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: April 2008
Bordeaux blends
Justin Paso Robles Isosceles 2005 Lots of toasty oak and sour cherries with a thickness that lasts a long time. 78% Cabernet Sauvignon, 15% Cabernet Franc and 7% Merlot. GP&B in Paso Robles 14.6% $47.99 at Bottle Barn Justin Chateau … Continue reading
3 Cabernet all day
Paul Hobbs Napa Valley Cabernet Sauvignon 2005 Hobbs is truly the master at producing elegant, polished Cabernet. This wine has notes of the cigar box, a kiss of oak and ripe, supple tannins. P&B in Sebastopol 14.9% $74.99 at Bottle … Continue reading
Frankly Cab
Frank Family Vineyards Alexander Valley Cabernet Sauvignon 2000 This Alexander Valley Cab was made by the Napa winery known for its deft hand with the local fruit. Tonight we taste a wine from grapes sourced a little farther north. This … Continue reading
Posted in Alexander Valley, Cabernet Sauvignon, California
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Mountain Merlot
Pride Mountain Vineyards Napa Sonoma Merlot 2001 Unfortunately this wines was corked, which is especially disconcerting at this price. Pride has always delighted with the lush feel of their red wines. This is sourced from their estate on the county … Continue reading
Posted in California, Merlot, Napa Valley, Spring Mountain District
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For your favorite chef
Navarro Anderson Valley Chardonnay Verjus 2007 This is another non-alcoholic product from Navarro, but not for drinking but rather as an alternative in the kitchen. This is literally underripe grape juice, green juice, as it were that you might use … Continue reading
Posted in Anderson Valley, California, Chardonnay
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Before there is wine, there is juice
Perhaps the next best thing to wine; anyone who has made wine knows how delicious this is. Yes, I’m talking about freshly crushed grape juice. Navarro has longed shared this specialty with the rest of the world and tonight we … Continue reading
Posted in California, Gewurztraminer, Mendocino County, Pinot Noir
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The lush life in Napa
Dolce Napa Valley Late Harvest Wine 2003 This is the classic California Sauternes competitor, in flavor and in price. There’s a blend of pineapple and caramel with honey and minerality on a viscous palate where the flavor goes on and … Continue reading
Posted in California, Late Harvest White, Napa Valley, Semillon
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Being Frank
Frank Family Napa Valley Zinfandel 2006 Known for awesome Cabernet, tonight we sample their Zin. This wine smells of vanilla and other essences of dessert. There’s lots of extract, very jammy in black fruit and a healthy heft of tannin. … Continue reading
Posted in California, Napa Valley, Zinfandel
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Rhone grapes here and there
Les Restanques de Pibarnon Bandol 2003 This is a good value offering from Pibarnon, showing ripe fruit overlaid with ripe tannins. This wine gets better each time I taste it. The complexity is there and the edges are softening when … Continue reading
Posted in Bandol, California, Central Coast, Cotes du Rhone, France, Grenache, Mourvedre, Uncategorized
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Break out the saddle
Bridlewood Central Coast Winner’s Circle Selection “Blue Roan” Syrah 2004 Just a few evenings ago we tasted another of the Winner’s Circle Selection Syrah and it was true to the the house style showing lots of oak essence wound into … Continue reading
Posted in California, Central Coast, Syrah, Uncategorized
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Celebrate with pink in the South of France
Domaine de Fontsainte Corbieres Gris de Gris 2007 This has been a stellar rose with traditional complexity and suppleness. The ’07 is very fresh, just full of strawberries, crisp yet filled out and far from lean. The grapes are … Continue reading
Posted in Corbieres, France, Rosé
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Focus on Central Otago
The second flight of Pinot tonight is drawn exclusively from the wine region of Central Otago. Mt. Difficulty Central Otago Pinot Noir 2006 Firm, gripping and marked by earthy and berry notes. P&B in Bannockburn 14.5% $28.99 at Bottle Barn … Continue reading
Posted in Central Otago, New Zealand, Pinot Noir
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Southern Pinot
2 flights of Pinot from New Zealand and here is number 1 Daniel Schuster Waipara Pinot Noir Selection 2006 Intense acidity marks this Pinot to drink with food today or lay down in the cellar. P&B in Waipara 14% $26.99 … Continue reading
Posted in Madeira, Marlborough, Nelson, New Zealand, Pinot Noir, Waipara
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Blending in the field
Ridge California Lytton Springs 2005 This traditional field blend comes from the site on Lytton Springs Road running between the heart of Dry Creek and Highway 101 in Sonoma County. There is plenty of black pepper on top of the … Continue reading
Posted in California, Dry Creek Valley, Zinfandel
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Mendo dessert
Think rapsberry tart with this Riesling and your cares will melt away. Navarro Anderson Valley Late Harvest Cluster Select White Riesling 2006 Richness personified with acidity to balance. There is plenty of honey on top of the tropical fruit. There … Continue reading
Posted in Anderson Valley, California, Mendocino County, Riesling
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4 Alternatives when you’re feeling dry
Navarro Anderson Valley Estate Bottle Dry Muscat 2006 This wine has consistently dazzled with the ebulent smell of Muscat in a dry format. Tonight it is perfect again. P&B in the little hamlet of Philo 13.5% $19 at the winery … Continue reading
Virginia and Bordeaux
Jefferson and others in America’s early history admired the wines of Bordeaux and brought their passion to the early states. This line-up features a wine from the Virginia producer that so delighted us last week and a well-regarded fourth growth … Continue reading
Sauternes on the cheap
Chateau Gravas Sauternes 2004 This wine hasn’t been a show stopper but it isn’t bad. I mean this in the best way possible. Sauternes from the heavyweight producers has become prohibitively expensive for many. The Gravas offers a glimpse of … Continue reading
Posted in France, Sauternes, Sauvignon Blanc, Semillon
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Tuscan classic
Castellare Chianti Classico 2004 This estate has traditionally shown an Old World expression in their wines from Tuscany. This wine is spot-on again, showing the lean and acidic style of Sangiovese with a touch of green character. The grapes are … Continue reading
Posted in Chianti Classico, Italy, Sangiovese, Tuscany
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Here comes Austria
Two of the leading white wine varieties make up this tiny flight. Berger Kremstal Gruner Veltliner 2006 This wine has been a value and notice you get a super size. Again tonight this wine is on target, lean and acidic. … Continue reading
Posted in Austria, Kamptal, Kremstal
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Bordeaux grapes and their blends
This flight features 5 wines where Cabernet and others of the famous 5 make an appearance, in vintages ranging from 2005 back to 2002. The Sinskey and ZD were the clear favorites from the recent vintages in this flight. Their … Continue reading
Black Magic
Carol Shelton Sonoma County Black Magic Late Harvest Zinfandel 2006 Many feel that Carol has a magic hand when it comes to Zin. This offering for dessert is on the lighter side of RS with just 6.5% residual sugar, making … Continue reading
Posted in California, Sonoma County, Zinfandel
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A search for the most affordable Pinot
In the search for ever more affordable Pinot Noir, California producers are looking abroad. The 1.5 litre offering from Gallo’s Twin Valley line now sports an Italian origin. Gallo Twin Valley Provincia di Pavia Pinot Noir nv This is certainly … Continue reading
Posted in Italy, Pinot Noir
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Sweet Sparkling
La Spinetta Moscato d’Asti DOCG 2006 A favorite from the legend. I was blessed to meet Rivetti before the skyrocket to fame. This wine remains an affordable gem, with the essence of Muscat aching for fresh berries on a summer … Continue reading
Posted in Italy, Muscat, Piemonte
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Madeira my dear?
Cossart Gordon, Madeira, 5 Years Old, Bual nv This is a rich style of Madeira from the Bual grape, though not as sweet as Malmsey. P&B by the Madeira Wine Company in Funchal 19% $21.99 at Bottle Barn Cossart Gordon
Posted in Bual, Madeira, Portugal
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Spotlight on Allegrini
Allegrini Valpolicella DOC 2006 This wine has been consistently clean and refreshingly full of acidity, though in previous vintages it was labeled as being only from the Classico district. 60% Corvina, 35% Rondinella and 5% Molinara. Estate bottled in Fumane … Continue reading
Posted in Corvina, Italy, Valpolicella, Veneto
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