Category Archives: Everyday Wines

Pinot Noir Review: Fleur 2006

Fleur Pinot Noir 2006 – Carneros

Fleur Pinot Noir red wine label Ever since “Sideways” came out, everyone and their brother became a Pinot Noir snob, and the wine suppliers reacted by flooding the market with all kinds of swill labeled with that classic French varietal. Four years after the movie, wine shops can’t keep enough Pinot Noir stocked on the shelves — from all areas of the world and at all price points. Some of it is good, much of it mediocre, and too many are awful. The problem is that you can’t force production of the wine anywhere you want, anytime you want — Pinot Noir is a fragile grape, easily affected by temperature changes and representative of the quality of its soil. The reason it wasn’t a big deal in the mass market before is because of its fragility — it’s difficult to make good-quality Pinot Noir, period, never mind trying it year in and year out.

If you’ve ever had REAL Pinot Noir — the stuff that costs a minimum of $40 per bottle and has all kinds of French words that 95% of the population can’t comprehend — then you know that most of the affordable wines labeled “Pinot Noir” from outside Burgundy are, well, pretenders. But that’s not to say you can’t find a decent drinker.

For a while, I turned my nose up at these pretenders, then realized how dumb it was of me to do so. It was a matter of managing expectations; previously, when the label said “Pinot Noir”, I was expecting sheer bliss in a bottle. Now, I look at the price tag — if it’s under 25 bucks, I’m just hoping the wine is drinkable, and judge it as a “red wine”, rather than against the glories of Burgundy.

As it turns out, there are valid quaffers and good table wines labeled as Pinot Noir in my cheapskate price range, and I’m constantly on the lookout for well-made bargains. I found one recently from the Fleur winery in Carneros, California — for about $13.

Tasting Notes: Fleur Pinot Noir 2006 Carneros

Bright, open nose of fresh sweet strawberry, red cherry, maraschino, red raspberry and a distinct floral character â€“ hence the name “Fleur”. In the mouth you get upfront, forward fruit: ripe strawberry, red cherries, red raspberry, and cranberry. Acidity is mild to medium, tannins are mild. This wine drinks similarly to a soft Beaujolais Cru (Fleurie?), and is enjoyable on its own though better with food. Have it with roast chicken, pork chops, turkey, vegetarian cuisine. A good value.

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

Fleur de California winery website

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Merlot Review: Domaine de Gournier

Domaine de Gournier Merlot 2005

Domaine de Gournier Merlot wine label Ever since reading the novel Sideways(and watching the movie), I’ve been obsessed with finding quality Merlot wines — so forgive me if I post too many reviews on them.

This one comes from France, from the southwestern part of the country (officially, “South West”) — a region that is often overlooked by the wine snobs because of its history as an area of high-volume production. However, there are many, many, tiny producers strewn throughout the South West, from places such as Languedoc-Roussillon, Costieres de Nimes, and Provence — which is where Domaine de Gournier is situated.

Luckily, there is an American importer by the name of Bobby Kacher who knows this area pretty well, and brings in some high quality bottles at more than fair prices. This Merlot is no exception.

Tasting Notes: Domaine de Gournier Merlot

A bright, ripe, open red wine. On the nose is black fruit, tar, tobacco, earth, and black pepper. . Luscious and jammy upfront, spilling over with black and red raspberries. Smooth as glass texture, almost creamy, carrying the ripe fruit into a well balanced finish of mild acidity, medium tannins, and plenty of berries and spice. Match it with burgers, chili, sloppy joes, tacos, and cheesy dishes. A full, fruit-forward, classy wine that over-delivers on its price. At about nine bucks or less, it is a great value.

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

Importer: Robert Kacher Selections

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Red Wine Review: Andezon CDR

Domaine d’ Andezon Cotes du Rhone 2004

Domaine Andezon Cotes du Rhone wine bottle 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, shepherdâ€™s pie, pot roast, and similar â€œbistroâ€ 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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Red Wine Review: San Fabiano Chianti

Fattoria San Fabiano Chianti Putto 2004

Fattoria San Fabiano Chianti 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 canâ€™t go wrong. Added bonus: it passed the â€œtwo night testâ€ ; 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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Red Wine Review: Les Deux Rives Corbieres

Les Deux Rives Corbieres Rouge 2005

Val d'Orbieu Les Deux Rives Corbieres rouge wine bottle Summer is the best time for drinking white and pink wines, but that doesn’t mean you should swear off reds completely. In fact, now is a good time to sample lighter reds that you might not consider during the braising and roasting seasons of autumn and winter.

One such lighter-bodied red, which I find to be a nice match for an array of summertime meals, is Les Deux Rives Corbieres rouge (lay doo reev core bee air rooozh). If you didn’t take French 101, and don’t know much about France’s wine geography, you might have some trouble pronouncing this wine, much less understanding all the gobbledygook on the label.

First, let’s talk about the brand name. “Les Deux Rives” is the name representing the best wine blend of Corbieres produced by les Vignerons du Val d’Orbieu, a group of winegrowers based in Narbonne in Southern France (Val d’Orbieu is in small print somewhere on the label, but this wine is best known by the former moniker).

Additionally, “Les Deux Rives” means “the two banks”, as of a river or other water current (as opposed to Chase and Wachovia). In this case, it refers to the two banks of the Canal du Midi, a canal built in the 1600s that ran through the Corbieres region connected the Mediterranean to the Atlantic. It was one of the most important routes for transporting wines of the Languedoc-Roussillon to northern France, Europe and beyond. The label, in fact, is a rendition of a 1920s postcard of the Canal. So now you have a cool story to tell your friends when you’re pouring the wine.

In addition to the story of the label, it’s helpful to know something about Corbieres. The Corbieres is one of the largest wine appellations in France, a sub-region of the Languedoc-Roussillon, located in the south of France, below Minervois and along the Mediterranean Sea. The main grape grown there is Carignan, which you’ll see throughout the south of France and also in California, and is usually used in combination with other grapes such as Grenache and Cinsault. For a long time, the wines of Corbieres were considered “cheap plonk”, and deserved little attention from critics. However, there are now many fine wines produced in the region, including several excellent values.

This Corbieres from Les Deux Rives is a blend of mostly Grenache and Syrah, with lesser amounts of Mourvedre and Carignan. The nose is soft, not too expressive. Smells of black cherry, hints of earth and tar. Soft and easy on the palate. Not too complex, but good balance and structure that makes it an ideal match for mildly flavored foods, seasoned fish (blackened), fried chicken, hash browns, mild cheeses. Acidity is medium, tannins are soft to medium. Flavors are black cherry, cranberry, red raspberry, touch of mineral, and an earthy, herbal / vegetal component. Smooth texture.

I discovered this wine about six or seven years ago ever since have had it on my list of reliable standbys. Year in and year out, Les Deux Rives provides a consistent flavor profile and structure that is typical of the Corbieres. Itâ€™s a step above Beaujolais, a step below Syrah (more like Grenache) — a solid, “bistro” wine and good value. Match it with roasted chicken, lamb, mac and cheese, burgers, and pretty much anything off the grill.