Medium ruby. Full range of red fruit flavors--red raspberry and strawberry--plus vanilla and a touch of citrus zest. Light bodied, as it should be, with medium acidity, which is a plus for a low-end Australian wine.
Sunday, September 17, 2023
19 Crimes The Punishment Southeast Australia Pinot Noir, 2021
Wednesday, September 13, 2023
Carpe Diem Anderson Valley Chardonnay, 2019
Monday, September 11, 2023
Phillips Hill Oppenlander Mendocino Pinot Noir, 2006
Medium light ruby, clear and bright. Even at 17 years of age, smells and flavors are fresh and intense. Cherries, red plums, baking spices and a hint of blood orange on the finish. Lovely Pinot weight and texture. Special wine.
Sunday, September 10, 2023
E Pirra & Figli (Chiara Boschis) Langhe Nebbiolo, 2012
Medum garnet color. The bouquet is a bit muted at first but vigorous swirling produces scents of violets and Morello cherries. Yes, it is a bit "kind" and "delicate" on the palate, perhaps more than I would prefer. No oohs and aahs with this wine. But no mehs, either. Medium tannin, medium acidity, good balance that carries the mellow fruit flavors.
Friday, September 8, 2023
Chateau Grand Traverse Old Mission Peninsula Gamay Noir Reserve, 2017
Much darker in color than the Limited and fuller in the mouth. The flavors have blended together, as you would expect with long-term aging. Round and rich in texture. What I miss, though, compared to the Limited, are the clearly delineated flavors of tart cherry and black pepper. I like it but will put my money on the cheaper Gamay Noir and drink it more frequently.
Chateau Grand Traverse Old Mission Peninsula Gamay Noir Limited, 2020
Light in color, not unlike a Pinot Noir. From the first sniff, I am hooked. Tart cherries, black pepper and citrus zest. Beautiful. Very much like a Pinot Noir but better than any Michigan Pinot I have tasted. Light in body, big in flavor. Can be enjoyed now or later. At $14 to $16 a bottle, a good buy for frequent service.
Chateau Grand Traverse Old Mission Peninsula Block 12 Riesling, 2021
British wine wrtier Jancis Robinson turned me on to this wine. After tasting numerous Rieslings from many different countries, she found this one from Michigan to be her No. 1 choice. The vineyard that was then Block 49 is now known as Block 12, and I buy a bottle or two every vintage. Compared to the Dry Riesling ($15) and the Whole Cluster ($16), Block 12 sells for $20 and is worth every penny.
As the name suggests, this Riesling comes from a specific vineyard that has established itself as worthy of a special bottling. The Riesling vines here come from Alsace (Clone #49) rather than Germany, and the difference is apparent in the flavors and textures. Gorgeous smells and flavors--deep and complex. Granny Smith apple, minerals, white flowers, slight petrol. 11% alcohol, somewhat sweeter than the Dry Riesling and the Whole Cluster Riesling but with good acidity to balance. Lingering flavors that tease the palate. Of the three very good Rieslings I tasted today, this was my clear favorite.
Chateau Grand Traverse Old Mision Peninsula Whole Cluster Riesling, 2021
Green apple, pear with just a hint of Riesling petrol. Medium to full body and a great mouthfeel. 10.6 alcohol. This wine is usually an annual purchase for me, and I have found that it drinks nicely at 8 to 10 years of age.
Chateau Grand Traverse Old Mission Peninsula Dry Riesling, 2021
This Dry Riesling is perfectly tailored to my taste. Dry and unmistakably Riesling in personality. Expressive flavors of grapefruit, green apples and petrol with a clean, crisp finish. 10.5% alcohol. At $15, a great value.
Saturday, September 2, 2023
Chateau Reynella Basket Pressed McLaren Vale Cabernet Merlot, 1994
Still a deep, dark robe of color when a full glass is poured. A classic Cabernet Merlot but definitely New World in its style. Red currants, black currants and a lifted note of mint. Rich, rich flavors. Dusty tannins with more acidity than is typical of an Australian red. More red than black currants. Elegance personified.
Domaine de Pallus Messanges Rouge Chinon, 2016
Medium ruby with garnet shading in from the rim. Floral aromatics. Also expressive Cab Franc fruit. Cranberry, bitter cherry with savory notes of Cab Franc dirt.
Monday, August 28, 2023
Elio Sandri Barbera d'Alba Superiore, 2012
Deep and dark. Red and black berries, underbrush and spice. Broad shouldered for a Barbera. High tannin, high alcohol (14.5%) and the high acid that is typical of Barbera. Perhaps a big too big for what I want in a Barbera, but the well delineated red and black fruit flavors carry through nicely to a long finish.
Sunday, August 27, 2023
Domaine des Baumard La Caleche Vin Blanc Sec, 2019
Deep Chenin Blanc gold. And Chenin Blanc is also present in the beautiful aromas and flavors. Fresh peach, pear, canteloupe and a bit of honey. A mineral edge on the finish. Fresh and lively with a leesy richness on the palate. Very dry and only 12% alcohol. We had La Caleche with pesto pasta, but I can't think of any meal that would not be flattered by this wine.
Friday, August 25, 2023
Edna Road 500 Ranch Edna Valley Chardonnay, 2019
Wednesday, August 23, 2023
Tuatea Marlborough Sauvignon Blanc, 2022
Light, bright yellow with green tints. Fresh and lively. Jalapeno, honeydew melon and lemon grass. Medium light body. Clean, persistent finish. Available for $6.99 at my local Trader Joe's, this is an excellent choice if you are looking for an every day, mid-week white.
Monday, August 21, 2023
Vicente Gandia Simue Ribera del Duero Temperanillo Robles, 2011
Medium deep ruby. Bright color. Red fruit and spice. Primary aromas and flavors. Intense raspberry fruit flavors with tongue tingling acidity. I bought a case and will be in no hurry to drink up the remaining bottles.
Sunday, August 13, 2023
Maison Leroy Bourgogne Rouge, 1990
I bought a case of this Maison Leroy Bourgogne Rouge 1990 on futures for about $149/case. For a particularly good vintage, that was a good buy even in the early 1990s. When the case was delivered, the wine had clearly been exposed to high temperatures, and some bottles had leaked. I registered a respectful complaint but did not demand a refund since I had gotten a good price for a wine that I really wanted to drink. Because I was aware of the damage, I drank the case more quickly than I might have done, and the wine was really pretty good, better than other Bourgogne Rouge wines from that vintage and others.
As often happens, the final lonely bottle sat in my cellar for 30 years, and I assumed it was probably dead. But when my Cellar Tracker Pro software informed me that the wine is now worth $253, I had to open the cork. There were no stains on the label and little or no ullage from the bottle. The cork was recessed but tight and difficult to extract--apparently a good seal after the initial trauma Who knows what this wine might have been had it not been exposed to heat during its youth? But what is in my glass does not disappoint at all.
Medium ruby, clear and bright. Looks as young as ever. The bouquet is slow to open, but intense flavors are apparent immediately and get even better as the wine airs. Small red berries and spice. The texture is what Pinot Noir is all about. Light on the tongue but with a tensile strength. Ripe fruit that is suprisingly youthful but with the complex nuances that come with long aging. My experience with fine red Burgundy is limited, but this bottle is probably the best I have had. I don't buy $250 wines, but I just drank one. No complaints.
Wednesday, August 9, 2023
Wind Gap Gap's Crown Vineyard Chardonnay, 2013
Medium deep yellow. This wine requires warmer temperature than most Chardonnays. As it warms and aerates, the flavors come forth. Citrus, pears, almonds. Great acidity--almost too much at first before the wine warms in the glass. Then the flavors come through, mellow, rich and complex.
Tuesday, August 8, 2023
Domaine Brusset Les Chabriles Vieilles Vignes Cairanne, 2014
Deep crimson, much darker than I expect from Cairanne, but then the cuvee has 40% Syrah. Intense Southern Rhone bouquet from the moment the cork is popped. The Syrah makes its presence felt with dark fruits and black pepper but there is plenty of Grenache cherry and red berry. Medium weight. The tannic backbone is always present, but it is friendly, fruit-filled and balanced nicely by an acidic edge. Good fruit definition on the finish. The label says can be cellared for 10 years, and, at age 9, it is doing quite well. If I had more, I would be in no hurry to drink them.
Saturday, August 5, 2023
Tuatea Marlborough (New Zealand) Sauvignon Blanc, 2022
Medium light straw. Bright and clear. Fresh, clean inviting smells and flavors. Lemons, lime zest, mint, honeydew melon and a bit of jalapeno on the finish. I am not big on the green bell pepper trait that occurs in some cool climate Sauvignons, but jalapeno adds some complexity and interest. At the price, I am a frequent buyer.
Friday, August 4, 2023
Pelassa Antaniolo Roero Riserva DOCG, 2011
Wednesday, August 2, 2023
Calstar Cellars Londer Vineyard Anderson Valley Pinot Noir, 2009
Medium light garnet. I gave this bottle about two hours' aeration, and it benefited greatly. My first sip after pulling the cork was ripe and pleasant. By the end of two hours, I was getting deep, concentrated, complex fruit flavors. Red cherries, raspberries, spice. Depth and concentration that comes from slow ripening in a well situated vineyard. Acidity that makes it dance on the tongue. I have had the 2007 vintage of this wine several times; this 2009 is much better.
Sunday, July 30, 2023
Soter Vineyards North Valley Willamette Valley Chardonnay, 2013
Medium deep lemon yellow. Citrus is the theme here: lemon custard and citrus zest along with white flowers. Fresh and lively. Green apples and lime on the palate. Concentrated and well defined flavors with an intense finish.
Friday, July 28, 2023
Eden Valley Wines Old Butts Eden Valley Shiraz, 1995
Thursday, July 27, 2023
Kirkland Signature K Vine Frenchan's Hill Syrah, 2021
Dark inky color. I opened the wine about two hours before drinking, and I believe it benefited from that aeration, becoming significantly deeper, more acidic and more interesting. Black currants, cassis. Very easy to drink. Tannins are soft for a young wine, but fruit and acidity are strong. Has the herbal, mineral edge that is more common in Northern Rhone Syrah compared to Australian Shiraz. A bargain at $9.99.
Monday, July 24, 2023
Evening Land Sonoma Coast Vineyards, 2012
Medium dark ruby with garnet tones. Ripe but taut. Good acid. Cherries and cranberries with some citrus peel on the finish. Medium body. Drinking nicely now and will probably keep a year or two.
Chateau du Trignon Rasteau, 2018
E. Guigal Gigondas, 2019
Very deep, dark with purplish tones. Intense aromas are also deep and brooding, promising more to come. Cherry, cranberry, licorice, garrigue. Medium to full body. Tannins that grip, acidity that pleases. Flavors open nicely on the finish, but there is much more to come through the rest of this decade. I gave this wine a score of 18.5, but, at a price of $35, I will not be a buyer.
Domaine de Beaurenard Cotes du Rhone, 2021
Compared to the Brusset, a deeper ruby color. Also more aromatic intensity: red berries, plums, flowers. Medium full body, coats the tongue. A bit rough on the finish, but, again, this is a 2021 and will benefit from a few more months in the bottle. Good CDR; my score: 18.0. At $15, I would be a buyer but the retail price ($19 to $24) seems a bit high for a Cotes du Rhone, even one of this high quality.
Domaine Brusset Laurent B Cotes du Rhone, 2021
5
E. Guigal Cotes du Rhone Blanc, 2021
Medium light yellow, good brilliance. Lovely Viognier scents of white flowers, apricots and white peaches. The Marsanne and Rousanne express themselves through a rich texture and medium full body. A bit short and sharp on the finish, but that may change with a few more months in the bottle. At $15, a good value. My score 16.5.
American Wine Society National Tasting Project, Installment #2
Donna and I participated last night in the second installment of the American Wine Society's National Tasting Project. My tasting notes can be found above. This year's tasting focused on Southern Rhone wines. And as a Southern Rhone enthusiast for many years, I thought the wines were very well selected, including some of my favorite estates, such as Beaurenard, Chateau du Trignon, E. Guigal, Brusset, Pierre Amadieu and Fortia. My favorite at last night's tasting was the 2018 Chateaau du Trignon Rasteau; but then, as a 2018, it was also the wine with the greatest maturity.
My scores throughout the tasting were embarrassingly high, but I do love these wines. On this site, you should remember that I do not rate wines or recommend them. I have developed my own tastes over many years, and I don't want to impose them on anyone else any more than I want others to impose their tastes on me.
Saturday, July 22, 2023
Chateau Feuillet Valle d'Aosta Torrette, 2016
Domane Yves Cheron Gigondas, 2020
Deep, dark crimson. Has the sweet smells and flavors of fresh red berries countered by the dry chalky mouth feel of Gigondas. Distinctly Gigondas with mint, bay leaf and limestone-tinged minerals. Gigondas is only a few miles from Vacqueyras and the grapes used are basically the same; yet the wines are very diffeerent. This Gigondas is 75% Grenache and 25% Syrah. Delicious now but will undoubtedly be drinking even more beautifully with another 8 to 10 years in the bottle.
Wednesday, July 19, 2023
Kermit Lynch Selection Languedoc Cabrieres Rouge, 2020
Dark ruby color and dark berry smells and flavors of Syrah. Compared to the last bottle I had several months ago, this wine is now beginning to open up nicely, showing ripe fruit, flowers, spicy minerals and earth. The personality is clearly Southern Rhone/Languedoc. Good to drink now or later.
Monday, July 17, 2023
Jean Bourdy Cotes du Jura Blanc, 2012
It sounds like an oxymoron, and it is. If the wine has been exposed to air for so long in old barrels, why do you need to expose it to even more oxygen before drinking? In fact, aeration is precisely what long-in-barrel wines need. The same is true for Barolo. And the result can be spectacular.
Deep yellow color. When I first popped the cork, the wine did show some stinky, oxidized smells. Some might call them "pissy." But these smells were also exotic, mineral-tinged and beautiful. I did wait four hours after popping the cork, and by then the stinky smells had all disappeared; the exotic, mineral-tinged traits remained. Buttered biscuits, cinnamon, eucalyptus honey. Beautiful. Medium bodied with good acidity and a somewhat oily texture. Long finish.
This is not a budget wine but well worth $30 or even more if you can afford it.
Sunday, July 16, 2023
19 Crimes Southeast Australia Shiraz, 2021
Saturday, July 15, 2023
Willamette Valley Vineyards White Pinot Noir, 2021
Fontanafredda Barbera Briccotondo, 2020
Bright, medium light riby. Cherry tinged Barbera fruit. Also black fruits and plums on the palate. High acidity, low tannin approach typical of Barbera. That is what I like and it goes nicely with Martini's brisk red sauce. I will certainly be back for more of the food and the wine.
Wednesday, July 12, 2023
Piper Heidsieck Cuvee Brut, NV
Tuesday, July 11, 2023
Chateau Suiduiraut Sauternes (375 ml), 1983
Deep amber color but not as dark as the 1983 Doisy Daene I opened and reported on last week. Richer and sweeter than the Doisy Daene.One person at the table immediately mentioned Seville orange marmalade--a perfect descriptor for both the flavors and texture. Also dried and fresh apricots, honey and butterscotch. Viscous and mouthfeeling, Pleasure clinging to the inside of your mouth. Sweet but with the tangy bitterness of marmalade. Beautiful.
Monday, July 10, 2023
Chapel Hill House Block McLaren Vale Shiraz, 2014
Very deep and dark. Big and youthful. Blackberries, mulberries, oak. Full bodied with substantial tannins on the mid-palate and finish. Good potential, but, for my taste, this wine needs at least another five years in the cellar.
Saturday, July 8, 2023
Chateau Leoville Barton St. Julien 2nd Grand Cru Classe, 1993
1993 was not a particularly good vintage in Bordeaux, but Robert Parker called Leoville Barton "one of the biggest, richest, most impressive wines of the vintage." Although it may have faded slightly from its best form, the wine is drinking beautifully tonight.
Medium red, considerably lighter than the 2004 Penfolds Cab beside it at the table. It is also lighter in body than the Penfolds, and the tannins have subsided, releasing intriguing, beautifully complex flavors. Red currants, raspberries, cherries, cassis. Oak is perfectly integrated into the fruit. Polished texture on mid-palate, leading into a long, satisfying finish. I think it is showing better tonight than it did a year ago when it may have been outclassed by a 1982 Haut Bages Liberal that accompanied it at the table.
Penfolds Bin 407 Barossa Valley Cabernet, 2004
Deep and dark. Nearly opaque. Classic scents of black currant, cassis and smoke-tinged oak. Big on the mid-palate with loads of tannin. Has the fruit faded or is it hiding behind the tannin? Penfolds lists prime drinking time as 2021; I would be inclined to give it a few more years to let the tannins soften.
Friday, July 7, 2023
Warre's Vintage Port, 1977
Medium light color. Beautiful red fruit smells and flavors. Strawberries, raspberries, nuts, caramel, sweet spices. Very pleasantly sweet; good counter for salty aged Stilton cheese. Sits lightly on the tongue and releases its pleasure. Well worth the wait.
Schweiger Vineyards Spring Mountain Napa Cabernet Sauvignon, 2002
Deep and dark. Powerful smells and flavors, rich and complex. Raspberries, cherries, cassis, dark chocolate...and more. Very lively and fresh. Flavors explode on mid-palate and finish. More acidity than I expect from a California Cabernet, and, in my view, that is what makes this wine so wonderful to drink.
Whitehall Lane Napa Cabernet, 2013
Inky black. Lush fruit--currants, cassis, cherries, mocha, toasted oak. Velvety mouthfeel, sweet fruit. Medium long finish. A wine that should please almost any audience. Soft acidity makes it easy to drink, but not a good candidate for extended aging.
Thursday, July 6, 2023
Chateau Caillou Sauternes, 2005
Medium deep gold. Looks youthful. Ripe apricots, honey, vanilla. Rich flavors. Viscous mouth feel that blends beautifully with the texture of the cake. Would be good with any fruit-oriented dessert.
Chateau Haut Bages Liberal Pauillac, 1986
Beautiful, bright crimson. Smells and flavors that open beautifully over the course of the dinner. Black raspberries, red plums, cassis, spice. Ripe fruit with savory tones that get more delicious with every sip. Very long finish. I think the wine has reached its peak and may stay there for at least another four or five years.
Chateau Sociando Mallet Haut Medoc, 1985
Bright crimson with minimal bricking around the rim. Also darker in smells and flavors than the 1989 Citran beside it at the table. More black and than red fruits. Oak is well integrated and the flavors are deep. Good grip on the mid-palate, but finish is not quite as ripe and fruity as the 1986 Haut Bages Liberal beside it at the table. 55% Merlot, 40% Cabernet Sauvignon, 5% Cabernet Franc.
Chateau Citran Haut Medoc, 1989
Medium deep with some bricking. Pleasing, fruity bouquet. Spicy red and black currants and lifted tones of green bell pepper. 58% Cabernet Sauvignon, 42% Merlot. Tonight, I would say the Merlot is dominant. Compared to the 1985 Sociando Mallet Haut Medoc beside it at the table it is clearly lighter in body and flavor.