This is wine journey which is fitting that this gentle, kind bird takes us on a little trip. Sparrow starts with the beautiful nose of lemon flowers. On the palate it is an expression of minerality and dried apricot then finishes with apricot jam, green plum and floral again. Although the nose does not completely match the palate, it takes you on a journey and leads you back where you started to a grove of lemon flowers growing next to the salty mist of the ocean.
Offering an exotic, complex bouquet of lavender, wild herbs, loamy earth and both red and black fruits, the 2013 Red Wine Blend Night Owl (55% Merlot, 27% Cabernet Sauvignon, 9% Cabernet Franc and 9% Petit Verdot) is medium-bodied, elegant, supple and finesse driven on the palate, with this darker, meaty, chocolaty, earthy core that comes out with additional time in glass. This is a sexy, forward effort that will nevertheless keep nicely for a decade given its purity and balance. Drink: 2016 – 2026.
This wine has come from the earth in all senses. It is as complex as photosynthesis itself. Don’t be fooled by its delicate color; it will swoon you with earth, fire and sea. There is a bright quality to the wine, but the dark flavors persist of burnt orange, dark fruit, rhubarb. There is a strong mineraility in the finish. Pair with meat braised in fennel and orange or a triple cream garnished with chutney.
Jasmine leaps out of the glass and fills the nose. This golden yellow elixir is filled with papaya, honeydew melon and soft citrus like Meyer lemon. It is carried by the medium acidity for a white wine. With the same depth of structure as the Sparrow, but the Marsanne is the star. Will drink well through 2022, we will keep you posted if it maintains longer due to the Marsanne.
Well. Well. Well. Malbec. It is that Labrador retriever who lives in your neighborhood and barks all the time only to discover he just loves everyone *that* much. Fairly difficult to farm, hard to watch ferment because of its awkward H2S spikes while the yeast knows full well, they are sitting on a massive pile of yeast assumable nitrogen. Then it finds the bottle and like a giant lap dog, sits on the palate so comfortably. The 2016 Malbec Amparo is 100% Malbec that spent 23 months in 40% new French. Blueberries and violets dance with a slight cranberry note and pillow oak tannins.
The 2016 Artist Series Paterson Blend is 53% Cabernet Sauvignon, 27% Cabernet Franc, and 20% Merlot coming from the Columbia Valley and aged two years in 40% new oak. It offers more cherry and dark strawberry fruits, medium to full body, a juicy, lively texture, and a great finish. It shows the pretty, juicy, forward style of the vintage beautifully and will keep for 15+ years.
The 2014 Fred is a brighter and more high toned than its predecessors. It is obvious from the moment it leaves the bottle with its bright red complexion. It still showcases the usual lavender oil and bright nose of the Tablas Creek clone, but it is expressing more red fruit notes. Bouncy and bright in the mouth while round and plush tannins maintain through to the end. Will drink well though 2020.
Much like Sparrow Estate Viognier, the 2017 Columbia Valley Viognier is quite nuanced. Longer hang time than 2016 allowed for more flavor development while maintaining acidity. White peach, jasmine are rounded out by the backbone of blanched almonds.
The nose of honeysuckle never fails to put a smile on our faces. It seems to be a cliché at this point to include honeysuckle in the tasting notes every year, but it never fails to happily persist. The mouth is a delightful marriage between low alcohol and high acid. It will lend itself easily to compliment any meal that is needing some brightness.
Made from 49% Merlot, 30% Cabernet Sauvignon, 12% Cabernet Franc, and 9% Petit Verdot, the 2016 Night Owl Estate Blend reveals a deep ruby/plum color as well as rocking notes of black cherries, spiced blackberries, dried herbs, and chocolate. It's ripe, fleshy, medium to full-bodied, and beautifully balanced, with a great finish. It’s another beautiful wine from Anna Schafer.
The flagship is the 2016 Cabernet Sauvignon Owl and Crown Estate, which has brilliant notes of crème de cassis, lead pencil, exotic flowers, and blood orange. Deep, concentrated, medium to full-bodied, and balanced, it's a beautiful, layered, lengthy Cabernet that will keep for 20+ years.
The 2014 Red Wine Blend Night Owl comes from the estate vineyards and is a blend of 43% Merlot, 34% Cabernet Sauvignon, 13% Cabernet Franc and the balance Petit Verdot. Its deep purple/ruby-tinged color is followed by a terrific bouquet of cassis, ripe black cherries, licorice and wild herbs. Medium to full-bodied, supple and polished on the palate, with good acidity, it's another fabulous wine.
