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
Category Archives: Grenache
Vieux Telegraphe Telegramme 2007 and Tim Gaiser Wine Genius
Vieux Telegraphe, Chateauneuf-du-Pape, Télégramme 2007 Tasted first at 11:15 on Friday morning, the nose featured cherries, strawberries, black pepper, sweet notes of vanilla and caramel as wells as the scent of the garrigue. In the mouth the wine showed medium … Continue reading
Posted in Chateauneuf-du-Pape, France, Grenache, Rhône
Tagged Tim Gaiser MS, Vieux Telegraphe
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Domaine Richaud L’Ebrescade 2004
Domaine Richaud, Cairanne Cotes du Rhone Villages, L’Ebrescade 2004 The nose features sweet black fruit, a bit of raisins, a light meaty character and a sense of the garrigue. In the mouth it is smooth and succulent, rich, with some … Continue reading
Posted in Cairanne, Cotes du Rhone, Cotes du Rhone Villages, France, Grenache, Rhône
Tagged Richaud
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Unti Grenache 2007
Unti, Dry Creek Valley, Grenache 2007 There’s a lovely, candy-like fruitiness to this Grenache. It’s also not a flabby one, but rather a red wine with structure, reminiscent of its Old World roots yet kissed by New World sunshine. The … Continue reading
Mordoree Cotes-Du-Rhone 2008
Domaine de la Mordorée Côtes-Du-Rhône “La Dame Rousse” 2008 Give this some air to blow off the stink. Then with 15 minutes the black pepper and red fruits will emerge. In the mouth it is overtly fruity and quite structured, … Continue reading
Mas Doix Salanques 2006
Celler Mas Doix, Priorat, Salanques 2006 The nose greets you with a fair waft of oak, sweet with jammy fruit and brown spices. In the mouth this wine is dense yet supple, with ripe tannins and lots of jammy black … Continue reading
Posted in Carignane, Grenache, Priorat, Spain
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Red Wine Stars of the Rhone
Coudoulet de Beaucastel, Cotes-du-Rhone Rouge, 2007 The fruit has both a fresh and dried character, combining cherries, plums and raisins. In the mouth it has an elegant profile, the structure is apparent yet restrained, not dominating the flavors – very … Continue reading
Posted in Chateauneuf-du-Pape, Cotes du Rhone, France, Grenache, Mourvedre, Rhône
Tagged Beaucastel, Chateau La Nerthe
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Scala Dei Cartoixa 2003
Scala Dei, Priorat, Cartoixa 2003 I found this bottle rattling around in the cellar and was delighted to have the opportunity to taste it again. A few years ago it was still rather tannic and while good, I knew that … Continue reading
Penfolds Club Reserve Aged Tawny
Penfolds, South Australia, Club Reserve, Aged Tawny nv In the nose you’ll find raisins and butterscotch with a sense of the spirit in the background. This all carries on in the mouth with nuttiness, sweetness and well-integrated alcohol. Like the value-oriented … Continue reading
Posted in Australia, Fortified dessert, Grenache, Mourvedre, Port, South Australia, Syrah, Tawny Port
Tagged Penfolds
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Domaine Hauvette Rouge
Domaine Hauvette, Les Baux de Provence 2004 The nose of the ’04 features fresh and dried fruits, floral notes and the herbs of the Provencal landscape. In the mouth you’ll find structure to marry with dinner and a bit of … Continue reading
Posted in Cabernet Sauvignon, France, Grenache, Les Baux de Provence, Provence, Syrah
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R. Lopez de Heredia Rioja 2003
R. Lopez de Heredia, Rioja, Crianza, Viña Cubillo 2003 The smell of this wine pulls me in – there’s a complex mix spices, leather, stewed cherries and raisins. In the mouth the acidity that I associate with Rioja is evident, … Continue reading
Rose 2009 from Mordoree and Ojai
This flight is a great comparison of two different approaches to rose, one with rapier-like acidity and the other with a broad and weighty mouthfeel. The Ojai Vineyard, California, Rose 2009 This rose shows an expression of citrus and cherries … Continue reading
Posted in California, Grenache, Rhône, Rosé, Syrah, Tavel
Tagged Domaine de la Mordoree, Ojai
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Rhone blends from California and Chateauneuf-du-Pape
Tablas Creek Vineyard, Paso Robles, Cotes de Tablas 2008 The fruit is fresh and lively in the nose, with floral notes and sweet spice. In the mouth it is medium-bodied, very fruity and structured, making it a winner with grilled … Continue reading
Posted in California, Chateauneuf-du-Pape, Counoise, Grenache, Mourvedre, Paso Robles, Rhone Blend, Rhône, Syrah
Tagged Tablas Creek
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Alto Moncayo 2007
Bodegas Alto Moncayo, Campo De Borja 2007 This wine smells like dessert personified, with vanilla, cherries and pastry dough. In the mouth it is soft and fruity, quite rich and laden with oak, as it has been consistently over the … Continue reading
Bodegas Borsao Campo de Borja 2008
Bodegas Borsao, Campo de Borja DO 2008 As in the previous vintage, the fruit just leaps out of the glass and has a candy element to it with a bit of black pepper. This is exactly what I smelled the … Continue reading
Domaine de la Mordoree Rose 2009
Domaine de la Mordoree, Cotes-du-Rhone, La Dame Rousse, Rose 2009 In the nose you’ll find red fruits, like cherries and a bit of strawberry that carries through on a broad, lowish acid palate. The grapes behind this pink wine are … Continue reading
Posted in Cotes du Rhone, France, Grenache, Rosé, Syrah
Tagged Domaine de la Mordoree
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Storrs Rhone Red 2006
Storrs, Santa Clara County, Two Creek Vineyard, Red Wine 2006 The nose features a big heft of vanilla and freshly split oak. The oaky flavors carry through on the palate, with ripe black fruit and warmth. I can’t believe as … Continue reading
Posted in California, Grand Noir, Grenache, Rhone Blend, Santa Clara County, Syrah
Tagged Storrs
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Perrin & Fils Cotes du Rhone Villages 2007
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 … Continue reading
Posted in Cotes du Rhone, Cotes du Rhone Villages, France, Grenache, Rhône, Syrah
Tagged Perrin et Fils
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Mas Amiel Maury Vintage 2006
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. … Continue reading
Alto Moncayo veraton 2007
Bodegas Alto Moncayo, Campo De Borja DO, veraton 2007 The oaky notes ring loud and clear with sweet red candy and a soft, rich profile. This wine is 100% Garnacha. Winemaker Chris Ringland from Australia. Estate bottled in Bulbuente 15.5% … Continue reading
Posted in Campo De Borja, Grenache, Spain
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Vignerons de Tavel 2007
Les Vignerons de Tavel, Tavel, Prestige des Lauzeraies 2007 Sweet cherry fruit marks the nose and carries over on the palate. The mouth is broad and weighty, the acidity low, the fruit flavors are compelling and the body is big … Continue reading
Grey Stack Grenache 2007
Grey Stack, Bennett Valley, Dry Stack Vineyard, Grenache 2007 Grenache’s candy-like character comes through in the nose, sweet smelling and ebulliently fruity. In the mouth there is structure to match the fruit, a vision of Chateauneuf, where Grenache shows that … Continue reading
embruix de Vall Llach 2005
Vall Llach, Priorat DOQ, Embruix 2005 The nose features a sweetness, black fruits with blackberry jam. In the mouth the sweet theme continues, with very ripe, jammy fruit, density yet suppleness, warmth, a bit of tannin and lowish acidity, a … Continue reading
Posted in Cabernet Sauvignon, Grenache, Merlot, Priorat, Spain, Syrah
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Mordoree Tavel Rose 2008
Domaine de la Mordoree, Tavel, “La Dame Rousse” 2008 The freshness of strawberries are evident in the nose and in the mouth that theme is over a rather big and slightly warm structure. The grapes behind this pink wine are … Continue reading
Robert Hall Rose 2008
Robert Hall, Paso Robles, Hall Ranch, Rose de Robles 2008 Strawberries and floral notes are the predominant features in the nose – very clean and fresh. In the mouth the fruit shines again in a very dry format with a … Continue reading
Posted in California, Grenache, Paso Robles, Rosé, Syrah
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Palacios Remondo La Vendimia 2007
Bodegas Palacios Remondo, Rioja DOC, La Vendimia 2007 The nose offers minty green character with liquer-like fruit. In the mouth it is quite fruity, a little chewy with a light body and a lingering creaminess. The grapes are approximately Tempranillo … Continue reading
Posted in Grenache, Rioja, Spain, Tempranillo
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Cims de Porrera Solanes 2004
Cims de Porrera, Priorat, Solanes 2004 This wine expresses ripe black fruits with a supple mouthfeel. The grapes behind this wine are are 40% Carignan, 30% Grenache, 15% Cabernet Sauvignon, 10% Merlot and 5% Syrah, from 60-100 year-old vines grown … Continue reading
Posted in Carignane, Grenache, Priorat, Spain
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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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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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