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Newsletter #29 December 25, 2002Ken's Picks - Noteworthy Wines from Richard Stetler's The Best Cellar
- by Ken Goosens 1998 Olivet Lane Chardonnay Russian River, $10/bottle by the case
Best Buy
. Light yellow color. Bright and clear flavors, with no oxidation. Well balanced, flavorful, and long. Amazing closeout value from a part of California where chardonnay and pinot noir excel.
2001 Bodega Pinotage - $16
Pinot Noir Styled. Pinotage that emphasizes bright red fruit mainly cherry and raspberry. The nose
combines fruit with banana nuts. Not heavy bodied and not black in color. More in the style of Pinot Noir than Rhone style wines, with strong but not heavy flavors. 1999 Consilience Petit Syrah - $28
Lush and Dense. Opaquely black, with a deep nose. Lush and round. A dense combination of elderberry and mulberry that looks like it would hold a spoon up. 2000 Elyse Zinfandel, Morisoli Vineyard - $33
Serious Zinfandel. Clear and long flavors, loaded with blackberries, featuring that distinctive Zinfandel varietal twang and accented by toasty oak. Both rich and drinkable.
Newsletter #28 December 18, 2002
Ken's Picks - Noteworthy Wines from Richard Stetler's The Best Cellar - by Ken Goosens 2001 Jackson Estate Sauvignon Blanc - $16
#63 Wine Spectator Top 100, 90 points: "A particularly generous Sauvignon Blanc that jumps with ripe pear, citrus and passion fruit aromas and flavors, remarkable for its intensity and freshness." All true. It also
has the classic taste of gooseberry and freshly cut grass, with great clarity and a long aftertaste. Drink in the next year. 1998 Wolf Blass Black Label Cabernet Sauvignon - $47
Wine Enthusiast Top 100, 93 points: "ultraripe cassis
massive oak
Gigantic, huge mouthfeel, an Incredible Hulk of a wine, yet it's balanced. Too rich to drink now. Best to cellar for a decade and let it
develop subtlety." The bottle I tasted was deep, rich, and balanced, but already approachable young. Based on my experience with how Australian cabernets age, I predict it will reach a peak in three years and
remain there for another five. 2000 Hedges Fume-Chardonnay - $12
Wine Enthusiast Top 100 Best Buys, 91 points for the 2001: "This 52/48 blend of sauvignon blanc and
chardonnay explodes from the glass with a heavenly bouquet of fresh, succulent pineapple and pear fruit. Intense and powerful, it continues with a gorgeous mouthfeel, creamy and bright, into a polished, rich finish."
A great value and amazingly good quality for an inexpensive blend, ever since first released in 1993. The Wine Enthusiast rated the 2000 at 90 points. 1998 Northstar Merlot - $55
Wine Enthusiast 94 point for the 1999: "killer fruit, stacked with all the flavors of the rainbow; that finds the
sweet silky spot on the palate and goes for a long, long ride". Northstar makes only dense, big-scaled Merlot. The 1998 is both hugely tannic and fruity, should be aged about five years before being drunk, and
has the potential to become one of the world's great Merlots. 1995 Sequoia Grove Cabernet Sauvignon Reserve, Rutherford - $50
Wine Enthusiast Top 100, 94 points for the 1999: "Ripe, intense flavors of black currants persist all the way through the long finish, supported by toasty oak. The tannins are a delight, rich and plush. Feels a bit soft, in
the modern style, but is absolutely delicious." Sequoia Grove has a distinguished history of making excellent reserve cabernets, and can soar to among the best in a vintage. Three years ago, the '95 tasted very well
balanced, with oak, tannin, acidity, and a dustiness typical in Rutherford, overlaid with flavors of chocolate, eucalyptus, and black currants.
Newsletter #27 December 4, 2002Ken's Picks - Noteworthy Wines from Richard Stetler's The Best Cellar - by Ken Goosens 1997 Storrs Chardonnay Santa Cruz Mountains, $10/bottle by the case
Light yellow with no oxidation. Begins gently with a smooth, clean, and balanced taste, with some butterscotch. A noticeable rise in intensity as you swallow, with a long aftertaste. Best drunk during the
next year. Normally over $20 a bottle. 1999 Storrs Chardonnay Christie Vineyard, $12/bottle by the case
If you like your chardonnay creamy and full of new oak and butter, this is your dream wine at a dream
price. Low in acidity, dense, and mouth clinging. Normally over $30 a bottle. 1998 Homewood Russian River Zinfandel, $12/bottle by the case
If you like your Zinfandel black, alcoholic, and peppery, look elsewhere. But grab this one if you want a Zinfandel that is unbelievably silky, vividly flavorful, and complexly fruity. Loaded with purple plums
accented by black raspberries and blackberries. Sold earlier for $16 a bottle. 1998 Preston Merlot Reserve, $17/bottle by the case
Packed with black currants and sweet black cherries. Great density of flavors. A huge tannin now has
softened and rounded. The fruity aftertaste is just unending. Has the concentration and structure to improve
over the next five years and hold for another five. When this wine first came out, hard tannins partly masked the intense fruit and made the wine tough and drying, more like Cabernet Sauvignon. Now that the tannins
have matured, the wine tastes lusher, denser, and more delicious. Sold earlier for $25 a bottle.
Newsletter #26 November 27, 2002Ken's Picks - Noteworthy Wines from Richard Stetler's The Best Cellar - by Ken Goosens 2001 Moselland Arts Vitis - $13
Beautiful Gift
. Connoisseurs of wine often decry attention to packaging over what it is the bottle. But here the packaging is so clever, pretty, and christmasy, that I recommend the bottle, especially as a gift. Most of
your friends will enjoy a light bodied wine with some sweetness and a fruit that is indistinct and not complex, but still tasty. Just don't give this wine to friends who are wine snobs.
1999 Louis Bernard, Chateauneuf-du-Pape - $30
Excellent Rhone. A deep, rich, even creamy nose is followed by intense but clear flavors that beautifully
crescendo when you swallow. Tastes mostly of syrah, but has other grapes as well. Not many bottles left, so get it now if you want any. 1999 Rosenblum Carla Zinfandel - $24
Quality Zinfandel
. A seriously dark color is followed by a distinct Zinfandel nose of mulberries and plums. The same two fruits persist in the mouth and finish, combined with an interesting dance between sweetness
from the fruit and dryness from the alcohol and tannin. 2000 Elyse Petite Syrah - $38
Concentrated Wine. Ink black in color, with a broad and dense fruit featuring boysenberries and
elderberries. Lush and ripe, with low acidity, as well as barely noticeable tannin. A huge fruit taste that is sweet without being sugary.
Newsletter #25 November 6, 2002
Ken's Picks - Noteworthy Wines from Richard Stetler's The Best Cellar - by Ken Goosens 2000 MD Phillips Viognier Incognito - $19
Excellent Viognier.
This grape is the great white wine variety grown in the Rhone River Valley in France. It makes a very distinctive white wine that has an aromatic floral nose, a dense body, strong peach and fig
flavors, and spice. This California wine captures that French taste very well. In addition, it has a wonderful honeysuckle nose, a light oil texture, and a definite sweet flavor, even though it probably has no residual
sugar. The wine is 15% alcohol but doesn't taste hot. 2001 MD Phillips Seven Deadly Zins - $19
Heavy-Duty Zinfandel
. A blend made from seven vineyards. Near black. Thick, even chocolaty, with some definite tannin that helps structure the wine. Very long. A Zinfandel with the stuffing to improve over
the next five years. 1998 Concannon Petite Syrah - $16
Dense and Lush. One of the lushest Petite Syrahs I had ever had. Medium low acidity and soft big fruit
mask significant but very ripe tannins. Great smoothness. Petite Syrah styled in the direction of a big-scaled Syrah. A lot of wine for the price. Wild - $20
Great Cream Drink
. A fortified cream liqueur from South Africa. The nose is chocolate, coffee, and cream. The body is milky, very smooth, easy to drink, tasty, and not hot even though with 19% alcohol.
An improvement over Bailey's Irish Cream. Partly made from the fruit in Africa that is famous for getting the wild life fall-over drunk.
Newsletter #24 October 30, 2002Ken's Picks - Noteworthy Wines from Richard Stetler's The Best Cellar - by Ken Goosens NV Charles Heidsieck Champagne, Mis-en-Cave 1996 - $30
Best Buy.
A bright, bubbly, tasty champagne, with a nose featuring yeast and bread, and lemon citrus fruit. Dry without being tart. The wine is non-vintage, but still dated by the year in which the wine was bottled.
Well liked by many people at the tasting. This is a limited, special price you should act on immediately if you want any. 1998 Amberley Shiraz - $23
Exellent Shiraz.
A limited closeout reduction in price, so get this wine quickly if you want any. This wine tastes very dry and noticeably alcoholic, combined with a lovely strand of fruit that holds through the entire finish.
1998 Chapel Hill Shiraz, McLaren Vale - $23
Deep and Dark. Another limited closeout you will have to get quickly. You won't see this wine again at
this price. The Australians often say that when they make a Shiraz for the American market, you can't make it too dark, heavy, extravagant, or fruity. This wine should come with a seat belt. Inky dark and
saturated with fruit that blasts through the finish. 1999 Swanson Merlot - $12 half bottle
Will the Real Swanson Please Stand Up? An intriguing wine that evolved in the glass. At different times,
it seemed like a Zinfandel, with a rich, spicy, plum taste. Later it showed a medicinal/alcohol component. In the end, it was full bodied, with blackberries, framed by acidity and tannin. Not your usual cherry
Merlot, partly because it is blended with Cabernet Sauvignon, Cabernet Franc, and Syrah. A very good price for this wine, which has an excellent reputation.
Newsletter #23 October 16, 2002Ken's Picks - Noteworthy Wines from Richard Stetler's The Best Cellar - by Ken Goosens 2001 Lake Chalice Sauvignon Blanc - $17
Great Sauvignon Blanc.
Every year New Zealand produces world class Sauvignon Blanc for well under $20 a bottle. But the particular wines that excel are often different. Omaka Springs, Selaks, and Giesen
have made various great wines at great prices since the 1997 vintage. This 2001 version has a nose that is
very smooth, brightly fruity, and not herbaceous. The taste combines sweet pear and grapefruit, with a light
touch of grass. The aftertaste is long and beautiful. Keep in mind that most of the Sauvignon Blancs from New Zealand start to decline after about two years, so don't buy more than you will consume in the short
term, and don't hang on to a favorite thinking you will be enjoying it for years. Marietta Lot No. 30 Old Vines Red - $16
Dependably Good
. Another wine that has earned one of the longest streaks of recommendations from me. A non-vintage wine that is created by blending from diverse sites in California, and possibly from multiple
vintages. The genius of Marietta is to produce a wine that is consistently approachable, fruity, tasty, and never austere or thin. Zinfandel is the mainstay of this series, but the blend typically includes other reds as
well. What number 30 adds to the signature taste is a dose of tannin and a dryer taste. While less soft and sweet than numbers 27-29, the wine remains very drinkable young. It will probably be even better in 6
months or a year, and should hold somewhat longer. 1997 Tatachilla Foundation Shiraz, McLaren Vale - $47
Great Shiraz
. All the marks of superb red wine dark, fruity, deep, intense, and long. And a full complement of shiraz flavors - spice, pepper, smoke, licorice, and herbs. 1990 Veuve Cliquot Gold Label Champagne - $70
At a Peak. A common misconception in America is that sparkling wines should be drunk young. Quite the opposite is true for sparklers made from Chardonnay and Pinot Noir non-vintage sparklers generally need
3-6 years of age, and vintage sparklers generally need 8-15 years of age. The main reason is that young sparkling wine is disjointed and angular, especially in the acidity. Sparklers need time to round and
integrate, and the fizz does not dissipate over time. For example, in a recent blind Champagne tasting, the winner was from the 1988 vintage, and a Champagne from the excellent 1996 vintage was still far from
ready. This vintage Champagne from the superb 1990 vintage is now round and integrated. The nose features dough, lees, and butterscotch. In the mouth, the wine is smooth, tasty, and long. A wine that was
liked by everyone at the table.
Newsletter #22 October 9, 2002Ken's Picks - Noteworthy Wines from Richard Stetler's The Best Cellar - by Ken Goosens 2001 Thomas Fogarty Gewurztraminer - $16
Different and Dependable.
The Fogarty winery has this grape down pat, making excellent wines year after year. Loaded with rose water perfume and rose petal flavors, and accented with lychee nuts,
grapefruit zest, and citrus oil. The acid is fairly low and there is a faint sweetness, but the wine still tastes refreshing. A great match for many Oriental foods, including Thai cuisine.
1999 Chateau Potelle Chardonnay, Mt. Veeder VGS - $34
Serious Chardonnay. Butterscotch, vanilla, and smooth acidity waif from the glass. The body has a silky
texture and intense flavors of pear and toasty oak. Rich without being overdone, partly because of a bright acidity. Should continue to improve and last another three years. 1999 De Lorimier Mosaic - $29
Complex Wine. This wine delivers what you hope for in a blend but often don't get that each grape contributes different and distinct flavors, to make a wine that is not only tasty, but fascinating to follow
through all the strands of flavor. The 65% Cabernet Sauvignon contributes a cassis taste. 13% Merlot adds a black cherry flavor. 13% Malbec and 9% Cabernet Franc add spice and earth. Though only
medium-bodied, the flavors are strong and long lasting. 1998 Wolf Blass Cabernet Sauvignon, Black Label, Barossa Valley - $49
Superb
. This wine won the coveted Jimmy Watson trophy in Australia for the best new wine back in 1999, and was released for purchase only in 2002. 89% Cabernet Sauvignon with Merlot and Syrah. Dark, with
intense aromas of plums and cassis. The taste builds in the mouth, and features strong but smooth tannins along with deep fruits. No let down in flavors anywhere, and an unending aftertaste. Drinks very well now,
and will probably peak in the next three years. Definitely includes a Syrah taste. Competitive with the best Cabernets from California.
Newsletter #21 October 2, 2002Ken's Picks - Noteworthy Wines from Richard Stetler's The Best Cellar - by Ken Goosens 2000 Avontuur Chardonnay Luna de Miel - $19
Excellent Chardonnay
. Very clear flavors, with peach in the nose. Lemon and vanilla in the body, with a long and wonderful limey finish. Great balance and drive with good complexity and fullness.
2000 Jessie's Grove Zinfandel Old Vines - $16
Excellent Zinfandel. A rich, smooth, promising nose combining blueberry and blackberry. In the mouth,
fresh, bright, and smooth. As the wine sat in the glass, the taste got richer and longer, and delivered all the nose promised. All you Zinfandel addicts, get your fix here. 2000 Powers Syrah - $18
Superb Syrah. A nose forward, rich, and open. Fresh, bright, and smooth, with black cherry and blackberry. Well structured by both acidity and tannin. A great drink-now, drink-later, drink-anytime
wine. Together, the Powers Merlot and Syrah are impressive, both for quality and value. 1997 Hogue Cabernet Sauvignon Reserve - $28
Good Cabernet.
No doubt what this wine features. A deep damson plum fruit permeates the nose, fills the mouth, and frames the aftertaste. Very smooth, round, and tasty.
Newsletter #20 September 25, 2002Ken's Picks - Noteworthy Wines from Richard Stetler's The Best Cellar - by Ken Goosens 2000 Bernard Griffin Chardonnay - $14
Best Buy
. A nose combining pear and yellow delicious apple. Very smooth, well balanced, with a gentle oak and butterscotch flavor, but still good intensity. 1998 Chapel Hill Verdelho - $19
Better than Ever. Another wine that confounded my expectation by improving with some age. A delightful
nose of flowers, honeysuckle, pineapple, and spritz. In the mouth, peach and nectarine, at once spritely and rich. Bigger bodied and more complex than I remember. This is the best wine I have ever had made from
this grape. Not much of this vintage left, so either be among the fast acting few or the many who never experience it. When it drinks this well, drink it now. 1998 Lievland Shiraz - $19
Better than Ever.
This wine has made the "Rhone turn." One of the hallmarks of Syrah as a grape varietal is a smoky, grilled, meat-fat taste that makes it go spectacularly well with bloody beef or smoked foods.
The Syrahs from the great homeland of this grape the Rhone River Valley in France are famous for this hallmark flavor as well as tannic structure. However, "new-world" Syrah typically has a fruit-forward,
drink-me-now style missing this signature taste. However, time in the bottle often adds the Rhone flavor, showing that the grilled meat taste is not unique to the Rhone Valley, but belongs to the grape varietal. This
wine now has not only the youthful blackberry fruit, but for the first time is showing the smoke, grill, meat taste, as well as an earthy, mushroom, and cranberry side. Those of you who bought and held this wine -
move to the top of the class. Those of you who drank yours young - scurry to get the few remaining bottles of a wine that has become stunning. 1999 Hedges Three Vineyards - $20
Good Bordeaux Blend
. Smells fruity and smooth. Ripe, rounded tannin in the mouth. Started on too short on the aftertaste, but opened up after the wine sat in the glass, with a strong raspberry and cassis fruit in the
middle and finish. A good example of how the first impression may be misleading. If a wine seems flawed, keep working it in the glass and mouth, and come back to it later. Needed about a hour to strut its stuff.
Newsletter #19 September 18, 2002Ken's Picks - Noteworthy Wines from Richard Stetler's The Best Cellar - by Ken Goosens 1999 Slaley Chardonnay - $16
Great Wine and Great Value.
Very few Chardonnays from California or France under $30 are this good. The nose is strongly leesy with a light pineapple. The mouth has not only pineapple, but vanilla from oak,
honey, light butter, and a bright lime that butresses the flavors and lasts for minutes. The acidity splashes into the mouth and sparkles throughout. About as good as Chardonnay gets that features intense flavors of
lees and citrus combined with tropical fruit and new oak. 1999 Bredell Shiraz - $18
Very Fine Shiraz.
Dark, soft and silky, but still structured with ripe tannin and enough acidity. Very fruity, with clear flavors, but starting to pick up intriguing flavors of earth and herbs, especially in the nose. Well
made, developing nicely, fine to drink now, and continuing to improve. 1998 Allesverloren Shiraz - $16
Very Fine Shiraz.
Pretty, bright nose, that creates high expectations. Very smooth in the mouth with a nice combination of cassis, smoke, and pepper. Not at all astringent or disjointed. Dry without being hot or
drying out the mouth. Very long aftertaste. High quality for the price. 2000 Slaley Shiraz - $21
A Deep and Rich Keeper.
The Slaley label with the clipper ship is really the reserve of this winery, which bottles only superior wines under this label. The color is impressively black. The nose is open,
approachable, and surprisingly full of plums. In the mouth, the texture is very smooth, with a distinct red raspberry in the middle and an acidity that finally emerges near the finish. More so that other South African
wines, this currently resembles the Australian style that emphasizes size and fruit over structure and clarity. Side by side with the '99 Slaley, which is down to near the last case, I preferred the '99, which has a nose
that is both earthier and meatier, more integration, a smoothness not just of texture but in the development in the mouth, and an acidity that combines with a lovely blackberry flavor. Does this mean that the '99 Slaley
is a better wine? Not really, for a reason that anyone who has tasted the '99 for a few years can attest. The '99 Slaley has steadily improved and is noticeably better than when the '99 was first released. The
important question on release of a wine is not where it is tonight, but where it will go, and here's my answer. The 2000 right now is both denser and more impenetrable than the '99, but the smoky, meaty, earthy side
of Shiraz will develop naturally after about three years, and the fruit will steadily develop more complexity and definition for at least the next five years. The 2000 will noticeably improve with time, and the 1999 and
2000 will get closer in taste. But the 2000 will win in the end, surpassing the 1999 in 2-4 years. So buy the 2000 by the case but wait a while before drinking it. Meanwhile, enjoy the '99 now, but save a few bottles
to compare to the 2000 over the next four years.
Newsletter #18 September 4, 2002Ken's Picks - Noteworthy Wines from Richard Stetler's The Best Cellar - by Ken Goosens 1994 Weinert Malbec - $20
Bottled Happiness.
In wine tasting, the wine always has the last word, often at variance with what we think we know. Here the nose is perfectly smooth and the taste is completely delightful. Soft, generous,
blueberry, blackberry, and more, with each nuance of flavor well defined and distinct. Tasting it blind, I thought it was Australian mourvedre, and never would I have guessed that this particular wine from
Argentina would have kept so long or developed so beautifully. The Best Cellars has only a few bottles left. Don't make the mistake I would have made turning your nose up at this neglected wine on the shelf as
cooked and too old. Don't wait until you visit The Best Cellars to try to get some. Call now to grab every bottle you can, lightly chill this superb reminder of how wonderful a mature wine can be, and - most
important of all - invite me over. 1999 Peter Lehman Cabernet Sauvignon, Barossa - $19
Dependably Fine Cabernet. I have tasted this wine since the early 1990s, and always found it to have an
excellent balance of quality and price. The wine tastes good from the moment it is released, holds well, and improves for about five years. The 1999 version smells like purple plums, and in the mouth combines cassis
and blackberries. Nicely balanced, with good concentration and structure. A wine so consistently good that if I couldn't taste before buying, this is one of the wines I would select.
2000 Peter Lehman Shiraz, Barossa - $19
Depenably Fine Shiraz. Dark in color and aromatic. Smells fruity, deep, and thick, and tastes the same
way. Makes the inside of the lips tingle. Equally intense as the Cabernet. Preferred over the Cabernet by a majority at the tasting I attended, but the Shiraz is less kinetic and more chunky in the mouth.
1998 Easton Zinfandel - $30
Excellent Zinfandel. Tasty, rounded, and intense. Long and clear. Not too hot, nothing awkward.
Richer, fuller, and smoother than when I tasted it shortly after release. While 1998 is a down year in California in general, especially for Cabernet Sauvignon and Merlot, Zinfandel is proving to have had a
surprisingly strong year. Not much left, so if you want any of this Zinfandel that has developed so well and is drinking perfectly, get it now.
Newsletter #17 August 28, 2002Ken's Picks - Noteworthy Wines from Richard Stetler's The Best Cellar - by Ken Goosens 1997 Selection Rene Manuel, Bourgogne - $14
Peak Pinot Noir Best Buy.
Here is a wine waiting for you on the shelf at Best Cellars, quietly getting better and better, that I just retasted to see how it is doing. I previously owned the 1987 vintage and when I
drank the last one in 1995, wished I had another case. Young wines have a seductive fruit that is fresh and bright, but older French Burgundy can be just as good and even better. Yes, that just-bottled grape and
cherry no longer gushes out, but in its place the fruit is thicker and more suffused, somewhat like the difference between ripe fresh cherries and unsweetened canned cherries. The texture is now silky and
rounded, whereas the youthful wine was somewhat more angular and disjointed. The tannin no longer is a separate part of the finish, but has become completely integrated, lost its astringency, and no longer leaves
the mouth dry. The body is much earthier, and the youthful spike of blackberries now glides like a curving river. Not a big demanding wine, but a wine you can relax with and savor, letting its warm caresses wash
over you. 1999 Lake Breeze Cabernet/Shiraz - $20
Complex Blend. Smells deep and fruity, with hints of eucalyptus and peppermint. The taste is a complex
mixture of red and black cherry, blackberry, alcohol, and light tannins, with a lovely smack of chocolate in the finish. Clear flavors rather than chunky. 2000 Hugo Shiraz - $18
A Fruit Bomb
. The word "bomb" is often used to praise wines that have explosive fruit, but a bomb also implies an indiscreet splattering and lack of control. This wine shows the power, beauty, and limitations of a
wine that is all fruit. Very fresh, aromatic, and grapey, with a blackberry taste but not much tannin and not a heavy body. The wine may well show more structure as it ages. Right now it's up-front, seductive, delicious fruit.
1999 Chateau Reynella Shiraz - $26
Dense Red Wine. Very dark purple color. Intense, tannic, peppery, and drying in the mouth. Full bodied
and dense. Has a touch of sweetness which I hope will tone down with time. This wine probably needs more time to integrate and show more secondary flavors, and could become a great wine.
Newsletter #16 August 21, 2002
Ken's Picks - Noteworthy Wines from Richard Stetler's The Best Cellar - by Ken Goosens 2001 Avontuur Barrel Select Chenin Blanc - $15
Different and Wonderful
. Chenin Blanc is famous for making distinctive, high-acid wines that need ripeness to balance. Here the Chenin seems to combine grapes harvested later with new oak. The result
adds vanilla and a fuller body to a base featuring flavors of fig and peach, with an unusual floral taste. Like the best Chenin, a scintillating acidity gives structure to the wine. Takes Chenin Blanc in a different and
improbable direction which works. Very young and unevolved, but the density and acidity will make a fascinating wine to follow for a decade, to see how it will evolve. I predict it will become honied, peachy,
and nutty. An original and intriguing wine. 2000 Simonsvlei Chardonnay - $10
Best Buy. A Chardonnay that, instead of being heavy, is complex, well integrated, and refreshing. Shows
how a Chardonnay can be light on its feet yet still interesting and tasty. The nose is surprisingly floral, as if another grape were blended with the Chardonnay. A smell of vanilla echoes throughout the wine, and the
body adds a pretty touch of butterscotch. The flow and texture glide beautifully. Finally, a bright acidity makes the finish clean and citrusy. 1998 Bushman's Creek Pinotage - $15
Different and Rich.
Those of you who have followed Ken's Picks will note that I have now picked every wine from Bushman's Creek. The color is very dark. The nose frames cherry flavors with ripe bananas.
The body has a fine acidity, a tannic backbone, and dense fruit. Except for some plum and bananas, reminds me of a Pinot Noir from Sauvigny in Burgundy in a good vintage dark, tannic, broodingly intense,
cherry flavored, with a touch of new wood. 2000 Cline Zinfandel - $11
Best Buy. A dependable best buy for the last decade. A bright, medium dark red with a red berry nose.
Limpidly enters the mouth with a burst of fresh fruit, then blackberry acidity kicks in with a touch of tannin. A wine I always recommend to people who want to find out whether they like Zinfandel without spending a
lot. Delivers true Zinfandel flavors in a pleasing and approachable format.
Newsletter #15 August 14, 2002
Ken's Picks - Noteworthy Wines from Richard Stetler's The Best Cellar - by Ken Goosens 2000 Avontuur, Above Royalty, Special Late Harvest Weisser Riesling - $22 half bottle
Great Dessert Wine.
Made from grapes shrunk by botrytis on the skins, from the grape that makes the greatest dessert wines in the world Riesling. Has 12% alcohol that is totally hidden by the flavors. Has a
huge residual sugar of 113 grams per liter, but has only a slight taste of sweetness because of wonderful balancing acidity. The primary flavors now are golden raisins, honey, and golden delicious apple, with
secondary hints of pineapple and apricot. An excellent dessert wine that will only improve with 5-20 years of age, as the fruit flavors deepen and become more complex. If lemon, lime, orange, and raspberry
emerge with time, this will become one of the world's great dessert wines, but only time will tell. I'm betting it will. 2001 Wildhurst Sauvignon Blanc - $11
Interesting Best Buy.
A wine showing that California can make excellent and inexpensive Sauvignon Blanc, if vintners resist lowering the acidity or using oak. The aroma is unusual, emphasizing flowers with
some grapefruit. The body is more grapefruit and pear, with a touch of grapefruit rind in the finish. Not grassy, few flavors of tropical fruit, none of the gooseberry common to the grape, and not complex on the
citrus component (e.g. no lemon and no lime). But the floral and pear components make this a distinctive Sauvignon Blanc that is interesting and tasty. 1999 Chateau Ste. Michelle Merlot, Canoe Ridge - $24
Fine Merlot. Deep and dark in color. Features a classic Merlot nose of red and black cherries. In the
mouth, also shows mulberry and blackberry. Has a strong acidity and tannic structure, but still tastes smooth. For some reason, Washington State tends to bring out the side of Merlot that is firm and well
structured, rather than soft and lush. I like both styles, provided the wine has strong and deep flavors. Here, we get Merlot that drinkers of Cabernet Sauvignon tend to admire. 1998 Northstar Merlot - $55
Powerful Merlot. A dark, dense and powerful Merlot, but not one you should be buying for immediate pleasure. The nose requires coaxing and the tannins are strong enough to obscure what is a large fruit.
Clearly built to age and requiring it, but a potentially great wine for those willing to risk cellaring bottles. A wine that shows the dual impact of strong tannins while preserving a wine and making it ageworthy, it also
tends to make a young wine tightly wound.
Newsletter #14 July 31, 2002
Ken's Picks - Noteworthy Wines from Richard Stetler's The Best Cellar - by Ken Goosens 2001 Butterfield Station Chardonnay - $11
Best Buy.
A light nose, with some apple. But, in the mouth, combines a velvety smoothness with butter, vanilla, and fruit, all beautifully integrated. Seldom is a chardonnay this young and fresh also seamlessness.
In too many California chardonnays the acidity has a chemical harshness that sticks out as a separate component, but here the acidity seems amazingly ripe and natural. Don't bet on it improving with age. Swig
it down anytime in the next two years. 1998 Powers Merlot - $12
Best Buy. Smells ripe, full, and plummy, and tastes the same way. Gentle oak, medium tannins, and a long
taste of purple plums. A near jammy fullness. Excellent Merlot regardless of price, but a fabulous buy at this price. Another wine showing that Washington State is providing some of the best wine values in the
United States. 1999 Le Riche Cabernet Sauvignon Reserve - $30
Great Cabernet, Pure and Simple. One of the pinnacles of wine from South Africa. 100% Cabernet
Sauvignon, textbook true to the varietal, only ratcheted up in intensity and integration. Beautifully aromatic, loaded with black currants, brilliantly accented by vanilla and toasty oak. A wine that not only never lets
you down in the mouth, but also was great and drinkable from day one and will easily last and improve for ten more years. As good as top notch Cabs from California costing $100 a bottle. The supply of this is
down to the last bottles, so get it now or forever weep. 1999 EOS Petite Sirah Reserve - $25
Great Petit Syrah. EOS is the only winery I know where the highest priced wine is Petit Syrah. Made in
the dense and tannic style of many ambitious reds. Near black and laced with tannin from the moment it hits the mouth. However, you can smell the fruit, which also emerges very strongly near the end, mixed with
black pepper. Though impressive now, it will be even better with more age, after the tannins soften and integrate, and the additional fruit behind the tannin comes forward.
Newsletter #13 July 24, 2002
Ken's Picks - Noteworthy Wines from Richard Stetler's The Best Cellar - by Ken Goosens 2001 Jackson Estate Sauvignon Blanc - $15
Top Notch Sauvignon Blanc.
Smells like freshly cut grass, with gooseberry, lime, kiwi, and starfruit. Good acidity, clear flavors, and long aftertaste. Screwtop, which will work fine, since Sauvignon Blanc should
normally be drunk within three years. 1999 Marietta Cabernet Sauvignon, Geyersville Sonoma - $20
Satisfying Cabernet
. Deep color, smells plummy. Strong flavor of black currants in the mouth, with enough density to make your teeth stick together. A long and intense aftertaste, where the fruit persists with
the tannin. Very well made and modestly priced. Marietta Lot 29 Old Vines - $15
Dependable Red Blend Very fruity, bright, and tasty. Definitely tastes of Syrah and Zinfandel, though has
other grapes. Light but noticeable tannins. Long, generous fruit. Not overly acidic, easy to drink. This
series of wines is one of the most dependably good in this price range. Even better than lots 27 and 28. 1999 Marietta Syrah - $19
Different and Wonderful
. 80% Syrah and 20% Petit Syrah, but smells and tastes more like Petit Syrah. Near black in color. A complex mixture of bananas, butterscotch, plums, cherry, licorice, and dill. The
tannins are ripe and even sweet. Strong, persistent flavors. A wine that is intriguing and interesting, whether or not you personally like it.
Newsletter #12 June 26, 2002
Ken's Picks - Noteworthy Wines from Richard Stetler's The Best Cellar - by Ken Goosens 2001 Eichendal Stein - $11
Different and Wonderful
. Chenin Blanc from South Africa. An openly sweet wine that also has high balancing acidity. Very floral, with a hint of very ripe red grapefruit. Easy to drink, smooth, and even long.
A fun wine that even people who seldom drink wine will enjoy. 2001 100 Annos Sauvignon Blanc - $10
Surprising Best Buy
. Sauvignon Blanc that has no grassiness and emphasizes melons. Initially softer when it enters the mouth, then firmer and more acidic. Not the dry, razor acidity or gooseberry fruit common in
Sauvignon Blanc. Instead, less edgy, more rounded, with a sweeter fruit. Comes from Uruguay in South America, which should stump most and pleasantly surprise everyone.
1999 D'Arenberg Shiraz, Dead Arm - $55
Huge and Intense. Near black. Perfumes the air with endless fruit. Not yet integrated, but has all the
elements of great wine. Surprisingly supple when it hits the mouth, followed by a huge fruit, then acid. The finish is pepper with tannins against the cheeks, leaving with an impression of dryness. Will be even greater
with more aging. 1997 Kopke Vintage Porto, $50
Velvety Vintage Port Port is kind of wine from Portugal fortified with additional alcohol. Vintage port
comes from a particular vintage and is only declared in finer vintages. Good vintage port combines distinct wine flavors with alcohol and raisiny late harvest sweetness. This port has a deep, purple color of wine,
combined with a complex, winey nose featuring grapes and plums. Despite its high alcohol, there is no taste of hotness at all. Glides down with a deliciously swiggable smoothness. The standout wine at a tasting of
19 wines. Wonderful with hot roasted nuts, especially pecans.
Newsletter #11 June 19, 2002
Ken's Picks - Noteworthy Wines from Richard Stetler's The Best Cellar - by Ken Goosens 1999 Hanna Zinfandel Bismark Ranch - $48
Great Zinfandel
Yes, it's expensive. But it's also not just superb Zinfandel, but superb wine period. Not quite black, but deep purple/red. Smells deep and acidic. Tastes like black pepper and chocolate.
Smooth with nicely delineated flavors. Great mid-palate intensity of flavors without being chunky or heavy. Drink anytime in the next four years. 1999 St. Clements Oroppas - $44
Excellent Bordeaux Blend
. One of the best 1999 red wines I have had from California. A blend of Cabernet Sauvignon, Merlot, and Cabernet Franc. Smooth and complex, with flavors of cherry, mulberry,
and cassis. Not overly tannic, but does have noticeable tannin in the finish. Very dry and not heavy bodied but, like most well made wines, has intense flavors. Even better in two to five years.
1999 Davis Bynum Chardonnay, Russian River - $30
Beautiful Chardonnay. Clear, bright, firm, smooth, balanced, and long. Features a leasy taste and a
pungent drive in the middle, with a light touch of butterscotch and oak. As much French in style as Californian. 1997 Raymond Reserve Merlot - $23
Excellent California Merlot
. I've had this wine about four times. It's been excellent each time and shows every sign of holding fine for another five years. Tasty, firm, and deep, with strong flavors of cherry and
plum. This is one of the few remaining chances you have to get affordable wine from this superb vintage in California, which no subsequent vintage has yet equalled.
Newsletter #10 June 12, 2002
Ken's Picks - Noteworthy Wines from Richard Stetler's The Best Cellar - by Ken Goosens 1999 Kestrel Syrah - $38
World Class Syrah
- The clear winner in a double blind tasting of Syrahs from all around the world, vanquishing other wines from California, France, Australia, and South Africa. Manages to combine great
fruit and lush texture with enough acidity and tannins to frame the wine. Features flavors of blackberry, cassis, plums, and pepper. Great now and anytime in the next 10 years. The Best Cellar got two of the only
three cases of this wine delivered to South Florida. Don't expect to see it in tastings. Treat yourself with this wine if you like Syrah at all. 1995 Chateau Montaigut, Cote de Bourg, Gold New Oak - $23
Bordeaux that Drinks Beautifully This is a fine example of how a wine can improve with age, becoming smoother, better integrated, and even richer. Red wines from Napa in California increasingly are made soft
and fruity to be immediately approachable, whereas Bordeaux reds are more resolutely dry and tannic and feature earth, stones, and lead pencil as well as fruit. This wine is a fine introduction to the Bordeaux style,
where time has softened the tannins and given the wine complexity. Get it now if you want any. 1999 Hahn Meritage - $17
Delicious and Complex
A blend of five different Bordeaux grapes (Merlot, Cabernet Sauvignon, Cabernet Franc, Malbec, Petit Verdot) with Merlot being the majority. The grapes combine to give the
wine a delightful and interesting complexity. Though not intense and deep enough to be a great wine, the wine is definitely tasty and smooth, and does not have the rustic and funky taste of some past vintages.
1997 Amberly Cabernet-Merlot - $22
Delightful Bordeaux Blend Very fragrant and balanced, with clear flavors of dusty cassis. Rounded,
with just enough tannin to buoy with some structure. Not woody or harsh. Has 10% Cabernet Franc. Sensuous and eminently drinkable.
Newsletter #9 - May 29, 2002
Ken's Picks - Noteworthy Wines from Richard Stetler's The Best Cellar - by Ken Goosens1998 Chapel Hill Cabernet-Shiraz, The Vicar - $45
Superb, Ready to Drink Red Wine
One of the best great wines you can buy that is ready to drink now. Many of the great red wines need to be aged before being enjoyable, but not this Australian beauty. Most
good Australian reds peak in 5-8 years, and this one is right on that cusp where it drinks great but will hold
for another 5 years. Drinkable, tasty, long, and brilliantly balanced. Intense without having hard tannins to resolve or being hotly alcoholic or jammy. 1998 Columbia Syrah, Red Willow Vineyard - $40
Superb Syrah deep rich nose, with damson plums and purple grapes. Enters the mouth softly and spreads into a delta of flavors. Long aftertaste. Another wine demonstrating that Washington State makes
world class syrah. 1998 Preston Merlot Reserve - $25
Merlot with Grip Smells acidic and deep, and tastes the same. Combines Merlot black cherry with the
grip of Cabernet Sauvignon. Blackberry and cassis packaged in firm tannins. None of the dull, flat mulberry common in Merlot. The acidity, tannin, and strong fruit will allow this to wine improve even more with age.
1999 Marcelina Chardonnay, Carneros - $19
Fine Chardonnay This wine amply demonstrates that Gallo can make very fine wines. Does not have the
tropical fruit, nut, and butterscotch of some chardonnays. Nor is it a heavy-bodied wash of alcohol, butter, cream, and oak. A wine built on balance and grace, with a delightful and harmonious interplay of acidity,
fruit, and oak, buttressed by enough pungency and drive to buoy the flavors.
Newsletter #8 - May 22, 2002
Ken's Picks - Noteworthy Wines from Richard Stetler's The Best Cellar - by Ken Goosens1999 Matanzas Creek Merlot - $40
High End Merlot
Merlot with intense flavors, built to last, and made to age. Full in the mouth, well balanced, spicy, with black cherry fruit. But famed by firm tannin. Will richly reward those who wait a few more years.
1997 Virgin Hills - $31
Fascinating Red Blend Red wine made from a cool part of Australia, which has great clarity and
complexity of flavors. Rich nose with mint and cassis. Tasty and long in the mouth. Shows how a blend can be wonderful without being heavy, jammy, or hotly alcoholic. Has a strong majority of Cabernet
Sauvignon, but the flavors follow other grapes, including Shiraz and Malbec. The 8% Shiraz is a very nice touch, common in Australia but rare elsewhere. 1998 Le Riche Cabernet Sauvignon - $20
Benchmark Cabernet
Loaded with black currants. Intense, briary, acidic, tannic, yet rounded and integrated. If you don't like this, you don't like Cabernet Sauvignon. 1998 Veramonte Primus - $17
Wonderful and Different A wine from Chile which is 90% Camenere. This grape was long thought to be Merlot, which it somewhat resembles. The fascinating nose is a feast of flavors combining plums,
mushrooms, earth, tea, and black cherry. Tastes rounder and smooth, with mostly black cherry. A wine whose flavors you explore and savor.
Newsletter #7 - May 15, 2002
Ken's Picks - Noteworthy Wines from Richard Stetler's The Best Cellar - by Ken Goosens1999 Hedges Red Mountain Reserve - $42
Great Cabernet Sauvignon Blend - An exciting sign for a wine is that the aromas power up and out, trumpeting themselves even before you put your nose inside the glass. Here you smell the density and
brightness 6" away. The wine enters the mouth soft, lush, and full of grapy cassis. The intensity of the taste
builds steadily, but remains smooth throughout. Only after you swallow do you start to notice the tannin. Long after the fruit fades, tannins coat the mouth and refuse to subside. One of the classic recipes for a
great red wine - a foundation of ripe but huge tannins, overlaid and initially masked by an even larger fruit. Having recently tasted a vertical of the Hedges from '93, '94, and '98, I think the '99 surpasses even those
superb vintages, including the '98, which the Wine Spectator rated 93. Strongly resembles the wines of two great Cabernet vintages of the past - the '97 in Napa in California, and the '82 in Bordeaux in France.
Blends 14% Merlot with 86% Cabernet Sauvignon. Will keep and improve for 10-20 years. Get every bottle you can. 1998 Bushman's Creek Shiraz - $15
Best Buy - Top-notch, beautifully made shiraz. Smells rich and smooth, with some coffee. Strong cherry
fruit, silky texture, ample acid and tannin, very delicious, and long. Equals the quality of shiraz costing over twice as much. 2000 Devon Hill Merlot - $18
Beautiful Merlot Sweetly fruity, fairly lush, cherry and blackberry. Plush tannins and nice acidity. Brighter
than most merlots and very well balanced. If this same wine were made in Napa California instead of South Africa, the asking price would be considerably more. 1996 Thomas Fogarty Merlot, Santa Cruz Mountains - $22
Superb Merlot Don't be afraid that this wine is too old or cooked. On the contrary, count yourself lucky that you can still buy a wine that has aged well, not just keeping but improving. Cherry merlot pushed in the
direction of blackberries and cassis, with a grip that few Merlots achieve. If you treasure Merlot for soft lushness, this is not your wine. The secret to this wine may be that it has 5% Cabernet Sauvignon, which
gives the Merlot extra firmness and lift. Will easily keep another 5 years.
Newsletter #6 - May 8, 2002
Ken's Picks - Noteworthy Wines from Richard Stetler's The Best Cellar - by Ken Goosens1997 Cooper Garrod Cabernet Sauvignon, Valley View Vineyard - $43
Excellent and Rare An excellent balance between power and smoothness. Smells full of purple fruit, delicious, briary, and bright. In the mouth, it is smooth, driving, and long. Strong without awkwardness. A
wine you will find very few places in Florida. 1998 Davis Bynum Cabernet Sauvignon, Hedin Vineyard - $32
Superb Cabernet Sauvignon One of the relatively few great wines from the 1998 vintage in California,
where this vintage's Cabernet tends to lack intensity. Shares the bright red berry nose of many '98s, but is darker and denser, with powerful cassis fruit, a fine acidity, and tannin that is most noticeable on the finish.
Needs a few years to fully integrate, but built to last much longer. A wine that will hold its own with top wines from the much better '97 vintage. 2000 Tualatin Sparking Muscat - $19
Delicious Sweet Wine Not a bubbly wine just one that has a light fizz on the inside of the glass. A superb example of low-alcohol wine that is easy and fun to drink. A delicious melange of fruit, including
guava, papaya, starfruit, peach, pear, and oranges. Serve this at a party and watch it disappear. 2000 Thomas Fogarty Gewurtraminer, Monterey - $15
Wonderful and Different A variety of grape whose wine is seldom drunk in the United States, and whose distinctive taste tends to polarize people into those who love and those who hate it. Tames the weirdness
that some people dislike. Wonderfully aromatic nose full of rose petals. Also smells bright, clear, and
intense. Somewhat softer and rounder in the mouth, with a long aftertaste. Delicious throughout. Very good with Oriental food.
Newsletter #5 - May 1, 2002
Ken's Picks - Noteworthy Wines from Richard Stetler's The Best Cellar - by Ken Goosens1998 Trufo, San Savino - $19
Top Notch Sangiovese One of the least expensive wines to receive a top, 3-glass rating in Italy's premier wine evaluation publication - the Gambero Rosso. Deep purple color. Smells rich with layers of plums and
cherries. The mouth combines plumy fruit with medium acidity. Has enough tannin to be slightly drying in
the finish, but also give the wine excellent structure and a long life in the bottle. A wine you don't have to wait on to enjoy but will get better over the next three years and easily hold for another three.
1999 Jackson Estate, Marlborough - $22
Excellent Chardonnay - A suave wine that draws you in with aromas of vanilla, butter, and lees, and then
hangs chardonnay fruit flavors on a frame of firm but ripe acidity. Good intensity, perfect balance, and great smoothness. Shows New Zealand can compete with the better chardonnays from anywhere else.
1998 Isimbarda Montezavo, Rosso Riserva - $22
Superb Wine {Coming Soon} I pre-tasted a sample of this wine that The Best Cellar plans to bring in, so
the price is not firm yet. Cross your fingers it arrives and place your order. Continues a streak of superb
wines from Italy from vintages 1997-2000. Purple/black color. Smells clear, deep, and full of cherry fruit.
Has amazingly fresh fruit that enters the mouth blazing, more like a wine just bottled than one four years old. Medium acidity and long aftertaste. Lanson Black Label - $28
An Excellent Champagne (Non-Vintage) - A very French champagne dry with tiny persistent bubbles, framed by a yeasty nose and brisk acidity, and topped with a lemony fruit. Wonderful with food that isn't
sweet, including eggs, seafood, pasta, cheese, and fruit, especially strawberries. Tasty, refreshing, and not the least bit soft. A wine which is very consistent in its style and makeup from one year to the next.
Newsletter #4 - April 24, 2002
Ken's Picks - Noteworthy Wines from Richard Stetler's The Best Cellar - by Ken Goosens1994 Grant Burge Meshach - $130
Expensive, Rare, and Top of the Line - A premium, all syrah wine from Australia, that aspires to be one of the great wines of the world. Putting this wine in your mouth is like tapping the gas petal in a Corvette
sports car you lay rubber and struggle to hold on. The flavors instantly rocket up and just never come down. Thick fruit, tar, and toasty oak. You don't drink this wine it drinks you. Expensive but a great
experience. 1998 Bodega Cabernet Sauvignon - $19
Great Wine, Good Value A near perfect wine that has only been getting better. True cabernet character
briary, firm bed of tannins, deep cassis fruit, good drive throughout, jump in intensity at the finish. A wonderful combination of being enjoyable young while having the power to improve. Get it while you still
can. The 1991-1994 vintages have all held up well, and this is an even greater wine. 2000 Buckley's Shiraz, $12
Best Buy Wears its heart on its sleeve smooth, forward, ready to drink. Raspberry and blackberry. Very pleasant, no hard tannins, and even long. Superb quality for the price.
2000 Negro Guiseppe Barbera d'Alba - $19
Great Fruit A wine centered on fresh fruit flavor that isn't just bright, but also deep and driving. Blasts
into the mouth with a grapiness that then pushes through the mid-palate and hangs in the finish. Not tart or
drying but just enough acidity and tannins to keep the wine from being formless or chunky. Shows how a fruit-centered wine can be not only pretty and delicious, but also serious and interesting.
Newsletter #3 - April 17, 2002
Ken's Picks - Noteworthy Wines from Richard Stetler's The Best Cellar - by Ken Goosens1997 Davis Bynum, Red Table Wine, Westside Road - $48
Expensive, Rare, and Top of the Line -
A special selection of the best vineyard sections of Merlot and Cabernet Sauvignon in Russian River. Inky, rich, layers of flavor. Great mid-palate drive. When you
swallow, there is an intense spike of flavor, with a very grapey finish that coats the mouth with fruit and tannins. Superb now but with the stuffing to become a truly great classic with 5-15 years additional age.
With time, the wine will become seamlessly smooth and even more aromatic and complex. Better than wines costing over $100 a bottle. A great wine from a great vintage.
2001 Selaks Ice Wine, half bottle - $16
Great Dessert Wine Lovely and intense mixture of sweetness, acidity, and fruit, featuring oranges. Not
cloyingly sweet. A blend of Riesling and Gewurztraminer grapes, concentrated by freezing the water out of the grapes. So concentrated you could drink this with an eyedropper. A lovely way to finish an evening.
Whenever I serve this, my wife jokingly advises me that if I want any, I'd better be opening my own bottle. 1998 Lake Breeze Shiraz - $19
Great Wine, Good Value
Everything you want in a Shiraz dark, dense, grapy, smooth, spicy, peppery, and well structured. 1999 Christopher Creek Petite Syrah - $30
Different and Wonderful
One of the pleasures of serving wine is to introduce people to a puzzling wine that they don't recognize but definitely like. Petite Syrah is not a Syrah, but another European grape
that makes exciting wines in California. While this bottle is somewhat pricey, the wine is dark, intense, captures the essence of blackberries. So dense your teeth stick together.
Newsletter #2 - April 10, 2002
Ken's Picks - Noteworthy Wines from The Best Cellar by Ken Goosens 1997 Clos Mimi Syrah - $80
Expensive, Rare, and Special A wine with very small production, made by a Syrah specialist in California. I remember once when a friend brought a "cult" California Pinot Noir for us to taste that was
extremely difficult to get, like this wine. After all that buildup, it tasted like sweet strawberry soda pop.
Clos Mimi does not suffer from that bubble-bursting pretension. It is black, thick, succulent, fleshy, and
lush. This is the wine to get if you want one that will distinguish you from the 99.9% of the world that cannot obtain a bottle, make your friends envious, but still impress true wine lovers. The wine will improve with age,
because right now it is so massive that you cannot taste secondary flavors, and the wine should become more structured as the tannins become less overwhelmed by the immense fruit.
1999 Slaley Shiraz - $19
Great Wine, Good Value - I liked this wine from the day it arrived. In a blind syrah tasting a year ago,
against stiff competition from all over the world, it came in third. In a recent repeat blind syrah tasting, it
came in second and was my personal favorite. The wine at three years old is better than it has ever been, showing steady improvement with bottle age. Wonderfully aromatic, with classic raspberry, blackberry,
and black pepper flavors, and integrated acidity, tannins, and oak. You can drink it anytime, and will be amply rewarded for keeping some bottles in your cellar for future enjoyment. Don't wait if you want some,
because this is probably the last year it will be available. 2000 Calina Cabernet Sauvignon Reserve - $13
Best Buy - A wine that captures the delicious side of Cabernet Sauvignon. Although a Chilean wine, it is owned and made by Kendall-Jackson, who tailored it to satisfy the American palette for fruity wine. Light in
tannins, medium bodied, with a strong red-berry fruit that is remarkably delectable and long. Drink in the next year, before the ultra-bright new fruit begins to subside.
1998 Bredell Pinotage - $15
Different and Wonderful - The enormous variety of types and flavors available is one of the attractions of
wine drinking. Pinotage makes a very distinctive wine different from the standard grape varieties grown in
the United States and Europe. It is a cross between two French grapes, Cinsault and Pinot Noir, and is
widely grown only in South Africa. Blackberries and black cherries with an intriguing banana oil in the finish. Fine grained tannins and inky color. Best Pinotage wine I've had as well as a best buy.
Newsletter #1 - April 3, 2002 Ken's Picks - Noteworthy Wines from The Best Cellar by Ken Goosens 1997 Dievole Chianti Novacenta $50
Expensive, Rare, and Worth Every Dollar - You don't drink this wine you experience it. Not just great Chianti, but great wine period. Like most top Chiantis, 100% Sangiovese grapes. Amazing blast of
grapiness, leather, and tannin, yet rounded, silky, and beautifully integrated. Youthful, deep, and extremely
long. Absolutely no let down from the instant it hits the mouth, through mid-palate, to final swallow and aftertaste. Will easily keep and improve for 10 years. Claims to be a favorite of the Pope. Heaven on
earth. 1997 Smith and Hook Cabernet Sauvignon Baroness Reserve - $24
Great Wine at a Great Price - Intense mixture of plums and cassis with coffee undertones. Long, balanced,
wonderfully integrated tannins and wood. Top of the line from this vineyard, from the best vintage of the
90's in California, at a sale price you will never see again. Savor it now or any year in the next decade. 1998 Homewood Zinfandel, Russian River - $16
Top-Notch and Best Buy Zinfandel - Zinfandel is famous for coming out of the barrel bursting with fruit. This beautiful Zinfandel is not only fruity, but clearly combines the three fruits of raspberry, blackberry, and
black currant, held up by soft tannins and extending all the way through a long finish. Watch Zinfandels from the Russian River in California, which feature complex, well-delineated flavors nicely framed by acid and
tannin. Swig this down any time in the next two years. 1999 Valley of the Moon Pinot Blanc - $16
Different and Wonderful - Tired of more of the same-o? Stump your friends with this pungent, driving, and concentrated white wine. Pinot Blanc is used in the Alsace in France as an inexpensive, mild blending
wine, here transformed into a powerhouse that is not only refreshing alone but goes beautifully with seafood, pastas, and cheeses. When wine shows this well, drink it now.
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Richard Stetler's Fine Wines & Tastings
