Fiat Vino

Foley 2004 Santa Rita Hills Syrah

2012-02-25T23:34:00.001-08:00

After a day of wine tasting in Santa Barbara there isn't not much that
can pizazz since everyone has purple tongues and palate fatigue. This
Foley Syrah; however, out shines.

Although a few in our group weren't big fans, I enjoyed it
tremendously. There were big bright dried cherries and a tart
funkiness like goji. It was bold and like one added, thick, and felt
good like a Syrah should.

2005 Rossignol Volnay Clos Des Angles

2012-02-25T07:54:00.001-08:00

1er Cru. Apparently from an old walled vineyard. Smooth, light, spicy, elegant, well-balanced. Took awhile to open. Not overly fruity nose, very French.

Ridge 2007 Buchignani Ranch Carignane

2012-02-17T19:09:00.001-08:00

Jumpin' Jeronimo! This is a lip-smacking red that makes my mouth
bubble. I can't say enough good things about Ridge. Either they make
the most kick ass wine around or they fit my palate like a key.

It is nearly impossible to find Carignane bottled all by itself and
I'm not sure why. Of course it doesn't have the consumer awareness of
other varietals but if the majority of them tasted like this one, it
would catch on fast.

Since Somoma had such unusually low yields in 2007 this rings in at
14.4% percent. It was aged for 12 months in American oak and is just
coming of age right now.

I only wish I had a case.

Alma Andina 2008 Reserve Malbec

2012-02-16T21:52:00.000-08:00

This Argentinian Malbec came as a gift from my mom who, I suspect,
procured it from that mail order Zagat wine club thing. Well? I'm glad
she did.

Some of my favorite types of Malbecs are free Malbecs. This one hails
from the Uco Valley (never heard of it, didn't google it) and hides
14% alcohol pretty well.

I enjoyed this thoroughly and if the rest of the shipment is as tasty,
I may try and convince the wife we should sign up.

What's more fun than getting wine in the mail? Drinking said wine!

2007 RHONE VALLEY, SAINT-JOSEPH "LES EDILES"

2012-02-15T14:01:00.001-08:00

100% Syrah. As described by Nicolas, my local budget french wine store "Deep purple. Violette, black fruits and dried bacon. Elegante and powerful, a well integrated oak finish". I was told to decant for an hour. I popped, poured, gave it a few swirls, and went for it. Seemed tight, with a a tart, oaky, tannic finish. Seems like a better wine, perhaps young or perhaps I should have decanted for an hour. I'll save some for night #2 to see if it comes around.

2001 Château Cantemerle Haut-Médoc

2012-02-15T13:48:00.001-08:00

Wife sent me out for "something nice" and I came back with this lovely age-appropriate bordeaux. A well integrated wine. Opened rather quickly with a good nose of dark fruit, fresh pencil shavings, a bit thin, but a nice finish with harmonized tannins. 12.5 or 13% abv. Really balanced. I'm used to a bit more power than this offered but it turned out to be quite nice.

2007 Comm. G.B. Burlotto Barolo

2012-02-11T05:47:00.001-08:00

Barolo #2 in my life. Much better than first. Medium body. Rather elegant. Lively cherry fruit nose. Good length with earthy undertones. Nuanced. Fairly Pinot-like but as elegant as it is on the palate, it really has the strong finish of a more full body wine without being overly tannic. Best days are probably a few years ahead but drinking fine right now. A really awesome bottle. Had with take out Italian (check out the dude on the pizza box). Italian food with Italian wine - paired well - imagine that?

2009 Les Champs Clos Sancerre

2012-02-06T14:07:00.001-08:00

A Pinot noir from Sancerre which is sauvignon blanc territory - I didn't know they made Pinot noir. Medium body, a bit brownish in color nice lively fruit, not tones of acidity, a bit metallic. Not my favorite but nice to try something new. In general I'm finding Boudreauxs and rhones better than burgundies and other pinots in the £10-£30 range.

2005 Ciabot Berton Barolo Roggeri

2012-01-23T15:08:00.001-08:00

My first Barolo. I was expecting greatness and was a bit underwhelmed. I was thrown off a bit by a little mold on the cork, but I don't think it was a bad bottle (although it seemed to fade rather quickly). Reminded me of a more refined Chianti Classico. Not as full bodied as I expected. Good but not great. Not sure I'd get it again.

2009 Domaine de la Ville Rouge Crozes-Hermitage Terre d Eclat

2012-01-21T15:19:00.001-08:00

A Rhone valley syrah. A jammy sweet black fruit nose with some spice. Unmistakably syrah. It is full bodied, dry, balanced, not overly tannic. As big as it smells it is rather restrained in the mouth. Surprised it is only 13% ABV. Had with take out Turkish food - spicy lamb doner wrap with hummus and eggplant - just what the winemaker must have had in mind. Really good and relatively cheap (the takeout and the wine).

Chateau Grand Pontet Saint Emilion 2004

2012-01-17T15:47:00.001-08:00

A grand cru classe which apparently is good but from a not so good vintage. Mainly merlot. Tasty!

Domaine la Brouissiere Gigondas 2009

2012-01-17T15:35:00.001-08:00

I remember as good and worth getting again.

Fontodi Chianti Classico 2008

2012-01-17T15:31:00.001-08:00

Cool label. Great wine. Leathery. Nice full body. Not sure how classico's get that nice raisin smell and taste, maybe some overripe fruit in the mix? A bit on the pricey side (£20) for a chianti but great and much more that a table wine.

Louis Latour Nuits St George 2008

2012-01-17T15:20:00.001-08:00

Catching up a bit on some wines we drank while Amy's mom visited. Most expensive bottle we bought @ £38. I was expecting more and others Burgundy's have been better (and cheaper).

Bellbird Spring Block 8 Pinot Noir NZ 2009

2012-01-17T15:09:00.001-08:00

Really nice kiwi Pinot. Very elegant, nice bright fruit. I've been trying to drink old world wines including a lot of burgundies but this has been the best Pinot of 2012 without a doubt. No idea how much it was but it's brilliant. Seek this one out.

2009 Saint Joseph J. Boutin "Parcelle de Jean"

2012-01-17T14:59:00.001-08:00

A bit difficult for me to decipher European labels... But after a but of research I figured out this is from the Saint Joseph region in northern Rhone made by J. Boutin from a small Syrah vineyard called Parcelle de Jean. Deep purple, sweet blackberry, slight pepper, some sort of tree/earth thing going on. Nice on the palate but a bit tannic and acidic on the finish. Very tasty but a wee young. £19 from odd bins. Described by the clerk as brooding and perfect for the arse freezing night that it is tonight.

Barbera D Asti

2012-01-04T17:00:00.001-08:00

Ok, this is papawow's bud DR. I've moved to London and plan to sample as many old world wines as my budget will allow and report them here.

First is a Barbera D'Asti which apparently (thanks Wikipedia) is a young Barbera with similar characteristics to a Beaujolais Nouveau - basically a young fruity table wine made with Babera grapes. Not sure the producer, maybe you can see on the label, served its purpose as an accompaniment to pasta bolognese at an Italian chain... but at about £15, better is out there.

Bartholomew 2001 Cabernet Sauvignon, Sonoma Valley

2011-11-27T19:43:00.001-08:00

This was crazy good and paired with a braised lamb like peanut butter and jelly. We popped this for a second Thanksgiving dinner and it hit the spot just as everyone got seated. There are big fruits here with plenty of oak, and 10 years seemed to be just the right amount of time for this one.

Since we've been dipping into out cellar lately, I think we've been doing a fine job of timing. This could have gone a few more years possibly but last night was a great opportunity.

Carhartt 2007 Sangiovese, Santa Ynez Valley

2011-11-26T07:35:00.001-08:00

This was wonderful and although it didn't have that musky Tuscan nuance to it, I love me a good California Sangiovese. This was just the right ago too I think, the tannins were mellowed and the fruit had an opportunity to shine. It is a shame we don't produce more Sangiovese here, the Italians have been making wine for thousands of years and they seem to have stuck with it. It is a great, we'll balanced grape when done with care.

Ridge 2006 Carmichael Zinfandel

2011-11-20T19:44:00.001-08:00

Like adult candy, I love a jammy zin as long as it has a backbone. This satisfies like a Snickers. This Sonoma County gem has 4% Petite Syrah that likely helps hold up much of the fruit and keeps it from being a complete bomb. In any case, it packs 14.2 percent alcohol too but it isn't hot or overbearing at all. Many people complain about California wines getting out of control with their tannins and booziness but this is a great example of how far you can take it and still keep it approachable. And classy.

Keep it classy Ridge.

San Clodio 2005 Ribeirto

2011-09-29T20:55:00.001-07:00

Yes, yes. Another Grocery Outlet grab; this may have been my $10 white wine splurge. Amy didn't like this much, she's way into Marlboro Sav Blancs right now, so who's to fault her?

Regardless, this has some musk, that I enjoy, because it is 6 years old; and this has held up well for a white. Although I'm going to try new and different things, I'm better acquainted with the wacky world of Spanish Whites, which is a feat unto itself.

Hello Ribeirto. Goodbye Ribeirto.

Silver Stone 2005 Arroyo Seco Pinot Noir

2011-09-25T21:52:00.001-07:00

At 14.9%, this lighter Pinot Noir should have a mouthfeel much hotter than it does. Although a little cloudy, this has great cherry and stone fruit notes and was a great grab, again, from the Grocery Outlet.

J 2002 Nicole's Vineyard Pinot Noir

2011-08-14T21:16:00.001-07:00

This is a bold Pinot. J does such a great job with their Pinots but I've only found their Russian River Valley Pinot outside of the tasting room. We were members for years with them so that we could cellar a bottle like this. What an amazing bottle to celebrate our anniversary.

Jaffurs 2009 Grenache Blanc

2011-08-13T16:56:00.001-07:00

You don't see too many Grenache Blancs and if they are all like this, that's a shame. This hails from the world famous Thompson Vineyard in Santa Barbara County. At 14.4% alcohol, this is also a whopper of a wine especially for a white. I don't have any other Grenache Blancs to compare it to but I really like this one. The next time you are in Santa Barbara, stop by Jaffurs, they are downtown, just a few blocks from State Street.

Croad 2008 Paso Robles Grenache

2011-07-03T23:07:00.001-07:00

Thisvis a great example of Grenache, good acidity, good spice, a wonderful drinking wine.

We paired this with some strawberry shortcake and although it wasn't the best pairing, it dis well.