shining light of poetic muses. A wondrous blend of Bordeaux varietals, including 50% Cabernet Sauvignon, 27% Merlot, 19% Cabernet Franc, & 4% Petit Verdot. Bottle Price $67
2008 -At once this wine is ferocious & primal, like T-Rex stomping his way through a forest, kicking up leather spice, cedar, & musky duff, stoking up incense & stirring up sweet tar. Yet there are intriguingly elegant qualities– nougat & nuts, cola & cherry compote, blackberry jelly & candied cranberry, as if our mighty dino has taken a time-out for high tea. Appropriately rich flavors on your palate, with dark cherry, deep cassis, & red plum leading the way, with bracing acidity as a follow-up : Delos roars to be heard – or conversely, we might wish to savor it quietly, sharing our most daring secrets, as if a confessional could mollify our beastly desires. There’s a bit of a ferocious animal in us, & Delos is there to sate the thirst. Bottle Price: $62.00
2008 Reserve – This wine performs like a take-all-or-nothing power couple. Roll the camera: Daniel Craig, cunning eyes & sweat-free on his arm escorting with casual deference an assured Sigourney Weaver, her sassy curls illumed by the lights sparkling off a garnet red carpet on their way to both save & conquer the universe. Sage & other dried herbs, violets, cherry blossoms & expensive flowers whose names we can’t pronounce, mingle with forest duff, cassis, menthol, & mellow licorice, contrasted by the woodsy air of cedar, pencil lead & chalk, clueing us that this wine has a distinct Paso Westside edge. Yes, Délos steels us with the resolve of both terrestrial & intergalactic warriors, ready to wield our honed swords to fend off invaders of an alter-universe. A little James Bond, a little Alien a lot of chutzpah. Bottle Price: $64.00
2010 – Color of luxuriant crimson, a soft puffy pillow upon which to lay one’s head, contemplating the complexities of life, particularly that adage that says the sum is truly greater than its components. Such is Délos, a Bordeaux-style blend of Merlot (46%), Cabernet Sauvignon (30%) & Cabernet Franc (24%). Classic impressions of cedar, sweet tobacco, cola, hints of wild mushroom & anise swirl about your glass. Dusty cocoa complements the alluring chocolate-cherry flavors on the palate. Tannins, firm & rustic, wrap this wine in a regal embrace, much like a Buffalo plaid-clad lumberjack would caress the Queen of Hearts after wooing her with a hardy slab of flank steak. Needless to say, the lumberjack still has his head, & the Queen her lusty appetite. Bottle Price: $60.00
2011 – The night sneaks up, dusk turning to an indigo haze, and your eyes turn skyward toward a swath of stars. Is it the shimmer of Delos, with its opulent cloak of cassis, cola, leathered spice, & rose petal– a charming seducer, immense & intimate, all at once, that lulls you to calm? A Bordeaux-style blend of Cabernet Sauvignon, Cabernet Franc & Merlot, but thick with a California twist – it gushes with dark cherry & black berry fruits, warmed by wafts of smoked meats, eucalyptus, & tobacco. Rest your weary head upon that bed of stars. Take comfort in knowing that this wine, 5 years in barrel before bottling, is preserved for your optimal appreciation. Better yet: Allow yourself a serious evaluation of the gustatory options before you. Will it be pan- seared rib-eye with morels, or veal parmesan with chanterelles? Relax, for the bonfire is set, the glass is full, the night is young yet. Bottle Price: $62.00
2013 - The elements of a sophisticate are all here, bundled in a package of sardonic wit and wry dash, a Cary Grant awaiting romantic intrigue at the top the Empire State building. Garnet in color, Delos exudes exotic notes of menthol, lavender, thyme, soft-grain leather, and rose water. Black and blue berries bruise us with loving caresses (how can that be?). Oh, what a sweet beast with its spirited array of aromas - currants, mint, tobacco, cumin, a bit of mushroom, and cherry chocolate. A classic Bordeaux-like blend: Merlot softens and points the way, Cabernet Franc shines like a star, and Cabernet Sauvignon wraps up the show in a grand song and dance, tuxedo-ed up like an invigorated jar of Junior Mints merrily twirling a raspberry roll-up partner. What a show stopper! Bottle Price: $58.00
2015 - Dusty cinnabar brushed on velvet: This is a song of the earth, its muse a mélange of brambly currants and all-spice, rhubarb, plum and cherry. A crown of fragrant herbs adorns our fleshly hero, who’s hardy with the verve of peppercorn, alive with the allure of mint, sage and oregano, curiously distracted by a whiff of lavender that leads him up a trail to a pinnacle framed in granite and cedar. There, he beckons the gods with a plea for a feast of wild boar, dusted with fennel and mushroom, roasted slowly on the spit, a fête he will share with temporal companions who anticipate his ecstatic rune. Of course, you are among the congregants invited to sip and sing along. Bottle Price: $56.00
GRENACHE
2009 - Like a Blue Angel flying too close to the ground, this wine deliciously skirts danger. It’s dark in color, dark in flavor, yet so bright & welcoming on the palate. Why the Val Kilmer schtick? Someone’s got to ride the Iceman’s edge, & it should be you. Aromas of violet, spiced leather, cola & strawberry-rhubarb pie swirl about a pile of dried sage, basil & lavender, while a backdrop of menthol, Asian dumplings & plum spice evoke a land occupied by exotic, incense-bearing Magi in search of the Next Major Guru. A drop of coffee-smudged caramel over meaty juices in the middle of a sip deepens the mystery of this concoction, which we’ll describe as merely magisterial. Or barely bodacious? In any event, ponder slowly. Bottle Price: $54.00
2013 - Red lace on a grass skirt, dusty garnet chain on a bronzed god. A bit meaty, and thick, a whiff of mocha emitting from the shore of a tropical island. A Polynesian warrior dances a two-step Maori number on the steppes where the sea salt meets the duff of the forest, channeling Jason Mamoa in pukka shells, as he tends to the roasted pig on a spit, calling forth a fire spiced with cinnamon, hard cherry candy, pipe tobacco and blackberry cola. Black olive mingles with cumin and coriander, strawberry fruit leathers. A bit lush with caramel and butterscotch, too, adding to the festive air of a paradise jubilee. Luau-palooza! Book your cabana suite now. Bottle Price: $52.00
2015 - Red lace on a grass skirt, dusty garnet chain on a bronzed god. A bit meaty, and thick, a whiff of mocha emitting from the shore of a tropical island. A Polynesian warrior dances a two-step Maori number on the steppes where the sea salt meets the duff of the forest, channeling Jason Mamoa in pukka shells, as he tends to the roasted pig on a spit, calling forth a fire spiced with cinnamon, hard cherry candy, pipe tobacco and blackberry cola. Black olive mingles with cumin and coriander, strawberry fruit leathers. A bit lush with caramel and butterscotch, too, adding to the festive air of a paradise jubilee. Luau-palooza! Book your cabana suite now. Bottle Price: $50.00
2017 - She’s a crimson jewel, and immediate to love. You are wise to savor her slowly. Rose petals and ribbons of fuchsia weave through her chestnut-colored hair, her ears decorated with baubles of ripe plum and cherry. What a clever lass, as she tosses a pinch of coriander, a dash of cumin, a smattering of dried herbs to scampi on the barbie that she has marinated in hoisin and five-spice, all the while tending cinnamon and nutmeg-laced tarts baking in the oven. As she plates the fare, all of it so adoringly juicy, on a table of seasoned spruce and sandalwood, you inhale again the slight whiff of strawberry lip gloss on her lips, and give in to the elements of surprise, her joie et délice. Bottle Price: $48.00
LEROS
I - There is an ornithological phenomenon in the Adelaida hills whereby birds, woozy after feasting on fermented berries of the native flora, flit about in manic delight over the land’s natural effervescence. This wine, similarly, demonstrates the landscape’s not-so-subtle effects on one’s sensory capacities. A bouquet of unctuous earthiness gives way to delightful notes of chocolate covered cherries, followed by deeper whiffs of plum, cinnamon, Middle Eastern spices and potpourri. Pick your lap of luxury: a sumptuous mud bath, or a ride on the fine grain leather of a Lamborghini. Oh, if men could fly – or if birds could drive? Bottle Price: $68.00
II - As if you’ve stumbled off a boat, a castaway thrust upon some foreign soil, this wine rushes at you with vibrant aromas of cardamom, blackberries, minced meats, candied walnuts & red currants. So dig in, already. If you’ve traveled this far, you’ve shown manly, or uber-womanly qualities (as the case may be), and this wine steps up to the challenge with whiffs of seasoned leather & spice. A bit dusty & sexy, no? Is this the vinous equivalent of the Axe Effect? We think not. Instead, Léros exhibits a fair degree of sophistication, evident in the heady mineral & earthy structure that makes us crave a savory slice of sautéed beast, or perhaps an unreasonably high pile of lasagna soaked in a spicy sauce. One could get used to being stranded in strange places. Bottle Price: $65.00
2007 - As if you’ve stumbled off a boat, a castaway thrust upon some foreign soil, this wine rushes at you with vibrant aromas of cardamon, blackberries, minced meats, candied walnuts & red currants. So dig in, already. If you’ve traveled this far, you’ve shown manly, or uber-womanly qualities (as the case may be), and this wine steps up to the challenge with whiffs of seasoned leather & spice. A bit dusty & sexy, no? Is this the vinous equivalent of the Axe Effect? We think not. Instead, Léros exhibits a fair degree of sophistication, evident in the heady mineral & earthy structure that makes us crave a savory slice of sautéed beast, or perhaps an unreasonably high pile of lasagna soaked in a spicy sauce. Bottle Price: $64.00
2009 - Stare deeply into the ruby stone adorning the headdress of a handsome Persian prince, who leisurely dips his finger in the center of a shortcake smothered sumptuously with plum & sour cherries, vanilla cream, dates & figs, as he takes a deep draw from a hookah pipe emitting aromas of sweet tobacco & camphor. Could Léros take us to a place of such alluring sights & smells? Please, book a seat on this magic carpet: An inky exterior belies a playful spirit that twists & twirls around a panoply of flavors & scents – currant, cherry cola, root beer, compote of blueberry & boysenberry, sponge cake, pomegranate, dried fruit leather & an intriguing tang of nutmeg & cinnamon. A luscious lollipop to savor ever so slowly. Or just dip a finger in - we can be as fetching as any prince of Persia! Bottle Price: $62.00
2012 - Peering through a frosted window of ruby & garnet, your eyes set upon a dazzling figure, refined, stout, debonair. The wine exudes floral aromas of rose & hibiscus, a touch of tea & saffron, even a dash of sarsaparilla & licorice. Rich, also, with strawberry compote, black cherry, cumin & mocha. It embraces your senses with earthy warmth, like freshly turned soil in a mythical garden. Leros is an enchanting blend of 44% Syrah, 39% Grenache, 11% Cunoise, & 6% Mourvedre. If a wine could think, think, think…you just might stop to smell some exotic roses, or follow that smoky haze for a friendly tête-à-tête with that dashing dilettante in the confines of his rustic, woodsy lair. Bottle Price: $60.00
2015 - Always a veritable riot in the kitchen, Maman corrals an abundant cache of farmers market produce and sets to strewing the fresh goods about the room: sunflowers here, strawberries there, plums on the table, blackberries on the counter, cranberries and pomegranates in a colander. Now she heads to the spice rack, where she reaches for a pinch of cinnamon, a dash of cumin, a shot of tamarind. With an electro-technical touch, she orchestrates a purple haze of epicurean delights. She tides you over with butterscotch chews and fruit leathers while she whips up a pie-crust with minced meat filling and rose hip garnish to enjoy later at your gustatory leisure. She, like you, will always be a child at heart. Bottle Price: $56.00
MALBEC
2017 Reserve - There is music in the vineyard, conducted by a phantasmagorical maestro, inauspicious he is, yet open to a flash of whimsy beneath a shimmering red halo. The melody rings heartily, redolent of black fruit compote, spices and plums (at least three varieties of them!). A chamber orchestra weighs in with layers of cinnamon, tea, sage, pepper both white and black, leading to a crescendo as a rhythm section of sandalwood incense and 5-spice (maybe 7!) pounds a loamy backbeat. The performance launches its audience to an otherworldly galaxy of black velvet and dark currants. With a flourish, the devilish composer raises his baton skyward and salutes his ephemeral players for their concord of flavors. Bottle Price: $60.00
MERLOT 2007 - Ruby red, swarthy - the kind of wine you want to warm up your meat & potatoes. It starts with a nose rich with cherry compote, pomegranate, plum & mulled spice, complemented by blood-red rose petal, lavender, & cinnamon. A spicy bite on the palate, mingled nicely with cassis, vanilla & poached black cherries, suggests that this wine has a rhythm & beat far deeper than toasted red bone (whatever that is: Ask your local blues man). It's a bit on the gutsy side. Fire up the Dutch oven & slow cook your way to contentment. Bottle Price $64
2008 -A long, deep whiff unveils anise, minced meat, chocolate, cola, ginger bread – warm, familiar & cozy, like that Christmas sweater you won’t admit you love more than anything else in the closet (don’t worry, we won’t tell). There are also whiffs of outdoorsy scents: juniper bush, rose petal, forest duff, subtle chocolate mint leaf. clove, & cassis. On the palate, gushing black cherry fruit & cola, & wild meat – succulent, juicy, & profuse: a corpulent king’s feast in the great dining hall on the eve of mischievous sport in the lowlands, with fair ladies brandishing bottles high over their heads, encouraging you to fill your goblet high & seize the moment (or whatever else might be within reach). Be careful not to spill on your cozy wardrobe. Bottle Price: $62.00
2010 - Nuanced & warm, like a soft caress on your ear. This Merlot exudes a woodsy character of pine & redwood, a brush of cassis, cumin & tobacco beneath a blanket of black cherry & cola. There’s a smoky meatiness to the mix, a savory touch reminiscent of mushroom & soy – an ideal choice for a juicy steak smothered in morels. Merlot gets a bad rap these days, so you have permission to rap a different tune here. Unctuous morello cherry flavors snuggle warmly in supple tannins. A sprinkling of spices – cumin, cardamom, Morrocan pepper – dances across your tongue. There’s a cargo-hold of flavor, & it’s your ship to steer. More than alluring, it’s downright sassy. Bottle Price: $60.00
MOURVEDRE
2007 - The wine explodes with flavor, like a firecracker. OK, it’s not a good idea to play with explosives, especially in your mouth, but fear not the bright red fruit aromas & spicy flavors that bounce off your palate. Notes of cinnamon, cranberry, pomegranate & curry dance about, like a ’20s-era flapper in her lacy duds, enticing you to flaunt the staid norms that keep you slavishly in tow. With the essence of sour cherry & birch beer - warmed by spiced leather, ancho chili & sweet tobacco – this wine is an alluring invitation to a more raucous party. Do not go quietly into that speakeasy – embrace this mourvedré with a platter of suitably saucy barbecued ribs. Bottle Price $62
PINOT NOIR 2007 - Inhale deeply, & there you are: in a vale, emerald & lush, thrush birds in flight. Earth, sky & everything in between. This Pinot exudes classic aromas of musty mystery: truffles infused with dried cherry & sweet tobacco leaf, pomegranate, cola, oyster mushrooms, & dried herbs. Delicate tannins suggest a secretive veil, revealing just enough to keep you coming back for more (at the least, to get your share before the bottle empties). Even more suggestive is a palate of ripe raspberry & an elegant layer of dried cranberries. Where is your steed taking you? As if you’re the muse of a KT Tunstall song, the black horse lands you at the foot of a cherry tree, & there the heart assuages its never-forgotten longings - yummm! Bottle Price: $60.00
2012 - A traveler combs through the leafy & musky floor of a dark forest, searching for a ruby jewel, sparkling beguilingly in the beam of sunlight filtering through the overhead branches of evergreens. He unearths this wine - his treasure, exuding aromas of dried cherries, leather & sage, raspberry & a dash of cinnamon. It warms the palate with bursts of strawberry & pomegranate, cranberry, a touch of smoke & Stumptown coffee - yes, an earthy & rich mouth-feel, piqued with lively acidity that will satisfy the yearnings of a journeyed globetrotter like you. Bottle Price: $58.00
2016 - Into the dusty twilight, with gentle hues of purple and orange, the quest commences. A brash dandy, doffed in a scarf of velvet burgundy, announces himself. “To whence?” he exclaims, as he lines his warm leather pockets with sumptuous delights, sustenance for the impending night’s adventures. Raspberry compote on toast, candied popcorn, and nuts, plum and apricot chews, clove and cinnamon drops. With a perfunctory wave, he pops a caramel swirl in his mouth and proceeds down the arcade, peeking here, glancing there, unravelling the mystery of the mushroom and mahogany smoked haze of the coming night At last he is tempted by an exotic melange of soy, oriental spices and sandalwood streaming from a bodega. A strawberry-neon light beckons, a window display of Peking duck, mouth watering, tantalizing. He senses that his search for a noble elixir is nearly over, and steps inside to relish a feast. Bottle Price: $55.00
SANGIOVESE
2007 - The wine sits in your glass, bright & shiny red like a Christmas ball ornament. There's a caravan of aromas here, a melange of cardamon, all spice & minced meat, whiffs of strawberry & Jolly Rancher candy. Ho ho ho, indeed! Raspberry, rosehip, a dash of nutmeg, dusted herbs of sage & thyme liven up the palate. Don't let the candied apple color fool you: This wine is suitable for the most rare of meaty treats, like albino bison jerky (the winemaker has made it his zealous quest to hunt such a thing down). Meanwhile, declare every 25th of the month Christmas Day & celebrate with this bottle. Bottle Price: $68.00
2008 - The wine sits in your glass, bright & shiny red like a Christmas ball ornament. There's a caravan of aromas here, a melange of cardamon, all spice & minced meat, whiffs of strawberry & Jolly Rancher candy. Ho ho ho, indeed! Raspberry, rosehip, a dash of nutmeg, dusted herbs of sage & thyme liven up the palate. Don't let the candied apple color fool you: This wine is suitable for the most rare of meaty treats, like albino bison jerky (the winemaker has made it his zealous quest to hunt such a thing down). Meanwhile, declare every 25th of the month Christmas Day & celebrate with this bottle. Bottle Price: $66.00
2009 - In a survey among all of five people, including a devilish Italian deli proprietor draped in a bearskin rug dancing in front of a roaring fireplace, this wine won! Won what, you ask? Smell, taste & survey yourself. Its sparkling rosiness, like a bejeweled Medici princess, draws you in. Defy not the swirl of strawberry, raspberry & cherries, dusty rose petal mingled with sage, basil & tomatoes of the prettiest sorts! A whap of zingy acidity melds all the crazy red fruits like a psychedelic sauce that you might find simmering in a pot tended by a wild-eyed cuoco birichino, as he slices & dices sweet bresaolo, culatello & coppa with a flourish. We knew you’d vote in its favor: This wine is indeed “winner, winner, pasta dinner!” Bottle Price: $65.00
2012- A smooth and portly crooner belts out a funky love ballad, like Cee Lo in fine form, decked out in crimson linen suit and grain leather shoes. Does that make us crazy? Earthy tones of eucalyptus, fennel, hibiscus, violet and rose petal linger in the air. Yet it’s the perfume of juicy red fruits, rhubarb and pomegranate that finds us seeking heretofore unknown notes. We sing along to comforting choruses of cinnamon, pie crust, cream soda, strawberry, even freshly jarred tomatoes. A whiff of caramel corn belies a structured finish, a grip that seizes the palate and compels us to release a song of savory joy. Let your Voice be heard, the voting commence! Bottle Price: $64.00
2014 - With a red rose clasped between your teeth, you and your beloved take to the dance floor. A lively beat flows in a cascade of juicy red fruits and savory essences: strawberry, cherries, raspberry, chocolate, licorice and vanilla. You can’t control the band for a song! Back and forth, forth and back you go, beyond the glass doors the sky painted luminously after a storm, pink and red hues brushed against silver-lined clouds, the air basked in a draft of cloves and baked biscotti, warm and toasty. A dab of sweat breaks out on your cheek - this wine, this adoring partner your reward for daring to tango. Bottle Price: $58.00
2016 - Puling back a curtain of red lace and velvet from a window overlooking a garden of orchid and lilacs, she breathes in aromas of dried flowers and hardwood. She will lead a search soon for chanterelles in the afternoon heat. She reaches for a candy drop, succulent and tart, watermelon and raspberry, cherry and strawberry mingled with spice, cola and blackberries, mouthwatering and playful. She thoughtfully anticipates the hunt ahead, steeds pursuing braying hounds, kicking up dust and smoke, lavender and sage, in the hills where snow princesses take refuge from dark queens amid the brambles. To the riders, a toast for their avocation, to the mountain maidens, a toast to their fortitude. Let’s ride, she exclaims. Bottle Price: $55.00
SYRAH
I – Shimmering in hues of brilliant garnet, this Syrah shows off a playful attitude- brambly & lively with candied berries, cherry, currants & plum yet disarmingly seductive in the earthy spiciness of sandalwood & anise. A dab of cola & sage reminds us that wine, lke life, is sacred & profane, meant to be slurped or sipped, most definitely, sniffed. Without such instincts, how else would we expect to stumble upon that musty back-roads winery, where nearly ancient beret-clad proprietor could charm us with his vinous ways? Can a wine be both Old & New World orders? With a wink, this wine says emphatically: “You betcha!” Bottle Price: $68.00
2005 - An unheralded philosopher, who always seemed to be standing at a fork in the road, once said, “This is going to be great!” We’ve no doubt that he was talking about this Syrah. In barrel for more than 36 months, the wine thinks it’s grown up & sophisticated. It might be all that, but we also know it has the temperament of a sassy teen hell-bent on pushing the cork straight off its tightly wound structure. Start with its concentrated core of cacao, spiced with pomegranate and anise oil. Sift through layers of cherry & plum compote, bay leaf & tobacco. Slightly earthy, slightly gamey – you get the picture. The best is yet to come. Of course, the wine might have benefitted from our first venture in biodynamic farming, by our definition, as it was bottled under a full moon next to the fresh kill of an Adelaida-ground squirrel. Sacrifices must be made, & we have made a few so you don’t have to. Bottle Price: $65.00
2006 Reserve– So there you are, minding your own business & chewing on a rope of licorice (red or black, take your pick), when you spot that chrome-slicked Harley Sportster on the side of the road, its rider sweaty & glistening in the west side Paso Robles heat. Your brain says, “Whoa!” but your palate says, “Yes!” This Syrah has all the richness of ripened plums, layered with all-spice, raspberry, cinnamon, vanilla & potpourri, brightened with a briary dash of olallieberry. Racy yet slick & smooth. It beckons you to hop on the back of that bike & take a ride on the wild side. Bottle Price: $64.00
2007 - Like a Man of Mystery, this wine stares you down from its garnet-cloaked depths until your knees & your will are weak. What to do? Give in, baby. There’s a woodsy, earthy thing going on with this wine, reminiscent of sandalwood & tobacco with a faint whiff of oiled steel (it is that manly a specimen). Then there’s the mouthfeel: Plush & succulent, full of juicy ripeness, a mingling of candied beets, plum, chocolate covered cherries & just a touch of black licorice. Ah, but a little brush of lavender seems to settle the beast. Like a hydraulic-powered Cadillac bumping its way down the boulevard, this wine commands the attention & reverence of even the most well-heeled gentry. Gaudy but good, very good. Bottle Price $60
2008 – There’s a word to describe the fear of clowns. We looked it up: coulrophobia, is what it is & we are just curious enough to wonder if there is an opposite, a word that describes love of clowns. Apparently not, but this wine could define it, because it’s all about embracing clownish fun, the kind of fun that comes from playing with crayons & donning pointy party hats & wolfing down red velvet cake while stomping on balloons just to hear them pop! As one imminently qualified taster said (with consistent notes), this wine “lingers like the best guest at a party.” Aromas of cola & black cherry lead to whiffs of fresh garden herbs like rosemary & thyme, fresh earth, a hint of sandalwood. A bit of waxy texture (there’s those Crayolas again) opens up to a mouthful of flavors: strawberry shortcake, fruit leathers of boysenberry & blackberry, pomegranate, molasses, with just a touch of racy cinnamon. Juicy like watermelon swarthy, meaty & alluring like Zoltar the Boardwalk Teller. This wine is Tom Hank's grownup wish of being big & silly & living with no fear. Yes, indeed: the best guest at the party. Bottle Price: $58.00
TEMPRANILLO
2010 - Another Tolo first, this Tempranillo is decidedly Westside Paso Robles: scrumptious, long-barrel aged richness. Its color of crushed red velvet & garnet leaves a lasting impression on the glass, with legs that go on & on & on. Aromas of sweet pipe tobacco, black cherry, cola, dark cocoa, black cherries & pepper invites a deeper whiff, revealing a warm, resinous quality reminiscent of carefully tended woodwork. The fruity pomegranate & currant flavors are enlivened by a dash of cinnamon stick & essence of rose petals & purple violets. Like a Tony Bennett serenade, it tingles & jingles! Open a bottle & enjoy the show. Bottle Price: $66.00
2011 - Dark & brooding, like a crushed velvet glove on the hand of Darth Vader. Tempranillo can be both other-worldly & of this world: muscular & alluring, spiced & fruity, regal & rough. Our Tempranillo offers aromas of cedar & dried herbs, soy, dark plum, licorice & crushed rose petals. A strong backbone of acidity & tannins brings this wine to life on the palate - leather & spice, dark fruit rollups, blackberries – all wondrously balanced like a wine glass on a mattress on the head of a unicyclist. What a feat! What a wine! Bottle Price: $65.00
TOURIGA NATIONAL
2007 - It is writ in the good book of Disney that one might, on a magical occasion, chance to journey with Mr. Toad on his wild ride, escorted by a companion of hale constitution (perhaps in fishnet stockings & feathered headdress). If only that could be, then this wine would be an appropriate quaff to share, because it’s INTENSE! There! We said it, in CAPS & WITH EXCLAMATION POINTS!! This wine grabs the palate & holds on, with outrageous flavors of tart cherry pie & wild berry, a dusting of fertile soil burnished with toasted coriander & cedar, a whiff of blackberry laced with blueberry compote - all of it steadied by a steely rail of tannins & acidity. This amphibious ride will rock your consciousness. Touriga Nacional is a Portuguese varietal that you should bravely explore in its varied forms, especially over a repast of richly sauced edibles, with a handful of crushed velvet linen to wipe away the crumbs. Bottle Price: $64.00
2016 - Noir, but with clarity. There is love in darkness. A beast climbs the tower, seeking a beauty’s comfort. She is awed and rendered speechless by his svelte and sweat. Yes, she has no words, fittingly so, for the beast is fleeting and ethereal, and she knows there is precious little of him to savor. This gnarly creature doffs a heavy robe with silk purple lining and weighs ponderously with the chewiness of walnut meats and ripe blackberry. Plush, and dastardly, too, with perfume of cola and plum, hoisin, grainy leather, cocoa and earth. Herbed with lavender, spiced with cassis, licorice and pepper. Can he reclaim his regal birthright? Will she speak and undo the vexing spell that has trapped him in this bewitching cloth? But she has no words, at least any that will make sense to this dark prince. Bottle Price: $60.00
2017- A weary traveler wraps himself in a blanket of wool, scratchy in musky hints of cinnamon, dried mint, and pipe smoke. Under a charcoal-black sky, with bones worn by age and nefarious experience, he settles at last to a moment when his mind can wander to memories of toastier evenings, inside fire-warmed lodges, teeming with friends, stewing in the pungent air of peppercorn and coriander-spiced brisket burning slowly on a wood stove. His comrades toast the impending night’s revelry with concoctions of mulled black cherry and sassafras as he hews a rough leather strop with which to sharpen knives that will slice the savory flesh. Now, alone in the brooding night, he slips into slumber and dreams of Duero’s mountain ranges. Bottle Price: $58.00
ZINFANDEL
2009 - Somebody in the room is tap dancing in ruby slippers to Zep riffs - riffs as in Zeppelin, as in a whole lotta love in a glass. Sparkling red jewels mesmerize the eyes, while a luscious menagerie of tart cherry pie, boysenberry, kettle corn, birch beer & cola drum up olfactory hues. This wine is brambly in a sonic way – a riot of warm spices breaks out in chorus: cloves, anise, cinnamon, all spice, sweet tobacco. it goes up to 11! A dollop of molasses deepens dark berry juices as the wine rolls across the palate, suggesting hungry hints of balsamic-laced barbecue. This wine is fit for a rustic gathering of druids, convened to hear a cosmic duet between the Rock Star & Dorothy of Oz, their throaty exchanges flying well over the rainbow & up to the stars that twinkle as sure as those storied ruby slippers. Get your tickets now! Bottle Price: $62.00
2017 –Out of the darkened forest, a beast emerges, a wild-eyed centaur mussed with bramble and lavender. He trots down to the lake, aromas of cassis, mace, and strawberry compote lapping at its shores. Behind him folded in shadows, a cherry-spiced nymph trembles in his wake of tobacco leaf, alfalfa, and black tea, powerless to resist the musty melange of blackberry and stone fruit. She stares in wonder as he leans down for a sip of the moon-lit magic. Ever mindful of spying eyes that beckon him to partake in pleasure, at the least to immerse in the lake’s coolness of swirled toffee and red licorice, he pauses at the stirring of rustling brush. With a bolt, on fleet and sure heels, he leaps into the water’s depths. Bottle Price: $55.00