Category Archives: Uncategorized

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2012 Radius Cabernet Sauvignon, Washington, USA

This summer I’ve been interested in Cabernet Sauvignon. You might have seen firsthand if you’ve followed Notes in any real capacity, or even browsed through old posts on the site. Domestic, primarily, but international Cabs are fair game too. And most have been worth the chase, particularly those that range closer to the $20+ mark rather than the $10s. Don’t misunderstand me; I’m not a wine snob in any capacity and I believe in affordable wine but I think Cabernets are one grape where “affordable” is telling.

2014-08-20 Radius

2012 Radius Cabernet Sauvignon, Washington, USA.

And the 2012 Radius is yet another brick in this wall. More proof positive of this theory. In a blind taste test, even my unrefined, inexperienced palate can differentiate between a robust Cabernet and a pretender. I know the 2012 is one of the latter. Don’t be misguided, because the distressed label–cool branding that definitely (along with its Washington pedigree) grabbed my attention and made the first sale–is not indicative of your tasting experience. We had the 2012 Radius with cheese ravioli, and the pasta was the highlight of the evening. My wife is a magician in the kitchen, and fresh basil puts the ravioli into a new stratosphere, but the wine didn’t hold up to this same standard.

This vineyard is located in Walla Walla, Washington, and promoted the 2012 Radius for its “Hints of toasty oak lead to a long finish in this bold red wine.” Not an accurate description, believe me. I love to try new wine, to explore grapes from regions that I’ve visited and hope to later visit, but this one I could skip in the future. Had enough already!

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2012 Cinco Joses, Aragones Winery

The 5 Joses proclaims itself “one hard workin’ bottle” and this red earns a grin in both its aspirations as well as its execution.  This “Old Vines” Grenache hails from Spain (perhaps garnacha is thus more appropriate) and was part of an internationally flavored dinner for our humble table.  The Cinco Joses accompanied a great quinoa and kale salad, accented with onions, cucumbers, arugula, and tomato salad–fresh and with just the right amount of kick to it.

Unconventionally, the red also complemented a fish entre, a whitefish packing too just a hint of zest.  Not quite the way you might draw it up on the whiteboard but just fine for this family.  Throw in a side of portabello mushrooms and you’re ready for good eating.

Grenache seems to have one of those easy growing profiles (you can find it in Europe, Australia, and the U.S.) and it takes on a similar profile in this 2012 red.  It was a bit acidic right out of the bottle, but I seem to have this inherent flaw in that I never let a new bottle breathe enough, so you have to balance that into your own evaluation.  That’s how I regarded the tannins in the Cinco Joses, but it definitely packed in the fruit right from jump too.  I would say less strawberry or raspberries in your taste here, and more black berry.

If you’re a fan of Zinfandel I think you’d be happy with this affordable, rich red.  Give it a try and let me know what you think.

 

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2011 Carignane, The Count’s Selection, Mendocino County, Buena Vista

Until this evening, we had never heard of a Carignane.  Given its Buena Vista pedigree, though, it felt like an easy selection as my wife and I enjoyed our first weekend together in our new home in the South.  Plus, some of our other options are still packed so the choice is as much about accessibility as it is our favorite Sonoma winery.

2011 Carignane, The Count's Selection, Mendocino County, Buena Vista, California, USA.

2011 Carignane, The Count’s Selection, Mendocino County, Buena Vista, California, USA.

Right away you get a whiff full of red berries (cherry? strawberry? raspberry?), very Pinot Noir-like in its nose.  The 2011 Carignane had that medium-red color of a Pinot as well.  We paired this red with steaks (skillet-style but expertly seasoned), potatoes, and broccoli.  This Buena Vista was very smooth yet had a very subtle tannin feel to it, perhaps a bit more pronounced than with a Pinot Noir but perhaps because of its age at the time of consumption too.

Here’s what the folks at Buena Vista offer: “This medium-bodied wine opens with a nose of wild strawberries and red raspberries, a touch of anise and a very distinct minerality that rounds out the bright fruit and allows for a long finish.  With lighter tannins and nice acidity, hints of dried orange peel and herbs bring a delightful depth to the full-fruit contents.”

I didn’t catch any of the orange hints, and I’m not sure what anise brings to the table here, but the fruity underpinnings do ring through loud and clear.  We’re talking limited production run, as Buena Vista only output 250 cases of the Carignane but I’d be a willing consumer of another such bottle.

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Leaping Lizard 2006 Grand Reserve Cabernet Sauvignon

Leaping Lizard Grand Reserve Cab

Leaping Lizard 2006 Grand Reserve Cabernet Sauvignon

This Napa Valley Cab was fun and fruity–the pour itself was crazy pungent and a dark purple that was filled with promise.  Big bellied glasses helped this breathe and, though we probably tasted too soon, we enjoyed this cab on a Friday evening (11/18/11) after a long work week.  This was a perfect cab to accompany a rich, pan-cooked filet mignon, asparagus (again with an amazing burnt butter and lemon!), and baby potatoes. Here’s what the purported experts report:

“This Cabernet Sauvignon is a full-bodied and fruit-driven wine that has all the hallmarks of a classic Napa Cab. Concentrated aromas of plum are complemented by notes of dark chocolate and vanilla. The wine was aged for 16 months in both French and American Oak barrels. The palate shows flavors of cassis, plum and ripe red berries. This is a wine to savor and may be aged for 5 to 7 years.”

It was fun saving this one for a while, but even more fun to crack it open and enjoy it together.

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2003 Jewel Merlot

Okay, this is an interesting experiment – I just unearthed some VERY old tasting notes that mark this oenophile’s first real foray into the world of wine. The comments are unrefined, the palate even more so…but there are some good wines from this period and it’ll be a pleasure to share those remarks with you here. I’ve dated as originally chronicled in my wine journal and have kept all the original remarks even if adding a few recent additions to help inform anyone reading here. Just bear in mind this is probably 300 bottles ago!

The 2003 Jewel Merlot hails from the Lodi AVA in the Central Valley region of California. Purchased from Wine & Spirit World for $12, I thought the wine was a rich red, with a “deep & earthy” bouquet. Since my thoughts on its taste (“nice aftertaste; smooth”) don’t really share any meaningful information with you, I’m making a quick detour to the professionals from wine.com and their tasting notes: “This distinct Merlot has a rich garnet color that is filled with aromas of toasted oak and cherry complimented by flavors of black cherry and plum. Soft vanilla oak and delicate tannins add richness to the finish.”

Yes, always been a fan of cherry and plum if not the vanilla noted in that summary. At the time, I commented “Nicer than recent California and Australian Merlots we’ve had recently” and rated the 2003 Jewel as a 7 of possible 10. Becca and I split this bottle over dinner as iTunes played in the background of our Midland Park kitchen. “I would buy again – nice result.”