S3x, Russian River Valley, Late Harvest, Riesling 2006 Tasted back in early ‘08 this wine was a show-stopper. Now in early ‘09 the dried apricots are still shining with essence of honey in the nose. What makes this wine so special is the acidity which balances the immense thickness. The numbers on this wine are [...]

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Chateau Guiraud, Sauternes 2005 Minerality, honey and tropical fruits mark the nose. The mouth is all caramel with hints of that minerality – destined to be drunk with creme caramel. 85 hectares are planted to 65% Semillon and 35% Sauvignon Blanc; the vines average 35-40 years in age and the soil is predominantly sandy gravel. [...]

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James Family, Sonoma Coast, Stony Point Vineyard, Pinot Noir 2007 The nose features sweet fruit, earthiness and a little warmth while the mouth is a delicious combination of red fruits, earthiness and brown spices. P&B by the James Family in Sebastopol from the fruit that they grow on the Cotati Grade 14.3% $34.99 at the [...]

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Mt. Difficulty, Central Otago, Roaring Meg, Pinot Noir 2006
The red fruit smells blend with a bit of compost in the nose. The mouth is tart and a little tannic and lasts a long time. P&B in Bannockburn 14.5% $17.99 at Bottle Barn [...]

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MacPhail Family, Anderson Valley, Frattey Shams Vineyard, Pinot Noir 2006 This wine is smoky and warm in the nose and pure suppleness in the mouth. The cherry fruit integrates perfectly with the oak – very polished. The wine spent 11 months in French oak. P&B in Sebastopol 14.5% $55 at the winery MacPhail Family Wines

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Cloudy Bay, Marlborough, Pinot Noir 2006 In the nose there are fresh and lightly stewed cherries. This wine demonstrates the tart character that Pinot can display and how refreshing and food-friendly that can be. The mouthfeel is creamy as well, with a sense of the tannins framing the wine yet fully ripe they are. From [...]

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Saint Clair, Marlborough, Pinot Noir 2007 Give this new vintage a little air to blow off a bit of reductive character. The fruit is quite alive in the mouth, clean and lively with a price that makes it a great value! The previous vintage was the class favorite on the night it was served almost [...]

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Kosta Browne, Russian River Valley, Amber Ridge Vineyard, Pinot Noir 2004 Sweet oak and brown spices blend with some notes of evolution as this wine develops bottle bouquet. It’s beginning to move into a more complex realm where Pinot shows why it is fit to drink with some age as well as quaffing it fresh.  [...]

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Williams Selyem, Russian River Valley, Rochioli Riverblock Vineyard, Pinot Noir 2006 The fruit smells from the nose just pop out at you, a mix of the fresh and the candied. In the mouth, the fruit repeats with a creaminess that adds a most delightful caress of the tongue. P&B in Healdsburg 14.4% $109.99 at Traverso’s [...]

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Rochioli, Russian River Valley, Pinot Noir 2006 There’s a very sweet expression of fruit in the nose. The mouth is repeats this theme delivering long on the fruit – there’s a yumminess to this wine. Estate grown, produced & bottled in Healdsburg 14.2% $50 at Traverso’s though probably sold out as of this post. J. [...]

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Eaglepoint, Mendocino County, Albarino 2007 In the nose there are stone fruits, candy and flowers. The mouth is spot-on crisp and fruity. The grapes are sourced from Rolland and Barbara Wentzel’s organic property in the Anderson Valley. Cellared and bottled in Redwood Valley 13.9% $14.49 at Bottle Barn Eaglepoint Ranch

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A wine competition takes a broader view – Jon Bonne.  Read the story on his blog at SFGate.com by following the link in the judging photo below.

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Coming up on Monday, I’ll be on the Living Today show on Martha Stewart Living Radio, on Serious Satellite Radio.  The interview will be live at 2:00 p.m. eastern, 11:00 a.m. pacific time.
The topic is ‘Winning Wines You Don’t Want to Be Without’.  Join me if you can. Guest host Jodi Applegate will be taking [...]

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Domaine Bernard Dugat-Py, Bourgogne 2005 I’m afraid that there are some bound-up sulfur issues making this wine reek of H2S.  After 2 hours the wine has cleaned up but how many people will wait that long hoping that this wine will shine. In the mouth it is aggressively astringent. This wine is not in keeping [...]

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Domaine Perrot-Minot, Cuvee Martine, Pinot Noir, Red Table Wine 2005 There are brambles and green herbs intertwined with the cherries in the nose of this wine. The palate is tight and acidic, tasting of tart cherries while being shrouded in astringency.  12% $19.99 at the Wine Club Domaine Perrot-Minot

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Calera, Mt. Harlan, Selleck Vineyard, Pinot Noir 2005 Cherries and a kiss of oak mark the nose while the mouth is an elegant expression of cherries and suppleness without being flabby. P&B in Hollister 15% $62.49 at Bottle Barn Calera

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Londer Vineyards, Anderson Valley, Paraboll, Pinot Noir 2006 There’s doughy notes infused with caramel and a spiritous character. In the mouth, the wine is stamped with a sweet oaky essense and a supple texture. The grapes for this wine were sourced from the Ferrington and Valley Foothills Vineyards outside of Boonville and the name of [...]

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Domaine Anne Gros, Bourgogne Pinot Noir 2006 Give it a bit of time to blow off a little stink and then the red fruits come alive with a sense of earthiness and a little stemmy character. This certainly a chewy Pinot and a little on the green side of flavor development. Mis a Vosne-Romanee par [...]

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Copain, Anderson Valley, ‘Tous Ensemble’, Pinot Noir 2007 This wine is quite toasty and smoky with forest floor earthiness as well. In the mouth, the palate is complete and filled-out with flavor with plenty of acidity to frame it and carry the length – very nice. P&B in Healdsburg 13.5% $31.99 at Traverso’s Copain Wines

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Domaine Sylvie Esmonin, Bourgogne, Cuvee Sylvie 2005 This wine is quite toasty with notes of rubber and caramel. The acidity is turbocharged making this electric in the mouth, amplifying the black candied fruit flavors. The fruit is sourced from vineyards outside Gevrey. This regional wine is mis au domaine in Gevrey-Chambertin 12.5% $31.99 at the [...]

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Kent Rasmussen, Carneros, Pinot Noir 2006 There are very sweet, liquer-like aromas mixed with some barnyard notes for complexity. In the mouth this wine is supple and sweet-appearing, the fruit being quite concentrated. The finish goes on and on. P&B in St. Helena 13% $29.99 at the Wine Club
Kent Rasmussen Winery

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ZD, Carneros, Pinot Noir 2007

The nose features fresh and stewed fruits as well as leather. In the mouth the consistent acidity comes through making this a refreshing Pinot, lively and vibrant. This wine originates with Pinot grown in certified organic vineyards. The wine is then aged for 10 months in French oak. Winemaker Chris Pisani. [...]

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One of our judges at the San Francisco Chronicle Wine Competition is Larry Van Aalst, Sommelier at Equus Restaurant at the Fountaingrove in Santa Rosa, CA  He is also the host of the Sonoma Report on CRN Digital Talk Radio. Listen in tonight when we’ll be discussing the winners and the methodology behind a [...]

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Quady, California, Essensia, Orange Muscat 2007 Citrus, flowers and herbal notes and a hint of the fortifying spirit mark the nose. The mouth is fresh and citrussy, sweet but not cloying with a little appropriate warmth. P&B in Madera 15% $14.99 at Traverso’s for a 375ml

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Azelia, Barolo, Margheria 2004 In the nose there is black licorice, fresh black fruits and raisins. This highly structured wine is made to age yet the ripeness would allow you to drink it now with a dense chunk of cheese – delicious. Estate bottled di Luigi Scavino in Castiglione Falletto 14.5% $82.99 at Traverso’s Azelia

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d’Arenberg, McLaren Vale, The Dead Arm, Shiraz 2006
This wine is dense all around, from the color to the palate. Black fruits combine with hints of eucalyptus. The mouth is taught, just a baby yet the tannins are ripe with no astringency. Aged in new and one use French and US oak for 22 months. Grown, [...]

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Bodegas Alto Moncayo, Campo De Borja DO 2006 The previous vintage was like what it would be like to drink candy – supple and rich, sweet-appearing as well. The ‘06 is even more so with tons of oak on top. This is 100% Garnacha aged in new French and US oak. Don’t let the alcohol [...]

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Castellare, Chianti Classico 2005
This estate has traditionally shown an Old World expression in their wines from Tuscany. There is a combination of cherry fruit and earthiness in the nose. The mouth showcases lean and tart cherry flavors – right on target. The grapes are mostly Sangiovese followed by Canaiolo. The wine was feremented in stainless [...]

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Karthauserhof, Mosel-Saar-Ruwer, Eitelsbacher, Karthauserhofberg, Riesling, Auslese, Trocken “S” 2007 There is a bevy of sweet flowers to smell in this wine. In the mouth, there is electric acidity and just a touch of RS in this very concentrated, trocken gem. Proprietor and winemaker Christoph Tyrell. Gutsabfullung in Trier-Eitelsbach, 13% $51.99 at Bottle Barn Karthauserhof

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Domaine Weinbach, Alsace, Cuvee Theo, Riesling 2006 The petrol elements are coming through in the nose. In the mouth, the wine is mineral-driven, hard and still a baby, quite dry and tasting of lime. Mis en bouteille par the Faller family, Colette, Catherine et Laurence, proprietaires and vignerons a Kaysersberg 13.5% $35.99 at Bottle Barn [...]

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