2000 Pavillon des Connetables (Bordeaux-St. Julien)

This is the 3rd wine of Leoville Poyferre in Bordeaux’s St. Julien appellation. Purchased for $22 at Warehouse Wine & Spirits in Greenwich Village. It was a curiosity buy as Leoville Poyferre is a favorite of mine and I didn’t even know this was one of their wines until I saw it in the store.

Garnet colored with blueberry, cedar and spice notes. Somewhat “bright” fruit my taste in Bordeaux but it has body to it. Enough tannins for a medium length finish.

A pleasant wine which is really all you can ask from a 3rd wine but it wasn’t worth the money I ended up paying for it. However, that seems to be the game in Bordeaux with the classified growth. Leoville Poyferre is a 2nd growth chateau.

2005 Gaujal de Saint Bon – Cuvee de Dames (Coteaux du Langedoc)

Straw yellow in color with a very nice light orange, maybe evern tangerine citrus nose. There’s also a floral and a grassy element to the wine. Overall, a beautiful aroma.

Light honeyed texture with just enough acidity to give it a perfect balance. Medium length finish.

I love this wine and it’s a solid A in my book. It gets extra points for being a great price-per-quality wine too at $11 a bottle from The Fermented Grape in Park Slope, Brooklyn on Vanderbuilt Ave.

New Wines to Start Off February

Not much of an intro to this post other than an offer to check out three wines I've tasted recently including two whites who make a run at claiming the title of "Favorite white Wine Of the Year" for me. Yes, it is only February and white wine season (i.e. Summer) is still months away. I know this. However, do yourselves a favor and check out the 2004 Les Arums de Lagrange and the 2005 Gaujal de Saint Bon - Cuvee de Dames. The later at $11 is also in the running for the "Price per Quality" title as well. To round out these three wine, Isatiatedd my curiosity by trying the 3rd wine of a Bordeaux favorite of mine, Leoville Poyferre. It was the 2000 Pavillon des Connetables. Enjoy.

Adventures in Wine and Food Pairing

I like to think I know a little something about wine but where I fall flat on my face is when left to my own devices for pairing wine and food. I know the basic rules of thumb like (1) White with Fish and Red with Meat and (2) its ok to break rule number one.

I tend to follow the 2nd rule and just order a wine I think I’d like and hope for the best. Following this line of thinking works about half the time.

A perfect case in point is a recent experience at one of my local restaurants called Farm on Adderley in Ditmas Park – Brooklyn. The restaurant itself has tasty food and I’ve yet to be disappointed in any of the several times I’ve eaten there. However, I have yet to be blown away either.

My wife and I decided to sit at the bar last Thursday and after perusing the menu, I ordered a seafood ragu in a red sauce while Tahirih ordered a lamb and pasta dish. Bother were specials.

For the wines, I ordered a NV Pinot Noir from Touraine in the Loire Valley region of France. It was $10 a glass or $38 a bottle, not exactly a bargain, especially for a non-vintage wine but I was curious.

It was cherry red in color with a raspberry nose. Actually more like candied raspberry. It was on the taste as well along with maraschino cherries. All fruit, syrupy texture, and a short finish. My point here…. I can’t recommend this wine and I was extremely disappointed at $10 a glass. Worse yet, what should have been a decent Pinot and red-seafood dish pairing was one of the worst combos I’ve ever had.

That was the miss. My wife on the other hand picked a winner with a 2001 Rioja-Crianza from Bodegas Saenz de Santamaria in Spain. This was $9 a glass and $28 a bottle. Brick red in color with bright red fruit. Spicy nose mixed in with a little oak. Smooth texture and a medium finish. My only knock is that it was a tab out of balance between the bright fruit and the acidity. It’s a great food friendly wine and at $28, a very good restaurant price. I’d give this a solid B score versus a D- for the Pinot.

That’s my latest adventure in food and wine paring but I got Andrea Immer’s “Everyday Dining with Wine” and will be studying up for my next restaurant trip.

The Return Pt. 2 - The Wines...

In an effort to catch up and fill in the gaps between August and January, I have added the noted I’ve taken during that span. Like I said, I didn’t stop drinking good wine…I just took a brief hiatus from posting. Many of these notes have come from my “little black book”, a small leather bound book which I bring to the dining room table when opening a some great (by my taste) wine that we’ll be sharing for dinner.

I’d say the tastiest wine to make it into those pages over the past 5 months has been 2000 Chateau Pipeau from St. Emilion, suggesting that with some decanting, a good 2000 Bordeaux has the potential to blow you away without waiting forever for them to age.

Check out the wine’s I’ve added by checking them out via the Wine Index.

Beni di Batasiolo Barbaresco – 2000 (Piedmont)
Chateau Bourgneuf - 1994 (Bordeaux-Pomerol)
Chateau Coufran – 2003 (Bordeaux – Haut Medoc)
Chateau Lafayette Reneau – Dry Riesling – 2005 (Finger Lakes)
Chateau Pipeau St. Emilion Grand Cru – 2000 (Bordeaux – St. Emilion)
Chateau Ste. Michelle - Canoe Ridge Merlot – 2000 (Washington St.)
Clos du Marquis – 1996 (Bordeaux – St. Julien)
Layer Cake Shiraz – 2005 (Australia)
Loimer Gruner Veltliner – 2005 (Austria)
Merry Edwards Russian River Valley Pinot Noir – 2002 (Sonoma)
Mont Gras Syrah “Limited Edition” – 2003 (Chile)
Perrin & Fils Vacqueyras – Les Christins – 2004 (Rhone Valley)
Sea Smoke Southing Pinot Noir – 2004 (Santa Barbara)
Stonestreet Merlot – 2002 (Napa Valley)
Torrione Petrolo – 2001 (Tuscany)
Viticcio Chianti Classico Riserva – 2003 (Tuscany)
Yellow Tail Riesling – 2006 (Australia)

2005 Loimer - Gruner Veltliner (Austria)

Anyone seeing a movie or performance at BAM (Brooklyn Academy of Music) might want to think about stopping at Thomas Beisl right across the main enterance on Lafayette St. I won’t try to be a restaurant critic here (I tried that once already) but the wine list is fun and affordable with the majority being Austrian selections.

We had a $32 bottle of 2005 Gruner Veltliner from Loimer which is located in the Kamptal region of Austria.

Straw hay color with a greenish hue. Very tart green apple on the nose with a little hint of line. There is a zing of acidity which lends itself to a sharp and crisp texture and a clean finish.

Overall, I’d give this wine a B- but what I like the fact that it was something different and away from all the rieslings and chardonnays. I’d definitly go back and explore more of their list.

PS – The service was exlempary too.

2006 Yellow Tail Riesling (Australia)

Ok… This 1.5 liter bottle was a gift at Christmas time and who am I to turn down free wine, especially with a mortgage to pay.

Hay colored and lots of lemon on the nose. This isn’t exactly a crisp Riesling and there’s a lot of sweetness here. All put together, it comes off as kind of a limoncello light. Thankfully it stops just short of being cloying. The wine lingers on the tongue for a little bit, helped by the sugar.

While I can’t openly advocate buy this, it’s still not something I’d throw down the drain, a good thing since a have a liter and a half of this stuff.

The Yellow Tail Riesling will go well with any leftover Asian food you might have in the fridge, as well as a pilsner might. And for $10 a mag, I’d buy this over Bud any day.

2000 Beni di Batasiolo Barbaresco (Italy-Piedmont)

So…. Let me just say upfront that I have little to no experience with Barbaresco so it’s possible that my judgments on this wine might be colored by inexperience. That said, I think this wine if fantastic and it might also be one of the best wine deals of the year. I found it selling for $20 at Warehouse Wines & Spirits in Greenwich Village. Its release price was $35 in 2003 and it can be found online for about $30. Wine Spectator like it so much that they anointed it as their #94 Wine of the Year in 2003.

Medium red color. A little lighter than I thought Barbarescos were. Dried fruit aromas… fig and some prune. Blackberry… Bilberry…(ok. That one was from the Le Nez du Vin) and a hint of cocoa. There is also a nice floral Rose quality to the wine. Dry. This wine has some real grip. Not quite lush but it has some nice texture and a medium long finish. Very nice overall and way above its $20 price tag in quality.

1994 Chateau Bourgneuf (Bordeaux - Pomerol)

File this under the “sometimes you get what you pay for” category. This was bought for $16 at Warehouse Wines & Spirits on Broadway and 8th St. in the village and as Yelp notes that “sometimes the wines are discounted for a reason.”

Warehouse Wines is probably the only store in the city to still carry this wine.

The 1994 Bourgneuf has definitely seen better says and is over this hill. Note that it needs air to get ride of its funky aroma that comes out when first opening the bottle. The wine has a slightly brownish tinge. Cedar notes come out after having a little air with come very light whiffs of black currant and dark cherry but the fruit is definitely fading. The tannins have outlasted the fruit on this one. There is still some grip there and a medium finish. I’d give this wine an overall score of a C-.

I can’t claim to have been duped into trying this as I knew more recent vintages of Chateau Bourgneuf retail in the mid $30s and that their 1994 wasn’t exactly a stellar wine, having garnered an 84 score from Parker. I was hoping to be surprised but really wasn’t expecting much.

2000 Chateau Pipeau St. Emilion Grand Cru (Bordeaux)

Another WineBid.com find for $20 and WOW! I love this wine!

This dark colored St. Emilion is still tannic so it really grips your tongue on first taste. Loads of fruit. Full bodies and very aromatic with floral violet notes along with blackberry, anise, and cedar. The blackberry also comes through on the palate along with a leathery texture. Super long finish.

This wine has so much tannin right now that I would expect it to develop nicely in the bottle and will probably be fantastic in another 5+ years. If drinking now, decant this wine for at least a couple hours beforehand.

2005 Ravines Dry Riesling (Finger Lakes)

Hay colored Riesling from Hammondsport in New York’s Finger Lake region. Peach and citrus on the nose. The peach comes out more if the wine is a little less chilled. Orange and peach in the tongue. Minerally. Medium long but very refreshing finish.

I’ve been a fan of this winery and their wines, especially the Rieslings, ever since I was turned on to them (by my Mom actually.) The 2005 Rielsing, the current darling grape of the Finder Lakes, is the best they’ve produced to this point.

I’ve read in Wine Enthusiast that this wine might “age gracefully over the next five years or more.” It’s possible and might be worth exploring.

January 2007 - The Return...

If a tree falls in a forest......

I haven't posted to this blog since August '06. Since then... We'll, lets just say that life got in the way.

However, I haven't stopped taking notes. I've just been writing in my leather bound wine note book rather than coming straight to the computer and sharing. Those notes will find their way into this blog in the future because, aside from appearances, I have not stopped drinking wine.

It's possible that this blog may become a collaborative effort, that it might make it out to the public, that it might be redesigned. It's all conjecture and still in the future. We'll see what happens.

What's important is that I've started posting again. It may not be much right now but please take a look at my first entry of 2007 and stay tuned for more.

Dave

2004 Cairanne Cote du Rhone Villages-Domaine Cahterine le Goeuil

I am becoming more and more convinced that Côtes du Rhône might be my favorite everyday wine. I’ve yet to be disappointed with any I’ve tried in the $10-$20 price range. I generally find then smooth, lush, aromatic, and they go very well with rich wintertime food.

The 2004 Cairanne from Domaine Catherine Le Goeuil is the latest find. It’s a Côtes du Rhône Villages and a blend of Grenache, Syrah, and Mourvedre. Cairanne is a parcel in the Cotes du Rhone Villages appellation.

The wine is dark red, almost garnet in color. When first opened, there where strong notes of tar that disappated over time as the wine softened, leaving lovely earthy aromatics of dark berry and cedar. Nice balance between firm tanning and acidity. Medium long finish that grips the tongue.

This lovely wine can be found at Chelsea Wine Vault for the result price of $16 or for $14.50 during the month of January '07.

I would definitely recommend this wine to anyone who likes the Rhone varietals and appreciates a good value. Imported by Kermit Lynch.

2005 Layer Cake Shiraz (Australia)

Very dark and almost black in color with very rich dark berry aromas. Upfront and “jammy” with prominent blackberry. Very full bodied with a medium long finish.

The retails for anywhere from $16 to $20 at a variety of wine stores around the city including Garnet on the Upper East side ($16 when in stock) and USQ Wine ($19).

I think this is good Shiraz and would give it a solid B overall if you like this particular style of Aussie Shiraz. The winemaker is Jayson Woodbridge, owner of Hundred Acre Winery in Napa and is a venture you can tell he is very serious about.

2002 Merry Edwards Russian River Valley Pinot Noir (Sonoma)

All I can say is that it sometimes pays off to check out WineBid.com for the listing of wines without bids. This was a steal for $20. A hard to find wine that I’ve been wanting to try for a while.

It has a ruby red color that thins out some towards the edges. Definite raspberry and a slight hint of blueberry with a little bit of a smoky essence. Medium bodied with a soft smooth texture leading to a medium long finish.

This wine is a nice “breath of fresh air” from some of the bigger and more extracted Central Coast pinots I’m more familiar with such as Sea Smoke and Loring. Some with more experience than I might also call this “burgundian.” My next step is to try to sample more if Merry Edwards wines to see if this is her overall style. If yes, I might find myself moving in another direction with pinot as I expand my palate.

2004 Sea Smoke Southing (Santa Barbara-CA)

Ruby red color that thins out some on the edges. Strong aromas of blueberries and blackberries with some notes of licorice and even mint that emerges later. Firm structure and rich texture with a long finish that carries the fruit along.

Sea Smoke is a hard wine to find. I got these particular bottles from a wine store down in Tribeca for $55 a bottle but I can’t remember the name of the store for the lift of me. Because of the relatively short supply and the almost cultish high demand, online prices range from $50 to $100 for the Southing bottling. $50….yes. $100….no. It’s good and really is worth trying at some point if you like full bodied and lush California Pinots but it doesn’t really pay off at the higher end of the price spectrum. Also keep in mind that this wine’s release price is $50.

2003 Mont Gras Syrah “Limited Edition” (Chile)

Definitely a “Big Bold Red” as it’s labeled by the Wine.com club. Inky black color. Loads of oak on the nose but its not really there for masking any imperfections I could tell of. Notes of black cherry and hints of blueberry along with some kirsch. Dry texture and soft tanning lead to a medium long finish.

A good wine for the price of $23 from Wine.com although it can be founds for as little as $16 on the internet which I would consider a great QPR find.

2001 Torrione Petrolo (Italy-Tuscany)

Rudy red color. Blueberry aroma with notes of pepper and just a hint of cedar. Soft fruity texture with a medium long finish.
When I first had this wine, I thought it was a great value as I paid approximately $20 for it at D. Sokolin in Long Island. However, it appears I just plain got a great deal (which they sometimes have) as it retails for approximately $40 elsewhere. Unfortunately, D. Sokolin doesn’t have any more and as nice as it was, I’d probably pass at the higher price tag.

2005 Chateau Lafayette Reneau – Dry Riesling (Finger Lakes)

Straw yellow color. Strong citrus aroma. Heavily lemon on both the nose and tongue. Crisp with a nice zippy acidity. Very refreshing and a good bargain at the $14 I paid for it at GCP Liquors and Wines in Upstate Elmira Heights New York.

2003 Chateau Coufran (Bordeaux-Haut Medoc)

A big juicy red. Deep purple color. Spicy and full of black fruit on the nose. Blackberry, crème de cassis, some minerality on the palate. Velvety with a soft texture. This wine really evolves after some time in the glass or after decanting. It becomes even smoother with nice kirsch notes and subtle hints of cedar. The wine will be fantastic with a couple years of bottle age.

The 2003 Bordeaux vintage has been somewhat controversial with claims that the heat wave of that year have yielded concentrated and jammy wines. (link here). That may be true and some of the more famous châteaux have come under scrutiny this year for producing “atypical” wines according to Bordeaux standards. However, I really feel that some of the Cru Bourgeois wines and have produced some early drinking, excellent value wines. This is one of them.

I found this wine at Grand Wine and Liquor in Astoria where they have been selling it for $16, an excellent bargain which delivery a great price per quality ratio.

2004 Perrin & Fils Vacqueyras – Les Christins (France-Rhone)

This might be one of the best value wines I’ve had all year. It’s a Rhone blend of 80% Grenache and 20% Syrah. It was also listed as one of Wine Spectators Top 100 wines of the year.

Deep ruby colored with rich aromas of both jammy dark fruit and Indian spice. Blueberries and black currant. Some notes of licorice or anise. Mouth coating and lush texture. Long finish.

This wine is around but is getting harder to find after being “anointed” by Wine Spectator. My bottles were bought at Garnet Wine and Spirits on the Upper East Side for $15.

Chateau Ste. Michelle 2000 Canoe Ridge Merlot (Washington St.)

Deep ruby red. Cedar box scent with crushed blackberries. Jammy but not overbearing. Overall nice fruit. Medium long finish with fine tannins and a nice lush mouthfeel.

This was another club shipment from Wine.com for $22. This was a very pleasant surprise and another confirmation that Washington State does some pretty darn fine Merlot. I would recommend this for merlot lovers. Although Wine.com is no longer carrying the 2000 vintage, I would recommend trying the 2002 if you come across it.

2003 Viticcio Chianti Classico Riserva (Italy-Tuscany)

Deep garnet color. Flinty nose with definite blackberry and some vanilla. Earthy and spicy. Medium long length. I loved the 2001 vintage of this wine and I think the 2003 is at the same level or close.

If you have the opportunity to give this a couple years of bottle age, it will soften out even more. If not, try to decant it for about an hour before serving.

This wine is available and can currently be found at Astor Wine and Spirits for $22 which is about the going rate for this wine. It’s very much a recommended wine from me.

2002 Stonestreet Merlot (Napa Valley)

Rudy red color and medium bodied wine with a soft texture and a mid-length finish. Smokey oak on the nose along with an earthy cherry scent. Not very complex but not bad either.

I don’t think this is another buy for me but it wasn’t unpleasant. Fans of Merlot might want to check this out if the price is right. This is $17 from Wine.com and was part of a wine club I used to belong to.

1996 Clos du Marquis (Bordeaux-St. Julien)

Cedar notes and dark fruit on the nose. Soft lush texture with dark cherry and blueberry taste which is interesting as I typically associate those flavors more with a pinot noir, usually the big ones from California. There are also tobacco notes more reminiscent of Bordeaux and the Cabernet Sauvignon grape. Long finish. Wonderful mouthfeel. Fantastic.

This was bought on my trip to Bordeaux for approximately $35. One of the few deals I found on my trip there. I haven’t seen this in a store for a while but it can be found on the internet via WineZap.com from $45 to $60.