2004 Heron Merlot Vin de Pays d'Oc

I'm being good to my budget, and drinking some cheaper wine. No more $30+ bottles for me for a while. Nothing wrong with a good vin de pays (assuming that this wine is, in fact, good). The density of color is moderate garnet with some significant browning towards the rim. The aromas are muted, though it's possible I just can't smell anything due to the abnormal amount of pollen in the air today. I swear my neighbors have a pollen machine akin to those beasts that spew fake snow all over the slopes in the winter. Anyway, what I do smell is mostly oak- and age-related - dark chocolate, hazelnut, and maybe some dark berry jam.

On the palate, it's a little abrasive, between the reasonably high alcohol, tannin, and acid. They're all pretty well in balance, but they're all quite high. There's not much fruit, and what there is comes across as somewhat dusty. Not a great wine, but it's drinkable, and the finish is quite long and nutty. It'll do.

Vintage: 2004
Grape: Merlot
Region: Languedoc-Roussillon, France
Price: $11

2003 Lacoste-Borie Pauillac

I haven't really done anything to earn a nice Bordeaux for tonight. Call it a reward for going to the laundromat two weeks in a row, maybe? Of course, I've used put my entire wine budget for the week, so I'll be paying for this bottle by Tuesday when I have to drink water (the horror...).

The bottle age is certainly showing on the rim of this ruby red wine, with significant browning towards the edges. The wine is not particularly dense in color; it almost looks like a weighty new world Pinot Noir. But in aromas, I wouldn't mistake it (I hope) for anything but a Bordeaux. The nose is earthy, flinty (but not in a struck match kind of way), with more than a hint of sour red cherry and red currant and a bit of barnyard. I also get some new oak aromas, predominantly cocoa and toast.

It's not as big in the mouth than I might have expected from such a landmark year for Bordeaux, but it's certainly an estimable wine, nonetheless.  More sour cherry, moderate acid and slightly scratchy tannins, all in balance with the alcohol. There's not bitterness, but I am sensing a faint metallic taste that is detracting a bit from my enjoyment. It disappears on the finish, however, giving way to some serious earthiness - like a forest floor in fall. I'm not kidding! Leaf litter, turned earth, and some sour berries dropped off of plants for good measure. This may not be an appealing description, but it's actually quite enjoyable. Just don't go telling people that I told you to go lick a forest floor. Drink the wine instead.

Vintage: 2003
Region: Pauillac, Bordeaux, France
Grape: Cabernet Sauvignon, Merlot (proportions unknown)
Price: $37

2005 Blason-d'Issan Margaux

Tonight's wine is a splurge. (That's such a gross word, isn't it?) It's Bastille Day, and I'm opening up a bottle of French wine that I full expect to knock my chausettes off. I haven't been tasting much Bordeaux since I returned from France nearly a month ago, because I tasted so much good wine there, that I was afraid I might be disappointed that I doesn't taste as good in America. You know, the ambience and all. But then I realized that was stupid. So here goes.

Blason d'Issan is the second wine of Chateau d'Issan, third growth Bordeaux in the Margaux appellation. I wouldn't touch a bottle of the first wine from the 2005 vintage for quite some time, but since the second wines of the great chateaux tend to be made with the slightly lower quality grapes and with less use of new oak barrels, they're ready to drink earlier, on average. So I think we're ok.

The wine is an inky garnet in the glass, with some orange-brick coloration at the rim. The aromas are gorgeous - just the right amount of earthiness and fruit that I expect from a Bordeaux - and incredibly complex. Red cherry, slate, licorice, dark chocolate, red currant, pencil shavings (yes, I said it! Pencil shavings! What a cliché!)....

I want to dive into the glass.

But instead, I take a sip. Still gorgeous. I actually think I could have let this one age a couple more years, as the tannins are still a bit firm, but they're not wooly and they don't overpower the ripe red fruits or the freshly turned earth flavors that just keep going and going, long after the mouthful is swallowed. The length is phenomenally long and lucious. My only minor criticism is that the alcohol is just a touch high; 2005 was a very warm year for Bordeaux, leading to higher sugar content and consequently higher alcohol, so it's not totally unexpected. It's just not entirely integrated. But it does not detract at all from my enjoyment of this wine. I hope to enjoy it again very soon. (Hint hint.)

Vintage: 2005
Grapes: 65% Cabernet Sauvignon, 35% Merlot
Region: Margaux, Bordeaux, France
Price: $43

2009 Chateau Lamothe-Vincent Bordeaux

Look at me, posting twice in one week. Today we have a Bordeaux, but I'm pretty sure it's made in a more modern, international style than a traditional Bordeaux. I base this on two things - I have read that this wine will peak in 2011-2012, which is a very short time for a Bordeaux; and it has 14.5% ABV. If I could whistle, I would be doing so now. Granted 2009 was a warm year in Bordeaux, so higher sugar (and hence alcohol) levels are to be expected, but 14.5% is still more indicative of California than France.

The color is deep ruby - it's even deeper in color than the malbec I tasted a couple of days ago. The tears are stained purple; this is a highly extracted wine. The aromas have a lot of ripe fruit, black cherry, almost jammy but not overripe and with a hint of barnyard and leather to balance it. It's really quite appealing actually.

On the palate, I am surprised that I am not whacked over the head with a sensation of heat - the alcohol is high, but it's largely balanced out by a touch of sweetness, juicy fruit (perhaps just the slightest bit overripe, but not raisiny or sunburned), and an estimable, but not unpleasant, bitterness. The sensation heat does grow on the palate as the wine evolves in the mouth and in the end the finish is more heat and bitterness than fruit, but all around this is a wine to enjoy. Especially if you have a nice lamb chop and rosemary potatoes...mmmm......

Vintage: 2009
Grapes: 80% Merlot, 20% Cabernet Sauvignon
Region: Bordeaux, France
Price: $17

2009 Domaine Houchart Côtes de Provence Rosé

I hereby proclaim it officially Spring! Yes, it snowed only 2 days ago, and there is still some of the nefarious white stuff on the ground, but the sun was warm today and I'm breaking out the rosé. This was my rosé of choice last summer - it's inexpensive, delicious, and ubiquitous. There were 10,000 cases imported into the United States, so chances are you can find it just about anywhere.

Something like 80% of the wine made in the Côtes de Provence are rosé; something about the climate and the cuisine in Provence demand this sort of refreshing, food-friendly wine. A variety of grapes are allowed for rosé blends in this region; in this bottle we have a blend of Grenache, Cinsault, Syrah, Cabernet Sauvignon. It makes for a delightful, light copper-salmon color in the glass, and aromas of fresh strawberries, orange blossom, green apple, and green grass waft from the glass. It smells like last summer.

The flavors on the palate are fresh and vibrant, and absolutely summery. Strawberry predominates, but I also get some orange rind and more green apple. The acid is there, and a hint of tannin. My only complaint is a fairly high level of bitterness, which I don't remember being a feature of this wine last time I tasted it. But paired with some food, it takes the edge off and makes for a tasty, fresh wine. Welcome back, Spring!

Vintage: 2009
Grapes: Grenache, Cinsault, Syrah, Cabernet Sauvignon
Region: Côtes de Provence, France
Price: $10

2007 Trimbach Gewürztraminer Alsace

I have to admit to being a little apprehensive about this wine. As you know if you read my second to last post, I am somewhat of a slave to the gewurztraminer. I love it, and even if it's not a very highly credentialed one, I'll likely drink it with pleasure. My concern has to do with the Trimbach part. Trimbach has a widely-known and respected name, but I've witnessed some substantial variation between vintages and between bottles in his wines. I've really enjoyed his rieslings in the past, but the last pinot gris I tasted put me in mind of a shiitake and radish-scented candle. Why someone would create such a candle, I don't know - and I don't know why one would make a wine that tasted like that either.

The wine is a medium-deep yellow-gold gold in the glass and is ripe with stone fruits - yellow plums and apricots - and spicy nutmeg. Alas, no lychees, but I'll live. When I first pulled the cork, I got a hint of a chemically smell that could have been volatile acidity, but it has since blown off, and the aromas are sweet and lush.

In the mouth, it's quite elegant. There is a hint of sweetness, though it's all but cancelled out by the bracing acidity. The flavors pick up the ripe fruits of the aromas, evolving into a spicy, almost green finish resminiscent of scallions. It's a bit bitter on the palate, and the acidity does dominate the senses, but all in all it's a nice drinking wine that is making me yearn for a sweet onion tart. Oddly enough.  They do say that Alsatian wines pair well with onions, so maybe I'm onto something!

Vintage: 2007
Grape: Gewurztraminer
Region: Alsace, France
Price: $18

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

2006 Jean-Baptiste Adam Riesling Alsace Réserve

Mmmmm....smell that mold.... Contrary to what you might expect, this is not actually a criticism of the wine. Botrytis cinerea is a fungus that, under certain conditions, can make some very luscious (and extremely expensive) white wines. Chateau d'Yquem, for example. The fungus bores tiny holes in the grape skin, letting the water evaporate and concentrating the sugars and acids in the grape; thus, many botrytized wines are very sweet - Sauternes, Tokaji, etc. But not all.  Grapes that are affected by botrytis only moderately can retain enough water and be fermented dry, so you get a white table wine with the exotic floral, honey, and pineapple notes characteristic of a sweet botrytis wine.

This Alsatian riesling has all of these aromas, plus some delicous lime and orange blossom. It's a dark yellow-gold in the glass, due partly to it's age, I'm sure, but also to botrytis' influence. Honestly, I have no idea if it's going to be sweet or not on the palate. I do suspect the grapes were harvested late, which allowed the sugar levels to increase, so the wine could be sweet. Or it could have really high alcohol. Let's see, shall we?

It's half and half!  It's a touch sweet, but by no means a sweet wine. Definitely some botrytis characters, some alcohol-related heat, and disappointingly low acid. This may be a result of the late harvest, since as sugar levels rise, acid levels decrease. It may also just be that the wine is a little past it's prime. While the actual levels of acid in wine don't really decrease with age, the molecules can enter into complexes with esters in alcohol, thus lowering one's perception of the acid. Once this process passes a certain point, the acid levels can seem too low and the wine feels flabby.

The wine is pretty tasty, though. I'd be happy to sit down to a glass of this, with or without food. It would have been even better 2 or 3 years ago.

Vintage: 2006
Grape: Riesling
Region: Alsace, France
Price: $12

2006 Domaine Michel Lafarge Bourgogne Passetoutgrain

Emergency - I have found a wine shop going out of business!  Sad for them, and oh-so-dangerous for me, because all their wines are 20-25% off.  So I splurged on a Burgundy - not a super-expensive one, and not a particularly "classic" one either - but a Burgundy nonetheless. The appellation Bourgogne Passetoutgrain is one of those rare Burgundy reds that isn't required to be made of 100% Pinot Noir. In fact, they tend to be more like 30% Pinot Noir, and the rest Gamay (the grape used to make Beaujolais, also part of Burgundy), and even some varied white grapes.

The color in the glass is beautiful - a pale garnet with lots of brown and some pale orange towards the rim. The aromas are wafting across the 2 feet between me and the glass.  Definitely some grape jam (hello Gamay), but also some delicious, earthy Pinot notes, like black pepper, cocoa, mushroom, and forest floor. Very aromatic, indeed.

It's also quite nice on the palate - a little hefty on the acid, likely because 2006 was a somewhat damp year in Burgundy, and some of the grapes were unable to ripen fully - but there is still some very nice fruit, slight but refined tannins, and a peppery finish that I find very pleasing. (That last bit sounded very Jane Austen, didn't it? I bet Jane was a wine-lover....)  It definitely tastes more like a Pinot than a Gamay to me, and Michel Lafarge is certainly known for his other, Pinot-based, Burgundies, so I'd hazard a bet that this is more than 30% Pinot. Regardless, it's a nice wine that I am happy to have found on the discount rack!

Vintage: 2006
Grape: Pinot Noir, Gamay
Region: Burgundy
Price: $18

2009 Cave des Vignerons de Saumur White Les Pouches

Chenin blanc can have a very pronounced, somewhat telltale aroma. Some people think it smells like wet dog. Others think it smells like skunk. I think it smells like stinky blue cheese. Not always, and it becomes more pronounced, I think, when winemaking practices are less than idea (or sanitary).

This chenin blanc from the Saumur region of the Loire Valley smells like blue cheese. But not too much. A fine gorgonzola, perhaps, as opposed to a stinky stilton. There is also a cool mineral aroma, almost musty. I'm not getting any fruit to speak of.

The wine is bone-dry on the palate, and very sour. I did make the mistake of having some ice cream before tasting, though I tried to cleanse my palate.  Sweet foods can make a dry wine taste overly sour and one-dimensional. So it could be that, but really I'm finding the wine quite thin in flavor, with some burning acidity. I can't really say whether it's balanced or not, because there's nothing there to balance.  I'll have ot retaste this wine sometime pre-ice cream and see if it's any better. Because right now it's kind of like a glass of ice water with fake lemon juice squeezed into it.

Vintage: 2009
Region: Saumur, Loire Valley, France
Grape: Chenin Blanc
Price: $15

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

2005 Abbaye de St-Ferme Bordeaux Supérieur Les Vignes du Soir

Yes! It's a 2005 Bordeaux! 2005 was touted as the "vintage of the century" for Bordeaux. Now it's 2009 (keep your eyes peeled - they're starting to roll into US shops!).  This is by no means a Premier Cru wine - Bordeaux Supérieur is essentially a generic appellation within the region of Bordeaux, distinct from plain old Bordeaux AOC by having more alcohol in it. This doesn't mean it's not a good wine, though. I could go on for days about the issues related to the Bordeaux classification system (and believe me, some people have), but to be concise: the current ranking system of many Bordeaux wines was erected in 1855 and hasn't really changed much since. So it's not exactly based on up-to-the-minute quality.

The color is a very deep garnet with some definite browning towards the rim. A top-flight 2005 Bordeaux could easily age for more than 25 years and still drink well. This one has had 6 years in the bottle (hence the browning), and that's probably enough for it. The primary aromas seem to be a bit overpowered by oak, but there is still some black currant fruit peeking through, and something that reminds me of soy sauce. And there are some nice, earthy mushroom aromas as well. I do have to mention that there is a bit of a "barnyard" odor, but we won't dwell on that. It's a French thing.

In the mouth, I can honestly say that this is one of the most pleasant Bordeaux I have ever tasted. I may have an American palate (I am, after all, an American), but I often find Bordeaux a tad harsh. This could also be because I've never had a really good Bordeaux.  Anyway, there is plenty of acid and tannin, but the tannins are only slightly coarse - akin to the fuzzier side of velcro, as opposed to the side with all the little hooks - and the acid is nicely balanced by some black fruits and spice. It's perfectly ripe and juicy, without being a fruit bomb. And best of all - it costs $6!!!

Vintage: 2005
Grape: 70% Merlot, 20% Cabernet Sauvignon, 10% Cabernet Franc
Region: Bordeaux Supérieur
Price: $6
My rating: 92/100

2009 Domaine du Rin du Bois Touraine Sauvignon

I went to the website of the producers of this wine because I was intrigued by the words "vigneron independant" (or something like that - the bottle is in the fridge and the dog is on my lap and I'm not getting up to look). I thoroughly enjoyed browsing around the site, not only because of the amusing infelicities of translation ("the vineyard" became "the wineyard." I think I would like to have a wineyard.) I was also very impressed by the level of detail it gives regarding the viticulture and vinification of the wine. Everything from the training system of the vines to the bottling date of the finished wine. Based on their use of free run juice (the first juice to come out of the grape upon being lightly pressed), I expect this to be a tasty sauvignon blanc from the Loire Valley.

The wine is a medium-pale lemon yellow with a hint of green; not unusual for a sauvignon blanc. I can't get much aroma out of it (possibly because I sort of scorched some panko-crusted tilapia while making dinner and my apartment smells like a bad fish and chip shop). What I do get is green apple, but no cat pee, I'm pleased to report. In the mouth, it's pretty much a classic French sauvignon blanc, which is not at all a bad thing, though it's not something "special." The acid and alcohol in the wine are perfectly in balance, and the wine is pleasantly weighty, making it not a bad white wine to enjoy in winter. My biggest qualm would be a fairly high bitterness quotient. I think that's what got in the way of this wine's pairing with my dinner (once I scraped off the burned part). The tilapia was served with fennel tzatziki, and I think the bitterness of the wine and the bitterness of the yogurt in the sauce really clashed. But all in all, this is a very acceptable wine that I wouldn't hesitate to buy again, or to recommend with dinner, as long as you're not having yogurt....

Vintage: 2009
Grape: Sauvignon Blanc
Region: Touraine, Loire Valley
Price: $12
My rating: 87/100

2009 Pascal Granger Julienas Crus de Beaujolais

This wine smells like warm blueberries and cream. The universe should provide a choir of angels (or at least oblidge with someone playing Puccini with their windows open) whenever someone pops the cork on a bottle of this beaujolais. Beaujolais can have a bad reputation, often due to the grape popsicle fruitiness of the beaujolais you're likely to find on a supermarket shelf. This wine is the Stradivarius to Georges Dubeouf's plastic ukelele.

OK, perhaps I should taste the wine before I oversell it based on the aromas alone. It's also quite gorgeous in the mouth. Unlike most Beaujolais, I think this wine could actually benefit from another year or two in the bottle. It's quite delicious now, though, with tannins and acidity perfectly in harmony with the red berries, which are luscious, but not at all overpowering. I even get a little prickle on the tongue that could be a hint of pleasant effervescence. This wine is a superstar, and would be perfect - and I'm not just saying this because Thanksgiving is a week from tomorrow - with a big turkey dinner with cranberries and stuffing. Absolutely perfect. 91.

2002 St-Cosme Cote-Rotie

2002 was a disastrously bad year in France's Rhone Valley. It was cool and rainy, making for unripe, water-logged grapes. The wines tend to be herbal and rustic, and not very tasty. For that reason, I was able to buy a wine for $30 that would probably be going for $60 or more. I love saving money! The trade-off, of course, it that the wine could be disgusting.

It's a dark crimson at the core, lightening to brown and orange towards the rim of the glass. This is to be expected for an 8-year-old wine, as red wines tend to get lighter and more brown with age. The aromas do put me in mind of some herby green things, most particularly tobacco and green pepper, but more than that I get earthiness, molasses, and even some red cherry.

In the mouth...hoooooooooo, that's sour! Holy. Moses. It's like sucking on a cherry-flavored lemon. Given that I have been known to suck on lemons, this is not necessarily a bad thing for me, but I expect the general populace wouldn't agree. The tannins are more refined than I was expecting, and there is some smoke and cherry (make that sour cherry) flavor, but the wine is thin in texture and acid really does overwhelm everything. The finish is surprisingly long and pleasant, with evolving earth and smoke, which makes me want to take another sip even though I know what is in store.

All in all, I have to agree with the estimation that 2002 Rhone wines are not to be sought out, and are probably past their drinking peak at this time. More time in the bottle probably isn't going to help this sucker. But it wasn't awful, and I expect that I would really like a more favorable vintage of this wine. You know, if I could afford one. 82.

2009 Haut-Marin Cuvée Marine Vin de Pays des Côtes de Gascogne

The name is a mouthful - and I'm hoping the wine will be, too! This is a very inexpensive French white blend of, frankly, some pretty inauspicious grapes. Colombard and Ugni Blanc are much more often found in a jug than a bottle. But I've heard great things about this wine, that it's reminiscent of a sauvignon blanc, so I thought I'd give it a try.

In the glass, the color certainly looks like a sauvignon blanc - bright yellow with a touch of green. The aromas aren't strong, but they are very fresh - like a metal pail full of rainwater, and some tangy lemon, too. There is lemon on the palatte as well, along with very well-balanced acidity an alcohol (not an easy feat in a warm region like southwest France). It's a little hollow on the mid-palatte, and not terribly complex with some bitterness evolving on the finish, but overall it's a delicious wine. And at $10 a bottle, I could easily make this my "house wine," were I a restauranteur. 86.