Wine Review: Pierre Riviere Menuts 2003 St. Émilion

Name: Menuts

Producer: Pierre Riviere
Region: France, Bordeaux, Libournais, St. Émilion

Classification: N/A

Type: Red Wine

Variety: Merlot 75%, Cabernet Sauvignon 15%, Cabernet Franc 10%

Year/Vintage: 2003

Bottle Size: 750ml

Purchased: $16.99, Specialty Wine Store

Date Logged: 04/30/2008

Pairing(s): Peppers stuffed with ground meat with tomato sauce

My Rating: 4.5 Stars

This wine qualified as delicious, and was one of the better wines we’ve had in awhile. Classic Bordeaux on the nose, with nice cedar and forest aromas up front and subtle red meat and cherry tones in the background. Likewise on the palate, with a soft but noticeable tannic finish. Very well balanced and enjoyable, it paired quite well with the stuffed peppers.

I bought this at a specialty store for $16.99, but I recently saw it in a grocery store in Virginia for around 12 bucks. Either way, this elegant wine is a great value and one that I will be looking to buy again.

Wine Review: 2007 Nobilo Regional Collection Sauvignon Blanc

Name: Nobilo Regional Collection Sauvignon Blanc
Producer: Nobilo Winery
Region: New Zealand - Marlborough
Classification: N/A
Type: White Wine
Variety: Sauvignon Blanc
Year/Vintage: 2007
Bottle Size: 750ml
Purchased: $10.99
Date Logged: 04/17/2008
Pairing(s): Steamed Mussels in herbs and tomato broth
My Rating: 3 Stars

This wine was a very pretty pale gold color. It was quite aromatic in the glass, with a very distinctive apricot and citrus bouquet, with hints of melon and some grass.

On the palate, it continued with the tropical fruit and citrus profile. It was light bodied, and finished clean, tart and relatively short. I didn’t pick up any of the mineral and cat pee type components that I’ve seen with other NZ sauvignon blancs, so if they were there they were relatively mild.

The wine paired very well with the mussels, providing a good palate cleansing after the ocean flavors of the dish. I would also expect this to pair quite nicely with grilled pork or light chicken dishes, particularly those with good doses of fennel, basil or rosemary herbs, or with a lightweight hard cheese. This wine is also nice just by itself, and at $11, a good deal for summer sipping.

Wine Review: 2005 Valley of the Moon Pinot Blanc

Name: Valley of the Moon Pinot Blanc
Producer: Valley of the Moon Winery
Region: USA – California – Sonoma County
Classification: N/A
Type: White Wine
Variety: Pinot Blanc (a genetic mutation of Pinot Grigio)
Year/Vintage: 2005
Bottle Size: 750ml
Purchased: $9.99
Date Logged: 04/15/2008
Pairing(s): 1) Fish Tacos, 2) Grilled Chicken
My Rating: 2.5 Stars

Had this wine over two nights, first with fish (tilapia) tacos and then with grilled chicken and salad.

This wine is pale straw in color with a greenish tint. It was relatively light on the nose, with predominant tones of cut grass with just a little hint of some apple, melon and citrus, maybe lime.

It was light-bodied in the mouth, with a flavor profile typical of a California chardonnay (e.g., melon, citrus, apricots, etc.) There was a little oak on the finish, but not overdone. It was relatively well balanced, with a enough acidity to be palate cleansing. It paired quite well with both dishes, which were light, summer-style fare.

For 10 bucks, this is a pretty good deal. It’s not especially memorable, but gets the job done in cases where you want something just a little different than a chardonnay or sauvignon blanc.

Wine Review: Stéphane Aladame 2003 Les Coéres

Name: Les Coéres
Producer: Stéphane Aladame
Region: France – Burgundy - Montagny
Classification: Grand Vin de Bourgogne, Premier Cru
Type: White Wine
Variety: Chardonnay
Year/Vintage: 2003
Bottle Size: 750ml
Purchased: $17.99, VA specialty food store, March, 2008
Date Logged: 04/13/2008
Pairing(s): Seared scallops in butter sauce
My Rating: 3 Stars

Had this wine with a buttery and herbal dish of pan-seared scallops (recipe available from recipezaar.com.)

The wine was relatively uninteresting on the nose, with a slight grassy and apricot aroma coming through. On the palate, it wasn’t much better initially, being fairly lightweight with a few citrus, grass and green apple components apparent. It seemed way too thin and watery and out of balance, with a very short finish and almost no acidity. We tried it with some buttery cheese and it just didn’t work at all…a bit of a disappointment for a white Burgundy and definitely not what I would consider typical.

This being said, however, the wine worked quite well with the seared scallops. Due to its subtle flavor profile, it complemented the butter and herbs of the scallops without competing. It had just enough citrus component to accentuate the lemony background of the food. All-in-all, the pairing turned out to be quite delicious. So, although I wouldn’t recommend this wine for quaffing by itself, I would suggest it for almost any mild seafood or chicken dish (chicken piccata comes to mind). Nevertheless, there are definitely better alternatives out there for less money.

The 3-star rating indicated above is with food. By itself, I would rate it barely above one star and not worth the $18 investment.

Wine Review: S. Orsola 2006 Dolcetto D’Alba

Name: Dolcetto D’Alba

Producer: S. Orsola

Region: Italy – Piedmont - Alba

Classification: DOC

Type: Red Wine

Variety: Dolcetto

Year/Vintage: 2006

Bottle Size: 750ml

Purchased: $8.99, Total Wine & More, February, 2008

Date Logged: 04/11/2008

Pairing(s): Tomato-based Pasta

My Rating: 1 star

I’m still looking for a good Dolcetto D’Alba…this wasn’t one of them. Uninteresting for the most part and not delicious. It had a little fruit and maybe some licorice flavors on the palate, but the finish was unpleasantly bitter. I understand that this type of finish is supposedly typical of Dolcetto, but it just seemed awkward and out of balance to me…disappointing.

Wine Review: Podere Il Pozzo 2005 Vendemmia Chianti Rufina

Name: Vendemmia Chianti Rufina
Producer: Podere Il Pozzo
Region: Italy - Tuscany - Chianti
Classification: DOCG
Type: Red Wine
Variety: Sangiovese (blended with others)
Year/Vintage: 2005
Bottle Size: 750ml
Purchased: $12.99, Total Wine & More, April, 2008
Date Logged: 04/10/2008
Pairing(s): 1) Tomato-based Pasta, 2) grilled sausage
My Rating: Yuck

I did not enjoy anything about this wine. We tried it first with pasta then with grilled sausage. It didn’t work in either case. We then tried pairing it with a few cheeses and still no match.

In a nutshell, the wine had a tight, uninteresting nose and a terrible flavor profile. It was way too tannic up front, which obscured what little fruit it had hiding in the background. It finished with a sour and basically disagreeable aftertaste. Bleh!

Enough said.

Wine Review: 2005 Domaine De Saint Siffrein

France, Southern Rhone, Chateauneuf-de-Pape
65% Grenache, 15% Syrah, 15% Mourvedre and 5% others

$33.99 at PA Wine and Spirits Store

We drank this wine over two nights, first with baked pork and veal with Dijon potatoes, then with grilled sausage and salad. We decanted the wine about 60 minutes before drinking on the first night.

This wine was dark ruby in color. It had an initial funkiness on the nose right after opening that disappeared within 20 minutes or so. Otherwise, it had nice cherry and red fruit aromas, along with pencil shavings, green peppers, dirt and maybe some faint mint. Given the complexity of the nose, it was a little bit of a disappointment on the palate. It started with a subtle dose of cherry and dark fruit, then quickly let loose with the tannins, which were strong and gritty. The second night brought forward a few more of the complex flavors like green peppers, cigar and cedar that were evidently lost in the tannins the first night. All in all, it seemed a little light on the fruit side for such a young wine.

It did pair well with both dishes, and I would expect it to go well with just about any strong, meaty dish that can stand up to the dryness of the tannins. Maybe more time in the cellar would make it more complex and enticing, but if you’re looking for fruit it may be already too late on this one. I gave this wine three stars in my log. Although it’s a good, well-structured wine overall, based on the price I have to consider it a little too pricey for what it delivered.

Wine Review: 2004 Crianza Artero Munoz

Spain, La Mancha

50% Merlot, 50% Tempranillo

$7.99 from Claymont, DE Total Wine & More

Generally, if we’re drinking a Spanish wine, it’s one from Rioja. In this case, though, we decided to try one from the La Mancha region, the largest wine-making area in Spain. At $7.99 a bottle, it was a low-risk venture. The La Mancha region is in central Spain (main city is Toledo), and the predominant grape variety is Tempranillo, also known in this region as Cencibel.

We had this wine over two nights, first paired with pizza and then with chicken BBQ and grilled fresh vegetables. Not surprisingly, it paired poorly with the pizza, but was perfect with the chicken.

The wine was a little smoky on the nose, with dark fruit aromas predominating and a touch of eucalyptus in the background. On the palate, it delivered with a variety of red fruits, including strawberry, cherry and some black currents.. The wine finished tannic and short, but pleasing and with a hint of dark chocolate right at the end. According to the label, this wine sees about 6 months in two-year old American oak, and this gives just a subtle hint of oakiness in the finish.

Overall, this wine wasn’t overly complex, but well balanced and enjoyable nonetheless, and quite a value at $7.99. Although a little too heavy for something like pizza, it complemented the BBQ chicken very well, and would pair nicely with any type of grilled meat or medium to strong cheeses. I gave it three out of five stars in my log.

Wine Review: Martin Ray 2005 Pinot Noir

USA, California, Santa Barbara County

$9.99 for ½-Bottle from Claymont, DE Total Wine & More

We had this half-bottle with grilled chicken sausage and salad…maybe not the best pairing for a pinot noir, but I was thirsty for a pinot and the sausage was already on the grill…so we rolled with it.

According to the folks at Martin Ray Winery, the 2005 pinot harvest was an outstanding vintage for Santa Barbara County, producing positive qualities of the fruit and the promise of wines with elegance, balance and structure. Well…maybe I just needed to decant mine a little longer than the 15 minutes that we allowed. Maybe that would have tamed the oak that tainted an otherwise average pinot.

This wine was pretty in the glass, with a light ruby color and a nose of strawberries and a hint of dirt. It was fruit-forward on the palate, though not a “fruit bomb” like some California pinots…more French Burgundy than California. It started with the strawberry nose translating to the taste and maybe a subtle hint of spicy cherry coming through. Unfortunately, just as you started to enjoy the nuance of the fruit, the oak took control and ended it with an un-delicious finish. So much for elegance. As Gary Vaynerchuk would say, I got attacked by the "Oak Monster".

Food-wise, the pairing actually worked. The oaky finish complemented the smoky, tangy chicken sausage fairly well. After the food was gone, though, it wasn't the kind of wine you just wanted to kick back and sip...not for me, anyway.

I’m giving this wine two out of five stars in my log. For the price, I have to say that it’s not a bargain, and I’m a little reluctant to pony up for a full bottle next time. Maybe some more air would have balanced this wine out a little better and eased the harshness of the oaky finish. I probably won’t find out, though.

Wine Review: 2005 David Bruce Petit Sirah

California, Central Coast

$21.99 from The Fresh Market specialty food store

OK, enough talk about Petit Sirah, let’s drink some!

We drank this wine from the David Bruce winery over two days, first with a grilled steak and then with grilled burgers. As promised (see previous post), this wine brought a lot of tannins, but unfortunately to the point where it was just downright astringent. In fact, I’m pretty sure this wine is too young and needed to sit in the cellar a few years to balance out a bit. I had hoped that a day on the shelf would mellow it out, but in fact it seemed even more astringent the second day we had it.

Visually, the wine had a beautiful, dark ruby color. The nose was fairly complex. We picked up a wide variety of aromas, including smoke (only right after opening), Luden’s cherry cough drops, pickles, raspberries, wet wood and paint…yes paint, the oil-based kind. The cherry and raspberry components dominated, especially the first day. The paint and pickles didn’t really show through until the second day.

On the palate, I regret to say that the wine was unremarkable. The tannins pretty much overpowered any other subtle flavors. Food-wise, it worked with both the steak and the burgers, as one would expect, but I would have to say that it was far from delicious. For 22 bucks, I would have much preferred a California cab or merlot or maybe a cheap Bordeaux. I've had young Bordeauxs that were much more sippable. Maybe a few years in the cellar will tame this wine and make it more enjoyable…but for now, I have to say I would pass on buying it again. I’ll have to seek out another Petit Sirah some day to compare. Maybe a Durif from Australia next time.

Wine 101: Petit Sirah

I recently became interested in expanding my knowledge of different grapes, wines and wine-making regions. I am particularly interested in knowing more about wines that I really don’t drink very often, with the intent of expanding both my knowledge and palate.

I begin with a rather misunderstood grape, Petit Sirah, a.k.a. Durif, Petit Syrah, Petite Sirah and Petit Syrah. Despite its name, it is neither petite, nor a Syrah. In fact, Petite Sirah wines are anything but petite - they tend to be big, strong and muscular.

History and Origins
A good history of Petit Sirah is posted on the website of the Petit Sirah Advocacy Association (a.k.a. “P.S. I Love You”).

Petit Sirah was originally marketed as such in California. About 3,200 acres of grapes identified as Petite Sirah are presently planted in California. Recent DNA evidence from research done at the University of California at Davis has confirmed most, but not all of these grapes to be the same grape as Durif, a somewhat lackluster French varietal. The remainder of the California grapes labeled as Petit Sirah are believed to be rather random mixtures of the nearly indistinguishable variety known as Peloursin, along with small amounts of Alicante Bouschet, Carignan, Grenache, Mourvedre and Zinfandel.

Petit Sirah’s French twin Durif is actually a cross of Peloursin, an unremarkable variety from the east side of the Rhône, with the true Syrah, the ancient noble variety from which the great Northern Rhône wines of Côte Rôtie and Hermitage are made. A French nurseryman, Dr. François Durif, propagated the grape in the 1870s trying for resistance to powdery mildew and named it after himself.

Although the names are similar and Petite Sirah is a true offspring of Syrah, the vines and grapes of the parent and child are quite different and distinct from one another and these varieties are in no ways synonymous with one another.

Petit Sirah Wine
Petite Sirah has long been an important blending grape, prized primarily for its deep color and intense tannin. It is the variety most often used to blend into zinfandel for added complexity, body, and to tone down the tendency of zins to become “fruit bombs”.

In addition to California, you will also find Petit Sirah (or Durif) wines made in Australia, Argentina, Israel, Brazil, Chile, and Mexico. Despite its French pedigree, Petite Sirah is now almost unheard of in French wines.

On its own, the flavor of Petite Sirah can be vaguely black peppery and often packs intense blueberry and eucalyptus flavors. Petite Sirah produces dark, inky colored wines that are highly tannic and relatively acidic with firm texture and mouth feel. Many describe it as "vinous" or “herbal”. When done well, Petit Sirah wines can be agreeable, pleasant, and sometimes delicious. Wines made from Petite Sirah age slowly and can survive fairly long cellaring of ten years or more (20 years is rare but not unheard of).

Food Pairing
Because of its strong tannins, Petit Sirah is more of a food wine than a quaffer. Petite Sirah pairs well with any food with which you would normally pair a big red wine: stronger meats such as grilled steak, roast duck, lamb, pot roast, rabbit in mustard sauce, and sweetbreads with mushrooms.