2008 Mauritson Syrah Rockpile Madrone Spring Vineyard

It's entirely possible that I bought this bottle of wine because it is from Rockpile. What a fantastic name for a wine appellation! Is it evocative of what it really looks like? Don't know, never been there. But I did buy the wine at the Mauritson flagship vineyard in Dry Creek Valley. (I'm really raiding my Sonoma stash these days!)

The wine is inky violet in the glass, deep enough to be called opaque. The aromas are dominated by oak, manifesting as vanilla and milk chocolate. I'm not getting much fruit beyond blueberry pie. Not that I'm complaining. In the mouth, there's a lot more fruit - stewed blackberry, more blueberry, and sweetened black currants. And there's a lot of oak, but in balance with the fruit, the acidity, and the slightly scratchy tannins. The only thing out of whack here is the alcohol (I sense a pattern here amongst the recent California wines I've tasted - shocking). It's got to be at least 14.5% pecent. I've had ports that burned my lips less. But, just like doing squats and lunges hurts like hell, it's a good kind of hurt. I really like this wine.

Vintage: 2008
Region: Rockpile, Sonoma
Grape: Syrah
Price: $38

2008 Ten Acre Pinot Noir DuNah Vineyard

On this momentous day - the one on which I officially enter the wine trade as a career - I am opening a bottle of wine that is very special to me. I picked it up during Sonoma's barrel tasting even earlier this year, while traveling from vineyard to vineyard with two of my favorite wine aficionados, Vanessa and Brian. This Pinot Noir is a new endeavor for the owners of Bella Vineyards; in 2008 they produced the first bottles of wine from the 10 acres of property around their home, where they planned to produce small lots of high quality wine in a Burgundian style.  

The wine certainly carries aromas common in Burgundian wines. While he later recanted, or at least qualified it, Anthony Hanson once wote that "Good Burgundy smells of shit." I wouldn't go so far as to say this wine smells like shit, it certainly has an air of the barnyard about it. In a good way, of course. It also smells of ripe rasperries, cola, and cinnamon.

In the mouth, I immediately remember why I bought this wine (and am wishing I had bought more). It is impeccably balanced (aside from the elevated alcohol level, which is pretty much par for the course in California wines these days). There is a hint of residual sugar, expressed as ripe black cherries, the tannins are smooth as silk, and the finish is delightfully long and juicy. There isn't much of this wine out there, but I highly recommend you seek some out!

Vintage: 2008
Grape: Pinot Noir
Region: Russian River Valley, Sonoma
Price: $38

2008 Egervin Egri Bikavér Bull's Blood

Yes, you read correctly. Bull's Blood. And just for extra fun, I'll tell you up front that it's from Hungary. So, yes, I am drinking a Hungarian wine called Bull's Blood. What of it?

Actually, it's quite an ancient wine. Legend has it that the name originates from the 16th Century when the Turks laid siege to the town of Eger in Hungary. The inhabitants of Eger are said to have put up unexpected resistance, to the point that the Turks eventually gave up their siege. Rumors abounded that the reasons for the locals' strength was that they mixed the blood of bulls into their red wine. And the name stuck.

The grapes used to make it are many, and mostly unpronounceable. Traditionally the main grape was kadarka, although it is notoriously difficult to grow and is therefore in decline in Hungarian vineyards, being replaced by other varieties such as kekfrankos and portugieser, also ingredients in Bull's Blood (along with 7 other possible varieties).

The color does not particularly look like blood - bull's or otherwise - it's a medium ruby with violet towards the rim. Nor does it smell like blood (happily), but strongly of black pepper, fallen leaves, and dark fruits, like ripe plum. Not a fresh-smelling wine, but actually quite appealing.

On the palate, it's a little thin in flavor and...well, weird in texture. The acid is high enough - perhaps a little too high - that the wine is not flabby, but it has a rather strange mouth-coating property that I can't quite explain. It doesn't appear to be due to high alcohol or sugar content, the two usual suspects. There are some pleasant pepper and plum notes, but all in all it's hollow midpalate in terms of concentration of flavor, and there's a lack of freshness that almost tastes like the old oak barrel the wine was probably matured in.

Not a wine I would drink every night, but passable for $9 and not an unworthy companion for the cheeseburger I'm about to eat for dinner. But I wouldn't waste a nice steak on it.

Vintage: 2008
Grapes: Kadarka, etc.
Region: Egri, Hungary
Price: $9

2008 Justin Cabernet Sauvignon Paso Robles

The last California Cab I tasted left me with kind of a bad taste in my mouth. So I decided to try another to see if I can wash it away. Justin is a widely-distributed brand - I got this bottle at Trader Joe's - and I've been told nothing can beat it when paired with a nice juicy steak. While I am a little suspicious of this claim (and I'm not eating any steak), I thought I'd give it a whirl.

The aromas are a hint more refined than the last Cab; I get some spicy herbs - dill, maybe - and some toasty cedar along with classic oaky vanilla, black plums, and black currants. The palate, however, is light years ahead of the Sean Minor. It definitely has some serious alcohol (you could probably use this as mouthwash - and very tasty mouthwash it would be), but enough acid to match it, juicy fruits but not overripe and not overpowered by the oak. I can certainly see pairing this with a juicy grilled steak (can you believe I was a vegetarian for 10 years? I can't...), and it's also quite nice with the penne pasta, broccoli rabe, and Italian sausage that's on my dinner plate.

My only "suggestions" for the winemakers (should I be so bold) would be - a little more tannin (it's there, and it's soft, but it's not an equal ingredient with the sourness and heat) and a little less alcohol. I wouldn't be surprised if this wine had an ABV of over 15%. Ouch. Other than that - nom!

Vintage: 2008
Grape: Cabernet Sauvignon
Region: Paso Robles, California
Price: $21

2008 Hahn Pinot Noir Monterey

I'm back from a sales meeting (also known as the company drunk-fest), followed by a week of abstinence/liver repair. That said, there was some excellent wine during the meeting, along with some excellent food. There was also karaoke. But we won't go there.

Given this wine in a blind tasting, I might not peg it as a pinot noir. It's darker in color than I'd expect, though a vibrant garnet with just a hint of orange towards the rim.  The nose is robust, full of baked blueberry, cinnamon, and smoky tobacco. The tobacco also comes through on the palette, along with some delicious sour red fruits. The wine is absolutely delicious, with just a hint of tannins, well-balanced acidity, and a pleasant, round texture. My only complaint would be that the alcohol seems a little high. 14.5 is too much for a wine a delicate as pinot noir, and it's kind of making my tongue hurt.  But the tastiness of the fruit and the mouth-watering acidity make up for it. And at $12 a bottle, this is a great value wine.

Vintage: 2008
Grape: Pinot Noir
Region: Monterey
Price: $12
My rating: 90/100

2008 Villa Vallemaggiore Maremma Toscana Campostella

I'm on an Italy kick these days, it seems. This wine, also from Tuscany, is one of the so-called "supertuscans," which essentially means that the winemakers didn't follow the rules set out by the Italian government, thus there wine is not "classifiable." This particular winemaker broke the rules by blending 15% cabernet sauvignon into his or her sangiovese. This often has the effect of taming sangiovese's prevalent acid and tannins, making for a more approachable wine, in the international sense.

This one is a lovely medium crimson in the glass, obviously still quite young as it hasn't taken on any browns or oranges, even towards the rim. I feel like I can sense some of the cabernet sauvignon on the nose, as there is a distinct aroma of currants, some green pepper, and some oak. But in the mouth, this is most definitely a sangiovese. Sour city. The tannins aren't overpowering, but are fairly wooly and unrefined. I would classify this as a "rustic" wine. The finish is short and bitter, and there isn't much in the way of fruit on the palette. A little currant and spice, perhaps, but it isn't pronounced. This wine will be fine with dinner, but I wouldn't just sit down to a glass of it unaccompanied (often how I feel about sangiovese-dominant wines). 83.

2008 Poderi Sanguineto Rosso di Montepulciano

I am excited to taste this wine, not only because I've heard its praises sung several times, but also because I'm interested to see if I can taste the difference between wine from this bottle and the one I opened at a tasting at the wine shop a couple of weeks ago. Several of the wines at that tasting didn't perform up to expectations, and my colleagues and I wondered if they weren't experiencing some bottle-shock. Bottle-shock is a condition that wines undergo when they're disturbed in some way, such as in a rough transport. The flavors of the wine can become muted or disjointed for a few weeks following a "traumatic even."Some people do not believe that bottle-shock exists, and I haven't had much experience with it. I don't know if I'll be able to conjure up the experience of the wine from a few weeks ago, but we shall see.

The color is a deep garnet, darker than many sangiovese-dominant wines I've seen. But Rosso di Montepulciano is aged in oak at least one year, which can enhance color (and tannin). On the nose, I don't get a whole lot, but what I do get is delicate and perfumey. Some ripe red cherries, vanilla, and candied violets. In the mouth - heavenly! It is delicate but firm, with excellent balance between acid and tannin. It's a little hollow in the middle but the texture is creamy and the flavors are just lovely. There is a hint of juicy sweetness, cocoa, and toasty oak.

This wine is definitely not pure sangiovese - the acid and astringency are far too low. By Italian law, Rosso di Montepulciano must be at least 70%, but other grapes such as canaiolo nero and mammolo can also be added. Whatever blend was used, the wine is delicious, and I'm looking forward to pairing it with the sausage and polenta I have on the stove.

As for the bottle-shock, this wine tastes vastly different than the one I sampled in the shop. I remember a distinct stewed-tomato flavor in that wine, and it definitely lacked the delicacy of the bottle I'm tasting now. Certainly not proof that bottle-shock exists, but very interesting to note, nonetheless.

Recommended! 89.

2008 Mark West Pinot Noir Sonoma County

This is a wine that does not smell good. It looks ok - a medium-pale ruby with a hint of orange. But it has an animal-like odor, barnyard and cow sweat, and something with a metallic tang, almost like blood. As much as the idea of this puts me off, I'm going to taste it anyway. If I must....

Huh. Not bad at all. I don't get any of the nastiness in the mouth that I got on the nose. The flavors are dominated by ripe cherry, but there is a pleasant earthy quality as well. I get a touch of residual sugar, which, along with the high alcohol content, give the wine a good weight in the mouth. The alcohol might be a touch high, leaving me with a tingly tongue, and I think the grapes might have been a little overripe when they were picked. I suspect this has something to do with the unpleasant aromas, and the fact that the finish evolves into a cooked or dried cherry for me. But all in all, it's quite a nice wine that I'm hoping will stand up to the spicy andouille and black bean soup simmering on the stove.

The foul aromas on the nose certainly detract from my overall enjoyment of the wine, but it certainly wasn't as bad as I was expecting. 82.

2008 Clos du Bois Sauvignon Blanc North Coast

I've seen lots of bottles of Clos du Bois sitting on shelves, in peoples' fridges, even on wine lists. It's a ubiquitous wine - that I've never tasted! So, I thought I'd give it a whirl with the Sonoma north coast sauvignon blanc. It could be awful, it could be a great find...we shall see.

The color is right for a sauvignon blanc, a medium-pale yellow with a flash of green; sort of a straw color. The nose isn't saying much to me. There is some honeydew melon, some honeysuckle, and a bit of a yeasty smell (though I doubt this wine spends much time sitting on the lees), but it's very faint.

In the mouth...it's surprisingly pleasant! Sometimes mass-produced sauvignon blancs take on an off-putting bitterness and something I can't really describe except to say that it's kind of chemically. This doesn't have that. It also doesn't have a ton of acidity, probably because it hails from a relatively warm region, so it's a little flabby. But it actually has a bit of spritz (effervescence) and a nice weight to it, so is rather nice on the palette. I do get some pretty substantial alcohol burn (again, the warm climate at work). Whew! Ever put rubbing alcohol on a cut? Well, don't put this wine in your mouth if you have a canker sore. Trust me.

So the wine isn't particularly balanced in its elements, and the lack of aroma does detract from the overall enjoyment. Is it worth th $14 I paid for it? Eh, maybe. Is it worth drinking if someone hands you a glass? Sure. It would be good for pairing with an all veggie dinner, I think. I give it an 81.

2008 Bodegas San Valero Juice Banger Tempranillo Garnacha

As you might guess - I bought this wine because of its name. It also has a pretty rocking label, and - even though I know all too well that a great label does not a great wine make - it still worked its marketing magic on me. So let's see how it worked out!

The color is a medium ruby red with a young, pinkish rim. The aroma is fruity, with some cream, smoky black pepper, and strawberries (that' s the garnacha talking). That may sound odd, but one of the most delicious of the many bars of chocolate I've eaten in my life contained both strawberries and black pepper. Whoever discovered that combination was a crazy genius.

In the mouth, the wine is just plain delicious. There is the right amount of acidity and tannin to give the wine bones, but not overpower the fruit. The first sensation I noted upon tasting was cream. The texture is creamy, though not thick, as is the flavor. A bit of bitterness evolves on the tail end, but quickly gives way to strawberry for a satisfying finish. The only fault I find with this pleasant, easy-drinking wine is that it's a bit hollow midpalate. By that I mean that I'm feeling the tannins and acidity on the sides of my mouth and tongue, but in the middle where I want complex flavors and fruit, I'm just not getting much of note.

For $10, this wine is a fantastic value, and is light enough in texture and flavor that you could drink it with just about anything that has some substance (i.e. probably not cod). This wine may very well be present on my Thanksgiving table! I give it an 89.

2008 Familia Zuccardi Malbec Mendoza Serie A

Violet violet violet. Just as a good malbec should be, this wine is opauely violet; when I swirl the glass, a noticeably purple sheen is left behind even when the wine settles back into the bowl. The nose is sensuous and striking with vanilla custard and raspberries, and - this sounds weird but - creamed corn. Big yum. (Good thing, because I swirled so vigorously, I sloshed it all over my pants.)

In the mouth, the wine is still silky and creamy (obviously a happy marriage between the grapes and the toasty barrel here). The acidity doesn't stand up and shout "hello!" but is very well balanced with the velvety tannins and tingly alochol. It has a medium-full body and some juicy concentrated blueberry pie and a hint of black pepper on the palette, and a finish that lingers for minutes. All around a delicious wine. I could drink this every day!

Argentina does it again! I give it a 91. A first, I think!