Author Archives

by

2006 Chateau Grand-Maison Grand Vin Bordeaux

The 2006 Chateau Grand-Maison Grand Vin Bordeaux is a show-stopping red blend, a powerhouse combination of Merlot (84%), Malbec (12%), and Cabernet Franc (4%) from the Cotes de Bourg region of France.  It was also an amazing drink with which to celebrate Winter Storm Nemo as it bracketed the region with nearly a foot of snow, wind, and wintery madness.  A gift from my oenophile brother, I pulled the cork and was blown away by the mix of blackberries, plums, and spice contained in this pale green bottle (special thanks to my lovely and talented photographer for the photo here).

2006 Chateau Grand-Maison Grand Vin Bordeaux, Cotes de Bourg, France

2006 Chateau Grand-Maison Grand Vin Bordeaux, Cotes de Bourg, France

This Bordeaux (a chateau’s top wine) we opened not only to celebrate warmth and comfort in the middle of the storm, but also a visit from a dear friend who was in town with us for the evening.  You don’t need a special occasion like this to open the Chateau Grand-Maison (at least the 2006); you make a special occasion when you open this gem.  We had it first with fun appetizers (e.g., shrimp shumai and spicy California roll) and then with fist-sized top sirloins, served with a mushroom and pan-seared butter sauce along with spring greens and a citrus vinaigrette.  Rosemary roasted potatoes completed this fantastic feast and made for the perfect blend of herbs and rare-cooked cow–and red wine.

This 40-year-old vineyard apparently has its roots in the 19th century, when it was first linked together from disparate vineyards renowned for their chalky-clay soils and gravelly clay.  Chateau Grand-Maison is located on the north short of the Gironde estuary and situated on the southern slope of a high plateau.   Here are the tasting notes from master sommelier Janine Lettieri: “Notes of black fruits, currant, berries and plum are layered with notes of sweet vanilla spice, a result of aging in 50% new French oak barrels.  A few years in bottle have benefited this wine, allowing the tannins to soften and oak flavors to integrate.  A great candidate for cellaring, this wine can age for a decade.  A lovely pairing for heartier fare, this wine gave great pleasure when I served it alongside rare beef tenderloin with roast fingerling potatoes finished with a red-wine reduction.”

Ironically, that was very close to the meal we were enjoying too.  The clear highlight of the night, though–other than the great company–was the 2006 Chateau Grand-Maison Grand Vin.

by

Wente Vineyards Charles Wetmore Cabernet Sauvignon 2010 Heritage Block

With dear friends I’ve been to Wente out in the Livermore Valley–it’s in the San Francisco Bay area–and took part in a fun vineyard event this past fall.  I didn’t have the opportunity to sample this Cabernet Sauvignon at the time, and I definitely would have remembered it–it’s spectacular.  I cheated toward the weekend with the Cab on Thursday evening, opening the bottle to accompany a fantastic salmon that was slathered in a grape jelly/barbeque sauce mixture.  We had it with spiced and salted potatoes and an “antioxidant blend” of mixed vegetables.  The food was great; this dark, berry-tinged Cabernet Sauvignon was even better.  My wife nodded and asked right away about the potential of more bottles.

Wente Vineyards Charles Whitmore 2010 Heritage Block Cabernet Sauvignon, Livermore Valley, CA, USA.

Wente Vineyards Charles Whitmore 2010 Heritage Block Cabernet Sauvignon, Livermore Valley, California, USA.

Friday night we had “Happy Hour”, with the Wente Cabernet Sauvignon 2010 Heritage Block again playing a great role. This red didn’t have the spicy undertones that I often enjoy in a Pinot Noir or other Cabs, but there was plenty of red berry and something else (oak? earth?) that rang true for me. With spicy sausage ravioli (accented by basil and olive oil), this was great. A highlight of the week…bought this $20ish bottle for $15 and it was a steal. A must-have for sure.

by

Cambria Julia’s Vineyard 2010 Pinot Noir

A Christmas gift from my folks, the Cambria Julia’s Vineyard 2010 Pinot Noir was the red of our birthday weekend.  Friday night, the date of my wife’s celebration, we started this velvety red–decanted–with cheese, cracker, and veggie snacks.  It meandered for a time and ultimately found its way over to our pizza dinner.  She enjoyed a slice or two of pepperoni and mushroom (and a birthday Miller Lite kicker), and I with a straight-up pepperoni.  The Cambria went well and we were, quite literally, in good spirits.

Tonight this Santa Maria Valley Pinot Noir accompanied a meal I’d never had before: sweet and sour pork with pineapple, over jasmine rice.  The breading on the pork was interesting–I really liked its taste, but its texture didn’t hit as high a mark for me.  The pineapple, peppers, and onions were great, and jasmine rice is always a favorite of mine.  The Cambria rolled with the punches throughout, and was a great nightcap as we watched a flick.  Here’s what the Cambria folks offer:

“While this Pinot Noir may seem innocent at first, wit bright, fruit-forward flavors of cherry and strawberry; it gives way to its seductive side with velvety layers of blueberry and blackberry and subtle hints of delicate vanilla and spicy cinnamon.  Located in the cool climate of Santa Barbara, my family’s vineyard produces an elegant Pinot Noir with a silky mouthfeel that I hope you enjoy.”

That’s obviously a bit of marketingspeak at play, but the light berry layers are fairly well described.  As cataloged in this blog, however, I’m usually a fan of darker berried-Pinots, and darker spices too.  If you’re a strawberry or vanilla fan, this is going to be a hit for you.

 

by

Chateau Peyredon Lagravette Haut Medoc 2009

Friday night I pulled the cork holding back the treat that is the Chateau Peyredon Lagravette Bordeaux.  Nice!  This full, rich red accompanied only a local pizza (half pepperoni and half pepperoni and mushroom) but really represented itself well.  My wife, who hasn’t sniffed a red that she’s enjoyed in some time, was encouraged upon her first noseful and sampled with an approving nod.

Chateau Peyredon Lagravette 2009, Haut Medoc, Grand Vin de Bordeaux, France.

Chateau Peyredon Lagravette 2009, Haut Medoc, Grand Vin de Bordeaux, France.

My simple palate detected spicy undertones in this fruity red, possibly the “grippy” vibe recognized by the experts as outlined below.  Earthy, too.  The Chateau Peyredon Lagravette is a 63% cabernet sauvignon and 37% merlot blend (made of grapes harvested on the 8th and 13th of October), and I think I enjoyed this more than other bordeaux blends that bring more syrah or the like to the table.  I polished off the second half of this Cru tonight while watching the NFL Championship games between the Falcons/Nincrs and the Patriots/Ravens–a worthy beverage.

I think one of Parker’s guys is Neil Martin, and here’s what he had to offer: “Has a very fragrant bouquet with a lot of oak but sufficient fruit underneath to support it.  The palate is medium-bodied with a fine, grippy entry and a nice fleshy mouthfeel towards the cohesive, grippy finish.  A complete Cru Bourgeois that should drink well over 5-8 years.  Good stuff!”

This was a pickup from our local Bottle King and I should grab several others just like this while the success is fresh in my mind!

by

Clarendelle 2005 Red Bordeaux, Clarence Dillon

Again it’s been my pleasure to sample, over the past several evenings, a new bottle of the Clarendelle 2005 Red Bordeaux from Clarence Dillon.  On the first night I definitely erred in not letting the Clarendelle sit long enough…was a tad on the bitter side and had not had an opportunity to sufficiently breathe.  Thank you tannins!

I recorked it and sampled several more glasses over this brisk January week and was increasingly pleased with the additional time.  Photos I’ve captured several times previously in this blog, and more detailed tasting notes too.  Still a good value but my excitement isn’t as great as when I’m exploring something new for the first time.

by

Apothic Red Blend 2011

First wine of the new year, and one that had always caught my eye while looking for new ideas…particularly California red ideas, which always do well in our house.  I started this bottle earlier in the weekend and was surprised at how tart it was initially.  Definitely did not give it enough time to settle into itself when I had the first glass, which was so tart that I almost put it down and switched over to a beer instead.  Let’s say that false start doesn’t show the true colors of the Apothic Red.

Apothic Red Blend, 2011, California, USA.

Apothic Red Blend, 2011, California, USA.

When I gave it another shot on Sunday afternoon, the Apothic came full circle.  I raised an eyebrow and gave it an approving nod.  I didn’t know the breakdown of the blend, or what grapes ultimately make the cut in this dark ruby red, but it had a lovely, deep mouthy feel and engendered a big smile.

Curious, I checked its profile with the winemaker and learned they worked to bring in red jam flavors inclusive of Syrah, Zin, Merlot, and Cabernet Sauvignon grapes, and some undertones of mocha and vanilla.  I could definitely detect both those spices amid all the fruity reds, and preferred the mocha to the vanilla for this bottle.

I liked it for sure but, given all the wonderful reds there are out there, and even in our rack at the moment, I think I got my initial fill of the Apothic for now.  Maybe more later?

 

by

2008 Buena Vista Swan Selection Pinot Noir

Big debate for the evening was whether to ring in 2013 with an old favorite (i.e., a Buena Vista Pinot Noir as we did last year) or a new Bordeaux favorite…either possible just because we decided to hold the champagne for New Year’s Day.  After some waffling, it was the pinot that made the cut–specifically the 2008 Buena Vista Swan Selection Pinot Noir.  I uncorked it while enjoying some monstrous shrimp shumai, continued to savor it with some delicious steaks and potatoes (pan seared to perfection), and ultimately polished it off after dinner.  Make no mistake; this baby was dry long before the ball dropped at Midnight.

2008 Buena Vista Swan Selection Pinot Noir, Sonoma County, California, USA.

2008 Buena Vista Swan Selection Pinot Noir, Sonoma County, California, USA.

This from the folks at Buena Vista: “This Swan Selection Pinot Noir offers aromas of bing cherries and pomegranate, along with spice and floral characters.  Notice the candied cherry flavors and delicacy balanced by broad structure and a long finish.”

Now, I can’t express all that headsy analysis but I can confirm it.  Seems like a very appropriate description of a fun drink.  Buena Vista has always been great and this is no exception.

by

Creta 2010 Ribera del Duero Roble

On our last night with family for the Christmas holiday, we ordered a killer sheet pizza from the local Brockport joint and broke out a slew of interesting beverages for the evening.  These kept us company while we were bent over a puzzle featuring Coca Cola’s salute to females who served in the military in the early half of the 20th century.  Never did finish the puzzle before returning home to NJ, but we did crush the ‘za and enjoyed the Creta Roble 2010.  It needed some time to breathe but once it had its legs under it, the Roble was a nice find.  Lots of dark flavors in this rich Spanish red!  My tastes are sophisticated enough to pick out all the notes in play within the Roble, but I definitely grabbed on to the dark berries.

Creta 2010 Ribera del Duero Roble, Spain.

Creta 2010 Ribera del Duero Roble, Spain.

Here’s what Parker thought of the Creta 2010 Ribera del Duero Roble: “From a 70-year-old vineyard, this outstanding red wine offers notes of melted chocolate, black cherry jam, cedarwood, charcoal, and damp earth.  Rich, dense, supple-textured, fleshy, and medium- to full-bodied, it should drink well for 4-5 years.  It is a very impressive value. 100% Tempranillo.”

That dude (who gave it 90 points, in case those things matter to you) has a fun job–particularly on days when he gets to sample grapes like these.  Wish I’d bought more than one!

by

Tosca Prosecco

Prosecco Tosca, Italy.

The Tosca made its way onto our breakfast table again this Christmas morning.  Not long after the stockings were pulled and the presents opened, we turned from the coffee to sweets, savories, and other treats to celebrate the holiday.  The table was covered with baked egg and sausage casserole, blueberry scones with a lemon drissel, a glazed creamcheese(?) coffeecake, and all sorts of fruits and berries.  Most importantly, it also included mimosas as in 2011.

The prosecco is always a welcome treat and so mild that it makes we wonder why we don’t do this more often?  Nothing like celebrating with a bit of the bubbly…

by

Georges Duboeuf 2012 Beaujolais Nouveau

After polishing off our holiday lights limo ride and its champagne treat, we returned home and broke out the Beaujolais–this one a 2012, I think, but perhaps a 2011…I forgot to note its year.  This  was rich and cherry flavored, with a little bit of a tangy aftertaste, and we enjoyed about a glass each while our Christmas Eve dinner finished cooking in the oven.  What can I say…I do like the cheery labeling?

Georges Duboeuf 2012 Nouveau, Beaujolais, France.

Georges Duboeuf 2012 Nouveau, Beaujolais, France.

I know it’s a favorite of my father’s, and others of his generation.  Not sure but I believe my mother, godparents, and others are similarly enamored with the Beaujolais.  I will likely pass in the future.  Certainly there will be fans but I’m not really one and this world has too many great wines in it for any of us to muddle on less-than-wholly pleased by a particular varietal!