Round Pond Cabernet Sauvignon

Round Pond Estate
Cabernet Sauvignon
Rutherford, Napa Valley
Rutherford, California, U.S.A.
2007
14.5%
$39.00 -- H.E.B., Austin, TX

Color: Deep cherry red
Nose: Cherry
Body: Full
Front: Cherry vanilla, banana
Middle: Clove, cream, raspberry
Back: Heat, blueberries, strong tannins
Burns clean?: Yes
Cap: Cork

Back when I first tried Caravan and liked it, the sommelier at Wolfgang's in Highlands, NC told me I should try Round Pond. I thought, awesome: and then it turned out their Cabs were really expensive. For some reason, this was on sale at HEB, so I went for it.

Admittedly, 2007 was a good year, but this is quite lovely under any circumstances. It takes a while to loosen up, and even then, the Rutherford tannins are still assertive. But the fruit is lovely (some people will hate the banana-vanilla-ish business in it, but I like that) and the oak is tempered. It's great with a grilled ribeye and tomato salad, and makes Band of Horses songs sound even better than usual.

Kumeu River Estate Chardonnay

Kumeu River Wines
Chardonnay
Estate Bottled
Chardonnay
Kumeu, New Zealand
2005
13.5%
$20.29 -- Twin Liquors, Austin, TX

Color: Rich light gold
Nose: Lemon, salt, bread, slightly burned popcorn
Body: Medium
Front: Lime
Middle: Steely lemon (know you not the power of the steely lemon?)
Back: Balsa wood, tea leaf
Burns clean?: Yes
Cap: Screwcap

I've heard good things about these wines for some time, and am glad I finally took the (20% reduced price) chance to try one out. According to the back label, this should have been drunk a year ago at the latest, but I find it's still quite lovely; crisp acidity right off the bat, and well-tempered oak that keeps the fruit flavors (all tangy--no cloying melon or honey) present and functioning.

Part of what's cool about drinking this wine now is that there's lots of oak on the nose, so to get the acidic cut up front is kind of delightful. You could put the forgetting power of wine to work: Drink it while you're doing something distracting, so you will keep forgetting the taste and having this experience over and over again.

My new favorite pairing with chardonnays is manchego cheese; but I think given the low alcohol and charming acid of this one, it'll go with many foods, so fear not.

Note 1-21-2011: Tried the 2007; it's much more plainly oaky on the nose, mixed with salty lemon, but the palate had the same wonderful sparkly, cutting acidity up front and balanced fruit, cedar, and flowers on the palate.

Chateau Fuisse Pouilly-Fuisse

Chateau Fuisse
Pouilly-Fuisse
"Les Combettes"
Chardonnay
Cru de Bourgogne
J.J. Vincent, Burgundy, France
2006
13.5%
$40.99 -- Wine Library, Springfield, NJ

Color: Rich light gold
Nose: Lemon, salt, lime, bread
Body: Full
Front: Lemon, orange
Middle: French toast, parsley, salt
Back: A hint of bread, pear rind
Burns clean?: Yes
Cap: Cork

This is a stunning wine. It's big and lush, but has a slice of acid in it that's truly delightful, and in just the right place. It has a long, clingy delivery and is fantastic with nuts, white cheeses, pate, all sorts of foods. I wish more California makers could get this style at this alcohol level.

Christmas is past, but thanks to this wine I'm still in the spirit!

Nickel & Nickel Searby Vineyard Chardonnay

Nickel and Nickel Winery
Searby Vineyard
Chardonnay
Russian River Valley
Oakville, California, USA
2007
14.4%
$34.99 -- Twin Liquors, Austin, TX

Color: Light gold
Nose: Lemon, salt, honey, hot pepper, cedar
Body: Medium to full
Front: Salt, meyer lemon
Middle: French toast with honey, eucalyptus
Back: Oak, basil
Burns clean?: Yes
Cap: Cork

Nickel & Nickel is a Far Niente project, of single vineyard wines from groovy places other than the Far Niente estate. This one has a distinctive California style; big and salty, buttery, oaky. It is elegantly balanced, lively, and delicious. If you don't like the oaky flavor, avoid it. Otherwise, you'll very much like this, I suspect, with a wide range of foods and especially grilled or roasted fish, I reckon.

I'm having it with a range of cheeses: Lincolnshire Poacher, Stichelton, Lancashire, and a bit of medio curado Manchego; it's stunning with the latter. It goes beautifully with the Motown Christmas record, which I can't recommend highly enough.

Château Petit Fombrauge St. Emilion

Château Petit Fombrauge
St. Emilion Grand Cru
Merlot, Cabernet Franc
Libournais, Bordeaux, France
2000
13.9%
$35.98 -- Twin Liquors, Austin, TX

Color: Medium to deep ruby
Nose: Pear, mustard, thyme, cherry
Body: Light to medium
Front: Cassis, tobacco
Middle: Chocolate, pickles
Back: Coffee, orange, sage 
Burns clean?: Yes
Cap: Cork

This wine is haunting and delightful. The nose is absolutely stunning; it holds your attention and, I fear, might be better even than the taste. It's good with food (perhaps best with the Stichelton cheese tonight, though with the pate, cornichons, and mustard it was pretty damn fine) and enchants the whole room.

Domaine du Pegau Châteauneuf-du-Pape

Domaine du Pegau
Châteauneuf-du-Pape
Syrah, Grenache, Mourvedre
Châteauneuf-du-Pape, Rhône, France
2004
14%
$60.98 -- Twin Liquors, Austin, TX

Color: Deep ruby
Nose: Barnyard--the whole yard: broccoli, straw, manure, jerky, black currant, mixed berry jam, mint
Body: Full
Front: Licorice, plum
Middle: Red pepper flakes, bacon, mint
Back: Elegant tannins, rocks, 
Burns clean?: Yes
Cap: Cork

This is one of the world's most famous, and judging from Cellartracker, adored wines. And I can see why. This 2004 is still young, but it's delicious. It's big, yet not heavy; striking, yet not bombastic; tasty, without being generic. The combination of fruits, vegetables, and earth in this wine is phenomenal--frankly, among the most fascinating of any bottle I've tasted. It will be great with *everything* on the table: potatoes au gratin; roast beef; steamed broccoli; buttered rolls; you name it.

Gundlach Bundschu Vintage Reserve Cabernet

Gundlach Bundschu Winery
Vintage Reserve
Cabernet Sauvignon
Sonoma, California, U.S.A.
1996
13.9%
$54.98 -- Twin Liquors, Austin, TX

Color: Deep ruby with a brown tinge
Nose: Cherry, eucalyptus, sage
Body: Medium to full
Front: Raspberry, stewed plums
Middle: Coffee, sage
Back: Firm tannins, leather 
Burns clean?: Mostly
Cap: Cork

It's a special night, let's face it. Time to break out the good shit. This isn't a fat cabernet, though; it's got an old-world vibe, a lightness in the middle and a seriousness about its non-fruit flavors. A cigar-drinker's wine; a foodie's wine. This one is better with pickles and mustard--palate-cleansers.

Ondarre Rioja Reserva

Bodegas Ondarre
Reserva
Rioja
Tempranillo
Viana, Spain
2004
13.5%
$14.98 -- Twin Liquors, Austin, TX

Color: Medium deep rose
Nose: Cherry, mesquite smoke, cream, truffle
Body: Medium
Front: Raspberry, dried cherry
Middle: Coffee, sage
Back: Firm tannins, leather, orange peel 
Burns clean?: Yes
Cap: Cork

Spanish to the core. As much a tactile as a taste experience; a little fruit, a little earth, a bit of herbal kick. This isn't a big wine; indeed, there's a bit of hollowness to the mid-palate that is disappointing. This can take more time in the bottle, and if you open it soon, give it plenty of air so that it chills out a bit and loses its tightness. It will be great with any kind of food, as it was for example with the pepperoni pizza I had with it tonight.

Toad Hollow Chardonnay

Toad Hollow Vineyards
Francine's Selection
Chardonnay
Unoaked
Mendocino
Healdsburg, California, USA
2007
13.9%
$14.99 -- Wine Pro, Paducah, KY

Color: Light gold
Nose: Pear, pickles, salt
Body: Medium
Front: Salt
Middle: A little honey
Back: A little lemon
Burns clean?: Yes
Cap: Cork

I am not tasting anything on this wine, which is unusual. It's a little salty, with a bit of spritz, perhaps, on the mouthfeel. But seriously: if there's something here I can't taste it. Very strange. But, insamuch as it tastes a lot like salt water, it will go with almost any kind of food, or use it as a nasal cleanse! I suspect it's over the hill--so, if you find this one, make sure it's young.

Trio Reserva

Viña Concha y Toro
Trio
Reserva
Cabernet Sauvignon, Shiraz, Cabernet Franc
Maipo Valley, Chile
2007
14.1%
$13.98 -- Whole Foods, Austin, TX

Color: Medium to deep ruby
Nose: Creamy cherry, pepper, herbs
Body: Medium
Front: Black cherry
Middle: Dusty tannins, strawberry, herbes de provence
Back: Roasted jalapeño, cedar
Burns clean?: Not really
Cap: Fake cork

As my several fans know, I'm not much of a Chilean wine drinker. But every now and then, I give one a shot. It's claimed by many that excellent wines at low prices are coming out of Chile. This is a reserved wine, not too bombastic either on the nose or the palate, but interesting nonetheless. I'm not eating yet, but I suspect it'll hold up--given the tannins--to a wide range of foods. And it's inexpensive, but balanced, so try it out!

Freemark Abbey Chardonnay

Freemark Abbey Winery
Chardonnay
Napa Valley
Oakville, California, U.S.A.
2009
14.1%
$16.88 at Wine Pro, Paducah, KY

Color: Lovely light straw
Nose: Oak, lime, salt, pear
Body: Medium
Front: Honeydew
Middle: Oak, plastic
Back: Mild jalapeno, butter
Burns clean?: Yes
Cap: Cork

This is a smooth-drinking Chardonnay, in a big-oak style. The buttery oakiness predominates, so if you are, as I am, a more fruit- or mineral-oriented white wine drinker, you might steer clear. I find an oddly plastic-tasting element in this that I can't quite pin down but that's deterring me from pure delight. This will be super with a little Spanish chicken dish of some sort, or a rich fish dish, or perhaps some succotash.

It is going very well with a little Christmas brass music. Yee haw!

Artadi Viñas de Gain Rioja

Artadi viñedas y vinos
Viñas de Gain
Rioja
Laguardia, Alava, Spain
2007
14%
$20.98 -- Wine Library, Springfield, NJ

Color: Medium deep rosy-purple
Nose: Blueberry, violets, chocolate, stewed fruit, smoke
Body: Medium
Front: Cherry pie
Middle: Orange,vanilla
Back: Soft tannins, graphite, cigar
Burns clean?: Yes
Cap: Cork

This is a smooth operator. Very easy to drink. Fruit, funk, flowers--what more could you want?

But: I'll wait a few years before I open another one of these. It was dang-o-licious with pork chops and mashed turnips and butter and salt and pepper and so forth, but it'll be way better with alla that stuff and more in about five to fifteen years. The tannins are there, but the character of the fruit and earth flavors is there too. Deeelightful!

Stonewall Albariño

Pedernales Cellars
Albariño
Stonewall, Texas, USA
2008
14.2%
$17.99 -- Pedernales Cellars, Stonewall, TX

Color: Light gold
Nose: Pear, bandaid, verbena
Body: Medium
Front: Pear, apple
Middle: Butter, roasted green chili
Back: Oak
Burns clean?: Yes
Cap: Cork

Texas wine, finally! Okay, sure, the grapes are actually from California. (There's a horrific infection of Texas vines happening that is challenging winemakers here.) But both the winemaker and the philosophy at Pedernales are sound--make wine from grapes that thrive in the climate of Texas. I'll report more on this winery later, but for the moment, I'll say that the Albariño is delightful and good with a sharp cheese.

Christian Mouiex Pomerol

Christian Moueix
[Gran Vin]
Merlot, Cabernet Franc
Libourne, Gironde, France
2005
13.5%
$18.99 at Wine Pro, Paducah, KY

Color: Dark ruby
Nose: Mushroom, cherry
Body: Medium
Front: Cherry
Middle: Coffee
Back: Chocolate, firm tannins
Burns clean?: Yes
Cap: Cork


Another somewhat disappointing Bordeaux. If I had a bottle of this, I'd wait another year before opening it, perhaps two, in hopes that it'll integrate better. As with many Bordeaux, it needs air, but even then, though the fruit and the chocolate come out, it retains a slight astringency and resistance. If you dig astringency and resistance, you will *love* it! You perv.

It wasn't bad with chili and beans, I dare say, on a frigid night. 

Elizabeth Spencer Sauvignon Blanc

Elizabeth Spencer Wines
Sauvignon Blanc
Mendocino
Ukiah, California, U.S.A
2008
11-14% (!)
$13.49 -- Costco, Austin, TX

Color: Light dirty gold
Nose: Grapefruit, wood, honey
Body: Light to medium
Front: Kiwi
Middle: Apple, banana
Back: A little maderization, acetoney
Burns clean?: Yes
Cap: Fake cork

This, I suspect, was a lovely wine a year ago, but it's starting to go over the hill right now. It tastes better a little warmer, though, so don't follow (U.S.) custom in chilling it massively before serving it--a little bit is enough--and don't wait too long before you drink it. The mid-palate flavors are tasty; the apple is notably focused, which reminds me why I like this winemaker so much.

Sadly, I have no food pairing to report, except that it tastes good with almonds. The cupboard is bare. But good things are to come shortly. As the end of the year approaches, the wine begins to flow and the food to appear, copiously and experimentally, and this year will be no exception, as your favorite deity is my witness!

Note, 1/15/2011: Tried the 2009, and indeed, it's brighter and lacks the faint maderization. Bright acidity, good with cheese and such.

Andrew Will Sheridan Vineyard

Andrew Will Cellars 
Sheridan Vineyard
Yakima Valley 
Cabernet Sauvignon, Merlot, Cabernet Franc, Petit Verdot
Vashon, WA, U.S.A.
2004
14.2%
$37.99 at Twin Liquors, Austin, TX

Color: Dark ruby
Nose: Mushroom and yeast, raspberry peat
Body: Medium to full
Front: Forest floor
Middle: Raspberry, cherry
Back: Oak, soft tannins
Burns clean?: Yes
Cap: Cork


I ferment. In this wine's wake I think a lot about...stuff. Brilliance in balance seems modeled for a moment: but the shroomy nose unbalances it in a happy way.

Can you find it (either unbalance or this bottle)? Maybe not. Praise your host if he or she bestows it on you: your company must be a delight, if so.

Robert Sinskey Cabernet Franc

Robert Sinskey Vineyards
Cabernet Franc
Vandal Vineyard
Los Carneros
Napa, California, USA
2002
13.5%
$20.99 -- Twin Liquors, Austin, TX

Color: Deep ruby
Nose: Chipotle-cedar chocolate covered cherry
Body: Full
Front: Sour cherry
Middle: Licorice, raspberry
Back: Cigar wrapper, coffee, assertive tannins
Burns clean?: Yes
Cap: Cork

This is only the second Cab Franc I've reviewed, despite my affection for this varietal. There's something elusive and haunting about it. People talk about the soft tannins, flowerdy smell, and about the chocolateyness of it, but that ain't it for me. I've had tongue-wrappingly tannic ones, and dark fruit dominated ones with no sign of mocha. I find it a moving target, when it's the principal grape in the blend.

If there's not a smidgen of Merlot in this, I'll be shocked. 2002: it's eight years old at this point, and still tannic, and no sign of brown at the edges. Try it with chocolate, or something lightly spicy, and I think it'll drink easier. But for me this is a wine for drinking when you want to think about things, including the weirdness of taste, as an experience. It's far from easy drinking, but far from unrewarding, too.

Charles Smith Eve Chardonnay

Charles Smith Wines
Chardonnay
Columbia Valley
Washington State
Mattawa, Washington, USA
2008
13.5%
$10.99 -- Twin Liquors, Austin, TX

Color: Light gold
Nose: Pear, wood, butter
Body: Medium
Front: Pear, apple
Middle: Buttery oak
Back: Lemon
Burns clean?: Yes
Cap: Screwcap

This is one of crazy Charles Smith's wines--always interesting, a little edgy. (One of the best video blog moments ever [~8:15] is when, while being interviewed by wine critic Gary Vaynerchuk, he unfolds his large pocket knife and puts it on the table.)

I'm a huge fan of Smith's K Syrah, and needed a little acidic contrast with the many reds I've been drinking lately. This wine had a lot of residual spritz, which I enjoyed, and a nice balance of flavors, though the oak was a little...chemically for me at first. On day 2 (I just re-capped it and put it in the fridge) it was really delightful.

Meiomi Pinot Noir

Belle Glos Wines
Pinot Noir (Meiomi)
Sonoma, Monterey, and Santa Barbara Counties
Rutherford, California, USA
2008
13.9%
$18.00 -- Costco, Austin, TX

Color: Medium purpley red
Nose: Cherry, cranberry, bread pudding
Body: Medium to light
Front: Cherry
Middle: Baking spices, cranberry
Back: Strawberry, caramel
Burns clean?: Yes
Cap: Screwcap

Until this had been open for half an hour, it was hot, acidic, and acetoney. So beware: it's a "cheap" pinot, but it's also not. It's been open now for six hours, and it's rich, layered, and fascinating. The mouthfeel is silky; it lunges into you like a Gerard Manley Hopkins stanza.

Most importantly, perhaps, it's good with food. I made a chicken and chorizo dish, with artichoke hearts, red onions, garlic, and red peppers. I knew I'd need something red, and a with little spice to go with it, but I wasn't sure what to pair with it and didn't feel like a syrah. So I tried a new edition of an old favorite, the 2007 Caravan (about which more in a moment) and this pinot.

At first, it was an even split. The Caravan brought out the tomato and the artichoke, which was delightful, and asserted its personality, too. But eventually, the Meiomi emerged triumphant; after it had opened up, chocolatey, bready, and cinnamony notes sang in combination with the paprika, chorizo, and caramelized elements of the dish. The management of the oak on this wine will please many, and the fruit is vibrant without getting bubble-gummy or lick-the-envelopey. Try it with pickles.

Back to the Caravan. This is one of my favorite wines. But I can't help but note a minor, yet important change to the back label. They used to credit the quotation there this way: "Adapted from Rumi"; now, it's more definitive: "The Rubiayat by Omar Khayyam." Both of these may be true, sort of.

Why sort of? Because Rumi came after Khayyam, and thus may have borrowed from him, or transformed him, or indeed, may not have, and the original attribution might have been pure fantasy. And yet, only sort of, because, fantasy or no, in this attempt to correct the "record"--an attempt which I would argue is out of touch with the Sufic mode of this ghazal--the labelists spelled "Rubaiyat" wrong. In the abstract, a wrong spelling means little. In the attempt to purify, it reminds us of the importance of imbalance over perfection: of passion and meaningfulness, over integrity. Look at the Meiomi: grapes from three different counties! But passion makes them sing harmoniously. Why credit and quote, Caravan, when you could sing it yourself?

That said, I hope that the Wappo tribe, from whose language "Meiomi" is taken, is getting some kickbacks on the profits from this wine, which I suspect to be the broad-market bottle from Belle Glos.

V. Sattui Pinot Noir

V. Sattui Winery
Los Carneros
Pinot Noir
Napa Valley
St. Helena, California, USA
2007
13.8%
$28.00 -- Sattui Winery, St. Helena, CA

Color: Medium garnet
Nose: Cherry, cranberry, mesquite smoke
Body: Medium
Front: Cherry
Middle: Orange, roasted fig
Back: Black cherry, soft tannins, a little heat
Burns clean?: Yes
Cap: Cork

Another delightful bottle from Sattui. This is an assertive wine, with the distinctive profile of a Carneros Pinot; there is a balance between fruit and smoke (sometimes earth, in other Carneros Pinots) that I enjoy. It's smooth, but not silky; with another year or two in the bottle, I think, it has a chance to match up its structure with its mouthfeel. Great with salad--so that is a plus!

Domaine Chante Cigale Châteauneuf-du-Pape

Domaine Chante Cigale
Châteauneuf-du-Pape 
Grenache, Syrah, Mourvedre, Cinsault
Châteauneuf-du-Pape, Rhone, France
2007
14%
$29.95 -- Central Market, Austin, Texas

Color: Dark red, purple edges
Nose: Cherries, genoa salami, cigar wrapper, plums
Body: Full
Front: Stewed cherries
Middle: Roasted fig, venison
Back: Tobacco, licorice, basil
Burns clean?: Quite so
Cap: Cork

My love of 2007 southern Rhone wines continues. The flavor profile above is deeply contingent on when you engage the wine. Early, the nose was closed and the palate starkly acidic and earthy. After a half hour open, fruits and a little stewedness came in. Now, at two-plus hours open, it's acquiring the profile I describe above. This is the sort of wine that convinces me that putting bottles in the cellar and trying to forget they're there is worth it. The texture of it is delightful--superfine tannins, dangerously drinkable (especially at, I suspect, closer to 15% than the 14% listed on the bottle).

Chalone Sauvignon Blanc

Chalone Vineyard
Sauvignon Blanc
Monterey County
Soledad, California, USA
2008
13.5%
$8.99 -- Whole Foods, Austin, TX

Color: Pale straw with a tinge of green
Nose: Bread pudding
Body: Medium
Front: Butter
Middle: Orange peel, bread
Back: Apricot, cardboard
Burns clean?: Yes
Cap: Cork

After a long hiatus, the Emptyer is back! I was out making money, faithful reader, and it has to last.

This is an interesting wine. I'm not sure I'd go so far as to say it's awesome, but it's very good with food, and it has a few distinct layers that will be interesting to many people. It's certainly American, with a butteriness (despite a kind of chalky mouthfeel, actually) and a bigness that overbalance the acidity, a bit. But I'm drinking it with Spanish chorizo and it's a good combination, refracting the flavors of the wine in ways different from when you drink it alone.

I think the price is right, and for many people it will be a bargain.

Martin Ray Cabernet Sauvignon Santa Cruz Mountains

Martin Ray Winery
Cabernet Sauvignon
Santa Cruz Mountains
Sonoma
Santa Rosa, California, USA
2002
14.4%
$24.99 -- Grape Vine Market, Austin, TX

Color: Deep red
Nose: Mint, cherries, tar
Body: Full
Front: Cherries
Middle: Raspberries, chocolate, licorice
Back: Mint, cream, cigar wrapper
Burns clean?: Yes
Cap: Cork

A delightful wine. Balanced and smooth on the palate. There are tannins enough to suggest it can still age longer, and plenty of acid to balance them. The cherry and raspberry flavors beautifully set up the meatier, chocolatier flavors in the mid-palate, and it pairs elegantly with grilled food of any kind.

{Note, in 2014: That is the kind of thing I write when I don't want anyone else to know how good a wine is--at least, as far as I can taste. This wine was heavenly. It poked through the veil of universe and smiled into my little well. If you own some, please, please send it to me.}

Domaine de Triennes St. Auguste

Domaine de Triennes
St Auguste
Cabernet Sauvignon, Syrah, Merlot
Vin de Pays du Var
Nans-les-Pins, France
2005
13.5%
$14.99 -- Spec's, Austin, TX

Color: Dark garnet
Nose: Black cherry, those purple flowers on the wisteria vine sometimes, Tootsie Rolls
Body: Medium to full
Front: Black cherry
Middle: Blackberries, licorice
Back: Black tea, chocolate
Burns clean?: Yes
Cap: Cork

This is not a blend I'm used to from France, but I like it. It's nicely balanced, rich, aromatic, but not cloying or too stewed. It didn't completely change my world, but it's good with food. The roasted lamb was a little too much for it; there's a bit of a dip in the intensity of the wine in the mid-palate, which on its own lets some nice blueberry come out, but with food gets drowned out. With a meal that's even just a little lighter--turkey--this would rock it.

Stoller Pinot Noir

Stoller Vineyards
Pinot Noir
JV Estate
Dundee Hills
Dayton, Oregon, USA
2007
13.3%
$17.99 -- Costco, Austin, TX

Color: Medium strawberry with a touch of peach
Nose: Cranberries, cherries, bacon, cinnamon
Body: Medium
Front: Cherry
Middle: Peach, cotton candy
Back: Sage, graphite
Burns clean?: Yes
Cap: Screwcap

In a world of $45 crap Pinots, this is a delight to find. A hint of earthy stank on the nose, and another hint in the glass, but plenty of fruit (the cotton candyish flavor isn't overbearing) and a light, not cloying body. Bring it! This will be perfect with the red pepper and garlic, sausage, and farfalle I'm making tonight, but it'll be even better, I'd guess, with fish.

{Note, from 2013: Still magnificent. Doubtless better.}

Roux Pouilly-Fuissé

Roux Père & Fils
Pouilly-Fuissé
Chardonnay
Grand Vin de Bourgogne
Saint-Aubin, France
2009
13%
$8.99 -- Costco, Austin, TX

Color: Light gold
Nose: A little faint; sea salt, maybe some lemon?
Body: Medium
Front: Lemon, honeydew
Middle: Salted buttermilk pie
Back: A hint of cedar, gravel
Burns clean?: Yes
Cap: Cork

This was so cheap for a Pouilly-Fuissé that I had to try it. Not bad, though the nose is reticent. It's acidy and minerally, as one would expect, but there is a hint of baking spices lurking around the edges. I might get another bottle and put it away for a year or two just to see what happens. It's a smooth wine, and good with the sharp cheddar I'm finishing off. All in all, at this price, a good deal!

Morot Beaune Cent-Vignes 1er Cru

Albert Morot
Beaune Cent-Vignes
1er Cru
Pinot Noir
Beaune, France
2007
13%
$50.00 -- Austin Wine Merchant, Austin, TX

Color: Light to medium strawberry
Nose: Cherry, peat, tobacco
Body: Full
Front: Strawberry
Middle: Cherry, a hint of cassis
Back: A touch of oak, sage
Burns clean?: Yes
Cap: Cork

I went to a wine shop today, The Austin Wine Merchant, that has been much-recommended to me. They've got a particularly strong selection of French and Italian wines; I saw many old favorites. And they're knowledgeable and not pushy, which I like. Under the circumstances, I approached helpful Dan about a Pinot Noir, and he led me to this one.

While my favorite wine of last year was a Burgundy, it was an exception--I just glanced back through most of my accounts of them, and they're eh. So-so. Okay. Part of the problem is that these wines close down after a year or so in bottle, and don't reemerge for awhile. When they do, they're often way, way better than before. It's not quite a shell game, but it is an investment-driven style: you have to find something young, know it has promise, buy some bottles, and wait. Repeat annually. Six or seven years later, you will have a non-stop supply of awesome wine. In the meantime, drink Zinfandel. Also pray that none of your choices are stinkers, and follow Cellartracker to see how they're drinking.

This wine, I think, is going to be delicious ten years from now. It is balanced, if subtle, and there's enough fruit and enough other interesting flavors to entertain. The tannins are in effect, but before they hit, the wine is very smooth.

Note: After leaving half the bottle overnight (vacuvin), the nose is much richer and more interesting, and the palate is a little more elaborate. So--the future of this one looks good, I think!

Bernardus Chardonnay

Bernardus Winery
Chardonnay
Monterey Country
Carmel Valley, California, USA
2008
14.2%
$17.99 -- Costco, Austin, TX

Color: Medium gold
Nose: Lemon cream pie
Body: Full
Front: Lemon, salt
Middle: Butter
Back: Oak, thyme
Burns clean?: Yes
Cap: Cork

This is smooth stuff; it's easy to drink and good with food. There are few surprises in it; it's California big, and lacks the palatal nooks and crannies of, say, a French Chardonnay. Interestingly, it seems quite tasty with Cheshire and cheddar cheeses. I like the little greenness at the end, though that only seems to emerge when the glass warms up a bit, so you fast drinkers may not experience it.

Ehlers Meritage

Ehlers Estate
Meritage
Chairman's Selection
Merlot, Cabernet Sauvignon, Cabernet Franc
Napa, California
2005
13.8%
$35.49 -- Central Market, Austin, TX

Color: Opaque garnet
Nose: Cherry, stewed plum, tar
Body: Full
Front: Black cherry, rhubarb
Middle: Prune, orange, clove
Back: Black tea, chocolate, elegant tannins
Burns clean?: Extremely. Maybe too clean.
Cap: Cork

I've become a big fan of Ehlers. Their '05 Cabernet is phenomenal, and this stuff is absolutely delightful. It takes about an hour to open up, and there is a distinct greenness at the first that will frighten you, but have patience. A hint of the vegetal qualities stays on, even as the darker flavors start to show. It's not all deliciousness; it's more like a conversation, with this wine.

If you like a candy-ish wine, or simple flavors, this won't please you. You will be all like, WTF, Asmodeus; thanks for nothin'. My response: you should have read to the end of the post. Facebook and mobile computing are ruining your attention span and your life. But if you want a little something to chew on, this is a phenomenal choice.

Bell Claret

Bell Wine Cellars
Claret
Cabernet Sauvignon, Merlot, Syrah, Petit Verdot, Cabernet Franc, Malbec
Napa Valley
Yountville, California, USA
2005
13.9%
$25.99 -- Spec's Liquors, Austin, TX

Color: Unattractive dark red, browning at the edges
Nose: Cherry marijuana
Body: Medium to full
Front: Cherry
Middle: Fines herbes, licorice
Back: Cardboard, coffee
Burns clean?: Yes
Cap: Cork

This is an excellent wine, to my taste. From smelling to swallowing, it's like you walked into an Amsterdam coffee shop where half the people were smoking the sensimilla and the other half were smoking cherry-flavored tobacco, then ate a space cake with a Cherry Coke, and for some reason really needed a cafe au lait afterwards and ate the cup while you were drinking the coffee. If that doesn't make you want to try this wine, then Allah have mercy on you.

Hahn Estates SLH Syrah

Hahn Winery
SLH
Syrah 
Central Coast (Monterey - Sta. Lucia Highlands?)
Soledad, California, USA
2007
14.7%
$13.99 at Whole Foods, Austin, TX

Color: Opaque blood red
Nose: Black plum, cherry, smoke from charcoal with lighter fluid
Body: Full and creamy
Front: Blueberry pie, cafe au lait
Middle: Cherry, venison, sage
Back: Mesquite, espresso
Burns clean?: Yes
Cap: Cork

Good lord. This wine makes you sit up straight. It's huge, sweet, smoky, strong (14.7? probably closer to 15), sweaty, salty. Oenorati will say that it's fake-tasting, like the synthesized flavors in soda. That may be true. And you may like it! Seriously, it's like blueberry sauce on roasted venison. I'll say this: it doesn't evolve much in the glass, and I'm searching for tannins and not finding much. But pair it with some brisket and blueberry pie, and you will be plenty happy.

An inappropriate and uncharacteristic outburst.

PARDON ME, FAITHFUL READER, but I have something to say about Bordeaux wines, and in particular, red ones.

I have had a few fantastic Bordeaux wines in my time. I didn't pay for them; I am a lucky man. Every single bottle of red Bordeaux I've purchased recently in the $15 to $35 range--from 1998 to 2006 vintages--has been disappointing. Only a few have been outright bad, but: should any of them have been, at those prices? I don't review many of them here, because I lack the patience, or perhaps, the inventiveness. Every one I could describe, borrowing the words of Cellartracker reviewer Edv, this way:

Fruits compotés, une acidité rafraîchissante, mais cher pour ce qu'il apporte.

I've tried the decanter. I've tried them with food and without. I've tried them after a healthy dose of whiskey, and I've tried them en suite after delicious summer whites and appetizers.

Help me, readers. Help me, internet.

Duckhorn Sauvignon Blanc

Duckhorn Wine Company
Sauvignon Blanc
Sauvignon Blanc, Semillon
Napa Valley
St. Helena, CA
2009
13%
$21.99 at Costco, Austin, TX

Color: Very pale straw
Nose: Grapefruit, honeysuckle, melon
Body: Medium
Front: Grapefruit
Middle: Mango, canteloupe
Back: Oak, pear
Burns clean?: Yes
Cap: Cork

It's pale but reasonably big in flavor; nicely balanced between acid and fruitiness and minerality; and it goes well with food. This is perhaps the second most to-my-taste Sauvignon Blanc I've had. Clearly I need to try more French ones, but next to Larkmead's this is the most delightful. The folks at Larkmead intimated that this is made at least partly from grapes they grow, and I believe it. I'm gonna go back and get more. Let me say, I'm usually unwilling to pay 21 bucks for a bottle of Sauvignon Blanc, but this is actually worth it!

Kirkland Stag's Leap Cabernet

DC Flynt MW Selections
Kirkland Signature
Cabernet Sauvignon
Stag's Leap
Napa, California, USA
2007
14.3%
$17.99 -- Costco, Austin, TX

Color: Deep garnet
Nose: Plums, sour cherry, coconut, chocolate, nutmeg
Body: Medium to full
Front: Plum, vanilla
Middle: Cherry, coconut
Back: Black tea, soft tannins
Burns clean?: Yes
Cap: Recycled cork

This is good stuff. It's not huge or hugely complex--a little hollow in the mid-palate--but it's Stag's Leap for sure, and it's cheap as heck. The nose alone is worth it, actually, though the palate doesn't quite live up to it. There I could go for a little more sourness...but here's the thing: if you want a Cabernet that both has interesting flavors and is approachable now, this is hard to beat.

This wine is from a negociant: grapes bought from one or more vineyards that had some to spare and blended by a third party for Kirkland (Costco). I note that the negociant is based in Lake Charles, Louisiana, which oddly makes this a much more local wine than I had thought! Earlier this year, I tried their Mountain Cuvee, which, given that I first saw it in the Girard tasting room a week before it appeared at Costco, I suspect to be largely Girard fruit. It's also a good wine, much like this one in quality and complexity, though interestingly a little more pricey. It is less approachable, though, needing an hour or so to open up.

Poggio al Moro Bolgheri

E. Santini
Poggio al Moro
Bolgheri DOC
Cabernet Sauvignon, Merlot, Sangiovese, Syrah
Tuscany, Italy
2007
13.8%
$21.49 -- Costco, Austin, TX

Color: Opaque garnet
Nose: Cherry, vanilla, stewed plum, tar
Body: Full
Front: Black cherry
Middle: Stewed plum
Back: Black tea, tenacious tannins
Burns clean?: Yes
Cap: Cork

This is a Tuscan, big and dark. It's rich, with a few focused, intense fruit flavors, and a leathery tannic backbone that reminds me of a good Assam tea. This stuff is nice, though I think that it'll be far better with some foods than with others--it wasn't a knockout with the cheeseburger I grilled this evening, but I'm willing to experiment more to see what it will get along with, especially at a reasonable price like this.

Barnardus Marinus

Bernardus Winery
Marinus
Cabernet Sauvignon, Merlot, Cabernet Franc, Petit Verdot, Malbec
Carmel Valley, California, USA
2004
14.5%
$23.99 -- Costco, Austin, TX

Color: Dark garnet
Nose: Cherry, vanilla, stewed plum, thyme
Body: Full
Front: Ripe cherry
Middle: Cassis, sage, oaky creaminess
Back: Orange, cigar wrapper, very soft tannins
Burns clean?: Almost; a little headache
Cap: Cork

This is a super wine. Really delightful, mature, balanced, focused, and rich; good with food (roasted chicken and romaine and roma tomato salad tonight); and interesting. A wine from Napa Valley that tasted like this would cost you $50 easy. Guessing from the stewed fruitiness of it, I'd say that it's at its peak, but I could be wrong, and at this price, it's worth putting one away for a year to see if it gets even more mellow and rich.

{Note, 2014: $50 indeed--Spec's raised their prices on the Marinus to $45 sometime last year--damnation. Costco must have run out.}

L. Chatelain Chablis

Domaine L. Chatelain

Chablis
Chardonnay
Gran Vin de Bourgogne
Fontenay-pres-Chablis, Fance
2008
12.5%
$14.69 -- Costco, Austin, TX

Color: Lovely pale straw
Nose: Lemony pear, salty minerality, perhaps a little pee
Body: Medium
Front: Honeysuckle
Middle: Cantaloupe, salty minerality
Back: Oak, orange peel
Burns clean?: Yes
Cap: Fake cork

It would appear that I've never reviewed a Chablis before -- odd. I like them; from the Burgundy region of France, the Grand Vins like this one are usually uncomplicated, well-balanced Chardonnays. (One of the best wines I've ever had was a premier cru Chablis.)

This is a nice wine: it's got some body, persistence, a saltiness and floral presence that I enjoy. It's a perfect, late-summer (uh, I hope it's late summer), not-terrifically alcoholic-so-it'll-go-with-food, many-folks-will-like-it sort of wine at a good price.

Caveat Emptyer Top Ten of 2009-2010

JUST MINUTES BEFORE THE DEADLINE, dear readers, I fulfill my summer promise of a top ten list.

As both of you know, I'm not a "rankings" sort of person. I'm a both-and drinker. Let's try all of them. In different orders. With different foods. Maybe dimming the lights will help. Or sitting outside.

But one reader, he expressed a desire for a digest, and in the interests of democracy and shit, here we go: of the wines I've reviewed on this blog in the last year, what are my top ten? (Okay, actually, I'm doing this because I tend not to express a strong opinion in my reviews, and some folks who trust my palate don't have time to close-read all my bla bla bla about the wines.)

1. Prieure Roch Vosne-Romanee Les Clous
2. Sinskey Merlot
3. Gary Farrell Merlot
4. Shafer Merlot 
5. San Román Toro
   
6. Saint Jean du Barroux L'Ogliocene 
7. Eyrie Chardonnay 
8. Hamilton Russell Pinot Noir 
9. Frank Family Chardonnay 
10. Howard Park Scotsdale Shiraz

I'll do my best to post a new version of this list annually. One thought on the list (other than the obvious infatuation with Merlot): I've had a number of wines that would be in this top ten, displacing those at the bottom, that I didn't review (some 2007 Chateauneufs come to mind, and a Terlato Chardonnay that I think is super). And there are some old favorites (the V. Sattui Suzanne's Vineyard 2002) to which I returned that I'm not including. So this approach to ranking will be structured a bit by novelty. When the volume of reviews warrants it, I'll do an ALL-TIME list.

Note, 4/15/2011: I just noticed that there are no Cabernets and no Champagnes on this list. Awesome, or no?

Napa Valley 2010

NAPA VALLEY, CALIFORNIA. If you're coming from out of state, usually, you get out of American Canyon, driving north, and you breathe a sigh of relief. You leave behind a place much like the place you just flew in from, and enter a distinctive terrain coated with farms and vineyards and odd, kitschy sculpture and architecture.

The weirdness of California is legendary, but the combination of strong personalities and unusual microclimates--the latter, I suppose, being the landscape equivalent of weirdness--gives Napa a unique feel. This is the second story I've done on California wine country, and this time I'm focusing on Napa to make a few observations about wineries and tasting and trends.

Napa wineries are expensive. I went to three, this time, that don't charge (or don't charge me, anyway): Anderson's Conn Valley, Larkmead, and V. Sattui. The Frank Family winery used to be gratis, but no more. Anderson's Conn Valley was well worth the drive--through stunning mountainous landscape, filled with interesting birds and tucked-away homesteads--and their wines are delightful. Larkmead is an old favorite of mine, but they don't really have any entry-level wines; the tasting experience there is quiet and unhurried, and the 2007 Solari is phenomenal. V. Sattui is a carnival--even a little crazy down in the cellar--but it's a crowd pleaser, with what seemed like six thousand different wines. The Zinfandels and the Cabernets are great.

If you have to pay real money for a tasting, I'd say do it at a place like Duckhorn, where you try a great number of wines, you sit down, they give you water and crackers and nuts to snack on, and you can enjoy a beautiful garden-and-vines view. I paid almost as much for a tasting at Cliff Lede, which makes one of my favorite Cabernets, and got a tiny number of tiny tastes and no choice about what to taste. Also fun for the money is Rombauer: for ten bucks, you get some tasty wines, a stunning view, and a glass to take home with you.

Disappointments, for me, included Silver Oak and the Castello di Amorosa, Sattui's second project. The wines just weren't that great. But two things definitely emerged, across the different tastings: the 2007 reds are stunning; and for the most part, in the reds category, the regular tastings are pouring wines that are too young. I was poured Syrahs, Merlots, and Cabs that were not really ready to drink yet all up and down the valley, at places where I had paid $15 or more to taste. The '07s are exuberant young--and may at some point not long from now start hibernating--but the '06s aren't all ready to go. What's more, I experienced this with Syrahs, Merlots, and even Zins. At Sattui, they poured a 2003 Zin that was phenomenal; the '07s they poured were big, but disorganized and tight.

Of course there is a principle of thrift involved here--and it was Memorial Day weekend, so the tasting rooms were prepping for crowds of not-too-picky wine drinkers. My bad. But there must be another way!

Trends: Pinot is still hugely popular, and still often meh. They're pouring lots of Cab Franc for the oenorati, and it's good. Express an affection for Merlot, and you will get an extra pour (the 2005 Silverado is delightful, and, I learned, will be the last vintage with that minty edge, because they cut down the Eucalyptus trees next to the vineyard--boo!) in many cases. There were far more tour buses and limos this time than I remember before, which is a vast improvement: if there are more than three in your party, do it. A number of places were staying open later, though none beats Girard's 8 p.m. closing time. Finally, there are many ultra-premium, three-digit projects that are just not really worth it, so don't be impressed until you taste them, and trust the scrutiny of your palate. I didn't try a single $100+ Cabernet that I thought was tastier or more interesting than Larkmead's Solari.

Not trendy, but wonderful to see, was that the service everywhere in Napa is still excellent. From the collective A Dozen Vintners even to estate wineries I mock for their pretentiousness (Darioush), the pourers are engaging, passionate people who want to find out what you like. Next time I report on Napa, I'll include some of their voices, which I suspect will put a different spin on all of the above.

Hamilton Russell Pinot Noir

Hamilton Russell Vineyards
Pinot Noir
Hemel-en-Aarde Valley
Walker Bay
Hermanus, S. Africa
2008
13.3%
$25.99 -- Twin Liquors, Austin, TX

Color: Medium garnet
Nose: Cherry cola, venison, mint, stewed orange
Body: Medium
Front: Dried cranberry, mint
Middle: Tart but creamy fizziness, lemon
Back: Olive, charred oak, tar
Burns clean?: Yes
Cap: Cork

This is a damn strange wine, as the flavor descriptions above perhaps suggest. It's smoky, earthy, minty--loaded with personality. This is not a crowd-pleaser, though it would be really fun to see what a large group of not-everyday wine drinkers would make of it. I like it a lot. It has the lightness of body and the intensity of flavor of really good Pinot. The smokiness, a sort of minty smokiness, if that makes any kind of sense, is something I've experienced in South African reds before, so I suspect it has something to do with either terroir or the oak that they use. Whatever it is, this wine doesn't bore me, like so many Pinots do--if you like a little stank on it, give this a try.

Domaine de Cristia Châteauneuf-du-Pape

Domaine de Cristia
Châteauneuf-du-Pape 
Grenache, Syrah 
Courthézon, France
2007
15%
$32.95 -- Costco, Austin, Texas

Color: Dark red, purple edges
Nose: Stewed cranberries and oranges; licorice; currant jam
Body: Full
Front: Dark cherries, roses
Middle: Licorice
Back: Olives, mesquite smoke, soft tannins
Burns clean?: Yes
Cap: Cork

This is a delightful, balanced wine, from a vintage in which many of the wines are bombastic. It'll be interesting to see how this develops over time, but I think it has a decade of evolution ahead. There's an odd hollowness that happens about 2/3 of the way through the palate, for some reason; it's not too disconcerting, but it does somewhat reveal the alcohol level of the wine. This with a little duck with some sort of fruit sauce would be a colossally good pairing; I'm having it with some Tomme Crayeuse cheese, which is not the best combo, but I'm betting it'll rock with the pizza I just ordered.

A shout-out to my second "follower," Emily Richer, a winemaker with a fascinating Cab Franc-oriented project underway called "Virage." Check out her blog here.

I Saw Miles and Miles of Wine Bars

AUSTIN, TEXAS: SONG, BBQ, AND... WINE.

When I moved here, I was worried about the wine. I'm not one of the oenorati, but still, some things are obvious: it's hot here; it's a beer town (like many in Texas); and the bigger (money-wise) the state, the worse the potential liquor-distribution corruption. Within weeks, though, my fears were laid to rest, and my curiosity grew--it turns out that there are many wine bars in Austin, with styles to suit different tastes.

I haven't hit them all, yet, because I ran out of money and had to turn to a life of crime after wine bar number nine. There are a few more, and I'll get to them eventually.

For you POWER PLAYERS out there, who LIVE LIFE TO THE FULLEST, BABY, and DON'T HAVE TIME FOR CHIT-CHAT, here's your ranked version of what follows:

1. Vino Vino
2. Trading Post
3. Cru
4. House Wine
5. Uncorked
6. Cork and Co.
7. Fion Wine Pub
8. The Grove

Now, for those of you with a moment or two to read the narration, and who know that one size never fits all, and that an awareness of that is what makes Austin so awesome, here's the deal:

You could endlessly enumerate categories for a wine bar, because every wine bar owner has a theory. Flights? Urban-cosmo feel? Killer food? Awesome deals? Bottles at retail prices? The most trendy wines? But a marketing theory is not enough.

I look for a wine bar built on a self-awareness about palate. That is, the human beings in the house who choose the wine fearlessly assert their taste both in the wine list and, in harmony with that taste, in the other features of the joint, from marketing to decor to programming to food. Even if my palate hates the palate of those human beings, then, I'll respect this harmony, because I know somebody--many somebodies!--will enjoy it, be regulars, and promote it. And who knows when one's tastes may change?

Most wine bars will shout to you that the staff is involved in choosing the wines. Or at least--an important distinction--will offer "staff favorites." This is useless, of course, unless you know each staff member's palate, and it's often the case that as far as buying the wines and setting prices, staff have no say.

Far better is a place where the staff are encouraged to tell you what the wines are like, and to experiment with your palate: that is, to pour you lots of samples until you find something you like. This should NOT cost you money. If they charge you for tastes ("3 oz. / 5 oz. / 6 oz"), go somewhere else, I say. Flights are okay, if they are priced right and are interesting. (Even better is when staff members remember who you are and guide you to the new bottles that are in your line; you can tell they'll be able to do this from the way they fact-find with you, and stand back and watch, the first time.)

Without further ado, here's a brief sense of these excellent joints:

8. The Grove

This place is a little corporate inside, but has a nice oak-covered patio. The wine list is good and the flights are well-constructed to please. The food is okay, but I wasn't blown away, and it's in a bourgeois part of town, so you are stuck with people who ought to be at home drinking cases of Cheval Blanc but instead are having social hours with their bosses' friends at The Grove. The service is good, if a little stiff sometimes; there are bottles at near-retail prices for purchase in the joint, which means if you know what you're after and are with a few folks, it's a great deal.

7. Fion Wine Pub

Now we begin to get into Austin weirdness. An Irish Wine Pub? I was just in Ireland, and can report that it's not wine country: the distribution there is mafia-esque, and there's no sun, so they don't grow grapes for fermenting. Fion is in Bee Caves, a bourgeois little town near/in Austin, but well out of the way for tourists. The food is decent, and the beer selection is phenomenal. By the glass or flight, the wine isn't that great. But they've got stellar bottles, for the oenoscenti anyway, at retail prices, and will pop 'em for you. So I say bring a couple of friends and live it up. The service is good and sharp--a bit Irish, really, so be on your toes! One bad thing: they sell some sort of boutique soap there, and the smell of it is really powerful, so in a lot of places near the bar you can't really smell the wine. Boo!

6. Cork and Co.

Cork and Company, unlike the previous two bars, is downtown, in the midst of it all. The service is good, if not warm; the food is good but not great; but the wine list is more coherent and powerful than the previous two places, which raises it in my estimate. Still, it's a tough call--let's put it this way: go to Cork and Co. during happy hour.

5. Uncorked

Really, the same goes for Uncorked, which is a bit more out of the way, just across the I-35 border in East Austin. It has many things going for it, including a good wine list and friendly service, lots of space and parking. It's in an old house, so it has a nice feel to it, and comfortable seating situations from which to choose. I found the staff there a tad less familiar with the wines, but pretty willing to work with you to figure out what you might like.

4. House Wine

Now we get into the interesting stuff. House Wine is in an old house in one of the hippest parts of town: just off Lamar and Barton Springs. The space is pure Austin eclecticism, as is the crowd. The prices are good. The food is not great, and the staff are beautiful but not particularly helpful. But the palate of the joint is unmistakeable, old world bargains: Spanish first, Italians second, obscure French third, etc. There's live music, which is great, and on certain days they'll hook you up with the stuff they opened the day before for half price by the glass. But: often the wines are too warm and oxygenated, and the staff don't encourage tasting at all. So be firm!

3. Cru

Cru is a chain. This would seem immediately to take it off my list. But they take good care of their wines, and they will let you taste every damn one on the menu if you ask. No you di'-en! Yes, I did, haters. The staff are too professional at the start, but they quickly warm up, especially if you're a local. The locations are corporate, to be sure: one downtown in a key condo-and-hotel area, the other up north in the suburbs. But both have delightful outdoor seating, excellent soundtracks, and quite good food at a reasonable price. And the palate is comparatively consistent: big wines, with strong personalities, served in interesting flights. A few of the staff are real terroirists, which has its advantages once you figure out their tastes, and they'll load you up with free vino to try to win you over if you engage with them. Bravo.

2. Trading Post

Back to the 'burbs. There's a swarm of wine bars in Bee Caves, and this one is my favorite. The interior is classic Austin--looks like a damn Elks Club, with leather chairs and red drapery and dark wood. The food is fantastic; the happy hour is a bargain; the palate of the buyer is unapologetically California (the old world wines they choose are brimming with personality); and it's unpretentious as all get-out.  They encourage tasting enthusiastically. They also enthusiastically encourage tasting. I tasted enthusiastically. Is it worth a trip out there? Uh huh.

1. Vino Vino

Ah, Vino Vino. I love you and I hate you. I love you because of the music, the decor, the awesome hip neighborhood (Hyde Park), the ginormous pours (for real: have never seen bigger), the many discoveries I've made there, and the fact that you have only ONE California wine on the list (Conn Valley's Prologue). I hate you because you make me drink so many wines that I think I'm not going to like and then I do. I hate you because you are so much cooler than I am and you are full of people that are too cool for me. I hate you because your food is so damn good, but I can't eat dinner there because I know I will drink too much wine. In other words, I love you. The love-sonnet aside: there is an outdoor area in back, complete with a little gas fireplace, that is one of my favorite places to confab or muse; the palate is balanced and old world, favoring strong fruit and strong earth (whether the wine is white or red); they'll let you taste whatever; they've got retail price bottles that make it a bargain for three or more drinkers. Finally, the music isn't just music: it's local musicians with national reputations, or who are about to have them.

Austin's a cool town, loaded with tech savants, up-and-coming politicians, intellectuals, ripped semi-professional bicyclists, haptic musicians, hot sorority girls, hippies, artists...you name it. It's a world-class city, and a stunning, if surprising, place to have a great glass of wine. I'll update the narrative above, and change the rankings if necessary, since the odds are that half these places won't exist a year from now (whenever now is). If I ever sober up, I'll add more to the list--but start here and you can't go wrong.

Clos du Val Cabernet Sauvignon

Clos du Val
Cabernet Sauvignon
Napa Valley
St. Helena, California, USA
2006
13.5%
$21.00 -- Costco, Austin, TX

Color: Deep garnet
Nose: Cherry, vanilla
Body: Medium to full
Front: Cherry
Middle: Cassis, sage, oaky creaminess
Back: Blackberry, cigar wrapper, soft tannins
Burns clean?: Yes
Cap: Cork

I've been unimpressed by Clos du Val lately, but at 21 bucks, I'm thrilled with this. It's not big, but it's interesting; uncharacteristic for Napa, but with strong fruit. Though it's low in alcohol, I didn't find that it was radiantly excellent with food; with roasted vegetables, it was lovely, though.

I'm about due for the Austin wine bar report, my top wines of the last year, and my report on Napa wineries: I swear to my loyal readers that both of you will see these things ere August is out!

{Note, 2014: The 2010 Clos du Val Cabernet is splendid. They keep raising the price, unfortunately.}

Pellegrini Olivet Lane Chardonnay

Pellegrini Family Vineyards
Chardonnay
Olivet Lane Vineyard
Russian River Valley
Santa Rosa, California, USA
2007
14.1%
$17.99 -- Costco, Austin, TX

Color: Medium gold
Nose: Yellow pear, honeysuckle
Body: Medium
Front: Honeysuckle
Middle: Cantaloupe, salty minerality
Back: Oak, butter, something leafy
Burns clean?: Yes
Cap: Cork

This is a charming, uncomplicated Chardonnay. It's not changing my world, but it'll make a lot of people happy; things are nicely balanced in it, though I could use a little more pointed acidity to balance the honeyness.

The green leafiness I'm picking up may be an aftereffect of the food accompaniment: some apple slices with a little aged hard Italian cheese that was wrapped in hay (Il Forteto Pecorino Affeinato). Ferreal. It's also got a little honey on it, which pairs nicely with the wine.

M. Cosentino Franc

Cosentino Winery
Franc
Cabernet Franc
California
Woodbridge, California, USA
2007
14.6%
$14.99 -- Twin Liquors, Austin, TX

Color: Deep ruby
Nose: Cherry, cinnamon, Slim Jim, cream, pie crust
Body: Full
Front: Cherry
Middle: Licorice, raspberry
Back: Cigar wrapper, coffee, soft tannins
Burns clean?: Yes
Cap: Cork

This is a two-dimensional wine, but both dimensions are good. The first is the scent: lovely, baked meat pie with fruit on top odors. The second dimension is the taste, firm tannins and fruit and a little darkness. Neither changes much as the wine is open. If the fruit isn't largely Lodi and Paso-area, I'll be shocked, given the taste profile of this wine. But it's good with food--an artichoke-mozzarella-olive-tomato thing with a melon and prosciutto main course, tonight. (They say don't ever grocery shop when you're hungry; if you grocery shop right after exhausting yourself athletically in 105-degree weather, it will equally spin things... towards the uncooked!)

Cabernet Franc one of my favorite varietals, but I haven't sought it out often because so few people will drink it with me. The oenorati tell me that it's less tannic than Cabernet Sauvignon, to which I say, it depends on how it's made and where it's grown. It makes some drinkers make bitter beer face, and that is enough evidence for me. The other Cab Francs I've got are earnestly aging, to lose a little more of that dry bite and gain a bit of complexity; I don't think this one will age much, so go for it now, with some cheese!

Shafer Merlot

Shafer Vineyards
Merlot
Napa Valley
Oakville, California, USA
2006
14.9%
$38.99 -- Twin Liquors, Austin, TX

Color: Deep ruby
Nose: Cherry, espresso, raspberry, cream
Body: Full
Front: Cherry
Middle: Licorice, raspberry, orange peel
Back: Cigar wrapper, licorice, soft tannins
Burns clean?: Yes
Cap: Cork

This is one of my favorite wines. It's rich but balanced; elegant but interesting. It has a million flavors bouncing around, in different unfoldings depending on how long the bottle's been open. It goes well with food (phenomenally with roasted vegetables) and everyone to whom I've introduced it likes it.

Note: Recently I had the 2007, and it was even better. More red fruit, just as lush, just as powerful; a tad more California-ish than the 2006, though it might grow more austere and Frenchy with time. I'm not sure that I would recommend allowing that to happen.

Pellegrini Olivet Lane Pinot Noir

Pellegrini Family Vineyards
Olivet Lane Vineyard   
Pinot Noir
Russian River Valley
Santa Rosa, California, USA
2008
14.3%
$18.99 -- Costco, Austin, TX

Color: Light garnet
Nose: Cherry, strawberry, Slim JimTM
Body: Medium
Front: Dry cherry, orange
Middle: Smoky honeysuckle, black currant
Back: Bacon, soft tannin
Burns clean?: Yes
Cap: Cork

First off, this wine goes very well with food: tonight, a lettuce and tomato salad with a little stunning Pasolivo olive oil and balsamic, together with some Hole Foods brisket. The wine is rich, fruity but earthy, and well balanced. It's not a complete enchanter, as it's strong on the smoky flavors (doubtless a source of its partnership with the brisket) but...well--this is the second thing: Pinot Noir is hideously overpriced in the US, so to find one that is this good at a reasonable price is a delight.

V. Sattui Cabernet Sattui Family

V. Sattui Winery
Cabernet Sauvignon
Sattui Family
St. Helena, California, USA
2007
13.9%
$16.00 -- Sattui Winery, St. Helena, CA

Color: Deep garnet
Nose: Cherry, vanilla, sage
Body: Full
Front: Cherry
Middle: Hazelnut, cherry pie
Back: Blackberry, cigar wrapper, firm tannins
Burns clean?: Yes
Cap: Cork

It's another excellent 2007 Napa Cabernet. It was good with grilled ribeye (note the alcohol content under 14, which helps it pair well with food). My normal tendency with Sattui wines is to downplay their excellence in fear of drawing too much attention to them, but I have it on authority that there's a lot of the '07 harvest to go around, so this time I'll share.

Now, yer wine snobs aren't going to like this one much--indeed, they'll poo-poo many Sattui wines, I'd guess--but since there aren't many wine snobs in the world, we have little to worry about.

Michel DuTour Pouilly-Fuisse "La Roche"

Michel DuTour
Pouilly-Fuisse
"La Roche"
Chardonnay
Montagny-Les-Beaune, France
2008
13%
$15.99 -- Costco, Austin, TX

Color: Dull medium gold
Nose: Orange peel, honey, lime
Body: Light to medium
Front: Pear
Middle: Honeydew, some minerality
Back: Lemon, oak
Burns clean?: Yes
Cap: Cork

After an almost unforgivable hiatus, Caveat Emptyer is back. My return is with a whimper more than a bang, as this wine is pretty low-key. I hope I'm not the only one who generally feels French wines in the 10-30 dollar range are often not worth the money. Perhaps this one will become more interesting with time, and perhaps it'll stay in the background like it seems to right now. I'm usually an appreciator of subtle Chardonnays, so I hope I'm not just in the wrong mood! This one is more interesting with food, certainly--a little roasted almond, salty cheese, and cherries help it out.

Domaine Serene Yamhill Cuvée

Domaine Serene
Yamhill Cuvée
Pinot Noir
Willamette Valley
Dayton, Oregon, USA
2007
13.8%
$26.99 -- Costco, Austin, TX

Color: Medium garnet
Nose: Flowers, cinnamon, smoke
Body: Medium
Front: Dry cherry
Middle: Smoky honeysuckle
Back: Minerals, soft tannin
Burns clean?: Yes
Cap: Cork

Delightfully low in alcohol, fascinating on the palate, and good with food: it doesn't get much better. Actually, judging from the prices on the Domaine Serene website and the reports of my older wine-drinking friends, it does get a lot better, with Serene's higher-level Pinots. But this is a well-made, delicious wine at a price that's pretty good for Pinot.

This wine is available by the glass at restaurants, so give it a shot in someplace you trust before you buy a bottle--its austerity and weirdness aren't going to please all folks who like Pinot!

Fess Parker Chardonnay

Fess Parker
Chardonnay
Ashley's Vineyard
Santa Rita Hills
Santa Maria, California, USA
2007
14.1%
$21.99 -- Costco, Austin, TX

Color: Lovely medium gold
Nose: Yellow pear, marshmallows, a little heat, lime
Body: Full
Front: Meyer lemon
Middle: Honeydew, some minerality
Back: Cinnamon, key lime pie, wood
Burns clean?: Yes
Cap: Cork

This is a delightful Chardonnay. It is balanced, intriguing, and tasty; rich without being too buttery. There's a strange little alcoholic thing at the very end of the palate, which is oddly around the time that you sense a little unexpected cinnamon in it. This is what I mean by intriguing.

I have no pairing advice to offer tonight, as I had this with a hot dog and a tomato salad! It's hot out there. But at this price and with this bigness and balance, this wine will make many people happy.

Oakville Winery Cabernet

Oakville Winery
Cabernet Sauvignon
Oakville
Oakville, California, USA
2007
14.5%
$34.99 -- Costco, Austin, TX

Color: Deep garnet
Nose: Eucalyptus, cherry, espresso, a tinge of heat
Body: Full
Front: Cherry
Middle: Licorice, mint, orange peel
Back: Cigar wrapper, soft tannins
Burns clean?: Yes
Cap: Cork

Oh, no. Not another excellent 2007 Napa Cabernet. Okay, yes. It's another excellent 2007 Napa Cabernet. Particularly good with a grilled ribeye, and, I suspect, better a few years from now, when the heat will back off and the fruit will step up a bit. But if you can get it at this price, and you like bracing, herby Cabernets, I would say you are getting a good deal even if you drink it tomorrow!

This is my first post in July, and I can't help but notice it's already July 5th! Historically, July is one of the least productive months for posting, the etiology of which I must contemplate. I suspect it's hot, so I'm not drinking as much of my staple red wine; I'm ludicrously busy with my non-wine-related jobs; and I'm always traveling for some reason. But I've got some surprises up my sleeve, O loyal reader!

Eden Hall Shiraz Viognier

David Hall
Eden Hall
Shiraz Viognier
Single Vineyard
Eden Valley (Barossa Valley)
Springton, South Australia
2004
14.5%
$19.98 -- Costco, Austin, TX

Color: Dark blood red
Nose: Blackberry jam, plum, cilantro
Body: Medium, creamy
Front: Blueberries
Middle: Ripe cherry, pepper, sage
Back: Coffee,
Burns clean?: Yes
Cap: Screwcap

Those who are closely following my every utterance will notice that I'm cheating.

I said I was done with the less-commonly consumed white varietal tasting, yet here we have a Viognier! It's just that it's also blended with Shiraz (95 Shiraz-5 Viognier for the curious). This is an Aussie experiment in a southern Rhone thing: if I remember correctly, for example, Cotes-du-Rhone wines can include a small percentage of white grapes, including Viognier.

This is unmistakably Australian, with big ripe fruit, strong personality, and that tangy thing at the end that I like so much in OZ wines. With a little ago on it, this I'd guess has calmed down a bit; I like it a lot, though it seems to lack a third level beyond the dark fruit and the tangyness. It's elegant, very easy to drink, and worth the price for a well-made, interesting wine. Tonight it was perfect paired with a chicken fajita soft taco.

Hess Mt. Veeder Block 19 Cabernet

The Hess Collection Winery
19 Block Cuvee
Cabernet Sauvignon, Malbec, Syrah, Merlot, Petit Verdot, Cabernet Franc
Mt. Veeder
Napa, California, USA
2006
14.4%
$23.99 -- Costco, Austin, TX

Color: Deep garnet
Nose: Eucalyptus, cherry, espresso
Body: Full
Front: Tart cherry, nopal
Middle: Licorice, mint, chocolate
Back: Leather, spicy tannins, sage
Burns clean?: Mostly
Cap: Cork

Put a little Syrah in it, and it's no longer a Bordeaux blend. Here's the thing, though: you don't need that reference point to enjoy this wine. It's Napa Valley mountain action, all the way. It's briary, dark, brooding, serious: not much fruity, though substantial and juicy. I love this paradox of wines from this region, as I have attested before. They're big like Napa, but they're weird like some of the best wines anywhere, and they carry serious terroir into your face.

So the pairing tonight was a failure: grilled ribeye. It's like you had a small party and you invited two awesome people that you didn't realize had dated but who broke up a few months ago and have still been following each others' endeavors on Facebook, but haven't actually posted anything on each others' walls or even really "liked" anything on each others' pages yet because it's still awkward. Not bad, just awkward. The alcohol makes it okay, but you don't want to repeat the experiment. This I'd pair with a mole, or a watermelon and mint salad (try it! let me know!), or a peppery wild boar ragu with mushrooms and pasta.

Somebody please let me know if nopal has been used before in a tasting note. I've tasted it before in some southern hemisphere whites but didn't have the courage to utter it.

Chateau St. Jean Belle Terre Chardonnay

Chateau St. Jean
Chardonnay
Belle Terre Vineyard
Alexander Valley
Sonoma
Kenwood, California, USA
2007
14.4%
$13.99 -- Costco, Austin, TX

Color: Medium gold
Nose: Wood, banana, salt cod
Body: Full
Front: Lemon-lime
Middle: Soy sauce, butter
Back: Oak, white pepper
Burns clean?: Mostly
Cap: Cork

It's been late April since I reviewed a Chardonnay--and there are so many great ones out there yet to taste! So I get off the unusual-white-varietal train for a bit.

This is a big, almost frightening sort of wine. It's neither charming, nor particularly elegant. Both the nose and the palate feature things not normally encountered in Chardonnay, including fishy and salty odors and flavors, which I confess I find attractive. In fact, it tastes a lot like a parmesan-encrusted, baked sole with plenty of lemon juice. Partly this is because the acids in this one aren't particularly strong, so as a wine it feels a smidgen out of balance. As a fish I love it.

If you like the ripe oak bomb, you will find this wine to be a big bargain. But there is a hint of nail polish, late in the mid-palate, that will put some folks off.

Loyal readers have demanded my review of Austin wine bars. It's an interesting time here on that score, so I'm going to pony up soon, I promise. A teaser: how often do you find a wine bar where the music is as good as the wine? Or where you can listen to the sweet sounds of a drive-through burger joint next door as you sip? And the kicker: how many of you have been to an Irish wine pub--in the U.S.?

Wild Rock Pinot Noir

Wild Rock Wine Company
Pinot Noir
Cupid's Arrow
Central Otago
Hastings, New Zealand
2008
13.5%
$18.98 -- Wine Trader, Lake Travis, TX

Color: Medium garnet
Nose: Strawberry, fish, smoke
Body: Medium
Front: Cherry
Middle: Strawberry cola

Back: Raspberry, Skittles, no tannins to speak of
Burns clean?: Yes
Cap: Screwcap

This one reminds me a lot of the Innocent Bystander Pinot Noir. It's bright but smoky, with a couple of layers, and at a decent price point for Pinot in general. There is a little third-stage candy-esque, raspberry thing that delivers on the finish, that is endearing, and makes it easy to drink. I'm hoping it will pair well with a chicken korma this evening; the low alcohol suggests a good pairing with food. It certainly goes well with the sunset!

Fess Parker Viognier

Fess Parker Winery
Viognier
Santa Barbara County
Santa Maria, California, U.S.A.
2007
14.9%
$16.99 -- Costco, Austin, TX

Color: Medium  straw
Nose: Hazelnut, lemon, mango
Body: Full
Front: Honeydew
Middle: Honey, a little residual fizz
Back: Oak,
Burns clean?: Yes
Cap: Fake cork

We're nearing the end of the "experimental white grapes" extravaganza that I've been on lately. I think the end of it will come with the sparkling wine comparison that's upcoming, as the grapes that go into southern sparkling wines like cava are different from the traditional champagne grapes.

I've heard about Fess Parker wines before--there was a controversy about Parker selling land back to Native American tribes a few years ago that brought it to my attention--but have never tried one before today. This one is rather dark, almost Vin Jaune-y, with a delightfully nutty nose. It's a rich one--perhaps too much so for my taste, but I'm going to drink it outside in the 90-degree heat and I bet I'll appreciate it more. It'll go well with fruit and many cheeses. If you like a full-bodied, complex Chardonnay, but always find yourself wishing it was just a hair sweeter, go for this one.

Louis de Sacy Champagne Brut

Louis de Sacy
Brut
Grand Cru
Pinot Noir, Chardonnay, Pinot Meunier
Verzy, Champagne, France
NV
12%
$28.99 -- Spec's, Austin, TX

Color: Pale gold
Nose: Carr's table water crackers, lemon,
Body: Light to medium
Front: Lemon
Middle: Bread, orange
Back: Lime, wet stones
Burns clean?: Yes
Cap: Cork

This isn't the most complex Champagne I've ever tasted, but it's not bad and it's got great acidity with a charming, yeasty nose. It's a very hot day here; there's a little Brie Couronne and garlic crackers going down after a nice dip in the pool, so situationally it's hard to beat what this wine is putting out!

I should really do a run-down of sparkling wines, as I tend to drink them without reviewing them. I think it's a strange market for them right now, with the French ones way overvalued in many cases and some Iberian ones slightly undervalued. Perhaps I will invite a bunch of folks over for a little Champagne tasting and see what happens....

Silverado Merlot

Silverado Vineyards
Merlot
Napa Valley
Napa, California, USA
2002
14.5%
$27.99 -- Twin Liquors, Austin, TX

Color: Dark garnet
Nose: Cherry, orange, anis, a touch of heat
Body: Medium
Front: Strawberry
Middle: Chocolate, graham cracker
Back: Leather, oak, soft tannins
Burns clean?: Yes
Cap: Cork

Merlot! I often love it. I visited Silverado Vineyards recently and enjoyed all of the Merlots they poured. They aren't super-complex, but they are charming, and have a nice acidity to balance the usual Napa bigness. And so perhaps unsurprisingly: I'm eating a tomato and avocado with lime and oil and vinegar salady sort of thing, and the 2002 pairs elegantly.

Note: The 2005 is really delightful: it has a healthy dose of mint on the nose and a bit on the palate. This is no coincidence, as there used to be eucalyptus trees around the vineyards from which the grapes came. They were removed after the '05 vintage, however, which I consider a most unfortunate decision. Boo! But...choose your poison, wisely.

Chateau de Saint Cosme Côtes du Rhône

Louis et Cherry Barruol
Chateau de Saint Cosme
Les Deux Albion
Côtes du Rhône
Syrah
Gigondas, France
2007
14.5%
$13.99 -- Spec's, Austin, TX

Color: Deep purpley red
Nose: Cassis, strawberry jam, coffee
Body: Medium
Front: Cherry
Middle: Licorice, game, pepper
Back: A little heat, charcoal, soft tannins
Burns clean?: Yes
Cap: Cork

Like most of the '07 southern Rhone bottles I've had, this one is dense and rich, a big personality in the room. It's almost too intense for me, for a Côtes du Rhône; that it's all Syrah is interesting. I'd almost wait a year or more to try this again--or be prepared to drink it with some reasonably substantial food, perhaps something roasted and peppery. It'll take some age; I vacuum pumped it and tried it two days later and it had calmed down a bit, but was still lovely.

One of my followers has observed to me that I've been out for two weeks: indeed, in Napa Valley. When I get a few hours, I'll lay the latest on you from the tasting rooms there.

Perrin Cotes du Rhone-Villages

Perrin & Fils
Côtes-du-Rhône-Villages
Grenache, Syrah 
Orange, France
2007
13%
$9.99 -- Spec's, Austin, TX

Color: Medium luminescent purpley red
Nose: Cherry IceeTM
Body: Medium to light
Front: Cherry
Middle: Big RedTM, white pepper
Back: Very soft tannins, a little stewed plum
Burns clean?: Yes
Cap: Cork

The Perrin was the favorite of one of the two folks I tasted southern Rhone wines with this evening. He liked its utter absence of tannins and its exuberant fruitiness. I liked it too, especially for a hot day with company and good appetizers. It won't stand up to much more sturdy food, and it's not a supremely complex tasting thing, but whatever it lacks in elegance it makes up in charm. The hint of something more complex on the very end of the palate is intriguing and keeps you going back to the glass. For some people this would be a dangerous wine, I think.