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: July 2009
Ceago Vinegarden
Like Rosenblum Cellars on the San Francisco Bay, you can literally arrive by boat when you visit Ceago Vinegarden. The estate takes its name from a Pomo Indian word and is pronounced in the same way as Diego. It is … Continue reading
Posted in California, Chardonnay, Clear Lake, Lake County, Mendocino County, Merlot
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Tejada Wines 2005
With the 2005 vintage, Byron Kosuge is fully in charge of the winemaking at Tejada. In June we sampled the 05s with Ibo Tejada and his family at their estate in Lake County. The estate is noted for its focus … Continue reading
Posted in California, Grenache, Lake County, Tempranillo
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Prager Tomas Port 2004
Prager, Napa Valley, Imogene’s Vineyard, Tomas, Port 2004 This wine is full of dried fruits, prunes and dark chocolate, with sweetness and warmth. The grapes were sourced from the family’s property in Calistoga. GP&B in St. Helena 19.5% $45.99 at … Continue reading
Posted in California, Fortified dessert, Napa Valley, Port
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Dujac Chambolle Musigny 2006
Dujac Fils & Pere, Chambolle-Musigny 2006 Give the wine some air to blow off a musty character and the fruit begins to emerge with notes of smoke and brambles. Give the wine another 40 minutes and the sweetness of the … Continue reading
Posted in Burgundy, Chambolle-Musigny, Chardonnay, Cote de Nuits, France, Pinot Noir, Sauvignon Blanc
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Zilliken Riesling Spatlese 2006
Zilliken, Mosel-Saar-Ruwer, Saarburger, Rausch, Riesling, Spatlese 2006 The nose if beautifully floral with hints of petrol while the mouth features peaches galore, significant acidity and the richness of residual sugar. Owner/Winemaker Hanno and daughter Dorothee. Gutsabfullung Weingut Forstmeister Geltz in … Continue reading
Posted in Germany, Mosel-Saar-Ruwer, Riesling
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Sequoia Grove Chardonnay 2007
Sequoia Grove, Carneros, Napa Valley, Chardonnay 2007 There’s lots of tropical fruit in the nose, pineapples, bananas and coconuts. In the mouth the pineapple flavors come through with a hint of oak and a significant blast of green apples in … Continue reading
Posted in California, Carneros, Chardonnay, Napa Valley
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Huet Moelleux 1990
Domaine Huet, Vouvray, Le Haut-Lieu, 1ere Trie, Moelleux 1990 This wine has developed a beautiful tawny color over almost 2 decades. The nose smells of toffee, caramel and raisins. The mouth is an absolute explosions of fresh oranges covered in … Continue reading
Posted in Chenin Blanc, France, Late Harvest White, Loire Valley, White Dessert
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Smith Haut Lafitte 2005
Chateau Smith Haut Lafitte, Pessac-Leognan 2005 The nose smells of leather, earth, smokiness, horse blanket and a host of descriptors that get at a sense of brettanomycees as complexity rather than a flaw. That said, I know that this level … Continue reading
Posted in Bordeaux, Cabernet Franc, Cabernet Sauvignon, France, Merlot, Pessac-Leognan
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Giscours 2005
Chateau Giscours, Margaux 2005 The berry fruit is ripe and expressive in the nose, with a sense of cedar and a light touch of earthiness. The fruit comes through on the palate, with some chewy though ripe tannin and a … Continue reading
Rolland-Maillet 2005
Chateau Rolland-Maillet, Saint-Emilion, Grand Cru 2005 Upon first opening this bottle was uncharacteristically rustic for a Rolland wine; patience is rewarded with 10 minutes or so of air. In the mouth however, the fruit is immediately apparent and the texture … Continue reading
Posted in Bordeaux, Cabernet Franc, Merlot, Saint-Emilion
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Pichot Vouvray 2008
Domaine Le Peu de la Moriette (Domaine Pichot), Vouvray 2008 In the nose there is a sense of herbaceousness, candied green fruit and floral notes. In the mouth there is that familiar balance of the sweet and the tart, as … Continue reading
Posted in Chenin Blanc, France, Loire Valley, Vouvray
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Brundlmayer Kamptaler Terrassen Gruner 2008
Weingut Brundlmayer, Kamptaler, Terrassen, Gruner Veltliner 2008 Give this new wine a bit of air to blow of the reductive character. Then with 5 minutes the citrus and minerality emerge, with a healthy dose of white pepper and floral notes. … Continue reading
Posted in Austria, Gruner Veltliner, Kamptal
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Quady Electra 2008
Quady, California, Orange Muscat, Electra 2008 Spot on again in ’08! Notes on the previous vintage tasted at the winery in the spring of ’09: This wine features an abundance of citrus in a very fresh way, as if you … Continue reading
Posted in California, White Dessert
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Guenoc Serpentine Meadow Petite 2000
Guenoc, Guenoc Valley, Serpentine Meadow, Reserve, Petite Sirah 2000 In the nose there is black fruit and toffee, prunes and chocolate. In the mouth the tannins have simmered down while the acidity has remained taut, framing a cranberry-like fruit – … Continue reading
Posted in California, Guenoc Valley, Lake County, Petite Sirah
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Edmeades Piffero 2005
Edmeades, Redwood Valley, Piffero Vineyard, Zinfandel 2005 The fruit has taken on a sweet character, seemingly combining fresh and dried cherries. The wine fills out the entire palate with flavor in a supple way – delicious. P&B in Geyserville 15.5% … Continue reading
Posted in California, Mendocino County, Redwood Valley, Zinfandel
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Sobon Primitivo 2007
Sobon Estate, Amador County, Rezerve, Primitivo 2007 The black pepper is not shy in the nose of this wine. In the mouth the blackberries come to the fore along with ripe tannins. All the grapes were grown organically. Grown, produced … Continue reading
Posted in Amador County, California, Primitivo, Sierra Foothills
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Carol Shelton Monga Zin 2006
Carol Shelton, Cucamonga Valley, Lopez Vineyard, Monga Zin, Old Vine, Zinfandel 2006 In the nose there is jammy fruit and earthy notes. In the mouth you’ll find a chewy Zin, with a touch of creaminess and the acidity to carry … Continue reading
Posted in California, Cucamonga Valley, Zinfandel
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Migration Pinot Noir 2007
Goldeneye, Anderson Valley, Migration Pinot Noir 2007 This vintage features zesty berry fruit and brambles in the nose. In the mouth it is full of fruit with a light touch of oak to complement. The acidity keeps this light-bodied Pinot … Continue reading
Posted in Anderson Valley, California, Mendocino County, Pinot Noir
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Noceto Nutz!
Tutti I Giorni, Amador County, Nutz! In the nose there is vibrant red fruit and a meaty character. In the mouth there is tons of acidity, red fruit and a little grip in a light-bodied package. P&B in Plymouth by … Continue reading
Posted in Amador County, California
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Sobon Viognier 2008
Sobon Estate, Amador County, Viognier 2008 The tropical notes are such that this wine reminds me of the banana popsicles that I enjoyed as a boy. There’s also a layer of richness as well, making this wine slippery smooth. Besides … Continue reading
Posted in Amador County, California, Sierra Foothills, Viognier
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Ceago Sauvignon Blanc 2007
Ceago Vinegarden, Clear Lake, Kathleen’s Vineyard, Estate Grown, Sauvignon Blanc 2007 The nose assertively expresses gooseberries and herbaceousness when first opened and continues with stone fruits. In the mouth it is crisp and clean and reminiscent of fresh grapefruit with … Continue reading
Posted in California, Clear Lake, Lake County, Sauvignon Blanc
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Chapoutier Banyuls 2007
M. Chapoutier, Banyuls 2007 There’s lots of pruny complexity in the nose. In the mouth it is spot on, nuttiness and raisins tossed in molasses – yum. There was a touch of TCA in the first bottle tasted, described here … Continue reading
Posted in Banyuls, Fortified dessert, France, Grenache, Roussillon
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Tablas Creek Cotes de Tablas 2006
Tablas Creek Vineyard, Paso Robles, Cotes de Tablas 2006 California sunshine comes through in this New World wine, with ripe liqueur-like fruit and polished edges. There’s a sense of tart cherries and cranberries as well, acidity balancing the ripe character. … Continue reading
Posted in California, Grenache, Paso Robles, Rhone Blend
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Perrin Vacqueyras 2006
Perrin & Fils, Vacqueyras, Les Christins 2006 Black pepper and red fruits combine with a sense of the garrigue when you smell this wine. In the mouth it is structured and ready to accompany a pepper steak; the acidity carries … Continue reading
Posted in France, Grenache, Rhône, Syrah, Vacqueyras
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Jade Mountain La Provencale 2002
Jade Mountain, California, La Provencale 2002 Raisined fruit and pruniness combines with caramel to paint a complex picture in the nose. In the mouth it’s starting to dry out and show a bit of spiritousness as it has crested the … Continue reading
Posted in California, Rhone Blend
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Provisor Syrah 2002
Provisor, Dry Creek Valley, Syrah 2002 This wine, almost 7 years on is showing quite nicely, with dried fruits and a supple texture. The wine was aged in new and older French oak for 16 months. This was the first … Continue reading
Posted in California, Dry Creek Valley, Sonoma County, Syrah
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Gourgonnier Rose 2008
Mas de Gourgonnier, Les Baux de Provence, Rose 2008 The fruit is evolving away from freshness as this wine seems to be aging prematurely. The mouth is quite gripping – a disappointment. Bottled with a synthetic cork; perhaps the seal … Continue reading
Posted in France, Grenache, Les Baux de Provence, Provence, Rosé
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Lake County Wine Studio
Lake County Wine Studio features the wines of the region on Main Street in the town of Upper Lake, just a stone’s throw from the end of Highway 29. We all know the congested bit of this highway where the … Continue reading
Posted in California, Lake County, Merlot, Sauvignon Blanc, Zinfandel
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MacMurray Pinot Gris 2008
MacMurray Ranch, Sonoma Coast, Pinot Gris 2008 In the nose there is a strong sense of candied fruit with a light dusting of green herbs. In the mouth the stone fruit comes alive with a little warmth in a medium … Continue reading
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