Are You A FOODIE?

A True Expression of Terroir by JR Guerra
Good Juice: JC Cellars

JC Cellars has quickly become one of my favorite wineries. Jeff Cohn, who was once the winemaker at Rosenblum Cellars, now takes his amazing talent to the Oakland-based warehouse winery. JC Cellars makes seriously delicious wine, with names that you won’t soon forget either.”Broken Compass”, “Smoke & Mirrors” and “The First Date” name just a few. We all know that clever packaging and catchy names will only get you so far in the wine business. Rest assured, these wines deliver. After almost 20 years in the wine business, Jeff’s main focus is on the Rhône varietals, sourcing their grapes from some of the best vineyards California has to offer. The end result is a multitude of wines that drink well beyond their modest price tag.

I have only recently introduced JC Cellars to The Cellar Door. I figured the best to excite everyone about their wines was to do it through our Wine Club. So last December, I kicked things off with JC Cellars’ 2006 Ventana Vineyard Syrah. This is just one of many Syrah’s coming from JC, but it definitely stands out among them all. This is what Jeff Cohn has to say about this particular wine:
“This is a winemaker’s wine; by this I mean a true expression of terroir. I make this wine year after year, not because it scores points from wine critics, but because I really love the cool climate Syrah characteristics that come from Ventana Vineyards.”
Jeff aged this selection an extra year in the bottle prior to its release of only 321 cases. It boasts more than just black fruit with a touch of red raspberry. This wine shows the depth of the vineyard, complementing big bold black fruit with cracked peppercorns and forest floor. A long elegant finish left every single wine member with a pleasant smile on their face. Don’t just take my word for it though. Wine Spectator gave this wine 93 points, and had this to say:
“Firm, grapey wild berry and raspberry join pepper, spice, mineral and cedar in a full-bodied expression of Syrah, with hints of pepper, bay leaf, black licorice and mineral. Firms up nicely on the finish. Drink now through 2014.” – Wine Spectator

The Ventana Vineyard Syrah went over so well, I decided to bring back another JC Cellars selection the following month. This time I blew everyone away with “Smoke and Mirrors”, a blend of Syrah, Petite Syrah, Carignan, Zinfandel, Grenache and Tempranillo. I believed in this wine so much, that I snuck it in the tail end of some killer selections from Spain. It worked. Once again, the buzz of the evening was about “Smoke and Mirrors”—and rightly so. Jeff sources the grapes for this blend from 10 different vineyards and produced 558 cases of the 2008 vintage. Very dark in color, aromas of plums , black cherry and blackberry jam with hints of spice compliment the deep dark color in the glass. I get clack cherry, cocoa powder and a touch of vanilla with some earthiness on the palate. It’s very satisfying with a long, pleasant, lush finish. Once again, I’m not the only one loving this wine. Robert Parker’s Wine Advocate gave this wine 94 points, and this is what he had to say about it:
“Absolutely stunning, the 2008 Smoke and Mirrors is a 158-case blend of 50% Syrah, 31% Petite Sirah and the rest Carignan, Zinfandel, Grenache and Tempranillo. Displaying Cohn’s magical touch, it is a sensational bargain boasting an opaque purple color along with super blackberry, lead pencil shavings, pen ink, charcoal and camphor notes. This dense, full-bodied, silky smooth red possesses a singular personality as well as compelling richness and length. It should drink nicely for 5-7 years.” –Robert Parker’s Wine Advocate

I’ll wrap this up with one more selection that I rolled out for our wine tasting in February, featuring heavy hitting blends from all over the world. Of course, JC Cellars stood up with the best of them. “The Imposter” is a blend of Zinfandel, Syrah, Petite Sirah, Tempranillo, Carignan, Grenache and Viognier. This is definitely one of their more popular wines, with previous vintages gracing Wine Spectator’s Top 100 List! Of course, the 2008 vintage stands to be another great one as well. Dark fruit and plum grace the nose with pepper and earth. Silky smooth on the tongue with layers of flavor from blueberries, black cherries and blackberry jam to hints of smoke, dark chocolate and white pepper. All of this is wrapped up into a nice delicate finish with just the right amount of minerality and tannin. Both Wine Spectator and Robert Parker’s Wine Advocate gave this crowd pleasing blend 91 points.
“Rich and exotic, but complex and well-focused. Aromas of blackberry and smoky charcuterie lead to layered and ultraripe flavors of boysenberry, toasty caramel and Asian spices. Appealingly distinctive. Zinfandel, Syrah, Petite Sirah, Tempranillo, Carignane, Grenache and Viognier. Drink now through 2015.” – Wine Spectator
“The 2008 Imposter Proprietary Red (39% Zinfandel, 29% Syrah, 22% Petite Sirah and the rest Tempranillo and Carignan) has turned out brilliantly. An earthy, peppery, spicy nose is followed by a dense purple-colored wine exhibiting blueberries, black raspberries, cherries and loamy soil underbrush-like notes. This Provencal-styled red can be drunk over the next 3-4 years.” –Robert Parker’s Wine Advocate

I wish I could keep writing about JC Cellars and their amazing wines, but I just don’t have enough room here! The bay area is a beautiful place to visit, and I’ve just given you one more place to stop on your next visit.

Cheers, and happy sipping!