Our Vino of the Day

2009-03-08T16:08:00.001-07:00

2003 Fielding Hills Cabernet Sauvignon Columbia Valley

This wine is from a small, highly regarded producer in Washington State. It was rated 93 points by Wine Enthusiast.

It is another one of those wines that you will never see in a store. Their production is tiny (less than 300 cases).

I decanted the wine for about 2 hours and then poured it back in the bottle for serving. We served it with a main course of beef roast prepared in a recipe that only Caren could whip up.

Black currant and earthy blueberry/blackberry nose; sweet tannins balancing tasty fruit on the palate. This wine is a price/performer. Compares very favorably with Cabs from Napa that are 2x-4x the price.

2009-03-08T15:59:00.000-07:00

2007 Lancaster Estate Samantha's Sauvignon Blanc

Tonight, we had Stacey and Chris over for dinner. We are going to be out of town for Stacey's baby shower, so this was our chance to give her our shower gifts.

We served this wine with the appetizer course of shrimp and smoked salmon.

Lancaster Estate is located in the Chalk Hill area of the Alexander Valley. It is owned by an executive of Southern Wine and Spirits. They've built a modern winery and a magnificent contemporary architecture house on the property.

Winemaker's notes: Our 2007 Sauvignon Blanc honors our daughter, Samantha. This wine exhibits baked, ripe pineapple and sweet grapefruit aromas, with complex, full flavors of honeydew melon and citrus characters. Aged 7 months in 90% stainless steel and 10% new French oak barrels, the wine was bottled unfiltered, to retain purity of expression. 600 cases produced.

This Sauvignon Blanc was different from those originating from New Zealand and Chile that have much more pronounced grapefruit or lime flavors. Not better or worse, just different.

2009-03-07T15:50:00.000-08:00

1999 Feudi di San Gregorio Riserva Piano di Montevergine

We went out to dinner with Ed and Elyn at Melograno Italian restaurant in Hollywood. I brought along this bottle of wine that I actually bought at Costco a couple of years ago. It was 100% old vine Aglianico grapes. We all raved about how good it was.

Feudi di San Gregorio is Campania's premier winemaking estate. Situated in the village of Sorbo Serpico in southwestern Italy, Feudi di San Gregorio was established in 1986 in a joint venture between the Ercolino and Capaldo families of Irpinia.

This wine was rated 95 points by Robert Parker and 90 points by Wine Spectator.

Intense bouquet of wild fruits underscored by vanilla and spice notes. Full-bodied and balanced, with supple tannins and dark fruit flavors. Well-matched with red meat entrées, fish steaks and hearty casseroles.

2009-03-03T18:46:00.000-08:00

2005 Novy Judge Family Vineyard Syrah

Novy Family Cellars is a small winery located in an industrial park in Santa Rosa. They make exceptional Syrah, Zinfandel, Grenache, and a liitle bit of Chardonnay. They are owned and operated by the same people as Siduri Wines. We visited their facility about 18 months ago with our friends John and Pauline. We ordered this wine and some others on that visit.

We had an impromptu dinner tonight - I had Chinese steamed pork buns and a salad. Caren had one of her diet tostadas. This wine was a decent pairing for both dinners.

316 cases of this wine were produced - that's miniscule. The vineyard is located in the Bennett Valley of Sonoma County. The wine was rated 90 points by Wine Spectator and Wine Enthusiast.

Winemaker's tasting notes: The 2005 Novy Judge Vineyard Syrah is one of our most aromatically expressive wines. On the nose you smell berries, sage, and raspberry with hints of mushroom and earth. The palate is rich and velvet-like with sweet raspberry and plum fruits and flavors of bacon and truffles. This is a concentrated, complex, and compelling Syrah that makes for fine immediate drinking, yet will undoubtedly improve with several hours aeration or several years of aging.

2009-02-25T19:13:00.000-08:00

2004 Peay Vineyards La Bruma Estate Syrah

This was the second half bottle of wine we ordered at the French Laundry. We enjoyed it a great deal.

Peay Vineyards is located in the northwestern corner of Sonoma County, near the coast. Talk about remote!

They make exceptional Syrah, Viognier, Pinot Noir, and Chardonnay. They sell some grapes to Williams Selyem and Failla - pretty good wineries in their own right.

Winemaker's notes: On release this wine was full of vibrant, high-tone lavender and red fruit notes. These characteristics are still paramount. Ideally the wine should be held for the primary fruit character to mature and for reductive notes to emerge. I believe the ideal window will be reached in 5+ years.

We have a couple of bottles of the 2005 vintage of this Syrah. Will open them in a year or two.

2009-02-25T18:57:00.000-08:00

2004 Martinelli Zio Tony Ranch Chardonnay

We had dinner at The French Laundry in Yountville to celebrate our anniversary (a few days early). This was one of two half-bottles of wine that we ordered. This was to pair with the first few courses of the meal.

The French Laundry is way over the top - this was the most expensive meal I have ever eaten. I can't even count how many courses of food were served - a lot. Very small dishes though. very French - one of Thomas Keller's restaurants along with Per Se in New York City and Bouchon and Ad Hoc in Yountville.

Martinelli is located just outside of the town of Windsor in Sonoma County. It is in the Russian River Valley. They make many exceptional wines, especially their Pinot Noir, Chardonnay, and Zinfandel. This Chardonnay is made with grapes from one of their estate vineyards that used to be an apple orchard.

Straw in color, it was quite nice to look at. A very ripe and powerful nose full of apple and pear. The apple and pear came through on the palate as did some strong hints of oak. Good thing it was served at near room temperature. It was well balanced and the flavors were layered nicely with a smooth, long finish. All and all, a very good wine from a winery from whom we have come to expect very good wines.

2009-02-21T21:04:00.000-08:00

2004 Neil Ellis Cabernet Sauvignon Vineyard Selection

Served this wine with BBQ steak and a big salad. Had a couple over for dinner and an HBO movie.

Decanted this wine for about two hours. Nose of tobacco and some berries. Nice fruit and a coating on the palate that created a long finish.

From Neil Ellis Wines in Jonkershoek Valley, Stellenbosch, South Africa. I have two more bottles of this wine in the cellar. Will give them another 1-2 years of aging and try one again.

IWC wine critic's notes: Bright ruby-red. Sappy aromas of currant, minerals and licorice. Densely packed, vibrant and fine-grained, but quite youthfully backward. Brisk acidity gives this pure, classic cabernet a penetrating character. Finishes with broad, fine tannins and a distinct spice character. Wonderfully balanced, structured cabernet, but give this plenty of air if you plan to open it anytime soon. Ten percent of shiraz from the 2005 vintage was blended in after the wine had spent 18 months in oak.

2009-02-20T11:33:00.001-08:00

2006 Breggo Cellars Pinot Noir Anderson Valley

This was a really good Pinot Noir. We are trying to drink some of our Pinot Noirs in order to make room for the fortcoming 2007 vintages.

Breggo Cellars in located just outside the little town of Boonville in Mendocino County. They make some great Pinot Noir, Syrah, Chardonnay, Sauvignon Blanc, and Pinot Gris.

We opened this bottle to serve with dinner two consecutive nights.

There is a slight tobacco edge to the taste of cherries, raspberries and oak. It’s a dry, medium-bodied wine with a silky smooth texture. Very easy to drink and enjoyable. This could easily compete with Pinots costing 2x-3x the price.

2009-02-17T11:19:00.000-08:00

2006 Benziger Pinot Noir - Giusti Ranch

Benziger is a large family-owned winery in the town of Glen Ellen in Sonoma County. They specialize in organic and biodynamic farming of their vineyards.

An old apple orchard, the seven acre Giusti Vineyard was planted to vine eight years ago. Giusti Pinot Noir has enticing aromas of cinnamon and baked apple pie. A fresh California Pinot typical of the Russian River appelation, this wine has layered flavors of black cherry and fruit compote. 643 cases were produced.

We opened this wine to service with dinner, stoppered the bottle, and drank the rest two nights later.

2009-02-16T10:55:00.000-08:00

2007 Tablas Creek Vermentino

We had a couple over for dinner Sunday night and opened this wine with the appetizers of smoked salmon and shrimp coaktails while watching the DVD of photos from their recent trip to Costa Rica.

Vermentino is a traditional Mediterranean varietal, known principally in Sardinia, Corsica, and Northern Italy. It is also grown in the Rhone Valley (particularly Côtes de Provence) where it is known as Rolle. The grape produces wines that are bright, clean, and crisp, with distinctive citrus character, refreshing acidity and surprising richness.

IWC critic's notes: Pale yellow. Salty lemon and lime aromas are strongly mineral-influenced. Clean and racy, offering tangy citrus and honeysuckle flavors, along with a gentle kiss of herbs. Pleasant and refreshing, if not the last word in complexity.

Personally, I didn't think this vintage was as good as the 2006 which we drank last summer.

2009-02-16T09:00:00.000-08:00

2007 Ketcham Estate Sonoma County Viognier

We served this wine with the main course of seared ahi tuna and Israeli couscous. It was a very nice complement.

Winemaker's tasting notes: The wine is crafted from two small family-farmed vineyards - 50% Kick Ranch in Sonoma County, and 50% Marsha’s Vineyard just off Olivet Lane in the Russian River Valley. Both vineyards benefited from the long growing season; no grapes were picked until early October. The wine was fermented in stainless steel, which always provides a lighter and more nuanced wine. This shows a crisp refreshing style with typical Viognier complexity and layers of flavors. Viognier is typically full-bodied with effusive aromas, and our Viognier carries the torch proudly. A terrific food wine, you can pair this with traditional favorites like pasta and seafood, but we have also tried it with spicy stir-fries and Thai food and found it a great pairing. We are happy to have produced a very unique California Viognier. 246 cases produced.

Not a lot of this wine was produced, so there aren't many reviews around for it.

2009-02-10T16:20:00.000-08:00

2004 Antucura Yepun

You will not find this wine for sale anywhere in the U.S.. We were given this bottle last March when we stayed at Casa Antucura in the Uco Valley of Mendoza Province in Argentina. Casa Antucura is the small lodge on the property of Antucura Winery.

This wine is a blend of Cabernet Sauvignon and Merlot. It is quite good for drinking by itself or with food. Good fruit and vanilla taste that coats the palate well and has a fairly long finish. No harsh tannins at all. We served it with leftovers from our dinner Sunday night.

2009-02-09T10:06:00.000-08:00

2004 Esterlina Port

We served this port with dessert for our friends from DC (see below). Caren made a simple dish of mixed berries with whipped cream accompanied by truffles, fruit cookies, and coffee.

This port was lighterweight than many, even though the label says "20.6% alcohol by volume". It was excellent because it did not overpower the foods.

Esterlina Vineyards is a family-owned, California boutique winery located near the Mendocino coast, nestled in the highlands above Philo. The views of the Anderson Valley from the winery's tasting room located on a ridge at 1200' above sea level are amazing. We belong to their wine club.

2009-02-09T09:37:00.000-08:00

2000 Deerfield Ranch - Napa Valley Cabernet Sauvignon

We had some friends from Washington, DC over for dinner. They are in town to meet the Queen Mary 2 and take a 56 day cruise going WEST to Southampton, England.

We served a chilled seafood platter as a starter, followed by grilled steaks prepared in an Italian style, roasted asparagus, and a pureed celery root, apple, and potato mixture.

This Cabernet was a very nice accompaniment to the main course. Nice nose of soft green peppers, oak and darker fruits. Mouthfeel was soft and had a nice covering of the palette. Solid cabernet. Made with 85% Cabernet Sauvignon from the Chiles Valley subappellation of Napa Valley, and 15% Merlot from a vineyard on Mt. Veeder.

I have another bottle of this wine we will have to try again soon.

2009-02-07T09:20:00.000-08:00

2003 Clarendon Hills Shiraz - Clarendon Liandra

Our friend Ed opened this wine to drink with the chateaubriand he cooked as the entree' for our small dinner party.

Ed has an inventory in his wine refrigerator that is more impressive than my cellar contents. He belongs to a Wine Society here in SoCal and he is very knowledgeable about wine.

This is an exceptional Australian Shiraz. Clarendon Hills is located outside of Adelaide in the state of South Australia. A highly respected winery with very limited production.

Wine Spectator tasting notes: Smooth and polished, a rich wine that shows restraint to its pepper and orange peel-scented blackberry and plum flavors, finishing with a refreshing lift.

2009-02-07T09:18:00.000-08:00

1999 Mumm Napa Valley DVX Sparkling Wine

Last night, we went to the house of our friends Ed and Elyn to have dinner. The weather was terrible - raining a lot here in SoCal. Took almost two hours for a trip that normally takes 35-45 minues.

We brought the appetizer and the dessert along with this sparkling wine (and two bottles of our own new wine). We picked this up a few years ago on a trip to Napa Valley with the Dorrs.

Very crisp, clean taste, with a nice creaminess and citrus flavors. Went very well with the smoked salmon and caviar Caren had brought.

2009-01-15T20:15:00.000-08:00

2002 Pine Ridge - Crimson Creek Merlot

We received this "middle of the road" Napa Valley Merlot as a gift a while ago. Tonight, we served it with a steak salad (leftover flank steak).

Back in 1997, we visited Pine Ridge Winery and actually had dinner in their cellars as guests of HP at the Champions Tour Pro-Am golf tournament at Silverado Country Club. It was a very unique experience playing "inside the ropes".

Winemaker's notes:
This elegant, medium dark ruby Merlot wraps black cherry fruit flavors with underlying hints of blueberry and vanilla in light earthy notes of tobacco and sweet cocoa. A supple medium-to-long finish makes this an enjoyable wine now or you may choose to cellar five to eight years.

2009-01-14T17:06:00.000-08:00

2004 Nepenthe Tryst Red

Back in 2007, we bought a few bottles of this Australian wine (screw cap, no cork) at Southern Hemisphere Wines in Huntington Beach. Tonight, we served it with grilled flank steak. Thai purple rice, and a salad.

Winemaker's notes:
The Tryst Red has been a unique (even eclectic) blend since first produced in 2001. In bringing together Adelaide Hills Cabernet Sauvignon, Zinfandel and Tempranillo, Nepenthe is certainly not following any traditional blending rules.

The firm, densely colored and age-worthy Cabernet Sauvignon is softened and lifted by the Zinfandel; while Tempranillo provides a backbone of savory tannins and flesh that ensures that the Tryst is a great food wine. It's fragrant and approachable now, but will go the distance, gaining complexity with time. Drink now, but will age up to five years.

Wine Spectator notes: "This has pizzazz. Polished and round, with wild berry, cherry, currant and a tang of refreshing acidity as it all lingers on the finish. Tannins are well-formed and it comes together beautifully. Drink now through 2012."

We liked the dryness from the Cabernet and the fruity finish due to the Tempranillo. A very good, inexpensive red blend.

2009-01-09T13:49:00.000-08:00

2006 S. A. Prüm Essence Riesling

About a year ago, we were walking through the wine department at our local Costco and this German fellow was standing there at a small table with a couple of bottles of wine. No one was around or talking to him, so we stepped up and entered into conversation.

It turned out that he was the owner and winemaker at S. A. Prüm Winery from the mid-Mosel River valley in Germany. He was there as part of a tour scheduled by his U.S. importer to promote his wines and sign bottles. The family winery has been producing wines commercially for over 200 years and has been connected with the vineyard land for 2,000 years (certainly not like the new winery owners in NoCal created by the internet-boom of the 1990s).

We had a great conversation about German wines and we bought two of his Rieslings. This one that we opened last night, Essence Riesling, is the least expensive of his wines.

Winemaker's Notes: Color: Pale gold. Bouquet: Aromatic, with scents of apricot and peach. Taste: Fresh fruit flavors perfectly balanced by a racy acidity and mineral character.

We make a chicken tikka masala with basmati rice for dinner with this wine.

2009-01-05T20:10:00.000-08:00

2005 Walter Hansel Chardonnay - The North Slope Vineyard

What better to have for dinner on a cold (for California) winter night than homemade chicken soup. That's exactly what Caren made today. And we served this delicious wine alongside.

The North Slope vineyard of Walter Hansel's (in the Russian River Valley of Sonoma County just northwest of the city of Santa Rosa) is planted with French clones 95 and 76 that are grown on the north edge of the property where it slopes down 28 feet. It seems to produce more of a creamy more fruit driven wine.

Robert Parker writes: "This is a source for very fine Chardonnays and Pinot Noirs at some of the most realistic prices to be found in Northern California."

Wine Advocate tasting notes: Burgundian notes of hazelnut, brioche, white currants, and hints of peach and crushed rocks are impressive and intense. This is a full-bodied Chardonnay with crisp acidity that should age nicely for 5-6 years. 93 points.

At a price of about $35 (from the winery) this Chardonnay is comparable in quality to wines twice the price.

2009-01-03T20:27:00.000-08:00

2004 Carmelo Patti Sparkling Wine

This sparkling wine was produced through the classic Method Champenoise (fermentation in the bottle) with 50% Pinot Noir and 50% Chardonnay grapes from the "Zona Alta" of Lujan de Cuyo, Mendoza, Argentina. Carmelo Patti is one of the icons of Argentine winemaking. This wine was part of a gift mixed case of Argentine wines we received about a year ago.

The wine has light, salmon colored tones with lively aromas of toasted bread and honey on the nose. There is ripe fruit and balanced acidity in the mouth. This is a delicious wine at a reasonable price (under $25).

We served this wine with an antipasto platter and a tray of baked ziti with three cheeses, meatballs, and broccoli.

2009-01-02T17:05:00.000-08:00

2003 Turley Zinfandel - Ueberroth Vineyard

Dark plum/ruby-hued, the 2003 Zinfandel Ueberroth Vineyard (500 cases, 15.4% alcohol) emerges from a limestone vineyard in the Paso Robles area that was planted in 1874. This wine has a sour cherry, tart style with dark ruby color, decided minerality, relatively noticeable acidity, and a crisp, somewhat austere personality. It is the least hedonistic of the Turley Zinfandels.

We pitched in with Barry and Laurie and cooked a 'HUGE" Italian dinner with this as one of the wines.

2009-01-01T21:05:00.000-08:00

2005 Fielding Hills Riverbend Red Wine

Fielding Hills Winery is family-owned, producing limited quantities of premium red wines from Riverbend Vineyard in the Wahluke Slope appellation of Washington State's Columbia Valley. Mike Wade is the owner-winemaker. I can definitely tell it is family-owned when I call the winery to confirm my allocation for each release - Karen Wade, Mike's wife answers the phone at their house/office.

This is an up and coming wine producing area and we love their red wines.

This wine is 46% Cabernet Sauvignon, 43% Merlot, 11% Syrah, and 1% Cabernet Franc.

Critics' tasting notes: “Loads of cherry, boysenberry and black plum are backed by suave sweet tobacco notes. The texture is slightly chewy with a tannic grip. It all plays through nicely on the long, lingering finish."
“Yumm yumm- huge black cherry and toasted coffee bean nose with succulent hints of bittersweet chocolate, black cherry and plum. Flavors are simply delicious - sweet lush red and black fruit with just a hint of fresh tobacco, toasted coffee bean, and a hearty dollop of spicy white pepper. Finish is very long, with black cherry, white pepper and spice restating themselves. Tannins are smooth and beautifully integrated, with acidity adding just the right amount of freshness and juiciness.”

90 points, Wine Spectator.

We served this wine to drink with snacks while watching football games on New Year's Day.

2008-12-31T23:42:00.000-08:00

Mumm Napa NV Brut Prestige

Winery notes: If you asked winemaker Ludovic Dervin to name the quintessential Napa Valley sparkling wine, his answer would inevitably be Brut Prestige. Sourced from more than 50 prime Napa Valley vineyards—and nearly 80 different vineyard blocks—this elegant, balanced wine is the perfect example of the artistry of méthode traditionelle and the incomparable fruit of Napa Valley. This hugely popular wine offers touches of vanilla and melon, with firm acid and crisp structure.

It is made with about equal amounts of Pinot Noir and Chardonnay, with a little Pinot Meunier and Pinot Gris as well.

We had a magnum given to us as a gift a while back by the Dorr's. We popped the cork just before midnight to celebrate the New Year with our assembled friends.

2008-12-31T23:35:00.000-08:00

2003 Guigal Cote Rotie - Brune Et Blonde

It is New Year's Eve and we have several house guests, so it was time to fix a nice meal and serve some great wines. This E. Guigal Cote Rotie from the Rhone Valley has a very attractive QPR. 96% Syrah and 4% Viognier grapes.

We served it with grilled lamb, grilled roast beef, marinated grilled vegetables, hummus, pita bread, and a few other side dishes.

93 points, Robert Parker: "The 2003 Cote Rotie Brune et Blonde is probably the finest cuvee of regular Cote Rotie that Guigal has produced since 1999 or 1991. Stunningly rich, it offers a beautiful, sweet nose of cassis, mocha, espresso, bacon fat, black olives, and underbrush. Some smoked meat notes also make an appearance in this rich, lush, opulent wine. This is a beauty."

92 points, Wine Spectator: "Still tight, but this has a solid core of muscular fig paste, currant, tobacco, black olive and iron notes, followed by a long, well-structured finish. Shows the heat of the vintage, but isn't roasted."

92 points Stephen Tanzer's International Wine Cellar: "Deep, inky ruby. Powerful, superripe aromas of kirsch, blackcurrant and chocolate, complemented by exotic spices and licorice. Rich, creamy and dense, with sweet red and dark fruit flavors framed by chewy tannins. The sweetness builds on the finish, which features a late-arriving note of floral pastille."

2008-12-31T22:49:00.000-08:00

2005 Radio-Coteau Syrah - Timbervine Vineyard, Russian River Valley

This was one of the wines we served with New Year's Eve dinner. Radio-Coteau is one of our favorite wineries for California Syrah and Pinot Noir. Eric Sussman is the winemaker. We got on their mailing list a few years ago and have been exceptionally pleased with every bottle we've opened.

Winemaker's Notes: Joe Mesics and Eva Auchincloss own and farm this timber-lined hillside Syrah vineyard, which is perched high above the Russian River just beyond the town of Forestville on the steep southeastern slope of Black Mountain. This is a primary, ripe, and well concentrated wine, with an effusive bouquet of blueberry, blackberry, mineral, earth, and white pepper aromas that speak of cool-climate Syrah. A profound density of flavors and textures defines the mid-palate, which boasts a panoply of freshly roasted coffee beans, chewy dark chocolate, candied violet, brown spices and dried blueberries. The finish is equally dense, with succulent meat, violet, and blueberry flavors lingering with the wine’s chewy tannins. The balance of tannins, acidity and alcohol hint at a long and positive evolution in the cellar.

Critics' Tasting Notes:
"...great fruit...a big, sweet nose of plum, blackberry, camphor, licorice, and pepper. It is a pure, hedonistic, luscious style of Syrah...bursting with black fruits and roasted meat and herb notes." (93 points) Robert Parker's Wine Advocate
"Opaque purple. Explosively aromatic nose features pungent cassis and mulberry fruit notes complicated by candied violet and licorice. Deep and sweet, with energetic dark berry and cherry preserve flavors and a fresh, juicy quality carrying through the finish. As big and dense as this is, it's got finesse to burn." (92 points) Stephen Tanzer's International Wine Cellar
"Intense and balanced, with firm tannins. Ripe, spicy wild berry, blackberry and huckleberry are focused and persistent on the long, tight finish. 370 cases made." (90 points) Wine Spectator

2008-12-31T21:14:00.000-08:00

2007 Casa Marin Sauvignon Blanc - Cipreses Vineyard

We served this wonderful white wine from Chile with appetizers before our New Year's Eve dinner. Caren prepared a dish with Black Forest ham, gruyere cheese, and spicy hot mustard baked in phyllo dough. She also prepared some of her spicy mixed nuts along with assorted cheeses and flatbreads.

The Cipreses vineyard is located at the very top of a hillside slope overlooking the towns of Lo Abarca and Lo Zarate, with both a northern and southern exposure. It is an extremely windy area, which acts as a natural restraining agent on grape yield. The results are very weak vines and low productivity. Drip irrigation is used, and part of the vineyard faces the ocean.

This wine received 95 points from Wine and Spirits magazine.

2008-12-31T20:36:00.000-08:00

2005 Eric Kent Chardonnay - Russian River Valley

Another great white wine served with appetizers prior to our New Year's Eve dinner. Eric Kent Wine Cellars always puts artwork from local Sonoma artists on the back label of their bottles.

Winemaker's Tasting Notes: A golden straw in color, the ‘05 vintage layers exotic spice and floral notes on top of a crisp green apple and minerality on the nose. Then the palate takes over with full flavors of honeydew melon and tangerine leading to a hint of hazelnut to round out the long finish. Bright acidity buoys the entire ensemble and keeps it lively throughout. Only in the background (where it belongs) does tight-grained French oak provide structural support that knits the entire package together. Delicious now, this Chardonnay should just get better and better over the next couple of years. 225 cases made.

92 pts. – Wine Spectator. Floral, peach, honeysuckle and melon aromas are distinctive, and the fruit is pure on the palate, with a hint of spice. Ends with an elegant, graceful aftertaste.

2008-12-29T23:25:00.000-08:00

Two Cities NV Cabernet Sauvignon

Our friends the Dorrs arrived from NoCal today, so we decided to open this bottle of wine made right down the street in San Pedro by a group of Croatian businessmen. Making a boutique wine is one of their hobbies, not unlike what Barry and I are doing at Crushpad in San Francisco.

We served the wine with snacks and a light meal.

The wine is actually quite good - not a lot of complexity to it, but easy to drink right now. Attractive nose, good fruit, and long finish.

Our first Crushpad wine should be available for shipment in a week or two.

2008-12-29T21:59:00.000-08:00

2004 Bodega Emilio Moro Tempranillo, Ribera del Duero

Tempranillo is the premium red wine grape variety from the Rioja and Ribera del Duero region in Spain. This wine displays an intense colour with a bluish rim and a cherry-red core. Attractive, perfectly integrated fruit aromas come to the fore with power and concentration. This is a bargain at around $25 a bottle. We served it with grilled flank steak.

Critics' Tasting Notes:
"The reasonably priced 2004 Emilio Moro is a terrific Ribera del Duero aged in equal parts French and American oak prior to bottling. Its dense ruby/purple color is followed by a projected nose of blackberries, currants, cherries, smoky oak, and crushed rocks. Terrific texture, super purity, an opulent, full-bodied palate, and a long, heady finish suggest it will keep for 7-8 years." The Wine Advocate

"Medium red. Floral and spicy on the nose, with fresh red fruit aromas and notes of minerals and coffee. Sweet, nicely focused red fruit flavors (especially pomegranate) are lifted by bright acidity. Finishes brisk and sweet, with very good length and a lingering impression of tangy red berries." IWC

COLOR-very dark; NOSE-coming across very milky; pretty raspberry components; gorgeous sense of macadamia nuts; so a Vanilla/Raspberry/Macadamia Nut dessert; pretty nice; TASTE-if you like Cali Cabs, you should seek this out; this wine kicks serious BUTT; huge explosion of red fruit (cherries, strawberries, cranberries & raspberries); Crème Fraîche bouncing all over my mouth; sour cream components; nice Oak Monster; perfect balance for a New World; this wine is Rocking; great balance & structure; very polished; good for 4-10 years based on tannin structure; love both the back-end and front-end of this wine, but the mid-palate is a tad hollow; complete bargain; Gary Vaynerchuk - 91+

2008-12-27T11:02:00.000-08:00

2003 Tantara Chardonnay - Dierberg Vineyard

This medium-bodied Chardonnay is from Tantara Winery, located just outside of Santa Maria, CA. Actually, the winery is located in Santa Barbara County, a stone's throw from the San Luis Obispo County line.

Took the bottle from the cellar, chilled it down more for a few hours, then opened it and let it sit for about 20 minutes before we had dinner.

It had a nose of citrus and tropical fruit. Similar flavors on the palate.

Robert Parker gave this wine a 90 point rating back in August, 2005.

We served this wine with a homemade seafood chowder (tomato-based) that Caren put together, along with a salad of mixed greens and toasted garlic bread.

2008-12-26T08:23:00.000-08:00

2003 Deerfield Ranch Merlot Cuvee'

We took a bottle of this wine over to the Franklin's for their holiday buffet luncheon. It was a very nice, easy drinking Merlot made from a blend of Sonoma, Mendocino, Lake, and Napa County grapes. (The picture of the label is from the 2004 vintage.)

Winemaker's notes: 75% Merlot, 11% Cab, with Malbec and Sangiovese. We could just call it Merlot but our focus has always been on blending so with “Cuvee” we make more a point of it. The best wines are blends, it’s like making the best soup or sauce, it’s about interplay of flavors and effects. 850 cases were produced.

Connoisseur's Guide to California Wines: From its layered aromas of oak-sweetened cherries to its very smooth, neatly proportioned flavors, this engaging Merlot hits all of the right varietal marks and shows a fair measure of fruity depth in the bargain. It is nicely rounded in feel with muted tannins and a lengthy, easy-to-taste finish, and, while it can hold well in the cellar for three or four years, it delivers lots of straightforward appeal right now.

2008-12-16T20:36:00.000-08:00

2004 Quilceda Creek Columbia Valley Red Wine

Quilceda Creek is Washington State's premier Cabernet Sauvignon producer. Their Cabernet is in high demand and typically sells for well over $100 a bottle. I know the label says 2005 (it was the only label photo I could find), but we opened the 2004 tonight.

This wine is Quilceda Creek's second label for declassified lots of grapes. It consists of 81% Cabernet Sauvignon, 13% Cabernet Franc, and 6% Merlot. Purple colored, it posseses a nose of vanilla, violets, cassis, black currents, and blackberry. This leads to a rich, layered, black fruit-flavored, and smoothly textured wine that offers considerable elegance. The wine has serious weight and excellent length. It is just at the beginning of its drinkability years. It is a superb value if you can get your hands on it.

We served it for dinner with barbeque brisket, a casserole of mashed potatoes, celery root, apple, and fennel, and a salad.

2008-12-14T10:11:00.000-08:00

2005 A. Rafanelli Dry Creek Valley Zinfandel

We visited the A. Rafanelli winery twice in the past year. The first time was one day before they released the 2005 Cabernet. The boxes were sitting right there in the tasting room, but they wouldn't sell us any. The second visit was during the Dry Creek Valley Passport weekend when we stocked up with a mixed case.

The Rafanelli family is now in its fourth generation of growing grapes and making wine in the Dry Creek Valley. Their focus has always been on quality over quantity. The quaint and rustic winery sits on a knoll overlooking the scenic Dry Creek Valley and is surrounded by terraced hillside vineyards. The wines are only sold at the winery. You might occasionally see one for sale in a wine store, but it will be heavily marked up.

We served this Zinfandel with pasta and a spicy tomato sauce with langostines. The wine was big, bold, lots of fruit, and not overpowering with alcohol.

2008-12-09T21:29:00.000-08:00

2006 Nobilo, Icon - Sauvignon Blanc

Our guests from Australia are still visiting and cooked a tasty pasta and shrimp dinner for us. We served this Sauvignon Blanc from the Marlborough area in New Zealand (they like the white wines from there). This wine is readily available in supermarkets and box stores here in the U.S..

Winery tasting notes: Light straw in color with brilliant clarity. A rich bouquet of pineapple and passion fruit, layered with fresh herbal aromas of nettles and ripe capsicum. Showing excellent structure and palate weight, this wine has a smooth, viscous mouth feel. Distinct Marlborough characters of passion fruit, gooseberry and nettles linger on the palate in a crisp, refreshing finish.

So much for their description. To my palate it tasted clean and crisp, but more like a Chardonnay than a NZ Sauvignon Blanc.

2008-12-07T16:46:00.000-08:00

2004 Esterlina Merlot Cole Ranch

Yesterday evening, we cooked a total Indian food dinner to woo several friends into looking at the photos from our recent trip.

We threw caution to the winds in terms of food pairing and served whatever wines we thought we wanted to drink.

Esterlina Vineyards is a family-owned, California boutique winery located near the Mendocino coast, nestled in the highlands above the town of Philo. They own the only vineyard in the tiny Cole Ranch appellation.

The color of this Merlot was a rich garnet. There were lots of black fruit aromas, with plum, clove and a bit of smoky oak, too. The flavors were ripe, rich and complex, with black cherry, blackberry, and cocoa. This is a red wine hard not to like. Esterlina produced 923 cases.

2008-12-07T15:00:00.000-08:00

2006 Alta Vista Premium Torrontes

This wine made with the Torrontes grape comes from Alta Vista's winery in the northern Argentinean region of Salta. The region of Cafayate in Salta is particularly famous for its unique microclimate, high altitude and excellent soil drainage and is confirmed as the best place in the world to grow Torrontes.

With a bright yellow color and delicate floral aromas, the wine is fresh and lively with excellent balance and vibrant acidity. It has way fewer citrus flavors than a Sauvignon Blanc and is a delightful, easy drinking white wine for first courses.

This was one of the white wines we served with appetizers for our Indian food dinner.

2008-12-07T14:22:00.000-08:00

2005 Tablas Creek Esprit de Beaucastel Blanc

This is the second white wine we served with appetizers at our Indian dinner.

Tablas Creek is located in Paso Robles on the Central Coast of California. The Esprit de Beaucastel Blanc 2005 is a blend of three estate-grown varietals (Rousanne, Grenache Blanc, and Picpoul Blanc), propagated from budwood cuttings from the Château de Beaucastel estate in France. It shows aromas of honeysuckle, mint, lemon peel and spice, with rich Roussanne flavors of honey, rose petals, pear, petrol and white flowers, excellent breadth, cleansing acidity and great length.

2008-12-03T16:30:00.000-08:00

2005 Fielding Hills Merlot

This Merlot is from a wonderful small winery run by Mike and Karen Wade and located in East Wenatchee, Washington (Columbia River Valley). (Check out this link to find the location of East Wenatchee.)

We got on their mailing list a while back and have been enormously pleased with their wines. Excellent quality, reasonable price. I think most Washington State wines are still "under the radar" of restaurant wine buyers and wine fans of good wine.

200 cases were produced of this wine made from grapes on the Wahluke Slope in Mattawa, WA. Wine Enthusiast rated the wine an Editor's Choice and 93 points.

“A gorgeous dried potpourri nose leads the way to flavors of cranberry, flowers, and milk chocolate on the palate. The bright acidity keeps these flavors dancing, along to the finish. An agile merlot that will compliment a wide variety of food

pairings.”

Our friends Margot and J.P. are visiting from Australia. We served this wine with a dinner of grilled pork chops, vegetable tian, and cooked apples.

2008-11-28T09:52:00.000-08:00

2005 Radio-Coteau Sonoma Coast La Neblina

This Pinot Noir from grapes grown in the cool western Sonoma Coast area was one of the wines we served at Thanksgiving dinner. It is an excellent example of a well crafted California Pinot Noir. Aromas of minerals, spices, and berries. Tastes include flavors of tart cherry and blueberry. It was rated 92 points by Wine Spectator magazine.

Radio-Coteau is a small winery based in Sonoma County that makes highly regarded, small quantities of Pinot Noir, Syrah, Zinfandel, and Chardonnay.

2008-11-28T09:02:00.000-08:00

2005 JC Cellars The Impostor

Another wine we served with Thanksgiving dinner. This is a blend of 75% Zinfandel, 11% Syrah, 10% Petite Syrah, Mouvedre & Viognier.

We opened two bottles before dinner to drink with appetizers. The wine was a huge hit - it is very different, complex, and without the heat that a high alcohol content Zinfandel sometimes displays.

Wine Spectator 92 points: As exotic as it is potent, with deep blackberry liqueur, sandalwood and wild game aromas and rich, ripe cassis, blueberry and licorice flavors that power on toward the bold, spicy finish.

2008-11-28T08:34:00.000-08:00

2005 Eric Kent - Stiling Vineyard Pinot Noir

This was a second Pinot Noir we served with Thanksgiving dinner.

Only 300 cases were produced of this wine produced with grapes from the Russian River Valley. Eric Kent Wine Cellars is one of our favorite producers for Pinot Noir and Syrah. They print a different artist's work on every varietal and every vintage - helping the local art community.

Winemaker's Tasting Notes: Our ‘05 Stiling Vineyard Pinot Noir is a beautiful example of this magnificent cooler vintage – bright and showy fruit supported by wonderful natural acidity offering balance and great potential for graceful aging. The nose is redolent of ripe cherries, rhubarb and rose petals with a touch of truffle, followed by cherry, dried cranberry and blackberry on the palate, finishing with hints of green tea and black olives. Exuberant and richly flavored, yet refined and well delineated from the first sniff to the last drop.

2008-11-28T08:30:00.000-08:00

2004 Turley California Zinfandel Old Vines

This wine comes from one of the premier producers of Zinfandel in California. We served it before dinner at Thanksgiving.

It is hard to find a bad Turley wine. This one was judged a winner from the first sip. The Old Vines designation is made with grapes from Napa Valley, even though Turley winery is located in the Central Coast area.

Deep black cherry, rich chocolate, licorice, and herbs with a long finish. Not showing the alcohol heat you normally get with Turley.

2008-11-28T08:13:00.000-08:00

2007 Chehalem Dry Riesling Reserve

For those people that prefer white wine with their Thanksgiving dinner, this was our selection.

Chehalem is located in the Willamette Valley in Newberg, Oregon. They are a highly regarded producer of Pinot Gris, Pinot Noir, Chardonnay, Pinot Blanc, and Riesling. They also sell grapes to numerous other successful wineries in the area.

Winemaker's Notes: Typical Chehalem Riesling as blended from the three vineyards, with effusive white blossoms of orange, apple, jasmine, and gardenia, centered by a fleshy mouthful of tangerine, lime, and apricot flavors, and structured with firm, bright acid. Will age well, despite the richness and early approachability. Balance was nailed!

Wine Spectator 90 points: A dry style, reminiscent of Alsace, offering vivid green apple, lime and mayflower aromas and flavors on a lean, lithe frame, balanced with refreshing acidity.

2008-11-25T15:09:00.000-08:00

2005 Tantara Winery Pinot Blanc, Bien Nacido Vineyard

Try to follow along with this story.....Caren's cousin's wife has a cousin, Jeff Fink, who is one of the owners and winemakers at Tantara Winery near Santa Maria in Santa Barbara County here in California.

A couple of years ago, we visited the winery, really a metal shed in the middle of the vineyard, and did a barrel tasting of some of Jeff's wines. Then he ordered in sandwiches, popped the cork on a couple of bottles, and we had lunch sitting around his picnic table. No fancy, architectural wonder, multimillion dollar tasting room at this place.

Tantara is a small producer that makes great wines, especially Pinot Noir. They sit smack dab in the middle of Bien Nacido Vineyard, one of the most famous in California for Pinot Noir grapes.

However, tonight we drank their 2005 Pinot Blanc. Very limited production of this wine - a little more than 100 cases a year. Served it with a light meal of bread, chartcuturie, cheeses, and fruit.

2008-11-22T20:32:00.000-08:00

2005 JC Cellars Syrah a la Cave

JC Cellars has been receiving a lot of positive PR of late. They were highlighted in an article in the Escapes section of The New York Times last Friday. It's not everyday you encounter a top flight California winery located in downtown Oakland. I suppose if you are close to your sources for grapes, get a good lease on warehouse space for your winery, and are located close to a lot of potential customers, it is a good location.

We served this wine before and with tonight's dinner - Turkey Chili. I think I have two more bottles of it in the cellar. It is a very good Syrah, but I think we prefer the JC Cellars California Cuvee' Syrah which is actually less expensive.

Winemaker's Tasting Notes: In the second year of developing this blend, the consensus was to take it up a notch, turn up the volume, add a little more punch, so to speak. I've learned through the years of creating blends, the ones composed of multiple appellations are always the most challenging and the most rewarding. This vintage is composed of vineyards from Coombsville, Santa Ynez, Calistoga, Mendocino, Dry Creek Valley and Rockpile. Each region has brought its best to the final blend. A wine which features dark chocolate, smoky accents, mineral textures, and beautiful fruit that ranges from dark cherry to wild raspberry.

Wine Spectator: 89 points. Dark, rich and concentrated, with beefy, grapey and peppery flavors that are pure, focused and balanced. Drink now through 2011.

2008-11-18T19:12:00.000-08:00

2005 Limerick Lane Zinfandel "Collins Vineyard"

The winery and Collins Vineyard are located on the southern edge of Healdsburg in Sonoma County, California. Mike Collins, who has been farming the land here for nearly 30 years, owns the winery and vineyard. The vineyard dates back to 1910 and there are some vines from that era still in production!

Winemaker's tasting notes: Dark ruby red colors lead to aromas of red fruit, raspberry, cinnamon, vanilla and barrel char. The palette follows the nose with flavors of raspberry, red currant, vanilla, warm brown spice and white pepper. A beautifully balanced wine with a bold red fruit entry, rich and elegant but not overwhelming. A secure and well structured middle with supple tannins and a spicy, fruity finish. A magnificent example of the restrained use of oak. Another in a long line of food friendly Zinfandels from one of Sonoma County's premier producers.

Food and Wine Magazine's Wine Guide for 2008 gave Limerick Lane 2005 Collins Vineyard Zinfandel 4 out of 4 stars and ranked it in the Top Five Best of the Best. "A superbly balanced, elegant Zinfandel with a deep, earthy minerality rounded out by ripe juicy, fruit and peppery spice."

We served this wine with Chicken Cacciatore and a salad. It is an excellent example of Sonoma County Zinfandel.

2008-11-14T20:27:00.000-08:00

2005 Deerfield Ranch Sauvignon Blanc, Peterson Vineyard

This Sauvignon Blanc is from the Sonoma Valley, home of the town of Kenwood and Deerfield Ranch Winery.

Winemaker's tasting notes: The fruit forward nose has more going on than you’re used to getting from an SB. It’s generosity beckons but does not fully prepare you for the pleasingly crisp first taste. As promised, the middle is layered and full, reaching every corner of your palate. The length of the finish completely surprises you. A second tastes confirms that one sensation slides seamlessly into the next.

The temperature was in the mid-90s today - unusual for the middle of November. So we had a light dinner of tuna salad with this wine.

2008-11-11T10:07:00.000-08:00

2004 Cambria Chardonnay Katherine's Vineyard

This is a nice California Chardonnay - nothing spectacular. From the Santa Maria Valley on the Central Coast. It is a price performer, especially since it is a staple in Costco's wine department. Apples, butter, a little oak, some citrus flavors.

We served it with roasted Cornish game hen and steamed vegetables.

2008-11-08T09:50:00.000-08:00

2005 Papapietro Perry Russian River Valley Zinfandel

Another very nice wine from Papapietro Perry, located outside of Healdsburg. We served this wine with an Italian meal.

Winemaker's Tasting Notes: Deep garnet in color, leading to an aromatic nose of delicate oak, cherry and white pepper. This is an elegant, full-bodied wine with pleasing complexity and flavors of bright cherry, a hint of spice, and a delicate pepper finish. Smooth tannins add structure and mouth feel, but don't overpower. This Zinfandel is perfect for lighter meat dishes and spicy seafood fare.

Average community rating on Cellartracker is 87.9 points. Many people tend to drink their red wines when they are too young (the wines, not the people) and then give a wine a lower rating. Our rating for this Zinfandel would be higher.

2008-11-04T21:57:00.000-08:00

2005 Carlisle Zinfandel Sonoma County

Carlisle Winery is a small Sonoma County winery specializing in the production of old-vine, vineyard designated zinfandels and red Rhone varieties (syrah, grenache, mourvèdre, and petite sirah). This Zinfandel is a blend of grapes from vineyards in the Alexander, Russian River, Dry Creek, and Sonoma Valleys.

Winery tasting note: Beautiful dark ruby garnet. Aromas of red and black raspberries are intertwined with notes of smoke and earth. Full bodied and creamy on entry but with pleasing tannins and acidity on the finish.

Served this wine while watching the election results along with a meal of pasta with meatballs and salad. Go Obama!.

2008-10-12T17:17:00.000-07:00

2005 MacPhail Pinot Noir Pratt Vineyard

MacPhail Family Wines makes nothing but Pinot Noir in small batches from some of the best vineyards in Sonoma and Mendecino counties. Their website is at the address www.grapewagon.com. I think you can detect that James MacPhail has a sense of humor.

This wine comes from a vineyard of about 15 acres located southwest of Sebastapol in the Sonoma Coast appellation. Less than 500 cases were produced.

Wine Spectator notes: Sleek, trim and well-balanced, showing cedar, herb and savory nutmeg flavors, with a hint of ripe cherry. Veers toward drier fruit flavors, with notes of coffee, sage and tea.

Served this wine two different nights. First with a dinner of various small plates (i.e. leftovers) and then with chicken.

2008-10-07T17:31:00.000-07:00

2004 JC Cellars Syrah Haley's Reserve Rockpile Vineyard

Our friend Karen was visiting from Santiago, Chile on her way up to Napa and Sonoma for a bicycle trip. We met Karen on our trip to Argentina and Chile last March. She owns a wine, bicycling, and hiking tourism company in Chile - Wine Travel Chile.

To celebrate Karen's arrival, we cooked dinner, served it in the wine cellar, and broke out this excellent California Syrah from one of our favorite winemakers, Jeff Cohn of JC Cellars.

Rockpile Vineyard is located in the small appellation of the same name north of the Dry Creek Valley in Sonoma County.

Robert Parker, Jr. The Wine Advocate: 93+ pts
"Consistently one of my favorite JC Cellars wines is their Syrah Rockpile Vineyard. The 2004, 100% Syrah aged in French oak boasts an opaque black/purple color as well as a gorgeous nose of blackberry liqueur intermixed with melted licorice, smoked meats, acacia flowers and a talcum powder-like stony minerality. Powerful (15.3% alcohol) with superb underlying acidity and layers of richness, this is a blockbuster Syrah that should drink well for a decade."

We agreed with these critic's notes. We served the wine with an assortment of crostini as a start course followed by slow cooked short ribs over polenta.

2008-10-03T10:14:00.000-07:00

2005 JC Cellars California Cuvée Syrah

Last night, we had some friends over for dinner and to watch the Vice Presidental candidates debate. I needed to drink some wine to be able to stand listening to Palin. Biden did a great job!

Started with some assorted crostini and then served BBQ hamburgers and sausages with grilled peppers, potato salad, and green salad. Wanted to make something quick so we could watch the debate.

We served two wines. This Syrah from JC Cellars is one of my favorite price-performers. I think I paid $22.50.

Jeff Cohn, the winemaker, wrote these notes: "Gushing over with all kinds of blackberry and blueberry fruit intermixed with some minerality. A touch of smoke and a hint of peach skin from the Viognier that makes this wine just a little more then intriguing."

James Laube - Wine Spectator: 92 Points. Offers wonderful savory aromas, with a mix of ripe plum, berry and peppery, spicy notes. Intense, concentrated, supple and harmonious, with a long, spicy finish. Drink now through 2013. 760 cases made.

2008-10-03T08:27:00.000-07:00

2004 Kumeu River Estate Bottled Chardonnay

This was the white wine we served with the "debate watching" dinner last night.

A very intriguing Chardonnay from Kumeu River Wines, about 20 km northwest of Auckland City on the North Island of New Zealand. The winery was established in 1944 shortly after Mick and Katé Brajkovich and their son Maté migrated from Yugoslavia (there are those Croatian winemakers again).

The beautiful peach and hazelnut aromas along with the silky textural richness are distinct characteristics of this wine. U.S. wine critics love the Kumeu River Chardonnays. They taste a lot like a French Chablis and nothing like an oaky California Chardonnay.

Like many wines from New Zealand, this wine had a screw cap, unusual for a Chardonnay.

2008-10-01T21:10:00.000-07:00

2004 Chateau St. Jean Fume' Blanc Le Petite Etoile Vineyard

From a very popular winery located in the Sonoma Valley. This wine is made from Sauvignon Blanc grapes they source from a vineyard in the nearby Russian River Valley. Picked up this bottle last year at a great price at Costco.

Lightly golden in colour. Butter, oak, vanilla, and pear evident on the nose and palate.

Served this with a large salad that included a scoop of fresh rotisserie chicken salad on top.

2008-09-15T23:00:00.000-07:00

2004 Tablas Creek Côtes de Tablas

Tonight was "leftovers" night while watching Monday Night Football, so I picked this very drinkable wine from the cellar.

It is from Tablas Creek Winery, located just outside Paso Robles on the California Central Coast. Tablas Creek is a partnership of France's Chateau de Beaucastel and Robert Haas. They imported all the vines from France to grow the great Rhône varietals here in California.

The 2004 Côtes de Tablas wine is a blend of four of those varietals: Grenache, Syrah, Counoise and Mourvedre. It has a juicy, berry nose of currants, raspberries, licorice and spice. The mouth is full of rich, sweet Grenache fruit showing good acidity and a long finish laced with licorice.

2008-09-14T16:30:00.000-07:00

2004 Bleasdale Cabernet Sauvignon Mulberry Tree

Bleasdale’s vineyards were founded in 1850 by Frank Potts, making Bleasdale one of Australia's oldest family-owned wineries. Bleasdale today is owned and operated by fourth and fifth generation members of the family. Situated 80 km southeast of Adelaide in South Australia, the vineyards are along Langhorne Creek in the Barossa Valley.

Winery notes: The 2004 Cabernet Sauvignon exhibits fragrant dark berry characters balanced with mint aromas and hints of eucalyptus. The palate is full flavoured, rich and round, yet displays elegance with fine tannins and a lingering finish. The wine also shows subtle oak from the 15 months maturation in French and American barrels. Although drinking delightfully now, this wine will reward careful cellaring until the year 2010.

This Cab consistently rated in the 89-91 point range by most wine critics. It is a great bargain for a good Aussie cabernet. I picked up this bottle for US$13.98. It taste like a $40 Cabernet, once again proving that great bargains in wine are coming from countries in the southern hemisphere due to lower costs of land and labor.

Served this with barbequed flank steak in teriyaki marinade, snap pea salad, jasmine rice, and mixed berry crumble for dessert.

2008-09-09T18:27:00.000-07:00

2005 Eric Kent Cellars Pinot Noir, Stiling Vineyard

I really like this Pinot Noir. Good thing I have a few more bottles of the 2005 and the 2006.

Eric Kent Cellars is a husband and wife team. They have a unique way of supporting local artists. A different painting adorns each wine label.

Wine Spectator Magazine 2007: Winemaker Kent Humphrey purchases Pinot Noir, Chardonnay and Syrah grapes from several vineyards in Sonoma County. Each bottling features a contemporary artist's work, and the wines are equally stylish, balancing elegance and power. 94 pts. 250 cases produced.

California Grapevine, June-July 2008. 90 pts. – Medium-light ruby; attractive, elegant, toasty, ripe red cherry fruit aroma; medium-full to full body; plush, supple, bright cherry fruit flavors with a velvety mouthfeel; well-balanced and structured; medium-full tannin; lingering aftertaste. Delicious to taste now though deserving a few more years of bottle aging. Very highly recommended.

The Stiling Vineyard is an old 1500-tree apple orchard in the Russian River valley of Sonoma County turned into a thriving 35-acre vineyard specializing in Chardonnay and Pinot Noir.

2008-09-07T21:12:00.000-07:00

2005 Pazo de Señorans Albariño

Pazo de Señorans is located in the Salnes region of the Rias-Baixis appellation in northwest Spain.

I have no idea what some of the terms mean in this wine critic's review. "Always a candidate for Albariño of the year, the 2005 Pazo de Senorans does not disappoint. The wine is produced from low yielding vines on slate and gravel and is tank fermented and aged on its fine lees with battonage. Light gold-colored, it offers up a refined nose of mineral, petrol, and pit fruits reminiscent of a top-flight Alsace Riesling. Bone dry and crisp, the wine offers intense flavors with superb balance and length." Wine Advocate

I do know from our own tasting that the wine shows fruit tastes like fresh peaches and ripe melons, along with a floral aroma and citrus-like acidity in the finish.

Picked up this bottle a few months ago when I spotted it at Costco. One of those good quality, bargain wines that Costco has one day and is sold out the next. Served it with Sunday night dinner - Endive, Pear, and Blue Cheese Salad, and a new recipe Caren tried for homemade Macaroni and Cheese.

2008-09-01T18:58:00.000-07:00

2007 Breggo Cellars Rose' of Syrah

Breggo Cellars is located on Highway 128 in the Anderson Valley in Mendocino County. Doug Stewart and his wife Ana Lucia Benitez-Stewart are the co-proprietors. We stopped by for a tasting last October and wound up spending an hour and a half chatting with Doug about the wine business and sampling his wines. We wish them success.

Breggo Cellars specializes in Pinot Noir and Chardonnay, along with a couple of other varietals thrown in for good measure (and hopefully, more business). They have planted some nice vineyards on the land alongside their tasting room. It may be another couple of years before those grapes are ready for making wine, but in the meantime, Breggo is making some great stuff with purchased grapes. Robert Parker gave Breggo Cellars very high marks in his column that occasionally appears in Business Week magazine.

Caren's first reaction to tonight's wine was about the color - very unique - it looked exactly like a ripe piece of watermelon. The aromatics included marmalade, blood orange, white pepper, and rose petals. Flavors of strawberries, watermelon, and a hint of marzipan with a crisp acidity make this a perfect wine for enjoying on a summer's evening with a light dinner.

2008-08-31T21:00:00.000-07:00

2004 Nepenthe Tryst Red

From the Adelaide Hills of South Australia, the Tryst Red is an eclectic blend, based on Cabernet Sauvignon, Tempranillo and Zinfandel. This combination works remarkably well, resulting in a fruit driven wine which is approachable and fragrant. Easy drinking wine for dining outdoors.

Notes from Wine Spectator: "Supple, open-textured and appealing for its dark berry and pepper flavours, melding together on the harmonious finish."

We served this at a small barbeque with hamburgers, hot dogs, and orzo salad.

2008-08-29T20:59:00.000-07:00

2004 Ravenswood Zinfandel, Big River Vineyard

For most California wine consumers, Ravenswood Winery just outside of downtown Sonoma, is synonymous with Zinfandel. This is one of their Vineyard Designate wines that we acquired when we were members of their wine club.

This is a classic Zin from one of the oldest vineyards in northern Sonoma County's Alexander Valley. The vines date back to the 1890s.

This Zinfandel is a fruit bomb. Rated: 89-91. Full red-ruby. Bitter cherry, plum and licorice on the nose. Soft, sweet and easygoing. Enticing flavors of black raspberry, sweet cherry and milk chocolate. With aeration, this quickly gained in thickness and weight. Zinfandel in a merlot style.

2008-08-28T21:04:00.001-07:00

2005 Treana Winery White, Mer Soleil Vineyard

We served this wine tonight while watching Barack Obama's acceptance speech for the Democratic Party's nomination for President.

Treana Winery is located in Paso Robles, CA, exactly mid-way between Los Angeles and San Francisco, in the heart of California’s distinctive Central Coast region.

Winemaker's notes:

"Treana White is a Rhône-style blend of Marsanne and Viognier, two varieties that thrive in California's Central Coast growing region. Fruit for the blend is sourced from the Mer Soleil Vineyard in the Santa Lucia Highlands just south of Monterey Bay. Cool maritime winds off the bay keep the vineyards temperate all summer long.

One of the coolest vintages in recent memory, 2005 offered ideal conditions for Viognier and Marsanne resulting in a wine of excellent balance and complexity. The 2005 Treana White displays elegant varietal characteristics; vibrant floral aromas of honeysuckle and jasmine are followed by ripe stone fruit flavors, hints of pear and honey overtones. Solid minerality lends complexity and structure. The mouthfeel is lush and full, while bright acidity cleans the palate offering ease and versatility to food pairing. The 2005 Treana White will age beautifully over the next decade."

This wine is a great price-performer. It is available at Costco, wine.com, and other retailers.

2008-08-28T20:18:00.000-07:00

1999 Marimar Estate Pinot Noir, Don Miguel Vineyard

We served this unfiltered Pinot Noir as a red wine option while we watched Barack Obama's acceptance speech.

Picked up this wine as part of my initial wine club shipment. Marimar Estate in the Sebastopol area of Western Sonoma County is owned by the Torres family, one of the biggest names in Spanish wine. They also have a winery in Chile. Marimar Torres is the proprietor and winegrower.

The Russian River/Green Valley appellation where the winery is located in a perfect microclimate for growing Chardonnay and Pinot Noir. Only 10 miles from the Pacific Ocean and 50 miles north of San Francisco, the site is influenced by the sea's cooling breezes and drifting fog.

We visited the winery earlier this year. They have two huge metal sculptures of their English Springer Spaniels on the hillside below a beautiful, modern tasting room building. Winston and Spencer insisted we join the wine club of their cousins.

Their Don Miguel Vineyard is named in honor of Marimar's late father.

I felt that this wine was near the end of its good drinkability years. I'm glad we enjoyed it now.

2008-08-24T21:40:00.000-07:00

2004 Matrix Syrah, Grove Vineyard

We had a group of people over for dinner tonight and this was the red wine we served. Very unusual color, almost purple. Everyone who tasted this Syrah raved about it. Unfortunately, it was my only bottle of this particular wine and it was only sold at the winery.

Matrix Winery is located on Westside Road, just south of the town of Healdsburg in the Russian River Valley area of Sonoma County. Grove Vineyard is located just south of the city of Santa Rosa.

For appetizers we served shrimp cocktails, stuffed mushrooms, and cheeses. For the main course, we served BBQ brisket, Caren's famous baked beans, corn bread, cole slaw and watermelon. For dessert, Caren baked her pina colada cake.

See below for the white wines we served.

2008-08-24T21:29:00.000-07:00

2006 Black Pig Albariño

This white wine is from the Rias Baixas Appellation near Galicia, Spain.

Tasting notes from Wine Library: "This is exceptional Albariño. This has just enough fat to match up to the beautifully crisp, vibrant and fresh finish. The fruit flavors are soft and complex, with notes of peach, pear, apple and mango. Notes of flowers, minerals and sea salt cap off the wonderfully dynamic and well made wine."

Great wine to serve with appetizers as it pairs with many foods and tastes great when well chilled. Our dinner party group drank nearly two bottles of this - I think they enjoyed it.

2008-08-24T21:15:00.000-07:00

2005 Tablas Creek Bergeron

Tablas Creek is a California central coast (Paso Robles) winery renowned for their Rhone varietals. They were founded by the Perrin family of Château de Beaucastel in France and Robert Haas from the U.S..

We have a number of bottles of different Tablas Creek varietals and we enjoy them all. This wine was only available to wine club members.

Bergeron is the name for the Rousanne grape in France's Savoie region, where it is known for producing crisp, bright wines. The 2005 Bergeron is exotic in the nose, and balances clear pineapple and lychee fruit in the mouth with good richness, fresh acidity, and a touch of oak. A treat with shellfish such as the shrimp we served.

We got a lot of comments about this wine. People fell in love with it from the first sip. Good thing that I have a bottle from the 2006 vintage still in the cellar.

2008-08-20T21:36:00.000-07:00

2005 MacPhail Pinot Noir, Sonoma Coast, Sangiacomo Vineyard

Yet another great Sonoma County Pinot Noir (seems like our cellar has gotten loaded with them). MacPhail Family Wines is a small producer that makes outstanding Pinot Noirs from various vineyards in Sonoma and Mendocino counties. There were only 255 cases of this wine produced, nearly all of it sold to their mailing list and to a select group of restaurants.

From Wine Enthusiast magazine: "Made from Dijon clones, the wine shows a brilliant purity of cherry fruit, with rich, earthy complexities of mushrooms, forest floor, cola and balsam. Bone dry, it has an elegantly silky quality that cries out for the best foods." Rating - 93 points.

We served it with Teriyaki Barbeque Chicken Breasts, Snap Pea Salad with Sesame Oil Dressing, and Rice with Green Onions.

2008-08-19T19:33:00.000-07:00

2004 Chardonnay, Carneros, Sangiacomo Vineyard

Another wonderful wine from Doug Peters out of his warehouse winemaking facility just north of the town of Sebastopol in Sonoma County.

Winemaker's notes: This delicious, beautifully balanced chardonnay reflects both its Burgundian vinification and its Carneros single vineyard terroir. On the nose the wine exhibits fragrant floral and tropical fruit aromas. On the palate, the wine showcases creamy meyer lemon, honeydew, pineapple, and vanilla notes, followed by light mineral, caramel and butterscotch notes on the seamless finish. This sumptuous golden blonde chardonnay is drinking beautifully now in its youth, and will continue to mature throughout the course of the decade.

Doug's description is "right on."

91 Points-Wine Enthusiast Magazine
Highly Recommended-Appellation America, November 2006

Served this with a light dinner of salad and flatbread pizza.

2008-08-18T20:03:00.001-07:00

2005 Williams Selyem Russian River Valley Pinot Noir

This is the Williams Selyem 25th Anniversary vintage. From the winery's website: "The Pommard clone predominant in this blend is reminiscent of blackberries, plums, cloves, black truffle, cola and crème brûlée. The rich and broad tannins accentuate blackberry-plummy fruits and complement the creamy, silky, yet fat finish and concentrated berry/spicy flavors."

Bottom line - this is a really, really good Sonoma Pinot Noir. 3,308 cases made.

We had the wine with a light dinner of cheeses, fruit, marcona almonds, salami, and bread.

2008-08-17T21:29:00.000-07:00

2005 Turley Zinfandel - Duarte Vineyard

Had several friends over to watch the Olympics on television. Slow cooked a pork shoulder on the BBQ to make pulled pork sandwiches. Side dishes of cole slaw and mac and cheese. Caren made a "pina colada" cake for dessert.

This was one of two wines we served. From a vineyard in Contra Costa County. Turley is one of the premier California Zinfandel producers.

Critic review - "Dark red. High-toned, fruit-driven aromas of dark cherry and raspberry. Dense, sappy and sweet, with a candied, liqueur-like character to its red berry and spice flavors. Offers an enticing sugar/acid balance." I agree. Excellent Zinfandel that wasn't overly spicy. Paired well with the BBQ sauce on the pork.

Consistently rated at 90 points and above by all the wine critics and members of Cellartracker.

2008-08-17T20:29:00.000-07:00

2006 Leonesse Cellars Viognier

From Temecula Valley, about 100 miles southeast of us in southern Riverside County. We've been members of their wine club for several years. Nearly impossible to find their wines outside of the Temecula and San Diego area.

This Viognier is fresh and inviting, offering aromas of honeysuckle and orange blossom typical of this varietal. Caren likes the nose on a Viognier. Blended with 18% Roussanne, this wine is bursting with layers of apricot and melon before a crisp, clean and refreshing finish.

This was the white wine we served for the Olympics party.

2008-08-16T23:26:00.000-07:00

2005 Lewis Cellars Ethan's Syrah

Made from cooler-climate vines, this Syrah from Sonoma County grapes is similar to a good Rhône wine. Smoky fruit, white pepper and wildflowers fill the nose and flavors of violets and bacon dominate the palate. 300 cases produced.

Reviewers on Cellartracker think this wine needs more aging and that Lewis Cellars makes other Syrahs that are better. I thought this Syrah was quite good once the bottle sat opened for a while or you let the wine sit in your glass for a bit. I have another bottle in the cellar that I'll sit on for another year or more.

Brought this wine to Ed and Elyn's for their pool party and pot luck dinner of gourmet "small plates" food. Vienna hot dogs from Chicago, sliders made with filet mignon, pastrami pizza from Downey Pizza Company, ribs, Caren's mac and cheese (heavy on the cheeses), homemade sushi, crostini topped with fresh fig slices and gorgonzola cheese, a full cheese course, and six different gelatos. I know I left some of the foods out of this list.

2008-08-16T23:00:00.000-07:00

2005 J. Rochioli Russian River Valley Chardonnay

A blend from three of Rochioli's Estate Chardonnay vineyards: 46% River Block, 44% Mid 40 vineyard, 10% Sweetwater vineyard. For people, like me, that can't get on Rochioli's mailing list that currently has a 5+ year wait, this is something that is available and is worth buying and drinking. Second wine we brought to Ed and Elyn's pool party.

Color: Straw yellow.
Aroma: Aromas of ripe apple, tropical fruit and a touch of spice.
Taste: Rich apple flavors and a crisp acidity.
2150 cases were produced.

2008-08-09T23:26:00.000-07:00

2003 Mueller Pinot Noir Russian River Valley - Emily’s Cuvée

Mueller Winery produces small quantities of Pinot Noir, Chardonnay, Zinfandel, Syrah and Pinot Gris from the Russian River and Sonoma Coast regions of California. Their winery is located on Starr Road in the Russian River Valley.

The Emily’s Cuvée is produced primarily from pinot noir grapes from a single vineyard near the banks of the Russian River. From Wine Spectator which gave the wine a 93 rating and named it one of the Top 100 wines of 2006: "The wine has a deep, rich cranberry color. Fragrant rose petal and raspberry aromas turn elegant and stylish on the palate, with fresh, lively acidity and a sleek, rich aftertaste. Wonderful balance, finesse and delicacy. The finish sails on."

We had this wine at Citrus at Social restaurant in Hollywood with our friends Elyn and Ed. We ordered a variety of appetizers and main courses that we shared.

2008-08-07T21:57:00.000-07:00

2005 J. Rochioli Rose' of Pinot Noir

From the famed Russian River Valley vineyards of J. Rochioli - makers of some of the best single vineyard American Pinot Noirs.

Fairly rich red color with a hint of orange. Nose of watermelon jolly ranchers. Tart on the palate with nice mineral on the finish.

Had two couples over to see the wine cellar and we served cheese and light snacks.

2008-08-07T21:00:00.000-07:00

2006 Alta Vista Premium Torrontes

The region of Cafayate in Salta, Argentina is particularly famous for its unique microclimate, high altitude and excellent soil drainage, and is confirmed as the best place in the world to grow Torrontes. Some of the world's highest vineyards are located here at altitudes up to 2,000m above sea level.

With a bright yellow color and delicate floral aromas, this Premium Torrontes is fresh and lively with excellent balance and vibrant acidity. Great summer drinking wine.

2008-08-05T20:57:00.000-07:00

2002 Ravenswood Zinfandel - Barricia Vineyard

From an old vines vineyard in the Sonoma Valley. Flavors of blackberries, raspberries, allspice, and vanilla. Wine Enthusiast rating 90 points. We have several bottles from this vintage and later years.

Served the wine with BBQ hamburgers and salad. Still adjusting to real American fare after our trip to Burgundy.

2008-08-04T21:01:00.000-07:00

2005 Michael David Incognito Viognier

The Michael-David family of wines are from the Lodi, California area, near Sacramento. They specialize in several very popular, value priced wines. Probably their most famous wine is "7 Deadly Zins."

Incognito's grapes are grown in the Ripken Vineyard, east of the Carquinez Straits in the Sacramento River Delta. Warm days and cool evenings - reminiscent of the clone's native Rhone Valley - produce the powerful and intense fruit with a sultry body that characterizes this wine, making it unlike any other Viognier.

Pear and honeysuckle aromas open up into flavors of passion fruit, green apple and a lingering finish. It's a very good summer drinking wine. We had it with a large barbequed chicken salad.

2008-08-03T19:58:00.000-07:00

2004 Fielding Hills RiverBend Red Wine

Fielding Hills Winery was started in 2000 by Mike and Karen Wade. It is located in the Yakima Valley of eastern Washington State, one of the hottest areas for new wines in the U.S..

This wine is a blend of Cabernet Sauvignon, Merlot, Syrah, and Cabernet Franc grapes from their vineyard in the Wahluke Slope appellation. It has intense fruit flavors of blackberry and black cherry with great smoothness (i.e. light on the tannins). Wine Spectator rated it 90 points and Wine Enthusiast rated it 93 points. 142 cases were produced.

We served it with grilled sausages and an assortment of grilled vegetables.

2008-07-29T19:46:00.000-07:00

2007 Bastianich Tocai Friulano

From the Friuli region in Italy and one of the wineries of Joe Bastianich, son of Lydia Bastianich (the famous Italian chef and cookbook author), and business partner of Mario Batali.

Medium bodied, with ripe, luscious pear flavors carried by a refreshing mineral flavor and zesty mouthwatering acidity that mixed together create a perfect wine to enhance food. The Tocai Friulano grape is also characterized by a slight almond edge.

We tried this wine to see if we could find something similar to a Friulano we loved in Argentina that is not yet imported to the U.S.. Not a match, but we'll try a few from California next.

We served this one night with baked halibut, and the rest of the bottle the next night with seared tuna.

2008-07-25T23:00:00.000-07:00

Grand Cru River Cruise - Day 6 Dinner Menu

Our final (graduation) dinner. Tonight was the conclusion of our week in Burgundy. Jean-Pierre Cropsal (our teacher) joined us for our final dinner and a series of amazing wines.

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Traditional Burgundy Snails in Garlic Butter
Bâtard-Montrachet 2006 – Domaine Leflaive
Nice, balanced white wine with taste of green apples and butter flavors

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Fillet of Beef with Fois Gras and Truffle Sauce, and Mini-roasted vegetables
Clos de Tart 1998 – Domaine Clos de Tart
Clos des Lambrays 1995 - Domaine Clos des Lambrays
La Romanée 1998 – Domaine Bouchard
Three, great, red burgundies. Excellent examples of the fine wines of the area.

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Cheese Selection
Musigny 1992 – Domaine Moire Hudelot
Full, rich wine. Rated a 5.0.
Bienvenues Bâtard Montrachet 2006 – Domaine Leflaive
Citrusy, acidic, flavor of pears.

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Warm Chocolate Fondant with a Fresh Vanilla Pod Ice Cream

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Coffee and Cookies
Romanée Saint Vivant 1989 – Domaine Joseph Drouhin
A final treat from Jean-Pierre. Their contract with this vineyard expired and they are not allowed to sell this wine. It came from his personal cellar for our enjoyment.

Wine labels from this evening click here.

2008-07-24T23:00:00.000-07:00

Grand Cru River Cruise - Day 5 Dinner Menu

Dinner this evening was one of the most entertaining of the trip. We dined with Laurent Ponsot, director of Domaine Ponsot, and his wife Claude. Laurent is quite a character - he has ridden across the U.S. on a motorcycle with his wife - twice. He is a private pilot and loves to drive his Corvette around the roads of Burgundy. In addition, he makes great wines in very small quantities.

The wines served this evening were incredible. All rated 5+ by the guests.

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Lobster Raviolis with a Shellfish Reduction
1er Cru Clos des Monts Luisants 1990 – Domaine Laurent Ponsot
Absolutely a delicious wine.

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Chicken Breasts Stuffed with Wild Mushrooms; Creamed Potato and Selection of Vegetables
Griotte-Chambertin 1998 - Domaine Laurent Ponsot
Chambertin 1999 - Domaine Laurent Ponsot
Great age to serve these wines (9-10 years old). Liquid velvet.

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Cheese Selection
Clos Saint Denis Cuvée Vielles Vignes 2002 - Domaine Laurent Ponsot
I've got to find this wine to order some - amazing with cheeses.

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Strawberries Marinated in Clos de la Roche

Clos de le Roche Cuvée Vielles Vignes 2003 - Domaine Laurent Ponsot

The strawberries were marinated in a bottle of this wine and refrigerated for 2-1/2 hours, then served with another bottle to accompany the dessert. Delicious and decadent without being too sweet or too heavy.

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Coffee and Cookies

Wine labels from this evening click here.

2008-07-23T23:00:00.000-07:00

Grand Cru River Cruise - Day 4 Dinner Menu

Dinner this evening was one of the most memorable occasions since we started enjoying fine wine. We had the pleasure of dining with Aubert and Pamela de Villaine of Domaine de la Romanée-Conti, one of the premier domaines in Burgundy, if not the entire world. The wines were all outstanding. This was truly a once-in-a-lifetime dinner.

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Salmon and Sole Terrine with a herbed mayonnaise
Echezeaux 2000 – Domaine de la Romanée-Conti
Richebourg 1996 - Domaine de la Romanée-Conti

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Roast rack of Lamb with Herb Crust, Couscous, and Petite Ratatouille
Romanée Saint Vivant 1999 - Domaine de la Romanée-Conti
La Tâche 1990 - Domaine de la Romanée-Conti

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Cheese Selection
Romanée–Conti 1971 - Domaine de la Romanée-Conti

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Iced Strawberry Semifreddo with Tuiles and Strawberry Coulis

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Coffee and Cookies

Wine labels from this evening click here.

2008-07-22T23:00:00.000-07:00

Grand Cru River Cruise - Day 3 Dinner Menu

Dinner this evening was with Christine and Philippe Drouhin of Domaine Drouhin-Laroze in the cellar of their winery in the village of Gevrey-Chambertin in the Nuits St. George region of Burgundy. They cooked the entire meal and served us the wines (all magnums). What a treat!

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Selection of Gourgeres, Stuffed Mushrooms, Terrines, and Quiche
Chapelle-Chambertin 2003 - Domaine Drouhin-Laroze
Chapelle-Chambertin 2004 - Domaine Drouhin-Laroze
Interesting to taste two vintages of the same wine. The 2004 was definitely younger - more tannins, yet a superior wine. 2003 was a very hot year.

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Casserole of Wild Boar (from their grounds) and Gratin Dauphinois
Chambertin Clos de Bèze 1996 - Domaine Drouhin-Laroze
This wine was a 5+. Soft tannins, extremely long fruit finish. Perfect match for the food course. One of the top wines of the week.

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Cheese Selection
Latricières-Chambertin 2002 - Domaine Drouhin-Laroze

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Chocolate Mousse with Carmelized Apples
Bonnes Mares 2001 - Domaine Drouhin-Laroze
A flat out fantastic wine. Aromas changed as wine sat in the glass. This wine should continue to improve with age. Wish I had a case of it.

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Cafe et Fine de Bourgogne - Domaine Drouhin-Laroze
Exceptional dessert wine. Very little produced.

Wine labels from this evening click here.

2008-07-21T23:00:00.000-07:00

Grand Cru River Cruise - Day 2 Dinner Menu

Dinner this evening was with Veronique Boss-Drouhin, winemaker for Domaine Joseph Drouhin

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Langoutines with Orange Butter and Melba Toasts
Chablis-Les Clos 2002 - Domaine Joseph Drouhin
This Chablis is one of Drouhin's very special white wines.
Corton Charlemagne 2003 - Domaine Joseph Drouhin

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Fillet of Pork stuffed with Spinach in a Cider Jus and Braised Red Cabbage
Corton Bressandes 2003 - Domaine Joseph Drouhin
Charmes Chambertin 2000 - Domaine Joseph Drouhin
The second wine is a classic. Still young with some tannins, but luscious cherry fruit and spices.

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Cheese Selection
Clos de Vougeot 2003 - Domaine Joseph Drouhin
Grands-Echezeaux 1990 - Domaine Joseph Drouhin
These two wines were exceptional!

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Red Fruit Tart and Coulis
Montrachet Marquis de Laguiche 1992 - Domaine Joseph Drouhin
This wine was a special treat. It is full bodied, luscious, and elegant. Many aromas and flavors come out over time as you enjoy a glass.

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Coffee and Chocolates

Wine labels from this evening click here.

2008-07-20T23:00:00.000-07:00

Grand Cru River Cruise - Day 1 Dinner Menu

For each night of the cruise, we will list the menu and the wines served. We will include some of Caren's wine ratings and exceptional tasting notes.

Seared Sea Scallops with a Sweet Potato Puree and Hollandaise Sauce
Chevalier-Montrachet 2003 – Domaine Latour
Ruchottes-Chambertin 2000 – Domaine Bonnefond

Beef Bourguignon and Green Beans
Mazovères-Chambertin 2002 – Domaine Camus
Mazis-Chambertin 2004 – Hospices de Beaune
Both of these wines were outstanding.

Cheese Selection
La Grande Rue 1991 – Domaine Lamarche
Criots-Bâtard-Montrachet 2000 – Domaine Latour
The Latour was great with the cheeses.

Raspberry Pannacotta

Coffee and chocolates

Grands-Echezeaux 2000 (magnum) – Domaine Joseph Drouhin
In Jordan's opinion, this surprise wine from Jean-Pierre Cropsal was the star of the evening.

Wine labels from this evening click here.

2008-07-19T23:00:00.000-07:00

A different type of restaurant

Tonight, our last night in Paris, we dined at Il Vino d'Enrico Bernardo. This restaurant takes a different approach to its menu than most. You order the wine, not food. Then the chef chooses the dish to serve it with.

We got real daring and ordered the prix fixe menu. With this option, both the wines and the food were going to be a surprise.

2008-07-19T22:00:00.000-07:00

2007 J&F Lurton - Rueda "Viura y Verdejo"

From a multinational wine company led by the Lurton brothers, with estates in Argentina, Chile, France, Spain, and Portugal. We visited their Argentine property back in March.

This wine from their vineyards in Spain has aromas of peaches and apricots, and nice acidity. Excellent with our first course of a gazpacho with a langostine floating on top.

2008-07-19T21:59:00.000-07:00

2006 Goillot - Bourgogne Aligote'

This is a light white wine from grapes grown in Burgundy. Due to the popularity of Chardonnay, very little Aligote' continues to be grown in the region. The wine has aromas of apples and lemon, and was served with broiled scallops.

2008-07-19T21:58:00.000-07:00

2006 Cormòns - DOC Collio Merlot

This wine is from the Fruili area in Italy. It is 100% Merlot grapes. It was served with a course of baby lamb chops, couscous, and ratatouille.

2008-07-19T21:57:00.000-07:00

NV Malvira "Birbet"

Made by a small producer, Azienda Agricola Malvira, in Piemonte in northern Italy, this is a sparkling red wine made from Brachetto grapes, ideal for sipping with certain dessert courses. In the glass, this wine is lightly carbonated with medium sized bubbles amidst a light red body tinged with brown. The bouquet of the wine is filled with aromas of tart blackberries, raisins, and lots of strawberries. In the mouth it is slightly effervescent. It was served with a dessert course consisting of a mold of chopped cantelope topped with a light vanilla ice cream.

2008-07-18T23:00:00.000-07:00

2005 Domaine Joseph Drouhin - Rully

We ordered this wine with a light dinner of appetizers at La Pinox, the restaurant in the Renaissance Paris Vendome Hotel. Caren had oysters and a king crab roll (Vietnamese spring roll style) and I had escargot followed by seared ahi tuna. This wine is a luminous, golden green color, with a toasty, fruity nose, and an elegant body with floral and cinnamon notes. At the southern part of the Côte d'Or, a few miles South of Santenay, lie the vineyards of Rully. We are headed there in a few days and will visit the winery.

2008-07-11T20:00:00.000-07:00

2005 Walter Hansel "Estate" Russian River Chardonnay

From the winery's website:

"Walter Hansel Winery is located in Sonoma County at the southern tip of the Russian River Valley near the Sebastopol hills. It is bordered to the north by the Santa Rosa Creek and to the west by a tributary of the Russian River known as the Laguna de Santa Rosa. This location is ideal for growing Pinot Noir and Chardonnay as the nights and mornings are cooled by coastal fog yet the mid-days warm up to perfect grape ripening temperatures.

Walter Hansel was a lifelong wine enthusiast who had the vision to plant 250 vines in 1978. Stephen Hansel, Walter’s son, planted additional acres in the late 1980’s and began marketing wine in 1998. New vineyards and a new winemaking facility were added at the family’s estate in 1999."

We met Stephen in February when we called for an appointment at the winery during a trip to Sonoma. Down a dirt road, we found a small winery building, and out walked Stephen in business attire suitable for an office environment. You don't find guys like Stephen Hansel in the wine business very often. He owns several of the largest car dealerships in Sonoma, and wine is just his hobby.

He is a perfectionist, attending to every aspect of growing grape vines, harvesting, and producing wine. Even with all the high scores and press lately, his prices have remained incredibly low. Plus, he doesn't plan on raising his prices, or increasing production. All his wines come from grapes grown on his property.

The Wine Advocate - Robert Parker - 91 Points
The 2005 Chardonnay Estate’s tight, mineral-dominated perfume exhibits citrus-like notes intermixed with wet stone, subtle brioche, orange rind, and hazelnut aromas.

We drank this wine with a dinner of BBQ chicken, cole slaw, Caren's famous BBQ beans, and sliced melon. The wine was incredibly good.

Can't wait to compare it to White Burgundies from France. Hint - stay tuned for next week.

2008-07-09T22:22:00.000-07:00

2005 Papapietro Perry Russian River Valley Zinfandel

So....here's the story. Caren's brother was in the same grade in high school with a girl (and Caren was in the same grade as her brother) who moved to San Francisco sometime in the 1970s for a job in the software industry. Caren recently ordered an alumni directory from her high school (why, I have no idea). In the directory, the girl who knew Caren's brother was listed as being one of the owners of a winery in Healdsburg, California. She is married to one of the founders of Papapietro Perry winery. We have been members of their wine club for a couple of years and visited the winery in April (before discovering the old connection). Small world!

This winery in the Dry Creek Valley area of Sonoma County specializes in Pinot Noir. They actually produce about nine different Pinot Noirs a year. They also produce a very good Zinfandel (tonight's wine).

The grapes for this Zinfandel come from three Russian River Valley vineyards; two of their Pinot producers, the Leras Family Vineyards located off Woolsey Road in Santa Rosa and the Elsbree Vineyards in Windsor, and Windsor Oaks vineyard in Windsor. They cold-soaked the grapes for three days and once the fermentation began they hand punched the grapes in open-top fermenters, a method not commonly used with Zinfandel. The wine was then aged for 17 months in Francois Frères oak barrels, just like their Pinot Noirs.

Deep garnet in color leading to an aromatic nose of delicate oak, cherry and white pepper. This is an elegant, full-bodied wine with pleasing complexity, with flavors of bright cherry, a hint of spice, and a delicate pepper finish.

We served the wine with a simple dinner of spaghetti and meatballs accompanied with a salad.

2008-07-06T11:36:00.001-07:00

Sangria - Caren's Recipe

Last night, we had two other couples over for dinner and Caren whipped up her own version of sangria. Two bottles of Merlot, orange liqueur, sliced fruit, club soda, (perhaps a secret ingredient or two), and ice. It went well with Jordan's cooking:

Appetizers - hot jalepeno crab dip w/croutons, Caren's rosemary cashew nuts, Sherry's rumakis
Main course -BBQ steak, roasted corn niblets in chile lime butter and cracked pepper, salad
Dessert - Caren's Pavlova

2008-07-04T22:19:00.000-07:00

2002 Baily Vineyard Temecula Valley Meritage

Made from Cabernet Sauvignon (58%), Cabernet Franc (32%) and Merlot (10%). Aged in French and American Oak cooperage for 35 months, this is a wine of elegance and finesse. I should have decanted it and let it breathe a bit before serving. It was much better after sitting awhile (and not because I was on my second glass).

Baily Vineyard is one of our regular stops when we visit the Temecula Valley area in southern Riverside County. This small wine area in Southern California isn't that well known or respected. Most of the wine produced by Baily (and the other two dozen or so wineries in the area) is sold directly at the winery or to their mailing list. It is rare to find it in a retail store.

Interesting that Baily does not use a cork to seal their bottles. They use a synthetic material called Nomacore that looks a lot like cork, but makes a much better seal to prevent any bottles from becoming tainted.

2008-07-02T18:30:00.000-07:00

2002 Deerfield Ranch Cohn Vineyard Pinot Noir

The nearly 40 year old Cohn Vineyard lies on a rocky slope above the Russian River Valley in Sonoma County. The vineyard produces very low yields (that's good).

Deerfield Ranch is a small, family owned winery located in the town of Kenwood, just north of the city of Sonoma in the Sonoma Valley. PJ and Robert Rex founded this winery in the 1980s. Michael Browne of Kosta Browne wines is a consulting winemaker.

We visited the winery in February 2006 and tasted their wines with PJ while sitting at their dining room table and playing with their dog, Skywalker.

This wine is full flavored, berry aromas, soft tannins, low acidity, and a long finish. Most of the qualities you enjoy in a great California Pinot Noir. 360 cases produced.

We served this with grilled chicken and apple sausages, a pasta salad with fresh mozzarella and cherry tomatoes, and watermelon.

2008-07-01T20:52:00.000-07:00

2006 Esterlina Sonoma County Sauvignon Blanc

This winery is located on a ridge 1200' above the Anderson Valley in Mendocino County. It is owned by the Sterling family who also own Everett Ridge Winery in the Dry Creek Road appellation of Sonoma County. This wine is full of bright citrus flavors, plenty of grapefruit, lime and lemon. With 100% stainless steel fermentation, it is a very refreshing, enjoyable bottle of wine. 385 cases produced.

We served it tonight with veal piccata, fettucine noodles, and green salad.