|
|
Wine Tasting Notes
Most Recent Tasting notes:
|
2006 Redwood Creek California Merlot $8 Score: 84.0 This is a simple wine with a subdued nose, yet concentrated black cherry and plum fruit on the palate. It shows supple tannins on the mid-palate, decent balance and a chalky finish. It's better balanced than you would expect from this price point. It's a good quaff for casual dining -- the perfect pizza wine. |
|
2005 Ghost Pines Winemaker's Blend 60% Napa County, 40% Sonoma County Merlot $23 Score: 93.0 I've had a lot of wines of cult status and four times the price that are not as good as this outstanding debut. Ghost Pines is a second label of Louis M. Martini, reserved for wines of multiple AVAs (American Viticultural Areas), in this case Napa and Sonoma, which is actually nothing new for Louis Martini, a Napa winery that has owned vineyards in Sonoma and Lake County for decades. The fruit is explosive -- cherries, blackberries and plum with an integrated layer of spice (cinnamon, clove, vanilla, fennel), superb balance, contained tannin, and great vibrancy that resonates from the nose through to the long, satisfying finish. This is an absolute steal at $23. Lay in a case. |
|
Laurent Perrier, Champagne Cuvée Brut Rosé $75 Score: 93.0 Beautifully proportioned and contained. With a color between copper and cooked salmon, the flavors are an intermingling of minerality, yeast autolysis and fresh strawberry. The bead is tiny and persistent without being frothy, and lends a roundness to the palate to balance the crisp acidity. The impression is dry right through to the very tail end of the finish when a hint of sweet raspberry pops through. A lovely wine. |
|
2007 Valley of the Moon, Unoaked, Russian River Valley, Chardonnay $16 Score: 93.0 For years California Chardonnays have been criticized for being over-oaked. Now, as consumers have embraced unoaked Sauvignon Blanc and Pinot Gris/Grigio, a few California producers are presenting examples of Chardonnay without oak ageing. It's not really a new concept, but consumers seem ready to accept lighter, more elegant Chardonnays. Valley of the Moon's press release suggests the unoaked rendition "invites casual enjoyment," but I'd say it invites the opportunity to experience the unmasked fruit of Chardonnay grapes. This version presents a light and lively blend of flavors reminiscent of fine French Chablis -- tart apple and citrus flavors, substantial minerality and crisp acidity that carry the finish for minutes. It's a superb palate cleanser, perfect with shellfish and poultry (especially duck). |
|
2006 Redwood Creek Provincia di Pavia Pinot Noir $8 Score: 86.0 Redwood Creek is an E&J Gallo label, and in case you haven't been watching lately these peripheral labels are putting out some amazingly good wine for the price point. This one is even more unusual, as it's sourced from Italy. It's a light bodied wine with little tannin, light varietal character (i.e. cherry and floral notes typical of Pinot), nice silky texture, and a dried fruit and mineral finish of moderate length. It also exhibits an indescribable sense of place -- it just tastes Italian. You won't find great depth or complexity here, but it's a pleasant quaff for $8. |
|
2006 Redwood Creek California Chardonnay $8 Score: 90.0 Don't let the price fool you; Redwood Creek's 2006 Chardonnay is worth twice the price. At this price point you can't expect much varietal character or complexity, yet this is a superbly made wine that reminds me in some ways of a Spanish Albariño with more body. It's a blend of Chardonnay (87%) with lesser amounts of Chenin Blanc, Viognier and various other white varieties, but the Chardonnay shows through with a hint of lemon-chiffon wrapped around a citrus peel core and fine minerality through the finish. There's no oak here, so the fruit stands on its own. It's a beautiful food wine, particularly with spicy Asian or cajun fare, and it's a bargain to boot. |
|
2006 Vine Cliff Los Carneros, Chardonnay $36 Score: 88.0 Except for the higher alcohol levels, Vine Cliff wines are old-fashioned in a style epitomized by Chalone. This Chardonnay, for instance, displays some of the oxidative qualities that were prevalent in the early 1980s, as well as heavier apricot flavors and thick body, as opposed to the more citrusy, acidic and minerally Chardonnays of the moment. Some will prefer this style. While I prefer more delicate wines, this is a good example of the older style. Serve well-chilled. |
|
2004 Pietra Santa Cienega Valley Merlot $15 Score: 91.0 Cienega Valley is a unique appellation that produced Almaden wines in the 1960s and '70s. Pietra Santa continues the tradition with this complex Merlot that displays a core of plum and black cherry fruit, infused with basil and sage. At 14.5% it's at the top end of acceptable alcohol, but it gives a balanced impression. Its supple tannins make it easy to drink now, but it's structured for extended aging if you'd like to give it another decade in your cellar. |
|
2006 Pietra Santa Central Coast, Chardonnay $15 Score: 92.0 Fresh bartlett pear, fig and a brush of lemon, hung on a lovely frame of firm acidity to give it structure and vibrancy, and silky texture to caress the tongue. Light mineral and citrus notes carry the finish. Excellent value. |
|
2006 Sobon Estate Old Vines Amador County Zinfandel $14 Score: 88.0 Not as spicy as I'd expect from an "old vines" zin, but it was nonetheless a hit with okur tasting panel, whose members commented on its silky texture, and on its forward blackberry-plum flavors. |
|
2006 Sobon Estate Rocky Top, Amador County Zinfandel $17 Score: 89.0 A bit heavier and more concentrated than Cougar Hill, Rocky Top vineyard displays the darker fruit flavors of blackberry and blueberry, coupled with dark chocolate. It's almost dessert-like in its concentration, yet it will still pair nicely with barbecue, lasagna and enchiladas. |
|
2006 Sobon Estate Cougar Hill, Amador County Zinfandel $17 Score: 88.0 While it's obviously a serious wine showing concentration of raspberry fruit and supple tannins, it does come across as excessively alcoholic, despite a claim of 14.2% on the label. If you disregard its slightly unbalanced character, it does have a lot of charm, shows a touch of licorice and vanilla from the oak aging, as well as good length. So we advise you buy it, but drink it soon and pair with dinner or cheese. |
|
2006 Red Rock California Merlot Reserve $12 Score: 83.0 This E&J Gallo brand was only available in restaurants until the '06 vintage. It's a light bodied red with raspberry overtones and modest tannin. You won't find complexity (or any oak character, for that matter), but there is elegance in its simplicity, balance and structure, making it any easy match at the table, and a bargain at $12. |
|
2005 Rutherford Ranch Napa Valley Merlot $38 Score: 93.0 You'll love this super elegant, perfectly balanced Merlot showing flavors of blueberry, cherry, black truffles and bittersweet chocolate, with a silky mouthfeel. A reasonable 13.5% alcohol. |
|
2007 Round Hill Oak Free California Chardonnay $9 Score: 87.0 With no oak ageing this Chardonnay is crisp and vibrant, medium bodied, and full of green apples and tart lemon flavors with a hint of apricot. A fine aperitif and food wine, it will pair with a wide variety of seafood, poultry, pork or pasta. The alcohol is a reasonable 13.2%. A bargain at $9. |