Click on the menu bar for additional selections from New York, California, Oregon, and Washington state We're serious about wine. And, we love innovation and creativity too. Here's a wonderful example of where creativity meets a terrific Cabernet.  
($3 250ML)
Three Thieves, launched in June of 2003, is a joint venture between Joel Gott (well known owner/winemaker of Joel Gott Wines), Charles Bieler (of Chateau Routas) and Roger Scommegna (a Mendocino county grower).
Wine Enthusiast Magazine 86 Points, Best Buy “The three thieves are industry veterans ‘with lots of friends with too much wine,’ as one of them says of the brand, launched in 2002. The concept is to elevate the wine in the negociant tradition, put it in a box, and practically give it away. This Cab, with most fruit from Sonoma County and Napa Valley, is deliciously fruity, and puts to shame many Cabs costing far more.
 
”Milwaukee Journal Sentinel “This simple, cherry-scented quaff will steal your heart.”
San Francisco Chronicle “The jokesters behind Three Thieves wines have helped once again in liberating wine for the masses. The 2002 Bandit California Cabernet Sauvignon has a bright, appealing aroma of cherry, cherry candy and vanilla. On the palate, it’s a simple and likable combo of cherry and vanilla flavors. The Tetra Pak box it comes in has many advantages – it’s lightweight and portable, and I once smuggled one into a baseball game where I doubt I would have been able to bring a bottle.”
Minneapolis Star Tribune – August 12, 2005 “Soft and tasty with pretty black raspberry, cherry, cinnamon and pepper flavors that are nicely put together.”
The Plain Dealer “The nose is filled with grape, with a little sweet berry as well. The wine has jammy blackberry flavor, followed by black currant and a short finish. It is a fun, fruity wine that is very versatile.”
 
East Valley Tribune “A 1-liter juice box for grown-ups with real depth. The Napa, Sonoma and Lodi fruit, which includes 10 percent syrah, shows nice plum, mocha and blackberry impressions. Soft enough to sip on its own, but benefits from beef. A pot roast sounds good about now.”
The Two River Times “Pick of the Bunch” by Charles B. Rubinstein.
Wine Spectator “Pleasant plum, mocha and currant flavors, with good depth and a modest structure.” |
TIPS ON CHOSING A WINE
Style or general Characteristics | red, white, rose, sparkling, dessert | light, medium, full body | dry, sweet |
Price | table wine: under $12 | $12 to $35 | over $35 |
LABEL INFORMATION | Often better wines have more specific information. E.g. California wine labels might contain: The producer's name, the grape variety (minimum 75% of the labeled varietal must be from the grape named), vintage date (95% of the grapes must be harvested that year), if California is named on the label 100% of the grapes must be grown in California, if an AVA is designated 85% of the grapes must have been grown in that AVA (Russian River, for example), alcohol content (the higher the % the "fuller" the wine), if "Produced and bottled by" is labeled, 75% of the wine had to be fermented by the winery named. | | |
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 | Country: United States. Region: Calfornia. Sub-Region:__________ Appellation: ______
Grape Varietal: Syrah Type: Still wine Edmunds St. John 2002 California Syrah "The Shadow" ($11.50) This is a clear but very dark garnet color. Plums and a whiff of cherry brandy on the nose, warm spice and earthy nuances that hint at menthol, smoke and rare beef. Flavors are consistent with the nose, warm black fruit and subtle earth, with a shake of fragrant Syrah black pepper. Nicely structured with mouth-watering acidity and subtle tannins, it's a don't-miss buy at this price point. FOOD MATCH: This robust red wine calls for red meat, and its spicy, layered complexity has what it takes to stand up to bold flavors. My offbeat response: Korean kal bi, thin-sliced beef short ribs marinated and braised in a moderately hot-and-spicy mix of Asian flavors. (Best Value 2006 Robin Garr WineLovers.com) | | 
| Country: United States. Region: Calfornia. Sub-Region:__________ Appellation: ______
Grape Varietal: Malvasia Bianca Type: Still wine Drytown Cellars 2004 California Malvasia Bianca ($10.50) Straw color, transparent and very pale, with a faint greenish hue. Aromatic and floral, white flowers and a squirt of grapefruit waft from the glass. Flavors are consistent with the nose, so fresh and fruity that the first impression is of sweetness, but crisp acidity provides structure, and the finish is long and just off-dry, with juicy fresh citrus flavors lingering. It's no lightweight, but carries its 14.3 percent alcohol well. FOOD MATCH: This would make a great aperitif for spring and summer sipping, but it serves well at the table, with enough personality to stand up well to hearty fare; it should go as nicely as Riesling (which it somewhat resembles) with spicy Asian fare, and it was fine with a hearty risotto with broccoli rabe and tomatoes, onions, garlic and Parmigiano. |  | Country: United States. Region: Calfornia. Sub-Region: Napa Valley Appellation: Napa Valley
Grape Varietal: Sauvignon Blanc Type: Still wine Cakebread Cellars Sauvignon Blanc Napa Valley 2004 ($21). This wine is a fresh, rich, vivacious white wine with bright grapefruit, lime, melon and hay aromas and concentrated kiwi, citrus and green apple flavors. FOOD MATCH: Its refreshingly flinty, mineraly finish makes it a mouthwatering apritif wine as well as a fine accompaniment to a wide range of seafood, poultry, vegetarian and salad dishes. It will provide great drinking pleasure over the next 1-2 years. |
|  | Country: United States. Region: Calfornia. Sub-Region: Napa Valley Appellation: Napa Valley Grape Varietal: Semillon, Sauvignon Blanc, Chardonnay, Viognier Type: Still wine
Wine Spectator: 90 rating Beringer Alluvium White Knights Valley 2004 ($16). This wine is a blend with a base of 39% Semillon for its lush flavors of sun-ripened apricots and honeyed figs and 50% Sauvignon Blanc for its citrus and light herbal tones. That's a classic combination in Frances Bordeaux region. Then some Chardonnay is added to round the wine and lend a buttery citrus dimension and a touch of Viognier is added for floral, lemon-verbene aromas. The final wine is complex layers of toasty, nutty, vanilla and butter aromas and flavors that interplay nicely with the varietal fruits. | | 
| Country: United States. Region: Washington. Sub-Region: Walla Walla Valley Appellation: Walla Walla Valley Grape Varietal: 94% Cabernet Sauvignon, 6% Cabernet Franc Type: Still wine
Wine and Spirits: 95 rating 2002 Walla Walla Valley Cabernet Sauvignon ($22) The fresh black currant fruit is full and rich, laced with rosemary and olive. It holds together with uncanny poise, finishing with a bright fraise de bois flavor, long and lifted. Buy it by the case and serve with spit-roasted chicken or suckling pig. Amavi Cellars. | | 
| Country: United States. Region: California. Sub-Region: Napa Valley Appellation: Napa Valley Valley Grape Varietal: Cabernet Sauvignon Type: still wine
2003 Spring Mountain District Cabernet Sauvignon ($34) The 2003 Spring Mountain District Cabernet Sauvignon shows lush, elegant and silky soft tannins on the entry followed by flavors of dark plum, juicy blackberry, and hints of subtle anise. Traces of freshly roasted coffee interlaced with spices such as clove and nutmeg carry this wine to its finish. This mountain fruit shows elegance and restrain on the palate with evolved tannins throughout. |  |
Wine Advocate 2004: 91 Points
Wine & Spirits 2004: 90 Points
winemaker's notes:
Elegant and tropical with hits of lemon and other citrus fruits. Notes of Fuji apple carry throughout this beautifully balanced and delightful Chardonnay. Lushly layered with an enchanting creamy texture and a finish that lingers on and on.
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