a large tasting of kacher wines, an importer of fine french wines...too many to mention but they will be coming in shortly in small increments.
Domaine Ehrhart Pinot Auxerrois 2007...my favorite white wine in a long time...round, wonderfully so.. viscous soft almost like liquid cotton candy but not nearly that sweet.. from the alsace..an offshoot of Pinot Blanc an offshoot of Pinot Noir...
Cote de Jardin Cotes du rhone 2008 soft, easy drinking but not exciting.
Domaine Gournier Viognier 2008 banana on the nose and palate..soft..not overly floral like Viognier can be...
Wellington Cabernet 2005 California juicy black fruit through out...long finish.. nice bottle for the cost
Domaine Danta Duc Cotes du rhone 2006 lots of savage or earthy flavors...typical of cotes...but not the 2007 which everyone is asking for.
Thursday, July 30, 2009
pinnacle with craig rohner
2007 Prinz Tradition Trocken Riesling Rheingau sweet for a drier style..green apples..another riesling
2006 Araldica Barbera d'asti soft nose, ripe fruit...bing cherry big time...kind of a one note wonder
Colosi Nero d'Avola which I must have tasted before because I had some in the store but this time it really made an impression...ripe dark fruit on the nose, long supple finish...a perfumed nose...it is now in the corner with good buys for the store.
2007 Vinum Pets Petite Sirah dark purple color, steak sauce smells in a bottle..gamey and dark berry fruit
2006 Araldica Barbera d'asti soft nose, ripe fruit...bing cherry big time...kind of a one note wonder
Colosi Nero d'Avola which I must have tasted before because I had some in the store but this time it really made an impression...ripe dark fruit on the nose, long supple finish...a perfumed nose...it is now in the corner with good buys for the store.
2007 Vinum Pets Petite Sirah dark purple color, steak sauce smells in a bottle..gamey and dark berry fruit
Friday, July 24, 2009
dry creek with don wallace
president of dry creek winery don wallace invited me to pierponts for lunch and a taste through of some of their wines. dry creek has always been in my wine consciousness. they have paired down their offerings though, concentrating on doing a few things really well
chenin blanc from california can be a bit too sweet and flabby but the 2007 and 08 versions of Dry Creeks was crisp and acidic and just enough fruit to not be confused with vouvray.
dry creek sauvignon blanc, not to be confused with their fume blanc that will still be made. loads of stone fruit, melon and juicy, made with the musque clone of sb
heritage zinfandel 2006 vibrant purple in the glass, although it could be the light in the restaurant, juicy, dark berry and just a little dusty finish..all the bells and whistles you expect from zin
cabernet sauvignon 2005 dark purple, cassis and lead pencil nose, acid and just a little heat on the tongue...not a fruit bomb but not overly tannic either
mariner 2005 a bordeaux blend..i have to be honest I hated the 2004 version of this wine...thought it was too much oak and no fruit. this vintage is much softer...very pretty nose, juicy finish.
endeavor 2004 sweet maple nose, deep color and juicy..was surprised how supple and velvety it was for a 2004...mostly cab with 10% petite verdot
chenin blanc from california can be a bit too sweet and flabby but the 2007 and 08 versions of Dry Creeks was crisp and acidic and just enough fruit to not be confused with vouvray.
dry creek sauvignon blanc, not to be confused with their fume blanc that will still be made. loads of stone fruit, melon and juicy, made with the musque clone of sb
heritage zinfandel 2006 vibrant purple in the glass, although it could be the light in the restaurant, juicy, dark berry and just a little dusty finish..all the bells and whistles you expect from zin
cabernet sauvignon 2005 dark purple, cassis and lead pencil nose, acid and just a little heat on the tongue...not a fruit bomb but not overly tannic either
mariner 2005 a bordeaux blend..i have to be honest I hated the 2004 version of this wine...thought it was too much oak and no fruit. this vintage is much softer...very pretty nose, juicy finish.
endeavor 2004 sweet maple nose, deep color and juicy..was surprised how supple and velvety it was for a 2004...mostly cab with 10% petite verdot
Thursday, July 23, 2009
rhone wines from Appellation
If these are any indication of the rhone vintage 07 its going to be very very good.
Domaine la Font d'estevanas Cairanne cote du rhone village rich bose, very rich and full bodied on the palate...a touch of alcohol but overall very enjoyable...parker said 89+
Domaine la Font d'estavanas La Grange Daniel a blend of rhone red varietals..pleasant a little earthy, softer finish but still very engaging.
Domaine les aphillanthes Cuvee tres cepages.(three grapes) wow...rich, full bodied and luscious...91pts parker
Domaine St damien Gigondas VV 2006 earth, spice, cinnamon...
Domaine st damien Gigondas Les Soutyrades 2006 93 parker...again with the rich and cinnamon...long full finish..very nice
Domaine gardies mas las cabes rouge syrah,grenache and carignane soft, juicy and yet a little rustic on the finish...will match nicely with meats and stews for cooler weather.
Domaine la Font d'estevanas Cairanne cote du rhone village rich bose, very rich and full bodied on the palate...a touch of alcohol but overall very enjoyable...parker said 89+
Domaine la Font d'estavanas La Grange Daniel a blend of rhone red varietals..pleasant a little earthy, softer finish but still very engaging.
Domaine les aphillanthes Cuvee tres cepages.(three grapes) wow...rich, full bodied and luscious...91pts parker
Domaine St damien Gigondas VV 2006 earth, spice, cinnamon...
Domaine st damien Gigondas Les Soutyrades 2006 93 parker...again with the rich and cinnamon...long full finish..very nice
Domaine gardies mas las cabes rouge syrah,grenache and carignane soft, juicy and yet a little rustic on the finish...will match nicely with meats and stews for cooler weather.
Tuesday, July 21, 2009
Pine Ridge Vineyards with Tony Fabiano
Pine Ridge long a staple on my wine lists and in the store.
Chenin Blanc/Viognier 2008 started out a little tart to me..rhubarb and then the Viognier kicked in and smoothed everything out. all stainless steel and this bottling makes up more than 50% of all their production. Located just south of Stags Leap District in napa.
Chardonnay Dijon Clones 2006 creamy, buttery and lots of ml on the nose, surprisingly clean on the palate..long finish
Crimson Creek Merlot 2006 a touch green on the nose, some cab and petite verdot built in to give it a little more complexity
Napa Valley Cabernet 2006,...this bottling was known as the Rutherford-Oakville bottling until this vintage. dark purple in the glass...blueberry on the nose, soft tannins but nice long lasting flavors..napa valley cab for the cab lovers.
Chenin Blanc/Viognier 2008 started out a little tart to me..rhubarb and then the Viognier kicked in and smoothed everything out. all stainless steel and this bottling makes up more than 50% of all their production. Located just south of Stags Leap District in napa.
Chardonnay Dijon Clones 2006 creamy, buttery and lots of ml on the nose, surprisingly clean on the palate..long finish
Crimson Creek Merlot 2006 a touch green on the nose, some cab and petite verdot built in to give it a little more complexity
Napa Valley Cabernet 2006,...this bottling was known as the Rutherford-Oakville bottling until this vintage. dark purple in the glass...blueberry on the nose, soft tannins but nice long lasting flavors..napa valley cab for the cab lovers.
ridge watson of Joullian winery
On the week that his brother was playing in the british open ridge watson was in town promoting his wine. The wines are consistently good in quality and his hometown connection doesnt hurt either. Tasted through Sauvignon Blanc, Chardonnay, Zinfandel and Cabernet. All in the store.
Thursday, July 16, 2009
Somerset Ridge with Tricia Zirker
A pretty new but prolific winery from Kansas. the wines are made from mostly hybrid grapes with some Cab and Cab Franc showing up.
Flyboy Red a blend of Cabernet and Chancellor which is a hybrid of merlot and ?, a touch grapey and then juicy..not a dry wine but not sweet either..just juicy.
Buffalo Red Semi Sweet...made with Chambercin.. sweet but not cloyingly so..a tart finish..
Ambrosia, Late Harvest Traminette...when thinking of ambrosia salad there is a lushness, with a hint of nuts and obviously sweet.. this wine has all those except the sweet..or at least not overly sweet...and for a dessert wine thats what I want..seems a little restrained..
Aphrodite..goddess of love..color of desert sunset...musky nose but not a musky wine...strawberry
Flyboy Red a blend of Cabernet and Chancellor which is a hybrid of merlot and ?, a touch grapey and then juicy..not a dry wine but not sweet either..just juicy.
Buffalo Red Semi Sweet...made with Chambercin.. sweet but not cloyingly so..a tart finish..
Ambrosia, Late Harvest Traminette...when thinking of ambrosia salad there is a lushness, with a hint of nuts and obviously sweet.. this wine has all those except the sweet..or at least not overly sweet...and for a dessert wine thats what I want..seems a little restrained..
Aphrodite..goddess of love..color of desert sunset...musky nose but not a musky wine...strawberry
Cakebread wines with Jim Parker of Kobrand
interesting with the economy things that were never tasted become available ...cakebread has a pinot noir and zinfandel that will be in the store soon. they were out tasting other things also
Sauv Blanc 2007 soft, melon light finish
Chardonnay Reserve 2006 soft , easy, some nice ml and sweet fruit on the finish.
Merlot 06 soft, easy and easy to say
Sauv Blanc 2007 soft, melon light finish
Chardonnay Reserve 2006 soft , easy, some nice ml and sweet fruit on the finish.
Merlot 06 soft, easy and easy to say
owen roe washington/oregon with Matt Rice
A new winery for Missouri, Owen Roe gets a lot of good press from wine spectator.
2007 O'Reilleys Pinot Gris///alsace style. light body with a little oily character
2007 O"Reillys Riesling a drier light style wine...some residual sugar but not typical for american.
2008 O'Reillys Pinot Noir Oregon beautiful wine..maybe even the wine of the tasting...loads of dried fruits..good acidity.
2008 Sharecroppers Pinot...named because of the growers contracts...tasty pinot but for my money the O'Reillys was just as good
2007 sharecroppers cab..good tannins but not as much forward fruit as I was expecting
2008 Abbots Table..a blend of 8 grapes...juicy predominately sangiovese and cab
2007 Ex Umbris Syrah Columbia Valley...very northern rhone in style..lots of coffee and roasted beans...dark flavors my favorite Owen Roe wine
2007Solomon Hills Pinot Noir Santa Maria Valley...sourced grapes from central valley in california...a little dirt or body odor on the nose and nice enough fruit on the palate but the oregon pinots are better
2007 Rosa Mystica Cab Franc, Yakima valley from some of the oldest plantings of cab franc in washington...dark, intense and good tannin structure..very nice
2007 Owen Roe Cab DuBruil Vineyard..wow..beautiful nose, juicy front fruit and a long finish.
2007 O'Reilleys Pinot Gris///alsace style. light body with a little oily character
2007 O"Reillys Riesling a drier light style wine...some residual sugar but not typical for american.
2008 O'Reillys Pinot Noir Oregon beautiful wine..maybe even the wine of the tasting...loads of dried fruits..good acidity.
2008 Sharecroppers Pinot...named because of the growers contracts...tasty pinot but for my money the O'Reillys was just as good
2007 sharecroppers cab..good tannins but not as much forward fruit as I was expecting
2008 Abbots Table..a blend of 8 grapes...juicy predominately sangiovese and cab
2007 Ex Umbris Syrah Columbia Valley...very northern rhone in style..lots of coffee and roasted beans...dark flavors my favorite Owen Roe wine
2007Solomon Hills Pinot Noir Santa Maria Valley...sourced grapes from central valley in california...a little dirt or body odor on the nose and nice enough fruit on the palate but the oregon pinots are better
2007 Rosa Mystica Cab Franc, Yakima valley from some of the oldest plantings of cab franc in washington...dark, intense and good tannin structure..very nice
2007 Owen Roe Cab DuBruil Vineyard..wow..beautiful nose, juicy front fruit and a long finish.
Wednesday, July 8, 2009
ignacio edwards with luis felipe edwards winery in chile
Sauv Blanc 2008 nice typical sauv blanc...a little grapefruit...
Chardonnay 2008 clean fruit..easy drinking...nice lightly oaked example. no ml so not as buttery
Carmenere Reserva...nice fruit...
merlot rough somewhat tannic...pretty oaky...and a touch dirt
cabernet the best of the first bunch...juicy and just enough tannins without the overriding dirt and green olive flavors that sometime come through.
Dona Bernarda Reserva beautiful nose, multi layered on the nose and palate oak and cedar...cab, shiraz, petite verdot and carmenere blend..named after Ignacio's mother.
Chardonnay 2008 clean fruit..easy drinking...nice lightly oaked example. no ml so not as buttery
Carmenere Reserva...nice fruit...
merlot rough somewhat tannic...pretty oaky...and a touch dirt
cabernet the best of the first bunch...juicy and just enough tannins without the overriding dirt and green olive flavors that sometime come through.
Dona Bernarda Reserva beautiful nose, multi layered on the nose and palate oak and cedar...cab, shiraz, petite verdot and carmenere blend..named after Ignacio's mother.
wine with lee from appellation
DeSante Sauv Blanc 2007 lots of high end notes but nothing really ringing for me...a newish winery that makes supposedly great red wines...
DeSante l'altilier (sp?) sauv blanc and semillon...very nice...refreshing and soft...semillon really helps this a lot...
Dupont-Fahn Bourgogne 2007 reported to be declassified Mersault..light color, great acidity..crisp apples..juicy and not much ml or oak influence... very nice
Charvin Vin de Pays 2006 a blend of grenache and syrah that has a strong masculine aroma but finishes pretty rustic and rough...
London Cabernet nice juicy finish of black cherry and spice...great value right now.
DeSante l'altilier (sp?) sauv blanc and semillon...very nice...refreshing and soft...semillon really helps this a lot...
Dupont-Fahn Bourgogne 2007 reported to be declassified Mersault..light color, great acidity..crisp apples..juicy and not much ml or oak influence... very nice
Charvin Vin de Pays 2006 a blend of grenache and syrah that has a strong masculine aroma but finishes pretty rustic and rough...
London Cabernet nice juicy finish of black cherry and spice...great value right now.
Tuesday, July 7, 2009
Vias wines with Craig
Araldica Gavi 2008 a light soft summer white that left me wanting a little more body, or spirit...not a bad wine by any means just not too inspiring
Damilano Barbera d' Alba 2007 plum colored in the glass a little green on the nose and front of the tongue...not very fulfilling for the promise of the bottling
Damilano Nebbiolo d Alba 2006 the makings of barolo and barbaresco..the nebbiolo grape can take a lot of oak and time to settle down...this bottling has a dirty italian nose,, some nice front tannin and dark cherry flavors,, a little anise on the finish...interesting for what it is...and priced right too...
Pecchenino Dolcetto d'alba.2oo7 one of the first wines I really enjoyed was a dolcetto or little sweet...in italian. it is easy to see why this is called in good terms the beaujolais of Italy...light, fruity and yet some firm tannin and finish... liked a lot
Produttori di Barberesco 2005 long finish good acidity...light color for such a muscular wine...\
Bruni Poggio d'elsa listed as a sangiovese, cab blend..a smell of steak sauce and cinnamon...juicy and fun...
Damilano Barbera d' Alba 2007 plum colored in the glass a little green on the nose and front of the tongue...not very fulfilling for the promise of the bottling
Damilano Nebbiolo d Alba 2006 the makings of barolo and barbaresco..the nebbiolo grape can take a lot of oak and time to settle down...this bottling has a dirty italian nose,, some nice front tannin and dark cherry flavors,, a little anise on the finish...interesting for what it is...and priced right too...
Pecchenino Dolcetto d'alba.2oo7 one of the first wines I really enjoyed was a dolcetto or little sweet...in italian. it is easy to see why this is called in good terms the beaujolais of Italy...light, fruity and yet some firm tannin and finish... liked a lot
Produttori di Barberesco 2005 long finish good acidity...light color for such a muscular wine...\
Bruni Poggio d'elsa listed as a sangiovese, cab blend..a smell of steak sauce and cinnamon...juicy and fun...
Gruet winery with Billy Wieman
Gruet out of New Mexico one of the best producers of sparkling wine in the country.
Tasted through two offerings
Blanc de Noir NV predominately Pinot Noir...fruity and not overly dry... nice mouthfeel to it.
Demi-Sec NV and here I have to say I was not tasting well because in the afternoon people were picking up a corked quality... there seemed to be a little something but I didnt find it offensive....it got more pronounced I guess as the day wore on..it was not overly sweet but there was a nice crispness...
Tasted through two offerings
Blanc de Noir NV predominately Pinot Noir...fruity and not overly dry... nice mouthfeel to it.
Demi-Sec NV and here I have to say I was not tasting well because in the afternoon people were picking up a corked quality... there seemed to be a little something but I didnt find it offensive....it got more pronounced I guess as the day wore on..it was not overly sweet but there was a nice crispness...
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