Wine Review: 2005 Columbia Crest Cabernet Sauvignon H3

Name: 2005 Columbia Crest Cabernet Sauvignon H3
Producer: Columbia Crest
Region: USA, Washington, Columbia Valley, Horse Heaven Hills
Classification: N/A
Type: Red Wine
Variety: 80% Cabernet Sauvignon, 14% Merlot; 6% Cabernet Franc
Year/Vintage: 2005
Bottle Size: 750ml
Purchased: $12.99 (Gift, 12/2008)
Date Logged: 02/25/2009
Pairing(s): Pork sausage and kraut
My Rating: 3 Stars

My first impression of this wine was that it seemed a little round and soft for a cabernet. I don’t drink a lot of cabs from Washington, though, so I didn’t dwell on it. A little more research, though, and I found out that it’s blended with merlot and cab franc…so there you go, first impressions do mean something.

That being said, this is a pretty nice wine. The nose is nice and spicy, with black pepper and blueberries dominating. There was also a touch of Testors model paint aroma hiding in the background that seemed to fade after being open for awhile. The palate was simple but good…very much fruit-forward, with blueberry and cherry cola flavors hitting first, followed by a little bit of a rare red meat taste that took awhile to figure out, but paired up really well with the pork sausage and kraut combo. The back end is supple, with a mild tannic finish and a slight coffee-ground aftertaste.

I noticed that the area that this wine comes from is nearly the same latitude as Bordeaux. It’s not quite as interesting as your typical Haut Medoc offering, but at $12.99 it’s a great value and well worth seeking out.

Wine Review: 2005 Castello Banfi Rosso di Montalcino

Name: 2005 Castello Banfi Rosso di Montalcino

Producer: Castello Banfi

Region: Italy, Tuscany, Montalcino, Rosso di Montalcino

Classification: N/A

Type: Red Wine

Variety: Sangiovese Grosso

Year/Vintage: 2005

Bottle Size: 750ml

Purchased: $19.99, PA Wine & Spirits (January 2008)

Date Logged: 02/22/2009

Pairing(s): 1) Sphagetti marinara with meatballs, 2) pizza

My Rating: 2-1/2 Stars

Rosso di Montalcino is the junior wine to the much more prestigious Brunello di Montalcino. The family owned Castello Banfi vineyard estate is the Brunello zone’s leading producer and has been described as a “constellation of single vineyards,” with a medieval castle crowning the estate. 2005 was supposedly a rough year for all growers in this region due to a very damp late summer. That may show in this particular bottle.

This wine wasn’t bad but was more or less forgettable. It had a really nice cherry nose after first opening that soon diminished after standing an hour or so. It maintained some decent cherry fruit on the palate, with a few earth tones hiding in the background, but nothing overly exciting. It opened up a little the second day and had a few more woody flavors, and a little bit of a bayberry component that I liked. It was easy-drinking and complemented the food reasonably well, and might benefit with another year or so in the cellar. For now, though, it just isn’t much to write home about, and a little over-priced at 20 bucks a bottle.

Wine Review: 2004 Château Saint-Robert Blanc Cuvee Poncet Deville

Name: 2004 Château Saint-Robert Blanc Cuvee Poncet Deville

Producer: Château Saint-Robert

Region: France, Bordeaux, Graves

Classification: N/A

Type: White Wine

Variety: Sauvignon Blanc

Year/Vintage: 2004

Bottle Size: 750ml

Purchased: $17.99, PA Wine & Spirits (2007)

Date Logged: 02/20/2009

Pairing(s): Greek Chicken Wraps

My Rating: 3-1/2 Stars

The Saint-Robert estate, located in the Graves region of Bordeaux, dates back to 1686. It is named after one of the original owner’s mother, Dame Anne Robert. It was not until the 19th century that the estate of Saint Robert became a real wine-growing château. This transformation was the work of one of its owners, the younger Monsieur Poncet Deville, who was largely responsible for the improvements made in the vineyard, known at that time as Clos Saint Robert. For both Saint Robert red and white wines, two blends are made: the Château Saint Robert itself, and the Cuvée Poncet Deville, which is made from a hand-picked selection of the best terroirs and the oldest vines.

Up until today, I had only had the generic Saint-Robert wines, which I have always enjoyed. The Poncet Deville was different right out of the glass, with a much more golden and chardonnay-look to it than the standard Saint-Robert. The nose was quite grassy, with a little bit of a vinyl component to it as well. The first thing you notice on the palate is the acidity, which completely rips at your tongue the first couple of sips. After you get used to it, though, the lemon and other citrus components come through, as does a fair amount of oak. It’s not quite buttery, but it’s close. The combination of acidity, citrus and oak turn out to be really well balanced, and make for a very interesting and enjoyable sauvignon blanc. The pairing with the lemon-based Greek dressing of our dinner was nearly perfect.

This wine is a few dollars more than the standard Saint-Robert, but given the added complexity of this one I would say it is worth it. Overall, it is quite delicious, interesting, and a really good value.

You can't drink wine all the time

We were having spicy chicken burritos for dinner...a tough pairing for wine. I looked in the fridge and (gasp!) NO BEER! But I did have limes. So, despite the fact that it was 25 degrees and snowing outside, I broke out the tequila. I had just enough Patron to make two really fine winter margaritas. I spiked them with a shot of Chambord to give them that girly pink look. It's amazing how powerful that aromas and flavors like this can be - for a few minutes tonight it felt like summer. But alas...

Wine Review: 2006 Sauvion Chinon

Name: 2006 Sauvion Chinon
Producer: Sauvion
Region: France, Loire Valley, Touraine, Chinon
Classification: N/A
Type: Red Wine
Variety: Cabernet Franc
Year/Vintage: 2006
Bottle Size: 750ml
Purchased: $12.99, Wine & More (Feb 2007)
Date Logged: 02/15/2009
Pairing(s): 1) Pizza, 2) Grilled pork loin
My Rating: 3.5 to 4 Stars

If you like green vegetables, this is the wine for you. Lots of bell pepper flavors on the nose and palate, but not overpowering, It paired perfectly with the pizza we had with it the first night. Chinons are definitely becoming a favorite of mine to have with pizza.

The wine was initially a little out of balance, with a slightly hot finish (almost like rubbing alcohol). A couple of days on the counter, though, and it seemed much better rounded and easier drinking. The vegetable components evolved between the first and second tastings, with more of the broccoli and asparagus flavors evident after sitting a couple of days. It also picked up a little more smokiness on the palate, which made the second pairing with grilled pork quite nice. The way that the wine changed over time caused me to give the dual scoring, since it definitely seemed to improve after opening. Overall, a very interesting wine and a fantastic value.

Wine Review: 2004 Landmark Overlook Chardonnay

Name: 2004 Landmark Overlook Chardonnay
Producer: Landmark
Region: USA, California
Classification: N/A
Type: White Wine
Variety: Chardonnay
Year/Vintage: 2004
Bottle Size: 750ml
Purchased: $15.99, PA Wine & Spirits (April 2007)
Date Logged: 02/14/2009
Pairing(s): Chicken Piccata
My Rating: 3 Stars

A good but not great chardonnay from Landmark that may be a little past its prime. This was a little oakier than I remember from other vintages of the same wine. Because of that, it’s not exactly my style, but a reasonably good wine nevertheless. The grapes are a blend from Sonoma, Monterey and Santa Barbara Counties in California. Not surprisingly, it tastes a little on the generic California chardonnay side. It is crisp with some citrus, tropical and apple flavors on the nose and palate, with a decent kick of alcohol and a fairly bitter finish. Not as buttery as I expected, based on other Landmark efforts that I’ve had. It paired nicely with the salty, lemon base of the chicken piccata. It's a good value at $16...maybe not so good at $25, which is what I seem to remember paying for it at some time in the past.

Wine Review: 2005 Landmark Grand Detour Pinot Noir

Name: 2005 Landmark Grand Detour Pinot Noir

Producer: Landmark
Region: USA, California, Sonoma County, Sonoma Coast

Classification: N/A

Type: Red Wine

Variety: Pinot Noir

Year/Vintage: 2005

Bottle Size: 750ml

Purchased: $29.99, PA Wine & Spirits (April 2007)

Date Logged: 02/13/2009

Pairing(s): 1) Grilled Salmon, 2) Grilled pork chop (Café Du Jour)

My Rating: 4-1/2 Stars

I am very seldom disappointed by Landmark, and this was no exception. We brought this with us to Café Du Jour on the Southside and I had it with a thick, juicy pork chop while Jen had it with her favorite sea salt-rubbed seared salmon. Both pairings were superb.

The wine was lip-smackingly delicious, with nice berry and cherry fruit that was somewhat subtle and nicely balanced out with the mild tannins. Very smooth and easy-drinking. This wine lived up to Pinot’s seductive and understated reputation. No single flavor component was overpowering, which really allowed the best characteristics of the food to shine through. It effortlessly earns the 4-1/2 star rating I gave it. It is not an inexpensive wine, but worth the price for special occasions that you want to remember.

Wine Review: 2002 Renwood Zinfandel Old Vine

Name: 2002 Renwood Zinfandel Old Vine
Producer: Renwood
Region: USA, California, Sierra Foothills, Amador County
Classification: N/A
Type: Red Wine
Variety: Zinfandel
Year/Vintage: 2002
Bottle Size: 750ml
Purchased: $16.99, PA Wine & Spirits (several years ago)
Date Logged: 02/08/2009
Pairing(s): Grilled pork loin
My Rating: 3-1/2 Stars

We drank this wine quite a bit in 2005 but it’s been awhile since I’ve had it. I remember it as a jammy fruit bomb from back then. After a few years in the cellar, it has settled down a little and picked up some nice complexity to go with the fruit. It’s still pretty jammy, with blackberry and cranberry flavors being the most discernable. But now it has some cigar and cedar components as well. This wine was always a little hot and spicy in the past, and that still is the case. It has big tannins, is a little on the acidic side, and has an astringent and medium finish. The color is medium red and seemed a little browner than before, so I think some oxidation has definitely taken place. It paired very nicely with the grilled pork, and is quaffable by itself despite the astringent finish. I think the price point of the more recent vintages has pushed over $20. If they are similar to this, they’re still a decent buy and can be drunk now or put away for several years.

Wine Review: 2000 Frank Phélan

Name: 2000 Frank Phélan

Producer: Chateau Phelan Segur

Region: France, Bordeaux, Médoc, St. Estèphe

Classification: N/A

Type: Red Wine

Variety: Cabernet Sauvignon and Merlot

Year/Vintage: 2000

Bottle Size: 750ml

Purchased: $28.99, PA Wine & Spirits

Date Logged: 02/06/2009

Pairing(s): Pizza

My Rating: 3 Stars

This is the second wine of the renowned St.Estephe estate Ch.Phelan-Segur. The Grand Vin goes for around $150 a bottle. The vines for this wine have rather illustrious neighbors, namely Chateau Montrose and Chateau Calon-Ségur.

With all of this hype, I may have expected too much of this wine. Although I wasn’t disappointed by it (it is a very nice wine), I can’t say that I was blown away by it either. It is typical of a decent Bordeaux, with all of the tannins and complexity you would expect – old leather, musty basement and pencil shaving components dominate. There is a little fruit left, with a hint of cherries coming through on the nose and mid-palate. There is also a subtle vegetal character, but I couldn’t quite nail the exact flavor component. None of the flavors really stood out, though, and the wine seemed a bit closed – it may have opened up if I had decanted it longer.

I paired this with pizza, which certainly wasn’t perfect…a nice charcoal-grilled steak would have been ideal. I wish I had a second bottle to give it another try with a red meat after decanting. Unfortunately, at almost $30 a bottle, that may have to wait.