Roessler Savoy Vineyard Pinot Noir Anderson Valley 2006

Welcome all and a Happy Tuesday.  A special shoutout goes to my buddie Leon and his girl Nadia who found out yesterday that they are having a boy, congrats on that.  On the heals of tonight's Burgundy tasting that I am attending @ The Firehouse Restaurant in Old Sacramento I bring you a California Pinot Noir.  Not too far of a stretch, almost the ying to Burgundy's yang.  Also as this was the last bottle of this selection @ 58 Degrees & Holding in midtown Sacramento, I had to be the one to drink it. 
Roessler Cellars is a pretty hot producer right now, by fruit from all over and bottling many different labels and vineyards in addition to appellation wines.  The company was found in 1999 by the 2 brothers and they make the wines at a custom crush facility in Sonoma/Carneros.  The fruit for this bottling is bought from Richard Savoy from his Savoy Vineyard in the Anderson Valley of Mendocino.  A very prominent vineyard from the area, the fruit is very praised by many in California.

The wine is daybright and clear with a light ruby red in the center which fades to a hint of pink on the rim.  The color has a medium concentration with noticable rim variation at the meniscus.  No gas or sediment.  The Viscosity of the tears is moderate plus and there is no real noticable staining to the tears.
The nose has a moderately high intensity to the aromas.  Fruit forward of dark red cherry and strawberry with subtle cool pie qualities.  The subtle spice notes move into cinnamon stick and cocoa powder, as well as floral aromatics of roses and lavender.  Earth tones are cool weather driven, mossy earth and cool wood. 
The fruit tartens up a bit across a medium bodied palate.  The flavors are confirmed with the same berries and oak driven spices (sandalwood crept in for me), all well integrated and balanced.  The alcohol is a bit high and noticable on the end of the palate, but the weight of the palate does soften it a bit. 

If I could draw it all up I would order some pork stuft with more pork and a salty cheese.  Finish it all with a cream sauce with some hearty wood spices and maybe some pepper?  Salute!

Weller Lehnert Mosel Riesling 2001

Happy Monday all and welcome to another installment.  What a funny pattern, its Monday and everyone is back to work, and I am really just starting my weekend.  Too bad there aren't any cool Monday events like 2nd Saturday, oh well at least I have Tuesday Tastings at the Firehouse.  The topic for tomorrow, 8-31, is Burgundy and I am so excited.  But to bring the focus back lets talk about some of my favorite white wines, Rieslings from Germany. 
Considered by many to be the most noble of all the still white wines of the world, I definitely put them right up there with some of the best White Burgundies as the noble white wines of the world.  Ask many sommeliers and they will tell you how much they love Riesling, not only for its quality but for its versatility with food.  Also because you can range from very dry versions to off dry sweet versions allows for a wider range of avaliability with foods.  Also the Rieslings from Europe are grown in cooler climates so the alcohol stays low while the acid stays high.  We in the wine game like this too.
German wines can be confusing to decipher label wise though, and the perception of all the wines being sweet I think has kept some people away.  Here is a quick crash course:  If you like the dry style, look for a basic level QbA wine that is 'Trocken' level.  This is a term for dry wine in Germany.  A QbA is like the equivalent to a base Napa Valley wine, rather than a specific pocket.  Next you get into higher ripeness levels in the grapes and the driest form being a Kabinett, which is what today's wine is.  Next comes Spatlese, Auslese (these are sweet still wines) and then we get into the dessert styles Beerenauslese (BA) and the top of the mountain, trockenbeerenauslese (TBA). 

Weller Lehnert Piesporter Goldtropfchen Riesling Kabinett 2001 Mosel Saar Ruwer
Weller Lehnert is the producer, Mosel Saar Ruwer is the region in Germany this wine comes from (Mosel for short),  Piesporter, or Piesport, is the town within the Mosel where this wine comes from (anytime you see and er at the end of a word on a German label it is going to be a town),  Goldtropfchen is the single vineyard where these grapes were sourced from, and Kabinett is the ripeness level of the wine.  A drier style that does have some residual sugar.

Visually this wine was definitely showing the golden yellow hues of age with a high concentration to the color and a very noticable rim variation from the aging.  The tears were minimal given the low alcohol level.
The wine was clean with a moderately high level of aromatics.  Canned pineapple, yellow pear, and apple juice were prominent with the underlying notes of petrol/rubber and a distinct spiced note finishing the palate.
The flavors are confirmed on the palate, with a calmness coming over all the ripe fruit characteristics.  More minerality seems to emerge as the finish lingers.  Medium bodied with high acidity, the wine is definitely off dry with low alcohol and a moderately long finish.  I found the wine quite enjoyable over the course of 1-2 hours.
Again a versitile wine, I enjoyed it with steak tartare and crab cakes into oil poached butterfish, and it all worked.  I like to stay in the fish arena, something with some fatty oily character to it, and don't be afraid to throw some exotic strong spices into a sauce for it either.  Salute!

Lesson 2: Visualize It

Hi everybody, the weekend is upon us, and so is some questionable weather in Northern California.  Sorry wine grapes, maybe its just not your year.  I will say that there will be a Buyer Beware in the market if the vintage turns out to be moderate.  We already know the crop is going to be very small, so volume is low and the good bottlings will be ultra expensive in California.  $100 plus for Napa/Sonoma Cabs and Sonoma Pinots will not shock me at all.  With that said, take advantage of all the deals in the market because all the surplus stock will be getting smaller everyday.
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.  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!

Iberian Pennisula Reds

Happy Friday woo hoo!  It's been hot in Sacramento, and most of California in fact, but that's good news for the grape vines, they need all the catching up tey can get.  Its perfect timing for some chilled roses and BBQ, right? 
In the last week or so I have had the opportunity to taste a fair amount of Iberian wines and was overall impressed by what I found.  Spain and Portugal have been making famous wines for a long time now, but too many people in the states still have not got on the fanwagon.  It's because they are confusing, like Italian wines.  Obscure regions, unknown varietals, it can all be daunting.  I will admit for a long time I even stayed away from Iberian wines, but now I cannot understand why. 
Here is a quick rundown for Iberian Reds.  Garnacha (aka grenache) is the most planted varietal, Tempranillo (aka Tinta de Roriz, Touriga Nacional, Tinta de Toro, Cencibel, etc... I think you get the point) is probably the most famous varietal, and Monastrell ( aka Mouvedre and Mataro) is also widespread.  Cabernet Sauvignon and Syrah are also common to be found.  Also note that irrigation is outlawed on the pennisula, so the vines are stressed out. 

Descendientes de Jose Palacios Petalos Bierzo 2007

Okay to simplify this wine here goes.  Bierzo is the region, located in Northwestern Spain near the border of Portugal.  Descendientes de Jose Palacios is the producer and Petalos is the style name for the wine.  The grape used is not listed, but it is the varietal Mencia, a local specialty.  I enjoyed this wine and here is why:
The wine was starbright, great clarity and bright ruby red with a medium concentration.  The rim did fade a little bit towards a vibrant pink hue.  Medium plus strangth to the viscosity with contrated staining of the legs.  Remember no irrigation means stressed grapes with thicker skins.
Aromatically this wine is rocking.  Very clean with a high concentration of pure black fruits and rocky minerality.  Underlying it all is this smoky quality which drives through the finish.  As it opens in the glass, aromas of leather, game, black pepper, violets, and herb spices unveil. 
A very pleasing palate indeed.  The fruit drives through to a long finish, with a bit of brightening red fruits and fleshy qualities.  The wine is moderate across the board and the warm climate raises the alcohol up to 14%, a little warm on the finish.  Its a great wine at a moderate price, I like the 91 point average rating at about $20 bucks a bottle.
Glazed Ribs and some sweet summer veggies, bada bing bada boom.  Salute!

 http://www.klwines.com/detail.asp?sku=1046276

Another Hot Red: Numanthia Termes 2007

http://www.wine.com/V6/Numanthia-Termes-2007/wine/100377/detail.aspx?s=GoogleBase&cid=GoogleBase

Another hot red I recently had:  Cova del Vins 'Terros' Montsant

http://www.klwines.com/detail.asp?sku=1042227

Jospeh Drouhin Chorey Les Beaune 2005

Hi all, how's everyone doing today?  I got very excited to do this blog because Burgundy is probably my favorite French appellation, and one of my favorite places for wine period.  A little history lesson is needed as a set up though, as I understand that foreign wines can be confusing. 
The Franch like to label their wines based upon where they come from rather than the grape(s) that comprise the wine itself.  So when I say I love Burgundy, I am saying that I love the wines that come from the Burgundy region; the same goes for Bordeaux, Rhone Valley, etc...  Burgundy on a base level is very easy to understand, a White Burgundy will be Chardonnay 99% of the time, Red Burgundy will be Pinot Noir.  The one exception for reds is that technically Beaujolais is within the region of Burgundy, and these wines are made with Gamay.  Also very important is to know that Burgundy is a very divided place. 
Bourgogne-a base level wine made from grapes throughout all of Burgundy
Chorey Les Beaune- a town within the region of Burgundy grapes sourced from thoughout the region
Premier Cru (1st Cru)- A specific vineyard site within a specific town.  A site designated for higher quality fruit
Grand Cru- The top of the top, Burgundy doesn't get better than a Grand Cru.  Some of the most expensive and highest quality wines in the world are Grand Cru Burgundies.  A fun experiment is to try and track down a bottle of DRC (Domaine de la Romanee Conti) to buy.

Joseph Drouhin is a negociant.  He is a buyer producer who owns vineyards all throughout Burgundy and pulls fruit and bottles wines from all over the region.  This is the life of a Burgundy producer because most growers do not actually have enough land to produce their own wines and so they sell their fruit to negociants who can. 
Chorey Les Beaune (Sho-ray Lay Bone)

Very pale in color, very light transparent ruby, notice the difference between a Burgundy and a California Pinot.  The rim is showing some variation, which is to be expected from a thin skinned grape after 5 years.
2005 was a great vintage for Burgundy, so I was expecting a powerful wine, but I found this bottling to be a bit reserved, almost tight still.  The fruits were tart red berries and cherries, the earth was subtle, but I did not get the level of complexity I was expecting.  I enjoyed the wine, don't get me wrong, but I honestly think its just in a bottle funk stage in its life.  Ultimately it is a decent representation of Red Burgundy, but like Califronia Pinot Noir its a wine where higher prices usually do translate to better wines, but for under $20 a bottle its better than many other value Burgundies.  I would suggest a more youthful vintage if you are searching this wine out. 

http://www.drouhin.com/

I love Burgundy with Pork and Game, this style also goes pretty well with fatty fish like Salmon or Sea Bass.
Salute!

Family Winemakers Pic

Family Winemakers' Tasting San Francisco 8/23

Hello all I hope we are doing well on this sluggish, for me anyway, Tuesday.  Its hot as hell and Im not excited, but ask anyone that grows grapes and they are doing backflips right now because the grapes are ripening!  Three weeks behind schedule, they need to catch up quick.
Family Winemakers tasting is one of the biggest events of the year, and Monday did not dissapoint.  It is a public tasting, but that is held on Sunday, Monday is the trade only wrap up, which is definitely the way to go.  I will keep it short and sweet today and give you my top 5 from the event.  Tastings of this magnitude are impossible to take notes at so I just try to remember my few favorites.  And I hope everyone is getting a positive result and a chance to partake in my Lesson #1.

5.Thomas Fogarty Monterey County Gewurtztraminer 2008
one of the best domestic Gewurtz ever tasted and its under $10 a bottle!
4.Lagier Meredith Napa Valley Mt Veeder Syrah 2006
Dr Meredith isolated the DNA for much of clonal research on vines
3.Corison (2002 Napa Valley Cab/2006 Kronos Vineyard)
An earthier style house, the Kronos was so dense and powerful
2.Paul Hobbs Russian River Chardonnay 2008
First time tasting ever, really knoced my socks off for a oaky California Chard
1.Michaud Vineyards Chalone Vineyard Pinot Noir 2004/2005
The gem of the show, partly because its one of those wines you wouldn't know about unless you knew about them.  Mostly though the juice was fantastic and both vintages rocked, 05 was more brooding and tannic

Salute!

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.  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.

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 Chateau St Jean are good inexpensive 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.  Salute!

A Selection of By the Glass Wines

Happy Friday all.  Today I wanted to keep it simple and pick some wines that are very accessable and ones that are currently by the glass where I am located.  I did not pick any of these wines for the menu though, so I would like to point that out.  Hopefully you all get sparked to go out and find your favorite.

-Benvolio Pinot Grigio Friuli Venezia Giulia 2008
Great value Northern Italian Pinot Grigio.  Pale straw color with concentration aromas of ripe round citrus and hints of apples.  Medium bodied with a moderate finish, a nice lingering hint of minerality and lemon oil.
http://www.bevmo.com/Shop/ProductDetail.aspx?ProductID=26327

-Ortman Family Vineyards Edna Valley Chardonnay 2007
A great style of chard, one that goes buttery and creamy, but not full blown, preserving some freshness at the same time.  The round fruits are balanced by a bit of lemon curd and creme brulee.  The oak is balanced and it finishes fairly full.
http://www.ortmanwines.com/assets/client/File/Trade/OFV-Fact_Sheet-07_chardonnay.pdf

-Ruffino Chianti Superiore 2008
One of the biggest producer in all of Tuscany, this is definitely an easy find and for an inexspensive pricetag.  The fruit is mainly Sangiovese and you get a lot of the tart cherry and plum fruits, to me a bit darker than a basic Chianti, and the wine was actually better than I anticipated.  Great with pizza and red sauces.
http://www.ultimatewineshop.com/r/products/ruffino-chianti-superiore-2008?utm_source=Google;utm_medium=Feed

-Martin Ray 3 Counties Cabernet Sauvignon 2007
Napa, Sonoma, and Mendocino counties.  Full bodied with big dry tannins.  The fruit is very dark and the oak is a bit smoky.  I like the wine, but I don't love it, but I think it works with the classic fatty steak to soften up the palate.  I think it will be better in a couple years.
http://www.securewineshop.com/martinray/customer/product.php?productid=89&cat=1&page=1

Salute!

Chateau de la Meuliere Bordeaux Blanc 2008

Hey everybody, hope all is well and we are all drinking great wines, life is too short for anything else.  Le Dolce Vita!  Today's wine is a bit out of the box, but I thought it might be a good one to share for that exact reason.  Part of this blog should be about me doing some of the detective work for you, and helping to narrow down the choices out there these days.  Part of that is reporting the good and the bad, and so I am working on ideas for doing that.  For now  though, some Bordeaux Blanc.

Everyone always thinks of reds when Bordeaux is mentioned, which is fair, given some of the best Cabernets and Merlots come from chateaux within Bordeaux.  But do not forget about the whites, I mean Sauternes people, Sauternes!  For those that do not know or have never had a Sauternes run, don't walk, and try some.  It is the nectar of Gods and one of the most wonderful dessert wines in the world.  Some great still style whites are to be found as well.  Sauvignon Blanc is one of the 2 main grapes, the other is Semillon.  They are quite different, which makes them perfect for blending.

The wine is daybright and clear with a pale straw yellow color with tinges of green towards the rim.  Notice the little bit of trapped carbon dioxide is evident when you first open and pour this wine.  A low sheeting on the glass and a minor rim variation
The nose is fun because it is a good example of a white Bordeaux, and displays characteristics of both varietals.  You get the tart yellow grapefruit citrus dry grassy aromas of sauvignon blanc and the rounder fruit and intrigueing lanolin floral hints of Semillon.  I also notice some sandy/pebbly soil aromas, a strength of the grass/woody aromas to maybe tell me some oak aging.  There's also a hint of saltiness on the nose
The flavors are all in line but the palate is not all that complex.  It has a bit of zing on the front and finishes a little short.  There is a moderate level of acidty the palate is a bit round, again maybe some oak?, and there is a little bit of warmth to the palate. 

I tasted it on its own, and it needs some food I think to inhance the palate.  Something simple like toasted salted almonds and antipasti platters would work.  BBQ some fatty white fish and some shellfish, a little lemon simple and tasty.  Salute!

Gaja Gromis Conteisa Cerequio Barolo 1991

Simply put, Angelo Gaja is Mr Piedmont.  His wines are some of the most sought after Nebbiolos and more recently Chardonnays coming out of the region.  Founded in 1859, he is the 4th generation in his family to control the operation.  Most famous for his Barbaerscos, the bottling today is a Cru (single vineyard) Barolo.  Barolo and Barbaersco are town communes within the region of Piedmont, and what separates them is simply a little space, Barolo is southwest of the town of Alba and Barbaresco is Northeast from the town of Alba.  Gromis refers to the family that owned the famous vineyard space where these grapes were sourced, Conteisa translates to 'quarrel' in regards to the Cerequio vineyard which is shared by the communes of both La Morra and Barolo proper.  By legal definition a Barolo and Barbaresco are both 100% Nebbiolo.

Visually Nebbiolo is a very fun wine to analyze.  The grape itself is very thin skinned, much like pinot noir, and so the pigment is not very deep or dark.  The wine is still bright with a light ruby color.  Nebbiolo also looses its color quickly, and the rim on this 19 year old example is very classic.  Much browning/rusting to the color towards the rim with a very defined water rim at the edge.  The legs were firm with very little staining due to the thin skins.  The wine definitely threw sediment out of the bottle as well.

What an amazing nose this wine has, from minute one out of the bottle through a couple hours in a decanter.  Very complex leaning on all of the classic markers for a Nebbiolo.  Very floral dark roses and pure black cheeries, very earthy porcini mushrooms and a pronounced tar element on the nose.  Loads of spice nuances emerged with time including tea spices, herb sticks, ginger/root beer, and black licquorice.  Truely a wine you could just smell and be happy.
The flavors were pure and the palate of this wine was nearly perfect.  The precise notes were all emphasized, and every flavor was spot on and integrated perfectly.  Very bright with amzingly preserved acidity, while still having the grip of heavy tannins.  Nebbiolo is intrigueing because of this fact, both high in acid and tannin, a big reason why they age so well.  This is the kind of wine wehre you don't describe it by flavors but moreso emotions, it makes you feel good.  An iron fist in a velvet glove is a great example. 
Although somewhat pricey and requires some detective work to source, a wine of this magnitude is definitely worth the work, one sip will tell you that.

Most of the citizens of Alba would tell you to have Agnolotti in a butter broth with truffles shaved on to finish, simple and pure.  I like where they are going with that idea.  I could drink this wine on its own, but the powerful palate really does call for food.  I had bacon potato and steak pizza last night with it and loved the flavors.  Salute!

Paul Jaboulet Aine Cote du Rhone Villages 2006

Hello all, I hope everyone has enjoyed reading the posts thus far and are excited for me to continue.  Please feel free to send me a shout out regarding any questions or any recommendations on things you'd like me to post a tasting note or a food pairing.


Ok so today we cover a great value wine, Cote du Rhones. Coming from the South of France, they are blends of a multitude of grapes, but mainly Grenache, Syrah, and Mouvedre.

Paul Jaboulet Aine Cote du Rhone Village 2006 (~$15)

This wine is Garnet colored with the color fading a bit to ruby around the rim, beginning to show some age. The older a red wine the more the color will fade towards the rim. Also a water rim will form with age, and the Jaboulet is beginning to show this 'meniscus.' The wine is Opaque and non-transparent with some staining of the tears on the glass.

Dark Raspberry and blueberry notes are at the forefront but the wine has a restrained quality much in the French style. Old world wines are usually less intense than their New world counterparts. You also get a distinct warm rocky mineral notes with some strong herb notes. Not super complex but very enjoyable and drinking well right now.

All of the flavors are confirmed on the palate, and a noticable gamey quality wakes up across the mid palate. This is traditional with these wines, some notes will even comment about a raw meat quality, not htat intense here. The suprising thing about this bottle is the lack of pepper in both the nose and the palate. Dry with balanced acidity the tannins are firm but restrained and the wine is medium to full bodied.

Enjoy roasted lamb finished with a red wine reduction and roasted vegetables. Salute
 
Tomorrow I talk about one of the best Barolo's I've ever had!

Louis Jadot Chardonnay Bourgogne 2003

Happy Saturday all, I hope everyone has some exciting way to have some fun this weekend.  The weather in Northern California seems to be turning a bit back to normal, with high temps just around the corner.  Good for the grapes, bad for those like me who are lacking a cool sea breeze.  Anyway, I hope we are all taking my advice and trying something new and expanding our palates.  Here is a good idea, get a bottle you normally drink and enjoy and try it against the same varietal/blend from a completely different area in the world.  How about a California Chardonnay versus, hmmmm, how about a Louis Jadot Chardonnay Bourgogne.  You should be able to find a current vintage of this bottling at your local Safeway, so it's very accessable.
Jadot is one of the biggest negociant/producers in all of Burgundy, and for the value both Louis Jadot and Louis Latour will deliver quality.  This bottling is the draught year of 2003, so this will show in the bottling.  Chardonnay are sourced from all throughout Burgundy for this bottling, which I like because it really shows a standard base to measure more precise sourcings for white burgundy ( like say a Mersault from that region specific in Cote Beaune). 

The wine appears to be daybright still with a light golden color which fades a bit to pale straw near the rim.  Medium concentration of color with a noticable meniscus at the rim.  No sediment is evident and the legs on the glass are fairly heavy telling me possibly a higher alcohol wine=hot vintage.
The nose is spot on White Burgundy from the heart of Beaune, and I love it.  Notice the difference from a California Chardonnay which is usually fruit forward, the Jadot is all about the off fruit characters.  Lots of noticable limestone minerality and white flowers, I do find bruised yellow apples as well for the fruit component.  Also should be noted that I do notice some Brett, or Brettanomyces, a bacteria that cand grow in the cellar areas in wineries.  Iti is usually noticable by a musky-barnyardy essence.  It is often argued whether it is a good or bad thing, and most who like the old world Burgundian style for Chardonnay and Pinot Noir will argue for a nuance of it in their wines.  That's my stance on it, pleasurable when balanced.  There is definte signs of both some oak maturation as well as maleolactic fermentation.
The palate definitely confirms the aromas on the nose.  I am glad to report the Brett fades a bit, only somewhat detectable from some hints on the front.  The apple becomes a little more prevailent on the palate and the limestone minerality just goes on and on.  Medium plus bright acidity on a medium body, the alcohol is a bit bigger than normal because of the hot vintage.  A great value bottling that did well for 2 years in my cellar.

Have an example of this against an equivalent example from California and pair against a simple lunch of grilled ham and brie paninis and some homemade potato salad.  Salute!

Dutch Henry Wine Tasting

Hello all, on Tuesday 8/10 I attand a tasting featuring 4 selections from the Dutch Henry Winery and Vineyards in Calistoga, on the Northern end of Napa Valley.  The estate itself is very near Rombaeur's winery for a reference point most are familiar with.  Dutch Henry is definitely a small project, Dave Koehler pointing out to us there are only about 7 people total in the main work force.  All in all I found the wines to be enjoyable, but was never blown away by anything.

2009 Chafen Estate Dutche Henry Sauvignon Blanc:  A Sauv Blanc for a Chardonnay drinker.  Creamy with tropical fruits and candied lemon.  It got better as it opened up in the glass, but never really did it for me.

2007 Pinot Noir Mt Veeder:  Not a common planting, the top of Mt Veeder is usually Cabernet and/or Syrah (Check out Lagieder Meredith Syrah from there, it Rocks!).  The Pinot was a bit darker and brooding because of the climate with dark dehydrated berries and a little syrupy on the palate.  The oak spice was integrated well, but at 15% alcohol it was a bit much for me

2006 Calistoga Etstate Syrah:  A very light style syrah, the color especially.  From my tasting notes it would seem this is my favorite, having made many comments, but again I don't think I ever came around on this one.  Price in the equation though, has to be the best value of the bunch

2005 Hillside Estate Howell Mountain Cabernert Sauvignon:  Said to be 100% Cabernet, I found this to be the most consistent of the bunch and probably my favorite of the lot.  Fruits were not as black as I anticipated, and I would swear there was some American or Slovenian Oak influence on this wine.  Not a real big Cab, it is drinking well now and should be consumed sooner rather than later.

Cheers all!  Try something new this weekend and write me to tell me what you thought.
Here are some possibilities:  South African Chenin Blanc, Loire Valley Sauvignon Blanc, Nebbiolo from Piedmont, Greco di Tufo from Campania, Something from Spain that's not Rioja or Albarino,....Good luck all

Sorry for the tardy

sorry for being tardy, i will post my tasting blog for today later tonight after I am off work.  I will be back on schedule tomorrow I promise.  Take a risk and try something new tonight people =)
Cheers

Hallcrest Estate Riesling Santa Cruz Mountains 1997

As many of you may know, Hallcrest is the winery in Santa Cruz that I used to work for, and the wines there rock, and I'm not the only one who thinks so.  I no longer have any of this in my cellar, we had a good run, but I opened the last bottle for my great friend Jon Giuliano during his going away dinner last month, miss you buddy but you are going to kill it at Georgetown.
The story about this wine is unique.  The estate was originally planted in 1941, so the vines were 56 years old.  In 1997 though, John Schumacher the owner/winemaker and good friend of mine, Pierce's Disease was discovered in the vineyard.  Tis is the glassy winged sharpshooter disease to be broad.  The vines were abandonned and left for the vintage.  Then along came harvest time, and John decided to hand harvest clusters of the riesling and see what would become of it.  About 10 years later he released his 63 cases, that's right only 63 cases (that's 3 barrels people), into the tasting room and it sold out in about 3 months.  I may have had a big part in pushing it along, but who is to say.

Visually this wine is spot on for an old riesling, daybright and clear with a yellowish/golden color and a medium plus concentration.  Some sediment from bottle age with low tear viscosity and a very noticable rim variation.
This is not an amateur wine to say the least, if you like fruit bombs then this will be VERY different for you.  The wine is very classic for qualities of older Old-World Rieslings (Germany, Alsace, Austria).  Very pronounced off fruit aromas of petrol-rubber-pencil lead qualities, backed by spiced apple cider and white pear fruit.  The wine is clean, but it may not seem like it, and a wonderful potpouri spicyness lingers on the nose.
The palate of this wine is Dry, with a hint of residual sugar (Kabinett style from Germany).  Medium bodied with a medium level of acidity still, the fruit is confirmed but moves more towards the forefront.  All of the off fruit cahracteristics are confirmed but support the body of this wine behind the fruit.  The wine has a moderate finish with a wonderful balance of flavors preserved.

Enjoy this on its own, or with Spicy Shellfish or Thai food.  Cheers!

Sorry but no picture today
http://www.hallcrestvineyards.com/index.php

A taste of Oregon Terrior-Pinot Noir Style!

Happy Monday all!  I must say that I am in a great mood today, and not just because it is my Saturday.  What is it about drinking great wines with great people that just all makes sense?  Oh yeah, that's the way life should be.  Last night, 8-8-2010, Jonathon Kloencke from L Wine Bar, 1801 L st Sacramento CA, hosted a single vineyard selection of 8 top tier pinot noirs from 2008 Vintage from the Willamette Valley in Oregon.  Order as follows:
1. Maysara 'Jamsheed' Momtazi Vineyard, McMinnville
2. Siduri Muirfield Vineyard, Willamette Valley
3. Evening Land Seven Springs Vineyard, Eola-Amity Hills
4. Auteur Shea Vineyard, Yamhill-Carlton
5. Brick House Boulder Creek Block, Ribbon Ridge
6. Westrey Abbey Ridge, Dundee Hills
7. Ken Wright Nysa Vineyard, Dundee Hills
8. Ken Wright Abbott Claim Vineyard, Yamhill Carlton

And my favorites, in ascending order:

8. Maysara 'Jamsheed'
7. Auteur Shea Vineyard- dissappointing showing from my favorite vineyard =( Tight palate needs time and the alcohol needs to mellow out
6. Evening Land Seven Springs Vineyard
5. Westrey Abbey Ridge- at $36 a bottle, this was the BEST VALUE wine in the group
4. Ken Wright Nysa Vineyard
3. Siduri Muirfield Vineyard-this wine grew on me a lot through the night, it was very tough not putting it #2
2. Ken Wright Abbott Claim Vineyard-all kinds of good
and the #1 wine in the bunch:

Brick House Boulder Creek Block Vineyard Ribbon Ridge 2008 Pinot Noir

My first time tasting a wine from Brick House, and was I impressed.  Definitely the most Burgundian of the bunch, which is probably why I like it so much.  The wine was starbright with a light ruby color, light concentration, the lightest of the bunch, the wine is very clear.  The beginning of a rim variation is forming as well.
All kinds of floral perfumy aromas on the nose.  Fresh lavender mingle with dry red rose petals, the fruit is almost an afterthought as it is very soft and all kinds of light red berry fruits.  Also a very distinct mineral component lingers on the nose towards the finish.  I know this wine spends time in french oak, but it is integrated so well it is not pronounced by any means.
The palate comfirms what the nose already told us, but a great wine evolves in the glass.  The candied cherries and ripe strawberries begin to wake up on the front, with the sweetness of ripe red fruit mingling with the creamy kiss of french oak.  There was great grip in the mid palate, telling me this wine will evolve beautifully over the next few years in a proper cellar.  The finish was strong with cola flavors, a key marker for a cooler climate like Willamette Valley, and the sandy soil minerality became noticable on the finish.  Also hints of a 'stemmy' quality awoke in the glass, coming from the use of whole cluster bunches for making the wine, imparting flavors from the stems in the process, a very Burgundian thing to do.  And the acidity just goes on and on.

This is definitely a wine I can drink all by itself, but it really does work well with food.  I most enjoyed the bacon and potato pizza with little dices of jalapenos and cheese.  Simply Grand!  Cheers!

Artesa Carneros Pinot Noir 2007

Well it's Sunday and I hope everyone has enjoyed the weekend, today is my Friday, so I'm excited. Let us all make a pledge to enjoy some good wine with great friends. Take my advice and drink some great rose too, wink wink.


Artesa Carneros Pinot Noir 2007

Artesa is a good winery with a great facility. On a clear day you can see San Francisco from the deck, and it doubles as a modern art museum. Definitely recommend visiting when you're in the area. Domaine Carneros is across the road and make great sparklers.

A light pale ruby red color, with a medium concentration and a simple brightness. Pinot Noir is a very lightly colored red wine because the skin on the grapeberries is very thin and color is directly derived from the skins. The legs are mellow on the glass and there is almost no staining to them. The color lightly fades at the edge where the meniscus is just now forming.

A well put together Pinot, aromas of sweet cranberry and sour red cherry fruits which are spiced with baking spices, hints of green tea, and sandalwood. The fruit is wrapped in vanillin, telling me that this wine was aged in some percentage of new French oak barrels.

The palate is fruit forward, with the flavors confirmed. The vanillin definitely is pronounced, but it melds nicely as the wine opens in the glass. The baking spices of nutmeg and clove linger on the finish which is long and bright with acidity. A light bodied wine that is heavy on flavors.

Grilled Bone-In Pork Chop with a Cherry Chutney and some simple roasted sweet summer carrots. Cheers!

http://www.artesawinery.com/press/PDF-tech/2007-Classic-PN-Tech-Sheet.pdf

Elk Cove Pinot Noir Rose Willamette Valley 2009

Happy Saturday all. Summertime screams light fresh vibrant wines to me, and nothing spells summer better than Rose. You know my saying, 'Real Men Drink Pink!' So lets raise our glasses and enjoy a perfect pairing, Rose and Summertime!



Elk Cove Vineyards Pinot Noir Rose, Willamette Valley 2009

A well known winery up in Northern Oregon, just south of Portland, a great area for growing pinot noir especially. This Rose is 100% Pinot Noir, pressed off the skins before color extraction, then blended with traditional pinot to color.
Visually the wine is a clear soft pink color, brilliant clarity and shimmer. The wine has a medium level of concentration, showing that the winemaker sparingly added red pinot noir for color and flavor, preserving the freshness of this wine.
Aromas are spot on for pinot noir rose, sweet ripe strawberries, ripe white peaches, and orange blossoms. The florality in this wine is pronounced but balanced, and overall the wine is very clean and precise. It just makes me think about a warm afternoon outside enjoying the company of friends.
The flavors are confirmed on the tastes, but I find more of the peach shining through as the dominant fruit, and the floral tones of white flowers is pleasant indeed. This rose is light in body with high acidty, which helps preserve the cool weather minerality that lingers through.


For a unique memorable pairing, simple grilled calamari bodies accompanied by a summer salad of Sweet Citrus (Blood Orange or Tangerine?) with fennel and radicchio.

Salute!

Domaine Herve Azo Chablis 2008

First off let me just say I love Chablis, across the board my favorite representation of the Chardonnay varietal.  With that stated, I will still attempt to not be too partial towards this bottling.  This estate is a small producer founded in 1982 which is now owned by a much larger very respected Chablis producer, Jean Marc Brocard. 
Chablis is a small commune associated with Burgundy, unattatched at the very northern tip of the region.  Chablis is actually closer to Champagne than the rest of Burgundy.  Because of this there is a lot of the same Chalky soil deposits left over from receding floods from the Jurassic Period.  Ok, enough geek talk, lets taste!

This wine is starbright with a light golden straw color, very faint tinges of green towards the rim.  The color has a medium concentration and is clear although I do believe the wine is unfiltered.  The wine is youthful, with almost no rim variation.
Very classic Chablis aromas, which will be much ligther than the California Chardonnay style.  Most chablis, especially value bottlings like this one, see no oak influence-and if they do it is used oak.  The first thing you will notice is how clean this wine smells, fruit aromas of green apple and fresh lemon.  Also the minerality is very pronounced, you can actually smell the chalk from the soil in this wine as well as hints of dried herbs like parsley and some thyme.
The fruit on the palate wakes up a bit, still green apple but leans towards some yellow as well, and the lemon rounds a bit and moves towards the front.  The wine is medium bodied, notice the lighter body than a California Chardonnay.  Also notice the brightness of the acidity and the lower alcohol level on the palate.  The chalky minerality shines through on the finish, fabolous!
Pair with something as light as oysters on the half-shell for appetizers to a fatty white fish, poached, finished with a light butter thyme sauce.  Cheers! 

Pelton House Cabernet Sauvignon 2005

Pelton House is a little winery that I was recently urned onto by a friend who I respect for their selection of wines.  This is the 2005 Knights Valley Cabernet Sauvignon.  Knights Valley is a small appellation in Northern Sonoma on the western part of the Mayacamas Mountain Range.  Now normally I don't drink a whole lot of young California Cabernets, but this bottle is showing well right now.

2005 Pelton House Knights Valley Cabernet Sauvignon

Dark Garnet color, almost purple hues towards the center with a high level of concentration.  The wine is clear and daybright.  No sediment is being thrown yet, and the legs on the glass are very firm/noticable with definitive staining to these tears. 
A warm fruit forward nose rich with warm black cherry pie aromas mixed with red currants and some hints of ripe black plum.  The oak influence in the nose is subtle, with hints of smoky oak on the back end.  Very prevailent mountain minerality throughout, dancing around aromas of pencil shavings and the hard black rock of the soil that these grapes are grown in.  It really gives a true sense of place.
The palate is confirmed with a fruit forward focus.  The tannins are very soft and silky, very well balanced with the medium level of acidity present.  This Cab is not as full bodied as I would have expected, which allows for the wine to be approachable a little sooner than some others.  The fruit does darken a bit on the palate, and even leans towards a more rustic/bramble quality (like wild berry fruits still on the bush).  Also more non earth elements of fresh tobacco and leather emerge across the mid palate. 

What better than a New York Strip cooked to a perfect Medium Rare finished with a port wine reduction sauce and truffled Mac & Cheese on the side.  Dieters, beware! 

Sonoma Cutrer Chardonnay 2008

Hello all, I am very excited to be posting day 1 tasting 1 for my daily wine tasting blog! What better wine to start with than the most popular wine in America, Chardonnay.


I selected the Sonoma Cutrer Russian River Ranches Chardonnay 2008. This bottling is currently the #1 Chardonnay in restaurants in America, so finding it is extremely easy. It retails for around $20 a bottle.



This wine has a light golden straw color with a moderate level of intensity to it. The wine has a definite coating quality on the glass, giving off definitive 'tears' on the side of the glass. This tells you that there is a moderate to high level of alcohol. The wine also shines very bright in the glass; the brighter the wine the younger the wine.

Aromas of Yellow apple and tropical fruits are the initial fruits to the Cutrer, very classic for a California Chardonnay in this style. Also firm aromas of buttered popcorn and cream are prevailent to the palate. Subtle aromas of honey and pineapple linger with delicate spices like ginger on the finish. The floral and mineral flavors I am used to with this wine in past vintages are not very strong here.

The flavors of this wine are confirmed with a full bodied fruit forward palate with the golden yellow apple and pineapple the strongest. Hints of honeysuckle and cream round out with the buttery popcorn lingering. The wine is well balanced with firm acidity to counteract the alcohol in this wine, and the baking spices and ginger linger on the palate.

Try this wine with a fatty white fish like sea bass, either grilled or pan roasted, over a bed of butter beans, fennel, and tomato pulled together with some cream or butter to richen it up and pull it all together.

Hope this is fun and informative for all. Salute!

http://www.sonomacutrer.com/russian_river.aspx