2005 Leoville Poyferre

Just opened - purely as a test :) I have 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

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.

Bringing Wine To A Restaurant - BYO Corkage

Wine lovers have long since appreciated being able to bring their own wine "BYO" to a restaurant that has a corkage policy. That means that a place (normally for a fee) will allow a patron to bring their own wine to open with their meal. Mention this to non wine lovers and they give you that "really?" look. I then try to explain why this type of policy (bringing wine) makes sense for both the restaurant and the diner - in most cases.

Some restaurants allow for wine bringing out of necessity. Perhaps they do not have their liquor license or they are a small establishment with no room for a proper wine cellar or other adequate storage. The places that I and other wine lovers will frequent do not normally fall into the above category. Most places really don't advertise the fact that they are BYO friendly. This is due to a few key reasons that do make sense.

People who are more than just casual or cheap wine drinkers and have good bottles to bring will call and ask anyway. We understand what corkage means, the privilege and how to handle it.

If a place advertised a BYO, you would have many people bring in some pretty weak stuff. Why does that matter? Well - this is just my opinion but the point of bringing a wine to a restaurant is to open a special bottle I have at a nice place.

I like to bring wine when the list is weak and that is the problem with most places I go to.

Prices are part of it, but it is more from weak choices, vintages, tired names. Paying $125 for a 2004 Silver Oak drives me nuts. I'd rather pay a corkage fee and bring something that is not only good - it is mature and ready.

My other BYO Corkage Rules of Proper Etiquette

Never bring a wine that is on their list (looks really cheap)
Bring something that had a mid range cost to you at least - let's say $35 for Red
Have it be matured
Consider buying a wine from the restaurant if bringing more than one bottle

When you show proper BYO etiquette, the pleasure is just as much theirs as it is yours for dining there. A good BYO restaurant will get my business again and again. That is why it makes sense for them.

If any of you have brought wine to a restaurant for dinner or do it regularly, please post your stories.

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2007 Copain Baker Ranch Syrah

Copain released a recent group of 2007 Syrahs and Pinot Noirs to their mailing list customers recently. The 2007 Syrahs were Eaglepoint Ranch and Baker Ranch. I had the baker the other day.

The wine had really great depth of character. It showed that great fruit that Wells Guthrie (winemaker and co-owner) and Copain are known for but the Baker had some special characteristics.

The nose had very nice blackberry, sweet prune, warm raisins and nice pepper. It had a really nice lush and airy aroma.

The taste gave more blackberry and cherry fruit with more ground pepper. The balance was really special on the 2007 Baker Ranch with a long classy finish.

I found this Copain to have more depth of character than the eaglepoint ranch, which was not as dimensional (at this stage). These wines are very young and the rest of mine will rest for another year at least. It's fun to evaluate them and Copain is really wonderfully consistant - yet different with the various vineyard bottlings they release.

The baker ranch syrah was a winner for me.

92 Points

2005 Turley Zinfandel Tofanelli Vineyard - Turley Zin

Turley is one of the most well known and premier zinfandel producers in California. 2005 produced many strong wines for Turley. They make wonderful single vineyard Zinfandels and Syrahs (from what I have had) and others. Tofanelli is a well now vineyard for zinfandel. I have had Schrader zins from this vineyard as well.

Taste Review Note

This Turley had nice sweet and sour cherry aromas with some light coffee and green elements. The body was full but not thick or over done. It tasted a little older than the 2005 vintage on the bottle (that's a good thing here). The mouthfeel was not heavy. The 15.5 alcohol seemed nicely intertwined here. The palate offered good tastes of rasberries and dark fruit with some semi sweet chocolate and had very good balance with nice acidity.

The semi sweet chocolate was on the finish which was clean and rich. No heat with decent length. A good Zinfandel from Turley without the heavy price that some others come in at from this producer.

90 Points

Joe Czerwinski Wine Enthusiast Column May 2009 - Taking Proper Care of Fine Wine

If you get a chance to pick the May 2009 edition of the Wine Enthusiast magazine, please do so. Joe Czerwinski wrote a column on a subject that I have thought about and wrote about myself - the conditions of wines that are shipped and stored before it reaches us.

I always chuckle when I read posts on forums about people who bought this Eurocave or even lower end Haier wine storage units and complain how they don't keep perfect humidity levels or the temp jumps from 55-59 degrees too frequently. I always reply that we - let's say the semi to serious wine drinker store our wines like they were babies compared to how many importers, distributors and stores do. Have you ever driven to your local wine store on a hot summer day and notice a truck backing up near the door to unload cases of this and that?

How many times have you walked in a store and it is at least 75 degrees in there - with a bright store light beating down on the bottles, customers handling the wine and putting back hundreds of times. It's really amazing that much of this wine by the time we take it home is even drinkable. I shake my head every day. Now for the cheaper "drink now" wines and the consumers who enjoy them - it may not matter and let's be honest, that's the consumer most stores shoot for. Still, it really bothers me and it is why I prefer to buy my wine from the producers themselves and age it myself or through reliable auction house where the history of the wine is documented.

Taking proper care of wine is too often NOT a high priority for the various hands involved in the shipment and stroage of these wines - especially delicate or long term aging wines.

I will not buy older wines in any store because of this. I will buy at auction if the wine has been stored by a private collector. I have much more fath in that.

Either way, the wine enthusiast is good this month and Joe Czerwinski stuck a cord with me on his column. Well done!

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2006 Kosta Browne Pinot Noir Russian River Valley

I started opening a few Kosta Browne Pinot Noirs from 2005 and 2006. The 2007 Sonoma and Russain River Valley wines just got delivered a few weeks ago. The 2006 bottles seemed approachable over the winter, but certainly not unworthy to age for several years.

Wine Note

The aroma of the Russian River Valley had a nice fresh smell of rasberry, spicey berries that great RRV pinot noirs give. The taste had nice rounded flavors of cherries, cranberry and nice pepper spice. It also carried some sour cherries on the back end which is another characteristic of many Russian River Valley pinots - and Kosta Browne in particular.

The finish was clean and sharp, but not overly complex. It's still young and complexity, even with a producer and wine this good generally comes with some age. Few bottles are ultra "complex" in year 1 or 2.

The alcohol on this 2006 was 14.9% and I thought it integrated well.

91 Points

I thought this carried more weight and the fruit was more pronounced on the Russian River Valley wine vs. the Sonoma. I have not had the pleasure of drinking any of their highly acclaimed single vineyard Pinots. Would love to try them some day. I haven't been offered any yet.

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Online Auction Buys - Bottles Bought At Auction March

I have been posting my online auction buys recently here. I have found wine values can really be had given the state of the economy. Unlike stores that are reluctant to reduce wine prices as they already have their cost built in so their spread will shrink. Many will just wait out walk in buyers who will hopefully buy the wine off the shelf eventually. Auctions work differently.

Auctions are in the secondary market where buyers are more motivated and the auction houses just want to make the vig and other fees for transactions, so they just want the wine sold. Thus, when there are less wine buyers and bottles stay unsold for a few rounds, weeks or longer - steals and deals can happen. I'm only looking for good deals. Everyday wines or more established bottles. Reds, whites, doesn't matter to me.

Anyway, last month this is what I was able to pick up:

2005 Kalleske Greenock Shiraz $20.00
2006 Hogue Riesling $5.00
2006 Kutch Mcdougall Ranch Pinot Noir $55.00
2005 Turley Zinfandel Tofanelli Vineyard $30.00
2005 Hanna Estate Chardonnay $10.00
2005 Paringa Individual Vineyard Cabernet Sauvignon $5.00

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You Tube Wine Videos

I wanted to take a break from posting wine notes and mention a great way to spend time drinking a bottle of wine (I guess a glass is good enough for some! lol). youtube just has some terrific wine videos on there. I don't know about you guys but if I'm by myself in my home office (many times on purpose - wife and 2 kids) with a wine, I love to watch and listen to wine themed videos.

Not only are many of the wineries themselves making great on-site videos, but also just visitors and regular people with a video recorder of course.

Just typing in "napa wineries" or "Bordeaux Harvest" "2005 Burgundy" and dozens of other great searches really gives nice wine videos to geek out with while sipping something special. I was watching a great vid the other day by Chateau Palmer presented by the owner in the vineyard! - talking about sugar levels, when they look to pick and so much more. It really was awesome.

I am also a fan of Wine Library and Gary Vaynerchuk. I know some people think he's a little over the top but I think it's great. His videos are not 3 or 4 minutes, which I hate. They are 20 minutes or so and are very informative. He's honest and regularly pans a bad wine even though Wine Library probably has 100 cases of it. I like the guy and what he does. Ok - I'll leave that there.

I really love the small winery or even better - small vineyard owners. Some vineyards are so special that they grow and sell grapes to several quality producers. In California, you'll see bottles with wine grown from Gary's Vineyard or Shea Vineyard in Oregon and so on. Some of these growers have wonderful homemade videos of their life and what they do.

These vids are great to hang out with and escape to. Some people need more escaping than others I guess....

2005 Switchback Ridge Petite Sirah

Switchback Ridge is a small production (ok cult) winery in St. Helena California. They make stunning Cabernet Sauvignon and Merlot. I have had their petite sirah before. I have wanted to try their sauvignon blanc as I have heard it's one of the best in California. Hint: You can email me to arrange a quick case to taste if the Switchback people are reading.

This wine had a deep and dense color with initial aromas of sweet leather, dark chocolate, cherries and some coffee grinds actually. Pretty expressive nose and it's evolving with a little apple too. I'm not being a show off wine-snoot here! The aromas really are complex on this 2005.

The taste shows rich dark fruit of blackberry and currants that is full bodied but not too thick or chewy. Almost aged cabernet like in the fullness and finesse of the fruit without the heavy tannins or dryness of new cabernets.

The finish is lingering. Drink now out to 5 years. Air out if drinking now though.

92 Points

Switchback knows how to do Petite Sirah for sure.

This is one of the best Petite Sirahs I ever had for sure. Grace, power and complex. Not cheap. This will run you north of $45 and that's if you can even find it. Oh wait - you can find it below if you search! (by one of our sponsors)

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2005 Eric Kent Chardonnay Russian River Valley

2005 was an excpetional year for Chardonnay in the Russian River Valley area and throughout much of California. Eric Kent is one of the producers I enjoy from that area. I have enjoyed Chardonnays, Syrahs and Pinot Noir from this producer.

The wine had nice aroams of nuts, sweet butter and light oak. The swirl seemed not to show a heavy oaky chardonnay. It looked light on it's feet. The mouthfeel was medium bodied with full flavors of lemon oil, oak and very crisp acidity - almost spritzy for a chardonnay. I happen to like chardonnays like this. Full flavor but not heavy or over oaked. The lemon flavors are a bit too much on the back end of the palate which knocks a few pointies off - fwiw. Finish is good but a bit simple and citrus driven.

Not that this wine isn't delicious...it is. If you ask me, it's a go. It's really my style. For Chardonnay purists, maybe not. It has a "wee bit" sauvignon blanc flavors and acidity. I don't mind that either. A tasty wine is a tasty wine if you ask me.

Would I peg this as 2005 Russian River Valley? No way. Try some heavies from Kistler and some others and you can literally see in the glass the difference in concentration. I happen to not love the Kistler style myself and their wines are literally double what Eric Kent's are.

This Eric Kent chardonnay can be enjoyed by itself but would be terrific with some raw clams or oysters. The spritz, acidity and other chardonnay characteristics make it a perfect match for cold seafood.

Score for me: 89 points

Enjoy!

Copain 2005 Madder Lake Syrah

Copain just released (and I just received happily) their 2007 single vineyard Syrahs and Pinot Noirs (2 offerings of each type), so I was in the mood to pop a 2005 Madder Lake Syrah. This is a wine I have had from other vintages, including 2004 and found them to be fairly open and floral fruity wine.

This 2005 Madder Lake was no different. The nose had a great sweet smokey quality to it. Almost a sweet BBQ cedar component and sone cranberry. The aroma was very nice.

This 2005 Syrah captured great dark fruit and sour cherry on the palate with a pretty sweet blueberry finish. I enjoyed that as I love blueberry, but it could be a tad sweet at the end for some. Had a good dryness touch at the end which could, for a moment throw some off as a cabernet. More likely it is just still young.

I thought this was a solid wine from Copain. I enjoy so many of their wines and I am a proud mailing list member. Wells Guthrie - the winemaker does a really nice job year in and year out.

Let this air out some if tasting it in the near term, but the flavors and aroma are all there.

90 Points

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2002 Beckmen Estate Cabernet Sauvignon - Beckmen

For anyone who knows me or has seen many of my wine tasting notes here and elsewhere, I am a big fan of Beckmen wines. I have really enjoyed their Syrahs and their Grenache was out of this world good and one of my favorite wines of this year.

2002 was a pretty ripe year for many areas in California. I have had some strong bottles of Cabernet from 2002, but I was unaware of Beckmen's offering of Cabernet Sauvignon. I bought this at a very affordable price on an auction site. Where most estate or single vineyard Cabs I drink come in at the $30-$40 range, this was bought for only $10. Beckmen's Syrah and Grenache are normlly over $30.

Wine impressions and notes

I found the 2002 Cabernet not my style at all. I don't know if this was an off bottle or not. It was not corked nor did it carry any suspicious odor or color. In fact the aroma has pretty rich with hints of earth, figs, brown sugar and black cherry. But once I took a sip, it was just a thick jammy mess honestly. I hate saying that as I do love this producer, but this just clunked for me. Jammy, tannic with some black cherry, and dark fruit. Got very tart and a little harsh towards the end too and did I say "thick"?

This 2002 was just a total miss for me and way out of balance. If this was an off bottle, so be it. I have had too much experience with this solid producer to slam this bottle with a low score, so I'll leave a score out. If I was a professional big shot taster like Robert Parker or Jim Laube, I'd have my secretary request another bottle of this to compare. But alas, I have no such resources - nor the motivation to seek it out again.

If you can find their Grenache or any of their Syrahs - go for it.

I guess I leave it right there. On to the next wine....

Wine Glass Size - Big Glass

I'm going to really try to refrain from saying "Size does matter" with wine. Ooops Sorry.

Does wine taste better when you have it out of a bigger glass? The answer in my opinion depends. If the wine is good, a big glass will make it better - most of the time. I don't think you have to always get caught up in what is a Bordeaux glass specifically and so on, but a nice big well crafted Reidel Stem made for a Cabernet or other full bodied wine can really deliver. Deliver what? Big aromas that are released easier when drinking from a bigger stem.

Younger Bolder Red Wines

If there is one type or style of wine that benefits from a nice size glass it is bold young reds that have great body and aroma but maybe are also young and need the extra space in a big glass to stretch out and air - almost like a mini decanter. Even if you are someone who does not sit and smell a wine for 5 minutes before drinking it (ahem...that's me by the way), the aroma of a wine will effect the taste and your full capturing of the flavor. It just does. Try a good full body wine and pour it in to a little glass, you know the kind you'll get at a pizza restaurant or something and pour some into a nice size Cabernet Bordeaux glass. The wine will open up faster, give off stronger aroma and taste much better. Why not drink your best wines in stemware that gives you the best method of enjoyment?

Lighter Bodied Reds and Whites

I enjoy good wines with good sized glasses at low pours. That's just me and there are no rules. I don't even drink champagne out of flutes. I use white wine glasses. I like a big bowl, love to swirl and sniff so lighter bodied reds such as Chianti, Classic Style Pinot Noirs, Malbecs and others work fine for me in bigger stemware.
Full bodied Chardonnays can be big and bold with a large red style wine glass as well.

Not all wines benefit from more real estate in the stem for me. Older wines that past their peak and cheaper everyday bottles will only fade out faster or just taste worse than they would out of a little glass with a high pour!

These are mainly preferences by your truly and certainly more opinion than fact. There is very little about wine enjoyment that is totally based on fact. Still, do yourself a favor and drink your best wines out of a nice big glass and get your whole head in there!

2005 Revolution Shiraz - Mclaren Vale Shiraz

It has been a while for me with Australian Shiraz, so when I saw the 2005 Revolution (which was rated 91 points Wine Spectator I believe) for under $25, I grabbed a few.

I hate to generalize and I'm no blind tasting expert, but I can peg most Australian Shiraz as Aussie wines. I think it has to do with that I generally only drink Rhone style syrah from California and France and the producers and vineyards I drink generally don't produce thick tasting wines. So, yes - you guessed it. The 2005 Revolution is a thicky.

Review Score and Note

This was opened for about 2 hours. Tasted, then corked again for 3 more hours.

The aroma gave off plums, blueberry and some sweet spices and was fairly open. The nose did evolve over the several hours of tasting this. The aroma was thick though. The alcohol is 15%, which isn't crazy and there was no noticable heat.

The taste and feel was very full and thick. The flavors had black cherry, dark rasberry and some chocolate - especially on the finish but the wine was just too heavy...almost "filling". I really struggled wanting to finish it. The Revolution was a wine that tasted fine and had nothing off about it. It was just TOO much weight for me and pretty simple. Not my style.

86 POINTS

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2007 Seghesio Zinfandel Sonoma

Seghesio is a consistant and afforable Zinfandel year in and year out. If you are a wine drinker and Zin drinker, you are probably familiar with Seghesio. They are a consistant Wine Spectator top 100 selection. Many times in the top 25. Their recognition by Wine Spectator is several fold. This wine usually rates at, near or above 90 points. It is priced under $20 in most places and they make a ton of it, so it is very widely available.

Seghesio makes a few other vineyard Zinfandels and those are priced a little over the Sonoma offering.

I also enjoy the fact that their wine style (2007 included) is not heavy, hot or cheap thrilly zin. It is fairly light on it's feet and the alcohol is not high 15%'s or more. This will not overwhelm most red wine type foods.

Tasting Note Review

Aroma of spice, blackberry and fruit skins with a nice mouthfeel that is not overly rich or thick. The palate had really nice flavors of cherries, spice and some pepper with nice balance and a very clean finish. This wine can work for almost anyone and go with almost anything. Under $20. Back up the truck....as usual

89 Points

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Wine Auction Buys March 2009 - Auction Bid Wins

I think I did pretty good on a recent small block of auction purchases. These wines have already been delivered to me. Gotta love the perfect March Shipping weather for auction buys.

2006 Novy Keefer Ranch Chardonnay $15

2005 Revolution Shiraz $20

2007 Lange Twins Pinot Grigio $5 (note already posted here)

2002 Beckmen Estate Cabernet Sauvignon $10

Wine Review: 2007 Lange Twins Pinot Grigio

This producer is from California and the wine is made in Lodi. I have not had a Pinot Grigio from California in a long time. The 2007 Lange Twins Pinot Grigio was bought on the Internet for $5. This has to be the lowest price wine I have ever posted here and I probably have not consumed a $5 wine in a long time. Still, this wine was not $5 retail. I believe this was part of a larger auction lot and I just got lucky....or maybe not!

Wine Review and Score
The 2007 Lange Twins wine was a strange one. When it was first opened it had a very noticable spritzy nose to it. Almost sparkling wine-ish. It also had some green apple on the nose. The taste had some earthyness to it which I liked. Good acidity and apples, peaches with more sparkling spritzy flavors. The finish was not much, but what Pinot Grigio has? Not fair to score based on that. But the wine did turn a little watery as it was opened. I did not like that all. It lost some of that zest pretty quick.

I saved some of the bottle to grab another sip several hours later and while it did not get worse, that lively sparkle never returned. It was a fairly typical low priced Pinot Grigio. Easily drinkable and I have had worse - many worse from Italy actually. I could drink this again or not. This Lange Twins Wine was a decent effort and for what I paid - I'd buy it again.

85 Points

Mara Syrage Lot 7 - Tasting Note 2006 Mara Wine

Mara is a California producer at the medium price end (generally). I only have had 1 vintage experience with a Zinfandel wine a few years ago. My recollection was that it was lean in body with strong flavor and sweetness. That is a very general thought from memory. I rarely see Mara locally, but occaisonally see their Zinfandel. At a price tag usually in the mid $20's to $30, I was not a buyer of the Zinfandel. The Syrage Lot 7 was a surprise find - and at $16

This 2006 from Mara is a Merlot Syrah blend and I have really enjoyed Merlot Syrah blends. I find both really work together. Merlot is a great grape to blend with it's fruit lushness, full body style and low dryness and tannins.

I opened this little fella in the afternoon picking on some cheese and crackers. A great early stop to a work day! I'm drinking a lot more wine lately - have I mentioned that? Anyway, back to the wine:

Wine Tasting Notes

The 2006 Mara Syrage Lot 7 was opened for 30 minutes and this is an easy crowd pleaser - I could tell. Very open aromas of sweet, rich dark fruit and a little nutmeg. Very inviting stuff. The taste matched the aroma with a nice full bodied feel of cranberry, cherries, real good acidity with balance. Nice yummy full finish with some cocoa and chocolate added in. Good things going on here.

Aside from the usual points for this or that. The Mara Syrage is just tasty stuff and would please any fun wine drinker who may not be THAT serious (no one really should be) into wine. Might be a tad sweet for some, but I think that's adds to the wine as the Syrah really gives it that rich spice that makes the blend really work IMO

A QPR (Quality Price Ratio) winner. Pick some up

90 Points

2006 Martinelli Zio Tony Ranch Chardonnay

Martinelli is a well known California producer of mostly Pinot Noir, Zinfandel and Chardonnay. They also make a Syrah and a few other varietals but I have not had any of those. Their Pinots, Zinfandels and Chardonnays are made from several single vineyards they bottle, as well as grapes from a combination of vineyards. The Zio Tony Ranch is one of them.

I have been on Martinelli's mailer and I have also bought their wines from the secondary auction market. This bottle was sourced via auction. I was able to get this 2006 Chardonnay at a very good price from a larger lot being sold.

Tasting Review Note

The nose showed classic California full flavored chardonnay with some toasted almond, lemon and oak. The taste had full and rich flavors of lemon oil, steel, cream and almonds. The mouthfeel was not heavy but the flavors were fairly raw. Not subtle. Very long finish. This 2006 Zio Tony Ranch might be worth it just for that. It really goes.

If someone does not appreciate full bodied California Chardonnay like this 2006 Martinelli, they may find the wine a little over-done. I might agree that while I love a quality full flavored Chardonnay - food (shellfish particularly) would really bring this out.

Not a cocktail wine, but the best Chardonnays - including white burgundies should be food wines IMO.

I would let this sit at least another year in the bottle. But if you are cranking out some nice crab or clam in a garlic white wine sauce (I'm getting hungry now!), let this open for an hour or so and go at it. Don't forget the French Bread for dipping!

90 Points

Nick

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2008 Kim Crawford Sauvignon Blanc

A very consistent producer of affordable, fun and tasty sauvignon blanc. Although there are vintages of Kim Crawford I have like slightly more than others, they are pretty close and solid year to year. The 2008's I have had from others have been fairly straight to the producer and similar to 2007.

Taste Review Notes

Green fruits with peach and tropical aroma and green. The taste was a little more tangy and a little heavier on the grapefruit. The acidity was vibrant as expected. Very crisp and clean, but I did not find this bottle as smooth as last year or the 2006 offering. I wanted to love this again, but didn't. This has scored in the 90 point range almost every year lately by Wine Spectator and even hacks like me! I don;t know what WS gave it yet or if they did or not.

I went through a case of the 2007 Kim Crawfords last summer and they were always the party pleaser. This one will be also, but I did not like it as much.

87 Points

2006 Catena Malbec Score Note

Malbecs are becoming good alternatives to THIS Italian fellas Chianti and Rosso Di Montalcino. I enjoy these lighter bodied, full flavored and good food wines. Catena is a classic affordable Argentina producer of Malbec wines. The 2006 follows a string of consistant vintages for Catena that normally score solidly.

For under $20, these are good values and they are widely available with large production and importing volume. Like Chiantis IMO, these wines benefit from a good food component as there is that classic old style red wine acidity that works best with sauces and hearty meals. This Malbec is the same.

Tasting Note

Nice aroma of spaice, flowers and some cranberry. The mouthfeel was a nice medium body that gave nice spicy fruit and a raisin taste with a semi light simple finish. I had this alone and then with some cheese and cured meat and the wine was measurably helped by the food. Still the wine is a bit on the simple side, but for the price point and availability, there is nothing to really complain about here.

A very nice wine and the price value is strong. I would give it a B+ on a Quality Price Value (QPR) basis.

Full Score: 88 Points

2005 Whitehall Lane Cabernet Sauvignon - Whitehall Lane Winery

I have had a few Whitehall Lane wines over the years. One of my favorites was the 1999 reserve Cabernet. Classy and delicious stuff. Their merlot is a wonderful wine as well. The 2005 Cabernet that this note is on is a young wine, and I have found Whitehall Lane is helped my some aging. They seem built in a classic style and probably should be held. Of course I did not do that here - but then we wouldn't have a note on here. I'm taking one for the team!

Tasting Review

Rich fruit aroma of cherries, blueberry, and some caramel. Full bodied, but a little tannic (because of the youth I would say) on the mouthfeel and swallow. The taste shows cherry cola, cranberry, sour fruit and some chocolate. The taste on this 2005 Whitehall improved over the 2 hours we had this. The finish was good in length but there was an obvious lack of complexity.

Tough to score and rate as the jury is out on this. If I was forced to give a number, I would go 87-89 points.

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2005 Beckmen Grenache Purisima Mountain Vineyard - Beckmen Vineyards

Beckmen is a favorite producer of mine for Syrah and now - Grenache. I love the style of his wines and this Purisima vineyard offering from the 2005 vintage was something pretty special. Actually, it may be the best wine I have had in the last 2-3 months.

I have limited experience with Grenache, but like any varietal - there are strong and weak. The Beckmen was not weak. Class, style and inviting. It was really fun to explore this wine as I was drinking it because I had no idea what was coming. My lack of exerience with quality Grenache wineries and vineyards made my impressions and tasting notes much more natural and unfiltered. Unlike cabernets where you are expecting some blackberry, currant, tannins and so on - I didn't have that here. But - that will probably be the last time as quality Grenache will be something I will look more for in the future. Beckmen and others.

Wine Note

Opened for 30 minutes prior with low pours. (further bottle time and longer opening would be even better)

Aroma of cinnamon, even cinammon toast ( a flashback to my childhood!), some strawberry. A wonderful rich array of fragrances coming from this wine. Very nice and evolving. Tastes of terrific dark mountain fruit, violets blueberry, black cherry, cream and really smooth combinations of flavor. Alcohol is 15.8% and you don't feel it on the taste or finish at all. Well - you "feel it" after a while lol, but there is no heat here that affects balance or taste enjoyment.

Finish is amazingly long, smooth and classy. 30 second plus finish. This wine is really my style. I'm all over it and will look to get more.

94 Points

2005 Loring Pinot Noir Gary's Vineyard - Loring Wine

I have enjoyed Loring's wines since the 2002 vintage. At their best they are fully flavored pinot noirs with last finishes. A their not so good (for my tastes), they can be a bit overdone with extracting and alcohol. The 2005 vintage has had some nice offerings in pinot noir and Loring's vineyard wines from 2005 are generally more to my taste - vs. the 2004's which were very full flavored but some wines were a little overdone.

I hate to generalize Loring wines by vintage as they have several single vineyard wines they produce, but I found several 2003 wines not to my liking. 04 was a very in your face vintage but very fun wines to just drink and get the fruit blast and the alcohol pop.

The 2005 Gary's delivers a bit of both.

Tasting Note

This was opened for 20 minutes and consumed over 1 hour. Dark smokey cherry aroma with a little maple aroma. Very nice nose.

The wine had nice acidity with forward tastes of strawberry, mineral and some cream. A little chalky towards the end, but that could subside with more time in bottle or glass.

89 Points

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2008 Nobilo Sauvignon Blanc - Nobilo

I am a big fan of affordable and flavor filled New Zealand Sauvignon Blancs. I drink a lot of them. Great summer wines. Most are very tasty and made by reliable producers. Sauvignon Blanc from New Zealand, including names like Nobilo, Brancott, Kim Crawford, Oyster Bay and my favorite - Cloudy Bay deliver consistency year after year...most of the time. 2008 so far seemed to be right there with 2007 wines and earlier vintages.

These wines should also be consumed young. Within 2 years of vintage IMO.

The price for most Sauvignon blancs are under $15. The Nobilo was $12. I may have seen this wine cheaper elsewhere. Anyway, this may be a one and done for me.

Wine Tasting Note

Very green and citrus smelling. Had that tart and sour smell and I was hoping the aroma would be just a little overstated and the taste wouldn't reflect these over done aromas. The taste was exactly what I feared. Very heavy grapefruit, lemon and citrus with unripe fruit within it. Mouthfeel was heavier than most Sauvignon Blancs - so it is not watery or light. Plenty of flavor - just the wrong kind for me.

The acidity, which is usually a virtue with Sauvignon Blancs just goes over and beyond with the 2008 Nobilo. I found this harsh and unbalanced. There are too many good ones out there for the same price or better that I have to say this is a pass.

Score: 83 Points

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2005 Mon Coeur Cotes du Rhone - Mon Coeur Wine

The 2005 Mon Coeur Cotes du Rhone was a wine I purchased a few months ago at an attractive price at auction. It has been a while since I have enjoyed a nice Rhone wine and not California Rhone! Actually I love many California Rhone style wne producers.

2005 is a very strong vintage throughout France. The Bordeaux hype is off the charts crazy of course. I am holding many wines from Burgundy and Bordeaux from 2005 and I hope many of you are as well. They will reward the wine drinker after aging some. The Mon Coeur was one I wanted to try early as it is not a big tannic young cabernet or merlot blend.

The aroma of this wine did not display a lot of youthfulness. It had a classic rhone nose of some ash, slight barnard which blew off by the second glass and some old world style terroir fruit.

The wine had a very nice taste of tea leaf, some citrus, fruit and spices. This changed as it was consumed which shows it youth and makes it a fun bottle to taste. It had some tartness on the finish and was a little disjointed towards the end, which I'll chalk up to the youngness of this Rhone wine. This is a food bottle, as most wines are - especially bottles from France, Italy and most classic grapes and traditional winemaking areas and producers.

The Mon Coeur provides a nice glimpse into the vintage and what this bottle may deliver in the years ahead.

I think I will hold off on an exact rating or score here. I'll say 88-90 point range for now.

Raptor Ridge Pinot Noir Wine - 2006 Raptor Ridge Shea Vineyard Bottle Tasting

The 2006 Raptor Ridge Shea Pinot Noir was a bottle I found at an excellent price on the Internet. I am finding nice deals on wine bottles online through retail stores and at auctio. I bought 3 of them and I think I paid $20 for each. An excellent price for highly regarded Pinot Noir from Oregon.

Oregon is one of my favorite areas for clean, but sharp and flavored pinot noir in the burgundy style of wine. This Raptor Ridge bottle is also from one of the great and more famous vineyards for wine in Oregon - Shea Vineyard.

The color was shiny and not dense. The aroma had nice strawberry, rubarb and some fruit seed. The mouthfeel and body of the wine had much more depth than color or even the nose was giving. This wine really packed a hidden punch of rich berry flavors, with some smooth spice and a very strong follow through.

A very clean - sharp wine that improved as the bottle was going down. Smooth and silky. Nothing wrong hear imo and a lot right. For the money, the Raptor Ridge Pinot Noir from the 2006 vintage is a wine bottle I recommend pretty strongly.

A high QPR (Quality Price Ratio)

I'm not sure what the production amount for this wine. If someone knows, feel free to post it - including the winemaker! By all means - participate.

Wine Score: 91 POINTS

2007 Neal Family Zinfandel - Neal Winery, Wine Bottle

Tried a bottle of the 2007 Neal Family Zinfandel. I have been drinking Neal Family for several years. They are a napa family winery that makes wonderful cabernet sauvignon, Zinfandel, Petite Sirah and Sauvignon Blanc. I should also throw in that they make really natural and tasty extra virgin olive oil. I love good olive oil! Need some more actually....

We have also met Mark Neal (wine owner) in New York City when he has come to visit. A solid guy who makes true california full flavored Napa Valley Zinfandel, Cabernet and more.

Anyway, I have been drinking their zinfandels for the past 4-5 years. The 2007 zinfandel wine is packed and layered with dark forward mountain fruit. This Neal is my kind of zinfandel. Dark rich fruit without feeling heavy and without burning high alcohol heat. I don't have the bottle with me (although I could easily go downstairs to see) but I believe it is under 15% and it is perfectly balanced. I think this bottle and vintage is the best Neal Zin in at least 2 years. Maybe it's just my style, but it works really well. It's a fun wine to drink!

Price point for this quality works well also. $24 (give or take a few bucks) is a great buy for this quality IMO. I have a case (well - less a bottle) and will enjoy these. Drink now - 2 years for peak imo, but longer wouldn't be a big risk either.

I did not write detailed notes on the 2007 Neal Family Zinfandel, but I would rate it a solid:

91 Points

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Wine Auction Buys - Wine Bottles Bought Jan 2009

On the Wine Spectator forum many of us post what wine bottles we are buying, whether in a store, through a mailing list or perhaps through auction (live or Internet). I have gotten a few requests to do the same here. It can help others learn some new names or perhaps see where the pricing is on some auction wines or other secondary market bottles.

I generally only buy higher end quality wine via auction or mailing list. I find most stores in any one geographical area generally buy from the same distributor sources, so you tend to see the same names.

Anyway, with the economy the way it is, I am finding stunning buys (for my tastes) on the Internet. Some over 75% off retail. Pretty crazy. Anyway, here are some wine bottle buys from January. I included the price for all as well.

2006 Dashe Cellars Zinfandel $15

2006 Saxum Broken Stones Syrah $50

2005 Copain McDowell Valley Vineyard Syrah $25

2004 Reverie Special Reserve $45

2006 Eric Kent Kalen's Big Boy Blend Syrah $25

2005 Anderson's Conn Valley Fournier Vineyard Chardonnay $15

2005 Jean-Louis Chave Mon Coeur Cotes Du Rhone $15

2005 Hartley Ostini Hitching Post Cork Dancer 5.1 Pinot Noir $20

2006 Martinelli Zio Tony Ranch Chardonnay $20

2006 Raptor Ridge Shea Vineyard Pinot Noir $25


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2005 Alcina Pinot Noir - Alcina Sangiacomo Vineyard Wine

I was able to find the 2005 Alcino Sangiacomo Vineyard Pinot Noir wine at a very good buy via online auction. It was fairly well rated and the price was pretty attractive, so I went for it. Doesn't take much with me! lol


2005 Alcina Pinot Noir Sangiacomo Vineyard Sonoma

I opened this about 30-45 minutes before drinking and we had this over a 90 minute period. The wine had an earthy aroma of cranberry and some baked apple. The mouthfeel was fairly heavy. On the palate it supported the nose with tastes of sour cherries, dark fruit and some smoke.

Ok. I love pinot noir - and earthy pinot. My first problem with this wine was it falls short in sugar. Not in alcohol but in pure sweetness to the the taste. I don't want a sugary wine but this almost had almost a sugar-free flavor to it. It also turned pretty sour towards the end. The finish on the Alcina was decent in length. It just wasn't a finish I really enjoyed. Turned rough and tart and after a while I just got tired drinking it.

Not my style. It may be yours.

84 Points.

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2003 Chateau des Fines Roches Chateauneuf du Pape - CDP

It has been a while since I have enjoyed a nice (not too young) Chateauneuf. I have always felt that for their Price to Quality Value (QPR), CDP is tough to beat. Compare the top quality Chateauneuf du Papes to Bordeaux or Burgundy and the price difference is pretty stark. True, most CDP - whether 2001, 2003 or other good years generally can't compete with a top Bordeaux wine from 2000, 2003 - but they are different wines. Most Bordeaux wines are fuller as they are blended with fuller grapes normally (Cabernet, Merlot).

The one negative for me with Chateauneuf Du Pape is having to write it many times in a wine review! like the Des Fines Roches 2003 CDP. The wine is worth it. Although I am going to abbreviate from hear on as I am a bit tired today and have been on my PC working on other stuff. I don't just drink wine and write about it. Although I wish I could!

Notes and Review

This had a very youthful and vibrant color. Not that 2003 is old, but CDP can be duller in color - if color in your wine is important. I kinda like a nice shine to my wine.

Aroma of sour cherries, earth and some floral components. I wrote Violets. The nose evolved to over time shaking off some of the earth and must (there wasn't much of the latter though). No funk or barnyard characteristics that can sometimes come through early on other Chateauneuf Du Pape. Not with the Chateau des Fines Roches.

The palate had nice cherries, cold stone terroir and finesse. The tannins were well integrated and the finish was clean and straight. Not long and fairly simple finish for this 2003 wine, but Chateauneuf Du Papes are not thick and long Napa Cabernets, so the ending of this wine should be judged for it's grape and make up.

All in all a very good wine for the price ($25 or so) and is available for searching with retail stores online.

Score: 89 Points

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Dashe Zinfandel Dry Creek Valley - 2006 Dashe Wine Notes, Zinfandel Score

Dashe is a wine producer in California that began in 1996. I had heard about their Zinfandels last year and have wanted to try one for some time. Writing notes for the first time on a wine like the 2006 Dashe Zinfandel dry creek valley was fun.

Dashe sources grapes for their wine making. They produce a few different Zinfandels. I am anxious to try others. The 2006 Dashe dry creek valley zinfandel was sourced by me via auction. I might want to look into getting some of these wines direct.

2006 Dashe Zinfandel Dry Creek Valley Zinfandel Note

This wine right away showed finesse and class for a zinfandel. It did not appear weighty, heavy or thick. The nose gave off very pleasant aromas of warm berries, caramel and some spice. Very little heat. The alcohol of 14.5% seems perfect on the nose. The mouthfeel was medium to full, but not thick, chewy or overdone. Tastes of
blackberry, and sweet seeded fruit with some cream. No hotness and a clean classy finish. Not overly long - but I find many Zinfandels with "wow" finishes tend to kill you with alcohol, suger and hotness.

I'd rather have less of a finish if the type is smoothed out. I tend to factor that into my score. But to each his own. The great thing about wine right?

Score 90 Points.

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Price: I have seen this zinfandel wine listed at $20 or more. I got it on the Internet for $15.00. A screaming buy at that price when you consider many of the other zinfandel producers (many worth it) at $30, $40 and up.


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2004 Domaine Chandon Chardonnay - Domaine Chandon Wine

This was an affordable Chardonnay (around $20) and I always like to give California Chardonnay a little spin when priced well. The 2004 Domaine Chandon is a name I see a lot of but have never tried their Chardonnay wine. The 2004 was my first go.

Shiny lime and gold color. It really had a crystal sharp gold look. Aroma of Sweet lemon, marmalade, citron a little burnt wood - but very faint. Tastes of lemonoil, cream and some toasted almond. Pretty restrained. No hotness and not overly oaky - which I like. Still, the wine wasn't very layered and the finish was pretty simple.

Nice wine that is fairly priced. I'd say it's neither a pass nor a buy. Neutral for me.

86 Points

New Years Eve Wines and More...

Happy New Year to everyone. I hope you enjoyed some nice wines, champagne and so on. We had a nice small gathering at our house. I had several wines at the ready and enjoyed several. I think we had a good run of it. Freezing snowy weather helped also!

Roederer Sparkling White Wine - Anderson Valley, California. This has become one of my favorite QPR (Quality Price Ratio) Champagne Sparklers. It is just a fabulous wine for the money and when compared to most Champagnes of very good quality, it is even a better drink. $20 or so and it always delivers. Has that combination I love in a sparkling white - crisp, not too sweet with perfect acidity and dryness. Nice stuff. Great Mimosa Champagne too! - what isn't?

2005 Outpost Zinfandel Howell Mountain - California. Outpost is one of my favorite Zinfandel producers, along with Carlisle for me. Not over the top but fruit packed with alcohol there, but not crazy. Outpost wines always have that fresh ground pepper undertaste with the fruit that just gives it great concentration.

2004 Rutherford Hill Merlot - California. Rutherford Hill is more modestly priced and while not an overly complex wine, it usually pleases anyone you pour it for. Casual wine lovers will really like it. I have had mixed results with some vintages of this. Some wines really do differ in quality from year to year. It's never bad, but the 2004 is very special.

Also drank a 2006 Gainey Pinot Noir, a Williamette Vineyards Pinot that I didn't love. Pretty short. I'll have to find which one exactly.

Drink a good wine tonight!

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