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
Showing posts with label California. Show all posts
Showing posts with label California. Show all posts
Friday, July 22, 2011
Wednesday, July 20, 2011
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
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
Monday, March 28, 2011
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
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
Saturday, March 26, 2011
2007 Josh Cellars Cabernet Sauvignon
I'm not entirely sure why I bought this wine, because generally when I see it in a store, I am not inspired. It must have been on sale. In any case, I'm expecting a rather average California Cab with a lot of fruit and alcohol, and maybe not much else. But we shall see.
It looks and smells like a California Cab - deep ruby in color and aromas of black currant, green pepper, and a bit of green tomato leaf as well. It doesn't smell too overly ripe, though I definitely get a lot of ripe fruit on the palate, and a moderate lack of acidity that would indicate a good deal of hang time for the grapes. There are some tannins, which are soft and ripe, and the wine isn't a complete fruit bomb. But it does lack some elegance and complexity. I'm getting sweet currants, toasty oak, and lots and lots of alcholol burn. The finish is fruity and fairly short.
While not a badly made wine at all, I'd classify this as very typical, middle-of-the-road California Cabernet Sauvignon. I'm still not inspired.
Vintage: 2007
Grape: Cabernet Sauvignon
Region: North Coast, California
Price: $18
It looks and smells like a California Cab - deep ruby in color and aromas of black currant, green pepper, and a bit of green tomato leaf as well. It doesn't smell too overly ripe, though I definitely get a lot of ripe fruit on the palate, and a moderate lack of acidity that would indicate a good deal of hang time for the grapes. There are some tannins, which are soft and ripe, and the wine isn't a complete fruit bomb. But it does lack some elegance and complexity. I'm getting sweet currants, toasty oak, and lots and lots of alcholol burn. The finish is fruity and fairly short.
While not a badly made wine at all, I'd classify this as very typical, middle-of-the-road California Cabernet Sauvignon. I'm still not inspired.
Vintage: 2007
Grape: Cabernet Sauvignon
Region: North Coast, California
Price: $18
Sunday, March 20, 2011
2009 4 Bears Pinot Noir Carneros Sean Minor
I'm back from a lovely sojourn to northern California, during which I bought (and consumed) some very lovely wines in Sonoma County. This isn't one of them. Not that it isn't a lovely wine, it's just not one I bought or consumed on my trip. Anyway....
It's a medium-pale ruby in the glass, not dense but quite brilliant. It smells of ripe black cherries (too ripe, maybe?), tons of oak, and a hint of something minerally - like a bucket of rainwater. This is not a delicate pinot noir. I do tend to think of New World Pinots, especially those from California, as being less delicate than, say, a Burgundy, but I actually tasted a few out in Sonoma that had an almost elusive balance between fruit and spice; not austere, but merely delicate and nuanced. For example, the yet-to-be-released 2009 Pech Merle and the 2008 Ten Acre DuNah Vineyard from Bella. If these wines are graceful wild horses, then Sean Minor is a clydesdale.
On the palate, the alcohol hits me first ( robust 14.5%), followed by a dense black, stewed fruits with a bitter edge. The acidity and tannins are there, but are vastly outshadowed by the heat and sweet fruits. It's not undrinkable by any means, but is drastically out of balance. That said, the finish is long and pleasantly juicy. I can see drinking this with something salty and sweet, like turkey and cranberries or pork chops and apricots.
Vintage: 2009
Grape: Pinot Noir
Region: Carneros, Napa Valley
Price: $20
It's a medium-pale ruby in the glass, not dense but quite brilliant. It smells of ripe black cherries (too ripe, maybe?), tons of oak, and a hint of something minerally - like a bucket of rainwater. This is not a delicate pinot noir. I do tend to think of New World Pinots, especially those from California, as being less delicate than, say, a Burgundy, but I actually tasted a few out in Sonoma that had an almost elusive balance between fruit and spice; not austere, but merely delicate and nuanced. For example, the yet-to-be-released 2009 Pech Merle and the 2008 Ten Acre DuNah Vineyard from Bella. If these wines are graceful wild horses, then Sean Minor is a clydesdale.
On the palate, the alcohol hits me first ( robust 14.5%), followed by a dense black, stewed fruits with a bitter edge. The acidity and tannins are there, but are vastly outshadowed by the heat and sweet fruits. It's not undrinkable by any means, but is drastically out of balance. That said, the finish is long and pleasantly juicy. I can see drinking this with something salty and sweet, like turkey and cranberries or pork chops and apricots.
Vintage: 2009
Grape: Pinot Noir
Region: Carneros, Napa Valley
Price: $20
Saturday, January 15, 2011
2006 Martin Ray Cabernet Sauvignon Napa-Mendocino-Sonoma Counties
After spending all day selling bottles of wine, I start to get a little jealous of all the people going home to crack open a bottle. Therefore, I always find myself particularly excited to do the same when I finally get home. Hopefully this wine will fulfill my expectations. I'm a little nervous about the "tri-county" sourcing of grapes for this wine. It's not that I strictly believe that good wines have to be from a specific vineyard or appellation, but I sometimes suspect that a blend of grapes from different locales is a tactic for either covering up faults in one of the regions' grapes, or ensuring a high degree of consistency (i.e. predictability and possible boringness) from year to year. But I'll give it a whirl anyway.
It's a very deep ruby in the glass, with just a hint of orange at the rim. There isn't much fruit on the nose, more toast and tobacco, rather herbal and licoricey. But there's some nice black currant in the mouth, along with some more licorice, and a touch of smokiness. The acid, alcohol, and tannin are delightfully balanced, and the finish is long and juicy and tart. This is a delicious wine! Worth the wait, for sure.
Vintage: 2006
Grape: Cabernet Sauvignon
Region: Napa-Mendocino-Sonoma Counties
Price: $20
My rating: 92/100
It's a very deep ruby in the glass, with just a hint of orange at the rim. There isn't much fruit on the nose, more toast and tobacco, rather herbal and licoricey. But there's some nice black currant in the mouth, along with some more licorice, and a touch of smokiness. The acid, alcohol, and tannin are delightfully balanced, and the finish is long and juicy and tart. This is a delicious wine! Worth the wait, for sure.
Vintage: 2006
Grape: Cabernet Sauvignon
Region: Napa-Mendocino-Sonoma Counties
Price: $20
My rating: 92/100
Wednesday, January 12, 2011
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
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
Wednesday, November 24, 2010
2006 Paso Creek Merlot Paso Robles
Poor merlot. It has such a bad reputation, ever since that guy in Sideways whose name I can't remember derided it vociferously. But this is a guy who drinks out of a spit bucket. So why do people listen to him??
Merlot is, perhaps, a little out of vogue right now, but it's an estimable wine, one of the varietal foundations of nearly all Bordeaux wines, and the sole grape used in Chateau Petrus, one of the most expensive and revered wines in the world.
This bottle is not Chateau Petrus. I seriously doubt I will ever be in the same room as Petrus, let alone have one in my apartment. But this is a wine from Paso Robles, a place where wine grapes have been grown since the late 1700s. Not bad for the "new world!" The wine in my glass is a deep, vibrant, gorgeous crimson with a tiny pink rim. The aromas are robust and savory, with earth, umami, and something biscuity in the background. And there is also some of that plum that one expects to find in a merlot.
In the mouth, it's a little aggressive - high alcohol and overt sourness make it a prickly and puckersome wine, and there isn't much fruit to balance it out. The wine does have excellent structure with mild but firm tannins, but it's just not a joy to hold it in my mouth. And it doesn't get much better once swallowed. Sourness and a slightly bitterness remain long after any fruit flavors have dissipated.
Not a wine to go out of your way to find. 83.
Merlot is, perhaps, a little out of vogue right now, but it's an estimable wine, one of the varietal foundations of nearly all Bordeaux wines, and the sole grape used in Chateau Petrus, one of the most expensive and revered wines in the world.
This bottle is not Chateau Petrus. I seriously doubt I will ever be in the same room as Petrus, let alone have one in my apartment. But this is a wine from Paso Robles, a place where wine grapes have been grown since the late 1700s. Not bad for the "new world!" The wine in my glass is a deep, vibrant, gorgeous crimson with a tiny pink rim. The aromas are robust and savory, with earth, umami, and something biscuity in the background. And there is also some of that plum that one expects to find in a merlot.
In the mouth, it's a little aggressive - high alcohol and overt sourness make it a prickly and puckersome wine, and there isn't much fruit to balance it out. The wine does have excellent structure with mild but firm tannins, but it's just not a joy to hold it in my mouth. And it doesn't get much better once swallowed. Sourness and a slightly bitterness remain long after any fruit flavors have dissipated.
Not a wine to go out of your way to find. 83.
Tuesday, November 2, 2010
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.
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.
Thursday, September 16, 2010
2006 Vintjs Cabernet Sauvignon
Trader Joe's has some really awful wine (I'm sorry, but there's a reason it's called 3-buck chuck - it's fit only for male ruminants as far as I'm concerned). But, Trader Joe's also has some excellent value wines. The 2006 Vintijs (pronounced "Vintage") Cabernet Sauvignon is one. I acutally think it could be a cellar-worthy wine. At 4 years old, in the glass the rim is just beginning to take on an orange tint, and in the mouth the tannins are just starting to mellow. They'll smooth out in a year or two, but they're by no means aggressive right now. It'll stand up to some time.
The wine carries raspberry, red currant, and nutmeg on the nose, which seems appropriate to the ruby red hue. The acidity is pronounced, but in balance with the alcohol and the tannins, leaving you with a short but fruit-juicy and spicy finish.
Drinks like a much pricier wine. Well worth the $10! I give it an 85/100.
The wine carries raspberry, red currant, and nutmeg on the nose, which seems appropriate to the ruby red hue. The acidity is pronounced, but in balance with the alcohol and the tannins, leaving you with a short but fruit-juicy and spicy finish.
Drinks like a much pricier wine. Well worth the $10! I give it an 85/100.
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