Archive for the ‘Great Values’ Category:
Red Wine Review: Cono Sur Pinot Noir
Cono Sur Pinot Noir 2008 | Chile · Central Valley
Ever since the movie “Sideways”, Pinot Noir has been the wine of choice among casual wine drinkers. As a result, we’ve seen a glut of Pinot Noir brought in from every corner of the world, many at remarkably affordable price points.
The truth is, most of the Pinot Noir sold under $20 doesn’t hold a candle to the luscious high-end examples from California that Miles Raymond gushed over on screen. Additionally, most are so manipulated with modern technology that they barely resemble the pure fruit and terroir expression associated with the great red wines of Burgundy, France.
But, that doesn’t mean the wines are bad — quite the opposite, in fact.
Old school Burgundy enthusiasts likely scoff at many of these New World, low-priced bottles labeled as Pinot Noir, but if you can accept them for what they are — affordable, tasty, quaffers — then they are much easier to enjoy. Don’t expect a life-changing experience, and you’ll likely be pleased.
For example, this Pinot Noir from Chile, which I’ve enjoyed in vintages from 2004-2008 with similarly pleasing notes (the 2009 may be in your market as well).
Tasting Notes: Cono Sur Pinot Noir 2008
Nose is expressive, with sweet raspberry, strawberry, and floral aromas. In the mouth it has lots of sweet strawberry and red cherry fruit, as well as candylike raspberry and a bit of zesty spice. Texture is smooth. Acidity is mild, tannins are mild, alcohol is low. The finish is quick but pleasant, with plenty of fruit and a pleasing aftertaste. A good match for lean meats, gamey fish (salmon), mild cheese dishes, and vegetarian cuisine. One of the better under-$10 Pinot Noirs I’ve ever had.
a-7 t-7 b-8 fc-8 v-10 ~ 90 Points
Bottom Line
Simple, easy drinking, with juicy red fruits and enough structure to match with a variety of dishes.
Where to Buy Cono Sur Pinot Noir
Find this wine at a retailer near you using Wine-Searcher, Vinquire, or WineZap
Learn more from the Cono Sur website or from the US importer Vineyard Brands
DISCLAIMER: This wine was purchased by me at a local retailer with my own hard-earned ducats.
Beckmen Sauvignon Blanc for Thanksgiving
Beckmen Vineyards Sauvignon Blanc · Santa Ynez Valley, California
This one is a late addition to the list, I know, but it is well worth considering for your Thanksgiving feast.
By its nature, Sauvignon Blanc tends to be a food-friendly wine, pairing well with myriad dishes. And what Thanksgiving table doesn’t include myriad dishes?
This particular Sauvignon Blanc from Beckmen Vineyards is enjoyable on its own — so you can serve it before dinner — but also has a character that matches well with enough foods that it can continue to be poured throughout the feast.
Tasting Notes: Beckmen Sauvignon Blanc 2008
Appealing, bright nose of green apple, gooseberry, and a touch of mineral. Note that you will get more of the “green” or unripe notes if you sniff it when it’s too cold — take it out of the fridge and let it warm down to around 58-60 degrees. In the mouth it has a round, unexpectedly buttery texture and ripe flavors of pear, grapefruit, limey citrus, mineral, and a hint of spice. The acidity is medium, but doesn’t come out until the zingy finish that reminds me of granny smith apples. Again, it’s enjoyable on its own, goes well with the white meat, cuts through the fat of the creamed onions, has a spicy note to match with the stuffing, and pairs well with just about anything you throw at it.
Where to buy Beckmen Vineyards Sauvignon Blanc
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Find more information at the Beckmen Vineyards website
Red Wine Review: Concannon Syrah
Concannon Syrah 2005 · Livermore Valley
For whatever reason, I’ve always associated Concannon with Petite Sirah — perhaps because they were the first California winery to varietally label the grape back in 1964. And their Petite Sirah generally rocks.
So it was with a little hesitation, overcome by curiosity, that I plucked this bottle from the shelf.
For those unaware, Petite Sirah and Syrah are completely different grapes. Syrah rootstalks were imported from other parts of the world (probably France), while Petite Sirah (which is neither small nor Syrah) is thought to be indigenous to California. We’ll discuss Petite Sirah at greater lengths another time — there’s actually an interesting story and some controversy surrounding its origins. For now, we’ll concentrate on Syrah — the one made by Concannon.
The vintage stocked at my local wine shop is 2005, and it’s drinking very nicely. You may be able to find the 2006 or the 2007 in your area; if so, and you’ve tasted it, please share your notes in the comments.
Tasting Notes: Concannon Syrah 2005
Open nose of mature, overripe black fruits — blackberry, blackcurrant, black raspberry, with hints of tobacco and earth. In the mouth it has a smooth, almost syrupy texture, ripe blackberry and black raspberry flavors. Acidity is mild, tannins are mild. Flavors evolve into a finish of blackberry, blueberry, mild tobacco, and a hint of dark chocolate that is held up with drying acidity. The alcohol is barely noticeable, which is pleasantly surprising for a wine with this much upfront, ripe fruit. OK on its own, perfect with lean-beef burgers, mild cheeses, blackened chicken, sloppy joes, tacos, swedish meatballs.
a-8 t-8 b-8 fc-7 v-7 ~ 88 Points
Bottom Line
A soft and jammy Syrah with enjoyable black berry flavors and perfect match for lean meat dishes. At under $10, a great value.
Where To Buy It
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Learn more at the official website: Concannon Vineyards
Merlot Wine Review: Dante
Dante Merlot 2006 · Michael Pozzan Winery
I have to admit, I purchased this wine based on its label — one of my best friends became a father recently, to a son named “Dante”. So it was an added bonus that the juice behind the label turned out to be pretty good — and well worth the price.
Dante is made by the Michael Pozzan Winery, and ironically (to me, anyway), is named after Michael Pozzan’s eldest son. The wine itself is purportedly inspired by Michael’s trips to Italy — per the the Pozzan website, the wines labeled with “Dante” are: “hearty but approachable wines are reminisant [sic] of your fravorite trattoria in Italy”. At around ten bucks, that’s enough story for me.
I’ve enjoyed the soft, supple, accessible wines from Pozzan for several years, and this bottling fits in with the winery’s style. Unlike other wines from Pozzan, the grapes come from outside Napa — but again, when I’m spending about ten bucks, vineyard location is a moot point. Just give me a decent wine I can enjoy with a simple meal and make me feel like I got my money’s worth. For that, this wine delivers.
Tasting Notes: Dante Merlot
The nose is full of ripe red raspberry, ripe strawberry, and black cherry, with hints of vanilla, spice, earth, and smoke. In the mouth it is borderline jammy upfront, with lots of ripe red berry fruits, vanilla, and white chocolate flavors. The finish is pleasantly tart, with ripe black cherry and red raspberry notes. Acidity is mild to medium, tannins are mild to medium, alcohol is just a touch warm on the finish. All three elements are in good balance with the high fruit level. Enjoyable alone, also good with a variety of foods. Drink it with lean meats, Mexican fare, lean sausage, mild cheeses, vegetarian dishes.
a-8 t-8 b-8 fc-8 v-8 ~ 90 Points
Bottom Line
A soft, warm, approachable Merlot that is enjoyable alone or with simple dishes based on lean meats or mild cheeses. Fine as an everyday drinker and a great value.
Find this wine at a retailer near you using Wine-Searcher, Vinquire, or WineZap
Learn more by visiting the Michael Pozzan Winery website
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
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By the way, Kaiken also makes a great Malbec.
Red Wine Review: Penfolds Shiraz-Cab
Penfolds Koonunga Hill Shiraz-Cabernet 2007
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
Buy Penfolds Shiraz-Cabernet direct from Wine.com
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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
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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
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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
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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
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