2009 Ballast Stone Unwooded Chardonnay South Australia Steeple Jack

I love it the term "unwooded" is used to describe a wine that has not been fermented or aged in oak barrels, but rather in stainless stell. It just sounds so...Australian. And indeed, this unwooded wine does hail from South Australia, a preposterously large appellation that produces more than half of all Australia's yearly output of wine. To be sure, there's a lot of bulk wine to wade through, but some great wines are produced here as well.

The unoaked chardonnay is a medium-deep yellow with hints of gold. The aromas are undemonstrative, as is common in chardonnay, but there is some nice lemon and green apple, but also a chalky minerality. The wine isn't as acidic as it smells, but is in fact quite well-balanced in its elements. The alcohol may be a bit high, but not enough so to overpower the acidity (Certainly nowhere approaching the 15.1% California chardonnay I ran into today!), and it gives the wine a delicious weight and viscosity on the palate. There's plenty of fruit there, too: lemon zest, granny smith apple, and honedew melon. Yummy.

The Steeple Jack wines are some of Ballast Stone's more economical lines of wine, but the low price tag certainly doesn't mean low quality. I'll certainly keep an eye out for their other varietals in this line.

Vintage: 2009
Grape: Chardonnay
Region: South Australia
Price: $10

2010 Charles & Charles Rosé Columbia Valley

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

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

2009 Columbia Crest Gewürztraminer Washington Two Vines

Most people would probably look at me as though I had just sprouted a third head if I said, "I've really been craving a gewürztraminer lately." But I'm confident that most people reading this will know what I'm talking about and realize it is not an unusual eastern European sausage variety. I love gewürztraminer's rich fruity flavors and aromas, and I love the touch of sweetness that you get in the best of them. This, I have to say, is probably not the best of them. It was the only one they had at Trader Joe's and I was desperate. But I'm willing to give it the benefit of the doubt.

I can tell by looking at it that it has some sweetness to it. Sugar and alcohol can both make a wine viscous, and I'm willing to bet this wine isn't too high in alcohol. Because of their inherent high sugar content, gewürztraminer grapes can make high alcohol wines if fermented dry, so I suppose it could go either way. But my vote is for sweet.

The wine is strangely unaromatic for a gewürztraminer. I've read that gewürztraminer grapes and lychees share some aromatic compounds, hence the signature lychee aroma you often get in a gewürztraminer. This wine doesn't have even a hint of it. There is some ripe apricot, a sweet malty aroma, and honey, but no lychee. I can't pretend not to be a little disappointed (lychees always remind me of my graduate work in Mexico, when the little kids in the village where I was working would bring me bags of lychees).  But the wine is surprisingly flavorful in the mouth. More apricot, as well as something a little petrol-like (I would easily mistake this for a riesling in a blind tasting, actually), and not a little sweetness. The acidity is lower than I like, and that plus the viscosity makes the wine a little flabby, although the sweetness could be camouflaging the sourness a bit. There is certainly some alcohol content, but it's not out of whack.

Overall, this is a wine that I wouldn't turn up my nose at, were someone to hand me a bottle. Of course, short of a bottle of sherry (a.k.a. salted mushrooms stuffed into a dirty gym sock and buried in the back yard for 3 months), there really aren't any wines I'd refuse to drink. I'm not as much of a snob as I pretend to be.

Vintage: 2009
Grape: Gewürztraminer
Region: Washington State
Price: $7

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

2005 L'Oca Ciuca Toscana "The Drunken Goose"

I'll have to rely on someone who knows more Italian than "Grazie" and "Bongiorno" to tell me if L'Oca Ciuca actually means "The Drunken Goose," but either way it was good enough to get me to buy this bottle of Italian red. Not that I generally require that much persuasion. This is one of the so-called "Supertuscans" who operate outside the Italian wine laws by adding such grapes as cabernet sauvignon and merlot to their sangiovese. The horror! This particular blend is of sangiovese, merlot, and syrah.

It's an opaque garnet in the glass, with just a hint of browning towards the rim. The aromas are dense with dark fruits - blueberries and plums, mostly - and some palpable cocoa as well. The deliciousness extends to the palate. It's not at all sweet, but the fruits are juicy, the acid in perfect balance with the fine tannins and alcohol. Despite it's modest price, I suspect this wine could actually age a few more years and still evolve. The finish is a little sour, but overall the wine is very pleasant. I can see why the goose got drunk.

Vintage: 2005
Grape: Sangiovese, Merlot, Syrah
Region: Tuscany
Price: $12

2009 Nobilo Sauvignon Blanc Marlborough Regional Collection

Quick post this time, because I'm just really anxious to taste this wine. I found it on sale for $11 (normally $14, but still), and I just couldn't resist it. I've become quite a fan of the New Zealand sauvignon blanc, perhaps because they smell like the tropics. And believe me, buried under a cumulative 3+ feet of snow as I am, I could really use some tropics.

It's a light green-yellow in the glass; very green, in fact. The nose does not disappoint. Mango and papaya and tamarind, and a touch of something green and spicy - almost like a chile. The chile really carries over to the palate, too. It's not spicy hot, of course, and it's not underripe or green pepper - it's like a mild green chile! Poblano, Anaheim, cubanelle...mixed with heaps of ripe papaya. Oh boy, did I need this wine today! 

Either I'm getting better at picking wines or I'm becoming less discerning, because I haven't had a loser in quite some time. (Now that I've jinxed myself, stay tuned for my next tasting, which will inevitably smell like barnyard and taste like vegetable oil.)

Vintage: 2009
Grape: Sauvignon Blanc
Region: Marlborough, New Zealand
Price: $14

PS I think I'm going to stop giving my ratings. The more I learn and the more I taste, the more I realize that trying to put a number to a wine is kind of a lot of hooey.  Who cares what number Robert Parker, or Wine Spectator, or I can calculate based on the acidity, the tannin, the longevity, whatever.  I'll give you my opinion, and you can taste for yourself!

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

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

2010 Santa Ema Sauvignon Blanc Maipo Valley

Yes, you read correctly - 2010! It's not a beaujolais nouveau, so it must be...South American! Here we have a newly released Chilean sauvignon blanc. It's extremely pale yellow in color, with distinct silver tones. It also has some effervescence to it, though it could be mostly due to the screw cap closure. On the nose, it's fairly classic sauvignon blanc - more New Zealand than France, though. Green grass and mango predominate, with something akin to corn - even corn tortilla - in the background.

It's also quite nice in the mouth. The first impression is just a hint of residual sugar, followed by slight effervescence, pleasant acidity, and tropical fruits. This is an incredibly pleasant wine. The effervescence is making my tongue tingle, which is always fun, and for a $10 wine the finish is incredibly long and juicy. Maybe a bit bitter, but nothing off-putting. Looking forward to trying it with my roasted yellow pepper soup tonight. Thimbs up! 90.

Vintage: 2010
Grape: Sauvignon Blanc
Region: Maipo Valley, Chile
Price: $10
My rating: 90/100

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.

2009 Clifford Bay Sauvignon Blanc Marlborough

I'm having a really hard time sensing the aromas of this New Zealand sauvignon blanc. Not because it is not aromatic - I can tell that it is - but I'm making a Cobb Salad to go along with it, and all I can smell is bacon. After locking myself in the bathroom, I was able to detect that telltale tropical fruit and green grass aroma that I absolutely love about New Zealand sauvignon blancs. There is mango and tamarind and fresh green tomato. Lovely!  The color is classic straw, and very bright to the eye.

I tasted it, and my first thought is..."Mmmm! This is a damn good wine for $9!" Seriously, $9! I think it was on sale, but still.  This is a fantastic value. The aromas carry over strongly to the palate. There is some residual sugar, that brings along the sweet green tomato flavor, but it's not at all sweet. The acid is not particularly high or mouth-watering, though it seems mostly in balance with the sweetness and alcohol, and it has a surprisingly long finish, evolving sweetness and tamarind. There is even a bit of spritz on the tongue, maybe due to the screw cap; it's very pleasant. I think the only thing I would say needs some improvement is the acidity; it's just low enough to leave the wine lacking a little structure. 88!

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.

2009 Four Sisters Sauvignon Blanc Central Victoria

I'm often suspicious of Australian white wines. Far, far too many that I have tasted have had an overwhelming quality of...rubber. I don't know if it's the heat, the sun, the soil, or some other element of terroir, but I just don't enjoy drinking something that tastes like a hose.

There a bit of a latexy aroma here, but far more prevalent is the telltale "green" smells of a sauvignon blanc. In fact, when I sniffed it first, I thought "greenhouse!" There are leaves and flowers here, as well as a sort of white peppery quality that I puzzled over quite some time before realizing it was basil. In fact, Thai basil to be overly specific. Who would have thought?!.

There's a bit of sweetness on the palate, though it's by no means a "sweet wine" (after the Pedro Ximinez sherry I tasted last night, maple syrup seems merely "off dry" - like drinking pureed raisins, it was). Besides the sugar, the first thing I noticed was a lack of acidity. My mouth just wasn't watering. These two things can go hand in hand. In a warm climate, which Central Victoria can be, grapes can ripen to produce exquisite levels of sugar (sometimes too much for the yeast to ferment before they poison themselves with alcohol, thus leaving some "residual sugar" in the finished wine), but often at the expense of acidity, which decreases over time.

The bottle is sitting across the room and I don't feel like getting up to look at the alcohol content, but I would expect it's pretty high, given the prickling at the back of my mouth. Between that and the sugar, the wine has a fairly high viscosity and a very smooth, silky texture. Extremely pleasant, indeed!  There is some prominent fruit on the palette as well, which has a slight bitterness that puts me in mind of grapefruit. Overall, it's a pleasant wine, and a good value one as well; it just lacks a bit of the acid structure that could have taken it to the next level. And the bitterness of the grapefruit on the palette becomes more like "rind" than "fruit" as the wine evolves in my mouth. So, eh. I'd give it an 82.

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!

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.