tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-64467506015959588462024-03-13T21:26:21.922-07:00Put It In Your Face!Unknownnoreply@blogger.comBlogger26125tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-6446750601595958846.post-64441529499422459952013-01-26T08:51:00.000-08:002013-01-26T08:51:53.972-08:00Over The Moon - Good Things Come To Those Who WaitI recently turned 29. To celebrate this momentous occasion, I chose to open the first wine I ever laid down - my very last bottle of Moon Mountain 2002 Estate Reserve Sonoma Valley Cabernet Sauvignon. It had 11 years in the bottle, and even though the winemaker said at the time of release (2005) that it could go for 20, I was starting to get nervous. 20 years in a proper cellar, perhaps, but since owning this bottle I've lived in two different top floor apartments and never had anywhere better to put it than the bottom of an occasionally moved wine rack as close to the inside walls as I could get it.<br />
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First, if you don't understand why this made me nervous, allow me to explain.<br />
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No, there is too much, let me sum up.<br />
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The myriad delicate chemical reactions that cause certain wines to develop and/or improve with age rely on several factors being balanced in just the right way. Furthermore, there is a rather broad spectrum of "acceptable" on either side of "perfect," and since every bottle is different and you usually have no way to confirm its treatment before it came into your possession, people like me who just "do their best" with limited conditions end up doing an awful lot of guesswork and finger-crossing.<br />
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I see that my fears were unfounded. Upon tasting this wine I was equal parts glad I had waited so long and regretful that I hadn't waited longer - it clearly hadn't peaked yet, as was my main concern. If only I could go back in time and buy an entire case instead of four bottles, but I remember feeling at the time that I would if I could, so c'est la vie. The results I did achieve were glorious. Actually, I misspoke. My joy far overwhelms my regret, they are not equal.<br />
<br />
Moon Mountain Vineyard<br />
2002 Estate Reserve Cabernet Sauvignon<br />
Sonoma Valley, CA 13.9%<br />
Cabernet Sauvignon 76% Cabernet Franc 10% Petit Verdot 6% Merlot 5% Malbec 3%<br />
<br />
I did a casual decant, uncorking the bottle about an hour before tasting and allowing it to gently breathe sitting on a table, away from any lamps so as not to heat it up while it waited. The saturation of the cork and the layer of dark purple sediment were both exceedingly encouraging sights.<br />
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<tr><td style="text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEj5b-Ib4EqZgks3CZra-p65kfnexPwi3q0zW4zdbcCGY7H93CxZLWNyOw5F5oDrg5HnIzi8d-_FLdcAMgRj0Jn-0w8SEqjeK1TFnqva0ag_dsdpZFkgQ5sX2zC1j88qkGuyEFii2NyqiY8/s1600/MoonMountain_cork_2013.01.16.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto;"><img border="0" height="320" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEj5b-Ib4EqZgks3CZra-p65kfnexPwi3q0zW4zdbcCGY7H93CxZLWNyOw5F5oDrg5HnIzi8d-_FLdcAMgRj0Jn-0w8SEqjeK1TFnqva0ag_dsdpZFkgQ5sX2zC1j88qkGuyEFii2NyqiY8/s320/MoonMountain_cork_2013.01.16.jpg" width="240" /></a></td></tr>
<tr><td class="tr-caption" style="text-align: center;">Behold, the cork of glory! In the background, you can see my husband chopping the world's most enormous golden beet.</td></tr>
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After letting it breathe for an hour, I poured a bit into my glass. I was greeted by the sight of a beautiful, deep, rich cherry red. Like a fresh, clear brick. A little darker in the center, but fading uniformly to the edges. This was another good sign, and my fears had all but disappeared.<br /><br />It had a richly intoxicating nose of deep, sultry spices. Spiced chutney, blackberry, cassis, cinnamon, nutmeg, allspice, clove, and a faint whiff of barnyard. A bit of sexy musk, ylang ylang, neroli, vanilla, saffron, and Cavendish all declared themselves as well. I could have sat there and sniffed this complex beauty for hours.<br /><br />On the palate, the exposition was light at first followed up by HUGE monster tannins. It actually got BIGGER than it was when I'd last tasted it about 7 years ago, which was pleasantly surprising, 'cause I do like a nice brawny red. Unbelievably dry with enormous, mouth-filling flavors of chewy Cavendish, cassis, blueberry, and pepper. Slight touch of leather and graham cracker on the finish, fading into herbal mint and pine.<br /><br />My friends, this is one of the best favors I have ever done myself. When you are presented with the opportunity, buy some nice wines and lay them down for a long long time. This was an amazing experience, and makes me so much more excited for the other bottles I'm waiting on. I am definitely glad I got to put this in my face.<br />
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<tr><td style="text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhhyphenhyphenhFFtX7zpCloQAWSpX5hwcWRqcv5ZEuGwuOzDzirfjudEvh0d6K1oMFbEusp7ON9bxPfl8-3pFv1snncGd0JML69M7j38cWq_F-Jlvc3TdowsSHVxiSnGlM7epAyhuKgKXLFMeY4f5E/s1600/MoonMountain_label_2013.01.16.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto;"><img border="0" height="320" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhhyphenhyphenhFFtX7zpCloQAWSpX5hwcWRqcv5ZEuGwuOzDzirfjudEvh0d6K1oMFbEusp7ON9bxPfl8-3pFv1snncGd0JML69M7j38cWq_F-Jlvc3TdowsSHVxiSnGlM7epAyhuKgKXLFMeY4f5E/s320/MoonMountain_label_2013.01.16.jpg" width="240" /></a></td></tr>
<tr><td class="tr-caption" style="text-align: center;">Also, the label is really pretty.</td></tr>
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<br />Unknownnoreply@blogger.com1tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-6446750601595958846.post-2407120986042188812012-08-21T13:38:00.000-07:002012-08-21T13:38:37.140-07:00Wilder Child<br />
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This weekend I was delighted to discover a trio of new wines by Wilder out of <st1:place><st1:city>Walla Walla</st1:city>, <st1:state>Washington</st1:state></st1:place>.
Let’s dive right in, shall we?<br />
<br />
The first wine I tasted was the Wilder Washington Red Table Wine, vintage 2010,
13.5%. The composition remains a mystery.
Color in the glass is a deep, clear garnet, and the nose is redolent of
cassis, plum, boysenberries, and spice. Upon first sip, the Wilder Red is
bright, light, and fruity with an elegant acidity that fades gracefully away to
a dark, seductive earthiness. The finish just goes for miles, a swirling
maelstrom of shitake, graphite, and nurse log, with the daintiest little
tannins. <br />
<br />
It’s only $13. Buy a case. The most drinkable wine I’ve come across in a good
long while, definitely put it in your face. <br />
<br />
Food pairing for above was a local flank steak peppered and grilled with
sauteed shitakes and trumpets on a bed of sweet potato mash. <br />
<br />
After that excitement, I was chomping at the bit to try the Wilder Merlot.
That’s a horse joke. There’s a horse on the label. Ahem. <br />
<br />
Like the red blend, the Merlot is classified as “<st1:state>Washington</st1:state>.”
Vintage 2010, 13.5% abv. Like the red blend, it’s very clear in the glass,
though more of a deep violet with garnet edges.<br />
<br />
The nose is classic Washington Merlot: dusty raspberry, thimbleberry, briar,
cocoa, and espresso. <br />
<br />
On the palate, it opens even brighter than the blend with flavors of tart red
fruit. Subtle tannins deliver a dry, languid finish of cacao and cedar.
Elegant. Subdued. Lovely. <br />
<br />
Also $13, put it in your face.<br />
<br />
The meal pairing for the Merlot was homemade Russet fries on a parmesan and
fried leek burger with paprika aioli. </div>
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My experience with the two reds was so overwhelmingly
positive that I just had to try the Chardonnay. Which is really saying a lot
for me, because I’m not usually what one would call a “Chardonnay drinker.” I
made sure to pair it with something classic – lobster ravioli – for just that
reason. I wanted to give it a fair shot.<br />
<br />
Like the first two, it’s classified as “<st1:state>Washington</st1:state>,”
vintage 2010, and $13. It’s only 13%
alcohol though. Also like the first two, it’s really quite pretty to look at,
shimmering a bright emerald-gold in the glass with fantastic legs.<br />
<br />
The nose is layered yet straightforward with crisp apple, pear, apricot,
gooseberry, and a hint of yeast.<br />
<br />
Truth in advertising – the same flavors are delivered to the palate in order, adding warm brioche. Very subtle, supportive oak and just the right
touch of acidity. A perfect food wine, well-balanced with a clean, lemony
finish.<br />
<br />
Chardonnay isn’t really MY thing … but if it’s yours, I don’t think you’d
regret putting this one in your face.<br />
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Unknownnoreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-6446750601595958846.post-12677568126349872012012-03-17T08:44:00.000-07:002012-03-19T18:59:29.663-07:00Whiskey in the Jar<span style="font-family: inherit;">It's March 17th, and since that's a Saturday this year, there's no doubt in my mind that there will be gallons of Guinness guzzled on this night. It seems to me that each year, the focus of Saint Patrick's Day revelry is increasingly on beer. And that's all well and good. I love beer. But I can't be the only one whose first choice today is whiskey, can I?<br />
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Whiskey has been distilled in Ireland for 1400 years. It's okay, you can take a moment to let that sink in.<br />
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Maybe I'd better say it again: Whiskey has been distilled in Ireland for 1400 years. Everybody pretty much agrees the Scots learned it from them, but the Irish have kindly agreed to stop talking about in an effort to avoid getting headbutted. I'll almost certainly have some forthcoming posts about Scotch whisky (their preferred spelling), don't fret. Both styles are delicious, just a bit different. Irish whiskey, you see, is triple-distilled, whereas Scotch whisky is usually double-distilled. The resulting sweetness and smoothness of the Irish product made it quite a hit with the Tudors in the 1500s, and therefore the rest of England. By the 18th century the word "whiskey" was in the dictionary, and Irish whiskey was a world-wide institution.<br />
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Most Irish whiskeys are a blend of traditional pot still distilled spirits and the smoother column-distilled type, although bottles that consist solely of Irish Pure Pot Still Whiskey can be found labelled as such. Like Scotch whisky, Irish whiskey consists only of 100% barley. Across the pond, things are a bit different. Canadian or American whiskey can be varying combinations of barley, corn, or rye; though American whiskeys labelled as "Kentucky Bourbon" must be at least 51% corn.<br />
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Because of its signature, triple-distilled strength, Irish whiskey is delicious just by itself. It is also an astoundingly versatile mixer. The popularity of Irish Coffee (which is coffee and Irish whiskey, not coffee and Bailey's Irish Cream as so many seem to believe. Not that that's not delicious) may have single-handedly rescued a floundering post-Prohibition Irish whiskey industry. I seem to witness Jameson and Coke as the drink of choice of many, many, MANY people. Far more than rum and Coke, surprisingly, at least in my travels. And then there's your multitude of classic whiskey cocktails: Manhattan, Old Fashioned, Whiskey Sour, Mint Julep, Hot Toddy, and all manner of punch and hard lemonade.<br />
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Well, I hope this post made you as thirsty as it did me. Have a very safe and enjoyable Saint Patrick's Day, everyone. <em style="background-color: white; font-style: normal; line-height: 16px;">Sláinte!</em></span>Unknownnoreply@blogger.com2tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-6446750601595958846.post-85529716749763776412011-11-20T13:49:00.000-08:002011-11-20T13:49:01.979-08:00Turkey Time or Thanksgiving Wine Pairing Myths Debunked<div class="MsoNormal">Greetings, wine-lovers!</div><div class="MsoNormal"><br />
</div><div class="MsoNormal">It’s Thanksgiving this week, and more wine will be sold in the <st1:country-region><st1:place>United States</st1:place></st1:country-region> than in any other week of the year. This also makes it the most important week of the year for people in my line of work … not because of the sales to be made, but because of the vast number of people who need our help. For many, Thanksgiving is the only meal of the year where wine is served. Even for those of us for whom a glass of wine next to the dinner plate is as ubiqutious as flatware, pairing wines can still be daunting. It’s a tricky meal, with a lot of different kinds of flavors, many of them quite rich. Not to mention there’s your mother-in-law’s palate to worry about, or cousin Barney who only drinks Franzia.</div><div class="MsoNormal"><br />
</div><div class="MsoNormal">But never fear. Your Wine Wench is here to help – not with specific tasting notes this time, but some sound theory to help you make the choices that suit your family best, and debunk the myths that make wine-pairing with Thanksgiving harder than it needs to be.<br />
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The most notorious of these myths is: “You can’t serve red wine at Thanksgiving.”<br />
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This is just plain and simply NOT TRUE. </div><div class="MsoNormal"><br />
</div><div class="MsoNormal">Thanksgiving tables have a lot of big, rich flavors, and a big, rich wine can be just what the doctor ordered. You just have to be careful about tannin, but that isn’t an issue with many red wines, including one of my all-time favorites for Thanksgiving ….<br />
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<st1:place>Beaujolais</st1:place> Nouveau. <st1:place>Beaujolais</st1:place> is a small region of <st1:state><st1:place>Burgundy</st1:place></st1:state>, in <st1:country-region><st1:place>France</st1:place></st1:country-region>. While <st1:state><st1:place>Burgundy</st1:place></st1:state> is known primarily for Chardonnay (White Burgundy) and Pinot Noir (Red Burgundy), in <st1:place>Beaujolais</st1:place> they grow a fruity little cousin of Pinot Noir called Gamay Noir. This they use to make <st1:place><st1:placename>Beaujolais</st1:placename> <st1:placetype>Villages</st1:placetype></st1:place>, a light red wine with almost no tannins and a lively fruity character that I find positively delightful. That would be wonderful on a Thanksgiving table as well. But Beaujolais Nouveau is just plain FUN. It’s the first wine of the harvest, a very very young wine released traditionally on the third Thursday of November as a sort of preview of the vintage. Since Thanksgiving in the <st1:country-region><st1:place>US</st1:place></st1:country-region> is the fourth Thursday of November, this just seems like perfect timing – especially since this young, fresh wine is so perfectly suited to Thanksgiving. For starters, it has almost zero tannins to interfere with your flavors, but it does have a nice lively acidity that will help you carry each bite from turkey to stuffing to mash to what-have-you. Its light body makes it suitable for any palate – even those accustomed to white should be able to enjoy this red. Not to mention the lovely fruit flavors are approachable for almost every palate. It’s not sweet by any means, but it certianly isn’t bone dry. Every winery in <st1:place>Beaujolais</st1:place> makes one, but the most widely avaailable is the one produced by Georges Duboeuf. For my money, I go with Maison Joseph Drouhin – a bit pricier ($15 instead of $10) but well worth it for the perfect level of harmony achieved by every Drouhin wine.<br />
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Maybe you like the idea of a nice light red with your meal, but your discriminating palate requires a bit more complexity to keep it interested. No problem. My next choice is Pinot Noir. Pinot Noir may be the perfect food wine, because it’s just so darn versatile. It can be made light and fruity, dark and earthy, or a perfect blend of both. It can be sweet, dry, or (more often) balanced. If you’re willing to spend, you can even find some with big chewy tannins and heavy flavors … but those ones aren’t for this meal. If light, fruity, and elegant is your speed, I recommend La Crema from <st1:state><st1:place>California</st1:place></st1:state>. ($18) It may be the ideal Pinot Noir, with delicate flavors of cherry, raspberry, cola, caramel, and violet blossom. The best part for me, though, is the vibrant acidity that leaves your mouth fairly singing through the finish. Winemaker Melissa Stackhouse is just a stone cold pro, period. For an earthy Pinot, check out Bearboat’s Sonoma Coast Pinot Noir – NOT the <st1:place><st1:placename>Russian</st1:placename> <st1:placetype>River</st1:placetype></st1:place> available under the same label. It’s delicious too, but it’s fruity. Now, the Sonoma Coast Pinot, on the other hand … dry as a bone, with a cascading symphony of sauvage flavors – forest floor, pine cone, dried leaf, rosemary, cedar. I love it. And it’s only $15, which is kind of a ridiculous deal. Can’t decide between fruity and earthy? Want to have your cake and eat it too? Or maybe you just need to make peace between the War Of Different Palates within your family? Have no fear, because the following two recommendations toe the line perfectly without sacrificing quality from either component. Primarius Pinot Noir out of <st1:state><st1:place>Oregon</st1:place></st1:state> ($15) has an unassuming label which belies the quality juice inside. The price and the flavor make it my “go to” Pinot. But if you wanna fancy things up just a tad, you can go with the Vero Pinot Noir, by Maison Joseph Drouhin (<st1:country-region><st1:place>France</st1:place></st1:country-region>, $20). In its fourth generation, this family winery is currently operated by three brothers – who annually craft this Pinot Noir as a tribute to their prodigal sister, Veronique. It’s stunning. Of course, if you want to fancy things up MORE than a tad, you could always see what Veronique Drouhin has up to since she left France for Oregon’s Willamette Valley, and shell out the very reasonable $40 for her flawless Domaine Drouhin Pinot Noir – which is, without question, the finest Pinot Noir I’ve ever experienced and to this day my absolute favorite. Conversely, if you want Pinot Noir for under $10 …. I beg you to serve Beaujolais Nouveau instead. But if you insist, some decent examples can be found by Mirassou, BV Coastal, and Smoking Loon. </div><div class="MsoNormal"><br />
</div><div class="MsoNormal">We come now to my final red wine choice for Thanksgiving … an “emergency measure,” if you will, for those of you serving <st1:city><st1:place>Brussels</st1:place></st1:city> sprouts. Don’t get me wrong, I LOVE Brussels sprouts, but their pungent, earthy flavors makes pairing them with wine an absolute nightmare, especially with whites. For these guys, you DO need a wine big enough not to be bullied around by them, with enough earthy flavors to complement them … but not so big, and so earthy, that it overwhelms the rest of the meal. What to do? Where to turn?<br />
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Back to <st1:country-region><st1:place>France</st1:place></st1:country-region>, I’m afraid (are you sensing a theme, yet?) – to the Cotes du Rhone. Cotes du Rhone blends are fruity up front, but with enough peppery earth on the finish to be a lovely compliment to our pungent friends the Brussels sprout. And the best part is, the cheap ones tend to be rather medium-bodied, which means they’ll be delicious with turkey, lacking the harsh tannins found in their more expensive brothers. Perrin et Fils makes a good one ($11) as does Saint Esprit du Delas ($12) and Guigal ($15).</div><div class="MsoNormal"><br />
</div><div class="MsoNormal">But just because you CAN have red wine with Thanksgiving … doesn’t mean you have to. Plenty of people out there love white wine, and I happen to be one of them. So let’s discuss some whites.<br />
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I know everybody says it’s Chardonnay or bust for Thanksgiving. While I strongly disagree, I’m not going to argue that a good Chardonnay at Thanksgiving isn’t still a brilliant plan for those of you who enjoy it. For a creamy <st1:state><st1:place>California</st1:place></st1:state> style … I’ll once again recommend La Crema ($18). Their Chardonnay is every bit as good as their Pinot, with both oak and buttery, secondary malolactic fermentation in perfect harmony with the fruit. Chardonnay may be my least favorite grape in the world to drink varietally, so the fact that I love theirs so much says quite a bit, I think. For those of you who want the oakiness without all the cream, and a nice strong acidity to cleanse your palate between bites, there’s nothing better than Napa Cellars Chardonnay ($18). This is one of my all-time faves, and a real glugger. I even think it would be alright with Brussels sprouts …. As would <st1:country-region><st1:place>South Africa</st1:place></st1:country-region>’s Mulderbosch Sauvignon Blanc ($20), which has a delicious but bizarre mushroomy finish I’ve never experienced in another Savvy. Some Chablis also have a nice earthy, minerally character that should do well with the sprouts, as well as the rest of the meal, but not all of them. Your wine merchant can help you find the right one. If you don’t have a reliable wine merchant … you should. It’s every bit as important as having a good, trustworthy mechanic.<br />
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Another one of my favorite whites for Thanksgiving is Gewurztraminer. It’s a very spicy white grape, with lots of cinnamon, clove, and allspice behind the peach, rose, and lychee flavors. It also comes in both sweet and dry versions, so it’s easy to please multiple palates – you can even get some bottles of each, so everyone has something to compliment their sweetness level of choice, but the flavors will still be similar enough to go with the meal the same way. One of my favorite sweet Gewurztraminers is by <st1:place>Pacific Rim</st1:place>, from <st1:place><st1:placename>Washington</st1:placename> <st1:placetype>State</st1:placetype></st1:place> ($10). Sweet enough to satisfy even the pickiest drinkers, yet with a gorgeous acidity to make it a great food wine. For dry Gewurtraminer my pick is Maryhill, also from <st1:place><st1:placename>Washington</st1:placename> <st1:placetype>State</st1:placetype></st1:place>, also $10. Dry as a bone with perfect acidity, it may be my favorite Gewurtraminer of all time.</div><div class="MsoNormal"><br />
</div><div class="MsoNormal">You can accomplish the same thing with Riesling, another great food wine that also comes in sweet and dry versions, just with a more fruit-focused flavor profile of apple and apricot that lacks the spicy, floral character of Gewurztraminer. For sweet or dry, I still recommend <st1:place>Pacific Rim</st1:place>. Their dry riesling (red label) is absolutely outstanding, but for sweet – get their REGULAR Riesling (yellow label) or ORGANIC Riesling (tan label with vines) – not their SWEET Riesling (purple label). The sweet is delicious but it’s VERY sweet – 7% residual sugar, compared to 1.7% in Chateau Ste. Michelle’s popular Riesling. Wonderful to be sure, but too sweet for many, so I did want to warn you, just in case you’re one of those many. If not, and you like your wines quite sweet, then go for it, you’ll love it. Another great dry Riesling comes from Woodhouse Family Cellars under their Hudson Shah label. At 14.1% alcohol by volume it’s one of the driest Rieslings I’ve ever had and it’s incredible. 100% Rattlesnake Hills fruit from <st1:place><st1:placename>Washington</st1:placename> <st1:placetype>State</st1:placetype></st1:place>, but it tastes Australian! Bright, citrusy lime character with driftwood, seashells, and beach pebbles. All of the previously mentioned Rieslings are $10, except the Chateau Ste. Michelle which is $7, and the Pacific Rim Organic at $12.<br />
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I think that’s enough to get you started. I hope I was able to help … and with luck, I’ll be over this cold soon enough to taste some 2011 Beaujolais Nouveaus and give you some notes on those – after all, they should still be fresh enough to drink for Christmas, too, and would be delightful with a nice honey-baked ham. Cheers!</div><div class="MsoNormal"><br />
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</div>Unknownnoreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-6446750601595958846.post-77044639828379521262011-09-17T09:45:00.000-07:002011-09-17T09:45:02.795-07:00Petite In Name OnlyLast week, I enjoyed not one, but two delicious Petite Sirahs. I love this grape. Contrary to common assumption, it isn't actually related to the grape Syrah (known in Australia as Shiraz) at all. Two completely different grapes, with just a somewhat similar name. Although they do both have big, lucious, peppery flavor profiles.<br />
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The first one I tried was The Crusher, by Don Sebastiani and Sons. I was intrigued when I first saw the label, because Don Sebastiani and Sons reliably produce good juice in my experience. It was also labelled as containing grapes specific to Clarksburg, CA, which is where Bogle sources the grapes for its outstanding Petite Sirah Port. But what finally sold me on this bottle was .... a customer. Yes, it's true, though I sell wine for a living, on occasion our roles reverse and a particularly enthusiastic customer actually sells ME a bottle. That was the case last Saturday, and I'm grateful that I took his advice.<br />
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The Crusher (2009, 13.5%) is a beautiful deep, bloody violet color in the glass. Black fruit dominates the bouquet with an edge of spicy oak. Soft, supple tannins coat the mouth lusciously with a lovely, seamless acidity dancing across the palate with graceful flavors of blackberry, cola, licorice, and oak. We paired it with a pepper-marinated steak and creamy mashed potatoes and drained the bottle in no time. Definitely put this one in your face. If you find it for a mere $12 like I did, you might want to follow my customer's example and buy several cases at once. This is a delicious all-purpose red.<br />
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Having successfully reminded myself and my husband how much we love Petite Sirah, we opened another one a few days later. The 2008 Maggio Petite Sirah (13%) comes out of Lodi, CA. Lodi produces some of my favorite Zinfandels - well-balanced, with velvety tannins, and a nicely spiced flavor profile. Their version of a Petite Sirah expressed itself similarly.<br />
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The Maggio Petite Sirah is a beautiful pomegranate crimson in the glass, with a fruity, spicy nose - raspberry, cherry, and black pepper. When sipped, a good acidic tang up front makes you salivate while the soft, satiny tannins fill your mouth with juicy flavors of raspberry, blackberry, and licorice, with a finish of spicy oak. Yum! A great deal for only $7, definitely worth putting in your face.Unknownnoreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-6446750601595958846.post-49937405445905052272011-08-31T18:47:00.000-07:002011-08-31T18:47:29.015-07:00A Rosé is a RoséYou know, I'm not sure I've blogged about a rosé yet. I find that shocking, because I love them so. Luckily, I have two to tell you about today, since summer finally arrived in Seattle and I've had a chance to drink a few. But first, I should take a moment to clarify what exactly a rosé is, since there seems to be much mystery surrounding the issue.<br />
<br />
Color in red wine comes from the skin of the grape. So does tannin. Rosé wine is made by removing the skins early in the wine making process, so the wine only ends up with a little bit of color ... and only a little bit of tannin. So what you end up with is basically something with the flavor of a red wine (perhaps a tick or two down on the intensity scale), with the light body and refreshing acidity of a white wine.<br />
<br />
They're awesome.<br />
<br />
In early August I tried the Angove's Nine Vines Rosé (South Australia, 12.5% ABV, 70% Grenache/30% Shiraz). I couldn't pass it up at the store. $4.99 marked down from $9.99, you say? What a deal!<br />
<br />
Not so much. You see, I failed to follow one of the Wine Wench's very own rules ... when faced with a deal, always, ALWAYS check the vintage. And this one, I realized while taking notes, was a 2008. Oops.<br />
<br />
Rosé, you see, should be drunk fresh. The current vintage. Very good ones can be drunk a vintage late. But this one was three vintages behind. So it's no wonder it tasted lackluster. Not terrible. I finished my glass. I just didn't have another. It smelled of bright strawberry and ruby grapefruit with bell pepper, rhubarb, and tart strawberries with cream - that hint of vanilla on the edge of the bouquet that comes from oak aging. This promising, delightful aroma is what makes me think that a current vintage of this wine would probably be quite tasty. But on the palate it was over acidic, weak, and flabby.<br />
<br />
Last week I washed that disappointing Rosé flavor out of my mouth with a stunning example of the style. Susana Balbo of Argentina makes some of the best Malbec in the world, and her 2010 Crios Rosé of Malbec (13.9%, Mendoza) is no exception.<br />
<br />
For starters, when poured into the glass, it was brreathtakingly beautiful. The first word of my notes is "Wow!" Seriously. It was a brilliant bright, clear crimson, like a perfectly ripe dewberry (Seattle's local trailing raspberry), a sort of pinkish-ruby. Truly stunning. It smelled of cranberry, raspberry, bell pepper, and ginger. On the palate cranberry and tart watermelon blend into raspberry and white tea lifted by the perfect balance of acidity and tannin. Of course. 'Cause it's Balbo. And she's a genius. Definitely put this in your face. I scored it on sale for $10, but it's well worth the regular price tag of $13.Unknownnoreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-6446750601595958846.post-43232421209047749762011-07-31T18:49:00.000-07:002011-07-31T18:49:31.337-07:00Three's A CrowdLet's get the lame duck out of the way first.<br />
<br />
My limited experience with Castle Rock has not given me a favorable impression of the brand. Years ago, I tried their $10 Pinot Noir on a whim. It tasted like grape juice steeped with pine cones. Stemmy, acidic. Bleh. I didn't drink it. Finally, six years later, my patience had grown back. "Cheap Pinot is very hard to make not disgusting," I told myself. "Perhaps they'll do better with a Zin." I was expecting it to be jammy and too sweet, especially at only 13.8%, but at least drinkable.<br />
<br />
No. It smelled hot and tasted insipid. Extremely acidic, with tight, bland fruit. It tasted in no way like a Zinfandel. How could it? How hard do you have to work to suck that much flavor OUT of such a delicious grape? Especially at such a low alcohol content for the varietal. Granted, it was my first ever Mendocino Zin. Perhaps it doesn't ripen in that cool climate - at all. My husband observed that it would be better off called "Rando's Red" than advertised as a Zinfandel. I poured my glass, and the bottle, down the drain. You can skip this one.<br />
<br />
Now, the Simi Zinfandel I opened next that night (I wanted Zin with my burger, dammit!) was a significant improvement. For starters, it smelled like a Zin, with aromas of brandied plum, blackberry jam, and spiced rum. It also tasted like a Zin, with a palate that reflected the bouquet, accented with nicely balanced acidity, and lovely tannins giving it a satin mouthfeel with a long, spicy finish. Great deal for the $8 I paid on sale. At the regular price of $18, I'd go with Seghesio, St. Francis, or Cline. But for under $10, put this one in your face.<br />
<br />
A month later (yeah, I know, I need to update more) I was ready for another Zin. I decided to try out one of the new ones from work that had been winking me in the face - a $10 Old Vine Zinfandel by Four Vines (California, 2008, 14.6%). Violet-red in the glass, it smelled of bright grenadine and red cherry. A promising Zin-like aroma (I swear, that Castle Rock traumatized me). The palate was richly fruit forward without being sweet, if not terribly complex. Though it did have a nice sort of dark, musty finish of mushroom and oak. Not bad. Not great. But not bad.<br />
<br />
Of course, that being said, we did drink the whole bottle, which doesn't always happen. Its lack of oomph, rather than making it boring, just made it a highly drinkable background food wine. I don't think I'd buy it again - in the same price range the Bogle Old Vine Zinfandel is far better - but I don't regret buying it, or opening it. It was nice. And might even make a good starter Zin for someone accustomed to more traditional varietals.Unknownnoreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-6446750601595958846.post-14350606171533814812011-06-21T17:18:00.000-07:002012-03-19T20:29:38.622-07:00Put it ZIN your face. Get it? ZIN your face?I have been a very busy bee this summer, and I fear I have been neglecting the blog. I have not, however, been neglecting to drink, and the pile of notes on my desk reaches ever skyward. Someday, perhaps, I'll write about them for you, but today, you just get a quick post about a killer Zin.<br />
<br />
I love Cline. There, I said it. I love everything of theirs I've ever tasted (which is quite a lot) and they are exceptionally good at Zinfandel. Even their cheap little jam-bomb is good if you're into that sort of thing. But the Sonoma Zinfandel is a couple rungs up the ladder.<br />
<br />
A dark brick red in the glass, the nose is redolent with intense aromas of blackberries, rum, brandy-soaked plums and spicy oak.<br />
<br />
The palate, in a word, is GORGEOUS. In fact that single word, in all caps and everything, was the first thing I wrote in my notes, as it was my overwhelming impression of this wine. Perfect acid balance. Perfect everything. Bright fruit up front and a finish like an ancient spice cabinet: cinnamon, clove, oak, pepper, anise, orange peel. Yum.<br />
<br />
The best part of this baby was the price. It's normally about $18, and it's worth it. It actually reminded me a lot of another one of my favorite $18 bottles, the Seghesio Sonoma Zinfandel. But I found it on sale for $10. Yoink. If you do, as well, I advise you to do what I did: buy at least six bottles and put it in your face.<br />
<br />
<br />
Date: 6/13/11<br />
Wine: Cline Sonoma Zinfandel<br />
Grapes: Zinfandel<br />
Vintage: 2006<br />
ABV: 15%<br />
Origin: Sonoma, Californa<br />
Color: dark brick with nice clarity<br />
Nose: blackberry, rum, spicey oak, plum<br />
Palate: bright fruit and very spicy. cinnamon, clove, oak, pepper, anise, orange peel<br />
Price: $10<br />Unknownnoreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-6446750601595958846.post-57120680643060794852011-05-22T16:48:00.000-07:002012-03-19T20:44:47.292-07:00Vino Barato y FrescoSummer has arrived - the domain of cheap reds to wash down cheap frozen burgers cooked on cheap grills by the riverside. At least, that's what it means in my world. I came across a couple such values last month, both by global negociant "R" Wines, and both from Australia.<br />
<br />
Luchador Shiraz was featured on a display boasting 92 points. Given the <a href="http://latinawineblogger.files.wordpress.com/2011/05/dscn08961.jpg">silly label</a>, I had to try it to believe it. When I opened the Stelvin closure and poured I was greeted by a wine that was a very dark brick red in the glass. The bright, lively nose offered up intense aromas of cherry pie, grenadine, and allspice. Truth in advertising: the flavor upon sipping was an explosion of rich, juicy plum, succulent, ripe cherry, and spicy oak on the finish. Laid-back tannins and nice acid throughout.<br />
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92 points? I don't know. I also don't know about the $14.99 original price tag. Definitely a lot at that price range I'd rather drink (like the Tamarack Cellars Firehouse Red, for instance.) But for the mere $6.99 I got it for? Put it in your face!<br />
<br />
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<span class="Apple-style-span" style="color: white; font-family: inherit;"><span class="apple-style-span">Date: </span><st1:date day="10" month="8" year="2010"><span class="apple-style-span">4/6/11</span></st1:date><br />
<span class="apple-style-span">Wine: "R" Wines Luchador Shiraz<o:p></o:p></span></span></div>
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<span class="Apple-style-span" style="color: white; font-family: inherit;"><span class="apple-style-span">Grapes: Shiraz</span><br />
<span class="apple-style-span">Vintage: 2007</span><br />
<span class="apple-style-span">ABV: 14.5%</span><br />
<span class="apple-style-span">Origin: South Australia</span></span></div>
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<span class="Apple-style-span" style="color: white; font-family: inherit;"><span class="apple-style-span">Color: very dark brick</span><br />
<span class="apple-style-span">Nose: cherry, grenadine, oak</span><br />
<span class="apple-style-span">Palate: rich plum, cherry, spicy oak, nice acid</span><br />
<span class="apple-style-span">Price: $7</span></span></div>
<br />
<br />
I bought the Marquis Phillips Grenache off the same display. At the time, I was too distracted by <a href="http://premium.premiergroup.net/store/images_products/marquis_philips_grenache_08.jpg">the label</a> to notice the ABV until I got home. SIXTEEN PERCENT. Seriously. I'm gonna say that again in case you weren't paying attention: this Grenache is sixteen percent alcohol.<br />
<br />
I've heard of this, I've just never actually seen one. At that range, I expected it to be pretty dry, but surprisingly, it wasn't. It showed a clear ruby in the glass with red fruit and clove aromas. The palate was smooth and straight forward. Not dry, but certainly not sweet.<br />
<br />
The flavor profile wasn't bad, but it wasn't terribly exciting either. Just some plum, cherry, and raspberry, with a dusky, earthy undertone to the finish. The heat from the alcohol was well-integrated and significantly less noticeable than I presumed. Definitely not worth $13, but again, I got on sale for $7, which made it decent. I do think the mild, fruity flavors, silky texture and high alcohol content make it an IDEAL choice for home-made sangria. If you're into that sort of thing. Me, I'm lazy and hooked on <a href="http://www.worldmarket.com/product/index.jsp?productId=4058356">this stuff</a>.<br />
<br />
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<span class="Apple-style-span" style="color: white; font-family: inherit;"><span class="apple-style-span">Date: </span><st1:date day="10" month="8" year="2010"><span class="apple-style-span">4/8/11</span></st1:date><br />
<span class="apple-style-span">Wine: "R" Wines Marquis Phillips Grenache<o:p></o:p></span></span></div>
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<span class="Apple-style-span" style="color: white; font-family: inherit;"><span class="apple-style-span">Grapes: Grenache</span><br />
<span class="apple-style-span">Vintage: 2008</span><br />
<span class="apple-style-span">ABV: 16%</span><br />
<span class="apple-style-span">Origin: MacLaren Vale, Australia</span></span></div>
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<span class="Apple-style-span" style="color: white; font-family: inherit;"><span class="apple-style-span">Color: clear ruby red</span><br />
<span class="apple-style-span">Nose: cherry, plum, grenadine, spice</span><br />
<span class="apple-style-span">Palate: same. heat less noticeable than I thought.</span><br />
<span class="apple-style-span">Price: $7</span></span></div>Unknownnoreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-6446750601595958846.post-30716929712277357862011-04-30T20:12:00.000-07:002012-03-19T20:44:24.108-07:00Putting the "Yay" back in Viognier<span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-family: inherit;">Viognier is a tricky little grape; almost as tricky to pair with food as it is to pronounce (Vee-own-YAY). The difficulty arises in the low acidity. Acidity is what cleanses the palate after each sip, and what compliments the flavors in your favorite cuisine. Wines without much of their own must be paired with foods high in acid in order to be successful. A Viognier is great with salad, fruit, or hard cheese, but try it with a rich, creamy alfredo sauce and you'll have a flabby-tasting disaster on your hands.</span><br />
<span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-family: inherit;"><br />
</span><br />
<span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-family: inherit;">But the River Aerie Viognier from Washington's Columbia Valley is uniquely high in acidity - for the varietal, anyway. This isn't extremely surprising when you think about it, because high acidity tends to be a trademark characteristic of Washington wines. It's part of the reason I like them so much. I had it with some (granted, quite acidic) pizza and while it may not have been a perfect pairing, it was certainly serviceable.</span><br />
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</span><br />
<span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-family: inherit;">The aromas were pretty standard for Viognier, in that they were predominantly floral. But instead of the usual intense perfume, the honeysuckle and gardenia bouquet was supported by some tempting scents of juicy peach. The palate was more perfumey than the nose, and very much what a Viognier should be: like a walk through the garden. Honeysuckle and gardenia return, along with lily-of-the-valley, jasmine, and seductive nerula. The finish became fruity, with peach and succulent pineapple and a charming, grassy finish.</span><br />
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</span><br />
<span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-family: inherit;">All in all, a rather delightful little bottle. Perfect for porch-sipping on a sunny spring Saturday like today. </span><br />
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<span class="Apple-style-span" style="color: white; font-family: inherit;"><span class="apple-style-span">Date: </span><st1:date day="10" month="8" year="2010"><span class="apple-style-span">3/27/11</span></st1:date><br />
<span class="apple-style-span">Wine: River Aerie<o:p></o:p></span></span></div>
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<span class="Apple-style-span" style="color: white; font-family: inherit;"><span class="apple-style-span">Grapes: Viognier</span><br />
<span class="apple-style-span">Vintage: 2006</span><br />
<span class="apple-style-span">ABV: 14.1%</span><br />
<span class="apple-style-span">Origin: Columbia Valley, Washington</span></span></div>
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<span class="Apple-style-span" style="color: white; font-family: inherit;"><span class="apple-style-span">Color: light gold</span><br />
<span class="apple-style-span">Nose: peach, honeysuckle, gardenia</span><br />
<span class="apple-style-span">Palate: still very perfumey and floral up front, jasmine, nerula - finish on peach and pineapple and grass.</span><br />
<span class="apple-style-span">Price: $8</span></span></div>Unknownnoreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-6446750601595958846.post-48098548457320036722011-04-01T16:31:00.000-07:002012-03-19T20:44:07.293-07:00The Lion In SummerWell, I found your go-to white and red for this summer. They're both tasty and straightforward, and they're only seven bucks. You're welcome.<br />
<br />
Interestingly enough, they're also both in the same series from the same winery: R Wines' Red Lion Chardonnay and Red Lion Cabernet.<br />
<br />
Let's start, as we would in a tasting, with the white. This is one leggy blonde! Bright straw color in the glass, and a luscious viscosity that just doesn't quit. To be honest, it made me a bit nervous, but the alcohol doesn't overpower the fruit in the slightest. Because the fruit itself is so intense. The bouquet is a tropical symphony of coconut, banana, and papaya, with some marshmallow and toasty oak on the finish. The flavors are also tropical but somewhat citrusier (yes, I know that's not a word. It is now.) than the nose, leading off with piquant starfruit, pineapple, banana, papaya, and juicy mango on the finish. Well-integrated oak throughout does its job of highlighting and supporting the fruit without overpowering it (I hate it when my Chard tastes like tree. I know I'm in the minority here, but that's just how I feel.) but the most pleasing thing about this wine is the mouthfeel. Full, round, and silky.<br />
<br />
And just for the record, pairing it with <a href="http://www.theochocolate.com/">Theo Chocolate</a>'s lemon-filled confections is like heaven in your mouth.<br />
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</span><br />
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<span class="Apple-style-span" style="color: white; font-family: inherit;"><span class="apple-style-span">Date: </span><st1:date day="10" month="8" year="2010"><span class="apple-style-span">3/27/11</span></st1:date><br />
<span class="apple-style-span">Wine: R Wines Red Lion Chardonnay<o:p></o:p></span></span></div>
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<span class="Apple-style-span" style="color: white; font-family: inherit;"><span class="apple-style-span">Grapes: Chardonnay</span><br />
<span class="apple-style-span">Vintage: 2007</span><br />
<span class="apple-style-span">ABV: 13.9%</span><br />
<span class="apple-style-span">Origin: California</span></span></div>
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<span class="Apple-style-span" style="color: white; font-family: inherit;"><span class="apple-style-span">Color: straw</span><br />
<span class="apple-style-span">Nose: coconut, banana, papaya, marshmallow, toasty oak</span><br />
<span class="apple-style-span">Palate: well-integrated oak, starfruit, pineapple, banana, papaya, mango. full, round, and silky.</span><br />
<span class="apple-style-span">Price: $7</span></span></div>
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<span class="Apple-style-span" style="color: white; font-family: inherit;"><br />
</span></div>
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<span class="Apple-style-span" style="color: white; font-family: inherit;">The Red Lion Cabernet isn't quite as complex as the Chardonnay, but still enjoyable. A dark brick red in the glass, it offers up enticing aromas of blackberries, black cherries and cream, and ... pie crust. Seriously, pie crust. That was a first for me. </span></div>
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<span class="Apple-style-span" style="color: white; font-family: inherit;"><br />
</span></div>
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<span class="Apple-style-span" style="color: white; font-family: inherit;">Upon sipping, a tight core of smooth, sleek tannins delivers a clean shot of fruit right to the center of your palate. Perfectly streamlined acid. This wine screams "barbecue" to me. It sounds like this: "OH PLEEEEASE PAIR ME WITH BARBECUE! SOME STICKY RIBS! SOME JUICY BURGERS! OH PLEASE OH PLEASE OH PLEASE I'LL TASTE SO GOOOOOOD!" Just like that.</span></div>
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<span class="Apple-style-span" style="color: white; font-family: inherit;">The truth is, neither of these wines are hyperbole-laden, write-home-to-Mom, killer amazing once-in-a-life time deals. But they are good, and they are great food wines, and they are seven dollars. And they have <a href="http://prime.premiergroup.net/store/images_products/red_lion_chard_07.jpg">kooky labels.</a> And Stelvin closures (aka: screwcaps). Which makes them the perfect choice this summer for potlucks, camping trips, family get-togethers, or just pizza night with the pals.</span></div>
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<span class="Apple-style-span" style="color: white; font-family: inherit;"><br />
</span></div>
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<span class="Apple-style-span" style="color: white; font-family: inherit;"><span class="apple-style-span">Date: </span><st1:date day="10" month="8" year="2010"><span class="apple-style-span">3/27/11</span></st1:date><br />
<span class="apple-style-span">Wine: R Wines Red Lion Cabernet Sauvignon<o:p></o:p></span></span></div>
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<span class="Apple-style-span" style="color: white; font-family: inherit;"><span class="apple-style-span">Grapes: Cabernet Sauvignon</span><br />
<span class="apple-style-span">Vintage: 2006</span><br />
<span class="apple-style-span">ABV: 15%</span><br />
<span class="apple-style-span">Origin: California</span></span></div>
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<span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-family: inherit;"><span class="apple-style-span" style="color: white;">Color: brick red</span></span></div>
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<span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-family: inherit;"><span style="color: white;"><span class="apple-style-span">Nose: blackberry, black cherries + cream, pie crust</span><br />
<span class="apple-style-span">Palate: same; tight tannins but smooth, nice acid.</span><br />
<span class="apple-style-span">Price: $7</span></span></span></div>
</div>Unknownnoreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-6446750601595958846.post-77682256705431264952011-03-20T08:58:00.000-07:002012-03-19T20:43:34.228-07:00Sips From Sicily<span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-family: inherit;">Today I'd like to review a pair of wines from Donna Fugata winery in Sicily, Italy. Both are IGT wines, and since I'm loathe to repeat myself, see my very first entry from June 2010 entitled "Tuttobene - It's All Good" for a breakdown on what exactly that means.</span><br />
<span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-family: inherit;"><br />
</span><br />
<span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-family: inherit;">Donna Fugata, or "fleeing lady," is named for Queen Maria Carolina, who hid in the land surrounding the vineyards following the storming of her palace in Naples by Napoleonic troops.</span><br />
<span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-family: inherit;"><br />
</span><br />
<span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-family: inherit;">In true Italian form, neither of these labels reveal the composition of the blend, and I don't know the vast cornucopia of native Italian grapes well enough to guess. The only thing I'm certain of is that there's a good portion of Nero d'Avola in the red, because that's the most common red grape in Sicily, and this wine possesses in abundance the bright, compelling fruit I find so enjoyable in so many Nero d'Avolas. This is also the reason that varietal is made into astoundingly good dry rosés. But I digress.</span><br />
<span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-family: inherit;"><br />
</span><br />
<span class="Apple-style-span" style="color: white; font-family: inherit;">The white is a lovely emerald-tinged straw color in the glass. The nose exudes ripe, luscious aromas of juicy peach, yellow plum, and pear, with some Golden Delicious apple, honeydew, and a bit of tart gooseberry rounding out the finish. The taste, however, is not the tropical vacation promised by the nose, though it is good: bright acid pushes forward flavors of mouthwatering Granny Smith apples and crisp plum. The finish is somewhat herbal, with green tea and tangy sweet basil. Caprese salad anyone?</span><br />
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</span><br />
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<span class="Apple-style-span" style="color: white; font-family: inherit;"><span class="apple-style-span">Date: </span><st1:date day="10" month="8" year="2010"><span class="apple-style-span">1/16/11</span></st1:date><br />
<span class="apple-style-span">Wine: Donna Fugata "Anthília" Bianca Sicilia<o:p></o:p></span></span></div>
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<span class="Apple-style-span" style="color: white; font-family: inherit;"><span class="apple-style-span">Grapes: unknown</span><br />
<span class="apple-style-span">Vintage: 2009</span><br />
<span class="apple-style-span">ABV: 12.5%</span><br />
<span class="apple-style-span">Origin: Sicily, Italy IGT</span></span></div>
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<span class="Apple-style-span" style="color: white; font-family: inherit;"><span class="apple-style-span">Color: straw with emerald highlights</span><br />
<span class="apple-style-span">Nose: peach, yellow plum, pear, sweet apple, honeydew, gooseberry</span><br />
<span class="apple-style-span">Palate: tart apple and plum; herbal finish. green tea, tangy sweet basil</span><br />
<span class="apple-style-span">Price: $12</span></span></div>
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<span class="apple-style-span"><span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-family: inherit;"><span class="Apple-style-span" style="color: white; line-height: 20px;">The red is as beautiful in the glass as the white, a softly glowing violet ruby with a very bright and fruity nose. Cherry, cassis, strawberry, raspberry, with some zesty rhubarb and a hint of spicy oak around the edges. The taste is more of the same. This wine bursts forth with explosive flavors of very bright, expressive fruit. Strawberry is dominant, but its friends raspberry and rhubarb also come out to play. There is a hint of rosemary as it finishes with tart, clean acid. A perfect food wine, but it IS Italian, so who is surprised? However, with the light to medium body and zesty fruit flavors, this wine would be great by itself as well. Whether you're sipping, or pairing with homey fare like pizza, pasta, burgers, ribs, etc ... gather up some friends and put this in your face.</span></span></span></div>
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<span class="apple-style-span"><span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-family: inherit;"><span class="Apple-style-span" style="color: white; line-height: 20px;"><span class="apple-style-span">Date: </span><st1:date day="10" month="8" year="2010"><span class="apple-style-span">3/2/11</span></st1:date><br />
<span class="apple-style-span">Wine: Donna Fugata "Sedára" Rosso Sicilia<o:p></o:p></span></span></span></span></div>
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<span class="apple-style-span"><span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-family: inherit;"><span class="Apple-style-span" style="color: white; line-height: 20px;"><span class="apple-style-span">Grapes: unknown</span><br />
<span class="apple-style-span">Vintage: 2008</span><br />
<span class="apple-style-span">ABV: 13%</span><br />
<span class="apple-style-span">Origin: Sicily, Italy IGT</span></span></span></span></div>
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<span class="apple-style-span"><span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-family: inherit;"><span class="Apple-style-span" style="color: white; line-height: 20px;"><span class="apple-style-span">Color: violet ruby</span><br />
<span class="apple-style-span">Nose: bright and fruity nose! cherry, cassis, strawberry, rhubarb, raspberry, oaky spice</span><br />
<span class="apple-style-span">Palate: very bright, expressive fruit! strawberry flavors foremost, then raspberry, rhubarb, rosemary, with tart, clean acid on fruity finish (straw/razz)</span><br />
<span class="apple-style-span">Price: $12</span></span></span></span></div>
</div>Unknownnoreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-6446750601595958846.post-17453401561420635782011-03-18T16:03:00.000-07:002012-03-19T20:39:57.859-07:00Stunning SavvySeveral months ago, I reviewed the '08 Maxwell Creek Sauvignon Blanc in the post titled "White Hot Summer." The '09 is out and I'm pleased to report it is still a killer deal, if not quite as complex as '08 was.<br />
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Where the '08 led off with a predominantly tropical nose, '09 favors a more citrusy bouquet with peach, nectarine, and grapefruit up front, and some light aromas of comforting hay at the finish. The flavor is much the same, with some tangerine and juicy white plum thrown in for good measure. The acid balance is perfect. Is it as hyperbole-laden as the '08? Not quite. Is it still kind of a stupid deal for savvy this good at nine bucks? Yes. Absolutely.<br />
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<span style="color: white;"><span class="apple-style-span"><span style="font-family: Georgia; font-size: 10pt;">Date: </span></span><st1:date day="10" month="8" year="2010"><span class="apple-style-span"><span style="font-family: Georgia; font-size: 10pt;">2/24/11</span></span></st1:date><span style="font-family: Georgia; font-size: 10pt;"><br />
<span class="apple-style-span">Wine: Maxwell Creek Sauvignon Blanc<o:p></o:p></span></span></span></div>
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<span style="color: white;"><span class="apple-style-span"><span style="font-family: Georgia; font-size: 10pt;">Grapes: Sauvignon Blanc</span></span><span style="font-family: Georgia; font-size: 10pt;"><br />
<span class="apple-style-span">Vintage: 2009</span><br />
<span class="apple-style-span">ABV: 13.5%</span><br />
<span class="apple-style-span">Origin: Rutherford, Napa Valley, California</span></span></span></div>
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<span style="color: white;"><span class="apple-style-span"><span style="font-family: Georgia; font-size: 10pt;">Color: light gold</span></span><span style="font-family: Georgia; font-size: 10pt;"><br />
<span class="apple-style-span">Nose: peach, nectarine, grapefruit, hay</span><br />
<span class="apple-style-span">Palate: peach, nectarine, grapefruit, tangerine, white plum, hay. Perfect acid balance.</span><br />
<span class="apple-style-span">Price: $9</span></span></span></div>
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Now, the Mulderbosch is a slightly different beast. South Africa gets a lot of attention for its red. Deservedly so; they make a killer Cab, and I adore a good Pinotage. But in my opinion, its their white wines that really shine. Mulderbosch Sauvignon Blanc more than lives up to that statement - it exemplifies it.<br />
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The nose is very herbal, with green pepper and green tea up front and an interestingly pungent finish I've never before encountered in any white wine save Chablis. On the palate, the texture is as airily delicate as lace, with bright acidity and a surprisingly earthy finish that tastes, for all the world, like a coastal estuary: salt-breeze blown resinous herb, rosemary, driftwood, and sweet mushroom. Its 92 points are well-earned. Do NOT pass this one up.<br />
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<span style="color: white;"><span class="apple-style-span"><span style="font-family: Georgia; font-size: 10pt;">Date: </span></span><st1:date day="10" month="8" year="2010"><span class="apple-style-span"><span style="font-family: Georgia; font-size: 10pt;">1/19/11</span></span></st1:date><span style="font-family: Georgia; font-size: 10pt;"><br />
<span class="apple-style-span">Wine: Mulderbosch Sauvignon Blanc<o:p></o:p></span></span></span></div>
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<span style="color: white;"><span class="apple-style-span"><span style="font-family: Georgia; font-size: 10pt;">Grapes: Sauvignon Blanc</span></span><span style="font-family: Georgia; font-size: 10pt;"><br />
<span class="apple-style-span">Vintage: 2009</span><br />
<span class="apple-style-span">ABV: 12 %</span><br />
<span class="apple-style-span">Origin: Western Cape, South Africa</span></span></span></div>
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<span style="color: white;"><span class="apple-style-span"><span style="font-family: Georgia; font-size: 10pt;">Color: very pale gold</span></span><span style="font-family: Georgia; font-size: 10pt;"><br />
<span class="apple-style-span">Nose: green pepper, green tea, something pungent on the end. mushroom.</span><br />
<span class="apple-style-span">Palate: bright and light acid, dry and earthy. resinous herb. rosemary, driftwood, sweet mushroom.</span><br />
<span class="apple-style-span">Price: $12 (regularly $20. score at my price, still VERY worth it at full price)</span></span></span></div>Unknownnoreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-6446750601595958846.post-61601519194382885662011-03-02T19:44:00.000-08:002012-03-19T20:42:37.240-07:00The Heart Has Its Rieslings<span style="color: white;">Greetings, loyal libation lovers! I know it's been a while since I updated, but my hiatus from blogging hasn't stopped me from tasting. I've got a lot of catching up to do. Let's start by examining two recently tasted wines made from a favorite grape of mine - Riesling.</span><br />
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<span style="color: white;">Riesling gets a bad rap. People consider it a cheap, syrupy-sweet wine favored predominantly by young consumers with uncultured palates. For many years, the vast majority of domestically available Riesling was exactly that, so the reputation is not unfounded. However, I do feel it is unjustified. In the past two decades the American palate has evolved - we are now importing German and Alsatian Rieslings of good quality, and producing some of our own that are truly standouts in their category. But there's still a lot of mediocre and even bad Riesling out there, some from otherwise highly reputable producers. That's why I'm here to help.</span><br />
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<span style="color: white;">The most important trick I've learned for finding good Riesling, whatever style you like, is to buy Washington Riesling. The exquisite drainage provided by the Ice Age granite deposits in the Columbia Valley is comparable to the same found on the steep slate terraces of the Mosel Valley in Germany. The Riesling produced is of exceptional character and, like its German cousins, tends to exhibit nice minerality.</span><br />
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<span style="color: white;">I'm not trying to hate on California. It's just that I've never had a Californian Riesling that's measured up. That's why I was so excited to try the Bogle Riesling. I'm a huge fan of Bogle. I honestly feel they're one of the most consistent value brands out there. Guaranteed to be an accessible, crowd-pleasing, food-friendly pour well worth the sticker price.</span><br />
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<span style="color: white;">When I first smelled the Bogle Riesling, I was impressed. For a Californian Riesling it was surprisingly complex, with a floral-forward nose of honeysuckle, jasmine, chamomile, and white tea, highlighting aromas of juicy white peach, nectarine, and mandarin. I confess, the excitement I had been too nervous to feel upon purchasing now began to grow. As I sipped, I prepared myself to finally, after all these years, taste a California Riesling I liked.</span><br />
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<span style="color: white;">But it was not to be. Like all it's brethren before it, the Bogle Riesling fell flat on the palate. Tart, heavy-handed lime up front, followed by mandarin and more chamomile. On the finish, the ungainly tartness was replaced by a saccharine sweetness. Over all, it was unbalanced and sub-par - the ONLY unimpressive bottle of Bogle I've ever had. How sad. That being said, it was still miles ahead of any other California Riesling I've experienced, in that it was at least tolerable. I did finish my glass. I was just hoping for more.</span><br />
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<span style="color: white;"><span class="apple-style-span"><span style="font-family: Georgia; font-size: 10pt;">Date: </span></span><st1:date day="10" month="8" year="2010"><span class="apple-style-span"><span style="font-family: Georgia; font-size: 10pt;">2/15/11</span></span></st1:date><span style="font-family: Georgia; font-size: 10pt;"><br />
<span class="apple-style-span">Wine: Bogle Riesling<o:p></o:p></span></span></span></div>
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<span style="color: white;"><span class="apple-style-span"><span style="font-family: Georgia; font-size: 10pt;">Grapes: Riesling</span></span><span style="font-family: Georgia; font-size: 10pt;"><br />
<span class="apple-style-span">Vintage: 2009</span><br />
<span class="apple-style-span">ABV: 13.5%</span><br />
<span class="apple-style-span">Origin: California</span></span></span></div>
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<span style="color: white;"><span class="apple-style-span"><span style="font-family: Georgia; font-size: 10pt;">Color: light gold</span></span><span style="font-family: Georgia; font-size: 10pt;"><br />
<span class="apple-style-span">Nose: honey, honeysuckle, jasmine, white peach, nectarine, white tea, mandarin, chamomile</span><br />
<span class="apple-style-span">Palate: tart lime, orange, chamomile. A bit saccharine on finish with unbalanced acid. </span><br />
<span class="apple-style-span">Price: $7</span></span></span></div>
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<span style="color: white;">More is exactly what I got from the Pacific Rim Riesling, but that's not surprising. Pacific Rim was founded by people just like me - crazy about the versatility offered by the Riesling grape, but frustrated by the lack of quality Rieslings in the market. So they did something radical, and founded a winery devoted exclusively to Riesling. And of course they did it in Washington State's Columbia Valley. Today "only" 90% of their wines are still Riesling, but they're some of the most consistently high-quality Rieslings available. Their dry Riesling is the driest I've ever tasted, and the best in that category. Their sweet, on the other hand, is the sweetest non-dessert Riesling I've ever had, but it's still exemplary. Their middle ground bottle, simply labelled "Riesling," is no exception.</span><br />
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<span style="color: white;">The nose is nothing short of seductive, oozing honey-drenched chamomile and nerula, followed bu luscious, juicy D'anjou pear, white peach, nectarine, and a hint of lemon zest. The exposition on the palate is much the same. Sweet up front with a squeeze of lime on the finish with the palate-cleansing acidity ... something more that lingers. Some sort of resinous herb flavor. It's not quite pine, not quite juniper, and not quite rosemary. I'm sure a more cultured palate than mine could nail it down. But whatever it is, it's delightful. The impeccable balance throughout the wine perfectly masks the 2.3% residual sugar. It blends in more seamlessly than some Rieslings at 1.7%. Definitely put this one in your face.</span><br />
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<span style="font-family: Georgia; font-size: 10pt;"><span class="apple-style-span" style="color: white;"><span class="apple-style-span"><span style="font-family: Georgia; font-size: 10pt;">Date: </span></span><st1:date day="10" month="8" year="2010"><span class="apple-style-span"><span style="font-family: Georgia; font-size: 10pt;">2/23/11</span></span></st1:date><span style="font-family: Georgia; font-size: 10pt;"><br />
<span class="apple-style-span">Wine: Pacific Rim Riesling<o:p></o:p></span></span></span></span></div>
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<span style="font-family: Georgia; font-size: 10pt;"><span class="apple-style-span" style="color: white;"><span class="apple-style-span"><span style="font-family: Georgia; font-size: 10pt;">Grapes: Riesling</span></span><span style="font-family: Georgia; font-size: 10pt;"><br />
<span class="apple-style-span">Vintage: 2009</span><br />
<span class="apple-style-span">ABV: 11.7%</span><br />
<span class="apple-style-span">Origin: Columbia Valley, Washington</span></span></span></span></div>
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<span style="font-family: Georgia; font-size: 10pt;"><span class="apple-style-span" style="color: white;"><span class="apple-style-span"><span style="font-family: Georgia; font-size: 10pt;">Color: light gold</span></span><span style="font-family: Georgia; font-size: 10pt;"><br />
<span class="apple-style-span">Nose: honey, chamomile, lemon, nectarine, white peach, white tea</span><br />
<span class="apple-style-span">Palate: same with a squeeze of lime on the finish. Sweet up front with a nice cleansing acidity on the finish. some sort of resiny thing - sticky nectar?</span><br />
<span class="apple-style-span">Price: $9</span></span></span></span></div>
</div>Unknownnoreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-6446750601595958846.post-17792867628416832912010-09-02T12:20:00.000-07:002010-09-02T12:20:11.642-07:00Universal PleasureThis isn't a wine review, but I couldn't help myself. Here is a link to a story about African baboons getting drunk off wine grapes: <a href="http://www.dailytelegraph.com.au/news/wacky/baboons-get-drunk-on-wine-grapes/story-e6frev20-1225912357384">http://www.dailytelegraph.com.au/news/wacky/baboons-get-drunk-on-wine-grapes/story-e6frev20-1225912357384</a>Unknownnoreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-6446750601595958846.post-42082710013549778862010-08-31T19:09:00.000-07:002012-03-19T20:42:08.389-07:00Muscat LoveIt's true, though: I do love muscats.<br />
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There are a lot of wine drinkers out there who don't like sweet wine. There are also a lot of wine drinkers out there who ONLY like sweet wine. Whatever pleases your palate is alright by me, but personally, I just like good wine. Sweet, dry, red, white, sparkling, still ... it all depends on too many variables like the weather, my mood, the meal. Tonight, the meal was past, the weather was gloomy, and the mood was relaxed, so the fella and I popped open a bottle I've been dying to try: the 2008 Saint Supery Muscato.<br />
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<span style="color: white;">Muscat's a fun little grape. We (wine geeks) presume it to be the oldest cultivated variety of wine grape (vitis vinifera). We presume this because of the staggering number of different types of muscat - over 150 have been identified by Pierre Galet, world-renowned ampelographer (botanist who identifies and classifies grapevines - seriously, that's a thing). Its many varieties, from black to orange and everything in between, are used in dessert wines - and table wines as well - the world over. In Australia, R.L. Buller and Sons make a solera-aged version that tastes like a tawny sherry's sticky lollipop. It's astounding. In Italy, it's most well known as Moscato d'Asti, a low-alcohol frizzante quaff from the Piedmont region. It's custom there to buy your friend a round of Moscato d'Asti when you meet in the street. We should adopt this custom here in the states.</span><br />
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<span style="color: white;">Saint Supery's version, from the Rutherford area of California's Napa Valley, is done in the American style - slightly sweet, still apertif wine bottled in 375ml portions. At only 9.6% alcohol, I'm expecting it to be rather on the sweet side, but not too heavy. It's a beautiful pale gold in the glass.</span><br />
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<span style="color: white;">The nose entices with thick, seductive aromas of cantaloupe and lychee, honey and spice. The first sip delivers an intense explosion of the same, with threads of cinnamony peach cobbler, rose, and white tea. My expectation turns out to be true - this is rather on the sweet side. Quite a bit on the sweet side, actually. It's very, very sweet. The residual sugar level is not betrayed on the label, but comparing it to a wine I know to be 7% I'd put this one at around 8%. There's a nicely lilting acidity to the finish, though. Not enough to be quite a "tang," but just enough to lighten the impact of this sugar-bomb and keep it from being cloying or syrupy.</span><br />
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Mmmm, yeah this is nice. I wish I had some cheese.<br />
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<span style="color: white;"><span class="apple-style-span"><span style="font-family: Georgia; font-size: 10pt;">Date: </span></span><st1:date day="10" month="8" year="2010"><span class="apple-style-span"><span style="font-family: Georgia; font-size: 10pt;">8/31/2010</span></span></st1:date><span style="font-family: Georgia; font-size: 10pt;"><br />
<span class="apple-style-span">Wine: Saint Supery Moscato<o:p></o:p></span></span></span></div>
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<span style="color: white;"><span class="apple-style-span"><span style="font-family: Georgia; font-size: 10pt;">Grapes: Moscato</span></span><span style="font-family: Georgia; font-size: 10pt;"><br />
<span class="apple-style-span">Vintage: 2008</span><br />
<span class="apple-style-span">ABV: 9.6%</span><br />
<span class="apple-style-span">Origin: Rutherford, Napa Valley, California</span></span></span></div>
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<span style="color: white;"><span class="apple-style-span"><span style="font-family: Georgia; font-size: 10pt;">Color: pale gold</span></span><span style="font-family: Georgia; font-size: 10pt;"><br />
<span class="apple-style-span">Nose: cantaloupe, lychee, honey, spice</span><br />
<span class="apple-style-span">Palate: cantaloupe, lychee, peach cobbler, cinnamon, rose, white tea</span><br />
<span class="apple-style-span">Price: $8 (375 ml)</span></span></span></div>Unknownnoreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-6446750601595958846.post-68298434496303987142010-08-16T17:06:00.000-07:002012-03-19T20:40:54.131-07:00Que Syrah, Syrah!<div class="MsoNormal">
<span style="color: white; font-family: inherit;">I love secrets.</span></div>
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<span style="color: white; font-family: inherit;">Juicy, delicious secrets.</span></div>
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<span style="color: white; font-family: inherit;">I shared one with you in the last post, about the outstanding Napa Valley Sauvignon Blanc rebottled under the unassuming label “<st1:place><st1:placename>Maxwell</st1:placename> <st1:placename>Creek</st1:placename></st1:place>.” I have another. I have my sources.</span></div>
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<span style="color: white; font-family: inherit;">Let’s just say a little sheep told me about this one. </span></div>
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<span style="color: white; font-family: inherit;">The esteemed Saviah Cellars in my home state of <st1:state><st1:place>Washington</st1:place></st1:state> is well known for its fruit-forward <st1:state><st1:place>Washington</st1:place></st1:state> style wines. Their red blend, The Jack (featuring non other than the Jack of Clubs on the label) is widely available and widely enjoyed. But this post isn’t about The Jack. Or rather, it is … The Jack of Hearts. The 2008 <st1:place><st1:placename>Columbia</st1:placename> <st1:placetype>Valley</st1:placetype></st1:place> Syrah.</span></div>
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<span style="color: white; font-family: inherit;">Where the sheep-sourced secret comes in is that this “<st1:place><st1:placename>Columbia</st1:placename> <st1:placetype>Valley</st1:placetype></st1:place>” Syrah actually came from a single vineyard in the <st1:place><st1:placename>Columbia</st1:placename> <st1:placetype>Valley</st1:placetype></st1:place>: Stillwater Creek. But wine lovers are not immune to the current economic climate, and so neither is the wine industry. This year, Saviah didn’t find its loyal fans quite as willing to shell out fifty bucks a bottle for their single-vineyard masterpiece.</span></div>
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<span style="color: white; font-family: inherit;">So they relabelled it “The Jack Syrah” and started selling it for fifteen bucks instead.</span></div>
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<span style="color: white; font-family: inherit;">Needless to say, it’s astoundingly good. I’m saddened on behalf of the winery that they were forced to sell it for so much less than the fifty dollars it so clearly is worth. But on behalf of myself, and you dear reader, I’m glad. Glad, glad, glad, glad, glad! Fifteen bucks for a fifty-dollar single-vineyard Syrah? Are you kidding me? Unbelievable!</span></div>
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<span style="color: white; font-family: inherit;">In the glass, it’s a beautiful deep violet, like a luxurious crushed velvet curtain. No, better yet – a King’s robe! You know, the kind lined with white leopard fur, like in the cartoons. On first pour, the nose exudes a symphony of black fruit: bing cherry, blackberry, blueberry, and a bourbony heat. Bit of rose on the back end.</span></div>
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<span style="color: white; font-family: inherit;">Now, because my secret sheep informed me of the true nature of this beast, I then … poured another glass. Through my Vinturi brand instant aerator. Which I love. You should get one. They’re awesome.</span></div>
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<span style="color: white; font-family: inherit;">The nose suddenly extended by a half mile or more, tacking on seductive spice notes of saffron, vanilla, and the trademark Syrah aroma: black pepper.</span></div>
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<span style="color: white; font-family: inherit;">I returned to the first “pop and pour” glass for the initial taste. As one might expect from so young a Syrah of such high calibre, it was very tight with high acid. But even at this age, and with no decanting whatsoever, the tannins, while packing a wallop, were streamlined and disciplined. The finish was FANTASTICALLY earthy, with all the dirty Syrah flavors I love so much: gravel, cedar, tobacco, and a sort of damp, mossy, mushroomy flavor that brings to mind nurse logs for me. After aeration, the flavors remained (with the addition of a hint of oaky vanilla), but the texture became much softer and silkier.</span></div>
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<span style="color: white; font-family: inherit;">I had it with The Brick’s Spaghetti and Meatballs from the Northern Exposure cookbook. Which I nailed, as per usual.</span></div>
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<span style="color: white; font-family: inherit;">There is NOT MUCH of this stuff to go around, folks, so call your wineseller and get your paws on some quick! You have got to put this in your face. Repeatedly. Buy a case if you can find one, deals like this don’t come around every day.</span></div>
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<span style="color: white; font-family: inherit;"><span class="apple-style-span"><span style="font-size: 10pt;">Date: </span></span><st1:date day="10" month="8" year="2010"><span class="apple-style-span"><span style="font-size: 10pt;">8/10/2010</span></span></st1:date><span style="font-size: 10pt;"><br />
<span class="apple-style-span">Wine: Saviah “The Jack” Syrah<o:p></o:p></span></span></span></div>
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<span style="color: white; font-family: inherit;"><span class="apple-style-span"><span style="font-size: 10pt;">Grapes: Syrah</span></span><span style="font-size: 10pt;"><br />
<span class="apple-style-span">Vintage: 2008</span><br />
<span class="apple-style-span">ABV: 14.1%</span><br />
<span class="apple-style-span">Origin: </span></span><st1:place><st1:city><span class="apple-style-span"><span style="font-size: 10pt;">Columbia Valley</span></span></st1:city><span class="apple-style-span"><span style="font-size: 10pt;">, </span></span><st1:state><span class="apple-style-span"><span style="font-size: 10pt;">Washington</span></span></st1:state></st1:place><span class="apple-style-span"><span style="font-size: 10pt;"> (Stillwater Creek Vineyard)<o:p></o:p></span></span></span></div>
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<span style="color: white; font-family: inherit;"><span class="apple-style-span"><span style="font-size: 10pt;">Color: deep violet</span></span><span style="font-size: 10pt;"><br />
<span class="apple-style-span">Nose: bing cherry, blackberry, blueberry, bourbon, rose, saffron, vanilla, black pepper</span><br />
<span class="apple-style-span">Palate: black fruit, earth, gravel, cedar, tobacco, nurse log, vanilla</span><br />
<span class="apple-style-span">Price: $15</span></span></span></div>Unknownnoreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-6446750601595958846.post-8657426193798539842010-08-03T13:15:00.000-07:002012-03-19T20:40:34.594-07:00White Hot Summer<span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-family: Arial; font-size: small;"><span class="Apple-style-span" style="color: white; font-size: 13px;">Yes indeed, it's the first week of August, and summer is in full swing. I've been privileged to enjoy some extremely tasty whites over the last couple weeks.</span></span><br />
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<span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-family: Arial; font-size: small;"><span class="Apple-style-span" style="color: white; font-size: 13px;">First up is the Maxwell Creek Sauvignon Blanc. If you've never heard of Maxwell Creek, there's a very good reason. It doesn't exist. That's because Maxwell Creek is the name a local wine retailer used to relabel the remainder of the 2008 vintage they got at bargain basement prices. I'm not going to tell you who REALLY made the wine, because frankly, I'm not sure I'm allowed to say. I'm also not going to name the retailer, for the same reason, so do a quick search on cellartracker.com and you'll find it. But suffice it to say, this gorgeous bottle came from the Rutherford area of Napa Valley. It got 90 points under its original name and generally sells for $25. Which is why the $7.97 I paid for it is a SCREAMING deal.</span></span></div>
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<span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-family: Arial; font-size: small;"><span class="Apple-style-span" style="color: white; font-size: 13px;">I'm going to repeat that in case you weren't paying attention - a 90-point, $25 Rutherford Sauvignon Blanc for $7.97.</span></span></div>
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<span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-family: Arial; font-size: small;"><span class="Apple-style-span" style="color: white; font-size: 13px;">It's easy to see, when tasting the wine, why the original label sells for so much. The nose is nothing short of decadent. I love it when a wine is so much fun to smell that I almost forget to start sipping. Intense candied grapefruit comes through, along with a hint of peppery capsicum, gooseberry, and fig. And something else I can't read. Curse my handwriting. But I bet it was good. </span></span></div>
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<span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-family: Arial; font-size: small;"><span class="Apple-style-span" style="color: white; font-size: 13px;">This is one case of truth in advertising. The palate delivers the flavors promised by the nose, but the true pleasure with this bottle lies in the harmonious way they weave together. The lush viscosity gives the wine a rich, round mouthful, yet the bracing acidity keeps the texture light and lively. The flavors manage to be intensely fruity, yet dry, with a flinty minerality laced throughout. Limited quantities left on this stuff, so find some quick and put it in your face!</span></span></div>
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<span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-family: Arial; font-size: small;"><span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-size: 13px;"><span class="Apple-style-span" style="color: white; font-family: Georgia, serif; line-height: 20px;"><span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-family: Georgia, serif; font-size: 13px; line-height: 20px;">Date: 7/20/2010</span><span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-family: Georgia, serif; font-size: 13px; line-height: 20px;"><br />
</span><span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-family: Georgia, serif; font-size: 13px; line-height: 20px;"><span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-family: Georgia, serif; font-size: 13px; line-height: 20px;">Wine: Maxwell Creek Sauvignon Blanc</span></span><span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-family: Georgia, serif; font-size: 13px; line-height: 20px;"><span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-family: Georgia, serif; font-size: 13px; line-height: 20px;"><br />
</span></span><span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-family: Georgia, serif; font-size: 13px; line-height: 20px;"><span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-family: Georgia, serif; font-size: 13px; line-height: 20px;">Grapes: Sauvignon Blanc</span></span><span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-family: Georgia, serif; font-size: 13px; line-height: 20px;"><span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-family: Georgia, serif; font-size: 13px; line-height: 20px;"><br />
</span></span><span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-family: Georgia, serif; font-size: 13px; line-height: 20px;"><span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-family: Georgia, serif; font-size: 13px; line-height: 20px;">Vintage: 2008</span></span><span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-family: Georgia, serif; font-size: 13px; line-height: 20px;"><span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-family: Georgia, serif; font-size: 13px; line-height: 20px;"><br />
</span></span><span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-family: Georgia, serif; font-size: 13px; line-height: 20px;"><span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-family: Georgia, serif; font-size: 13px; line-height: 20px;">ABV: 13.5%</span></span><span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-family: Georgia, serif; font-size: 13px; line-height: 20px;"><span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-family: Georgia, serif; font-size: 13px; line-height: 20px;"><br />
</span></span><span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-family: Georgia, serif; font-size: 13px; line-height: 20px;"><span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-family: Georgia, serif; font-size: 13px; line-height: 20px;">Origin: Rutherford, Napa Valley, California</span></span><span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-family: Georgia, serif; font-size: 13px; line-height: 20px;"><span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-family: Georgia, serif; font-size: 13px; line-height: 20px;"><br />
</span></span><span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-family: Georgia, serif; font-size: 13px; line-height: 20px;"><span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-family: Georgia, serif; font-size: 13px; line-height: 20px;">Color: pale straw</span></span><span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-family: Georgia, serif; font-size: 13px; line-height: 20px;"><span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-family: Georgia, serif; font-size: 13px; line-height: 20px;"><br />
</span></span><span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-family: Georgia, serif; font-size: 13px; line-height: 20px;"><span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-family: Georgia, serif; font-size: 13px; line-height: 20px;">Nose: intense grapefruit, capsicum, gooseberry, fig</span></span><span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-family: Georgia, serif; font-size: 13px; line-height: 20px;"><span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-family: Georgia, serif; font-size: 13px; line-height: 20px;"><br />
</span></span><span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-family: Georgia, serif; font-size: 13px; line-height: 20px;"><span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-family: Georgia, serif; font-size: 13px; line-height: 20px;">Palate: same. very dry w/ minerality throughout, lush viscosity balanced well by bracing acidity.</span></span><span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-family: Georgia, serif; font-size: 13px; line-height: 20px;"><span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-family: Georgia, serif; font-size: 13px; line-height: 20px;"><br />
</span></span><span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-family: Georgia, serif; font-size: 13px; line-height: 20px;"><span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-family: Georgia, serif; font-size: 13px; line-height: 20px;">Price: $8</span></span></span></span></span></div>
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<span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-family: Arial; font-size: small;"><span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-size: 13px;"><span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-family: Georgia, serif; line-height: 20px;"><span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-family: Georgia, serif; font-size: 13px; line-height: 20px;"><span class="Apple-style-span" style="color: white; font-family: Georgia, serif; font-size: 13px; line-height: 20px;"><br />
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<span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-family: Arial; font-size: small;"><span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-size: 13px;"><span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-family: Georgia, serif; line-height: 20px;"><span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-family: Georgia, serif; font-size: 13px; line-height: 20px;"><span class="Apple-style-span" style="color: white; font-family: Georgia, serif; font-size: 13px; line-height: 20px;">Next up, I had an opportunity to retaste one of my all-time favorite whites, Caymus Condundrum. Caymus, also located in the Rutherford area of Napa Valley, is primarily known for producing intense, high-end Cabernet Sauvignon. At $25 per bottle, their white blend Conundrum is their most affordable offering ... and also one of the most expensive splurges to which I ever treat myself. Needless to say, I found a great deal I couldn't pass up - 375ml bottles for $6.49, effectively half price.</span></span></span></span></span></div>
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<span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-family: Arial; font-size: small;"><span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-size: 13px;"><span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-family: Georgia, serif; line-height: 20px;"><span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-family: Georgia, serif; font-size: 13px; line-height: 20px;"><span class="Apple-style-span" style="color: white; font-family: Georgia, serif; font-size: 13px; line-height: 20px;"><br />
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<span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-family: Arial; font-size: small;"><span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-size: 13px;"><span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-family: Georgia, serif; line-height: 20px;"><span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-family: Georgia, serif; font-size: 13px; line-height: 20px;"><span class="Apple-style-span" style="color: white; font-family: Georgia, serif; font-size: 13px; line-height: 20px;">The nose is a complex symphony of tropical fruit, exotic flowers, rare herbs, and vegetation. Sensual nerula and honeysuckle entwine with fig and spicy fennel. Grapefruit, green pepper, and a bright freshly torn watercress follow. Gorgeous flavors completely fill the mouth. Honeyed apricot, ripe peach! Papaya, mango! Exotic hibiscus and rosehip, and a gentle hint of hay on the finish. Full-bodied with fantastic legs and an absolutely perfect refreshing acidity. Not too dry, not too sweet ... this one's just perfect. Perfect. If you can find an excuse to splurge, put it in your face!</span></span></span></span></span></div>
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<span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-family: Arial; font-size: small;"><span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-size: 13px;"><span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-family: Georgia, serif; line-height: 20px;"><span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-family: Georgia, serif; font-size: 13px; line-height: 20px;"><span class="Apple-style-span" style="color: white; font-family: Georgia, serif; font-size: 13px; line-height: 20px;"><span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-family: Georgia, serif; font-size: 13px; line-height: 20px;">Date: 7/26/2010</span><span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-family: Georgia, serif; font-size: 13px; line-height: 20px;"><br />
</span><span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-family: Georgia, serif; font-size: 13px; line-height: 20px;"><span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-family: Georgia, serif; font-size: 13px; line-height: 20px;">Wine: Caymus Conundrum</span></span><span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-family: Georgia, serif; font-size: 13px; line-height: 20px;"><span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-family: Georgia, serif; font-size: 13px; line-height: 20px;"><br />
</span></span><span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-family: Georgia, serif; font-size: 13px; line-height: 20px;"><span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-family: Georgia, serif; font-size: 13px; line-height: 20px;">Grapes: State Secret</span></span><span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-family: Georgia, serif; font-size: 13px; line-height: 20px;"><span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-family: Georgia, serif; font-size: 13px; line-height: 20px;"><br />
</span></span><span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-family: Georgia, serif; font-size: 13px; line-height: 20px;"><span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-family: Georgia, serif; font-size: 13px; line-height: 20px;">Vintage: 2007</span></span><span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-family: Georgia, serif; font-size: 13px; line-height: 20px;"><span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-family: Georgia, serif; font-size: 13px; line-height: 20px;"><br />
</span></span><span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-family: Georgia, serif; font-size: 13px; line-height: 20px;"><span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-family: Georgia, serif; font-size: 13px; line-height: 20px;">ABV: 13.5%</span></span><span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-family: Georgia, serif; font-size: 13px; line-height: 20px;"><span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-family: Georgia, serif; font-size: 13px; line-height: 20px;"><br />
</span></span><span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-family: Georgia, serif; font-size: 13px; line-height: 20px;"><span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-family: Georgia, serif; font-size: 13px; line-height: 20px;">Origin: Rutherford, Napa Valley, California</span></span><span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-family: Georgia, serif; font-size: 13px; line-height: 20px;"><span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-family: Georgia, serif; font-size: 13px; line-height: 20px;"><br />
</span></span><span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-family: Georgia, serif; font-size: 13px; line-height: 20px;"><span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-family: Georgia, serif; font-size: 13px; line-height: 20px;">Color: light gold</span></span><span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-family: Georgia, serif; font-size: 13px; line-height: 20px;"><span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-family: Georgia, serif; font-size: 13px; line-height: 20px;"><br />
</span></span><span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-family: Georgia, serif; font-size: 13px; line-height: 20px;"><span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-family: Georgia, serif; font-size: 13px; line-height: 20px;">Nose: nerula, fig, fennel, grapefruit, green pepper, fresh watercress</span></span><span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-family: Georgia, serif; font-size: 13px; line-height: 20px;"><span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-family: Georgia, serif; font-size: 13px; line-height: 20px;"><br />
</span></span><span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-family: Georgia, serif; font-size: 13px; line-height: 20px;"><span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-family: Georgia, serif; font-size: 13px; line-height: 20px;">Palate: honeyed apricot, ripe peach, papaya, mango, hay, hibiscus rosehip</span></span><span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-family: Georgia, serif; font-size: 13px; line-height: 20px;"><span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-family: Georgia, serif; font-size: 13px; line-height: 20px;"><br />
</span></span><span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-family: Georgia, serif; font-size: 13px; line-height: 20px;"><span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-family: Georgia, serif; font-size: 13px; line-height: 20px;">Price: $25</span></span></span></span></span></span></span></div>Unknownnoreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-6446750601595958846.post-38269267002235715322010-07-23T13:27:00.000-07:002012-03-19T20:40:21.858-07:00Pinot Way!<span style="color: white;">Way.</span><br />
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<span style="color: white;">I found a $10 Carneros Pinot Noir. And it's good.</span><br />
<span style="color: white;"><br /></span><br />
<span style="color: white;">I know what you're thinking, and I'm fairly certain I have neither lost my mind nor jumped the shark on this one. As many of you are no doubt aware, $10 Pinot Noir that's decent is hard to come by, and one that's downright delicious is practically unheard of. There are two factors accounting for this.</span><br />
<span style="color: white;"><br /></span><br />
<span style="color: white;">One is the fact that Pinot Noir is a tricky grape. It's tricky to grow, being extremely sensitive to sunlight levels (too much sun will fry the stuff - no hot Syrah climates for this baby), cropping levels (the flavors inherent to the grape are so delicate that anything above the lowest yields results in bland, insipid wine), and soil (it requires chalky clay to truly thrive, none of the volcanic rock or gravel that gives Cabernet Sauvignon such character). It also doesn't grow on what might call "robust" vines; its delicate structure and thin fruit skins make it highly susceptible to any number of hideously crippling vineyard blights. It's tricky to vinify as well, being extremely sensitive to yeast strains and fermentation techniques. It's also highly malleable by the soil, which can drastically affect the direction of the wildly varied flavor profile.</span><br />
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<span style="color: white;">The other is what I call the Paul Giamatti Factor. Let's face it, Sideways was a huge movie. I admit, I love it. But if the movie damaged the reputation of my beloved Merlot ("If anyone orders Merlot, I'm leaving!"), it did twice as much good for Pinot Noir. The price shot through the roof and demand made a rare wine even rarer. Two harvests after the movie was released, vineyards in the state of California crushed almost twice as much Pinot Noir grapes as they did in 2004, when the movie came out. Producers struggled to keep up. Cheap, low-quality Pinots started flooding the market.</span><br />
<span style="color: white;"><br /></span><br />
<span style="color: white;">Enter the Caviste Pinot Noir.</span><br />
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<span style="color: white;">Now, I can't help but notice that in 2007, the vintage of this wine (the only vintage I can find of this wine, bottled by one of my favorite Napa wineries, Acacia), the tonnage of Pinot Noir dropped off sharply from that 2006 peak I mentioned, only to regain its former girth in 2008 and grow even MORE in 2009. This makes me wonder ... what was wrong with the 2007 vintage? Was it not a good year for Pinot? Did something happen to affect the size and/or quality of the harvest? Perhaps that's why this bottle is sold so cheaply. Maybe their stuff just wasn't good enough for their ordinarily outstanding Acacia Carneros bottling.</span><br />
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<span style="color: white;">Whatever, I'll take it. Because while the Caviste Carneros Pinot Noir isn't worth $20, it's certainly a mark or two better than the majority of the $10 stuff out there, and a great cheap Pinot to put in your face.</span><br />
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<span style="color: white;">The color is a stunning deep clear ruby. It's a pleasure to gaze at, truly. The 14.2% ABV shows on the nose ... it comes off a bit hot, but I wouldn't say it burns. Just a sort of port-like quality in with the black fruit like bing cherry and dusty, brambly blackberry, as if they'd been soaked in said.</span><br />
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<span style="color: white;">The palate is honestly surprisingly complex for such an inexpensive bottle. I spent a long time swirling, sniffing, and sipping this one, and I still couldn't quite define each flavor. There was a lot of spiced plum up front and mint-infused blackberry chutney. There was a lot of exotic spice on the finish, like chai: flavors of black tea, cinnamon, clove, and cardamom, with a lovely floral, rosey quality. Certainly a great bargain for the $10. I paired it with a chicken/sweet potato curry, and the pairing was beautiful. The Indian-spice flavors of the wine complimented the meal perfectly, and the heat of the high alcohol content disappeared under the bombardment of rich flavor from the food, getting nicely out of the way for a lovely match.</span><br />
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<span style="color: white;"><span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-family: Georgia, serif; font-size: 13px; line-height: 20px;">Date: 7/17/2010</span><span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-family: Georgia, serif; font-size: 13px; line-height: 20px;"><br />
</span><span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-family: Georgia, serif; font-size: 13px; line-height: 20px;"><span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-family: Georgia, serif; font-size: 13px; line-height: 20px;">Wine: Caviste Carneros Pinot Noir by Acacia</span></span><span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-family: Georgia, serif; font-size: 13px; line-height: 20px;"><span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-family: Georgia, serif; font-size: 13px; line-height: 20px;"><br />
</span></span><span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-family: Georgia, serif; font-size: 13px; line-height: 20px;"><span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-family: Georgia, serif; font-size: 13px; line-height: 20px;">Grapes: Pinot Noir</span></span><span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-family: Georgia, serif; font-size: 13px; line-height: 20px;"><span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-family: Georgia, serif; font-size: 13px; line-height: 20px;"><br />
</span></span><span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-family: Georgia, serif; font-size: 13px; line-height: 20px;"><span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-family: Georgia, serif; font-size: 13px; line-height: 20px;">Vintage: 2007</span></span><span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-family: Georgia, serif; font-size: 13px; line-height: 20px;"><span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-family: Georgia, serif; font-size: 13px; line-height: 20px;"><br />
</span></span><span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-family: Georgia, serif; font-size: 13px; line-height: 20px;"><span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-family: Georgia, serif; font-size: 13px; line-height: 20px;">ABV: 14.2% </span></span><span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-family: Georgia, serif; font-size: 13px; line-height: 20px;"><span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-family: Georgia, serif; font-size: 13px; line-height: 20px;"><br />
</span></span><span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-family: Georgia, serif; font-size: 13px; line-height: 20px;"><span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-family: Georgia, serif; font-size: 13px; line-height: 20px;">Origin: Carneros, Napa Valley, California</span></span><span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-family: Georgia, serif; font-size: 13px; line-height: 20px;"><span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-family: Georgia, serif; font-size: 13px; line-height: 20px;"><br />
</span></span><span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-family: Georgia, serif; font-size: 13px; line-height: 20px;"><span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-family: Georgia, serif; font-size: 13px; line-height: 20px;">Color: beautiful clear ruby - great legs!</span></span><span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-family: Georgia, serif; font-size: 13px; line-height: 20px;"><span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-family: Georgia, serif; font-size: 13px; line-height: 20px;"><br />
</span></span><span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-family: Georgia, serif; font-size: 13px; line-height: 20px;"><span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-family: Georgia, serif; font-size: 13px; line-height: 20px;">Nose: brambly blackberry, raspberry, bing cherry, port</span></span><span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-family: Georgia, serif; font-size: 13px; line-height: 20px;"><span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-family: Georgia, serif; font-size: 13px; line-height: 20px;"><br />
</span></span><span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-family: Georgia, serif; font-size: 13px; line-height: 20px;"><span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-family: Georgia, serif; font-size: 13px; line-height: 20px;">Palate: complex! spiced plum, blackberry chutney, mint. clove, tea, exotic spices, more going on, can't quite define. rose?</span></span><span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-family: Georgia, serif; font-size: 13px; line-height: 20px;"><span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-family: Georgia, serif; font-size: 13px; line-height: 20px;"><br />
</span></span><span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-family: Georgia, serif; font-size: 13px; line-height: 20px;"><span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-family: Georgia, serif; font-size: 13px; line-height: 20px;">Price: $10</span></span></span>Unknownnoreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-6446750601595958846.post-84507579559794691072010-07-14T21:46:00.000-07:002012-03-19T20:38:24.355-07:00Sergeant PepperHey guys, sorry it's been a while since my last post. It's been a hectic couple of weeks, and sadly I haven't been tasting a whole lot. What I DID do, though, was clean the house, and lo and behold: I found some tasting notes I'd done during the months leading up to my actually starting this blog. Joy!<br />
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Today I'd like to discuss one of my favorite wines of 2010. It takes one by surprise. Mainly because of the trendy label. I admit, I'm one of those snobs that thinks twice about a wine with a pretty dancing lady on the label and (I kid you not) polka dot foil. I'm going to repeat that in case you missed it: there are POLKA DOTS on the foil.<br />
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<span style="color: white;">But I'm begging you to look past that, like I did, because the Penelope Sanchez Garnacha is a treat for lovers of big red wines.</span><br />
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<span style="color: white;">This little beauty has 15% Syrah punching up the fruit factor - and thank God it's there, because the Garnacha is a BEAST. Called Garnacha in Spain, Grenache in France, Cannonau in Italy, Alicante by some people (including Francis Ford Coppola) and about a million other names across the world, is a diva of a grape. Ripening late and therefore reaching stratospheric sugar (and alcohol) levels, it's most often used as a blending grape, lightening up the party with its sweet flavors of strawberry and raspberry jam. But in the right hands, low-yield varietal Grenache can be a powerhouse of black pepper, tar, acidic olives, coffee, and other such flavors that us dirt-drinking lovers of earthy reds so enjoy. The Penelope Sanchez is one such example. In this bottle, Grenache is no chorus-girl ... it's the star of the show, and rightly so.</span><br />
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<span style="color: white;">The complex nose of intense spiced plum is promising. Further aromas of cassis and rose invite; the pepper excites. Now, Grenache isn't customarily a grape known for its tannins, but in this wine they're certainly present. Tight and focused, they spiral down the palate with more of what was detected on the nose - those brandy-soaked plum flavors and an explosive black pepper finish. The acid is bright, lifting the flavors on the palate, but the wine remains silky smooth on the palate. This is a big wine, an intense wine, and not for the faint of heart. Those of you who are accustomed to "smooth, easy drinking wines" ... I love you, but look elsewhere. Score a bottle of that 14 Hands Hot To Trot Red I mentioned earlier in the blog, you'll love it. But those of you who, like me, demand a bit of character from your red wine, a bit of effort; or simply just need something to accompany your Granddad's Signature Seasoned Steaks(tm) - pick up a bottle of Penelope Sanchez Garnacha and put it in your face!</span><br />
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<span style="color: white;"><span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-family: Georgia, serif; font-size: 13px; line-height: 20px;">Date: 6/8/2010</span><span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-family: Georgia, serif; font-size: 13px; line-height: 20px;"><br />
</span><span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-family: Georgia, serif; font-size: 13px; line-height: 20px;"><span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-family: Georgia, serif; font-size: 13px; line-height: 20px;">Wine: Penelope Sanchez Garnacha</span></span><span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-family: Georgia, serif; font-size: 13px; line-height: 20px;"><span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-family: Georgia, serif; font-size: 13px; line-height: 20px;"><br />
</span></span><span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-family: Georgia, serif; font-size: 13px; line-height: 20px;"><span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-family: Georgia, serif; font-size: 13px; line-height: 20px;">Grapes: 85% Garnacha, 15% Syrah</span></span><span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-family: Georgia, serif; font-size: 13px; line-height: 20px;"><span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-family: Georgia, serif; font-size: 13px; line-height: 20px;"><br />
</span></span><span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-family: Georgia, serif; font-size: 13px; line-height: 20px;"><span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-family: Georgia, serif; font-size: 13px; line-height: 20px;">Vintage: 2009</span></span><span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-family: Georgia, serif; font-size: 13px; line-height: 20px;"><span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-family: Georgia, serif; font-size: 13px; line-height: 20px;"><br />
</span></span><span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-family: Georgia, serif; font-size: 13px; line-height: 20px;"><span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-family: Georgia, serif; font-size: 13px; line-height: 20px;">ABV: 13.5% </span></span><span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-family: Georgia, serif; font-size: 13px; line-height: 20px;"><span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-family: Georgia, serif; font-size: 13px; line-height: 20px;"><br />
</span></span><span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-family: Georgia, serif; font-size: 13px; line-height: 20px;"><span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-family: Georgia, serif; font-size: 13px; line-height: 20px;">Origin: Campo de Borja, Spain</span></span><span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-family: Georgia, serif; font-size: 13px; line-height: 20px;"><span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-family: Georgia, serif; font-size: 13px; line-height: 20px;"><br />
</span></span><span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-family: Georgia, serif; font-size: 13px; line-height: 20px;"><span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-family: Georgia, serif; font-size: 13px; line-height: 20px;">Color: violet-tinged ruby</span></span><span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-family: Georgia, serif; font-size: 13px; line-height: 20px;"><span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-family: Georgia, serif; font-size: 13px; line-height: 20px;"><br />
</span></span><span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-family: Georgia, serif; font-size: 13px; line-height: 20px;"><span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-family: Georgia, serif; font-size: 13px; line-height: 20px;">Nose: plum and spice, cassis, rose, pepper</span></span><span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-family: Georgia, serif; font-size: 13px; line-height: 20px;"><span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-family: Georgia, serif; font-size: 13px; line-height: 20px;"><br />
</span></span><span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-family: Georgia, serif; font-size: 13px; line-height: 20px;"><span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-family: Georgia, serif; font-size: 13px; line-height: 20px;">Palate: great garnacha! tight tannins, bright acid, clean finish. silky smooth with plum, pepper finish.</span></span><span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-family: Georgia, serif; font-size: 13px; line-height: 20px;"><span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-family: Georgia, serif; font-size: 13px; line-height: 20px;"><br />
</span></span><span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-family: Georgia, serif; font-size: 13px; line-height: 20px;"><span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-family: Georgia, serif; font-size: 13px; line-height: 20px;">Price: $11</span></span></span>Unknownnoreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-6446750601595958846.post-82813826744691941472010-07-04T10:55:00.000-07:002012-03-19T20:37:26.807-07:00Head For The Hills Part Deux<span style="font-family: inherit;">At the same tasting where I tried the two new H3 wines discussed in my last post, I also tried the new vintages of two of the "old" H3 wines - the Cabernet Sauvignon and Merlot. I found the new vintages remarkably like I remembered. Just like before, they were both quite good, and certainly worthy of the 90+ ratings they consistently receive. And just like before, I liked the Merlot better.</span><br />
<span style="font-family: inherit;"><br /></span><br />
<span style="font-family: inherit;">The Cabernet Sauvignon had a nose of simple red fruit, and like previous vintages, I was surprised to find the flavors predominately vegetal, with green bean, cedar and resinous herb, like Rosemary. It's surprising because those are charactaristics I normally associate with cool-climate Cabs, and the Horse Heaven Hills are one of the hottest vineyard sites in the state. Also like usual, the finish had a distinctly gamey, roast-beefy finish, and the tannins were assertive without being too aggressive. I love a good reliable, consistent wine.</span><br />
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<span style="color: white; font-family: inherit;">Date: 6/29/2010</span><br />
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<span style="color: white; font-family: inherit; line-height: 20px;">Wine: Columbia Crest H3 Cabernet Sauvignon</span><br />
<span style="color: white; font-family: inherit; line-height: 20px;">Grapes: 89% Cabernet Sauvignon, 8% Merlot, 3% Cabernet Franc</span><br />
<span style="color: white; font-family: inherit; line-height: 20px;">Vintage: 2008</span><br />
<span style="color: white; font-family: inherit; line-height: 20px;">ABV: 14.5% (on a Cab? Jeezy Creezy)</span><br />
<span style="color: white; font-family: inherit; line-height: 20px;">Origin: Horse Heaven Hills, Washington State</span><br />
<span style="color: white; font-family: inherit; line-height: 20px;">Color: violet-red</span><br />
<span style="color: white; font-family: inherit; line-height: 20px;">Nose: cherries</span><br />
<span style="color: white; font-family: inherit; line-height: 20px;">Palate: more herbal - rosemary, roast beef, cherry, cedar</span><br />
<span style="color: white; font-family: inherit; line-height: 20px;">Price: $13</span><br />
<span style="color: white; font-family: inherit;"><br /></span><br />
<span style="color: white; font-family: inherit; line-height: 20px;"><br />
<span style="font-family: inherit; line-height: 20px;">The Merlot had a slightly more complex nose of cherry and cassis. Mouth-coating, utterly velvety tannins fill the palate with the slightly dusty fruit flavor I like to call "brambly blackberry." It's more like a blackberry you just picked off the side of a dry gravel road that hasn't seen rain in a week or more, as opposed to the just plain "blackberry" flavor of a clean, ripe berry. And of course, a nice lengthy finish with hints of mocha. Probably tobacco, too - I couldn't quite put my finger on one other flavor (gotta love those palate-bombarding big tastings) and the winemaker notes on the sell-sheet say that's the only one I missed. So there you go.</span><br />
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<span style="font-family: inherit; line-height: 20px;"><span style="color: white; font-family: inherit;">Date: 6/29/2010</span></span></div>
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<span style="font-family: inherit; line-height: 20px;"><span style="color: white; font-family: inherit;"><span class="Apple-style-span" style="line-height: 20px;">Wine: Columbia Crest H3 Merlot</span><span class="Apple-style-span" style="line-height: 20px;"><br />
</span><span class="Apple-style-span" style="line-height: 20px;">Grapes: Merlot, 5% Cabernet Sauvignon, 3% Cabernet Franc, a Kiss of Syrah (this is direct from the sell-sheet)</span><span class="Apple-style-span" style="line-height: 20px;"><br />
</span><span class="Apple-style-span" style="line-height: 20px;">Vintage: 2008</span><span class="Apple-style-span" style="line-height: 20px;"><br />
</span><span class="Apple-style-span" style="line-height: 20px;">ABV: 14.5% (again! I expect this sort of thing from a Syrah, but wow. Must have been a hot summer)</span><span class="Apple-style-span" style="line-height: 20px;"><br />
</span><span class="Apple-style-span" style="line-height: 20px;">Origin: Horse Heaven Hills, Washington State</span><span class="Apple-style-span" style="line-height: 20px;"><br />
</span><span class="Apple-style-span" style="line-height: 20px;">Color: deep brick red with purple highlights</span><span class="Apple-style-span" style="line-height: 20px;"><br />
</span><span class="Apple-style-span" style="line-height: 20px;">Nose: cherry, cassis</span><span class="Apple-style-span" style="line-height: 20px;"><br />
</span><span class="Apple-style-span" style="line-height: 20px;">Palate: Brambly blackberry with mocha</span><span class="Apple-style-span" style="line-height: 20px;"><br />
</span><span class="Apple-style-span" style="line-height: 20px;">Price: $13</span></span></span></div>
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<span style="font-family: inherit;"><br /></span><br />
<span style="font-family: inherit;"><br /></span><br />
<span style="font-family: inherit;">These are both very good wines, well worth their 90+ scores, so if you put them in your face you will be very happy. Personally, for the same price, I think I'd rather drink the Rattlesnake Hills Merlot and Cabernet Sauvignon in the Kennedy Shah series by Woodhouse Family Cellars. I'm adding this not to hate on the H3 series in any way, which I absolutely adore, but because I'm concerned that my penchant for focusing on the positive might make you beautiful readers think I just love absolutely everything the most possible OMG BEST WINE EVAR!!!!1 When the truth is, I really just tend to find something about everything that someone would like, and if I can't, well ... Momma always said if I can't say something nice, I shouldn't say anything at all.</span><br />
<span style="font-family: inherit;"><br /></span><br />
<span style="font-family: inherit;">But I digress, the point is, I love H3, but personally do slightly prefer Kennedy Shah in the same price range. However, Woodhouse Family Cellars is a relatively small winery in Woodinville Wine Country, and if you live outside of WA, you're unlikely to find it. So buy all means, wherever you live, whenever you see it, buy the H3 wines, put them in your face, and enjoy!</span></span>Unknownnoreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-6446750601595958846.post-62482951351969735312010-07-03T12:07:00.000-07:002010-07-03T12:07:16.482-07:00Head For The Hills (Horse Heaven, That Is)Columbia Crest is one of the most successful wineries in Washington State. They have produced more 90+ scoring bottles than any other winery in the world, including last year's Wine of The Year (the 2005 Columbia Crest Reserve Cabernet. If you didn't get yours, so sorry, mine are nestled snugly at the bottom of my closet where they shall stay until 2020, as per instructions given to me personally by their fabulous winemaker, Ray Einberger). They will always hold a special place in my heart, as the very first wine I ever tasted - the wine which made me the woman I am today - was one of theirs. The 1998 Walter Clore Reserve Red is embedded permanently in my mind. But I'm not here to talk about that one. Instead, I'd like to tell you about two new additions to the Crest lineup this year: the H3 Pinot Gris, and the H3 Les Chevaux Red Blend.<br />
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If you know Crest, you've probably seen the H3 series before. The Cabernet Sauvignon, Merlot, and Chardonnay came first, and each has received 90+ scores multiple vintages running. H3 stands for Horse Heaven Hills, the hottest vineyard site in Washington State and source of the ripest grapes with the lushest fruit flavors.<br />
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The H3 Pinot Gris certainly lives up to that standard. The nose is deceptively simple, suggesting honey with floral undertones. But the palate is surprisingly complex! For a mid-range white, there's a lot going on here. The palate leads off with the honeysuckle from the nose, and is then packed full of sunny cintrus: orange, lemon, grapefruit, lime! The gang's all here, with a hint of minerality on the finish, like a nice Alsace. I ahd it with goat cheese on crackers and it was heavenly.<br />
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Date: 6/29/2010<br />
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Wine: Columbia Crest H3 Pinot Gris<br />
Grapes: 92 % Pinot Gris, 8% Pinot Blanc<br />
Vintage: 2009<br />
ABV: 13%<br />
Origin: Horse Heaven Hills, Washington State<br />
Color: pale straw<br />
Nose: honey, honeysuckle<br />
Palate: surprisingly complex! honeysuckle, citrus circus, lemon, hint of minerality<br />
Price: $13<br />
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Les Chevaux is the new red blend in the H3 herd. "Chevaux" is French for - you guessed it - "horses." The nose of cherry brandy, vanilla, and clove is nothing short of seductive. The palate is built upon a framework of structured, spicy blackberry, with more brandy on the finish, licorice midpalate, and lovely vanilla tones from the oak, shaded by graphite and cedar. The intense flavor of this wine is seamlessly integrated with the balanced acid and firm but gentle tannins. Yet another triumph from the amazing team at Crest. Put this one in your face for sure!<br />
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Date: 6/29/2010<br />
Wine: Columbia Crest H3 Les Chevaux Red Blend<br />
Grapes: 34% Merlot, 30% Cabernet Sauvignon, 20% Syrah, 8% Cabernet Franc, 8% Malbec<br />
Vintage: 2008<br />
ABV: 14.5%<br />
Origin: Horse Heaven Hills, Washington State<br />
Color: violet-red<br />
Nose: cherry, vanilla, brandy, clove<br />
Palate: structured blackberry with vanilla and brandy on the finish. Kinda Spanish. Licorice, graphite, and pepper, oh my! Oaky reds for the win.<br />
Price: $13Unknownnoreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-6446750601595958846.post-35401378106418521102010-07-02T18:21:00.000-07:002010-07-02T18:21:08.395-07:00(Don't) Hold Your Horses!There is no question that 14 Hands is one of the most sought-after labels in the Washington wine industry today. Part of it s popularity is due to its rarity. 14 Hands, you see, is a restaurant-only brand. So people buy a glass, fall in love, and can never find it again. <br />
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But no more! In response to the massive pressure put on them by consumer demand over the past few years, 14 Hands has finally released two new blends, a white and a red called Hot To Trot, that are retail-only wines. That’s right, I said RETAIL only. Eat it, restaurants. Pun intended.<br />
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The nose on the white leads off with rich melon aromas and a lingering note of lemongrass. The palate is loaded with lots of luscious fruit up front. Juicy peach and apple become tropical honeydew and cantaloupe, which then give way to a grassy, herbal finish with a gentle wisp of palate-cleansing acidity.<br />
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This versatile wine, with its flavors of fruit and hay, is so much like a summer picnic itself, perhaps that’s’ why I think it the perfect choice for such outings. It would pair fabulously with such summer fare as grilled chicken, fresh seafood, and salads of all types – fruit, green, potato, or pasta.<br />
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Date: 6/29/2010<br />
Wine: 14 Hands Hot To Trot White<br />
Grapes: Chardonnay, Pinot Gris, Rousanne (percentages unknown)<br />
Vintage: 2009<br />
ABV: 13%<br />
Origin: Columbia Valley, Washington State<br />
Color: light gold<br />
Nose: melon! Honeydew, cantaloupe, floral, lemongrass<br />
Palate: light fruit up front with honey, but grassy, herbaceous finish. Gentle acid.<br />
Price: $10<br />
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The Hot To Trot red blend is every bit as approachable as the white. With a nose of blackberry chutney, bourbon and tobacco, this wine smells for all the world like an old vine Zin. But surprisingly, there is no Zinfandel in the blend. The Syrah shows first on the palate, frontloaded with heavy spice. But it isn’t too peppery. More like cinnamon, cardamom, and clove, applied liberally to juicy blackcurrant. The Mourvedre comes through on the finish, with flavors equal parts fruit and game, like cherry-glazed roast beef.<br />
This wine is so approachable, so lush and easy to enjoy (Menage a Trois lovers take note – this is right up your alley!), it would be a stellar choice for your backyard barbecues this summer. It would go great with everything from burgers to steaks to ribs – even pizza. Or nothing. Its great, and its only 10 bucks, so put it in your face and enjoy!<br />
Date: 6/29/2010<br />
Wine: 14 Hands Hot To Trot Red<br />
Grapes: Syrah, Merlot, Petit Verdot, Mourvedre (percentages unknown)<br />
Vintage: 2008<br />
ABV: 13.5%<br />
Origin: Columbia Valley, Washington State<br />
Color: ruby with violet highlights<br />
Nose: spicy blackberry jam, bourbon, tobacco. Zin???<br />
Palate: lots of spice! Peppery cinnamon, blackcurrant over cherry-glazed roast beef<br />
Price: $10Unknownnoreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-6446750601595958846.post-14814774070130109752010-06-28T13:33:00.001-07:002010-06-28T13:33:27.899-07:00Malbec Monopoly<div class="MsoNormal"><span style="mso-spacerun: yes;"> </span>My last two posts were about some very affordable reds. Today I’d like to post about a couple wines a bit higher up in price. Good wine, after all, is all about balance … so too should a good wine blog be, don’t you think?</div><div class="MsoNormal"><br />
</div><div class="MsoNormal">A couple weeks ago I had the pleasure of tasting the Durigutti Malbec. My friends have been raving about this one for quite some time, so I was excited to finally have a chance at it. I also had a chance to try another Malbec I’ve been curious about recently, the Catena Malbec by Bodega Catena Zapata. They’re both over $12, and they’re both Argintenean Malbecs. And that isn’t all they have in common.</div><div class="MsoNormal"><br />
</div><div class="MsoNormal">But first, a brief history of the Malbec grape for those of you that don’t know. And many of you might not, because it’s a grape that’s only recently started to gain popularity and become more readily available. Like so many of our staple varietals, Malbec was historically grown in <st1:country-region><st1:place>France</st1:place></st1:country-region>, particularly in <st1:city><st1:place>Bordeaux</st1:place></st1:city> and the surrounding regions. It was one of the six varietals allowed to be in red blends labelled “<st1:city><st1:place>Bordeaux</st1:place></st1:city>” (the other five being Merlot, Cabernet Sauvignon, Cabernet Franc, Petit Verdot and Carmenere – this last now being extinct in <st1:country-region><st1:place>France</st1:place></st1:country-region> yet thriving in <st1:country-region><st1:place>Chile</st1:place></st1:country-region>). But despite being often included in <st1:city><st1:place>Bordeaux</st1:place></st1:city> wines, Malbec seldom contributed to more than 5% of a final blend, often less. It was a supporting grape, but never a star.</div><div class="MsoNormal"><br />
</div><div class="MsoNormal">Fast forward to the mid-1800s, when Malbec was first planted in <st1:country-region><st1:place>Argentina</st1:place></st1:country-region>. Fast way forward to the late 1900s when Argentine winemakers finally realized “Holy Moly, we can make some really fantastic wines with this stuff!” Fast way WAY forward to now, when Malbec is the most widely planted red grape in <st1:country-region><st1:place>Argentina</st1:place></st1:country-region>, and Argentinean Malbec is one of the fastest growing catagories in the wine industry.</div><div class="MsoNormal"><br />
</div><div class="MsoNormal">I admit, I’m a fan. If you haven’t tried it yet, go out and get some Malbec! It comes big and structured, soft and plush, or anywhere in the middle. Talk to your wineseller to find one that suits your palate (and budget).</div><div class="MsoNormal"><br />
</div><div class="MsoNormal">My first bottle was the Durigutti Malbec.<span style="mso-spacerun: yes;"> </span>At $14.99 this is a mid-range Malbec, and I was kind of expecting a fruit bomb. When I smelled it, and perceived strong aromas of blackcurrant, plum, and strawberry on the nose, I was expecting that even more. I took a sip and got a lot more of that nice black currant on the front. Just as I was preparing myself to be swept by the velvety tannins down a cuddly river of blackberry jam – BAM! Something completely different happened. My tastebuds put a screeching halt to the fruit train and pulled a 180, switching gears over to a dark and winding road of strong espresso, deeply roasted cacao, and bracingly acidic kalamata olives. The tannins were no pushovers either, staunchly standing their ground in a finish that seemed to go on and on and on. Me likey.</div><div class="MsoNormal"><br />
</div><div class="MsoNormal">Date: <st1:date day="19" month="6" year="2010">6/19/2010</st1:date></div><div class="MsoNormal">Wine: Durigutti Malbec</div><div class="MsoNormal">Grapes: Malbec</div><div class="MsoNormal">Vintage: 2008</div><div class="MsoNormal">ABV: 14%</div><div class="MsoNormal">Origin: <st1:place><st1:city>Mendoza</st1:city>, <st1:country-region>Argentina</st1:country-region></st1:place></div><div class="MsoNormal">Color: ruby with violet highlights</div><div class="MsoNormal">Nose: black currant, plum, strawberry</div><div class="MsoNormal">Palate: blackcurrant, brambly blackberry, espresso, cacao, heavy olive on finish. Big tannins.</div><div class="MsoNormal">Price: $15</div><div class="MsoNormal"><br />
</div><div class="MsoNormal">The next bottle I tried was the Catena Malbec by Bodega Catena Zapata. For $19.99, I was expecting rather a lot from this bad boy, especially since the price tag also advertised a 91-point rating from the illustrious Robert Parker. In the glass it was a very dark purple – a good sign. The nose was rather simple of black currant, and tart cherry. But I’ve smelled some deceptively simple noses from some big, earthy, Italian wines before – specifically Montepulcianos and Nero d’Avolas – so my high expectations remained undeterred. This was the right call, because the palate DELIVERED. This wine had very sleek, light tannins, spiralling down the mouth in a tight core of charcoal, tar, and olive, over a bed of red fruit. Honest to goodness TAR! That’s a quality I’m not sure I’ve ever perceived in anything except expensive Australian Shiraz, so way to go Bodega Catena Zapata. If you are a lover of Malbec, a lover of <st1:city><st1:place>Shiraz</st1:place></st1:city>, or even just a lover of good, earthy, red wine – you have positively GOT to put this in your face.</div><div class="MsoNormal"><br />
</div><div class="MsoNormal">Date: <st1:date day="25" month="6" year="2010">6/25/2010</st1:date></div><div class="MsoNormal">Wine: Bodega Catena Zapata Catena Malbec</div><div class="MsoNormal">Grapes: Malbec</div><div class="MsoNormal">Vintage: 2007</div><div class="MsoNormal">ABV: 13.5%</div><div class="MsoNormal">Origin: <st1:place><st1:city>Mendoza</st1:city>, <st1:country-region>Argentina</st1:country-region></st1:place></div><div class="MsoNormal">Color: deep purple</div><div class="MsoNormal">Nose: black currant, tart cherry</div><div class="MsoNormal">Palate: tar and olive, charcoal, red fruit in background</div><div class="MsoNormal">Price: $20</div><div class="MsoNormal"><br />
</div>Unknownnoreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-6446750601595958846.post-32975661286328704762010-06-26T15:46:00.000-07:002010-06-26T15:59:42.388-07:00Cheap reds for summer grillin'!Let’s talk imports. I love domestic wines as much as the next gal, especially the killer stuff coming out of Washington State. But sometimes the best values come from imports. Both the wines in this entry are great values at $8 per bottle, though they each appeal to a different palate.<br />
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First, the MAN Vintners’ Shiraz from South Africa. Shiraz is a grape ordinarily associated with Australia these days, though it is native to France, where it is called Syrah. Australian Shiraz runs the gamut – from bold, structured, highly tannic wines to jammy, high-alcohol fruit-bombs. What makes the MAN Vintners’ 2008 Shiraz so unique is how it manages to be so fruit forward, with rich, berry flavors WITHOUT coming across as jammy or sweet. The acidity lifts the wine in the palate, giving it a light, pleasant texture. Soft hints of pipe tobacco and vanilla linger on the finish. The nose is delightful. This wine smells for all the world like blueberries and cream. It’s light, lovely flavors and easy-drinking texture makes MAN Vintners’ 2008 South African Shiraz a great choice for any occasion – to bring to a party or potluck, to serve with pasta, pizza, or barbecue. And if you’ve never tasted a shiraz before, this is a perfect place to start.<br />
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Date: 6/18/2010<br />
Wine: MAN Vintners’ Shiraz<br />
Grapes: Shiraz (final blend unknown)<br />
Vintage: 2008<br />
ABV: 14%<br />
Origin: Coastal Region, South Africa<br />
Color: ruby with faint violet highlights<br />
Nose: soft vanilla-accented blueberries<br />
Palate: smooth, rich, jammy forest berry with a touch of spice on finish<br />
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The next wine is as affordable as the MAN, but is at the opposite end of the wine spectrum. It’s the Tarima Monastrell. Where the MAN is light, Tarima is robust. Where MAN is vanilla-accented berry, Tarima is a pepper-punched plum. I don’t want to frighten you into thinking that Tarima Monastrell is inaccessible – far from it. But a bit of warning is necessary, because wines this big just aren’t for everyone.<br />
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Monastrell (called mourvedre everywhere but Spain) is not a grape known for pulling its punches. Varietal (100% pure) bottlings of this grape are uncommon outside of Spain, and even when you find ‘em … well, no one does it quite like the Spanish. Certainly not for $8. <br />
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Tarima’s 2009 Monastrell comes from Jumilla, a region of Spain where vineyards were destroyed by the phylloxera root louse as recently as 1989. However, the devastation ended up being a catalyst for the region to reinvent itself from one known for cheap, low-quality wine into one capable of producing artisan-quality bottles from native varietals – such as Monastrell. Ideally suited to the climate and terrain, many wine-makers replanted with this grape, and now, as the vines are becoming mature, the wines from Jumilla are getting better and better. <br />
The Tarima is a fantastic example of what this grape is all about. The amount of flavor packed into this $8 bottle is almost criminal. Upon first sip, the palate is blanketed in mouth-coating tannins – the kind that are pleasantly rich and chewy, not bitter and overpowering. These strong tannins are simultaneously mellowed by two factors – the wine’s high acidty, giving it a clean finish, and its high alcohol content, giving it a silky smooth mouthfeel. In fact, for how big and bold this wine is, it’s amazing just HOW light it comes across on the palate. As for the flavor? Think of brandy-braised plums spiced liberally with rosemary and black pepper. A monstrous monastrell if ever there was one. With ribs, with steak, with bacon burgers … I am begging you to put this one in your face.<br />
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Date: 6/18/2010<br />
Wine: Tarima Monastrell<br />
Grapes: 100% Monastrell<br />
Vintage: 2009<br />
ABV: 15%<br />
Origin: Jumilla, Spain<br />
Color: bright ruby-violet<br />
Nose: Spicy blackberry, clove, vanilla, tobacco. Heavy oak, hooray for Spain!<br />
Palate: Fantastic mouth-coating tannins and great acid. Lots of red fruit. Bold, yet light. Pepper and brandy on the finish.Unknownnoreply@blogger.com0