1999 Domaine Santa Duc Gigondas

I recently went to the cellar and pulled out my final bottle from the 1999 Gigondas vintage. Domaine Santa Duc is one of the top producers from this appellation, and the 1999 Santa Duc Gigondas had been considered a very good vintage.

I was a bit skeptical of how this wine might have aged, closing on 10 years, and the initial taste upon opening had me worried. However, it just took a little time for everything to settle down and open up, and I was left with a wonderfully nuanced example of what this appellation can deliver. The wine was still offering up a great deal of "garrigue" - the earthiness that can typify southern Rhone wines. Even so, I continued to feel that this wine was just barely hanging on before fading, and was glad I hadn't left it any longer.

I left a little of the wine overnight, and was stunned on the second night when it had not completely burnt out. Instead, it was almost better, having put on a little more weight and more nuanced flavors. Those last couple of glasses were really phenomenal, with a great blend of fruits, spices, and earthiness that typically are for a great aged Chateauneuf. I was really stunned, and having a couple of bottles of more recent Santa Duc Gigondas vintages, I look forward to seeing what they can deliver.

A pair of Cotes du Rhones

I had a couple of wines from the 2006 Rhona vintage recently, with somewhat differing results. First up was the Kermit Lynch Cotes du Rhone from a well-known importer who is now fashioning his own negociant cuvee. I definitely think Lynch's portfolio of wines is top-notch, and this wine got very good reviews. However, I was a bit disappointed, as to me the wine came across as a little too hot. There wasn't much complexity (not that I expect a lot from an entry-level Cotes du Rhone) and overall the wine just did not deliver as much as I was expecting.

Next up was the 2006 Cotes du Rhone Belleruche from M. Chapoutier. I have previously reviewed the 2005 vintage of this wine, and the 2006 is a winner as well. This year, the wine seems to offer a little more body (perhaps more Syrah in the blend?) and is really a winner for the price. Anyone on a budget would do well to have either Chapoutier or Guigal's Cotes du Rhone as a standy house red.

A couple of repeats

I'm adding a short entry here just to note a couple of bottles I recently had that were consistent with prior entries. First was the 2005 Volver La Mancha, a whopping value from Spain. I first tried this in August and loved it, and the most recent bottle was just as good. This wine is still widely available in Atlanta, and I definitely recommend it.

Next up was my standby Australian Shiraz for steak nights, the D'Arenberg Laughing Magpie. My second bottle of the 2006 was just as solid as the first, and I've got more already on hand for when it's needed. My consumption of Australian wines has waned a bit, but this wine continues to provide enjoyment anytime I have it.

The variety of Italy

It's quite obvious if you read through this blog that Italy has probably become my favorite country for wine production, partly because of the great variety of grapes and styles on offer. Over the past couple of weeks, I've had three great examples from various regions of this wonderful country.

Starting in the north, I had the 2006 Massolino Barbera d'Alba. As I've noted previously, this wine offers up a great example of this vintage with a freshness and elegance that makes it a winner (especially for the price). I'll definitely keep this in rotation as long as it remains available.

Moving to Central Italy, I had a bottle of the 2004 Angelini Val di Suga Rosso di Montalcino. Angelini is a producer that we spent a great deal of time tasting at VinItaly, and I was excited to try out the Rosso di Montalcino from this great vintage. The wine did not disappoint, offering some rich cherry flavors like a Brunello, though not with quite as much complexity. Not to say this wine was simple though - it's more than just a light easy drinker, and it also took some time to fully open up. The wine drank better on night two, suggesting a few years of aging may be best. I have one other bottle already in the cellar, so I will see how it holds up over the next few years.

Finally, the last of this Italian sampler came from the island of Sicily. The 2005 Morgante Nero d'Avola is a great example to introduce anyone to the indigenous grape of this island. I've had this wine in several past vintages, but for some reason it had been a while since I last had a bottle. The 2005 from Morgante is another solid effort, and it remains a very good value at around $15.

2005 Chateau Pesquie Cotes du Ventoux Terrasses

A value-priced Rhone Valley favorite of Robert Parker's, the 2005 Chateau Pesquie Cotes du Ventoux Terrasses is a very nice wine from a lesser-known appellation. The Terrasses is a blend of 70% Grenache and 30% Syrah, so it is a dark rich wine the shows off the Syrah of the blend along with the typical garrigue of the Grenache of the Southern Rhone.

I've enjoyed this wine previously, and the 2005 is another strong vintage. The Terrasses is actually the lower-end bottling of their two main wines, with the Quintessence offering even more length and complexity for a little more money (it's still a good value in the $20 range). This is another winery that Parker has put on the map here in the U.S. for those of us who love to find great values, not just drink trophy wines.

2004 Secco Bertani Valpolicella Ripasso

One of my favorite choices from the Veneto over the past few years has been the Ripasso from one of the most well-known producers in the region. The 2004 Secco Bertani Valpolicella does not disappoint. It offers a bit of the complexity that comes from the Ripasso method, but is still very fresh with good fruit.

The wine is also still very fairly priced at about $15, making it more in the value range that the comparable wines of Allegrini and Zenato have since soared past. At the same price I might prefer Zenato's Ripasso, but it is not worth the $10 more it costs in most stores these days. For a better value, the Bertani is definitely a winner.

2001 Bodegas San Alejandro Las Rocas Vinas Viejas

My final bottle from a rare case purchase, this was a wine that took the wine world by storn a few years ago. The 2001 Las Rocas Vinas Viejas burst onto the scene with a 93 point rating from Robert Parker and a $12 price tag. Throughout the life of the case I saw this wine go from outstanding to merely decent, back to outstanding. This final bottle fell somewhere between the decent and outstanding. It still had a good amount of fruit, though it didn't blow me a way. For the price though, it was still a winner.

Even better, this original case was one of the first wines to turn me on to the great potential and value of Spanish wines. Las Rocas (both the regular cuvee and Vinas Viejas) has become a standby everyday drinker for me, and a wine a always recommend to anyone looking for a great value in Grenache.

A couple of Cotes du Rhones

Over the past couple of weeks I had two very good Cotes du Rhones from the very good 2006 vintage. Robert Parker is now raving about the 2007s from the Southern Rhone, but these two prove that 2006 is no slouch.

First up was the Cotes du Rhone from Domaine de la Mordoree. This winery is of course known for its Liracs and Chateauneuf du Papes, but the Cotes du Rhone delivers every year and 2006 is no different. A blend of Grenache, Syrah, Cinsault, Carignan, and Counoise, this is as complex a wine as you will find for around $12. It is deep and fairly robust for a Cotes du Rhone, and really quite a value.

Next up was the Cotes du Rhone from Domaine Grand Veneur. I had previously tasted the 2005, and found it still a bit tightly wound, but the 2006 had no such issues. From the opening on the first night, this wine was offering plenty of fruit as well as the typical southern Rhone garrigue. On the second night the wine was even better, with the everything in great balance. If the 2007 Cotes du Rhones are better than these offerings, I can't wait to try them all.

2005 Fanti Sant'Antimo Rosso

I've previously noted that we tasted the wines of Fanti at Vinitaly, and I finally opened up a bottle of the 2005 Sant'Antimo Rosso at home. This wine isn't one that will come out and wow you, but it is a great choice for an everyday Italian red.

2005 isn't a vintage that is at the top of the list from Tuscany but there are still quality wines from quality producers like Fanti. This wine definitely delivers some nice fruit and a good profile for a decent price. I look forward to getting the 2006 vintage here soon.

UVA-GT weekend with Loudoun

Loudoun was in town for the Virginia-Georgia Tech football game recently, so of course that meant more wines came out from the cellar (especially Saturday night after the Virginia win).

Friday night I opened one of my older bottles, the 1998 Beni di Batasiolo Barolo. This isn't a real high-end producer, but was instead a value choice from this region purchased when I was just getting into collecting and looking for the best values around. This wine got good ratings from Wine Spectator, especially for the price. Finally opening it I wasn't too surprised, especially without giving it much time to open up. The wine was somewhat simple for a Barolo, but did open up eventually to show some nice fruit. It never wowed me, but it wasn't a bad wine.

Saturday night we started with the 1998 Domaine de Beaurenard Chateauneuf du Pape. Again, this was a value choice from a great vintage, and again the wine was slow to open up fully. Once it did, it was again a good wine, but just not a wow. I actually think it could use a few more years, and for some of the higher-end 1998s I have I will continue to wait.

Our final wine was the 2001 Giuseppe Quintarelli Primofiore. Quintarelli's Amarone and Valpolicellas are legendary, but also quite expensive, with the IGT Primofiore less expensive and easier to find. The wine is mainly the typical grapes of the Veneto, but adds a bit of Cabernet Sauvignon and Cabernet Franc. My personal opinion was that the wine wasn't so good Saturday night with the Cab dominating the profile, by Loudoun loved it. The next night was a different story though - the wine seemed to have come into balance and was wonderfully complex with a great mix of flavors. I think the younger vintages I have will continue to age a while and hope that they end up with this great balance and complexity as well.

Catching up - Italy

I'll admit this first wine probably deserves more space than I'm going to give it, because the 2000 Ciacci Piccolomini Fabius Sant'Antimo was incredible. Ciacci is best known for their Brunellos, but they also make a couple of other international styled wines, one of which is this Sant'Antimo. The Fabius is 100% Syrah, and is a great example of how this international varietal can reach great heights in Italy. I absolutely loved this wine, and would love to get more of other vintages. It had aged quite well, and in my opinion was at an optimal point in its life. I really, really recommend this wine.

The other Italian was also from Tuscany, but this time it was a blend. The 2004 Brancaia Tre is a blend of Sangiovese, Merlot and Cabernet and from an exceptional vintage. This IGT Toscana is the entry-level wine from this producer and is a decent price that delivers some great quality. We got to taste the entire Brancaia lineup at Vinitaly, and they are making great wines all around. The Tre allows anyone to try their wines without spending too much.

I'll have one last catch-up entry coming soon that will detail the wines drank this past weekend when Loudoun came to visit for the UVa-GT football game. Needless to say, there were some good treats pulled from the cellar, especially to celebrate the big UVa win Saturday night.

Catching up - Spain

I've had two nice inexpensive wines from Spain recently - one an old favorite, and one a totally new choice.

The old favorite was the 2005 Las Rocas Calatayud Garnacha. A Robert Parker favorite, this winery burst onto the scene a few years ago with its Vinas Viejas earning mid-90's scores and priced under $15. This 2005 was their regular bottling, but it still delivers a great example of Spanish Garnacha for a small price. Not an overwhelming wine, it is a good everyday drinker much like the La Garrigue Cotes du Rhone I just wrote about.

The new wine was the 2005 Vilosell Costers del Segre. I was not familiar with this region or the wine, but once again it was an inexpensive Spanish selection from importer Eric Solomon that earned rave reviews from Parker. Made from mainly Tempranillo, this blend was more on the modern side, but not overly so. Again, for the price of about $15, it delivered plenty of pleasure for a nice weeknight quaffer.

Catching up - France

For those of you who are reading and checking this blog, my apologies for neglecting it the past few weeks. I've had plenty of good wine to drink, so I'm now going to do my best to start catching up. Instead of my single entries for each wine, I'll consolidate a bit. First up, a few French wines.

From the cellar, I pulled out the 2000 Tardieu-Laurent Rasteau Vieilles Vignes. Tardieu-Laurent's wines are know as being somewhat oaky and tannic, so giving this a few years seemed a wise move. I think it certainly was, as this wine was very balanced and delivered great flavors of a more traditional Southern Rhone wine. I was quite happy with it.

Next up was one of my favorite house wines - the 2003 Guigal Cotes du Rhone. This vintage was exceptional, and I've been drinking it over the past two years I think. It still holds plenty of great flavor with a higher Syrah component that gives it a darker color and more body. In any vintage this wine is good, and I've finally got some 2004 to try soon.

Finally, there was the 2006 Domaine La Garrigue Cotes du Rhone. This wine is a better example of the Southern Rhone compared to the Guigal that embodies the best of both North and South in my opinion. The winery is located in Vacqueyras, and the Cotes du Rhone is similar to what I expect from that appellation - a bit rustic, but overall pleasing. It is similar in price to the Guigal, and both are great everyday-type wines that show the breadth of possibilities from this region.

1999 Chateau de St. Cosme Gigondas

I went back to the cellar over the weekend for another Rhone Valley wine, this time an older Gigondas from one of the top producers of the appellation. I have several bottles from various vintages and as this was the oldest I felt it was time to give it a try. The 1999 St Cosme Gigondas still has some life left in it, with much of the rustic earthiness that is a trait of the appellation. I enjoyed this wine over two nights and found that it still had plenty going for it even the second night. It's not an overwhelming wine, but a very good example of how the wines of Gigondas can age gracefully, but without losing their soul.

The prices for these wines have unfortunately increased over the past few years, but I still recommend St. Cosme Gigondas for a value from the Southern Rhone. The base cuvee is much less than most Chateauneufs now, and at $25-$30 will deliver great pleasure over several years.

2004 Jean-Luc Colombo Cotes du Rhone Les Abeilles

Jean-Luc Colombo is one of the newer breed of winemakers in the Cornas appellation of the Northern Rhone, but he also makes a great negociant Cotes du Rhone as well. I've enjoyed this wine in prior vintages, and the 2004 has been solid as well. Made from a blend of Grenache, Syrah, and Mourvedre, this is a Southern Rhone wine, but with a bit of the elegance of a Northern Rhone.

What makes this wine even better is the price. Typically available in the $10-$12 range of many similar Cotes du Rhones, I've been getting this recently for just $7 a bottle, which makes it an absolute steal. There are very few wines that can deliver such pleasure at this price, so if you see it in that price range, I definitely recommend picking up a bottle or 2.

2004 Turley Pesenti Zinfandel

My latest Turley bottle was the 2004 Pesenti, a wine I have had a couple of times previously and quite enjoyed. This bottle was no different, offering up plenty of typical Turley brawn, but not overpowering. Flavors of berries and dark fruit led the way, and the finish was not alcoholic despite the 16% alcohol level.

Of all the Turleys I've tried I'd say that the Pesenti has consistently delivered great quality for its price (in the mid-range of the Turley lineup). I'd certainly recommend it to anyone who wants to see what great Zinfandel is all about.

2001 Domaine Bois de Boursan Chateauneuf du Pape

My Dad had just mentioned that he was able to get some bottles of Bois de Boursan's high-end Cuvee Felix for a great price, so when I went looking for a Chateauneuf to drink last week, I decided to see how the winery's regular cuvee was holding up. 2001 was a very good vintage in Chateauneuf du Pape, and the wines should now be coming out of their dormancy and entering into their prime drinking window.

The first night, the 2001 Bois de Boursan started a bit slowly, but opened up to reveal some great Grenache characteristics with cherry flavors leading the way. On the second night though, the wine had really reched another level, offering not only the cherry, but a more complex mix of flavors and a longer finish. I was quite pleased with the wine and look forward to seeing how the Cuvee Felix is evolving, but I will certainly give it a few years (I have a bottle of the 2001 as well as 2003 and the 2004 my Dad has procured). For folks looking for a good Chateauneuf to try without breaking the bank, I'd recommend this base-level wine from Bois de Boursan, which should be available most anywhere for $30-$40, a very reasonable price for Chateauneuf du Pape in today's market.

2000 Domaine Mercouri Red

Over the past week or two, I've begun going to my cellar for wines, figuring there are plenty of choices there that probably are peaking (and hopefully not past). One of the first I noticed was a Greek wine, the 2000 Domaine Mercouri, and truthfully I was afraid it may be over the hill. I was pleasantly surprised though to find that this wine still had plenty to offer. There was still ample fruit that made this a nice red ideal for drinking with dinner.

I first had this wine one summer in Greece, and have found it to be one of the better wines coming out of Greece. This wine is mainly Refosco, with some Mavrodaphne blended in, and offers a great look at what is possible from Greece with commitment to make top quality wines. I highly recommend this producer if you are looking to sample the wines from this region.

2006 Bodegas Luzon Jumilla

Another of the great values I've found from Spain is from the region of Jumilla, the Monastrell (Mourvedre)-Syrah blend made by Bodegas Luzon. The 2004 Luzon is certainly made in a very forward style, offering plenty of fruit on the nose and the palate straightaway. There's not a lot of complexity here, but for less than $10, this wine delivers plenty of pleasure if you like this style of wine. I'll admit that I'm not always in the mood for such a wine, but when I am, I definitely enjoy a wine like this especially for the price. If you're looking for a fresh young wine that will deliver plenty of fruit upfront for a low price, this is a great choice.

2004 Stefano Accordini Valpolicella

As I've noted previously, one of our favorite stops at Vinitaly was in the Veneto area where we met some great people such as Tiziano Accordini. The Accordini family's wines can be found in some places in the US, but not everywhere. I was able to pick up a bottle of the 2004 Stefano Accordini Valpolicella in Jacksonville a few months ago and finally cracked it open recently.

This wine was a little slow to open up, but once it did there was plenty to like. The wine certainly wasn't the big gun that their Amarones are, but it was a solid Valpolicella. I wish this wine was available here, as it would certainly make it into my rotation of everyday drinkers - at about $14, it is certainly well-priced. It's a great wine to drink with pastas, pizza, or most anything that doesn't require a robust full-bodied wine.

2004 Mazzei Badiola IGT Toscana

Mazzei makes a wide range of wines in Tuscany, from everyday drinkers like this, up to top Supertuscans. 2004 was a fantastic vintage in Tuscany, so when I saw this wine on the shelf I figured I would pick some up. As has been the case with most every 2004 I have tried from the region, I was not disappointed.

The 2004 Badiola IGT isn't a wine that will win any awards or get super-high scores, but it is a wonderful red wine to have with dinner any night of the week. A blend of 75% Sangiovese and 25% Merlot, it offers good fruit with just enough complexity to stand up to food and complement it. With pasta or pizza, this is wine you want to have, especially for the $12 price.

2006 Domaine de la Mordoree Lirac La Dame Rousse

Now known as one of the top producers of Chateauneuf du Pape, Domaine de la Mordoree is in my opinion the top producer of Lirac, the appellation just across the Rhone from Chateauneuf. Mordoree's Cuvee Reine des Bois Lirac has become such a high achiever that it now sells for a price similar to many Chateauneufs, but the winery also makes a lower-end Lirac as well.

The 2006 Domaine de la Mordoree Lirac is absolutely wonderful. It is silky and seductive right from the start, with plenty of dark fruit flavors that don't overwhelm you, but just make you want to savor it. The wine is a 50-50 blend of Grenache and Syrah with each complementing the other perfectly. I'm not sure how this cuvee will age, but it is wonderful now. It was priced around $18, about half of what most places now sell the Reine des Bois for. I've had other vintages of both cuvees and know that the Reine des Bois is a step up, so I look forward to tasting the 2006 vintage of that as well (I have some already, now in the cellar along with the 2000, 2003, 2004, and 2005 vintages). Once again, Domaine de la Mordoree is a winery I recommend to anyone, for anything from their Cotes du Rhone all the way to their Chateauneufs, but especially for Lirac, where they are really the best in my book.

1998 Giacomo Conterno Langhe Vigna Mesdi Nebbiolo

Giacomo Conterno is one of the great producers in Italy's Piemonte region, with their top Barolos among the finest examples of Nebbiolo anywhere (with prices to match). Thankfully, Conterno has also produced some fine lower-end wines as well, and this is one I've been holding onto for a few years. The late Giovanni Conterno was still making the wines at his family's estate in 1998, so though it was a vintage overshadowed by some of the vintages just before and after, I was still confident in what it could have. I had actually tasted this when I first purchased some, and felt it had some aging potential.

I was quite pleased to find that the 1998 Conterno Langhe Nebbiolo had aged very well. Over two nights, it opened up quite well and did not really fade out. It showed some of the typical traits one would find in a Barolo with a brick color and elegance that certainly had come about with age. For the $20 I paid for this wine about 4-5 years ago, it was definitely worth saving a bottle and seeing what a master craftsman like Giovanni Conterno could do. Unfortunately, I don't have any of his Barolos, but I do have a few 1998s from other top producers that I feel confident still have a few years before they will really be ready to show all they have. For those who don't want to spend big money on Barolo or Barbaresco, I highly recommend searching out the lower-priced Langhe Nebbiolos of some of the top producers from the region, as they can deliver fine examples of this grape at a reasonable price, even with some age.

2006 Domaine La Garrigue Cotes du Rhone Cuvee Romaine

One of the top Cotes du Rhones in most vintages according to Robert Parker is the custom cuvee produced by Domaine La Garrigue for American importer Eric Solomon. This winery also makes a fabulous Vacqueyras, but unfortunately I seem to have difficulty finding that wine as easily as the Cotes du Rhone.

Thankfully, the 2006 La Garrigue Cotes du Rhone is very good, so I'm not too disappointed. This wine is 65% Grenache, 25% Mourvedre, and 10% Syrah, made mainly from declassified Vacqueyras grapes. However, it is still a very earthy, powerful wine that is a great example of what wines of the southern Rhone are all about. Even better, this wine is about $12, so it's easy on the wallet. It's definitely one of my favorites from the region.

2006 Luciano Sandrone Dolcetto d'Alba

Sandrone is considered one of the finest producers in the Piedmont region for his Barolos, but he also does an incredible job with his lower-end wines. I was told the 2006 Dolcetto would be an eye-opener and it certainly was. I have had many Dolcettos over the years (and tasted several fine examples at Vinitaly) but typically have preferred Barbera's to Dolcettos when searching out values from the region. This wine changed all that.

The 2006 Sandrone Dolcetto d'Alba is phenomenal. I can't describe it any other way. For the price, it is a fantastic value, and it will wow anyone looking for a great example of what this region can produce. The wine was in complete balance, offering plenty of fruit, but also just enough tannin to balance it out and give it the complexity one would expect in a fine Nebbiolo, not a Dolcetto. The wine was about $18, and certainly to me was as good as many wines at 2-3 times the price. Anyone wanting a true gem from Italy even with a weak dollar should search this wine out. It's one of the top QPR (Quality-Price Ratio) wines I've had in quite some time, and certainly intend to buy and drink more.

2005 Domaine Charvin Cotes du Rhone Le Poutet

One of my favorite wineries in the Rhone has become Domaine Charvin, who produces just a single cuvee of Chateauneuf du Pape every year as well as a fantastic Cotes du Rhone. The 2005 Cotes du Rhone Le Poutet is another gem. I don't know the blend, but like the Chateauneuf it seems to be dominated by Grenache, exhibiting a lot of the cherry flavors typical in the Grenaches of the region. However, the fruit is not overwhelming as the wine is also a bit more elegant in style, almost Burgundian.

Overall, this is one of my favorite Cotes du Rhones in most vintages, and the 2005 is no exception. Pricewise it does creep toward the higher end of the Cotes du Rhone range, but at around $16-$18 it is still a fine bargain for a wine of this quality.

2003 Lorenzo Begali Amarone (aka drinking to forget about the USC disaster)

So the day after the UVa-USC disaster, I figured what better way to redeem the weekend than buying and drinking a lot of wine. After a few stops at local Charlottesville stores, we went out to visit a couple of local wineries, Veritas and Afton. I must report that I am still underwhlemed by most Virginia wines, so no details to give. We then went to downtown Charlottesville to visit a fine wine bar I found last year, Enoteca.

This is a fine wine bar, specializing in Italian wines, and I found a gem that seemed an easy choice for Loudoun, Ashley, and I to split - the 2003 Lorenzo Begali Amarone. Having tasted a couple of Begali Amarones before (including the 03 I think last year and the full lineup in a fantastic tasting at Vinitaly) I was confident we would not be disappointed, and we were not. Ashley is not a huge red wine drinker, especially of bigger, fuller reds but she was quite enamored with this one. it was a great wine to redeem the weekend. I also recommend the wine bar itself, which offered a great selection of Italian wines ranging from inexpensive easy quaffers to some true hard-to-find gems (the Paolo Bea Sagrantino was tempting but a bit more expensive at $164).

2006 D'Arenberg The Laughing Magpie

Over the past few years, one of my favorite wines year in and year out has been The Laughing Magpie Shiraz-Viogner from D'Arenberg. This wine has become a very affordable one in the Atlanta market, selling for about $22 a bottle, much less than it used to and much less than I see in other markets. What makes it special is that to me it is one of the few wines that is more true to the roots of great Syrah/Shiraz - a Rhone-styled wine as opposed to the huge Aussie fruit bombs we have been inundated with. Perhaps it is the addition of a bit of Viogner, a sort of homage to Cote-Rotie, but this wine offers more depth and elegance than I get from most Aussie Shiraz today.

This was my first taste of the 2006 vintage, and once again I was not disappointed. The wine was very good now, but to be once again has the stuffing to last for a few years. I am saving a bottle or two each year to test how it ages, but based on tasting over multiple nights I think the potential is there. At this price, I love to drink this wine frequently with a nice steak. If you can't tell, I highly recommend this wine.

2006 Mas Que Vinos Ercavio

One of the many inexpensive Spanish wines that have gained critical acclaim over the past few years is Mas Que Vinos Ercavio. This Tempranillo from the region of La Mancha has garnered 90 point ratings from Parker over the past couple of years and I have certainly enjoyed the prior efforts.

However, this year's vintage did not wow me. Instead, I found this to be one of those wines that seems to have been produced in a simplistic style with lots of fruit but nothing to go with it. There was no real structure or complexity to the wine, and it instead reminded me of some of the Aussie wines that have come out lately. I don't know if my tastes have been changing some, or if this wine just isn't as good, but I was disappointed in this latest vintage.

2006 Domaine Pierre Usseglio et Fils Cotes du Rhone

Domaine Pierre Usseglio has become one of the finest producers of Chateauneuf du Pape over the past several years with their top end Mon Aueil and Deux Freres cuvees among the highest scoring and most expensive wines of the appellation. Thus, when I found their 2006 Cotes du Rhone in a local store, I was eager to try it.

The wine is not cheap for a Cotes du Rhone, coming in closer to Beaucastel's Coudoulet than others like Guigal. But it certainly brings a lot of quality - not quite to the level of mistaking it for a Chateauneuf du Pape, though certainly a bit more complex than most Cotes du Rhones. I certainly enjoyed the wine, but I'm not sure I'd highly recommend it due to the much higher price than many other very good Cotes du Rhones (this wine was about $23 compared to about $12 for many very good wines from the region).

2004 Tenimenti Angelini San Leonino Chianti Classico

Angelini was a booth where we spent a great deal of time at VinItaly, and I came away impressed at the wide array of wines that the winery produces, from simple inexpensive wines to top-quality Brunello. On the lower end is the San Leonino Chianti Classico, though it is by no means a poor wine. With 2004 being a superb vintage in Chianti (and Tuscany as a whole) it's definitely worth trying most any wine from a quality producer.

The wine wasn't anything I would consider as world-class, but it really had no flaws. It was the perfect mid-week, reasonably priced, food-friendly wine. I drank it over a few nights with consistent notes, and for $16 had no complaints at all. Good producer + exceptional vintage means a fine value that I'd recommend to anyone.

Weekend with my parents

My parents came to Atlanta this past weekend as we celebrated my nephew's 2nd birthday, but it also meant two nights full of great wines. Since they had flown up, my Dad didn't bring anything from home so we had to head out around town to find plenty of choices for the weekend ranging from easy quaffers to some serious wines for dinner. I won't go through everything (perhaps because I can't remember all of them) but instead touch on the highlights.

Friday night's best among the pre-dinner choices was the 2006 Collosorbo Rosso di Montalcino. Dad and I tasted many 2006 Rossos at Vinitaly, so we knew the potential of the vintage. This wine did not disappoint, with gobs of jammy fruit exploding out of the glass both on the nose and then in the tasting. I had never actually had anything from this producer, but I was certainly impressed.

Friday night's dinner wine was the 2002 Tommaso Bussola BG Amarone. Since 02 was a generally poor vintage in Veneto (as with most of Italy), Bussola only bottled one Amarone (as opposed to three in good vintages). With such severe selection, he was able to craft a wonderful Amarone, available at a decent price (well, decent for suc quality as it was still $55). I certainly plan to pick up another bottle of this for myself, as it is really a wonderful example of what a great winemaker can do even in an off vintage.

Saturday night we had the "normale" 2004 Produttori di Barbaresco before dinner, and while my Dad thought it was off, I thought the wine was quite nice, just very young. For a $30 normale Barbaresco, my opinion is that this wine can be something quite special with time. For now, I think it's just too young.

We also drank the 2001 Col d'Orcia Brunello di Montalcino out of a 375ml bottle. I enjoyed some Col d'Orica in Rome last year, and thought this 2001 was nice and elegant, though not necessarily a blockbuster. But I don't believe Brunello should necessarily be a full-bodied monster, so to me it was quite nice.

Finally, Saturday night's dinner featured the 2004 Vieux Donjon Chateauneuf du Pape. Coming after the other wines we had tried, it was quite different, but I enjoyed it. It displayed a more rustic side of Chateauneuf to me, which is what I really enjoy. I had always heard good things about this producer, and my first bottle certainly made a good impression.

Again, there were many other wines tried, but these were really the highlights of the weekend. It's always nice to be able to drink through such a great variety with my family and discuss/compare our thoughts.

2005 Feraud-Brunel Cotes du Rhone-Villages

A collaboration between two of Chateauneuf's best winemakers, Feraud-Brunel's Cotes du Rhone Villages has been a favorite of mine for several years. Andre Brunel of Les Cailloux and Laurence Feraud of Pegau make some great (and highly priced) wines, so it's great to see what they can do with more of an everyday wine. I only recently drank my last bottle of the 2001, and it was still quite good, so I was anticipating my first taste of the 2005.

I am pleased to report that the latest vintage is just as good as previous years. The wine offers plenty of garrigue typical of a Grenache-based Southern Rhone wine. Coming in at around $16, it's a wine I definitely recommend for those searching out a good valued Southern Rhone.

2001 Le Calice de St Pierre Chateauneuf du Pape

Last weekend I decided to pull out one of my many mid-range Chateauneuf du Papes for my weekend steak dinner. I bought the 2001 Le Calice de St Pierre originally in Pensacola after having a bottle with my parents and enjoying it. This one had been stored in my passive cellar for several years and upon initial tasting seemed to have aged quite a bit. The fruit was lacking a bit but colorwise, the wine wasn't faded.

I drank this wine over two nights, and actually the second night it did seem a bit better. Still not great, so I'm not sure if the wine was in an awkward phase of some sort, if it was just an off bottle, or if it had aged quite rapidly. It wasn't undrinkable, but was still overall a bit of a disappointment.

2005 Volver La Mancha

A Spanish wine that I picked up solely base don the review note posted in the store, I wasn't sure what to expect out of the 2005 Volver. Well, this Tempranillo from the region of La Mancha did not disappoint. It is a Jorge Ordonez wine, and might be a little too "New World" for some people, but when you're in the mood and prepared for a fruit-forward modern-styled wine, this won't disappoint.

It's not something I'm always looking for, but I was really wowed by this wine, especially considering the price of about $15. It's also probably the first wine I've had from La Mancha, not known right now for producing top quality wines, but this wine might help put it on the map. If it's not obvious from what I've written thus far, I highly recommend this wine for those looking for a wine that overdelivers for its price.

2005 Turley Juvenile Zinfandel

Loudoun and Ashley also brought me the most recent allocation of Turley's we had received, so when I decided on barbecued chicken for dinner after they left, I figured I could take out an older Turley to drink with it. My choice was the 2005 Juvenile, a rare Turley I have not heard very good things about. Many people don't really like the Juvenile compared to the rest of the wimery's portfolio, and 2005 wasn't really a strong vintage.

Well, I was surprised when I opened this and found it to be what I considered to be a more typical Turley. It didn't hold back anything, coming right at you with plenty of fruit and also a bit of alcohol. I was quite pleased with this wine overall - to me, it once again shows the talent at Turley to take the youngest vines they have and produce a wine that still something special among Zinfandels.

Weekend with Loudoun and Ashley

My friends Loudoun and Ashley came to visit Atlanta from Charlotte last weekend, offering a chance for several great wines to be drunk. Friday night we had steaks at my place, while Saturday night we ventured out to Kyma for an evening of fantastic Greek food.

I had promised that I had a great wine picked out for Friday night, and I think Loudoun was quite excited when he arrived to find the 1993 Chapoutier Ermitage Le Pavillon opened in the kitchen. 1993 was a poor vintage in the Northern Rhone, but the Pavillon still garnered a 92 point rating from Parker. Nonetheless, it never really sold well from what I can tell, and a bunch showed up last year at one of my favorite stores in Atlanta, Hinton's Wine Store. When it was then marked down even further, I decided to buy it for a price that can't be beat for a Chapoutier Ermitage, with the intention of drinking it sooner rather than later.

The wine certainly did not disappoint. While it did not reach the heights of the 1995 (the greatest wine I've ever tasted), the wine was not off in any way. It had some of the typically peppery notes I've found in wines from Hermitage, but was very elegant overall. The wine did not fade during the night either, suggesting to me it still had some life left. No doubt I will be holding my bottle of 1999 Le Pavillon for good deal longer.

For a second wine Friday night, I went for something a little less serious, the 1999 Livio Sassetti Pertimali Rosso di Montalcino. I actually didn't realize I still had a bottle of the 1999 Rosso left, and was a bit worried it may be over the hill, as most people do not recommend aging these wines for close to 10 years. This wine was still good though, showing as well as could be expected, and very similar to what I would expect an older Brunello to be.

Saturday night at Kyma, we went with two of my favorite Greek wines from the wonderful list at the restaurant (almost all Greek wines, and very reasonably priced). First, we actually went with a white, the 2006 Amethystos from Domaine Costa Lazaridi. A blend of Sauvignon Blanc, Semillon, and Assyrtiko, this wine is a great example of blending international varietals with indigenous Greek grapes to create very nice easy-drinking wine.

For a second wine, we went with one of the more serious reds produced in Greece, the 2005 Skouras Megas Oenos. The Megas Oenos is a blend of Agioritiko and Cabernet Sauvignon, once again taking an international varietal and adding it to an indigenous one. The result is a very robust, full-bodies wine, that was quite enjoyable. A wine like this shows what Greek wines are capable of, and should be tried by anyone who wants to see the potential the country has to produce top-quality.

Overall, the weekend was fabulous, as to me there is nothing better than sharing great wine with great friends. Like when I get together with my family, a weekend with Loudoun and Ashley is a great time to break out some wines I've been holding onto, and for all of us to experience some great wines from a variety of places.

2005 Domaine Santa Duc Cotes du Rhone Vieilles Vignes

Domaine Santa Duc is best known for being one of the top producers of Gigondas, but I've found in the past that they also do a pretty good job with Cotes du Rhone. The 2005 Cotes du Rhone Vieilles Vignes did not disappooint, offering up a lot of the garrigue that I would expect from a Chateauneuf du Pape costing 3-4 times as much. This may be because the wine is composed of mainly Grenache, with Syrah, Mourvedre, and others making up the rest.

The wine drank well over 3 days, which to me suggests it is incredibly well made for a wine in this range and could last for a few years. It was priced comparable to most decent Cotes du Rhones, about $12, so I'd definitely recommend it if you see some.

2004 Allegrini Palazzo della Torre

Another one of my perennial favorites, the Allegrini Palazzo della Torre rarely disappoints. The 2004 vintage was a pretty good one in the Veneto, and this wine reflects that, showing off plenty of fruit without being overdone.

This wine used to be classified as a Ripasso, but Allegrini has chosen to go the IGT route in the past few years allowing them to add a touch of Sangiovese to the Corvina and Rondinella. To me, this softens the wine just a bit and makes it a bit lighter on its feet. This also to me makes it a great food wine. Usually retailing still for around $20, this is a very reasonably priced wine that I have enjoyed for several vintages and will hopefully continue to do so.

One last note - I've fallen a bit behind here, so several posting will be coming in up here tonight and tomorrow as I try to catch up.

2001 Finca Allende Rioja

Last week I was reading a post about the 2001 Finca Allende Rioja on the message boards at erobertparker.com that stated this wine seemed to be fading. Multiple posters gave similar impressions, so knowing that I had a bottle, I decided to give it a go myself. Considering that I don't have optimum storage conditions in my passive cellar (room temperature, the horror!) I wondered how my bottle would be. The 2001 Allende got great reviews (90+ from Parker, Tanzer, etc) and had been very fairly priced around $22, but it didn't surprise me too much to hear it might not be a long-lived wine.

I was certainly intrigued then when I opened the bottle and the first pour offered a very nice nose of fruit. The first taste was almost a bit pruny, but the wine quickly settled down, offering a lot of nuanced fruit flavors without being too overdone. On the second night, the wine hadn't lost anything, if anything even offering a bit more on the palate with a hint of spice. Maybe there was some bottle variation, because this bottle was drinking superbly for me. I wish now I had more.

2004 Terralsole Rosso di Montalcino

From the fantastic 2004 vintage in Tuscany, Terralsole's Rosso di Montalcino is really a terrific wine. This winery has become a family favorite over the past couple of years, and that enthusiasm has only grown over the past few months beginning when we met the owner, Mario Bollag at VinItaly. My parents then visited the winery last month, where they were treated to a fantastic tasting and great hospitality.

Back to this wine - the 2004 Rosso di Montalcino could almost pass for a Brunello. It has plenty of fruit and complexity, but is more forward than a young Brunello would be. I had this wine with a veal chop one night, and with spaghetti another, and it went wonderfully with both - to me, one of the great virtues of the Rosso di Montalcino is how well it accompanies a good meal. It really is a wine made for drinking with food, and this one from Terralsole is one of the better ones I've had. The wine (along with most all the wines from Italy) is creeping up in price thanks to the weak dollar, but to me is still a great buy at $25 or so.

2005 Chapoutier Cotes du Rhone Belleruche

This 2005 Cotes du Rhone comes from what may be my favorite producer anywhere, M. Chapoutier. I may be a bit biased, having visited the winery a couple of times where I was treated to some incredibly memorable tastings (the 1995 Ermitage Le Pavillon is still the greatest wine I've ever tasted).

Unfortunately, I can't often drink their wonderful Hermitage and Cote-Roties, but the Cotes du Rhone shows what this winery is capable of at any level. The 2005 is very fresh, with a hint of spice. It's a fairly simple wine, but carries just enough body to work well with a wide ranges of dishes (I had it with grilled pork chops). The wine is 80% Grenache and 20% Syrah, and a very good value for about $12.

2006 Borsao Campo de Borja

You may recall I have previously posted an entry on the top cuvee from this winery, but this one is for their "standard" wine imported to the US. The 2006 Borsao continues a remarkable run for this winery and a wine that is still the greatest value on the market today in my opinion. Every time I open a bottle of Borsao, I am reminded of this when I get an immediate reward of a nice floral nose and a taste of lighter berries and spice.

Is this wine out of this world? No, but I love to fool people with it, as most everyone would expect this to be a $25-$30 bottle of wine. Maybe not world-class, but a very good bottle. That's when I shock everyone (and continue to remind myself) that this wine usually retails for about $7 (sometimes I still find it for $5.99). The latest vintage delivers once again, so if you are on a budget, I highly recommend this wine, because you will never find a better wine for the price.

2005 Zenato Ripassa

One of my favorite wines year in and year out is the Ripasso-styled Veronese wine from Zenato (Ripasso wines are Valpolicellas that are put through the Amarone racks after those grapes are dried). Having had several vintages, my initial though is that the 2005 Zenato Ripassa may be one of the best of the past few years. This wine is holding nothing back from the first pour - a great nose, and plenty of fruit right from the start. There's also plenty of stuffing here, with some tannins and complexity to suggest that this wine will hold up for a few years.

I always try to put at least one bottle from each good vintage away for a few years and have found that these wines can age well for 4-5 years with no problem. The 2005 should be no different, and in my opinion could even improve with a year or two of bottle aging. One caveat I will give - I drank this wine much more regularly when it was $16 or so, but over the past 2-3 years the price has jumped quite dramatically in most stores. It often now sells for $25 or more, a price point that I find hard to take. The 2005 vintage may be good enough to justify that price, but there are other good ripasso-styled wines for much less. If you can find this wine for under $20, then it's still a great value. I have been able to still find a couple of places that will sell it for this price, and that's when I make sure to pick up some.

Oh, and one other note to pass along from last week - I had another bottle of the 2004 Rubrato from Feudi di San Gregorio and it was consistent with my prior notes from June.

2006 La Posta Cocina Blend

Something very different for me on this entry - a wine from Argentina. For some reason, I've just never gotten into the wines of South America, but this was recommended to me one day in a shop as I looked for a bottle to round of a mixed half case. The 2006 La Posta Cocina Blend contains 60% Malbec, 20% Bonarda, and 20% Syrah. The wine exhibits the deep purple color I associate with Malbec (I've had a couple before, from both Argentina and Cahors), as well as the taste of dark fruit like plums that I recall from other Malbecs. It also had just a hint of the pepperiness that the Syrah would be expected to bring.

This wine was about $15, and that seems fairly priced, as it was a decent wine, but nothing that blew me away. Is it enough to get me started in exploring more of Argentina? Probably not, but I'll at least be more open to trying other bottles that are recommended to me. If I end up going to Argentina next year as I'm thinking of doing, perhaps then the wines of this country will become more popular with me.

2006 Massolino Barbera d'Alba

I tasted several 2006 Barberas at Vinitaly in April and came away impressed with the vintage as a whole, with the wines offering a lot of fresh fruit flavors and a bit of elegance not often found in wines at this level. Recently, these 2006's have begun to appear at local retailers, so I was definitely interested in buying.

The 2006 Massolino Barbera was just what I was looking for - something that's a bit lighter than many of the bigger Syrah and Grenache-based wines I've been drinking so much of lately. Like the Barberas I tasted at Vinitaly, Massolino's delivered with plenty of fruit but didn't overwhelm the palate. Instead, it offered just that hint of elegance and freshness of the vintage. For the price (about $18 I believe), it's a perfect summertime red for me, and once I'll be drinking again soon.

While Massolino is certainly regarded as a good producer, I'll also be looking out for 2006 Barberas from other producers as I think the vintage as a whole has produced many good wines. Hopefully this also bodes well for the 2006 vintage of Barbaresco and Barolo (though the dollar will need to do some improvement over the next few years if I'm going to be able to afford any of those wines).

2005 Domaine de le Janasse Cotes du Rhone-Villages Terre d'Argile

Domaine de la Janasse has become one of the top producers of wine in the Southern Rhone, and it's not just their Chateauneuf du Papes that have made that reputation. Janasse's 2005 Terre d'Argile Cotes du Rhone-Villages is one of the best examples of the appellation that I have ever had. It's a bit pricier than a lot of Cotes du Rhone-Villages (about $24), but it's worth it. You could easily put this wine in a lineup with good mid-range Chateauneuf du Papes and find it difficult to pick out.

The wine is a blend of the three main grapes of the Rhone - Grenache, Syrah, and Mourvedre, in fairly equal proportions. This blend allows for some of the best elements of each to show itself - the cherry flavors and earthiness of the Grenache, the brooding structure from the Mourvedre, and the darker fruit from the Syrah. Anyone who wants a great expression of the Southern Rhone without having to pay the increasingly higher prices of the Chateauneuf du Papes should seek this wine out. It's definitely one I love to drink when I can.

1999 Abadia Retuerta Seleccion Especial

Last Sunday I decided I should open up a good Spanish wine in honor of the country's triumph at Euro 2008, and the choice was Abadia Retuerta's Seleccion Especial. This wine is from the Castilla y Leon region of Spain, just outside the Ribera del Duero DO. The wine is made from mainly Tempranillo, with some Merlot and Cabernet Sauvignon. I actually bought this a few years back for just $20, and for a wine of this age, wasn't sure how much life it would still have. I was quite surprised then to find that there was plenty of flavor right from the start, and very little fading 2 nights later when the bottle was finished.

I was really quite stunned by how good the wine was, and wish now I had more. I've had this winery's low-end offering, Rivola, on numerous occasions and found it to be a nice everyday wine, but this certainly was much more. I highly recommend searching for the most recent vintages of this wine, especially if the price is still so reasonable. It's a great example of the sort of quality available from Spain these days at a very reasonable price.

2005 Turley Pesenti Vineyard Zinfandel

The weekend before the 4th I went out to dinner with a group of friends and decided to bring along a bottle of Turley (usually a good choice for BYOB since its extremely rare to find restaurants with Turley on their list). The 2005 Turley Pesenti was one that I had 2 bottles of, so I figured I could check in on it and still have one left for the future, and it did not disappoint. The 2005's aren't considered a great Zinfandel vintage, and this was not the most powerful of Turleys, but it still possessed plenty of fruit and muscle. It's that very fruit-forward style that makes Turleys a fun choice to taste with novice wine drinkers - they are almost always amazed at the power that the wine brings. Of course, the wines aren't the easiest to get, so it's tough to recommend them to people since they won't find them on retailer shelves. My hope is that they can at least turn people on to what Zinfandel can be, and maybe they will check out something from Ridge or Biale or another top-notch producer that is easier to find.

2002 Thorne-Clarke Shotfire Ridge Cuvee

Over the weekend, I finally drank the last remaining bottle from the first case of wine I ever bought, the 2002 Shotfire Ridge Cuvee from Thorne-Clarke. This wine was one of those Robert Parker stunners a few years back - a sub-$15 wine that earned a ridiculously high score (93 or 94 points I think). After finding one bottle and enjoying it, I immediately went for a case purchase when I was able to locate it in Charlottesville (the '02 vintage never made it to Atlanta, only future years). This wine has changed its blend over the years, and '02 was really a very Bordeaux-like wine with no Shiraz component, instead blending Cabernet Sauvignon, Cabernet Franc, Merlot, and Petit Verdot. I decided to work through the case slowly to see how the wine evolved, and managed to actually see it through a dumb phase before a somewhat well-aged wine came back around about a year ago.

This final bottle came about 5 months after my previous tasting, and the wine was about as I remembered - no longer an Aussie fruit bomb, it had softened up and had some more nuanced flavors. Unfortunately to me, the Cabernet Sauvignon really had dominated the other components at this juncture, and that's not really a great high point for me. Overall, the wine had become just a decent older Cab, nothing more. It's a good wine, one that I'd give 87-88 points, but certainly not the high flyer it was originally rated years ago.

What I'll remember most about this wine was the evolution I got to experience in having so much of it so that I could really track and see how it aged. It's the first time I was really able to do that, and for that reason, this was a great wine experience for me.

2005 Tua Rita Rosso di Notri

Tua Rita is a winery that has become very well known in wine-circles over the last decade or so mainly due to it's high-end Redigaffi Merlot (retail price: way more than anything I can afford), but I recently discovered that they also produce a reasonably priced IGT as well. The 2005 Rosso di Notri is a blend of predominately Sangiovese, along with Merlot, Cab, and Syrah. As 2005 is shaping up as a great vintage in Tuscany, I didn't hesitate to pick up a bottle when I found it recently, and I wasn't disappointed with the wine.

The Rosso di Notri is exactly what I'm looking for in a good mid-range Italian wine - it offers some nice forward fruit flavors with a little weight, but isn't a heavy, concentrated "international" style either. It went perfect with pasta and my homemade tomato and meat sauce (actually made with veal). I immediately made sure to go pick up another bottle over the weekend. It's about $20, but is worth it in my mind - it's similar to a good Rosso di Montalcino, and priced accordingly.

2004 Ridge Nervo Zinfandel

Ok, so first let me say for anyone out there checking this out I haven't stopped blogging - I just went on a 2-week vacation to Austria for Euro 2008. I did not drink any wine on the trip either, as this was strictly a beer-drinking event (and there was a lot of it).

Anyway, back home now, and back to the wine. I went with BBQ chicken as my dinner choice to start the week, so that of course meant Zinfandel. I chose one of the Ridge bottles I got when my friend Loudoun and I were on their ATP mailing list (we've since stopped for now due to all the Zins we've accumulated), the 2004 Nervo Vineyard Zinfandel. I've rarely met a bottle of Ridge I didn't like, but this one really tested me. Coming in at 15.2% alcohol, this was one of those times where you weren't surprised at the high level. Over 2 nights, the wine never really seemed to settle and integrate fully, always carrying just a bit too much of the alcoholic heat on the palate. You could tell there was some nice fruit in there, but the wine just never fully came into balance. It was drinkable, but overall a disappointment for me compared to the levels I usually expect from Ridge. You always fear this with some of the Zins that creep up into the 15-16% range, and unfortunately this seems to be one time that the formula didn't work out.

2004 Feudi di San Gregorio Rubrato

Feudi di San Gregorio is probably one of the best-known wineries in Southern Italy, but mainly for their white and their Serpico red. Last summer in Amalfi, I discovered this lower-end Aglianico and have been pleased to find it some in the States. The 2004 Rubrato is really a great wine, certainly unique and showing what potential there is from the region and the Aglianico grape. The wine isn't a heavy, full-bodied fruit bomb, but it possesses more of an elegant flavor with just a bit of bite. I loved it even with the lighter pasta dishes of Campania, and drank it this week even with a light herb roasted chicken and penne with pesto. It can work with those dishes or something heftier. For anyone looking for something different from Italy, I highly recommend this wine, especially for the price (around $18).

2004 Palazzone Rubbio

Over the weekend I opened up an Umbria IGT I had picked up for about $18, and was quite pleased with what I got from the 2004 Palazzone Rubbio. The Rubbio is a Sangiovese wine, but delivered a lot more body than what I was expecting for something that was priced like a decent Chianti. The color definitely showed a more serious presence, and there was lot more dark fruit than expected. Overall, this was the type of wine that I love to find becasue it certainly overdelivers on the price and is also somewhat unique (in a good way - it's not an international-styled wine). I've got one more bottle already that I'm going to let age a bit, but I'll probably search out more for current drinking as well.

2004 Bodegas Dos Victorias Elias Mora Toro

More illness kept the wine bottles corked at home until the middle of this week. When I finally was able to open something again, the choice was the 2004 Elias Mora, from the Spanish region of Toro. The wines of Toro are made from a Tempranillo clone, and usually are quite robust. This wine was no exception, though it didn't quite pack the fullness and fruit I've had from a couple of other Toros. Nonetheless, it did present a good amount of dark fruit with a little more elegance than others I've had. The wine costs about $22, so it's not cheap compared to some other Spanish wines, though it is a pretty good price for Toro. While I'm not running out to buy more, it's a producer I'd be willing to try out again.

More from Vinitaly - Veneto

A rather nasty cold has curtailed my wine intake over the past week, so I'll use this time to try to catch up with more notes from Vinitaly. Today I'll tackle the Veneto. Rather than one massive day of tasting from the home region of Vinitaly, we spread these out over the full 5 days. Unfortunately, my Thursday notes were a bit incomplete, so I've not got much other than the producers for the first few.

Our initial tasting at Vinitaly was with the wines of Brig'aldara. From my recollection, we tasted their Valpolicella, Ripasso, and Amarone. All were solid if not spectacular, though I must also note here that we drank the Valpolicella with lunch one day on the trip (by the glass), and also the 2003 Amarone at dinner one night in Venice. The 03 Amarone especially was quite good.

Up next at Vinitaly was Speri. Here, we were lucky enough to have one of the members of the Speri family (son Luca) guide our tasting of the La Roverina Valpolicella, the Sant'Urbano Valpolicella, the Ripasso, and the Amarone. Luca was really great at giving us lots of info on the wines as well as the Speri philosophy - they are focused on a very traditional style, producing more elegant wines that will typically require some age. I have to admit that I was not high on Speri before this, but the tasting really opened my eyes, and I look forward to drinking more of their wines. In fact, we did actually drink a bottle of their Amarone Friday night at dinner. We had plenty of choices too, as that dinner was at the Bottega del Vino in Verona, one of the great restaurants for wine you will ever come across.

Our last producer on Day 1 was Giuseppe Campagnola. There we tasted a Valpolicella, followed by two Amarones, the Amarone Classico as well as the Amarone Caterina Zardini.

Saturday, we got another treat when we went to the booth of Tommaso Bussola. After some initial difficulty, we were seated and hosted by a woman who we would discover to be Daniella Bussola, wife of Tommaso. She proceeded to guide us through an extended tasting of several wines and vintages, beginning with the 2003 and 2004 L'Errante. This wine is an IGT made with a blend of Merlot, Cabernet Sauvignon and Cabernet Franc varietals, and is quite good, though atypical for a Veronese wine.

We followed that with all three of Bussola's 2004 Amarones, the Amarone Classico, the Amarone TB, and the Amarone Vigneto Alto. Each presented a different profile, with the TB probably my favorite (the Vigneto Alto came across just a little too sweet for me, almost like a Recioto).

Finally, our tasting finished with two Reciotos, the 2005 Recioto Classico and the 2003 Recioto TB. These were both amazingly good, sweet and thick, like a liquid dessert. They are special wines that anyone who wants a really great sweet wine should search out. Just a note to remember - don't try drinking any other regular wine afterward (we tried and unfortunately it ruined my taste buds for some quality stuff we had later).

Sunday, we finally made it to one of the big producers of the region with a stop at Allegrini. The tasting there started with their two basic IGT's from the 2005 vintage, Palazzo della Torre and La Grola. I have always loved the Palazzo della Torre as a favrorite regualr purchase, starting with the 1998 vintage. For 2005 through, this tasting definitely favored La Grola (perhaps it was the bit of Syrah in the blend). We then stepped up to the 2004 La Poja, another IGT blend, and finally the 2005 Amarone. Both of these were very good, though not at a higher level than many of the top Amarones we tasted.

Moving back to a smaller producer, we then tasted the wines of Stefano Accordini. Tiziano Accordini (Stefano's son) was our gracious host, and one of the friendliest people we met during the trip. We tasted the 2004 Amarone Acianatico, the 2001 Amarone Riserva (very good) and finally the 2005 Recioto. We enjoyed our visit so much that we ended up stopping in for a final taste of the Amarone on Monday before departing for Milan.

Monday, we once again went big and small. First up was Masi, probably the biggest of the Veneto producers. We started with the 2005 Ripasso Campofiorin, followed by the 2003 Serego Alighieri Valpolicella. Next up was the 2004 IGT Toar, an indigenous grape usually only blended in small quantities, which was different than most anything else tasted from the region. Finally, we had two Amarones, the 2003 Costasera Riserva and the 2001 Mazzano.

We concluded our Vinitaly extravaganza with a great tasting of the wines of Lorenzo Begali. His young son Giordano led us through this impressive lineup, beginning with their 2007 Valpolicella. Up next was the 2006 Ripasso, followed by the 2005 Tigiolo, an IGT blend. We then moved to the Amarones, with the 2004 Amarone Classico and the 2003 Amarone Monte Ca Bianca, before finishing with the 2005 Recioto. This was a great overall lineup, and a producer I definitely recommend to search out (I've seen a bit of their wine in Charlottesville, but that's it in the US).

I know there's a lot here, but it should be a pretty comprehensive listing of some of the best the Veneto has to offer (well, it excludes Dal Forno, but that visit will be in its own post sometime later). There's certainly other producers we missed, but all those visited offer a wide range of classical and modern wines from a region that many Americans may overlook, but Italians recognize as one of their real treasures.

2004 Cesari Mara Ripasso

I've had wines from Cesari before, and while they've always made solid wines, none have ever really stood out to me as a star of the Veneto region. And at VinItaly, we never made it to their booth, or really talked about them much. This wine changed all that.

The 2004 Mara wowed me from the first sip. It was as good of a Ripasso as I've had in quite a while, full of dark fruit flavors with just a hint of sweetness. I drank this over 3 nights, and each night it was just as good, offering up an abundance of flavors and more complexity than one would expect. The last night I was even hit with a hint of chocolate.

I went back and checked to find where I got this, and how much I paid: $15. At that price, this is a wine I would highly recommend to anyone. I know I will certainly head out this weekend to buy a couple more bottles.

2004 Storybook Mountain Eastern Exposures Zinfandel

Last week I barbecued some chicken, and as is my custom for barbecue, a Zinfandel was chosen to accompany it. The 2004 Eastern Exposures was one of 2 bottles of Storybook I had remaining from the short time that my friend Loudoun and I were on their mailing list. While we had both experienced some uneven quality in previous bottles (we think one shipment got some heat damage), this bottle showed no such effects. From the opening, it was a full-on Zin with plenty of fruit and spice on the nose and on the palate. The finish was bit shorter than some top Turleys I've had, but still very good.

Finishing the bottle 2 nights later, nothing had really changed, and if anything the wine was even a bit smoother. I was really impressed with this bottle, and if Storybook can consistently deliver this type of quality, I wouldn't mind getting back on their list at some point. For now though, I've got plenty of Zin on hand thanks to Turley, so I'll probably hold off for now. Storybook's wines can be found in many stores though, so for anyone looking for a high-quality Zinfandel, I'd recommend them as a producer to seek out if you're willing to jump up a little in price (usually $30+).

Scott Corley's Last Supper

Saturday night I attended a feast of epic proportions as we celebrated my good friend Scott's final days as a bachelor with dinner at Fogo de Chao (there were other activities too, but this was the only one that included wine). As the resident wine geek of the party, I went in search of a couple of fine bottles to accompany all of the piles of grilled meats we would be devouring. An early Saturday scouring some of my favorite area stores produced two fine choices: a 2004 Domaine Charvin Chateauneuf du Pape, and a 2005 Clos I Terrasses Laurel Priorat.

Of course, with a large party, I also ended up needing to purchase one additional bottle, so we began the night with the 2005 Antinori Peppoli Chianti Classico. Though I think 2004 is the better vintage in Tuscany, I was quite pleased at how this 2005 showed. It is a bit more modern in style than many Chiantis, apparently containing a bit of Syrah and Merlot in the final blend. To me, this gave the wine just a bit more body, which was perfect for the meal. I typically enjoy Antinori's wines, and this one is probably worth trying more of if the price is right.

Next we moved on to the big guns. First up came the 2004 Charvin, a predominately Grenache-based Chateauneuf, with bits of Syrah, Mourvedre, and Vaccarese. While the 04 didn't score quite as highly as the 05 from Parker, it was supposed to be a little more forward and accessible now. Having a bit of time to open up was certainly beneficial though, as the wine was still quite young. As it began to come around, the wine showed off a lot of the classical earthy Chateauneuf notes that I love so much. However, it was still somewhat restrained, but in a way of elegance that made this wine stand out. I quite enjoyed it, but would certainly hold off a while before drinking anymore.

Finally, we came to the 2005 Laurel, which is the second wine of Clos I Terrasses in Priorat, makers of Clos Erasmus. This was the first time I had seen the Laurel in the market, and I was quite pleased to get my hands on it, having read an outstanding review in The Wine Advocate. The Laurel didn't disappoint, coming out firing right from the start. The nose was rich, and the taste even richer, with gobs of dark fruit. The wine is a blend of 65% Garnacha and 35% Cabernet Sauvignon, and is certainly what I would consider a modern or New World-styled wine. There is none of the finesse of the Charvin here, just flavors that come out punching. It was a perfect finishing wine, allowing me to have a bit with the last pieces of filet, but also to sip and enjoy as my "dessert." Overall, I thoroughly enjoyed this and may look to add a bottle to the cellar to see how it evolves. It certainly makes me wish I could afford a bottle of the Clos Erasmus as well, but as it would certainly command around $300 or more (thanks partly to a perfect score from TWA), I'll have to settle for the Laurel for now.

Overall, these three wines presented a great contrast of wines and styles that even some of the less experienced tasters noted. I was a bit surprised that one person commented that he enjoyed the Charvin more, as sometimes the more nuanced style can get lost on folks who get blown over by the full force of a wine like the Laurel. I liked both wines for what they were, and that's what makes this hobby/passion so much fun.

2004 Mitolo Jester Shiraz

I'm a few days late on reporting this one from late last week. Mitolo's Jester has become one of my favorite lower-priced Shiraz from Australia (and note for me lower-priced doesn't mean the $5 range of Yellow Tail's "Shiraz").

Usually coming in around $14, this wine presents you with a nice array of dark fruits without usually getting to the over-extracted cough medicine taste that has inflicted many of its peers. The first night for this particular bottle did in fact show a little bit of heat that had me wondering, but on the second night everything seemed to be in harmony, producing a nice smooth flavor that still had plenty of body to it. As I said, I've had this wine several times and it's been a pretty consistent performer.

The Wine Advocate usually rates all of Mitolo's wines very well, and I look forward to the bottle of G.A.M Shiraz that is in my cellar, waiting a few more years. Until then, more of the Jester will suffice for everyday drinking.

2005 Argiolas Costera

Argiolas is a winery we definitely missed out on at Vinitaly (once, again, just not enough time). The winery is located on the island of Sardegna, not really famous for wine, but they do a really good job. I've had both of their value-priced reds, Costera and Perdera, in the past, but this was my first taste of one from the 2005 vintage.

The 2005 Costera may be the best I've tasted from Argiolas (though I've still not tasted their high-end Turriga or Korem). It really carried a lot of fruit (mainly cherry), but without being overdone. It's made from mainly the indigenous Cannonau grape, a relative of Grenache, and certainly exhibits many of the same characteristics. I'd put it up with any top Grenache-based Cotes du Rhone. For about $14, it hits a good spot price-wise as well, and based on this bottle, I'll definitely be buying more of the 2005 vintage.

Easter weekend wines

This past weekend was Easter for me (Greek Orthodox Easter sometimes differs on the date from Western Easter, but I won't take the time to explain all that here) so that meant a trip to my parents' house and plenty of good wine. There were a few things tasted Friday night, but I'm going to skip over that for the bulk of the drinking from Saturday night and Sunday's Easter lunch.

Saturday night my aunt and uncle joined us for steaks on the patio and plenty of wine. We started before dinner with a 2002 Terralsole Brunello, which of course we had tasted at Vinitaly. A bottle was actually tried Friday night but was corked, so an exchange at the store Saturday brought us another bottle. This one was just about as we remembered it from Italy - a very good Brunello with some nice fruit and really drinking well. Again, this probably won't be a long-term ager but it's very nice now and worth it if you can find it marked down compared to other vintages.

Next up was the 2004 Barossa Old Vine Company Shiraz. Dad didn't seem to know much about this bottle (nor did I other than having heard of the producer before). I had mentioned my preference for good Shiraz with steaks though, so that may be why he pulled it out. It was quite tasty, not too overdone like many Shirazes tend to be these days. It certainly had a lot of fruit and some spice, but was very well-rounded. Some checking up afterwards reveals that this wine is generally quite highly regarded and a rather pricey choice as well. I certainly enjoyed it.

Finishing up dinner but enjoying our evening, we then turned to an old favorite but with a new twist - the 2006 Turley Salvador Vineyard Zinfandel. From the recently arrived shipment, this is a new offering from Turley, sourced from a vineyard in Contra Costa County. It had plenty of peppery Zin goodness, but was not a full-throttle Turley like one tends to expect. We were amazed to look and see it was tipping the scales at 16.3% alcohol, because it came off rather more elegant than that. Overall, it was an enjoyable Turley, but certainly a bit different than most of their offerings.

Sunday, with more friends and family joining us, Dad chose two wines to have with our traditional roast lamb. First was the 2003 Guidalberto from Tenuta San Guido, which I brought down from Atlanta after purchasing for Dad last week. We decided to try it out after loving the 2006 Guidalberto tasted at Vinitaly. From the same winery that produces Sassicaia, the Guidalberto is a blend of 45% Merlot, 45% Cabernet Sauvignon and 10% Sangiovese. It was opened a few hours early and needed that time to come around. Once it did, this was an enjoyable wine, but probably showed a little of the strain of the hot 2003 vintage. Very good, it didn't reach the peaks of the 2006, but for a blend of mainly Cab and Merlot (not my favorites) it was still quite enjoyable.

Finally, our other wine for Sunday was a 1993 Pignan Chateauneuf du Pape. Pignan is the second label from the famed Chateau Rayas, though it is usually on par with many of the better wines from the appellation. This 1993 looked as if it may be fading when first opened, but it turned out to be still in peak form. It had a lot of typical Grenache flavors, with some pepper and a hint of cherry, with a finish that was still fairly long. I really enjoyed this one, and wished I could have had more. It reminded me why I love the wines from Chateauneuf du Pape, especially once they do have some time to age and really show off all they have to offer.

2005 Grand Veneur Cotes du Rhone

Last week's final wine before heading to Pensacola for Greek Easter (more on that later) was a Cotes du Rhone from a lesser-known but very good producer, Alain Jaume. I've had the Chateauneuf du Pape from Grand Veneur as well as their Cotes du Rhone, and typically have been very pleased with them. The 2005 was a bit of a mystery though. Very dark and brooding, it never really seemed to show off all it had. It's not tannic, but the fruit just doesn't really come out like I'd expect. Even on the second night, it was just not willing to show everything that I think it really could. It wasn't bad at all, just didn't quite deliver everything I thought it could. Perhaps it needs a little bottle time to really hit its peak, as Parker gave it 89 points, and it seems to have the stuffing to do so. I'll have to get another bottle and give it 6 months or so to see how it fares.

Vinitaly, Part 2 - The beginning of the Toscana tastings

Today I'll go over the first half of our Tuscany tastings from Vinitaly. We spent nearly two full days of the five within the Tuscany pavilion (Pad 8) and the majority of that time wandering through the area that housed the members of the Consorzio di Brunello di Montalcino. Most everyone there was offering their 2006 Rosso di Montalcino and 2003 Brunello for tasting, with a few other outliers. We did manage to get a few tastes from wineries other than Brunello producers, but not many. These notes are all from our first day of Tuscany tastings.

We wasted no time on Friday getting to the top flight producers, as our first stop was Siro Pacenti. As would become the pattern, we first tasted the 2006 Rosso, followed by the 2003 Brunello. Our host turned out to be none other than the winemaker himself, Giancarlo Pacenti (kudos for my Dad for figuring out it was him too!). No doubt, these wines were very good, and were my first hint that the 2003 vintage may be better than a lot of "experts" have thought. The extreme heat that did produce some stress was apparently dealt with fairly effectively my many of the top producers, especially those who have vineyards in spots that are traditionally a bit cooler.

Following Pacenti, our next two stops were Lisini and Fanti. Lisini offered the standard two wines, while at Fanti, we also tasted the 2006 Rosso Sant'Antimo. Honestly, I can't remember a lot about these wines, other than they were very good but not good enough to stand out from the crowd. I'm not knocking them at all, I just really don't recall much. I've had the 2005 Sant'Antimo from Fanti here at home and have another bottle at home currently, so there will be a tasting note on that soon.

From Fanti, we next stopped at Terralsole, a winery I was actually quite familiar with, having had their Brunello and Rosso previously (the Rosso as recently as two weeks before). We ended up with quite a treat here, as the owner Mario saw us standing behind some other tasters and invited us to sit down with him. He proceeded to discuss everything we'd want to know about his wines, and bring out quite a lineup of wines. After starting with the usual (06 Rosso and 03 Brunello), we then tried the 2002 Brunello, which shocked us with how good it was for the vintage. Mario explained that in their location, they were actually almost finished with their harvest in 02 when the rains hit (02 was basically a washout vintage in most of Tuscany) so they were able to produce a very good wine. We then finished the Brunello portion with the 2000 vintage, which is still on the young side, but starting to come into its own.

Mario then introduced us to Terralsole's new IGT wines, with three wines from the 2005 vintage. The Coldoro is 100% Merlot, the Solisto is 100% Syrah, and the Pasticcio is a blend of Cabernet Franc, Merlot, and Sangiovese. All were very enjoyable and will be interesting to search out here in the US. Mario's enthusiasm made this one of the highlight tastings of the trip, and certainly left an impression on us. Terralsole will definitely be a winery I continue to seek out.

This actually only completes a part of Friday's Tuscany tastings, but I'll split this post here before continuing with more Vinitaly recaps later.

2006 Borsao Tres Picos

You've got to love a winery whose top-end cuvee still only costs about $12 and gets 90 point ratings from The Wine Advocate. That's what you get with this Spanish 100% Garnacha (Grenache) from the Campo de Borja region. The entry-level wine is consistently a favorite of mine for it's super-low price (about $6), but I must admit past disappointment in the Tres Picos. In prior vintages it has been a bit inconsistent, sometimes coming across as way too hot and unbalanced for my taste (much like some of the overdone Australian wines that many folks complain about). This was my first experience with the 2006 vintage of the Tres Picos, so I figured I'd give it another shot.

The wine was drunk on the first night with an herbed pork tenderloin roasted on the rotisserie. I was pleased at the outset, as the wine showed a little more balance and not too much heat. There was a decent nose and good fruit, but to me it was by no means a whopper. It didn't possess the elegance of a 100% grenache from the Rhone either, holding a bit of a wild side, which can be a nice change if that's what you are looking for (I do like some variety that is maybe due to something like the terroir). Overall, it was better than I remembered some prior vintages, but not sure if it quite reached 90 points.

On night 2, I was disappointed to find signs of a downturn. There was a bit more heat, as it seemed that the fruit had faded a bit. It was not completely out of balance, but I'm not too hopeful that this is a long-lasting wine. For $12, it's still nice for a near-term drinker, but I don't know how often I would choose to spend the extra $6 compared to the regular entry-level Borsao (I have a bottle of this at home, so it will certainly get reviewed soon as well).

Vinitaly, Part 1

Part of my inspiration to start this blog came from my trip to Italy a few weeks ago, where I attended Vinitaly with my Dad. For those who don't know, Vinitaly is a big (if not the biggest) event for the Italian wine industry. Over 2,000 producers come together in Verona each year to show off their latest wines and hopefully secure deals with distributors, importers, and the like. It's not really publicized much to the public, but is in fact an open event. For 5 days, we were able to taste some of the world's great wines, and also visit with many winemakers and vineyard owners. It was an amazing experience for a wine lover, and also quite educational. I feel that doing that much tasting really improved my tasting skills, and I also learned a lot more about many of the wines and how they are made.

Over the coming days and weeks, I'll be posting recaps of the tastings and visits. I will preface by saying I did not take detailed notes, so don't expect too much detail. I did my best just to make sure I wrote down all the wines we were tasting, so that data is pretty accurate (only a couple of holes). Basically, I'll try to present the wines of a particular region/vintage and give my overall thoughts on the group, with possibly some highlighted recommendations.

Since this is the intro piece, I won't overwhelm and will start with a short one. Even though there are a lot of producers starting to make quality wines in Southern Italy, we simply did not have the time to focus much on tasting from that area. The one winery I made sure to hit was one of the big names from Campania, Feudi di San Gregorio. I really got on board with their wines last summer in Italy, drinking their Rubrato Aglianico while in Amalfi. We did not try the latest vintage of Rubrato at Vinitaly, but instead stepped up a level to start with the 2005 Taurasi. The Taurasi is an Aglianico as well, and seemed solid, but unfortunately I was not in prime tasting mode at the time as I had just finished tasting through some Amarone and Recioto (more on thosein a later post).

Following the Taurasi, we got to taste the 2004 Serpico, which is a DOC Irpinia Aglianico. From what I've read the Serpico is regarded as one of the top wines from Campania in most vintages, and it was a pleasure to get to taste it (never had before). Again, no detailed note, but it's a wine definitely worth seeking out if you ever want to go for a top-notch Southern Italian. It isn't cheap though, retailing for probably $70+ in most places in the US.

2002 Elderton Shiraz

This was one from the cellar, pulled out for steak night (and what a steak it was, a dry aged strip purchased at Star Provisions). I've got a fair amount of Aussie Shiraz and have been a bit disappointed at how some of the low and mid-range ones have been aging, so I figured it was time to pull the cork on this one (note this was just the basic Elderton Shiraz, not the Command).

I was definitely pleased to find that this wine was certainly not over the hill, or really even fading, but seemed to be a peak performer. It did not seem to be carrying the heat or overripeness that so many new Aussie Shirazes now seem to possess. Instead, it still presented lots of dark fruit, but with a bit of class I'd expect from a mid to high-end Crozes-Hermitage. The body certainly was a great accompaniment to the steak, and made for a very pleasing meal. The bottle was finished the next night, and maintained a consistent profile from when it was opened, suggesting that there was still a bit of life left in it.

Overall, I was quite pleased with this one, and will definitely keep Elderton on my list of Aussie Shiraz in the $25-$30 price range. It showed the capability to put a few years of bottle age on quite nicely and really round into a fine bottle of wine.

2005 Vietti Barbera d'Alba Tre Vigne

This has been one of my favorite Barberas over the past few years, but was my first taste of the 2005 vintage. '05 is supposed to be another very good vintage in Piemonte, and this wine did not disappoint. Plenty of elegant fruit, and not too much tannin. Even so, it held up when finished two nights after opening. On the last night, a nose of butterscotch also appeared that was not present before.

I drank this on the first night with greek-style meatballs (Keftedes) in red sauce over pasta, then on its own (post-dinner).

Overall, this was a very enjoyable wine and one I definitely recommend. I believe it was around $18, and well worth it.

Intro - Background and FAQ sort of stuff

Who am I?
I'm a 30 year old guy, living in Atlanta, and I like wine. I'm not in the business, just a consumer who has developed a passion for wine. I really started to get into wine around 2000 or so, and the obsession has grown from just buying inexpensive everyday drinkers to now a "cellar" at home numbering about 250 bottles that range from simple Italian rossos to a top Northern Rhone cuvees.

What's the blog for?
I figured this would be a good way to start keeping a record of what I'm drinking, and also serve as an easy spot for recommendations. As more people I know find out about my love of wine, I get asked for recommendations a good bit. So I figured I might as well put something out that will make it easy for all of my friends to check up on what I've been enjoying.

What do I usually drink?
I'm not independantly wealthy, so you probably won't see me drinking a lot of "trophy" wines. That's not to say everything here will be inexpensive - I spend a lot of my disposable income on wine, but try to spend wisely. I also have favorites, and this will slant that way. By no means does this mean I don't think other wines are no good, they just aren't what I like. Everyone has different tastes, and the sooner you figure out what your tastes are (especially compared to wine writers or critics) the more you will begin to enjoy the journey that wine can provide.

First, I'm a red wine guy. Nothing against whites, but reds tend to go better with the types of food I usually eat, and certainly stand up better on their own to me.

Second, I actually have some different tastes than many folks - I'm not huge on Cabernet or Merlot, nor do I really go for Pinot Noir. At this point, you may wonder what I could possibly drink, or how I could say I'm a wine lover without drinking much of those types. I'm fine with that - like I said we all have different tastes. My favorite grape is Syrah. The ultimate expression to me comes in the Syrahs produced in the Northen Rhone, but I'll also drink Syrahs from other locales, whether Old World (Italy) or New (Aussie Shiraz or American Syrahs). The Rhone Valley is also home to two of my other favorite grapes, Grenache and Mourvedre, and I enjoy plenty of Rhone wines made from those varietals, as well as some great wines from Spain, Italy, Australia, and the US.

Other favorites come from Italy, with Sangiovese-based wines being a favorite. I also drink a lot of wine from the Veneto, where the main grapes are Corvina, Rondinella, and Molinara. Finally, you may be wondering if I drink much American-produced wine other than the occasional Rhone varietal. I do, with the bulk of it being Zinfandel (no, not the pink stuff), as well as some Petite Sirah.

Overall, that's what you're going to see written about most here, because it's what I like. I encourage everyone to find what they like, so if you find you don't like any of this stuff and prefer a good Cabernet or Pinot, I won't be offended - everyone has different tastes, and I just want to let people know about mine.

What will the posts contain?
Don't expect the "serious" tasting notes you'll find in most wine publications. I'm not going to pass myself off as some sort of expert, and truthfully I'll admit I don't usually get a lot of the flavors that many of those notes will reference. Plus, I'm not going to be taking notes every night at home while tasting - posts will be what I remember about the wine, anything that really stuck out, and just my overall opinions on it. I'll typically try to include approximate prices and availability as well, so if you find something that piques your interest, you will know if it's something you could go and get.