Monthly Archives: December 2008

Mirassou Merlot 2006

Mirassou, California, Merlot 2006 The smells are of sweet, jammy black fruits. In the mouth this wine is quite supple and slightly sweet, melting a sense of vanilla into the black fruits. A bit of Zinfandel and Syrah augments the … Continue reading

Posted in California, Merlot | 1 Comment

Dancing Bull Cabernet 2006

Dancing Bull, California, Winemaker’s Reserve, Cabernet Sauvignon 2006 The nose reminds one of a dusty road with sweet flowers and fruit in the background. In the mouth, this Cabernet is a supple, easy drink, mildly sweet and easy. Besides the … Continue reading

Posted in Cabernet Sauvignon, California | 2 Comments

Quady’s Starboard 1996

Quady Winery, Amador County, Starboard 1996 The raisins are in full force, chocolate and lots of sweet smells melded with a hint of the fortifying spirit. The mouth sports chocolate and caramel with a strong but appropriate sense of the … Continue reading

Posted in Amador County, California, Port | Leave a comment

Siduri Ven der Kamp Pinot 2006

Siduri, Sonoma Mountain, Van der Kamp Vineyard, Pinot Noir 2006 The nose combines fresh and dried fruits along with the forest floor. The mouth is warm and silky. P&B in Santa Rosa 14.1% $36.99 at Bottle Barn Siduri

Posted in California, Pinot Noir, Sonoma County, Sonoma Mountain | Leave a comment

Hamilton Russell Pinot Noir 2007

Hamilton Russell Vineyards, Hemel-en-Aarde Valley, Pinot Noir 2007 Like the previous vintage, this wine is a rustic style of Pinot. I’d like to try another bottle before passing judgment. Grown, made, matured and bottled on the estate in, Hermanus 13.5% … Continue reading

Posted in Hemel-en-Aarde Valley, Pinot Noir, South Africa | Tagged | Leave a comment

Sonnet Santa Cruz Mountains Muns Vineyard Pinot Noir 2005

Sonnet, Santa Cruz Mountains, Muns Vineyard, Pinot Noir 2005 There is bright berry fruit, and a bit of Bandaid in the nose. The mouth is still rather tight and the fruit is starting to break out and shine. The vineyard, … Continue reading

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Thomas Fogarty Santa Cruz Mountains Reserve Pinot Noir 1999

Thomas Fogarty, Santa Cruz Mountains, Estate Reserve, Pinot Noir 1999 There’s quite a sense of the horse saddle at this point in time, with brown spices and prunes and dried fruits. The mouth is drying out and the brett is … Continue reading

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Savannah-Chanelle Russian River Gunsalus Vyd Pinot Noir 2005

Savannah-Chanelle Vineyards, Russian River Valley, Gunsalus Vineyard, Pinot Noir 2005 The fruit is almost liquer-like in the nose, with a jammy character. In the mouth, the fruit is also vibrant. P&B down in Saratoga. 14.5% $50 at the Winery savannahchanelle.com

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

Innocent Bystander Pinot Noir 2007

Innocent Bystander, Victoria, Pinot Noir 2007 This is one of those Pinots that has the smoky character of an ashtray. In the mouth, there are green characters and astringency – a disappointment from this producer. The grapes are sourced from … Continue reading

Posted in Australia, Pinot Noir, Victoria | Leave a comment

Omrah Pinot Noir 2007

Plantagenet, Western Australia, Omrah, Pinot Noir 2007 The wine smells of earth and cherries. In the mouth, the smells repeat with a touch of the richness of oak. This is a good value Pinot. The grapes are from vineyards in … Continue reading

Posted in Australia, Pinot Noir, Western Australia | Leave a comment

Segura Viudas Aria Cava

Segura Viudas, Cava, Brut, Aria, Pinot Noir nv This seems a sweeter brut than many with some astringency – awkward. This is traditional method sparkling, fermented in the bottle opened and produced in Torrelavit 12% $7.49 at Bottle Barn

Posted in Cava, Pinot Noir, Spain, Sparkling Dry | Leave a comment

Lucien Albrecht Brut Rose

Lucien Albrecht, Cremant d’Alsace, Brut, Rose nv In the nose are candied fruits and flowers. The mouth is quite fruity, moderately acidic with some creaminess – nice value. This wine is all Pinot Noir and the wine spends 9 months … Continue reading

Posted in Alsace, Cremant d'Alsace, France, Pinot Noir, Sparkling Dry | Leave a comment

Williams Selyem Vista Verde Pinot 2006

Williams Selyem San Benito County, Vista Verde Vineyard, Pinot Noir 2006 Tasted at the Wine & Spirts Magazine panel tasting last week, this was one of the eleven of 45 wines passed through to the next round. In the nose, … Continue reading

Posted in California, Pinot Noir, San Benito County | 1 Comment

California Viognier

This flight provides an interesting contrast in California Viognier. Both are well-made but different animals entirely. The Preston is lighter, fresher, with aromatics that might remind one of a dry California Gewurztraminer. The Cold Heaven is rich, thick and buttery, … Continue reading

Posted in California, Dry Creek Valley, Santa Barbara County, Santa Ynez Valley, Sonoma County, Viognier | Leave a comment

Duckhorn Sauvignon Blanc 2007

Duckhorn Vineyards, Napa Valley, Sauvignon Blanc 2007 Ripe citrus and floral notes dazzle your nose when you smell this wine. In the mouth, it is round and softer than many SBs, with ripeness of fruit and a little warmth. When … Continue reading

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Oregon Pinot Noir

Cloudline, Oregon, Pinot Noir 2007 There’s vegetative characters and compost with a sense of carbonic maceration. The nose on this wine never seemed to come around. The mouth repeats on the smells and is very light-bodied and low in concentration. … Continue reading

Posted in Oregon, Pinot Noir, Willamette Valley | Leave a comment

Woodenhead Anderson Valley Pinot 2003

Woodenhead, Anderson Valley, Pinot Noir 2003 The wine has developed volatility which shows in both the smell and on the palate yet the fruit is still quite vibrant across the tongue. P&B in Forestville 14.5% estimated price of $40 at … Continue reading

Posted in Anderson Valley, California, Mendocino County, Pinot Noir | Leave a comment

Toulouse Pinot Noir 2006

Toulouse, Anderson Valley, Pinot Noir 2006 Smoky and spiritous in the nose and warm and gripping in the mouth. The wine was aged for 12 months in French oak. P&B in Philo 14.5% $39 at the winery Toulouse Vineyards

Posted in Anderson Valley, California, Mendocino County, Pinot Noir | Leave a comment

Reds from the Northern Rhone

This flight features 3 wines from the Northern Rhone, all 100% Syrah. Domaine Eric et Joel Durand, Cornas, Empreintes 2005 In the nose there is tar, a sense of permanent solution, meat and black fruits. With more air the black … Continue reading

Posted in Cornas, Cote-Rotie, Hermitage, Rhône, Syrah | Leave a comment

Cotes du Rhone Red

Jean-Luc Colombo, Cotes du Rhone, Les Abeilles 2006 This is a juicy-fruity budget offering from the famous Cornas producer. It drinks easily with a little bit of structure. Eleve et mis in La Roche de Glun in Tain 13.5% $??? … Continue reading

Posted in Chateauneuf-du-Pape, Cotes du Rhone, France, Grenache, Mourvedre, Rasteau | Leave a comment

Jacques Puffeney Arbois Vin Jaune 1998

Domaine Jacques Puffeney, Arbois, Vin Jaune 1998 The smell of Fino Sherry hits you directly in the nose, that sense of nuttiness and apples. There is also some sense of volatility. In the mouth, you are reminded of tart, green … Continue reading

Posted in Arbois, France, Jura, Savagnin, Vin Jaune | Leave a comment

Clos Lapeyre Jurancon Sec 2007

Clos Lapeyre, Jurancon Sec 2007 This wine is intensly acidic with great concentration of tart, green fruit. The intensity is on a par with what you get in the great Semillons of the Hunter, with an appropriate, underripe character. It’s … Continue reading

Posted in France, Gros Manseng, Jurancon | Leave a comment

Pierre Gonon Saint-Joseph “Les Oliviers 2006

Domaine Pierre Gonon, Saint-Joseph, “Les Oliviers” 2006 This bottle of white Saint-Joseph sports a toasty nose, with minerality and nuttiness. The mouth follows a similar line, with toasty, smoky essence and buttery richnss. This is a fat and weighty white … Continue reading

Posted in France, Marsanne, Rhône, Roussanne, Saint-Joseph | Leave a comment

Ogier Viognier 2006

Michel & Stéphane Ogier, Vin de Pays des Collines Rhodaniennes, Vigonier de Rosine 2006 You would swear this wine is from the New World when you stick your nose in the glass. The peachy fruit is just so vibrant. In … Continue reading

Posted in France, Rhône, Vin de Pays des Collines Rhodaniennes, Viognier | Leave a comment

Vieux Telegraphe White Chateauneuf 2006

Domaine du Vieux Telegraphe, Chateauneuf-du-Pape, “La Crau” 2006 The wine today is Brunier’s white CDP. In the nose there is baking bread, straw and a subtle sense of stone fruits. In the mouth the wine is quite weighty, mineral driven … Continue reading

Posted in Chateauneuf-du-Pape, Clairette, France, Grenache Blanc, Rhône | Leave a comment

Huet Clos du Bourg Moelleux 2002

Domaine Huet, Vouvray, Clos du Bourg, Moelleux, Premiere Trie 2002 The nose sports minerality and citrus and the mouth is vivaciously alive, singing with acidity and joined in a chorus with flavors of tangerine and pineapple. This is certainly not … Continue reading

Posted in Chenin Blanc, France, Late Harvest White, Loire Valley, Vouvray, White Dessert | Leave a comment

Chapoutier Les Coufis de Paille de l’Ardeche 2001

M. Chapoutier, Vin de Table de France, Doux, Les Coufis de Paille de l’Ardeche 2001 This wine is deeply golden, picking up hues of amber and a touch of khaki. The nose is a complex mix of orange and spice, … Continue reading

Posted in France, Rhône, Viognier, White Dessert | Leave a comment

Lustau Amontillado Los Arcos

Lustau, Jerez DO, Solera Reserva, Dry, Amontillado, Los Arcos nv This wine is nutty and sweet smelling but beware it’s not sweet. In the mouth is a sense of toffee, peanut brittle and toasted almonds. This is the budget Amontillado … Continue reading

Posted in Jerez, Palomino, Sherry, Spain | Leave a comment

Finca Sobreno Toro 2004

Finca Sobreno, Toro DO, Crianza 2004 There is a rustic quality to the nose, combining earthiness and fruit on the ground. In the mouth this wine is a baby with ample tannin and a balance of acidity and extract – … Continue reading

Posted in Spain, Tempranillo, Toro | Leave a comment

Alto Moncayo veraton 2006

Bodegas Alto Moncayo, Campo De Borja DO, veraton 2006 This wine exudes the sweet smell of oak with a hint of cedar. The mouth is soft and fruity, having a lusciousness that is true to the house style.This wine is … Continue reading

Posted in Campo De Borja, Grenache, Spain | Leave a comment