October 2007

Merryvale Reserve Merlot 2003 Napa Valley

Did you watch Sideways? And did you buy into the whole idea that Merlot is for “pedestrian” wine drinkers, and otherwise not worthy of your attention?

OK, then, move on … nothing to see here. (And more Merlot for me!)

For those who remain, following is my opinion of Merryvale Merlot Reserve 2003. Merryvale is a brand I’ve found to have a consistently strong price:value ratio — and once in a while deliver a knockout. This particular bottle is excellent, made from 85% Merlot, 12% Cabernet Sauvignon, and 3% Petit Verdot grapes from four of Merryvale’s vineyards in Napa Valley.

Tasting Notes

Nose is fairly open, showing ripe, deep aromas of black berry fruit, sweet and bitter earth, mild hint of licorice. On the palate the texture is as smooth as glass, carrying ripe, luscious red and black raspberry, blueberry, a touch of mulberry, hint of vanilla, some sweet earth, black pepper, and the slightest bit of green bell pepper. In other words, very complex, and enjoyable. Both tannins and acidity are medium to medium high, and hold the fruit together well. Some alcohol is apparent on the finish, heating things up a bit, but not so much that it is overbearing. The finish is lengthy and enjoyable, with plenty of fruit giving way to ripe tannins after around a minute. Overall this is an excellent example of a ripe Napa Valley Merlot fruit, bordering on a jammy fruit bomb – but staying just below that to be a polished, well balanced wine for enjoyment on its own or with food. Best with steak, roasted or grilled game, and fine cheeses. A kick ass wine that is hitting on all cylinders right now. Note that this is not the “Starmont” line – which is also a good value – but rather a “Reserve”, which is $10-15 more and more difficult to find, but well worth the search. Even at $39 this is a good value, and a fantastic choice for steak.

a-8 t-9 b-10 fc-9 v-8 ~ 94 Points

Merryvale Vineyards Website

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Canella Prosecco

It’s been a while since we’ve done a sparkling wine review … and I really should post more of these. After all, why wait for a celebration to open a bottle of bubbly? Shouldn’t every day be celebratory?

Yeah, yeah, I know … how many of us can afford to drink Champagne every day? Well, who says your bubbly has to be Champagne? There are plenty of inexpensive sparkling wines — imported and domestic — that have the excitement of bubbles, taste great, and won’t give you a headache.

For example, this Prosecco from Canella is a wonderfully appealing, easy drinking sparkler that will set you back only about ten to twelve bucks.

Tasting Notes: Canella Prosecco

Clean, mild nose exhibiting a touch of citrus and mineral. In the mouth, bubbles are coarse, flavor is clean with some salty mineral. There is enough acidity to match fairly well with food. Citrusy fruit, light body, easy drinking, simple and short but pleasing finish.
Try it with spicy dishes as a foil, or with fish, and with Greek cuisine (goes well with tzatziki). It’s equally enjoyable as an aperitif, palate cleanser, and with simple appetizers. A great value.

a-7 t-7 b-8 fc-8 v-9 ~ 89 Points

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Note about the above links: even if you aren’t interested in purchasing a wine online, it’s a good idea to click on both of the above links to get a ballpark idea of what a local retailer should be charging for the wine. And you may just get lucky and find out that the wine is available right around the corner!

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Saint Clair Vicar’s Choice Pinot Noir 2006

Since the Sideways-induced boom of Pinot Noir, a number of affordable bottlings have been emerging from down under — meaning New Zealand rather than Australia. And it makes sense, as the most prominent wine region in Kiwi land is Marlborough, which just so happens to have the ideal climate for growing Pinot Noir vines — dry, sunny, and cool.

Tasting Notes

From the Marlborough region of New Zealand comes this bottle, dubbed “Vicar’s Choice” by the producer Saint Clair. As you might expect, Saint Clair also makes a fine Sauvignon Blanc, which we may review at a later date. For now, let’s talk about the Pinot Noir.

The color is very light — it could be mistaken for a deep rose — but the paleness belies its bigness. Open nose of stemmy green fruit, ripe cherry and raspberry, some hints of earth. Flavors are similar — ripe cherry, raspberry, and cranberry, with touches of earth, mild tobacco, mineral, and a hint of green / unripe fruit. Acidity is surprisingly medium-high, and appropriate for the fruit concentration. Tannins are medium, and also in good balance. The wine finishes with sour cranberry and cherry flavors, ripe tannins, and mouthwatering acidity.

Overall this is an excellent under-$20 Pinot Noir, showing good complexity and polish. Its subtle greenness and minerality reminds one more of an Alsace Pinot Noir than a jammy example from the New World — which is a good thing. It is enjoyable on its own but really finds its potential on the table. Match it with simply prepared chicken, complex fish, turkey, vegetarian dishes, roast pork (pork loin), mild cheeses.

I’ve seen this at various price points between $12 and $18; even at the higher end, it’s a fair value (and a great one at the lower point). Whatever the cost, it’s a good choice as a “weekend wine”.

a-8 t-8 b-8 fc-9 v-9 ~ 92 Points

Importer: Winesellers Ltd.

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Domaine d’ Andezon Cotes du Rhone 2004

It’s autumn in the Northern Hemisphere and that means it’s time to start transitioning from the heat of summer to the cold of winter. Oh, and from the light, crisp, cold white wines to the heavier bodied, warm red wines — to match the richer, warmer dishes and “comfort foods” people tend to enjoy more as the weather gets chilly. One wine that seems to go hand in hand with the fall season is Cotes du Rhone, a hearty red wine from the southern Rhone region of France.

Cotes-du-Rhone (COAT- duh - RONE) — or “CDR” for short — is found under many brand names, and usually a blend dominated by the grapes Syrah and Grenache (although several other grapes can be contained, including but not limited to Mourvedre, Cinsault, and Carignane). The grapes can be harvested from all over the Rhone region, though most come from the southern part of the region. Many wineries make both a red version and a white version (the white usually includes Viognier, Marsanne, Roussanne, and/or Grenache Blanc), but the reds are much more popular in the States.

It used to be that CDRs were heavy, fairly tannic wines that would match well only with high-protein foods. However, the Cotes-du-Rhones on the shelf today are for the most part more lively, fruity, and fun compared to their ancestors. You may hear some Frenchmen refer to CDR as a “bistro wine”, because it will go with a number of simple dishes you might find on the menu of a French bistro — such as hamburger, mac and cheese, meat pies, stews, braises, roast chicken, etc.

Tasting Notes

This particular bottle is from Domaine d’Andezon, which is a 25-acre estate in the village of Estezargues, situated on the southwestern edge of the Rhone Valley delta. Included in the vineyards are low-yielding Syrah vines that are up to 100 years old (that’s a big deal; old vines mean longer roots, which many people think deliver more complexity to the fruit).

Fresh, bright, ripe red berry flavors dominate the nose and palate, along with some black berry, earth, and pepper. Red raspberry, black raspberry, black cherry, a touch of red licorice are some of the flavors I get. Very clean, with a smooth texture. Acidity and tannins are equal, and somewhere between mild and medium intensity. This wine is rich and mouthfilling enough to be very appealing on its own, and is even better with food.

Drink this with burgers, stews, shepherd’s pie, pot roast, and similar “bistro” dishes.

A solid wine, a good choice as an everyday red for the dinner table. At less than ten bucks, a good value.

a-7 t-7 b-8 fc-8 v-8 ~ 88 Points

Importer: Eric Solomon Selections / European Wine Cellars

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Simi Sonoma County Chardonnay 2005

Simi is a California winery founded over 125 years ago by two brothers named Giuseppe and Pietro Simi, from Tuscany, Italy. The Simi brothers built a successful business before both died just after the turn of the 20th century, leaving the estate to Giuseppe’s daughter Isabelle, who continued the business with help from her husband Fred Haight. The business continued to flourish until Prohibition (1920), and picked up right where it left off when Prohibition was repealed in 1933.

It’s an interesting story, told in more detail at the Simi website. What you need to know is that Simi remains an historic estate — by most accounts the longest continually operating winery in California (they made “sacramental” wines during Prohibition) and has gained significant respect and popularity over the last 30 years, thanks to high quality bottlings. Current winemaker Steve Reeder is a star in the industry, with a resume that includes stints at Kendall-Jackson and Chateau St. Jean — where he made some highly acclaimed wines. Simi has been and remains a producer of consistent, high quality wines — you will get what you pay for when their label is on the bottle.

Simi Chardonnay Tasting Notes

The grapes for this wine come from Sonoma County (duh) — specifically, from Alexander Valley, Russian River, and Carneros. The wine was aged in oak barrels for six months prior to bottling.

Lots of bright, ripe, spiced pear on the nose and the palate. Nose also has some honeysuckle and vanilla. Texture is creamy smooth and rich, an ideal vessel for the creamy vanilla, maple, and spice flavors. Though it is obviously oaked and has an almost maple syrup quality, it is not cloying. A decent amount of acidity tries to stand up to the fruit, but needs help from a fair dose of alcohol to provide structure. A thick, rich, full-bodied, full-flavored wine that may be best drunk alone, but also has enough acidity to match successfully with equally rich dishes. Go with bolder pork and poultry dishes, gamey fish (salmon), flavorfully prepared scallops or sea bass, corn chowder, and other dishes that you might consider matching with Pinot Noir or Beaujolais. Tasty and succulent. At somewhere between $15 to $18, appropriately priced.

a-8 t-9 b-7 fc-7 v-7 ~ 88 Points

Website: Simi Winery

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Fattoria San Fabiano Chianti Putto 2004

Chianti has been, and remains, one of my favorite “fall back” wines — a bottle I can open with almost anything, and because of the relatively inexpensive cost, not feel guilty about uncorking to match with a simple everyday meal.

That said, I’m constantly on the lookout for a reasonably priced ($10-$15), quality Chianti. Notice I didn’t say “Chianti Riserva” or “single vineyard” Chianti — these tend to cost upwards of twenty to thirty dollars or more, and deserve to be contemplated over a hunk of grana or a Tuscan-grilled steak or homemade meatballs and marinara. What I’m referring to here is a simple, easy drinking Chianti that will be enjoyable with, say, a slice of pizza or pasta with jar-made sauce.

As usual, my favorite Italian importer Vias comes through with a good bang-for-the-buck bottle, San Fabiano Chianti “Putto”. It’s made from a somewhat traditional Chianti blend — 60% Sangiovese, 20% Malvasia Nera, 10% Cannaiolo, 10% Ciliegiolo 20% Malvasia Toscana — something we’re seeing less and less of since the Consorzio began allowing up to 100% Sangiovese in Chianti Classico DOCG.

San Fabiano Tasting Notes

Good black cherry character, good acidity, well balanced, smooth enough texture, easy going finish. Matches well with all types of food. For about ten bucks, you can’t go wrong. Added bonus: it passed the “two night test” ; it drank nearly as well after being recorked (half bottle left, no carbonation) and poured again the next evening. Match it with pizza, pasta and marinara, mac and cheese, cured meats (i.e., antipasti plate), and similarly simple dishes.

a-7 t-7 b-8 fc-9 v-7 ~ 88 Points

Importer: Vias Wine

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Silver Spur Pinot Noir 2002

I have to admit, I was expecting very little from this wine. Silver Spur was completely unknown to me, as I’d never seen the winery name in a retail shop, on a restaurant list, nor read in a wine magazine. It was sent to me by MyWinesDirect, an internet-only retailer that specializes in introducing unknown wines to ignorant palates such as mine.

With such low expectations, I was pleasantly surprised by the quality of the wine, immediately apparent after being poured into the glass. The nose is forward, and open, and exudes a fresh, ripe aroma of strawberries, black cherry, earth, and a distinctive smokiness. Though this wine hails from California (specifically, Carneros in Napa Valley), it is more “old world” in style – one of the few American Pinot Noirs that remind me of red Burgundy. Unlike the jammy, over-the-top Pinots typically produced in the West Coast heat, this wine is ripe but not overwhelming, and retains both a rustic character and a tie to its terroir (soil).

In the mouth it has a silky smooth texture, and fills the mouth with ripe black cherry, red raspberry, ripe strawberry, some vanilla spice, and a touch of earth and leather. Acidity is appropriately medium, and tannins are likewise. Alcohol is there but subdued, so the finish is barely warm. All in all, an elegant, polished wine that is well balanced, full of fruit, and has an appealing finish. It is enjoyable alone, but will be better with lean dishes, such as turkey, fish, chicken, vegetarian. Or have it with a mild cheese or simple appetizer.

a-9 t-9 b-9 fc-8 v-8 ~ 93 Points

Silver Spur Winery website

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Powers Merlot 2004 Columbia Valley

Real deal price: 12.99

Ho-hum you say … a California Merlot review. Well … not really.

Actually, Powers Merlot is from Washington State — but that’s a giveaway for anyone who took the time to read the label and knows where Columbia Valley is situated. Powers is a “sister” label to Badger Mountain, a 100% organic vineyard also in Columbia Valley (in fact, it was the FIRST vineyard in Washington to be Certified Organic, back in 1990). In 1992, Badger Mountain founders Bill and Greg Powers (a father and son team) decided to make non-organic wines as well, from grapes sourced from well-respected vineyards throughout Columbia Valley — and thus the “Powers” label was born. Though Powers is best known as a Cabernet producer, their Merlot is pretty tasty as well — and a fine value.

Powers Merlot: The Tasting Notes

Open, forward nose of ripe raspberry, black cherry, green earth, black pepper, bell pepper, tar, tea leaves, and a minty herb (anise?) aroma. In the mouth it has super-ripe, juicy raspberry fruit, earth, mild sweet tobacco, black cherry, plum, bell pepper, and hints of chocolate and tar. Texture is smooth. Acidity is somewhere between mild and medium. Tannins are medium, and most noticeable in the midpalate. The finish is a bit hot – the wine’s only significant negative – but also offers some raspberry fruit, black pepper, and earth. This is a good match for burgers, skirt steak, cheeses, braises and stews. At about $12.99, this is a very good to great value.

a-8 t-9 b-7 fc-7 v-9 ~ 90 Points

Powers Winery Website

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