NV ÆROS® Napa Valley Meritage “Founder’s Tribute”
September 13, 2011 by David
Filed under AEROS, Blog, Winemaker Notes
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This vintage proudly marks our 4th ÆROS® Meritage release in our 26-year history – a remarkably opulent, complex blend from two vintage years. Winemaker, Geoff Gorsuch, carefully selected the finest lots of Cabernet Sauvignon, Petit Verdot, Merlot and Cabernet Franc exclusively from our Yountville Estate to create a wine of extraordinary character, intensity and majestic proportion.
We took the best components of vintages 2007 and 2008 and combined them into a single whole that proved to be better than the sum of its parts; resulting in this one-of-a-kind, extremely limited production wine. The best Bordeaux clones, three of Cabernet Sauvignon and two each of Cabernet Franc and Merlot were married with Petit Verdot through repeated tasting trials over a period of months, maximizing complexity and bringing these classic varietals into perfect balance.
This ÆROS® is our ultimate Meritage in tribute to Reynolds Gorsuch (1925-2009). As Founder of Goosecross Cellars, Rey served as a mentor to Geoff and David and was often sought out for his advice and visionary thinking. He created the preliminary concept for the ÆROS winged label and was a guiding force in Goosecross’ wine education programs. He delighted people with his viticulture tours, his stories of the native Wappo Indian history, obsidian artifacts from the Estate vineyard, and his dedication to growing and producing the best quality wines possible in Napa Valley.
Food Suggestions
Our resident chef, Colleen Topper, has selected a very special recipe to pair with this elegant wine. Try Beef Tenderloin with Coriander, Mustard & Garlic Crust from her large recipe collection.
2006 Howell Mountain Cabernet Sauvignon
July 21, 2011 by David
Filed under Blog, Howell Mountain Cabernet Sauvignon, Winemaker Notes
Podcast: Play in new window | Download
Some of the greatest and most cellar-worthy wines in the world are grown in very poor soils, and our Howell Mountain Cabernet is a classic example. Struggling in the shallow, compressed volcanic ash on our rugged slope, the vines send their roots deep into the earth in search of water and nutrients.
Flavor profile: Full-bodied and rich with black cherry, blackberry, cocoa, vanilla, anise, earth and spice.
2006 Vintage: Low crop yields and a long ripening season produced small berries with great flavor intensity, deep color and firm tannins.
Drink now and through: 2015
Food Suggestions
The big, rich flavors of this Cabernet partner well with a good steak and slow- cooked dishes like osso-buco, short ribs and other hearty fare. From Colleen’s recipe collection we recommend Grilled Rib-Eye Steak with Baked Garlic Butter.
Which Vintage Year Should I Buy?
We frequently get questions from readers and visitors and will be posting some of these here on the blog from time to time. Here’s one we just received:
Question:
…when I go to purchase a bottle of wine — the year on the bottle — should I look for past or present years? I’m confused on this, etc: 2007 or 2008. Can you educate me on this please.
Answer:
The year on the label indicates when the grapes were harvested and made into wine. This is also known as the vintage year. Most wines made today are intended for consumption upon release with white and rose wines best within 2-3 years after the vintage and red wines best within 3-5 years. A few wines benefit from extended aging of up to 10 years, such as our Howell Mountain Cabernet, but as a rule of thumb you should be looking for vintage years that are within just a few years of today. If a wine does not have a vintage date, it is a blend of 2 or more vintages and is best to be consumed right now.
You can read more about this subject in our wine education article on Aging & Storage.
If you have a wine or food related question send it in and we might post it here on the blog. We also will answer you via email.
2008 Napa Valley Merlot
June 27, 2011 by David
Filed under Blog, Merlot, Winemaker Notes
Podcast: Play in new window | Download
Our Estate vineyard, with its well-drained, rocky soil, abundance of sunshine, and breezy afternoons, is the perfect place to grow Merlot grapes. Merlot produces a soft, fruity, and fairly rich wine, making it instantly popular and one of the most commonly planted wine grapes.
Winemaker Notes
Overall, the season was a cool one, allowing for plenty of hangtime, punctuated by a few blasts of heat to bring up the sugars. Rain was about two thirds of a normal year, but the vines reacted as if there was a drought, producing unusually small grapes. The small berry size explains the tremendous intensity of color and flavor in red wines from this vintage year.
Flavor profile: Ripe black cherry, raspberry, cocoa, mocha, cinnamon, all spice, toasty oak.
2008 Vintage: A roller-coaster of a growing season yielding low quantities of high quality fruit.
Drink now and through: 2014
Food Suggestions
Enjoy our Merlot with everything from roast duck and other game birds to prime rib. It pairs well with nuts and medium-hard to hard cheeses like Comté or Aged Gouda. From Colleen’s recipe collectionwe recommend Spring Lamb with Honey-Thyme Root Vegetables.
Pinot Gris With Spaghetti & White Wine Clam Sauce
May 18, 2011 by Colleen
Filed under Blog, Wine & Recipe of The Month
A classic pairing for our first flight of Pinot Gris, this simple dish brings forward the crisp apple and grapefruit flavors of the wine. Hear Colleen describe this recipe in our audio winemaker note or browse her recipe library for other pairing ideas.
Ingredients:
1 package (12 ounces) spaghetti
1/4 cup butter
2 cloves garlic, minced
1/4 cup Goosecross Pinot Gris
2 tablespoons lemon juice
1/4 teaspoon dill weed
2 tablespoons parsley, chopped
2 cans (6.5 ounces) minced clams, reserve juice
Minced parsley, as garnish
1/2 cup Parmigiano Reggiano, grated
Directions:
Bring a large pot of salted water to a boil, add the spaghetti, and cook about 8 minutes or until al dente.
While spaghetti is cooking, melt the butter in a large saucepan over medium heat. Cook garlic in butter about 3 minutes, stirring occasionally, until lightly golden. Add the wine and lemon juice, mix well. Stir in the dill weed, 2 tablespoons of parsley, and the clams with their juice. Heat to boiling, reduce heat to low and simmer up to 5 minutes.
Drain the spaghetti (no need to rinse it). Add spaghetti to the clam sauce and toss. Ladle the spaghetti with clam sauce into individual pasta bowls, sprinkle with parsley and grated Parmesan cheese.
Serves 4
Purchase the 2010 Pinot Gris in our online store
2010 Napa Valley Pinot Gris
May 16, 2011 by David
Filed under Blog, Pinot Gris, Winemaker Notes
Podcast: Play in new window | Download
These grapes are grown on the sustainably farmed Nord Family property located in the cooler climate of Southern Napa. Pinot Gris is typically admired for its weight and relatively low acidity. Winemaker, Geoff Gorsuch employed a cold fermentation process, which also assisted in producing a dry wine with nice acidic balance.
Flavor profile: Stone fruit, crisp pear, red apple, grapefruit and pineapple with a clean, crisp finish.
2010 Vintage: A roller-coaster of a growing season requiring great patience, but yielding low quantities of outstanding fruit quality.
Drink now and through: 2013
Food Suggestions
This is a versatile wine, so enjoy it with everything from seafood, fish, and pasta with white wine sauce. From Colleen’s recipe collection we recommend Spaghetti and White Clam Sauce.
The Battlefield of Mindset
At Goosecross, we make the best wine we can make with great pride, and we hold back no expense in the doing so. Having said that, given todays technology, superb grape resources, and excellent winemaking skill sets, we sincerely believe that if you can’t make a great bottle of wine, don’t quit your day job.
Therefore, we recognize that the real battlefield between wineries today exists in the retention and the mutual lifetime value of our customer relationships.
Each day presents a new opportunity for us to meet new people and make new friends, but just as importantly, to nurture those relationships in honest and meaningful ways over the many years to come.
We welcome you to experience Goosecross Cellars – our wines, our people, and our unique mindset!
David
2008 Napa Valley Cabernet Franc
May 13, 2011 by David
Filed under Blog, Cabernet Franc, Winemaker Notes
Podcast: Play in new window | Download
This double-clone blend of 100% Cabernet Franc is grown on our Yountville Estate. Winemaker Geoff Gorsuch comments that he utilizes vertical trellising, “which helps create optimum sunlight for even-ripening and the Estate fruit brings ripe, rich flavors to the blend giving it character & elegance.”
Flavor profile: Ripe cherry, raspberry, and blackcurrant with black licorice, white pepper, and mint.
2008 Vintage: A dynamic growing season with surprisingly low yields of flavorful berries showing great intensity of color and flavor
Drink now and through: 2014
Food Suggestions
This is a versatile wine, so enjoy it with everything from grilled swordfish, to poultry and veal to grilled Portobellos or a good steak. Colleen’s Kitchen has a few recipes matched with Cabernet Franc including her new Grilled Lamb Chops with Mustard-Herb Rub.
2010 Mendocino County Orange Muscat
May 12, 2011 by David
Filed under Blog, Orange Muscat, Winemaker Notes
Podcast: Play in new window | Download
With just over 200 acres in all of California, Orange Muscat is rarely seen here. It rewards those who seek this specialty wine with its abundantly fruity, yet crisply refreshing characteristics. Breezy Mendocino is an ideal home for this delicate, early ripening variety that is most expressive when allowed to ripen slowly.
Flavor profile: Fresh and sweet with juicy pear, honeydew melon, caramelized ginger, local honey, and bursting orange peel.
2010 Vintage: A roller-coaster of a growing season requiring great patience, but yielding low quantities of outstanding fruit quality.
Drink now and through: 2013
Food Suggestions
A glass of our Orange Muscat, well chilled, is a dessert in itself. It’s a delicious partner for fruity desserts, fresh fruit and blue cheese. From Colleen’s recipe collection we recommend Poached Pears with Cider-Orange Muscat Glaze.
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