The third Thursday of November marks the release date of Beaujolais Nouveau, the wine made from the Gamay grape in the same year of release. This is accompanied by much fanfare around the world, but of course, Nouveau is nothing serious, but rather a fun, gulpable, grapey wine meant to be drunk soon after release and best slightly chilled.
I have read a wine writer (forget who) describe Beaujolais as a white wine that happens to be red. I can see some truth in this. There is really no tannin, a high acidity, and while the flavors skew towards red wine (berry, red fruits, etc), it is a very fruit forward easy drinker...
2011 Deboeuf Beaujolais Nouveau 12.5% abv.
c- electric purple, thins to edges, watery rim.
a- grape, candy, pear.
f- the same. not alot going on here, but drinkable with a light body and short finish.
84
2010 L'Ancien Beaujolais 12% abv.
c- clear purple to ruby rim.
a- granite, strawberry, raspberry, earth, more serious.
f- lighter but some depth. tobacco, deeper berry. short finish, light body.
87
2009 Christian Vergier Morgon "Tour de Tanay" 13% abv.
-this is from one of the crus or more distinguished wine producing villages in Beaujolais.
c- clear purple to ruby rim.
a- concord grape, strawberry, raspberry, dark gravel, more serious again.
f- grape is predominate with strawberry, raspberry, leather, and earth. light+ body with a medium finish.
88
Some don't like the fresh fruit flavors of Beaujolais. For those I would recommend seeking out the crus, though the label won't say Beaujolais on it anywhere. Your local shop should be able to help you find something though.
I guess no real favorite here. All pretty easy to drink but I guess if pressed I would pick the L'Ancien because of the definite earthiness to it.
Monday, December 5, 2011
Monday, November 21, 2011
Good news, Champagne/Sparkling and a few treats.
I will start with the good news. Last week I was able to pass the level one sommelier certification class and test administered by the Court of Master Sommeliers. I told Katie that I felt like I over studied, but I guess that paid off since I got the highest grade in the class!
I didn't feel the test was too hard since I was pretty familiar with most of the material. It was 70 questions multiple choice pass/fail and you had to get 60% or more correct to pass, so it would seem like the odds were greatly in your favor. Yet I would say 15-25% of the people in the class didn't pass. I talked to one of my coworkers about that and she said she thought people came to the class expecting to learn everything they needed to know, which is just not the case. They do cover everything, but it is at a very quick pace, so a good background is definitely needed.
Something else that also helped me alot was my like of many of the classical areas they covered. I already knew the 5 first growths of Bordeaux, basically didn't have to study Burgundy and Germany at all, knew northern Italy, the Rhone valley, etc.
Anyway, I will be going for level 2 in about a year. I am excited for that. Lots of studying and tasting to do in the mean time.
This week I had the pleasure of tasting two really great wines thanks to a customer at work. The first was one of the first growth Bordeauxs mentioned, a 1964 Haut-Brion from magnum. I didn't take notes, but this was one of the best red wines I have ever had. Tobacco, dried leaves, wet dog (in a good way), dark red and black fruits. Great depth, and I could literally taste it minutes later. I will have to rate it a 93-94.
The owner of the bottle said he felt it was on the way out, and that 750mL bottles of the same he had in the past few years were much better.
The other was a 2004 j.f. Coche-Dury Meursault. He is one of the few consistently high quality white wine producers in Burgundy, and his wines are expensive. Even this bottle with a basic village ac will set you back 200 or more. Great nose, steely crushed rock minerality, toasted hazelnut, honey, white flowers. Amazing depth. 91.
The week before I bought a few different sparkling wines to try. The first I had heard good things about and was looking forward to.
NV Gruet Brut Methode Champenoise (from 375mL).
c- light yellow.
a- toast, flowers, marble.
f- light honey, some minerality. light body, short finish. not much else...
84
NV Nicholas Feuillatte Brut Rose 12% abv (from 750mL).
c- pink to salmon.
a- strawberry, tart apple, yeast.
f- strawberry with red apple more predominate. light but steely minerality. m body with a m+ finish. really pretty good.
90-91
NV Taittinger Brut La Francaise 12% abv (from 375mL).
c- gold.
a- toast, apple, soft pretzel.
f- caramel with secondary flavors developing. mineral. m finish and m+ body.
87
The least expensive here was the Gruet, and that would be a good everyday drinker, or something to get for parties on a budget. I got the Taittinger in a half bottle so it was relatively affordable, but in a full bottle the Feuillatte would be less expensive and I found it to be better. That would be my pick of the litter this time around.
I didn't feel the test was too hard since I was pretty familiar with most of the material. It was 70 questions multiple choice pass/fail and you had to get 60% or more correct to pass, so it would seem like the odds were greatly in your favor. Yet I would say 15-25% of the people in the class didn't pass. I talked to one of my coworkers about that and she said she thought people came to the class expecting to learn everything they needed to know, which is just not the case. They do cover everything, but it is at a very quick pace, so a good background is definitely needed.
Something else that also helped me alot was my like of many of the classical areas they covered. I already knew the 5 first growths of Bordeaux, basically didn't have to study Burgundy and Germany at all, knew northern Italy, the Rhone valley, etc.
Anyway, I will be going for level 2 in about a year. I am excited for that. Lots of studying and tasting to do in the mean time.
This week I had the pleasure of tasting two really great wines thanks to a customer at work. The first was one of the first growth Bordeauxs mentioned, a 1964 Haut-Brion from magnum. I didn't take notes, but this was one of the best red wines I have ever had. Tobacco, dried leaves, wet dog (in a good way), dark red and black fruits. Great depth, and I could literally taste it minutes later. I will have to rate it a 93-94.
The owner of the bottle said he felt it was on the way out, and that 750mL bottles of the same he had in the past few years were much better.
The other was a 2004 j.f. Coche-Dury Meursault. He is one of the few consistently high quality white wine producers in Burgundy, and his wines are expensive. Even this bottle with a basic village ac will set you back 200 or more. Great nose, steely crushed rock minerality, toasted hazelnut, honey, white flowers. Amazing depth. 91.
The week before I bought a few different sparkling wines to try. The first I had heard good things about and was looking forward to.
NV Gruet Brut Methode Champenoise (from 375mL).
c- light yellow.
a- toast, flowers, marble.
f- light honey, some minerality. light body, short finish. not much else...
84
NV Nicholas Feuillatte Brut Rose 12% abv (from 750mL).
c- pink to salmon.
a- strawberry, tart apple, yeast.
f- strawberry with red apple more predominate. light but steely minerality. m body with a m+ finish. really pretty good.
90-91
NV Taittinger Brut La Francaise 12% abv (from 375mL).
c- gold.
a- toast, apple, soft pretzel.
f- caramel with secondary flavors developing. mineral. m finish and m+ body.
87
The least expensive here was the Gruet, and that would be a good everyday drinker, or something to get for parties on a budget. I got the Taittinger in a half bottle so it was relatively affordable, but in a full bottle the Feuillatte would be less expensive and I found it to be better. That would be my pick of the litter this time around.
Monday, November 7, 2011
Cabernet Sauvignon.
This time around I was on to Cabernets. I tasted one French vs. two American examples.
2005 Christian Moueix "Medoc" 13.5% abv
c- garnet to orange edges.
a- cassis, gravel, clay, oak. blackberry, bell pepper?
f- m body, m+ finish. plum, dark fruits, berry, cinnamon?
87
2008 Ghost Pines Cabernet 13.9% abv
c- purple black.
a- cassis, dark fruit, plum, blackberry, oak.
f- confirms. full- body, medium+ finish. fruity and berry. some tannin, good but simple.
87
2005 Jordan Cabernet Alexander Valley 13.5% abv
c- dark ruby black to garnet edges.
a- earth, cassis, bell pepper, dark fruits.
f- touch oak, nice acid. full mouth, long- finish. very good. confirms aroma.
90-91
My favorite was the Jordan, but this will be the most expensive. I got a great deal and paid 33 a bottle, but I think you'll see it more around 50. It is different from alot of Cali cabs in that it seems to be more earth driven and less obviously fruity.
As far as value, the Moueix 'Medoc' while obviously a product of marketing, wasn't bad for the price (12), as well as the Ghost Pines (20ish). Of those two, I suppose I would have to give the nod to the Medoc.
2005 Christian Moueix "Medoc" 13.5% abv
c- garnet to orange edges.
a- cassis, gravel, clay, oak. blackberry, bell pepper?
f- m body, m+ finish. plum, dark fruits, berry, cinnamon?
87
2008 Ghost Pines Cabernet 13.9% abv
c- purple black.
a- cassis, dark fruit, plum, blackberry, oak.
f- confirms. full- body, medium+ finish. fruity and berry. some tannin, good but simple.
87
2005 Jordan Cabernet Alexander Valley 13.5% abv
c- dark ruby black to garnet edges.
a- earth, cassis, bell pepper, dark fruits.
f- touch oak, nice acid. full mouth, long- finish. very good. confirms aroma.
90-91
My favorite was the Jordan, but this will be the most expensive. I got a great deal and paid 33 a bottle, but I think you'll see it more around 50. It is different from alot of Cali cabs in that it seems to be more earth driven and less obviously fruity.
As far as value, the Moueix 'Medoc' while obviously a product of marketing, wasn't bad for the price (12), as well as the Ghost Pines (20ish). Of those two, I suppose I would have to give the nod to the Medoc.
I'm not drinking any fucking Merlot. Oh wait...
I'll start you off with an infamous scene from the great movie Sideways. Though this was a work of fiction, it actually (this line in particular) had an effect on the wine industry. Sales of Merlot went down, and sales of Pinot Noir (Miles' favorite) went up.
Merlot has its historic home in Bordeaux. Here it is used in smaller proportions in left bank wines (west of the river Gironde) and in general, is the main constituent of right bank wines. Of course, these days it is grown all over the place.
2007 Chateau Ste. Michelle Canoe Ridge Estates Horse Heaven Hills Merlot 14.5% abv
c- dark purple.
a- (can't read some of my writing), dark fruit, oak.
f- confirms with oak more present. smoother and softer mouthfeel. full body, long finish with notes of chocolate.
87
2006 Burgess Napa Valley Merlot 14.4% abv.
c- purple to ruby at edges.
a- gravel to slate? earthier, dark fruits, a little hot, oak, campfire.
f- earth, depth. full- body, m+ finish. some oak, darker fruits.
88
2007 Souverain Merlot Alexander Valley 14.5% abv.
c- purple.
a- cassis, dark fruit, dry earth.
f- deep. full body, long finish, dark fruits, light oak influence. pretty good.
89
My favorite here was the Souverain which was also the least expensive. Again, all of these were under twenty dollars, and I think they were all good enough that I would buy them again, though I am not a big Merlot drinker. I don't hate it like Miles, but it's not something I would normally pick if left to my own devices.
Tuesday, October 25, 2011
The reds less travelled.
This week I was going to try three different reds from varietals that are seen less. That plan didn't quite work out, but I was pretty happy with all the wines that I tasted.
2009 Eugenio Bocchino "Roccabella" Nebbiolo de Langhe 14% abv
c- dusty red
a- violet, tar, animalistic, very perfumy and aromatic but a little restrained.
f- deep long finish, medium mouthfeel. very tannic. nice acidity. nuanced, subtle, earthy. violets and tar. good now but could use some time.
90 now with bottle age I could see this in the 92-94 range.
2006 Odfjell Orzada Carignane Cauquenes, Chile 13.5% abv
c- dark black purple, lighter edges.
a- motor oil (also described as the smell of the plate on the back of a semi cab- the smell of grease, dirt, and metal rubbed together), alcohol, dark fruit, oak.
f- funky (as in off the beaten path). dark fruit, oak, nice adicity. a little alcoholic? full bodied, medium to long finish. I decanted this to get it off the sediment and then poured it back into the bottle for storage. the oak became much more integrated with some air time, day two onwards. would recommend a decant.
88-89.
2004 Marques de Caceres Rioja Reserva 13.5% abv
c- maroon to lighter pink edges.
a- tart cherries, vanilla, earthiness, animal.
f- medium body, long finish. more earth with less fruit. cherry, tobacco, berries, espresso.
89-90. I think this is the first Rioja I had and YUM!
I was happy to break a seemingly long streak without tasting any really great wines. I think all of the wines I tasted this week would be worth buying by the case to keep around for the future. I could see the Carignane being a little off putting to some as well as hard to pair with food, but as I have said before, it was interesting. And the best part is that all of these wines can be had for 20 or less dollars!
2009 Eugenio Bocchino "Roccabella" Nebbiolo de Langhe 14% abv
c- dusty red
a- violet, tar, animalistic, very perfumy and aromatic but a little restrained.
f- deep long finish, medium mouthfeel. very tannic. nice acidity. nuanced, subtle, earthy. violets and tar. good now but could use some time.
90 now with bottle age I could see this in the 92-94 range.
2006 Odfjell Orzada Carignane Cauquenes, Chile 13.5% abv
c- dark black purple, lighter edges.
a- motor oil (also described as the smell of the plate on the back of a semi cab- the smell of grease, dirt, and metal rubbed together), alcohol, dark fruit, oak.
f- funky (as in off the beaten path). dark fruit, oak, nice adicity. a little alcoholic? full bodied, medium to long finish. I decanted this to get it off the sediment and then poured it back into the bottle for storage. the oak became much more integrated with some air time, day two onwards. would recommend a decant.
88-89.
2004 Marques de Caceres Rioja Reserva 13.5% abv
c- maroon to lighter pink edges.
a- tart cherries, vanilla, earthiness, animal.
f- medium body, long finish. more earth with less fruit. cherry, tobacco, berries, espresso.
89-90. I think this is the first Rioja I had and YUM!
I was happy to break a seemingly long streak without tasting any really great wines. I think all of the wines I tasted this week would be worth buying by the case to keep around for the future. I could see the Carignane being a little off putting to some as well as hard to pair with food, but as I have said before, it was interesting. And the best part is that all of these wines can be had for 20 or less dollars!
Monday, October 17, 2011
Zinfandel/Primitivo tasting and comparison.
I am the first to admit that Zinfandels aren't really my thing. If left to my own devices, I would probably not buy many or any at all, but in the name of science and education, I tasted four different wines over the past two weeks.
The thing I don't really like is the big and brash personality- often accompanied by prodigous amounts of alcohol. The lowest percentage abv of the wines I tried this time around was 14. They seem to be hard to pair with food, at least what I have been eating. I imagine they would work best with something simple like grilled steak.
But I do like the earthy, woodsy, mushroomy flavors and aromas I found in these bottles. That is certainly something I would go back for. I have liked the more expensive and refined and sometimes aged zins that I have had the opportunity to try from producers such as Turley and Ridge. I rated Orin Swifts' The Prisoner (primarily based on zin) at 92 points. Maybe I do like them after all?
2007 Felline Primitivo di Manduria 14% abv
c- dark concentrated purple, light bricking at edges.
a- alcohol, acid, dark baked fruits, stewed plum.
f- dark stewed fruits, medium plus body. not horrible, but disappointing for the price.
83
Rosenblum Cellars Cuvee XXXIII Zinfandel 14.5% abv
c- magenta but not very concentrated color.
a- acid, oak, smells pinotish?
f- lighter, brambly woodsiness, mushroomy, spicy, hot. Ok and got better with some time- definitely better on the second day.
85
2007 Bogle "Phantom" 14.5% abv- This is actually majority petite sirah, with 44% zin.
c- deep concentrated purple
a- oak, alcohol, berry
f- oaky, vanilla, wood. some of that brambly woodsiness. off balance and incredibly oaky. decanted on the second day and it helped a little, but not much.
82. Funny if you google "2007 bogle phantom" one of the first things that comes up is someone elses blog who states that they would recommend this to people who like The Prisoner because it is half the price and still hits on most of the same cylinders. I couldn't disagree more. The Prisoner has refinement, class, and much more to it than oak!
2009 Cline Ancient Vines Zinfandel 15% abv.
c- dark but clear purple.
a- berry, woodsy, mushroom, alcohol.
f- really confirms the aroma with a touch of oak. a bit hot, but seems much more in balance than the Bogle. Medium plus body with a medium plus finish.
88
Overall a fun experiment. I would buy again and recommend the Rosenblum and Cline. Both were pretty tasty and represent good values. The primitivo was fun to try, but a disappointment for the price. The Bogle was my least favorite. I wish I had skipped that and tried Orin Swifts' Saldo instead. Maybe next time.
On a side note, my wine 'cellar' has now grown to over 100 bottles and is valued at roughly 5300. The oldest and also most expensive bottle I have is a 1989 Trimbach Clos Ste Hune Vendanges Tardive. The youngest bottles that I have and plan on keeping for a little bit are 8 2009 A. et P. de Villaine Cote Chalonnaise 'Les Clous'.
Around 30% of my cellar is Chardonnay, with 22% Pinot Noir, 17% Riesling, and 13% Syrah/Shiraz, however, it is 52% red and 48% white overall. The region most represented by far is Burgundy, with 56 bottles or 51%, with the Rhone being second with 17 bottles or 15%.
The thing I don't really like is the big and brash personality- often accompanied by prodigous amounts of alcohol. The lowest percentage abv of the wines I tried this time around was 14. They seem to be hard to pair with food, at least what I have been eating. I imagine they would work best with something simple like grilled steak.
But I do like the earthy, woodsy, mushroomy flavors and aromas I found in these bottles. That is certainly something I would go back for. I have liked the more expensive and refined and sometimes aged zins that I have had the opportunity to try from producers such as Turley and Ridge. I rated Orin Swifts' The Prisoner (primarily based on zin) at 92 points. Maybe I do like them after all?
2007 Felline Primitivo di Manduria 14% abv
c- dark concentrated purple, light bricking at edges.
a- alcohol, acid, dark baked fruits, stewed plum.
f- dark stewed fruits, medium plus body. not horrible, but disappointing for the price.
83
Rosenblum Cellars Cuvee XXXIII Zinfandel 14.5% abv
c- magenta but not very concentrated color.
a- acid, oak, smells pinotish?
f- lighter, brambly woodsiness, mushroomy, spicy, hot. Ok and got better with some time- definitely better on the second day.
85
2007 Bogle "Phantom" 14.5% abv- This is actually majority petite sirah, with 44% zin.
c- deep concentrated purple
a- oak, alcohol, berry
f- oaky, vanilla, wood. some of that brambly woodsiness. off balance and incredibly oaky. decanted on the second day and it helped a little, but not much.
82. Funny if you google "2007 bogle phantom" one of the first things that comes up is someone elses blog who states that they would recommend this to people who like The Prisoner because it is half the price and still hits on most of the same cylinders. I couldn't disagree more. The Prisoner has refinement, class, and much more to it than oak!
2009 Cline Ancient Vines Zinfandel 15% abv.
c- dark but clear purple.
a- berry, woodsy, mushroom, alcohol.
f- really confirms the aroma with a touch of oak. a bit hot, but seems much more in balance than the Bogle. Medium plus body with a medium plus finish.
88
Overall a fun experiment. I would buy again and recommend the Rosenblum and Cline. Both were pretty tasty and represent good values. The primitivo was fun to try, but a disappointment for the price. The Bogle was my least favorite. I wish I had skipped that and tried Orin Swifts' Saldo instead. Maybe next time.
On a side note, my wine 'cellar' has now grown to over 100 bottles and is valued at roughly 5300. The oldest and also most expensive bottle I have is a 1989 Trimbach Clos Ste Hune Vendanges Tardive. The youngest bottles that I have and plan on keeping for a little bit are 8 2009 A. et P. de Villaine Cote Chalonnaise 'Les Clous'.
Around 30% of my cellar is Chardonnay, with 22% Pinot Noir, 17% Riesling, and 13% Syrah/Shiraz, however, it is 52% red and 48% white overall. The region most represented by far is Burgundy, with 56 bottles or 51%, with the Rhone being second with 17 bottles or 15%.
Friday, October 7, 2011
Pinot Gris/Grigio tasting and comparison.
Last week I was hankerin' for some whites, so I decided to taste a few Pinot Gris/Grigios. My experience with this varietal (besides in reading) is limited to the two selections we have at my work, so it seemed like a good idea...
2006 Hugel Pinot Gris "Classic" 12.5% abv
c- light gold, hints of green
a- minerality, slate, white flowers, spicy
f- acidity (I actually wrote 'boom!'), mineral, touch of honey. crisp. medium mouth feel, between a short and medium finish. floral.
89
2009 Bollini Pinot Grigio Trentino 13% abv
c- yellow gold
a-musky, white flowers, acid
f- lemon, snappy, acid. light mouth, short finish. very drinkable but doesn't stand out to me like the Hugel.
85
2009 Handley Pinot Gris Anderson Valley 14.2% abv
c- gold
a- apple
f- acidity, honey. short finish, light mouth. alcoholic and flabby. not much there.
84-
There is a clear winner here again- Hugel. I think this was again around the most expensive bottle, but the Pinot Grigio was close if I remember correctly. I would buy the Hugel again, and also the Bollini but probably only as a summer refresher. I was disappointed with Handley. I have really liked most of their wines I have tried, but as you can tell from my notes, I didn't find much there to say about it. Oh well.
Next week: Zinfandels!
2006 Hugel Pinot Gris "Classic" 12.5% abv
c- light gold, hints of green
a- minerality, slate, white flowers, spicy
f- acidity (I actually wrote 'boom!'), mineral, touch of honey. crisp. medium mouth feel, between a short and medium finish. floral.
89
2009 Bollini Pinot Grigio Trentino 13% abv
c- yellow gold
a-musky, white flowers, acid
f- lemon, snappy, acid. light mouth, short finish. very drinkable but doesn't stand out to me like the Hugel.
85
2009 Handley Pinot Gris Anderson Valley 14.2% abv
c- gold
a- apple
f- acidity, honey. short finish, light mouth. alcoholic and flabby. not much there.
84-
There is a clear winner here again- Hugel. I think this was again around the most expensive bottle, but the Pinot Grigio was close if I remember correctly. I would buy the Hugel again, and also the Bollini but probably only as a summer refresher. I was disappointed with Handley. I have really liked most of their wines I have tried, but as you can tell from my notes, I didn't find much there to say about it. Oh well.
Next week: Zinfandels!
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