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: May 2009
McWilliam’s Hanwood Riesling 2007
McWilliam’s Hanwood Estate, South Eastern Australia, Riesling 2007 Lime and petrol combine in the nose with a bit of fresh, sweet flowers. In the mouth there is a nice sweetart character; this light-bodied Riesling is clean and refreshing. The RS … Continue reading
Posted in Australia, Riesling, South Eastern Australia
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Zahn Riesling Trocken 2007
Weingut Zahn, Saale-Unstrut, Kaatschener, Dachsberg, Riesling, Trocken 2007 In the nose their are fresh limes cast over minerals. This wine is tart and tangy, light-bodied, with persistent acidity. There is 5.6 grams per litre residual sugar but you won’t notice … Continue reading
Posted in Germany, Riesling, Saale-Unstrut
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Six Sigma Sauvignon 2006
Six Sigma, Lake County, Rooster Vineyard, Sauvignon Blanc 2006 This wine is amazingly fresh for an ’06 California Sauvignon. There’s plenty of citrus in the nose as well as some freshly mown grass. In the mouth, the acidity is dazzling … Continue reading
Posted in California, Lake County, Sauvignon Blanc
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deLorimier Lace 2006
deLorimier, Alexander Valley, Estate Bottled, Late Harvest, Lace 2006 This is rich and tropical with a lovely sense of dried apricots and balancing acidity. The botrytised grapes behind the wine are 55% Muscat Blanc and 45% Semillon, harvested at 29.9 … Continue reading
Carol Shelton Sweet Caroline 2006
Carol Shelton, Russian River Valley, Fanucchi Vineyard, Sweet Caroline, Trousseau Gris 2006 This is a light-bodied dessert wine from a grape that makes some very acidic table wines. There’s actually a grapy character to this wine that I associate with … Continue reading
Haywood Los Chamizal Zin 2006
Haywood, Sonoma Valley, Los Chamizal Vineyard, Estate, Zinfandel 2006 The nose puts together many facets of Zin. There’s pruniness, black pepper and a sense of Port. In the mouth, this is a structured Zin, supporting plenty of fruit and a … Continue reading
Posted in California, Sonoma County, Sonoma Valley, Zinfandel
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Rodney Strong Reserve Pinot 2006
Rodney Strong, Russian River Valley, Sonoma County, Reserve, Pinot Noir 2006 The nose is shut down and the mouth is fairly astringent. I suspect a low level of TCA is cloaking the true nature of this wine. Tom Klein owner … Continue reading
Posted in California, Pinot Noir, Russian River Valley, Sonoma County
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Woodenhead Buena Tierra Pinot 2006
Woodenhead, Russian River Valley, Buena Tierra Vineyard, Pinot Noir 2006 There’s liqueur-like black fruit in the nose and a supple, ripe mouthful of berries.P&B in Forestville 14.5% $55 at the winery Woodenhead
Posted in California, Pinot Noir, Russian River Valley, Sonoma County
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Acorn Sangiovese 2006
Acorn, Russian River Valley, Alegria Vineyards, Sangiovese 2006 Cherry and vanilla mark the nose while the mouth features cherry fruit, Sangiovese’s characteristic acidity, a light dusting of tannin and a bit of creaminess – nice. The grapes for this wine … Continue reading
Bedrock Rose 2008
Bedrock Wine Co., Sonoma Valley, Ode to Lulu, Rose of Mourvedre 2008 This is a broader style of rose reminiscent of the south of France with hints of brick to see a little added weight on the palate. The grapes … Continue reading
Posted in California, Mourvedre, Rosé, Sonoma County, Sonoma Valley
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Balletto Rose 2008
Balletto, Russian River Valley, Sonoma County, Estate Bottled, Pinot Noir 2008 Fruity and dry rose for the upcoming heat! P&B by Laguna Oaks Vineyards & Winery in Santa Rosa 13.6% $10.99 at Bottle Barn Balletto
Posted in California, Pinot Noir, Russian River Valley, Sonoma County
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Trione Chardonnay 2006
Trione, Russian River Valley, River Road Ranch, Chardonnay 2006 The smell of this wine is quite rich and the mouth follows suit. Yet the rich buttery oakiness is balanced by a lemony essence, keeping it bright – delicious. The wine … Continue reading
Posted in California, Chardonnay, Russian River Valley, Sonoma County
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Cline Carneros Viognier 2007
Cline, Los Carneros, Viognier 2007 This is beautifully aromatic, very floral and clean. In the mouth there is a fatness to the feel, lowish in acidity with the taste of peaches and a bit of the bitterness that you might … Continue reading
Posted in California, Carneros, Sonoma County, Viognier
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Benziger Shone Farm Sauvignon 2006
Benziger, Russian River Valley, Shone Farm, Sauvignon Blanc 2006 There’s a pleasant grassiness to this wine with plenty of citrus. In the mouth it is bone-dry and very concentrated. This bottle that we’re tasting tonight has evolved a little prematurely. … Continue reading
Egly-Ouriet Brut Tradition Disgorged 2008
Egly-Ouriet, Champagne, Grand Cru, Brut Tradition nv In the nose there is citrus, bruised apples and brown spices as in an apple pie. In keeping with the house style, the acidity is quite profound. This wine is quite tight, very … Continue reading
Posted in Champagne, Chardonnay, France, Pinot Noir, Sparkling Dry
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Sparkling Pointe Brut Seduction 2000
Sparkling Pointe, North Fork of Long Island, Brut Seduction 2000 In the nose there are fresh and browned apples. In the mouth there is also a sense of citrus, with pastry richness and note of custard. This is an elegant … Continue reading
Charles Heidsieck Brut Reserve
Charles Heidsieck, Champagne, Brut Reserve nv This wine has developed toastiness, nuttiness and a sense of bread dough. The texture is lovely, creamy yet refreshingly acidic. This new bottling was disgorged in 2008 and given a hefty price increase over … Continue reading
Posted in Champagne, Chardonnay, France, Pinot Meunier, Pinot Noir, Sparkling Dry
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Bouillot Perle de Vigne
Louis Bouillot, Cremant de Bourgogne, Perle de Vigne, Grande Reserve, Brut nv There’s a moderate level of concentration and a good deal of complexity for the price. The grapes behind this methode traditionnelle are Pinot Noir, Chardonnay, Gamay and Aligote. … Continue reading
Posted in Aligote, Burgundy, Chardonnay, Cremant de Bourgogne, Gamay, Pinot Noir, Sparkling Dry
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Korbel Natural 2006
Korbel, Russian River Valley Champagne, Natural’ Méthode Champenoise 2006 As in previous vintages, there’s a nice sense of green apples through and through, making this arguably Korbel’s best and most refreshing sparkler. 70% Pinot Noir, 30% Chardonnay; the style was … Continue reading
Robert Oatley Pinot Grigio 2008
Robert Oatley, South Australia, Pinot Grigio 2008 This is 100% Pinot Grigio; most of the grapes were sourced from Currency Creek, south of my alma mater Adelaide and a bit came in from the Alpine Valleys of Victoria. Production was … Continue reading
Posted in Australia, Pinot Gris and Grigio, South Australia
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Peter Michael L’Esprit des Pavots 2005
Peter Michael Winery, Knights Valley, L’Esprit des Pavots 2005 There’s chocolate, oak, leather and Cassis in the nose. In the mouth this wine is quite structured, with great depth of flavor, a sense of glycerine adding to the viscosity while … Continue reading
Speedy Creek Cabernet 2005
Speedy Creek, Knights Valley, Cabernet Sauvignon 2005 This is a very rustic style of Cabernet with a good whiff of the horse, herbaceous notes and a chewy texture. Proprietors the Burton family. P&B in Geyserville 14.9% $25.99 at Bottle Barn … Continue reading
Annapolis Zinfandel 2005
Annapolis Winery, Sonoma Coast, Zinfandel 2005 This is a very jammy Zin. Proprietors are the Scalabrini family. P&B in Annapolis 16.6% $26 at the winery Annapolis Winery
Posted in California, Sonoma Coast, Sonoma County, Zinfandel
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Hirsch Pinot 2006
Hirsch Vineyards, Sonoma Coast, Pinot Noir 2006 There’s lots of sweet vanilla, loads of oak. This is very ripe, the essence of berries in the mouth with a supple texture. P&B in Cazadero 14.5% $59.99 at Bottle Barn Hirsch Vineyards
Posted in California, Pinot Noir, Sonoma Coast, Sonoma County
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Savanah-Chanelle Armagh 2006
Savannah-Chanelle Vineyards, Sonoma Coast, Armagh Vineyard, Pinot Noir 2006 This is a sweet smelling Pinot, full of cherry liqueur. The mouth is driven by cherries as well, with plenty of acidity. This is a light-bodied wine with a bit of … Continue reading
Posted in California, Pinot Noir, Sonoma Coast, Sonoma County
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Peter Michael L’Apres-Midi 2007
Peter Michael Winery, Knights Valley, Sonoma County, Sauvignon Blanc 2007 The oak comes through in a big way – overtop of the fruit. In the mouth this wine is quite rich, tropical and oaky with a glistening viscosity and great … Continue reading
Posted in California, Knights Valley, Sauvignon Blanc, Sonoma County
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Sonoma Coast Sauvignon 2006
Sonoma Coast Vineyards, Sonoma Coast, Hummingbird Hill Vineyards, Sauvignon Blanc 2006 This wine smells of candied citrus. In the mouth it is ripping with acidity yet rounded off a bit with some silkiness. There is also a sense of the … Continue reading
Posted in California, Sonoma Coast, Sonoma County
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Montille Corton 2005
Domaine de Montille, Corton, Clos du Roi, Grand Cru 2005 The nose is a bit closed yet but you can see the concentration in the mouth. There’s plenty of structure and a core of red fruit and an underlying note … Continue reading
Posted in Burgundy, Corton, Cote de Nuits, Pinot Noir
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Handley Pinot 2006
Handley, Anderson Valley, Pinot Noir 2006 This year the AV Pinot is a little warmer than in the past, with veery ripe berries showing through in the mouth. Winemaker Milla Handley. P&B in Philo 14.5% $23.99 at Bottle Barn Handley
Posted in Anderson Valley, California, Mendocino County, Pinot Noir
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Deux Montille Babilleres 2006
Deux Montille, Chambolle-Musigny, “Les Babilleres” 2006 This is a very refined Burgundy, showing the charm associated with the appellation and the skillful winemaking of Alix. The acidity is a hallmark, encasing the cherry fruit along with an elegant mouthfeel. Tasted … Continue reading
Posted in Burgundy, Chambolle-Musigny, Cote de Nuits, France, Pinot Noir
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