Menage a Trois 2006 Wine Review by Billy

(2003 pictured, 2006 reviewed)
Nose: Big and Fruity with Black, Blue, And Red Raspberry smells. Some cinnamon and cedar give it character.
Palate: good balance, big feel in the mouth. not flabby, not over done.
Finish: blackberry jam finish with some pepper.

Overall, this is a decent red-sauced pasta accompanying red table wine. It delivers easy drinkability and simple, fruity tastes and smells. Structurally it is unsophisticated but not poor. A good every-day value wine. This bottle was part of a meal gift from friends but I've seen it go for anywhere from $9 to $15 dollars locally.

Raise a Glass

Chateau De Macard 2005 wine review by (PB)

Another Bordeaux from the famed 05 vintage is 30% Merlot, 20% Cabernet Sauvignon, 50% Cabernet Franc and a great price of $10. It has a young purple hue with chocolate raspberry and red fruit on the nose.

The palate is a little feisty with tight fruit flavors and smoke. Given some time to breath--important with this vintage--the chocolate minimizes and the fruit opens to dry cherries and wood. Can't lose at this price and I suggest buying more and laying it down for another year or two! Raise a glass.

Angove's Red Belly Black Shiraz 2004 wine review by (PB)

Black cherry hue with pronounced ripe fruit with black raspberry, plum, slight chocolate touch, quite nice!

In the mouth this S. Aussie wine has some character with a sweetish palate of ripe plum, chocolate cherry hints that is easy to drink and tasty.

At this price point $10, this wine stands out better than the ubiquitous Aussie Shiraz's that all taste the same. Raise a glass to a decent Shiraz at this price.

Bernkasteler Kurfurstlay Auslese wine review by (PB)

Josef Friederich gives us this lightly golden German sweet wine that has wonderful spicy vanilla cream aromas.

For review--in their order of increasing sweetness, German wines are labeled with their "title" or "pradikat." They are: Kabinett, Spatlese, Auslese, Beerenauslese, Trochenbeerenauslese. As a rule of thumb, their price increases from left to right as well.

Palate is sweet (of course) though lacking body and structure (Hence the price). Slight grapefruit notes with sweet spice; pleasant and for the closeout price of $7 this was a nice buy. Put a greater chill on such whites and they will carry better. Raise a glass.

Clarendelle 2003 wine review by (PB)

Nice garnet hue with a nice bouquet of fruity raspberry and cigar box aromas.

It has a gentle tartness and a very slight pepper note that fades.

It is quite thin but pleasant with tones of fresh fruit, though finishes and fades quickly.

It's okay but for the $16 I paid for it, and that was on sale from $20, you can do better especially with the 05's! Raise a glass to Bordeaux.

Don Melchor Cabernet Sauvignon 2000 wine review by (PB)

This premium Chilean is an opaque garnet hue with a mature looking rim. Chocolate emerges on opening even as I am pouring my first taste. There are loads of pure fruit.
In the mouth this wine is fully mature, integrated with lovely texture yet a tad thin but this is right on opening--the finish lingers.

After breathing the wine for several hours waiting for (NW) to arrive, the bouquet opens up to a complex world of chocolate, leather, wood, light cedar, cigar box; a premium bouquet to be sure.
Raspberry and delicious dark fruit all over with smoke on the rear palate and some charcoal. I swear the color changed from a mature looking hue to a younger red with a touch of purple still. weird--and wonderful.

Now the story behind this wine:

Three or four years ago (NW) and I were together for Thanksgiving at his digs in Jacksonville. He opened a 2000 Don Melchor among an array of other wines we had that glorious holiday weekend. (17 different wines we had that weekend I believe)

The wine was so unique it was hard to figure out; It was so huge and so "out there" that you couldn't really figure out what to serve it with and what it was all about. We attributed all of this to it's immaturity.

Now after cellaring this wine for several years, it is a totally different wine as described above. I made a turkey dinner with all the trimmings just like at Thanksgiving and it was an excellent pairing. I paid $35 for this wine about 5 years ago and the patient waiting paid off.
Raise a glass to Good Cab and Turkey!

Chateau Lafaurie-Peyraguey 2001 wine review by (PB)

So depressed by our one day of Spring time here in Maine that I opened this classic Sauternes while watching a rain delayed golf tournament on the tube. (Now that's sad!)

This wine is a rich intense golden color with aromas of super rich ripe pineapple, tropical fruits and loads of *botrytis.

It is thick in the mouth with ultra-sweet syrupy flavors of ripe pineapple and pears. It has a velvety and balanced finished with such a great acid foundation that the sweetness is fabulous.

I paired it with some bleu cheese and pecorino and fresh pair slices which was a great pairing.

I paid $27 for a half bottle of this wine and have been aging it for a couple years. This is what Sauternes are supposed to be. (Wine Spectator gave this wine a 95...)

* Botrytis Cinerea is a favorable mold that--when conditions are favorable--forms on the grapes of Sauternes and other wines (German Rieslings and others) that concentrates the sugars in the fruit making a great wine. Raise a glass to a classic desert wine.

Sunset Rd.Vintners Independent Producers Sauvignon Blanc 2004 wine review by (PB)

I never heard of this wine before but found it on close out for $6. It is a Washington State wine from Columbia Valley and with their reputation for solid wines, I grabbed it.

It is a very pale golden wine with varietal aromas on the front but unique aromas behind. It is a sweet bouquet with tropical fruit hints and lemon. Very nice!

In the mouth this wine is solidly acidic in all the best ways (a good food wine) off dry with flavors of cream and lemons and maybe tart green apples. Finish is quite nice and at the price I paid for it is a super bargain. At four years old, this wine should be on its way out or gone but it is still very youthful and vibrant. I suspect this wine probably runs normally around the $10 price point. If you're a fan of S. Blanc, this is worth hunting down. Raise a glass!

Mouton-Cadet 2005 wine review by (PB)

I grabbed this wine from the famed vintage of 2005 Bordeaux because it was a mere $9. It has plenty of color with depth and a bouquet that is vibrant with black cherry, a little spice and touches of sweetness with dark fruit.

In the mouth this wine is tannic with tight fruit and bread. Lots of potential in this 65% Merlot 20% Cabernet Sauvignon and15% Cabernet Franc; your basic Bordeaux blend. This wine needs to be decanted; I breathed it only for a a half hour or so and that was not enough.

There is now a tart, cherry bouquet and the tannins relax somewhat. Fruit is still stingy but it is there. This is actually a very nice wine at this price point and a typical old world wine in all the great ways. This is a far superior wine than what you normally get for this price from any country.

Your novice wine drinker probably would not like this wine very much thinking it is not very "fruity." But I will buy several more bottles of this and put some age on it. This inexpensive bottle of 05 Bordeaux will age some!

Raise a glass to a superior vintage and what promises to be a vintage with some great values!

Trapiche Malbec 2005 wine review by (PB)

Trapiche--better known for its oak cask Malbec ($10) is a value wine with solid structure and flavor. This wine however is NOT. You only save a couple bucks on this black cherry/cherry aromas with a sweet palate, light cherry flavors but the wine just is blah. Pass it up!

Sonnino Chianti Montespertoli 2005 wine review by (PB)

Gentle aromas of Sangiovese and alcohol; Tart in the mouth--too tart with bready notes, some tannic heft.

Either the wine is closed or just thin; After breathing, it is still tart and thinly textured with Sangiovese throughout. Still, a good food wine! Raise a glass with some food--duh.

Castello Banfi Brunello di Montalcino 2001 Wine Review (NW)

Tasting notes:

Nose slowly opens with cherry, currants, and earthiness

Moderately dark, dense core of fruit on the palate

Finish of berries, black cherry, minerals, and a touch of spice

While this wine is enjoyable now, I don't think it has fully come together. I was honestly a bit disappointed with this bottle.

If you have some, I'd suggest a few more years in the cellar. If you must open it now, try decanting several hours before you drink it. Also, be smart about the food pairing. A rich cream sauce or a heavy steak might overwhelm this wine. It has some subtleties that will show better with slightly lighter fare.

A typical price for this wine is $55. We paid $120 recently at a restaurant. Raise a glass!

Soos Creek "Champoux Vineyard" Horse Heaven Hills Red Wine 2005 Wine Review (NW)

Tasting notes:

Huge nose of raspberry jam, toasted oak, and vanilla

Richly textured on the palate

Finish of blueberry, plum, cocoa, and an herbal touch underneath

I was treated to a bottle of this wine by good friends who grew up in Washington state. On a recent trip back home, they sampled some Soos Creek wines and wanted to share the love back here on the East Coast.

We decanted the wine for a small gathering at Easter, but it probably didn't even need it. Although youthful and fresh, it has velvety tannins and is richly textured. The flavors integrate nicely as the finish tapers away. This wine costs around $30-$35 and is worth the treat. Also, see PB's review of this wine below. Raise a glass!

Schoenheitz Holder Gewurztraminer 2005 wine review by (PB)

This Alsatian varietal was served to me by (NW) on a recent visit to his house in the glass and I asked him, "What is it." As I would do to him, he replied, "You tell me."

It was a pale yellow with a fantastic bouquet of sweet floral, spice and slight cream peach/pear and pineapple notes. In the mouth it was like tasting liquid flowers, off dry with nasturtium blossom and rose petal flavors, lively acid and slightly spritzig (German for sparkle) meaning it had a slight effervescence to it.

I was taken by this wine and said, "This has to be nothing other than a Vin D'Alsace Gewurztraminer probably 2-3 years old." Okay, that's not exactly what I said. Actually I thought about it and if I would have listened to my nose and palate it should have been obvious but I listened to my head and thought it may have been a German Riesling of the 05 vintage which is supposed to be extraordinary.

Hey you can't win them all but this wine is a winner and at $22 it is an elegant, fabulous treat and a great example of the grape. So raise a glass and say, "AHHHHHHHH..."

Soos Creek "Champoux Vineyard" 2005 wine review by (PB)

At the famed Timbalo Easter celebration at (NW's) some folks brought this Washington state wine made of 50% Cabernet Franc and Cabernet Sauvignon.
The wine is a dark black cherry hue with cocoa and ripe plums in the nose with some leather in the background.

In the mouth the wine presents a cocoa front with solid dark "real" fruit--as opposed to the petri dish, manufactured flavors so common in many new world wines these days. There is an intensity that is seductive. New world yet not a "fruit bomb" with structure and a finish that is genuine.

Price point makes a big difference more often than not when it comes to new world wines. This wine runs around the $35 price point I figure and is real wine; tasty and a very special treat. Thanks RP's!

Chateau Guiteronde 1984 wine review by (PB)

Boston wine hunt this past Summer with (NW) found this 24 year old Sauternes for $30. First thought is, "Why is this wine only $30?" Second thought is, "What the heck--for $30, no matter what happens, it will be an education." Now how can you put a price tag on education? Okay, I'm trying to make myself feel better...

Before opening this with a bunch of friends at a special dinner (see the post blogged below) I did some research and found that 1984 was about the worst year in Sauternes in my lifetime. That's not a good sign but then again, this particular Chateau did declare it a "vintage" so perhaps, possibly, maybe, in the world of miracles, this might still be drinkable. The color of the wine in the bottle was pretty good so...

I eased the fragile cork out of the neck but the bottom 5th of the cork stayed behind while the rest of the cork basically disintegrated.

I pushed the remaining cork into the bottle (a personal defeat and blow to my cork pulling pride) and took the first pour and small whiff. I tried to keep a poker face but I couldn't help screwing up my nose as toluene (airplane glue) aromas hit my nose. No need to go any further but this was education now.

On the palate it was sweet with an obscene and offensive taste that is hard to describe. Time to throw in the towel and declare it spoiled and undrinkable--you think???

But here is the marvel of wine--(NW) announced the wine before we ate dinner so the anticipation of "what might be" was prevalent. It's kind of like why some people play the lottery; the odds are absurdly against you winning and yet there is that remote possibility and that makes it worthwhile.

The wine was a bomb but for $30, it was cheap entertainment and an enhancer of conviviality to boot! Raise a glass to the explorations of the world of wine!

Vignamaggio Castell di Monna Lisa Rserva 1999 wine review by (PB)

This Tuscan "special wine" was opened by friends of (NW's) and ours at a recent festival of Timbalo celebrating the resurrection of our Lord. Since we have all bedded down at this celebrated birth place of Monna Lisa in the heart of Tuscany, breaking out this personally imported treat was awesome. The majesty of wine is more than just what comes out of the bottle but what the bottle of wine creates or recreates in the soul of the imbiber. This bottle brought back memories of Italy, wowing dinners, centuries old cathedrals, masterpieces in art and sights found usually only in a book now etched in the experience of the memories of the real thing.

The wine has peaked with bricking throughout right to the rim. The bouquet is nuanced with slight touches of plum with vegetal notes and hints of wood.

The palate reveals sour cherry with pomegranate notes. The foundation is made in the sweeter style, is fully integrated, balanced, and uncomplicated in this late stage of its life.

But the best part of this wine was the willingness of friends to share a cherished bottle that once opened is gone. But the lingering finish of great times remains. Thanks R's! Raise a glass!

Louis Latour Chassagne-Montrachet 2003 Wine Review (NW)

Tasting notes:

Tropical fruit nose with lemon and honey accents

Fine grained, slightly creamy texture on the palate

Balanced finish with apple and wet stones

On the Chardonnay style spectrum, this wine sits in the middle. It has a very nice texture and underlying richness, but it's not overly oaked. The flavors are balanced and provide a perfect compliment to light fare. We enjoyed seafood in The Bahamas while nursing a bottle of this wine. It retails for $30 or so. Raise a glass!

Covey Run Syrah 2003 Wine Review (NW)

Tasting notes:

Mixed berries, plum, and herbs on the nose

Juicy core, medium-bodied

Plum and an odd plastic note on the finish

Something on the finish basically ruins the wine. I can't tell exactly what the flaw is, but I can taste something a little off. I don't think it was "just a bad bottle" because there was no evidence of anything foul on the nose.

It's a shame, actually, that this doesn't taste better. Covey Run makes some really good value wines in Washington State and I've especially enjoyed their whites. This bottle costs a modest $7-8, but take a pass. And raise a different glass!

Pedroncelli Dry Creek Valley Mother Clone Zinfandel 2005 Wine Review (NW)

Tasting notes:

Nose of cherry, red licorice, and spice

Rich, spicy core

Finish of cherry, chocolate, and black pepper

This is a good wine. It has nice balance and flavors, and delivers some of the rich fruit and spice expected in good Zinfandel. I paid $14 for the bottle, and have seen it priced from $12 to $16. For a dependable Zin- raise a glass!

Warre's Warrior Port "Special Reserve" wine review by (PB)

This sale wine cost me $15 and is the best value port I have had in years. It is an opaque cherry red with good color, and sweet ripe prunes with traces of ripe cherry, faint cocoa notes but alcohol tends to be a bit pushy on the nose.

In the mouth this wine is thick and velvety with sweet licorice and a chocolate rear. The finish just lingers on and on. This is worth hunting down. I think the non-sale price is around $20; either way this is a nice value. Raise a glass of sweet velvet!

Barsao 2006 wine review by (PB)

I am a big Grenache fan but his 75% Garnacha (the Spanish name for Grenache) and 25% Tempranillo is rather blah. It is a nice black cherry hue with black berry and plum aromas but the palate is tight, harsh and thin.

With some air it is still unremarkable and worth passing up. This is the second time I bought a Barsao with a "best buy" kind of hype and have found it lacking. Even at the $10 price point it is worth passing up. Raise a glass of something else.

Don Melchor 1998 wine review by (PB)

Concha Y Toro, the solid Chilean producer of value wines makes this premium red (Cabernet Sauvignon) that is solid garnet to the rim. It is somewhat closed on opening but shows elegant pipe tobacco and leather fragrances.

In the mouth this wine is elegant with silky tannins and slight licorice notes, black cherry fruit and smoke. This wine is awesome. If you wonder what a "round" wine is, this is it! Everything is just right, balanced, fully integrated and together.

Always a great value, this wine at $40 is a bargain for what you get. Raise a glass and "Thanks (NW)!"

Blind tasting with (NW) reviews by (PB)

(NW) served up two distinct wines just to see what we would do with them. One was a 2001, the other a 2004. It was obvious just by observation which was which.

The 01 was already showing its age with amber notes at the rim and the bouquet was musty with some cherry fruit trying to break through the funkiness of this old wine. The palate was soft and peppery with wood, light fruit and a quick finish.

The 04 was classic Sangiovese aromas with floral notes of rose blossoms and sweet herbal fruit.
In the mouth though this wine was disappointing being austere and tannic and thin; not much there.

The 01 was Tormaresco; a blend of 70% Negroamoro and 30% Cabernet Sauvignon.
The 04 was Monte Antico a Sangiovese blend. Both wines are in the $10 range and both were worth passing up. Raise a glass of something better but this was still fun and educational!

David Bruce Pinot Noir 2005 wine review by (PB)

Visiting (NW's) we made our typical wine hunt trip to a wine store and he immediately grabbed this Russian River Pinot Noir. He made some commendatory comment about it and said something like, "Once you've had good Pinot Noir, there's nothing like it." I haven't had any good Pinot Noirs because I couldn't afford them. I had my wife pick one up on a visit out of state asking her to buy whatever the store recommended to her in the $40 range. She came home with some fairly well known Burgundy and it was awful. So I was looking forward to a Pinot which already had been established as superior.

This wine is garnet to the rim with a bouquet of unmistakable strawberry and menthol or spruce with milk chocolate notes. In the mouth it was absolutely silky with fruity layers and eucalyptus finishing with lovely elegant strawberry flavors lingering.

My description doesn't do this wine justice. It was positively spoiling and ruining my palate for the inexpensive Pinot's I am used to. Oh well; I'll survive. Raise a glass and splurge sometime on a "good" Pinot!

Sanguinhal 2005 Aragonez wine Review by Billy

Nose: Asparagus (Pino Nior style) stink, charcoal, tempranillo style sweet chrries, delightful complexity
Palate: Vanilla is prominent as is a spritly dance of strong acid and pucker-inducing tannins. Stony.
Finish: Vanilla oak again with soft red fruit hints ending quickly

Overall: After a nice couple called down and waited for about 20 minutes or more for a new bottle of red wine, this was delivered to the club lounge. I thought I'd better at least have a taste and blog the findings.

This 2005 consists mostly of the Aragonez varietal (my first taste) and is from Sanguinhal in the Estremadura region of Portugal.

According to the label, it owned/run by the Fonseca (of Port wine notoriety) family. According to the label it was aged 6 months in French oak

It shows a quite youthful purple in the glass. The wine is very enjoyable. It is balanced though strong in both the acid and tannin area. The clear vanilla flavors bring out a likableness that is immediate. It is the inviting grin of an unpretentious yet obstreperous stranger who wants nothing more than to be your friend. After a sample, it is hard to say no.

Raise a Glass!

Real Companhia Velha Fundador Tawny Wine Review by Billy

nose: warm currant and tobacco
palate: smooth, some tar on the edges, lacking complexity
finish: subtle

overall: Meh. Not a big Tawny. It lacks. It mistakes barrenness for elegance and simplicity for sublimeness. Not my favorite. It has more moderate red wine feel/characteristics than port characteristics.

Still, I cannot complain. After all, I'm sampling Port in Portugal. I'm in Lisbon on business and even this is a treat. Raise a glass to Portugal!

Domaine La Roquete Chateauneuf du Pape 2003 Wine Review (NW)

Rich nose of cherry, strawberry jam, licorice, and spices

Full bodied, thick, and velvety on the palate

Finishes with waves of cola, cherry, plum, and touches of cinnamon and herbs

Here's a great value Chateauneuf du Pape! I bought this bottle for $22 and can't wait to go find some more. Chateauneuf is a favorite of mine, and this one delivers the goods at a bargain price. Most Chateauneufs are more expensive and I often spend around $50 for a good bottle.

The outstanding thing about this wine is the thick, velvety texture that carries through to a really long finish. It has great layers on the finish, with a variety of flavors that meld together. Also see PB's review of this wine below.

I'm also looking out for the 2005 vintage from this producer as it has the potential to be even better at similar prices. Raise a glass!

Alois Lageder Alto Adige Pinot Bianco 2006 Wine Review (NW)

Tasting notes:

Nose of melon, lemon, wet stones, and white pepper

Tart and elegant on palate

Finish of citrus, tapers nicely

There are a lot of good, crisp white wines out of Italy. This one is from the Alto Adige region which is fast becoming a world class wine producing region in Northeast Italy.

It has a nice a balance of fruit flavors and mineral content, accented by white pepper. Grab it to go with a basic seafood dish or lemon chicken. You should find this priced around $13 or so. Raise a glass!

Rancho Zabaco Sonoma Heritage Vines Zinfandel 2006 Wine Review (NW)

Tasting notes:

Big nose of mixed berries and spice

Plush texture on the palate

Long finish with sweet cherry, chocolate, spice, and pepper in relaxed, smooth layers

Classic, full-bodied Zinfandel! This wine tastes great and has the rich texture and long finish of a well made wine. Rancho Zabaco makes several Zinfandels, and this one is a fairly priced effort at around $14. Also see PB's review of this wine dated February 13, 2008. Raise a glass!

Maddalena Sauvignon Blanc 2006 wine review by (PB)

This is the second wine sent to us from San Antonio Winery for sampling. Like the Cab they sent and previously reviewed, this is a Paso Robles wine as well. The wine is nearly clear with a nice sweet pear bouquet.

In the mouth it is sweet but actually off dry with solid construction. Initially I couldn't tell if this was a Chenin Blanc or Sauvignon Blanc but as it warmed up, (it was too cold) it began to show some grassy S.B. notes and touches of citrus here and there with a grapefruit rind finish.
This wine drank really easily and chilled down on a porch on a hot summer day, this would be a great guzzling white. At $12, it is well made and characteristic of the grape. Raise a glass to be sure!

Domaine La Roquete Chateauneuf du Pape 2003 wine review by (PB)

(NW) broke out this Chateauneuf du Pape which is primarily a GSM blend(Grenache, Syrah, Mourvedre). The hue is a light medium red with slight bricking (amber notes) at the rim. This wine has sweet aromas of fruity tobacco with sheets of nuanced fruit and a periodic strip of sweet fresh strawberry jam. Wonderful and absolutely peak!

It is silky on the palate--almost thick--with strawberry jam flavors that flash and fade back and forth with light pepper notes. After a moment or two, cinnamon flashes appear and disappear with cinnamon spice cake yielding to a late anise layer. Phew! This is a lot of wine for the price. ($22) What a treat and a value! Raise a glass of plenty of these Rhones!

Maddalena Cabernet Sauvignon 2004 wine review by (PB)

Our friends at San Antonio winery (Los Angeles, not Texas) sent us two of their new releases for enjoyment. I waited until (NW) and I were together so we could both review these thus getting two opinions for the price of one--so to speak...

This wine from Paso Robles has a nice garnet hue with a rich ripe blackberry/plum bouquet with sweet dark fruit.

In the mouth the wine feels a bit thin texturely speaking yet is structured well even if tight, hot and young. There are notes of sweet dark chocolate with a lingering smoky finish. The wine was right out of (NW's) cellar which was quite cold. After warming and breathing, the wine relaxes and the dark chocolate turns to a milk chocolate. This is made in the popular style of big fruit forthright flavors but is is still young and needs a year or two longer to come around. It is what you would expect of a wine at this price point ($14) but could a hold a surprise with some more time. Raise a glass to patient cellaring!

Chateau Roland La Garde Bordeaux 2005 wine review by (PB)

In Chicago for a sad occassion Billy of this blog and myself took advantage of being in the "Windy city" to check out the 2005 Bordeaux at "Binny's Beverage Depot." Arguably being touted as the vintage of a lifetime, Binny's supply of Bordeaux of this vintage was scarce. I grabbed a stellar 04 that I had tasted previously and a couple of lower tier 05's to take back with me to Maine. But this was a $10 wine and I asked the staff at Binny's if this was a wine of the famed Michelle Roland. The Binny's staff, which is always wonderfully helpful--exuding gobs of wine knoweldge without being pretentious, researched my question while I browsed and didn't seem to think so.

For $10, there wasn't anything to lose.

This wine--Merlot and Cabernet Sauvignon blend, is a staunch garnet hue to the rim with a fabulous bouquet of light cherry fruit with beautiful spice and anise notes predominating after a couple hours of decanting. Really nice!

In the mouth this bargain wine feels a bit thin and a mite tannic but it is fruity with cherries, some layering of licorice/anise and structured soundly and poised for a couple years of ageing. It is just young and for the price is a definite value! Two more years in the bottle and this wine will be beautiful presaging what is to be expected of the greater 05 Bordeaux's. So buy those $10 Bordeaux's you find from this once in a lifetime vintage and experiment. I doubt you will be dissappointed too often. Raise a case today and tomorrow!

Chateau Roland La Garde Bordeaux 2005 wine review by Billy

On Opening:
Nose: licorice, vanilla, cherry, coffee, pencil graphite
Palate: fine structure, acids are a bit weaker than I'd like but not out of balance with the tannic forefront. Even mouth feel. Not fat (expected) trim but not skeletal.
Finish: stony graphite and vanilla'd cherry make a comeback at the end for a pleasing finale.

Overall, this is my first taste of any of the 2005 Bordeaux wines. The 2005's are purported to be amazing across the board. This bottle ran PB and I about $10 at a midwestern wine shop. For the price it is well worth the purchase. There were no qualms about readiness to open this wine though many of the 2005 Bordeauxs will need some longer periods in the cellar.

This is a 67% Merlot and 33% Merlot blend and, according to the label it was aged in 100% new French oak barrels. For $10 you really cannot go wrong here.

Do youself a favor and get a nice 2005 Bordeaux to lay down and pick up a bottle of this 2005 Chateau Roland La Garde (Cotes de Blaye) to open and enjoy now.

Raise a Glass!

Side Show "The Juggler" 2004 wine review by (PB)

This wine is Mendoza blend of Chenin Blanc (60%) and Chardonnay (40%) but it's awkward. The "Side Show" wines with the odd labels, names, graphics and text have tended toward decent value wines all in the $9 range with their sourced grapes from here, there and everywhere.

This is my first white "Sideshow" wine I think and it is a bit strange. It fails as a Chenin and a Chardonnay with a unique bouquet of sweet fruit, celery, cream notes and something that I can only describe as a chemically plastic sort of odor.

The palate is fairly solid with citrus notes but again fighting for identity and all in all it just doesn't work. The juggler drops the ball on this one so let it bounce away and try something else. (After thought--this wine is 4 years old and actually, I think it is simply on its way out!)

Beringer "Stone Cellars" Chardonnay 2005 wine review by (PB)

Lt gold in color with surprisingly big bouquet of sweet pears and pronounced vanilla.

In the mouth this wine is again surprisingly tasty with big citrus back bone, off dry and fruity. A little contrived (think petri dish) but for $4--that's right, I paid $12 for three bottles, it is a drinkable wine. For that price, raise a couple glasses!

Pina Howell Mountain (Buckeye Vineyard) Cabernet Sauvignon 2004 Wine Review (NW)

Tasting notes:

Big nose of blackberry and chocolate

Rich, chewy texture on the palate

Long, velvety finish, dark and brooding with black currant and mocha

Great wine! You know you have something special when the wine seems to evolve in the glass and actually gets better and better throughout the evening. This was the case at one of the top new restaurants in Boston where we enjoyed a bottle. The restaurant apparently nabbed several cases of this beautiful wine before it sold out (small production of only 650 cases).

Upon first opening, the wine showed ripe blackberry. As it evolved in the glass, more and more dark flavors of chocolate and rich mocha came through. It was worth the money at $150 (the retail price in a store is around $75)- much better than many other Napa Cabs in this price range.

Raise a glass!

Walnut Crest Cabernet Sauvignon 2006 Wine Review (NW)

Tasting notes:

Nose of currants and sage

Firm texture on palate

Finish of dark berries and herbs

Not bad, really! You'll find this wine next to the jugs and often in a magnum format. If you see a 750mL bottle, it will probably be around $7.

I wouldn't normally grab this over other value wines I'm familiar with, but it was my only option. I was on an Amtrak train and this was the red wine available. After a couple of sips, I realized it's not a bad wine. It has some of the classic flavors of a Chilean Cab (produced by Vinedos Emiliana) and tastes well made for the money. Quite frankly, I was pleasantly surpised. Raise a glass!

Beringer California Classic Red 2005 wine review by Billy

Nose: big nose of peppery zinfandel and spicy syrah if I guess correctly. Fruity plumbs provide the fruity nose.
Palate: balance is so-so. Tannins are ok but the acidic structure is thin and hollow making the mouth feel weaker than promised by the nose. Still, it flows nicely and the fruit flavors of of dark stone fruit (hahaha, I've always wanted to write that -I really mean plumbs, pluots, maybe cherries etc)
Finish:round and fruity again, pleasing and smooth.

This is not an expensive wine but it is a fun wine to drink. This particular bottle was a gift to me from the Hilton hotel in Beijing China where I was staying last week on business. Yes, I brought it home, so this California wine has been around the world, to be enjoyed here in the USA.

It is a fine wine for casual drinking. Its big nose and fruity palate make it easily accessible. It is bold and will hold up well to spicy dishes.

Raise a Glass!

Marchesi Di Frescobaldi Nipazzano Chianti Rufina Riserva 2004 wine review by (PB)

I lugged this wine back from Los Angeles having read about it in the Wine Spectator. It made the WS's top 100 of the year making the number 56 of the top 100 with a 91 pt. rating.

It has a black cherry hue to the rim with tight aromas with a bunch of steely notes. There is a light chocolate rear trying to break out but it is tight with tart sour cherry flavors.

After an hour or so of decanting this wine is surprisingly unremarkable. It is a solid and decent wine but a top 100 ranking? It may very well be that it needs to be breathed even more. I have run into this with quality Chianti's sometimes requiring 12 hours to really break out.

The wine was a reasonable $17 but still leaves me a bit baffled. I will retaste it tomorrow to see if it changes. Stay tuned!

Bogle Petite Syrah 2005 wine review by (PB)

Rich purple/cranberry hue to the rim; ripe berry bouquet with intensity and a slight chocolate backing.

Palate--big fruit front with slightly bitter mid palate and fruit layers; needs a little air.

Ripe berries and plums; rather unidimensional but all things are fairly well balanced. Tasty and easy to drink so for $12, I liked it! Raise a glass.

Oveja Negra 2006 wine review by (BP)

This is a Chilean blend of Cabernet Franc and Carmenere. The hue of this wine whose name means "Black Sheep" is black cherry in tone with some garnet depth. Mineral notes highlight a lighter medium red berry thrust in the nose.

Palate is spicy with bready front and coarse flavors that are tight and unresolved with a bitter finish.

With air, there are musty notes with earthy tones and white pepper on the palate. Even at $10 I just didn't care for this wine; the style or the blend. Pass on this puppy!

Cesanese Di Olevano Romano 2005 wine review by (PB)

Another "Small Vineyards" designation (see entry for 1-27-08 "Martorano") that has a medium hefty garnet hue with a purple touch.

The bouquet of this creation pronounced, Chay-zin-A-zay, is somewhat vegetal with sour cherry and black pepper with a hint of baby powder at the end.

Palate has chewy tannins with some steely notes. I was ambivalent about this wine on opening but after it breathed a while it opened nicely to a really decent quaff which I enjoyed a lot. White pepper emerges with a note of tarragon that is fleeting but interesting. Bright cherry flavors are pronounced and this is well made and different. I paid $16 and would buy it again so raise a glass!

Valle Reale Vigne Nuove Montepulciano D'Abruzzo 2005 Wine Review (NW)

Tasting notes:

Nose of red berries and currants

Fleshy texture on palate

Smooth finish with more berries, anise, and chocolate accented by mineral undertone

Meet my new house Italian for this year! This wine is tasty, smooth, and interesting. It has real fruit qualities balanced by a terrific undertone of minerals and earthiness. That's always a great balancing act in Italian red wines. And oh, by the way, no oak here.

Montepulciano D'Abruzzo is not to be confused with the village of Montepulciano in Tuscany that produces Vino Nobile di Montepulciano. Many people are familiar with this village as it sights on a hilltop adjacent to the Brunello district surrounding Montalcino. Lots of wine tourism here! Quite the contrary with the Montepulciano D'Abruzzo production zone which is distinctly off the beaten path all the way over on the Adriatic Coast near Teramo. Hopefully it remains off the beaten path for years to come as this region produces the best price-to-quality ratio of all Italian red wines. I paid $10 for this wine, and it was the most expensive one out of four offerings in a local wine shop. Raise a glass!

St. Clair Marlborough Sauvignon Blanc 2006 Wine Review (NW)

Tasting notes:

Bright lemon nose

Very grassy and bursting with acidity on palate

Grapefruit finish tapers nicely

Wow- this is New Zealand Sauvignon Blanc to the max! I drink a lot of it especially in the summer, and it's almost indescribably crisp, acidic, and full of great flavors. Maybe I was particularly taken by this wine because it's the middle of the winter and I hadn't sipped one in a while. Oh, and it paired exceptionally well with the seared scallop appetizer.

In a true expression of the controversial concept of terrior, New Zealand continues to develop a unique and beautiful expression of Sauvignon Blanc. This is a label I hadn't tried before, and it's worth grabbing if you find it. The approximate price is $16 or so. Raise a glass!

Rotllan Torra Priorat Reserva 2001 Wine Review (NW)

Tasting notes:

Big nose of rich spices, chocolate, and mixed berries

Dry and fruity on palate

Slightly thinner finish, moderate tannins, with red berries, chocolate, and dusty earth

This wine starts out big with a swirl of the glass as the rich spices and mixed berries provide a big bouquet. The palate and finish are noticeably drier than the nose would indicate, and that leaves something to be desired. I think this wine is just not very well integrated- who knows, maybe some more time will bring it together.

Priorat from Spain is almost always delicious, but prices are heading north too. As a result, I grabbed this thinking it might be a bargain at $20. If you're interested in Priorat, I recommend you try a different one and plan to spend a little more money to get a good representation of what's being done in this tiny, exotic region of Spain. Raise a glass to Priorat!

Chateau Richard 1993 wine review by (PB)

I bought this wine on a Boston bargain hunt and threw it into my temperature controlled wine keeper. I grabbed it the other night because it was an inexpensive wine ($12) and I wanted to open something different. This wine is from the Bergerac region of France which is comprised of Merlot and Cabernet Franc. I had no idea it was such an old wine which why I obviously bought it.

As I was pulling the cork I saw the "1993" on the cork and I was shocked.

The color of the wine is as expected of a 15 year old wine; a lighter brick hue with browning around the edges; the bouquet was amazingly pleasant with a bouquet of light cherry and something quite unique and pleasant which I never did identify.

The palate was thin and relatively tasteless with some olives and thin fruit but holding steady. It finished with plenty of earth and gravely dust, pencil lead and wood. Within 20 minutes the wine was shot.

Now I realize I bought it in the first place because of the price and the age that it had on it. It was well worth the $12 just to experience the transformation in the few minutes it was opened and reminds us that you don't breathe old wines for this very reason. If you wait, it may be gone by the time you drink it.

This was an education in wine and well worth the $12 investment. Raise a glass to a new wine experience.

Rancho Zabaco Sonoma Heritage Vines Zinfandel 2005 wine review by (PB)

This wine was bought on sale for $12 with a price tag of $16 regularly. It is a stunning wine with hefty black cherry color and cranberry jelly hues to the rim. The bouquet is wonderful with cinnamon and cloves and jammy dark fruit with a wild touch.

Tasting this wine, it is brimming with sweet tannins, spicy front palate and is well made and well integrated with dark fruit, more spice and sweet clove, with nuanced chocolate finish. This wine is just a super value with classic Zinfandel flavors, aromas and is just plain delicious!

Rancho Zabaco is impressing me greatly; raise a glass!

Gallo Family Winery Sonoma Reserve Zinfandel 2004

Nose: big fruit, stewed cherries and cola, small toasted coffee, basil

Palate: Thin but balanced. Not overly tannic. More of an old world style construction. Elegant. The mouth feel does not follow on the expectations of the nose. This isn't bad but it is unexpected.

Finish: thin fruit finish, green leaf parsley.

I paid about $10 for this and for that $10 you get a decent California Zin that presents first like your expected $10 fruit bomb, but the mouth feel is anything but your typical jammy fruit bomb. This is a sit down and drink me with pizza on movie night wine.

If your going to buy wine to impress the girl this Valentines day, spring for two bottles, make this the second one.

PB reviewed the 2003 back in '05. Read that review here.

Raise a glass

Domaine Petite Chateau (Chardonnay) 2003 wine review by (PB)

This previously reviewed wine was too good to pass up when I ran across it again for $11. It is a Vin de Pays Du Jardin which means French and they always tend towards bargain wines. This is a winner.

It is light yellow on opening with a great bouquet of sweet fruit, cream, orange, and vanilla. I could just sit and smell this wine!

In the mouth there is a nice balance of citrus and vanilla with sweet, off-dry fruit that borders on finessed. The next time I am in Mass. and spy some more, its coming home to my cellar! Raise a glass to be sure!

Domaine De Valmoissine Pinot Noir 2005 wine review by (PB)

Typical light cherry Pinot hue with a bouquet of light berry/strawberry hints.
On the palate the wine is soft and tasty, well made with tight bright fruit that needs a little air.

After breathing a tad, there is a hint of milk chocolate with strawberry fruit on top. This wine is tasty, simple and delicious and best of all it is affordable. At $12, raise many glasses!

Bogle Old Vine Zinfandel 2005 wine review by (PB)

On the pour this wine is quite light in hue for a Zin with a wild cherry bouquet and blackberry core.

In the mouth this wine gives a good first impression of slightly spicy fruit and a unique mid-palate that needs some air.

It has decent Zin flavors upfront but tends to fade and yet leaves a lingering brambly touch at the end. For $12 it is a decent example of the grape. Raise a glass.

Miner Oakville Cabernet Sauvignon 2003 Wine Review (NW)

Tasting notes:

Nose of blueberry, cedar, and spices

Mixed berry core, fairly dense

Moderate tannins with a chocolate and berry finish

Fairly dense and flavorful, this is a wine that seems well made. It has many of the components of a good Oakville Cabernet Sauvignon, but is missing the x factor. In other words, this wine is good, but not exciting. When I spend $130 on a bottle at a restaurant, it needs to be exciting. (the price you're likely to see in a store is $60).

Maybe it will be more exciting after laying in the cellar for a few years. Raise a glass to Oakville producers, but don't expect much x factor in this price range anymore!

Collemura Rosso Piceno wine review by (PB)

This Italian red is garnet in hue with a purple twinge. The bouquet is a yeasty, cherry to black cherry and slight licorice with a milk chocolate foundation; all subtle and in balance.

In the mouth this wine is tart and thinly textured and thin on flavor with steely notes and unidimensional. My first impression of this wine is "not very good." With some air there is a touch of black pepper but dies quickly. I wrote "pass on this wine" but then had the rest of it the next day. It was a much better wine and my wife and I finished the bottle with no problem. So I have to change my tune! It needs a lot of time to open up and its not a great wine by any means but it is much better than I thought and at $10; raise a glass.

Blue Fish Riesling 2006 wine review by (PB)

This German varietal from the Pfalz region of western part of the country is pale straw with a really wonderful bouquet of sweet robust ripe fruit and cream. I was eager to get this wine in my mouth but disappointment came quickly.

In the mouth the wine is clunky and struggles for identity. It fades quickly and finishes with an odd note. Germany is known for its wines of the Mosel Saar Ruwer first and foremost where quality Rieslings are produced and are delicious. The rest of Germany is pretty much a wash and the majority of wines are of the "table wine" variety.

The Nahe region can produce some tasty wines but again, they tend toward the mass produced table wines that remain in Europe.

Throw this bluefish back!

Balbas Barrica 2006 wine review by (PB)

My wife selected this Ribera Del Duero from Spain which is crafted from 100% Tinta Del Pais. This is a wine that is positively gorgeous to behold with such a vibrant garnet wine with a core of cranberry and black cherry hues.

It has a yeasty bouquet on opening with finessed fruit and light cocoa/milk chocolate scents underneath.

After uncorking the wine was tart in the mouth with closed fruit trying to break out.

With a half hour of breathing, the wine is a different wine with sweet notes and tight raspberry and dried cherry flavors with a touch of spice up front. It finishes with a hint of wood and turns out to be a very tasty wine. I paid $17 for it and would have been disappointed with the initial tasting which is why you need to develop a habit of breathing your red wines with few exceptions. The Ribera Del Duero is producing some good wines these days so check them out and raise a glass!

Mondavi Pinot Noir Private Selection 2006 wine review by (PB)

I reviewed this wine previously with consistent notes. It is a typical Pinot light hued red with cinnamon notes in the front.

In the mouth there is predominate raspberry with a touch of chocolate. This wine is fairly simple but very tasty with an oaky finish. When I reviewed it initially I had paid $12 for it and it was a nice wine at that price. I paid $8 for it this time and had I not screwed up the mail in rebate, my final price would have been $6. Unreal and a super bargain so worth pursuing and drinking to the new year! Raise a glass!!!

Book Review: The Red Wine Diet, by Roger Corder (NW)

Disclosure: This book was sent to The Wine Cask Blog compliments of Penguin Group, the publisher.

Is it just wishful thinking that wine drinkers generally are healthier and often live longer than people who don't drink wine on a regular basis? According to Roger Corder, the anwer is unequivocally no. This is not wishful thinking, but rather it's a fact rooted in measurable science.

Corder puts together the best explanation I've read for the potential health benefits of moderate consumption of red wine. And beyond that, he fully explores the French paradox that has inspired countless theories on diet, lifestyle, and happiness. The French paradox is simply that the French have relatively low levels of heart disease despite high saturated fat consumption. After extensive study on this topic, Corder has emerged convinced that red wine and other foods containing similar components do contribute to a healthier vascular system.

Much of the book is dedicated to laying out a guide for complete nutrition (of which red wine is just one component) and providing recipes to develop this approach. However, the nutrition guide only makes sense after understanding Corder's research. He does an excellent job of presenting his findings on the beneficial components of red wine and broadening his research beyond wine to show that foods such as berries, nuts, tree fruit, and spices carry the same benefit. These components are characterized as a type of polyphenol called procyanidins. Extensive research led Corder to better understand that some wines contain high levels of procyanidins, and this set him on a quest to discover wines from around the world that exhibit the highest levels. His journey through the world of wine took him from California to South America to Australia to Italy and on to France. In the process, he identified wines with high levels of beneficial procyanidins and developed a proprietary scoring sytem to segment them for the reader. This is the fun part of the book. After clawing through the chapters on the heavy science behind all this research, the reader gets to journey through the world of wine with Corder. He then seamlessly connects these wines to the broader guide to complete nutrition and a healthy diet.

If you enjoy a glass of red wine, you'll be intrigued by this book. Even if you don't drink wine but are interested in the science of nutrition and healthy eating habits, you'll find this book remarkably relevent.

Raise a glass!