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Eclipse 2006 Heron Hill Red Blend

Starting off this cool yet sunny Fall weekend was this red blend – a 49% Cabernet Franc, 48% Merlot, and 3% Cabernet Sauvignon from New York’s Finger Lakes (Keuka Lake) region.  Labeled as a “table wine” I was concerned it would be more of a dessert wine and overly sweet but as soon as we opened the bottle you could smell that wasn’t the case.

Eclipse 2006 Heron Hill Red Blend, Finger Lakes region, New York, USA.

Eclipse 2006 Heron Hill Red Blend, Finger Lakes region, New York, USA.

The Eclipse–a Christmas gift from my wine-loving folks–was pretty excellent.  Settled in like a good cab once it had a chance to breathe for a few minutes and was ample accompaniment for an iceberg wedge salad with blue cheese and a perfectly cooked steak.  Dark berries, tannins that provided initial bitterness before settling into a nice warm comfort, and an easy aftertaste.

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Clarendelle 2005 Red Bordeaux, Clarence Dillon

Started this bottle on Friday night but it needed just a bit of time to breathe before drinking.  While it was more acidic and less fruity immediately upon uncorking, its true colors (and tastes!) were evident a day later when I repoured it for the neighborhood poker game.  Still a big fan!

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2008 Buena Vista Ramal Vineyard Merlot

Fantastic.  Perhaps the best merlot I’ve ever had, and by no means an overstatement.  I hadn’t pulled a merlot since we started logging these tastings, and that’s a mistake when it comes to grapes this good.  As soon as the cork was out you could smell the dark berries wafting up…scents of blackberry and spice all mixing together.  It tasted even better–rich, fruity (and yet not too sweet), and almost cabernet-like in its composition.  The spice was a great undertone and made me pull the label to see what my taste buds were experiencing.  This merlot could have been perfectly paired with everything or nothing, but I had it with a great steak, covered with a butter/wine reduction sauce, and sides that included broccoli and a mixed white and wild rice combo.  Here’s what the winemaker offered:

“With 112 small vineyard blocks, the 564-acre Carneros Ramal Vineyard Estate offers a gorgeous palette of aroma, flavor, and texture.  Winemaker Jeff Stewart layers wine selected from individual barrels to create this elegant Merlot.  Alluring aromas of blackberry, plum, and cherry introduce concentrated flavors of black cherry, spice, green tea, and tobacco that linger on round, soft tannins.”

Just amazing.

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Clarendelle 2005 Red Bordeaux, Clarence Dillon

On the eve of Hurricane Sandy’s landfall in New Jersey, we opened up a bottle of the Clarendelle 2005 Red Bordeaux, a Clarence Dillon blend inspired by Haut-Brignon. It had a deep, earthy (but not musty) smell and enabled us to get a whiff of nice, dark berries and such while indulging our recent yet growing interest in Bordeaux.

Clarendelle 2005, a Bordeaux from Clarence Dillon wines, that is inspired by Haut-Brion.

As the superstorm raged outside, gale-force winds bending branch and limb in supplication, we were content with ample adult beverages as well as delicious bread, kalamata olives, mushrooms, pepperoni, and several types of cheese. Armed with a case of the Clarendelle, courtesy of WineExpress, this was but the first occasion of many in which we’ll be tasting and sharing feedback on this red blend. Here’s a little bit on this wine from the seller:

Inspired by Haut-Brion, this elegant red Bordeaux is produced by the owners of that historic Chateau. Clarence Dillon purchased the estate in 1935 and his family has run it since then. Meanwhile they have branched out to other winegrowing regions including California, but with their roots firmly planted in Bordeaux, Clarendelle was an easy next step; an affordable, fine quality Bordeaux. This red is from the monumental 2005 vintage and shows its pedigree and its panache with a perfumed nose and lush, mouthfilling flavors over soft, silky tannins. This is one that’s ready to enjoy right now while your Haut-Brion is maturing.

I’ve never had the Haut-Brion itself but if this copycat is any indication, then it’d be a worthwhile pursuit for sure.

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Monte Degli Angeli Piemonte Pinot Noir 2011

All week I’ve been sipping my way through a bottle of the Monte Degli Angeli Piemonte Pinot Noir 2011, a great little find that comes to us all the way from the hills of Italy.  Last night it accompanied a great homemade pizza, covered by farmer’s market mozzarella cheese and some great fixin’s, and cooked to perfection.

The wine was spot on for such a meal…not quite like the American pinots we often favor from California, but really fun.  Easy to drink, nice smell, and smooth down your gullet.  The Monte Degli Angeli Piemonte is made in Mombaruzzo, Italy, and I’m looking forward to the next bottle already.  Lucky enough to have grabbed a case of these and they will not disappoint!  Here’s what the winemaker offers:

“A fresh fruit flavor gives to this wine elegance and class.  The aging six months in barrel increases the structure.  Color is ruby red with medium intensity.  Serve with roast beef and seasoned cheeses.”

We’ll have it with far more than just roast beef and cheese–tomorrow trying it with pasta and will keep you all posted on our findings.

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Pol Roger Extra Cuvee de Reserve Champagne

Special celebrations call for special beverages!  This one commemorated both!  We chose this bottle out of duress–because our favorite was not chilled when we stopped in to buy before dinner.  So Pol it was: with our hors de oeuvers, with our entrees, and right through cappuccinos as well.

Pol Roger Extra Cuvee de Reserve, Champagne, France.

The first thing we shared was a delicious, rich lobster bisque.  Not too heavy, kissed with sherry, and just an artistic smidge of cream. My wife opted for appetizers…a sampling that enabled her to dabble in all things French.  Next up was crusty bread with brie and pate’ drizzled with basil oil and some cranberry.  For her entre, my wife had diver scallops in the shell, served with a mushroom fricassee and aged Gouda glacage; her side was a frisee salad with bleu cheese, julienne-style apples, honey-glazed hazelnuts, and an apple cider vinaigrette.

My entre was sliced loin of venison, which they served with potato gallete, veggie (what?!?), and roast shallot jam.  I’d never had venison other than in sausage and this one, with a sauce smitane, was amazing.  You could cut it with a fork, and it was incredibly juicy and perfectly cooked.

Our Pol Roger stood his ground…a great pinch-hitter that we sampled throughout the sumptuous courses of our meal.  We were disappointed when the bottom of the bottle eventually showed but excited for the cappuccino coffees that sent us home with warm, full bellies and smiles on our faces.

 

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2010 Santa Marina Pinot Grigio

With the ebbing of the summer comes this light, delicious dinner that accompanied the 2010 Santa Marina Pinot Grigio.  As noted herein, we have sampled grigios all season long and had this one with grilled chicken, a caprese salad, and fantastic corkscrew pasta.  This Santa Marina was okay.  Nothing spectacular in the Santa Margherita class or even the Ecco Domani realm, but a solid entry nevertheless.  My own palate is not refined enough to articulate what I’m tasting, but I can stand behind this ranking.

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2000 Hayman & Hill Meritage

The second bottle of wine that we killed on the occasion of George’s move to the west coast was this one–the 2000 Hayman & Hill Meritage, a red bordeaux blend from Monterey County on the Central Coast region of California.  It followed a great bordeaux from France and had little trouble muscling up for our taste buds.

2000 Hayman & Hill Meritage – Monterey County, from the Central Coast of California, USA.

My brother from another mother always picks great vino for every event, and this one was right on point.  Most had pasta entres and I think this worked well for them; it definitely went well with my fish special and my garlic mashed.  I haven’t included any winemakers notes in this particular summary but will look forward to having another bottle in the future–and at that time I’ll be sure to add that info to our NON.

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1997 Chateau Le Tertre-Roteboeuf, Saint-Emilion Grand Cru

My brother from another mother, on the occasion of his last East Coast dinner before departing for a new job in San Francisco, shared this bottle of 1997 Chateau Le Tetre-Roteboeuf, Saint-Emilion Grand Cru.  All eight of us joining in the bittersweet celebration must have enjoyed this gem–an 85% merlot/15% cabernet franc blend.  Some fast web research suggests the price tag of this bottle is approximately $150–and that might not accurately represent how delicious it was in the moment.

1997 Chateau Le Tertre-Roteboeuf, Saint-Emilion Grand Cru, France.

We were in a small family-style Italian restaurant in Chatham, NJ, and had a slew of hors de oeuvres before some good entres.  I had a fantastic fish…and while this bordeaux is probably intended for heavier beef and such it has so much substance that it matched up pretty damn well to my special as well.  Only shame here is that it was gone far too quickly…much like my friend moving to the West.

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Hanzell Pinot Noir 2006

Once we put away that amazing d’Issan bordeaux, the three of us turned our attention to this Hanzell Pinot Noir and our entres.  Of course we had a couple filets on the table, and a New York Strip graced the plate of my pal–who also brought this tasty gem for our consumption.  The steaks–to the usual impeccable standards of Morton’s–were perfectly cooked and a great backdrop for this berry-tinged treat.  We did some family style brussell sprouts and creamed corn too as part of a heart-unhealthy dinner.

Hanzell 2006 Pinot Noir, Sonoma, California, USA.

The pinot was a part of our dinner courtesy of Hanzell, a Sonoma County vineyard from our favorite region in California.  Here a few of the winemaker’s notes:

“Blackberry, strawberry compote, and blueberry pie give this vintage a very prominent fruit character, but there is the darkness of tea leaf, humid forest, and a feral quality, like the fur of an animal or the nape of a neck. Clove and cardamom are warm spice notes that give the impression of sweetness to balance the firm presence of ripe tannins.”

Great accompaniment for the great steaks.