Discounted Wine – 06 Syrah East meets West

Discounted 30% and free shipping for one week only.

$18.99 or $16.25 for purchases of 6 or more. Order here

Only 75 Cases Produced from Departure Wine Company

The East component (roughly 25%) comes from a block of Clone 1 Syrah in the Happy Canyon growing area in the far-eastern corner of the Santa Ynez Valley. Afternoon temperatures out here can be as much as 20 degrees higher than the western end of the Valley and allow our “East” component to express a bold flavor profile packed with dark fruits and a plush mouthfeel. The “West” portion of this blend (roughly 75%) comes from a block of Clone 1 Syrah planted in the heart of the Santa Rita Hills AVA. This growing area on the western edge of the Santa Ynez Valley is a true cool-climate region heavily influenced by coastal fog and bracing afternoon winds. Our “West” Vineyard was planted on a sandy knoll next to some of the Santa Rita Hills’ pioneering sites such as the Melville, Babcock, and Clos Pepe Estates. The cool, long growing season at this end of the Valley allows our “West” Syrah to showcase healthy acidity and elegant cool climate aromatics. This West lot was picked almost three weeks after the East block, yet it is only a few miles away.

Our tasting Notes:
Dark red, almost purple in color, clear thick teardrops. On the nose, we got lots of fresh spring field aromatics with lavender and white pepper. Tasted blueberries, lots of it! Also had some blackberry influences. A long finish that shows the influence of the warm vineyard character and intensity of flavors.

Click here to find out more about this wine

Sale – Kosher Wine from Napa Valley

Hagafen Cellars 2006 Prix Reserve Pinot Noir, Fagan Creek Vineyard – Block 38

$45 ($36 for purchases of 6 or more) only on HotCosts.com

Free Shipping

Only 373 Cases Produced!

Grape-grower Ken Nerlove planted this picturesque hillside vineyard Block 38 in south Napa Valley in 1998. It was an extension of Fagan Creek Vineyard. As a farmer, pinot noir has always been Nerlove’s focus. HotCosts has a limited allocation of this wine available this week only.

We suggest you pair the 2006 Reserve Prix Pinot Noir with Wild Mushroom Ragout. Our website contains all technical data, tasting reviews and a suggested recipe to pair with this Cabernet.

States Hagafen Cellars ships to: CA, CO, FL, GA, HI, ID, IL, LA, MI, MO, MN, NC, NE, NM, NV, NY, OH, OR, TX, VA, WA, WI, WV, WY

Napa Valley Wine Sale Alert – Free Shipping

Hagafen Cellars 2006 Estate Cabernet Sauvignon

$40.50 ($36 for purchases of 6 or more) only on HotCosts.com

Only 427 Cases Produced!

This intensely inky-colored Estate Cabernet Sauvignon wine is grown in the well-drained, stony and iron-rich soils of the Weir Family Vineyard along the Silverado Trail. The rich, spicy nose of baker’s chocolate and black cherry compliments the brooding and spice-filled black licorice, black cherry, plum and cranberry on the palate. The addition of 11% Cabernet Franc enhances the complexity of the wine, as well as adding to the robust and silky mid-palate. This wine is Kosher and has been produced according to Jewish dietary laws. HotCosts has a limited allocation of this wine available this week only.
The 2006 Estate Cabernet Sauvignon displays the varietals lively textures, which make it a perfect pairing for grilled and roasted meats. We suggest you pair this wine with Braised Lamb Shanks in Cabernet Wine Sauce.
Our website contains all technical data, tasting reviews and a suggested recipe to pair with this Cabernet.

Showket Vineyards Sale

 

Showket Vineyards 2006 Sangiovese – Free Shipping

$34 ($27 for purchases of 6 or more) only on HotCosts.com

Only 490 Cases Produced!

States Showket ships to: CA, CO, FL, GA, HI, ID, IL, LA, MI, MO, MN, NC, NE, NM, NV, NY, OH, OR, TX, VA, WA, WI, WV, WY

 Tasting Notes: Nice and clear cherry red color. A slight rim variation color of pink was noted. After a slow swirl of the glass, the wine showed clear, slow teardrops along the side of the glass (inside that is)! Aromas of red berries, especially cherries were noted. Lots of big, fresh fruit flavors with cherries being most noticeable. Smooth and round feeling in the mouth with a long finish. A very nice example of Sangiovese. Let sit for 20 minutes in glass and notice how the wine becomes smoother and bigger over the course of your meal. HotCosts has a limited allocation of this wine available this week only.

The 2006 Sangiovese displays the varietals lively textures, which make it a perfect pairing for chicken, grilled and roasted meats, hearty pastas, and most dishes which include Parmesan cheese, tomatoes and basil. We suggest you pair this wine with Newman’s Own® Zilicious Ziti.

Our website contains all technical data, tasting reviews and a suggested recipe to pair with this Sangiovese.

Free Shipping on Alexander Valley Cabernet Sauvignon

Joseph Family Vineyards 2005 Cabernet Sauvignon

$39 ($31 for purchases of 6 or more) only on HotCosts.com

Only 970 Cases Produced!

Accolades

• 92 Points! – Wine Enthusiast “A very fine example of Alexander Valley Cabernet Sauvignon, showing the elegance and complexity that wines from that Sonoma County region can attain. Soft and intricate tannins, the wine shows a mélange of blackberry, current and cherry sweet dried herbs and smokey flavors that are delicious now, and should hold well for several years.”  HotCosts has a limited allocation of this wine available this week only.

This Cabernet Sauvignon was made in a classic Bordeaux style, with extended maceration (the juice left on the skins for over 30 days) and aged in 65% new French oak for 21 months. The 2005 vintage is complex, with multiple layers of bright, black cherry overlain with a mocha finish, the result of seamless integration of creamy sweet tannins rendered from both the fruit and toasted oak barrels

Our website contains all technical data, tasting reviews and a suggested recipe to pair with this Cabernet Sauvignon.

Free Shipping for “one of the best Zins of the year” named by Wine & Spirits Magazine

Trinitas Cellars 2005 Zinfandel, Spinelli Vineyard

Not only are we offering free shipping to 33 states, we’re giving a 25% discount on one of the top zinfandels of 2005!  HotCosts is offering this wine at $22 plus free shipping only on HotCosts.

Accolades

• 91 Points – Named one of the best Zins of the year – Wine & Sprits Magazine.

This week, HotCosts is offering a Zinfandel that has been carefully farmed by the Spinelli family for over 52 years.

About this wine

Sweet berry flavors give this old-fashioned, earthy zin lasting fruit impact. It has the festive holiday scent of evergreen boughs and tarry, bitter black tannins to balance all the fruit.

Food and wine

The 05 Zinfandel can complement a wide variety of dishes. We suggest you pair this wine with Stuffed Chiles. See our Recipe Tab for preparation instructions.

33% off retail and Free Shipping for Russian River White Wine

This week, HotCosts is offering a Alsatian-style Trousseau Gris (Troo-so-gree). Trousseau Gris is a French variety of white wine. Our Trousseau Gris comes from 25 year old Russian River Valley vines from Fanucchi Vineyards. HotCosts has obtained a very small allocation for this featured wine and is offering it for only $15.24 a bottle and 1 cent shipping on orders of any size within the state of California.

No one who participated in the blind tasting of this wine guessed the correct varietal. Most said it was similar to a Viognier or Marsanne, some thought it was dry Gewrztraminer and others guessed Pinot Gris with more fruit flavor. Our tasters really loved this wine. Light yellow with small bubbles in appearance, our group found a peach/flower boquet fragrance and taste. It has a natural effervescence that we loved!

The 05 Trousseau Gris can complement a wide variety of dishes including Pallea to Crab, Roast Turkey, Spicy Thai and salmon. We suggest you pair this wine with spiced salmon. See our Recipe Tab for preparation instructions.

HotCosts Attends Californial Wine Festival

Wine, food, blues, sea and sun. These elements create a unique wine tasting experience at every California Wine Festival. A sunny seaside setting, hundreds of California’s best red and white wines, live blues music complemented by dozens of top chefs and specialty food purveyors serving gourmet appetizers, fresh cut fruits, grilled meats, artisan breads and cheeses and much more.  The event was great even though temps hit the high 80’s.  We visited the following wineries:
Calcerous Vineyards  Where the soil rules.  Loved Twisted Sister Bordeaux blend.
Edward Sellers Every winemaker in Paso raves about this guy.  “I like my wines, but he makes the wines I drink” said one winemaker.  They are focused on unique Rhone-style wines from Paso Robles.
Hahn Estates - Fantastic Pinot Noir from Monterrey.
Harvest Moon - Russian River Zin masters.  All excellent wines.  Found the Late Harvest Zin and stayed for an hour!
EOS - They were pouring an incredible Petite Syrah.  Look for it.
Howell Mountain Estates - Fine, balanced cab from Napa Valley’s premiere AVA.
IO Wines - Poured a fantastic Santa Barbara Rhone Blend.
Ironstone Vineyards - Nice reserve wines.
Tara Bella -  We found a great Cabernet from Sonoma, really rivals the great ones from Napa.
 

FWC in Pasadena

  Over 300 wineries attended the event. HotCosts was unable to make it to all the wineries on our list.  Here are the “finds” we uncovered:

Ackerman Family Vineyards -  This 16 acre winery is located in the eastern hills of Napa Valley, Stonehaven Estate.  We repeatedly over-heard visitors to their booth saying they were sent by friends to try their Cab - a must visit winery.  We tasted the 2003 Cabernet Sauvignon – their inagural release of 300 cases.  This wine is kept in medium-toasted new french oak barrels for 2 years and then stored for an additional 2 years in the bottle before it is released.  Reminds me of how Heitz Cellars releases their premium Cab.  The result is a nicely balanced wine with a dark berry nose followed by blackberry and raspberry palate.  Ends with a very long and smooth finish – an ultra-premium Cab!

Bourassa Vineyards - This Napa Valley winery is known for hand-crafted, small-lot premium wines.  We tried the 2003 Harmony(3) Bordeaux blend.  This wine won the gold medal at the San Francisco Chronicle’s wine competition.  This full-bodied wine showed lots of currants and cherry flavors. We also noted caramel scents on the nose. 

Ecluse Wines -  The vineyard and winery at Ecluse is on the westside of the 101 in Paso Robles, an up and comming region noted for creating nicely balanced Cabs and Rhone style wines.  We tried the 2005 Ensemble -Bordeaux style Cabernet Sauvignon and liked it.  Lots of dark berries and cherries on the nose.  The flavors continue in the mouth with a very smooth finish.  This wine received a 93 point rating in a blind tasting event called the Cabernet shootout. This event occurred weekly for 6 weeks with 32 wines tested per week.  The best of the best were then re-tasted in a final tasting to determine final scores.  This wine also won the best-in-class gold medal recently held by the San Francisco Chronicle’s wine competition.

More tasting and winery notes to follow……….

HotCosts to attend Family Winemakers of California Tasting Event

HotCosts will be attending the 2008 Southern California tasting held in Pasadena tomorrow.  This tasting event of California wines is the biggest in the world and showcases small, family-owned wineries.  With over 300 wineries in attendance, HotCosts has narrowed our search to those wineries which have expressed an interest in promoting their wines on our website.  Here is the initial list of wineries we will visit:

Ackerman Family Vineyards, Benessere Vineyards, Ceja Vineyards, Cinnabar Vineyards and Winery, Clark-Claudon Vineyards, Deerfield Ranch and Winery, Dutton-Goldfield Winery, Ecluse Wines, Fantesca Estate & Winery, Hagafen Cellars, Hans Fahden Vineyards, Inman Family Wines, Longboard Vineyards, Luccesi Vineyards & Winery, St. Supery Vineyards & Winery and  Tallulah Wines.  Notes of the event will be posted later this week.