I'm finally getting back to what I intend to be one of the regular features of this blog - my reports on Friday night blind tastings at Bin 75. Over the past two years, I have had the opportunity to try a lot of great wine, and have learned so much by being able to taste blind. My last post on 1993 Bordeaux was all garnered from several Friday tastings, but now I plan to try to recap most of the tastings overall. Having been each of the past two Fridays, I'm hoping to write about both of those this week, and thus begin with the notes from Friday, August 5.
Our first wine of the night had me fooled a bit. It definitely had an Italian profile, and a softness that led me to guess it was a Supertuscan. Instead, it was the 2006 Vietti Barbera d'Alba Scarrone. I've had the 2007 in the past several months, and while it was still too young, this 2006 is really coming into its own. This is a serious, top-quality Barbera.
Up next was my wine, the 2001 Angelini Val di Suga Brunello. I was actually thrown off that this was mine initially because of the color - a lighter profile that suggested something older. However, on the palate the wine still had plenty of fruit and even a a bit of tannin that showed it wasn't as old as the color suggested. Overall, it was a very good wine, and a re-taste later in the evening confirmed that.
The next wine was also from Montalcino, but slightly older, the 1999 Pietranera Brunello. I thought this wine was definitely from a riper vintage, and it was definitely older and fully mature (I figured 1997). It also had a little funk on the nose, but was still a nice wine.
After three Italians, we made a definite switch with the 2004 St. Andrews Clare Valley Cabernet. This was not an over the top Aussie Cab, but actually quite restrained. It had good fruit, but was balanced, and only missing some earthiness that could have made me think it was Bordeaux. I actually thought it might be South African.
We moved on the France with our next wine, the 2003 Clos St. Jean Combes des Fous Chateauneuf du Pape. I thought this wine was really coming together nicely, and much better than I would have expected for this wine in such a hot vintage. As I will note in the notes from the most recent Friday, several 2003 CdP's are actually nicely balanced now and drinking well.
We then moved back to Italy for our next two wines, starting with the 2004 Camerano Barolo. This was definitely a younger, understated Barolo. I initially thought it may be from Burgundy before moving to Barolo. I also was thinking it was a 2005 as it seemed young, but not quite as young as a 2006 and not quite as filled out as I thought a 2004 should be.
Following that, we were back in Tuscany for the 2003 Petrolo Galatrona. This wine is still very, very young, and definitely made in a more modern style. I actually thought it might be a 2007 California Cab. I'd definitely wait longer on drinking these wines.
Suddenly, we had a quick interlude of white wine, a 2004 Weinbach Schlossberg Riesling. I've actually had a couple of Schlossbergs, and they are very nice wines that I am definitely impressed with.
Getting back to the reds, we were in France again. This time, it was the 2007 Domaine Tempier Bandol. Keith actually nailed the wine, while I venured a guess a little further west in Languedoc. The wine was still very young, definitely from a hot climate, but also quite interesting. I'd love to taste it in 5-6 years.
Staying in Southern France, we had the 2007 Bois de Boursan Chateauneuf du Pape. I actually thought this might be a little older, guessing it was a 2005 CdP. It definitely had some characteristics of a hotter vintage, but seemed to be coming into balance. I'm definitely happy to see some of these 2007's begin to settle.
After all of these very good wines, we were bound for disappointment, and it came from the 2007 Orin Swift Papillon. This wine was way over the top, a fruit bomb that none of us really cared for. I was actually surprised that the blend was mainly Cab, figuring it for something like Aussie Shiraz or a modern Spanish Garnacha.
We weren't going to end like that though, so the final wine gave us something to go home happy about. The 1994 Pichon-Longueville Comtesse de Lalande was quite nice, showing many traits of well-aged Bordeaux. I actually thought it was a slightly younger, guessing a 96 St. Julien. It was definitely a good way to finish off a very nice night.
Overall, it was a very good night, one of several we've had lately. As for my wine of the night, it was a tough call. The Pichon was a great way to finish, but the two Chateauneufs were enjoyable, as was my wine, the 01 Val di Suga. As I said tough, outside of the Orin Swift, there really wasn't a poor showing in the lineup.
Showing posts with label Australia. Show all posts
Showing posts with label Australia. Show all posts
Sunday, August 14, 2011
Tuesday, December 29, 2009
Two takes on Grenache
As I try to continue to catch up on notes from the past couple of months, it will take some creative thinking to combine multiple wines into one post. For this one, I'll report on two Grenache-based wines from very different areas. Up first was a wine from the Spanish region of Priorat, the 2001 Scala Dei Iugiter. Earlier in the year, I had another wine from Scala Dei that I enjoyed, but this one was a bit disappointing. The Iugiter seemed much more modern in style and still had a lot of oak on it. For a wine of this age, it is concerning that the oak has not integrated better by this point.
The next wine was the 2003 Tir Na Nog Old Vine Grenache from Australia's McLaren Vale. This wine seemed disjointed on the first night, and I thought was probably just fading and past its peak. However, on the second night it was actually better, more balanced with some fruit still showing. It still wasn't great through, and for a wine that Parker rated 94 points, was a bit of a disappointment.
Overall, these two wines didn't do much to acquit Grenache's potential outside the Rhone Valley, though I do know that in Priorat, there are some very good Grenache-based wines, and even the prior Scala Dei was evidence of that.
The next wine was the 2003 Tir Na Nog Old Vine Grenache from Australia's McLaren Vale. This wine seemed disjointed on the first night, and I thought was probably just fading and past its peak. However, on the second night it was actually better, more balanced with some fruit still showing. It still wasn't great through, and for a wine that Parker rated 94 points, was a bit of a disappointment.
Overall, these two wines didn't do much to acquit Grenache's potential outside the Rhone Valley, though I do know that in Priorat, there are some very good Grenache-based wines, and even the prior Scala Dei was evidence of that.
Friday, August 14, 2009
"Mondo" tasting at Bin 75
Last week's tasting a Bin 75 was kicked up a notch as Trevor, one of the employees there, was leaving. In his honor, the usual $40 minimum bottle price was upped to $60. I was excited for what promised to be a great night, and spent much of the week deciding what to take.
The tasting began with a Bordeaux, which I and everyone else guessed. A few were able to narrow down the vintage and appellation very close, which I could not. The wine was the 2000 Chateau Dauzac Margaux. The next wine was a Bordeaux also, but this time stumped most everyone, with most of guessing Italian (though I did not). It was actually the 1998 Chateau Latour, and was a disappointing showing for a first-growth, even from a vintage that's not the strongest.
Our third wine was from Burgundy, and the color and taste easily identified it as such. Keith even had the vintage, but missed on the appellation. The wine was the 2002 Louis Latour Gevrey-Chambertin Lavaut St-Jacques. Our next wine switched dramatically, and no one could really nail it down. Most everyone agreed it was very New World-styled, but guesses were mainly on South America or California (I guessed Spain). It ended up being the 2004 Penley Estate Cabernet Sauvignon from Coonawarra.
We then made a quick detour into whites, with a 2005 Smarago Gruner Veltliner and a 2006 Staglin Chardonnay. I wasn't sure what either wine was, but the Gruner was more my style of white.
Back to the reds, we ended up in Australia again with the 2005 D'Arenberg Galvo Garage, a blend with mainly Cab. I originally thought it was an Aussie, but switched my guess to California Cab blend.
Finally, we came to my wine. The wine itself was awesome, just so different than anything else we had and so unique. A couple of folks did end up figuring out that it may be a Veneto wine, but everyone was surprised by the age. The wine was a 1996 Quintarelli Valpolicella, and it was as fresh as the 1999 we had in April in Italy. Our next wine was an Italian as well - I guessed Supertuscan, but it was actually the 1997 Banfi Poggio alla Mura Brunello. It was a nice wine, but I'd be shocked if it was actually 100% Sangiovese.
After the short Italian interlude, it was back to Cabs with the 2005 Barnett Vineyards Cabernet Sauvingon. I was on California, but not sure it was a straight Cab (though Keith was). From there, it was back to Bordeaux with the 2001 Langoa Barton St. Julien. Again, I could ID that it was a Bordeaux, but not the appellation. Keith was once again able to get that extra detail, nailing that it was a St. Julien. We then went back to California Cab again with the 2003 Duckhorn Napa Cab. This time most everyone was on California Cab from the start.
We next came to Keith's wine, so he wasn't in the guessing game. Initially the wine was quite sweet and had me baffled. But as it settled a bit and I examined the color closely, I realized it had to be a Nebbiolo. It had a slight bit of age, so I guessed that it was a 99 Barolo - close, but it was the 2001 Elio Altare Brunate Barolo.
The next two wines stumped most everyone again. First was the 2001 Le Croix St. Georges Pomerol, which no one identified even as Bordeaux, and I had no idea. Following that was the 2001 Argiano Brunello - several folks guessed it was a Nebbiolo, and though I disagreed I could not guess what it might be. I did like the wine, but again was disappointed that it did not seem to be a typical Sangiovese Grosso. We then finished our reds with one more Tuscan, the 1999 Guado al Tasso Bolgheri. I thought it may be a Bordeaux from 1999 or so, but it did stump most people as it had a lot of age. The tasting then concluded with a couple of Sherries.
Overall, I was a bit disappointed in what I thought would be an outstanding tasting, mainly due to the selections. This night confirmed my palate's preferences, as most of the California Cabs weren't to my liking, and even the Bordeaux wines were just ok. The Quintarelli really did stand out to me, and was just so much more pure and elegant in my opinion. I enjoyed the Brunellos, but again they lacked the true typicity that I want in those wines. Overall, it was still a fun evening, and another great chance to taste a variety of wines and talk about them with fellow wine lovers.
The tasting began with a Bordeaux, which I and everyone else guessed. A few were able to narrow down the vintage and appellation very close, which I could not. The wine was the 2000 Chateau Dauzac Margaux. The next wine was a Bordeaux also, but this time stumped most everyone, with most of guessing Italian (though I did not). It was actually the 1998 Chateau Latour, and was a disappointing showing for a first-growth, even from a vintage that's not the strongest.
Our third wine was from Burgundy, and the color and taste easily identified it as such. Keith even had the vintage, but missed on the appellation. The wine was the 2002 Louis Latour Gevrey-Chambertin Lavaut St-Jacques. Our next wine switched dramatically, and no one could really nail it down. Most everyone agreed it was very New World-styled, but guesses were mainly on South America or California (I guessed Spain). It ended up being the 2004 Penley Estate Cabernet Sauvignon from Coonawarra.
We then made a quick detour into whites, with a 2005 Smarago Gruner Veltliner and a 2006 Staglin Chardonnay. I wasn't sure what either wine was, but the Gruner was more my style of white.
Back to the reds, we ended up in Australia again with the 2005 D'Arenberg Galvo Garage, a blend with mainly Cab. I originally thought it was an Aussie, but switched my guess to California Cab blend.
Finally, we came to my wine. The wine itself was awesome, just so different than anything else we had and so unique. A couple of folks did end up figuring out that it may be a Veneto wine, but everyone was surprised by the age. The wine was a 1996 Quintarelli Valpolicella, and it was as fresh as the 1999 we had in April in Italy. Our next wine was an Italian as well - I guessed Supertuscan, but it was actually the 1997 Banfi Poggio alla Mura Brunello. It was a nice wine, but I'd be shocked if it was actually 100% Sangiovese.
After the short Italian interlude, it was back to Cabs with the 2005 Barnett Vineyards Cabernet Sauvingon. I was on California, but not sure it was a straight Cab (though Keith was). From there, it was back to Bordeaux with the 2001 Langoa Barton St. Julien. Again, I could ID that it was a Bordeaux, but not the appellation. Keith was once again able to get that extra detail, nailing that it was a St. Julien. We then went back to California Cab again with the 2003 Duckhorn Napa Cab. This time most everyone was on California Cab from the start.
We next came to Keith's wine, so he wasn't in the guessing game. Initially the wine was quite sweet and had me baffled. But as it settled a bit and I examined the color closely, I realized it had to be a Nebbiolo. It had a slight bit of age, so I guessed that it was a 99 Barolo - close, but it was the 2001 Elio Altare Brunate Barolo.
The next two wines stumped most everyone again. First was the 2001 Le Croix St. Georges Pomerol, which no one identified even as Bordeaux, and I had no idea. Following that was the 2001 Argiano Brunello - several folks guessed it was a Nebbiolo, and though I disagreed I could not guess what it might be. I did like the wine, but again was disappointed that it did not seem to be a typical Sangiovese Grosso. We then finished our reds with one more Tuscan, the 1999 Guado al Tasso Bolgheri. I thought it may be a Bordeaux from 1999 or so, but it did stump most people as it had a lot of age. The tasting then concluded with a couple of Sherries.
Overall, I was a bit disappointed in what I thought would be an outstanding tasting, mainly due to the selections. This night confirmed my palate's preferences, as most of the California Cabs weren't to my liking, and even the Bordeaux wines were just ok. The Quintarelli really did stand out to me, and was just so much more pure and elegant in my opinion. I enjoyed the Brunellos, but again they lacked the true typicity that I want in those wines. Overall, it was still a fun evening, and another great chance to taste a variety of wines and talk about them with fellow wine lovers.
Tuesday, August 4, 2009
Weekend in North Carolina with Loudoun
Last weekend I went up to the mountains of North Carolina to visit my grandmother and enjoy the cool mountain air. Loudoun drove up from Charlotte (without his wife who was off to a bachelorette party weekend) so of course there was plenty of wine to be drunk. Friday night with steaks I opened up a 2002 Haan Shiraz, which I had purchased in Charlotte a few years ago. The wine was quite nice, though a little on the sweet side. After a while, it had acquired some almost Amarone or Recioto-like characteristics - not necessarily raisiny, but just a bit sweet. I wasn't sure that I really liked that, but overall the wine was enjoyable and not too overpowering.
Saturday night, we opened up a wine I found earlier in the day - the 2007 Domaine Giraud Chateauneuf du Pape. I'm not typically one to drink something so early, but I had purchased a bottle of this producer's 100% Grenache cuvee a few weeks ago so I was interested to see how their base wine would be. This wine was certainly no slouch - after just a bit of air, it quickly began to show off the dark fruit and spice of the Grenache that dominates the blend. It certainly gives a hint of the greatness of the vintage and makes me look forward to more 2007 Chateauneufs.
We actually finished later Saturday night with a 1999 Michele Satta Cavaliere. This Supertuscan had been in my cellar for a while and I recall it having very good reviews when I bought it. I felt that the wine was somewhat disjointed, as the fruit was fading a bit to me, but there were still some serious tannins. Loudoun enjoyed the wine a bit more, picking up some pear notes, but to me there wasn't much. With the tannins, this wine seemed to be out of balance, and I have little faith that at this advanced age it would ever get into balance (and may not have ever been). While this wine was a disappointment, the weekend was quite enjoyable visiting with my grandmother and hanging out with a good friend with good food and wine.
Saturday night, we opened up a wine I found earlier in the day - the 2007 Domaine Giraud Chateauneuf du Pape. I'm not typically one to drink something so early, but I had purchased a bottle of this producer's 100% Grenache cuvee a few weeks ago so I was interested to see how their base wine would be. This wine was certainly no slouch - after just a bit of air, it quickly began to show off the dark fruit and spice of the Grenache that dominates the blend. It certainly gives a hint of the greatness of the vintage and makes me look forward to more 2007 Chateauneufs.
We actually finished later Saturday night with a 1999 Michele Satta Cavaliere. This Supertuscan had been in my cellar for a while and I recall it having very good reviews when I bought it. I felt that the wine was somewhat disjointed, as the fruit was fading a bit to me, but there were still some serious tannins. Loudoun enjoyed the wine a bit more, picking up some pear notes, but to me there wasn't much. With the tannins, this wine seemed to be out of balance, and I have little faith that at this advanced age it would ever get into balance (and may not have ever been). While this wine was a disappointment, the weekend was quite enjoyable visiting with my grandmother and hanging out with a good friend with good food and wine.
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.
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.
Wednesday, February 25, 2009
2006 Domaine Terlato & Chapoutier Shiraz-Viogner
My favorite Rhone producer Chapoutier expanded in Australia several years ago with their US importer Tony Terlato, and I had tried this wine once in an earlier vintage. I found it to be quite enjoyable then, and very similar to my favorite Aussie, the D'Arenberg Laughing Magpie. However, the 2006 Terlato & Chapoutier Shiraz-Viogner was somewhat disappointing. The wine did not offer anything reminiscent of the Cote Roties the blend is styled after, and instead definitely came off more like some of the over-extracted Aussie fruit bombs that have come out.
On the second night the wine seemed to have settled a bit. The heat wasn't as noticeable, and the wine had definitely mellowed. However, it still was not at the level of the Magpie, to say nothing of having the more elegant profile of a Northern Rhone. It may have been enough to convince me to try another bottle and give it a little time, but we'll see.
On the second night the wine seemed to have settled a bit. The heat wasn't as noticeable, and the wine had definitely mellowed. However, it still was not at the level of the Magpie, to say nothing of having the more elegant profile of a Northern Rhone. It may have been enough to convince me to try another bottle and give it a little time, but we'll see.
Wednesday, January 14, 2009
2006 D'Arenberg Laughing Magpie Shiraz-Viogner
Once again, I went with my go-to choice for accompanying a steak, the 2006 D'Arenberg Laughing Magpie. I believe this wine has the distinction of being the first one I've written about three times, and I'm pleased to report it still has yet to disappoint.
I'm not going to add much to the prior notes, only to say that I continue to enjoy this as a top Australian wine that doesn't go too overboard in it's profile, instead coming as something between the Old World Northern Rhone style and the full-on in your face style of many Australian wines today. Still holding at about $22 in the Atlanta market, I continue to buy.
I'm not going to add much to the prior notes, only to say that I continue to enjoy this as a top Australian wine that doesn't go too overboard in it's profile, instead coming as something between the Old World Northern Rhone style and the full-on in your face style of many Australian wines today. Still holding at about $22 in the Atlanta market, I continue to buy.
Sunday, December 14, 2008
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.
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.
Tuesday, September 2, 2008
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.
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.
Tuesday, July 1, 2008
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.
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.
Tuesday, May 6, 2008
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.
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.
Tuesday, April 29, 2008
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.
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.
Monday, April 21, 2008
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.
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.
Subscribe to:
Posts (Atom)