Wine Review: 2004 PKNT Merlot

Name: 2004 PKNT (pronounced picante)
Producer: Terraustral Wine Company
Region: Chile, Central Valley
Classification: N/A
Type: Red Wine
Variety: Merlot
Year/Vintage: 2004
Bottle Size: 750ml
Purchased: Gift, December, 2007
Date Logged: 05/25/2008
Pairing(s): Pizza, Pork Loin
My Rating: 3 Stars

This was an interesting wine. It had a nice, fruity bouquet of red berries and cherries on the nose. However, on the palate, the fruit took a back-seat to a more vegetable and peppery flavor profile. No mistaking this for a California merlot. We had this first with a wood-fired oven pizza from Piccolo Forno, made with roasted red peppers, pepperoni and artichokes. The wine paired beautifully with the spice and smoke of the pizza. The same held true for the grilled pork loin we paired with it the second day. I think this goes for around $10 a bottle – a good value and definitely worth seeking out.

Wine Review: 2003 Chateau Haut-Maillet Pomerol

Name: 2003 Chateau Haut-Maillet Pomerol

Producer: Chateau Haut-Maillet

Region: France, Bordeaux, Pomerol

Classification: Grand Vin

Type: Red Wine

Variety: Merlot, Cabernet Franc

Year/Vintage: 2003

Bottle Size: 750ml

Purchased: $34.99, Total Wine & More, June, 2007

Date Logged: 05/23/2008

Pairing(s): 1) Turkey burgers, 2) Pork Loin

My Rating: 3.5 Stars

This wine delivers all of the classic Bordeaux qualities. It is fairly subtle on the nose, with a few dark berry tones and a little earth and tobacco aromas coming through. These same elements dominate the palate. It has a relatively light weight in the mouth, giving it a smooth and velvety texture. It finishes with a little smoky oak flavors and moderate tannins, but not overwhelming. Very food-friendly. It’s a little pricy at $35, but not unreasonable for this style of wine.

Wine Review: 2005 Hampton Bridge Zinfandel

Name: 2005 Hampton Bridge Zinfandel

Producer: Hampton Bridge
Region: USA, California, Sonoma

Classification: N/A

Type: Red Wine

Variety: Zinfandel

Year/Vintage: 2005

Bottle Size: 750ml

Purchased: $11.99, Total Wine & More, February, 2008

Date Logged: 05/21/2008

Pairing(s): Burgers, Chicken, Pizza

My Rating: 3 Stars

A decent wine at a good price. Fairly fruity and moderately spicy, with raspberry and cherry flavors hiding just about anything else that might be there. It went reasonably well with a variety of foods, and was pretty sippable by itself. Makes a good every-day wine.

Wine Review: 2005 Philipp-Le-Hardi Pommard Petit Clos

Name: 2005 Philipp-Le-Hardi Pommard Petit Clos

Producer: Chateaux Philip-Le-Hardi

Region: France, Burgundy, Cote d’Or, Pommard, Petit Clos

Classification: N/A

Type: Red Wine

Variety: Pinot Noir

Year/Vintage: 2005

Bottle Size: 750ml

Purchased: $39.99, Total Wine & More, November, 2007

Date Logged: 05/16/2008

Pairing(s): Grilled Pork Chops

My Rating: 2 Stars

This wine was a big disappointment, considering the great region, reputable producer and price tag. I found this to be a completely uninteresting wine. The wine had a very tight nose and was fairly one-dimensional on the palate, with little more than a predominantly bitter impression. After the initial tasting, I let it sit a day or so in the bottle to see if it would develop more complexity – it did not; instead, it just got more bitter. Based on the reputation of the Petit Clos vineyards, I almost think it may have been a bad bottle. At $40 a bottle, I will not likely find out.

Wine Review: 2004 Buffalo Grove Barrel Select Zinfadel

Name: 2004 Buffalo Grove Barrel Select Zinfadel

Producer: Buffalo Grove

Region: USA, California, Sonoma

Classification: N/A

Type: Red Wine

Variety: Zinfadel

Year/Vintage: 2004

Bottle Size: 750ml

Purchased: $6.99, Total Wine & More, February, 2008

Date Logged: 05/13/2008

Pairing(s): Turkey burgers

My Rating: 3 Stars

This wine proves that you don’t have to spend a lot of cash for a decent, food-friendly sippable wine.

I was initially a little worried by the fact that the wine looked weak in the glass, and was rather tight on the nose. It had a little bit of a fruity aroma (raspberry and strawberry) and some eucalyptus or menthol coming through, a little like Vick’s Vapor Rub.

On the palate, though, this wine delivered a nice dose of fruit, with predominately cherry and ripe plum, and a little dose of smoke. It sort of disappeared on the mid palate, and finished a little short, but it still did a good job of complementing the burgers and it made you want to keep drinking it afterwards.

Generally, I prefer a little more of the complexity and earthiness that you get in the old vine zins, but for an everyday quaffable wine, this one is well worth the seven bucks I paid for it.

Wine Review: 2004 Quinta de Ventozelo Douro

Name: 2004 Quinta de Ventozelo Douro

Producer: Quinta de Ventozelo

Region: Portugal, Douro

Classification: DOC Douro

Type: Red Wine

Variety: Touriga Nacional, Touriga Franca, Tinta Roriz

Year/Vintage: 2004

Bottle Size: 750ml

Purchased: $12.99, Total Wine & More, February, 2008

Date Logged: 05/12/2008

Pairing(s): 1) Seafood Stew (Tomato based), 2) Grilled Pork and Kraut

My Rating: 3-1/2 Stars

Since 1999, Quinta de Ventozelo has belonged to the Spanish group Proinsa. The Quinta produces Port and Douro wines. They were chosen Winery of the Year by Wine & Spirits Magazine in 2005 and have received numerous awards since.

I tried a 2005 vintage of this wine a month or so ago, only to find it nearly undrinkable (possibly corked). So, I was pleasantly surprised when I opened this bottle and had a much better experience.

The wine was a nice dark red color, with cherry cola and licorice on the nose. It had a moderately complex taste, with predominate cigar box and tobacco flavors. The mid-palate followed with some sort of a spice and pepper component that was more apparent the first night than it was after the wine sat in the opened bottle for a day. The wine felt light to medium bodied in the mouth, with very light tannins and a little oak-vanilla at the end. It paired equally well with the hearty seafood stew (delicious, by the way, from Trader Joes), and grilled pork with kraut.

Overall, I was pretty pleased with this wine and found it to be both interesting and delicious, and very food-friendly.

Wine Review: 2005 Running with Scissors Cabernet

Name: Running with Scissors Cabernet 2005
Producer: Running with Scissors

Region: USA, California, Central Coast
Classification: N/A
Type: Red Wine
Variety: Cabernet Sauvignon
Year/Vintage: 2005
Bottle Size: 750ml
Purchased: $9.99, Total Wine & More, February, 2008
Date Logged: 05/08/2008
Pairing(s): Grilled Filet Mignon
My Rating: 1-1/2 Stars

Dark red color, dark cherry, cedar and a hint of eucalyptus on the nose. Fairly blah on the palate, with some cherry and spice notes. The finish was balanced but fairly short. Overall, tested like most house wines you get in a restaurant or bar. Still, for 10 bucks, kind of hard to complain.

Wine Review: 2005 Montes Alpha Chardonnay

Name: Montes Alpha Chardonnay 2005
Producer: MontesRegion: Chile, Casablanca Valley
Classification: N/A
Type: White Wine
Variety: Chardonnay
Year/Vintage: 2005
Bottle Size: 750ml
Purchased: $11.99, PA Wine Store
Date Logged: 05/04/2008
Pairing(s): Grilled Chicken and Salad
My Rating: 3 Stars

Nice, light straw color with plenty of tropical fruit and citrus on the nose. Typical chardonnay characteristics on the palate, with citrus up front and some pear, apple and pineapple tones mixed in. A fair amount of oak creeps in on the mid palate and messes up the balance a little, but it still finishes OK and relatively long. Uncomplicated, mid-weight mouth feel and better with food than by itself. A little sweet and may actually pair well with fruity deserts…have to try that next time.

Wine Review: 2005 "Les Villages de Jaffelin" Pernand-Vergelesses

Name: Jaffelin "Les Villages de Jaffelin" Pernand-Vergelesses 2005
Producer: Roger JaffelinRegion: France, Burgundy, Côte de Beaune, Pernand-vergelesses
Classification: Grand Vin de Bourgogne
Type: Red Wine
Variety: Pinot Noir
Year/Vintage: 2005
Bottle Size: 750ml
Purchased: $21.99, Total Wine & More, February, 2008
Date Logged: 05/02/2008
Pairing: Grilled Pork Loin
My Rating: 3 Stars

Pretty, light red color and good berry and currant aromas on the nose. The palate was rich and flavorful, with ripe blackberry fruit, leafy forest, smoke and dirt tones. It had a firm background of tannins, a little oak and balanced acidity. The texture was velvety and mouth filling. This wine wasn't overly complex, but it was tasty and delicious and paired very well with the smoky pork loin. A decent value and recommended.