So little time, So many wines...

2013 La Croisade Vin de Pays d'Oc Reserve Cabernet - Syrah

"With a bright deep red colour this wine is rich and luxurious on the palate. The flavours are very intense and complex with subtle nuances of violet and blackberries well integrated with toasty oak overtones. The mouth is wonderfully smooth and full bodied with an exceptional length. This wine will be the perfect accompaniment to any kind of meat dishes and cheeses or simply as an aperitif." Winemaker's Notes

  OK - not a wine that you would serve as a special occasion, still, a nice blend with balanced flavors and an ability to go with a wide array of foods. Great addition to the $100 case...

2011 Bodegas Ego "Fuerza" Monastrell, Cabernet- Jumilla, Spain

The 2011 Fuerza is mainly Monastrell with 25% Cabernet Sauvignon fermented traditionally and aged 12 months in barriques. The nose shows a mixture of esparto grass, Mediterranean herbs, paprika and tree bark over the core of black cherries. The palate is quite savory, with fine, although abundant tannins that would do better with some powerful meat dishes.

OK - I don't know what Esparto grass smells like, but this was a heavy, nice blend made for big meat dishes. Decent aftertaste and a moderate nose, this is a great weekend bottle for grilled dead stuff.

NV Domaine Ste Michelle Brut

OK - this is a standard in my house. Great inexpensive bubbly with a new remodeled label. This beat a Dom Perignon in the Wine Trials book, in a blind tasting. Inexpensive enough to add OJ, yet tasty without any additions.

2014 Essay, Chenin Blanc/Viognier Swartland, South Africa

Winemaker's Notes:

This is a medium-bodied white made from South Africa’s classic white variety, chenin blanc. The Chenin Blanc gives the wine its bold guava and melon flavours and a refreshing acidity. Some lees contact fleshes out the wine and fills the mouth with flavour and roundness. The Viognier was added for extra body and its intriguing floral notes. 87% Chenin, 13% viognier

I'll admit, I've always liked both Chenin Blanc and Viognier. Almost off dry – great summer sipper. Medium body, light aromatics, best on a hot sunny day.

2012 Zuccardi serie A Malbec, Uco Valley, Argentina

A full-bodied, rich red Argentine wine with aromas and flavours black plum, pepper and dark spices on the finish. This muscular wine will elbow its way in beside a rare steak or prime rib. It's strong, but not overpowering like the ideal dinner companion conversation. Malbec is Argentina's flagship red wine grape, and this producer excels at the style of wine. Pair with grilled meats.

Malbec food pairings: pepperoni pizza, radicchio, lamb cutlets, beef tenderloin.

The Zuccardi Serie A range demonstrates the richness and diversity of Argentina's Series" as the way of expressing our most representative grape varieties by recognizing the best growning regions specific to each, and selecting top vineyard sites along the foothills of the Andes Mountains.

 Not a bad little cheapie – typical of Malbec from Argentina – tasty, not too complex but made for meat – even better if grilled…

Chandon Etoile Tete de Cuvee 2004, Napa VAlley, California

Tasting Notes

Appearance: Pale yellow/gold with small steady bubbles.

Aroma/bouquet: Pear, apple, hazelnut, cinnamon and toast.

Palate: Lemon, tangerine, hazelnut and minerality. Creamy mouthfeel.

Additional comments: Rich and structured. Would pair well with a wide variety of food. Could positively compete with higher priced champagne.

When to drink: Chandon Etoile Tete de Cuvee 2004 is ready to drink now through 2018.

Grapes: 61% Chardonnay, 34% Pinot Noir and 5% Pinot Meunier.

Yes, this is not an inexpensive bubbly, although it is cheaper then vintage Champagnes from France. Very structured and wonderful on the palate - I was blown away by the layers and tastes of this wine.  Even my wife thought it was really tasty...

I think I will stop for now, save a few wines for later. Keep popping those corks and I'll meet you out behind the grapevines!

Trying to keep up - time slips by so fast...

2005 Hafner Cabernet Sauvignon, Sonoma County, California

From the Winery:

2005 was an ideal growing season with our coolest Summer in 25 years. It was a vintage winemakers dream of because moderate temperatures allowed the grapes to ripen slowly and evenly. Our Cabernet harvest began on October 11.

Following the Bordeaux tradition of extended maceration, the wine stayed on the skins for another two weeks to soften the young tannins. We then moved the Cabernet into our caves where it was aged in French (80%) and American (20%) oak barrels. During its first Winter, the wine underwent malolactic fermentation which lowered its acidity and added richness. In its second year, this Cabernet was aged in both oak barrels and tanks. After many blending trials, we added 4% Petit Verdot and 3% Malbec to this Cabernet to increase the wine’s depth and richness. The wine was bottled in August 2007.

At our Annual Vertical Tasting in February 2015, we tasted the 2005 and here are our notes: Lovely, well-balanced. Blueberries, black pepper, mint and spice aromas. Supple on the palate with flavors of dark chocolate and toast that add richness and depth.

A gift, bought from the cellar collection, this wine was drinking wonderfully. Decent nose, real nice flavors with layers. Nice finish – wasn’t even close to its end time.  Small family winery that produces Cabernet and Chardonnay. Worth seeking out.

2012 Perseverance Cabernet Sauvignon, California

Winemaker's Notes:

Rich and full with black cherry flavors followed by hints of exotic spices and plums. Nicely balanced with backbone. The finish is full and satisfying allowing it work well with red meats, red-sauced pasta dishes and chicken sausages with sautéed onions and green peppers.

 Pretty nice for a 10 buck cabernet. Decent flavors, some backbone and a modest followthru on the flavors.  Good BBQ/Pizza wine, school night wine. Not something you’d seek out, but OK in a package deal.

2012 SPICE BLOCK CABERNET  Mendoza, Argentina

Spice Block Cabernet Sauvignon is sourced from individual selected vineyard blocks to exemplify the structured fruit flavors of an artisan Cabernet Sauvignon from Mendoza. This wine exhibits robust flavors of black fruits, cassis and cherry compote with a hint of vanilla mocha yielding a velvety finish of very fine and supple tannins refined by oak aging for 7 months.

Another typical inexpensive Cabernet, this one has nice fruit, some aftertaste.  Adequate school night wine, wouldn’t go hunting for it…

2008 Lagar de Robla  Mencia Robla Catilla Y Leon, Spain 

Robert Parker, Jr., Wine Advocate:  Rated as An outstanding wine of exceptional complexity and character. "The 2008 Lagar de Robla Premium Mencia spent 18 months in American oak. It is the most complex of these Mencia offerings displaying density, opulence, and length. This pleasure-bent effort can be enjoyed now but will drink well for a decade."  Jun 2011

New York Times:  "Most wine drinkers, I suspect, have never heard of Bierzo, but word is getting around. And if you get the oppurtunity to taste a good bottle, with its haunting, exotic wildflower, licorice and fruit flavors, you can't help but remenber it." Eric Asminov

Winery:  "The 2008 Lagar de Robla Premium is made with 100% Mencía grapes produced by old vines in the region of Bierzo with an average age of 50 years. This big red spent 18 months in American oak and a year in the bottle before its release.  This is the most complex wine made by Vinos de Arganza. "

Yes, another Mencia from Bierzo – this was another great example of a wine made from grapes that used to make only rustic, harsh, local swill; the wine is made in a modern style and shows good fruit, nice balance and a good finish.  Really nice…

1999 St Supery Meritage, Elu,  Napa Valley Ca                   

Very well made wine – holding up very well, with layers of flavor and nice aftertaste. Berry and cigar box, without the vegetal green pepper. Very nice, touch of browning around the edges but still drinking well.

•           Winemaker's Notes

The deep reds and purples in this Cabernet Sauvignon reflect the wines depth and rich character. The bold aromas offer classic blackberry and currant Cabernet character, complemented by an undercurrant of oak and cedar with wisps of vanillin. The inticing flavors of briar and berry, toasted oak and a hint of licorice, combine with well-intergrated tannin for a complete and fulfilling wine. This wine will only get better with time in the bottle.

Napa Valley

82% Cabernet Sauvignon, 14% Merlot

2% Cabernet Franc, 2% Petit Verdot

54% New French Oak, 41% New American Oak

Bottled March 13-15, 2002

2014 Copain  Rose of Pinot Noir       Tous Ensemble North Coast ,CA

Very enjoyable Rose, with good Pinot flavors, hints of cherry and raspberry.  A pink for red wine drinkers

Winemaker's Notes:

With a gorgeous hue of pale pink, our 2014 Rosé jumps out of the glass with crisp red fruit flavors. The supple texture is backed by a vibrant freshness and appealing acidity, making this a wonderfully versatile food wine. The 2014 vintage started dry but abundant February rain came just in time to break the winter draught. Warm spring temperatures encouraged an early budbreak that kept vineyard development ahead of schedule through the entire season. Our harvest was condensed beginning September 3rd and concluding on September 24th. For the first time our Pinot Noir and Syrah harvest overlapped. Abundant sunshine and cool evenings created near ideal conditions for ripe and balanced wines with yields falling in the normal range. As the name, “all together”, suggests, Copain’s Tous Ensemble series offers a perfect complement to any gathering, from a casual meal to an impromptu party. Approachable, balanced and ready to drink, these wines pair beautifully with almost any food, any day of the week. Tous Ensemble wines reflect a classic blend of fruit sourced from select vineyards throughout Mendocino County.

2011 Nickel & Nickel Syrah Darien Vineyard, Russian River Valley, CA

SENSORY EVALUATION

The 2011 Darien Vineyard Syrah opens with lovely violet and floral notes along with the juicy meatiness inherent to the varietal. Flavors of berry and plum blend beautifully with earth and spice, creating a well-rounded medley of flavors on the palate. The wine’s texture is rich and balanced allowing for a satisfying progression from front to finish.

This wine was deep, dark and almost brooding. The nose was a big – fruit and floral and hints of the spice. The flavor was real big, red fruits, spice and some herbs popping in. Stayed with you for some time; quite a follow-thru of flavor. What a real nice bottle of wine – it could have been kept for several years without losing any of its flavors.