Wine Regions & Grapes
Sampling of Wineries
- Acorn
- Allegrini
- Atlas Peak
- Balletto
- Benziger
- Blandy's
- Bodega Navarro Correas
- Bollinger
- Bonterra
- Burgans
- Chronicle
- d'Arenberg
- Domaine Carneros
- Domaine de la Mordoree
- Dow's
- Dr. Loosen
- Famega
- Fonseca
- Foppiano
- Foxen
- Glen Ellen
- Innocent Bystander
- Kendall-Jackson
- Korbel
- Madeira Wine Company
- Martin Codax
- Masi
- Merryvale
- Mulderbosch
- Napa Cellars
- Navarro Vineyards
- Noceto
- Paul Hobbs
- Reynoso
- Roederer Estate
- Ruggeri
- Sawyer Cellars
- Sbragia
- Shed Horn
- Sonoma State Wine Business Institute
- St. James
- Trinchero Winery
- Vietti
- Wildhurst
- William Fevre
Monthly Archives: November 2007
Blandy’s at the Decade
Blandy’s Madeira 10 Years Old Rich Malmsey nv Last tasting notes show great complexity though the 5 year is a pretty good value. Again the wine is complex, nutty and shaped by the acidity that we expect from Madeira. A … Continue reading
Posted in Madeira, Malvasia, Portugal
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This isn’t Madeira
Though we often associate Verdelho with the volcanic island of Madeira, there is also a following for this grape in Australia. It makes up less than 5% of the total white grape harvest but still out paces ever fashionable Viognier. … Continue reading
Posted in Australia, Langhorne Creek, South Australia, Verdelho
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Australian Port
Penfolds South Australia Club Tawny (no longer called Port) nv The last bottle tasted was maple syrup personified with completely integrated alcohol. Made from Shiraz, Grenache and Mourvedre and matured in small oak in Kalimna. The wine was subsequently bottled … Continue reading
Pinot North and South
On a later date we tasted the substantial Pinot from Amisfield alongside this gem from Australia. Kooyong Mornington Peninsula Haven Pinot Noir 2004 This is one of the single vineyard bottlings from Kooyong. Tasted a year later in December ’08, … Continue reading
Victorian Shiraz
De Bortoli Yarra Valley Estate Grown Shiraz Viognier 2005 Smells of sweet cherry pie, oak and a hint of eucalyptus. This dense Shiraz shows how good it can be when there’s a good heft of acidity to balance the taste … Continue reading
Posted in Australia, Pyrenees, Syrah, Yarra Valley
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Rockin’ Rose
Wild Rock Central Otago Rose 2006 Fresh strawberries and perfume to smell and a clean, dry, fruity palate with some creamy texture. Vin Gris from Pinot Noir, P&B in Hastings, Hawkes Bay 14% $9.99 at Bottle Barn Wild Rock
Posted in Central Otago, New Zealand, Pinot Noir, Rosé
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Australian Chardonnay is Not Cut of One Cloth
In this latest taste-off, we look at a Kiwi Chardonnay alongside the Giaconda. Babich Hawke’s Bay Unoaked Chardonnay 2006 This wine is all stainless steel. P&B in Henderson 13.5% $10.99 at K&L Babich Two delicious wines, two very different interpretations … Continue reading
Posted in Australia, Chardonnay, Hawke's Bay, McLaren Vale, New Zealand, South Australia, Victoria
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Sweet Chardonnay
Kendall-Jackson Arroyo Seco Late Harvest Chardonnay 2005 We’re featuring the wines of France tonight. As we don’t have a bottle of the Thevenet’s Late Harvest wine from the Macon, I thought we would taste one of the few late harvest … Continue reading
Pinot on Parade
Maison Ambroise Cote de Nuits Villages 2005 More brett than I would have liked, this wine is quite astringent and a little warm in the mouth. Frankly, it’s not up to what I’ve had from Amroise in the past. Vinified … Continue reading
Posted in Burgundy, Cote de Nuits Villages, France, Marsannay, Pinot Noir
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The Beaujolais is Here!
This flight offers the opportunity to look at two versions of Gamay. The first is brand new Nouveau (is that redundant?) and the second is from the Cru Julienas. Domaine Manoir du Carra Beaujolais Villages Nouveau 2007 This is a … Continue reading
Posted in Beaujolais, Burgundy, France, Gamay
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