Golf and wine have at least a couple of things in common. One is that they both involve a pursuit of perfection that mostly ends up falling short, but results in a very enjoyable experience. Enjoyable, that is, if you like golf or wine! Another is that a big part of what makes both enjoyable is based on companionship and storytelling. Can you imagine truly enjoying a wine if you couldn’t share it with a friend, and talk about where it came from, how it was made, or the unique story of the vineyard owner or winemaker? And likewise with golf – if it was all about perfecting your game, there would hardly be any reason to have a bar back at the club, now *would there. And these are the sorts of things that make these special Ben Hogan wines we’re featuring worth a look, and probably a great gift idea for Father’s Day, or for the golfer in your life, regardless of gender. The wines themselves are not exceptional wines, but they’re actually pretty good. And pretty good is usually more than enough when it comes to wine or golf. As a woman we know who is both a wine rep AND a golfer said, “who cares about 90+ ratings when the juice is good, and you have good company!” And you’re in pretty good company in this case; if you know anything about golf, you know who Ben Hogan is. And if you don’t, there’s Wikipedia. And the story of how this wine happened is a fun story in itself. Especially the little details like how when the California vineyard’s owner Matthew Talbert – who is Australian – printed his newly hired (and award winning) winemaker Chris Cameron’s business cards with his name upside down. Get it? Talbert is from “down under”. The wines are in fact made in partnership with Ben Hogan products, so if you’re thinking about gifting, you might want to check out Ben Hogan apparel and golf gear to accompany the wine. Oh yeah. Back to the wine itself! We have a limited number of the collector’s sets, finished with each bottling matching numerically (only 500 were produced), individually wrapped, and containing a Certificate of Authenticity. We also have a few of the three and two bottle packages, and a lot of individual “Tribute” series wines listed below. These wines are a good value anyway, but the numbered collections are a steal. We got a good deal, and are passing it on to you. Remember:
As you walk down the fairway of life you must smell the roses, for you only get to play one round.
~ Ben Hogan
A commemorative box containing all 5 varietals. Every bottle has been masterfully designed in intricate detail. There are only 500 sets available individually numbered 1 of 500, etc., each set with its own Certificate of Authenticity. Originally $225.00, now $69.99 | |
Zinfandel |
The very ripe black cherry characters are almost overpowering, tempered only by the soft and rich palate. This wine is a real mouthful, it shows how extraordinary the variety can be. Normally a spicier wine, the fruit for this wine ripened very quickly and maintained its naturally balancing acidity. The potential existed for the wine to become way too alcoholic but the fermentation was arrested, leaving a balancing hint of residual sugar. Made with the ‘wow factor’ in mind, this wine suits foods with strong flavors, even a companion to chocolate, cakes and puddings. Very rarely does this variety give up this level of concentrated fruit. Was $20.00, Now $9.99 |
Carnoustie |
The Carnoustie is blended utilizing the strengths of Syrah, Cabernet and Merlot. Each varietal offers its own attribute to the blend. Syrah is rich, ripe and forward with a mouth-filling texture while Cabernet lends strength and ‘backbone’ to the wine. The addition of Merlot binds this wine together with its ripe middle palate weight and length of flavor. Again, the 2008 harvest year was dry and resulted in more intense and concentrated fruit. The Carnoustie is a wine for all seasons, something that will accompany almost any dish, certainly something worth experimenting with. Was $20.00, Now $9.99 |
Cabernet |
The 2008 Harvest had quite low yields and as a result the wines produced all possessed intense, concentrated fruit. In years like this it is critical to avoid over-ripe characters, this Cabernet is an exceptional wine, displaying its robust nature while maintaining balance structure. It is a full-bodied style with rich, ripe blackcurrant and black berry fruits, balanced with spicy oak and a firm, grippy finish, very typical of great examples of this variety. A true Bordeaux style, this is a wine that requires food dishes with equally resilient flavors, such as roasts and juicy steaks. Was $20.00, Now $9.99 |
Syrah |
The wine has concentrated ripe berry fruits with a hint of spice, cedar-like oak support and great length of flavor. Best described as ‘fleshy’, the palate is fruit forward and lasting with a supple tannin finish. Often reminiscent of ripe plums, the varietal characteristics and structure make this style a very unique food wine. It is possible to pair Syrah with a very broad array of dishes, especially lamb and rosemary. Was $20.00, Now $9.99 |
Chardonnay |
The Chardonnay is a style combining the pure fruit characteristics of the variety with careful winemaking techniques to offer a richly flavored, mouth-filling wine. Hints of ripe tropical fruit balance the subtle oak aromas, leading into a richly layered, complex palate. The wine has extended lees contact and stirring (called batonnage) with a minor percentage of malo-lactic fermentation, all adding to its structure. The winemaker’s Australian heritage is evident with this being a more fruit forward. Was $20.00, Now $9.99 |