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Oct 26, 2007Kenwood Sauvignon Blanc, 2006
Pleasant spice on the tongue and a lingering finish -- but an overall flatness that could use more acidity. I have a weird nose but I swear that I get faint notes of chlorine along with some very fleeting cantaloupe.
Oct 26, 2007Kenwood Sauvignon Blanc, 2006
The color is the first thing that strikes me: gold, more like a chard. It's hard to pull anything significant out of the nose, maybe some kind of spice, and that's about it.
The taste leaves even more to be desired, albeit, there's nothing really funky going on and it's pretty smooth and easy to drink. There are no crisp finish and no citrus or tropical notes that I like to in a sauv blanc.
If you like those over the top sauv blancs like I do, steer clear of this baby.
Oct 19, 2007St. Supery Sauvignon Blanc, 2005
As tired as this sounds .... on the nose, grapefruit and cut grass -- the only thing i can think of original is some aromas of wet bark. The nose is typical sauv blanc, not overwhelming, but extremely characterstic.
Wow, on the palate, perfect balance. Personally, I grow weary of New Zealand sauv blancs which can be extremely astringent on the tongue, as in, too much acid -- but this CA version hits the exact balance of smooth finesse with biting tones of acid that mesh very nicely.
A wonderful sauv blanc, one that could pair well with food or stand on its own. Finish is long and again, seamless with other noted flavors. A cab sauv that displayed such perfect varietal pedigree would often cost well over $40; it's lovely that at least for the white varietals you can find high quality at this price range.
Oct 19, 2007St. Supery Sauvignon Blanc, 2005
Big grapefruit, lime and other tropical and citrus notes on the nose. I thought the nose was the best part about the tasting experience, as it really examplifies what I expect out of this varietal.
A tad grassy on the palate, not as crisp, and "tingly" as I would like, but nice and smooth. The finish is not as sharp as I'm looking for, but it does linger a bit, and the overall taste was pretty pleasant for me.
Oct 19, 2007La Crema Sonoma Coast Chardonnay, 2005
Nice citrus, apples and some fig on the nose. For me, perfect blend of creamy oak and still not overbearing. Very smooth mouthfeel, but the finish is burnt and a fairly harsh.
Oct 18, 2007Bogle Old Vine Zinfandel, 2005
Chewy and rich, with big time fruit and notes of cinnamon. Viscous mouthfeel, a solid zin. But as with (all?) zins in general, i get such overwhelming ripe, sweet, and cooked overtones that I feel like i'm having a dessert wine. The finish does come through, swallow and wait - and inside of a few seconds, you do get a pretty big blast of the aforementioned spice and fruit notes.
Oct 17, 2007Bogle Old Vine Zinfandel, 2005
Typical zin nose with sweet fruity notes. Nice smooth mouthfeel with a decent finish. Probably a goto zin at this price point.
Oct 17, 2007Gnarly Head Old Vine Zinfandel, 2005
I'm not a huge fan of zins, and this wine is one of the reasons. While nothing is wrong w/ this wine, it strikes me as a bit flat, and is overbearing w/ notes of plum, ripe fruit, and general "port" style qualities. I wouldn't want to try and pair this w/ a food -- except maybe something like a rich duck dish.
Oct 17, 2007Schneider Cabernet Franc Le Breton, By Vineyards, 2004
With a beautiful dense garnet color in the glass, Schneider's Cabernet Franc exhibited spicy peppercorn, sweet red cherry, and green tobacco leaves in the nose. The palate was full of lush fruit and Cabernet Franc's spicy vegetal tendencies. Could have been a St. Emilion easily. What a delight from Long Island's North Fork.
Oct 13, 2007Castello Della Paneretta Chianti Classico, 2003
You'd think that you could guess what a 100% Sangiovese tastes like. Four of us thought that this was more complex that what we'd expect from a 100% Sangiovese: instead, we thought we'd found a blend with Merlot or Cab. Somehow, this 100% Sangiovese accomplishes the finish, body, and complexity of more sophisticated blends. It starts tart and fruity, but the finish is peppery, long, and evolves over time, like the best Bordeaux blends. This is a Sangiovese to share with all your friends who don't think Italian wine is as complex as French.
Oct 13, 2007Castello Della Paneretta Chianti Classico, 2003
Amazing set of complex flavors jump at you... bouquet of spices with a very long finish. It is amazing that a 100% sangiovese Chianti has so much complexity.
Oct 13, 2007Ruffino Chianti Classico Riserva Ducale Oro, 2003
Has the more common characteristics of a Sangiovese wine: tastes of cherry and berries with a bit of a spicy end. Altough a good Chianti by any measure, this Ducale Oro shies in comparison with the 1999 vintage as it is a little flat and watery with a disappointingly sudden finish.
Oct 08, 2007Little Boomey Chardonnay, 2006
Has all the hallmarks of an inexpensive SE Australian Chardonnay - plenty of fruit, a little bit of sweetness, and the coconut of American oak chips. But still, a pleasant sip for what it is and what I paid for it. The tang of probably acidification was the only thing I took offense to - but really, I should have been offended by the kitschy boomerang on the label.
Oct 08, 2007Peltier Station Viognier, 2006
Bright aromatics - not too dime store hooker like so many Viogniers can become. The acidity on the palate was a delightful surprise, too - someone got it right in the winemaking. A small Lodi producer doing some interesting things. Drink now.
Oct 04, 2007Terraces Napa Valley Zinfandel, 2005
This wine has a dark, rich complex.
Bright fruit on the nose. Fruit forward. Very soft tannins. Reminence of alcohol.
Jammie, rich, thick flavor with a short finish.
Typical Zinfandel from Napa Valley.
Oct 03, 2007Nobilo Icon Sauvignon Blanc, 2005
On the nose there are mainly floral notes, with a bit of fruit.
The taste is pretty enjoyable, lots of sour apple. The finish is not as sharp as I expected/want from a sauv blanc. It's nice and smooth, seems pretty balanced.
Not as citrusy/tropical as I like in a quality sauv blanc, but not bad for the money, however, I think I prefer the style of Nobilo's cheaper counterpart available at Trader Joe's (non-Icon label).
Oct 03, 2007Hogue Merlot, 2004
A rich nose with hints of chocolate, ripe fruits, and cinnamon.
Decent mouthfeel for the price, with strong notes of cherry. Nice and dry with a good amount of spice, I recommend bringing some food in with this wine.
Got this at BevMo's 5 cent wine sale (2 for $10.04), Overall a great deal for the money when you're looking for a bargain.
Oct 01, 2007Kendall-Jackson Merlot, 2004
This wines rich dark color reflects its rich flavor.
The aroma also compliments its rich body letting you know your about to drink a manly wine.
Full body wine that goes down smooth. Dry full of cherry/oak flavors.
This wines bold flavors complimented my dinner well: a steak overwhelmed in Montreal Steak Seasoning and a bake potato with much too much butter.
Sep 30, 2007Rombauer Chardonnay, 2005
Had this wine on a lazy late summer evening with a special friend, the last day of a long trip. Enjoyed with crab legs, mushroom risotto, and a caesar salad. Drawn garlic butter accompanied the crab. This chardonnay paired perfectly w/ the rich crab and really made a lasting impression. I'm now a lifelong fan of Rombauer.
Huge notes of butter and honey with wonderfully balanced floral notes -- you feel like a bee diligently working a crop of spring flowers. The mouthfeel is viscous lanolin and mineral dry notes. A wine I am unlikely to forget.
Sep 30, 2007Turning Leaf Chardonnay, 2005
Astringent pesticide'ish flavors. Limited (if any) characteristics of chard. Avoid.
Sep 19, 2007Smoking Loon Cabernet Sauvignon, 2005
Dark purple color. Gutless with indistinct dark fruits and obtuse levels of oak. I suspect there is a heavy portion of diluted Syrah in the blend, which may explain why this wine seems to be having an identity crisis.
Sep 19, 2007Smoking Loon Pinot Noir, 2006
It's the right color for a Pinot Noir. Tart, compact, and fairly straight forward, but clean and lacking any major faults-- other than the high level of acidity that tends to obscure the faint notes of spice and fruit.
Sep 19, 2007Ronchi Barbaresco, 2004
2004 Ronchi Barbaresco DOCG
Simply magnificient Nebbiolo. Opened and decanted for eight hours, then served with braised veal shanks and porcini ravioli's in a light assiago cream sauce. Pronounced like donkey with an 'R'.
Black-purple, with garnet at the edge. The nose is a delightful combination of distinct, well-defined aromas including fresh rose petals, candied cherries, sandalwood, incense, and blackberry liquer. The palate has loads of grip (as a young Barbaresco should), with notes of framboise, lavender, black truffles and sage dancing around the core of sweet cherries, blackberries, and chocolate. Phenomenal amounts of extract and glycerin can be found beneath a dense, thick wall of tannins that should keep this wine fresh, lovely, and gaining complexity for at least 20 years and probably even more. One of the most impressive young Barbaresco's I've tasted in a long time.
A wine like this could make me give up Cabernet entirely...almost. It certainly makes most domestic reds seem rather bland in contrast. Too bad there isn't more, less than 200 cases were made, a fraction of which was imported.
Hold for at least another 4-6 years unless you can obtain multiple cases and decant bottles to be served for a full day. At it's best from 2013-2027+. An unbelievably exotic, complex, seductive wine for the money.
