Revenge of the Sauvignon Swashbuckler
He’s been after us for seven fortnights now. We have no one to blame but ourselves, of course. We dined with Cap’n Clif, the Sauvignon Swashbuckler. We’d hoped to hear from him of fine new islands ripe with wonderful new grapes, but our hubris got the better of us. In our haste to impress him, we forgot his reputation. Cap’n Clif burned and thieved for wine, not riches. And no great wine was truly safe from his hooked hand or his Jolly Rodger themed sippy cup.
We began things well enough, with our Climber Red blend, but even that was a risk. Clif is known for his love of Sauvignon, and one of the five varietals in the blends was indeed that very Cabernet. Perhaps he realized, for there was a glimmer in his eye when he took his first sip. But he hid it well.
“’Tis a fine brew. I detect a blend, beneath ye cherries and blackberries. But your blasted Zinfandel beguiles me palette; I cannae place the blend.” He tipped his massive hat, adorned as it was with grapes and corks about the brim. We began to feel confident, and our brave captain became bolder, pressuring the Wine Pirate for tales of new lands and grapes. Tales which he happily shared, probably because he didn’t believe we’d live long enough to benefit from it. It was then we made our mistake, serving him our Sauvignon Blanc in a fit of bravado and camaraderie.
His eyes lit up as his nose inhaled the first faint whiff of honeydew. Once his tongue took in the crisply acidic aftertaste, and the hint of citrus, he loosed his scimitar and ordered his men to sac our cellars. We fought bravely, but our blood spilled along with our cheap Pinots. He drank both with a reckless savoy faire and the look of an impossibly debonair savage. Seven of us died to toss him overboard, but we have no doubt that he was picked up shortly after by his mighty galleon The Port Buster which now pursues us day and night. He will catch us, and he will kill us.
I only hope we can finish the wine before he does.
Features
2010 Clif Climber Red 750ml 6-Pack
2010 Climber Red blend is a delicious mélange of five varietals. Starting with a rich and jammy Zinfandel, layered on top a structured and peppery Cabernet Franc, and rounded it out with just the right amount of Cabernet Sauvignon, Petit Sirah and Merlot to achieve a ripe and juicy Zinfandel blend with good structure and a long, luxurious finish. This richly flavorful wine offers lush aromas of blackberries and cherries. These notes are accented by touches of vanilla on the palate. The Cabernet Franc in the wine adds a pleasant roundness, firm tannins and subtle hints of black pepper.
2010 Clif Climber White 750ml 6-Pack
To create the 2010 Climber Sauvignon Blanc, the winemakers began with Sauvignon Blanc sourced from organic and sustainably farmed vineyards located in Mendocino County and central coast appellations. Riesling and Muscat were blended to enhance the lush aromatics and fruit forward nature of this refreshing wine. A small amount of Viognier was added to create texture and roundness to the finish. Fermenting in stainless steel ensures crisp and bright fruit characters in the finished wine. Beguiling aromas of citrus, honeydew and tropical fruits dance on the palate. Crisp acidity followed by a touch of citrus leads to a memorable finish of vibrant pineapple.
Specs
2010 Clif Climber Red 750ml 6-Pack
- BLEND: 50% Zinfandel 36% Cabernet Franc 6% Petit Sirah 5% Cabernet Sauvignon 3% Merlot
- ALCOHOL: 13.9%
- RELEASE DATE: September 2011
- CASES PRODUCED: 6,300
- WINEMAKERS: Bruce Regalia, Sarah Gott
2010 Clif Climber White 750ml 6-Pack
- BLEND: 80% Sauvignon Blanc 12% Riesling 7% Viognier 1% Muscat Blanc
- ALCOHOL: 14.1%
- RELEASE DATE: June 2011
- CASES PRODUCED: 3000
- WINEMAKERS: Bruce Regalia, Sarah Gott
The 2010 vintage definitely kept the winery on their toes. A wet spring was followed by a long, cool growing season and some late heat spikes that helped the grapes reach full maturity. This unpredictable weather resulted in slightly restrained yet very elegant wines.
Specs
2010 Clif Climber Red 750ml 6-Pack
- BLEND: 50% Zinfandel 36% Cabernet Franc 6% Petit Sirah 5% Cabernet Sauvignon 3% Merlot
- ALCOHOL: 13.9%
- RELEASE DATE: September 2011
- CASES PRODUCED: 6,300
- WINEMAKERS: Bruce Regalia, Sarah Gott
2010 Clif Climber White 750ml 6-Pack
- BLEND: 80% Sauvignon Blanc 12% Riesling 7% Viognier 1% Muscat Blanc
- ALCOHOL: 14.1%
- RELEASE DATE: June 2011
- CASES PRODUCED: 3000
- WINEMAKERS: Bruce Regalia, Sarah Gott
The 2010 vintage definitely kept the winery on their toes. A wet spring was followed by a long, cool growing season and some late heat spikes that helped the grapes reach full maturity. This unpredictable weather resulted in slightly restrained yet very elegant wines.
Vendor Details
Clif Family Winery
- Owners:
- Kit Crawford and Gary Erickson
- Location:
- St. Helena, CA
Sales Stats
- Speed to First Woot:
- 3m 14.995s
Purchaser Experience
Purchaser Seniority
Quantity Breakdown
Percentage of Sales Per Hour
12 | 1 | 2 | 3 | 4 | 5 | 6 | 7 | 8 | 9 | 10 | 11 | 12 | 1 | 2 | 3 | 4 | 5 | 6 | 7 | 8 | 9 | 10 | 11 |
---|