Domaine Hauvette, Vin de Pays des Alpilles, Blanc de Blancs 2006 The nose features sweet floral notes with peaches, nectarines and a bit of poire eau-de-vie. In the mouth it is soft, lowish in acidity and very lush with a hint of the poire’s warmth in the background.
The grapes at the domain are grown biodynamically [...]

continue reading.....

This summer we had the opportunity to meet with winemaker Dave Galzignato. Our visit took us from Krug’s historical position in the Napa Valley to its modern incarnation, using a new sorting table to isolate the best of the best fruit, from vineyards that the family has seemingly owned forever.
This is the care that we [...]

continue reading.....

Georges Duboeuf, Fleurie 2008 There’s a lively sense of black fruit in the nose with a bit of earthy complexity that works to enhance the wine. In the mouth the thread of fresh fruit continues, the acidity is engaging and the body is light – nice.
Mis en bouteille in Romaneche-Thorins 13% purchased for $13.49 at [...]

continue reading.....

Tenuta Sant’Antonio, Soave DOC, Fontana 2008 Minerality and lemon mark the nose.  In the mouth you’ll find plenty of fresh lemon flavor, like biting into one freshly picked from the tree. You also get that zip of acidity that lingers with the minerality for a long time. This light-bodied wine is steely and would pair [...]

continue reading.....

Shoofly, Adelaide Hills, Chook Raffle, Chardonnay 2008 Give this wine a bit of air to blow off the initial matchstick character. Then you’ll find a medley of green apples, peaches and minerality. In the mouth it is crisp and driven by the fruit, a refreshing Chardonnay that will pair well with rich dishes when you [...]

continue reading.....

Josh Cellars, Lake County, Red Hills District, Amber Knolls Vineyard, Cabernet Sauvignon 2006 This is an ebulliently fruity Cabernet, featuring blueberries, blackberries and Cassis in the nose. In the mouth it is light-bodied and quite soft, very accessible right now, where the fruit is the key feature.
There’s no need to cellar this Cab. I’d open [...]

continue reading.....

hazard hill, Western Australia, semillon sauvignon Blanc 2008 Breezy and fresh, this wine shows grass and citrus in the nose. In the mouth it is crisp and clean, with concentrated flavors of lime and lime zest and a little petilance for lift – very nice.
The grapes behind this wine are 51% Semillon and 49% Sauvignon [...]

continue reading.....

Frescobaldi, Toscana IGT, Remole 2008 This wine is fresh and fruit forward, ready to drink, a light-bodied quaffer which demonstrates that clean and juicy wine is not the exclusive realm of New World producers. Behind the bright cherry fruit is a nice thread of acidity, making it a perfect partner for the pork tenderloin with [...]

continue reading.....

Marchesi de Frescobaldi, Chianti Rufina DOCG, Nipozzano, Riserva 2006 Unfortunately the first bottle was corked and will make a good example for my seminar on wine faults.
The second bottle shows the huge difference a cork can make. In bottle number two, the nose shines cherries, brown spices and vanilla. In the mouth it shows Sangiovese’s [...]

continue reading.....

Chateau La Roque, Coteaux du Languedoc, Pic Saint Loup, Rose 2007 The nose is frankly rather stinky with notes of cheese and garlic. In the mouth it is lowish in acid and the fruit is evolving, while the alcohol is making itself known, jutting out above the rest of the components. This is disappointing, especially [...]

continue reading.....

Spragia Family Vineyards, Sonoma Valley, Monte Rosso Vineyard, Cabernet Sauvignon 2006 In the nose there is a blend of cedar, vanilla and black fruits. In the mouth there is a spot on integration of oak and fruit in a supple package, the structure of Cabernet behind the scenes, supporting the wine, while the edges are [...]

continue reading.....

Henri Perrusset, Macon Villages, ‘Macon Farges‘, selection vielles vignes 2002 The nose is quite complex with smokiness, nuttiness, butterscotch and brown spices. In the mouth a beautiful richness has developed, buttery and full of baked apple spices yet underpinned by the tartness of green apples, providing a youthful glow under the more mature notes.
This wine [...]

continue reading.....

Luna, Napa County, Pinot Grigio 2007 There’s a lovely blast of stone fruit in the nose, with a hint of butter and nuts. In the mouth there are peaches and oranges, with a nice balance of acidity and roundness.  This is a Pinot Grigio that strikes a 3-way balance, offering a glimpse of the acidity [...]

continue reading.....

Trimbach, Alsace, Gewurztraminer 2006 In the nose you’ll find lychee, spicy flowers, green herbs and roses.
In the mouth this rendering of the grape is broad, lowish in acid, rounded, featuring an evolved tropical fruit character, a sense of complexity with a moderate touch of residual sugar and bit of Gewurz’s characteristic bitterness. Mis en bouteille [...]

continue reading.....

Ottimino, Sonoma County, Zinfinity, Zinfandel 2006 The nose features vanilla and caramel, with a bit of black fruit, cocoa  and black pepper. In the mouth the fruit comes forward, a little jammy, in a light-bodied format, very supple and easy drinking. The fruit for this wine was sourced from vineyards in Dry Creek Valley, Alexander [...]

continue reading.....

Fonseca, Porto, 20 Year Old, Tawny nv The nose features brown sugar and cinnamon infused into oranges cooked over an open flame. In the mouth it is caramel personified, with a healthy dose of brandy and an underlying sense of acidity taking the flavors for a lengthy ride down your palate.
This wine was aged in [...]

continue reading.....

Dow’s, Porto, Vintage 2007 This baby of a Port smells of sweet black fruits, oranges, candied berries, a notion of flowers and the spirit that fortified it. In the mouth it is dense yet already smoothing out, approachable with a silky character, very much so considering the youthful state of this wine. Lay this away [...]

continue reading.....

Mas Amiel, Maury, Vintage 2006 In the nose you’ll find prunes and a sense of the fortifying spirit. The mouth shows a sweet and slick sense of cooked black fruits with caramel and a hint of acidity in the background.
This wine is a great destination for some lucky Grenache grapes in Roussillon. A natural for [...]

continue reading.....

Gaston Rivière, Pineau des Charentes, Pineau François 1er, Red Pineau nv The smell of red grape juice really comes through, with a green, herbaceous essence and a whiff of chocolate. In the mouth it is sweet, thick and spiritous, like a red candy, coated in chocolate and filled with brandy.
The grapes behind this aperitif are [...]

continue reading.....

Lillet, Red nv This aperitif reminds me of dunking a slice of orange into a slightly sweet red wine, with a little shot of added for punch. Serve it over a few ice cubes. P&B in Podensac in the Gironde, about 20 miles south of Bordeaux 17% $15.99 Lillet

continue reading.....

Lustau, Jerez DO, Solera Reserva, Puerto Fino, nv This Fino is nutty and spiritous with a light sense of the classic bruised apples. This Palomino-based wine is matured in El Puerto de Santa Maria, Bottling code: 7185 15.5% $15.99 at BB in December ‘09 emilio-lustau.com

continue reading.....

This fall we visited Robert Mondavi with our Napa Valley class. We regained a sense of the historical significance of this winery and its founder while tasting some beautiful wines. Here is a look at their trademark Fumes from the ‘07 vintage.
Robert Mondavi, Napa Valley, Fume Blanc 2007 In the nose you’ll find lots of [...]

continue reading.....

Chalone Vineyard, Chalone, Estate Grown, Chenin Blanc 2006 I’m a huge fan of Chenin so I come at this review in a bit of a quandary. We visited the winery last week and had an opportunity to see the vines that produce this wine. They are truly old soldiers, planted in 1919, weathered and gnarly, [...]

continue reading.....

Swanson, Napa Valley, Estate, Alexis 1999 There’s a great chocolate character in the nose yet the fruit is starting to dry out on the palate. Though past the crest of the hill it still is a pleasure and would work well paired with a thick slab of beef. The grapes behind this wine are Cabernet [...]

continue reading.....

Cliff Lede, Napa Valley, Stags Leap District, Cabernet Sauvignon 2006 Fresh fruit and new oak leap from the glass when you smell this wine. In the mouth the tannins are polished making this Cab approachable now. The length is great. With time though, the oak will further integrate making this worth waiting 3-4 years before [...]

continue reading.....

Dolce, Napa Valley, Late Harvest Wine 2004 As I usually find with this wine, the emulation of Sauternes is quite apparent. In the nose there is honey, caramel, oak, tropical fruits and volatility. In the mouth the memory of my last creme caramel is rekindled, that richness and that sweetness joined by a thickness, a [...]

continue reading.....

Rutherford Grove, Napa Valley, Rutherford, Estate, Sauvignon Blanc 2007 Give this a little about 20 minutes of air when you open it to blow off a bit of reductive character. After that a light sense of citrus will come through. In the mouth this is a very creamy Sauvignon Blanc, feeling lowish in acidity.
The wine [...]

continue reading.....

Hess Collection, Mount Veeder Napa Valley, Estate Grown, 19 Block Cuvee 2006 Unfortunately this bottle is a bit corked. Sourced from their Veeder Summit Vineyard at 2,000 feet, this is a blend of Cabernet Sauvignon, Malbec, Syrah, Petit Verdot and Cabernet Franc. Estate Grown, P&B in Napa 14.5% $36 at the winery and a gift [...]

continue reading.....