It's 4 bzillion degrees out, I have no air conditioning, and I hereby proclaim it officially rosé weather. I will be drinking nothing else (including water) until the temperature goes below 85 degrees. This could be dangerous, but luckily for me, I won't care.
This Washington state rosé is made from 100% syrah, which is pretty much a recipe for happiness for me. The color is a fairly deep pink with hints of copper, though not nearly as deep as some Southern Rhone syrah rosés I've seen. You couldn't mistake this one for a pinot noir, let's put it that way. The aromas are heavenly, which is good because I spent a lot of time inhaling its aromas while mopping a glass of it off the floor. The Kong got away from the dog and disaster ensued. But now my glass is refilled, and I'm ready to see if these honeydew, lilac, and raspberry perfumes carry over to the palate.
Oh, yes. Raspberries and cream on the palate, with the floral aromas carrying through the finish. The texture is smooth, with just a whisper of tannin. The alcohol and acidity are balanced and in control. The only somewhat unpleasant element is a growing bitterness on the finish, that threatens to overpower the fruit. But all in all, a great wine to sip when the temperature outside - or inside, in my case - is unbearable. It'll cool you off, and you'll enjoy the process.
Vintage: 2010
Grape: Syrah
Region: Columbia Valley, Washington State
Price: $13
Showing posts with label $13. Show all posts
Showing posts with label $13. Show all posts
Wednesday, July 6, 2011
Wednesday, February 23, 2011
2007 Foris Fly-Over Rogue Valley
What's this, a non-French wine?! Indeed, I have returned to the good ol' US, at least for this wine. And boy was it worth it. I suppose you could call it a "Meritage" since it's a blend of traditional Bordeaux grapes - Cabernet Sauvignon, Merlot, and Cabernet Franc - but I don't know if it counts because it's from Oregon, not California. But really, who cares, because it is so good. It's a deep garnet in the glass, and aromas of clove, mineral, and grape jam form a sweet-savory nose that doesn't quite warn you for the juiciness of the wine on the palate. It's a touch sweet with sourness and alcohol in perfect balance. The tannins are present but soft and refined, and frankly it tastes like fresh cherry juice going down.
This is a really short post, but frankly I don't have a lot more to say. The wine is good. And I rather be drinking it than typing right now.
Vintage: 2007
Grapes: 67% Cabernet Sauvignon, 28% Merlot, and 5% Cabernet Franc
Region: Rogue Valley, Oregon
Price: $13
This is a really short post, but frankly I don't have a lot more to say. The wine is good. And I rather be drinking it than typing right now.
Vintage: 2007
Grapes: 67% Cabernet Sauvignon, 28% Merlot, and 5% Cabernet Franc
Region: Rogue Valley, Oregon
Price: $13
Friday, February 18, 2011
2009 Laboure-Roi Mâcon-Villages St.-Armand
Another wine in my recent French exploration! It's been fun, and I may continue for a while, but...I think Italy may be calling. Stay tuned. But for the meantime, I present a bourgogne blanc - a white Burgundy - from the Macon region. Laboure-Roi is the third largest Burgundy producer, and it has been around forever. Well, at least since 1832. They make wines in a number of appellations and at a variety of price points. This is one of the cheap ones, but I think their quality is fairly reliable.
The color is a relatively deep gold for such a young wine. I suspect it's seen a bit of oak, although I can't detect a lot of toastiness on the nose, which would darken the color. The nose also carries a lot of yeasty, baking bread aromas, which means the wine was left to age on its lees - the dead yeast cells - which may possibly darken the color as well. There is a bit of fresh fruit on the nose, such as green apple and honeydew, but the aromas are pretty subdued.
The wine very easy-going in the mouth. Moderate acid and a touch of sugar to lend viscosity. It's not what I'd call an exciting wine; in fact it's pretty pedestrian. But it's tasty and the flavors of yeast, toast, and fresh fruit are concentrated, if not complex. A very easy drinking wine, and accessible to most people, I'd imagine. And emphatically not overoaked, like many a California chardonnay. I'd recommend this wine if you're looking for something simple to serve to guests who aren't adventurous when it comes to wine. It's good and safe.
Vintage: 2009
Grape: Chardonnay
Region: Macon, Burgundy
Price: $13
The color is a relatively deep gold for such a young wine. I suspect it's seen a bit of oak, although I can't detect a lot of toastiness on the nose, which would darken the color. The nose also carries a lot of yeasty, baking bread aromas, which means the wine was left to age on its lees - the dead yeast cells - which may possibly darken the color as well. There is a bit of fresh fruit on the nose, such as green apple and honeydew, but the aromas are pretty subdued.
The wine very easy-going in the mouth. Moderate acid and a touch of sugar to lend viscosity. It's not what I'd call an exciting wine; in fact it's pretty pedestrian. But it's tasty and the flavors of yeast, toast, and fresh fruit are concentrated, if not complex. A very easy drinking wine, and accessible to most people, I'd imagine. And emphatically not overoaked, like many a California chardonnay. I'd recommend this wine if you're looking for something simple to serve to guests who aren't adventurous when it comes to wine. It's good and safe.
Vintage: 2009
Grape: Chardonnay
Region: Macon, Burgundy
Price: $13
Tuesday, February 1, 2011
2009 Celestin Blondeau Sauvignon Blanc Vin de Pays du Val de Loire
My wine class is discussing Loire wines, among others, this week so I'm...ahem...doing homework. I've had some lovely Loire wines in the past, including a 1989 Vouvray that I've probably mentioned before because it blew my socks off, or would have if I had been wearing any. I haven't had any real stinkers, but from what I understand, they are certainly out there. The viticulture & vinification restrictions in some parts of the Loire aren't as strict as other regions of France (for example, Bordeaux, where you can only pick grapes with your left hand every second Thursday of the month; I'm exaggerating, but not by much). This had led to some sloppy winemaking and overcropping practices that have left some people with a sour (literally) taste in their mouthes when it comes to Loire wines.
This one likely isn't of superior class - for one thing it says "Sauvignon Blanc" on the bottle, which is rarely a good sign on a French wine. Those strict French wine laws generally discourage - and sometimes prohibit - use of the varietal name anywhere on the bottle. Which is why you'll often have absolutely no idea what kind of grape is in the bottle you're holding in your hand. They like it that way. This wine is also just a generic "Loire," not from any specific appellation within the region, which means the grapes could come from anywhere and the laws limiting crop yield and winemaking procedures are less strict.
It's a surprisingly deep green-yellow in the glass, and what may be effervescence, or may just be that I poured a little too vigorously. The nose isn't leaping out of the glass at me, but it's pleasant enough. It's a little musty (not in a "corked" way, but just smells a little dusty, and there is some distinct brine on the nose as well, which I understand isn't uncommon for Loire wines. Which is one of the reasons they pair so well with seafood, I imagine. There is also some fruit - dried apricot and and maybe some graprefruit rind as well.
On the palate, it's actually surprisingly lacking in acidity. I mean, it's not missing altogether but this is by no means a classic cool-climate sauvignon blanc. So it's tending towards flabby and the texture is a bit oily in the mouth. A touch bitter, though that gives way to a bit more acidity on the finish. There isn't much fruit in the mouth or, really, much of anything. It's not disgusting, and it'll work fine for dinner tonight (shrimp in lemon and oregano vinaigrette), but it's not a wine I would hold up as a paragon of Loire winemaking.
Vintage: 2009
Grape: Sauvignon Blanc
Region: Loire Valley, France
Price: $13
This one likely isn't of superior class - for one thing it says "Sauvignon Blanc" on the bottle, which is rarely a good sign on a French wine. Those strict French wine laws generally discourage - and sometimes prohibit - use of the varietal name anywhere on the bottle. Which is why you'll often have absolutely no idea what kind of grape is in the bottle you're holding in your hand. They like it that way. This wine is also just a generic "Loire," not from any specific appellation within the region, which means the grapes could come from anywhere and the laws limiting crop yield and winemaking procedures are less strict.
It's a surprisingly deep green-yellow in the glass, and what may be effervescence, or may just be that I poured a little too vigorously. The nose isn't leaping out of the glass at me, but it's pleasant enough. It's a little musty (not in a "corked" way, but just smells a little dusty, and there is some distinct brine on the nose as well, which I understand isn't uncommon for Loire wines. Which is one of the reasons they pair so well with seafood, I imagine. There is also some fruit - dried apricot and and maybe some graprefruit rind as well.
On the palate, it's actually surprisingly lacking in acidity. I mean, it's not missing altogether but this is by no means a classic cool-climate sauvignon blanc. So it's tending towards flabby and the texture is a bit oily in the mouth. A touch bitter, though that gives way to a bit more acidity on the finish. There isn't much fruit in the mouth or, really, much of anything. It's not disgusting, and it'll work fine for dinner tonight (shrimp in lemon and oregano vinaigrette), but it's not a wine I would hold up as a paragon of Loire winemaking.
Vintage: 2009
Grape: Sauvignon Blanc
Region: Loire Valley, France
Price: $13
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