The Paleo Recipe Book

Monday, December 29, 2008

Mondavi - 2005 Robert Mondavi Fume Blanc

Mondavi was one of the pioneers of California and a legend in the winemaking world. He was also the man who introduced the wine and term - Fume Blanc, as opposed to Sauvignon Blanc. I have had a single vineyard offering of this before, but this is the 2005 regular bottling of the Robert Mondavi Fume Blanc.

Compared to many top rated New Zealand Sauvignon Blancs, this was priced higher.

I opened this prior to dinner at my house.

2005 Mondavi Fume Blanc

Lemon, some walnut and lit match on the nose. The aroma was interesting as it changed a bit and went more citrus. The taste was a little steely and austere at first. Not a youthful spritzy sauvignon blanc as it tasted more blended. The mouthfeel was heavier than I would have expected from a young fume blanc. Almost chardonnay like when it first hit the palate. Kind of an oily, lemon taste that really dominates the palate and the finish.

Very lemony on the finish. I have to call this 2005 a pass.

84 Points

Wednesday, December 17, 2008

Pax Syrah - 2006 Pax Castelli-Knight Ranch, Russian River Valley

I recently received some select 2006 single vineyard Syrahs from Pax Winery. Pax is one of my favorite syrah producers in California. They produce wonderfully rich and complex syrah red wines without the high alcohol, heat or over the top sugars. The 2006 Castelli Knight Ranch Russian River Valley wine is no exception.

I am on Pax's mailing list and you get to taste many different offerings and vineyards when you order form them. Pax also has terrific customer service as I have experienced first hand.

The 2006 Castelli Ranch Syrah is a very young wine and like most Pax wines, it needs a few years in the cellar. Still, I brought home some nice prime butcher Rib Eyes for dinner and wanted something bold. Sure, bloody steaks normally crave cabernet, but I wanted to give a young studly syrah from one of my favorite producers a shot. It held up very very well. We opened the Pax Syrah for 3 hours before dinner. I did not decant as I rarely decant any wine. THAT may be a ripe topic to post and debate about on another post.

I wrote some brief review notes over dinner while enjoying this wine. It lived up to the steak match, but it is years away from peak.

2006 Pax Castelli Knight Ranch Syrah Russian River Valley

Rich blackberry, currant and smokey pepper aroma. Some meaty undertones on the nose too. A big wine for sure. The 14.8% alcohol is perfect here. Rich cab like mouthfeel that felt big and bold. Tastes of black cherry cola, blackcherry with great dark mountain fruit. Long finish, but very young. This needs 2-3 years minimum in the bottle. I will hold the rest.

Almost too young to score, but what the hell:

93-94 Points

Really really nice.

SEARCH WINE REFRIDGERATORS ON EBAY - Live Results

Find Any Wine:

Wednesday, November 26, 2008

Kistler Chardonnay - 2005 Kistler Vineyard Review

I enjoy Kistler Chardonnays. The problem with them to many people is not the quality, but the price. Are you willing to pay $60 for top quality and rich california chardonnay? If not, then Kistler is not for you. I'm not sure they are always my style either and at their price points - it can be a hard buy. Still, 2005 was a stellar year for Kistler and Chardonnays in general.

I have had 5 or 6 Kistler 2005 vineyard offerings over the past year including Dutton Ranch, Mccrea Vineyard, Kistler Vineyard included. They are rich, buttery and age worthy. A classic Chardonnay vintage and Kistler really is at the upper tier of that but again - that is up to you on whether their price point is worth it. I love high end Chardonnay but Kistler's Pinot Noirs reallt hit my fancy for sure - but I digress...

Onto the wine I had tonight...

2005 Kistler Chardonnay Kistler Vineyard

Aroma of lemon, almond and merenge. Rich nose. Taste of toasted almond, vanilla, nuts, some lime and white pepper. The finish is rich and long. A little lighter (in a good way) on the back end of the palate vs. other Kistler Chardonnays from 2005. I found this had a full palate and rich mouthfeel but had more finesse on the finish. All in all this might be more my style than the more heavy buttery offerings I have had from them in 2005.

93 Points


Find Wine Cellar Coolers On Ebay HERE

Tuesday, November 18, 2008

1999 Araujo Eisele Cabernet Sauvignon Score - Araujo Note

I have been a big fan of Araujo wines for a few years now. I was once at a tasting given by a business associate and he had some of his favorite cult wineries, including Araujo, Switchback Ridge, Bryant Family and some other hitters. The whole night was amazing - and a partial blur. I do remember the Araujo was the last wine I had and it was the 1995. I remember giving it a score of 97 points.

It really stood out for me that night as many of the wines were very young and powerful, but the 1995 Araujo was drinking so great. I loved it.

Anyway, a few years ago someone on the wine spectator forum board (I post there pretty often) was selling 6 1999 Araujo Eisele Cabernets at a price well below market. Still steep mind you. For those who do not know Araujo is a cult producer in California that sells for over $120 and some classic vintages fetch up to $200-$250. Is any wine really worth this amount? It's not a fair question as worth is largely based on who you are and how much enjoyment you get out of something you pay for. I'll skip that question for now!

The 1999 Araujo is from a great vintage in Napa for Cabernet. 1999, 2001 and 2002 were wonderful recent vintages and any of them from a great producer like this will give you a lot of pleasure. I had this wine the other night and it was just terrific. 1 hour of opening and consumer over 3 hours. This has years left of prime drinking window, but with some airing - I thought it was drinking great!

1999 Araujo Eisele Cabernet Sauvignon

Wonderful aroma of rich blueberry, cherries and smoke on the nose. The hints of restrained power. Tastes of cherries, spice, delicious mountain blackberry fruit and currants. The finish was long and gripping - showing a great combination of power and elegance. The 1999 Araujo is drinking really well now but has 5-7 years of terrific years ahead for sure.

Score: 95 Points

Find Araujo HERE! - All stores and retailers.

Sunday, November 9, 2008

Wine Notes - 2006 Pax Syrah Walker Hill Vineyard, Tasting Review

Pax is one of the very best Syrah producers in California. Yes - I'm still on a serious California Syrah kick! The Pax wines from 2006 are expected to be wonderful as always. The Walker Hill Vineyard is one of my favorite bottles from them.

What I like about Pax is there wines have the color, body and aroma of something almost overwhelming, but then you taste a really balanced wine with perfect alcohol, acidity and fruit development. Writing a note on a Pax wine has that kind of tone. When I'm writing tasting review notes with this Syrah producer, the notes and adjectives refelct the change and development of a wine with great fruit power and balance for aging. Now don't get me wrong, some Pax wines when opened early can be a little rough and clumsy. That is just my experience from time to time. They are hard to keep your hands off of though!

2006 Pax Walker Hill Vineyard Syrah

Heavy dark color, rich to the look and the first aroma seems more Petite Sirah than Syrah. The nose was very nice, giving aromas of blackberry, cinnamon, some nutmeg, sweet spice and that dark mountain style fruit. The mouthfeel was full, but the flavors of brown sugar, blueberry and currants really came through and grew throughout the time the wine was opened. The finish was full, lush and really gave off great power.

I would hold this pax bottle for 2 years and drink it over the next 1-5 years after that. The 2006 Walker Vine Hill Vineyard seems to have the right stuff for cellaring. I had this with Pork Chops baked in a bread crumb mixture with cut potatoes and creamed spinach. It worked great with it.

91-92 Points. Enjoy!

Friday, October 31, 2008

2005 Switchback Ridge Merlot - Switchback Wine

This was a wine I have had before and I have loved it every time I have had it. Switchback makes crazy good Cabernet Sauvignon, Merlot and Petite Sirah. Just really rich and yummy stuff.

I did not take formal notes of the 2005 this time. It was opened on Halloween after a day/night of trick or treating. Dinner is rarely a big deal for us and I'm sure others on Halloween with all the walking around and candy chomming. So, if dinner wasn't getting done, I reached for the 2005 Switchback Merlot. I can't eat kit kats and almond joys all night!

The wine was terrific. At least 5 years of long life ahead of itself if aged. One of the best merlots in California. Ranked up there with Pride, Paloma and a select few other quality merlot producers.

Find Any Wine in the World:

Search for wine:

Thursday, October 30, 2008

2005 Lucia Syrah Gary's Vineyard Wine Note, Bottle Review Tasting

I have really been into quality California Syrah's the last year. I find the best ones will give you the depp dark rich fruit of a great cabernet but have the approachability (less the tannins) of a young merlot. Lucia was a producer I have wanted to try and I have loved many 2005 vintage Syrah's, so getting to taste this wine and being able to review it was a good experience.

The depth and deepness of the fruit in some of these California Syrah wine bottles is really terrific. For someone like myself who enjoys complexity but loves when a wine can be opened and enjoyed young - California Syrah, including the Lucia Gary's really makes it happen.

I bought some nice cuts of Porterhouse steaks to grill and a Napa Cab really would have and should have been the choice. I was staring at my bottles of Pride, Araujo, Switchback and a few others but it is a Thursday and my wife was feeling a little "under the weather" so I didn't want to waste a bottle that was TOO studly.

I had a few bottles of the 2005 Lucia Gary's Syrah that I had acquired through an auction so I figured I'd see how it would stack up against my bloody steak and see if it could hold up to replacing one of my all time wine and food pairing staples: Steak and Cabernet.

Well - it did. As always, I am typing this from a piece of scribbled white paper where wine notes were taken as I drank it. Probably over 90 minutes, with 45 minutes of it basically eating dinner. Yes - I eat and drink slow when it's something good! lol

On to the review tasting note.

2005 Lucia Syrah Gary's Vineyard

Big aroma of Blueberry, blackberry, coffee grounds and dark mountain fruit. Has the nose of a short term aged high end Napa Cab. Really huge on the nose. The mouthfeel was really rich and lush. The youth of the wine can be felt as the power and freshness hits your palate like a cannon, but it's all good. The palate had tastes of black cherries and berries, vanilla, cream and pepper. The finish had great power and grace of the most complex Syrah I have tasted in a long time.

94 Points (out of 100) - Excellent!

As I wrote the review tasting note on this wine, I was really pleased with what I was tasting. Just terrific stuff and right there with the 2005 Copain Thompson, which I felt was the best 2005 Syrah I have tasted to date.

Wednesday, October 29, 2008

Food Match and Wine Pairing - Pairings, Wines and Meals

For me, my best wines don't come out unless I am pairing it with a favorite food to match it or at least compliment the wine in some ways. When a wine and food pairing is done right, both should really sing!

Now the truth is (in my opinion at least) that there are few rules with choosing a wine to match with a meal, whether it is a formal dinner, a piece of cheese or a light lunch. I think you will be better served to really just drink what you like with what you like to eat. Yes that sounds political and non snooty - but is almost the whole truth. I think some people who are reading this would probably appreciate some tips on what to pair and just as important - what NOT to match with certain foods. Let's put some random food groups as our topic headers and mention some good wine pairings with them.

Steak

"Steak and Cab" - yes there is no stronger pairing than a good medium rare steak and a fruity and sturdy Cabernet Sauvignon. It is the food and wine match for kings. Truth is almost all bold red wines will pair great with steak and if you ask me, so would a glass of water! I love a good steak regardless. Cabernet, especially great Napa Cabs and bordeaux blends are wonderfully complex bold driven reds that work wonders with any pure bloody meat protein. But throw in Syrah, Petite Sirah, Zinfandel, Merlot or any blends of those and you should be very happy with the match.
Although there are no "rules" here, I would avoid most lighter reds and white wines to get the most enjoyable wine pairing experience.

Hamburgers, Beef Ribs, and other fatty red meat protein foods are all well served being paired with full bodied red wines.

Pork and Veal

This really is too general to attempt as unlike steaks, pork and veal (and lamb) can have several styles with different sauce tastes that can really change the pairing style with wines. In general, I like most veal dishes with high level pinot noir. "High level" meaning "quality". Most varieties have good and bad, but unlie Merlot and Syrah (Shiraz) and some others, I find Pinot Noir can be mind blowingly amazing from one producer and a light and watery mess from another. Obviously, we want to lok for the former. A high octane but lean mouthfeel pinot from a top producer in California perhaps (Russain River Valley), Oregon and of course - Burgundy can really be the best food and wine pairing this side of steak and cab. Pork and lamb as well. But - the rule with most pairings besides the obvious is you pair to the sauce, not the meat. A pork dish in a sweet duck sauce would go better with a riesling or pinot gris than a pinot noir. If it is a veal marsala, which is not a sweet sauce, I would go pinot noir and not a white wine. A good pairing makes the food AND the wine taste better.

Chicken

This is the most subjective food and the one with the most variances based on prep style, sauce and how it was cooked. The sauce is everyting on this as well. In general, if the food is fairly conservative in chicken style like a roast chicken, parts cooked in a stock base or even fried or baked cutlets, I find a non oaked and non sweet white wine to be the best pairing. Non oaked meaning, no Chardonnay and non sweet applying to many rieslings. A Sauvignon Blanc, Pinot Gris, Rousanne or other white blend can work very well. I have also enjoyed lighter styled Pinot Noir and Beaujolais can work, but for me if I'm going to consider resorting to Beaujolais, I'd rather reach for a white! Just me maybe, but I hate wimpy white wines.

Shellfish and Seafood

I enjoy most shellfish with Chardonnay, White Burgundy (which is mostly chardonnay) and sparkling white wine or champagne. Seafood can have wine pairing used to the sauce and prep as well. I find white wine pretty versitile, especially if they are no too sweet or overoaked.

Cheeses

I have to say the best combination of wine and food I can think of is wine and cheese. It seemes so cliche but they really go so well together. The type of cheese almost doesn't matter and I have dozens of white wines with cheese and it's always a nice hit to my palate. So if you can't cook or are lazy but have great wine to share - a generous plate of cheese and crackers will make even the most snobby wine lover very happy.

Drink the wine you like with the food you like. There are no real rules. I will say though that while a good porterhouse steak can be enjoyed with a sprite or a glass of milk, a great and complex red wine really should enjoy a good food pairing to go with it. Sometimes any good snack with the right flavor can work in the world of wine pairing and food matching. Anyone that has gotten greatr enjoyment from a great Napa Cab and a box of Cheese Itz knows what I'm saying.

Find ANY Wine in the World and Compare Prices with One Search HERE

Riedel Wine Series Cabernet/Merlot Glass, Set of 4

Friday, October 24, 2008

2006 Herman Story Syrah Wine Note - Larner Vineyard Review

I have really been into top quality/niche California Syrah and really enjoy tasting them and getting distinct, classy flavors in many of them. One of them at the top of the list for me recently is the 2005 Herman Story Larner Vineyard Syrah.

I opened this wine around 4:00 with some Frdiay appetizers of Olives, Hard Cheeses and some Crackers. We then had a dinner of fried chicken cutlets, Fresh Mozzarella and carolina white rice steamed in chicken stock and butter. I wished the wine lasted longer.

This is the first time I have tried this wine from Herman Story, but it is not unknown to the wine mailer purchaser, auction buyer or just cult wine geeker. It is very much in that Copain style of true to roots Rhone style syrah in a great wine maker tradition from France. As I was about to write my notes down, I was blown away by the 15.9% alcohol on the label. No way does it feel like that. But I'm getting ahead of myself.

In my wine note I had this:

2005 Herman Story Syrah, Larner Vineyard - Santa Ynez Valley

Aroma of Baked Apple and cinnamon. I remember baked apples from my mom making them. I never liked them as my mom only made them because she was always on a diet and tried to pass them off as real desserts. My sister and I probably resented them because of that. "I could sure go for some real apple pie and melted ice cream right now". That is what you could probably ESP out of my sister and I. They also looked like little monkey brains in retrospect. Wow! - THAT was a helluva drift huh? Sorry. Back to the wine....

Ok. (putting the baked apple out of my mind) and back to the notes. The cinnamon and apple aroma was really nice on this wine. Some ripe plums as well. The nose was really big and the mouthfeel was huge. Now this is a 2005 California Syrah and when you add in the nose, and mouthfeel, I was expecting a huge clunky young Syrah but know way. This really came through with delicious fruit of black cherry, some cola syrup, and rounded spice. The finish was long but aged. Really classy finish with a combination of great aging structure (I'd say 5-8 years easy) but great drinkability now - with some airing. I have had several delicious 2005 Syrahs from California and this is right up there.

I really liked the Herman Story Syrah a lot. I will seek more of them out.

93 Points

Create your own bottle of wine!

Monday, October 20, 2008

Tasting Notes - Wines of Neal Family, Dutton Estate, Carlisle Wine Review Notes

With shipping season well upon us, the UPS boxes have been coming in and it's been tough trying to layoff the wine deliveries and write some fresh tasting notes - oh and drinking them! October is a good month.

Dutton Estate Pinot Noir and a single vineyard Carlisle Syrah were two of the wines I had over this past weekend. My review includes a few other starter wines.

We had some friends over Saturday and I was cooking up some shrimp scampi, rib eye steaks and fusilli pasta salad.

Before the Calisle and the Dutton, we had a starter from Neal Family

2006 Neal Family Sauvignon Blanc

I have had a few of these and my first tasting note on this showed enjoyment but a little too much citrus. This time it seemed less for me and my company absolutely loved it. I will chalk some of this to the fact that 2 of kour guests have really never had quality Napa Sauvignon Blanc like this. If I let them review and put a tasting note, they would probably go 94 points. I will not get that crazy. It showed very nice acidity with Napa style tropical fruit, with a good spritzy finish. I would go 88-89 points. A better showing or maybe it was just my mood last time.
Hey - it happens...!

2004 Dutton Estate Pinot Noir Dutton Ranch Pinot Noir

I was excited to try this as I had heard that Dutton makes very good RRV style pinot for a lower price. This was a wine bought via Internet auction and I paid $25. A steal for quality russian river valley pinot noir. Well, I felt this fell very short in the fruit concentration, complexity and finish vs. the heavyweights of pinot noir.

My Wine Tasting Notes for the Dutton Estate Dutton Ranch were written as I drank it over 90 minutes. I did not decant the wine.

Light color that does not always tell the story, but in this case it kinda does. The aroma showed some good power on the nose of Strawberry and tangerine. The taste had a pretty light-medium mouthfeel of strawberry seeds, mineral and a little fruit tartness that helped the concentration some, but the finish was short and uneventful. I thought the wine might make a comeback after opening some but it stayed relatively shallow and simple. A nice pinot noir for the lower-mid end, but the 2004 Dutton Estate Pinot Noit Dutton Ranch is yet another example for me of why I have a hard time enjoying under $30 pinot noir from California and from Russian River Valley - it's almost impossible.

86 Points

2005 Carlisle Bennett Valley Syrah

Only 300 cases of the Carlisle Bennett Valley Syrah are produced and so tasting this and writing a wine review note on it is always special for me. Yes - I have had this a few times. Carlisle produces great Zinfandel and Syrah across many vineyards. My notes are less detailed on this one as I only wrote general impressions as I was with company. This was paired with the rib eye steak. This wine was a nice cross between a classic rhone style of Copain for instance and modern fruit. I enjoyed the mix. It had good mixtures of current, blackberry, white pepper with a nice rounded finish with length.

91 Points

Ok. So there they are: Neal Family Sauvignon Blanc, Dutton Estate Pinot Noir - Dutton Ranch and the Carlisle Bennett Valley Syrah.

A good weekend with a nice mixture of wines. October is the peak of wine shipping season, so tastings and notes pick up in my house. It's also nice because I didn't pay for any of this wine....at least not in the last 6 months. They were all on back order through auction lots and wine allocation mailing list. Of course I paid for everything, but it's fun to get that case of wine delivered to you when you're not expecting it! Of course seeing your credit card statement in the spring and summer after I order isn't as fun....

Find Any Wine On The Internet Now

Thursday, October 16, 2008

Restaurant Wine List - Restaurant Selection, List Price and BYO

Ok. One of THE biggest things I complain about to friends and family (who care to listen) are the absolute horrible wine lists at restaurants. Granted, the wine list horror show I describe is probably not an issue for 90% of the diners out there, which is probably why it never gets better and why I will probably BYO (Bring Your Own) for the rest of my life!

I am speaking to "good restaurants". Not the Outbacks of the world. And I am not being overly picky here at all. There are certain things I expect when I go out. I know I am spending $1.75 for a coke, $5 - $7 for a beer and so on. I also know I am spending 2 - 2 1/2 times retail for most wines. The ratio on a restaurant list can be smaller for expensive bottles and greater for cheaper bottles.

Selection

I live in New York, so the best restaurants should have the best wine lists with the best selections where BYO shouldn't be needed right? Well - most of the time...no. I have found that most restaurants buy from the 2 or 3 big liquor distributors in the state and most of them have much of the same stuff - on the higher end at least. The selection on the US premium wine end is the most predictable in selection and the most frustrating. Let's take the over $40 retail market for Napa Cabernet for instance. If you are in a good steakhouse (and New York has plenty of great ones), a nice Napa Cab can really do the trick. Sure paying $45 for a T-Bone steak a la carte sucks, but a prime dry aged steak is something special that I usually have no problem paying up for.

What IS the problem? The wine list. The selection more often than not comes down to large production, overrated known labels: Silver Oak, Silverado, Opus, Frog's Leap, Mondavi Reserve and maybe 3 or 4 others usually. Most of these in good vintages are quite good, but the predictability of these names at double or more retail - sometimes $125 or more for many just doesn't work. When you actually collect wine and you have aged it and know they are better than what you are being offered, I'd rather BYO and pay the corkage. Restaurants do not lose money allowing people who bring good wine to a restaurant vs. buying from their list. The truth is - we come back and I just will not buy an off vintage 2003 Silver Oak for $125. I'd rather bring a 1999 Switchback, Pride or other superior cult cab I may have paid $50-$75 for and pay the $20 corkage, and it's a better wine too. It's not really about the money with me when I look at list (most of the time). It's about quality and a list that has thought put into it. I have little kids. I don't get out THAT much, so I want the lists of where I dine to be pretty nice and hopefully offer different or better bottles than what I have at home. Not a lot to ask right? This one of the reasons I BYO.


Vintage


Wow! I have a few pet peeves on this one. Again - not sure how many others do...or care! The first just gets me riled up right away: not having the vintage year on the wine list a restaurant is handing you. Oh man - that just pisses me off to know end. It's actually funny when my wife is with me as she is not the wino geek I am so I try not to overly "Niles Crane" the scene but even if I just say very casually, "I'd like this wine if it is the 2002 or 2001" and the server comes back with a bottle saying "I'm sorry we only have the 2006!", I almost have to laugh and feel like I am on another planet as the waiter AND my wife give me that look of "what's the difference?" WHAT'S THE DIFFERENCE?!

The other big issue with vintage of wine on most restaurant lists is the fact that many show off vintages of popular names. It's rarely a 2002 Opus (I wouldn't buy that either), it's a 2003 - an inferior vintage, for the same price. Why? Because there are tons of it around and it is a sexy sell for the distributor and most restaurant owners want the hot names on their list and really don't know wine.

The 3rd bad wine vintage issue on restaurant lists is that few carry older vintages. Sure, some classic restaurants do, but most will not carry even 1995 Bordeaux - much less 1989 or 1986. Just trying to find a 2001 Napa Cabernet is a struggle. 2001! That vintage is just starting to drink well - at least on the premium wineries.

The vintage issues is a HUGE reason why I like to BYO.

List Prices

I listed prices last because it really is not the most important reason to bring good wine bottles to restaurants. I understand why a list doubles the retail price for a bottle or more - it certainly does that with food. I doubt a 1 1/2 pound lobster at the fish store costs $32! so I get much of it. I just don't like the gouging and many not even notice it. But when the pricing is really out of whack, it can set me off. Seeing a bottle of Kim Crawford Sauvignon Blanc, which is a very good white wine from New Zealand going for $36 on a list when it retails for $12 or less will send my wine list blood pressure soaring!

So much of this wine list rant may seem like a group of wine snoot peeves run amuck, but when you have really good wine at home and take the care to hold it to maturity or near in drinking window, you'd like to have some wine choices when you eat out. I usually do and it's not always a problem, but BYO is a nice way to go. Of course even BYO has some basic rules of politeness: Don't bring cheap or overly available wines or wines that are already on their list. I find that to be pretty rude and just screams of cheapness. Most state allow for BYO but it pays to handle it right. Calling ahead and saying "Can we bring our own wine?" is not the right move. It's too easy to say no for them and you sound like, well - a cheapo who may bring in a liter of $5 jug quality wine. "I'd like to bring a special bottle that I have in my cellar to have with dinner, is that ok?" is a much better way to go.

Many restaurants do take the time to put thought into their list - I have several places that do and if you live in Napa or in a top NYC french restaurant, you have no problems with any of this. But, if this rant makes you feel not so alone when you are quietly having a wine snooting rage next to your wife or other non-wino - I'm glad to give you some company!

Find ANY Wine in the World and Compare Prices with One Search HERE

Monday, October 13, 2008

California Pinot Noir - My Favorite Pinot Wineries From California

I have been accused of being a semi "Miles from Sideways" in my Pinot Noir snobbery. Unlike that character, I enjoy all wine grapes - when done well. The problem with Pinot Noir from California (and Burgundy for that matter) is that the better offerings are just of much higher quality and so they end being...well double or even triple the price of Pinots that may be decent to many others. I know that sounds, but lower quality PN can be watery and rustic without the fruit intensity. Producing higher quantities just dilutes it and so that is why the best ones are harder to get and are usually $40 and up.

I'm not saying that all higher priced Pinot Noirs are always better. Absolutely not. Still, I have never had a $10 Pinot that I would have again. Unlike Cabernet, Merlot and other varietals where I have had many sub $20 and under $15 where I did enjoy the wine and I would have again.

I like the specialist and the cults of great California Pinot Noir. Most of my favorites are mailing list allocations that I get and are well known to other cult pinot snoots. In no particular order and there are some offerings from these wineries that I may like or not like over another. A winery like Martinelli in California makes 12 or 15 different wines and vineyard offerings - including about 6 different Pinot Noirs. These are also wines I buy and own. While they aren't $20, they are not $100 either. Most are in the $35-$50 range. I know that is not cheap, but that is the sweet spot price range for really good California PN without getting out of hand price wise. It is what it is...

There are many others I'll miss but these are a few of the ones that I buy all I can get - for the most part.

Kosta Browne - Great concentrated Pinot Noir with several vineyard designate offerings. The single vineyard stuff is very hard to come by. I am on their mailer and barely get any. But the Russian River Valley Pinot and Sonoma are terrific and they are more available to mailer customers in California and outside the state. I look forward to every batch from these guys. Only issue is the price. It's getting a bit steep. The single Vineyards were north of $65 this year! So maybe it is ok I didn't get offered any....

Kutch - A well known success story to cult wine drinkers. Jamie Kutch dropped his career and life in New York City to move out to California and learn how to make his own brand of Pinot Noir. It makes sense to mention Kutch after Kosta Browne as he worked and studied at Kosta Browne to hone his craft. The result? A wonderfully crafted Russian Rivery Valley PN and a single vineyard offering. Just a great story. Wow huh? Not only starting your own successful winery, but moving cross country to learn and you make your own great wine with a popular customer base (and waiting list!) within 2-3 years. I don't get much from them just yet, but I take what I can get. "Hey Jamie - an extra 6 pack would be appreciated!" Not that I'm giving him this glowing review just to get more wine [wink] - but hey....

Rochioli - A terrific California Winery that produces numerous Pinot Noirs and a delicious Chardonnay. Another favorite of mine that is tough to acquire unless you are on their mailing list or are willing to pay a premium for Internet or auction buying.

Martinelli - Some higher end buyers have been laying off Martinelli in recent years as some feel they produce too much good - not great Pinots and the price is still at where you find higher quality offerings from other California producers. I kind of agree and disagree. They have one real stud Pinot, the Blue Slide Ridge but it is crazy expensive - like double some of the other ones mentioned above. Martinelli produces great Zinfandels and I love their Chardonnays. I am mentioning them here as they have many choices at different price ranges and I like that. They bundle their mailing list offerings which I don't like. "Bundling" is when a winery has set packages that you choose from and the different wine bottles are pre selected. Example: "Package 1 = 3 bottles of..., 1 bottle of ...." and you either take the package or not. Martinelli produces a lot of different wines, so I can usually find them on the open retail market much easier than the other California wineries listed here.

Kistler - A well known if not THE most famous California producer of Chardonnay. The Chardonnays are what they made their reputation on, and they are good, but I actually enjoy their Pinot Noirs more (one of my top favorites). I find the Chardonnays are SO full bodied and buttery that they overwhelm me. I am a person who doesn't drink Chards unless I am eating something complimentary to it (shell fish perhaps) and I find Kistler to be just a bit chewy. If you love full bodied whites, they are hard to beat. Their Pinots are so elegant and potent. I really love them and wish I could get more direct from them, but they are stingy with the pinot noir allocations. You can buy the Chardonnays by the case load. They make a lot - and most are north of $65. Not worth it for me.

Sea Smoke - I have gotten into these guys big the last few years. I am not on their winery mailer list but I am able to find them via the Internet. The Botella and the Southing are the Pinot Noirs I have had from them and they were terrific.

It has been an exciting last few years with California Pinot Noir and I have others I enjoy. Feel free to comment or add some of your favorite wineries and producers.

Use the following search button and see all the stores that currently offer these wines in the secondary market.

Search:


Wine Reviews - Brief Tasting notes October 2008, Neal Family Cabernet, Zinfandel, Sauvignon Blanc Tasting

Sometimes I like to just share a group of wines I may have had during a week or weekend and well...with the stock market the way it was this past week, good wines were needed. I have very brief notes here, actually more brief impressions. Neal Family is one of the wineries I had the past few days. I had several bottle offerings from them this week as I received a wine allocation in recent weeks. So we will call this sort of an overview of recent wines (Cabernet, Zinfandel and Sauvignon Blanc) and a bit of a profile of one of my favorite wineries.

Neal Family Winery


Neal is a family owned winery in Napa that I have enjoyed for several years now. They are not a large production winery, but not small either. Much of their wine is bought through their mailing list, but some of their larger case production varietals (their Napa Cabernet and Zinfandel mostly) can be found through online retailers. I have met the owner Mark Neal and I have had dinner with him in New York City, with others. He visits NYC a few times a year and lets his customers know so we can meet up and share a dinner. He brings the wines and we have a blast. I am on their mailing list (full disclosure as the stock pros say lol!)

Anyway - they make a very good Napa Cabernet, several single vineyard offerings (or designates - SVD) of cabernet. They produce a high quality and consistant Zinfandel that is not overly alcohol loaded or hot. Neal makes a very attractive Petite Sirah and Sauvignon blanc that I have had and own. And...an excellent Extra Virgin Olive Oil! I did not have THAT this week, but it is wonderful stuff that tastes right off the tree.

On to the wines I tried recently:

2004 Neal Family Cabernet Sauvignon Howell Mountain

This was from a magnum I had of this. 1.5 liter. Basically double a regular bottle size for those who may not be aware. Magnums from low production producers are a pretty special thing. This is why you very very rarely see doublke sized bottles of the real good wines in your store. They are more collectors items for the mailing list and they are pretty cool to open. I found this to be very balanced and aged. 2004 is not an old vintage, but I did not find it tannic or over done on the dark fruit. It was a very classy cabernet. One of my favorite Neal offerings for sure.

2006 Neal Family Zinfandel

This is a wine I usually get 6 or 12 every time I buy and well - they don't last. Zinfandel is not usually an ege worthy grape anyway. At least it's not a wine that improves IMO. I really enjoy the Neal Zinfandel though as it really is what Zin should be. Up front fruit, good right away but not having any hotness, crazy alcohol content or other over the top taste. It is a wonderfully balanced wine and for $22 or so, it is a great buy and a fun wine to have with food or just hanging out. Have it on the cool side.

2007 Neal Family Sauvignon Blanc

I had 2 bottles of this over the last week with friends and family. It was fresh and clear with decent concentration. I found it a little too on the lemon tasting side for me. It had the crisp tropical flavors, but it was a little peely after a while. One of those first or second glass you're enjoying it and then shortly after, your palate gets weary and you realize you would rather be drinking something else. I enjoy several Napa Sauvignon Blancs, Frog's Leap and Switchback Ridge are 2 of my favorites. Nothing wrong with this wine, but out of their lineup, it is my least favorite and it is double the price of many New Zealand ones. I find New Zealand is still the king of affordable and delicious Sauvignon Blanc.

Find Neal and other hard to find wines HERE:




Metrokane Rabbit Wine Opener Gift Set, Silver

Friday, October 10, 2008

2005 Eric Kent Chardonnay Russian River Valley Tasting Note, Review

I find Chardonnay to be the best white grape in the world - when done right. Yes "right" is beyond subjective, but some California producers do crank up the oak and alcohol to a level that really goes over the top. Eric Kent is not of that variety. This review tasting note comes from many Eric Kent wines I have had. This Russain River Valley offering is a great bottle from a solid vintage for Chardonnay.

Many Chardonnays from 2005 have been really special. I had a 2005 Dutton-Goldfield Chardonnay with a friend of mine for lunch and it was wonderfully complex, refined and loads of pure Russian River Terroir flavor. The Eric Kent is right up there. Although I'll give a slight edge to the Dutton on a tasting review basis, since I mentioned them here.

This is a producer that does not mass produce. Mailing list, auction or out of state merchant-retailers is how you can acquire this.

This wine was also consumed on a Friday before Columbus day following the worst (as of this writing) 1 week in the Stock Market's history! So I not only needed a good bottle, I wasn't even in a good mood. So add some points...

The notes are what I wrote down as I was having this.

2005 Eric Kent Chardonnay Russian River Valley

Deep gold color but crystal clear. No cloud. Very sharp. Aroma of peach, honeysuckle and assorted fresh fruit cocktail. Great fruit on the nose. Mouthfeel is not heavy at all. Tastes aged and almost has a hint of Pinot Gris as a splash blend in it. No wood or intrusive oak flavor. Some nuts, toasted almond, with a nice steely mix to the fruit added in. This really penetrates the nose as you sip it, but the acidity is perfect and the mouthfeel really is super refined. Finish fell just short of the qualities leading up to it. Still very tasty stuff, but a few points have to come off an otherwise flawless white wine. Right there with other Eric Kent wines and many of the great 2005 chardonnays from California.

91 Points

Find Eric Kent Bottles:
Search:



Create your own bottle of wine!

Wednesday, October 8, 2008

2005 Beckmen Block Six Syrah Purisima Mountain Review Tasting

Beckmen is becoming one of my favorite syrah producers in California. The Block Six Syrah Purisima Mountain bottle from 2005 was outstanding. It had wonderful fruit and structure for drinking now and wonderful aging potential.

This was opened for 90 minutes and then tasted with a few Italian cheeses. Fiore Di Sardegna was one of them. The smell of the wine was just awesome and the taste was even better. The following was a review tasting note written as I tasted it:

Deep rich color with aroma of brown sugar, raisin and some coffee. Tastes of rasberry, cinnamon, lots of ripe blackberry and some dark chocolate. Really terrific palate. Even the mouthfeel is not as heavy as the look. Very balanced and no heat. Very finessed and a long finish.

This is young with legs for aging easy. Best of both worlds here. Kind of like some high quality ripe 2002 Napa Cabs in that you can drink now and enjoy the lushness (this was opened for 90 min.) or hold. Finesse without trying to blow you away with cheap thrills. Not tannic either but you can feel the stuffing and the perfect acidity.

92-94 points and the upside could be even be a point more. I loved it.

There aren't many bottles produced of this so to source this wine bottle, you would need to be on their mailing list or acquire it via the Internet or auction.

Price range is $45-$60 I believe. Note: I only mention price so that people who read these tasting notes can quantify the value for themselves in a price to quality wine perspective. Granted, one person's quality to price is diffferent than anothers but I think it helps to know when a 92 point rated wine - rated by me or wine publication costs $10 or $50. I hope that most of you agree with that and want me to keep the price (range at least) in the notes.

I love this producer and will get and drink as much of Beckmen's wines as I can get.

Wine and Kitchen Supply Store

Find Beckmen Wines by searching Winezap:

Search:

Monday, October 6, 2008

Wine Cooling Unit - Cellar Cooling System

Keeping your wine stored in a cooling unit or a cellar with a cooling system is very important when holding wine for a period of time. Keeping wine at the proper temperature while holding, not only protects the wine from damage, it allows for higher enjoyment as your wines can be consumed at the proper temperature.

Cooling Units

Typically these are different and less expensive than cabinets. A wine refrigerator as they can be called, will normally not have humidity controls. Cooling units will focus on keeping a temp range - usually within 5 to 7 degrees. If the reason for having a storage unit is to keep the wines at a safe temperature and enjoy drinking within short to medium range time (up to 2-3 years). The temperature should be set at around 55-58 degrees. This will allow for some up or down variable in degrees while never being too cold or too warm. The humidity aspect is not that important IMO. I feel it can be overrated - at least for short term cellaring and drinking. Basic cooling unit systems will carry space for as few as 6 or 8 bottles up to 100-150 or so. Wine cabinets can hold many more. Some up to 1000 bottles but these units can cost up to $5000 or more.

A basic but very reliable wine unit or wine fridge can cost as low as $150 and hold 36-50 bottles. I recommend buying as big as you can afford and fit as wine collecting can usually move higher than the unit purchased and you don't want to have to buy 2 or 3 units because the system you bought was too small. Most have strong metal or iron racking that can be slid out or replaced for more bottles or larger or unique shaped bottles.

Haier Wine Cellar Fridge

Haier is a very reliable and pretty inexpensive holder. Many of the models have 2 zone cooling for whites and reds or at least allows for the bottom of the cooling unit to be colder for white wine. I have Haier systems and have found them very efficient. They are quiet and look very attractive in the kitchen, dining room or other area you wish to have it. I have also seen and heard of many other cooling units that did the job as well.

In the end, I generally look for a quiet refrigerator that looks attractive. As long as the temp stays relatively constant - I'm usually happy. The best part is pulling out a nice red wine that is cool (not cold) to the touch. When you pour a non serious wine person a Cabernet or California Pinot Noir at a nice cool temp. it is a real eye opener.

Enjoy your wine and let it rest on some racks in a nice cooling unit. And if you are like me - you will be opening those doors pretty often!

Haier 46 Bottle Wine Cellar - View Photos and Pricing

View Wine Refridgerators On Ebay Here

Sunday, October 5, 2008

2006 Carlisle Dry Creek Valley Zinfandel - Carlisle review tasting

Carlisle is a winery in California that is well known for it's Syrah and stylish high quality Zinfandel. It's vineyard designates are wonderful expressions of both grape varietals of Syrah and Zinfandel. I have always enjoyed drinking and posting tasting review notes with this winery.

The 2006 Dry Creek Valley was an expression of the Carlisle brand that fits into my experience with this Quality producer.

I opened this wine about 20 minutes before drinking. While there are certainly special producers who make quality zinfandel, it is usually not a grape that requires age or many hours of opening. Some like to do a splash or long decant for airing and opening - many tasting notes and reviews will show that. I don't like to do that with Zinfandel very often. I enjoy the strength and power of the grape the way it should be. Certainly Carlisle (including the 2006) shows greater complexity and age potential than 90% of Zinfandel makers IMO. Still, I enjoy these young.

2006 Carlisle Dry Creek Valley Zinfandel

Tight nose of some dates, figs and some ash. Tasted like a 2004 or at least a Zin that had some age on it. Tastes of rasberry, sour cherries, and black cherry. No heat at all and that is with near 16% alcohol (this is 15.9%). Clean finish but comes up just a bit short against other Carlisles I have had. Tasted a little aged and peaking. I also had the 2005 of this and posted a review tasting note somewhere...from my hazy memory that I found superior to this.

These vines were planted back in 1885 and there is some petite sirah blended into the dry creek vineyard zinfandel for color and flavor.

My review rating from this tasting note is 90 points. Which while is considered a strong or excellent review on the 100 point scale system, for a $45 single vineyard zinfandel from one of the 5 or 6 best Zin producers in California IMO - I must call this (at least my bottle) a slight pass, mainly for the price to quality ratio.

I'm finding 2006 in general to be not as strong a zinfandel vintage in california (sonoma, Russian River Valley inlcuded) to be not as strong as the great 2004, 2005 vintages.

Carlisle is what is called a "cult wine" of sorts. Most people who get to drink this wine are either on their mailing list (which has a wait time)

Friday, October 3, 2008

2005 Copain Syrah Thompson Vineyard Tasting Review Note

I have been an admirer of Copain's wines for sometime and enjoy writing notes and reviews when tasting them. With many California producers making wine that can go a little out of wack in extraction, alcohol and sugar, Copain produces wonderful old world style Syrah, but with great California aromatics that gives you some vineyard and area terroir clues.

2005 Copain Thompson Vineyard Syrah

The aroma had really nice caramel and baked cherries. I love that combination and with Copain's wines, it can be pegged. Elegant rich mouthfeel with tastes of black cherry, crushed dark fruit, mineral and a little orange. The wine had a refined and strong long finish. Enjoyable now - 5 years peak easy and the best California Syrah I have had this year. These are hard to lay off and I have held a few back

93 points (out of 100)

This might be my favorite 2005 Syrah from Copain and one of my top 10's of that vintage. Great Syrah is being made by many rhone style wine producers like Pax, Outpost and some others. Some California winemakers are really cranking out some amazing Syrah and they are delicious to taste and write review notes for. Copain is wonderfully consistant, without breaking the bank. This wine is around $40 I believe. This one of many single vineyard specialty Copain Syrahs. 2005 was a strong vintage, as was 2004.

Riedel Wine Glasses - View and Price the best Wine Glasses in the World

Scan the Internet with WizeZap. Search and Price out any Wine in the World:
Search: