Friday, December 5, 2008

Wines Tasted in October

2004 Gallagher U Brew Pinot Gris USA, Oregon, Yamhill County Consistent with other bottles.

2001 Covey Run Merlot Barrel Select USA, Washington, Columbia Valley Not as good as the 2000 vintage. A bit more of a green note. Still a good mid week wine for a great price.

2002 Leonetti Cellar Merlot Columbia Valley USA, Washington, Columbia Valley Complex. What I am coming to find with higher end wines is that they are head and shoulders above other wines in complexity. There was nothing drop dead tasty about this wine (though it was very good), but it was interesting from start to finish. The balance was amazing. I have never had that much oak in a wine while never once thinking about the wood. Don't know if I would ever purchase this wine again to drink. This wine makes you want to contemplate.

2005 Mannina Cellars Sangiovese USA, Washington, Columbia Valley Light color, reminded me of pommegranate juice. Wonderful nose of earth and a floral element. Good amount of fruit on the palate. Paired well with a potato and leek soup. Got a bit spicy as the evening wore on. Love it when Sangio is done right. Would purchase again.

2001 Ledson Chardonnay Russian River Valley USA, California, Sonoma County, Russian River Valley Long finish. Nose was somewhat dull. Good pear and honey flavors. Medium on the buttery texture.

2002 Frog's Leap Chardonnay USA, California, Napa Valley Heavy green apple nose and palette. Very refreshing for a hot day.

2001 Covey Run Merlot Barrel Select USA, Washington, Columbia Valley Time to start drinking these up. Still has the drying, green flavor profile. Was hoping that it was just the last couple of bottles, but no such luck. Not bad by any means, but I don't think that this is going to improve any more with age.

2006 Animale Grenache USA, Washington, Columbia Valley, Yakima Valley Popped and poured. Wife liked this better after about an hour open. Got a bit of oak and some spicy dirt. Nose was very perfumed, but could not pick up on what it was I was smelling. A bit bighty on the palate, but enjoyable. Finish was nice. Would purchase again.

2001 Terra Blanca Syrah USA, Washington, Columbia Valley, Red Mountain Fruit forward, blackberry front palate,tannic on the backend.

2001 Domaine Coteau Pinot Noir USA, Oregon, Yamhill County Cooked. Signs of seepage.

2005 Alexandria Nicole Shepherd's Mark Destiny Ridge Vineyards USA, Washington, Columbia Valley, Horse Heaven Hills Paired with a chantrelle crusted chicken breast. Nose was hiding a bit tonight. Getting a little bit of grassiness and green fruit. Decent amount of acidity without making the wine sharp. Enjoyed. Would purchase again.

2006 Arlington Road Cellars Riesling Imperium Charbonneau Farms USA, Washington, Columbia Valley Baking spices on the nose. A little bit of sweetness. Not as much acidity as I would like, tended to get a little bit flabby by the end of the bottle. Flavors of peach and pear. Better efforts out there for the same price point. Would not purchase again.

2003 Ross Andrew Winery Cabernet Sauvignon USA, Washington, Columbia Valley Losing some of it's primary fruit and starting to get a bit more complex. Nose of smoke and roasted stuffed green peppers. Smoothe mouthfeel and tight dark fruit flavors. Finish was soft, but lasted a good while. Would purchase again.

Non Vintage Gloria Ferrer Brut USA, California, Sonoma County Green apple quick step. Very dry, TART green apple nose and flavors. Quick finish. Decent bottle of sparkling wine for a non special occasion.

2002 Ravenswood Zinfandel Lodi USA, California, Central Valley, Lodi Still nice. Starting to lose some of it's spiciness. Tasted more like a cabernet than your typical zin. Would purchase again.

2004 Château Rouquette sur Mer Coteaux du Languedoc La Clape France, Languedoc Roussillon, Languedoc, Coteaux du Languedoc La Clape No nose to speak of, and the flavor is starting to fail.

2004 Robert Karl Cellars Claret USA, Washington, Columbia Valley Always a good bottle of wine. Decanted 3 hours before dinner. Paired with braised short ribs over gorgonzola polenta. Very complex nose that was not giving up it's mysteries tonight. Aroma was great, but couldn't put my finger on any specific items. Tannins are smooth and integrated. Nice medium length finish. Would purchase again.

2006 Stevens Yes USA, Washington, Columbia Valley, Yakima Valley Nice, easy drinking mid week wine. Solid fruit forward aromas and flavors. light on the tannins. Goes down nice and smoothe. Would purchase again.

2000 Château Roûmieu-Lacoste France, Bordeaux, Sauternais, Sauternes Really well balanced. Noted of honeysuckle and orange peel. Good bit of acidity to offset the sweetness. Definitely not cloying. Mouthfeel was starting to get thick. Would love to see what this would taste like with some age on it. Would purchase again.

2002 Chateau Ste. Michelle Merlot Reserve USA, Washington, Columbia Valley Started off very tannic and then the wine completely dissapeared. Not sure what happened. There was a smell to the wine that I could not identify, but was not pleasent. Glad that I had four people around to help me finish off the bottle so we could open a different one.

1993 Woodward Canyon Cabernet Sauvignon Estate Walla Walla Valley USA, Washington, Columbia Valley, Walla Walla Valley Had a few years left in the cellar if I had been more patient.

2002 Buty Chardonnay Conner Lee USA, Washington, Columbia Valley, Walla Walla Valley I don't tend to like Washington chardonnay, but this is wonderful. Just enough creaminess without being heavy and not overly acidic. Went well with roasted chicken in a cream and sherry sauce. Would definitely purchase again.

2004 Five Star Cellars Merlot USA, Washington, Columbia Valley, Walla Walla Valley This wine went through a bit of a curve tonight. Right out of the bottle there was a heavy dark fruit component that blew off quickly. It was then taken over by a heavy roasted coffee aroma. It was nice oak, but too much oak in my opinion. Mid palate left something to be desired and the finish was slightly bitter. I expect a bit more smoothness and a more round mouthfeel from Washington Merlot. This wine was alright, but not a great QPR. Would not purchase again.

2007 Stevens Cabernet Franc Mary Jeanne USA, Washington, Columbia Valley, Yakima Valley Light red color. Have not really liked this in the past, but it was alright tonight. Paired with kalua pork sandwiches and other picnic fare. Decent bottle of wine.

2007 Trust Cabernet Franc USA, Washington, Columbia Valley, Walla Walla Valley Bright pink. Paired well with kalua pork sandwiches and other picnic fare. Would purchase again.

2003 Patrick M. Paul Cabernet Franc USA, Washington, Columbia Valley, Walla Walla Valley Powerful right out of the bottle. Did not decant. Bright ruby red color. Strong dark fruit smells. Clamed down aver an hour to more of an earthy tone and aromas of roses. Wonderful stuff. Would purchase again.

2000 Waterbrook Meritage Red Mountain USA, Washington, Columbia Valley, Red Mountain Double decanted about an hour before dinner. Dark fruit aroma right out of the bottle, but this faded relatively quickly. Very dry wine with the tannins and oak starting to dominate. Hoping that this was just a slightly off bottle. Would purchase future vintages.

2004 Boudreaux Cellars Merlot USA, Washington, Columbia Valley Popped and poured. Telltale sign of Boudreaux, there was just a little heat on the nose even though the wine says 13.5%. Spice component was a bit tight tonight. Still lots of dark fruit aromas and flavors. Mouthfeel was great and the finish lasted a good long time. Would purchase again.

2004 Masquerade Merlot Klipsun Vineyard USA, Washington, Columbia Valley, Red Mountain Tasty bottle of wine. Nose of roasted coffee and coconut shells. Nice balanced acidity. Flavors of dark black fruit along with a tinge of cocoa. Smoothe, though short finish. Would purchase again.

2003 Waterbrook Mélange USA, Washington, Columbia Valley Still very young. Was better the second day. Think this could use 2-4 more years in the bottle to reach it's full potential.

2003 Hedges Family Estate CMS USA, Washington, Columbia Valley Still a bit rough. Could use more time to settle down.

2004 Avery Lane Merlot USA, Washington, Columbia Valley Good as a second bottle of wine of the night. By that point anything mediocre with work. Don't remember anything particular about this wine, but it was pleasing to drink. Would purchase again.

2000 Terra Blanca Cabernet Sauvignon Red Mountain USA, Washington, Columbia Valley, Red Mountain Lots of pipe tobacco, starting to dry out, not sure how long this will keep holding. Was still very tasty though. Drink 'em if you got 'em.

2003 Walla Walla Village Winery Cabernet Sauvignon Equinox USA, Washington, Columbia Valley, Walla Walla Valley A little tight right out of the bottle. Mellowed with air. Still very tasty second day. Not a lot of primary fruit flavors. Would purchase again.

2003 Edmonds Syrah USA, Washington, Columbia Valley Decanted, slight bit of sediment. Initial nose of roasted corn with butter and dog "poop". Thank goodness the poop smell blew off after a little bit. Nose turned more towards oak and smoke. There was also a fruit in there, but couldn't put my finger on it. Big wine, though the mouthfeel was a little thin. It was tasty, but there are many other producers out there at this price (and below) that deliver a better overall experience. Would not purchase again.

2006 Zolo Torrontés Argentina, Mendoza Crisp and refreshing. Slight effervessance. Tropical fruits and flowers, offset by a bit of grassiness. Just the right amount of acidity. No residual sugar, but there was just a hint of sweetness on the finish. good QPR. Would purchase again.

2005 Justin Vineyard Chardonnay USA, California, Central Coast, Paso Robles Good retrained flavors. Not too buttery, has more of a sauvignon blanc steely edge. After about an hour the wine developed some very focused tropical fruit notes. Really pleasant. Would purchase again.

2004 Boudreaux Cellars Chardonnay Bishop's & Homestead USA, Washington Not the wine it once was. Golden color bordering on light amber. Very muted nose with just a little bit of fruit left. Sweet apple and caramel on the palate. If you got 'em, I'd drink 'em. Would purchase future vintages.

2004 Pomum Cellars Shya Red USA, Washington, Columbia Valley, Yakima Valley Popped and poured. Color was similar to dark cranberry juice. Nose is definitely a little tight, but I blame that on my drinking it so quickly out of the bottle without time to let it breathe. Hint of cranberry on the nose with some other tart fruits thrown in. Mouthfeel was nice and smoothe. More tart flavors on the palate. Finish was short but clean. would purchase again.

1999 St. Supéry Vineyards Cabernet Sauvignon USA, California, Napa Valley Very happy with this wine. Think it is a great QPR for a domestic wine that can hold some age. Starting to develope more secondary notes. More hints of leather and tobacco. Still ample dark fruit aromas and flavors. Double decanted for sediment and poured immediately. Drank over two hours and the wine did evolve nicely. Picked up a more round and full palate. This wine could cellar for another few years very comfortably. Would purchase again.

2000 J Vineyards & Winery Vintage Brut Russian River Valley USA, California, Sonoma County, Russian River Valley Nice and dry. Bought the bottle because we received one on our wedding night from the hotel and it was our four year anniversary. One of my favorite domestic sparklers. Not a lot of yeast smells which I tend to prefer, but crisp and refreshing. Would purchase again.

1997 Sterling Vineyards Cabernet Sauvignon Reserve USA, California, Napa Valley Had with dinner for our 5 year anniversary. Talk about a bottle of wine with a lot of time left. Decanted, lots of fine graned sediment. Deep purple core with no age showing on this wine. Lively dark fruit flavors. Nose was a bit closed. Came back to the wine three hours later and it was still young and fresh. Based on current condition, I would say that this bottle will drink well for another ten years.

2003 Four Vines Zinfandel Old Vine Cuvée USA, California Decent wine. Had with a big plate of bolognese. After a while the nose took on elements of spiced crackers. Would purchase again.

2002 Merryvale Sauvignon Blanc Starmont USA, California, Napa Valley Good. Crisp apple flavors. Had more substance to it then most Sauv Blancs I have tasted. Drink in the next six months.

2005 Columbia Crest Cabernet Sauvignon Two Vines USA, Washington, Columbia Valley Needed something that would just go down easy. Showing a bit of age (odd for how young it is). Color was starting to orange a little bit and there were notes on the nose that indicated older. All in all it was uninspiring, but that is about what I expected. Would purchase again to serve a specific purpose.

2003 Boudreaux Cellars Merlot USA, Washington Has a long life ahead. Decanted. Not a lot of sediment. Dark purple. Notes of sweet fruit from a distance, the closer your nose got to the wine the tighter the wine got. Hints of dark bitter chocolate. Lots of dark fruit flavors and very grippy tannins. Would like to let this sit for a few years to see how the tannins resolve. Surprisingly, even though the wine came in at 13% alcohol, there was a touch of heat on the back of the palate that I normally associate with higher alcohol wines. Would purchase again.

2002 Chateau St. Jean Chardonnay USA, California, Sonoma County Buttery and smooth. Consistent with other vintages I have had of this wine.

2005 Fall Line Winery Cabernet Sauvignon Columbia Valley USA, Washington, Columbia Valley Decanted, not much sediment. Needed about an hour to start opening up. Red fruits on the nose with a little bit of tartness. Mouthfeel was silky. Flavors were more toned down from the last time I had this wine. More red fruit, mostly raspberry. tannins and oak were nicely integrated. Finish was short but clean. Would purchase again.

2002 Columbia Crest Two Vines Sémillon-Chardonnay USA, Washington, Columbia Valley A little heavy on the oak tonight for some reason. Decent flavors. Good mid week wine. Would purchase again.

2005 Northwest Totem Cellars Cabernet Sauvignon USA, Washington, Columbia Valley Not bringing much to the party tonight. It was good wine, but nothing stood out for me. Tannic structure was a bit soft. There was absolutely nothing wrong with this wine, but neither did anything stand out. Would not purchase again.

2001 Il Vescovado Chianti Italy, Tuscany, Chianti Too bad this was the last bottle. At $2.50 a bottle it was a great QPR. Nothing spectacular, but a great mid week wine. Paired nicely with the spaghetti Carbonara. Would purchase more if I could find it.

2005 Des Voigne Cellars Sangiovese San Remo Seven Hills Vineyard USA, Washington, Columbia Valley, Walla Walla Valley very light color, even more so than a pinot noir. Nice nose of rose petal, spice and a green strawberry element. Nice weight on the palate. Spice flavor comes through as well as some cherry. Nice wine. Would purchase again.

Non Vintage Tefft Cellars Cabernet-Merlot USA, Washington, Columbia Valley Best boxed wine ever.

2004 B.R. Cohn Zinfandel USA, California, Sonoma County, Sonoma Valley Wanted to try one of my bottles to get a base line for this wine. Purchased without tasting. Think that 2004 may have been a down year for Zin. The wine is a bit primary right now. Bright red coloring. scents of tobacco and clove. For the alcohol level I was expecting the wine to be a bit more extracted on the fruit side. Have had better Zin's in the price range and will probably go back to the Seghesio when the 2005 vintage comes out. This was a good wine, just not a good QPR. Will try another bottle in six months to a year to see if it gets better. Would not purchase again at this point.

2003 Challenger Ridge Pinot Noir USA, Washington, Puget Sound A bit harsh right out of the bottle, could have used some decanting. Started to soften up about an hour after being open. It was an alright wine but nothing struck me as Pinot. My overall impression was that it was a light boddied, easy drinking red. Would not purchase again.

2002 Amity Vineyards Pinot Noir Crannell USA, Oregon, Willamette Valley Uninspiring... Light red to orange. Fairly closed on the nose and not alot of flavors going on. It was fine to drink, but there was nothing memorable about it. Would not purchase again.

2001 Covey Run Merlot Barrel Select USA, Washington, Columbia Valley Good wine for a great price.

No comments: