No Wine Over $20-Reviews and the LA Wine Scene

Ye Olde Pinot Purge and Binge

Sat, 11 Oct 2008 23:10:32 -0800

Sober thinking: The following entry was written several weeks ago as is my practice. I am writing this preamble following the most incredibly miserable week in the stock market in my lifetime. If ever there was a time for wines under $20 it is now. Like every business the wine industry will surely take a beating. We hope our favorite wine makers, importers and retailers will survive the shakeout that is sure to come. And that goes for our readers as well. Next to corked wines and a busted cellar cooler in August, wines aging past their prime is one of the worst wine scenarios imaginable. Ergo Dotoré must purge his cellar of aging wines. tBoW has a few that also have to go. So we pulled corks over Labor Day and found several reportable selections. 1998 Talisman Carneros Pinot Noir $35 (today!!): Second vintage for a small production house devoted to Pinot Noir. Holding up pretty well for 10 years old but this is why we purge. Fruit is there but on the downslope. Napa vineyards planted to Chardonnay and Pinot Noir are disappearing. Carneros has the best fruit. This is the second vintage (171 cases from this producer. Here is what a Talisman fan said about this wine in 2006 while tasting thru a vertical from 1997. "A nice hint of spiced raisin and licorice in the nose. Full compote of cherries, herbs and leather which picks up steam with air time. Plenty of stuffing left and thoroughly enjoyable. Impressive for a difficult vintage. A Hugh Hefner wine: showing a little age but still perky". Perky? I would be too if I had bowls of Viagra strategically placed throughout my home. Today Talisman bottles from multiple sources. 13% 2001 Longoria Fe Ciega Pinot Noir $: This is one of the venerable Santa Rita Hills labels. John Longoria has nearly exclusive rights to the Fe Ciega (blind faith) vineyard which is one of the oldest (at ten years) planted to Pinot Noir in the SRH AVA. He does sell off to other labels so one sees Fe Ciega vineyard elswhere. tBoW cannot recall tasting any Longoria wines so we pulled this cork with interest. Well-made wines often show best 7 years out. No science there. How about the wine? Can detect the alcohol in the nose though it is not pronounced. Good strong fruit without cherry or barnyard. The taste is distinctive and appealing. Dotoré, who contributed the bottle, says the wine does not taste like pinot noir. What it does taste like is a Maipu Malbec. Pronounced orange tones within rich fruit. The wine is ready tonight. 14.7% 2006 Cote de Nuits Villages Domaine des Tilleuls $30: A North Berkeley Wine Imports selection selected from Philippe Livera Fixin juice. To the knowing burg hound this means declassified Premier Cru. I like the earthiness and the lean sausage sauvage [ed. nyuk nyuk on the weird wine alliteration] . The nose is rustic and fruity with cherries in liqueur, leather and terra firma. Very fragrant. With aeration the red fruit (cherry) and violets appear. Second sips show more fruit and waxiness. xx% There were a few other wines worth mentioning. 2006 Frederic Magnien Rosé~ $12: Purchased in a mixed case from go-to retailer North Berkeley Wines. Grapefruity, acidic, dry 100% Pinot Noir from a top Burgundian producer whose labels are more likely to read Echezeaux, Pommard, and Vosne Romanee. This is excellent Rosé and I would buy this again. 2004 J. Wilkes Pinot Blanc $18: Purchased in Los Olivos at a 2003 tasting with Jeff Wilkes. This was the only white wine we purchased along with several Pinots that should be opened soon [ed. think Turkey Day]. This wine has nto improved with age. Not that it is over the hill. It was just not a pleasing wine (for tBoW) when we tried it. I prefer Oregon Pinot Blanc. Or Alsatian. Not certain I liked this wine that much at the wine bar which means you-know-who tossed it in with the others. Not in balance. Too ripe. Flavors seem to peel off like paint in a Manhattan apartment. I am confident the Pinot Noir wines will show much better. Here is a nice piece on Jeff Wilkes. 14.1% 2001 Rochioli Estate Chardonnay Rich, still some tannins, Almost thick. Goes well with the sausage. Too sweet on the finish. Some woodiness lingers. I used to love these wines. Then I lost my flavor for them.This wine has some of the reasons [ed. besides changing taste]. Rochioli tries too hard to make great wine. This is their estate blend, not the single vineyard South River. The wine is too rich, too big. It is not a monster like so many others (one thinks immediately of Cakebread) but it is not a pleasure to drink. 2005 Williams Selyem Bucher VIneyard Pinot Noir $70: High tone New World baby. Rich, jammy, raspberries. Very fruity without being out of whack. Williams Selyem sources from enough vineyards to have its own appellation. Too young. Needed the aerator big time. 14.1% 1986 Chateau Canon Premiere Cru $340 today: From the depths of the cellar it came. A 22 year old St Emilion. Memories from a time when we bought the hype and hunted down First and Second and Third and Fourth growth mis-marks. I once grabbed a 1966 Chateau Montrose for $60 around 1983. And it was delicious. This perfectly stored Merlot is wasted on pinot-files or even worse cheapo-philes. Red brick in color. Impressive color and nose. Cedar. Camphor. Spicy. Very very nice right out of the bottle. Nose is more impressive than the first taste. Merlot fruit evident. Cannot be any Cab in here. Not a lean but a sinewy wine. The property is owned buy Chanel which is one of the problems with collectible Bordeaux. An international perfume company owns it. You think they bought it because they love the wine? Here is the other problem. What is being sold is not wine. It is a mirage. I clipped this note from a vertical tasting of Canon that went back 60 vintages. "...every young collector can already consider that in twenty to thirty years, he will drink wines which will reach the quality of the legendary wines of the twenties". Are you kidding me? Who would want that?!?!? What do we drink in the meantime? #&*^%$+*&^!?!$!!! 12.5%

October...switch to football wines

Sat, 04 Oct 2008 22:31:15 -0800

September and October are transition months in the wine calendar. We leave behind the summer wines - the Rosés, Moscati and lean and frothy acidic white wines from Austria to the Basque country. It is football time and that means red wine. The Trojans have begun their march to another championship [ed. cue Conquest please] with the obligatory loss to a bottom dweller. The tBoW team has opened some interesting reds with greater success. Here are some bottles that recently popped their corks celebrating the change of season. Tillie Claret $20: Purchased at Aramenta Cellars in the northern Willamette Valley (north of Dundee Hills and west of Portland). The winery is first and foremost devoted to Pinot Noir. They also produce Chardonnay. Total case production is 1,000 of which 250 cases were Tillie in 2005. The 2006 vintage is the first wine labeled as vintage. The bottle I had was probably 2005 juice blended with 2004. The wine is very interesting tasting like mocha coffee in the most milkshake way. Creamy, frothy, rich. A gift and quite rare, this wine is a real treat. Turns out Brick House is also in the Ribbon Ridge AVA.14.1% 2000 Phelps Insignia $120: Big ticket Napa Meritage with all the collectible pedigree anyone could desire in a premium Napa winery. Even the squat Sedrick Ellis shaped bottle demands immediate comment and admiration. The Insignia label has a long history of producing outstanding if sometimes idiosyncratic wines. The 1985, for example, was remarkable for its minty flavors [tBoW puts on his wine snob cone cap]. This 2000 edition is still young. Lots of berry, black cherry, some cinnamon and milk chocolate. The earthy Cabernet at 77% is balanced with 18% Mertlot. The wine is delicious. 20,000 cases! 14.1% 2004 Saxum Bone Rock $60: The blend is 85% Syrah, 12% Grenache, and 3% Mourvédre. The winemaker is Justin Smith. The vineyard is Bone Rock which is owned by James Berry Smith (yes they are related, Pop and Son). I am linking to an excellent review from Gang of Pour of the vineyard and wines that feature Bone Rock and James Berry fruit, and regional wineries that produce wines from these vineyards. The nose was veggie like arugula. Bitter and sharp. Made tBoW a bit nervous as Paso has always been notorious for its vegetable qualities. This blew off in 5 minutes. The flavors showed none of that. Ripe blueberry and blackberry fruit. Soft tannins. This is a vintage to drink early. Love that. Quite the delicious wine that blows away the recent big ticket cabs and cab blends (which are nice and impressive but I will take the Saxum even at the U20-busting price). Amazingly, the alcohol was not detectable even at 15.8%!!!

Dundee Hills 13 years later...

Sat, 27 Sep 2008 12:31:23 -0800

It has been 13 years since tBoW visited Portland and the Willamette Valley. We made two day trips into the Valley touring McMinnville and the Dundee Hills. Here is a map of the AVAs in the valley. Link here to the Willamette Valley Wineries website. We visited about ten wineries including Domaine Drouhin, Rex Hill VIneyards, Torii Mor Winery, Brickhouse Vineyards, and Lange Winery. Drouhin was impressive on both construction choices and wines. The winery is set on a hillside to enable gravity flow at each step in the winemaking process. The female winemaker is a family member who, we were told, would not be permitted to act as director of winemaking in Burgundy. The Drouhin wines were pricey. The setting at Brickhouse was magical. Doug Tunnell, the proprietor and winemaker is an early biodynamic farmer. His vineyards were remarkably cluttered with plenty of weeds and flowers between the rows. We went to Oregon to taste and buy Pinot Noir. At Brickhouse we bought Chardonnay. Even then tBoW was losing his taste for New World Chard, but the palate does not lie. The Brickhouse chard - his premium Cuveé de Tonneliere - was thick and oily without the tropical scents and flavors common to California versions. In fact, it was Burgundian. [ed. "Burgundian" is the highest Pinot praise possible]. When tasting wines the setting can significantly enhance and confuse the experience. And at Brickhouse the sun lowering on the horizon surely influenced our decision making. [ed. special thanks to Jean Yates of Avalon Wine Company in Corvallis for the photo]. Our purchases were gone within 5 years and each bottle, Chardonnay and Pinot Noir, was memorably good. The Tori Mar products were a ripe in the New World style. And Rex Hill seemed too large a facility to make interesting wine...at least those were the conclusions in 1995. The fact is I rarely drink Oregon Pinot Noir. Or perhaps I do not drink enough Oregon Pinot Noir!Pricing is too often an issue. Another producer with attractive pricing is Evesham Wood in the southern end of the valley. Their wines seem to be more firm, even stiff like a Calvinist preacher. However, after popping the Lange Winery magnum purchased on that trip I am ready to get re-acquainted with Oregon Pinot Noir. 1993 Lange Willamette Valley Pinot Noir$70 (in 1995): Purchased at the winery. The wines seemed very well made. The magnum may have been sitting on the tasting room shelf for a year. The sommelier at Josies in Santa Monica pulled a cork that had done its job. The bottom was crusted black leaving a ring 10 cm high on the perimeter. Stored in the tBoW temp controlled cellar since 1995, the tight stained cork promised the wine was at least preserved decently. The color was dark brick red. The nose showed beets at first. There was the tiniest bit of volatile acidity for about 5 minutes. With 20 minutes air the wine began to open. The fruit was perfectly balanced. The beets converted to cherries with plums. The weight was light, delicate, balanced. This was truly exquisite. The fact this was 15 years old testified to what can happen in Oregon. The only issue is price point. The 2006 version is $22. That is a very good price. Winemakers Don and Wendy Lange also have single vineyards at $60 which would have to be very good to get tBoW to break the U20 prime directive. [ed. Dotoré recollects a Lange Reserve was top wine in a 1999 Pinot Noir tasting prompting a new Oregon hunt-a-thon] This wine experience - busting open a 15 year old Pinot Noir that is outstanding in every way - is especially compelling given the recent belly flop by the two 1996 red Burgundies that anchored the King's Tasting. The only caveat is whether the fruit that went into this bottling may now be going into the current single vineyards. tBoW did contact Don Lange asking what might be expected of the 1993 vintage in mag. Lange said he had not had it in a couple years but that 1993 was an outstanding vintage. Well, congratulations to the Langes. This was rare and beautiful wine. The kicker? 12.5% 2000 Domaine de Bonserine Cote Rotie Les Moutonnes $50: Syrah wine from the Rhone. Rich and not showing any age. Juicy but no extracted. Quite fruity. Purchased at new Wine Cask in town. Matching it up to 2001 Croze Hermitage reviewed in the August 30 post. Another winner. Nice work from the buyer at the Cask. 13% 2001 Salomon Undhof Kremser Koegl Riesling Reserve $40: Steve Goldun of Palate Food & Wine [ed. LA's best and most wonderful restaurant for wine lovers] poured the Austrian Riesling and stopped the show at our table. Given he had been bombing us with glasses, each something new, sometime familiar, this wine stood out like Obama at a Florida bingo tournament. It followed a Vouvray sparkler from Huguet, A Cabernet Rose from Saumur, and a recent vintage Chablis. Deep golden and afresh apricot nose with plenty of acid. It was outrageously interesting and delicious. One of those wines you know as soon as you taste it that you must try it again. Terry Theise Selection. 13% 2007 Vinho Verde Adamado $10: Produced by the Adega Cooperativa de Ponte de Lima of Portugal. This is the prototypical Latino summer white wine. Limoncello, lemonade, bright, acidic. THis is delicious wine but not for the faint of heart. If you mostly know white wine as buttery Chardonnay with tropical flavors then you will be shocked when you first sip this margarita mix. I tasted and bought it at Palate in Glendale. It is widely available around town. 10% 2006 Rex HIll Willamette Valley Pinot Noir $20: Ain't it great being humbled? tBoW pans Rex Hill for making too much wine to possibly produce anything decent and here it comes. Greg St Clair of K&L [ed. Greg told tBoW to stay at Da Felicin in Monforte d'Alba so ree-speck snap] said this was an honest everyday PN from Oregon, otherwise Oregon wines are not really in the personal rotation. The price is perfect and the wine is...worth another go round. Has that very nice blend of cherry fruit and soft smoke. No barnyard but plenty good Pinot muscle to take it out of the candy store. Very good. My apologies to Rex Hill and congrats on keeping the alcohol down!! 13.5% 2006 Sineann Oregon Pinot Noir $24: Cherry cola, blueberries, pretty ripe. Oregon shows Santa Rita Hills they have not cornered the market on overripe Pinot Noir. tBoW prefers a more restrained and high tone style but this does not exactly taste bad. With all the rich fruit you might consider this the poor man's Williams Selyem. 14.6%

the Class of 47: tBoW Year One Top U20 wines

Sun, 21 Sep 2008 14:46:09 -0800

The Best of Wines has a simple objective: finding, tasting and praising the best wines that are under $20. Sounds easy enough. But, as an old pal used to love to say...it ain't easy!! tBoW is not lost in his own world of wine. We have perspective. We know there is a national election, state budget crisis and US economic meltdow with enough special considerations and odd balls to keep a fleet of experts, commentators, strategists, economists, lobbyists, legislators and the general voting public in an uproar for months. Nevertheless, consider the following hurdles that must be surmounted every week so that tBoW can report on U20 wines [ed. special thanx to BeKaLin ARTfor the Palin-toon. Now back to MY OWN LITTLE WORLD]. Finding the wines is greatly eased if you have a dependable retailer. tBoW has Woodland Hills Wine Co for a neighborhood drive, North Berkeley Wines for the online source, and the Palate conglomerate (Steve Goldun's retail sales, restaurant and wine bar) for the consummate wine experience. Each source has plenty of great quality wines in the target zone. However, in the process of finding U20 wines there is always temptation to break the U20 limit and indulge in higher-end product. Tasting wines becomes less onerous when the right friends and freeloaders who are happy to throw in their own palates and bottles get involved. Of course, the danger is that sometimes a crew member (almost always peripheral) has unusual tastes that actually conflict with tBoW and Co. A matter to be handled with delicacy including resisting the urge to "educate". A condescending sense of humor helps. Praising wines would seem to be the easiest part. Wines that hit the spot and meet the U20 criterion are easy (and a pleasure) to describe. The dark side is when a nasty wine is discovered. We pray the wine is corked as that takes the winemaker off the hook. Sometimes it is unavoidably clear the wine itself sucks. Like spousal management, sometimes we report it, sometimes we simply pass on the option. With this in mind, tBoW went through blog posts from July 2007 through the end of June 2008 and found 47 U20 wines that were tasted and praised in the first 12 blogging months that are worth buying again. Call it the Top 47 List. These wines were really good. In the end the surest measure of admiration is a repeat purchase. While tBoW would re-purchase any of the wines, sometimes they are not available, or the season changes and the Moscato d'Asti mood so strong in June goes into hybernation just like bears and squirrels. However, some of these very wines presently rest in tBoW's cellar for re-emergence over the next 12 months. Whatever. Here is the list of 47 wines the tBoW tasting team tasted, praised and in many cases bought again. If you find them, we suggest you buy them. Especially if they are on sale. The list shows the wine name and vintage, price when purchased (nearly all in 2007/08) then the importer and/or retailer. What does it all mean? We like wines from France. More than half (27) of the picks are French. We are not talking Bordeaux and Burgundy. We be slumming. Does France make better wine than other regions? When talking U20 it would appear to be the truth. Others will tout current Spanish and Italian wines. The tBoW team would disagree, usually on the basis of price alone. U20 selections from Spain and Italy exist. But not in the quantities we see from unfashionable regions of France. There is the obscurity argument. Who knows. There may be great inexpensive Hungarian and Romanian wines (someday maybe but not yet). The French wine pipeline goes around the world so we get to see their trophy and off-off-Broadway products. After France the Top 47 pie gets cut up by Paso Robles, Argentina (the real challenger to France) and a few Italians and Austrians. You might also notice tBoW likes young wines. As well as reds, pinks and whites. We have reviewed plenty of older vintage trophies - classics and new style - but we just are not that impressed. Finally, any list is a function of personal taste, whether it is tBoW, Parker, any Wine Speculator columnist, or any other wine blogger. We stand by our list. We make no claims to its significance beyond our U20 criteria (price, quality, pleasure, lower alcohol). We hope that contributes to your wine drinking pleasure. Vote for me. Attention data freaks...Click HERE for the excel file, searchable and with bonus information. Click HERE for the pdf. Now check out Rey Maualuga making like a short seller while ending another Big 10 fantasy. [ed. credit LA Times photo]

Think Baja Think Wine! Meteors!...and Tequila

Sat, 13 Sep 2008 15:46:59 -0800

The Perseid meteor shower in mid August seemed like a great excuse to return to the Villa del Valle in Guadalupe Valley, rest a bunch, watch the llueve de estrellas and shop in Ensenada and Rosarito. The Missus conspired to visit wineries we had missed the first time...and tBoW was impressed! This is harvest time so the vines are heavy with fruit. We stayed once again at the Villa del Valle. Fast becoming our #1 getaway. Host (Phil) and hostess (Eileen) could not be more gracious and charming. Phil bottles his own very nice wines under the VenaCava label. He has a new distributor and will be shipping most of his 800 cases to Mexico City. Look for his production to increase creating even more pressure for high end fruit in the Valley. Eileen runs the VdV kitchen under the direction of Chef Omar. Top notch service all round. Omar has the right flavors in mind and ably delivers them to the satisfied diners. 2007 Vena Cava Chenin Blanc $25 on the VdV list: Cloudy in the glass as it is unfiltered. Fruity, pears, yeast flavors. Creamy with good acid. Bright, middle weight. This grape seems to do well in the valley. All wines are 11% to 12% 2007 Vena Cava Sauvignon Blanc: Banana nose and flavors. Unusual with good acid. Once banana blows off resembles more of a white wine from Languedoc, like a ripe Grenache Blanc. A good contrast to the Chenin Blanc. tBoW favors the Chenin. 2006 Vena Cava Chardonnay: Clear light yellow in the glass. First shows glutin and wood flavors, but it has no oak! Mrs. tBoW says the valley is not the right spot for Chardonnay. Strongest showing of saltiness in the soil typical of the region. 2005 VenaCava Tempranillo: Nice plum flavors. Has the salt water taffy flavors that come with the better made wines in the Valley. 2005 Vena Cava Petite Syrah: A crowd favorite for its heavyweight feel. Has sweet strength. Almost dessert style. The sweetness does bring out the salt. The goal with Guadalupe wines is to neutralize the salty soil. Not such a simple task since the grapes also harvest very ripe. The most recognizable food that resembles this combo of salt and sweet is saltwater taffy. The flavor is not offensive. It is unique. You have to live on a the East or West coast to now what fresh saltwater taffy tastes like. 2002 Paul Lato Duende Gold Coast Pinot Noir: tBoW brought this wine. And even though we have reviewed this before we will do so once again. The wine is stunning. Nose shows beets (as before) and some funk right away that is not unpleasant. This blows off. The flavors are married very nicely. Cherry, cocoa, cola, mocha. Delicious. Gets better with the meal over an hour. This wine has emerged in the past 8 months. In a word? EXOTIC. 14.3% These folks at the Villa del Valle are having too much fun! Phil has planted blue agave to make...you guessed it...his own tequila. More later on tequila. Join them and have your own fun. Adobe Guadalupe is the only other place to stay in the valley. Styled as a Spanish Adobe it is grand and majestic while managing to remain tasteful. Wine production is about 6,000 cases. The best winemaker in the valley, Hugo D'Acosta, makes their wines. He also make wines for Casa Piedra and his own establishment Paralelo. tBoW did not taste Casa Piedra but did taste at Paralelo. We bought Adobe Guadalupe. The D'Acosta wines at ADobe G were excellent. He has managed the trick...subduing the salty soil allowing the fruit to come forward. 2007 Adobe Guadalupe Uriel Rosé $16: Tempranillo, Barbera, Sauvignon Blanc, Syrah and Muscat in the blend in order of proportion. Is this Rosé or Chianti?!? form mt:asset-id="512" class="mt-enclosure mt-enclosure-image" style="display: inline;">It is fruity, floral, rich and masculine as rose's go. One of the most appealing pinkies tasted this summer. 200 cases. 11.1% 2005 Adobe Guadalupe Gabriel $32: 55% Merlot, 28% Malbec, 11% Cab Sauv and 7% Cab Franc. Where did he get the Malbec? That is a grape that should grow well here. This is the Bordeaux blend from which tBoW expected little at best. WRONG. Fruity and friendly. All Bordeaux should taste this balanced and show this much happiness. 13.4% 2005 Adobe Guadalupe Miguel $32: 80% Tempranillo, 15% Grenache, 5% Cab Sauv. The new style blend and closest we came to Rhone. There are two other blends, one of which is the Rhone style. Sold out of 1,200 cases. This works very nicely. The Tempranillo, which can be quirky, works very nicely here with the Grenache providing the bass to the Tempranillo tenor. 13.4% Lucifer Tequila Blanco $22/750 ml: Fiery, smoke, strong, herbal character. Made from green agave in South Jalisco. 40 proof. This is not easy to find. As far as I can tell it is only available at the winery. It is made at one of the most reputable distilleries in Mexico. My tequila consultant (see below) tells me it is the same as a rare and exceptional tequila made at the same distillery. The tequila hunt was stimulated by a conversation with the owner at Cantina Mayahuel in San Diego's North Park. The restaurant prepares authentic Mexican cuisine with the most fresh ingredients including fresh squeezed atun for your purple and absolutely delicious margarita. [ed. atun is Spanish for tuna which is the name of the egg-shaped fruit of the prickly pear cactus the size of an ostrich egg that must be handled with great care] The place really is a shrine to tequila and mezcal with more than 100 tequilas on hand, pretty evenly represented across Blanco, Reposado and Añejo. Larry cleared up a bunch of Margarita and tequila confusion such as using reposado and not blanco in the margarita. Then he gave me a couple suggestions for tequilas I might hunt down. Very friendly. Cantina Mayahuel earns tBoW's highest recommendation. To summarize...the wines from Adobe Guadalupe are the most consistently fine wines we have tasted to date in Guadalupe Valley. Baron Balché is up the road from Adobe Guadalupe. We are on the northern side of the Valley, a new area for us. The Baron is Mexican owned and operated. The winery - 10,000 cases - sells a premium line of six or seven wines that are triple digits. We did not taste any of these. We did taste the first line which was ordinary and offered nothing to write home about. The third winery we visited was Paralelo. The property is owned and operated by Hugo D'Acosta. His brother Victor, an architect, has designed a supremely utilitarian building that is made of adobe & cement, and is striking to look at. Get up close and you will see the tire prints in the adobe walls. The tire prints are more than whimsical as you can see from the image at top of this post that tires are ubiquitous in the Valley and a part of many vineyards [ed. think Huraches?]. We tasted with the Assistant Winemaker, Alberto. He was refreshingly candid about wine making in the Valley. He believes the future of winemaking in Guadalupe Valley is with Rhone style grapes (Mrs. tBoW could not stop patting herself on the back having drawn the same conclusion during her first visit 18 months ago!!). However, one cannot simply pull up all the 30 and 50 year old Cab, Merlot and Zin vines and start fresh. Little by little. The region is simply too hot and not well suited for Bordeaux vinifera like Cab Sauv, Merlot, etc. tBoW suggested Rousanne, Marsanne and some Grenache Blanc. There are microclimates in the Valley and D'Acosta is experimenting with these (as we tasted). The oak program is first class blending French and American. Alberto has his won recently acquired property and will be planting Rhone grapes like Mourvedre and Grenache. He thinks the climate is not well suited for Syrah. tBoW looks forward to tasting his first bottling! Like at Adobe Guadalupe, Paralelo fruit is all estate grown. 2007 Paralelo Emblema: In bottle. Sauvignon Blanc that tastes like new world Sauvignon Blanc, as in grassy with grapefruit. But also old world as in not yet ripe lemon with enough acid to bring to mind a recent steely and super crisp Basque white wine. 11.8% 2007 Paralelo Estacion Porvenir: In bottle very recently. 40% Petite Syrah, 20% Cab Sauv, 20% Zinfandel and 20% Barbera. 8 months in barrel. Yes, there is quite a bit of Zinfandel grown in the Valley. This is the Linne Calodo blend. Works well. Porvenir is the name of a local village. [ed. but you would never buy a wine that blends cab and zin!] Then we tasted 2007s from the barrel. Here works the mad doctor. 2007 ensemble Arenal: Valley floor fruit. 50% Merlot, 30% Cab Sauv and the rest Petite Syrah and Barbera. The Bordeaux blend. Fruity, earthy. Tannins mid sized. 2007 ensemble Colina: Hillside fruit. Same Cab and Merlot weights, finished off with Petite Syrah and Zinfandel. More tannic, sticks and stones, fruit buried behind oak. 2007 Valley Merlot: Earthy, veggies, fruit is there in front but set off by herbaceousness. 2007 Hillside Merlot: Good fruit, brawny, no veggie qualities. 2007 Valley Cabernet Sauvignon: Earthy, salty, more veggie qualities. Fruit is strong. Conclusion? It appears Valley floor fruit has the strongest saltiness and is more herbaceous while Hillside fruit has more tannins, less herbaceousness, and stronger fruit quality. The hillside vines we saw are not at such a high elevation that the effect is more than simply stronger drainage. Maybe the soils are different? Shoulda asked. Looks like another trip is required. As for the meteor showers...the sky was clear but the moon was half full and did not set until 0230. Pretending we were Valley vinifera we caught a handful of streaking meteors until the cool ocean fog rolled over us, then turned in like good little Rhone grapes that will one day replace all the Cabernet!

Cabernet rules this roost

Sat, 06 Sep 2008 21:46:06 -0800

One of LA's most impressive wine cellars is behind this door. Dinner with Carlitos and Alice means plowing through the finest classic Cabernet Sauvignon wines produced in Napa. You should know by now that tBoW is not a cab fan. As a good friend and winemaker once put it...Cabernet - a terrific blending grape. On its own I find Cabernet Sauvignon to be too damn big. I recognize Napa makes what are probably the world's best Cabernet wines (so sorry Bordeaux) BUT...I said BUT these are wines for either trophy hunters at worst and/or people with steel plated palates at best. There are few blended Cabernet wines that I find appealing. tBoW found the Argentina blends of Malbec and Cabernet were the least interesting from that region, preferring Malbec and Merlot or even Syrah. In California styles, the most appealing Napa red wines are less than half Cabernet and preferably that quantity is closer to 30%. No matter. When Carlitos opens his wine cellar, people of the Cabernet persuasion sit up and take notice. Even I am impressed with the depth of his stash. He selected four wines for dinner at local Italian dining room Giorgios in Rolling Hills Estates. We could choose from a 1996 Beringer Private Reserve, 1998 MacKenzie Mueller, 2000 Phelps Insignia and 2004 Opus. The choice was not easy. The Insignia is closest to the blend I would have preferred but the millennium vintage is notoriously "off". The MacKenzie Mueller is a tBoW house favorite but 1998 is another vintage less than stellar. I will say I would bet the Phelps and the MM would be fine wines despite the weak reputation vintages. We settled on the Beringer and the Opus. Like Indiana Jones ...we ...chose ...wisely. 1996 Beringer Private Reserve Cabernet Sauvignon~$150: Big berry fruit right off the first pour. In the nose, on the tongue. Berry berry berry. Blackberries. Delicious. Pour some on your pancakes. Still tannic. Thought we might not need to decant but we did. A monster albeit a 12 year old one. Rich, straightforward. Half and half estate mountain fruit and valley floor. By the end of the meal - after a couple hours - it was kind of simple. I did appreciate the somewhat lighter alcohol. 13.4% People do make a fuss over Napa wines. Here are some worthwhile tasting notes from a 20 year vertical of Beringer Private that took place in 2001. 2004 Opus One $175: The 2004 is a blend of 86% Cabernet Sauvignon, 7% Merlot, 4% Petit Verdot, 2% Cabernet Franc, and 1% Malbec. Supposedly this 25th vintage is the best Opus ever (like they don't say that every other vintage). This is perhaps the most widely held "collector's" wine. It has everything needed to be such. Pedigree of Bordeaux First Growth (yes, Baron Philipe had to wheedle his way inside the top 5) and Napa marketing genius. Oakville floor Cabernet blended with Mouton juice in Napa. With 20,000 cases produced there is just enough to sell out 6-packs at approximately $1,000 each to an audience waiting to show one off. font color="olive">[ed. snot nosed ingrate snob how was the wine dammit?]. The wine was outstanding. An absolutely stunning "robe", i.e., it was really pretty to look at. Balanced. Muted nose but intense flavors; also creamy. High toned say the notes. We did decant. Merlot shows off up front. Then the cab moves in and takes over. Cherries, red berries, some coffee. Much more elegant than the Beringer. Bruce Lee versus Chuck Norris. Kung Fu vs. Karate. A balled fist, or what was once referred to as an iron fist in a velvet glove. Iron fist in a velvet glove....medieval isn't it? 14.1% Carlos has cases, not bottles, of these wines. His selection is focused on classic Napa Cabernets...Beaulieu Georges de la Tour, Sterling Reserves, Grgich, Montelena. Selection goes back to the 90s for all and into the 80s for some. Cases, not bottles. Now, about that Phelps Insignia.... Later that same week... 2006 Domaine Fouassier Quincy $14: This is Sauvignon Blanc from France's Loire Valley. Tastes nothing like California SB. No way no how. None of the grassy aromas and flavors. Clean super clean. Fresh. Kind of stoney but really not. Hey! I covered this wine in October 2007. Liked it then and like it now. How can you go wrong? Very fair price for a very straightforward wine that is very easy to enjoy. This was the second Quincy this week. Ordered the other off the list at Geoffreys in Malibu. Lovely setting but I know better beach views on the coast. A restaurant resting on its laurels for d-e-c-a-d-e-s. The online wine list (yes I tried to look up the Quincy) was from Autumn 2007. IGTY even the idea of an Autumn wine list irks me which makes me a hypocrite since I endorse the notion that wines are seasonal and being able to bring a wine matched to the season signals wine smarts. For tourists and the brain-dead only. 12.5% 2003 D Cubed Napa Valley Zinfandel $25: Overripe Napa juice AND it is a zin. Prunes meet figs. Rich, unctuous. Overripe. Tastes like zin. Not a fan with Franus Brandlin Zin the lone exception [ed. and you haven't tasted one of his wines in a decade]. Where does one begin with commenting on this wine? The words Napa Valley on the label are worth a 100% price bump. Doesn't make the wine any better. Just more expensive. The good news is the vintner kept the price below $30. Zin is not a terribly versatile grape. It seems winemakers have only two choices: rich and jammy or rich and overbearing. Franus manages a claret style that was nimble, light to medium weight and down-weighted the jammy prunes. And the final comment? 15.2% 2007 Root:1 $9: Chilean Cabernet Sauvignon purchased at Costco. Deep red robe. Pretty. Sweet black cherry flavors. Reminiscent of some Argentine Malbecs in the richness and simple approach of a satisfying drink. Has a story. Ungrafted Cab vines not grafted to phyloxera resistant root stock; "original European stock". Parker 90 points. Of course with flavors this forward and robust. Slight volatile acidity that is not quite a spritz but is tingly on the tongue. Nicely balanced, pepper mocha. Everyone liked it especially at the price. Alcohol level not outrageous at 14%.

Basque-ing in a Tablas Creek tasting

Sat, 30 Aug 2008 09:52:24 -0800

The Basque country is in northwestern Spain on the border with France and includes the Navarre region. The French resort Biarritiz is right over the county line [ed. tBoW's first link to wikitravel]. Notable Basque towns include Bilbao and San Sebastian although Hondarribia (near San Sebastian) is certainly one of the most charming. This is the road less traveled when it comes to Spanish tourism. Good for you!! Area highlights include Bilbao's Gehry-designed museum, knocked off repeatedly, even by himself, (see LA's Disney Hall) and the surfing town of [ed. to prove the point side by side pics can be examined at bottom] and Mundaka... (arguably Europe's most renowned surf spot tucked into a river entry cove on the road to Bilbao. Basques are proud people and do not consider themselves to be Spanish...or French. More like Greek with their cyrillic script, abundant use of the letter "x", affection for desolate churches and balalaika-like string instruments. Many battles with the French and Spanish have been fought to preserve the national identify. Count on lots of seafood and regional wines which are brisk and lean whites. tBoW did review a Basque Rose a few weeks ago. Something about being so lean you could easily whistle while sipping. These wines are not California or French chardonnays nor are they in the same basket as German and Austrian Rieslings. Maybe the Gruner Veltliners. More along the lines of white Rhone style wines, however, they are unto themselves and not having any appeal to or interest from the "Parklander Beast" these wines remain true unto themselves displaying unflinching regional pride. Oh bully!! 2005 Segrel Pablo Padin Albariño $15: Purchased at K&L. Sour say the Missus. I would agree but sour as in a green apple mashed up with a lighter lime. Clean and still a bit lush. All of 12%. 2006 Quinta de Couselo "Turonia" Albariño $17: The other K&L purchase. Crisp, bitter in a brash and not caustic fashion. Clean, not as rich as the Padin but also more bracing. Liked this wine and would buy it again. 12.5% Had dinner with friends who are Tablas Creek wine club members so there was plenty to choose from. Here is what we came up with. 2005 Cote de Tablas ~$16: The entry level blend in 2005 was 43% Grenache, 24% Mourvedre, 18% Syrah and 15% Counoise. Now I do not know about you but that blend sounds just about perfect on paper. Nose is gently red and toasty. Flavors are creamy, Syrah seems to stand out. Consistently a great value and delicious wine. Have had it in past three vintages and it was excellent each year. 14.8% 2004 Cote de Tablas $14: 64% Grenache, 16% Syrah, 13% Counoise, 7% Mourvedre. Doncha wonder how they decide the distriibution of grapes? Wouldn't you assume it is a function of the winemaker's palate? I will tell you right now that is a fair assuption that is most likely DEAD WRONG. The wine, nevertheless, is wonderful. Still have a few more waiting to taste the business side of the Laguille opener. Grenache dominant and has the powdery sublime fruit that is soft and seductive like a lithe and sinewy even a touch zaftig ballerina...like Brigitte Bardot!! [ed. that's right...a classicallly trained ballerina hope you'd like to know]. Never seen a zaftig ballerina you say? 2003 Esprit de Beaucastel$36 on release: 50% Mourvedre, 27% Syrah, 16% Grenache, 7% Counoise. Rich, deeper than the Cote de Tablas. Softly smoky. Very nicely developed at 5 years. I am very pleased as this is the first Esprit de Beaucastel to be opened from the wine club shipments. With the higher alcohol I do not taste the heat. These are both very good, well made wines. The vines are in ten years and the fruit is showing wonderful if still youthful maturity. It is just terrific that they have all their homeland fruit to choose from transplanted in the Paso vineyard. 14.8% Having been a TC Vinsider member (the wine club) for a few years AND understanding that TC wants their reds to take some age, my TC tasting experience has been limited to the white wines. All more or less very good and some outstanding (Bergeron, Rousanne, Grenache Blanc, and one 2003 Esprit de Beaucastel in a split which is their serious white Rhone blend that should also take a few years). The only red I have really tasted is the Cote de Tablas however it was was good enough to join the wine club. Now having tasted the 2003 Esprit red my positive instinct is confirmed. 2004 Coudoulet de Beaucastel Red Cotes du Rhone $18: So this is the "baby Beaucastel" from the Tablas Creek granddaddy; i.e., it is the entry level bottle from the mothership, Chateau de Beaucastel. I did not know Beaucastel even made this wine. My remembrances are with the Chateauneuf du Pape. Even though they are both similarly allocated estate grapes in similar blends the "baby" Coudoulet is getting juice from younger vines. I was never very fond of the flagship Chateauneuf du Pape but I like this "baby" just fine. Has liquer-like intensity and focus. Also plenty of coffee so I am thinking Tia Maria. It is kind of simple but lovely. As a parallel to the Cotes du Tablas this is more lean with higher tone fruit. Given the two to choose I take both side by side. If choosing between the Esprit and the Chateuaneuf du Pape I take the Esprit every time. A Costco buy. Winna Winna Chicken Dinna. 14%. 2003 Crozes Hermitage Cuvee Sassenas $19: Picked this wine up at the new Wine Cask in our neighborhood. The high end operation that created the Santa Barbara Futures program has finally come south. So what if it's housed in a former art glass retail shop. The glass pieces are spectacular. Not my style but someone who likes wine will surely buy a big glass piece. In the meantime, this wine bodes well for customers of the new store. Domaine Maxime Chomel has the steep hillside Syrah vineyards that make up this bottle. The wine has cherries and cranberries. Tannins evident but soft. Have to call this good value at 5 years old. 13.5% TIME OUT. tBoW wonders why he does not taste the same stuff he reads in other reviews. For example, here is a nice brief review on the same wine. "The 2003 Crozes-Hermitage could easily be a luxury cuvee. Dense purple to the rim, with hints of incense, licorice, creosote, tapenade, blackberries, and cassis, it is tannic, medium to full-bodied, ripe, rich, and heady. We stole this wine from the distributor!! Drink it over the following 12-15." Agree the wine is a steal. I missed the licorice altogether. In fact I would say it was not there. Licorice is easy to smell and taste. Tapenade? Creosote? I had to look these up. Olives (Provencal dish) and coal tar (from beech wood). I love olives. I was in the Languedoc and am confident I ate tapenade. No olives in the wine I tasted. I also know coal tar from when I had some "hair issues" and used the stuff as treatment (Successfully thank you). I know that aroma. More to come as tBoW blows the whistle on the aroma wheel of bullshit. Care to examine two innovative designs by Frank Gehry? [ed. NO? Take a look at this Rolex? Real gold.] Enter here...and consider...what does it mean when the world's most famous architect knocks off his own work... first examine the Disney Hall in LA...completed 2004... now consider the museum in Bilbao...completed in 1998... In certain professions basing one's own work on the ideas of others is not only the highest form of flattery it is the preferred protocol. For example, in medical research or many academic disciplines, new research is always predicated on old models and studies. Is it any different in architecture? What does it mean when an architect replicates his own innovative style in new settings? And isn't it worth wondering if Gehry was inspired by Gaudi, the great Spanish architect, in creating his Iberian building? Send in your own thoughts. Especially architects that love wine.

in the summertime when the weather is high...

Sat, 23 Aug 2008 14:05:17 -0800

1997 Williams Selyem Allen Vineyard Pinot Noir: As Dotoré purges his cellar tBoW benefits. We opened his 1997 Richioli Riverblock at the last Super Bowl. Loved it. Fact is the wines from WS are best enjoyed in their youth. In my experience the Allen is among the slowest WS wines to come around. At 11 years this bottle is not spry but it still has some hops. Maybe not as spectacular as the Rochioli Riverblock but nothing to sniff at. Perfectly balanced. Showing some red brick color in the bowl. The first impression is how delicate. Like a dragonfly showing wonder and light. We can smell and taste the figs. "As good as California pinot gets" declares Dotoré [ed. obviously he is coming around to you position that WS trumps Rochioli in sheer pleasure which was originally noted by IGTY]. Yes, it is more fruit forward than Burgundies. Aren't all Calif Pinot Noirs? But only Williams Selyem has the candy. 13.8% 2005 Williams Selyem VIsta Verde San Benito County Pinot Noir: Contributed by IGTY. Unusual source prompts discussion about from how many vineyards WS sources their fruit. Where is San Benito County? Hollister, which you fellow Angelenos know is where they grow garlic and asparagus. This is inland farm country on the hottest stretch of the 101 freeway. Nevertheless, against all odds the wine is pretty nice. Has a deeper color than the Allen, but then it is 8 years younger. Rich, more dense flavor, and still delicate consistent with the WS style. 13.9% 2006 Siduri Sonoma Coast Pinot Noir $24: The odd bottle from a highly reputable Pinot Noir specialist vintner. "37% Sonatera Vineyard, 31.5% Terra de Promissio, and 31.5% Hirsch Vineyard" which sounds like pretty good pedigree. Very different form the Williams Selyem wines. Earthy. Like a Gevrey is to a Volnay. Almost (but not quite) rustic. Liked it. Did well in this group. Very nice. 14.1% 2006 Paul Lato Larner Vineyard Syrah $60: Opened it first which was probably a mistake. Should have let it air out. Needed the time. Very intense and focused. Too big too soon. "Hot" with high alcohol. This needs to be aerated. It is a pricey wine but then when you fall in love... you do crazy things! Paul Lato wines are the only ones I am willing to buy from the region. I hasten to point out that Paul makes his Pinot Noir from Santa Maria which is like being on the Eastside of the 101 in Paso. He is now being sought as a winemaker by the premium growers in Santa Rita Hills. I do not blame him for charing premium. He makes so little and his winemaking style is absolutely right when it comes to working with SRH fruit. "The fruit is so muscular it does not need more muscle. I try to give it some grace and intelligence". Hell yeh. 80 cases. 15% 2005 Abbaye de Tholomies $14: Purchased at K&L Hollywood. Grenache based from the Languedoc. The village of Minerve and its historical tragedies at the hands of the Papal armies are documented in another post [ed. with photos of the "island" village]. This wine shows the hot and arid country surrounding Minerve. Highlands, up-river. Hardy country where head cut Grenache and Mourvedre grows well. The "story" is that the winery and vineyards were purchased in 1980s by a surgeon obsessed with quality. Dark red color. Sweet high toned fruit with plenty of backbone acid. The mIssus would call it thin. Call it sinewy, muscular like a dancer (not a gymnast or a diver). [ed. tBoW concedes a lone Olympic reference] Good hot dry fruit. We have happily witnessed the resurgence of Languedoc wines in the past decade. Now will this make me forget Tablas Creek or Gauby? No. But for $14 I can forget a lot of overpriced cabs and red burgs. 13.5% 1995 Weinlaubenhof Alois Kracher Grande Cuvée TBA #12~$80: Not a U20 but a wine probably worth the splurge if you like sweeties. Fantastically delightful and delicious dessert Riesling blend from Kracher. At 13 years there is plenty of time to enjoy this wine. We had it with a cheese plate that matched very well. ..and coffee. Topped off another great meal at Palate. Sommelier Steve Goldun says this vintage is the last of Kracher's more acidic Kracher sticky styles. Apricots, apples, just enough acid to keep it firm. Most amazing...only 12%

Take my wine. Please.

Sat, 16 Aug 2008 22:36:26 -0800

The Missus told tBoW she has had it with the pedestrian wines we have been putting in front of her lately. She gets the concept there are decent wines to be had for under $20. She appreciates the thrill of the hunt for these wines, AND ALL THAT. However, after all the tasting fun is completed during hors d'ouvres she wants tBoW to know when the main course arrives she expects a glass of good wine to accompany. Fortunately, tBoW did not have to bear this assault alone. The perceptive and fearless Dotoré was present to get to the bottom of things. It turns out she has grown increasingly less fond of the choices placed in front of her the past year. The Missus misses a fruit forward, rich California wine, preferably a pinot noir. Dotoré concludes "there is no question these southwestern France wines are an acquired taste and radically different from California products. However, there is also no question if you are looking for value wines today do not waste your time with California". tBoW says he'll handle the wine, the Missus will get her fruity reds, but we really should let an authority weigh in on domestic differences and mending fences. Onto the wines with help from friends and other innocent bystanders. 2006 Mâcon-Villages Vendanges Manuelles Auvige $15: Robert Chadderdon selection. How quickly we forget! Reviewed in Jan 08. Loved it then. Love it now. White Burgundy that is special not only because it meets the U20 criterion but because it is so dang tasty. Lean with some butter, mostly Chardonnay fruit, apple fruit. Meant to be drunk young. Been drinking this most of the summer. May I say it blows away domestic efforts with Chardonnay? Youbetcha. Has not failed yet. 13% 2005 Domaine Gauby Les Calcinaires $22: The perfect wine for returning to the world after hanging on for dear life with a dreaded summer cold. Rousillon village wine with just the right spice and cherries to remind me that I had been living on cough syrup the previous 3 nights. We all know how the palate goes on the fritz in the face of running snot and throat-like-rasping-tool...non-stop. OK. Enough whining and back to the wine-ing!! "Although initially the wines were tannic and extracted, Gauby has moved towards a more balanced elegant style in recent years, and the wines are much better for it." Credit the Wine Doctor who is always worth reading. Get the rest of his enlightening Gauby review here. Predominantly Grenache which is a grape I favor especially when made like this. I should have known; another brilliant Peter Weygandt Selection. A very civilized 13% alcohol level (unattainable if you are making wine in SoCal). L'Oustal Blanc K6 $16: Winemaker Claude Fonquerle from MInervois. 100% 100 year old Carignane vines. In poker that could be the Minervois nut nut. Fruity for French wine however perhaps not so much for an inspired Southwestern France vintner looking for some New World love. Another Peter Weygandt Selection. I am thrilled that I can publish a photo from Minerovis which is an ancient Cathar stronghold where 200 locals were burnt at the stake in the 13th century following a long and religiously righteous siege. And what goes on with Minervois wines? Let Peter Weygandt's website tell that story. And this wine in particular? Can you say 2/3 in concrete vats. That is why they call it Old World. Cannot argue with the delicious results at phenomenal value. 13.5% A few brief words about the Cathars. Some refer to the decades-long assault on Southwestern residents of the culturally distinct and independent land known as the Oc as the 4th Crusade; the only crusade fought on European soil. Led northern French nobility, in particular Simon de Montfort, under the auspices of the Papacy soldiers dedicated 120 days (a quatraine) to seeking out and destroying enemies of the Papal state, banished from Rome at that time. The times roughly coincided with the fatal attack on the Knights Templar and, like in that dark-of-night blitzkrieg, the aim was to grab whatever wealth and title could be had with a ruthless and merciless military maneuver under the blessing of a besieged religious institution (that would be the Catholic Church). [ed. twilight on the plaza in Carcasonne] The Cathars were doomed precisely because they were a very popular religious sect whose leaders eschewed the fine clothing and crusty rings favored by local Catholic priests. [ed. In today's mondo vino is it unfair to characterize terroir driven winemakers as the Cathars, the all-homogenizing Pope as Michel Rolland, and Parker as swordsman Simon de Montfort?] Cathar priests wore simple unadorned robes and sandals and walked throughout the region preaching simple life, sexual abstinence (I never said they were perfect, although the holiest Cathars were known as Perfects), healthy nutritious diets, and living a life devoted to joining the heavenly Father after death. They also believed the earth was actually hell and the Pope and all his minions were devils. They were harmless as a military threat however they were the very definition of sedition and it was their intention to undermine the Holy Roman Church. The Church referred to them as Albigensians because the city of Albi was an open - and defiant - Cathar religious center. Of course, one of the most quoted lines was uttered by th Inquisitor Abbott Arnaud when ordering the wholesale slaughter of 20,000 Beziers inhabitants: "kill them all, God will know his own". [ed. Beziers cathedral above] Here is a video pitch for a book I have not read that covers (romanticizes?) the era. Romanticizing the Cathars is easily done since the events that occurred frequently appear in culture (films, books) without really linking one and all. For example, Dan Brown's books in some if not large part derive directly from Templar and Cathar history and beliefs. 2006 Romano Dogliotti La Caudrina Moscato d'Asti $17: Another super wine to serve first on a summer evening wherever you are. Fizzy, even frothy in the glass. Not too sweet. Good acid, balanced, excellent. At the end of the night looking back we liked it as much as any other wine poured. 5.5% 2007 Domaine de Rieux Cotes de Gascogne $10: Vin de Pays from Gascony by P. Grassa. Lovely, steely, green melon flavors. Minerals. Refreshing. Screw top says drink me every day. 10% 1997 Josef Friedrich Oppenheimer Krötenbrunnen Auslese: Cellar purging yields this forgotten item. The ghosts of fruits that once were here, now faded. I did find a 2001 review that raved. Still, quality Riesling is present with some petrol, elder flower and linden flavors. If you are curious here is an excellent description of all the terms on the label. Here is a photo of the village where Josef Friedrich calls home. Kinda steep. 9% 2005 Michel Sarrazin Mercurey: Imported by North Berkeley Wine. Dried out, light tannins, bitter. Not a tasty wine. May be the wine that pushed the Missus over the top. Even Kobe misses pay ups [ed. news to me.]. 13% 2003 Terres de Truffes Cave TerraVentoux $12: The Cotes du Ventoux is a Rhone appellation known for black truffles. This wine is made by Bruno Clement who is a leading harvester in the region and owns the most prominent regional restaurant for cooking with truffles. Sounds good to tBoW! 60% Grenache, 40% Syrah can be a heavenly blend. This is a very nice wine with some stuffing and plenty of forward fruit. Grenache blended with Syrah can show a creamy texture and flavors in the right hands. The Missus was able to enjoy it once she evacuated her festering opinions. Thanks to Vin de Pays Wines in Long Beach CA for posting the excellent write-up on Bruno Clement. 13.5% Postscript to the lovely Missus...the 2003 TerraVentoux is why we hunt. Wonderful wine, made locally in the cooperative winery, tasting like something the vintner imagined. And $12. Can't beat that with a hockey stick.

Wines for a "Dog Day Afternoon"

Sat, 09 Aug 2008 21:46:13 -0800

Can the summer go on too long? Izit possible? maybe....yes.....NO!! I love to watch the weather guys and ladies put the week's forecast up and all I see is 92, 94, 95, 93, 91. And you know what to you have to do. Enjoy it. Like the SRH gangsters above. That is Wes and Uma Hagen and David Corey on the right. David is a ton of fun (so is Wes). Like a mischievous puppy. He was dry-humping like crazy on this summer evening in 2005 only it wasn't the pillow. It was another well known SRH winemaker and she took at least 15 minutes to tell him to cut that out. 2007 Core California Rosé $12: So there I am buying a case at K&L of Moscato d'Asti for the Missus' staff party...and as I am checking out I check out the Rose display. I spot the Core red version and since I have great photos of David Corey I think I should get a bottle. Actually, I remember David Corey's wines are always challenging and usually rewarding. The closer on the sale is the teaser card that says he uses 10 different varietals or ten different sources for this wine. Maybe ten sources because I am fairly certain the blend consists of Dave's favorite grapes - Syrah, Mourvedre, Grenache and Tempranillo. This wine is firm, muscular, sinewy, like a marathon runner or a distance cycler. A lot like Dave. As would be expected not your garden variety delicate pink summer wine. Love it. 14.3% 2007 Tintero Sori' Gramella Moscato d'Asti $10: The K&L purchased Moscati. The idea was to serve this at the MIssus' staff party. At 5% everyone stays in the safety zone and still gets to chill a little. More spine than the Bartenura and almost up to La Morandina (the summer Moscati standard). Excellent wine. Mixed it with some Lodi Vermentino and that was also pretty tasty. 5% 2006 Chateau d'Aqueria Tavel Rosé $12: Costco purchase. "Tavel is acknowledged to be the world's most complex and flavorful rosé wine" says the back label. "Tell it to Bandol" sez tBoWl!! Dry, dried cranberry fruit, very nice...like a Bandol. Dry, even woody. What was it Dotoré said about Bandol? Highest expectations with decent delivery. Think the original iPhone release. IGTY [ed. I Gotta Tell Ya...bring it on!!!] I think I prefer the fruitier offerings from...California's Central Coast!! Yes, I am talking about Point Concepcion, Anglim and the Languedoc. Given that the new Costco wine buyer has been on such a hot streak this summer I have to say she fouled one off here. 13.5% [ed. tBoW continues to overheat like Pacino in his seminal film...below] 2003 Clautiere Cabernet Sauvignon $22 wine club: Speaking of the Central Coast, i.e., Paso Robles, this is a pretty decent effort from the uber-fashionable vineyard on the unfashionable East Side. If you like Cabernet Sauvignon unblended. Pencil lead nose yields to a mineral flavor with high tone fruit, smoooooth and plummy. Is it Pauillac? St Estephe? In the Parker/Rolland era? How many folks would be fooled. Can we please stop growing Cabernet Sauvignon in Paso and focus on Rhone blends? Leave the vcabs to Napa. Pinots in Sonoma and points north...far as Oregon. Rhone styles in hot regions like...Paso!! This is a good time to try. 14.5% And Dog Day Afternoon? His best work, overacting and all. [ed. until Scarface of course] You see the trailer you've seen the movie. Such a New Yawkuh. Pleece. Un-joy.

Strike the Rosé Posé !!!

Sat, 02 Aug 2008 22:22:29 -0800

Summer is the season for stealth wines like Rosé and Moscato d'Asti. And if you really need something more substantial there are the very stealth Gamay wines from Beaujolais. Which makes summer the most bombastically wonderful season of the year. Put away the pretensions with the ratings gurus and get ready to just sit back and enjoy. Here is a group of summer wines recently tasted. 2007 Rosé du Nuit Domaine du Deffends: Robert Chadderton is the B-2 Stealth Bomber of wine importers. Silently dropping vinous mayhem on our palates. For tBoW it is a tossup between Charles Neal, Chadderton and Peter Weygandt for most captivating importer. In case Chadderton is an anti-war guy I apologize in advance for associating him to my fascination with military porn. This is the stealth wine. [ed. God I hope "W" isn't "protecting freedom" in Iran by the time we publish.] Plenty of acid but still balanced. Undertones of PINK grapefruit. Pale salmon in color. Almost sophisticated but who cares? Not sure what the vogueing lady has to do with the wine except I am sure she has something to do with it. That or she just TRIPS on Madonna. Please check her out and let me know. Fenks. 12.6%. 2005 McKenzie-Mueller Clan Rosé Napa Valley $19: Screw top cap lets us know Bob Mueller means we should drink this up. Knowing Bob makes serious wine even when he is not being terribly serious we had it with lamb chops off the grill. Perfect. 63% Cabernet Franc, 27% Merlot, 10% Cabernet Sauvignon. That's right - it is a Bordeaux blend Rosé!!! BRAVO!! Who else would try this? Unfiltered to make sure we get all the blend has to offer. I did not like particularly this when he poured it at the winery. Now I am blown away. Beefy Rosé with a light bright red color. A Rosé meant for grilled meats. Who knew? Here is what Bob has to say about this wine. There is only one Napa mail list to be on. 14.7% 2007 Txakoli Gurrutaga Rosado: The pink version of the Basque white wine we drank at the Playboy Jazz Festival. That was super acidic. This is just bright and acidic. I like it just fine. Not your grand-papa's pinkie. Or maybe it is if he is a Viking. A Kirk Douglas Rosé. I am going to go out on a limb and say you need to try this wine just to prove you are not a WINE WIMP. I like it. I'm a real tough palate when it is 80 degrees at 8:00 in the evening. 10.5% 2007 Vissoux Pierre-Marie Chermette Les Griottes Beaujolais Rose $15: [ed. I could not find the label so here is the MAN with his vines]. Pale pink salmon color. Creamy, sour cherries, good acid balancing the fruit like a seal tossing a ball. This has to be Grenache but no...it is Gamay. Unfiltered. So what! It is just perfect in early sumer when the SoCal air is still kinda cool. Peter Weygandt (tBoW Best of Wine Importers) does it again. Kick my booty in a frosty glass bottle no less. Great touch. 12% 2005 Chateau de Thulon Beaujolais Villages $15: Winemaker is Jean-Marc Gurgaud. The vintage continues to show very well, as expected. Solid cassis flavors usually reserved for Cabernet Sauvigonon. With light shining through. A translucent wine. Outstanding. Rich and hedonistic flavors like a liquer. How do they do it and keep it so lightweight? This is simply excellent wine. 12.5% 2005 Rousset Crozes-Hermitage $20: Kermit Lynch selection purchased at Wine Country in LA's South Bay where the buyer does a wonderful job. Dry, sour-like, balanced, stoniness. I like it; Missus does not. You have to develop a taste I suppose. She much prefers the next wine down. 2007 La Morandiña Moscato d'Asti $18: This is the perfect summer wine, or it is the wine of the summer according to the Missus. Like key lime pie in a glass. Has the bitter bright lime topping a core of ripe summer fruit; peaches, oranges, honey with a slight fizz and just enough acid. More sophisticated than other efforts (which we also love). 5%. 2007 Sori del Re Moscato d'Asti Degiorgis $18: WINNER WINNER CHICKEN DINNER. Some like it better than the Morandini. Peaches and zing and slight spritz. Wunnaful wunnaful. 5.5%