MY BEAR WHISPERER IMPRESSION (COMBATTING URBAN SPRAWL TO GET TO A WINE OASIS, OR INFILTRATING VINTNER SELECT’S WINO PALACE, PART TWO)

Continuing with a bit of exploring at the Vintner Select warehouse, Jeff and Brian introduced me to the Sean Minor wines from California. These incredible values are appellated, (predominantly) single-varietal wines that all impressed me wholeheartedly.

The Sean Minor 4 Bears Chardonnay Central Coast 2009 (Grade=Outstanding) is whole-cluster pressed, and sees both stainless and barrel fermentation to lend remarkable complexity to a wine I have on my shelf for $10. Notes of apples, Georgia peaches, persimmon and mineral mingle with undertones of toffee, butterscotch and buttered brioche to give you a wonderfully balanced, medium-bodied Chardonnay that is sure to please even the most discriminating of palates (and with me being a covert Chardonnay hater, it’s mindboggling how much I enjoyed it).

The Sean Minor 4 Bears Pinot Noir Carneros 2009 (Grade=Outstanding+) has got to be the best friggin’ California Pinot Noir on the market at this price point. Dry-fermented and malo’d, it is aged for 9 months in new and used French oak, imparting creamy rich baking spices into its gorgeous display of red and black cherries, red raspberry, cola nut, sandalwood, Açai berry, mineral and earth tones. Medium-bodied with soft and supple tannins, I have officially deemed this a K2 Thanksgiving Selection!

The Sean Minor 4 Bears Merlot Napa Valley 2008 (Grade=Outstanding) is, in my mind, what Napa Merlot should be – full of dark plums, blackberries, cedar and medium tannins and good grip. Fermented in stainless steel tanks and aged in both French and American oak casks, this full-bodied 100% Merlot shows off blackberries and blueberries with elegant muscle and complexity. Sublime characteristics of baking spices, violet, cocoa and vanillin oak give its multilayered frame wheels to roam. And clocking in under $15, it’s an incredible value.

And the Sean Minor 4 Bears Cabernet Sauvignon Napa Valley 2007 (Grade=Amazing) was definitely the star of this lineup, a big, bold, rich Cab that again, defies logic with its kick ass price tag of under $15. Like the Merlot it sees stainless steel for fermenting and French and American oak aging, showing off bold black fruits, cassis, cedar, tar, chocolate, espresso, spice box, tobacco and baked earth notes. The only one of the lineup that is a blend (with 13% Merlot, 3% Cabernet Franc and 2% Petit Verdot), this stunning red is the Cabernet you should be buying this holiday season.

Next up, I’ll delve into the wines of Napa Valley’s Frog’s Leap.