A (12) Mixed case of the stunning wines of "Red Car" $420.00
Case consists of 6-(True)Sonoma Coast Pinot Noir, 3-2006 "Speakeasy",
2-2005 "Shake Rattle & Roll" and 1-"The Fight".
This is one of our most anxiously anticipated E-alerts of the year,
hence I kindly request that you respond at your earliest convenience
to insure you secure a box for your cellar.
Red Car's winemaker, Carroll Kemp dropped by the shop yesterday
afternoon to taste us on his new releases. We sampled the Boxcar
Sonoma Coast Pinot Noir, the Chapter seven 2006 "Speakeasy" and the
newest edition to his magnificent "The Fight". After the tasting, we
loosened Carroll up a bit and hit him with a request for a couple more
boxes of his incredible 2005 Chapter six "Shake Rattle and Roll" ("93"
Parker, "93" WS). I guess we caught him at a weak moment because
you're going to get two jars of that killer stuff within your case
along with the new releases described below. (Thanks Carroll, We
REALLY do appreciate your generosity).
Fifteen months ago I wrote "Walk into any wine-savvy restaurant in the
U.S. (as well as the U.K and central Europe) and ask the wine manager
for his or her opinion of Red Car Wines. If the sommelier has any
knowledge of "what's hot and what's not" in California wine, you'll
likely get an earful of enthusiastic banter regarding this Santa Maria
property and Red Car's enologist, Carroll Kemp."
In the ensuing year and a half since I wrote that, Red Car has built
and expanded on its reputation as one of California's true "Cult"
producers; with public perception rivaling that of some of the state's
most expensive and impossible to obtain labels.
As a matter of fact, the only difference between Red Car and many of
the central state's most expensive and outlandish labels is this: We
are able to SELL you a mixed case of Red Car. (Try that with Sine Qua
Non, Jonata or Linne Calodo).
The winemaking staff at Red Car hand culls every cluster and every
berry which comes into the winery. Carroll told us that what they are
able to sort in a day compares to that which larger producers often
process in an hour. This meticulous attention to detail translates to
wines of incredible depth, purity and ultra-clean, spot on flavors of
the varieties which they are made from.
"Red Car has the "Midas Touch" when it comes to producing wines of
character and richness" - Robert Parker
(I had an uncle who also had the "Midas Touch"...unfortunately,
everything he touched turned to Pig-Iron)
The selection of wines in this sampler represents an excellent cross
section of the amazing and complex wines of Red Car. In 2002,
Christie's Auction House invited Red Car to participate in their
annual wine auction. A lot of 6 magnums sold (for well above the
reserve) to a Swiss retailer solely on the reputation and perceived
potential of the brand.
The Red Car wines will be featured at a "Fall Kitchens and Cellars
Dinner" at "Eleven Madison Park" in New York City on November 8th.
They will be paired with dishes prepared by Chef Daniel Humm, who was
a James Beard Foundation 2007 nominee for Rising Star Chef of the
year, Food & Wine Magazine's "Best new Chef of 2005" and the San
Francisco Chronicle's "Rising Star Chef" of 2004.
You, on the other hand, can take our tasting notes and appropriate
reviews/ratings and host your own Red Car Fall Dinner within the
comfortable confines of your own kitchen or dining room. Put some
Sinatra on the turntable, put on a tie (or evening dress) and set the
table with your best dinnerware. "If I can make it there, I'll make
it any-where...it's up to you, New...Yada yada yada."
**Here is your wonderful Red Car assortment beginning with "The Fight"
a fabulous Cote-Rotie-like blend. The label of the Fight is a
continuous serial of an aging heavyweight prizefighter trying to
maintain his title by taking on a young upstart in 1940s' Los Angeles.
*1-2005 "The Fight...Round 3 Continues" The newly initiated as well as
Red Car collectors will recognize the continuing story of Prizefighter
Bobby "Red" Doyle and his opponent, Tony "Two Guns" Amato dukin' it
out in the ring in 1940s' L.A. In the last installment (2004 "The
Fight") Amato nailed Doyle with a left hook followed by a right
uppercut, sending the champ to the canvas.
As the story continues...the 2005 label reads "Doyle is searching
inward, trying to call on pride or insanity for inspiration. Only
three days ago the so-called experts laid ten to one that he would win
this one in a walk over...where are those experts now? Because
tonight, Amato became a warrior. He found he could take a blitzkrieg
and return the fire. BUT LOOK AT THIS! DOYLE IS UP OFF THE CANVAS!
THE CHAMP IS ON HIS FEET AND WAVING AMATO ON!"
The label art alone is worth the price of admission on this wine. I
envy all who get to own a bottle of "The Fight"...its way too precious
to sacrifice a jar for the denizens of Root's Cellar.
The 2005 "The Fight" is Red Car's version of California Cote-Rotie.
All of the Syrah comes from a steep limestone hill in Arroyo Grande's
Laetitia Vineyard. While it is anchored by the Alban clone, it also
includes smaller portions of clones 383 and 174. The small percentage
of Viognier comes from the Stolpman vineyard and was co-fermented with
a single lot as an experiment. The 2005 Fight is a mighty wine. It
packs a wallop, with blackberries, blueberries and tar. The layers of
leather, beef-steak and cherry cola make it complex and dimensional.
The Viognier gives it lift and vibrancy. Hints of cedar come off the
nose. Decant for indulging now or cellar it until the next round.
The wine is aged in 90% new French oak barrels from top coopers; it
was bottled unfined and unfiltered in January of 2007.
*Parker says "90"..."The Fight" 2005 reveals more licorice, underbrush
and pepper notes along with copious quantities of blackberries and
cassis. Although it is not as long or powerful as the twenty-two, it
is more elegant, with additional finesse as well as balance. Drink it
over the next 7-8 years". (I think Bob missed the point of this wine
by about 4 pts.)
*My notes on the Fight: "Look at the color of this monster...nearly
black-purple with twinkles of dark blue; nose of ripe blackberries,
licorice, grilled Porterhouse; flavors are multi-layered with
fascinating nuances of fennel, black tea, dark plum, black cherry and
tar. A huge wine which somehow retains a youthful edge; reminds me of
a Graillot Crozes Hermitage from a warm vintage; Hoowah, this is one
helluva jar of red."
*2-2005 "Chapter Six-Shake Rattle and Roll"...Red Car's "Trolley
Series" also features a continuing story of life in 1940s' L.A. The
label on the Shake etc. tells the story of riding the Red Trolley on a
hot summer morning as a temblor hits the area..."It was thirteen
minutes past noon when the street heaved in front of the tracks. The
trolley bucked...fear rippled through the air like the waves of
asphalt rolling down Wilshire. A woman screamed. Her voice fused
into screeching metal as my world spun off the tracks toward a fresh
abyss".
*"93" Parker..."The 2005 Shake Rattle and Roll reveals an inky/purple
color in addition to a big, sweet nose of tapenade, cassis,
blackberries and earth. Full, textured, long, layered and seamless,
this impressively endowed wine can be drunk over the next decade".
"93" Wine Spectator..."A riveting red. Dense, rich and complex, with
deep, concentrated plum, currant, smoke and blackberry fruit that's
plush and persistent. Fans of full-throttle Syrah will love this.
Drink now through 2011".
*3-2006 "Chapter Seven Speakeasy"...The 2006 Trolley Series
"Speakeasy" (a blend of seven vineyards including Bien Nacido, Shadow
Canyon, Laetitia and Dutton Ranch) is Carroll's "coolest" wine to date
in terms of climate, fruit and style. Over 70% of the fruit comes
from true cool climate regions. This evolving style is the result of
his attempt to produce a more sophisticated style of wine. The lush
taste of wild Maine blueberries, Rainier cherries, licorice and Kona
coffee are balanced and refined. The mouth feel is linear yet silky;
scents of crushed peppercorns, new-mown grass and clove come off the
nose with a hint of orange and wood spice.
The label continues with the earthquake from Chapter six, finding our
man in a dark bar shortly after the ground stopped shaking. Trying to
mind his own business and get his senses back after the quake he gets
into a squabble with a "pug-faced loudmouth" who was hassling a woman
patron at the end of the bar..."the kind of guy you dislike
instantly"..."The bartender stared at me again with those seminary
eyes. He might have told me the guy I'd just cranked was a cop".
(The story will continue in roughly 12 months)
"92"/RC..."The aromatics are still trying to find themselves in this
young monster; deep purple color with a border of blue-black,
extremely rich and textured...a small percentage of Viognier and
Roussanne give this wine a jolt of sweet fruit to balance out the
muscular blackberry, blueberry and licorice-laced flavors. 50% new
French oak is currently obvious, however I believe that given time the
various components will homogenize into a massively built yet very
approachable, fruit driven butt-kicker of a red".
Boxcar-Fu
*6-2006 Boxcar Sonoma Coast Pinot Noir...Oh My! Carroll and partners
have purchased and leased some of the most desirous vineyard property
available on Northern California's Sonoma Coast. The source for last
years "Amour Fu", Carroll decided to declassify a major portion of the
tonnage and use it in this incredibly delicious TRUE SO Coast Pinot
Noir. The land is situated above and slightly east of the coastal
village of Jenner near some of the most famous properties in the state
(think Marcassin, Peay, Pahlmeyer, Flowers etc). The Hirsch/Bohan
Dillon Road vineyard is adjacent to the Red Car acreage; hence the
classic SO Coast flavor profile (which usually costs you $50-plus) is
evident in this delicious wine. Rich and silky with luscious
blackberry, tea, spice, plum, cola and soft chocolate flavors surround
a sexy and textured mid-palate; the clean Pinot flavors and soft
mouth-feel bring to mind many wines 2-3 times the price of this Red
Car bottling. This may be the best value True Sonoma Coast Pinot Noir
of vintage 2006. It REALLY is declassified Fu, and it shows.
What a wonderful and rare box of wine. Considering some of the finest
independent restaurants around the country would pay dearly to get
their hands on a workable allocation of this stuff, (not that I
approve of such things), $420.00 makes it quite a bargain!
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