Forlorn Hope Wine - Spring Releases

My dear readers,

I'm pleased to be able to share with you some of my all-time favorite wines from winemaker Matthew Rorick. Below are his spring releases.

Enjoy!

Wine Ophelia

aka Raelinn Doty



Welcome to the Forlorn Hope 2011 Spring Release.

In a verdant explosion, the vineyards of northern California have launched themselves into the 2011 growing season. With all of the excitement that accompanies the shedding of winter's grey for the green of spring we offer up a trio of Rare Creatures for your enjoyment: the 2010 La Gitana, 2009 Ost-Intrigen, and 2009 D'Anconia. Read on...




Aromatic glories: 2010 Forlorn Hope La Gitana Torrontés

This, our third vintage of Torrontés, is quite possibly the best yet. Arrestingly aromatic and bearing a remarkable degree of elegance and refinement as a result of the cool 2010 growing season and an ultra-gentle press regimen in the winery, this Gitana's cante jondo is seductively sinuous and delicate but as laconically defiant as ever. And though it is brilliantly clear in the glass, just like its slightly cloudy predecessors it has seen no filtration or fining. Moving in a stylistic space all its own, it is redolent of the promise of spring.

87 cases produced. $20/bottle, $240/case.

Click here to order your 2010 Forlorn Hope La Gitana Torrontés



A passion for the exotic: 2009 Forlorn Hope Ost-Intrigen

What would you do if you came across the only 90 vines of St. Laurent planted in California? Why, you'd probably make vanishingly small quantities of wine out of it, wouldn't you! With its feet deep in decomposed volcanic rock and Carneros clay, the St. Laurent of the Ricci Vineyard continues to produce a tiny amount of supply textured and exotically scented wine: in 2008, we were only able to release 10 cases. Due to the unexpected bounty of the '09 growing season, we're pleased to be able to offer nearly double that -- but if you're keen to enjoy the Intrigues of the East, don't wait too long.

17 cases produced. $22/bottle, $264/case.

Click here to order your 2009 Forlorn Hope Ost-Intrigen St. Laurent



A deep, dark swan song: 2009 Forlorn Hope D'Anconia Malbec

From high atop Mt. Vaca comes this swarthy, complex and irreverent interpretation of Malbec. At once fierce and tender, it is proof positive that passion lives in the blood and bones of those bold enough to follow their dreams and plant vineyards in the most unfashionable yet viticulturally compelling locales. The rewards are great for those who dare, as this densely layered ultimate offering from 2900 feet above sea level will readily attest.

13 cases produced. $24/bottle, $288/case.

Click here to order your 2009 Forlorn Hope D'Anconia Malbec


And a nice note from Matthew:


If Tallulah were here she'd point out that this will be the first release of Forlorn Hope Wines featuring our new packaging: specifically, sans capsule. The reasons for eschewing the foil top for our corks are many but may be summed up by saying that we're moving toward a more ecologically friendly package in general, and reducing the amount of waste that our bottles generate puts a smile on our faces here at FH-HQ. There are still vintages yet to be released which have foils on them so there will be some overlap of foiled and unfoiled bottles for a year or so yet, but this release is something of a novelty in being the first to feature all naked necks.

More information about the direction of our new package, the wines of the Spring Release, vineyard and cellar updates, and other FH news can always be found at the Forlorn Hope blog: fhwines.wordpress.com

We're very pleased with the three Rare Creatures of the Spring Release and look forward to getting them into your hands right away!

All best,

Matthew

Ode to a Wire-Haired Dachshund - For Thierry Puzelat

After my first taste of Le Telquel I was inspired to write a silly poem!


Ode to a Wire-Haired Dachshund
by Raelinn Doty

O mon cher tekel du poil dur,
O comme je t’aime avec ton ame pure.
“Rouge, beau, et meme mieux que beau…
Tu as du chien”* telquel, sur.

in honor of
Thierry Puzelat’s Touraine VDT gamay, and sometimes cot and pineau d’aunis

*borrowed and changed a little Yourcenar

Barone Fini and Wine Twits Taste Challenge!

Wine friends... we are gonna have some serious FUN!

Taking the Barone Fini Pinot Grigio Taste Challenge is as easy as 1-2-3!
1. Sign up to take the taste challenge and you'll be automatically entered into the sweepstakes.
2. Order your Taste Challenge Tasting Kit via WineTwitsDeals.com. (If you are tasting with me in Chattanooga, I'm providing the wines! You just show up! see RSVP below)
3. Join producer Giovanni Bonmartini-Fini live on March 24, 2011 at 8PM EST to blind taste and to share your preference during a Twitter powered virtual tasting.

1. Sign-up now
2. Order a tasting kit <<< I already did it for you if you live in Chattanooga!!
3. Taste, tweet, share

Meet The Winemaker




Giovanni Bonmartini-Fini has lived most of his life with one foot on each side of the Atlantic Ocean. He was born in MA but lived on his family’s farm on the shores of the beautiful Northern Italy’s Lake Garda, facing the Alps where he now makes wine.



Learn more here from Wine Twits

Chattanooga friends JOIN US IN THE FUN!! Please click on my Facebook Event to RSVP so I know how many people, how much wine and food and the size of the venue! I can't wait to see you and taste these wines together!

Sponsored by Barone Fini and Wine Twits

Foillard 2008 Morgon "Côte du Py"

One of the only decent importers I can get my hands on here in Chattanooga, TN is Kermit Lynch. So I go searching back labels when I am looking for reliability when looking for a wine I haven't tried. This one, however, I've had the great pleasure of drinking in the past and I love it! I am an enormous fan of Cru Beaujolais in general and Morgon is probably top 3 for me. This 2008 Foillard is showing very nicely.

I'd give it about 15 minutes of air before really attempting to enjoy it or run it through a decent aerator. I like the Soirée aerator for both beauty and functionality.



The wine has a beautiful translucent, nearly transparent light violet-red color. On the nose it shows a lot of spice...white pepper, nice earthy, funky barnyard aromas, raw beef and herbs. At first I thought I caught a whiff of brett but changed my mind after a few sips. On the palate, it has a vibrant acidity and continues the spice theme with a definite white pepper nuance along with gorgeous ripe strawberry, thyme and chervil, and after a few tries my beloved violets made their appearance on the very front end. The finish is long and pleasant with a tingling acidity, pepper, herbs and subtle, delicate fruit that lingers.

After my initial tasting, I paired this wine with truffle popcorn and a beautiful local raw milk cheese. Cumberland from the Sequatchie Cove Creamery.





It was perfect.

Hope you enjoy! Cheers!!


Wine Ophelia

aka Raelinn Doty

a woman who loves wine

Valentine's Day Wishes. It's just not that complicated.

It's almost Valentine's Day. I don't know about you, but I have always had a love/hate relationship with Valentine's Day. I find it a ridiculously contrived holiday. Part of me hates this, but part of me just adores it! So cheesy. So silly and over the top. I confess that Valentine's Day has not normally gone all that well for me with a couple of rare exceptions. But I think it was my own fault for not being REALLY REALLY clear about what I would love. This year, since there is no one in particular to tell, I figured I'd just tell EVERYONE! Heh. Maybe I'll actually get some of it this time! Ok. I'm a bit of a paradox when it comes to what I like. Most of the time I am rather unconventional in my tastes. But on Valentine's Day, I'm all about the traditions. Really, I'm a simple woman at heart. I swear!



I'd love to wake up to a box of Hot Chocolatier chocolates,





a bottle of Larmandier-Bernier Terre-de-Vertus,




and some confection from La Pelrla.


Yeah, I did. I put knickers on my blog. And?

Once that's all be put to its best uses, I confess that a dozen red roses would be FABULOUS! Hell, I'd settle for tulips! (I actually prefer them anyway.)

Dinner would be just lovely too. A little pan seared foie gras with crostini topped with evoo and toasted pistachios. Ok, who needs dinner. Just the foies gras and some more champagne!

Dessert is an absolute necessity. And because no one can (well, I can't anyway) have enough chocolate...

This chocolate chestnut cake covered in Nutella makes me swoon. This ought to be fabulous with champagne too! How convenient!



SWOON.

Now, here's the part I like best... I'd like to do all this from the comfort of one of these chairs in Turks and Caicos:


That about covers it. See. Simple.

Happy Valentine's Day from Wine Ophelia

Cheers!

Gin 75...my variation of a French 75

I have not found another recipe that is the equivalent of this. If you do, please let me know...






So it's not exactly wine. But it IS a Champagne cocktail that I absolutely LOVE.

Here's how I make it:

1 cube of sugar or a splash of simple

2 shakes of bitters

squeeze in the juice of half an orange

1 oz of gin

shake over ice and strain into martini glass

top off with champagne

twist of orange



The cocktail is aptly named after this big, bad boy and you are apt to suffer its consequences if you don't imbibe in moderation.


Check out the original French 75 cocktail as seen in Savoy Cocktail book
photo credit

Forlorn Hope Wines

Hello friends of Wine Ophelia. I asked winemaker Matthew Rorick of Forlorn Hope Wines if I might share his fall releases with you. ENJOY!





Welcome to the Forlorn Hope 2010 Autumnal Release.

As this season of harvest draws to a close and we prepare ourselves for the coming winter, the Forlorn Hope is pleased to present a trio of Rare Creatures for your enjoyment: Ost-Intrigen, Sogni della Speccia, and Les Deux Mathieux. Each distinctly different from the others in texture, weight, and character, as a group they bring into focus the wondrously diverse potential of the winegrowing regions of northern California.


Introducing the 2008 Sogni della Speccia: Seductively textured field blend from Shale Peak
Veins of vertically upthrust volcanic shale comprise the soil in the remote Solano County Shale Peak Vineyard. These earthen seams form a foundation from which rises fruit of uncommonly pure and resonant character. Just under an acre in size, the plot is planted mainly to Sangiovese with a little Barbera, Cabernet Sauvignon, and Petite Sirah rounding out the cast of characters. This unexpected combination -- varieties grown on a site of rousing geology, in an unheralded and overlooked appellation -- yields a wine which is a testament to California’s still largely unexplored viticultural potential. While co-fermentation seamlessly brings together the disparate elements of this field blend, it is the Sangiovese whose voice rings clearly in the 2008 bottling. Focused, bright, and unrelenting, it unfolds on the palate like a hall of mirrors.

17 cases produced; 10 are available at this offering.
$24/btl, $288/cs.



Return of the Intrigues: 2008 Ost-Intrigen, because you demanded it.

The abrupt disappearance of the 07 Ost-Intrigen following this year’s Vernal Release was no surprise, considering how little of it is produced each year; what did come unexpectedly were the insistent demands that the 08 be made available as soon as possible. Though originally slated for an early 2011 release, the wine is showing so well at this moment that it seemed propitious to acquiesce. Austrian in origin, the St. Laurent winegrape yields an exotically scented and lushly textured wine of unbridled sensual allure. So uncommon in California as to be virtually non-existent—the 90 vines sequestered in Carneros that yield the Ost-Intrigen may in fact be the only ones in the state—this wine is among the rarest of the Rare Creatures.


11 cases produced
$22/btl, $264/cs.

**Please note that the 08 Ost-Intrigen doesn’t appear on the secure online order form at forlornhopewines.com; to place an order for this wine, simply fill out billing and shipping information as usual, and then indicate how many bottles/cases you’d like in the field provided for messages to me at the bottom of the form. Trés simple.



Les Deux, part… deux. The 2006 LDM is now on the loose.

This time, it’s for real! The 2006 Les Deux Mathieux is finally, officially released. “Accidentally” pre-released in a warehouse mix-up a year ago, some of you might have gotten your hands on a bottle of this long-lived Petite Sirah even before I did. Now, though, this wine -- the beginning of the whole Forlorn Hope project -- is ready to showcase its second vintage. Dense, powerful and brooding, it follows in the footsteps of the 05 in its exhibition of the captivating balance of power and finesse that is a hallmark of the vineyard. Delicious now, the 06 LDM will continue to evolve in bottle for a decade or more.

97 cases produced
$42/btl, $504/cs.



Fall Six-Pack with free shipping

For the 2010 Autumnal Release we are pleased to offer the friends of the Forlorn Hope free shipping with the purchase of two bottles each of the 08 Ost-Intrigen, 08 Sogni della Speccia and 06 Les Deux Mathieux. Just include a message for me at the end of the order form that says “Fall Six-Pack with free shipping” and it’s on. Wine cost: $176 plus tax.



Click here to order your Forlorn Hope wines

As always, we thank you for your interest in the Rare Creatures of the Forlorn Hope collection. It is our great pleasure to continue to produce natural wines that are the pure expression of the relationship between site and vine, offering a diverse array of alternatives to the ordinary and overproduced. We enjoy nothing more than sharing them with you.

Please contact us directly if you have any questions regarding the wines, the Forlorn Hope collection, events, private tastings and winemaker dinners.

We look forward to hearing from you.

Best,

Matthew