Tag Archives: California

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2012 Menage a Trois, California Red Wine, Folie a Deux Winery

Great ambiance this evening as we break into the 2012 Menage a Trois, California Red Wine from the Folie a Deux Winery in Napa, California.  Check out the lighting and the setting here as we close out a fun weekend…

2012 Menage a Trois, California Red Wine, Folie a Deux Winery, Napa Valley, California, USA.

2012 Menage a Trois, California Red Wine, Folie a Deux Winery, Napa Valley, California, USA.

…and thus makes me sad to report that the 2012 Menage a Trois California Red Wine was either mishandled by us or just failed to live up to its billing.  We had this red blend–a mix of Zinfandel, Merlot, and Cab–with steak, fresh asparagus, and “gourmet” potato crowns.  It was fruity–SO fruity.  There’s a definite red berry deluge in the Menage, one that is actually a bit too sweet for my taste.  The Menage I wouldn’t classify as a table wine, or a dessert wine, but it definitely overpowered my taste buds before and with dinner.

Here’s what the winery says of their Red Wine: “Fresh, ripe, jamlike fruit that is the calling card of California wine.  A delightful blend based on three varietals–Zinfandel, Merlot, and Cabernet Sauvignon.”

I’m not sure that I share the ‘delightful’ thinking.  I’m no wine snob and thus report that the 2012 Menage was purchased at Wal-Mart–even was double-charged for it, adding insult to injury–but I won’t be going back for another one of these.  As odd as it is to say, it’s just too fruity.

Postscript:  Given the above, I only had a single glass of the Menage upon first tasting.  When I revisited the following night, the 2012 Menage a Trois had “settled down” and was much easier to drink.  Lost some of the sugary vibe and made me rethink if I was at fault for the less favorable first tasting experience?

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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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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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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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2011 337 Cabernet Sauvignon, Noble Vines

With fall temperatures shifting, it’s the full-bodied reds that seem to make their way to our evenings and dinner tables with greater frequency.  Tonight it was the 337 Cabernet Sauvignon from Nobel Vines, the Menteca, California winemaker.  My wife picked this one and sipped from a stemmed glass; I from a Riedel Bordeaux stemless glass.  No real intention there as much as what was handy as we uncorked the bottle.

2011 337 Cabernet Sauvignon, Lodi, California, USA.

2011 337 Cabernet Sauvignon, Lodi, California, USA.

We picked the 337 primarily because our meal consisted of wax beans, peas, garlic mashed potatoes, and killer steaks.  The latter, selected fresh from the deli, held in a ton of flavor and juice.  Great seasoning too, much like our Cabernet selection.  The 2011 vintage contains a slew of red fruit scents; some spice as well, and those combinations always seem to work well for me.  I can see this complementing pasta just as effectively as it did our steaks.

The winemaker claims, “Noble Vines 337 is the most coveted Cabernet Sauvignon vine stock in Bordeaux, France.  These rare vines are prized for their concentrated flavor and thrive in the red soils and cobblestones of our Lodi vineyard.”  Okay, some self-aggrandizing in that label, but the results do stand up favorably to the Bordeauxs and Cabs we have sampled as of late.

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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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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.”