Episode-9: The Wines of Henry’s Drive

Food, Wine, Culture TV- Episode 9: I recently had a chance to have dinner with the very talented wine maker Renae Hirsch- the newest wine maker at well known producer Henry’s Drive in the Padthaway region of Southeast Australia. I was very impressed with Renae’s passion and love of wine and good food, and look forward to watching her integrate her style, personality into the wines of Henry’s Drive. Today I have chosen three of my favorites to talk about. So please join me as I taste through the wines of Henry’s Drive and tell the story of where the vineyard gets its name!
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Tasting Report: Good wines and great QPRs from Chilean producer Vina Ventisquero (Chile)

Chilean wines are quickly becoming some of the best QPR (quality-to-price) wines in the market today. From Sauvignon Blanc and Cabernet, to the more rare Carmemere, the Chilean wine industry is setting the bar high when it comes to wines that bring big bang for their buck. (click here for more on Chilean wines)

I was recently invited to lunch with Felipe Tosso, head winemaker at up and coming producer Vina Ventisquero. In our two hour lunch I developed an understanding of his style and a respect for his experience and passion, as well as for his commitment to maintain eco-friendly wines. (image from www.intlwine.com/southamerica.htm) Read more

Wines for Spring Part II: A Shopping List - 20 wines to kick off any springtime BBQ!

Part II of my Spring Wine Guide (Read Part I here): The chill of winter is ready to be packed away with your snow pants and wool sweaters in exchange for bathing suits and tank tops. If you’re like me, this time of year you’ll also transition from drinking big red wines every night to more Champagne, crisp whites, and Rose. Sure you’ll still have a big Cabernet or Barolo with a nice dinner indoors, but on a warm spring or summer night its best to kick things off with one (or two, or three!) bottles of a light, slightly chilled wine.

Here are my recommended wines for this Spring organized by Country and Price, with truncated tasting notes (Pink text = Rose wine, Green text = white or sparkling wine, Red text = red wine):

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I love it when friends come to visit - Cheeses, scallops, shrimp, ribeyes, Cabernet, Syrah and more!

I love it when a good friend comes to visit. It’s a great excuse to open a few nice bottles of wine and make a big dinner. Last night my friend Brandon drove down from Michigan for dinner and a 4 day mini-vacation. About 10 minutes after pulling into the driveway, we went to a local wine store for a wine tasting and to stock up for the weekend. From there we hit Whole Foods where we found some cheese, sweet potato’s, scallops, collosal shrimp, beef ribeye steak and a bison New York strip steak.
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Tasting Notes: 3 wines from Tuscan producer Il Borro

2006 Il Borro “Lamelle” - $N/A:
Composition: Chardonnay
Tasting notes: Pale yellow color with aroma’s of wet stone, apple, and an interesting sweaty t-shirt component. On the palate flavors of pear and a touch of honey, with mineral notes combined with a medium body and nice acidity on finish. A lot of nice individual components that never really come together completely. My rating: 87 pts, No value rating - price not available.
Side notes: Overall a nice Chardonnay. Not overly complex but had good weight and a nice touch of acidity that went well with Lobster Tempura. Not sure the domestic pricing on this one, but if it’s under $20 it will be a decent buy.

2005 Il Borro “Pian di Nova” - $20:
Composition: 75% Syrah, 25% Sangiovese - 12 months Allier oak barriques - malo-lactic fermentation. 6 months bottle age. 13.5% Alcohol.
Tasting notes: Deep ruby color. Blackberry, red bell pepper, spicy V-8, dark and dark raspberry on the nose. Lot’s of spice up front, creamy texture, black fruits, and vanilla flavors with medium tannins. Nice hints of red pepper and fruit on the finish. My rating: 89 pts, GV
Side notes: Wine Spectator gave this wine a measly 83 pts, but I found it to be quite good. It’s a different style of wine - if you like spicy red pepper and vegetable notes, this one’s for you. Would be great with a Cajun spiced strip steak.

2004 Il Borro “Polissena” -27$:
Composition: 100% Sangiovese - 12 months Allier oak barriques - malo-lactic fermentation. 6 months bottle age. 13.0% Alcohol.
Tasting notes: Aroma’s of minerals, earth, some heat, nutmeg, cinnamon, red fruits, plum. Light body with good fruits near mid-palate that fall off near the finish. My rating: 87 pts, OKV
Side notes: A decent wine - lighter in style than the Pian di Nova and a little less interesting. There is a nice earth and wood component to it, but the flavors fall off for a bit close to the finish and for almost $30, this one is a pass for me.

Tasting Notes: Chameleon Cellars and Bravante

Notes from a recent tasting. Overall, there wasn’t a “bad” wine in the bunch. Some were good, some were great. A few outstanding! The Chameleon Cellars wines are styled to let the fruit express itself and would be best consumed any night of the week with a good, simple food pairing. In contrast, the Bravante wines are complex, elegant examples of the potential of the fruits with good blends and the right amount of oak. These wines are built to stand up to big steaks, rich dishes, and for the most part are structured to last a few years in the cellar. Both producers are highly recommended - at least a few wines from each! In fact, I recommend that you go out and find a wine from either (or both) producer(s), drink it, write what you think, and e-mail them to me or post a comment! (These wines can be found online or at shops throughout Baltimore)

Without further ado, in the order we drank them:

2006 Chameleon Cellars Sauvignon Blanc North Coast: Tropical fruits and some mineral on the nose - honeydew, peach, apple, and jasmine on the palate - good acidity, nice crisp finish. My rating: 89 pts, GV (Good value)

2005 Chameleon Cellars Grenache - Mendocino: Nose filled with cherry and raspberry, a touch of smoke and a mild wet dirt component. Lot’s of black cherry on the palate, light then becoming fuller with medium tannins. Would be great with rabbit. My rating: 87 pts, OKV

2003 Chameleon Cellars Charbono: Nose of spruce, herbs, eucalyptus, with cherry and white pepper on the palate. Overall good balance but could benefit from a touch more acidity. The finish is medium length and brings back a hint of herbs. My rating: 87 pts, GV

2005 Chameleon Cellars Carignane: The most widely planted grape in southeastern France, this Salono County Carignane was made from hillside vines and fruit from a warm growing season. The result is an earthy nose with a touch of chocolate. Good acidity with cherry notes, light in style with a smooth finish - very interesting wine that would pair nicely with a variety of wild game. My rating: 87 pts, GV

2005 Chameleon Cellars Syrah: Brilliant color and weight to this wine. Just approaching the glass with your nose you are bombarded with red pepper and spice. A lot of fruits stand out in the wine and the medium tannins are well integrated. More Old-World in style which is a good thing! My rating: 90 pts, VGV (Very Good Value)

2005 Chameleon Cellars Petit Sirah: Coming from 112 year old vines, this Petit Sirah is very good (tasted from 3 bottles). Dark purple color, aromas of dark cherry, spice and cigar box. Big, dark fruits and black pepper on the palate - great structure, big, chewy tannins and a 30 second finish. Drink one now and lay a few down for the next 5 years when it should peak. My rating: 91 pts, OV (Outstanding Value)

2005 Chameleon Cellars Barbera Mendocino: Beautiful bright color, vibrant red fruits, tightly wound but explosive - the wine is balanced and finishes crisp - a great pizza wine. My rating: 86 pts, GV

2004 Chameleon Cellars Zinfandel, Gordon Valley (Napa): Concentrated flavors, blackberry, blueberry, earth, spice, medium tannins. My rating: 87 pts, GV

2004 Chameleon Cellars Merlot: Plum, cherry, raspberry notes. As with many of the other Chameleon wines, the fruits really stand out, but this one lacks balance of the other wines. My rating: 86 pts, OKV (OK Value)

2005 Chameleon Cellars Cabernet Sauvignon: In this first effort at a Cabernet, Chameleon did a fine job. Don’t expect the creamy, oakiness of many other Cabs as this was designed to let the fruit shine. Earth notes, blackberry, black cherry, bell pepper, medium tannins with a bite. No formal rating was recorded during my tasting but from memory it was good. At the price, it’s worth trying to see if it’s your style. NR (No rating)

2004 Bravante Merlot - $38: Plum, cherry, touch of thyme. Good mid-palate filled with fruits and some acidity that becomes balanced into soft tannins. A touch of sweet fruit returns on the finish and is highlighted with black pepper. My rating: 88 pts, GV

2004 Bravante Trio, $40: This blend of Cabernet Sauvignon, Merlot and Cab Franc is quite good. Lot’s of black fruits and buttered toast, dried herbs on the nose. The wine is complex with chocolate, blackberry, and some sweet cedar, has great structure and balance and finishes with layers of flavors and big tannins - I’d lay a few bottles down (if you can find them!) for 3 or more years. My rating: 93 pts, VGV

2004 Bravante Cabernet Sauvignon - $50: Consistent with my previous notes: dark fruits, deep color, herb, vanilla. Not decanted this time around, but it drank nicely. My rating: 92 pts, GV

2003 Bravante Simpatico - $75: This was my wine of the night - layers and layers of dark fruits, earth, cherry, cigar box, anise, spice. Huge body, big tannins, a Cadillac among Fiats. Big, long finish, did I mention this wine is big? Pricey but worth it if you like big California Cabs (wine is roughly 80% Cab Sauvignon and 20% Cab Franc) can find a few bottles of this very limited release. For best enjoyment, lay it down for at least 5 years maybe 10 or more! My rating: 94 pts, CV (this wine has “cellar” or “collectible” value - meaning if you can afford it, definitely go for it!).

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).

TN: 2004 Ecluse Syrah - Paso Robles Vineyard - $23

2004 Ecluse Syrah - Paso Robles Vineyard - $23:  Decanted and poured.  Creamy melon nose with dried cherry and some spice…very aromatic and complex - quite nice.  Lot’s of cherry and some dark fruits on the palate, medium-big tannins and a good amount of alcohol which was in harmony with good acidity.  Opened up great after two hours…some of the initial oak subsided while the fruits stood out and tobacco appeared on the nose.  If you like Syrah, this one is highly recommended.   My rating: 92 pts, VGV (very good value)

I paired this with grilled veal chops, grilled parsnips and Bruschetta - overall was a good to very good pairing!   Recipes on the veal chops and Bruschetta will follow in the next day or two.

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.

Tasting Notes: Miscellaneous French Wines

Domaine Ehrhart Pinot Auxerrois 2004 - $16: Nice floral nose, notes of minerals and pear with good acidity. My rating: 85 pts

Domaine Marc-Morey Chassagne-Montrachet 2005 - $80: Flower notes on the nose with peach, citrus and mineral notes. Complex and elegant, good fruits and spice with a touch of jasmine and honey. Good structure with crisp acidity and refreshing mineral notes. Lingering finish, very good. My rating: 90 pts

Alberto Furque Malbec 2004 - $14: Dark cherry, plum, leather, solid early with rough tannins in the finish that fall off. My rating: 84 pts

Domaine Foret de Michielle, Confidentia Cotes du Rhone Villages - $20: Cane syrup, caramel, light tar, blackberry, plum, medium tannins not perfectly balanced but overall good. My rating: 85 pts

Mas des Bressades, Grenache/Syrah 2006 - $12: Great nose nice fruits, reminiscent of a Touriga Franca based wine. Rolling flavors of plum, red fruits and spice with good tannins and a subtle, but long finish. Great value wine. My rating: 88 pts

Domaine Chauvenet Chopin, Nuits St. Georges, 2004 - $54: Earthy tones, leather, medium tannins, interesting fruits, black cherry, lovely. Bought a few bottles and look forward to trying them in a couple years…should improve with age. My rating: 91 pts

Andre Brunel Chateauneuf du Pape, Les Cailloux, 2004 $45 - 90 pts: Great nose, black cherry, pepper, spice with overall well defined fruits. Balanced with medium tannins that should even out with aging. Lean but lasting finish. My rating: 90 pts

October Wine Club Meeting: 14 bottles of wine, 14 people and one large order of Mexican food…

We had another very fun and successful wine tasting this past week (Oct 25, 2007). The theme was Mexican food and wines that accompany which resulted in some interesting wines that were new to me! A big thank you to Donna for setting everything up! She made the night happen! Below are my notes on most of the wines…I “misplaced” the other notes at some point during the evening! And don’t worry, next month’s tasting is currently being worked out and will be something incredible!

Helfrich Gewürztraminer (Steinklotz) Alsace Grand Cru (2001) - $20: Nose: honey, melon, apricot, mineral, a
lot of grapefruit. The wine had a very delicate texture, concentrated fruits and a touch of acidity. Sweet but not overly sweet with spice notes on the finish. Very good. My rating: 90 pts

J&HA Strub Niersteiner Bruckchen Riesling Kabinett (2005): Light, white peach color with peach and vanilla nose as well as a bit of rubber which was off. Very sweet, lacking balance. My rating: 83 pts.

Elk Run 2005 Gewürztraminer: Was quite impressed with this Maryland made Gewürztraminer. Elegant layers of fruit and spice with a very warm texture. Was great with a Chile Rellano. My rating: 88 pts

MollyDooker - The Violinist (Verdalho) - 2006: This Verdalho (a Portuguese grape) showed a great nose of wet stone, citrus and apple. On the palette the wine was an explosion of tropical fruits and pineapple, with a very smooth texture and a great finish. This was my first time having this but definitely will not be the last! Was a great wine for the food, especially with a chimichanga. My rating: 91 pts

Penfolds Kenunga Hills Shiraz (2005): Great nose of smoke, toasted marshmallow’s, vanilla and a touch of coffee. Big dark fruits, sour cherry, lots of spice. This wine was bought for $10 but could easily stand up to some of the $50 or more Shiraz’s I’ve had recently. Very well done by Penfolds. My rating: 92 pts

Saumur Les Pouches - Loire Valley (2006): Consistent with the last time I had this wine (see notes here). Opened the night before, maybe 88 pts this time around but still very good. My rating: 88 pts

MollyDooker - The Boxer Shiraz (2006): Decanted 1 hour. Giant nose of blackberry, plum, toasted oak, and a good amount of spice. I have to say it again…huge nose! The wine had good balance overall and I look for the tannins to balance out in another few years. Ripe fruits on the palette with chocolate notes and spice, with a big finish lasting quite a while. My rating: 90 pts

Montes Alpha 2005 Syrah Colchagua Valley Apalta Vineyard: This was one of the better values of the night. Great fruits with exciting spice and good tannins. Very good overall. My rating: 90 pts

Barbara d’ Alba (Massolino) 2006 (Two bottles of this): First bottle was corked, so we opened another. This wine showed ripe fruits but was a bit tight. Should have decanted it longer. In any case, good wine. My rating: 88 pts.

Razon 2005 Pythagorean Theorom - Spain: Quite interesting nose of Chile peppers, plum, cassis with a touch of orange rind (yes, weird). A lot of great flavors going on throughout the palette and surprisingly smooth tannins. Would have wanted more out of the finish, but again another good value wine. My rating: 86 pts

Marietta - Old Vine Red Lot#44 Geyserville (2005): Another wine filled with dark berries, plum and toasted oak. Great spice throughout, again with pretty forward fruits. Good acidity carries the wine through the finish. Overall good balance. My rating: 89 pts.

Planning a good weight loss plan would be alternating atkins diet with the blood type diet. Dieticians favour anything but a weight loss surgery.

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.