Kirkland Signature Cotes du Rhone Villages, 2024

 

Kirkland Signature, of course, refers to wines sold by Costco, with the producer rarely mentioned. I have seen this CDR Villages on the shelves, selling for about $7 a bottle, but this is my first purchase and first taste. It will not be my last.

Deep, dark red. May have had some new oak aging but, if so, it has not been to the detriment of the wine. Still has a traditional profile. Upfront smells and flavors of fresh red and black berries and spice. Medium bodied (despite 15% alcohol content). Actually, it carries 15% quite well. No heat, no heaviness. Classic Southern Rhone pepper and spice.. Long, delicious finish. The best value in CDR that I have seen in many years.

Domaine de L'Oratoire Saint Martin Cairanne Reserve guiddes Seigneurs, 2015

I have been buying and enjoying Cairanne wines from Domaine de L'Oratoire Saint Martin since the early 1990s. Since the price was only $8 to $10 a bottle, I usually bought a case of the Reserve des Seigneurs and a case of the Prestige (now called Douye) each year and drank them all too early--mainly because of drinking guidelines from Robert Parker. Both wines come from very old vines on well situated slopes. The Reserve des Seigneurs comes from vines lower on the slope and ages well for 10 to 12 years. From vines higher on the slope, Douye can go much longer.

Dark red. A high percentage of Mourvedre was included in this vintage and it shows. Scents of violets, more black than red fruits. Firm on the mid-palate. Deep fruit under the tannins.  After a couple of hours of aeration, Grenache red fruits start to appear. Long, peppery finish. At 10 plus years of age, I think this could go even longer.
 

Pelassa Nebbiolo d'Alba Sot, 2013

This is a Piedmont Nebbiolo from the very good 2013 vintage. It is drinking well but may still have some growth to come.

Deep brilliant ruby shading to garnet. The wine was aged in large vats--traditional Slavonian oak and not so traditional French oak. Enchanting floral/fruity smells but a bit laid back at the moment. On the palate, dark cherries, red berries, balsamic and a bit of licorice on the tail end. Very dry, Barolo dry, on the mid-palate. Has a lot to offer, either mid week or for a special occasion.
 

Careglio Roero, 2011

Careglio's Roero is 100% Nebbiolo from vineyards just across the Tanaro River from Barolo and Barbaresco. Yet Nebbiolo doesn't even appear on the label. Locals know the quality, of course, but it often gets overlooked on American wine shelves even though it often sells for $15 to $20.

Fairly deep ruby for Nebbiolo but some garnet at edges. Opens with beautiful scents of rose petals, violets and fresh fruit. Dark cherry compote expands on the mid-palate, takes on some licorice tones and then slinks into a finely textured finish. Softer tannins than a Barolo or Barbaresco but the fruit flavors are just as intense and profound.
 

Decoy by Duckhorn California Merlot, 2923

Duckhorn and Leonetti are two of the big names in New World Merlot. This Decoy by Duckhorn does not have the class of these wines, either in cost or quality. But it has the rich, luxurious profile associated with Duckhorn wines It was served to accompany a superb chocolate creme brulee with strawberries at Carrabba's wine dinner.

Color may be a tad lighter than that of the Cabernet but still dark and bluish. Dark cherries,  mocha and sweet spices. Silky texture, good acid, delicious fruit flavors.This wine suffers mainly by comparison to the luscious chocolate creme brulee. It has been a long night and a lot of food and wine. I would like to try this wine again with a less fatigued palate.

Greenwing by Duckhorn Columbia Valley Cabernet Sauvignon, 2023

Carrabba's wood grilled sirloin steak, topped with spinach, grilled tomatoes, garlic, basil and a five-cheese blend, deserves a good Cabernet Sauvignon, and the Greenwing by Duckhorn  was a perfect fit.

Deep and dark color. More black than red fruit tones but fresh and vibrant. Blackberries, pomegranates, plums. Tastes sweet next to the Goldeneye Pinot Noir but sleek and elegant. Silky texture. Perfect companion to the steak.

Greenwing is considerably less exensive ($15 to $20) than Duckhorn Cabs from Napa, and, though I am not a big Cabernet fan, it is now on my buy list.

Goldeneye by Duckhorn Anderson Valley Pinot Noir, 2022

Served with Shrimp Fra Diavolo, this was the second wine of Carrabba's wine dinner. Since I am allergic to shrimp, I had just the linguine with a hot and spicy (and delicious) Calabrian marinara sauce.

Donna and I were introduced to Goldeneye Pinot Noir by our good friends, Dave and Nancy Randall, who live in Redding, CA, withing driving distance of the Anderson Valley. Goldeneye is usually priced a bit high  ($50 a bottle) for my wine budget, but the enjoyment I got from those early bottles lured us into a satisfying relationship with other Anderson Valley Pinot Noirs such as those from Toulouse, Couloir, Mary Elke and Phillips Hill. I was anticipating good things from this Goldeneye Pinot, and I was not disappointed.

Medium light ruby shading to garnet. The lightest color of all of the Duckhorn reds... and rightly so. Haunting smells and flavors: raspberry, cherry, red currants, black tea and a hint of mushrooms. Great acidity to match the spicy marinara sauce. Long, intriguing finish.