Tag Archives: USA

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2008 Smoking Loon Pinot Noir

It’s the Memorial Day weekend and no better time to barbecue.  Fired up the grill and some fun snacks while we readied some steaks with Mediterranean sea salt and fresh ground pepper, and filled up our glasses with some 2008 Smoking Loon Pinot Noir.  This California pinot was in our ‘regular’ rotation of pinot noirs a few summers ago and was like an old friend stopping by to visit.   We didn’t allow it to sit upon uncorking but went straight to the pour.

2008 Smoking Loon Pinot Noir

2009 Smoking Loon Pinot Noir, from California, USA.

Very consumable, with a soft fruity red that left you an enjoyable berry aftertaste. I’m sure the experts have more erudite comments about the wine so I’ll simply remark that the second bottle always tastes just as great as the first. That should be testament enough.

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2009 Buena Vista Syrah

It’s no secret that our favorite winery out in Sonoma is Buena Vista.  This syrah was one of their wine club selections that I was exciting to break out over the past week.  In addition to providing a heart-healthy welcome home from work, it accompanied dinners that included 1) sushi, 2) a pork tenderloin with green beans and cous cous, and 3) chicken piccata with penne noodles in a white wine caper sauce.  All were delicious regardless of what wine one was supposed to have with the fish, fowl, or pig in order to complement the various tastes involved.

2009 Buena Vista Syrah

2009 Buena Vista Carneros Syrah

I’m sure finer and more experienced palates would offer a discerning analysis of this 2009 red…some pithy commentary regarding the bouquet, the nose, the fullness, and certainly the flavor.  From our time in California I know this wine is possible due to the unique temperatures of the days and nights out in the Carneros region, and the vineyard’s proximity to the oceans and mountains alike.  My taste buds simply offer a round of applause, and my eager hands reach for another glass.  The wine club shipments typically include both reds and whites but I’m always more interested in the reds; this 2009 is worthy of that same legacy.

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2008 Buenva Vista Carneros – Ramal Vineyards Chardonnay (Musque Clone)

2008 Buena Vista Carneros Chardonnay - Ramal Vineyards Musque Clone

A delicious chardonnay from the Ramal Vineyards at Buena Vista, our favorite Sonoma winery, we broke this open on a Tuesday evening as we prepared dinner together. Buttery and fruity smelling, this gentle white was sweeter than expected–but readily enjoyed.  It accompanied a delicious filet mignon (with french fries because my tastes are highbrow) and put us in a merry mood.  Here are some thoughts offered by our friends at Buena Vista:

“The Ramal Estate clonal wines give us the opportunity to showcase individual clones or blocks that perform exceptionally well in any given vintage. The 2008 Musque Clone selection showcases our most aromatic expression of Carneros Chardonnay with aromas of honeysuckle, orange blossom and floral notes. The aromatic fruit and muscat-like characters carry through with a rich, oily texture that pairs well with intensely flavored foods. The grapes were hand harvested at night from the Ramal Estate in September and whole cluster pressed. The wine was 100% barrel fermented; aged sur lies with lees stirring every two weeks for 9 months. The wine underwent malolactic fermentation in Dargaud et Jaegle, Cadus and Francois Frères French oak barrels (38% new, balance one to five year old) and remained in barrel for nine months.”

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2010 Castle Rock Pinot Noir

A nondescript part of Mom’s birthday celebration was enjoyment of this 2010 Pinot Noir…nondescript in part because I was the only one tasting and in part because it just…blended in with the evening’s fair.  It wasn’t stellar, and it wasn’t a disappointment.  It was just a solid, dependable red.  This California (North Coast) pinot from Mendocino County accompanied a meal that was indeed memorable–a light arugula and pear salad finished with a light honey/EVOO/mustard vinaigrette; an orange-tinted quinoa; sesame ginger snap peas, and roasted scallops on skewers.  All of those were great, so maybe it’s just in comparison that the pinot was just adequate?

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Gnarly Head Zinfandel – 2009 Old Vine

We cracked open the Gnarly Head Zinfandel about a week ago as an alternative to a pinot noir or cabernet.  It had a sharp aftertaste on that first evening, but subsequent glasses over the week tasted better and better.  Most evenings it was consumed just in small glasses prior to whatever dinner we had in mind; at least once it accompanied pork loin, purple roasted potatoes, and a killer apple-blue cheese-lettuce salad.  Here’s what the winemaker says about this wine:

Gnarly Head Old Vine Zinfandel makes a bold statement at first sip. Our quest for outstanding Zinfandel led us down a country road into the heart of Lodi, California revealing a sea of gnarled, 35 – 80 year-old vines pruned in a special, mop-topped way called “head trained”. True gnarly heads, these old vines yield fewer grape clusters with smaller berries than trellised vines. These mighty little berries produce intense, bold wines that are deep in color with concentrated dark fruit flavors. Our Old Vine Zinfandel has a gnarly core of rich, dark berry flavors with layers of spice, plum, pepper and vanilla balanced by light hint of toasted oak. 

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Horse Heavens Hills 2009 Les Chevaux Red Wine

This deep, rich red blend caught our attention at our local Bottle King, where its 90 point Wine Spectator rating was being promoted.  We uncorked and, not waiting even five minutes for the wine to breathe, sipped immediately–it was really heavy by comparison to the pinot noir that usually appeals to us.  And here’s why:

34% Cabernet Sauvignon
34% Merlot
18% Syrah
10% Malbec
3% Cabernet Franc

And it is aged in both French and American oak barrels for 18 months.  We sipped while enjoying shrimp cocktail and then gourmet grilled cheese (mozzarella cheese, basil, and roasted red peppers) sandwiches with seasoned potato wedges.  Kicked up comfort food to ease us into the weekend.

Horse Heaven Hills 2009 Red Wine

Horse Heaven Hills 2009 Les Chevaux Red Wine.

Not sure how much of this is marketing and how much the actual truth, but this is the brief summary of the wine and the region from the bottle itself: “Washington state’s famed Horse Heaven Hills, named for the wild horses that once roamed this area, have been home to the Columbia Crest winery for over two decades.  Our winemaker blends innovation and tradition to capture this unique basalt and bedrock terroir creating wines that highlight the intensity of these grapes. Les Chevaux (French for ‘the horses’) is a special blend of varietals from the Horse Heaven Hills AVA and personifies the legacy of the wild horses that once roamed this fabled area.”

Was fun and would be a treat to serve, but we would probably opt for something a little lighter in this situation next time.

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Buena Vista Ramal Vineyard 2008 Pinot Noir

One of our absolute favorites, from our trip out to the Carneros region of Sonoma Valley several years ago, is the Buena Vista pinot noir–this one from their Ramal Vineyard.  It’s so smooth, so polished.  While lacking the wine taster’s vocabulary or lexicon to adequately describe this pinot noir, I can say that I’ve never tasted its equal in all the pinot noir’s I’ve had.

This time enjoyed in the Catskills at the “Sky & Water House”, Becca and I had this Buena Vista while readying for the New Year’s holiday. A tray of italian peppers, onions, and sausage accompanied this particular bottle–which we started with hors d’oeuvres and finished after dinner in the great outdoors.

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Estancia Pinot Noir 2010

Estancia Pinot Noir

This enjoyable Central Coast pinot noir we enjoyed (okay, several of them) with Christmas dinner with the Heuseveldts and both Ma and Steve.  My brother had picked this out previously and knew it would definitely be a hit while we celebrated the holiday.  I think the delicious spread included the pinot, a perfectly cooked prime rib, smashed potatoes, a cheesy-cauliflower vegetable medley that Ma prepared, some scrumptious breads, and a light but tasty green salad (with dried cranberries!) that Laura had whipped up.

I didn’t actually remember to shoot the bottle until after we left our hosts’ house so I’m guessing on the year based on what I presume Steve paid, and this label is from an online source rather than showing our actual spread.  It was a fun and delicious wine to accompany our fun and festive dinner–the only shame being that we didn’t have more than the three (3) bottles to enjoy!  I don’t see this offered downstate here in NJ as much as I do up in Rochester but I’d gladly buy and drink it again!

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Mark West 2009 Pinot Noir

This one is usually a favorite but tonight something is off. The wine smells funky, to the point where I switched glasses initially–thinking my glass smelled like an old sponge. It’s actually the wine.
It’s a shame too, because we were having this bottle as we embraced the holiday spirit by sorting through gifts, watching Christmas Vacation, and sampling some delicious shrimp cocktail and little neck clams. Throw in a crusty, warm, buttery hunk of wheat bread (yes I said wheat bread) and we were all set for good wine. Not in the cards for tonight, though.