Off The Vine recently posted reviews for both our Roussanne and Rose.

2007 Donkey & Goat Winery - Roussanne, El Dorado - 89
Fresh, and supple this wine offers notes of honeysuckle, citrus and pear. on the palate a creamy texture and nuanced mix of pear, more citrus zest and bread yeast. A long finish with a sort of lime-aid zip. We loved this wine. and wished there was a bit more to go around!

2008 Donkey and Goat - Grenache Rosé - McDowell Valley, Ca 89+
Wonderful salmon “think pink” colorgetsyou in the mood. This wine delivers sweet strawberry and floral aromas with an earthy minerality that reminds one of a fine Bandol from the south of France. With a refreshing acidity and good depth it should pair well with many foods. This is a winner!

Check out their site for great wine and food reviews.

Last night's Winemaker Dinner at Franklin Square Wine Bar in Oakland was a night of many firsts. It was the first time I'd ever been to the wine bar, but I dare say it will not be the last. What a cool little spot with some of the most energetic staff you'll ever see! Also, it was the first time I'd ever tasted goat. I must admit, after discussing the potentially cannibalisitic element of eating goat while drinking A Donkey and Goat wine, I was somewhat hesitant to dig in. But my tastebuds were so happy that I did, and I can only hope that the Donkey will someday forgive me for savoring his dear little friend.

And the wines, of course! This was the first time I sampled some of the finished and bottled--as opposed to barreled--spring releases. I thought I knew exactly what was in store, but I was quite taken by surprise! Compliments to Jake, the chef, for making such bold but happily-married pairings that really enhanced the individual wines. And the winemakers, of course, couldn't resist the opportunity to impose some experimental side-by-side vintage tasting. Comparing the Tamarindo Rousanne with it's (successful) experimental sibling, the El Dorado Rousanne, proved what a difference the extended lees contact on the latter made. The Tamarindo offered a refreshing citrus, while the Rousanne left long, rich taste of honey on the palate. Similarly, the singular addition of Counoise to make 2007's Three Thirteen into 2008's Four Thirteen transformed it, as one fellow diner vouched, from a 4 pm wine to a 9 pm wine. Indeed, when directly contrasted, the Three Thirteen flirts with fruit and the Four Thirteen shouts of spice. What a night of fabulous firsts for all!

Agent I is now batting for the other team. Check out THE DINNER to see a donkey beating a vulture. (Humane Society Approved.)

Watch the video at www.secretagentsofsyrah.com.

Every wonder what our Thirteen series is all about? Here is a short video to help you understand.

THE CRITIC is now live. The second video of our Secret Agents in action. Here we have a family affair (can you tell which actors are related). Plus I just LOVE Agent I duck-walking double time with a 500lb barrel of Syrah. Don't try that at home folks, he's a professional agent!

If you've not already check out Secret Agents of Syrah or join the Fan Page on Facebook or follow our agents on Twitter @agentsofsyrah.

Today we are launching SecretAgentsofSyrah.com. After hearing endless people in the industry to complain that it is hard to sell Syrah, we decided to do something about it.

Join the agency today! As an agent you will evangelize the value & quality of Syrah while helping the uninformed discover its beauty. As a bonus, you will help us save the world (or at least the wine drinking population) from drinking over priced, overly hyped, and average f!@#ing wines! Meet your fellow agents on Facebook where you can join the agency’s fan page or watch Agent P in action with the Director, colluding to show Mr. R, her date, the beauty of Syrah. Will she is able to turn MR. R???? .

Once trained, you can post videos of your covert ops as a Video Response on YouTube. The agency will select favorite videos to post on SecretAgentsofSyrah.com and those agents will receive a bottle of our Syrah. We will announce the grand prize winner at our Open House Party and award the winning agent a limited production, hand bottled 1.5 Liter Magnum of 2006 Fenaughty Vineyard Syrah.

This spring our wines are red, white and pink AND our most diverse to date. We have five new wines plus limited quantities left on two vineyard designate Syrahs. All are available for purchase at our online store (adonkeyandgoatwine.com/shopping) beginning MARCH 1st.

• 2008 Grenache Rosé, Isabel’s Cuvée, our much anticipated pink wine made from 90+ year old Grenache Gris vines in the Mendocino sub appellation of the McDowell Valley

• 2007 The Prospector Mourvèdre, our first ever 100% Mourvèdre bottling called The Prospector to reference the gold rush history of the El Dorado appellation

• 2007 Four Thirteen, our GSM blend "Thirteen" series with the addition of Counoise as the 4th of thirteen potential varietals

• 2007 Roussanne, a minuscule El Dorado Roussanne bottling where our experiment with extended lees contact produced a more opulent wine than Tamarindo, its sibling

• 2007 Brosseau Vineyard Chardonnay, a mere 75 case production of our Chablis inspired Chardonnay made with our ver jus blending (watch us on NBC’s In Wine Country http://www.inwinecountry.com/?cat=5970254&subcat=5038749&video=218 )

• 2006 Vieilles Vignes Syrah, the oldest Syrah vines in California (and all of North America) produce one of our most popular Syrahs from the same vineyard as our Rosé

• 2006 Fenaughty Vineyard Syrah, we firmly believe in El Dorado for Rhône and no wine illustrates our belief better than this gorgeous Syrah from the Fenaughty Vineyard

Our dance card for March is filling quickly but several events are still being confirmed. We will stay current at adonkeyandgoat.com/Tasting&Events.html. Today we can confirm a winemaker dinner on March 21st at FSWB in uptown Oakland and our spring release grand finale – our OPEN HOUSE PARTY on SAT MARCH 28th. Both are detailed as events here in our winery group (scroll down, look right). Beginning in April we start the road trips with NY, CT, VA, D.C. and more.

Jared and I sincerely appreciate your interest and support and look forward to sharing our newest creations.

Santé,

Tracey & Jared

*****For those that like scores…..

As 2008 came to a close both Tanzer and Parker weighed in on our wines:

November/December 2008, Stephen Tanzer's International Wine Cellar
Focus on the Central Coast by Josh Raynolds

2006 Fenaughty Vineyard Syrah, El Dorado, 91pts:
Inky ruby. Classic syrah aromas of red and dark berries, violet, anise and cracked pepper. Juicy and fresh, offering vibrant blackberry and candied plum flavors, with a jolt of pepper on the back. Gains sweetness on the lively, long finish. I really like this wine's balance and precision.

2006 Three Thirteen, California, 89pts:
(a blend of syrah, mourvedre and grenache) Bright red. Spicy red berries and cherry on the nose, with suave floral, herbal and Asian spice qualities adding complexity. Fresh red berry flavors are framed by dusty tannins and given a tangy edge by bitter berry skin and peppery herbs. Fresh, brisk and refreshing, with good closing snap. Imagine a cross between pinot noir and high-quality Cotes du Rhone. Just over 92% of this fruit is from El Dorado; the rest comes from Chalone.

2007 Tamarindo Roussanne, El Dorado, 90pts:
(12.8% alcohol) Silver-yellow. Dried lime, pear and beeswax on the nose, with a suave floral honey undertone. Energetic citrus and orchard fruit flavors are complicated by smoky minerals and bitter pear skin. Becomes sweeter and deeper on the finish, which features juicy mango and white peach qualities while maintaining focus. This is lovely right now.

December 2008, Robert M. Parker Jr.'s The Wine Advocate, Issue 180

2006 A Donkey and Goat Syrah Vieilles Vignes, 88pts:
More fruit, a deeper, fleshier mouthfeel, and sweet tannins characterize the simple, but delicious, hedonistic 2006 Syrah Vieilles Vignes. This fruit-driven 2006 should be consumed sooner rather than later. The finest effort in this quartet comes from the limestone soils of the Chalone appellation.

2006 A Donkey and Goat Syrah Reserve Brosseau Vineyard, 89pts:
The 2006 Syrah Reserve Brosseau Vineyard offers up notions of crushed rocks, chalk, red, and black fruits. This medium to full-bodied effort is the most French-like of this trio (no doubt because of the limestone soils). It is a beefy, substantial wine with remarkable minerality and freshness. Drink it over the next 7-8 years.

Reasons you should love our Four Thirteen.



We have started making the full video and will post it when it is done.