Wine Club March ‘08 Meetup: The Recap!

This past weekend the F&WB Wine Club met up for an Easter-eve wine tasting. We had a good turnout this month with 13 attendees including 5 (two of which I am pictured with below near our bar) new people who haven’t been to any previous tastings. There were more than 10 cheeses, multiple salmon-based finger foods, grilled chicken and a bunch of other treats on hand. The theme was to bring a bottle of wine under $20 that was something you have had before and enjoyed. The hope was to find a handful of great value wines that would be outstanding for every-day consumption. About half of the wines fell into this category while the other half were randomly picked. The wines were all brown bagged and tasted blind and rated. We voted on our favorites at the end of the night before removing the bags. Below is a list of the wines on hand in descending order of how they were rated (I present the sparkling wines first which were tasted non-blind). The unanimous winner was the 2006 Fat Catz Cat Amongst Pigeons Syrah/Cabernet blend which I scored blind 91 pts and is an outstanding value.
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TN: Marquis Philips 2006 Sarah’s Blend - $14

This Aussie Shiraz comes to us from one of the biggest and top producers in the land down under.  I’m a big fan of their MollyDooker wines, having a ton of Carnival of Love in my cellar…but unfortunately, this one is only an OK value.
Marquis Philips 2006 Sarah’s Blend: Black cherry, toffee, candied cherries, tomato and alcohol nose.  On the palate it’s filled with a bunch of dark fruits, a touch of spice, mild tannins and medium acidity.  The finish is medium but lacks a punch.  My rating: 86 pts, OKV (OK value).

Wine Spectator’s Top 100 Wines of the Year - What I thought!

This month The Wine Spectator released it’s top 100 wines of the year. Without getting into what I thought of their selections, and with 2008 a few days away, I thought I’d recap my tasting notes on the wines that made Wine Spectator’s top 100 that I was lucky enough to try. Unfortunately, the high prices of those wines in the top 50 were too much for me to taste more than a few! Maybe next year we’ll see more value wines making the top 50! NOTE - I’ve listed Wine Spectator’s ratings (WS Rating) and rank. For information on my Value Rating System, check out my ratings page.

Without further ado:

8. Mollydooker Shiraz McLaren Vale Carnival of Love 2006 ($80): Opened and tasted immediately: Mushroom, plum, cherry, big fruits, big yet soft tannins. Decanted. 2 hour decant: Great color. Still tight on the nose. The initial mushroom note is gone with the appearance of a musty-forest floor with a touch of pepper and bacon. On the palette it’s toasted cedar, vanilla, plum, pretty solid through the middle with a long, complex finish that goes on and on. At this point I’m definitely seeing 96 pts or more. 3 hour decant: Again showing better, more buttery now with a bit more spice. The fruits in this wine just don’t stop. Quite pleasing and still 96+ points. 4 hour decant: Just as elegant as before. I’m quite impressed with the structure of this wine and overall quality. Very good. A very solid 96 points. My rating: 96 pts, GV. WS Rating: 95 pts

12. Valdicava Brunello di Montalcino Madonna del Piano Riserva 2001 ($175): I have yet to try this wine, but it’s in the cellar and will be opened in 10 years or so!

16. Schild Shiraz Barossa 2005 ($25): Decanted - big dark fruits, spice, tobacco on the nose. On the palate the wine is explosive with big, dark fruit, leather, plum, tar. Smooth tannins, long finish - pretty straight forward big Aussie Shiraz if that’s your style, you’ll like this wine (the 2004 was a better wine overall). We had this twice and it was consistently good. My rating: 90 pts, GV. WS Rating: 93 pts

37. Navarro Zinfandel Mendocino 2004 ($19): Blueberry, blackberry, cherry and some spice notes on the nose, as well as a small petrol component. Very good balance given the amount of alcohol, smooth tannins and a medium-long finish. A good Zin and great value. Tasted 3 times with consistent notes and evaluation. My rating: : 93 pts, VGV. WS Rating: 92 pts

62. Louis Jadot Moulin-à-Vent Château des Jacques 2005 ($22): Decanted 1 hour. Earthy tones, cherry, raspberry and other bright fruits. On the palate the wine was very well balanced, with dusty tannins and a earthy, medium-length finish. Should get better with a couple years, drinking nice now with a long decant. My rating: 93 pts, VGV. WS Rating: 91 pts

71. Columbia Crest Merlot Columbia Valley Grand Estates ($11): Deep reddish plum in color with notes of plum, raspberry, vanilla and blueberry on the nose. The body is surprisingly creamy with soft tannins layered with good fruit and tar flavors. Long finish accented by a subtle chocolate note - well made bargain Merlot. Buy a case and enjoy one of the best values out there. My rating: 89 pts, OV. WS Rating: 90 pts

72. Yellow Tail Shiraz South Eastern Australia The Reserve 2005 ($11): With all the hype about the Yellowtail reserve Shiraz, I felt it would be fun to grab a bottle and see for myself whether it was warranted. I did not taste this blind, but I wish I had, it was very good. The wine was filled with dark fruits and spice with surprising balance and really smooth tannins. The finish fell apart a bit, but overall the wine is a great value and highly recommended as a daily drinker. My rating: 88 pts, OV. WS Rating: 90pts

77. Heidsieck Monopole Brut Champagne Blu Top NV ($35). Tasted from 375 mL bottle. Pale yellow color with plenty of tiny bubbles. Apple, pear, buttered toast with good balance. Light, crisp, and very refreshing. My rating: 90 pts, VGV. WS Rating: 91 pts.

92. Mulderbosch Chenin Blanc Stellenbosch 2006($14): Pale yellow color. On the nose is wet stone, pear, honey and a touch of lemon rind with citrus, pear and some more honey on the palate. This wine has some wild acidity but it’s not overwhelming and makes it a great spring/summer wine served with spicy cuisine. The finish is crisp and very refreshing. A great value wine from an outstanding producer. My rating: 91 pts, OV. WS Rating: 90pts

100. Caymus Cabernet Sauvignon Napa Valley 2004 ($70): Tasted twice. August 2007 - Filled with dark fruits, berry, currant, chocolate, touch of oak. Firm tannins, long finish. Another great wine from a great producer with good aging potential. My rating: 93 pts, CV. WS Rating: 92 pts

Caymus tasted again 12/26/07: Decanted 30 minutes at a wine bar. Real tight nose, blackberry, black currant, leather. On the palate the wine was a bit off from the other time I’ve had this and rated it 93 pts…the tannins were rough with a medium-long finish. Not corked, but maybe an off bottle. My rating: 87 pts (PV, poor value as it showed this time around).

MollyDooker doing it right.

I’ve recently posted notes on the Boxer (Shiraz) and Violinist (Verdalho), both 2006 vintage MollyDooker wines. I was quite impressed with them both, as I was the 2005 MollyDooker wines. Tonight, on the Eve of the Eve of our departure to Europe, Kim and I decided it was time to open the first bottle of a six-pack of MollyDooker’s 2006 Carnival of Love Shiraz. This higher-end Shiraz is a great example of the extraordinary quality of McLaren Vale Shiraz. Here are my notes over the course of our tasting the wine.

Opened and tasted immediately: Mushroom, plum, cherry, big fruits, big yet soft tannins. Decanted.

2 hour decant: Great color. Still tight on the nose. The initial mushroom note is gone with the appearance of a musty-forest floor with a touch of pepper and bacon. On the palette it’s toasted cedar, vanilla, plum, pretty solid through the middle with a long, complex finish that goes on and on. At this point I’m definitely seeing 96 pts or more.

3 hour decant: Again showing better, more buttery now with a bit more spice. The fruits in this wine just don’t stop. Quite pleasing and still 96+ points.

4 hour decant: Just as elegant as before. I’m quite impressed with the structure of this wine and overall quality. Very good. A very solid 96 points.

I am going to have to track down a 2005 to have side by side when I open the next bottle of this in 6 months or so. My rating: 96 pts.

Great Sauvignon Blancs from the “Land Down Under”

I am becoming a big fan of Australian wines. The quality of wine making throughout Australia has been exceptional in the past 5 years and wines have benefited from overall very good weather. Furthermore, these wines are typically outstanding values do to their relatively new place in the market and large yields.

The number of plantings of Suavignon Blanc is on the rise and over the next 5 years I feel the quality will be comparable to what we expect from their neighbors in New Zealand who have been making great Sauvignon Blanc for 10 years. The wines have great flavor profiles with ripe fruits and great overall freshness. The best in Australia are currently coming from the areas with a cooler climate which tend to allow the grapes to achieve perfect concentration and acidity. Expect great Suavignon Blanc to come from areas such as the Yarra Valley, the Adelaide Hills, and Tumbarumba. (Image: SMILING QUOKKA - © Leroi Keiller | Dreamstime.com)

The 2005 Vintage was very good overall for Australian wines. At harvest, fruits showed a delicate balance of acidity and ripeness with great concentration and depth across the board. The favorable conditions led to Sauvignon Blanc that produced wines with good fruit, citrus quality and a refreshing acidity. I recently had a blind tasting with the following wines and was very happy with the overall quality and value of each wine listed below. I recommend keeping an eye on the vintage reports for the next few years of Australian Sauvignon Blanc. I feel safe in saying that the quality and potential of these wines is just beginning to show.

Salitage Sauvignon Blanc “Treehouse” Pemberton (2005): Medium bouquet with ripe apple and pear. Light body, very crisp with solid citrus notes. Refreshing finish. Good wine. My rating: 85 pts

Ferngrove Vineyards Estate Sauvignon Blanc-Semillon Frankland River Western (2005): Straw, peach, citrus nose with minerals and more peach on the palette. Citrus into the crisp finish. Well done and great price. My rating: 88 pts

Cape Mentelle Semillon/Sauvignon Blanc Floral nose with orange and vanilla. Lacks a solid structure, but the texture is creamy a ptsnd has a good amount of grapefruit that carries into a crisp finish. Overall a great value. My rating: 87 pts

Shaw & Smith Sauvignon Blanc (2005): Wow.A floral bouquet with white peach and citrus. Very well structured and perfectly tuned wine with an oustanding balance of acidity and fruits. Mineral notes are refreshing and lead to a pleasant finish with great length. Very good. My rating: 92 pts

Can a common, low priced wine be excellent?

Jacob’s Creek. Yes, the Jacob’s Creek. A name common to anyone who drinks wine. As common as Yellow Tail or Charles Shaw. Just because it’s cheap and well known for being a bargain wine, must it be just that…a bargain? Can it not also be one heck of a wine?

I have to admit I was skeptical. When a friend of mine from Australia told me that her favorite wine was “Jacob’s Creek Shiraz…but you have to get the reserve” with her cute Australian accent, I thought she was crazy. I told my other friend Peter that she (Marguerite) must have been mistaken, either that, or she wasn’t very into wines and found anything “acceptable.”

I was way off.

Giving her the benefit of the doubt, I went over the my local wine shop tonight and picked up a bottle for $11. Not expecting much, I skipped over the cheese/meats we usually get from the delicatessan and went for Chinese. I got home, set the food down and uncorked the wine. What happened next was one for the ages.

The wine had a deep, dark color with hints of purple. The bouquet was very elegant and quite full of black cherries and blackberry. Spice and chocolate came through with subtle notes of dry cedar. More big, dark fruits on the palette with a huge body and velvety finish that ended with the perfect amount of spice. The tannins were big suggesting a rewarding few more years in the bottle. All of this from an $11 bottle. Buy a case (or two) and enjoy it for the next 4-6 years.  A solid rating of 90 pts.

I may head back to the wine shop tomorrow to grab a few more Reserves from Jacob’s Creek. I also heard that Yellow Tail makes a reserve…for the price it’s worth a shot!

McGuigan Bin 2000 Shiraz (2004) - $10

A great priced Shiraz from Australia - The 2004 McGuigan Bin 2000 Shiraz had a rich nose of dark fruits, tar and spice. Dark cherry and plum fruits with mild acidity through the palette and a medium finish of spice and burnt wood. Pleasant overall - would go good with grilled lamb or a gyro! My rating - 85 pts.

Wines for $10 (or less)

Inspired by my Argentinian friend, Carlos, I thought I should add a few more wines to the $1-$10 category. Without further ado, here are a few bargain wines that are surprisingly good.
La Vieille Ferme Cotes du Luberon Blanc 2006 (France) - A crisp white wine from the Rhone area of France, this 2006 Grenache Blanc blend is very pleasing on the nose. Good fruit and balanced acidity make this an easy choice for a bargain wine. ($8) - My Rating - 88 pts

Wolf Blass Brut Sparkling Yellow Label (Australia) - This sparkling is a remarkaable find at only $9. It has plenty of bubbles and a crisp, refreshing acidity that is well balanced with the citrus and pear fruits. Buy this by the case and have it on hand to wow your guests or for a nice quiet night with someone special! My Rating - 87 pts
Goats do Roam Red 2005 (South Africa) - A Cotes du Rhone blend of wine with a very creative and cute name (South African Vineyards always come up with good names for their wines!). This blend has very vibrant fruits and is well structured. A little bit at the end gives it a kick into a medium length, smooth finish. Another amazing wine for the price ($8) - My rating - 88 pts.

*Finally to save space, I’m going to say if you want a quality wine from the United States for less than $10, try the Columbia Crest wines. They make a very good Merlot (which I reviewed already) as well as a Merlot-Cabernet blend that scored high in the Wine Spectator tasting (I haven’t had it yet). Their whites are also high quality for the price! A constant reminder that you don’t have to pay premium prices for premium wines.