2005 Longboard Syrah Russian River Valley - Longboard Wine

Been on a Syrah run lately - but I have been heavy into Syrah for a few years. The Longboard was a first for me. It is from the Russian River Valley (love that area) and is the 2005. Alcohol is 14.5%

I got a recommendation from my local wine store the other day to pick this up. Usually this happens (the recommendation I mean) when I comment on another wine of the same varietal that I either had or just know. This happened with this wine. I was complimenting a petite sirah that I got from there - the two angels petite sirah. Good stuff there and will post soon.

The Longboard has a really cool note on the back of the bottle. Apparantly the winemaker/owners are surfers too. "Longboard". Took me a few glasses to notice myself!

On to the wine:

The nose had a really nice sweet smokey and cherry aroma too it. the tastes had round black fruit with a little green on the mid palate - a hint of earthyness within the fruit. I like that, but the green and earth kinda left as the wine was opened. It then offered more dark fruit and while fairly simple, it was a good finish and an all around fun wine.

88 Points

For $27 (I have to remember to post prices more I know!), I think the Longboard is a good, not great buy. Right in the middle. Quality California Syrah is not cheap but I think this was is right there for the price range. Again - Wine tasting is totally subjective and I am only offering up my impressions and hopefully writing about wines that you may not have been aware of previously.

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2008 Boutari Moschofilero

I have little experience with white wines from Greece so when I saw the 2008 Boutari Moschofilero at my local Costco at a very nice price - I went for it. I am sipping it now with a nice plate of smoked Alaskan Salmon and fresh italian toast twists.

Sometimes food can almost "cheat" the score of a wine, but if I'm enjoying a wine from Greece - eating some strong flavored cold fish seems right.

The Boutari Moschofilero had a light color that seemed good on a warm day hanging outside.

The aroma of this greek wine was subdued. It was opened pretty cold but still had nose of apple, spritz, with some sweet lime. The palate was light and fun. Nothing heavy or complex, but a fun chugger here. The taste had a nice orange and spritz taste with an expect light finish.

Only 11.5% alcohol but the balance seemed there.

This is just a wine you'd drink if you wanted something cold and fun and you didn't want a beer or anything too crazy wine wise.

The Salmon helped the Boutari Moschofilero

85 Points but it wasn't about the rating this time. I still enjoyed it.

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Memorial Day Wines - BBQ Weekend Wine List

Long weekend with friends and family. Nothing wrong with that!....glad to be back to work today though. We had some nice gatherings all weekend and ssome special wines to match.

I just want to mention a general list of what we had and some brief notes and/or rankings - based on very general recollections.

I enjoyed the mini face off of recent Kutch and Kosta Browne Pinot Noir offerings. We had them open at the same time. It was cool.

2007 Kutch Pinot Noir Sonoma
2007 Kosta Browne Pnot Noir Sonoma
2003 Quilceda Creek
2005 Switchback Ridge Merlot
2006 Beckmen Purisima Mountain Vineyard Grenache Blanc
2007 Babich Sauvignon Blanc

2008 Pine Ridge Chenin Blanc - Viognier

I am drinking the 2008 Pine Ridge Chenin Blanc Viognier wine right now and it is possibly the best under $10 white wine you can get anywhere.

It is on the sweet side as viognier would be but the blend with the Chenin Blanc makes for a smooth white wine.

While I am thinking of it, if you see the Pine Ridge Cabernet Sauvignon (I recently had the 2005), pick it up. It is one of the best buys in California Cabernet you can find.

The 2008 Pine Ridge Viognier Chenin Blanc has a smooth apricot and peach taste on the palate with some nice tropic flavor and smooth finish.

This is a summer pleaser for your mother in law and yourself.

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2005 Kalleske Greenock Shiraz

My Australian Shiraz intake has declined over the last few years. While I hate to generalize any varietal or country (I get peeved by people who do), I find a "majority" of Australian Shiraz to not fit my palate style. The Kalleske Greenock Shiraz was a wise buy and choice for me. The 2005 fit the bill.

The Kalleske Greenock had a very nice blackberry and brown sugar combination on the nose. Very sweet aroma but not candied or overdone. Still, I was concerned the taste would try to match or even out-do the aroma.

This 2995 offering had good color and body without an overthick look or swirl. The mouthfeel was very finessed with nice ripe dark fruit, fruit seeds and ligh chocolate with a very classy finish.

Wine Tasting Conclusion

I was very impressed and happy with the style of this wine. It really was balanced and had great fruit concentration. The Kalleske Shiraz was a wine I will seek out again.

I'd be interested to know who else has had this. I have not seen it until I bought it at auction at a good price. I don't know the WS or RP rating on this, but I'll gladly go:

92 Points

Enjoy!

2006 Betz La Serene Syrah

Betz is a wonderful Washington State Winery. It's probably in my top 3 in the state and this offering from Betz is very special stuff. I obtained it via auction at a very good price. The La Serene is a terrific offering that I have had before.

The wine has great earthy fruit aroma and blackcherry, truffles which I loved and some flowers. The taste of the Betz wine showed ground pepper, espresso, cranberry. Nice minerality and balance. Just a wonderful Syrah. You'd be hard pressed to find better in Washington.

93 Points

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2006 Pax Syrah Cuvee Keltie North Coast

Pax makes some powerful and lush syrahs and this is a young one. Some of their wines are more approachable young and some just aren't. I think this falls into the latter.

The nose on this Pax bottle was very inviting. It had great smells of violets, strawberry and black pepper. The palate showed big dark fruit, blueberry and sour cherry with a dry finish but full.

This was way too early to drink. 3-5 years on the 2006 Cuvee Keltie North Coast.

No Rating - but still yummy in an ultra tight kinda way.