Tag Archives: wine blog

May 27, 2014 · 8:26 PM

Marchesi de’ Frescobaldi Remole Toscana IGT

 2012 Marchesi de’ Frescobaldi Remole Toscana IGT

Italy, Tuscany

Tasting Note:

This is a pretty decent old world styled red. The nose is a bit shy, but has some interesting notes. Red cherry, leather, herbal character -sage? and a touch of mint. Simple on the palate… Fruit forward red cherry, but with some good structure. Tannins are grippy and there is good acidity. Some bitter dark chocolate and leather on the mid-palate. Not much of a finish though. This does not deserve some of the poor scores I have seen on the web. Maybe, a bias towards New World palates? By no means a special wine, but a decent daily drinker… Especially with food. The texture is light and the flavors are a bit simple, actually not a bad expression of a Tuscan IGT for such a reasonable price.

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May 10, 2014 · 10:42 PM

2007 Inman Family Pinot Noir Olivet Grange Vineyard

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Inman Family Pinot Noir Olivet Grange Vineyard

California, Sonoma County, Russian River Valley

Wine Tasting Note:

The 2006 was a prettier vintage. It was a bit more fruit forward and a little more balanced, but this is still a wonderful effort. The nose has aromas of sour black cherries, dark chocolate, minerality and a minor floral note. The color has picked up a brownish tinge showing some age and the freshness is gone, but the palate is still showing strong acidity – making the wine still very lively in the mouth. The tannins are very subdued and the alcohol is very well integrated. The texture is gorgeous – very soft and pleasant. More old world style, focusing on balance and complexity, but not quite hitting the mark. The fruit is in front but subtle, moving to a mid-palate with vanilla, oak, leather and some mineral aspects with a medium-long finish of bitter chocolate. I enjoyed this California Pinot that didn’t follow the crowd.

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May 5, 2014 · 7:41 AM

Can New Zealand Wines Continue to Grow Market Share in U.S.?

Source quoted below…

What is Driving the Continuing Growth of New Zealand Wines in the U.S.?

This situation reminds me of the popularity of Australian red wines in the U.S. for the last decade. Unfortunately (for them), tastes evolved and the intensely fruity, sweet, simple style of wine produced for export has lost much of its steam, as U.S. red wine drinkers palates have matured. I have a suspicion the same future may be in the cards for New Zealand. Many consumers I talk to, enjoy the New Zealand Sauvignon Blancs, because of the tropical fruit flavors these terroirs seems to bring to the wine grapes. Contrast that with the lemon and grapefruit flavors that are predominant with the Napa-Sonoma producers. The majority of the California Sauv Blancs I have tasted are obvious food wines… pairing well with lighter food styles – seafood, chicken, white cream sauces. These New Zealand wines are better for spicy foods and drinking on their own. Can this style continue to grow market share and/or expand the market for white wine in the U.S.?

New Zealand Wine Sales Grow in the Premium Category…

In this case, the source is defining the “premium brands” category in the $15-30/btl range. Why are people willing to pay more for these brands: Kim Crawford, Oyster Bay, etc? Tropical fruit flavors in Sauv Blanc are difficult to find in wines from other areas consistently. Could this consistent flavor profile cause wine drinkers to feel they know the product as a regional brand? Perhaps in the same way we have come to know the general character of “Left Bank Bordeaux” wines? If this is the case, will this wine style continue to “win” in the long-run? Based on the popularity now, it would seem so, but only time will tell.

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New Zealand Wines Thrive Stateside, Led By Super-Premium Brands

Shanken News Daily – “New Zealand wine imports continue to gain ground in the U.S., with much of the segment’s growth concentrated in the premium-and-above range. Bottled wine shipments from New Zealand grew 9.1% to more than 2.7 million cases in 2012 and then accelerated in 2013, rising 12% to over 3.1 million cases. The trend has continued this year, with New Zealand wine rising by 21% in IRI channels in the 12 weeks ending March 23. The U.S. market’s largest New Zealand wine brand—Constellation’s Kim Crawford ($17-$33 a 750-ml.)…”

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April 30, 2014 · 7:53 PM

2012 Chronic Cellars Sofa King Bueno

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Chronic Cellars Sofa King Bueno

California, Central Coast, Paso Robles

Wine Tasting Note:

Doug Beckett (owner Peachy Canyon Winery) told me 5-6 years ago this will be THE trend in wine – gimicky marketing (hoping an explanation of the name is not required) with an easy drinking, accessible product. So, his son starts Chronic Cellars… I hope this is not where the industry is going. Let this open for an hour – more flavors will develop. The nose is full of strawberry jam and medicinal notes. Hinting at a heavy dose of Grenache, but the Syrah and Mourvedre come through on the palate more, with just a hint of the strawberry from the nose. Medium acidity and medium tannins. A thin texture for 32% Petite Sirah. The Mourvedre adds earthy notes and the Syrah brings out the black fruit… but as you might guess, therein lies the problem. The wine does not come together well. The individual components are easily identified – not really a good thing for a blend. This is very fruit forward and easy drinking, providing an impression of a very simple wine… even with all the different flavor components. Easy to be critical I suppose – for $17, a pretty decent value.

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April 25, 2014 · 6:40 PM

Chappellet Vineyards and Sonoma Loeb Tasting Streamed to 45 Total Wine Stores

Chappellet Live! A Virtual Tasting from Napa Valley’s Pritchard Hill

Saturday, April 19, 2014
Tempe, AZ

Featured Wines:
Sonoma Loeb Chardonnay Reserve – $29.99
Sonoma Loeb Chardonnay Envoy – $39.99
Sonoma Loeb Sonoma Pinot Noir – $24.99
Sonoma Loeb Pinot Noir Russian River Valley Reserve – $39.99
Chappellet Napa Chardonnay – $34.99
Chappellet Cervantes Mountain Cuvee – $34.99
Chappellet Napa Signature Cabernet – $49.99
2008 Chappellet Pritchard Hill Cabernet – $119.99

WINE EVENT INTRODUCTION

Fabulous idea! This is a great way for a medium size winery (under 40K cases?) to reach a broad audience. Technology provides opportunities, if we know how to leverage it. Unfortunately, the technology had its challenges. The audio had a terrible echo, which could have been eliminated by muting all the sites other than the point of origin. The message was a bit scattered, but the mother of the host family was awesome! She was interesting enough to host her own wine talk show… all in all, for a first effort at internet marketing – a gallant one, and they will get better over time. Keep it up guys! Good Luck!

WINE FLIGHT #1 – WHITE WINES (3 NOTES)

I liked the lower cost Sonoma Loeb on its own, but the Chappellet chard would be best accompanying food.

  • 2012 Chappellet Vineyard Chardonnay

USA, California, Napa Valley

This was a VERY traditional Napa style chardonnay specifically made for accompanying food. The color was a very pale straw and extremely clear. The nose was very weak, but bright, with notes of grapefruit, lemon curd and oak. The palate was a touch sweet, light-bodied with very high acidity. The flavors on the palate matched the nose with a short finish. This is not an easy drinking aperitif. It would be much better with a nice seafood, or pork dish.

  • 2012 Sonoma-Loeb Chardonnay Private Reserve Carneros

USA, California, Napa / Sonoma, Carneros

This is an attempt at a classic Burgundian oaked chardonnay. Very weak nose, showing nail polish initially, then aromas of lemon curd, vanilla and oak. Medium bodied and very dry with high acidity. Palate was soft, but had a minimum of depth to the flavors. I sort of enjoyed this for an easy drinking chard at a wine bar kind of beverage. It resides somewhere between a food wine and an aperitif. Over-priced at $30/btl, but decent enough.

  • 2011 Sonoma-Loeb Chardonnay Envoy

USA, California, Napa / Sonoma, Russian River Valley

The winemaker tried so hard here, but missed the mark. I guess if you were looking for a Rombauer chard you might find this appealing, but they do over-the-top chards much better. Big nose of lemon curd, butterscotch and pineapple with a strong presence of oak. There is some minerality, but it does not come through to the palate. The wine coats the mouth with rich textures. The palate simply brings the nose through with no mid-palate and there is a medium finish of pineapple. Only medium acidity… so food pairing options would be limited. There is too much oak and the freshness is lost because of it. I didn’t care for this wine.

WINE FLIGHT #2 – RED WINES (5 NOTES)

Regarding the Pinot Noir, the lower priced Sonoma Loeb again was superior to the higher-priced wine. Of Cab Sauv and blends, the Pritchard Hill Cab stood out by far as superior, but at $120/btl… my goodness!

  • 2011 Sonoma-Loeb Pinot Noir

USA, California, Sonoma County

The nose is full of cherry cough syrup, browned butter, oak and medicinal overtones. High acidity and medium tannins provide a fair amount of structure. The texture is very light. The palate is full of red cherry and oak. It also has a smokey flavor with a light spice character. This is too fruity and the oak is not integrated. There is enough structure and complexity present to elevate it a bit.

  • 2012 Sonoma-Loeb Pinot Noir

USA, California, Sonoma County, Russian River Valley

A strong oak character. The nose is full of sweet red cherry, butter and oak. The acidity is very high with low tannins. Not very well balanced. The texture is very light. This could have been very good with more freshness to the fruit. On its own, the acidity bites… but paired with the right foods, this wine would be awesome. The flavor profile is a bit simple.

  • 2011 Chappellet Vineyard Cervantes Mountain Cuvee

USA, California, Napa Valley

Powerful nose of alcohol that did not blow off dominates. This is a light bodied wine, with high acidity and high tannins. Good structure with reasonable balance. The palate is fruit forward with sweet cherry and black raspberry moving to a mid-palate of bitter dark chocolate and a long slightly bitter finish with earthy undertones. This would be a very good table wine, pairing well with richer food dishes, but I would expect it to cost under $30/btl.

  • 2011 Chappellet Vineyard Cabernet Sauvignon Signature Reserve

USA, California, Napa Valley

Very dark extracted looking wine with an intense nose of alcohol, plum and blackberry. High acidity and high tannins – very young. This has a light mouth-feel, offering more of a food wine approach. The palate is fruit forward with sweet plum, blackberry and white pepper. The fruit is very concentrated. The mid-palate brings in oak and toffee and then finishes with vanilla. A middle of the road Napa cab.

  • 2008 Chappellet Vineyard Cabernet Sauvignon Pritchard Hill Estate Vineyard

USA, California, Napa Valley

A beautiful wine. The nose is full of rich black plum with a pretty floral character, moving to menthol and alcohol. High acidity and high tannins with a nice mouth-feel. The palate is fruit forward with extracted plum and blackberry with a mid-palate of tobacco, tar, oak and vanilla. The finish is long with a mildly bitter dark chocolate flavor. This wine is balanced and has good structure, but it is still young and would benefit from another 3-5 years in the bottle.

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April 19, 2014 · 8:28 PM

On The New Wine Trail… Uruguay?

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2009 Pisano Tannat RPF

Uruguay, Coastal Region

Wine Tasting Note:

The fourth 100% Tannat I have tasted… been trying to find this varietal from a Uruguay producer – where its new world home is located. Tannat seems to stand up well to the new world approach and fit my palate. The French Madiran version has been a bit too stark and austere for me. This wine has a bold nose, promising a highly extracted flavor profile. The nose is complex, with currant, plum, a very distinct tar note, caramelized butter and finishing with floral and vanilla notes. The acidity is high, with the characteristic very high tannins, but not the biting kind. They coat the mouth softly with astringency. The wine is textured and fills the mouth. The oak is reasonably well integrated, but noticeable. On the palate, it is fruit forward with all the black fruits: currant, blackberry, plum – then moving to tar and vanilla. The mid-palate is full of sweet dark chocolate, finishing with a pleasant bitterness that lasts a very long time. The alcohol is very well integrated at 13.5%. This wine is a bit more manipulated than I would prefer, but I like it anyway! 3-5 years in the cellar would calm the tannins a bit, but for me… it is approachable now, especially if it were accompanying red meat. Sometimes, you just want to be hit over the head by a wine. For those times, wanting a naturally big, textured, fruit-forward tannic wine, this is your ticket. Excuse me, it’s time to begin my wine journey through Uruguay…

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April 12, 2014 · 4:00 PM

2011 Apothic Red

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Apothic Red Blend

California

Wine Tasting Note:

Finally broke-down and purchased a bottle, after a few non-collector friends raved about it. This wine is difficult to review impartially, because it resides smack in the middle between styles: neither Port, Bandol, or Southern Rhone blend. With a little commitment in one direction, it could have been so much better. NOTE: this is NOT a wine for an educated palate, or to enjoy with food. This is THE most over-oaked wine I have ever tasted, BUT the blend of varietals IS interesting. The nose is full of oak, rich/sweet vanilla, butter and black fruit. I would guess 2-3% residual sugar, extended maceration for the heavy extraction and I would bet this is aged on the lees for softness and buttery flavors. The front of the palate follows the nose adding a mid-palate of sweet mocha and then a medium-long finish bringing back the beginning. Additional flavors are present, but my palate is already fatigued and overwhelmed. There is so much oak, the fruit has no freshness and has that stewed jam/jelly quality… not quite in the port category though. Very low tannins and medium-low acidity, but the texture is velvetty and coats the mouth. 88 from Robert Parker, really? Wow! This wine is made for a specific market demographic, is of decent quality, but is definitely not for the traditional wine drinker. It is sweet, soft and missing acidity & tannins. I might keep this around for guests that were primarily cocktail drinkers, but wanted to join us in a glass of wine before, or after supper.

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April 6, 2014 · 8:11 PM

2010 Herman Story Grenache Late Bloomer

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Herman Story Grenache Late Bloomer

California, Central Coast, Paso Robles

Wine Tasting Note:

After 1 hour decant. Nose is still strong with alcohol… at 15.8%, seems predictable. The nose is full of strawberry preserves and perfumed flowers, with trailing notes of forest floor. The palate is well integrated, making the high alcohol content hardly noticeable. Very high acidity and medium high tannins. This wine has structure… and its 100% Grenache? Much lighter than the Herman Story Syrahs and GSM’s, but by no means a simple wine. The texture is soft, but fills your mouth. The fruit flavors are in front, with the strawberry preserves dominating and some black cherry. The mid-palate is complex with tobacco and mocha flavors. The wine has a long finish with mouth-drying tannins, mocha and red-fruit flavors lasting on the palate. This is an impressive 100% Grenache. Herman Story always manages to get the most from his fruit. Rather than a simple easy-drinking fruity Grenache, this is a big, fruit-forward, complex wine that would be best drunk with some age, 2017-2020… I have always found it difficult to enjoy 100% Grenache – the strawberry flavors are better in a blended wine, but this is exceptional. The best 100% Grenache I have tasted.

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March 23, 2014 · 10:57 AM

1969 Chateau Potensac

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Chateau Potensac

France, Bordeaux, Medoc

Wine Tasting Note:

This was just a bit of fun… bought this at auction a while back. Wasn’t expecting much, but it was an opportunity to see what 45 years would do to a decent wine. Opened this at a party last night. As expected, the cork was a challenge. The first pour had a nose of barnyard and must and the initial taste was thin, a bit oxidized and closed… but, if you can believe it, this ol’ gal still had enough structure to require time to open up. After an hour, a nose of sour red cherry began peeking out. The tannins were still very present and it had good acidity. Several of our guests tasted the wine and were not particularly impressed, but some had a background with French wine and understood it well enough to appreciate what it was. We added a cheese plate to the tasting and it handled the cheese well. So, now it’s the next day. I let the bottle sit on the kitchen counter and amazingly – it is still holding up! It is too watery, the fruit is almost gone and it is a touch oxidized, but all-in-all… a surprisingly decent wine after 45 years.

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March 22, 2014 · 4:14 PM

2008 L’Aventure Cote-a-Cote Estate

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L’Aventure Cote-a-Cote Estate

California, Central Coast, Paso Robles

Wine Tasting Note:

When you pour, the aromas waft from the decanter, providing a glimpse of the big, fruit-forward wine to come. The nose is full of spicy plum and blackberry, vanilla and oak, with a little funk. The 15.9% alcohol is so well integrated, it is barely noticeable and comes across as a light menthol character. The palate is dominated by the Syrah and Mourvedre – the Grenache is nowhere to be found. The texture is big and chewy, but is still a baby next to the Estate Cuvee. The acidity is medium-high and the tannins have moderated somewhat with bottle-age, but are a solid medium-high – although very refined. There are layers to the aromas/flavors… a hint of sweet blueberry in front, moving to plum, blackberry and spice. The mid-palate picks up the vanilla and oak and the wine has a medium-long finish of dark chocolate that is not overly bitter. This wine attempts the perfect balance of a soft feminine character, with a masculine big, bold style. This wine could age another 5-10 years, easily. L’Aventure is the master of the new world Rhone blend!

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