Hello A - List Friends,                                          

I just got off the phone with Lisa Drinkward at Behrens & Hitchcock aka Erna Schein about their Winter Releases. I am planning to see Lisa & Les in January when we go up to Napa for a FUN birthday weekend. Where else would I want to spend my birthday?

As I wrote about this summer, there have been a few changes at Behrens & Hitchcock, the most obvious being their name. Les Behrens and wife, Lisa Drinkward (of the great Drinkward Peschon Cabernet) have purchase Bob & Lily Hitchcock’s interest in the winery and are now producing wine under the new label, Erna Schein, in honor of Les’ mother. In an effort to produce the best wines that they can, they have decreased production (boy are we lucky to get these) and have kept only their most exceptional vineyard sources, allowing them to better focus their attention and resources.

Shoot me email at tanya@winestreet.com or give me a call at 760-431-8455 or toll free at 877-653-2162 to get your hands on these very limited wines from Erna Schein!  Cheers,  Tanya

Winter Releases 

Erna Schein Spare Me 2005 Cabernet Sauvignon   $50

Love the name, love the juice. Fullbodied and loaded with personality, this is packed with blueberry-blackberry fruit with baking spices, cinnamon, sage, molasses, cedar and round, supple tannins. This Napa Valley Cabernet is blended with 12% Merlot and12% Cabernet Franc. Only 350 cases made.

 

Erna Schein 2005 Cabernet Sauvignon Herrick-Moulds Napa Valley   $70

Rich, intense and on the spicy side. Ripe blackcherry – currant and plum fruit with more exotic notes of cardamom, roasted nuts, cigar box and pepper. This remains fresh and well balanced with a finish that goes on and on. 95% Cabernet Sauvignon & 5% Petit Verdot. Only 370 cases made. 92-95 Points, Robert Parker.

 

Erna Schein 2005 Behrens Family Reserve Napa Valley  $80

Rich, big textured (I am talking “chewy”) and on the opulent-side, this full-bodied Cabernet-based blend shows saturated blackberry and cassis with vanilla, fig, floral notes, loam and toast. This is MY favorite. I tasted this in barrel last February and then from bottle last August. This shows incredible depth and purity while remaining balanced and full of finesse. 31% Cabernet Sauvignon, 25% Cabernet Franc, 23% Merlot, and 21% Petit Verdot. Only 370 cases made. 92-94 Points, Robert Parker. Excellent!

 

Erna Schein 2005 Cabernet Sauvignon  Cemetery Sold Out

This would have been perfect for Halloween but it had not been released. So dark and intense in color, it is almost black. This offers a deep, savory nose and evolves on the palate with rich, concentrated black fruit, currant and sweet raspberries, with notes of espresso, cocoa, cedar, tobacco and crushed rocks. This full-bodied Cabernet has been blended with 17% Merlot and 8% Petit Verdot. It is beautifully balanced and remains elegant from start to finish. Only 340 cases made. 93-95 Points, Robert Parker.

 

Also, it is last call on these two recent releases:

 

2005 Erna Schein Jersey Boy Red   $50

A cross-county blend of 41% Merlot, 23% Cabernet Franc, 18% Cabernet Sauvignon, 12% Syrah, and 6% Petite Verdot. Full-bodied, opulent yet well-balanced, this is loaded with black cherry and blackberry fruits, cocoa, and soft, supple tannins. This shows a solid, ripe core of black fruit that lasts throughout the palate and a long, focused finish. Parker calls this a "hedonistic fruit bomb" yet it remains structured and well-polished. Only 443 cases made.

 

2005 Erna Schein Homage to Ed Oliveira Syrah   $60

 This is an impeccably crafted, cool climate Syrah from Alder Springs in Mendocino County. Black in color, this 100% Syrah offers aromas of pretty flowers, roasted meats, and loam. Rich, deep and concentrated red raspberry and cherry fruits as well as subtle notes of marmalade, stone fruit, graphite, stone, and smoke. This wine was named after Ed Oliviera, one of Les' winemaking mentors. This youthful wine is drinking well now but is certainly age-worthy. Only 484 cases.

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Wine Street, Inc.  6986 El Camino Real Suite D Carlsbad, CA     

 760 - 431 - 8455          toll free: 877 - 653 - 2162