Showing posts with label blackberry. Show all posts
Showing posts with label blackberry. Show all posts

Sunday, May 9, 2010

Terrabianca Campaccio Toscana 2005


After a trip to the Santa Monica Farmers Market, we stopped in to a restaurant familiar to us from its fantastic Larchmont Village location.  La Bottega Marino in West Los Angeles also serves great Italian cooking.  If you're worried about authenticity, don't.  Their chef is from Naples.  My spaghetti Bolognese was so good that my wife - of Italian heritage - was tasting it from my plate.  Her meatball sandwich met with her approval and mine.  She took home half of it and I was the beneficiary of it later in the day.

The only complaint I have is that their by-the-glass wine list is a bit skimpy.  As a matter of fact, the Piemonte Barbera I ordered was out of stock.  The waiter offered me a Tuscan blend at the same price - nine dollars - and I gladly accepted. 

Terrabianca Campaccio is a Tuscan blend of 70% Sangiovese and 30% Cabernet Sauvignon.  The winery is in the heart of Italy's Chianti Classico region, and the 12 clones of the two varieties were produced 40% in that region and 60% in Maremma. 

Some soapy looking bubbles around the edge of the glass after pouring dissapated quickly.  The wine has a dark purple color waith an earthy blackberry scent and a trace of pencil lead.  The structure is quite nice.  Its dark, earthy aroma is borne out on the palate, too.  The fruit presents itself strongly in this brooding, full-bodied drink. 

The Terrabianca paired very well with the bolognese, as if it had been made for it.  Oh, I suppose it probably was.  Great food and great wine are enough to make me want a return visit to La Bottega Marino.  Throw in some of that Billie Holiday they were playing during our lunch, and that return visit could be a reality by the time you read this.

Thursday, April 15, 2010

Bogle Petite Sirah 2007


Don't you love it when you go to restaurant that had found itself  "off the list" for one reason or another, and find that it's back "on the list"?  That happened with Tart on Fairfax.  I don't remember why we stopped going there, but one night it was convenient and - lo and behold - there was a parking space right in front!  That was the clincher.  In we went, and right away the Bogle Petite Sirah jumped off the wine list at me.  It's a good wine, a very good one.  I'd had it before and was impressed with not only the aroma and taste but the price, too.  It seems like it was in the $10 per bottle range.  Here at Tart, $9 per glass.

The nose is full of cherry cola, with a lot of plum and blackberry in there.  You find that on the palate as well - tons of jammy dark fruit with a bit of an earthy taint that just hints of its presence.  It's darkly lush and quite intense.  I had the blackened tuna burgers appetizer and it went quite well with the seared tuna, hitting the nail on the head both with the charred exterior and the extremely rare interior.

Variety:  Petite Sirah
Appellation:  California
Vineyard:  Clarksburg and Lodi
Vintage:  2007
Alcohol Level:  13.5%
Price:  $9/glass
Acquisition disclaimer:  Purchased by the author

Tuesday, April 6, 2010

Two Spanish Wines at Luna Park

We met a couple of friends at Luna Park on La Brea recently - great for the food and wine, not so great for conversation - and amid the pounding of the dance floor music I spied an interesting note on their small list of daily "Blue Plate Specials."  Two Spanish wines - unidentified red and white -  for $6 per glass.  That seemed too special to let it pass by, so I had one of each.

The Spanish Quarter is the producer of the white.  It's a delightful blend of 60% Chardonnay and 40% Albariño from the Costers del Segre region in Catalonia.  The Albariño, I expect in a Spanish wine, but the Chardonnay is a surprise.

The wine is a rich golden color in the glass, but the deeply chilled wine bears a nose that is a bit closed.  That disappoints me, as I love the wonderfully aromatic aromas of Albariño.  The taste is laden with minerals, with a clean and crisp edge to the tart peachiness.  It's quite a nice white, with a good acidity to lift it above the level of a mere sipper.  It paired nicely with veggie risotto.

The red wine is a Syrah - they call this "Shiraz" - from Opera Prima, a winery located in La Mancha.  There's a lot of blackberry on the nose along with the scent of meat.  It's quite an earthy aroma.  On the palate, Opera Prima also shows an earthy, beefy edge to the fruit with peppery notes.  It drinks like a much more expensive wine.  I'll keep them in mind.  As for the picture, I'm sorry I neglected to take a photo before consuming the wine.  As you can see, I enjoyed it.

The kicker is that Luna Park had a special of half off the entire bill that night!  So these two $6 wines actually only cost $3 each.  I love a good wine bargain, and I got two of them on this trip.  It eased the headache produced by the loud music in the restaurant.

Wednesday, March 31, 2010

Talus Collection Lodi Cabernet Sauvignon 2008

I will nearly always part with a few dollars for the opportunity to try a Lodi wine.  I found the Talus Collection Lodi Cab at BevMo's five cent sale.  Two bottles of this nice juice for less than $10 is a pretty good deal, since I like the wine.

The nose consists of dark fruit - blackberries and plums - with licorice and some pencil shavings meeting a trace of barnyard notes.

Very soft tannins are a surprise at the price point. It's really smooth, even just after opening and pouring. A little more grip might be nice for heavy beef, but I think Talus would do nicely paired with pasta or pork.  The mild approach certainly served well for sipping.  Graphite rides herd over the juicy fruit.  Blackberrries and plums are the palate, too, with herbal notes throughout the four-day span of the bottle.

Appellation:  California > San Joaquin Valley > Lodi
Vintage:  2008
Alcohol Level:  13% abv
Price:  $9
Acquisition disclaimer:   Purchased by the author at a store sale

Tuesday, March 16, 2010

"They Got This Recession On" Wines, Part 13

Viñas Chilenas Reserva Merlot 2009 

Viñas Chilenas is a Trader Joe brand produced and bottled by Videma S.A.  From Chile's Valle Central area.   It rings up at the register at a paltry $2.99.  Will this wine beat the recession for us?  Let's sip it and see.

First, a look-see shows a dark purple hue I can see through, with some red at the edges.  The nose is a bit tight, but I smell berry and currant, along with a very slight smokiness.  The first sip is a bit tannic, but things smoothed out nicely after just a few minutes.  There's blackberry, cherry and raspberry on the palate.  It's a nice taste, a medium mouthfeel, maybe a little thin for me, and a bit uninspired.

Anything more than a cursory description, I feel, will be damning the wine with faint praise.  It's a decent enough drink, just not very interesting.  For three dollars, I expected less than that.  I generally spend well over that amount on a bottle of wine, so I don't have to settle for a "decent enough drink."  And in the future, I won't.  But if you're trying to stretch your wine dollar as far as possible, you could do worse.

Variety:  Merlot
Appellation:  Chile > Central Valley > Maipo Valley
Vintage:  2009
Alcohol Level:  13.5%
Price:  $3
Acquisition disclaimer:   Purchased by the author

Monday, March 8, 2010

La Fenêtre À Côté Cabernet Sauvignon 2008

One of the treasures I picked up at a recent Wally's tent sale is a Santa Barbara County Cabernet from La Fenêtre.  À Côté is a delicious wine, 100% Cabernet Sauvignon from the Santa Barbara Highlands.  The grapes grow above the fog line, where the Cab gets ridiculous in Santa Barbara County.

Sommelier-turned-winemaker Joshua Klapper did some fine work getting this in a bottle.  The fruit is wonderful, nicely abetted by its time in french oak. 

The nose is all about smokey, leathery, dark fruit up front.  A bit of barnyard appeared to my senses on the second night it was open, but it smoothed out before I had a chance to second-sniff it.  A leathery quality shrouds the fruit on the palate, to my delight.  I taste blackberry and currant strongly.  On the third night, graphite really made its presence known.  Over the span of three nights during which I enjoyed À Côté, I'd say it drank good, then better, then wow.

Winemaker:  Joshua Klapper
Variety:  100% Cabernet Sauvignon
Appellation:  California > Central Coast > Santa Barbara County
Vineyard:  Santa Barbara Highlands Vineyard
Vintage:  2008
Alcohol Level:  14.1% abv
Price:  $24
Acquisition disclaimer:  Purchased by the author

Wednesday, March 3, 2010

Fess Parker Syrah 2006

Santa Barbara winemekers seem to have a way with Syrah.  And Santa Barbara wine lovers are proud of that.  I attended a wine tasting event in Santa Barbara last year and had a conversation with a lovely grandmother out for a little vino in the sunshine.  I told her about my website, and she seemed genuinely offended at the name, Now and Zin.  "Why not Syrah?" she asked with a fair amount of incredulity showing.  So, just for her, we'll call this site "Yes, Syrah, That's My Bottle" today.  Just this once.

One of the many fine wineries in Santa Barbara County is Fess Parker.  The actor who played Davy Crockett and Daniel Boone made quite a name for himself in other fields, too.  Real estate, for one - check out how much of the coastline has his name on it in Santa Barbara.  Wine for another.  His winery has not only some of the most beautiful grounds on the Foxen Canyon Wine Trail, but some of best wines, too.

In a brownish Syrah bottle, Fess Parker's 2006 vintage is a stout drink at 15.5% abv.  There is little else on the labels except for a small blurb thanking me for buying the wine and a brief description of the flavors I'm likely to encounter while drinking it.  Oh yes, and a tiny little coonskin cap.

There is a strong nose of currant, some black cherry (or maybe even wild cherry cough drops) and a good deal of spiciness.  Lots of alcohol is apparent, too.  The wine really should be decanted for an hour or so.  I waited thirty minutes after nearly getting a buzz on the first sip.  It wasn't long enough.  Although the wine had tamed a bit by the third night it was open, I still caught a significant alcohol aroma.   Despite the strength of the wine, the flavor really delivered.  The peppery spices are abundant and the fruit was not a bit bashful.  Blackberry and currant are what stand out for me.  It tasted very nice when just a bit of it was taken with a bite of baked ziti.  A mouthful might have overwhelmed the delicate marinara sauce and mozzarella.  I would think a steak charbroiled over a rosemary grill would be more in line with what this wine wants as a partner.

Variety:  100% Syrah
Appellation:  California > Central Coast > Santa Barbara County
Vineyard:  84% Camp Four, 16% Rodney's Vineyard
Vintage:  2006
Alcohol level:  15.5% abv
Price:  $25
Acquisition disclaimer:  Purchased by the author

Tuesday, March 2, 2010

Concha y Toro Casillero del Diablo Reserve Carmenere

Chile has been in my thoughts.  First, there is the massive earthquake on February 26, 2010.  Here's wishing the best for those affected by the disaster.  Second, a dear friend of ours, David Stanley, has been traveling in South America.  As soon as we heard about the quake, Denise and I thought of him.  We had just read his journal accounts of the great time he has been having  while living in Santiago for a couple of months, and of an ice-walking trip to Patagonia.  His travel blog makes for a wonderful read, by the way.

Anyway, a quick call to his mother confirmed that he was already safely in Buenos Aires.  Whew.  Relief turned to more consternation, though, as we thought about all the wonderful friends he had made in Chile.  We hope they are alright.  Also, as I tried to link up the Concha y Toro website, I was informed that the link appeared to be broken, or that the server was down.  I understand from a post on the Dr. Vino blog that a lot of damage has been incurred in the Rapel area.  Our thoughts are with the people of Chile.

Inspired, I dug around a bit and found some notes I had made about a bottle of Chilean Carmenere by Concha y Toro.  This is probably from about a year or so ago.

"From the "Cellar of the Devil", eh?  Well, the Casillero del Diablo is supposedly where Don Melchor de Concha y Toro kept his best wines stashed 100 years ago.  This wine is from the Rapel Valley, south of Santiago, and on the label the winemaker promises "chocolate, coffee and spice combined with raspberries and blackberries."  It sports a 13.5% abv number and it pours up dark and inky in the glass.

"The nose features Very dark fruit, and a promise of some intense minerals.  It's a powerful aroma of blackberries and maybe some licorice. Very nice.

"Let it sit about 10 minutes after pouring.  This is a very intense wine, full of spices - clove, a little cinnamon, pepper - and a strong sense of the earth.  Not a meek or mild wine, this Carmenere is brash and sinister.  Good tannins and ripe fruit are prominent with the cholcolately flavors underneath.  I don't really get the coffee that was promised, but that's okay.  There's enough here to prevent me from complaining.  It does go great with a piece of chocolate and it complemented a dish of blackened bar-b-q beans very nicely.  I would imagine it goes well with any sort of meat, particularly game."

Sunday, February 28, 2010

Rosenblum Cellars California Zinfandel Vintner's Cuvee XXXI


This is a wine with a long name.  People with attention deficit disorder may lose interest in it before they finish reading the label.  But it's well worth investigating.  Rosenblum Cellars does some pretty wonderful things with the Zinfandel grape.  It's no surprise that winemaker Kent Rosenblum is known to many as "The King of Zin."

This blend of Zinfandels hails from 15 different California growing regions and over 80 different vineyards (!) from Sonoma to Napa to Lodi to Lake County to Paso Robles, wherever the four winds blow.  Its time in oak was split: 40% French oak barrels, 60% American wood.

It's a very dark wine, a purple ink color I can barely see through.  On the nose, the fruit comes first.  Blackberry and raspberry figure huge in the aroma scheme, and then a vanilla note comes through, with a peppery trace around it.  The palate shows extreme fruitiness, with a really nice cherry cola effect.  The medium body sits comfortably on my tongue and a good acidity means "food friendly," as if there were any doubt about it.  The finish lingers nicely.  The tannins are firm - it's a dry wine - but, surprisingly, the wine is quite smooth considering the elevated alcohol level.  The smoothness increased noticeably after the wine had been in the glass for about twenty minutes.

Rosenblum's Zinfandel Vintner's Cuvee XXXI is a great $12 wine.  So much the better that I picked it up for $9 at Wally's tent sale.

Winemaker:  Kent Rosenblum
Variety:  Zinfandel
Appellation:  California
Vineyard:  numerous
Vintage:  NV
Alcohol Level:  14.6%
Price:  $12
Acquisition disclaimer: Purchased by the author

Thursday, February 25, 2010

"They Got This Recession On" Wines, Part 11


Chariot Gypsy 2008

I was all set to knock off the cheap wine bit for a while and give this series a rest.  But as Denise and I strolled into Trader Joe's my eye was grabbed by a stack of unfamiliar wine bottles.  I inspected the new material and found Cab, Petite Sirah, Zin and Sangiovese involved.  My favorite suspects.  A five dollar sticker meant that even if it turned out to be horrible, it would be no big loss.

Perish the thought.  Chariot Gypsy is a very nice wine.  Yes, it's an everyday wine.  That doesn't mean it can't be good every day.

First, it pours up as a deep, inky purple.  I can barely see through it.  There's raspberry on the nose along with some bright cherry and a smokey element.  The palate features tons of fruit - blackberries and blueberries - in a rather dark but accessible fruitiness that is right up front.  Fruit bomb?  Yes, thank you.  But there's enough going on to make it an interesting explosion.

The wine has a nice acidity, but it's not overdone. Firm tannins provide plenty of backbone for food pairing.  It tasted great with chicken sausages with onions.

Chariot Gypsy is available exclusively though Trader Joe's.

Winemaker:  Jeff Hunsaker of Jim Neal Wines
Variety:  Cabernet Sauvignon, Petite Sirah, Zinfandel, Sangiovese
Appellation:  California
Vineyard:  various in Napa, Sonoma, and Monterey counties
Vintage:  2008
Alcohol Level:  13.5%
Price:  $5
Acquisition disclaimer:  Purchased by the author

Saturday, February 20, 2010

Ruffino Il Ducale Toscana 2004

I saw Il Ducale (a more recent vintage) on sale at Ralph's recently, and it made me think of a bottle of their 2004 I had at least a year ago, maybe longer.  I had notes on it, so I'm presenting them here.

"Classy looking maroon and wheat label with a picture of an etching.  It looks to be a nobleman being served a glass of wine by a young fellow dressed a lot like Robin Hood.  There is a woman waiting, off to the side, and some horses on the other side.  A hilltop peaks in the background and forms a pyramid directly over the nobleman's glass of wine.  Or maybe it was water.  Who really knows?

"There's a lot at play on this whiff.  Seems like blackberries, cherries and what my wife calls a "grape jelly" aroma predominate.  She means the liquid grape jelly, before it is made into jelly.  We also smell Band Aids and a little petrol, or creosote.  Something like that.  Very interesting smell.

"I love Sangiovese, and Ruffino does it so well.  This is no exception. The fruit is bold, but not overpowering.  The wine feels good in the mouth, but not too heavy.  Nice finish that leaves me wanting more. I had the wine with a blue cheese.  It tasted great, although the cheese was probably a bit too much for the wine.  This bottle came from my local supermarket, Ralph's, who had it on sale for about $16.  It's usually a $22 bottle.  It always tastes better when you got a good deal, doesn't it?"

Variety:  80% Sangiovese, 15% Merlot, 5% other red varieties
Appellation:  Italy > Tuscany
Vineyard:  Ruffino Estate and other Tuscan
Vintage:  2004
Alcohol Level:  12.5% abv
Price:  $16
Acquisition disclaimer:  Purchased by the author

Tuesday, February 16, 2010

"They Got This Recession On" Wines, Part 10

Shale Ridge Syrah 2005

If you're going to try and bust a recession, you might as well bring out the big guns.  A $4 bottle of wine would be a huge gun in a war on recessionary wine prices - if it's good.  This label belongs to Lockwood Vineyard in San Lucas, in Monterey County.  The name comes from the shale found in their soil, no doubt.  The grapes are all estate grown, as is Lockwood's custom.  I'm swirling right now.  Let's taste.

The wine sits in the glass a fairly deep shade of red, but it is not opaque.  There is quite a bit of heat on the nose, but also quite a bit of blackberry and currant.  Pepper arises on the palate, and the spice seems a bit much until after a half hour or so when the tannins have settled.  The dark fruit tastes good in the mouth and lingers a bit on the finish.  I didn't really expect a revelatory experience for $4, and I wouldn't say I had one while drinking this wine.  I did, however, find it to be very flavorful and aromatic, with a complexity that grew as time passed.  After an hour or so in the glass, I was actually quite pleased with it.  I did not try it with food, but something tells me it would pair well with a pork chop or a hamburger.

Variety:  100% Syrah
Appellation:  California > Central Coast > Monterey
Vineyard:  Lockwood Vineyard
Vintage: 2005
Alcohol Level:  13.5%
Price:  $4 on sale
Acquisition disclaimer:  Purchased on sale by the author

Explain the meaning of the title of this piece?

Saturday, February 13, 2010

Cycles Gladiator Syrah


I was awaiting Denise's arrival at Sushi Dan the other night, and as I perused the wine list an old friend popped up - Cycles Gladiator Syrah.  Denise had discovered this one for us at one of Wally's Tent Sales a while back.  I liked it then, and I hoped I'd like it this time, too.  I suspect it is the 2008 vintage they are serving at the restaurant, but I failed to check on that.

This wine from the Hahn Estate of Soledad, CA, takes its name from an old French bicycle company. The whole crew is apparently bicycle-crazy.

The wine sits ruby-red in the glass and smells of dark fruit and pepper.  Blackberry and cassis greet the palate with notes of chocolate and a little white pepper.  It's pretty smooth, but it has a nice acidity.  The finish is a little off - a slightly medicinal edge crept in faintly.  The fruit rocks while it's in the mouth, though.  It's a very tasty wine for the price.

Variety:  Syrah
Appellation:  California > Central Coast
Price:  $10
Acquisition disclaimer:  Purchased by the author

Wednesday, January 20, 2010

Tamas Estates Barbera 2006



One of the great things about giving gifts to your friends is that sometimes they give you gifts right back.  Denise made a wonderful three-cheese rigatoni dish last week to give to our friend Sioux-z.  Sioux-z looks forward to receiving anything that's stamped "From Denise's Kitchen."  She's almost as big a fan of my wife's cooking as I am, and that says a lot.  With several days notice, and knowing we say "yes" to wine, she very thoughtfully procured a gift for us in return for the rigatoni.  I have a glass of it beside me as I write this.

Tamas Estates - despite the European-looking name and a wine list that would fit in nicely in an Italian restaurant - is located in California's Livermore Valley.  Livermore is up the 680 from San Jose and just east of Pleasanton.  Besides the Barbera, Tamas also produces several other Cal-Italia wines.  Pinot Grigio, Sangiovese, and their Vino Rosso blend.  They also make a "Prima Classe Riserva" which, I understand, combines a super-Tuscan blend with a Barbera Port.  Yummy.  The Barbera has had a half hour to breathe, so let's dive in!

Upon opening, the wine carries a lot of heat - it requires a full hour to settle down.  Once it did, though, it was very mellow.  The next night it was ready to go upon unscrewing the cap.  The Barbera's color is very dark, so dark I can barely see through it.  The nose gives notes of a brambly blackberry and a toasty vanilla.  On the palate there's big fruit and a high acidity level.  I'm thinking this wine would be great with sausage or even a steak.  Maybe I'll buy another bottle and be prepared for Denise's next rigatoni night!

Winemaker:  Chris Graves
Variety:  100% Barbera
Appellation:  California > San Francisco Bay > Alameda > Livermore Valley
Vintage:  2006

Alcohol Level:  13.5%
Price:  $13
Acquisition disclaimer:  Gift from a friend




Sunday, January 17, 2010

Valpanera Refosco dal Peduncolo Rosso 2007


This Italian red wine is produced from a single variety of grape, the Refosco dal Peduncolo Rosso, named for the red stem on which it grows.  This grape dates back to around the first century, and there aren't too many things about which you can say that.  If you've never heard of the grape before - and many casual wine drinkers in America haven't - understand that they've been working with it in Italy for a long time, so they really know what they are doing.

The wine is a very deep red color, so deep I can barely see light through it.  It is aged anywhere from eight to twelve months - in stainless steel.  A red wine aged in steel may surprise you, but it's not uncommon to find it done that way in Italy.  The fruit really comes through in the nose - quite dark yet inviting.  I smell blackberries and currants.

It sits medium full in the mouth and has a very clean taste due to the lack of wood.  On the palate it's equally fruity with a deliciously dark flavor.  Smokey doesn't quite describe it, but it's close.  Earthy, almost musty might be a little closer to the truth.

Let it sit awhile before enjoying it and you'll be rewarded with a smooth, clean-tasting red.  Denise used it in a crock pot melange of potatoes and carrots and it really imparted a wonderful flavor.  Plus, when she used the wine to cook the dish it made the two a perfect match.  It's really a delightful find. 

Variety: 100% Refosco dal Peduncolo Rosso 
Appelation: Italy > Friuli-Venezia Giulia > Friuli Aquileia 
Vintage: 2007 
Alcohol Level: 12.5% abv 
Price: $23 
Acquisition disclaimer: Purchased by author
 

Thursday, December 10, 2009

"They Got This Recession On" Wines, Part 5


Santa Rita Carmenere Reserva 2007 is a dark place to go.  Fortunately. I'm not afraid of the dark.  In fact, I kind of like it when the lights are out.  That's what happens when you hold a glass of this Carmenere up to the light - darkness ensues.  It's an inky purple color which literally lets no light pass through.  The aromas are just as dark: blackberries that have been tromped down into a muddy trail come to mind.  There's also a spiciness, possibly anise and maybe some nutmeg.  It's an intriguing nose.  The taste follows suit.  It's dark and brooding on the palate, certainly not a fruitfest.  I would imagine this to be a wine that is not to everyone's liking.  But if you have a fondness for the dark side of the vineyard, this may be just for you.  For only $8, it really has a lot to offer.
 

Winemaker:  Andres Ilabaca
Varietal:  Carmenere
Appelation:  Chile > Valle Central > Rapel Valley
Vintage:  2007
Alcohol Level:  14.1%
Price:  $8 (on sale)
Acquisition disclaimer:  I bought this wine at BevMo.

Monday, December 7, 2009

"They Got This Recession On" Wines, Part 4



Fess Parker Frontier Red Lot 91 is the latest in a series of non-vintage wines from Fess Parker's respected Santa Barbara County winery.  Their website lists the wine at $12, but it sells at some places for $10, and I got a bottle from Los Angeles Wine Company for $8.

The wine is a blend of six Rhone varietals, and it really drinks like an actual Rhone Valley wine rather than a California facsimile.  The nose features blackberry and spices in a very dark setting.  An herbal quality seems to come through a layer of smoke.  On the palate, Frontier Red has a dark edge as well, with plenty of smoky fruit and a licorice component adding to the dark flavors.  I picked up a bit of graphite, too.  Frontier Red drank better each of the three nights it was open.

It's got a medium-mouthfeel, which is rather surprising considering the grapes involved.  I thought of it at first as "thin," but later I felt that might be a bit harsh, since the taste is so good.  I do prefer a bigger feel on my palate, though.  I would recommend giving it some time to settle down, either sitting in the glass or by decanting.

My wife used some of it in a spaghetti sauce she made, and the result was fabulous.  Naturally, the wine paired extremely well with that sauce.

Winemaker:  Fess Parker
Varietal:  56% Syrah, 20% Grenache, 13% Carignane, 5% Sangiovese, 5% Cinsault & 1% Mourvedre 
Appelation:  California > Santa Barbara County
Vineyard:  Camp Four Vineyard (Santa Ynez Valley); Starlane Vineyard (Santa Barbara County); Rodney's Vineyard (Santa Ynez Valley)
Vintage:  NV
Alcohol Level:  15.5%
Price:  $8 (list $12)
Acquisition disclaimer:  I paid for this wine, on sale.



Sunday, November 29, 2009

Menage a Trois 2007



I love autumn.  I live in Southern California, so that's not exactly the same sentiment you get when someone from, say, Vermont claims to like autumn.  They get a real autumn in Vermont, complete with changing colors and the onset of cold weather.  Here in Southern California we get fire season.


I actually like the low humidity a lot - as long as it doesn't mean raging brush fires - and when that first cool snap finally comes, I wish there were some brightly colored fallen leaves to run through.  The closest we get to that is a palm frond or two blown down in the gusty winds.  As I write this it's a chilly 57 degrees outside!  (Pause for laughter from everywhere else.)


One way I can celebrate autumn - even without the foliage - is with a nice red wine.  I'm so drawn to whites and roses all summer that my shift into reds serves as my foliage change.  You'll be seeing a lot more reds in this space in the coming months.  If they all taste as good as this one, I'll consider Autumn 2009 a success.


Despite the French monicker, Menage a Trois is a California blend of Zinfandel, Merlot and Cabernet Sauvignon.  The wine pours up a very deep red.  It has quite a fragrant nose, due partially to the grapes and partially to the French and American oak used in the barrels.  The dark fruit comes across strong and rich as I sniff it, and there's a trace of smokiness.  They say the Zin is for jamminess, the Merlot is for mellow and the Cabernet is for backbone.  That's pretty much the way it comes across on the palate.  Fruit is huge - blackberries mostly - and there is some smoke flavor along with a trace of pencil lead.  A spicy, peppery taste also comes forth.  It's a little bit rough at first, but let it sit a half hour or so and it should be nice and mellow.  It's priced quite well, $10 at Cost Plus World Market.  At 13.5% abv, the alcohol doesn't knock you over like some Zins do these days.


Winemaker:  Folie A Deux Winery

Varietal:  Zinfandel, Merlot, Cabernet Sauvignon

Appelation:  California > Napa Valley

Vintage:  2007

Alcohol Level:  13.5%

Price:  $10

Acquisition disclaimer:  This wine was purchased by the author; $10


Monday, October 26, 2009

Francis Coppola Diamond Series Petite Sirah 2007

The Bottle: Sporting a stylish purple - they call it "plum" - label, this entry in the Diamond Collection from Francis Coppola usually runs about $19. I found it as one of the "5-cent wines" at BevMo recently during their "5-Cent Sale." Buying one bottle at regular price and another for 5 cents brings the per-bottle price down to about $10, including tax. I'm sorry to go on and on, but I love getting a bargain. This inky-black wine comes in at 13.4% abv.

The Nose: The aromas shown here are fruity and smoky. There's a cherry cola scent along with a little chocolate.

The Taste: Coppola serves up a full mouthfeel on this Petite Sirah and it's quite smooth if given enough time to open up. I found a half hour made a big difference. The flavors are like blackberries and dark fruit with hints of vanilla to soften it. 16 months in French oak makes its presence known, but does not overwhelm. The wine is quite dry despite all the fruit that's happening on the palate. Be prepared for a bit of astringency after the finish. I would image this would be very nice with a rack of lamb or a pork chop. Personally, I think it's quite nice all by itself.

Friday, October 16, 2009

"They Got This Recession On" Wines, Part 2


TBD Rouge Lodi Red Wine 2007

Here's the second in my series of
Recession Buster wines
. This one hails from Trader Joe's, home to many value-priced wines. It sells for $6, which is what I paid for it. This may turn out to be a nice value, too, as I have noticed some fairly good vino coming out of Lodi at very reasonable prices.

The Bottle: Zinfandel is described as the lead character, with Petite Sirah and Malbec following. The label promises a robust, spicy and engaging wine which will drink well over the next five years. DnA Vineyards of Ukiah, California produces this wine, which is sourced mainly from Lodi. The alcohol clocks in at 14.5% abv. The color is a very deep purple, quite a lovely looking wine.

The Nose: There is a tar-covered fruit aroma here that I find quite appealing. It's blackberries, I believe. It's a nice, open, pleasant smell - one that I most often notice when tasting at a winery. Accordingly, it brings up some nice memories. There's not a lot of alcohol present on the nose, either. That's rather surprising at 14.5%. I could just go on smelling it, it's that good!

The Taste: Finally I relent and take a sip. These tannins are very active. The mouthfeel is medium-full, but it's rather acidic, unfortunately, and goes down hot. While it's rolling about in my mouth the taste is actually quite nice, but the rest of the experience is somewhat lacking. Perhaps letting it sit longer will tame it. I gave it about a half hour in the glass before drinking, and it does not appear to have been enough. Aside from that, it's not too bad. A spicy taste with lots of of black pepper on the berries gives way to a slightly vegetal sense that will hopefully increase over a couple of days. That's not too glowing a recommendation, I suppose, but my main problem with this wine is the extremely tannic nature.

Footnote: After making these notes, it had been in the glass an hour or so and calmed down quite a bit. It became a very nice quaff. I should mention that it seems a little unusual this is a Zinfandel blend. It strikes me much more like a Syrah.