28 Friday Oct 2011
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27 Thursday Oct 2011
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The label may have changed, but the wine remains the same- really good.
I first heard of this wine when a friend read my Wine Spectator magazine, took notes and reported back that he liked it. Shortly after, I ended up at an Argentinian steak house in Alaska. They had it on the menu and thus began my affair with Malbec. Last night, after a long hiatus, I found myself back at the same restaurant, ordering the 2009 vintage. Very fruity, soft tannins and balanced. Not quite the fruit-bomb of previous vintages, Dona Paula has tamed the Malbec and created a very pleasant bottle that retails for about $16.
I would recommend looking for it and perhaps drinking if over the next 3 years, it won’t last much longer. 5 stars for sure and a respectable 89 points would make this a sure winner for steaks, even stews and a cold winter night by the fire.
23 Sunday Oct 2011
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Iconic, pricey, and not so good. The label states that this wine will mature for 30 years, in Great Vintages. 1999 was not. It doesn’t help that the quality of this Domaine has declined since then either. Often seen on the auction circuit, the reputation of this wine is fearsome, but in 1999 something went amiss. I bought a case on discount, hoping for the critics to be wrong, they averaged 90 points, agreed.
Tonight, the nose is almost cooked, the wine highly alcoholic in taste even though it’s only 13.5%. The fruit is non-existent and the tertiary flavors have not evolved. The producers of Hermitage won a law suit against Penfolds in Australia preventing them from using the name Hermitage on their Grange bottlings. Perhaps they should have spent more time making it than defending its name.
I bought these bottles in 2002, and the decline started happening in 2006. I thought is was passing a “dumb” period- wrong. This stuff is over the hill and I’m assigning it to the “hurry up and drink the rest” bin, giving it 2 stars. Don’t bother looking for it, waste of cash and cellar space.
22 Saturday Oct 2011
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I have a great friend who introduced me to this Oregon Pinot Noir after she met the winemakers at a wine festival. I subsequently added another case to my cellar and pull it out every so often- like tonight with Cherry and Apple stuffed Pork Chops (yummmm).
The nose is pure Pinot with a touch of earth, just the way nature meant it to be. You see, my opinion is that Burgundy knows how to funk this grape up and make it sublime, yet have that certain J’ai nes se qua…. The barnyard, the ass of donkey, vegetal, forest floor. Whilst you may think I’m crazy to describe wine in such a way, have a top notch Burg and compare it to some new world stuff, just not the same.
Pinot has to have some bing cherry flavors when young, end of story. Without it, you might as well suck Syrah through a straw. With age you get the nastiness that we appreciate. This bottle has 5 years in it and is just turning the corner to greatness. elemental fruit is starting to meld, the tannins, although noticeable, as very soft and the finish is very long. Pinot is a sexy wine, sublimity is key. It should flow, seamlessly. The choice to drink this with lighter fare is obvious as it has delicacy and balance, like a ballerina.
One of my fav Pinots outside Burgundy, this beaut has 5 stars stamped all over her and I would guess a 92 point rating from the champs who know.
21 Friday Oct 2011
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A Chianti Classico that I enjoyed a lot. Not expensive, with typical Sangiovese (90% of the blend) character- this is my kind of Italian wine. Sure, the Super Tuscans are challenging the traditional boys, but deep down, the Italians have something special with this grape. Remeber my thoughts on the Sapnish with their indigenous grape, same applies here. When you have something unique and good, go with it. I had to look up what the big boys said about this one, and agree completely. The average form the heavy hitters was 91, completely agree and add my 4.5 stars to it. (I drank this one mid-summer and can’t recollect my exact details)
21 Friday Oct 2011
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If you read my previous post on the Oriel Chardonnay, you will remember that the folks were over for dinner. This was the other white I served that glorious summer night. This one is more my style, but got mixed reviews from Mum and Dad. I like Pinot Gris, especially in the heat of summer. It’s cool, crisp, clear and light. I would consider it almost the polar opposite of Chardonnay. Citrus, acidity and a good balance make this style of wine my choice for the heat. They call it Novocao, from the winery in Amity, part of the famous Willamette Valley. The region is coming up with some really good stuff, yet this is the first Pinot Gris I have had from there. I am going to rate it lower than the Chard, even though I enjoyed it more simply because I cannot rate on personal choice, only the quality in general. 3 stars, and 84 points. If you find it cheap, get it- great for every day summer quafffffing!
21 Friday Oct 2011
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Not a huge white wino, the occasional chardonnay hits me just right. It was the summer and the folks were around for dinner. They like the white, (mum is not so keen on Chardonnay though). I can’t remember what was on the grill that night, but I do remember the reaction to this wine. 2006 Russian River Chardonnay best described as smooth, balanced, fruity, yet not over-oaked. Too many wineries insist on slapping the wood to everything they get their hands on, producing the same old buttery junk as the next guy. Oriel, having good fruit, have made a very good QPR wine here, good thing I got a dozen! I would think of it as a 3.5 star white, and if I could guess, the boys in the know would shoot it an 86 point rating. I asked mum what she thought before telling her it was a Chard, she said “Yummy”. Kudos to Oriel.
19 Wednesday Oct 2011
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Don’t you hate when this happens?
So do I. But, with a little help from my Vinturi, all is well. It’s actually designed to aerate young wines, kinda faux age them, or help decant older wines while filtering the junk. The screen helped clear the debris from the bottle as I decanted into another bottle. The little holes on the side of it allow for air to mix with the nectar, making a weird slurping sound as it goes down. Saved the day!
16 Sunday Oct 2011
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Spanish wine is alluring, tasty and good for you (at least they tell me it’s good for you). The Spaniards do Tempranillo, and they do it well. Considered the noble grape of the region and the main varietal in Rioja, it is full bodied, big boy stuff that can be made to last for a long, long time. Many wine types are just bleh, but Tempranillo grabs me for its interesting and unique taste. In Portugal it is called Tinto Roriz and is blended to make Port (ever heard of it?).
Not a reserve wine, it retails for about $10, and is worth every penny. Fruity, enjoyable and rather fresh, it would serve well on a week day with basic meat and potato dinners. You could try cellaring a bottle or two and watch it mature. On my everyday scale- a 4 star effort worthy of 85 professional points (If I were a pro, which I’m not)
16 Sunday Oct 2011
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Here’s an interesting one for you…. In the south of France, vignerons compete to be included in the blend for that year’s offering of Les Douze (translated into the twelve). These 12 wines are blended from Syrah, Carignan and Grenache, all Rhone varietals. Every year the wine changes as the entries are evaluated and blended, producing an eclectic mix from year to year. I had high hopes for this wine, and was not disappointed, even though I drank it way too young. The dryness was a little overpowering, but promises to keep the wine healthy as it ages and develops. A very interesting concept of putting the best wines forward and compiling a unique wine every year. The co-op claims a full bodied effort that offers spice, can’t disagree there. Forward thinkers like these guys are on the front running of giving the boys up north a lesson in quality versus price. When the hype of Bordeaux dies down, they will be left holding the bag while these kinds of wine makers will have stolen the hearts and wallets of the sensible everyday wine drinker. Well done you lot! 5 stars and an enviable 90 pointer from the novice over here.
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