Earlier in the week I received the coveted Lab Rat email. Normally, I would be thrilled at the opportunity to rat, but this week was a bit complicated. ddeuddeg and I are singing in our church choir for Holy Week services. We thought the bottle would arrive on Thursday, but that didn’t happen. ddeuddeg was able to get it diverted for pickup at our local UPS depot on Friday. He got it home and we found that it was a 2019 Casa Sonoma County Rosé Syrah by Keller Estate in Petaluma, CA.
We popped it into the fridge and ddeuddeg immediately came up with a food pairing that he thought would work, as he mentioned in his review. I wasn’t so sure about that. But I do trust his judgement. I opened the bottle a few minutes before dinner was ready. This rosé was a beautiful, crisp-looking salmon color. It had a nice citrusy crispness on the nose. Upon first taste, I got an explosion of strawberries and some citrus with a well-balanced acidity. It had a long, pleasant finish. As it warmed up during dinner, the flavors were even more intense and enjoyable. I can see this as a porch wine for quaffing or with some cheese and crackers or as a dinner wine. This is a screaming deal at the Casemates price!
After some machinations with the folks at UPS to make sure we got our hands on this wine in time, we had the opportunity to taste a bottle of 2019 Keller Estate Casa Rosé of Syrah with our dinner on Good Friday.
Some may find a plastic cork, as well as the lack of a foil or plastic seal, to be a bit off-putting. I’m more interested in what’s in the bottle.
First of all, a lovely salmon color, and then, in the glass, a nose of peaches and honey (yes, honey). First taste brought flavors of strawberries, red raspberries, Queen Anne cherries, crisp and dry, and not a hint of heat. Moving on to dinner, we discovered it to be the perfect accompaniment that I’d been hoping would work with my Veracruz style red snapper (recipe upon request), asparagus, and steamed white rice. We also discovered, as nice as the wine was at first, it continued to improve as it warmed up a bit. A terrific wine helped make it a terrific dinner.
We’ve had some really nice rosé, but this one was truly special. I could see paying possibly as much as $20 for a wine of this quality, but the website has it at $18. Don’t know anything about the Chardonnay, but at the case price here less than $10 a bottle, a “screaming deal” worth taking a chance on “sight unseen”.
As mentioned in my brief incomplete report yesterday, this wine was a pleasant surprise. I am one of those people that do like more oaky buttery chardonnays…maybe it’s a Brit thing…or my bad judgement some might say (LOL)!
Anyway, I found this wine had a light fruity freshness, pear for me and a very slight nutty flavor on the tongue. I would say that the fruit was more prominent than the nut flavor. There was another flavor element, maybe vanilla, just couldn’t quite pinpoint what I was tasting, pleasant and definitely not overpowering. The finish was bright, with a very slight oaky soft finish. Sounds very contradictory when I read bright and soft finish, but it’s the only way I can explain it. Overall, this is a very easy to drink and pleasant Chardonnay.
I paired this with steelhead trout and a lemon-caper sauce, sides were orzo, zucchini and red pepper, this was a perfect match. Sometimes hesitant with lemony dishes either overpowering or bringing bitterness to the wine, but the combination of the lemon, capers and a slight creaminess to the orzo, brought a smoothness to the wine that made the wine even more enjoyable.
I ordered two cases, as the Rose sounds like a perfect summer sipper and 6 of each just didn’t seem enough!
Thanks again Alice and Casemates for allowing me the honor of being a rat.
Sorry for late incomplete post! Bottle arrived a day later than expected and other plans were already set. I did pour a small glass just to see and was pleasantly surprised with the light fresh taste, very minimal oak with a smooth finish.
I will have a better report tomorrow, would strongly suggest purchasing at this price point.
@Winedavid49 Maybe. For us, it’s just the overly oaked ones that we don’t like as much as the unoaked, minerally ones. Have to admit, though, that’s a change from 15 years ago. Thanks in large part to you and @rpm and the other friends we’ve met here and on the other site, our tastes have evolved. Thanks.
@bunnymasseuse@ddeuddeg@rpm i cut my teeth with wine at the original Viansa winery. Sam Sebastiani made a chardonnay called “cento per cento”. 100 %barrel aged, 100 % malolactic fermentation. loved it iced cold.
i sneak in an oak butter bomb when no one is watching…
@bunnymasseuse@ddeuddeg@Winedavid49 Not a bad way to start out… My first Chardonnays were Chablis, and, of course, the early Wente Chardonnays, all of which were lovely, and some of which, e.g. the 1962, were truly memorable. The style for oaky, buttery Chardonnay began with the 1957 Hanzell, which was very good. It was the first time, as far as I know, that someone in California tried to make a ‘proper’ white Burgundy style Chardonnay. I seem to remember reading that around 1960 or so, there were only 50-100 acres of Chardonnay planted in California. The best California whites in the real old days - pre-Prohibition - were Rieslings, and even by the late ‘50s, early ‘60s, the serious whites (never seen as equal to the serious reds after Prohibition and before the 1970s) were mostly still Riesling and varying blends of Sauvignon Blanc and Semillion - which when well done came out fairly close (without the gravely hints) to a white Bordeaux, but a bit richer. ‘Tis a pity no one makes those wines anymore, because they were good with seafood (better than most current Sauvignon Blancs) and reasonable warm summer sippers if very cold.
If I had to have only one white wine, it would still be Chardonnay, though I can’t stand the butter oak bombs. Well made, a Chardonnay can show the effects of oak and have the butteriness of a great white Burgundy, but it isn’t as common as it should be in California. Those who remember the 2008 and 2010 rpm Magical History Tours will remember my praise for the 2006 and 2007 Ramal Vineyard Chardonnays (various clones) from Buena Vista, which I said I thought could be as good as premier cru white Burgundy. I think I posted here or on Facebook’s woot page a few weeks ago that we had a 2007 Buena Vista Ramal Dijon Clone: it was absolutely stunning! As good as any premier cru white Burgundy I’ve had at the age of 10-15, and better than some grand cru.
@bunnymasseuse@ddeuddeg@rpm@Winedavid49
RPM, have you ever had any of the Liquid Farm wines? Their mission is to make Burgundy-styled wines. They do a more Chablis-style called White Hills and a more Côte d’Or style called Golden Slope. Neither is cheap, but not crazy expensive either. Their tête de cuvée is called FOUR, and that gets pretty pricey.
@bunnymasseuse@rpm@Winedavid49 Lafont-Fourcat Blanc is a really nice white Bordeaux. Can’t get it around here, but a number of the ABC stores in Florida have it in stock.
Casa Wines Chardonnay & Rosé by Keller Estate
6 bottles for $69.99 $11.66/bottle + $1.33/bottle shipping
Case of 12 for $109.99 $9.17/bottle + $1/bottle shipping
This is a rare two-case purchase for me, and I still have no idea where I’ll put it (on top of the Gruet or Pedroncelli?), but the nice reviews on the rosé made me realize I’d want more than 6 bottles. And now I’m seeing a bit about the Chardonnay, so, yeah, the season is here for those backyard sippers while I watch my tomato plants grow (hopefully)!
Don’t drink a lot of chards, and recently bought the Pedroncelli chard/sav.blanc case. Had one of the chards tonight and really enjoyed it. Based on the rats, decided to pull the plug on this one.
/giphy squalid-progressive-magician
Sourced from “La Cruz Vineyard” in the Petaluma Gap, Sonoma Coast, Casa Wines produce Chardonnay and Pinot Noir for everyday enjoyment. We know that well-farmed grapes produce healthy wines that enjoyed in moderation are part of a balanced life.
2019 Vintage Notes
The 2019 vintage was vastly characterized by a series of environmental challenges, putting vineyard crews and winemakers to the test. The season started with record breaking rainfall and flooding leading to a relatively cool spring, slightly delaying bud break with harvest time trending well into September. Unusually heavy rainfall in May luckily did not cause disruption in yields since flowering had not yet begun in the majority of the vineyards. Average, stable temperatures throughout the summer lead to a nice, steady grape development with perfect balances of acid and sugar. Come harvest, we were met with a curveball of extreme spikes in temperature and fire hazards calling for strategic and smart picking decisions. This historic season accompanied with the smart decision making of our team, lead to fantastically complex, dynamic wines that, much like the season, are historical.
2019 Casa Chardonnay, Petaluma Gap, Sonoma County
Tasting Notes
This sunny chardonnay drips with vibrant flavors of green apple and luscious pear that shine through with a perfect touch of oak– this one is all about fresh fruit and refreshing crispness and balance. Casa Chardonnay is fermented in both barrels and stainless steel to capture the brightness of the fruit and to add length and balance to the wine.
Winemaking & Vine Notes
Our winemaking style is a blend of classic and contemporary: contemporary equipment and meticulous processes paired with hands-on minimalistic winemaking techniques. Our philosophy is to produce wines that express the unique terroir from which they came, and our passion. The fruit and dirt lead the way. Our goal is to make honest wines.
We implement regenerative farming that focuses on topsoil regeneration, increasing biodiversity, and enhancing our ecosystem to strengthen the health and vitality of our ranch and the planet. The ancient seabed of the San Pablo Bay is mineral-rich, with clay soils that define La Cruz Vineyard. This site located in the lower portion of the Sonoma Hills close to the Petaluma River. Typical to this vineyard is a bright acidity. Planted are Wente, Clone 4, and the Dijon clones 15 and 17.
Specs
Vintage: 2019
Varietal: Chardonnay
Appellation: Petaluma Gap
Harvest Date: September 16-20, 2019
pH: 3.6
Alcohol: 14.2%
Bottling Date: May 3-5, 2020
Cases: 1,600
2019 Casa Rosé of Syrah, Sonoma County
Tasting Notes
Fresh, fruity and full of tempting citrusy tang, this irresistible Rosé is layered with crisp minerality that lingers luxuriously after each and every sip. This is not your typical fruity Rosé wine.
Winemaking Notes
Our Rosé of Syrah is entirely made up of a blend of Syrah grapes grown all over the Sonoma Coast. Our goal is to create a beautifully balanced wine with low alcohol and vibrant minerality. The grapes were hand harvested at dawn on September 18th, 2019 and brought to the winery to begin a three-hour cold maceration. After maceration and the perfect pale salmon color was attained, the juice was pressed in a very gentle cycle to remove unwanted phenolics and tannin. With minimal oxygen exposure, the juice is transferred to stainless steel tanks for a brisk four-week fermentation at a temperature of 48-55 F. We used Nomacorc 100 closures, with a specific low oxygen ingress rate, eliminating any oxidation. Nomacorc 100 is a 100% plant-based closure with a carbon neutral footprint, aligning with our mission.
Specs
Vintage: 2019
Varietal: Syrah
Appellation: Sonoma County
Harvest Date: October 2019
pH: 3.57
Alcohol: 13.81%
Total Acidity: 0.18
Coopers and Age: Steel Fermented
Bottling Date: July 7-8, 2020
Included in the Box
6-bottles:
3x 2019 Casa Chardonnay, Petaluma Gap, Sonoma County
3x 2019 Casa Rosé of Syrah, Sonoma County
Case:
6x 2019 Casa Chardonnay, Petaluma Gap, Sonoma County
For over 30 years, this 650 acre ranch has been the home of Arturo and Deborah Keller. Beyond its beauty, history and charm was a potential for a world-class vineyard. After many years of producing grapes for various wineries, the Keller Estate label was born in 2000. Arturo’s daughter Ana, a biochemist, joined the team, eager to create the most exquisite wines for the estate. Today, they produce some of the best wines in the Sonoma Coast.
Available States
AZ, CA, CO, CT, DC, FL, GA, ID, IL, IN, IA, KS, LA, ME, MD, MA, MI, MN, MO, MT, NE, NV, NH, NJ, NM, NY, NC, OH, OK, OR, SC, SD, TN, TX, VT, VA, WA, WV, WI, WY
How much more are you saving by buying a full case?
(Note: Tax & Shipping not included in savings calculations)
Casa Wines Chardonnay & Rosé by Keller Estate - $30 = 21.42%
Torn on this one. The rosé sounds like it’s right up my alley, but I’m not a big Chardonnay fan (especially over-oaked ones), and I’m overstocked on whites. But summer is coming…
And then @suebee22 says it’s not an oaky Chard, so maybe it’s one I’ll enjoy more… and the price sure looks good.
Guess I’d better get to work on depleting the stocks before this shows up.
2019 Casa Sonoma County Rosé Syrah
Earlier in the week I received the coveted Lab Rat email. Normally, I would be thrilled at the opportunity to rat, but this week was a bit complicated. ddeuddeg and I are singing in our church choir for Holy Week services. We thought the bottle would arrive on Thursday, but that didn’t happen. ddeuddeg was able to get it diverted for pickup at our local UPS depot on Friday. He got it home and we found that it was a 2019 Casa Sonoma County Rosé Syrah by Keller Estate in Petaluma, CA.
We popped it into the fridge and ddeuddeg immediately came up with a food pairing that he thought would work, as he mentioned in his review. I wasn’t so sure about that. But I do trust his judgement. I opened the bottle a few minutes before dinner was ready. This rosé was a beautiful, crisp-looking salmon color. It had a nice citrusy crispness on the nose. Upon first taste, I got an explosion of strawberries and some citrus with a well-balanced acidity. It had a long, pleasant finish. As it warmed up during dinner, the flavors were even more intense and enjoyable. I can see this as a porch wine for quaffing or with some cheese and crackers or as a dinner wine. This is a screaming deal at the Casemates price!
2019 Casa Sonoma County Rosé Syrah
After some machinations with the folks at UPS to make sure we got our hands on this wine in time, we had the opportunity to taste a bottle of 2019 Keller Estate Casa Rosé of Syrah with our dinner on Good Friday.
Some may find a plastic cork, as well as the lack of a foil or plastic seal, to be a bit off-putting. I’m more interested in what’s in the bottle.
First of all, a lovely salmon color, and then, in the glass, a nose of peaches and honey (yes, honey). First taste brought flavors of strawberries, red raspberries, Queen Anne cherries, crisp and dry, and not a hint of heat. Moving on to dinner, we discovered it to be the perfect accompaniment that I’d been hoping would work with my Veracruz style red snapper (recipe upon request), asparagus, and steamed white rice. We also discovered, as nice as the wine was at first, it continued to improve as it warmed up a bit. A terrific wine helped make it a terrific dinner.
We’ve had some really nice rosé, but this one was truly special. I could see paying possibly as much as $20 for a wine of this quality, but the website has it at $18. Don’t know anything about the Chardonnay, but at the case price here less than $10 a bottle, a “screaming deal” worth taking a chance on “sight unseen”.
2019 Casa Chardonnay, Petaluma Gap, Sonoma County
Good morning and Happy Easter!
As mentioned in my brief incomplete report yesterday, this wine was a pleasant surprise. I am one of those people that do like more oaky buttery chardonnays…maybe it’s a Brit thing…or my bad judgement some might say (LOL)!
Anyway, I found this wine had a light fruity freshness, pear for me and a very slight nutty flavor on the tongue. I would say that the fruit was more prominent than the nut flavor. There was another flavor element, maybe vanilla, just couldn’t quite pinpoint what I was tasting, pleasant and definitely not overpowering. The finish was bright, with a very slight oaky soft finish. Sounds very contradictory when I read bright and soft finish, but it’s the only way I can explain it. Overall, this is a very easy to drink and pleasant Chardonnay.
I paired this with steelhead trout and a lemon-caper sauce, sides were orzo, zucchini and red pepper, this was a perfect match. Sometimes hesitant with lemony dishes either overpowering or bringing bitterness to the wine, but the combination of the lemon, capers and a slight creaminess to the orzo, brought a smoothness to the wine that made the wine even more enjoyable.
I ordered two cases, as the Rose sounds like a perfect summer sipper and 6 of each just didn’t seem enough!
Thanks again Alice and Casemates for allowing me the honor of being a rat.
2019 Casa Chardonnay, Petaluma Gap, Sonoma County
Sorry for late incomplete post! Bottle arrived a day later than expected and other plans were already set. I did pour a small glass just to see and was pleasantly surprised with the light fresh taste, very minimal oak with a smooth finish.
I will have a better report tomorrow, would strongly suggest purchasing at this price point.
@SueBee22 thank you. Was worried about too much oak!
i really think Chardonnay gets a bad rap.
@Winedavid49 Maybe. For us, it’s just the overly oaked ones that we don’t like as much as the unoaked, minerally ones. Have to admit, though, that’s a change from 15 years ago. Thanks in large part to you and @rpm and the other friends we’ve met here and on the other site, our tastes have evolved. Thanks.
@ddeuddeg @rpm @Winedavid49 100% agree, historically had too many buttery oaky and took time to figure out how to pre-identify them to avoid it.
@bunnymasseuse @ddeuddeg @rpm i cut my teeth with wine at the original Viansa winery. Sam Sebastiani made a chardonnay called “cento per cento”. 100 %barrel aged, 100 % malolactic fermentation. loved it iced cold.
i sneak in an oak butter bomb when no one is watching…
@bunnymasseuse @ddeuddeg @Winedavid49 Not a bad way to start out… My first Chardonnays were Chablis, and, of course, the early Wente Chardonnays, all of which were lovely, and some of which, e.g. the 1962, were truly memorable. The style for oaky, buttery Chardonnay began with the 1957 Hanzell, which was very good. It was the first time, as far as I know, that someone in California tried to make a ‘proper’ white Burgundy style Chardonnay. I seem to remember reading that around 1960 or so, there were only 50-100 acres of Chardonnay planted in California. The best California whites in the real old days - pre-Prohibition - were Rieslings, and even by the late ‘50s, early ‘60s, the serious whites (never seen as equal to the serious reds after Prohibition and before the 1970s) were mostly still Riesling and varying blends of Sauvignon Blanc and Semillion - which when well done came out fairly close (without the gravely hints) to a white Bordeaux, but a bit richer. ‘Tis a pity no one makes those wines anymore, because they were good with seafood (better than most current Sauvignon Blancs) and reasonable warm summer sippers if very cold.
If I had to have only one white wine, it would still be Chardonnay, though I can’t stand the butter oak bombs. Well made, a Chardonnay can show the effects of oak and have the butteriness of a great white Burgundy, but it isn’t as common as it should be in California. Those who remember the 2008 and 2010 rpm Magical History Tours will remember my praise for the 2006 and 2007 Ramal Vineyard Chardonnays (various clones) from Buena Vista, which I said I thought could be as good as premier cru white Burgundy. I think I posted here or on Facebook’s woot page a few weeks ago that we had a 2007 Buena Vista Ramal Dijon Clone: it was absolutely stunning! As good as any premier cru white Burgundy I’ve had at the age of 10-15, and better than some grand cru.
@bunnymasseuse @ddeuddeg @rpm @Winedavid49
The post was just a few weeks ago, here
@bunnymasseuse @ddeuddeg @rpm @Winedavid49
RPM, have you ever had any of the Liquid Farm wines? Their mission is to make Burgundy-styled wines. They do a more Chablis-style called White Hills and a more Côte d’Or style called Golden Slope. Neither is cheap, but not crazy expensive either. Their tête de cuvée is called FOUR, and that gets pretty pricey.
@bunnymasseuse @rpm @Winedavid49 Lafont-Fourcat Blanc is a really nice white Bordeaux. Can’t get it around here, but a number of the ABC stores in Florida have it in stock.
With bahwm and ddeuddeg saying it’s a truly special pink wine, this becomes suddenly very tempting.
@klezman I was just about to say this! $9/per from Keller 2nd label is an easy one. Just wish it was an all pink offer. Not a big chard fan
Casa Wines Chardonnay & Rosé by Keller Estate
6 bottles for $69.99 $11.66/bottle + $1.33/bottle shipping
Case of 12 for $109.99 $9.17/bottle + $1/bottle shipping
2019 Casa Chardonnay
2019 Casa Rosé
First!
/giphy unknowing-candid-weaver
@bent80 nice!
@Winedavid49 Realistic shipping date on the Keller Casa?
@kaolis they are just around the corner. probably get it in on Tuesday and start shipping Wednesday/thursday. no later than following Monday.
@Winedavid49 Thanks for getting back. It’s been a busy day, cases really gone?
@kaolis i’m not getting any response. sorry.
@Winedavid49 No reason to to be sorry. It’s Easter for you too, thanks for trying!
This is a rare two-case purchase for me, and I still have no idea where I’ll put it (on top of the Gruet or Pedroncelli?), but the nice reviews on the rosé made me realize I’d want more than 6 bottles. And now I’m seeing a bit about the Chardonnay, so, yeah, the season is here for those backyard sippers while I watch my tomato plants grow (hopefully)!
@agailb what state are you in? (i can look it up, but lazy…)
@Winedavid49 California. Specifically, San Fernando Valley, and it’s already in the 80’s here this week!
2 case-er. Summer is coming
/giphy credible-agile-warlord
@pupator neither credible nor warlord
@pupator but a surprisingly appropriate giphy
Hopefully the chard rat shows up!
Don’t drink a lot of chards, and recently bought the Pedroncelli chard/sav.blanc case. Had one of the chards tonight and really enjoyed it. Based on the rats, decided to pull the plug on this one.
/giphy squalid-progressive-magician
Casa Wines
2019 Vintage Notes
2019 Casa Chardonnay, Petaluma Gap, Sonoma County
Tasting Notes
Winemaking & Vine Notes
Specs
2019 Casa Rosé of Syrah, Sonoma County
Tasting Notes
Winemaking Notes
Specs
Included in the Box
6-bottles:
Case:
Price Comparison
$295.25/Case at Keller Estate Winery for 6x 2019 Casa Chardonnay, Petaluma Gap, Sonoma County and 6x 2019 Casa Rosé of Syrah, Sonoma County
About The Winery
Available States
AZ, CA, CO, CT, DC, FL, GA, ID, IL, IN, IA, KS, LA, ME, MD, MA, MI, MN, MO, MT, NE, NV, NH, NJ, NM, NY, NC, OH, OK, OR, SC, SD, TN, TX, VT, VA, WA, WV, WI, WY
Estimated Delivery
Monday, Apr 26 - Wednesday, Apr 28
How much more are you saving by buying a full case?
(Note: Tax & Shipping not included in savings calculations)
Casa Wines Chardonnay & Rosé by Keller Estate - $30 = 21.42%
NYC Family, willing to split any.
/giphy waning-woeful-drake
Seems pretty low risk high reward.
/giphy missing-vicious-cushion
/giphy abandoned-hyperactive-scrooge
Damn! No PA? That’s a first!
@salpo i’m checking on this. may have been an error.
@salpo @Winedavid49 @wccwinegirl
Any updates on PA?
It is listed as a ship-to state at checkout.
Torn on this one. The rosé sounds like it’s right up my alley, but I’m not a big Chardonnay fan (especially over-oaked ones), and I’m overstocked on whites. But summer is coming…
And then @suebee22 says it’s not an oaky Chard, so maybe it’s one I’ll enjoy more… and the price sure looks good.
Guess I’d better get to work on depleting the stocks before this shows up.
/giphy standing-loud-pickle
/giphy simple-torrential-scent
At this price and after reading the LabRat reviews, I was seriously tempted to get two cases. However, I’m not even sure where I’ll put this one.
bummer, I was late to this and the cases are all gone.
oh well better to have loved and lost… in for a half.
Any more cases?
@nicholasachappe @winedavid49
or PA shipping?
@nicholasachappe @rjquillin confirmed no PA. working on increased cases. but it’s Easter… not sure if we can pull off.
Will be forever in your debt if you can increase the cases
. Impressed they are already sold out.
Would love a case if more become available
Really annoyed I had to get to 6 packs instead of a case!
@rpm you don’t seem like a late to the wines kinda peep!
@rpm welp, all your buddies bought double, sucked it all up today
@rpm bahwm and I posted our reviews early enough.