Cabernet Review: Kaiken

Kaiken Cabernet Sauvignon 2007

Kaiken is a somewhat unknown wine brand from Argentina, which is a good thing and a bad thing. It’s a good thing, because it hasn’t yet been discovered and “taken off” in popularity, so the prices are still affordable (around ten bucks or less). It’s a bad thing, because 1) it can be hard to find on retailer’s shelves; and 2) since people don’t see it at their retailer, restaurants are able to mark it up ridiculously. For example, I paid $9.99 for this bottle at my local wine shop, after tasting it at $11 per glass at a local restaurant. Hey, I’m all for restaurants marking up wine to make money — they do have to store it, provide glassware, educate their staff, and make a profit. But there’s a point where markup can become obnoxious.

Anyway, on to the review:

Tasting Notes: Kaiken Cabernet Sauvignon

Rich nose of ripe black berry fruit, spice, touch of earth, leather, and something slightly meaty, animal / barnyard — which, to me, is appealing. Very smooth, almost creamy texture in the mouth, with plenty of ripe berry fruits: blackberry, plum, black cherry, blueberry, boysenberry. Hints of spicy vanilla, earth, sweet tobacco, chocolate licorice. Acidity is mild to medium, tannins are medium. This has a bit of rustic character in the nose, but is obviously new world on the palate — wide open, fruit forward, and inching toward jammy. Tasty on its own, better with simple red meat dishes — meatloaf, burgers, swedish meatballs, skirt steak.

a-8 t-8 b-8 fc-7 v-10 ~ 91 Points

Buy this wine at a local retailer through Wine-Searcher, WineZap, or Vinquire

By the way, Kaiken also makes a great Malbec.

Red Wine Review: Penfolds Shiraz-Cab

Penfolds Koonunga Hill Shiraz-Cabernet 2007

Every once in a while I get in the mood for a big, jammy, New World style red wine — something bursting with sweet red and black berry fruits — but at the same time, something that I don’t have to think much about. In other words, a bottle that I can pick up for around ten bucks or less and not feel guilty about drinking with a hamburger or cheap cut of steak.

When those moods strike me, I usually go either for a Ravenswood red or an Aussie Shiraz. In this case, I went down under, to Penfolds, which offers a nice range of jammy reds that are easy to find anywhere and won’t hurt your wallet. For the ten-buck budget (give or take a ducat or two), I recommend their Rawson’s Retreat, Thomas Hyland and Koonunga Hill lines for their consistency from year to year. In other words, you don’t have to be a serious connoisseur or have a vintage rating chart in your wallet to wonder what the wine will taste like. And often, even a geek like me doesn’t have the patience to put a lot of thought (or money) into a wine purchase.

Tasting Notes: Penfolds Shiraz-Cabernet Sauvignon

Open nose of ripe black and red berry fruits, along with some tar and earth. Similar elements on the palate: black raspberry, black cassis, plum, black cherry, sweet tobacco. Good weight in the mouth. Smooth texture. Tannins are ripe and medium, but not overbearing. Acidity is at an appropriate level for food matching. This is OK alone, but better with food. Drink it with protein — a burger, cheap steak, or cheese.

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

Find this wine at a retailer near you using Wine-Searcher, WineZap, or Vinquire

Jip Jip Rocks Shiraz

Yowza. And I feel it’s OK to use “yowza” as a descriptor for a wine called “Jip Jip Rocks”.

When I spend 12-13 bucks for an Aussie Shiraz, I expect to get a fruit-forward, jammy, flabby, cocktail wine which may or may not have a quick finish. And that type of wine is not necessarily a bad thing – in fact, it’s a profile that I occasionally am in the mood for. So when I picked up this bottle for $12.99, I wasn’t expecting much other than a big glob of black berry fruit.

Suffice to say, I was pleasantly surprised.

This under-$15 surprised me because it is a beast. It’s huge – huge in nose, huge in flavor, huge in structure. I call it a beast because it is surprisingly big and has a distinct feral or animal character – something you generally don’t get with an inexpensive Shiraz. It reminds me more of a Rhone Syrah or a South African Pinotage, than a typical Australian Shiraz.

Tasting Notes: Jip Jip Rocks Shiraz

The nose exudes a complex aroma of ripe black fruits, tobacco, menthol, tar, earth, eucalyptus, and band-aid. In the mouth it is meaty – in weight, texture, and flavor. It has a smoked meat element, along with dried or cooked fruit (prune?), black cassis, tobacco leaf, and blackberry. Tannins are bold, acidity is medium. There is a bit of expected hotness in the tail end of the finish – but that’s what you get with a wine of this ripeness. Finishes bone dry with dried black fruit and spice flavors lingering. Tasty on its own if you like bold wines, better when matched with protein – burgers, cheese, roasted meats.

a-9 t-9 b-8 fc-7 v-8 ~ 91 Points

Find this wine at a retailer near you using Wine-Searcher, Vinquire, or WineZap

Rocca delle Macie Morellino “Campomaccione”

Rocca delle Macie Morellino di Scansano “Campomaccione” 2005

Do not be intimidated by the long, somewhat threatening words on the label of this wine. It’s nothing to be afraid of — in fact, it’s something with which you’re likely very familiar.

Morellino di Scansano seems difficult to pronounce on first glance. It’s not — it sounds the way it looks, just say it slowly the first few times (alone, in a dark room, of course). And remember Vino Joe’s general rule of thumb: any wine with five or more syllables HAS to be good (and this one has eight!).

Seriously now, a little background. Morellino is a grape grown in Scansano, which is a hilly village inside an area called Maremma, which is sits partly in the Italian region of Lazio, and partly in the southern part of Tuscany. Geography lesson complete, and we mentioned Tuscany, a place you may have heard of before.

It gets better. Morellino is what the people of Scansano call Sangiovese, which you may know is the main grape of Chianti wines. That said, if you enjoy Chianti, there is a good chance you will also like Morellino di Scansano.

Since it’s not a trendy wine (yet), it doesn’t make sense for an importer to bring in any old plonk from Scansano — so if you see a Morellino di Scansano on your wine shop’s shelf, chances are very good that it’s a quality bottle. This example is no exception. It comes from an estate called “Campomaccione”, and is made with 90% Morellino, 5% Cabernet Sauvignon, and 5% Merlot.

Tasting Notes: Rocca delle Macie Morellino di Scansano “Campomaccione”

Nose is open, rich with ripe black cherry, some stemmy vegetal or herbal aroma, earth, and a hint of vanilla spice. On the palate the texture is glassy smooth, carrying ample black cherry and red raspberry fruit. Tannins are mild but firm, acidity is medium. The wine finishes with good red fruit flavors mixed with earth and hints of bell pepper and spice. This is a wonderful alternative to Chianti – at about 14 bucks it’s as good or better than most Chianti at five dollars more. Don’t drink it alone – have it with pasta in marinara and meatballs, sausage and peppers, pecorino, grana padano, or anything else you’d normally eat with Chianti. At around twelve bucks, a great value.

a-7 t-7 b-8 fc-10 v-9 ~ 91 Points

Importer: Palm Bay Imports

Winery: Rocca delle Macie

Find this wine at a retailer near you using Wine-Searcher, Vinquire, or WineZap

White Wine Review: Clean Slate Riesling

Too often people walk right by that section of the wine shop where all the tall and skinny green bottles are shelved — also known as “Germany” and/or “Alsace”. Those confusing-looking labels with long, unpronounceable names like “Trockenberenauslese” and “Gewurztraminer” are too intimidating for the average wine buyer. And if that description fits you, don’t feel bad — those foreign marketers could do a much better job of making it easier for you.

One importer who is doing a pretty good job of making German wine more accessible is Peter Click. Thanks goodness, because there are some wonderful white wines from Germany that would otherwise be undiscovered by the masses in the USA. For the uninitiated, allow me to enlighten you: not all German wines are “sweet”, and not all Riesling is sweet, either. In fact, many of the better wines from Germany (and Alsace, for that matter) are bone-dry, and fantastic for food pairing. Case in point: Clean Slate Riesling from Mosel, Germany. Not only is it tasty, but it’s easy to say, easy to spell, and comes in a more common-looking, clear white bottle.

Tasting Notes: Clean Slate Riesling 2007

Nose is — you guessed it — clean, with sharp, pleasant aromas of ripe granny smith apple, pear, and spice. In the mouth it is similar, with flavors of ripe, bright granny smith apple, honeydew melon, sweet pear and peach. Acidity is about medium, with a mild tartness pushing the fruit through a longer than expected and flavorful finish. Texture is creamy smooth, perhaps described as oily. It’s like biting into a fresh apple, with some fruit salad elements finding their way into your mouth as well. A refreshing quaff on its own, is also a great partner to an array of dishes — particularly spicy foods and Asian cuisine. I matched it successfully with sushi, general tsao’s chicken, shrimp fried rice, barbecued ribs, lamb rogan josh (Indian), and buffalo wings. I imagine it would be equally successful with other Indian and Chinese dishes, Thai cuisine, similarly hot and spicy foods, pork loin, pork chops, and fresh ham. Of course, it’s a no-brainer with traditional German dishes such as bratwurst, knockwurst, and weisswurst, or anything in sauerkraut or red cabbage. At $12 — in some areas closer to $10 — this is a great value. Try this on your beer-drinking friends.

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

Importer: Click Wine Group

Brand site: Clean Slate Wine

Find this wine at a retailer near you through Wine-Searcher, Vinquire, or WineZap

Cabernet Sauvignon Review: Rayun

In these difficult economic times, we wine geeks with short pockets must do a better job of hunting down the great values. Traditionally, I have looked to South America for dirt cheap deals on deliciously drinkable wines.

At one time, Chile was a great place to find fantastic values. Then the secret got out, and Chilean bottles went up in cost — allowing Argentina to arrive as an affordable area for the adventurous. But of course, eventually enough people discovered Argentina, driving the prices up. While the see-saw continues today, I’m happy to report that nicely priced daily drinkers are still available from both countries — but they take a little more time and effort to unearth.

In this case, you need to look away from the better-known producers and toward the Rapel Valley, an area which has a history of producing fine red wines based on the Carmenere and Cabernet Sauvignon grapes. The winery is “Rayun” and it’s not always found on the eye-level shelves of the wine shop — so stoop down and check the lower levels and the bargain bins (use your knees, so you don’t hurt your back!). At around seven or eight bucks, it’s a good value.

Tasting Notes: Rayun Cabernet Sauvignon 2007

Open nose of dirty earth, tobacco, green bell pepper, some black fruit (cassis, blackberry). Smooth texture, almost creamy mouthfeel. Good ripe black fruit flavor — blackberry, cassis, black raspberry — with a hint of spice and mild earth. Acidity and tannins are about equal, both mild to medium and in fair balance to the fruit level. A nice, soft, red wine that is a decent choice as an everyday drinker. About what you would expect from an under-$10 Chilean Cab — tastes more like a Merlot. Enjoy it alone or with mild cheeses, pasta in marinara, turkey burgers, simple “bistro” fare.

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

Find this wine at a retailer near you through Wine-Searcher, Vinquire, or WineZap

Rose Wine Review: Belleruche

M. Chapoutier Cotes-du-Rhone “Belleruche” Rose 2007

Autumn is almost upon us in the US, but it’s still warm enough to enjoy pink wines. This one comes from the Cotes-du-Rhone in France, an area that’s better known for red wines that some describe as “bistro wines” for their ability to match with a variety of dishes found on traditional bistro menus.

Similarly, this rose is made from the same grapes as its red wine cousin — Grenache, Syrah, and Cinsault — and shares its versatility.

Tasting Notes: Chapoutier Cotes-du-Rhone “Belleruche” Rose 2007

Nose is mildly aromatic, expressing citrus, strawberry, and a hint of cherry. Very clean on the palate, with mild strawberry and citrus flavors. Acidity is somewhere between mild and medium. The finish is pleasant and balanced. This is an enjoyable, refreshing wine on its own, with enough structure to match with food. I matched it successfully with spicy turkey sausage with sauteed peppers and onions; it should be equally good with other lean and spicy dishes, as well as chicken and pork, and vegetarian cuisine. At about ten bucks (under ten in some places), this is a great value.

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

Imported by Terlato Wines International

Find this wine at a retailer near you using Wine-Searcher, Vinquire, or WineZap

Pinot Noir Review: Fleur 2006

Fleur Pinot Noir 2006 - Carneros

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 – 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

Find this wine at a retailer near you through Wine-Searcher, WineZap, or Vinquire

Merlot Review: Domaine de Gournier

Domaine de Gournier Merlot 2005

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

Find this wine at a local retailer through WineZap, Wine-Searcher, or Vinquire

A Fiery Wine - Garnacha de Fuego

Garnacha de Fuego 2006

Importer: Tempranillo Imports (Jorge Ordonez Selection)

Grenache of fire! I guess that means it’s pretty darn hot in Catalayud, Spain, where the vines of this grape grow. Garnacha / Grenache is a hot weather whore of a grape, much like Syrah and Zinfandel.

Luckily, this wine outperforms the old Renault Fuego (with or without the biturbo, it makes no difference).

For the uninitiated, Garnacha is the same grape known as Grenache in France, California, and many other areas of the world. In fact, Grenache / Garnacha is one of the most widely planted grapes in the world, though it’s most commonly associated with the hot, arid regions in the south of France, the southern Rhone Valley and throughout Spain. If you’re unfamiliar with the Garnacha of Spain, it may be helpful to know that Grenache is usually one of the base grapes of Cotes-du-Rhone and Chateauneuf-du-Pape (often, these wines also have Syrah, Cinsault, Mourvedre, and other grapes blended in as well).

But enough of the French version; this wine es de Espana, and does a fair job of representing the Catalayud region. Though “DO Catalayud” (”DO” is pronounced “dee - oh” and is short for Denomination of Origin) is fairly new to US consumers, in fact they’ve been making wine there for oh, about 2000 years. The region sits in the province of Zaragoza, toward the western boundary of Spain and sort of in the middle (between north and south). It should not be confused with Cataluna, which is another DO entirely and is covers several provinces. OK, enough with the boring details, let’s taste the wine …

Tasting Notes - Garnacha de Fuego

On the nose, this wine shows ripe black fruits: black raspberry and prune, with a touch of eucalyptus, pepper, and a smidgeon of earth. The palate offers a silky smooth texture, warm black raspberry, black cherry, and plum, with a touch of spice – maybe vanilla? Acidity and tannins are medium, appropriate for food but not so high that they’re overbearing when this wine is drunk by itself. Drink it with burgers, skirt steaks, cheese, tacos. At around eight bucks or less, this is a very good value. Yet another winner from perhaps the best importer without a decent website, Jorge Ordonez.

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

Find this wine at a local retailer using Wine-Searcher, Vinquire, or WineZap.

Next Page »