August 4 2011: Brooks Winery of Willamette Valley, Oregon and “Wines That Rock” of Mendocino, California
Brooks Winery was founded in 1998 by Portland native, Jimi Brooks. He believes in earth-friendly farming practices, therefore he is a practitioner of organic and biodynamic grape-growing. Due to his great respect of the vineyard and natural farming practices combined with a mastery of blending, the Brooks wines achieve great balance, complexity, and depth of flavor. Sadly, Jimi has passed away, but today his children, son Pascual and daughter Janie Brooks Heuck are passionate about continuing the legacy of their father- a strong commitment to organic and biodynamic farming, gentle approach to winemaking, excitement for future harvests, and a devotion to promoting Oregon Pinot Noir and Riesling. For the tasting we will try two whites and one red from Brooks; their Willamette Valley Riesling ($17.99), Amycas White Blend ($14.99), and Runaway Red Pinot Noir ($16.99).
The “Wines That Rock” is a fun, Rock and Roll inspired product-line made by Mendocino Wine Company in Mendocino, California. They are both passionate wine lovers and rock music fans, so they decided to combine these passions into fun, value-priced wines ($13.99 for the tasting) dressed with cool, rock-inspired labels featuring rock-music icons such as “Woodstock,” “The Police,” and “The Rolling Stones.” The Wines That Rock were introduced in October 2009 at the 25th Anniversary Shows for the Rock ‘n Roll Hall of Fame at Madison Square Garden. Today they have gained attention due to their environmental leadership and sustainable farming practices, use of 100% solar and wind power, eco-friendly packaging, fun labels, and quality juice. Tomorrow night we will sample the Woodstock Chardonnay, Rolling Stones Merlot, and Police Synchronicity Red Blend.
We hope you will join us tomorrow night!
The specific wines for the tasting are:
Brooks Willamette Valley Riesling 2007- Willamette Valley, Oregon. Light yellow in color with an aromatic bouquet of citrus fruit, melon, honeysuckle, minerals, and spicy hints. Exotic and complex flavors of juicy melon, citrus fruit, and mineral/stony hints. The finish offers excellent clarity with lingering stony qualities, honeysuckle, and persistent tropical fruits, within a dry, textured framework.
Brooks Amycas White 2008- Willamette Valley, Oregon. A blend of 30% Pinot Gris, 23% Pinot Blanc, 15% Gewurztraminer, 14% Chardonnay, 12% Muscat, and 6% Riesling. An aromatic, fruit-forward cuvee with scents of fresh flowers, apricot, mineral, melon, white peach, and citrus. On the palate, bright acidity greets the tongue with flavors of mineral and tangerine, that transition into succulent notes of honey and ripe apricot. It is a weighty, structured blend that finishes with lime/citrus and lingering honey.
Brooks Runaway Red Pinot Noir 2009- Willamette Valley, Oregon. This great-value Pinot Noir features a picture of Leon Trotsky on the label due to an amusing story behind the wine (that can be found on the Brooks website). It is a light-bodied red with bright red fruit aromas of red cherry and raspberry, followed by a gentle, yet complex palate with fine grained tannins and pleasant acidity. Savory herbs, pomegranate, cherry, and raspberry flavors combine nicely with notes of spice and mineral, followed by a bright, juicy finish.
Wines That Rock Woodstock Chardonnay 2009- Mendocino, California. This mild and gentle Chardonnay offers an expression of pure fruits; it is “naked” meaning that it fermented and aged in stainless steel tanks. Bright, fruity aromas of pear, pineapple, citrus, and green apple, are enhanced with mineral hints. It is rich and mouth-coating with good acid and a dry finish.
Wines That Rock Rolling Stones Forty Licks Merlot 2008- Mendocino, California. To “capture the essence of Forty Licks, the 40 tracks that cover the Rolling Stone’s career, winemaker Mark Beaman chose to work with Merlot.” Aged 28 months in 18% new oak and 82% stainless steel. A true Mendocino Merlot with fruity aromas of black cherry, blackberry, plum, with hints of mint. Rich flavors of ripe black berry fruit combine with notes of cedar and spice; it is summed up with a lush, fruity, lingering finish.
Wines That Rock The Police Synchronicity Red Blend 2007-Mendocino, California. A playful and aromatic blend of Carignan, Zinfandel, Syrah, Petite Sirah, Grenache and Viognier that aged 18 months in 10% new and 90% neutral oak barrels. Aromas and flavors of wild berry fruits include juicy strawberry, ripe red cherry, and bright raspberry. It is a delicious, fruit-filled, soft red, with a generous, mouthwatering finish.