If there's one word that can characterize my experience with Spanish red wines, from Priorat to Jumilla to Ribera del Duero, it's dark. Dark fruit, dark earth, dark licorice, dark coffee and chocolate--these flavors and aromas abound, certainly. But there's also a kind of teasing, a sense that while these wines may be letting you in on the full taste experience, they're nevertheless keeping something back, a secret, in the shadows behind the flavors and textures--something alluring and beguiling at the same time. Something dark. It's a delicious mystery, drinking Spanish reds.
Is it any wonder, then, that they are among my very favorite wines? Try some of the following, and they'll be among yours, too.
1. Torres Milmanda 2001 (Penedes; $36.99/bottle)
Even though my introductory notes are all about reds, this brawny white holds its own in terms of assertiveness and body. A nose of citrus, green apple, and toasted nuts foreshadows flavors of sweet and sour apples, walnuts, and medicinal herbs. The intriguingly oily mouthfeel is balanced by crisp acidity. Pair with strongly-flavored fish or anything with lots of herbs.
2. Las Rocas Garnacha (Grenache) 2005 (Catalayud; $11.99/bottle)
This wine hits you with a super-fruity nose that's a cross between a Beaujolais and a not-too-spicy Zin and then immediately moves on to aromas of minerals and even a bit of dust. The palate follows suit, with flavors of dark berries, black earth, dust, and a faint minerality. Long, spicy, licorice-laced finish reveals drying tannins. This wine is a steal at $11.99.
3. Juan Gil 2005 (Jumilla; $15.99/bottle)
With a nose of ripe black currants, blackberries, and toasty oak and flavors of black fruits, peppery spice, and bitter chocolate, this medium-full bodied red from Jumilla just begs for a really charred steak. The smooth mouthfeel roughens up on the finish with slightly coarse tannins.
4. Condado de Haza 2004 (Ribera del Duero; $24.99/bottle)
Inky-purple, this wine offers deep, rich aromas of black currant, blackberry, blueberry, and vanilla. Complex flavors of black and purple fruits, grilled herbs, scrub, and black licorice lead into a primordially dark, earthy finish. Very nice.
5. Artadi Vinas de Gain 2004 (Rioja; $27.99/bottle)
The nose of blackberries, plum, oak, and baking spices sets you up for flavors of blackberry, plum, salty leather, loam, and pepper, all supported by a medium-grained tannic structure. Even this wine, which, as a Rioja, one might expect to have a brownish flavor profile (with notes like mocha and chocolate), is less brown than black, less creamy than penetrating.
6. Trio Infernal 1/3 2004 (Priorat; $49.99/bottle)
A tantalizing nose of plum, red currant, oak, stewed meat, and violets starts things off. After that come flavors of red and black currants, oak, black pepper, spice, and blood sausage. This tannic, full-bodied wine is still somewhat closed and could greatly benefit from cellaring. In 10 years it should be smooth, expressive, and balanced.
7. El Nido 2003 (Jumilla; $129.99/bottle)
This wine has a big, luscious nose of blueberry compote, lavender, scrub, vanilla, and cream. On the palate it's pure blueberry pie, with some sweet pipe tobacco on the mid-palate and a super-plush mouthfeel leading to a long, creamy, blueberry-doused finish. Firm but integrated tannins will keep things interesting for another decade or more.
Wednesday, January 30, 2008
Friday, January 25, 2008
Villa Cafaggio and Paraiso
A couple more close-out wines to look for:
2000 Villa Cafaggio San Martino and Cortaccio - A pair of nice tuscans from a good vintage. Sara and I just tasted these this afternoon, and they're drinking well. Originally $65.99 a bottle, they're now just $32.99 each.
1996 Villa Cafaggio San Martino - Admittedly from a poor vintage, this is still a nice Sangiovese that was rated 88 points by Wine Spectator. It's just a little past it's prime, but after breathing for a few hours this morning it is drinking ok. Leather and earth, with just a hint of fruit still hanging on, it is a great food wine. Originally $39.99, now just $9.99 a bottle.
2003 Paraiso Estate Syrah - Nice California Syrah, and drinking extremely well. Lots of fruit. Originally $17.99, now only $9.99 a bottle.
2000 Villa Cafaggio San Martino and Cortaccio - A pair of nice tuscans from a good vintage. Sara and I just tasted these this afternoon, and they're drinking well. Originally $65.99 a bottle, they're now just $32.99 each.
1996 Villa Cafaggio San Martino - Admittedly from a poor vintage, this is still a nice Sangiovese that was rated 88 points by Wine Spectator. It's just a little past it's prime, but after breathing for a few hours this morning it is drinking ok. Leather and earth, with just a hint of fruit still hanging on, it is a great food wine. Originally $39.99, now just $9.99 a bottle.
2003 Paraiso Estate Syrah - Nice California Syrah, and drinking extremely well. Lots of fruit. Originally $17.99, now only $9.99 a bottle.
Friday, January 18, 2008
Tasting Notes (Jan. 17): And the Winner Is . . .
It being the middle of January in Northwest Ohio, my taste in wine has of late tended toward thicker, more plush, warming styles--toward, that is, New World wines. So last night's New World/Old World showdown was seemingly a foregone conclusion. But, as they say in sports, that's why they play the game. Let's have a look at the matchups:
1. Pinot Gris--Alsace (France) vs. Oregon
a. Zind Humbrecht Herrenweg Pinot Gris 2004 (Alsace; $43.99/bottle)
Pretty golden-yellow color. The very fruity nose of fresh pear, fresh and baked peach, and honey make you think this will be a dessert wine, but it isn't. Flavors of ripe apricot, lemon rind, and bitter herbs dance on a knife-edge of racy acidity, leaving a clean, fresh feeling in your mouth. Great food wine; try it with spicy thai.
b. Adelsheim Pino Gris 2006 (Oregon; $19.99/bottle)
Very light, silver-blond color looks great in the glass. The assertive nose of baseball card bubble gum, cooked banana, and white pear carries through to the flavor, with mouthwatering, tangy acidity defining the finish. This is a pleasant wine, but it doesn't stand a chance against a well-crafted pinot gris from the Alsace, where they do pinot gris better than anyone.
Winner: Old World
2. Pinot Noir: Burgundy (France) vs. Oregon
a. Domaine Leroy Bourgogne 1999 (Burgundy; $39.99/bottle)
Brownish-red color. Aromas of dark plum, damp earth, leather, and something suggestive of dried mushrooms. Flavors of tart cherry and plum, leather, and earth. Lean, pure, and focused. Simple but nice.
b. Cathy Reserve Pinot Noir 2004 (Oregon; $44.99/bottle)
Dark ruby color. With a rich nose of plum, blackberry, oak, and bramble, this pinot offers flavors of sweet plum, oak, black licorice, and peppery spice, all balanced by lively acidity. There's perhaps less art in this pinot than in the Burgundy, but for straight pleasure the Cathy takes the prize.
Winner: New World
3. Syrah/Grenach/Mourvedre: Rhone (France) vs. Washington State
a. Jaboulet Les Cedres Chateauneuf-du-Pape 2003 (Rhone; $44.99/bottle)
Dark red. This medium-full bodied wine offers a muted nose of earth, brine, violets, and garrigue. On the palate it shows bright raspberry fruit, black licorice, wet stone, and pepper. Simple and perhaps overly-restrained compared to other CdP's at this price point, it's nevertheless well-balanced and easy to drink. Long, licoricey finish, though with a little alcohol lingering.
b. McRea Sirocco 2004 (Washington; $39.99/bottle)
This dark mauve Rhone-style blend displays aromas of dark berry, earth, and sweet spice. The flavor shows sweet ripe cherry and pomegranite fruit with toasty oak and black pepper and finishes with a subtle cocoa note. This was probably the closest matchup, with both wines being quite good, but the edge goes to the CdP for its balance and expressiveness.
Winner: Old World
4. Cabernet Sauvignon: Tuscany (Italy) vs. California
a. Cignale 2001 (Tuscany; $72.99/bottle)
Inky purple color. Great nose of black plum, horse blanket, and scorched earth. Big, black, ripe flavors sit on a still solidly tannic frame, with a distinctly farmy note on the back end. The most classically old-world of the reds in this lineup, this medium-full bodied super Tuscan has a smooth, velvety mouthfeel and a long finish.
b. Flora Springs Hillside Reserve Cabernet Sauvignon 2001 (California; $79.99/bottle)
Very dark ruby in color, with a deep, rich, well-balanced nose dominated by plum, cassis, and oak. Great flavors of bitter plum, dark berry, menthol, and sweet peppery spice are pure enough to cut through the considerable acidity and still-young tannins. While both of these wines still need a few years in the bottle to show what they're really made of (I'd say minimum 3), the Cignale seems to offer a slightly more complete, balanced package.
Winner: Old World
And the winner is: Old World! All of these wines were a pleasure to drink, but the classic styling of the European wines in this lineup just edged the bold ripeness of the Americans.
If you were at the tasting, leave a comment and let me know your verdict! (Or even if you weren't: what do you tend to prefer, and why?)
1. Pinot Gris--Alsace (France) vs. Oregon
a. Zind Humbrecht Herrenweg Pinot Gris 2004 (Alsace; $43.99/bottle)
Pretty golden-yellow color. The very fruity nose of fresh pear, fresh and baked peach, and honey make you think this will be a dessert wine, but it isn't. Flavors of ripe apricot, lemon rind, and bitter herbs dance on a knife-edge of racy acidity, leaving a clean, fresh feeling in your mouth. Great food wine; try it with spicy thai.
b. Adelsheim Pino Gris 2006 (Oregon; $19.99/bottle)
Very light, silver-blond color looks great in the glass. The assertive nose of baseball card bubble gum, cooked banana, and white pear carries through to the flavor, with mouthwatering, tangy acidity defining the finish. This is a pleasant wine, but it doesn't stand a chance against a well-crafted pinot gris from the Alsace, where they do pinot gris better than anyone.
Winner: Old World
2. Pinot Noir: Burgundy (France) vs. Oregon
a. Domaine Leroy Bourgogne 1999 (Burgundy; $39.99/bottle)
Brownish-red color. Aromas of dark plum, damp earth, leather, and something suggestive of dried mushrooms. Flavors of tart cherry and plum, leather, and earth. Lean, pure, and focused. Simple but nice.
b. Cathy Reserve Pinot Noir 2004 (Oregon; $44.99/bottle)
Dark ruby color. With a rich nose of plum, blackberry, oak, and bramble, this pinot offers flavors of sweet plum, oak, black licorice, and peppery spice, all balanced by lively acidity. There's perhaps less art in this pinot than in the Burgundy, but for straight pleasure the Cathy takes the prize.
Winner: New World
3. Syrah/Grenach/Mourvedre: Rhone (France) vs. Washington State
a. Jaboulet Les Cedres Chateauneuf-du-Pape 2003 (Rhone; $44.99/bottle)
Dark red. This medium-full bodied wine offers a muted nose of earth, brine, violets, and garrigue. On the palate it shows bright raspberry fruit, black licorice, wet stone, and pepper. Simple and perhaps overly-restrained compared to other CdP's at this price point, it's nevertheless well-balanced and easy to drink. Long, licoricey finish, though with a little alcohol lingering.
b. McRea Sirocco 2004 (Washington; $39.99/bottle)
This dark mauve Rhone-style blend displays aromas of dark berry, earth, and sweet spice. The flavor shows sweet ripe cherry and pomegranite fruit with toasty oak and black pepper and finishes with a subtle cocoa note. This was probably the closest matchup, with both wines being quite good, but the edge goes to the CdP for its balance and expressiveness.
Winner: Old World
4. Cabernet Sauvignon: Tuscany (Italy) vs. California
a. Cignale 2001 (Tuscany; $72.99/bottle)
Inky purple color. Great nose of black plum, horse blanket, and scorched earth. Big, black, ripe flavors sit on a still solidly tannic frame, with a distinctly farmy note on the back end. The most classically old-world of the reds in this lineup, this medium-full bodied super Tuscan has a smooth, velvety mouthfeel and a long finish.
b. Flora Springs Hillside Reserve Cabernet Sauvignon 2001 (California; $79.99/bottle)
Very dark ruby in color, with a deep, rich, well-balanced nose dominated by plum, cassis, and oak. Great flavors of bitter plum, dark berry, menthol, and sweet peppery spice are pure enough to cut through the considerable acidity and still-young tannins. While both of these wines still need a few years in the bottle to show what they're really made of (I'd say minimum 3), the Cignale seems to offer a slightly more complete, balanced package.
Winner: Old World
And the winner is: Old World! All of these wines were a pleasure to drink, but the classic styling of the European wines in this lineup just edged the bold ripeness of the Americans.
If you were at the tasting, leave a comment and let me know your verdict! (Or even if you weren't: what do you tend to prefer, and why?)
Wow, what a deal!
The first wave of close-out wines has arrived, and here is the list of bargains to peruse:
2005 Joseph Phelps Pastiche - A perennial favorite at the market, it's been inexplicably reduced to just $10.99 a bottle (originally $14.99). The Pastiche is a beautiful red blend from California, showing lots of fruit and a silky mouthfeel. An absolute steal for the price!
2005 Paul Reitz Mercurey - Hard to find a "village" burgundy for under $40, but this pinot noir has been marked down to $14.99 (originally $24.99). Tart, tangy fruit frames this light to medium-bodied red, but it also reveals a hint of earthiness as well. Great value.
2005 Domaine de Mont Redon L'Orangerie - Ripe and juicy, this is a good value red from Provence. Only $7.99 (origianlly $9.99), it's a great every-day wine.
2003 Ey Vigne Las Collas Grenache - Originally $9.99, the price of this red has been slashed to $3.99 a bottle. From the Roussillon area of France, this shows pretty good fruit beginning to mid-palate, but falls apart on the finish. Not really a wine to enjoy on its own, but decent enough to serve with pizza, or to use for cooking.
Look for another round of close-out deals next week.
Cheers!
2005 Joseph Phelps Pastiche - A perennial favorite at the market, it's been inexplicably reduced to just $10.99 a bottle (originally $14.99). The Pastiche is a beautiful red blend from California, showing lots of fruit and a silky mouthfeel. An absolute steal for the price!
2005 Paul Reitz Mercurey - Hard to find a "village" burgundy for under $40, but this pinot noir has been marked down to $14.99 (originally $24.99). Tart, tangy fruit frames this light to medium-bodied red, but it also reveals a hint of earthiness as well. Great value.
2005 Domaine de Mont Redon L'Orangerie - Ripe and juicy, this is a good value red from Provence. Only $7.99 (origianlly $9.99), it's a great every-day wine.
2003 Ey Vigne Las Collas Grenache - Originally $9.99, the price of this red has been slashed to $3.99 a bottle. From the Roussillon area of France, this shows pretty good fruit beginning to mid-palate, but falls apart on the finish. Not really a wine to enjoy on its own, but decent enough to serve with pizza, or to use for cooking.
Look for another round of close-out deals next week.
Cheers!
Sunday, January 13, 2008
Tasting Notes (Jan. 10): Rhone Wines
I don't know much about the Rhone river itself--just a few encyclopedia-level facts about its origin, course, and cultural significance--but I have floated on it. Or, rather, I've floated on the wines produced in the valley it cuts from Lyons to the Mediterranean sea. Bold, rich, assertive, and utterly distinctive, the wines of France's Rhone valley never fail to sweep me up in a torrent of berries, earth, and meaty flavors and aromas. All I can do, then, is hang on and enjoy the rapids.
1. Jaboulet Crozes-Hermitage White 2003 ($20.99/bottle)
Medium-yellow straw color, with a nose of fresh hay, sea air, and smoky spice. Tasty cantaloupe and spicy herbs fill out the palate. Medium-bodied wine with a pleasant, lightly oily texture. Very dry, long finish is laced with white pepper.
2. Guigal Condrieu 2005 ($49.99/bottle)
Half a shade darker than the Crozes-Hermitage, with a nose of faint musk, green apple, and peppermint. There's a nice symmetry between the aromas and the flavors of musk, bitter herbs, and peppermint to finish. Medium-full body, with some glycerine providing a rich mouthfeel.
3. Perraud Cornas "Les Coteaux" 2000 ($26.99/bottle)
The in-your-face nose of this wine reveals aromas of blackberry fruit, pencil shavings, and just a whiff of barnyard. On the palate one gets a blast of rustic wild berries, brambles, graphite, and pepper. Drying tannins on the finish. A big wine for big appetites. Try this with lamb or a long-simmered stew.
4. Domaine Lafond Chateauneuf-du-Pape 2005 ($45.99/bottle)
This wine offers a tantalizing nose of black and blue berries, violets, caramel, and minerals. On the palate it's a little tight yet, with a big, firm tannic structure. Even now, though, this CdP is a pleasure to drink, with delicious flavors of ripe berry and cassis, exotic spice, and graphite for days. Mouthfilling, rich, and big. Decant for several hours and drink now or cellar for 5-10 years.
5. Chapoutier La Bernardine Chateauneuf-du-Pape 2005 ($58.99/bottle)
Great nose of forest floor, pencil lead, and sweet spice. This wine is dark, peppery, and meaty, with a veeeeeery long, minty finish revealing a black olive note after about a minute. Well-integrated tannins make this delicious CdP more accessible right now than the Lafond, but in a few years I think the Lafond will shine brighter. (So you'd better buy one of each.)
6. Jaboulet Hermitage La Chapelle 1998 ($125.99/bottle)
Bill nailed this one in his recent post on the top wines poured at Stimmel's during 2007. This wine "taxed my brain," as Bill put it, more than any other wine of the night, and maybe more than any other wine, period. I smelled it for 10 minutes and was still discovering new aromas--a strong core of cedar shavings supports waves of sweet cherry, stewed meat, olives, cooked greens, caramel, and graphite, and some other sensations I can't begin to put into words. I almost hated to move on to tasting, but when I did I discovered a medium-bodied, ultra smooth, satiny wine with flavors of very ripe dark fruits, a blast of pepper, cedar, smoke, and graphite and a long, peppery, mineral-laden finish. The only off note was a tart acidity between the initial rush of flavors and the long finish.
7. Banyuls 1947 ($149.99/bottle)
The color of black tea, this dessert wine features rich, meaty aromas of caramel, whiskey, and spiced orange. The nose is paralleled nicely by flavors of caramel, vanilla, coffee, and orange peel wrapped in a surprisingly lithe texture. This wine is like a lighter-bodied port--perfect after dinner on a summer evening when the weather is more evocative of Cannes than Canturbury.
1. Jaboulet Crozes-Hermitage White 2003 ($20.99/bottle)
Medium-yellow straw color, with a nose of fresh hay, sea air, and smoky spice. Tasty cantaloupe and spicy herbs fill out the palate. Medium-bodied wine with a pleasant, lightly oily texture. Very dry, long finish is laced with white pepper.
2. Guigal Condrieu 2005 ($49.99/bottle)
Half a shade darker than the Crozes-Hermitage, with a nose of faint musk, green apple, and peppermint. There's a nice symmetry between the aromas and the flavors of musk, bitter herbs, and peppermint to finish. Medium-full body, with some glycerine providing a rich mouthfeel.
3. Perraud Cornas "Les Coteaux" 2000 ($26.99/bottle)
The in-your-face nose of this wine reveals aromas of blackberry fruit, pencil shavings, and just a whiff of barnyard. On the palate one gets a blast of rustic wild berries, brambles, graphite, and pepper. Drying tannins on the finish. A big wine for big appetites. Try this with lamb or a long-simmered stew.
4. Domaine Lafond Chateauneuf-du-Pape 2005 ($45.99/bottle)
This wine offers a tantalizing nose of black and blue berries, violets, caramel, and minerals. On the palate it's a little tight yet, with a big, firm tannic structure. Even now, though, this CdP is a pleasure to drink, with delicious flavors of ripe berry and cassis, exotic spice, and graphite for days. Mouthfilling, rich, and big. Decant for several hours and drink now or cellar for 5-10 years.
5. Chapoutier La Bernardine Chateauneuf-du-Pape 2005 ($58.99/bottle)
Great nose of forest floor, pencil lead, and sweet spice. This wine is dark, peppery, and meaty, with a veeeeeery long, minty finish revealing a black olive note after about a minute. Well-integrated tannins make this delicious CdP more accessible right now than the Lafond, but in a few years I think the Lafond will shine brighter. (So you'd better buy one of each.)
6. Jaboulet Hermitage La Chapelle 1998 ($125.99/bottle)
Bill nailed this one in his recent post on the top wines poured at Stimmel's during 2007. This wine "taxed my brain," as Bill put it, more than any other wine of the night, and maybe more than any other wine, period. I smelled it for 10 minutes and was still discovering new aromas--a strong core of cedar shavings supports waves of sweet cherry, stewed meat, olives, cooked greens, caramel, and graphite, and some other sensations I can't begin to put into words. I almost hated to move on to tasting, but when I did I discovered a medium-bodied, ultra smooth, satiny wine with flavors of very ripe dark fruits, a blast of pepper, cedar, smoke, and graphite and a long, peppery, mineral-laden finish. The only off note was a tart acidity between the initial rush of flavors and the long finish.
7. Banyuls 1947 ($149.99/bottle)
The color of black tea, this dessert wine features rich, meaty aromas of caramel, whiskey, and spiced orange. The nose is paralleled nicely by flavors of caramel, vanilla, coffee, and orange peel wrapped in a surprisingly lithe texture. This wine is like a lighter-bodied port--perfect after dinner on a summer evening when the weather is more evocative of Cannes than Canturbury.
Wednesday, January 9, 2008
Tasting Notes (Jan. 3): Oi Oi Oi!
I was trying--unsuccessfully--to come up with an introduction to my tasting notes for last week's lineup of lip-smacking Aussies. Then Bill posted the link (below) to the Victoria Bitter ad. Problem solved. A symphony orchestra playing entirely with beer bottles? It's the perfect mix of high and low that exemplifies the paradox that is Australian wine (and, apparently, beer): refined but accessible, serious but fun, world-class but devoid of snobbism. What's not to love? On, then, to the notes:
1. Grant Burge Holy Trinity 2002 ($35.99/bottle)
This visually-appealing brick-red wine has a wonderful nose of blackberry, warm spice, and mineral-laden earth reminiscent of the red clay of southwest Missouri where I grew up. Bold flavors of raspberry soda, tart cherry, horehound, and leather complete the package.
2. Reilly's Barking Mad Shiraz 2004 ($17.99/bottle)
A typically inky-purple shiraz, this wine hits your nose with a riot of smashed black and blue berries sprinkled with cinnamon and nutmeg. The flavor reveals the same maelstrom of fruit, quickly followed by exotic spice and a pleasurable dark chocolate finish, with some alcohol present.
3. Torbreck Woodcutters Shiraz 2006 ($19.99/bottle)
This shiraz is a deep, opaque purple with ruby edges and offers aromas of blueberry compote, toasty oak, violets, and something suggestive of meat juices. The flavor opens with a quick dash of salt, which immediately gives way to black plum and blackberry fruit overlayed with toasted exotic spices. Finishes with medium-grained tannins. Will drink well for another 3 -5 years.
4. Boarding Pass Shiraz 2005 ($18.99/bottle)
If you hate cutesy packaging, then close your eyes when you buy this wine, whose label resembles an actual airline "boarding pass." But do buy it. With a beautiful nose of cherry, plum, toasty oak, clove, and cinnamon, this wine smells like a Christmas kitchen--there's even a bit of milk chocolate in the aroma. It offers equally enticing flavors of rich blackberry liqueur, black pepper, clove, and chocolate. The long, juicy berry finish reveals traces of black pepper after 30-40 seconds. Firm but integrated tannins provide ample structure. Maybe an unbeatable value, this one is up there with the Altos de Luzon.
5. Marquis Philips Shiraz "9" 2004 ($39.99/bottle)
What a sight this wine is in the glass: purple, dark, and deliciously thick. Dark berry, black pepper, spice, and oak aromas--tantalizing though they are--did not prepare me for the hugely extracted (and quite wonderful) flavors of dark blackberry and blueberry fruit, pungent black pepper, and menthol. The long finish suggests blueberry pie with mint-laced whipped cream. Firm tannins will keep this wine drinking beautifully for 3-5 or more years.
6. Peter Lehmann Stonewell Shiraz 2000 ($74.99/bottle)
This wine has a definite "wow" factor on the nose, with incredibly complex aromas of dried currant, raisin, black olive, and smoked meat. Even more extracted than the Marquis Philips, the Stonewell Shiraz may not be for everybody's tastes. But all the better if it is for yours, because this is a special wine, with intense flavors of superripe grape, raisin, black olive, brine, and animal blood. And, if you can believe it, the wine is still young, with a bold, tannic structure. I can only imagine what it will be in 7-10 years.
7. Royal Tokaji Wine Company Tokaji Aszu 5 Puttonyos (Hungary; $39.99/500 ml bottle)
Golden honey-colored, this beautiful Tokaji offers a nose of baked pineapple, butter toffee, and candied lemons. What makes it beautiful, though, is the balance: with ultra-tart citrus on one end and sweet pineapple and canned peach syrup on the other, the wine is poised in perfect tension. It is very sweet, to be sure, but the crisp acidity makes it seem ethereally light. Not to be missed.
1. Grant Burge Holy Trinity 2002 ($35.99/bottle)
This visually-appealing brick-red wine has a wonderful nose of blackberry, warm spice, and mineral-laden earth reminiscent of the red clay of southwest Missouri where I grew up. Bold flavors of raspberry soda, tart cherry, horehound, and leather complete the package.
2. Reilly's Barking Mad Shiraz 2004 ($17.99/bottle)
A typically inky-purple shiraz, this wine hits your nose with a riot of smashed black and blue berries sprinkled with cinnamon and nutmeg. The flavor reveals the same maelstrom of fruit, quickly followed by exotic spice and a pleasurable dark chocolate finish, with some alcohol present.
3. Torbreck Woodcutters Shiraz 2006 ($19.99/bottle)
This shiraz is a deep, opaque purple with ruby edges and offers aromas of blueberry compote, toasty oak, violets, and something suggestive of meat juices. The flavor opens with a quick dash of salt, which immediately gives way to black plum and blackberry fruit overlayed with toasted exotic spices. Finishes with medium-grained tannins. Will drink well for another 3 -5 years.
4. Boarding Pass Shiraz 2005 ($18.99/bottle)
If you hate cutesy packaging, then close your eyes when you buy this wine, whose label resembles an actual airline "boarding pass." But do buy it. With a beautiful nose of cherry, plum, toasty oak, clove, and cinnamon, this wine smells like a Christmas kitchen--there's even a bit of milk chocolate in the aroma. It offers equally enticing flavors of rich blackberry liqueur, black pepper, clove, and chocolate. The long, juicy berry finish reveals traces of black pepper after 30-40 seconds. Firm but integrated tannins provide ample structure. Maybe an unbeatable value, this one is up there with the Altos de Luzon.
5. Marquis Philips Shiraz "9" 2004 ($39.99/bottle)
What a sight this wine is in the glass: purple, dark, and deliciously thick. Dark berry, black pepper, spice, and oak aromas--tantalizing though they are--did not prepare me for the hugely extracted (and quite wonderful) flavors of dark blackberry and blueberry fruit, pungent black pepper, and menthol. The long finish suggests blueberry pie with mint-laced whipped cream. Firm tannins will keep this wine drinking beautifully for 3-5 or more years.
6. Peter Lehmann Stonewell Shiraz 2000 ($74.99/bottle)
This wine has a definite "wow" factor on the nose, with incredibly complex aromas of dried currant, raisin, black olive, and smoked meat. Even more extracted than the Marquis Philips, the Stonewell Shiraz may not be for everybody's tastes. But all the better if it is for yours, because this is a special wine, with intense flavors of superripe grape, raisin, black olive, brine, and animal blood. And, if you can believe it, the wine is still young, with a bold, tannic structure. I can only imagine what it will be in 7-10 years.
7. Royal Tokaji Wine Company Tokaji Aszu 5 Puttonyos (Hungary; $39.99/500 ml bottle)
Golden honey-colored, this beautiful Tokaji offers a nose of baked pineapple, butter toffee, and candied lemons. What makes it beautiful, though, is the balance: with ultra-tart citrus on one end and sweet pineapple and canned peach syrup on the other, the wine is poised in perfect tension. It is very sweet, to be sure, but the crisp acidity makes it seem ethereally light. Not to be missed.
Beer Orchestra
There is a veritable ocean of sleazily mendacious beer ads out there, as most of us with half a brain already know (Dude. Dude? Dude!). For some reason, I found this one pretty entertaining - any chance we might get them at Kobacker?
http://youtube.com/watch?v=uXvKb6oS7mA
Cheers!
http://youtube.com/watch?v=uXvKb6oS7mA
Cheers!
Tuesday, January 8, 2008
Not Another List
Well, actually it IS another list; I've assembled a second bakers dozen. These 13 wines represent some of the best quality-to-price ratio wines that we tasted at Stimmel's Market in 2007. While a "value" likely means different things to different people, I've taken the liberty to define the values below as wines that retail for under $20 per bottle. These are the great wines that we can all afford to drink on a regular basis:
13. Chatter Creek 105 Blend 2004 (Washington, $19.99) - Washington state is a very exciting area for wine these days. Seemingly a fusion of both new and old worlds, with consistently good vintages in recent years, it's no wonder that great wines like this one are hitting the market. Delicate, yet complex, this is a refined red that drinks like it's at least twice the price.
12. Pieropan Soave Classico 2004 (Italy, $17.99) - This was one of the "wow" whites that I had in '07. Citrus, mineral and a touch of creaminess all combined to make this the best Italian white I've had in a long time.
11. Allegrini Palazzo Della Torre 2003 (Italy, $19.99) - Great bang for the buck. A couple of steps up from the average grocery store chianti, the "plaza of the bull" offers lots of fruit, a touch of vanilla, and good tannins. A nice gateway red.
10. Vina Albali 1997 (Spain, $16.99) - A brown-ish hue in the glass. A mouthful of pencil lead and maturing tannins. This Spanish red delivers a peek of what truly expensive, properly aged French reds can offer at about 1/20th the price.
9. Mollydooker The Boxer 2005 (Australia, $19.99) - Brains to go with the braun, this big Aussie Shiraz is like the playground bully who is also one of the smartest kids in the class. Gobs of blueberries and blackberries, with some spice on the finish.
8. Babich Sauvignon Blanc 2006 (New Zealand, $12.99) - There were other bottles of NZ SB that I liked better at the time (like the very good Nobilo), but upon reflection, the Babich was the most memorable that I tried the past year. Uncompromising in its fresh, tart fruit blast, it assaults the taste buds and just doesn't stop.
7. Joseph Phelps Pastiche 2005 (California, $14.99) - Maybe not as sleek and velvety as the '02 and '03 we've had in previous years, but lots of fruit and that trademark Phelps touch still makes this a terrific value. Nine cases of the Pastiche sold out in just over a week, so we'll have to wait a while to see if the '06 can keep the tradition going.
6. Chateau St. Jean Fume Blanc 2006 (California, $13.99) - Anything but your average boring California white, it delivers everything that you'd expect from a wine three times its price. Good acidity, peaches, melons, citrus, with a bit of creaminess to cement the great texture. Best value white wine of the year.
5. Shingleback Shiraz 2004 (Australia, $19.99) - Copius amounts of white pepper frame the juicy fruit flavors in this exciting red. The one Aussie shiraz I tasted this year that had a bit of old-world flair. Great stuff.
4. Liparita Enlace Cabernet Sauvignon 2002 (California, $18.99) - I can't figure out why we don't sell this wine by the truckload. It's darn near impossible these days to find a really good Cali Cab under $35, but this one delivers the goods and then some. Currant, mocha, blackberries, earth, leather, the gang's all there just waiting to be discovered. This under-$20 Cab blows away dozens of $35+ Cabs that I drank this past year.
3. Mas Donis 2004 (Spain, $13.99) - I'm a sucker for those velvety, silky reds that cost more than a round of golf at Pebble Beach, so it's pretty darn satisfying to find a wine for a mere $14 that can give you a taste of the good life. Simply put, the Mas Donis was the smoothest, easiest red to drink this year.
2. Columbia Crest Grand Estates Merlot 2004 (Washington, $11.99) - I think Columbia Crest is the best "big" winery in the U.S., if not the world. I find it pretty darn impressive for a winery of their size to churn out an affordable, complex, delicious wine such as the '04 Merlot, instead of bottling homogenized dreck for the big box grocery store shelves, as many others do. I probably recommended this wine more than any other to customers throughout the year.
1. Altos de Luzon 2004 (Spain, $16.99) - What can I say? One of my favorite 13 wines of the year at any price, it's certainly the best value we've had the pleasure to sell this year at the market. Buy this wine by the case, and impress your friends.
Cheers!
13. Chatter Creek 105 Blend 2004 (Washington, $19.99) - Washington state is a very exciting area for wine these days. Seemingly a fusion of both new and old worlds, with consistently good vintages in recent years, it's no wonder that great wines like this one are hitting the market. Delicate, yet complex, this is a refined red that drinks like it's at least twice the price.
12. Pieropan Soave Classico 2004 (Italy, $17.99) - This was one of the "wow" whites that I had in '07. Citrus, mineral and a touch of creaminess all combined to make this the best Italian white I've had in a long time.
11. Allegrini Palazzo Della Torre 2003 (Italy, $19.99) - Great bang for the buck. A couple of steps up from the average grocery store chianti, the "plaza of the bull" offers lots of fruit, a touch of vanilla, and good tannins. A nice gateway red.
10. Vina Albali 1997 (Spain, $16.99) - A brown-ish hue in the glass. A mouthful of pencil lead and maturing tannins. This Spanish red delivers a peek of what truly expensive, properly aged French reds can offer at about 1/20th the price.
9. Mollydooker The Boxer 2005 (Australia, $19.99) - Brains to go with the braun, this big Aussie Shiraz is like the playground bully who is also one of the smartest kids in the class. Gobs of blueberries and blackberries, with some spice on the finish.
8. Babich Sauvignon Blanc 2006 (New Zealand, $12.99) - There were other bottles of NZ SB that I liked better at the time (like the very good Nobilo), but upon reflection, the Babich was the most memorable that I tried the past year. Uncompromising in its fresh, tart fruit blast, it assaults the taste buds and just doesn't stop.
7. Joseph Phelps Pastiche 2005 (California, $14.99) - Maybe not as sleek and velvety as the '02 and '03 we've had in previous years, but lots of fruit and that trademark Phelps touch still makes this a terrific value. Nine cases of the Pastiche sold out in just over a week, so we'll have to wait a while to see if the '06 can keep the tradition going.
6. Chateau St. Jean Fume Blanc 2006 (California, $13.99) - Anything but your average boring California white, it delivers everything that you'd expect from a wine three times its price. Good acidity, peaches, melons, citrus, with a bit of creaminess to cement the great texture. Best value white wine of the year.
5. Shingleback Shiraz 2004 (Australia, $19.99) - Copius amounts of white pepper frame the juicy fruit flavors in this exciting red. The one Aussie shiraz I tasted this year that had a bit of old-world flair. Great stuff.
4. Liparita Enlace Cabernet Sauvignon 2002 (California, $18.99) - I can't figure out why we don't sell this wine by the truckload. It's darn near impossible these days to find a really good Cali Cab under $35, but this one delivers the goods and then some. Currant, mocha, blackberries, earth, leather, the gang's all there just waiting to be discovered. This under-$20 Cab blows away dozens of $35+ Cabs that I drank this past year.
3. Mas Donis 2004 (Spain, $13.99) - I'm a sucker for those velvety, silky reds that cost more than a round of golf at Pebble Beach, so it's pretty darn satisfying to find a wine for a mere $14 that can give you a taste of the good life. Simply put, the Mas Donis was the smoothest, easiest red to drink this year.
2. Columbia Crest Grand Estates Merlot 2004 (Washington, $11.99) - I think Columbia Crest is the best "big" winery in the U.S., if not the world. I find it pretty darn impressive for a winery of their size to churn out an affordable, complex, delicious wine such as the '04 Merlot, instead of bottling homogenized dreck for the big box grocery store shelves, as many others do. I probably recommended this wine more than any other to customers throughout the year.
1. Altos de Luzon 2004 (Spain, $16.99) - What can I say? One of my favorite 13 wines of the year at any price, it's certainly the best value we've had the pleasure to sell this year at the market. Buy this wine by the case, and impress your friends.
Cheers!
Monday, January 7, 2008
Clearance - Global Warming Edition
As the mercury rises to record levels today (heck, we're PAINTING the facade of Stimmel's Market in tee-shirts in January), it's time to start celebrating the most wallet-friendly month of the year for wine and beer lovers. January is the month in which wholesalers run fire sales to get rid of product that they might have over-ordered the year before, and we'll typically feature dozens of incredible values here at Stimmel's Market. Our clearance wines will likely hit next week, but we already have a couple of incredible beer values right now.
Buffalo Bill's Pumpkin Ale, the first commercially viable pumpkin beer sold across the U.S., is on sale for only $2.99 a six-pack (regular price $7.99), and Barrelhouse Oktoberfest is only $1.99 per 22 oz. bottle (regular price $4.99). These are both good beers that are still fresh and drinking exceptionally well. Pick them up here at the market before they're gone, and look for the wine values to start pouring in soon.
Cheers!
Buffalo Bill's Pumpkin Ale, the first commercially viable pumpkin beer sold across the U.S., is on sale for only $2.99 a six-pack (regular price $7.99), and Barrelhouse Oktoberfest is only $1.99 per 22 oz. bottle (regular price $4.99). These are both good beers that are still fresh and drinking exceptionally well. Pick them up here at the market before they're gone, and look for the wine values to start pouring in soon.
Cheers!
Wednesday, January 2, 2008
Tasting Notes (Dec. 20): Spätlese Version
Thanks to holiday travel, these notes have been on the vine a couple extra weeks now. But, like a fine Riesling, they should be all the sweeter for the wait.
1. Beringer Sbragia Limited-Release Chardonnay 2002 ($29.99/bottle)
Deep yellow luminescent color, like gold tinsel, with inviting aromas of butter, earth, mango, and oak. Rich and buttery on the palate, with flavors of apple pie and a hint of smoke. The high alcohol content (over 15%) gives this opulent wine a viscous, full body and a light but pleasant touch of sweetness. Ridiculously long finish, with some alcohol lingering. Pair with lobster or just enjoy.
2. Aramis Shiraz 2003 ($23.99/bottle)
With aromas of blueberries, vanilla, violets, and a faint earthiness, this plush, full-bodied shiraz offers flavors of juicy dark berries and oak. Finishes long with fresh ripe blueberries and fine-grained tannins. Very pleasant.
3. Chappellet Mountain Cuvee 2005 ($28.99/bottle)
Aromas of purple grape, plum, and roasted meat give way to flavors of black cherry and plum fruit, aromatic herbs, and stewed meat. This rustic but nice Bordeaux-style blend reminds me a bit of an Argentinian carmenère, which is never a bad thing.
4. Caldwell Rocket Science 2005 ($44.99/bottle)
Much as I hate it when winemakers label their wines "proprietary blend" instead of listing the constituent grapes and their ratios, I have to admit that such wines are often very good. This red blend is no exception, with an intriguing nose of cherry, charcoal, and cinnamon and flavors of cherry, leather, spice, and toasty oak--all followed by a long, vanilla-laced finish. Soft tannins support a smooth, velvety mouthfeel.
5. Pahlmeyer Jayson 2004 ($55.99/bottle)
This tasty and vibrant red offers aromas of blackberry, currant, toast, and a slight but not unpleasant greenness. On the palate, it shows flavors of ripe black plum, pepper, and leather, finishing with bitter herb. Very lively and kinetic in the mouth, with enough acid to make it a versatile choice with food.
6. Turnbull Cabernet Sauvignon 2004 ($47.99/bottle)
This cab offers intriguing aromas of black currant, leaf lettuce, and caramelized meat juices; flavors of very ripe, rich cherry and sweet rhubarb; and a decadent mouthfeel that can only be described as gooey. The long, luxurious finish turns to vanilla as it lingers. With well-integrated but firm tannins, it could stay in the bottle another 5-10 years. Perfect by itself or alongside a fillet with demi-glace.
7. Chambers Muscadelle NV ($16.99/bottle)
This non-vintage dessert wine smells like honey, pineapple upside down cake, and musk. Very thick in the mouth, it offers pronounced flavors of honey and ultra-caramelized brown sugar laced with cigarette tobacco. Very long finish with honeysuckle predominating.
1. Beringer Sbragia Limited-Release Chardonnay 2002 ($29.99/bottle)
Deep yellow luminescent color, like gold tinsel, with inviting aromas of butter, earth, mango, and oak. Rich and buttery on the palate, with flavors of apple pie and a hint of smoke. The high alcohol content (over 15%) gives this opulent wine a viscous, full body and a light but pleasant touch of sweetness. Ridiculously long finish, with some alcohol lingering. Pair with lobster or just enjoy.
2. Aramis Shiraz 2003 ($23.99/bottle)
With aromas of blueberries, vanilla, violets, and a faint earthiness, this plush, full-bodied shiraz offers flavors of juicy dark berries and oak. Finishes long with fresh ripe blueberries and fine-grained tannins. Very pleasant.
3. Chappellet Mountain Cuvee 2005 ($28.99/bottle)
Aromas of purple grape, plum, and roasted meat give way to flavors of black cherry and plum fruit, aromatic herbs, and stewed meat. This rustic but nice Bordeaux-style blend reminds me a bit of an Argentinian carmenère, which is never a bad thing.
4. Caldwell Rocket Science 2005 ($44.99/bottle)
Much as I hate it when winemakers label their wines "proprietary blend" instead of listing the constituent grapes and their ratios, I have to admit that such wines are often very good. This red blend is no exception, with an intriguing nose of cherry, charcoal, and cinnamon and flavors of cherry, leather, spice, and toasty oak--all followed by a long, vanilla-laced finish. Soft tannins support a smooth, velvety mouthfeel.
5. Pahlmeyer Jayson 2004 ($55.99/bottle)
This tasty and vibrant red offers aromas of blackberry, currant, toast, and a slight but not unpleasant greenness. On the palate, it shows flavors of ripe black plum, pepper, and leather, finishing with bitter herb. Very lively and kinetic in the mouth, with enough acid to make it a versatile choice with food.
6. Turnbull Cabernet Sauvignon 2004 ($47.99/bottle)
This cab offers intriguing aromas of black currant, leaf lettuce, and caramelized meat juices; flavors of very ripe, rich cherry and sweet rhubarb; and a decadent mouthfeel that can only be described as gooey. The long, luxurious finish turns to vanilla as it lingers. With well-integrated but firm tannins, it could stay in the bottle another 5-10 years. Perfect by itself or alongside a fillet with demi-glace.
7. Chambers Muscadelle NV ($16.99/bottle)
This non-vintage dessert wine smells like honey, pineapple upside down cake, and musk. Very thick in the mouth, it offers pronounced flavors of honey and ultra-caramelized brown sugar laced with cigarette tobacco. Very long finish with honeysuckle predominating.
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