2001 Murfatlar Pinot Noir

We dumped the previous bottle, but still wanted wine, so I reached for the cheapest thing we have: a $6 Pinot Noir from Romania

Earth, plums, and some cherry on the nose. It has a strange funk to it.

The palate is earthy, some nice cherry and deep strawberry, with a bit of that cola that I love. Smooth tannins and fairly light bodied, this would go well with anything.

The finish is a touch of cinnamon and oak with some berry fruit, but I can’t quite put my finger on what....close to raspberry though.

Quite frankly, this is a revelation. I would never expect a wine at this price to be this good. I plan on buying this again in the next couple of days and trying another bottle to see how it holds up...if it’s anywhere near this one, this will be one we serve to every guest that drinks wine, bring to holiday functions, suggest to everyone who will listen, and may be the death of this blog since we’ll just be drinking this one by the case.

2005 Carmel Winery Vineyards Selected Cabernet Sauvignon

I stumbled upon this $8 wine from Israel and thought it would be interesting to try a kosher wine. I’ve had the Manischewitz syrupy sweet Concord, but this Cabernet Sauvignon looked more like a typical dry table wine.

What makes a wine kosher? Well, it can’t have non-kosher ingredients obviously, but there are also production rules that vary depending on what type of kosher one practices. Consult: http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Kosher_wine

This wine is also officially designated vegan. Many wines use animal products in the filtration process...if you care to learn more, consult: http://vegans.frommars.org/wine/faq.php

(You will note I am vegetarian and I drink pretty much any wine regardless of how it’s produced. I find worrying about things like filtration processes nonsensical and counter-productive, but many will tell you I’m not a good vegetarian.)

Onto the wine itself: the nose has some raspberry and lots of oak.

The palate has lots of oak, funk, earth, spice–cinnamon mainly, not much fruit but there is some cherry. It’s not really working for us.

The finish has a hint of BBQ sauce, or maybe A1...not pleasant one bit.

It’s difficult to say....this is so bad that part of me thinks this bottle is potentially corked or cooked....or it could be part of the kosher thing...not sure, I’ve had wine that’s obviously “gone bad” and I just don’t quite get that from this...there different degrees of how flawed a wine can be, perhaps this has just slightly turned.

Either way, I won’t be revisiting this one.

2005 Rosa Regale Brachetto D’Acqui

We’ve had this one before (I think a previous vintage) and enjoyed it thoroughly. I was browsing a local wine shop and saw this 187 ml bottle for $5 and I figured it would be something fun to try. A full bottle goes for around $18. The varietal on this one is Brachetto...one I didn’t mark off on our “Wine Century” checklist, so we’re getting ever closer....last count is 74.

Cranberry on the nose with some strawberry,

This one is slightly sparkling which gives it a nice texture. Strawberry, raspberry, grapes, and some rosewater on the palate. It’s certainly sweet, but there’s some acidity which help balance it a bit, but don’t get me wrong–this is a dessert wine.

The finish has a fair amount of cranberry and raisins–craisins and floral (rose, for the most part) notes.

2005 Eroica Riesling

This is a label put out by Chateau Ste Michelle and goes for around $20 a bottle. The wine was originally called Bonaparte, but after Napoleon declared himself emperor the winemaker violently scratched out the name “Bonaparte” and replaced it with “Eroica.”

My apologies for the sad attempt at humor.

The nose is peaches and tropical fruit.

The palate...well, I have to say this is probably one of the finest Rieslings we’ve had in some time, and by far the best American Riesling we’ve ever had. Crisp, tangy acid, a very nice bit of sweetness–perfectly balanced. Lots of peaches on the palate, some nectarine, tangerine, a bit limey, even some strawberry, and some nice minerals,

A clean finish, except for a bit of tropical fruit...pineapple perhaps, but I can’t help but think banana...lingers slightly for quite some time.

Impressive to the say the least. Strongly recommended.

2005 Pillar Box Red

We had the 2004 of this one a while back and I seem to recall enjoying it, so I picked up the 2005 for $10. The one thing I remember is that it was big and needed a lot of air so I let this open for around three hours before starting and enjoyed the bottle over another three hours.

Alcohol, oak, and cherry on the nose.

The palate is fruity–berries for the most part...blackberry and some blueberry. Plenty of wood, and at first (mind you, after three hours of air) a bit of spice, and lots of herbal notes...fennel and mint, but after this had been open for six hours a lot of the herbs disappeared. This is a 15% wine and it tastes like it...a big burn right at the end of the palate.

Mint on the immediate finish with lingering oak and a small bit of plum.

My thumb is directly in the middle, I give it two stars, 5 out of 10...it’s alright, if you want to give it a shot I won’t dissuade you but I wouldn’t go too far out of your way to pick it up.

N/V Rex Goliath Pinot Noir France Vin de Pays

I recall reading some very strong things about this some time ago but I can’t place my finger on where. I know we tried it, but I have no memory of it so I figured for $8 we’ll give it another shot.

There’s no date on the bottle so I did a bit of research and basically: I can’t find any information about this. Every Rex Goliath Pinot Noir seems to be “Central Coast” California...this is clearly labeled “Product of France” on the back, and front label–see photo--says “Vin de Pays d’Oc” (country wine...from France, but no appellation specified).

Earth, cherry, and oak on the nose.

The palate has cherry cola, oak, earth, some spice (cinnamon and something in the oregano family), a bit of bell pepper and mild tannins. Not a whole lot of fruit here.

The finish is so quick I’m not sure it even qualifies....cherry disappears quickly and then all you feel is the tannins.

For the price I doubt you can do better (especially with a Pinot Noir) and you can do far worse. I’d have it again.

N/V 1+1=3 Cava Brut

Yes, more sparkling wine. This one from Spain retails for about $12. The producer’s math is terrible but how does their wine hold up?

The nose has lemon and that’s about it.

Tart and a bit toasty on the palate. Lots of lemon zest and grapefruit. A lot of US sparkling wine has a touch of sweetness, even in Bruts, this one is bone dry (not a bad thing).

The finish lingers with a bit of citrus...mainly grapefruit.

Not bad for the price, but certainly not great. There’s just not a whole lot happening in this one.

2004 Cellar No. 8 Merlot

The other day I was in the wine shop and realized we really haven’t touched much Merlot, I saw this bottle and recall buying a wine from this label before...I’m not sure which varietal, but I do recall enjoying it so I figured I’d give it a shot. I paid $11 for this one.

Black fruit on the nose, plums mainly, with a touch of oak.

I’m getting a bit of blackberry, cherry, chocolate, and tannins that are certainly present with some backbone, but nice and smooth. I also taste a bit of spice...I’m thinking anise and basil specifically. It’s not terribly complex but it’s well balanced and drinks easily with and without food.

The finish is mainly oak, cherry, and chocolate....the chocolate lingers for quite a long time.

At $11, this is a steal. Strongly recommended and one I’d happily serve to guests.

2004 Elyse Rose

Roses are nice, simple wines...rarely complex, but typically enjoyable and quaffable...I frequently hear them referred to as “patio wines” which is a fair assessment. I haven’t had a rosé in some time and figured I’d pick one up.

I get very little on the nose....nothing I can place anyway.

If this was served to me in a dark room I’d guess it’s a light Beaujolais. Fruity but dry...some mild tannins even--Strange. Mostly raspberries, cherry pie filling, and maybe just a touch of peach. The more air it gets, the more the raspberry flavors come out and I’m getting some nice strawberry as well.

I get a bit of oak on the finish, but my guess is this hasn’t seen any...other than that I get strawberries on the immediate finish, but they fade fast.

I like my roses a bit more fruit forward with just a touch more sweetness. At $9, it’s hard to complain...but if you check back a while, we reviewed another rose from the Anjou region, and I’d recommend that one over this.

N/V Pommery Champagne Brut Royal

I picked up a half bottle of this for $15.

I don’t get much on the nose other than some white bread.

Some lime and minerals on the palate. A bit more citrus...I’m thinking zests, orange and lemon...maybe some Granny Smith. I enjoy the mouthfeel of this one, the bubbles are tiny and foam up in the mouth nicely. This one has a bit of yeast, but none of the toasty flavors that make some Champagne so interesting.

The finish lasts for quite a while....mostly with lime and minerals.

Strongly recommended. Note: this is different than the Pommery Pop, available in 187 ml bottle with a straw. I believe the Pop is Extra Dry, this one is Brut.

2004 Louis Jadot Pinot Noir Bourgogne

Most French labels don’t have the varietal listed, this seems to be a growing trend with the lower quality, more mass produced wines. This is the low end offering of a decent producer, so I figured I’d give it a shot even at $15.

Raspberries, plums, and oak on the nose.

Right after opening, this one is a bit harsh once it hits the palate...so much acid it’s bordering on sour. After breathing for an hour, it improved tremendously....my experience is that Pinot Noir typically does not need much, if any, aeration. Raspberries on the palate with some nice mild, though present tannins. A bit of oak, a touch of anise, chocolate, earth, and cherry as well.

Some funk and earth on the finish, along with a bit of oak and some lingering berry.

Even after opening, it’s still not great...I can’t recommend this one, especially at the $15 pricepoint.

2004 El Felino Malbec

I figured since we dumped a Malbec we should open another of the same varietal. We tried this one at a tasting a few months back and thoroughly enjoyed it. This one set us back $16.

The nose is powerful with pine and herbal notes.

The palate has some strong blueberry–not the large grape sized ones, the tiny ones that just assault your palate when you eat them. I’m also getting some cherry and a bit of chocolate as well. Since the nose had so much wood I was expecting more on the palate, but it’s far in the background. Nice, chewy tannins on this heavier medium bodied Malbec.

I felt my first glass had strong anise on the finish, almost like you just finished a glass of absinthe....as it opens, I get far more chocolate.

An excellent wine and one I’d recommend without hesitation.

2006 Argenta Malbec

This brings us to the end of our $4 Trader Joe's selections. I let this one sit for two hours before making these notes.

The nose is a bit flat with nothing more than alcohol.

The palate has a very unpleasant glycerin mouthfeel. It's a strange wine, everything is muted....there's some fruit and oak but I can't really put my finger on much. It’s jammy, there’s no acid, this is below Yellow Tail in terms of quality.

The finish has no flavor but more of that strange coating.

With the very strange feel of this wine, I decided to dump a glass, and rinse it in hot water, dry it thoroughly, swirl some wine around in the glass, dump that, and retry it....I was hoping that perhaps some soap residue was affecting this one----sadly, no.

I was optimistic that we could do alright with an Argentinian wine at this price point, but no such luck. The cheap wine experiment was a failure...I’d like to say I’ll never be tempted to buy a bunch of dirt cheap wine from Trader Joe’s again but I’m sure it will happen again. Hopefully in the next round I’ll have better luck.

2005 Silvan Range Oregon Early Muscat

We had this one at a tasting and snatched it right up at $12 for a 500 ml bottle.

The palate has peaches, pear, honeydew, orange blossom, and honey.

This is a semi-sparkling wine so the bubbles are very soft and mild...they disappear in the glass after around 20 seconds, but they are present on the palate and add a nice bit of very subtle texture which really pushes it to a higher level.

I get a bit of cantaloupe and muskmelon on the finish. Sweet and refreshing, not cloying or syrupy at all.

This is a phenomenal dessert wine....nice and smooth, not too sweet, lots of fruit, some nice floral notes, and overall strongly recommended. A wine I’d buy a case of if I had a cellar. Strongly recommended.

N/V Laurent-Perrier Champagne Brut L.P.

I picked up a half bottle of this for New Year’s Eve at midnight as we decided on big plans of staying in. The half bottle was $16 and a full bottle is $33....I tend to assume that a half bottle will cost more than half the price of a full bottle but not here. This would be a great way to a French Champagne without spending all that much money.

I get nothing on the nose.

This one is tart and acidic: white grapefruit, orange zest, a touch of Granny Smith apples in the background all with a bit of toast.

More orange zest on the finish and a mild toasty finish.

Enjoyable and recommended, though it doesn’t approach the wonder of our previous Champagne review, Veuve Clicquot Ponsardin.

2005 Owen Roe Abbot’s Table

I picked this bottle up a while back for around $25. It’s a red blend with 10 different varietals: Cabernet Sauvignon, Merlot, Zinfandel, Cabernet Franc, Syrah, Blaufrankish, Sangiovese, Pinot Noir, Grenache, and Malbec.

Oak, cedar, alcohol, and black cherries on the nose.

The palate brings black fruit, cherries, lots of oak, a touch of spice, but not much else in terms of depth. Medium tannins but big bodied...I’d drink it again with a hearty stew of some sort.

The finish has a slight bite and some fading blueberry.

It’s alright but the more I drink these kitchen sink blends, the less I enjoy them. Even at a lower price I don’t think I’d revisit this one.

N.V. Warre’s Otima 10 Year Old Tawny Porto

I have a bottle of 1977 Vintage Port that I intend on opening after the new year, but I figured before I open that I should try some other Ports to have fresh in my mind to compare. This 10 year Tawny ran me $20 for a 500 ml bottle.

When I first opened this bottle around two weeks ago I just found it to be blah...no complexity, nothing interesting, just some caramel and that’s it.

I recorked it and put on the rack for a few days and was blown away with what this developed into. The more time I gave it, the better it got so I decided to hold off on giving this a full review until I let it get some more air time.

Ports last a while when opened, I’ve heard different time estimates, the more conservative are six weeks, but I’ve heard some people say if you keep the bottle in the fridge it will last six months. Port is not a wine that you can finish a bottle of in a night or two, it’s heavy, thick, and has a high alcohol content (20%).

A touch of alcohol with walnuts and raisins on the nose.

Maple syrup, pecans, raisins, currants, and plums on the palate. Very nice depth and complexity with almost no burn.

The finish is nutty, with some caramel, vanilla, and just a hint of orange zest.

The last time I had a 10 year Tawny I found it simple and not all that great. This one has some very nice depth and complexity. I’d strongly recommend this one if you’re new to the world of Port as it’s reasonably priced and an excellent value.

N/V Gloria Ferrer Blanc de Noirs

I was debating opening this for New Years but opted to pick up a half bottle of a genuine Champagne for midnight instead. We paid around $19 for this. The last tasting we attended had an excellent Gloria Ferrer Pinot Noir so I figured this would be worth a shot.

The palate is a bit toasty and the main fruit I get is red apples with a hint of raspberry.

The finish is more of the same, lots of toast and red apple. I’m even getting a bit of a flavor I’ve never had in wine before--sassafras/root beer.

Overall, an enjoyable sparkling wine with some nice depth, reasonably priced and recommended.

2005 Hartford Court Land’s Edge Vineyards Sonoma Coast Pinot Noir

I have to say, I have become a huge Pinot Noir fan as of late. We received this bottle for Christmas from my parents...as much as I hate to look up the price of presents I do find price to be quite important...and this one retails for around $40.

Unfortunately, I looked up the price after I opened the bottle and poured a glass. I can’t say I would’ve opened a $40 bottle on a whim, especially after Wednesday’s Burgundy indulgence.

You can’t take wine with you, I suppose. Plus, we had no other Pinot Noir on the rack and we’re having mushroom risotto for dinner.

Earth on the nose...I find earth such a difficult thing to describe because I want to say more but don’t have the words. Maybe some raspberry and I believe I detect a hint of coffee.

The palate brings cherry, boysenberry, coffee, not quite chocolate–perhaps carob (I like carob...and if you don’t, I suggest you try some and go into it not thinking it will taste “just like chocolate”), and my personal favorite flavor in Pinot Noir—cola. Very nice complexity, smooth tannins. I’m used to Pinot Noirs that are distinctly light bodied, and this one is absolutely on the medium side.

This one is a bit different than a lot of the recent Pinot Noir we’ve had. Bigger, bolder, far more backbone, but still distinctly Pinot Noir. Even at the $40 price I’d recommend this one for a special occasion.

2005 J.W. Morris Gewurztraminer

We had this label’s Riesling yesterday and dumped most of the bottle. I figured I’d open the Gewurz today and see how it is....once again, $4 for the bottle.

Pear and apricot on the nose.

Grapes and apples on the palate with a touch of spice. Much better than the Riesling (not say much honestly), but I’d still say it’s a bit too flabby.

There is a finish with grapes and it leaves a rather unpleasant sticky sugar feel.

So, there you go....halfway through the first glass I thought it might be passable, but the more you have, the less drinkable it is.

Needless to say, these two wines have convinced me never to buy J.W. Morris again.

2005 J.W. Morris Riesling

Another $4 find from Trader’s Joe. For a long time, we were big fans of cheap Rieslings but the more we try, the more our palates are becoming a bit more discriminating....I still don’t care for the expensive ones, but based on what we’ve had at tastings and restaurants, we seem to have gravitated to mid-teens German.

That being said, for $4, I’m willing to take a shot.

Stone fruit, mainly peaches on the nose.

Peaches and some grapes on the palate. Though it’s really not terribly sweet, there’s basically no acid which gives it a bland grape juice mouthfeel.

No finish.

The lack of acid really ruins this one. I don’t mind simple, but I do mind flab. Even for under $5 I can’t recommend this one.

2005 Trader Joe’s Chilean Collection Cabernet Sauvignon/Merlot (65/35)

We visited Trader Joe’s today and I decided it would be fun to pick up a few bottles of cheap wine (all $4) and see how they hold up. This one was $3.99, just $1 more than Charles Shaw...how does it compare, you ask?

Oak and spice–cinnamon mainly–on the nose.

The palate brings blackberry and a fair amount of oak. There are no fun subtleties which is really what I have begun to enjoy. It is very smooth and has no alcohol bite at all.

No real finish, some oak and a touch of fruit linger, but it fades quickly and isn’t terribly interesting.

This is light years ahead of Charles Shaw, I can tell you that much.

If I had to compare this to anything I’d say it’s at the same quality level, though very different in flavor, of the Sutter Home Cabernet Sauvignon we reviewed not long ago which goes for around $5. Simple and inoffensive....fine for a large party, but really not for serious wine fans.

2004 Vinum Cellars G2 KA-POW Late Harvest Gewurztraminer

A while back we reviewed St. Gisbertus Eiswein–a $10 bottle from Aldi–in that review I said it was alright but you can do far better for a few dollars more. When I wrote that, this is the wine I had in mind. Our local wine shop has this available for $12 a bottle.

Floral notes with pineapple and citrus on the nose.

Apricot, honey, a hint of grapefruit, a touch of pineapple, a zing of orange zest, and a suggestion of flowers - perhaps rose water - on the palate....certainly sweet, a bit syrupy, but a nice hit of acid that gives it a phenomenal balance (for a dessert wine).

If we had a cellar I’d own a case of this. I cannot recommend this one strongly enough.

2003 Domaine Henri Gouges, Nuits St. Georges 1er Cru, Les Pruliers

I received a gift certificate for Christmas for our local wine shop. There’s always an internal debate I have with gift certificates—do I spend it on several bottles of wine in our typical price range (under $20) or do I splurge and go for something I’d never buy for myself? Since the ol’ rack is pretty much full I opted to splurge on a $65 bottle with the request from the shop owner that I get a bottle that is a decent representation of good quality Burgundy.

We enjoy Pinot Noir from the New World but really haven’t enjoyed much from Burgundy, especially towards the higher end (I am well aware this is not a “top” Burgundy). Most good Burgundy need a bit more time in the bottle but I was told this one would be a good representation even if opened right away.

Funk on the nose--earth, barnyard, and a bit of alcohol.

The palate has some strawberry, raspberry, and cherry with lots of earth and a bit of wood. I get some chocolate and coffee (which I suppose means mocha) in the background as well.

Smooth tannins on the finish, lingering mocha, and very late in the finish I get an odd bit of hazelnut and maybe just a touch of pine.

I hope that at some point in my life I’ll be able to buy a case of this sort of wine and drink it over a decade. For now, this one special bottle will have to do. I’ve been a bit afraid of French wine in general, but I think there will probably be some more Burgundy on here in the upcoming months.

2005 Rodney Strong Russian River Valley Pinot Noir

We really haven’t had a lot of Pinot Noir since we started to really get into wine....I think it’s because other wine (Cabernet, Shiraz, etc) overpower them at tastings and in turn we usually grab the bigger, bolder wines. The more we drink Pinot Noirs, the more I love them because they are wines that benefit tremendously with serious thought and contemplation.

This one retails for $18 but I found it on sale for $11–being one who can’t pass a bargain I jumped on it.

I get wood, earth and funk on the nose.

On the palate: a touch of wood, earth, light berry fruit and a hint of vanilla.

The finish is subtle–wood, earth, and lingering vanilla.

This is a big enough label (I got it at a grocery store) that there’s no reason to pay the full retail price....it will go on sale and when it does I’d say go for it. For the price, you can probably do better at your local serious wine shop, but if you’re grabbing something at the market—go for it.

2005 Delicato Pinot Grigio

A while back we went to a wine tasting and there was an excellent Shiraz that was something along the lines of $12 a bottle, but a box which equaled four full bottles was a mere $20. The guy working the table was talking about the fact that great box wine now exists and is becoming easier to find. This one was–a four bottle box–was on sale for mere $15 so I figured I’d give it a shot. I bought it thinking it was the one we tried at the tasting.

It's not.

The whole thing just smacks of pineapple...the nose, the palate, even the finish.

The nose has vanilla, pineapple, even some butter....to me, it reminds me of lousy Chardonnay. No acid...in fact, it almost tastes watered down.

The finish has some butter and a bit of pineapple, it fades quickly.

If you are a wine drinker, I can't recommend this. Maybe it will work in a spritzer. Bland, generic, not unlike something from Sutter Home.

2006 Mollydooker The Violinist Verdelho

I am a sucker for a cool label and with Mollydooker’s strong reputation I figured I’d pick up a bottle of this one.

In a word: big. It reminds me of a Sauvignon Blanc on steroids.

The nose hits you with pineapple.

Though it’s somewhat creamy, I get lots of pineapple, white grapefruit, some herbal notes, and a nice amount of acid. It’s fruity, but not sweet.

The finish has an alcohol burn (no shock–15% alcohol) and I’m getting papaya.

I’ve never had a Verdelho before so I have nothing to compare this to, but this one is big and heavy.

I prefer my whites lighter and crisper, so this one just isn’t my style. If you like big, bold whites I’d recommend it. If you’re like me and enjoy Riesling and the like, avoid this one.

2005 Piesporter Michelsberg Riesling Auslese

I love cheap (this one was $9) German Rieslings. Seriously. Low alcohol, off dry/semi-sweet, acidic enough, and thoroughly quaffable–they are a perfect simple wine that you can drink with anything or nothing.

The downside is that they’re way too easy to drink. One can easily finish a bottle without even realizing it.

Mild stone fruit on the nose and a touch of stone.

The palate is stone fruit: peach/nectarine/apricot, with some apple and even grape.

The finish brings just a touch of spice and perhaps pear.

Quite frankly, it’s not well balanced, the acid that’s there doesn’t really balance it out. It’s not complex...I mean, I taste grapes. The lesson here is that a wine need not be balanced and terribly complex to be good. It’s simple and easy drinking, the wine you’ll bring on a picnic or will crack open when it’s 90 degrees and you’re hanging out on the deck.

2005 Boekenhoutskloof The Wolftrap

This South African wine is a blend of Syrah, Cinsault, Mourvedre, and Viognier. South Africa is a great country to investigate if you’re a fan of wine...places like South Africa, Chile, Argentina, and even Spain have some outstanding bargains. This one cost me $10.

There’s no doubt here, this is a food wine. Big, bold, jammy, spicy, acidic and with medium tannins it begs for big, flavorful food.

Alcohol and earth on the nose.

The palate is fruity and spicy–ripe blackberries, plums, a bit of cherry, some cinammon, and black pepper, all with bit of earth

Firmly acidic in an unusual way....the 5% Viognier (a white grape) may be the source of that, but it may also be the terrior. It's difficult to describe, but most wine has a very nice blended taste to it...the acid and fruit just work together...with this they just seem seperate. Imagine the difference between a blended squash soup--everything just works together. Now think about a salad with a balsalmic dressing--everything compliments each other but by contrast. This has that contrast feel to it, but don't get me wrong--it works.

If you like big red wine I’d recommend it, especially at this price. At $10, you can’t get anything with this depth from the US or even Australia.

2006 Rosemount Estate Diamond Label Pinot Noir

I saw this at the local shop for $8. I was in a Pinot Noir sort of mood and realized the past few we’ve had were in the $15 range so it would be interesting to try a cheap one again.

Alcohol, cherry, spice, and some bell pepper on the nose.

The palate is a bit sharp with hints of green and underripe blackberries and spice, mainly cinnamon and clove. The mid-palate brings some earth.

The finish has an alcohol bite and fades to bitter strawberries.

If I had to compare it to something, I’d say it’s like a less offensive Charles Shaw. It is a 2006 so perhaps it needs some time on the rack. Maybe I’ll revisit this one next fall to see if it develops something, but in the meantime avoid this one.

2004 Mount Pleasant Merlot

This is our final Mount Pleasant Winery review for the near future. The prices of their red wine are way too high for the quality and this ultimately made me decide to quit their wine club. I have no problem dropping $30 (this one’s retail price) or even double that for a bottle of wine, but when we’re in that price range, I expect a wine to be truly excellent.

Oak, anise, and black fruit in the nose.

The palate has lots of wood–oak, tobacco, smoke, with some ripe black fruit–plums, blackberry, even a hint of strawberry. While it’s dry and tannic, it’s still medium bodied so it’s fairly easy to pair with whatever you’re eating.

The finish is all wood, with some licorice, and perhaps, just maybe a touch of raspberry. Very tannic. Even after being open for a full 24 hours, it’s still firm...maybe it needs some more time in the bottle.

Overall, here’s a wine that isn’t half bad at all...but the cold reality, especially at my age (20s), is that price matters a tremendous deal.

For $10 I’d buy it again, for $15 I’d recommend it, for $19 I’d say it’s good but somewhat overpriced though overall recommended. $30? I just can’t. Yes, it’s a smaller winery, it’s Missouri fruit, and it’s a nice place to visit....but this just doesn’t cut it.

Next time we go to St. Louis we will not hesitate visiting the winery, we’ll do a tasting, we’ll even buy a case, and perhaps, in the spur of the moment, I’ll buy one of their $30 bottles....and when I open that bottle months later I’ll remember a nice afternoon in Missouri wine country and we’ll enjoy it...but with no sentimentality attached, this is nothing more than a “good wine” that’s being sold at a “great wine” price.

2002 Domaine Pichot Vouvray Domaine Le Peu de la Moriette

For our 100th post, I bring you a wine from a region we enjoy but haven’t reviewed yet–Vouvray.

To me, Vouvray tastes like what a Sauternes would taste like if the grapes didn’t quite reach the noble rot....not quite German Riesling, not quite Gewurz, not quite Pinot Grigio...distinct from those, but similar enough that if you like any of them, you should give one a shot.

Vouvray is made with Chenin Blanc, but the only CB I've had from the New World has been bone dry, so they don't really compare. A bit on the sweeter side and they tend to have some nice acidity to balance it out. We pair them with Asian and spicier faire–and we’re enjoying this one with some Moo Shoo Vegetable.

The nose has honey, peaches, and some floral notes.

The palate is light, fruity and a bit floral—peaches, a touch of spice–think peach pie. I get just a touch of vanilla and perhaps butter as well...not something I’d expect in Chenin Blanc.
The finish has some citrus–-orange zest and lemons.

I think there’s just a bit too much sugar (or perhaps a touch short of enough acid) for it to be well balanced, but at $9 I'd buy it again and say you should give it a shot.

2005 St. Christopher Gewurztraminer

I picked this one up some time ago for $6 and remember thoroughly enjoying it so I figured I’d give it another shot.

This can be described in one word: quaffable. It’s almost dangerous in how easy drinking is. On the nose, lots of floral and some nice ripe stone fruit.

The palate is all about apricot, peaches, and just a touch of spice–a bit like peach pie filling. It’s got some acidity, but a bit less than I’d expect, so it’s not all that well balanced, but it’s still a great, simple wine.

A bit of sweetness and a bit of spice, if you’ve never had a Gewurz you can do far worse. This may be a sweet and simple version, but it’s got a lot of varietal characteristic and I think, for the price, you’re not going to do better.

N/V Mumm Napa Blanc de Noirs

This will probably be our last sparkling wine for a while, we’re really more red wine drinkers and I think my hankering has been just about quenched. This one goes for about $15 and can be found in grocery stores with a decent wine selection.

On the palate, there’s tart apples, sour strawberries, and some floral notes. There’s lots of acid (almost too much) which give it a much firmer backbone than I’m used to. The fruitiness does not bring sweetness--this one is absolutely a dry wine.

The finish starts with an alcohol burn–something I’ve never had in a sparkling wine until now--and has a bit of yeast and apples, that both slowly fade away.

At $15, this isn’t half bad. I’d like to give this winery’s other sparkling wines a shot before buying this one again.

2003 Toasted Head Cabernet Sauvignon

This is a pretty popular brand that we’ve finally gotten around to trying, I paid $11 for this one but it seems to retail for closer to $15.

The nose is a bit misleading–it’s all oak, black fruit, and earth.

I get raspberry, cherry, a bit of blueberry, a touch of vanilla, some mild oak, and very smooth tannins. It’s definitely a Cab, but it’s fruity for the varietal. The oak really comes out on the finish, with some tobacco, and cherry on top of it.

It's not a terribly complex Cabernet, but it's good one. Soft enough to drink alone, but firm enough to have with dinner, this holds up and in the lower teen price range, this is priced right.

I’m a sucker for a cool label and am always happy when the wine inside is as good as the outside. A great looking bottle and a great tasting wine–to me, that’s the recipe for a great gift. With Christmas around the corner I’ll be buying this one again and passing it along.

2002 Chateau Ste Michelle Columbia Valley Cabernet Sauvignon

This is a common wine that you can find just about anywhere, the retail prices ranges from $12-15 but I was able to use a sale, a quantity discount, and “holiday special” to my advantage and paid $8. Since wine really isn’t perishable, if you encounter a good deal, you may as well go for it.

The nose brings cherries, licorice, a bit of chocolate, and I even get some marzipan. And now that I have typed that, I am now craving marzipan.

The palate is nice and smooth. Cherries, blackberries, oak, anise, with smooth tannins. It’s an easy drinking wine but does have some backbone so it will hold up well with food. We had it with potato and onion pierogi and it went well.

The finish starts off with leather and gradually fades to cherries with a bit of vanilla.

I have to say I’m impressed. I’d buy this again, even at the $12 price range, and would be more than happy to serve it to guests. If you see this one for under $10, do not hesitate--pick it up.

This is the lowest level Cab that Chateau Ste Michelle offers, if this is their $12 wine, I will not hesitate picking up their $30 label (Cold Creek) next time a special occasion calls for it.

2004 Damianitza Reserva Melnik

I arrived at a local pizza place before my food was ready and decided to head to the liquor store next door and see what they had. They had all the typical wine you’d expect to find in a grocery store, and for some odd reason, around half a dozen Bulgarian wines. Seeing as I’ve never had wine from Bulgaria, I figured that at $9 it was worth a shot.

My understanding is that Damianitza is the winery, this is their “reserve” wine, and the region/city is Melnik. With some research I discovered that the grape this wine is made from is Shiroka Melnishka Loza, a grape only found in Bulgaria. This is from the Southwest part of Bulgaria near Greece and Macedonia. According to www.bulgarianwine.com, this region has less than 5% of Bulgaria’s vineyards.

I had no idea what to expect, and I have to say this was a very pleasant surprise. This is great...an excellent quality wine especially at this price.

I get ripe cherries on the nose and some black fruit. The palate hits you with earth for the most part and some plum, blackberry, anise, and oak. There’s plenty of firm, but smooth tannins for a strong backbone. I’d actually say this one is shockingly good. This is an Old World wine and it’s proud of it...earthy and funky with fruit more in the background. If you gave this to me blind I’d probably guess it was a Chianti Classico.

At $9, I’d buy it again and I’d recommend it, if you can find it.

N/V Cook’s Brut

I had a taste for something sparkling and always see this brand at the store, but have never tried it. It is the cheapest one you’ll probably wine at $5 a bottle. Not wanting to add to the grocery bill but still wanting something I picked this one up to give a shot.

This is not made in the typical Champagne style, the secondary fermentation–the one that makes the bubbles–happens in vats rather than the individual bottle.

The first thing I notice is how this has a lot more carbonation right as you pour it, and after it sits in the glass for a few minute it looks pretty much flat.

The palate is boring, a bit of yeast, some sugar, and a lot of grapes.

The finish reminds me of orange soda. Sweet, lingering, I wouldn’t go as far as to say chemicals, but I would say there seems to be something artificial there.

No palate and a strange finish comes as no real shock with a $5 sparkling wine. As a wine, this pretty much fails, but I’d say it does succeed as a tolerable, cheap drink. I’ve had some truly bad wine and this isn’t one of them...it’s just not good. If you’re having a large party, say for New Years, with a lot of people who were already drinking, there’s no reason to go better than this (unless we’re invited, of course).

2001 Rotari Brut Riserva

Yesterday we had the standard non-vintage Rotari which was $9. This is the 2001 Riserva and ran for $11. A side by side tasting probably would’ve been more fun, but it also would’ve left us with two open bottles and only one sparkling wine saver.

Compared to the regular, this has more yeast, more citrus, and some distinct oak flavors. The regular had a nice, soft strawberry finish–this has none of that and is far more tart. A fair amount of lemon

The review I read of the regular Rotari said it could pass for a non-vintage Champagne...perhaps it could. This one certainly tastes like a lower end Champagne–I’d compare it to the Kirkland we had the other day.

I’ve been very open about the fact that with sparkling wine my palate is a bit unsophisticated. To me, this one is good, but the non-vintage is clearly better. Either way–$9 or $11 you’ll spend your money wisely by picking up a bottle.

N/V Rotari “Arte Italiana” Brut

I’m on an e-mail list called “The 30 Second Wine Advisor” that I enjoy...I tend to agree with the reviews from it, but a lot of times I just can’t get the wine reviewed there. The other day a glowing review came for this one, so I did a quick search and sure enough, my local store had it for $8.99.

This one is from Italy, but don’t confuse it with Prosecco or anything like that, this is from an area in Trento that only does Champagne-style sparkling wines. This Brut wine is 90% Chardonnay and 10% Pinot Noir.

A bit of yeast, some apple, pear, a bit of citrus, and the always surprising, grape–it’s quite fruity, but there is a hint of toast that gives it some nice backbone. Nicely balanced, fruity, but dry...this one is impressive.

The finish hits you with strawberry and then fades to grapes.

I find this to be significantly more pleasing than that Kirkland Champagne we had the other day for $20. Less than half the price, for a wine I find to be genuinely better...I’ll be buying this often and if you can find it, give it a shot.

2005 Runaway Red Pinot Noir

A red label, a hammer and sickel, and a photo of Trotsky...oh yes, it’s Runaway Red. Even at $15, this label was too funny to pass up. Capitalizing on Communism? I should break out my Rage Against the Machine CDs (on Sony Records).

On the nose, while there is some fruit–I’m thinking boysenberry–it’s pretty much all must and earth...exactly what a Pinot Noir should be.

The palate shows us a light/medium bodied Pinot with smooth tannins. Some cherry, perhaps plum, and a fair amount of funk. It's more earthy than fruity, but extremely well balanced. This is an easy drinking wine and would have been excellent at Thanksgiving and can pair with I’d imagine almost anything.

I think I’m coming to terms with the fact that though I do enjoy the heavier reds, if I just want to sit and relax with a glass of wine, something like this is what I need. I’d cheerfully buy this one again.

2003 Kirkland Super Tuscan

This is what’s known as Super-Tuscan. Basically, a Chianti on steroids: 60% Sangiovesse (the typical Chianti varietal) 30% Cabernet Sauvignon, and 10% Merlot.

This was $20 at Costco and is that store’s private label.

The nose has lots of dark fruit and chocolate with a bit of tobacco and wood. After letting it open for a few hours, I get a very strong hit of cherry cordial.

The instant this hits the palate, you know you’re in for something big...this is chewy wine. Lots of earth, tar, oak, vanilla, tobacco, chocolate, with dark ripe fruit and very firm tannins (I’ll go as far as too firm). I typically think of Italian wine as being “funky” and this one is no different.

Sadly, we’re not frequent Super Tuscan drinkers so I can’t say I have a whole lot to compare this to. I’d probably try a few more of this type of wine at lower price points and revisit it in a few months to see how it holds up.

N/V Sokol Blosser Evolution Lucky #9–10th edition

A blend of Riesling, Pinot Gris, Pinot Blanc, Chardonnay, Muller-Thurgau, Semillon, Muscat, Gewurtztraminer, and Sylvaner–-most “blends” consist of 2-4 varietals, so this one with nine is somewhat unusual. I got this one on sale for $11, but most of the time I see it around $15.

Good acid, a bit of sweetness but not overbearing, this is a nicely balanced wine. I’m going to guess most of the wine in this bottle is from Riesling. There’s just a hint of spice that must be coming from the Gewurtz, plenty of the typical green apple you get on a Riesling, a fair amount of peaches, a touch of apricot, a bit of the grapey taste you get from Muscat. Interestingly, I’m getting some grapefruit/tropical fruit that I at first said “it’s from the Sauvignon Blanc,” yet that varietal is not in the blend.

I’m not as familiar with the other varietals in this blend so I’m sure some of these qualities come from those as well.

Many would call this a “summer wine” and I tend to agree, it’s a good one to bring on a picnic and such. That being said, I believe the acid and touch of sweetness would’ve worked well at Thanksgiving dinner as well.

An excellent balance, a complex palate, a lingering fruity finish...this is an excellent wine and even at $15 would be worth buying again.

N/V Kirkland Signature Brut Champagne

I was perusing this food message board and a few people were speaking very highly of Costco’s private label wine, Kirkland. The thing that interested me has that these wines are by no means cheap...most were $20 and they went as high as $50.

This Champagne–that’s actually from Champagne–was $19.99. I don’t think I’ve ever seen a real Champagne for under $25 in this area, and most are much higher. According to the label, this is produced by Sas Janisson, a producer who puts out a Champagne that runs $30-$35.

Lots of fruit on the palate, pears/apples, some tropical fruit, a bit of citrus, and some toast as well. It’s fruity and when I think Brut, I think drier than this, this strikes me as more of an Extra Dry. The finish has some nice yeast that’s balances with acid and fruit and I even get a bit of pecan at the tail end.

A while back we had Moet & Chandon White Star and did not like it one bit. We also had the Veuve Clicquot Ponsardin which we loved. I’ll put this right in the middle. At $20, a Champagne of this quality will be in a half bottle.

If there’s a special occasion coming up (New Years, perhaps) and you want to pick up a few good bottles at a great price I’d say go for it.

2005 Mount Pleasant Cuvée Blanc

This is an odd review to write. Most of the wine we buy and review are things we’ve either tried, come with strong reviews from people who know basically what we like, or are so inexpensive that I’m very forgiving.

We received this wine with our “wine club” membership from Mount Pleasant. Knowing this one saw some time in oka, I didn’t even put this one on the rack, I just let it sit on the counter for a few days to settle it down, chilled it, and cracked it open.

Retailing at $14, this is made from the Vidal Blanc, a hybrid grape that can withstand harsh winters so you’ll find this a lot in the Midwest.

The nose has a bit of pineapple and oak.

For lack of a better way to describe it, this tastes like Pine-Sol. A bit of lemon, a bit of pineapple, and a lot of pine. There’s some acid, but that just makes it taste like a cleaning product....the wood flavors turn what could’ve been a decent wine to something unbearable.

The finish has lots of vanilla at first and fades away to Pine-Sol....unpleasant is an understatement.

This is really all a matter of taste, the notion of white wine in oak repulses me...I thought I’d give it a shot, but alas....terrible. Lots of people love this style, it just does not work for me.

2003 Pierre Sparr Gewürztraminer Reserve

Lychee and apricot on the nose.

It’s fruity–peaches/stone fruit but not all that sweet, I get lots of floral notes and a reasonable amount of honey. The finish does have a bit of spice, but not as big as I’m used to.

This is pretty much like this is what we’re used to (US style), only everything is a bit more subtle...slight sweetness, slight spice, but firm acid. I don’t say that as a bad thing really, because it’s all still balanced and not overwhelming as some other Gewurtz we’ve had tend to get.

I like this a lot, but Fran does not. Fran needs a bit of sweetness and lots of acid to balance it out.....I do prefer that, but this is still good. It maybe a “a bit” sweet but compared to a lot of the Gewurtz from Germany, this is bone dry.

It’s not bad, for a $13 Alsace Gewurtztraminer it’s a decent representation of the Alsatian style.

If all you know is Oregon and Germany for this varietal, I’d say pick this one up....it’s not as bone dry or pungent as some Alsatian Gewurtztraminer that I’ve had, but it’s heading down that road and worth checking out for that fact alone.

2005 Gnarly Head Old Vines Zinfandel

This one was going for $8 and came with praise from a friend of mine so I figured I’d pick it up.

The nose hits you with alcohol–not too shocking when it’s 14.5%. Other than that, it’s pretty green—-bell pepper in particular–which is a bit troubling.

The palate releases all fears though–blackberry, overripe strawberry, plums, some oak and spice on the palate–overall I’d call it jammy. The tannins are smooth and this is a very easy drinking wine. We’re eating it with pizza which is a great match, but I’d imagine any sort of BBQ would compliment this well. This one needs a lot of time to open up, pour your glasses at least an hour before you drink.

Without decanting, the finish has a bit of burn and fades very quickly. After letting it open for about an hour, the alcohol burn is no longer present and I get plenty of long lasting blueberry, though there’s a peculiar green taste in the background—if you’re drinking this with food it’s not detectable, but on it’s own it’s there. Present or not, it’s still a lot better with some time to open, and for $8 it’s not going to be perfect.

In spite of the minor problems, I’d say this one is strongly recommended and I’d buy it again without hesitation.

2006 Domaine Dupeuble Pere et Fils Beaujolais Nouveau

This was the most expensive new Beaujolais the local shop had, retail was $15 but since I was there the first day it was $12.

It’s amazing how different this one is from the Georges Duboeuf.

No real nose, maybe a bit of strawberry but not a whole lot.

Dry, even a bit tannic, this one reminds me of a very light bodied Pinot Noir. Raspberry, strawberry, a bit of spice, even some earth, and I actually get a hint of wood even though (I’m assuming) this hasn’t seen oak.

This bottle had quite a bit of sediment in it, so I’d recommend either decanting it or storing it right side up and dumping those last few ounces.

I will say this—I grabbed this off the rack, opened it, poured it and it was pretty terrible at room temperature. I thought I’d throw the chiller on it and give it a second shot, and sure enough—drink this one chilled! Most things I read suggest Beaujolais Nouveau is better chilled–-I say, don’t even think about drinking it without at least 30 minutes in the fridge.