Syrah/Shiraz tasting.

My local store didn't have much in the way of American Syrahs except for one that I have had before. I really wanted to taste one along a French and Australian example, but oh well. This includes one I had tasted in the month prior.
2008 Chapoutier Crozes-Hermitage "Petit-Ruche" 12.5% abv.
c- concentrated darker/bricking red.
a- spicy, smoky, jalapeno, vegetable.
f- really carries to the mouth. seems watered down. jalapenos, wood. lighter than expected. lighter mouth and shorter finish. interesting vanilla-y/marshmallow finish.
85
2009 Yalumba "Y series" Shiraz-Viognier South Australia 13.5% abv.
94% shiraz, 6% viognier. I know this blend may sound odd, but there is a long tradition of adding viognier to syrah in the Cote Rotie, the northern Rhone region of France.
c- dark purple/ black concentrated color.
a- berry, earth-leather, touch tart cherry, softer.
f- big. some tannin. fruity, soft. med body, med finish.
87
2008 Yalumba Shiraz-Viognier Eden Valley 14.5% abv.
97% shiraz, 3% viognier.
c- dark concentrated inky purple black.
a- tequila? red berries, blue berry. tart cherry. mellow oak, leather.
f- cedary oak, fruit. soft. medium body but shorter finish.
87 (of interest this bottle from a more specific region and costing more got the same score as the one above, costing less).
2008 Heartland Shiraz South Australia 14.5% abv.
c- dark inky purple, very concentrated.
a- tobacco, chocolate, dark fruits, oak.
f- cedary oak. big full bodied longer finish. dark fruits, vanilla, touch tannin.
88
What did I like here? The Chapoutier had the lowest score but it was different and therefore interesting. But I probably wouldn't buy again unless I could find it at a lesser price. The yaluma y series is clearly a good deal, and the heartland wasn't bad either, though a few dollars more. I would buy both again.

California Pinot Noir comparison.

This time around I bought three bottles of California Pinot. One from the north, one from the south, and one from the general California appellation. I also have tasting notes from one I tried at work, as well as a Australian Pinot that I had shortly before.
2009 Bogle Pinot Noir California 14.2% abv.
c- magenta, cranberry juice.
a- apple jam, apple, plum.
f- touch tarry rubber, fruit, balanced, longer finish but lighter bodied. touch of alcohol at the end.
In the same league as other similarly priced pinots (10ish).
85
2009 Brophy Clark Santa Barbara County PN 13.5% abv.
c- purply deep red.
a- more earthy, manure, dark black cherry.
f- medicinal or vitaminy. fruity. alcohol seems more present despite lower abv. this wine became more favorable after a day open, however I would pass on it.
84
2007 Handley Anderson Valley PN 14.2% abv.
c- dusty violet/rose.
a- spicy, fruit, pinot.
f- carries good depth, balanced. Raspberry/cherry. Showed better on second day with cola/anise notes.
90
2009 Talbott "kali hart" Monterey PN 14.8% abv.
c- clear ruby purple.
a- pinot, cherry, alcohol, acid.
f- same. hot. shorter finish. med mouth feel. oak present as vanilla, which seems to lend it an odd sweetness.
85
2008 Little Yering PN 13.5% abv.
c- garnet, touch brown.
a- pinot, baked cherry, earth, acid.
f- similar. Balanced acid, lighter, but not bad for the price(10ish).
85
Clearly the best wine here was the Handley. This was also the most expensive. The Brophy Clark was a disappointment for the price and I will probably not buy anything by them again. Conversely, both the Little Yering and Bogle were good for the price. Many wines at a less expensive price point can show true varietal character, but this seems more difficult with pinot. Great pinot is not something that comes cheap!

Chardonnay tasting.

A few weeks ago I decided that a good way to familiarize myself with a variety of wines and styles would be to buy three different examples of the same grape from different places totally (countries) or from smaller appellations in larger regions (Cali Pinots as an example).
I started off with a few Chardonnays....
2009 Christian Vergier "Eros" Macon-Villages 12.5% abv.
c- pale yellow/gold.
a- brioche, creek water (corked), white flowers.
f- acidic, zippy. honeysuckle. the slight corkiness adds something in this case.
89
2007 Argyle Willamette Valley Chardonnay 13.5% abv.
c- pale yellow/green.
a- oak, nut, acid, tart green apple.
f- light buttery oak, campfire, apple, marshmallow/vanilla medium finish.
87
2009 Joseph Drouhin St. Veran
No notes taken, but like a nicer entry level(10$) macon-villages.
88
The winner here was the Vergier "Eros". Great food friendly wine at a decent price.

Tons of tasting notes.

This is what happens when I am busy enjoying the great Colorado outdoors during summer. I have been drinking and tasting alot of wines, but have not sat down to write about them at all... So here you go!
2009 E. Guigal Cotes du Rhone Blanc
13.5%abv.
c- pale yellow.
a- honeysuckle, white flowers, acid.
f- creme brulee, light mouthfeel, melon- honeydew.
86 (but very worthy of your attention!)
2005 Chateau la Croix Menieur St. Emillion Grand Cru 13% abv.
60% merlot, 30% cab franc, 10% cab sauv
c- thick dark red, concentrated.
a- bourdeaux for sure. choc, dark fruit, oak, dusty earth.
f- really confirms aroma, but a little more than expected. very soft mouth. full body short medium finish.
86. I bought this before I was a more informed consumed thinking I was getting a deal on something special. However, in St. Emillion grand cru simply means that a wine has a higher alcohol content. There are around 300 grand crus in the area! It is not a mark of quality.
2009 Paitin Nebbiolo Rosato "Giramet" 13%abv
c- liquid rust. orange/red but clear.
a- burnt orange, caramel, almond.
f- fuller bodied. orange blossom. orange, acid, dry. light caramel and almond. short finish.
86.
2009 St. Urbans-Hof Qba mosel Riesling 9.5%abv.
c- light green with bubbles visible on inside of glass.
a- mineral, slate, wet rock, peach, flowers.
f- zippy acidity, peach, light petrol. lighter body, short finish. prickly tongue.
89- a very good value in German Riesling!
2008 Trapiche oak cask Cabernet Sauvignon. 14% abv. I bought this because we recently started carrying Trapiche Malbec at work.
c- red/violet. concentrated.
a- alcohol, stewed plum, dark fruits, oak, cassis.
f- dry, dusty, fruity, tannic.
87- nothing too serious here, but I think it'll run you around ten bucks, so definitely a good deal.
The next few come courtesy of several wealthy guests at work....
2006 Bonny Doon 'Le cigare volant' 13.3%abv.
43.6% syrah, 43.5% grenache, 11.7% cinsault, 1.1% mourvedre, .1% carignane.
c- dark concentrated purple. some rim variation.
a- a little hot? amazing depth. dry, earthy, smoky, plum, dark fruits.
f- confirms. lively acidity. good depth while still being drinkable. med-long finish.
91.
2004 Lucien Le Moine Corton-Charlemagne 13.5%abv
c- straw gold.
a- pear, toast, hazelnut, butter, mineral.
f- some acid. alcohol. med mouth feel. shorter finish. earth
90
1999 Faiveley Corton- Clos de Cortons 13%abv
c- ruby red, slight browning at edges. some sediment.
a- plum, earth, funk, cherry.
f- balanced acid, earth, and fruit. long finish. medium mouth. great complexity.
92-3
2002 Domaine Leflaive Puligny- Montrachet 1er cru "Les Combettes" 13.5%abv
c- gold
a- open for 2 days at this point. hazelnut, almond, flowers, mineral.
f- lasts and lasts. peachy, mineral, nuts, oak, well balanced. very good. long finish. full mouth. 93. One of the better wines I have tasted.
2002 Domaine Ramonet Bienvenue Batard-Montrachet grand cru 14% abv.
c- deep gold.
a- tequila? acid, sherry. closed.
f- sherry notes, hazelnut, acid. steely and mineral. longer finish, full mouth. preox?
88.
2002 Jean-Noel Gagnard Batard-Montrachet grand cru 13.5%abv.
c- deep gold.
a- open 3 days, smells off.
f- definitely off.
NR.
2005 Francois et Antoine Jobard Meursault Blagny 1er cru.
c- gold.
a- yeasty, brioche.
f- light almond, oak, must. very acidic. maybe a little off?
90.
2007 Celani "tenacious" red
69% merlot, 28% cab franc, 3% petit verdot
c- dark ruby to purple.
a- chalk, dark fruit, cassis, tobacco, cedar.
f- soft, choc, fruit, cedar. fuller body, medium finish.
91 opens up with time, could use some bottle age or decant.