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Red Wine Review: Penfolds Shiraz-Cab

January 16, 2009 By 1 Comment

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

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Filed Under: Great Values, Latest, Red Wines, Under $15, Wine Reviews Tagged With: , , ,

Jip Jip Rocks Shiraz

December 7, 2008 By 1 Comment

Jip Jip Rocks Shiraz wine bottleYowza. 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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Georges Duboeuf Beaujolais Nouveau 2008

November 21, 2008 By Leave a Comment

Georges Duboeuf Beaujolais Nouveau 2008 wine bottleBeaujolais Nouveau est Arrive!

For those who don’t speak French, what that means is the first wine of the 2008 vintage — made from grapes picked only weeks ago — has been bottled and is available for sale right now.

Many snobs scoff at Nouveau, belittling its existence and poo-pooing it as “simple plonk”. I’m not going to try to change the minds of such cement-heads, but rather explain the purpose of Nouveau to those who have open minds.

First, before you taste a Nouveau it is important to have ZERO expectations. To meet its peak quality, wine — any wine — must spend some time aging, be it on its skins and lees, and/or in a barrel or other container. But with Beaujolais Nouveau, the goal is not to bottle a perfect wine. Rather, its purpose is to give a “sneak peek” as to the quality of the year’s vintage. A second focus is to celebrate the fruits of the most recent harvest through the holiday season.

So, bottom line is this: Beaujolais Nouveau will most likely not knock your socks off. This is not a wine to contemplate by the fire, nor to match with filet mignon. At the same time, it’s not a wine to put in the most proper crystal glassware (though you can if you want), and not one to worry much about. Pour it over ice in a styrofoam cup and drink it with hot dogs — it’s totally OK. On the contrary, it is a wine to have fun with, to enjoy with friends during cocktail hour or with a holiday dinner. Turns out, Beaujolais Nouveau is an ideal partner with just about everything on the Thanksgiving table.

Georges Duboeuf Beaujolais Nouveau 2008 Tasting Notes

The nose is a little more mature and deep than I expected — more like a Beaujolais Villages than a Nouveau. Let’s not get crazy, as it doesn’t smell like a 8-year-old wine — but then, it doesn’t exactly smell like an 8-week-old wine, either. What I get is fresh red cherries, sweet strawberry and red raspberry, and a mild touch of overripe banana. On the palate it has a glassy smooth texture, with bright cherry and strawberry flavors finishing quickly into a mouthful of dry, tart cranberries. Tannins are nonexistent, acidity is firm. If you are going to be a discerning, condescending geek, don’t bother with it. However, if you are seriously interested in the Beaujolais region, this Nouveau suggests that 2008 will be a wonderfully ripe and delicious vintage. If you fall into neither of those categories, pick up this wine, pour it over ice, and enjoy it with simple apps, a cheap “wine soaked” cheese wheel, or, ideally, for the Thanksgiving table. There’s no wine that goes as well with both pigs in blankets and the cranberry sauce (and everything in between).

a-6 t-6 b-7 fc-8 v-8 ~ 85 Points

Website: ChilledRed.com

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Rocca delle Macie Morellino “Campomaccione”

November 12, 2008 By Leave a Comment

Rocca delle Macie Morellino di Scansano “Campomaccione” 2005

Rocca delle Macie Morellino di Scansano wine bottleDo 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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Filed Under: Great Values, Latest, Red Wines, Under $15, Wine Reviews Tagged With: , , , , , ,

Cabernet Sauvignon Review: Rayun

October 29, 2008 By Leave a Comment

Rayun Cabernet Sauvignon wine labelIn 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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Filed Under: Everyday Wines, Great Values, Latest, Red Wines, Under $15, Wine Reviews Tagged With: , , , ,

Red Wine Review: Pannotia Garnacha

October 17, 2008 By Leave a Comment

Pannotia Garnacha Spanish Wine bottleImported wines can be tough to purchase, because there are so many wines brought in from so many areas of the world, with labels that you likely have never heard of, nor seen, before — particularly in the under-$15 range. Additionally, there are a ton of wines brought in for no other reason than the fact that the label says “Pinot Noir”, “Pinot Grigio”, “Chardonnay”, or whatever this month’s “hot varietal” might be.

Even a fairly well educated geek like me has trouble deciding whether an unknown imported wine is worth the few ducats in pocket (and those spare dollars are dwindling by the day!). As protection against buying a dud, I tend to rely on specific importers that have, over the years, consistently delivered wines with a strong price:quality ratio. However, it takes some time to find wines from specific importers — most of them stamp their name in small print on the back label of bottles. As a result, I often spend far too much time in wine shops pulling out my reading glasses and scrutinizing back labels, one after the other.

To save my eyes, Pannotia Vineyards has instituted a somewhat novel idea: to put the importer on the FRONT label; in fact, to make it the brand name. Because you see, there are no vineyards anywhere in the world called “Pannotia” (OK, maybe there are, but wines from such a place won’t be labeled as such). The literal meaning of “Pannotia” (puh-NO-shah) is “all the world is a single continent”. In other words, a wine with the Pannotia label can come from just about anywhere.

It’s an interesting concept brought forward by founder John Fawcett — find quality wines from different parts of the world, and brand it with the importer name, rather than the winery. Of course, this type of branding is not new — Opici comes to mind as one of the obvious, as does Ole Imports — but it is nonetheless intriguing (and saves my eyes).

Helping to establish the Pannotia brand are the distinctive, artsy, colorful labels, created by artist Gary Kelley. The bottles are indeed an attractive package, and the juice inside is pretty good, too. This particular wine is from Castilla, Spain, and made from the Garnacha (aka Grenache) grape.

Tasting Notes: Pannotia Vineyards Garnacha

Black and bell pepper aromas mix with black fruits and earth on the nose. Flavors of black raspberry, cranberry, and black cherry, and hints of vanilla and earth. Texture is glassy smooth. Tannins are mild, acidity is somewhere between mild and medium. The acid, in fact, is slightly tart when this wine is drunk alone, but is the perfect level to match with most mild dishes. For example, it was a good pairing to pasta with sausage marinara, and it would be equally complementary to leaner dishes such as turkey, chicken, and vegetarian. A good daily drinker. At around ten bucks, this is a good value.

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

Website: Pannotia Vineyards

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Pinot Noir Review: Acacia “A”

October 1, 2008 By Leave a Comment

Acacia “A” Pinot Noir 2006

Acacia A Pinot Noir wine bottleThere are oodles and oodles of Pinot Noir choices at all price levels from all regions around the world — so how does one know which one to buy?

Beats me … unless you’re spending $45 or more for a legit red Burgundy from a reliable producer, buying Pinot Noir is a crapshoot. What I’ve been trying to do is focus on the ones in the $15-20 range, with the hopes of finding a few nuggets. So far, so good. It appears that if you get too far below the $15 mark, the quality and uniqueness drops considerably. Going above twenty, though, doesn’t seem to guarantee anything. But as I uncover Pinot Noirs that deliver good bang for the buck, I’ll post them here.

The most recent find is Acacia “A” Pinot Noir.

Acacia is a winery based in the Carneros region of Napa Valley, California, and respected for their Chardonnay as well as for their pioneering efforts with Pinot Noir in Carneros. However, this wine is not from Carneros, but rather from grapes grown in both Sonoma and Monterey. That’s not necessarily a bad thing, as it allows Acacia to make wines that are more affordable for short-pocketed folks such as me. The effort is commendable, and well-executed: Acacia “A” Pinot Noir is a quality wine.

Tasting Notes: Acacia “A” Pinot Noir

Attractive aroma of roses, bright raspberry, and a hint of earth. The palate is equally pleasant, offering flavors of ripe red raspberry, black cherry, a touch of black pepper and mild, sweet earth. Texture is smooth. Acidity is medium, tannins are mild to medium. This is a pleasant, easygoing wine that is OK by itself and better with simple dishes. Try it with mildly seasoned chicken, turkey, or duck; vegetarian cuisine; or mild cheese.

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

Winery website: Acacia Vineyard

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Rubicon 2004

September 8, 2008 By 2 Comments

Rubicon 2004

If you’re looking for a Jeep review, move on. This is a site for cork dorks.

Rubicon wine bottleLast week we learned about Francis Ford Coppola’s Rubicon Estate, and the one white wine produced there, Blancaneaux. Today we’ll review the flagship wine of the estate, and the wine that gives the estate its name: Rubicon.

The 2004 vintage was one of the ripest ever seen in Napa, which means the wines of that year should be “huge”, or have a high concentration of fruit. It was the earliest harvest since 1994 due to the warmth of the season — which was a fortunate anomaly since there have been more cooler vintages than warm in the last fifteen years.

However, that warmth and ripeness did not equal abundance. In fact, 2004 was a fairly light crop, with not much fruit — it yielded 25% less cases compared to 2003. In contrast, the 2005 vintage was the largest harvest in history, but didn’t have quite the same ripeness (but it was still pretty damn ripe!).

Because of the extreme ripeness and concentration of 2004, winemaker Scott McLeod chose to age the wine in 100% French oak barrels (small ones, called “barriques”). When you have a lot of fruit, you can give it some oak to add vanilla and spice components without worrying about the wine tasting like a tree. McLeod chose French oak because it leaves less of a “stamp” on the wine; American oak barrels tend to impart more “woodiness” to a wine.

Rubicon 2004 Tasting Notes

The nose is full of violets, with blackberry and other black fruits, as well as some vanilla spice.
In the mouth you get ripe black fruit right away: black raspberry, plum, black cherry. There are equally ripe tannins and good acidity holding things together, and an incredibly silky texture. There is lots of complexity, with flavors of rum raisin, sour cherries, vanilla and other spices. Additionally, it has great length (meaning, flavors hang around in the mouth for well over a minute after swallowing), finishing with black fruit and licorice. It’s OK alone, but it’s very big and most valuable with food — I’d drink it with a braise or a stew or a hunk of cheese.

a-10 t-10 b-10 fc-9 v-7 ~ 96 Points

In addition to the 2004, I was able to get a sneak preview of the 2005 out of barrel. It’s huge, with a wide open nose of red and black berry fruits — licorice, violets, boysenberry, earth. Flavors are similar, but this wine was way too young and nowhere near ready to judge. I can tell you it’s going to be a monster. Meantime, there is the 2004 to drink (or cellar).

Winery: Rubicon Estate

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Red Wine Review: Ch. Vignot Bordeaux

August 15, 2008 By Leave a Comment

Chateau Vignot Saint-Émilion Grand Cru Bordeaux 2004

Chateau Vignot Saint-Emilion Grand Cru Bordeaux wine bottleOne of my great weaknesses when it comes to wine is Bordeaux (when was the last time you heard a wine geek like me admit he didn’t know something about wine?). There seem to be so many producers of Bordeaux, with prices starting around $6.99 and going well past $699. And forget the whole Bordeaux “futures” market — I just sit back and listen to people talk about the cases they’ve “reserved”. Me, when I spend money on wine, I want it NOW.

Anyway, I know a “little bit” about Bordeaux, which I’ll share with you. I know the wine comes from France, from the region of Bordeaux, and that the wines are often, but don’t have to be, blends (the primary grapes are Cabernet Sauvignon, Merlot, and Cabernet Franc). Generally speaking, you get what you pay for, which is where things get cloudy. If you have big bucks, then Bordeaux is easy — you go after a “First Growth”, “Second Growth”, and so on, through “Fifth Growth”. These are the Chateaus, or wine estates, that were named in something called the “1855 Classification” — so named because all these estates were “classified” as producing superior red wine way back in the year 1855.

However, if you’re like me and not the beneficiary of a wealthy trust fund, then finding an affordable Bordeaux can be sketchy. Luckily there are “lesser” classifications within the region to help steer you to a nice bottle: Cru Bourgeois, Premier Grand Cru, and Grand Cru. If you see these words on a label, chances are good that the wine inside will be of good quality. Whether you like it or not, however, is another story.

But wait, it’s actually not that simple. There’s an area in Bordeaux called Saint-Emilion which subscribes to a completely different set of rules. And unfortunately, it gets more complicated — partially because the process by which wines are classified in Saint-Emilion is under controversy. You can, however, count on a label that says “Grand Cru Classe” (and you’ll pay for it). If you find you like Bordeaux wines, though, it’s worth doing research on — and tasting through — the wines of Saint-Emilion.

There are very fat books dedicated to Bordeaux, and we can’t even scratch the surface of the region and its wines here. That said, very generally speaking, the wines from the Medoc, Haut-Medoc, and Graves (pronounced “graav”) will be dominated by Cabernet Sauvignon. If you see Saint-Emilion or Pomerol on the label, the wine most likely will be based on Merlot and or Cabernet Franc. Armed with this information, it may be a bit easier for you to start exploring wines from the Bordeaux region.

Today we review a Bordeaux from Saint-Emilion, and it’s “only” a Grand Cru, as opposed to a Grand Cru Classe. But you wouldn’t need me to tell you how great a Grand Cru Classe is, so I’ve picked one of the diamonds out of the haystack of Grand Crus in Saint-Emilion — one with the potential to add “Classe” to its label in the near future, in fact.

This wine is made at Chateau Lassegue by superstar winemaker / vigneron Pierre Seillan (who is also the genius behind Verite, Tenuta di Arceno, and other boutique wineries under the Jackson Estates umbrella).

Tasting Notes: Chateau Vignot Saint-Émilion

Deep, dense, purplish and magenta color suggests that it is still young. Forward nose of rich, ripe, complex, yummy smelling red and black berry fruits: mulberry, boysenberry, raspberry, and currant, along with mild tobacco, earth, and a hint of tar. Palate is equally complex, with flavors of dry blackberry, black raspberry, tobacco, an earthy herbal component, and a touch of chocolate licorice. Silky smooth texture – almost creamy. Tannins are firm but not overwhelming. Acidity is medium and in good supply for food matching. A bit too dry to drink alone, enjoy this with a piece of cheese to take the edge off, or grill a good steak. It’s in its youth, and will improve with some time in the cellar. Polished.

At about $35, it’s pricier than most wines reviewed here. However, I can tell you that you don’t have to be worried about spending that much for Chateau Vignot — in this case, you get what you pay for, and what you get is a high quality wine.

a-10 t-8 b-9 fc-8 v-7 ~ 92 Points

Winery: Chateau Lassegue

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Filed Under: Latest, Red Wines, Wine Reviews, Wines to Impress

Pinot Noir Review: Fleur 2006

May 14, 2008 By 1 Comment

Fleur Pinot Noir 2006 – Carneros

Fleur Pinot Noir red wine labelEver 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

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Filed Under: Everyday Wines, Great Values, Red Wines, Wine Reviews
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