Thursday, December 31, 2009

Closing out 2009 with an old Bin 75 recap

I've really fallen behind on recapping all of the Friday night tastings I've attended at Bin 75, so I'll finish off the year with one of the best nights we had this fall. This night featured quite an array of great wines, and even included some special treats from Chris at the end of the evening.

The night began with a 2005 Chante Cigale Chateaunef du Pape. Most everyone there knew it was a CdP, but figured a little older (I went 2001). It was good, but not spectacular. We followed with another wine from the same area and vintage, the 2005 La Roquete Chateauneuf du Pape. Again, most of us were on CdP, but this time the wine was quite closed, and I guessed it to be a 2006.

Next we moved up the Rhone Valley for the 2000 Guigal Chateau d'Ampuis Cote Rotie. It had a great nose but then on the palate threw everyone for a loop. I really had no idea, and no one else did either. We then followed this with another Syrah, but this time it was the 2005 Vina Montes Folly, a Syrah from Chile. I was leaning toward Aussie Shiraz, but in one of the great pickups, Keith nailed it as Chilean Syrah.

Our next two wines were both from Piemonte, starting with the 2003 Albino Rocca Vigneto Brich Ronchi Barbaresco. I was on Nebbiolo, but guessed 2001 Barolo. Our next wine was mine, the 1996 Bovio Arborina Barolo. A few folks were on it as an aged Barolo, but not everyone. Regardless, it was a fantastic wine, truly hitting its stride.

We next had the 2001 Castelgiocondo Brunello, which I nailed as a Brunello from that vintage. It was a very good wine, though I think it possibly included something other than just Sangiovese.

We followed that with the 1988 Cos d'Estournel, which had a lot of bell pepper on the nose, but was really ageing well most of us guessed it to be a mid-90's Bordeaux. We then had a 2003 Lagier Meredith Mt Veeder Syrah that had the unfortunate luck to follow the Bordeaux and thus stick out as a little too modern. After that, we returned to Bordeaux for the 2003 Lynch Bages. This wine showed the characteristics of the hot vintage, as it was a little sweet and acidic for me.

We finally concluded the regular portion of the tasting with the 2001 Feudi di San Gregorio Taurasi Riserva Piano di Monte Vergine. I initially leaned toward Southern Italy before changing my mind, but the huge tannins should have been a dead giveaway. Even with a lengthy decanting, this wine was still not quite ready to drink. It will be a great wine with several more years of age.

Finally, Chris had been in the bar with some friends and donated his remaining wine to the group, which was quite a treat. First up was the 1994 Vega Sicilia Unico, a fantastic wine though no one could ID it. I guessed it could be a top vintage northern Rhone, perhaps 1999 Cornas. Regardless, it was really quite nice if still a bit young. We followed that with the 1990 Leoville Las Cases, which was truly what a nice aged Bordeaux should be like. It was really hitting its stride with everything in great balance.

Overall, this was quite a night, and one of the best I've had at Bin 75. I look forward to many more of these in 2010, and will also recap a couple of other late 2009 tastings in the coming weeks.

Wednesday, December 30, 2009

Two from California

I recently again had the need for a Zinfandel so it was off to the cellar, where this time I plucked out the 2005 Turley Dusi Zinfandel. While I've had Dusi Zins from Ridge before, I've never had one from Turley. This wine was good, though I wouldn't put it among the top efforts from Turley. It was relatively simple and straightforward for a Turley, though still enjoyable.

Right before heading home for Christmas, I opened a half bottle of the 2005 Biale Zappa Red. A blend of Zinfandel, Syrah, and Petite Sirah, this is a very enjoyable bottle, though similarly lacks a bit of complexity like the Turley. This is a feature of a less-than-stellar 2005 Zinfandel vintage, but the wine was still overall enjoyable and probably a little better than the Turley (perhaps the added Syrah/Petite Sirah components gave it a little extra dimension).

Overall, I enjoyed these two bottles, though not to the extent of the top wines from these producers. However, these wines show that even in a lesser vintage, the Turley and Biale can produce very good wines, just not the exceptional ones they will make in a better year.

Tuesday, December 29, 2009

Two takes on Grenache

As I try to continue to catch up on notes from the past couple of months, it will take some creative thinking to combine multiple wines into one post. For this one, I'll report on two Grenache-based wines from very different areas. Up first was a wine from the Spanish region of Priorat, the 2001 Scala Dei Iugiter. Earlier in the year, I had another wine from Scala Dei that I enjoyed, but this one was a bit disappointing. The Iugiter seemed much more modern in style and still had a lot of oak on it. For a wine of this age, it is concerning that the oak has not integrated better by this point.

The next wine was the 2003 Tir Na Nog Old Vine Grenache from Australia's McLaren Vale. This wine seemed disjointed on the first night, and I thought was probably just fading and past its peak. However, on the second night it was actually better, more balanced with some fruit still showing. It still wasn't great through, and for a wine that Parker rated 94 points, was a bit of a disappointment.

Overall, these two wines didn't do much to acquit Grenache's potential outside the Rhone Valley, though I do know that in Priorat, there are some very good Grenache-based wines, and even the prior Scala Dei was evidence of that.

Thursday, December 17, 2009

The variety of Italy

I've had several Italian wines over the last few weeks, as always showcasing the tremendous variety from the country. I'll highlight five wines here from five distinctly different regions.

First was a 2004 Luigi Einaudi Dolcetto di Dogliani. I've found Einaudi's wines to be quite enjoyable and affordable representations of Piemonte, but this wine didn't impress me too much. Dolcettos are meant to be drunk young, and maybe this wine had lost some of its freshness. It wasn't past its prime, just didn't seem to have all that I expected.

Up next was one of my favorite consistent wine values, the 2007 Falesco Vitiano. A blend of Cab, Merlot, and Sangiovese from Umbria, this wine almost always delivers a nice bouquet of red fruit that makes it an ideal match for food. There have been several very good vintages, and 2007 continues that trend, while keeping the price tag at about $12.

One wine of the group that came from my cellar was the 2000 Morgante Don Antonio. Made from Nero d'Avola, this is one of the wines that really got Sicilian wines noticed in the US. This wine may have been aged a little longer than recommended, but it still wasn't bad. In fact, on the second night it still held together fairly well, though it didn't blow me away.

Moving back up the boot, I had another bottle of the 2007 Terredora Aglianico. I've really enjoyed this wine on the prior occasions, but this time was actually a little disappointed. It was the first time my tasting matched Antonio Gallioni's review that called the wine out for being a little heavy on the oak. I really hadn't noticed before, but I did this time. Perhaps the wine was in an odd phase, as the second night the oak had mellowed somewhat, though wasn't completely gone. I still have a few bottles left, so we'll see what happens.

Finally, I had a bottle of the 2007 Brig'aldara Valpolicella. One of my favorite producers from the area, and one whose wines we've enjoyed at Vinitaly, this was the first time in a while I'd found their Valpolicella on local shelves again. For about $12, this wine overdelivers again, a wonderful example of a simple Valpolicella. I've got a note coming soon on one of their Amarones as well, but I would encourage anyone who wants to taste a great example of this region's entry-level wines to search this wine out, I already have another bottle at home, and will likely be buying more.

Tuesday, December 15, 2009

The blog returns from hiatus. First up - Rhones

Ok, so it wasn't anything I announced or really planned, but things got so busy for a while that blog updates disappeared for a while. Hopefully things will start to get back on track now. With a lot of traveling and other events, I truthfully haven't had a ton of wine at home of the last month or so, which means I shouldn't be too far behind. I'll begin by recapping the Rhone wines I've had over the past several weeks.

First up was a Gigondas from the cellar - a 2001 Domaine Brusset le Grand Montmirail. This wine was definitely in need of drinking, and starting to fade. The first night the wine was ok, but by the second the soy characteristics were starting to overtake it.

Next was a wine from a great Gigondas producer, but was just a Cotes du Rhone. The 2007 St Cosme Cotes du Rhone is really coming into its own now. Made from 100% Syrah, the wine is dark, full-bodies and not as hot as many of the predominately Grenache-based Cotes du Rhones that have needed time to settle. It's definitely a recommended bottle.

I next went back a year for the 2006 Domaine les Aphillanthes Cotes du Rhone-Villages Cuvee Trois Cepages. As I've noted before, this wine shows that 2006 is a great vintage as well, and shouldn't be overlooked. It remains available on markdown and is a great value.

The final wine was the 2007 Domaine Lafond Roc-Epine Lirac. While not as well-known (or expensive) as the top names from Lirac, this wine is still quite impressive. Again, with the 2007 vintage it's hard to go wrong, and this wine is a great value from one of my favorite appelations. Liracs don't age as well as Chateauneufs, but they have an elegance that I don't find in any other Southern Rhone appelation other than CdP, so it's well worth seeking these wines out. I've managed to grab a couple more bottles of this to have over the next few years.

Saturday, October 31, 2009

2007 Chateau Pesquie Cotes du Ventoux Les Terrasses

A favorite value wine of Robert Parker (and from an incredible vintage) the 2007 Chateau Pesquie Les Terrasses is a wine I was anxious to try. I've had this wine in prior vintages, and it usually does overdeliver. The 2007 vintage is special in the southern Rhone as I've noted, so this wine had received rave reviews.

I'm pleased to say that the wine lived up to the expectation, as it was absolutely delicious. A blend of 70% Grenache and 30% Syrah, it adds just a hint of elegance to the typical Rhone terroir of the Grenache, something you would expect in a wine costing 2-3 times what this does. In most vintages, I'd recommend this wine, but for 2007 definitely seek it out as there are few wines in the $12-$15 range that will deliver as much drinking pleasure.

Friday, October 30, 2009

2007 Tenuta San Guido Le Difese

I recently was finally able to acquire a parcel of a wine I tasted first at Vinitaly this past year, and is a great value in Italian wine. The 2007 Le Difese is the third wine from Tenuta San Guido, the producer of Sassicaia and Guidalberto. A blend of 70% Cab and 30% Sangiovese, this is a very elegant wine for the price.

This bottle, opened just a few days after arrival from IWM in New York, was a bit disjointed upon opening, showing off a lot of Cab flavors but little typicity of its Italian upbringing. On the second night though, things were more in balance and it was starting to show off a little more. I'm happy to have 5 more bottles of this wine, and highly recommend it if you can find it - this is a special wine for a pretty reasonable price.

Thursday, October 29, 2009

2005 Turley Dragon Zinfandel

Ok, so I've been slacking again on blog updates, but I've also had less wine to drink lately with trips out of town, football games, a cold, and more. Among the few recent bottles was one of my older Zinfandels, the 2005 Turley Dragon Vineyard. This wasn't one of the best Turleys I've ever had, somewhat simple and short on the palate. It did have some nice dark fruit and a bit of spice, but overall wasn't quite up to the usual Turley standard. 2005 wasn't a great vintage for Zinfandel. I think that's what ultimately doomed this wine, because it had some nice characteristics and wasn't a bad wine at all, just not the top quality I expect from one of the iconic Zinfandel producers.

Tuesday, October 13, 2009

Two from the Rhone

Among the recent bottles have been a pair from the Rhone - one old, one younger. The older wine was the 2000 Domaine Santa Duc Gigondas. I will admit that this wine seemed to be fading. It wasn't bad, but the fruit seemed a bit muted, with hints of soy starting to creep in on the palate, a sign that the wine's age was a factor. There was still some underlying flavor of dark fruit, but I certainly believe that the wine was probably better a year or so ago. Santa Duc is regarded as one of the best producers in Gigondas, so it was a bit disappointing that I had held this bottle a little too long.

Up next was one of my regular choices, the 2006 Domaine La Garrigue Cotes du Rhone. Though I've had the hyped 2007, I've really enjoyed bottles of the 2006 vintage more. This bottle continued that consistency, with some good cherry flavors and a some of the typical Southern Rhone terroir. I've been reading of some issues of bottle variation on the 2007, so for now I'll stick with the 2006 vintage as long as I can, as it is a great value.

Monday, October 12, 2009

Two Spanish regulars

I've recently had two of my regulars from Spain, but while one was up to its usual standards, the other was a bit of a disappointment. First up was the 2007 Borsao Campo de Borja. As I've said on so many occasions, this is my favorite wine value anywhere, as it still sells for about $7 a bottle. A blend of 80% Tempranillo and 20% Garnacha, it gives off a great deal of primary fruit with just a hint of earthiness. I always enjoy it, and highly recommend it.

The next wine was the 2005 Volver La Mancha. Previous bottles of this have been enjoyable, though stylistically they are more in the modern, fruit-forward vein. I've usually found enough balance that the wine remains enjoyable, but with this bottle that wasn't the case. I thought the wine ended up a bit too over-the-top, with too much oak and not enough acidity to balance the wine out properly. I'm not sure if this was just an off bottle, or if there is a deeper issue, but overall I did not enjoy this wine as I had in the past. I may still get another bottle soon to see what is going on with this wine, though it may be one of the newer vintages now available.

Sunday, October 11, 2009

Catching up, two more Italians

Again, I've fallen behind on blog entries with a lot going on, so I'll do my best to catch up in the coming days. I'll be doubling up by country again, starting with a pair from Italy. Up first was one of my standbys, the 2005 Zenato Ripasso. It's only been a couple of months since my last bottle of this wine, and it remained consistent. The wine isn't blowing me away, but it a solid effort, and a great food wine. I had it with Chicken Cacciatore, and it was a very good match. If you can find it around $20, it's definitely worth it, but at a higher tariff, I'm not sure it outdoes other Ripassos available for less in this vintage.

The next wine was the 2007 Altesino Rosso di Altesino, and IGT Toscana. This is a pretty good, though somewhat simple Sangiovese-based blend. It's from a pretty decent vintage and a great easy-drinking wine for food. It's pretty inexpensive, so a wine I'd recommend as a good everyday purchase to have with a meal.

Wednesday, September 30, 2009

2005 Turley Mead Ranch Atlas Peak Zinfandel (and a bonus)

Right before my trip, I figured it was a good time to have some barbecued chicken and thus open a Turley, as these wouldn't be tastes I would get while in Greece. When I went to the cellar, I decided to go for one I hadn't had before, and also one with a bit of age. The choice was the 2005 Mead Ranch Atlas Peak Zinfandel, and it was quite tasty. The wine reminded me a bit of a ripe Chateauneuf du Pape, with plenty of dark fruit and a bit of spice. With a bit of age, the wine also wasn't overpowering, but wasn't really light either. The 2005s didn't get the best reviews, but I found this to be a pleasing wine from Turley.

As an additional note, when I went home to Pensacola after returning from Greece, we opened a bottle of the 2003 Turley Ueberroth Zin, which was also quite tasty. Parker's review had indicated the wine was quite austere in its youth and may not develop, but it seems the age has helped the wine. I thought the wine was big and robust, drinking quite well.

Tuesday, September 29, 2009

Two from Spain

Over the past couple of weeks, I had a couple of very nice Spanish wines, one a little older, one newer. The older wine was the 2001 Alvaro Palacios Les Terrasses Priorat, the entry-level wine from one of the top producers in the region. This wine was a great example of a base-level Priorat, a blend of 30% Grenache, 55% Carignan, and the rest Cabernet Sauvignon. It was nicely balanced and had a good bit of age that had rounded things nicely. The latest vintages of this wine still retail for about $30, a fair price for a very nice wine.

Up next was the 2005 Sierra Cantabria Crianza, a value from Rioja. This wine is 100% Tempranillo and had a very nice balance and depth. For the price (around $14), this is a very good wine to have with a variety of foods, as it doesn't overdo it with the oak or extraction as some Spanish wines have been criticized for over the past few years.

Wednesday, September 23, 2009

Two familiar bottles from Italy

The two most recent Italian wines I had were both ones I had tried before. It had actually been a while since my last bottle of the 2004 Feudi di San Gregorio Rubrato, but it remains a favorite. The wine remains very elegant for an Aglianico, especially one at the price of about $16. I highly recommend it.

Up next was the 2006 Cesari Mara Ripasso. I've had this wine in prior vintages, and it really impressed me, so I was pleased that the latest vintage measured up. This is a top-quality Ripasso with plenty of dark fruit flavors and a hint of sweetness. What's even better is the price - at under $20, this is a steal. I seem to only find this wine on occasion, but need to be certain to search out more of it from a very good 2006 vintage.

Tuesday, September 22, 2009

Back from vacation, a trio from Southern France

It has been quite a while since my last entry, thanks to a vacation in Greece and another weekend away to start football season. I'm catching up first with some wines from before and after the trip, all from Southern France.

Up first is the 2006 Pegovino Vin de Pays d'Oc. I've mentioned this wine before, and once again it delivered as one of the great bargains available on the market. As sub-$10 wine will rarely offer up this much flavor and balance, especially for anyone who is a fan of Southern Rhone wines.

Up next was a split of the 2004 Grand Veneur Chateauneuf du Pape. My last night before vacation I had no wine open, so it was a great night to open one of these small bottles I keep. This wine was still quite young, but still very good. A blend of 70% Grenache, 20% Syrah, and 10% Mourvedre, it offered great quality for the price (inexpensive for Chateauneuf). Grand Veneur makes great Cotes du Rhones as I've noted before, and this shows that their Chateauneufs are quite nice as well.

Finally, I had the 2007 Clos Chanteduc Cotes du Rhone, my latest purchase from this stellar vintage. This wine seems to be coming around nicely, with some nice fruit and spice to it. I think the 2007's as a whole needed a little time to settle down, and this wine is now rounding into form.

Overall, these were three very enjoyable wines that anyone who likes Grenache-based wines like I do will enjoy, especially for the great prices they all can be found for at most shops.

Sunday, August 23, 2009

Dad joins the Bin 75 group

My parents were in town last weekend, which meant that my Dad got to go to the Friday night tasting at Bin 75 with me and experience the fun I've been having. We were back to a more manageable group compared with the prior week, and ended up with a really great group of wines.

My contribution was our first wine of the night, the 1999 Domaine du Pegau Chateauneuf du Pape. The wine was great to start, but later we noticed something off on the nose, suggesting it may be corked. It wasn't, but there remained some funk on the nose that never went away.

Our second wine was definitely a Cab, but it seemed so young and a bit too forward to be Bordeaux to me. I was wrong though, and shocked when it was revealed as a 2000 Chateau Malmaison. Dad had nailed it was Bordeaux, but the fact that it was a 2000 and still so young was really amazing.

Dad's wine was up next, and it was a blockbuster - the 1997 Dal Forno Valpolicella. Keith had mentioned the prior week that he would love if Dad could bring a Dal Forno, and he was happy to oblige. Everyone agreed this was a truly special wine.

The next wine seemed to be a basic California Cab, and nothing really special, but turned out to be a Cab Franc, not Sauvingnon - the 2003 Keenan Cab Franc.

The next wine began a run of Italians and was obviously a Nebbiolo. There was a split between Barolo and Barbaresco, with my guess going for a 96 Barolo. The wine ended up being the 1998 Azelia Barolo Bricco Fiasco.

Up next was a wine that most of us identified as being Sangiovese, but varied on whether it was a Chianti, Supertuscan, or Brunello. Regardless, it was very good and ended up being the 1999 Felsina Fontalloro, a Supertuscan.

We remained in Tuscany for the next wine as well, this time for the 2003 Mazzei Siepi Supertuscan. Again, we zeroed in on Tuscany, but no one was quite right on it, and we were impressed by how well a wine from the 2003 vintage was showing.

Our next wine took us back to France, and after a bit of time I was actually able to nail the exact wine for the first time. I was lucky in that we had tasted it several weeks ago, but the combination of Syrah characteristic plus a strong sense of minerality led me to the 2005 St. Cosme Cote Rotie. I was again very impressed by this wine.

Finally, we wrapped up the night with a 2001 Chateau Lascombes Margaux. Everyone was on Bordeaux, and so we tried to get closer on the identification. Many were guessing the wine was from St. Estephe, and an older vintage of mid-late 90s. I didn't get the appellation, but did end up getting the vintage correct. Overall, it was a nice wine, especially for the vintage.

Overall, this was a great lineup of wines, maybe the best top to bottom of any night I've been at Bin 75. Dad had a great time, and most everyone enjoyed having him there. He definitely sees why I've been enjoying these tastings so much, and looks forward to joining me again.

Monday, August 17, 2009

2006 Uccelliera Rosso di Montalcino

Last week, I finally had a chance to try out a wine from an estate that is getting a lot of attention lately. The 2006 Uccelliera Rosso di Montalcino is a very good wine from the latest great vintage in Toscana. Uccelliera's 2004 Brunello has been getting plenty of hype, though sadly we did not taste it at Vinitaly. In fact, this was the first bottle I'd ever had from this producer.

I must say I was impressed with this wine. it doesn't quite reach the level of the 2006 Il Poggione Rosso, but it is still a top-notch Rosso di Montalcino, offering some cherry and darker fruits and a hint of minerality. It also has a bit of complexity that sets the best Rossos apart in my opinion. I'd definitely like to try more of this, even tough it is a bit more expensive than I prefer to pay for my Rossos at about $28.

Sunday, August 16, 2009

2007 Bodegas Atalaya Almansa

Once again, I decided to try out a new Spanish wine from importer Jorge Ordonez, the 2007 Bodegas Atalaya Almansa. I wasn't at all familiar with either the producer or region, but with 91 points from the Wine Advocate and a price around $15, I decided to give it a try. This wine is typical of many of the new-styled Spanish wines imported by Ordonez, fruit-forward with a generous amount of oak. However, in this case I thought there was decent balance and just a bit of body to hold this wine together, and the oak wasn't overpowering like I've found it to be in other wines.

I enjoyed this wine over a couple of nights, and while I'm not sure I'd give it 91 points, it wasn't bad. If you like this style of wine, it will be quite enjoyable. It's another nice value from Spain, and I may be willing to try it again.

Friday, August 14, 2009

"Mondo" tasting at Bin 75

Last week's tasting a Bin 75 was kicked up a notch as Trevor, one of the employees there, was leaving. In his honor, the usual $40 minimum bottle price was upped to $60. I was excited for what promised to be a great night, and spent much of the week deciding what to take.

The tasting began with a Bordeaux, which I and everyone else guessed. A few were able to narrow down the vintage and appellation very close, which I could not. The wine was the 2000 Chateau Dauzac Margaux. The next wine was a Bordeaux also, but this time stumped most everyone, with most of guessing Italian (though I did not). It was actually the 1998 Chateau Latour, and was a disappointing showing for a first-growth, even from a vintage that's not the strongest.

Our third wine was from Burgundy, and the color and taste easily identified it as such. Keith even had the vintage, but missed on the appellation. The wine was the 2002 Louis Latour Gevrey-Chambertin Lavaut St-Jacques. Our next wine switched dramatically, and no one could really nail it down. Most everyone agreed it was very New World-styled, but guesses were mainly on South America or California (I guessed Spain). It ended up being the 2004 Penley Estate Cabernet Sauvignon from Coonawarra.

We then made a quick detour into whites, with a 2005 Smarago Gruner Veltliner and a 2006 Staglin Chardonnay. I wasn't sure what either wine was, but the Gruner was more my style of white.

Back to the reds, we ended up in Australia again with the 2005 D'Arenberg Galvo Garage, a blend with mainly Cab. I originally thought it was an Aussie, but switched my guess to California Cab blend.

Finally, we came to my wine. The wine itself was awesome, just so different than anything else we had and so unique. A couple of folks did end up figuring out that it may be a Veneto wine, but everyone was surprised by the age. The wine was a 1996 Quintarelli Valpolicella, and it was as fresh as the 1999 we had in April in Italy. Our next wine was an Italian as well - I guessed Supertuscan, but it was actually the 1997 Banfi Poggio alla Mura Brunello. It was a nice wine, but I'd be shocked if it was actually 100% Sangiovese.

After the short Italian interlude, it was back to Cabs with the 2005 Barnett Vineyards Cabernet Sauvingon. I was on California, but not sure it was a straight Cab (though Keith was). From there, it was back to Bordeaux with the 2001 Langoa Barton St. Julien. Again, I could ID that it was a Bordeaux, but not the appellation. Keith was once again able to get that extra detail, nailing that it was a St. Julien. We then went back to California Cab again with the 2003 Duckhorn Napa Cab. This time most everyone was on California Cab from the start.

We next came to Keith's wine, so he wasn't in the guessing game. Initially the wine was quite sweet and had me baffled. But as it settled a bit and I examined the color closely, I realized it had to be a Nebbiolo. It had a slight bit of age, so I guessed that it was a 99 Barolo - close, but it was the 2001 Elio Altare Brunate Barolo.

The next two wines stumped most everyone again. First was the 2001 Le Croix St. Georges Pomerol, which no one identified even as Bordeaux, and I had no idea. Following that was the 2001 Argiano Brunello - several folks guessed it was a Nebbiolo, and though I disagreed I could not guess what it might be. I did like the wine, but again was disappointed that it did not seem to be a typical Sangiovese Grosso. We then finished our reds with one more Tuscan, the 1999 Guado al Tasso Bolgheri. I thought it may be a Bordeaux from 1999 or so, but it did stump most people as it had a lot of age. The tasting then concluded with a couple of Sherries.

Overall, I was a bit disappointed in what I thought would be an outstanding tasting, mainly due to the selections. This night confirmed my palate's preferences, as most of the California Cabs weren't to my liking, and even the Bordeaux wines were just ok. The Quintarelli really did stand out to me, and was just so much more pure and elegant in my opinion. I enjoyed the Brunellos, but again they lacked the true typicity that I want in those wines. Overall, it was still a fun evening, and another great chance to taste a variety of wines and talk about them with fellow wine lovers.

Thursday, August 13, 2009

Two from Southern France

Last week I had a couple of French wines that featured blends of the great grapes of the South, but unfortunately with different results. First up was the 2005 Calvet-Thunevin Cuvee Constance, a Vin de Pays from Cotes Catalanes in Roussillon. This wine is a blend of 60% Grenache, 30% Syrah, and 10% Carignan, and is quite a bargain. It is full of dark fruits and has a generous finish for a wine in this price range (about $15). It is the entry-level wine from this producer, and well worth searching out if you like Rhone varietals.

Over the weekend, I went to the cellar and pulled out a 2000 Domaine de la Mordoree Lirac Cuvee Reine des Bois. Mordoree makes great Chateauneufs, but also great Liracs, and this was the oldest of several Liracs I had. Unfortunately, I seem to have found a limit on again the Lirac (especially in my passive cellar) as this wine was past its prime. It wasn't undrinkable, but had acquired a heavy dose of soy flavors that many reds past their prime get. The soy unfortunately overtook the fruit flavors that still remained and left this as a disappointment. It's a good learning for me though, and as I still have bottles from vintages 2003-2006 in the cellar, I'll adjust accordingly on their drinking windows.

Wednesday, August 12, 2009

Two Italians from a decent 2005 vintage

Across much of Italy, it seems that 2004 and 2006 are quite impressive vintages, but 2005 offers up some superb wines as well. I've had a couple of wines from two very different regions recently, and both were quite nice. Up first was the 2005 Fattoria Le Pupille Morrelino di Scansano, which I have had once before. This is a nice, easy drinking food-friendly wine that I quite enjoy. It was consistent with the prior notes I had from a few months ago, with a hint of spice to help round out the profile.

Up next was one of my consistent favorites from year to year, the 2005 Zenato Ripassa. Amazingly, it had been about a year since I last had a bottle of this vintage, and it was just as good, though not necessarily improved. I thought some time would really allow this wine to blossom even more, but I'm not sure it's really evolved much. I'm not complaining though, as it's a very good wine, and with the 2006 getting a lot of hype, the 2005 is getting marked down on local shelves back to the $20 price range. It's definitely a good buy at that price, and still a favorite of mine.

Tuesday, August 11, 2009

Closing out July at Bin 75

Catching up on entries, next up is a recap of another Friday night at Bin 75 in Alpharetta, this one from July 31. We were back with a group of 8-10 and tasting all the wines blind.

The first wine of the night was mine - a 1997 Luigi Einaudi Barolo. The wine was a bit advanced in age, but still with nice flavors. I did come back to it at the very end of the night though and it was fading fast, so it was good to drink it when we did. The next wine had me pretty stumped other than ID'ing some Cab in the blend, and it turned out to be the 2001 Clos les Lunelles Cotes de Castillon. The third wine also had me stumped (along with most everyone else) and turned out to be the 2005 Pibarnon Bandol.

Our fourth wine was decent, but again had me stumped on what it was, and it turned out to be the 2005 St. Cosme Chateauneuf du Pape. I didn't taste any grenache on it at all. The tough night continued next with the 2005 Mendel Mendoza Malbec, another one that most everyone failed to identify.

Next up was a wine I did not like at all (nor did I ID it correctly, though Keith nailed it) which turned out to be the 2006 Clos St. Jean Vieilles Vignes Chateauneuf du Pape. I found it too sweet and not too enjoyable at all. We followed with what might have been my wine of the night, the 2005 Chateau d'Aiguilhe Cotes de Castillon. I thought it may be a Supertuscan, and was surprised how much I liked it.

We then had a 2003 St. Clement Howell Mountain Cab, which was a rare occasion on the night most everyone could at least ID the region and grape. The next wine was also showing some rare typicity for the night, and was our lone Chateauneuf to really scream that - the 2006 Domaine la Barroche Chateauneuf du Pape.

Interestingly, we then had another Chateau d'Aiguilhe, this time the 1999. It was also very good, with more age softening it up. We concluded the main portion of the tasting with a South African wine - the 2001 Morgenstern Lourens River Valley. Being a true novice with South African wines, I had no idea what it was, though Keith knew it was from South Africa.

There were a few more wines after that, but also a taste of Creme de Cassis that killed off what remained of my palate at that point, so I won't go into those wines as I really couldn't taste much of anything else at that point. Overall, it was another fun evening, though I struggled much more than previously in my attempts to ID wines. The next week ended up being a great one as well, and I'll have that report coming soon.

Tuesday, August 4, 2009

Weekend in North Carolina with Loudoun

Last weekend I went up to the mountains of North Carolina to visit my grandmother and enjoy the cool mountain air. Loudoun drove up from Charlotte (without his wife who was off to a bachelorette party weekend) so of course there was plenty of wine to be drunk. Friday night with steaks I opened up a 2002 Haan Shiraz, which I had purchased in Charlotte a few years ago. The wine was quite nice, though a little on the sweet side. After a while, it had acquired some almost Amarone or Recioto-like characteristics - not necessarily raisiny, but just a bit sweet. I wasn't sure that I really liked that, but overall the wine was enjoyable and not too overpowering.

Saturday night, we opened up a wine I found earlier in the day - the 2007 Domaine Giraud Chateauneuf du Pape. I'm not typically one to drink something so early, but I had purchased a bottle of this producer's 100% Grenache cuvee a few weeks ago so I was interested to see how their base wine would be. This wine was certainly no slouch - after just a bit of air, it quickly began to show off the dark fruit and spice of the Grenache that dominates the blend. It certainly gives a hint of the greatness of the vintage and makes me look forward to more 2007 Chateauneufs.

We actually finished later Saturday night with a 1999 Michele Satta Cavaliere. This Supertuscan had been in my cellar for a while and I recall it having very good reviews when I bought it. I felt that the wine was somewhat disjointed, as the fruit was fading a bit to me, but there were still some serious tannins. Loudoun enjoyed the wine a bit more, picking up some pear notes, but to me there wasn't much. With the tannins, this wine seemed to be out of balance, and I have little faith that at this advanced age it would ever get into balance (and may not have ever been). While this wine was a disappointment, the weekend was quite enjoyable visiting with my grandmother and hanging out with a good friend with good food and wine.

Monday, August 3, 2009

2000 Scala Dei Cartoixa Riserva Priorat

Continuing my new priority to work through some of the older wines in my cellar, I pulled this wine from Priorat out last week. There has been some skepticism on how Priorats tend to age, but the 2000 Scala Dei Cartoixa was still going strong. A blend of mainly Cabernet Sauvingon and Grenache with just a dollop of Syrah, this wine seemed to be at its peak. The Cab initially dominated, but the Grenache ended up holding its own.

Over two nights, this wine held up beautifully. It offered up plenty of black currant and black cherry flavors, and still had some complexity as well with a bit of acidity. Overall, I came away very impressed with this wine, after being a bit skeptical if it might be over the hill. For a wine that doesn't get a lot of press and certainly wasn't priced among the elites of Priorat, it was quite a treat.

Sunday, August 2, 2009

2007 Domaine Les Grands Bois Cotes du Rhone Cuvee Trois Soeurs

The second wine I've had from Domaine les Grands Bois was the 2007 Cotes du Rhone Cuvee Trois Soeurs. This wine is another from the great 2007 Southern Rhone vintage, and was a great value. It's not quite as complex as the first offering I had from Grands Bois, but is a winner nonetheless. It's a more straightforward easy-drinking Cotes du Rhone, made from mainly Grenache along with some Syrah and Carignan.

I had this wine over two nights, and it did offer up a little more on the second night, but it wasn't remarkably different, offering lots of dark fruits typical of a Grenache/Syrah blend. Overall, it's another great value choice from the 2007 vintage and a wine I'd certainly look to drink again.

Wednesday, July 29, 2009

2005 Allegrini Palazzo della Torre

Once again last week I turned to one of my favorite wines, the Allegrini Palazzo della Torre. I've already had the 2005 vintage a couple of times, but there's something new I wanted to report from this particular experience. I actually opened this bottle and drank a little on a Friday, but then did not come back to the remainder until the following Tuesday.

Amazingly, when I drank it after 4 days, it had really blossomed and was drinking on a totally different level. The fruit was bursting forth from the glass, the wine had put on a little weight, and it was just in a great spot. I seriously believe this could have passed for a top end Valpolicella (such as Bussola's TB) on this night. It was one of the most enjoyable bottles of wine I've had at home recently, and makes me think that 3-4 years of bottle age will probably bring this wine to this point. I always like to save a bottle or two of each vintage, and based on this experiment, I have a good idea when the 2005 will be in its prime.

Tuesday, July 28, 2009

2001 Patrick Lesec Cornas Cuvee Sarah

I've been starting to pick through the crowded cellar in search of wines that may have gotten lost in the shuffle and might need drinking in the near-term. One of the first ones I picked out was the 2001 Lesec Cornas Cuvee Sarah.

I know wines from Cornas need some time to settle down, but this wasn't a very expensive bottle, so I figured it may be time. Turns out I was right, as the wine was beginning to fade. The first night began ominously, as when I opened the wine and poured a first sip, it tasted like cough medicine. Thankfully after 10 minutes or so it settled down, and was actually pretty nice, with some deep dark fruit on the palate.

However, the second night the fruit wasn't as prevalent and the wine seemed to be starting to come apart a bit. There wasn't any acidity or tannin noticeable, and the wine really didn't stand out in any way. I was a bit disappointed overall, but again got a good idea of the aging that goes on in my passive cellar (not optimum conditions, and sometime things do age more quickly). I do think this was a pretty good wine, it just was nearing the end of its life. I have a different cuvee of 2001 Lesec Cornas that should age a little better, and will likely try it in the coming months expecting better results.

Tuesday, July 21, 2009

Another Friday night at Bin 75

Tis past Friday night, I went up to Bin 75 in Alpharetta again for a BYOB tasting. Keith had been busy so the full blind format wasn't in effect, but there were still a few folks and some great wines.

When I arrived, three bottles were already open on the table. I began with the 2006 Guidalberto from Tenuta San Guido, a wine I'm familiar with from our Vinitaly tastings. This is a great wine, but still needs a couple of years to really flesh out and show its full potential. Next I tried the 2005 St. Cosme Cote Rotie. This wine was young, but already showing plenty of fruit. The structure, the fruit, and the minerality were all in very good balance and made this a wonderful wine. I still think a few more years of age will make this wine even better, but it is a great wine already.

The third open wine was the 2005 Torre Muga Rioja. This wine is a more modern-styled Rioja and still shows some oak, but is a very nice wine that I think will balance out over the next few years.

After those three, we went to the wine I had brought. I had it in a brown nag, so we tasted it blind. I will admit, I'd have had no idea what this was, as the nose was initially a bit musty while the palate wasn't showing too much typicity. The wine was the 1997 Argiano Brunello, and while it ended up quite tasty, I still never really hit it as a Brunello.

After that, we had one more blind wine. We all agreed it was also a little aged, but the region did split us. I thought it could be a blended Chateauneuf, but in the end Keith had it right with a Northern Rhone. The wine was a 1999 Paul Jaboulet La Chappelle Hermitage, a legendary wine that was starting to lose its luster by 1999. I was amazed at the age here - a 1999 Hermitage shouldn't be showing this much age to me, but this wine didn't have more than a few years of life remaining.

Finally, we concluded the tasting with one more modern Spanish wine, the 2006 El Nido. This is considered a new Spanish blockbuster, but I have some real concerns. The wine seemed almost overly extracted with just gobs of fruit hitting you right off. There is some acidity here, but very little tannin to suggest that several years of aging could really balance this wine out. I see the initial pleasure one could get out of this wine, but after some of the other things we tried, it just didn't stack up.

Overall, the St. Cosme Cote Rotie was my winner for the night - this wine showed why I really do love Northern Rhones, and would probably drink them more than anything if I could afford to. The St. Cosme is actually fairly affordable for a Cote Rotie though, and I will probably look to add some to the cellar.

Monday, July 20, 2009

2007 Sportoletti Assisi Rosso

My latest Italian wine was a new one for me. I've heard of Sportoletti, as their Villa Fidelia is a very well-known wine, but this was their entry-level product. The 2007 Sportoletti Assisi Rosso received pretty good reviews, but I wasn't blown away. The wine is decent, just not what I expected. My initial impression was that this wine could pass for a good young entry-level Bordeaux - nice, just not my style. I figured the wine was at least 50% Cabernet Sauvignon, and was shocked to read the it is actually 70% Sangiovese, with 20% Cab and 10% Merlot.

The second night the wine remained the same, a well-made wine, but just not what I was really looking for. If you like these type of wines, check this out as the $20 price is comparable to what I would expect a similar Bordeaux from a decent vintage to cost. But if you are looking for more typical expressions of Sangiovese, there are many better choices.

Sunday, July 19, 2009

Two from the Rhone

Last weekend I was updating my cellar inventory and started to notice several wines that need drinking, so I figured it's a good time to start selecting some of them. Up first was the 2000 Domaine du Joncier Lirac. I remember drinking this wine in the summer of 2003 while in France, and it was fantastic. I found some here soon after and drank a few, but also saved one. Alas, this wine was on its last legs. I knew there was trouble when the cork crumbled on opening, a rare thing when I use my Screwpull opener.

After getting the cork out (or pushing some parts in) I found a wine that was not totally devoid of fruit, but certainly faded somewhat. Once the wine had a little time to get some air, it was actually decent, with some nice aged notes. However, it was obvious there wasn't much life left, and the second night confirmed that - there was very little left. It can be disappointing when I end up with a wine past its prime, but for wines like this it is also a learning experience for me. I do have a 2000 Mordoree Reine de Bois Lirac still in the cellar, and I expect it has a little more stuffing to still be drinking well, but I doubt I will leave it too much longer.

Later in the week, I came back to my regular selections with a 2005 Grand Veneur Reserve Cotes du Rhone. This was a nice, easy drinking Cotes du Rhone, made of 70% Grenache, 20% Syrah, and 10% Cinsault. I actually had a bottle of this in April 2008 and didn't come away as impressed as I was this time - it seems the age has certainly helped this wine. The second night, the wine was just as nice, suggesting it has a couple of years of life still. I've become a big fan of this producer, and they make very good wines from this up to their Chateauneufs. It is certainly among the several high-quality, affordable Cotes du Rhones I'd recommend.

Tuesday, July 14, 2009

Vinitaly 2009, part 6

I'm still not going to be able to finish with this entry, but will be one step closer to completing the recap of this mammoth event. Early in the afternoon, we left the main Toscana pavilion in search of some other regions. Our first stop was Argiolas, one of the best known wineries on Sardinia. There we were able to taste the 2007 Costera IGT, the 2007 Korem IGT, and the 2007 Turriga IGT before finishing with the 2007 Angialas Bianco Passito dessert wine. I have had the Costera many times before, but the others were all new experiences and quite enjoyable.

Next up, we somehow ended up back to wines from Toscana, beginning with Isole e Olena. There we had the 2007 Chianti Classico followed by the 2006 Cepparello IGT. One theme we were finding among many of these producers was the family help - here one of the sons of the proprietors was pouring for us, though he is actually in school still getting his Architecture degree.

Our next stop was at Bastianich, the estate of famed chefs Lydia and Joe Bastianich (and their business partner Mario Batali). We had actually run into Lydia the night before in Verona and spoken with her briefly so we were quite happy to make a stop. While there, we tasted the 2007 I Perazzi Morellino di Scansano, followed by both the 2005 and 2006 vintages of the Aragone Maremma IGT. The Morellino has been a favorite of mine over the last several months, and the Aragone was quite nice as well.

From there, we went to taste the wines from Petrolo, a maker of a couple of Supertuscans. There we were able to sample both the 2006 Torrione IGT and the 2006 Galatrona IGT, which I found very intriguing (and tasty) for a 100% Merlot.

We capped our visit to this pavilion (and almost all of our Toscana tastings) with a stop at Fattoria Le Pupille, a winery I was familiar with for a couple of wines, but had no idea their lineup was so extensive. We began with a white, the 2008 Poggio Argentato, followed by a rose, the 2008 Rosa Mate. Moving onto the reds, we started with the 2008 Pelofino IGT, then the 2007 Morellino di Scansano and the 2006 Poggio Valente Morellino di Scansano. Finally, we stepped up to the 2005 Saffredi IGT before finishing with the 2005 Sol Alto, a sweet white. Overall, it was quite a diverse lineup of wines from this producer, though the Saffredi remains the star.

At this point, we were admittedly in a zone and later Dad would admit not remembering all of these stops. We were trying to cram as much in as we could but still get some real value out of the tastings. Without my admittedly limited notes, we would've never remembered everything, but we were still working hard to judge what we liked and didn't like. A few gems still remained, but I will save that for one final post.

Monday, July 13, 2009

2007 Borsao Campo de Borja

Late last week I finally broke the Italian run with my favorite wine value anywhere, the 2007 Borsao Campo de Borja. As I've mentioned before, this wine delivers almost every year and continues to hold an incredibly low price.

The wine is 80% Tempranillo and 20% Garnacha and gives off a great deal of primary fruit with just a hint of earthiness. It's a lighter, easy-drinking wine that is perfect for a midweek choice during the summer. I drank it over two nights with grilled pork chops, and loved every sip. For about $7, there remains no better value on the market, especially one that has delivered such consistency over several years.

Sunday, July 12, 2009

My first blind tasting

Of all the tastings I've done, until last week I had never participated in a full-on double-blind tasting (where nothing is known about the wines). I finally managed to go to a Friday evening tasting at Bin 75 Wine Bar adjacent to Hinton's Wine Store in the north Atlanta suburbs. At the tasting, everyone brings a bottle (minimum purchase price of $40) and then the group tastes together. I had no idea what to expect, and was truthfully a bit concerned about how I would do in identifying wines.

The were about a dozen folks in attendance and I arrived just as the first wine was being poured. I won't go into details about each due to the number of wines tasted, but I was quite happy with my tasting performance - I never identified a specific wine, but I was able to ID the grape and country most of the time, and several times got the region as well. I never nailed a vintage, though I was close on a couple.

The tasting featured a great range of wines, and also offered some great contrasts withing certain regions and even among different vintages of the same wine. We began with the 2000 Chateau St. Jean Cinq Cepages, followed by the 2004 Descendientes de Jose Palacios Villa de Corullon Bierzo, a wine I liked but could not identify,

We then hit a stretch of Barolos - the 2004 Francesco Rinaldi Cannubio led off, but had some sort of acidity issue. Up next was the 2000 Pira-Chiara Boschis Via Nuova, which was really fantastic. I was able to have a little more later in the evening and it was even better - a Barolo that could make anyone a fan of Nebbiolo. We followed that with the 2000 Pio Cesare Ornato, and it was amazing to taste the difference between these two from the same vintage. This wine tasted older and had no real typical Nebbiolo characteristics.

Our next two wines were well out of my normal range - a 2004 Carlton Hills Pinot Noir from Oregon and the 1993 Heitz Cabernet Sauvignon, a wine that stumped everyone, especially with its freshness for a 16-year-old wine.

We then had two wines that stumped most everyone - the 1998 Castello di Rampolla Sammarco and the 2005 St. Jean Cinq Cepages. I was amazed at the difference between this Cinq Cepages and the 2000, as this wine did not have as much of a Cab profile and actually had me leaning toward an Aussie blend.

Our next wine was my contribution for the night, the 1996 Henri Bonneau Chateauneuf du Pape. Everyone knew it was a Chateauneuf, as it had the typical profile, but it was also in a great sweet spot that showed all the greatness of an aged Chateauneuf. Several folks thought this was the wine of the night, and I would struggle to disagree (though the Boschis Barolo gave it a great run).

The final wine of the original lineup was the 2003 Remirez de Ganuza Rioja, which was way too oaky for me, especially for a wine with a few years of age on it. After that, more wines popped up as folks wanted to keep going. The first was the 2004 Domaine de Courbissac La Liviniere Minervois, which tasted like a Southern Rhone Grenache. We then had the 2005 Duhart-Milion, a great young Bordeaux that is probably just starting to shut down now.

The tasting continued with three final wines from Tuscany (though again we did not know this). First was the 2001 Il Poggione Brunello, which was quite nice. There were many jokes throughout the evening about "when in doubt guess Brunello," but here I was certain the wine actually was Brunello. Next we had a 2003 Giovanna Ciacci Brunello, which was unfortunately corked. To give us a better finish, we then had the 2006 Querciabella Chianti, which was quite nice even though I could not identify it as a Chianti.

Overall this was a fantastic evening. I loved being able to taste such a wide variety of great wines, and was happy to see that my palate has developed enough to at least recognize many grapes and some regions. I certainly plan to attend more of these tastings in the future and will try to make sure to write up recaps of them. I'm certainly grateful to Keith Lofton at the Wine Store for inviting me to this group, as it was a wonderful evening and a lot of fun for me.

Saturday, July 11, 2009

The Italian stampede continues

I guess I really have been drinking a lot of Italians lately because I have two more to report on now. The first was the 2007 Conterno-Fantino Barbera d'Alba - a repeat that was opened initially when Mom and Dad were her last week after we finished off the Quintarelli. I was anxious to see what Dad would say, and he quickly agreed that this was quite a nice wine, with plenty of fresh fruit to offer immediately along with a bit of structure to it that carries it up a notch. I was again impressed with this wine, and it was just as good on the second night.

The second Italian of the week was the 2004 Viticcio Chianti Classico Riserva. I've had Viticcio's Riserva in prior vintages (and still have a 2001 in the cellar) and found it to be a very good wine for the price. The 2004 is of course from a great vintage in Chianti, and this wine shows its pedigree. It is still quite fresh, with nice fruit and a good overall balance. I thought it was even better on the second night, suggesting a bit of aging is still a good idea. This is definitely a great wine for the price - most top Chianti Riservas will sell for a good bit more than the $20-$25 this wine is available for.

Thursday, July 9, 2009

Vinitaly 2009, part 5

I should be finishing off the Vinitaly recap finally with this post but Saturday afternoon we really hit another gear as we tried to get as many tastings in as possible before heading home. Following lunch at our usual spot in the Toscana pavilion, I gave Dad one more hour to spend in his favorite region before expanding our horizons.

Our first stop featured three Brunellos that have now received very high scores from the Wine Advocate. We started with the wines from Salicutti, and first had the 2006 Rosso di Montalcino, followed by their 2004 Brunello. Up next was the 2004 Pian dell'Ornio Brunello, and finally the 2004 Stella di Camp'Alto Brunello. Truthfully, I didn't find anything that stood out about these wines - nothing wrong, but they were not among my stars of our Brunello tastings.

Our next stop was one of my favorites - Ciacci Piccolomini. We began with the 2007 Rosso di Montalcino, followed by the 2004 Brunello and the 2004 Brunello Pianrosso, which was among my top Brunellos of the week. From Ciacci we made a quick stop for the 2004 Fuligni Brunello before trying some other Tuscan wines.

We continued on to Brancaia, where we had a great tasting in 2008. This year was very good as well, beginning with the 2007 Tre IGT, another good vintage for one of my favorite value-priced wines. We then had the 2006 Chianti Classico, the 2006 Il Blu IGT and the 2007 Il Blu IGT before finishing with the 2006 Ilatraia.

Next, I convinced Dad to stop at Fontodi, a winery I have always heard so much about. There we tasted three wines from the outstanding 2006 vintage, beginning with the Chianti Classico. Next up was the IGT Flaccianello, a 100% Sangiovese selection that was one of my overall stars of the day. This is an outstanding wine that really shows off what Sangiovese can do. We finished this trio of 2006's with the Chianti Classico Riserva Vigna del Sorbo.

From Fontodi, we then stopped at another favorite from last year, Tenuta San Guido. Known best for their top wine Sassicaia, last year we discovered the Guidalberto for the first time and were excited to taste it again. Howevetr, up first was another new wine, the 2007 Le Difese IGT, a similar blend to Guidalberto, but priced much lower. It was very good, but as we have come to find, it is no secret and difficult to find in the US right now. We then had the 2007 Guidalberto, which was quite nice again. At that point, we finally had a bit of good luck - thanks to the generosity of the folks at Tenuta San Guido (and likely also based on our appreciation of the first two wines we had tasted), we were offered a tasting of "another wine they made in 2006." This was of course the Sassicaia, and it was certainly a treat. It will likely be another star of the 2006 vintage, and a wine I doubt I will be able to actually afford when released. I am glad I got to taste it, though I think the other wines from Tenuta San Guido are also great products as well, and much more in my price range.

At this point, we moved on past the wines of Toscana, though a few more would make it in later in the day. With so much left to cover though, I will wrap this post and complete our final portion of Vinitaly tastings later.

Wednesday, July 8, 2009

Dinner with Mom and Dad

My parents stayed with me Saturday night on their way home from Greece. We were having steaks for dinner, and though I'd usually go for something from the Rhone or Australia, Dad wanted something Italian. Not having much time to let something open up (long story), I gave him a few options and he went with the 2002 Giuseppe Quintarelli Primofiore.

I'd had a bottle of the 2001 Primofiore last fall, and found that it took some time to really come around, but the 2002 did not have such issues. It was certainly a little tight at first, but over the course of an hour or so, opened up nicely. It wasn't a full-force style that an Amarone can be, but had a certain understated elegance to it. The wine had great balance to it, and really ended up being a very nice bottle. With my most recent Quintarelli being the 94 Alzero, this was much different and not on that level, but still quite enjoyable.

I definitely think the Primofiore, as a wine that is pretty easily available here, is a nice wine to pick up in most vintages - not a blockbuster like his greatest wines, but still an interesting and enjoyable product from an iconic producer.

Monday, July 6, 2009

Two more from Italy

My consumption of Italian wines continues at high level these days, though again I have two wines from very different regions to note. Both of these wines are perennial favorites and the latest releases. Up first was the 2005 Allegrini Palazzo della Torre. This was my second bottle of this vintage, and again a good experience. I think 2005 may be one of the better vintages of the past several years, though the overall consistency of this wine from year to year amazes me. It's such a friendly, straightforward wine that goes well with so many foods, and that makes it appealing to drink quite often. I've already got more bottles waiting.

Up next was the 2007 Tua Rita Rosso dei Notri. I've previously had the 2005 vintage of this wine, but this was my first bottle from 2007. It is another strong effort from this great producer, and a wonderful introduction to their wines. As with the Allegrini, it is also a great food wine, with the ripe fruit and hint of spice doing just enough without being overpowering. It can match up well with several things, and this time it was with roast chicken and vegetables.

Overall, these two wines, both at around $20, offer immense pleasure and great options for a nice bottle of wine with a good dinner. I enjoy them both and anticipate more tastings of them over the coming months.

Sunday, July 5, 2009

A trio from Southern France

I've had three different wines from Southern France in the past couple of weeks that offered a great look at the 2006 and 2007 vintages and the different wines coming from them. Up first was a wine from the highly acclaimed new vintage, the 2007 Domaine St. Damien Cotes du Rhone Vieilles Vignes. I'd had this wine's sibling a few months ago and came away a bit underwhelmed so I was hoping for a better showing from the old vines cuvee. Unfortunately, I had some of the same issues, again finding this wine a little too hot and unsettled. For a wine the got a 90-93 rating from Parker, I'd expect more. It is a trend with the 2007 wines so far though, so most of those that I have are now being set aside for at least several months to see if they balance out a bit.

2006 has become a somewhat forgotten vintage in the Rhone thanks to the hype around 2007, but I think overlooking it is a big mistake. The 2006 Les Aphillanthes Cotes du Rhone-Villages Trois Cepages is a great example of the potential from this vintage. A blend of equal parts Grenache, Syrah, and Mourvedre this is a full bodied lush wine that is drinking well now but has some stuffing to last a few years too. It was really a treat, and a wine I highly recommend, especially with several retailers here marking it down to under $20.

Finally, I had another 2006 in the same style, but not from the Rhone. The 2006 Pegovino Vin de Pays d'Oc is made by Laurence Feraud of Pegau, and is a fantastic value. For under $10 you get a wine that shows much of the typical peppery flavors of Grenache, but with some Syrah to balance it out a bit. I'd had this a couple of months ago, and this bottle was just as good. It's definitely a wine to put at the top of my super value list.

Tuesday, June 30, 2009

Vinitaly 2009, part 4

It has been quite a while, but finally I am catching up with the last of the Vinitaly reports. Saturday was an amazing (and long) day, and by the end we had tasted an incredible number of wines.

The day began in the Veneto pavilions again, first at a new producer we sought out, Marion. A newer small, family-run production, Marion's wines have been getting great reviews, but are still quite unknown and difficult to find. We began with the 2007 Valpollicella Classico, and then the 2005 Valpolicella Superiore, which is dried for 40 days, and thus really a step up toward Amarone. We then moved to the 2005 Teroldego IGT and the 2005 Cabernet Sauvignon IGT, which is also made with a partial drying of the grapes. The 2004 Calto, a blend of Valpolicella and Amarone, was next before finally getting to the 2004 Amarone, which was quite good. We finished with the 2002 Passito Bianco, a sweet white dessert wine that was different but quite good. Overall, this was a great tasting from an up-and-coming producer that I hope to be able to drink more of in the future.

Next we finally made our visit to our friend Tiziano Accordini of Stefano Accordini. After meeting Tiziano last year, Dad was soon contacted by his new importer and they have been able to set up tastings of his wines in Pensacola and get the wines in stock there. Since our return this year, Tiziano has made a visit to the States including a stop in Pensacola where he dined at my parents' house before hosting a tasting the following night. Tiziano has quickly become a good friend, but he also makes some fantastic wines.

We began with the 2008 Valpolicella, which is still very young, but has some potential. Next was the 2006 Ripasso, which is a definite step up. The next wine was the 2006 Passo IGT, which includes 20% Cabernet Sauvignon and 10% Merlot in the blend. We then moved on to the Amarones, with the 2005 Amarone normale followed by an outstanding 2001 Il Fornetto Amarone. We finished with the 2005 Recioto, a great example of this type.

Our final stop of the morning was with Tommaso Bussola and his wife Daniela. We met Daniela last year, and she was again a gracious host this year, along with her husband, who is an amazingly talented winemaker. Again, we tasted through an incredibly deep lineup of wines. Up first was the 2006 Valpolicella, followed by the 2004 Valpoliicella Ca del Laito Ripasso, and the 2004 Valpolicella Superiore TB. Unfortunately, this final Valpolicella had some sort of issue, whether there were bad corks or some oxidation that occurred. The Bussolas are very disappointed and not sure what happened, but it only happened with this wine in 2004. From there we quickly rebounded with the 2004 IGT L'Errante, which is modeled on the Quintarelli Alzero (but not quite to that level yet). The Amarones were up next, beginning with the 2003 Amarone Classico. It is a good wine, but the 2004 Amarone Vigneto Alto raises things to another level, though it is a little on the sweet side. The best of the group was the 2004 Amarone Riserva TB, which is a little more balanced and a truly great Amarone. To conclude, the Bussolas had three dessert wines for us, starting with the 2006 Passito Bianco Peagna. We then has the 2006 Recioto and the 2004 Recioto TB Riserva, which is quite sweet, but really a great Recioto.

After all this, we were certainly ready for lunch. Not only were we hungry, but we also needed to refresh our palates as we began what would be an epic afternoon.

Monday, June 29, 2009

My birthday dinner - a special treat

The break in posts recently was due to my vacation, during which I celebrated my birthday. I got to spend a week visiting with many friends and capped with a weekend in Chicago. For dinner that night, six of us descended upon the Chicago Chop House for a feast.

Of course, I certainly wanted a nice wine to celebrate as well, and initially was a bit worried as I looked over the list - not that there weren't some great choices, but most of the prices were astronomical. Suddenly, I came across an amazing selection that was actually underpriced, though still quite expensive compared to what I usually spend. Regardless, I decided it was my birthday and too good an opportunity to pass up - a 1994 Giuseppe Quintarelli Alzero.



I've heard about this wine, and seen a couple of bottles for sale in Italy, where my Dad and I would kid about buying a bottle for 300+ euros. So when this bottle was listed at $250 at the Chop House, I caved. I am pleased to report it was well worth it. This was one of the most amazing wines I've ever tasted. Made of Cabernet Franc, but dried like Amarone, it is so different than anything else, and truly amazing. The fruits were bursting forth from the first sip, and continued through for a lengthy finish.

The wine was sweeter than most Amarones, but not quite at the level of a Recioto. It was also a well-aged wine, with the tannins having softened but still providing structure. I savored the wine as much as I could through dinner, a wonderful 16 oz filet. But no doubt, the wine was the star. I'd rank it right alongside the 1995 Chapoutier Le Pavillon Ermitage as the greatest wine I've ever tasted, but this time I got to drink a few glasses and enjoy it with a great meal and great friends.

This is an experience I won't ever forget and was a great way to cap a great trip. I know the price is high, and the wine is quite rare, but if anyone should ever have a chance, Quintarelli Alzero is a truly special wine that belongs in the Pantheon of world classics. It is absolutely amazing.

Sunday, June 28, 2009

My Italian wine tasting

About a month ago, I finally got around to hosting another wine tasting for my friends. I've done several of these in the past, but it had been over a year since the last one. The idea is to choose several affordable and available wines so that anyone who is a wine novice can get some great ideas of wines they might want to purchase.

For this tasting I decided to also center the theme around my trip to Vinitaly, choosing mainly wines from producers we visited on the trip (typically they were older vintages, since most of the newest wines have not yet arrived here). The tasting began with the 2005 Brancaia Tre. This blend of 80% Sangiovese, 10% Merlot, and 10% Cabernet Sauvignon has been a favorite everyday wine of mine, and the 2005 vintage is quite good, though maybe not quite as good as the 2004.

Staying in Toscana, we then had the 2006 La Mozza I Perrazzi Morrelino di Scansano. As noted before, this as an excellent value wine, though on this night I didn't think it showed as well.

Up next was the lone selection from a producer we did not visit at Vinitaly, the 2007 Luciano Sandrone Dolcetto d’Alba. Of course, I've had this wine recently, and it is a fantastic selection so I had to include it. I thought it was very good on this night as well.

Our fourth selection was the 2006 Il Poggione Rosso di Montalcino. This was the most expensive selection in the lineup, but I think it was also the best. The wine was showing off a lot of cherry flavors with a longer finish than any other.

Moving south, the next selection was the 2007 Terredora Aglianico, which was as good as its previous tasting a week before. Perhaps because it came after the star of the night it was overlooked, but I still really enjoyed this wine.

The night's red wines concluded with the latest vintage of one of my favorites, the 2006 Zenato Ripassa. I had initially planned on the 2005, but came across a bottle of 2006 at the last moment so went with it. The 2006 has gotten great ratings, but in the end I think it was a little young still, and perhaps the 2005 would have been a better choice. This will still be a great wine I think, but for now it could not step up to the level that Il Poggione had on this night.

Finally, the night concluded with a bottle of 2008 Saracco Moscato. We have tasted the Moscatos from Saracco at Vinitaly each of the past two years, and it really is wonderful. There is so much fruit like apricot as well as floral notes that make this a wonderful way to end an evening.

Overall, I think the tasting offered a great look at some of the best Italy has to offer right now at a great price. I hope everyone that attended agreed and they will seek out some of these wines for themselves. For me, it was another great chance to share my passion with friends, which to me os one of the great joys of wine.

Saturday, June 27, 2009

A pair from Spain

It seems Spain has almost been a forgotten country for me lately between all of the 2007 Rhones I am sampling along with all of the Italians I continue to be trying out. However, these two wines served as a great reminder of the high quality wine being produced in Spain and available at affordable prices. First up was the 2007 Las Colinas del Ebro, a blend of 60% Syrah and 40% Garnacha from the Terra Alta region. I found this wine to be superior to several of the 2007 Cotes du Rhones I have recently sampled, more elegant and refined as opposed to the somewhat in your face style I've been experiencing from similar Rhone blends.

Up next was the 2007 Atteca Old Vines. This 100% Garnacha from Calatayud was just as good as it was when I tried it previously, if not better. Full of spice and cherry fruit, it was even better on the second night. I enjoyed this bottle so much, I immediately wanted more, but today's shopping was a disappointment, as there was none to be found. I am hopeful it is still available somewhere in Atlanta, because this is a great wine for the price and seems it should have a few years of aging potential.

Overall, these two wines were a great reminder of what Spain has on offer. There continues to be so many great values out from there, and in many different styles.

Friday, June 26, 2009

Italians from the north and south

Ok, so it's been a while since my last entry - a week of vacation and a week of heavy work and travel have really set things back. The next several days will catch up with things, and I'll start with a pair of Italians that I drank over the past few weeks.

First up is one from the north - the 2004 Matteo Corregia Roero. I wasn't at all familiar with this wine when I picked it up at a local store, but I was very impressed. This wine is 100% Nebbiolo from a lesser-known area of Piemonte, and thus much less expensive that a Barbaresco or Barolo. It compares somewhat favorably to a younger Barbaresco, offering a lot of fruit but without being overpowering. Anyone looking to experience Nebbiolo without spending a lot should search out this wine.

From the south, I had the 2007 Colosi Nero d'Avola. I've had this wine before and it once again delivered. The wine has cherry flavors that come to the fore initially, but it remains light on its feet. As before, the wine also improved on the second night, with a little more complexity and body, really taking it up another notch. I really like this wine and anticipate more purchases of it in the near future, as the price is quite appealing.

Monday, June 8, 2009

2007 Pierre Usseglio Panorama Vin de Table

Another wine I've recently tried from this great Rhone vintage was the 2007 Pierre Usseglio Panorama. This wine is different because it is mainly Merlot in the blend, and thus must be classified as a Vin de Table. It was an intriguing blend, different than anything else I've had from the Rhone recently, but still enjoyable in its own way. it still offered some characteristics of the typical Rhone profile, but then the roundness provided by the Merlot.

I'd still probably prefer a normal Cotes du Rhone, but I still enjoyed this. It is a well-made wine, and certainly fairly priced. For anyone who enjoys Merlot and wants to try something different, I'd certainly recommend it.

Sunday, June 7, 2009

A red and a white from Spain

I'm still drinking a lot from Spain, which I think has so many great values. A few weeks ago with grilled shrimp, I went for a white wine and had the 2007 Burgans Rias Baixas Albarino. This is a very good white wine that is a great match with shellfish, simple with some light floral notes. It's also a great value, and a different type of white that I prefer over a standard Chardonnay.

Last week I tried a new red wine, the 2004 Finco Sobreno Toro. This was a new producer for me, from a region where I've had a few really good wines. On the first night, this wine did not have much to offer, and I was a bit underwhelmed. On the second night though, it started to show more dark fruit. Overall, it still seemed like maybe a little bottle time would help this out. It's certainly a different style than something like the Termes that I've enjoyed, and I may get more to see if it can age for a few years and improve more.

Wednesday, June 3, 2009

2007 Domaine Les Grands Bois Cotes du Rhones-Villages Cuvee Philippine

From the fantastic 2007 vintage in the Rhone, this producer fashioned a set of wines that made quite an impression on Robert Parker. I was not familiar with them before the reviews came out, but once I saw them and some of the wines arrived here in Atlanta, I had to buy some. The 2007 Grands Bois Cotes du Rhone-Villages Cuvee Philippine is a blend of 50% Grenache, 35% Syrah, and the rest Mourvedre and Carignan. It was quite a nice wine on the first night, with the spice and earthiness of the Grenache, but also full of flavor from the Syrah.

On the second night, it was even better. No doubt, this wine could pass for a Chateauneuf du Pape, but much cheaper. This wine was only about $19, and is a real whopper. It is a real testament to this vintage, but also a great effort from a producer that has put out a lot of really good wines at great prices. I also picked up a bottle of their Rasteau, but need to get more of this as well.

Tuesday, June 2, 2009

A dinner with old friends

Over Memorial Day Weekend, my friend Matt and his wife came to visit and stay with me, and my friend Andy and his wife also came to town. I've known Andy forever, and Matt since we were kids playing little league together. The 3 of us were in high school together, so Saturday night was a nice mini-reunion. Instead of going out, I suggested we just eat in, which meant I could break out a nice selection of wines.

Before dinner, I opened a bottle of the 2007 Terredora Aglianico, which I had just picked up that afternoon. We tasted this wine at Vinitaly, and I thought it was a very good, forward Aglianico that is also fairly priced. This first bottle purchased here certainly met those expectations. It had lots of fruit and a good body, a nice wine to kick off the night.

For dinner, we had steaks along with my herb roasted potatoes, so I chose the 2000 Domaine de Cristia Renaissance Chateauneuf du Pape. I'm not sure, but my final verdict is that this wine might have suffered a bit of heat damage. It wasn't cooked, but it had a bite to it that never went away, and just never seemed to balance out, even though it had a couple of hours of air. Others liked the wine, but I'm pretty sure it had a flaw.

Following that, I wanted something that would wow everyone as we had finished eating, so I went with the 2001 Sartori Amarone. Despite not having more than a few minutes of air, this wine did not disappoint. It was full and expressive as an Amarone should be, though not to the level of the best I've had. I had no complaints though - this was a great introduction to Amarone for a group that had not experienced one before.

The Amarone actually went so quickly that I ended up opening one last bottle. Sticking with Italy, I went for the 1997 Campogiovanni Brunello. Again, we opened and started drinking, and the wine was pretty solid from the start. It certainly improved as we drank, but it was really drinking well, showing off the great pedigree of the 1997 vintage, with nice cherry fruit and a pretty long finish. I was happy with the wine, and look forward to some other great 1997 Brunellos over the next several years.

All in all, this was a great night. It really is fun to get to enjoy a night like this with old friends and to share some of my wines with them, even if they aren't "into wine" like me. Everyone enjoyed the different styles, and I find it fascinating to see how different people prefer different wines. In the end, it is always a matter of personal preference.

Tuesday, May 26, 2009

Three more Italians

Yes, I seem to be drinking quite a lot of Italian wine lately, and these three all offered some great quality. Up first was the 2007 Sandrone Dolcetto d'Alba, the latest vintage of a wine that has been fantastic the prior two years. I am pleased to report that the 2007 manages to stand up quite favorably to the 2006, and is a very pleasant fruity wine. It is again a great food wine, able to match up well with a variety of foods.

Up next was the 2004 Secco Bertani Valpolicella Ripasso. This was also a repeat wine, and was consistent with my prior tasting back in December. It is a very nice Ripasso that offers plenty of drinking pleasure at a great price (a good bit less than Zenato or Allegrini's similar quality offerings).

Finally, I had another bottle of the 2004 Angelini Val di Suga Rosso di Montalcino. I've had this wine multiple times, and I think this may have been its best performance yet. The wine seems to just now be entering it peak window, and over two nights was really showing all it had. There was a lot of cherry and other red fruit, and the wine just seemed in perfect balance. I think this wine still has a couple of years of life, but it certainly seems that the great 2004 vintage is now beginning to show its full potential in the Rosso di Montalcinos.

Monday, May 25, 2009

Weekend wines with Loudoun

The past two weekends I have hosted friends from out of town, which has given me the opportunity to break out several wines from the cellar. Last weekend, Loudoun was visiting from Charlotte, and we had two nights to choose some various wines.

Friday night we had steaks, so for our first wine I opted for the 2000 Tardieu-Laurent Cornas. The wine had an hour or so to open up, and was a very interesting selection, It continued to evolve as we drank it, and I'm not sure it ever showed everything it had. Tardieu-Laurent is known to have modern-styled wines, and Cornas is a very traditional appellation, so in the end I'm not sure it's the best interpretation. I didn't think the wine was bad at all, just not all I had hoped for.

Up next, I let Loudoun make a selection, and he went with the 1999 Gaja Sito Moresco Langhe. This wine is a blend of Nebbiolo, Merlot, and Cabernet Sauvignon, quite different from most of Gaja's wines (and also a lot less expensive). The wine was nice, and definitely international-styled, with no real defining characteristics. It was well-made and didn't really have any flows, but overall nothing that really stood out either.

Saturday night, we had ribs, so as per my usual matching, we went with a Zinfandel. The choice was the 2005 Turley Moore Earthquake Zinfandel, a selection that we only received one bottle of, so Loudoun had not had it. This wine received among the highest marks of the vintage from Parker, but Loudoun was quite underwhelmed by it. I thought it was decent, more similar to a Grenache in profile. To me it could've passed for a Southern Rhone from a hot vintage, but it was certainly a different taste than most Turleys we have had over the past couple of years.

Finally, we went with a 2000 Igino Accordini Amarone Riserva Gino Corolin. This was a very nice Amarone, and with more time to open up would've really been singing I think. As it was, it still offered a full body with plenty of rich fruit. I think we both agreed it was our favorite wine of the weekend, and a good way to finish up.

Thursday, May 21, 2009

Greek wines at Kyma

Last week I had the opportunity to attend a tasting featuring many of the best wines being made in Greece today. I was expecting a few good wines and some average drinkable ones as well, but was instead surprised by the overall high quality of what I tasted. What follows is a quick recap of a fantastic evening.

I kept brief notes, and not in order of tasting, so these will be alphabetical by winery, as they are in the guide we were given. Alpha Estate was one of the properties I was not familiar with, but I came away very impressed. I tried three different reds, the 2006 Xinomavro, the 2006 Alpha Estate, and the 2006 Axia. The Alpha Estate was a blend of 60% Syrah, 20% Xinomavro, and 20% Merlot, and was quite good. The Axia was 60% Xinomavro and 40% Merlot, good, but not quite as nice as the Estate.

From Boutari, we had the 2006 Naoussa, which is decent, but nothing special. It's a nice inexpensive quaffer. Cair is an estate from Rhodes that actually makes a red, and the 2006 Orama isn't bad. Like the Boutari, it's a nice easy drinker.

Gaia was a winery I've heard of but not tried anything. The Gaia S 2007 is a blend of 70% Agioritiko and 30% Syrah made in a lighter style. It's not bad, but the star is the 2006 Gaia Estate, a 100% Agioritiko. It was one of the stars of the night, silky smooth and full-bodied.

Domaine Gerovassiliou
makes some great reds and whites. the 2008 Malagousia remains my favorite Greek white wine, very aromatic with floral notes. Their 2008 Viogner was also quite good, restrained and elegant. The lone red we had was the 2005 Avaton, a blend of three indigenous grapes - Limnio, Mavroudi, and Maavrotagano. It is very good, and a great example of what some of these unknown varietals can produce with a great winemaker.

Katogi
is another winery I'm familiar with, and their 2005 Xinomavro was among the best of the night as well, full of spice. Also made of Xinomavro, but with a touch of Merlot, is the Kir-Yanni 2006 Estate. This is another very good wine from one of the better producers in Greece.

One of my favorite producers in Greece is Domaine Mercouri, and they had two good red wines on offer. The 2005 Domaine Mercouri is nice and soft, an everyday wine, while the 2004 Cava is more elegant and fuller. Both wines are mainly Refosco, with some Mavrodaphne.

Quite possibly the star of the night (and a real treat as I did not expect them to be represented) was Papaioannou. We had one of their wines on my last trip to Greece that I thought was the best Greek wine I had tasted, so I was excited to see them. The wines on offer did not disappoint - both the 2003 Old Vines Nemea and 2001 Mikroclima Nemea were excellent. Both are 100% Agioritiko, and they are truly world-class. I can't recommend this winery enough, as I think anyone who tastes these would realize Greece can produce true top-quality wines.

Ktima Pavlidis
was another new estate for me, but unfortunately a bit disappointing. Their 2006 Thema White was ok, and while the 2008 Thema Rose (made from Tempranillo) was interesting it didn't wow me. The 2006 Thema Red was unfortunately what many Greek wines have been in the past - a bit thin (especially for a wine that is 60% Syrah) and lacking any real character.

Domaine Tsantali is well-known, and their 2005 Rapsani Riserva was a bit rustic and tannic, though it did open up slowly. It may turn out to be ok, but for now wasn't among the tops of the night.

Finally, I will close with Domaine Skouras, another favorite of mine. We had three different reds, beginning with the 2007 St. George (Agioritiko). This is a lighter Agioritiko, but a great food wine, and one that I have had in prior vintages. The 2006 Megas Oenos, a blend of Cabernet Sauvignon and Agioritiko, is a big step up, but I did not find this vintage quite as compelling as prior years I've tasted. Many feel that this has been Greece's top wine recently, but this vintage did not quite measure up on this night. It was still good, but not quite to the level of some others I had. Finally, Skouras had a new wine on offer, the 2006 Synoro, which is a blend of Cab Franc, Merlot, and Agioritiko. This wine is still a little young and tannic with the Cab Franc really dominating, but I feel that it has the potential to be very, very good.

Overall, this was an amazing night. After tasting all off these wines, I really feel that Greece is moving ever closer to a real breakout with its wine industry. There is a great variety of indigenous grapes, as well as some wonderful wine being produced with international varietals. I can only hope that this trend continues and people give these wines a chance, because the improvements just in the last 5-6 years are really something. I also look forward to getting over to Greece at the end of the summer and seeing what new wines I might discover there, as there are bound to be more producers continuing to rise to the challenge. For anyone here in the US, I'd urge you to seek out some of these top wines, especially if you are visiting a Greek restaurant (such as Kyma here in Atlanta, one of the best restaurants of any kind we have in this city).