Phillips Hill Estates

2008 Beeson Tree

Anderson Valley

Pinot Noir

$40.00 a bottle

I took a trip last weekend to the Anderson Valley to try some of their great Pinot Noir’s. I was on a quest to find an awesome Pinot for my next blog. Truthfully it wasn’t hard to do nor did it take long. I tasted and loved a lot of great Pinot’s that day. One Pinot Noir did happen to stand out a little more than the others, Phillips Hill 2008. Phillip Hill Estates tasting room is located in the very tiny town of Philo, California. I was very excited to meet and taste that day with the winemaker and owner Toby Hill. I always love when I get the chance to meet the winemaker and hear them talk about their love for making wine. As Toby said that day as we chatted and sipped his Pinot, he considers himself an artist and I definitely would not disagree with that
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This incredible 2008 Beeson Tree Pinot is a blend of three vineyards, 37% Toulouse Vineyard, 37.5% Corby Vineyard, and 25% Oppenlander Vineyard. The garnet red color of this wine is beautiful. Very earthy aroma’s with a slight sent of smokiness. This silky Pinot first tastes of dried cranberries, cherries, and slight raspberry. Has a lingering finish of licorice and smokey oak. By far one of the most complex Pinot’s I’ve tried. Definitely a must try Pinot! This 2008 Pinot was Editor’s Choice in Wine Enthusiast and received 92 points. It also has won a double gold at the 2010 San Francisco Wine Competition. San Francisco Chronicle also voted Phillips Hill Estate the 2010 best Anderson Valley winery.

Owl Ridge

2003 Cabernet Sauvignon

Bridgden Vineyard

$55.00 a bottle

With my true wine passion being for Cabernet Sauvignon, I wanted to start off the new year with my first wine blog about an incredible one I came across a few years ago. I first tasted this Cabernet at our local Sonoma County Harvest Fair and I was extremely impressed. Just recently I was lucky enough to discover this bottle of wine again at a local wine shop. The 2003 Owl Ridge Cabernet’s grape’s come from the Bridgden Vineyards which is located in the hills between Sonoma Valley and Napa Valley’s Spring Mountain. Owl Ridge Cabernet is aged for almost two years in French oak. This 2003 Cabernet is extremely big and complex. The aromas of this wine are of dark berries and cherries. Tasting first of huge black berries and dry cherries. Then finishing with a very creamy, smooth, oaky wood finish. What makes this wine so incredible to me is the lingering long lasting finish that is so complex with flavors. This is definitely the best part of this Cabernet. The 2003 Owl Ridge Cabernet was given 93 points by Wine Enthusiast. In addition it won a gold metal at the 2006 San Francisco International Wine Competition and another gold metal at the 2007 Sonoma County Harvest Fair. Owl Ridge has won a total of 18 gold metals two of which were best of class. You can taste their wines in their tasting room located in Healdsburg, CA at Old Roma Station. This Owl Ridge Cabernet Sauvignon is definitely on my list of favorite Cabernet’s.