NYC Wine Notes

2007 Herman Story Nuts and Bolts - Syrah - Pass Roles, CA

2012-01-14T18:36:00.001-05:00

I'm currently drinking the 2007 Herman Story Syrah -Nuts and Bolts. Almost black in color. Spice aroma with notes of dark dried fruit. Figs, plums, bark berries. Very aromatic. Full bodied and lush. Long finish with dark fruit lingering on the tongue for a long time.

This is a BIG wine...

But if you like this style then its fantastic. A solid A!

2008 Loring - Keefer Ranch Pinot Noir - Russian River Valley

2010-05-20T20:59:00.003-04:00

How's this..... My first wine note of the year.... In MAY!!! By the end of 2010, I would have posted 2.5 total notes.

Lots to catch up on and I will likely back fill this page with wines that I've had but have to transfer from hand notes to here.

But today we opened a 2008 Loring - Keefer Ranch Pinot Noir from Green Valley in Russian River.

Cheery red color. You do get a whiff of alcohol right off the bat (15.1% ABV) if you don't swirl it. But if you do... Notes of plum and raspberry mixed in with a little bit of what comes across as Christmas spice. The fruit is nice and bright. A big plus. Hot finish but for me the raspberry comes through. Medium bodied with a medium long finish.

Good wine but I wish the heat didn't get in the way.

2007 Kosta Browne – Russian River Valley – Pinot Noir – California

2009-11-16T11:32:00.002-05:00

This wine is flat out fantastic!

Blackberry and black cherry on the nose. Dark fruits in general with an earthiness as well. Dark fruits again on the taste with more noticeable blackberry and a velvety smooth texture. Hints of spice and licorice as well. Long long finish. Very balanced.

Simply put this is one of the best California Pinot Noirs I have ever had. These wines might be hard to come by and at $50+ a bottle (if you’re on the list), its pushing the limits of my affordability but WOW, this wine is worth seeking out.

2000 Beau-Site – St. Espephe – Bordeaux

2009-10-30T11:15:00.000-04:00

This is a very nice, solid, affodabl wine that I believe was approximaly $20 on realase in 2003. It has aged well over the past 9 years and it drinking well right now.

Dark purple hued with notes of plum, oak, tabac, smoke and an overall earthiness. The plum also comes through on the taste but mixed in well with the secondary notes. Medium bodied with sweet tannins and a medium long finish.

A solid wine. At the price I paid, I wish I had more of these. Also, I don’t think these are going to get much better with additional bottle age but its so good now I don’t see why you would want to wait any longer!

2004 Loring Pinot Noir – Clos Pepe Vineyard - Santa Rita Hills – California

2009-10-16T09:45:00.000-04:00

Cerry red color with some slight browning at the edges. Cherry color compliments a similar cherry tinged aroma. This is a one dimentional wine in that respect…

There are cola aspects as well, not something unseen with Central Coast Pinot Noir. Medium bodied with a medium long finish.

Noticable heat at the end giving away its 15% alcohol level.

In a way, this is a typical California Pinot Noir style but the elements don’t really work in this wine.

2003 Chateau Pipeau – St. Emillion – Bordeaux

2009-09-30T09:38:00.000-04:00

Deep purple color and still pretty young. Intense nose of prunes, blueberry, and almost a sweet spice. If you sniff it hard enough, you’ll even get some of the heat and high alcohol of the vintage. Darker fruit on the taste, blackberry is what’s noticeable.

Medium long finish and dry.

This is a solid wine with the one noticeable flaw of showing its “heat.”

Oregon Wine Country (and beer too...)

2009-09-09T21:41:00.008-04:00

It’s been a while but I wanted to finally post my thoughts on my visit to Oregon’s Willamette Valley wine country. Before I start, I have to say that with a full fledged family now, its become a little harder to keep up posting all my wine notes. I have the best intentions but they often drift to the wayside and un unintentionally linger for longer than I’d like.

Our trip to Oregon is a perfect case in point. My family was “dragged” to a wedding in Portland, Oregon last summer and I petitioned that we take a one day detour and visit a few wineries in Willamette Valley just south of the city.

As Oregon is known for their Pinot Noir, I made that the main focus of our tastings but I was very pleasantly surprised to see how well the whites stood out.

My thoughts are below but they’re really overall impressions more than specific notes.

First up was Archery Summit and it was one of the highlights of the trip. We felt their wines had more complexity than a lot of other wineries we tasted that first day but may have lacked some of the “nuance” that I’ve often read about and experienced in my limited Oregon experience.

We tasted their ‘06 Premiere Cuvѐe Pinot Noir, the ’05 Renegade Ridge Estate Pinot Noir, the ’06 Looney vineyard Pinot Noir, and their ’06 Arcus Estate Pinot Noir. All here very good and none were cheap by any standards. The Premiere ‘06 Premiere Cuvѐe was the lowest priced we tasted that day with a retail price of $48 while the other came in at $80+. If I had to generalize on the wines we tasted, they were concentrated with lots of fruit and a rich texture. I’m leaving out the nuances of each specific wine but by notes a little “light” in that regard.

I’m familiar with Sokel Blosser because of their “Evolution”, a non-vintage white made from nine (or so) different grapes. It’s relatively inexpensive at approximately $15, relatively available, and different from a lot of other white wines on the market. I had never tasted anything else from them until our visit.
Our line-up inliced the ’07 Dundee Hills Cuvѐe Pinot Gris, the ’07 Rosѐ of Pinot Noir, Evolution, the ’05 Dundee Hills Pinot Noir, Meditrina which is a non-vintage red grape blend, the ’07 Willamette Valley Early Muscat, and their ’06 Estate White Riesling Dessert Wine.

Our tasting here was mixed. While pricing was lower than most of the other wineries we visited, I also thought that most of the wines poured at Sokel Blosser were average. The two standouts included the ’05 Dundee Hills Pinot Noir which wasn’t cheap at $34 but was one of the better entry level Oregon Pinots we tasted. Strong fruit mixed in with spice, notably cinnamon, and a smooth texture. The other standout was their fantastic ’07 Willamette Valley Early Muscat which was a bargain at $20. This is a sweet wine that falls into the dessert category. Very aromatic with a strong floral and orange aroma and a texture that just coats the tongue without being clingy.

Oregon also has a reputation for crafting good sparkling wines and Argyle is the best known of these producers. With that in mind, we tried the “bubbly flight” which included the ’00 Blanc de Blanc, the ’00 Knudsen Vineyard Brut, the ’06 Brut Rose, and the ’05 Black Brut which is a red sparkler. I don’t have extensive experience with sparkling wines but I came away thinking these were good but not special. In fact I thought they should have been better than they were given the price range from $30 for the Black Brut to $40-$45 for the others. In fact, I remembered them mostly for what they were not rather than what they were, having fruity flavors and creamy textures rather than the “yeasty elegance” that I’ve had from French Bruts for this price.

We also tacked on two Pinot Noirs, the ’05 Nuthouse Pinot Noir and the ’05 Spirithouse Pinot Noir. I have to mention the prices up front here at $60 and $70 respectively. These focused on dark fruit aroma and creamy textures with the Spirithouse being slightly more balanced and refined. However, I still felt they were more average than exceptional and not worth their price tag.

At Four Graces we tasted their ’06 Pinot Gris, the ’06 Pinot Blanc, the ’06 Pinot Noir, the ’06 Pinot Noir Reserve, and the ’05 Dundee Hills Black Family Estate Pinot Noir Reverve. I know I’ve had their entry level Pinot in a restaurant setting and have liked it and that was the same at the estate with their basic bottling being the one we liked the best. At $27 it was also a relatively affordable wine too. However, both their Reserve wines were disappointments and at $42 and $75 respectively, they shouldn’t have been. In the case of their Reserve, the oak dominated the fruit while their Black Family Estate tasted sour more than anything else. However, their Pinot Gris had a creamy texture with ripe apricot and green apple flavors. It was one of the first Oregon whites that stood out to us.

Up until this point, our Willamette Valley tasting had been a mixed bag with more misses than hits. That changed the second we walked into the Eyrie Vineyard tasting room. It was just us and Mike, the tasting manager that day. Eyrie Vineyards and its proprietor David Lett were among the pioneers of Oregon viniculture and their wines tasted more reminiscent of a lighter style that was likely more in fashion 30 years ago than the bigger and bolder styles today. The man started with what he liked and stuck through it all these years. Mike was great that day as well, giving us the whole Eyrie Vineyard story and even letting us poke around the barrel rooms.
The wines poured included the ’06 Pinot Gris, ’06 Pinot Blanc, ’06 Chardonnay, ’03 Reserve Chardonnay, the ’06 Pinot Noir, the ’03 Reserve Pinot Noir, and the ’06 Black Cap Pinot Noir made by his son Jason Lett.

The ’03 Reserve Pinot Noir was unlike any other Pinot I’ve ever had before in my limited tasting experience, light and spicy with a clear focused fruit core. Unfortunately I did not take more detailed notes on the wine that day but I still remember the “wow” experience.

Their whites, both the Pinot Gris and Pinot Blanc, where also revelations. Rich textures mixed in with ripe fruit flavors that leave a long lasting finish.

Any trip to Portland wouldn’t be complete without a visit to one of the many and multiple brewpubs in town. The region may be known for its wine but it could be argued that Portland is also the Mecca of craft beer in the US.

Unfortunately we could only fit in one brewpub visit and we made that the Deschutes Brewery. It’s actually based in Bend, OR but they have an outpost in Portland.

Here we sampled their Cascade Ale, Mirror Pond Pale Ale, Inversion IPA, Black Butte Porter, Obsidian Stout, Bachelor Bitter, Green Lakes Organic Amber, Twilight Ale, X-Tap D Straat Dubbel, Altitude Amber, Sagebush Classic Pils, and the Spiced Dubbel.

All of these were the X-Tap Dubbel and the Spiced Dubbel with honorable mentions going to the Black Butte Porters, Obsidian Stout and the Bachelor Bitter.

While I feel we got an adequate sample of Oregon wines, I know we only scratched the surface of their beer culture and the little we saw was fantastic.

Finger Lakes Red: '03 Atwater Meritage

2009-08-30T22:14:00.001-04:00

The ’03 Atwater Meritage from New York’s Finger Lakes is a perfect example that the region still has a lot to work on in respect to their red wines.

At 6 years, this wine was already on a downward trajectory and while I’m sure this wine was meant to be consumed on release, it still seems like a quick decline.

The wine is a blend of 47% Cabernet Sauvignon, 36% Cabernet Franc, and 17% Merlot. It has a brown/tawny color with secondary notes of oak, tar and smoke up front. Little fruit replaced by a vegetal green pepper aspect to the secondary aroma. Green pepper also mixed into the tart taste.

Not very good.

2000 Beni di Batasiolo Barbaresco - Piedmont, Italy

2009-08-22T22:21:00.000-04:00

Cherry red and just bordering on brick red so now is the time to drink this up if you have them. Secondary notes of leather and spice start with darker fruits in the background. The blackberry and currant is fading but they still come through as pleasant secondary notes. A fine texture and a slightly tart finish. Even with that at the end, it’s still a good wine. Although definitely nearing the end of its drinking window.

The Tasting Group Tries Out Loire Valley Wines...

2009-08-20T23:06:00.000-04:00

The Food Network Wine Group got together last Thursday and tasted through a fantastic selection of Loire Valley whites and reds.

The wines…

’08 Chinon Rose - Wilfrid Rousse – This light pink wine had green apple and grapefruit notes. A little tart but not unpleasant. Juicy and mouthwatering with great acidity.

’08 Cheverny Blanc – Domaine Francois Cazin – Light gold in color with a lot of minerality. Grapefruit notes and a little bit of peach and floral notes mixed in. A little tart but with juicy acdity and a smooth, medium long finish. This wine is unfiltered and a blend of 85% Sauvignon Blanc and an interesting addition of 15% Chardonnay which addes to the weight of this wine. Very good.

’06 Chenin Blanc “La Croix Boissee” - Domaine Bernard Baudry – Golden colored with a flowery aroma mixed in with a hint of petrol. It might not sound like a good combination but it works. Grapefruit and peach on the taste but also slightly earthy too. Another incongruous combination that works. Rich texture with a long finish. Very good and the wine of the night for most attendees.

’99 Le L d’Or Muscadet Serve et Maine – Domaine Pierre Lineau Papin – What was most interesting about this wine was the age. It allowed a glimpse in at what a well made Loire would taste like with a little bit of time in the bottle. Very minerally with green apple and another dose of petrol and a touch of floral notes, similar to the Baudry. Hay colored and dry. What was different about this wine is that it had more in common with a good Riesling than a Loire white. Still very good.

’03 Sancerre Los Belles Vignes – Fournier Pere & Fils – This was the first of two reds for the night. Notes of stewed meats, smoke, and cherry. Medium bodied and smooth with a medium long finish. Although the wine notes here are a little on the light side, this was a good wine and pleasant to drink. Not as complex as the whites but its not hard to imagine this as part of a backyard bbq and more than pulling its own weight.

’06 Bernard Baudry - Chinon Les Granges – This wine was fermented in stainless steel. The nose shows red fruit and a little bit of spice. Medium bodied with a medium long finish. Good wine.

Overall a great night and a nice overview of Loire Valley wines. Its an area I’m excited to learn more about.

2004 Cap de Faugeres – Cotes de Castillion – Bordeaux

2009-08-17T22:22:00.001-04:00

The color is deep purple. Black currant and blackberry aromas aling with general dark fruit. This is mixed in with spice and cigar box. Dry but with a smooth and soft texture. Medium to full bodied with a medium long finish.

This is really at a nice drinking window right now. I don’t think its going to get better than this but it should hold up there for a few more years.

Our Tasting Group visits Moët Hennessy

2009-08-14T22:25:00.003-04:00

This past Tuesday, our Food Network tasting group was treated to a tasting at the Moet-Hennessey headquarters in New York. Moet owns or has a hand in 18 different estates producing approximately 100 different wines.

We stated with the Veuve Cliqout Brut which was straw yellow in color with yeast and lemon notes and a driving minerality.

After that aperitif, we tasted through six wines from their portfolio, a mix of red and whites.

First up was the ’08 Cloudy Bay Sauvignon Blanc. It was dry and acidic with lemon and minerals. Medium long finish. Balanced, zippy and grassy.

’07 Livio Felluga Terre Alte followed that. It was an interesting blend of 40% Sauvignon Blanc, 30% Pinot Blanco, and 30% Freluano. It was soft and rounder than the Cloudy Bay with plenty of acidity. Medium bodied with a medium finish. While this was the wine of the night for some in our group, I found it a bit all over the place.

’07 Chateau La Nerthe – Chateauneuf du Pape White was next and this was also round with nice acidity. Light gold in color with floral and orange spice aromas. Stone fruits, flowers, and minerals emerged as the wine had time to warm up. Medium bodied with a medium long finish. I thought this wine was very good and the white wine of the night for me.

’06 Newton – Unfiltered Chardonnay finished off the white wines. This had obvious oak and vanilla notes with lemon fighting through the background. Golden colored and the darkest hue of any of the whites tasted. Lush texture with a long finish. Good but not necessarily my style of wine.

We moved on to two reds after this. The first being the ’06 Terrazes de los Andes Reserva – Malbac which was a garnet colored, acidic and dry. Notably tannic leading to a long finish. OK.

Last was the ’06 Numanthia from Spain. Garnet colored with dark fruit, cider and spice box notes. Lots of various dark fruits going on and chocolate, cocoa, and mocha mixed in. Smooth, balanced with a persistent long finish. This was my wine of the night hands down.

What was also interesting about this tasting was the “how to taste” suggestions we were given from our guide.

(1) Is the wine “Yum” or “Yuk”?
(2) Does the wine have any faults or is it funky in any way?
(3) What are the fruit aromas and are they primary or in the background?
(4) What are the secondary or tertiary notes? Are they up front or in the background? Is there noticeable wood notes? They are more likely to be upfront in older wines?
(5) What’s the color of the wine? Lighter wines are likely to have less or no wood aging while darker wines are more likely to have them.

- Acidity is best defined by how much the wine makes your mouth water.
- Tannins are mainly imparted by the oak/wood aging or through seeds, skins, and stems. Tannic usually translates to a dry wine. It can also become astringent.
- Alcohol – If you smell it and your nose burns than it’s too alcoholic.
- But… Just because a wine might be 15% alcohol, it doesn’t necessarily mean its “crap” if its still in balance.
- Balance – When all of these elements come together.
- Finish – Are you still thinking about it after you drink it?
- Persistance – You should get this, essentially an extended finish, with an expensive bottle.
- Acid cuts though fat.
- Proseco is grapy by nature and goes great with a good fresh squeezed OJ.

- If is there for you, its there for you.
- Trust your taste.

These “musings” are the opinions of our tasting guide and guided towards our relatively “newbie” tasting group but I think he did a pretty good job of summing everything up.

Overall it was a great outing and we’re looking forward to our next visit.

Pichon Lalande - 1997

2009-08-01T22:16:00.000-04:00

I’ve had the 1997 Pichon Lalande a few times at this point after picking up 6 bottles about 5 years ago on sale. This was the last bottle of the lot.

The last time I had this I felt like its time was up. This last bottle didn’t necessarily change my opinion on that but I did think it was much better than the last time out.

Medium bodied. The fruit is still there but muted and just hidden behind the tar, leather, and pencil lead. Cassis notes come out a little more towards the end of the taste along with a light layer of chocolate. This wine has become more steely than creamy over time with a dry, medium long finish.

This wine served me well and was certainly a piece of my earlier wine education.

Thanks Pichon Lalande!

A New Wine Tasting Group: The Wines... Veneto-Italy

2009-06-01T15:57:00.007-04:00

I’m part of a new wine tasting group. It’s currently made up of a few current and past work colleagues.

The past time out we tasted wines from the Veneto region of Italy to great effect. The line-up was made up of a Pinot Grigio, a Soave, a Cabernet Sauvignon, and two Amarone. It was an eclectic line-up that, other than the Amarone, show-cased wines and grapes that many wine drinkers don’t normally think of in the Veneto.

Tre Fili – 2008 Pinot Grigio ITG

This wine was best characterized as simple and straight forward. Lime green color with a very distinct lime aroma. The taste was made up of green apple and lime which rose just above a layer of minerality. The acidity was “stretched out” making this a very good food wine along with being a nice summer “quaffer.”

I Campi-Camp Vulcano – 2007 Soave Classico

This was pale yellow in color with light floral aroma and a tiny hint of peach. Lemon was forefront on the taste and this also exhibited a steely minerality. Medium bodied with a soft texture, leading to a refreshing long finish.

Le Ragose-Gaida – 2004 Cabernet Sauvignon

Deep garnet colored with a smoky aroma. Dark cherry fruit at first but this turned into more of a stewed fruit with noticeably darker characteristics like blueberry, green peppers, and spices as it saw some air. Soft texture with nice acidity and a medium finish.

Alberino – 2005 Amarone

Amarone is made by the rasinate method where the grapes are allowed to dry and shrivel on straw mats before the remaining concentrated juice is extracted. This process was evident in the deep ruby colored with a raisin and prune aroma as they are characteristics of highly concentrated wine. There are notes of blackberry, chocolate, raisins, and basically dark burnt fruit. This is almost port like which can happen with the way the wine is made. Jammy is the best way to describe this wine.

Guerrieri Rizzardo-Villa Rizzardi – 2001 Amarone

This was the undisputed wine of the night. Black in color with beautiful aromas of cocoa powder, black current, chocolate and dried dark fruit. This was incredibly refined and not as concentrated or overly extracted as the Alberino. Plum also emerged on the taste. This was a very full bodied wine with high acidity, a super long finish and tannins that melted on the tongue. The alcohol clocked in at 15.5% but it was barely noticeable as this was a very balanced wine.

Pisoni Vineyards at Union Square Wines

2009-05-20T22:25:00.001-04:00

I've been a little lax in updating lately but hopefully things will pick up…

That said, I also haven’t been taking as many notes as I normally would. Again, I’m hoping that turns around too…

However, I’ve still been drinking and have been to some pretty decent store tasting of late.
One recent visit (with our one year old tagging along no less) was at Union Square Wines where Gary Pisoni and his son Jeff were pouring wines made from their Santa Lucia Highlands grapes along with their own wines which are currently made by Jeff Pisoni.

I’m not the best at taking notes at events like this. For one, you taste so many wines and they often blur together. Also, it’s hard enough to fight through the lines to get a pour and the last thing you want to do is to find a spot to write down thought. Finally, the size of the pour at tastings like this are often small enough to get the essence but often not large enough to give a full expression.
All that said, below is a list of the wines tasted with what sparse notes I have.

Luli ’07 Chardonnay – “Peach and bracing acidity.”
Lucy ’08 Rose of Pinot Noir – “Very Good”
Lucia ’06 Pinot Noir
Lucia ’05 Pinot Noir ‘Gary’s Vineyard’ – “More character than the ‘06”
Pisoni ’06 Estate Pinot Noir – “A+ - clean and smooth”
Lucia ’05 Syrah Susan’s Hill Vineyard

Loring Wine Company ’05 Pinot Noir ‘Gary’s Vineyard’ – “Very good and a lot lighter in body and weight than other Loring’s I’ve had in the past.”
Lorca ’03 Pinot Noir ‘Pisoni Vineyard’
Capiaux ’06 Pinot Noir ‘Pisoni Vineyard’ – “One of my least favorite wines of the afternoon.”
Patz & Hall ’05 Pinot Noir ‘Pisoni Vineyard’ – “Another of my least favorites of the afternoon.”

A great tasting overall with the general impression that these wines were well made, in balance, and without the “heaft” that often mark the typical California Pinot Noir that I’ve been exposed to.

Like I said, these notes are less than helpful but there you have it anyway.

Chambers Steet Artisanal wine tasting... (more notes)

2009-04-15T22:03:00.000-04:00

I wanted to talk a little more about the tasting I went to at Chamber's Street earlier in the month where they hosted the “8th Annual real Wine Assault (Part 1)” which pulled together over 40 wines from over 10 producers, most of whom where there to talk about and pour their own creations.

I love events like this for a couple of reasons. First, it’s a venue to discover new wines but second and most importantly, I usually find out about wines that I would have never found about otherwise.

For one thing, the “vignerons” at this event, all French, are all small artisanal producers. These wines are not readily found in the marketplace. Another point, and this is a big one I have to work on, is that I’m not in the habit of buying random wines from growing regions that I don’t already know.

This is a BIG part of my wine education that I really have to work on. If the wines tasted are any indication, I have a lot to work on. The majority of these wines were really tasty and they came from French regions that I know relatively little about.

Three wines stood out to me.

- ’07 Terres Dorees Fleurie from Jean-Paul Brun – The lesson from this one is that I really need to explore more Cru Beaujolais.

- ’05 Coteaux du Loir “L’Effraie” from Domaine Belliviere – Lesson from this is that the Loire region is definitely an area I need to explore more. This was an excellent wine that I went back for.

- ’06 Chinon Blanc “La Croix Boissee” from Domaine Bernard Baudry – This wine was so good with fantastic minerality and structure, that it rivaled some of the best white wines I’ve ever had. While not cheap at approximately $40, the lesson here is that you don’t have to spend a ton of money to get world class quality from Loire whites.

All that said, school was in session for me that day.

Artisanal French Wines at Chamber's St.

2009-04-11T20:49:00.001-04:00

Chamber Street Wines in Tribeca has some pretty good afternoon tastings. They don’t happen all the time but when they do, it’s more often than not worth the trip in from Brooklyn on a Saturday afternoon.

Such was the case on April 11th when they tested a selection of French artisanal /natural wines from Louis/Dressner Selections. The wines came mainly from the Loire and Beaujolais and in all the 10 growers who were the states poured a total of 45+ wines. Note that some estates where represented without their owners present.

They were for the most part very good with some being fantastic. The disclaimer I have to make up front is that I am not as familiar with Loire or Beaujolais as I would like to be. On one hand I don’t have as much of a base of knowledge to compare these wines to. On the other, it was a great educational experience.

I’m terrible at taking notes in situations like this so listed below are the Domaines and Chateau that were represented. Below that are the individual wines that stood out to me above the rest. These three bottles are the ones brought home from the tasting.

The Domaine/Chateau/Clos
Domaine de la Pѐpiere
Domaine du Closel
Domaine Pinon
Domaine Belliviѐre
Domaine Bernard Baudry
Bourgueil
Domaine des Terres Dorѐes
Clos de la Roilette
Marѐchal
Chateau Moulin Pey-Labrie
De Moor
Chidaine
Clos Tue-Boeuf
Clos Roche Blanche
Domaine de Roally
Domaine Girard
Chateau D’Oupia

The Stand-Out Wines
Domaine Belliviѐre – 2005 Coteaux du Loir “L’Effraie”
Domaine Bernard Baudry – 2006 Chinon Blanc “La Criox Boissѐe”
Domaine des Terres Dorѐes – 2007 Terres Dorѐes Fleurie

2009-03-10T16:37:00.000-04:00

August West’s ’06 Graham Family Vineyard Pinot Noir is ruby red in color and medium bodied. Spice and cherry cola on the nose. However, there is also a darker essence to it as well with a complexity I can’t quite nail down. Smoother than might be expected for a 15% alc/vol wine with a medium long finish and a slight acidic zip at the end.

Good juice. Not great but good. $45 from the winery.

2000 Phélan Ségur - St. Estephe - Bordeaux

2009-03-02T16:32:00.000-05:00

The 2000 Phélan Ségur was, to be honest, a little bit of a disappointment for me as I had been holding on to it since its release.

This St. Estephe is ruby red in color with a leather, charcoal, and pencil lead nose. These “secondary notes” are upront with the more primary fruit notes of black currant and blueberry fading in the background. They are still evident though. The blueberry also comes through more on the taste. This is dry with a medium body, somewhat bitter tannins and a medium long finish.

This is a C+/B- wine for me that would have been obviously much more enjoyable a couple years ago.

2004 Chateau Pipeau - Saint-Émilion - Bordeaux

2009-02-20T16:35:00.000-05:00

A short note on the 2004 Chateau Pipeau, a merlot based Saint-Émilion from Bordeaux.

Deep dark garnet colored wine with rich dark fruit intermixed with cedar. Fruits come across as cassis, blackberry and maybe a hint of prunes. Tannins need to soften. Super long finish.

Young young wine that needs time. Luckily I have more to go through and the time to let it sit!

2007 Domaine “La Garrigue” Cuvee Romaine - Côtes du Rhône - France

2009-02-15T16:39:00.000-05:00

This is my second “wow” wine of the year. Rich ruby red in color with tar and blackberry notes intermingled up front. Dark and rich with a thick, velvety texture and a fruit laden long finish.

A large part of the “wow” comes from its $13 price tag at Garnet Wines. When Tahirih was asked how much she thought this was, the guess was $35 and it drinks like that.

2005 Domaine Marcel Deiss Pinot Blanc – Bergheim - Alsace-France

2009-02-10T11:32:00.004-05:00

To quote my wife after her first sip of this… “Wow! And I mean that in a good way!”

The 2005 Domaine Marcel Deiss Pinot Blanc – Bergheim is unlike any other Pinot Blanc I’ve ever had. To set up the point of contrast first, most Pinot Blancs I’ve had, weather from the US or Europe, tend to be light in color and body with noticeable minerality ahead of the fruit and a clear acidic zip, not really unlike a Finger Lakes Riesling.

This was different. It was a rich golden color with what I thought were honey, orange citrus and some light notes of petrol on the nose. The minerality was there as well but as a very nice and subtle secondary layer. This also had a very full bodied texture, again unlike most other Pinot Blancs I’ve had. Very mouth coating but that same acidic zip comes at the very end if you hold the wine in your mouth long enough.

Very food friendly and extremely good!

This was a wine recommendation from my friend Chris at Blanc & Rouge, a really nice wine shop in Brooklyn’s Dumbo neighborhood. The kind of place where you can tell that everyone LOVES wine. You can tell it’s a passion of everyone who works there. You can find this wine there for $22 which makes it a great QPR find.

Anyway, I’m hoping this is the first of many recommendations to come my way from Chris and the other fine people at the shop

Bordeaux Mega Tasting...

2009-02-09T21:56:00.001-05:00

Here are my thoughts on the Zachy’s ‘05/’06 Bordeaux tasting I attended in January ’09 at the Lighthouse at Chelsea Piers…

I’m just going to do it. I’m just going to list all the wines I tasted that night and let you all go…”wow”… He tasted all that? How cool!

Let me also say this, from the list below I couldn’t tell you more than 5 wines that night that really stood out to me in such a way that I could accurately describe them with anything that remotely looks like a note.

And of the ones that stood out, with the exception of maybe a couple, I think they stood out simply because they were big and rich enough to express themselves louder than the rest.

That said, I do believe that I got a general idea that these wines were good in the context of the ’05 Bordeaux vintage being a “good year” and honestly, it was pretty cool to be able to taste all these great wines that I would have a really hard time affording in today’s economic climate!

The Wines…

Les Ormes de Pez ‘05
Les Ormes de Pez ‘06

Lynch Bages ‘05
Clerc Milon ‘05
Clerc Milon ‘06
d’Armailhac ‘05
d’Armailhac ‘06
Pichon Longueville Baron ‘05
Pichon Longueville Baron ‘06
Pichon Lalande ‘05
Pichon Lalande ‘06
Pontet Canet ‘05
Pontet Canet ‘06

Beychevelle ‘05
Beychevelle ‘06
Branaire Ducru ‘05
Branaire Ducru ‘06
Gruaud Larose ‘05
Gruaud Larose ‘06
Lagrange ‘05
Lagrange ‘06
St. Pierre ‘05
St. Pierre ‘06
Leoville Poyferre ‘05
Leoville Poyferre ‘06
Talbot ‘05
Talbot ‘06

Brane Cantenac ‘05
Brane Cantenac ‘06
Cantenac Brown ‘05
Cantenac Brown ‘06
Prieure Lichine ‘05
Prieure Lichine ‘06
Kirwan ‘05
Kirwan ‘06
Du Tertre ‘05
Du Tertre ‘06
Giscours ‘05
Giscours ‘06
Labegorce ‘05
Labegorce ‘06
Malescot St. Exupery ‘05
Malescot St. Exupery ‘06
Marquis de Terme ‘05
Marquis de Terme ‘06

La Louviere Blanc ‘05
La Louviere Blanc ‘06
Larrivet Haut Brion Blanc ‘05
Larrivet Haut Brion Blanc ‘06
Larrivet Haut Brion ‘05
Larrivet Haut Brion ‘06
Latour Martillac ‘05
Les Carmes Haut Brion ‘05
Les Carmes Haut Brion ‘06
Malartic La Graviere Blanc ‘05
Malartic La Graviere ‘05
Malartic La Graviere ‘06
Smith Haut Lafitte Blanc ‘05
Smith Haut Lafitte Blanc ‘06

Beauregard ‘05
Beauregard ‘06
Clinet ‘05
Clinet ‘06
Gazin ‘05
Gazin ‘06
La Cabanne ‘05
La Cabanne ‘06
Petit Village ‘05
Petit Village ‘06
Angelus ‘05
Angelus ‘06
Beau Sejour Becot ‘05
Beau Sejour Becot ‘06
Canon La Gaffeliere ‘05
Canon La Gaffeliere ‘06
Figeac ‘05
Figeac ‘06
Larcis Ducasse ‘05
Larcis Ducasse ‘06
Pavie Macquin ‘05
Pavie Macquin ‘06
La Gaffeliere ‘05
La Gaffeliere ‘06
Troplong Mondot ‘05
Troplong Mondot ‘06
Trottevielle ‘05
Trottevielle ‘06

Climens ‘05
Climens ‘06
Doisy Daene ‘05
Doisy Daene ‘06
Guiraud ‘05
Guiraud ‘06
La Tour Blanche ‘05
La Tour Blanche ‘06
Lafaurie Peyraguey ‘05
Lafaurie Peyraguey ‘06
Sigalas Rabaud ‘06
Suduiraut ‘05
Suduiraut ‘06

2002 Termes Toro - Bodega Numenthia Termes - Spain

2009-02-02T13:07:00.001-05:00

This lovely wine is starting to near the end of its life (within a couple years I think) but is drinking beautifully now.

Garnet colored and medium bodied with secondary notes of tar and cedar now at the forefront with some nice black currant and other dark notes receding some.

Fine tannins and a soft texture with a long finish. A touch of heat at the end is the only slight against this really nice wine.

Bought 3 or 4 years ago from Union Square Wines for $25.

2006 Graff Riesling Auslese – Mosel-Saar Ruwar – Germany

2009-01-11T13:01:00.002-05:00

Quick Note: 2006 Graff Riesling Auslese – Mosel-Saar Ruwar – Germany. Pale yellow in color with peaches and apricots mingling with honey on the nose. Light bodies with a medium finish and a light touch of acidity. Sweet notes but not overly so.

I’d give this wine a C. Not bad but really reminds me more of a slightly sweeter version of an entry level kabinett than anything else. It basically lacks any distinctiveness for me as well.

All said with the understanding that '06 was a difficult vintage for Riesling in Germany. At roughtly $20, I'm hoping that the '07 provides more QPR as the price certainly could be seen as right for an auslese.

New Year's Resolutions

2009-01-08T11:28:00.003-05:00

New Year’s Resolution #4 - To start the process of creating a more balanced cellar than what I have now.

This came about as a result of reading a thread on the Mark Squires Wine Discussion Board where the question posed was “how to other collectors balance their cellar.” It came from someone who had a fair numbers of wines stashed away but with few of them being ready to drink.

That aspect mirrors my own situation but I also have the added issue of having 75% of my cellar devoted to Bordeaux, much of which I’m sitting on for future aging!

I don’t feel that is so much of a problem but truth be told, there are other wine regions I very much enjoy drinking but are lacking in my cellar for no good reason. Among my favorites are Tuscan reds, California Pinot Noir, and German Riesling. There are also what I will call secondary regions that I am now starting to uncover and enjoy such as France’s Rhone Valley (mainly Southern), Loire, and even Cru Beaujolais. That’s not even counting dabbling in Finger Lake Rieslings (and their whites in general), Greece, South America, Lebanon, etc… This list goes on…

I admit that my palate does definitely lean heavily towards Bordeaux as it is my “first true love” in wine with Tuscany and California in the wings. But I also don’t want to shut out these other regions that I either know I like or want to explore more of. I want to continue to learn and expand my palate and and to also have more choice when heading down into the basement to pull something for dinner.

This is a long term goal given my current economic situation (see: Lily - born 3/19/08) but I would like to start the process this year.

Resolution #5 - Drink more of what I currently have. No need to sit on some of the stuff I’m sitting on and there are only so many special occasions throughout the year.

To quote Maya from Sideways - "You know, the day you open a '61 Cheval Blanc … that's the special occasion."

(Disclaimer - I do not actually own a ‘61 Cheval Blanc.)

'05 Two Hands Lily's Garden Shiraz - And the Story of a Cork

2009-01-04T12:16:00.000-05:00

The ‘05 Lily’s Garden Shiraz from Two Hands Winery in Barossa Valley - Australia is one of the best Aussie shiraz I’ve had in a while.

This is a very concentrated wine with a nearly impenetrable black color. Very complex aroma of blackberry, chocolate and spices along with smoke and tabac notes. Silky texture and a super-long mouth-coating finish. The complexity and lushness masks its high 14.5% alcohol but I guess that’s standard with most Aussie shiraz anyway.

This wine is a definite keeper which I found for $40 at T.B. Ackerson Wines in Brooklyn.

All the above said, I did note one somewhat eye-raising mark with the cork of this wine.

I was initially worried when the foil was pulled off the bottle as wine had soaked through cork, covering about 1/3 of the top end of the cork. When the cork was pulled and examined, there was a slit from one end to the other which facilitated the seepage of wine through the cork itself. The only thing keeping the wine from soaking through more was that the cork appears to be “capped” with two end cork pieces that did not split. These were the “saviors” of the wine if you will as without them, the wine would have basically seeped on through.

This is noteworthy to me for a couple of reasons. First is that I had never seen anything like it before in a cork with the split down the side. Second is that I was surprised to see this on a relatively high end wine which retails for $40+ a bottle.

As you can tell from the note above, this wine was still fantastic. Just makes me think that screwcaps on higher end wines might not be such a bad thing, even if this particular bottle dodged a bullet.

'06 Eyrie Vineyards Pinot Gris - Willamette Valley - Oregon

2009-01-02T11:38:00.002-05:00

I consider the ‘06 Eyrie Vineyards Pinot Gris to be one of my “wine finds” of the year. We originally tasted it at the Eyrie tasting room on a visit to Willamette Valley this past summer and bottles we’ve had since then have never failed to impress.

The wine is straw-hay colored with a floral nose mixed with apricot and maybe even a hint of orange peel. It is medium to full bodied with a creamy texture and a medium-long finish.

Very very nice and a wonderful food-pairing wine.

The '06 Eyrie Pinot Gris can be found for $20 at Chelsea Wine Vault.

'05 Stolpman Estate Syrah - Central Coast - California

2008-12-30T11:09:00.001-05:00

The 2005 Stolpman Estate Syrah was savored this holiday season at Dante’s Restaurant in Syracuse.

It shows dark berry fruit on the nose including noticeable blackberry and cassis. Overall strong aromatics. This fruit forward wine is also full bodied with a thick, rich texture and a very long finish.

This was a really lovely wine that pairs easily with food even with its full bodied presence. It was the best wine of the holidays and at approximately $30 retail, I would look for again. I even thought that it was a fair price at $46 on Dante’s wine list.

Yum!

'07 Erath and '07 Argyle Pinot Noir - Willamette Valley - Oregon

2008-12-27T10:11:00.000-05:00

This past holiday season featured both the '07 Erath and '07 Argyle Pinot Noirs from these two Oregon - Willamette Valley produces.
I feel prices are important to mention here as both are entry level pinots for both wineries with the Erath costing $19 and the Argyle $25 at Northside Wines in Ithaca.

The Erath was tasted first and proved to be the lighter in both a visual sense and in texture with a red cherry flavor mixed light floral notes with a slight hint of spice but I also detected some bitterness to it. It's a simple wine that requires food rather than just benefiting from it. Not really a wine to talk about.

The Argyle shared a similar profile with its light ruby red color and bright cherry nose. Cherries and spice also showed in tasting with the main differentiator from Erath being its medium body and finish which was longer by comparison. I also felt that this was a simple wine that needed food.

In the end, these two wines were simply not exciting to me. Fine and certainly not flawed but just quaffers in the end.

Normally I don't have a problem with this and would just move one but in this case I want to express two opinions. First, these wines are both commonly found in wine shops across the U.S. and are likely to be the first Oregon pinots that many will taste for the first time. Oregon is a fantastic pinot noir region and I fear that drinkers new to the state might not give the next level of pinot a chance after experiencing these. Second, at approximately $20+ a bottle, better values can be had even in the entry level from Burgundy. Namely from Drouhin and Louis Latour. Like I said, not exciting and somewhat disappointing as I was hoping for just little bit more.

Happy Holidays!

2008-12-15T09:54:00.002-05:00

Brooklyn Tasting Group: Burgundy

2008-11-02T20:17:00.002-05:00

The Brooklyn Tasting Group got together this past Tuesday 10/28 and drank through some fantastic Burgundies.

Notes can be found here.

2006 Domaine de Mirail - Côtes de Gascogne - France

2008-10-25T16:06:00.000-04:00

The 2006 Domaine de Mirail is a great $9 value from South West France’s Côtes de Gascogne region and made with the columbard grape, the white wine workhorse grape of the region.

The wine is pale yellow in color with a predominate aroma of green apples. There might be a bit of spice too, the kind you might find in a mulled cider.

Round and smooth texture, easy to drink and good acidity to make it very food friendly. This is a simple wine to drink and not really think about. To that end, it does everything asked of it and does it well.

A good value at $9 from Sherry Lehmann and Garnet Wines.

2004 Chateau Leoville Barton - St. Julien - Bordeaux

2008-10-20T15:51:00.002-04:00

I recently had the opportunity to sample the ’04 Leoville Barton at Sherry Lehmann weekend tasting where proprietor Anthony Barton was signing bottles.

Before I get into my tasting scribbles, I just have to say that I loved having the opportunity to taste this wine so early in its life. I was able to sample this as a barrel sample in 2005 and picked up a few bottles to lay down for a while. Being able to sample this young and chart its development without having to pop the cork on a $50+ bottle is great!

Dark and almost black in color. Concentrated with a lot of complex and rich aromas. These include black currants and charcoal/smoky aroma among others. Still very vary tannic. This needs a long time to soften up. Velvety texture and a very long finish.

This wine is very good and I can’t wait to pop open another bottle in 10 years time.

2005 Fiefs de Lagrange – St. Julien – Bordeaux

2008-10-10T23:50:00.000-04:00

Another wine that is still on the young side but this was opened as a way to “guess” at what the ’05 Lagrange; the first wine of the estate where Fiefs de Lagrange is the second wine; will taste like when ready a few years from now.

This is purple hued with tar notes and nice ripe fruits consisting mainly of black currant. Its earthy with nice overall aromatics.

Dry and slightly tannic texture so even this could still use another couple years of age to soften up some.

The dark jammy black currant also comes out on the taste.

Medium bodied with a long finish.

1999 Le Moulin – Pomerol – Bordeaux

2008-10-05T23:46:00.000-04:00

This is a wine I had been wanting to try for a long time, namely because Robert Parker has said that the 1999 Le Moulin “exhibits a kinship with the famed Pomerol, Le Pin.” But consider this. I picked this up for $50 from WineBid.com where the 1999 Le Pin retails for $1000+ a bottle if you can find it!

This is an inky purple in color with a gorgeous and complex aroma of black fruit consisting of blackberry and cassis. But there is also a tart raspberry on the red side. Most noticeable is the spice which consists of a noticeable mint.

Beautiful texture with smooth tannins. Dry with a long velvety finish.

2006 August West – Rosella’s Vineyard – Pinot Noir – Santa Lucia Highlands - California

2008-10-01T23:42:00.000-04:00

Brick red with a somewhat rustic and rough essence to it. Slightly vegetal on the nose but this is overshadowed by the nice dark fruit, noticeably blueberry. There are also nice black cherry notes here too.

Smooth, well balanced and with a medium long finish. Surprisingly, at 14.7% alcohol, you don’t really notice it on the taste (but do so after helping finish off a bottle!)

Very nice overall. $45 from the August West website.

2004 Chateau La Nerthe – Chateauneuf du Pape – Rhone – France

2008-09-25T23:39:00.000-04:00

This is a blend of 56% Grenache, 24% Syrah, 12% Mourvedre, and 8% Cinsault. It’s also another wine I bought and decided to open up before it had much age on it as a way to gauge what “young” wines taste like.

This has nice dark fruit aromas black currant and black cherry along with dark violets and chocolate. Most noticeable though are the white pepper aromas that emerge at the end. It is a deep rich purple color with a somewhat tannic structure but still smooth (although it would certainly become smoother with age.

This is a nice and solid wine that although it drinks well know, I can tell that with enough age (or air), it will just soften and blossom.

2005 Chateau Kefraya “Les Breteches” – Bekka Valley – Lebanon

2008-09-20T23:35:00.000-04:00

Dark purple color with fruit notes, most predominant being blackberry. Cedar as well. There is also noticeable but not overpowering alcohol. On the taste there is a nice mix of tea and spices. Full bodied and creamy texture with soft tannins.

Good wine. This Chateau Kefraya is $13 from Northside Wines in Ithaca, New York and it’s a nice and affordable example of what Lebanon has to offer in wine.

2005 Moshin Vineyards – Russian River Valley – Pinot Noir – California

2008-09-17T20:33:00.000-04:00

Cheery red color with a spicy nose mixed in with oak. Fruit is in the background but what is there is mainly cherry. Interestingly, this wine seems like its high in alcohol / “hot” with it coming more noticeably on the nose but also on the taste. I say this is interesting because the alcohol level is listed at 13% which I don’t consider to be excessive. Slightly tannic with a medium long finish.

This was a $30 winery purchase from our trip to California last year. The Moshin winery itself was interesting (we got the tour) as it is a gravity flow and they hold the philosophy of going light with grape manipulation.

This wine is their entry level Pinot Noir. I think its aromatics are better than its taste or texture and because of that, its an ok effort but that’s it.

2005 Marquis de Fonsequille – Vacqueyras – Rhone – France

2008-09-13T23:33:00.000-04:00

Purple hued with red brick towards the edges. Overall fruit forward with predominate cherry and strawberry notes. Accented by cedar aromas.

Medium bodied with overall good balance of fruit and acidity. Soft and round texture but with a somewhat short finish.

Overall decent wine and at $15 from Northside Wines in Ithaca, not bad. Would by again.

2005 La Vieille Cure – Fronsac – Bordeaux

2008-09-10T23:24:00.000-04:00

Deep inky red color with a rich bouquet of blackberry, cassis and blueberry along with oak and the slightest hints of a floral nature. But it’s hard to tell on that last one.

Concentrated, dry and tannic as I would expect a young and age worthy wine to be. But what does come across on the taste is a great combination of dark chocolate and berry.

Super long finish.

This was also opened in my quest to sample young Bordeaux at the beginning of their aging journey. Luckily I have a few more of this wine as I really think this is going to blossom.

2006 St. Innocent Pinot Gris – Vitae Vineyard – Willamette Valley – Oregon

2008-09-07T23:28:00.003-04:00

Tasted on our recent visit to Portland, Oregon. Purchaced for $19 from a great wine shop/wine bar down the street from our hotel called Oregon Wines on Broadway.

This was straw yellow in color. Very floral with that possibly being honeysuckle or hawthorn but what the heck do I know about plant smells. (little…) Green apples are noticeable on the tongue along with apricots.

This also has a creamy texture which seems to be a hallmark of the Pinot Gris wines that I’ve liked. Medium bodied with a long finish.

Definitely worth picking up if you find it although I have never seen this one the west coast. I’ve only seen St. Innocents well made Pinot Noirs here on the east coast.

2006 Louis Michel & Fils “Montmain” – Chablis Premiere Cru – Burgundy

2008-09-04T23:22:00.001-04:00

Straw colored wine with flinty mineral notes. There is also a nice aromatic floral essence along with some nice citrus but the “slate” really comes across the most.

There is a slightly “grassy” taste along with stone fruit but I don’t think this wine comes across as “green.”

Smooth texture with a perfect acidic touch at the end making this a great food pairing white. B. $40 at Chelsea Wine Vault.

2004 Chateau Gloria – St. Julien – Bordeaux

2008-08-30T23:19:00.001-04:00

Inky black concentrated color with predominate aromas of black fruit and smoke. Cassis and fresh leather maybe… Hints of berry and tar… Lots going on with the smell. Dry texture with loads of tough tannins that will certainly soften over time. Somewhat “steely” right now as well. Long finish.

This wine was intentionally opened “young” and I’m in the learning stage of figuring out what age worthy wines taste like at their first/infant stages.

I’m guessing that this is a more “classic” style of Bordeaux that will be ready to drink in a few more years or a few hours in a decanter.

PS – The second half of the bottles was sealed and saved for the next day where the tannins and softened and smoothed out considerable, leaving all the aforementioned aromas in place. Much more approachable but I assume all with come together more harmoniously with actual bottle age.

2006 Clos de Rochers – Pinot Blanc – Luxembourg

2008-08-28T23:24:00.000-04:00

I’m starting to get turned on by these wines from Luxembourg as evidenced from my past experience with Clos de Rochers.

Their Pinot Blanc is hay colored with a noticeable and pleasant minerality along with light citrus notes. The texture is round and creamy with apricot as the predominant stone fruit. It’s also noticeable in the taste. Medium finish.

A solid and overall excellent wine. It’s also an excellent value at $14 from Northside Wines in Ithaca, New York.

2006 Knapp – Dry Riesling – Finger Lakes

2008-08-26T23:19:00.000-04:00

Pale yellow in color with a night light lime note mixed with flowers, green apples and nectarines.

This also has nice minerality, more prevalent on the taste than the nose. One thing about this wine though is that it lacks some crispness and the zip that I usually associate with Finger Lakes Riesling.

Still, this is a good wine. A perfect end if the summer quaffer.

This was $13 at Northside Wines in Ithaca, New York which makes it one of the more affordable Finger Lake Rieslings now-a-days. It’s a good wine and worth the price but like a said, best to think of this as a summer quaffer.

Enjoy!

2001 Viticcio Chianti Classico Riserva

2008-08-24T23:15:00.001-04:00

This is a revisit of one of my favorite Chianti Classicos and it did not disappoint at all!

Rich red color with oak and earthy notes up front with the very well integrated dark berry and lighter cherry notes lurking just behind. Minerally and smooth with fine tannins and a long finish.

Lovely….. A!

2004 Loring Pinot Noir – Gary’s Vineyard – Santa Lucia Highlands – California

2008-08-19T23:13:00.000-04:00

Overall, this wine actually comes across as more cocktail than wine. It’s a candied colored red with a nice black cherry and spice aroma along with hints of oak and a general all over earthiness.

Cherry cola also comes across on the taste.

The texture is surprisingly smooth at first for a 15% alcohol wine but then the heats hits you at the end.

I fell that you really have to like this “high-octane” style to enjoy this wine and generally I do but the alcohol is too exposed here.

This is an ok wine overall. B-.

1976 Leoville Las Cases - Bordeaux - France

2008-08-14T23:05:00.002-04:00

This wine was tasted in 2004 around my birthday in February but I just found the note now so here it is. Word for word. Disclaimer – I knew much less about wine when I wrote this. Not that I know much more now!

Just a whiff of alcohol on the nose. Little acidity. Surprisingly light cherry at the front. Medium long finish.

Has lost some of its assumed complexity over time but it does become a little more interesting towards the end with some air. The finer cherry flavor comes back and the textures softened. Very Good.

2004 Chateau Fougas – Maldoror – Cotes de Bourg – Bordeaux

2008-08-10T23:06:00.001-04:00

Crimson colored with a rich aroma of dark fruit. Possibly “bilberry” according to my wife although neither one of us has ever had said “bilberry.” There are some tabac notes as well.

Dry with a lush texture but just a little bit of “heat” throws it off.

This wine can best be categorized as a fruit forward everyday drinking wine and as that, its absolutely fine. Especially at the $10 price tag from a Zachys sale. Comparatively, other vintages of Chateau Fougas sell for about $20 a bottle.

Overall B wine which I will enjoy on weeknight rather than weekends.

2005 Arums de Lagrange – St. Julien – Bordeaux

2008-08-07T23:09:00.000-04:00

This white Bordeaux is a lemon curd color with a wonderful floral aroma of Hawthorn (or at least that’s what I think it is – but full discloser that I’m not really all that great with plant and flower smells). It might also be Honeysuckle but again, see the aforementioned disclosure. Oak notes also make their appearance in a completely elegant and non-overbearing way. Very light citrus notes come in third. Round and slightly creamy texture but a light surprising “zip” at the end. Medium finish.

This is a fantastic wine and a solid B+. I might possible an A if it ages well. I have several bottles of this in my basement so I’ll wait and see. I also have one bottle each of the 2000 and 2004 vintages and all are different shades of yellow and gold.

I’ve had a few bottles of this since the ’05 was released last year but opened this one for my Mom as she had never had a white Bordeaux and was inspired to try one based on the recent Eric Asimov article in the New York Times.

2005 Chateau de Coulaine - Chinon ''Bonnaventure'' - Loire Valley -France

2008-08-04T23:00:00.001-04:00

This purple tinged wine is soft and plush with black fruit and an earthy texture reminiscent of picking blackberries in the words of upstate New York during the heat of summer.

Not surprisingly, the wine’s flavor is one of crushed blackberries accented by a light kiss of earthy “woodsy-ness.” Cedar? Maybe…

The soft texture really makes this very food friendly wine memorable. B+.

It can be found at Sherry-Lehmann for $17.

2006 Inman Family Rosé of Pinot Noir

2008-07-28T20:56:00.001-04:00

I’ll say upfront that plans originally stated that this wine was to be consumed last summer after our trip in San Francisco and Northern California. However, things happen and wine consumption for one member of our household had to be put on hold for nine months. Strict instructions were given not to touch certain wines and the 2006 Rose of Pinot Noir from Inman Family in Sonoma County, CA was one of them.

We were fortunately to meet Kathy Inman at a wine tasting in New York during Pinot Days in the Spring of ’07 where she graciously offered to offer pointers of where to visit should we ever make it out to Northern California. We took her up on the offer which also included a tasting of her own wines.

It was then that we had our first taste of her rosé…

A deep rich pink hued rosé with wonderful strawberry and a light spiced apple aroma. Round texture with the same spiced apple and strawberry taste. Smooth and still refreshing even a year later. Interestingly, you can also tell that this would have had a “zippier” acidity to it had it been opened last year. I suspect that today’s ’07 would have that crispness.

This is a wonderful wine and a perfect “buy” at the beginning of the summer so its easily on hand when its needed most.

2005 Alma Rosa – Pinot Gris – Santa Barbara County – California

2008-07-25T22:55:00.001-04:00

Straw colored with honey suckle floral notes and evident minerality. Soft texture with peach as the dominate flavor. Accented by a touch of acidity.

Very nice and a very food friendly white for the remainder of the summer months.

Bought at the winery on vacation last year so look for the 2006 version if buying now. It can be had for $16.

2006 Querciabella Mongrana - Maremma, Tuscany

2008-07-18T21:38:00.001-04:00

Back in April I wrote about the 2005 Mongrana from Querciabella, a new wine made in Tuscanny’s Maremma region by these venerable Chianti producers. The 2005 was their first vintage and they have since released their 2006.

This edition is garnet colored with dark berry and oak aromas with an earthy underbrush character as well. Fruits come across as dark cherry, blackberry and possibly blueberry.

There’s actually quite a bit going on aromatically with this wine.

It’s a bit astringent and very dry on the taste and texture but it has a lush feel and a long finish.

This is a good wine and is still at an affordable price.

This particular bottle was $15 at Garnet on the Upper East Side although they may be out of stock at the moment.

Personally I think this is a good wine and I’m pleased that Querciabella has produced another solid QPR wine in its second vintage.

2006 Kosta Browne Russian River Valley Pinot Noir - California

2008-07-15T22:46:00.000-04:00

This is a wonderful wine.

A ligher ruby red color with berry notes upfront but this turns into something much more complex with a little bit of air or, one would assume, with a little more age.

Emerging are Indian spices and notes of “fresh “ leather. Also coming through are blueberry and raspberry to go along with an overall earthiness.

But there is also a hard to describe “lightness” which dances to the top.

There is an overall creamy texture where the raspberry shows itself again. The long finish feels very soft.

Like I said, this is a wonderful wine and an A wine all the way.

Brooklyn Tasting Group: Oregon

2008-07-14T04:58:00.000-04:00

This past Wednesday I had the pleasure of hosting the Brooklyn Tasting Group at my house where I choose the theme of Oregon wines with Pinot Noir for the reds and any white or rose that might come along. The company was fantastic and I think the food came out fine if I do say so myself. I can’t wait for the next one.

eRobertParker thread with tasting notes here.

Wines included:
Ponzi 2007 Pinot Gris
F. Cotat 2006 Chavignol Rose
St. Innocent 1998 Pinot Noir "Seven Springs"
St. Innocent 2005 Pinot Noir "Anden Vineyard"
Siduri 2006 Pinot Noir
J. Albin 2004 Pinot Noir "Laurel Vineyard" (although this was corked)
Patricia Green 2004 Pinot Noir
Sineann 2003 Pinot Noir "Covey Ridge"
Belle Soeurs 2003 Pinot Noir

2006 Sauvion - Quincy ''Les Glaneuses'' – Loire Valley

2008-07-12T14:59:00.001-04:00

This 2006 Quincy from Sauvion is pale yellow color with nice aromas of honeydew and a touch of floral.

Crisp, clean and fresh with a touch of acidity to liven it up. Tart lemon note on the tongue - but just tart enough to enhance and not detract.

Sauvigon Blanc is the grape.

This is a perfect summer quaffer and a good food wine.

Also a good value at $12 from Sherry Lehman.

2005 Clos de Roches – Auxerrois - Luxembourg

2008-07-09T17:35:00.003-04:00

Before talking about this wine, I have to say I thought the “shelf-talker” at Northside Wine in Ithaca was kinda funny, boasting that Clos des Rochers is “Listed as one of Luxembourg's Top 10 "Greatest Wine Producers".

Knowing that Luxembourg is basically the size of a postage stamp in comparison to pther European countries, I could halp but wonder exactly how many wineries were there in Luxembourg. Where their even 10?

A little research on the internet reveals no exact answer but I did find that there are 5 cooperative 'caves', which overall produce 70 % of Luxembourg’s wine with the rest being made up by another 20 independent wine growers. In all, there are just over 3,300 acres of vines in the country with the vast majority producing wine wine.
This is from the Auxerrois grape which can be found mainly in Alsace, the French Moselle, and Luxembourg. Admittedly, it was a grape I hadn’t had before.

The 2005 Clos de Roches – Auxerrois is pale yellow in color with a very floral nose accompanied by strong minerality and a hint of lemon zest. It has a soft overall texture with the lemons and flowers also coming through on the taste. I tried to narrow down the “flower taste”, which was actually really lovely, to something that made more sense but couldn’t come up with another apt description. It possessed nicce balance with a medium long finish. A really excellent summer white.

I thought this was a really solid value at $14 on sale from Northside Wines and still nice at its regular $16. Overall, I’d give this wine a B and would happily drink it throughout the rest of the summer.

2000 Poggio Antico Altero – Brunello di Montalcino – Tuscany

2008-07-05T22:43:00.001-04:00

This is reddish brown in color. The nose is cedar infused with blueberry and tabac with hints of leather. All lend the wine a “smoky” character.

Soft, elegant with sweet tannins and a long finish.

Excellent wine which was picked up for $40 a bottle off of Wines Til Sold Out.

Not a bad price for a Brunello nowadays.

Finnish Wines and European Union Farm Subsidies

2008-07-01T15:03:00.006-04:00

Here is an interesting article on Finnish wine of all things and European Farm subsidies.

It appreared in the New York Times International section so it comes from a more "worldly" POV rather than being wine specific. There are also some interesting points being made regarding Global Warming.

Enjoy.

2005 Cap de Faugeres – Cotes de Castillion – Bordeaux

2008-06-29T22:52:00.000-04:00

Deep red colored and an interesting red fruit aroma of strawberry laced with vanilla bean which I haven’t experienced in the Bordeaux wines I’ve had lately.

Earth, leather, and spice all come together after some air but the brighter fruit still remains upfront.

This wine is obviously young, being a 2005 and all and has the tannins to prove it.

It will age and soften for in a couple years. Now, its dry and soft with a long finish that really coats the mouth.

Very very good.

Purchased for $24 at Garnet Wines on the Upper East Side.

NYC Wine Notes - Podcast - Wine Storage

2008-06-22T23:45:00.001-04:00

Welcome to the third NYC Wine Notes Podcast where Dave and Lisa talk about storage issues in NYC. Jancis Robinson talks about the optimal conditions for storing wine on Page 87 of How to Taste.

Listen to Podcast: Podcast 5 (Wine Storage) – 20 Minutes

2003 Sea Smoke – Botella Pinot Noir – Santa Rita Hills – California

2008-06-15T22:49:00.001-04:00

Ruby red color and “light for a Cali Pinot”

Earthy and spicy with blackberry notes and maybe even some pepper. It has a rich aroma overall.

The spices also come though in the creamy texture and end with a long “peppery” finish.

Very well balanced and an A+ overall.

Really nice and an excellent way to celebrate my first Father’s Day!

TN: 2006 Can Blue - Priorat - Spain

2008-06-11T17:34:00.000-04:00

I had never had Can Blau, a red wine made from 40% Carinena, 40% Syrah, and 20% Grenache from the Priorat region of Spain.

It is deep purple colored wine with earthy blueberry and cedar along with subtle floral notes. Very nice aromatics. Medium bodied and smooth with a clean finish at first but a drawback is that you also get a sense of the 14.5% alcohol content if you hold it on the toungue.

The wine needs decanting if you’re not planning on holding on to it for 2 or 3 years. If you decant, the aforementioned alcohol burns off. I had this opened throughout the day and it had definitely softened up nicely 6 to 8 hours later.

This is available for $14.99 at Garnet Wines or $16.99 at Astor Wines. It’s a nice value at both prices (and especially Garnet’s). Enjoy!

NYC Wine Notes - Podcast 2 - Alcohol and Weight

2008-06-08T23:36:00.003-04:00

Welcome to our second NYC Wine Notes Podcasts where Brian, Lisa and I talk about the differences between alcohol and weight (Pg. 32 of How to Taste) while we drink the following wines:

2005 Selbach-Oster Riesling Kabinett - Bernkasteler Badstube - Mosel-Saar–Ruwer - Germany
2006 Four Vines “Naked” Chardonnay – Santa Barbara County – Calif.

2004 d'Arenberg "The Footbolt" Shiraz - McLaren Vale - Australia

The biggest takeaway from this podcast is that it most cases, it is possible to detect a “hot” wine when the alcohol is evident such on the “Footbolt” Shiraz but high alcohol is often less noticeable when everything is in balance.

Listen to Podcast:
Podcast (Alcohol and Weight)

2006 Cuvée Natalie - Brander Vineyards - Santa Ynez Valley - California

2008-06-04T10:10:00.000-04:00

The 2006 Cuvée Natalie from Brander Vineyards in the Santa Ynez Valley is a pale yellow color with mineral and light lemon notes. Smooth with a roundness that some “zippier” wines might not have but… this also does have that acidic zip at the end.

This wine is a blend of 58% Sauvignon Blanc, 22% Riesling, 15% Pinot Blanc and 5% Pinot Gris. The Brander website describes the Cuvée Natalie as “An eclectic and aromatic Sauvignon-based off-dry wine, blended with Riesling, Pinot Gris and Pinot Blanc. All stainless steel fermented and bottled early to preserve its floral perfume” and from that you might think this is a “kitchen sink” type wine where they throw in their leftover white grapes.

I doubt the Brander winemakers really feel that way and you can tell immediately that this is a quality wine for what it is, a simply summertime white that would be excellent paired with food pairing. It has the zip to stand up to some spicier dishes and a roundness that would also go well with fuller fair like salmon or possible even a cheese based pasta sauce.

We bought this at the Brander Vineyard last summer on a trip to California but were just able to drink it now. It had lost its floral essence in that time.

They have since released their 2007 for $18 or $14.40 if you are a club member. At $18 I think it’s a nice wine to try a couple times. At $14.40, I’d probably be buying a lot more of this if they sold it in New York. I’ve yet to see it here though.

2006 Kosta Browne Sonoma Coast Pinot Noir – California

2008-06-01T21:59:00.002-04:00

The 2006 Sonoma Coast Pinot Noir is a young wine and by all rights I should have probably let it sit in my cellar for another year or so.

However, the cork was popped…..

Light red and translucent color which is almost “burgundian”, much lighter than one might expect from a California Pinot Noir given their general reputation for being big, dark, and jammy.

Immediately out of the bottle, the most notable aromas are red berry, herbal notes and spices with a hint of cola. After a fair amount of swirling in the glass, the alcohol (14.8% as labeled on the bottle) shows itself and doesn’t fade away immediately. This was a major give-away that the wine was a bit young as the alcohol hadn’t had time to “burn off.”

The spice was also evident on the taste. The best feature of this wine and one that really makes it stand out is its smooth and refined medium bodied texture. Fruit seems to be a mix of strawberry and raspberry. Soft and medium long finish but one marked by a certain sense of heat from the alcohol.

I have little experience with aging California Pinot Noirs but this is one that I think could use some bottle age for a couple of reasons. First is to burn off some of the alchohol that’s evident up front. The second is that this wine has the earmarks of being a soft and elegant wine and a couple years will just enhance these qualities even more.

Luckily, I have a couple more bottles in the cellar to follow.

NYC Wine Notes - Our First Podcast!

2008-05-25T22:57:00.002-04:00

We’d like to introduce NYC Wine Notes first Podcast!

Back in January I decided that one of this year’s resolutions would involve the “education of my palate.” I’ve been more involved in wine over the past 5 years having had my “wine epiphany” in 2003. Since then, I’ve sought to educate myself as much as possible in regards to wine regions, grape differences, production, tasting, and just about anything else that goes along with this wonderful grape juice.

One aspect that I feel has been lacking is a more organized or insightful approach to the actual tasting of wine itself. I feel I know the basics of pour, sniff, swirl, look for color, texture, finish, etc but I’ve always felt that I would use more direction. Namely along the lines of developing a better sense of balance, acidity, nuances of tannins, and other aspects I often read about but find myself guessing at in actual tastings.

With this wish came the rediscovery of a book that’s been on my shelf for a while, Jancis Robinson’s How to Taste.

The book itself is really almost a guide and textbook that takes you through all aspects of wine tasting. Starting at the vary beginning with how to sniff and swirl to detecting different types of acidity, noticing sweetness, saltiness, tannins, affects of alcohol content, and through to the analysis of grape varieties.

All this is done though a series of lessons or “practices” as she calls them which puts different wines side by side as a way of detecting each individual nuance she discusses in her “theory” sections. What better way to learn!

In the name of education, I got together with some co-conspirators, Brian and Lisa, and started to systematically tackle the “practice sessions” from the beginning.

I actually started the learning process back in February – click here – but I think we’re ready to start with the podcasts.

Our first two podcasts examine a variety of the basic elements of wine tasting such as sweetness (pg 17-18), acidity (pg 21/24), saltiness (pg 25), bitterness (pg 26), tannins (pg 29), and balance (pg 23).

In our first podcasts, we tackle these though non-wine related experiments such as tasting vinegar, cola, over seeped tea and a variety of other “condiments.” In our second podcast we then apply these experiences to actual wine!

Overall impressions… By breaking down the elements of tasting (acidity, sweetness, etc) first and then applying it to the wine, I felt we were really more able to isolate the components that make up a wine. It’s definitely a skill that I think I needed to refine for myself and I saw this as a big step in that direction.
Wines tasted included: Chateau Piada 2003 – Sauternes, 2006 Domaine de Pouy – Gascogne, 2005 Duck Walk Late Harvest Gewurtztraminer, and 2006 Domaine Girard et Fils - Sancerre.

Technical notes: To play, click on the link and the podcast with open automatically in your default media player OR right click on the link and save the mp3 file to your computer for later listening or transferring to your portable listening device.

Disclaimer: We are amateurs so the production value here, while ok, is not professional quality. (If you want professional quality, check out Grape Radio or 3 Wine Guys. We’re hoping to get to that level down the road.) Also, these first two podcasts are approximately 45 to 50 minutes in length each. Going forward, we’re hoping to become more succinct, much like on of my favorite food related podcast, Eat Feed.

To listen, click on the links below.

Listen to Podcast:
Podcast 1 (The non-wine taste test)
Podcast 2 (Lessons applied with actual wine)

We hope you enjoy them and look forward to your feedback.

Brooklyn Tasting Group: Northern Rhone

2008-05-24T21:30:00.002-04:00

This past Thursday I had the pleasure of taking part in a tasting with the Brooklyn Tasting Group where the theme was Northern Rhone wines, both red and white.

The wines and the company where all wonderful. Kudos to our host and thanks for the invite.

eRobertParker thread with tasting notes here.

Wines included:
Cuilleron 2006 St. Joseph Blanc "Lysereas"
Chapoutier 2005 St. Joseph Blanc "Les Granits"
Vincent Paris 2006 Cornas "Granite 30"
Levet 2001 Cote Rotie
Porter Creek 2001 Syrah "Timbervine Ranch"
Jamet 1998 Cote Rotie

1995 Clos du Marquis – St. Julien – Bordeaux

2008-05-20T20:18:00.000-04:00

A really wonderful and lovely wine which expresses everything I like about Bordeaux.

Brick red in color with the fruit bursting out of the bottle when first opened. Black current and essential dark fruit at first. This receded some to a more classic leather and cedar aroma with hints of spices. Medium bodied and elegant with soft tannins, smooth texture, medium long finish, and exquisite balance.

A+

Bought in Bordeaux on our trip in 2005 but it can be sourced for about $75 or so.

1997 Chateau Musar – Bekaa Valley – Lebanon

2008-05-16T20:06:00.000-04:00

Disclaimer: Being of partial Lebanese heritage, I sometimes feel pre-disposed to like Chateau Musar. The sour cherry notes evident here are a case in point. Although such a taste is not for everyone, I feel it’s a nice component here.

Purple tinged with a not altogether slightly sour taste at first but reveals still bright cherry fruit. Second layer of cedar notes also emerge. Velvety texture with a medium long finish.

Note overly complex but a lovely wine nonetheless.

This was purchased for $40 from D. Sokolin on Long Island. They no longer have any in stock but it can be found elsewhere for about the same price.

2006 Standing Stone Riesling (Finger Lakes)

2008-05-12T19:53:00.002-04:00

Standing Stone is another of my “go-to” Finger Lake Rieslings. Their 2006 Riesling is pale yellow with very evident minerality backed up by light citrus and some slightly more pronounced leeche or quince. Crisp and clean in taste and finish. All in harmony and overall a very nice wine.

This can be had for $13 at Northside Wine & Spirits in Ithaca, New York or $16 at Vintage-New York in Manhattan.

At $13 is a great QPR wine. At $16 is still am ok value but at that price, I start looking to entry level Old-World Riesling.

Even so, this is a solid B wine.

My one pet-peeve... Many Finger Lake wines use synthetic stoppers which I’m not a fan of and would much prefer that those wineries move to screw-cap. Standing Stone uses synthetic.

2005 C. von Schubert Maximin Grunhaus Herrenberg - Riesling Kabinett - Mosel-Saar-Rawer - Germany

2008-05-07T17:14:00.001-04:00

The 2005 C. von Schubert Maximin Grunhaus Herrenberg Riesling Kabinett is a prime example of why I love German Riesling. This sample is a Kabinett from the Mosel-Saar-Rawer region.

Light gold color with an almost Sauternes like aroma. Just a little touch of honey and a very fresh smell. Wonderful floral notes along with honeydew. Melon. Just a wonderful aroma. Light kiss of acidity. Soft. Medium bodied with a medium long finish. The aroma really stands out here.

Excellent wine which sells for $24 at Union Square Wines.

1995 Reserve de la Comtesse - Pauillac - Bordeaux - France

2008-04-25T17:07:00.002-04:00

The 1995 Reserve de la Comtesse reminded me of everything I truly love about Bordeaux!

This lovely wine is the 2nd label of Pauillac’s Chateau Pichon Lalande, a revered 2nd growth where the main wine sells for about $100+.

This bottle was bought in Bordeaux on vacation as another way of sampling the solid ’95 vintage at a reasonable price. I believe this was about 20euro at the time where this now sells for approximately $40 in the US for the recent vintages.

As for the wine itself… Elegant and refined. Ruby red with clean notes of smoke and cedar to accompany the dark fruit. Blackberry and currant. Medium bodied. Very nice balance and a caressing medium long finish.

Certainly one of the better wines I’ve had in a while. A-…. Lovely…..

2003 Chateau do Mourre du Tendre - Côtes du Rhône - France

2008-04-16T17:00:00.003-04:00

2003 Chateau do Mourre du Tendre is from France’s Côtes du Rhône region.
Brick red color. Earthy. Red fruit and floral notes. Maybe even cigar box or smoky notes… Regardless, somewhat complex in nature. It’s a little hard to describe but overall it has a really lovely aroma. Medium bodied. Very dry with a medium finish.

This is a good wine, especially for the money. A solid B which sells for $13 at Astor Wines.

I should also note that I just finished reading Kermit Lynch’s Adventures on the Wine Route and just felt the need to have a solid unassuming French red. I’m glad I did!

2006 Domaine de Montvac - Vacqueryras - Rhone - France

2008-04-11T16:55:00.001-04:00

The 2006 Domaine de Montvac from Vacqueryras in France’s Rhone region is medium bodied with a light purple hue. Red fruit and spice on the nose. Possibly some light floral and licorice notes as well. Earthy too. Soft texture and a nice medium long finish.

Fresh.

Just a really good, solid drinking wine that paired well with the homemade mac & cheese we had for dinner.

What more could you really want! $17 from Astor Wines.

2005 Oreana Central Coast Pinot Noir - California

2008-04-08T16:50:00.000-04:00

The Oreana Central Coast Pinot Noir was a vacation by from our trip this past summer to California and was tasted in their funky shared warehouse/wine producing/tasting room facility in Santa Barbara called Cellar 205.

There have two Pinot Noir bottlings, a Santa Barbara County one for $30 and a Central Coast for a more affordable $18.

Keep in mind that I think just about everything I’ve tasted at a winery’s tasting room is better than anywhere else and their Central Coast I would say falls into this category.

At the time, we thought it was actually better (or at least more approachable and food friendly) than their Santa Barbara. Tasting a few months later, I’d still say that probably holds up but there were a couple flaws here not noticed in the tasting room.

Overall, the Central Coast is cherry red in color and definitely has a lighter and less concentrated texture and weight than “bigger” California Pinots. Cherry nose with oak notes. Earthy with darker fruits contributing here. Medium weight which is nice but also just a little “sharp” or “hot” in the mouth.

That is the one aspect that takes away from what is otherwise a more “elegantly” styled California Pinot.

Still, a very nice wine and a B in my book. One that over delivers at its modest $18 price point.

2005 Querciabella Mongrana - Maremma, Tuscany

2008-04-06T16:01:00.001-04:00

The 2005 Mongrana from Querciabella was a real find for me. I’ve been a big fan of their Chianti Classico since 2004 when I had my first bottle and it hasn’t disappointment in any vintage I’ve had.

Last week I was in a relatively non-descript wine-shop in Brooklyn and spotted the 2005 Mongrana for the first time for about $13 a bottle. I hadn’t seen it before but recognized the label as coming from Querciabella. I picked up a bottle and went home to do some research, discovering that this was the first vintage from Querciabella’s venture into the Maremma region of Tuscany which is know for being the home of some of the more famous Super-Tuscans such as Sassicia. True to the region, this is a blend of 50% Sangiovese, 25% Cabernet Sauvignon and 25% Merlot. Also true to these “Super-Tuscan” blends, it is labeled as a Toscana-IGT which is essentially table wine.

The wine itself is medium cherry in color with oak, dark fruit, blueberry, earthy but also with some subtle floral notes. Balanced with a nice soft texture, medium bodied, with a nice medium long finish. The dark fruit also lingers on the tongue.

This is nice work from a producer I traditionally like. As far as everyday drinking wines in this price range, this is excellent and has a fantastic price-per-quality ratio.

2006 Chateau du Cleray - Muscadet - Sevre st Maine - Loire Valley

2008-04-04T16:52:00.001-04:00

This 2006 Muscadet is from the Sevre et Maine region of the Loire Valley. Pale yellow color with a very minerally/slate aroma along with light lemon. Melon shows up on the taste. It’s bone dry, crisp and clean with nice balance and a medium short finish.

This was $12 from our local liquor shop near Newkirk Avenue. It also sells for $10 at Sherry Lehman. At the time I was looking for something cheap and simple and this fit the bill. The added bonus is that also reminded me of my first experience with Muscadet in Paris where we had it at the local bistros with fresh seafood. A great memory and a nice wine to bring it all back.

Serve this chilled with shellfish, preferably in Paris.

Charles de Fère Brut Blanc de Blancs Réserve NV

2008-03-30T11:44:00.001-04:00

The Charles de Fère Brut Blanc de Blancs Réserve NV was a nice find. A French sparkler for $13 that drank well above its economical $13 I bought it for at T.B. Ackerson in Ditmas Park, Brooklyn.

The interesting things about this wine is that its really a blend of white grapes around France rather than being from one white grape, for example Chardonnay, from a particular region.

In that sense, it might seem a bit more “manufactured” price like new work wine rather than a traditional old world one.

In this case the grapes are Chardonnay, Chenin Blan, Macabeu and Uni Blanc grapes from Charentes and the Rhone and Loire Valleys of France and it’s made in the traditional method.

The sparkler is straw yellow in color with medium sized bubbles with a light citrus aroma along with some peach and maybe another stone fruit which I can’t quite put my finger on. There is also a subtle nutty aroma and a yeast like character. It’s bright with an effervescent texture that lingers a bit.

I think this is a really good find and a great QPR (Quality Price Ratio) wine for the upcoming summer month. A solid B.

2006 Au Bon Climat Pinot Noir - Santa Barbara County

2008-03-29T16:22:00.003-04:00

According to the Au Bon Climat website, the 2006 Pinot Noir – Santa Barbara County is “… just easy to drink. There is nothing pretentious here, just well balanced, nicely textured, brightly fruity wine that seems to go with everything.” This is the winery’s entry level Pinot Noir that sells for a reasonable $20 or so and I wouldn’t argue too much with their statement. This is an average wine as they also attest but there are a couple of characteristic that make is a little less easy to drink in my opinion.

It’s cherry red in color with a very strong cherry cola taste, too much so in my opinion. That’s the first thing that stands out. It also has a bit of a tart edge to it and the combo between to two moves it from “easy to drink” and “goes with everything” to something that stands out and not always for the right reason.

I don’t want to be too harsh on the wine because it is drinkable but I would be more pleased with it if it kind of “faded into the background” as their website notes tend to suggest.

I think it’s a C- wine. It was purchased at T.B. Ackerson Wines in Ditmas Park, Brooklyn for $24.

2006 Ravines Dry Riesling (Finger Lakes)

2008-03-28T12:56:00.002-04:00

Ravines tends to be one of my favorite Finger Lake Rieslings on a yearly basis. The 2006 edition is a lighter hay color than the 2005 with strong floral notes, a more slight hint of lemon/citrus and a heavy mineral character. On the taste, there is a definite green apple character which gives the wine a bit of tartness, something I don’t think I’ve seen with this wine before. The strong minerality which might be slate, also comes across here. Medium weight with nice balance and a nice, subtle acidity. This is a solid food wine and another good effort from Ravines.

This is a good wine but I have to say that the strong green apple is somewhat of a detractor for me. I’d grade this as a B- for that reason but I still have to say that this would be great and refreshing in the heat of summer. Bought for $15 at GCP Wine and Liquors in Horseheads, New York.

Vintage 2008

2008-03-23T10:53:00.003-04:00

Although nothing can come close to this, here's to hoping that 2008 is also a good year for wine in regions with some longevity. I'm crossing my fingers for either Bordeaux or Tuscany!

My Wine Cellar

2008-03-18T08:06:00.005-04:00

Here is a picture of “My New Cellar.” I like to call it new but in reality, I’ve been keeping my wine in the basement of our home since we moved in about two years ago. However, it’s been boxed up in cardboard and wood with no real easy access.

In addition to accessibility, I also had the issues of a gradual heat increase in the summertime and lower than ideal humidity in the winter.

The cornerstone of the cellar is a Vintage Keeper 500 which I purchased to hold the bulk of my wine collection and to store all the wines I plan on holding onto for long term aging. By comparison to other units like Eurocave and the like, this is on the budget side which fit… well, my budget.

The Vintage Keeper 500 will help with the temperature during the spring, summer and early fall where basement temperatures can get beyond 65 degrees and sometimes 70 degrees in the height of summer when its 90 and 100 outside.

There are two smaller “wine fridges” off to the left. One holds Pinot Noir and the other holds whites and rose wines. These “wine fridges” I’ve had for a few years and brought over from my previous apartment where they lived in the closet.

I also have a section of reclaimed wood wine boxes that I’ve stacked for decorative purposes but also use to put my everyday drinkers in. These are wines that I buy and try to consume shortly thereafter.

So now I have much easier access to all the wine in my collection and I have more control over the temperature. However, in the cooler weather, the ambient temperature is between 50 and 55 degrees so I don’t have to plug any of the units in until the temperature starts to approach 60.

The only unanswered issue I have to deal with is humidity. It gets dry in the wintertime and hovers around the 35% range when the ideal is 70%. It gets a little better in the summertime, approaching 50%. However, that is also short of the ideal.

Feel free to leave suggestions on how to improve the humidity if you have any tricks I might use. Other than that, I’m pretty pleased with my new set-up if I may say so myself!

Chateau d’Arcins 2005 – Haut Médoc – Bordeaux

2008-03-15T18:39:00.002-04:00

I should mention first that the 2005 Chateau d’Arcins was used by myself and my friend Lisa as part of a podcast we’re putting together, taking lessons from Jancis Robinson’s How to Taste. This particular lesson was on decanting and we thought a 2005 Bordeaux would be perfect. One that could be drunk now but could use a few years of age. Hence this wine.

Pre-decanting: Ruby red in color with cherry, tar and dark fruit. Possibly even a slight floral note, but a muted one. Blackberry and oak are also noteable but again, soft notes. Texture is chewy but not overly tannic. But they are there. Tannins hold back the fruit some. Medium-long finish and just slightly off balance.

Post-decanting: WOW! This wine really changed in the decanter! It really opened us and had become very fruit forward and really lovely. Black cherry. The oak had turned into cedar. Some chocolate notes also emerged. It became slightly more complex in the decanter and had also developed a softer texture. The finish remained medium long but was much less tannic. Really nice.

This is a solid B wine after decanting and a good value at $15 on sale from Astor Wine in the East Village.

Look for the podcast soon!

2005 Louro Do Bolo – Valdeorras – Spain – Godello

2008-03-12T18:31:00.000-04:00

This was bought at Astor in an effort to break out of my French wine rut and try something different. This is a Spanish white which I decided to try after my interest in these were peked after reading a New York Times article by Eric Asimov where he talked about white wines from the Rueda region of Spain. This is not from there. It’s from Valdeorras.

To be honest, I struck out here.

It’s golden hued with notes of caramel and banana and a certain “sweet” smell. Fuller bodied but it comes across as somewhat flat and flabby. Not complex. Medium finish that coats the mouth. This wine is not really all that great. The banana is unfortunately one of the predominate features here and the flabby texture doesn’t help.

$15 from Astor Wine.

2006 La Rouge de la Garreliere – Cabernet Franc – Loire

2008-03-09T18:29:00.000-04:00

Ruby red. Very peppery aroma with strong raspberry fruit and a minerally and slate character. Soft texture and a long finish. Nice balance. Medium to full bodied and very nice.

$16 from Slope Cellars.

Domaine de Jaugaret '02, '03 and '04 - A Classic Styled Bordeaux

2008-03-02T01:05:00.002-05:00

Today I figured out what a truly “classic styled” Bordeaux taste like. On the advice of Eric Asimov’s “Pour” blog, I headed to Rosenthal Wine Merchants on East 84th St. for a tasting of Domaine de Jaugaret from the St. Julien region of Bordeaux.

According to Rosenthal Wine Merchants…

“The petite estate of Domaine de Jaugaret has been in the Fillastre family since 1654. Jean-Fancois Fillastre is dedicated to preserving the traditions not only of Jaugaret but of the St. Julien appellation. Stepping into the cellars of Jaugaret brings one back to an era when the Bordelais were modest and the wines were grand. Here is an estate where one finds neither pretense nor hubris, just the essence of the appellation.”

“Domaine Jaugaret comprises a mere 1.3 hectares of vineyards, made almost exclusively of Cabernet Sauvignon (80%) with some Petit Verdot and Malbac to supplement this classic Medoc structure. The average age of the vines is over 50 years and some of the Malbec vineyards are in excess of 100 years old. This combination of grape varieties permits Jaugaret to find the ultimate expression of the terroir of St. Julien taking advantage of the deep gravel beds and the long growing season that mark St. Julien. The old vines of Jaugaret combined the unfertile, gravelly soils leads to naturally low yields again providing M. Fillasstre with a concentration virtually unequalled in the appellation. Here is a truly unique wine from a gentleman who follows the most classical traditions.”

“Vinification: After being hand-harvested and hand-pressed, the cuvaison is long, frequently lasting for three weeks or more. The wines are then racked into small barrels to complete the malolactic fermentation and are left to age in a small, damp underground cellar with minimal racking. In substantial vintages (e.g. 1996 or 2000) the wines are bottled (always unfiltered) after 30 months of aging. The wines of Jaugaret, relying so extensively on Cabernet, are built to last”

At Rosenthal, where I had to ring the front doorbell and then be lead downstairs to the tasting room. Slightly odd but also kinda cool too… In the tasting room with about 10 others, I was able to taste the 2002, 2003 and 2004 vintages. As they state, they are certainly built to last, being some of the most tannic wines I’ve ever tasted and very classic in structure… What does “classic” mean? While, now I think I know. Tannins are more upfront. Fruit more in the back. Slightly less ripe. Slightly less alcohol. Certainly not approachable when young and you have to use your imagination to figure what they might taste like ten to a dozen years from now at least. I can safly say that I had tasted nothing like these wines ever before.

2004 Domaine de Jaugaret: The 2004 was ruby red in color with red fruit. Cherry. Red currant. Possibly cranberry. And definitely smoke. Tannic and dry but it was also the brightest and most approachable of the three wines tasted. Long finish.

2003 Domaine de Jaugaret: The 2003 was also ruby red in color with light cedar, some cherry and other brighter red fruit. It was almost like a pinot noir in its aroma profile. Heavy on the smoke and tar. Very tannic and dry to the point that it sucks all moisture out of the mouth. Slightly acidic and just a touch out of balance.

2002 Domaine de Jaugaret: The 2002 is another ruby red wine with smoky aroma and stronger fruit than the 2003. Here its blackberry and cassis. Bright and smoother in texture than either the ’02 or ‘03. It has a very lush long finish. Not incredibly complex but well balanced and approachable now. Even so, it still needs aging.

As I said, it was an experience to taste these wine. Although I found all three to be a bit tough to drink now, even with food, it was still a great education to what Bourdeaux was probably like back in the day. And I mean the day… 100 years ago?

All three are approximately $75 a bottle from Rosenthal Wine Merchants.

2004 Monsanto – Chianti Classico Riserva. – Tuscany

2008-03-01T01:06:00.001-05:00

This is the best Chianti I’ve had in a long long time. A very classically styled wine.

When first opened, the 2004 Monsanto exhibits a very earthy and woodsy character that takes over for the first few moments. Then it begins to reveal the fruit and its red fruit more than anything else. Cherry. Raspberry to a lesser extent. A little later on the “woodsy-ness” recedes to reveal a more cigar box character. Medium bodied with a long finish. The wine is also minerally with bright acidity and nice balance.

This is an excellent wine and an A- for me. It can be had for $18 at Astor Wines.

Chateau Lanessan 2005 – Haut Medoc – Bordeaux

2008-02-29T01:18:00.002-05:00

Garnet colored with blackberry and red currant notes. Also some scents of light oak, tar and maybe some floral essence. Medium bodied with a medium length finish.

A pleasant wine but I feel there are some better examples of (relatively) inexpensive Bordeaux from the much heralded 2005 vintage to sample. Including the ’05 Gigault Cuvee Viva which I tasted recently.

Overall this is a C+ wine for me. Bought for $22 at Garnet Wine on the Upper East Side.

2005 Selbach-Oster Riesling Kabinett - Bernkasteler Badstube - Mosel-Saar –Ruwer (Guest Blogger: Lisa Bocchini)

2008-02-27T10:48:00.003-05:00

Guest Blogger Lisa Bocchini joins us again for her take on the 2005 Selbach-Oster Riesling Kabinett - Bernkasteler Badstube from Germany’s Mosel-Saar –Ruwer region.

The wine comes in at 9.5% alchohol and can be found at Sherry Lehmann for $20.

Nice light straw color, medium body. Floral,slightly citrus and a hint of lychee aromas. Richer than many Kabinetts, slightly effervescent. Has some sweetness without being cloying, but enough acidity to balance out the sugar. Really nice finish, with a flavor that lingers in the mouth.

Editors Note: Wanting to know more about Bernkasteler Badstube and what the phrase actually meant, I did an internet search and came up with the following from the importer Billington Wines which is located in Virginia.

“The vineyard of the Bernkasteler Doctor represents the finest tradition of grape growing. For centuries great Rieslings have been produced from this vineyard. According to legend, the Doctor vineyard was given its name in 1360 by Archbishop Boemond II of Trier when, after his doctor had given up hope on his health, he regained his strength by drinking wine from this vineyard. Bernkasteler Badstube is Germany’s smallest Grosslage (a collection of individual vineyards with similar environmental attributes that produce wines of comparable character and quality.) The Badstube (about 59 ha) covers the best-known vineyards of the Bernkastel site of Bernkastel-Kues: Lay, Graben, Matheisbildchen, Bratenhoefchen and Doctor.”

2006 4 Vines “Naked” Chardonnay – Santa Barbara County – Calif.

2008-02-25T10:45:00.002-05:00

An unoaked chardonnay that comes from the Central Coast of California.

It’s straw yellowed colored with nice floral and lemon citrus scents with a possible touch of apricot. A medium weight wine with a relatively high 13.0% alcohol. It just shows that alcohol on the tongue and that’s the only real negative with this wine. Also on the taste, the apricot really expresses itself in a nice, bright way.

4 Vines is a new venture in Paso Robles, California which produces a line of Zinfandels, a Syrah, a Barbera, and a Tempranillo along with a couple Rhone blends in addition to its Chardonnay. I had been curious about as their Syrah and Zinfandels have been written up but are a little harder to fine on the East Coast.

The Chardonnay I found for $14 from Chelsea Wine Vault. It’s a good solid wine which I really envision as a great white alternative for a summer bar-b-que. At least that’s how I plan to use this. Overall, I give it a B.

2005 Gigault Cuvee Viva - Cotes de Blaye - The first of the 2005 Bordeaux

2008-02-22T01:10:00.002-05:00

Deep ruby red color with an aroma of cedar and dark fruit, namely blackberry. There are also slight hints of chocolate and licorice. The licorice really opens up later on woth some aeration. Medium weight with soft tannins and a nice long finish.

The unique thing about this wine is that the finish really does taste something like licorice.

Excellent and a solid B+ wine. An excellent value at $22 from Astor Wines.

I haven’t had many of the 2005 Bordeaux but this is certainly the best one I’ve had to date.

TN - 2004 d'Arenberg "The Footbolt" Shiraz - McLaren Vale - Australia

2008-02-21T01:14:00.000-05:00

This is a BIG wine. Almost black in color. Heavy, ripe and dark fruit with wood that’s reminiscent of a cedar closet. Very earthy. Fruit is blackberry and cassis. Tannic and chewy. Slightly out of balance as it seems like there is just a little too much acidity. Long finish but one that is very dry.

This is a C+ wine that is 17% from Astor Wine and is also available at Chelsea Wine Vault for $18.

Tasting Note: 2005 Sea Smoke Southing – Pinot Noir – Santa Barbara County

2008-02-20T00:05:00.000-05:00

The 2005 Sea Smoke Southing is inky dark or deep purple in color with complex aromas of dark earthy fruit. Black cherry and/or boysenberry? Whatever it is, it reminds me of those dark berries you’d pick in the brush on one of those hot summer days in upstate New York. Intermingles are also some nice leather notes. Again, a really complex aroma and a rich one. Full bodied and very lush, almost velvety mouthfeel. Creamy with an extra long finish and slight hint of cola on the aftertaste. Excellent balance and an amazing wine. A+

Bought through the winery but can currently be found on Winebid.com.

Wine Book Club: Vino Italiano by Joe Bastianich and David Lynch

2008-02-19T22:18:00.005-05:00

At the beginning of January, fellow wine bloggers Dr. Debs and David McDuff proposed and are hosting a Wine Book Club with the inaugural tome being Vino Italiano by Joe Bastianich and David Lynch.

The book is a detailed to say the least and clocks in at over 500 pages. It starts off with a discourse on the culture of wine in Italy, gets into Italian wine laws, grapes and importing. Then we get to the meat of the book which details each of Italy’s 21 wine producing regions in 19 chapters and nearly 350 pages of text. The last section is a “data section” which defines the grapes, regions, and producers.

For each region there are basically three pieces. The first is a short anecdote about the wine region being covered and includes such scenes as boar hunting in Tuscany, horse butchers in the Veneto, soccer in Lazio or seeking out gelato in Sicily. The authors then break down the wines made in the region into sparkling, whites, reds and finally desserts wines, hitting on all even if the region produces only scant amounts of one. Finally, there is a “Fast Facts” section which basically reviews the pertinent data – reviewing the grapes most prominently used, acres under vine, styles, examples of wines and estimated costs.

Joe Bastianich and David Lynch are experts in the field of wine and it shows as the attention to detail is strong, leaving no region untouched and describing all wine styles, even the obscure ones, in such great detail that you can’t help but want to go out and try them.

It’s in the anecdotes though that really made me fall for this book though. For example, they describe the hillside fires of Festa di Sacro Cuore (Day of the Sacred Heart) which cast a “glow over the vineyards that cling to the steep mountain slopes” as “people sit in the cafés with places of bresaola (air-cured beef) and pitchers of wine, starring up at the blazes as if there were a movie playing.”

How can you not fall for imagery like that! Well, it did its trick and got me reading further to the details of the Trentino-Alto Adige region where they spent just as much time discussing the reds of the region as they did the whites they are more known for. They paint such a complete picture of the region that you almost feel like you have to sample the wines themselves to complete the scene.

From the entry, I felt like I had to familiarize myself with the schiava grape, the main red grape of the Alto Adige region and wine I wrote about for the last Wine Blogging Wednesday.

Bastianich and Lynch add another element to the book by including recipes from the region created by famous restaurateurs Lydia Bastianich (Joe’s Mom) and Mario Batali (Joe’s restaurant partner). Again, it’s easy to fall under the spell of these recipes which lead to me, or I should say my wife, trying our hands at the Braised Wild Boar and pairing it with a Brunello di Montalcino. Both were excellent.

All in all, I feel like this is THE book on Italian wine, at least that I’ve seen in my somewhat limited experience. The biggest takeaway for me is that I felt like I learned about Italy and its food, not just the wine. It does a great job of mashing it all together. My one complaint… 500+ pages is a lot to digest but then again, this isn’t just a wine book, it’s also a “have to have” reference.

Enjoy!

Jancis Robinson's How to Taste - Lesson 1

2008-02-18T17:20:00.001-05:00

I’ve taken my first steps from Jancis Robinson’s How to Taste book and it had nothing to do with wine.

On page 15 of her book, she suggests that the next time you taste something, try tasting a mouthful first with your nose pinched and then again with it open.

The point she’s looking to prove is that the nose has just as much if not more to do with how we experience wine than when the wine actually interacts with the tongue and taste.

To test this out, I had my wife put various pieces of vegetables behind her back while I tasted them with my eye’s shut. The exercise was meant to illustrate that it’s really hard to pick out what you’re tasting if you don’t have the aromatic information to help out.

She proved her point. While I found it relatively easy to pick out the vegetables based off texture, broccoli for example has a very distinct texture but when plugging up the nose, you really don’t get its essence. The same held true with the peppers, carrots, and cucumbers. This exercise was also particularly interesting with cheeses who get much of their character from aroma but that gets muted with a plugged up nose.

The practice makes sense when we think about how little we taste when we have a cold. She just wants to make sure we understand that wine gets most of its character from its aroma.
Tune in next time when we tackle acidity and bitterness in a relatively unpleasant way!

Tasting Note: 2005 Greppicante – Bolgheri – Tuscany – Italy

2008-02-17T23:14:00.000-05:00

Greppicante is a new wine venture in the Bolgheri region of Tuscany, Italy which is part owned by the Landini family of Fattoria Viticcio, makers of one of my favorite Chianti Classico wines.

Bolgheri is from the northern portion of Tuscany and the wine is a blend of 60% Cabernet Sauvignon, 30% Merlot and 10% Cabernet Franc. This classic Bordeaux-type blend is more common in Bolgheri than it is in other regions of Tuscany.

The wine is rich ruby red in color with aromas of dark earthy fruits mixed in with leather and hints of oak. The fruits might be boysenberry or black currants but to be honest, I can’t really remember the last time I had boysenberries! There might also be a hint of tar. The bottom line is that there is a lot going on with this wine’s aromatics and others might be able to pick out different scents than me. The texture is tannic and slightly sharp but with a nice long finish. It could use a couple years bottle age but its enjoyable now and decanting definitely helps smooth it out. Excellent – A.

This wine was recently part of a weekend blowout sale at Zachys for $14 at which point I picked up a couple bottles. They are currently selling it for $22 which I still think is a decent value for a wine like this.