Category Archives: Price: Over 20 bucks

Price: Over 20 bucks, Tasting Notes

Mourvèdre Monday #14: Calcareous Estate Reserve 2007

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This wine was shared with me by Mike Castleman, whom I met via Twitter. He heard about my Mourvèdre Monday series and recommended this wine to me. When we realized we were both in Austin, we planned to meet up and taste it together. Thanks, Mike!  I’ll have to return the favor soon. (Mike makes wine, too. Check him out at Castleman Cellars.)

For those of you who read my comment-reply in the last post and are expecting a bad wine review here this week, this ain’t it. I’ve lost my notes on the wine I had planned to post this week, so I substituted this one. As for the wolf dog wine, I’ll keep my trap mouth shut on that for now in case I find my notes.

Calcareous Estate Reserve Mourvèdre 2007

Producer: Calcareous Vineyard

Grapes: 100% Mourvèdre

Appellation: Paso Robles (AVA, California)

Vineyards: The winery has a single block of Mourvèdre amongst its estate vineyards on a limestone outcropping in Paso Robles’ Westside hills.

Vintage: 2007

Winemaking: French oak (time and % new not specified)

Alcohol: 15.9%

Price: $42 from the winery

My tasting notes: Juicy, sweet blackberry/blueberry aromas, with a big dose of oaky-vanilla and cinnamon. On the palate, the blackberry fruit is very intense and extracted, but smoothed out by the creamy mouthfeel. It’s like a blackberry cobbler with whipped cream. But there is also a wet earth and crushed rock sort of minerality at the back end that adds interest. Despite the 15.9% a.b.v., I don’t really notice any heat.

Overall impression:  A very confected style of Mourvèdre, but very seductive and fun to drink. This one will appeal to a lot of people, I think. B/B+

Free association:

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

More info:

185 cases produced

Price: Over 20 bucks, Tasting Notes

Mourvèdre Monday #13: The Pict

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Mourvèdre Monday is back after a few weeks off around the birth of my baby girl, Lucy. I’m easing back into regular blogging. Let’s get things restarted with a bang…

This is one of the priciest varietal Mourvèdres on the planet. So I’m glad to be able to include it in the Mourvèdre Monday series. (Thanks to the winery for providing a sample for review!) Let’s see what the top of the market brings to the table.

Producer: Torbreck

Grapes: 100% Mataro (that name for the grape hangs on at some Aussie and California producers)

Appellation: Barossa Valley

Vineyards: Materne ‘Quarry Block’ Vineyard planted 1927 in the Northern Greenock region of the Barossa. Head-pruned bush vines. Sandy quartz soil.

Vintage: 2006

Winemaking: Two years in new French oak. Unfiltered, unfined.

Alcohol: 14.81% on website (14.0% on label)

Price: $180 (!) according to the website, but it’s available closer to $130 at various retailers online.

My tasting notes: I don’t use the word “redolent” very often (regular readers may remember the only other use on this blog here – an $8 wine!), but it’s appropriate here. The fruit aromas are cherry and blackcurrant, but wrapped in layer upon layer of spicebox, leather shop, coffee and an Italian salumi shop. Fascinating to sniff. Once I stop trying to identify all that’s going on with the nose and taste the wine, I’m struck by the terrific balance of this wine. It’s not huge on the palate, but there’s tons going on here: currants, wet earth, black olives, oaky spice, chocolate. And it’s so harmonious; nothing overdone or out of place. Ripe tannins, good acidity and a very lengthy finish (and not hot, despite the near 15% abv). A lot of sediment in the last glass.

Overall impression: The most well-balanced and complex Mourvèdre wine I’ve encountered. Loved it. A*

*the first full A I’ve awarded on the blog so far. The Pict FTW!

Free association:

More info:

This wine was well-scored by some of the big critics: 93 pts Steven Tanzer and 92 pts Parker.

Price: Over 20 bucks, Tasting Notes

Mourvèdre Monday #12: Trio Vintners 2006 Yakima Valley

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Trio Vintners, a collaboration between winemakers Tim Boushey, Denise Slattery and Steve Michener, is one of the “incubator wineries” set up at the Walla Walla Regional Airport. They are a small lot producer and one look at their lineup lets you know they’re doing some interesting things: Zinfandel, Sangiovese, Syrah, Carménère and this Mourvèdre. Nary a Cab or Merlot in sight.

Producer: Trio Vintners

Grapes: 96% Mourvèdre, 4% Syrah according to the label. But on the info sheet they sent along with the bottle, there was this story…

Another thing that attracted us to this vineyard was that, as we walked through the vines, we noticed that every so often there was a vine with white wine grapes on it. Grower Art den Hoed told us he was surprised to learn that he ad been sold about 1% Gewürztraminer plants when he bought the Mourvèdre! He offered to pick around them at harvest but we insisted on preserving this accidental ‘field blend’ as part of the wine. So even though we don’t say it on the label, they’re in there, adding a flavor component that is unique.

I love them for that.

Appellation: Yakima Valley (AVA, Washington)

Vineyards: The Mourvèdre (and Gewurztraminer) came from the den Hoed Vineyard at 1300 feet above Yakima Valley. The Syrah came from the Rizutti Vineyard, which is in the Walla Walla Valley AVA.

Vintage: 2006

Winemaking: As they put it, they “aged the hell out of this wine.” 20 month in oak, a mix of new Hungarian, 2nd & 3rd year American and neutral French barrels.

Alcohol: 14.5%

Price: $26 from the winery

My tasting notes: A very pretty nose. Soft berry fruit lifted by sweet spice/tobacco shop aromas and some floral accents (from the Gewürztraminer, perhaps?). I pick up a little smoke as well. I kept sniffing this one for a good 5 minutes before I took the first sip. On the palate, it pops with high-toned mixed berry fruit with a savory, peppery edge that I really like. An undercurrent of wet-rock minerality peeks through every now and then. The oak makes it’s presence known as well. Finishes long, but the alcohol shows in a cool-mint kind of way.

Overall assessment: The nose is seductive and the wine delivers a lot of what I enjoy in Mourvèdre: the savory, earthy accents to the Zin-like berry fruit. I really enjoyed this, my first Washington Mourvèdre. B

Free association: They had me at Gewürz…

More info:

This bottle was a press sample provided by the winery.

Only 153 cases produced.

Thea over at Luscious Lushes reviewed this wine and liked it, too. Josh at DrinkNectar reviewed Trio’s 2007 Tempranillo and 2007 Carménère.

On the Mourvèdre front, Trio also uses the grape in a very interesting blend that they call Riot. It’s Sangiovese, Syrah and Mourvèdre. Cool.

You wine bloggers headed to Walla Walla for WBC2010 should definitely check this guys out.

Price: Over 20 bucks, Tasting Notes

Slurpin’ USA – Texas Edition

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I had the pleasure of participating in Swirl Smell Slurp’s United Slurps of America: Texas. Each week they taste some wine from one of the 50 states and invite a blogger or two from that state to taste the same wine and share their thoughts. My blogger-pal Ben from Vinotology was the other Texan to join in the fun.

We all tasted two wines from Mandola Estate Winery: the 2008 Vermentino and the 2008 Montepulciano. That’s right, folks – Italian grape varieties in Texas. (Mandola was started by Damien Mandola, a successful restauranteur and cookbook author. The winery is on the same property as their terrific Trattoria Lisina out in Driftwood, TX.) While I truly applaud the gumption of Texas winemakers and winegrowers who aren’t just planting Cab, Chard and other “shelf-appeal” varieties, I have to admit that I did not have high hopes that the wine would be anything special. My experience with Texas wine (albeit limited) has been pretty spotty to date, with very few wines that I’d seek out again.

Below are my notes on the two wines, but please do click through to the full post at Swirl Smell Slurp to see what everyone else thought.

Mandola Estate Winery Vermentino 2008 Texas

Somewhere in between typical Sauvignon Blanc and Chardonnay in color. A bright, juicy nose: a lot like Juicy Fruit gum, in fact, (even the little foil wrapper). Plus a bit of pineapple, perhaps. Nice and crisp on the palate, bringing grapefruit and more pineapple, but not full-on pineapple, more like if you had a fruit salad and the last piece in the bowl was a piece of pear that had been soaking up the pineapple juice at the bottom of the bowl. Something like that. It finishes crisp and clean with a hint of green/grassiness, leaving you wanting another sip. I had pretty low expectations, but this is very solid white wine that I’d be happy to drink again. Definitely one for me that would surprise people in a blind tasting. B/B+

Interestingly, the grapes for this one come from Bingham Family Vineyards near Lubbock in the Texas High Plains (where Ben lives), while the Mandola winery is just outside of Austin (where I live).

Mandola Estate Winery Montepulciano 2008 Texas

It smells like a Tuscan wine with its dusty cherry fruit and a sharp earthy, herbal quality. But there is also an aroma that I can’t really describe, but I that associate with not-ready-for-primetime wines I’ve tasted in many a tasting room in Texas and elsewhere. On the palate, I get more Sweet-Tart red fruit, sort of like a two parts cherry, one part cranberry blend. Medium-bodied and smooth-textured. It’s totally drinkable, but not something I’d seek out again. C

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I hope that the “not-ready-for-primetime” comment doesn’t come across too harshly, because the Vermentino proves to me that they know what they’re doing at Mandola. All-in-all this tasting showed me that I shouldn’t be so dismissive of Texas wines. And I’m doubly excited that I found a very good one so close to home (Mandola is about 20 minute drive from my house)!

Thanks again to Swirl Smell Slurp for inviting me to participate and waking me up to wines in my own backyard. Cheers, y’all.

Price: Over 20 bucks, Tasting Notes

Valley of the Moon Cuvée de la Luna 2006

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Producer: Valley of the Moon Winery

Grapes: This is their Bordeaux-style blend, which they call Cuvée de la Luna. 59% Cabernet Sauvignon, 33% Merlot, 4% Malbec, 2% Cabernet Franc, 2% Petit Verdot

Appellation: Sonoma County AVA

Vineyards: Various lots were sourced from Sonoma Valley, Dry Creek Valley, Sonoma Mountain and other area in the county.

Vintage: 2006

Winemaking: Stainless steel fermentation, then 24 months is a combination of French, American and Hungarian oak.

Alcohol: 14.5%

Price: About $30 at winery’s website, but easy to find at $20 elsewhere online. (I got it as a gift from a friend.)

My tasting notes: For the first hour or two this wine seemed to actively resist observation, like a Stealth bomber or something. Eventually it opened up and started making an impression. Dusty/ashy dried cherry and fig on the nose. Nice smooth texture in the mouth with more fig and currant flavors with a bit of mocha and a modest minerality. The tannins are dry and a bit stemmy.

Overall impression: First impression was that this was a dud, but once it opened up I liked the not-so-exuberant flavor profile. I’d definitely drink it again; I’d just decant it first next time. B-

Free association:

More info:

3492 cases produced.

Price: Over 20 bucks, Tasting Notes

Wine Guerrilla Conte Vineyard RRV Zin 2008

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I first took notice of Wine Guerrilla, a producer of several distinct Russian River Valley and Dry Creek Valley Zins, after reading this post at Benito’s Wine Reviews. Reading the post and checking out their website reminded me of my early days as a wino, er , wine lover. After having my eyes opened to the world of wine by a Cabernet on a camping trip, I quickly gravitated to Zinfandel. On my first couple of trips to wine country, I focused on Dry Creek Valley and Russian River Valley and was on the hunt for Zins. Wine Guerrilla’s mission is “Finding the very best zinfandel grapes, and crafting wines worthy of the grape’s unique characteristics, and introducing those wines to the public.” I can get behind that.

Producer: Wine Guerrilla

Grapes: A co-fermented field blend (yay!) of 83% Zinfandel, 12% Petite Sirah, 2% Carignan, 2% Alicante Bouchet and 1% Grenache

Appellation: Russian River Valley (AVA, California). A cool-climate sub-region within Sonoma County that is known primarily for the Burgundian grapes Pinot Noir and Chardonnay, but it’s Zinfandels are a highlight, too – usually noted for their finesse, balance and delicacy. Not sure that description fits here, but read on…

Vineyard: Conte Vineyard

Vintage: 2008

Winemaking: Spent time in 1-3 year old oak barrels (French, American and Hungarian)

Alcohol: 15.9%

Price: $30

My tasting notes: This wine definitely reminds me of why I fell in love with Zin when I first got into wine. Big, fruity nose that shows rich raspberry and blackberry fruit, and even some prune and raisin but not in a bad way (at least for me). Definitely some sweet oak on the nose, too. Dense, rich mouthfeel that’s full of more delicious red and black fruit. Solid acidity and tannins. The 15.9% alcohol is definitely noticeable, which wouldn’t have bothered me so much in the early years, but I wish was toned down a bit here.

Overall impression: Another Zin from the “these go to eleven” school, but nicely made and better than most. The luscious fruit doesn’t seem fake or sugary and there’s enough acid to keep it out of trouble. If you’re a Zin fan, you should keep an eye out for this one. B/B+

Free association:

More info:

Only 195 cases produced.

This bottle was provided as a sample for review by the winery.

Price: Over 20 bucks, Tasting Notes

Mourvèdre Monday #9: Hewitson Old Garden 2005

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For this week’s Mourvèdre Monday, we’re hopping in the wayback machine. I mean waaaaaaaaayback. I’m talking the oldest known Mourvèdre vines in the world. I’m so excited I just might wet myself.

Producer: Hewitson

Grapes: 100% Mourvèdre

Appellation: Barossa Valley, Australia

Vineyard: All the grapes for this wine come from the “Old Garden” planted in 1853. Eight. Teen. Fifty. Three. They were already calling this the “Old Garden” in the 18-freaking-80s when it was 30+ years old. The vines are dry-farmed, hand-pruned and hand-harvested bush vines.

Vintage: 2005

Winemaking: About 18 months in 100% new French oak barrels.

Alcohol: 14.5%

Price: $29.40 at Spec’s in Austin

My tasting notes: There’s a slight orange-ness at the edge, like Spanish-style clay roof tiles. The nose is complex and layered: Plum, mixed berries, spice, Dr. Pepper, a bit of cream from the new oak. On the palate, there is rich red fruit (esp. cherry) that stays away from being too intense/extracted. There’s a wet-earth minerality to this that I like a lot, as well. It’s smooth textured with good acidity, but not as much backbone as I expected. Not an especially lengthy finish. After a couple of hours open it starts to lose it’s gravitas and begins to taste like a mediocre Lodi Zin or something.

Overall impression: I had really high expectations for this wine and it wasn’t quite what I expected. I imagined these ancient vines producing a robust, intense wine that would impress me with its strength. Instead, it seemed to me more like a interesting, dapper old man. Still, an enjoyable bottle that I’m glad I got to taste. I’ll be on the lookout for other vintages in the future to keep tabs on this unique wine. B

Free association:

More info:

Check out this short video from Hewitson on the Old Garden vineyard.

A collection of reviews on the Hewitson website.

Other reviews at The Wine Front, CellarTracker (avg: 89) and Cork’d.

Price: Over 20 bucks, Tasting Notes

Rosenblum Rhodes Vineyard Petite Sirah 2005

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Rosenblum has always appealed to me because of it’s focus on Zin and it’s extensive lineup of vineyard-designate wines. I saw this Petite Sirah on the shelf a while back and the vineyard name struck a chord with me (see below), so I picked it up. Let’s check it out.

Producer: Rosenblum Cellars

Grapes: 100% Petite Sirah

Appellation: Redwood Valley, a relatively cool climate zone within the Mendocino AVA.

Vineyard: Rhodes Vineyard — 60 year old, dry-farmed and head-pruned vines

Vintage: 2005

Winemaking: Aged in 60% French, 40% American oak.

Alcohol: 13.8%

Price: $20-25

My tasting notes: The first thing I smelled when I stuck my schnoz in the glass was salted peanuts! Not an aroma I was expecting. (I love salted peanuts, by the way.) I also pick up some tobacco and sweet oak aromas. Not a ton of distinct fruit on the nose. There’s fruit there, but seems cloaked in a layer of dust or something. In the mouth, this wine starts off with tart blueberry fruit and morphs a bit toward pomegranate and tart cherry. The fruit has that old vines intensity, but the wine feels thin on the palate and it finishes with dry tannins – I feel like I’m chewing the skins of the grapes.

Overall impression: Despite the thinness of the fruit, I think this is an alright bottle of wine.  Not the “life of the party” style of many Petite Sirahs, but there is something appealing in the balance of this wine for me. B-

Free association: My alma mater…

More info:

CellarTracker reviews (mean: 87)

Price: Over 20 bucks, Tasting Notes

Mourvèdre Monday #7: Gros’Noré 2006 Bandol

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Through six weeks of the Mourvèdre Monday series, one would be pardoned for wondering why I didn’t name it Monastrell Monday, as four of the first six wines were from Spain, where Monastrell is the name for this grape. Finally, in week 7, we make it to Bandol. This is the most important region for Mourvèdre in France. Really, it’s the only AOC where it plays a dominant role. So let’s see what Bandol brings to the table.

Producer: Domaine du Gros’Noré

Grapes: 80% Mourvèdre, 15% Grenache, 5% Cinsault

Appellation: Bandol (AOC, France)

Vineyards: Hillside vineyards with clay soil and 20 year-old vines.

Vintage: 2006

Winemaking: This wine spent 18 months in big ol’ 60 hl foudres. A foudre is a large oak cask. Sixty hectoliters is about 25 times bigger than a typical 225 liter Bordeaux-style barrique, which the common size for many wineries, New World and Old, that are trying to impart significant oak character.

Alcohol: 15%

Price: $34.40 at Spec’s in Austin

My tasting notes: Kirsch and Chambord on the nose with scrubby, herbal notes and a touch of meatiness. Intensity and structure on the palate. Red fruit and spice. Firm, dry tannins. Good earthy, mineral finish with solid acidity. There is a bit of grittiness to the texture (it’s unfiltered). The 15% alcohol definitely shows at the end, but it sort of reinforces the overall manly-man character of this wine.

Overall impression: This is not elegant stuff. This is Fight Club. This is Braveheart. This is the wine I’d want to drink before storming the castle. (I really hope that’s not a euphemism for some sexual act.) It’s a big, badass Bandol. B/B+

Free association:

More info:

Imported by Kermit Lynch.

A great post at Under the Grape Tree pairing this wine with a bluesman I wasn’t familiar with: Otis Taylor.

I almost went with this for free association:

Price: Over 20 bucks, Tasting Notes

Mourvèdre Monday #5: Edward Sellers Cognito 2006

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It’s back to California for today’s Mourvèdre Monday post, specifically Paso Robles. Though I first fell in love with Mourvèdre via the old vines examples from Contra Costa County, Paso Robles is a hotbed of Rhône grape-growing in California. Edward Sellers is a Rhône-style specialist in Paso, with a focus on blends vs. varietal bottlings (though not exclusively). This bottle, which they call Cognito, is a CdP-style blend of Mourvèdre, Syrah and Grenache with some Zin added for a California flair. Let’s check it out.

Producer: Edward Sellers

Grapes: 45% Mourvèdre, 20% Syrah, 20% Zinfandel, 15% Grenache

Appellation: Paso Robles (AVA, California)

Vineyards: no info

Vintage: 2006

Winemaking: 100% neutral French oak.

Alcohol: 14.9%

Price: I paid $29 at Spec’s in Austin.

My tasting notes: The nose is throws a punch of raspberry fruitiness and cherry cola, with a bit of creamy vanilla and a touch of mocha. On the palate, it’s fat and fruity, mostly red fruit again. A hint of minerality if you’re really searching for it, and a peppery note at the finish. Despite Mourvèdre being the largest share of the blend, I don’t get much of what I really enjoy from Mourvèdre-based wines: structure, meatiness, earthy/savory qualities.

Overall impression: This is another one where I was not digging the first glass, but it evened itself out by the second glass into something closer to my liking. In the end, though, it’s not something I’d buy again, not at nearly $30. C+

Free association:

Image credit: http://www.flickr.com/photos/warmnfuzzy/ / CC BY-NC-ND 2.0

More info:

576 cases produced.