Showing posts with label strawberry. Show all posts
Showing posts with label strawberry. Show all posts

Monday, May 10, 2010

Señorio de Sarría Rosado 2008

You don't really need any special reasons to like spring, but just in case, how about rosé?  The nice sunshine and gentle breezes really make me want nice pink, salmon or strawberry-red wine.  I like them dry, gently chilled and served out on the redwood deck.

The Señorio de Sarría Rosado comes from Spain's Navarra region.  It pours as a healthy red color and shows some very fine bubbles on the glass.  It's an extremely aromatic wine.  The nose is actually a bit funky.  I get some strawberry scents, but a very musty strawberry.  It's not really a barnyard aroma, but something like old books, old strawberry books.  I call that a really interesting nose.

The palate feels this offbeat essence in much the same way.  There's strawberry there, it's just not all sweet and innocent like strawberry usually is.  The acidity is very lively, almost too much so on first pour.  It does settle down a bit after some time in the glass.  I am drinking it at room temperature, which might be a factor.  I'll try it chilled tomorrow.

The alcohol level is a manageable 13.5% abv, and this rosado is made from Garnacha, or Grenache, grapes.  It only cost $10, so it could become a favorite choice on the redwood deck all summer.

Wednesday, April 7, 2010

Marques de Caceres Rosado 2007

Temperatures are warming up in Los Angeles - again - this week, and this afternoon's "Sunny and 81" has me in mind of a Spanish rosado I tried a while back, Marques de Caceres.

This Rioja rosado is either a light strawberry color or a darker salmon.  Either way, it makes a beautiful statement in the glass.  13.5% abv, it's a dry rosé made from 80% Tempranillo and 20% Garnacha.  Let's smell it.

Aromas of raspberry dominate the nose for me, but there's a very nice floral layer underneath it.  I wanted to say hibiscus, but I don't know how accurate that is.  I'll just say it's a beautiful fragrance without any further elaboration.

Don't worry about this rosé being too sweet for you.  It's nice and dry.  The strawberry flavor is matched with raspberry notes and the taste lingers quite nicely afterward.  The label suggests the usual pairings (paella, chicken, seafood) and I wouldn't argue with any of those.  However, I had it with a dessert my wife made and the taste was exquisite.  She created a mascarpone-based whip which we put on a cracked pepper and olive oil Triscuit.  The wine really had a good time pairing with that unlikely match.  We were duly impressed. Not to mention a bit surprised.

Saturday, March 20, 2010

Chateau Saint-Cyrgues Cuvée Anna Costières de Nimes 2006

I asked Denise to smell this wine for me.  I do that when I can't quite pinpoint what I'm smelling, or if I need help identifying a particular aroma.  She has great olfactory senses, while mine leave a bit to be desired.  In this case she sniffed it and said, "ugnhngh."  I don't know if I spelled it right, but the unmistakable impression was not good.

I, however, found the aroma a bit more favorable.  I rather liked it, even though my initial reaction was very much like Denise's.  The nose is a bit funky - you might call it barnyard - but there is also a strawberry note that comes across rather forcefully and some raspberry a little further back.  The palate was quite funky also, with the same fruit in Sweet Tart fashion - not sweet at all, but quite tart.  The wine was open and refrigerated a couple of days when it took on a sort of tobacco leaf taste.  This description may not fully convey that I actually liked this wine, and for that I am sorry.  It is a dry rosé that I feel would not suit everyone's palate.  It certainly suits mine, though.

I first sampled this wine unchilled - as is my custom - and found it a lot more agreeable chilled on its third day after opening.  The color, by the way, is a little darker than I like my rosé, but it is a pretty shade of red.

Costières de Nimes  is located between the Rhone and Languedoc regions.  It seems to owe a lot more to the Languedoc than the Rhone.

Variety:  Syrah, Grenache 
Appellation: France > Rhone Valley > Costières de Nimes 
Vintage: 2006 
Alcohol Level: 13.5% 
Price: $7 
Acquisition disclaimer: Purchased by the author
 

Tuesday, January 5, 2010

"They Got This Recession On" Wines, Part 6


Hopefully 2010 will bring us all much better financial positions.  That's where my heart is, but my head tells me not to start buying really expensive wines for the cellar just yet.  In fact, if it's getting darker just before your dawn, here's a pair of wines you could probably afford after just a few hours of hustling change.

Sutter Home Winery has a line of wines available at 7-11 stores - in the cooler - which are small but cheap.  The 187 ml pours come in plastic bottles with a screw cap.  They cost just under two bucks each with tax and CRV included.  If you have trouble with the metric system, 187 ml comes out to about 1/4 of a standard wine bottle.  That's either a generous restaurant pour or a stingy one at the Fuller household.

Sutter Home is a Napa Valley producer whose labels you must have seen at the supermarket.  They are one of those wineries which still produce a White Zinfandel.  This small-format line also includes a Chardonnay, a Pinot Grigio, a Merlot and a Cabernet.  We'll concern ourselves with the White Zin and the Merlot.

Sutter Home White Zinfandel 2008

This much-maligned wine offers a pinkish orange color, like a light salmon.  It looks rather nice in the glass.  There is raspberry and strawberry on the nose, which isn't too sweet smelling.  The palate does show some friendliness, but the cloying sweetness White Zin is infamous for is not present.  In fact, I would describe it as off-dry.  The 9.5% abv made me expect a much sweeter wine, but the grapes were harvested fairly early, sparing us from a sugar bomb.

The nose is probably more interesting than the palate, but not by much.  The wine's acidity is a tiny bit challenged, but it actually goes fairly well with a turkey sandwich.

I hesitate to offer up any categorical slams on White Zin.  If it weren't for its great popularity during the 1980s, many old Zinfandel vines in California might have been uprooted in favor of some more profitable grape.  As a big fan of  "old-vine Zinfandel, " I am personally glad so many people drank White Zin a few decades ago.  I hoist a glass of it from time to time as a salute to those who knew not what cause they served.

Sutter Home's White Zinfandel is a very uncomplicated wine.  It's not a bad wine, it's just not a very interesting one.  It'll do in a recession, though.

Sutter Home Winery Merlot 2008

I'll go ahead and tell you now, I was not expecting a whole lot from this wine.  I got a lot more than my two dollar's worth from it, though.

The Merlot pours up a fairly dark ruby color in the glass.  Perfumy scents of blackberry, blueberry and some cherry cola are not shy about leaping from the glass.  The taste shows a really smokey black cherry quality.  It's quite smooth, even immediately upon opening the bottle.  The wine does have an interesting flavor profile and really feels full in the mouth. It's actually quite satisfying.  I'd be surprised to see someone identify this correctly in a blind tasting.

The tannins are good and the finish is dry and lingering.  If I had only $2 to my name and absolutely had to have a nice glass of wine, Sutter Home Merlot would do just fine.  In fact, I just may keep it on the "buy" list once this recession is over!

Saturday, June 27, 2009

Tasting Room Notes: Chateau Montelena



On the way out of Napa Valley, heading north on Highway 29, there is a signpost in Calistoga that points down Tubbs Lane toward Chateau Montelena. I had to turn off and see it in real life, having already seen it in the movie "Bottle Shock."

Following the signs onto the property and into the parking area, I caught a glimpse of it through the trees. But on the way to the stairs, I was distracted by the beautiful and peaceful Jade Lake. A rowboat was grounded along the shore and a red bridge led to a small structure patiently awaiting the next wedding to be held there. A short walk along the banks filled me with a feeling of quiet satisfaction. It's a really beautiful property.

The stairs up to the winery building are rather lengthy. When I finally reached a point where the winery was visible, it looked exactly like it did in the film. I half expected to see Bill Pullman poke his head from the large doors.

The tasting room is cool and professional in a woodsy sort of way. Pictures of the history of the winery are on the walls, along with memorabilia of the film and the 1976 Paris Tasting which is its subject. A very nice view back through the years of a storied winery.

The staff is friendly, but maybe a bit stiff. There's a feeling of reverence that permeates the proceedings. Five wines were on the tasting menu the day I was there, ranging in price from $22 to $135. The tasting fee is $20, and unlike the scene in the movie they are not offended when you pay them.

Riesling, Potter Valley 2007 - There's a fruity nose, something rather exotic like star fruit. Off-dry with a nice acidity, this wine will sip very nicely on the porch or mate with a refreshing salad. $22

Chardonnay, Napa Valley, 2007 - This 2007 version of the wine that helped make the California wine industry is stunning in a very restrained way. Fruity and flowery on the nose, the palate is treated to a crisp and refreshing wine that does not overplay anything. The citrus, minerals and oak are all quite prominent, but none try and steal the show. The long finish is much appreciated. $50

Zinfandel, Montelena Estate, 2006 - Dark fruit dominates the nose, with currant the frontrunner. Cherry and strawberry on the palate along with an array of spices combine in a velvety mouthfeel. This is 50% Zinfandel and 50% Primotivo, Zin's Italian twin. $30

Cabernet Sauvignon, Napa Valley, 2005 - A very dark color - almost black - promises some deep and earthy tones, which are delivered. I smell licorice and cedar. The taste is beautiful, with smooth tannins and a full mouthfeel. $45

Cabernet Sauvignon, Montelena Estate, 2005 - Very similar to the previous wine, this Cab is even darker in color, if that's possible. The nose is quite complicated, leathery and fruity at the same time with some clove. A real heavyweight wine with smooth tannins, the taste is exquisite and it fills my mouth in the most incredible manner. $135