Domaine de la Chanade "Les Rials" Loin de l'Oeil Sur Lie Vin de Pays des Cotes du Tarn 2012 Wine Review (NW)

Tasting notes:

Fragrant floral notes and pear intertwined on the bouquet

Medium bodied on the palate

Lightly sweet fruit finish with honey and floral notes balanced by just enough acidity

Summary:

Without a doubt, this is my wine of the Summer! It tastes great, has an interesting profile, and is easy to sip on a warm day. Best of all, it's only $10. In fact, I bought a case on sale for $8.

If that's not enough, it's made in Southwestern France from an ancient wine grape that's rarely used today. This domaine has helped to resurrect this now exotic varietal- Loin de l'Oeil- and for good reason. With results like this, it never should have been lost to time. Chill it down and enjoy it on a warm afternoon. Raise a glass!

Terra D'Alige Tatone MontePulciano D' Bruzzo 2010 wine review by (PB)

Nice black cherry hue with some heft to the pigmentation. Aromas of a deep, intense melange of spices, deep licorice and fruit with forest floor and more evergreen--WOW!

Palate--supple tannins with delicious dark berries, rich textured with a finish that is tart and mouth watering.

Montepulciano is one of my favorite every day kind of wines. Even at the lower price points of $8 they tend to be just great, easy drinking, red wines that pair with everything Italian and tomoatoe based, dishes


I paid $12 for this wine marked down from $16. At $16 this would have been a nice wine; at $12 it's a buy more kind of wine! Buy and raise a glass!!!

Rancho Zabaco Heritage Vines (Sonoma Co) Zinfandel 2012 wine review by (PB)

Cranberry hue with aromas of brambly fruit somewhat subdued.

Palate--A subtle touch of licorice, under somewhat subdued rustic blackberry.

I have had some really stellar value productions of this wine in past years but this one seems off a bit. Nothing flawed about it, just really low key.

I paid $13 for this wine reduced from $16 and I would let this wine go at either price point.

I see this wine getting some strong reviews from a lot reviewers but I'm not seeing it in my bottle. In fairness, I'll give it another shot if I get the chance. Why don't you and let me know what YOU think!

Chakalaka "Spice Route" 2010 wine review by (PB)

Deeply pigmented opaque black cherry hue with aromas of deep blackberry, tar, spices and dark fruit.

Palate--Weighty presentation with loads of luxuriant dark fruit and a prominent charred wood presence. Finishes with more charred wood. Seems to have simplified from what it was about 20 hours ago when I opened it.

This is a blend of 6 different grapes. Syrah, Mourvedre, Carignane, Tannat, Durif and Grenache. I am typically not a fan of blends that try to mix more than 3 maybe four grapes although Beaulieu does it well with their Tapestry line. This is actually pretty well done even if it may not be my favorite style. I seemed to keep going back to the bottle and it was excellent with my pizza.

I paid $16 for this which was a good price and it is a different experience. South Africa seems to still be searching for identity. I hope they get it figured out as there is a lot of potential there but they might want to commit to what they think they are good at and stick with it. I jsut get the sense they are trying to live up to someone's idea of wine instead of what they have. At any rate--raise a glass!

Rodney Strong Sonoma County Cabernet Sauvignon 2011 Wine Review (NW)

Tasting notes:

Black cherry and dark berries on the nose

Full bodied  on the palate

Nicely textured on the finish with fruit that's layered with toasty oak and a hint of mint

Summary:

This is a nicely made Sonoma County Cabernet Sauvignon. It's fruity and well rounded, with good texture and well integrated layers on the finish.  I'm often asked for a good value Cabernet out of California, and I tend to recommend a handful of Sonoma County bottlings including this one.

Rodney Strong wines have been consistently good of late, so look for the label. Expect to pay around $16, and enjoy with a grilled steak. Raise a glass!

Vina Alberdi 2005 Rioja Wine Review by Billy

Nose: deep and lovely tobacco and cherry
Palate: easy drinking even balance of warm tannins and black cherry
Finish: warm and long with tea, tobacco and cherry through and through
Overall: this is a lovely 2005 100% Tempranillo from Rioja, Spain. It is showing age in the glass with brick red hues near the edge. It has a fantastic nose that is deep and rich. The mouth feel is quicksilver with passion. The finish is aged and wise and long. The bottle cost me $15 at the local wine shop.

Thomas Goss Cabernet Sauvignon 2011 McLaren Vale wine review by (PB)

Young purple hue with aromas of fresh dark berry fruit away from the glass changing to spicy dark berry with cedar notes and green overtones and some tarry hints.

Palate--Hefty on the palate--big, somewhat harsh with solid fruit, a nice beam of black cherry/berry with a lingering finish and smokey wood to end. An immature wine that is going to some time to come around. I would love to taste this in another 5-8 years but should last considerably longer than that. Australia is a place to watch in the years to come for this varietal. Great things might be coming down the pike.

I paid $14 for this Cab and will serve it with grilled flank steak and chimichurri sauce so raise a glass!

Mittelbach Tegernseerhof Rose 2013 wine review by (PB)

This Austrian Rose has a bright bouquet of subdued red melon and a touch of raspberry.

Palate--Nice burst of "zippy" fruit with a peachy aftertaste and a palate cleansing acidity.

I paid $15 for this Austrian rose which is about $5 too much. It's a decent, lively rose that tastes great chilled down on hot summer day, but there are SO many great roses today at the $10 price point that this is not worth the price. If you see it for about 2/3's less grab it, chill it and raise a glass. Otherwise try something else.

Rocca Delle Macie "SaSyr" 2011 wine review by (PB)

Purple to cranberry hue with aromas giving the classic Sangiovese bouquet on first whiff but then there is a blast of fresh fruit like candy apple cherry (the hard red coating on candied apples) with a rear guard of sweet herbs. This is a distinctive and enticing bouquet!

Palate--It tastes a little confused to me with the Sangiovese (60%) fighting with the (40%) Syrah. There's a nice sense of pie crust with residual baked-on cherry juice on it, red berries, and a touch of dried red fruit. Finish lingers a bit.

I had this wine several vintages ago and didn't care for it. It wasn't a bad wine at all it's just one of those preference things. I like Sangiovese when it's a blend if its with Cabernet Sauvignon, but not so much with Syrah. That's just me. This wine has a lovely bouquet though.

I see this around for anywhere from $9 on sale to $13. Just a word of warning--in these summer months, unless you have a temperature controlled cooler, don't drink this at room temperature unless your house is air conditioned and kept fairly cool. This wine changes dramatically as the temperature rises and the alcohol begins to engulf all else. This is true of any red wine and heat so don't be afraid to throw it in the refrigerator for 1/2 before you drink it and then raise a glass!

By the way Rocca Delle Macie is pronounced ROH-kah DELL-eh mah-CHEE-ah!

Gascon Colosal "red blend" 2012 wine review by (PB)

Intensely pigmented with a dark tomatoey red, opaque hue.
Aromas of gigantic black fruit and loads of "stuff" going on! Tar, bold evergreen and spice, cigar box and more ripe berry fruit lurking underneath it all. Wow!

Palate--Again, gigantic immense bold deep, dark berries with thickish, rich texture. Finishes with a lingering dark fruit with some charred oak.

This "red blend" is Malbec, Bonarda, Syrah, and Cabernet Sauvignon. The Malbec and Syrah stand out to me but candidly I do not have a lot of experience with Bonarda.

I paid $9 for this $16 wine marked down. This is definitely an upper teens value so raise a glass and enjoy it with something with plenty of heft!

Marchese Antinori Chianti Classico Riserva 2006 Wine Review (NW)

Tasting notes:

Big nose with dark berries, roasted notes, and cedar

Full bodied on the palate

Long, layered finish, complex with dark berries and earthy notes

Summary:

If you have this wine stashed away, open it and enjoy! It's drinking beautifully right now at eight years of age. It's immensely flavorful and has a nice complexity to it that drives the finish. Well made and expressive, for sure. Expect to pay around $30 if you happen to see it in a store. Thanks to Ken and Emily for supplying this one over a Summer dinner on the porch. Raise a glass!

Famille Perrin Cotes du Rhone Reserve 2011 Wine Review (NW)

Tasting notes:

Wild berries and bramble on the nose

Full bodied and well textured on the palate

Dark berries, dried herbs, and resinous notes on the finish

Summary:

Here's a widely available wine that's a great value and versatile with food. I found this at Trader Joe's for $9, and poured it with some grilled meat and vegetables on a week night. Made from Grenache blended with Syrah, Carignan, and Cinsault, it delivers nice flavor and depth. For my money, Cotes du Rhone wines from the Southern Rhone valley in France continue present some of the best red wine values in the world. Raise a glass!

Bridlewood Monterey County Pinot Noir 2012 Wine Review (NW)

Tasting notes:

Fragrant red fruit bouquet on the nose

Medium bodied on the palate

Silky texture on the finish with red fruit, spice, and caramel notes

Summary:

Here's a nice, elegant Pinot Noir at a good price. It's a relatively simple style, but it's harmonious and pleasing to the palate. Expect to pay around $12, and pour with anything from salad to lamb chops. Raise a glass!

Hedges CMS Columbia Valley Red Wine 2011 Wine Review (NW)

Tasting notes:

Mixed berry notes on the nose

Full bodied and rustic on the palate

Harsh finish, heavily tannic, with flat berry and roasted notes

Summary:

I've enjoyed this wine in the past, but the 2011 is not very good. It's an untamed, harsh wine that even with plenty of breathing probably won't develop. Unfortunately, take a pass, save your $14, and check back for the 2012.

Wine tasting and the impact of medications by (PB)

If you visit our blog frequently you see that I have not posted very much if at all for some time. The reason being I am on medication for an issue and the particular medication messes up my ability to "taste" properly. It's important to note to your self when you are on any kind of medicine--even over the counter--meds as they may have an impact on your taster's ability to do its job.

With over 10,000 views a month on this blog, I am cautious not to impugn a wine carelessly realizing I may be unnecessarily creating diminished sales for a particular producer. For this reason there are all kinds of wines I have never posted my reviews simply because I did not trust the condition of my palate at the time of tasting. An upper respiratory infection (ie., a cold) can have a similar effect on your abilities even before your cold manifested itself with symptoms.

Tip off--if you are drinking a wine that you are at least familiar with the particular grape if not the wine and /or producer and it really seems "ucky" ask someone else to taste it and see if they think it tastes "OK." Sometimes my smeller is in fine shape but then I taste the wine and either the taste is off (eg. bitter when I know the type of wine is not generally bitter, or tart, or sour, or just tasteless or even the mouth feel is rather nasty.) Don't assume the wine is bad--it may be you! One good check is to try a wine with which you are very familiar; if it's kind of blech, forgo your wine experience until you're off the meds. Then raise a glass with confidence!

Carmen Reguengos Alentejo 2012 Wine Review (NW)

Tasting notes:

Nose opens with red currant and raspberry

Medium bodied on the palate

Dry finish with red berries and herbs

Summary:

From Portugal, this Alentejo is a pleasant, dry food wine. It shows good fruit backed by just the right amount of acidity and a dry finish. Don't expect it to jump out at you, rather simply enjoy it with a good meal. For $12, raise a glass!

Domaine Du Salvard Cheverny 2011 wine review by (PB)

Hue is a very pale nearly rose looking, with an orange tinge to it.

Bouquet--Just beneath the tightly wound raspberry fruit is a note of asparagus green and ash. Underneath that is a layer of sweet spice though gentle.

Palate--Finessed structure with fruity foundation of sour strawberry and red raspberry hints. Well made it is easy to drink and interesting.

This Loire red is a blend of Pinot Noir and Gamay. I grabbed it because I don't believe I have ever seen this blend but then again I have never had a Cheverny.

I will be pairing this a pasta bed on which rests asparagus and shrimp in a lovely cream sauce. The gentle flavors of this dish should work well with this wine.

I paid a hefty $19 for this bottle which is about as high as you will see it anywhere. If you are looking for a unique wine experience to broaden your horizons *I would pay the price again. If not, I would wait until I could find it for $15 or less. *Raise a glass!

Paco & Lola Albarino 2011 Wine Review (NW)

Tasting notes:

Apple and citrus on the nose

Medium bodied on the palate

Floral and apple with light acidity on the finish

Summary:

Albarino is a great Summer white. From the Rias Baixes region of Spain, it delivers full flavor and good acidity. This one is not quite as zippy as some, but it shows class and a well-rounded appeal. Expect to pay $12 or so.

I recommend you start with this well chilled, and enjoy it outdoors with appetizers as it warms up a bit in the bottle. Raise a glass!

Bonterra Zinfandel (Mendocino) 2011 wine review by (PB)

Nice garnet hue with a staunch vanilla bean beam in the nose with blackberry fruit.

Palate-- Integrated with decent structure, wild blackberry flavors, a hint of that vanilla and some rustic touches.

Grilled BBQ'd chicken with it, finishes quickly but pleasant enough. At the $10 price point raise a glass!

Chappellet (Napa Valley) Cabernet Sauvignon 2010 wine review by (PB)

Dark purple to black cherry hue with big aromas of fresh blackberry, blueberry and ripe plum. Suggestion of menthol, cedar.

Palate--Supple tannins, mouth filling extracted dark berry fruit with mid layer of tar, and more plum with a touch of bread and in the words of my wife, "Andie's Mints". Finish lingers a bit with some charcoal.

This is a big ripe extracted Napa Cab with a lot going for it but it is still a bit young. It is structured, deliciousness right now but will come into its own in a about 3 more years. It isn't cheap--$40-$50 but is a nice treat! This reminds me of Caymus' Cabernet and is just what pure Cabernet should taste like. Thanks Thomas! Was an awesome compliment to boneless Rib-eye on the grill. Raise a glass.