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
Tuesday, May 26, 2009
Sunday, May 17, 2009
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.
Kitchen and Bath Products on Sale at HomeCenter.com!
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.
Kitchen and Bath Products on Sale at HomeCenter.com!
Saturday, May 16, 2009
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!
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!
Friday, May 15, 2009
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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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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Classic Wine Decanter designed by Antonio Citterio & Toan Nguyen for Iittala Finland
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.
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.
Thursday, May 14, 2009
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.
Cuisinart CWC-1500 15 Wine Bottle Dual-Zone Electric Wine Cellar
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.
Cuisinart CWC-1500 15 Wine Bottle Dual-Zone Electric Wine Cellar
Sunday, May 3, 2009
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
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
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