Galante Vineyards Estate Red - 3 Pack
$69.99 + $5 shipping
CONDITION: Red
PRODUCTS:
1 2006 Rancho Galante Cabernet Sauvignon
1 2008 Red Rose Hill Cabernet Sauvignon
1 2006 Blackjack Pasture Cabernet Sauvignon
CT links above

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Someone please give the strength, for once, to trust my first instinct and click the gold button! I always hesitate and always miss the first woot!

With that being said, anyone try this out before?

edit: $60 for the blackjack, $25 for the Galante, and $35 for the Red Rose. Looks like almost %50 off when you figure in shipping.

Hi Wooters!
I just wanted to introduce myself and welcome you to experience Galante Vineyards wines. It's been a long day at the winery, crushing grapes and pressing out some wines, so I'll probably only be up an hour or so more (I need rest just like grapes)! However, I'll be back bright and early tomorrow to answer all your questions.
I think you'll really love this selection of Estate Grown Cabernets and I very much look forward to hearing from you.
Cheers!
Jack Galante
President

clcaruthers wrote:Someone please give the strength, for once, to trust my first instinct and click the gold button! I always hesitate and always miss the first woot!

With that being said, anyone try this out before?

edit: $60 for the blackjack, $25 for the Galante, and $35 for the Red Rose. Looks like almost %50 off when you figure in shipping.

Just wanted to clear this up - the Blackjack normal retail is $50/bottle, although library wines are much more valuable. The 2006 was just released last week and is drinking GREAT! Jack

galanteblackjack wrote:Just wanted to clear this up - the Blackjack normal retail is $50/bottle, although library wines are much more valuable. The 2006 was just released last week and is drinking GREAT! Jack

Stupid typos! It just felt like the President just activated the Hammer of Dawn on my mistake

Ooh and the backlog of wineries that ship to MD is finally coming through...interesting! Tempt me more! ;-)

wordek wrote:Ooh and the backlog of wineries that ship to MD is finally coming through...interesting! Tempt me more! ;-)

If you enjoy wines with true personality and an old world style you will really enjoy these. We make wines that are incredibly approachable but full flavored and very food friendly. We are blessed with a very long hang time. Our Cabs are usually harvested from mid-October through mid-November and, as such, they develop an incredible maturity and great acids. Each Cabernet is truly unique. We are a small, family run business and only produce about 5000 cases annually so each wine is truly hand crafted.

Reminds me of a shell trick with wine bottles...which kick is the ball under?

neilfindswine wrote:Good evening Jack! Thanks for joining us... I had a chance to taste these wines up at the ranch (after driving 45 minutes up the Carmel Valley), and was struck by the differences- the Rancho Galante a nice, brooding, layered Cab; the Red Rose Hill, a lively, bright wine, and the Blackjack Pasture a big, chewy steak-eatin Cab. Can you comment on the why's & how's of the differences between each of these wines all made from the same estate?

I'd be happy to. First of all, our ranch has several micro climates on the property as it goes from 700 to 2200 feet in elevation. Soils also vary from field to field as does the temperature.
Our Rancho Galante is made from combining grapes from several of our cab vineyards. We age this wine in 1 year old French Oak so the oak is apparent but definitely understated. It is velvety smooth with a dusty mouth and layers of wonderful dark fruit.
Red Rose Hill is a lively, bright wine that is a blend of 76% cabernet and 8% each of Malbec, Merlot and Petite Sirah. This blend truly sets it apart and the bright flavors of raspberry and ripe fruit explode in your mouth. It is aged in 50% new French oak and 50% 1 year oak.
Blackjack Pasture is our signature Cabernet. Single Vineyard and aged in 100% new French Oak, then bottle aged for about 5 years, it is truly a mouthful. Rich, chocolaty flavors and chewy tannins make it a perfect match for a great Cowboy Cut Ribeye. This field always seems to produce this special wine - nature at its best!

neilfindswine wrote:...the kicker was, I took the wines to a steak dinner that night at Clint Eastwood's historic Mission Ranch. I thought, "...wouldn't it be crazy if Clint were actually here?" and there he was sitting at the piano as we went to our table. In hindsight, I should have offered him a glass of tht Blackjack Pasture Cab!

That would have "made his day!"

galanteblackjack wrote:Hi Wooters!
I just wanted to introduce myself and welcome you to experience Galante Vineyards wines.
Jack Galante
President

Your website still says no shipping to Maryland. This woot and the official Maryland list say otherwise. You may want to fix that.

http://compnet.comp.state.md.us/Motor_Fuel__Alcohol_and_Tobacco_Tax/Alcohol_and_Tobacco_Tax/Static_Files/DWSApplicants.pdf

Wow, this has to be the first wine I've seen that can ship neither to me in Kansas nor my wootlegging family members in Missouri. And I thought Missouri let just about everything in.

Too bad, these sound great and I'd be in for one.

These sound very nice. How do you manage the tannins in these wines? Does cap management vary for each wine, or do you use the same process for each of them?

Interesting bracket of years... why 2 '06s and an '08?

Also '06 & '08 are widely considered to be inferior years in comparison to '05 & '07 ... particularly with respect to aging. Can you you address how you dealt with the unique conditions of these years?

Lastly, you mention that you pick such that the wines "develop an incredible maturity and great acids" .. yet the pH numbers on the '06s in particular don't bear that out. Please address.

galanteblackjack wrote:I'd be happy to. First of all, our ranch has several micro climates on the property as it goes from 700 to 2200 feet in elevation. Soils also vary from field to field as does the temperature.
Our Rancho Galante is made from combining grapes from several of our cab vineyards. We age this wine in 1 year old French Oak so the oak is apparent but definitely understated. It is velvety smooth with a dusty mouth and layers of wonderful dark fruit.
Red Rose Hill is a lively, bright wine that is a blend of 76% cabernet and 8% each of Malbec, Merlot and Petite Sirah. This blend truly sets it apart and the bright flavors of raspberry and ripe fruit explode in your mouth. It is aged in 50% new French oak and 50% 1 year oak.
Blackjack Pasture is our signature Cabernet. Single Vineyard and aged in 100% new French Oak, then bottle aged for about 5 years, it is truly a mouthful. Rich, chocolaty flavors and chewy tannins make it a perfect match for a great Cowboy Cut Ribeye. This field always seems to produce this special wine - nature at its best!

Thanks for your input. Can you provide the cellaring times for these three offerings? I've got a lot of bottles on their side and I'd like to know whether I need to drink these now or would be better if I let them sit a little longer.

fuzzy103 wrote:Your website still says no shipping to Maryland. This woot and the official Maryland list say otherwise. You may want to fix that.

http://compnet.comp.state.md.us/Motor_Fuel__Alcohol_and_Tobacco_Tax/Alcohol_and_Tobacco_Tax/Static_Files/DWSApplicants.pdf

Thanks for reminding me. We just started shiping there and didn't update it yet.

zyria wrote:These sound very nice. How do you manage the tannins in these wines? Does cap management vary for each wine, or do you use the same process for each of them?

Great question. Tanins are managed in a few ways. First of all, our wines don't need any help with color as they are naturally good and dark. So, fermentation temperature can be kept low which heps control tannins. We also carefully manage pumpovers and watch for skins when they start breaking up. Bottle aging also naturally assists to soften wines. The wines certainly have good tannins but they are well balanced.

spdrcr05 wrote:Interesting bracket of years... why 2 '06s and an '08?

Also '06 & '08 are widely considered to be inferior years in comparison to '05 & '07 ... particularly with respect to aging. Can you you address how you dealt with the unique conditions of these years?

Lastly, you mention that you pick such that the wines "develop an incredible maturity and great acids" .. yet the pH numbers on the '06s in particular don't bear that out. Please address.

Remember, Carmel Valley and Napa Valley are 150 miles apart and as such the weather is quite different. Most of the comments about good and bad years is based on wide assumptions that are centered around Napa. We had lovely seasons in 06 and 08... Good rain, no early frost, and warm summers. These wines are, however, softer overall than the 07 vintage. We sold out of our 07 Red Rose Hill, haven 't released our Blackjack, and didn't make a Rancho in 07.
Upon one taste of our wines you will immediately notice the excellent acids. For a real experience try our incredible Sauv Blanc. The pH is only one piece of the puzzle and ours is right there where we expect it. Check out the TA numbers too. These wines are not acid bombs, far from it, but they are also not over alcoholed fruit bombs that aren't enjoyable with food. We go for very balanced, friendly wines.

krw5927 wrote:Wow, this has to be the first wine I've seen that can ship neither to me in Kansas nor my wootlegging family members in Missouri. And I thought Missouri let just about everything in.

Too bad, these sound great and I'd be in for one.

SORRY! We CAN ship to Kansas. It was my fault for leaving it out. I will let Wine.Woot know.

darn was gonna lay low after the last woot off, (fedex office folks now know me as "wine guy" cause I have had so much wine arriving, in fact one pick up today another tomorrow)But I gotta get one of these, sounds too good to pass.

galanteblackjack wrote:I'd be happy to. First of all, our ranch has several micro climates on the property as it goes from 700 to 2200 feet in elevation. Soils also vary from field to field as does the temperature.
Our Rancho Galante is made from combining grapes from several of our cab vineyards. We age this wine in 1 year old French Oak so the oak is apparent but definitely understated. It is velvety smooth with a dusty mouth and layers of wonderful dark fruit.
Red Rose Hill is a lively, bright wine that is a blend of 76% cabernet and 8% each of Malbec, Merlot and Petite Sirah. This blend truly sets it apart and the bright flavors of raspberry and ripe fruit explode in your mouth. It is aged in 50% new French oak and 50% 1 year oak.
Blackjack Pasture is our signature Cabernet. Single Vineyard and aged in 100% new French Oak, then bottle aged for about 5 years, it is truly a mouthful. Rich, chocolaty flavors and chewy tannins make it a perfect match for a great Cowboy Cut Ribeye. This field always seems to produce this special wine - nature at its best!

What are the differences in the soils and temps of the different vineyards represented in this offer? How do you feel these soils express themselves in the wines?

fredrinaldi wrote:darn was gonna lay low after the last woot off, (fedex office folks now know me as "wine guy" cause I have had so much wine arriving, in fact one pick up today another tomorrow)But I gotta get one of these, sounds too good to pass.

I know the feeling! You should see my cellar (in the caves). You won't be disappointed. Thanks!

spdrcr05 wrote:Interesting bracket of years... why 2 '06s and an '08?

Also '06 & '08 are widely considered to be inferior years in comparison to '05 & '07 ... particularly with respect to aging. Can you you address how you dealt with the unique conditions of these years?

Lastly, you mention that you pick such that the wines "develop an incredible maturity and great acids" .. yet the pH numbers on the '06s in particular don't bear that out. Please address.

I would second Mr. Galante's statement about how vintage ratings are focused on Napa. There is little commonality between Central Coast and North Coast vintages. Napa has a lot less marine influence and most of it is lower in elevation than the Galante vineyards. I live in Livermore, and some of the worst Napa Valley vintages are some of the best around here.

I haven't had the wines in many years, but a Galante Blackjack Cab I tried about ten years ago at the annual Monterey Winemaker's Celebration was definitely the highlight of that event. One of the most intense wines I've ever tasted, and quite a contrast from all the other wineries. If you're scared because you think you don't like wines from Monterey County, Carmel Valley, and specifically Galante, is quite different.

tate491 wrote:What are the differences in the soils and temps of the different vineyards represented in this offer? How do you feel these soils express themselves in the wines?

Our ranch goes from 700 feet to 2200 feet in elevation and spans 700 acres. Down at the lower elevations the temperatures in the growing season are more extreme - that is where we grow our cabernets. Daily variations can be 50 to 70 degrees (nights in the 30's and 40's and days in the 90's to 100). Higher up, the weather is more moderate - less variation - with a more coastal influence. We grow some Pinot Noir, Sauv Blanc and Petite Sirah up higher. The cab fields have fairly similar temps although Blackjack is the highest of the lower block fields and, as such, is harvested generally two weeks or more after the Red rose Hill and Rancho. Any variation will impact the flavors of the grapes, but exactly what components in the flavors can be allocated to this is hard to say. Soils vary from sandy loam with a high percentage of river rock to more loamy with less sand component. Up high we have a lot of decomposed granite with little nutrients. All soils are well drained and the vineyards are all on slopes and south facing. Again, difficult to pinpoint exact flavors that can be attributed to the soils but you will definitely find similar terroir characteristics among the wines.

wnissen wrote:I would second Mr. Galante's statement about how vintage ratings are focused on Napa. There is little commonality between Central Coast and North Coast vintages. Napa has a lot less marine influence and most of it is lower in elevation than the Galante vineyards. I live in Livermore, and some of the worst Napa Valley vintages are some of the best around here.

I haven't had the wines in many years, but a Galante Blackjack Cab I tried about ten years ago at the annual Monterey Winemaker's Celebration was definitely the highlight of that event. One of the most intense wines I've ever tasted, and quite a contrast from all the other wineries. If you're scared because you think you don't like wines from Monterey County, Carmel Valley, and specifically Galante, is quite different.

Thanks for that comment. You hit the nail on the head. Comparing Carmel Valley to the rest of Monterey County is like comparing a Rodeo Queen to a Clown! Both serve a purpose but they are very different characters. We are in the mountains while most of Monterey is in the valley and influenced by the fog and winds. That is why Pinots and Chardonnays do so well in those areas. We are known for our bigger, Bordeau varietals. However, as I mentioned, higher up on our mountain is where we grow our Pinot Noir. This is because the climate is cooler there. But our Pinot is quite different from the rest of Monterey. It is more Burgundian in style, bigger and bolder, and we age it a lot longer. We just released our 2007 this past week.

I just ordered (4) bottles of the Rancho Galante from the tasting room 2 weeks ago, shipped to CT...how come this offer will not ship to CT?

mikev101 wrote:I just ordered (4) bottles of the Rancho Galante from the tasting room 2 weeks ago, shipped to CT...how come this offer will not ship to CT?

You are correct! We can ship 5 gallons every 2 months there. Don't know why I missed that one!

texacaliali wrote:Ahh Galante, don't know anyone in Texas who doesn't love these wines. Good to see ya here today Jack, thanks for all your scoop on the boards.

You got it! Our Texas customers are FABULOUS. I will be in Houston being honored by the Knights of the Vine in October. Looking forward to some great food and tequila!

galanteblackjack wrote:You are correct! We can ship 5 gallons every 2 months there. Don't know why I missed that one!

So does that mean I can place an order today?

mikev101 wrote:So does that mean I can place an order today?

Yes - sorry for the confusion.

we discovered Galante during summers in Carmel and met Jack when he hosted an event at the outdoor theater there. Wonderful wines and very civic minded owner/company. Don't miss the chance to try this very tasty selection. Jim Baxter - San Antonio, TX

galanteblackjack wrote:Yes - sorry for the confusion.

Thanks...but CT still does not appear in the State pulldown when attempting to place an order

baxrep wrote:we discovered Galante during summers in Carmel and met Jack when he hosted an event at the outdoor theater there. Wonderful wines and very civic minded owner/company. Don't miss the chance to try this very tasty selection. Jim Baxter - San Antonio, TX

Thanks Jim. That was a fun evening. Hope to see you next summer.

galanteblackjack wrote:SORRY! We CAN ship to Kansas. It was my fault for leaving it out. I will let Wine.Woot know.

Thank you! In for one. So glad I said something!!