Category Archives: TASTING NOTES

My Monthly tasting notes

Standout Wines of 2012 the best of the rest

Posted on by
3

Standout Wines of 2012

Selecting the best of anything is a daunting task.  How many times does someone ask you what is your favorite band?  What is your favorite movie?  You always answer, “I don’t have a favorite, I like everything.”  However, when the question is first asked something does pop into your mind.  You immediately dismiss it because although, it is one of your favorites, there are so many others that are not fresh in your mind.  Instead of being pigeonholed, you give the easiest answer, “I don’t have a favorite”.

Selecting the best wine of 2012 is even more difficult because I tasted more wines than listened to different bands or saw different movies.  So how can I pick the best of 2012?  Well instead of dismissing my first thoughts, this time I am going with them. The following wines may not be the best wines of 2012 but they were good enough to stay in my memory as standouts.

So better than calling it the best of 2012, let’s call this post,

Standout Wines of 2012: The Best of the Rest “in no numerical order”.

____________________________________________

Marion Blosser 1er Cru Hautviller Champagne ’04
When I tasted this wine I had just finished writing about my one in a lifetime experience, tasting Krug Clos Mesnil, Krug Vintage Rose alongside Dom Perignon Oenothèque and other great champagnes.  Those wines were fresh in my mind. Then I tasted Marion Blossers Hautvillers 1er cru and I thought, “This is Champagne!” I will put this up next to Dom any day.  The best part is that it is completely approachable.  It’s huge on the palate and the finish is endless, but great on the pocket-book.
Retail $70


Alté’s Herencia Garnatxa Blanca ‘11
Talking about being easy on the pocket-book, this is why this little cheapo makes my list.  Eric Solomon imports this white and from Spain’s Catalonia region.  Like many of his wines, they bridge the new world-old world gap.  This Grenache Blanc over delivers.  You know when you buy an inexpensive wine you really don’t expect much except it be quaffable.  You don’t expect to get too much structure.  This little white is mighty fine.  It is balanced, has fresh and vibrant acidity and will go with many of your favorite seafood dishes.  Best of all it retails $10-12.  I liked it so much I added it to the by the glass list at 100 Wines Hillcrest.
Retail $11.99

Kristine Ashe Vineyards Entre Nous Napa ’08
Taking a huge leap in a completely different direction, I land on Entre Nous.  You can call me Bi-Polar for loving a cheap Spanish white and now loving a cult Napa Cab with pedigree.  What happens when David Abreu designs your vineyard, Jim Barber manages it and Philippe Melka makes your wine?  Entre Nous.  What a name, and what does it mean? “Between us”. Maybe it gets its name because Kristine Ashe and her team are the only ones that can afford to drink it.  Or maybe it is as Kristine Ashe says, “Our team’s shared passions and dedication to world-class wine making brought us together but our mutual affection provides the very soul of our wine.”   Whatever the reason, the wine is absolutely delicious.  When I first sat down to taste it, I was ready for another big over-oaked Napa Cab with a high price tag.  Instead, I tasted a balanced wine, yes oaked, yes big; but it had complexity.  I remember to this day aerating the wine in my mouth and getting all sorts of layers.  First red fruit, then black, then earth and back to red fruit and toast and on and on.  Well deserving of the price.
Retail $150


Barcarola Teroldego Serra Guacha Brazil ’05
Stomping on the brakes and switching gears, I make a U-turn and start driving against traffic on a one-way road. “Brazil!?”  You ask.  If you have not read my past posts about Brazilian wine then, you would not understand. My answer is, “Hell yah!” The unfortunate part is we do not see these wines in the States.  What we see come into the US are wines equal to Constellation Brands’ wineries.  We import the big dogs from Brazil, and sorry to say, they do not give an accurate representation of the capabilities of Brazilian wine.  Baracarola is a boutique winery owned and run by the same Italian family since the mid 1940’s.  The beauty of these wines is the terroir.  They do not use oak.  Some might say that they do not so that they can save money.  But I believe they do not use oak so they support the grape’s integrity.  After tasting many Brazilian wines, I found the un-oaked wines to show the best. Northern Italian varieties and Tannat should be on your radar for Brazil.  Unfortunately, since Tannat and Northern Italian varieties do not sell in the world market, I don’t think we will be seeing many of these come our way.  I never said this is the Standout Wines of 2012 available at Bev Mo.
Retail $50


Ignaz Niedrist Skiava Südtirol Kalteresee Auslese Alto Adige
I am headed for a brick wall if I continue down this path.  This next wine is also not easy to find and another Northern Italian variety.  Schiava is a light bodied grape with crazy aromatics of bacon, flowers and red fruit.  Although I did not buy this wine for the restaurant, I still will not forget it.  Ignaz Niedrist is one of the most respected boutique producers in the Alto Adige.  His whites are delicious, but this little red gem is the most interesting.  One of these days I will add it to the wine list.  It’s just that I have never had someone come in and ask, “Do you carry any Schiava wines?”  I wish they would, then I’d have a reason to put it in the list.  Instead it will earn a spot on my Standout wines of 2012.
Retail $22

Batič (Zaria 50% Pinela, 25% Rebula, 25% Zelen) Vipauska Dulina V.O. Slovenia
Now I have gone through the brick wall and am coming to a screeching halt at the edge of a cliff.  I promise I’ll get us back on a safe path, but for now let’s put our parachutes on and take a leap.  The next wine is also another eclectic and obscure wine.  I won’t say these wines are increasing in popularity, but they are intriguing many.  I am talking about orange wines.  No they are not made with oranges, but produced in the ancient way.  The grapes are fermented in open top amphoras with extensive skin contact.  They are oxidized and will benefit from aging and decanting before drinking.  The wine is full-bodied, aromatic and long-lasting on the palate.  It has a petrol, floral, herbal character with dried fruits.  There really is nothing like it, it is super complex and an excellent choice for the adventurous wine geeks.
Retail $28.99

 


Liquid Farm “White Hill” Chardonnay Santa Rita Hills ‘10
I told you that I’d get us back on track.  Now we open that parachute and glide back on safe ground with Chardonnay.  I am a big fan of wines made by people from within the wine business.  Many of us buy wine, sell wine and teach about wine.  When we make wine, it is unlike the others.  We usually have a goal, a style in mind. Liquid Farm is made by Jeff and Nikki Nelson, a husband and wife team that came from restaurants and wine sales.  Their dream of making old world wines from the new world came true with Liquid Farm.  When I first tasted this wine, I immediately said, “Finally, a new world Chardonnay the way it should be!”  This wine is now sold out but the 2011 is right around the corner, keep an eye out for it.
Retail $36


Brittan Basalt Block Pinot Noir Willamette Valley Oregon ’09
Staying on the well-lit and paved road we naturally progress from Chardonnay to Pinot Noir.  Last week I blind tasted 26 Pinot Noirs for the by the glass list.  During that tasting I was thinking about Brittan’s Basalt Pinot, because I knew that it would have gotten lost in the tasting.  The Pinots that show well when you taste 26 wines back to back are the big, more alcoholic Pinots, usually the Central Coast Pinots.  Brittan may not have a leg to stand on in a power blind tasting next to big fruit-forward Pinots.  And for this reason it makes my list.  Brittan Vineyard’s Pinot is also bi-polar, elegant yet austere.  The delicate floral aromas and subtle cranberry fruit would never stand up in a blind tasting next to Central Coast fruit bombs, however, the high acidity gives it backbone to stand up to food. And for this reason it makes my Standout Wines of 2012.
Retail $45


Betz Grenache Besoliel Columbia Valley ‘09
In 2012 I traveled with the Washington Wine Commission through Washington State. Day one started with an intense tasting of some of the best wineries of Washington atop the Space needle in Seattle.  As I tasted through the wines from Syrah to Cab to Merlot, the one stand out was Bob Betz’s Grenache.  Maybe it stood out because it was one of the only Rhone blends in the room. However, five days later after tasting hundreds of different Washington red blends, it still stayed fresh in my mind.  It had delicious fruit, but it also had a savory edge, a trait I so love in wine.  The winery is going through some ownership changes, but Bob Betz the crazy scientist is still at the helm of wine making.  Drink these wines while he’s still around.  This wine inspired me to write one of my first love letters, Grenache.
Retail $50

Cercius by Michel Gassier Cote-Du-Rhone France ‘11
The last wine to make my Stand Out Wines for 2012 is another budget friendly choice.  It is an easy pick because it is sitting right across from me as I write this post.  This has been my everyday drinking wine for the last 6 months.  Each time I open a bottle, I always laugh that I only spent $12.  It is another one of Eric Solomon’s selections.  This wine has violet aromas with blueberry and blackberry flavors.  I can drink it over and over and never get tired of it.  It is one of those wines that is perfect to drink daily or to bust out for dinner with friends.  I can bring this wine to a dinner party and know that it will be well received.
Retail $12.99

Wine Tasting Notes September 2012

Posted on by
Reply

WINE TASTING NOTES FOR SEPTEMBER 2012

I am getting close to reaching one year of posting my tasting notes.  I get to taste a  lot of wine. I am also responsible for writing different types of wine lists.  Not all the wines I taste deserve the time it takes to re-write my notes into this blog format.   So, from here on out, I will only post the wines that really stand out.   I feel very comfortable  adding any of these wines to the proper wine list.  I hope you enjoy my notes.  Cheers!

______________________________

PL & JF Bersam Sauvignon Blanc Saint-Bris Burgundy ’10 

A village of Burgundy known for Sauvignon Blanc.  The village lies along a base of Kimmeridgian limestone stretching from the Dover cliffs.  This producer has made wine since 1453 and is imported by Aliane Wines.  It has aromas of lemon, citrus and pears with mineral notes.  I tasted this one day after being opened so it lacked vibrancy.  That being said, it has great acid and the fruit was still intact. All I could think was this wine must rock when you first open it.

Retail $15

 Domaine Dupuy de Lome Bandol France ’09

I can now feel comfortable selling Bandol to a new world wine drinker.  The wine is  90% Mourvedre and 10% Grenache.  50% of the vines are old vines, 1/3 of it is whole cluster fermented and 2/3 of it de-stemmed.  It has aromas of leather, plums, saddle and herbs of Provence.  On the palate it is fruit forward with flavors of black cherry and other berries.  It is fresh and full-bodied with a lush texture yet it doesn’t lose that dusty earth we’ve come to know of Bandol.

Retail $25

Starmont Sauvignon Blanc Napa ’10

This is Merryvale’s Sauvignon Blanc, farmed organically and sustainable.  My first impression was that it was going to be another fleshy overly ripe SB from Napa.  I was in for a big surprise.  This wine had aromas of grapefruit, lemon custard and grass.  It has racy acidity as SB should.  It had a sense of mineral followed with green apple, a pleasant surprise!

Retail $18

NxNW “North by Northwest” Cabernet Sauvignon Columbia Valley Washington ’09 

This  wine is made up of 85% Cabernet Sauvignon, 12% Merlot & 3% Petit Verdot all aged in 20 months of both French and American oak.  The aromas are of darker fruits such as both plums and prunes.  The tannins are soft and balanced.   I got raspberry, violet and green peppercorn followed with a toasty finish.

Retail $22

Cedro do Noval Vinha Regional Duriense Portugal 

This is made of 35%v Syrah and the rest a mix of Touriga Nacional, Touriga Franca & Tinta Cao.  The majority of aromas are of prunes, black cherries, cedar box and tobacco.  The tannins are soft & plush.  On the palate i got red fruits such as raspberry followed by intriguing flavors of black tea.  the finish was long-lasting and the wood usage balanced,  showing flavors of saw dust and spices.

Retail $18

D’arenberg The Stump Jump Late Harvest Chardonnay Adelaida Hills Australia 

Botrytis has infected this wine.  It has aromas of figs, Bosc pear tartine, honey and beeswax.  On the palate it is not cloying,but savory.  It;s got funk, saltines and sweetness.  I can drink this on its own and be perfectly satisfied it being my dessert.  It also makes a great pairing when enjoying cheese at the end of a meal. l

Retail 375ml $12

End Post Cabernet Sauvignon Paso Robles ’09 

This is not one of my favorite combinations, Cabernet Sauvignon and Paso Robles.  However, this wine taste great for the price.  It has a medium body with aromas of red plums, blueberry, red cherry and brown sugar.  It’s fruity and floral as one might expect, but it’s not flabby.  There is actually some structure there and I can see this being a great house cab. My house.

Retail $13

The Paring White Wine California ’09

The Jonata Family, famous for Screaming Eagle, makes the paring.  The blend is made of 75% Sauvignon Blanc (mostly from Santa Ynez), Viognier and Semillon.  The nose is of a creamy lemon pie with pineapple.  It is rich on the palate with bursts of tangerine, high acidity and silky on the tongue.

Retail $18

Saint Roches Grandes Caves Vouvray Loire France ’10

Yum and Yum. I am a sucker for Vouvray.  Although it is not a demi-sec there is still more RS on it.  The mild aromas are of baked pear, red apples and honey.  The back bone is well-formed with flavors of grapefruit and high acidity.  What a perfect food wine.

Retail $16

Fama Chardonnay Hudson Vineyard Carneros ’09 

What a Chardonnay!  It is toasty, Creamy with flavors of pear and apple.  All Chardonnay so far.  On the palate it is full-bodied, with flavors of oranges, its rich and rounded.  All Chardonnay, still.  And then…Zing!  It’s like a Sauvignon Blanc, vibrant acidity with the aroma and mouth-feel of Chardonnay.

Retail $50

The Prince in his Caves Sauvignon Blanc Sonoma Mountain ’10

Winemaker Abe Schoener was a philosophy professor at St John’s.  He turned his back on the academic community and became a winemaker.  One of his students, Jon Kongsgaard, turned him on to the world of wine.  he brought his philosophical views of purity into his wine making.  This SB is from a high elevation which gives the grape a thicker skin.  His wines are pure!  he uses native yeasts, does not use SO2 and does not top off his barrels.  The wine is cloudy with a gold color.  It smells of Lychee, green grass, camphor, and chrysanthemum.   A very strange experience in Sauvignon Blanc, but unforgettable.  It is rich, toasty with a strange combination of caramel and pineapple.

Retail $40

Neyen “Espiritu de Alpalta”  Colchagua Chile ’08

This Chilean wine comes from the classic vineyard of Clos Apalta known for its old vines. It is made up of 80% Carmenere and 20% Cabernet Sauvignon.   The wine’s winemaker trained at Chateau Pavie.  It has aromas and flavors of blackberry, cassis with toasty notes of chocolate, cinnamon, cocoa and milk chocolate.  Yum!

Retail $42

Black Sears Cabernet Sauvignon Howell Mountain ’09

I will taste the wines from Black Sears many times through out my lifetime, and I will continue to enjoy them.  This is one of the few Napa wines which made it on my predominantly French wine list while I was at Chez Spencer.  Thomas Brown is now the winemaker and the wines are showing black fruit, cassis and red fruits. The wine sits lean on the palate with minerals, berry and spices.  The wine tight and I recommend decanting for at least an hour.

$70

Fins Amour Grenache/Carignan Maury France ’08

Kimberley Jones, a well known wine distributor is the winemaker behind this gem.  David Phinney of Orin Swift introduced her to the magical vineyards of the Maury.  It is a big wine with aromas of violets, blueberries and black tobacco.   The wine is super extracted!  It’ll make any wine heathen weep.  Especially if that heathen loves a bone in rib-eye.  The wine has flavors of sweet tobacco, chocolate and spice.  Best of all, it has excellent acidity.

Retail  $42

Sika Pinot Noir Anderson Valley ’10

Wine of the future.  Here is a wine made by Paris Driggers, a San Diego native whose years of being a wine buyer payed off when he decided to make wine.  Relationships led to the best grapes in California.  This is a natural wine from the Russler and Seavy vineyards.  It screams one word, elegance!  It is a dark ruby color with aromas of herbs, forest leaves, mushrooms and cranberries. On the palate it is silky and velvety with dark cherry and spiced oak flavors.  Absolutely delicious!

Retail $30

Sika Syrah Napa Valley ’09

This Syrah is sourced from the Stagecoach Vineyard.  It has aromas of bacon, blue fruits, leather and cola.  The oak regiment provides a toasty charred flavor backed by brown sugar, sweet tobacco and grippy tannins.

Retail $20

L’avion Roussanne Santa Ynez Valley ’09

This 100% Roussanne sees 100% new French oak for 15 months and rests on the lees for 12.  It has aromas and flavors of banana, tropical fruits,, citrus and spice., On the palate it is a bit effervescent.  It has an old world character with flavors of minerals and rocks, and a new world body, full.

Retail $33

Kiona Cabernet Sauvignon Red Mountain Washington ’04

Kai-ona is a word from the Yakama tribe meaning “brown hills”.  having recently returned from a wine tripe in Washington State, I Can say that Red Mountain is truly brown.  this wine is made by John Williams  and John Holmes, one of the first to plant on Red Mountain back in 1975. The winery was built in 1975.  The wine is comes from three different Red Mountain vineyards.  It has dried fruits such as prunes, backed by blackberry.  It really shows a mineral note along with mint.  The best part is the price!

Retail $16

Mi Sueno Chardonnay los Carneros ’09

Winemaker Rolando Herrera started out as a dishwasher at Auberge Du Soleil in Napa Valley.  He worked harvests for Stag’s Leap cellars and slowly gained notoriety as a hard worker.  But what made Rolando stand out was his palate.  He had a great understanding of  what the wines should be like and he moved his way up as assistant winemaker at Chateau Potel.  He later learned under Paul Hobbs and eventually went on to open Mi Sueno, his Dream.

This Chardonnay sees 35% new French oak for 10 months and is only fermented with natural yeasts.  It has aromas of butterscotch, cream, banana, pear and other tropical fruits.  It sits full on the palate with sweet fruit and pleasing acidity.

Retail $33

Mi Sueno Pinot Noir los Carneros ’09

95% of this fruit comes from vineyards Rolando has leased, so he has much more control over the harvest.  The wine is aromatic with floral notes of roses, earth and bacon.  The fruits are of blackberries and black cherries.  On the palate it sits lean with flavors of cranberries and a hint of salt.  Great minerality.

Retail $33

Mi Sueno Pinot Noir Russian River ’08

This Pinot is very Russian river in that it is a lot more red fruit driven with aromas of cherry, strawberry and cranberry.  It has a sweet spice with hints of fallen leaves and herbs.  The wine is restrained and elegant.

Retail $40

Mi Sueno Cabernet Sauvignon Napa ’08

85% of the fruit comes from Coombsville and 15% from Oakville.  The color has a bright intensity with a dark ruby hue.  It almost reminds the crimson color used in many of the Mexican paintings of Gabriel Orozco or Frida Kahlo.  The fruits are a mix of dark-skinned fruits such as black plum, red plum, cassis and concord grape.  All the fruit aromas are intertwined with floral aromas of violets.  It has a medium body with excellent minerality accentuated by the dust and earthy tones of Coombsville.

Retail $52

Wine Tasting Notes for August 2012

Posted on by
Reply

WINE TASTING NOTES FOR AUGUST 2012

My intention in posting my wine tasting notes is to give a brief description of some of the many wines I come across over a months time. Some wines will make the wine list and others will not. Choosing one wine over another for the list, comes down to what holes need to be filled. Keeping my notes online allows me to access them for future reference.

I do not want to rate wines on a point system. There many flaws with the point system, I merely want to give the reader a description of my interpretation of the wine on a given day. Wines are always changing, we are always changing and what comes across as unpleasing one day can be enjoyable the next. I want to give the reader an insight in to what the wines taste like rather than attaching a subjective score to them. Winemakers and wineries work hard and are very proud of their juice. I will evaluate their product, but I will not trash it. There are times when I can’t hold back and if I really like something, I will write “Yummy” or “Delicious”. I hope you enjoy my notes.

 

Cape Mentelle Sauvignon Blanc/Semillon Margaret River Australia ’11 

From Western Australia, this white is made up of 51% Sauvignon Blanc and 49% Semillon.  It has aromas and flavors of white pitted fruits, citrus, grass and mineral.  These Bordeaux blanc style wines can get weighty and loose that racy Sauvignon Blanc edge.  However, this wine is all about the SB! Semillon is heavy handed only by percentage, in the glass the wine is racy and expressive with high acidity.

Retail $15

Domaine Chandon Cabernet Sauvignon Napa ’09

What has always been known as a sparking wine house, is now entering the market with a wine true to it’s region. Most do not realize that the vineyards planted on the estate are of Cabernet Sauvignon.  What was once sold to other wineries is now being held for their own expression of Yountville Cab.  It has aromas of black fruit, cassis and satsuma plums.  On the palate it comes across as being floral, rich with smooth tannins.  The oak comes through as cocoa and roasted nuts.  This wine will be seen on many by the glass lists, keep an eye out for it.

Retail $22

Marius by M. Chapoutier France ’10

This Rhone style red comes from one of the most important house in the Rhone, Chapoutier.  It’s a label that is affordable and approachable to the new world. It has a grapey aroma with the scent of a barrel room.  It expresses fruit flavors of red berry, blackberry, blueberry and other black fruits.  It is more expressive on the palate than on the nose.  Fun little Rhone.

Retail $14

—————————————-

ENKIDU

The Enkidu winery is owned and operated by Phillip Staehle.  He worked at  Chalone with the late Dick Graff.  He sources his fruit from vineyards that are conscientious of the land and are true to the varieties they grow.  His wines in general are well structured, restrained and show great texture.

Enkidu Sauvignon Blanc “Kick Ranch” Sonoma Coast ’09

This is the way I like my new world SB, not grassy! It has aromas and flavors of grapefruit, lime and melons.  It is rich and bright on the palate and retains great acidity.  It does see a little oak, just enough to rounded it out.

Retail $15

Enkidu Chardonnay Tin Cross Vineyard Pine Mountain-Cloverdale Sonoma ’11

From one of the newest AVA’s in Sonoma at 2,000 ft elevation, this Chardonnay is true to itself. It does not see Malo but spends 30% of its time in new French oak.  The more prominent aromas are of mineral and herbal notes like mustard grass. The fruit is expressive and shows the traditional pear, apple and citrus flavors. The wine is clean and bright with excellent acidity.

Retail $28

Enkidu Pinot Noir Sonoma Coast ’09 

The wine is light colored with hints of garnet and made with the Pommard clone.  It has aromas of roses, cranberry and  cloves.  The fruit is bright on the palate and the baking spices add complexity.  There is an underline flavor of mineral, similar to red bricks.  The wine is lean but mean with a long finish.

Retail $25

Enkidu Pinot Noir “Tina Marie” Russian River ’09

This Pinot Noir is sourced from the Tina Marie vineyard in Green Valley wish is planted to Dijon clones.  It sees 30-40% New French oak and is unfiltered.  Where as the Sonoma Coast Pinot was about the red fruit and spice this wine has a darker nature.  The aromas are more leafy and floral.  although it expresses a generous amount of red fruit, it also has an intensity of dried fruit.

Retail $42

Enkidu “E” Cabernet Sauvignon Napa ’09 

The grapes are sourced from the Tamber Bey Vineyard and see 15% new oak.  The wine is aromatic with aromas plum, blackberry, cassis, red cherry and olives.  It has a medium body with a long toasty finish of cocoa and coconut.

Retail $24

Enkidu “E” Cabernet Sauvignon Sonoma Valley ’09

The fruit is sourced from both mountain and valley vineyards and 10% Petite Sirah is added.  It has aromas of prunes, plums and an animal aroma that just makes it that much cooler.  There are hints of raspberries and it is elegant on the palate.  It finishes with flavors of cocoa and menthol.

Retail $24

Enkidu Zinfandel Red Hills Lake County ’10 

This Zinfandel is co-fermented with 10% Petite Sirah and aged in 25% 1 year barrels.  This Zinfandel is not like your big alcohol bombs.  It has black fruits with earthiness.  It is juicy, but not flabby and has flavors of leather and other secondary and tricerary flavors.

Retail $20

Enkidu Rhone Blend “Hubaba” Sonoma County ’08

The blend is made of 55% Syrah, 33% Petite Sirah and the remainder of equal parts of Grenache, Counnoise & Mourvedere.  It has aromas and flavors of violets, blueberry, ripe blackberry, strawberry and lavender. Fun!

Retail $28

————————————————

Les Cadrans de Lassegue St. Emilion Grand Cru Bordeaux France ’08 

This right bank Bordeaux is made up of 60% Merlot, 30% Cabernet Franc, 10% Cabernet Sauvignon.  It has fruit forward aromas of blueberry, plum and grape skin.  It is rich and full bodied with a subtle hint of saddle and dusty notes.  It also shows its fair share of red fruits and finishes with a long nutty finish.

Retail $30

Le Blanc du Grand Cres Roussan-Viognier Languedoc ’10

The wine comes from the hills in the Corbieres and is imported by a San Diego wine shop owner, George Gelman from the Grape Connection.  He stumbled upon this winery while dining in the South of France.  He asked the waiter where he could find the winemaker.  One thing led to another and George began to import this little gem.

It has an aromatic nose of pear, apricot and slight petrol.  The wine sits full on the palate with a waxy texture and shows ripe fruit and floral notes.

Retail $ 18

Le Rose de Grand Cres Cabernet Sauvignon Rose Vin de Pays d’oc ’10

This fair priced rose shows smoke, red cherry, watermelon and earth.  It is a full bodied rose and it to sits waxy on the palate with plenty of mineral.  It even has a salty character.

Retail $10

———————————————–

Vallevó Trebbiano D’Abruzzo ’11 

Want a summer white at a great price, here it is.  It is floral, with aromas and flavors of apricot and white peach.  It has a zing of citrus and passion fruit.  The acidity is high which makes this wine very refreshing!

Retail $8

Bret Bros. Macon-Cruzille Burgundy ’09

A perfect example of why the wine laws of Burgundy need to include premier cru status in the Macon.  Although they are a négociant they have their input on the farming decisions.  The grapes are farmed organically from 50-80 year old vines.  It has aromas of citrus, peach and slight sherry quality. It is plusher and fatter style due to the warm vintage, however it still has great acidity.  It finishes with tart fruits of passion fruit and green apple.

Retail $33

Fausse Piste “the mineral selection” Viognier Colombia Valley ’11 

This wine is made by the chef at Owen Roe’s Sausage Restaurant.  It has the Owen Roe influence, just look at the label.  It is very light of color almost clear, obviously no oak.  The aromas are of apple, melon, citrus and candied fruit like a sweet tart.  It so not like most Viognier, in that it is lean, crisp and almost green in flavors. Really cool stuff!

Retail $18

Tatomec Vandenberg Riesling Santa Barbara ’09

The winemaker was a barrel manager at Brewer Clifton who went to Austria to learn how to make Riesling.  This is his project in which shows that Santa Barbara has Riesling potential!  It is herbal. mineral with candied sweet tart nose with honey. It is full on the palate with a waxy and petrol texture.  It is dry yet fruit forward with a lingering finish.

Retail $20

Ignaz Niedrist Schiava Sudtirol Kalteresec Auslese Vineyard Alto Adige ’10 

Schiava is a light red from the Alto Adige that dates back to the middle ages.  I found this to be so much fun!  It has a rustic red brick color with tart red fruit aromas with graphite.  On the palate it has a sherry character with fennel and oranges.  I love the minerality and it should be fun with lean game.

Retail $20

Domaine Alian Michaud Morgon Beaujolais ’10

This wine has a ruby color with cherry fruit, boysenberry, violet and finishes fruity.  It is bright and a great example of good cru beaujolais.

Retail $20

J.K. Carriere Pinot Noir Willamette Valley ’09 

This wine is made by Jim Prosser who has made great Pinot in Oregon, New Zealand and Australia. This Pinot is juicy with flavors of cherry and raspberry.  It is also smoky and floral with great acidity.  I like how it finishes with a hint of soil showing a sense of place.

Retail $35

Wonderland Project Chenin Blanc Santa Ynez Valley ’11

This wine is sourced from old vines and has a sweet tart candies aroma.  It is ripe with flavors of pitted fruits and honey.  This wine is made by one of our locals in San Diego, Matt Ahern.

Retail $18

———————————————- 

Nessa Albariño Rias Baixas ’11 

This mouthwatering Albariño has a medium body with flavors of lime, white flowers, tangerine and orange rind. It is lean, crisp and a good example of Albariño.

Retail $15

Sojourn Sonoma Coast Pinot Noir ’10 

Winemaker Eric Bradley uses 50% new oak and keeps the juice un-fined and unfiltered. It has a forest floor aroma with red cherry, red plums and hints of violets.   It is a fuller and richer style of Pinot with good acidity.

Retail $35

Sojourn Sangiocomo Vineyards Sonoma Coast ’10

This too has that forest floor and fallen leaves aroma.  It is leaner than the Sonoma Coast with cranberry, strawberry and other red fruits.  It has a silky texture and the acidity is a lot brighter, however the fruit is still ripe.

Retail $42

Kamen Cabernet Sauvignon Sonoma Valley ’08

Robert Kamen wrote the script for one of my favorite films of my childhood, the Karate Kid.  His Winemaker is Mark Harold.  The wine is farmed biodynamic on volcanic soils next to the Monte Rosso vineyard.  The wine has blackberry, raspberry, red plum, cherry and cassis aromas. The tannins are drying and there are herbs and flavors of mint chocolate, mocha and a mineral character of charcoal. It’s still a little hot and will lay down nicely.

Retail $65

———————————————

Alexandre Sirech le Bordeaux ’10

This white Bordeaux has been aged and fermented in stainless.  It is fresh with flavors of peaches, grapefruit and honey.  It shows minerals and high acidity.

Retail $12

Graf Hardegg  Grüner Veltliner vom Schloss Austria ’10

Vineyards are located in one of the largest appellations of Austria near Vienna.  The wine is tropical with aromas of banana peel and oranges.  It has high acidity with a medium body.  The finish is long with lingering flavors of pink grapefruit.

Retail $22

Alexander Sirech Rose of Merlot & Cabernet Franc Bordeaux ’11

This light hued rose has aromas and flavors of cherries, violets and red bricks.  It is fresh and shows a generous amount of red fruit.

Retail $14

Alexander Sirech le Bordeaux Rouge ’09

This is made up of 65% Merlot and 35% Cabernet Sauvignon.  It sees 8-10 months of 1-2 year old barrels. Along with the fruit aromas of cassis and plum, it also has aromas of pencil shavings and black olives.  It is soft and plush on the palate with a gritty minerality and cocoa finish.

Retail $14

—————————————————

Cuttanar and Matosevic Croatian Wines

These Croatian wines are unique to San Diego in that they are being imported directly to Escondido.  The region is Istria along the west coast of Croatia.  Malvasia from this region has been getting attention throughout Europe for it’s high quality.   The Teran grape is indigenous to this region  and dates back to 600 years.  It has  been thought to have medicinal qualities because it is rich in iron.

Cattunar Malvazija Istaska Croatia ’11

 This white is very aromatic with aromas of honeysuckle, gardenia and green apple. The acidity is racy and edgy which I would not expect.  On the palate the fruit is of white pitted candied fruits. Very fun, and fantastic expression of Malvasia.

Retail $13

Matoševic Alba “Malvazija” Istarska Croatia ’10

This Malvasia is fermented in stainless.  This wine is more yellow in color than the previous.  It too is aromatic with honeysuckle, tropical fruits, orange peel and grapefruit.  A good balance of rich fruity flavors and tart malo flavors.

Retail $16

Matoševic Grimalda Istarska Croatia ’09

This is made with 85% Merlot and 15% Teran. It is aged for 15 months in French oak. This is a good introduction for the new world palate into Croatian wine.  It has berry aromas of bing cherry, blueberry, raspberry and plum.  It is plush and juicy.  On the palate everything starts to change and I find interesting flavors of parsley, chamomile tea leaves, mint and earthy notes.

Retail $33

Cattunar Merlot Istria Croatia ’08

This Merlot sees both stainless and new oak.  It has a ruby color with garnet rim.  It has an earthy aroma, almost brett-like and saddle.  It is light on the finish and lacks  complexity.

Retail $14

Cattunar Teran Istria Croatia ’09 

This an un-oaked version of Teran.  It has a ruby color with highlights of magenta.  It has fruit flavors of blueberry, blackberry with floral notes of lavender and violets.  It reminds me of a Cru Beaujolais.  Drinking this wine with a chill in the summertime would hit the spot.  The wine stays with you and finishes with the flavor of rhubarb pie.

Retail $13

Cattunar Cabernet Sauvignon Istria Croatia ’09

This Cabernet is lighter than what most would expect.  It’s color is ruby with a garnet rim.  The fruits are of red cherry, plums and mixed berries.  Although it spends 15 months on oak, the wine is all about the grape.  It is fruity with long finish of minerals and sharp acidity.  It is enjoyable to taste a Cabernet that just tastes like wine and not oak.

Retail $15

———————————————

Chateau Grimard Bordeaux ’11

This un-oaked Bordeaux is made of 80% Merlot and equal parts Cabernet Franc and Caberner Sauvignon.  It has flavors of blueberry, cassis, plums, chocolate and finishes tart.

Retail $10

Junqueyres Bordeaux Superieur ’08

85% of this wine is aged in cement vats and and the rest in new, 1 year and 2 year barrels.  It is made of 85% Merlot the rest Cabernet Franc.  It is earthy with fennel and other herbal aromas.  It also shows a turned earth aroma backed by black fruits.  It finishes with mocha flavors, drying tannins and tart plum skins.

Retail $15

Van Zellers “Rufo” Douro Portugal ’08 

This is made by Christian Van Zeller of the same family that owned Quinta do Noval.  This is a field blend that features a variety of Portuguese grapes including Touriga Nacional and Tinto Roriz. It has a deep purple color with dark fruit aromas of prunes, blackberry and black plum.  It is toasty on the palate and finishes dry with nutty flavors.

Retail $14

L’Ecole No. 41 Red Wine Columbia Valley ’09

This is made of your traditional Bordeaux blend with the addition of Syrah.  It has aromas and flavors of cassis, boysenberry and cocoa.  It is an easy drinking red with hints of menthol on the finish.

Retail $18

————————————–

Hall Cabernet Sauvignon Napa ’09 

One of the higher rated wines of Napa, receives praise from the Spectator as one of the top wines. It is rich of fruit with blackberry, cassis, and red cherry.  There are mocha and cola flavors on the palate and it finishes ripe with dry tannins. Traditional Napa Cabernet.

Retail $39

If you like what you’re reading, please take a moment and show some love for my Blog on Local Wine Events!

 

 

Wine Tasting Notes for July 2012

Posted on by
Reply

WINE TASTING NOTES FOR JUly 2012

My intention in posting my wine tasting notes is to give a brief description of some of the many wines I come across over a months time.  Some wines will make the wine list and others will not.  Choosing one wine over another for the list, comes down to what holes need to be filled.  Keeping my notes online allows me to access them for future reference.

 

I do not want to rate wines on a point system. There many flaws with the point system, I merely want to give the reader a description of my interpretation of the wine on a given day.  Wines are always changing, we are always changing and what comes across as unpleasing one day can be enjoyable the next.  I want to give the reader an insight in to what the wines taste like rather than attaching a subjective score to them.  Winemakers and wineries work hard and are very proud of their juice. I will evaluate their product, but I will not trash it.  There are times when I can’t hold back and if I really like something, I will write “Yummy” or “Delicious”.  I hope you enjoy my notes.

Grgich Hills
The historic winery came about as a collaboration between Mike Grgich, winemaker of the famed Chateau Montelena of the 1976 Paris tasting and Austin Hills and Mary Lee Strebl of Hills Brothers Coffee.  The Winery was created in 1977.  Grgich Hills has always been making wines with an old world style within the New World.  In 2000 they started to grow organically.  By 2005 they were farming biodynamic.  The wines of Grgich Hills have changed through out the years. That being said,  the one thing that has been consistent is that the wines are truly made to age!

. << And here is the proof>>

 

Grgich Hills Fumé Blanc Napa ‘10 
Aromas of white peach, citrus, mineral with a green undertone. It is rich on the palate with crisp and clean mouth-feel. This Sauvignon Blanc is dry with upfront grapefruit flavors and a rich texture.
Retail $24

 

Grgich Hills Chardonnay Napa ‘09
This wine sees 10 months of mixed French barrels without malo. It comes across with a pear, peach and floral aromas. It has a medium body, great acidity and toasty on the finish. I kept getting orange peel on the palate.
Retail $32

 

Grgich Hills Chardonnay Carneros ‘08 
This is made from 50 year old vines and aged in 1 year of mixed French oak and 6 moths of stainless. The aromatics are a bit more intense with peach, wet wool, mushroom. The wine is rounded and the fruit takes a back seat to the terroir. It has a real zing of acidity and can be confused with Chablis…did I just say that about a California Chard?
Retail $60

 

Grgich Hills Zinfandel Napa ’08
This Zin is sourced from Calistoga’s old vines. There is a 3% addition of Petit Sirah. The nose is of blackberry, raspberry, pepper and spiced jam. It has a medium body and the palate is a lot darker in flavor. There are also flavors of tar, cocoa, and chocolate. The strong tannins and balanced acidity make this the perfect food wine.
Retail 28

 

Grgich Hills Merlot Napa ‘07
Merlot is back, and in a big way. The fruit comes from vineyards in both Rutherford and Yountville. The nose is of boysenberry, cassis, blue and red berries and toffee. The fruit is a bit more restrained but balance with a plush and rounded mouth-feel that leaves my mouth watering. There are flavors of cocoa and mocha from the mixed barrels.
Retail $34

 

Grgich Hills Cabernet Sauvignon Napa ‘08
This 89 % Cabernet Sauvignon sees 21 months of oak. It has aromas of black fruits such as cassis and black berries. The flavors start to develop on the palate with vanilla, baking spices, floral notes and tea leaves. The tannins are plush and the acid is perfectly balanced.
Retail $45

 

Grgich Hills Cabernet Sauvignon Yountville Select Napa ‘07
Here is a 100% Cabernet from their signature vineyards in Yountville. Great year, great vineyards and great winemaker = great wine! The Yountville select has aromas and flavors of mocha, black fruit, red berries, dusty earth and cherry cola. The tannins are ripe and there is really cool leather notes and earth flavors of mushrooms, black tea and tobacco.
Retail $130

 

Veedercrest 

This winery was founded by, Alfred Baxter back in 1970.  He was an amateur winemaker who received a little nudge from the famous Andre Tchelistcheff.  A simple dinner and wine tasting with Tchelistcheff led to the birth of Veedercrest Winery.  Veedercrest received notoriety when their Chardonnay was selected to enter the 1976 Paris Tasting.  The Chardonnay was acclaimed as the most French style Chardonnay of the tasting.  Since then, Baxter has chosen to continue to make wine that resemble those wines of the ’70′s.  In doing so he chose Chad Alexander of Robert Craig as his new winemaker.  Today, Veedercrest wines is one of the few wineries that continue making wine with an old Napa nostalgia.

 

Veedercrest Chardonnay “Ruhl Vineyard” Yountville Napa ‘10
Green Apple, nutty, creamy with some alcohol on the tongue. Balanced with fresh acidity, great finish and long.
Retail $25

 

 

 

Veedercrest Merlot Oakville Napa ‘08
This merlot is pretty traditional with aromas of black fruit, plums, and floral notes. It has a medium body with toasty vanilla flavors. It finishes with a chalky minerality and dark chocolates.
Retail $45

 

Veedercrest Cabernet Sauvignon “Vintner’s Reserve” Napa ‘05
This approachable Cabernet is blended with 10% Cab Franc. It has flavors of plum, cassis and nuts. It has a medium body which is starting to show some oxidized bottle age flavors, which actually make it interesting and are not flaws.
Retail $24

 

 

Veeder Crest Cabernet sauvignon Rutherford Napa ‘05
This Cabernet has come of age and is showing aromas of plums, cassis, vanilla and chocolate. There is a sherry-like flavor mixed with cherries. It has a lingering finish and sits warm on the palate.
Retail $40

 

Veeder Crest Cabernet Sauvignon St Helena Napa ‘06
This is the best of the bunch, with toasted nuts, cocoa powder atop café mocha. The tannins are soft and the wine sits plush with lean acidity. The flavors start to show an herbal character of mint with a stony mineral on the palate.
Retail $65

 

Veeder Crest Cabernet Sauvignon Mt. Veeder Napa ‘06
The namesake wine, from 1500 ft elevation. The nose shows earth, cocoa, and cherry cola. The nose is intense and that intensity carries over onto the palate with flavors of leather, turned earth, black tea and high acidity.
Retail $75

 

Domaine Sainte-Rose Le Marin Blanc Marsanne/Roussanne France ‘11
Le Marin is the name given to the in winds that bring rain after a drought. This blend shows aromas and flavors of honey, flowers, melon and apricot. It is soft on the palate with a nutty flavor. It finishes with good acidity.
Retail $15

image from wineanorak http://www.wineanorak.com/chile/photo_limari.htm

Talinay (by Tabali) Chardonnay “Coastal Limestone Vineyard” Limari Chile ‘10
This Chardonnay is a great example of Chile’s diversity. It has bright yellow straw color with aromas of rolling ricks, pear and citrus. The medium to full body is complimented with creamy texture and high minerality. On the finishes I kept getting more citrus notes with cantaloupe and lemon custard.
Retails $28

Talinay (by Tabali) Pinot Noir “Coastal Limestone Vineyard” Limari Chile ‘10
This wine was just bottled a few weeks ago. It has a ruby color with aromas of black cherry, violets and baking spices. IOt is silky on the palate with earth and lavender flavors. Good fresh lively acidity.
Retail $28

 

Patricia Green Bishop’s Creek Yamhill-Carlton District Oregon ‘10
All of the grapes come form southern facing vineyards from a cool vintage. It has aromas of bread yeast, cranberry, floral bouquet and truffles. The fruit is tart and has an intense mineral flavor.
Retail $30

Domaine Sainte Rose “La Garrigue” Vin de Pays France ‘08
This wine is made of 60% Grenache, 30% Mourvedre and 10% Syrah. The fruit is of black fruits, but what is more pronounced is the aromas of saddle and cracked pepper. It sits lean on the palate with good texture and high mineral content.
Retail $12

Col des Vents Corbieres Castel Maure ‘10
This Corbieres is made up of 50% Carignan, 35% Grenache & 155 Syrah. It has black fruit aromas with pronounced earthy, leather like aromas. It is floral and chalky. It finishes tart with herbs of Provence, parsley and rosemary.
Retail $12

Chateau la Cros St. Emilion Bordeaux France ‘09
This is made of 80% Merlot and 20% Cab Franc. There are flavors and aromas of boysenberry, earth and menthol. The nose is bright and the palate is rich. On the finish I got a hint of caramel mixed with black earthy notes. Delicious.
Retail $25

The Wonder Project “la Reina Blanche” Chardonnay Napa ‘11
This is a project between Matt Ahern and Scribe Winery. 70% of the fruit comes from the Scribe estate in Carneros and 30% from the Russian river. The grapes are fermented separately and then aged for 7 months in neutral oak. It sees 30% Malo. The aromas are of pear, cream, vanilla and citrus. It has a rich texture with mouthwatering acidity. It finishes with fruity flavors of passion fruit, tangerine and apples. Clean!
Retail $18

Banshee Pinot Noir Sonoma County ‘11
Some of the fruit comes from the Tina Marie Vineyard. The wine is cloudy with aromas and flavors of cherry cubed. It has aromas of red cherries, black cherries and on the palate, dried cherries. It finishes tart and chalky.
Retail $20

 

Santo Thomas Sauvignon Blanc Valle de Santo Thomas Baja California Mexico ‘09
This SB has a gold color, intense aromas. It looks oxidized but tastes fresh with ripe aromas of melon, peach and honey. It is full bodied and in the finish it takes on a Sauvignon Blanc character of citrus. If blind, I would not think SB. Something very different.
Retail $18

 

Misión Tinto Tempranillo/Carignan Valle de Santo Thomas Baja California Mexico ‘09
This Mexican wine has aromas of plum, pepper, raisin, and strawberry jam. It is fresh and vibrant and easy to drink. It is not complex but great for the summer time with a little chill on it.
Retail $12

 

Valmar Cabernet Sauvignon San Vicente Valle Baja California Mexico ‘09
This cab sees 24 moths of neutral barrels. It is a dark purple color with a ripe nose. The aromas are of cassis and plum. The wine is fresh and fruity with an ashy mineral, spiced licorice and salty. It kind of reminds me of a “Saladito”, a Mexican snack of dried salted plums.
Retail $25

SEE MORE ABOUT MEXICAN WINES HERE

Wine Tasting Notes For June 2012

Posted on by
2

WINE TASTING NOTES FOR JUNE 2012

My intention in posting my wine tasting notes is to give a brief description of some of the many wines I come across over a months time. Some wines will make the wine list and others will not. Choosing one wine over another for the list, comes down to what holes need to be filled. Keeping my notes online allows me to access them for future reference.

 I do not want to rate wines on a point system. There many flaws with the point system, I merely want to give the reader a description of my interpretation of the wine on a given day. Wines are always changing, we are always changing and what comes across as unpleasing one day can be enjoyable the next. I want to give the reader an insight in to what the wines taste like rather than attaching a subjective score to them. Winemakers and wineries work hard and are very proud of their juice. I will evaluate their product, but I will not trash it. There are times when I can’t hold back and if I really like something, I will write “Yummy” or “Delicious”.  I hope you enjoy my notes.

 

Lima Mayer Red Alentejano Portugal ‘07 
This Portugese red is complex and rich. It has aromas of café, wood, herbal motes, anise, musk and raisins. The wine is plush on the palate and has flavors of dates and graham cracker. It is not available in America yet. I believe that they are searching for importers if anyone is interested.

Odisseia White Douro Portugal ‘11
This white has floral notes of jasmine and honeysuckle with red apples, citrus and minerality. The wine comes across salty with notes of petrol and tangerine on the palate. This wine is currently not available in the US market and currently looking for an importer.

Odisseia Red Douro Portugal ‘08
This red has aromas of plums, dates, licorice and toast. It is spiced with leather notes and generous tannins. It finishes long with a port-like pruniness. This wine is currently not available in the US market and currently looking for an importer.

 

 

Morgan Double L Vineyard Pinot Noir Santa Lucia Highlands ‘10 
All fruit comes from the Double L vineyard, a certified organic vineyard. The juice sees 10 months of 100% New French oak. The color is a vivid ruby color. There aromas of red cherry and berry along with a sweet spice. It is fresh and juicy on the palate with flavors of violets and roses and red plum.
Retail $35

Alias Chardonnay California ‘09
This wine bares the name Alias for good reason. It is made by 8 well known California winemakers whom have chosen not to reveal their identities. The wine is aged in neutral oak resulting in a bright and fruity Chardonnay. There all flavors of red apples, oranges and cantaloupe. It is fresh and vibrant with citrus on the finish.
Not available for retail. It is the house wine at Island Prime and C-Level.

Mason Sauvignon Blanc Napa ‘11
Randy Mason is a master of Sauvignon Blanc. This fruit is sourced from Yountville’s Blockhouse vineyard and is cold fermented in steel tanks. It has aromas of grapefruit, honeydew, melon and green apple. There is sweetness on the palate that gives it roundness and it finishes with good acidity. It is lovely for the summer months.
Retail $14

Cep Sauvignon Blanc Hobskins Ranch Russian River ‘11 
This wine was tasted on day two of being opened. It is ripe with aromas of red apple skins and orange zest. It has high acidity and clean mineral finish. I like the mouth-feel.
Retail $18

 

Cep Pinot Noir Rose “Vin Gris” Russian River ‘11
This wine was tasted on day two of being opened. The fruity is very concentrated for a rose with flavorsw of cherries and other  Continue reading →