Master Sommelier Robert Jones

2004 Luneau-Papin Muscadet Sèvre & Maine Sur Lie Le L d’Or, 12% alc., $18.70: Despite its relative youthfulness (it gives the impression that it will continue to develop and give pleasure for many years), this clean, medium colored beauty is drinking very well right now, with the typical chalky wet stone minerality that one expects, along with a nice core of under-ripe apple and quince; Robert adds an impression of anise-seed-licorice on the nose. Medium bodied, with the requisite acidity and very nice length; sure wish we had a few more of these… Find this wine

1997 Ridge Geyserville, 74% Zinfandel, 15% Carignane, 10% Petite Sirah, 1% Mataro, 14.9% alc., 1.5 L: Deeply, darkly colored, with nary a hint of bricking; this has that nice, funky 15-year old Geezer thing going on, with earthy mushroom and what Robert rightly describes at that “autumn forest floor.” There’s still a big core of fruit here, with plenty of plum, raspberry and black raspberry, and as it opens with air, it keeps getting better and better, showing more “Draper perfume” all the time. Big, rich and oh-so-lovely, this is a perfect example of why you lay Geyserville down for 15 years and more. This one is in no danger of fading any time soon, and will probably improve for at least a few more years, especially if you’re fortunate to have some in magnum, like this. It makes a great match for grilled, medium rare racks of lamb. Find this wine

1999 Ridge Lytton Springs Dry Creek Valley, 70% Zinfandel, 17% Petite Sirah, 10% Carignane, 3% Mataro, $30, 14.5% alc.: Not quite opaque garnet in color; Robert’s first impressions are “pencil lead, cedar shavings and a bitter green herbal” quality, while Rebecca adds impressions of tobacco and smoked meat. This is still a big, deep and, yes, hard wine; Robert calls it “a brooding beast,” and the difference between this and the ’97 Geezer is like night and day. As it opens and evolves with air, it evokes more descriptors from Mr. Jones, including “high-toned pine, rosemary and thyme.” There’s a huge core of dense, dark plummy fruit, and after an hour’s worth of air, it does open and become more generous. Full bodied and structured for at least 5-7 years of further improvement, so there’s no need to be in any hurry to open this; it’ll only get better and better. Find this wine

After dinner, I kept a promise to Robert to offer up some of my recent original tunes. Because the ’99 Lytton needed a little air, Rebecca opened the 2000 Champagne Moet & Chandon Dom Perignon that she’d brought, and while I was totally focused on hitting all the right notes and remembering words, I took no notes whatsoever. I can vouch for its quality, however; it is a delight to drink, and will continue to improve for many years. I have no doubt that it brought out the best in my performance. Find this wine

Many, many thanks to Robert and Rebecca for bringing such wonderful wines to share with Kim and this taster. It was a memorable evening indeed!

Reporting from Day-twah,

geo t.

Jim Cowan Photo by Chris Witkowski - click to enlarge

The 2012 archive is presented by date the notes were compiled and submitted. Prior year’s tasting notes may be found here.

May 23, 2012

1999 Produttori del Barbaresco, Barbaresco:
13.5% alcohol; showing very young, good varietal character without artifice, somewhat disjointed; never really arrived at a point of integration over the span of about 4 hours; ‘several nice elements that need time to meld. Hold. $25, on release. Find this wine

2009 Sea Smoke, Pinot Noir Botella:
14.4% alcohol; considerable new oak smells with candied cherries and some graham cracker aromas; much the same in the mouth. Not my style. $40. Find this wine

2010 Hugues de Beauvignac, Coteaux du Languedoc:
12.5% alcohol and 100% picpoul; sweet fruit but fine backing acidity and some minerality; bright, lightweight and charming with enough substance to make one look beyond the initial attack. Good with cheeses. $10. Find this wine

Marietta Cellars, Old Vine Red, Lot number 57:
13.5% alcohol; mostly zinfandel in this field blend and a very easy to like “house pour” type of wine. Reminds me of the old days of zin. and went very well with veggie hash. Simple but satisfying. $11. Find this wine

2011 Dom. Fontanyles, Côtes de Provence Rosé:
13.5% alcohol; pale salmon, bone dry and bright; as it approaches room temperature, it fleshes out nicely but does not lose its crispness. A pretty wine, a quirky bottle (think Ott); it will not replace Ott (and certainly not Tempier) but its only $13 and pleasantly refreshing. Find this wine

2010 Greek Wine Cellars, Assyrtiko Santorini:
12% alcohol; at refrigerator temperature, acidic and shrill; as it warms, it fleshes out, becomes fruit driven and balanced; mostly citrus and white grape juice flavors with citrus pith accents (lending a bitter note that does not overwhelm), more volume and density than expected; balanced with bright acidity and good sustain. Diane makes a mushroom, celery and parmesan salad that this wine matched beautifully. About $13. Find this wine

2010 Jadot, Mâcon-Villages:
An intense wine but, for now, disjointed; leaves the impression that all the pieces are competing with each other. Perhaps, harmony is in its future but not something I want more of today. About $12. Find this wine

2010 Primosic, Ribolla Gialla Poderi di Carlo:
12% alcohol; lightly lemony, crisp, peppery and bone dry – but somehow more than just that – volume without weight, a texture of worsted wool, the feeling of a discernable structure. Not fermented on the skins put the phenolics play a noticeable role. The closer to room temp., the more one gets. As an accompaniment to pasta primavera with feta, excellent. About $13. Find this wine

2010 Jadot, Beaujolais-Villages:
13% alcohol; this is beautiful – balanced, flavorful, true to its place, ripe without being over-ripe and longer than I expect for Villages. A terrific rendition of this wine that rises to levels well above typical for the AOC. About $10. Find this wine

Best, Jim

May 8, 2012

1999 Juge, Cornas Cuvée SC:
The best bottle out of the case so far; a velvet texture sans weight; Cornas on the nose and palate but the texture was extraordinary and the balance impeccable. The “Burgundy of Cornas” felt like Richebourg tonight. Find this wine

2002 Clos de la Roilette, Fleurie Cuvée Tardive:
Somewhat closed on the nose and no immediate indicators of gamay; rich and deep in the mouth, black fruit more than red, Baker’s chocolate, brown spices and little that evokes Fleurie; good sustain. Lacks typicity but still a remarkable, arresting wine and delicious in its own way. Find this wine

2010 Dom. Chignard, Fleurie Les Moriers:
More typical of its place but also of its vintage which means a pretty big and dense Fleurie. Despite its volume, excellent acidity; this seems like it might go awhile; and probably needs it. But really lovely tonight with grilled chicken. Find this wine

And, for those evenings when wine simply won’t do, a very simple margarita: Whisk together 1 tbsp. light agave nectar and 1 tbsp. water. Pour thinned nectar, ¼ cup blue agave, highland, blanco tequila and 2 tbsp. fresh squeezed lime juice into shaker, add ice and shake until blended. Strain into low-ball glass and garnish with lime wedge. No blender; no salt. Finest kind.

Best, Jim

April 30, 2012

Navarro

Last week I was in the Anderson Valley looking at prospective pinot vineyards and stopped in at Navarro Vineyards and Winery. They make about everything that’s grown in the valley including some highly touted dessert wines and verjus. But for the last several years, the stand-out wine for me is their dry Muscat Blanc. The 2010 version is in release and I bought a case to take home. For those interested, its $19.00 a bottle and they ship it for a penny.  13% alcohol, 7.9 TA, and 3.25 pH; 460 cases produced. And just delicious; lip-smackingly so.
As always, I get a jasmine, honeysuckle nose with hints of orange blossom and ginger. Clear as mountain stream water in the mouth and bone dry with a nice finish. I don’t have much experience with dry muscat so I can’t really make comparisons. But this is life affirming stuff at a reasonable price. Find this wine

Best, Jim

April 11, 2012

Diane came back from NC with a little piece of our cellar; bless her heart . . .

1999 Alzinger, Riesling Loibenberg Smaragd:
Distinctly Austrian in origin; concentrated and sappy with a tangy acidity and an almond element that is at the outer edge of perception on the nose but clear and present in the mouth and on the finish. Symbiotic with ham and sweet potatoes. Find this wine

2006 Fillaboa, Albariño Monte Alto:
Medium golden color; expansive nose of cream soda, resin, spice and moss; deep and dense with a balanced and layered delivery that persists. The equal of a Cepas Villas at half the price. Find this wine

1999 Lafarge, Volnay 1er Cru:
Hard and closed, even with decanting and airing. Difficult to form any impression as to its future although it seems to have plenty of structure. Aging at a glacial pace. Find this wine

2004 Leroy, Bourgogne:
A nose somewhere between Arbois and Corton and quite complex; somewhat attenuated in the mouth but becomes smoother and more integrated with air. A delight, if an unusual one. Find this wine

2005 de Villaine, Mercury Les Montots:
Lovely nose that made me think Pommard; articulate and nervy in the mouth with bracing acids and good intensity; moderate length. Needs time but did very nicely with carbonara. Better later. Find this wine

Best, Jim

March 22, 2012

1990 Gentaz-Dervieux, Côte- Rôtie Côte Brune Cuvée Réservée:
12.5% alcohol; a truly harmonious but complex nose with warmed red fruits, smoked bacon, pepper and hints of flowers and earth; medium bodied with enough grip to make me think this has years left, flavors that follow the nose and the texture of worsted wool; lovely balance and a long, intricate finish. There is such a sense of completeness here and yet still some rusticity in the tannins. Benchmark Côte- Rôtie.  A life list wine for me; very, very special. Find this wine

Thanks Dave.

Best, Jim

February 19, 2012

In an effort to continue my sherry education, I decided to splurge on the following bottles. I had heard and read a number of notes about this producer (although not these specific wines) and concluded that they must do excellent work. After tasting these wines, I will be far more skeptical of other opinions as I did not care for either of these.

My tastes run to fresher, lighter versions; to wines that are appetizing and charming. As for instance, I recently ate at Nopa and, while waiting for a table, tasted a beautiful Bodegas Hidalgo La Gitana Manzanilla that that fit my criteria and made me wish we would be seated sooner.

But these recent purchases I found heavy-handed and tending toward pasada, in the case of the manzanilla, and amontillado, in the case of the fino. They were aggressive and powerful, and well beyond any sense of charm.

Equipo Navazos, La Bota de Manzanilla #22:
15% alcohol and about $40; smells of roasted (and burnt) nut liquor, alcohol and bread dough; acidic in the mouth with an attack so powerfully (and overwhelmingly) flavored that I catch myself wanting to spit it out; finished with a burn and a sourness I had not anticipated. No hint of salinity or sea air. Perhaps, if I add an equal quantity of water . . . Find this wine

Equipo Navazos, La Bota de Fino #24:
15.6% alcohol and about $60; much nicer on the nose than the above wine but tending still toward warm nuts; a bit thin in the mouth (which at this point is a relief) but chunky and in pieces, at times it seems to strain at freshness but eventually devolves into a listless, oxidized, old-fruit quality; finishes in a feeble and somewhat leaden manner. Find this wine

It appears that I will continue to be a “cheap date.”

Best, Jim

February 12, 2012

2001 Trimbach, Riesling Cuvée Frédéric Emile – 375th Anniversary:
I am told this bottling comes from the oldest vines in the vineyard and was harvested later than normal; initially the nose is very rich and full with honey-comb and pineapple syrup aromas but as the wine opens and warms, the nose gains focus and smells more of fresh fruit and mineral; much the same progression in the mouth with excellent concentration, a light creaminess and lovely balance; quite long.
I was able to taste this on two separate occasions over the last week and it was a great treat. Pricey stuff (around $90) but oh so delicious.
Very good with sole; fantastic with pork chop. Find this wine

2010 Abrente, Albariño:
A project from Morgan Twain-Peterson and Michael Havens from fruit grown on the only limestone outcropping in Napa Valley (actually, American Canyon); very fresh and bright with clear aromas and flavors of the variety, considerable spice that lends a piquant note, good balance and length. Excellent for drinking by itself but also really good with grilled veggies. About $20. Find this wine

2008 Sandler Family Winery, Syrah Connell Vnyd.:
14.1% alcohol; a Bennett Valley syrah that shows its place with some menthol, big blue/purple fruit and spice; not much in the way of pepper or meat but this is very young; gives some evidence of stem inclusion; big tannins. Needs considerable time but worked pretty well with pork. About $16. Find this wine

2009 Drouhin, Beaujolais-Villages:
A little disjointed at first but, with air, it smoothes into a lovely and lively gamay with character, spice and a bit of distinction that I would not have expected – tasted rather like Brouilly or MaV as opposed to villages. Very nice with mushroom pizza and also good all on its own. About $14. Find this wine

2010 Saladini Pilastri, Offida:
13.5%, pecorino grapes, certified organic; floral and spicy on the nose with citrus aromas; much the same on the palate – lots of structure and spice, intense, bright and longer than the flavors first suggest. Very easy to drink and good anywhere from refrigerator cold to room temp. With goat gouda, a delight. About $13. Find this wine

Best, Jim

January 16, Winter Whites, etc

Florida “winters,” warm as they are, often suggest white/pink wine and lighter meals. For those rare days when we hit the 40’s, we break out the reds. By the predominance of white/pink noted below, you can pretty much guess how mild our January has been.

Red:

2010 Achaval Ferrer, Malbec Mendoza:
14.5% alcohol; a big wine, quite concentrated, round, rich and bordering on overdone, but it is saved by the absence of apparent oak and a fairly complex flavor profile. Not a wine for anything but the rarest steak; not even assorted cheeses paired well. About $15.

So, on another day, I grilled a porterhouse (rare) and tried again; good pairing. There is an aroma that I think smells like wet nori but is probably oak related; it’s not unpleasant but unusual; the wine seems to lose some of its weight and richness and gain complexity with the steak. And it’s a more balanced pairing. No doubt, this wine was made for rare beef. Thanks Tom. Find this wine

(Aside: For the style of wine this is, it is well executed. But this is not a style of wine that I have much use for as I eat very little rare beef and find this kind of wine overwhelming in its absence.)

2008 Calluna Vineyards, Calluna Estate:
14.9% alcohol; a blend of 35% cab. sauvignon, 32% merlot, 18% malbec, 12% cab. franc, 3% petit verdot, from the Chalk Hill AVA; too much new oak at this young age but considerable spice on the nose and palate sourced therefrom; concentrated, rich and weighty but has plenty of acidity, plush tannins, some complexity, and good sustain. We had this with a red-sauced pasta with egg plant and chicken sausage and it went very well. But by itself, this is simply too young and big for me. No overt evidence of the alcohol but identifiably CA. Decant and have with food unless you like ‘em BIG. About $50. Find this wine

(Aside: In the rarified world of CA Cabernet, $50 is well under the norm. But $50 doesn’t sound inexpensive to me. Everything is relative, I suppose, but when I think of what else I can buy with that much money . . .)

Pink:

2010 Dom. Fontanyl, Côtes de Provence Rosé:
13% alcohol and a bottle that is similar to Dom. Ott; pale salmon color; strawberry and mineral nose; much the same in the mouth, bone dry with good cut and a touch of bitters at the end; clean finish. Fleshes out as it warms but never gets heavy. Pleasant with cheese and crackers on a warm winter’s day here in the sunshine state. About $13. Find this wine

White:

2010 Salandini Pilastri, Pecorino Offida:
13.5% alcohol, from the Marche; smells and tastes a great deal like Greco; its rich and oily but has a bitter note that keeps it from becoming cloying, even refrigerator cold this has weight and concentration. Went well with pasta primavera. About $13. Find this wine

2010 De Angelis, Lucrima Christi del Vesuvio:
13.5% alcohol and 60/40 caprettone/falanghina; white fruit and flower aromas; sappy flavors of white peach nectar (unsweet), resin and citrus; dry, intense, concentrated texture, good cut and quite persistent; a touch bitter on the finish. More complexity than expected and it becomes even more so as it warms in the glass; I like this and will buy it again. Good with white pizza but a pairing to remember with Caesar salad (and I eat a lot of Caesar salad). About $18. Find this wine

2010 Taburno, Fiano:
13% alcohol; a distinct vanilla note comes through with a touch mineral and clear white fruit scents; rich, almost full bodied in the mouth with an oily texture and plenty of cut to keep it in balance; medium finish. A big, concentrated wine with intensity. Not something I want to have a lot of but certainly attention getting; better, very cold. About $20. Find this wine

2009 Knoll, Grüner Veltliner Federspiel;
12% alcohol; smells of unripe pineapple, flowers, sassafras, warm rocks; medium weight, excellent cut, flavors follow the nose with concentration, intensity and balance, some mouth-watering jalapeño hints; excellent sustain and balance on the finish. Perfect counter-point to a salad with Russian dressing and toasted English muffin. About as precise and correct a Grüner as one could ask for but with an intensity and breadth that gives one a glimpse of what the grape can do at its best. About $22. Find this wine

(Aside: There are a few (very few) labels in the wine world that I will buy without consideration to vintage, appellation or pradikat; this is one of them. I have purchased wines from this producer for over twenty years and have yet to be disappointed. From the sonorous and powerful Schutt Vineyard rieslings to this charming and yet still arresting federspiel grüner, I have yet to run across a bottle that has not thrilled. Some more than others, I grant, but up and down the line-up, nobody does it better, year in, year out.
A label (despite its Baroque visage) to be trusted; and that is extraordinary.)

Best, Jim

January 4th, 2012 – Snake Farm

Ray Wylie Hubbard once noted that he shouldn’t ever write a song that he doesn’t want to sing regularly for the rest of his life (eg. “Up Against the Wall, Redneck Mothers”). Equally, one should never make a wine one doesn’t want to drink almost as often. I have been pouring my wines for lots of different folks (in hopes of selling) and I always seem to come home with partials; hence my point.

However, when we are not finishing up the leftovers, we have had a few other wines to try:

A N/V Robert Moncuit, Champagne was nice for new year’s but it isn’t anything I’d buy again at $40. The 2010 Zenato, Lugana was acceptable, but just; the 2009 Drouhin, St. Veran a touch too oaky; a bottle of the 2009 Erath, Pinot Noir was a bit thin; the 2009 Edna Valley, Pinot Noir was pedestrian; and the latest incarnation of the N/V Gazela, Vinho Verde was too sweet. On the other hand, the 2009 Wild Horse, Pinot Noir was very charming; a bottle of the 2010 Taburno, Falinghina was rich and full flavored; the 2009 Poderi Dicarlo, Ribolla was complex and delicious (for $13) and the 2009 Rocca Felice, Nebbiolo (at $16) was so good a I bought a case.

Find Robert Moncuit Champagne
Find Zenato Lugana
Find Drouhin St. Veran
Find Erath Pinot Noir
Find Edna Valley Pinot Noir
Find Gazela Vinho Verde
Find Wild Horse Pinot Noir
Find Taburno Falinghina
Find Poderi Dicarlo Ribolla
Find Rocca Felice Nebbiolo

However, the most soulful and captivating wine I have been drinking lately (several bottles in the last two months) is the 2010 Carballo, Bujariego, La Palma from the Canary Islands (a Jose Pastor Selection). This wine with seafood and even shell fish is about as good as one could hope for; light, crisp, remarkably complex, saline and fresh. I can’t remember what this cost (I got it thru Selection Massale) but I think it was about $15. That is a hell of a QPR. Find this wine

BTW, Ray also notes that he likes singing his newer songs (eg. Choctaw Bingo; Screw You, We’re from Texas; Cooler-n-Hell; etc.). Good thing Diane and I like what I make, too.

Best, Jim
CowanCellars.com

I first noticed Tandem Ciders on someone’s Facebook posting, and with just a little bit of investigation, realized that this would have to be must-visit for Kim and this taster. We’ve found that we have an affinity for artisanal ciders, and the scuttlebutt about this Suttons Bay producer was all positive, so it made our short list of places to stop in.

Owners Dan and Nikki Young met in 2000 over opposite sides of the bar of The People’s Pint pub in Greenfield, Massachusetts.  They got real chummy, toured England by tandem bike during the summer of ’03, and thus came the name for their future establishment. It was during that tour that they discovered hard ciders and just how good they can be. After returning to the US, they married, moved to Michigan and worked towards their goal of establishing their own operation in the heart of Leelanau fruit country. Superior apples from area growers are turned into juice with a traditional rack and cloth press, then fermented using traditional styles.

We arrived a few minutes before noon at the Tandem tasting room/cider making facility with the bicycle-built-for-two hung above the front door. We had hoped to get a few minutes with Dan for an interview, but the tasting room filled up so quickly, he was pressed (pun intended) into duty trying to keep up with tasters’ thirsty demands. The ciders are very good, however, and they speak for themselves quite well. Visitors can sit and leisurely sip pints and half pints of draft cider for $4 and $2 respectively, along with snacks such as a Leelanau raclette cheese plate, pickled eggs and peanuts. Regular ciders range between 5-7% alcohol by volume. Dan told me that about 4,000 gallons (1,600 cases) were produced in 2011, and that they hope to double that this year.

We wasted no time in bellying up to the bar and tasting through everything being poured that day.

The Crabster, $12 per 750 Ml bottle: Totally dry and somewhat sour in a pleasant way. Made with Cortland, Northern Spy, Macintosh, Liberty, Red Crabs and wild apples.

Pretty Penny, $12 per 750 Ml bottle: Not quite as dry/sour as The Crabster, with 1% residual sugar, but every bit as delicious, if not even more so.  Dan said, “A blend of over 30 varieties of cider and antique apples. At the end of the season, Mr. (John) Kilcherman cleans up his barn and we get all those apples. This cider shows why old school varieties are important and should be propagated.”

Early Day, $12 per 750 Ml bottle, $15 per half gallon growler: Deeper in color than the previous two selections; 2.5% residual sugar, but by no means sweet. Very enjoyable. Made with Fameuse, Golden Russet, Ida Red, Red Delicious, Sheep’s Nose and Cortland apples.

Spring Leaf, $15 per half gallon growler: 2.5% residual sugar and fermented in new oak; the oak complements, rather than dominates. Kim liked this well enough to bring a growler home. Made with Macintosh, Rhode Island Greening and Northern Spy apples.

The Sweetheart, $10 per 750 Ml bottle: 2.5% residual sugar; a pretty little sweet tart. Made with Jonathan, Rhode Island Greening and Red Delicious apples.

Smackintosh, $11 per 750 Ml bottle, $15 per half gallon growler: 4-4.5% residual sugar; ripe and juicy; delicious! Made with Macintosh, Northern Spy and Rhode Island Greening apples.

Scrumpy Little Woody, $15 per half gallon growler: Made from Macintosh apples aged in American oak with a bit of Pamona (Pommeau); a note of vanilla and the dash of Pamona give this a unique character in comparison to rest of the lineup. Kim brought one of these home too.

Pomona, $25 per 375 Ml bottle: Pommeau is a blend of apple brandy and sweet cider, aged in oak barrels. Kim says it’s “awesomely good,” but it’s a little too high in alcohol (17%) for my tastes. Still, it’s undeniably good for what it is.

These are some of the best ciders we’ve ever had, and the homey little tasting room is the kind of place I’d like to hang around in during the afternoon, playing and singing old and new folk songs. Tandem Cellars will be a regular stop for us whenever we get back up to the Leelanau, and we recommend it very highly.

From Tandem, we drove back to Traverse City, in order to make our obligatory visit to Bryan Ulbrich’s Left Foot Charley. We’ve followed LFC since the very beginning, or almost, anyway, and we’re always impressed with pretty much everything we taste from them, so we were anxious to see what was new and exciting. Kim went right for the ciders, while I did a quick survey of five whites.

2010 Left Foot Charley Pinot Gris Old Mission Peninsula Tale Feathers Vineyard, 13.4% alc., $18.00: Clean, medium color; river stones, green apple and a subtle herbaceous note make this very appealing. Medium body plus, with good acids and length; the minerality and fruit pair harmoniously in the wine’s character. Too good not to bring some home! Find this wine

2011 Left Foot Charley Dry Rosé Grand Traverse County 50%, Leelanau County 50%, Leon Millot and Pinot Noir, 12% alc., $15.00: Leon Millot is an early ripening hybrid grape, and as far as we know, this is our first encounter with a wine that includes it in its makeup. Salmon pink in color, with a strawberry, watermelon and river stone personality. Medium body plus, with good acids and length. Find this wine

2010 Left Foot Charley Riesling The Terminal Moraine Old Mission Peninsula, 12.1% alc., $16: Clean, medium color, with flavors and aromas of rich green apple, a hint of lime and some subtle mineral. Medium body plus, with good acids and length. Excellent varietal character. Find this wine

2011 Left Foot Charley Gewurztraminer Old Mission Peninsula Manigold Vineyard, 13% alc., $17: Clean, medium color, with effusive honeysuckle and litchi aromatics that follow through nicely on the palate with underlying minerality. Medium bodied, with good acids and length. Delightful. Find this wine

2011 Left Foot Charley Riesling Missing Spire Grand Traverse County, 9% alc., $16.00: Pale-to-medium color; very perfumed, medium sweet and delightfully so, with great varietal character. Medium bodied, with good acids and length; this is a real charmer. Find this wine

Of course, I had to try the ciders as well, since we were on a mission (new, not old)!

Left Foot Charley Red Apple Cider, $17 per half gallon growler: Bone dry, but not really sour; quite tasty.

Left Foot Charley Cinnamon Girl Hard Cider, $17 per half gallon growler: The cinnamon complements, rather than dominates the nice, rich apple character; very nicely balanced, and Kim took a growler home.

Like I say, Left Foot Charley is a must-stop for whenever we get up to Traverse City. The wine bar is clean and well appointed, and the staff is always friendly and knowledgeable. I think it would also be a pretty cool place to play some music. Hmm…

Reporting from Day-twah,

geo t.

L-R: Shawn Walters, Skip Telgard, Paul Hamelin - click to enlarge

We first caught wind of what would eventually become Verterra Winery back in the spring of 2007. While we were enjoying a fine dinner at the Bluebird Restaurant and Bar in Leland, proprietor Skip Telgard told us excitedly that he was involved in a vineyard planting project. That project turned into Verterra Winery, owned and operated by Telgard and Paul Hamelin. The first planting comprised of 18 acres, which has been expanded to 33 acres currently being farmed. Harvested grapes are delivered into the capable hands of French Road Cellars‘ Doug Matthies and Shawn Walters. The wines have been winning medals and awards in various competitions from the get-go, so this operation was at the top of our short list that we wanted to investigate during our return to the Leelanau Peninsula. We tasted with Telgard, Hamelin and Walters on a fine, bright Friday afternoon at the Verterra tasting room in Leland. Find Michigan wines

2011 Verterra Pinot Blanc Leelanau Peninsula, 12 % alc., $18: Clean, pale color; effusive aromatics, with green apple and kiwi fruit flavors and aromas. Ripe, but balanced,with a creamy entry and crispy finish. Great presence, excellent acids. Shawn told me that he and Bryan Ulbrich of Left Foot Charlie have a friendly rivalry going with their respective Pinot Blanc bottlings, and I’m looking forward to comparing the two once the LFC is released, sometime around Memorial Day. Best in Class-2012 Pacific Rim Wine Competition

2011 Verterra Rosé of Pinot Noir Leelanau Peninsula, 12% alc., $15: Pale pink color, with strawberry, watermelon and mineral character; medium body plus, with good acids and length. I could drink this on a regular basis. Gold Medal, Finger Lakes Wine Competition

2011 Verterra Dry Riesling Leelanau Peninsula, 12% alc., $18: Clean, pale color, with an effusive floral bouquet; tastes like a blend of honeysuckle and lime, with nice mineral in support. Medium bodied, with excellent cut and good length. Fine Michigan Riesling that Walters says will age well. Gold Medal, 2012 Pacific Rim Wine Competition

“I don’t like to age whites. I like them young and vibrant.” – Shawn Walters

2011 Verterra Dry Gewurztraminer Leelanau Peninsula, 12% alc., $18: This wine was harvested a bit early to “avoid excess rose petal.” Clean, pale color; it does show some floral qualities, but they’re restrained. Medium bodied and balanced, with good acids and nice length, offering characteristics of honey and green melon. Shawn calls it “a clean, crisp little critter.” I would not disagree. Bronze Medal, Finger Lakes Wine Competition

Walters told me frankly that he hasn’t much cared for red wines from the region since 2005, but that he’s excited about the 2011 vintage. “You’re going to see some good red wines from this area next year,” he enthused.

2010 Verterra Pinot Noir Leelanau Peninsula, 12.5% alc., $22: Pale in color, almost Rosé-like; it shows a kiss of toasty oak over cherry and smoky black cherry fruit. Medium bodied, with green tannins and good acids. Certainly a good Pinot Noir, with true varietal character, but nothing more. Bronze Medal, Michigan Wine Competition

2010 Verterra Reserve Red Michigan, $25: Clean ruby garnet color, with black and red currant and berry character, underscored with some subtle earth; the oak is apparent, but not excessive. Medium body plus, with good acids and tannins, making for a pleasant glass of wine. A blend of predominantly Cabernet Franc and Merlot in roughly equal proportions, with a little Syrah; aged in new French and American oak barrels for up to 7 months. Gold Medal, Michigan Wine Competition

2011 Verterra Chaos Red Cuvee Leelanau Peninsula, 44% Cabernet Franc, 26% Merlot, 20% Pinot Noir, 10% Chambourcin, $15: A fruit forward wine intended for those not normally inclined towards dryer reds, and it performs well in that regard. Clean ruby color, with a cherry-berry personality with a kiss of oak.

All three of these are pleasant enough, but I doubt they’ll capture the fancy of those looking for more substantial reds. It’ll be interesting to see what the 2011 vintage turns out. Next, we turned our attention to off-dry whites.

2010 Verterra Pinot Gris Leelanau Peninsula, 12% alc., $15: Pale in color, and not giving much on the nose, this picks things up nicely on the palate, with nice, round green and red apple flavors. Medium bodied, with enough acidity to work with food, and not too sweet at all, weighing in at less than half a percent of residual sugar. Quite pleasant. Silver Medal, 2012 Pacific Rim Wine Competition

2011 Verterra Chaos White Cuvee Leelanau Peninsula, 50% Riesling, 33% Vignoles, 7% Muscat, 7% Cayuga, 3% Seyval, $15: Moderately sweet, with ripe red apple flavors and good acids. Easy going and harmonious, a nice summer picnic wine. Best in Class-2012 Pacific Rim Wine Competition

2011 Verterra Medium Sweet Gewurztraminer Leelanau Peninsula, 12% alc., $18: Lovely, effusive nose of rose petal, honeysuckle and ripe red apple follows through beautifully on the palate with subtle mineral in the background. Medium bodied, with good acids and nice length. One of the best Michigan Gewurztraminers I’ve had. Silver Medal, Finger Lakes Wine Competition

2010 Verterra Medium Sweet Riesling Leelanau Peninsula, 12% alc., $18: Clean, pale color; tight nose only hints at the pretty, ripe green and red apple flavors shaded with subtle mineral. Great balance and presence in the mouth. Silver Medal, Michigan Wine Competition

2010 Verterra Unwooded Chardonnay Leelanau Peninsula, 12% alc., $16: Clean, pale color; nice tart apple and pear character, rich and yummy. Medium body plus, with good acids and length. Gold Medal, Michigan Wine Competition

2010 Verterra Reserve Chardonnay Leelanau Peninsula, 12% alc., $24: Clean, pale color; the 500L French Oak barrels used to ferment and age this seem to have subdued the fruit somewhat. Medium body plus, with good acids. Not a bad wine, but not one of my favorites in this lineup. Bronze Medal, San Francisco Chronicle Wine Competition

Shawn described the ’10 Reserve Chard as, “Not the fatty that it wants to be,” and offered the following barrel sample, which he refers to as “his baby” for comparison’s sake.

2011 Verterra Reserve Chardonnay Leelanau Peninsula Barrel Sample: This is receiving the full barrel treatment in both new and one year barrels. It shows deeper color than the ’10; rich and ripe, with nice apple and pear flavors and aromas, graced with a subtle kiss of oak. Kim calls it “a chewy wine,” adding that it’s “like swirling mineral oil,” and Shawn characterizes it as “fat and viscous and slippery down the throat.” No spitting this one! Can’t wait to try it after it’s been bottled, as Walters calls it “the best Chardonnay I’ve ever made.”

Wine is not all that these good folks make. One of our objectives in returning to the Leelanau was to sample as many ciders as we could, and Verterra makes a couple of good ones.

Chaos Hard Apple Cider, 6 1/2% alc., $16 Growler ($12 refill): Made with at least eight different apples; clean, crisp and totally dry.

Chaos Hard Cherry Cider, 6 1/2% alc., $16 Growler ($12 refill): A bit of cherry juice adds a nice touch here, and we liked it well enough to bring some home.

We found lots to like about Verterra, where no effort is spared to do things the right way. It will be most interesting to watch (and taste) their progress in coming years, so stay tuned for future reports.

Reporting from Day-twah,

geo t.

We enjoyed the last two wines we tried from Neil Ellis a year ago last December, so we were interested in seeing what five more from them and their second label, Sincerely, had to offer. Click images to enlarge.

2010 Sincerely Sauvignon Blanc, 13% alc., $13.99 SRP: Clean, medium color; varietally correct gooseberry, grapefruit and mineral flavors and aromas shaded with just a hint of lime. Good intensity, medium-to-medium full body, good acids and length. Good value for the money. Fruit sourced from vines in Groenekloof, Stellenbosch and Elgin, varying from 5 years to 22 years (average 12 years). Fermented at low temperatures, and left on the lees for 3 months before blending. Find this wine


2010 Neil Ellis Sauvignon Blanc Groenekloof, 13.5% alc., $18.00 SRP: Clean medium color, with a little more of everything that the Sincerely Sauvignon has; more intensity of flavor, a little bit sharper in acids and a bit longer on the finish, while maintaining a similar gooseberry, grapefruit and mineral profile. Not quite as steroidal as many from New Zealand, which is fine by me, and like Sincerely, offers good value for the price. Sourced from low-yielding vineyards with no supplementary irrigation. Whole bunch pressed, fermented at low temperatures, and left on the lees for 3 months before blending and bottling. Find this wine

2010 Sincerely Shiraz Western Cape, 14% alc., $13.99 SRP: Clean, dark color, with straightforward blackberry and black plum aromatics that gain a subtle, but evident earthy base in the mouth; a kiss of oak complements, rather than dominates. Full bodied, yet fairly sleek, with good structure and length. Solid, if unspectacular, this delivers good QPR. Sourced from vineyards in the Stellenbosch and Darling regions. Fermented in stainless steel, followed by nine months in 1st, 2nd, 3rd and 4th fill French oak barrels. Find this wine

2009 Neil Ellis Shiraz Elgin, 14.5% alc., $19.99 SRP: Clean, dark color, with similar characteristics to the Sincerely Shiraz, offering blackberry, black plum and restrained oak; sleek in nature, but brighter and more intense than the previous selection, with enough earth underneath to temper the ripeness. (Yes, it’s $6 more, but it’s worth it.) Full bodied, with good structure and length; drink now and over the next few years. Fermented in stainless steel, with malolactic fermentation taking place in barrels; 14 months in 500 liter French oak , 25% new. Find this wine

2008 Neil Ellis Cabernet Sauvignon Stellenbosch, 14% alc., $23.99 SRP: Clean garnet color, with a stingy toast-coffee-tobacco nose that picks up nicely in the mouth with a good core of black currant-cassis fruit and some earth underneath it all. Full bodied, with good structure and length, this will probably improve for at least five years in the cellar. A little riper than I usually like, but not objectionably so, and the earthy element helps to offset the ripeness. Fermented in stainless steel, followed by 15 months in 35% new French oak barrels. Find this wine

Tormentoso was new to us when we unpacked the bottles, but it turns out that this is a second label of MAN Vintners, whose offerings we’ve enjoyed on a number of occasions.

2010 Tormentoso Cabernet Sauvignon Paarl, 14% alc., $11.99-12.99 SRP: Clean, dark color; toasty sweet oak nose follows through on the palate with a solid core of ripe black currant, blackberry and black cherry fruit. Finishes drier than the entry would suggest. Full bodied, and structured for a few years of cellaring at most, this is made to drink now, and performs well enough in that regard. Not a bad wine, but it’s a little too ripe and shows more oak than either Kim or this taster care for; however, I know people who will like it just fine. Sourced from dry-farmed vineyards in the Perdeberg region of Paarl. Find this wine

Porcupine Ridge, The Wolftrap and The Chocolate Block are all labels produced by Boekenhoutskloof. We started our survey of the selections sent to us with two from Porcupine Ridge.

2010 Porcupine Ridge Syrah Coastal Region, 14.5% alc., $13.00 SRP: Deep, dark color; coffee and toast nose leads to plenty more of the same on the palate, over a solid core of black plum and blackberry fruit. Full bodied, and structured for at least a few years of improvement in the cellar, with good length on the finish. This kind of “toasty” character doesn’t always appeal to me, but in this case, it fits in nicely with the overall character of the wine. Good QPR at the SRP. Fruit sourced from Malmesbury in the Swartland; picked at optimum ripeness and fermented in stainless steel with selected Rhone strain yeast. Two thirds maturation in French oak, with the balance remaining unoaked. Find this wine

2010 Porcupine Ridge Cabernet Sauvignon Coastal Region, 14.5% alc., $13.00 SRP: Clean, dark color, with the same basic coffee/toast nose as the Syrah, if not quite so intense; more of the same in the mouth, with a core of black currant and cassis trying to be noticed, but not entirely successfully. Again, as with the Syrah, full bodied, and structured for at least a few years of improvement in the cellar, with good length on the finish. Air helps to calm this down, and so will a few years. Bottom line? I like it, and it offers good value for what’s in the bottle. Fruit sourced from vines in Malmesbury, Wellington and Franschhoek; fermented in stainless steel with selected yeast strains. Extended skins contact to soften tannins and extraction, followed by French oak maturation for nine months. Find this wine

2011 The Wolftrap Rosé, 56% Syrah, 26% Cinsault, 18%Grenache, 13.63% alc., $9.99-10.99 SRP: Strawberry pink color; like drinking a bowl of fresh, ripe, almost perfumed strawberries and raspberries, all fruit forward and exuberant on entry, but falling off some towards the finish. Medium-to-medium full bodied, with good acids and underlying, earthy minerality, but again, a little more on the finish would be nice. All in all, a good Rosé with more positives than negatives, and worth the price of purchase. Produced using the saignée method, in which juice is bled off from the must; it is then cold fermented in stainless steel prior to blending and bottling. Find this wine

2011 The Wolftrap, Syrah 65%, Mourvedre 32%, Viognier 3%, $9.99-10.99 SRP: Clean dark color, with a toast-and-coffee personality that’s toned down somewhat from previous vintages; there’s a solid core of deep, dark plum and berry shaded with earth, mineral and dark chocolate. Full bodied, with good structure and length, this works well with flank steak grilled medium rare. Great QPR! Find this wine

2010 The Chocolate Block, Syrah 72%, Cabernet Sauvignon 13%, Grenache 7%, Cinsault 6% and Viognier 2%, 14.5% alc., $29.99-34.99 SRP: Inky color, not quite opaque; the aggressive coffee-toast-oak-char is somewhat less pronounced than in previous vintages, but still sets the tone for the character of the wine. (I never have detected anything resembling chocolate in any of the various incarnations that I’ve tried.) There’s a solid core of deep, dark black fruit on the palate; full bodied, but not too heavy, with ample structure for some years in the cellar and very good length. The least objectionable Chocolate Block that I’ve tried thus far, and some time in the cellar should help smooth it out nicely. Find this wine

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geo t.

ONTARIO

149302 FEATHERSTONE CANADIAN OAK CHARDONNAY 2010 Niagara Peninsula, Ontario $21.95
Plenty of sweet spice, a touch of butterscotch, apple, pear and mineral aromas on the nose, the palate shows excellent balance with a nice sweet toasty note on the finish. Find this wine

235051 CAVE SPRING MERLOT 2008 Niagara Escarpment $17.95
An interesting blend of fennel seed, dill, red fruit, plum, tobacco and mocha stays true on the palate that has great texture, enough fruit and decent length. Find this wine

660704 STRATUS WHITE 2008 Niagara-on-the-Lake, Ontario $44.20
J.L Groux’s mystical blend of Sauvignon Blanc, Chardonnay, Semillon, Gewürztraminer and Viognier, is simply stunning. It is abound with aromas of peach, nectarine, linalool, pear and mandarin. It has an amazing texture, a pleasing streak of acidity and lots of plump tree fruit flavours. Tasty now, but it will only get better. Find this wine

USA

530139 BONTERRA ZINFANDEL 2009 Mendocino/Amador/ Lake Counties, California $19.95
A little funky a first, sweet plastic and liquorice candy notes with dried mushroom and bramble. The palate is bright and lively showing blueberry, blackberry and mineral. Find this wine

ARGENTINA

195677 DECERO CABERNET SAUVIGNON 2009 Remolinos Vineyard, Agrelo, Mendoza $19.95
Plenty of earthy and nut shell aromas that blend nicely with blackcurrant and blackberry notes, a solid core of fruit on the palate, tasty, but the one flaw for me is the low level of acidity. Find this wine

135202 KAIKEN ULTRA CABERNET SAUVIGNON 2009 Mendoza $19.95
Big fleshy Californian styled wine oozing sweet spicy oak, lots of ripe blackcurrant, blackberry and plum aromas. It is a powerhouse on the palate, while it’s well balanced, has great texture and good length to the finish. Find this wine

148155 NORTON PRIVADA 2008 Mendoza $24.95
Dense and inky, this wine shows off its chocolate candy bar, plum, blackcurrant and mineral aromas with pride. There is a backdrop of dried fruit, mocha that leads to a well structured palate that is tasty albeit a little sweet. Find this wine

261750 LUIS SEGUNDO CORREAS VALLE LAS ACEQUIAS ROSEDAL MALBEC 2006 $29.95
Sandalwood and black cherry take centre stage as aromas of plum, blueberry, Asian spice and floral aromas nose scents fight for second spot. It is a monster, but a well tamed one at that. Chunky and chewy, it is brimming with fruit and mineral with super long length on the finish. Find this wine

FRANCE

136549 THE WINEMAKERS’ COLLECTION CUVÉE NO. 4 STÉPHANE DERENONCOURT 2008 Haut-Médoc $43.00
A new world style of Bordeaux showing upfront blackcurrant aromas, vivacious oak, a touch of mocha and a layer of crème de cassis on the nose. The palate is chewy, quite viscous, yet far from spectacular. Find this wine

264218 BROTTE CHÂTEAU DE BORD LA CROIX DE FRÉGÈRE CÔTES DU RHÔNE-VILLAGES LAUDUN 2009 $16.95
Possibly the wine of the day, laden with sweet spice, cherry cola, black raspberry, lavender and mineral aromas. A little tight now on the palate, but for the price it is a big rich mouthful of wine, with superb acidity, minerality and dusty tannin. Find this wine

ITALY

642561 LA GERLA BRUNELLO DI MONTALCINO 2006 $47.95
Oh wow, the black tea, dried fruit, dried shitake, Dutch liquorice, roasted meat and lavender aromas are mesmerizing. The palate is dense, showing off layers of dried cherry, Asian spice and chocolate tannins. Although very tasty now, this is a wine that needs time to show what it is truly meant to be. Find this wine

216440 TEDESCHI CORASCO APPASSIMENTO 2008 $15.95
The bretty, aromas of barnyard and pig poo dance in the glass, but soon subside to reveal notes of dark fruit, plum and warm biscuit. The palate is full, spicy, has plum and dark chocolate flavours and a hint of dried sweet fruit to the finish. Find this wine

942508 MASTROJANNI BRUNELLO DI MONTALCINO 2006 $46.95
Pure dark fruit, sweet black cherry and plum aromas are surrounded by notes of dark polished wood, liquorice and fresh cut flowers. The palate is surprisingly open; it has lots of sweet red and black fruit flavours and just a hint of dusty tannin. Also available in 375 ml bottles for $25.95. Find this wine

ROMANIA

263939 BUDUREASCA CABERNET SAUVIGNON 2008 Dealu Mare $14.95
Honey and bees wax, medicinal aromas with plum, blueberry, bacon and a metallic aroma lead to a palate of sweet fruit and acid. Find this wine

SPAIN

023762 COTO DE IMAZ RESERVA 2005 Rioja $19.95
Dried fruit and cedar, cigar box notes mingle with black cherry, lavender and tar. The flavours are lovely, the texture is silky and the balance is spot on. Find this wine

114454 RIOJA BORDÓN GRAN RESERVA 2004 Rioja $22.95
Great aromas of raspberry ripple, mocha, vanilla and sandalwood, super juicy red and dark fruit on the palate, some spice and a little tannin, but bloody tasty right now. Find this wine

Cheers
CZ

302059 CAVE SPRING ESTATE BOTTLED GEWÜRZTRAMINER 2010 Beamsville Bench, Niagara Peninsula, Cave Spring Vineyard $17.95
Great typicity, exuding pleasing whiffs of almond cookie, lychee, a soothing layer of honey and some floral aromas. It carries the perfect amount of sweetness, gentle acidity and shows good length on the finish. Find this wine

256834 CHÂTEAU DES CHARMES OLD VINES PINOT NOIR 2007 Niagara-on-the-Lake
This Pinot has some nice plumy and red fruit notes, a touch of mineral and dried herb, but the tannins are so overpowering, the fruit struggles to surface on the palate. Find this wine

250209 VINTAGE INK MARK OF PASSION MERLOT/CABERNET 2009 Niagara Peninsula $17.95
A blend of 75% Merlot, 20% Cabernet Franc and 5% Cabernet Sauvignon showing good ripeness, nice brambly currant, cedar and wet soil aromas with a nice balance of sweetness and acidity on the palate. There are hints of chocolate and mocha on the finish. Find this wine

273482 CEDARCREEK PINOT NOIR 2008 Okanagan Valley $31.95
A perfumed, complex and enticing nose, showing cigar leaf, chocolate, pure dark fruit and layers of plum, black cherry and sweet spice. The texture is silky, it has a little bite, but the balance is spot on. Find this wine

272641 SODARO FELICITY CABERNET SAUVIGNON 2006 Napa Valley $43.95
Rich and viscous, with notes of blood, blackcurrant, mocha, mineral and iron that lead to a palate of dark fruit, spice and a chewy texture. Find this wine

229781 A TO Z WINEWORKS PINOT NOIR 2009 Oregon $23.95
Redolent of sweet jammy aromas, red jello, plum, clove and Moroccan spice. Lean at first on the palate, but it does open to show good structure, with fruit and mocha notes, some astringency, with a creamy textured finish. Find this wine

238675 LACHINI VINEYARDS ESTATE PINOT NOIR 2008 Chehalem Mountains, Willamette Valley, Oregon $43.95
Nice aromas of earth, wet moss and mineral give way to a core of dense blackberry fruit, vanilla and sweet spice. It is fairly muscular on the palate, nicely balanced with a sweet note on the finish. Find this wine

408864 CHATEAU STE MICHELLE INDIAN WELLS MERLOT 2008 Columbia Valley, Washington $25.95
An almost Port like sweetness leaps from the glass mixing with aromas of dark chocolate, hay, wet earth and mocha. Good concentration of blackcurrant fruit on the palate, albeit a bit one dimensional. Find this wine

273425 TAMARÍ AR MALBEC 2007 $21.95
Strong aromas of soy (perhaps subliminal suggestion at play) with black raspberry, mineral oak and spice, lots of enjoyable juicy fruit, great acidity and great length on the finish. Find this wine

269183 ANAKENA ONA PINOT NOIR 2010 Leyda Valley $19.95
Aromas of dried lime dust, cherry and caramel are prominent supported with a floral note and dried cherry. It has a lighter styled palate; it is clean and balanced with pretty red fruit flavours that linger on the finish. Find this wine

GOTHAM OLD VINE SALMAGUNDI 2008 Barossa Valley, South Australia $29.95
Imagine a black fruit pie, fresh out of the oven, heady aromas of buttery pastry and dark fruit. It also carries notes of lavender and vanilla and the palate bursts with sweetness, maraschino cherry, a creamy texture and teeth coating tannins. Acidity tames the sweetness; a minty note appears on the finish. Find this wine

636407 TWO HANDS BELLA’S GARDEN SHIRAZ 2009 Barossa Valley, South Australia $64.95
This untamed inky toned monster abounds with essence of blueberry, cherry, and plum with a light dusting of cocoa and tea. It has amazing concentration, perfectly tuned and laden with pure fruit and sweet spice. Its tannins are robust, but silky. Not a wine for the faint of heart. Find this wine

155119 BARON-FUENTÉ GRAND MILLÉSIME BRUT CHAMPAGNE 1998 $51.95
Nice price for an aged bubbly, lovely yeasty aromas mingle with the almond, marzipan, caramel and over ripe apples. Tasty palate shows its age, great structure and a there is a lovely caramel toffee note on the close. Find this wine

259770 JOSEPH CATTIN GEWURZTRAMINER HATSCHBOURG 2009 $19.95n Alsace Grand Cru
Believe it or not, I lost my notes on this wine, but all I can say is I remember being truly impressed with its structure and wonderful flavours and at less than twenty bucks, this is on my list of things to buy on Saturday. Find this wine

199059 CHÂTEAU LA FLEUR TERRIEN 2009 Lussac Saint-Émilion $14.95
The wine, a blend of 75% Merlot, 15% Cabernet Franc and 10% Cabernet Sauvignon is meaty full of dark berry and thyme aromas with a balanced palate of well ripened fruit, a touch of earthiness and gentle tannin. Not bad for $15.00! Find this wine

271999 LES DOLIA LAUDUN CÔTES DU RHÔNE-VILLAGES 2009 $18.95
Floral, super ripe dark fruit, ground black pepper smoky meat, coal dust and slate, it sits nicely on the palate, although it is tannic and needs some time away, an hour in the decanter should allow it to blossom. Find this wine

251603 GALÉVAN CHÂTEAUNEUF-DU-PAPE 2009 $41.95
Odd aromas of balsamic and dark treacle do give way to show blackberry and blueberry fruit aromas seasoned with a little sage and thyme. The palate is dusted with white pepper, it has some cherry, bitter chocolate and spice flavours, but it is tightly wound and the fruit exits too soon on the finish. Find this wine

259762 ALPHA ESTATE HEDGEHOG VINEYARD XINOMAVRO 2007 $18.95
Fennel and stewed fruit aromas with a touch of cinnamon lead to a strawberry jam and a low acid palate with funky note on the finish that leaves one wondering exactly what do those hedgehogs do in the vineyard. Find this wine

114777 STUDERT-PRÜM WEHLENER SONNENUHR RIESLING SPÄTLESE 2007 $17.95
A lovely nose featuring kiwi, pea shoots, marzipan, wet stone and peach. The palate is lush; it carries the low level of sweetness with ease, thanks to the layer of lime acidity and a finish that leaves one wanting more. Find this wine

208462 TERRE NERE BRUNELLO DI MONTALCINO 2006 $35.95
A multidimensional nose of earth, barnyard, mushroom, anise and caramel which keeps getting better swirl after swirl. The palate pales a little in comparison, but the tannins are tight and are maybe keeping everything under lock and key. It is rich and spicy, it has that desirable note of terroir and dark cherry and I think it will only get better with time. Find this wine

084061 CORTE MAJOLI RIPASSO VALPOLICELLA SUPERIORE 2008 $16.95
A fun wine loaded with mocha, balsa, prune and cola notes with dollops of plum, cherry and sweet spice. A ripe and chewy palate with little if any sweetness and gentle chewy chocolate tannins on the close. Find this wine

040360 FINCA SOBREÑO CRIANZA 2008 Toro $17.95
Funky whiffs of sewer, instant coffee granules, Dutch liquorice and black fruit candy do harmonize nicely. Great balance and structure on the palate, fruit is mature and the acids blend well. No evidence of tannins and rather enjoyable right now. Find this wine

Cheers
CZ

You can often tell the quality of a band by how loudly the audience sings along with their songs, and the full house was in full throat on this occasion. Gomez was in fine form and a great time was had by all, and I’d go hear these guys anytime they come back in the area. Because she was flying back to the West Coast the following morning, Christina gave me two sample bottles that she’d been pouring for various accounts earlier in the day. I dutifully drove home and poured a glass of each in order to record the following impressions. Like I need an excuse to drink Mr. Ridge…

2009 Ridge Santa Cruz Mountains Estate Merlot Monte Bello Vineyard, 14.2% alc.: Clean dark garnet color, with an effusive nose redolent of sweet oak, lavender, and hints of white chocolate over a solid core of black currants and berries, all of which echoes and expands on the palate. Full bodied and well structured, yet sleek and already accessible in its youth. The nose might lead one to expect that this will taste sweet and ripe, but it finishes totally dry. The oak plays a significant role in its personality now, but should gradually integrate over the next decade or so as it evolves into an even more harmonious glass of wine than it is already. Just released. Find this wine

2007 Ridge Monte Bello Santa Cruz Mountains, 79% Cabernet Sauvignon, 10% Merlot, 9% Petit Verdot, 2% Cabernet Franc, 13.1% alc.: The first thing I notice before even tasting this dark garnet lovely is the alcohol content, 13.1%. How civilized, but then why should I be surprised? The next thing that catches my attention is a good dose of bell pepper on the nose, which takes me a bit by surprise, but it tones down with air in the glass. Some of the same shows on the palate, with a major hit of black currant/cassis picking up the ball and running down the field. Full bodied, well-structured and impeccably balanced, with many years of improvement ahead of it. Very little in the way of what we’ve come to refer to as “Draper perfume” here, but make no mistake, this is a wine of substance, with great aging potential. I’ll be interested in tasting this down the road to see what happens with the bell pepper here; it wasn’t at all apparent when we tasted it with Paul Draper a few years ago up on the hill where they do-do the boogie, but then, wines of this caliber have a tendency to go through some interesting changes in the course of their evolution. Find this wine

Many thanks to Christina for the show and the wines! Can’t wait to see what kind o’ fun we can get into the next time you’re in town, darlin’!

Reporting from Day-twah,

geo t.

German Gilabert Cava Brut Reserva NV, 11.5% alc., $14.99: This medium colored sparkler is a blend of 50% Macabeo, 30% Xarello and 20% Parellada farmed from organically grown vineyards in sand and limestone soils, with an average vine age of 30-35 years old located in Alto Penedez. Fine active bead, with more than ample mousse, it offers pungent green apple and mineral flavors and aromas; it’s fresh, expressive, bone dry and delightfully so. Medium-to-medium full bodied, with excellent acids and good length, this is a fine Cava, with very good QPR. This is a special project custom made for Jose Pastor, with no dosage. Find this wine

2009 Clos De Noi Negre Samso Vinyes Velles Montsant, 14.5% alc., $17.99-19.99: Deep, dark color; exudes exuberant aromatics of earthy black plum and berry that follow through on the palate with a nice sun-baked intensity. Full bodied and well-structured, with good length; this is ripe, but not overly so, and the earthy quality plays a nice counterpoint. Big, bold and very satisfying, now and over the next five years and beyond. Kim: “How much does this cost? I really like this! I could drink it for a while…” This small production wine (500 cases) is made by Carles Escolar, a rising young star in the Montsant region; it’s lightly oaked, and made from 50-60 year old, 100% Samso (Carignan), from soils typical of the region, composed of chalk, clay, and galets. Find this wine

The Zaumau wines from Vinos de Terrunos are also made by Carles Escolar; both of these are made from local varietals and neither sees any oak, revealing the true terroir of Priorat. The vines are planted in slate soils and average 60-80 yrs of age.

2009 Vinos de Terrunos Zaumau Priorat Blanca, , $20.99-23.99: Pale-to-medium color, and displaying a chalky minerality that dominates the character of the wine, with white tree fruit in support. That said, I quite like this, though I imagine it might turn off some with so-called “international palates.” Bone dry, medium-to-medium full bodied, with excellent acids and good length, this seems like a good match for oysters, mussels and lighter seafood and fowl dishes. A blend of Garnacha Blanca, Macabaeo, Viura and PX. Find this wine

2009 Vinos de Terrunos Zaumau Priorat Tinto, 14% alc., $20.99-23.99: Deep, dark garnet color; sun-baked black currant, blackberry, black cherry, leather, earth and mineral flavors and aromas. Dense, full bodied and well-structured, with acids even more pronounced than tannins, though not excessively so. Intense and delicious, this wants grilled red meat and plenty of it! Kim: “I like these Spanish wines! I really like this importer!” A blend of Garnacha and Samso (Carignan). Find this wine

Reporting from Day-twah,

geo t.