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Newsletter #62 December 17, 2003
Ken's Picks - Noteworthy Wines from Richard Stetler's The Best Cellar - by Ken Goosens 2001 Hahn Syrah, Merlot, and Meritage - $12-$16
Buying Alert
. 2001 is the greatest vintage Hahn has produced. The spike in quality makes these wines great values. The wines were released early and have deservedly sold well, but already the Chardonnay has sold
through to the 2002 vintage. These are flavorful and serious wines that drank extremely well on release and will hold for another five years. Buy these in quantity while you still can.
1996 Duval Leroy Brut Champagne - $32
Excellent Good Buy. A well-integrated Champagne that is clearly based on Chardonnay. Features lemon
citrus and honey. The acidity is smooth rather than sharp. Most 1996 champagnes have firm and edgy acidity that requires more time to round and integrate, but not this one. The best part now is the aftertaste
long, elegant, smooth, complex, and surprisingly powerful. Very appealing, well liked by novices and experts alike, and modestly priced for vintage champagne. 1998 Chateau St. George Trilogie - $36
Excellent
. The top wine of this Bordeaux estate, made only from the best grapes in the better vintages. 100% Merlot made in 100% new French oak. Very dark with a dense black cherry and blueberry flavor.
Structured by tannins that are ripe but drying and aggressive. Not your lush or soft Merlot. Needs more years of age to tame the tannins and let the fruit come forward, and will richly reward patience. A good price for this wine.
1999 Viu 1 Malbec - $45
Great. An impressive premium, top of the line wine from Viu Manent in Chili. Made in the big-scale
international style forward, dense, smooth, deep, very ripe, and complex. Approachable young, with suave tannins that do not require aging and are not drying. Boysenberries, blackberries, and black cherries, with a
touch of chocolate and coffee. Very savory and long. Will drink fabulously any time in the next five years but should be monitored beyond that. The greatest Malbec I have ever tasted, although I doubt anyone
would recognize the wine as Malbec. In California, Malbec often has an earthy funkiness, and in France, a drying roughness, but Chile and Argentina make Malbec reliably ripe, full-bodied, suave, and more
exuberantly fruity. Not cheap, but not expensive for what it is.
Newsletter #61 December 10, 2003
Ken's Picks - Noteworthy Wines from Richard Stetler's The Best Cellar - by Ken Goosens 2000 Roche Costamaga Barbera Annunziata - $16
Good Barbera
. Dark red color, silky mouth feel, with cherry and plum in the nose and mouth. Medium to full bodied, with enough tannin for structure while remaining softly textured. A good affordable introduction to
Barbera. Drink in the next three years. 1999 Valpantena Falasco Amarone della Valpolicella - $33
Excellent
. Dark purple with a surprising nose of wild game. In the mouth, the taste is quickly taken over by a brown sugar flavor, combined with some grapiness and then the taste of alcohol on the end of the finish. Rich,
smoothly textured, and dense, but needs more time in the bottle or airing for the flavors to become better differentiated and integrated. 2000 Ambrosini Riflesso Antico Montepuliciano d'Abbruzzo - $40
Superb
. Begins with two promising features when first poured a viscous look, and opaque color. The nose features a deep blackberry. The mouth has that high-acid high-fruit combination of blackberries, with some
blueberry. You can feel the tannins, but the rich texture and concentrated flavors coat the mouth and overwhelm the tannins. Very ripe, rich, and forward, with the potential to develop into an even more complex wine with more age.
1997 La Togata Brunello Di Montelcino Reserva - $95
Great. Begins with a dark and brooding color, followed by an obviously rich and very deep nose. A huge
red and black cherry, loaded with purple plums and laced with a minty coolness. Powerful yet approachable, with a good acidity and very ripe tannins that are already integrated into the wine and are not woody or
drying. Immensely enjoyable, savory, and complete right now. A wine with the command and interest to keep sipping for an hour. Made in a forward and generous style that doesn't hold back, and not expensive for
what it is. Drink anytime in the next five years. Treat yourself if you can afford it.
Newsletter #60 December 3, 2003
Ken's Picks - Noteworthy Wines from Richard Stetler's The Best Cellar - by Ken Goosens 2002 Devon Hill Sauvignon Blanc - $16
Classy
. South Africa makes world class Sauvignon Blanc, along with France, New Zealand, and Austria. What the wines from all these countries share is ripe and refreshing acidity, complex citrus flavors, and
piquant drive in the mouth. The Devon Hill version features lime and grapefruit along with some gooseberry. Drink this wine within the next year. 2001 Viljoensdrift Pinotage - $16
Sumptuous and Savory
. When I reviewed this wine before, I was impressed by the juicy fruitiness and the lack of greenness and bitterness which often mars Pinotage not properly ripened. The wine now is even
more smooth, delicious, and fruit-forward. The surprising turn is that the wine now tastes more like a sumptuous and deeply colored Pinot Noir! Not just a wine you can swig down for pleasure, but also one you
can savor by itself and with a wide variety of foods, including trout, soup, and ham. When wine tastes this good, drink it now, though it will probably be good for two more years. A wine that is not only good as
Pinotage, but good period. 2000 Slaley Merlot - $23
Classy. Begins with a not unpleasant stink in the nose, which soon evolves into earth and cherry flavors. In
the mouth, a high acidity pushes the cherry flavors into blackberry. What raises the class of this Merlot is a fullness of body, combined with plums and a surprising leatheriness. The 1999 version of this same Merlot is
a little lighter in color, a little less rich, and less acidic, but beautifully smooth and seamless. Expect the 2000 to be as finely developed in about two more years and surpass the excellent 1999.
2000 Avontuur Weisser Riesling Late Harvest Above Royalty $22 half bottle
Even Better. I gave this dessert wine an excellent rating on release for its concentration, balance of
sweetness with acidity, and promise. That promise is well on its way to being fulfilled. The flavors have become more defined, rich, and complex. We now more clearly see a spicy honey and butterscotch, with the
start of apricot. The botrytis mold that shrank the grapes and concentrated the flavors shows no bitterness or mustiness. The new oak has been absorbed into the wine and adds fullness and richness without being
distracting. At this stage, the wine reminds me how the great dessert Rieslings of Navarro in California tasted early after their release. All the wine needs to step into the top echelon of dessert wines is some acidic fruit
flavors, such as lemon, lime, orange, and pineapple. Unfortunately, those of you who skeptically waited to see how great this wine will become will have to place your bets now, because not much of this wine remains
for sale. I'm betting on it again.
Newsletter #59 November 19, 2003
Ken's Picks - Noteworthy Wines from Richard Stetler's The Best Cellar - by Ken Goosens 2002 Hahn Chardonnay - $12
Best Buy
. A classic, well-made Chardonnay at a very decent price. Butterscotch, lemon, and vanilla. Smooth, long, fresh, and tasty. The 2001 had a thicker texture but the same flavor profile as this 2002. This
Hahn is one of the better affordable Chardonnays from California. NV Kiona Vivacious Vicky - $13
Best Buy. Fairly dark in color, very forward and pleasant, and surprisingly complex. Not thick in texture, but
definitely flavorful. Blueberries, grapes, and spice, with low tannin and medium acidity. A blend of Cabernet Sauvignon, Merlot, Lemberger, Syrah, and Pinot Noir. 2000 Columbia Crest Reserve Cabernet Sauvignon - $32
Serious. Darkly colored. Enters the mouth with a burst of soft fruit emphasizing black and red cherry, and then firms up with both acid and tannin with a long and intense finish. Excellent now, and should improve with
2-6 years of age. 1998 Chateau Suduiraut Sauterne - $23 half bottle
Elegant Dessert Wine. Not a thick, unctuous sauterne. Instead, well structured by cleansing acidity, with
spice and pineapple. In the mouth, the wine starts out with medium concentration, featuring a restrained but distinct mixture of apricot, raisins, and crθme brule. The taste builds with repeated sips. Good now and
should become better with 2-10 years of age.
Newsletter #58 November 12, 2003
Ken's Picks - Noteworthy Wines from Richard Stetler's The Best Cellar - by Ken Goosens 2001 Hanenhof Shiraz - $23
Strong
. Spicy, sweetly fruity, strongly flavored, laced with menthol, and very long. Dark, serious, and showy. 2000 Gary Farrell Zinfandel Maple Vineyard - $29
Well Made.
Nicely structured by tannin and acidity, good intensity throughout, with fine definition and a complexity fruit combination of currants, blackberries, and raspberry. 1999 Preston Merlot Reserve - $23
Well Structured Merlot. Black cherry and currants. Sweetly fruity with drying tannins. A fine example of a Merlot more structured than Cabernet. Should continue to improve for two more years as the tannins
continue to integrate and soften. 1999 John's Blend Cabernet - $50
Rich and Lush. Smells deep and smooth, with a light mint. In the mouth, smooth and minty, with cassis and
dark plums. Low tannin, medium acidity, and lavishly textured. Resembles great Napa wine in that the tannins are soft, the fruit is forward, and the initial taste is not sweet. Very limited quantities and difficult to find
anywhere. Impressive now and can be drunk anytime in the next five years.
Newsletter #57 October 29, 2003
Ken's Picks - Noteworthy Wines from Richard Stetler's The Best Cellar - by Ken Goosens 2002 McManis Family Vineyards Pinot Grigio - $11
Delicious
. A wine that definitely demonstrates that California can add a wonderful twist to wines from elsewhere here, an Italian mainstay. Firm, floral nose. Good intensity. Long aftertaste. Flat out tasty, and
more hedonistic that the Italian version. Good buy. 2001 Elyse Morisoli Vineyard Zinfandel - $30
Exuberant
. A fine example of how Zinfandel can make an over-the-top wine that remains very attractive. Jammy red raspberry nose which follows straight into the mouth, which adds an undercurrent of black
currants and a light touch of green pepper. Medium acidity, low tannin, lavishly textured. An abiding sweetness in the mouth though the aftertaste is not sweet, indicating that most of the sweetness is fruit rather
than residual sugar. 2001 Elyse Rutherford Petite Sirah - $31
Fruity and Lush. A nose that has more coffee aromas than most coffees, plus a chocolate cherry. The
mouth adds black pepper, black cherry, and plums. Low tannins and medium acidity. Dense, velvety, and very drinkable. 2000 Steven Kent Cabernet Sauvignon - $53
Serious Cabernet.
Very fine Cabernet from a vintage that produced noticeably fewer fine efforts. Very dark. A deeply flavored nose of cinnamon, currants, and chocolate. Enters the mouth with a distinct opulence and
very good acidity, and finishes firmly tannic and dry. Not much produced. Should easily age and improve for a decade, and noticeably improve after 3-5 years as the tannins soften, integrate, and release even more fruit.
Newsletter #56 October 22, 2003
Ken's Picks - Noteworthy Wines from Richard Stetler's The Best Cellar - by Ken Goosens 2001 Domaine Thomas Sancerre La Crele - $22
Great Sauvignon Blanc
. This wine shows that while places like New Zealand and South Africa make great and inexpensive Sauvignon Blanc, the Loire region in France still makes the greatest. What distinguishes
Loire Sauvignon Blanc is a contribution of mineral extract from the soil, which boosts the wine's intensity, complexity, and fullness of flavor, plus refreshing and razor-sharp acidity. What distinguishes Sauvignon
Blancs from Thomas is complexity of fruit and subdued grassiness. This version adds a layer of orange and tangerine to the typical gooseberry, grapefruit, and lemon/lime. Clean and crisp, with zingy, incredibly
refreshing acidity that nevertheless remains fully ripe and smooth. Very long aftertaste. Pre-tasted from a sample. 2000 Chateau Carsin - $15
Fruity Bordeaux
. This winery the only one in Bordeaux whose owner is Finnish is establishing a reputation for making wines in Bordeaux that have California's bright fruit and approachability. While dark,
aromatic, and fruit-forward, underneath all that is enough Bordeaux acidity, earthiness, and tannin to add structure, ageability, complexity, and fullness. Should last for 3-7 years. NV Bookwalter Lot 15 - $13
Dense and Lush. A Washington State wine that blends multiple vintages of Cabernet Sauvignon, Merlot, and Cabernet Franc, with a little Syrah. Purple plums, boysenberry, and cherries. Low acid and low tannin.
Dense enough to have a chocolate taste. Nice touch of smoke from new oak. Deep, soft, and lush. Tastes more like California Syrah than the small proportion would suggest. A great value from a winery that
consistently makes excellent wines. 1997 Rotllan Torra Reserva - $17
Liquid Pleasure. The Priorat region in Spain is the home base of the greatest and most expensive wines
made from a grape that probably originated in Spain and is the second most planted wine grape in the world but is not much grown in the United States. That grape is Grenache, which is marvelously fruity, ripe, tasty,
and rounded, and is often blended with darker, more tannic wines. Fortunately for us, Spain also produces great but inexpensive versions of Grenache and Grenache blends. This wine from Rotllan is dark, youthful,
full-bodied, rich, intense, suave, and tasty. Its smell is the essence of red raspberry jam. How a drink made
from grapes can smell more like another fruit, like raspberry, than the fruit itself, is one of the more intriguing
facts about wine. That jammy sweetness is not so much sugar as concentrated fruit. In the mouth the same raspberry flavor predominates, but in a dryer framework of acidity and tannin provided by Cabernet
Sauvignon and Carignan. The wine combines the smoothness of an older wine with the brightness of a young
one. Very little of this wine is available anywhere. Stash away this hedonistic turn-on, to be relished any time you want for the next three to seven years. Rotllan also makes a Grand Reserva and special high-end
bottlings that step up from this very fine Reserva.
Newsletter #55 October 15, 2003
Ken's Picks - Noteworthy Wines from Richard Stetler's The Best Cellar - by Ken Goosens 1999 Andrew Harris Cabernet Reserve - $22
Classic Australian
. Dark in color, with a sweet nose common in Australian Cabernet Sauvignon wines. Combines mint, cassis, earth, and tannin, while remaining flavorful and tasty. 1999 Chappellet Cabernet Sauvignon Napa - $35
Classic Napa. Near black, with deep aromas of plums and cassis. Full-bodied and loaded with fruit in the
middle. Chocolate, good acidity, and smooth tannins. Tasting as good as the more expensive Signature Cabernet. 1996 Privado Rincon Cabernet Sauvignon Special Reserve - $22 estimated
Classic Spanish.
No firm price yet. Very different from American and Australian Cabernets. Resolutely dry, with a noticeable wood barrel flavor and tannin. Graceful and strong in flavor, with fruit but about more
than fruit. Aging slowly, and not going downhill. A wine from Argentina, built like traditional Spanish Cabernets. 2000 Preston Cabernet Sauvignon Reserve - $25
Great Best Buy.
This wine is a worthy successor to the great 1997 and 1998 vintages that, in multiple double blind tastings of Cabernet Sauvignon and blends, repeatedly took first place, showing a broad appeal
to novices and experienced drinkers alike. Amazingly, the earlier vintages bested other wines from Washington State as well as from California, France, Australia, and more. Although one of the most
expensive wines I have rated a best buy, it will surpass challengers costing up to two and occasionally four times as much. Wines like this have to have no faults, taste well young and old alike, and fire on all cylinders,
showing great power, balance, and complexity. A classic Bordeaux blend of mostly Cabernet Sauvignon, with a significant contribution of Merlot, and a little Cabernet Franc. The aromatic smell enticingly foretells
the taste and draws you in. In the mouth, the flavors splash, rise, and last for minutes, with no let down. The tannins are firm, but ripe, fine-grained, and approachable. There are complementary non-fruit flavors from
new oak, fermentation, and the earth. The acidity gives brightness and freshness with no sour or chemical notes. The fruit is a generous and delightful mix of black currant, cherry, and berries, with no green, vegetal,
or bitter tastes. The flavors are kinetic, evolving, and surprising, rather than static. In the world of surfers, this wine bottles the big wave.
Just paddle out to the wine store, get every bottle you can, and treat yourself to a ride inside the curl, anytime you want, for at least four years.
Newsletter #54 September 17, 2003
Ken's Picks - Noteworthy Wines from Richard Stetler's The Best Cellar - by Ken Goosens 2002 La Cappuccina San Brizio Soave - $13
Refreshing.
A delightfully refreshing white wine. Smells and finishes creamy smooth. Apple and citrus framed by nice acidity. 100% Gargenega grapes. One of the best Soave wines I have had, featuring a
combination brightness, complexity, and intensity of flavor. 2000 Jacob's Creek Cabernet Sauvignon Reserve - $15
Quality Buy.
This wine hits that wonderful spot in Cabernet purchases wines $15 or less that are as good as Cabernets costing up to $30. Suffers from none of the usual flaws and limitations of wines in this price
range not green, bitter, rough, or thin. Dark, aromatic, enough tannin to be structured, dry, long, and delivers a clear cassis flavor. 2000 Mariettia Cellars Syrah - $19
Generous and Giving
. A style of wine that Marietta Cellars has down pat fruit-forward, smooth, and tasty. Though ready to drink when bottled, the wine is in no danger of falling apart before three or more
years. The wine is dark in color, has surprising bright acidity rather than being flabby, and finishes dry rather than sweet. Syrah with some Petit Syrah. 2001 Primosec Riserva Metamorfosis - $25
Quality Italian Meritage. The classic blend of Merlot, Cabernet Sauvignon, and Cabernet Franc. Not
black or heavy, but good intensity of flavor. Shows excellent finesse, balance, and transparency. Cherry and cassis, medium tannins, and dry.
Newsletter #53 September 10, 2003
Ken's Picks - Noteworthy Wines from Richard Stetler's The Best Cellar - by Ken Goosens 2001 Cantaruti Canto - $11
Outstanding Best Buy
. A blend of Pinot Blanc, Tocai, and Sauvignon Blanc from Italy. The color is tinted gold. The nose is aromatic and the flavors in the mouth begin with pineapple, yellow delicious apple, and
peach, accented by a touch of citrus and sweet grass. As the wine sat in the glass for a half hour, a wonderful orange and tangerine emerged, more like Muscat, even though that grape is not in the blend. Not
a light summery wine - instead fuller-bodied, complex, and intensely flavored with a long and even alcoholic finish. Drink from now though the next two years. 2001 Valpantena Valpolicella Superiore - $13
Outstanding Best Buy. Dark red color, with a plumy and spicy nose. Cedar, plums, and even leather in the
mouth, with excellent grip, structure, and intensity. Tastes more like Cabernet Sauvignon. An outstanding Valpolicella Superiore, which often is anything but superior. Tasting this wine back and forth with a fine
Supertuscan and a Bordeaux blend, I was astonished to find I preferred this wine. Buy it by the case. 1999 Piramimma Petit Verdot - $20
Good and Unusual
. Dark in color, with boysenberry and plum, finishing dry with a good shot of tannins. Very seldom do we get an opportunity to see a bottling of all Petit Verdot. Usually, Petit Verdot is the
smallest component in a Bordeaux blend after Merlot, Cabernet Sauvignon, and Cabernet Franc. Has a triple benefit. Enjoy this wine as wine. Stump even your serious wine friends by serving it blind and asking
what grape it is. Learn how to recognize Petit Verdot's contribution to a blend. 1999 Godwin Meritage, Moss Oak Vineyard - $27
Excellent Meritage
. Dark in color with a hint of the smell of watermelon rind. In the mouth, the wine is almost lush, with blackberry and cassis. Has ample acidity and a healthy dose of tannin. All the Godwin
wines I have tasted have been excellent in quality with reasonable rather than outrageous prices, and combine California fruitiness with French structure and complexity. A winery well worth checking.
Newsletter #52 September 3, 2003
Ken's Picks - Noteworthy Wines from Richard Stetler's The Best Cellar - by Ken Goosens 1998 Simonsvlei Cabernet Sauvignon - $10
Best Buy
. Lightly tannic and not heavy bodied, but well balanced and tasty. Red raspberry, cassis, and even strawberry. This wine has not only held up well, but actually improved. A definite best buy. Marietta Cellars, Lot #32 - $15
Delicious Best Buy. One of the most dependable and drinkable wines made in the United States. Does not
have a vintage, and blends together wines from different places and possibly even vintages. Chiefly Zinfandel, with Carignan, Petit Syrah, and even 5% Cabernet Sauvignon. Dark purple/red. Very approachable, tasty,
long, dry, and smooth. Drink now and anytime in the next three years, and know, every time, this wine will give you pleasure. 1999 Bodega Cabernet Sauvignon - $16
Excellent Cabernet
. A wine that has put on weight, complexity, and length since being first released. Ripe tannins, cassis, and raspberry. A wine that I certainly underrated before as too light. 1999 Atalon Merlot - $19
Excellent Merlot. A wonderful and atypical Merlot for Napa. Usually, Merlot from Napa is dark in color, with medium acidity and modest tannins, anchored by a black cherry fruit. Instead, this is Merlot pushed in
the direction of the Cabernet Sauvignon and Cabernet Franc grown in cooler climates, such as Bordeaux and Washington State. Intense, very dry, chocolaty, laced with earth and minerals, plus fruit.
Newsletter #51 August 20, 2003
Ken's Picks - Noteworthy Wines from Richard Stetler's The Best Cellar - by Ken Goosens 1999 Clos Pegasse Chardonnay, Mitsuko's Vineyard - $33
Excellent California Chardonnay
. A style of Chardonnay that exemplifies California's contribution to the many fine styles Chardonnay is capable of producing. Buttery, oaky, clingy, alcoholic, and honied. Very lavish, intense, and long.
2000 Atalon Cabernet Sauvignon - $30
Excellent Cabernet. Has enough tannin to be well structured and not grapey. Dark, but not opaque.
Concentrated without sacrificing clarity and complexity of flavors. Black cherry, cassis, pencil lead, semi-sweet chocolate, and red raspberry. Much more than a blast of fruit. A noteworthy combination of
Bordeaux and California styles. 1999 Chappellet Signature Napa Cabernet - $43
Classic California. A good example of the kind of fine Cabernet Sauvignon that California produces almost
every vintage. Purple plums and black cherry in the nose, which follows through in the mouth. Spicy, alcoholic, warm, broad, and moderately tannic. 1999 Babcock Syrah Black Label Cuvee - $45
Big Scaled. A fine example of very dark, dense, alcoholic wine. Yet not overdone to the point of being baked, raisiny, or chunky. Features a lovely taste of blueberries and violets.
Newsletter #50 August 6, 2003
Ken's Picks - Noteworthy Wines from Richard Stetler's The Best Cellar - by Ken Goosens 2002 Brancott Gewurztraminer Patutahi Estate "P"- $18
Excellent Gewurtztraminer
. Not just the rose, spice, and oil typical for this grape, but a long, balanced, full and satisfying taste. Blends in some grapes affected by botrytis, which increases concentration and
complexity. Not inexpensive, but definitely a step up in quality. 2000 Highfield Pinot Noir - $??
Excellent Pinot
. One of the better Pinot Noirs I have had from New Zealand, which demonstrates the potential of New Zealand to make world class wine. Darkly colored, sweetly fruity, and earthy, with a
density of flavor that goes beyond cherry into purple plums. Well framed by strong acidity most evident in the finish. Tasted from a sample, with price yet to be set.
1999 Illuminati Montepulciano d'Abruzzo Riparosso - $15
Dense, Fruity, and Forward. For many years, Italian wines were designed to be high in acidity to go well
with food. This wine has low tannins and low acidity, which makes it more forward and lush. Dark in color, thick smelling, with a powerful grapy taste. 1998 La Lumia Signorio - $24
Serious and Different.
One of the delights offered by wines from Europe is a dazzling variety of wines from an amazing number of local grape varieties. This wine is all Nero d'Avola grapes. It has no discernible taste
of wood just a rich, direct taste of blackberries and plums, without just being another Pinot Noir, Cabernet Sauvignon, Merlot, or Cabernet Franc. Long and tasty.
Newsletter #49 July 30, 2003
Ken's Picks - Noteworthy Wines from Richard Stetler's The Best Cellar - by Ken Goosens 2002 Casa Lapostolle Sauvignon Blanc - $11
Good Value
. Dominated by a taste of honeydew melon along with grapefruit. Also has a light grassiness and a slightly bitter or metallic taste of rind. The fruit is lightly sweet, the acidity is medium strong, and the
aftertaste is long. Not as good as more expensive New Zealand sauvignon blanc, but getting close, with a lower price. One of the best sauvignon blancs I've had from South America.
2001 Concha Y Toro Marques Casa Concha Cabernet Sauvignon - $13
Very Good Value. Dark, tannic, firm, drying, briary, with good fruit. True Cabernet flavor with good
concentration. The Marques Casa Concha line of wines is one of the best from Chile for delivering excellent quality at a good price. 2000 Casa Lapostelle Merlot Cuvee Alexandre - $20
Serious Merlot.
Very dark, with concentrated black cherry flavor, smooth tannins and a dry finish. At this price, however, Washington and California do often make some Merlots equal or superior, such as Powers,
Marcellina, Columbia Crest Grand Estates, and the 2001 Hahn. 1998 Chapel Hill Shiraz - $20
Excellent Shiraz. The last supply of an excellent wine, at a closeout price. Used to be priced in the upper
$20's. Long, tasty, smooth, and rounded. Close to a peak, but should hold for about two more years.
Newsletter #48 July 23, 2003
Ken's Picks - Noteworthy Wines from Richard Stetler's The Best Cellar - by Ken Goosens 1999 Brancott Chardonnay Reserve - $17
Fine Chardonnay
. A beautifully balanced Chardonnay. Butter, butterscotch, vanilla, citrus, and acidity, framed by a nice nose and lingering finish. Well made, smooth, and tasty.
The following three wines were tasted from samples, and may be special ordered if they are not on the shelves. 1997 Monacesca Verdicchio - $12
Different and Interesting
. Many 1997 white wines would be deteriorating now, but this is not only holding but remains tasty, with concentrated flavors and excellent acidity. Should go well with white sauces, seafood,
and cheese. The Verdicchio grape makes a distinctive wine that tends to be full-bodied and crisp, with peach and lemon. 1995 Arroteno Chianti Reserva - $12
Best Buy
. A smooth Chianti that has plush tannins with good black and red cherry fruit. While not rich and dense, still a very drinkable, well-priced Chianti that will hold for several more years. Goes well with a wide
variety of foods, but especially with tomato-flavored dishes. 1999 Soletta Dolce Valle - $27
Tasty Dessert. A Muscat dessert wine featuring surprisingly high acidity balancing deep orange flavors. Not
as complex as the best dessert wines, but still tasty, without being overly sweet.
Newsletter #47 July 9, 2003
Ken's Picks - Noteworthy Wines from Richard Stetler's The Best Cellar - by Ken Goosens 2000 Hop Kiln Zinfandel, Russian River - $23
Amazing
. I retasted this blind one evening after trying several fine Zinfandels, including the Seven Deadly Zins. This one leaped over the others with dark color, juicy acidity, fine fruit, good complexity, and a backbone of tannin. 2001 Torbreck Woodcutter's Red - $18
Classic Superb Australian. Big fruit, very ripe, low tannins, moderate acidity, with alcohol and spice swirled
together in the taste. Styled to be enjoyable young and to hold or improve for about six years. The kind of dark, big-scaled, and enjoyable wine Australian is rightly famous for. 2002 Marquis-Philips Shiraz - $16
Great Value. Last year the 2001 version of this wine exploded on the wine scene, wowing critics and casual drinkers, propelled by a low price and a gushing review from Robert Parker. People wondered if this wine
would be a one-hit wonder, or if the wine makers could repeat that spectacular success. Well, this new vintage is at least as good as last year's and possibly better. Concentrated, sweetly fruity, loaded with
glass-coating glycerin, full-bodied, and gushing with fruit, alcohol, and spice, with a streak of black licorice. About as close as you can get without actually being raisiny. I would like higher acidity, more tannin, a strong
dose of new oak, and more fruit complexity, but for a straight off the boat experience, this wine is an unstoppable cannon blast. 1998 Pindar Mythology - $30
Excellent Bordeaux Blend
. Five wine varietals here the Long Island version of the great tradition in Bordeaux of blending different red wines 39% Merlot, 23 % Malbec, 14% Cabernet Sauvignon, 14%
Cabernet Franc, and the rest Petit Verdot. The Merlot is the most noticeable component, with red and black cherry, and a smoothness. The Malbec gives a funky taste I find difficult to describe, but which is often
noticeable in such North American blends. The two Cabernets add a strong acidity and strong tannic structure. The wine is competitive with such fine blends from the West Coast of the United States. The total
effect is a dark, rich, structured, and balanced wine. The only thing I found to be less than excellent is an acidity with a residual touch of malic acidity, which gives it a slightly underripe and foxy taste.
Newsletter #46 July 2, 2003
Ken's Picks - Noteworthy Wines from Richard Stetler's The Best Cellar - by Ken Goosens 2002 Brancott Sauvignon Blanc Reserve - $16
World Class
. Another in a seemingly endless string of world-class sauvignons at an affordable price from New Zealand. A delightful and complex wine featuring citrus, pear, gooseberry, and grapefruit, with firm and
mouth-refreshing acidity. 2000 Mischa Shiraz - $20
Well Made. Shiraz is one of the best red wine varietals grown South Africa. A smooth, balanced nose with
blackberry and plum. The mouth is a luxurious combination of high acidity, medium tannins, and rich fruit, with a smooth texture accented by new oak. Should last and improve for at least six years. 2001 Devon Hill Merlot - $17
Serious Merlot. Merlot not marred by green tannins or leafiness. The flavors show real concentration beyond just generic red berry or red cherry. A fleshy, velvety Merlot featuring plums, soft tannins, and smoke and
vanilla from new oak. Barboursville Octagon, Third Edition - $33
Excellent Bourdeaux Blend. One of the best red wines I have had from Virginia. Has more Merlot than
anything else, plus Cabernet Franc and Cabernet Sauvignon, augmented by Nebbiola to firm up the tannins. Has more firmness from acidity and tannin, plus greater intensity of flavors, yet remains smooth. Combines
black cherry, blackberry, cassis, and smoky new oak. This wine is competitive with West Coast Meritage and with true Bordeaux wines from France. Confusingly labeled, since the grapes all came from the 1998
vintage. Only made in better vintages and worth waiting for.
Newsletter #45 June 18, 2003
Ken's Picks - Noteworthy Wines from Richard Stetler's The Best Cellar - by Ken Goosens 2001 Kumeu River Chardonnay - $23
Great Chardonnay.
This estate on the warmer North Island in New Zealand has been consistently making world class chardonnay for under $25 a bottle. The chardonnay gets textbook treatment for the ambition to
produce a big-scale wine barrel fermentation in 100% new French oak, extended lees contact, 100% malolactic fermentation. In California this often produces overly oaky, buttery, low-acid tropical chardonnay.
The remarkable thing about this New Zealand is that the wine remains both strongly citric and highly acidic. The taste includes smoke, toast, vanilla, and butterscotch, with a wonderful balance and smoothness. The
citrus is a complex mixture of lemon, lemon zest, and lemon oil. Beautifully made, long lived, and like premium chardonnay from France at one-third the cost.
1999 Godwin Merlot, Alexander Valley, Moss Oak Vineyard - $30
Excellent Merlot. Has some Cabernet Sauvignon. Deep dark color. Plum, purple raspberry, and cassis.
Well structured. Far above the more common red-berry, red-cherry Merlot. 2001 Luigi Bosco Malbec - $16
Superb Malbec. Argentina is famous for making some the best wines from Malbec in the world, and this
wine shows why. Strong fruit, excellent clarity, enough tannin to give it structure, and a long, driving finish. 1998 Allesverloren Cabernet Sauvignon - $20
Fine Drinking Cabernet.
Smells deeply flavored. Big textbook taste of black currants. Very smooth and well integrated. A wine that started out fine and only improved with bottle age. As ready as it is to drink
now, it will improve for another two years and hold at a peak for three more. It's a rare treat to be able to buy such fine wine with some flattering age on it.
Newsletter #44 May 21, 2003
Ken's Picks - Noteworthy Wines from Richard Stetler's The Best Cellar - by Ken Goosens 2001 Rosenblum Rockpile Road Zinfandel - $30
Great Zinfandel
. Zinfandel is famous for making generous, dark, gushing wine, ready to drink when bottled. This wine starts from this base but builds much more. Century old hillside vines yield grapes with great
intensity of flavor. Volcanic soil, with gravel and clay, adds mineral spiciness. Letting the grapes hang on the vines until early October extracts even more soil flavors. Havesting by hand, not machine, permits greater
selection of grapes. Aging the wine in American and French oak barrels gives complexity and finish. Such attention and selection is normally reserved for premium wines made from Cabernet Sauvignon. The
result is concentrated, complex, and well structured, and pushes the flavors toward syrah/merlot/cabernet even though the grapes are 100% Zinfandel. Tannin from the grape skins and new oak gives the wine
firmness, makes the wine less grapey, and adds a vanilla component. The concentration edges the flavor toward chocolate. The spicy flavor is more a garden of spices including not just black pepper but anise and
licorice. A good acidity gives the wine juiciness in the mouth and pushes the fruit toward blackberry and cassis, complemented by plum, cherry, and raspberry. The mouth feel is rich and creamy. All of which
demonstrates how Zinfandel is capable of making not just fun but serious wine. 2000 Castello di Lucignano, "Il Sommo" - $22
Great Merlot.
This is the finest Merlot I have tasted from Italy in my life, at a price that is about a third of what premium Merlot normally costs. This wine is the premium line of an estate known mainly for modestly
priced Chianti. Falesco Montiano is another premium Italian Merlot that Robert Parker regularly gives a score of 95 and it's not as good as this wine. In a double-blind tasting that included superb wines not just
from Italy but also Bordeaux, California, Washington, Australia, and Spain, this wine was the consensus favorite of 15 people. The wine begins with an exciting purple/black color. The nose is deep, rich, and suave.
The mouth feel is velvety. The taste is incredibly mouth filling. This wine rivals the great Merlots of Pomerol in Bordeaux. Features that combination of lushness, power, and fullness that makes Merlot a world-class
grape
Newsletter #43 May 14, 2003
Ken's Picks - Noteworthy Wines from Richard Stetler's The Best Cellar - by Ken Goosens 2001 Viljoensdrift Pinotage - $16
Excellent Pinotage
. Looks very silky when poured into the glass. The nose is smooth, with blackberry and cherry. A ripe acidity gives the wine a wonderful juiciness. Very smooth tasting, with some blueberry in the
finish. Only a little oak in the taste. As the wine sat in the glass, it became a bowl of red raspberries. No bitterness or greenness at all. Has the fruit profile of some of my favorite Zinfandels.
2001 Viljoensdrift Shiraz - $16
Top Shiraz. Very dark, with a deeply fruity and ripe nose. The mouth is a mixture of spice and purple plums. Smooth, juicy, alcoholic, and concentrated. A best buy to boot.
2001 Viljoensdrift Cabernet Sauvignon - $15
Fruity and Drinkable. Dark color, with black currants in the nose. In the mouth, the wine is low in tannin
and very smooth. The fruit shows black currants, purple plums, and blackberry. Underneath all those fruit is a layer of raspberries. Generous, ripe, and ready to drink.
2000 Mischa Cabernet Sauvignon - $19
Excellent Cabernet. Very dark and serious-looking color. The taste was initially dominated by mint and
menthol, but, afer the wine was open for several days, a wonderful cassis and earthiness emerged. Long, deep, and intense. Leaves a coating of flavors on the back of the lips.
Newsletter #42 May 7, 2003
Ken's Picks - Noteworthy Wines from Richard Stetler's The Best Cellar - by Ken Goosens
2002 Rocco Estate Pinot Grigio - $10
Best Buy
. The nose is sweet pear, honeydew, with a bit of sweet lemon and ripe orange. In the mouth, the wine is buttery, soft, and persistent. Most surprisingly of all, the wine has a kinetic taste that keeps changing.
Tastes nothing like Pinot Grigio, but who cares? A fun, easy drinking wine that is different and interesting.
2000 Preston Reserve Cabernet Sauvignon ?
Red Alert
. Smells very deep. In the mouth, a mix of ripe tannins, cassis, and black pepper. Tastes as if it is a blend of Cabernet Sauvignon and Syrah, but actually has 21% Merlot and 4% Cabernet Franc. Tasted a
sample, not yet delivered. The '97 and '98 Preston Reserve trounced other Cabernets in blind tastings, and
both improved significantly after arriving. The 2000 looks to have the same class. Price will be determined later. 2000 Bookwalter Cabernet Sauvignon - $26
Excellent Cabernet
. Seriously dark color. Rich in the mouth. Definitely full-bodied. 2000 Bricco Maiolica Vigna Barbera D'Alba - $17
Outstanding Barbera
. Another wine I tasted as an advance sample. I had it at a dinner and the only other wine there I gave as high a rating was the 1994 Andrew Will Cabernet Sauvignon which is a great wine
from a great vintage made by a great winemaker. This Barbera is black in color, dense in texture, and huge in flavor. Don't lift this wine to your lips without first fastening your seatbelt.
Newsletter #41 April 30, 2003
Ken's Picks - Noteworthy Wines from Richard Stetler's The Best Cellar - by Ken Goosens 1999 Goosecross Chardonnay Napa - $15
Best Buy
. A clean, refreshing chardonnay with that hallmark trio of flavors that much good Chardonnay features - vanilla, butterscotch, and lemon. 2000 Steele Clear Lake Zinfandel, Catfish Vineyard - $20
Classy Zinfandel. Clear flavors rather than chunky or heavy. A wonderful combination of blueberry and cassis, with noticeable concentration and length.
1999 Phillipe Lorraine Napa Cabernet Sauvignon - $24
Excellent Cabernet. Very clear nose of cassis that echoes in the mouth. Smooth and ripe, but has enough
tannin and acidity to give the wine structure. The tannins leave the teeth sticky. Has the trademark combination of excellent wines both intensity and length. 1999 Napa Wine Company, Cabernet Sauvignon - $34
Excellent Cabernet. A nose and taste of purple plums and cassis. Rich, full-bodied, long, and well structured by tannin. Shows why the Napa region is famous for its Cabernet Sauvignon.
Newsletter #40 April 9, 2003
Ken's Picks - Noteworthy Wines from Richard Stetler's The Best Cellar - by Ken Goosens 2001 Cambria Katherine's Vineyard Chardonnay - $17
Outstanding Best Buy. Another harbinger of how good the 2001 vintage is in California. This particular wine is consistently one of the best chardonnays under $20, but 2001 is one of those occasional vintages
where the wine spikes up in quality. As always, the wine is smooth, well integrated, balanced, and tasty, with vanilla, butterscotch, and lemon. In 2001 the wine has more drive and better acid structure. The best
version of this wine I have had in a decade.1998 Kestrel Merlot - $18
Excellent Merlot. A long deep nose of fruit jam. Firm, round, ripe tannins. Has about 19% Cabernet
Sauvignon, which gives this wine superb definition and edge. A good antidote for people who find Merlot too flat and dull. 1998 Kestrel Cabernet - $22
Excellent Cabernet
. 1998 in Washington was a vintage with deep color and deep fruit on top of firm structure, all which shows in this wine. The tannins are starting to round, yet the wine will continue to improve
for another three or four years. Great balance and depth, with strong cassis and an undertow of cherry. 2000 Kiona Cabernet Sauvignon - $22
Outstanding Cabernet
. Near inky dark, with a deep rich fruit nose that has a touch of fresh grapes. A rich bowl of blackberries, purple plums, and black currants. Very smooth and silky. Right after entering the
mouth, there is a flash of tannins, which the sumptuous fruit then overpowers. The finish is all sweet fruit.
Lush and eminently drinkable now, but probably will improve for at least four years. A wine whose fruit and sheer succulence appeals to novice and expert alike. A wine that will drink superbly right now, in the near
term, and in the long term.
Newsletter #39 April 2, 2003
Ken's Picks - Noteworthy Wines from Richard Stetler's The Best Cellar - by Ken Goosens 2002 Shepard's Ridge Sauvignon Blanc - $16
Fine New Zealand
. Very aromatic. Gooseberry, lime, juicy grass, even floral. Bright, refreshing, and zingy. The now classic, on-the-mark New Zealand style, that shows how this country makes world-class yet
affordable Sauvignon Blanc every year. 2001 Hahn Chardonnay - $13
Bigger Than it's Price. The nose offers some vanilla, butterscotch, and citrus, all of which echoes in the
mouth. What surprises is how silky, creamy, clingy, long, and full-bodied the wine is the mouth. Plenty of chardonnay for the money. 2001 EOS Novella Synergy - $13
Surprising Intensity
. The introductory wine for this vineyard, whose blend sounds like the leftovers after the good stuff goes into the pricier bottles 45% Zinfandel, 45% Sangiovese, and 10% Petit Syrah. Every time
I look at this wine in the glass, I think the same thing with Zin and Petit Syrah, this wine should be much darker than the medium red color it has. The nose offers a Zinfandel twang with a cherry fruit, as might be
reasonably expected. In the mouth, the wine has surprising intensity, and adds plum to the fruit mix. When you swallow, a spike of flavor shoots through your mouth. An object lesson in how having clear and intense
flavors is more important than being darkly colored or full bodied. 2001 Hahn Merlot - $13
Outstanding Best Buy. Dark, deep, and structured in the nose. Far more than the usual flash-in-pan red
cherry you usually get for Merlot at this price. Totally avoids the thinness, vegetal greenness, and bitterness
that mars much inexpensive Merlot. Plenty of cherry but even more cassis, buttressed by tannin and acidity,
and laced with chalk and chocolate. Eminently drinkable now, and will improve over the next five years.
Includes some Cabernet Sauvignon. Will hold its own in a tasting of California Merlots costing up to $40. A harbinger of how superb the 2001 vintage is in California, that you should buy by the case. One of those
wines that, no matter how much you buy, as you drink your last bottle, you will kick yourself for not having got more.
Newsletter #38 March 26, 2003
Ken's Picks - Noteworthy Wines from Richard Stetler's The Best Cellar - by Ken Goosens About every three years, California has a superb vintage, where the grapes are healthy and ripen
evenly, and the quality is high regardless of yields. 2001 appears to be such a vintage, last preceded by 1997 and 1994. Hahn Cellars is one of those wineries that spike up in quality in good years
without a corresponding rise in price. 2001 Hahn Syrah - $13
Outstanding Best Buy. Dark purple. Smells rich, lush, and smooth, with blackberry fruit. The body has
more structure than the nose suggests, but is incredibly smooth, ready to drink, creamy, and loaded with sweet blackberries. Buy this by the case and swig it down anytime in the next three years.
2001 Hahn Cabernet Sauvignon - $13
Best Buy. A nose that features boysenberry and black raspberry jam. The mouth features cassis and plums,
with enough tannin and acid to keep the wine from being flabby. Will improve for five years. 2001 Hahn Meritage - $16
Outstanding Best Buy
. Dark, well balanced, fruity, bright, and smooth. Clear Merlot cherry flavors with a great hit of intensity with the swallow, and enough tannin to be lightly drying on the finish. The best Hahn
since 1997. Will improve for at least five years. 1999 De Lorimier Mosaic - $29
Complex and Elegant. A medium-bodied blend, which is transparent, clear, and complex. Has cherry,
blackberry, and cassis. Finishes dry. Shows how a wine may be excellent without being heavy and chewy.
Newsletter #37 March 19, 2003
Ken's Picks - Noteworthy Wines from Richard Stetler's The Best Cellar - by Ken Goosens 2001 Rocche Costamagna Flavo Chardonnay - $11
Best Buy
. A well balanced chardonnay with decent acidity, good fruit, and an elegant body that is smooth, tasty, and accented with vanilla and butterscotch. The components all contribute without any dominating.
2000 Bricco Maiolica Vigna Barbera d'Alba - $18
Outstanding. Dark purple, rich, very fruity, intense, dry, refreshingly acidic, and long. Really shows how
barbera can shine as a grape. Very good by itself and with a wide variety of food, including tomato dishes, grilled tuna, and even chocolate that is not overly sweet.
1997 Villa Buonasera Casa Eri Chianti Classico - $17
Classic Chianti. Red in color and medium bodied, featuring cherry and blackberry fruit, with high acidity.
A wine that goes cries out for food, especially tomato dishes. If you ever wanted to know if you like Chianti, this is an exemplary wine to try. 1995 Castelli'In Villa Chianti Classico Riserva - $19
Classic Riserva Chianti. Chianti with extra smoothness and integration. Ready to drink, but will hold well
for another three years. The Riserva is held longer in wooden casks before it is bottled, and released later.
An exemplary wine that shows what good Chianti with age is like, at a modest price. Nothing awkward. Glides down the mouth and throat, and features black cherry fruit. Notice especially how the acidity is much
rounder and better integrated than in younger Chianti.
Newsletter #36 March 12, 2003
Ken's Picks - Noteworthy Wines from Richard Stetler's The Best Cellar - by Ken Goosens This newsletter departs from my usual format of reviewing four wines. Here I review all the wines in the
recent 2000 Bordeaux tasting, ranked in order of my preference from the best down to the very good. 2000 Chateau Suduiraut, Sauternes - $23 half bottle
Complex Dessert Wine
. Palette coating sweetness with rich and delicious flavors. The nose is a complex mixture of raisins, honey, oranges, botrytis, and acidity. In the mouth the wine is very sweet but balanced and
spicy, with additional flavors of pineapple and peach. Still clings to the teeth a minute after swallowing. Shows why sauterne makes some of the word's greatest dessert wines. 100% Semillion.
2000 Chateau St. George Trilogie - $49.95
Great Merlot. 100% Merlot and 100% new oak. Very deep and intensely flavored in the mouth with vanilla
undertones. Instead of the red and black cherry typical for merlot, the wine features cassis and chocolate. Dusty and dry on the finish, with noticeable tannin, yet smooth. An excellent example of a Merlot that is well
defined, well structured, and intense, without any hint of greenness or overripeness. 2000 Le Baron de Brane, Margeaux - $25
Excellent Cabernet Sauvignon
. Rich, complex nose. Powerful flavors of Cabernet Sauvignon, with cassis. Young and spiky. A good example of a wine whose components show great power, where smoothness and
integration will come with more age. Second wine of Chateau Brane-Cantenac. In superb vintages, the second wines are often better than the first wine in lesser vintages. Parker 89-91.
2000 Chateau Rocher Bellevue Caprice d'Angelique - $27
Superb Merlot. A nose that is generous, deep, and complex. A fine and well delineated mιlange of cherry,
blackberry, and currants. Very long and satisfying. All the complexity and richness you would expect from a Bordeaux blend of Cabernet Sauvignon, Merlot, and Cabernet Franc, yet the wine is 100% Merlot. Shows
why Bordeaux is a model for ambitious winemakers throughout the world. Parker 90-92. 2000 Chateau Puygueraud - $20
Excellent Bordeau Blend
. Very fragrant, spicy, loaded with violets. Smooth and long. A blend of Merlot, Cabernet Franc, and Cabernet Sauvignon. A wine that I first thought would be better if it had more stuffing,
but, having bottled a genie who read my mind and granted my wish, the wine got progressively richer as it sat in the glass through the evening. Wine Spectator 89-91. 2000 Chateau St. George - $17 half bottle
Excellent Merlot Blend. A not unpleasant barnyard in the nose, which did blow off. 60% Merlot, 20% Cabernet, 20% Bouchet. Cassis and cherry, very dry, tasty, with noticeable tannin in the finish. Best St.
George I've had in many years. 2000 Chateau d'Armailhac - $50
Excellent Cabernet Sauvignon Blend. Dark red in color, with a smooth and spicy nose. 58% Cabernet
Sauvignon and 42% Merlot. Noticeable tannins throughout, with an intense spike of flavor when you swallow. Medium to full bodied. Cassis and cedar. Parker 90-93. 2000 Chateau Phelan-Segur - $50
Built but Backward. 60% Cabernet Sauvignon and 40% Merlot. A hint of dill in the nose underneath
cassis. An intense mixture of drying tannins, cassis, and black raspberry. Makes your teeth stick together. A good example of a Bordeaux that tastes relatively backward when young, but will improve significantly with
age. Robert Parker rated this 93.
Newsletter #35 March 5, 2003
Ken's Picks - Noteworthy Wines from Richard Stetler's The Best Cellar - by Ken Goosens 2001 Montinore Pinot Gris - $12
Likeable
. An easy to drink, clean tasting wine with a fruity orange sweetness. A refreshing change of pace. 1999 Goosecross Chardonnay Napa - $15
Great Buy
. A closeout. Clean, refreshing, good acidity, with a mixture of lemon, vanilla, and butterscotch. Well balanced. Normally much more expensive. 2000 Jacobs Creek Reserve Shiraz - $15
Dependably Fine. The Jacobs Creek Reserve first got my undivided attention when the 1997 version took first place in a blind tasting of shiraz, besting wines costing considerably more. The 2000 version is right up
there with the best. Dark but with good flavor definition. Enough tannin for structure while remaining approachable, open and smooth. Right when you swallow, the wine has a great spike of flavor and intensity,
that stretches through a long finish. A wine you can enjoy now but will get even better over the next five years. 1999 Pirramimma Cabernet Sauvignon - $33
Outstanding. Dark, youthful, concentrated, brimming with juicy acidity and tasty cassis and purple plums. Wonderful now and will be even better in about four years.
Newsletter #34 February 26, 2003
Ken's Picks - Noteworthy Wines from Richard Stetler's The Best Cellar - by Ken Goosens 1999 Montinore Gewurztraminer - $13 bottle/case of 6
Different Best Buy
. A lightly sweet nose of madarine oranges. In the mouth, the orange flavors are dry, tasty and clingy. Not your usual mix of spice, fat, rose, and lychee nuts, but juicier, fruitier, and downright
delicious. From Oregon. 1998 Pirramimma Late Harvest Riesling, 500ml - $11.95 bottle/case of 6
Excellent Best Buy. Rather like a sauterne with more Sauvignon Blanc. Harvested with 300g/l sugar, and
has 130g/l residual sugar, but only tastes lightly sweet because of fine balancing acidity. Amazingly light and delicate, with flavors of orange, pineapple, yellow raisins, and honey.
2000 Bernard Griffin Merlot - $15 bottle/case of 6
Excellent Best Buy. Not just a good price, but an excellent Merlot period. Manages to be nicely structured
but warmly soft in the mouth. Tastes as if it has cassis from a touch of Cabernet Sauvignon and spice and pepper from a touch of syrah. 1998 Pirramimma Cabernet Sauvignon - $20 bottle/case of 6
Excellent Best Buy. Dark purple, youthful, and concentrated, with a noticeable rise in flavor on swallowing.
Plenty of acidity with cassis and plums. Ample tannins make this wine taste drier and less forward than the 1999, but more bottle age should make this wine richer and smoother. A good bet to buy and hold.
Newsletter #33 February 19, 2003
Ken's Picks - Noteworthy Wines from Richard Stetler's The Best Cellar - by Ken Goosens 2002 Huia Sauvignon Blanc - $16
Superb
. A great style of New Zealand Sauvignon Blanc. The fruit is clear, complex, tasty, and appealing. A
fruit salad of gooseberry, green apple, and lime, nicely blended with an undercurrent of young, juicy grass.
Refreshing and long. The best 2002 I have had so far. Remember that these wines typically hold for at most two years and don't get better with age. Great enough to stock up, but buy only what you expect to
consume in a year, and drink it regularly to keep tabs on how it is evolving. 2001 Chalice Bridge Chardonnay - $15
Refreshing Food Chardonnay
. A rarity for New World Chardonnays. Built on a backbone of acidity rather than a gob of butter and oak. Clean, refreshing, and very limey. In the mouth, the wine is both stony
and tasty. A kind of Chardonnay seldom seen in California and Australia, though common in France. Eminently usable with a wide range of food. I expect that this wine will hold well for four years and possibly
improve. 2001 Cristoza Bianco Garganega - $10
Different Best Buy. A blend of 20% Chardonnay with Garganega, from Italy. Aromatic, surprisingly
intense, medium bodied, and long. A flavorful treat different from the wines commonly drunk in the United States. Drink in the next year. 1998 Bushman's Creek Shiraz - $15
Superb and Ready
. A wine that I have enjoyed every time I have drunk it for three years, that has repeatedly trounced more expensive Shirazes when tasted beside them. What's new is that the supply of this
wine is dwindling, and the wine has evolved. It used to be fat and lush. Now, for the first time, the color is
more red versus black, and the flavors have more definition. Great balance and smoothness with the first
hints of smoke. A delightful lesson in the joys of letting a wine age longer, even when it is excellent young. Will peak in the next two years and probably hold a few more. Seldom do we get an opportunity to buy a
wine that shows the distinctive pleasures of age versus the gushing fruit of youth.
Newsletter #32 February 12, 2003
Ken's Picks - Noteworthy Wines from Richard Stetler's The Best Cellar - by Ken Goosens 1999 Luis Canas, Rioja Crianza - $14
Fine Spanish Red
. An excellent and affordable introduction to the Spanish style of red wine. A delightful mixture of red raspberries and cherries, with clear and tasty flavors and a medium body. Good acidity, dry,
and dusty, but not excessively. These wines tend to hold well, often lasting eight years. 1999 Isimbardo Montezavo Rosso Reserva - $19
Superb
. Enters the mouth soft, lush, packed with flavor, and just enough structure. Finishes firm, long, and
tasty. A delicious mixture of black cherry, cassis, and chocolate. One of the top two wines in an evening where I tasted 17. Tastes so good now that you will be tempted to drink it up, but will probably hold well
for at least two years. A worthy bookend for the superb 1998 version. 1999 Chalice Bridge Cabernet Sauvignon - $20
Classic Australian Cabernet
. Dark, ripe, concentrated, good tanninc structure, laced with menthol, and dry in the finish. From the cooler Margaret River area in southwestern Australia. Drinkable now but a little
chunky and unevolved, which suggests you should open the wine three hours before you drink it. The definition and complexity will improve over the next four years. One of the most intense Cabernets at this
price. Has the stuffing to become a superb wine. 1999 Chalice Bridge Shiraz - $20
Classic Australian Shiraz
. Dark, ripe, thick, alcoholic, spicy, and intense, yet smooth. Does not show any smoke, bacon, or meat flavors. The shiraz twin of the 1999 Cabernet, with great density at this price and the
potential to improve significantly with more bottle age.
Newsletter #31 January 15, 2003
Ken's Picks - Noteworthy Wines from Richard Stetler's The Best Cellar - by Ken Goosens 2002 Hawks Bay, Whitecliff Estate - $11
Basic Sauvignon Blanc Best Buy
. Nicely illustrates how good simply-made, unmanipulated New Zealand Sauvignon can be. Made in a straightforward and inexpensive way with no extended hang time for the
grapes, no wood, no malolactic fermentation, and no extended lees contact. The texture is light bodied with intense flavors. Melon and kiwi dominate the nose, and gooseberry is the primary fruit in the body. Acidic,
mouth cleaning, and long. 2001 Fratina Pinot Grigio - $16
A Step Up. Pinot Grigio from Italy became fashionable with the predictable result that yields were increased
to meet demand. People used to the more watery, mass produced versions of this wine will be delighted to see how impressive Pinot Grigio can be with decent concentration. The nose is very floral and the body
shows no thinness. No one flavor dominates, but there is a peachy undertone complemented by anise, the stone inside fruits like almonds, and dried herbs and hay. The finish is cleanly acidic and lingers for a full
minute. 2000 Kelly's Promise Shiraz - $11
Fruity Best Buy. For persons used to inky Australian shiraz, the color of Kelly's Promise looks less than
promising. The wine is a clear, medium red, with the aroma of a basket of red plums. In the mouth, the fruit rushes out and is complex and clear, with blackberry, cherry, and some blueberry, even verging on a taste of
jam. The finish is fruity but not long. The wine does not have the concentration and structure to keep, but
shows how tasty and delightful a brightly fruity a young wine can be. An inexpensive wine that will delight most people. 2000 Hop Kiln Zinfandel Russian River - $23
Fine Cooler Climate Zinfandel.
Zinfandel does well in the sunny and hot parts of California. But the cooler areas produce a very fine Zinfandel that is less alcoholic, more complex, and has clearer flavors. Here
the wine is medium bodied and peppery, with a taste of plum, blueberry, and a distinctive Zinfandel twang. The label claims over 16% alcohol but I think this is a mistake, because there is no alcoholic taste of hotness.
Newsletter #30 January 8, 2003
Ken's Picks - Noteworthy Wines from Richard Stetler's The Best Cellar - by Ken Goosens 2002 Brancott Sauvignon Blanc Reserve - $15
Superb Best Buy
. Sauvignon pushed riper, rounder, and heavier in the body, as opposed to pungent citrus and gooseberry with razor acidity packaged in a light body. The nose is lightly grassy, floral, with green
melon. The body features vanilla bean, strong and intense flavors, along with an extra smoothness. Tastes like it has seen some wood. A great price for the reserve but the quantity is limited.
2000 La Crema Viognier - $11
Different Best Buy. Not your usual fig/peach viognier, but very distinctive and interesting. Silky texture,
with flavors of anise, white liquorice, and a hint of white chocolate. The finish is both mouth-coating and brightly acidic. Great buy. 2000 Storrs Gewurztraminer - $13
Different Best Buy
. An unusual combination of rose and tangerine that tasted clean and refreshing, and became strongly orange flavored as it sat in the glass. You are unlikely to see this low a price again. 2000 Archidamo Primitivo - $12
Different Best Buy. An intriguing combination of red and black raspberry, laced with tea. Not heavy bodied, but clear flavored. Bright and fruity even after being opened for three days. Go to 2002 Newsletters
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Richard Stetler's Fine Wines & Tastings
