Winery: Gruet
Varietal: Chardonnay
Price Paid: $15.99
Vintage: 2007
Area: Albuquerque, New Mexico
Alcohol: Not on bottle...
Purchased: Papa Joe’s, Birmingham, MI
Overall: Surprise! You can get very good Chardonnay out of New Mexico. I tried this at my friend Rick Russ’s house and was shocked at how good it was. These guys get incredible accolades for their reasonably priced sparkling wines. Their founder was a French champagne maker who discovered New Mexico. (See the winery link on the right side of the page.)
Aged in French Oak for 8 months, the oak is not over the top. It has the oak nuances but also a certain crispness to it as well. This is a great bottle of wine for the money. Surprise your friends with a wine from New Mexico. They will enjoy this wine.
Reviews
Gruet Winery Comments:
The warmth of the season produced grapes with tremendous richness. The Chardonnay is light golden straw in color. Light oak, so the fruit shines through, it opens with peach and apples aromas, strikes a fascinating Balance between fruity and mineral one. A young wine with a good structure that reveals unbelievable freshness. Winemaker's Note: Ripe and fruity, weaving together complex pear, vanilla, citrus and apple flavors with a nice delicate oak finish.
See links at top right for reviews and information on Gruet.
Sunday, April 25, 2010
Monday, April 19, 2010
Liberty School 2006 Cabernet Sauvignon
This week’s selection:
Winery: Liberty School
Varietal: Cabernet Sauvignon
Price Paid: $12.79
Vintage: 2006
Area: Paso Robles, CA
Alcohol: 13.5%
Purchased: Bella Vino Fine Wines
Overall: What a great everyday drinking Cab! I have had this wine in numerous vintages and it is consistently a good, easy to drink Cab that tastes like Cab. Have it with burgers or steak, it will drink nicely with either and it is a great wine to buy for the crowd.
"The Liberty School label was created in 1975 by Caymus Vineyards to absorb surplus cabernet sauvignon grapes. In 1987, after the brand became popular, the Hope family, which owned vineyards in Paso Robles, began selling cabernet grapes to Caymus. By 1995, production of Liberty School had moved to Paso Robles, and within four years, a Central Coast chardonnay and syrah had been introduced. Liberty School is now a label under the umbrella of Hope Family Wines, which includes Treana, Austin Hope and Candor."
By the way, I recently had a bottle of the 2007 Caymus and it was spectacular.
Reviews
Snooth Consumer Reviews: (No critic’s reviews found)
06/23/09
If your looking for something for daily consumption, this is about as good as it gets in the $10 range.
Very nice balance of fruit and spice, subtle oak on the finish, soft tannins.
07/01/09
A surprisingly good wine for the price - best cab I have had in that price range
06/15/09
Very good entertaining wine. I always have a case on hand.
Winery: Liberty School
Varietal: Cabernet Sauvignon
Price Paid: $12.79
Vintage: 2006
Area: Paso Robles, CA
Alcohol: 13.5%
Purchased: Bella Vino Fine Wines
Overall: What a great everyday drinking Cab! I have had this wine in numerous vintages and it is consistently a good, easy to drink Cab that tastes like Cab. Have it with burgers or steak, it will drink nicely with either and it is a great wine to buy for the crowd.
"The Liberty School label was created in 1975 by Caymus Vineyards to absorb surplus cabernet sauvignon grapes. In 1987, after the brand became popular, the Hope family, which owned vineyards in Paso Robles, began selling cabernet grapes to Caymus. By 1995, production of Liberty School had moved to Paso Robles, and within four years, a Central Coast chardonnay and syrah had been introduced. Liberty School is now a label under the umbrella of Hope Family Wines, which includes Treana, Austin Hope and Candor."
By the way, I recently had a bottle of the 2007 Caymus and it was spectacular.
Reviews
Snooth Consumer Reviews: (No critic’s reviews found)
06/23/09
If your looking for something for daily consumption, this is about as good as it gets in the $10 range.
Very nice balance of fruit and spice, subtle oak on the finish, soft tannins.
07/01/09
A surprisingly good wine for the price - best cab I have had in that price range
06/15/09
Very good entertaining wine. I always have a case on hand.
Monday, April 12, 2010
Louis Jadot 2008 Macon-Villages Chardonnay
This week’s selection:
Winery: Macon-Villages
Varietal: Chardonnay
Price Paid: $14.99 on Sale
Vintage: 2008
Area: Burgundy, France
Alcohol: 12.5%
Purchased: Kroger’s
Overall: This is a wine I have been buying on and off since around 1992 and have enjoyed it in the past (great for cutting through a rich cream sauce because of being un-oaked). 2008 was a tough growing season in Burgundy and this wine shows it, with no fruit and very little if anything going for it. I like un-oaked Chardonnay’s but this is a poor wine in a tough vintage. Ugh.
Reviews
Wine Makers Comments:
Mâcon-Villages Jadot is a clean, fresh Chardonnay with typical varietal fragrance and elegant, citrus and white fruit flavors on the palate. Vinified without oak contact, the delicate acid balance carries into a refreshing, crisp finish.
Vintage Remarks (Please note this is not a fine Burgundy wine that gets babied in the vineyard with careful attention to detail):
Region: Burgundy
Grade: Whites (B-); Reds (C+)
The 2008 harvest in Burgundy was nothing short of a miracle. Growers breathed a collective sigh of relief after picking enough healthy Chardonnay and Pinot Noir to save what looked initially like a complete disaster.
The challenges in the vineyard were multiple. Coulure, millerandage (small, seedless berries, leading to uneven bunches), mildew, oïdium, botrytis and even hail in some vineyards kept vintners on their toes throughout the growing season. Finally, in mid-September, a change in weather brought a north wind, with cool temperatures. The conditions dried the vines and helped increase sugar levels while keeping acidity levels high. Along with diligent sorting, this allowed domaines and houses to put decent grapes into the fermenting vats.
"This vintage was really a miracle," said Romain Taupenot of Domaine Taupenot-Merme in Morey-St.-Denis. "Meticulous work in the vineyard and painstaking attention to detail were the key factors for success."
Cold and rainy weather extended the flowering in June to as long as three weeks. This resulted in a natural reduction of yields due to coulure and millerandage. It also led to uneven development and ripening of grapes from parcel to parcel, making it necessary to adapt the vinifications according to the quality of grapes from each site.
Mildew pressure in June and an outbreak of oïdium in July prompted spraying to protect leaves and developing grape clusters. "We sprayed 12 times from mid-May to mid-August, once a week," said Claude de Nicolay-Drouhin, co-owner of Domaine Chandon de Briailles in Savigny-lès-Beaune. "For two years now we have decided to leave grass in the middle [of the rows] and just plough between each vine. I think it was a good decision because the grass is a perfect sponge when it's raining."
Hail, a common problem in Burgundy, created isolated damage in Meursault, Volnay, Marsannay and the southern part of the Mâconnais, around Pouilly-Fuissé. "At the bottom of the slope, in the Bourgogne vineyards on the Volnay side, we suffered significant hail damage, up to 70 percent, depending on the parcel," said Jean-Marc Roulot, winemaker at Domaine Roulot in Meursault.
Harvest was delayed until September's sunny and dry conditions quickly ripened the grapes. "We could see the sugar increasing almost every day and the fruit getting more and more concentrated thanks to dehydration, yet still with good acidity because of the cold weather," said Nicolaÿ-Drouhin.
The hail and dehydration reduced the volume of the harvest anywhere from 30 to 50 percent in some places compared with 2007. Furthermore, the cool conditions during the growing season and harvest left grapes with high levels of malic acid. The wines will change dramatically after malolactic fermentation.
Early reports suggest Chardonnay is more successful than Pinot Noir. The white grapes were healthier and the botrytis-affected Pinot Noir required diligent sorting. However, 2008 is a year where generalizations won't apply and the results will vary not only from grower to grower, but also from parcel to parcel.
Chablis may have benefited the most from the north wind. Christian Moreau of Domaine Christian Moreau Père & Fils reported that spraying kept vineyard diseases at bay, while the picking was done under nice, if cool weather. "With the good natural degree and the good acidity I really believe at this moment that 2008 will be a very rich vintage with higher acidity if you compare it to '05 or '06," he said. Volume was 10 to 20 percent less than an average year.
Dominique Lafon of Domaine des Comtes Lafon, who makes wine from several vineyards in the Mâconnais, was pleased with the results there. Despite the presence of mildew and oïdium, the grapes in general were healthy. Unfortunately, the drying north wind and late harvest dates resulted in 30 percent less volume than 2007.
Like any difficult vintage, those who did the work in the vineyards will be rewarded, but overall results will be variable. "In the end, I'm quite happy," said Carel Voorhuis, estate manager at Domaine d'Ardhuy. "It certainly won't be the vintage of the century, but it all looks better than average."
—Bruce Sanderson
Winery: Macon-Villages
Varietal: Chardonnay
Price Paid: $14.99 on Sale
Vintage: 2008
Area: Burgundy, France
Alcohol: 12.5%
Purchased: Kroger’s
Overall: This is a wine I have been buying on and off since around 1992 and have enjoyed it in the past (great for cutting through a rich cream sauce because of being un-oaked). 2008 was a tough growing season in Burgundy and this wine shows it, with no fruit and very little if anything going for it. I like un-oaked Chardonnay’s but this is a poor wine in a tough vintage. Ugh.
Reviews
Wine Makers Comments:
Mâcon-Villages Jadot is a clean, fresh Chardonnay with typical varietal fragrance and elegant, citrus and white fruit flavors on the palate. Vinified without oak contact, the delicate acid balance carries into a refreshing, crisp finish.
Vintage Remarks (Please note this is not a fine Burgundy wine that gets babied in the vineyard with careful attention to detail):
Region: Burgundy
Grade: Whites (B-); Reds (C+)
The 2008 harvest in Burgundy was nothing short of a miracle. Growers breathed a collective sigh of relief after picking enough healthy Chardonnay and Pinot Noir to save what looked initially like a complete disaster.
The challenges in the vineyard were multiple. Coulure, millerandage (small, seedless berries, leading to uneven bunches), mildew, oïdium, botrytis and even hail in some vineyards kept vintners on their toes throughout the growing season. Finally, in mid-September, a change in weather brought a north wind, with cool temperatures. The conditions dried the vines and helped increase sugar levels while keeping acidity levels high. Along with diligent sorting, this allowed domaines and houses to put decent grapes into the fermenting vats.
"This vintage was really a miracle," said Romain Taupenot of Domaine Taupenot-Merme in Morey-St.-Denis. "Meticulous work in the vineyard and painstaking attention to detail were the key factors for success."
Cold and rainy weather extended the flowering in June to as long as three weeks. This resulted in a natural reduction of yields due to coulure and millerandage. It also led to uneven development and ripening of grapes from parcel to parcel, making it necessary to adapt the vinifications according to the quality of grapes from each site.
Mildew pressure in June and an outbreak of oïdium in July prompted spraying to protect leaves and developing grape clusters. "We sprayed 12 times from mid-May to mid-August, once a week," said Claude de Nicolay-Drouhin, co-owner of Domaine Chandon de Briailles in Savigny-lès-Beaune. "For two years now we have decided to leave grass in the middle [of the rows] and just plough between each vine. I think it was a good decision because the grass is a perfect sponge when it's raining."
Hail, a common problem in Burgundy, created isolated damage in Meursault, Volnay, Marsannay and the southern part of the Mâconnais, around Pouilly-Fuissé. "At the bottom of the slope, in the Bourgogne vineyards on the Volnay side, we suffered significant hail damage, up to 70 percent, depending on the parcel," said Jean-Marc Roulot, winemaker at Domaine Roulot in Meursault.
Harvest was delayed until September's sunny and dry conditions quickly ripened the grapes. "We could see the sugar increasing almost every day and the fruit getting more and more concentrated thanks to dehydration, yet still with good acidity because of the cold weather," said Nicolaÿ-Drouhin.
The hail and dehydration reduced the volume of the harvest anywhere from 30 to 50 percent in some places compared with 2007. Furthermore, the cool conditions during the growing season and harvest left grapes with high levels of malic acid. The wines will change dramatically after malolactic fermentation.
Early reports suggest Chardonnay is more successful than Pinot Noir. The white grapes were healthier and the botrytis-affected Pinot Noir required diligent sorting. However, 2008 is a year where generalizations won't apply and the results will vary not only from grower to grower, but also from parcel to parcel.
Chablis may have benefited the most from the north wind. Christian Moreau of Domaine Christian Moreau Père & Fils reported that spraying kept vineyard diseases at bay, while the picking was done under nice, if cool weather. "With the good natural degree and the good acidity I really believe at this moment that 2008 will be a very rich vintage with higher acidity if you compare it to '05 or '06," he said. Volume was 10 to 20 percent less than an average year.
Dominique Lafon of Domaine des Comtes Lafon, who makes wine from several vineyards in the Mâconnais, was pleased with the results there. Despite the presence of mildew and oïdium, the grapes in general were healthy. Unfortunately, the drying north wind and late harvest dates resulted in 30 percent less volume than 2007.
Like any difficult vintage, those who did the work in the vineyards will be rewarded, but overall results will be variable. "In the end, I'm quite happy," said Carel Voorhuis, estate manager at Domaine d'Ardhuy. "It certainly won't be the vintage of the century, but it all looks better than average."
—Bruce Sanderson
Monday, March 22, 2010
Monte Antico Toscana 2006
This week’s selection:
Winery: Monte Antico
Varietal: Sangiovese, Merlot and Cabernet Sauvignon
Price Paid: $11.99
Vintage: 2006
Area: Tuscany, Italy
Alcohol: 12.5%
Purchased: Colasanti’s Market
Overall: I hated this wine the first night. All I could taste was the bracing acidity and could not get past it. It confirmed my suspicion that with Wine Spectator you have to be over the top to get attention. (WS #61 on the top 100 wines list.) I picked it up 3 days after being opened and thought this has mellowed a bit and I can taste the sangiovese (the grape of Chianti) and enjoyed it. By the fourth night it was even easier drink and I enjoyed another glass.
This is one of the reasons it is good to let a wine sit for at least a day if you do not like it the first day. I would not recommend this wine but it was reasonably good by the third or fourth day. Too much work for an $11.99 bottle of wine.
Please let me know your thoughts if you try this wine.
Reviews
Critical Acclaim:
Just so you folks know that I am not alone in my opinion, I went on Snooth and these were two of the first 3 regular people reviews
First User Review on Snooth: I picked this bottle up at Costco and have to say that I rarely pour out a bottle of wine, but couldn't stand this bottle. It has a wonderful jammy bouquet, but has no body. There was very little taste and it imparted a bitter, almost sour taste on the back of my tongue.
I put it in the decanter and tried it again today, but nothing seemed to help. After looking at the other reviews here I'll try it again as people seemed to like it, and will change my review if on 2nd taste my opinion changes.
Third User Review on Snooth: Rating 86 Although the nose is long and complex the excessive fruit acid makes this wine unbalanced. the underlying structure is very good. I considered this not to be a bargain !!
• Tags:
• too much acid
Wine Spectator: WS 90pts. - #61 on Wine Spectator's Top 100 Wines of 2009 - According to James Suckling on his WineSpectator.com blog: I came across an incredible value in my office in Tuscany today. Tasting a range of wines from $10 to $25 with Neil and Maria Empson of Empson & Co., I found some excellent wines. But what was the most impressive for the money was the Monte Antico 2006. Its suggested retail is $11, and it could sell for less (like here). And it is in the market now. Granted, I have not tasted it blind yet. But it’s in the very good to outstanding range. The wine is 75 percent Sangiovese, 15 percent Merlot and 10 percent Cabernet Sauvignon. It is made from 25-year-old vines minimum, mostly from Pisa, Maremma and Chianti Classico areas. Of course, the quality of the 2006 vintage in Tuscany shined through on this wine. This is a superb Sangiovese year. The aromatic quality of Sangiovese is mind-blowing for most wines from Tuscany. The 2006 Monte Antico has beautiful plums, berries and fresh acidity. Fantastico! And for $11!
Winery: Monte Antico
Varietal: Sangiovese, Merlot and Cabernet Sauvignon
Price Paid: $11.99
Vintage: 2006
Area: Tuscany, Italy
Alcohol: 12.5%
Purchased: Colasanti’s Market
Overall: I hated this wine the first night. All I could taste was the bracing acidity and could not get past it. It confirmed my suspicion that with Wine Spectator you have to be over the top to get attention. (WS #61 on the top 100 wines list.) I picked it up 3 days after being opened and thought this has mellowed a bit and I can taste the sangiovese (the grape of Chianti) and enjoyed it. By the fourth night it was even easier drink and I enjoyed another glass.
This is one of the reasons it is good to let a wine sit for at least a day if you do not like it the first day. I would not recommend this wine but it was reasonably good by the third or fourth day. Too much work for an $11.99 bottle of wine.
Please let me know your thoughts if you try this wine.
Reviews
Critical Acclaim:
Just so you folks know that I am not alone in my opinion, I went on Snooth and these were two of the first 3 regular people reviews
First User Review on Snooth: I picked this bottle up at Costco and have to say that I rarely pour out a bottle of wine, but couldn't stand this bottle. It has a wonderful jammy bouquet, but has no body. There was very little taste and it imparted a bitter, almost sour taste on the back of my tongue.
I put it in the decanter and tried it again today, but nothing seemed to help. After looking at the other reviews here I'll try it again as people seemed to like it, and will change my review if on 2nd taste my opinion changes.
Third User Review on Snooth: Rating 86 Although the nose is long and complex the excessive fruit acid makes this wine unbalanced. the underlying structure is very good. I considered this not to be a bargain !!
• Tags:
• too much acid
Wine Spectator: WS 90pts. - #61 on Wine Spectator's Top 100 Wines of 2009 - According to James Suckling on his WineSpectator.com blog: I came across an incredible value in my office in Tuscany today. Tasting a range of wines from $10 to $25 with Neil and Maria Empson of Empson & Co., I found some excellent wines. But what was the most impressive for the money was the Monte Antico 2006. Its suggested retail is $11, and it could sell for less (like here). And it is in the market now. Granted, I have not tasted it blind yet. But it’s in the very good to outstanding range. The wine is 75 percent Sangiovese, 15 percent Merlot and 10 percent Cabernet Sauvignon. It is made from 25-year-old vines minimum, mostly from Pisa, Maremma and Chianti Classico areas. Of course, the quality of the 2006 vintage in Tuscany shined through on this wine. This is a superb Sangiovese year. The aromatic quality of Sangiovese is mind-blowing for most wines from Tuscany. The 2006 Monte Antico has beautiful plums, berries and fresh acidity. Fantastico! And for $11!
Wednesday, March 17, 2010
Top 5 Wines of The Past 26 Weeks
Wonderful Pinot Noir:
Winery: Oyster Bay
Varietal: Pinot Noir
Price Paid: $18.99
Vintage: 2006
Area: New Zealand, Marlborough
Alcohol: 13%
Overall: Absolutely delightful Pinot Noir, this is the second bottle I have had.
Top White Wine
Winery: Pewsey Vale
Varietal: Riesling
Price Paid: $13.41
Vintage: 2008
Area: Eden Valley, Australia
Alcohol: 12.5%
Purchased: Sam’s Club
Overall: OK, we are on a roll. Like last week, this once again is a very good inexpensive wine that I would buy by the case. This is a dry Riesling with just a touch of sweetness and the right amount of acidity to balance it out. I do like dry wines...
Best Bargain and a Personal Favorite:
Winery: Venta Morales
Varietal: Tempranillo
Price Paid: $7.99
Vintage: 2008
Area: La Mancha (largest wine growing region in the world)
Alcohol: 13.5%
Overall: A Great Buy, I bought half a case. Perfect summertime wine!
Best Inexpensive Cabernet Sauvignon
Winery: Sacred Stone Cask #5, Pietra Santa Winery
Varietal: Meritage
Price Paid: $8.79, list $10.99
Vintage: Best bet 2005, no year listed but called Cask #05
Area: Across California, Winery located in Hollister, CA
Alcohol: 14.6%
Purchased: Bella Vino
Overall: Unbelievable bottle of wine for this price. Good fruit and even a hint of spice and herb at the end. It was good the second day with Sunday roast beef dinner. It tastes like a real red wine and not some insipid concoction as is often the case at this price point. This is perhaps the best quaffing wine I have had. Great everyday drinker, great for a party, great for a cookout, neighbors… The blend supposedly changes year to year based on the best grapes they find available.
My Vote For Top Wine Over the 26 Weeks
Winery: Bodegas Juan Gil
Varietal: Monastrell
Price Paid: $12.00
Vintage: 2007
Area: Jumilla, Spain
Alcohol: 15%
Purchased: By a Friend
Overall: A delicious wine made from a different varietal, dark fruit, spicy, a bit of herb and high alcohol that in spite of the alcohol went down very easily. Very balanced as the winemaker states.
Winery: Oyster Bay
Varietal: Pinot Noir
Price Paid: $18.99
Vintage: 2006
Area: New Zealand, Marlborough
Alcohol: 13%
Overall: Absolutely delightful Pinot Noir, this is the second bottle I have had.
Top White Wine
Winery: Pewsey Vale
Varietal: Riesling
Price Paid: $13.41
Vintage: 2008
Area: Eden Valley, Australia
Alcohol: 12.5%
Purchased: Sam’s Club
Overall: OK, we are on a roll. Like last week, this once again is a very good inexpensive wine that I would buy by the case. This is a dry Riesling with just a touch of sweetness and the right amount of acidity to balance it out. I do like dry wines...
Best Bargain and a Personal Favorite:
Winery: Venta Morales
Varietal: Tempranillo
Price Paid: $7.99
Vintage: 2008
Area: La Mancha (largest wine growing region in the world)
Alcohol: 13.5%
Overall: A Great Buy, I bought half a case. Perfect summertime wine!
Best Inexpensive Cabernet Sauvignon
Winery: Sacred Stone Cask #5, Pietra Santa Winery
Varietal: Meritage
Price Paid: $8.79, list $10.99
Vintage: Best bet 2005, no year listed but called Cask #05
Area: Across California, Winery located in Hollister, CA
Alcohol: 14.6%
Purchased: Bella Vino
Overall: Unbelievable bottle of wine for this price. Good fruit and even a hint of spice and herb at the end. It was good the second day with Sunday roast beef dinner. It tastes like a real red wine and not some insipid concoction as is often the case at this price point. This is perhaps the best quaffing wine I have had. Great everyday drinker, great for a party, great for a cookout, neighbors… The blend supposedly changes year to year based on the best grapes they find available.
My Vote For Top Wine Over the 26 Weeks
Winery: Bodegas Juan Gil
Varietal: Monastrell
Price Paid: $12.00
Vintage: 2007
Area: Jumilla, Spain
Alcohol: 15%
Purchased: By a Friend
Overall: A delicious wine made from a different varietal, dark fruit, spicy, a bit of herb and high alcohol that in spite of the alcohol went down very easily. Very balanced as the winemaker states.
Tuesday, March 9, 2010
Pewsey Vale 2008 Riesling
This week’s selection:
Winery: Pewsey Vale
Varietal: Riesling
Price Paid: $13.41
Vintage: 2008
Area: Eden Valley, Australia
Alcohol: 12.5%
Purchased: Sam’s Club
Overall: OK, we are on a roll. Like last week, this once again is a very good inexpensive wine that I would buy a case of. There have been probably only 4 out of the 25 so far that I would even think of buying a case of. This is a dry Riesling (if you like sweet Riesling this is not it and you may not like it) with just a touch of sweetness and the right amount of acidity. Rieslings are very versatile with food from seafood to pork.
Reviews
Winemaker's Notes:
The 2008 Pewsey Vale Riesling is a rich and intensely flavored wine. Classic fruit aromas of talcum, lemons and limes, with a hint of overlaying dried herb are present, along with a palate showing great length and depth with limes, and a hint of tropical fruit. The wine finishes with a soft but fresh natural acidity which balances the flavour intensity, and will reward with medium to long-term cellaring.
Critical Acclaim:
"The 2008 Dry Riesling is light straw-colored with an alluring bouquet of honeysuckle, citrus, and apple. Medium-bodied with crisp, ripe, succulent fruit and buttressing acidity, this dry, tasty effort will evolve for 3-4 years and provide pleasure through 2018."
90 Points
The Wine Advocate
"Strong color; a powerful, complex bouquet leads into a palate bursting with lime juice fruit; has thrust and length. "
94 Points
James Halliday
Wine Star (Australian Reviews)
One of the many lovely Rieslings from this vintage, ripened in the cool January and February, and picked before the March heat. Strong green tinges foretell a powerful, complex bouquet leading into a palate bursting with regional lime juice fruit; has great vibrancy, thrust and length. From Eden Valley, SA Drink now-2015 with gazpacho 94 points, $17.95, S, 12.5° alc Halliday’s Top 100 – The Weekend Australian November 8-9, 2008
Lively lime and lemon juice aromas, pristine and focussed, abundant florals and ripe lime citrus. The palate's a ball of fresh minerals and fine lemon/lime citrus flavours, pushing deep, long and flavoursome on a piercing acid line. 96 points; Nick Stock, WBM100 (Aus), December 2008
There is so much going for Pewsey Vale Eden Valley Riesling. Here are just some of the descriptors that we brainstormed in less than a second. World-class, historic, stylish, reliable, classis, racy, exciting, gripping, pure, beautiful, age-worthy but immediately enjoyable, bargain-priced . . . we could go on. The 2008 adds finesse, very fine, ethereal, delicate and exceedingly long and minerally to this list of notes, making this our favourable release in a decade. Matthew Jukes & Tyson Stelzer, Taste: Food & Wine 2009 (Aus), October 2008
Rich yet bracing with minerality, citrus, unripe pineapple flavours and an elegance that works as an aperitif and at the table. Steve Spurrier, Decanter Magazine (UK), August 2008
Winery: Pewsey Vale
Varietal: Riesling
Price Paid: $13.41
Vintage: 2008
Area: Eden Valley, Australia
Alcohol: 12.5%
Purchased: Sam’s Club
Overall: OK, we are on a roll. Like last week, this once again is a very good inexpensive wine that I would buy a case of. There have been probably only 4 out of the 25 so far that I would even think of buying a case of. This is a dry Riesling (if you like sweet Riesling this is not it and you may not like it) with just a touch of sweetness and the right amount of acidity. Rieslings are very versatile with food from seafood to pork.
Reviews
Winemaker's Notes:
The 2008 Pewsey Vale Riesling is a rich and intensely flavored wine. Classic fruit aromas of talcum, lemons and limes, with a hint of overlaying dried herb are present, along with a palate showing great length and depth with limes, and a hint of tropical fruit. The wine finishes with a soft but fresh natural acidity which balances the flavour intensity, and will reward with medium to long-term cellaring.
Critical Acclaim:
"The 2008 Dry Riesling is light straw-colored with an alluring bouquet of honeysuckle, citrus, and apple. Medium-bodied with crisp, ripe, succulent fruit and buttressing acidity, this dry, tasty effort will evolve for 3-4 years and provide pleasure through 2018."
90 Points
The Wine Advocate
"Strong color; a powerful, complex bouquet leads into a palate bursting with lime juice fruit; has thrust and length. "
94 Points
James Halliday
Wine Star (Australian Reviews)
One of the many lovely Rieslings from this vintage, ripened in the cool January and February, and picked before the March heat. Strong green tinges foretell a powerful, complex bouquet leading into a palate bursting with regional lime juice fruit; has great vibrancy, thrust and length. From Eden Valley, SA Drink now-2015 with gazpacho 94 points, $17.95, S, 12.5° alc Halliday’s Top 100 – The Weekend Australian November 8-9, 2008
Lively lime and lemon juice aromas, pristine and focussed, abundant florals and ripe lime citrus. The palate's a ball of fresh minerals and fine lemon/lime citrus flavours, pushing deep, long and flavoursome on a piercing acid line. 96 points; Nick Stock, WBM100 (Aus), December 2008
There is so much going for Pewsey Vale Eden Valley Riesling. Here are just some of the descriptors that we brainstormed in less than a second. World-class, historic, stylish, reliable, classis, racy, exciting, gripping, pure, beautiful, age-worthy but immediately enjoyable, bargain-priced . . . we could go on. The 2008 adds finesse, very fine, ethereal, delicate and exceedingly long and minerally to this list of notes, making this our favourable release in a decade. Matthew Jukes & Tyson Stelzer, Taste: Food & Wine 2009 (Aus), October 2008
Rich yet bracing with minerality, citrus, unripe pineapple flavours and an elegance that works as an aperitif and at the table. Steve Spurrier, Decanter Magazine (UK), August 2008
Monday, March 1, 2010
Bodegas Juan Gil 2007
This week’s selection:
Winery: Bodegas Juan Gil
Varietal: Monastrell
Price Paid: $13.00 to $17.00
Vintage: 2007
Area: Jumilla, Spain
Alcohol: 15%
Purchased: By a Friend
Overall: A delicious wine made from a different varietal, dark fruit, spicy, a bit of herb and high alcohol that in spite of the alcohol went down very easily. Very balanced as the winemaker states. It went beautifully with the Pork Saltimbocca recipe below that was incredibly simple to make.
Pork Saltimbocca (courtesy of the latest Williams-Sonoma Catalog)
See under favorite links...
• 4 Boneless Pork Loin Chops 1 inch thick
• Fresh Sage Leaves
• 8 slices of Prosciutto
• Balsalmic Vinegar
• Olive Oil
• Salt
• Freshly Ground Pepper
Salt and Pepper chops, then lay 2 sage leaves on top of each chop and wrap with 2 slices of prosciutto. Brush with olive oil and grill approximately 6 minutes on each side but until internal temperature registers 140 degrees. Cover loosely with foil and let sit for 10 minutes. Drizzle with balsamic vinegar and serve, it is simple and delicious.
Reviews
Winemaker's notes:
We selected the Monastrell grapes for this wine from 40-year old parcels in our estate vineyards. Here shallow, chalky soils on a bed of limestone and rock, combined with an arid climate, produce the low yields (1,8 ton per acre) required for wine of this complexity. After harvesting, the deep purple grapes are whole-cluster macerated "sur lie" for 25 days, and then pressed and aged for 12 months in French oak barrels.
It has a very dark cherry color with purple tones. In the nose it has powerful aromas of red berries, toasted and smoked notes from their aging in the oak barriques.
It has good structure with ripe and sweet tannins. In the mouth it is very long, and with a perfect balance between fruit, alcohol and the oak tones, which make it very pleasant and easy to drink.
Pair with meat, stewed meat, stewed vegetable, mushroom, poultry, sauces fish, smoked seafood, blue and cured cheese, red meat, roast and baked meat (lamb, pig, ox).
Critical Acclaim:
"Opaque purple. Blueberry, boysenberry and smoky Indian spices on the nose, with a sexy floral quality coming on with air. Juicy, sweet dark berry flavors are framed by velvety tannins and enlivened by zesty minerality. Gains depth and fleshiness with air, finishing on a strong boysenberry note, with excellent sappy persistence. This is delicious right now."
90 Points
International Wine Cellar
Winery: Bodegas Juan Gil
Varietal: Monastrell
Price Paid: $13.00 to $17.00
Vintage: 2007
Area: Jumilla, Spain
Alcohol: 15%
Purchased: By a Friend
Overall: A delicious wine made from a different varietal, dark fruit, spicy, a bit of herb and high alcohol that in spite of the alcohol went down very easily. Very balanced as the winemaker states. It went beautifully with the Pork Saltimbocca recipe below that was incredibly simple to make.
Pork Saltimbocca (courtesy of the latest Williams-Sonoma Catalog)
See under favorite links...
• 4 Boneless Pork Loin Chops 1 inch thick
• Fresh Sage Leaves
• 8 slices of Prosciutto
• Balsalmic Vinegar
• Olive Oil
• Salt
• Freshly Ground Pepper
Salt and Pepper chops, then lay 2 sage leaves on top of each chop and wrap with 2 slices of prosciutto. Brush with olive oil and grill approximately 6 minutes on each side but until internal temperature registers 140 degrees. Cover loosely with foil and let sit for 10 minutes. Drizzle with balsamic vinegar and serve, it is simple and delicious.
Reviews
Winemaker's notes:
We selected the Monastrell grapes for this wine from 40-year old parcels in our estate vineyards. Here shallow, chalky soils on a bed of limestone and rock, combined with an arid climate, produce the low yields (1,8 ton per acre) required for wine of this complexity. After harvesting, the deep purple grapes are whole-cluster macerated "sur lie" for 25 days, and then pressed and aged for 12 months in French oak barrels.
It has a very dark cherry color with purple tones. In the nose it has powerful aromas of red berries, toasted and smoked notes from their aging in the oak barriques.
It has good structure with ripe and sweet tannins. In the mouth it is very long, and with a perfect balance between fruit, alcohol and the oak tones, which make it very pleasant and easy to drink.
Pair with meat, stewed meat, stewed vegetable, mushroom, poultry, sauces fish, smoked seafood, blue and cured cheese, red meat, roast and baked meat (lamb, pig, ox).
Critical Acclaim:
"Opaque purple. Blueberry, boysenberry and smoky Indian spices on the nose, with a sexy floral quality coming on with air. Juicy, sweet dark berry flavors are framed by velvety tannins and enlivened by zesty minerality. Gains depth and fleshiness with air, finishing on a strong boysenberry note, with excellent sappy persistence. This is delicious right now."
90 Points
International Wine Cellar
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