After a rough start to the night (not one, but two broken wine glasses, in separate incidents), I finally got to taste my bottle of La Vuelta Torrontes 2010, from Mendoza Argentina.
Torrontes is a grape that grows only in Argentina and Uraquay. There is some belief that it is related to Gewurztraminer, and based on the taste, I think that is possible. But it's definitely got its own taste.
The nose is strong, with notes of peach, lime, and orange blossom (and maybe a hint of honeysuckle, but I didn't pick that up on the second glass). Nice and crisp, it has a citrus lemon/lime quality, mixed with a little melon flavor. The finish is very clean and refreshing. Overall, very well balanced, with great fruit, but not overpowering the way some Torrontes can get. I think this is my favorite Torrontes, although there are a couple of 2010 bottles that I haven't yet tried.
This is a great warm weather quaffing wine, and also makes a great cocktail wine with cheese or other light foods. Would probably work very well on a picnic or with other light meals.
At only $8-9, highly recommended
Monday, February 21, 2011
Sunday, February 20, 2011
Courtney Benham Napa Cab 2009
Courtney Benham is the owner of the Martin Ray winery, and along with his brother Derek, founded the Blackstone winery in the 1970s (which they sold in the 90s).
Besides producing the Martin Ray and Angeline lines of wines, Courtney also likes to dabble with wines, which he often sells under his own name. Sometimes, these are experimental wines, or something made from a one-time sourcing of grapes, or often, a wine that he's purchased at a great price from another winery (unlike most wineries, he has good cash flow; when a winery needs to sell some juice for a quick buck, he'll often step in to take advantage of the situation).
Typically, his Napa cabs are wines that are actually made somewhere else, sometimes blended with a bit of his own wine. As such, while always of pretty good quality, they vary greatly from one year to the next. So I'm always anxious to try out a new vintage.
Sadly, the 2009 was a little bit of a disappointment. It is good, with nice flavors of raspberry, currant, and just a hint of vanilla and spice. The problem is that, even though its 14.5% alcohol level isn't that high by modern standards, it doesn't quite handle it, and the alcohol shows through on the nose and mid-palate to a slight degree. Not enough to make it unpleasant to drink, but enough to keep it out of the "exceptional" category. If the price were lower, I would say to buy this, but with a $20 price point, I think that is at best average, and there are other better wines for the same price or lower.
I gave it a score of 84, with points off for balance due to the alcohol being obvious
Not recommended
However, if you happen to see any bottles of his 2008 Napa Cab, snap them up. That vintage was excellent.
Besides producing the Martin Ray and Angeline lines of wines, Courtney also likes to dabble with wines, which he often sells under his own name. Sometimes, these are experimental wines, or something made from a one-time sourcing of grapes, or often, a wine that he's purchased at a great price from another winery (unlike most wineries, he has good cash flow; when a winery needs to sell some juice for a quick buck, he'll often step in to take advantage of the situation).
Typically, his Napa cabs are wines that are actually made somewhere else, sometimes blended with a bit of his own wine. As such, while always of pretty good quality, they vary greatly from one year to the next. So I'm always anxious to try out a new vintage.
Sadly, the 2009 was a little bit of a disappointment. It is good, with nice flavors of raspberry, currant, and just a hint of vanilla and spice. The problem is that, even though its 14.5% alcohol level isn't that high by modern standards, it doesn't quite handle it, and the alcohol shows through on the nose and mid-palate to a slight degree. Not enough to make it unpleasant to drink, but enough to keep it out of the "exceptional" category. If the price were lower, I would say to buy this, but with a $20 price point, I think that is at best average, and there are other better wines for the same price or lower.
I gave it a score of 84, with points off for balance due to the alcohol being obvious
Not recommended
However, if you happen to see any bottles of his 2008 Napa Cab, snap them up. That vintage was excellent.
Friday, February 18, 2011
Sobon Estates Old Vine Zinfandel 2009
I have long been a fan of good Zinfandel wines (that's red zins; not the sickly sweet pink "white" zinfandel), and since discovering the wines of Paul Sobon, the Sobon Estates wines have been among my favorite ones.
The 2009 Old Vines from Amador County is no exception. Very rich fruit flavors of raspberry and blackberry, with ample vanilla and just a hint of spice. Fairly full bodied, enough that it easily handles the 14.9% alcohol level, but a little lighter than some of the biggest zins, and not at all over-whelming.
Great wine by itself; it was a little much with the chicken I had tonight (which was not a surprise; I just didn't have anything better to choose from). It would be great with burgers off the grill, or for a cocktail party, as it will go with, or at least not clash with, just about anything.
I gave it 87 points.
At $12, Highly recommended.
The 2009 Old Vines from Amador County is no exception. Very rich fruit flavors of raspberry and blackberry, with ample vanilla and just a hint of spice. Fairly full bodied, enough that it easily handles the 14.9% alcohol level, but a little lighter than some of the biggest zins, and not at all over-whelming.
Great wine by itself; it was a little much with the chicken I had tonight (which was not a surprise; I just didn't have anything better to choose from). It would be great with burgers off the grill, or for a cocktail party, as it will go with, or at least not clash with, just about anything.
I gave it 87 points.
At $12, Highly recommended.
Thursday, February 17, 2011
Diamond Knot Brown Ale
Diamond Knot is a Washington state brewery that's been around since 1994, but I only recently heard of them. While they have several beers, I decided that I was in the mood for something a little lighter than the stouts I've been drinking recently, so for $5 for a bomber, I decided to try the Brown Ale.
This is a pretty typical west-coast style brown ale. Deep amber in color, with a slight haze to it, but only a very light trace of a head. There's a slight hint of cocoa on the nose, but it doesn't show up on the palate, which has a slight maltiness but a strong dose of citrus (probably Cascade hops) and a bit of pine-resin (Centenial?). The finish lingers with a mild bitterness that would probably be very good with a juicy burger or other food, but is less than ideal for drinking by itself.
I'm not a huge fan of many west-coast beers, having gotten burned out on over-hopped creations while I lived out west. I probably won't buy this again, but I won't turn one down if offered, either. I prefer it over many of the other west coast beers I've had, as it's less hoppy than similar beers from breweries like Rogue or Pike. But I still wish it had a little more maltiness to it.
If you like west coast style beers but are looking for something a little less intense, then this beer is worth trying. Otherwise, it's not special enough to seek out.
This is a pretty typical west-coast style brown ale. Deep amber in color, with a slight haze to it, but only a very light trace of a head. There's a slight hint of cocoa on the nose, but it doesn't show up on the palate, which has a slight maltiness but a strong dose of citrus (probably Cascade hops) and a bit of pine-resin (Centenial?). The finish lingers with a mild bitterness that would probably be very good with a juicy burger or other food, but is less than ideal for drinking by itself.
I'm not a huge fan of many west-coast beers, having gotten burned out on over-hopped creations while I lived out west. I probably won't buy this again, but I won't turn one down if offered, either. I prefer it over many of the other west coast beers I've had, as it's less hoppy than similar beers from breweries like Rogue or Pike. But I still wish it had a little more maltiness to it.
If you like west coast style beers but are looking for something a little less intense, then this beer is worth trying. Otherwise, it's not special enough to seek out.
Saturday, February 12, 2011
Heresy
Heresy is a limited release Oak barrel aged Imperial stout from Weyerbacher. In the past, I've had mixed luck with oak-aged beers; many of them simply can't stand up to the oak, and end up being harsh and unbalanced. That is not a problem with the Heresy. This is one of the most insanely intense beers I've run across recently.
The nose has a strong aroma of dark chocolate, with hints of coffee, and a little vanilla. One sip is enough to make you sit up and take notice; a very slight sweetness up front tempers the intense roasted flavors, and the oak definitely shows through, but doesn't overpower. Then the dryness of the oak and the slight hoppiness kick in to give a long dry finish, with some almost caramel like overtones.
The label states that the alcohol content is 8%. I would have guessed a little higher to have the intensity that this beer has. A true sipping beer, as I write this I've been drinking this beer for over an hour, and I'm not quite finished. Makes the nearly $4 pricetag seem quite reasonable.
Highly recommended to those who enjoy huge intense (but not overly hoppy) beers, especially those who consider Guinness a "light" beer. If you prefer your beers lighter and thirst quenching, then avoid this one. This is more like a meal in a glass.
The nose has a strong aroma of dark chocolate, with hints of coffee, and a little vanilla. One sip is enough to make you sit up and take notice; a very slight sweetness up front tempers the intense roasted flavors, and the oak definitely shows through, but doesn't overpower. Then the dryness of the oak and the slight hoppiness kick in to give a long dry finish, with some almost caramel like overtones.
The label states that the alcohol content is 8%. I would have guessed a little higher to have the intensity that this beer has. A true sipping beer, as I write this I've been drinking this beer for over an hour, and I'm not quite finished. Makes the nearly $4 pricetag seem quite reasonable.
Highly recommended to those who enjoy huge intense (but not overly hoppy) beers, especially those who consider Guinness a "light" beer. If you prefer your beers lighter and thirst quenching, then avoid this one. This is more like a meal in a glass.
Thursday, February 10, 2011
Saladini Pilastri
In honor of "National Pizza Day", I had a pizza for dinner, and figured it was a good time to open a bottle of Italian wine. On tap for tonight was Saladini Pilastri Vigna Monteprandone, a Rosso Piceno Superiore, which is from the Marche area in Italy (on the east coast, farther south than Tuscany, but farther north than Rome). Rosso Piceno is a blend of Sangiovese (the main grape of Chianti) and Montepulciano (the grape, not the city; where they grow Sangiovese, and not Montepulciano).
This is a typically dry Italian red wine. In fact, a little too dry to work well with the cheese pizza I had for dinner. It came across a little tart, and frankly harsh. I think this was a combination of not letting it breath, and simply not being a good match for the pizza.
After letting it sit and breath for about an hour, it opened up with much more fruit. Still quite dry, the flavors of cherry and plum present themselves slowly, rather than hitting you over the head the way so many California wines do. The finish is equally dry, with a little earthiness and a hint of dried fruit. Quite pleasant, even if not what I expected.
Pizza needs a slightly sweeter or fruitier wine; my favorite is a Valpolicello or Valpolicello Ripasso, but I think this would work great with a juicy steak. With the earthiness, I suspect it would be a good match to venison, but it's a combination I haven't tried (if you want to serve me some venison, I'll be happy to bring along a bottle!)
Overall, very nice, although I suspect too dry for many people. Certainly more of a food wine than a cocktail wine, as to be expected for an Old World wine. And since it's from an area that's not so well known, and about $13, it represents a great value compared to comparable quality wines from Chianti, Montepulciano, or Barolo.
Recommended, if you're having a hearty meal.
This is a typically dry Italian red wine. In fact, a little too dry to work well with the cheese pizza I had for dinner. It came across a little tart, and frankly harsh. I think this was a combination of not letting it breath, and simply not being a good match for the pizza.
After letting it sit and breath for about an hour, it opened up with much more fruit. Still quite dry, the flavors of cherry and plum present themselves slowly, rather than hitting you over the head the way so many California wines do. The finish is equally dry, with a little earthiness and a hint of dried fruit. Quite pleasant, even if not what I expected.
Pizza needs a slightly sweeter or fruitier wine; my favorite is a Valpolicello or Valpolicello Ripasso, but I think this would work great with a juicy steak. With the earthiness, I suspect it would be a good match to venison, but it's a combination I haven't tried (if you want to serve me some venison, I'll be happy to bring along a bottle!)
Overall, very nice, although I suspect too dry for many people. Certainly more of a food wine than a cocktail wine, as to be expected for an Old World wine. And since it's from an area that's not so well known, and about $13, it represents a great value compared to comparable quality wines from Chianti, Montepulciano, or Barolo.
Recommended, if you're having a hearty meal.
Wednesday, February 2, 2011
A Tale of Two Whites
During the cold weather, I tend to drink more red wines than white. Tonight, in celebration of Punxsutawney Phil not seeing his shadow (and hence, an indication of an end to winter), I decided to open a bottle of white.
I chose a bottle of Angeline Russian River Valley Chardonnay 2009 ($13), a wine I've always enjoyed in the past. Well, the 2009 vintage is different; very light color and nose, with just a hint of pear and musk. On the palate, bits of pear and pineapple, and lacking the creaminess I've come to expect from Angeline. Really rather odd tasting, and not in a good way. It improved slightly as it warmed up, but not enough to enjoy drinking it.
So I opened a second bottle, this time River Road Reserve Russian River Valley Chardonnay ($15), again from 2009. I had tasted the regular bottling from River Road late last year, and was quite impressed with the 2009 vintage, so I had high hopes for this as well.
Thankfully, I was not let down for the second time in a night. The Reserve is quite rich, on the borderline of being full bodied, with pear, magnolia blossom, and a hint of minerality on the nose; and apple, peach, and a little lemon on the palate. Fairly dry, but with enough fruit to make it very pleasant, it works well on it's own, but should also do very well with foods like roast chicken. Also would be a great wine for a cocktail party, as it would work with most hors d'oeuvres.
Overall, I recommend the River Road Reserve. As for the Angeline, not recommended; spend the extra buck or two for the River Road.
I chose a bottle of Angeline Russian River Valley Chardonnay 2009 ($13), a wine I've always enjoyed in the past. Well, the 2009 vintage is different; very light color and nose, with just a hint of pear and musk. On the palate, bits of pear and pineapple, and lacking the creaminess I've come to expect from Angeline. Really rather odd tasting, and not in a good way. It improved slightly as it warmed up, but not enough to enjoy drinking it.
So I opened a second bottle, this time River Road Reserve Russian River Valley Chardonnay ($15), again from 2009. I had tasted the regular bottling from River Road late last year, and was quite impressed with the 2009 vintage, so I had high hopes for this as well.
Thankfully, I was not let down for the second time in a night. The Reserve is quite rich, on the borderline of being full bodied, with pear, magnolia blossom, and a hint of minerality on the nose; and apple, peach, and a little lemon on the palate. Fairly dry, but with enough fruit to make it very pleasant, it works well on it's own, but should also do very well with foods like roast chicken. Also would be a great wine for a cocktail party, as it would work with most hors d'oeuvres.
Overall, I recommend the River Road Reserve. As for the Angeline, not recommended; spend the extra buck or two for the River Road.
Tuesday, February 1, 2011
Mallee Point Shiraz
Some nights, you just feel like drinking something that you don't have to think about. Tonight is one of those nights. So I opened a bottle of Mallee Point Shiraz.
This is made by the Casella family of Australia, more famous for their [yellow tail] brand, which is made just for the US (if you find [yellow tail] in Australia, you know you're at a tourist joint; they imported it from the US). But the Mallee Point is much cleaner than the [yellow tail] wine; still simple, slightly sweet, not complex, but also not cloying the way the more famous wine is. Nothing special, but at $6/bottle, very affordable and drinkable.
According to Mark Casella, the Mallee Point wines are aimed a younger audience than the [yellow tail] wines, which is why they are sealed with a screw-cap. Maybe that's why I think they're better. ;-)
Overall, you'll never mistake this for a $20 bottle. But in the very low price range, this is one of the better wines I've run across.
This is made by the Casella family of Australia, more famous for their [yellow tail] brand, which is made just for the US (if you find [yellow tail] in Australia, you know you're at a tourist joint; they imported it from the US). But the Mallee Point is much cleaner than the [yellow tail] wine; still simple, slightly sweet, not complex, but also not cloying the way the more famous wine is. Nothing special, but at $6/bottle, very affordable and drinkable.
According to Mark Casella, the Mallee Point wines are aimed a younger audience than the [yellow tail] wines, which is why they are sealed with a screw-cap. Maybe that's why I think they're better. ;-)
Overall, you'll never mistake this for a $20 bottle. But in the very low price range, this is one of the better wines I've run across.
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