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Agent Red's Review:

The Wine Spies Say:Mission Codename: The best and the brightestOperative: Agent RedObjective: Return to Cima Collina to uncover the truth about their 2006 Pinot Noir. Our assets report that the wine is among the best Pinot Noir they have tasted. If true, secure an ample allocation for our OperativesMission Status: AccomplishedCurrent Winery: Cima CollinaWine Subject: 2006 Monterey County Pinot NoirWinemakers: Annette HoffBackgrounder: The first time we featured a Pinot Noir from Cima Collina, Agent Red had a difficult time infiltrating the winery. It was worth the effort, though, because now Cima Collina is a fully vetted Wine Spies winery and our Operatives can count on being privy to their best releases. Today's Monterey County Pinot Noir is among the finest we have had the please to taste and we recommend to our Pinot-loving Operatives that they scoop up this limited-availability wine - before we run out.Wine Spies Tasting Profile:Look - Deep and perfect ruby-red with great clarity, a springy bounce and thin, widely-spaced legs that run down the glass at varied speedsSmell - Richly layered and warm, with deep fruits of cherry, mild forest floor, fresh earthen spices and toasty oakFeel - Cool, light and round, this wine speeds its was across the front palate and then grips first at the front of the tongue, where a slight warmth and dryness makes its way to the back of the mouth.Taste - Sweet, fresh, bright and slightly tart with flavors of bing cherry, pomegranate, plum, cedar and mild forest floorFinish - Long, lush and lingering, the flavors and feelings that this wine leaves behind develop and change over time, making it a wine to sip lovingly while take the time to appreciate its subtle nuancesConclusion - Pure pleasure, this wine is everything you could wish for in a Monterey Pinot Noir. Attribute its great aromas, feel and flavors to the meticulous labor that went into making this wine. With daily attention to its progress, this wine was tended with care by winemaker Annette Hoff, who virtually lived with the grapes post-harvest to ensure the proper extraction on flavors and color. Annette's attention to the grapes, coupled with her winemaking ability and her brilliance in selecting and sorting the fruit that went into this wine, all combine to deliver a wine that is exceptionally flavorful, fun to drink and even better to share over a great meal with friends and loved-ones.Wine Spies Mission Report: Now that Cima Collina is a fully vetted winery, The Wine Spies are privy to their wines. When intel reports began flooding in about today's wine, we only needed to ask Cima Collina for a private tasting.To see how our relationship with Cima Collina began, what follows is our original mission report: For more than a month, Agent Red had tried and failed to bring us a Cima Collina wine. Wine Spies HQ gave him one final chance to land this exceptional Monterey County Pinot Noir from fabled lady winemaker Annette Hoff. Read the mission report below to see how he finally managed to snare this great wine!Not every mission goes as smoothly as I would like them to. While this particular mission did not go horribly awry, it did take me an awfully long time to complete.I first learned of Cima Collina wines from an Asset of mine, a private informant that has alerted me to more than a few great Monterey-area wines. This Asset, we'll call him '_Monte_', sent me an alert on my SpyComm device and told me to rush to try what he called Cima Collina's 'perfect pinot'. Included in the alert was all of the intel he had gathered on the wine, the winemaker, the vineyard and the winery. Everything sounded impressive and I trusted Monte's judgment, so I headed to their tasting room in the village of Carmel-by-the-sea, a few miles south of Monterey.While I pride myself on a good sense of direction, Carmel initially proved a difficult place for me. The town uses no street addresses! Instead, people navigate their way around by heading to 'addresses' such as: "_The West side of San Carlos, between Ocean and 7th, in the Paseo Courtyard, behind Kocek Jewelers_", which happens to be the Cima Collina tasting room. Well, after a few mis-turns, I finally found the tasting room, which also houses a lovely gallery where the works of local artist are on display. On tasting the wine, I was immediately impressed and knew that I should procure an allotment for our Operatives. I got the business card of the manager of the winery, and was on my way.Rather than place the winery under further surveillance, I decided to take a more direct approach and simply ask for the wine. Sounds simple, right? Well, after extended rounds of phone-tag, I decided to visit Cima Collina at a then-upcoming tasting event in downtown Monterey. There were many wineries at this particular event and when I found the Cima Collina table, it was mobbed. After fighting my way to the front, I introduced myself to the Winemaker and explained my plight. She was sympathetic and told me to keep trying. She explained that her wines were very popular and that they had been inundated with purchase requests. So, I kept trying. And kept missing. Then at another wine event, I met the hard-to-pin-down manager himself. Because he was so busy at the event, he asked me to keep trying him.More of the same ensued and then, finally, just yesterday we actually spoke on the phone - and we simply and jovially arranged to secure some of this fabulous Pinot Noir for our Operatives. Busy wineries don't get that way without a reason. A busy winery is usually a sign that something special is going on. In the case of Cima Collina, it was all about their fantastic Pinot Noir, and this one is my favorites!

Agent Red's Review:

From www.thewinespies.com:Mission Codename: The Eastern SlopesOperative: Agent RedObjective: React to the flood of reports that Burgess Vineyard has a standout Napa Valley Syrah. If valid, secure an ample supply for our OperativesMission Status: Accomplished!Current Winery: Burgess VineyardWine Subject: 2004 SyrahWinemaker: Bill SorensonBackgrounder: Last month we featured another superb wine from Burgess. It turned out to be our fastest selling wine ever. Taste any Burgess wine and you'll see why. Their secret? The winery says that 30 years of winemaking experience, on their own land, tending their own fruit, has allowed them ample time to perfect their wines. Drink any of their wines and you will enjoy this perfection for yourself. Read Agent Red's tasting notes below, followed by a retelling of his original mission report, in which he first becomes acquainted with Burgess.Wine Spies Tasting Profile:Look - Deep garnet to burgundy great clarity through its deep, dark heart. The wine also has a pronounced spring to its surface and it leaves behind slow-moving legs that crawl slowly down the glassSmell - Beautifully aromatic with a rick blueberry, blackberry, black currant, dusky earth, acacia and a hint of real gardenia and smoky meatsFeel - Supple and wet and big, mouth-coating with great soft to medium all-over-mouth tanninsTaste - Delicious layers of flavors, including dark mixed berry, black cherry, black fig and dark plum with subtle dusted bakers chocolateFinish - Hugely Juicy and rich, mouth-coating, delicious and supple, with soft tannins and flavors that go on and on foreverConclusion - Is this the perfect Syrah? We Wine Spies certainly love it! What you get in this wine is a brilliant balance of dusky, earthen, old-world aromatics and flavors, with bright and juicy new-world Napa Valley fruit. This is a deeply flavorful, delicious and richly layered wine that drinks beautifully on its own, but also pairs perfectly with most any foods.

Agent Red's Review:

From TheWineSpies.com:Mission Codename: Quothe the RavenOperative: Agent RedObjective: Respond immediately to reports that Wine Spies Operative favorite, Hans Fahden, has released a one-time Merlot. If the wine is great, secure as much as possible - before they run out - forever!Mission Status: Accomplished!Current Winery: Hans Fahden WineryWine Subject: 2004 Mountain Cuvee Cabernet SauvignonWinemaker: Israel MontanezBackgrounder: The 2003 Hans Fahden Cabernet Sauvignon was one of the most popular Cabs we featured in 2007. In 2008, we offered their incredible 2004. Again, a smash success and a fast sell-out. When we learned that they were producing a limited release Merlot, we sped to the winery to taste the wine. When we fell in love, we secured an exclusive on the wine and are offering you what could be you only chance to try the wine. Read Agent Red's tasting notes below, followed by his original Mission Report, in which Red first becomes acquainted with this wonderful winery.Wine Spies Tasting Profile:Look - Deep ruby red in color with a heart of dark plum. Swirl the glass and thick legs appear slowly before they march slowly down the glassSmell - A wonderful blast of concentrated aromas of earthen cherry, ripe blackberry, soft pine tar and mild fresh mixed salad herbsFeel - Initially velvet soft and then the wine shows lush medium tannins as it coats and then drys the tongue and the roof of the mouthTaste - Big and rich flavors of dark stonefruit, dark cherry, dark smoky blueberry, blackberry and plum, with a slight herbaceous or vegital quality that gives the wine a hearty flavor that follows its initial fruity brightnessFinish - Super long-lasting, with smokey fruit then more vegital all over mouth flavors that taper off slowly as the wine coats and the drys your mouthConclusion - Once again, Hans Fahden winery has us scratching our heads at the high-quality/low-price of their wines. We declared their Cabernet Sauvignon to be an underpriced mastepiece and we say the same of this fantastic, youthful Merlot. The only 'bad' thing we could say about this wine is that once it is gone, it's gone. Okay, to be fair, all wines are like this, but when we asked the winery if there would be a future vintage, they (sniff) said 'nope'! So, dear Operative, stock up, buy us out, grab an ample allocation for this is likely your only chance to try this great wine - from a great winery!Mission Report: What follows is our original mission report, in which Agent Red first discovers Hans Fahden's exquisite wine:: : San Francisco, California : : Fort Mason : : Family Winemakers of California Tasting event : :With more than 400 wineries and only two days to taste, I needed to employ my best strategic planning skills. There was simply no way I would be able to taste everything available to me.Central Command had compiled a list of High Priority Target wineries, and I was tasting wines of all varietals and in all price ranges. Most of them good to great, and only a few real stinkers.During the latter half of my second day, I initiated the final phase of my tasting which had me tasting only the highest end wines available. This was a phase I was looking forward to and after giving my palate a much needed rest, I reentered the pavilion like a man on a mission. Oh, yeah, I really was on a mission!After tasting 2 or 3 really superb wines (you'll enjoy learning of these in a future report), I spotted on of my newest assets, Codename "Shank", chatting at one of the winery tasting tables.Shank, so named for his passion for golf, is a wine industry insider. He works for a leading wine industry technology provider and hails from a winemaking family.I walked over to the table and Shank introduced me to Karen Fahden of Hans Fahden Vineyards. Karen immediately poured me a glass and I took it for a swirl. I was instantly wowed and I explained that I had been seeking out $50+ wines. I thought that this one would fit right in and I asked Karen if the was $50 - or more. I was shocked by her answer. Karen explained that she gets that reaction a lot.Right there at the table, I negotiated a nice quantity of bottles for our Agents. Any wine that drinks like a $50 bottle but costs less than half that deserves our best attention.Winery Backgrounder:The Fahden vineyards and winery consists of 100 acres. It is located at 1200 feet, in a range of the Mayacamus Mountains, on a ridge above Calistoga, California. The property features panoramic views of Mt. St. Helena.Hans and Marie Fahden, natives of Hamburg, Germany, purchased the property in 1912. They farmed the land growing grapes until the Prohibition was enacted in 1920. After destroying the vines that they had worked so hard to plant and tender, the family planted prunes.Sixty years and two generations later, Antone and Lyall Fahden decided they liked Cabernet Sauvignon better than prunes and a new journey began to restore the land and make it productive. From 1982 to 1984, the family went to work, planting three vineyard areas. Separated by volcanic outcroppings and forests of Douglas Fir, these vineyards are now interspersed by picturesque ponds and a beautiful wine cave, which was tunneled into a formation of four million year old volcanic ash.The Hans Fahden Winery became bonded in 1986. The first bottle of wine, which was produced from the 1987 vintage, was sold in 1992. The Hans Fahden Winery became licensed to conduct public tastings in 1996. Today, the Winery produces incredible award-winning wines that please the pallet and the pocketbook.

Agent Red's Review:

Mission Codename: Music to our lips ReduxOperative: Agent RedObjective: Infiltrate Judd's Hill winery, penetrate deep into their archives and return with the last of their fabled 1999 Estate BlendMission Status: Accomplished!Current Winery: Judd's HillWine Subject: 1999 Estate Blend (Cabernet Sauvignon, Merlot and Cabernet Franc)Winemaker: Art FinkelsteinBackgrounder: Our Operatives we so enamored with the Judd's Hill wine we featured here a little while back, that they have been demanding that we send an Agent to retrieve another wine. Our new friends at Judd's Hill readily opened up their private vault to us and, together, we selected their beautiful 1999 Cab blend, a perfect and ready-to-drink blend of Cabernet Sauvignon, Merlot and Cabernet Franc. Read Agent Red's complete tasting profile below, followed by his original mission report.Wine Spies Tasting Profile:Look - Great color on this 'older' vintage wine. Where we have seen 1999's that show as brown or slightly orange, indicating poor aging, this wine is deep burgundy to garnet, with a deep concentration of purple-burgundy at its heart, concentrated color to its edges, and a very bouncy surface that takes ages to settle when swirled as it leaves behind chunky that make their way slowly down the glassSmell - Dark and deeply layered with concentrated fruit of dark plum, mixed dark berries, ripe raspberry, dark and smoky blueberry with spice, licorice, older oak and a wonderful and subtle shot of Bazooka Joe Bubble Gum!Feel - Soft, then mouth-coating, rich and round, this wine has a wonderful feel that is at first wet, but then soft to medium tannins grip in coating the mouth and lips with a slightly drynessTaste - Rich, deep concentrations of dark stonefruit, with obvious red cherry, smoked acerola cherry, blackberry preserves, subtle cigar box, spice, licorice and green sweetwoodsFinish - Big, dark, sweet, tasty, flavorful and delicious, with flavors that go on and on, with supple tannins that add a hint of tart drynessConclusion - Sha-BANG! Another mouthwatering masterpiece from Art Finklestein, master winemaker at Judd's Hill. It must be so gratifying to blend a great wine and then to pop open a bottle nearly 10 years after making it, only to discover that it has evolved and aged so beautifully. Winemaking is an art and a science that we are always in awe of, particularly when experiencing a wine like today's amazing blend. As great as this wine is today, we can't wait to try a bottle every few years. Be sure to pick up enough to enjoy a bottle now, and then again after a bit more aging.Mission Report: What follows is our original mission report, in which Agent Red first comes to meet Judd's Hill WineryIt was the end of a very long day - and I was dog tired. I had been on a mission in Napa Valley that took way longer that I had anticipated and I still had to drive to Monterey County for an early morning surveillance.I decided to stop in San Francisco for dinner and parked near my favorite Thai restaurant, only to find that it had closed for remodeling. Just great.It was dark, I was feeling glum and I had no idea where to eat. I moped back toward my car and, as I was getting in, heard the thin sound of music coming from a nearby alley. Even though I could not quite make it out over the sounds of the street, it had a lively feel to it and I found myself drawn toward it.As I neared the building that the sweet sounds emanated from , the music became clearer. It was Hawaiian music. Hapa haole Hawaiian music, actually. A great vintage sound, with ukulele and steel guitar and happy vocals. My spirits lifted. That is, until a wall of a man blocked me from entering the building. I looked up... and up... and up some more. A very serious looking Polynesian stared down at me."Private party, sir, sorry", he siad in the deepest voice I had ever heard.Before I could answer, a voice from behind me in the alleyway called out, "Its okay, Pea, he's with me."("Pea"?)I turned to see a cardboard box being thrust into my arms. Obviously a case of wine, I went along with this young stranger and followed him inside. He motioned me to set the case down among several other cases of wine. Each box was labeled with "Judd's Hill".I set the box down and the smiling stranger extended his hand and said, "Hi, I'm Judd."Judd's Hill. Judd.He saw me looking from the wine to him and said, "Yup, my family's winery! You like wine?"Needless to say, the rest of the evening was filled with frivolity, great wine, cool music, fantastic food and great people.After watching Judd (grape grower, winemaker, musician, performer and artist) and his group, The Maikai Gents Featuring The Mysterious Miss Mauna Loa, perform, Judd told me all about his winemaking family and their artisanal ways.The evening was just what the Spy Doctor ordered and the wine struck me as one of the best I had tasted all year. Right there at the party, Judd agreed to devoting an allocation to our Operatives. My bad-day-turned-great-evening is your reward, dear Operative. Today's wine is sweet music to your lips!Wine Spies Vineyard Check:The location of the Judd's Hill winery can be seen in this satellite photo: (visit www.thewinespies.com)

Agent Red's Review:

The Wine Spies Say:Mission Codename: Wine RoyaltyOperative: Agent SparkleObjective: Send Agent Sparkle to Jeriko Estate to spy their award-winning Reserve ChardonnayMission Status: AccomplishedCurrent Winery: Jeriko EstateWine Subject: 2005 Reserve ChardonnayVintner: Danny FetzerWinemaker: Jeff CichockiBackgrounder:On completion of her advanced Wine Spy training, Agent Sparkle is ready for field operations. Central Command gave her the special assignment of surveiling Jeriko Estate which was founded by Fetzer Family member, Danny Fetzer.Wine Spies Tasting Profile:Look - Golden yellow, with the slightest light-green cast with long, thick legsSmell - Honey-lemon with oak and very light tangerineFeel - Initially wet, then the rounded tannins kick in to give you a gentle bite on the mid-tongue. Flavors radiate to the corners of the mouthTaste - Starts as tart apple and vanilla-oak, followed by pear, apricot and subtle lime, followed by lemon tart, with a great acidity that helps this wine pair well with most foods I could throw at itFinish - Tart-sweet initially, tapering to tart with creamy vanilla oak and lemon sorbetConclusion - While I am obviously most partial to sparkling wines, I can't help but get very excited about this wine. Chardonnay can vary in smell, taste and character so dramatically, especially in the US. Much of what you taste in a modern Chard is a result of the winemakers influence and the choices made in the production of the wine. In the case of this wine, the heritage and experience of the winemaking team shines through! This is a great Chardonnay that is wonderfully robust, without being obnoxious. I recommend this one to our operatives that love great whites - or those that think that white wines can't be great!Mission Report:After a long and grueling training, I have been declared fully mission-ready! My fellow agents threw a great celebration for me and the bubbly was flowing. Now that my training - and our partying is behind me I'm ready to spy some great wines, sparkling and otherwise.Today's mission report details my visit to the Jeriko Estate in Hopland, California. About 75 miles north of Sonoma and Napa Valley, this region is becoming recognized as the 'wine country to the north'. For good reason, too. Wines from this area are super.When I was given the mission to place Jeriko under surveillance I was thrilled. Jeriko is the winery of Danny Fetzer and is the expression of his unique vision of wine creation. Danny comes from a large winemaking family and nearly all of his 10 siblings are in the wine business. Danny is true wine royalty, but don't misunderstand, his is anything but pretentious. To the contrary, Danny is part artist, part builder, part scientist, part farmer - and all wine visionary.In 1997, when Danny acquired land for Jeriko Estate, he ripped out the existing vines and planted his vineyards with only the best possible rootstock. In 2000, Jeriko released its first wine, a Chardonnay. Jeriko farms all of its grapes organically and the winery is on its way to receiving Biodynamic certification as well. To date, all of the organically farmed wines that I have tried have been exceptional. Jeriko is, well, no exception!The beautiful Jeriko Estate is named after the ancient community of Jericho which upheld ancient practices and progressive farming techniques. The Estate house, which was built in the style of a Mediterranean villa, is stunning - and the perfect place to taste wines after a tour of the sprawling vineyards of the estate. And for this taste, I went straight to their best Chardonnay.The Jeriko Estate Reserve Chardonnay is a stunning wine. I mean, it looks gorgeous and it drinks beautifully. It is better than I expected it to be and, trust me, I had high expectations from any wine that Danny Fetzer and winemaker Jeff Cichocki made for me to enjoy. This is a wine with great balance, wonderful acidity, great aromatics and real flavor. Its not as slippery and butter-fat as recent Sonoma Chards I have tasted and I love that. This wine holds up and drinks beautifully with most foods and, surprisingly, at warmer temperatures. We took our time with our tasting and we let the wine breath and let it warm. It was delicious throughout.I can see why this wine has garnered 92 points out of 100 from Wine Enthusiast, but I give it a big 94! I am recommending that our Agents pick up this wine if they love great Chardonnay, want to see how great a white wine can be, or want to try a wine made from organically grown grapes.-Agent Sparkle, signing off. Please write to me if you have any feedback on this mission or suggestions for future missions: agentsparkle (at) thewinespies (dot) comWine Spies Vineyard Check:Jeriko Estates emerged in 1997 when Daniel Fetzer began to replant the ranch with modern rootstocks and newly available clones of Pinot Noir, Chardonnay, Syrah, Merlot, Sauvignon Blanc, and Sangiovese. The vineyards were planted on a 66 foot (1210 vines per acre) high-density spacing in order to force the roots to go deeper into the gravely loam soil to optimize terroir and intensify fruit flavors.Key to Jeriko's philosophy is the use of biodynamic and organic farming practices to promote plant diversity such as cover crops, and encourage soil balance without the use of synthetic chemical fertilizers, pesticides and fungicides. We have found that wines grown in this manner have more structural balance and require less manipulation during the vinification process; as well as being good for animal life and the environment. It's common to see chickens, goats, and sheep roaming Jeriko's vineyards and hillsides.The Jeriko Estate winery can be seen in this satellite photoWine Spies Technical Wine AnalysisDetailed Wine InformationVarietal: 100% ChardonnayVarietal Notes: Dijon Clone 76Acidity: 0.68Alcohol: 14.1%Appellation: MendocinoBottling Date: January 17, 2007Fermentation: 100% Malolactic FermentationHarvest Date: September 30th, 2005Harvest Notes: The fruit was 100% handpicked for whole cluster grapes.Months in Barrel: Barrique 300LOak: New French, and American and Eastern European oakRelease Date: March 01, 2007Special Designation: CCOF 100% Organically GrownSugar: 24.3% Brix at HarvestTime In Oak: 12 months

Agent Red's Review:

Mission Codename: Hardly MonochromaticOperative: Agent RedObjective: Return to Operative favorite, Chilean producer Pengwine, and retreive their besat and most popular wine for our OperativesMission Status: Accomplished!Current Winery: PengwineWine Subject: 2005 Royal Cabernet SauvignonWinemaker: Chris Millikan and Max EyzaguirreBackgrounder: Operatives who have been with us this last year will recognize today's target. Pengwine Winery of Maipo Valley in Chile was a big hit when we first featured them here. Central Command has been keeping close tabs on Pengwine and after a careful extended surveillance, sent Agent Red to retrieve today's unique and oh, so delicious, Chilean Cabernet Sauvignon. Read Agent Reds tasting notes and corresponding Mission Report, below.Wine Spies Tasting Profile:Look - Black cherry juice and garnet in color, with perfect clarity through its concentrated darker center. On swirling the surface of the wine appears bouncy and it takes some time to fully settle, leaving behind fat and skinny legs that move slowly down the glassSmell - The aromas of this wine leap out of this glass, even on first pouring. Swirl the wine and bigger aromas waft out, hitting you on the nose before your nose is anywhere near the glass. Some would call this a profound nose, but I call it big and bold but not cloying. Now, about the flavors: Big aromatic of fresh flowers, giant currant, cherry, roasted blackberry, ancient suede and parchment, tobacco and a slight vegital quality that I can't quite identifyFeel - Initially cool and wet, then mouth-coating and a little grippy as medium tannins appear and grab the middle and sides of the roof of the mouthTaste - Big red currant, sweet cranberry, raisin and blackberry with a touch of bergamot (found in Earl Grey tea) and hints of cocoa powder, tomato vine and flinty earthFinish - Delicious, big, long and fruity with a medium dryness and flavors that go from slightly tart to sweet, then tapering off as your watering mouth begs for another sipConclusion - This is a singular wine of remarkable distinction! This rich and chewy wine has layers of gigantic flavors and aromas but, oddly, I did not feel bowled over by it. We are so pleased to see Pengwine continuing to evolve as a winery, producing better and better wines with each new vintage. Chris has been a great friend to The Wine Spies and we are proud of his success. He and Max are making great wines that are original in their style and grand in their appeal. While some may shy away from Chilean wines, this is one to rush to. This wine is big, yes, but it also has balance and restraint. A big thanks to Chris, for letting us be the first retailer in America to have this superb wine!Agent Sparkle adds: "Whatever is going on in this wine, its thoroughly drinkable - even on its own. I usually prefer to drink wines with food, but found myself sipping away at this wine all on its own."Mission Report:US/Chilean Pengwine Wines was conducting a winetasting at the bottom of the world, and I tagged along. It turned out to be an adventure.Posing as a wine writer for a prestigious wine magazine, I was able to secure my cargo plane seat on this first-ever Antarctic wine event.As I sat in the plane, I watched out the window as the airport workers clumsily loaded luggage and wine crates onto the planes loading ramp. After I saw my own luggage spill off the cart and onto the tarmac, I had visions of the wine crates suffering the same fate. Shortly thereafter, they did. Spilled wine made dark circles on the black pavement.I dashed out of the plane with the winemaker and ran to save the wine. Many of the bottles were broken, but we managed to repack the remaining wine and load it safely onto the plane. After the winemaker conducted a few harried-sounding calls, he decided that he had enough wine for the expedition and that the trip was still on.Two bumpy flights and a refueling stop later, we were out over some of the clearest water I had ever seen. The day was crystal clear and I could feel the excitement of the expedition members mounting.The landing was flawless and the wine survived the trip intact.We were greeted by airfield personnel (a single person) who accompanied us on our quest to find the natives. With wine bottles secured inside of parkas, we simply picked a direction and started walking. A short while later, a few dozen natives in sight, we stopped, opened bottles, poured and raised our glasses in a salute - to the penguins... Those on the glacier and those on the labels!To learn more about this expedition, book a National Geographic cruise through the Antarctic - where Pengwine is an official selection aboard the ship.

Agent Red's Review:

The Wine Spies Say:Mission Codename: The Lap of LuxuryOperative: Agent PinotPersonal Objective: Enjoy a day off at the Bernardus Lodge, taste their winesMission Status: AccomplishedCurrent Winery: BernardusWine Subject: 2002 MarinusWinemaker: Dean de Korth and Matthew SheaAgent Pinot Private Journal:Other Agents think I'm self-centered and narcissistic. They can think what they want. I just happen to be the best agent in the Wine Spies and that's that. When I decide its time for a vacation, I take one but tell Central Command that I'm on a mission. Its easy to fake it when my vacation takes me to the Bernardus Lodge in the beautiful Carmel Valley in Monterey County, California.Bernardus runs this luxurious lodge, but they are, perhaps, more famous for their award-winning wines. Bernardus Winery makes exquisite estate grown wines from grapes grown on their estate in Upper Carmel Valley. Their founding mission was to create wines that rivaled the finest French Bordeaux, wines that "flatter the palate and stimulate the imagination". Mission accomplished!My first taste of Bernardus Marinus (pronounced mah-ree-nus) came a few years ago. I immediately fell in love with its complexity and its full flavors. When considering a spot for my secret getaway, my choice was easy: Stay at the Bernardus Lodge, realx and drink Marinus. Lot's and lot's of it.On arrival at the Bernardus Lodge, I entered through the front gate. Following the drive toward the lodge, perfect vineyards slope gently away. The main building of the lodge looming into view, I feel instantly relaxed. I know that my stay here will be filled with luxury, great food and better wine.I won't drone on and on about the feather bed, the fireplace or the oversized bathtub in my two-room suite, my daily massages, games of tennis near the vineyards or the fine meals had in their 4-star restaurant, Marinus. Suffice to say, after long days of being pampered and evenings spent sipping their incredible wines, I am revitalized.The 2002 Marinus is a masterpiece and while I was there, I did manage to get my hands on a few cases. Central Command should be pleased with me.Agent Pinot Personal Tasting Profile:Look - Dark plum with ruby highlightsSmell - Blueberry, blackberry and cherry dominate the nose, with hints of sweet oak and plumFeel - Big in the mouth, with great complexity and tannins that excite and invite without dryingTaste - Deliciously ripe dark-fruit flavored, with jammy black cherry, blackberry, oak and the slightest hint of spiceFinish - Big finish with strong and long-lasting flavors that taper off slowlyConclusion - This is a great, elegant and luxurious wine that drinks like a $75 bottle. I love this wine very much and I have cellared several bottles for myself. I enjoy it as a drink-by-itself luxury or as a perfect complement to a fabulous meal with friends and family.Technical Wine AnalysisAlcohol: 13.5%Appellation: Carmel Valley, Monterey County, CaliforniaWinemakers: Dean de Korth and Matthew SheaGrapes:65% Cabernet Sauvignon28% Merlot3% Cabernet Franc3% Petit Verdot1% Malbec

Agent Red's Review:

The Wine Spies Say:DEAL ALERT! Today we are very pleased to bring you a very special value - on a very small quantity of wine. Today's wine, a fantastic Syrah from winemaker Stephen Pessagno, pleases us on so many levels. With the holidays coming soon, this is a great wine to stock up on as it pairs with almost all holiday meals.TOP SECRET EXCLUSIVE: Today we have a very special wine for our operatives. We were able to sleuth out another exclusive wine, this time from Pessagno Winery. This great Syrah is not available for sale anywhere but the winery's tasting room - and here. We are offering today's wine at 35% off its average retail price with free shipping on Six bottles (use promo code SPYSHIP)Mission Codename: GenerationsOperative: Agent RedObjective: Uncover the secrets of multi-generation winemaker Stephen Pessagno and multi-generation winegrower Bill Perelli-MinettiMission Status: Accomplished!Current Winery: Pessagno WineryWine Subject: 2004 Syrah, Perelli-Minetti VineyardWinemakers: Stephen PessagnoBackgrounder:Stephen Pessagno has a reputation for creating great wines from his Monterey County estate-grown grapes - and from grapes grown by master growers in many different regions. One such grower is 94 year-old Bill Perelli-Minetti, a 5th generation grape grower that tends his own vineyards in Paso Robles, California. The combination was reputed to be magical and The Wine Spies dispatched Agent Red to sample the results of the combined love and talents that forged this wonderful Syrah.Wine Spies Tasting Profile:Look - Deep ruby color with a dark but clear center and glinting edges with think and widely space legsSmell - Plum, raisin, butterrum candy and light white pepperFeel - Smooth and lightweight with medium tanninsTaste - Just-ripe red plum, white pepper, with a tart-sweet cherry and berry flavorFinish - Lingering cherry and subtle pepper. Dry all over the mouth, including the teeth with flavors that fall of slowlyConclusion - I am always so pleased when I can spy a great wine that is priced below comparable wines, especially when that wine gives a little something extra as this one does. With great character in its smells, tastes and feel, this wine has wonderful balance and the structure to pair with a wide variety of foods. I enjoyed a glass with a grilled tritip sandwich and a Cesar salad. Delicious.Wines that are produced by multi-general producers have never failed to please me. When wine runs in the veins and techniques are passed from father to son, the results are usually spectacular. I hesitate to call this a budget-minded wine, but, hey, it is a great value. What are you waiting for? Stock up now, my secret agents, and enjoy this great Syrah.Mission Brief:Top Secret business forces me to keep this briefing, brief.I learned of Pessagno wines from my assets, field operatives that feed me intel on wineries. When I looked for Pessagno wines in local wine shops, I discovered that they were difficult to find. Where I did find Pessagno wines were in the finer restaurants, especially in California. This forced me to press the Wine Spies Platinum Amex into service at my favorite 4-star restaurant. Its a tough life and all that...Well, one fine meal and a bottle of today's Syrah later and I was convinced that they tales of greatness were all true. Magic is made when multi-generational experience is brought to bare on the craft of growing and making fine wines.Just today I had the pleasure of meeting Stephen Pessagno and his dedicated staff at his winery. Stephen, fresh from a recent harvest and crush, was smoking turkey outside the winery when I arrived. The smell was immense and wonderful and the folks in the tasting room feared that the smell would interfere with our tasting. On the contrary, this wine came through just beautifully with its refined aromas and flavors.This is not a big, sweet, fruit-bomb of a Syrah. Rather, this is a more elegant and light-hearted wine that shows off with its softness and great flavors.I was able to secure the wineries remaining stock of this wine, so be sure to requisition some before Central Command runs out.

Agent Red's Review:

The Wine Spies Say:Mission Codename: From where do great wines come?Operative: Agent WhiteObjective: Place Lancaster Estate under surveillance to determine whether great wine comes from the soil, the grapes, the people... or all threeMission Status: AccomplishedCurrent Winery: Lancaster EstateWine Subject: 2006 Samantha's Sauvignon BlancWinemakers: Jennifer Higgins, David Ramey & Daniel Roberts, Ph.DBackgrounder:Lancaster Estate remains true to the founding vision of Proprietor Ted Simpkins. Lancaster is a family owned winery, dedicated to crafting wines that are Estate grown, bottled, and produced.In 1995, Lancaster purchased the former Maacama Creek Winery and its surrounding vineyard and gave the Estate the family name, "Lancaster." The family was attracted to the site's abundant hillsides, knowing that their diverse elevations, aspects and slopes would provide a wide range of micro-climates from which they could produce wines of intensity and concentrated varietal character.Lancaster Estate wines are among the very favorite wines of The Wine Spies and their Sauvignon Blanc has earned a special place in our hearts and at our tables. This is a wine of exceptional refinement, style, flavor and balance.Wine Spies Tasting Profile:Look - Lightest pale straw in color, with shimmering golden highlightsSmell - A wonderfully forward aroma of green melon, citrus, dried hay and pink grapefruitFeel - At times tingly on the tip of the tongue, but this mellows with time in the air. Wet, round and full in the mouth with a slight dryness at the tip of the tongueTaste - Beautifully sweet and tart, with gentle lime, melon, flint and lemongrassFinish - Sterling silver with lemongrass flavors that tail off slowly to become more mineral and tartConclusion - It is clear to me that this wine is the result of the Dream Team that is the land, grapes, climate, and people of Lancaster. If you buy this wine and don't LOVE it, I'll eat my spy shades. Most of the wines that we present are really very good. This wine makes me want to scream about how GREAT it is! I am very partial to Sauvignon Blanc and have had the good fortune to try one great example after another. This wine is the best Sauv Blanc that I have tried in a long time and I give it my heartiest personal recommendation.Winemaker ProfilesWinemaker Jennifer HigginsJennifer joined Lancaster Estate in 1999, attracted to working for a winery dedicated to crafting limited-production, Estate-grown wines. Jennifer is a graduate of UC Davis, with a degree in biochemistry. She credits her winemaking philosophy and style to the influence of her mentors-such notable winemakers as Jill Davis, Margaret Davenport, and David Ramey. "Lancaster is that rare thing among wineries. Every decision we make-from growing and harvesting the grapes to winemaking, barrel aging and bottling- cultivates the character of our wines. All of our grapes are grown here on the Estate, which means I spend lots of time walking in the vineyard, developing an understanding of every row in every block. It's this understanding and an integrated approach to winegrowing that allows us to make wines that consistently honor and reflect the essence of the Estate." - Jennifer HigginsWine Maker David RameyJennifer and her production team are aided by renowned winemaker David Ramey. Most notably, Mr. Ramey has assisted some of the world's finest wine producers, such as Chateau Petrus in Bordeaux, and Dominus and Rudd in Napa Valley. In addition to consulting with Lancaster Estate and other fine wine producers, he has his own winery in Healdsburg.Wine Scientist, Daniel Roberts, Ph. DTo ensure improvement with each vintage, Lancaster hired viticulturist Daniel Roberts, Ph.D. and his team at Integrated Winegrowing to study and measure the winery's viticultural efforts. Dan Roberts, aka "Dr. Dirt," is a renowned vineyard specialist who has directed winegrowing research at Jackson Family Farms as well as consulting with many other fine wine producers. He received his Ph.D. in soils science from UC Davis. "Integrated Winegrowing is a team concept which assumes that every proposed vineyard location is unique. From there, we each apply our talents or strengths to the vineyard which allows us to analyze all factors that will affect the life of each individual vine, and ultimately enhance the quality of fruit produced on an annual basis." - Daniel Roberts, Ph.D.Wine Spies Vineyard Check:The Estate is located at the southernmost tip of Alexander Valley, and includes 53 hillside acres of vineyard surrounding the winery. Situated near the confluence of the Knights Valley and Chalk Hill appellations, this location offers a great diversity of soils and micro-climates and the optimum growing conditions for Bordeaux varieties. The Estate enjoys warm days and cool nights, and a longer growing season than other Cabernet-driven appellations. As a result, Lancaster wines express their rich, ripe flavors with bright vibrancy and balance.The property consists of 24 vineyard blocks that are sub-divided into 27 distinct sub-blocks. The vineyard is planted exclusively to the classic Bordeaux varieties-Cabernet Sauvignon, Merlot, Cabernet Franc, Malbec, and Petit Verdot.The location of the Lancaster Estate can be seen in this satellite photoWine Spies Technical Analysis:Composition:83% Sauvignon Blanc, 17% Sauvignon Blanc Musque'Total acid: 0.67%pH: 3.14Alcohol, by volume: 14.1%