Other

Happy New Years!

Posted on by Frank Melis

Happy New Year!Well, January is nearly upon us and I only have about 24 hours to finish up my 2011 resolutions. Many of them were accomplished, a few didn’t quite make it, and I never did manage to find that “other” bottle of Château Lafitte I was looking for!

In looking at the things that really matter the most to me, for 2012 a lot of my resolutions will carry on from last year. Keep spending quality time with my family, drink good wine every day, and stay healthy. I plan to donate to a good cause and take a few nice vacations for less stress! 🙂 I will continue to provide the best service and wine possible to my clients and take good care of my employees.

What are you planning to change or continue to do wonderfully for 2012? Stop by my facebook page and share them with me. Together we can make 2012 the best year yet, for all of us!

May you all have a very Happy New Year!

Other

UPS MyChoice

Posted on by Frank Melis

Several people have asked me recently what the scoop is on “UPS working for you”, so let me explain.

A new service offering from UPS has made it so that you no longer have to wait around all day wondering when the truck is going to arrive with your shipment. UPS MyChoice allows you to schedule your UPS delivery for a specific time of the day that works for you!

  • Get alerts the day before a package arrives
  • Arrange a 2 hour delivery window
  • Address the package to another location (small add’l fee)

For more information on setting up UPS MyChoice deliveries, visit http://www.ups.com/mychoice

Other, Spotlights, Tasting Notes

Happy Holidays – And a special “gift” pre-sale!

Posted on by Frank Melis

Dear Friends of Golden Gate Wine Cellars,

I just want to give you a sincere thank you for all your support over the past year. My family and I value that tremendously. Just the other day, I arrived home from work and ask my youngest daughter how her day was. She replies: “Fine Daddy, but how much wine did you sell today so I can tell you if I had a good or great day!”  – she is only six!

Happy Holidays All joking aside, I am very humbled and appreciative of everyone. I will never turn down a request for even a single bottle sale, as a small order means as much as that case of Screaming Eagle. We are constantly working to make things better for you, and will kick-off a new website in early 2012 to make things easier for you as well.

I do have a few last minute business announcements to end the year. Those of you who bought the World’s End wine this year will be excited to know that Golden Gate Wine Cellars was selected as one of only four wine stores to offer the 2009 vintage as futures for early 2012 delivery. We will be one of the four companies to have these wines on a partial exclusive!

The orders need to be received by January 15 for delivery in late February or early March 2012.  Orders placed after January 15 will not qualify for the special pricing as we are pre-paying the winery for the future sales.

I just sampled them and they are flat out amazing! This announcement is going out first only to my newsletter subscibers. You have an exclusive first-chance to get you hands on these guaranteed sell-outs!

World's End Wines

The line up for 2012 is as follows:

Worlds End 2009 "Good Times Bad Times"World’s End 2009 “Good Times, Bad Times Cabernet Sauvignon
To Kalon Vineyard, Oakville Napa

This 100% Cabernet Sauvignon sourced from this historic vineyard offers amazing and complex fruit.  On the nose this wine explodes with aromas of intense dark berry fruit that leads into an amazing voluptuous and sexy body exhibiting excellent balance between richness and concentration.  The fruit and acid are in-sync with one another to the point of perfection.  The finish is long and the tannic structure tells me that this wine will age well for many years to come.  Only 250 cases produced!

World's End 2009 CrossfireWorld’s End 2009 “Crossfire” Cabernet Sauvignon
Missouri Hopper (Beckstoffer) Vineyard, Napa Valley

Another Beckstoffer owned vineyard source that is used by some of the most amazing wineries in the Napa Valley.   This is another 100% Cabernet Sauvignon bottling.  For those of you who bought the Vine Hill Ranch wines will see a similarity, as the Missouri Hopper vineyard was a part of the large Vine Hill Ranch vineyards until its purchase by Andy Beckstoffer in 1996.  This full-body gem greets us with hints of mocha, cassis and vanilla on the expansive nose.  On the palate this plump wine offers intensity and richness and a well-balanced, well-rounded array of fruit and acid.  This wine offers up an amazing finish with ripe supple tannins that make it ageworthy.  Only 400 cases produced.

World's End 2009 WavelengthWorld’s End 2009 “Wavelength” Proprietary Red
Sugarloaf Mountain Vineyard Napa Valley

This last one of the World’s End trio wines is a blend of 60% Cabernet Franc and 40% Syrah sourced from this spectacular vineyard.  Only 300 cases of this blend were produced, and I know they will go very fast.  This wine is loaded with sweet berry fruit, hints of chocolate and cream on the nose and palate.  The wine has an amazing depth and graciousness.   Full in body, yet, elegant.  Powerful,  yet balanced.   On the nose one encounters gobs of ripe sweet berry fruit with chocolate aromas.  Followed on the palate by a rich creamy structure of more of the above fruit and floral characters.  The finish is extremely well-balanced and gorgeous.

Other

Last Chance for Pre-Holiday Shipping

Posted on by Frank Melis

The clock is ticking on your End of the Year Holiday order deadlines. If you want to have the package under the tree before the 25th, today is the order deadline for 2nd day air and the 21st is the order deadline for overnight shipping.

Remember, I am offering a 25% discount on air freight shipping on all orders of $500 or more to a single address when scheduled to arrive before Christmas! (Call to receive discount.)

Other

It is crunch time for those Holiday gifts!

Posted on by Frank Melis

Christmas is less than 10 days away! Are your stockings all hung and your mistletoe strategically placed? If you haven’t got all of your shopping done, you know I can help. And to get it to you in time, I am offering a 25% discount on air freight on all orders of $500 or more scheduled to arrive before Christmas! (Call to receive discount)

From budget to extravagant, or from succulent Reds to bubbly Champagnes, I have some great Gift Cases to fit any wish list. If you need some help choosing the perfect wines for someone in particular, I am available as your personal sommelier.

Take a look at the offerings below and click on the image below or at GoldenGateWineCellars.com to make your selection, or just give me a call at 415-337-4083.

Holiday Gift Cases

Get your order in as soon as possible to get it under the tree before Santa arrives. One and Two day shipping options guarantee it at your door before Christmas, and Three-day shipping stands a good chance. If you have a question, dont hesitate to give me a call!

Happy Holidays, and always yours,

Frank Melis

Events

Holiday Wine Tasting Re-Cap

Posted on by Frank Melis

Our Holiday Wine Tasting on Dec 3rd was an incredible event! We had our biggest turnout ever, with some people traveling from out of state to attend.

The favorites of the night included:

As usual, it was a sold out gala affair with wonderful hors d’oeuvres provided by the Lakeside Cafe. If you are thinking about coming to the bay area in the coming months, you may want to consider scheduling your trip to coincide with our next tasting, a special Valentines Event, coming up on February 11..

Tasting Notes

A star is born atop Napa’s Atlas Peak

Posted on by Frank Melis

Alta Wines

The Hallmarks of a proven and exceptional vineyard abound here on the eastern slope of Atlas Peak. At an elevation of 1650 feet, this 10 acre vineyard is cooler than Napa in the afternoons, but being above the fog on an east by south-east exposure, the vines enjoy sunshine as soon as dawn breaks. The vines are rooted in rocky volcanic soils that limit the crop to just about 1 to 1.5 tons per acre of intense Cabernet Sauvignon and Merlot fruit. All these elements provide an ideal and uniform growing environment.

Fred and Nina Oliai, have parlayed the pedigree of this vineyard with excellent results and the 2009 vintage is proving the Oliai’s to be upcoming stars among some very fierce competition.

Alta 209 Cabernet SauvignonAlta 2009 Cabernet Sauvignon, Estate Atlas Peak
Retail 46.00 – GGWC 41.99

This wine offers an amazing aroma of Crème de Cassis and black currant fruit that jump out of the glass.  This intensely aromatic wine is full in body, loaded with more lush fruit on the mid palate, hints of black currant, coffee, chocolate and a touch of minerality (Atlas Peak soil).  The wine runs over the palate like a prima ballerina in a linebacker body.  The finish is equally impressive.

Spotlights, Tasting Notes

Walter Hansel Pinot Noir beats out the big names in a blind tasting! LIMITED – 95 Points!!

Posted on by Frank Melis

Walter Hansel Winery

I just got my hands on an extremely limited allocation that you definitely want to know about!

Walter Hansel is synonymous with good quality wine at a respectable price. This latest bottling is inexpensive for its great quality!  We tasted 10 Pinots, and Hansel Rodgers Creek came in # 1. The lineup consisted of Beaux Freres “Upper Terrace”, Black Kite, Kosta Browne Kanzler, Drew, Martinelli, DuMol RRV, Cobb, Lucia Garys, Talley Rosemary and Walter Hansel Rodgers Creek. The least expensive wine came in # 1 – Walter Hansel Rodgers Creek!

Again, this is an extremely limited allocation! Jump on it while I still have some!

Walter Hansel 2009 Pinot Noir “Rodgers Creek” Russian River Valley
Retail 32.00 – GGWC 27.99
Walter Hansel
Rodgers Creek, located on Stage Gulch road in the Sonoma Coast region, is a hillside vineyard with west facing slopes. Hansel selected Block 4, which contains the most gravelly soil of the area and has the most dramatic slope. Walter Hansel’s Rodgers Creek is produced from a Pommard Clone; Production was 211 cases. It has a gorgeous raspberry/creamy nose with roses, spices and fresh roasted coffee. The wine is full in body, with a nice mid-palate, and lots of raspberry on the finish. It is really nicely balanced and has tons of length for this ridiculously low price.

Tasting Notes

A 100.00 bottle of Napa Cabernet at half the price! – 96 Points

Posted on by Frank Melis

The Truchard story begins in the late 1800’s when the family arrived in the US from France and purchased 500 acres in gold bullion in Texas as they wanted to make wine.  It did not work out (TX climate was not suitable) and the next generations became cattle farmers instead.  In the early 1970’s Tony Truchard moved to Napa and purchased “real” vineyard land.  In the late 1990’s John Anthony (Tony’s son) created his own label, and the rest as they say is history.

JOhn Anthony 2007 CabernetJohn Anthony 2007 Cabernet Sauvignon, Napa Valley
 Retail 60.00 – GGWC 54.00 Buy 6 or more only 49.99

This wine tastes like many of the 100.00+ Napa Cabernets, and you can have it for 1/2 the price!  A complex, luxurious nose of ripe dark berry, plum and cassis fruit with complementary scents of clove and nutmeg. On the lushly textured palate, the wine’s fresh, rich raspberry and red currant flavors are enriched by a savory oak undertone that frames the wine’s long, fruitful finish. The vibrant fruit, dramatic structure, linear acidity and fabulously ripe, dense tannins make this a tremendous wine, enjoyable now but more than capable of long-term aging.

Tasting Notes

Wine of the Year!

Posted on by Frank Melis

Alta Maria Vineyards

The San Francisco Chronicle rated the Alta Maria Pinot Noir (93 Points Robert Parker FYI) as the 2011 Wine of the Year! The tasting panel reviews 7500 – 8000 wines each year and selected this small production winery to its top wine of 2011. We have had great success with this wine, and I highly recommend it.

Alta Maria 2009 Pinot NoirAlta Maria 2009 Pinot Noir, Santa Maria
Retail 31.00 – GGWC 26.99

The wine is gorgeous from start to finish. The color is dense ruby. On the palate one is greeted by an abundance of blue and red stone fruits with a hint of earthiness and minerality. Well-balanced, this wine has the right touch of acid and fruit and offers concentration that non-Pinot lovers (i.e. Cabernet fans) will like. A juicy mouthfeel and great elegance make this a real stunner. Limited production.

Tasting Notes

Philippe Melka does a great Pirouette, and hits it out of the park!

Posted on by Frank Melis

Phillippe MelkaPhilippe Melka has really established himself as one of the best winemakers in the Napa Valley, and the world, and does not require any more accolades. I lost track over the years, but many great wineries (Bryant Family, Melka, Caldwell, Vineyard 29, Marston, Dalla Valle, Seavey, Lail, Dominus, Haut Brion, Cheval Blanc, Hundred Acre, etc.) seem to have had Philippe Melka as its winemaker and they have all received great press with him at the helm! This latest venture is yet another challenge and that is what Melka is all about – challenge. I would say he did well as Parker gave it 94 Points and that was conservative in my estimate!

Long Shadow 2007 Pirouette, Proprietary Red Blend
Long Shadow 2007 PirouetteRetail 62.00 – GGWC 55.99  – FREE SHIPPING on SIX or more.

A rich, deeply colored wine bursting with complex aromas and flavors of wild berries, black cherry, currant, licorice and cedar. Firm and focused, yet elegantly styled, the 2007 Pirouette combines richness and depth with silky tannins to provide a lush mouthfeel and lingering finish. This sensational blend of 59% Cabernet Sauvignon,  23% Merlot, 10% Cabernet Franc,  6% Petit Verdot and 2% Malbec is very impressive and well-made by this winemaker extra-ordinaire!  This Bordeaux-blend will stands it own against the big boys, both import and domestic!

Tasting Notes

UnOrthodox wine at an UnOrthodox price.

Posted on by Frank Melis

Evidence Wines

This wine comes with a twist and a story. An aspiring winemaker is woken up in the middle of the night when police, ATF, IRS and other agents (guns drawn) rush in with a search and arrest warrant for his roommate.  Apparently the roommate had “stashed” large quantities of collector wines in his second bedroom. Our aspiring winemaker had no knowledge (and no charges were filed against him) of this rather large UnOrthodox collection of wine in his house. And when the time came that he was working on his first commercial wine, the word “Evidence” came to mind, and a new winery was born.

Evidence 2009 “UnOrthodox” Proprietary Red Blend

This “UnOrthodox” wine is an extracted, highly structured blend of Zinfandel, Sangiovese, Syrah, Tannat and Tempranillo all sourced from some sought-after vineyards. On the nose this “bad boy” shows of some coffee, licorice, black stone fruit with a touch of smokiness. The palate of this “certified organic” vineyard blended wine is bold, round and lush and gives you a real “big” mouth full of wine that will pair well a rich meal or can stand up on its own legs as well.

Tasting Notes

Remridg Rockpile Zin – 95 point Rocker!

Posted on by Frank Melis

Remridg Wines

Remridg is a small family-owned operation with some great vineyards of their own and some amazing sources to select from. The 2009 Rockpile is one of the most-sought-after vineyards in the state.  Their winemaker does not need an intro – Jay Buoncristiani (Buoncristiani, Penche, etal).  As for Zinfandel, it is one of the quintessential wine varietals of California. As such, the Remridg folks chose a label design reminiscent of the first California state-issued license plate of 1914. Approximately 125,000 pairs of plates, including roughly 20,000 motorcycle plates, were registered in this inaugural year. These timeless classics combine to create our first bonus red wine bottling. This was the FIRST license plate for the state, as prior to that they were issued by county!  A little FYI on the license plate – RR = Mr and Mrs Remridg  927 (they were married on 9/27)

Remridg 2009 Zinfandel "Rockpile"Remridg 2009 Zinfandel “Rockpile”  Sonoma “Rockpile A.V.A.
Retail 33.00 – GGWC 29.99
Full Case 27.99

In the glass, this delicious wine explodes on the palate with blackberry jam, red cherry-plum, ripe red raspberry, maple and a splash of vanilla. Full in body, yet very elegant. This wine hits on all the flavor profiles–spicy red fruit, driven with just a hint of red and black pepper. Enjoy this wine with wood-fired pizza, a spicy pulled pork sandwich or six-hour smoked chicken. Only 77 cases produced!!

Tasting Notes

100 Point (Winemaker of the year) releases another stunner!

Posted on by Frank Melis

Epoch 2009 Proprietary Red

Justin Smithe and Bill ArmstrongA wine from the 2010 Winery of Year winemaker (Justin Smith – Saxum) whose last two releases received a perfect 100 POINT rating from Robert Parker and of course was the wine of the year too! I don’t need to tell you that Saxum wine is fetching big bucks on the auction and after market (I hear 250.00!) The 2009 Epoch is a “bargain” blend of 60% Syrah, 19% Grenache, 9% Tempranillo, 8% Zinfandel, 4% Mourvedre sourced from various vineyard blocks on the estate.

EPOCH 2009 Proprietary Blend, Paderewski Vineyard, Paso Robles
Retail 44.00 – GGWC 39.99

Intense aromas jump out of the glass.  On the palate one is greeted by lush black stone fruit, hints of cocoa and espresso and a whiff of toasty vanilla.   The wine is full in body, well-balanced and offers stunning pure fruit and opulence.  This New-World-Rhone-Cali-style blend is vibrant and pleasant from nose to finish.  This might be an ideal wine for the end of the year holiday season and will not break the bank!

Tasting Notes

Blender Boy is a “must have!” – 95 points

Posted on by Frank Melis

Behrens Family Winery

The Behrens Hitchcock story starts in the early 90’s when Les Behrens brought in Bob Hitchcock to help run the operational side of the winery venture. Lisa Drinkward (Mrs. Les Behrens) is Les’ right-hand in all aspects of the winery. She is a formally trained chef (who ran a very successful restaurant for many years) and has amazing winemaking (and food) skills.  In 2005 Bob Hitchcock retired and the Behrens bought out their share and created Behrens Family Winery. So nothing has changed in the day-to-day winemaking at Behrens “sans” Hitchcock and excellent wines continue to be produced year after year.

Blender Boy Behrens Family 2008 “Blender Boy” Napa Valley 95 Points!
$49.99

The 2008 Blender Boy is a blend of 50% Cabernet Sauvignon, 28% Cabernet Franc, 14% Petite Sirah and 8% Petit Verdot – With only 366 cases produced this Big Bold Blender Boy will be gone in no time. On the nose one is greeted by intense floral notes and hints of chocolate and black fruit. On the palate this thick, layered wine offers up a good dose of black stone fruit, coffee, cocoa and a touch of grilled meat. Densely textured this wine if powerful but does not overwhelm on impact. The wine’s finish is long with layers of cocoa, raspberry, dark cherry and subtle pomegranate notes. The 2008 Blender Boy received 92 Points from both Spectator and Parker.

Other

A local Bordeaux blend stuns the crowd!

Posted on by Frank Melis

Stone Edge Farm Wines

In a recent blind tasting of Bordeaux-style blends, this little Sonoma winery held its own against some big name boys (and girls) like Pahlmeyer, Quintessa, etc.  The wine is a blend from the four vineyards the Stone Edge folks farm the estate Stone Edge Farm and Mt. Pisgah vineyards, the Charlie Smith Vineyard located high in the Mayacamas Mountains, and the Coco Bean Vineyard situated in the eastern foothills of Sonoma. All of these vineyards are organically farmed by the acclaimed viticulturist Phil Coturri (Merus, Kamen, Kobalt, etc.).

Stone Edge 2008 Proprietary Red "Surround"Stone Edge 2008 Proprietary Red “Surround” Sonoma
Retail 33.00 – GGWC 29.99

The new Surround (blend of 86% Cabernet Sauvignon and 14% Merlot from their certified organic vineyard) has a deep red color, and a complex aroma of cherries, coffee, a touch of mint, and savory spices. Flavors are bright and fruity, with round tannins, full body, and a long finish. Only 600 cases produced of this little economy friendly priced wine!

Tasting Notes

Kosta Browne at a Bargain Price

Posted on by Frank Melis

Segue Cellars

Segue is a mini-version of Kosta Browne, and you can get it a fraction (1/3) the cost! Steve Yafa, a revered food and wine writer has been making wine for years alongside the winemakers from Flowers, and others. His latest release, the 2009 Sinigiani vineyard bottling from the Russian River Valley, tells me that I have a gem in the rough!  The 8 barrels Steve produced will be gone in no-time, especially since San Francisco’s top restaurants including Gary Danko, Fleur de Lys and Michael Mina are pouring this wine by-the-glass!

Segue 2009 Pinot Noir Sinigiani, Russian River Valley
Segue 2009 Pinot Noir
Segue produced a mere 200 cases from this stunning one acre vineyard in the Russian River Valley. The Sinigiani is loaded with bright strawberry, a hint of cranberry, and dark fruit, especially blueberry. It’s a deliciously fruit-driven wine with a touch of cinnamon and mocha. Aged in 40% new French oak for 14 months, it offers a soft mouth-feel and a subtle hint of caramel, with a lingering finish and just enough acidity to make a perfect companion. The 8 barrels Steve produced will be gone in no-time, especially since San Francisco’s top restaurants including Gary Danko, Fleur de Lys and Michael Mina are pouring this wine by-the-glass!

Click Here or on the links above to order!

Tasting Notes

Bryant Family winemaker shines again!

Posted on by Frank Melis

When your vineyard is farmed by David Abreu and your wine is made by the Bryant Family winemaker (Helen Keplinger) one can only expect the best-of-the-best.  For those of you who purchased the 2007 vintage (and loved it – I know some of you bought as many as 5 cases of this wine last year) will be glad to hear that the 2008 is an even better wine!  Again, the production is very small but the wine is stunning!

Scully 2008 Cabernet Sauvignon, Mt. Veeder Napa Valley
Retail 55.00 – GGWC 49.99

This 100% Cabernet Sauvignon, sourced from the Scully’s vineyard high-up on Mt. Veeder offers intense aromatics of bright strawberries and anise.  On the palate this bold wine offers a silk mouth feel that is rich and complex.  One encounters dark stone fruit that is nicely balanced with a touch of vanilla and whiff of spiciness that carries on through the long lasting finish.  This is a gem-in-a-bottle!

Spotlights, Tasting Notes

The world is (not) ending… But it IS selling out fast!

Posted on by Frank Melis
Jonathan Maltus Jonathan Maltus created his second pool of new wines from some amazing vineyards in the Napa Valley. The entire production of his previous World’s End offerings entirely sold out within a matter of months! (I have a small handful reserved if you are quick to give me a call) That is a strong testament to the quality of these wines and this production is sure to go quickly as well. Not withstanding the high demand, these wines are still very price friendly! Jonathan produces wines on three continents (Europe, Australia and North America), emphasizing on small lots (high quality). French wine making with a California “twist.”

Worlds End 2009 "Little Sister" MerlotWorld’s End 2009 “Little Sister” Merlot – Coombsville Vineyard
Coombsville Napa Valley
Retail 45.99 – GGWC 39.99

This wine is a blend of 85% Merlot and 15% Cabernet Sauvignon sourced from the great Coombsville vineyard (close to Caldwell).  The wine is made in typical Maltus (French) style.   On the nose one encounters ripe plums, black cherries, vanilla and a touch of spice.  Rich, full in body and loaded with red stone fruit.  The wine is elegant and very well-balanced with soft, silky tannins rounding out this great wine.  Long lasting finish.

World's End 2009 "If Six was Nine" Cabernet SauvignonWorld’s End 2009 “If Six was Nine” Cabernet Sauvignon
Coombsville & Sugarloaf Mountain Vineyards Napa Valley.
Retail 45.99 – GGWC 39.99

The fruit source for this wine is the base for many Napa Valley CULT wines, so at 39.99 you are in for a “steal”

Succulent black fruit jumps out of the glass on impact.   On the palate I encountered black currants, black cherries, exotic spices and a touch of toasty vanilla.  Full in body this youngster is a young bull .  Well-structured with a firm backbone, yet very elegant and smooth on the palate.  The wine finishes with long lingering  silky tannins.

As I mentioned earlier, I have just a few remaining bottles of the previous, sold-out World’s End release. Call me for availability or visit my website to place an order.

World’s End “Good Times, Bad Times” Cabernet Sauvignon
To Kalon Vineyard Oakville, Napa Valley

World’s End “Crossfire” Cabernet Sauvignon
Missouri Hopper Vineyard, Oakville Napa Valley (another Beckstoffer owned vineyard)

World’s End “Wavelength” Proprietary Red (Cab Franc/Syrah)
Sugarloaf Mountain Vineyard, Oakville Napa

Tasting Notes

White Burgundy with a California twist.

Posted on by Frank Melis

McIntyre

At McIntyre, they believe in sustainable farming, low yield and high-quality/price ratio. With Byron Kosuge (B. Kosuge winery) on board they created a real gem. Sadly only 100 cases of this unbeatable wine were produced!

McIntyre 2009 ChardonnayMcIntyre 2009 Chardonnay Block K-1 Santa Lucia Highlands
Retail 40.00 – GGWC 36.00

Winemaker Byron Kosuge (B. Kosuge winery) produced an exquisite 100 cases of Chardonnay. The wine exhibits a golden hue along with a lavish nose of walnuts, apricots and peaches.  It is full in body with a touch of crisp minerality, restrained with superb richness and elegance. This is a “fan” favorite for those that like DuMol, Kongsgaard, Diatom at a lower price!  This wine should drink well for 5-6 years.