» Matt Fender

2007 Santa Rita Hills Pinot Noir

Sean — Wed, 12 Aug 2009 15:40:29 +0000

Wine Spectator has just named the 2007 vintage Pinot Noir California’s best ever. What does this mean? Besides price increases across the board, it means you should get your hands on this vintage right away.

The Santa Rita Hills are located in the larger Santa Barbara region of California, about 100 miles North of Los Angeles. The area is one of the state’s premier Pinot Noir districts, garnering an overall rating of 93 points for the 2007 vintage, with many of its wines scoring much higher.

A.P. Vin

95 points

Perhaps the wine with the one of the best values on Wine Spectator’s “recommended list” is the A.P. Vin from Santa Rita Hills. This Pinot scored a staggering 95 points, yet is still selling at the low price of $48 / bottle.

“Superrich, bordering on syrupy, with dense, focused, concentrated plum, blueberry and blackberry fruit that’s thick and persistent, with wonderful length and concentration.”

- James Laube, WS

Melville

Estate

This 2007 is sure to impress, coming from the respected Melville Santa Rita Hills Estate. Aged in French Oak and gently racked straight into your bottle. It is unrated as of yet, but you can bet it will be scoring well.

“ With a pretty, dark red-blue hue, this wine opens with lifted fruit punch aromatics of black raspberry, black cherry, fig and watermelon. Spice nuances of pink peppercorns, oolong tea, iron and sesame seed follow. This wine balances the complexity with feminine grace as hints of purple flowers and hibiscus radiate while also yielding to oceanic themes of sand and iodine. These aspects manifest cohesively on the palate bolstering its presence with significant texture and verve.”

The 2007 Santa Rita Hills Pinot Noirs experienced a “Goldilocks” year, the weather being not too hot, not too cold, but just right. You can expect your wine to come out much the same way, just right.

Wine Cellar Do’s & Dont’s

Sean — Thu, 16 Jul 2009 18:14:03 +0000

There are three major malicious threats to your wine as it ages: UV light, temperature, and humidity. A good wine cellar will neutralize the effects of the terrible trio, while providing a beautiful setting for your fine wines.

‘Women, Wine, & Snuff’ – The Poetry of Wine

Sean — Tue, 07 Jul 2009 22:25:35 +0000

Give me women, wine and snuff
Until I cry out “hold, enough!”
You may do so sans objection
Till the day of resurrection;
For bless my beard they aye shall be
My beloved Trinity.

- John Keats

Benvenuto! Stories from Small Vineyards in Italy

Sean — Tue, 30 Jun 2009 21:05:36 +0000

My recent trip to Italy was largely restricted to Roma, which is located in the region of Lazio. The professor shepherding my small group of students suggested we taste mostly Lazio wines, preaching that the difference between a tourist and a traveler is an interest in what their immediate surroundings offer. Tourists would insist on only trying wines from the regions their guide book declared to be the best, while true travelers would immerse themselves in the wines from Lazio, suppressing the urge to drink strictly those from Toscana and Piemonte. Tourist is a detestable name anywhere, and so to avoid being labeled one I stuck with Lazio. They tasted fantastic to my young palate, but nothing like the portfolio Small Vineyards presented yesterday.

Matt Fender | Biography

Ivy Kupec — Mon, 19 Jan 2009 23:41:25 +0000

Matt is a student at The John Marshall Law School in Chicago. His love for wine has brought him to the Hinsdale Wine Shop, where he works and gathers daily knowledge of fine wines. A recent trip to Italy has left him with a permanent infatuation for all things Italian, especially vino.

on the Web: Matt-Fender Dot Com

Personal Blog: PopulusQue Dot Com