Archive for the ‘Red Wines’ 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.
Red Wine Review: Van Duzer Pinot Noir
Van Duzer Estate Pinot Noir 2007 · Willamette Valley, Oregon
I meant to get this one into the Thanksgiving Wines series but somehow it slipped through.
In any case, you don’t need to have turkey to enjoy this Pinot Noir from the Willamette Valley of Oregon — it goes with just about any lean meat or vegetarian dish.
Tasting Notes: Van Duzer Estate Pinot Noir 2007
Fragrant, expressive nose of fresh ripe strawberries, red raspberries. In the mouth you get similar flavors, though slightly more muted — starting with strawberry, raspberry, and cherry upfront, eventually also delivering some pomegranate, green notes and mild earth, before finally finishing with a hint of white chocolate and tart cranberry. Texture is smooth. Acidity is medium, tannins are soft. Alcohol is slightly noticeable at the very end, but in good balance with the fruit — it’s not hot at all. With its slightly stemmy character, pure earthy fruit, and food-friendly astrigency, it reminds me more of a Pinot Noir from Alsace than one from Burgundy or California. It’s OK alone but much better with food. Match it with chicken dishes, turkey, lean sausage, gamey fish, charcuterie, saucisses, mild cheese plates.
a-9 t-8 b-8 fc-9 v-7 ~ 91 Points
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Find more information at the Van Duzer Vineyards website
Estancia Zinfandel for Thanksgiving
Estancia Zinfandel Canyon Keyes Ranches · Paso Robles, California
In the last post we extolled the virtue of putting an American Zinfandel on the Thanksgiving table, and in this post we have another Zin recommendation, albeit at around half the price: Estancia Canyon Keyes Ranches.
Understand, though, you generally get what you pay for when it comes to wine. And this Estancia bottle — at around twelve bucks — is affordable but does not have the same depth and finish as the previously reviewed Quivira. But, some people are on a tighter budget for the holidays, and if you need to stay below fifteen dollars, Estancia is a solid, easy-to-find Zin that happens to match very well with nearly everything included in a typical Thanksgiving feast.
Tasting Notes: Estancia Zinfandel Canyon Keyes Ranches 2007
Soft and fruity upfront, turning a bit earthy and bitter in the finish. Works well with the dark meat and stuffing, finishing with a cranberry note and cherry tartness. With the white meat it’s OK, not great — it matches better with the dark meat and earthy accoutrements (i.e., stuffed mushrooms). I expect it to be equally palatable with more complex stuffings, such as those that may include mushrooms, dried fruits, sausage, or nuts.
Where to buy Estancia Zinfandel
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Find more information at the Estancia Estates website
Quivira Zinfandel for Thanksgiving
Quivira Zinfandel · Wine Creek Ranch, Dry Creek Valley · California 2007
Since Thanksgiving is a holiday borne from the beginnings of the New World, it’s appropriate to have a grape indigenous to the US on the table next to the turkey. That said, Zinfandel fits the description — though its development may or may not have emanated from Italy’s Primitivo, most experts agree that Zinfandel is very much an “American” grape.
However, Zinfandel has many faces — it can be huge and bold, soft and approachable, sweet and sassy (i.e., “white Zin”), and anything in between. So it’s difficult to generalize and decide that “Zinfandel is a good wine for Thanksgiving”. The truth is, some Zins are perfect for the bird, while others completely miss the mark.
In the case of Quivira, we have a Zinfandel that fits very nicely on the Thanksgiving table. It has rich, ripe red berry flavors that meld well with both the dark and white meat, and a spicy note that compliments most stuffings, gravy, and other items on the table. The thing that makes it a slam-dunk is the finish, which is stunningly similar to cranberry sauce — which of course is already on the table for obvious reasons (it tastes great with turkey!).
Though, don’t make the mistake of trying to drink this Zin — or ANY dry wine — after filling your mouth with cranberry sauce; your palate will be disrupted by a jarring metallic flavor when the two elements combine.
At somewhere around $20-30 depending on the store, Quivira Dry Creek Zinfandel costs enough to be a worthy holiday wine to bring with you as a guest to someone else’s home, but not so much that it kills your wallet in these difficult times.
Following are my full tasting notes.
Tasting Notes: Quivira Zinfandel 2007
Big, ripe, beautiful nose of raspberry, black cherry, vanilla, and plum. It has good weight in the mouth, offering a nice whip of rich, ripe raspberry, vanilla Coke, and mild hints of chocolate. Mild acidity, soft yet ripe tannins. Finishes with pleasing flavors of black cherry and cranberry. No heat on the finish, which is surprisingly nice for a wine with this kind of ripeness and a listed alcohol level of 15.1%. At first I thought this would be too big, but it turned out to be a wonderful companion to the turkey (both white and dark meat), with and without the gravy. It also paired well with simple Stove Top stuffing, roasted carrots, and creamed onions. Recommended.
Where to buy Quivira Zinfandel
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More information can be found at the Quivira Vineyards and Winery 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
Red Wine Review: Septima Malbec
Septima Malbec 2007 · Uco Valley, Argentina
Argentine Malbec is one of those grapes that can produce extremely rich, dense, complex red wines, but can also be made into simple, fruity, easy quaffers — not unlike California Zinfandel.
This particular Malbec is on the soft side, and comes from the Uco Valley of Argentina. It runs about twelve bucks in most retail shops.
Tasting Notes: Septima Malbec 2007
Open nose of black plummy fruit, earth, herb, menthol, and something that reminds me of band-aids. In the mouth there is ample black fruit — plum, black raspberry, and blackberry. Texture is smooth. Tannins are soft but firm, if that makes any sense. Acidity is at a good level for food matching, but also on the soft side.
a-7 t-7 b-8 fc-7 v-7 ~ 86 Points
Bottom Line
This is an easy drinking Malbec with just enough structure to enjoy with a turkey burger or simple bistro fare.
Where To Buy It
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Learn more at the US importer’s website: Aveniu Brands
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
Pinot Noir Review: Lechthaler
Lechthaler Pinot Nero 2006
No, that’s not a mistake — Pinot Noir and Pinot Nero are the same thing, except that in Italy they like to use words with vowels at the end. I like it too, it makes language more colorful and melodic.
Similarly, I like this Pinot Noir … er, Nero … which hails from the Trentino region of Italy. Trentino is the northernmost part of Italy, and is the country’s most mountainous region. As a result Trentino tends to be one of the cooler climates — therefore, ideal for even ripening for the Pinot Grigio grape, as well as Pinot Bianco (aka Pinot Blanc) and Pinot Noir. Two other varietals ideal for the region, but not well-known outside of it, are Marzemino and Teroldego — but we’ll cover them on another day.
Today, we taste the Pinot Noir, from Lechthaler. The grapes for this wine were grown at an altitude of 750 feet, in mineral-rich soil that is typical for Trentino. That said, we should expect some of that mineral character to find its way into the flavor of the wine — and it does. Additionally, it is fermented in stainless steel but stored in small barrels for twelve months, so there could be some vanilla flavor present. I didn’t get any of that, but you might. Following are my full notes.
Tasting Notes: Lechthaler Pinot Nero
Sweet, floral aroma, filled with ripe strawberry, red raspberry, violets. Easy drinking, with flavors of strawberry, raspberry, pomegranate, and sweet and sour red cerry. Tannins are mild, acidity is mild to medium. Finish is pleasant, tasting of black cherry and dry cranberries. This is a fun, easy drinking wine that is closer to Beaujolais Cru than a French red Burgundy. It’s enjoyable by itself, also good with lean dishes. I enjoyed it with Trader Joe’s chicken marsala, it should also match well with roasted turkey, roast chicken, meaty fish, and vegetarian dishes.
a-8 t-8 b-8 fc-7 v-7 ~ 88 Points
Importer: Vias
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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.
Kosher Wines for Passover (Red and White)
Kosher wines don’t have to taste “funny” any more. Recent developments in kosher winemaking has resulted in high quality, great-tasting wines fit for any occasion.
This year, Passover begins at sunset on April 8th, and will continue through Wednesday, April 15th. If you observe Passover and aim to keep kosher during this Jewish holiday, here are two excellent wines — one white, one red — that are both kosher and appropriate for typical Passover feasts.
Tasting Notes: Yarden Chardonnay 2006
Wide open, expressive nose of bright ripe pear, peach, honeysuckle, banana, vanilla. In the mouth it is velvety smooth, with almost sweet ripe pear, candied peach, vanilla, honey. Acidity is mild. Alcohol is surprisingly low considering the high level of ripe fruit. Finishes with spicy peach, vanilla, and a touch of zesty lime. This is enjoyable on its own, also good with leaner foods such as simply prepared roast chicken. Will be nice with spicy and sweet Chinese dishes (General Tsao, sweet and sour shrimp, sesame chicken), BBQ ribs. As far as the Passover table goes, this will be a nice match for a mildly sweet noodle kugel.
a-8 t-8 b-7 fc-7 v-7 ~ 87 Points
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Tasting Notes: Golan Cabernet Sauvignon 2007
Open aroma of ripe plum, red raspberry, jam, chocolate. Jammy, juicy ripe flavors of sweet raspberry, blueberry, pomegranate. Tannins are mild, acidity is mild to medium. Texture is smooth. Finish is pleasant, full of raspberries and pomegranate, with a slight edge of tart acidity. Enjoyable alone, it will match well with lean meats such as roast chicken and fish but also has just enough structure to stand up to simply prepared beef — such as beef brisket. Will also be nice with turkey meatloaf, Chinese rib tips or beef with spicy and/or sweet sauce.
a-7 t-8 b-8 fc-8 v-7 ~ 88 Points
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