ACG Wine Tasting Season Kick-off Mixer

Every year we start the season with one of our most popular events: Wine Tasting Mixer at Wine Watch. This event gives our guests an opportunity for high quality networking while savoring exquisite wines, carefully picked by our own Ari Roloff and "Head Bottle Watcher" of Wine Watch, Andy Lampasone. 

Featured Wines: 

NV Voirin Jumel Tradition Brut Champagne

Voirin-Jumel is a Champagne recoltant-manipulant located in the Grand Cru village of Cramant. Literally meaning "chalk mount," Cramant is situated to the south of Epernay and is one of the 17 Grand Cru villages on the renowned slopes of the Côtes des Blancs. Its terroir of chalky sediment ensures excellent drainage and plays an important role in regulating temperature. Its white color reflects light and heat, contributing to the full maturation of the grapes. In the 1990s, Francoise's children, Patrick and Alice, along with Patrick's wife Valerie, began running the domaine. Today they own 11 hectares of vines in 11 different villages (broken down to approximately 10% Cramant, 20% Chouilly, 10% Avize, 5% Oiry, 10% Oger, 10% Mareuil-sur-Ay, 10% Vertus, 15% Verneuil and the remaining 10% in three other villages).

2015 Domaine Des Valanges Hors Classe Saint Veran

(93 Points) The 2015 Saint-Véran En Crèches Hors Classe, which comes from vines planted back in 1944 in Les Crèches and Les Terres Noires, has another impressive bouquet that is intense, rich but not overpowering, with scents of apple blossom, granite and oyster shells that exude outstanding delineation. The palate is very complex with light honeyed notes, very spicy for a Saint-Véran with veins of ginger and lemongrass. It fans out wonderfully toward the finish while retaining brilliant delineation and focus. This is nothing short of a brilliant Saint-Véran and it comes highly recommended.  The Wine Advocate, Issue Date 31st Aug 2017

 2016 Kistler Chardonnay Sonoma Mountain

Our two vineyards perched in the hills above the Sonoma valley, one in the Mayacama range to the west and one on Sonoma Mountain to the east both produce elegant, lifted wines that speak to the elevated nature of the plantings and the remarkable, well drained volcanic soils present at both sites.

 2014 Three Sticks Pinot Noir Santa Rita Hills The James

Fruit for this wine comes from three vineyards at the southern part of the Sta. Rita Hills: Burning Creek, La Rinconada and Sanford & Benedict. These vineyards are located on the benchland in Santa Barbara County, south of the Santa Ynez River. This is sourced from three different vineyard sites, this wine has that distinct mineraltiy of the Santa Rita Hills with bright raspberry coulis like fruit and a nice hand of spice. High toned fruit with a silky, smooth texture on the tongue, fine tannins with a briny character on the finish. Finish 45+ Most Excellent

2014 Paul Hobbs Pinot Noir Russian River

Highlighting the terroir of the Russian River Valley, this deep ruby colored wine has aromas of cherry, raspberry, cola, forest floor and vanilla. Rich and round in the mouth, the fine tannins and fresh acidity give a long, generous finish.

 2016 Bouchard Pere and Fils Monthelie Les Duresses 1er Cru

Lovely bright red cherry fruit with a good hand of fresh flowers and exotic spices and no pumping over very pretty destemmed all the Cotes du Beaune, lovely complexity on the terroir higher on the hill more freshness. They have 3 different Montelele, can be a bit rustic smooth tannins through in 2016 Les Duresses cooler climate SW of Volnay. Wonderful freshness and still has a bit of that rustic nature of the climate. Finish 45 Excellent

2013 Ferrari Carano Tresor Alexander Valley

(90 Points) The 2013 Tresor Proprietary Red is a Bordeaux-inspired blend of Cabernet Sauvignon, Malbec, Petit Verdot, Merlot and Cabernet Franc. This wine does not have the power and sheer richness of the 2013 Reserve Cabernet Sauvignon, but is more approachable and seems to have more nuances and complexity at an earlier age. In addition to a dense purple color, beautiful sweet crème de cassis, blackberry and nicely integrated wood acidity and tannin, it has a touch of chocolate in the finish adding to the complexity. Drink it over the next 10-15 years. Robert Parker's Wine Advocate

2014 Montes Alpha Purple Angel

A blend of 92% Carmenere  and 8% Petite Verdot the grapes are from the Apalta Slopes and their marchigue Vineyard which is their largest property in the dessert.  This wine has a very distinct aroma and taste with wonderful structure and a good hand of that coffee, bell pepper and a firm hand of acidity through the finish.  Finish 50+    Most Excellent

2014 Silver Oak Cabernet Sauvignon Alexander Valley

The 2013 Alexander Valley Cabernet Sauvignon is garnet in color with a ruby red rim, it has an alluring nose of blackberry bramble, baking spices, and black olive. Aromas of vanilla, cassis, and sage fill the glass, revealing the influence of American oak barrel aging. On the palate, notes of raspberry are complemented with lingering acidity and a finish of dusty, silky tannins. Given proper cellaring, this wine will provide drinking pleasure through 2036. Blend: 95% Cabernet Sauvignon, 2% Merlot, 2% Cabernet Franc, 1% Malbec