Aug

19

img_3049.JPGWe know… a fifty dollar price tag doesn’t exactly fit the typical profile of a Weekday Wine.  But because we had a lot to celebrate last week, we were inspired to pop open one of our cellared bottles.

We bought our bottle of B.R. Cohn’s 2003 Olive Hill Estate Cabernet Sauvignon last year during a visit to the winery’s picturesque location in Sonoma Valley.  The Olive Hill Cab made a strong impression on us back then, and we were relieved to learn a couple of nights ago that our tastes haven’t changed much over time.  Overall, this rich and approachable wine was outstanding.

The complex nose consisted of a core of olive, cedar, herb, and chocolate notes set against a backdrop of black cherry.  In the mouth, cherry, olive and a significant degree of spice shone through, and the finish was more of the same.  The flavor was absolutely huge — that alone justified the price.

Where to get it: As noted above, we bought our bottle at the winery.  You can purchase it (or a later vintage) by visiting the winery’s web site or, by using the Snooth search function under “Wine Locator” in the right hand column of this page, or by visiting wine-searcher.com or winezap.com.

Mar

27

This is hands down the best value in a Pinot Noir that I could ever expect to come across.  The only problem is that the $18.58 price tag existed for only 48 hours during Gundlach Bundschu’s 150th anniversary sale a couple of weeks ago.  As you might remember, we told you about it as it was happening, and those of us that took note (and action) should give ourselves a pat on the back: we won big.  The same bottle now sells at its usual price of $38.  

Apart from being a lovely winery with very friendly staff, Gun Bun makes quality wines nearly across the board, with the most notable of them being the Gewurztraminer, the Pinot Noir, and, this year, the Cabernet Sauvignon.  We expect to write more on the Cab in the near future.

Shopping for good Pinot in this post-Sideways (the link is to the movie’s official web site) era can be frustrating.  Even lousy Pinots sell above the $20 mark, and if there’s anything Wine Rabbi abhors it’s a bottle of wine that costs $20+ but doesn’t perform.

Enter the Gun Bun Pinot, which would have been worth the cost even had we paid the usual price.  We found a gorgeous nose and flavors of oaky vanilla, black cherry, and strawberries, along with a kiss of black pepper on the finish.   The body, color (amber), and intensity (light) were all of the more elegant Burgundian style, and the lively acidity and supple tannins gave it all the backbone we would have wanted. 

At $38, this Pinot would have been a great value.  At $18.58, the value was off the charts. 

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