Grapes
Castello Banfi 2010 Rosso di Montalcino
A very enjoyable wine but possibly missing a little something that might make it memorable. To be frank, I wasn’t sure what to expect with this as I don’t know all the areas of Italy yet. It was a nice wine, nice nose, fruit – I thought maybe a little pear. Nice tasting wine as [...]
Finger Lakes Rieslings
If one could overdose on Riesling I’d bet I have made a pretty good run at it in the last year. After three trips, samples from several producers and four virtual tastings of Finger Lakes Rieslings I must have tasted at least 150 different bottlings from several dozen producers. Add to that the Rieslings that [...]
Robertson Winery 2008 Wolfkloof Shiraz Review
I came across this review (for the 2007 vintage) that I feel describes this glass quite well. I honestly don’t know if there was a great difference between the 2007 and 2008 but I would easily give this one an 89 as well and find L.B.’s description to be spot on. [From some quick reading [...]
2008 Wayne Gretzky Merlot Review
I don’t drink a lot of Merlot – but if I did I imagine I’d be a fan of this bottle. First impressions of Gretzky Estates Merlot, wow – fruit punch. Raspberries, fig and a hint of confectionery. A nice nose overall, leading me to think this wine might be worthwhile. The moment the Gretzky [...]
Wolf Blass Shiraz 2010 Yellow Label Review
Another middle of the road wine. I kind of like it but not going to go bananas over it. A decent wine to go with dinner during the week. The nose shows a nice fruity tone, cherry, hint of cough syrup – leads you into the wine with optimism – but not excitement. You never [...]
Blason de Bourgogne Chardonnay Macon-Villages 2010
The first thing you notice with this bright Chardonnay is the citrus notes. Very pleasant indeed, nice way to start a relationship. Burgundy whites come from a few distinct regions, one of which (the more southerly) is Maconnais. That’s right not all great Burgundy is red. We break down the Maconnais region a bit further, [...]
R. H. Phillips 2009 California Syrah
I love the idea of a little family owned vineyard; a close-knit team struggling to make and market their best wines – this is the picture I often have in mind when I glance at a wine bottle label. Of course many vineyards, just like most other industries, are becoming more and more monolithic. Of [...]
Zolo Cabernet Sauvignon 2010 from Mendoza Argentina
I guess it’s not a coincidence that I’ve been tasting some better wines lately, I’ve been spending more and staying away from Costco. Tonight it’s a Cabernet Sauvignon from Zolo in the Mendoza region of Argentina. I recently had another wine, a Malbec, from Mendoza that is one of the nicest I’ve had these past [...]
Pouilly-Fume Jean Pabiot and Sablette Muscadet 2010
It’s nice step forward in your wine education when you get a chance to try two wines side by side. It could be two different vintages from a particular producer or two of the same varietal from the different regions. Whatever you get to experiment with it’s bound to be both fun and educational. So [...]
2010 Cono Sur Pinot Noir from Chile
2010 Cono Sur Pinot Noir Reserva How do you describe a really nice Pinot Noir? We throw out terms like notes of blueberry, gamey, forest floor, dark berries with hints of tobacco. It’s rare that you actually taste these things – they are merely suggestions of similar sensations. But describing a quality Pinot leaves us [...]
