Food to eat, wine to drink & places to visit

Los Vacos Cabernet Sauvignon

2006-01-29T10:20:00.000-08:00

This is an attractive looking wine with good breeding. We had good expectation from the wine but it disappointed us - too acidic and overwhelming.

Winemaker notes:

It is an attractive ruby in color with a very chocolate and caramel nose with hints of new leather and bay leaves. In the mouth it is both tender and

juicy, well structured, with concentrated ripe fruit and slightly spicy. It is persistent and well balanced.

Grape Varieties:

100% Cabernet Sauvignon

Annual Production: 250,000 cases

13.7 %

1.6 g/l

3.2 g/L

http://www.pasternakwine.com//files/pdfFiles/051219_4240_LOS%20VASCOS%202003%20CAB%20NEW%20PRODUCT%20SHEET.PDF

Technorati : Los Vacos Cabernet Sauvignon

Bubbles, Yes; Inflation, No

2005-12-21T20:49:00.000-08:00

By HOWARD G. GOLDBERG
Published: December 18, 2005

California's best sparkling wine, nonvintage Roederer Estate brut from Anderson Valley in cool Mendocino County, is widely sold at discount. This light chardonnay-pinot noir blend delivers fine bubbles, toasty flavor and subtlety.
Skip to next paragraph
Readers
Forum: Wine and Spirits

A retailer's standard 50 percent markup above the wholesaler's lowest price for a case can raise the bottle price to $20.27. PJ Wine, 4898 Broadway (204th Street), Inwood, which delivers citywide, charges $15.97. Some French Champagnes that cost twice as much taste half as good.

http://www.nytimes.com/2005/12/18/dining/18wine.html

Bogle Vineyards

2005-12-14T19:31:00.000-08:00

Chardonnay Profile

* Vintage: 2004
* Appellation: California
* Vineyard Sources: Clarksburg & Monterey
* Harvest Dates: August 5 – September 22, 2004
* Barrel Program: 7 months in new American oak
* Release Date: May 2, 2005
* Wine pH: 3.47
* Wine Acidity: 0.68g/100ml
* Alcohol: 13.9%

TASTING NOTES

This year's vintage displays the complex aromas of fresh pineapple with the twist of lemon. The wine is tasty and we had it with fish and with the red meat. It complemented perfectly both . Mid-palate the toasty oak subtly asserts itself for just a moment before ebbing away into the fruit characters. The finish is smooth with touches of caramel. Definite winner! Strongly recommended.

Veramonte

2005-12-07T02:18:00.000-08:00

A few words about Veramonte.Veramonte represents a return to Agustin Huneeus’ Chilean roots. When he spearheaded development of the Veramonte Estate in 1990, there were less than 100 acres of grapevines planted in the Casablanca Valley. Today, numerous French and American wine concerns have followed his lead to Chile’s newest wine growing region.
The coastal mountain ranges surrounding the Casablanca estate create a unique terroir with a diversity of microclimates. The valley floor’s cool climate is reminiscent of Carneros and ideal for growing premium Chardonnay. The foothills are warmer, akin to the more Northern reaches of the Napa Valley. Here, the climate is more suited to varieties like Carmenëre, the lost Bordeaux grape that has become Chile’s citizen and the basis of Primus, our racy, exotic Chilean blend.

Using the latest viticultural technology developed in California, rootstock has been matched to each vineyard block and clone. Vertical trellising and dense vine spacing balance growth and fruit production. Veramonte’s Casablanca vineyard produces significantly lower yields than other grape growing regions in Chile, resulting in grapes with more intensity and concentration.

Recognizing that the region also had potential as a tourist destination for its proximity to Santiago, Huneeus began to plant the estate and in 1995, constructed the first Napa Valley style hospitality center in Chile. The first wines were released in 1996.

http://www.wine.com/aboutwine/basics/winerydesc.asp?winid=1695

Veramonte- Cabarnet Sauvignon 2003 Maipo Valley

2005-12-07T02:09:00.000-08:00

Red Wine Cabernet Sauvignon from Veramonte South American.
Bursting with ripe blueberry and blackberry flavors. Bold intensity is balanced with a touch of exotic spice and cool tannins leading to a rich, persistent finish. The perfect dinner wine. Beautiful wine. Wine is full and luscious with a deep rich color.Salud!

Alcohol: 13.5%

CHANDON-California Blanc De Noirs

2005-12-07T01:49:00.000-08:00

Chandon /Napa County Blanc de Noirs

For more than a quarter of a century, their Brut, Blanc de Noirs and Reserve have been based upon Pinot Noir and Pinot Meunier. In an effort to showcase these noble red varietals, they created a unique and distinctive style of Blanc de Noirs in 1973. Since then, this fruit-driven, full-flavored sparkling wine, featuring Pinot Noir and Pinot Meunier, has become one of their most popular wines. It’s forward and generous with intense ripe Pinot Noir fruit and lush complex flavors.

Comments: We liked it a lot. It is pale pink-gold color with elegant bubbles. It tastes on rose, ripe strawberry, some watermelon, and lemon-lime .

Additional information about this item:

Country: United States - When people consider domestic wine, they normally think about the state of California. The fine viticultural regions within California, including the Napa Valley, Sonoma, Santa Cruz Mountains, Mendocino and Santa Barbara, are capable of growing grapes of world-class quality. But there's plenty of fabulous wine coming from other states, too. Oregon, Washington and New York are also causing eyebrows (and glassware) to be raised around the world. Click for a list of bestselling items from the United States.

Sub-Region: California - With the explosive growth that California's wine industry has seen the past several years, it's easy to view winemaking and grape growing in the Golden State as a recent phenomenon. And while it's true that California's viticultural history is brief compared to several European countries, this state's roots date back well over 200 years. Due to the enormous response to California wine within the United States and worldwide, there are thousands of excellent and diverse wines being produced within the state each year. For our entire selection of California wines, please visit this link.

Great Kosher Wine

2005-10-13T16:31:00.000-07:00

TISHBI CABERNET PETITE SIRAH 2004
Dry red wine;Product of Israel

This is our second bottle of Israeli kosher wine and we are really thrilled. It is no wonder that in recent years, the kosher wine industry has become more popular. It is light red, great with chicken, salad, or a light snack. Nice taste of plum and pear flavors, almost unfelt tannins and cassis,and a somewhat sweet finish as its drank.

France turning wine into gas

2005-10-06T10:13:00.000-07:00

France has periodically turned oceans of lowly table wines into vinegar and ethanol. But bottles of quality French wine have been piling up on supermarket shelves and in vineyard cellars across the country, to the point that some of it is now cheaper than bottled water.

By early this year, with some winemakers taking to the streets in protest against low prices, France asked the European Union to approve the distillation of 150 million liters of the country's Appellation d'Origine Control�e wine. By the end of the year, 100 million liters - enough for 133 million bottles - will have been turned into crystal-clear ethanol.

Whatever its cause, the glut has led to ruinous price declines. A bottle of modest C�tes-du-Rh�ne that used to sell wholesale for about 1.20 euros, or about $1.40, sells today for 60 centimes, about 70 cents. Even bottles of fancier Saint-�milion are going for under 3 euros apiece.

http://www.nytimes.com/2005/10/06/international/europe/06wine.html

Shingleback Cabernet Sauvignon 2002

2005-09-11T18:31:00.000-07:00

We tried a 2002 Cab Sauv blend from Shingleback a few daysb back. We bought the wine attracted by its excellent rating (88) from Wine Spectator. Overall the wine still felt too young to us. It was spicy and we felt that the tannin was a litte on the higher side.

MCLAREN VALE

This region has a Mediterranean climate with wet winters, dry summer and plenty of sunshine. The proximity to the

St Vincent Gulf, coincidently named after the patron saint of winemakers, bene.ts fruit quality with warmer spring

and autumn conditions and cooler summers. McLaren Vale is renown as a premium wine region of great beauty that

consistently produces wines of the highest quality with rich .avors.

DAVEY FAMILY VINEYARD

The Davey Family Vineyard is located in the Willunga Basin at the southern end of the acclaimed McLaren Vale Wine

Region. Brothers John and Kym Davey planted the Davey Family Vineyard on land that the family has owned since

1959. They direct grape growing dedicating the site to producing high-quality, intensely colored and flavored grapes

through innovative canopy management and progressive farming techniques. Superior fruit is grown by managing

canopies for balance through a moveable wire system; hand-pruning; precise deficit irrigation and integrated pest

management. With rows planted north to south to capture maximum sunlight, the vineyard currently boasts 186

planted acres.

VINTAGE NOTE

Harvested early April 2002 after a long, cool, dry season. These mild conditions produced intensely colored reds,

complex ripe berry fruit .avors and velvety tannin structures.

WINEMAKING

This wine was aged in 45% new oak, with the balance in 1-2 year old .ne grained French and American oak barrels.

TASTING NOTE FROM JOHN DAVEY, WINEMAKER

Deep vibrant red. Powerful blackberry fruit with hints of clove

and dark chocolate dominate the aromas and .avors of the

wine. A frame of .ne grained French and American oak add

complexities of cigar box and cashew to the .avor pro.le

VINEYARD SOURCE

Davey Family Vineyard, McLaren Vale

VARIETY BLEND

100% Cabernet Sauvignon

BOTTLING

TA: 6.3

pH: 3.49

Alcohol: 14.5 %

http://www.shingleback.com.au/press/awards.php

ACCOLADES CABERNET SAUVIGNON

Date Publication or Competition Acclaim Vintage/Varietal

Jan 2005 Wine Spectator Magazine 88 points - "Editor's Pick" 2002 Cabernet Sauvignon

Dec 2004 Wine Enthusiast 89 Points 2002 Cabernet Sauvignon Oct 2004

The Wine Advocate 88 points 2002 Cabernet Sauvignon Sept/Oct 2004

Winestate Magazine 4-1/2 Stars 2002 Cabernet Sauvignon June 1, 2004

http://www.capitalwine.net/Cart.cfm?Mode=Add&ItemID=1804&Price=15.95&Description=Shingleback&Qty=1&Taxable=1&VintageSub=Y&Weight=0&I1.x=41&I1.y=5

Merlot delle Venezie IGT 2003

2005-08-27T22:11:00.000-07:00

Light, young with the taste of chocolate and stawberry.

A noble red styled for cellaring, from Veneto-area merlot grapes vinified in strict accord with classic local practices. A ruby-flecked deep red, it unfolds traditional varietal characteristics, layered with hints of vanilla and toasty oak. Full-flavored in the mouth, exceptionally well structured, with a fine, lengthy finish; a wine of compelling suppleness. Recommended with a wide variety of dishes, particularly lightly grilled white meats.

Made from 100% Merlot
The first vintage was bottled in 1996, and 100,000 bottles are produced annually.

Production area: vineyards in Lago di Garda - located 196 - 260 ft. above sea level, with southeastern exposure and a alluvial, gravelly, clay soil composition

Vineyard characteristics: 26 acres planted in varied years with a density of 1,618 vines per acre. The vines are planted in the spur pruned cordon method and yield 4.4 tons per acre.

The harvest was carried out in mid - late September

White sparkling wine - Great taste at an affordable price

2005-07-30T19:29:00.000-07:00

Producer Domaine Saint Hilaire
Category Sparkling Wine
Country France
Region Loire Valley

2001 Saint - Hilaire Blanc De Blancs Brut, imported from France. Created by the Benedictine Monks of the Abbey of Saint - Hilaire over 450 years ago; over 100 years before the first champagne was created. All the qualities of an expensive French Champagne, (reminding on Veuve Clique Champagne) at an affordable price. Saint - Hilaire is a true find, you will be impressed as we were.

PINOTAGE 2002- We loved it

2005-07-29T19:31:00.000-07:00

PINOTAGE 2002

DESCRIPTION

This is the modern face of pinotage, from the youthful ruby-purple colour to the high-toned, perfumed nose hinting at incense, ripe strawberries, oak-spice and vanilla. The palate is medium-bodied and crisp, yet dense with berry flavours and exotic spice. Venison and traditional ‘potjiekos’ are the obvious food partners for the wine, which should acquire further complexity over 3-5 years if properly cellared.
Region - Stellenbosch

‘Being a reclusive winemaker is actually an advantage,’ quips Louw Engelbrecht, commanding the white-wine team, while Michael Bucholz captains the reds. Indeed it is, if a touch of the hermit enables a winemaker to produce the fine-quality, excellent-value wines this label’s renowned for. Assistant winemakers Justin Corrains and Deon Boshoff are the other members of a young group working under veteran Callie van Niekerk, who’s been in the oeno-game for more than 30 years. They saw ‘good grapes and a very full cellar’ in 2003; in fact, says Engelbrecht, ‘it was a challenge finding fermentation space. All of a sudden we had a big chardonnay crop again. It just kept coming in.’

TECHNICAL SPECIFICATIONS

Alcohol Vol% 13.94%
Sugar g/l 1.50
Total Acid g/l 5.40
Total S02 89.00
Free S02 mg/l 21.00
Ph 3.98

WINEMAKERS NOTES

The bushvine grapes were picked at full ripeness. Fermented dry on the skins. Thereafter, 50% of this wine was matured in French Oak (300Li) barrels for 12 months.

Saisons des Vins L'Hiver Syrah 2003

2005-07-19T19:49:00.000-07:00

By Connoisseurs' Guide
Connoisseurs' Guide to California Wines, Nov 04
Rated: 86
Apparently, the conclusion one can draw from the label is that Syrah is the wine for winter, at least for those who speak French. The rest of us will be content knowing that this youthful, bright and solidly berryish wine with its hints of white dark chocolate and wisps of ripe apples can make a pleasing mate to pork loin roasts and chops served hot off the barbecue now and over the next several years.

Producer Saisons des Vins
Varietal Syrah
Country United States
Region California
Appellation Mendocino
$21.99

Wow!I loved it. Outstanding California Dolcetto, intensely fruity (loganberry jam, blackberry) and lightly peppery in flavor. Has mild oakiness. Long finish. I enjoyed the smell and taste. Bravisimo!

Cristalino Brut

2005-07-15T20:16:00.000-07:00

Enthused by WSJ columnist review of Spanish Cava in todays edition, we tried a bottle of Crisalino Brut. This is what they had to say:

"Best value. One of the great bargains on the wine shelf today. Clean and lovely, with lemon, kiwi, flowers and even a touch of honey and a long, refreshing finish. "

Our review was a little mixed. While I liked the it, my wife was negative. That was possibly linked to the sweetness of the wine. While it was labeled Brut, the wine was somewhat more sweet than it should be.

Some other reviews of Cava from WSJ that we hope to try soon:
Vineyard/Vintage Price Rating Tasters' Comments
1+1=3 Brut (U Mes u Fan Tres) $13.00* Very Good Best of tasting. Clean, fresh and lemony. It's filled with tangerines and other citrus, but all so light that the wine itself seems like a big bubble.
Cristalino Brut (Jaume Serra) $6.99 Good/Very Good Best value. One of the great bargains on the wine shelf today. Clean and lovely, with lemon, kiwi, flowers and even a touch of honey and a long, refreshing finish.
Freixenet 'Carta Nevada' Brut $7.59 Good/Very Good Nutty and exuberantly fruity, with mouth-watering acids. The Cordon Negro Brut is also good and always reliable.
Raventos i Blanc Brut Nature Gran Reserva 1999 $19.99 Good/Very Good Filled with minerals and some rich fruit, with a clean, lively finish. Serious wine. The regular, nonvintage Brut is also good.
Segura Viudas Brut Reserva $6.99 Good/Very Good Serve this one at a party. It's clean, fruity and refreshing, with a nice underpinning of minerals. Very easy to drink.

Tin Roof Sauvignon Blanc 2003

2005-07-15T20:11:00.000-07:00

We just had the Tin Roof Sauv Blanc, 2003. My impression of the wine was better than that of my wife. The wine was tart and sweet and she really prefer's dry wine. We wont be buying this one agaain but drank cold, this wine hit some of the right spots.
One place where this wine sells is:

http://www.winebazar.net/products/Tin-Roof-Sauvignon-Blanc-03.html

Bodegas Palacio Rioja Cosme Palacio y Hermanos 2001

2005-07-06T19:16:00.000-07:00

"Bodegas Palacio Rioja Cosme Palacio y Hermanos 2001 BN#154537

#77 on Wine Spectator's Top 100 Wines of 2004!

The Wine Spectator: Expressive and alluring. This modern red shows a plush texture and ripe fruit flavors of blackberry and plum, with pretty oak accents and well-integrated tannins. It has depth, but remains graceful on the palate. Drink now through 2008. Score: 90.

ProducerBodegas Palacio
CategoryTempranillo
CountrySpain "

I liked it a lot. It is truly a delicious accompaniment for red meat, spicy foods or strong cheese, a full body and great depth of spices and fresh fruits.

CHIANTI CLASSICO

2005-05-28T09:18:00.000-07:00

QUERCETO

RESERVA 2000

We like it although we are not fans of the italian wines in general.

Cooking with Google

2005-04-22T16:58:00.000-07:00

If you are ever looking to find a recipe, use this hack to look for one.
http://www.researchbuzz.org/cookin_with_google.shtml

Chateau St Michelle Columbia Valley Merlot 2001

2005-04-22T16:40:00.000-07:00

Today we tried a Columbia Valley Merlot. I am not sure why Merlot have got such a bad rap. This was a fine easy wine to have with food. We had it with Lamb Curry and Bread and the wine went nice and easy. We got the wine for about $14 which seemed to be the average price.

This is what Wine Spectator had to say about the wine:
"Rated 89 - Smooth, generous style emphasizes distinctly minty, herbal overtones to the cherry and spice flavors. It all lingers nicely. Drink now through 2008. " - Wine Spectator.

http://www.saratogawine.com/shopexd.asp?id=18916

Ravenswood merlot 2002

2005-04-12T17:50:00.000-07:00

We just tried the ravenswood merlot 2002. For the money, this is a great wine. Easy to drink and very smooth. Slight more berry in the taste but overall very good. At about $9, this was a bargain.

The description from the store said the following:
"Selected wines from various California counties are blended to provide a Merlot with fresh, intense plum and cherry vanilla aroma. A full, round, ripe berry flavor accompanied by a rather soft, spicy finish make this wine particularly delectable. A large portion of this wine was aged in French oak for eight months to add complexity and structure to the rather opulent fruit characteristics of the Merlot grapes. The wine is well suited to drinking now, though if you were to "lose" a few bottles and discover them in your cellar in five years, you would most likely not be disappointed. "

"Selected wines from various California counties are blended to provide a Merlot with fresh, intense plum and cherry vanilla aroma. A full, round, ripe berry flavor accompanied by a rather soft, spicy finish make this wine particularly delectable. A large portion of this wine was aged in French oak for eight months to add complexity and structure to the rather opulent fruit characteristics of the Merlot grapes. Like our Vintners Blend Zinfandel, the wine is well suited to drinking now, though if you were to "lose" a few bottles and discover them in your cellar in five years, you would most likely not be disappointed."

http://www.liquorama.net/browseproducts/Ravenswood-Vintners-Blend-Merlot-2002.HTML

Highly recomended Coppola Director's Reserve Chardonnay 2003

2005-03-27T08:14:00.000-08:00

Napa Valley Chardonay 2003
Francis Coppola Director's Reserve

$25.00

The 2003 Director's Reserve Chardonnay is harvested from vineyards located within the heart of the Napa Valley. The Chardonnay was fermented and aged sur lie in one-to-two year old French oak barrels for twelve months. The Chardonnay is complex and elegant, with ripe, spicy pear, butterscotch and toasty oak aromas. The palate is ripe with appealing fig, pear and citrus flavors. The barrel aging sur lie has created an impressive finish that is rich and polished.

WINEMAKING ANALYSIS:
Appelation: Napa Valley
Blend: 100% Chardonnay
Alcohol: 14.1% by volume
Total Acid: .59gm/100ml
pH: 3.56"

We truly loved it. First time we tasted it was in Cappola's vinery and I was able just to say "Wow". In principal I am not white wine person but this Chardonnay is something special. It is a brilliantly crisp, and refreshing wine. It is enjoyable on its own, this wine goes with a wide variety of foods, ranging from different kinds of fish to red meat.

You must try it.

2001 PENFOLDS Chardonnay

2005-03-09T19:39:00.000-08:00

2001 PENFOLDS Chardonnay
South Eastern Australia
Penfolds

Penfolds takes its name from an Englishman, Dr Christopher Rawson Penfold, who emigrated to Australia in the 19th Century. Like many of his time, Penfold held a belief in the medicinal qualities of wine, and his baggage included a collection of vine cuttings sourced from the south of France. In 1845 he and his wife, Mary, built a small stone cottage at Magill, near Adelaide, around which he planted his cuttings. This cottage was called...The Grange.
At the time Australian wine was largely fortified, and those produced by the Penfolds did not buck the trend. These fortified wines were principally produced for Penfold's patients, and they were very popular, and before long the vineyards were expanded. After Penfold's death in 1870 Mary continued to manage the vineyards alone, and within a few decades Penfolds was a household name across Australia. When Mary died in 1895, she passed control to daughter Georgina and son-in-law Thomas Hyland. The Penfold Hylands saw their family business rise to dominate the Australian wine industry; at one time one in every two bottles of wine sold bore the Penfolds label.
It was one of the Penfold Hyland's descendents, Jeffrey Penfold Hyland, that decided in 1950 to move from fortified to table wine production. The task of developing the range was given to their then winemaker, Max Schubert. What he went on to produce at Penfolds has become legend; in 1951 he blended an experimental table wine, based on Shiraz, which is now recognised as the Grange prototype. The wine was not well received by the Penfold Hylands, but Schubert continued production without their knowledge, and on subsequent tasting the family realised that this was a great wine. Grange was born, and over the next few decades Schubert went on to create many more of the famous Penfolds labels. In 1976 the Penfold Hylands relinquished control of their business to Tooth & Co., but it has subsequently been absorbed into the industrial group Southcorp (also responsible for Lindemans, Rosemount and Wynns Coonawarra Estate). Today the wines are made by Peter Gago, who took control from his predecessor John Duval in 2002.

A journeyman’s effort here with nice ripe apple and melon aromas and flavors, accompanied by a touch of citrus crispness. Not your big, buttery Chardonnay by any means, but a decent quaff at a reasonable price.

Finally the only premium white wine, dubbed the 'White Grange' by some, is the Yattarna Chardonnay. This is a multi-district blend although it is primarily sourced from the Adelaide Hills. It is 100% barrel-fermented Chardonnay which then sees a further 18 months in French oak, which is between 50-100% new each vintage.

http://www.thewinedoctor.com/australia/penfolds.shtml

Brunch at Cafe Colonial

2005-02-20T16:09:00.000-08:00

We had brunch today at Cafe Colonial. We tried the Brazilian Omelet and the Scrambled Eggs with Salmon. Also tried the Ipanema Juice which is beetroot and apple. Both very good. Solid food and good atmosphere. Worth going to.

Some links for Review of Cafe Colonial

http://www.urban75.org/photos/newyork/ny184.html

http://www.silentd.com/restaurant/cafe_colonial.html

http://www.digitalcity.com/newyork/dining/venue.adp?vid=62707

2003 Excelsior Cabernet Sauvignon

2005-02-20T16:01:00.000-08:00

We tried a bottle of the 2003 Excelsior Cab. This is an excellent wine priced around $8.99. A brief description of the wine from http://www.selectwinesllc.com/20excabsauv.html is below. Strongly recommend this wine.

Excelsior Estate is owned by Stephen and Freddie De Wet, fourth generation of a proud family winemaking tradition dating to 1697. This Excelsior Cabernet Sauvignon is one of their more recent works of art--a quality Cab at a very affordable price.

Enjoy Excelsior Cabernet Sauvignon with steak, BBQ ribs, rich vegetable dishes and cheeses.

Tioe Pepe Sherry

2005-02-19T21:40:00.000-08:00

Gonzalez Byass is one of the few bodegas remaining that are still in the hands of the original families. Why this matters it that they are traditionalists having worked together for many generations – their fino is a mark of their family. Fortunate for us, they continue to make classic sherries such as Tio Pepe whether or not they are “cost effective.” Tio Pepe is a classic aperitif wine, which in Andalucía is also served with the meal. If you ever want to catch the essence of traditional Andalucía, a copa of Tio Pepe will transport you back to a finer time.

We did not like this wine but guess we don’t like sherry.

2003 The Wishing Tree Shiraz WEST AUSTRALIA

2005-02-19T18:53:00.000-08:00

2003 The Wishing Tree Shiraz WEST AUSTRALIA

This wine delivers classic Shiraz characters. Fruit has been sourced from a number of our most renowned growing regions, creating a wine with delicious red and black fruit characters, and enticing spice and pepper nuances. Pop a cork to enjoy with food and friends, or sip a glass under your favorite Wishing Tree.

Wonderful line of taste, smooth, dry and full body. Great shiraz. Rated as a 89 from Wine Spectator.

Shiraz Oscar Semmler 2001

2005-02-19T18:51:00.000-08:00

We just had the Shiraz Oscar Semmler 2001. Its inky purple color is followed by big, full-bodied aromas of creosote, blackberries, and white flowers, and sweet, concentrated, dense, powerful, pure flavors. Interestingly, this offering is aged for 24 months in both new and one-year old French hogsheads, which are much bigger than standard barrels. Wine Spectator rated it as a 88.

Artesa 2001 Pinot Noir

2005-02-19T18:47:00.000-08:00

Artesa
2001 PinotNoir
Carneros

WS 88 Pts. - A racy style, with zesty wild berry-, strawberry- and cranberry-scented fruit, a whiff of smoked meat and earthy nuances, finishing with mild, supple tannins, a touch of mineral and fresh earth. Drink now through 2007. 14,980 cases made.

Our comments: Just OK.

Ben Marco Malbec

2005-02-19T18:18:00.000-08:00

Ben Marco Malbec Mendoza by volume 2002

Product by Argentina
91 PTS WINE SPECTATOR. Lovely spice, mint and crushed raspberry aromas give way to a supple, elegant version of Malbec in the '02 Ben Marco; raspberry and boysenberry, toast shadings on the finish.

Our coments: Possible one of the reasons why this wine was not good, is that it tasted weird and sour.

2003 Nederburg Paarl Riesling

2005-02-19T18:15:00.000-08:00

Had a great bottle of wine today and publish a review below:
2003 Nederburg Paarl Riesling

The 2003 Nederburg Paarl Riesling is a dry, crisp wine with a good fruity character that teams up well with a variety of dishes such as tuna, most seafoods and white meat roasts and those prepared with cream or cheese sauces.

IN THE VINEYARD
The grapes for this, one of South Africa’s most popular dry white wines, were sourced from Cape Riesling (Cruchen Blanc) vineyards in the Paarl Valley, picked between 20° and 20.5° Balling.

IN THE CELLAR
Only free run juice was used and fermentation took place at 13°C. The wine was made in reductively to preserve freshness and flavour, as this variety is particularly prone to oxidation.
TECHNICAL ANALYSIS
Winemaker Razvan Macici
Alcohol 11.37 %vol
pH 3.2
RS 1.18 g/l
Total Acid 6.31 g/l
SO2 110 mg/l
Free SO2 43 mg/l
Appelation Coastal

BLEND INFORMATION
Cape Riesling

Nederburg Paarl Riesling 2003: "TASTING NOTES
The 2003 Nederburg Paarl Riesling is a dry, crisp wine with a good fruity character that teams up well with a variety of dishes such as tuna, most seafoods and white meat roasts and those prepared with cream or cheese sauces.

IN THE VINEYARD
The grapes for this, one of South Africa?s most popular dry white wines, were sourced from Cape Riesling (Cruchen Blanc) vineyards in the Paarl Valley, picked between 20? and 20.5? Balling.

IN THE CELLAR
Only free run juice was used and fermentation took place at 13?C. The wine was made in reductively to preserve freshness and flavour, as this variety is particularly prone to oxidation.

BLEND INFORMATION
Cape Riesling "