Wednesday, March 25, 2009

2001 Kay Brothers Amery Hillside Shiraz

I realized recently that my Australian consumption and purchasing has been dropping, but when grilling a steak I still wanted a nice Shiraz. Off to the cellar I went, and came back with the 2001 Kay Brothers Amery Hillside Shiraz, the second wine from this producer (their Block 6 is typically regarded as one of the benchmarks of Aussie wine). This wine was supposed to be good, but based on my experiences, aging Aussie wines has been hit or miss. Well, I can definitely say this was a hit. What a fantastic wine - it didn't just slap you like a young Aussie fruit bomb would, but had instead settled into a wonderful place where the fruit had balanced out wonderfully and gave a longer elegant finish.

I feel I have been influenced a lot over the past year or so as many people turn against Aussie wines, and that may be unfair. I think it is easy to tire of the Aussie wines, as after a while many of the fruit bombs do tend to be the same, and I love variety.

Also, I noted that my experience with aging Aussie wines has been hit or miss. However, most of those are wines that were in the $20 range - once you move up a notch in price, it does make a difference. These wines in the $40-50 range might be pricey, but it's looking like a lot of them do have some nice aging potential. This wine was really a treat to me, and I think I really hit it at a sweet spot. It reminded me what Australia is capable of - these wines can stand up to great Rhone Syrahs once they get some age. It just means being a little more selective with my purchases for the future. I'll definitely check out more from the Kay Brothers when I can find it.

Tuesday, March 24, 2009

2007 Borsao Campo de Borja

It's time again to mention my favorite value wine on the market, the best $6-7 wine you will find. The 2007 Borsao Campo de Borja continues the run of great overachievers from this producer. Whenever I buy a bottle of this, I inevitably leave it one the rack for a month or so, passing it over for more expensive choices (and since everything else is more expensive it's not really tough). Once I do open it, I remember why I bought the wine - it offers a nice floral nose to start, then a nice lighter fruit flavor on the palate.

I once again put this wine up as the standard for what a really bargain-priced wine can be. There is no comparison at this price point, and the consistency for the last several vintages means if you are in a store and see this, pick it up without hesitation.

Monday, March 23, 2009

Two from Tuscany

I had a couple of wines from different areas of Tuscany recently, one a repeat and one new one. The repeat was the 2006 La Mozza I Perrazzi Morrelino di Scansano. This wine is another great example of a food wine - simple, fresh fruit that goes well with so many things. The winery is actually a joint venture of Mario Batali and his restaurant partners Lydia and Joe Bastianich, but it is not just a celeb project. The wine is quite tasty and a good value at around $16 (especially for the very good 2006 vintage).

Up next was the 2005 Vitanza Rosso di Montalcino. I've never had anything from Vitanza, but I do own a bottle of their 1997 Brunello, so I decided to give this Rosso a try. Even though 2005 probably isn't going to match the vintages of 2004 or 2006, it is still very good, and this wine is no exception. It is a good quality Rosso di Montalcino, and once again a great food wine. It offers a little more body and complexity than the La Mozza, but is still a nice easy drinker.

Sunday, March 22, 2009

A contrasting pair from Greece

I've actually had two bottles of Greek wine recently, and they offered a great example of the variety being produced there now, and also some of the potential the country has. First up was the 2006 Skouras St. George (Agioritiko). Made from one of Greece's indigenous varietals, this is a wine I love to share with people who are unfamiliar with Greek wines. Skouras is pretty widely available, and this base cuvee of theirs is affordable but quite tasty too. I've mentioned their higher-end Megas Oenos before, and this entry-level wine is also impressive. For anyone looking to expand your horizons (or needing something when you visit a Greek restaurant) I definitely recommend this wine.

Next up was the 2000 Domaine Hadzimichali Merlot. As opposed to the traditional wine above, here I was trying an international varietal. I've actually had this wine in my cellar for a while, and was a bit worried about whether or not it would still be good, since I had no notes or recommended window for it. I was pleased that the wine was not over the hill. The fruit was a bit muted, and certainly suggested it was probably starting on the downside, but it wasn't bad. In fact, I thought that it had a nice aged character to it that was actually impressive for a country that is not known for Merlot (and doesn't really have any track record in the US for producing ageworthy wines). I've had other wines form this producer while in Greece, so I know they are doing some very good things - if you happen to find any of their wines, I'd definitely recommend them.

Saturday, March 21, 2009

A trio of Rhones

Catching up a bit, I've been buying and drinking a lot of Rhone wines lately. Among them are 3 wines from the most recent 3 vintages. First up was the 2005 Guigal Cotes du Rhone. I've just recently had what was likely my last bottle of the 2003 vintage, so I was anxious to see how the 2005 would stack up. This wine exhibited a lot of the same characteristics of its older sibling, but also had a little more freshness. It was also a bit simpler, but I imagine it too will add some weight over the next year or so and continue this wine's run as one of the great values on the market.

Next up was the 2006 Perrin et Fils Vinsobres, which used to be a Cotes du Rhones-Villages, but has now become its own appellation. The Perrins produce some great wines at all price levels, and I've enjoyed some past vintages of this wine. I found the 2006 to be a nice easy drinker with some fresh fruit, but overall somewhat simple. Nothing to really complain about, but it didn't really leave a lasting impression either. With what I've come to expect from this producer, I guess I hoped for a little more.

Finally, I had my first taste of the 2007 Domaine la Garrigue Cotes du Rhone. I've had this wine several times from prior vintages, and the 2007 has been getting a lot of hype as one of the great QPR wines of the last several years (thanks to a 91 from Parker). I've got to say I was underwhelmed by this one. The wine seemed a bit hot on initial taste and took a lot of time to settle down. By the second night, it seemed to have come into balance better, but still wasn't blowing me away. I think it may need a few more months to settle down, and based on the track record from prior vintages I'm willing to give it another try. But for now, I couldn't understand what all the hype was about.

Thursday, March 5, 2009

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

Don't be intimidated by the very long name of this wine, as it is really something special. I've actually written about this wine before, and once again have consistent notes to report.

The 2005 Domaine de la Janasse Terre d'Argile Cotes du Rhone-Villages is a blend of the three main grapes of the Rhone - Grenache, Syrah, and Mourvedre, in fairly equal proportions. Once again, as I drank it I noted that you really can taste each of these varietals when you drink the wine. There are the cherry flavors and earthiness of the Grenache initially, then the darker fruit from the Syrah, and all thoughout there's the brooding structure from the Mourvedre. This is really one of my favorite wines right now, and though it's a bit pricier than a lot of Cotes du Rhone-Villages (about $24), this wine is worth it. I can't wait to see what the 2006 and 2007 vintages are like, though I'm also looking forward to seeing how this vintage ages over the next several years.

Wednesday, March 4, 2009

2006 Luciano Sandrone Dolcetto d'Alba

I've written about this wine before, and since it had been about 6 months since the last taste of it, I figured the time had come again to try another bottle. I absolutely raved about it last time, so how would it stand up?

I am pleased to report that the 2006 Sandrone Dolcetto d'Alba is still as good as I noted last September. This is just an absolutely stunning wine for the price, with great fruit and complexity you would not expect from an $18 wine. I have just 1 bottle remaining, and the one store where I have bought it most recently is now sold out of the 2006. If you can find it, I highly recommend this wine as it is really just a tremendous example of the quality that can be found for a very fair price.

Tuesday, March 3, 2009

2005 Brig'aldara Valpolicella

I used to be able to find this wine fairly regularly in the Atlanta area, but not so much anymore, which is quite disappointing. One of my favorite QPR's from the Veneto is the Brig'aldara Valpolicella. I don't think I have had anything from this producer since our tastings at last year's Vinitaly, and certainly had not had the 2005 Valpolicella here anywhere.

I am happy to say this vintage lived up to my expectations, as it was a pleasant easy-drinking red that was light on its feet but with just enough complexity to allow you to really savor it. I am very disappointed it doesn't seem to be as widely available in this area now, because for about $12 it is definitely a winner.