Stephan Vineyards
L'Aventure
Optimus
Syrah, Cabernet Sauvignon, Petit Verdot
Paso Robles, California
2004
14.9%
$29.99 -- Grapevine Market, Austin, TX
Color: Dark garnet, even a hint of purple still there
Nose: Cassis, mint, pumpkin pie
Body: Full
Front: Plum
Middle: Chocolate, fig
Back: Firm tannins, sage
Burns clean?: Mostly
Cap: Cork
This wine is elegant and balanced. With a little air (it's still young) it grows into a beautifully haunting mixture of fruit, herbs, earth, and sweets. This right here exemplifies the potential of Paso Robles.
Note: 12-22-2010; had the 2005, and it is stunning. Blackberry, spice, chocolate, and much more. Again, it evolves as it opens--I would decant half the bottle, and leave the rest in there, and compare them over the course of a few hours. A true delight.
Saturday, February 27, 2010
Tuesday, February 23, 2010
Columbia Crest H3 Merlot
Columbia Crest Winery
H3
Merlot (Cabernet Sauvignon, Cabernet Franc, Syrah)
Horse Heaven Hills
Washington, USA
2007
14.5%
$8.99 -- Costco, Austin, TX
Color: Dark garnet
Nose: Espresso oak chocolate
Body: Medium to full
Front: Raspberry
Middle: Shaved dark chocolate
Back: Creosote, charred mesquite, bay, milk
Burns clean?: Yes
Cap: Cork
This is one of the most charming $9 wines I've ever had, from anywhere. It's not elegant; it's rustic, at least at this point, with insistent tannins. But the tannins orbit the chocolate flavor, which I take to be an illusion of dark fruit and oak, so they make sense. Whoever blended this wine (they call it a Merlot, but it's only 79 percent Merlot) knows what he or she is doing. The website says it's Ray Einberger: thank you, Mr. Einberger.
Not only is this wine good with food -- from spicy chorizo to blue cheese and romaine salad and baked chicken (with a good dose of Tony Cachere's) -- but it tastes quite different with each dish. In my business, "interesting" is a bad word: it substitutes for a more precise delineation of the intellectual merits of something, and your laziness about doing that delineation is meant to imply that there's not much actual substance in the thing you're talking about. This wine is interesting in an older sense; it's absorbing and provocative, without being overbearing.
It snowed all of today here in Austin, Texas, which is sublimely ridiculous.
H3
Merlot (Cabernet Sauvignon, Cabernet Franc, Syrah)
Horse Heaven Hills
Washington, USA
2007
14.5%
$8.99 -- Costco, Austin, TX
Color: Dark garnet
Nose: Espresso oak chocolate
Body: Medium to full
Front: Raspberry
Middle: Shaved dark chocolate
Back: Creosote, charred mesquite, bay, milk
Burns clean?: Yes
Cap: Cork
This is one of the most charming $9 wines I've ever had, from anywhere. It's not elegant; it's rustic, at least at this point, with insistent tannins. But the tannins orbit the chocolate flavor, which I take to be an illusion of dark fruit and oak, so they make sense. Whoever blended this wine (they call it a Merlot, but it's only 79 percent Merlot) knows what he or she is doing. The website says it's Ray Einberger: thank you, Mr. Einberger.
Not only is this wine good with food -- from spicy chorizo to blue cheese and romaine salad and baked chicken (with a good dose of Tony Cachere's) -- but it tastes quite different with each dish. In my business, "interesting" is a bad word: it substitutes for a more precise delineation of the intellectual merits of something, and your laziness about doing that delineation is meant to imply that there's not much actual substance in the thing you're talking about. This wine is interesting in an older sense; it's absorbing and provocative, without being overbearing.
It snowed all of today here in Austin, Texas, which is sublimely ridiculous.
Rodney Strong Chalk Hill Chardonnay
Rodney Strong
Chardonnay
Chalk Hill
Sonoma
Healdsburg, California, USA
2007
14.3%
$19.39 -- HEB, Austin, TX
Color: Light gold
Nose: Pineapple, lemon, white pepper
Body: Medium
Front: Pear
Middle: Bread pudding
Back: Pepper, cinnamon-covered-oak
Burns clean?: Yes
Cap: Cork
This is a delicious Chardonnay. It's not big, not bold; it's elegant and balanced. There's oak, but not too much, a lively fruity acid, and a flash of charm that I can't quite pin down in the mid-palate but have named bread pudding (an effect enhanced by eating sorpressata prior to swilling). The color is almost a greenish straw, quite light, which lately I've been finding seductive for some reason.
Chardonnay
Chalk Hill
Sonoma
Healdsburg, California, USA
2007
14.3%
$19.39 -- HEB, Austin, TX
Color: Light gold
Nose: Pineapple, lemon, white pepper
Body: Medium
Front: Pear
Middle: Bread pudding
Back: Pepper, cinnamon-covered-oak
Burns clean?: Yes
Cap: Cork
This is a delicious Chardonnay. It's not big, not bold; it's elegant and balanced. There's oak, but not too much, a lively fruity acid, and a flash of charm that I can't quite pin down in the mid-palate but have named bread pudding (an effect enhanced by eating sorpressata prior to swilling). The color is almost a greenish straw, quite light, which lately I've been finding seductive for some reason.
Monday, February 22, 2010
Grgich Hills Cabernet
Grgich Hills Estate
Cabernet Sauvignon
Napa Valley
Rutherford, California, USA
2005
14.7%
$38.99 -- Costco, Austin, TX
Color: Dark garnet
Nose: Cherry, licorice, cigar
Body: Full
Front: Ripe plum, cassis
Middle: Cedar, cafe Americano
Back: Vanilla, firm tannins
Burns clean?: Supremely
Cap: Cork
After one of the longest days ever, it's nice to have a stout Cabernet. This one is beautifully structured, dark and dense, and likely to be really fantastic in a few years. If you drink it now, it needs air -- a couple of hours. And beware, it is throwing sediment. Tasty sediment.
It wasn't the perfect pairing with extra-moist brisket, but went pretty well with mashed sweet potatoes and deliciously with French bread. I'm pairing it with Toni Morrison, which I think is going to workout. Morrison would never end a sentence with a preposition. If you find an exception, send it on.
Cabernet Sauvignon
Napa Valley
Rutherford, California, USA
2005
14.7%
$38.99 -- Costco, Austin, TX
Color: Dark garnet
Nose: Cherry, licorice, cigar
Body: Full
Front: Ripe plum, cassis
Middle: Cedar, cafe Americano
Back: Vanilla, firm tannins
Burns clean?: Supremely
Cap: Cork
After one of the longest days ever, it's nice to have a stout Cabernet. This one is beautifully structured, dark and dense, and likely to be really fantastic in a few years. If you drink it now, it needs air -- a couple of hours. And beware, it is throwing sediment. Tasty sediment.
It wasn't the perfect pairing with extra-moist brisket, but went pretty well with mashed sweet potatoes and deliciously with French bread. I'm pairing it with Toni Morrison, which I think is going to work
Monday, February 15, 2010
Franciscan Merlot
Franciscan Winery
Merlot
Napa Valley
Rutherford, California, USA
2005
13.5%
$17.99 -- HEB, Austin, TX
Color: Dark garnet
Nose: Sour plum, raspberry, cherry cola
Body: Medium to full
Front: Ripe plum
Middle: Orange, espresso
Back: Sage, soft but persistent tannins
Burns clean?: Yes
Cap: Cork
There is a decent dose of oak in this wine, but I find it nicely balanced by the fruitiness. I've heard the Franciscan Merlot praised on various wino sites, and though I've often tasted it at the winery, I've never had a bottle before. It's good stuff, at a decent price, and went well with grilled veggies and ribeye. It would be hard to lose on this one, unless you despise tannins altogether.
Merlot
Napa Valley
Rutherford, California, USA
2005
13.5%
$17.99 -- HEB, Austin, TX
Color: Dark garnet
Nose: Sour plum, raspberry, cherry cola
Body: Medium to full
Front: Ripe plum
Middle: Orange, espresso
Back: Sage, soft but persistent tannins
Burns clean?: Yes
Cap: Cork
There is a decent dose of oak in this wine, but I find it nicely balanced by the fruitiness. I've heard the Franciscan Merlot praised on various wino sites, and though I've often tasted it at the winery, I've never had a bottle before. It's good stuff, at a decent price, and went well with grilled veggies and ribeye. It would be hard to lose on this one, unless you despise tannins altogether.
Thursday, February 11, 2010
Trenza Tinto
Trenza WineryTinto
Tempranillo, Syrah, Mourvèdre, Grenache
San Luis Obispo, California, USA
2007
14.8%
$22.99 -- Costco, Austin, TX
Color: Deep reddish-purple
Nose: Smoke, blackberry jam, a little heat, root beer
Body: Full
Front: Dark chocolate
Middle: Blackberry pie, espresso
Back: Dusty, big tannins; vanilla oak
Burns clean?: Yes
Cap: Cork
This is a strange little wine. It's not little, actually, in the palatal sense: it's beefy and big, with pronounced, edgy tannins. It's clumsy but charismatic, like a good, but really young actor. I'm tempted to cellar a bottle of this for two years just to see what happens. It might end up sickly sweet or utterly herbal. But it might just elegantize. That's right, I just neologized.
If you like you a tannic monster, I think you'll find this interesting. It's my style, I must admit; quirky, not over-oaked, with that tangy rich fruit of the Paso/San Luis Obispo area, but encased in darkness.
Cuvaison Chardonnay Napa Valley
Cuvaison Estate Wines
Chardonnay
Napa Valley
Carneros
Napa, California, USA
2007
14.2%
$17.39 -- Costco, Austin, TX
Color: Light gold
Nose: Pineapple, apricot, lemon, white pepper
Body: Medium
Front: Sparkly pineapple
Middle: Saddle leather, pear
Back: Butter, lime
Burns clean?: Yes
Cap: Cork
Tonight it's a pair of Costco California beauties: Trenza Tinto and Cuvaison Chardonnay. I'm looking for a really balanced, delicious Chardonnay for less than 20 bucks, and I'm always interested in blends from the Paso Robles/San Luis Obispo area, which I think has lots of potential. Indeed, it has lots of kinetics!
I'm also having a pork chop with applesauce tonight, so I thought I'd try two wines, a red and a white, each of which might go well with it. The Cuvaison is an elegant wine; I would suggest serving it not too chilled. This is the sort of wine I *wish* they would serve at receptions, instead of the painfully fruity or painfully oaky stuff they usually do. The balance is delightful.
Still, for my palate, it's a bit more smooth like Kenny G than smooth like Sade. I actually think that the sexiness factor has something to do with the structure, not the flavors, per se. Something to muse on...
Chardonnay
Napa Valley
Carneros
Napa, California, USA
2007
14.2%
$17.39 -- Costco, Austin, TX
Color: Light gold
Nose: Pineapple, apricot, lemon, white pepper
Body: Medium
Front: Sparkly pineapple
Middle: Saddle leather, pear
Back: Butter, lime
Burns clean?: Yes
Cap: Cork
Tonight it's a pair of Costco California beauties: Trenza Tinto and Cuvaison Chardonnay. I'm looking for a really balanced, delicious Chardonnay for less than 20 bucks, and I'm always interested in blends from the Paso Robles/San Luis Obispo area, which I think has lots of potential. Indeed, it has lots of kinetics!
I'm also having a pork chop with applesauce tonight, so I thought I'd try two wines, a red and a white, each of which might go well with it. The Cuvaison is an elegant wine; I would suggest serving it not too chilled. This is the sort of wine I *wish* they would serve at receptions, instead of the painfully fruity or painfully oaky stuff they usually do. The balance is delightful.
Still, for my palate, it's a bit more smooth like Kenny G than smooth like Sade. I actually think that the sexiness factor has something to do with the structure, not the flavors, per se. Something to muse on...
Tuesday, February 9, 2010
The Four Graces Pinot Noir
Black Family Vineyards
Pinot Noir
Willamette Valley
McMinnville, Oregon, USA
2007
13.5%
$25.99 -- Spec's, Austin, TX
Color: Medium strawberry
Nose: Strawberry, cherry, Spanish chorizo, black pepper, a little pig
Body: Medium
Front: Tart cherry
Middle: Creamy blackberry, peppermint, vanilla
Back: Soft tannins, thyme, mud
Burns clean?: Yes
Cap: Fake cork
This is more like it. Interesting, multilayered, not-just-fruity Pinot Noir at a price that I might be willing to pay. I'd guess this will get more interesting still with a year or two in the bottle, as the tannins and acids play well off each other on the palate. The result is a really smooth wine, exceedingly drinkable and elegant. It actually stood up to the chili I made tonight (following Emeril Lagasse's recipe, except for certain particular ingredients that it was ridiculous to attempt to obtain). I'm going to get another bottle or two of this, for certain.
Do not be scared by the little pig. It's just a little pig.
Pinot Noir
Willamette Valley
McMinnville, Oregon, USA
2007
13.5%
$25.99 -- Spec's, Austin, TX
Color: Medium strawberry
Nose: Strawberry, cherry, Spanish chorizo, black pepper, a little pig
Body: Medium
Front: Tart cherry
Middle: Creamy blackberry, peppermint, vanilla
Back: Soft tannins, thyme, mud
Burns clean?: Yes
Cap: Fake cork
This is more like it. Interesting, multilayered, not-just-fruity Pinot Noir at a price that I might be willing to pay. I'd guess this will get more interesting still with a year or two in the bottle, as the tannins and acids play well off each other on the palate. The result is a really smooth wine, exceedingly drinkable and elegant. It actually stood up to the chili I made tonight (following Emeril Lagasse's recipe, except for certain particular ingredients that it was ridiculous to attempt to obtain). I'm going to get another bottle or two of this, for certain.
Do not be scared by the little pig. It's just a little pig.
Sunday, February 7, 2010
Chateau Raspail Gigondas
Chateau Raspail
Gigondas
Grenache, Syrah, Mourvedre
Gigondas, France
2007
15%
$16.99 -- Costco, Austin, TX
Color: Deep purple
Nose: Plum and stewed blueberry, a hint of vanilla, beef jerky
Body: Full
Front: Plum, cherry
Middle: Anise, fresh-ground pepper
Back: Leather, soft tannins
Burns clean?: Sort of
Cap: Cork
First: Give this puppy air, unless you're drinking it a year from now at least. Well, okay. It's more complex than that. (And it's not actually a puppy.) If you like a charismatic, fruit-bomb, jammy, Fruit-Roll-Up sort of wine, open it and pour and share and git 'er done within the hour. If you want the more complex character to emerge--with earthy flavors, a little spice and a little meat--then wait on it.
This would taste good with anything with a little weight and a little pepper. With olives and salty cheese, the meatiness of the wine is enhanced.
Gigondas
Grenache, Syrah, Mourvedre
Gigondas, France
2007
15%
$16.99 -- Costco, Austin, TX
Color: Deep purple
Nose: Plum and stewed blueberry, a hint of vanilla, beef jerky
Body: Full
Front: Plum, cherry
Middle: Anise, fresh-ground pepper
Back: Leather, soft tannins
Burns clean?: Sort of
Cap: Cork
First: Give this puppy air, unless you're drinking it a year from now at least. Well, okay. It's more complex than that. (And it's not actually a puppy.) If you like a charismatic, fruit-bomb, jammy, Fruit-Roll-Up sort of wine, open it and pour and share and git 'er done within the hour. If you want the more complex character to emerge--with earthy flavors, a little spice and a little meat--then wait on it.
This would taste good with anything with a little weight and a little pepper. With olives and salty cheese, the meatiness of the wine is enhanced.
Sonoma-Cutrer Chardonnay Les Pierres
Sonoma-Cutrer
Chardonnay
Les Pierres
Sonoma Coast
Windsor, California, USA
2004
13.9%
$27.29 [~$38.00] -- Grape Vine Market, Austin, TX
Color: Medium gold
Nose: Apple, lemon, bread
Body: Medium
Front: Apricot
Middle: Apple, butter
Back: Roasted fig, oak
Burns clean?: Yes, mostly
Cap: Cork
The nose on this wine is a little shy, which surprised me. I let it warm up to room temperature and it was still something of a wallflower. The palate is nicely balanced between the acidic dried fruitiness and stern oakiness. It didn't induce delight in me, I confess; there's a personality missing. But it's a serious wine--if you can find it at the price I managed to sneak away with it, then I'd say it's a good deal!
Chardonnay
Les Pierres
Sonoma Coast
Windsor, California, USA
2004
13.9%
$27.29 [~$38.00] -- Grape Vine Market, Austin, TX
Color: Medium gold
Nose: Apple, lemon, bread
Body: Medium
Front: Apricot
Middle: Apple, butter
Back: Roasted fig, oak
Burns clean?: Yes, mostly
Cap: Cork
The nose on this wine is a little shy, which surprised me. I let it warm up to room temperature and it was still something of a wallflower. The palate is nicely balanced between the acidic dried fruitiness and stern oakiness. It didn't induce delight in me, I confess; there's a personality missing. But it's a serious wine--if you can find it at the price I managed to sneak away with it, then I'd say it's a good deal!
Thursday, February 4, 2010
Casa Lapostolle Cuvée Alexandre Cabernet
Casa Lapostolle
Cuvée Alexandre
Cabernet Sauvignon
Apalta Vineyard
Colchagua Valley
Santa Cruz, Chile
2006
14.5%
$21.99 -- Grape Vine Market, Austin, TX
Color: Deep garnet
Nose: Mushrooms, thyme, blackberry jam
Body: Full
Front: Black cherry
Middle: Plum, firm tannins
Back: Licorice, herbes de provence
Burns clean?: Yes
Cap: Cork
So far, this is my favorite Chilean wine. The second Cuvée Alexandre I ever had was described in my last post. It was the Merlot, and I liked it, though I think it did not move mountains and part seas for me. It was luscious but well-balanced, and went well with food. In fact, at times it kind of tasted like one of my favorite foods, bacon.
So what of the Cabernet? This wine is from the same year, same maker, same vineyard, costs the same, and has the same alcohol content as the Merlot. This is a true varietal test right here.
If you blindfolded me, I probably wouldn't have guessed that the Merlot was a Merlot--perhaps Malbec. And if you gave me this, I might say it was a Cab, but if you told me it was a Merlot I wouldn't be shocked. They're quite similar in terms of structure and the taste profile: a little fruit up front, some herby earthiness, then a little anise and interesting tannins towards the end. Indeed, the tannins are the biggest difference for me--these are classic Cabernet tannins, while the Merlot had odd, engaging, but chunky ones (and it wasn't in good shape on day two).
With a prime (actually 'choice,' but nicely roasted) rib the herbiness of the wine really came out, a lovely effect.
Cuvée Alexandre
Cabernet Sauvignon
Apalta Vineyard
Colchagua Valley
Santa Cruz, Chile
2006
14.5%
$21.99 -- Grape Vine Market, Austin, TX
Color: Deep garnet
Nose: Mushrooms, thyme, blackberry jam
Body: Full
Front: Black cherry
Middle: Plum, firm tannins
Back: Licorice, herbes de provence
Burns clean?: Yes
So far, this is my favorite Chilean wine. The second Cuvée Alexandre I ever had was described in my last post. It was the Merlot, and I liked it, though I think it did not move mountains and part seas for me. It was luscious but well-balanced, and went well with food. In fact, at times it kind of tasted like one of my favorite foods, bacon.
So what of the Cabernet? This wine is from the same year, same maker, same vineyard, costs the same, and has the same alcohol content as the Merlot. This is a true varietal test right here.
If you blindfolded me, I probably wouldn't have guessed that the Merlot was a Merlot--perhaps Malbec. And if you gave me this, I might say it was a Cab, but if you told me it was a Merlot I wouldn't be shocked. They're quite similar in terms of structure and the taste profile: a little fruit up front, some herby earthiness, then a little anise and interesting tannins towards the end. Indeed, the tannins are the biggest difference for me--these are classic Cabernet tannins, while the Merlot had odd, engaging, but chunky ones (and it wasn't in good shape on day two).
With a prime (actually 'choice,' but nicely roasted) rib the herbiness of the wine really came out, a lovely effect.
Tuesday, February 2, 2010
Casa Lapostolle Cuvée Alexandre Merlot
Casa Lapostolle
Cuvée Alexandre
Merlot, Carmenère
Apalta Vineyard
Colchagua Valley
Santa Cruz, Chile
2006
14.5%
$21.99 -- Grape Vine Market, Austin, TX
Color: Deep garnet
Nose: Coffee, blueberry, sage
Body: Medium to full
Front: Dried cherries
Middle: Spicy raspberry bacon, sautéed button mushrooms
Back: Acorns, tingly tannins, licorice
Burns clean?: Mostly
Cap: Cork
The first Cuvee Alexandre I had was in the Palmer House hotel in Chicago. It was the Cabernet, and I really enjoyed it. It was luscious but well-balanced, a nice complement to the luscious (though admittedly a little baroque) main lobby of that hotel (pictured here).
The Merlot has the same general profile: big, fruity and spicy, but with a strong earthy component that balances out the oak and the fruit. It has grip and would go well with many different kinds of food. It's only been open a half hour, so I can't be sure this effect is consistent, but the tannins are fascinating--like pop rocks, a little bit, fine but crumbly, lending a nice brightness to the texture.
And bacon will almost always win me over.
Cuvée Alexandre
Merlot, Carmenère
Apalta Vineyard
Colchagua Valley
Santa Cruz, Chile
2006
14.5%
$21.99 -- Grape Vine Market, Austin, TX
Color: Deep garnet
Nose: Coffee, blueberry, sage
Body: Medium to full
Front: Dried cherries
Middle: Spicy raspberry bacon, sautéed button mushrooms
Back: Acorns, tingly tannins, licorice
Burns clean?: Mostly
The first Cuvee Alexandre I had was in the Palmer House hotel in Chicago. It was the Cabernet, and I really enjoyed it. It was luscious but well-balanced, a nice complement to the luscious (though admittedly a little baroque) main lobby of that hotel (pictured here).
The Merlot has the same general profile: big, fruity and spicy, but with a strong earthy component that balances out the oak and the fruit. It has grip and would go well with many different kinds of food. It's only been open a half hour, so I can't be sure this effect is consistent, but the tannins are fascinating--like pop rocks, a little bit, fine but crumbly, lending a nice brightness to the texture.
And bacon will almost always win me over.
Monday, February 1, 2010
Justin Cabernet
Justin Vineyards & Winery
Cabernet Sauvignon
Paso Robles
Paso Robles, California, USA
2007
13.5%
$19.99 -- Costco, Austin, TX
Color: Dark reddish-purple
Nose: Mushrooms, vanilla, car seat, cherry
Body: Medium
Front: Plum
Middle: Espresso, cherry cola, soft tannins
Back: Licorice, herbes de provence, graphite
Burns clean?: Yes
Cap: Cork
This wine makes me happy. It's not a mind-bender, but it's not overoaked and it will go well with food. I'm not sure I'd put it up against a grilled steak; the body is a little lighter than some. It is certainly a California wine, in the sense that it's bold and fruity. But it's one of the more structured Cabernets from Paso that I've had, and certainly among those with the most interesting palates at this price from that region.
Cabernet Sauvignon
Paso Robles
Paso Robles, California, USA
2007
13.5%
$19.99 -- Costco, Austin, TX
Color: Dark reddish-purple
Nose: Mushrooms, vanilla, car seat, cherry
Body: Medium
Front: Plum
Middle: Espresso, cherry cola, soft tannins
Back: Licorice, herbes de provence, graphite
Burns clean?: Yes
Cap: Cork
This wine makes me happy. It's not a mind-bender, but it's not overoaked and it will go well with food. I'm not sure I'd put it up against a grilled steak; the body is a little lighter than some. It is certainly a California wine, in the sense that it's bold and fruity. But it's one of the more structured Cabernets from Paso that I've had, and certainly among those with the most interesting palates at this price from that region.
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