2007 Lynmar Hawk Hill Vineyard Pinot Noir (93 Points)

DATE CONSUMED

Saturday, December 24, 2011

VINTAGE

2007

WINERY/PRODUCER

Lynmar Estate

WINE NAME

Pinot Noir

TYPE OF WINE

Red

COMPOSITION

100% Pinot Noir

SUBNAME/NICKNAME

N/A

VINEYARD DESIGNATION

Hawk Hill Vineyard

REGION/A.V.A.

Russian River Valley, California

ALCOHOL CONTENT

14.3%

PRICE PAID

$63.00

WHERE/WHEN BOUGHT AND/OR HOW PROCURED

Received from the winery’s wine club in December, 2009

BOUQUET

Oh yeah, this wine came from the R.R.V.; there’s absolutely no doubt about that!  This wine displays CLASSIC R.R.V. elements: earth (especially a chalky character), pepper, and black fruits.  The R.R.V. has one of the most terrior-driven, unmistakable/unique bouquets for Pinot; I can usually spot a R.R.V. Pinot (by nose) within a nanosecond upon first whiff. 

TASTING NOTES

This is a gorgeous, delicious, silky, powerful, yet elegant Pinot.  There are huge, complex flavors going on here, with incredible richness and density.  Fruit-wise, there’s an orchard’s worth of red and black fruits, like black cherries, plums, raspberries, and blackberries, followed by gobs of black pepper and savory herbs.  And of course there are shovels of that chalky R.R.V. earthiness in the bottle as well.

This Pinot exhibits absolutely classic R.R.V. terrior.  It is beautifully well-balanced and structured, perfectly oaked (not too much, not too little, but just right; Goldilocks would have loved this wine if she wasn’t too busy sleeping in other people’s beds!), delicious beyond belief (the flavor profile is miles deep; I mentioned a few fruits and herbs but there’s so much going on here flavor-wise that a flavor expert could probably write pages upon pages of all of the flavor elements present in this bottle). 

Bottom line: this is one of the best Pinots we’ve had all year (the other contenders seem to be other Lynmar Pinots!).  The reason we joined Lynmar’s wine club is because upon our first visit to their tasting room in the R.R.V. we absolutely loved every single wine that we tasted; every Chardonnay and Pinot Noir was exquisite.  California doesn’t produce many Pinots better than this one.

PAIRING SUGGESTIONS

We paired this wine with an herb-stuffed Italian pork roast (seared, then braised in white wine and onions for hours; it was as good as this wine!) and the pairing was fantastic.  This is a rich, medium-to-almost-heavy-bodied Pinot and should be served with rich, serious meat dishes.  I would imagine this wine would pair best with heavily-spiced steaks, rich stews, oxtail ragu, prime rib smothered in mustard seeds, Kosher salt, and a mountain of freshly-cracked black pepper. 

Pinot is a classic wine to pair with duck and salmon; this Pinot is NOT that type of Pinot.  Pair salmon or duck with a light-bodied Burgundian-style Pinot (like the 2006 Windward Pinot from Paso Robles).  This Pinot should go with rich, heavy, serious meats and stews.  This Pinot thinks it’s a Cabernet Sauvignon from Napa; treat it that way (though it’s MUCH more interesting than a Napa Cab (though there’s nothing on Earth wrong with a quality Napa Cab)).

AGING POTENTIAL

This wine is drinking beautifully beyond belief at the moment.  Based on its structure, I would imagine it would continue to age and mature well for the rest of this decade.  Which begs one question: who on Earth possesses the self-restraint to let a bottle this fantastic sit in their cellar for another ten-ish years?!?!  Certainly not me!  I wouldn’t be able to sleep at night knowing this beauty was seductively aging and teasing and calling out my name every night.

SCORE

93

Q.P.R. (QUALITY-TO-PRICE RATIO) (POOR, FAIR, GOOD, EXCELLENT)

GOOD

WINERY WEBSITE

 http://www.lynmarwinery.com/

2008 Tablas Creek Esprit de Beaucastel Blanc (91 Points)

DATE CONSUMED

Saturday, December 24, 2011

VINTAGE

2008

WINERY/PRODUCER

Tablas Creek Vineyard

WINE NAME

Esprit de Beaucastel Blanc

TYPE OF WINE

Southern Rhone-style white blend

COMPOSITION

65% Roussanne, 30% Grenache Blanc, 5% Picpoul Blanc

SUBNAME/NICKNAME

N/A

VINEYARD DESIGNATION

Estate grown and bottled

REGION/A.V.A.

Paso Robles, California

ALCOHOL CONTENT

13.5%

PRICE PAID

$28.80

WHERE/WHEN BOUGHT AND/OR HOW PROCURED

Received from the winery’s wine club in October, 2009

BOUQUET

I took this bottle out of the fridge for about a half-hour so it wouldn’t be too cold, which should have helped with the wine’s bouquet.  Perhaps there was too much oil in the air (from the fried crab cakes), masking the wine’s bouquet.  What I could detect was some tropical fruits, peach, and melon elements, along with pepper and savory herb undertones.

TASTING NOTES

As consistent as political corruption and pro athlete sex and violence scandals, I knew a Tablas Creek blend would deliver (just a bit more elegantly than the politicians and pro athletes).  This wine exhibits FANTASTIC acidity and minerals, making for a wonderful food wine.  The wine is beautifully well-structured, very rich, smooth, and creamy as well.

Minerals are the most prominent characteristic; a wine critic would describe it as “wet stone” (like any of us has ever sucked on a rock or put a handful of wet pebbles in our mouth before!).  But as a slight defense of those wine critics, if I HAD ever sucked on a rock for any length of time, I would imagine that minerallity would be similar to that of this wonderful blend. 

Next in line are the spices, especially plenty of white pepper and savory herbs like rosemary and thyme.  There’s also a floral “thing” going on here that wasn’t terribly obvious with the bouquet but seemed to standout in the flavor profile.  And of course there’s fruit: kiwi, white peach, a variety of melons, and mango, with just a suggestion of pineapple.

I’m assuming most, if not all, of the fermentation for this wine took place in an oak vessel, based on the rich, smooth, slightly waxy and caramelly mouthfeel.  I also sense an earthiness one doesn’t usually associate with a white wine; that’s evidently Tablas Creek’s world famous terrior!

This is a very nice, food-friendly white blend and a marvelous alternative to the Usual White Suspects (Chardonnay and Sauvignon Blanc).  The flavor profile is deep and interesting with a long, elegant, lingering finish (which most politicians and pro athletes are sorely lacking). 

PAIRING SUGGESTIONS

We paired this wine with Arthur’s fresh crab cakes served on top of an arugula and fennel salad.  It was a match made in heaven (like a corrupt politician and a filthy/disgusting prison).  This wine would pair well with a wide range of foods because of its acids, fruits, and minerals, like just about any seafood dish imaginable (raw oysters, linguine and clams, baked/grilled swordfish, etc.), chicken pot pie, or baked garlic chicken.  Hell, this would probably pair well with prime rib (ok, perhaps I’m going a bit too far with that one……).

AGING POTENTIAL

According to TC’s vintage chart, this wine is at peak maturity right now.  I have the impression, however, that there isn’t a lot of life left in this bottle.  This type of TC blend could/would/should usually age well for years, but I sensed “the end is near.”  I could be way off on that, but I would recommend drinking this wine before the end of 2012 (and I have one more bottle of this beauty and will be drinking it soon).

SCORE

91

Q.P.R. (QUALITY-TO-PRICE RATIO) (POOR, FAIR, GOOD, EXCELLENT)

GOOD

WINERY WEBSITE

http://www.tablascreek.com/

2006 Tablas Creek Vineyard Tannat (92 Points)

DATE CONSUMED

Saturday, December 3, 2011

VINTAGE

2006

WINERY/PRODUCER

Tablas Creek Vineyard

WINE NAME

Tannat

TYPE OF WINE

Red

COMPOSITION

88% Tannat, 12% Cabernet Sauvignon

SUBNAME/NICKNAME

N/A

VINEYARD DESIGNATION

Estate grown and bottled

REGION/A.V.A.

Paso Robles, California

ALCOHOL CONTENT

15.0%

PRICE PAID

$28

WHERE/WHEN BOUGHT AND/OR HOW PROCURED

We bought this bottle at the winery’s tasting room in November, 2008.  We were so taken-aback by the quality of TC’s wines that we joined their wine club that day (I’m assuming the price we paid for this bottle is the wine club member discounted price).

BOUQUET

This wine exhibits gobs of black fruit and spices on the nose, such as plums, blackberries, black cherries, black pepper, and savory herbs.  This wine’s bouquet foretells a beverage that will pack a wallop of flavors.

TASTING NOTES

Usually, a wine’s bouquet seldom lies.  And this wine is certainly no politician on the campaign trail.  As the nose suggested, there is TONS of black pepper and savory herbs that hit the palate first, followed closely by rich, creamy black fruit (plums, blackberries, and black cherries, just like the bouquet suggested/hinted).  There is also a nice stony/minerally character that compliments the wine’s tannic/acidic structure.  The finish was smooth and well-balanced for such a fiercely flavorful and tannic wine. 

Though only five years since harvest, this wine is still young and fresh.  We decanted this bottle at least an hour before dinner; if you have the same bottle, I would recommend decanting this wine for at least one to two hours. 

I would compare this wine to a Syrah if you’re unfamiliar with Tannat.  This is a very French varietal (whatever that means!) with nicely complex flavors with a firm, tannic backbone.  This is a delicious, dark, rich, creamy wine with fantastic depth-of-flavors.  I was unfamiliar with Tannat three years ago and based on this wonderful bottle, I’ll be on the look-out for other Tannats in the future (especially those from TC!).   Tannat is usually used in blends, and though not 100% Tannat, this is easily one of the most interesting single varietal wines (or close to it) that I’ve had all year.  This is just one more example why Tablas Creek is my favorite California winery.  There’s never a dull moment when there is an open bottle from Tablas Creek on the table!

PAIRING SUGGESTIONS

We paired this wine with Barefoot Contessa’s Beef Bourguignon and it was a wonderful match.  Because of its rich, creamy, tannic structure, this wine would also pair well with a ribeye steak smothered in Kosher salt and freshly-cracked black pepper, curried lamb shanks, and just about any other red meat dish, especially rich stews.  To quote my cousin Jennifer: “If you love Pabst Blue Ribbon, you’ll love this!”  Jennifer was recently released from a mental institution, so take her quote with a grain of salt (perhaps a mountain of salt would be a more appropriate analogy?).

AGING POTENTIAL

This wine is drinking very well right now, but as I mentioned above, this is still a young, virile, FRESH wine that will probably be at its peak in another five to ten years.  Like a quality Bordeaux/Rhone blend, this wine could probably age beautifully for another 20+ years.  My best guess is that this wine will mature gracefully and elegantly up to about 2040 or so.

SCORE

92 Points

Q.P.R. (QUALITY-TO-PRICE RATIO) (POOR, FAIR, GOOD, EXCELLENT)

GOOD - EXCELLENT

WINERY WEBSITE

http://www.tablascreek.com/

2006 Tablas Creek Vineyard Mourvedre (91 Points)

DATE CONSUMED

Saturday, December 3, 2011

VINTAGE

2006

WINERY/PRODUCER

Tablas Creek Vineyard

WINE NAME

Mourvedre

TYPE OF WINE

Red

COMPOSITION

90% Mourvedre, 10% Syrah

SUBNAME/NICKNAME

N/A

VINEYARD DESIGNATION

Estate grown and bottled

REGION/A.V.A.

Paso Robles, California

ALCOHOL CONTENT

14.5%

PRICE PAID

$28

WHERE/WHEN BOUGHT AND/OR HOW PROCURED

We bought this bottle at the winery’s tasting room in November, 2008.  We were so taken-aback by the quality of TC’s wines that we joined their wine club that day (I’m assuming the price we paid for this bottle is the wine club member discounted price).

BOUQUET

Knowing how well TC’s wines age and mature (as well as knowing the characteristics of southern Rhone varietals), I assumed this bottle would need at least an hour or two of decanting, which I dutifully performed.  The bouquet exhibits a cornucopia of red and black fruit (especially raspberries and black cherries (similar to a Pinot Noir)), along with plenty of black pepper and savory herbs, as well as hints of earth and oak.  Blind folded, I would/could have assumed this wine was a Pinot Noir.

TASTING NOTES

Keeping the Pinot Noir theme going, the first thing to hit the palate is rich, spicy, zingy red fruit; like the bouquet suggested, that would mean mostly raspberries, strawberries, and sour cherries.  Next up is TONS of black pepper, along with rosemary, sage, and a few other herbaceous elements.  The finish reveals a bit of earth and oak, along with firm tannins.  This wine, even after five harvest years, is still incredibly young and fresh.  Due to its fantastically well-structured acidity, this wine will probably stay young and fresh for another 10+ years!

This is a delicious, perfectly-oaked, spicy, zingy red with wonderful depth of flavors (just like a quality Pinot Noir) with legs so young and fresh, this wine could probably run three or four marathons after putting in a 12-hour day at work. 

PAIRING SUGGESTIONS

We paired this wine with Barefoot Contessa’s Beef Bourguignon and it was a wonderful match.  In keeping with the Pinot Noir theme, this wine would also pair nicely with duck, steak, prime rib, lamb, and just about any kind of richly braised meat dish.  Or, you could really get crazy and take my cousin Jennifer’s pairing suggestion: “Serve with Hostess Ding Dongs for dessert!  Unfortunately, NOT good with Twinkies!”  She may have been kidding, but who knows………  She’s that kind of gal.

AGING POTENTIAL

This wine is drinking quite well right now, but as I mentioned above, this is still a young, virile, FRESH wine that will probably be at its peak in another five years or so.  My best guess is that this wine will be eminently enjoyable up to about 2025 or so.

SCORE

91 Points

Q.P.R. (QUALITY-TO-PRICE RATIO) (POOR, FAIR, GOOD, EXCELLENT)

GOOD

WINERY WEBSITE

http://www.tablascreek.com/

Fess Paker Frontier Red Lot No. 101 (85 Points)

DATE CONSUMED

Wednesday, November 23, 2011

VINTAGE

N.V.

WINERY/PRODUCER

Fess Parker

WINE NAME

Frontier Red Lot No. 101

TYPE OF WINE

Red

COMPOSITION

A blend of Syrah, Grenache, Petite Sirah, Mourvedre, Cinsault, and Carignane (varietal percentages are never revealed on the back of the label; for current release percentages, consult with Fess Parker’s website).

SUBNAME/NICKNAME

N/A

VINEYARD DESIGNATION

N/A

REGION/A.V.A.

California

ALCOHOL CONTENT

15.5%

PRICE PAID

$9.99

WHERE/WHEN BOUGHT AND/OR HOW PROCURED

Got this bottle at BevMo; anytime I buy anything at BevMo (especially during their 5Cent Sale) I always pick-up a bottle of Frontier Red.

BOUQUET

This wine exhibits plenty of red and black fruit (strawberries, blackberries, plums, and cherries), lots of spices (savory herbs and black pepper), earth, oak, and hints that this will be a rich, creamy wine.

TASTING NOTES

Sho-Nuff, there’s a spice cabinet’s worth of spices going on here (especially savory herbs like rosemary and sage, along with black pepper), along with a Freightliner’s worth of red and black fruit (raspberries, black cherries, plums, and blackberries).  The wine pours very dark and has a well-balanced finish.  The tannins are not overwhelming and the finish is relatively smooth.  This is a typical Frontier Red, which are all rich, creamy, slightly oaky, earthy, and tannic blends.  The flavor profile, which should be obvious by the inclusion of all those fabulous Rhone varietals, is nicely complex and deep, especially for an affordable, quality red blend.

For the price, this wine is tough to beat.  Lot No. 101 isn’t my favorite version of the Frontier Red (I gave Lot No. 91 a score of 90 points; obviously, I LOVED that version).  But for an affordable, rich, chewy, creamy, oaky, earthy red, one would be hard-pressed to find a more consistently delicious red blend out of California.  I’ve had $100 blends that weren’t as good as this $10 bottle!  We’re sitting on a bottle of Lot No. 102 and Lot No. 111.  Think I’ll let those bottles age for a year or two and see how that works.

PAIRING SUGGESTIONS

We served this wine with racks of lamb spiced with Kosher salt, freshly-cracked black pepper, and chopped rosemary.  The wine paired very well with the lamb and would pretty much go well with just about any red meat dish, especially curried lamb shanks, Beef Bourguignon, or any rich stew.

AGING POTENTIAL

Being non-vintage, this wine is meant to be drunk fairly young and/or upon release.  But this wine has the structure (and the varietals used in the blend have the aging characteristics) to age and mature for several more years.  Despite being non-vintage and affordable, I wouldn’t be surprised if this wine aged beautifully for 10 to 20 years.

SCORE

85

Q.P.R. (QUALITY-TO-PRICE RATIO) (POOR, FAIR, GOOD, EXCELLENT)

GOOD to EXCELLENT

WINERY WEBSITE

http://www.fessparkerwines.com/

2007 Volver Tempranillo (83 Points)

DATE CONSUMED

Wednesday, November 23, 2011

VINTAGE

N.V.

WINERY/PRODUCER

Volver

WINE NAME

N/A

TYPE OF WINE

Red

COMPOSITION

100% Tempranillo

SUBNAME/NICKNAME

N/A

VINEYARD DESIGNATION

N/A

REGION/A.V.A.

La Mancha

ALCOHOL CONTENT

14.5%

PRICE PAID

$13

WHERE/WHEN BOUGHT AND/OR HOW PROCURED

Bought this bottle at Hi-Time in Costa Mesa, California about a year ago (Hi-Time is a FANTASTIC wine shop, with a selection that BevMo and Total Wine & More could only dream of duplicating).

BOUQUET

This isn’t a terribly aromatic wine.  We pretty much popped-and-poured (and swirled like crazy, of course), so if you have this wine at home, I would suggest decanting for at least an hour.  That said, there was some spice on the nose (black pepper), along with some red/black fruit.

TASTING NOTES

I had very high expectations for this wine.  We absolutely fell in love with another Spanish Tempranillo that we discovered on our first visit to New York City years ago (Pago Florentino, also from La Mancha).  The Pago Florentino isn’t easy to find (Hi-Time, of course, carries it) and about a year or two ago I read a glowing review of the Volver, so on a visit to Hi-Time we decided to give this bottle a try.

Sadly, this wine doesn’t compare to the Pago Florentino, which is very disappointing.  I generally don’t fault/blame a wine for not meeting my expectations or measuring-up to another wine, but since the review I read was so positive and Hi-Time isn’t exactly around the corner, it was a bit of a let-down that this wine didn’t at least approach the quality of the Pago.

 If I didn’t know this wine was a Tempranillo, I would have guessed that this was a Spanish Syrah, which isn’t a bad thing.  There’s plenty of that Syrah-esque spice (especially black pepper) and an abundance of black and red fruit like plums, blackberries, and raspberries.  Unfortunately, that’s about it!  The wine is a bit flat/shallow, a bit tannic and acidic, and the flavors only go a few inches deep below the surface, whereas the Pago’s flavor profile goes MILES deep.  Perhaps this wine needs a few more years of bottle aging and an hour or more of decanting. 

This isn’t a bad wine by any stretch of the imagination.  Perhaps a bit unfairly, I just expected much more.  And it doesn’t help matters any that I have incredibly fond memories of my beloved Pago Florentino.  I think I’ll buy another bottle of this (perhaps the 2008 vintage has been released), let it cellar for a few years, and then decant for an hour or two.  We’ll see how that goes in 2015 or so.

PAIRING SUGGESTIONS

We served this wine with racks of lamb spiced with Kosher salt, freshly-cracked black pepper, and chopped rosemary.  The wine paired very well with the lamb and would pretty much go well with just about any red meat dish, as well as (I would assume) Spanish tapas.  

AGING POTENTIAL

See above.  It’s possible this wine needs several more years of cellaring and based on its structure this wine will probably age well for another 10 to 15 years.

SCORE

83

Q.P.R. (QUALITY-TO-PRICE RATIO) (POOR, FAIR, GOOD, EXCELLENT)

FAIR

WINERY WEBSITE

Unknown

2007 Frank Family Vineyards Reserve Sangiovese (93 Points)

DATE CONSUMED

Sunday, November 20, 2011

VINTAGE

2007

WINERY/PRODUCER

Frank Family Vineyards

WINE NAME

N/A

TYPE OF WINE

Red

COMPOSITION

100% Sangiovese

SUBNAME/NICKNAME

Reserve

VINEYARD DESIGNATION

N/A

REGION/A.V.A.

Rutherford, Napa Valley

ALCOHOL CONTENT

15.0%

PRICE PAID

$49.50

WHERE/WHEN BOUGHT AND/OR HOW PROCURED

We got this bottle at the winery’s tasting room (in Napa Valley) in September 2009.

BOUQUET

The bouquet for this wine reveals TONS of spices (mostly black pepper, along with hints of other savory herbs), along with some black fruits, rumors of oak, and a pinch or two of earth/soil.

TASTING NOTES

Here’s another example of a wine whose bouquet COMPLETELY foretells what the wine is going to taste like.  In this case, that means a fantastic Cal-Ital red wine that is very spicy, black-fruited, with a bit of oak and earth.

This wine is redolent of spices (especially cracked black pepper, along with savory herbs like rosemary and thyme) and black and red fruit (blackberries, plums, raspberries, and black cherries).  After those two predominant characteristics, the classic Italian red varietal traits of tannins and earthiness shine bright.  Whereas some Italian reds can be overwhelming with their tannic and earthy qualities, this Napa Valley Sangiovese is unbelievably/beautifully well-balanced, with fantastic structure and evenness.  With orchards of ripe, juicy, delicious black fruit, a container’s worth of black pepper, the PERFECT amount of oak and earth, smooth, easy-going, sweet tannins, a gorgeous creaminess, and a forgiving and complimentary dose of acidity, this is easily the best California Sangiovese I’ve ever had.  This wine is FANTASTIC!

Upfront disclosure:  I’ve never had an expensive, quality Italian Sangiovese and/or Chianti.  Based on numerous frothing and glowing reviews I’ve read of expensive/quality Chiantis, I’m assuming this is what a REAL good Italian Sangiovese/Chianti tastes like.  Napa is (obviously) known for their Bordeaux varietals, but based on how good this wine is, I’d suggest that more Napa wineries give the Italian varietals a chance to shine.  Caparone, Fratelli Perata, and Bella Luna in Paso Robles have proven how well Italian varietals can thrive and prosper on the Central Coast.  Based on this one wine alone, it’s obvious that Italian varietals can/could/should/would do VERY well throughout the Golden State (at least in Napa and Paso Robles)! 

If you’re as ignorant/clueless/inexperienced as I am about Sangiovese, I would describe this varietal as a cross between Zinfandel, Syrah, Grenache, and Petite Sirah.  Thanks to Frank Family Vineyards and this wonderful wine, I will be on the hunt for quality Sangiovese for the rest of my life!

In my humble opinion, this is one of the best sub-$50 bottles you can get out of Napa Valley.  Especially compared to those overpriced and overrated Cabernet Sauvignons!

PAIRING SUGGESTIONS

We paired this wine with lamb shanks, peppers, onions, and tomatoes with penne.  This wonderful wine went beautifully with the lamb shanks.  Based on how rich, spicy, creamy, and fruity this wine is, the wine would also pair well with steaks smothered in Kosher salt and freshly-cracked black pepper, prime rib, curried lamb shanks, lamb chops and/or rack of lamb, and an Italian pork roast.  Basically, this wine would go GREAT with any/all red meat dishes.

AGING POTENTIAL

For Sangiovese, this is actually a pretty young red at four years.  I actually was planning on letting this wine continue to age and cellar for another couple of years (at least), but I just couldn’t help myself.  Pairing red wine with lamb shanks and penne is always very difficult.  And since we had been “sitting” on this wine for the past two-plus years, I finally gave-in and had to pour this Bad Boy.  Although drinking beautifully well right now, based on how finely well-structured this wine is, this vintage would probably age nicely for another 20+ years.  The only problem: who in the hell can sit on a fantastic bottle like this for 20+ years?!?!?!  Certainly not me………

SCORE

93

Q.P.R. (QUALITY-TO-PRICE RATIO) (POOR, FAIR, GOOD, EXCELLENT)

GOOD-EXCELLENT

WINERY WEBSITE

http://www.frankfamilyvineyards.com/

2009 Fess Parker Santa Barbara County Chardonnay (85 Points)

DATE CONSUMED

Saturday, November 19, 2011

VINTAGE

2009

WINERY/PRODUCER

Fess Parker

WINE NAME

N/A

TYPE OF WINE

White

COMPOSITION

100% Chardonnay

SUBNAME/NICKNAME

N/A

VINEYARD DESIGNATION

N/A

REGION/A.V.A.

Santa Barbara County

ALCOHOL CONTENT

14.5%

PRICE PAID

$13.33

WHERE/WHEN BOUGHT AND/OR HOW PROCURED

The winery’s tasting room was blowing-out this wine for $13.33/bottle earlier this past summer (June 2011), along with their 2010 Riesling (a better wine at a better price of $10/bottle!!)

BOUQUET

As is typical for the Fess Parker SBC Chardonnay year-in and year-out, the bouquet is very rich and creamy, along with suggestions of tropical fruit.  The bouquet wasn’t nearly as fruity as I expected, given the 14.5% alcohol level (the fruit used for this wine was obviously pretty ripe when harvested).  The bouquet was also pretty subdued; I really had to put my schnoz deep into the bowl and take several lung-filling sniffs to get any indications of the wine’s character.

TASTING NOTES

Like the nose suggested, this certainly is a rich, creamy California Chardonnay.  I would assume the wine was fermented in barrel based on the buttery richness; in fact, I would bet a rather substantial amount of money on that assumption!  Along with the cream, there is some zippy white pepper spiciness, along with suggestions of savory herbs like thyme.  There’s also a nice dollop of tropical fruits like pineapple and mango, finally finishing with a slightly heavy, lingering finish.

This is a substantial, heavy-bodied California Chardonnay made in the style of thick, heavy, ripe, creamy Chardonnays that wine snobs/critics like to dismiss.  I love a steel-fermented, crisp, clean, low-alcohol Chardonnay just as much as the next guy.  But sometimes (especially when the food calls for it), there’s absolutely nothing wrong with a ripe, creamy, oaky, fruity California Chardonnay.  And for a sub-$20 bottle, you could do a LOT worse than this.

Note:  As the wine breathes and warms-up, it gets much spicier, waxier, and heavier.  If you’re into that sort of thing or the food you’re serving with this wine calls for that kind of accompaniment, then you’re in luck.  If you prefer crisp, clean, steely, light Chardonnays to begin with, don’t go anywhere near this wine!  Just be aware that this wine can really evolve 30 minutes after opening and pouring. 

 

PAIRING SUGGESTIONS

We paired this wine with Barefoot Contessa’s Chicken Stew with Biscuits (very similar to chicken pot pie).  The wine didn’t pair very well with the chicken stew (I thought a creamy/buttery Chardonnay would pair well with the buttery biscuits, chicken, and creaminess; I was WRONG).  I think the tropical fruitiness of the wine was the culprit.  A Pinot Blanc, Riesling, Grenache Blanc, Roussanne, or Marsanne would probably have paired better with the Chicken Stew.

I would recommend pairing this wine with a white fish dish that is either steamed, baked, or grilled, especially one that utilizes tropical fruit(s).

 

AGING POTENTIAL

This wine isn’t particularly acidic or tannic, which would diminish its aging potential.  I would drink this wine within the next two or three years (before the end of 2014).

SCORE

85

Q.P.R. (QUALITY-TO-PRICE RATIO) (POOR, FAIR, GOOD, EXCELLENT)

FAIR

WINERY WEBSITE

http://www.fessparkerwines.com/

2010 Fess Parker Riesling (89 Points)

DATE CONSUMED

Saturday, November 12, 2011

VINTAGE

2010

WINERY/PRODUCER

Fess Parker

WINE NAME

N/A

TYPE OF WINE

White

COMPOSITION

100% Riesling

SUBNAME/NICKNAME

N/A

VINEYARD DESIGNATION

N/A

REGION/A.V.A.

Santa Barbara County

ALCOHOL CONTENT

12.0%

PRICE PAID

$10.00

WHERE/WHEN BOUGHT AND/OR HOW PROCURED

June of this year (2011) while visiting the winery’s tasting room.  This wine normally retails for $14/bottle but Fess was having a “blow out” special at $10/bottle for wine club members and we took advantage of the sale and bought half a case.

BOUQUET

As is typical for a Riesling, the bouquet is very minerally (granite, stones), fruity (white peaches, apples, and perhaps some tropical fruits), spicy (white pepper), and floral.  My favorite trait of a Riesling’s bouquet is when the wine smells like the glass is full of wet, crushed rocks.  I simply LOVE that stony/minerally character.

TASTING NOTES

One of our dinner guests said it best: “Drinking this wine is like eating an apple!”  The scribbles on my note pad were slightly different, but our dinner guest’s comment made insightful reference to this wine’s essence: crisp, clean, and delicious.

My tasting notes made reference to TONS of stony minerals, white fruit (apples and peaches), and spices (white pepper), all classic traits of Riesling.  This is a very crisp and clean white that deftly avoids the pitfall of many Rieslings: being too sweet.  If this were a 14% alcohol Riesling, I would be making comments about cavity-inducing sweetness.  At 12% alcohol, this is a perfectly balanced Riesling with great minerality, glorious acidity, fantastic depth-of-flavor, with a nice, elegant, delicate finish. 

I checked my previous notes/scores for this wine and noticed that I gave the 2009 S.B.C. Riesling 89 points as well.  Talk about consistency!!  

The last sentence on my note pad says it best: The Wine of the Year for $10!!!!!

PAIRING SUGGESTIONS

We served this wine with a roasted tomato soup topped with puff pastry.  The wine paired very well with the soup and contrasted nicely against the soup’s spiciness and acidity, as well as the puff pastry’s richness. 

Like any worthy Riesling, this wine would pair well with just about any appetizer you could imagine.  Literally.  Seriously.  No kidding.  Serve ANYTHING before dinner and this wine would pair beautifully with it, whether it be a veggie platter from 7-11, a bag of tortilla chips, a block of Velveeta, or seared foie gras topped with a seared scallop.  This is a great "food" wine.

AGING POTENTIAL

A serious German Riesling from Mosel can age beautifully for decades.  Not that this isn’t a serious, well-made wine, but I would imagine this wine would be best when drunk rather young, meaning I would recommend drinking this wine before the end of 2013.

SCORE

89 Points

Q.P.R. (QUALITY-TO-PRICE RATIO) (POOR, FAIR, GOOD, EXCELLENT)

Regular price: GOOD

Special blow-out, club member price:  EXCELLENT

WINERY WEBSITE

http://www.fessparkerwines.com/

2009 Fess Parker Rodney's Vineyard Viognier (90 Points)

DATE CONSUMED

Saturday, November 12, 2011

VINTAGE

2009

WINERY/PRODUCER

Fess Parker

WINE NAME

N/A

TYPE OF WINE

White

COMPOSITION

100% Viognier

SUBNAME/NICKNAME

N/A

VINEYARD DESIGNATION

Rodney’s Vineyard

REGION/A.V.A.

Santa Barbara County

ALCOHOL CONTENT

14.5%

PRICE PAID

$27.20

WHERE/WHEN BOUGHT AND/OR HOW PROCURED

November 2010 from the winery’s wine club

BOUQUET

Viogniers can have very floral and delicate bouquets.  Perhaps we weren’t using the best white wine glasses for this wine because the bouquet was quite subdued.  There were indeed the slightest suggestions of white flowers and fruit (peaches and melon), along with rumors of spices like white pepper and savory herbs.  But overall the bouquet wasn’t very pronounced.  Hopefully the flavor profile will compensate for the lack of a “nose.”

TASTING NOTES

I’ll take a delicious wine over a beautiful bouquet any day!

Thankfully, the wine’s flavor profile MORE than made-up for its lack of a nose.  This is a delicious and VERY creamy white (this wine must have been barrel fermented).  The flavor profile includes an abundance of tropical and summer fruits (pineapple, apricot, white peach, and mango), along with a bit of spice (white pepper, which the bouquet foretold).  This wine has a rich, creamy, voluptuous, slightly waxy mouthfeel, probably mostly due to the (assumed) barrel fermentation.  Despite the high alcohol content (the grapes used were obviously pretty darn ripe!), this is a very well-balanced white.

Overall, we loved this wine.  It was very fruity, fantastically rich and creamy, with enough structure and acidity to uphold and support its flavor profile.  Sometimes a wine’s high alcohol content can overwhelm and intrude upon its (otherwise) favorable characteristics; such is not the case here.  As usual, job well done Blair (Fox, Fess Parker’s head winemaker).

PAIRING SUGGESTIONS

We served this wine with a Caesar salad topped with a crab fritter.  The wine paired better with the crab fritter than the salad, but that’s basically why I chose to serve this wine.

This wine would also go well with a rich, creamy, right-out-of-the-oven brie cheese, lobster bisque, or a crab and corn chowder.

AGING POTENTIAL

The label on the back of the bottle suggests drinking this wine over the next two to three years, so this wine should probably be consumed by the end of 2013.

SCORE

90 Points

Q.P.R. (QUALITY-TO-PRICE RATIO) (POOR, FAIR, GOOD, EXCELLENT)

GOOD

WINERY WEBSITE

http://www.fessparkerwines.com/

2009 Epicuro Aglianico (81 Points)

DATE CONSUMED

Friday, November 11, 2011

VINTAGE

2009

WINERY/PRODUCER

Epicuro

WINE NAME

N/A

TYPE OF WINE

Red

COMPOSITION

100% Aglianico

SUBNAME/NICKNAME

N/A

VINEYARD DESIGNATION

N/A

REGION/A.V.A.

N/A

ALCOHOL CONTENT

13.5%

PRICE PAID

$4.99

WHERE/WHEN BOUGHT AND/OR HOW PROCURED

Bought this bottle at Trader Joe’s after reading about this producer in their monthly newsletter (The Fearless Flyer).

BOUQUET

Being a VERY young wine, the bouquet is almost nonexistent.  There is a hint/suggestion of black fruits (blackberries and plums), along with a rumor of oak, earth, and spices.

TASTING NOTES

Trader Joe’s advertised this wine along with another one or two of Epicuro’s Italian red wines and at $4.99 a bottle, I just HAD to give this Aglianico and the their red blend a spin (Salice Salentino (80% Negroamaro and 20% Malvasia Nera)).

I really liked the Salice Salentino.  Sadly, I cannot say the same for the Aglianico. 

My only other experience with Aglianico is with Paso Robles’ Caparone, which makes a fantastic Aglianico.  Admittedly, the last Caparone Aglianico I had was their 2006 vintage, which has years of barrel and bottle aging on this wine.  Perhaps this wine is simply way too young?  Either way, a winery should only release a wine once it’s ready to be consumed.

On the plus side, this is a rich, creamy, well-balanced wine.  There isn’t an abundance of red or black fruit; the wine’s most prominent attributes are cream, earth, and oak, along with very supple tannins and a very well-integrated structure.  The wine simply doesn’t have much depth and/or complexity of character/flavors.  Yes, there are some Zinfandel-like attributes like black fruit, spices (mostly black pepper with suggestions of some savory herbs like rosemary), earth, oak, and cream.  But whereas a quality Zin has depth-of-flavor that goes miles deep, this wine only scratches the surface.  Perhaps a few more years of bottle aging would help.  As of today, this is a pretty flat wine that isn’t worth the affordable price of entry.

PAIRING SUGGESTIONS

Just like the Caparone Aglianico, this wine would pair well with a nicely-spiced steak, a hearty stew, or spicy/curried lamb shanks.  We had this wine with penne with a sausage, peppers, onions, and tomato ragu; the wine did not pair at all well with the pasta.  If you have this bottle or like Aglianico, stick with steak, stews, and spiced meats.

AGING POTENTIAL

Like most Italian red varietals, this wine would probably age pretty well for several years (maybe decades?).  If you bought this bottle at Trader Joe’s and took advantage of the great price, you’ll want to cellar your bottles for at least 3 or 4 years.  This might actually be a nice red after 5 to 10 years of bottle aging?!?!

SCORE

81

Q.P.R. (QUALITY-TO-PRICE RATIO) (POOR, FAIR, GOOD, EXCELLENT)

Fair

WINERY WEBSITE

Unknown

2007 Epicuro Salice Salentino (86 Points)

DATE CONSUMED

Sunday, October 16, 2011

VINTAGE

2007

WINERY/PRODUCER

Epicuro

WINE NAME

Salice Salentino

TYPE OF WINE

Red Blend

COMPOSITION

80% Negroamaro, 20% Malvasia Nera

SUBNAME/NICKNAME

N/A

VINEYARD DESIGNATION

N/A

REGION/A.V.A.

Somewhere in Italy

ALCOHOL CONTENT

13%

PRICE PAID

$4.99

WHERE/WHEN BOUGHT AND/OR HOW PROCURED

Bought this bottle at Trader Joes after reading about this producer in their monthly newsletter (The Fearless Flyer).

BOUQUET

The nose for this wine is quite acidic and classically Italian (earthy, spicy, with dark fruit).  The bouquet is slightly similar to an old-vine Zinfandel, as a reference.

TASTING NOTES

Up-front Disclosure: I have very little experience with true Italian wines (I’ve had plenty of Cal-Ital wines, but very few that actually were produced in Italy).  And of course, I have, as far as I know, ZERO experience with the two varietals used in this blend.  According to Wikipedia, this blend (and the use of both varietals) is a very common practice in Puglia and especially in Salento, located in the “heel” of Italy.

The one thing I like about Italian wines (ok, well, at least Cal-Ital wines) is their tannic, earthy, spicy nature.  This blend is quite similar to Zinfandel and/or Syrah; the first noticeable trait is spices, especially black pepper and herbaceous herbs.  Closely following the spiciness are black/dark fruits, especially blackberries, black cherries, and plums.  Next up is that classic earthiness, also known as “that fabulous Italian volcanic soil.”  Along with the influence of volcanic dust is a woodsy, oaky confluence that adds a vanilla-type sweetness.  The tannins, though obviously present and accounted for (like any self-respecting Italian wine), are remarkably smooth and well-integrated.  I’ve had Italian varietals/blends where the tannins almost put me into a tannic coma.  Like a well-structured Zin or Syrah, the tannins in this wine are just about perfect (for a “true” Italian wine, at least)!  The wine is medium-bodied and at 13% alcohol, this wine screams “I go GREAT with food!”  The finish is smooth and fairly elegant and lingers, just like the tannins, for the perfect amount of time.  For a “cheap” wine, this blend has remarkable complexity.  I’ve had $50 bottles that weren’t half as good as this!

At $5 a bottle, this wine overachieves to the point of ridiculousness.  I cannot imagine how this winery makes any money by retailing this wine at this price point.  If you like spicy (especially if you have a black pepper “thing” like I do), earthy, well-balanced wines like I do, you could do a LOT worse that this bottle. 

PAIRING SUGGESTIONS

We had this wine with penne and a beef shank and Italian sausage ragu.  The wine went very well with the pasta and would pair equally well with just about any dish that a good Zin or Syrah would go well with; i.e. a steak smothered in freshly-cracked black pepper, a spiced pork loin, or an Italian cheese plate.

AGING POTENTIAL

This wine is drinking very well right now and would probably age and mature well for another 10 years or so.

SCORE

86 Points

Q.P.R. (QUALITY-TO-PRICE RATIO) (POOR, FAIR, GOOD, EXCELLENT)

GOOD to EXCELLENT

WINERY WEBSITE

Unknown

2010 Lynmar Pinot Noir Rose (91 Points)

DATE CONSUMED

Saturday, October 08, 2011

VINTAGE

2010

WINERY/PRODUCER

Lynmar Estate

WINE NAME

Rose of Pinot Noir

TYPE OF WINE

Rose

COMPOSITION

100% Pinot Noir

SUBNAME/NICKNAME

N/A

VINEYARD DESIGNATION

N/A

REGION/A.V.A.

Russian River Valley (California)

ALCOHOL CONTENT

14.3%

PRICE PAID

$22.50 through the winery’s wine club (regular price is $25)

WHERE/WHEN BOUGHT AND/OR HOW PROCURED

Received from the winery’s wine club (May 2011)

BOUQUET

The nose on this wine is very creamy, stony, and fruity (think strawberries and cream with a side of pebbles/rocks), along with white pepper.  The wine smells like it’s going to be very crisp and clean.  I’ll know in a few seconds………

TASTING NOTES

Wow, this is a fantastic Pinot Rose!  Sure enough, the bouquet on this wine completely gives away what the wine will taste like.  Some wines smell like X but taste like Z.  This wine smells like X78R2700K14M and tastes like X78R2700K14M.  There is, indeed, plenty of strawberries, cherries, cream, an entire peppermill’s worth of white pepper, and minerals, along with firm/crisp acidity and an elegant, lingering finish.  Just like a good, quality Pinot Noir (Rouge), this wine exhibits wonderful depth-of-flavors and complexity that a White Zin could NEVER imagine touching. 

I absolutely LOVE Pinot-centric bubbly and roses and this bottle is an absolute paragon of Pinot’s strengths.  This wine is gorgeously well-balanced, deliciously complex, and if I had the ways and the means, I would buy every bottle that Lynmar had remaining of this fantastic rose and drink it every day after coming home from work.  This is EASILY the best rose I’ve had all year.  VERY well done, Lynmar!

PAIRING SUGGESTIONS

We had this wine with two appetizers sharing one common ingredient: marinated and deep-fried pork belly with a salad of apple, radish, cucumber, fennel, and red onions with a citrus vinaigrette as well as a Chinese “sandwich” of the same pork belly tossed in honey and Sriracha with cilantro, green onions, and hoisin sauce on shao-bing bread.  The rose went PERFECTLY with both pork belly appetizers.  I’ve always found it difficult to pair a quality rose with the right food, but the pork belly dishes paired very well with the wine.  I would imagine the rose would also pair well with a cold pasta/seafood salad, as well as a crab cake salad in the middle of August.  Even though it’s typical to pair a Vermentino or Grenache Blanc (or bubbly, of course) with cold seafood dishes (oysters on the half shell, a cold mixed seafood platter, etc.), I would think this rose would also go VERY well with those cold seafood dishes as well.

AGING POTENTIAL

Roses are means to be drunk young.  As a 2010, this rose should probably be drunk before the end of 2012 at the latest.  It’s drinking BEAUTIFULLY right now and will probably last another year or so.  Just like a good, quality, multi-billion-dollar nuclear weapon, “use (drink) it or lose it!”

SCORE

91 Points

Q.P.R. (QUALITY-TO-PRICE RATIO) (POOR, FAIR, GOOD, EXCELLENT)

GOOD (verging on EXCELLENT)

WINERY WEBSITE

http://www.lynmarwinery.com/

2007 Wild Coyote Merlot (Cheyenne) (88 Points)

DATE CONSUMED

Sunday, October 2, 2011

VINTAGE

2007

WINERY/PRODUCER

Wild Coyote

WINE NAME

Cheyenne

TYPE OF WINE

Red

COMPOSITION

100% Merlot

SUBNAME/NICKNAME

N/A

VINEYARD DESIGNATION

N/A

REGION/A.V.A.

Paso Robles (California)

ALCOHOL CONTENT

14.5%

PRICE PAID

Approximately $16

WHERE/WHEN BOUGHT AND/OR HOW PROCURED

Received from the winery’s wine club in June, 2009.  We are no longer wine club members.

BOUQUET

The nose on this wine is very earthy, exhibiting dark fruit, spices, earth, and oak.

TASTING NOTES

This is a very earthy, rich, creamy Merlot.  The first thing that jumps out of the glass is red and black fruit (plums, blackberries, black cherries, and blueberries), followed by truck-loads of earth/dirt, tons of black pepper and herbaceous herbs, suggestions/hints/rumors of oak, with very supple, smooth, elegant tannins, followed closely by a satisfying, well-structured, lingering finish.

This is a FANTASTIC Paso Merlot.  It is VERY earthy, spicy, and fruity, with fantastic depth-of-flavors and wonderful complexity.  This is, easily, the best Merlot we’ve had from Paso Robles within the past two or three years, if not longer. 

The 2007 vintage was a very dry vintage, and based on this wine’s flavor profile, I’m assuming this wine was 1) dry farmed, 2) unfined and 3) unfiltered.  As I’ve said a thousand times before, I believe dry farming and unfining/unfiltering wines contributes to a wine’s complexity and flavor profile.  This is one earthy, fruity, spicy, complex, creamy, deeply-flavored Paso Merlot. 

We had a $70 bottle of Washington State Merlot last night with dinner (2007 Leonetti Walla Walla Valley Merlot) that was really good, but at approximately ¼ the price, this Paso Merlot beats the CRAP out of that premium-priced Washington Merlot.  This is easily one of the best single-varietal wines we’ve ever had from Wild Coyote.  The 2007 vintage was a VERY good year for Wild Coyote (WAY better than their 2006 vintage).  Almost makes me regret canceling our membership……

 

PAIRING SUGGESTIONS

We paired this wine with a beef shank and Italian sausage ragu with Penne.  I don’t believe we’ve ever had a Merlot with a pasta dish before, but the recipe called for a bottle of red wine and Arthur decided to cook with a bottle of Merlot.  Following standard protocol (drink with whatever you cook with), I decided a Paso Merlot just might be the perfect accompaniment.  Sure enough, the Wild Coyote 2007 Merlot went wonderfully with the pasta dish and would pair equally well with lamb shanks, most grilled red meats, as well as the spiced prime rib that we had at Mom/Dad’s house last night. 

AGING POTENTIAL

This wine is drinking beautifully right now and will probably age well for another five years or so.

SCORE

88

Q.P.R. (QUALITY-TO-PRICE RATIO) (POOR, FAIR, GOOD, EXCELLENT)

GOOD

WINERY WEBSITE

http://www.wildcoyote.biz/