This week’s selection:
Winery : Osoyoos Larose
Varietal: Bordeaux Blend
Price Paid: $14.97
Vintage: 2003
Area: British Columbia, CAN
Alcohol: 13.4%
Purchased: Plum Market – West Bloomfield, MI
Overall: A Canadian Bordeaux… If you didn’t tell me what this was, I would have blind tasted this and guessed it was a nice mid-priced Bordeaux. I really enjoyed this wine and will buy a couple more bottles. Seriously the first word that came to my mind when I tasted it was the classic Bordeaux “earthiness”. It has the lead pencil, earth, tobacco, and dark fruit characteristics with significant tannins and I can’t believe I paid $14.97 on sale for this wine. My advice “Go buy 1 now and see if it fits your tastes”.
Reviews
Wine Maker
Osoyoos Larose
Groupe Taillan of Bordeaux, France (Gruaud-Larose), and Vincor International, based in Ontario, Canada, formed a joint venture partnership in 1998 to develop vineyards and a small winery dedicated to the production of Canadian VQA* wines, that would meet if not exceed the quality standards of their Bordeaux counterparts. The wines would be made from the classic Bordeaux varietals: merlot, cabernet sauvignon, cabernet franc, petit verdot and malbec. The partners believed that the unique terroir of Canada’s western wine-growing region, the Okanagan Valley in British Columbia and, in particular, the southern part of the Valley, was capable of producing fruit of sufficiently high quality to achieve their goal.
Read more about Canada's Okanagan Valley
HERE
The wine’s name, Osoyoos Larose, reflects the partners’ roots in France and Canada. Osoyoos refers to the location of the vineyards in the Okanagan Valley, on the mountain slopes above Lake Osoyoos. Larose is derived from one of Groupe Taillan’s most prestigious estates in Bordeaux, the Deuxième Cru, or second growth, Château Gruaud-Larose, which reflects the centuries-old winemaking traditions of the world-famous wine region.
The Osoyoos Larose Joint Venture Partners Groupe Taillan owns six world-renowned winemaking estates that have been defining international standards of quality for over two centuries. Located in the Médoc region of Bordeaux, three carry the outstanding Grand Cru Classé designation: Château Gruaud-Larose of St-Julien, Château Ferrière of Margaux and Château Haut Bages Libéral of Pauillac. Groupe Taillan’s three other estates, Château Chasse-Spleen of Moulis, Château La Gurgue of Margaux, and Château Citran of Avensan are all equally well regarded as exceptional Cru Bourgeois. Groupe Taillan is also the largest producer of Appellation Contrôlée wines in France, with large scale négociant operations in most of the country’s leading wine regions: Bordeaux, the Côtes du Rhône, the Loire Valley...
Wednesday, September 29, 2010
Sunday, September 19, 2010
Michele Chiarlo 2007 Barbera D'Asti
This week’s selection:
Winery: Michele Chiarlo
Varietal: Barbera
Price Paid: $15.99
Vintage: 2007
Area: Asti, Piedmont, Italy
Alcohol: 13.5%
Purchased: Colasanti’s Market
Overall: This was recommended as a bargain. I like Barbera but honestly this didn’t thrill me. It was ok, dry with a nice touch of acidity. But would not buy again.
Reviews:
The Wine Advocate (Robert Parker):
"The estate’s 2007 Barbera d’Asti Superiore Le Orme is a mid-weight offering with good definition and focus in its perfumed red berries. This refined, subtle wine offers good balance in an approachable, feminine style. Anticipated maturity: 2009-2012. "
88 Points
Winery: Michele Chiarlo
Varietal: Barbera
Price Paid: $15.99
Vintage: 2007
Area: Asti, Piedmont, Italy
Alcohol: 13.5%
Purchased: Colasanti’s Market
Overall: This was recommended as a bargain. I like Barbera but honestly this didn’t thrill me. It was ok, dry with a nice touch of acidity. But would not buy again.
Reviews:
The Wine Advocate (Robert Parker):
"The estate’s 2007 Barbera d’Asti Superiore Le Orme is a mid-weight offering with good definition and focus in its perfumed red berries. This refined, subtle wine offers good balance in an approachable, feminine style. Anticipated maturity: 2009-2012. "
88 Points
Winemaker notes:
Michele Chiarlo selects his Barbera d’Asti from the best of these vineyards planted in older vines and harvested at peak maturity. Vinified at the Chiarlo cellars in Calamandrana, the wine undergoes malolactic fermentation and is then aged a least one year in oak.
Monday, September 13, 2010
Mount Veeder Winery 2007 Cabernet Sauvignon
This week’s selection:
Winery : Mount Veeder WInery
Varietal: Cabernet Sauvignon
Price Paid: $20.99
Vintage: 2007
Area: Napa Valley, CA
Alcohol: 14.5%
Purchased: Costco
Overall: This is as good a bottle of wine as you can buy for around $20. It is a “Mountain Cab” and I particularly like mountain cabs in ripe years like 2007. I had the 2004 (another ripe year) in a restaurant and went on to drink 5 more bottles over the next 18 months. I paid $34.99 retail a bottle for the 2004.
I was in Trader Joe’s a week or so ago and saw the 2007 for $28.99 and thought it was a great deal and bought 3. I drank one and thought it was fantastic. It just got better over the 3 days it was open. Then I saw it at Costco for $20.99 and bought 9 more bottles. I will enjoy this over the next 2 - 3 years. It is available in many places.
Reviews
Wine Enthusiast
A beautiful Cabernet, rich and mellow, and drinking well now. Shows soft tannins and smoky oak framing blackberry, cherry, cocoa, herb and spice flavors. 90 Points
Winemaker's Notes:
The 2007 Napa Valley Cabernet Sauvignon weaves warm aromas of cassis and tobacco into a bright canvas of raspberry, plum, and currant notes. On the palate, flavors of black cherry and boysenberry meet hints of vanilla, bay, and mocha beneath a generous structure of round, mouth-filling tannins. This big, brambly wine with bold mountain character is richly expressed with layers evolving through the full, lingering finish.
"85% Cabernet Sauvignon, 8% Merlot, 4% Petite Verdot, 2% Syrah and 1% Malbec. Deep garnet. Concentrated aromas of blackberry, dark chocolate, anise, and bay, highlighted with notes of coffee and currants. Very full-bodied, plushy and dense. Rich and round mouthfeel with intense flavors of cassis and black cherry. Good structure and well-balanced, with fine-grained tannins and a long finish of sweet vanilla, mocha, and berries. 14.5% alcohol."
Winery : Mount Veeder WInery
Varietal: Cabernet Sauvignon
Price Paid: $20.99
Vintage: 2007
Area: Napa Valley, CA
Alcohol: 14.5%
Purchased: Costco
Overall: This is as good a bottle of wine as you can buy for around $20. It is a “Mountain Cab” and I particularly like mountain cabs in ripe years like 2007. I had the 2004 (another ripe year) in a restaurant and went on to drink 5 more bottles over the next 18 months. I paid $34.99 retail a bottle for the 2004.
I was in Trader Joe’s a week or so ago and saw the 2007 for $28.99 and thought it was a great deal and bought 3. I drank one and thought it was fantastic. It just got better over the 3 days it was open. Then I saw it at Costco for $20.99 and bought 9 more bottles. I will enjoy this over the next 2 - 3 years. It is available in many places.
Reviews
Wine Enthusiast
A beautiful Cabernet, rich and mellow, and drinking well now. Shows soft tannins and smoky oak framing blackberry, cherry, cocoa, herb and spice flavors. 90 Points
Winemaker's Notes:
The 2007 Napa Valley Cabernet Sauvignon weaves warm aromas of cassis and tobacco into a bright canvas of raspberry, plum, and currant notes. On the palate, flavors of black cherry and boysenberry meet hints of vanilla, bay, and mocha beneath a generous structure of round, mouth-filling tannins. This big, brambly wine with bold mountain character is richly expressed with layers evolving through the full, lingering finish.
"85% Cabernet Sauvignon, 8% Merlot, 4% Petite Verdot, 2% Syrah and 1% Malbec. Deep garnet. Concentrated aromas of blackberry, dark chocolate, anise, and bay, highlighted with notes of coffee and currants. Very full-bodied, plushy and dense. Rich and round mouthfeel with intense flavors of cassis and black cherry. Good structure and well-balanced, with fine-grained tannins and a long finish of sweet vanilla, mocha, and berries. 14.5% alcohol."
Saturday, September 4, 2010
Masi Masianco White Blend 2008
This week’s selection:
Winery : Masi (Masianco)
Varietal: Pinot Grigio & Verduzzo
Price Paid: $17.00
Vintage: 2008
Area: Friuli, Italy
Alcohol: 13%
Purchased: Papa Joe’s
Overall: OK, I am not a big Pinot Grigio fan. But, this is a delicious wine! It is 75% Pinot Grigio and 25% Verduzzo (which adds a bit of peach, apricot, honey…). The Verduzzo is picked slightly overripe to provide more body and a bit more sweetness but this is not an overly sweet wine. I bought this wine for my wife's "Girls Night Out" and they loved it. This is one of my favorite wineries and I have never had a Masi wine that I did not like, I enjoy their appassimento style (ancient process of drying grapes to make wine dating back 3,00 years), they have simply one of my favorite Amarone’s and even their Campofiorin is excellent (they have it at Maggiano’s Restaurant chain).
Reviews
Shoppers Wine
Golden straw color. Ripe lemon and orchid aromas. Soft entry. Light-to medium bodied palate of ripe lemon, tangerine, and apple flavors with a crisp, stylish finish. Great balance and flavor. 89 Pts. Shoppers Wines
WineChateau.com
Tasting notes
The wine has a bright pale straw color with golden reflections. The complex and appealing bouquet shows fresh notes of white fruit and citrus, as well as warmer aromas of apricot, honey and dried figs. On the palate it is full, overwhelming and smooth, with a delicate vanilla note on the finish.
Winemaker notes
Fermented separately then assembled. Fermented 25 days for Pinot Grigio, 30 days for Verduzzo. Stainless steel aging for 4 months for Pinot Grigio, 4 months in barriques for Verduzzo.
Food pairing
Masianco is an ideal aperitif. It is perfect with hors d’oeuvres, fish and white meats.
Winery : Masi (Masianco)
Varietal: Pinot Grigio & Verduzzo
Price Paid: $17.00
Vintage: 2008
Area: Friuli, Italy
Alcohol: 13%
Purchased: Papa Joe’s
Overall: OK, I am not a big Pinot Grigio fan. But, this is a delicious wine! It is 75% Pinot Grigio and 25% Verduzzo (which adds a bit of peach, apricot, honey…). The Verduzzo is picked slightly overripe to provide more body and a bit more sweetness but this is not an overly sweet wine. I bought this wine for my wife's "Girls Night Out" and they loved it. This is one of my favorite wineries and I have never had a Masi wine that I did not like, I enjoy their appassimento style (ancient process of drying grapes to make wine dating back 3,00 years), they have simply one of my favorite Amarone’s and even their Campofiorin is excellent (they have it at Maggiano’s Restaurant chain).
Reviews
Shoppers Wine
Golden straw color. Ripe lemon and orchid aromas. Soft entry. Light-to medium bodied palate of ripe lemon, tangerine, and apple flavors with a crisp, stylish finish. Great balance and flavor. 89 Pts. Shoppers Wines
WineChateau.com
Tasting notes
The wine has a bright pale straw color with golden reflections. The complex and appealing bouquet shows fresh notes of white fruit and citrus, as well as warmer aromas of apricot, honey and dried figs. On the palate it is full, overwhelming and smooth, with a delicate vanilla note on the finish.
Winemaker notes
Fermented separately then assembled. Fermented 25 days for Pinot Grigio, 30 days for Verduzzo. Stainless steel aging for 4 months for Pinot Grigio, 4 months in barriques for Verduzzo.
Food pairing
Masianco is an ideal aperitif. It is perfect with hors d’oeuvres, fish and white meats.
Monday, August 23, 2010
Bila-Haut 2008
This week’s selection:
Winery : M. Chapoutier - Les Vignes De Bila-Haut
Varietal: Grenache, Syrah and Carignan
Price Paid: $11.99
Vintage: 2008
Area: Roussillon - France
Alcohol: 13.5%
Purchased: Wine Buy’s
Overall: Good Grenache blend and well worth the $11.99 price. It was best the 1st day and very enjoyable, lost something the 2nd day and by the 3rd well… I highly recommend you try this just don't keep it hanging around too long.
Reviews
#75 Wine Spectator Top 100 of 2009
Critical Acclaim:
"A muscular red, with concentrated flavors of dark cherry, plum, raspberry tart and grilled fig. The dense finish of dark chocolate is firm and focused, with smoky notes. Best from 2010 through 2014. 15,000 cases made."
90 Points
Wine Spectator
Winery : M. Chapoutier - Les Vignes De Bila-Haut
Varietal: Grenache, Syrah and Carignan
Price Paid: $11.99
Vintage: 2008
Area: Roussillon - France
Alcohol: 13.5%
Purchased: Wine Buy’s
Overall: Good Grenache blend and well worth the $11.99 price. It was best the 1st day and very enjoyable, lost something the 2nd day and by the 3rd well… I highly recommend you try this just don't keep it hanging around too long.
Reviews
#75 Wine Spectator Top 100 of 2009
Critical Acclaim:
"A muscular red, with concentrated flavors of dark cherry, plum, raspberry tart and grilled fig. The dense finish of dark chocolate is firm and focused, with smoky notes. Best from 2010 through 2014. 15,000 cases made."
90 Points
Wine Spectator
14 Hands Cabernet Sauvignon 2008
This week’s selection:
Winery: 14 Hands Winery
Varietal: Cabernet Sauvignon, Syrah, Merlot, Cab Franc
Price Paid: $12.99
Vintage: 2008
Area: Washington State
Alcohol: 13.5%
Purchased: Papa Joe’s
Overall: Had a glass of this wine two nights in a row at a hotel I recently stayed at. Enjoyed it so much the first night that I looked forward to another glass the 2nd night. Good with hearty food and a nice bargain in a cab blend.
Reviews
Wine Maker
The vintage
Delayed by cool weather in the spring and a moderate summer, harvest began 10 days later than previous years. Hot temperatures in August ripened the fruit, and harvest was quickly ramped up in order to obtain fruit at its optimum ripeness. The cooler than normal growing season and full crop loads led to flavorful fruit with restrained sugar levels and ample acidity.
winemaking
Grapes were sourced from vineyards throughout Washington State, including the Horse Heaven Hills, Columbia Valley, Wahluke Slope and the Yakima Valley. Syrah, Merlot and Cabernet Franc were added to create a fruit-forward blend and to enhance mouth feel. The wine was aged for 12 months in a combination of American and French oak barrels to build structure and complexity in the blend.
flavor profile
“14 Hands Cabernet Sauvignon features aromas of sweet cassis and black cherries with subtle hints of spice and dried herbs. Dark stone fruit flavors are joined by notes of cocoa and complemented by fine, velvety tannins.”
recommended food pairings
Tomato-basil bruschetta, eggplant parmesan, herb crusted prime rib, grilled beef steak, hearty venison stew.
Winery: 14 Hands Winery
Varietal: Cabernet Sauvignon, Syrah, Merlot, Cab Franc
Price Paid: $12.99
Vintage: 2008
Area: Washington State
Alcohol: 13.5%
Purchased: Papa Joe’s
Overall: Had a glass of this wine two nights in a row at a hotel I recently stayed at. Enjoyed it so much the first night that I looked forward to another glass the 2nd night. Good with hearty food and a nice bargain in a cab blend.
Reviews
Wine Maker
The vintage
Delayed by cool weather in the spring and a moderate summer, harvest began 10 days later than previous years. Hot temperatures in August ripened the fruit, and harvest was quickly ramped up in order to obtain fruit at its optimum ripeness. The cooler than normal growing season and full crop loads led to flavorful fruit with restrained sugar levels and ample acidity.
winemaking
Grapes were sourced from vineyards throughout Washington State, including the Horse Heaven Hills, Columbia Valley, Wahluke Slope and the Yakima Valley. Syrah, Merlot and Cabernet Franc were added to create a fruit-forward blend and to enhance mouth feel. The wine was aged for 12 months in a combination of American and French oak barrels to build structure and complexity in the blend.
flavor profile
“14 Hands Cabernet Sauvignon features aromas of sweet cassis and black cherries with subtle hints of spice and dried herbs. Dark stone fruit flavors are joined by notes of cocoa and complemented by fine, velvety tannins.”
recommended food pairings
Tomato-basil bruschetta, eggplant parmesan, herb crusted prime rib, grilled beef steak, hearty venison stew.
Monday, July 26, 2010
Beringer Knights Valley Cabernet Sauvignon 2007
This week’s selection:
Winery: Beringer
Varietal: Cabernet Sauvignon
Price Paid: $18.00 - $20.00
Vintage: 2007
Area: Sonoma, CA
Alcohol: 14.3%
Purchased: Costco
Overall: Simply the best Cab in this price range I have ever had in almost 20 years of drinking mainly Cabs. Right now I am drinking the late 90’s vintages out of my cellar. I learned the aging potential of this gem from Ron Edwards, Master Sommelier. Serve this to company with grilled meats, roast beef, etc. and no one will be disappointed. I poured this 2007 through an aerator before drinking and found the 2007 outstanding and delicious. If you don’t have an aerator you may want to decant.
Reviews
K & L Wines
According to Robert Parker: "Several other great values emerge from Beringer, including the 2007 Cabernet Sauvignon Knight’s Valley. A major sleeper of the vintage, this $27 wine will probably be marked down at discounters, making it a terrific value. This sexy North Coast Cabernet offers copious quantities of black cherry and black currant fruit intermixed with smoky barbecue, roasted herb, sweet cassis, and blackberry scents. Round and gentle with silky tannins, this is a plush red to drink over the next 5-8 years." (12/09)
89 points Stephen Tanzer's International Wine Cellar: "Good deep, bright ruby. Black cherry, licorice and fresh herbs on the slightly medicinal nose. At once dense and juicy, with lively acidity and a firm tannic spine keeping the bright dark berry and licorice flavors under wraps today. This has good weight and balance and finishes with broad, serious, building tannins that call for a year or two of patience. Already showing a bit of flesh, but give this another year or two to round out in bottle." (May/June 10)
Winery: Beringer
Varietal: Cabernet Sauvignon
Price Paid: $18.00 - $20.00
Vintage: 2007
Area: Sonoma, CA
Alcohol: 14.3%
Purchased: Costco
Overall: Simply the best Cab in this price range I have ever had in almost 20 years of drinking mainly Cabs. Right now I am drinking the late 90’s vintages out of my cellar. I learned the aging potential of this gem from Ron Edwards, Master Sommelier. Serve this to company with grilled meats, roast beef, etc. and no one will be disappointed. I poured this 2007 through an aerator before drinking and found the 2007 outstanding and delicious. If you don’t have an aerator you may want to decant.
Reviews
K & L Wines
According to Robert Parker: "Several other great values emerge from Beringer, including the 2007 Cabernet Sauvignon Knight’s Valley. A major sleeper of the vintage, this $27 wine will probably be marked down at discounters, making it a terrific value. This sexy North Coast Cabernet offers copious quantities of black cherry and black currant fruit intermixed with smoky barbecue, roasted herb, sweet cassis, and blackberry scents. Round and gentle with silky tannins, this is a plush red to drink over the next 5-8 years." (12/09)
89 points Stephen Tanzer's International Wine Cellar: "Good deep, bright ruby. Black cherry, licorice and fresh herbs on the slightly medicinal nose. At once dense and juicy, with lively acidity and a firm tannic spine keeping the bright dark berry and licorice flavors under wraps today. This has good weight and balance and finishes with broad, serious, building tannins that call for a year or two of patience. Already showing a bit of flesh, but give this another year or two to round out in bottle." (May/June 10)
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