Wine Regions & Grapes
Sampling of Wineries
Acorn Andrea Oberto Atlas Peak Benziger Beringer Blandy's Bodega Navarro Correas Burgans Cantina Terlano Chimney Rock Chronicle Domaine Carneros Domaine de la Mordoree Dow's Dr. Loosen Emilio Lustau Fonseca Foxen Gaston Riviere Glen Ellen Hess Collection Innocent Bystander Kendall-Jackson Korbel La Caudrina Luna Vineyards Madeira Wine Company Martin Codax Masi Merryvale Mulderbosch Navarro Vineyards Pahlmeyer Roederer Estate Ruggeri Sawyer Cellars Sbragia Six Sigma Winery St. James Steltzner Vineyards Trinchero Winery Trione V. Sattui Winery William Fevre Wilson Winery
Monthly Archives: November 2007
The Refreshing Side of the McLaren Vale
Yangarra McLaren Vale Single Vineyard Roussanne 2007 Pretty floral notes with bits of herbs. The mouth is full of citrus with a light body and some refreshing acidity. V&B in McLaren Vale 13% import sample Yangarra McLaren Vale Single Vineyard … Continue reading
Posted in Australia, Grenache, Marsanne, McLaren Vale, Rhone Blend, Rosé, Roussanne, Syrah, Viognier
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Muscat Love?
Domaine des Bernardins Muscat de Beaumes-de-Venise 2005 Quite complex with apparent alcohol. 100% Muscat Blanc a Petits Grains. Mis par Cave Castaud in Beaumes-de-Venise 15% $12.99 (375ml) at Bottle Barn
Posted in France, Muscat, Muscat Beaumes de Venise, Rhône
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Baby Beaucastel
Perrin & Fils Cotes du Rhone Villages 2004 Gamey with earthy notes and a fair amount of tannin. This wine is 50% Syrah and 50% Grenache. Mis in Orange 13% $9.69 at Bottle Barn
Posted in France, Rhône
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The Lighter Side of Rhone
Chateau La Canorgue Cotes du Luberon 2006 Unfortunately this wine is showing its alcohol quite overtly. The grapes for this wine are Clairette, Roussanne, Marsanne and Bourboulenc. La Canorgue farms its 30 hectares biodynamically. Mis au chateau par Jean-Pierre et … Continue reading
Posted in Coteaux-du-Tricastin, Cotes du Luberon, France, Rhône
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Secret Sauvignon
Craggy Range Martinborough Te Muna Road Vineyard Sauvignon Blanc 2006 Te Muna means ‘secret place’ and it is where this vineyard is located, adjacent to the Huangarua River. P&B in Havelock North 13.5% $19.99 at K&L Craggy Range
Posted in Martinborough, New Zealand, Sauvignon Blanc
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A Travel to Tavel
Domaine de la Mordoree Tavel La Dame Rousse 2006 Smells of strawberry and bisquits. There’s a broad mouthfeel with fruit to taste and added weight compared to other roses – very nice. The grapes behind this pink wine are 60% … Continue reading
Love that Bolly
Bollinger, Champagne, Special Cuvee Brut nv This wine is typically quite complex with earthy notes that are not always embraced by those who favor more fruit-forward styles of sparkling. While I’m a fan of fruit too, I love the multitude … Continue reading
A Grave Lafitte
Chateau Smith Haut Lafitte 2004 The previous bottle of 2004 tasted earlier in the year was full of toasty oak with brett complexity. The brett was a nice touch but too much for some. Also the mouth was laced with … Continue reading
Posted in Bordeaux, Cabernet Sauvignon, France, Pessac-Leognan
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Blandy’s at the Decade
Blandy’s Madeira 10 Years Old Rich Malmsey nv Last tasting notes show great complexity though the 5 year is a pretty good value. Again the wine is complex, nutty and shaped by the acidity that we expect from Madeira. A … Continue reading
Posted in Madeira, Malvasia, Portugal
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This isn’t Madeira
Though we often associate Verdelho with the volcanic island of Madeira, there is also a following for this grape in Australia. It makes up less than 5% of the total white grape harvest but still out paces ever fashionable Viognier. … Continue reading
Posted in Australia, Langhorne Creek, South Australia, Verdelho
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Australian Port
Penfolds South Australia Club Tawny Port nv The last bottle tasted was maple syrup personified with completely integrated alcohol. Made from Shiraz, Grenache and Mourvedre and matured in small oak in Kalimna. The wine was subsequently bottled at Penfolds facility … Continue reading
Pinot North and South
On a later date we tasted the substantial Pinot from Amisfield alongside this gem from Australia. Kooyong Mornington Peninsula Haven Pinot Noir 2004 This is one of the single vineyard bottlings from Kooyong. Tasted a year later in December ’08, … Continue reading
Victorian Shiraz
De Bortoli Yarra Valley Estate Grown Shiraz Viognier 2005 Smells of sweet cherry pie, oak and a hint of eucalyptus. This dense Shiraz shows how good it can be when there’s a good heft of acidity to balance the taste … Continue reading
Posted in Australia, Pyrenees, Syrah, Yarra Valley
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Rockin’ Rose
Wild Rock Central Otago Rose 2006 Fresh strawberries and perfume to smell and a clean, dry, fruity palate with some creamy texture. Vin Gris from Pinot Noir, P&B in Hastings, Hawkes Bay 14% $9.99 at Bottle Barn Wild Rock
Posted in Central Otago, New Zealand, Pinot Noir, Rosé
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Australian Chardonnay is Not Cut of One Cloth
In this latest taste-off, we look at a Kiwi Chardonnay alongside the Giaconda. Babich Hawke’s Bay Unoaked Chardonnay 2006 This wine is all stainless steel. P&B in Henderson 13.5% $10.99 at K&L Babich Two delicious wines, two very different interpretations … Continue reading
Posted in Australia, Chardonnay, Hawke's Bay, McLaren Vale, New Zealand, South Australia, Victoria
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Sweet Chardonnay
Kendall-Jackson Arroyo Seco Late Harvest Chardonnay 2005 We’re featuring the wines of France tonight. As we don’t have a bottle of the Thevenet’s Late Harvest wine from the Macon, I thought we would taste one of the few late harvest … Continue reading
Pinot on Parade
Maison Ambroise Cote de Nuits Villages 2005 More brett than I would have liked, this wine is quite astringent and a little warm in the mouth. Frankly, it’s not up to what I’ve had from Amroise in the past. Vinified … Continue reading
Posted in Burgundy, Cote de Nuits Villages, France, Marsannay, Pinot Noir
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The Beaujolais is Here!
This flight offers the opportunity to look at two versions of Gamay. The first is brand new Nouveau (is that redundant?) and the second is from the Cru Julienas. Domaine Manoir du Carra Beaujolais Villages Nouveau 2007 This is a … Continue reading
Posted in Beaujolais, Burgundy, France, Gamay
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3 Looks at Burgundian Chardonnay
This flight features Chardonnay from 3 respected producers. There is an inexpensive Macon, a more formidable Puligny and lastly a Chablis with some age on it. Les Heritiers du Comte Lafon Macon 2006 This wine embodies the citrus side of … Continue reading
Posted in Burgundy, Chablis, Chardonnay, Macon, Puligny Montrachet
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The Other Grapes of Burgundy
Domaine Goisot Bourgogne Aligote 2004 An evolving nose and aging palate with nutty complexity and ample acidity. Eleve et mis en bouteilles par Anne et Arnaud Goisot in Saint-Bris-le-Vineux 12% $10.99 at K&L Domaine Goisot Saint-Bris 2004 Lots of sulfur … Continue reading
Posted in Aligote, Burgundy, France, Sauvignon Blanc
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Start with an Aperitif
Kir This classic French aperitif was orginally made with the austere Aligote and the sweet Cassis, both from Burgundy. With the least expensive Bourgogne Aligote selling for $11 in San Francisco, however, it makes no sense to be a traditionalist. … Continue reading
Posted in Aperitif, France
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Two Takes on Provence
Jade Mountain California La Provencale 2004 Previous notes show the wine as complex and oaky though the 2nd bottle earlier in the year seemed a little alcoholic. Tonight’s bottle is very supple again and I don’t think most people would … Continue reading
Posted in Cabernet Sauvignon, California, Cotes de Provence, France, Grenache, Mourvedre, Provence, Rhone Blend, Syrah
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Brunier’s Satellite
Domaine Les Pallieres Gigondas 2003 This has been a consistent performer at a more affordable price than the well-made Brunier wines from CDP. The last bottle tasted earlier in 2007 was good again, but the tannic astringency at that time … Continue reading
Posted in France, Gigondas, Grenache, Rhone Blend, Rhône
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Remember White Bordeaux?
Chateau Guiraud Bordeaux Vin Blanc Sec 2005 The last bottle tasted in early 2007 was very fresh, combining high acid with depth of flavor. This bottle was on target again, with roundness to complement the acidity. Sourced from vines with … Continue reading
Posted in Bordeaux, France, Sauvignon Blanc, Semillon
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Chenin Blanc in Evolution
Régis Cruchet Vouvray Sec 2005 The last bottle tasted earlier in the year was rather evolved yet still possessing the textbook acidity. Perhaps it was one bottle where the cork didn’t hold in the SO2 effectively. No, again we see … Continue reading
Posted in Chenin Blanc, France, Vouvray
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California and Burgundy Head-to-Head
Vincent Girardin Rully 1er Cru Les Cloux 2005 Very nice. Vinifié, élevé et mis en bouteille a Meursault 13.5% $24.99 at K&L Vincent Girardin .com Chateau Montelena Napa Valley Chardonnay 2005 My notes from previous bottles of the 2004 and … Continue reading
Posted in Burgundy, California, Chablis, Chardonnay, Gevrey-Chambertin, Napa Valley, Rully, Volnay
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Hungary Reigns
The previous tasting in the California and Europe class in San Francisco pitted Baumard against Oremus. Tonight’s flight brings in a different top-flight producer, this time from Sauternes. Both the Raymond-Lafon and the Oremus will be tasted side-by-side. In both … Continue reading
Domaine Les Yeuses Vin de Pays d’Oc Vermentino 2006
Inexpensive, clean and perhaps a hint of residual sugar. Jean-Paul and Michel Dardé maintain a 70+ hectare vineyard near the bassin de Thau in the commune of Meze, where they grow Chardonnay, Sauvignon, Terret, Muscat, Syrah, Merlot and Vermentino. Mis … Continue reading
Posted in France, Vermentino
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