Category Archives: Price: Over 20 bucks

Price: 11-15 bucks, Price: 16-20 bucks, Price: Over 20 bucks, Tasting Notes

Wines of Chile Terroir Master Class – Part 1: Sauvignon Blanc

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Recently, I participated in the Wines of Chile blogger tasting Terroir Master Class. Fred Dexheimer led the tasting from Chile while sitting with and chatting up the winemakers. We bloggers followed along via video, twitter and a chat tool. It was great fun.

There were 3 wines in each of 4 flights: Sauvignon Blanc, Pinot Noir, Carmenere and Cabernet Sauvignon.  I’ll focus on each flight in a separate post, starting today with Sauvignon Blanc.

Wine #1

Viña Casablanca ‘Nimbus’ Single Vineyard

Grapes: 100% Sauvignon Blanc

Appellation: Casablanca Valley

Vintage: 2012

Price: $13

Nose full of gravel and citrus. High acid, green apple palate with some floral/herbal notes ending with a long, flinty finish. New World sap, but the overall impression manages to feel elegant. This wine drank nicely for almost a week after being opened.

 

Wine #2

San Pedro ‘1865’ Single Vineyard

Grapes: 100% Sauvignon Blanc

Appellation: Leyda Valley

Vintage: 2011

Price: $19

The funk has arrived! Pungent, vegetal nose – like grapefruit squeezed over grilled asparagus. Distinctive, for sure, but not the most pleasant for me on this night. The palate is more appealing: full-bodied, rounded and almost creamy, but retaining Sauvignon Blanc’s crispness. The flavors are melony and spicy. Reactions from the live-chatting bloggers varied from wow to whoa. This one grew on me.

 

Wine #3

Casa Silva ‘Cool Coast’

Grapes: 100% Sauvignon Blanc

Appellation: Colchagua Valley

Vintage: 2011

Price: $25

Pineapple & lime on the nose with a chalky character. Racy and full on the palate, continuing the bright pineapple theme, complimented by a rocky minerality and long finish. This is more one-note than the others (it’s like a pineapple lightsaber), but it’s a great note.

 

Overall verdict:

A fun flight. Shows the wide range of styles of Sauvignon Blanc that can come from the varied Chilean terroirs. The winner for me was the Nimbus (and the best value at $13), but overall I continue to be impressed with what Chile is doing with this variety.

Stay tuned for the next three flights. And in the meantime, if you haven’t tried a Chilean Sauvignon Blanc in a while, give one a try and let me know what you think.

Price: Over 20 bucks, Tasting Notes

Napa Cab & Grilled Lamb

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I don’t drink a lot of Napa Cab. Always on the hunt for something more interesting, it doesn’t even cross my mind to look in that aisle when I’m at a wine shop. “Point me to the Ribeira Sacra, good sir.” But a bottle of Clos Pegase Cabernet Sauvignon 2007 Napa Valley was given to me recently and tonight seemed like a good night to open it.

Dinner was grilled leg of lamb, marinated in olive oil, garlic and rosemary – just the sort of meal that can rein in a big wine like this. And it turned out to be a great match. The Clos Pegase is big and tannic, rich with black fruit, dark chocolate, cedar and spice notes.  There’s even a minty note on the nose that I imagine pinch-hitting for the classic mint jelly that used to be served with lamb.

Overall, I enjoyed this wine. It’s very easy to like and a good reminder not to completely ignore categories of wine you’ve “moved past”. If nothing else, it’s a good reference point for your palate – and you just might remember why you used to drink it in the first place.

 

Price: Over 20 bucks, Tasting Notes

Where is Kokomo?

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Where is Kokomo? The Beach Boys made us all think there is some beautiful island named Kokomo somewhere in the vicinity of Aruba or Jamaica (“Ooo, I wanna take ya”), or Bermuda or the Bahamas (“come on, pretty mama”). Well, it ain’t true. They made it up. There is a real place named Kokomo, but it’s a factory town (Chrysler & Delphi) in Indiana. Why do I know this? My wife is from this little burg, and let me tell you – it’s no tropical island.

So why the hell am I talking about Kokomo? Well, it turns out there is a winery by that name as well. It’s not in Indiana; rather it’s a Sonoma-based winery started by a guy from Kokomo, Indiana. These fine folks sent me a couple of bottles of their wine to try. Would they smell of tanning lotion or transmission fluid? Hopefully neither. Let’s check them out.

Kokomo Petite Sirah Dry Creek Valley 2008

Tasting notes: Some enticing woodsy, herbal scents get my attention on the nose. The palate delivers inky dark berry and plum fruit (like a pen leaked in your mouth). It’s a little warm and a little oaky, but not a fruit bomb. There is a tightly-wound, metallic core and a slightly sinister quality.

Overall impression: An intriguing wine that I enjoyed drinking and contemplating. B+

Price: $25-30

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Kokomo Zinfandel Sonoma County 2008

Tasting notes: A bold, fruity nose, accented by woodsmoke aromas. On the palate, the wine brings dark berry and plum flavors similar to the Petite Sirah, but sweeter and riper. The mouthfeel is polished and almost plush. A bit of peach skin and a light peppery bite at the end add interest.

Overall impression: If you like ‘em fruit-forward, I think this is a bottle you’d like. It’s well-made and shows off some character. B/B-

Price: $25-30

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I found the Petite Sirah a bit more compelling, but both are good wines. So if you want to get away from it all … Kokomo may be just the getaway you need.

Disclosure: The wines were provided to me as press samples by the winery.

 

Price: Over 20 bucks, Tasting Notes

M. Chapoutier Domaine de Bila-Haut ‘Occultum Lapidem’ 2007

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Price: Around $25

Image link: http://www.flickr.com/photos/dobrych/4552132976/

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I’m experimenting with this new review format. I thought it would be cool to take the free association image I would typically insert in a post and give it more impact by making it the primary feature, with the text for bottle info (just the basics) and my tasting notes layered on top. I’m digging it, but let me know what you think.

Cheers!

Jim

Price: Over 20 bucks, Tasting Notes

Wine Guerrilla Forchini Vineyard DCV Zin 2008

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“Rising from the Sonoma terroir like the weathered fists of century-old men, these 100+ year old vines have seen history.” [from the winery’s website]

Producer: Wine Guerrilla

Grapes: A field blend (yay!) of around 95% Zin and the rest a mix of Carignan, Petite Sirah, Alicante Bouchet.

Appellation: Dry Creek Valley (AVA, California)

Vineyard: Forchini Vineyard

Vintage: 2008

Winemaking: No info on the website, so let’s make shit up: The grapes were press by the feet of Swedish supermodels and the juice was then filtered through the Shroud of Turin.

Alcohol: 15.7% (!)

Price: $30

Tasting notes: A big rich, spicy noseful of dark fruit. Also (and I know how pretentious this sounds), there’s something that reminds me the smell after a rainfall. Definitely can smell the 15.7%. The heat’s there on the palate as well, distracting from the dark berry flavors.

Overall impression: This one is too hot (and a little one note) for me. C+

Free association:

“Imagine what I would have done with my fire breathing fists.” – Charlie Sheen

Image credit: ~Zeigler

More info:

This bottle was provided as a press sample from the winery.

Wine Enthusiast rated this wine an 84, noting the excessive heat.

Price: 11-15 bucks, Price: 16-20 bucks, Price: Over 20 bucks, Tasting Notes

#ChileBlends Tasting

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Way back in October, Wines of Chile held a twitter tasting of red blends from Chile (hashtag: #ChileBlends). I had signed up for the tasting and received the wine, but a family emergency kept me from being able to participate on the night of the event. That also coincided with this blog going into a coma for several months. But I tasted the wines and made my notes and am finally posting my comments.

Chile made it’s mark on the US wine scene via inexpensive varietal wines, mainly cabernet, merlot and chardonnay back in the mid-1990s. While I knew things had moved on from that, I figured most of these blends would stay in the Bordeaux mold, with various combinations of cab, merlot, carmenere, and a bit of cab franc and petite verdot here and there. So I was pleasantly surprised by the range of grapes and some unusual combinations. Syrah is a trendy grape in Chile these days and a few of these add that Rhone grape to the Bordeaux blends. A couple include mourvèdre, my favorite grape. One makes use of old-vines, dry-farmed carignan, a hidden treasure of Chile’s. One even mixes syrah, merlot and pinot noir (though this was my least favorite of the lineup).

Below are my notes and free associations. They are in order from my favorite (bonus: it’s also the least expensive) to my least favorite. (Interestingly, my least favorite bottles all had a preponderance of Syrah.)

Montes Limited Selection Cabernet Sauvignon Carmenere 2008 Colchagua Valley ($15)

70% Cabernet Sauvignon, 30% Carmenere

A beautiful dark fruit nose, with just-right green/herbal notes. The palate has an iron minerality at the core, draped with black cherry and blackberry flavors, ripe tannins and a touch of creamy caramel. It finishes clean and minty. This wine has a take-another-sip quality that’s singing to me. It’s just plain delicious and a great value at $15.  A-

Free association:

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Hacienda Araucano Clos de Lolol 2008 Colchagua Valley ($23)

31% Syrah,29% Cabernet Franc, 23% Cabernet Sauvignon, 17% Carmenere

At first taste, I thought “This is the one I’m not gonna like.”  But it started to appeal to me with time; kinda like Cougartown. The nose is like walking around the Christmas tree tent picking out your overpriced Douglas fir — including the whiffs of cigarette smoke from the carnie working there. A little mint too. Dry and tannic in the mouth with a tight core of sultry black fruit (it is a 2008) and tobacco. A wine worth spending an evening with. B+

Free association:

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Valdivieso Eclat 2005 Maule Valley ($27)

56% Carignan, 24% Mourvèdre, 20% Syrah

There is a wildness to the smoky cherry nose with it’s green/vegetal notes and leather. On the palate it is medium-bodied and smooth-textured, with chocolate and black cherry flavors. Finishes cool. Nice wine. B

Free association:

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Estampa Gold Assemblage Carmenere 2008 Colchagua Valley ($22)

57% Carmenere, 23% Cabernet Sauvignon, 12% Cabernet Franc, 8% Petit Verdot

Pretty herbal and sandalwood notes highlight the fresh red fruit on the nose. The palate’s plummy/blueberry flavors feel controlled and precise, not overblown. A dry, woody, tannic finish. B

Free association:

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Emiliana Coyam 2007 Colchagua Valley ($29)

38% Syrah, 21% Cabernet Sauvignon, 21% Carmenere, 17% Merlot, 2% Petit Verdot, 1% Mourvèdre

Dynamite nose of berries and a touch of cocoa/chocolate on a frame of crushed rock. On the palate, the dark berry fruit is a bit reserved behind the prominent woodiness. It’s nicely smooth-textured at the beginning then turns a bit coarse, with barky/woody tannins and a minty finish. The palate doesn’t pay off the promise of the nose, but a pleasant bottle. B-

Free association:

Image credit: seaan via Flickr

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Maquis Lien 2006 Colchagua Valley ($19)

42% Syrah, 30% Carmenere, 12% Cabernet Franc, 9% Petit Verdot, 7% Malbec

Interesting nose of modest red fruit with fresh green pepper (more the white inner stuff than the green outside) and a metal and slightly saline quality. On the palate, the initial blueberry fruit is polished, but the wine tightens up and gets quite woody and grippy. It finishes with some black pepper spice (though a touch hot). The wine improves after a few hours open, but overall it’s not a favorite. B-/C+

Free association:

Image via Accidental Mysteries

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Casa del Bosque Gran Estate Selection Private Reserve 2007 Casablanca Valley ($50)

61% Syrah, 26% Merlot, 13% Pinot Noir

As the last wine in the lineup, and the most expensive, I had high hopes. (I should know better about price/quality expectations, but it’s a hard bias to shake.) The wine is dense & figgy, but I found the fruit to come across as “overcooked” and it finishes hot (despite only 14.4% on the label). It feels like there is some interesting complexity hiding in there, but it’s been stamped out. C+

Free association:

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Additional Notes:

I misplaced my notes on the De Martino Single Vineyard Old Bush Vines “Las Cruces” 2006 Cachapoal Valley ($45), 66% Malbec, 34% Carmenere, which was also a part of this tasting. My apologies to the good folks at Wines of Chile. I suck.

Other blogger posts on this tasting at drinknectar , cheapwineratings and 1winedude.

Price: Over 20 bucks, Tasting Notes

Oddball Wine of the Week: Niellucciu

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When I saw “Niellucciu” named as the grape on the back label — which looks to me more like a Scrabble rack than any grape variety I’d ever hear of — I bought first and asked questions later. Back home, Oz Clarke’s Grapes and Wines — a must-own book in my opinion — revealed to me that Niellucciu is a Corsican grape that’s identical to Sangiovese. Well, okay, so not a new grape to me. But French Sangiovese and the unusual synonym qualifies it for Oddball Wine of the Week. Let’s check it out.

Clos Teddi 2006 Patrimonio

Producer: Clos Teddi

Grapes: 100% Niellucciu (Sangiovese) – hear it pronounced here

Appellation: Patrimonio (AOC, France) – the first AOC in Corsica

Vineyards: 25-35 year old vines in “granitique” sand in the Agriates desert. Farmed organically.

Vintage: 2006

Winemaking: 12 months in tank before bottling

Alcohol: 13%

Price: I paid $21.37 at Spec’s in Austin

Tasting notes: Starts with a stout Old World funk. Meaty. Savory. Sweaty. But with a very nice sweet strawberry note at the core. On the palate, it’s medium-bodied with more red fruit flavors and a tannic, plum skin note. Dry finish.

Overall impression: I enjoyed this quite a bit. That strawberry note on the nose really made this one for me. If you see it, give it a try. B

Free association:

Price: Over 20 bucks, Tasting Notes

Mourvèdre Monday #22: Domaine La Suffrène 2005 Bandol

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I’ve been meaning to devote more attention to Bandol in the Mourvèdre Monday series. Bandol, after all, is the only appellation in France where Mourvèdre is the top dog grape (it must be a minimum of 50% of the blend).

So I was very excited when I was recently followed on Twitter by @BandolWines and subsequently discovered that they’re a Bandol importer based in nearby Houston. Soon after we connected via Twitter, I got the chance to meet Amine Matta, who was pouring three wines from Domain La Suffrene at the Austin Wine Merchant: a fresh, crisp appley white (from Clairette and Ugni Blanc), a nice minerally rosé and the red reviewed below. (Tasting notes based on a full bottle I purchased and drank later.) I’m looking forward to tasting through the as much of their portfolio as I can eventually!

Domaine La Suffrène 2005 Bandol

Producer: Domaine La Suffrène

Grapes: 55% Mourvèdre, 20% Grenache, 15% Cinsault, 10% old-vine Carignan

Appellation: Bandol (AOC, France)

Vineyards: “sandy-silt-laden, calcareous and clay” soils

Vintage: 2005

Winemaking: 18 months in oak (% new unknown)

Alcohol: I failed to note it.

Price: I paid around $30 at Austin Wine Merchant

Tasting notes: On the nose, there is a spicy, black pepper layer on top of the red fruit (berries and maybe some plum). A definite whiff of horse stable on the nose, but a nice clean horse stable, like the ones with the clydesdales at Busch Gardens and SeaWorld. On the palate, it has good dark fruit, but it’s strength for me is in its leathery, savory, earthy qualities. A wine for contemplation, not quaffing.

Overall impression: A real winner for me. B+

Free association: I picture Dumbledore drinking this in his office after a long day battling office politics at Hogwarts.

Price: Over 20 bucks, Tasting Notes

Mourvèdre Monday #15 (for WBW #69) – Anglim

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This is a special Wednesday edition of my yearlong Mourvèdre Monday series. I was very excited to see that this month’s Wine Blogging Wednesday #69 theme was the Mourvèdre grape, chosen and hosted by The Passionate Foodie (click through to learn why the sub-title is “Animal Cruelty”). So I decided to delay my regularly scheduled post to coincide. I can’t wait to read all the other posts that come in for WBW #69. It should give me plenty of wines to add to my Mourvèdre Monday to-do list.

The wine I’ve chosen has been on that to-do list for a while. Twitter pal Lisa Dinsmore of @DailyWine, who is a great source of info on Paso Robles and other Central Coast wines, recommended it to me when I first launched the Mourvèdre Monday series. I couldn’t find it locally, so I was very happy when the winery offered to send me a sample.

As I’ve noted here before, Paso Robles is a hot-spot for Rhône varietals and blends. I’ve featured a couple already in this series, including last week’s Calcareous. Our WBW host, The Passionate Foodie, had a nice post about Paso a couple months ago, in which he talks about it’s relationship with the Rhône varieties. I commented there, and repeat here, that rather than try to find a “signature grape”, it’d be much more interesting to me if they became “Paso Rhone-bles” (I still haven’t trademarked that) and developed around all the Rhône varieties. However, it does seem like the big recent wine region success stories involve a single variety, e.g., New Zealand Sauvignon Blanc, Argentine Malbec, etc. So I understand why they might want to focus. Well, Paso, if you must focus on one grape, how about Mourvèdre?

Back to Anglim – They’re one of those hobbyist-turned-pro stories and while they don’t own any vineyards, they are very vineyard-centric, seeking out quality growers and releasing several vineyard-designate wines. While they produce Cab, Zin and Pinot Noir, their focus is on Rhône varietals and blends, including Syrah, Grenache, Grenache Blanc, Viognier, Roussanne and this Mourvèdre. Let’s check this one out.

Producer: Anglim Winery

Grapes: 100% Mourvèdre

Appellation: Paso Robles (AVA, California)

Vineyards: Hastings Ranch Vineyard, in the Adelaida region of Paso Robles. At 1800 feet, it is one of the area’s highest elevation vineyards. They have 3.3 acres planted to Mourvèdre.

Vintage: 2007

Winemaking: Primary fermentation was done with the juice on top of Viognier lees. The wine spent 17 months in French oak, 20% new. Unfined and unfiltered.

Alcohol: 14.9%

Price: $34

My tasting notes: The wine starts off with a big snootful of spicy, black-pepperiness (the winery says white pepper) and a hint of green olives accenting the somewhat secondary dark fruit aromas. There is also a note of woodsmoke. On the palate, I’m first struck by a very polished mouthfeel delivering the juicy blackberry and plum fruit. But there is a nice savory herbal quality as well. The oak is present, but nicely restrained. The wine has a dry, grippy finish that I enjoy, even if it’s a tad hot at 14.9%.

Overall impression: Regular readers of this series will probably have figured out my palate at this point and know what I like about, and what I look for in, Mourvèdre-based wines: dark, delicious fruit strongly accented by interesting savory characteristics. And this wine delivers in spades. Really good stuff. If you want to check out what this grape can do in Paso, this is a great wine to try. A-/B+

Free association:

Image credit: http://www.flickr.com/photos/mouser-nerdbot/ / CC BY-NC-SA 2.0

More info:

This bottle was provided as a sample from the winery.

Production: 233 cases

Big publication scores: 90 points from Josh Raynolds of Tanzer’s IWC and 88 points from James Laube in Wine Spectator.

Other blogger reviews at The Passionate Foodie (our WBW #69 host – I didn’t realize he had reviewed this wine on his site.), DailyWine and The Vino File.

Anglim also uses Mourvèdre in a GSM blend they call Cerise and in their 09 Rosé.