Rusack, Santa Barbara, Chardonnay 2008 This is a toasty Chardonnay,with the oak out in force. You smell it immediately as your nose approaches the glass. In the mouth the oak is joined by tropical fruit and a bit of butter, making for a rich style of Chardonnay.
Produced & bottled in Solvang 14.2% $22.99 at Brown [...]

continue reading.....

Robledo, Lake County, Sauvignon Blanc 2007 This is a delightful Sauvignon.
The nose sports citrus and floral notes. In the mouth the wine is clean and vibrantly citrussy with a pleasant acidic zip. Produced and bottled in Kelseyville 14.3% $20 at the winery, a gift from a friend.
Robledo Family Vineyards

continue reading.....

I was fortunate to visit Chateau Vignelaure back in the 80s – was it ‘84 or ‘85?  Some of my memories are fuzzy. The memory that isn’t fuzzy however, is that Vignelaure was a trend setter, planting Cabernet Sauvignon in Provence, despite the apparent heresy. Today the rules for what can be planted on AOC [...]

continue reading.....

Brassfield Estate, High Valley, High Serenity Ranch, Estate Bottled, Sauvignon Blanc 2007 Give this a little air to allow the fruity aromatics to come to the fore. Then you’ll find pineapple and lemon laced with crushed green herbs. The mouth features a soft profile with moderate concentration.
The grapes behind this wine include 13.5% Semillon and [...]

continue reading.....

Domaine Chandon, California, Brut, Classic nv Unfortunately this wine was corked. The aromatics are dampened and the mouth is astringent. A sense of the dosage is the only element coming through.
I was concerned when I removed the foil from the top of the bottle. The smell of TCA was quite apparent. I removed the wire [...]

continue reading.....

Korbel, Russian River Valley Champagne, Natural’ Méthode Champenoise 2007 In the nose you’ll find green apples and strawberries while in the mouth it is acidic, with a sense of apples that have been baked with brown sugar. 65% Pinot Noir, 35% Chardonnay; the style was instigated at Korbel by Adolf Heck in 1962, .7% [...]

continue reading.....

Willamette Valley Vineyards, Willamette Valley – Oregon, Riesling 2008 This wine captures the essence of the SweeTarts I chewed on as a boy – great memories from nights at the movie theater then and a wonderful accompaniment to spicy food now. You could also liken it to hard candy of the green apple variety, where [...]

continue reading.....

St. James Winery, Country Red, Semi-Sweet Wine nv In the nose this is beautiful grapy, reminiscent of the grapes I ate as a boy. In the mouth it is moderately sweet, light-bodied and balanced by acidity – nice. P&B in St. James, Missouri 11.5% $6.99 at the winery St. James Winery

continue reading.....

Chateau Puy Arnaud, Cotes de Castillon 2005 The oak makes its presence known whey you smell this wine. In the mouth the full ripeness of the fruit comes through, with ample concentration and plenty of structure – a solid value in $10 Bordeaux. The grape behind this wine is Merlot, grown biodynamically. The vines average [...]

continue reading.....

Domaine de Beausejour, Chinon 2007 This wine is riper than previous incarnations, showing black fruit beyond the capsicum. In the mouth it is green, but tolerable and gripping but tolerable. 100% Cab Franc with stainless ferment; Gerard et David Chauveau in Panzoult 12.5% $13.59 at Bottle Barn
Beausejour

continue reading.....

Andrea Oberto, Barbera d’Alba DOC 2008 The nose features tar as well as some bound up sulfur. In the mouth it is immensely tart, screaming with acidity and a little leaner than hoped for. This wine doesn’t show nearly as nice as previous vintages; let’s give it another try in spring. Estate bottled in La [...]

continue reading.....

d’Arenberg, McLaren Vale, The Footbolt, Shiraz 2005 The nose features liquer-like character, a concentration of candied black fruit, a hint of eucalyptus and some subtle volatility. In the mouth the fruit is in force, the feel is silky and a thread of acidity provides structure – long and nice.
During fermentation the wine is given gentle [...]

continue reading.....

Perrin & Fils, Cotes du Rhone Villages 2007 The nose features sweet berries and black pepper. In the mouth it quite structured with medium weight; it’s crying out for red meat – nice value from the Rhone. This wine is 50% Syrah and 50% Grenache. Mis en bouteille in Orange 13% $9.69 at Bottle Barn

continue reading.....

Beringer, California, California Collection, White Zinfandel 2008 You remember those hard candies, watermelon flavored?  Well here you have them in a glass, sweet and tart at the same time – very nice. 3 hours of skin contact provide the color. Based on previous vintages, the RS is about 3.5%. Vinted and bottled in St. Helena [...]

continue reading.....

Carol Shelton, Mendocino County, Rendezvous Rose 2008 The nose is vibrantly fruity, evocative of fresh raspberries and herbs. In the mouth it is dry and fruity, with a little warmth.  The RS adds some weight, filling our the wine and amplifying the fruitiness. The organically grown grapes are all Carignane sourced from the Cox Vineyeard. [...]

continue reading.....

Ducca del Frassino, Venezie IGT, Garganega Pinot Grigio 2009 This is amazingly New World in styling. In the nose the fruit is overt and fresh, reminiscent of banana and other fruits of a tropical persuasion. In the mouth the fresh fruit theme continues, with lowish acidity. The concentration is low but the wine is clean [...]

continue reading.....

Chateau Pajzos, Tokaji, Aszu, 3 Puttonyos, 2003 The nose sports dried fruits, honey, a sense of Amontillado’s nuttiness, a bit of mustiness and wet hay, the appropriate volatility as well as a touch of spiritousness. In the mouth it is thick, tasting of caramel, sweet and acidic. It makes for an economical introduction to Tokaji [...]

continue reading.....

Selbach-Oster, Mosel, Zeltinger, Sonnenuhr, Riesling, Kabinett 2008 Give this wine a bit of air to blow off most of the reductive character, then the peaches will start to come through. In the mouth it is the Sweetarts of my youth, today destined for some fresh dungeness crab. This wine has a Stelvin closure for added [...]

continue reading.....

Weingut Brundlmayer, Kamptaler, Terrassen, Riesling 2008 The nose features limes circled by flowers, very perfumed. In the mouth it is the concentrated essence of limes tempered by a touch of RS – delicious. Estate bottled in Langenlois in Kamptal 12% $19.99 at Bottle Barn Brundlmayer

continue reading.....

Domaine Vacheron, Sancerre 2008 The nose sports minerality and lime. In the mouth you’ll find concentrated citrus, a sense of austerity, a very dry wine with overt minerality – very nice and very long. The only thing missing is the chevre.
The family tends 29 hectares of Sauvignon biodynamically. Produced in Sancerre 13% purchased for [...]

continue reading.....

Jayson, Napa Valley, Red 2005 This Bordeaux-style blend is opulently fruity and imminently approachable – no need to let this dawdle in the cellar. Our good friend Richard Trost brought this to dinner last night and we enjoyed it with a roasted pork tenderloin, served with a reduction sauce of pan drippings, white wine, mushrooms, [...]

continue reading.....