CIMA COLLINA NEWs, reviews & EVENTS

Wednesday, February 24:  "Wine Down Wednesday" at Tarpy's Roadhouse in Monterey.  We will be there pouring various wines.  This is always a fun event!  Come on down and join us!

Upcoming Events:

Pinot Days Southern California - Grand Tasting: Sunday, January 17, 2010 1:00 to 5:00 PM at Barker Hangar, 3021 Airport Avenue, Suite 203 in Santa Monica's private airport. Tickets are $50;   call 415 / 246-2967 or visit www.pinotdays.com

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             The latest reviews . . .

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PINOTREPORT

SMART BUY!

"Deep and interesting…"

Cima Collina

Pinot Noir Santa Lucia Highlands Tondre Grapefield 2007

Medium-deep ruby color; deep, intense spice, pepper and dark cherry aromas; rich. ripe, deep cherry flavors with earthy and pepper notes; nice texture; good structure and balance; long finish. Deep, interesting Pinot with a lot of forward flavor as well as some more subtle nuances that show after some air.

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WineReviewOnline.com      July 7, 2009 Issue

Cima Collina, Arroyo Seco (Monterey County, California) Sauvignon Blanc Cedar Lane 2008 ($16): Cima Collina’s winemaker Annette Hoff says: “This wine is my response to all the overblown Sauvignon Blancs that have been made for so long in California.”  Indeed, this zingy, crisp, refreshing wine duly reflects the training time that Hoff spent making Sauv Blanc in New Zealand.  This is a terrific wine for shellfish, or for just sipping on a hot summer day in the shade of a big old oak tree.        90       Marguerite Thomas

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      Vol. 7, Issue 21    July 8, 2009

2007 Cima Collina Tondre Grapefield Santa Lucia Highlands Pinot Noir

13.1% alc., 216 cases, $48, released May 2009.

Clones are a blend of one-third each Pommard, Dijon 115 and 667. Fermented in small, open-top bins that were punched down two to three times daily. Pressed off into oak barrels of which 40% were new and aged 11 months before bottling. Very dark reddish-purple color. The nose is penetrating and intoxicating. Haunting scents of ripe black raspberries and blackberries, exotic woods and musk. Luscious dark fruits are plush and deeply flavored with a floral undertone that I find very appealing. Harmonious in every way with bright acidity, ripe, soft tannins and a vibrant and refreshing finish. A memorable wine that gets its hooks into you and won’t let go.

Cima Collina is a small producer of hand-crafted, small lot wines sourcing grapes from the winery’s estate vineyard at Hilltop Ranch in Carmel Valley and family owned vineyards in Monterey County. Founded in 2004, the talented winemaker since the winery’s founding has been Annette Hoff who writes the award-winning Cima Collina Blog at  cimacollina.com.   The Tondre Grapefield Pinot Noir is my favorite Cima Collina wine and a star from the Santa Lucia Highlands.

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FOOD & WINE      April 9, 2009

Mark C. Anderson      Monterey County Weekly

Finally made it over to Cima Collina’s tasting room in Carmel (831 620-0645) across the street from Mundaka. Unsurprisingly, grape guru Annette Hoff’s small-lot wines are aging as well as she predicted when I first visited the tiny Marina warehouse winery. We left lifted by Jane Beery’s easy manner and tastes of the 2005 Tondre Grapefield and 2005 Hilltop Estate Pinot Noirs in particular (six tasters are $5) – and toting two bottle of the balanced and best-selling Howlin’ Good Red ($20/bottle), a special Merlot-Cab-Petite Sirah blend that benefits the SPCA, which has already cleared $5,000-plus.

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In recession, many still willing to pay high price for pinot noir

. . . Monterey County pinot has been coming on strong, and there were some good examples at the tastings. The 2007 Testarossa Garys' Vineyard Pinot Noir ($59) from the Santa Lucia Highlands needs time but displays juicy cherry, raspberry and rhubarb flavors with considerable depth and concentration, while another wine from the Santa Lucia Highlands appellation, the 2007 Cima Collina Tondre Grapefield Pinot Noir ($48) is bright and lively, with cherry and raspberry and a lovely texture.

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