Monthly Archives: September 2007

Port Types Compared

Taylor Fladgate, Porto, Late Bottle Vintage 2000 Porty and pruny with a noticable sense of the fortifying spirit – true to type and sometimes the wine seems to have the alcohol integrated even better than usual. Bottled in 2006 in … Continue reading

Posted in Fortified dessert, Port, Portugal | Tagged , | Leave a comment

Zin and Primitivo

Gran Sasso, Puglia, Primitivo IGT 2005 Tasted in May ’08 this wine was blooming with brett and would repulse most consumers. A bottle tasted later in the summer proved to be a different animal. Oaky and earthy with new world … Continue reading

Posted in California, Dry Creek Valley, Lodi, Primitivo, Puglia, Russian River Valley, Sonoma County, Sonoma Valley, Zinfandel | Leave a comment

Sangiovese at Home and Abroad

Isole e Olena Chianti Classico DOCG 2003 Tonight’s bottle showed some herbaceousness and tannic grip, as well as evolving fruit. The bottle opened earlier in the year showed classic cherry fruit and complexing earthiness with some evolution and stewed fruit. … Continue reading

Posted in Chianti Classico, Sangiovese, Tuscany, Vino Nobile di Montepulciano | Leave a comment

V Squared

This flight pairs two of Italy’s well-known white grapes. Vernaccia from Tuscany and Vermentino from the island of Sardegna. Classically the Vernaccia has been described as crisp and full of minerality while the Vermentino was known for its broader, almost … Continue reading

Posted in Italy, San Gimignano, Sardegna, Tuscany, Vermentino, Vernaccia | Leave a comment

Chocolate Dessert

Jocelyn Lonen Napa Valley Zinfandel Port 2004 This wine combines sweet fruit, an essence of chocolate and spirit.  One of the class affectionately described it as like a chocolate candy filled with liqueur,  ‘alcohol in an envelope of something sweet’. … Continue reading

Posted in Fortified dessert, Port, Zinfandel | Leave a comment

Zin Challenge

This flight features 5 Zinfandel from 2001 to 2005 sourced from Napa and Paso Robles. Eberle Paso Robles Zinfandel 2005 Like eating a sweet cherry pie, this wine combines rich fruit, glycerol and oak into a viscous delight.  Even with … Continue reading

Posted in California, Napa Valley, Paso Robles, Zinfandel | Leave a comment

It’s Not Just for Cooking

Marsala is known the world over but like Madeira it often gets categorized as a mere cooking wine. This is unfortunate as the flavors can delight and since the wine is out of fashion, it’s price point is attractive. Florio … Continue reading

Posted in Fortified dessert, Italy, Marsala, Sicilia | Leave a comment

Zibibbo

Cantine Rallo Moscato di Pantelleria DOC 2003 This is the second bottle of this vintage tasted this year.  The Muscat comes through (known as Zibibbo in this part of the world).  During the last tasting we placed it side by … Continue reading

Posted in Italy, Muscat, Sicilia | Leave a comment

Island Blends

Planeta Sicilia IGT La Segreta Rosso 2006 Black fruits, mintiness and a moderate amount of extract and some light structure make this an easy drink. 50% Nero d’Avola, 25% Merlot, 20% Syrah and 5% Cab Franc grown at 100-250 metres, … Continue reading

Posted in Italy, Sardegna, Sicilia | Leave a comment

Sicilian Reds

This flight shows two budget Island reds with different personalitites. Nero d’Avola also goes by the moniker Calabrese. Feudo Arancio Sicilia IGT Nero d’Avola 2005 This wine carries on value shown in the 2003. One of the class described the … Continue reading

Posted in Italy, Nero d'Avola, Sicilia | Leave a comment

Island Wine

Southern Italian white table wines have improved by leaps and bounds over the last decade. As in other hot winegrowing regions, temperature control in the cellar is making the difference between wines that smell like nuts and varnish versus fresh … Continue reading

Posted in Italy, Sardegna, Sicilia, Vermentino | Leave a comment

Blandy’s 5 Year Malmsey

Blandy’s, Madeira, 5 Year Old, Malmsey nv This wine is quite consistent in displaying complexity, sweetness and balancing acidity.  Again today’s bottle wraps caramel and butterscotch into a good value fortified dessert wine. For me it makes one of the … Continue reading

Posted in Madeira, Portugal | Tagged , | Leave a comment

A Big Wine Production Starring Nebbiolo

Fratelli Revello Barolo DOCG 2003 This is the Revello’s regional bottling and it’s no slouch. Tasted earlier in the year, I wrote: spot on for the price, with new world styling of chocolaty oak and ripe fruit along with massive … Continue reading

Posted in Barbaresco, Barolo, Italy, Nebbiolo, Piemonte | Leave a comment

Barbera no Hanna

Barbera can deliver berry flavor with the acidity to keep up with acidic dishes. This flight featured two examples from either side of the Atlantic. The first time the California offering was from Seghesio. Tonight we line-up a wine from … Continue reading

Posted in Amador County, Barbera, Piemonte, Sierra Foothills, Sonoma County | Leave a comment

Gewurz is not second rate

Gewurztraminer has its detractors out there, yet I remain a fan. This flight features two regions that embrace this variety, Mendocino County’s Anderson Valley and sunny Alsace in the eastern reaches of France. Handley Anderson Valley Gewurztraminer 2006 This wine … Continue reading

Posted in Alsace, Anderson Valley, Gewurztraminer, Mendocino County | Leave a comment

Alsatian aperitif

Domaine Weinbach Alsace Reserve Pinot Blanc 2005 This is a gem.  There is fresh citrus, stone fruit and floral notes to smell.  In the mouth there is a moderate+ amount of acidity and the taste of citrus.  This is a … Continue reading

Posted in Alsace, France, Pinot Blanc | Leave a comment

Glorious Gris!

Zenato Delle Venezie IGT Pinot Grigio 2006 This regionally-labeled bottling has been a good value high-acid white. The 2005 emphasized citrus notes. The 2006 tasted in this class showed fruits ranging from citrus to tropical. There is a new world … Continue reading

Posted in Italy, Pinot Gris and Grigio, Sonoma Coast, Sonoma County | Leave a comment

California Port

Meyer Family California Port nv This wine was described by one of the students as tasting like a ‘rum raisin chocolate bar’.  I can’t improve on that.  This wine has complexity, some palpable alcohol as in these wines from the … Continue reading

Posted in California, Port | Leave a comment

Inland Mendocino Zin and Primitivo

This flight features two Mendo wines, one Zinfandel and the other Primitivo. Chiarito Mendocino Estate Bottled Zinfandel 2004 Quite structured with concentration of berries to keep up – a little warm. There’s 11% Petite Sirah in the final blend. Aging … Continue reading

Posted in California, Mendocino County, Primitivo, Zinfandel | Leave a comment

Elegant Zinfandel

The Russian River is known best around the world as the home of great New World Pinot Noir. But we can’t count out the Zin. There are old vineyards delivering concentrated flavors and wines that can be known for their … Continue reading

Posted in California, Russian River Valley, Sonoma County, Zinfandel | Leave a comment

Dry Creek Zinfandel

Wilson Winery Dry Creek Valley Sawyer Vineyard Zinfandel 2005 This is definitely jammy with a healthy dose of black pepper.  In the mouth the same jammy fruit and black pepper come through in a structured, tannic package.  You might remember … Continue reading

Posted in California, Dry Creek Valley, Sonoma County, Zinfandel | Leave a comment

Sweet treats from the Veneto

La Montecchia Colli Euganei DOC Fior d’Arancio Spumante Dolce 2005 Fresh and full of orange blossom and ginger just like Moscato d’Asti. The taste is strongly reminiscent of ginger ale; perhaps this is adult ginger ale. Today’s bottle was also … Continue reading

Posted in Late Harvest White, Sweet Sparkling, White Dessert | Leave a comment

Dried grapes dry wine

Valpolicella is a fascinating area where red wines are constructed from varying degrees of dried grapes. This flight runs from straight-on harvested fruit to all raisins, yet each of the wines is dry. Allegrini Valpolicella Classico DOC 2005 The first … Continue reading

Posted in Valpolicella | Leave a comment

Beyond Valpolicella

In the Veneto there are other red wines to discover, beyond the usual suspects Valpolicella and Bardolino. Vignalta Colli Euganei DOC Rosso Riserva 2001 Soft and light-bodied, this wine shows cherry fruit with herbaceous notes and a complexing hint of … Continue reading

Posted in Veneto Red | Leave a comment

Soave

Gini Soave Classico DOC 2005 Stone fruit characteristics yet losing freshness – disappointing compared to previous tasting of the same vintage.  Yet, all is not lost.  I just purchased another bottle, same vintage same source, and the wine is spot … Continue reading

Posted in Soave | Leave a comment

Veneto Cheer

Ruggeri Argeo Prosecco nv Not much concentration and very little sense of Prosecco bubble gum qualities – disappointing 11% $14.99 at Traveso’s  Ruggeri Prosecco di Valdobbiadene DOC Santo Stefano Dry nv Sweet with classic bubble gum flavors. Latest bottle was … Continue reading

Posted in Prosecco | Leave a comment

Tempted by Tempranillo

Tempranillo plays a key role in the Spanish region of Rioja and along the river Duero aka Douro on the other side of the border in Portugal. In the latter country Tempranillo goes by the name of Tinta Roriz or … Continue reading

Posted in California, Castilla y Leon, Douro, Paso Robles, Portugal, Spain, Tempranillo | Leave a comment

Grenache is good

Eno Mendocino County Eaglepoint Ranch Grenache 2005 Soft and full of lolly, 11 mos in neutral French oak, P&B in Berkeley 14.5% $19.99 at BB enowines.com Vinicola del Priorat Priorat DOQ Ònix Classic 2005 Dense berry and cherry fruit with … Continue reading

Posted in Grenache | Leave a comment

Andalucian classics

Lustau, Sherry, Solera Reserva, Light, Manzanilla, Papirusa nv Classic bruised apples and freshness with lots of almonds. Grab the olives for this one. This Palomino-based wine is matured in Sanlúcar de Barrameda, Bottling code: 7255 in Oct. ’08, 7255 in … Continue reading

Posted in Amontillado, Andalucia, Fino, Manzanilla, Palomino, Sherry, Spain | Tagged | Leave a comment

Refreshing Iberians

Fâmega Vinho Verde Denominação de Origem Controlada Vinho Branco 2006 Lean and green and pétillant – a great value example; petillance is gone with the second bottle in September but still the phenolic mineral grab and blazing acid are apparent. … Continue reading

Posted in Albariño | Tagged , , | Leave a comment