ON THE FRONTIER’S EDGE: EXPLORING NEW WINES AMONGST THE COMFORT OF FRIENDS AND STRANGERS

Once again, Shannon and I got together with our good friend and Bryant Wine manager Jimmy C. for something a little special – lunch at our favorite place in Northern Kentucky (or one of them anyway), Virgil’s Café in Bellevue, KY, where we tried the great lineup of wines from Yakima Valley’s Mercer Estates, and the innovative wines from Arizona Stronghold and Caduceus.

I have to say that I was doubly stoked about these wines – having experienced Mercer’s wines on last year’s now infamous Road Trip Washington Wine, yet I was especially thrilled about finally tasting the wines of Arizona Stronghold for several reasons. Yes, when I say Arizona Stronghold (the name of the winery), I mean they come from Arizona. The project of winemaker Eric Glomski and rock star-turned-vigneron Maynard James Keenan (frontman for rock bands Tool, A Perfect Circle and Puscifer), there is a huge buzz circling these wines, having become the subject of a recent documentary by award-winning documentarians Ryan Page and Christopher Pomerenke (of In the Heart is a Drum Machine and Moog) called Blood Into Wine. These wines are a big deal; they usher in a real push for crafting artisan wines in Arizona.

So as we dug into Virgil’s famous Fried Green Tomatoes (thanks to Food Network’s TV Show “Diners, Drive-Ins and Dives” which made a stop there recently), we kicked off with the wines:

Arizona Stronghold Vineyards Tazi WhiteCochise County 2009. Grade=Outstanding. This is a terrific blend of Sauvignon Blanc, Chardonnay, Riesling and Malvasia Bianca that shows off some pretty expressive tropical fruit notes, well-balanced acidity and hints of white flowers, ginger and spice.

Mercer Pinot Gris Yakima Valley 2009. Grade=Outstanding. Straightforward, clean, Alsatian-influenced PG with some undertones of mineral, white flower, lemongrass and starfruit. Very nice.

Mercer Sauvignon Blanc Columbia Valley 2008. Grade=Outstanding+. Showing a bit of Semillon in the mix, making this a fleshier, more-rounded SB with a touch of lemon meringue, guava and gooseberries. Light on the acidity and generous with the vibrant fruit.

Mercer Chardonnay Columbia Valley 2008. Grade=Outstanding. A cleaner, more Chablis-like Chard with hints of lime, apricot, tangerine and green apple. Some baking spices are rolling around on the midpalate and a kiss of spicy acidity brings it into a fruity, lively finish.

Mercer Riesling Yakima Valley 2008. Grade=Outstanding. Venturing into a Kabinett-influenced level of sweetness (which means not very), this white exudes some spicy peach, apricot and hints of Rainer cherries, nutmeg and orange blossom. Delicious!

Arizona Stronghold Vineyards Dayden Rose Cochise County 2009. Grade=Outstanding-. A crisp pink saigneé made from Sangiovese, Zinfandel, Grenache, Malbec and a splash of Sauvignon Blanc. It shows some hints of red raspberries and watermelon with slight underpinnings of dragonfruit. A bit like the Cassis rosés of the Provence, yet the color on this thing is gorgeous. May have been too cold though.

Arizona Stronghold Vineyards Nachise Red Cochise County 2009. Grade=Outstanding. This Rhone-inspired blend of Grenache, Syrah, Mourvedre and Petite Sirah has a lot of dark red fruit aromas and flavors, some black and white pepper, cayenne, black truffle and baked earth notes. Very nice.

Arizona Stronghold Vineyards Mangus Red Cochise County 2008. Grade=Amazing. I have to say I was most impressed with this incredible blend of Cab, Merlot and Sangiovese, this drinks like a “Super-Tuscan” yet resembles a young Barolo in the glass, with its ruby red, slightly orange hue. It has legs for miles, with its rich, multilayered cherry and red currant notes, shades of dark plums and blueberries, baking spices, black tea and cocoa undertones all coming together in a helluva glass of wine.

Mercer Estates Cabernet Sauvignon Dead Canyon Ranch 2008. Grade=Outstanding+. This is a pretty good Cab, with some nice dark fruits, mocha powder, coffee bean, earth and spice notes. A bit chewy in the middle, yet finishing graceful and soft. Has a lot of plushness throughout its display of blackberries, chocolate and dried herbs. Really nice!

Mercer Estates Cabernet Columbia Valley 2007. Grade=Outstanding. The Dead Canyon outshone this one, with drier, more astringent tannins and bitter chocolate taking over, perhaps indicating this is still youthful and requiring time in the bottle to mature. Medium-to-full-bodied with some nice, juicy blackberry and black currant notes.

Mercer Estates Merlot Columbia Valley 2007. Grade=Outstanding. I always have the bar too high when it comes to WA Merlot and I am thumped again with this softer, suppler style, leaving me thinking more of a Right Bank Bordeaux as opposed to something from the Columbia Valley. Soft cherry and dark plum notes, cinnamon stick, sage, mint, and smoky oak, yet it is lighter and drier than many of its brethren.

Merkin Vineyards Chupacabra California Red 2006. Grade=Outstanding. This was initially set-up as a transitional wine for Caduceus and ASV, with less and less California fruit appearing in this wine each vintage. Still, it resembles a Cotes-du-Rhone in some respects with bright cherry and red berry fruit aromas and flavors, some rose petal, wet stone, red and black tea, roasted herbs, and hints of light chocolates. A great wine for everyday.

Caduceus Anubis 2008. Grade=Amazing. Primarily California appellated, with a blend of Cabernet Sauvignon, Cabernet Franc and Syrah, this is dark, rich and brooding with muscular black and blue fruits, dense, chewy tannins, chocolate, espresso bean, loads of baking spice, tar, and creamy oak. It’s an incredible wine.

Caduceus Nagual de la Naga 2008. Grade=Amazing. An homage of sorts to the wines of Solaia and Ornellaia, the originators of Super-Tuscan, this Sangiovese/Cabernet Sauvignon blend is robust, multilayered and bordering on ethereal with thick, powerful notes of blackberry compote, chocolate covered black cherries, cedar, tar, cinnamon, mint, espresso, anise, black currant jam, and creamy oak. Off-the-charts good!