Tuesday, August 28, 2007

WE'RE BACK - A TRIBUTE TO BEARITAGE

Hello,

We are back from vacation - with lots to blog about, including visits to the Okanagen region in British Columbia, the Williamette Valley in Oregon, and a few other choice tidbits.

But I'm not ready to list everything just yet, so I'll just make this entry a tribute to a really nice wine that will be pretty hard to find -

Bearitage, Lot #12, from Gundlach-Bundschu ($11.99), last produced a few years back. The label shown here is from an earlier release - Lot #12 is from 2001 & 2002 Grapes.

I used to drink this wine often when I lived in Florida, and the suppliers in Southern California have gradually run out.

I found a bottle at Bev-Mo, where I had not seen it for about 18 months. The bottle was just sitting there on the shelf. I took it to the register and it did not come up in the computer - apparently, it has been sitting there mixed in with other wines for quite a while.

Dorianne and I took the wine to a conference in Pacific Grove, CA in July, anticipating sharing it with a friend and fellow Bearitage lover from Ft Lauderdale, Tom Schon. Well, Tom had to cancel his attendance, and the bottle came back to Westlake with us.

Then, after our trip in August (4100 miles of driving), Tom came to LA for another conference, and he stopped by the house for dinner. We opened the Bearitage and it was excellent - a very lush wine, with heavy fruit - cherry mostly - and spice. It has an excellent finish - a really nice wine.

From the Winemaker:

WINEMAKER TASTING NOTES
Intense red currant and clove aromas with cedar accents lead to lush, mouth-filling flavors of red cherry and spice. Cabernet Sauvignon gives this lush wine its weight and firm structure, while the opulent Zinfandel fruit contributes the long, fruit-drenched finish. Bearitage may benefit from additional cellaring, but is ready to drink upon release.

If anyone knows where I can get some more, please let me know!


'Till Next Time,
The Wine Saver

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