2005 Leoville Poyferre

Just opened - purely as a test :) I havee this decanted as I have not tasted any 2005 Bordeaux to date. To be continued...

Drank this over a 2 day period and it was wonderful but way too young obviously. I will not open another quality 2005 Bordeaux like this for many years. Hold your Leoville Poyferres and other top flight gems from this great vintage.

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2002 Qupe Bien Nacido Hillside Estate Syrah - Qupe Syrah Wine

Qupe is one of my favorite Syrah producers in California. This 2002 Syrah is from a really terrific vineyard - Bien Nacido.

Rich rasberry aroma with great concentration. This wine has a very rich mouthfeel with violets, grapes and black cherry flavors.

It shows more aging ability but the fruit seems in balance now left with a little airing.

91 Points

2004 Rutherford Hill Merlot

Wow. I haven't put up any tasting notes in quite a while. I am NOT drinking any less wine - I assure you! The 2004 Rutherford Hill Merlot is an easy one for me as I have been enjoying this merlot brand for many years and have had many vintages of this remarkably consistent wine.

For a rich, full flavored wine for a price usually around $20 - it is hard to find many wines as fruit packed and delicious as this. The 2004 is a rich wine, which may not be every one's taste but merlot is a full flavored varietal.

The wine has a eucalyptus and sweet grape aroma - a little candied on the nose so that is suggesting a pretty sweet wine, maybe even a little jammy. A little light spice of white pepper also. The mouthfeel is not as rich or jammy as the aroma suggested (for me that is good). The flavor is more subdued but packed with really nice fruit and a good solid finish. This 2004 Rutherford Hill Merlot wine screams for cheese! and lucky - I have some right here!

I think this is a very solid and tasty wine and it is just really hard to argue with a $21 or so wine that really tastes twice it's price.

It is a little simple but for most - we just want yummy at this price range. But the straightforwardness of the wine will knock the score down a just a bit - but who cares? Drink up and enjoy.

2004 Rutherford Hill Merlot

88 points

Some other $25 and uder wines I have been enjoying lately:

Tiefenbrunner pinot grigio - Gotta post a note on that one soon. It is THE best Pinot Grigio I have had this year. By far actually

Roederer Estate Anderson Valley Brut - A great sparkling white wine from Anderson Valley California. Champagne, Mimosas, whatever. I have has cases of this stuff the last 2 years. The women in your life will really love it too!

Visiting Napa Valley and Sonoma Valley With family

Many may not be aware that nearly 90 percent of all American wines come out of California and 4 percent of which has its origin in the fertile hills of Napa Valley, a destination also known for its picturesque setting attracting tourists from all over. Though Napa valley is somewhat narrow with 30 miles in length and five miles wide at its widest point, Napa Valley, it is densely populated with roughly 125,000 inhabitants. The mild climate makes this an entirely agreeable vacation spot even during off season and you will find tourists pouring in at all times of the year.

The Napa Valley is a great place to go not merely for wine tasting but for a family vacation. There are many places a family can go together to have fun, learn interesting things, and relax. One amazing adventure you can take while visiting the Napa Valley is an animal safari. Just 20 minutes out of Calistoga is Safari West, a place that lets you experience things you could otherwise find only in distant Africa. You can take a tour through the safari seeing all of the exotic animals and their habitats you can even get face to face with strange animals.

Tasting wine in the several hundred local wineries might be your priority, but make it a point to spend an afternoon or two enjoy the area's cultural offerings, from colorful markets and art galleries to hot springs and small museums. Regional operators offer a variety of programs including hot air balloon flights, bicycle-based trips, Napa Valley Wine Train rides and basic winery tours.

On your way to Safari West there is another place that you must see, the Petrified Forest. You can learn all about the history of Calistoga and how petrified wood is created. You can take a nice stroll along the meadow. It is a nice peaceful place to spend your dayand your family will no doubt be delighted.

A great way to tour Napa valley and keep your kids excited is by taking a cruise around the valley by bike. Together as a family you can enjoy the view and fresh air. The Bothe Park is a picturersque place where the whole family can spend quality time together. There is a large swimming pool under the trees perfect to splash around in, numerous hiking trails, and even horseback riding.

Another place of interest just outside the Napa Valley is the Lake Sonoma Fish Hatchery. You can see all of the steps of the fish hatchery and how it works. While visiting Lake Sonoma you should go explore the hiking trails and stop to have a picnic along the way. You can take a swim in the lake if you are carrying your swimsuits with you.

Never miss the famous the Okld Faithful Geyser. When you visit the geyser you will witness the spectacular geyser erupt every half hour and it is breathtakingly gorgeous. They even have a petting zoo where you and your family can get up close and personal with a variety of different animals. At the geyser they have a special picnic area where the family can have a nice lunch.

The Napa Valley is a place where you can relax and enjoy a perfect wholesome vacation with your entire family. The Napa Valley is a beautiful Countryside located in Northern California. As one of the most successful wine growing regions in the world it offers temperate weather and rolling hills filled with lush vineyards and black oak trees. What better place to spend a vacation with family!!

Shijina is a SEO copywriter for www.winecountrytourshuttle.comShe has written various articles on California wine country tours, Napa Valley Wine Tours, Napa Wine Tours and Wine Country Sightseeing Tours for more information visit our site winecountrytourshuttle.com. Contact me mail at winecountryshuttle@gmail.com.

Long Island Wine Tasting - Long Island Vineyard Trip Review

Well it has been a while since I have been out to Long Island Wine Country. I live on Long Island and it is less than an hour from my house. There are some very beautiful vineyards and properties out there.

Our trip was one full day and an overnight. We were with 2 other couples and driving so we visited less than 6 wineries. That is something you want to keep in mind when wine tasting on Long Island or any area where there are many wineries but there is driving involved. I usually don't recommend these bus tours as they can get out of hand pretty quick with drunk 60 year olds lol. You also lose control on the Long Island Vineyards you may want to visit. I prefer to map out places myself when I take a trip out there and I only like to go during the week. It makes a HUGE difference out there. Traffic, hotel rates, restaurants and attention given when wine tasting. All are better when not fighting thousands of weekenders...

I titled this post with the word "review" but our trip really was pure pleasure and my review and notes is a very small sampling of what is out there. The weather was also outstanding for us. Still, the wine quality overall - was very mixed. If

Our tasting started at our bed and breakfast - which is also a Long Island Winery. We then mapped out our visits near where we were. Our place was so nice, I'm glad we saved time to just hang out there.

Shinn Estate Farmhouse and Vineyard

Accommodations

I hesitate to write a review for the farmhouse and that is only because it was just so perfect and I want to keep it a secret for myself. The owners provide a magnificent presentation of 3-4 beautiful bed rooms and just a stunningly classy and "vineyard perfect" atmosphere. The wine tastings were free since we stayed there and it included a Class A breakfast served right from there own kitchen. The views and relaxness given at this place was almost like a great Long Island Trip Massage. So, the Shinn Estate house was A+

Wines

I have never tasted Shinn Estate Wines and I'm pretty familiar with Long Island. It was our first stop after we arrived, since we were right there. It was the place where we tasted the most wine. I think we tried 9 or 10 wines at Shinn. They set us up on a nice porch and a friendly girl had menus with tasting notes and bottle prices.

As with the majority of Long Island Wines IMO, the whites are far more competitive than the reds vs. other wine regions. This was reinforced at Shinn and throughout the places we visited.

The first wine we tasted was their Champagne (sparkling white). It was pretty clear in color with decent spritz that I thought was semi dry and light.

Next up was the 2007 Chardonnay which was pleasant but on the light side with some brown sugar aroma. Little vanilla and no oak.

We then had a White Pinot varietal. Not my cup of tea

2008 Coalescence was the most spice and herb filled aroma I had from a wine all weekend. The taste didn't have the same complexity as the nose. Light and refreshing.

2008 Rose was light and carried many basic Rose characteristics.

We also had a cab franc, merlot, bordeaux style blend and a few other reds. While some were interesting, the reds were just not on the quality level as the whites imo

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Macari Vineyards

This was my personal favorite that combined a big spacious tasting room, outside tables, views and some very solid wines. They were doing some construction, but it wasn't bothersome or loud to us.

We only went for there whites. A 2008 Sauvignon Blanc which was the single best wine I had on this trip. It had nice lime, lemon, grassy taste with good crisp acidity and lively.

We also had their estate chardonnay and the reserve chardonnay. Each distinctive and while I thought the reserve had more texture and complexity, the estate worked well with the rest sitting outside on a sunny day. I enjoyed Macari. They also sold these very nice assorted cheese plates that you could take outside.

Castello di Borghese - Cutchogue Long Island NY

I went for the white wines here too. They served a Chardonette, a Chardonnay, a Sauvignon Blanc and a Riesling. I found the Chardonnay was enjoyable. The Riesling showed more sour and citrus than I like usually. The Sauvignon Blanc was crisp but the fruit was light and the wine was a little out of balance.

My ONE issue here was one of the red wines that was being poured. A 2003 Merlot. It was old and tasted old. When I asked if there was a more recent vintage of the wine, I was told there was not. ??? I normally would have let it go but unless they stopped production on the varietal (which she did not say), I did not understand why they were pouring that. I hope it was not because there is a lot in stock. I was there with people who know wine.

Still, she was a very nice server at Borghese. We enjoyed the place and the grounds a great deal.

Pugliese Vineyards - Cutchogue, Long Island, New York

I have very little written on the wine here. I had their Blanc to Blanc Sparkler which was light from and weak. The Pinot Grigio was better with good acidity and bright fruit. I also had their Riesling. I have no notes on that.

I hope to do another round of different vineyards next time as this was only a brief trip. Still, the challenge of Red Wine and especially affordable good Red Wine continues for most Long Island Wineries.

2008 Saint-Cosme Cotes du Rhone

The 2008 Saint Cosme Cotes du Rhone wine had lots of rich flavor. The aromas started with some metal and cherries with a rich palate of chocolate and cherries.

The chocolate was almost overwhelming as the primary characterisitic taste. This was a nice wine and great for the price but I found it a little too simple and heavy for the varietal.

For $20 or less, the Saint Cosme is a winner for a quality French red wine but I will probably not stock up here given the flood of other quality wines around the world at this price point.

87 Points

Wine Values - Bottle Value

Ok, so making a post about wine values and lower pricing in the middle of a recession isn't exactly a new topic, but as the pinch is felt by more and more of my fellow wine lovers and fellow human beings, the time feels right to post some of what I'm seeing and hearing.

With the glut of global production and producers all over the world entering the market every month and year, the values are even starker now and will continue imo.

When I think or write "value", I am doing so with the understanding of a certain quality level to go along with it. What's the use of a $5 wine that tastes awful? I also don't want to get into specific bottles here - I'd like to leave that to people who may want to reply with their own and we can have some comment discussion. I also want to keep my red values to around $10 and up.

California Wine Values

Speaking on a pure red varietal basis, there are some wines that just give more for less. "less" meaning lower California pricing than Napa Cabernet, Russian River Valley Pinot Noir and high end Syrah from many of the cult or single vineyard producers.

California has dozens and dozens of lower priced - high value great varietals. My favorites are probably:

Petite Sirah - This wine varietal at it's best (there are always losers of any kind of wine) is full flavored, fruit driven with depth and since it can be produced in fairly large quantities, Petite Sirah is generally less expensive and it really can deliver. If I had to mention one specific value producer and bottle, I would choose Bogle. This is due to the consistent value and quality that it delivers and the availability and large production. It is normally $10 or less and is widely available. Petite Sirah wines can be easy pleasing tasty wines for very little money and California offers many great bottles. Good recession values, but I'll drink them regardless of where the Dow is!

Zinfandel - Red Zinfandels are high flavor, higher alcohol (normally) and provide excellent pricing value - given the characteristics they provide. There are many wonderful Zinfandel offerings along with many styles. Some leaner than others. There are lower end value Zinfandels like Cline, Ravenswood and some others. Up the value ladder a little and you can enjoy Seghesio and others. If you consistently want a 90 point or better wine (Wine Spectator Point System) for $15 and less, Seghesio delivers every year.

Malbec, Chianti and Merlot are probably my other top go-to reds if I have $15 in my pocket but I want some real flavor and wines that don't drink like their price tag.

Values and bottle prices are a very personal thing. Someones $20 value is another one's "too expensive"

If you have any favorite red wines that fall in the lower price category, please post a reply. I'd love to hear more out there.

Enjoy!

Nick