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2011 Zinfandel, Private Reserve, Sonoma County, Buena Vista

The 2011 Zinfandel, Private Reserve Sonoma County (Buena Vista) stayed over with us for a couple of nights.  On the first, this spicy Zin complemented a delicious meal of pork chops, deftly ployed with a savory mustard sauce, and some leftover mashed potatoes that were just as creamy as last Saturday night when we first enjoyed them.  I had passed on opening this bottle several times since receiving but finally broke down and gave it a go this week.

Many of you know of my unrefined palate, know that Notes is just a passing fancy, something to reference and steer me right when I’m next ordering from a wine list or in the store buying.  To you, I’ll say the 2011 Zinfandel Private Reserve had some immediately noticeable spices in it.  I thought the fruit flavor might be cranberry…some red berry that was a little heavier than the raspberry or strawberry of a Pinot Noir, a bit more peppery than a Bordeaux…but really good nevertheless…both with the pork chops and pepperoni pizza the following night.

If you’re a more serious visitor, I sort of wonder how you found this blog (or why you’re still reading!) but still share here the winemaker’s original intentions for the 2011 Zinfandel, Private Reserve: “A beautifully rich, ruby colored wine, the nose opens with expressive aromas of black plum, blueberry, and notes of freshly cracked pepper. Fine tannins, incredible structure, and stunning balance lead to a velvety mouthfeel and a long, satisfying finish.”

If you go with a Buena Vista, you’re bound to be on the right track…this one is no exception and you’ll enjoy.

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2009 Elenora’s Selection Chardonnay, Buena Vista

Any week that has Buena Vista in it is better than one without.  I’m much less a fan of white wines than I am reds, but when you’re going with a Chardonnay produced by one of the country’s most storied vineyards you’re in good hands throughout your tasting experience.  Our bottle was #1259, and she was drawn from one of 348 cases produced.  Here’s the playbook from the folks at Buena Vista:

2009 Elenora's Selection Chardonnay, Buena Vista, Sonoma County, California, USA.

2009 Elenora’s Selection Chardonnay, Buena Vista, Sonoma County, California, USA.

“The 2009 Elenora’s Selection Chardonnay displays a spicy bouquet of citrus and ripe pear while bright fruit flavors and great acidity give the wine depth and balance.  A creamy texture and rich flavors of Golden Delicious apples and peaches are brilliantly showcased in this distinctive wine.”

Elenora was with us for meals both divine (i.e., salmon with a dijon mustard and oregano sauce) and homespun (i.e., PB&J with chicken noodle soup), and acquitted herself with grace and dignity in each.  The 2009 Elenora’s Selection Chardonnay from Buena Vista is rich in color, more like apple juice than the glassy spring color of a Pinot Gris, and definitely packs in the pear/citrus combination in equal measures.  It’s easy to drink and easier to appreciate.

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Podere Paganico Brunello di Montalcino 2005

I always say the best wine is consumed with friends, and that’s part what made this bottle so special–that plus the killer coffee-braised short ribs with ancho chile (thanks Jackie)!  This intense Italian red was a gift from friends and accompanied a great Saturday night meal and even better conversation.  We uncorked with hors d’oeuvres that included several types of hummus (one great option grown in nearly Asheville, NC), vegetable munchies, pretzel chips, and green olives stuffed with jalapeno–one of our favorites.  Kids and adults made quick work of all this fun…

Podere Paganico Brunello di Montalcino 2005, Tuscany, Italy.

Podere Paganico Brunello di Montalcino 2005, Tuscany, Italy.

…and then we were on to the main event.  The ribs were fantastic and we’ll all remember the funny story about what it took to get the right cut from the local butcher.  Sounds like a less frequent request that I bet the butcher told his family that night too.  All the extra care came through in the killer meal, though.   The Podere Paganico Brunello di Montalcino, a Sangiovese from Tuscany, was packed full of flavors both dominant and subtle.  Its plummy fruits combined effectively with the savory short ribs (which practically slid off the bone), and there was some spice at work here too.  A little longer on the finish than other recent reds we’ve sampled in recent weeks…fruity but not too berryish, if that makes sense?

In addition to the ribs and red, we also had heavenly mashed potatoes, so rich and creamy that they piled high–albeit briefly–on our plates alongside fresh green beans.  All this goodness ultimately gave way to another Pinot Noir (a delicious This is E11even from the Santa Maria Valley that is pictured herein but will have to wait another sampling for a write-up of its own) and chocolate brownies with vanilla ice cream.  Wish this was our “typical” Saturday night for so many reasons, but perhaps its rarity made it all the more enjoyable.  Certainly one for the memories–just like the vino.

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Schug 2011 Sonoma Coast Pinot Noir

Fantastic meal to finish off this freezing January week–and featuring the Schug 2011 Sonoma Coast Pinot Noir.  The wine is great, packed with red fruit smells that have to include some cherries for sure.  We cracked it to precede a fresh fish, a salmon that my wife selected right from the market, and she dressed it with a lip-smacking dijon mustard sauce that added just the right amount of zip.  A little fresh green beans and voila!

I know you’re raising an eyebrow on the Schug with a fish.  Not quite the usual approach, but then again we’re not usual.  And truth be told, the red was really dead by the time we finished hors d’oeuvres anyways.  Stay tuned for more information on the Chardonnay that followed closely on its heals.

The wine seller remarked, “Fresh aromas of primarily red fruit, especially cherries and raspberries…on the palette, dark raspberries, cranberry, pomegranate, and nutmeg.”  I don’t detect any strawberries in here (glad) and am pleased that I got at least a light sniff right on the cherries.  Still, the nutmeg escapes me…

…but a very easy-going Friday night standard.  Last one of this series.

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Schug 2011 Sonoma Coast Pinot Noir, California, USA.

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Barbaresco Produttori 2007

Our tastes often run to the domestic and French in this house, but every so often have a fun detour to other fine regions of the world–like Italy in this instance.  Dining in Buffalo this evening with clients, I had the occasion to drink this full-bodied red for the first time.  The Barbaresco Produttori ‘07, I had to look up thereafter, comes from the Piedmont region in northwestern Italy.  It’s made from the Nebbiolo grape and fermented first in stainless steel and then aged in oak prior to bottling.

Barbaresco Produttori 2007, Piedmont, Italy.

Barbaresco Produttori 2007, Piedmont, Italy.

The Barbaresco accompanied a delicious spread.  Ignoring the fresh bread and olive oil, I sampled a selection of olives and then had a finely chopped Caesar salad (lemon and anchovy dressing!) for my Insalata.  I was still sipping the Barbaresco with my Seconi as well, a pair of grilled lamb chops that were panko crusted and drizzled with some dark, rich (too rich?) sauce.  The lamb was one of the Siena specials for the night, and the wine worked effectively with the smoky taste of the meat.  Green beans were a welcome side vegetable too.

And the wine itself?  Very fruity and floral-smelling, and I would have loved to enjoy more than just a glass.  As the driver, though, I was forced to savor just one…easy yet smoky on the tongue.  Sometimes a business dinner gets you outside of the norm, and I’ve now got the Barbaresco Produttori 2007 on my “try again” list for this reason.

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2009 Madonna Estate Reserve, Pinot Noir

Glad to include the 2009 Madonna Estate Reserve in this year’s list of holiday treats.  This delicious Pinot Noir, crafted in Napa Valley, we busted out to accompany soup and salads–a much-needed change of pace after all the rich foods of the Christmas celebration.  Harvest vegetables, mixed with a rich blend of seasonings and spices, simmered in a big soup pot with some tender chicken; the soup accompanied a light salad (I had mine without dressing) of greens, fresh pears, and dried fruit–and the Madonna Estate Reserve.

2009 Madonna Estate Reserve, Pinot Noir, Napa, California, USA.

2009 Madonna Estate Reserve, Pinot Noir, Napa, California, USA.

I’ve read some unflattering remarks about the 2008 vintage, but the 2009 seemed excellent.  It was light, nuanced, and easy on the tongue.  This Carneros Pinot Noir helped flush a less-than-great (apologies for failing to document it here in Notes) Cab/Merlot blend from my Christmas Day memories and instilled itself as my favorite from our Rochester trip.  It’s hues were deeper red than those of my Buena Vista favorites; while I prefer those Sonoma options that’s a tough comparison for many varietals so no stone throwing against the Madonna Estate.

I’d love to link you to the winemaker’s website for additional details but seems like a non-functioning URL so you’ll have to double back again sometime soon.  Just as I hope to with this Pinot.  Enjoy…

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Schug 2011 Sonoma Coast Pinot Noir

The first bottle in a new Pinot Noir series, the Schug 2011 we opened Friday for a “sneak peek” and then polished off the rest this Saturday evening.  It’s a lovely Pinot, a light red delight that contrasted in fascinating ways to the heavier Bordeauxs and Cabs that we have favored more recently.

Friday the Schug accompanied tuna and salmon sushi, and Saturday it was matched up with pepperoni pizza.  It complemented both favorably; this Pinot filled in tastes missing in the raw food yesterday and blunted some of the Italian red vibe of our pie today.  The Schug definitely has red fruit berries as dominant flavors, but with a hint of subtle spices too.  Though it’s the holiday season and our home smells of all kinds of warm, inviting scents, I cannot place what’s in the 2011 varietal.

The next one will be a treat and encourage you to find one for yourself.

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Veuve Clicquot Ponsardin Brut Yellow Label

We’re a family that celebrates milestones, and we do it best when we have a great bottle of something special to share together.  This bottle of Veuve Clicquot Ponsardin Brut Yellow Label, a gift from my best friend, was just such a bottle–sent to congratulate us for our relocation to North Carolina.

Veuve Clicquot Ponsardin Brut Yellow Label, Champagne, France.

Veuve Clicquot Ponsardin Brut Yellow Label, Champagne, France.

We’ve been here nearly two months now, but with the Veuve on hand decided we would celebrate anew on this Sunday night.  Check out the delicious vittles that graced our table: Mustard-encrusted chicken breasts, fresh-cut green beans, and portabella mushrooms.  The Veuve, always a favorite of my wife, really accented the succulent food.  Its bubbles and inherent apple goodness complemented the flavors Becca wrangled from this light, healthy fare.

These guys have been producing champagne since 1772, so you know they’re doing more than one or two things right.  If you’ve had for yourself, you’re nodding in agreement.  If you haven’t had Veuve Cliquot yet, what are you waiting for?

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2010 Chateau Hanteillan, Haut Medoc

A celebratory Saturday night started–and finished–courtesy of the 2010 Chateau Hanteillan Bordeaux from the Haut Medoc region.  This is the second of four in our collection, and like our first tasting of this red, it too accompanied a great pair of steaks and blue cheese salads, though on this occasion we worked a perfectly baked potato into the mix as well.

2010 Chateau Hanteillan Bordeaux, Haut Medoc, France.

2010 Chateau Hanteillan Bordeaux, Haut Medoc, France.

Somehow I failed to recall the initial experience we had with the Hanteillan, and again my first sip showed the heavy tannin finish that I hadn’t cared for previously.  Rather than play a bad hand, this time I opted to decant the entire bottle–to a much better outcome.  A re-deal, if you will.  Allowing the 2010 to breathe really helped and would be my clear recommendation for anyone sampling this vintage.

Getting some air into this Bordeaux allowed its fruity background to play a bigger role and really diminished the tannin’s acidity.  I think the balance was restored through the decanter, and I know that’s how we’ll proceed with the remaining inventory we have in our possession.

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2010 Chateau Hanteillan, Haut Medoc

2010 Chateau Hanteillan, Haut Medoc, Bordeaux, France.

2010 Chateau Hanteillan, Haut Medoc, Bordeaux, France.

Scouting possible reds for the Thanksgiving holiday, we opened this Bordeaux to accompany a lovely dinner of steaks and blue cheese salad–a classic pairing in our home as frequent site visitors can undoubtedly attest.  We ordered four of these red blends, and the first leaves an interesting impression.

This 2010 probably could have been shelved for a longer period, and I think we erred in not properly aerating after opening.  It’s got the usual Bordeaux coloring, a shimmering pool of goodness, and nose too.  In my excitement to sample a new vino, however, I failed to detect the underpinnings that might have better informed me on its need to breathe.  Thus, this first exposure to the 2010 Chateau Hanteillan leaves me with notes that include “long finish” and “heavy tannin feel”.

I’m not sure we have in this bottle the right red for our dinner later this week, but we do have a few more so perhaps it’ll make the cut after all.  To be continued…