Calstar Cellars Anderson Valley ‘Londer Estate’ Pinot Noir 2007

25 Wednesday Sep 2013

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I was lucky to snag 4 bottles of this delightful Pinot Noir.  With a stonking huge smoked Turkey drumstick, some roasted potatoes, beets and a dollop of Scharfer Senf (German hot mustard) I was all set to get busy with this 6 year old wine.  The pairing was near perfect.  A very pretty light purple in the glass as expected,  I had some cork crumbles that I needed to sort out.  On the nose; strawberry, cherry, pepper and oak shavings.  Unfortunately I could also whiff the 14.2% alcohol.  Never mind, the initial attack on the palate was delicious.  Typical of New World Pinot Noir, yet somewhat reserved.  Cherries Jubilee meets strawberry swirl.  Delicious undertones of white pepper and a touch of vanilla came through.  I prefer Old World Burgundian style Pinots, but every once in a while New World stuff excites me like this one.  I think it has to do with the finesse versus the new stuff with the ‘in-your-face’ fruit.

If you have read my other Pinot posts, you will know that I have a hard time discerning the tannins in this varietal.  I did notice a decent acidity that was focused.  With 6 years of age, it is drinking beautifully and I reckon it will last another 4.  Pricey at $50, you get what you pay for.  Pinot is never cheap if it is any good (think Burgundy).  It is a very finnicky grape that challenges every winemaker.  I get it…  So, I reckon it is a 91 pointer, and worthy of 4 stars.  Glad I still have 3 more and will look for a different pairing next time.  Salut….

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Firriato Nero d’Avola Harmonium 2010

23 Monday Sep 2013

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For tonight’s dinner, I prepared a Chicken Alfredo with seasonal salad and garlic bread (yummmm)  I first thought a Chianti would be a good match, but alas there is a new wine in my cellar from Sicily that begs to be opened.  Nero D’Avola is native to Sicily and means Black of Avola.  I didn’t get much on the nose, perhaps a hint of blue fruit but some alcohol mixed in there.  This particular wine is not very dark but shows off really sweet tannins with plum compote on the palate.  Spiciness and a certain rock minerality show through and there is definite acidity here.  I think the structure will bode well for short term cellaring and the wine could mellow somewhat and hide that 14.5% alcohol.  My guess is that the volcanic soils of Sicily perhaps influence the secondary flavors??

I am always on the hunt for new and exciting wines.  Another varietal that comes to mind is Aglianico.  Very tannic but delicious, you should be on the lookout for some if you hanker for some mouth puckering juice fit to sort any cut of meat out.

At $35 this wine is not a bargain and only gets 3 stars from me due to the price.  Technically speaking, I would rate it 89 points. I do like the label though!  Salut….

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Stonehedge Reserve Dry Creek Valley Petite Sirah 2010

23 Monday Sep 2013

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Well, it’s Sunday night and we did things backwards this weekend.  Sunday Roast happened on Saturday and Ribeye steaks on Sunday.  I added the ‘make your own salad’ to our menu as I have some picky peeps.

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SO- I picked a Petite Sirah to go with the steaks. When choosing wine for a fatty cut, I look for tannic wines or really fruity ones with plenty of acidity. Petite Sirah, of which I am a closet fan, gives both. This particular bottle showed off some of the prettiest purple hues in the glass, a beautiful sight. On the nose, tremendous waves of blueberry fruit and a somewhat exciting alcohol component. I was ready to pair the wine with our dinner. Crescendoes of blueberry and blackberry came rushing over my palate with an extremely fine grained set of tannins. I was looking forward to some slightly more edgy tannins to cut the fat, but instead I was treated to a healthy dose of acidity. The combination was magical. Instead of the mouth-puckering tannins sorting the beef out, I was treated to a more austere approach with the acidity making up for the backbone. Secondary flavors of stone and bell peppers added to the treat. Petite Sirah is an amazing varietal, not everyones cuppah. It is bracing, tannic, acidic and needs to made well. It offers black and blue fruit, big tannins and an a bright acidity. It does not resemble Syrah at the least. Give it a try, you may love it….. For $30, this is a great effort for a nice steak dinner and worthy of 91 points and 4 star in my book. Salut….

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Caves Saint-Pierre Châteauneuf-du-Pape La Mitre 2010

21 Saturday Sep 2013

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A basic CDP, with straightforward fruit of Black Cherry, Earth, Green Pepper and Stones.  A razor minerality and some fine grained tannins bring structure.  A decent level of acidity balance the package, yet I am not feeling the love.  I tried the bottle straight from the opening, and then poured it through the Vinturi for the second glass.  It came across smoother and more fruity, which speaks well for aerating this bottle.  It could probably use 2-3 years in the cellar and should last until 2018.  I opened it for a Roast Beef dinner, figuring it would have the right tannins to sort out the beef and horseradish.  I was right.  89 points, and 3 stars for this $54 offering of 60% Grenache, balanced with Mourvedre, Cinsault and Syrah.  Salut…

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Apothic Red Winemaker’s Blend 2011

15 Sunday Sep 2013

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I am going to do something completely different today.  I am re-tasting the Apothic Red which I despised back in May of last year.  One of the primary reasons for this tasting is  to calibrate my palate.  Right after I tasted this wine, hated it and wrote about, the Big Man himself proclaimed it to be his ‘wine of the day’.  Imagine what a schmuck I felt.  Anyway, that was last year and it was the 2010 vintage. I have the 2011 vintage and am ready to try it again.  This time, I am going to write about it as I am drinking it.  Here we go……

Dark purple in the glass, there appears to be some effervescence.  (That is not a good thing by the way.)

On the nose, that Zinfandel smell of candy again.  Not liking….

My first impression is…. …. …  Candy.  Again with the sickly sweet, overdone sugar water.  This is a wine that will be loved by newb’s.  It is sweet, lacks structure, has no tannins and is off balance with the acidity.  I cannot recommend this wine, to anyone.  A blend of Zinfandel, Merlot, Syrah and Cabernet Sauvignon that lacks any fruit characteristics.

Dear Mr P.  I disagree with your thoughts about this wine.  It is junk and should not be on shelves.  The end.  Your thoughts?

 

For $14, there are millions of other wines that are delicious.  1 star and 80 points (I’m being generous).

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De Martino Estate Merlot 2010

15 Sunday Sep 2013

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Sticking with Chilean Merlot, this one was the third in our tasting and runs at about $14.  A more concentrated wine, with plum and raspberry notes melding with some nice oak and spice.  Very easy to drink, it had the right balance of acidity and a nice tannin framework.  The finish was decent and enticed me to take another sip.  This wine is drinking well now and can be short-term cellared.  I would drink this with pasta, perhaps veal chops and definitely some shish kebabs.  4 stars and 88 points.  Salut….

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Valle Dorado Merlot 2011

15 Sunday Sep 2013

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From the Echeverria winery comes this Chilean Merlot priced at around $10.  Very Merlot-like and typical of the region.  Plummy, with currants and oak in the nose and  palate.  Not very complex, but for the price it’s a nice wine.  Good structure and easy to drink.  This was our second bottle in the tasting and was far better than the first.  I would drink this wine casually, but can’t seem to pinpoint an ideal pairing.  If you enjoy Merlot, try it.  85 points and 3 stars.

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Golden Triangle Shiraz 2009

15 Sunday Sep 2013

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A friend brought this wine to the table, straight from her visit to South Africa.  A Shiraz from the Stellenbosch region that I found out costs about $9.  We were sitting outside on a warm humid evening in very low light so I could not really see the color.  The nose was very impressive: layers of plum, oak, spice and blueberry.  Alas, very thin and watery on the palate.  A huge disappointment as I was relishing the flavors I had already smelt.  I coaxed the plum and berry components out, and managed to enjoy the wine once I got over the weight.  The overall impression was that this could have been a really good wine, the acidity, balance and tannins were all lined up.   2 stars and 82 points.

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Domaine du Grand Tinel Châteauneuf-du-Pape 2010

11 Wednesday Sep 2013

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In 1999 we moved to England, where I started to ‘collect’ wines, and had my first CDP.  I always think of this region as unique, rich, rewarding and expensive.  Inflation has not been kind to the consumers of Châteauneuf, it’s prices going higher and higher by the vintage as the region gains accolades from ‘The Big Man’ which adds dollars to the entry fee, (mind you the quality is also coming up).  The region was named after the Pope’s New Castle, and allows seven grapes to be blended with the main Grenache varietal.  Think Cinsault, Mourvedre, Syrah and more.  Makes my mouth water just listing them.

Back to the wine at hand.  Dark purple in the glass and a nose of blackberry meets rock.  Yup, rock.  This wine has a minerality that took a while to pick up.  The palate comes across as young, yet ready to play… with Blackcurrants, stone and a green pepper component.  Very smooth tannins are built for aging yet are allowing drinkability right now if you decant/aerate (which I did).  The structure of this wine is really good, with acidity balancing the alcohol, which alarmed me initially.  This particular wine is running at 15%.  It’s main backbone coming from 80% Grenache with 18% Syrah smoothing it out and 2% Mourvedre which no doubt adds the tannic and alcohol components.  The minerality and stone notes no doubt coming from the terroir, which consists of galettes or round stones.  These galettes help maintain the day’s heat and help mold the flavors of the wines and give them that uniqueness.

For about $32, you are getting a lower priced CDP that drinks well, has good cellaring potential and is a good introduction into the region if you have never forayed there.  91 points and 4 stars.  Salut….

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El Bombero Cariñena 2008

10 Tuesday Sep 2013

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A hefty Grenache from Spain that will hide it’s 15% alcohol very well until – boom.  Dark purple in the glass, it exuded blackberry and vanilla on the nose.  My initial impression was the smoothness of the fruit, coupled with the drying tannins.  It is likely this wine has peaked, but in doing so it has offered berry and a mint component plus some red fruits, perhaps strawberry on the palate.  Good balance, but somewhat short on the fruit finish.  My friend brought this over so I had to do a search- perhaps $10 per bottle.  86 points, but in its day this would have been a 4 star wine.  Drink up if you have any.  Salut….

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