Wild Horse Wines.

There are two ways to get grapes for winemaking, grow them or buy them. If the grapes are grown, the winemaker is stuck with what he has grown and must go on from there, regardless of the quality of the fruit. Buying the grapes offers the winemaker the option of picking and choosing; but there is also the consideration of price. If the grapes are too expensive, the wine produced from them will also be high priced. If the grapes are too cheap, the resultant wine may be of the same quality as the grower whose grapes did not perform. This is where the expertise in grape growing and wine making of the Wild Horse winemakers comes into play. Wild Horse vintners source their grapes from as many a 50 different vineyards and 16 different climate areas in the Central Coast district of California, which gives them extensive freedom in finalizing their specific style and blend.
The proof of the quality is in the tasting; and taste we did. It had been a long time since we have had a chance to reacquaint ourselves with Wild Horse Wines. When the opportunity arose for us to sample Wild Horse Wineries latest releases, we jumped at it.

Wild Horse 2009 Central Coast Pinot Noir ($20). We will start by admitting that we are pinot noir lovers. We have enjoyed pinot noir wines from every corner of the world and we definitely must admit to being partial to the variety. The Wild Horse 2009 Central Coast Pinot Noir is a rare find among pinot noir wines made in the United States or anywhere else for that matter. To begin with, the growing season was one of the finest in a very long time and the grapes were carefully selected from prime vineyards in the Central Coast. The wine made form this compendium of grapes is, to say the least, huge. It displays the aromas of sweet, ripe, red berries, green tea and oak. On the palate the flavors of cherry and strawberry are the most obvious with a background of cinnamon, clove and toasted oak. This is an excellent wine of fine proportions that deserves your interest: it definitely garnered ours. Try it; we are sure you will love it.

Wild Horse Cheval Sauvage 2008 Pinot Noir ($65). Occasionally, there is a bright star among California pinot noirs; the Wild Horse Cheval Sauvage 2008 Pinot Noir is a super nova. The color is a deep ruby while the aroma is a complex of fruit flavors featuring cherries and blackberries mingled with oak. Below the surface there is a swirling, kaleidoscopic array of dark summer fruits and berries along with that indefinable incense-like aroma that, to us, marks a truly great pinot noir. The flavor is as multifaceted as is the aroma. There is a host of cherry and berry flavors, all of which are wrapped in that indefinable pinot noir velvet softness. This wine also possesses a substantial body, which is another sign of a well-made, finely proportioned pinot noir. The finish is long and as interesting and complex as is the aroma. To be very honest, this wine is reminiscent of the great Burgundies of the sixties and take our word for it, they were great pinot noirs. This wine is the perfect accompaniment to pork and veal, full flavored fowl and any meat dish featuring positive spices such as black pepper, allspice, thyme and sage. Forget the price, this wine is a treat.

Wild Horse 2009 Central Coast Chardonnay ($20). Grapes for this wine came from twelve also came from the Central Coast viticultural area which resulted in a multi-dimensional wine with the aromas of ripe apple, pear and toasted oak. The flavor presents the same fruits as the aroma with an added citrus element and a smooth, creamy mouth feel and ends in a moderately long, elegant and fruity finish. Wild Horse 2009 Central Coast Chardonnay is a delightful wine presented at an affordable price.