2008 Chateau des Cleons Muscadet

$5.99 from Trader Joes.

I had read somehting during the last week that really made me want to try some Muscadet. The whole concept of broken glass on the mouth really appealed to me. So I went down to TJ's and found the cheapest one I could find. Heres the review:

Pale straw hue. Crisp granny smith apple nose. Lemony, minerally mouth with sharp acidity. Crisp, bright finish. Very refreshing, albeit slightl one dimensional. 7/10

Go buy some if you have the same curiosity I did. I think I'm going to search for something in the $8-12 range next time.

On another note... I was thinking today as I took a stroll with my family about how my palate has changed and evolved over the course of my wine drinking career. I used to only care for fruit forward zinfandels and off-dry reislings, everything else seemed kind of blah for what ever reason. It was a random surf trip to the central coast in 2005 that really sparked my interest in some of the different varietals available to me. I remember visiting Domaine Alfred because it was organic and trying a few of their Califa Pinot Noir's that were unlike anything I'd ever tasted. I also remember visiting Turley and trying some sort of Viognier based blend which truly blew my mind. I think we bought the bottle for $36, making it the most expensive bottle of wine I'd ever purchased. Sometimes I can look back to that summer just 5 years ago and think that in some ways it was so much simpler to be impressed by something different. I was like a newborn child thrust into a world of sensation that was very foreign in comparison to where I had spent the preceding portion of my life. Now, some of the wonderment and amazingness has subsided, yet my love for wine had grown stronger. How can that be? I believe it stems from my desire to find a wine experience which can recreate the magic of some of those initial experiences.

While I do have considerable more knowledge and experience in wine just a few years later, I am still essentially in preschool or kindergarten compared to many people who have spent a lifetime cultivating their own experiences in the world of wine. I started this blog to share my experiences and occasionally wax poetic about a subject that had come to take such a important part of my life. I hope that you the reader can enjoy my meanderings as much as I do writing them and I hope to continue to be amazed by wine and all that it offers.

Some great wines from the last few weeks

The dog days of summer have arrived here in Southern California and I've been drinking alot of good wines to cool off in the afternoon. Here are a few favorites from the last few weeks.

2007 Domain Alfred Chardonnay- $12.99 from Trader Joes. I finally found out why TJ's got all this excellent DA wine. It seems as if a Napa conglomerate has purchased the winery and plans to "reinvent" the label. As a result they have wholesaled all the old bottles to TJ's ofr a tremendous discount. DA makes top notch central coast Pinot Noir and a pretty solid Syrah as well. I reviewed their unaoked Chardonnay a few weeks back with mild disappointment, but this time I was very pleased. Wow. Pungent nose of toasted almond, oak and vanilla. Palate continues on that path with fruity nuances interspersed with notes of fresh ginger and coriander. Amazing value. 9/10

2005 Wurz and Weinmann Spatburgunder - $15ish from Garagiste. I always wanted to try a German Pinot and I was given an excellent opportunity to purchase several bottles earlier this spring. Light color. Floral and fruity nose which is reinforced on the palate. Very smooth in the mouth with little tannins. Time reveals notes of raspberry cola along with a lovely smattering of bacon fat. Another exceptional value, especialy for Pinot. 9/10

2007 Handley Sauvignon Blanc, Ferrington Vineyard- $12 from winery. One of the first California SB's that really made me say "Hmm". Ideal straw hue. Grassy vegetal nose alongside green apples and under ripe pears. Palate complements with citrus notes, smooth mouth feel and medium weight. Finishes with very pleasant acidic crispness that should not be missed. Exceptional varietal value. 9/10

Back to White Wine

I'm a vegetarian at least 5 days a week. In my humble opinion white wine is generally a better partner to the vegetarian fare I consume, especially in the summer when food is lighter in nature. As I've mentioned in previous posts I'm currently hunting for the ultimate summer white wine to enjoy out on the patio or in the park for a reasonable price. To date the best value wine I've tasted is the 2006 Le Chetau Vouvray which is an amazing wine for $5.99, go buy some now.

This week I'll be reviewing a 2006 Estate AV Chardonnay made by the good people up at Handely Cellars in Arnderson Valley, CA. I've been a member of the cellar club for a little over a year and I've always found their white wines to be incredible values when compared with some of their counterparst both in the Anderson Valley and in other regions to the south ( ie. Napa, Sonoma, Monterrey, SLO and Santa Barbara). Their alsatian varietals are always top notch and their Water Tower White is one the better value white blends I've ever tasted. On our last trip up their I picked up a bottle of the Estate Chardonnay on a whim and have been itching to try it.

In the glass the color is a perfect straw tone. The nose reveals deep notes of pears, raw almonds, vanilla and a touch of oak. The palate continues in that vein and reveals mild citrus and spice notes to complement the nose. Where this wine really shines is in it's depth of body and creamy mouthfeel. The malolactic fermentation is ideal providing excellent weight, but not overshadowing the fruit. It's finish lingers for a while and is a perfect wine to sit and ruminate on.

I like this wine a lot and would reccomment to most people. However at $18 I get a little less excited about it. Most of Handley's other wines are a better value at $8-$14. But that being said, good Chardonnay is always more expensive than other white varietals. 8/10.

Pretty Sally 2004 Estate Shiraz

I've been drinking almost exclusively white wine for the last six weeks or so and I have been getting a bit bored. So in order to spice things up a bit I decided to open this bottle of Shiraz that I bought from Garagiste a few months back. For those of you unfamiliar with this Seattle based online retailer, I highly recommend subscribing to their daily e-mail update list and purchasing a few bottles.

According to my email the Pretty Sally 2004 Estate Shiraz was:

Known for their cool-toned take on Victorian Shiraz, Pretty Sally has been featured here many times but this is the slimmest tariff (by far) we’ve ever offered on the Estate Shiraz. If it means anything, this is the highest rated Pretty Sally wine ever from Tanzer’s IWC and it represents a Victorian take on ripeness with a more regal approach. The 2004 Estate Shiraz is the grand vin from the estate (not a second wine) and it was never intended to trade for a bargain price (let alone $13.99).

If you read the review below, this sounds like one of the very best price/value examples we’ve offered in 2009:

Tanzer’s IWC (Josh Raynolds): “($25) Ruby-red. Smoky aromas of fresh blackberry, cassis and candied cherry lifted by sweet licorice and bright minerality. The flavors offer a compelling combination of power and focus; raspberry and blackberry notes build and sweeten through the finish but there's also juicy quality providing focus and vivacity. Finishes supple and sweet, with lingering flavors of dark fruit liqueur. A rather graceful style of shiraz, with impressive concentration. 91pts”

Unfortunately I was not quite as impressed. After opening the bottle I noticed it's beautiful color and big jammy nose of raspberry, boysenberry and dried cherries. There was also a tangy sour note which reminded me of a Jolly Rancher candy and was enjoyable. After 30 minutes in the decanter the wine opened up a bit further and nuances of cocoa and cloves emerged. However at this point the finish became a bit more sharp and lost the Jolly Rancher feel, which was kind of upsetting. While Tanzer compares this to dark fruit liquers, I would say it bore more resemblance to cherry cough syrup. We enjoyed this wine with a nice mushroom pasta with grilled green beans. The undecanted portion of the wine was sealed and left overnight in the fridge. Unfortunatley the wine deteriorated significantly overnight and lost most all of it's charming characteristics.

At $13.99 I expected a little bit more and I think that there are substantially better deals out their in the red wine universe, especially if you want to enjoy the wine of two nights. Worth a try if you are big fan of the varietal, otherwise I would recommend looking elsewhere. 7/10

Summer White #5

One of my favorite wineries on the the Central Coast is Domaine Alfred. Their organic vineyard is located in the heart of the Edna valley and for the last several years has put out some excellent examples of Pinot Noir and Chardonnay.

When I found their Stainless Chardonnay on sale for $9.99 at Trader Joes I was at once surprised and excited. I remember their regular Chardonnay being amazing, but expensive at about the $25 mark. So I bought the bottle without hesitation and opened it up with some summer veggies and tofu.

The color was very pale in comparsion your typical chardonnay. The nose was both fruity and floral, which reminded me of rosehips, cucumbers and honeydew. The palate was bright, almost to a fault, with a limelike zing to the finish. Their was a peculiar aftertaste which I did not particularly care for.

Overall this was a bit dissapointing given my memories of their standard Chard, but still a decent buy for those interested in the nuances of unoaked Chardonnay. I'd prefer several of the other wines tasted this summer when given the choice. 7/10

Summer White #4

This time I ventured down to see Bob at Grape Connections to see what kind of summer whites he would recommend for summer quaffing. Bob always comes up with a good wine to suit my requests and this time was no exception.

He chose a 2007 wine from Languedoc composed of 80% Chard and 20% Muscat called Domain de Bonal produced by Domain Auzias Paretlongue. A google search yielded little information about the wine, which made the prospect of tasting it even more exciting.

The wine had a beautiful honey color with an expressive nose of pears, peaches and honeysuckle. A medium mouth weight and palate of plums & apples gave way to an slightly off dry finish. The whole experience was reminiscent of drinking really complex plum wine, highly original and enjoyable. Served alongside Indian dumplings stuffed with vegetables and served with spicy eggplant relish.

Overall this wine was slightly more expensive at $9.99, than the other wines tasted thus far but nonethless represents an excellent value. Those looking for a decidely different look at Chardonnay will find much delight in this refreshing summer white. 8/10

Summer White #3

Trader Joes yet again supplied this week's featured white wine. A smooth blend of 50% semillion and 50% Sauvignon Blanc, Les Caves Joseph is a Bourdeaux Blanc available for a mere $6.99 at a Trader Joes near you.

I was immediately impressed by the complexity of the bouquet for a wine at this price point. The nose hinted at pineapple, mowed grass and fresh cut flowers typical of Sauvignon Blanc. A swirl in the glass yielded a delightful yellow a hue and allowed the nose to express itself even further. The Sauvignon Blanc definitely made it's presence felt on the palate as well. The wine displayed a crisp, citrus presence in the mouth and had a nice dry finish with just a hint of oak. I paired the wine with a creamy asparagus and leek soup, topped with crisp pancetta. The contrast of the sweet, creamy and nutty flavors of the soup balanced the wine's fruit and acidity quite nicely.

I think this wine is an excellent bargain, but still falls short of the bar set by last week's Vouvray. It's difficult to compare the two wines because of thew inherent differences in their style, but in terms of overall quality there is still a noticeable difference. However, until I find a better value this will be the "go to" white wine when a dry, acidic style best serves the cuisine being served. Excellent Value. 8/10.

Summer White #2

Like last week, I ventured into the Trader Joes down the street from my humble abode in search of a summer white wine priced to kill.

This time my eyes settled in on a 2007 Vouvray by LeChetau that checked in at $5.99 made from 100% Chenin Blanc. Being a fan of the varietal I was hoping to find a good value and I was not disappointed.

The wine basically kicks ass at this price point. Beautiful light and golden color. Aromatic nose suggesting summer melons and peaches. Wonderful off dry palate and finish, peppered with tropical fruits of unknown origin. Low alcohol makes the final product taste something like high end Welches white grape juice with peaches, cantaloupes and other fruit extracts added to it. The wine made a fantastic complement to the spicy Indian chickpeas I served it with.

This the type of summer value I'm looking for right now. In comparison to last week's choice, this is a superior product by leaps and bounds. You will not be dissapointed by this wine. Highly recommend. 9/10.

Summer White #1

Summer is essentially here in San Diego which means the search is on to find a high quality white wine to drink on an almost daily basis. Preferably the wine should be widely available and priced under $10 (maybe $15 if it's real good).

For the first contestant I've chosen a 2007 Rhone style blend available at Trader Joes for about 6 bucks that goes by the name of La Ferme Julien Blanc. Composed of 30% Bourboulenc, 30% Grenache Blanc, 30% Ugni Blanc and 10% Roussane, I served the wine chilled with a whole wheat penne smothered in a olive oil/sweet potato/leek/garlic/sage sauce.

The nose was very green, and by green I mean green fruits. Think granny smith apples and under ripe Bartlett pears squirted with lime juice. The light weight palate wasn't too much different, save for just a touch of effervescence and minerality. The finish was clean and dry. Some sips however were tainted by a touch of heat/bitterness that made the wine slightly less enjoyable.

Overall, this is a decent value and an ideal candidate for summer parties where most guests are more concerned with quantity rather than quality. I will buy it again for that express purpose or for those times when I really feel like being cheap. Other wise I think much more enjoyable wine is available for a few dollars more. 7/10

2007 La Toledana Gavi Raccolto Tardivo

Wow that's a mouthful. 

My local wine merchant Grape Connections, had this wine on sale for $9.99 a few weeks back and me being the adventurous type decided to pick up a few bottles for the cellar.

Cortese Gavi or Gavi is a white wine made from the cortese grape, hailing from the Piedmont region of Italy. These are often among the most expensive Itlatian white wines shipped in to the US, so you can imagine my interest when I saw such a affordable bottling. La Toledana estate sits upon 25 hectares of prime cortese vinyards that have been around since the 1850's.  The estate strive to control the vines to limit their productivity and thus produce a higher quality wine.  The growers select the best vineyards each year for their "Raccolto Tardivo" or late harvest bottlings to showcase the depth and complexity of the Cortese grape.  Gavi bottlings are designed to be consumed within 1-3 years of bottling.

My first impression of the bottle was it's odd, elongated neck and interesating cartoonish logo. After opening the bottle and pouring a glass I was suprised by the deep, yellow hue and seemingly medium body. The nose was fairly aromatic with definitive citrus and floral notes. The palette had characterics of underripe  pear and tart nectarines. There was an almost sparkling acidity with strong mineral understones, that were complemented by a medium body and lingering finish. As dry whites go, it was suprisingly complex and I wouldn't be suprised if it opened up more tommorrow night or with another year in the cellar. At the $9.99 price point this wine is an exceptional value and worth seeking out if you like dry, white wines. Makes a interesting and appropriate alternative to Sauvignon Blanc, Albarino, Viognier or Drier Alsatian varietals. 8/10.

What I value and how I rate wines.

Rating and writing about wines is a difficult task. The goal is relatively straightforward, to provide the reader with a sense of what a particular wine tastes like. But if you think about it for a moment you realize the utter impossibility of this task.  People's tastes are inherently different. I can't possibly describe how a wine will taste for you. Moreover the scale that most people use to rate a wine is not linear. In other words, the difference between an 86pt's and 89pts is much less than the difference between 92pts and 95pts, while a wine that scores a 75 might as well be urine. I use a linear 10 point scale to simplify things and to shed more light on the subject I've written the following:

What I value.

1. Color- It's important but not as much you might think, sure I may knock a wine a bit if it's green (and not supposed to be), but other than that I really don't care too much.

2. Aroma and Bouquet- This is probably the most important factor in rating a wine. It has to smell good for me to like it. It could taste amazing, but if the nose is off I won't like the wine. So much of the wine drinking experience comes from the swirl and sniff that occurs prior to the sip.

3. Flavor- Obviously wine has to taste good for me to like it and I would hope you feel the same. I like sweet wines. I like dry wines. As long as the taste good and the flavor matches the aroma.

4. Feel- It also has to feel good in the mouth and on the palette. With that in mind, I tend to gravitate towards more medium to full bodied wines. I enjoy good viscosity and don't mind wine that feels like motor oil. Acidity play a role in both flavor and feel, but I will include in the feel category when rating wine.

5. Finish- This is important to me, but rather black and white. A wine either finishes well or it doesn't. Short or long, it has to exit the pallette smoothly.

6. Evolution- This is an almost intangible quality, but is for me essential for high quality wines. I want the tasting experience to grow or evolve as the wine opens. I want to be taken on a tour of the flavors and scents. Those who have experienced a wine which evolves while tasting know of this experience. 

How I rate wines.

I rate wines on a ten point scale that takes these things into account and adds in the value of the wine into the equation. A wine can be bumped up or down based on it's value. Hundred point scales used by many critics 

10 pts- Exceptional quality, it's very rare that I rate a wine 10 pts.
9 pts- This wine is also exceptional but is just missing something to push it over the top.
8 pts- A  very high quality wine and one that you could and would drink on a daily basis given the oppotunity. 
6-7 pts- Good-average wine, I wouldn't go out my way to get them, but I 'd drink them if they were in front of me. Wines can be pushed down into this category by virtue of excess expense.
5 pts and less- You don't want to drink these wines. Very few wines fall into this category but it's worth noting when they do.

Most wines I drink fall into the 6-8 point category. Once or twice a month I taste wines that fall into the 9 category and it's rare to taste a ten point wine.