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: August 2009
Graham’s Six Grapes
Graham’s, Porto, “Six Grapes”, Reserve nv The nose combines blackberry liqueur, raisins and a spiritous note. In the mouth you taste something akin to blackberry candy poured over a Tootsie Roll – chocolate and black fruit with a healthy shot … Continue reading
Posted in Fortified dessert, Port, Portugal, Touriga Nacional
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Il Conte d’Alba Moscato d’Asti
Il Conte d’Alba, Moscato d’Asti DOCG nv This wine smells of ginger and flowers while in the mouth it is sweet and lightly fizzy. It’s almost perfect except for a bit of TCA which unfortunately is adding a bit of … Continue reading
Posted in Italy, Muscat, Piemonte, Sparkling sweet
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Martin & Weyrich Moscato Allegro 2007
Martin & Weyrich, California, Moscato, Allegro 2007 The orange blossoms are alight in the glass when you pick it up. In the mouth it is light, airy, fruity, flowery, sweet and delightful. Fermentation was stopped early to lock in the … Continue reading
Posted in California, Muscat, Sparkling sweet
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Kendall-Jackson Riesling 2007
Kendall-Jackson, California, Vintner’s Reserve, Riesling 2007 Stone fruits come to mind when you raise this glass, a sense of peaches and apricots. In the mouth the apricot flavor is delightful, augmented by the residual sugar and balanced by the acidity. … Continue reading
Posted in California, Riesling
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La Crema Chardonnay 2007
La Crema, Sonoma Coast, Chardonnay 2007 In the nose there’s a sense of biscuits, croissants and other freshly baked doughy things with hints of oak and vanilla. In the mouth this wine is rich with oak yet the apples and … Continue reading
Posted in California, Chardonnay, Sonoma Coast, Sonoma County
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Bogle Phantom 2006
Bogle Vineyards, California, Phantom 2006 Dark fruits and a bit of berry jam mark the nose with a hint of toffee. In the mouth, the fruits are surrounded by tannins that are ripe, with just a little grip to let … Continue reading
Posted in California, Mourvedre, Petite Sirah, Zinfandel
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Dr. Loosen Bernkasteler Lay 2006
Dr. Loosen, Mosel-Saar-Ruwer, Bernkasteler, Lay, Riesling, Kabinett 2006 Minerality combines petrol giving a glimpse that Riesling is in the glass, even if you didn’t see the label. Limes and candy spark through in the mouth, with refreshing acidity tempering the … Continue reading
Posted in Germany, Mosel-Saar-Ruwer, Riesling
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Rombauer, Carneros, Chardonnay 2006
Rombauer Vineyards, Carneros, Chardonnay 2006 You can’t miss the oak on the nose of this wine as if you just split a stack in the backyard. In the mouth there is citrus and tropical fruits with layers and layers and … Continue reading
Posted in California, Carneros, Chardonnay, Napa Valley
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Sauvignon Republic Marlborough 2008
Sauvignon Republic, Marlborough, Sauvignon Blanc 2008 The current vintage shows plenty gooseberry and freshly cut grass. In the mouth, it is racy as ever, with added depth of flavor and a sense of citrus peel – very nice. Notes on … Continue reading
Posted in Marlborough, New Zealand, Sauvignon Blanc
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Wiederkehr Tawny Port
Wiederkehr, Arkansas Moutain, Tawny Port nv The nose sports lots of vanilla with nuts and a very overt sense of oaky richness. In the mouth the nuttiness continues with caramel sweetness. The alcohol is perfectly integrated so watch that it … Continue reading
Posted in Arkansas, Concord, Fortified dessert, Port, Tawny Port
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St. John de Vine Red
St. John, Red Table Wine, Medium Sweet, de Vine Red nv This wine speaks floral notes from the glass with the foxiness I associate with the Concord that I ate as a boy. In the mouth is fruity and friendly, … Continue reading
Posted in Arkansas
4 Comments
7 Deadly Zins 2007
Michael & David, Lodi, 7 Deadly Zins, Old Vine Zinfandel 2007 This wine has been a consistent oak bomb on the soft and plush side. The current vintage is particularly on the mark, soft, light-bodied and very oaky – a … Continue reading
Posted in California, Lodi, Zinfandel
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Sequoia Grove Cabernet 2005
Sequoia Grove, Napa Valley, Cabernet Sauvignon 2005 The nose combines earth, forest floor, black fruits a bit of bay leaf. In the mouth this wine is structured, yet in a way that shows off the black fruit rather than dominting … Continue reading
Posted in Cabernet Sauvignon, California, Napa Valley
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Post Familie Merlot nv
Post Familie, American, Merlot nv There’s a lively pluminess in the glass when you smell this wine. In the mouth there’s plenty of fruit as well, with a healthy dose of acidity making this a natural with food. You can … Continue reading
Posted in American, Merlot
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Chateau Aux Arc Dragonfly Red
Chateau Aux Arc, American, Dragonfly Red nv The nose speaks of sweet oak while in the mouth this wine is smooth and light with a little warmth. Some of the fruit came from the estate’s Dragonfly Ranch, supplemented by imports … Continue reading
Posted in American, Arkansas, Merlot, Zinfandel
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La Spinetta Moscato 2008
La Spinetta, Moscato d’Asti DOCG, Bricco Quaglia 2008 Heaven in a glass, with plenty of flowers, lovely sweetness, light effervesence and freshness all day. This is a personal favorite from the legend. I was blessed to meet Rivetti before the … Continue reading
Posted in Italy, Moscato d'Asti, Muscat, Piemonte, Sparkling sweet
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Dom Perignon 2000
Dom Perignon, Champagne 2000 The nose shows fresh stone fruit with a sense of fresh peach tarts, still warm from the oven. In the mouth there is the characteristic acidity, a taste of green apples yet enhanced by a lingering … Continue reading
Posted in Champagne, Chardonnay, France, Pinot Noir, Sparkling Dry
Tagged Dom Perignon, Moet et Chandon
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Fleury Fleurty 2008
Fleury Estate Winery, Napa Valley, Rose 2008 This is a rose with no shortage of colour. The nose is clean, showing red fruits and perfume. In the mouth the wine is broad, a rather big-bodied rose with the flavor of … Continue reading
Posted in California, Napa Valley, Rosé
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Claiborne & Churchill 2007
Claiborne & Churchill, Central Coast, Dry Riesling 2007 Fortunately I had the opportunity to try this wine again after the corked bottled discussed previously. In the nose are stone fruits, flintiness and a bit of the petrol character we associate … Continue reading
Posted in Arroyo Seco, California, Central Coast, Monterey County, Riesling
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Ballatore Spumante
Ballatore, California, Rosso Spumante nv The nose explodes with sweet red fruits. In the mouth it is quite fruity, tasting of cherries and strawberries in a light-bodied format with plenty of sweetness. The dosage is 76 grams per litre. The … Continue reading
Posted in California, Sparkling sweet
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Schramsberg Cremant 2004
Schramsberg, North Coast, Cremant, Demi-Sec 2004 There’s sweet tropical fruit in the nose, with flowers and perfume. In the mouth this wine is lightly sweet, with a fruity core and a little bitterness. The grapes are 84% Flora, 9% Chardonnay, … Continue reading
Roederer L’Ermitage 2002
Roederer Estate, Anderson Valley, L’Ermitage, Brut 2002 The nose opens with fresh biscuits, citrus and stone fruits, also calling to mind a freshly baked fruit tart. In the mouth this wine is very concentrated and full of the flavor of … Continue reading
Gloria Ferrer Royal Cuvee 2002
Gloria Ferrer, Carneros, Vintage Reserve, Royal Cuvee, Brut 2002 Let this open up a bit and after 10 minutes the fruit will start to show. There are apples both red and green and refreshing acidity in this light-bodied sparkler. Tasted … Continue reading
Posted in California, Carneros, Chardonnay, Pinot Noir, Sparkling Dry
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Domaine Carneros Brut 2005
Domaine Carneros, Carneros, Brut 2005 The nose is opulently fruity with floral notes as well. In the mouth it is soft and fruity, round and very approachable – nice. The grapes are all Chardonnay and Pinot Noir and the wine … Continue reading
Posted in California
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Schramsberg Mirabelle Rose
Schramsberg, North Coast, Mirabelle, Brut Rose nv There’s a red-fruited sweetness in the nose, reminiscent of the cherries jubilee that I used to whip up table side back in the day. In the mouth the fruity theme continues with moderate … Continue reading
Chateau Lascombes 2005
Chateau Lascombes, Margaux 2005 This wine is super toasty in the nose with hints of dark chocolate and cassis. The mouth is quite structured urging a good 10 years and more in the cellar, yet already the black fruit is … Continue reading
Posted in Bordeaux, Cabernet Sauvignon, France, Merlot
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Franciscan Cabernet 2006
Franciscan, Napa Valley, Cabernet Sauvignon 2006 This wine features lots of fruit overlayed with sweet vanilla. The oak adds richness. The tannins are ripe; there’s a nice long acidity as well as balance. This wine is quite approachable and ready … Continue reading
Posted in Cabernet Sauvignon, California, Napa Valley
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Rubissow Wines
We had a great visit to Rubissow with our Wines of California & Europe class on the first day of August. I’ll post the notes on the estate next week but in the meantime here are two of their stars. … Continue reading
Posted in Cabernet Sauvignon, California, Merlot, Mount Veeder, Napa Valley
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Raymond White 2008
Raymond Vineyards, Napa Valley, Small Lot, White Wine 2008 This wine is crisp and ripe with the flavor of limes and oranges. The grapes behind this wine are 90% Sauvignon Blanc and 10% Semillon. The Sauvignon was fermented and aged … Continue reading
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