Friday Night Tasting Sheets, 2007
January 2007 (Sparkling Wines. Pinot Party, Under Ten Buck A Bottle, Blow Out XX)
February 2007 (Burgundy, Germany & Austria, Chateauneuf du Pape, COPE Benefit)
March 2007 (Zinfandels, Fortified Wines, Taste Tour of France, Oregon/Washington, Argentina)
April 2007 ($15 or $50?, Blow Out XXI, Under Twelve Buck A Bottle, Italy)
May 2007 (Germany, Mediterranean Reds, Rosé Wines, Mendocino County)
June 2007 (Syrahs, Sauvignon Blancs, Rhone Valley, Blow Out XXII, Washington Wines)
July 2007 (Hot Dog Weekend, M Party, Summer Sparklers, Under Twelve A Bottle)
August 2007 (Dippity Do, Rieslings, Southern Hemisphere, Blow Out XXIII, Spain)
September 2007 (Loire Valley, Burgundy, Grenache, Santa Barbara Wines)
October 2007 ($15 or $50?, Parker 91+ Points, Zinfandel, Italy)
November 2007 (Germany/Austria, Thanksgiving Wines, Blow Out XXIV, Rhone Valley, Pinot Noirs)
December 2007 (Napa Cabernets, Bring A Bottle, Gluhwein, Wines of Spain)
Notes from Friday Night Tastings, 2006
Check out our post-tasting notes, written beneath each wine on all the tasting sheets.
Our post-tasting notes are those written in this bold, italicized font.
Tasting of FRIDAY, DECEMBER 28
A. PALACIO DE FEFIÑANES Albariño Rias Baixas 2006 $18
The 17th century palace that is the winery is one of the most beautiful and historic buildings in Galicia, in the Rias Biaxas region of Spain, just north of the border of Portugal on the Atlantic Ocean. This famous winery has been producing Albariño (only) since 1904. The wine is zingy, tangy, citrusy, and a little floral. You can almost feel the sand between your toes as you drink this wine, due to the ocean influence on the vineyard.
Showed exactly how it should and what we expected. Crisp, floral and zingy. Superfine aperitif wine and dynamite with shellfish. Much enjoyed.
B. LADAIRO Godello Monterrei 2006 $16
Monterrei is located just north of the border of Portugal, in northwest Spain. We’re only about 30 miles inland from Rias Baixas and the Albariño wine above. The Godello grape, also known as Verdello, makes a zesty, zingy wine with a slightly oily texture and a pleasing freshness.
Big big hit. Had the tang of the Albariño above with a little more body. Had the highest sales during the tasting. So good and substantial and a relative bargain.
C. VINOS SIN LEY Garnacha "G3-Caliu" Terra Alta 2006 $12
Mediterranean Garnacha (Grenache), grown just south of Priorat, which is considered one of the great areas for Grenache. We always think of wild strawberries and white pepper as we drink great value Spanish Garnacha. Is the case here. Caliu in Spanish means warm and affectionate, so cuddle up to the “G3.”
The two Sin Ley wines were bought on pre-sell, so this was our first opportunity to try them. The Garnacha "has the beast within." I.e., there's a whiff of bret in the wine (earthy, animal, dusty scent). Classic Garnacha flavors of sweet strawberry and black/white pepper come through in the flavor. Not yo' typical juicy, simple Spanish Garnacha here. This is more for lovers of old-world Southern French wines we think.
D. VINOS SIN LEY Graciano "gra2-Traza" Rioja 2006 $15
Graciano, a native grape of the Rioja, fell out of favor over the years due to low yields. But, it’s coming back! A wine of strong character and substance, it makes a big wine for the money, as is the case with this wine.
A traza in Spanish is a trace, as in a painter’s first brushing. You’re not just drinking wine: IT’S ART!
Good, rustic red wine, and very much enjoyed and purchased this night. Brambly, earthy and free of "funk." Also, showed as tannic as advertised...in a good way. This chewy red will continue to evolve nicely for six-twelve months. Fun big red.
E. VINOS DE TERRUNOS "Lamilla" Jumilla 2003 $17
The Lamilla is 100% Monastrell (aka Mourvedre) from 60- to 80-year-old vines in Jumilla, a hip wine region in south eastern Spain. The wine was aged for 8 months in used French and American oak and bottled unfiltered and unfined. It is dark purple in color, and has lots of sweet earthy spice, dark berry, and Asian spice.
Very good wine. Balances new world fruit with old-world earth, in the words of one astute taster. Loads of flavors and nice nuance. Happy to have a little more around.
F. DESCENDIENTES DE J. PALACIOS "Petalos" Bierzo 2006 $24
The Petalos is from Castile-León, Spain. Location: above the northeast tip of Portugal. Moderate climate here where the Mencia grape (100% Mencia, all the time here) flourishes. For all I know Mencia is grown in Bierzo and nowhere else. Normally considered like a Loire Cab Franc, or a bigger Pinot Noir, this Bierzo is bigger than that. I think Southern Rhone on the nose with its licorice, potpourri and smoky nose along with sun-soaked berry fruit, cocoa notes and more spice.
Outstanding wine albeit showing its youth. Very smoky nose (smells like a Slim Jim sausage one declared) with big fruit and heartiness galore. We didn't decant, but we recommend doing so for maximum enjoyment should you imbibe in 2008. As remembered when first tasted, this is atypically BIG for Bierzo which is (normally) quite Loire Cab Franc-like.
G. CASTILLO DE MONTE Toro "La Reina" 2005 $16
100% Tempranillo. Toro is in the highlands, inland Spain, and known for making the most forceful Tempranillos (compared to Rioja and Ribera del Duero). This wine is more spicy than chewy with fresh, forward berry flavors and deliciousness.
Showed more butter (diacetyl) and popcorn on the nose than we experienced in the past. Lotta spice and bold, forward fruit in the mouth. A lot of flavor for the money here. Enjoyed pretty well this evening, but we think it coulda showed better.
Tasting of Friday, December 21 &
Saturday, December 22
Our sixth annual serving of the mulled, red warm wine.
Was dubbed by Dan "the best Gluhwein weekend EVER!"
Tasting of Friday, December 14
Bring Your Favorite Bottle Night
Entry fee for two wasone bottle of your favorite (or just ONE of your favorite) bottles of wine.
Share with others, and try all the rest. This was our fourth annual, and each one's been better than the last.
Tasting of FRIDAY, DECEMBER 7
On this Friday night we enjoyed big, rich, fruit forward Cabernet Sauvignons, Cabernet Franc, and Cabernet Blends from our neighbors in the Napa Valley. This is the line-up:
A. PHAEDRUS Cabernet Franc, Napa Valley 2004 $36
Cab Franc comes from Chiles Valley (east of the Valley floor). 25% Cab Sauv from Wolf Family Estate on the Rutherford Bench. Phaedrus is Wolf Family’s second label (and is Latin for wolf). Karen Culler Winemaker. 311 cases made.
Showed ample sweet fruit, light varietal character (pepper and violets), smoothness and deep, rich fruit. A fine launch to our tasting. I think everyone liked it! We call it a cross between a big Cab Sauv and a supple, forward Merlot.
B. T-VINE "T" Red Wine Napa Valley 2004 $45
36% Cab Sauv, 28% Cab Franc, 36% Petite Sirah. All northern Napa Valley floor fruit. Mostly French oak used (a little bit of American). Greg Brown Owner/Winemaker. 550 cases made.
The most obviously non-Cab Sauv of the tasting. Even less like a Cab Sauv than the Phaedrus above. The Petite Sirah and the T-Vine style equates to a big fruit bomb. Very good and strong and the most popular wine to take home of the night.
C. DIAMOND TERRACE Cabernet Sauvignon Diamond Mountain District 2003 $54
Five acre vineyard on Diamond Mountain. Joe Briggs Winemaker in 2003. This wine typically needs two+ years in bottle to shine. 250 cases made. This was our first tasting of this Diamond Terrace in a couple of years, and the bottle time has done it a lot of good. Mountainous in a very good way...truffle, spice, cedar and such. Good fruit underneath. We finished this bottle four days after opening it and it was drinking really well! Recommended for lovers of Napa Cabs from our mountains vineyards.
D. DAVID ARTHUR "Meritaggio" 2005 $55
This Pritchard Hill Estate blend is 68% Cabernet Sauvignon, 12% Sangiovese (thus the name), 18% Cab Franc, 2% Petite Verdot & Merlot. Bob Egelhoff Winemaker. This winery typically follows the “bigger is better” principal. This wine follows that creed. Showed its ample sweet oak and smooth, polished edges. This was as luscious and fruit forward as expected. And dark, and hearty. Not complex, but certainly yummy.
E. CRAUFORD Cabernet Sauvignon "Tattoo - Maroon Vineyard" 2004 $38
Hillside vineyard in Pope Valley (above the Valley floor to the east).
100% Cab Sauv. All French oak, 30% new. Named for the Tattoo Festival in Edinburgh.
The Crauford was very approachable. Where the 2003 "Tattoo" is still quite tightly wound, the 2004 version has always shown friendly, bright yet bold, dark fruity flavors. Customers agreed and many liked it the best of all seven wines poured. This is now one of our top recommendations for Napa Cabs to be drunk right now (and cost less than forty dollars).
F. EMILIO'S TERRACE Cabernet Sauvignon, Oakville "Reserve" 2004 $50
Oakville Estate vineyard behind Robert Mondavi Winery. 100% Cab. Sloping vineyard gives hillside structure and Valley floor opulence. Joe Cafaro Winemaker. Almost all French oak (5% American). 500 cases made.
Very deep, lush, rich and tasty. Lovers of toasty, sweet barrel were very pleased. Seekers of silky Cabs liked it too. We liked this wine a lot before the tasting, and tasters' response to it make us like it even more now.
G. CARAVINA Cabernet Sauvignon "Seavey Vineyard" 2004 $45
Second wine for Seavey Vineyard. In Conn Valley (basically below Howell Mountain, just east of the Valley floor. Philippe Melka consults on the winemaking. 76% Cabernet Sauvignon, 20% Petit Verdot and 4% Cabernet Franc. 40% new French oak. 650 cases made. This is the one wine that didn't taste as we expected. We found it tannic and very wound up when we first tasted it. But, after decanting pre-tasting, the Caravina was plenty supple and approachable. It was/is very good with a layer of dark earth, cocoa, cola and tobacco making it more interesting. Not the flashy style a la T-Vine and David Arthur, but a more brooding, interesting wine to us.
Tasting of FRIDAY, NOVEMBER 30
Pinot Noir Tasting
We poured Burgundy, New Zealand, Oregon and California this night. Here it is:
A. DOMAINE DE SUREMAIN Mercurey "Les Crets" 1er Cru 2005 $30
This "lesser" Burgundy town in the Côte Chalonnaise (about 12 miles south of Chassagne Montrachet) usually makes nice at best Pinot Noir...solid would be generous. Presented with a vintage like 2005, however, and Mercurey can have the fruit and body to make a complete, lovely wine. Nose is classic, with sweet earth and wild herbs coming to the fore. Solid, ripe, wild cherry and plum hit the palate with healthy acidity...but not tart nor tangy.
Lots of cherry on the nose and palate with classic Burgundy spice. Definitely more forward fruit than we are used to from Mercurey. This wine had quite a few fans, and only a few who felt it was too "classic" in the context of the other wines.
B. NEUDORF Pinot Noir "Tom's Block" Nelson, New Zealand 2005 $29
The town and wine region of Nelson is on the northern end of New Zealand’s South Island. It’s just west of Marlborough and is known for a bracing style of wine, be it red or white. We like this wine for what it is, and especially like it for its expression of New Zealand Pinot Noir: tobacco, spice and game mingle with abundant cherry, plum and cranberry nut bread. Enjoy it alone, and then think about it with fleshy grilled fish, hot off the BBQ.
This wine has opened up considerably from the last time we had it, and we were pleasantly suprised with the way the Neudorf has developed. Quite deep and rich, there were a lot of different layers of flavor, and the wine was quite interesting.
C. SOTER Pinot Noir "Beacon Hill" Yamhill-Carlton District 2005 $48
Tony Soter is firmly entrenched in Oregon, setting the standard for quality in the Willamette Valley. We're diggin' his "Beacon Hill," the first single vineyard Pinot he produced. This is a wine of structure and age-ability. Moderate oak influence allows classic Pinot flavors of red rose, baby powder, cigar box, black truffle and dry wild herbs merge with ample wild cherry, red currant, blueberry and cranberry. Powerful Pinot here that can match with roast pork, tender beef and (of course) duck and salmon.
The Soter was definitely one of the crowd favorites this night, and for good reason as the wine was very pretty. Big but not too big, with a soft, approachable powdery floral nose, and nicely balanced structure and body. We are quite pleased that we have more of the Soter to share with our customers.
D. ELYSE Pinot Noir Wild Horse Valley 2005 $45
The Elyse is from a 35 year old vineyard, located 1300 feet above the valley floor due east of the town of Napa. This is definitely a bigger, richer style of Pinot Noir, with ample cherry and plum fruit, allspice, cocoa, and a healthy kiss of oak on the finish. Give it some air and really watch it open up and shine. This is a safe bet for all lovers of big rich Pinot Noir. Approximately 150 cases produced.
This was my favorite wine in the tasting, and also the crowd favorite among our tasters, judging by most bottles sold. This is definitely in the Elyse house style; big, spicy, sexy and rich, with dark berry and cherry, the wine packs quite a punch on the palate. Not for the faint of heart.
E. KENDRIC Pinot Noir Marin County 2005 $31
Think Sonoma Coast intensity and Russian River silkiness when you see Marin County Pinot. We're just south of these regions, where the Pacific cools the vines way down while still pumping out ample sunshine. Not new to fine wine, Marin County is nevertheless striving to reach more fine wine palates. Forward, ripe wild berry fruit (a little jammy even) is framed by fine acidity, exotic spices (nutmeg, coriander and star anise come to mind) and a sturdy yet generous finish. This family owned, family-made "designer Pinot" is a great drink. Now that I think about it, throw in a little Willamette Valley into the comparison. Comes to mind as I think how nice a cut of wild salmon, perfectly grilled, would go with the Kendric.
The Kendric is tasty, well-made Pinot, but was overshadowed by some of the bigger, richer wines in the tasting. It lacked wow-factor.
F. AUTEUR Pinot Noir "Ophelia" California/Oregon 2006 $38
The Auteur blends 90% Sonoma Coast Pinot and Mendocino County Pinot Noir with 10% Willamette Valley fruit to make a rich, complex, juicy, very easy to like, big style of Pinot Noir. This is Mom & Pop, micro-production winemaking at its best. A Sonoma winery with a worldly view, Auteur makes delicious, distinctive Chardonnays and Pinot Noirs. "Ophelia" we find particularly rich, juicy, spicy, floral, exotic and delish. It's the style of Pinot Noir we're comfortable recommending to anyone who just likes REALLY GOOD red wine.
The Auteur was another crowd pleaser, delivering with dark rich fruit and nice concentration. We expect a lot of this winery, and they always exceed our expectations.
Tasting of friday, November 23
(The day after thanksgiving)
On this day after Thanksgiving we tasted:
A. DOMAINE DE FONDRÈCHE Rosé
"Instant Rosé" Côtes du Ventoux 2006 $14
Very crisp, very dry, white-wine like style of Rosé wine here. Grapes and Cinsault and Syrah. This wine was made from pressed grapes picked earlier than if they were to make a red. Not “bled off” of red juice (“saignée”) as is often the case. From the shadows of Mont Ventoux, which the bike racers climb up in the Tour de France sometimes.
This Rosé was very much enjoyed by our tasters. Crisp and fresh, it was more white wine like than many had expected, with lots of citrus flavors and a very clean palate.
B. DOM. DE LA BECASSONNE Côtes du Rhône Blanc 2006 $16
This is André Brunel’s property (maker of Les Cailloux, coming up next in your tasting.) The blend is 50% Roussanne, 33% Grenache Blanc and the rest Clairette. Pleasantly fleshy we feel.
The Becassonne is a perennial favorite around here, because it walks a very nice line between rich and crisp. It was a crowd pleaser as well, we sold almost all that we had available this night.
C. LES CAILLOUX Chateauneuf-du-Pape 2004 $48
Les Cailloux are the rocks of Chateauneuf. These potato-looking rocks soak up the day’s heat and radiate it through the night, making for an even riper, heady wine. Blend is 65% Grenache then Mourvedre, Syrah and Cinsault. Lovely, exotic aromatics and interplay of spice and fruit here.
MAGNUMS AVAILABLE TONIGHT. $98/each (discounted price).
The Les Cailloux is definitely a house favorite around BRW, and it was enjoyed this night as well. However, some of the bigger, flashier, less expensive wines we poured after stole the show, and we are pleased to have more of the Les Cailloux to sell.
D. ALAIN JAUME Lirac "Clos de Sixte" 2005 $22
The appellation of Lirac is across the Rhone River from Chateauneuf and shares much the qualities.
This single, enclosed (“Clos”) vineyard makes world-class wine every vintage. Blend is 50% Grenache, 35% Syrah, 15% Mourvedre.
The Lirac was one of the stars of the show. Big and rich with a lot of dark berry and spice, it really packs a lot of bang-for-the-buck in the bottle. For most, this was one of the more popular wines in the tasting.
E. CHÂTEAU DE MONTMIRAIL Vacqueyras "Cuvée de l'Ermite" 2005 $22
This appellation, five miles from Chateauneuf-du-Pape, is the forgotten child of the Southern Rhone. It’s coming back on the international wine circuit and deservedly so. We think this wine will show you why. It’s 60% Grenache and 40% Syrah. No oak on this, just the pure fruit and spice of the land.
The Montmirail was definitely spicier and had more pine and underbrush than we remembered. (Dan thought the nose reminded him of "Old Spice." Luckily I don't remember the 70's all that well.) Not un-appreciated, just different flavors than most of the other wines in the tasting.
F. YVES CUILLERON Syrah Vin de Pays des Collines Rhodaniennes 2006 $21
Our representative from the Northern Rhone tonight. This Vin de Pays area lies on the plateau above the steep, hillside vineyards of Côte Rôtie and Condrieu. Cuilleron makes stellar wine, be it elaborate Viognier or “simple” Syrah such as this. We think this wine really captures the essence of the grape. This is considered by many to be the birthplace of the Syrah grape.
This wine was definitely a hit, and nicely different from the others as well, being the only Northern Rhone in the tasting, and also the only 100% Syrah. Big and rich, with minty Syrah character, we all really liked this wine, and it was the clear winner for number of glasses sold.
G. LE CLOS DU CAILLOU Côtes du Rhône 2005 $23
This wine is famous for being surrounded by Chateauneuf-du-Pape vineyards. Apparently, the owner of the winery wasn’t well-liked when the appellation was drawn up! Our luck, for this wine merits double the price in our opinion. Blend is 90% Grenache, 8% Syrah, 2% Mourvedre.
This was the best-selling red wine in the tasting, and it boasts layers of flavors and ripe concentration. It drinks like many a good Chateauneuf-du-Pape, for a lot less money. We are very pleased that we have more to sell (and enjoy!)
Tasting of friday, November 16th
Four local winery owners/winemakers & one wine importer poured a very happy crowd
many wonderful wines.
This event, held five times a year at Back Room Wines, is a great deal and a great time.
Blow Out XXIV will featured these wineries and special guests:
(Blow Out XXV scheduled for Friday, January 25, 2008)
ODISEA WINE COMPANY
With Adam Webb, owner. He poured:
ODISEA Grenache Blanc "Angele" Paso Robles 2006 ($19)
ODISEA Albariño "Dream-Sueño Vineyard" Lodi 2006 ($16)
ODISEA "Veritable Quandry" Red Wine California 2005 ($16)
RAMIAN ESTATE
With Brian Graham, Owner/Winemaker. He poured:
RAMIAN ESTATE "Chapter Four" Bordeaux-Style Blend, Mt. Veeder, Napa Valley 2004 ($49)
RAMIAN ESTATE "La Morra" Dolcetto/Nebbiolo Blend, Mt. Veeder, Napa Valley 2004 ($40)
CULLER CELLARS
With Karen Culler, Owner/Winemaker. She poured:
CASAEDA Syrah Sonoma Coast 2005 ($21)
CULLER Syrah Napa Valley 2005 ($36)
WHITE ROCK VINEYARDS
With Chris Vandendressche, Winemaker. He poured:
WHITE ROCK VINEYARDS Chardonnay Napa Valley 2005 ($30)
MADIGAN Cabernet Sauvignon Napa Valley 2005 ($18)
WHITE ROCK VINEYARDS Claret Napa Valley 2002 ($40)
Tasting of Friday, November 9
Thanksgiving Wines
Here's what we tasted:
A. CAVALLOTTO Pinot Nero Langhe 2006 $25
Five generations of Cavallottos have tended the grapes on the hills in the center of the commune of Barolo, and are famous for the Barolos they produce. This wine is 100% Pinot Noir grape, skin pressed at the time of harvest and made into a white wine. Langhe on the label is the name given to the hills north and south of the town of Alba in Piedmont. We are looking forward to trying this wine for the first time with you tonight.
The Cavallotto was definitely interesting for all who tried it - not one person in our group had had a white wine made from Pinot Noir before. Dry and crisp with bright acidity, it appealed to lovers of crisp Sauvignon Blanc.
B. WILLOWBROOK Chardonnay "JCO Limited" Russian River Valley 2004 $20
This is a Chard that will appeal to all of you who like big, rich, fleshy, creamy low acid wines. It is from two vineyards, "Owl Ridge" and Sweeney," both in the Russian River Valley. This wine is designated “JCO Limited” because the winemaker (Joseph C. Otos) selected a small number of their best barrels of Russian River Chardonnay for this bottling.
The Willowbrook may very well be the polar opposite of the Cavallotto above. Rich, buttery, fleshy, and very low in acid, this wine was preferred by people who's palates are more New World in style. Many agreed that this would be a good accompaniment to rich buttery brined turkey. For some it was too big and fleshy.
C. CLAUDIA SPRINGS Pinot Noir "Klindt Vineyard" Anderson Valley 2004 $22
This high-quality, charming winery in the heart of Anderson Valley puts out quality wines year in and year out. Always fruit forward, always full bodied, always clean and varietally true, you can count on a good bottle of wine when it's from Claudia Springs. We REALLY like their "Klindt Vineyard" Pinot Noir, a big, forward, strong Pinot Noir with good acidity and bold wild cherry fruit. Great smells, like a bowl of raspberries, strawberries and red cherries gently mashed together. Excellent presence in the mouth...you really feel it. No wimpy Pinot here. And, more importantly, it's not stretched beyond its limits. This is a strong recommendation for the price.
Again we have a comparison similar to the last pair, although both of these wines hail from the same region. A lot of our tasters really enjoyed the Claudia Springs Pinot Noir, but for some they found the acid to be a bit bright, sandwiched between the Willowbrook and Elyse. We agree with most that this is a great value for such a solid California Pinot Noir, with ample amounts of good fruit to balance the acidity.
D. ELYSE Zinfandel "Eaglepoint Ranch" Mendocino 2004 $28
This is a one time offering for Elyse from this vineyard, and it is another rich and robust Zinfandel in the Elyse house style. Blended with 22% Petite Sirah, this is a mouthful. Powerful, jammy, low acid, smoky, and spicy, there is tons of sweet berry fruit. Nice bit of tannin in the finish.
We wish Elyse would make more of this wine, because it is so easy to love. Rich and ripe and really fruit driven, there is a mouth coating quality to this wine that is hard not to like. Our tasters really like the Elyse as well, and luckily we have a bit more for sale.
F. CAROD Clairette De Die $14
One of Dan’s Thanksgiving and Christmas traditions (besides wearing his Christmas socks) is to drink a bottle of Carod Clairette de Die as he cooks. (He welcomes assistance in drinking the bottle, to be sure.) Clairette de Die is a little known French appellation, in the Northern Rhone Valley. It's sparkling mostly-Muscat. Low alcohol (7.5%, thus he can drink it all no problem), a tad off-dry, smells and tastes GREAT. We find many think of this as an after dinner wine. We don't, but you may.
Even people who claimed not to like sweet wines were charmed by this wine. Not cloyingly sweet, it is light, interesting, slightly floral, and ever so charming, which is why it continues to be a BRW house favorite. Many agreed that this is the wine to drink while roasting your bird.
G. DOMAINE PIQUEMAL Muscat de Rivesaltes vin doux naturel 2005 $17
This is late harvest, fortified Muscat from the southern tip of France in the Languedoc-Roussillon on the Mediterranean Sea. It is produced the same way that Port is made, by adding high alcohol spirit during the fermentation process, to essentially stop fermentation and leave higher levels of residual sugar in the wine. We think this particular example is a perfect accompaniment to pumpkin pie, with flavors of orange zest, caramel, and sweet spices.
The Piquemal was enjoyed by all who like dessert wines. It was rich and concentrated, without being over the top. The muscat flavors of orange blossom and spice were definitely present, and we decided it would be just as good with pecan pie as well as pumpkin.
Tasting of friday, November 2
Germany and (a little) Austria
Here's the line-up we tasted:
A. SCHLOSS GOBELSBURG Grüner Veltliner "Gobelsburger" Kamptal 2006 $17
Let us begin with our representative from Austria. It's important to know that Germany is not the most like Austrian wines (the language is the same, but the wines are not!). Best comparisons are Friuli, Alsace and Loire Valley. Best way to describe: "if Viognier and Sauvignon Blanc had a baby, it would be Grüner Veltliner." In this wine, besides the crisp citrus sensations, think pine nuts, white pepper and dill.
This Grüner was a great way to start our tasting. Bone dry, yet nicely rich on the palate, it was universally enjoyed by our tasters.
B. SELBACH-OSTER Riesling Zeltinger "Schlossberg" Kabinett, Mosel 2006 $27
When one drinks Mosel Riesling one usually expects mineral. This is especially true from Rieslings from "Schlossberg Vineyard." And especially in the hands of Selbach-Oster. Particularly pleasing with food, we find. For a classic, practically dry, VERY MINERALLY Mosel Riesling, this is it!
The Selbach-Oster was just as we expected, lots of mineral, and a mouth watering tanginess, it definitely is a fine compliment to food. However, it was very much enjoyed by many of our tasters on it's own as well, and proved to be a nice compliment to the cheese plate.
C. SOLTER Sekt (Sparkling Wine) Brut Rosé, Spätburgunder 2004 $22
Methode Champenoise Pinot Noir (Spatburgunder is German for Pinot Noir) from mostly the Rheingau region of Germany. Dashingly good-compares favorably to any sub-thirty dollar bottle of bubbly we know.
Many of our tasters were suprised by the Solter.....quite dry and crisp, it tasted like quality Champagne for a fraction of the price. We're happy to have a lot more of this wine to sell.
D. DR. DEINHARD Scheurebe Kabinett, Pfalz 2004, $20
The Scheurebe grape, grown almost only in Germany, is typically wild, mouth coating, spicy and unlike any other white wine you've ever had! From the (relatively) warm Pfalz region of Germany, where the wines tend to be a little bigger. Smell and taste in this "Scheu" lavender, kiwi, fennel and apricot.
Nicely spicy and fairly off-dry, this was (yet another) much enjoyed wine in this tasting. It was an introduction to the Scheurebe grape for many, and people were pleasantly suprised by the spiciness to balance the sweet. We sold almost all we had on hand.
E. WERNER Riesling Schweicher "Annaberg" Kabinett, Mosel 2006 $17
The 2006 vintage in Germany is very ripe-in some cases TOO ripe, with grapes that normally make Auslese wine going into Kabinetts. We're talking lots of stuffing in these wines (sometimes). This is an example of a Mosel Valley Kabinett with opulence and richness and good acidity to boot!
The Werner was a big, rich, in-your-face style of Riesling that is hard not to like. For some it was almost a little too big, but really loved by most for the wollop of fruit with nice acidity to balance.
F. VILLA WOLF Gewürztraminer, QbA, Pfalz 2006 $13
It's funny how Gewürz is so sparsely planted in Germany yet so associated with the country. It's all in the umlaut. You mostly see Gewürztraminer in the warmer Pfalz region (like Scheurebe-Wine D.) Villa Wolf, the Pfalz Estate Winery of Ernie Loosen (Dr. Loosen), makes grand value, scrumptious wines a la this tasty treat.
For most the Wolf was completely overshadowed by the Werner just before it. We liked it for it's charming sweet-spicy balance, and great value.
G. GRANS-FASSIAN Riesling Dhronhofberger, Spätlese, Mosel 2004 $25
2004 vintage Germany is a favorite of ours. It's like biting into a ice-cold, tangy, ripe Granny Smith apple. Lots of zing with a perfect backbone of sweetness. Think of this as you sip this wine and see if this makes any sense.
The Grans-Fassian was starting to show a little bottle bouquet and petrol on the nose, and big richness on the palate. Mouthwatering acidity and citrus and stonefruits combine for another winner. We are almost sold out of this wine as well.
H. J&HA STRUB Riesling Niersteiner "Paterberg" Spätlese, Rheinhessen 2005 $25
The Rheinhessen region is known for Rieslings with heavy bass notes and rich easy-goingness. Less complex and more charming. This vineyard sits on limestone, so you should pick up more "nerve" than most wines of the Rheinhessen. Try to taste lemongrass and peppery spice along with green apples and white peach.
A stellar finish to a much-enjoyed tasting for many. Big, rich, and ripe, with a lot of minerality - another wine that was almost a sell-out.
Tasting of friday, October 26
Here's what we tasted:
A. ARIOLA Malvasia di Candia aromatica, Parma $20
Ariola is located in Parma, in the Emilia-Romagna region of northeast Italy above Tuscany and below the Veneto. The winery takes its name from the Arola River, which runs through the vineyards. The wine is delicately sparkling, with flavors of white peach, apricot, and nice bright acidity.
This new discovery for tasters was a treat and a hit rolled into one. Exotic, aromatic and unmistakably dry, this frizzante was greatly enjoyed. We expect to sell lots of this wine over the coming holiday.
B. GINI Soave Classico 2006 $20
From the Veneto, this Soave is 100% Garganega, which is the predominate white grape grown in the region. Grown on steep hillsides in volcanic and limestone soils, the wine has a slightly floral nose, and lots of fruit and a hint of almonds on the palate.
80% liked this classic Italian white a lot. "Interesting, fruity, fresh" were descriptors we heard. 20% thought it weird-a little leesy or oaky (which it is not). Overall, a success.
C. SCARPETTA Vino de Tavola Bianco (Tocai Friulano) Collio 2006 $28
Scarpetta is all Tocai Friulano from Friuli in northern Italy. The wine is the joint venture of Bobby Stuckey, former French Laundry Sommalier, and Chef Lachlan Patterson, his partner in Frasca Food and Wine in Boulder, Colorado. For those of you who have yet to enjoy Friulano wines, Tocai is a dry white wine that pleases both the Sauvignon Blanc drinker and the Pinot Grigio lover. This particular wine is rich and fresh, with great texture and pleasing fruit. Enjoy with traditional antipasti; cured meats, cheeses, olives, and roasted vegetables.
The Scarpetta didn't show well. Our fault. This wine needs to be served between 55 and 60 degrees, and begs for air. We did neither, and it showed funky and not pleasant. It garnered zero fans at this tasting. This is really lovely wine that, when served properly, shines with many cheeses, roast root vegetables, pork roasts. Oh yes, and definitely Thanksgiving turkey!
D. GIORDANINO TERESIO "Saluces" Colline Saluzzesi, Piedmont 2001 $23
From Piedmont in northwest Italy, the “Saluces” is a blend of 80% Nebbiolo di Dronero, 10% Barbera, and 10% Neiretto. Medium to full bodied, it tastes of dark berry, cherries, pepper, and a hint of vanilla.
Big hit. Lovely, velvety dark fruit, sweet earth, dark spice, chocolate, smooth, substantial. People liked this a lot on this night. Fine combination of yumminess and character for $23.
E. ARGIOLAS "Perdera" Isola dei Nuraghi, Sardinia 2005 $15
Argiolas “Perdera” is made from the indigenous Monica grape on rocky soils (Perdera are rocks!) on the island of Sardinia. Perfumey, strong and rich, this is quite the value.
"Perdera," one of our favorites, just did "OK." Showed its fruit, its structure and its "bigness," but didn't set itself apart in any way. Funny how context amongst other wines can help or hinder a fine wine.
F. ALLEGRINI "La Grola" IGT Veronese 2004 $27
Allegrini is located in Valpolicella, in Verona, northeastern Italy. Call it a “Super Valpolicella” if you will, because the blend is 70% Corvina Veronese, 15% Rondinella, 10% Syrah and 5% Sangiovese. To put “Valpolicella” on the label, the blend can only contain Corvina Veronese, Rondinella and Molinara grapes. The wine is dense and rich, packed with dark fruit and a hint of dark chocolate.
Very much enjoyed indeed, in the words of Clive Coates (he wasn't here though). Rich, dark fruit, definite oaky frame (well integrated into the wine..but one must like oak to like this wine), sweet spice, beguiling and pleasant aromas. Harkens me back to the McDonalds burger: "Big & Tasty."
G. ELENA FUCCI Aglianico del Vulture "Titolo" 2004 $50
Titolo is from the Basilicata, near the bottom of Italy, on the Mediterranean side. The Aglianico grape is one of power, ripeness and acidity. All the pieces are put together for a wine that will develop slowly and profoundly. More about the vineyard: it's 2000 feet high, and is made of volcanic ash and rock. Harvest here is late for Europe, typically starting in early October. The Aglianico grapes achieve new world ripeness and still keep their acidity. Intense berries, crushed rocks, black pepper, bay, cocoa came through. We recommend that you stash it in your cellar and forget about it until at least 2015.
We hoped this wine would have come out of its shell by now, but alas, not. Folks enjoyed the opportunity to taste "Titolo" but none were enthralled enough to buy some and keep in their cellar. We like this wine, though. Nose of sandalwood, wild red berries, Asian spice, tobacco and pepper. Tannins hit you hard on the palate. Medium bodied, high intensity and needing to be put away until, oh we don't know, 2012? Maybe 2015 (in our notes above) is right.
Tasting of friday, October 19
Zinfandel Tasting
Here's what we tasted:
Our post-tasting notes are those written in this bold, italicized font.
A. PLUNGERHEAD Sierra Foothills 2004 $15
Plungerhead is by Don Sebastiani & Sons, the winery with solid-to-excellent value wines and cool packaging to boot (It has a Zork closure! Don't know what a Zork is? Guess you'd better buy a bottle). Nicely intense, on the spicy side and full of wild raspberry and cherry fruit, there's little doubt you have Zin in your mouth here. We really like Sierra Foothills wines when they're done well, and wish we could find more like this Plungerhead. You'll enjoy this as you would a spicy Rhone or Spanish red.
As good as all the Zins were, the Plungerhead kicked some booty for quality and price. We've liked this wine for months, and it seemed to show even better than our last visit with it. Spicy nose, bright brambly fruit, juicy, easy to drink, perfectly intense and a great price. What's not to love?
B. FORTITUDE "Very Old Vine Zinfandel-Luvisi Ranch" Napa Valley 2005 $22
The Fortitude is a new single vineyard, small production project for Etude winery, and this wine is from the Luvisi Family Vineyard in Calistoga. Packed with dark cherry, liqueur flavors, cocoa, black pepper, high glycerine, low acid, and exceptional richness, we think this wine is another great value. We like to pair this with a rich beef stew.
Very solid, spicy, fruit forward Zin that, to be honest, was overshadowed by the Plungerhead above. There's a subtle food-friendly quality to the Fortitude that all appreciated but seemingly forgot by the time they decided to buy bottles.
C. GREEN & RED "Chiles Mill Vineyard" Napa Valley 2005 $26
This is the estate vineyard for Green & Red, located in the eastern part of Napa County in Chiles Valley. Consistently one of our favorite producers, this wine really delivers with sweet plum and cherry preserves, white pepper, bay leaf, thyme and allspice.
The smoothness, brightness, silkiness and prettiness of good ol' Green & Red showed off tonight. Was very much enjoyed if not taken home for future meatloaf dinners. We'll continue to make people happy with this Zinfandel-meets-Pinot Noir wine.
D. FRANZ HILL "Big & Little Vineyard" Napa Valley 2005 $33
Franz Hill is from an 8 acre vineyard located at the end of Franz Valley School Road in Calistoga, and is made by Jack Bittner with Dave Phinney as consulting winemaker. There is no shortage of black pepper on the nose and palate, with a big sweet core of berry fruit. This is the wine to serve with grilled baby back ribs, slathered in a sweet and spicy BBQ sauce. 240 cases produced.
Spicy, tad rustic, wild and sinewy all were picked up by tasters. This was another Zin tonight that was enjoyed by all, but didn't translate to "gotta have some for the cellar." Granted, we knew prior that Franz Hill Zin would not be everybody. It did find partners, which is nice.
E. T-VINE "Brown Vineyard" Napa Valley 2004 $33
T-Vine winery is just outside Calistoga. The "Brown Vineyard" is in the sub-region of Napa Valley called Chiles Valley, and is about 5 miles east of the Valley proper, where the Green & Red above is located. This Zin is so big & ripe it merely emitted the comment "YEP" when we tasted. Jammy, black fruits, so extracted, supporting pie and Indian spice flavors and simply sensory enveloping power make this a Zin not for the faint of heart.
597 cases made. Second most popular wine of the night. The T-Vine rich, concentrated, smooth style delivered the goods. Once again, the T-Vine style pleased all. How do they do it? Every time?
F. JUS SOLI Dry Creek Valley 2005 $26
Tom Garrett handcrafts the Jus Soli wines from primo Dry Creek Vineyards. Black fruits, plum jam,
Rhone-esque whiff of black pepper and Provence herbs, great concentration. Suffice it to say, if you like big Zins, you'll like the Jus Soli a lot, especially at this price. 285 cases made.
Interesting how the Jus Soli showed this night. We call it "almost over the top" in its bigness, richness and super ripeness. Was a hit for many, then others found it too much, and getting into a little funk that can come with too much alcohol. This won the award for greatest range of opinion.
G. VALDEZ Late Harvest Zinfandel "Simoncini Vineyard" Dry Creek Valley 2005 $19
Tucked into the hills west of Dry Creek Valley, the Simoncini Vineyard is the result of a collaboration between Ulises Valdez and Ken Simoncini. The vines were planted in 2003, and the first crop was harvested in 2005. The grapes reached all the maturity and ripeness needed to produce a big, extracted Zinfandel reminiscent of the St. Peter's Church Vineyard. So much so, in fact, Ulises and consulting winemaker Paul Hobbs decided to make the wine in Late Harvest style.
Geez this is good. Just as expected, like liquid black raspberries and blueberries. Pure and super fruity and well made. This is dynamite dessert wine for the price.
Tasting of friday, October 12
Robert Parker 91 Point & Higher Wines
Here are the wines we tasted and Parker's notes:
A. CHATEAU DE CHASSELOIR Muscadet de Sèvre et Maine
"Comte Leloup de Chasseloir - Cuvée des Ceps Centenaires" 2002 $18
Muscadet is from the Atlantic coast, and is the traditional accompaniment to oysters in that area. This particular wine issues from 100 and more year old vines in a phylloxera-proof limestone-rich terroir unusual for Muscadet. Normally Muscadet is consumed very young, but this particular wine is never released with fewer than three years in bottle, and in good vintages it will age fascinatingly for more than a decade. Lean, bright, focused and implacably mineral (wet stones, chalk, and salt) in the mouth, it features flavors of green tomato, grapefruit and under-ripe peach. 92 points.
The Muscadet was thoroughly enjoyed by most. A little more developed than most that we've had, it was still nice and crisp with a distinct briny taste and texture. More than one of our tasters lamented the fact that there wasn't a big plate of freshly shucked oysters served with the wine this evening.
B. VARNER Chardonnay "Spring Ridge Vineyard-Bee Block" Santa Cruz Mountains 2005 $36
“Playing it closer to the vest, the 2005 Chardonnay Bee Block shows notes of crushed rock, white currants, flowers, sweet corn, dried pit fruits, and some honeyed apricot. The wine is rich, very dry, but full-bodied with a slightly austere mineral-laced finish. It should drink nicely for 7-8 years.” 94 points.
Definitely on the more restrained side of California Chardonnay, the Varner drank much like a good white Burgundy. Good minerality, citrus fruit, and not a whole lot of oak. Many of our tasters really enjoyed it, but for some, it was not big enough.
C. CLOS ST. JEAN Chateauneuf-du-Pape 2004 $41
“The 2004 Chateauneuf du Pape (largely a blend of Grenache, although Syrah, Mourvedre, Cinsault, Vaccarese, and other varietals are thrown in the blend) is a terrific example of what they’re doing right here. Dense ruby/purple to the rim with a smoky nose of dried herbs, melted licorice, cassis, and black cherry jam, the wine has superb richness, a heady, full-bodied palate and texture, and outstanding concentration, purity, and overall equilibrium. It is soft enough to be drunk upon release yet should age well for 12-13 years.” 91.
The Clos St. Jean was enjoyed for its power and finesse, and was big and silky on the palate. The only criticism of the wine by some of our tasters was that the finish was too quick.
D. MANTRA Cabernet Sauvignon "Revelations" Alexander Valley 2003 $31
“A knock-out effort, the 2003 Cabernet Sauvignon Reserve “Revelations” offers aromas of graphite, blackberries, cassis, spice, and toasty oak in its rich, full-bodied, concentrated personality. The tannins are silky, and the acidity is adequate, but unobtrusive. It, too, should drink well for 10-15 years.” 91 points.
Not many of us agreed with Uncle Bob's assesment that the Mantra would last 10-15 years. It was really soft, and the tannins were almost nonexistant. While quite pleasant, there was nothing particularly remarkable about the Mantra.
E. GARRETSON SYRAH "The Bulladóir" Paso Robles 2004 $66
“Impressive, powerful, rich, and concentrated is the 2004 Syrah The Bulladoir, a blend of 96% Syrah and 4% Viognier. An opaque blue/purple color is accompanied by sumptuous aromas of barbecue smoke, creme de cassis, blackberries, and camphor. It makes a huge tactile impression, yet remains balanced and is neither over the top nor pruny/raisiny. Drink this beauty over the next 10-12+ years.” 95 points.
This wine was gigantic, humongous, fat, rich and long gone. It is uncommon for us to sell out of a wine of this price point, but people fell in love with the concentration and jammy fruit in the Garretson.
F. CHATEAU RAYMOND LAFON Sauternes 2002 $36
“I suspect most readers will find it hard to get excited about the 2002 vintage for the sweet wines of Barsac and Sauternes after what appears to be a prodigious 2001. However, 2002 is a very fine year for this region, possibly superior to any of the vintages between 2000 and 1991. The wines possess plenty of botrytis, but neither the impressive definition nor supreme elegance of the 2001s. This is a sweet, full-bodied, fat, concentrated, intense effort that was showing well in September, 2003.” 92-94 Points.
The Lafon Sauternes was universally enjoyed. Not overly weighty on the palate, it is rich and pleasant, without being too heavy, viscous or cloying.
Tasting of friday, October 5
We poured a pair of White Burgundies, a pair of Syrahs and a pair Cabernet Sauvignons.
In each pair,
one of them costs around $15, the other around $50.
Tasters attempted to guess which was which.
This is what we poured, and how tasters did in picking them out:
This proved to be a fairly difficult tasting, in that all of the wines were so enjoyed that most people had a hard time deciding which wine was more expensive. Of the 35 or so tasters we had between 5 and 9 P.M., only 3 got all three pairs correct.
$50. CHANDON DE BRIAILLES Pernand-Vergelesses “Île des Vergelesses” 1er Cru 2004 $46/bottle
$15. CAVE DE LUGNY Mâcon-Lugny “Les Charmes” 2005 $13
For many, this was the toughest of the three pairs. We were quite suprised with how the Chandon de Briailles was showing; much richer, with less minerality than the last time we had had it. For most, the Mâcon was the preferred wine in the tasting regardless of price. Light and zingy, with a nice balance of citrus and minerality, the Cave de Lugny was light and pure, and extremely delicious.
$15. BARREL 27 Syrah Central Coast 2005 $17/bottle
$50. ERNA SCHEIN Syrah " Alder Springs Vineyard - Homage to Ed Oliveira” Mendocino 2005 $57 net priced
This was another tough pair, both cool climate Syrahs; both very tasty, and very different wines. The Barrel 27 was showing more fleshy forward fruit, and was certainly more approachable right now. That said, the Erna Schein was for us at least the better wine overall; certainly more complex, although it may need a few more years in the bottle to unwind.
$15. MADIGAN Cabernet Sauvignon Napa Valley 2005 $18/bottle
$50. RAMEY Cabernet Sauvignon Napa Valley 2005 $51
This was for many the easiest pick of the three pairs. The Madigan was very much enjoyed (and one of the top selling wines of the tasting; people loved the approachable style and great value for Napa Cabernet) however the Ramey definitely came across as the bigger, richer, more structured wine.
Tasting of friday, September 28
This was the line-up for Santa Barbara night:
A. BREWER-CLIFTON Chardonnay "Sweeney Canyon" Santa Rita Hills 2005 (Net priced) $57.00
“Sweeney Canyon” was planted in 1981 to Wente clone. Dry farmed vineyard is self-rooted in river silt/diatomite soils and is situated on the western fringes of the appellation, particular cool area for fine wine. Aromas of gardenia, orange blossom and kafir leaf followed by flavors of lime, minerals and persimmons. Medium to full bodied with tremendous breadth and richness.
This super-premium Chardonnay showed great this night. Bright acid, lemon-lime blossoms, nicely integrated oak, just the right amount of tang to go with the power. Even at this impressive price, we sold a few bottles.
B. WESTERLY VINEYARDS Viognier Santa Ynez Valley 2006 $21
hails from the southeastern chunk of Santa Ynez known as Happy Canyon. This wine balances exceptional ripeness without showing excessive alcohol. Flavors in the Westerly include peach with allspice, orange blossom, chrysanthemum, baked pears, nectarines. It's strong wine but keeps you coming back for more. We think this is an exceptional wine, particularly considering the price.
Juicy, exotic, floral and still light on its feet, the Westerly was a big hit. As strong flavored as it is, this is still so easy to drink. This wine sold well, and we just brought in three more cases to make sure we can keep making people happy with it.
C. FLYING GOAT Pinot Gris "Nielson Vineyard" Santa Maria Valley 2006 $21
To Santa Maria Valley we go, the coolest region of Santa Barbara County. The Flying Goat is as rich, silky and sexy a Pinot Gris as we've had in a dry style. Clove studded oranges, peach compote, honeysuckle, white rose, coriander, pineapple: the flavors keep going in a vinously seductive way (my prose are so sexy today!). Can't deny liking this wine...a lot!
Flying Goat rounded out our white wine flight. Another winner, this wine showed tropical, spicy, floral notes with fine concentration and, again, a real easy-to-like quality. Sold it out.
D. THREE SAINTS Pinot Noir, Santa Maria Valley 2005 $28
“Dierberg Vineyard” makes three tiers of Pinot Noir from their Santa Maria vineyard. The Three Saints bottling is the most accessible wine intended for near-term enjoyment. Winemaking
is adjusted to feature lush fruit and silky tannins. “Dierberg” is unique in Santa Maria Valley due to its heavy loam content and slightly heavier soils. This produces Pinot Noirs that are more powerful in structure and more savory in flavor-profile than is typical for the Santa Maria Valley.
Twas a boon to acquire two cases of this hard-to-get "value Pinot" for this night. We still have one as of October 1. Better hurry. Three Saints Pinot showed great rich fruit, exceptional balance, silkiness, length and mmmm mmmmm mmmmm goodness. Only our modest attendance kept this wine from selling out.
E. FIDDLEHEAD CELLARS Pinot Noir "Fiddlestix Vineyard-728" Santa Rita Hills 2004 $42
“Fiddlestix” is located at the western end of the transverse-oriented Santa Ynez Valley. The vines enjoy morning fog, mild sunny days, cool, ocean breezes and brisk evenings. The 728, by the way, is named because the vineyard is at mile marker 7.28 on Santa Rosa Road. We find this wine very showy, rich, yummy, and in the words of the winery, it definitely has pinot noir sex appeal!
Our benchmark Santa Barbara Pinot didn't show as well as usual this night. Plenty good, but not blow-your-mind kinda good as it usually is. We think it was just a bad night for good ol' 728.
F. SAMSARA Syrah "Verna's Vineyard" Santa Barbara County 2005 $40
samsara: (sanskrit) the eternal cycle of life. the world we live in now. one of passion, oneness, harmony. Samsara “Verna’s” has 5% Malvasia Bianca to add aromatics. Rich, distinctive, Rhone style Syrah here with the tobacco/olive/smoke complexities. 140 cases.
Killer, authentic, wild, rich, bold, age-worthy Syrah strutted its stuff. I love this wine for its complexity, power and persistence. Folks loved it. If we had any Syrah buyers here, we would have sold more than the couple of bottles we did.
Tasting of friday, September 21
Grenache and Grenache-Based Wines $15
We'll taste the white, red, and dessert versions of the most widely planted wine grape of this world-perhaps of the whole universe.
We tasted:
A. ODISEA Grenache Blanc "Angele" Paso Robles 2006 $19
The Odisea is 97% Grenache Blanc from “Blackseth Vineyard” located on Paso Robles' Westside and 3% Viognier from Lodi. “Blackseth Vineyard” benefits from an extremely long growing season due to the coastal influence - the Pacific is just 17 miles away. Aged in neutral French oak, the wine is crisp with nice body and richness, lime and citrus, and ample mineral. Only 60 cases produced.
We really like the Odisea, and our tasters readily agreed - we sold more than we had on hand. It displayed a really rich round mouthfeel with lots of citrus and nice acid, which for most was really appealing. Never fear, we'll have more to sell within the next week.
B. ANDRÉ BRUNEL Côtes du Rhône 2005 $14
The blend is 75% Grenache, 15% Cinsault, and 10% Syrah from 40+ year old vineyards in the Commune of St Génies de Comolas in the southern Rhône Valley. André Brunel is consistently one of our favorite Rhône producers, and this wine does not disappoint. The wine is hearty, with forward fruit, good tannins, and classic flavors of black pepper, violets, cigar wrapper, and wild berry-cherry.
This particular Brunel Côtes du Rhône didn't exhibit as much forward berry fruit as some of the other wines in the tasting, and sales suffered for it. For those who appreciate classic Rhônes with lots of pepper, herb, and dried flower, it was a hit. In the context of a Rhône tasting, I think it may have showed a lot diffferently.
C. DOMAINE DE LA PERTUISANE Vin de Pays des Côtes Catalanes "Vieilles Vignes" 2004 $31
The Pertuisane is from the village of Maury, a small region of hilly vineyards overlooking the Mediterranean in southern France on the border of Spain. It’s “only” a Vin de Pays, or “Country Wine,” because Maury must be late harvest, fortified wine (see Mas Amiel below). This is 90% Grenache then Syrah. More about intensity than girth, this hits all our wine pleasure points with ripe berry, cinnamon stick, black pepper, cherry and vanilla.
The Pertuisane was definitely one of the bigger, fleshier, sluttier wines of the tasting, and after a good amount of air, really showed a lot of fruit and oak. The wines was enjoyed by most, but we still have a bit left to sell.
D. BODEGAS ATECA Garnacha "Atteca" Old Vines, Calatayud 2005 $18
Calatayud is well-inland, high country Spain. It’s below Rioja, further inland than its more famous wine neighbor. This is Continental climate: hot days and cool nights. Old vine Garnacha reigns supreme here, making deep raspberry and black pepper scented, intense red wines. I enjoyed this with the baby back ribs at Foothill Grille the other night, and the pairing was great.
This was the clear winner of the tasting, both in sales volume and our tasters reactions. There is so much to like about the Atteca - it is rich and fruity, with a nice balance of pepper and spice. The old vines make for a wine with great concentration.
E. GREGORY GRAHAM Grenache "Crimson Hill Vineyard" Red Hills lake County 2005 $21
The crimson red, volcanic soil of the Red Hills in Lake County provides the perfect site for growing Grenache. Big and rich, with berry, pomegranate, pepper and white chocolate. Enjoy it alone, and then think about it with smoked chicken and roasted vegetables.
Judging by our taster's comments, this wine was very much enjoyed, although not much was purchased. It was fleshy, fruity, and relatively low in acid. We still have some available, should you want to do your own Grenache tasting at home.
F. HILL OF CONTENT Grenache Shiraz Clare Valley, South Australia 2004 $16
The Clare Valley in South Austrailia is known to have some of the oldest and best Grenache vines in the country. The blend is 90% Grenache and 10% Shiraz, and the wine is ripe and juicy, with raspberry, strawberry jam and white pepper.
The most enjoyable part of the Hill of Content for some people was the name. Although the wine was good, there was a very present aroma of Eucalyptus in the nose that was a bit wierd for some. Others did enjoy the big berry flavors on the palate.
F. MAS AMIEL Maury "Cuvée Spéciale 10 Ans d'Âge" $27
Mas Amiel is the leading independent producer in Maury, The Maury Cuvée Spéciale is non-vintage. It’s mostly Grenache with a little Maccabeu and Carignan. This is a tawny, i.e. it’s been aged 10 years in oak prior to bottling.
The Mas Amiel was very much enjoyed by our tasters. We sold a lot of cheese plates this night, and several people remarked about how well it paired with the Bleu d'Auvergne.
Tasting of friday, September 14
We enjoyed this night:
A. NATHALIE & GILLES FÈVRE Chablis "Fourchaume-Vaulorent" 1er Cru 2005 $38
Let’s start in the northernmost region of Burgundy. Chablis is about 120 miles northwest of the rest of Burgundy and is interestingly non-contiguous with the rest of this great wine region. This is almost exclusively Chardonnay territory. Famed for the Kimmeridgien limestone soil (ancient seabeds make up the soil) and very cool growing conditions, good Chablis should be crisp, mouth-watering and pure. All this and still with exceptional body and power.
Liked by all, not loved by any. This more opulent style of Chablis doesn't fit our tasters' palates. It's super-tasty with orange blossom, peach, lemon-apple and such flavors. Good acidity but not "Chablisien" acidity, nor minerality. This would be a more appreciated wine if it said "Santa Barbara County" or "Sonoma Coast."
B. LES HÉRITIERS DU COMTE LAFON Mâcon 2006 $20
The great Comte Lafon, makers of other-worldly Meursaults and Montrachets, grows and makes delicious wines from the Maconnais, too. Rolling hills and dependable sunshine makes for fruit forward, juicy, normally lightly oaked Chardonnays at a good value.
Delish, fleshy, balanced, bright and popular this night. This Mâcon is right on for texture, flavor and length. Exactly what we expected from Comte Lafon.
C. DEUX MONTILLE Rully 2005 $28
To the Côte Chalonnaise we go for this more California-like Chardonnay. It’s typical to be richer, less minerally than Cote d’Or wines just to the north. Soils are a little richer here, and it’s a little bit warmer. This producer likes oak, so a creamy/toasty quality comes through here.
Really good Santa Barbara County Chardonnay! Has the high acidity, butter/buttermilk, kiss of sweet toasty oak, real nice mouthfeel and richness for Burgundy. Again, as our Friday tasters tend to most appreciate the classics, this was enjoyed but not purchased.
D. DOMAINE DES NUGUES Beaujolais-Villages 2005 $14
Beaujolais is Burgundy. It is the only Burgundy that is not made from Pinot Noir. It is Gamay.
The Nouveau style is the mass-produced, mass-marketed wine of Beaujolais. Nouveau’s popularity challenges the earnest wines of the region. This “simple” Village wine is made to drink in its first 3 years of life, not 3 months. Showed very nicely. Good body, pronounced fruit flavors start to finish, fresh, juicy and good typicity. Folks who just don't like Beaujolais weren't diggin' it. Folks who like good Beaujolais were very impressed with the quality/value and bought most of what we had.
E. DOMAINE JOBLOT Givry "Clos de la Servoisine" 1er Cru 2004 $43
Givry, like the Rully tasted before is in the Côte Chalonnaise. Known for making “nice” red Burgundies, the wines of Joblot are considered the best of the area. Complexity, structure, typicity and ageability are typical of Joblot wines. We’re greatly looking forward to this wine tonight.
Very good wine, but we needed roast duck breast with crispy skin to sell it. The Joblot has a very distinctive cigar wrapper, wild herb, dark chocolate, truffle, seashore aroma that is distinctive and perfect for the wine. Drinking it alone is not the best way to show it. Think I'll take a bottle to Bistro Jeanty or Angele sometime soon and have some fun.
F. FRÉDÉRIC ESMONIN Gevrey-Chambertin "Clos Prieur" 2005 $36
Côte du Nuits Burgundy from “just” a village vineyard that lies right below Mazis-Chambertin (Grand Cru). The ripeness and silkiness of the 2005 vintage shows through here.
Outstanding. This "Clos Prieur Bas" is not Premier Cru, while "Clos Prieur" is. So, you get even greater value in a fine vintage such as 2005. Lot of sweet cherry, ripeness and acidity in good balance, structure of Gevrey. Very giving for 2005 Gevrey of any designation. Delicious now. This was a popular wine, yet we have another case to sell!
G. RAPET Beaune "Clos du Roi" 1er Cru 2005 $40
We finish with this Côte de Beaune red from a normally yummy when young vineyard. Not having had this yet, this could be luscious, it could need time. Let’s check it out.
This showed ample "Clos du Roi" silkiness and give. Juicy soft cherry, smoke, spice, round in the mouth. Was very much enjoyed for its deliciousness and a good lesson of quality cushy Beaune. I think this is very good Pinot Noir for $40, regardless of the origin.
Tasting of friday, September 7
Here's what we tasted:
A. PHILIPPE RAIMBAULT Sancerre "Apud Sariacum" 2005 $20
Sancerre is always 100% Sauvignon Blanc. Considered by many to be the ultimate in Sauv Blanc for its mineral flavor and raciness. This label has a fossilized seashell on it, and these are deep in the soils of this vineyard…common in Sancerre. Zero barrel used.
The Raimbault was very much enjoyed by our tasters, and is as close as any to a good "textbook example" of Sancerre. Racy, minerally, with high acid and lots of citrus.
B. FRANÇOISE CHIDAINE Montlouis Sur Loire "Clos Habert" 2005 $26
100% Chenin Blanc, the Clos Habert’s grapes, from 60 year-old vines, are classified as sec tendre, between dry and half dry. This one is almost totally dry. Taste apple, peach, lemon-lime, and pineapple.
Perhaps because it was poured after the bracingly dry Sancerre, the Chidane came across as being a little more off-dry than we had remembered. The peach really showed through, with very pleasant fruit and a nice bit of Chenin richness.
C. CHATEAU DE CHASSELOIR Muscadet de Sèvre et Maine
"Comte Leloup de Chasseloir - Cuvée des Ceps Centenaires" 2002 $18
Muscadet is from the Atlantic coast, and is the traditional accompaniment to oysters in that area. This particular wine issues from 100 and more year old vines in a phylloxera-proof limestone-rich terroir unusual for Muscadet. Normally Muscadet is consumed very young, but this particular wine is never released with fewer than three years in bottle, and in good vintages it will age fascinatingly for more than a decade. Lean, bright, focused and implacably mineral (wet stones, chalk, salt) in the mouth, it features flavors of green tomato, grapefruit and under-ripe peach.
People were interested and intrigued by the Muscadet, and how it was delveloping in bottle. It was pretty much as expected, but from a sales perspective was not the star of the show this night.
Definitely lean with lots of mineral, citrus, a bitter stone fruit.
D. DAMIEN LAUREAU Savennières "Les Genêts" 2002 $25
The Les Genêts is mostly tank aged 20-40 year old vine 100% Chenin Blanc from Savennières in the Loire Valley. The wine is rich and viscous, with lots of texture and flavor. It is golden in color, and tastes of dried citrus peel, sherry, and cocoa powder. Nicely concentrated, with a nice bit of barrel age, the wine really conveys the sense of place that it comes from.
This is a wine that was very much enjoyed by some, and completely misunderstood by others. For many of our tasters the complexity and depth in the wine were very apparent, and food pairing ideas were all over the board, from cheese to hamachi. A couple of our less adventurous tasters thought the wine might be oxidized, based on the color, and developed sherry-like flavors.
E. DOMAINE DE NOIRÉ Chinon "Élégance" 2005 $25
This is Loire Cabernet Franc on steroids. Really. We love the 2005 vintage in the Loire for the exceptional ripeness and still the character of the place and its respective grape. Normally a light ruby-hued wine, the Noire Chinon pours from the bottle deep purple and opaque. Traditionalists will be happy as the plum, pomegranate, thyme, tobacco and dried peppercorn flavors sing in Loire Valley harmony (performed by Simon and Garfunkel of course).
The Domaine de Noiré was a pleasant suprise for many in the group who were used to under-ripe, medium bodied Loire Cabernet Francs with lots of green pepper. This one really appealed to lovers of big, hearty red wines; it had ample fruit, with a big finish of black peppercorn.
F. CHÂTEAU PIERRE-BISE Chaume des Coteaux du Layon, 1er Cru 2003 $33
100% Chenin Blanc, botrytis, late harvest. Considering how pricey it is to make great dessert wine, this is a fantastic value. Chenin Blanc, a joy to drink when dry, off dry, and sweet, truly shines on this stage.
This was a dessert wine that was easy to love, and definitely dessert all on its own. Quite sweet and viscous, it had the color and texture of pure local honey.
Tasting of friday, August 31
With us tonight was Double Secret Spanish Wine Agent Michael Hutchinson of Olé Imports.
We poured wines that Michael imports into the United States.
(5 out of 6 are from his portfolio.)
Here are the wines and tasting notes:
A.LADERA SAGRADA Godello "Castelo do Papa" Valdeorras 2006 $16
We start our tasting in Valdeorras, just inland from the Atlantic and sitting on top of Portugal. This is cool country, with average temperatures from April to October of only 57 degrees! The Godello grape is typically high acidity, and “Papa” here is a no oak, no butter white wine. With every reason to be a tart little wine, it’s surprising how lush this wine actually is. Could be the character of the grapes, which are 25+ year old vines growing on hillside vineyards made of slate, granite and clay.
Good wine! This Godello showed its anticipated acidity with a little more girth than most of its kind. Can definitely sense this wine's versatility with food. Pretty good by itself (or with our cheese plate) too. Sold most of what we had for the tasting.
B. FALSET MARÇÀ Rosé, Montsant 2006 $12
The region of Montsant wraps around Priorat, just outside Barcelona. This is 100 year old vine Garnacha Rosé, aged in stainless steel. Montsant stays cooler than Priorat and its other neighbors (higher altitude), which equals more acidity and a better pink wine.
All our tasters who appreciate good Rose liked this wine a lot. One of the darkest Rose wines you'll ever see. Could call it light-red-wine color. The Garnacha shines through in its raspberry-strawberry-white pepper splendor. Dry and strong, this was a winner.
C. SEÑORIO DE BARAHONDA Monastrell, Yecla, Tinto 2005 $12
Yecla is just inland from the Mediterranean almost 2/3 of the way down from France to the bottom of Spain. The grape is Monastrell (aka Mourvedre), which required a long, dry growing season to make outstanding wine. The wines of Yecla are typically rich and low-acid, with the cooling influence of the sea saving the wines from being flabby. Great values can be found here, such as this wine.
Disappointing showing from one of our personal favorite value wines. Unsure why, for its showing lovely spice, dried flower and wild berry aromas. Flavors of lush, sweet berry-cherry follow. Silky and persistent, this is still a BRW recommendation. Tasters called it "flabby" and "very ordinary." Golly.
D. BODEGAS ATECA Garnacha "Atteca" Old Vines, Calatayud 2005 $18
Calatayud is well-inland, high country Spain. It’s below Rioja, further inland than its more famous wine neighbor. This is Continental climate: hot days and cool nights. Old vine Garnacha reigns supreme here, making deep raspberry and black pepper scented, intense red wines.
As enjoyed this night as in the past. This is flashy, ripe, spicy and way too easy to love. Get it while you can as we're almost out of it.
E. VIZCARRA Tempranillo "Senda del Oro" Ribera del Duero, Roble 2005 $18
Ribera del Duero is well known for making excellent red wines, particularly from the Tempranillo grape. We’re inland still, and a couple hours’ drive from the Portugal border. Continental climate, making for very ripe grapes with a nice kick of acidity. “Roble” means that the wine has spent six months in oak. “Senda del Oro” is aged in all French oak.
The Vizcarra was a huge hit tonight. Showed tons of pure juicy rich fruit-atypically so I thought. Showed great, and tasters agreed and bought a lot of it.
F. VINOS PIÑOL "Ludovicus" Terra Alta 2005 $12
This is a blend of Garnacha, Tempranillo, Syrah and Cabernet Sauvignon.
We end with this red blend from Terra Alta, a region just below Priorat and Montsant, near the Mediterranean. Hot day and moderate nights make for big flavored reds that are rich, spicy and not shy. This has been one of Back Room’s great “value wines” for years now. Aged just three months in French and American oak.
"Ludovicus" is another BRW fave and, like the Barahonda, was less appreciated than expected. Showed lots of fruit as expected. It was the most tannic wine of the night (which we knew) so perhaps the shock to the system made tasters less than thrilled. I'm trying it again as I compose and it's rock-solid. Exotic aromatics (Asian spice, flowers, young tobacco), great fruit and fine structure.
Tasting of friday, august 24
Four local winery owners/winemakers & one wine importer poured a very happy crowd some wonderful wines.
This event, held five times a year at Back Room Wines, is a great deal and a great time.
Blow Out XXIII featured these wineries and special guests:
ROBERT FOLEY VINEYARDS
With Truett Welch, Assistant Winemaker. He poured,
ROBERT FOLEY Pinot Blanc Napa Valley 2006 ($25)
ROBERT FOLEY Charbono Napa Valley 2005 ($36)
RETRO CELLARS
With Mike Dunn. He poured,
RETRO CELLARS Petite Sirah Howell Mountain, Napa Valley 2004 ($45)
ETUDE & FORTITUDE WINES
With Jon Priest, Winemaker and/or John Oglesby, Assistant Winemaker. They poured,
ETUDE Pinot Noir "Estate" Carneros 2005 ($42)
FORTITUDE "Very Old Vine" Zinfandel "Luvisi Family" Napa Valley 2005 ($22)
MISS OLIVIA BRION "HERON LAKE VINEYARD"
With David Mahaffey, Winemaker. He poured,
MISS OLIVIA BRION Pinot Noir "Heron Lake Vineyard" Wild Horse Valley 2005 ($36)
BEAUNE IMPORTS (Our Importer for the evening)
With Nicholas Griffin, French Wine Spy. He poured,
HERVE AZO Chablis "Vau de Vey" Premier Cru 2005 ($26)
DOMAINE RICHAUD Cairanne 2005 ($27)
tasting of friday, August 17
Southern Hemisphere
Wines
New Zealand to Australia to Argentina, we poured all sorts of delicious and different wines tonight.
This is what we had, notes too.
A. JANSZ Sparkling Wine "Premium Non Vintage Cuvée," Tasmania $19
Tasmania is about as cold as Champagne, and that’s cold for making fine wine. It’s also perfect for making sparkling wine. The Champagne house Louis Roederer thinks so, and established Jansz to prove it. It’s good, and so well priced for good bubbly too! Bubbly production is so “hot” in this region (Pipers River), it’s been coined “Sparkling Tasmania.” Blend is 58% Chardonnay, 40% Pinot Noir and 2% Pinot Meunier, a common
cuvée of Champagne.
The Jansz is universally appealing, with toast, citrus, and just the right amount of acid. We think it competes favorably with Sparkling wines at more than twice the price. Our tasters agreed, and bought all we had on hand. We luckily will have this wine back early next week.
B. WAIRAU RIVER Sauvignon Blanc Marlborough, New Zealand 2006 $16
We’re particularly fond of the classic Kiwi SB for its great crispness and herbal edge while not being grassy nor jalapeno peppery. If we knew the flavor of gooseberry, we’d describe it as such most likely, for that’s what we read in the description. Wairau is Maori (an official New Zealand language) for “many waters” and offers one the image of the braid of rivers that meander through this property before emptying into the Pacific. All steel aged and pleasingly high acid, try leading off your next gathering with this crisp white.
For lovers of classic New Zealand Sauvignon Blanc, this wine was very much enjoyed. It was a little too classic for some, with a bit of muskiness on the nose and a little spicy pepper on the palate. While some definitely appreciate this style of Sauvignon Blanc, it wasn't a hit with our tasters.
C. CRIOS DE SUSANA BALBO Torrontes Valle de Cafayate 2006 $15
Lovers of rich, aromatic, dry whites that we are, we immediately fell for Torrontes, the most widely planted white wine grape in Argentina. The Balbo comes from Cafayate, northern Argentina, and is where Torrontes is its most lush, aromatic and sexy. The combination of high elevation (4800-5600 feet), very dry weather, intense solar radiation, cool nights, and sandy soils brings out its best characteristics. Think of a combination of Muscat and Viognier. It’s low acid, no oak, and dry.
We like Torrontes a lot, and this one is probably our favorite example. It is super aromatic, but quite dry and crisp on the palate. Our tasters really enjoyed it as well, and for many this was their first introduction to this wildly popular Argentinian grape.
D. NEUDORF Pinot Noir "Tom's Block" Nelson, New Zealand 2005 $29
The town and wine region of Nelson is on the northern end of New Zealand’s South Island. It’s just west of Marlborough and is known for a bracing style of wine, be it red or white. We like this wine for what it is, and especially like it for its expression of New Zealand Pinot Noir: tobacco, spice and game mingle with abundant cherry, plum and cranberry nut bread. Enjoy it alone, then think about it with fleshy grilled fish, hot off the BBQ.
The Neudorf was enjoyed by most for it's somewhat classic flavor profile - very smoky, just a touch gamey, but with nice red fruit as well.
E. MELIPAL Malbec Mendoza, Argentina 2004 $16
The least used of Bordeaux’s five red grapes, Malbec is the King of Argentina reds. In good ones, like this Melipal, look for tobacco, sweet spices, black pepper, big fruit and black olive flavors. Some are more tannic than others-the Melipal is quite soft. It’s 100% Malbec picked from 80 year old vines then aged for just six months in American oak.
The Melipal was just as good as we had remembered. Chock full of big, rich, spicy dark fruit, with a good dose of cedar and tobacco, many people were impressed by this big rich wine for a relatively good value.
F. CLOS DE LOS SIETE Red Wine Tunuyan, Argentina 2005 $18
Clos de los Siete means “vineyard of the seven,” and is a joint venture between Michel Rolland of Bordeaux and 6 other French wine professionals. Located in the Tunuyan commune, 80 km south of the city of Mendoza, the estate covers 847 hectares of vineyards. The wine is a blend of 50% Malbec, 30% Merlot, 10% Syrah, and 10% Cabernet Sauvignon. There’s a hecka lot of wine in the bottle for the money here.
This was the wine of the evening that shocked the most people in the group, as in "This is really less than 20 bucks a bottle?" Smooth, rich, and ever so polished, many people took the Clos de los Siete home with them from the tasting.
F. TWO HANDS Shiraz "Gnarly Dudes" Barossa Valley, Australia 2005 $34
Two Hands is a fairly new negociant winery (i.e. they buy all their fruit-don’t grow it) looking to make world class Shiraz. They’re succeeding. “Gnarly Dudes” is part of their mid-range line and tastes like most’s top of the line. 100% Barossa Valley Shiraz, aged in mostly French oak, and only 10% of it is new. We love the concentrated blueberry and purity of flavor.
The Gnarly Dudes was another crowd favorite. Packed with dark sweet berry, it is an Aussie Shiraz thats easy to like. We're down to just a few bottles because of this wines' great success in the tasting, but hopefully we'll be getting more.
Tasting of friday, August 10
Rieslings from Around the World
Germany, Austria, France, and New Zealand tasted this night.
This is what we tasted:
A. SCHLOSS GOBELSBURG Riesling "vom Urgestein"
Kamptal, Austria 2005 $23
Typical of Austrian Riesling, this wine sits lightly on the palate and is very aromatic, yet bone dry with a healthy dose of mineral.
Perfect start to the tasting. Is fresh, slightly minerally, real dry, expressive of Austria style and, most importantly, really delish.
B. BORTHWICK Riesling, Wairarapa, New Zealand 2005 $17
The Wairarapa region is located at the very southern tip of the North Island, and Riesling here is known for lots of citrus and acid, to balance the stone fruit and ever-so-slightly off-dry palate.
Bottle bouquet shows in the Borthwick. Orange, lemon, green apple (as expected) with a tobacco/woodsmoke/black truffle note in there too. For the latter descriptors, can call it "pleasingly complex" or "weird." We had both opinions this night.
C.BOECKEL Riesling "Wiebelsberg" Grand Cru, Alsace, France 2005 $29
Historically, Boeckel has made its Rieslings at the dry end of the spectrum, which has made them closer to what used to be considered "classic" for the region. 2005, however, was a fairly luscious vintage.
Lovely, and a great example of special Alsace Riesling. Floral, rich, crisp, long, minerally, slightly honeyed...can't say enough about this wine. Good value for a special Riesling.
D. THEO MINGES Riesling, QbA, Pfalz, Germany 2005 Litre Bottle $20
Pfalz Riesling tends to the dry side, with bright acidity, and balance. The wines are also known for expressing the soil and climate of the region.
Fresh and nicely light, this was enjoyed, but lost in the tasting. We put this in our "everyday wine" bin mentally, and they tend to be appreciated but dismissed amongst more costly wines of higher breed. (Note that this is a litre, so is like a $15 bottle of regular size). This wine is GOOD and will be drunk down with aplomb by future customers.
E. DR. LOOSEN Riesling, Bernkasteler "Lay" Kabinett
Mosel, Germany 2006 $26
Mosel Riesling is known to be minerally, rich, suave, high acid, and off dry; the pinnacle of German Rieslings are considered to come from here.
Damn good. Bright, citrusy, intense, coming off totally dry with richness in droves. Juicy too. Loosen is so amazingly consistent.
F. J.J. CHRISTOFFEL ERBEN Riesling, Urziger "Würzgarten" Kabinett Mosel, 2004 $25
This particular wine really shows the mineral and slate of the Mosel, and it is definitely on the drier end of the spectrum, with nectarine and kiwi blossoming in the glass.
As luscious and rich as we had hoped. Seems to be holding onto a little more sulphur than the rest, so needs appreciable amounts of air. It's honeyed, spicy (of course), full of sun-cooked apricots and tangerine. Of course, lots of Mosel minerality! Have a little left, and it's recommended for benchmark rich Mosel Riesling.
G. GYSLER Riesling, Weinheimer Kabinett, Rheinhessen, Germany 2006 $17
The Gysler is a great example of the value still available in the Rheinhessen. This wine is spicy, with star anise on the nose, a rich palate, and long finish.
Floral and pretty and surprisingly popular considering its weight compared to more husky wines before (like the Christoffel). Didn't suffer from being too "ethereal" as it's so undeniably pretty that people had to have some. Price is dynamite, too.
Tasting of friday, August 3
Dippity Do - Wines with Dips to Match
Five Dips and Five Wines to match. Here are our notes:
A. TANGY
Sage, Goat Cheese & Cream Cheese Dip
and
JEAN-PIERRE ET JEAN-FRANCOIS QUENARD Chignin 2006 $12
French white wine from the Vin de Savoie, in the Alps. The grape is Jacquere, which you see almost exclusively in this region. It’s real dry. It’s classic food pairing in Fondue and such melted cheese indulgences. We’ve given this dip a good tang with the goat cheese. The sage hopefully works with well with the tonic-like saltiness in the wine.
B. SALTY
Creamy Anchovy Dip
and
MARQUES DE GELIDA Cava, Brut "Exclusive Reserva" 2003 $15
Spanish, Methode Champenoise, sparkling. Fruity, substantial, fresh tasting and dry. The grapes used here are typical of good Cava: Xarel-lo, Maccabeo, Chardonnay and Parellada. This Cava comes from Catalonia, near Barcelona, where most Cava is made. The bubbles make a good textural contrast with the creamy dip. We like fishy flavors with sparkling wine (think caviar and Champagne).
C. FRUITY & HERBACEOUS
Pico de Gallo and
MUSCARDINI Rosato di Sangiovese $16
“Merlo Vineyard” Dry Creek Valley 2006 This dry, fuller-bodied, cherry & wild herb-driven, local Rosé should drink very nicely with the cilantro and oregano studded chunky Salsa. While our first choice with salsa is still Dos Equis, this match should be more than pleasant.
D. HEARTY
Picadillo
and
ZENATO Valpolicella Superiore "Ripassa" 2004 $26
Picadillo is not typically used as a dip, but why not? Ground beef, spices, almonds & raisins. Commonly used as taco filling. We suggest the tortilla chip with it. It’s wine partner is the Zenato, a Ripasso style Valpolicella. Comes from the Veneto in northeast Italy. Ripasso’s are made by stirring leftover raisined Amarone skins with dry Valpolicella. What results is a spicy, slightly jammy, substantial red wine. The Zenato is especially good. This could be the match of the night!
E. SPICY
Spicy Chorizo Dip
and
BODEGAS ATECA Garnacha "Atteca - Old Vines" 2005 $18
Atteca is from the Calatayud region of Spain. This is the heart of Spain. Old, scraggly, dry farmed Garnacha vines makes this bold and spicy red. This dip is pretty hot, so we want a spicy red to match. We’re taking a chance-hope the two together isn’t too hot.
Tasting of friday, july 27
Under Twelve Buck A Bottle Wine Tasting
We enjoyed eight wines this night, all for sale for less than twelve dollars a bottle.
Here's what we tasted:
A. DOMAINE CHIROULET "Les Terres Blanches" Vin de Pays des Côtes de Gasogne 2006 $9.90/btl.
Where: Located just north of Bordeaux. This is Cognac and Armagnac country, where the Gros Manseng and Ugni Blanc are traditionally used to make the distilled spirit.
Grapes: 50% Gros Manseng, 25% Ugni Blanc (from old vines) and 25% Sauvignon Blanc.
Who: Philippe Fezas, a Bordeaux-trained enologist and technician at Seguin-Moreau.
How: This wine is aged in neutral barrels where the lees are stirred to develop additional richness.
Style: Clean and refreshing with citrus and floral aromas. On the palate, notes of lime, melon and citrus.
Food match: Cheeses, chips and salsa, grilled white fish.
Although many people seemed to enjoy the Chiroulet, it was quickly passed over in favor of other wines in the tasting.
It was described by many of our tasters as refreshing, and was a good way to kick off our "value" tasting.
B. DOMAINE LA BASTIDE Viognier Vin de Pays d'Hauterive 2006 $13