A mixed (6 bottle) case of Winery of the Year "Long Shadows
Distinguished Wineries and Vineyards". $305.00 (Full Case of 12
assorted - $600.00)
Food & Wine Magazine recently announced the winners of their annual
"American Wine Awards" program. 2007 marked the 10th anniversary of
this eagerly awaited judging. Allen Shoup's "Long Shadows
distinguished Wineries and Vineyards" was the deserving recipient of
the "Winery of the Year" category of the contest.
It is flat-out AMAZING that you can still obtain a sampler case of
these wines given their national demand and limited production,
especially when taking into account the unanimous and glowing reviews
which every wine in the portfolio has received in the last year.
The wines of Long Shadows are each individually hand crafted by some
of the wine world's most famed and talented enologists. This group
consists of Randy Dunn (Dunn Vineyards), Philippe Melka (Lail,
Vineyard 29, and 100 Acre), Michel Rolland ("The world's most
influential winemaker/Chateau Fontenil and Bertineau St. Vincent),
John Duval (Penfold's Grange), Armand Diel (Schlossgut Diel in the
Nahe River Valley of Deutschland) and Gilles Nicault (winemaker at
Long Shadows).
To say that Long Shadows hit the ground running with their first
releases would be a ridiculous understatement. Under long-time wine
industry insider Allen Shoup, this group of distinguished winemakers
(armed with some of the finest vineyards on the West coast) produced a
portfolio of Bordeaux, Rhone and Rhine Valley variety wines which
received unprecedented acclaim ("90" or above ratings) from literally
every recognized wine medium. That list includes Robert Parker's
Wine Advocate, the Wine Spectator, Connoisseur's Guide, Stephen
Tanzer's International Wine Cellar, The Quarterly Review of Wine,
Decanter, the San Francisco Chronicle, Wine & Spirits and Seattle
Magazine (just to name a few!)
We offered a mixed box of these wines early last summer (before many
of the reviews and awards had been published) and received a very
positive yet modest response. I felt confident that once the wine
buying public became more aware of the value and quality of "Long
Shadows Wineries" the demand would increase dramatically, therefore I
set aside a selection of each with the intention of re-acquainting our
clientele with them prior to the holidays.
That time has come. A 6-bottle case of the Long Shadows wines
assorted in the following manner - $305.00 (There is a small amount
of inventory remaining on these wines for any re-orders of your
favorites)
These jewels have received SO many rave reviews there just isn't
enough room to provide you with all the accompanying text. I will
include the numerical scores with the descriptions. Complete reviews
of the wines can be obtained by going to the Long Shadows web site.
We'll start with the only white wine in the group, a scrumptious
Germanic-styled Columbia Valley Riesling made by Armin Diel
*1-2005 Long Shadows Poet's Leap Riesling..."91" Parker...The only
white wine in the portfolio is the Poet's Leap made by Armin Diel of
the renowned Schlossgut Diel in the Nahe River Valley of Germany.
This splendid Riesling is light straw-colored with green highlights.
It delivers a complex perfume of slate, mineral, a hint of petrol,
spring flowers, honey and green apple. Made in a Spatlese style, with
just a touch of sweetness, the wine offers moth-filling fruit, crisp
acidity, and a long, pure finish. Drink it over the next several
years with Asian cuisine or as an aperitif. This wine could well
evolve in the manner of its German role model for those willing to set
aside a bottle".
*2-2004 Long Shadows Chester Kidder Red Wine..."91" Parker..."A blend
of 6 varieties, Cabernet, Syrah, Merlot, Cab Franc, Malbec and Petit
Verdot. The wine is made by Gilles Nicault who is also the winemaker
in residence at Long Shadows. The wine was aged for 27 months in 95%
new French oak. Opaque purple-colored, the wine exhibits a fragrant
perfume of pain grille (toast!), pencil lead, black currant and
blackberry liqueur. This is followed by a layered, spicy wine with
gobs of complex blue and black fruit flavors, soft tannins and plenty
of depth in its lush personality. The well-concealed structure should
allow for 3-5 years of further development and the wine should drink
well through 2030.
*1-2004 Long Shadows "Feather" Cabernet Sauvignon..."92" Wine
Spectator, "91" Wine Enthusiast, "91" Stephen Tanzer, "94"/RC and "91"
Parker..."The Feather Cabernet is made by Randy Dunn of Napa Valley
fame. It is 100% Cabernet Sauvignon selected from five vineyard
sources and aged for 23 months in French oak. This opaque purple
wine delivers classic Cabernet aromas of toast, lead pencil, black
currant and blackberry. It has excellent flavors and balance... it is
an outstanding effort.
*1-2004 Sequel..."92" Wine Spectator, "92" Wine Enthusiast, "5 Star
Rating" Decanter, "93"/RC, "93" Connoisseur's Guide and "93"
Parker..."The Sequel is made by John Duval, for 15 years the winemaker
of Penfold's Grange, Australia's most famous red Shiraz. The fruit
was sourced from five vineyards encompassing several AVAs' and
includes 3% Cabernet Sauvignon in the final blend. Ninety percent of
the wine was aged for 18 months in small French oak barrels.
Purple-black in color, this superb Syrah offers grilled meat, bacon
fat, game and wild blueberry aromas and flavors. On the palate the
wine is spicy, layered and plush with soft tannins and enough acidity
to hold things together. This hedonistic effort can be enjoyed now
but will easily last for 20 years or more".
*"93" Connoisseur's Guide...Polish and precision are the hallmarks of
this extremely engaging effort, and, in both nose and mouth, its
slightly juicy, youthfully bright, blackberryish fruit sets the pace
and is matched step for step by hints of rich earth and spice...it is
long and complete from front to back and sports a spice of supportive
tannins that will make it a stunning mate to beef roasts."
*1-Pirouette "90" Wine Spectator, "93" Wine & Spirits, "90" Wine
Enthusiast, "94"/RC and "93" Parker..."The last of the blends is the
Pirouette. The featured winemakers are Augustin Huneeus Sr. and
Philippe Melka. The wine is composed of 49% Cabernet, 27% Merlot, 13%
Petit Verdot and 11% Syrah. The fruit was selected from vineyards
encompassing five different AVAs' with yields in the range of 1-2
tons/acre. The wine was aged for 21 months in French oak of which 75%
was new. The expressive nose offers up toast, scorched earth,
blueberry and blackberry liqueur. This is followed by a thick wine
with silky tannins, superb depth and richness and layers of flavor.
It merits several years cellaring and should drink well through 2037.
In the context of what $55 will get you from Napa Valley or Bordeaux,
THIS IS A TERRIFIC VALUE.
*"91" Connoisseur's Guide...A wine of many parts and many facets, its
aromas start with ripe black cherries and hints of wild berries and
proceed to caramel, currants and toast combined in the most mannerly
and never flamboyant way. The wine's early suppleness on the palate
will remind of Merlot, but its depth and range speak to cabernet first
and then to the spice of Syrah. It is appropriately tannic for a
young wine, yet here again it is solid and polished in a style that
might seem to invite itself to the table today. Still, it will be
better in a decade, and it deserves the chance to grow into its full
majesty".
I think it would be a shame not to mention the incredibly beautiful
and unique way in which the Long Shadows wines are shipped and
presented. Each 6-bottle compartment-case is an individual and vivid
work of art which folds into itself creating a cube which is printed
with the vibrant colors of the enclosed bottles. Each wine name is
printed on the vessel in gold leaf or rich colorful pigments and all
are different, reflecting the type of wine within.
We can't (by law) ship the wines to you in these boxes, but I'll be
glad to UPS one to you should you like to use it to store the wines or
to enhance the presentation as a gift. Please ask when responding to
this offer.
What a GREAT Christmas gift this case would make for any wine lover,
veteran or novice. $305.00 after discounts
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