Category Archives: Wines over $20

Wine Smackdown #2 | BC Wine

Posted on January 9, 2011 | Leave a comment

WINE REVIEW | WINES OF BRITISH COLUMBIA

In December 2010 I took a trip to British Columbia, Canada to visit friends and family.

desolate highway

1,700 miles in a day and a half

While I was there my friend suggested we pay a visit to a special wine shop located in White Rock called Mud Bay Wines.  This wine shop carries only VQA certified British Columbia wines.  The shop is fairly small, but it is well laid out and has a huge selection of BC wines.  The staff was friendly and helpful as well.  I found the purchasing process unusual in that I knew nothing of the wineries or  viticultural areas.  And very few of the wines had shelf talkers.  It was like being transported back in time to my first wine purchase.  So after much deliberation, we made our choices and headed home to critique. The wines are in the order that we consumed them.  I thought I would be able to find the technical information about each wine online, so I did not include them in my notes.  However, upon sitting down to write this post I have discovered that this information is hard to find! Note to less well known wine producers:  Consumers like to know as much as possible about your wines, the process and the technical information.

The first wine we popped open was Volcanic Hills, 2009 Gamay Noir from British Columbia’s Okanagan Valley.

BC Wine

Volcanic Hills Gamay Noir

After a quick decant we were restless and ready for a drink.  On the nose this wine came across  light with aromas of red fruit.  The palate was predominantly raspberry and cranberry. The finish was crisp and clean.  While this is not a complex wine,  it is a decent effort.  It’s a light and fruity, easy sipper and for only $15 it’s well worth it. 84 points

Next up was Domaine de Chaberton 2008 Pinot Gris, Okanagan Valley.

BC wine

Domaine de Chaberton Pinot Gris

This wine was nice enough, but I had a tough time discerning the aromas on the nose and the flavors on the palate.  It is a very light wine, although the alcohol clocks in at 13%.  I detected a little citrus on the nose. The palate displayed a very slight lemon profile with a hint of nutty butterscotch on the finish.  Once again, at $15, a decent wine, decent value but nothing to get too excited about. 82 points

Wine number three was Summerhill Pyramid Winery’s 2006 Riesling, Okanagan Valley.

BC Wine

Summerhill Pyramid Riesling

The nose was not as aromatic as I had hoped, I could detect minerals, but little in the way of fruit.  The palate consisted of  Grapefruit and Granny Smith Apple surrounded by a rather searing tartaric acidity.  Alcohol weighs in at 9% and the wine retails for  $22. A decent effort, however this wine is an acquired taste. I would only recommend this wine to wine drinkers who are looking for a Riesling which is not sweet. 83 points

Wine number four:  Church & State Wines, 2006 Quintessential red blend.

Quintessential

Church and State Quintessential

This wine is a blend of all 5 Bordeaux varietals, however I cannot find any information on the % breakdown.  The nose was pleasant enough, and displayed aromas of Cherries and leather. However, the palate is where this wine fell far short.   Immediately I was hit with an overwhelming unpleasant sweetness.  I was expecting something vaguely Bordeaux like but this wine did not deliver.  I thought maybe it was me and did not say anything, instead I had the other guests give it a whirl and they came to the same conclusion without my influence. At $50 a bottle I expected a lot more.  And even more confusing to me is how this wine could have won “Best Red Wine” at the All Canadian Wine Championships in 2009.  75 points

A couple of nights later my friends and I visited Salt Tasting Room in downtown Vancouver.  Upon being seated I asked our server, who also happened to be the inventory manager, for the best Bordeaux blend he had.

Wine number five:  Clos du Soleil Red 2007 Similkameen, British Columbia.

Clos du Soleil Red

This wine is a blend of 60% Cabernet, 22% Merlot and 18% Cabernet Franc aged for 18 months in 80% French Oak, 20% American Oak. The alcohol comes in at 13.3%. Production for the Clos du Soleil Red 2007 was only 450 cases.

This wine was by far the best wine of my trip.  It displayed a pleasantly aromatic nose of cassis and vanilla with floral notes.  The palate featured chewy plummy tannins, great structure and a nice long finish.  A well balanced wine with all of its components in check.  This wine retails for around $40 a bottle which may be a little pricey but considering the comparative quality, it is worth it.  88 points.

I hope to get back to British Columbia again in 2011 and to sample more of what British Columbia has to offer in terms of wine.  I will have to be a little more discerning in my selections in the future, maybe to a little more research ahead of time.  The Canadian dollar is currently at par with the U.S. dollar which can put a lot of pressure on the budget when buying multiple bottles of wine purely for review.  Have you tried any wines from British Columbia, have you tried any of the wines reviewed here?

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Posted in Gamay Noir, Meritage, Pinot Gris, Riesling, Wine Review, Wines over $20, Wines under $20

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Wine Review | Cameron Hughes Lot 200

Posted on December 7, 2010 | 6 Comments

Cameron Hughes Wine, Lot 200, 2008 Cabernet Sauvignon, Napa Valley

Alcohol: 14.5%

Napa Valley Cabernet

It is important to drink the whole bottle when reviewing wine

Production: 4,000 Cases

Price: $28 Retail

Before you rush out and buy this wine you need to ask yourself a few questions:  Am I a wine connoisseur or a casual drinker?  Am I familiar with the Cameron Hughes story and business model.  Why ask these questions?  Because it’s important to understand that this wine, Lot 200 is quite unlike the rest of the wines you might find in the grocery store.  This is a serious, SERIOUS wine.  What does that even mean?  It means it would be a complete waste of this wine to buy it, take it home pop the cork and without decanting pour yourself a glass and pair it with some steak you bought for $4 a pound at your local grocer.  This is the kind of wine that you would buy several cases of, put them in a PROPER wine fridge and hold on to them for the next 10 years.  And when you decide to enjoy it, you would treat it like a FINE wine.  This means serve it at the correct temperature, allow adequate decanting, drinking it out of the proper stemware, preferably your Riedel.  Otherwise what you are doing is the equivalent of buying a Lamborghini and then driving up to the Circle K to buy some scratch and wins.

Moreover, this wine is still in its infancy and will age gracefully for many years to come, so buying just one bottle next week will not give you the pleasure of experiencing it throughout its life cycle. This is something that is just not possible with $10 wine. In fact right now it is barely ready to drink, but if you are a connoisseur you will be able to tell what it is capable of.  If you are a casual drinker it is unlikely you will appreciate this wine.  Does this sound like elitism or wine snobbery? Maybe, but I’m hoping its helpful for you as the reader of this post in determining whether or not you are going to spend the money and buy several dozen bottles of Lot 200.

Now that we’ve asked ourselves a few questions, lets take a look at Lot 200.

This wine is sourced from 3 of Napa Valley’s most well known sub regions: Stag’s Leap, Rutherford and Oakville.  In a recent video post on his website Cameron Hughes states that the winery he acquired this wine from does not sell a bottle of wine for under $200 a bottle and has multiple 100 point scores.  So once again, we’re not dealing with the level of wine most casual consumers are used to dealing with.

On the nose hints of plum and Cassis, the palate is currently displaying significant amounts of star anise and dark chocolate as well as plummy tannins.  Right now this wine is just too young, it is not ready to enjoy to its fullest, although I really did enjoy drinking the bottle, this wine is going to get significantly better over the next year, so some patience and proper storage conditions are a must.

Note:  I purchased this wine with my own hard earned cash

Purchase Lot 200 HERE (Cameron Hughes Website)

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Posted in Cabernet Sauvignon, Wine Review, Wines over $20

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Chardonnay Smackdown #1 | J Vineyards | Cupcake Vineyards | Catena

Posted on November 15, 2010 | Leave a comment

In this review: J Vineyards 2008 Russian River Valley Chardonnay, Cupcake Vineyards 2009 Central Coast Chardonnay, Catena 2008 Chardonnay Mendoza Argentina.

I received the J Vineyards and Cupcake vineyards wines as samples and I decided to purchase the Catena and batch taste all three, to get a relative sense of how they compare.  I tasted all three wines over a six day period tasting a half bottle each night, starting with J Vineyards  and finishing with Catena.

J Vineyards 2008 Russian River Valley Chardonnay

Production: 6,000 cases

wine bottle picture

J Vineyards 2008 Russian River valley Chardonnay

Alcohol: 14.3%

Aging:  100% barrel fermented in 60 gallon Burgundian Oak, 40% new. 6 months of malolactic fermentation. 1 year of rest between bottling and release.

Lemon and honey on the nose, the palate is smooth and creamy almost like Creme Brule.  There is a hint of toasted oak, or almond on the back-end.  I was quite surprised with how well-balanced this wine was.  Not that I was expecting it to be out of balance, but it was just really nice to have a great balance of fruit, oak, acidity, all the aspects that need to come together to make a wine enjoyable.  The retail price of $28 might be a little steep when compared to equally great wines from other regions of the world, but compared within the Russian River Valley and Burgundy it is quite reasonable.  I would purchase this wine for a special occasion.

Cupcake Vineyards 2009 Central Coast Chardonnay

cupcake wine bottle

Cupcake Vineyards 2009 Central Coast Chardonnay

Production: 100,000 cases

Alcohol: 14%

Aging: 9 months in American Oak

I think of myself as generally a nice guy and so I find it difficult to be critical, having met wine makers and knowing how much of their heart and soul they put into their work.  However, this wine fell far short of what I could call enjoyable.  I could barely pick up anything on the nose, maybe citrus and oak?  The palate was weak, one dimensional and thin.  There can be no missing the oak, if you like lots of oak and butter this might be more your style.  I don’t know what’s going on here but I far prefered the Cupcake Sauvignon Blanc.

Catena 2008 Chardonnay, Mendoza Argentina

Catena Chardonnay wine bottle

Catena 2008 Chardonnay

Production: N/A

Alcohol: 14.2%

Aging: 9 months sur la lies in 100% French Oak, 35% new

On the nose this wine is very aromatic.  Almost explosively floral with spicy green apple citrus aroma that you can actually feel attacking your nostrils (in a good way) and even on the second day.  On the palate this wine is deliciously juicy, rich and complex.  Weighty in texture like cream, with a nice long smooth finish.  Definitely the clear winner out of the three and at $13.99 it is an insane value.  Interesting to note that the fruit for this wine comes from 3 vineyards ranging in elevation from 3,000 to 5,000 feet. I would like to try more high elevation Chardonnay and see if it is all this impressive!

Conclusion:  Catena was the clear winner because of its richness and complexity and great value.  Not far behind was J Vineyards.  If you like your Chards a little less over the top, lighter on the oak and butter then you might even place this wine above the Catena.  Cupcake Vineyards has a bit of work to do for the 2010 vintage in order to compete.

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Posted in Chardonnay, Wine Review, Wines over $20, Wines under $20

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Wine review | J Vineyards 2007 Pinot Noir Russian River Valley

Posted on October 28, 2010 | Leave a comment

J Vineyards 2007 Pinot Noir Russian River Valley, Sonoma Countyrussian river pinot noir

Judy Jordan, of Jordan Winery fame, decided to branch out on her own more than 20 years ago to make site specific cool climate wines.  Since then J Vineyards has grown into one of the largest estate vineyards in the Russian River Valley with 274 acres planted to vines.

The 2007 offering of J vineyards Pinot Noir from Russian River Valley starts out with a beautiful floral nose of violets and roses.  The palate is quintessential Russian River Valley Pinot Noir, with bright cherry and strawberry fruit with cinnamon and clove notes backed up by solid oak tannins.

The alcohol comes in at 14.3% which is fairly high for a Pinot Noir, but there is little in the way of alcoholic heat.  This wine is a Cab drinkers Pinot, it has solid enough tannins from 15 months in 30% new French Oak.  The suggested retail on this wine is $35 which is right in line with high quality wines from this region.  14,500 cases were produced so it shouldn’t be too hard to find at your local specialty shop, or you can order direct from the winery HERE

Verdict: 4 out of 5

*disclaimer this wine was received as a sample

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Posted in Pinot Noir, Wine Review, Wines over $20

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Review: Fleming’s Women and Wine Dinner

Posted on October 25, 2010 | Leave a comment
Steakhouse dining room

Fleming's on North Scottsdale Road

Last week Fleming’s Steakhouses across the country hosted their “Women & Wine” dinners.  At the events guests were treated to some amazing wines made by some legendary women in the wine world including Cathy Corison, Kristin Belair and Janet Myers.

Cathy Corison wine

Corison 2000 Cabernet

We started out the evening with swiss cheese puffs and house cured salmon, citrus creme fraiche and crispy wonton.  These were paired with Cathy Corison’s 2000 vintage  Cabernet Sauvignon from Napa valley.  Cathy Corison is a legendary wine maker having made wines for over 30 years for brands like Chappellet, Staglin Family, York Creek and Long Meadow Ranch.  It was very nice to taste a wine that has had significant time to age in the bottle.  This  wine was very refined with beautiful and mature tannins.  It paired very well with the food as it was soft and gentle enough as to not overpower  the food.

Next we enjoyed Butternut squash bisque with Danish blue cheese fondue and bacon herb bruschetta.  This was paired with Honig, Cabernet Sauvignon 2006 Napa.  Kristin Belair is the wine maker at Honig and has been since 1998.  This wine is much bigger and bolder, younger than the Corison.  It displays notes of sage and currant as well as a pronounced creamy vanilla which only really came out after the Lamb chops served next.  The wine manager for this Fleming’s location, Tony Novak suggested we save a little of the Honig to try later after the main course, to see how it changes with the main course.  And it did.  I thought it was delicious to begin with, but actually found it tasted better with the rosemary Lamb chops which is what we enjoyed next.

05 Magnificat

Rosemary-scented lamb chops on parmesan risotto with maple roasted parsnips and a red wine demi glace.  This was paired with Franciscan, Magnificat 2005 from Napa.  This wine is made by Janet Myers who joined Franciscan Estate in 2003 and began winemaker in 2005.  Janet is also the winemaker at Mount Veeder winery. The ’05 Magnificat is a blend of 73% Cabernet, 23% Merlot, 2% Malbec, 1% Petit Verdot and 1% Cabernet Franc.  This wine is loaded with dark fruit, powerful and a made for red meat!

During the dinner we watched on a big flat screen some short videos made by Wine Spectator which gave us a little insight into the wine makers and the wines, including interviews and scenery.  I thought that was a nice touch.

My favorite part of the dinner came next: dessert!   Thick and rich caramel pudding with crumbled Heath bar on top with shortbread cookies on the side. The dessert was pretty big and I was unable to finish it all, but I kept going back and nibbling on it, I couldn’t stop myself.

At the end of dinner each table was presented with a special gift.  A set of nice big red wine glasses with the Fleming’s “F” engraved on it and a bottle of the 2005 Magnificat.  That was really an amazing touch because the wine alone retails for about $55 a bottle.  Guests enjoyed an amazing meal, amazing wines, and then were given a whole bottle and two glasses for later…all for $95 a plate.  It’s these  extras that can really make a merely good evening into a great evening.

*Disclaimer*  I attended this event as a guest of Fleming’s and Tin Can Marketing.

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Posted in Cabernet Sauvignon, Places to drink wine, Wine Event, Wines over $20

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An Evening with Robert Craig, part 2

Posted on September 20, 2010 | Leave a comment

This is part 2, to first read part 1 click here
After the initial interview Mr Craig went back to his hotel room to get ready for

BLT reception area

The Champagne reception area

the dinner.  During this time I was introduced to Trudy Thomas, director of beverage for the Camelback Inn.  Trudy introduced me to the other guests and we chatted and mingled while sipping champagne  in the reception area before being seated in the private dining area.  Trudy gave me a quick tour inside the wine cellar.  While not large in terms of quantity, this cellar is impressive for its big Napa and Bordeaux representation.  There is at least $100,000 worth of wine in a long narrow walk in cellar that resembles a library in a mahogany hallway.   Trudy is one of those people is truly passionate about what she does.  What she does is manage all the beverages for the resort, and among other things she  helps create the winemaker dinner experience.   She has a perfect job, but it’s definitely not just luck.  Trudy has 18 years in the wine business and is the only person to have taken both Society of Wine Educators CSW and CWE exams on the same day and passed.  I met the man who administered the test and he said that Trudy actually knows even more about spirits! She is meticulous with the details of every aspect of each wine maker dinner.  She can spot a spot on a glass a mile away.  In fact while we were talking she casually turned a glass upside down and set it back on the dinner table, it was my glass, I wondered what she was doing and seamlessly from out of nowhere a waiter silently appeared and replaced the glass with another. Trudy said that these dinners are not about making money for the resort, in fact at $85 a plate it barely covers the costs.

BLT at the Camelback Inn wants to be known for being the valley’s go to place for fine dining, an experience without equal.  The wine maker dinners are all about showcasing their talent, their creativity and their  attention to detail.

At 6:30 all the guests were escorted into the

BLT private dining entrance

The private dining room

private dining area adjoining the wine cellar.  Awaiting us, were glasses of Robert Craig’s only white wine.  The 2008 Robert Craig “Durell Vineyard” Chardonnay from Sonoma Valley. We took our seats and awaited for Mr Craig’s arrival.  He arrived to warm applause and he humbly smiled and lowered his head and sort of shuffled over to his seat.  He spoke for a few minutes before sitting down.  He spoke a little bit of his history, the history of the vineyards and his wine making philosophy, which is once you reach a certain point it’s not about making more wine it’s about making better wine.

The first course arrived and the guests began enjoying the Chardonnay.  The first course consisted of Country Style Duck Pate, brandied Cherries, a little bit of pistachio and some spicy rocket, also known as arugula.  I found the Chardonnay to be a good representation of the terroir of Sonoma in terms of Chardonnay.  Not oaky, not buttery, just well-balanced almost understated.

As guests were finishing up, the waiters and waitresses began bringing in glasses of red wine for everyone.

wine glasses on a table

Pre pouring the wine saves time

One of the details that Trudy employs to help keep the evening moving forward is to have the wines poured outside of the room and brought in.  It is much quicker than moving about the room pouring the wines while the guests wait.  The second course was roasted pork belly with Ricotta Gnudi, root vegetable fricassee, and crispy pork skins.  This was paired with Robert Craig’s 2007 “Affinity”.  Affinity is Robert Craig Winery’s flagship wine.  each year about 5,000 to 6,000 cases of this Bordeaux blend are made.  This wine is made with the restaurant setting in mind.  Which means it is to be consumed sooner rather than later, and without the need of too much decanting.  Mr Craig said that he wanted to make a wine that restaurants didn’t have to hold on to for 10 or 20 years before they are ready to drink.  And just in case you think drink now means lesser quality, the 2007 Affinity received 96 points from Robert Parker.

Robert Craig Winery 2007 Affinity

I found this wine to be incredibly smooth and supple.  Perfectly balanced.  One thing that really stands out is the beautiful aromatics.  The wine is a blend of 79% Cabernet, 10% Petit Verdot, 8% Merlot, 2% Cabernet Franc and 1% Malbec.  5,700 cases of the wine were but I was informed by wine broker Mattias Stolpe that this wine was virtually already sold out.  It retails for only about $50 so you can see why it’s almost gone.

The third course consisted of hunter style Grouper stew, Lobster mushrooms, Chorizo and Northern beans.  This was paired with the 2006 Mount Veeder Cabernet.  It’s not common to pair fish with red wines, let alone a massively powerful mountain wine like this.  But it worked, fantastically, amazingly.

wine bottle

2006 Mt Veeder Cabernet Sauvignon

The Mt. Veeder Cabernet is actually 81% Cab and 19% Merlot and alcohol clocks in at 14.9% which is amazing to me because the was absolutely no heat present.  This wine is still young, still just a baby.  It has big bold chewy velvety tannins, it makes your mouth pucker up at this point but has a long, long finish.  One of the things that Mr Craig told me about is that he feels that enjoying wine is not so much about enjoying wine at its prime as it is about enjoying wine throughout its life cycle.  Enjoying and experiencing it young and enjoying it right on through to its prime and even past.

Next up was the highlight of the night.  Course number four was a thick, pepper crusted New York Strip, hidden under the steak were huckleberry Braised beef cheeks.  I never would have thought to buy beef cheeks at the grocery store and wouldn’t have known how to prepare them, until now.  I asked the chef how they made them and he said they boiled them and then seared and marinated them in wine and huckleberry.  The result was stunning, delicious.  The two styles of beef were paired with the 2006 Howell Mountain Cabernet.

wine bottle

2006 Howell Mountain Cabernet

This wine was quite different from the Mt Veeder.  It is much Riper and the tannins are more in check but with a seemingly never-ending finish.  This wine is a blend of 84% Cabernet, 12% Merlot and 4% Cabernet Franc.  Only 1,240 cases were produced. The wine saw 20 months in French oak, 75% new and 25% 2nd year.

In between wines and courses Mr Craig would visit the guests at their tables, and while sitting at the table he would ask questions of me, as I was trying to ask questions of him!  In his very quiet and humble way he shows an interest in people equal to the interest people have in him.  We talked about his safari to Africa which is a topic close to me, as I was born in Africa and lived there until I was almost 9.  I also asked him about what sorts of things, besides wine, is he interested in and he said Native American heritage and culture. In particular preserving the languages.  He also enjoys sailing and given his Coast Guard background I can see why.

Trudy Thomas and Robert Craig

The fifth and final course consisted of Caramelized French butter pears with Cambozola ice cream inside of a walnut crisp pastry.  This was paired with the 2007 Howell Mountain Zinfandel.  This pairing really pushed the envelope.  The pears were delicious.  The Cambozola ice cream was like ice cream made from Brie and Blue cheese.  Your mind is ready for some vanilla and suddenly you are struck by the aftertaste of blue cheese.  The pears really are the sweet part of the desert, and are a perfect match with the ice cream.  The Zinfandel was really amazing.  If you like jammy zins this is not a wine for you.  This is a seriously big peppery zin but with powerful mountain tannins and a good concentration of black raspberries.  Only 800 cases were produced and it retails for about $50 a bottle.

While the final course was being served Chef Marc Hennessy came out and spoke briefly with the guests.  He explained a little bit of the theory behind the pairings.  He wanted this and the other wine maker dinners to really be a showcase for what can be done, not just for its own sake, but to make something that amazes people.  He jokingly referenced the pastry chef’s insistence that the ice cream be made entirely of blue cheese by saying “There is no way there is going to be blue cheese ice cream”  Instead he struck a compromise, and I would say luckily!

This night turned out to be one of the highlights of the year for me.  It was great to meet one of the people who has been instrumental in getting Napa Valley on the map and especially Mt Veeder, Spring Mountain and Howell Mountain.  I am looking forward to future vintages as the focus on producing higher and higher quality wine continues.

Trudy Thomas on Twitter  @INNtoxic8ting

Robert Craig Winery Website

Camelback Inn Website

Bistro Laurent Trouondel (BLT) website

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Posted in Cabernet Sauvignon, Chardonnay, Wine Event, wine maker interview, Wine Review, Wine Tasting, Wines over $20, Zinfandel

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Wine Review: Flinders Run, 2006 Shiraz, Southern Flinders Ranges, Australia

Posted on April 29, 2010 | 3 Comments

Where from?  Southern Flinders Ranges, Australia
How much? $25-$35
Aging: 18 months in American and French Oak, 50% new french oak.
Alcohol: 15%
980 cases imported to the United States

I am always up for trying out a new Shiraz, so when I noticed Flinders Run on the shelf at my local wine store, it caught my attention.  I always resist buying wine on the label, so I picked up the bottle looked at the interesting label and put it back down.  Well I kept seeing it sitting there every time I was in the store, just staring at me..the wine bottle with the googly eyes!   I noticed the appellation, Southern Flinders Ranges.  Interesting I thought, I am used to Barossa, Hunter, Claire, McLaren, Coonawarra, Padthaway, but I don’t often come across a wine from the Southern Flinders Ranges.  I whipped out my smartphone, and noticed a 92 point rating from Stephen Tanzer, and 91 points from Wine Spectator.  I also noticed that the Southern Flinders Ranges region is located next to the Claire and Barossa valleys and I have enjoyed a lot of wines from both those regions. One thing I couldn’t find was the winery’s website.  But I picked up a bottle anyway, let’s cut to the taste shall we?

Color: Opaque purple with a ruby-red rim
Nose:  Big, fragrant, raspberry
Palate: creamy in weight, ripe and spicy

This wine is decadent, hedonistic yet well-balanced.  If you like a big juicy and spicy this is the wine for you.  As far as complexity, this wine keeps it fairly simple, sticks to what it’s strengths are.  If you are looking for a complex one minute echo of a finish, this wine doesn’t have that, and you will probably need to spend a minimum of $50 for a Shiraz that does.  I would liken the flavor profile to the wines of the Barossa Valley, yet without the earthy component that they sometimes have.  All in all, a good effort.  I think that 91-92 points would be an accurate rating.

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Posted in Shiraz, Wine Review, Wines over $20

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Featured Personality: Brian Loring, Loring Wine Company, Part two

Posted on March 30, 2010 | Leave a comment

Here is part 2 of a 3 part series on Loring Wine Company.  In this segment Brian Loring talks about the Loring Wine Company’s style.  How much fruit, how big and bold, what they are meant to pair with, and how much oak the wines get.  He also talks about Garys’ Vineyard.  Yes that’s apostrophe S, not a misprint, and he explains why.

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Posted in Pinot Noir, wine maker interview, Wine Personality, Wines over $20

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Wine Review: Carlisle Zinfandel, 2007 Russian River Valley Sonoma, Papera Ranch

Posted on March 17, 2010 | Leave a comment

Where from? Russian River Valley – Sonoma, CA
How much? $40
Alcohol: 15.2%
Production: 650 Cases

This next wine I’m reviewing is rather special. Wine Spectator recently put out a segment reviewing a few of these Carlisle wines – rating this particular Zinfandel 96 points, and a Syrah of theirs 98 points. Yeah…wow. Put it this way, this is the highest rating Wine Spectator has ever given a Zinfandel. Back in early February on numerous online forums, people were already speculating this bottle’s potential to be the next wine of the year on the annual top 100 list. Now I consider that more than jumping the gun a bit being just over a month into 2010 at that point – though I can certainly see how one could make the argument considering this wine’s rating, price, and desirability. It has absolutely everything going for it, except for one factor…its production (only 650 cases made).

Now I never expected to find this bottle at any retailer. I figured I’d have to track it down through an online distributor, or pick it up through an auction site. I hear Carlisle distributes very little, and with a rating like that, and only 650 cases made – I was convinced that what little bit could have been shipped out to any retailer in Arizona would be long gone by now. Fortunately, I was wrong. I made a trip into AZ Wine Company in Scottsdale for my very first time this week. I have to say, I was impressed. I saw several wines that I couldn’t find anywhere else. After walking through several aisles, and eyeing numerous bottles, I spotted the Carlisle Zin. At first I thought there was no way, this had to be another one of their Zinfandels, and not the recent 96 pointer. But after a moment on my iPhone, I quickly realized this was in fact it. Some how there were 3 bottles sitting right in front of me…and of course I purchased every last one of them.

I know I know, I keep going on and on about being fortunate enough to actually find a few bottles of this wine. Let’s get on to the review already right? Well here we go. In the glass this wine is a very deep magenta color with a ruby rim. The nose displays a beautiful floral bouquet with black raspberries, cherries, and a complex mineral element. Simply sensational nose, it really draws you into the glass. I took my first taste after just 30 minutes in the decanter and was shocked. For how apparently young this wine is right now, it was extremely accessible in such a short period of time. This wine will benefit from another 2 to 5 years in the bottle minimum.

This wine is a stunner. It’s powerful, but completely well-balanced. Like a well made, finely-tuned sports car – it’s running at 150 mph, yet incredibly smooth and controlled. Amazing concentrated dark semi-jammy fruit with ample acidity. White pepper sings across your palate in perfect balance with the ripe cherries and raspberries. The finish is long with beautiful fleshy tannins. It leaves your mouth coated with flavor.

After an hour or two, the soft jammy berries are in perfect harmony. Simply put, this Zinfandel may very well be amongst the pinnacle of its varietal. Certainly the best that I have ever tasted, and it’s only going to get better with time. 97-98 points is where I score this wine. This is what a Zin is all about, you’d be hard pressed to improve on this.

Ryan O’Connor

VISIT THE CARLISLE WEBSITE HERE

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Posted in Wine Review, Wines over $20, Zinfandel

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Wine Review: Kendall Jackson Stature, 2003 Oakville, Napa Valley

Posted on March 14, 2010 | 2 Comments

Kendall Jackson Stature 2003

Kendall jackson Stature, 2003

80% Cabernet Sauvignon

10% Cabernet Franc

5% Merlot

5% Petit Verdot

14.6% alcohol

Oakville, Napa Valley

$95

395 cases made

I know what some of you are probably thinking – Kendall Jackson produces a $100 bottle of wine?! Yes they do, and it’s perennially rated and regarded very highly (the current 2004 release is priced at $120, and this 2003 vintage scored between 94 and 98 points by numerous sources). I found it hard to believe myself when I first wandered into KJ’s tasting room in Healdsburg, CA a few years back. The guy behind the counter comped us a reserve tasting, and eventually gave us a pour of this red bordeaux blend. We were all impressed, it was great. I just had to pick up a bottle of this very limitedly produced wine.

Well, here I am nearly two years later ready to see how this wine held up, and if it would wow me again. The wine is deep red, nearly purple in the glass with a crimson rim. I popped this bottle open just 20 minutes before heading out to make a dinner reservation and decided to get an early taste of what was to come. The nose revealed classic Napa dark fruit dominated by cherries, floral notes, and a little coco. The wine was clearly very tight at first, and offered up complex flavors of cherries, mocha, and spice.

After 4 hours in the decanter, the wine was still opening up. Despite a 2003 vintage, this wine is drinking like a baby right now. Without question it could benefit from another 5 to 10 years in the bottle. The nose had not altered much, but the flavors were really starting to reveal themselves now. Gobs of cherries intermingled with mocha/chocolate. Some nice plum fruit was now apparent with a touch of spice. This is a very complex wine with well-balanced tannins and a quite dry, lingering finish. Clearly a bottle you want to open up with a big steak.

Overall, a superb wine. I can see why it was rated so high, and much enjoyed when tasted on both occasions. My only complaint would be the overly dry finish. It was more a finish that one would expect out of a Merlot forward blend – not Cabernet. I would also prefer another 2 years of age minimum before opening this particular bottle, but that is hardly the wine’s fault. This wine is a 94 pointer to me. For its incredible complexity and well-balanced tannins, the finish just isn’t there to justify a 95 plus point “classic” rating.

Ryan O’Connor

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Posted in Cabernet Sauvignon, Meritage, Wine Review, Wines over $20

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Wine Review: Orofino 2007 Beleza, Similkameen Valley, British Columbia

Posted on March 3, 2010 | Leave a comment

The Blend:  68% Merlot, 15% Cabernet Sauvignon, 13% Cabernet Franc, and 2% Petite Verdot

Great Wine, Bad Photo

Aging: 16 months in new French and American oak.

Alcohol: 14.3%

Price: $34 from the winery which is sold out.  I sampled it at The Salt Tasting Room, a wine bar for $75 a bottle/ $15 a glass

On the nose: Blackberry, Pepper, Vanilla

The palate:  Amazing rich dark fruit, blackberry, cherry.  Solid tannins with a cocoa, espresso vanilla finish.

I was very surprised by this wine.  It actually blew me away.  Complex and rich, solid tannins, good fruit structure without being too fruit forward or ripe.  Nice oak, without being over 0aked.  Very well balanced.  As a 2007 right now, it’s a little young and tight, but it opens up nicely in a relatively short period of time, you could probably hold on to this wine for 10 years, but as it tastes so good I doubt whether anyone will do that!  It paired well with my peppered salami and aged Parmesan Reggiano.  For those of you into points, I give it 92 points.  I really look forward to trying it if I can find it again next time I am in Vancouver.

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Wine Review: Columbia Crest 2006 Reserve Cabernet Sauvignon, Columbia Valley

Posted on February 24, 2010 | 5 Comments

Columbia Crest 2006 Reserve Cabernet

Technicals:

Price: $22.99

Where from?:  100% Columbia Valley, Washington State

Blend: 83% Cabernet Sauvignon, 15% Merlot, 2% Cabernet Franc

Alcohol: 14.7%

I am a huge fan of the 2005 version of this wine.  The 2006 is nothing like that.  Not that it’s bad, it’s just not a 95 pointer.  I think the 92 points it got from Wine Spectator is maybe a little enthusiastic.  It’s a good Cabernet, no doubt, but…

On the nose:  Nothing special here…Black fruit?  A little bit of oak?  I wanted to be wowed but was not.

On the Palate:  Much better, loads of black fruit.  Not overly fruity.  Mocha.  It’s quite bright, the wine is still young and a bit tight.  I actually decanted for an hour before taking my first sip.  Much much later, after 4 hours in the decanter the wine really started to show itself.  I recommend a minimum of 3 hours in a decanter if anyone wants to consume this wine in the near future.  Otherwise you are going to miss the complexity.  Later on the ripe fruit grabs you and says “Hey! How do you like me now?!”  At that point it goes down smooth, delicious with a solid back bone of tannins ala concentrated pomegranate.

Finish:  The finish is deliciously mouth-watering, but only after a long time in the decanter.

The Next Day:

24 hours later, very nice.  Fruit forward…Black Berry Black currant, simple and smooth finish.  A decent wine, I will buy it again.

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Posted in Cabernet Sauvignon, Wine Review, Wines over $20

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Wine Review: Grgich Hills Estate, 2006 Zinfandel, Napa Valley

Posted on February 19, 2010 | Leave a comment

Grgich Hills 2006 Zinfandel

Technicals:

Alcohol: 14.9%

Blend: 95% Zinfandel, 5% Petite Sirah

Aging: 15 months large French Oak Casks

Production: 5,784 Cases plus 558 cases of 375ml bottles

Price: $30.99 at AZ Wine Company

The Nose: Raspberry and spice

The Palate: Tart, chewy, Black Tea

Finish: Juicy and mouth-watering

I tasted this wine at a wine tasting, so the sample that I made this review from was rather limited.  My reviews usually consist of consuming the whole bottle…half one night, and then the other half 24 hours later…Tim.

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Posted in Wine Review, Wines over $20, Zinfandel

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Wine Review: Grgich Hills Estate, 2005 Cabernet Sauvignon, Napa Valley

Posted on February 19, 2010 | Leave a comment

Technicals:

Alcohol: 14.7%

Blend:  93% Cabernet, 2% Merlot, 3% Cabernet Franc, 2% Petit Verdot

Aging: 21 months in 60% new French Oak, after blending another 18 months back in the barrel

Price: $46.99 at AZ Wine Company

Production: 14,520 cases (750ml) plus an assortment of larger sizes, including (6) 9L bottles!

Nose: Cherry Tobacco Licorice

Palate: Ripe Blackberry, black cherry, dark chocolate–I mean DARK chocolate.  Spicy Licorice

Finish: Lingering, silky smooth mouth watering.

I tasted this wine at a wine tasting, so the sample that I made this review from was rather limited.  My reviews usually consist of consuming the whole bottle…half one night, and then the other half 24 hours later…Tim.

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Wine Review: Grgich Hills Estate, 2005 Merlot, Napa Valley

Posted on February 19, 2010 | Leave a comment

Technicals:

Alcohol: 14.7%

Blend: 98% Merlot, 2% Petite Verdot

Aging: 18 months in 30% new French oak

Grgich Hills 2005 Merlot

Production: 5,372 cases plus 835 cases of the half bottles (375ml)

Price: $38.99 at AZ Wine Company

The nose:  Not much going on with the nose, but for me that seems about right with a Merlot.  Little bit of black fruit, little bit of oak.

The palate:  The palate explodes!  The subdued nose is very misleading.  Full bodied bright plum. Not quite ripe plums.  Solid chewy tannins ala black tea, strong black tea.  Squeaky teeth tannins.  There is a little bit of heat on the back-end, not enough to be off-putting for me, but enough that this Merlot would pair well red meats.

The company literature describes this Merlot is a Cabernet lover’s Merlot.  I agree.  And I LOVE big powerful Cabernet’s.  I tasted this wine at a wine tasting, so the sample that I made this review from was rather limited.  My reviews usually consist of consuming the whole bottle…half one night, and then the other half 24 hours later…Tim.

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Posted in Merlot, Wine Review, Wines over $20

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