Monday, April 30, 2007

Vereinigte Hospitien Schavzhofberger Riesling Spatlese (Germany – Mosel-Saar-Ruwar)

Light golden hue. Floral nose with notes of orange peel and a hint of petrol. There’s also some honeydew and melon so there’s a lot going on here. Leeche taste with the sugar clinging to the tongue for a medium long finish.

A very nice, solid B wine that was given to us as a gift from my sister Cindy and her fiancée Israel. What’s nice about receiving wine as a gift is that you get the opportunity to think about how nice the people who gave it to you are. And I’m not just saying that because they’re family!

Monday, April 23, 2007

2003 Chateau de Clotte (Bordeaux-Cotes de Castillion)

Deep purple and inky color. Dark earthy fruit up front, most notably of currants and blueberry. Just a slight hint of oak. Dry velvety with a lot of grip and a long finish.

A good wine that I’d give a B to and especially affordable in an expensive Bordeaux vintage at $16 from Wine.com.

Sunday, April 15, 2007

2005 Qupe - Bien Nacido Cuvee (Santa Maria Valley)

This is from Santa Barbara County's Qupe Vineyards who are known for their Central Coast Rhone Varietals. This is a blend of 50% Chardonnay and 50% Viognay from a rather well know vineyard in Santa Barbara County called Bien Nacido.

The wine is a vibrant yellow color with nice aromas of citrus, hey, and a floral element. Very pleasant. Citrus on the taste. Some orange. Medium bodied that leads to a lasting finish. The only real knock on this wine is that it’s a bit too acidic and that puts it slightly off balance for me. Slightly too much acidity for its weight.

A decent effort but really a B- wine for my tastes. $20 from T.B. Atkerson Wine in Ditmas Park, Brooklyn.