Blog

Brother Lou’s encore performance this past Thursday in the Studio was some pretty incredible wines from Hartford/Hartford Court, plus a leftover from last week’s Schu-less stop:

Hartford Court Chardonnay Russian River Valley 2010.  Grade=Outstanding+.  I had almost forgotten just how good the wines of Hartford can be as this delicious, full-bodied Chardonnay shows off elegant yet rich notes of apple pie, pear tart, lemon meringue and a touch of mangosteen, candied ginger and cinnamon apple.  Finishes creamy and smooth.

Hartford Court Chardonnay Four Hearts 2009.  Grade=Amazing.  Stunning, voluptuous Chardonnay with breathtaking white flowers, hints of tangerine, nectarine, apricot, pear, peach, apple and an assortment of white baking spices, shades of caramel and butterscotch and creamy oak.

Hartford Court Pinot Noir Russian River Valley 2010.  Grade=Amazing.  An incredible Pinot Noir with rich black cherry notes mingling with mulberry, cranberry, pomegranate, Chinese Five Spice, truffle, cinnamon and toasted oak.

Hartford Court Pinot Noir Land’s Edge 2007.  Grade=Outstanding.  While this seems to be losing some fruit, there is still a lot going on here, with cherry pie, smoky timber, coffee and baking spice notes.  Medium-to-full-bodied with smooth, velvety tannins.

Hartford Zinfandel Russian River Valley 2010.  Grade=Amazing.  Loads of boysenberry and blackberry fruit aromas and flavors, cracked black peppercorns, chocolate pie and nutmeg characters, a slight hint of brown sugar and creamy oak.  Finishes slightly dry and balanced.

Tangley Oaks Merlot Napa Valley 2008.  Grade=Very Good.  This is a pretty solid effort, but definitely seems diminished in comparison to the lineup of Hartford wines.  Medium-to-full-bodied, black fruits, spices and hints of mocha, sage and mint.

DJ Jazzy Jeff made an encore stop in the Studio Thursday, along with SWS/Crown wine manager Scott MacGruder and Maria from Esprit du Vin, the new marquee French division of Palm Bay International.

Domaine Rochers Macon-Chaintre 2010.  Grade=Very Good.  Stone fruit and minerals show off some nice nuances of lemon custard.  Clean, light-bodied Chardonnay.

Domaine Rochers Pouilly-Fuisse 2009.  Grade=Outstanding.  Well-made Chardonnay with lime, apple, pear, mineral and touches of white spices.

Chateau Bellevue Entre-Deux-Mers Blanc 2010.  Grade=Outstanding.  50/50 Sauvignon Blanc and Semillon; this wine shows off notes of lemons, limes, jalapeno, cilantro, guava and melon.

Chateau Chantegrive Graves Blanc 2010.  Grade=Good.  Also 50/50 SB and Semillon, this one seems lighter, softer and subtler than the Bellevue Blanc; muted with much more mineral and much less fruit.  More expensive too.

Domaine Vincent Vatan Pouilly-Fume Cuvee Silex 2009.  Grade=Amazing.  I love the minerality in this wine, with its smoky stone fruit, flint, lime zest, white pepper and roasted pear notes; this is an incredibly complex white wine.

Domaine Jean Vincent Sancerre 2009.  Grade=Outstanding.  More exuberant citrus notes, mint, and limestone characters.  Light-to-medium-bodied with terrific acidity.

Chateau Bellevue Entre-Deux-Mers Rouge 2009.  Grade=Outstanding.  60% Merlot, 30% Cabernet Sauvignon and 10% Malbec, this medium-to-full-bodied red shows off impressive black fruits, brown spices, tar, cedar and smoky cedar notes.

Chateau de Le Coste Margaux 2009.  Grade=Outstanding.  50% Cabernet Sauvignon, 45% Merlot and 5% Cabernet Franc – this is packed with blackberry, currant, anise, mocha and brown baking spices.  Toasty oak and dark plum round it up without losing its good grip.

Chateau Reine-Blanche Saint-Emilion 2009.  Grade=Amazing.  65% Merlot and 35% Cabernet Franc; this impressive (and affordable) Saint-Emilion is full-bodied, dense and structured with layers of red and black currant, roasted figs, red flowers, blueberries, roasted nuts and smoky cedar.

Toast of Kentucky’s Very Barry, running late from a long commute from down state, dropped in on the Deuce with 2 white Burgundies, this past #WineWednesday:

Louis Chevallier Bourgogne Aligote 2009.  Grade=Very Good.  Barry actually opened this Monday night he confessed, and despite it having lost a shade of fruit, it was still showing wonderfully.  Apples, pears, a touch of briny mineral and some hints of Key lime and white spice.  Tasty!

Louis Chevallier Pouilly-Fuisse AOC 2010.  Grade=Outstanding.  Opened Tuesday he said, this one was really impressive, with stone fruit, lime, chalk and mineral.  Round and rich, it’s presence on the palate just kept rolling.

Dr. Gonzo, in all his #WineWednesday fury, unleashes agents of the Clos du Val portfolio:

Taltarni Brut Tache Australia NV.  Grade=Good.  Good effervescence, toasty apple and lightly toasted brioche.  Finishes a bit flat though.

Kato Sauvignon Blanc Marlborough 2010.  Grade=Very Good.  Nice gooseberry, passionfruit and cilantro notes, light-bodied with decent acidity.

Clos du Val Chardonnay Napa Valley 2009.  Grade=Very Good.  Quite oaky, with decent stone fruit aromas and flavors, a hint of buttered popcorn and caramel.

Clos du Val Pinot Noir Napa Valley 2008.  Grade=Average.  A bit dusty, earthy with minimal fruit.  Plays at being Burgundian, but there is just something missing.  I like it, but a bit pricey considering.

Clos du Val Merlot Napa Valley 2008.  Grade=Average.  Lots of blue fruit in the nose, but devolves into something more monochromatic across the palate.  Leaves me wanting.

Clos du Val Cabernet Sauvignon Napa Valley 2008.  Grade=Above Average.  Has good grip, nice presence of black fruits and spices, but I just expect a lot more power out of Clos du Val than I get here.

Taltarni Three Monks Cabernet Merlot Victoria 2007.  Grade=Outstanding.  Very cool blue fruits, cloves, white chocolate, a touch of Oreo cookies, mint, cedar smoke, graphite and wild flowers.  I really like this wine.

Domaine de Nizas Le Mas Pays d’Oc 2009.  Grade=Very Good.  Cab/Syrah blend.  Medium-bodied, fruity with lots of garrigue.  A good everyday red.

Domaine de Nizas Coteaux du Languedoc Rouge 2007.  Grade=Very Good.  Previous vintages have left me a bit spoiled with their covertly powerful dark fruits and spice; this one was good, but came across quite shy.  I am assuming this needs a bit of time in the bottle.

Brother Lou dropped in for #WineWednesday with a mixed bag of wine tricks:

Terlato Fizz 56 Brachetto d’Acqui DOCG NV.  Grade=Very Good.  Very pretty with strawberry, red raspberry and a touch of creamy vanilla.  Nice effervescence too.

Garnet Chardonnay Sonoma Coast 2010.  Grade=Very Good.  Solid effort with yellow apple, butterscotch and buttered brioche notes.

Garnet Pinot Noir Monterey 2009.  Grade=Good.  Decent fruit-forward Pinot Noir with nice cherry, spice and mocha notes.  Finishes fruity.

Garnet Pinot Noir Carneros 2009.  Grade=Good.  Solid effort with a bit more complexity than its sibling, but still finishes as a simple red quaff.  Too much competition at this price point ($20); definitely gets lost in the crowd.

Goosebump Sweet Red Sicily 2010.  Grade=Average.  Why oh why do you want to emulate the American sweet red craze except for money?  This is decent, nothing to get all worked up about, but very simple and very sweet.

Wayne Gretzky Cabernet Sauvignon Napa Valley 2006.  Grade=Very Good.   Decent Napa Cab for the price, nice black fruits, good grip, medium-bodied… but again, gets lost amidst a veritable sea of Napa Cabs that show a bit better.

The venerable DJ Jazzy Jeff (the Kentucky version) dropped in to try the Deuce on three wines from Mendocino Fog:

Mendocino Fog Chardonnay Mendocino County 2010.  Grade=Very Good.  For fans of the creamy oak/buttered toffee/apple pie style of Chardonnay, here ya go.  Pushes all the right buttons for you, and displays no flaws.

Mendocino Fog Merlot Mendocino County 2008.  Grade=Above Average.  There is a meaty, earthy aspect here that is really unexpected.  I would almost think this a South African red if tasted blind.  A bit stewed though, as it has some prune/sundried tomato things going on.  Still drinks good, just not what you’d expect from California Merlot.

Mendocino Fog Cabernet Sauvignon Mendocino County 2008.  Grade=Above Average.  A repeat on everything I said about the Merlot; likewise here in the Cab.  Some cherry and plum in there too, but finishes really dusty and dirty.

Mistress Lauren rolled into the studio yesterday with a nice little variety of wines from all over; a kind of around the world in 30 minutes:

Manu Pinot Gris Marlborough 2009.  Grade=Outstanding.  Really nice with bright apple and pear notes, a touch of creamy lemon, finishing with nice minerality.

Manu Pinot Noir Pinot Noir 2009.  Grade=Outstanding.  Earthy with dusty black and red cherries, mulberry, cinnamon and vanilla.

Christopher Michael Syrah Paso Robles 2007.  Grade=Good.  Lighter-style Syrah, with tart red fruits, a bit of blood orange and light baking spices.  Finishes a bit soft and short.

Sweet Valley Wines Double Barrel Red Walla Walla 2007.  Grade=Outstanding.  Juicy red and black fruits, splashy chocolate and brown spices, toasted oak and creamy blackberry at the finish.

Bonacchi Chianti Classico DOCG 2008.  Grade=Outstanding.  Solid effort, medium-bodied with cherries, herbs and hints of mineral and cedar.

Bonacchi Rossi di Montalcino 2008.  Grade=Above Average.  Light cherry and red berries, a touch of red plum, and muted rosemary and basil undertones, finishing a bit dull.  Decent for the price.

Luca Malbec Mendoza 2008.  Grade=Amazing.  Decadent, smoky plum and blueberry notes, chocolate, espresso, toasted oak and cedar, graphite, baking spices and wrapping things up in a climax of sexy blackberry pie and chocolate-covered everything.

In a new weekly segment, I would like to recap the past week, not just with the wines I have reviewed, but a little bit of everything going on here with the Deuce.  Everything can be a bit of a whirlwind in this business so it’s good to take a few minutes to reassess what the hell just happened.

Wine Reviewed:  51

Wine of the Week:  Jorge Ordóñez #4 Essencia 2004.  Inventing a whole new rating for one intergalactically fantastic wine, all others paled in comparison, though there were plenty that were pretty awesome just the same.

Good news in the wine biz:  My hero, wine satirist and all-American wisenheimer Ron Washam, aka the Hosemaster of Wine, has been cranking out a steady stream of wine wit lately on his blog, after last year, packing it in.  Glad to see he couldn’t stay away for too long.  Guess us “poodles” are still too damny amusing.  Also, my wine brothers from other mothers, Master Somms Ian Cauble and D’Lynn Proctor are featured in a documentary about taking the final level of the MS exam aptly entitled Somm.

You can catch the trailer here.

Disturbing news in the wine biz:  Another one of my wine writing heroes, the Italian wine guru Alfonso Cevola posted about old friend and MS Devon Broglie, Chief Wine Buyer for Whole Foods, posting a picture of Devon along with a picture, circa mid-70’s, of Burt Reynolds’ infamous Playgirl Centerfold spread (uh-hum).  Next time I see Devon, I am sure I will subconsciously blurt out, “how’s it hangin’?”

The Who-Gives-A-Shit news in the wine biz:  Wine scores.  Talk about beating a dead horse… more defending and dismissing of the 100-point scale from all sides, including Charlie Olken at Connoisseur’s Guide to California Wine, Steve Heimoff at Wine Enthusiast, and many, many more.  It is the subject that will not die.  And though I disagree with it, the argument has lost all allure for me.  Until someone comes up with something better, it’s the best we have.

On the homefront:  It will always be a day-by-day thing for my wife and I.  She has been contending with a lot of severe pain issues for some time.  Her doctor believes her to have severe arthritis in her spine.  I am more and more, wanting to see medical marijuana legalized, legitimized and wholeheartedly endorsed by all sides as a way to bring relief to millions suffering from chronic illnesses.  I would give anything just for my wife to have a pain-free day.

What is on my playlist?:  David Bowie, Let’s Dance; Queen, Sheer Heart Attack; Ryan Adams, Ashes & Fire.

What wine(s) is (are) impressing me right now at the store?:  Seven Hills Riesling Columbia Valley 2010, Viticcio Bere 2009, and Chapoutier Luberon La Ciboise Rouge 2009.

Recommended reads, blog or otherwise:  Always check out Samantha Sans Dosage, with wine buyer Samantha Dugan transcending the simple wine jargon with her own personal points of view, passionate reflections, and no bullshit storytelling.  I am rereading Natalie MacLean’s Unquenchable, which is a great book about wine from the perspective of an everywoman – it’s funny stuff.  And I am loving my Christmas present, Nadia G’s Cooking for Trouble cookbook.  She’s awesome!

What’s on tap for this week?:  More action in the whino’s studio as always, a preliminary plan for Grape Tree swag, and of course, the impending breakdown that has yet to happen.  I honestly have no idea.  Each week it is a new adventure in misadventure.

Brother Lou kicked off this past Thursday in the Studio with some unreal selections, with something new from Layer Cake, and in honor of the recent Undercover Boss episode featuring Rick Tigner of Kendall-Jackson, some stunning wines from the Majestic portfolio:

Layer Cake Pinot Noir Central Coast 2010.  Grade=Outstanding.  Raspberry, red cherry and mulberry notes collide with notes of brown spices, pomegranate, and creamy vanilla interspersed with smoky oak, rich earth and sandalwood.

Les Cadrans de Lassegue St. Emilion Grand Cru 2008.  Grade=Outstanding.  60% Merlot, 25% Cabernet Franc, and 15% Cabernet Sauvignon come together in this tasty second-label offering from Chateau Lassegue.  There is notable elements of licorice, blackberry, chocolate and toasted oak, but it is youthful, muted and in need of some bottle maturity.  Be patient with this one, Grasshopper.

Farrier Presshouse Red Alexander Valley 2008.  Grade=Outstanding.  Merlot, Cabernet Franc and Cabernet Sauvignon (like déjà vu even), this full-bodied red is impressive with rich dark fruits, spices and velvety smooth tannins.  Really nice.

Atalon Cabernet Sauvignon Napa Valley 2009.  Grade=Outstanding+.  Despite its youth, it is still showing amazing fruit integrity here; blended with a bit of Merlot, Malbec and Petit Verdot, this gorgeous, full-bodied Napa Cab impresses with voluptuous black fruits, dark spices, creamy oak and notes of chocolate, cedar, tobacco, sage and coffee notes.  In time, this will be otherworldly.  For now though, it’s just a baby.

Stonestreet Cabernet Sauvignon Alexander Valley 2006.  Grade=Amazing.  This beautifully-crafted, full-bodied stunner shows off amazing power and grace.  Blackberries, violets, spices and mint mingle with creamy oak, chocolate covered fruits, cedar smoke and licorice.  Just a multilayered extravaganza.

Stonestreet Cabernet Sauvignon Monument Ridge 2007.  Grade=Amazing+.  Wines at this level transcend mere tasting notes to something more ethereal.  Like peering down into a mountain valley as the spectacular glory of a radiant sun amidst a clear blue sky bears down its iridescent warmth upon your skin, your mind reveling in nature’s glory.  There is a resonant awe welling up in your soul as every simple care and dread you have ever possessed melts away into nothingness.  This is a magnificent wine, worthy of every second you will ever have with it; its power and elegance in the glass is not to be denied.

Ken Schuller of A to Z Wineworks and Rex Hill dropped in with Wendy Rock for some revisitations as well as a few new vintages and a rare treat:

A to Z Pinot Gris Oregon 2010.  Grade=Outstanding.  Light-to-medium-bodied white; terrific apple and pear character, with bright mineral and acidic backbone.

A to Z Chardonnay Oregon 2009.  Grade=Outstanding.  Previously reviewed.

A to Z Riesling Oregon 2009.  Grade=Outstanding.  Previously reviewed.

A to Z Pinot Noir Oregon 2010.  Grade=Outstanding.  Splashy red plum and cherry fruit, hints of earth and spice, finishing up with mocha powder, cola nut, and cinnamon.

William Hatcher Pinot Noir Willamette Valley 2007.  Grade=Outstanding+.  Dense, rich PN with toasted oak, vanilla, chocolate covered cherries and hints of baking spices.

A to Z Night & Day Rogue Valley 2007.  Grade=Outstanding.  Previously reviewed.