wine the blog

Opici wines with Matt Sharpe/ David Smith Major Brands

2012-02-16T14:46:00.000-08:00

Image via WikipediaDinastia Vivanco Rioja Spain 2010 dull on the palate.. almost like the first taste of the aspirin.. trying to show a little fruit but not much

Altadonna Nero d'Avola Sicily 2009 purple color.. interesting depth and flavors .. too new world though.. no oak but some good fruit tannin

Cesari Mara Ripossa Veneto 2009.. a poor mans amarone.. nice weight.. good viscosity.. and supple fruit on the palate.. traditional italian nose

Dogajolo Tuscany 2010 a touch earthy and tannic but for the money a good inexpensive super tuscan

Carpineto Chianti Classico DOCG 2006 pretty in structure and style.. not typical in earthy quality but a good new and old style blend

justin wines

2012-02-16T14:39:00.000-08:00

Justin sauvignon blanc 2010 Paso robles.. very astringent and bold.. not for the faint of heart

Savant Paso Robles 2009 a blend of Cab and Syrah dark in color but not so much in the flavors.. some coffee and black pepper but missing a little structure.

Isosceles Paso Robles 2008.. dark extracted color.. gorgeous fruit on the palate.. good tannins and just enough oak.. a little hot on the palate though

Justin Cabernet Sauvignon Paso Robles 2009 oaky, dark berry fruits but not a lot of Umphhh.. good food wine.

erin adams .glazers midwest miscellanious

2012-02-15T13:55:00.000-08:00

Pascal Jolivet Attitude Sauv Blanc Loire 2009 lots going on.. mineral and slate on the nose with a creamy finish from stirring on the lees..no oak used.. fleshy fruit and nice finish

Henry Fessy Morgon 2009 gamay nose of cotton candy and sweet fruit with a nice follow through on the palate not as sweet as nose would tell.. good acidity too

Vina Zaco Tempranillo Rioja Spain 2008 nose on the earthy dirty side.. some fruit but mostly uninspiring,,

Santi Montedoro Moscato Italy 2010 floral, and not overtly sweet.. pretty and light bodied without being cloying and one note.. moscato is the varietal of the moment.

Pinnacle with Cristian Maddalena from Schiopetto and Sandrone

2012-02-08T13:50:00.000-08:00

Schiopetto Friuliano Collio2009 earthy mineral.. some creamy character from the lees but overall a little too restrained

Schiopetto Pinot Bianco 2009. what a wonderful white wine this is.. soft and user friendly. creamy and still some acidity too.. will be promoting this wine wish it was a little less expensive but a good wine nonetheless

Sandrone Barbera 2009 good fruit and mouthfeel. pretty wine.. elegant and lovely.. lots of lush fruit and no italian stink

Sandrone Dolcetto 2010.. one of my first loves.. I see why. a very user friendly wine. almost beaujolais in style. a little stemmy. but bright red fruits after the initial tin metal.. usually a sign of youth or young vines.

Nebbiolo D'alba 2009 a touch rusty color and a little rusty on the nose. almost pinot noir in style in the ethereal.lots of glycerin. dark cherry... really a fun wine. also a little pricey

Sandrone Barolo Le Vigne 2007 lots of front fruit tannin. tight nose but opens up with some good fruit and lots of structure..very expensive but really a good wine for the money.. made from two vineyard sites

marian with terra firma

2012-02-08T13:18:00.000-08:00

Bandwagon Monterey 2010 light no ml.. stainless steel fermentation.. maybe better in the summertime than cold of winter.

Bandwagon Pinot Noir Monterey 2010.. candied apples and lots of the.. soft and unexceptional

Miro Cabernet Sauvignon 2009 Alexander valley Sonoma. dark purple in the glass with cinnamon, dill and vanilla on the nose. tastes like a winery smells.. tobacco leaf and red fruit.. need food I think to show off better.

Morande Chilean wines/ Bruce Stewart/ Golden Barrel

2012-02-08T13:14:00.000-08:00

Morande Pionero Cabernet Sauvignon 2008 verg in character. but that is a given for some chilean reds. a good cab for the money but still could use food with it.. not a cocktail wine.

Morande Pionero Chardonnay 2010.. did not like at all.. too sweet too spritzy.. no ml.. no flavor really

Morande Pionero Sauv Blanc 2010 soft, green vegetal.. a little acidity but pretty uninspiring

Morande Reserva Carmenere 2008.. the winner of the bunch.pretty rose and earthy nose. round flavors with a little green olive thrown in. steak sauce finish.. interesting see it at the next big tasting I am sure

Morande Reserva Pinot Noir 2009 more Co2 like the chardonnay.. more green veggie notes.. with some red berry on the finish.. very light in color

Morande Reserva Sauv Blanc 2010 lush and full bodied.. starts green but turns more herbal.. much better than the entry level but still a hard sell

Gran Reserva 2009.. lots of good fruit but really missing something that would make it worth the $3 more than the reserva.

cynthia bommarito miscellanious wines

2012-02-07T15:03:00.000-08:00

Image of Martinelli Winery via SnoothDomaine Roland Lavantureux Chablis 2009.. all about the chalk soil and sea beds.. lots of minerality... not as much acidity as would be there but showing pretty fleshy fruit.

Martinelli Chardonnay Sonoma three sisters vineyard 2007.. the polar opposite of the Chablis.. all about being hit on the head with oak.. and even then its not well integrated.. i love the last taste of oak with caramel and coffee.. this was stingy on that.

Martinelli Pinot Noir Bondi Home Ranch 2007.. not for the shy or delicate.. this wine is fruit heavy and dense... high concentration.. and then after a few minutes . i liked it... let it settle down and got used to the higher alcohol and fruit.. MUCH better than the Chardonnay.

Wine of the day.. Alma Negra Argentina 2010.. a blend of bonarda/malbec and cab franc.. something about this combo works very well. definitely new world wine. with lots of dark and beautiful fruit. sweet succulent fruit.. long finish.. a sample of vanilla from the oak. pretty.. hopefully will be at the next wine tasting.

craig rohner with nils johnson spires collection major brands

2012-02-07T14:56:00.000-08:00

Mt Brave Cabernet Sauvignon Mount Veeder 2008 100% Cabernet.. soft mocha on the front.. loads of fruit tannin that gives way to good solid fruit.. long finish.

Chateau Les Cadrans de Lassegue Saint Emillon Grand Cru 2008 surprisingly sweet nose.. soft tannins and soft body.. could use a little more body and depth

Lassegue Grand Cru 2006. would almost guess this for a rhone wine.. iodine nose a touch of french stink. hoping for more structure to it..but lots of good fruit

Chateau Vignot Saint Emilon Grand Cru 2006 a bit of french stink.. a bit of heat from alcohol... another wine that seemed to be missing some depth on the middle.

Anakota Knight Valley Helena Montana 2008.. not a subtle wine.. lots of cassis and cocoa.. rich on the palate.. long pretty finish

cynthia bommarito miscellanious wines

2012-02-06T13:30:00.000-08:00

These are wines that were in the Pinnacle portfolio and at one time with Jorge Ordonez

Nora Peitan Albarino Rias Baixas 2010.. usually an albarino fan.. this was unusually sweet on the front palate.. more like a zippy sauv blanc than the round albarino's i am used to

Las Brisas Rueda Spain 2010 almost bitter.. fruit not showing well on the palate... I have liked this bottling in the past.. may be a bad bottle

Sila Mencia Monterriei 2009 Mencia is thought to be either Cab Franc or a kissing cousin.dark earthy nose and dark purple in the glass.. it starts to give me the fruit and finish that i like from this area but it just doesnt turn the corner.. one dimensional. lots of tannin

Mano a Mano Tempranillo La Mancha 2009.. dark in color.. rich on the palate.. a little one note also but at least it is a good note.. for the money a winner every time

terra firma with marian

2012-02-06T13:24:00.000-08:00

Apostoli Pinot Grigio italy 2010.. upfront fruit. clean.. another pinot grigio.. nothing too inspiring

Villa Puccini Pinot Grigio Italy 2008.. a little golden in color.. a little heavier in style.. has some oak to it.. rounder but I will wait to try the 2009 when it comes

Butternut Chardonnay 2010 lots of oak.. too much oak.. caramel and surprisingly crisp finish.. but long on the oak

Altos Nevados Malbec Argentina 2008 cinnamon nose, lots of tannin and cedar.. dark cherry but not a shy wine.. needs to be a little more balanced.

from Classique
Ransom Pinot Noir 2009.. not the typical earthy wine from oregon.. nice fruit.. more like a cali pinot.. long silky finish.. pretty nice.

cynthia bommarito miscellanious wines

2012-01-30T13:58:00.000-08:00

Lang and Reed Cabernet Franc 2009 North Coast.. a winery that only makes Cab Franc. this new bottling is prominently Lake County fruit... steak sauce herbal nose. good tannin on the palate. and nice finish... always consistent

Chateau Grand Tuillac Cuvee Elegance Cotes du Castillon predominately Merlot with Cab Franc... pretty french stink on the nose, lots of mid palate action but quick back finish... would like to have seen more either up front fruit or back of the palate

Trenel Macon Village 2009 a good region for inexpensive chardonnay.. this to me seems to be all about clean fruit, light minerality.. pleasant wine if not exciting

rich zellich/ bernie lee/ pinnacle imports

2012-01-27T16:04:00.000-08:00

Jeio Bisol Rose Cuvee Brut Valdobbiadene veneto Italy... a merlot and pinot nero blend.. pretty rose in color and strawberry on the nose but a little harsh on the palate..

Radio-Coteau La Neblina Pinot Noir 2009 Sonoma Conty ..lovely nose of forest floor and mushroom. tannic on the palate.. and mid long finish.. nice if pricey.

Domaine Santa Duc Cotes du rhone village Vielles Vigne 2009 wow.. i still love this wine.. glad it is back in the market.. full bodied.. mocha and chocolate and blood all what you expect from a cdr from a great vintage.

C and B Reserve Alexander Valley Cabernet 2008.. stinky feet on the nose, good juice and mouthfeel on the palate with a quick finish.. Cartlidge and Brown reserve...

hodgepodge from bommarito/ cynthia paugh

2012-01-24T12:55:00.000-08:00

Image by ellevalentine via FlickrDomaine de Cristia Chateauneuf du Pape 2009 big rich fruit bomb... a touch cold so that may explain why... some french stink.. good weight.. lots of fruit and alcohol on palate

Felsina Chianti Classico 2008 .. not expressing as much of the italian stink as was expected but still there.. good fruit. long finish and could probably work better with food

Dauvergne-Ranvier 2010 Cotes du Rhone Blanc 2010... really liked the red version of this last week.. this wine features grenache blanc/roussane and viognier. showing some fruit but not really giving much.. probably better in two years for my taste

patz and hall sonoma coast chardonnay 2009 light toasty oak and not to heavy given 100% malo-lactic
a nice expression of butterscotch and caramel on the finish

Abraxas Sinksey 2009. from scintilla vineyard it is a blend of 4 grape varietals.. Pinot gris/ Pinot Blanc/Gewurztraminer/ Riesling.. with the lineup and front nose of the gewurz I expected a sweeter wine but the Pinot Blanc rounded things up nicely with the acidity of the pinot gris. a hard sell wanting to be a California Alsace.. would recommend to those looking for a fun unusual wine

Chateau Marjosse White Bordeaux Equal parts Semillon and Sauvignon Blanc with some Muscadelle.. showing more sweet fruit than expected.. again may be due to the colder bottle. one dimensional but a pretty dimension.

Hiedler Gruner Veltliner Loess 2009 I really like Gruner.. i forget about this wine because it flies under the radar so often.. loess is the type of soil grown in. crisp, clean and elegant.. the right amount of citrus

Huber Orchard/Winery and Vineyards Indiana/ Golden Barrel

2012-01-24T12:44:00.000-08:00

A working orchard/winery in Southern Indiana since 1850's.

2010 Seyval Blanc... a hybrid grape..there version of a sauvignon blanc. relatively clean with ust a bit of foxyness on the finish. crisp.. strong midpalate.. not bad at all

Starlight White blend made from Vidal/Villard and Cayuga. not a lot on the nose, sweet on the back palate.. wanting to be like a german kabinett nice acidity on the finish... but still sweet

Sweet Marcella Concord grapes.. smells like concord/ tastes like concord but to be honest not overly sweet..

Cabernet Franc 2009.. ok this wine was surprisingly good.. lots of aromas which I like about CF. lush good fruit.. a little smoky on the nose and maybe just a little green vegetal on the finish but probably my favorite of these wines

Blueberry Port a soft blueberry nose and juicy on the front. like drinking blueberry jam.. but enough acidity that it wasn't too thick. a little hot on the palate from the alcohol

peach Infusion interesting brandy with peaches.. made up of two vintages. one is the eau de vie and the other produces the main fruit juice.. not as interesting as the blueberry but was interesting when they blended it with the starlight white.

Ruby Port 2006 maybe the weakest of the bunch. made from chambuorcin and concord. aromas of concord grape thick in body but disappointing in the final push going down

Applejack made from their own apples. lighter version of Apple brandy.. hot on tongue and finish... clean finish.. light oak

Grappa made from Traminette grapes pulp and seeds that macerate and develop a thickness that I am not used to with grappa.. more user friendly for sure.. sweeter and more viscous than usual .. not the everyday jet fuel that people associate with grappa

cellar selections/craig rohner

2012-01-23T11:59:00.000-08:00

Image by naotakem via Flickr2010 Luke Donald Chardonnay Carneros light toasty nose a pleasant chard but in the price point there are many as good if not better.

2009 Talbott Logan Sleepy Hollow Pinot Noir Santa Lucia Highlands... pine tree and rhubarb on the nose. dried fruits on the palate.. pleasant on the finish

Chanson Vire-Clesse Burgundy 2010... white burgundy.. clean with touches of mineral and some fruit but not overly obvious. some green apple.

2008 Nicklaus Private Reserve Cabernet Napa made at chimney rock. very tight on the nose, some good juice on the palate but still not showing alot of fruit. should be better after more time open and more time in the bottle.

Adam Lee with Siduri/ Pinnacle/Bernie Lee

2012-01-19T12:01:00.000-08:00

Image by jspatchwork via FlickrImage of Siduri via SnoothYou can always tell its cold outside when the winemakers start to come indoors... yesterday ridge watson today Adam Lee of Siduri and Novy fame. Siduri is famous for exquiste pinot noir from both california and oregon.. novy for it's beautiful expressions of syrah.. and the wines today did not disappoint.
2010 vintage was a cool one in northern california with a few heat spikes

Siduri Russian River Pinot Noir 2010 spice and lavender and beautiful nose and lots of acidity.. sweet fruit...

Siduri Hawk's View Pinot Noir Willamette Valley 2010 ephemeral nose.. hard to describe and once you smell it you have beautiful memories but cant really describe... mushroomy.. good depth of fruit and finish

Siduri Ewald Vineyard 2010 Russian River Valley.. much more fruit forward and still good acidity..

Siduri Rosella Vineyard 2010 forward and good grip texture.

Siduri Clos Pepe Vineyard 2010 good tannin..the last wine tried because it had the most weight and tannin.. fruit also there

Siduri Sonatera Vineyard 2010 mushroomy notes on the front... prettier than expected.. more feminine style?

Siduri hirsch Vineyard 2010 light colored in the glass but lots of flavors from whole cluster fermentation.. the fruit goes quickly but there is a long finish of mocha and cedar... lovely wine

Novy Keefer Ranch Chardonnay 2010 soft and good texture.. no ml but a lot of stirring of the lees makes for creamy texture.. and acidity is right behind it..

Novy Blanc de Pinot Noir Oregon 2010.. white wine made with pinot noir grapes.. a light golden color .. and nose much more earthier than most chardonnay but that weight... kind of a pretty wine

Novy Syrah Christensen 2009 kind of one dimensional on the palate..some pepper but doesnt really promise like the nose suggested

Novy Rosellas Syrah 2009 i could smell this wine all day.. iodine and iron on the front.. lots of weight on the palate.. juicy.. didnt have the final bit that I would have liked on the end but still a very tasty wine

Novy Oley Late Harvest Viognier.. named after Adam's wifes grandmother this soft round dessert wine has good acidity that keeps it from being cloying. long finish.. would go well with wedding cake

ridge watson/ joullian/ bommarito/cynthia paughs

2012-01-19T10:36:00.000-08:00

Image by jimg944 via Flickr Ridge is a kc native. has been with Joullian for some time.

Joullian Sauvignon Blanc Carmel Valley 2010.. creamy version ,,maybe one of the best of his I have tasted in some time.. a touch of lime and more grassy than grapefruit..

Joullian Chardonnay Monterey 2008... toasty notes on the palate and nose... creamy and lush on the palate...silky

Joullian Chardonnay Sleepy Hollow 2009 rich in texture.. lots of depth of flavors..

Joullian Cabernet Sauvignon Carmel Valley 2007.. from a great vintage this wine is all about silky tannins and juicy fruit... very drinkable now

Joullian Zinfandel Sais Cuvee Carmel Valley 2009 a field blend Zin with all sorts of other black grape varietals.. not a big alcohol bomb.. a very good food wine.. lots of blueberry and snap

marc shoemaker/glazer wine

2012-01-19T10:19:00.000-08:00

Creme de lys chardonnay california 2009.... says it is fruity but sweet it is and way too chuncky and not delicate at all.. over the top in oak...

trivento amado sur 2009 blend of malbec/bonarda and syrah argentina pretty woodsy nose with some red berry.. dark purple in color..loads of dark fruit and cherry flavors.. good palate texture... longish finish... like drinking a vanilla cherry mash.

two distributors mo bev and bommarito

2012-01-17T15:29:00.000-08:00

from mobev. kim klein and patrick cunningham
Radio Boca Tempranillo vintage? spain... showing some tobacco and earth on the front but it also was about 10 degrees too cold.. dense color and some nice cherry on the finish.. possible for the march 1st tasting

Home Grown Red a blend from california.. pretty purple in the glass..lots of juicy fruit.. nice grip on the tongue.. dark fruits.. and round finish... not terribly fond of the label but the wine was definitely good for the money

from bommarito and cynthia paugh

Bella Novello Cabernet Sauvignon Napa 2007... a good example of wine from a good vintage filtering down to the less expensive bottlings. lots of juicy upfront fruit.. big and ripe.. nice integration of oak and fruit.

Ladera Napa Valley 2007 Cabernet Sauvignon LOTS of vanilla and cedar.. the fruit is nice if not just a little overshadowed by the sweet wood.. drinking well right now

Chateau Graves du Bert. Saint Emillon 2007... mostly merlot based wine with some cab franc... a nod to both old and new world styles.. with pretty red cherry on the finish... pleasant silky tannins.

Domaine Hudelot-Noellat Bourgogne Rouge 2009... expecting much from this wine given the vintage.. and price and just a little disappointed. definite old world style.. maybe just too much french stink for me.. musty but not corked... fruit was very subtle...

favorite wine of the day... Eric Chevalier Muscadet Cotes du Grand Lieu 2010... what every value seeking chablis drinker should be searching for... muscadet is the most interesting and least understood french white wine... soft on the palate with just enough minerality to keep it interesting.. hint of honey...heavier weight than you expect.. nice very nice from the Loire Valley.

zemanta

2012-01-11T13:26:00.000-08:00

This blog posting is done for my Zemanta. I had this application on my last laptop and never got back to adding it to the new one. It gives me graphics and other wine related sites to check out making my blog that much better!

cynthia bommarito miscellanious wines

2012-01-11T13:19:00.000-08:00

Yealands Sauv blanc 2010 New Zealand.. a very green winery. some of the usual cat pee aromas..pink grapefruit on the finish.

Shooting Star 2009 Blue Franc Washington State.. blueberry pie in a glass. lots of lush berry fruit... easy and fun... good turkey wine for next thanksgiving.

Li Veli Passamante Salice Salentino 200? negroamaro with the traditional italian stink.. a little one dimensional. not sure if the vintage was light or this bottle wasnt showing well .

Quinta do Crasto Douro 2009 a portugese wine that shows what the spectator has been so excited about with wines from this country. there is a stink to this but its full bodied... going from earth to barnyard to lavender.. round mouthfeel... and a long finish for the money.

tintonegro winery/argentina/ domaine and estate

2012-01-11T13:13:00.000-08:00

a new product from argentina from people associated with the wine industry there for many years. all they produce and bottle is malbec..except for some other bordeaux varietals.

Tintonegro Malbec 2010 a light purple in the glass.. vanilla nose and a little heat on the tongue. which I would have to say is my one complaint on all the wines from this portfolio.. a little too much alcohol.

Tintonegro Uco Valley 2010 Reserve ..a malbec made from higher altitude vines... cooler on vine.. less forgiving soils. blacker fruits and more complex flavor profile... definitely worth the higher price. at least you can see the money in the product.

Tintonegro Malbec Co-Ferment 2010.. instead of different barrels of wines the Cab Franc and Petite Verdot are barrelled together with the Malbec.. much like they do shiraz and viognier in the rhone. truly a beautiful wine on the palate.. lots of sweet vanilla and also good tannins on the front... nice

Gian Vitale/Duetsch/ Glazers

2012-01-10T12:57:00.000-08:00

Josh Joseph Carr Chardonnay North Coast 2009 named after Joseph Carr's father...these are a second label . toasty nose and a slight green on the palate... but pleasant finish

Windsor Sonoma Chardonnay Russian River 2009 toasty golden on the nose and palate..soft fruit..creamy and nice texture... longish finish.. lots of oaky notes.

Windor Sonoma Pinot Noir Russian River Valley 2009.. nice typical nose of pinot noir... dark fruits and light tannins... sexy but not over the top so.

Josh Cabernet Sauvignon North Coast 2009 fresh nose of fruit and flowers. again a tad green... light but obvious tannin .. toasty caramel on the finish.

Windsor Sonoma Zinfandel Dry Creek 2006... age is showing here in both appearance and taste.. a little smokey starting out and not much of a finish.. delicate for a zin.. again may be the product of age.

first post of the year 2012

2012-01-09T13:59:00.000-08:00

Where did the time go. already 2012. the holidays were strange being on a sunday both cmas and new years. back to a routine. thats a good thing
Cynthia Paugh with Bommarito.. first time tasting.

Domaine Zind-Humbrecht Muscat 2009 ... soft sweet nose, pretty straw color..but on the palate it surprised me how unassuming it was.. almost watery. quick finish

Domaine De Cristia Vine De Pays de Mediterranee 2010.. a bit of iodine and mineral on the nose...maybe from youth... good enough fruit on the palate and clean finish but for the money I would rather drink,,,

Dauvergne-Ranvier Luberon 2009 a pretty blend of grenache and syrah... deep rich in color and nose of sweet fruit.. hits all the right notes going down.. depth and color... nice finish for the money.. see this at the next tasting March 1

Triennes 2007 French blend of Cab/Syrah and Merlot. tea and cola with pencil on the nose showing off the cab... lots of grip on the palate which is good for the price.. a good food wine for sure... but drinks well by itself.

massandra with jim nory.

2011-10-25T16:18:00.000-07:00

Eola Hills Pinot Gris 2009 a little spritz but lots of dull minerality.. fruit isnt showing well.. may have been bottle shock

Eola Hills Pinot Noir 2009 Oregon pretty rusty garnet color, mediumish body with a nice amount of fruit.. not overly earthy on the nose, quick finish

Evening Land Pinot Noir 2009 Oregon.. dark garnet good mouthfeel that could use a little more upfront..earthy nose... may just be needing some more time in bottle

caymus luncheon with Chuck Wagner

2011-10-25T16:15:00.000-07:00

The famous Charles Wagner of Caymus fame was in town for a quick luncheon at the Capitol Grille... and of course free food at CG means I am so there

There are several wines under the Caymus umbrella.

Mer Soleil Central Coast winery which produces Chardonnay
Silver 2010 unoaked.. lightly sweet..a taste of honey? no malo and very light and crisp and totally unCalifornia in style.. also in a new bottle that reminds one of the old lancer bottle.. ceramic to pay homage to the cement containers they put this wine into... cement is a breathable surface like oak without imparting those unwanted flavors...

Mer Soleil regular 2009... lots of creaminess but little ml and little new oak... a much more restrained style than was expected.. and Mr Wagner commented on how they have brought the wine under control

Pinot Noir from Caymus

Meomi California 2009.. rich and sweet a little candy apple. almost too sweet... but a good starting wine for someone wanting to start trying Pinot Noir..

Belle Glos (named for his mothers maiden name) Clark & Telephone Vineyard ( the vines a located on a parcel of land that intersects two roads..clark and telephone... a little more depth than the meomi but for the money not as much.. still sweet succulent fruit.

Caymus Cabernet and Special Select both 2009... I have to say that these surprised me by how much alike they taste today... as mr w said they do that on purpose... but the true test comes when the special select lasts for decade or so.. lots of vanilla and cassis... again sweet and lush tannins.. maybe a little heat from alcohol.. but truly everything you want from a Napa top notch cab...

Sonoma Coast Vineyards SVC on the label Glazer/ dierks bentley aka Adam hobbs

2011-10-19T16:16:00.000-07:00

a new label that is an offshoot of Girard?? somewhat pricey

Sauvignon Blanc 2010.. produced sur lees which means they stir the barrel with the dead yeast that makes the wine a little more thick or creamy...used in lighter style wines like muscadet to give a little more body.... in california wines it seems to be beating them over the head... a poor mans chardonnay.. until the overwhelming flavor of pink grapefruit starts and never lets go

Chardonnay 2009 lots of the things california wine drinkers love..or hate.. ml and sweet fruit

Pinot Noir 2009 best of the bunch.. pretty color in the glass.. dried red fruits.. cranberry but then a little green rhubarb on the finish.. for the money would hope for better

whats in bernie bag this week

2011-10-19T16:10:00.000-07:00

Ramey Hyde Chardonnay 2008 not a shy wine... lots of oak, malo and flavor..huge points from all writers

Torii Mor Pinot Noir 2009 Willamette Valley nice pretty oregon wine for the money..

Damine Passot les Pampoux Fleurie Vielles vignes 2009 gamay grape.. juicy on the palate but more texture than flavor. a touch green

Valle Las Acequias Cabernet 2007 cabernet nose of cassis and pencil lead.. bing cherry fruit and also good mouthfeel

Carinae Prestige 2008 Argentina juicy and lots of texture from grit.. mostly malbec which shows through syrah for color

Ramey Claret 2008 Napa ..soft and silky but not showing much there there

treasury estates with glazer

2011-10-19T16:04:00.000-07:00

Treasury because these wines are luxury sales...

Beringer Private Reserve Chard 2009 creamy and good acid at the same time.. long finish.. california's chard drinker chard... luxurious indeed

Beringer Knight valley Cabernet 2009 dark purple in color..earth and dirt on the tight nose, good red berry flavors... still showing it needs time to open up

Bin 128 Shiraz 2007 restrained for an australian shiraz.. must be tasting red berries for some reason... earthy nose like the cabernet

Beringer Napa Pinot Noir Napa Carneros 2007.. smokey dried meats on the nose, typical cali pinot on the palate.. and surprising back of dried meats.. almost syrah

Stags Leap Petite Sirah 2008.. flagship wine of stags leap winery.. beautiful tooth staining color.. good juicy mouthfeel.. dark berry fruit... and yet somehow restrained in the finish.. more elegant than expected.

terra firma with marian

2011-10-13T14:46:00.000-07:00

2010 Italo Cescon Chardonnay Piave... no way you could tell this was Chard.. bland and mineral but dull. cute packaging with a piece of vine on the bottle...but thats all it had going for it

2010 Core del Sole Soave 100% Garganega soft and easy drinking.. a bit simple but unoffensive

Prosecco2 NV... soft..good mousse on the front and long finish in back

2005 Vegio Barolo Piedmont.. mineral and earth on the front.. light bodied and light fruit but a good entry wine for Barolo at $30

Ionia Imports

2011-10-13T14:42:00.000-07:00

New distributor who is trying to break into the kc market

These wines are from their Argentine selections

Festivo Torrontes 2010 lots of aromatics.. pretty round flavors of the stone fruits... not overly sweet

Festivo Rose of Malbec? light red fruits on the nose.. but a little harsh on the finish.. rustic maybe

Festivo Malbec 2009 ... very nice fruit on the palate. not a lot of structure but easy drinking for the money

Calypso Malbec 2009 mid priced wine... good fruit and flavors... Calypso is the muse of art and music

Gran Monteviejo 2006.. surprisingly structured for the age.. malbec with some syrah and merlot.. a little dusty on the finish

Lindaflor Malbec 2006 100 % malbec.. juicy.. lots of structure or lengths of flavors... lovely finish... winner of the bunch

Terlato Wines major brands

2011-10-13T14:37:00.000-07:00

Santa Margherita Chianti Classico 2006... traditional Italian nose,of saddle leather and earth.. nice enough on the palate... strong finish ... but for the money..not so much

Torresella Pinot Grigio Veneto 2010... soft, easy white noise in the mouth

Torresella Pinot Noir 2007.. light color purple.. light red fruit...good acidity...

Torresella Nero d'avola 2007.. Sicily's prominent red grape.. juicy and touch earthy\

Toressella Prosecc NV soft.. spritzy and nice off dry finish

old bridge cellars/garco

2011-10-13T14:33:00.000-07:00

Shoefly The Freckle Marsanne/Roussanne and viognier 2008... a rhone blend from australia.. thick and viscous...a little bit of burnt end carmel on the finish.. rough and not very appealing

Innocent Bystander Pinot Noir Yarra Valley 2010.. a touch stemmy on the nose, good dried fruit juicy and pleasant finish.

D'arenburg D'arrys Original shiraz/grenache 2007.. juicy and lush...long flavor profiles...with a nice earthy edge in the mid palate..

John Duval Plexus Shiraz/Grenache/Mourvedre 2007 deep color and flavors... bright red fruit... and long finish..

Pinnacle with bernie

2011-10-10T15:19:00.000-07:00

Leaping Lizard Chardonnay 2010 rough around the edges.. nothing smooth about it.. not a fan

Arizona Stronghold Mandala 2010.. White rhone blend but mostly Viognier which is evident from the beginning.. american viognier is almost like Gewurztraminer.. in nose especially.. some viscosity.. a pretty wine..

Arizona Stronghold Mandala 2010 red blend.. mostly Cinsault ... pretty floral nose, good juice and long finish.. very nice..

Arizona Stronghold Dala Cabernet Sauvignon 2010... dala means one in apache speak.. a tight nose but dark fruits on the palate with lots of fruit tannin.. still young

Penner Ash Pinot Noir 2009 lush fruit on the palate... good weight and length of finish.. red berries coming through..a little less Burgundian to me...but definitely good

row eleven & stratton lummis/ henry vasquez/major brands

2011-10-10T15:13:00.000-07:00

Row Eleven Russian River Pinot Noir 2007.. smokey nose...dried fruits on the palate

Rowl Eleven Santa Maria Pinot Noir 2007.. waterly.. a little on the hot side..stemmy and tight..

Row Eleven Vinas 3 2008.. best of the pinot and least expensive.. good juice and earthy.. long finish

Stratton Lummis.. Chardonnay Carneros 2009 creamy and yeasty on the nose, good acidity.. 100% malo but still lots of acidity and little oak aging.

Cabernet Sauvignon Napa 2008... dark color but a flat aroma on the nose, a little dusty... good amount of petite verdot which may be the culprit in the flatness of flavors

The Riddler Lot One Red Wine Napa 2008.. again dark purple but flat in flavor.. interesting bing cherry and vanilla on the mouth but the initial nose really put me off

guigal lunch with patrick will at JJ's

2011-10-08T14:48:00.000-07:00

Great food..great wine..very great

2009 St Joseph Lieu Dit Blanc ...marsanne and roussanne blend.. smoky floral nose.. oily and lime? a little bread dough

2000 Guigal Hermitage Blanc light golden in color.. again a blend of mars and rouss.. unctious.. a little mushroom on the nose but not on the palate... creamy finish

2007 Guigal Ermitage Ex-Voto Blanc.. from the heart...slight flooral nose, not as viscous.somewhat softer. good acidity...maybe in a dumb phase

2007 Guigal Cote du Rhone a touch stemmy on the nose then meat... meaty throughout.. intense for the money

2007 Guigal Gigondas.. dark purple..lead and roses on the nose.. lovely light cardimon spice on the finish

2004 Guigal Saint Joseph Vigne Hospice purple deep flavors.. great acidity and a little hot on the palate.. syrah based

2004 Guigal Cote-Rotie Brune et Blonde... brown and blond refering to the soil the grapes are grown on.. syrah based. medium purple.. soft and nice but expecting more.

2000 Guigal Cote Rote Chateau D'Ampuis nose of cedar and earth.. lush mouthfeel with a maple sweetness

2007 Guigal Cote Rote Chteau D'Ampuis showing lighter color.. earthy dirty nose, lots of intense flavors

2007 Guigal Ermitage Ex Voto Rouge... Ermitage is the early spelling... makes the bottle sound more expensive..since it is.. huge color but not overpowering in flavos.

Spire collection/ Nils Johnson Major Brands Craig Rohner

2011-09-26T15:19:00.000-07:00

Spire is the upper end of the Kendall Jackson portfolio

Cardinale Napa 2007... beautiful dark color, rich lush fruits.. some good tannins but not over the top. pricey though

Chateau Vignot St Emilion 2006... mostly merlot.. a french stink to the nose, some cedar and fading fruit on the palate..tannins yes but disjointed... maybe already failing

LaJota Cabernet Sauvignon Howell Mountain 2005.. dark color and an interesting and not pleasant aroma of insecticide and tire rubber that carries over into the palate..

Anakota Cabernet Sauvigon Helena Mountain Knights Valley 2007 dark color, tannins are friendly but noticeable... some earthiness to them.. nice bottling

Lokoya cabernet Sauvignon Diamond Mountain Napa 2007 ,, nice extraction of color... bright red fruits surprising on the palate.. along with silky tannins... a great bottle of wine for $225?

bernie from pinnacle and wines

2011-09-26T15:11:00.000-07:00

Botani Dry Moscatel Malaga Spain 2009 a dry but sweet wine. pineapple and mentholadium.. good weight.. interesting wine.

Borsao Monte Oton Campo de Borja 2010 . dark color, stemmy on the nose and not as bad on the palate.. juicy a little young maybe

Fina Resalso Tempranillo 2009 Ribera del Duero Spain.. dark in color.. a little meaty and weight... love ribera wines usually

White Rose 2008 Estate Pinot Noir Dundee Hills pretty nose.. earthy and dried fruits...a little pricey

Kiona Cab.Merlot and Sangiovese... Washington state 2005... a little old... dull...uninteresting really

Novy 2009 Susan's Hill Syrah.. Santa Lucia Highlands huge color and flavors... a little hot on the palate but really gorgeous wine

Novy Carlisle Zinfandel Russian River Valley 2009.. briar and cinnamon on the nose, sweet red berry on the palate and a long finish.

matchbook wines with Lane Giguiere..formally of Toasted Head

2011-09-21T15:12:00.000-07:00

Talented people who started up and sold Toasted Head ..developing new wines

Matchbook Chardonnay Dunnigan Hills 2009... soft expression of fruit.. all barrel fermented and such but with older oak so less influence.. a departure from the toasted head

Matchbook Tempranillo Dunnigan Hills 2008.. Yolo Valley just east and north of Napa is warmer, and drier making it a good spot for Spanish varietals.. light purple in color.. juicy and red berry. a pretty wine but not really spanish...

Matchbook Syrah Dunnigan Hills food friendly.. good juice.. nice wine for the money

Matchbook Tinto Rey California 2007.. same as the Tempranillo... but blended with cab and merlot.. user friendly

Sawbuck Malbec Yolo County ... the lone unenjoyable wine of the bunch.. green nose and palate.. juicy fruit though with soft tannins.. but not my cup of tea.

carolina wine brands usa.glazer Walter Seligman

2011-09-21T15:01:00.000-07:00

Santa Carolina Reserva Cabernet Sauvignon 2008 dirty, dusty and cedar.. hot on the palate... typical cab

Finca el Origen Cabernet 2009.. for the money would say this is the wine of the week... lots of vanilla and cherry.. pretty tannins and longish finish

Finca el Origen Malbec 2009 a little smoky on the palate.. good fruit juice.. lots of fruit or upfront tannins... a pleasant wine

2010 debeouf beaujolais with adam hickman

2011-09-21T14:57:00.000-07:00

there were 12 to try but I did 4

2010 Morgon .. pretty purple in the glass.. a little grapey but not green.. pretty. I can see why this region has been popular.

2010 Julienas.. more traditional flavors and aromas of beaujolais.. a little sweeter a little greener.

Domiane del la Vigne Moulin-A-Vent 2010.. ripe fruit but still gamay.. pretty and light finish

Morgon Descombes 2010.. wow.. lots of tannins and more complex flavors..a very surprising wine.. would be hard pressed to call it gamay in blind tasting

Italy part 2 with Kobrand Gino Catalano. major brands

2011-09-21T14:48:00.000-07:00

Tenuta San Guido Guidalberto 2009 wow.. what a beautiful nose... steak sauce and earth.. full mouthfeel with the finish being a little quicker than I thought. but still a very enjoyable wine

Tenuta Sette Ponti Oreno 2009 cab and merlot blend with a little petite verdot.. again with the meaty nose... dark color.. juicy also with a nice mouthfeel that spells elegance

Tenuta Sette Ponti Crognolo 2009 sangiovese, cab and merlot. more fruit forward.. softer tannins

Tenute Silvio Nardi Brunello di Montalcino 2006 from the much heralded vintage. spicy nose of oak .. very approachable now surprisingly

Tenute Silvio Nardi Rosso diMontalcino 2009 rose and earth.. some hints of spice.. definitely sangiovese

Tenute del cabreo II Borgo.. dark concentrated color and flavors... nice viscosity

Tenute Camp al Mare Bolgheri 2008 dark brooding color... unfortunately a little corked but looking forward to trying this in a better bottle

Tenute di Nozzole Chianti Classico Reserva 2007 brickish in color... slight anise spice on the palate.. bright fruit.. drying tongue tannins

Michele Chiarlo Tortoniano Barolo 2007 brownish in the glass... tight nose... lots of earthiness ..and the fruit really is not coming out... maybe too young

Agricola Punica Barrua 2007 Sardinia Carignano, cab and merlot.. an interesting nose that reminds of Amarone or light port.. very smooth.. a nice meatiness on the end... and very pricey

Italian day part 1 banville and jones with mo bev casey squire/stephen gregory

2011-09-21T14:33:00.000-07:00

Dipinti Sauvignon IGT Dolomiti Italy 2010... surprisingly new zealand in style.. stinky feet/bo after aromas...nice enough weight

Terlano Classico Alto Adige 2010... Terlano is a place and a DOC this wine is made with Pinot Bianco which I enjoy and this one did not fail to be good.. nice light fruitiness and viscosity.

Terlano Pinot Grigio Alto Adige Trentino 2010. soft easy and pinot grigio...

Dipinti La Vis Pinot NOir DOC Trentino 2009 a very enjoyable glass for the money... smokey nose... light body.. a touch earthy

Donna Laura Ali Sangiovese 2009 pretty cinnamon fruit.. not a full bodied wine.. soft

Tolaini Al Passo IGT Tuscany 2007... sangiovese and merlot ... pretty nose of earth and flowers..

Tolaini Valdisanti IGT Tuscany 2007.. tight nose.. good juice.. more fruit forward and a little terroir driven flavors on the back of the palate.

constellation wines..reserve blitz todd izzo and major brands

2011-09-17T14:30:00.000-07:00

Simi Reserve Chardonnay Russian River 2009 toasty nose, creamy.. not as toasty oaky as the nose would lead you to believe. ml is obvious but not over the top

Wild Horse Cheval Sauvage Pinot Noir Santa Maria Valley 2006 a bit herbal on the nose almost a celery salt on the finish.. not sure if I like that.. maybe a little tired.. not me.. the wine

Simi Cabernet Landslide Vineyard Alexander Valley 2007..a good value for the cab drinker. soft some mocha and espresso bean on the finish.. soft and silky...

mt Veeder Cabernet Sauvignon 2008 showing good fruit but maybe not quite as complex as the 2007 was.. great for the money though

Mt Veeder Reserve Red 2005..definitely past its prime.. a touch of green on the nose. boring on the palate..

Estancia Reserve Meritage Paso Robles 2007 an example of trying more than one bottle... the last time i had this it was just disjointed and not drinking well. showing today bright fruit. not a lot of tannin and complexity but enjoyable for the money

Franciscan Magnificat 2007 Napa juicy and showing very well

Clos du Bois Marlstone Alexander Valley 2006 pretty on the nose and palate.. this wine has always been my go to wine for a sure thing with meritage..

Inniskillin VIdal Niagara Peninsula ..ice wine.. honey and apricot and soft sweet follow through with the pretty viscosity expected

Natalie with Massandra spoonbill

2011-09-12T15:52:00.000-07:00

Spoonbill is a NewZealand winery , made by a st louis resident from NZ

Sauvignon Blanc 2010.. typical grassy grapefruity nose.. with some nice viscosity...not as water as can sometimes be expected. pleasant if quickish finish

Pinot Noir 2010 a little on the green side.. some tar and earth on the finish with some dried fruits..not the worst I have had from NZ...

wine monday part 3 jeff carter with Bronco and garco with Robert Noecker

2011-09-12T15:48:00.000-07:00

2009 Forest Glen Pinot Grigio Tehatchapi Clone... a clone of Pinot grigio that is white. not pink.. a little bit grapy, some viscosity.. not wimpy thats for sure

2008 Domaine Napa Chardonnay golden yellow.. full blown oak and malo... tropical fruit

2009 Ogier Heritages Cotes du Rhone ..dark extraction in color.. showing more fruit than the other CDR's i have had today.. a touch of iodine.. nice fruity finish.. missing some of the meatiness.

2009 Harazthy Zinfandel Sonoma a touch rusty color.. juicy. could use some more depth for the price and not overly briary.. this family has a long history in sonoma both wine and politics

wine monday part two..what does bernie have in t he bag

2011-09-12T15:44:00.000-07:00

Domaine Solitude cotes du rhone blanc 2009... this wine did nothing to discourage me from drinking YOUNG white cote du rhone.. lots of stone and mineral.. waiting for the fruit.. not there.. still a little viscous.. but not my type right now.

Mas de Boislauzon Cotes du rhone 2009.. pretty dark color but stemmy and green on the palate.. this is an awkward teenager that needs to mature

Juan Benegas Malbec Argentina 2009 dark color juicy but not fruity. missing that

Don Tiburcio Benegas Bordeaux blend Argentina 2007 a syrah drinkers cab blend.. a touch of meatiness on the finish.. pretty wine

Kamen 2007 Sonoma Mountain huge color.. loads of dark fruit... firm tannin... alittle hot on the finish.

Richter Piesporter Michelberg Riesling Germany 2009... not as sweet as expected... but not as exciting either.. quick finish.

wine monday pt 1 willi with appellations

2011-09-12T15:38:00.000-07:00

Reverdy Sancere les COutes 2010.. very light in color..vibrant acidity.. more like pink grapefruit than grassy.. pretty finish

Domaine les Grands Bois Cuvee Maximillen Cairanne Cotes du rhone Villages 2010... took me longer to type this than try it.. more of an iodine zincy nose.. tight..lots of tannin

Liberalia toro tres tempranillo 2004.. dark in color for the age yet the tannins are still way out there.. needs a lot of time.. if ever.

bernie from pinnacle and wines

2011-09-08T16:11:00.000-07:00

Au Bon Climat Santa Barbara Chardonnay 2009 anyone wanting sweet tropical fruit from this would not be disappointed. maybe a little more acidity would have been nice. vanilla and sweet

Bethel Heights Pinot Noir Oregon 2009 earthy on the nose and berry on the palate.. not overly complex but enjoyable

Chave Mon Coueur Cotes du Rhone 2009 mostly shiraz.. dark color... beautiful nose. wishing for a little more fruit but having been opened for a day it was still showing well..

Forman Cabernet Sauvignon Napa 2008. dark fruit and fun evolving flavors on the palate... long finish of vanilla, dark cherry... great value again compared to an opus even a good carter.

opus one lunch

2011-09-08T13:11:00.000-07:00

The annual Opus one luncheon with Gina Voci, this year held at The Classic Cup...and the gracious host Steven Malloy. The wines tasted were Opus 1998, Opus 2006 , 2007 and 2008. Of all these I would have to say the most impressive was the 2007. All of them had a signature Opus style of smoky smooth tannins. Unfortunately for me the 98 was smelling a little herbacious at first which did blow off to show more of the pencil box character with crayon wax being the dominate aroma.

All showed the meticulous nature of what makes Opus One the wine it is. A dedicated work force who gets to know the vines intimately, to know when to picks and when to leave alone. A winemaker who has only one job to do... make Opus.

vintegrity with jp gilmore over 2 days

2011-09-08T13:07:00.000-07:00

Domaine de l'Hermitane Rose Bandol 2010... very much a french rose, earthy and strawberry... surprisingly long finish.

Breggo Pinot Noir 2009 Anderson Valley pretty ruby color, dried fruit on the nose.. intense flavors of the palate.. a strong middle palate that keeps going through to the finish... good example of 2009 I guess.

Balletto Estate Pinot Noir Russian River valley 2009 spice and mushroom... juicy but a young green tinge on the end...good acidity... needs time

Carter Hossfield Coliseum 2008 Napa a merlot and cab blend.. dark garnet in color... pretty sweet nose was I smelling cornbread? juicy on the palate.. lots of flavors that lead through a silky smooth tannin finish

Carter Revilo Cabernet Sauvignon 2008 Napa completely different nose than the last.. steak sauce and dark fruit... lots of fruit on the palate.. dark flavors... worthy of the price... even more so considering the wine received the same points from specator as Screaming Eagle and over half the cost

terra firma with mirian and pierre

2011-09-01T14:57:00.000-07:00

Bordeauxs mostly

They presented a few 2004's that were brownish in the glass.. and lots of oxidation on the nose... didnt even try them

2008 Chateau L Criox Davids Cuvee Prestige Cotes du Bourg... merlot 80% and 20% cab sav
spice box on the nose... good earthy flavor with a soft silky finish.. very nice.

domaine le champ des murailles corbieres 2008... grenach and carignan.. fruit is showing okay in the glass but not much there there otherwise to promote it.

Magrez Fombrauge St Emilion Grand Cru 2004 .. my cost would have been $155 a bottle... best of the 2004.. still missing some a good fruit core..and very expensive for the final impact..

welcome back bernie

2011-09-01T14:52:00.000-07:00

My pinnacle rep is now Bernie Lee...

Peay Sonoma Coast 2009 juicy... light bodied but good acidity... dried fruits style

Domaine de la Solitude Cotes du rhone 2010.. dark color... right now all flavor is up front.. missing some depth in back... maybe with a little bottle aging

Biale Black Chicken Zin Oak Knoll Napa 2009... sweet nose and sweet fruit.. juicy bright fruit...not much briary to it... maybe a little less complicated than I thought it would be.. cute story about its chicken roots...

mandrarossa with chris berry palm bay...glazers and english gentleman

2011-09-01T14:49:00.000-07:00

MandraRossa is a sicilian winery.

Fiano 2010 an interesting grape usually found in southern italy... golden yellow.. viscous in the glass. hints of tropical fruit.. creamy up front.. and a touch dull on the finish but not overly so.

Pinot Grigio 2010...light color.. richer in quality.. ripe fruit.. a poor mans chardonnay... more white nose from italy.

Nero d'Avola 2010.... rich garnett color... a touch green on nose...but lots of raspberry... juicy new world style of wine...ripe.

Syrah 07... a touch of depth.. juicy.. a little heat on the tongue.. not much structure on the back.. may be losing steam... look forward to try the 08

robert noecker with garco

2011-08-29T14:43:00.000-07:00

Santa Digna Sauv Blanc 2009 grassy, herbal and creamy texture. more upfront fruit than back. acidity...

Santa Digna Carmenere 2008. dark color, maceration obvious.. juicy with a nice smoky quality, something off a little off in the nose, but almost meaty on the palate..

RouteStock Cabernet Sauvignon Napa 2008.. a company that sells wine with the name of the main thoroughfare for the region. Route 29 is the main highway in Napa.. not really thinking I would like this.. but.. typical nose for Cali Cab.. lots of juicy cassis and dark berry flavors.. long cedar finish.. pretty wine.. supposedly the run off from Quintessa winery

Stickybeak Syrah 2008... an australian term for nosy neighbor... dark purple in the glass.. and eveything I love in a Syrah... mouthfilling.. juicy and long meaty finish... one of those days were everything tastes good I guess

Graziano with Golden Barrel

2011-08-25T15:39:00.000-07:00

Graziano Zinfandel Mendocino 2007... juicy with a good finish. not the briary version.. described as the bordeaux style of zin.. good acidity.. nice food wine

Monte Volpe Primo Rosso 2010... a blend of Cal-Italian white varietals. minerality and yet some creaminess..not that interesting when said and done..

Monte Volpe Primo Rosso 2007 on the other hand was all about bright fruit.. almost sweet...a little poirt like on the finish. very mouth filling

Monte Volpe Sangiovese 2006... surprising full bodied for the wine with this much age.. that being said.. anyone looking for the Italian experience will be disappointed. juicy and fruity...not much saddleleather and dirt here

Enotria Barbera Mendocino 2007 another calitalian or Italifornian...juicy and pretty...not afraid to be full bodied...interesting

Enotria Dolcetto 2007 meaning little sweet I have an affinity for this grape... this version follows suit with the other full bodied california versions.. ripe with up front fruit...nothing too subtle here

christian with terra firma/ and marian fuica the new salesman

2011-08-25T15:32:00.000-07:00

Chateau Bel Air Bordeaux 2008... i guess there must not be a hold on the name Bel Air or maybe its used with the different grammar signs.. this is not the one owned by the Rothschild family. fleshy and earth with some dried fruit...not bad but only buying 09 right now...a hot vintage.

Solar Mayor Malbec Argentina 2009 dusty nose, good juice... a quick finish...not typical full bodied malbec

Prestige des Granges Cotes du rhone Village 2009... juicy and dark... tight on the nose. maybe need some time to open up.

pinnacle wines with craig and his boss bill kneip

2011-08-11T13:55:00.000-07:00

Wein Prum Feinherb Riesling 2009 feinherb is the new halbtrocken or half dry. this riesling is slatey on the nose..light green apples on the palate...soft acidity

Von Hovel Estate Riesling 2008 very light color... light on the palate... and easy drinking riesling for sure.. has been in the market for a long time

Peay Sonoma Coast Pinot Noir 2009... the best pinot vintage ever....lots of depth in color and flavor... with a tea and tobacco hinted finish.. long finish

Novy Russian River Zinfandel 2009..juicy... a touch hot on the palate.. good fruit..some pepper and a long finish. not briary at all

Ramey Cabernet Sauvignon 2007.. high extraction in the color... good fruit... missing something on the middle it seemed but the finish came on strong with the last 10 seconds changing flavors..fun wine.

Batasiolo with Stephano Poggi

2011-08-11T13:44:00.000-07:00

Batasiolo was an exclusive with Berbiglia when I first started in this store... no longer though. They are best known for their Moscato which was one of the first to gain market share in KC.

Gavi 2009 made with cortese grape. this wine is fresh on the palate.. a little light citrus and mineral stone and almonds on the finish.

Barbera D'Alba 2008. soft fresh fruit.. lots of acidity.. bing cherry finish.. a nice starter wine for someone looking to get into Italian red.

Dolcetto D'Alba 2008... italian for "little sweet" this is similar in flavor to a beaujolais.. a little green on the palate..but some nice raspberry comes through at the end...and a surprisingly long finish.

Brachetto D'aqui NV... one of my favorite dessert wines this bottle shows all the traditional flavors.. raspberry and creamy on the palate.. a moscato like nose of white flowers and stone fruits.. a good wine for anyone looking to get away from the sweet asti but stay on the soft side

World Wine Headquarters/ Kevin Hodges/ Missouri Beverage

2011-08-10T15:37:00.000-07:00

I in general enjoy Spanish wines, especially those represented by Jorge Ordonez and Eric Solomon. The wines seem to be a nice blend of old and new world styles.. fruit forward with hints of terroir.. with these wine represented by John Larachette (sp) the overall theme seems to be more old world... interesting but not a style I like.. or at least one that needs food.

Monte Vicor Cava Nv..some chardonnay.. strong yeasty mineral on the nose and very dry.. quick finish..none of the burnt aspirin taste that comes from this region though

Monte Vicor Garnacha 2008 light colored in the glass.. dirty and gritty.. hard fruit to get around

Vega Moragona Tempranillo2009.. from the Ribera del Jucar which had been part of LaMancha until recently. Because the floor fruit was different than mountain they designated this region. dark fruits.. grip and tannin.. earthy

Vega Moragona Vielle Vigne 2007... dark color.. old world nose.. good weight and fruit with a meaty finish.. this wine surprised me on the finish with a strong flavored finish.. the bottle may not have been as it could have been... a little maderized..

Malondro Montsant 2007...Grenache and Carignan earthy on the nose.. reminescant of a Sangiovese... saddle leather and soapstone.. fruit tannins but missing a little depth on the finish...

Epicurean wines with doug ward(not that doug) /Bommarito wines

2011-08-10T15:27:00.000-07:00

Heartland Stickleback White 2009 a verdejo/viognier/ semillon blend... pretty grassy up front.. nice viscosity... will be into the 2010 soon and thats when I will bring it in the store

Woop Woop Chardonnay 2010... unoaked and just good ole fruit.. not that sweet either given the australian climate.. little if any ML... just a nice glass of chard

Glaetzer Wallace Shiraz Grenache blend 2009.. dark in the glass.. cola and fruit on the nose.. juicy.. showing some spice and pepper.. nice pretty finish...I wish these blends could sell better

Kaesler Stonehorse SGM 2008.. soft palate..good fruit.. a little tannin on the front of the mouth and licorice overtones on the back... not overwhelmed...

christian with terra firma/ and marian fuica

2011-08-09T15:58:00.000-07:00

Terrasses et Galets Blanc Cotes du Rhone 2009.. terraces and stones.. the things that make vineyards in the rhone valley stand out. a blend of grenache blanc, clairette and other white varietals.. this has all the earmarks of a white cote du rhone but missing some of the green olive.. a little viscous.. a touch sweet from the viognier. not a bad bottle but white cote du rhone is a hard sell...

Domaine du Cassard Blaye (Bordeaux) 2010... light and grassy on the palate.. a nice finish.. will replace the Mayne in the cold box

Domaine St Nicholas Lirac 2009 .. this had me at hello.. juicy with the right mix of iodine and meatiness.. a little rough on the palate but enhanced finish.

willi with appellations

2011-08-08T15:06:00.000-07:00

Domaine L'oustal Blanc Giacosa Minervois 2008... dark color.. a blend. that smells a little off on the nose , like it was corked or cooked... but an amazing finish so I am looking forward to trying it again

Fattori Soave 2007... for the age some minerality but starting to lose fruit.. still viscous in the glass though

Laird Pinot Noir Carneros 2009 Ghost Ranch darker ruby color.tea and cranberry on the nose..lots of fruit on the palate.. and acidity for the finish cranberry the main motivator..

bill with bommarito

2011-08-04T15:20:00.000-07:00

Martinelli Syrah Russian River Valley 2007. rich and unctious.. good fruit..nice finish with a tad bit of coffee and tobacco.. long finish.good fruit...maybe a little restraint. maybe just a little harshness on the finish.

Il Nero di Casanova Toscana Sangiovese 2007. .. kind of tight.. not the traditional italian stink.. good acidity and fruit ...

Mr Riggs The Gaffer 09 McClaren Vale Shiraz .. interesting french stink on the nose..lots of blueberry .. pretty wine... and still somewhat finessed..i like this alot.

Dauvergne Ranvier Croze Hermitage 09...nose of bandaids and popcorn? good juice in the mouth but not a lot of fruit... quick finish.. some pepper but not as exciting as I had hoped.

Star Lane Merlot Santa Ynez 07....bright fruit on the nose..lots of grip on the palate... a bunch of tannin but fruit and wood... needs food but would work well with steaks and such.. nose of pencil box and graphite so I imagine it has a good amount of cab in the blend

Fisher Unity wines appellation

2011-08-04T15:08:00.000-07:00

From the Body by Fisher people Unity is a new entry for them.

Unity Chardonnay Sonoma 2009 golden yellow.. partial ml but nice and round... batonnage or stirring of lees adds to the creamy texture.. acidity and balance.. not a butter bomb

Unity Cabernet Sauvignon 2009 tight and tight.. green on the palate but I think that will open up after a few months in bottle.. trying to show fruit but the tannin was closed..maybe try again later in the year .

molly sweeney/rudi wiest/ george vial major

2011-08-03T14:54:00.000-07:00

Rudi Wiest is one of the leading importers of German wines into this market..

Becker Pinot Noir Pfalz 2008.. germany produces a lot of pinot noir...2nd only to france so they say.. and some of these vineyards were part of france? I know from the 1870's through the end of WW 2 these lands changed hands a couple of times..anyway a nice wine..pleasant if a little pedesterian. gives a good impression of value pinot noir

Hooked Riesling Germany 2008... uneventful wine.. cute label.. would like more acidity and fruit

Monchoff (pronounced Mon-koff) Riesling Mosel 2010 light colored full bodied with good unctiousness. missing some of the nervosity...probably too hot outside to allow that to show well.. some of the wines even had a effervescence that was not supposed to be there.

Monchoff Spatlese Mosel Slate 2010 a bright straw color.. sweet nose white flowers and pumpkin spice? still missing some of the acidity.

Gunderloch Jean Baptiste Riesling Rheinhessen 2009 green apple and green apple.. and green apple.. good fruit.. not a long finish..but pleasant enough.. not overly sweet just fruity

JJ Prum Graacher Himmelreich 2007 grown on blue slate and that shows in the nose.. petrol and roses.. with petrol winning.. very viscous and unctious.. heat still showing.. some tropical fruit on the finish... climate change may be giving these wines more sunshine but I feel some acidity is being lost ...again the heat outside on tasting these does not help show acid at all

terra firma with christian and marian

2011-08-03T14:36:00.000-07:00

Excellence Blanc Cotes du Rhone Villages 2009 green apple and a little minerality.. very unctious but not as interesting as others I have tried... long stony finish.. with 89 pts from spectator

Chateau de Gicon Cotes du rhone. Red 2009 soft for a rhone...good fruit but not overwhelming against some of the other I have had from region and vintage.. maybe too fruity

Tour Puyblanquet Saint Emilion 2009 pretty nose, very lush.. good fruit but not a long finish.I might be asking to much of a $19 bottle.. for the money delivers well

Grand Corbin Manuel Saint Emilion Grand Cru 2005.. dark color in the glass. french stink on the nose.. good tannins and a nice finish with coffee and smoke... pretty wine.

Jodie Boulet-Daughters/Appellation / Consilience

2011-08-02T14:23:00.000-07:00

Consilience is a rhone wine varietal producer from the central coast that seems to get the varietals right.

Viognier Santa Barbara county 2007 rich and unctious. not sweet but honeyed.. a great wine for people wanting to explore this grape type.. pretty yellow in the glass

Grenache Blanc Santa Barbara 2007 beautiful... honeyed and gorgeous... try these wines to see what a grenache blanc is all about...

Consilience Pinot Noir Santa Barbara 2009 a little rusty purple in the glass.. lots of perfume and dried fruit on the nose.. concentrated flavors in the glass with the dried fruit coming through on the longish finish.. nice acidity

Syrah Santa Barbara 2008... maybe the one disappointment and that wasnt even true... it just seems that this region produces the type of syrah I love .. this wine is juicy.. with some coffee and cocoa notes but missing the depth that I was hoping for.. still tasty though

Petite Sirah Santa Barbara 2007 juicy and a touch of cedar on the nose... more california style than any previous wines. satisfying if somewhat short finish.. dark color in the glass ...nice enough extraction in color...

ARA wines from New Zealand/ glazer domaines and estates

2011-08-02T14:15:00.000-07:00

another new zealand winery in the market , to be one of the few producers who do single estate bottlings at the kim crawford price

Ara Sauvignon Blanc 2010 typical gooseberry nose, with a refreshing lift on the palate.. not as grapefruity as some New Zealand can be.. maybe a little weak on the mid palate and finish.. a touch watery

Ara Pinot Noir 2009 light color and surprisingly rich for the color... pretty nose of cinnamon and clove.. very tight on the palate as the flavors from the nose do not translate... am told it opens up and to be honest as hot as it is the wines were in a cooler that may have worked too well...I will pick up the Pinot Noir...maybe have it in the show in November

Andrew Wesson of Shafer/ glazer domaine and estates

2011-07-28T15:44:00.000-07:00

Shafer is one of the elite wineries in Napa..mostly focusing on wine from around the Stags Leap area on the east side of the county.

Red Shoulders Chardonnay Carneros 2009 ...going away from the big fruit and butter bomb this wine sees 25% stainless steel and no malolactic...and as unctious as this wine is if it had any it would have been the butter bomb. still hard to pair food with this that doesnt have some texture to stand up to the wine.

Merlot Napa 2008.. dark color a little green on the nose that could go away with some age.. 20% cab in the blend. a good amount of fruit tannin.. about as good as merlot gets in napa.

Cabernet Sauvignon 1.5 Stags Leap District 2008.. since 03 they have not had a straight Napa cab... the 1.5 is to signify the relationship between the father and son Shafer... this is 98% cab with 1% each of Malbec and Petit verdot. bright fruit on the palate... a little smoky.. the nose wasnt giving up a lot but it was, is, a tight bottle. great finish with cassis and cedar.. you can see why they are napa royalty

Relentless Syrah 2007... with a little bit of petite syrah it has huge color, cofermented with the petite also. one of the prettiest bouquets or noses I have encountered in a while...perfume,roses and coffee... dark fruit... and then... i was really disappointed in the body.. weak midpalate.. a little light for what I was expecting... may be going through a dumb phase or still needing to open up... lots of high and mid notes on the back..but none of the depth that I love from Syrah in central coast or northern rhone...

quintessential wines with clint young.supplier to many

2011-07-28T15:33:00.000-07:00

Sweet Chardonnay California 2009... with a name like sweet...you know what you are getting. a sweet wine that tastes like grape juice..no finish at all...not sweet and not dry.. kind of dull...

Sweet Cabernet California 2009... a touch too ripe but dull also... a we dumbing down our buyers even more.. or is this the new phase in wine...probably both

First Press Chardonnay Napa 2009.. another wine from Napa but who knows where...american canyon maybe... juice from overstock of a good producer... my guess mostly stainless steel...fruit on the nose ..
some upfront fruit but then a quick uneventful finish.

First Press Cabernet Napa 2009.. finally a varietally correct wine. nose that smells like a cab with some earth and spice..nice juicy character on the palate.. and fruit tannin.. longish finish with some cedar... not bad..stupid name but wine was okay

Gnaughty Vine Zin 2008...gno gway... juicy without flavor.. no briar no pepper.. just there

from Ron DiGiovanni and JJ Gazzolli wines
Ricardo Santo Semillon 2010 Argentina.. round in the mouth with lots of tropical flavors.. most prominent to me was Pineapple... Semillon is usually a boring grape but here there is a lot going on... it will be interesting to see how this ages.

christian with terra firma/ and marian fuica the new salesman

2011-07-26T15:13:00.000-07:00

Cabernet Sauvignon Laudun Chusclan 2009 Vin de Pays d'Oc ... surprisingly full bodied and ripe cherry on the finish.. ripe for the money.. if not truly varietally correct

Merlot Laudun Chusclan 2009 Vin de Pays d'Oc...slightly green on the nose and tobacco and bell pepper on the finish.. not anywhere near the quality that the cab has.

Chateau du Cugat Bordeaux entre des mares white. 2009.. a touch of muscadelle makes this a little more fruit forward white bordeaux.. a hint of minerality really good depth on the finish.. stone fruit even in evidence...

Chateau La Hase Bordeaux 2009.. if this is another example of how good inexpensive Bordeaux from this vintage is going to be.. i will be happy.. 100% merlot.. a perfumy sandlewood nose.. a little meatiness on the body and longish finish... only $13 in the store...showing better than some $20 California cabs i have had lately

La Croix David. Bordeaux 2008 Cotes du Bourg silky and juicy on the palate...tight nose up front and not showing a lot of middle palate depth... not bad for the money but expecting a little more

Beau Soleil Pomerol 2008 dark color in the glass. great fruit on the palate.. showing tobacco and earth but not green.. beautiful sun? and showing the predominance of merlot

Paveil de Luze 2008 Margaux.. beautiful color in the glass. juicy but then there is no back up.. no there there.. would like to have a fuller experience.. especially for the price... may be in a dumb phase but too many people are waiting for the 2009's to come that I can't have an 08 that just sits...

appellations with willi

2011-07-25T14:17:00.000-07:00

Domaine des Cassignoles Cuvee Gros Manseng 2009 a wine from gascogne..with a little Ugni blanc thrown in.. surprisingly round on palate when the opening aromas are herbal and grassy... a fun white for this time of year.. it will be in the corner soon

Domaine LesGrands Bois Cuvee Gabrielle Cotes du rhone Village 2009... dark color and green vegetal on the nose.. which followed through on the flavor...some good acidity but just lots of high notes and not much depth..

Spann Vineyards Chard/Viognier North Coast 2008.. pretty nose, with stone fruit and flint... definitely a creamy finish and just a hint of sweetness on the finish.

vintegrity with jp gilmore

2011-07-25T14:05:00.000-07:00

Artazuri was with Eric Solomon and went a different direction and now represented by another supplier.

El Seque Monastrell Alicante 2009 full bodied.. great for the money... a little green on the finish that keeps getting a little more rustic.

Artazuri Tinto Grenache 2009... deep color, ripe nose, good ripeness on the palate.. long meaty finish

Artadi Vinas de Gain Rioja Tempranillo from 3007 dark color...lots going on in the back of the palate..dark berry flavors again long finish

Vieux Marc de Bourgogne Brandy Didier Meuzard golden yellow.. caramel and smoke.. and molassis ...good viscosity.. lots of acidity...

Steele wines with Brian Fisher/ Bommarito

2011-07-12T16:05:00.000-07:00

Jed Steele... made a name as Kendall Jackson winemaker who created the Vintners Chard blend.

Shooting Star 2010... grassy and herbal but with new zealand yeast that brings out just a little more citrus... pretty in the mouth. shooting star in one of the indian languages is Temcusah which I believe is Steele's middle name

Writers Block Roussanne 2009.. from lake county fruit... a touch of oak to round out the wine but at the temperature I had it served tasted more like a poor mans chardonnay.. usually more interesting than that.

Steele California Cuvee Chardonnay 2009.. oaky toasty nose, some new oak but not overly oaked.. still had some oak... california style anyone

Shooting Star Pinot Noir.. 2008 a nice starter pinot for people looking to discover if they like the grape or not... a touch of earth and a little caramel toast on the finish.

Steele Pacini Zin 2007 briary fruit and nose.. light and easy.. a good starter zinfandel.. not overly alcoholic.

Writers Block Syrah 2008 Lake County... sits with chard skins in fermentation.. nice and juicy but not a big finisher though.. again.. a good starter syrah.. they Grenache from this line is MUCH better..Writers block is made by Jed Steele's son.

erin with glazer

2011-07-12T15:56:00.000-07:00

Scharffenberger brut NV ...light with a green apple, anise character

Pio Cesare Cortese di gavi. 2010... creamy yet minerall good finish... serious gavi...great for shellfish

Ladoucette Sauvignon Blanc grassy and herbal.. needing more acidity... kinda boring

Querciabella Chianti Classico 2008.. pretty floral.. good earth not overwhelming.. pretty finish.

Delas Cotes du rhone esprit 2009.. dark purple... good grip in the mouth if a little rough around the edges..

Marquis Murrieta Rioja Reserva 2005... light purple in the glass.. beautiful cedar on the nose, more layers on the palate than in the past..

Post 4th pre bastille day wines

2011-07-12T15:52:00.000-07:00

From Pinnacle
Castalvero Cortese Piedmont white... cortese the wine of Gavi... soft and minerally.. already have a couple in the store... good porch pounding though.

Niepoort Twisted Duoro Portugal 2008... all port varietals.. a bit juicy and good acidity but when all is said and done I thought I would have a stronger finish.

Valle las Acequias Cabernet Sauvignon Mendozaa.. winner of this small group.. pretty nose, good fruit and a long finishl.. good dark fruit

from Vintegrity
Gilbert Picq Chablis 2009 good acidity and appropo for this weather.. no oak.. just fruit... well priced for a good chablis

Closerie des Lys Rouge Limoux 2009 light and fruity a beaujolais styled wine from languedoc area...

Wodka Vodka from Poland.. cirtus notes on the nose with a good dose of alcohol... clean and easy..

christian with terra firma

2011-06-28T15:23:00.000-07:00

Ferme de Gicon White 2009... Cote du rhone white .. typical of the viscosity and mineral of a cdr white.. round and enough acidity to salivate.

Passion Blanche Cote de Catalones 2009 what an interesting wine and for the money very good.. but cost for a grenache blanc, muscat petite grain..hard to sell.. all the good things of muscat in the nose, and grenache blanc in the mouth.. think of torrontes without the grapefruit.. you can see how torrontes is born from muscat.

Le Petite Murialle.. nv a blend of grapes I like but a little too simple especially given the great wine like Garnacha de Fuego that is the same price and delivers a lot more..

Chaulans Vacqueray 2009... light purple in the glass.. tea and mushroom in the nose, a little uninteresting right now... for such a good vintage I hope its just in a resting phase.

Chiarle Moscato 2010.. soft, fizzy, good italian moscato... stone fruits and good acidity... and good price.

rombauer with clyde gilbert/bommarito

2011-06-28T15:18:00.000-07:00

known for making a great chardonnay...
Chardonnay 2009 Carneros.. the california chard lovers wine that would not offend the french...so much.. still lots of ml and oak and toasty caramel but good acidity to carry it off... with others this might have been a oak bomb but here its just pleasat

Rombauer Merlot Carneros 2007... I love a good cool climate merlot like Truchard but this one had more herbacious notes to it.. stinky feet up front .. vegetal finish... a little cloudy in the glass.maybe the bottle wasnt well representing the product

Cabernet Sauvignon 2007 cassis and light some cedar... not one to right home about but better than the merlot

Cabernet reserve 2006... a hearty nose that didnt come through on the finish.. oaky.. almost too much cedar... and light bodied

Zinfandel 2009... surprisingly sweet fruit.. almost jam jar sweet.. like candy apple.. definitely could use some food.. sweet nose too.

Blue Nomad wines/ Gundlach-Bundschu/Garco

2011-06-21T14:46:00.000-07:00

There are some times when I think I miss the point.. or maybe I am more midwestern than I like to admit. Here is a well established winery that is trying to liven up things a bit.. maybe have some fun with labels..but they go full tilt the other way..

Bright Light California White Blend 2009.. the label glows in the dark... and the wine wants to be interesting.. a blend of chardonnay, gewurztraminer and albarino... and a little bit boring for the types of wine they are... you can tell the gewurz by the nose.. albarino is to me a little lighter in body than chard but in spain it comes off a little nutty and quirky..totally dry finish... and boring
2009 Swami Pinot Noir Sonoma Coast.. with a label that is a little Indian meets Ed Hardy... this is the best of the bunch.. fruit forward with a longish finish.. some nice spice and cocoa...

2007 Rockus Bockus blend of 6 grapes... soft on the palate with the green character of the vines coming through.. green equates to young.to me it was much more subtle than anything I was expecting with a name like Rockus...the label is a little 70's poster art with a lot of wine references.. was surprised at how tame it was

laird estate with erin martin/appellations

2011-06-21T14:33:00.000-07:00

I wonder if they are any relations to Melvyn Laird?

2009 Laird Cold Creek Pinot Grigio ... from carneros... some minerality.. a little creaminess. kind of reminds me of a muscadet..

2008 Laird Cold Creek Chardonnay ... a little more restrained than some cali chards. not a lot of ml...good acidity and just a hint of toasty oak on the finish.

2007 Laird Suscol Syrah... winner of the day... deep flavors.. nice mouthwatering acidity. well extracted almost rhone in style...

2006 Laird Mast Ranch Cab.. 100% cab.,, dark in the glass.. hill fruit she says.. dark berry on the palate.. voluptous...smoky on the finish...

2008 Flat Rock Cabernet.. also well extracted.. lots of up front fruit but seems to be missing something in the middle. soft finish.. a better food wine I guess than the Mast.

craig and ministry of propaganda

2011-06-20T14:19:00.000-07:00

Rapido Pinot Grigio Veneto 2010... rapido is fast and thats what this wine tasted like.. down fast.. light some mineral but okay... just another pinot grigio with a cute label

Lobster Reef Sauvignon Blanc Marlborough 2010.. a non new zealand s.b. more like a watered down sancerre.. some grassy character and pink grapefruit.. cute label

Guigal Cotes du rhone 2007... one of the last of that vintage to be around.. either in a dumb phase or I am because nothing really tasted great today.. grapey?

Carinae Malbec Reserve 2009... almost a rhone style on the nose and palate... very round and lush.. inky dark and nice concentration.. but then again... who needs another 15$ malbec

ZD wines with Erin from Glazers

2011-06-18T14:28:00.000-07:00

One of the best wines I have ever had in my wine existence was ZD Abicus. A blended wine of years not regions. Lush and silky and soft fruit.

that being said

ZD Chardonnay California 2009. old school chardonnay I am told no ML goes into it.. and as creamy and fruity as this wine is I would only have to wonder what more the ML would do for it. still a little flabby could use a little more acidity or zip

ZD Pinot Noir Carneros 2009 rhubarb and green pepper on the nose... lush fruit but not that complex... hard to get past the nose.

ZD Cabernet Sauvignon 2008.. Rutherford Napa dark color... stinky feet... probably from the youth... some soft tannins.. pricey but worth it?? needs time.

wine tasting last thursday night

2011-06-18T14:23:00.001-07:00

Last thursday night, the 16h, we had our annual summerfest wine tasting. This years theme was the wonderful world of rose. We had a great attendance by both tasters and wine distributors. One of the best things was there were no broken glasses. That is unusual and shows I think, a little more restraint and attention by the customers. So I want to thank them for that. Lots of good rose tried and bought.

wine with craig and willi

2011-06-13T12:36:00.000-07:00

Audelssa Cabernet Sonoma 2007.. a dell say.... new to the market. very fleshy with lush fruit but not a lot of acidity... may be just a little hot in temperature but this time of year it is very hard to get them the cooler.. juicy..

Verace Pinot Grigio Veneto 2009... light, mineral and slightly dull ...cute bottle but not really a good wine

Dante Reserve Chardonnay California 2009 what I would call the napolean of wine... it attacks then falls back quickly... not a lot of fruit..

Annabella Chardonnay Napa 2009 good acidity but the fruit just never shows up

Arderius Tinto Rioja 2009 spanish.. tempranillo... with nose of young vines, a little tinny... and the fruit has a hollow finish... lots of really good wine at this price point that will surprise.. their white is really good though

Annabella Napa Valley Merlot 2007 oak and fruit up front ... a rough finish though... not very well integrated.. maybe time will help

precepts brands with deborah bowles/glazer with erin adams

2011-06-09T14:52:00.000-07:00

Focusing on Washington wines mostly.

Waterbrook Chardonnay Columbia Valley 2007... a little long in the tooth although the nose was sweet and ripe.. a little flabby losing some acidity.

Sagelands Riesling 2008 Washington.. diesely petrol on thenose... not my favorite.. and it follows through on the dull finish... some sweetness but not exciting.

Primarius Oregon 2009 light color.. earthy nose but not a lof of flavors.. not a lot of there there...

Waterbrook Melange 2008... blended wine of cab merlot and others.. the best of the bunch... cedary nose, needing some more acidity but it was a warm day and the wines were not showing as well as they could..

Waterbrook Cabernet Reserve 2007.. smoky fruit... lush tannins but again not really showing that well.

The Waterbrook winery is investing a lot in the sweet tooth of the american wine consumer... much as White Zinfandel was the gateway wine for many in the last century... they are pushing a different envelope with chocolate added wines... my problem with them seems to be they do not satisfy the wine or the chocolate lover in me.. trying to please both they dont please either.. for me.. others may find that different. and I would never leave things out of the store because I do not like them.

Sweet Symphony red wine based.. lush .. sweet without being cloying.. more of a grape sweetness than chocolate 2 % residual

Red Decadence syrah based... 5% residual.. organic dark chocolate.. nose and flavors of bittersweet chocolate... left a empty feeling on my palate... not sure if I wanted more tannin or sweetness

Chocolate Shop 7% residual.. nose of a cherry tootsie roll pop...stinky nose on the finish.. not a fan.

Washington Hills Sweet Rieslig 2010... appropriately sweet for a late harvest but not overly so... nice green apple on the palate.. acidity there... pleasant after the chocolate wines

rose from appellation

2011-06-06T11:24:00.000-07:00

chermette beaujolais rose 2010 my first gamay rose..very light color...in a frosted glass bottle..very light flavor profile.. a little mineral on the finish that is just slightly dull.

La Bastide Bandol Rose 2010... mouvedre mostly.. soft fruit.. strawberry and light red fruits... a little pricey at $20 but pretty much worth the price.

clayhouse adobe pink

2011-05-31T13:00:00.001-07:00

A blend of Mourvedre/syrah and Cabernet... pretty salmon color, almost bone dry which is not a bad thing. some grapefruit and strawberry on the palate... not a wimpy rose and one of the best of the bunch from this producer.

Della terra with brian larky/ bommarito

2011-05-24T15:36:00.000-07:00

della terra means "of the earth" in italian and that is the only wine that he brings to the table...italian.. many well known producers from Legeder to Inama from Soave..

Veneto producer Adami Prosecco a non vintage version has a nice mousse to it with good acidity and finish.. maybe a little tart at the end but over all pleasant

from the Piedmont region we have Vietti with a Roero Arneis 2009.. golden straw color.. good fruit. with a slight uplifting of sweet on the finish.. very enjoyable compared to most boring pinot grigio in this price range

Vietti Nebbiolo "perbacco"" 2008 smoky tobacco on the nose, good tannin .. a poor mans barolo.. made from the grapes that didnt quite make it inot his much more expensive Barolo

craig with pinnacle

2011-05-20T15:22:00.000-07:00

Secco Brut.. Prosecco blend with Pinot Bianco... soft and fizzy but not as good as

Secco Rose.. Prosecco with Pinot Nero.. juicy and not as hard edged as the first...nice mousse and texture on the mouth.. pretty in pink

Domaine Lafond Lirac Blanc Grenache Blanc roussanne and Viognier. unctious and slightly sweet from the Viognier.. a little tight on the nose but it must have opened up by the time cellar rat tried.. he liked it alot.

Guigal Cotes du rhone 2009 a blend of rhone whites much like the above but a little heavier yet on the palate.. juicy and full bodied it will hold up for some time to come

Box Car Rose 2010.. pretty roses and rhubarb just a little earthy... not a wimpy rose.. tasty

La Poderina Brunello di Montalcino 2006 from the glorious 06 vintage.. stinky on the nose.. juicy a little lighter on the mid palate than expected.. blueberries? and nice tannin structure.

appellations with willi

2011-05-18T15:36:00.000-07:00

Lazy Creek Anderson valley Rose 2007... brickish in color and pink grapefruit on the nose... definitely drinkable but lost a lot of its fruit

Felice Acier Sauvignon Blanc 2009 tropical fruit and some acidity but kind of lost.

Wines of Substance Riesling Washington 2009 smoky and oily nose. an interesting mix of old world and new.. a reminder of petroleum and tropical fruit...

David Arthur Chardonnay 2009... one of the followers of less oak more about the fruit.. light malo to give some body but not the heavy hit over the head vanilla and dill..

Domaine Charvin vin-de-pay Principaute d'orange... a baby chateauneuf but not showing the depth that some of these wines produce.. a little green, vegetal.. maybe just still young.. but I doubt it.

stags leap wine cellars/ mark schroeder/ glazer

2011-05-18T15:03:00.000-07:00

A long time, important winery for the early to mid 70's Napa not to be confused with Stags Leap Winery... this one has been around for a long time.

Sauvignon Blanc 2008 Napa grassy and herbal... not a subtle wine...

Karia Chardonnay Napa 200 some creaminess and acidity.. not the oak bomb that I was expecting. may be starting to show a little age..

Hands of Time 2008 Napa a cab, merlot and syrah blend.. the cab stands out the most but the finish was a little weak for the money

Artemis 2007 Cabernet from Napa.. softer style.. lush tannins.. pretty wine..

Fay Vineyard 2007 Bright cherry and light red fruits. and not as tannic as I was expecting..showing very well

SLV (Stags Leap Vineyards) estate 2005. vanilla and sweet berry and lush

SLV Estate 2007,, just as lush as the 05 without the fruitiness... tighter... but still surprisingly supple for an 07

Cask 23 the best of the best 2007 ..huge and big..lots of mouthfeel and not as tannic as it is heavy... and pricey..best of the lot from fay and slv vineyards.

vino del sol/ M T Gavigan/ Vintegrity

2011-05-18T14:35:00.000-07:00

Zolo Sauv Blanc Mendoza 2010 grassy note and style... a little more french than new zealand style.. soft

Verum Chardonnay Patagonia 2009 a fruit bomb but not sweet... interesting wine with many tastes..hope to have it at the Summer tasting

Lamadrid Cabernet Sauvignon Agrelo 2009... Agrelo is a sub appellation of Mendoza.. sweet cherry nose, dense on the palate but really too sweet on finish.. not complex at all

Altocredo Malbec Reserve 2008 best of the bunch.. dark color from longer maceration. juicy tasty... from older vines and it shows.. very elegant style for malbec

Ksana Bonarda Mendoza 2008.. fun purple label.. dark color and interesting coffee and cotton candy nose, lots of berry.. interesting how it hits all around the tongue but the middle.. good acidity.

tgic imports with Luke Fuller/Kim Kline Mo Bev

2011-05-18T14:29:00.000-07:00

Mostly a south american importer

Santa Ema Sauv Blanc Amplus Chile 2009 a touch of co2 and herbal to the inth degree... green pepper on the nose... not a fan really

Montes Classic Chardonnay 2009 Chile... a nice easy drinking chard with not a lot of flavors that would upset a new to chardonnay drinker

Montes Cherub Rose of Merlot 2009... interesting nose of roasted coffee..not a lot of fruit on the nose but good juiciness on the palate.. huge body for a rose... the color is more of cherry limeade than pink salmon

Castillo de Monseran Garnacha Carinena Spain 2009 old world stinky nose but the fruit is soft bing cherry with some nice finishing for the money.

Santa Ema Amplus One Chile 75percent Carmenere, not my favorite grape, ripe fruit but a bit herbal and a little hot on the palate. again not a fan

steve ewing supplier rep/Clayhouse

2011-05-18T14:23:00.000-07:00

Clayhouse is a brand from Central coast of California.. mostly value priced wines.

Clayhouse Sauvignon Blanc 2009 grassy, unctious heavy... some tropical fruit.. just too much of a weight not enough acidity

Clayhouse Adobe White 2009.. a white blend.. viognier. muscat.. a little disjointed. not as enjoyable as other in the style like Evolution.

Adobe Red 2008 lush and jammy showing some brambliness.. 8 varietals like the white with Zinfandel being the most obvious.

Clayhouse Malbec 2009. bright fruit nose, juicy a little light on the finish probably the best of the bunch here..

Clayhouse Cabernet 2007 Dark color, maple and sweet vanilla on the nose, ripe fruit maybe just a little too much so...not a fan

Benovia Winery/ Andy Hagen with Massandra

2011-05-18T14:17:00.000-07:00

Benovia is a small production winery from Russian River area of Sonoma.

Chardonnay La Pommeraie 2009.. so named because of the vineyard being an old apple orchard... guess you can tell what makes more money... this did have a green apple character to it.. creamy on the finish without being heavy handed on the ml and oak...

Pinot noir Sonoma Coast 2009 not the typical tea and cola and dried fruits... a little mushroomy pretty drinkable...a little on the lighter style it seemed.

Pinot Noir Russian river valley 2008 beautiful nose and texture... tight on the palate but opens up beautiful.. really liked this wine..

Pinot Noir La Pommieraie Russian River 2008.. a little more of the dried cranberry that I expect from this region. good weight.. pretty wine

Scott Lloyd with Frank Family Wines/Major brands.

2011-05-10T15:00:00.000-07:00

Chardonnay Napa 2008.. a little flabby, maybe a little tired from the days events.. creme brulee without a lot of the cinnamon.some coffee on the finish.. mostly carneros fruit

Pinot Noir Napa 2009 smoky , earthy mushroom nose, tart dried fruits.. interesting finish.. lots of acidity...

Cabernet Sauvignon Napa 2007... the last of the 07 to try.. a little stinky feet or napa stink as opposed to french stink.. not typical napa cab nose...juicy and lush on the palate.. nice berry and cedar

Cabernet Sauvignon Napa Reserve 2006.. from the best lots? again with the stinky feet.. not overly fruity though.. tight and restrained.. some vanilla and cassis on the finish... should hold for some time..

Sara Gorr/ Breggo Cellars/Vintegrity

2011-05-10T14:53:00.000-07:00

Breggo which is Boontling for Ram or sheep, because there is a ram on the label. Breggo was recently purchased by Cliff Lede . this winery is located in Mendocino.

Chardonnay 2008 kind of the best of both worlds has the oak that some love without being heavily dependent on it.touch creamy without being overthe top and the soft caramel on the finish

Pinot Gris Anderson Valley Mendocino 2009.. creamy like muscadet can be because of the stirring of the lees or dead yeast at the bottom of tanks. a touch of citrus, lime.

Gewurztraminer Anderson Valley 2009 bone dry.. almost a pink grapefruit citrus finish.. the bottle was a little cool so the floral notes were not singing

Pinot Noir 2009 Anderson Valley 2009 a little young.. dried fruits and some mushroom notes pretty nose..

first post with new laptop

2011-05-10T14:45:00.000-07:00

stolen lap top means no typing

Domaine les aphillanthes cotes du rhone rose 2010... on my rose tree in the store.. salmon color, lots of floral rose and strawberry.. sweetish finish. lush.. nice

Domaine le Grands Bois Cotes du rhone Cuvee les Trois Scuers Rose 2010.. okay it took longer to type this than I did trying this.. a nice wine almost the same color as the first but not as full bodied as the first.

Chateau Font Mars PicPoul de Pinet 2009 what a fun wine and label... Picpoul is one of the accepted grapes in Chateauneuf du Pape and here you get the roundness of chard without the heaviness on the palate. kind of reminds one of a Albarino..

shinas estates with george shinas

2011-04-27T12:19:00.000-07:00

A judge in australia george shinas has been growing grapes for other people seeing them make money off his produce so he has now for several vintages produced his own wine. using judicial terms for his wines with clever pictures makes for visual as well as tasty fun.

The Innocent Viognier Victoria 2008.. blindfolded like justice is.. i would have guessed this wine to be an old world wine..stoney and slatey on the nose.. the sweetness comes on the tastebuds but not over the top.. lots of acidity to create balance

The Verdict Cabernet Sauvignon 2007.. some stinky feet or earth on the nose, meaty on the palate.. definitely surprised me. good weight and not over the top sweet fruit like australian can be
The Guilty Shiraz Victoria 2007 again with the stinky feet.. again not a fruit bomb maybe a little less interesting than the cab which is interesting to me because I tend to not like Aussie Cab.

The Executioner Red 2007 a blend of Shiraz/Cab and 2% Viognier.. lighter in color than the other reds but tight on the nose, with a little time it opened up to show some molassis and cassis aromas.. the fruit was showing sweeter than the regular cab and shiraz did.. maybe just a little dullish on the finish..

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