Richard Stetler's _{Fine Wines & Tastings}

The Best Cellar  *  New Location - June 1, 2009 - 1408 NE 26th St..   *  Wilton Manors, FL  *   33305
Telephone (954) 630-8020                    e-mail

EACH WEEK WE TASTE 7 - 9 DIFFERENT WINES + BONUS WINES
LISTED BELOW IS JUST A SAMPLING OF THE WINES WE HAVE TASTED IN THE PREVIOUS WEEKS

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Wine Tasting December 23-26, 2009

2008 Sitios de Bodega Con Class Verdejo Rueda  (Spain)
Rueda is a cool, high altitude part of Spain famous for its refreshing white wines, in a country better known for its scorching summer heat. The color is light straw with a slight greenish tint. Has complex aromas of grapefruit, gooseberries, grass, and hints of pineapple. In the mouth, this is a light-bodied, tart, juicy white, with lemon, grapefruit, and herbal flavors, with a refreshing crisp finish.

2007 Chateau Pesquie Terrasses (France)
91 points, Wine Advocate: A custom cuvee put together for importer Eric Solomon. Made from 60-year-old Grenache and 30-year-old Syrah, one-third is aged in small barrels and the rest in foudre and tank. A dense ruby/purple color is followed by aromas of cassis, kirsch, lavender, pepper, and spice. The sweetness of the tannins, abundant glycerin, razor sharp focus, and wonderful depth make for a remarkable bargain that transcends its humble price and bucolic appellation. Drink it over the next 2-3 years.

2007 Domaine la Garrigue Vacqueras (France)
This wine has gotten 91 points in the Wine Advocate for 2004, 2006, and now 2007. Wine Advocate: A classic Provence -styled effort, blending 80% Grenache and the rest Syrah, Mourvedre, and Cinsault. Reveals notes of smoked herbs, roasted meats, red and black fruits, medium to full body, a supple mouthfeel, silky tannins, and beautiful ripeness, purity, and length. A hedonistic and complex wine to drink over the next 5-6 years.

2007 Bodegas Jimenez-Landi Sotorrondero (Spain)
85% Syrah and 15% Grenache. High altitude vineyard. Deep glossy purple. 90 points, International Wine Cellar: "Inky ruby. Mineral-accented cherry and blackcurrant aromas are complemented by violet and rose, along with a suave cola overtone. Deeply pitched dark berry flavors are enlivened by juicy acidity, with fine-grained tannins adding support. Manages to be both rich and energetic, finishing with strong sweetness and lingering spiciness."

2006 Mauritson Zinfandel Dry Creek Valley (California)
A blend across about 10 vineyards, some owned by Mauritson, some by others. Has about 8% Petite Sirah and15% alcohol. Features raspberry, blackberry, black pepper, vanilla, and a streak of tannin.

Wine Tasting December 16 - 19, 2009
Champagne & Red Wine Tasting

Multi-Vintage Graham Beck Sparkler Brut (South Africa)
54% Chardonnay and 46% Pinot Noir. Made the same way as Champagne wines in France from grapes grown on limestone soil, but at a fraction of the cost. Yeast and fruit aromas with a creamy complexity in the mouth.

MV Gosset Brut Excellance Champagne (France)
At a recent tasting of 70 sparkling wines at the end of 2009, this was one of the two best true champagnes under $30 a bottle. Dry and intense, yet smooth, fruity, and delicious. Aged in French oak barrels, like most of the best and far more expensive Champagnes. 92 points, Wine News : Rich, mature, buttery aromas of ripe apple, caramel, minerals and chalk continue to deepen with airing. Very intense flavors of peach nectar, bread dough, butter and yeast. Bright acidity heightens the snappy finish.

MV Aubry Champagne Premier Cru Brut (France)
92 points, Steve Tanzer: Light peach skin color. Cinnamon, poached pear, apple, honey and smoke on the pungent nose. Fleshy orchard fruit flavors are complicated by floral honey and candied ginger, with impressive back-end grip. Reminds me a lot of a wine from Krug. Finishes with very good grip and an echo of ginger. 92 points, Wine Enthusiast: A soft, balanced wine tantalizingly poised on the knife edge between freshness and richness. Apples and cream flavors round the wine very satisfactorily.

MV Pierre Peters Champagne Grand Cru Blanc de Blanc (France)
Importer's Notes: Very pale in color, clear and brilliant, with a fine bead and good mousse, the bouquet has a lot of the steely minerality, apple blossoms and green apple fruit, reminiscent of a Saar Riesling from Germany.  Rich and forward yet laser-focused and tight, rather than fat and opulent. On the palate, the wine keeps that focus, yet is more intense without being heavy. Great layering, complexity and depth, while remaining bright, crisp and incredibly delicious.

2006 Turkey Flat Cabernet Sauvignon  (Australia)
Turkey Flat is one of the best producers in Australia, whose Shiraz and Cabernet Sauvignon are consistently outstanding. The Cabernet Sauvignon features very classic cassis and blackberry fruit along with the complex non-fruit flavors that make Cabernet so great – here, smoke, eucalyptus, leather, cedar, and tobacco. Aged 20 months on oak barrels. From a vineyard 150 years old. 93 points, James Halliday, Australian Wine Companion 2009: Deeply colored; luscious blackcurrant and cassis; a strongly regional-accented structure and flavor; needs time to shed its puppy fat.

Wine Tasting December 9 - 12, 2009

2005 Fallbrook Chardonnay Reserve (California)
100% Chardonnay from the Monterey viticultural area. 50% barrel fermented, 50% stainless steel fermentation. 40% aged 12 months in French and American oak. Later blended with un-oaked wine, allowing for a full-bodied fruit forward Chardonnay with a crisp finish.  A blend of fruit and oak flavors balanced by a note of crisp acidity. Partial malolactic fermentation contributes a creamy edge to the mouthfeel.

2007 Pillar Box Red (Australia)
90 points, Jay Miller, Wine Advocate: A blend of 65% Shiraz, 25% Cabernet Sauvignon, and 10% Merlot. Purple-colored, with an expressive nose of spice box, earth notes, blueberry, and black currant. Ripe, sweet, and layered, with exceptional balance and length for its humble price.

Multi-Vintage Bookwalter Subplot 22 (Washington)
31% Cabernet Sauvignon, 22% Merlot, 18% Malbec, 14% Cabernet Franc, 10% Syrah and 5% Petit Verdot.  From 2006 (66%), 2005 (19%), 2004 (6%) and 2003 (9%).
Winemaker's Notes: Very dark with slightly more structure than previous Lot wines. The wine shows a bit of dustiness coupled with resin, cedar, spice, dark chocolate and black cherry aromas. On the palate the wine enters sweet with a broad mid palate and ramps up quickly with flavors of bittersweet chocolate, cola, brambly blackberries, tobacco and subtle earthy black tea notes. The finish is long and muscular and with time will age beautifully given the concentration and power of the fruit coupled with the natural acidity and tannins in the wine.

2004 Kluge New World Red (Virginia)
53% Cabernet Sauvignon, 34% Merlot, and 13% Cabernet Franc. Virginia can make very good Bordeaux style blends, but the vintages are more variable, from cloudy, humid summers and spoiler rains that comes before the harvest in late summer or fall. The soil tends to be predominately red clay, which can add a spicy note to the wine along with an iron minerality. Virginia wines differ from California in that the acid tends to have a sharper edge and bite, the tannin tends to have a leafier and lightly astringent edge, and the body tends to be somewhat less plush and rich. This version gets aged 14 months in new French oak, and has the classic blackberry, black cherry, and dry taste of a Bordeaux.

2008 Mollydooker Boxer Shiraz (Australia)
91 points, Wine Spectator: Bright and jazzy, offering an effusive mouthful of cherry, pomegranate and spice flavors that are as aromatic as they are long and vivid. This has density without being heavy, and the finish keeps on going. Drink now through 2015. 29,440 cases made. Smart Buy.

Wine Tasting December 2 - 5, 2009
Ultimate Wine Tasting - ZINFEST

2005 Cline Bridgehead Zinfandel
Very old vines from a single vineyard.  Zinfandel made in a more elegant style, with fine grained tannins, earth and spices, and bright blackberry fruit.

2005 Renwood Grandpère Zinfandel
A good example of how sturdy tannins influence a high alcohol, dense Zinfandel. The fruit is pulled from cherry and mulberry toward cranberry and pomegranate. Tannins also dry out sweetness, and give the richness a leaner edge. Last, they make the wine develop and integrate more slowly, often dramatically improving with time.  Grandpère has a spicy layer of black pepper, cinnamon, and cumin. Patiently keep swirling this wine in the glass, swishing it through the mouth, and sipping it slowly, to watch how it unfolds.

2003 Renwood Jack Rabbit Flat Zinfandel
An interesting Zinfandel which manages to layer three styles, without any one dominating. First, there is substantial blackberry and cherry fruit. Second, tannin pulls the wine toward being briary and dry. Last, there is port layer of high alcohol, chocolate, and raisin.

2006 Michael & David Earthquake Zinfandel
A wine from Lodi that for years delivered a style very popular with Zinfandel lovers: high in alcohol, sweet, ripe, dense, soft, and red fruit jam. 86% Zinfandel, 9% Petite Sirah, and 5% Syrah. The 2006 is the first vintage to deviate from this norm by making the body a bit less heavy, having a higher acidity, and leaving more tannin, which shifts the usual profile more toward blackberry.

2005 Carol Shelton Karma Zinfandel Rue Vineyard
  Double Gold and Best Zin at the January 2009 San Francisco Chronicle Wine Competition. 85% Zinfandel with 15% mixed field blend of other varietals interplanted with the Zinfandel. Aged 11 months in 62% new wood barrels. Winemaker's Notes: Very complexly layered spice and black fruits, pretty blueberry fragrance, creamy oak, vanilla, dark chocolate, and nutmeg/cinnamon.

2005 Ottimino Zinfandel Von Weidlich Vineyard
A Russian River wine that shows how to pull the many elements of Zinfandel together in a way that makes a wine great regardless of grape variety. Blackberry and black currants give the wine a fruity deliciousness. Black pepper adds the complexity of non-fruit aroma and spice. Acidity gives the wine freshness. And tannin gives the wine firmness in the mouth and a dry finish. A wine of great balance and power. 92 points, Wine Enthusiast. 95 points, Connoisseurs' Guide to California Wines.

2004 Hanna Bismark Mountain Zinfandel
Bismark is Hanna's single vineyard in the Mayacamas Mountains, with very rocky soil and low yields and where grapes get no bigger than small blueberries. This rugged and windswept site ranges from 1,400 to 2,600 feet, with a breath taking view of the towers of the Golden Gate Bridge and the San Francisco city skyline 35 miles away. The Zinfandel this distinctive place makes is muscular, laced with tannins, with blackberry and black currants.

Wine Tasting November 25, 27, & 28, 2009

2005 Villa Maria Sauvignon Blanc Clifford Bay Reserve (New Zealand)
Villa Maria has made wines since 1979 and owns prime vineyards across New Zealand, giving it the capacity to make many grades of Sauvignon Blanc. Reserves are blended across vineyards in a single region, here Awatere Valley. A leap in quality over the mid-range Cellar Selection. The wine is left two months on the lees (dead yeast), which adds a creamy richness and concentrates flavors. Tom Cannavan, who has tasted the entire line, www.wine-pages.com:  A vivid profile of distinctly flinty minerality packed with asparagus, punchy gooseberry, and searing herbal-edged lemon. Has a vibrant core and tightrope taut acidity, much edgier and defined than their Private Bin line.

2006 Laetitia Pinot Noir Estate Arroyo Grande (California)
The reserve of this wine got 95 points in the Wine Enthusiast and was hailed as the best reserve Laetitia ever made. We are tasting the non-reserve, made from grapes grown in the same place, but not making the cut to be in the reserve. A dense wine with black fruits and bright acidity, with some noticeable tannins. Not the silky sweet red cherry Pinot Noir common in California. Pinot Noir is one of the best choices of wine to complement and meld with foods.

2005 Michael & David Incognito Rouge (California)
Made from some mix of Mourvedre, Syrah, Petite Sirah, Cinsault, Carignane, Tannat, Malbec, Cabernet Franc and Grenache. Has a clever bottle with an eye mask emblem, echoing the mystique of how you always never know what grapes were used. Double Gold, best Other Red, 2009 Finger Lakes International Wine Competition. Of the earlier 2003, tasted April 1, 2008 (http://youngwinosofla.com): Full bodied and richly fruity, with cherries and a big blackberry, accented by smoke and forest floor.

2003 Richard Hamilton Burton's Grenache/Shiraz (Australia)
Grenache (53%) Shiraz (47%). Aged for 22 months in French Oak, 10% new barrels. Nuances of cinnamon, nutmeg, vanilla, and cognac accent mulberry and blackberry fruits. Fine tannin structure and refreshing acidity.

2003 Watts Dos Amores (California)
65% Cabernet Sauvignon and 35% Cabernet Franc. Consistently the best wine made by Watts. Near ink in color, rich fruits of blackberry and black currant, with good acidity, an undertow of tannin, and a smooth texture. A style that the Paso Robles area of California does very well.

Wine Tasting November 18 - 21, 2009

2008 Babich Sauvignon Blanc (New Zealand)
4 Stars, Best Buy, and Top Tip (exceptional regardless of price), TiZWine.com: Good now but definitely a wine for the future. Has herbaceous, green grass and slightly tropical aromas that pave the way for good fruit concentration and an elegant acidity. Quite opulent and with good persistency, should develop beautifully in the coming months.

2008 Borsao Tres Picos Grenache (Spain)
A perennial candidate for the best buy Grenache in the world. 91 points, Josh Raynolds, International Wine Cellar (Sep/Oct 2009): Opaque purple. Exotic perfume of dark berry preserves, smoky minerals, potpourri and Indian spices, with a strong cracked pepper; smells like a high-end northern Rhone wine. Very spicy and tightly focused, offering juicy red and dark berry flavors and sexy notes of candied flowers and cocoa powder. Finishes with a wallop of sweet red berries and lingering, seductive spiciness. As ridiculous a value as one can find.

2005 Blue Rock Syrah Napa (California)
A wine from Alexander Valley which emphasizes clarity of flavors versus heaviness of body. Fans out into the mouth without being soft. Has a pure and lovely balance of fruit, acid, and tannin, centered on raspberry and blueberry.

2005 Black Bart Syrah Napa (California)
Made from estate vineyards on Pritchard Hill. 84% Syrah, 10% Petit Sirah, 4% Cabernet Sauvignon, 2% Viognier. Aged 16 months in small French oak barrels, 70% new. The Syrah was cofermented with Viognier rather than fermented separately. A cabernet lover's style of Syrah, combining pepper and black raspberry with coffee, black currents, and blackberries. 91 points, Wine Spectator: Firmly tannic, yet rich and flavorful, with zesty wild berry, spice, pepper and blackberry fruit. Tightly wound and structured, with a long, persistent finish. Best from 2010 through 2016. 695 cases made.

2005 Watermark Cabernet Sauvignon Napa (California)
99% Cabernet Sauvignon with a little Merlot and Cabernet Franc. 15% of the grapes from Howell Mountain. Made by the wine maker of the famous Diamond Creek Vineyards. Aged 30 months in small barrels of 100% new French oak. Winemaker's Notes: Aromas of raspberry, mocha, vanilla, and cedar. Dense and full bodied, with cassis, raspberry, vanilla, and oak flavors. The tannins are not abrasive or harsh, and yet are drying, despite the fruit and richness of the wine.

Wine Tasting November 11 - 18, 2009

2008 Tormaresca Neprica (Italy)
Of previous 2007, 90 points, Wine Enthusiast ((11/1/2008): You cannot get better value than this. Ripe berry notes, cassis, molasses and cola serve as a preface for the thick texture and smooth density that this wine delivers to the palate. The wine is thick and succulent with smooth tannins and great length: excellent quality for this very low price.

2006 St Francis Wild Oak Old Vines Zinfandel (California)
Aged 14 months in American oak barrels. Blends a little Syrah. 50% of the Zinfandel comes from Dry Creek. Though 15.5% alcohol, this wine is not so much a black, very ripe, heavy Zinfandel, but instead one with ruby color, clear black cherry fruit, a juicy taste, and some noticeable tannin.

2003 Lake Breeze Langhorn Cabernet Sauvignon (Australia)
94 points, James Halliday 2007 Australian Wine Companion. The next 2004 vintage also got 94 points, and the 2005 was the Winner, Best Cabernet of Show, 2008 Sidney Royal Wine Show, over much more expensive and famous Cabs. Winemaker's Notes: A full bodied style, using fruit produced from 35+ year old vines on the Follett family vineyard. Traditional open fermentation was employed with maceration times varying between 7 - 21 days. Matured in French and American oak barriques for 20 months, prior to bottling with minimal filtration. Displays a complex array of mint, blackcurrant and cedary oak aromas. Tastes like it smells, with a silky texture and a wonderfully soft tannin finish.

2003 Norman Crescendo (California)
If you ever wanted to know why California is world famous for delicious fruit-centered wines, just try this wine. From the nose, to the entry in the mouth, and overflowing into the aftertaste, is a generous, giving, caressing, vibrant, and endless cornucopia of black cherry, currants, and plums. A premium reserve wine normally available only at the winery whose quality soars above its price. Barrel aged 20 months in 80% new oak (50% French, 50% American). A classic Bordeaux blend of 40% Cabernet Sauvignon, 36% Merlot, 10% Petite Verdot, 7% Malbec, and 7% Cabernet Franc.  Not since the 1995 Justin Isosceles have I seen this type of wine done so perfectly. Buy it by the case, or be forever cursed with the regret of not buying enough to last a week.

2006 Elyse Petite Sirah (California)
91 points, International Wine Cellar: Bright medium ruby. Vibrant aromas of blackberry, licorice and pepper. Densely packed and chewy, with very good definition and lift to the palate saturating flavors of blackberry, kirsch and cracked pepper. A lively fruit bomb of a Petite Sirah, finishing with tannins that dust the front teeth. A very good example of this variety, and long on personality.

Wine Tasting November 4 - 7, 2009
 

2006 Zilliken Saarburger Rausch Riesling Spatlese (Germany)
Zilliken is one of great estates of Germany, in the Saar, which is the coolest, highest, and most acidic part of the Mosel Valley, famous for its structured wines in ripe vintages like 2006. Has the decomposed slate soil that makes much of the greatest Riesling around the world, with hillside vineyards. The 2006 combines unusually ripe acidity with intense fruit, yielding a wine that has a creaminess in the texture and flavors of peach, pink grapefruit and pineapple, all layered into the more typical Saar lime and mineral finish.

MV Kestrel Lady in Red 6th Edition (Washington)
Features a curvaceous red head on the label, but the wine inside is actually good rather than just marketing hype. Mostly from the 2004 and 2005 vintages. Blending across vintages combines smoothness and integration of the older vintage with the fresh fruitiness of the younger. 50.6% Cabernet Sauvignon, 34% Merlot, 11.4% Syrah, 3% Cabernet Franc and 1% Sangiovese. For an affordable wine meant to the drinkable young, it is surprisingly complex and structured, with not only blueberry, cherry, red currant, and elderberry fruit flavors, but tea, tobacco, cedar, and earth.

2006 Fuse Cabernet Sauvignon Napa (California)
Made by Signorello, but blends in 25% Syrah to take the wine into a different direction, that layers in a more delicious fruit forward red raspberry with the currant and plum, adding approachability when young and complexity as the wine ages. Aged 16 months in French and American oak. In the Top 12 Wines of the Year of the Wall Street Journal.

2005 Napa Cellars Zinfandel (California)
Blended from diverse sources in Napa County, including Calistoga, Pope Valley, and St Helena. Some of the grapes were harvested only in late November. Very drinkable on release, with soft tannins, and rich fruit. Has the sweeter cinnamon spice as well as a candied fruit preserve, partly from some grapes that raisined. 15% alcohol.
Wine Spectator: Briary but appealing for its smoky plum aromas and boysenberry, roasted sage and loam flavors. Drink now through 2012. 5,200 cases made.
Wine Enthusiast: A solid everyday Zin, dry and spicy, with a rugged texture framing briary flavors of wild berries, mushu plum sauce and mocha. The sturdy tannins will play well against barbecue.

2005 JC Cellars Arrowhead Mountain Vineyard Zinfandel (California)
Planted on a steep slope in volcanic rock. 92 points, Wine Enthusiast (2/2008): Very rich and juvenile now, with exotic cherry, blackberry, gingerbread, tangerine, herb tea, vanilla oak and spice flavors, this Zin has a thick, tannic intensity that needs time to mature. The power and concentration comes from the mountain vineyard, on the eastern side of the valley. Hold this dramatic, high-alcohol Zinfandel until the mid-2008, at least.

2005 Ottimino Russian River Zinfandel Ottimino Vineydard (California)
92 points, Connoisseurs Guide to California Wines:  From its intense, wild-berry aromas to its concentrated, keenly defined, eminently fruity flavors, this very deep and impressively filled effort hits the varietal mark smartly. It is full and fleshy in feel and always quite well-balanced, and it shows off a fair bit of grippy last-minute tannins without losing its fix on fruit. It is very much built along table wine lines, and it has all the makings of a Zinfandel that will improve for a good half-dozen years.

Wine Tasting October 28 - 31, 2009
 

2002 Schmitt-Wagner Longuicher Maximiner Herrenberg Riesling Kabinett (Germany)
Bright acidity with slate minerals and spicy apple, made from their best site with century old, ungrafted vines. Not a wine slow cooked from years in a too warm warehouse, but rather a wine bottled late, stored at the winery in Germany, and only just recently arrived in Florida along with the 2006 wines.  The 2002 was a superb vintage in Germany, and what you get with the extra bottle age is smoothness and integration without loss of power. Schmitt Wagner wines age well and slowly for decades.

2000 Chateau D'Arvigny ( France)
The second wine of Chateau Beaumont in the Haut Medoc, from one of the greatest vintages in Bordeaux.  Features a silky texture and mellow flavors. Generally about 4% Cabernet Franc, 3% Petite Verdot, and the rest split between Cabernet Sauvignon and Merlot.

2007 Edge Cabernet Sauvignon (California)
Winemaker's Notes: An affordable wine made entirely from grapes from California's most famous county – Napa. Aged for 16 months in American and French oak, 30% new. Has 16% Merlot. Made supple and lush, with blackberry and vanilla. The crop is thinned to control yields.

2007 Barnard Griffin Cabernet Sauvignon Red Tulip Wines (Washington)
79.2% Cabernet Sauvignon, 9% Merlot, 5.5% Petit Verdot, 3.3% Malbec, 3% Cabernet Franc. Blended from five vineyards in the Columbia Valley, three from the Horse Heaven Hills appellation. Outstanding (unanimous judgment by a panel), Northwest Wine Press: Winemaker Rob Griffin's ability to consistently craft great wine after wine never fails to astonish us. This is his mainstream Cab, and it is gorgeous. Loaded with fresh dark-toned berries and olives with hints of smoke on the nose, followed by lusciously ripe blackberries, cherries and plums on the palate. Eminently drinkable in its youth yet will age for a half-decade or more, partly thanks to supple tannins and mild oak.

2006 Viu 1 (Chile)
Dark, dense, and tannic, with violets, black plums, and boysenberry. Includes 6% Cabernet Sauvignon. A strong candidate for the best short name for a wine. While France and Argentina are more famous for their Malbec, the Viu Manent winery in Chile owns great, old vine vineyards of Malbec. Viu 1 is the winery's fulfillment of the ambition to make world class wines from the best block. Grant Phelps from New Zealand is the head winemaker at Viu Manent since 2002. 92 points, Editor's Choice, Wine Enthusiast. 92+ points, Wine Advocate

Wine Tasting October 21 - 24, 2009

2006 Carl Lowen Detzeimer Riesling Spatlese Feinherb (Germany)
A wine so well balanced by acidity that the residual sugar it has does not taste sweet, and instead gives the wine a rich texture. The Granny Smith apple and citrus fruit shares the stage with a stony minerality. Tasty, refreshing, and almost endlessly good with any food, from fish to meat, salad to paste, from onions, carrots, and sweet potato to cabbage and eggplant, and even fruit tart desserts. You are unlikely to every again have the opportunity to buy this wine for as low a price as the Best Cellar is giving you.

2005 Heinrich Blaufrankisch (Austria)
A fine introduction to Austrian red wine by one of the best producers that makes both excellent red and whites. Austrian reds are noteworthy for their excellent acidity that leaves the mouth refreshed and cleansed as well as energetic fruit that is neither jammy nor heavy. They go with burgers and pizza much better than Zinfandel, and match spaghetti and soups beautifully. This wine also has a price that invites swigging a bottle down anytime.

2001 Mas Cal Demoura Infidelite (France)
Demoura was one of the first estates in Langedoc in South France to reinvent itself as a producer of quality wines as opposed to making cheap wines sold to cooperatives or in bulk by barrel to be bottled elsewhere. It demonstrated to the world that Languedoc could make wines that are suave and rich verus being rustic, rough, and marred by off odors.  This bottling is made from five Rhone grapes (Genache, Syrah, Mouvedre, Carignan, and x).  The 2001 has aged very beautifully, with no stewed, cooked, or tired flavors. The flavors are both integrated and rounded in every way.  Rounded acidity and rounded tannins give the wine a slippery and silky mouth feel, and frame seamlessly integrated earthiness, cherry, raspberry, and black plum that is a delight by itself and yet harmonizes with a wide range of food, including ratatouille, pork, lamb, cheese, and pasta.

2003 Pirrammima Petit Verdot (Australia)
Petit Verdot is usually grown in small quantities and blended with Cabernet and Merlot in Bordeaux blends. Pirramimma is one the few wineries that grows Petite Verdot in quantity and bottles in separately. Darkly purple in color with very aromatic lavender and violets. The mouth has purple raspberry and plum flavors, framed by tannin and acidity.

2005 Wolf Blass Platinum Shiraz (Australia)
From the Eden Valley in Barossa. The premium wine of Wolf Blass at a fraction of its usual price. A great Shiraz demonstrating how intensity of flavor need not go with heaviness of body or syrupy sweetness. 94 points, Jeremy Oliver: Simultaneously sumptuous and elegant, this vibrant, dark-fruited Shiraz marries its brightly lit, spicy and peppery flavors of mulberries, blackberries, dark plums and blueberries with lightly toasty, charry and vanilla oak, that suggests just a hint of caramel. It's musky and heady, while its lavishly sweet-fruited palate has a meaty and very slightly cooked aspect that compromises neither brightness nor intensity. Supported by fine-grained, powdery tannin, it's long, persistent and admirably balanced.

Wine Tasting October 14 - 17, 2009

2007 Domaine de Reuilly Sauvignon Blanc ( France)
Reuilly is a small appelation in the Loire region which makes the greatest Sauvignon Blanc. thegrapecrusader.wordpress.com: Pale straw in color with fresh and lively aromas of green apple, mineral and flint.  In the mouth, tangy flavors of green guava, lime, and grass with mineral on the finish.  A very green, herb driven flavor profile.  Crisp, crunchy, mouth puckering acidity and a lean mouth feel.

2003 Richard Hamilton Burton's Grenache/Shiraz (Australia)
Grenache (53%) Shiraz (47%). Aged for 22 months in French Oak, 10% new barrels. Nuances of cinnamon, nutmeg, vanilla, and cognac over-laying mulberry and blackberry fruits. Fine tannin structure and refreshing acidity.

2004 Tim Smith GSM (Australia)
The classic blend of Grenache (83%), Shiraz (5%), and Mourvedre (12%) made famous in the Southern Rhone Valley in France. Old vines (mostly 40-50 years, some much older). Made with extended lees contact. Strawberry, cherry, licorice, and herbs, along with pepper, earth, and some blackberry and currants. Tim Smith only recently started bottling small amounts of Barossa and Eden Valley fruit under his own name.

2003 Leconfield Cabernet Sauvignon (Australia)
The flagship wine of this estate in Coonawarra. Grown on red iron and limestone soil. Tobacco, cedar, black currants, oak aged in 25% new French and 5% new American, bright acidity, firm tannins from extended skin maceration. Highly unusual in including 3% Cabernet Sauvignon from the 2005 vintage to refresh the bright fruit. From the Wine Enthusiast: This mature, ready-to-drink example of Coonawarra Cab offers complex aromas and flavors of leather, cedar and black cherry, plus hints of mint and roasted beef. The tannins are smooth, the mouthfeel moderately rich and the finish long and mouthwatering. Drink now-2015.  - J.C. (12/15/2008) - 91

2006 Cooper Burns Shiraz (Australia)
Dark, ripe, and dense, initially laced with fruit, sugar, and fruitcake flavors, with a bed of tannin underneath. Each day the wine remains open, the sweetness lessens and the tannins rise, finally culminating on the fourth day in the best of both worlds – powerful and structured, laced with blackberry fruit and acidity. 91 points, James Halliday - 2009 Australian Wine Companion. 92 points, Gary Walsh - The Wine Front.

Wine Tasting October 7 - 10, 2009

2007 Bianchi Signature Chardonnay (California)
Winemaker's Notes: Alluring aromas of citrus, pineapple, kiwi and vanilla. Full flavors of creamy toasty oak spice and peach cobbler and a lingering rich finish.

2000 Pomar de Burgos Ribera del Duero Reserva (Spain)
Winemaker's Notes: 100% Tempranillo from vineyard 2,500 feet high with sand and limestone soil. Selected from the oldest vines and best vineyards. Aged 12 months in American oak, then 12 months in French oak, and 12 months in bottle. It has a black cherry color with fine aromas of toast and sweet vanilla. Full bodied with a balance between the fruity blackberry flavors and well integrated tannins.

2005 L'Ecole 41 Merlot Columbia Valley (Washington)
Includes 12% Cabernet Franc, 5% Petit Verdot, and 3% Cabernet Sauvignon. 91 points, Wine Enthusiast: Beautifully dark and plummy, with smoky, opulent fruit. Though full and fleshy, it has complex layering rather than being  just a fruit bomb. Berries and spice, chocolate and herb work in sync, creating a complete, rich and toasty wine with excellent depth.

2005 Blue Rock Syrah Napa (California)
A wine from Alexander Valley which emphasizes clarity of flavors versus heaviness of body. Has a pure and lovely balance of fruit, acid, and tannin, centered on raspberry and blueberry.

2006 Fisher Unity Cabernet Sauvignon Napa (California)
Sourced from many vineyards in five appellations. 78% Cabernet Sauvignon, 14% Merlot, 4% Malbec, and 4% Cabernet Franc. Of the previous 2005 vintage, 90 points, Steve Tanzer: A Bordeaux blend from estate and purchased fruit. Dark red. Currant, plum, chocolate and leather on the nose. Supple, sweet and accessible, in a distinctly pliant style. The plum, game and earth flavors are a bit sauvage but nicely ripe and fleshy. Finishes with broad, sweet tannins and a light herbal quality.

Wine Tasting September 30 - October 3, 2009
Ultimate Wine Tasting - French Bordeaux and Rhone Wines

2003 Chateau Coufran Haut Medoc (France)
The vines are 85% Merlot and 15% Cabernet Sauvignon, which is unusually higher in Merlot and low in Cabernet for the Haut Medoc. Wine Advocate: This deep plum/ruby/purple-tinged hussy boasts plenty of jammy black cherry fruit interwoven with smoke, vanilla, and white chocolate. It is a sexy, up-front, fleshy effort with low acidity as well as abundant fruit, glycerin, and texture. Consume it over the next 7-8 years.

2005 Tour de Segur Lustau-St Emilion (France)
60% Merlot, 25% Cabernet Franc, 15% Cabernet Sauvignon. Aged12 months in oak barrels, 25% new.  Importer's Notes: An intense bouquet that reveals notes of cherries and red fruit which marry nicely with the chocolate, vanilla, and toasty coconut, and echo in the mouth, with tannins already soft and supple.

2005 Rochemorin Rouge, Pessac-Leognan (France)
Wine Spectator (03/08): Aromas of blackberry, tobacco and coffee follow through to a full body, with soft, round tannins and a chocolate, berry and smoke aftertaste. Best after 2011. Wine Watch: Light earth, sweet tobacco, cherry pie, and barnyard on the nose. A good amount of cherry berry on the tongue with layers of spice and balanced acidity. An excellent value.

2005 Chateau Clarke (Baron Edmond Rothschild) Listrac (France)
A wine that demonstrates how supposedly lesser estates often produce superb wines in superb vintages like 2005.  A favorite wine, based on a tasting of over 100 affordable 2005 Bordeaux, i-winereview.blogspot.com: A delicious blend of 70% Merlot and 30% Cabernet Sauvignon aged in French oak barrels [90% new] for about 16 months. Dense and opaque ruby/purple in color, this beautifully made wine displays aromas of black currant and plum fruit on the nose. On the palate, it offers a powerful attack of full-bodied earthy black currant fruit, ripe tannins and a long finish. Will benefit from a year or two more of cellaring. A great value.

2006 Chateau Lascombes Margaux (France)
Since 2001, Lascombes has been styled to be darker, more fruity, bigger bodied, and powerful compared to other Bordeaux wines, with black fruit, ample new oak, expresso, and toast. Made with restrained yields of 36 hectoliters per hectare to increase concentration. Aged in 90% new French oak. Only in comparison to some massive and tannic earlier vintages, including the 2005, does the 2006 seem to be in any way elegant and restrained. The vines are 50% Merlot, 45% Cabernet and 5% Petit Verdot. Chris Kissack, thewinedoctor.com (who has extensively written about and tasted this Chateau across many vintages): Very showy nose, lots of dense raspberry fruit and flashy oak. Appealing, fleshy, stylish, and substantial, with bright fruit and good structure and grip, that will get even better as the oak integrates.

2007 Les Trois Couronnes Vacqueyras (France)
A fine introduction to the quality and value the great 2007 vintage offers. A classic Côtes du Rhône blend of Grenache (80%) and Syrah (20%) with impressively fresh Grenache fruit complemented by the body and structure of Syrah. Unusually round and generous, and lush but elegant, with dark cherry, licorice, pepper and spice.

2005 Domaine Jean-Louis Chave St Joseph (France)
A dark and massive single-vineyard wine, with firm acidity and tannins. From estate grapes, from sloped parcels like great Northern Rhone vineyards. The vines are 60 to 80 years old and according to Chave the wine is near in quality to his more celebrated Hermitage that costs well over $200. 90 points, Wine Advocate: Deeper than the 2006, with more pepper, black cherry, and raspberry scents intermixed with loamy soil nuances. Medium-bodied with beautiful fruit and, surprisingly for the vintage, ripe tannins. Review of 1998 (best vintage prior to 2005), tasted Feb 2009 (www.vinopelz.blogspot.com): Started out very acidic right out of the bottle, but with air, the fruit bulked up, and the tannin and acidity melted into the wine's structure perfectly. Like drinking liquid black cured olives, rosemary, meat juices, bacon fat, and crushed rock. The earthiness, saline component, and texture drive this wine. Brilliant with cassoulet.

Wine Tasting September 23, 25 & 26, 2009

2006 Picket Fence Pinot Noir Russian River (California)
Winemaker's Notes: This wine has an elegant, pure fruit forward style, with brilliant intensity, spice and rich Bing cherry, but with a luxurious density in the mouth feel. The hallmark of this vintage is the great palate appeal of the fruit coupled with a velvety texture.

2006 Quivira Steelhead Zinfandel (California)
From Dry Creek in California. 84% Zinfandel and 16% Grenache, Mourvedre, Syrah, and Carignane. The name "Steelhead" refers to the trout. Sales of this wine help support restoring steams to a state where the Steelhead can successfully spawn. A briary wine, with blackberry and a touch of black pepper. Modestly alcoholic at 13.8%.

2007 Teso la Monja Almirez Toro (Spain)
Winemaker's Notes: Elegant and full, fresh but fruity and well balanced with lots of expression by carefully combining the best fruits and understanding and respecting the terroir. 100% Tempranillo.

2005 Tenuto di Arceno Prima Voce Toscana (Italy)
72% Merlot, 20% Cabernet Sauvignon, 5% Cabernet Franc, 3% Syrah. The nose first exudes cedar, fresh vanilla root and a hint of ginger, followed by aromas of ripe plums and white chocolate. Tannins are soft, silky and balanced and lead to an explosion of candied cherries on the palate. Long lingering finish of forest floor, earth and spice. Prima Voce refers to a lead voice in an opera.

2005 Dry Creek Vineyard Mariners Meritage (California)
93 points , Cellar Selection Wine Enthusiast (March 2008):  One of the best Bordeaux-style reds in memory from this warm Sonoma County appellation, this blend of all 5 Bordeaux varieties shows wild berry, plum, olive tapenade, spice and dried herb flavor, with tough, slightly rustic tannins that needs until 2009 to melt. Top 10 Proprietary Blends of 2007, The Wine News: A noble blend of Cabernet Sauvignon (46%), Merlot (40%), Malbec (6%), Cabernet Franc (5%) and Petit Verdot (3%) from several of the finest vineyards in Dry Creek Valley. Appealing aromas of mocha, light vanilla, black cherry-raspberry and wilted roses. Ultra smooth with medium tannins, the flavors are rich, succulent and nicely concentrated, melding black cherry-cassis fruit, mocha and subtle white pepper. An elegant, stylish wine with a subtle, peppery finish.

Wine Tasting September 16 - 19, 2009

2006 Saddleback Chardonnay (California)
Washington Post (Feb 27, 2009): This barrel-fermented wine, from acclaimed winemaker Nils Venge, keeps the oak and fruit in nervous synergy, each making the other a little better.  Winemaker's Notes: Pear, lemon rind, and a delicate, light and buttery bread flavor. Has a viscous mouth-feel due to stirred lees, with a long finish of peach, pear, lemon and a hint of toast.

2002 Vina Salceda Rioja (Spain)
Ben Giliberti, Washington Post (Nov 17, 2006): Highly recommended. Lacks the polish of the 2001 Reserva but has almost as much grip, complexity and depth of flavor at a fraction of the price.

Multi-Vintage Kestrel Lady in Red 6^th Edition (Washington)
Mostly 2005 and 2004 grapes. 50.6% Cabernet Sauvignon, 34% Merlot, 11.4% Syrah, 3% Cabernet Franc  and 1% Sangiovese. Winemaker's Notes:   Deep garnet-red color, centering to near black. Aromas of blueberry, cherry, red currant, and elderberry fruit flavors. Also has non-fruit flavors of tea, tobacco, cedar, earth, dried herbs, white pepper, and vanilla. The wine ripples with bright intense red fruit flavors, and finishes with lingering cherry, dried herbs, and tobacco.

2005 Pax Cuvee Moriah (California)
92 points, Wine Advocate: A blend of 75% Grenache, 14% Syrah, 10% Mourvedre, and 1% Roussanne. Deep ruby/purple with huge amounts of peppery black raspberry and kirsch notes, a touch of underbrush and fennel as well as a long, heady finish. This is sumptuous, puncheon-aged wine that is big on fruit, complexity, and deliciousness. This is not one for making old bones, so drink it over the next 3-4 years.

2003 Calistoga Cellars Zinfandel
93 points, Wine & Spirits, Top 10 Zinfandels of 2006: An extraordinarily vibrant purple robes this wine while oak enriches it, turning the plum and strawberry flavors toward a silken elegance. That texture takes the wine beyond what's typical of zin, into the class of a great Napa Valley red.

Wine Tasting September 9 - 12, 2009

2005 Fallbrook Chardonnay Reserve (California)
100% Chardonnay from the Monterey viticultural area. 50% barrel fermented, 50% stainless steel fermentation. 40% aged 12 months in French and American oak. Later blended with un-oaked wine, allowing for a full-bodied fruit forward Chardonnay with a crisp finish.  A blend of rich fruit and oak flavors balanced by a note of crisp acidity, reminiscent in style to white Burgundy. Partial malolactic fermentation provides a rich mouth feel.

2004 Domaine de Berane Cotes de Ventoux Les Blaques (France)
Of the previous 2003 vintage, 88-90 points, Wine Advocate:This estate in the village of Mormoiron has 69 acres of vines. Rich and dense, the 2003 Cotes du Ventoux Les Blaques is a blend of 80% Syrah and 20% Grenache. Its inky/ruby/purple color is accompanied by sweet aromas of creme de cassis and licorice. Medium to full-bodied, pure, and loaded with character.

2003 Richard Hamilton Burton's Grenache/Shiraz (Australia)
Grenache (53%) Shiraz (47%). Aged for 22 months in French Oak, 10% new barrels. Nuances of cinnamon, nutmeg, vanilla, and cognac over-laying mulberry and blackberry fruits. Fine tannin structure and soft acidity.

2006 Jean-Louis Chave Selection Cotes du Rhone Mon Coeur (France)
Simply one of the greatest Cote du Rhones (a term for Rhone wines from any part of the Rhone versus from a specific part) I have tasted in my life. Dark, delicious, rich, and long, framed with bright acidity and firm tannins. Very drinkable but will improve for at least 5 years. From grapes purchased from about 10 small domains, that have the granite soil of the Ardeche region, work with Chave to use biodynamic methods, limit yields, and try to express the soil. Each is vinified separately, then blended. Made Wine Spectator's Top 100 for last two years. Gary's Wine & Marketplace: Full bodied, serious, drinkable now Cote du Rhone. 91 points, Wine Spectator: Alluring, with dark cocoa, game, braised fig and roasted plum notes laced with hints of iron and garrigue. The nice solid, muscular finish lets a loamy edge echo on. Drink now through 2010.

2006 Cooper Burns Shiraz (Australia)
Initial release price of $46 but much less at the Best Cellar. 91 points, Wine Advocate: The purple-colored Shiraz with 5% Viognier was sourced from the highly regarded Kalleske Vineyard and the two components were co-fermented. The wine spent 20 months in seasoned French oak hogsheads before bottling without fining or filtration. The enticing bouquet delivers notes of smoke, violet, spice box, game, and blueberry. This is followed by a full-bodied, layered, succulent wine with excellent depth and concentration, a bit of structure, and a fruit-filled finish. Cellar this pleasure-bent effort for 2-3 years and drink it from 2011 to 2020.

Wine Tasting August 26 - 29, 2009
Row Eleven Wine Company and Stratton Lummis National Sales Manager
and partner, Craig Boggs, attended our Wednesday night wine tasting.

2006 Stratton Lummis Chardonnay Carneros (California)
Winemaker's Notes: A light color is matched by zesty natural acidity which balances the richness and depth this wine has on the finish. Because no oak is used in aging, the delicate aromas of pears, lemons and peaches shine through. This wine is the perfect marriage of the best of Chablis and Carneros.

2007 Row 11 Pinot Noir Vinas 3 (California)
Winemaker's Notes: Named for being from three different appellations in Sonoma, Santa Barbara, and Monterey counties, with three different clones of Pinot Noir (Pommard, Dijon, Martini). Ready to drink on release.

2007 Row 11 Pinot Noir Russian River (California)
Winemaker's Notes: From Sanchietti Ranch Vineyard. Fermented in stainless steel and aged 13 months in old French oak barrels. Elegant, with red cherry and hints of smoke and bacon.

2007 Row 11 Pinot Noir Santa Maria (California)
Consistently my favorite Pinot Noir from Row 11. A blend from four vineyards. Some of the clusters are fermented with the stems, which adds structure and tannins to the wine. Aged 16 months in old French oak. Has a darker color and richer fruit, which goes beyond the typical red cherry toward black cherry and plum.

2005 Stratton Lummis Cabernet Sauvignon Artist Series (California)
A long time favorite at Best Cellar. Demonstrates how Napa Cabernet can be very special yet remain affordable. Cabernet Sauvignon plus a little Petite Verdot. Dark color, soft fruity entry, good intensity, tasty, and long, with drying tannins. Black currents with hints of chocolate and lavender. Aged 2 years in French oak. The grapes are from near Oakville and Rutherford, from wineries that charge much more for their Cabernets. Previous vintages since 2001 were all excellent and improved in the bottle.

Wine Tasting August 19 - 22, 2009

2005 Craggy Range Chardonnay Beaux Cailloux (New Zealand)
Casa  del Vino (New Zealand retailer): A luxury bottling of a big wine that rewards patience in the cellar. Explosive from the glass, ages like a White Burgundy, develops incredible complexity in 5-6 years.  92 points, Wine Enthusiast: Undeniably world-class, that wouldn't be out of place in a blind tasting with premier cru Burgundies. Toasty French oak frames elegantly restrained fruit on the nose and then vanilla, peach and tropical fruit flavors unfold on the palate, finishing long, tinged with orange sherbet and dried spices.

2003 Lake Breeze Langhorn Cabernet Sauvignon (Australia)
94 points, James Halliday 2007 Australian Wine Companion. The next 2004 vintage also got 94 points, and the 2005 was the Winner, Best Cabernet of Show, 2008 Sidney Royal Wine Show, over much more expensive and famous Cabs. Winemaker's Notes: A full bodied style, using fruit produced from 35+ year old vines on the Follett family vineyard. Traditional open fermentation was employed with maceration times varying between 7 - 21 days. Matured in French and American oak barriques for 20 months, prior to bottling with minimal filtration. Displays a complex array of mint, blackcurrant and cedary oak aromas. Tastes like it smells, with a silky texture and a wonderfully soft tannin finish.

2005 Mauritson Rockpile Ridge Vineyard Zinfandel (California)
1,200 high for the grapes, from one of the finest vineyards for Zinfandel. From the same vineyard that Rosenblum Cellars produces a strong candidate for its greatest Zinfandel (the Rockpile Road). 91 points, Wine Advocate: Incredibly rich, pure, and full bodied with high octane briery, blackberry, and cherry fruit accompanied by spicy oak, roasted herb, and Provencal-like garrigue characteristics. This full-bodied, rich deep beauty can be enjoyed now and over the next 3-4 years. Mauritson made brilliant Zinfandels from a difficult vintage.

2004 Merryvale Syrah Napa (California)
A  single vineyard (Page-Nord in Yountville), limited production (312 cases) 100% Syrah. Aged 17 months in French oak, 30% new. Of the later 2006 vintage, 92 points, Wine Spectator: Bold, rich and full-bodied, with grapey, peppery wild berry flavors that are intense, deep and persistent, ending with a touch of nutmeg and chewy tannins. Drink now through 2013.

2007 Michael & David Petite Petit (California)
A cleverly named and unusual wine made from two grapes that have Petit in their name (from the small sized grapes) – Petit Verdot (15%) and Petite Sirah (85%). 15 months in French oak. Black in color, very ripe, very rich, and sweetly fruity. Gamesviw.com (6-2009): Violets, plum, blueberry and nutmeg aromas. The palate is rich, jammy, velvety and loaded with decadent and inviting flavors of blackberry and currant scones. Dusty cocoa, white pepper and nutmeg finish.

Wine Tasting August 12 - 15, 2009

2005 Talbott Chardonnay Carlotta Cuvee (California)
Talbott is one of the top producers of Chardonnay in California, and the Carlotta Cuvee is a tete de cuvee (top selection) from the Sleepy Hollow Vineyard, made in a Grand Opera style in which a white wine is as huge and powerful as any red wine. 96 points, Wine Enthusiast: Massive, as are all of Talbott's 2005 Chardonnays. The Cuvée Carlotta brings together powerful, smoky new oak with extraordinarily ripe fruit to make for a wine of fantastic opulence and decadence. The flavors are endless, a cascade of pineapple jam, apricot crème brûlée, butterscotch, cinnamon toast, vanilla cream and cotton candy flavors. As sweet as that sounds, the finish is thoroughly dry and very long.  

2006 Sebastiani Secolo (California)
69% Cabernet Sauvignon, 18% Merlot, 7% Malbec, 6% Petite Verdot. A blend across Sonoma County vineyards. Of earlier 2004 vintage, 93 points, Wine Enthusiast: Lush, opulent Cabernet-based blend. It's a joy to drink, offering intensely ripe cherry pie, blackberry, blueberry, orange marmalade, cola, mocha and spice flavors. So smooth in the mouth, with a gorgeous balance of natural and oak-inspired tannins. A special wine, but it is for early consumption.

2005 Silverado Cabernet Sauvignon (California)
87% Cabernet Sauvignon, 8% Merlot, 3% Petit Verdot, 2% Cabernet Franc. Relatively Bordeaux in style for a California wine. 92 points, The Wine News: Dense inky-purple hue. Pretty scents that showcase maple, blackberry and oaky aromas. Well balanced on entry with a pretty blend of focused black fruit, citrus-laced acids and soft, combed tannins. Tart cherry fruit shines in the clean close with coffee and great backing of oaky tannins.

2005 Rosemount Show Reserve Traditional (Australia)
  82% Cabernet Sauvignon, 10% Merlot and 8% Petit Verdot. Aged 18 months in oak barrels, 45% new, with 80% American and  20% French. 90 points, Wine Spectator: Firm tannins underpin a silky flow of gorgeous currant, plum and berry fruit, hinting at tobacco and spice as the expressive finish expands on a medium-weight frame. Best from 2009 through 2015.

2005 Cline Bridgehead  Zinfandel (California)
100% Zinfandel, single vineyard, from Contra Costa County, very old vines.  11 months in oak. Winemaker's Notes: Consistently the most refined and elegant of the several Zins that we produce, with a claret-like style and intriguing complexity. Features spice and bright blackberry. The wine is firm and deep with notes of chocolate and toasty vanilla, and is structured by acids and tannins.

2006 EOS Petit Sirah (California)
  100% Petite Sirah, which is famous in California for making dark, tannic, and ageworthy wines. Winemaker's Notes: Raspberry, blackberry, cassis, and blueberry, that veer into leather, smoke, and baker's chocolate. Gold Medal, 2009 San Francisco Chronicle Wine Competition:  Blackish in color, delicious, balanced,  nicely structured, with a long and elegant finish.

Wine Tasting  August 5 - 8, 2009

2005 Kumeu River Chardonnay (New Zealand)
Kumue River is one of the finest producers of Chardonnay south of the equator, made with new French oak, barrel fermentation, and extended lees contract, that is famous for its combination of complex lemon that has combines the flavors of zest, oil, and juice,  along with butter, vanilla, and tropical fruits. A wine that ages long and slowly toward butterscotch, and matches a huge range of food.

2006 Pirie Estate Pinot Noir (Tasmania)
Tasmania is one of the most promising areas of Australia for Pinot Noir, because of its consistently cooler weather that tends to make the finest Pinot Noir around the world. The Pirie Estate uses only the finest blocks and restricts yields to raise quality. Gourmet Traveller: A icon of Tasmanian Pinot with terrific intensity and poise. Winemaker's Notes: Dark for Pinot Noir, with a vibrant ruby. Perfumes the air with black cherries, plums and violets along with coffee and cocoa and spice from fine French oak. Mid palate fruit sweetness is balanced on the finish by fine tannins and soft acidity. Full-bodied but has the tightness to age for 5-8 years.

2007 Mount Difficulty Estate Pinot Noir (New Zealand)
Mount Difficulty is a strong contender for making the best Pinot Noirs from the cooler, more inland Central Otago region. The 2007 vintage was especially low yielding and made an exceptionally concentrated wine because of a poor set of fruit. Instead of your more common red cherry, this wine features black cherry and blackberry, a fleshy mid palate, and a finish with ample tannin and acidity. The previous 2006 vintage got 92 points in the Wine Advocate.

2007 Odfjell Carmenere Armador (Chile)
International Wine Cellar (Josh Raynolds): Ruby-red. Cherry, dark berries and roasted coffee on the nose, with a subtle tobacco note adding complexity. Gently sweet red and dark berry flavors show good concentration and are framed by dusty tannins. Becomes livelier with air and finishes with good tangy cut. Very nicely balanced wine that will work well with lighter red meat dishes.

2006 Turkey Flat Butchers Block (Australia)
55% Shiraz, 28% Grenache, and 17% Mourvèdre. 94 points, AUSTRALIAN WINE COMPANION 2009 (James Halliday) : Fragrant and vibrant; while light - to meduim-bodied, has pure raspberry and red cherry fruit running through the length of the palate without the cosmetic characters of many Barossa Grenaches; 90 year old vines. 92 points, Wine Advocate: A saturated purple in color, it has an alluring bouquet of smoke, garrigue, sage, black cherry, and blueberry jam. Nicely structured, with 5-7 years of aging potential, it has layers of flavor, excellent depth, and a long, pure finish.

Wine Tasting July 29 - August 1, 2009

2007 Hamilton Russell Chardonnay (South Africa)
Hamilton Russell has made many excellent and well rated Chardonnays. The 2007 is viscous, with a rich texture and complexity that includes bee's wax, oak, nut, and a touch of butterscotch and apricot. What the bottle I tasted didn't have was a vibrant freshness and citrus. As the wine warmed up, the aromas and acidity did improve .  91 points, Wine Spectator: Quite ripe, with an almost botrytis-like hint of musk and spice on the nose, followed by taut apricot and citrus peel notes. The long finish lets the minerality slowly emerge. A bit atypical, but complex and delicious.

2003 Norman Vocation Rhone Blend (California)
A classic Southern Rhone GSM blend of 48% Syrah, 29% Grenache, and 15% Mourvedre, only with a California twist of 8% Petite Sirah. Made to be as fruit forward as possible, though still balanced with refreshing acidity and a streak of tannin, and aged 20 months in 30% new oak. Meant to be packed with powerful flavors without being black and heavy. Finishes dry.

2005 Ventana Syrah (California)
Double Gold, 2008 San Francisco Chronicle Wine Competition. Winemaker's Notes: Bright ruby-purple color. The bouquet is lively with fresh cracked black pepper and black cherry. In the mouth, the wine is lush and filled with flavors of black cherry, blackberry, and spice. Vanilla and cedar tones from American Oak barrel aging complement the fruit.

2003 Norman Crescendo (California)
If you ever wanted to know why California is world famous for delicious fruit-centered wines, just try this wine. From the nose, to the entry in the mouth, and overflowing into the aftertaste, is a generous, giving, caressing, vibrant, and endless cornucopia of black cherry, currants, and plums. A premium reserve wine normally available only at the winery whose quality soars above its price. Barrel aged 20 months in 80% new oak (50% French, 50% American). A classic Bordeaux blend of 40% Cabernet Sauvignon, 36% Merlot, 10% Petite Verdot, 7% Malbec, and 7% Cabernet Franc.  Not since the 1995 Justin Isosceles have I seen this type of wine done so perfectly. Buy it by the case, or be forever cursed with the regret of not buying enough to last a week.

2003 Norman Cabernet Sauvignon Reserve (California)
This wine needs a warning label that says: Prepare to be seduced. Black in color, aromatic, dense, layered, complex, full-bodied, mouth-coating, and powerful, with an endless aftertaste. Brims with cassis, blackberry, and black cherry. Laced with toast and vanilla from 20 months of aging in 100% new French oak. Fully ripe but buoyantly held up with tannins and refreshing acidity. If this identical wine were grown in Napa County instead of in Paso Robles, it would sell for over a $100 per bottle. 78% Cabernet Sauvignon, 11% Merlot 11% Petite Verdot. Normally available only at the winery. Don't just buy this wine – marry it.

Wine Tasting July 22 - 25, 2009
 Ultimate Wine Tasting - "Cabernet Sauvignon Festival"

2005 L'Ecole #41 Cabernet Sauvignon Columbia Valley (Washington)
100% Cabernet, with a classic Cab profile of cassis, blackberry, and plum fruit, strong acidity and tannins, coffee and cedar, a touch of tobacco, and a dry finish. 90 points, Paul Gregutt, Wine & Spirits: "Cabernet without brakes. Smoky, dark oak grounds its aromas of superripe cassis and black cherry. The flavor is also dark with jammy plum notes and hints of tar, earth and black pepper in the mouth-drying tannins. For a steak."

2006 Viu Manent Cabernet Sauvignon Capilla Vineyard (Chile)
A well structured wine with strong tannins and blackberry acidity, and true cassis flavor. Has 14% Malbec. Aged 14 months in all new oak, 90% French and 10% American. A selection of the best blocks in a single vineyard. 95 points, Wine Orbit Magazine. Wine Enthusiast: Rather deep and dense, with powerful black fruit aromas of menthol, berry and pepper. Ripe and rich throughout, with a ton of lush plum flavor and extra serving of chocolate and vanilla. This is what Colchagua Cabernet is all about.

2006 Elderton Cabernet Sauvignon Barossa (Australia)
100% Cabernet Sauvignon. 91 points, Jay Miller, Wine Advocate (Feb 2009): Exhibits an enticing nose of cedar, spice box, black currant, and blackberry. Layered on the palate, it has intense flavors with good concentration and balance. It will evolve for several more years and drink well from 2011 to 2021. 92 points, Campbell Mattinson, The Wine Front: Well balanced, even-tempered, well flavored and persistent - this is an excellent red wine to drink now. It tastes of chocolate, blackcurrant and cedar and while there are evident tannins, they're at one with the wine. It finishes grainy and chocolaty and fresh, with quite a bit of lingering acidity - all within the boundaries of balance. It's good.

2004 Saddleback Cabernet Sauvignon Napa
Consistently excellent across vintages. Mostly grapes from Oakville, but blends in some from Rutherford and Carneros.  Aged for two years in French and American oak barrels, 65% new. Includes 4% Petit Verdot, and 2% Cabernet Franc.  Winemaker's Notes: Wonderful, heady aromas of ripe dark cherries, spice rack, and cigar box are emitted from this wine's fragrant bouquet. This full-bodied wine has opulent, jammy black fruit flavors layered over silky and supple tannins with an amazingly smooth lingering finish. 91 points, Wine Advocate.

2005 Aramis Cabernet Sauvignon (Australia)
At a recent blind tasting of Cabernets with a panel of experienced tasters, this wine came in first. No one thought it was Australian, because it wasn't sugary, low acid, low tannin, and overripe. 100% Cab, dry, buttressed by tannin and acid, with intense cassis and blackberry.

2005 Frias Family Cabernet Sauvignon Spring Mountain (California)
Of the previous 2004 vintage, San Francisco Chronicle: Opulent and fruit-driven with cassis, black cherry, chocolate and licorice and dried herb aromas and intense, almost sweet black-fruit flavors balanced by fine, grainy tannins and great natural acidity. Of the earlier 2003 vintage: 93 points, Wine Spectator: Supple, graceful and complex, with a core of fruit built around plum, black cherry, herb and cedary oak that keep revealing extra flavor nuances. Dense and concentrated, it keeps its focus on a long, persistent finish. Drink now through 2012. 575 cases made.

Wine Tasting July 15 - 18, 2009

2008 Whitehaven Sauvignon Blanc (New Zealand)
Superb for five vintages running, as well as consistently tasting as good as wines costing up to twice as much. Has a grassy nuance, strong flavors of lemon and lime, plus red currant and gooseberry. Pale colored and light bodied, but full flavored with palette cleansing acidity. Shows how a wine can be water clear and light bodied, yet intense and powerful enough to dominate other wines. Woe unto a Chardonnay that follows this wine. Will refresh and wake up the palate even after big red wines.

2004 Falcor Syrah Napa 2004 (California)
Winemaker's Notes: 70% from the Shifflett Vineyards in Yountville and 30% from the Castle Rock Vineyard on Mt. Veeder. It was aged for 15 months in French oak barrels, coopered by Meyrieux Fils in Burgundy. Aromatic notes of fresh berries, black truffle, and smoke marry beautifully with toasty aromas imparted by the Meyrieux barrels. On the palate, juicy, primary fruit flavors give way to preserved berries, black pepper, and smoked meat. 459 cases produced.

2004 Dunham Syrah (Washington)
Of the earlier 2002 vintage, 92 points, Wine Enthusiast: The first thing you notice, apart from the density and magnificent color of this wine, is the perfume. Floral, complex and inviting with spicy citrus scents, it sets up the wine with an elegant, inviting entry that brings nuance and subtlety to a variety that can sometimes behave like an overblown Zinfandel. Here it is world class.

2003 Pirramimma Cabernet Sauvignon (Australia)
Bright brick red around the hues intensifying to an almost black center. The nose shows big blackcurrant, ripe cherries and mint characteristics all well integrated after two years maturation in American oak barriques. The palate is full and rich, with a big dark chocolate flavor, and accents of  cedary and leather. Well balanced with a generous dose of tannins. Pirramimma Cabs age well. The 1998 is still going strong. Of the previous 2002 vintage - 94 points, James Halliday (Australia's foremost wine critic), Australian Wine Companion: " On the mark from the first whiff; nigh-on perfect balance of cabernet fruit, tannins and oak; long and harmonious."

2006 Elyse Petite Sirah Rutherford (California)
Of the 2005 vintage: One of the two best Petite Sirahs sold by the Best Cellar in 2008 (the other was the 2004 Earthquake), that will age as well as Cabernet Sauvignon. Aromatic, mouth coating, tannic, and complex, with cola, coffee, tea, earth, violets, blackberries, bittersweet chocolate and spicy oak and vanilla.

Wine Tasting July 8 - 11, 2009

2006 Verget Macon Vergisson La Roche (France)
La Roche is a huge and imposing mountain of limestone in the Burgundy region of France, with a shear rock face on one side with hillsides below. Vergisson is a village nestled near the mountain base. Verget was one of the first to extol this special place, give the grapes the same special treatment of great White Burgundies made in far more famous areas, and market its wines to all the world. This all chardonnay wine features a mineral taste, firm lemon acidity, creamy texture, and mouth coating tropical flavors. Decanter: Attractive, zesty nose, quite oaky. Rich, concentrated, weighty and complex. Has structure, length and a toasty finish.

2005 Martin Ray Angeline Cabernet Sauvignon Sonoma (California)
Gold Medal, best of class, 2008 San Francisco Chronicle Wine Competition. Colorado Wine News, July-Sept. 2007: A nose and flavors of dried plum, followed by cherry and cranberry, that almost float across the palate. Accented with a sweet note and laced with light, fine, dry tannin. It finishes long and medium-broad.

2003 Opolo Cabernet Sauvignon (California)
Winemaker's Notes. 40% new French oak with the remainder in about 50/50 older French and American oak. A big rich, meaty Cabernet loaded with concentrated black cherry, cassis and blackberry. The mid-palate is broad and the fruit gives way to spices and chocolate as the flavors evolve. The wine is lush and full, with great structure and spicy notes from the oak aging. From Paso Robles.

2004 JC Cellars Syrah California Cuvee (California)
92% Syrah, 8% Petite Syrah. Blended from diverse sources across California. Cherry, raspberry, spice, and coffee, buttressed by light tannins.

2005 Old Faithful Top of the Hill Shiraz (Australia)
92 points, Wine Advocate: Aged in 60% new oak. Purple-colored, it offers up smoke, espresso, meat, game, and blueberry. Full-bodied, ripe, and opulent on the palate, the wine is mouth-filling and long in the finish. Give it 4-6 years to round out and drink it through 2025.

Wine Tasting June 24 - 27, 2009

Non-Vintage Graham Beck Sparkler Brut (South Africa)
54% Chardonnay and 46% Pinot Noir. Made the same way as Champagne wines in France from grapes grown on limestone soil, but at a fraction of the cost. Yeast and fruit aromas with a creamy complexity in the mouth.

2005 Ventana Pinot Noir (California)
Winemaker's Notes: An explosion of vibrant cherry flavors with a delicious hint of milk chocolate. Lengthy barrel aging in French Oak for over 18 months gives the wine structure and vanilla tones. This food friendly Pinot Noir will be a very pleasing accompaniment to almost any entrée.

2002 Graham Beck Syrah Ridge Vineyard (South Africa)
Winner, one of the 9 Great Gold medals and best international dry red wine, at MUNDUSvini International Wine Awards 2008. From one of the wineries dedicated to higher quality, from the Robinson area of South Africa, known for its horses and value wines. Winemaker's Notes: Deep ruby. Plum, spice, and smoke aromas. Aged 14 months in French and American oak. 60% of the French oak barrels are new and 40% of the American. Single vineyard, grown on a slope of porous sandstone and limestone soil rich in iron, on top of shale.

2005 Ventana Syrah (California)
Double Gold, 2008 San Francisco Chronicle Wine Competition. Winemaker's Notes: Bright ruby-purple color. The bouquet is lively with fresh cracked black pepper and black cherry. In the mouth, the wine is lush and filled with flavors of black cherry, blackberry, and spice. Vanilla and cedar tones from American Oak barrel aging complement the fruit.

2004 Pretty Sally Shiraz (Australia)
96 points, SOMM Selections / Vintrust (Spring 2008) (A trade publication that submits recommended wines to be reviewed by 30 of US top professional sommeliers): Aroma: black pepper, pencil lead, black fruit. Flavor: blackberry compote, fennel, dark earth. Structure: integrated, firm tannins, full bodied. Length: long finish of black currant and licorice. Balance: full body streamlined by minerality. 91 points, Steven Tanzer's International Wine Cellar: Ruby-red. Smoky aromas of fresh blackberry, cassis and candied cherry lifted by sweet licorice and bright minerality. The flavors offer a compelling combination of power and focus; raspberry and blackberry notes build and sweeten through the finish but there's also juicy quality providing vivacity. Finishes supple and sweet, with lingering flavors of dark fruit liqueur. A rather graceful style of shiraz, with impressive concentration. 

Wine Tasting June 17 - 20, 2009

2005 Rex Hill Chardonnay (Oregon)
Unoaked, made and stored in stainless steel, briskly acidic for Chardonnay, gets creaminess from extended lees contract. Citus, plum, and apple. Not a small scale unoaked Chardonnay, but one with freshness, mineral notes, attack, and rich mouth coating flavors.

2005 De Loach Wild Creek Cabernet Sauvignon (California)
100% Cabernet Sauvignon from Dry Creek. Winemaker's Notes: This wine is redolent with aromas and flavors of cassis, molasses and toasty oak with layers of cedar, tar and Brazilian coffee bean.  A tightly focused mid-palate of red currant and velvety firm tannins leads to a very alluring finish. Well-balanced and drinkable now, this wine's true beauty will be revealed with additional cellar aging.

2005 Thomas Halby Cabernet Sauvignon Reserve Napa (California)
A step up in intensity over the regular Cab. Winemaker's Notes: Aromas of concentrated cassis, cherry, slight mint, some caramelized oak notes. Followed by ripe cherry flavors, good depth and concentration with some minerality in the mid-palate, and a lingering finish laced with bittersweet chocolate and tannins. Aged 17 months in French and American oak barrels, 40% new oak. 100% Napa fruit. 93% Cabernet Sauvignon, 5% Malbec, 1% Petite Verdot, 1% Syrah.

2006 Viu Manent Cabernet Sauvignon Capilla Vineyard (Chile)
A well structured wine with strong tannins and blackberry acidity, and true cassis flavor. 95 points, Wine Orbit Magazine. Wine Enthusiast: Rather deep and dense, with powerful black fruit aromas of menthol, berry and pepper. Ripe and rich throughout, with a ton of lush plum flavor and extra serving of chocolate and vanilla. This is what Colchagua Cabernet is all about.

2005 Dunham Cabernet Sauvignon XI Columbia Valley (Washington)
100% Cabernet Sauvignon, blends two estate vineyards. Smoke, coffee, vanilla, and caramel.  Plum, raspberry, and cherry flavors with earthy undertones and refreshing acidity. Silky and even lush texture and feel. Gold Medal at Northwest Wine Summit. Dunham is the Northwest Wine Press winery of the year for 2008. At first Dunham became famous for its Cab, and then even more famous for the Syrahs it added later.

Wine Tasting June 10 - 13, 2009
First Wine Tasting at the new Location - 1408 NE 26th St.

2007 Hahn Chardonnay (California)
Winemaker's Notes: The clean golden color of this full-spectrum Chardonnay stands out and enhances the experience created by the distinct aromas of apricot, peach and pineapple. Balanced on a delicate thread of oak, the palate is pleased with a lush mixture of green apple and tropical fruits that persist well into the finish on a platform of crisp acidity.  Harvested at optimum maturity during the first two weeks of October from Hahn Estates own Lone Oak, Hook and Ste. Philippe estate vineyards, diligent blending has created an exceptionally complex and pleasant Chardonnay that matches crab cakes on creamed corn with carrot slices, poached halibut, lobster with butter, and chicken casserole.

2004 Kumkani Shiraz (South Africa)
24 months in 70% French and 30% American 300-litre barrels has produced a well made shiraz displaying complex aromas of bright ripe black summer fruit, warm earth and spicy mountain herbs. It has ripe berry, spice and vanilla flavors and a long satisfying finish.

2004 Banfi Sant' Antimo Tavernelle Cabernet Sauvignon (Italy)
A Cabernet Sauvignon from Tuscany that is medium full bodied and round, with a touch of acidity, a light burr of tannin, plum and violets, and chiefly a red cherry flavor. Normally retails for $33 and up.

2000 Cigliuti Barbera d'Alba Campass  (Italy)
Delicious, dry, fruity, and still vigorous 9 years old. A great food wine and much better than just a drink-young quaffer like the following review suggests. Of the later 2005 vintage, Wine Advocate: A fleshy, fruity Barbera endowed with plenty of dark fruit, spices and toasted oak. Offers understated finesse with excellent length. Best enjoyed over the next few years.

2005 Chateau St Jean Cinq Cepage (California)
At a Bordeaux/Cabernet tasting with about 110 wines, I  rated this wine 4th overall, and 1st among wines costing less than $60. Among my top wines, three cost over $100 per bottle and one $70. The top included some great Bordeaux, great California, as well as the greatest Italian Cabernet Sauvignon I have ever tasted. The 2005 Cinq Cepage had the smoothness, integration, balance, elegance, and complexity that is the hallmark for this wine. But what the 2005 added was higher acidity, more than adequate tannins, and a truly powerful finish. Consistently, the Cinq Cepage grows with age and stands up to wines that initially were more powerful. The 2005 starts at a higher level of power.

2005 Hanenhof Shiraz Barossa (Australia)
Hanenhof is a brand of Haan, and the Barossa region is famous for its big, dark Shiraz. The Hanenhof is inky black in color and delivers a rich and jammy wine, with blackberries and subtle vanillan oak  The palate is big, with strong upfront fruits, generous mid palate and silky, dusty oak finishes. Long aging in oak imparts soft, silky tannins but the finish is firm.

Wine Tasting May 20 - 24, 2009
ULTIMATE WINE TASTING - The Last Wine Tasting on Wilton Drive
 

"Family-owned Domaine Jean-Louis Chave is one of the finest, and oldest, estates in the northern Rhône." - James Lawther, Decanter . This family has made Rhone wines since 1481. Jean-Louis joined his father in 1992 after studying in the US, in both business administration and enology. His greatest wine is Hermitage, famous for power and perfume, which includes a red and a white, rated 97+ and 97 (almost unheard scores for Tanzer) for the 2005 vintage, each costing well over $250 a bottle.

2006 Jean-Louis Chave Selection Cotes du Rhone Mon Coeur (France)
From grapes purchased from about 10 small domains, that have the granite soil of the Ardeche region, work with Chave to use biodynamic methods, limit yields, and try to express the soil. Each is vinified separately, then blended. Made Wine Spectator's Top 100 for last two years. Gary's Wine & Marketplace: Full bodied, serious, drinkable now Cote du Rhone. 91 points, Wine Spectator: Alluring, with dark cocoa, game, braised fig and roasted plum notes laced with hints of iron and garrigue. The nice solid, muscular finish lets a loamy edge echo on. Drink now through 2010.

2005 Domaine Jean-Louis Chave Crozes Hermitage Silene (France)
From estate (owned) grapes. wine-musings-blogspot.com:  Well crafted, almost delicate and absolutely delicious. Bright red cherry and currant fruit, a nuance of garrigue, briar and cracked pepper, each element amazingly detailed, jump from the glass. The palate is also bright and lively, with a nice backbone from beginning to end, red fruit and iron, the finish medium-long, peppery and fine – an easy drinker, a great food wine, a killer every day wine. 91 points from the Wine Spectator.

2005 Jean-Louis Chave Selection St Joseph Offerus
From purchased grapes. Often blended with Grenache and Mouvedre, the 2005 is 100% Syrah.  90 Points, Josh Raynolds, International Wine Cellar: Medium ruby. Pungent, wild, expanding aromas of cherry, smoked meat, lavender and licorice. Quite meaty and sauvage on the palate, with a rich, thick texture and very ripe dark plum flavor. Impressively concentrated, powerful wine that combines a distinct wildness with noteworthy sweetness of fruit. Rare Wine Company: Rivals anything made in the 8 year history of this wine. Stunning for its richness and complexity.

2004 Bonny Doon Le Cigare Volante (California)
A classic southern Rhone blend of 38% Grenache, 35% Syrah, 12% Mourvedre, 8% Carignane, and 7% Cinsaut. Usually made fruit forward with a soft texture, but the 2004 was made more tannic, which makes it age better and gives it the grip to handle more foods, including fattier, richer, and more powerful foods, such as stews, steak, roasts, and spicy dishes. 90 points, Wilfred Wong (www.bevmo.com): A complex red, the multi-faceted Cigare Volant which recalls flavors from France's Rhone Valley; not over-the-top, this wine is refined, red-fruited and well-balanced. Wine Enthusiast: dry, balanced and stylish. An earthy, spicy wine, with nuances of wild berries, grilled veal, olive tapenade, lavender and Provençal herbs.

2005 Domaine Jean-Louis Chave St Joseph (France)
From estate grapes, from sloped parcels like great Northern Rhone vineyards. This is a single vineyard Saint Joseph with vines on terraces that are tended by just one woman that does everything manually. The vines are 60 to 80 years old and according to Chave the wine is near in quality to his more celebrated Hermitage. 90 points, Wine Advocate: Deeper than the 2006, with more pepper, black cherry, and raspberry scents intermixed with loamy soil nuances. Medium-bodied with beautiful fruit and, surprisingly for the vintage, ripe tannins. Review of 1998 (best vintage prior to 2005), tasted Feb 2009 (www.vinopelz.blogspot.com): Started out very acidic right out of the bottle, but with air, the fruit bulked up, and the tannin and acidity melted into the wine's structure perfectly. Like drinking liquid black cured olives, rosemary, meat juices, bacon fat, and crushed rock. Although black fruit is plentiful, the earthiness, saline component, and texture drive this wine. Brilliant with cassoulet.

Wine Tasting May 13 - 17, 2009

2007 Frattina Sauvignon Blanc (Italy)
Clean with fresh scents and crisp flavors of lime and grapefruit. Offers lush melon, fig and honeysuckle flavors with crisp acidity and a slight herbaceous character.

2005 Atalayas Ribero del Duero (Spain)
90 points, Steve Tanzer: "Inky violet color. Spicy dark berry aromas are brightened by zesty minerality and subtle cracked pepper notes. Silky blackberry and violet pastille flavors are open-knit and sweet, with gentle tannins adding subtle grip. Impressively suave, elegant and balanced on the long, juicy finish. Drink now - 2012."

2006 Peter Lehman Shiraz (Australia)
91 points, Wine Spectator:  Ripe, round, generous with its smoky cherry and black currant flavors; mildly grippy tannins; long, layered finish.

2003 Gravity Hills Killer Climb Syrah (California)
A premium wine from this Paso Robles winery, named after the steepest part of the hillside vineyard where the wine's grapes (a clone from Hermitage in France) grow, which turns back tourists wanting a romantic walk through the vineyards. The most intense and tannic wine of this estate. 90 points, Wine Advocate: A superb effort, offering beautiful aromas of camphor, creme de cassis, smoke, and damp earth. Has a pleasant, layered palate, impressive purity, medium to full body, and ample persistence.

2003 Bleasdale Frank Potts Red (Australia)
A wine worth buying by the case. The last supply of a lovely Bordeaux blend of 74% Cabernet Sauvignon, 15% Malbec, and 11% Petit Verdot, aged to near perfection. Has none of the jammy, overripe, sweet, very high alcohol qualities that sometimes mar Australia wines. Age has given the outside edge of the wine a slight brick, but the core of the wine remains black. In the mouth the wine is youthful, refreshingly acidic, and brightly fruity, all strung out on balancing tannins beginning to get more silky and rounded. A wine that rivals Bordeaux blends from California, France, and Washington, now at its lowest price ever. Will readily last for another four years. 93 points, James Halliday, 2007 Australian Wine Companion: Good hue; a highly polished, elegant style. Seamless black fruits, vanillan oak and tannins; very good length, controlled alcohol.

Wine Tasting May 6 - 10, 2009

2004 Barboursville Viognier Reserve (Virginia)
Winemaker's Notes: 100 percent Viognier fermented in stainless steel at 68 degrees F for 10 days and aged in stainless steel for 12-14 months on it lees, with no malolactic fermentation. Aromatic and juicy with bright pear, passion fruit, and hints of citrus on a gently herbal frame.

2006 Chateau Montaigut Côtes de Bourg (France)
65% Merlot, 15% Cabernet Sauvignon and 15% Cab Franc and 5% Malbec. The wine spends a good stint in steel tank and 12 months in neutral barrel to add weight and mouth feel. Black fruits, with earth and a soft roundness.

2000 Pomar de Burgos Ribera del Duero Reserva (Spain)
Winemaker's Notes: 100% Tempranillo from vineyard 2,500 feet high with sand and limestone soil. Selected from the oldest vines and best vineyards. Aged 12 months in American oak, then 12 months in French oak, and 12 months in bottle. It has a black cherry color with fine aromas of toast and sweet vanilla. Full bodied with a balance between the fruity blackberry flavors and well integrated tannins.

2001 Querciavalle Chianti Classico Reserva (Italy)
This wine is aged in Slavonic oak barrels for a period of between 24 - 28 months. It is then bottled and gets a further 6 - 8 months aging. The wine gets lighter in color as it bottle-ages, going from a deep ruby red to a pomegranate color. It has a dry vigorous, intense taste with fruit and vanilla nuances. An excellent accompaniment for savory dishes and cheeses, red meats and game.

2005 Dunham Trutina (Washington)
Winemaker's Notes: Rich, ripe pomegranate and lavender notes with hints of black cherry round off in the mouth with lush blackberry and floral notes. A balanced blend of Cabernet Sauvignon, Merlot, Syrah, and Cabernet Franc.

Wine Tasting April 29 - May 2, 2009

2006 Stratton Lummis Chardonnay Carneros (California)
Winemaker's Notes: A light color is matched by zesty natural acidity which balances the richness and depth this wine has on the finish. Because no oak is used in aging, the delicate aromas of pears, lemons and peaches shine through. This wine is the perfect marriage of the best of Chablis and Carneros.

2002 Southern Roo Cabernet Sauvignon (Australia )
85% Cabernet Sauvignon and 15% Shiraz, but dominated by the Shiraz. Loaded with fruit, with a dense red raspberry. The Cabernet adds some structure but not much of the briaryness and cassis typical for Cabernet, but who cares? A delicious blast of fruit with noteworthy concentration.

2005 Stratton Lummis Cabernet Sauvignon Artist Series (California)
A new vintage of a long time favorite at Best Cellar. Demonstrates how Napa Cabernet can be very special yet remain affordable. Cabernet Sauvignon plus a little Petite Verdot. Dark color, soft fruity entry, good intensity, tasty, and long, with drying tannins. Black currents with hints of chocolate and lavender. Aged 2 years in French oak. The grapes are from near Oakville and Rutherford. Previous vintages since 2001 were all excellent and improved in the bottle.

2000 Bleasdale Shiraz Reserve (Australia)
Bleasdale makes its Shiraz not in the typical jammy style catering to the United States, but dryer and firmer, with cocoa and meat flavors in with the fruit. I wasn't expecting to be able to taste, much less buy, this particular vintage again. Wine Spectator: "Rich in texture, but not heavy, with wonderful plum and cherry fruit shaded with touches of meaty game and tar. The fruit persists against fine tannins on the finish. Drink now through 2012. 2,000 cases made."

2006 Biale Black Chicken Zinfandel (California)
A long time favorite of Zin lovers. Dense and fruit stuffed, with blackberry, raspberry preserves, and black cherry flavors, layered with allspice, toasty grilled bread, vanilla, and gingerbread. Very ripe in flavors and soft in texture, with a port like texture but drier on the finish. Winemaker's Notes: This blackish purple wine shows currant, blackberry, dried fruit, molasses, berry jam and vanilla flavors on its luscious mid-palate. Supple, young tannins emerge on the rich and jammy finish.

Wine Tasting April 22 - 25, 2009

2006 Kathryn Lynskey Pinot Noir Block 36 Reserve (New Zealand)
A serious Pinot Noir from a serious winery. Deep ruby color, dark for a Pinot Noir.  Enters the mouth with a silky texture. Has bright strawberry and cherry fruit with refreshng acidity. Opened for a day, the fruits move toward black cherry, and a forest floor begins to emerge.  Very versatile with food, including strong meats, such as lamb.

2005 Antucura Barrandica Meritage (Argentina)
89-90 points, Gary Vaynerchuk, winelibrary.com: This terrific red blend is an unreal bargain! Made by Antucura, this Merlot, Cabernet and Malbec blend is the total package. Great dark sweet fruit with notes of cocoa and vanilla, but a terrific finish with well placed tannins. This should age nicely too, and has a price you just can't beat for the quality. Has a level of integration seldom seen in wines costing less than $25.

2007 Odfjell Armador Carmenere (Chile)
Winemaker's Notes: Deep, dark and black, the first impression of this Carmenere is one of toffee and caramel with notes of jasmine tea. After agitating the wine new aromas emerge, such as blackberries and raspberries, together with licorice, coffee, black pepper and tobacco. Flows elegantly in the mouth. A ripe and well structured wine with refreshing acidity highlighting the black fruit.

2004 Pirramimma Petite Verdot  (Australia)
Owns the first and largest vineyard of Petite Verdot in Australia. A relatively rare bottling of a grape usually used in small amounts in blends. Picking up cedary and nutty complexity with age. 93 points James Halliday Australian Wine Companion 2008: Typical deep color; blackcurrant, spice and earth aroma; very concentrate and powerful lingering tannins, but not over-extracted.

2006 Marquis Phillips Shiraz (Australia)
92 points, Robert Parker, Wine Advocate: Up front fragrant aromas of cedar, smoke, tar, blueberry, and blackberry liqueur. Full-bodied, opulent, and structured, this intense, well-balanced Shiraz will evolve for 2-3 years and drink well through 2016. An excellent value.

Wine Tasting April 15 - 18, 2009

2008 Whitehaven Sauvignon Blanc (New Zealand)
Consistently excellent. Winemaker's Notes: Mid straw, with lemon tones.  Vibrant currant-leaf, citrus and gooseberry aromas, with freshly cut herb undertones. A full flavored, medium bodied wine, with an abundance of archetypal currant and gooseberry flavors, that linger on the dry, clean finish.

2005 Avalon Cabernet Sauvignon Napa (California)
Robert Parker, Wine Advocate: The 2005 Cabernet Sauvignon Napa (50,000 cases produced) is a blend of 86% Cabernet Sauvignon and the rest Syrah, Merlot, and Petite Sirah. Its dark ruby/plum color is followed by sweet aromas of black currants, smoke, damp earth, licorice, and spice. Medium-bodied and pure with silky tannins as well as a surprisingly long finish, it should drink well for 5-8 years. It has been at least twenty years since I have had a Napa Cabernet this good for under $15 a bottle.

2004 Teusner Avatar  (Australia)
60% Grenache, 30% Mourvedre, and 10% Shiraz. Aged 16 months in neutral oak (no new barrels). Dense, with licorice, plum, jam, eucalyptus, and mint. 91 points, Wine Spectator: Distinctive and well-defined. Blueberry and plum flavors get all kinds of shadings, with hints of game meats, pepper and pomegranate that linger beautifully. Drink now through 2014. 1,000 cases made.

2005 Dry Creek Vineyard Meritage "The Mariner" (California)
Of the 2004 vintage, 93 points, Wine Enthusiast: One of the best Bordeaux-style reds in memory from this warm Sonoma County appellation, this blend of all 5 Bordeaux varieties shows wild berry, plum, olive tapenade, spice and dried herb flavors, with tough, slightly rustic tannins that need time to melt. Give it until 2009, and should provide pleasure for another 5 or 6 years.

2005 Hesketh Protagonist Shiraz (Australia)
7% Viognier, like French Cote Rotie wines. Has a dark color, lovely satiny feel in the mouth, refreshing acidity, and a rich fruit-packed red raspberry that doesn't cross the line into jam. Not your massive, overripe, sweet, and alcoholic wine. Matthew Jukes & Tyson Stelzer, Taste Food & Wine – The Best Wines of 2008: "The Protagonist shows every sign of being a future classic in the making. Is this big, ripe wine just the thing that will clean up at the next big blind tasting? We saw it first, we reckon it is, and we don't want you to miss out. Make sure you have a few pals to help you polish off a bottle though, because it's a bit of a bruiser."

Wine Tasting April 8 - 11, 2009

2005 Vergelegen Sauvignon Blanc (South Africa)
Captures that juicy fresh cut grass and green pepper flavor that South Africa helped pioneer and New Zealand made world famous, but also has a little semillion, giving the texture a rounder and broader edge. 89 points, Steve Tanzer: Pale bright yellow. Reticent nose hints at passion fruit, lemon, minerals and a raw peppery quality. Then dense, supple and generous in the mouth, with a restrained sweetness to the flavors of pineapple, grapefruit and minerals. In a broad, fairly rich style. Finishes with a pleasing pear skin bitterness.

2006 Stangeland Stand Sure Vineyard Pinot Noir (Oregon)
Medium red color. Spicy red berries and minerals on the nose, with pungent rose and baking spice qualities adding complexity. The palate offers light but nicely concentrated flavors of fresh raspberry and strawberry preserves, and finishes with no obvious tannins. Bitter cherry and floral pastille nuances build on the sappy, sweet back end. Tanzer 89; IEWC Double Gold Medal 2008; Mondial du Pinot Noir Silver Medal 2008.

2005 Casa Castillo Valtosca (Spain)
89 points, International Wine Cellar: Inky violet. Perfumed, varietally accurate aromas of cassis, blackberry, violet and minerals. Medium-bodied, firm and juicy, with excellent lift and tanginess to its berry and smoked meat flavors. Finishes expansive and bright, with noteworthy length. This could be confused for a very good Northern Rhone wine.

2006 Ventisquero Grey Cabernet Reserve (Chile)
Winemaker's Notes: 85% Cabernet Sauvignon and 15% Syrah. Aged 18 months in French oak. Cassis, blueberry, and strawberry fruits, with vanilla, nutmeg, coffee, and tobacco.

2006 Rosenblum Annette's Reserve Zinfandel (California)
A Cabernet lover's Zinfandel. 87% Zinfandel, 11% Petite Sirah, 2% Carignane.  Winemaker's Notes: The wine displays exotic spice and peppercorn leading the effusive black cherry bouquet, followed by flavors of ripe currants and creamy cherry. True to its heritage, this Zinfandel is well structured with well-integrated tannins.

Wine Tasting April 1 - 4, 2009

2007 Kiona Chenin Blanc (Washington)
Yellow plum, lightly sweet, with the balancing citrus acidity to clean the sweetness out of the finish. Double Gold, 2008 Platinum Judging, Northwest Wine Press: The Williams family has crafted a Chenin Blanc for many years. That dedication pays off annually, and this off-dry Chenin is a delicious example of the variety. It is loaded with aromas and flavors of limes, ripe pears, sweet pears and peaches. San Francisco Chronicle Wine Competition (Gold). (2,021 cases, 12% alcohol.)

2005 Reininger Helix Merlot (Washington)
Reininger makes superb Merlot. Helix is their best value line, made from Columbia Valley grapes rather than Estate Walla Walla. Includes 7% Cabernet Sauvignon. Aged in oak barrels, 15% new. Pushes Merlot from red cherry toward black fruits, along with an attractive, complex layer of non-fruit flavors.1026 cases made. Gold, 2008 Platinum Judging, Northwest Wine Press. Wine Enthusiast: The smooth and chocolaty flavors that consumers love, but pulled back, letting more of the cherry fruit and subtle accents of forest floor, fungus and earth show through. It's textural, complex and thoroughly enjoyable.

2003 Pirramimma Cabernet Sauvignon (Australia)
Bright brick red around the hues intensifying to an almost black center. The nose shows big blackcurrant, ripe cherries and mint characteristics all well integrated after two years maturation in American oak barriques. The palate is full and rich, with a big dark chocolate flavor, and accents of  cedary and leather. Well balanced with a generous dose of tannins. Pirramimma Cabs age well. The 1998 is still going strong.

2004 Gravity Hills Sherpa Zinfandel (California)
The premium line of wines from this Paso Robles winery. The grapes come from the steepest and highest part of a hillside vineyard. The wine is amusingly named for the tribesmen who serve on expeditions to Mount Everest. A Cabernet style Zinfandel with higher acidity and tannin, a dryer taste, and blackberry and cassis flavors in place of the typical raspberry and blueberry. At a price lower than you will ever see again.

2004 Ventisquero Pangea Syrah (Chile)
Made with the assistance of John Duval, who made the Grange in Australia, which is arguably Australia's greatest wine. Aged 18 months in French oak and then a year in bottle. About 90% Syrah and 10% Cabernet Sauvignon. Has a pillowtop lushness and richness with a firm underpinning of tannins and acidity that becomes more apparent in the finish. Of the later 2005 vintage: 91 points, Wine Spectator: Very fleshy, with lots of velvety-textured blue, black and red fruit that mingle with notes of cocoa and mineral. The long, supple finish lets it all play out nicely, without ever getting heavy. Concentrated, but nicely balanced. 800 cases made.

Wine Tasting March 25 - 28, 2009

2008 Odfjell Armador Sauvignon Blanc (Chile)
First release of a Sauvignon Blanc from this winery. Grown on a vineyard closer to the Pacific Ocean, which provides cooler nights. Winemaker's Notes: Pale yellow in color with green reflections and pineapple, dry grass, grapefruit and fresh green lime notes springing from the glass. The attack is fresh and mineral, filling the mouth with concentrated citrus flavors. The bright acidity continues into a long finish.

2007 Odfjell Armador Carmenere (Chile)
Winemaker's Notes: Deep, dark and black, the first impression of this Carmenere is one of toffee and caramel with notes of jasmine tea. After agitating the wine new aromas emerge, such as blackberries and raspberries, together with licorice, coffee, black pepper and tobacco. Flows elegantly in the mouth. A ripe and well structured wine with refreshing acidity highlighting the black fruit.

2005 Odfjell Malbec Orzada (Chile)
Winemaker's Notes: Elegant. Deep, intense black and blue ink in color with aromas of wild fruit, quince, ink, as well as floral notes of roses and lavender. Further aromas of vanilla, chocolate and oak also reveal aging in oak barrels. Well balanced and full on the palate, with soft and ripe tannins. Acidic black fruit creates a juicy sensation, with a long, complex finish.

2006 Viu Manent Cabernet Sauvignon Capilla Vineyard (Chile)
A well structured wine with strong tannins and blackberry acidity, and true cassis flavor. 95 points, Wine Orbit Magazine. Wine Enthusiast: Rather deep and dense, with powerful black fruit aromas of menthol, berry and pepper. Ripe and rich throughout, with a ton of lush plum flavor and extra serving of chocolate and vanilla. This is what Colchagua Cabernet is all about.

2006 Dei Santa Catherina Super Tuscan (Italy)
A  wine both great and delicious, with near black color, generous fruit, lush texture, and terrific concentration, yet has the acidity and tannin to work with food and age well. Continued to drink well from a bottle opened for a week.

Wine Tasting March 18 - 21, 2009

2005 Verget Macon Vergisson La Roche (France)
La Roche is a huge and imposing mountain of limestone in the Burgundy region of France, with a shear rock face on one side with hillsides below. Vergisson is a village nestled near the mountain base. Verget was one of the first to extol this special place, give the grapes the same special treatment of great White Burgundies made in far more famous areas, and market its wines to all the world. This all chardonnay wine features a mineral taste, firm lemon acidity, creamy texture, and mouth coating tropical flavors.

2005 Casa de Ermita Monastrell (Spain)
Violets and black currants held up by tannins. The previous 2004 vintage of this wine was simply one of the best wines I have ever had made from Mourvedre at this price. The 2004 began with a serious structure built on ripe tannins and firm acidity, which gave it the ability to match a huge variety of foods very well. Combined structure with a surprisingly rich fruit of blackberry and currants, with licorice and flowers. Finally, the wine showed a long future, shown by the fact that left open for nine days, it only got richer, darker, and smoother.

2003 Opolo Cabernet Sauvignon (California)
Winemaker's Notes. 40% new French oak with the remainder in about 50/50 older French and American oak. A big rich, meaty Cabernet loaded with concentrated black cherry, cassis and blackberry. The mid-palate is broad and the fruit gives way to spices and chocolate as the flavors evolve. The wine is lush and full, with great structure and spicy notes from the oak aging. From Paso Robles.

2003 Lake Breeze Cabernet Sauvignon (Australia)
94 points, James Halliday 2007 Australian Wine Companion. The next 2004 vintage also got 94 points, and the 2005 was the Winner, Best Cabernet of Show, 2008 Sidney Royal Wine Show, over much more expensive and famous Cabs. Winemaker's Notes: A full bodied style, using fruit produced from 35+ year old vines on the Follett family vineyard. Traditional open fermentation was employed with maceration times varying between 7 - 21 days. Matured in French and American oak barriques for 20 months, prior to bottling with minimal filtration. Displays a complex array of mint, blackcurrant and cedary oak aromas. Tastes like it smells, with a silky texture and a wonderfully soft tannin finish.

2005 Wolf Blass Platinum Shiraz (Australia)
From the Eden Valley in Barossa. The premium wine of Wolf Blass at a fraction of its usual price. 94 points, Jeremy Oliver: Simultaneously sumptuous and elegant, this vibrant, dark-fruited shiraz marries its brightly lit, spicy and peppery flavors of mulberries, blackberries, dark plums and blueberries with lightly toasty, charry and vanilla oak, that suggests just a hint of caramel. It's musky and heady, while its lavishly sweet-fruited palate has a meaty and very slightly cooked aspect that compromises neither brightness nor intensity. Supported by fine-grained, powdery tannin, it's long, persistent and admirably balanced.

Wine Tasting March 11 -14, 2009
Ultimate Wine Tasting - ZinFest

2003 Calistoga Cellars Zinfandel
93 points, Wine & Spirits, Top 10 Zinfandels of 2006: An extraordinarily vibrant purple robes this wine while oak enriches it, turning the plum and strawberry flavors toward a silken elegance. That texture takes the wine beyond what's typical of zin, into the class of a great Napa Valley red.

2006 Rosenblum Annette's Reserve Zinfandel
87% Zinfandel, 11% Petite Sirah, 2% Carignane.  Winemaker's Notes: The wine displays exotic spice and peppercorn leading the effusive black cherry bouquet, followed by flavors of ripe currants and creamy cherry. True to its heritage, this Zinfandel is well structured with well-integrated tannins. A Cabernet lover's Zinfandel.

2005 Chateau Potelle VGS Zinfandel
VGS is the premium line of wines from this 1,800' altitude winery on Mount Veeder, founded by a Frenchman who never aspired to make his wines jammy sweet but since 2007 owned by Jackson Family Wines. A perennial candidate for the best Zinfandel made, that practically has a lock on making the 10 Top Zin list of Wine & Spirits in its annual competitive Zinfandel tasting. 100% Zinfandel. Very limited production from select vineyard sites. Coffee, pepper, and massive blackberry, yet dry rather than sweet. 92 points, Wine & Spirits.

2005 Hanna Bismark Mountain Ranch Zinfandel
Bismark is Hanna's single vineyard line in the Mayacamas Mountains, with very rocky soil and low yields and where grapes get no bigger than small blueberries. This rugged and wind swept site ranges from 1,400 to 2,600 feet, with a breath taking view of the towers of the Golden Gate bridge and the San Francisco city skyline 35 miles away. 77% Zinfandel, 13% Petite Sirah, 9% Syrah, and 1% Merlot. Winemaker's Notes: Polished and supple, featuring spice, boysenberry, raspberry and dark roast coffee, with big but fine tannins and a creamy balanced finish. Only around a thousand cases produced.

2006 Tobin James Cellars Zinfandel James Gang Reserve
A rich, oaky, jammy, alcoholic, and full bodied style of Zin from Paso Robles. The winery includes a mahogany bar from the 1860s in Missouri, where the outlaw Jesse James grew up. Wilfred Wong, reviewer for www.bevmo.com:  Ultra-rich, well-constructed, and ripe-berried. A top effort, long and seductive on the palate and in the aftertaste. Freeport Cheese and Wine (Maine): Big, rich and bold with a long, long finish. Aromas and flavors of blackberries, blueberries, black cherries, dark chocolate, pepper, subtle hints of oak and vanilla. High alcohol you don't  notice . Jammy rich but nicely balanced tannins and acidity.

2006 Michael & David Earthquake Zinfandel
A wine from Lodi that for years delivered a style very popular with Zinfandel lovers: high in alcohol, sweet, ripe, dense, soft, and red fruit jam. But see the following review. Kenswineguide.com: 86% Zinfandel, 9% Petite Sirah, and 5% Syrah. This dark ruby colored wine opens with a black currant and boysenberry like bouquet. On the palate, this wine is medium bodied and a juicy fruit bomb. The flavor profile is a tart black raspberry with notes of black pepper. The finish is dry and subtle with very modest tannins.

Wine Tasting March 4 -7, 2009

2006 Viu Manent Secreto Sauvignon Blanc (Chile)
Has intense aromas of minerals along with nectarine and ripe pear, followed by guava and passionfruit in the mouth. A bright, zesty acidity imparts excellent structure and length. Has 15% of another grape whose identity is kept secret.

2003 Cougar Crest Syrah Walla Walla (Washington)
The 2002 and 2005 won Platinum Awards as the best of the best from Northwest Press. The reserve of this wine got 92 points in the Wine Spectator. Fresh blueberry and raspberry, smooth, and refreshingly acidic.  Winemaker's Notes: Concentrated aromas of fig, elderberry and plum jam with hints of clove, pepper and smoke, entice the nose while balanced acidity and silky tannins compliment the lush mouthfeel. The finish combines elegance and power in a seamless blend of fruit, spice, herbs and mocha.

2005 Stratton Lummis Cabernet Sauvignon Artist Series (California)
A new vintage of a long time favorite at Best Cellar. Demonstrates how Napa Cabernet can be very special yet remain affordable. Cabernet Sauvignon plus a little Petite Verdot. Dark color, soft fruity entry, good intensity, tasty, and long, with drying tannins. Black currents with hints of chocolate and lavender. Aged 2 years in French oak. The grapes are from near Oakville and Rutherford. Previous vintages since 2001 were all excellent and improved in the bottle.

2004 Hess Collection Mount Veeder Cabernet Sauvignon (California)
92% Cabernet Sauvignon, 5% Petit Verdot, 2% Cabernet Franc and 1% Merlot. Aged 21 months in 55% new French oak. 92 points, Wine Enthusiast: Production was 10,000 cases, amazing when you consider how good this mountain wine is. Immediately drinkable for the soft purity of the tannins and complex cassis, chocolate and oak flavors, it has the sturdy structure to develop for some years, but is best now for its elegant purity. Hess is on a real Cabernet roll, and is one of Napa's overlooked stars.

2006 Marquis Phillips #9 Shiraz (Australia)
The Shiraz 9 is a step up wine from the dark, dense, fruity, and jammy regular bottling. It has the same black color, dense texture, and big fruit, more acid, tannin, and complexity, with somewhat less sweetness. 92-95 points, Wine Advocate: The 2006 Shiraz 9 was tasted from a barrel sample. It has been barrel-fermented in new French and American oak barriques and hogsheads where it has been aging for 14 months (with another 2 months to go prior to bottling). It delivers an alluring bouquet of pain grille, smoke, mocha, espresso, and blue fruits. This is followed by a full-bodied, personality-filled Shiraz with blueberry, blackberry liqueur, licorice, and a hint of chocolate emerging on the palate. Opulent, sweet, and lengthy, it will evolve for several years but can be enjoyed now and over the next 12-15 years.

Wine Tasting February 25 - 28, 2009

2004 Von Hovel Estate Riesling (Germany)
8.5% alcohol, from a famous winery in Germany in the highest altitude part of the Mosel Valley. Wine Spectator: "Fresh and lipsmacking, this Riesling evokes lime, apple and spice flavors on a light weight frame. Balanced, precise and expressive. Drink now through 2012."

2007 Ventisquero Reserva Pinot Noir (Chile)
A harbinger of how Chile will become a signficant producer of good Pinot Noir. Got richer, more aromatic, earthier, and darker after being opened for three days. Of the previous 2006, 90 points, Dick Scheer, Village Corner: Sweet and intricate aromatic set speaks flowers, cherry, raspberry, tea, tobacco, strawberry. Some oak extract, good viscosity. Cherry, tea, and vanilla. Rich, lively, long, and flavorful. A fine value.

2004 Kathy Lynskey 15 Rows Merlot Reserve (New Zealand)
A limited and premium production wine at a price below what the wines sells for even in New Zealand. Gold Medal - West Coast Wine Competition. 90 points, Wine Enthusiast: A vintage that excels for its ripeness and balance of fruit to oak. Toasty wood and vanilla notes still lead the way, but underneath there's lush black cherry fruit tinged with olive and tobacco. Supple and creamy on the palate, with a long, layered finish.

2004 Stratton Lummis Napa Cabernet Sauvignon (California)
A long time favorite at the Best Cellar. Demonstrates how fine Napa Cabernet can be remain affordable. Cabernet Sauvignon plus a little Petite Verdot. Dark color, soft fruity entry, good intensity, tasty, and long, with drying tannins. Black currents with hints of chocolate and lavender. Aged 2 years in French oak. The grapes are from near Oakville and Rutherford. Previous vintages were all excellent and improved in the bottle.

2004 Greenock Creek Solitary Block Shiraz (Australia)
A Barossa wine that is intense, dense, and long. Wonderful balance, no flaws, and not sweet. Wine House overall Wine of the Year. 95 points, James Halliday: "Full red-purple; has a very complex texture, structure and flavor; black fruits, quality oak and extremely fine, persistent tannins all play their part."

Wine Tasting February 18 - 21, 2009

2005 Wakefield Jaraman Riesling (Australia)
The Jaraman is a crisp, dry, citrusy, mineraly, mouth-coating style prefered in Australia, from grapes grown in cooler areas. This wine has a great discount price.

2006 Kathryn Lynskey Pinot Noir Block 36 Reserve (New Zealand)
A serious Pinot Noir from a serious winery. Deep ruby color, dark for a Pinot Noir.  Enters the mouth with a silky texture. Has bright strawberry and cherry fruit with refreshng acidity. Opened for a day, the fruits move toward black cherry, and a forest floor begins to emerge.  Very versatile with food.

2004 Pirramimma Petite Verdot  (Australia)
Owns the first and largest vineyard of Petite Verdot in Australia. A relatively rare bottling of a grape usually used in small amounts in blends. Picking up cedary and nutty complexity with age. 93 points James Halliday Australian Wine Companion 2008: Typical deep color; blackcurrant, spice and earth aroma; very concentrate and powerful lingering tannins, but not over-extracted.

2004 Pirramimma Cabernet Sauvignon (Australia)
Bright brick red around the hues intensifying to an almost black center. The nose shows big blackcurrant, ripe cherries and mint characteristics all well integrated after two years maturation in American oak barriques. The palate has a big dark chocolate flavor. Its cedary and shows a touch of leather behind full and rich overtones. Well balanced with a good concentration of generous tannins.

2003 Thomas Fogarty Lexington Meritage Santa Cruz (California)
Winemaker's Notes: Comprised of 58% Merlot, 36% Cabernet Sauvignon and 6% Cabernet Franc this wine has us truly excited about the future of Bordeaux varietals in the cool but sunny reaches of the Santa Cruz Mountains. We sourced the majority of the grapes from Jon Anderson's Camel Hill Vineyard, high above the Lexington Reservoir. The balance comes from our own Razorback Vineyard on our mountain estate. Blackberry, cassis and currant flavors are present in the nose, more subtle aromas of tobacco, cedar and black spices are apparent. The mouth is full and rich with firm tannins and lively acidity. We recommend a vigorous aeration if drinking today, the wine should age gracefully for another 3-6 years and hold for an additional 4 years.

Wine Tasting February 11 - 14, 2009

2006 Gordon Brothers Chardonnay Reserve (Washington)
A serious step up wine that has the butter, toasty oak, and tropical flavors of premium California Chardonnays costing $35 to $80, only with the bright citrus/pineapple acidity and lower alcohol levels Washington gets from its cool nights, long hang time, and dry autumns. The regular bottling got 90 points in the Wine Enthusiast with praise for its texture and complexity. Winemaker's Notes:  From only the best block of grapes. Barrel fermented in 100% new French oak. Malolactic fermentation. Extended contact with stirred lees. Gold colored with aromas of melon, peach and toasted coconut. The palate features flavors of apple, Asian pear, dried mango and a subtle creaminess. Lively acids carry a long, enjoyable finish. 200 cases produced versus 4,100 cases of the regular chardonnay.

2003 Bleasdale Frank Potts Red (Australia)
A wine worth buying by the case. The last supply of a lovely Bordeaux blend of 74% Cabernet Sauvignon, 15% Malbec, and 11% Petit Verdot, aged to near perfection. Has none of the jammy, overripe, sweet, very high alcohol qualities that sometimes mar Australia wines. Age has given the outside edge of the wine a slight brick, but the core of the wine remains black. In the mouth the wine is youthful, refreshingly acidic, and brightly fruity, all strung out on balancing tannins beginning to get more silky and rounded. A wine that rivals Bordeaux blends from California, France, and Washington, now at its lowest price ever. Will readily last for another four years. 93 points, James Halliday, 2007 Australian Wine Companion: Good hue; a highly polished, elegant style. Seamless black fruits, vanillan oak and tannins; very good length, controlled alcohol.

2005 Dunham Trutina (Washington)
41% Cabernet Sauvignon, 41% Merlot, 13% Syrah and 5% Cabernet Franc. A wine that has a strong record of impressively improving with bottle age from the 1998-2000 vintages. Pomegranate, lavender, black cherry, and blackberry. The 2005 vintage is one of the best for the Columbia Valley in Washington state.

2000 Terraces Cabernet Sauvignon (California)
Terraces is a high quality winery that makes ageworthy wines from vineyards between 300' and 400' elevation in the eastern foothills of Rutherford, planted in 1981, that have the structure and dryness characteristic of  high altitude plantings. The volcanic soil in combination with the clonal selections and rootstock produce intense flavored small clusters and small yields of not more than 2.0 tons/acre. Aged 28 months in French oak with 35% new. 100% Cabernet Sauvignon. From a vintage that produced few outstanding wines, the 2000 Terraces got an outstanding 92 point score in the Wine Spectator: "Focused on a tight, rich beam of currant, anise, game meat, mocha and earthy mineral flavors, revealing depth and concentration, and finishing with a firm, tannic aftertaste. Definitely needs time. Best from 2004 through 2012. 240 cases made." 

2003 Gravity Hills Killer Climb Syrah (California)
A premium wine from this Paso Robles winery, named after the steepest part of the hillside vineyard where the wine's grapes (a clone from Hermitage in France) grow, which turns back tourists wanting a romantic walk through the vineyards. The most intense and tannic wine of this estate. 90 points, Wine Advocate: A superb effort, offering beautiful aromas of camphor, creme de cassis, smoke, and damp earth. Has a pleasant, layered palate, impressive purity, medium to full body, and ample persistence.

Wine Tasting February 4 - 7, 2009

2007 Villa Maria Sauvignon Blanc Cellar Selection (New Zealand)
Cellar Selection is the mid-level for this large winery, after regional reserve and single vineyard bottlings. Of the previous 2006 vintage – 90 points, Wine Enthusiast: Intense gooseberry, tropical fruit and citrus notes, nervy acidity and explosive palate entry pretty much performs as well as any Sauvignon for this kind of price could possibly be expected to. With plenty of snap, vibrant fruit, lingering finish and striking balance, this has both zip and refinement.

2005 L'Ecole 41 Cabernet Sauvignon (Washington)
89 points, Wine Advocate: Aged in 35% new oak. Cedar, leather, pencil lead, red currants, and black currants make for an enticing bouquet. On the palate the wine has layered fruit with spicy, savory flavors, good balance, and a moderately long finish.

2003 Axel Primero (Chile)
Axel is the premium line of wines from La Playa. Primero is named for getting the best grapes from each harvest. A blend of Cabernet Sauvignon, Cabernet Franc, Carmenère, and Syrah, noteworthy for its complexity, smoothness, and integration. Winemaker's Notes: Deep ruby red with crimson hues. High aromatic expression of red fruits like fresh cherries, plums and figs, along with tobacco, licorice, nutmeg and cocoa. Lively and well-balanced, with sweet tannins on a long, elegant finish.

2003 Cougar Crest Syrah Walla Walla (Washington)
The 2002 and 2005 won Platinum Awards as the best of the best from Northwest Press. The reserve of this wine got 92 points in the Wine Spectator. Winemaker's Notes: Concentrated aromas of fig, elderberry and plum jam with hints of clove, pepper and smoke, entice the nose while balanced acidity and silky tannins compliment the lush mouthfeel. The finish combines elegance and power in a seamless blend of fruit, spice, herbs and mocha.

2003 Miller Syrah Castle Rock Vineyard (California)
Grown at a high altitude (1,000-1,300 feet) on Mount Veeder. 92 points, erobertparker.com: A gorgeous effort that offers up a serious nose of camphor, graphite, creme de cassis, licorice, and smoke. With terrific structure, full body, and beautiful intensity, it is a serious, almost primordial Syrah that is perfectly balanced, pure, and rich. Give it 1-2 years of cellaring and drink it over the following 10-12.

Wine Tasting January 28 - 30, 2009

2004 Dog Point Chardonnay (New Zealand)
From grapes previously sold to Cloudy Bay, one of New Zealand's most famous wineries, and made by former employees of Cloudy Bay. Barrel fermented with extended lees (dead yeast) contact, and aged 18 months in French oak barrels. 5 stars, The Age, Epicure: Citrus, melon and stone fruit characters are interwoven with burnt-match, nutty toffee, creamy and smooth oak elements. It has velvety mouthfeel and a deliciously lingering, fine aftertaste. A classy upmarket chardonnay at a fair price. Old & Rare Wines, www.winehouse.com.au: Intense grapefruit, roasted nuts and toasty vanilla characters on the nose. A beautifully intense, balanced palate with a long lingering finish, well integrated oak and potential to age for the medium term. A rich, great expression of the variety.

2005 Odfjell Aliara (Chile)
The Aliara is the finest wine made by this winery, which is one of the few owned and operated by a Norwegian, now basking in Chilean sun after making his fortune in shipbuilding. While remaining an exotic blend, the 2005 is significantly different from Carmenere laced 2003. Instead, the 2005 has 45% Carignan, 22% Malbec, 22% Syrah and 11% Cabernet Sauvignon, reducing the spicy side, and bringing forward the blackberry and boysenberry side, accented by vanilla, cocoa, coconut, and mint. The Carignan comes from vines over a century old. Aged 24 months in new French oak. Named after a tin cup measurement for a daily ration of wine on ships.

2003 Laurel Glen Cabernet Sauvignon Sonoma Mountain (California)
The best wine of this high altitude, mountain estate. Resolutely made in a French style with higher acidity, more tannin, significant non-fruit flavors, and ageworthiness, rather than the big bodied, very fruit forward, softened, enjoy now style typical for Napa. 100% Cabernet, that got smoother, more complex, and mouth-filling after being opened in the bottle for four days. Squarely centered on the biary, black currant side of Cabernet, with blackberry, cola, pencil lead, and wood, that could easily pass for a fine Bordeaux from a ripe, rich vintage.

2006 Michael & David Earthquake Zinfandel (California)
A corpulent and brassy Zinfandel that has no fear of being enormously everything – ripe, alcoholic, full-bodied, sweet, oaky, and fruity. Gladly sacrifices acidity and tannin at the twin altar of richness and ripeness.

2005 Michael & David Petite Petit (California)
First release of a novel and interesting blend of 15% Petite Verdot with 85% Petit Sirah. Both grape varietals are named for the relative smallness of the grapes, which gives them a higher ratio of skin to pulp. Black in color, with aromas of violets and smokehouse, and rich and sweetly fruity flavors of plum and blueberry.

Wine Tasting January 21 - 24, 2009
Ultimate Wine Tasting - "Great Washington State Wines"

2007 Kiona Chenin Blanc (Washington)
Double Gold, 2008 Platinum Judging, Northwest Wine Press: The Williams family has crafted a Chenin Blanc for many years. That dedication pays off annually, and this off-dry Chenin is a delicious example of the variety. It is loaded with aromas and flavors of limes, ripe pears, sweet pears and peaches. San Francisco Chronicle Wine Competition (Gold). (2,021 cases, 12% alc.)

2005 Reininger Helix Merlot (Washington)
Reininger makes superb Merlot. Helix is their best value line. Columbia Valley grapes rather than Estate Walla Walla grapes. Includes 7% Cabernet Sauvignon. Aged in oak barrels, 15% new. 1026 cases. Gold, 2008 Platinum Judging, Northwest Wine Press. 89 points, Wine Enthusiast: The smooth and chocolaty flavors that consumers love, but they have been pulled back, letting more of the cherry fruit and subtle accents of forest floor, fungus and earth show through. It's textural, complex and thoroughly enjoyable.

2005 L'Ecole 41 Merlot Columbia Valley (Washington)
Includes 12% Cabernet Franc, 5% Petit Verdot, and 3% Cabernet Sauvignon. 91 points, Wine Enthusiast: Beautifully dark and plummy, with smoky, opulent fruit. Though full and fleshy, it has complex layering—it's not just a fruit bomb. Berries and spice, chocolate and herb work in sync, creating a complete, rich and toasty wine with excellent depth.

2006 Amavi Syrah (Washington)
A line of wines owned by Pepper Bridge Winery. Aged 16 months in French oak, 30% new.  91 points, Editor`s Choice - Wine Enthusiast: Still young, grapey and deep purple in color, this effusive Syrah opens with scents of violets and tart berries.  It bounces into a tangle of berry and bright, high acid fruits, also tasting a little briny and hinting of gamy smoked meat flavors that are waiting to blossoms with a bit more bottle age.

2005 Columbia Crest Cabernet Sauvignon Reserve (Washington)
4% Cabernet Franc and 5% Merlot. Aged 24-26 months in oak. 95 points, Wine Spectator: Ripe in flavor, with a vivid array of black currant, blackberry, violet, black tea and black pepper aromas and flavors that zoom through to a long, expressive finish. Shows subtlety in the layers of complex flavor against a refined structure. Tannins are present but nicely contained. Best from 2010 through 2015. Winemaker's Notes:   Aromas of chocolate, cherry and slight mint precede a palate of cocoa and black cherry flavors. This is an intense, complex wine that culminates in the perfect balance of wood and fruit on the finish.

Wine Tasting January 14 - 17, 2009

2006 Hayman Hill Chardonnay Reserve (California)
93% Chardonnay, 7% Viognier. Mostly stainless steel fermented with a little barrel fermented. Aged 18 months in French oak. From the Russian River in Sonoma County. Winemaker's Notes: Soothing tropical fruit with subtle bursts of mineral weave through the palate. Ripe melon and butterscotch round out the rich mouth feel and finish with soft sweet acidity.

2006 Terra Andina Reserve Pinot Noir (Chile)
Strongly recommended by PJ Wine (one of best wine stores in New York) as one of the finest inexpensive Pinot Noirs. 10 months in oak, none new. Winemaker's Notes: A complex combination of black cherry and raspberry aromas, rose petals and violets, mingled with a soft touch of vanilla and coconut. Full-bodied and rich, with a soft and velvety texture. Smooth tannins and an elegant aftertaste.

2006 Michael & David Incognito Red (California)
Another drinkable and affordable wine from California based on a blend of different grapes, that is surprisingly dark and intense. Of the previous 2004, 90 points, Andrew Montoya, Wine Barn: A thick, almost unctuous texture evolves out of this inky, chewy blend. Reminds me of an Italian espresso bar with ground coffee scents and smoky, meaty aromas. Dense and structured, this has good verve with a nice, plump, if not complex, finish. Drink now. Goes great with smoky ribs and barbeque.

2005 Waterbrook Cabernet Reserve (Washington)
Winemaker's Notes: 86% Cabernet Sauvignon, 10% Merlot, 4% Cabernet Franc. Aged in 100% oak barrels for 20 months: 28% new oak. Smokey notes give way to aromas of oak, currants and dried figs on the robust nose. Deep color leads to ripe plums and currants rounded out by blackberry and lingering licorice and spice on the finish.

2005 Von Strasser Cabernet Sauvignon Post Vineyard Diamond Mountain (California)
80% Cabernet Sauvignon, 16% Merlot, 4% Petite Verdot. From a high altitude vineyard. 92 points, Cellar Selection, Wine Enthusiast: Von Strasser has a good track record with this wine, and the '05 is right up there with the best, but be forewarned. It's very tannic. But then, it is from Diamond Mountain. Give it a good 4 years, at least, to throw some sediment and let the rich blackberry and black currant flavors emerge. Should hold well for 15 years.

Wine Tasting January 7 - 10, 2009

2005 Boekenhoutskloof, Chocolate Block (South Africa)
90 points, Stephen Tanzer's International Wine Cellar: A blend of syrah, grenache, cabernet sauvignon, cinsault and viognier. Deep red-ruby. Ripe aromas of plum, currant, licorice, truffle and meat. Sweet, rich and lush, with good energy to the flavors of red berries, spices and chocolate. Plenty of texture here. Finishes with ripe, buffered tannins. Winemaker Kent uses a lot of thick-staved 600-liter barrels for the grenache and blends in some syrah press wine to counteract the wine's oxidative tendency. This is fatter and richer than the nearly as impressive 2004.

2005 Pax Cuvee Moriah (California)
92 points, Wine Advocate: A blend of 75% Grenache, 14% Syrah, 10% Mourvedre, and 1% Roussanne. Deep ruby/purple with huge amounts of peppery black raspberry and kirsch notes, a touch of underbrush and fennel as well as a long, heady finish. This is sumptuous, puncheon-aged wine that is big on fruit, complexity, and deliciousness. This is not one for making old bones, so drink it over the next 3-4 years.

2000 Bleasdale Shiraz Reserve (Australia)
Bleasdale makes its Shiraz not in the typical jammy style catering to the United States, but dryer and firmer, with cocoa and meat flavors in with the fruit. I wasn't expecting to be able to taste, much less buy, this particular vintage again. 89 points, Wine Spectator: "Rich in texture, but not heavy, with wonderful plum and cherry fruit shaded with touches of meaty game and tar. The fruit persists against fine tannins on the finish. Drink now through 2012. 2,000 cases made."

2005 Axel Cabernet Sauvignon (Chile)
Every vintage of the Cabernet Sauvignon since 2003 has delivered a benchmark wine that is rich, tannic, dry, and long, with a classic core of cassis. Markedly improves with bottle age or aeration in the glass. 85% Cabernet Sauvignon, 8% Cabernet Franc, and 7% Carmenère. Now at the best price ever. International Wine Cellar: "Bright red. Spicy red berry and cherry scents are enlivened by cracked pepper and fresh rose. Juicy cherry and raspberry flavors pick up smoky mocha and anise with air, as well as dusty tannins. Finishes with good lift and persistence."

2005 Andrew Will Sheridan Vineyard (Washington)
An intense and well balanced wine that is one of the top 20 wines served at the Best Cellar in 2008 and is for sale again at the lowest price ever.  92 points, Wine Advocate: 42% Cabernet Sauvignon, 30% Cabernet Franc, and 28% Merlot. This purple-colored effort offers up an array of spices including clove, cinnamon, and allspice as well as cedar and tobacco notes. Saint-Emilion-like on the palate, it hides enough tannin to support 2-3 years of further bottle age. The depth and balance suggests that this rather elegant wine will drink well through 2025.

Wine Tasting December 31, 2008 - January 1, 2, 3, 2009

2006 Thomas Fogarty Gewurztraminer (California)
Fogarty is one of the best producers of Gewurztraminer in California. Has a delightful and distinctive California twist – more brightly citric and delicious, fermented cool, with a touch of residual sugar that tames the bitterness that Gewurztraminer often has. 90 points, Wine Enthusiast: The best Fogarty Gewurz ever. Has the weight and racy acidity of a Sauvignon Blanc, but the distinctive Asian spiciness of Gewurztraminer, along with nuances of rose petals, water chestnuts, pineapples and green baby peas.

2006 Layer Cake Malbec (Argentina)
Layer Cake makes premium wines from vineyards around the world. Winemaker's Notes: Dense purple core with a brilliant red rim. Black fruit is abundant in the nose followed closely by anise, chocolate and very pleasant touches of spice. Pure, muscular, rich; a powerhouse of lush fruit, silky cocoa and cream. An intense mouthful of fruit-driven wine: layers of jam, cherries and espresso with a hint of tobacco. Layered and complex; a nose to linger over, a finish that never ends. The grapes are harvested 4-6 weeks later than other vineyards in the area. No new oak used.

2004 Teusner GSM (Australia)
60% Grenache, 30% Mourvedre, and 10% Shiraz. Aged 16 months in neutral oak 91 points, Wine Spectator: Distinctive and well-defined. Blueberry and plum flavors, with hints of game meats, pepper and pomegranate that linger beautifully. Drink now through 2014. 1,000 cases made.

2003 Odfjell Aliara (Chile)
The premium wine from this winery, which is one of the few owned by a Norwegian. 54% Carmenere, 30% Cabernet Sauvignon, 7% Cabernet Franc, 5% Carignan, and 4% Malbec. Aged 20-24 months in new French and American oak. 91 points, Wine Enthusiast: Excellent in how it delivers coffee and other roasted aromas in front of ripe cassis, berry and chocolate flavors. It's one part savory and one part sweet; overall it's 100% impressive. 368 cases made.

2005 Andrew Will Ciel du Cheval (Washington)
From one of the most famous estates in Washington. 14% Cabernet Sauvignon, 40% Cabernet Franc, 40% Merlot, and 6% Petit Verdot. Tar, flowers, and forest. Complex, smooth, balanced, and long. 92 points, Wine Enthusiast: A classic Bordeaux blend. Tight and chewy, this fragrant wine adds whiffs of tobacco to its red currant and cherry fruit. It is a beautifully shaped wine, precise and balanced, compact and intriguing. It will reward decanting and should be cellared for a few years to give maximum enjoyment.

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