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

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.

Tasting Notes: Artisan Cheese Gallery

We were out for a Sunday morning adventure. Well, actually it was a trip to the Studio City Farmers' Market. We don't like difficult adventures.

The trip did turn out to be more than we bargained for, though. We strolled through the fruit stands - unfortunately, most of the fruit wasn't quite sweet and delicious just yet - and saw the various bead salespeople, the countless baby strollers and the gourmet corn tamale stand I can smell and identify without looking. There were a couple of guys singing folk music and another guy playing a steel drum, probably the happiest sounding instrument in all the musical world. Nobody's playing the blues on a steel drum.

Just about to call it a morning, we remembered the Artisan Cheese Gallery, just steps away from the Farmers' Market. It was an adventure after all. We went for the cheese and stayed for the flight of wines.

The aroma of their cheeses is magnificent. It's not overpowering, because all their cheese is put away and refrigerated overnight. It is a very pleasant aroma for a cheese lover to encounter.

Here's a rule of thumb: if there's cheese, there's wine. Artisan Cheese Gallery is no exception. Two walls are covered with racks of wine for sale and there are several displays in the floor space. A chalkboard on the counter shows which three wines are on the $8 flight. The flight is served in 3 stemless glasses on a wooden tray. The glasses have a dark spot on them in which the names of the wines are written, but it's no substitute for getting up and examining the labels yourself. A printed sheet containing information on the wine should be provided with your flight. I hope they'll do that in the future.

The worldly flight took me to Lodi, Sicily and the Medoc region of France. Here are the wines:

Peirano Estate Vineyard "The Other" 2007 - This blend of 60% Cabernet Sauvignon, 30% Merlot and 10% Syrah has plenty of the earthy characteristics Lodi wine usually brings. This is the most distictive nose of the three, and it has a currant and plum flavor profile. Very nice indeed.

Chateau Poitevin 2005 - Described by a staff member as a Bordeaux blend of 55% Merlot, 40% Cabernet Sauvignon and 5% Petit Verdot, this Medoc offering was quite dark in the nose and on the palate. The complexity was not surprising. I am always struck by the complex subtlety in wines from Bordeaux and the surrounding areas.

Planeta La Segreta 2007 - This is an interesting blend of the wonderful Italian varietal Nero d'Avola with Merlot, Syrah and Cabernet Franc. The nose was rather difficult for me to ferret out, but plums, raspberries and chocolate were detected by my wife. There may be a bit of coffee in there, too. It tasted like a Sicilian version of Pinot Noir, with plenty of spicy, dark notes.

Artisan Cheese Gallery
12023 Ventura Boulevard
Studio City, CA 91604
818.505.0207

Tasting Room Notes: Trefethen Family Vineyards

On my recent trip to Northern California, my first winery stop heading northward on Highway 29 was Trefethen in Napa. I must admit that I had never tried any of their wines, so I was starting at square one. They only charge $10 for an Estate Tasting, and $25 for a Winemaker's Reserve Tasting. The former features four wines while the latter offers five. There is no logo glass, by the way, so you won't be adding to your collection.

Barn-like on the outside, the interior was that of a warm and comfortable ranch house. Once inside, the people were quite friendly and ready to help. I opted for the Estate Tasting. As sometimes happens, I ended up getting an extra pour from the Winemaker's Reserve list.

Viognier 2007 - This one was flowery and perfumed on the nose. The palate featured apple flavors and a lemony tartness that served as a nice counterpoint. The finish was rather lengthy.

Cabernet Franc 2006 - An initial sniff on this one gave me a nose full of currants. The palate was like chocolates and cherries, but what really struck me in the taste was the spiciness, like white pepper. Very smooth tannins.

Double T Red Wine 2006 - This is a blend of the main grapes from Bordeaux: Cabernet Sauvignon, Merlot, Cabernet Franc, Petit Verdot and Malbec. Expecting a rich and fruitful nose, I was somewhat disappointed to find there wasn't much there. The taste, however, was very much full and satisfying. I didn't expect a vegetal front line, but the flavor seemed dominated by basil. A very odd taste all the way around, but quite enjoyable.

Cabernet Sauvignon 2005 - Deep red in color, this cab puts out quite a nose. Rich and fruity, there's even a hint of tobacco, sort of a "Swisher Sweets" aroma. The taste could qualify as dessert in my world, full of chocolate and cherry, with a finish that lingered forever.

Pinot Noir 2007 - Another guest was sampling this one, and I was offered a taste, too. Spices on the nose come through first, clove the strongest, and the fruit I pick up is a medley of red berries and cherries. It's a very spicy palate as well, and a lucsious drink to boot.