Wine Review: 2003 Château Garraud Lalande de Pomerol

Name: 2003 Château Garraud Lalande de Pomerol
Producer: Château Garraud
Region: France, Bordeaux, Libournais, Lalande de Pomerol
Classification: N/A
Type: Red Wine
Variety: Merlot blend
Year/Vintage: 2003
Bottle Size: 750ml
Purchased: $19.99, Claymont Total Wine & More
Date Logged: 07/30/2009
Pairing(s): 1) Pasta, 2) Pizza
My Rating: 3-1/2 Stars

A nice wine with classic Bordeaux elements. Surprisingly, this was a Alfio Mariconi import, which I have typically had poor luck with. I was pleasantly surprised with this one, though.

Nice fruit components of plum and cherry followed by raisin and cinnamon on the mid-palate and a nice earthy, mushroom-like complexity coming afterwards. Mild tannic finish, but long. It was light enough to go quite well with both the pasta and the pizza, but I think would have been great with a steak as well.

Wine Review: 2005 Castello d'Albola Chianti Classico

Name: 2005 Castello d'Albola Chianti Classico
Producer: Castello d'Albola
Region: Italy, Tuscany, Chianti
Classification: Chianti Classico
Type: Red Wine
Variety: Sangiovese
Year/Vintage: 2005
Bottle Size: 750ml
Purchased: $13.99, Claymont Total Wine & More
Date Logged: 07/22/2009
Pairing(s): Pasta with olive oil, cherry tomatoes and basil
My Rating: 3-1/2 Stars

This is a great value Chianti...worth a bit more than the $14 that I paid. Light red color with plum and cherry aromas on the nose. Very smooth on the palate and nice mid-weight feel. Cherry and strawberry flavor profiles with just a faint bit of earthiness. Well balanced acidity and mild tannic finish. Perfect with the light pasta we had on a warm evening. Pretty much what you want in a summer Chianti.

Wine Review: 2005 Ruffino Chianti Classico Riserva

Name: 2005 Ruffino Chianti Classico Riserva
Producer: Ruffino
Region: Italy, Tuscany, Chianti
Classification: Chianti Classico
Type: Red Wine
Variety: Sangiovese
Year/Vintage: 2005
Bottle Size: 750ml
Purchased: $22, Kroger
Date Logged: 07/15/2009
Pairing(s): Spaghetti Marinara
My Rating: 1 Star

This was a sad bottle of wine. I found it aromatically challenged, thin as water in the mouth, had a metallic and vinyl flavor profile, and a disjointed bitter finish.

Wine Review: 2005 Havens Wine Cellars Bourriquot

Name: 2005 Havens Wine Cellars Bourriquot
Producer: Havens Wine Cellars
Region: USA, California, Napa Valley
Classification: N/A
Type: Red Wine
Variety: 67% Cabernet Franc, 33% Merlot
Year/Vintage: 2005
Bottle Size: 750ml
Purchased: $29.98, Wine Library
Date Logged: July 12, 2009
Pairing(s): Hamburgers and Hotdogs
My Rating: 4 Stars

We got this on sale from Wine Library, and it was our first time buying anything from them (this is Gary Vaynerchuk’s store). The wine was touted as a California Bordeaux blend, and it pretty much fulfilled that promise. Very nice red and black berry fruit on the front end, followed by smoky, meaty complexity in the middle, and ending with a stiff dose of tannins through a long finish. We had this with grilled hamburgers (at the beach!), and it was a perfect match. The wine itself could almost pass as a bacon cheeseburger with the red meat textures in the mid-palate. There’s also hints of mint and perfume mixed in for good measure. Nice!

Wine Review: 2005 Schubert Estate Shiraz Goose-yard Block

Name: 2005 Schubert Estate Shiraz Goose-yard Block
Producer: Schubert Estate
Region: Australia, South Australia, Barossa, Barossa Valley, Roennfeldt Road
Classification: N/A
Type: Red Wine
Variety: Shiraz
Year/Vintage: 2005
Bottle Size: 750ml
Purchased: $29.99, PA Wine Store, May 2009
Date Logged: 07/05/2009
Pairing(s): Buffalo Chicken Salad
My Rating: 4 Stars

This is one of those wines that supposedly retails for around $60+ but somehow the PA Wine Store is able to sell it at half that price. Still expensive, but Wine Advocate gave it 95 points, so definitely worth a whirl.

BIG fruit here, and thick, velvety jam texture to boot. If you’re after a liqueur-like, mouth-coating fruit bomb, this wine is the ticket. It does also have a fair amount of complexity hiding behind the initial wave of fruit, with coffee, nutmeg, red licorice and some nice vanilla tones creeping in during the LONG finish (about a minute or more). Although the label says that it was aged 12-15 months in new and used French oak, the oak was very subtle in the finish, and the tannins were all but hidden behind the fruit.

We had this wine with Buffalo Chicken Salad, which was a bad match…the chicken was a little too spicy for this kind of wine. It was much better just drinking it by itself or with some chocolate cake I had afterwards. Although this wine is not something I’m looking for every day, I think it’s pretty well put together and deserves my rating of 4 stars. I also think a few more years in the bottle may do a lot to tame the fruit and bring some of the more complex tones to the forefront.

Wine Review: 2007 Vina Robles RED4 Huerhuero

Name: 2007 Vina Robles RED4 Huerhuero
Producer: Vina Robles
Region: USA, California, Central Coast, Paso Robles
Classification: N/A
Type: Red Wine
Variety: 51% Petite Sirah, 43% Syrah, 4% Tannat, 2% Touriga Nacional
Year/Vintage: 2007
Bottle Size: 750ml
Purchased: $12.99, Kroger, March 2009
Date Logged: 06/30/2009
Pairing(s): 1) Spaghetti, 2) Chicken Sausage
My Rating: 2-1/2 Stars

Not sure what to make of this wine. At first, I was fairly impressed by it…nice complexity, good mix of plum fruit and vegetal characteristics, decent balance of tannins and acidity, medium-weight mouthfeel, sort of reminded me of a typical Rhone Valley or Chinon wine. It paired up fairly well with the spaghetti, and drank well by itself afterwards. Although it wasn’t exactly a remarkable wine, it was certainly quaffable at this point. The next day, though, it seemed to have become much less so. The alcohol seemed a lot more pronounced, and it had a distinct vinegar aroma and taste to it. I guess it could have just fallen apart overnight in the bottle…sort of a disappointment, for sure. I’m giving it 2-1/2 stars based on its initial impression upon opening. By the time 24 hours had passed, it would have been lucky to garner one star.

Wine Review: 2002 St. Supéry Vineyards Cabernet Sauvignon

Name: 2002 St. Supéry Vineyards Cabernet Sauvignon

Producer: St. Supéry Vineyards

Region: USA, California, Napa Valley

Classification: N/A

Type: Red Wine

Variety: Cabernet Sauvignon

Year/Vintage: 2002

Bottle Size: 750ml

Purchased: $22.99, Total Wine & More (June 2007)

Date Logged: 06/27/2009

Pairing(s): Grilled Filet Mignon

My Rating: 4 Stars

Delicious! Perfect pairing with a steak. Inky black color, strawberry and cherry cola nose with vegetable overtones. Complex palate with lots of fruit still left up front, some bell pepper, chocolate and vanilla in the middle, and some nice smoke and earthiness mixed in on the finish. Well balanced overall and worth every cent. I plan to look for this one again.

Wine Review: 2005 Kilikanoon Shiraz M Reserve

Name: 2005 Kilikanoon Shiraz M Reserve

Producer: Kilikanoon (Kevin Mitchell)

Region: Australia, South Australia, Fleurieu, McLaren Vale

Classification: Reserve

Type: Red Wine

Variety: Shiraz

Year/Vintage: 2005

Bottle Size: 750ml

Purchased: $24.99, PA Wine Store

Date Logged: 05/29/2009

Pairing(s): Pizza

My Rating: 4 Stars

This is a good one. I had high expectations for it…Wine Spectator score of 94, retail price of $60-$70 (we got it on sale at a great price), and lately we’ve been on a Shiraz kick. Fortunately, it delivered.

The color was deep purple, almost black. The nose was complex, with plenty of red and black ripe fruit aromas, but also lots of complex undertones of pencil lead, tar and chocolate. The palate was also complex, with strong vanilla and crème flavors up front and a nice, structured tannic finish. It went well with the pizza, but would have also been great with a burger or steak. It’s also great just by itself. I will definitely seek this out again, especially if we can get it at $25.

Notes from the winery: “Our pinnacle Mclaren Vale Shiraz, a wine sourced from a forty year old vineyard in Mclaren Vale. This small cuvee' was created traditionally using small open topped fermenters, a basket press and twenty six months maturation in small French oak cases.This extended time spent in oak has allowed the 'M' Reserve to be bottled unfined and unfiltered in August 2006, thus preserving the vineyards uniquely individual flavours and characters.”

Name: 2005 Château de Sales

Producer: Château de Sales

Region: France, Bordeaux, Libournais, Pomerol

Classification: N/A

Type: Red Wine

Variety: Merlot blend

Year/Vintage: 2005

Bottle Size: 750ml

Purchased: $29.99, February, 2008

Date Logged: 05/17/2009

Pairing(s): Stuffed peppers

My Rating: 3-1/2 Stars

2005 is considered THE vintage for Bordeaux, and this mid-priced wine did not dissapoint.

This was a surprisingly mellow wine for being such a young Bordeaux. It had a funky, barnyard meets leather couch and cigar nose, with just a hint of red fruit. The color was dark red, almost black. The wine had a nice weight on the palate, with a relatively complex spectrum of flavors, including chocolate, campfire and dark cherry. The tannins were obvious but not overwhelming, providing a medium length finish. Overall, a well rounded wine that went very well with the stuffed peppers and mashed potatoes that we paired with it.

2005 West Cape Howe 'Two Steps' Shiraz Viognier

Name: 2005 West Cape Howe 'Two Steps' Shiraz Viognier

Producer: Great Southern

Region: Australia, Western Australia, South West Australia, Denmark

Classification: N/A

Type: Red Wine

Variety: Shiraz 93% / Viognier 7%

Year/Vintage: 2005

Bottle Size: 750ml

Purchased: $20.99, January, 2008

Date Logged: 05/16/2009

Pairing(s): Buffalo Chicken Salad

My Rating: 3-1/2 Stars

This is a very easy-drinking and delicious wine, with lots of fruit and a nice balance of medium tannins and acidity. Very dark, almost inky color in the glass. Black cherry and plum on the nose, with the same on the palate plus some cedar and green pepper overtones. Great with grilled meat, or by itself.

Wine Review: 2005 Rutherford Hill Napa Merlot

Name: 2005 Rutherford Hill Napa Merlot

Producer: Rutherford Hill

Region: USA, California, Napa Valley

Classification: N/A

Type: Red Wine

Variety: Merlot

Year/Vintage: 2005

Bottle Size: 375ml

Purchased: $13.99, FREE (from Thundercruise)

Date Logged: 05/08/2009

Pairing(s): Buffalo Chicken Salad

My Rating: 3 Stars

I haven’t had a merlot in awhile. We decided to break out one of the two half-bottles of Rutherford Hill Napa Merlot that we were given on the Thundercruise. I had heard several remarks on the cruise that this one wasn’t very good, but I wanted to see for myself.

Personally, I thought it was pretty good. It had lots of good dark cherry fruit on the nose and palate, and filled in with hints of chocolate and some spiciness on the mid-palate. It had good balance of oak and tannins, and ended with a nice mellow finish. Good by itself and with the grilled chicken and salad. Proof that you should always make up your own mind about whether you will like a wine or not.

Wine Review: 2004 Orlando Abrigo Barbaresco Vigna Montersino

Name: 2004 Orlando Abrigo Barbaresco Vigna Montersino
Producer: Orlando Abrigo
Region: Italy, Piedmont, Langhe, Barbaresco
Classification: N/A
Type: Red Wine
Variety: Nebbiolo
Year/Vintage: 2004
Bottle Size: 750ml
Purchased: $40.00, FREE (obtained on a cruise)
Date Logged: 5/2/2009
Pairing(s): Grilled steaks
My Rating: 5 Stars

I believe this is my first 5-star wine that I have put on this site…and it is very well-deserved. We snagged this bottle on the Thundercruise, a 7-day wine tasting tour on board a Caribbean cruise ship. We tasted it first while on the cruise and immediately fell in love with it. We were lucky enough to bring an entire bottle home with us.

I generally have a hard time finding a memorable Italian wine in the local wine store. This wine may make me look a little harder. The color was beautiful in the glass, with a nice clear, light ruby color. The nose was floral and fruity, with hints of licorice, smoke and grilled meat. It had a perfect mid-weight in the mouth, and gave up lots of cherry and black fruits, along with more complex flavors of vanilla, earth and minerals. The acidity and integrated tannins were very well balanced. It carried plenty of punch with the tannins, but wasn’t overwhelming and paired perfectly with the grilled steak. The finish was nice and long, with some lingering spicy flavors well after the other flavors faded.

It’s not a cheap wine by any means, but definitely worth having around for a special occasion. I hope to find some more soon.

April 23rd Grand Tasting on the Thundercruise

We participated in a truly spectacular event on the fifth night of our Thundercruise - a Grand Tasting put on by Wine Library's Gary Vaynerchuk. The tasting, held on board the MSC Orchestra while en route from Antigua to Nassau, included over 250 different wines from all over the world. We could sample any that we wanted as frequently as we wanted for a period of over four hours.

Needless to say, we didn't make it through all 250 wines, but we did get through about 60 or so before our palates (and our ability to stand) were completely overwhelmed. Gary promised an over-the-top event, and he delivered big time. We also got to take a couple of bottles back to our rooms after it was over, so this event by itself was almost worth the price of the cruise. Add in the fact that we had several other smaller tasting events prior to this, and more food than anyone ever should be allowed to eat, and there is no doubt that this cruise lived up to its name.

A couple of our favorite wines included a 2004 Barbaresco Montersino and a 2003 Brunello di Montalcino from Italy, a 2001 Chateau Cabanne from Pomerol, and a 2004 San Roman Toro from Spain. Our entire list, along with a crude scoring system, is shown below. The more ♥ signs, the more we liked it. No ♥'s means either it was unremarkable, or we were too far gone to make an honest assessment when we tasted it.

Argentina, Bodegas Poesia, Poesia 2002
Argentina, Bodegas Poesia, Poesia 2003 ♥
Argentina, Bodegas Poesia, Poesia 2004 ♥
Argentina, Bodegas Poesia, Poesia 2005 ♥
Argentina, Melipal Res Malbec 2006
Chile, Cantus Carmanere 2007
Portugal, VT Douro Red 2005
Portugal, Fojo Douro 2000
Portugal, Esporao Reserva White 2007
Portugal, Chryseia Douro 2005 ♥
Spain, San Roman Toro 2004 ♥♥♥
Spain, Bodegas Artadi Vinas de Gain Rioja 2006 ♥♥
Washington State, Ex Libris Cabernet Sauvignon 2006 ♥
California, Rodney Strong Reserve Cabernet Sauvignon 2005
California, Simi Russian River Chardonnay 2006 ♥
California, Sequoia Grove Cabernet Sauvignon 2005 ♥♥
California, Frank Family Napa Zinfandel 2006 ♥
California, Kunde Cabernet Sauvignon 2006
California, Duckhorn Merlot
California, Daniel Gehrs Chenin Blanc 2005 ♥
California, Coniglio Cabernet Franc 2005 ♥
California, Coniglio Spring Mt. District Cabernet Sauvignon 2005 ♥
California, White Rock Claret 2004
California, White Rock Cabernet “Laureate” 2004
California, Slingshot Cabernet Sauvignon 2005
California, Philips Hill Toulouse Vineyard Pinot Noir 2007
Italy, Orlando Abrigo Barbaresco Montersino 2004 ♥♥♥♥
Italy, Orlando Abrigo Barbera D alba Vigno Roreto 2006 ♥
Italy, Ruffino Aziano Chianti 2006
Italy, Tenuta San Guido Sassicaia 2005 ♥♥♥
Italy, Tenuta Silvio Nardi Brunello di Montalcino 2003 ♥♥♥♥
Germany, Pfalz, Dr. von Basserman-Jordan Riesling QbA 2007
Germany, Mosel, St. Urbans-Hof Riesling Kabinett, Ockfener Bockstein 2007
Germany, Rheingau, Schloss Johannisberg Riesling Spatlese “Grunlack” 2007
Germany, Von Hovel “Balduin” Estate Riesling 2007
Germany, Monchhof Urziger Wurzgarten Kabinett 2007
Germany, Gunderloch Estate Kabinett “Jean Baptiste” 2007
Germany, Dr. F. Weins-Prum Wehlener Sonnenuhr Spatlese 2007 ♥♥♥
New Zealand, Craggy Range Sauvignon Blanc 2008
New Zealand, Mt. Difficulty Estate Pinot Noir 2007 ♥
New Zealand, Daniel Schuster Twin Vineyards Pinot Noir 2006/7
Hungary, Monarchia Winery Chardonnay Eger 2006 ♥♥
Hungary, Monarchia Winery Bazilika 2004 ♥♥
Hungary, Chateau Dereszla Tokaji 6 Puttonyos 2003 ♥♥♥
France, Languedoc, Chateau Puech-Haut Clos du Pic 2004
France, Languedoc, Mas de la Barben Calices 2003 ♥
France, Bordeaux, Chateau Grand Mayne 1999 ♥♥♥
France, Bordeaux, Chateau Canon La Gaffeliere 1999 ♥
France, Bordeaux, Chateau Smith Haut Lafitte 2001 ♥♥
France, Bordeaux, Chateau Smith Haut Lafitte 2002 ♥♥
France, Bordeaux, Chateau Cabanne 2001 ♥♥♥♥
France, Bordeaux, Chateau La Fleur de Bouard 2004 ♥
France, Bordeaux, Chateau Brane Cantenac 2004 ♥
France, Bordeaux, Chateau Du Tertre 2004 ♥♥
France, Bordeaux, Chateau Giscours 2004
France, Bordeaux, Chateau Beychevelle 2004 ♥♥♥
France, Bordeaux, Chateau Franc Maillet 2005 (Kosher)
France, Bordeaux, Chateau Quinault 2005 (Kosher) ♥
France, Bordeaux, Chateau Larrivet Haut Brion Blanc 2005

Wine Review: 1996 Miguel Torres Cabernet Sauvignon (Black Label) Mas La Plana

Name: 1996 Miguel Torres Cabernet Sauvignon (Black Label) Mas La Plana

Producer: Miguel Torres

Region: Spain, Catalunya, Penedès

Classification: N/A

Type: Red Wine

Variety: Cabernet Sauvignon

Year/Vintage: 1996

Bottle Size: 750ml

Purchased: $29.99, PA Wine and Spirits (December 2008)

Date Logged: 04/04/2009

Pairing(s): Filet Mignon

My Rating: 4 Stars

I’ve been eagerly anticipating getting my lips on a Mas La Plana for quite some time. I have a $50 bottle of the 2001 that I’ve had for a few years in the cellar, just waiting for a special occasion. So, when I saw the 1996 on sale last December for $30, I snapped it up, thinking I would try it should the less than “special” occasion arrive. In celebration of our official fireplace christening, we did just that.

This is a perfect wine for a steak. The nose is subtle, but earthy and woodsy, with some nice dark cherry coming through. The palate is complex, with plenty of smoke, pencil shavings and cigar box flavors. It’s got strong tannins but not to the point where they dominate, and the fruit still shows through nicely. A great wine to sit in front of a new, or old, fireplace and enjoy the warmth.

Wine Review: 2004 Bonny Doon Vineyard Syrah Le Pousseur

Name: 2004 Bonny Doon Vineyard Syrah Le Pousseur

Producer: Bonny Doon Vineyard

Region: USA, California, Central Coast

Classification: N/A

Type: Red Wine

Variety: Syrah

Year/Vintage: 2004

Bottle Size: 750ml

Purchased: $18.99, Kroger (March 2009)

Date Logged: 04/03/2009

Pairing(s): pizza

My Rating: 3-1/2 Stars

An interesting wine and a bit surprising. The nose was full of spice, especially bell peppers and sort of an orange-curry mixture. A little hot on the palate, and really big tannins. Unfortunately, it sort of overwhelmed the pizza I paired with it. I think it would have much better matched against a beef stew or steak. Be that as it may, it had enough subtle textures of leather and minty spice to be interesting enough on its own. A little pricey, but then again it could indeed be compared to a $25-30 Chateauneuf de Pape, and the bottle has a really nice label, so maybe worth the dollars.