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

Where are the notes on the <$20 wines? We taste enough wines on the weekend (my wife a bissel more often) to post some ratings. Before I get around to posting some notes, I will ask the good dotore' (generously available for palate abuse) to offer notes on the 1999 Oratorio he bought in Costco years ago and held onto until last Friday June 22. In the meantime here are notes on 3 other wines we busted out.

2005 A. Scherer Pinot Noir: Alsatian pinot noir. Think northern Italy PN. Or Swiss PN. Or Austrian PN. I have tasted PN from each region always on somebody's good tout. These are wines grown in cold - not cool - regions. PN needs cooldown weather. However, a parka in August is too much cooldown. The problem with any of these wines is they have little fruit. So they come off as "sinewy" when well-made and anorexic when not. On the other hand, if you like lean woody wines with an APB out on the fruit this could be for you. (Interestingly, Mendocino - a north of Napa cool growing region - can produce terrific PNs, i.e., Navarro).

2005 McKenzie-Mueller Carneros Cuvee Rose': My wife loves McKenzie-Mueller wines. I am quite fond of his pinot noir, cab franc and malbec. His cab sauvignon is very well made, never heavyweight, always balanced. Bob McKenzie has an understandably loyal following. We are in the wine club and order wines direct (25% off) on release. A recent M-M newsletter (I am getting to the point dammit) referred to a request by some clubbies that Bob create a "reds-only" option. These followers apparently do not wish to buy the chardonnay, rose', etc. offerings that usually accompany the red releases. Bob is thinking about it. I usually take the white wines and the rose' in support of a family winemaker who is also a wonderful host should you visit his Carneros winery (which you should if you get the chance). We are guessing the rose' is cab franc. The alcohol is listed at 14.7%. The "standard deviation" accepted in wine metrics is plus/minus 0.5% so the alcohol could be >15%. We prefer wines no higher than 14% and applaud winemakers who keep it close to 13%. We are thinking the "reds-only" folks have been in the club longer than we have.

1989 Chateau Nairac: Golden-copper color, tartrate crystals (?) floating in the soup otherwise looks absolutely perfect. Musty nose but a long way from corked. Still some acid on palate but mostly honeyed...and some mustiness. Never got to the second glass. Dr. M's call and a good one once again. I bought this after having a delicious 1979 Nairac maybe 10 years ago and I expected more. Of course, 1983 is the Sauternes vintage. I would snap up a 1975, 1976 or 1983 Nairac if I had the chance (of course I would also burst the 20$ cap but c'est la vie).

Best suggestion for "field of reference" when tasting wine...surfing!

One of the early sequences in the Monty Python epic "The Holy Grail" is the "bring out your dead" scene (youtube link brings instant gratification lads and lassies). I am not sure why that scene reminds me of my Christmas Day party. Maybe because the day offers a few chuckles over some kinky exchanges. We had both this year with the surprise arrival of Little Stevie who moved to Paris several decades ago and made a life as a successful photog. Check out Steve Murez website. In the course of his very cool career he has been retained by the Wine Spectator to shoot wine dinners at 3 star Michelin restaurants around Europe and in the USA (that would be New York mainly). I wish I had pressed him more for Speculator stories. He did say something nice about Jim Suckling. He strongly suggested I rent Mondo Vino which is the Sicko of the wine industry so I could learn about the cozy relationships between big advertisers and high ratings. I will watch it. I already know that the Wine Spectator is the last place I would look for touts. I used to subscribe to WS and the Underground Wine Journal. More of that some other time. How interesting that Mondo Vino is also the name of a hot shit Denver wine shop (inadvertent web surfing outcome).

James Suckling has a blog where it appears he posts often. He lives in LA. His wine beat is Bordeaux. He posts vids (5 seconds with winemaker for Leoville Las Cases) which is cool. They were tasting the 2005 Bordeaux vintage. He tasted 900 Bordeaux wines in 12 days. This is a curse. He must be the Lebron James of wine tasting...skills and stamina beyond what is ordinary for the world's greatest athletes. The vids have decent resolution which makes me wonder what camera he is using so spontaneously. Maybe I will start doing vids! Check out Jim Suckling's blog. I expected much worse (some compliment, I know). In our wine tasting clique the Wine Spectator is the progenitor of everything wrong with wine. We certainly did not originate this idea but we do subscribe to it. I'm not saying I now am a reborn Bordeaux fiend. But I was pleased with what I found.

My beat is my Xmas party and the top wines were white on this day!! I have tossed in a couple reds from a dinner two nights later that are worth covering.

1978 Dom Perignon: Look what the Doc dragged in! Not a wine one sees every decade. Dotoré pulled it from Ma and Pa's closet. Looked to be in perfect shape from the condition of the box. Foil was flimsy but not stuck to the bottle so moisture contact was eliminated as a spoilage threat. Cork came out easily but not in a way that suggested leakage. Ullage (empty space at top of bottle created by normal evaporation) was absent, another good sign. We poured. Tiny bubbles rose to the top of our flutes...and kept rising. Brassy color like a slightly red lager. Caramel on the nose. Oxidation. Apple and cinnamon in the mouth. "The nose of history leads to mystery" said the Divine Ms. M who arrived early enabling her and her Rock to imbibe this rarity. And she was on the money. DP is the most widely known champagne in the world thanks to 007. The wine is a mystery to those drinking it for the first time because it is so damn expensive. But catch a sip and the next mystery hits; the wine is also quite austere. We saved a taste for Dotorés spouse who fashionably arrived 90 minutes later. We had to bring out the dead Dom as all life has passed by then.

Rene Geoffroy Rosé de Saignee $60: Purchased at Wades Wines on Wade's recommendation "20 cases came into the country; the French Laundry got 10 and I got the rest". First wine opened at Dr. Del's dinner party. Pink light strawberry color. Fresh, refreshing flavors. Delicate tang. Pinot Noir fruit from a premier cru vineyard. A non-U20 wine worth the splurge. Imported by Michael Skurnick Wines.

2006 Auvigue Macon-Villages Vendanges Manuelles $15: Manuelles means this is a hand-made wine. Outstanding value. White burgundy well made, balanced. Woodland Hills Wine Co purchase recommended by the redoubtable Steve Goldun (now shortened to WH/SG). Lemon rind, acidic, some bitterness but not off-putting at all. Fruity, steely. Loved it. I hope this is an indicator of what we can expect in wine bargains in 2008. Hardly seems likely given the dollar/Euro exchange rate. Here is a wine blog by someone who loves wines by Auvige. Worth reading, of course.

2005 Chateau d'Epire Savannieres $18: Dotoré loves to surprise me. And I love that. Here is one great example (there is another coming). This Chenin Blanc is downright feral. It actually reminds me of a Nahe Reisling. Oily, petrol. Also has grapefruit flavors. Exotic. The term I like is foxy. These are wines that do well with age. Drinking them now is interesting but they really turn out richly with time. Dotoré read this Slate article and took a leap. Nice hops my freng.

2001 Ipsus Passito $8/500 ml: The season's second miracle...a decent bottle of wine from Trader Joes. Can TJ's reclaim the mantle now covering Kirkland shoulders? This is a fine desert wine (muscat) from Sicily that brings dried apricots to your tongue. I read some pretty nasty reviews on the web that will probably deter me from buying more. Nevertheless, the bottle we had was just fine. Maybe it just goes well with honey-baked ham and tamales. Maybe it got better (passed a dumb phase?) after TJ got it on close out. Hard to beat this quality/price ratio.

REDS

2005 Chateau du Hureau Saumur Champigny $16: I get almost giddy when I learn a wine I tasted is a Charles Neal Selection...like this one. We were guessing what was the grape and ended up with Gamay and/or Cab Sauvignon (snobbily consulting the Hugh Johnson Atlas to learn these are two regional grapes). WRONG. This is 100% Cabernet Franc. I like cab franc a lot. Actually I prefer it to cab sauv. The Charles Neal site has an excellent description of the Chateau du Hureau and his wines Solid, middle-weight effort. Good plain fruit. I mean not tricked up with oak or over-ripeness. Cocoa in the mouth. I will be stocking up. Compare to domestic effort from Foxen below.

2005 Passopisciaro Rosso Sicilia $32: A WH/SG selection (haha!). Steve sold it to Dotore' telling him to think Pinot Noir. Well it has the weight of Pinot Noir and something like the game-y fruit. But the white pepper is not of Pinot Noir. But I like it in this wine. I do not usually describe the label but this one is worth it. Like medieval graffiti. LA Times food and wine critic S. Irene Virbila gave it an enthusiastic review. For pure style appreciation check out the Passopisciaro website. Molto forte!

2003 Foxen Tinaquaic Cabernet Franc $20: 140 cases made in 2004. Purchased at Wine Cask Futures tasting. Rich in nose and flavor. New world wine richness. Ripe, almost jammy. Black cherry, coffee/toffee. Middle to heavy weight. This is really good wine but I think I prefer the Saumur. Still, Foxen makes very nice wines, has a vision, and is located in really pretty country.

One more Python video... Only a flesh wound!

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%

News Flash - before you get started tBoW wishes to acknowledge the first two newsworthy events for the new year in thebestofwines world. The January issues of Gourmet and Los Angeles magazines each feature a tBoW fave. Gourmet covers all things consumable that are Italian. They make a point of including a photo and kind words about the efforts of Napa's most under-rated winemaker Jim Moore and his l'Uvaggio di Giacomo label to produce memorable California wines from Italian varietals. The Jan 09 issue of Los Angeles magazine picks tBoW hero Palate Food + Wine as the #1 restaurant in LA. LA mag gave Palate a curiously arms-length review in August 08 as though withholding final judgment. Glad to read the reviewer made up his mind. [ed. we knew it soon as we walked through the doors in June] Unlike Los Angeles mag, Gourmet does not post open links to its content so you will have to pick up a copy.

Between Thanksgiving, Christmas and New Year the adaptable wine taster has an opportunity that comes once a year. That is to taste a wide range of wines you might normally never encounter. Already tBoW has had his glass filled with Moet White Star, a Zinfandel and a late harvest Chardonnay. How bizarre how bizarre.

2004 David Coffaro Price Family Dry Creek Valley Zinfandel $20: This is the perfect example of a wine I would never taste if it was not for the holidays. tBoW never drinks Zinfandel by choice [ed. he ain't crazy about Viognier either]. This is a ripe Dry Creek Valley wine that is typical of what is generally regarded as the finest region in the state for growing and producing Zin. Ripe Zin often has prune or raisin flavors like we find here. There is nothing wrong with the wine. I am just not a fan of the varietal (with a couple exceptions like Franus and ). Nalle both made in a Claret style) This wine is high in alcohol which is not unusual for the varietal and the region. 15%

2005 Bouchaine Bouche d'Or Carneros Chardonnay $30 at the winery: One does not often see a late harvest wine made from Chardonnay grapes. This is a Mrs. tBoW selection purchased at the winery. She picked a gooder. The wine is lively with firm acidity. The flavors show apricot, honey...and Fuji Apple. Very long finish. Young tBoW sommelier-in-training Senor X grappled with the flavor, not satisfied with the apricot call. He returned 10 minutes later (the finish is that long) to proclaim that Fuji Apple is exactly what we were tasting in the slight bitterness like one gets from the apple pulp. tBow kvelled noticeably. By the way, Bouchaine is the oldest winery in Carneros but changes are afoot. The former winemaker at Acacia Michael Richmond joined the team in 2007 and they are being distributed by a division under Southern Wines so they should get more exposure. If you are a Kendall Jackson fan you might want to check out Bouchaine as a superior product in essentially the same category. The wines seem to have improved. 11%

Heitz Cellar Ink Grade Port NV $30 (split): Yet another unusual bottle not found among tBoW selections. This blend of 8 traditional Porto varietals from as many as 6 recent vintages is personal project of Joe Heitz; he of Martha's Vineyard fame [ed. the original big-ticket award-winning highly-collectible Napa Cab]. Deep black ruby color. Rich honey flavors which seems unusual for a red port. Beautifully balanced. Not at all cloying or candy-ish. An excellent wine at a very good price point that is worth pursuing. 18.5%

2007 Vinos Sin-ley "Valleclaro" Prieto Picudo Rosado Valle de Benavente$11: A hot summer ticket in 2008. This delightful light cherry red wine from Spain got a big Parker rating and was noticed by Tanzer. The fruit is like pear rind [ed. you have to imagine this]. A dry bite on the finish because the wine itself is a bit hot for Rosé at 13.5%.

2005 Kaiken Ultra Malbec $16.50: Covered this winery from South America in an April 08 tBoW blog post following Argentina trip in Spring 2007. The "trick" is they blend Argentine and Chilean juice. OK. The wine is very good. I do wonder if they drive the juice over the Andes pass. Mendoza is just over the border. The "ordinary" blend is very good. This is extra thick and extra rich without being over-stuffed. Thick fruity flavors. Almost like a liqueur. Very dark color. This is among the best in a class of richly sweet and thick wines from South America that maintain balance. The price is excellent given the high quality. Costco pick. 14%

Dotoré reached deep into his double double cooler (wider and deeper) and came up with some real beauties for celebrating the holidays. Your humble blog-host reports on the premium treats along with a couple other not-so-shabby year-ending tastes.

2002 Domaine Huet Vouvray Petillant $27: Robust sparkling wine, lemon rind, simultaneously green and ripe. Every bit as wonderful as when we first "discovered" this producer and this wine in particular at Palate. A Robert Chadderdon selection. Chenin Blanc. 12%

1996 Frederic Esmonin Griottes Chambertin $100: Thin and undernourished like a fashion model in Vogue; an appropos metaphor since with Burgundy and Grand Cru vineyards like Griottes it is all about what is on the label. What happened to these wines in this vintage? 30 minutes later the wine opened up a bit and showed an exotic nose with black cherry and black berries. Too little too late. 13.8%

1996 Armand Rousseau Ruchottes Chambertin Grand Cru Monopole $130: Lean, showing its age. More structured than the Esmonin, soft with yam flavors. Red brown robe (like the Esmonin) indicates age past its prime. Flavor is more full than the Griottes. Suits the potatoes. Better of the two wines. 13%

CAVEAT EMPTOR: ON at least three occasions in 2008 we found disappointment with 1996 Burgundies from top producers considered among the region's finest. The vintage was simply less than stellar.

1997 Rochioli West Block Pinot Noir $250: Bourbon nose. Great contrast to the two 1996 Burgs. Towering, lean, tannic, deep pinot fruit. Burnt sugar cane, hedonistic. Full exudatum nose. Ripe and lush. Velvety, rich, exotic. Showing its age. Sour mash whiskey on the nose. "The perfect glass of wine" or just too ripe? Certainly one of the most widely collectible! 13.5%

The year-ending bottles included the last of a mixed case of 1983 Sauternes along with a fresh and lively California Pinot Noir.

2006 Nettare Carneros Pinot Noir $20: Carneros wine featured at the Napa Valley Wine Exchange in San Francisco. NVWE specializes in small production outfits and this fits at 112 cases produced. Sweet candied fruit, some smoke as we would expect from Carneros. A bit rough around the edges and still worth the price. 14.2%

1983 Chateau d'Arche $200: The end of a collection that saw the last 2 opened over the past holiday season. This was perfectly ready as was the Sigalas Rabaud. Honeycomb flavors which is to say there was waxiness and a raw essence quality to the wine. Extremely rich and concentrated. Another spectacular example of an outstanding vintage. The online price for the d'Arche is almost 10 times the Sigalas Rabaud. While the d'Arche is superior and more spectacular it is not so by a factor of ten. The readiness of these two wines contrasts with the relative youthfulness of the 1983 d'Yquem. This was an excellent investment and a strategy tBoW would recommend to any young wine drinker looking to put wines down that can be enjoyed in their glory at 20 years age. 12.5%

This weekend June 13 & 14 consider doing the Topanga Canyon Artists' Studio Tour. It is tBoW's favorite summer event. HIGHLY RECOMMENDED. Topanga home you would never see except for this tour pictured below.

As we roll into summer you may enjoy a runup in invites to dine al fresco with friends and acquaintance. tBoW encourages using such occasions to raid the hosts' wine cellar. Why be just polite when you can also be rapacious? [ed. Mungo Jerry signals the official arrival of another LA SUMMER]

The scene is a Memorial Day last minute dinner at the home of good friends. The offer is to pull anything you like from the cellar. We came up with a Bordeaux and a Ribbon Ridge Pinot Noir. Not bad!

2002 La Tour Haut Brion $50 online: A holiday gift from someone in the same business as our host. Meant to impress. At 7 years old it is still young and showing tannins with plenty of Cabernet Franc fruit. The wine is very nice and since we rarely drink Bordeaux wines this is certainly a treat. Goes perfectly with the grilled steaks. It is impossible to write about Bordeaux wines without giving some background. The region is almost universally the introductory wine experience for wine snob novitiates. Bordeaux wines have the right features for newbies: "unquestioned" pedigree, comparatively few labels, prestige pricing, and decent wine. In some cases snobs-in-training start with California. What is interesting is how many wine-os never move past Cabernet Sauvignon thereby becoming faux snobs. For the record, LA Tour Haut Brion is the "second" label for La Mission Haut Brion. This means the wine is made from young vines (figure under 10 and probably closer to 5 years) and is not permitted in the premium batch. For an absolutely classic and haughty article on the Haut Brion wine scene click here.

2006 Aramenta Reserve Pinot Noir $43: Aramenta is the adjoining property and neighbor to Ayres, lauded in the recent Oregon Pinot Noir reviews. tBoW has had Aramenta in the past and enjoyed even though he found it too sweet to purchase it was not so sweet he would turn it down. This is from the ripe 2006 vintage. It is dark red but still not so dark to be mistaken for something other than Pinot Noir or Gamay. Sweet, burnt brown sugar. Kinda big. Would like to try this again in a year's time.

2006 H Pinot Noir $20: We did not get to pick this wine. It was offered as an example of the expanding ocean of "high end" wines now reduced and hitting the consumer market like bugs on the Interstate. Formerly $50 he picked up this H Pinot Noir for $20. The story is "right" with 198 cases and "hand-harvested" Sonoma fruit. Of course, good value requires two components: price and quality. The alcohol is way too high for this Sonoma wine produced and bottled in Paso Robles. The fruit that is there cannot fight its way past the ethanol curtain. Not to be confused with Oregon's Hamacher H wine from Willamette Valley. Or Macy's bedding line with the same logo. 15.55%

2007 Domaine du Vissoux Pierre-Marie Chermette Fleurie Poncié $20: This is the first Cru Beaujolais tasted from this vintage. tBoW flipped over the village Beaujolias from the same producer in the tBoW review last August. The contrast is striking. The cru wine is more intense overwhelming any of he other components such as alcohol and tannins. It is big and fruity. Word to Dotoré: While this Beuaj is very nice now tBoW looks forward to trying it again in a year. Reminds me of the 2006 Jean Paul Thévenet Morgon "Vieilles Vignes" that showed so much better one year later. $13%

The host made up for the BBQ-lighter Pinot Noir with a Canadian sweetie available at BevMo.

2006 Jackson-Triggs Proprietors Reserve Vidal Icewine $16: Out comes a specially packaged tube of Canadian late harvest something. Shows bright acid with ripe apricot and mango flavors. Very nice and refreshing. The region is Niagra and the grape is a 1930 hybird known as Vidal Blanc, named after the bio-engineer who crossed Ugni Blanc with Rayon d'Or to get a cold weather high sugar varietal. The bottle at 187.5 ml is the tiniest ever seen outside an airplane. A very good U20 dessert wine. 10.5%

Summer afternoon tastings that morph into evening wine campaigns is what the hottest season is all about. Strategy, tactics and logistical controls are so very important especially when conditions are harsh as in really really H-O-T. And when the tasting theme, suggested by the regent Mouse is Riesling served cold, temperature management is vital. As the outside thermometer burns through 100 degrees the glasses get warm just sitting around. The treatment? Cold conditioning for stemware which means rinse the glass in ice water before each new pour. Wine buckets no more than a quick reach away replenished with ice throughout the day. But what about the taster? Keep a swimming pool nearby, wear trunks or a discrete one-piece and dip every 30 minutes. Throw a towel over the chair and return to the table. Assemble a crack team with the inevitable hangers-on. Tactics include having the requisite plonk for the lumpen. To summarize...keep cool and moist, stratify wine selections, and ensure the tasting cadre are kept refreshed.

This tasting proved to be especially interesting.

2004 Ca' D'Gal Moscato d'Asti Vigna Vecchia ~$15: Peaches and apples, yummy, apple pie, crusty flan flavors. Really really nice especially for 5 years old. And it's a U20. 6.5%

1989 Milz Laurentiushof Trittenheimer Felsenkopf Riesling Auslese ~$80: First older wine. Riesling tastes great young but can be quite extraordinary with as many as 20 years on it. According to Rudi Wiest the 1989 vintage for Milz was "a near great harvest for quality. Best wines of the 80s". But what about 1983? [ed. coming, patience please] Color of a certain dehydrated bodily fluid. Flavors like Galliano. Still some green fruit. Baked goods, did somebody say Pfeffernüsse? [ed. fetching madchen at top and tBoW tasting vet EJ]. 30 minutes later...petrol and anise nose and salty licorice flavors. They don't make' em like this anymore with teetotaler alcohol level of 8%.

1998 Frtiz Herzberger Hochrain Riesling Spitz/Donau Wachau Smaragd ~$40: This bottle wins most-words-on-the-label prize. The wine is from a premium Austrian producer. Smaragd means it is at the Spätlese level of German Riesling wines. Unfortunately, it is over the hill. Long gone. Pretty dried out. Severe although even in its sunset years it has some appeal to the more disciplined tasters. Jawohl!! 10%

1979 Eitelsbacher Karthauserhofberg Auslese $55: An historical producer from Roman times coveted through the Napoleonic era. All the pedigree a German Riesling house could want. This 30 year old Mosel Auslese is very well balanced, with nose of bees wax, aged honey flavors. Very delicate. Not a crowd pleaser; more favored by some than others. Perhaps it was the age.Think Lauren Bacall in her 80s. Another low alcohol throwback at 8.5%

2006 Plantagenet Great Southern Riesling $11: Break away to a Riesling from the Land Down Under. Wild Willy notes the BBQ overshadows any aromas. Switch to oral sensory devices. Dry dry dry. Zesty, acidic, lean, lemon lime flavors. Clean. "Button down collar" says WW. Good value says tBoW. 12%

1992 Geheimrat J. Wegeler Erben Rudesheimer Berg Schlossberg Riesling $45: Splits the tasters. Licorice and anise on the nose and in the mouth. Cooked apples, light weight, petrol presence. It ain't Mosel. Big ticket for controversial wine. 9%

2001 August Kesseler Rheingau Berg Schlossberger ~$30: Great wine from a great vintage and a great winemaker. Perfectly balanced. "This is what Riesling should taste like" says one taster. All the acid, all the fruit. Just right. Shows what regions other than Mosel can produce. Wine of the day [ed. but not the evening!!]. 9%

next post...flight of red wines...and an incredible dessert capper...

We continue with the evening session of a Great Riesling Tasting in 100 degree heat. As you can see laying down a leeching field is critical. If you missed the preceding afternoon session click here.

Icardi Suri Vigin Brachetto NV $19: Time to transition to red. How about a sparkling red from Piemonte? Wow. Absolutely delicious. These light sparkling fruity wines are the joy of summer. Pronounced blueberry flavors with just a hint of pepper in the back. The King decrees Brachetto is a fun wine. Long live the King!! 6.5%

2007 Bugey Mondeuse Maison Angelot $14: The most challenging wine of this tasting. "It hurts my tongue". Terroir-driven wine. "Bacon bits". Palatable to the same two tasters who found redeeming qualities in the Austrian Riesling. Imported by Charles Neal with his typical hallmarks; from off the trodden path, very local, daring. 12%

2006 Menetou-Salon Domaine Philippe Gilbert $24 at K&L: Loire Valley Pinot Noir. Light in color, delicate in flavor. Nicely balanced, a perfect start for the red flight. Imported by Neal Rosenthal who also digs discovery. 12.5%.
2006 Martinelli Bella Vigna Russian River Valley $44: It is official. tBoW and Dotoré are done with rich full and lush domestic Pinot Noir. And that is what this wine is all about. I smell the sweet on the nose. You got a run in your hose. We don't taste no more of those. Nothing wrong with the wine. It is well made and every bit as good as Rochioli and Williams Selyem. We are just dunwiddit. Some tasters cry bias. My liege says 1 mouse. Two peasants grumble. Grumble grumble. 14.7%

2006 Artadi Viñas de Gain ~$30: Spanish showpiece. Middle weight, deep, lush, complex. Nice follow to the Martinelli. Just that much bigger. tBoW lifted the rest from a website. In fact, these words are on a lot of websites. "The 2006 VIñas de Gain is old-vine Tempranillo aged in 40% new French oak for 12-14 months. Deep crimson-colored, it offers an alluring perfume of truffle, pencil lead, vanilla, blackberry, and black cherry jam. Full bodied, the wine is opulent yet elegant. It has enough stuffing to evolve for 4-5 years and should drink well from 2012 to 2025". We can add the vines are 40 years plus from Rioja Alavesa which is the finest Rioja region. Very nice. 12.5%

1997 Domaine de Plaisance Quarts de Chaume $50?: Tasting fraulein EJ requested dessert wine with her fruit and cake. The mark of a great dessert wine is its ability to capture the interest of thoroughly fatigued palates and, in some cases, tasters who have hit the wall. "Looks like beer" - WW. This is a special bottle for several reasons including its ability to drag one more effort from tasters' palates. The Coteaux du Layon is a 1500 year old premier growing region in the Loire; the Chaume is the top region with the Coteaux du Layon; and the Quarts de Chaume is the Gran Cru site within the Chaume. Only dessert wines may be produced from the Quarts. The wine showed coconut, in particular the milky inner lining of the hairy nut. Flavors show candied, walnuts, toasted almond, and Hawaiian haupia. "Traditional syrup" - WW. This wine is the next step up from the Chateau Soucherie Coteaux du Lyon Chaumes tasted only one week ago. Two outstanding Chenin Blanc wines, properly aged and tasting absolutely delightful. Makes one wonder how Bordeaux manages to overshadow the Loire. 12.5%

Any wine tasting is greatly enhanced when there is at least one taster with the encyclopedic knowledge of someone like Steve Goldun, both Wasserman brothers, or the King aka Mouse [ed. Martin Glasser]. As wine snobs we appreciate the "back story" and history of regions, producers and bottles. There are not many folks who can bring it like The King. This was an outstanding tasting that really rang the bell in terms of diversity and excellence.

[ed. The King is back. Inspired by the recent Riesling tasting at Casa tBoW Mr. Mouse has a renewed commitment as per reporting duties on this blog with the usual wisecracks and Rodent Rating System. Since he only tastes regal wines - of minor and major regencies - this is to our benefit. This field report describes a Mosel Riesling, two Burgs and another off-the-map sweetie.

Last night I let my brother-in-law snatch three bottles from my cellah, and he didn't pull any punches. Good for him. Good for us. What, with the elegant feast in the background and a surprise dessert wine, made for a memorable evening.

1998 Merkelbach Urzig Wurzgarten Riesling Spatlese $18 (on release): Wow, 11 years on, this has the potential to outlast Joan Rivers. The famous "spicegarten" slope produces, along with Wehlen's Sonnenuhr, Mosel's most coveted offerings. Purchased on release in New Jersey for about $18, this was racier than Vanessa Williams before her pageant days. It zinged the roof of the mouth with cinnamon and fresh applie pie. Not as sweet as one expected, almost Kabinettish. Vibrant. Brash. Ready for the Dance wine. 9%. I just wish it had a tad more Walter Payton. 1.5 mice.


Lamarche 1999 Vosne-Romanne Les Suchots $40 then: Steve Goldun and I concur that 1993 and 1999 were the best years of a decade that reaffirmed Burgundy's status as The Region of Regions. While the '93s are more complex, they are also more elusive. The '99s are more consistent. This classic is peaking. Plums and grape leaf. And, yes, oriental spice. The nose was surprisingly weak considering the yum factor. Paid $40 on release from The Burgundy Wine Company in NYC. Two Happy Mice.

Ch. de la Tour 1999 Clos de Vougeot VV $50: Purchased this year via store reduction sale. This is the wine that makes us metaphorical crack heads. A rich earthy bouquet, quite structured, black cherries, a deep colored pinot - I swear I got Morrocan eggplant somewhere in that first glass. But it was the last glass, 2 hours after the bottle was uncorked, that showed the slope's magic. Should I have waited five more years? Perhaps. The bottle will be tasting great when Sasha and Melia are in college. But no regrets. A superb bottle. 2.5 ecstatic mice.

1999 Ch. Des Eyssards Cuvée Flavie Elevé en fût de chêne 2005 Saussignac $15?: The Southwest of France produces a bajillion dessert wines that never make the transatlantic crossing. We picked this up in Dordogne in 2003. Saussignac is part of the Bergerac AC that produces plonky Bordeaux blends and marvelous sweet stuff. I'll let the Blogmeister research the cepage, but methinks we had muscadelle, semllion and/or sauvignon blanc. [ed. I apologize my liege but finding a road map to a Romanian CIA prison would be easier]. A burnt orange sensation sang beautifully with sheep cheese from Maine. I think we paid $15 for the 500 ml bottle. The color was a sublime orange copper. Lovely. 1.5 mice.

Labor Day is the nominal "end-of-summer" holiday. Of course, we know summer can last another 6 to 8 weeks easily. And we want it to. This summer tBoW converted to the Church of Chenin Blanc. Blame tBoW taster/blogger Mouse who got it all started with two tastings in July. After tasting through a couple Coteaux de Layons and a Quarts de Chaume it all became clear. This was enough to prompt tBoW to trade the remainder of his vintage Sauternes holdings for a bunch of Coteaux du Layon and Quarts de Chaume wines. I do not think I will ever look back. [ed. what tBoW traded above; what he got below]

One of the pleasures of drinking wine is observing how my own palate changes (along with Dotoré and Mouse). From Cabernet to Pinot Noir to Nebbiolo to Beaujolais and SW France/Rhone styles on the red side of the cellar; with a good dosage of Argentine Malbec. And from Chardonnay to Sauvignon Blanc to Riesling to Spanish/Italian/Rhone types on the blanc side. The go-to red varietals today are Pinot Noir and French Gamay. Any fresh fruity wine from Argentina, France, Italy or Spain will do with the summer focusing on Rosé and Moscato d'Asti wines.

But when it comes to dessert wines today it is all Chenin Blanc. And now we have a bunch we can get to know.

2006 Tablas Creek Counoise $28: This was really nice wine. Like a Cru Beaujolias, even Morgon. I was so impressed I thought I might order some more but all gone! A screw cap beauty. Fresh fruity flavors even some cranberry. Nice middle weight. 14.5%

1989 Vouvray Moelleux Domaine Bourillon d'Orleans Tres de Noble Grains $45: Looking up anything on an unusual wine like this one is fun because I find out (i) what some people like to eat with this sweetie; lots of curry and spicy dishes! I will bet it is a great match; (ii) how many Chenin Blanc fans there are out there tasting through these wines year in and out; and (iii) how few producers there are in France. Jim Ruxin brought this wine out to finish the meal at a Labor Day party. What a nice surprise. Lime and coconut. Chalky texture and some limestone flavors. Slightly bitter on the mid palate. Jim said "drying out marzipan". Not a flaw just a signal we are drinking this at or close to its peak. 13%

Then we watched the International Space Station docked with the Space Shuttle flyover Bel Air from SW to NE. The view was something like the youtube video below.

2006 Uvaggo Barbera Rosato $14: "That old wine" asked the winemaker JIm Moore when I reported how well received was his summer wine. Watermelon flavors, good acid, and nicely balanced. Really fine. A steady hand makes a very interesting wine from Lodi. A nice complement to his Vermentino. Terrific U20 value wine. 13.2%

2003 Felix Callejo Seleccion de Viñedos de la Familia $100: 100% Tempranillo from Ribera del Duero. One of the better Tempranillo wines tBoW has tried. Quite lush. Even tempered. Seductive. Middle weight. And very pricey!! 14%

Being an SC football fan is a lot like loving Barolo and Burgundy. You hope every year will bring a championship banner but it just cannot be. Just like with Burgundy, we never really understand why every bottle labeled Chambertin is not championship quality. And, like USC football, there is always a year that just does not measure up to the highest expectations of the only team in this cow town that has a chance of realizing high expectations. Like 1995 in the Cotes de Beaune and Piemonte...nnhhh. Those Toe-jams just about broke Mrs. tBoW's Cardinal & Gold spirit!

Thank goodness there is always The Bird. Thanksgiving approaches and we have to start thinking about wines to serve. Let's be honest. I'm talkin' Dotoré honest. The tension is between serving the lumpen good wine while simultaneously matching a wine to the demands of an over-the-top meal. It's like wine calculus! This day of celebration demands some great wines. We have the time to enjoy but we cannot throw pearls before turkeys. Or can we? [ed. how 'bout Ducks or Huskies]. It is the season of giving. Pour a decent Pinot Noir - Willamette or Cotes de Nuits - then follow it with an older Barolo.

With the meal wine hardly matters. Many guests' palates are already impaired by plonkification [ed. consuming too many wines purchased at the supermarket]. They will be unable to discern between a Franciscan Cabernet and the 2008 Touraine. Make sure there are plenty bottles of Cabernet and Zinfandel on the table. Hoard the Beaujolais, Cahors and Rhone wines. Hut hut.

And do not forget dessert...wines. We begin with a couple of special dessert wines recently tasted.

1978 Ridge Zinfandel Late Harvest High Residual Sugar: Paso Robles fruit. 10.5 residual sugar referred to as Essence. I suppose the equivalent of a German TBA. Soon as I sipped it a vision of cups of sugar being poured into a pitcher of citric ade popped into my head. The sugar was tactile. Balance was perfect and complemented the cooling late summer early fall evening. 16%

1988 Lamborn Family Vineyards Autumnal Harvest Howell Mountain Zinfandel: One of the old time Napa cult wines...from the 70s. The winery specializes in Zinfandel and Cabernet. The history of winemakers includes Randy Dunn and Heidi Barrett (currently). They make 900 cases. This particular wine showed firm acidic, caramel flavors. It smoothed out with some time. Ripe prune flavors at the finish. The tasters generally preferred the Ridge. 17%

Here are several recently tasted dinner wines.

2008 Kim Crawford Sauvignon Blanc Marlborough $14: Refreshing, restrained grassiness so true to the varietal and not overwhelmingly grassy the way many New Zealand SBs can taste. Good fruit. Tasty. Unlike the older dessert wines above this U20 prize can still be found around town. Try K&L. 14%

2006 St Cosme Gigondas $35: Another wine that can actually be located in your local wine store! This Rhone blend features Syrah, Grenache and Cinsault. You get all the thick dark fruit and smoky flavors you can ask for. It is NOT like an 07 monster wine from the Rhone. Compared to those blockbusters this is almost tame. It is nicely balanced and still powerful. Not at all rustic so expect a smooth delivery. Also at K&L. 14.1%

Yessirree. We caught some bigguns over the Holiday. We also learned what to serve with paella...Spanish wines. Chad - sales guy extraordinaire from local emporium Woodland Hills Wine Co - played Santa's elf and made sure we chose the right wines. We embellished with a couple sweeties and some cheeses only a Mouse would know about. All is reported below. This entry finishes the review of wines tasted over the 2009 Christmas and New Year holiday. Looking back, it must have been pretty good. This set was tasted under one roof on the same evening.

2001 Viña Busconia $32: Tempranillo from Rioja. We do not have that many Spanish wines but the hostess served paella so...The wine was extraordinary. Delicate, lightweight as some Riojas can show. Leather up front then pure red fruit. Polished wine. Very impressive. A great match to the food. [ed. New year resolution: more Spanish wines]. 13%

1990 Viña Tondonia Reserva $40: Same producer as above, R. Lozes Heredia Viña Condrian. Both bottles were wrapped in that light gold colored, Catholic memory, cross hatch wire. Not impressive at first. Kind of flat and waxy. 15 minutes later it was the best complement to the paella. Grapes are Viria and Malvasia. Shows tropical flavors like pineapple and lychee. Won the tBow palme d'or that evening. 13%

1994 Kopke Port $19 (on release 1997): A lesser house from the major region. Port remains fairly unfashionable. Like bow ties you have to love them to indulge. This is spicy at 16 years, with hint of cilantro, nutty flavors like filbert, and red fruit. Just terrific. 20%

2005 Royal Tokayi 5 Putonyos $20: A bargain bin purchase from winecommune.com. More apricots but these are sweet and rich. The wine is young so there is also a steely quality that keeps it live. Somebody in a swoon says "like a first kiss." [ed. New year resolution: spend more time on winecommune.com] 19%