Refreshing Sauvignon Blanc for the Summer
Posted on July 2, 2009
Over the last few months we have reviewed over 45 different Sauvignon Blanc’s in preparation for the summer 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 Blanc’s 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 with us. 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 89.33 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 89.33 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 Blanc’s 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 organic wine would like to know that this Napa Valley wine meets those requirements. We scored this wine Very Good and gave it 88.67 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 88.42 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 88.33 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 (87.67)
18) Clayhouse 2007 Sauvignon Blanc (Paso Robles, CA) $14 (87.67)
19) Chateau Ste. Michelle 2007 SB “Horse Heaven Vineyard” (WA) $15 (87.58)
20) Villa Maria 2007 SB “Cellar Selection” (Marlborough, NZ) $20 (87.33)
21) Adobe Road 2006 SB “Dry Creek Valley” $25 (87.33)
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 think we have provided you with a very comprehensive list of options to consider poolside this summer. Please be sure to report back to us and comment of 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
Wine Gifts For Dad on Fathers Day
Posted on June 13, 2009
Listed below are 10 of my favorite wine gifts. If you are looking for a gift for Dad, and he likes wine, you can’t go wrong with any of these. Don’t forget a bottle of Very Good wine to go with it! Happy Father’s Day.
Cheers,
Ken
Wine Away—Hard as I try not to, I am always spilling wine on my shirts. Splash back is an occupational hazard for a wine reviewer. Nothing gets the red wine stains out better than Wine Away. If your Dad has the same problem as me, get him a bottle or two of Wine Away. He will love it!
Bottlewise Duo 2 Bottle Travel Bag— I love this travel bag. It is great for bringing a couple of bottles of wine to a friend’s house for dinner. Its best use is when you travel to wine country and want to bring back two special bottles in your packed luggage. I like to bring it to the Annual Wine Blogger’s Conference in wine country, and return home with two wine gems protected neatly in my luggage!
Dual System Wine Refrigerators— I am a big fan of dual system wine refrigerators. The main reason is that white wines and red wines should be served and stored at different temperatures. One of my biggest pet peeves is that we are frequently served Chardonnay that is too cold. Solve this problem for Dad by buying him a Dual Zone Wine Refrigerator from Vinotemp!
Bagged Wine Covers—Have you tried doing a blind tasting? It is fun to do with family and friends. Test Dad’s skills and buy him these wine bottle covers. We use these for the KWG Tasting Panel. They are easy to use, and they are good for the environment because they are reusable!
Riedel Cabernet/Merlot Stemware—I believe Dads need great stemware to drink great wine. This Cab glass will make all the wines we recommend perform at peak levels. I love my Riedel Cab glass! Believe it or not, I take this glass with me everywhere I taste wine.
Ridel O Decanter—I received this decanter for Christmas from Theresa and the kids a few years ago. It’s one of my favorite wine gifts!
Windows on the World Complete Wine Course: 2008 edition (hardcover) by Kevin Zraly—This is one of my favorite wine books. It’s quite comprehensive!
Riedel Large Microfiber Crystal Cloth—I use this on our best wine glasses, and they always shine like new! This cloth gets used many times per week at our house. It’s machine-washable too!
Monopoly “The Board” Wine Charms—These are my favorite wine charms, and I use them every day. We picked up a set of these fun wine charms at Gary Vaynerchuk’s Wine Library in Springfield, New Jersey two years ago. Serve your wine in style!
Vacu Vin 3-Piece Wine Saver Gift Pack—We think every household should have one! Wine lasts longer if you use the Vacu Vin. We also recommend refrigerating any opened bottles of wine.
» Filed Under Riedel Microfiber Cloth, Uncategorized, Vacu Vin, Wine Away, Wine Charms, Wine Gifts, Wine Glasses, Wine accessories | 1 Comment
35 Very Good Pinot Noirs
Posted on June 9, 2009
In the last 2 months we have reviewed over 65 Pinot Noirs. The results of our large blind tasting were posted last month. In this post we will highlight the Pinots that were recommended from our mini tastings and blind flights. There are 35 recommendations below. We will showcase the Pinots that scored 90+ points.
The envelope please……And the best Pinot we found in this tasting, and overall the best so far, was the Patz & Hall 2006 “Chenoweth Ranch” Pinot Noir from the Russian River Valley. We scored this wine 93 points. It costs $55. It was the clear winner among many high end wines that we reviewed. It opened with an attractive blueberry and cherry-like bouquet. It is very nicely balanced and has harmonious acidity throughout. The flavor profile is a delicious black cherry and blueberry blend. It was quite impressive and would be a perfect complement to a filet mignon.
Our second place wine took the early lead as we tried this wine early on. The 2006 Merry Edwards “Coopersmith” Pinot Noir $54 from the Russian River Valley was the best offering from her portfolio this year. We scored this wine 92 points. This offering is medium-bodied, really well balanced, smooth, and elegant. Everyone that tried this wine was quite impressed. It was probably its delicious light black raspberry flavors with a hint of licorice. The consensus was it was a very food-friendly wine that would pair perfectly with salmon.
In third place was an old standby. The 2006 Goldeneye from the Anderson Valley in California was again impressive this year. This wine costs $55. We awarded it 92 points. Goldeneye always seems to be a top performing Pinot. This year’s version is a quite substantial. It is big enough to pair with prime rib. This bottle did not last long as the group quickly asked for another pour.
Our 4th place finisher also comes from the Russian River Valley. That makes 3 out of the top 4 Pinots coming from this valley. The 2007 La Crema “Russian River” Pinot Noir also scored 92 points. This Pinot is La Crema’s best option from the 2007 vintage and its costs $40. On the palate, this wine really comes alive. Its flavor profile is a very tasty blend of strawberries and raspberries. We also felt this was a very cellar worthy Pinot.
In fifth place we head north to Oregon. The 2006 Chehalem “Reserve” Pinot Noir from the Willamette Valley is very impressive. This wines cost $60 and we scored it Very Good+ and gave it 91 points. What we liked best about this Pinot is that it was very nicely balanced, silky, and suave. The flavor profile it displayed was a delicious blend of light raspberry, and syrupy red cherry. It is elegant and would pair perfectly with raspberry chicken. In sixth place was the 2006 Fess Parker “Bien Nacido” Pinot Noir for $48. This like the Chahalem was balanced, smooth, and very easy to drink. We scored this elegant Pinot 91 points. Our group agreed that this wine would pair quite nicely with prime rib.
In 7th place was the Dutton Goldfield 2006 “Freestone Hill Vineyard” Pinot Noir. Dutton Goldfield performed consistently well with its 2006 Pinots. This offering scored 90 points and was one of my favorites from their portfolio. This wine stood out in its small sampling flight. It costs $58. Its medium-bodied, balanced, and gentle with spicy raspberry flavors. We found this wine very easy to drink. Our group found this wine to be food-friendly and we would pair it with grilled salmon. In 8th place we return to Merry Edwards. Her 2006 “Tobias Glen” Pinot Noir for $54 scored 90 pointsfrom its group of tasters. Like the Dutton Goldfield, this wine was medium-bodied, balanced, smooth, and very easy to drink. What made this wine stand out were its juicy strawberry flavors with hints of light raspberry and licorice mixed in.
In 9th place we return to the Anderson Valley and the La Crema winery. The 2007 Pinot Noir from Anderson Valley costs $50 and scored 90 points. After trying this wine I told winemaker, Melissa Stackhouse that I thought this was her perfect Pinot to pair with salmon. It displayed savory raspberry flavors with notes of blueberry detected as well. 
It was a very easy wine to consume and a second glass is not far behind the first. Next up was our first qualifier from New Zealand. Typically we do not describe New Zealand Pinot Noir as smooth and elegant, but 2007 Spy Valley has seemed to capture that magic formula with this vintage. We scored this wine 90 point and at $29 it is a steal when compared to some of the wines listed above. It is nicely balanced and silky with tasty raspberry flavors with notes of spice mixed in. Like the La Crema, this wine would pair very nicely with grilled salmon.
In 11th place was the 2006 Dutton Goldfield “Devil’s Gulch Vineyard” Pinot Noir for $55. A couple of cool things struck me about this wine other than its name. First of all it comes from Marin County in CA, which does not get a lot of press. So I was impressed to find a wine perform so well from this region. I also found the wine to be well balanced and show impeccably integrated acidity. Those features plus its savory and very tasty light raspberry flavors make it an excellent choice to serve with duck. We awarded this wine 90 points.
In 12th place was a wine from the Dutton Estate. Their 2007 “Karmen Isabella” Pinot Noir for $38 was well received. This is another impressive Russian River Pinot. We scored this wine 90 points. This Pinot had a different feel to it. It was full-bodied, very well balanced, and has quite a smooth texture. The flavor profile is a restrained strawberry and plum blend that is quite luscious. This was a graceful wine that would really pair well and enhance pork tenderloin.
Our 13th Pinot is another bargain. The 2007 Siduri “Sta Rita Hills” Pinot Noir only costs $29. For a 90 point wine, that makes it quite a deal. This Pinot opens with an attractive spicy black cherry bouquet. This wine is light to medium-bodied and balanced with juicy black raspberry flavors. It is quite dry and its moderate tannins stick around for quite some time. This impressive value Pinot would be a fine complement to prime rib.
Other recommended Pinot Noirs:
14. Merry Edwards 2006 Pinot Noir “Flax Vineyard” (RRV) $54 (89.5)
15. Willamette Valley Vineyards 2006 Pinot Noir “Signature Cuvee” (Willamette Valley, OR) $45 (89)
16. Landmark 2007 Pinot Noir “Grand Detour”(Sonoma Coast, CA ) $40 (89)
17. Siduri 2007 PN “Sonoma County” $20 (89)
18. Navarro 2006 Pinot Noir “Deep End Blend” (Anderson Valley, CA) $49 (89)
19. Fog Dog 2006 Pinot Noir “Sonoma Coast” $40 (89)
20. Lionheart Wines 2007 Pinot Noir “Sonoma Coast” $40 (89)
21. Dutton Ranch 2007 Pinot Noir “Dutton Thomas Road Vineyard” (RRV) $48 (89)
22. Patz & Hall 2006 Pinot Noir “Pisoni Vineyard” (Santa Lucia Highlands) $80 (89)
23. Merry Edwards 2006 Pinot Noir “Klopp Ranch” (RRV) $57 (88)
24. Napa Cellars 2007 Pinot Noir “Napa Valley” $26 (88)
25. Siduri 2007 Pinot Noir “Sonoma Coast”(Sonoma Coast, CA) $30 (88)
26. Truchard 2006 Pinot Noir “Carneros” $35 (88)
27. Adobe Road 2006 Pinot Noir “Sonoma Coast” $39 (88)
28. Robert Stemmler 2006 Pinot Noir “Carneros” $36 (88)
29. Dutton Goldfield 2006 Pinot Noir “Sanchietti Vineyard” (RRV) $58 (87.5)
30. Dutton Goldfield 2007 Pinot Noir “Dutton Ranch” (RRV) $38 (87)
31. La Crema 2007 Pinot Noir “Los Carneros” $38 (87)
32. Tom Eddy 2007 Pinot Noir “Elodian”(Yamhill Carlton, OR) $35 (87)
33. Amity 2007 Pinot Noir (Willamette Valley, OR) $20 (87)
34. Cambria 2007 Pinot Noir “Julia’s Vineyard” (Santa Maria Valley, CA) $21 (87)
35. Atwater 2007 Pinot Noir “Finger Lakes” $18 (86.5)
As you can see, there are lots of Very Good Pinots to choose from. We found you the best ones. Now go find them and enjoy. Cheers - Ken
» Filed Under Pinot Noir, Russian River Valley, Wine Recommendations, Wine Reviews | Leave a Comment
Plenty of Quality Pinot Noirs Available
Posted on May 18, 2009
The rise of Pinot Noir is amazing. The movie, Sideways, elevated the image and awareness of this special grape. But with every gift there is a catch. The pure economics of supply and demand come into play. Demand rose, supplies were short, and prices rose to very high levels. This was great for wineries who sold out their wines at top dollar. I could barely fill a Pinot tasting 2 years ago. Everyone was out of Pinot before I asked for it. Consumers didn’t care about price. They wanted top quality Pinot regardless. Fast forward to 2009. The market is in the tank. Due to the tough economic times, wine consumers have become more selective as to how they spend their hard earned dollars. There is plenty of high end Pinots to go around. I can tell you that 60+ were submitted for our April tastings. We tackled them in flights. This post will be a summary of the main blind tasting. The next post will be a summary of the winners from the various mini flights we did over the last month or so.
Which Pinots won the tasting and warrant your hard earned dollars? We tried 14 wines in this tasting and recommended 13 of them. As you can see, the quality level was pretty high. Five wines scored Very Good+ and received 90+ scores. Let’s get right into it.
Our clear winner of this tasting was from Oregon. It was the 2007 Elk Cove “Five Mountain” Pinot Noir for $48. The panel scored this wine Very Good+ and awarded it 92 points. It opens with a smoky cherry bouquet with notes of tobacco. On the palate, this wine is medium-bodied, very nicely balanced, and velvety. It displays savory, dusty raspberry flavors with hints of cinnamon. There was also infused oak and tobacco as well. This sophisticated Pinot is very food-friendly and would pair quite well with salmon, squab, or osso bucco. Unfortunately, there were only a 153 cases of this gem made. So call the winery and get your hands on this wine soon. It won’t last very long.
Our runner up was not far behind. The 2007 Hamilton Russell Pinot Noir from the Hemel en Aarde Valley in South Africa was very impressive and similar to our winner. It comes in at $44 per bottle. The panel gave it 91 points. It opened with a smoky, light oak infused, black cherry bouquet with hints of leather. It is medium-bodied, nicely balanced, and savory with slightly sweet cherry flavors. There was a nice amount of oak blended in as well. The panel felt this wine would pair very well with smoked pork tenderloin or coq au vin.
In third place was the 2006 Freestone Pinot Noir from the Sonoma Coast. This wine is a second label from the Joseph Phelps family of wines. It costs $75 and received 90 points from the panel. It is medium-bodied, evenly balanced, and shows nice structure. The flavor profile is a savory raspberry and plum blend. The panel would pair this attractive wine with duck or a ribeye with a garlic butter sauce.
On the heels of the Freestone was the 2006 Dutton Goldfield “McDougall Vineyard” Pinot Noir for $55. This wine from the Sonoma Coast also scored 90 points. As you will see, Dutton Goldfield’s Pinots did very well in our tastings this month. This particular Pinot was medium bodied and balanced with a blend of sweet raspberry and chalky black cherry flavors. Notes of vanilla were detected as well. I personally felt this Pinot had the best finish of the evening. The panel thought this wine would pair well with stuffed game hens or with pasta smothered in a Bolognese sauce.
The Merry Edwards entry in this tasting finished in fifth place with a score of 90 points. As a matter of fact, all of Merry’s entries have scored near the top of each of their flights. The 2006 “Meredith Estate” Pinot Noir for $54 was very well received by the panel. Like all of Merry’s Pinots, this wine hails from the Russian River Valley. It is medium-bodied, very smooth, a touch flinty, and well balanced. Its flavors are a blend of raspberry and strawberries with a dash of pepper and spice mixed in. The panel felt this Pinot would pair nicely with shrimp cocktail or a seared tuna steak.
Two wines that just missed the 90 point mark were the 2006 Goldeneye 2006 “Gowan Creek Vineyard” Pinot Noir for $75 and the 2006 Siduri “Shaw Mountain Vineyard” Pinot Noir for $39. The Goldeneye is from Anderson Valley, CA and the Siduri is from the Willamette Valley in Oregon. We scored the Goldeneye Gowan Very Good and gave it 89.375 points. The Siduri Shaw was awarded with 89.25 points. The Gowan was balanced and creamy. It displayed sweet cherry flavors with notes of clove mixed in. The Shaw opened with an old oak infused pipe tobacco and cherry like bouquet. On the palate it was medium-bodied, balanced, warm, and silky. The panel felt this entry would be an ideal match for mushroom risotto.
Finally, this next wine was clearly one of the best deals of the tasting. The 2006 Navarro Vineyards “Methode a L’Anciente” Pinot Noir costs only $29. When you consider that the panel scored this wine 89 points, it was quite a bargain. It opens with an attractive strawberry bouquet with a hint of spice mixed in. It was very nicely balanced and smooth with delicious strawberry flavors. They would pair it with salmon or lobster.
Other recommended Pinot Noirs:
9.) Chehalem 2006 Pinot Noir “Stoller Vineyard” (Dundee Hills, OR) $44 (88.125)
10.) Byron 2006 Pinot Noir “Sierra Madre Vineyard” (Santa Maria Valley, CA) $40 (88)
11.) Adobe Road 2006 Pinot Noir “O’Neel Vineyard” (Russian River Valley, CA) $48 (VG 88)
12.) Hartford 2006 Pinot Noir “Fog Dance Vineyards” (Green Valley, CA) $45 (87.75)
13.) Michel Picard 2006 Pinot Noir “Recolte du Domaine Voarick”(Givry, France) $28 (87.38)
As you can see all these wines are Very Good or Better. It was one of our best tastings this year. These Pinots and the ones in the next post, all warrant your attention. We you hope enjoy them as much as we did.
Cheers,
Ken
» Filed Under Kens Wine Guide Tasting Panel, Pinot Noir, Wine Reviews | 1 Comment
Did We Find the Perfect Bottle of Wine?
Posted on May 13, 2009
Stop the presses, hold everything! That was my initial reaction when I tried the first sip of Rolf Binder’s 2006 Hanisch Shiraz. As readers know, I try a lot of wines. Folks that really know me also know I am a little conservative. So for me to e-mail my panel members and say “I might award this wine 100 points, do you want to come over to try it?” The reaction was a bit like a gold rush. Three members joined me to try this very memorable wine. Others wished they could make it and were sad that they missed it. Those that could join me, labored over whether it should be scored 98, 99, or 100 points. All three scores translate into an Unbelievable wine in our scoring system. The debate was on.
From my perspective, I added some of the following insight for the group. I noted that, I have tried several wines before that have scored 100 points from other reviewers. Some I agreed with, many I did not. There was also the debate of what constitutes “a perfect bottle of wine?” I would say that is up to the individual reviewer. However, you have to agree, if you try a wine and you can say “This is one of the best wines I have ever tried, you are probably getting close.” I personally cover a lot of wines these days. I found the 2006 Rolf Binder Hanisch from the Barossa Valley, Australia to be a “Super Top Shelf” wine. I noted that it has to be one of; if not the best wines, I have tried over the course of the last two years. It was impeccably balanced and smooth. It showed off its delicious blackberry flavors. The finish was so long, that panel members could not believe the length of this wine. This was truly an unbelievable wine!
In the end, the score did not really matter. While we thought about giving this wine 100 points, we decided we would have to close up shop because we would have found the elusive “perfect bottle of wine.” So we gave it 99 points and decided to continue our journey. This wine is worth every penny of the $120 investment needed to obtain a bottle. My guess is that once the word spreads, it will cost you more. So save your pennies and dollars. Make an investment and impress everyone you know. Perhaps you could even surprise Dad with this gem for Father’s Day. Drink up and enjoy. – Ken
» Filed Under Barossa Valley, Fathers Day, Gift Wine, Shiraz, Wine Recommendations, Wine Reviews | 4 Comments
Malbec Is A Red Wine On The Rise
Posted on April 13, 2009
Malbec seems to be the hot wine among red wine drinkers these days. It’s appealing, easy to drink, and in most cases affordable. Given the popularity of this grape, the KensWineGuide.com Tasting Panel decided to conduct a blind tasting of this wine varietal. In the blind tasting we reviewed twelve wines and recommended eleven of them. The wines ranged in price from $15 to $35. Ten of the wines were from Argentina. The other two came from Chile and Paso Robles, California. Ironically, the Malbec from Paso Robles won the tasting and the wine from Chile didn’t make the cut. All the Malbecs from Argentina were recommended.
You might be a bit surprised by our winner, but we weren’t. We had this delicious Malbec at the 2009 Boston Wine Expo and it blew us away. The producer wanted us to put it in the blind tasting against some of the best Malbecs from Argentina to see how it would perform. It performed well and lived up to its producers expectations. What was this mystery Malbec? It was the 2006 Peachy Canyon “Ms. Behave” for $32. It is 100% Malbec from Paso Robles, California. It rocked the tasting panel. The panel gave this wine straight A’s and ultimately scored it 92.5 points. I personally scored it 94 points blind and 94 points at the Expo unblind. This wonderful wine is a very dark opaque purple and opens with a light sweet blueberry bouquet with a hint of blackberry and vanilla spice. On the palate, this wine is full-bodied, wonderfully balanced, smooth and elegant. It has delicious blueberry flavors. You can only order this wine at the winery or via their website. There are only 294 cases. Grab some of this gem today. Many of the tasting panel members already stocked up.
Our second place finisher turned out to be one of the best deals of the tasting. The panel awarded the 2007 Dona Paula “Estate” Malbec with 91 points. One of the best aspect of this terrific wine is that it only costs $16 and there were 47,000 cases made. It should also be noted that the panelists pegged this wine to cost between $20 and $30. The panel described this wine as full-bodied, exhibiting excellent balance, and displaying very rich red raspberry flavors. We highly recommend you buy this terrific Malbec for your next party or barbecue this summer.
Our third place winner was the 2006 Trivento “Golden Reserve” Malbec for $20. This wine also was given the Very Good+ nod and was awarded 90.3 points from the panel. It opened with a heavenly spicy blueberry bouquet. On the palate, this wine was full-bodied, smooth, and creamy with slightly tart cherry vanilla flavors. The panel thought this wine would pair nicely with coq au vin or blackened catfish. Following closely behind the Trivento was the 2007 Susanna Balbo “Signature” Malbec for $27. This Malbec was blended with a touch of Cabernet Sauvignon. (10%) This was our final 90 point winner. We scored it exactly 90 points. This offering was medium-bodied, balanced, and showed no hard edges. Many of the panelists thought this wine could be even better with some cellar time. If you could not resist, you could decant it and enjoy it now with a steak with a béarnaise sauce.
Our 5th place finisher was the 2007 Luca Malbec. $35 As readers may recall this producer won our Syrah/Shiraz tasting a few months back. Although the panel did not think this wine was as good as their yummy Syrah, they did think it was Very Good and awarded it with 88.8 points. It opened with a musty and spicy berry like bouquet. On the palate, it was full-bodied, quite smooth, with very tasty plum and light blackberry flavors. The panel thought this Malbec would pair well with a big, juicy prime rib. In 6th place was the 2006 Salentein “Reserve.” This wine scored 88.5 points. It costs $21 and there is plenty of it as 47,000 cases were made. It opens with a light blueberry bouquet with a hint of spice and oak. It is medium-bodied, displays nicely integrated acidity, and is packed with juicy red raspberry fruit. It would be ideal pork chops with a fig sauce.
Other Recommended Malbecs or Malbec Blends:
7.) Mendel 2006 Malbec (Lujan de Cuyo, Arg) $27 (87.3)
8.) Ben Marco 2007 (90% Malbec & 10% Bonarda) (Mendoza) $20 (87.3)
9.) La Posta 2007 (60% Malbec, 20% Bonarda, & 20% Syrah) “Cocina Blend” $15 (87.1)
10.) La Posta 2007 Malbec “Angel Parducci Vineyard” $18 (87.0)
11.) La Posta 2007 Malbec “Pizzella Family Vineyard” $18 (87.0)
Finally, we tried three value priced Malbecs to see how they would perform. In these hard economic times, readers are looking for deals. Well, we found these 3 offerings to be pretty good. We scored them all Good+. One of them was almost Very Good. That wine was the 2007 Salentein “Finca El Portillo” Malbec. We scored this wine 86.5 points. Not bad for a wine that only costs $11. There is also a lot of it (71,000 cases made), so it should be easy to find. This Malbec is medium-bodied, balanced, and smooth with juicy light blackberry flavors. It would be a fine option to have with a burger with sautéed mushrooms and smoked Gouda cheese.
The other two value options were the 2007 Budini Malbec $11 and the 2007 Dona Paula “Los Cardos” Malbec $10. We scored both of these wines 86 points. The Budini is medium-bodied, soft, and very easy to drink. It offers pleasant light black cherry flavors. We felt this wine would be a nice glass pour option at an Italian restaurant. The Dona Paula “Los Cardos”is the little sister to our 2nd place finisher. It is medium-bodied, balanced, and soft with no hard edges. The flavor profile is a light black cherry with hints of vanilla and light oak. The panel felt this wine would serve well as a pleasant introduction into red wine and particularly Malbec.
We hope this Malbec tasting encourages you to go out and try this exciting red wine. There are plenty of great options listed above. There is also a wide range of reasonable pricing. We are certain you can find one or two options that will fit your budget. You can have your own blind tasting and see which Malbec appeals most to you and your friends. Malbec is a fun wine and very appealing. Enjoy - Ken
» Filed Under Argentina, Dona Paula, Kens Wine Guide Tasting Panel, Malbec, Peachy Canyon, Wine Recommendations, Wine Reviews | 2 Comments
Food Friendly New York Finger Lakes Rieslings
Posted on March 31, 2009
The Ken’s Wine Guide Tasting Panel recently tasted New York Finger Lakes Rieslings. We were pleased with the quality of the wines we tasted. Before we get to the Riesling results, I wanted to mention that Theresa and I visited this up and coming wine region in August 2007. The Finger Lakes wine region is located in upstate New York, south of the New York State Thruway (Interstate 90), between Syracuse and Rochester. During our visit to the Finger Lakes wine region, we were impressed with how tranquil and scenic the area is. We found the wineries to be welcoming and the wine to be of Very Good quality.
The Finger Lakes wine region is well known for its Rieslings. We conducted two tastings of the 2007 Rieslings from this region. Our blind tasting was focused on “Dry” Rieslings. We reviewed twelve wines and recommended nine of them as Very Good or better. In our second non-blind mini tasting, we reviewed “semi dry” or regular Rieslings. From that tasting, we recommended five additional Rieslings. In both wine tastings the Rieslings we recommended were food-friendly, and we suggested some foods we thought would pair well with the wines.
Which wine won the Riesling tasting? The winner was the 2007 Hermann J. Wiemer “Magdalena Vineyard” Dry Riesling $30. This wine was the only wine in this tasting to score in the Very Good+ range. The panel awarded it with 90.1 points, and it was our clear winner. It was light-bodied, impressively balanced, off-dry, and uniformly coated the mouth with lemon tea-like flavors. The panel also noted some peach flavors and notes of minerality as well. The finish is very refreshing and dries out in the aftertaste. The panel would pair this terrific Riesling with swordfish or ham. This wine is limited in production with only 160 cases made. Call the winery and see if you can get some. You will be very happy that you made the call.
Our second place finisher was also a limited production single vineyard offering. The Ravines 2007 “Argetsinger Vineyard” Dry Riesling for $25 was a very nice Riesling. The panel scored this wine an 89.33. This wine was truly a dry-styled wine. It was also light-bodied, well-balanced, and crisp. The flavor profile is citrus with mineral notes infused throughout. The finish remained dry and was very refreshing. This was another wine we thought would pair well with swordfish. Again, I would call the winery to obtain some of this wine as there were only 150 cases made.
In third place was our value-priced Riesling winner. The 2007 Hosmer “Dry” Riesling for $12 is a steal. Hosmer is located on Cayuga Lake. They made 350 cases of this wine. At this price, it will be gone soon! Be sure to stock up on this one for sure. We scored this wine 89.3 points. It is light-bodied, crisp, and brisk. It displays tangy, green apple flavors with notes of grapefruit. We recommend it with chicken divan or chicken cordon bleu.
Our 4th and 5th place finishers both came from the Hermann Wiemer Winery. The 2007 Hermann Wiemer Winery “Dry Reserve” Riesling for $25 scored 88.3 points. It was medium-bodied, balanced, and had some viscosity. It tasted off dry with ripe Anjou pear, and white peach-like flavors. Just behind it was the 2007 Hermann Wiemer “Dry” Riesling. This entry level offering from Wiemer is a bargain at $18. It displays light lime flavors with hints of lemon, and notes of minerality. With 3,500 cases made, this wine should be much easier to find than some of the others. We scored this wine 88.2 points.
Other Recommended Finger Lakes “Dry Rieslings”:
6.) Hermann J. Wiemer 2007 Riesling “HJW Vineyard Dry” $39 (87.3)
7.) Dr. Konstantin Frank 2007 Riesling “Dry” $17 (87.2)
8.) Atwater Estate 2007 Riesling “Dry” $18 (87.1)
9.) Red Newt 2007 Riesling “Dry Reserve” $24 (87.0)
In the New York Finger Lakes Riesling Tastings Part 2 we tried a few Rieslings and “Semi Dry” Rieslings. From this grouping we recommended five wines.
Our winner was the 2007 Anthony Road “Semi-Dry” Riesling for $16. We scored this wine 90 points and found it to be a terrific bargain. On the palate, we thought this wine was light-bodied, very nicely balanced, and smooth. It displayed off dry green apple flavors with a touch of honey. There were notes of green grape flavors as well. The finish was slightly sweet, and it lingers quite nicely. This Riesling would be the perfect accompaniment for lobster bisque or chicken cordon bleu.
Next up was the 2007 Sheldrake Point Riesling for $16. We thought this was another nice bargain and scored it 89 points. There were 743 cases made of this wine, so you should be able to find some. It is light-bodied and very nicely balanced. It displays very tasty green apple flavors and pleasant notes of minerality and honey. In third place was the 2007 Dr. Konstantin Frank “Semi Dry” Riesling for $16. This wine opens with an attractive aromatic ripe peach and orange peel-like bouquet. It is light-bodied, balanced, and easy to drink. The flavor profile was “off dry” with tasty apricot flavors. We thought it would be a refreshing choice poolside this summer. We scored this wine 88.7 points.
The last two recommended Rieslings are from two producers that have scored well with the KWG Tasting Panel in the past. The 2007 Standing Stone Riesling for $14 scored 88 points. This wine displayed off-dry lemon flavors with some tea mixed in as well. We thought this wine was food-friendly and would be a nice complement to a turkey dinner. The last wine we recommended from this group was the 2007 Atwater Estate Riesling for $17. We scored this wine Very Good, and awarded it 87 points. This wine was light-bodied, balanced, and displayed unique guava and light green pear-like flavors. This wine would also pair nicely with turkey.
The Finger Lakes Wine Region is also well known for their delicious Dessert and Ice Wines. Listed below are three wines we recently tried that are affordable, and we think you will absolutely love them. We did!
The 2007 Standing Stone “Vidal Ice” is outstanding. It is consistently one of my favorite wines from the Finger Lakes. I savor every drop each year. This year I shared it with the KWG Tasting Panel. They loved it and scored it 91.1 points. This 375 ml bottle costs only $20 and is a heck of a bargain. It is golden yellow in color, and opens with an attractive apricot and honey-like bouquet. On the palate, it is full-bodied, rich, and creamy. It displays sweet apricot flavors. It’s delicious! There were 832 cases made, so you should be able to get some for your next dinner party.
Two other options you should consider: The 2007 Wiemer “Late Harvest” Riesling $23 was very well received in one of our mini tasting panels. We also recently re-tried the Wagner 2007 “Riesling Ice Wine” $23. Both of these dessert wines are terrific and are wonderful bargains. The Weimer is in a full size bottle, and that is a lot of delicious wine for the money. The Wagner Riesling ice wine was one of the top dessert wines we tried at last year’s Golden Nose awards. We think both are worth enjoying with your friends after dinner.
We really enjoyed tasting the variety of Finger Lakes Rieslings from this terrific New York wine region. If you would like to explore the Finger Lakes and experience these wonderful wines, you should check out www.FingerLakesWineCountry.com. Most of the wineries are on both sides of Seneca Lake. There are also wineries of note on the western shore of Cayuga Lake and down at Keuka Lake. We previously wrote a blog post on some of the wineries we visited on our August 2007 trip to the Finger Lakes wine region.
There are two exciting Finger Lakes wine events coming up this spring and summer. Coming up in May is the 2009 Golden Nose Awards which is a wine tasting where the public can participate in the judging. Each participant will be trained on the aspects of technical wine tasting. This is a fun event and very educational. The Golden Nose Awards will be held in Corning, New York on May 29th and 30th, 2009. Coming up this summer in the Finger Lakes is the ever popular Finger Lakes Wine Festival held at the Watkins Glen Race Track on July 17-19th, 2009. Both events are a great excuse to visit the area, and experience the wines of the Finger Lakes. Enjoy - Ken
» Filed Under Dessert Wine, Destinations, Finger Lakes Wine Region, Golden Nose Awards, Ice Wine, Kens Wine Guide Tasting Panel, New York, Riesling, White Wine | 2 Comments
California Zinfandel Winners
Posted on March 16, 2009
We recently conducted a blind tasting of California Zinfandels. Most of the submissions were from the 2006 vintage. There were a few from the 2005 and the 2007 vintages. For the most part we found the 2006 vintage to be more tannic and less fruit driven than the 2005 vintage. Where the 2005 vintage tended to be soft, elegant, and food-friendly, 2006 was more like the 2004 vintage in that its tannins and power are the story. The interesting part will be to see how some of theses wines develop with some cellar time. As the tannins disappear the question is will there be enough fruit in these wines for them to still be really interesting in 3 to 5 years? One panelist commented that the entry level Zins might be more favorable than the premium offerings in 2006 since their tannin levels are more approachable now and the fruit is still young and fresh.
In the end we found several Very Good options and only a few that we did not recommend at the premium price level. The consensus was that there were only a few 90 point wines. In our initial blind tasting we tried fourteen Zins. Three of them scored Very Good + or over 90 points. Eight others scored Very Good. Three wines did not make the cut. In our follow-up mini tasting, the results were less impressive. Only seven wines out of fifteen wines were recommended.
Our winner is not an unknown in the Zinfandel world. Hartford Family Winery has been producing award winning Zins for many years. This year the Hartford Family Winery 2006 “Russian River Valley” Zinfandel for $35 stole the show. The panel scored this wine 91.6 points. It is medium-bodied, very well-balanced, has good structure, and delicious silky blackberry flavors with a dash of cinnamon. The finish sails on for quite some time. The panel was quite impressed and enamored by this wine. The primary factor that made this Zin stand out was how well the tannins were tamed and managed compared to some of the other entries.
Our second place finisher came from the 2005 vintage. It seems that every year in our Zin tasting an older wine sneaks into one of the top slots in our blind tasting. This year it was the 2005 Murphy Goode “Snake Eyes” Zinfandel $35. This wine also scored Very Good + and was awarded 91 points. This wine was medium-bodied and very well-balanced and silky with delicious spicy black cherry flavors and a hint of chocolate. The panel would pair this food-friendly Zin with a filet mignon or even a tuna steak. This Zinfandel was a perfect example of the refinement that could be achieved in the 2005 vintage at the premium level.
In third place, we were not surprised to see one of Carol Shelton’s Zins near the top. The Carol Shelton 2006 “Rocky Reserve” Zinfandel from the Florence Vineyard in Rockpile is always a steady performer. The panel scored this wine 90.1 points. This wine retails for $33. This Zin was medium-bodied, smooth, and balanced. It displayed savory cherry and chocolate flavors. The panel thought this Zin would be ideal with a cowboy rib eye or mushroom risotto.
In fourth place was an old standby. The 2006 Michael & David Phillips “Earthquake” for $28 frequently seems to delight our tasting panel. The panel scored it 89.2 points. We described this wine as medium-bodied and a juicy fruit bomb. The flavor profile is tart black raspberry with notes of black pepper. It was built for a New York sirloin steak with a brown mushroom sauce. Next up was the 2006 Peachy Canyon “Mustang Springs” Zinfandel $36. This offering scored a Very Good with 88.5 points. This Zin was smooth and elegant with light black raspberry flavors. It also had very interesting building tannins that lingered for quite some time. The panel thought this offering was quite versatile and would pair it with braised short ribs, meatloaf, or roast beef.
Rounding out our top wines was the 2006 Carlisle “Carlisle Vineyard” Zinfandel from the Russian River Valley $40. The panel awarded this wine with 88.1 points. This offering is 84% Zinfandel and 16% Mixed Blacks. This wine had a black currant flavor profile with a hint of black licorice mixed in. The panel would match this wine with veal medallions in a brown sauce.
Other recommended Zinfandels from the first tasting:
7.) Peachy Canyon 2006 “Old School House” Zinfandel $36 (Paso Robles, CA) (87.9)
8.) Alexander Valley Vineyards 2005 “Redemption Zin” $25 (Dry Creek Valley, CA) (87.6)
9.) Ravenswood 2006 Zinfandel “Big River” $35 (Alexander Valley, CA) (87.5)
10.) Ravenswood 2006 “Belloni” Zinfandel $35 (Russian River Valley, CA) (87.1)
11.) Ravenswood 2006 “Dickerson” Zinfandel $35 (Napa Valley, CA) (87.0)
In the second tasting we focused on value priced Zins and new brands. The winner of this tasting was the Murphy Goode 2006 “Liars Dice” Zinfandel for $21. We scored this wine Very Good and awarded it with 89 points. I found this entry level Zin from Sonoma County to be showing quite well right now. It is medium-bodied, nicely balanced, and very easy to drink with its tasty black raspberry flavors and spicy black pepper notes. It is very food-friendly and would pair nicely with a gourmet burger.
Another wine that scored 89 points is the Gloria’s 2005 “Old Vines” Zinfandel from Mendocino. There is not a lot of this wine, with 130 cases produced. For $18 we found this wine to be quite impressive. It opens with an attractive and aromatic boysenberry-like bouquet with a hint of spice. It continues with silky and soft light boysenberry jam flavors. We would pair it with a juicy pulled pork sandwich.
In third place was a producer that is new to the game. From what I can see and taste, they are off to a very good start. The 2006 Big Fish Zin from Dry Creek Valley was really good and we scored it 88.5 points. It opens with an attractive spicy, black cherry bouquet. It was nicely balanced, smooth, and juicy with very tasty black cherry flavors and notes of vanilla. I was also impressed with its managed tannins which were nicely prolonged. It was quite impressive for a first time effort. We did note however, that at $42, it did have the highest price point when compared to all the other entries from both tastings.
Our fourth place wine is not a stranger to recognition. The 2007 Edmeades $20 from Mendocino County was one of the first Zinfandels we tried of the 2007 vintage. What we found was a balanced and very juicy wine with ripe raspberry flavors. We scored it Very Good and awarded it with 88 points. We thought this was a very approachable Zin that would pair nicely with grilled barbecue chicken.
Carol Shelton returns to the recommended circle with her second entry. The Carol Shelton 2006 “Monga Zin” $21 from the Lopez Vineyard in the Cucamonga Valley scored 87 points. This offering opens with a red currant-like bouquet with a hint of mint. It was medium-bodied, balanced, and has a dry mouth feel. The flavor profile is a dusty black cherry with notes of black currant. We thought it would pair really well with a slow cooked beef brisket. Next up was the 2007 Alexander Valley Vineyards “Sin Zin.” This $20 offering from the Alexander Valley is a nice quaffing wine for $20. It is balanced and very easy to drink with light black raspberry flavors with a hint of black pepper. It would be a perfect compliment for grilled barbecue chicken this summer.
Finally, I would be very remiss if I did not mention two other high flying Zins that we have tried in the last 6 months.
The 2007 Seghesio “Sonoma County” Zinfandel might be the best Zin for the money at $24. I scored this wine a Very Good+ and gave it 91 points. Some of my colleagues liked it even more that I did. This wine is consistently Very Good or better every year. I personally believe this year’s vintage might be the best offering at the Sonoma County level that I can remember. It is medium-bodied, nicely balanced, and as smooth as silk, with spicy blueberry flavors and a hint of black pepper. It was truly impressive for an entry level offering.
Lastly, you have to go out of your way to get your hands on a bottle or two of the 2005 Carol Shelton Zinfandel from the “Maple Vineyard” in the Dry Creek Valley. This Zin is the wine that Zin lovers dream about!! At $33 this wine is a steal. I scored it 93 points. It is full-bodied, smooth, and well balanced. The flavor profile is tasty with juicy raspberry flavors. This is the style of Zin that made the Maple Vineyard so famous among Zin fans. Grab a bottle and enjoy!
We hope you enjoy these Zinfandels as much as we did. There are many styles to choose from. Find the style and vintage that works best for you. Given the economy you might even find some bargains. Cheers until next post. Ken
To view the complete list of Ken’s Wine Guide recommended Zinfandels click here.
» Filed Under California, Wine Recommendations, Wine Reviews, Zinfandel | Leave a Comment
Syrahs From South of the Equator Rock
Posted on February 16, 2009
At
our recent blind tasting of Shiraz and Syrahs, the KensWineGuide.com tasting panel awarded top honors to wines that were grown and produced in Australia, Argentina, and South Africa. Our winner is a familiar name to those who follow Aussie Shiraz. It was the 2005 Henry’s Drive Shiraz $40. This 100% Shiraz hails from the Padthaway region in Australia. The panel scored this impressive wine 91.43 points. It was medium-bodied, smooth, well balanced, and displayed delicious blueberry flavors. There was also an interesting touch of pepper and spice as well. The panel was very impressed with this Shiraz.
In second place was a Syrah that was a bit more of a shocker to the panel when it was unveiled. It was the Luca 2006 Syrah “Laborde Double Select” Syrah. This wine is 100% Syrah and comes from the La Consulta region in Argentina. Yes, Argentina! At $25 per bottle the panel thought that this wine was a steal. They gave it 91.14 points. It was a very dark opaque, purple colored wine that was medium-bodied, ultra smooth, and very well balanced. It also had delicious blueberry flavors. I sense a blueberry flavor theme happening here. When it came to ordering wines for the panelists own cellars, this was the Syrah of choice.
Third place was captured by a wine that always does well with the KWG tasting panel. The 2006 Rudi Schultz Syrah from Stellenbosch, South Africa always seems to finish near the top of the list. This year the panel scored this wine 90.86 points. The panel felt this offering would appeal to readers who like Syrahs from the Rhone Valley. It displayed some very interesting smoky black currant flavors with notes of blueberry and oak. It also was quite dry. The panel felt this wine was still a bit young and would really develop into something special with some cellar time. Buy a bottle of this wine and stash it away for a year or two.
In fourth place we returned to the Henry’s Drive family. The 2006 Henry’s Drive “Dead Letter Office” Shiraz for $27 scored Very Good+ with 90 points from the panel. This wine was sourced from two regions in Australia. Those regions are the McLaren Vale and the Padthaway. This offering was more like the traditional Aussie style with its smooth, but juicy blackberry flavors. The panel would pair this wine with a big thick ribeye or duck.
Just missing the Very Good+ mark was our 5th place finisher. The 2006 Yangarra “Single Vineyard” Shiraz for $25 scored a Very Good 89.33 points from the panel. This 100% Shiraz is also from the McLaren Vale region in
Our sixth place finisher was the Carchelo 2006 “Altico A” Syrah $20. The panel was impressed with this wine from Jumilla, Spain. Most folks do not equate Syrah with Spain so we were very pleased to see this wine perform well. We scored this wine Very Good with 88.79 points. Next up was a blend from down under. The Lane Vineyard 2006 “Off the Leash Max” $24 is a blend of 94% Shiraz & 6% Viognier. This Cote Rotie styled wine from Adelaide Hills, Australia scored 88.71 points. It was very easy to drink and displayed juicy black currant like flavors. The panel thought this wine would pair quite nicely with beef bourguignon.
The other Syrahs that we recommended are as follows:
Cadaretta 2006 Syrah $32 (Columbia Valley, WA) (88.58)
9) Trecini 2006 Syrah “Ladi’s Vineyard” $25 (Sonoma County, CA) (88.36)
10) Longwood 2006 Shiraz $30 (McLaren Vale) (88.14)
11) Cambria 2005 Syrah “Tepusquet Vineyard” $19 (Santa Maria Valley, CA) (87.93)
12) Ross Estate 2006 Shiraz “Single Vineyard” $28 (Barossa Valley, Aust.) (87.86)
In our mini-tasting of additional Syrahs we recommended a few as well.
We thought the 2006 Brampton Shiraz $14 from South Africa was made in an Old World style. It opened with a smoky campfire like bouquet. It was medium-bodied and showed no hard edges. Its flavor profile was an austere oak influenced black raspberry. Neither the oak nor the fruit are dominant here. They are equal parts. The group thought this wine would pair nicely with beef brisket. We scored this wine Very Good with 88 points.
On the value side we found a Good Shiraz blend worth considering given its $12 price tag. The 2006 Pillar Box “Red” is a Good wine. We scored it 86 points. It is made from 50% Shiraz, 42% Cabernet Sauvignon, and 8% Merlot. If you like your everyday reds to be ripe and fruity, this wine might be the perfect option for you. Try it with a barbecue pulled pork sandwich and enjoy.
On the completely opposite end of the spectrum we tried two Collectible Shirazs that are worth noting. The first is the always impressive 2006 Shirvington Shiraz $75. We thought this wine was Excellent and we thought it was quite memorable. My client who we shared this with was still talking about it days later. We scored this wine 94 points. The other collectible Syrah that I wanted to mention was the 2005 Spring Mountain Syrah $55 from Napa Valley. This wine is consistently well made every year. This year we scored the 2005 vintage Very Good+ with 90 points.
All in all we were quite pleased with these tastings. In the main event, 12 out of 14 wines qualified as recommended. I personally think this grape is going to continue to grow in popularity. Cheers - Ken
» Filed Under Kens Wine Guide Tasting Panel, Shiraz, Syrah | 2 Comments
The World of White Whites Has Many Terrific and Affordable Options
Posted on January 19, 2009
We just finished reviewing many White Wines. We started with a blind tasting of Pinot Gris - Grigio, Pinot Blancs, and White Blends. From this tasting we came away with two Pinots Gris options that stood out. The Willamette Valley Vineyards 2007 $15 was our panel’s favorite. It was balanced, gentle, and showed citrus-like flavors. We scored this Pinot Gris 87.43 points. We also recommended the 2006 Rex Hill Pinot Gris $16. This wine was described by the KWG Tasting Panel as “a nice winter white wine.” It was medium-bodied, well balanced, creamy, and had a very nice mouthfeel.
In part two of this tasting we covered some White Blends. Again, two wines stood out as being tops. The 2006 DeLille “Chalear Estate” $32 is a blend of 61% Sauvignon Blanc and 39% Semillon from Columbia Valley in Washington State. This wine was our highest scoring wine of the evening with a score of 88.64. This wine opens with a light honeydew melon-like bouquet. It was balanced and elegant, with integrated acidity and lemony flavors. The panel felt this charming wine would pair quite nicely with chicken picatta. The runner up in this section of the tasting was the 2006 Tablas Creek “Côte de Tablas Blanc.” $22 This offering is an interesting blend of 59% Viognier, 32% Marsanne, 6% Grenache Blanc, and 3% Roussanne from Paso Robles, California. The panel felt this wine was medium bodied and had lots of character. It was balanced, savory, with tart green apple flavors with a touch of dried apricot and minerals.
We also conducted a number of mini tastings over the holiday season with specific varietals in mind. In one tasting we compared one of my favorite grapes, Gewurztraminer, and came away recommending quite a few. Let’s start with the new “Gold” standard in Gewurz as far as I am concerned. The Navarro Vineyards 2007 “Dry” Gewurztraminer for $19 is Excellent and heavenly! I scored this wine 94 points and think it might even rival the 2000 which I considered the previous gold standard. This wine hails from Anderson Valley, CA. Navarro sells most of their wines direct so readers should go to their website to order some of this gem. If you love Gewurz like I do, you must try this wine. You also must read my review, because to get the most out of this wine it needs to be served at the right temperature. I will tell you it is well-balanced and slightly viscous with delicious lychee and lime flavors. You should seek out this terrific wine.
Other Gewurztraminers we tried and recommended were as follows. The 2006 Navarro Vineyards “Dry” Gewurztraminer $19 was Very Good and we scored this wine 89 points. It opens with an attractive floral and peach-like bouquet. It was light bodied, well balanced, and has noticeable, but nicely integrated acidity. Its flavor profile was light lime with hints of lychee and spice. 
Staying with the Dry styled Gewurz we really enjoyed the 2006 Herman J. Wiemer Gewürztraminer $22 from the Finger Lakes in upstate New York. This Gewurtz was wonderfully aromatic with a classic lychee-like bouquet. It was a full-bodied wine that is balanced, creamy, and viscous with lychee flavors with a touch of spice and sweetened lemon tea. This was a perfect Thanksgiving option.
Next up was the Snoqualmie 2007 “Naked” Gewurztraminer for $12. The “Naked” name of this wine, means that it is made from 100% certified Organic grapes. Which several tasters felt was a plus once they were informed. It is a light bodied wine that shows a little residual sugar and is slightly sweet. It displays primarily apricot and peach like flavors. There is also a touch of lime and spice as well. It was a nice mixture. The panel felt this wine would pair nicely with bacon wrapped scallops or an oven baked ham.
If you are a New Zealand Sauvignon Blanc fan and want to try something new, you might want to give this Gewurtz a try. The Ventana 2007 Gewurztraminer $16 from Arroyo Seco, CA was voted as Very Good. This offering is lively and crisp with lime flavors with notes of green apple. We thought it was semi dry and very refreshing. This Gewurz would pair nicely with grilled swordfish with lemon.
Finally, for readers that like their wines a little bit on sweet side, you might prefer the 2007 Chateau Ste. Michelle Gewurtztraminer. $10 This Very Good value wine is moderately sweet with light lime flavors and some hints of spice. It would be perfect with chicken lo mein.
The next mini tasting was Viognier. It yielded 2 winners. The big winner was the 2008 Cono Sur “Bicycle” Viognier for $10. It might be one of the bargain wines of the year. We scored this wine Very Good and gave it 88 points. This tasty wine is from the Colchagua Valley in Chile. It would be a perfect wine to serve at a party. It’s quite pleasing, it’s affordable, and you would be introducing most of your guests to a new grape.
The second Viognier that we recommended was the 2007 Bergevin Lane Viognier from Columbia Valley, WA. $25 We scored this blend of 92% Viognier & 8% Roussanne with 87 points. It was light-bodied, balanced, and easy to drink. It shows light citrus flavors and a touch of honey. The group thought this wine would pair very nicely with a delicate meal like Dover sole.
Next up was Chenin Blanc blends. The first was the 2007 Pine Ridge $14 which is a blend of 80% Chenin and 20% Viognier. We scored this wine Very Good. It is a wine that seems to be consistently Very Good every year. This year’s version was light bodied, with some roundness, with forward tangy lemon lime flavors. We thought this wine would appeal to readers who like New Zealand Sauvignon Blanc. It is best to serve it cool, not cold with grilled swordfish with lemon. The other Chenin we liked was the 2007 Simonsig from Stellenbosch, South Africa. For $12 we thought this wine would serve the reader well if they were looking for an everyday white wine quaffer. We scored this wine 86 points. (Good+)
Speaking of quaffers, we came across 2 French white blends that were both affordable and tasty. Both options scored an 86 (Good+) First was the 2007 Perrin & Fils “Cotes du Rhone Reserve Blanc” for $11. This wine is made from 50% Grenache Blanc, 20% Bourboulenc, 10% Marsanne, 10% Viognier, & 10% Roussanne. If you have not had many of these affordable Grenache Blanc driven options from the Rhone, you should try some starting with this wine. For another option, readers should consider the 2007 La Vieille Ferme “Cotes du Luberon” for $9. This wine is made from 30% Grenache Blanc, 30% Bourboulenc, 30% Ugni Blanc, & 10% Roussanne. It is medium bodied, round, slightly creamy, and very easy to drink with light apple flavors. This bargain wine would complement a light fish meal like sole.
While we were tasting some European options, we tackled some indigenous Italian and Portugal options. The two that we recommended from Italy were from the same producer. The first and our favorite was the 2007 Mastroberardino “Greco di Tufo” $25 We scored this wine Very Good with 88 points. We really liked the balance, with a little crispiness, to go along with its mineral infused lime-like flavors. The other option was the 2007 Mastroberardino “Falanghina” $20 from Sannio, Italy. This wine also had minerally infused flavors but they were more Anjou pear like.
From Portugal, we recommended the 2007 Castello D’Alba “Reserva Branco” $15 from Douro. As a matter of fact, this is the 3rd time that I have recommended this wine. It is medium bodied, creamy, smooth, with mild apricot and pear like flavors. Serve it with chicken, broccoli, and penne smothered with a white cream sauce.
Lastly, I thought I would share some of the other gems that fit the Misc. White varietals bill. The 2006 J Vineyards Pinot Gris $20 from the Russian River Valley” may be the best Pinot Gris that I have had from California in quite some time. This wine is full bodied, very well balanced, and creamy with delicious fruit forward pear like flavors with a hint of apple and minerality on the back palate. It was a true gem & I scored it Very Good+ with 93 points. I hear the 2007 is Very Good as well, but I have yet to try it.
Another Very Good option is the 2007 Fillaboa “Albarino”from Rias Baixas, Spain for $17. This wine is a nice representation of the grape. It is nicely balanced and rather savory with light lime like flavors with a touch of minerality. It’s a very food friendly wine that would pair well