Tuesday Night Wines



Hello everybody and welcome back to another installment of my series on mid-week value wines.  How was the holiday weekend for everyone in the states?  Gotta thank the President's of past for giving all of us a free Monday.  I will have to put off Napa for another week I guess.....

So by now I think most are starting to get the hang of this series.  I pick one wine every Tuesday to feature as my 'Value Wine of the Week.'  Guidelines are simple, taste good and be under $15, that's about it.  Otherwise no holds are barred and no style is omitted.  For today we are going with a California Chardonnay, America's favorite varietal. 
The producer is Heron, based out of Southern Napa.  The label owns no vineyards, but contracts with growers for grapes to purchase.  Heron actuall began in Southern France with a Vin de Pays Merlot, which they still produce today.  To date I have only tried the Chardonnay from California, but would be interested in experiencing more of the line.

Heron Chardonnay, 2005, California

A good vintage for California Chardonnay, with the fruit being sourced from Russian River Valley, Carneros, and the Santa Maria.  I was pleasantly surprised upon opening the bottle to find it was holding up as well as it was.  The color was fairly golden and concentrated, but still had tinges of youth on the rim.  The fruit aromas were dense and preserved well, with apples and pineapple and pears in syrup.  The oak influence was noticable but not overwhelming, as half of this wine is done in oak and the other half in steel and then blended.  The palate was full bodied and consistent, with the fruit being bolstered by the creamy, tangerine oil mouthfeel.  There were subtle spices notes, but the fruit was the shining component.

For about $13 for the current 2008 vintage I would easily recommend this Chardonnay to someone who is looking for a clear example that is not overblown by oak and maleolactic fermentation.  Only one way to find out though...and that's to go experience it for yourself.  Salute!

La Tupina Restaurant

Bordeaux, France 25-12-2010



Christmas dinner is one of my favorite meals of the year. Like Thanksgiving it is a time when families converge onto a table and are able to share their stories and happenings of the year and look around at faces of the people you love and smile, and have them smile back. Even more so in recent years this meal has increased in meaning. Like most every other household growing up, it is the mother who works all day making sure the holiday is perfect, the fighting is kept to an absolute minimum, and the food arrives at the table hot and tasting good. One of the biggest gifts I could give my parents in the last few years has been to share my love of them my putting into my hands the preparation of both Thanksgiving and Christmas dinners. They have come in various forms, whether it was the 7 course escapade that my family thought would never be over to last Thanksgiving where I gave them my interpretation of a ‘traditional’ meal with the Turkey and stuffing and all. Well with this year being away off doing this learning expedition in Europe I was unable to give the people I love the most all that I could, and with Christmas it really sank in. I was so happy and fortunate to have had my friend Margaux with me so that neither of us had to spend Christmas alone.

We decided it would be a great idea to have a fantastic Christmas dinner, seeing as it was a holiday and our last meal together. I turned to James Molesworth of Wine Spectator for a recommendation. He was happy to recommend a few places, but when he mentioned big portions, great food, and open fire I was sold. What better setting than a country kitchen themed restaurant for a holiday celebration feast! The place did not disappoint.

The setting was exactly as I imagined it would be. The open fire pit was the first thing you saw when you entered, with a table showing fresh local ingredients to greet you and a mini locker in the corner showing off their amazing looking cuts of beef. All the devices were old school, the oven looking as though it hadn’t been changed in a century. The table was well set, and I was kind of excited to be sitting next to the back kitchen next to the server’s line. Most people would hate it, but being in the industry it is kind of a true window into the restaurant and its staff.

First we will talk wine, Round 1. A half bottle of white to get the celebration kicked off. The menu had a wide array of half bottle selections which I was pleased with, as it allows for much more flexibility throughout a meal. I selected:


                            Le Abeille de Fieuzal Pessac Leognan 2009



For the meal itself we decided to live it up and go with the Pre Fix menu at 60 Euro a person.  It was 4 courses including the cheese course.  First course for me would be seared scallops over white bacon and Margaux went big with the Foie Gras terrine.  Both dishes were excellent.  My scallops were perfectly cooked and the fattiness of the white bacon was a perfect compliment.  Often in the states we wrap the scallop in heavily smoked meaty bacon which overpowers the delicate flavors of the scallop, not so here.  Only one word can describe the Foie Gras terrine, WOW.   As you can tell from the picture its looks really good, but was such a large piece that Margaux and I together could not finish it.  We had to pace ourselves you know.

Wine Round 2 is up, and so is the main course. Again I thought it best to utilize the half bottle menu and select a nice red to accompany the remainder of the meal. In honor of our day spent in the heart of the Right Bank…

                                 Chateau Beauregard Pomerol 2002

At first I was a bit skeptical about the recommendation from the staff, as 2002 is definitely not an acclaimed year for Bordeaux. But then I thought that neither was 1998 for Napa Valley Cabernets, and I’ve had some really tasty ones in the last year. A perfect example of why one should have faith in the Sommelier or Wine Steward when dining out and seeking advice. The wine was showing beautifully that evening. At 48 Euro it was not inexpensive, but fairly priced for their range of selections. Again though, which I was a bit surprised by, no decanting done or offered. The only blemish on a wonderful dining experience. From the last posting covering Right Bank reds you should be very knowledgeable about the wines of Pomerol, right?

The wine had great depth of color with all the noticeable signs of its age, and definitely some sediment thrown. The fruits were all red berries, slightly dried at this point in its evolution, with plenty of the clay minerality tones being balanced by the tobacco leaf and subtle truffle notes on the back. The cool tones characteristic of this vintage kept the alcohol and tannins in check, but the wine was still rich and not watered down at all.



Main course time, and I am going to shock you by my selection, wait for it….I had the Duck!  I’m sorry I couldn’t resist.  Call me ‘quacky’ but it was a duck filled day for me.  Duck Breast rolled and pan roasted finished with a butter cream sauce with morel mushrooms.  I’m not so crazy for picking all this duck anymore am I?  The dish was perfectly executed, the breast cooked a perfect medium rare, and the sauce complimented the meat to deliver flavor in a harmonious tone on the palate.  I also had a side of Pome Frites (French Fries) that are cooked in duck fat; remember how much the French do like their duck fat!  Margaux had a dish I thought personified the style of the restaurant, a rice dish, like a risotto, with wild mushrooms and onions and diced chicken breast.  It was served in the dish in a cast iron pot onto your plate tableside.  To me that is perfect country home-style cooking at its best.  Both dishes were amazing, I really can’t say there was a clear favorite, we were both winners.

The cheese course is a tradition in France, almost a religious ceremony in fact.  It is always served after the main course before the dessert.  For ours the pairing was a creamy soft rind goat cheese paired with a bit of berry jam and toast.  Although the size was modest, the dish was filling.  The cheese was rich and delicious, but neither of us attempted to finish it, although I got pretty close, opting to save room for dessert.

The dessert course was fun, both because of the flavors and the ambiance.  By this point, some 3 hours into the marathon meal, neither of us was sure where the food was going to fit.  I make great sacrifices in my job sometimes, here being one, and I continued to eat my way out of this meal, one fork at a time, haha!  My dish was a play on a traditional Bordeaux dessert cake, the Cannele.  It is a firm cake made from the egg yolks left over from the fining of the wines with the egg whites, which still happens to this day.  To accompany was some rum ice cream and fresh pineapple with a few raspberries strategically placed for color and flavor.  With the glass of Sauterne I had to wash it all down it was a hit.  Margaux had a much more innovative dish, a frozen Vanilla Soufflé with a Raspberry glaze.  Let’s just say I had no problems helping her finish the last few bites of her dish as well.

The dinner overall was amazing.  From the food, to the wine, to the service and the company everything was great.  It was a perfect way to cap off a great week of eating and drinking and being merry.  I don’t think I have ever been this decadent for a whole week in my life.  I should have weighed myself before and after, but where is the fun in that.  Up next we will continue the series on Max Wine Gallery and go across the river, to the Left Bank article.  Salute!

Keep Dreaming

Tasting lessons

Lesson 2: Visualize It

Well despite the funky weather outside I will still wish everyone a Happy Friday.  Hopefully the week has been pleasant for all and we are ready to enjoy the weekend.  There will be lots of snow in the mountains, a great rejoice for all the skiers, but if you are not making it up the hill have no fear, weekend wine tasting fun is here.  Hopefully some of you took the opportunity to check out last weeks article about learning about wine, and if not you get a second chance this weekend.  I am going to be talking about and expanding on my tasting tutorial as we get deeper into analyzing a wine visually. 

Well I thought for today we would keep the theme going I started last week, and do another lesson installment. Did anyone get a chance to do lasts weeks experiment focusing on mouthfeels in differnet wines? I hope so because it is a key element in analyzing the types of wines you will ultimately like. For lesson 2 I thought it would be good to start at the beginning, looking at a wine like a detective, well maybe not that investigative. In general though, one can get a lot of clues about a wine by just looking at it. I am in the position of blind tasting wines a lot, and I often use these principals to decipher what I am tasting.


For this lesson I do not expect people to be blind tasting, although it is a very fun activity to do in a small group format. I will note at times why certain things are important with respect to blind tasting.

Ok to begin: Make sure you have a clean White backdrop and simply grab some wine and pour it into your glass, any wine that you enjoy will do (use the wines from last week if you have not done that experiment). Before beginning I must make this very important note: DO NOT SWIRL THE GLASS! Sounds crazy right? Everyone says you should swirl the glass a bunch to "wake up the aromas" of the wine. Well thats right, but we are NOT smelling the wine, just looking at it. We do not want to swirl because some wines have trapped carbon dioxide (CO2) and swirling the glass will break all this up.

What I like to do is grab the stem of the glass and roll the wine around in the glass, allowing the wine to coat the glass. I note the Brigthness of the wine first, then the 3 C's-Color,Clarity,Concentration. To generalize, a more youthful wine will have more brightness to it, and the 3 C's can be affected by both the varietal(s) as well as the winemakers choices along the way.

Look at the wine in the glass from a couple different angles, tilt the glass towards you, then away from you, look straight down at it. These acts will help tell you what kind of wine you are drinking by knowing grape qualities. For example Pinot Noir will generally be much lighter in color and concentration than Syrah. Knowing this would tell you better what you are drinking in a blind format.

Notice if there is and sediment in the glass? How about any trapped gas bubbles? Sediment is a good clue because it could tell you the style of the winemaker (nonfiltered/nonfined) and more importantly the age of the wine. The older the wine, especially red wines, the more sediment will naturally be thrown. The concentration of wines will fade out as it gets closer to the rim, and this rim variation can tell us a lot about age as well. The larger the rim variation (which looks like a water ring around the edge of the wine) the older the wine.

Lastly when looking at a wine check out what we call viscosity. The amount of friction created between the wine and the glass, in lehmans terms this is called the legs of the wine. In red you will want to look at these legs for staining. The thicker the skin of the grape the darker the stain of the tears. We can also get a clue about alcohol here. the higher the alcohol level the more the wine will coat the glass, giving the appearance of a more oily thick looking legs on the glass.

Use the same 4 wines as from lesson 1 and do both lessons together if you have not had a chance. I think it is very important to be properly educated to taste in the right way, but remember to have fun with it. For a reference when I am blindtasting in a timed format, I try not to spend more than 30 seconds on this portion of analysis. Have fun! Salute!



Tuesday Night Wines

Happy Tuesday all, how is everyone doing after the Valentine's Day fiasco.  I can imagine most are getting over that hangover a bit and are looking forward to a relaxing week ahead of them.  Well what better way than to have a simple wine that will be kind to your wallet post-Valentine spree.  In the second installment of my value wine segment I review the Barefoot Pinot Grigio, which retails for about $7 a bottle.  It is readily accessable and will be uncomplicated and easy. 

I appreciate a wine like this for two reasons.  The first is simple, for the price the wine is pretty good.  The second reason is because a simple value wine like this one let's you enjoy a higher quality selection from Northern Italy or Alsace.  With a case production of almost 300K a year, it's pretty consistent.

The wine is a non vintage blend, and looks very youthful with a light yellow hue.  The nose is mellow with a solide ocre of fruit like tart apples and citrus.  The finish is soft and easy, pleasant and refreshing.

Look to have light dishes with a wine like this.  Maybe some shrimp or fish would work, but don't be afraid to put some chicken up next to it either.  An easy go-to starter wine.  Cheers!

Valentine's Day Menu

Hey everybody, Happy Valentine's Days.  On a day where we are supposed to express our love for those close to us I encourage all to use this day as the beginning of a new life.  No longer should we take for granted those in our lives and should use everyday to show those that we care about that we do care about them.  What a better way to start than with a great meal with some great wines. 

To begin we have to talk sparkling wine.  Whether you are going out or staying in, the celebration cannot truly begin until the 'pop' sound of the cork being removed.  Whether you decide to go traditional brut or a rose' style, its the perfect beginning.  Not to mention sparkling wines are very versatile with food.

Next we get intot the main part of the meal, the comfortable middle.  I am a big fan of trying new wines and experimenting, but here may not be the best time to do so.  Go with a sure thing, a wine you know your partner will love.  Maybe take the opportunity to pull that older vintage you have been holding onto, or rely on the restaurant's Sommelier to find something special for you.  Remember to enjoy the company and the experience, and not to fuss over these little things along the way.

For dessert most people naturally go to chocolate on Valentine's Day.  Well if this is the case for you, take the opportunity to experiment with dessert wines.  Port wines are amazing on their own from producer's like Dow's and Taylor Fladgate to new name a few, and with chocolate the flavors soar together.  Most familiar to people is the Tawny Port, but maybe take the chance on a good vintage Port if available.  You will be pleasantly rewarded with a treasure trove of flavors on your palate.  If you are going in another direction than chocolate, well then a Sauternes will play well more often than not.  By this point in the meal your focus should be elsewhere anyway.

So there is the simple and easy recipe for success on Valentine's Day.  Don't forget the flowers and to be on your best manners and Valentine's Day should go off without a hitch.  And when it does, you know who to thank!  Happy Day to All!



Tasting Lessons

Lesson 1: Mouthfeel



Hey everybody, happy Saturday and welcome back for another installment. Hope we are all ready to change it up a little bit and do a little bit of a different focus today. I want to bring you more articles about learning about wine and making you a more savvy wine novice movinmg forward.  Lets learn about wine today instead of reading about a tasting of wine. I recently had to put together a food and wine pairing and it got me to thinking about how to teach people about wine in an enjoyable manner. To keep it simple and easy, lesson 1 will be focusing on recognizing mouthfeel from certain wines. Some wines are natrually lighter in body and some wines are naturally fuller bodied in the mouth. Being able to recognize this quality in the beginning will help you down the road with figuring out the kinds of wines you like. And that's what its all about, finding wines that you like!

Here's what we are going to do. You will need 4 wines to do this, so I recommend going to your favorite local wine bar or getting a few friends together and doing a BYOB. You will need 2 whites and 2 reds. Focus here mainly on the mouthfeel for this experiment initially, then have some fun with it, that is what wine drinking is all about after all. 

White #1= Sauvignon Blanc. New Zealand is best for this experiment. Avoid California SB to be safe, you want an un-oaked version/style

White #2= Chardonnay. California works well. You want an oaked version here. La Crema or Frank Family are good examples

Red #1=Pinot Noir. Go for a value version here, avoid spending a lot on a single vineyard-reserve bottling. A by Acacia works here

Red #2=Cabernet Sauvignon. Its okay so spend a little money here, but go for a well known producer. The Martin Ray 3 Counties from the by the glass tasting blog would fit right in

Now we have the wines selected. Of course still taste in the same manner as you would before, but when you are physically tasting the wine focus on noticing how the wine feels on your palate. For the whites, the Sauv Blanc will be lighter and racier with higher acidity where the Chardonnay will feel thicker and more oily-richer across the mouth. The same should happen for the reds, but it won't be oily so much. The Cabernet will be higher in tannin and will feel differently than the light bodied high acid pinot noir.

I hope we all get the chance to try this out very soon and it helps you to find the style of wine that fits you best. Remember to have fun with it, after all you are drinking good wine aren't you? Life is too short to drink bad wine. Grab some good cheeses and cured meats and make a party out of it all.  Salute!

Podere Ristella

Montemassi (GR) Maremma, Toscana, Italy

Visited 19-1-2011



People often stay in the middle of the road, choosing the comfortable path rather than differing from the norm of their everyday. Rather than taking a chance on something new they go with the tradition. People say, ‘why try something new, I like this one and so why change it?’ I am a firm believer that if it not broken then why try to fix it, in business, but not in enjoyment. It is no secret that I love wine, hence why I have chosen it as the focus of my career in life. And even in my professional life I am constantly being shown new things, and being surprised by what I find. Think about the possibilities that those outside of the profession have. What I am trying to say is that if we always stick to the labels and producers we know then we will miss out on so many good products because of their unfamiliarity. Think about it like this, is the first wine you ever tried in your life your favorite wine today?

Podere Ristella is a small farm operated for 3 generations now, first being acquired in the 1940’s. This is a small property that likes it that way. They produce good quality wine on a selection of vineyards 7 Hectares in size. Sangiovese is the most planted varietal, but they also have Cabernet Sauvignon, Merlot, and Syrah for some international varietals. The soils are a mix of clay with some sand and skeletal rocks to keep the quality low which varies from the different parcels of the property. As of current writing the wines are not imported to the U.S., but still they are a great example to you that the small unknown guy can make great stuff just like the big names.

1) ‘Bazzico’ Vermentino 2009
The only white wine made by the Podere, and has gained them some acclaim at various local tasting shows. Traditional youthful appearance with a light color concentration, the wine even had a faint expression of trapped CO2 gas. The aromas were firm and ripe with yellow peach and sweet citrus notes, also a candied green apple tinge. The sandy, oceanic minerality woke up on the dry light-bodied palate, warm throughout from the alcohol (14.5%), but it found balance against the fresh acidity.

2) ‘Stancabove’ Monteregio di Massa Marittima D.O.C. 2007
The ‘Tiring Cow’ wine represents the traditional wines from the area, Sangiovese based (80%), with 10% each of Ciliegiolo and Malvasia Nera. The wine is highly concentrated and deep in color for a Sangiovese based wine, which carries through to the aromatic intensity. The fruits are dark and fleshy, complimented by warm loose dark earth tones. There is a slight woodsy quality to the palate which carries through the medium body to a clean finish.

3) ‘Giovenco’ Syrah Maremma Toscana I.G.T. 2007
The first vintage for the Syrah was in 2005, and so it is still a new project for the estate. It has all the signs of a pure syrah, deep purple color which is inky and non-transparent with a very firm concentration even at the rim. Also the tears have a strong staining effect from the thick flesh of the syrah berries. There is a firm intensity to the aromas, warm fleshy berry fruits as well as the dark florality in the back. Also look for a faint gamey note scented with a bit of blood (Sounds odd, I know, but this is a key marker for Syrah, especially from warm climates). The body is firm and well structured with refined tannins and a perfumed finish with fresh fruits and rocky minerality.

4) ‘Ghitto di Naldo’ Maremma Toscana I.G.T. 2007
This is the estate’s 1st of two ‘Supertuscan’ blends, here a balance of Cabernet Sauvignon, Merlot, and Sangiovese in equal proportions. The style seems to be to have strong color and extraction in the wines, evident here as well to the eye. The rim was beginning to show lightening of color and variation. The nose had a mellow intensity, fresh blackberry and blueberries kissed with vanillin and backed by cool mossy earth tones. The mouth flavors turned more to ripe red fruits and had hints of leather and warmer earth notes. A balanced wine with rounded yet firm tannin structure, and a lengthy finish.

5) ‘Armigero’ Maremma Toscana I.G.T. 2005
The flagship wine of the estate, a Cabernet Sauvignon (65%) based wine with 20% Sangiovese and 15% Merlot. Aged for 18 months in New French barrique and left in the bottle for further refinement for 24 months. At almost 4 years of process before release, it’s amazing to think they only charge about 15 Euro a bottle!
A bright deep garnet color with a strong opaque concentration. The rime was softening to ruby red with a faint bricking effect beginning. Toasty vanillin accented the sweet black berry fruit qualities. Hints of mint intermixed with the fresh earthen notes. Lots of fresh fruit on the palate, mostly black, with the refinement of the firm tannins and a great balance throughout. Persistent finish that kept going for a while.

6) Occhio di Pernice 2003
This is a very rare wine selection that is unique to Tuscany. It is the red version of a classic Vin Santo, utilizing dried Sangiovese rather than the Trebbiano/Malvasia grapes for the white/amber version. The color was ruby red with definite browning to the rim. There were classic nutty dried fruit qualities to the nose, but berry fruits rather than the apricot/fig notes. The wine was long and weighty on the palate and sweet to the taste, very interesting wine. Would be perfect with some dark chocolate or even some chocolate cantucci cookies.

7) ‘Ulisse’
An interesting dessert wine that has a refined richness to it. Think sweet raisins and intense dried fruits. Goes great with chocolate also, but I like the idea of baked figs with Gorgonzola all wrapped with some prosciutto!
Thanks again to Podere Ristella for opening their doors and welcoming me for an interesting tasting. It is always a pleasure to experience good wines in the casual atmosphere where you get the true feeling that it is still a farm and this is still a daily life existence.

For information regarding the wines of the Maremma and/or Tuscany including high class luxury wine and golf tours and holidays in the Tuscany region visit the website of the premier tour company, http://www.maremmaevents.com/ to begin planning your next vacation. Salute!

ww.ristella.it

info@ristella.it






Tuesday Night Wines

Hey everybody, as promised I am making moves to better benefit you the consumer.  This starts today with one of my favorite categories, value wines.  Every Tuesday I will select one wine and feature it as my value wine of the week persay, or my 'Tuesday Night Wine.'  The goal is to find wines that are under $15 retail and fit well with the theme of the seaon or recent tastings and such.  And oso I begin with my 1st selection, and what a better place to go to than where my last article left off, Right Bank Bordeaux!

Chateau Grimard Bordeaux 2005



So here is a wine that comes from Lugon on the Right Bank, in-between Fronsac and Pomerol.  It is a blend of Merlot and Cabernet Franc, classic for the region.  I pulled this bottle, the 2005 vintage, out of my cellar a few nights ago for dinner.  I picked it up a few years ago in Santa Cruz for about $13 at the time. 

A bright ruby red color with visible aging at the rim, the wine was pleasant and enjoyable all around.  The fruit was very much tart red cherries with some dried cranberry elements as well.  Mossy earth and tobacco leaves were very strong as the wine opened, and the palate stayed soft and rounded throughout.  A wine that is a no brainer easy drinker that would be fairly versatile with food.

Look for the 2008 vintage on the market now, and pair with a variety of foods from lighter style meat dishes to heavier red meat.  Can work with grilled, braised, or roasted cooking methods, so have fun with it.!

Stay Thirsty my friends, Salute!

Max Wine Gallery Visit 2

Bordeaux, France


27-12-2010



Howdy all and welcome back. By now we have caught up to past the Christmas holiday and the amazing food from lunch, to backtrack, dinner will follow this article. By this time I was back to travelling solo, having sent Margaux on her way to Prague via Paris and I was spending my last few days in Bordeaux on my own before heading to Madrid for the NYE holiday. The weather was cold, but dry mostly, and holding up quite well.

As I mentioned in my first article on the Max Wine Gallery, this second installment would feature wines strictly from the Right Bank. I am happy to report that I have added the Right Bank amendment to the Bordeaux Region Information page. To get a clear and concise abbreviated understanding about this area please visit that link on the homepage. I will quickly remind you though that The Right Bank is Merlot country. I would also like to report as a side note here that I have added Merlot to the varietal descriptions section of my webpage. Here you can learn about Merlot and the prominent regions it calls home around the world. Back to today, there are wines from both Saint Emilion and Pomerol in the comparison, and so you can begin to understand the similarities and differences between the two regions. Let us begin….

1) Clos Fourtet Saint Emilion Premier Grand Cru Classe 2006

This house is one of the 13 Level B Premier Grand Cru Classe wines recognized in Saint Emilion. The vineyards literally back up to the city itself, as the area directly beyond the wall is parking for the top of the town.
The wine is bright with a clear garnet color and firm color concentration, almost non transparent in fact. The rim variation is very minimal and the wine is youthful to the eye still, with lightly stained tears that have a high viscosity.
The nose has a medium intensity to the aromas and is balanced between red fruits and secondary flavors. Cherries, cranberries and plums are complimented by chocolate, a bit of dried tobacco, and a tinge of vanillin.
The palate confirms the red fruits in the front and emerges with warm earth and mineral notes on the back. The wine is dry and in balance with Medium plus tannins and medium acidity to hold it all together. All in all a good effort and value wine as it is not a wallet buster.
                                                                 90 Points Wine Spectator


2) Vieux Chateau Certan Pomerol 2006
I encourage you again to remember from the Right Bank information section that Pomerol has never officially been classified. With that said there are of course still houses that are recognized and revered for their outstanding qualities. Vieux Chateau Certan is grouped in this category.
The wine is daybright with a light garnet color, which is clear, with a moderate concentration. There is transparency here to the wine. The wine is still youthful, but the rim is beginning to be noticeably softer in color and a definitive water line is evident. The tears have a staining and a medium plus viscosity.
A clean and perfumed wine with a medium plus intensity. Dark red fruits like raspberries are offset with a chocolate ganache quality which leads into dark red earth and pencil shaving elements.
The palate confirms the dominant red fruit characteristics, with the earth element also still intact. The secondary flavors transform into dried tobacco and dark floral notes on a medium bodied wine with a long finish. The tannins and acids stay balanced with the warm hint of a slightly high alcohol.
                                                              95 Points Wine Spectator


3) Chateau Figeac Saint Emilion Premier Grand Cru Classe 2006
Here is another of the Level B Premier wines of Saint Emilion. This house is located just outside of the town proper on the road that heads west towards Pomerol. It is regarded by many as one of the top Level B wines each year.
The wine is bright in its ruby red color, clear with a moderate concentration. The wine has a slight opaqueness to its visual effect. The rim is only beginning to vary with a minimal water line on its edge. There is noticeable staining to the tears which have a medium plus viscosity.
There is a high level of aromatic intensity to this wine, a lot going on. First I get dried red fruits, like raspberries and plums, but there is a tinge of sweetness in form of candied fruits to the nose as well. Dark compact earth is complimented by red and purple floral effects behind.
The dried red fruits definitely drive the palate as well, confirming the nose. They are pleasant and not overwhelming though. There are also mid palate accents of brown tobacco leaf and hints of liquorice. The finish is long and persistent, greatly balanced and youthful with the expression of the clay mineral soils and some leather notes as well. Impressive indeed.
                                                              91 Points Wine Spectator


4) Chateau L’Angelus Saint Emilion Premier Grand Cru Classe 2004
This house is among the 13 as Level B Premier Grand Cru Classe wines of Saint Emilion. It is also located very near the town proper.
This wine is bright with a deep garnet color and high concentration. It is slightly opaque and not clear, borderline non-transparent in fact. The rim variation is still quite youthful, with only the start of color variation and a thin water line formed on the rim. The tears are deeply stained with a medium plus viscosity.
There is firmness to the intensity of the aromas, not as high as a hot climate or vintage, but very rich and present. There are fleshy ripe fruits like dark red cherries and plums with chocolate shavings, a tinge of vanillin, and heavy dark dry earth tones.
The fruit stays consistent on the palate, red fruits dominating, and stays long and warm throughout. The depth of this wine emerges with an almost gamey quality of smoky/peppery accents and dried cigar leaf on the finish. The tannins are firm and balanced by the acids, and the wine is long on the back.  This is a good wine, deeply extracted in style.
                                                            91 Points Wine Spectator

5) Chateau La Conseillante Pomerol 2006

One of the most respected houses in Pomerol, and my first time being able to try the wines from this chateau.
The wine was Starbirght and clear, with the traditional garnet color, medium plus in concentration though still transparent. There were the beginning sign of rim variation evident, and the tears were slightly stained with moderate viscosity.
Medium intensity to the nose, starting with dark berry fruits components, which were warm. The nose also hinted towards rich vanillin notes and slightly toasty, giving the impression of a healthy dose of new French oak influence. Also present were notes of dry dark earth tones.
The palate was well balanced and in harmony throughout. The fruits were of a similar tone, plums sticking out, with fresh fleshy tones. Loads of secondary flavors emerged in addition to the earth, like wet tobacco leaf and coffee grounds. The wine was drive with firm yet silky tannins and a finish that was long and persistent.
I have to say this was one of my favorite wines tasted in all of my visits to the gallery. It lived up to its reputation, and I am anxious for my next chance to have some more of this wine.
                                                             94 Points Wine Spectator

This concludes the tasting of the Right Bank installment article.  I hope that you were able to understand a general style of these wines and hopefully at least one of the tasting notes sparked you to go out and try it.  For Visit Number 3 we are ferrying across the Gironde and going to the Left Bank, Cabernet country.  Until next sign, Salute!