Marchesi de Frescobaldi, Chianti Rufina, Nipozzano, Riserva DOCG 2005 The nose is toasty, charred and sweet smelling. In July ‘09 the brett is starting to show itself yet still in a complexing way. In the mouth, the intense acidity of Sangiovese is tamed into a more subtle character,  a  smooth and rich incarnation. Bottled in [...]

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La Rasina, Rosso di Montalcino DOC 2005 There are cherries and green herbs in the nose. In the mouth the cherries are vibrant and tart with some tannic grab. Estate bottled by Marco Mantengoli in Montalcino 13.5% $22.49 at Bottle Barn La Rasina

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Moccagatta, Barbaresco, Bric Balin 2004 There’s a classic sense of licorice in the nose burnished by the sweetness of oak. The structure is a whopper like you would expect yet the extract is there, keeping up with the structure – the wine is big and at the same time it is balanced.  This baby would [...]

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Cantina Produttori Valle Isarco, Alto Adige, Valle Isarco, Pinot Grigio DOC 2007 Stone fruits and flowers fill the glass with a sense of candy and spice – there’s something a bit reminiscent of Alsace. In the mouth there is the hallmark acidity but like in Alsace, there’s some weight, a sense of body that adds [...]

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Penet-Chardonnet, Champagne, Grand Cru, Grande Reserve, Extra Brut nv There is a light golden color in the glass and the biscuit notes are quite developed in the nose – very complex. Besides the biscuits there are browned apples, cherries and toasted nuts. The mouth is electric with acidity, tasting of granny smiths and cranberries. This [...]

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Dr. Konstantin Frank, Finger Lakes, Rkatsiteli 2006 We opened this wine last night and were delighted by its similarity to Riesling. The acidity is quite intense and the wine has the stuffing to fill out the experience in the mouth. There is 7.5 g/l RS which really doesn’t show but rather provides the counterweight to [...]

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Fess Parker, Santa Barbara County, The Big Easy, Syrah 2005 The nose features stewed black fruits, prunes and a heavy wack of oak. In the mouth, the wine is soft, oaky, lowish in acidity and warm. There’s a sense of eating a chocolate caramel bar with a touch of brandy to chase it. The grapes [...]

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I’ve been teaching with a focus on the business side of wine since returning from the sensory seminar with VESTA in Missouri – thus the silence on the wine review front.  The Marketing class at the SRJC and the Wine Entrepreneurship class at Sonoma State are running full tilt.
The Wines of California and Europe at [...]

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Carter, Napa Valley, Oakville, Beckstoffer Vineyards, Cabernet Sauvignon 20009 Almost 9 years on this wine is hitting its stride. The nose shows the bottle bouquet development of exotic spices like sandelwood. There’s a healthy mix of dried fruits and herbs, cinnamon and orange, all speaking the sweet-appearing smells that develop with time. In the mouth, [...]

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Dancing Bull, California, Winemaker’s Reserve, Zinfandel 2006 There are smells of baked berries and vanilla in a pie, a sweet essence that is mingled with a fresh grinding of black pepper. In the mouth, this is a light-bodied and soft Zin, with a light touch of tannin and warmth as well as sweet, lightly cooked [...]

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Returning late after teaching my Wine Marketing class tonight I opened an innocuous Pinot Grigio while reading the mail. Linda made an extraordinary meatloaf the other night so I decided to open a red to drink with that after a quick reheat in the microwave. It’s after 10:00 p.m. and I wasn’t planning on writing [...]

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We recently visited with Carol and Mitch at their winery in Santa Rosa. Carol makes Zin from grapes sourced throughout the state of California. One of the gems that we tasted was sourced from San Bernardino County while two others hailed from nearby in Sonoma County.
Carol Shelton, Russian River Valley, Robert Rue Vineyard, Wood Road, [...]

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Rene Renou, Bonnezeaux, Tri de Vendanges 1999 Mis en bouteille par Rene Renou, proprietaire et recoltant a Thouarce 13% $27.99 for a 500ml bottle at the Wine Merchant

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Dow’s, Porto, Boardroom, Reserve Tawny nv In the nose there is caramel and overt alcohol. In the mouth the same follows through though the often tolerated burn is a bit too much given the rather light concentration of flavor. Bottle by Symington Family Estates in Oporto 19.5% $22.49 at the Wine Merchant

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Foley, Sta. Rita Hills, Rancho Santa Rosa, Pinot Noir 2007 There is ripe candied fruit in the nose while the mouth is supple and elegant with oak working in a supportive role in the backgound. P&B in Lompoc 14.3% $35.99 at the Wine Merchant Foley
Jayer-Gilles, Bourgogne Hautes-Cotes de Nuits 2005 The nose is quite reductive [...]

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D.H. Lescombes, New Mexico, Limited Release, Cabernet Franc 2007 I’ve been fortunate to taste this wine 4 times since the Chronicle Wine Competition judging in January and it really is a star. It puts together the best of Bordeaux and New World styles of Cabernet Franc. There is some leafy, tobacco character woven into the [...]

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Carol Shelton, Mendocino County, Cox Vineyard, Wild Thing, Zinfandel 2004 Jammy berry and black pepper star in the nose while the mouth features an almost liqueur-like sense of blackberries. V&B in Sebastopol 16% $29.99 at the Wine Merchant Carol Shelton

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Lindemans, South Eastern Australia, Bin 50 Shiraz 2008 In the nose there is a light level of black fruits and oaky essence. The wine is very light-bodied with sweet black fruit, a little low-level RS and a touch of grippiness. P&B in Red Cliffs, Victoria 13.5% $6.47 at WalMart Lindemans

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Leitz, Rheingau, Rudesheimer, Klosterlay, Riesling, Auslese 2006 Awesome concentration and great balance in the dance of sugar and acid. Erzeugerabfullung in Rudesheim 8.5% $22.49 for a 500ml bottle at the Wine Merchant in Clayton, Missouri Weingut Josef Leitz

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Kerpen, Mosel, Wehlener, Sonnenuhr, Riesling, Kabinett 2007 Fresh stone fruits are in full force and a lovely sweet and tart essence is in the mouth. Gutsabfullung in Bernkastel-Wehlen 9.0% $20.69 at the Wine Merchant in Clayton, Missouri Weingut Kerpen

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Bodegas Hidalgo, La Gitana, Jerez, Manzanilla nv The nose has classic bruised apples with some acetone as well. The mouth is quite dry and gripping. This drinks to paradigm yet is too evolved in the chemical direction, lacking the freshness of a new bottle of Lustau Manzanilla. Aged in Sanlucar de Barrameda 15% $12.59 at [...]

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Talley, Arroyo Grande Valley, Estate Bottled, Chardonnay 2006 There are toasty notes in the nose and a sense of freshly cut oak. In the mouth there is citrus fruit and a sense of richness – nicely balanced. The fruit was sourced from the Rincon and Rosemary’s Vineyards. Grown Produced & Bottled in Arroyo Grande 14.5% [...]

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Navarro, Anderson Valley, Mendocino, Riesling 2007 Unfortunately the first bottle was a little corked and the wet cardboard was rearing its ugly head. Yet behind that was the essence of lime. With more than ample acidity, the .8% RS is buried into the background giving a dry yet not austere approach to this great grape [...]

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Navarro, Anderson Valley, Mendocino, Pinot Gris 2006 The nose sports candied citrus and tropical notes while the mouth is fruity and round with a spark of acidity. The time in bottle has added some nice complexity to a wine that we often drink before that can develop.
While taking a long weekend in Mendocino, we purchased [...]

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Frederic Magnien, Vosne-Romanee, Vielle Vigne 2005 The nose of this wine features earth and rubber, some Band-Aid as well as reductive notes. In the mouth, the wine is tight and tannic, with obvious brett. I’ve had some other Magnien wines that showed nicely with age and I’ve had others that were tough wines like this [...]

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Robert Weil, Rheingau, Riesling, Kabinett, Trocken 1999 The smell of this wine combines petrol and dried apricots. In the mouth, there is racy acidity, the zip of lime juice and an added creamy complexity. The flavor goes on very long and is just delicious. There is a reminder of the honey-like character that comes out [...]

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Laurello, Grand River Valley, Cabernet Franc nv The nose puts together the herbaceous side of Cab Franc with the black fruit character it can expound.  There’s a healthy but appealing dose of brett, giving the earthiness that might remind one of this grape’s French expressions where the brett is often seen as a complement; I [...]

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Margerum, Columbia Valley Washington, Margerum Ranch Vineyard, Pinot Gris 2007 The nose combines stone and tropical fruits with some green herbs from the spice rack and a touch of spiritous character. The mouthfeel is rich and slippery, with stone fruit flavors and a little touch of sugar and warmth. P&B in Los Olivos, CA – [...]

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Hello everyone!
I’ve been immersed in producing the public tasting for the San Francisco Chronicle Wine Competition.  With that behind me, it’s back to writing and teaching and the ink is ready to flow.
Coming up in the Saint Louis area is a technical workshop on sensory evaluation.  Here is the bulletin from VESTA at Missouri State:
VESTA [...]

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