One of my favorite reps is going to be pouring behind the bar this week, local Wyoming resident Britt from Tramonte. We are sampling two wines from these two smaller family producers. Milbrandt located in Columbia Valley, Washington and McNab Ridge in Mendocino, California.
We are also really excited to be pouring the newest release of Zincinnati, a Zinfandel produced by the team at Tramonte and exclusive to Ohio!
Grab the flight for $5!
Featured Wines:
2017 McNab Ridge French Colombard – Mendocino, California; $14.99
This is one of the few American Colombards that I have had the privilege in trying. The grapes for this come from the Niemi Vineyard in Mendocino and yield every year is just dependent on them. The vineyard was planted in the late 1960s and early 70s and are dry-farmed, head pruned vines that have grown to a towering 8 feet tall. The 2017 is a super small vintage with less than 250 cases produced. The grape is a cross between Chenin Blanc which is grown mainly in the Loire Valley of France and an ancient German varietal called Gouais blanc. Produced in all stainless steel this is the perfect wine to go with some Thai or Indian food, or just pounded on the porch. Intense citrus, white peaches, candied lemon peel and passion fruit… man it is good. - $1.25 Sample
2018 Milbrandt Chardonnay – Columbia Valley, Washington; $14.99
100% Chardonnay from the Ancient Lakes Vineyard in Columbia Valley. Pushed to partial Malolactic Fermentation to add a bit of roundness without making it too buttery. Aged in a combination of stainless steel and neutral oak barrels. This is bright with good balance a lots of fruit. Floral notes of lilies and lemon zest on the nose, and apple and pear on the palate. Accented by hints of vanilla and crème brulee. - $1.25 Sample
2017 McNab Ridge “Zincinnati” Zinfandel – Mendocino, California; $16.99
I think this is the perfect wine to have on a tasting. McNab collaborates with their local distributor (Tramonte) to make this Cincinnati themed bottle. This vintage is a blend of select barrels by our Wyoming local wine host, Britt along with her colleagues Charlie and Kevin. I am sure she would be excited to tell you about her experience putting together this wine. The Zin is blended with a bit of Petite Sirah and Pinotage all fermented and aged separately in a combination of French and American oak barrels for 15 months. The resulting wine is extremely dense with tons of fruit, but not overly jammy. It is framed with some rich vanilla from the barrels and a smoky spice through the finish. - $1.25 Sample
2017 Milbrandt Merlot – Columbia Valley, Washington; $14.99
So we debated between finishing with the Cabernet Sauvignon or the Merlot, and well even though more people probably prefer Cab, I just couldn't pass on this Merlot. It is great…. This vintage got 91Points from Wine Enthusiast along with an Editors' Choice award. Aged about 14 months in neutral American oak barrels. Blended with a touch of Cabernet Sauvignon to add a bit of structure through the finish.
“Plush red fruit, herb and eucalyptus aromas lead to scrumptious fruit flavors. It possesses a compelling sense of balance – a superb value that brings a sense of purity not always seen at this price.” Sean Sullivan, Wine Enthusiast - $1.25 Sample