February has sped past us

 Before I w(h)ine a little more, I'll say a couple things about the most recent tastes. The area of Southwest France are not known age-worthy fabulous wines. For many years, it was mostly cheap plonk, wines with no distinction and very little flavor. Very little hit our shores because no one would buy it. But like every where else wine grapes are grown, prices for land skyrocket and good vinters seek out other locales to grow good grapes. Many of the vines were ripped out and better varietals were planted. The crops were cut down, to bring more intensity to the remaining grapes and there are a bunch of decent wines coming from this area. Are they wines to keep and try a number of year later? Nah, they are meant to be drunk now and at a price that if you get a clunker, you are not out too much. Now on to the wines!

2014 Domaine LaRoque , IGP Clte de Carcassonne, France


100% Cabernet Franc from the Southwest of France. Situated between the Pyreneese mountains and the Black Mountains, the area is mediterranian weather tempered by the Atlantic Ocean. Decanter said “ Cabernet Franc transfers perfectly to the Southwest France: a nose of raspberries, ripe palate with lovely middle fruit and good acidity. A most charming and interesting wine – Steven Spurrier.


This wine can be bought under $10 – a pretty good example of Cabernet Franc. Not much violet in the nose or taste, but good acidity and overall red berry flavor. I’d buy it again.

2013 Black Beret, Vin de Pays d’OC, Languedoc Roussilon, France

Black Beret is produced in the Languedoc, one of the largest wine producing regions in France that covers nearly the entire south of France. While Languedoc is known for its warm Mediterranean climate, Black Beret comes from the northern part of the Languedoc at the foot of the Black Mountains. As a result, it benefits from cooler weather, which results in a fresher wine with balanced acidity. Black Beret is a joint project between négociant Jean-Christophe Calvet and winemaker Hugh Ryman. Made in the style of the sun-drenched Rhones, this wine will seduce you with its rich, luscious fruit, pepper, spice aromas and soft tannins.

Nice label – the wine has a nice nose; good  red fruit. The mouthfeel is surprisingly lush, with good fruit, spice and a touch of tannins. An interesting mix of Syrah and Grenache – the two blend well, like a Rhone style wine. Another wine around $10 – a really good school night wine.

2012 Chateau Bellevue Peycharneau, Bordeaux, France

A blend of 65% Merlot, 20% Cabernet Sauvignon and 15% Cabernet Franc. On the palate, it’s full bodied, fleshy, structured and velvety. Good tannic balance; beautiful, savory finish, with long aromatic persistence.

Interesting note, this Chateau ages their wine in both American and French oak. You know something is different – not bad, just different, then you find out about the American oak barrels.

This wine had a big nose, with expressive fruit. Much darker and heavier than the earlier wines described, this big boy had dark fruit and vanilla running through the mouth. The finish lingered with quite a bit of tannic backbone. This is a wine you could age a few years and it would be better – and at a retail of about $20, you can’t miss with this Bordeaux Superior wine.

2011 La Atalaya, Red Blend, Almansa, Central, Spain

Roasted aromas of berry and hickory come with tons of char and BBQ notes. This is thick, almost to the point of being syrupy, while flavors of herbs, blackberry, creamy oak and mint are more savory than bright. If this were any more rich and oaky, it might be considered too fat and heavy.  87 Points, Wine Enthusiast

A big wine that is made of Monastrell and Garnarcha – this is one heavy wine. The review was pretty much spot on, a wine that really needs food, not a porch sipper. Surprising for a wine around $10; match any BBQ or grilled red meat with it.

2011 Terra Prima, Massis del Garraf, Penedes, Spain

Indicative blend: Cabernet Franc, Grenache and Syrah.  Terraprima Red, a blend of 60% Cabernet Franc, 30% Garnacha, and 10% Syrah aged for 12 months in seasoned French oak. Fresh herbs, olives, cherry, and raspberry aromas inform the nose of this racy red.

This wine is a little lighter, somewhat like a pinot. Works well with food, although too heavy of fare will overwhelm it. Raspberry is the prime flavor and the acidic balance is adequate. On sale for $10, well worth another bottle – no real aging potential.

Well - another month - I'll be back at the end of March with some more wines. Keep popping those corks and I'll meet you out in the grapevines! Dr. Wineaux

Happy New Year

Another year has come and gone

Sorry I'm late - time slipped away too fast.

2005 Ramey Napa Valley Claret

From Stephen Tanzer's International Wine Cellar: "Inky ruby. Finely etched cassis, blackberry, cherry and tobacco aromas are complicated by dried rose and white pepper. Bright red and dark berry flavors are crisp and unadorned (this saw no new barrels), with gentle tannins adding grip to the finish. Ramey told me that this is made from his cabernet press wines and that it's 'for roast chicken, not steak.' " (May/Jun '08) From Robert Parker: "Fashioned from lots culled out from all of David Ramey’s Cabernet projects, the 2005 Claret is a stylish, delicious red that is meant to be consumed during its first 7-8 years of life. It offers up aromas of cherries, underbrush, black currants, and cedar. Evolved and medium-bodied with a silky finish, it will drink well for 5-7 years." (Dec. 2007) From Wine Spectator: "Aromas of strawberry and plum jam are medium-bodied, supple and graceful. Well-balanced and easy-drinking, firming up on the finish. Cabernet Sauvignon, Merlot, Cabernet Franc, Syrah, Malbec and Petit Verdot. Drink now through 2016. 6,100 cases made." (Jul. 31, 2008)

88 Points | Connoisseurs' Guide to California Wine

89 Points | Stephen Tanzer's IWC - May/June 2008

86 Points | Wine Spectator

($38) Inky ruby. Finely etched cassis, blackberry, cherry and tobacco aromas are complicated by dried rose and white pepper. Bright red and dark berry flavors are crisp and unadorned (this saw no new barrels), with gentle tannins adding grip to the finish. Ramey told me that this is made from his cabernet press wines and that it's "for roast chicken, not steak."

This wine was drinking wonderfully right now. A good Bordeaux blend from California, it had good fruit with hints of spice. Tannins had mostly gone, but the wine was nicely balanced with acidity and a fairly long aftertaste.  Very nice – received as a gift from the Matt man.

The 2011 Moniker Mendocino County Cabernet Sauvignon begins with pleasant aromas of black cherry, blackberry, plum, spice and a little vanilla and other oaky notes. When tasting this very flavorful wine you’ll find lots of oaky, spicy notes (the wine spends 14 months in used French oak) along with juicy black cherry, plums, leather and cola. Dry, grippy tannins leads into more juicy fruit streaks plus tobacco notes on the long, lingering finish. Pretty darn tasty right now but I’d venture a guess it’ll be even better in a year or two

94% Cabernet Sauvignon, 4% Cabernet Franc and 2% Petite Sirah from Mendocino County, California.

Not bad, but not one for long term keeping.  Fruit was good in it, although the balance wasn’t as refined as I would like.  Consider it a little rough around the edges, but OK for under $10.

2013 Force of Nature Zinfandel, Mossfire Ranch, Paso Robles, Ca.

TASTING NOTES:

Vintage 2013 Varietal  100% ZINFANDEL Vineyard  MOSSFIRE RANCH Clone ROCKPILE  A.V.A. PASO ROBLES Time in Barrel  12 MONTHS New Oak 20% NEW FRENCH, 80% AMERICAN (3yr) Alc. by volume 14.7% Aging Potential  10+ YEARS

Atypical for Paso Robles zinfandel, this gem exudes spicy raspberries in a dusty field of lavender and lilac.  Opulence; an engulfing mouth feel of velvet cherries, rhubarb, brittle chocolate and finely crushed peppercorn.  The finish is uplifting, with layers of bright acidity dancing on fine lush tannin.  Part Primitivo in style, part California zinfandel, this is the progeny of a dusty Paso Robles farmer and a stunning Italian minx.  Drink now through 2015.

The first thing about this wine and other wine from this winery are the striking labels. The picture does not do justice to the actual bottles. Just awesome – you’d want to keep the bottles for your display shelf. Then, the wine is really good – wow.  This is a gentler zinfandel – not all in your face with red fruits.  A refined style, with plenty of mouthfeel and some tannin.  Has red fruit layers, with hints of spice and nice acidity to go well with food. Or not, good as a straight sipper.  This is on sale around $20, a real nice Zin at that price.

2009 Ravenswood Barricia Vineyard, Sonoma  Valley, California

There’s bracing heat in this Zin that’s blended with 20% Petite Sirah. The heat comes partly from the high alcohol, partly from the notes of crushed white and black peppercorns, partly from the charred new oak and partly from the baked quality that marks the blackberry note. Everything about this lusty, delicious wine begs for grilled and roasted meats and poultry—especially game birds.

90 Pts Wine Enthusiast

Winemaker Notes: Ripe black raspberry, cherry pie, cracked black pepper, and spice-driven scents with hints of smoke, dry earth, and new leather add complexity to the aromas classically associated with Barricia vineyards. Delicious, sweet dark fruit flavors at the heart of the wine give way to an intense finish with silky tannins and lingering flavors of blackberries and candied cherries. This is a wine with lovely structure and focus.

Only 600 cases were produced – this is one of the pricier Single Vineyard designates that Ravenswood puts together.  Although the winery was purchased a few years ago, Joel Peterson is still steering the ship and putting his heart and soul into wines like this. What makes this different from the everyday Ravenswood zin? Wow, where to start – modtly everything. This zin is built on a cabernet chassis – the tannins are very large, needing a couple more years to mellow out. The fruit is big and upfront – red fruits everywhere with spiciness, herbs in a tightly structured wine.  Not a wine for the weak of taste, this bad boy is meant for a chunk of red meat. Not cheap, if you can find it, but still under $40. Freak out your “Cab” only friends with something like this!

2013 The Great American Wine Company by Rosenbloom, Red Blend, California

Winemaking - Our blend is made from Zinfandel, Petite Sirah and Cabernet Sauvignon. Each varietal was vinified individually then blended together to create a well-balanced, fruit-forward wine. The Zinfandel forms a fruit-forward base, complemented by the rich color and bold structure of Petite Sirah and Cabernet Sauvignon

Vintage 2013 Varietal Composition 74% Zinfandel 20% Petite Sirah 6% Cabernet Sauvignon

Barrel Aging 12 months Appellation California Alcohol 13.0% Acidity 6g/L pH 3.6 Ageability 2014 – 2016

OK - I had about 1 of each of these - this was the best. A zinfandel blend that was good with food, fruit forward, no tannins but very pleasant. Non-red wine drinkers could have this, as well as more novice drinkers. Nice for the price - around $10.

That's it for now, keep popping those corks and I'll meet you out behind the grape vines!