Petite Sirah Deserves More Respect And Attention

Posted on January 20, 2010

I love Petite Sirah.  When made right it can be extraordinary and it is hardly Petite.  It is big and bold and in your face.  However, the best ones have a great mouthfeel and show some elegance as well.  It has been one of my favorite grapes for a long time.  This post will highlight some of the best Petite Sirahs that we have covered over the last several months.

I am going to open this post with 2 of my favorite Petite Sirahs.  They are made by the same producer.  The winemaker is Carol Shelton and she makes an awesome Petite Sirah from Rockpile called “Rockpile Reserve.”  Now I said 2 wines.  Those 2 options are the 2006 and the 2007 vintages of this wine.  They are both Excellent.  First is the 2006 “Rockpile Reserve” for $40.  It was the best wine that I tried on my trip to California in the fall of 2008.  At the time, I said this wine rocked my world.  So we had to try another bottle of it.  We pulled it out for our most recent blind tasting.  As a group we scored it 93 points and it was just a point below the Carlisle we will cover below.  It is still full-bodied, very well balanced, smooth, and silky.  This time we described its flavors as black raspberry with hints of cherry, vanilla oak, and dark chocolate mixed in.  Its dusty tannins have now settled down and they sail on for a very long time.

Next up is the 2007 “Rockpile Reserve” for $40.  Now this option has just been released or will be shortly.  And like the 2006, I scored it 94 points and labeled it Excellent.  There is a caveat however, this wine is very young and needs some time to breathe.  I noted in the review, that it just got better and better over the 3 to 4 days the bottle was open.  Like the 2006, this wine is very nicely balanced and smooth.  Its flavor profile is a delicious spicy ripe blackberry with notes of blueberry and mild black currant.  There was also a hint of oak in the background.  It is a big time winner and would pair perfectly with a filet mignon from Starks.

(Both these Petites are wine club only wines.  So you will have to call the winery, join the club, and plead with Carol for decent allocation.  For this wine, groveling is not below you)

The next Petite we loved has a good news and bad news story.  The good news is the 2006 Carlisle “Yorktown Highlands” Petite Sirah for $36 is Excellent and it recently won our mini blind tasting of Petite Sirahs.  The bad news is that there was a mere 172 cases made and they are sold out at the winery.  The group found this Petite to be full-bodied, very well balanced, and smooth.  Its flavor profile is a very tasty black raspberry and blueberry blend with notes of black pepper nicely integrated throughout.  The group commented on how complex this wine was.  It shows a refined palate presence and then closes in a big way, which leads us to suggest decanting it for an hour before serving it with a cowboy ribeye.  With a little research on 1000 Corks you can find a bottle or 2 online.

The next wine is a very big wine so it may not be for everyone but I sure liked it.  It finished in third place in the blind tasting with 92 points.  The 2007 Rosenblum Cellars “Pickett Road” Petite Sirah for $35 is a very big boy.  It will even appeal to Port lovers, but it is not quite that big or heavy.  It opens with a huge black raspberry and raisin-like bouquet.  On the palate, this wine is full-bodied and dense.  It displays concentrated blackberry flavors with notes of anise, prune, and walnuts.  This beauty would be perfect for warming you on a cold winter night here in the Northeast.

The next 4 offerings all scored 90 points.  We will start off with the Four Vines 2007 “Heretic” Petite Sirah for $40 from Paso Robles.  This year’s vintage opens with an attractive and aromatic black raspberry bouquet with hints of tobacco, mint, and plum.  On the palate, this wine is full-bodied, very nicely balanced, and coats the mouth with very juicy ripe blackberry and boysenberry flavors.  Tasters of this wine thought this year’s vintage is more of a fruit bomb as opposed to past offerings of this wine.  For instance, the 2006 was a much bigger wine.  However, we did find that with some air, the 2007 was one of the most elegant and refined Petite Sirahs we have tried recently.

Clayhouse has been making terrific Paso Robles based Petite Sirahs for many years.  This year we covered the 2006 “Estate” which costs $25.  We found this offering to be full-bodied, balanced, and very smooth.  Especially on day two.  It displays ripe blackberry flavors with notes of black raspberry, black pepper, and black licorice.  Like the other winning Petite Sirahs we noted that it showed more finesse than most.  I thought it would be a perfect match for Beef Bourguignon.

The Rosenblum 2007 “Rockpile Road Vineyard” Petite Sirah is very different than the Pickett Road.  This wine is more similar to the Clayhouse and Heretic in style.  It is full-bodied and balanced plum and black currant flavors.  A panelist also detected hints of black pepper and oak mixed in.  It is a good option with food, especially pot roast.

The final 90 pointer was the 2007 Jaffurs “Thompson Vineyard” Petite Sirah for $34.  This offering had a bit more acidity than the others so panelists that like that style migrated towards this wine.  The flavor profile was a mild black currant with notes of black raspberry and spice with a little black pepper mixed in as well.  Its moderate dusty tannins make it a good match for a grilled New York strip steak.

Other Very Good Petite Sirahs To Consider:

1) EOS 2006 Petite Sirah “Private Reserve” (Paso Robles, CA) $25 (89)
2) Earthquake 2006 Petite Sirah (Lodi, CA) $28 (89)
3) Epiphany 2005 Petite Sirah “Rodney’s Vineyard” (Santa Barbara, CA) $25 (89)
4) Two Angels 2006 Petite Sirah (High Valley, CA) $25 (88)
5) Fortress 2007 Petite Sirah “Red Hills” (Lake Country, CA) $35 (88)

We hope you enjoyed this post on Petite Sirah and we hope you get a chance to try some of these very tasty wines.  For a complete list of all the Petite Sirahs we recommend, check out our Petite Sirah page on KensWineGuide.com.  If after sampling some of these gems, you turn into a fan of this great grape, you might even want to check out this group and webpage dedicated to fans of the Petite Sirah grape.  It is called PS I Love You.  It is a website chalk full of tidbits and information on Petite Sirah.

Enjoy and Cheers!
Ken

» Filed Under Kens Wine Guide Tasting Panel, Petite Sirah, Wine Recommendations, Wine Reviews | 2 Comments

Give A 90 Point Cabernet for Christmas

Posted on December 20, 2009

This is the year to give the wine lover in your life a great High End Cab based wine for Christmas.  Why?  The economy stinks.  So why is that a good reason to spend a lot of money on wine?  The first reason is because this might be the only time you can get some of these wines.  Demand is off for high end wines.  In past years these wines are highly allocated and frequently sold out.  This year these wines are now available for consumers to get their hands on.  This is a great opportunity to get that special wine for your wine lover.  You also can probably get a discount as well.  Now the key is to buy the right ones to make sure you get your moneys worth.

Just before Thanksgiving we conducted our annual High End Cab tasting.  We found several terrific Cabs for you to consider as gifts.  Below we will list all winners that scored 90 points or more.  In addition, some of the best High Ends Cabs I tried this year were wines I covered during my trip to California this summer during the Wine Bloggers Conference.  Those Cab’s are also included in this ultimate Christmas wish list.  So which wine will you choose to put behind your Christmas Tree Wine Caddy?

So what Cab tops the list?  The answer is the 2005 Shafer “Hillside Select.”  I scored this wine as Excellent and awarded it with 97 points.  Now it is expensive at $215, but it was the best wine that I tried on my trip to California.  So I can confidently say it was worth the investment.  I found the wine to be full bodied, extremely well balanced, and elegant.  It displays absolutely stunning refined blackberry flavors with delicate notes of black cherry, black licorice, and spice.  It’s just delicious.  Anyone that receives this wine as a gift will certainly remember it for a long long time.  Score some points yourself and consider this wine for as you top Christmas gift for the wine lover in your life.

The next two wines both scored 95 points and were considered Excellent as well.  Both wines are very limited in production, but are worth seeking out.  The 2004 Kendall Jackson “Stature” for $110 is one heck of a wine.  The best features of this Napa Valley wine is that it is super silky and displays very extracted lush blackberry flavors.  Another highlight is its very very lengthy finish.  I just loved it.  The next wine has a little more availability with 669 cases made.  The 2006 Lokoya “Mount Veeder” Cab for $225 is big and juicy.  I loved its ripe blueberry flavors with notes of blackberry and spice.  If the wine lover in your life loves fruit forward Cab, this is the wine you should try to get for them.

The next wine we are going to recommend is the winner our Big Blind tasting.  That wine was the 2006 Stuhlmuller “Reserve” Cab from the Alexander Valley in California.  Like the Lokoya and Stature, this wine is also very limited in production.  There were only 295 cases of this gem made.  However, Fritz has a few cases left after the KWG Tasting Panel took some off his hands.  At $65 with 94 points awarded this wine is an absolute steal.  It opens with a fragrant ripe blueberry bouquet with a delicious blend of black raspberry and black cherry flavors.  It is extremely well balanced and silky which added to its appeal.  In the end, it was very dry and its enormous tannins go on for several minutes.  The panel suggested that you could enjoy it fireside on a cold winter’s night or cellar it and pair it with a filet mignon in 5 to 10 years.  This is a perfect wine to put in your cellar.  However, we will bet you won’t be able to resist trying one soon.

Other Cabs that scored 94 points were three additional wines that I covered this summer.  The 2006 Lokoya “Spring Mountain” for $200 was just a step behind its big brother from Mt. Veeder.  This offering was distinctive because of its very creamy and ultra elegant style.  It had a different flavor profile, led by delicious mild dusty blackberry flavors with a hint of black cherry on the back palate.

Another consistent winner is the Lail Vineyards “J Daniel Cuvee” Cabernet Sauvignon for $125.  This year I gave the 2006 vintage 94 points.  It is an impressive wine.  I loved how silky and elegant this Cab was.  If displays delicious ripe black cherry flavors on the palate and rather lengthy cherry soaked tannins that stick around for quite some time.  It was definitely a memorable wine.

The last 94 pointer was the 2006 Merryvale “Profile” for $135.  This Napa Valley gem is made from 82% Cabernet Sauvignon, 12% Merlot, 5% Petite Verdot, and 1% Cabernet Franc.  It was my second favorite wine from a blind tasting of ultra premium Napa Cabs and blends that I attended in September.  It showed excellent finesse from start to finish.  I was enamored by how smooth it was.  That aspect of the wine, when combined with is delightful light blueberry and black cherry flavors made it one of the top wines of the year.

Now we come back to our Big Blind tasting.  Our second place finisher from that tasting was another big boy.  The 2006 Spottswoode Cab for $130 hails from St. Helena, California.  We awarded this wine with 93 points.  It is very nicely balanced and displays very tasty black cherry flavors with notes of menthol and oak.  Its finish is rather dry and its substantial tannins sail on for quite a while.  So our panel recommended that you cellar this wine or decant it before serving it with a ribeye steak.

Just behind the Spottswoode in third place came from another big name from the Napa Valley.  The 2005 Trefethen “Reserve” for $100 really caught our attention.  We scored it 93 points.  It opens with a very interesting wintergreen and cherry bouquet with a hint of plum.  It displays very tasty cherry vanilla flavors with notes of nutmeg and spice.  Better yet it was very nicely balanced and silky smooth.  The panel felt this wine was a perfect wine for a special dinner.  So get a bottle and enjoy it with the wine lover in your life.

The other 93 point wines that I covered are all worthy of your attention and investment.  The 2003 Tom Eddy Cabernet from the “Napa Valley” is a heck of a wine for $80.  This Cab is full bodied and fruit forward with its very spicy black cherry flavors.  This wine is still a baby and just beginning to emerge.  I certainly think it has plenty of fruit and tannins for the long haul.  It would be a great investment wine your wine lover.

The 2006 Caymus “Special Select” for $160 came in just behind the “Profile” in that September blind tasting.  It was full bodied, extremely well balanced, and ultra smooth.  My favorite part was its delicious blend of blueberry and ripe black cherry flavors.  That combined with its substantial smooth and lengthy tannins made it a real winner.  You can’t go wrong giving this wine away as a gift.

One of my new favorite wineries is Pina.  For 2 years running I have loved their “Buckeye Vineyard” Cabernet from Howell Mountain for $85.  I awarded the 2006 with 93 points.  As I mentioned, this impressive Cabernet is highly recommended for the second vintage in a row.  It is full bodied, nicely balanced, and smooth with very spicy black currant and black cherry flavors.  It also has complex hints of anise and blackberry mixed in as well.  Its fine tannins are nicely prolonged and make it a perfect complement to a NY strip steak. 

Nickel and Nickel makes many single vineyard Cabs.  I tried all the current releases at a tasting at Post 390 in Boston.  The 2006 “Kelham Vineyard” Cab from Oakville for $90 was my favorite.  It was full bodied and nicely balanced with delicious ripe blackberry and boysenberry flavors with hints of black licorice and black pepper.  It also displayed noticeable big tannins that are lengthy and sticky.  So this Cab will do well long term and will age well in your cellar.

Returning to the Big Blind tasting, the next couple of wines were the big boys!  Both these wines might be the best wines of the bunch in the long run.  They are both substantial wines right now.  Both wines got 92 points from the panel.  The first of these 2 wines is the 2005 Merus for $135.  This Napa Valley wine is mostly Cab.  It is full bodied, dense, extremely well balanced, and smooth as silk.  It is delicious with its complex blend of black raspberry, tobacco, bacon, and menthol flavors.  You should really wait 5+ years before you drink this monster of a wine.  But if you can’t resist we suggest decanting.  Next up is the 2006 Joseph Phelps “Insignia” for $200.  It always finishes near the top of our high end blind tasting.  This year’s vintage is a savory blend of black cherry and black raspberry with some notes smoky oak and black pepper.  It is also very smooth.  The panel felt this wine would be perfect to pair nicely with a NY strip steak with Hollandaise sauce at some point down the road.  In the interim you should consider drinking your 2005 Insignia as it is showing great right now and it won that Ultra Premium blind tasting back in September.

The next wine has impressed me twice.  The 2006 Darioush “Signature” Cabernet for $80 was awarded with 92 points this summer and then recently impressed clients at our Christmas dinner at the Wayside Inn in Sudbury.  This full bodied Cab is very well balanced and ultra smooth.  Its dusty black cherry flavors with notes of oak, spice, and black pepper were a hit with everyone.  It’s very well managed tannins sail on nicely and it paired well with everyone’s food.

The next three 92 point wines are defined by elegance.  The 2005 Altamura for $75 is full bodied and very nicely balanced.  Our group was very impressed by this wine’s very silky mouthfeel.  It also displays a delicious cherry vanilla flavor profile with hints of spice and pepper.  It is a winner and very food friendly.  The 2006 Cardinale for $200 is pitch black colored wine that is full bodied, very well balanced, silky, and extremely refined.  Its flavor profile is a tasty mild black cherry with a hint of strawberry.  It fine tannins build up and sail on and on.  It is an easy going Cab based wine that would pair well with a filet mignon over the next few years.  The 2005 Raymond “Generations” Cab for $85 is made from 100% Cabernet Sauvignon.  This Napa Cab was a real crowd pleaser.  It is very well balanced and smooth with delicious black cherry flavors.  I noted, I could drink this wine all night long and certainly would enjoy it with a filet mignon.

Our next wine is the Krupp Brothers 2005 “Veraison” Cab which comes from the famous Stagecoach Vineyard. It opens with a mild black cherry like bouquet with a hint of sage.  Its juicy black cherry flavors with a hint of black pepper are impressive.  Its building tannins will catch your attention as they sail on for quite sometime.  This wine retails for $60, so it is a nice bargain when compared to its peers.

If you remember my Beckstoffer post from this summer, you know we were very impressed by one of Paul Hobbs Cabs.  So when I went to California this summer, I made it a point to stop by the winery and try some more wines.  I was impressed again with 2006 “Napa Valley” Cab for $75 which I gave 92 points.  It was full bodied, well balanced, and concentrated with rich black cherry flavors with notes of blackberry, black currant, and black licorice mixed in.  I also recommended the 2006 Dr. Crane’s Vineyard Cab as well.  This wine was $165 and received 93 points. 

Our last highlighted wine is the 2002 Trefethen “Library Selection” Cab for $80.  This new late release was quite impressive.  The extra aging at the winery certainly has made this wine very special.  It opens with an attractive boysenberry and black raspberry bouquet.  On the palate, it is ultra smooth with very tasty black currant flavors and integrated spice.  The late release of this wine made it really approachable now with its well managed moderate tannins that are nicely extended and linger.

Other wines Cabs scoring over 90 points that would make a great gift and are worthy of your investment:

1) Chappellet 2006 Cab “Pritchard Hill” (Napa Valley) $135 (91)
2) PreVail 2005 Cab “Back Forty” (Alexander Valley) $85 (91)
3) Shafer 2006 Cab “One Point Five” (Stags Leap) $70 (91)
4) Spring Mountain 2004 Cab “Elivette” (Napa Valley) $100 (91)
5) Kendall Jackson 2006 Cab “Trace Ridge” (Knight’s Valley) $70 (91)
6) Stonestreet 2005 Cab “Christopher’s” (Alexander Valley) $100 (91)
7) Nickel & Nickel 2006 Cab “Vogt Vineyard”  (Howell Mountain) $90 (91)
Blue Rock 2004 Cab “Alexander Valley” $47 (91)
9) Freemark Abbey 2004 Cab “Sycamore Vineyard” (Rutherford) $55 (91)
10) St. Supery 2005 Cab “Dollarhide”  (Napa Valley) $80 (91)
11) Duckhorn 2006 Cabernet “Napa Valley” $65 (91)
12) Lancaster 2006 Cab “Estate” (Alexander Valley) $70 (90)
13) Concha y Toro 2006 Cab “Don Melchor” (Peumo Valley, Chile) $70 (90)
14) Viader 2006 Cab “Napa Valley” $100  (90)
15) Kuleto Estate 2005 Cab “Napa Valley” $60 (90)
16) Chalk Hill 2005 Cab “Estate Bottled” (Chalk Hill) $65 (90)
17) Duckhorn 2005 Cab “Estate Grown” (Napa Valley) $95 (90)
18) Duckhorn 2005 Cab “Monitor Ledge Vineyard” (Napa Valley) $90 (90)
19) Joseph Phelps 2006 Cabernet (Napa Valley) $54 (90)
20) J. Davies 2006 Cabernet “Diamond Mountain District” $75 (90)
21) Heitz Cellars 2005 Cab “Napa” $42 (90)

As you can see, I have had the luxury to trying a lot of really good Cabs this year.  These memorable wines are very impressive.   If you want to make your wine lovers Christmas very special, call a winery and have one of these gems sent Express to you for a perfect last minute Christmas gift.  You can also check in with your favorite wine merchant, I’m sure they will have at least one of these.  Good luck.  I know these wines will be your wine lover’s favorite gift under the tree.

Cheers! - Ken

» Filed Under Cabernet Sauvignon, Christmas, High End Wines, Kens Wine Guide Tasting Panel, Napa Valley, Wine Recommendations, Wine Reviews | 1 Comment

Some Super Sparkling Wines For The Holidays

Posted on December 8, 2009

The KWG Tasting Panel reviewed some Champagnes and Sparkling Wines over the last few months.  Here are our favorites.

Our winners this year comes from the Schramsberg Winery.  They produced 2 mid-tier sparklers that caught our attention.  The first offering is the 2006 “Blanc de Blanc Brut” which is made from 100% Chardonnay grapes from California’s North Coast.  This Sparkler won our blind tasting in late October and was awarded 90 points from the panel.  It is priced at a very reasonable $36.  We found it to be full-bodied, well balanced, creamy, and effervescent.  Its flavor profile was a mineral infused lime with a touch of grapefruit.  It was noted that it would be a great food sparkler.  Bacon wrapped scallops, baked stuffed shrimp, and lobster bisque were all mentioned as a very nice match with this wine.

Not to be out done by its sister, the 2006 Schramsberg “Blanc de Noirs Brut” for $38 was also awarded 90 points by a mini group in June when we tried it.  This crowd pleasing sparkler is made from 90% Pinot Noir and 10% Chardonnay.  It is a little lighter on its feet when compared to the “Blanc de Blanc”.  It is medium-bodied, crisp, and slightly tart with citrus flavors.  One reviewer tasted lemon and minerality peaking through the most. It was noted that its flavors lasted for quite some time.  This offering was a very refreshing sparkling wine and would be perfect as an aperitif and would pair well with spring rolls.

Next up is a sparkling wine that I recently tried and think it warrants your attention this holiday season.  The non-vintage J Vineyards “Cuvee 20″ is a delightful offering for $20.  I awarded it 90 points.  It offers very tiny bubbles and forward, yet mild acidity with lemon flavors.  There are pleasant hints of minerality and dough notes mixed in.  I thought this impressive sparkler was the complete package.  It would be a very nice opener to serve slightly cool with your favorite appetizers on New Year’s Eve.

We follow up that great deal with another one from the Anderson Valley in California.  The non-vintage Scharffenberger “Brut” for $19 was very popular with our panel this year.  It finished in second place in our big blind tasting.  We awarded it with 89 points.  This blend of 83% Chardonnay and 17% Pinor Noir is full-bodied, balanced, and crisp.  Its delicate lemon flavors with a touch of green apple and toast make it a perfect sparkler to consider with swordfish or oysters.  The best part is that it is readily available with 25,000 cases made.

Next up was the 2001 Mumm Napa “DVX” for $55.  This Very Good 50/50 sparkler made from Pinot Noir and Chardonnay finished in 3rd place in our big blind tasting with 89 points.  This medium-bodied and balanced sparkler was quite bubbly.  The panel found its flavor profile to be a mineral infused lime with notes of dough and green apple mixed in.  One panelist suggested pairing it with pate and many others agreed.

Our favorite Champagne this year was the non-vintage Louis Roederer “Brut Premier”.  This Very Good sparkler costs $47 and was also awarded 89 points.  This offering was light on its feet, yet zesty and lively.  Its flavor profile was citrus focused with ripe lemon being the most dominant flavor.  There were also some nutty notes detected as well as key limes.  The panel felt this sparkler would pair nicely with mussels with garlic broth or baked brie.

Our last recommendation is the non-vintage Roederer Estate “Brut” from the Anderson Valley.  This wine is always Very Good and at $23 it is both affordable and plentiful with 80,000 cases made.  We awarded this sparkler made from 60% Chardonnay and 40% Pinot Noir with 88 points.  It is medium-bodied and balanced between its crispy acidity and mild key lime and granny smith fruit flavors.  One panelist said they would love a glass with their Caesar salad and grilled chicken.

We conclude with our favorite Rose offering.  The 2005 Gloria Ferrer “Brut Rose” from Carneros, CA is made from 92% Pinot Noir and 8% Chardonnay.  We gave this sparkler 88 points.  It is an attractive light peach colored wine that opens with a nutty black tea like bouquet.  It is medium-bodied, balanced, and slightly creamy with lots of bubbles.  It displays mild raspberry flavors with notes of black tea and minerality throughout.  I thought it would be a very good option to serve with smoked salmon on a cold winter’s night.

We find Sparklers to be a terrific festive wine option.  They are a nice complement to some light foods and a great way to open an evening.  We certainly hope you enjoy some of these over the next few weeks at your holiday parties.

Cheers! Ken

» Filed Under Champagne, New Year's Eve, Sparkling Wine, Wine Recommendations, Wine Reviews | Leave a Comment

Highly Rated Cabernets For All Budgets

Posted on November 27, 2009

During the last few months we reviewed several Cabs in the $10 to $49 range.  Several performed very nicely and most were recommended.  Our tastings spoke well of the quality of Cabernets at this level.  Even though several of the top wines were near the higher end of the price range, there were winners at all levels.

The winner of our big blind tasting is no stranger to the KensWineGuide.com Tasting Panel.  The 2006 Michael and David Phillips “Earthquake” Cabernet from Lodi took top honors with a score of 92 points. At $28 this full bodied Cab is a lot of wine for the money.  The panel described it as very nicely balanced, smooth, and elegant. It displayed very tasty mild black currant flavors with notes of coffee, bacon, and milk chocolate.  The panel felt this Cab would be perfect with a grilled Kobe Steak and a cigar.  For those of us who don’t like cigars, we’ll take 2 glasses please!

Our second place finisher from our big blind Cab tasting was from Stuhlmuller.  Their 2006 “Alexander Valley” Cabernet for $36 was quite impressive and we scored it Very Good+ and awarded it with 91 points.  This Cab is medium bodied, smooth, and shows very nice finesse.  The flavor profile is a delicious black currant with notes of black cherry.  It finishes rather dry, but its building fine tannins show nice length.  We decided this would be a pleasant offering with filet mignon.

The next two Cabs also scored 91 points and were covered by me in two separate tastings.  The first Cab is from a new producer for me.  The 2007 Koyle “Royale” Cabernet from Colchagua, Chile is a steal for $24.  I reviewed most of the lineup from this producer and this was my favorite wine.  It is full bodied, very nicely balanced, and silky.  It displays very tasty black cherry flavors with notes of spice and a touch of black pepper.  It is an elegant Cab that delivers a lot of enjoyment for the money.  You should seek out this producer and this wine for your holiday parties.  The next wine is one of the last wines I tried on my trip to California this summer.  I liked it so much, I bought a bottle to give to my cousin as a housewarming gift.  Hope you enjoyed it Kevin.  So what was this great gift giving wine?  It was the 2006 Caravan “Estate” Cabernet for $40.  Caravan is the second label for Napa based Darioush.  The 2006 vintage turned out to be my favorite Caravan Cab to date.  It was medium bodied, very well balanced, smooth, and elegant.  I found it to be very approachable and a tasty blend of mild raspberry and black cherry.  Kevin I hope you served it with a big thick cut of prime rib!

Our next 3 wines all scored 90 points and came in under $30.  The first wine is a big winner for you, our readers.  Why?  Because it is a 90 point wine that costs $15 and they made 121,000 cases of it.  So it will be real easy to find.  So what was this little gem?  It was the 2006 Sebastiani “Sonoma County” Cabernet.  It is showing very well right now and it is clearly one of the best Cabs in this price range.  It won its mini-blind flight in a tasting of its peers.  It is well balanced and very silky with tasty mild black cherry flavors.  It is very food friendly and would be a perfect party option for you upcoming holiday parties.

The next two wines finished in 3rd and 4th place in our big blind Cab tasting.  They were virtually tied.  The 2006 Chateau Ste. Michelle “Canoe Ridge” Cab ($28) from the Horse Heaven AVA in Washington was very well received.  This balanced and savory Cab displayed spicy blackberry flavors with interesting hints of dark chocolate and licorice.  The panel felt Cab would nicely complement a pork roast with porcini au jus or roasted duck.  In fourth place by a few % points was the 2006 Charles Krug Cabernet from Yountville, CA.  For $23 this wine is quite a deal.  Post 390 in Boston even has it on this glass pour list.  I complement them on this fine choice.  Especially from those of us who really appreciate a quality wine when ordering by the glass.  The panel found this wine to be nicely balanced and rather smooth with ripe blackberry flavors.  Notes of black currant, nutmeg, and black pepper all added to this wine’s charm and intrigue.

The next 2 wines conclude our 90 point winners.  Both these Cabs come in at a higher price point, but are certainly worthy of your consideration. The first is the 2006 Reininger “Walla Walla” Cab for $38.  Reininger’s Walla Walla offerings always seem to finish strong every year.  This Cab was in one of our mini tastings and it took first place.  It is full bodied, balanced, and quite polished.  I really enjoyed its oak infused boysenberry flavor profile.  Notes of bacon and black currant added to the intrigue.  I felt that this was a Cab that Old World fans would really appreciate.  Try it fireside this winter with a nice big plate of beef bourguignon.  The next wine was the winner of a different mini blind flight of Cabs that ranged in price for $20 to $50.  It was the 2006 Volker Eisele “Estate” Cab for $42.  Better yet for you Green fans, this wine is made from 100% organic grapes.  It was full bodied, well balanced, rather smooth, and elegant.  It’s mild black cherry flavors with notes of blueberry and a dash of wintergreen were very well received.  We feel this very tasty organic Cab would pair well with many foods.  But we settled on a NY strip steak in the near term as the best match.

The next group of wines were all very solid offerings and they all received 89 points.  There are a lot of familiar names in this group, as well as a few new ones.  The first one is the always Very Good.  The  2007 Concha y Toro “Marques de Casa Concha” Cab for $20 from Puento Alto, Chile was deemed to be best deal when the results of our mid-tier blind tasting were revealed.  It is well balanced and very smooth with oak infused sour black cherry and red currant flavors.  The panel suggested that this Cab would particularly appeal to Old World Cab fans especially at this price point.  Next up was another very good deal from Chile.  The 2007 Koyle Cab from Colchagua, Chile is a steal at $16.  Better yet, they made 4,000 cases so you should be able to find it.  But since it is a new label, you might have to educate your wine buyer and have them order it.  This Cab is medium bodied, well balanced, and fruit forward.  The flavor profile is a tasty blackberry with notes of black pepper and anise.  It would be perfect with an Angus bacon burger.

We next move to some offerings from the Napa Valley.  The first up is the 2006 Viader “Dare” Cabernet for $45.  This solid Cab is full bodied, balanced, and fruit forward.  It displays juicy boysenberry flavors with notes of mild black currant and a dash of black pepper.  Its noticeable dusty tannins make it perfect for beef stew in the near term. 

Next we covered the 2005 Freemark Abbey Cab for $35. This food friendly Cab would be perfect with comfort foods like Theresa’s meatloaf or shepherd’s pie.  It is a contrast to the Dare in that it is medium bodied, balanced, soft, and elegant.  It projects juicy and fruit forward black cherry flavors while maintaining its very approachable status.  The finish is well managed with mild tannins making it a winner with food.  It should be easy to find with 11,168 cases made.

Silverado is a familiar name from the Napa Valley and their 2005 Cabernet for $46 was Very Good.  Like the Freemark, it was medium bodied, very nicely balanced, and elegant.  However, it has a completely different flavor profile, featuring tasty black currant with notes of black licorice and black pepper.  The panel would pair it with a leg of lamb or filet mignon in the near term.

Next we will focus on two Very Good Cabs from the Alexander Valley.  The 2006 Sebastiani “Alexander Valley” Cab for $30 was slightly outshined by its little brother as noted above.  But over the years, we have found this wine to be a late bloomer.  Out of the gate, one panelist described this young Cab as hedonistic.  Another called it luscious.  So as you can see it is a big wine.  Its flavors were an extracted ripe blackberry with notes of black currant.  So try a bottle now with duck and save one for next year.  We are sure it will reward you for many years to come.  Staying in the Alexander Valley, we recommend the 2006 Ferrari Carano Cabernet Sauvignon “Alexander Valley” for $36.  While this Cab is not overly complex, we think it was a solid offering.  We found it to be medium bodied, balanced, smooth, and really coats your mouth.  Its finish is dry and its building tannins are rather pronounced and linger.  Like the Sebastiani, this Cab needs a little time to completely come together.  However, if you can’t resist you could enjoy it with a pot roast in the near term.

If you like fruit forward, ripe, and juicy Cabernet, we found a Very Good one for you.  The 2006 Beringer “Knight’s Valley” Cab for $20 is just what you are looking for.  It is medium bodied and smooth, with fruit forward ripe and concentrated juicy blackberry flavors with a hint of anise mixed in.  A perfect option for duck with a raspberry glaze topping. 

The last 89 pointer is the 2007 Reininger “Helix” Cabernet from Columbia Valley, WA.  It is just a step behind its big brother listed above.  This offering is medium bodied, nicely balanced, and smooth with a pleasant blend of black cherry and vanilla oak.  This big Cab would pair well with beef bourguignon.

Other Very Good offerings to consider:
1) Kendall Jackson 2006 Cab “Grand Reserve” (Sonoma County) $30 (88)
2) Robert Mondavi 2006 Cab “Napa Valley” $28 (88)
3) Alexander Valley Vineyards 2007 Cab (Alex Valley) $20 (88)
4) Stark Conde 2006 Cab “Three Pines” (Jonkershoek Valley, SA) $42 (88)
5) Raymond 2006 Cab “Reserve” (Napa Valley) $35 (88)
6) Seven Hills 2006 Cab “Seven Hills Vineyard” (Walla Walla) $32 (88)
7) Two Angels 2007 Cab “Mayacamus Mtn” (Sonoma Valley) $28 (87.5)

Bargain Cabs: Less than $16:

In the Bargain Bin space we found 3 Cabs that qualified as Very Good and 4 that are Good+ and worthy of you consideration.  All would be good Practical Party Case options for your holiday parties.

The best deal is the 2006 Windmill Cab from “Lodi” for $12.  This wine scored 88 points and was a solid second place finisher in a mini blind tasting flight of affordable Cabs.  It is full bodied, balanced, and soft.  The wine has 11% Petite Sirah mixed in which adds to its structure.  It displays oak infused black currant flavors with notes of dark chocolate and black cherry.  It’s a pleasant and easy going Cab that has some character that would pair well with a big thick mushroom and Swiss Angus burger.

The next 2 Cabs both come from Argentina and are Very Good.  They were given scores of 87 points.  The first is the 2007 Vina Dona Paula “Estate” Cab for $16.  This offering was medium bodied and balanced with slightly sour black cherry flavors that are quite jammy.  It would be a perfect wine with a big thick burger.  The other Argentinean offering was the 2008 Elsa Bianchi Cab for $9.  This offering was full bodied, balanced, smooth, and easy to drink.  Its mild black cherry and black currant flavors are gently infused with some old oak.  This wine would pair well with Theresa’s meatloaf.

The last 4 Cabs are all Good + wines that are very affordable and Good values.  They are a safe choice for your next party or as a pub glass pour option.

1) Cono Sur 2008 Cab “Bicycle” (Central Valley, Chile) $10 (86)
2) Man Vintners 2007 Cab (Coastal Region, S. Africa) $11 (86)
3) Columbia Crest 2006 Cab “Grand Estates”  (Columbia Valley, WA) $11 (86)
4) Gallo Family 2007 Cab “Sonoma County” $15 (86)

We hope you have as much fun going through all these Cabs as we did.  As you can see, there are plenty of quality options from the low end to the mid-price range.  Stay tuned for our High-End Cab post in the next week or so.  They make great Gifts for Christmas!!  

Cheers,  Ken

» Filed Under Cabernet Sauvignon, Kens Wine Guide Tasting Panel, Wine Recommendations, Wine Reviews | Leave a Comment

Ninety Point Spanish Wines

Posted on October 27, 2009

Each year we are excited to try more and more wines from Spain.  This year we secured enough samples to write a blog post about our favorite Spanish wine discoveries.  All the wines below scored at or above 90 points.  We encourage you to explore both the Red Wines and White Wines of Spain and discover how good they are.  You have been hearing about them for a while, and now is your chance to dig in and try some.  In many cases they are a great value in terms of quality to price ratio. 

My favorite wine was the 2005 Matarredonda “Libranza” for $44.  This 100% Tempranillo from the Toro region scored 93 points.  It is full-bodied, very well balanced, and ultra smooth.  This offering has a very elegant feel for a Torobased wine.  Toro wines are usually big and sometimes burly.  The flavor profile of this gem is a delicious blueberry with notes of gentle old oak.  It closes rather dry and its fine tannins sail on and on for quite some time.  You are going to love this wine!

The next wine was our favorite from a flight of Ribera del Duero Tempranillos.  It was the Nuestro 2006 “Crianza” for $27.  This wine scored 92 points.  This Tempranillo is full-bodied, nicely balanced, and juicy.  Its flavor profile is a savory black raspberry with notes of mild old oak and black cherry.  This wine closes very dry and it’s substantially building tannins sail on and on.  If you are sucker for a big finish, you have to try this wine.  I loved it!

Also scoring 92 points is the 2005 Cims de Porrera “Solanes” for $29.  This red blend from Prioratis made from 40% Carignane, 30% Grenache 15% Caberent Sauvignon, 10% Merlot, & 5% Syrah.  I love these kitchen sink blends when done well.  This one is firing on all cylinders.  It is full-bodied, very well balanced, and seamless.  I described the flavor profile as a luscious blend of delicate black currant and blackberry with a hint of old oak.  With its dry sticky tannins, I felt it would pair perfectly with shepherd’s pie.  It is another must try wine.

One of the best deals that we tried was the 2006 Ballesteros “Mibal” for $23.  This 100% Tempranillo was just terrific and is a lot of wine for the money.  It is very well balanced, elegant, and silky.  It displays a delicious blend of blueberry with notes of red raspberry and milk chocolate.  This wine would pair perfectly with a grilled NY strip steak at your favorite steak house.

Alejandro Fernandez has been making winners for a long time.  Each year we recommend many of his wines.  This year he had 2 entries that scored 90 points.  The first was the 2005 “El Vinculo” from La Mancha for $33.  This 100% Tempranillo offering is all about its very ripe fruit.  It is full-bodied, balanced, and smooth with extracted blackberry flavors.  There were notes of black currant as well.  On the finish its building tannins show up quickly and stick with you a while.  This is a big wine that is quite flamboyant and not for the faint of heart.  The second winner from Alejandro Fernandez is the 2006 “Tinto Pesquera” for $34.  This 100% Tempranillo hails from Ribera del Duero.  It is consistently one of my favorites.  This years version is medium-bodied, balanced, and smooth.  It shows off some very tasty ripe red raspberry flavors with integrated smoke and old oak.  I noted in the review that this wine will appeal to both New World and Old World fans because it is a blend of both styles.  It would be a perfect match for beef bourguignon.

Another wine from the Toro region scored 90 points.  It was the 2005 Matarredonda “Juan Rojo” for $22.  This 100% Tempranillo is a great buy.  It opens with an attractive mild red raspberry and strawberry bouquet with hints of cedar and white chocolate.  Like our winner this wine is full-bodied, nicely balanced, and rather elegant for a wine from Toro.  The flavor profile was a juicy plum and chewy blackberry with notes of cherry vanilla and a touch of oak.  It is a pretty complex wine for $22.  It finishes dry and it’s substantial building tannins show excellent length.  This wine is clamoring for a thick cut of prime rib.

Our final red comes from the Bierzo region.  It is made from 100% Mencia grapes.  It is the 2006 Casar de Burbia “Tebaida” for $51.  It opens with a very attractive cherry vanilla-like bouquet. On the palate, it is nicely balanced and smooth.  It shows off dusty black raspberry flavors with notes of black currant.  This is an upper tier Mencia.  You can certainly find Very Good Mencia wines at lower price points, but you will not find one this good.

Spanish White Winners

When we explored some Spanish White offerings we came up with 3 wines that all were given 90 points.  They are different from each other, but we are certain you will like them all.

The first offering is a real steal.  The 2008 Bodegas Campante “Vina Reboreda” for $12 is a deal.  This white blendfor Ribera del Duero was a hit at mini tasting I conducted this summer.  It is light-bodied and very nicely balanced.  Its flavor profile is comprised of nicely integrated minerals with notes of peach and apricot.  It’s quite tasty.  The consensus was that it would be ideal with shellfish.  Another bonus is you should be able to find it as there were 30,000 case made.

Next up is an Albarino from one of my favorite Spanish producers.  Adegas Morgadiomakes some of the best Albarino’s in my opinion.  Their 2008 “Legado del Conde Albarino” for $16is a real winner and a great deal.  I reviewed this wine in a blind flight of Albarinos and it was the clear winner.  It was medium-bodied, viscous, and very nicely balanced with really tasty green apple like flavors.  Our group thought it would be a perfect wine to pair with lemon drizzled grilled swordfish.

Our final white comes from the Penedes region which is more known for its Cava and sparkling wines.  This $15 offering from Can Feixas uses the same grapes to make this food-friendly dry wine.   The 2008 “Blanc Seleccio” will really appeal to those readers who like Old World styled white wines.  It is full-bodied, balanced, and slightly creamy.  There was even a touch effervescence noted as well.  Its a tasty mineral infused pear flavors were rather appealing. It is a versatile wine that would pair very well with bacon wrapped scallops or steamed mussels in a garlic broth. Yum!

These are just the 90 point wines!  We covered many Very Good Spanish options that scored between 87 and 89 points.  Most of those wines are terrific values.  You can check out all our recommended Spanish wines on KensWineGuide.com.  Here is the link to all our recommended Spanish Reds.  You can sort them by both price and score.  Here is the link to the recommended Spanish Whites.  I am sure you will enjoy your exploration of Spanish Wines.  We certainly love our exploration every year!

Cheers,

Ken

» Filed Under Albarino, Bierzo, La Mancha, Mencia, Priorat, Ribera del Duero, Spain, Spanish Wine, Tempranillo, Toro | 1 Comment

Marvelous Merlots

Posted on September 29, 2009

Merlot is one of my favorite food wines.  It is very easy to drink, approachable, and goes well with just about all red meat meals.  The very best Merlots do have some good structure along with very enjoyable flavors.  I realize the grape has had a lot of bad press since that silly movie “Sideways.”  The negative press coupled with the serious over supply and quality issues from a few years back led to a fall in this noble grape’s popularity.  Times have changed and Merlot producers are determined to put their beloved grape back on the map.  In our big blind tasting we tried 14 offerings.  10 of them made the cut as Very Good or better.  On the low end, the results were not as favorable.  But we did find a couple of Good+ and a Very Good offering to recommend.  I also worked in a smattering of additional Merlots that I tried this summer in CA.  This includes my top selection which just blew me away!

What was my favorite Merlot this year?  It was the 2006 Kendall Jackson “Napa Mountain” Merlot for $55.  I scored this wine Excellent with 96 points.  It is an incredible bargain at that price.  However, you will need to hurry and call the winery as there were only 581 cases of this gem made.  This Merlot was clearly one of the best wines that I tried on a recent trip to California.  It is full-bodied, extremely well balanced, and silky.  It displays absolutely delicious black cherry flavors along with noticeable tannins that are rather lengthy.  This is top notch Merlot!  You should get a bottle to show off to your best friends.  Have it ready for the next time someone knocks Merlot and then serve them this gem and they will be a Merlot fan forever.  Trust me, you will be spoiling them.

The next wine was the winner of our big blind tasting in August.  It was the 2006 Chappellet “Napa Valley” Merlot for $30.  The panel awarded this wine with 91 points.  It was full-bodied, nicely balanced, structured and velvety.  The flavor profile is a very tasty blueberry.  Its well managed tannins drift away nicely.  The panel really enjoyed this complex Merlot and felt it was a lot of wine for the money.  They would pair it with a NY strip steak.

Right on the heals of the Chappellet was the 2006 Pedestal Merlot from Columbia Valley, WA.  This wine also scored  91 points and was only a fraction behind the Chappellet.  The big difference was the Pedestal costs a bit more at $55.  But as you will see based upon the next few wines, this is a common price range for some of the best Merlots.  Some are even higher.  Like past vintages, the Pedestal was full-bodied, very well balanced, and super refined.  The flavor profile was a rich and spicy black currant.  It showed very fine tannins that drifted away nicely.  This Merlot needed a little time and air to open up, but when it did, it did so beautifully.  The panel felt this elegant Merlot would pair very well with a filet mignon at your favorite steakhouse over the next couple of years.

Next up was a Merlot that we enjoyed with colleagues at Grill 23 in Boston.  This Merlot was the 2005 Robert Foley from Napa Valley.  We scored this wine 91 points and it costs $45 per bottle.  As readers know we have scored Mr. Foley’s Merlots very well in the past.  We feel he consistently makes one of the best Merlots each and every year. The 2005 vintage of his wine was very nicely balanced and rather smooth.  Our group enjoyed its very tasty blueberry flavors.  A few in the group picked up a touch of black currant and black pepper as well.  It paired quite well with our steaks and was a hit all around the table.

Next up from our big blind tasting was the 2005 Marchesi de Frescobaldi “Lamaione” Merlot from Toscana, Italy.  The panel was enamored with its silky and rather elegant style.  That combined with its impressive dusty black cherry flavors made it one of the most intriguing Merlots in the tasting.  We awarded this wine with 90 points.  It costs $72 and we would pair it with a filet mignon

The next Merlot surprised some panelists, but not me.  The 2006 Kendall Jackson “Grand Reserve” Merlot for $28 finished in 4th place in our recent big blind tasting and was given 89 points from the panel.  This offering was medium-bodied and nicely balanced.  It displayed rich and concentrated black raspberry flavors.  The panel also detected appealing notes of blackberry and black currant.  This was a complex and hearty Merlot that has substantial tannins right now.  The panel placed it with chicken gumbo or steak tips with a ginger sesame sauce in the near term.  The other option is to cellar it for a year or two.

The next Merlot will really appeal to our Old World fans.  This offering also seems to show very well every year.  The 2006 Thelema Merlot from Stellenbosch, South Africa was voted Very Good and received 89 points.  This wine opens with a smoky grilled-meat-like bouquet and continues that style with smoky blackberry flavors with notes of black currant, licorice, and oak.  It was a classic and distinctive South African-styled Merlot that would pair perfectly with pot roast.  There were only 200 cases imported at $29 per bottle.  So if you like this style of Merlot, seek out this one soon.

Shafer always makes a well received Merlot and their 2006 for $48 is no exception.  I rated this wine Very Good and scored it 89 points on my trip to California.  Like most of the 2006 vintage wines it was nicely balanced and very easy to drink.  It showed mild black currant flavors with notes of dark cocoa.  Its very refined tannins make it a pleasant food wine that I would serve with a pork tenderloin.

Next up is a pair of Merlots from Duckhorn.  Both wines scored Very Good and received 89 points from the panel.  The first wine was the 2006 Duckhorn “Estate Grown” Merlot for $85.  This wine was medium-bodied, very nicely balanced, and ultra smooth.  It displayed very tasty cherry flavors with notes of blueberry and plum.  The only thing holding this wine back from scoring well into the 90 point range was its relatively short finish.  The other Duckhorn entry was the 2004 “Red Wine” from Howell Mountain for $75.  This wine was 91% Merlot so we entered it into the Merlot field.  This offering was a little bigger.  It was full-bodied, very nicely balanced and smooth.  Its flavor profile was a pleasant blueberry with hints of plum and oak.  The panel suggested that this Merlot would pair well with pot roast.

The next 2 Merlots were from wineries that were new to me.  I discovered both wineries and wines on my recent trip to California.  The first wine is the 2005 Ledson “Russian River Valley” Merlot for $34.  I scored this wine Very Good and gave it 89 points in a comparative tasting that I attended while visiting California.  This wine opens with a unique smoky blueberry bouquet.  It is medium-bodied, nicely balanced, elegant, and smooth.  The smoky profile continues on the palate along with blueberry and oak flavors as well.  I thought this was a pleasant near term Merlot to pair with filet mignon.

The second new discovery was the 2005 La Jota “Howell Mountain” Merlot for $45.  I also scored this wine Very Good and awarded it with 89 points.  I thought this offering was the best wine in the La Jota lineup.  It was a medium-bodied, balanced, and a very approachable wine.  The flavor profile was a mild black raspberry with some noted blueberry and a dash of black pepper and spice.  I really enjoyed this wine’s very lengthy fine tannins that went on for quite some time.  It’s a perfect wine for a nice thick cut of prime rib.

In the value range we came up with 4 Merlots that should meet your needs from a price and quality standpoint.  First from the big blind tasting came the 2005 Chateau Ste. Michelle Merlot from Columbia Valley, Washington for $16.  The panel scored this wine 87.3 points.  This mild cherry flavored Merlot also displayed notes of spice and beet.  The panel thought this nice everyday Merlot with meatloaf or barbecue steak tips. Finally, not only is this wine Very Good and affordable, it is also plentiful as 160,000 cases were made.

Next up is the winner from our mini flight of affordable Merlots.  The 2006 Dona Paula “Estate” Merlot from Tupungato, Argentina scored Very Good and received 87 points.  This offering was medium-bodied, balanced, and very easy to drink.  It presented gentle black cherry flavors and moderate tannins were tingly and stick around for a while.  We felt this very approachable Merlot was a Very Good bargain for $16 per bottle.  We would pair it with a big thick grilled burger.

The next 2 offering were rated 86 points.  We call them Good+.  They are Good values and a cut above the other offerings in their price range.  First was the 2008 Cono Sur “Bicycle” Merlot for $10.  This wine hails from the Central Valley in Chile.  It opens with an old oak and campfire-like bouquet.  It continues its Old World style on the palate with its soft and easy going light oak infused black cherry flavors.  It’s a Good burger wine and it’s at a really good price.  The last value wine is an old standby and a classic glass pour at many restaurants.  The 2006 Columbia Crest “Grand Estates” Merlot for $11 is medium-bodied, balanced, approachable, and soft.  The flavor profile is a gentle black cherry with a hint of blueberry and a touch of old oak.  This easy to drink Merlot would pair very nicely with a barbecue chicken sandwich.

Other recommended Merlots:

1) Darioush 2006 Merlot “Signature” (Napa) $48 (89)
2) Seven Hills 2007 Merlot “Seven Hills Vineyard” (Walla Walla, WA) $28 (89)
3) Robert Mondavi 2006 Merlot “Napa Valley” $23 (87)

As you can see this is a nice cross section of Merlots at various price ranges.  Merlot is slowly making a comeback and there are several really good ones out there to choose from.  Try one today and enjoy.

Cheers - Ken 

» Filed Under Kens Wine Guide Tasting Panel, Merlot, Wine Recommendations, Wine Reviews | Leave a Comment

Yummy Riesling and Dessert Wines

Posted on August 30, 2009

Riesling is the noble grape that probably has received the least amount of attention in the past. That may be changing.  Exposure to this grape is growing and with regions like the Finger Lakes now making world class Riesling, more and more North Americans are getting exposure to this fantastic grape varietal.  Most of the wines recommended in this summary are from Germany—only because I covered most of the current Finger Lakes Rieslings earlier this year.  In the second half of this report, I will tackle dessert wines.  These dessert wines are delicious treats to be enjoyed after your meals this fall and through the holiday season.

My first observation is that if you find a 2007 Riesling from the Wehlener Sonnenuhr (VAY-len-er Zon-en-ooer) Vineyard you probably can’t go wrong.  Four of our top ten Riesling recommendations that scored over 90 points came from this vineyard-including our top pick!

That top pick was the 2007 Dr. Loosen “Wehlener Sonnenuhr Spatlese” Riesling for $32.  This was our favorite Riesling covered this summer.  We scored this Riesling 92 points.  The downside is that Dr. Loosen only produced 400 cases of this special wine from the steep, rocky, and blue slate soils of the Wehlener Sonnenuhr vineyard.  This Riesling is full-bodied, well balanced, and very creamy.  It displays a delicious blend of apricot and pineapple flavors.  It finishes nicely sweet and is quite refreshing.  Our panel felt this wine would be perfect with melon wrapped in prociutto.

Our second place wine is really wine 1A as it also scored 92 points.  It was the 2007 Dr. H. Thanisch “Brauneberger Juffer Sonnenuhr Spatlese” Riesling.  The only reason I placed this wine second on the list is because it came from a different vineyard other than Wehlener.  This offering costs $30 and it is also is very limited in that only 400 cases were made.  This Spatlese level Riesling won its blind tasting flight and as I mentioned it tied for 1st place overall.  On the palate it is full-bodied, very nicely balanced, complex, and really smooth.  The flavor profile is an incredibly tasty ripe green apple with a touch of sweet lemon.  We also detected a hint of minerality as well.  The finish is extremely refreshing and it is also very easy to drink and enjoy.  We felt this Riesling would pair nicely with grilled shrimp with a pineapple salsa.  We also think this wine might be a wonderful option to pair with your turkey on Thanksgiving.

Next up is a slew of Rieslings that we scored 90 points.  The first 3 are from Wehlener Sonnenuhr.  Notice the different profiles, given the same vintage and the same vineyard.  It just goes to show you that different wines and different styles can be produced from the same vineyard in the same year.

Our first selection is the 2007 Dr. Loosen “Wehlener Sonnenuhr Kabinett” Riesling for $26.  This limited production wine was very well received by our panel.  There were only 200 cases of this lovely wine produced.  On the palate, this wine is full-bodied, balanced, and viscous.  The flavor profile is a tasty blend of ripe green apple and sweet peach with a touch of minerality and honey on the back end.  It was very refreshing.

Next up I chose the 2007 S.A. Prum “Wehlener Sonnenuhr Kabinett” Riesling for $25.  This offering is medium-bodied, shows nice viscosity, and sweetness with its lemon tea flavors.  It was nicely balanced between its fruit and sugars.  Again, like the Loosen it is nicely refreshing and would make a perfect pool wine.

We conclude the Wehlener Sonnenuhr parade with the 2007 Dr. Pauly Bergweiler “Wehlener Sonnenuhr Spatlese” Riesling for $33.  This offering was full-boded, viscous, creamy, and nicely sweet.  It displayed mild lemon flavors with a touch of apricot and pineapple.  There was a drop of honey mixed in as well.  This Spatlese is very food-friendly and would be a wonderful choice with a roasted pork and apple compote.

Next up, Dr. Loosen returns to the recommended list with their 2007 “Urziger Wurzgarten Spatlese” Riesling for $32.  It was also very well received by our recent tasting panel.  It is full-bodied, balanced, and slightly viscous with a touch of fizz.  The flavor profile is a light lemon tea and orange with some infused minerality.  The panel felt that this wine would be a perfect option with peach glazed pork smothered in caramelized onion or bacon wrapped shrimp.

Finally our last 2007 vintage 90 pointer comes from Dr. H. Thanisch.  Their 2007 “Bernkasteler Badstube Kabinett” Riesling opens with a very attractive ripe pear like bouquet with hints of light apricots and bananas.  Once invited in by its attractive bouquet, you will find a full-bodied and viscous Riesling that displays a very tasty iced tea flavored wine with notes of lemon and apricot.  It was delicately sweet and very refreshing.  We felt it would be a perfect sipper for a hot summer day.

The next 3 wines are from the 2008 vintage.  I call them my early risers.  The first two are also great deals.

The 2008 Ad Lib “Wallflower” Riesling for $17 came from down under.  Mt. Barker in Australia to be exact.  This was our favorite “Dry” Riesling in our recent mini tasting of dry styled Rieslings.  It was medium-bodied, nicely balanced, and very easy to drink.  Its flavor profile was a mineral infused light lime.  The finish was rather dry and refreshing.  We found this Riesling to be very versatile and food friendly.  It will pair particularly well with bacon wrapped shrimp or scallops.  We scored this dry Riesling 90 points.

Next up was the 2008 St. Urbans Hof 2008 “QbA” Riesling for $17.  There are tons of this wine available as there were 14,000 cases made and it should be very easy to find.  Since we scored this wine 90 points, you will find it to be quite a bargain.  This offering is a tad sweeter than the most of the Kabinetts.  However, it was the consensus winner in a mini flight of mostly QbA level Rieslings.  Its flavor profile is a blend of light lime and green apple with a touch of minerality gently infused.  The finish is delicately sweet and very refreshing.  This is a pleasant food friendly Riesling that would be perfect in the summer and served with grilled scallops.

Also from St. Urbans Hof we recommend the 2008 “Piesporter Goldtropfchen Spatlese” Riesling.  Like the QbA we scored this wine 90 points.  This Spatlese is medium-bodied and shows crispy acidity.  Its flavor profile initially was a vibrant tart lime with complex notes of tangerine, peach, and pineapple.  With some air and time it went on to reveal some mangos and it improved its balance.  The finish was refreshing.  We think this very young Riesling will definitely evolve and get much better with time due to its complexity and how it evolved and improved on day number two.  Finally we felt this Riesling would pair nicely with spring rolls or bacon wrapped scallops at your pool party this summer if you plan to have it in the short term.

Finally, our last highlighted Riesling comes from Dr. Konstantin Frank in the Finger Lakes.  His 2008 “Dry Riesling” was our second favorite “Dry Riesling” and we scored it Very Good and awarded it 89 points.  It is light-bodied, balanced, and has a rather dry mouthfeel.  The flavor profile is a mineral infused grapefruit and apricot with a hint of lime. 

Other Recommended Rieslings:

12) Dr. H Thanisch 2007 Riesling “Bernkasteler Graben Spatlese” $30 (89)
13) Dr. Pauly Bergweiler 2007 Riesling “Bernkasteler Badstude Kabinett” $23 (89)
14) Studert Prum 2007 Riesling “Graacher Himmelreich Spatlese” $25 (88)
15) St. Urbans Hof 2008 Riesling “Ockfener Bockstein Kabinett” $20 (88)
16) St. Urbans Hof 2008 Riesling “Ockfener Bockstein Spatlese” $24 (88)
17) Georg Albrecht Schneider 2007 Riesling “Niersteiner Paterberg” $15 (88)
18) Dr. H. Thanisch 2007 Riesling “Berncasteler Doctor Kabinett” $39 (88)

Dessert Wine Recommendations:

We love the Riesling tasting every year.  Those of you who love sweet wines, really love sweet wines.  This year’s selections of recommended dessert offerings are exceptional.  You will find some of the wines near the top to be a bit pricy.  However, I would say that they are worth it.  There is no better way to finish your dinner than with one of these dessert wines.  Sweets for your sweetie as they say.  So let’s get started.

Our favorite dessert wine was one of the three exceptional Ice Wines that we recommended from Inniskillin.  Their 2007 “Riesling IceWine” for $75 was terrific.  We scored it Very Good+ and gave it 92 points.  This offering from the Niagara Peninsula in Canada is golden colored, full bodied, nicely balanced, and displays a silky syrup like mouthfeel.  The flavor profile is a very ripe apricot and tangerine blend which one panelist described as sweet, but not too sweet.  It’s harmonious.  The panel felt this tasty dessert wine would pair nicely with green apples and sharp cheese or simply on its own for dessert.  Next up is its big brother.  The 2007 Inniskillin “Cabernet Franc IceWine” for $95 was a new one for me and the panel.  However, what an impression it made in our recent dessert wine blind tasting.  It opens with a fragrant raspberry jam like bouquet with a hint of licorice mixed in.  On the palate, this offering is full-bodied, viscous, and creamy.  The flavor profile is a very sweet and tasty black raspberry with hints of honey and apricots.  This delicious Ice Wine was my favorite and we would pair this gem with dark chocolate covered strawberries.  This offering also scored 92 points.

On my trip to the WBC this summer, I came across a very tasty Moscato which was the highest scoring Dessert wine on the trip.  This wine was the 2008 St. Supery “Moscato”.  It was full bodied, balanced, and shows a reasonable level of sweetness.  The flavor profile is a delicious blend of tangerine and peach with a hint of apricot. It paired perfectly with our peach cobbler.  We scored this wine 92 points and for $23 it is a steal.

Next up is the 2007 Dr Loosen “Wehlener Sonnenuhr Auslese” for $42.  Based upon what we said above, it is  not a big surprise that this wine from this vineyard produced a winning dessert wine.  We scored this wine Very Good+ and gave it 91 points.  This viscous offering has a flavor profile of tangy lemon flavored iced tea with notes of apricot.  The finish is pleasantly sweet and very nicely refreshing.  It would be a very nice wine to finish off your special meal.

One of my favorite dessert wines each year is the Standing Stone “Vidal Ice.”  The 2007 vintage was a winner again.  It is also an exceptional bargain.  We scored this wine 91 points and for $20 it’s a steal.  What you may not know is Vidal Blanc makes incredible Ice Wine.  This one is full-bodied, rich, creamy, and balanced with delicious sweet apricot flavors.  This wine is special and you should order a bottle soon to serve over the holidays.

Our next recommendation comes from South Africa.  The 2005 Kanu “Kia-Ora Noble Late Harvest” for $22 is made from mostly Chenin Blanc.  We awarded this wine 90 points and like the Standing Stone it is a really good value.  This full-bodied and viscous dessert wine displays a sweet dark rum and ripe pear like flavor profile that the panel felt would be a perfect match for pecan pie.  You should get a bottle of this for Thanksgiving to go with the pie.

The next 2 options are both made from Vidal Blanc.  Both wines scored 90 points from our panel.  First up is the 2007 Jackson Triggs “Vidal Icewine.”  This wine is only $25 for 187 ml.  You should be able to find it as 8,000 cases were made.  It is full-bodied, balanced, and concentrated.  It shows off very ripe apricot flavors with notes of sweet honey and spice.  One panelist summed up this wine as a terrific dessert wine to have as dessert.  That says it all.  Next up is the 2006 Inniskillin 2006 “Vidal Gold IceWine.”  This one costs quite a bit more at $75 for 375 ml.  It is silky and well balanced.  Its shows delicious concentrated ripe apricot flavor profile that explodes in the mouth.  I loved it.  However, it was a bit sweet for a couple of the panelists.  If you love classic Vidal Ice Wine, this one is for you.

Our next wine is again from Wehlener Sonnenuhr.  The 2007 Dr. Pauly Bergweiler “Wehlener Sonnenuhr Auslese” for $45 is also Very Good.  We scored this wine 89 points.  This viscous dessert wine displays a mineral infused lime flavor profile with a touch of peach detected as well.  The finish is pleasantly sweet and refreshing.  We would pair it with chicken cordon bleu.

Lastly, I am going to do something I never really do.  I am going to highly recommend 2 Port wines.  To give you a little history why I do not usually go down this path is a short story.  To me, most Port wines display too much alcohol and are more like liquor than wine.  I like wine for its food friendliness and enjoyment.  Most Ports to me are hard to pair with food and very difficult for me to enjoy.  However, this year I found a couple options that defy this premise and therefore will get highly recommended.

The first is the Warre’s Non Vintage “Otima 20 Twenty Year Old Tawny Port” for $45.  Our mini panel scored this wine Very Good+ and gave it 91 points.  The Port lovers on the panel would have probably scored it higher.  I have to say that this Port does a very nice job of keeping its 20% alcohol level in check.  It was medium-bodied, smooth, and very enjoyable.  It displays a light nutty flavor with notes of pecan pie.  There was just a little bit of heat in the end.  But I definitely felt that this was a Port that most readers could enjoy with friends after dinner.  I was impressed!

Our last wine is what I call my challenge wine for 2009.  As mentioned above, I usually have to be coerced into trying most Ports.  So that is what happened.  Billy Grant from Four Vines coerced and convinced me to give his 2005 Zinfandel Port a whirl.  I reluctantly tried it and let me tell you, I was quite impressed.  This gem is full-bodied, quite smooth, and balanced.  It is rich and concentrated with beautiful sweet ripe red raspberry flavors with a hint of raisin on the back palate.  This is one of the best Zinfandel ports I have ever tried.  I have since tried a few others which have come nowhere close to this wine.  As a matter of fact, none of them qualified.  So if you like Zin Port, this is a perfect wine to serve with dark chocolate covered strawberries.  Grab some quick, because at $23 per bottle this wine is a steal.  We scored this wine 93 points and look forward to trying the 2006 vintage.

That wraps up this year’s Riesling and Dessert wine results.  We hope over the next few months you get to try some of these gems.  We had a fun time covering these sweeties.  If for some reason you can’t find any of these specific brands, I feel very confident in saying that if you find any 2007 Wehlener Sonnenuhr Riesling, you are likely in for a treat.  Cheers - Ken

» Filed Under Dessert Wine, Kens Wine Guide Tasting Panel, Late Harvest, Port, Riesling, Thanksgiving, Vidal Blanc, Wine Recommendations | Leave a Comment

The World of Chardonnay is Changing

Posted on August 4, 2009

Chardonnay is the most popular white wine in America.  But the world of Chardonnay is changing.  I personally didn’t think a change was needed, but like most success stories, the general philosophy appears to be a change or die message.  What is the change taking place in the Chardonnay world?  The change is in style.  The traditional California oaked and malolactic fermentation Chardonnay style is being challenged by a new unoaked and fruit-forward movement.  We found this to be especially true at the lower price points.  We have seen this stylistic change take place in the many Chardonnays that we have tried over the last 2 years.  I still think that Pinot Noir has the greatest number of styles for wine lovers to try but  I am now certain that Chardonnay will continue to present many different options in the near term as well.  Below is what we found in our recent Chardonnay tastings.  I will also follow up this post with another summary post of some of my favorite Chard discoveries from my recent trip to California.

Which Chardonnays were our favorites?  We found quite a few gems.  As in the past, we also found that most of the best Chardonnays tended to be premium level wines and they are priced at more than $20.  There are a few exceptions that are priced lower like Kendall Jackson’s Vintners Reserve, Foxglove, Stonehedge, Four Vines, and Columbia Crest’s “Grand Reserve.”  For the most part, like Pinot, you will need to spend a little more to get a top level Chardonnay.

Which Chardonnay won the KWG Tasting Panel’s highest honors?

Our favorite Chard came from a winery that I had never heard of before.  The 2007 Benovia “Russian River Valley” Chardonnay just blew us away. This wine was Excellent and we scored it 94 points.  At $35, this wine is a steal.  The only downside, I could see is there were only 330 cases made of this delicious wine.  This wine will appeal to those readers who like the light oak style we talked about above.  It displays fabulous ripe pear flavors with notes of vanilla, banana, and light oak as well.  It would pair well with lobster or crab cakes with a light cream dipping sauce.  It was just yummy!

Next up was the 2007 La Crema Chardonnay from “Los Carneros” for $30.  We have found Carneros to be a great AVA for Chardonnay in 2007.  This Chardonnay was the first foray for La Crema in terms of making a Chardonnay from Carneros.  My hat goes off to winemaker Melissa Stackhouse and her team.  They hit a home run at their first at bat. This option is very nicely balanced, rich, and creamy.  The flavor profile is a delicious light lemon with notes of honeydew melon blended in.  There are 3,000 cases so you can probably find some.  We scored it 93 points.

Another winner is our favorite Chardonnay from Oregon.  The 2006 “Ian’s Reserve” Chardonnay from Chehalem seems to be a winner every vintage.  This year it costs $34 and there are only 458 cases produced.  It was very well received by the group who tasted it.  It is full-bodied, very well balanced, and smooth.  The flavor profile is a delicious light honeydew melon, and green apple.  We scored this wine 92 points and you should try to score a bottle of this wine as well.

Next up was the winner of our big blind tasting and it might surprise you.  It did not surprise us because Kendall Jackson makes many great chardonnay options.  This year their 2007 “Grand Reserve” Chardonnay for $24 beat out several big names in the Chard world.  It is medium-bodied, well balanced, and shows good acidity.  The flavor profile is an elegant green apple and light lemon.  We scored it Very Good+ and awarded it 92 points.  Given the price point, this Chard is one of the best deals in the marketplace.  The panel found this wine to be very food-friendly they would pair it with halibut or lobster.

Fritz is no stranger to our podium.  This year it was their 2007 “Reserve” Chard from the Russian River Valley that caught our attention.  We scored this wine 92 points.  It is full-bodied, very smooth, and creamy.  Its flavor profile is a delicious toasty oak with ripe pear-like flavors and a hint of cantaloupe.  It is a terrific food wine and pairs perfectly with Legal Sea Food’s halibut with imperial crab meat. 

Next up is another prominent name in Chardonnay.  The 2007 Chappellett Chardonnay from Napa Valley, CA for $32 is pretty impressive.  It certainly caught the attention of the tasting panel.  It finished in second place in the big blind tasting and we scored it 91 points.  The best part is there are 8,000 cases available so you can definitely find some.  Its flavor profile is a toasty baked green apple with hints of honey and subtle oak.  The panel would pair it with lobster or au gratin potatoes made with cheddar cheese.

The next wine brings us back to Carneros.  The Truchard 2007 Chardonnay for $30 also scored 91 points.  It seems like every Chard we try from their vineyard is truly enjoyable.  This new release continues that tradition.  It is full-bodied, nicely balanced, and very smooth with lemon and guava flavors.  It is very easy to drink and food-friendly.  It will pair well with many foods.  We would pair it with one of our favorites, Chicken St. Timothy. 

90 Points Chardonnays worth hunting down:

The first Chard on our 90 point list is the 2007 La Crema  “Russian River Valley” Chardonnay for $30.  It is a traditionally-styled, rich California Chardonnay.  It is full bodied, thick, and viscous.  It does a very nice job integrating together its moderate acidity and bright lemony flavors.  Pair this gem with Coquille St. Jacques.

Next up from our big blind tasting is the EOS 2007 “Cupa Grandis” Chard for $45.  This tasting gem from Paso Robles, CA is very unique.  It is very nicely balanced and smooth.  The flavor profile is a very tasty light green apple with very distinctive notes of spearmint throughout.  The spearmint flavor was there last year too so it must be terroir driven.  The panel felt this tasty wine would pair well with roasted garlic chicken or a rack of lamb. 

Next up is a wine that many of you know, but this year’s version really stood out.  The 2007 Jordan Chardonnay from the Russian River Valley is very impressive.  It might be the best Jordan Chard that I have tried over the last few years.  It is full-bodied, balanced, slightly viscous, and blends its acidity in quite well.  The flavor profile is a crispy pear and green apple blend.  This Very Good Chard for $29 would pair perfectly with a chicken piccata.

MacRostie has been making great Chard for quite a while.  This year the 2006 Wildcat Mountain Chardonnay for $40 really caught our attention.  The flavor profile is a mineral infused blend of apricot and light lemon with hints of caramel.  The finish was dry and refreshing.  The panel felt this wine would pair very well with chicken cordon bleu.

Benovia returns to the podium with its 2007 “La Pommeraie” Chardonnay for $48. This option opens a toasty honeydew melon-like bouquet.  On the palate, this wine is full-bodied, shows excellent balance, and is smooth.  The flavor profile is a delicious light apricot and mango with hints of butterscotch and cashews.  The panel felt this Chard would be quite delightful on its own or with an appetizer like prosciutto wrapped cantaloupe.

The 2007 Thelema “Sutherland” Chard was our highest scoring Chard from South Africa.  At $20 this wine is a also a good value.  We also scored this wine 90 points.  The downside is that only 500 cases have been imported.  This option is a full-bodied wine, pleasantly viscous and creamy.  The flavor profile is a very tasty crème brulee and mild apple with a hint of caramel and minerality.  We felt this Chard would also pair perfectly with Legal Sea Food’s Halibut stuffed with Imperial crabmeat.

Our top value Chard so far is the 2007 Foxglove Chardonnay.  This wine is a steal for $16.  It hails from San Luis Obispo County in CA.  We scored this wine Very Good+ and gave it 90 points.  We have purchased this wine and the Kendall Jackson “Vintner’s Reserve” below as two of our everyday Chards.  This impressive offering is light-bodied, balanced, and shows gentle acidity.  There are light melon flavors with hints of minerality.  We really enjoy it and find it very food-friendly.

The top value wine at the 89 point level is the 2007 Kendall Jackson “Vintners Reserve”.  For $12 this wine is also a steal.  It is clearly the best and most consistent Chardonnay on the market priced below $15.  There is a ton of it available and it seems to get better every year.  It is medium-bodied, balanced, slightly acidic, with light lemon flavors.  We also found a hint of honeydew melon as well.  It is one of the most popular Chardonnays for a reason.

Next up is the always very consistent 2007 Landmark “Overlook” Chardonnay for $29.  There are 18,000 cases of this wine so it is widely available.  We seem to recommend it every year.  It is medium-bodied, well balanced, and elegant. It displays a classic California Chardonnay style with light pineapple with hints of lemon and touch of oak and butter.

Another consistent performer is the 2007 MacRostie Chardonnay for $23.  It is medium-bodied, smooth, and very nicely balanced.  The flavor profile is lemon custard with some honeydew melon and a hint of cashews.  It is nicely refreshing and it would pair well with baked scrod.

If you are looking for a crisp styled Chard, give the 2006 Freestone Chardonnay a try.  This wine is medium-bodied, clean, and refreshing with citrusy flavors that show a touch of minerality and caramel.  Our panel found this wine to be very food-friendly and would pair nicely with chicken cordon bleu or a slow roasted pork tenderloin with apple compote.

Another Chard that the panel recommended was the 2007 Dutton Goldfield “Russian River Valley” for $35.  We found this wine to be full-bodied, quite smooth, satiny, and very well balanced.  It is tasty with light apple flavors and a touch of toasty light oak.  Like the Freestone it is very food friendly and would pair well with trout or sole.

Our final highlighted wine is the 2007 EOS “Estate Private Reserve” Chardonnay from Paso Robles, CA.  Priced at $20 it is another nice value.  It is a lighter styled Chard that is balanced, soft, and creamy.  However, the flavor profile is a buttery popcorn with notes of light oak.  Its rich flavors and light weight are a nice contrast.  Give it a try and enjoy the experience.

Other impressive Very Good Chardonnays worthy of your consideration:

20. Chateau St. Michelle 2007 Chard “Canoe Ridge Estate” (Horse Heaven Hills, WA) $22 (89)
21. Clos Pegase 2007 Chard “Mitsuko’s Vineyard”(Carneros) $24 (89)
22. Dutton Estate 2007 Chard “Kyndalls Reserve” (Russian River Valley) $36 (89)
23. Napa Cellars 2007 Chardonnay “Mt. Veeder” $35 (89)
24. Patz & Hall 2006 Chard “Alder Springs” (Mendocino) $60 (88)
25. Charles Creek 2007 Chard “Las Patolitas”(Sonoma County) $25 (88)
26. Stonehedge 2007 Chard (California) $12 (88)
27. Dutton Estate 2007 Chard “Dutton Palms Vineyard” (RRV) $42 (88)
28. Merryvale 2007 Chard “Starmont”(Napa) $20 (88)
29. Mulderbosch 2006 Chard(Stellenbosch, SA) $21 (88)
30. Trefethen 2007 Chardonnay “Napa Valley” $30 (88)
31. Solaire 2007 Chard (Santa Lucia Highlands) $15 (88)
32. Joseph Phelps 2006 Chard “Ovation” (Sonoma Coast) $60 (87.5)
33. Murphy Goode 2006 Chard “Sonoma County” $17 (87)
34. Joseph Carr 2007 Chardonnay “Carneros” $17 (87)
35. Four Vines 2008 Chard “Naked” (Santa Barbara County) $14 (87)
36. Chateau Ste. Michelle 2006 Chard “Ethos” (Columbia Valley, WA) $32 (87)
37. Neil Ellis 2008 Chard(Stellenbosch, SA) $20 (87)
38. Columbia Crest 2007 Chard “Grand Estates” (Columbia Valley) $11 (87)
39. Columbia Crest 2006 Chard “Two Vines” (WA) $8 (86)

As you can see we are recommending several Chardonays and we have more top quality Chards to follow in our next blog post.  There are several different styles and price points represented in the above list.  Try some and enjoy.! Cheers - Ken

» Filed Under Chardonnay, Kens Wine Guide Tasting Panel, Wine Recommendations | 1 Comment

A Red Wine Tasting Experience With Andy Beckstoffer

Posted on July 18, 2009

When I was asked if we would like to speak to Andy Beckstoffer about his vineyards and the wines that are produced from his grapes, my response was a resounding Yes!  From where I sit Andy is a rock star in the vineyard management game and his grapes are his microphone.  Based upon the wines my tasting panel and I tasted during our phone interview, we felt we could keep Andy on this pedestal a little longer.  However, as Andy would probably tell you, in the grape business you are only as good as your last vintage.

Fortunately for Andy and his family, they have had the luxury of owning some of the best vineyards in California.  They own 10 vineyards in Napa, 7 in Mendocino, and 3 in Lake County.  Beckstoffer Vineyards has pioneered innovations in grape growing technology by changing the way grapes are grown.  Some of those changes have come in the form of canopy management techniques that include new methods in pruning, trellising, and vine spacing that have brought improved access to sunlight, resulting in increases in both quality and tonnage.  Adding drip irrigation has opened up whole new sections of the Carneros region to new plantings.  Sustainable agriculture has also brought new life to soils and vineyards.  According to Andy, “The past ten years have been a revolutionary time in the wine industry.  The adoption of new global technologies, rootings and clones in the vineyard, and the attitude to strive for the highest quality allows us to enter the 21st century as consistent producers of many of the best wines in the world, with the growers and vintners participating together in the work and in the prize.”

Andy has been in the business for a long time.  You can read his bio to learn about his long and storied history in the grape growing business.  As a pioneer in the CA grape growing game Andy has been rather influential.  I would have to say that a lot of grape growers today benefit from his vision as the founding director of the Napa Valley Grape Growers Association (NVGGA).  But this story is not about Andy, but instead it is about his vineyards and the grapes grown in them.  From there the story evolves into the wines that those grapes were made into and the enjoyment that they bring to all those who have a chance to enjoy them.

I brought together 4 of my most experienced Ken’s Wine Guide tasting panel members for this intriguing tasting and phone interview with Andy.  Andy led us through the history of each vineyard as we tried seven wines from his vineyards.

We started with two wines from the Las Amigas Vineyard in Carneros.  Andy told us that he purchased the vineyard from Louis Martini in 1993.  He said the vineyards have relatively deep clay loam soils.  That, along with the cool climate of Carneros, and the closer vine spacing, has led to the production of some outstanding Merlot fruit for many years.

Before we tasted the Merlot, we started with a very nice Pinot Noir from this vineyard.  The 2006 Signorello Pinot Noir “Las Amigas Vineyard” was very impressive.  We scored the wine Very Good+ and awarded it with 90 points.  We really enjoyed how smooth, elegant, and soft this Pinot was.  Its flavor profile was a tasty, juicy blueberry with some dark chocolate mixed in.  The panel agreed that it was a food-friendly and easy to drink Pinot Noir.  It did take a little while to open up, but we noticed that it developed more complexity with some time and air.

Next we moved onto the Merlot.  We tried the 2005 Provenance “Beckstoffer Las Amigas Vineyard” Merlot for $60.  We score this wine as Very Good.  Like the Pinot, we found the wine to be very nicely balanced, soft, and elegant.  Its flavor profile was blueberry and blackberry with hints of currant and black olive.  It was a very nice Merlot.

After the Merlot we moved on to the Cabernets.  We started with the 2006 Waypoint 2006 “Missouri Hopper Vineyard” Cab for $65.  Andy told us quite a story about the history of Missouri Hopper.  Let us just say that story hints that the entertainment that was provided to her customers at her “boarding house” went well beyond the wine served.  Anyway, this vineyard is located in Oakville and the wine was well received.  We had not previously heard of Waypoint winery, but they made a terrific first impression.  We scored this wine 91.2 points.  Being a 2006, it is still quite young.  This wine was a very different style than the rest.  We felt this particular Cab would appeal more to “Old World” fans and readers given its dusty, mild black currant flavor profile with black licorice notes, and a hint of black pepper.

The next two wines that we tasted provided us with a truly unique experience.  Both Cabs came from the Dr. Crane Vineyard in St. Helena.  This tiny vineyard is only 25 acres in all.  It was originally planted by Napa pioneer Dr. George Beldon Crane in 1858.  This historic vineyard property is located west of Route 29 in the city of St. Helena within the St. Helena AVA.  As you can see by the picture, it is surrounded by quite a bit of urban sprawl.  It was replanted in 1998 with multiple clones of Cabernet Sauvignon, Petit Verdot, and Cabernet Franc.  As we found out, the vineyard designated wines from this vineyard are Rock Stars like the grape grower himself!

The first wine we tried was the 2005 Karl Lawrence “Dr. Crane Vineyard” Cab for $75.  Like the previous wines we tried, this Cab was very elegant and well balanced.  On the palate we experienced a ripe red cherry pie covered with dark chocolate shavings.  It was quite enjoyable and we scored this wine Very Good+ and 91.2 points.  Here’s where the story gets interesting.

Next up was the 2005 Paul Hobbs “Dr. Crane Vineyard” Cab for $165.  Andy explained that Paul’s grapes were likely grown within a few feet of the Karl Lawrence grapes, maybe even in the next row.  He also said it is likely that they were harvested within a few weeks of each other.  These facts intrigued our panel.

So was there a difference in the bottles?  Oh yeah.  The 2005 Paul Hobbs “Dr. Crane Vineyard” Cab was the best Cab we had in the tasting.  This was an Excellent wine and was awarded 96 points.  This Cab was silky, extremely well balanced, and very elegant.  It displayed a delicious blend of black cherry and blackberry.  Its finish was dry and sailed on for quite some time.  It was a rather impressive wine.  We all agreed this was a special occasion wine that would pair perfectly with a filet mignon.  This little experiment was the perfect example of how different winemaking techniques, with similar if not the same grapes, can produce very different wines.

Next up was a wine from the Beckstoffer Georges III Vineyard which was the former Beaulieu Vineyard No. 3.  This vineyard was originally planted by Georges De Latour of Beaulieu in 1928.  The vineyard is located adjacent to the Caymus Winery between Conn Creek Road and Silverado Trail within the Rutherford AVA.  Several clones of Cabernet Sauvignon are planted on the 300 acres of gravelly loam soil. 

The offering we experienced was the 2006 Schrader “Georges III” for $125.  Like the Hobbs, we rated this wine Excellent and scored it 94.4 points.  With some bottle age this beauty might be able to catch up to the Hobbs.  In the meantime, this Cab is full bodied, nicely balanced, and fruit forward with very juicy cherry and blueberry flavors.  Its moderate tannins are rather lengthy with noteworthy persistence.  The panel felt this Cab was worthy of just drinking on its own or with food they would pair it with a New York strip steak. 

We concluded our tasting with a Cab from Andy’s most famous vineyard, the To Kalon Vineyard.  The 89 acre Beckstoffer portion of the historic original To Kalon Vineyard in the Oakville was purchased from Beaulieu Vineyard in 1993.  It was previously called Beaulieu Vineyard No. 4.  It was replanted by Beckstoffer from 1994 to 1997 after phylloxera hit it.  Today multiple clones of Cabernet Sauvignon and Cabernet Franc with modern trellising and closer vine spacing, allow the vineyard to produce several luxury vineyard designated wines such as the one we tried. 

The 2006 Tor “Beckstoffer To Kalon” Cab for $150 is a full bodied Cab that is well balanced, juicy, and displays jammy black cherry and menthol flavors.  The finish of this very young Cab is quite dry and shows excellent length.  The panel felt this wine should cellar well.  We scored it 93+ points because of its potential to develop into an excellent wine.  It is definitely a wine that shows great potential.

We hope you enjoyed the journey through Andy’s vineyards and the resulting wines as much as we did.  We enjoyed learning the history behind the vines and vineyards.  Andy is passionate about preserving the historical importance of these wonderful vineyards.  Based upon the wines we tried, we can certainly see why he is so passionate about preserving these vineyard sites.  They have a history and quality level well above your typical vineyard.  In conclusion, I can say with 100% certainty that the evening was a great experience.  If you want to learn more about the history of Andy Beckstoffer and Beckstoffer Vineyards you should definitely visit their website at BeckstofferVineyards.com.

Cheers,
Ken and the Tasting Panel

» Filed Under Andy Beckstoffer, Cabernet Sauvignon, Dr Crane, Georges III, Karl Lawrence, Kens Wine Guide Tasting Panel, Paul Hobbs, Schrader, To Kalon, Uncategorized, Vineyards, Wine Recommendations | 1 Comment

Refreshing Sauvignon Blanc for the Summer

Posted on July 2, 2009

Over the last few months we have reviewed over 45 different Sauvignon Blancs in preparation for the summer wine drinking months.  Below we recommend 25 of them as Very Good or better.  In our opinion, Sauvignon Blanc is a terrific summer pour.  It performs well when served chilled and is more refreshing than most wines.  Since we did several tastings to get to this point, we will list the wines in decending order with highest scoring wines listed first.

The highest scoring wine we tried this spring was Merry Edwards 2007 “Russian River Valley” Sauvignon Blanc for $29.  We scored this wine 92 points, shortly thereafter the Wine Spectator scored it even higher at 96 points.  At that point it became very very tough to get a bottle.  But we know our readers enjoy a challenge.  As for the wine, we found it to be very well balanced between its acidity and fruit.  It is also quite tasty and displays light lime and green apple flavors.  The finish is dry, crisp, and refreshing.  It also lingers quite some time for a Sauvignon Blanc.  I would suggest that you find a restaurant that lists this now highly allocated bottle of wine and enjoy it with some chicken piccata.  It was clearly one of the best Sauvignon Blancs of the year.

Our second favorite Sauvignon Blanc is from Lail.  Their 2007 “Georgia” is quite nice.  We also scored it Very Good + and awarded it 92 points.  However, this wine comes with a pretty big price tag at $100.  It is a very classy Sauvignon Blanc and it won over quite a few tasters when we recently tried it.  Its different style and sophistication surprised the group.  It is extremely smooth and well balanced.  The flavor profile is an unusual complex blend of honey, cantaloupe, and oak, not atypical for Sauvignon Blanc.  If you can afford it, give the winery a call and try a bottle of this unique version Sauvignon Blanc.

To no one’s surprise our third highest scoring Sauvignon Blanc comes from Kim Crawford.  The 2008 Sauvignon Blanc for $19 scored 92 points.  Personally I liked the 2008 more than the highly acclaimed 2007.  It is a light bodied wine that is well balanced, clean, and displays tasty lime flavors.  What I like most about it, is that it is very food-friendly and would pair quite nicely with swordfish or mahi mahi.

Dry Creek Vineyard has always been known for their Sauvignon Blanc.  Their 2006 “DCV3 Estate Fume Blanc” for $25 stood out as their best offering this year.  It was quite impressive and we scored it 91 points. It is brilliant and bright with its white gold coloring.  On the palate, this wine is full bodied, creamy, and viscous. You usually do not find these kinds of characteristics in a Sauvignon Blanc. The flavor profile was impressive as well. There were tasty ripe pear flavors mixed with some green apple and a touch of minerality.  This wine would pair very well with Chicken St. Timothy or any other chicken dish is a cream sauce.

The next Sauvignon Blanc came out of nowhere.  Or shall I say it was a wine from Western Australia that I had never heard of before.  The 2008 Ad Lib “Straw Man” Sauvignon Blanc for $17 scored 90 points in one of our mini flights.  One reviewer stated that this offering from down under was clearly one of the best Sauvignon Blanc’s that we tried this month.  It is light-bodied, balanced, and crisp with very tasty lime flavors with hints of minerality nicely blended in.  Very refreshing and perfect for a hot summer day.

Next up was the 2008 St. Supery Sauvignon Blanc from Napa Valley for $23.  In a different mini flight this wine took top honors and we awarded it with 90 points.  It is nicely balanced and slightly viscous.  The flavor profile is grapefruit with a hint of minerals and lime.  One taster could not believe this wine was from Napa.  He pegged it from New Zealand because of its style.

Our next wine is a terrific value.  If you are having a summer party, I would certainly recommend the 2007 Kendall Jackson “Vintners Reserve” Sauvignon Blanc for $11.  We also gave this wine 90 points.  KJ has done a terrific job with their “Vintners Reserve” level whites in recent vintages.  This Sauvignon Blanc is no exception.  As a matter of fact, we think this offering is a terrific wine for the money.  We recently conducted a mini blind tasting of Sauvignon Blanc’s and this wine tied for the top spot.  Our group agreed this Sauvignon Blanc would do quite nicely on its own on a hot summer day.  But it would also certainly enhance a mild flavored meal like broiled scallops.

In our big blind tasting, our top 2 spots went to Sauvignon Blancs from New Zealand.  The 2007 Tohu “Mugwi” Sauvignon Blanc for $22 was our clear winner.  This wine scored a Very Good and it was awarded 89.3 points from the panel.  On the palate, this medium bodied wine was well balanced and slightly creamy.  The flavors are mineral infused gooseberry with hints of grapefruit.  The panel thought this wine would pair well with grilled tuna.  After the tasting, several panelists ordered this wine.  In second place in this tasting was the 2007 Catalina Sounds Sauvignon Blanc for $17.  This offering was a little lighter with crisp green apple flavors.  It also showed off its New Zealand roots with notes of grapefruit and minerality detected on the back palate.  One panelist declared; “this is what you expect from a Very Good New Zealand Sauvignon Blanc.”  It received 89.3 points.

Next up was Lail Vineyards, who returned to the recommended list with its second label.  The 2008 “Blueprint” Sauvignon Blanc for $38 scored a Very Good and was given 89 points.  Like the Georgia, this Sauvignon Blanc from Napa is stylistically very different than most Sauvignon Blancs you will try.  It offers a complex blend of ripe peach, apricot, butterscotch and some minerality.  The group that tried this wine liked it and the consensus was that they would pair it with chicken marsala.

Our favorite French offering was the 2007 Celestin Blondeau “Cuvee des Moulin Bales” for $20.  This wine from Sancerre also scored 89 points. It was light-bodied, nicely balanced, and had a dry mouthfeel.  Its flavors were a tasty light lime and green apple blend.  We felt this wine would pair well with ham.

Returning to our blind tasting, the 2007 Freemark Abbey Sauvignon Blanc for $24 finished in 3rd place.  Readers interested in sustainably grown wine would like to know about this Napa Valley Sauvignon Blanc.  We scored this wine Very Good and gave it 88.7 points.  The panel was intrigued by how clear the color of this wine was.  However for what it lacked in color, it made up for with bouquet and taste.  We really enjoyed its attractive flowery and honeydew melon like bouquet and its mineral infused green apple flavors.  A crowd pleaser and a nice refreshing summer option.

Our favorite Chilean offering came from Cono Sur.  This was no surprise as we have found Cono Sur to be a leader with their value priced white wines.  The 2008 “Vision” Sauvignon Blanc for $15 finished in 4th place in our big blind tasting.  The panel found this offering to be a lot of wine for the money.  They scored it Very Good with 88.4 points.  It was crisp and a little tart.  It displayed green apple flavors with some light lemon and minerals mixed in.  The panel thought it would nicely complement grilled swordfish.

The last wine we are going to highlight is the 2008 Fritz “Estate Grown” Sauvignon Blanc $22 from Dry Creek Valley.  Fritz has performed consistently well with our panel over that last couple of years.  Especially with their white wines.  This offering is light bodied and zippy with tasty tangy lime flavors.  One panelist felt this wine would pair perfectly with his seared scallops over a bed of sautéed brussels sprouts and shallots.  We scored this 88.3 points.

Other recommended Sauvignon Blancs for your enjoyment this summer:

15) Veramonte 2008 SB “Reserva” (Casablanca Valley, Chile) $11 (88)
16) Claude Riffault 2007 SB “Les Boucauds” (Sancerre, FR) $22 (88)
17) Navarro Vineyards 2007 “Cuvee 128” (Mendocino, CA) $18 (87.7)
18) Clayhouse 2007 Sauvignon Blanc (Paso Robles, CA) $14 (87.7)
19) Chateau Ste. Michelle 2007 SB “Horse Heaven Vineyard” (WA) $15 (87.6)
20) Villa Maria 2007 SB “Cellar Selection” (Marlborough, NZ) $20 (87.3)
21) Adobe Road 2006 SB “Dry Creek Valley” $25 (87.3)
22) Vina Robles 2008 Sauvignon Blanc “Jardine” (Paso Robles, CA) $16 (87)
23) Fritz 2008 SB “Russian River Valley” (RRV) $18 (87)
24) Chateau Ste. Michelle 2008 SB (Columbia Valley, WA) $11 (87)
25) Dutton Estate 2008 SB “Kylie’s Cuvee” $17 (87)
26) Columbia Crest 2006 SB “Two Vines” (Columbia Valley, WA) $8 (Good+ 86)

In conclusion, we hope you enjoy these great poolside wines this summer.  Please be sure to report back to us and comment on your favorite Sauvignon Blancs.  We would love to hear your thoughts.  Cheers!

Ken

» Filed Under Kens Wine Guide Tasting Panel, Sauvignon Blanc, White Wine, Wine Recommendations | 2 Comments

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