Though the calendar says that summer ends with Labor Day, I continue to celebrate and enjoy wines I discovered in spring and summer.
The most refined wines I’ve tasted recently are two from the Moraga Bel Air Vineyard and Winery: the new 2015 Moraga Red and their 2017 Sauvignon Blanc are the result of a distinctive terroir and the guidance of winemaker, Scott Rich.
The new releases celebrate the vineyard’s 30-year anniversary.
2017 Moraga Sauvignon Blanc
The aromas of the 2017 Moraga White Wine are immediately familiar to anyone who knows Moraga – a bit of peach tossed with melon, citrus peel, honeysuckle, and pineapple, all seamlessly melded into a complex nose. The entry is refreshing and clean, with flavors that accurately mirror the aromas. Texturally, this is an exceptional wine that is rich, round, and voluptuous. The palate finishes with a mouth-watering, persistent sensation.
2015 Moraga Red Wine
Simply put, Moraga’s 2015 Red Wine is delicious. The nose is big and expressive with notes of blackberry, cassis, French plums, cedar, graphite, and tobacco mixed with a bit of rich earthiness and minerality. The palate is rife with black fruits, mineral, red cherry, tobacco, and a hint of black licorice. The entry is round and voluptuous, reinforced by micro-grained tannins that are at the same time velvety and intense. This wine is another in a recent string of truly exceptional red wines.
Both wines are truly unique—because they are produced by a unique wine estate. The fault-line location that has created one-of-a-kind geology, along with Moraga’s proximity to cool Santa Monica Bay and the mild weather that it generates makes for a terroir that exists nowhere else.
Bottom Line: These are not everyday wines; the prices reflect their excellence. The 2017 Moraga White is $115 and the 2015 Moraga Red $175. www.moragabelair.com But for those special occasion, these are wonderful wines to share with people you love.
Read the full feature here: https://luxebeatmag.com/celebrating-wine-all-year-long/