A dark bluish-black, thick-skinned, complex grape native to The Alto Adige region of Northern Italy.
This wine is deeply complex, boasting aromas of blackberries and plums with hints of tobacco upfront. Layered herbaceous undertones throughout, and velvety supporting tannins that make a long, lasting finish.
An estate wine produced from our select one-acre vineyard - San Floriano.
Specs
Vintage: 2015
Varietal: Lagrein
Appellation: San Luis Obispo
Aging: 9 months in 25% new French oak
Alcohol: 14.1%
Winemaker: Romeo A. Zuech
Production: 100 cases
2013 & 2014 Piedra Creek Pinot Noir
Tasting Notes
Made in the Burgundian style, this is an elegant, fruit-forward, and balanced wine that captures the essence of the Pinot Noir grape. The resulting wine is an elegant experience of wild strawberry and stone fruits supported by soft velvety tannins. Vibrant acidity, traces of light vanilla toast, and subtle hints of cherry blossom round out the lasting finish.
Piedra Creek Winery was conceived atop a small knoll in the heart of the MacGregor Vineyard overlooking the beautiful Edna Valley of San Luis Obispo, California. In 1984 Piedra Creek Winery became the smallest bonded winery in the Edna Valley, if not the state of California, originally producing only a couple hundred cases of estate sourced Chardonnay. The ultra-small batch wines quickly gained notoriety. The grapes used would not come from a selected vineyard, nor from blocks within vineyards, but rather from only the best sections of the 55 acre Chardonnay vineyard. The result: only the best fruit would be used to make the finest wines possible.
Owners Romeo “Meo” Zuech and his wife Margaret are legends for introducing grape varieties from the Alto Adige, Italy region to San Luis Obispo County and Edna Valley. Together they planted Gewürztraminer, Lagrein, Dornfelder, Marzamino, and Teroldego. Margaret and Meo were the first to bring the Lagrein grape to the United States from Meo’s homeland in Bolzano, Italy.
Meo will also be remembered for his legacy in the aerospace industry. He was a specialist in metallurgy and developed six metal alloys used in building multiple NASA space vehicles in the early 1970s and 1980s. The alloys he developed were used in the Apollo 11 Mission and moon landing, and played a key factor in returning the space shuttle back to earth.
Available States
AZ, CA, CO, CT, DC, FL, GA, ID, IL, IN, IA, LA, ME, MD, MA, MI, MN, MO, MT, NE, NV, NH, NJ, NM, NY, NC, ND, OH, OK, OR, PA, RI, SC, SD, TN, TX, VT, VA, WA, WV, WI
How much more are you saving by buying a full case?
(Note: Tax & Shipping not included in savings calculations)
Piedra Creek Lagrein and Pinot Noir - $45 = 24.99%
Lab rat checking in, Dec 16th, 2021 the year of our lord… hopefully I can figure out how to properly post pics this time.
Piedra Creek Winery 2013 Pinot Noir
We started at the bottom….
Again, I start lab rating with the wine cooler at around 64 degrees F.
Eye: Light and clear. No sediment.
Nose: Bacon jam, Red berry, more blueberry as it opens up. Doesn’t smell as strong as 14.3% alcohol.
Taste: I took the traditional 3 sips. 1st sip: ignore. 2nd sip: Definitely too cold, and could open up with the acid. 3rd sip: more smooth than tannic. I decided to leave in the decanter to open and warm up slightly- this was a good decision. The breathing really helped. Good wine!
Finish: dry, slight strawberry fruit roll up lingers.
I was guessing this was going to be 20 bucks on casemates, so I consider this a good value.
If you take the letters “Piedra Creek”, you can rearrange them to spell “Drake Recipe”.
Cherries, berries, red fruit with a hint of oak: those are the impressions that first come to mind with this Piedra Creek 2015 Lagrein
All in all delicious, like one of the better Zins. A great buy for those, who like cherries/red fruit, etc.; not so much for those who don’t.
I shared the bottle with the daughter-in-law (DIL) as my son was traveling. She laid out quite a spread consisting of three cheeses, venison sausage, nuts, olives, pickled mushrooms, sun dried tomatoes, and assorted crackers to nosh on while sipping.
The Lagrein went exceptionally well with a cranberry sauce coated goat cheese, which was on the sweeter, fruity side, and the cheddar cheese. But, alas, it did not fare well with the rosemary Asiago cheese. It certainly worked well with the venison sausage, various crackers and nuts.
This would pair well with roast beast or fowl as it has a moderate amount of acidity, which is unfortunately not specified in the description above. It has a moderately long finish, but not an overwhelming oakiness. Tannin levels are good; there is little to no pucker factor, which makes it somewhat similar to a full bodied Zin, in my book.
The wine itself is a deep red color with some legs. Quite nice in appearance, actually.
I confess I was not familiar with a Lagrein and had to look it up. I learned that it is an Italian variety of deeply colored grape found in the North of Italy and is not at all common in domestic wine found on these shores.
This is pretty much what I found on the back of the bottle as well, though I didn’t look at that until I had tasted the wine and done my own research.
I prefer to reach my own judgements and considerations first. On the whole, that description was apt, though I noted more cherry than blackberry and plum.
We both liked it. And when I asked the DIL what she thought the price point would be for this, she guessed it would be about $20/bottle. I concurred that it would be in the $20-$30 range at retail. The retail price at the winery is higher, of course, but a $19-$20 price represents an average retail price as far as I can tell. Trouble is that with only 100 cases produced, I think you would be hard pressed to find it at a retail outlet.
I think it will be drinkable for a few years yet, though I suspect that it is near it’s peak now at six years old. That may be something to consider if you are thinking of cellaring this one.
All in all, we both recommend this 2015 Piedra Creek Lagrein–if you like cherries, berries, and red fruit, that is, as do we.
When the offer came live I see that this is a 24-hr. mixed case, which speaks to the fact that quantities are limited. I can’t comment on the 2013 and 2014 Pinot Noirs, but if they are as good as the Lagrein, I wouldn’t hesitate to commit to a case or two. I only wish this offering was for a complete case of the Lagrein! I don’t think it would last long in my neighborhood, as the DIL and probably my son as well, would be ready recipients of any that should flow their way.
@Jackinga I meant to mention in my Lab Rat report that there was a small, but not excessive, amount of sediment, aka “wine diamonds” of potassium and calcium tartrates at the bottom of my glass on the first pour. Not especially important, but it does indicate to me at any rate that this wine is maturing and is best consumed in the next few years.
First pour: Very light in color. Candied cherries and pomegranate on the nose. Light alcohol, not astringent at all.
First taste: Black current and cherry. Moderate alcohol with lite tannins. Very pleasant.
We then decanted for an hour and paired with a dinner of grilled pork chops and Greek salad. It went very well with this dinner and did not overwhelm either dish.
As we continued drinking through the evening, the wine continued to open up showing more stone fruits, and earthiness. My wife enjoyed the “light tang” initially that wore off through the bottle.
Overall a solid wine that we also guess was going to be around $20/bottle offering. Seeing the price on casemates seems to be a good deal and we will be in for a case, even though we have way too much wine around right now.
I judged the Dan Berger International wine competition yesterday in Santa Rosa. A Lagrein was in the running or taste off for best red of the judging. And it won. Can’t say which winery it was until the competition officially produces the results. But, how many Lagrein wines are out there. I’m in.
We are in for the case. First taste of legrein was from Paso Robles a few ago and we liked it a lot and have been looking for it ever since. Great wines come from the SLO area in our experience. The pinot noir is a pleasant kicker. Oregon owns that stuff but hey, you never know.
Odd that the 4 packs are available and cases are not. Will try again later, but not worth the carbon footprint of shipping on such a small quantity for me.
@eastcoastmary mine was supper delayed. Showed up a couple days ago and I cracked open a bottle tonight. Didn’t know what to expect and I’m really liking it! Amazing QPR one of the best values I have had on here! Looking forward to trying the PNs.
@dak52 ours finally arrived a few days ago. Always worried about where the box has been when there is a delay but it arrived in one piece. Opened the 2013 Pinot yesterday. I’m on day two as we speak. All seems to be good.
2015 Piedra Creek Lagrein
Tasting Notes
Specs
2013 & 2014 Piedra Creek Pinot Noir
Tasting Notes
Specs
What’s Included
4-bottles:
Case:
Price Comparison
Not for sale online, $486/case MSRP for 6x 2015 Piedra Creek Lagrein, 3x 2013 Piedra Creek Pinot Noir, 3x 2014 Piedra Creek Pinot Noir
About The Winery
Available States
AZ, CA, CO, CT, DC, FL, GA, ID, IL, IN, IA, LA, ME, MD, MA, MI, MN, MO, MT, NE, NV, NH, NJ, NM, NY, NC, ND, OH, OK, OR, PA, RI, SC, SD, TN, TX, VT, VA, WA, WV, WI
Estimated Delivery
Monday, Jan 10 - Thursday, Jan 13
Piedra Creek Lagrein and Pinot Noir
4 bottles for $59.99 $15/bottle + $2/bottle shipping
Case of 12 for $134.99 $11.25/bottle + $1/bottle shipping
2015 Lagrein
2013 Pinot Noir
2014 Pinot Noir
How much more are you saving by buying a full case?
(Note: Tax & Shipping not included in savings calculations)
Piedra Creek Lagrein and Pinot Noir - $45 = 24.99%
Lab rat checking in, Dec 16th, 2021 the year of our lord… hopefully I can figure out how to properly post pics this time.
Piedra Creek Winery 2013 Pinot Noir
We started at the bottom….
Again, I start lab rating with the wine cooler at around 64 degrees F.
Eye: Light and clear. No sediment.
Nose: Bacon jam, Red berry, more blueberry as it opens up. Doesn’t smell as strong as 14.3% alcohol.
Taste: I took the traditional 3 sips. 1st sip: ignore. 2nd sip: Definitely too cold, and could open up with the acid. 3rd sip: more smooth than tannic. I decided to leave in the decanter to open and warm up slightly- this was a good decision. The breathing really helped. Good wine!
Finish: dry, slight strawberry fruit roll up lingers.
I was guessing this was going to be 20 bucks on casemates, so I consider this a good value.
If you take the letters “Piedra Creek”, you can rearrange them to spell “Drake Recipe”.
@ecue what a great match, he? she’s? a bit unsure about that bottle
He (by birth).
I welcome more “Whose this wino taking a tiktok of me?” comments.
@ecue Sure, but… how about “Nice lamp”?
@ecue Great rattage - thanks love the lamp but love the pups more.
@drgonzo99 @ecue
Cherries, berries, red fruit with a hint of oak: those are the impressions that first come to mind with this
Piedra Creek 2015 Lagrein
All in all delicious, like one of the better Zins. A great buy for those, who like cherries/red fruit, etc.; not so much for those who don’t.
I shared the bottle with the daughter-in-law (DIL) as my son was traveling. She laid out quite a spread consisting of three cheeses, venison sausage, nuts, olives, pickled mushrooms, sun dried tomatoes, and assorted crackers to nosh on while sipping.
The Lagrein went exceptionally well with a cranberry sauce coated goat cheese, which was on the sweeter, fruity side, and the cheddar cheese. But, alas, it did not fare well with the rosemary Asiago cheese. It certainly worked well with the venison sausage, various crackers and nuts.
This would pair well with roast beast or fowl as it has a moderate amount of acidity, which is unfortunately not specified in the description above. It has a moderately long finish, but not an overwhelming oakiness. Tannin levels are good; there is little to no pucker factor, which makes it somewhat similar to a full bodied Zin, in my book.
The wine itself is a deep red color with some legs. Quite nice in appearance, actually.
I confess I was not familiar with a Lagrein and had to look it up. I learned that it is an Italian variety of deeply colored grape found in the North of Italy and is not at all common in domestic wine found on these shores.
This is pretty much what I found on the back of the bottle as well, though I didn’t look at that until I had tasted the wine and done my own research.
I prefer to reach my own judgements and considerations first. On the whole, that description was apt, though I noted more cherry than blackberry and plum.
We both liked it. And when I asked the DIL what she thought the price point would be for this, she guessed it would be about $20/bottle. I concurred that it would be in the $20-$30 range at retail. The retail price at the winery is higher, of course, but a $19-$20 price represents an average retail price as far as I can tell. Trouble is that with only 100 cases produced, I think you would be hard pressed to find it at a retail outlet.
I think it will be drinkable for a few years yet, though I suspect that it is near it’s peak now at six years old. That may be something to consider if you are thinking of cellaring this one.
All in all, we both recommend this 2015 Piedra Creek Lagrein–if you like cherries, berries, and red fruit, that is, as do we.
When the offer came live I see that this is a 24-hr. mixed case, which speaks to the fact that quantities are limited. I can’t comment on the 2013 and 2014 Pinot Noirs, but if they are as good as the Lagrein, I wouldn’t hesitate to commit to a case or two. I only wish this offering was for a complete case of the Lagrein! I don’t think it would last long in my neighborhood, as the DIL and probably my son as well, would be ready recipients of any that should flow their way.
@Jackinga I meant to mention in my Lab Rat report that there was a small, but not excessive, amount of sediment, aka “wine diamonds” of potassium and calcium tartrates at the bottom of my glass on the first pour. Not especially important, but it does indicate to me at any rate that this wine is maturing and is best consumed in the next few years.
@Jackinga thank you for the report. I was super interested in hearing about this one.
/giphy affable-fluffy-myrrh
2014 Piedra Creek Pinot Noir
Opening: Cork pulled cleanly with no issues
First pour: Very light in color. Candied cherries and pomegranate on the nose. Light alcohol, not astringent at all.
First taste: Black current and cherry. Moderate alcohol with lite tannins. Very pleasant.
We then decanted for an hour and paired with a dinner of grilled pork chops and Greek salad. It went very well with this dinner and did not overwhelm either dish.
As we continued drinking through the evening, the wine continued to open up showing more stone fruits, and earthiness. My wife enjoyed the “light tang” initially that wore off through the bottle.
Overall a solid wine that we also guess was going to be around $20/bottle offering. Seeing the price on casemates seems to be a good deal and we will be in for a case, even though we have way too much wine around right now.
@getinthemix thank you for the rattage, I love when there’s too much wine.
I judged the Dan Berger International wine competition yesterday in Santa Rosa. A Lagrein was in the running or taste off for best red of the judging. And it won. Can’t say which winery it was until the competition officially produces the results. But, how many Lagrein wines are out there. I’m in.
@ScottHarveyWine thanks for sharing that. I’ll be awaiting the results.
@WCCWineGirl Sorry, I just found out the Lagrein was not the Piedra Creek. Still look forward to trying the wines I ordered.
@ScottHarveyWine I just think it’s great that a Lagrein won for best red.
We are in for the case. First taste of legrein was from Paso Robles a few ago and we liked it a lot and have been looking for it ever since. Great wines come from the SLO area in our experience. The pinot noir is a pleasant kicker. Oregon owns that stuff but hey, you never know.
Any interest in a split from the MI folks?
I didn’t check the Casemates site early enough and the cases are sold out. Oh well! Maybe next time.
Can you add more cases? Would love to order one…
Odd that the 4 packs are available and cases are not. Will try again later, but not worth the carbon footprint of shipping on such a small quantity for me.
/giphy indulgent-freezing-dasher
Anyone on the east coast get their shipment yet? Mine was suppose to arrive two days ago but no sign of a delivery. The bad weather may be a problem.
@eastcoastmary oh, it is. i think they are probably ok, just delayed. but let me know.
Heh, fitting GIF above!
@eastcoastmary mine was supper delayed. Showed up a couple days ago and I cracked open a bottle tonight. Didn’t know what to expect and I’m really liking it! Amazing QPR one of the best values I have had on here! Looking forward to trying the PNs.
@dak52 ours finally arrived a few days ago. Always worried about where the box has been when there is a delay but it arrived in one piece. Opened the 2013 Pinot yesterday. I’m on day two as we speak. All seems to be good.
Winedavid 49, do you ever sleep? Thanks for the response.