California
2004 Azienda Agricola Vignalta Colli Euganei Gemola I’m actually quite surprised that this note is the first tasting note on CellarTracker – this is a very nice wine. Ripe dark fruit, tobacco and milk chocolate, with a decent finish, but narrow mid-palate. 70% Merlot / 30% Cabernet Franc gives it the lush qualities of a Merlot, with the intensity of a Cab Franc. Very nice and well balanced combination. The only downside is that we had it paired with Osso Buco and there wasn’t enough acidity to cut through the richness of the meal – for me, this is a wine best enjoyed on its own. My rating: 91
2006 Zenato Valpolicella Superiore Ripassa
Plum, Cherries, Dr. Pepper, vanilla and stone. Quite nice, but wanted a little more acidity as it drank just a tad rich for my taste. Good balance and a mid-length finish. Felt a little pricey to me at $30, so not sure I would buy again. My rating: 88
1998 Robert Mondavi Winery Cabernet Sauvignon Unfiltered Reserve Napa Valley
Haven’t had a Mondavi in a very long time and then picked up a case through the Constellation Brands Friends and Family at a great discount – so glad I did. But, it was a risk. The 2008 CA Cab vintage was rated as the lowest, at an 84, in the last 25 years. The best I can say is that somehow this wine snuck through and has aged nicely. Dark cherry, blood orange, vanilla and herbs, with a good up-front, mellow mid-palate, then a nice lingering finish. The tannins have settled down considerably on this, but, even at 12 years old, it still could stand some time to get better. Wine Spectator gave this an 87 at time of release. My rating: 91
2008 Allegrini Valpolicella
Picked this up as a bottle to use in an Osso Buco recipe and held a little aside for the cook. Tart cherries, pomegranate, herbs and earth, with really high acidity – should pair pretty well with the meat. My rating: 87
2007 Sea Smoke Pinot Noir Ten
This is the lowest score I’ve given a Sea Smoke Pinot. Not too low at a 90, but there’s something missing for me about Sea Smoke the last few vintages. I don’t know if it’s the new(er) winemaker or what, but Sea Smoke used to blow me away…incredible tasting experiences with particularly the Botellas and Tens (not as big a fan of the Southings). So, relatively speaking the 2007 Ten is not my favorite relative to other Sea Smokes. But, against other Pinot Noir, this is still very nice. A bit young and rambunctious still, but a nice blend of dark cherries, lavender and blood orange with a hint of smoke. Incredible acidity on this wine, especially for a California Pinot Noir. My rating: 90
2008 Vinos de Terrunos Navarra Siete 7 Medium bodied wine with lots of red, tart fruit, dusty earth and barnyard – sort of a musty hay smell. Fun to experiment with, but not something I would buy again. My rating: 84
2007 Winzer Krems Grüner Veltliner Sandgrube 13
Very solid Grüner for $7. Green fruit, very dry, good acidity. I bought a case because of the price and I will be drinking more of this when the sun is out, I have the wine in a cooler full of ice (this one’s best very cold) and shellfish steaming on the grill… My rating: 86
2007 Cayuse Cabernet Sauvignon Widowmaker En Chamberlin Vineyard
I have to start by saying that I am a huge fan of cayuse wines, but I will admit that they’re not for everyone, both in taste and price. Widowmaker is no exception. Very interesting wine – meaty, salty, dirty wine. actually, amazing how salty this wine tastes. But, make no mistake, this is a good wine, with exceptional balance (especially for how young it is) and a long, lingering finish. another great wine from cayuse. And, if you’re a fan of westerns, you really can’t beat the label. My rating: 91
2007 Lucien Albrecht Gewurztraminer Reserve
Peach, apricot and honey – well balanced white, but way too sweet for my taste. My rating: 85
2006 Orogeny Pinot Noir Redding Ranch
Interesting Pinot Noir. I’ve tried three of these bottles now and each one is a little different. So, am commenting on the most recent bottle. Mellow fruit, smoke and cured meats – it’s kind of like they took a pretty nice mid-fruit wine and left it out at the campfire overnight. Interesting. Will have to see if the other 9 bottles from my case are similar. Still, not bad and I am a big fan of Orogeny Pinot’s. My rating: 87
All tasting notes first published on Grape Stories (formerly CellarTracker)
Continue reading about Wine tasting notes from a week gone by…
I was first introduced to Matthiasson wines at the Wine Bloggers Conference last year inNapa. As part of the tasting on the 1st day, Jill Matthiasson pouring their white wine for a “speed tasting” event in the afternoon of the first day. Speed tasting, as I so quickly found out, is like speed dating. Winemakers wind through the room, stopping at each table along the way, and have only a few minutes to pour their wines and tell the table about them. So, you can imagine that many wines got lost in the shuffle, unless the winemaker or designated pourer is overly charming, very odd or wearing something funny. Or, they could grab your attention the old fashioned way – earning it through a damn fine wine. Two producers did that for me – Bonny Doon and Matthiasson wines.
I won’t get into too much detail here about Randall
Grahm from Bonny Doon as he’s able to get a lot of publicity on his own (and I’ve written about him many times before), but I would like to share a little bit about Matthiasson and why I think they get it right.First and foremost, it’s about the wine. If you don’t have a wine worth celebrating, you don’t get it. Plain and simple. End of story. Please don’t market to me or try to convince as to why you think your wine is better than it is. Matthiasson has those wines worthy of celebration. Their white wine was the #1 stand-out wine for me over three full days and nights of tasting Napa wines, totalling in the hundreds I’m sure, but, as you can imagine, I lost count somewhere along the way.
Second, I bought some of their white wine a few weeks back and received a typed card that I thought was nice, but probably just a formality to include along with the wine. Personally, I would have been fine with just getting the wine, so I thought it was a nice gesture and I’m enough of a loyalist that I thought I’d read the card….”Thank you for your purchase…we recommend waiting a few weeks…thanks again for all your support…congrats on becoming a dad!” Wait. What? A personalized note? A winery that took the time to not only remember that we just had our first baby boy, but to also include a congratulations in my order? Unbelievable.
Now the marketer in me comes out – that one line, that one very simple line, the one that Jill probably threw in simply because of who she is, not because she wants to score points with me, will keep me loyal to Matthiasson for a very long time. Now, to be fair, we met at the Wine Bloggers Conference, chatted a bit, tried to coordinate a trip for me to help them with harvest…but, in the end, we’re not life long friends or extended family or anything like that. I am a customer, a blogger and someone who has connected with Jill on occasion. To you, Jill, I’d just like to say thank you for treating me not like a customer, but, rather, someone who has chosen to take this journey with you, albeit on the sidelines as I watch you all make magnificent wines.
Now, those two things may seem trite to some of you – a good wine and a nice note, but, if you go back and read my post on what not to do (Tips for winery tasting rooms – on my soapbox), you’ll see that what the Matthiasson’s provided me is not typical in the wine world. That’s not to say that some wineries don’t provide the human touch, especially small niche wineries, but, if there’s one plea I could make to all wineries – sometimes it pays to act like a small winery, to sincerely believe that every customer that walks through your door, whether they be there physically or through the internet, is critical to the success of your business. Be real about it, offer them a great product and you will be rewarded. For those of you already doing this, stay the course.
And to you, Steve and Jill Matthiasson, thank you for making the wines you do and for sharing them with care. I look forward to being a loyal customer for a long time to come.
More praise for Matthiasson wine:
Continue reading about Matthiasson wine – someone who truly gets it
Ripe cherry, plum and cedar all play different roles on this one, creating a wine that’s too off balance. Add to that a hot finish and I think I’ll pass on this one the next time around. Unfortunate, though, because I do think Quivira is putting out some decent wines, just not this one. My rating: 83 (NOTE: this bottle sent to me as a sample from the winery).
2006 Faust Cabernet Sauvignon
First had this wine at the Wine Bloggers Conference in Napa Valley last year. Good Cab with ripe red and black fruit and strong front palate. But, starts to fade mid-palate and finishes short for me. One dimensional, easy drinking wine that’s worth trying, but falls short of many of its $50+ competitors. Rating: 87
2007 Domaine Drouhin Oregon Pinot Noir
Decent enough Pinot Noir with cherry, orange and floral notes, but this wine was too hot for me and I expected more from Domaine Drouhin. It also lacked a basic structure and finish. Won’t be buying this again. Rating: 84
2005 Groth Cabernet Sauvignon
I just went through all the CellarTracker notes on this wine and, since they’re pretty mixed, I think the bottom line is this – if you do not like big California Cabernet Sauvignon, this is not the wine for you. Plain and simple. Don’t spend the $55 or the $100+ at a restaurant. You will not be happy. But, if you do like California Cabs, Groth always delivers. Strong cherry, dark berry fruits and earthy undertones – it’s big, it’s lush and it’s fruity. I’m a big fan of the Groth offerings. Rating: 91
2007 Quivira Zinfandel Dry Creek Valley
Fruity and tart, with some distinctive Dry Creek Valley dryness and minerality. This is not a big, ripe. lush Zinfandel, so if that’s your taste, this probably isn’t for you. But, i liked it. the acidity brought some good life to it and i can easily imagine it paired with a nice greasy burger or pizza. My rating: 87 (NOTE: this bottle sent to me as a sample from the winery).
2006 Papapietro Perry Pinot Noir Russian River Valley
I had this wine at a restaurant on the strong recommendation of both the waiter and the sommelier and I was stunned by it – one of the better new Pinot Noirs I’ve had in a while. Good red fruit, floral and spice notes, with an incredibly lush and silky balance. Well priced at $45, but very small lots, so not easy to find. My rating: 92
2007 Soda Canyon Cellars Barrel Chaser
Made by Dave Phinney of Oren Swift and Prisoner fame, this one is an easy, smooth drinker, which is a bit of a shock at 15.9% alcohol. Good complexity with cherry, anise, chocolate and espresso. Not a huge finish, but just long enough to savor it. If you’re a fan of the Prisoner, you will like this wine…although I’m not sure why Barrel Chaser is more expensive – I think I’d be willing to pay more for the Prisoner than I would the barrel chaser. My rating: 90
All tasting notes first published on Cellar Tracker
Continue reading about Wine tasting notes for a week gone by…
2007 Thierry et Pascale Matrot Chardonnay Bourgogne Blanc
Citrusy, pithy, minerally…off balance and a bit challenging for me. Picked up as another recommendation for a wine that pairs well with butternut squash soup, but didn’t compare to the 2008 Domaine d’Ardhuy Bourgogne Blanc (tasting notes on this wine posted earlier today) – in fact, I have a full bottle of this wine left while the d”Ardhuy was finished at dinner last night (and both were served with dinner). My rating: 84
2008 Domaine d’Ardhuy Bourgogne Blanc
I went to McCarthy & Schiering wine shop in Seattle looking for a good wine to pair with butternut squash soup and, man, did they nail it with this French Chardonnay. Good wine on its own, with more crispness than a US Chardonnay. Good citrus, apple and mineral notes. But, with the soup, it was a perfect blend of flavors complimenting each other. Whenever I make butternut squash soup again, this is the wine I will have on hand to enjoy it with. My rating: 88
2008 Woodward Canyon Chardonnay
Lemon, peach, sour apple, in a crisp and full white wine. surprisingly little oak and a long, lingering finish. Really nice wine, but a bit pricey for a Washington state white wine, so keeping my rating at an 89 (don’t always do this, but only in situations where i feel the QPR is off a bit). My rating: 89
2008 Lucien Albrecht Pinot Gris Cuvée Romanus
Excellent Pinot Gris and under $20. Crisp lemon and citrus, with a smooth, buttery broad palate and long finish. Recommendation from the sommelier at Cafe Campagne in Seattle and absolutely hit the mark. If I could find any of this online, I’d buy a case without hesitation. My rating: 90
2007 Domaine Roger Perrin Châteauneuf-du-Pape
Very nice Chateauneuf-du-Pape, with a huge aroma – blackberry, bacon, mocha and chestnuts. On the palate, great acidity and a decent finish. doesn’t live up to all the hype of the 2007 CDP vintage, but, then again, this is a $27 bottle and I think the QPR is very high on this wine. My only regret is that I didn’t buy more than I did (only bought two bottles). My rating: 90
2007 Terra Blanca Roussanne
Reserve Terra Blanca Estate Buttery/creamy, meyer lemon, leeche and some minerals. Nice, easy drinker, but may be too buttery for some tastes. My rating: 87
2006 Long Shadows Wineries Pedestal
I had a glass of this last night at the met in Seattle and didn’t take too many notes, but suffice it to say this is a beautiful wine. Dark, lush, ripe fruit and so incredibly well balanced, smooth and silky. Long, lush finish and zero heat. I thought I would need to wait on the ’06’s that I have in my cellar, but this is already showing very well. My rating: 94
2007 Tamarack Cellars Firehouse Red
Raspberry, blackberry, mocha, smoke (from the Carménère …rare addition for a US blend, at least in my experience) and pepper – it’s lush, broad on the palate and well balanced, with a long, lingering finish. This is an incredible wine for the price (about $15) and if I can find any more, I’ll pick up everything I can let my hands on. My rating: 90 And, the blend on this thing is crazy (see below) – makes me want to be there for that blending party…probably takes a week to figure it all out.
BLEND
- 31% Cabernet Sauvignon (15% Walla Walla Valley, 9% Columbia Valley, 4% Wahluke Slope, 3% Rattlesnake Hills
- 27% Syrah (17% Columbia Valley, ◦6% Horse Heaven Hills, 2% Wahluke Slope, 2% Walla Walla Valley)
- 16% Merlot (9% Walla Walla Valley, 4% Columbia Valley,2% Rattlesnake Hills, 1% Wahluke Slope
- 14% Cabernet Franc (◦8% Horse Heaven Hills, 3% Walla Walla Valley, 3% Wahluke Slope
- 7% Malbec (Columbia Valley)
- 3% Sangiovese (Columbia Valley)
- 1% Carménère (Walla Walla Valley)
- 1% Petit Verdot (Walla Walla Valley & Columbia Valley)
2005 Frédéric & Daniel Brunier Châteauneuf-du-Pape Domaine La Roquète Cherries, strawberries, fennel and butterscotch. Bright acidity, medium body, medium finish. Very nice CDP. My rating: 88
2005 La Crema Chardonnay California
Every time the price goes up on this wine, the quality seems to go down – this was a much better wine when it was $10 then it is now at around $15. My rating: 84
2006 Havens Wine Cellars Merlot
Really bummed out with this one. Bought a case at what I thought was a steal for $6.99 a bottle at K&L Wines, one of my favorite and most trusted wine sources. Opened one bottle and thought it had gone bad, so opened another, which was okay the first night buy the second night it tasted like the first bottle. Not worth giving tasting notes on this one except to say it tasted like wine in a can – very tinny and bitter. My rating: 70
Continue reading about Wine tasting notes from a week gone by…
For those of us fully entrenched in the online wine world, there are few better places to be or better things to do than partake in Twitter TasteLive. Billed as the “world’s premiere wine tasting community,” TasteLive hosts events on a regular basis in which bloggers like myself and others “get together” in the virtual world to share tasting notes and thoughts about the chosen wines for the night. Kind of like a big tasting of a winery’s new wines, but with people spread out all over the world…literally…giving those of us partaking a way to get involved with our friends and peers and share what we think, while also giving the wineries an opportunity to share their wines, get exposure and interact with the online wine community.
So, why keep all that fun to myself? I mean if you’re not following along on TasteLive or on Twitter, then I might as well share my tasting notes with you. The format will be verbatim from my Tweets – I can only multi-task so much. (NOTE: these are only my tasting notes – if you want to see everyone’s tasting notes from tonight’s events, you can search on “ridgewines” or “ttl” on Twitter).
On to the wines…on tonight’s TasteLive, four wines from Ridge Vineyards in Santa Cruz, California.
- Nice nose on the chardonnay – lemon, starfruit, just a little pineapple and some good grass and minerals
- Pretty rich and robust nose, actually, more than I see on most Chardonnay
- Wow – that first sip threw me off. Given the nose, I expected something a little oakier and much more creamy. Very nice surprise.
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Lemon, green fruit, minerals & grass on the Chard mouth. Long, lingering finish, altho a bit hot as the wine warmed up
- [100% Chardonnay]
- Something very interesting on the nose of the Carignane – mincemeat? french onion soup? Anybody else picking up on the complexities?
- Carignane has a very nice blueberry upfront and then a good balance of dark fruits and acidity – would be a nice pairing wine
- Carignane really has some nice acidity on it
- [100% hillside grown old vine Carignane]
- [in response to @enobytes] Completely agree – the color on the Caboose is very dark
- Nose on the Caboose is ripe, plummy, jammy, sweet, like a train ran over a box of ripe fruit & splattered it all over the station walls
- Caboose was extremely tight for me when I first opened it, but has opened up considerably – let this one sit a while before drinking
- [96% Zinfandel, 4% Petite Sirah]
- The 2007 Lytton Springs is what I’m talking about – have always loved this wine from
- Lytton Springs aroma – cherry, chocolate, sweet pipe tobacco and wet, sappy tree bark – I love the nose on this wine
- Lytton Springs – immediate balance on the palate, not overripe, good acid, strong tannins, finishing all the way through
- I want to pair the LS with a juicy, blue cheese bacon burger – preferably from red mill in Seattle – or Girl & the Fig burger in Sonoma
- The LS gets better with every sip – such good balance and the finish is looooong
- [71% Zinfandel, 22% Petite Sirah, 7% Carignane]
It seems like it’s been a while since I sat down to a tasting of wines I knew absolutely nothing about. No history. No word of mouth. No tasting notes on Cellar Tracker. No Twitter comments. Not even a mention from the too many wine shop proprietors on my wine shop route (not as consistent as, say, a USPS mail route, but at times could be mistaken for one).
So it is with Chronicle wines, a small lot artisan producer of Pinot Noir and Zinfandel from Sonoma and Mendocino. Two Pinot Noirs and two Zinfandels, produced by two accomplished winemakers in Ted Lemon (long Burgundy background at Domaine Dujac and Domaine Guy Roulot in Meursault, to name a few) and Dan Cederquist (who spent 10 years at DeLoach specializing in Old Vine Zinfandel), this was looking to be an interesting tasting.
And, indeed it was, particularly with the Zinfandels. Looking back, somewhere along the line, I started to lose touch with most Zinfandels, partly because I came across too many over-ripe, seriously jammy takes on the varietal and partly because I got distracted with so many other great wines in this world. But, the Chronicle Zinfandels are unique in comparison to the Zinfandels I’m used to – they’re lighter, more acidic, not as jammy on the palate. Almost felt more like an Italian wine, like a Nebbiolo, than a Zin, with light color and heavy tannins. Very interesting and unexpected.
So, on to the tasting notes:
2006 Chronicle Pinot Noir Sonoma Coast
Very light aroma, some floral notes, dark ripe cherry and a touch of watermelon and menthol. Opens up considerably in the mouth. Big front-end, attacking the front palate with blackberry, cherry, spice, earth and pith. Loses some of it’s punch mid-palate, but then returns for a long finish, albeit a hot one. Overall, this is a soft, lightweight Pinot, without much acid and not too aggressive. My rating: 87
What Chronicle has to say: The Sonoma Coast shows spice, floral and sandalwood notes, with pronounced alpine strawberry and Bing cherry. The attack is sweet, with plenty of structure and well-integrated tannins. The wine is fresh with moderate weight. A soft, velvety mid-palate gradually gives way to a long and lively finish.
2006 Chronicle Pinot Noir Cerise Vineyard
Bigger nose than the 2006 Chronicle Sonoma Coast, but not by much. Light fruit on the aroma, with floral notes, cherry and milk chocolate. A nice ride through the palate, hitting warmly up front and then growing into a spicy, peppery, earthy finish. Good acidity on this one. Not a fruity Pinot Noir, so if that’s your taste, probably not the one for you. My rating: 88
What Chronicle has to say: The Cerise Vineyard shows intriguing herbal and brushy aromas with brambly blackberry and raspberry patch. The woodsy notes frame a dense and chewy, altogether serious mid-palate. This wine has good lift, structure, and concentration with a strong backbone and dense tannins that will reward patience and cellaring.
2006 Chronicle Zinfandel Bacigalupi Vineyard
Very interesting nose on this one – black licorice and chocolate covered strawberries in a Christmas tree lot. It’s remarkably light for a Zinfandel, both in color and mouth feel, making it unlike any other Zinfandel I’ve tried before. It almost drinks more like Nebbiolo than a Zinfandel, which might explain the different elements – could be that the fruit wasn’t able to stand up to the oak elements. A bit of a pithy, dry finish, so if that’s not your gig, this isn’t for you. But, overall, I quite enjoyed this wine. If you’re a Zin fanatic, I don’t think this is the Zin you would pick to get your fix. On the other hand, this is a very interesting take on Zin and puts a different spin on the varietal. My rating: 89 (caveat: not for everyone’s palate)
What Chronicle has to say: The Bacigalupi Vineyard is a deep and vibrant crimson, with enticing aromas of cranberry, boysenberry and spice. The wine is medium bodied, with bold flavors of black cherry and brambly blackberry with well-integrated spice and vanilla tines from the oak. This is classic old vine Zinfandel.
2006 Chronicle Zinfandel Old Vines
Maraschino cherries, milk chocolate, licorice and pepper on the nose. Broad distribution in the mouth ending with a remarkably focused finish of dark berry fruit and pepper . This is the most multi-dimensional and complex of the four Chronicle wines and, even though it’s an easy drinker, it does offer up some complexity that would incline me to go back for more. Again, as with all the Chronicle wines, a bit of a pithy, bitter finish but to my liking and not too overbearing. My favorite of the four Chronicle wines. My rating: 90
What Chronicle has to say: This wine is composed of grapes from all three of the old vine sites we sourced, located off Piner Road in the southern end of the Russian River appellation. During barrel aging, we had great fun working on the blend from these three sites. Each has its charms and brought something different to the assemblage. In our final blend Bacigalupi brings brambly blackberry flavors and mid palate richness, Gaddis brings backbone and structure, and Gambogi brings intriguing chocolate and claret-like aromatics and flavors.
What you should do: Mailing list only on these wines, so not readily available, but worth putting your name in for consideration if my tasting notes sound appealing. It feels to me like these wines could make an impact somewhere down the road and, at the very least, you may be able to get your hands on some unique, small lot wines that should age well.
NOTE: the Chronicle wines were sent to me as a sample
| 2006 Abeja Cabernet Sauvignon Columbia Valley | |||
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This is way bigger than i thought it would be – reminded more of a California cab than a Washington cab. big fruit, big oak and a bit hot on the finish. decent fruit and a huge mouthful, but has a pithy, somewhat bitter finish. lush tannins and I’m going to try this again tomorrow night to see if it opens up any more. 2nd day follow-up: not much change. My rating: 88 |
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| 2007 Cadence Cabernet Sauvignon Camerata Cara Mia Vineyard | |||
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My first experience with Cadence, but have been wanting to try their wines for a while. This one did not disappoint – a very well balanced Cab from WA, with notes of blackberry, blueberry, espresso and dark chocolate. A huge mouthful, including a lingering finish and enough acid to cut through some of the lush ripe fruit. Still feels young, even after having decanted it for three hours. The disappointing part of this wine is the price – at $55, this is too expensive. At $30, I probably would have given it a 90, but this wine is just too expensive in my opinion. My rating: 88 |
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| N.V. Bortolomiol Prosecco Valdobbiadene Brut | |||
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I’m a huge fan of Prosecco and this is one of the better ones I’ve tasted. Some good lemon citrus and pith and the nose with an added dryness and minerality that makes this an easy drinker and interesting at the same time. My rating: 88 |
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| 2007 Schild Estate Shiraz Barossa Valley | |||
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Cherry chocolate tobacco rolls, with a hint of herb and sage on the finish. Big fruit on the palate with an even delivery throughout the palate. Really liked this one and I’m not typically a fan of Shiraz. #43 on Wine Spectator’s 2009 Top 100. My rating: 89 |
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| 2007 Santini Wines Trentatre Salento IGT | ||||
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Blackberry and dark cherry (ripe), with oak, vanilla and powdered cocoa. This wine is a mouthful, with a broad distribution on the palate and a decent, but hot, finish. more acidity than would be expected in this blend, which helped cut through the lasagna we had with it. Overall, a very nice wine for $6. 33% Montepulciano, 33% Cabernet Sauvignon, 33% Merlot, this one was an interesting combo of elements, One i haven’t seen before, but I was longing for more of the Montepulciano to come through. My rating: 86 |
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| 2006 Luna Vineyards Merlot | |||
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This is a cherry covered chocolate – big fruit, chocolate on the finish with a nice stretch of very mild leather and darker fruits, like blackberry. I haven’t had a Merlot in a while, so it was nice to see dive into one again. Tight at first, hot on the finish, but after a 2nd glass, decanted for 15 minutes, it really opened up and became a more broad wine on the palate. Some nice acidity, which adds to the balance. Overall, very pleased with this wine. [note: this bottle was sent to me as a sample] My rating: 89 |
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| 2007 Luna Vineyards Pinot Grigio | |||
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A nice citrusy, minerally, easy drinker. In fact, I was surprised by how much i did actually like it. I think I would like it even more on a hot summer day, out on the back deck. [note: provided to me as a free sample] My rating: 86 |
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| 2006 Justin Vineyard Cabernet Sauvignon |
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Well, here’s another case of not agreeing with wine spectator who gave this wine a 79. 79? Median of 88 from CellarTracker tasters, with only one coming in at 80 [from a user called duckyfufu], who sounds like he might have had a corked bottle. I liked this one, as did my wife and her mom and dad, who generally don’t drink Cabernet Sauvignon. for me, cherries, dark chocolate, vanilla and anise seed. Surprisingly prominent acidity, that helps cut through the palate, with a very nice, long finish. Just a tad hot. This is a nice $20 Cabernet from Paso Robles, from a very trusted producer. My rating: 89 |
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| 2007 Odfjell Carménère Armador | |||
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Been trying a lot of Carmeneres lately and this is the one I’ve been looking for. All the smokey, peppery characteristics of Carmenere, but also the most balanced and easy drinking of the dozen it so I’ve tried. blackberry, plum, tobacco, smoke, white pepper. Very nice acidity. If you haven’t tried Carmenere, this is a great one to start with. My rating: 89 [sent to me as a sample from Wines of Chile] |
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All tasting notes first published on Cellar Tracker!
Continue reading about Wine tasting notes from a week gone by…
Been a while since I’ve done a book review, mostly because what I’ve been reading hasn’t really captured my attention. But, about a month ago, I finished “New Classic Winemakers of California: Conversations with Steve Heimoff,” a book that reignited my imagination about wine. A collection of who’s who in today’s wine world – Andy Beckstoffer, Heidi-Peterson Barrett, Merry Edwards and more – “Conversations“ is literally that, oral histories that these accomplished and up and coming winemakers have with Steve Heimoff, the West Coast Editor of Wine Enthusiast magazine.
I read this book fast – it’s easily digestible, fun to read and if you have an interest in wine and the thought process and philosophies of making wine, then this is the book for you. These are conversations that most of us aren’t exposed to on a daily basis and they’re very compelling.
In addition, it shows these accomplished winemakers as down-to-earth folks who have latched onto something they love and success followed. For most of them, this is not something that happened overnight, but, rather, over years and years of practice, success, failure and just plain old hard work. And, the plan wasn’t to be well known winemakers (at least for most), but to just cultivate a passion that they couldn’t ignore.
The best way to describe what I pulled from this book is through music. At the same time I was reading it, Pearl Jam (yes, I am an unabashed Pearl Jam loyalist) came out with their new album, Backspacer. If you buy the album on iTunes, it comes with a 10-minute video of the band that opens with Eddie talking about the creative process and what a friend once told him: “Paint a hundred [paintings], see if you’re good at it. After a hundred, maybe you’ll know.” And that is exactly what I captured out of this book and why it was so inspiring to me – if you have an interest, a passion and calling, keep at it, keep working and you will get to where you want to be, whether that be where you thought or somewhere else that turns out to be even more satisfying. It really is true and it was unexpected that I captured that feeling through a book about wine – I mean, let’s be honest, most of them aren’t all that inspirational.
What you should do: Buy it. Apologies that this review came out after Christmas, but buy it for yourself – it really is an interesting read. And, I guarantee you’ll look at the wine in your glass in a different way.
My rating: 92
2006 Cayuse Syrah Cailloux Vineyard Walla Walla Valley. The fruit on this wine is some of the most subtle I’ve ever tasted on a Washington Syrah. With 96% Syrah and 4% Viognier, there’s definitely a nice fruit balance on the front end with blackberry, blueberry and raspberry, but when it hits the mid-palate, there is a truly unique minerality, leather and earthiness that takes over and subdues the fruit. Not a UFC-type submission, but more like a dinner with the Dalai Lama who convinces you that everything you ever thought about life was wrong…and it was all okay with you, even uplifting and motivating. Having enjoyed this wine with two good buddies who are true wine aficionados made it all that much better. My rating: 94- 2005 Chateau Plince Pomerol. This really is a beautiful wine. Definite blackberry, licorice, tea and oak, with a little touch of earth and leather. It’s a complex wine that’s incredibly well balanced, with just the right acidity and tannins to make it feel vibrant and alive through the strong finish. Amazingly velvety and textured for a 2005 – particularly since it was just released in early March. No doubt this will get better with age, but certainly a great wine now – I can only imagine what it would taste like if decanted for an hour or so before drinking. My rating: 92+
- 2006 Sea Smoke Ten Pinot Noir. This is, hands down, the best
Pinot Noir I have ever tasted. I first learned about Sea Smoke with the 2004 vintage and it continues to amaze me with this, my third vintage of Sea Smoke. This is not a faint, light Pinot – it’s dense, rich and incredibly well balanced, with a complexity unrivaled in other Pinots (or, at least those I’ve tasted). Definitely one of those wines I’m sad to finish…my only consolation is the 4 other bottles in my cellar, but I think I’ll wait a few years on those. My rating: 95 - 2008 Pepperwood Grove Pinot Noir, Valle Central. Part of the Whole Foods Holiday Wine Top ten list…This is a light, fruity, spicy Pinot Noir, with blackberry, cherry, spice and toasted vanilla notes. You won
‘t find any stemmy qualities or rich complexities, but it is incredibly well balanced, with very little heat and a nice mid-range finish. It’s definitely a wine that would work well in the early stages of Christmas dinner, just after a nice white and some cheeses. And, if you’re thinking “how did a $6 wine make it to #4,” I’ll bet if you decant this bottle and just let people try it blind, you will find that they think it is a much more expensive bottle of Pinot Noir than it actually is. Tons of quality packed in this value wine. My rating: 89 / 90+ for a wine under $10. - 2005 Long Shadows “Pedestal” Merlot Columbia Valley. I’ve been a big fan of the Long Shadows wines for so
me time now and this one lived up to the expectation. A recommendation from a good, very trusted wine friend, I was actually more entranced by this wine than I thought I would be. Huge nose, with dark cherries, plum and mocha, followed by some mellow Christmas spice notes (cinnamon, nutmeg, clove). Tannins are a little chalky still, but will mellow over time and I’m glad I have a few more in the cellar so I can taste it when it does. My rating: 92 - 2004 Fattoria Poggiopiano Rosso Di Sera Toscana.
This was a beautiful Tuscan wine. Extremely well balanced, with dark berries, coffee and hint of maple syrup and rich spice, this is one of the best wines I tasted yet in Italy. If I let my wine sit for a few minutes, it became better balanced, gentler and more silky. Once I swirled it, it became hot, tannic and angry. This can happen with most wines, but the transformation was much more pronounced on this wine than I’ve seen in others. It’s as if all the wine wanted to do was sit back and unfold, no pressure, no worries. The second I asked it to do something it didn’t want to, it let me know and became a different and lesser wine. It really did feel pissed off when riled up. A true lesson in letting wine develop as it needs to, no matter what you think is right for it. My rating: 92 
2008 Michel Schlumberger Pinot Blanc. It’s clearly a French-style wine, not a sweet or oakey California white – one of the cleanest, most refreshing and simple white wines that has had the pleasure of meeting my palate…as the person pouring said “drinks like water, doesn’t it?” That’s partially true, but only in regards to the ease with which it goes down. But, there is some complexity here, as nuanced as it is. Good subtle fruit and touch of mineral and metal, almost a zinc-like quality, that does add some interesting qualities to the wine. My rating: 89- 2007 Fontanafredda Barbera Piemonte Briccotondo. On the nose I got dirt and grass and plum and cherry and chocolate, all mix
ed up like a rich, aromatic stew. A good solid swirl and I also pick up some crushed black pepper and even just a hint of menthol. Great nose on this wine. It’s big and intense and complex, which, for me, is exactly what I like – builds so much expectation for tasting the wine. As for taste, definitely on the earthy and not entirely old school, but on the older school side of red wine. Some good solid young fruit, nice acidity and strong tannins that are drinkable now, but should also be good with a few years of aging. On the palate – front, mid and back all powerful and lasting. Are you getting the point here? I love this wine. Hard to believe this is going for $11. My rating: 90 
2007 D.R. Stephens Chardonnay. For some reason, I did not review this wine on my blog in 2009, but, regardless, I was truly impressed by how well made it is. I couldn’t find my original tasting notes for this wine, so I’ve included notes from Wine Spectator: Rich and full-bodied, this is framed by smoky, toasty oak, but also offers a delicious core of pear- and nectarine-laced flavors that are pure and elegant. Although I don’t remember the core elements of the wine from my tasting, I do remember being pleasantly surprised by how rich, complex and non-oakey this was for a CA Chardonnay – very distinct from most of the other Chardonnay’s I’ve tasted from Califonia. My rating: 91- Sancerre. This is an interesting entry for the list as I believe it’s still a work in progress. I was first introduced to Sancerre this
year and it absolutely captured my imagination. The Sancerre region in France is known for its whites, particularly those using the Sauvignon Blanc grape, and is unique in its landscape of chalky limestone and flint-filled hills. Most Sancerrre’s are 100% Sauvignon Blanc, unblended and made without much, if any, oak. The reason I’m so intrigued by Sancerre is that I have liked every one I’ve tried and yet I am not a fan of most Sauvignon Blanc’s. For me, Sauvignon Blanc is usually a little too thin and overoaked, particularly the California versions. But, the Sancerre brings something very different to the table. It feels more pure to me and doesn’t try to hide the glory of the Sauvignon Blanc grape. My rating: varies by bottle
What’s on your list this year?
When I first moved to San Francisco a few years back, there were some inexpensive wines that I thought were not only drinkable, but worth always having a case around for those weeknights with grilled burgers or pizza. Red Truck was one of those producers and I think I still have a few bottles from the case I bought 4 years ago. But, it occurs to me now, that I’m no longer much of a fan of Red Truck. I’ve had a few of the wines since that first case and nothing’s really knocked me out. Good enough, but not memorable. And, unfortunately, the 2006 Red Truck Zinfandel Mendocino County on the Whole Foods Holiday wine top ten list falls in that camp.
It’s a fairly nice mix of cherry, cranberry, cedar and freshly ground nutmeg, but with an aroma of the air you smell when fly fishing, part fresh mountain air, part fish, part fresh water and mist. Having fished my whole life (although less and less as the years go by), this is a welcome smell, as long as you’re catching fish, but not so welcome when the trout have gone somewhere else down the river or perhaps permanently reside on the hook of your friend standing right next to you. After the river runs through the wine, there’s a dusty butter and vanilla finish, which is actually a little comforting and rich, but a disconnect from the rest of the wine. Off balance, a bit confused about what it wants to be and no longer on my list of weeknight keepers.
What Whole Foods has to say: Think of this bottle as an old friend in a snazzy new pair of shoes! A balanced, organic California wine, its brambly berries, cracked pepper and dark chocolate finish keep your attention, whether you’re eating pot roast or pasta. Wow your taste buds and pair it with Stilton produced by Colston Bassett or Borough market.
What you should do: Don’t buy this one. As I said, the producer used to be higher on my list and I don’t know if it’s just the Zinfandel that’s throwing me off, but not my favorite. Plenty of other good ones on the list (like the Pepperwood Grove Pinot Noir and Paso a Paso Tempranillo) for you to choose from.
My rating: 84
