JCCCNC Board of Directors' Personal Wine Collection

Our Board of Directors certainly love their wines, and we asked them to donate a bottle or two of their personal favorites. A bakers dozen case (13 bottles) this special collection would make a very nice start, or addition, to your own wine cellar. These bottles are good to drink now, but will be fantastic if you have the patience to hold onto them for a few years. Here is what you can expect in this year's selection: 

JCCCNC Board Member Kyle Tatsumoto

2011 Sea Smoke Santa Rita Hills Southing Pinot Noir

Wine Spectator 88 Points.  Attractive ripe plum and blueberry notes turn firm and taut, with snappy tannins holding the flavors on the palate, ending with a cleansing aftertaste.  Drink through 2022. 

JCCCNC Board Member Naomi Funahashi

2013 Solena Yamhill-Carlton District Domaine Danielle Laurent Pinot Noir

Wine Spectator 90 Points.  Light, fresh and inviting, with raspberry, guava and spice flavors on a sleek frame, picking up speed as the finish delivers.  This has presence and a sense of refinement.  Drink through 2021. 

JCCCNC Board Member Robert Sakai

2012 M. Chapoutier Châteauneuf-du-Pape La Bernardine

Wine Spectator 90 Points.  Focused, with a solid core of red currant and raspberry fruit lined with brambly tannins and backed by dried anise and lavender notes.  A light echo of warm stone runs through the finish, adding length.  Drink through 2022. 

JCCCNC Board Member Robert Sakai

2013 Joseph Phelps Sonoma Coast Freestone Cellars Chardonnay

Wine Enthusiast 95 Points & Editor’s Choice.  This offering from the cooler outpost of Freestone is so deliciously crisp, bright in minerally lemon and fresh pear.  It lingers on the palate in complex ways, elusive one moment, then exuberant the next – a celebration of ideal vintage and place.  Drink over the next two to three years. 

JCCCNC Board Member Marilyn Oshiro

2014 Clos De L'Oratoire Des Papes Châteauneuf-du-Pape

Wine Spectator 89 Points.  Dusty cherry and cassis fruit flavors glide throughout, with sandalwood, lavender and wet stone notes chiming in.  Drink through 2020. 

JCCCNC Board Member Peter Weber

2014 Rock Wall Papa’s Syrah

Over the top in quality, and both viscous and gigantic in flavor and texture.  Aromas of aged leather, blackberry, white pepper and a nuance of mint with flavors of blueberry, vanilla bean, sea salt and a tobacco leaf finish.

JCCCNC Board Member Myron Okada

2010 Hafner Cabernet Sauvignon, Alexander Valley

Fruit forward with aromas of raspberries, blueberries and cassis.  Rich, complex on the palate.  Notes of carpaccio, nutmeg, mint and a bittersweet chocolate finish. 

JCCCNC Board Member Kelly Walton

2012 Heitz Cabernet Sauvignon, Napa Valley

Aromas of fresh-picked blackberry and cassis abound from this lively wine.  A beautiful, inviting wine that effortlessly balances classic Cabernet richness with silky tannins on the palate.  This is a quintessential Cabernet Sauvignon through and through--at once charming and complex.

JCCCNC Board Member Terry Akiyama

2004 McKenzie-Mueller Cabernet Franc

Aromatics of juicy berries, earth, and spice with a measure of dark chocolate leap from the glass.  The tannins are evident but smooth and velvety in the mouth.  A refined and balanced cabernet franc. 

JCCCNC Board Member Donna Kimura

2014 Athenaeum Cabernet Sauvignon, Napa Valley

Athenaeum Cabernet Sauvignon radiates with extraordinary depth and charisma showcasing aromas and flavors of blackberry, cherry and chocolate.  The finish is long and seamless, accented by richly textured tannins to complete this masterpiece.  (Valued at $40)

JCCCNC Board Member Ryan Kimura

2015 Matthew Joseph Cabernet Sauvignon, Napa Valley

Expressive from the get go, the nose is redolent with classic cassis and saddle leather, milk chocolate, black cherry, spicy black plum, and warm notes of cinnamon, nutmeg, and vanilla.  In the mouth, the broad, creamy tannins blend well with mouth-filling complex flavors of sarsaparilla, sweet pipe tobacco smoke, and dark chocolate. A lingering presence of vanilla and spice persists throughout the impressive finish.  (Valued at $27)

JCCCNC Board Member Jon Shindo

NV Caymus Red Schooner Voyage 2, Malbec

A dense, dark red, this wine opens up with the scent of ripe plums and cherries, layered with hints of unsweetened baking chocolate.  On the palate, it is powerful, concentrated, supple and persistent, with generous favors of French oak that support but don’t dominate.  This wine carries through to a complete finish, balanced and integrated with soft tannins that imbue it with both structure and balance.

JCCCNC Board Member Sherilyn Chew

2016 V. Sattui Moscato

Italians like sparkling wines, but they prefer lighter bubbles, that they refer to as “Frizzante.”  This V. Sattui Moscato, which is only available at the winery, is made in this style, lighter-bodied, slightly carbonated, lower in alcohol and with just a little sweetness.