California Wines Margot Schmitt

 

 


 
California Wines
Margot Schmitt

Löherweg 38
80997 München
Tel.: 089-1493129
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  Robert Parker, Wine Advocate, Issue 172, 31.8.2007, S.48/49 über das Weingut Brewer-Clifton:

  BREWER-CLIFTON
 2005
 CHARDONNAY ASHLEY'S  SANTA RITA HILLS  94
  BREWER-CLIFTON
 2005  CHARDONNAY MOUNT CARMEL  SANTA RITA HILLS  94
  BREWER-CLIFTON
 2005   CHARDONNAY RANCHO SANTA ROSA  SANTA RITA HILLS  94
  BREWER-CLIFTON
 2005  CHARDONNAY SEA SMOKE  SANTA RITA HILLS  92
  BREWER-CLIFTON
 2005  CHARDONNAY SWEENEY CANYON  SANTA RITA HILLS  94
  BREWER-CLIFTON
 2005  PINOT NOIR ASHLETS  SANTA RITA HILLS  93
  BREWER-CLIFTON
 2005  PINOT NOIR CARGASACCHI  SANTA RITA HILLS  92+
  BREWER-CLIFTON
 2005  PINOT NOIR CLOS PEPE  SANTA RITA HILLS  91+
  BREWER-CLIFTON
 2005  PINOT NOIR MELVILLE   
 SANTA RITA HILLS  95
  BREWER-CLIFTON
 2005  PINOT NOIR MOUNT CARMEL  SANTA RITA HILLS  94
  BREWER-CLIFTON
 2005  PINOT NOIR RANCHO SANTA ROSA  SANTA RITA HILLS  94
  BREWER-CLIFTON
 2005  PINOT NOIR RIO VISTA   
 SANTA RITA HILLS  93

I can't say enough about the complexity and singular nature of Steve Clifton's and Greg Brewer's Pinot Noirs and Chardonnays. Philosophically, I am against 100% whole cluster (which means 100% stems) as a winemaking technique for Pinot Noir, but that's what they do, and they execute it brilliantly. Other than a handful of Burgundies, I have never seen another winery consistently use so many stems and do it so well. Stems can impart a vegetal character, bleach out color, and can add unpleasant rustic, earthy notes to a wine. However, that is never a problem at Brewer-Clifton. All of these full-bodied Pinots see about 33% new French oak, and are bottled unfined and unfiltered. They are extraordinary expressions of Pinot Noir, and they confirm that Brewer-Clifton has emerged as the leader and reference point for this varietal in the Santa Rita Hills. The sexy, medium ruby-colored 2005 Pinot Noir Rio Vista reveals earthy, Allspice, raspberry, and black cherry notes, a broad, textural mouthfeel, full body, and a 7-10 year window of drinkability. Floral, blueberry, raspberry, and sweet currant aromas jump from the glass of the firmer, more structured 2005 Pinot Noir Ashleys. More austere and tannic than the Rio Vista, it will benefit from 1?2 years of bottle age, and should keep for 10-?15 years. Fresh mushrooms, forest floor, pomegranate, sweet cherry, and pepper characteristics are found in the deep ruby?hued, medium to full?bodied 2005 Pinot Noir Cargasacchi. Its earthy, peppery; black fruited character is reminiscent of a premier cru from Nuits St.-?Georges. Give it 1-?3 years of cellaring and enjoy it over the following 10-?15. The most monolithic effort is the spicy, sweet and sour cherry?flavored, medium?bodied 2005 Pinot Noir Clos Pepe. This big wine holds its 15.9% alcohol remarkably well, coming across like a tightly knit 1993 red Burgundy, such as a premier cru Beaune. The Clos Pepe reveals zesty acidity along with attractive spicy, cinnamon, and pomegranate notes, but is firmly knit. Give it 2-3 years of bottle age and drink it over the next 12-15 A dead ringer for a DRC Echézeaux, the Car 2005 Pinot Noir Mount Carrnel exhibits a medium ruby hue as well as a big, expansive aromatic display of forest floor, sweet cherries, pomegranate, fresh mushrooms, and spring flowers. Fabulous fruit, a silky mouthfeel, a long, heady richness, full body, and moderate tannin suggest this Burgundian-styled California beauty should drink well for 12-15+ years. Made in a grand cru Clos de la Roche/Clos de Tart style is the 2005 Pinot Noir Rancho Santa Rosa. One of the darkest-colored wines in this portfolio, it offers deep, complex notes of underbrush/forest floor, sassafras, earth, and sweet blackberry, currant, and raspberry fruit are present in this full-bodied, fragrant, multi-dimensional, expansive Pinot. This sensational effort is another brilliant exampie of what can be done in the Santa Rita Hills. It should drink well for 10-15 years. Always one of the purest expressions of Pinot Noir fruit, the deep ruby-colored 2005 Melville reveals grand cru-like blueberry, black raspberry, plum, floral, and currant characteristics along with fabulous fruit, a sweet, expansive mouthfeel, and a full-bodied, silky finish. To reiterate, these are gorgeous offerings that represent some of the greatest expressions of California Pinot Noirs that resemble great Burgundies since the brilliant Calera wines made between 1985 and 1990. Brewer-Clifton's commitment to excellence with Pinot Noir is also applicable to their efforts with Chardonnay. These wines see about 30% new oak, are put through full malolactic fermentation, and are bottled with no clarification. Early vintages such as the 2000s are aging magnificently well and are still relatively young wines. They are much less evolved than their California peers. In a top-notch vintage for cool climate varietals (like 2005), these cuvées have a decade or more of aging potential. The 2005 Chardonnay Rancho Santa Rosa exhibits notes of honey, . marmalade, lemon rind, and pineapple. Full-bodied, with superb acidity, no evidence of wood, a touch of minerality; and a full-throttle, Corton-Charlemagne-like richness and definition, it should drink well for 8 -10 years. Revealing more orange rind, lemon zest, honeyed grapefruit, and restrained minerals in a full-bodied, closer to the vest-style is the 2005 Chardonnay Sea Smoke. Enjoy this beauty over the next decade. The 2005 Chardonnay Mount Carmel (a site which Brewer-,Clifton now farms exclusively) exhibits honeysuckle, lemon butter, a hint of popcom, and orange rind in a full-bodied, deep, chewy style that reminds me of some of the old Bâtard-Montrachets made by Domaine Michel Niellon in the late seventies and eighties. Another Bâtard-Montrachet look-alike is the 2005 Chardonnay Sweeney Canyon. This full-bodied, powerful white boasts an amazing liqueur of minerals intermixed with bees' wax, honeysuckle, marmalade, and lemon butter. With an attractive citrus/orange rind character, and a full-bodied, layered, super-duper mouthfeel as well as richness, it is a stunning Chardonnay to consume over the next 6-10 years. Lastly, the 2005 Chardonnay Ashley's represents the essence of Chardonnay with its notes of ripe pears, brioche, peaches, apricots, honeysuckle, and flowers. lt is full-bodied and rich, with great acidity and depth. What is so amazing about all of these Chardonnays is that they possess terrific acidity, magnificent levels of concentration, and high alcohols (all are over 16%). Yet they remain extraordinarily elegant expressions of wine.

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sofort lieferbar sind die folgenden 6 Einzellagen:

  BREWER-CLIFTON
 2005
 CHARDONNAY ASHLEY'S  SANTA RITA HILLS  94  Euro 68,00
  BREWER-CLIFTON
 2005  CHARDONNAY MOUNT CARMEL  SANTA RITA HILLS  94  Euro 52,00
  BREWER-CLIFTON
 2005  CHARDONNAY SWEENEY CANYON  SANTA RITA HILLS  94  Euro 56,00
  BREWER-CLIFTON
 2005  PINOT NOIR ASHLETS  SANTA RITA HILLS  93  Euro 48,00
  BREWER-CLIFTON
 2005  PINOT NOIR MELVILLE   
 SANTA RITA HILLS  95  Euro 75,00
  BREWER-CLIFTON
 2005  PINOT NOIR MOUNT CARMEL  SANTA RITA HILLS  94  Euro 62,00

Abgabe limitiert auf je 3 Fl. je Lage und Besteller!