Sunfish Cellars Wine Picks for Thanksgiving

Sunfish Cellars has some interesting wines and that is only going to get better with Hoyt Hill taking over the helm. My picks for the feast with solid pricing. I highly recommend that you check out their Napa Valley Tasting in December.

Rewards Program:

Sign up in store to get the following:

You get the 5% discount on any case purchase picked up in the store

You also, as part of the rewards program, get 2% credit towards future purchases

Check out their Black Friday Wine Sale which will take place this Friday and Saturday!!!

When guests arrive:

2015 Schramsberg Vineyards Blanc de Blancs – USA, California (9/22/2019)
This is nice. Shells, sour apple, lemon, pie crust and spice. Medium plus and good acidity. Drinks like a well made NV Champagne. (92 points) $28.99

N.V. Gosset Champagne Brut Excellence(France, Champagne) $39.99

Starter Wine

2014 Cambria Chardonnay Bench Break – USA, California, Central Coast, Santa Maria Valley (3/14/2019)
Day 1: This drinks well beyond the price point of $10. Very similar to a Ramey Sonoma. Lemon, oak, apple, spice and orange peel notes. Medium finish and nice Carmel character on the end. 89 points
Day 2: Wow this exceeds the price point big time. Lemon, oak, spice, vanilla beans and floral notes. Picks up the Carmel on the finish again. Solid medium finish. 89 points
Day 3: All gone on day 2 watching the Gophers beat Purdue.
Recommendation: Buy especially at the $9.99 price I paid for this. Drink now. (89 points) $18.99

2017 Alphonse Mellot Sancerre La Moussière(France, Loire Valley, Upper Loire, Sancerre) Your not cooking bring a nice Sauvignon Blanc for the host. $32.99

With Dinner

2018 Elk Cove Vineyards Pinot Noir Rosé – USA, Oregon, Willamette Valley (9/21/2019)
Sunfish Cellars Grand Tasting (Just $10) (Sunfish Cellars/I Nonni Minneapolis, MN): Rose wines from Oregon have been disappointing for me. This is drinkable but for $15.99 a bit pricy. Floral, light fruits and some spice. Short to medium finish. (87 points) $15.99

2016 Joh. Jos. Prüm Graacher Himmelreich Riesling Kabinett – Germany, Mosel Saar Ruwer (11/1/2019)
Day 1: Really solid with minerals, unripe peaches, apple and floral notes. Medium finish and great acidity. As with any Prum should age for a decade plus. 91 points
Day 3: Skipped day 2 on this one and nice transformation. Floral, melon, minerals, sour apples and unripe peaches. Very complex wine and drinking well now or later. 93 points
Recommendation: Based on the result on day 3 I would recommend to hold these however drinking well now also. (91 points) $32.99

2016 Fritz Haag Brauneberger Juffer-Sonnenuhr Riesling Spätlese(Germany, Mosel Saar Ruwer) Great Cellar Tracker average and great price $23.99

2015 Dr. Loosen Erdener Prälat Riesling Großes Gewächs Alte Reben(Germany, Mosel Saar Ruwer) $49.99 (A steal price and highly rated)

2014 Stangeland Pinot Noir Five Barrel(USA, Oregon, Willamette Valley, Eola – Amity Hills) $25.99 (One of the best value producers in Oregon)

Not as traditional but why not?

2017 Saint-Cosme Côtes du Rhône – France, Rhône, Southern Rhône, Côtes du Rhône (11/16/2019)
Day 1: Just named this a top five wine on my wine blog for under $20 today. Wonderful again with spice, Garrique, raspberries, dark cherries, minerals and minerals. Medium finish and complex wine. 100% Syrah. Love it. 90 points
Day 2: Nice again featuring stone, raspberries, pepper, earth and Garrique. Medium finish. 90 points (90 points) $13.99

2016 Roger Sabon Châteauneuf-du-Pape Reserve – France, Rhône, Southern Rhône, Châteauneuf-du-Pape (9/21/2019)
Sunfish Cellars Grand Tasting (Just $10) (Sunfish Cellars/I Nonni Minneapolis, MN): Had this at a tasting and this was amazing. Spice, red currants, floral, stone and minerals. Medium to long finish. Balanced wine and drinking amazingly well right now. This should drink well now to 2025.
80% Grenache, 10% Mourvedre and 10% Syrah (93 points) $45.99

2014 Seghesio Family Vineyards Zinfandel Old Vine – USA, California, Sonoma County (9/21/2019)
Sunfish Cellars Grand Tasting (Just $10) (Sunfish Cellars/I Nonni Minneapolis, MN): Solid Zin with spices, floral, earth, violets and underbrush. Complex and medium plus finish. (92 points) $34.99

2010 Revana Cabernet Sauvignon – USA, California, Napa Valley, St. Helena (9/21/2019)
Sunfish Cellars Grand Tasting (Just $10) (Sunfish Cellars/I Nonni Minneapolis, MN): This wine stood out at a tasting of over 100 wines. On a pop and pour this was rocking. Blueberries, cherry, mild oak, pencil lead, chocolate and spice. Medium to long finish. Balanced and in the perfect drinking window right now. I would not wait too long on these. (94 points) $140.00 Great drink!!!