Nugan Estate: Awesome Australian Wines!

 by Tobin Sharp

Nugan Estate is a premium producer of estate grown wine based in Griffith, New South Wales, Australia.

It is part of the Nugan Group, which was founded in 1940 on fruit and vegetable packing and expanded in the 1970s into juice production – later becoming one of the largest exporters of niche juice products to Asia. In 1993 Nugan Group further diversified its operations planting vineyards and selling fruit under contract. From there, winemaking was a natural progression.

Today Nugan Estate owns 590 hectares of vineyards in Australia’s finest wine growing regions of Riverina, King Valley and McLaren Vale – making it the 18th largest vineyard holders in Australia. In addition, Nugan Estate sources premium quality grape from the renowned Coonawarra region.

Family operated by Michelle, Matthew and Tiffany Nugan, Nugan Estate is one of Australia’s Top 20 Wine Exporters and is complemented by a premium wine portfolio, extra virgin olive oil and the award winning Griffith restaurant, Michelin.

Matt Nugan visited our shop not too long ago on a promo tour and, lucky for us, brought his wines along for us to sample. Impressed would be an understatement when it comes to our reaction on the quality of his family wines and their more-than-fair (downright bargain!) pricing. Stunned? That might be it. The wines were fantastic, showcasing Aussie terroir and the amount of sunshine they get (Beautiful ripe fruit? Yes, please!). In American parlance, a clear home run-- in Aussie, an easy "sixer" (in cricket terms, of course!).

Nugan Estate 2012 Riverina "Drover's Hut" Chardonnay $14.95 [378098]
Easy-drinking, balanced, clean Chardonnay. The nose shows tropical fruits, orchard fruits, sweet brown spices and a touch of lemon grass. Great viscosity on the palate with flavors of more stone fruits, mango, white peach, lots of Fuji apple, and a touch of minerality in the finish. Enjoy with or without food-- pairs perfectly with sunny days and easy company.

ANTONIO GALLONI 90 POINTS - "Light yellow. Ripe nectarine, melon and tangerine on the fragrant nose and in the mouth. In a lush, open-knit style, with a jolt of bracing acidity adding lift and focus. Picks up a stony, almost Chablis-like hint of minerality on the finish, which lingers with very good tenacity and focus."
 

Nugan Estate 2013 Riverina "Stomper's" Cabernet Sauvignon $14.95 [381848]
Cherry fruit fills the nose as touches of olive tapenade, black licorice and ripe rapsberry fill in the gaps, all surmounted by a layer of mint and hint of tobacco-- enticing and fairly complex for this price niveau. The palate is lush and loaded with cherries and raspberries but not cloying. Savory touches of forest floor, spice box and black pepper add to the ripe red fruits. The finish is clean and uplifting as bracing acidity and brisk tannins keep it looking up. A great warm weather red, keep a few bottles of "Stomper's" handy when the grill comes out and the company arrives.

ANTONIO GALLONI 90 POINTS - "Brilliant ruby. Fresh, spice-tinged dark berries and cherry on the nose, with notes of floral oils and cured tobacco adding complexity. Bright cherry and blackcurrant flavors show good depth as well as vivacity, with a jolt of black pepper adding spicy bite. Finishes floral and gently sweet, leaving a hint of candied rose behind."

 

 Nugan Estate 2012 Coonawarra "Alcira Vineyard" Cabernet Sauvignon $21.98 [378428]
Eucalyptus and mint, two classic descriptors for the Aussie terroir, are clearly in the nose as hints of pencil lead and fennel are surmounted by dark red fruits, jammy raspberry and cassis: beautiful, rich and deep. The tannins in this "Alcira" Cab are fine and silky, uplifting broad flavors of dark cherries, cassis and cacao. A pinch of spice and earth lead to a long, smooth finish with, again, lasting deep, dark red fruits.

Nugan Estate 2012 Riverina "Scruffy's" Shiraz $14.95 [378497]
Concentrated raspberry and boysenberry fruit fill the nose, almost a jammy, fruit-leather version, as bits of red licorice, mint, cherry cola and herbal woodiness create a fine supporting cast of scents. In the mouth, fresh fruits reign, sweet berries, cherries and raspberries; light herbals, black tea and incense weave their way between the sweet fruit, adding depth and richness. Easy to quaff, perfectly delightful, great for Spring and Summer.

ANTONIO GALLONI 90 POINTS - "Dark purple. Spicy blackcurrant and cherry aromas are complemented by Asian spices and floral oils. Lively and precise on the palate, offering gently sweet, incisive dark fruit flavors and a hint of spicecake. Finishes on a gentle tannic note, with very good clarity and an echo of candied flowers."

Nugan Estate 2013 Alfredo "Second Pass" Shiraz $19.95 [381882]
The "Second Pass" Shiraz is sourced from the Nugan family’s premium vineyards in Australia. After fermentation, the wine was pressed onto the pomace and yeast lees of our premium “Alfredo” Dry Grape Shiraz adding to the wines’ intensity, á la the Ripasso style found in Italy's Valpolicella region. Thereafter, the wine was matured in French and American oak for 12 months resulting in a wine of concentration and quality.

Dark berries, mint leaf and herbal wood fills the nose as more scents reverberate: black licorice, strawberry tea, mixed brown spices, dark perfumed florals. Sweet fruit buoyed by lush tannins start on the palate with more layers growing with each sip: cherries and berries meet breakfast tea and violet petals, rhubarb, tobacco, dark chocolate and brown earth. Sweet, rich, complex. The tannins and excellent acidity keep it aloft and light on the palate even with all its richness of flavor. Great with grilled meats (from lamb to cow) and game, strong hard cheeses.

ANTONIO GALLONI 92 POINTS - "Inky purple. Heady, expansive aromas of dark fruit liqueur, potpourri and incense, with a hint of smoky minerality adding vivacity. Offers juicy, penetrating cherry and dark berry flavors and an exotic floral pastille quality that builds in the glass. Shows excellent clarity and thrust on the finish, with silky tannins coming in late."

The Awesome Current & Upcoming Napa Valley Wines

by Dan Williams

For me, February is the best time to visit Napa Valley. Sure, the weather would be better if I went it June, when it gets warm without being super hot... but you just can’t beat Napa in February. And why is that? Because the entire valley parties for 4 days straight for an event called Premiere Napa Valley!

Premiere Napa Valley is a trade-only auction where over 200 of the wineries in the Napa Valley gather together and auction off one-of-a-kind wines. These are wines that the wineries don’t normally produce, and these wines are crafted to be the best examples of the wineries’ capabilities. Quite often, they bottle just a few cases of their favorite barrel of Cabernet, from their favorite vineyard block, that typically goes into their reserve wine. They produce anywhere from 5 to 20 cases, and if a member of the trade, like Hi-Time, wins a particular winery’s auction lot, all of that wine would go to Hi-Time. So we’re talking about super micro-production wines that are simply stunning!

Another benefit of this auction is the fact that most of these wines are barrel samples. In this year’s case, the majority of the 200+ wines were from the 2014 vintage. So we get a chance to taste over 200 wines from producers up and down the valley. This gives us the ability to let YOU, our loyal customers, know if the vintage one or two years down the road is a vintage you avoid, or max out your cards for the next “vintage of a lifetime”! No, but seriously, don’t max out your cards... be responsible.

In addition to the auction, wineries get together and throw parties all week long. They have big spreads of food, and pour all of their current releases, as well as older vintages pulled from their libraries and barrel samples of upcoming vintages. Imagine spending several days tasting wines from some of the best producers in Napa Valley, such as Shafer, Ovid, Continuum, Pulido-Walker, Memento Mori, Far Niente. Yeah... now you know why February is my favorite time to go to Napa.

In regards to Cabernet Sauvignon, since Cab is king in Napa, here is my take on the current and upcoming vintages.

2012 – Delicious wines from a vintage that’s hard to pass up.

As I stated last year, there was no drastic news about this vintage. Mother nature played nice; there weren’t scorching hot spells just before harvest, no upcoming rains that rushed picking, no problems during the flowering and bloom in the spring to mess yields. There was no news. This meant that wineries could pick grapes when they wanted, when grapes were at optimum maturity, with optimum flavors.

The resulting 2012 Cabernets are complex wines with good aromatics, generous fruit profiles that seem to lean more along the red fruit spectrum (think cherries, raspberries, and currants), and integrated tannins. The majority of 2012s I have tasted are drinking very well right now, but should be able to cellar until an age of 10-20 years. They have put on more weight since last year, but I take that to mean that they may have more to show in the future. The only sad thing about the 2012s is that many of them are now sold out.

2013 – BUY THIS VINTAGE!!!

“During my Napa trip in February, I think the worst wine from the 2013 vintage I tasted was really, really good...that was the worst wine.” That’s what I wrote last year. Well this year, I tasted more from the 2013 vintage, and again nothing tasted less than really, really good!

I still feel that this is the greatest vintage of Napa Valley Cabernet Sauvignon since I have been in the wine game, which was when the fantastic 1994s were being released. The 2013s represent everything you want in a Cabernet Sauvignon. They have opulent fruit (perhaps more along the black fruit spectrum like plums, black cherries, cassis) with wonderful aromatics, good structure in the way of fresh acidities and firm tannins, along with expansive and long-lasting finishes. Seriously... some of the finishes on these wines lasted well over a minute, with a few lasting 2-3 minutes... INCREDIBLE! This is a vintage that is going to be hard to top. I’m typically not fond when critics so loosely use the term “vintage of your lifetime”, but if I was going to use it... it might be for the 2013s.

2014 – This makes it 3 in a row...potentially.

2014 marks the 3rd vintage in a row where quality was high. Since last year, winemakers were beginning to speak proudly about their 2014 finished wines, and how they believed they were just as good as the 2012s. After tasting so many of them out of barrel, I feel that 2014 is another very good vintage. How good, though, is hard to tell. The wines were not shy on fruit, complexity, or nuance, but they are currently showing some hard tannins that overshadowed much of that the wines may have had to offer.

As of now, I feel this is a vintage that has the tannin of the 2006 vintage with the fruit of 2004. So, in essence, the real question here is going to be the tannins and how they integrate into the wines over the coming year. If they integrate, then this could, in fact, be just as good as 2012. Right now I’m calling the hierarchy of these vintages, starting with the best, as 2013, then 2012, followed by 2014.

Noteworthy Upcoming Releases

The majority of the Napa Valley Cabernets that coming out are from the glorious 2013 vintage. Below are some wines that should land in our store in the not too distant future. They are not listed in any particular order.

Memento Morii 2013 Cabernet Sauvignon – For the past few years, if this was not my number 1 wine of the trip, then it was still in the top 5! Adam, Adriel, Hayes, and winemaker Sam Kaplan are doing everything right, and everybody in the valley wants to drink this wine! They get fruit from some of the best vineyards in Napa, including Cabernet from a few of the Beckstoffer vineyards! Ripe, juicy black fruits with minerals and crème de cassis. This earned 97 points from Robert Parker.

Continuum 2013 Proprietary Red – This marks the first vintage for Tim Mondavi and his family where this wine is 100% estate grown, produced, and bottled. Dominated by Cabernet Sauvignon from their Pritchard Hill vineyard in the eastern mountains of the Napa Valley, this wine also has a good percentage of Cabernet Franc in the blend. When this was the case in older Opus One and Mondavi Reserve Cabernets, those were the vintages that always aged the best. This earned 97 points from Antonio Galloni.  [ed. Carlo Mondavi stopped by our store last week to taste us (again!) on the 2013-- one of the top two or three wines Dan had on this trip]

Pine Ridge 2013 Cabernet Sauvignon Napa Valley – This wine never ceases to amaze me. It retails at our store for $51.98/bottle, but this easily competes with other Cabernets that sell for $100/bottle… no joke! The forward mix of black and blue fruit are balanced by pronounced yet velvety tannins, making this a wine that drinks well on its own, but I always felt a rib eye steak was this wine’s soul mate!

Pulido-Walker 2013 Cabernet Sauvignon Panek Vineyard – Pulido-Walker has become one of the favorite wines our staff loves to sell, and after one taste you’ll know why! Mark Pulido, Donna Walker, and their winemaker Thomas Brown (who also makes Schrader and Rivers-Marie, among others), make this wine from the Panek Vineyard in St. Helena, a vineyard that is littered with rocks that help the vines' good water drainage, smaller berries, complex flavors, intense aromatics, and distinct texture. To me, this tasted like the quintessential Napa Valley Cabernet! This wine earned 96 points from Robert Parker.

Shafer 2012 Cabernet Sauvignon Hillside Select – One of the most revered Cabernet producers in Napa, and their 2012 Hillside Select from the Stags Leap District is my favorite wine they have produced since the prodigious 2002! Silky, plush red fruits mingle with crushed rocks, framboise, black cherries, plums, and hints of cocoa. I could drink the whole bottle by myself! This wine earned 98-100 points from Robert Parker.

Fontanella 2012 Cabernet Sauvignon Mt Veeder – What more can we say about the Fontanella family that we haven’t already said! Jeff and Karen are two of the nicest people in the valley, and the wines they produce are knockouts! Sourced from the western mountains of the Napa area, Mt Veeder is known to produce grapes with intense flavors and nuance. Their 2012 Cabernet is just hitting our sales floor, and it is riddled with cherry, raspberry, plums, black currants, herbs, spice, velvety tannin, and hints of earth, vanilla, and a kiss of oak. The complexity for the money is envied by many, but since Jeff worked at ZD and Opus, you can see how he learned to get the best out of his grapes!

Wine of the Month 2: A Fantastic Sicilian Red

Vivera Terre Siciliane Terra dei Sogni 2012 $16.95 [301144]
by Tobin Sharp

"Corleone. My Corleone, green vineyards and hot sun. There is no other place in the world with this beauty. A beauty somehow misunderstood and hidden, that my husband and I want to express through the wine we make, in an embrace that can tell a different story of Sicily, through the language of its flavor and its smells." -Armida Vivera

Terra dei Sogni is a young wine, fresh and natural, a bold blend of Cabernet Sauvignon and Syrah from a vineyard of clay in Corleone, wedded to the mineral and fruity Nerello Cappuccio variety from Martinella, on the Etna. Terra dei Sogni is the land from which the wine is born: dreamt, grown and made to excite emotions and enchantment.

We knew when we tasted it that it was a clear winner for the Wine of the Month 2 slot. The nose was sexy, sultry and sweet with shades of berries and plums, smoky mineral and grilled bacon, incense, charcuterie and dark florals. The palate is lush with a viscous mouthfeel and tons of fruit flavors, echoing the nose: sweet berries, red plums, sun-dried cherries. Vivid minerality and a touch of red licorice are uplifted by brisk acidity and subtle tannins. Lovely in Springtime, perfect for Summer.

WINE SPECTATOR 90 POINTS: "Finely balanced, this medium- to full-bodied red integrates supple tannins, with a lovely range of ripe black currant and mulberry fruit, accented by tarry mineral, grilled herb, licorice drop and mocha hints that linger on the finish. Cabernet Sauvignon, Syrah and Nerello Cappuccio. Drink now through 2025. 2,667 cases made."

Super Tuscan Sale on a 92 Point Wine!

by Gary Faust

This is a smokin’ deal from Baracchi, the fantastic Tuscan producer we first brought into the store two years ago.  Baracchi makes wines that are just plain delicious and this wine definitely fits that bill.  Even better, the distributor is making room for the new vintage and was motivated to move this wine.  This wine is easily one of the best deals in the store right now and we are thrilled to offer it at a huge discount.  Ardito is one of Baracchi’s upscale bottlings and it really shows in this wine’s complexity.
 
This is a stunning blend of 50% Cabernet Sauvignon and 50% Syrah.  It comes together beautifully and tastes like a hypothetical marriage of California Cabernet and Syrah from the Northern Rhone.  Like any great marriage, the sum is greater than the parts.  The Ardito combines the generous fruit and structure Cabernet is known for with the meaty savoriness one often finds in Syrah.

 

Deep ruby with purple highlights and staining of the tears.  On the nose, violet florals are followed by notes of currants, blackberries, vanilla, earth and meat.  On the palate, the wine is dry and full-bodied with moderate, ripe tannins.  The flavors speak of the grapes themselves showcasing crème de cassis, black cherry, blackberry and anise from the Cabernet and that special meaty savoriness and slight spice that Syrah can bring.  This wine is bold, delicious and ready to drink.  It begs for a nice steak, but also drinks so very well on its own.

BARACCHI 2010 ARDITO SUPER TUSCAN

JAMES SUCKLING 92 POINTS -“Aromas of almonds, orange, and blackberries. Full body, with velvety tannins and a flavorful finish. A little chewy with slightly dried tannins but will soften with a year or two of bottle age. Delicious already. A blend of Syrah and Cabernet Sauvignon. Try in 2015.”

SALE $29.95 Reg. Price $54.95 750ml [301763] Click HERE to purchase

Wine Bar: This Week (Through 2/28)

by Tobin Sharp

Once again we have another excellent lineup of events and tastings at our wine bar.

Tuesday, Feb. 23rd: Ten Dollar Tuesday!
6-8 p.m. and only ten bucks-- this week we have Epic Wines with Mona so there should be some good sippers in this mix.

Wednesday, Feb. 24th: Peter Neptune Wine Class - Burgundy - SOLD OUT!
This class is sold out but we have more scheduled through July of this year!
*** Peter Neptune is one of only 147 individuals in North America to hold the wine industry's most prestigious title: Master Sommelier.  He is a 31-year veteran of the wine business, beginning as a sommelier in New York City, where he trained and worked for 10 years. Upon returning to his native California (he was born on 10 July 1956 at Newport Beach, CA), Peter entered into Wine Education full time, and has established a nationwide reputation as one of the premier wine educators in the USA. In addition to his MS Diploma, Peter holds the title of Certified Wine Educator with the Society of Wine Educators (for which he was recognized with the Banfi Award for Excellence in 2003), holds a Diploma in Wine and Spirits from the Wine and Spirit Education Trust in London, and is an Associate of the Institute of Wines and Spirits. He also holds the credential French Wine Scholar, with Highest Honors. Peter is one of the teaching Masters at the Court of Master Sommelier Intro and Advanced Courses, and is an examiner at the Certified, Advanced, and Master Sommelier Examinations.

Class Schedule -  Classes run from 6:30-8:00 and cost $30.00 - Reservations Required
2/24 Burgundy
3/30 Rhône Valley
4/27 Bordeaux

5/25 Loire Valley
6/22 Sud
7/27 Champagne/Alsace

Thursday, Feb. 25th - Australia: New Arrivals
Taste wines from a land down under-- where women glow and men plunder! $25, 4:30-8:30pm.

Friday, Feb. 26th
Kiss Kiss Bangs Bangs Trivia Night
With wines from around the world. STAR WARS NIGHT! $25, 4:30-8:30pm

Saturday, Feb. 27th
California Cabs & Blends
This time around we’ll focus on regions outside of Napa Valley, like Sonoma and Paso. We’ll pour the likes of Mount Eden, Denner, St. Jean Cinq Cepages and Halter Ranch Ancestor! $30. 2-8:30pm.



Sunday, Feb. 28th - German BEER Tasting
It's out monthly beer tasting and we're looking to old world Germany to get into some tasty lagers and who knows what else?!? 1-5 p.m., $25.