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Recently, I went down to Louisville with the Shredder riding shotgun, to meet up with Shannon and Matt (our Fort Thomas manager) for Bryant Distributing’s 2010 Holiday Trade Show. More than just a wine show, Bryant also sells spirits and has arguably the best beer book in the state. Hosting the event at one of the many rooms found at the Kentucky Derby Museum at Churchill Downs, Bryant has a lot of stuff packed into (unfortunately) a wee space.

I ran into a few old friends, like Vicky Turner (who reps Woodward Canyon, Nelms Road, Powers and Badger Mountain for Bryant, I mentioned her back during the recap of the RNDC show) and Vern Shoemaker (who had some spirits for Bryant), and spent a bit of time with Bryant’s new wine guru, Brad Nichols, who showed off some terrific Austrian wines, some of their portion of the Kermit Lynch book, and unveiled to me the addition of the amazing sherries of Emilio Lustau.

While I will recap the wine part later, I wanted to just show off some of the great beers they had (in pictures of course). My palate was toast at this point of the show so as any self-respecting wine geek should do at that time, try some beer.

Last week, I participated in another Wines of Chile blogger tasting, this time, running the gamut of unbelievable red blends, on a day that Chileans will remember for some time to come, when the 33 trapped Chilean miners, who had been trapped for two months underground, had all been rescued to unprecedented fanfare. There certainly was cause for celebration, so as we could see the winemakers of the 8 wines we were trying live in Chile via a Webcam, it was a strangely connective event.

As with the previous tasting I participated in back in the Spring, Master Sommelier Fred Dexheimer from the Wines of Chile group conducted the tasting via Webcam in NYC while simultaneously mediating several dozen bloggers via chat and the 8 special guest winemakers live via Webcam in Chile. It was a very cool way to experience a lot of incredible wine, talk to the winemakers and interact with fellow bloggers.

Here are the 8 wines with my tasting notes. (My twitter comments are in italics.)

Valdivieso Eclat Maule Valley 2005. Grade=Outstanding. Surprised by the 56% Carignan in this one. My mom sent me home with some purple raisin bread - this Eclat is really making me think of it. Kooky. . I’ve eaten two loaves of this stuff in four days! Have to drive an hour to get more this wknd. Pretty ruby color. Showing soft, supple red fruit aromas and flavors, hints of baking spices. Plush mouthfeel with notes of red and black cherries, milk chocolate, thyme, white pepper, white cinnamon, sage, cloves. Love the dominance of the Carignan!

De Martino Single Vineyard Old Bush Vines Las Cruces Cachapoal Valley 2006. Grade=Outstanding. Malbec & Carmenere. Yummy. I think my palate is resurrected. In the nose there are red flowers, red fruits and blueberries, and on the palate: dark chocolate, black cherries, black raspberries, violets, black currant, baking spices and a slight mint underpinning.

Estampa Gold Assemblage Colchagua Valley 2008. Grade=Outstanding. Full of cinnamon, nutmeg, mocha and blueberry. Baking spices galore with a tinge of black and white pepper, thyme, marjoram and mint, with dark plums and black cherry jam. The tannins are solid, gripping, yet velvety smooth. The finish is sensuous, brooding and lusty.

Montes Limited Selection Cabernet Sauvignon Carmenere Colchagua Valley 2008. Grade=Outstanding. Very earthy, more black fruit, minty peppery, earthy, tasty. Really impressed with this one. Need to get into the store tomorrow and rock out this one to our customers! Definitely the value of the lineup, this red shows off touches of mint, blackberry compote, cracked pepper and mineral. Across the palate washes juicy black berry fruits, sweet baking spices, rich earth and a lovely finish of gravelly black cherries.

Maquis Lien Red Colchagua Valey 2006. Grade=Outstanding+. Always awesome! Wanna hear old Saigon Kick’s “The Lizard” right now. Maquis Lien 2006, shows off some baked cherries, red currants, bitter chocolate, mineral and smoke notes. Kicks ass! Cherry eau-de-vie in the nose with a little bit of mint, tea leaves and nutmeg. Flavors of black forest torte, currants, bitter chocolate, chicory, and baked cherry pie with an almost-carmelized cocoa powder tinge on the end. This wine is just incredible.

Hacienda Araucano Clos de Lolol Colchagua Valley 2008. Grade=Amazing. Cherry, chocolate, mint and earth. Beautiful nose, sultry finish. Deeper red flower and earth tones abound in the nose with richer baking spices, darker red fruits, anise, currant, blackberry jam and even an undercurrant of fennel, finishing strong with robust tannins and rich mocha cream.

Emiliana Coyam Colchagua Valley 2007. Grade=Amazing. Spicy, sexy, with some serious red fruit swagger. Opening up nice. This wine is really amazing. A bit of cayenne, red currants, baking spices and some tasty chocolate laced with tobasco. Very spicy character, with hints of cloves, cardamom, cayenne, white pepper, chocolate, cinnamon, blueberry, blackberry, basil leaves and black tea. The body is this wine is curvy and vivacious and it just doesn’t want to finish. Definitely leaves you wanting more.

Casas del Bosque Gran Estate Private Reserve Casablanca Valley 2007. Grade=Amazing. Holy Shiitake Mushrooms! This a big, bad-ass red! Massive fruit! Monster red with powerfully rich aromas and flavors of dense, thick chocolate-covered cherries, blackberry pie, plum compote, a sprig of tobacco, cedar smoke, tar, black pepper, espresso bean, chicory, sweet baking spices, black truffles and dried herbs. It is opulent and powerful, yet extremely balanced. A gorgeous wine.

Our good friend and VS wine guru Gary Boswell dropped in last Wednesday with Elyse’s Michelle Duckett to let loose an amazing torrent of kick ass California wines:

Elyse L’Ingenue Niaggar Vineyard 2007. Grade=Outstanding. Gorgeous white Rhone style blend of Marsanne, Roussanne, Viognier and Grenache Blanc displaying lush fresh peaches, apricots, lychee, and honeysuckle.

Elyse C’Est Si Bon Niaggar Vineyard 2006. Grade=Outstanding. As Michelle dubbed this a “Cali-neuf du Pape”, this blend of Grenache, Mourvedre, Syrah, Cinsault, Counoise and Viognier shows a dynamic red blend of raspberries, cranberries, blueberries and white pepper. It’s earthy, herby and minerally with loads of red, blue and purple fruit.

Elyse Nero Misto Napa Valley 2007. Grade=Outstanding. A crazy little mixed up blend of Petite Sirah, Zinfandel, Barbera, Primitivo, Charbono, Alicante Bouschet and Valdigue – this medium red blend is juicy and jammy with spicy strawberry, pomegranate and spice box notes.

Elyse Zinfandel Howell Mountain 2006. Grade=Outstanding. Lots of jammy black fruit, dried herbs, root beer and peppery spice. It’s a deep, dark, delicious red with loads of blackberries and dark plumy goodness.

Elyse Cabernet Sauvignon Morisoli Vineyard 2005. Grade=Amazing. Towering notes of black currant, blackberry jam, cedar, chocolate, truffle, violets and earth notes. Big bold and luscious underpinnings cinnamon, vanilla, and viscous chewy blueberry.

Elyse Cabernet Sauvignon Tietjen Vineyard 2005. Grade=Amazing. Complex and concentrated, this seductress is full of decadent blackberry, black currant and dark plum notes, anise, mint, white pepper, chocolate, espresso, black tea, baked earth and a leisurely stroll through the spice pantry.

I have been wanting to do this for awhile. Call it a bit of insight, call it some much needed research (or at least the beginnings of said research), I would like to ask you all to take 5 minutes to fill out this little survey I whipped up, in an attempt to find better ways to recommend wines to customers and readers alike.

I will post the results at the end of this month.

Thank you all in advance!

Part Two of the Topy Jimmy show pertained solely to the Decoy lineup, the new relaunched second label for Napa Valley’s venereable Duckhorn Vineyards:

Decoy Sauvignon Blanc Napa Valley 2009. Grade=Outstanding. Lemon meringue, verbena, thyme, fresh cut straw, slight lemon custard notes abound in this wonderful white wine.

Decoy Chardonnay Sonoma County 2009. Grade=Outstanding. A surprisingly tasty, well-balanced Chardonnay from these Bordeaux-styled specialists. Shows nice notes of baked apple, nectarine, pear tart, toffee and caramel, with undertones of toasted oak and crème brulee.

Decoy Pinot Noir Anderson Valley 2008. Grade=Outstanding. Essentially from the same sources as their Goldeneye, this light-to-medium-bodied red shows off nice cherry, sandalwood, spice box and cola notes.

Decoy Merlot Napa Valley 2007. Grade=Outstanding-. The only one in the lineup I was expecting a lot out of and it fell a little short, Duckhorn is legend for its Merlot and this one seemed a bit anemic with light plum and black cherry fruit and a slightly spiced up but flat finish.

Decoy Red Wine Napa Valley 2008. Grade=Outstanding. Back on track this Cab/Merlot blend shows a lot of bold, spicy black and blue fruits, some dark cherries, cedar, tar, earth and slight herbaceousness.

Decoy Zinfandel Napa Valley 2008. Grade=Outstanding. Zesty pepper and dark spices play around with blackberry, sweet cherry, white pepper and notes of tobasco’d chocolate pieces.

Decoy Cabernet Sauvignon Napa Valley 2008. Grade=Outstanding. Big and bold, with a good grip of tannins playing off dark chocolate, black currant, anise, mint, cedar, smoke and leather notes.

Our good friend and Bryant sales manager Jimmy came by last week as part of a quick doubleheader. The first half was with Boo Walker, sales rep from Hedges Family Winery. Boo brought the noise with incredible wines and a little show-n-tell with some Red Mountain dirt:

Hedges CMS Sauvignon Blanc Columbia Valley 2009. Grade=Outstanding. Brand new and focusing on SB, this terrific white, with smaller percentages of Chardonnay and Marsanne, is light, crisp and much more in tune with the masses. Brilliant.

HIP Chardonnay Dionysus Vineyard 2009. Grade=Outstanding. I tried this one last month, and once again, it proves to be exceptional, especially for the price.

HIP Red Blend Dionysus Vineyard 2009. Grade=Outstanding. Predominantly Merlot, this rich red packs a punch, with its Pomerol leanings of dark plums, black cherries, cedar, mint and mineral tones.

Hedges CMS Red Columbia Valley 2008. Grade=Outstanding. A blend of Cabernet Sauvignon, Merlot and Syrah, this durable, medium-bodied red is exuberant with splashy, jammy red and black fruit aromas and flavors, smooth tannins and a great finish.

Hedges Red Mountain Red 2007. Grade=Amazing. Once again, I was knocked out by this dynamic red blend from Hedges, previously reviewed here.

The covert and blitzkrieg return of Dr. Gonzo and his six demon bag rolled in with assorted wines from the world over:

Straccali Chianti DOCG 2008. Grade=Average. This is a fairly mediocre Chianti, not bad for the price, but just pedestrian cherry fruit and a dry finish.

Rocca della Macie Rubizzo 2006. Grade=Average. This Sangiovese-based “super-Tuscan” is okay with dried cherry and autumn leaves, with a slight hint of pimento.

Cupcake Red Velvet California 2009. Grade=Outstanding. Juicy, jammy red with lots of sweet black and blue fruit characters, some nice baking spices and a bit of black cherry compote. Finishes with some sweet spices.

Marques de Riscal Rioja Reserva 2005. Grade=Amazing. Rich, dense and concentrated, this robust Tempranillo-based blend shows off supple black cherry and black currant notes, some cedar and dusty earthy tones, and some leather, tobacco and toasted oak on the finish.

Rocca della Macie Chianti Classico 2007. Grade=Outstanding. Pretty nice Sangiovese driven red with mint, cherry, blackberry, black tea and slight oak notes.

Rocca della Macie Chianti Classico Riserva 2005. Grade=Outstanding. Robust and rich with dark cherry and blackberry fruit aromas and flavors, some white pepper, truffle oil, olive tapenade, eucalyptus, and spice notes, and a smooth, velvety finish.

Straccali Chianti Classico 2007. Grade=Average. Pales in comparison to the Rocca della Macie, this is lighter, thinner, and showing rather anemic red berry fruit. Okay, but has stiff competition out there.

Rocca della Macie Sasyr 2007. Grade=Outstanding. This is an interesting Sangiovese/Syrah blend, showing off a lot of red berry, black pepper, blueberry and rhubarb characters on top of the dried cherry and mint underpinnings of the Sangiovese. Finishes with nice grip and plush fruit.

Catching up on last week’s tasting notes, Jen from RNDC/Cumberland came in with mostly old world wines:

Silver Cap Brut Blanc de Blancs NV. Grade=Average. Okay sparkler with some nice apple and fizzy pear notes.

Louis Boillot Rose Perle d’Aurore NV. Grade=Amazing. Stunning with strawberries, currants and hints of toasted brioche. Finishes dry and lively on the palate.

Louis Boillot Perle de Nuit Brut Blanc de Noir NV. Grade=Outstanding. Very pretty sparkler with some nice creamy apple and pear, a bit of nuttiness and toffee undertones.

Louis Boillot Perle de Vigne Brut Grand Reserve NV. Grade=Outstanding. Interesting blend of PN, Chard, Gamay and Aligote, this pleasing sparkler shows off pear tart and apple cobbler notes with lovely effervescence and a slightly creamy finish.

One Hope Chardonnay California 2008. Grade=Average. Nicely balanced Chardonnay with just a touch of creamy oak up front and subtle stone fruit and nectarine undertones.

Correntoso Pinot Noir Patagonia 2008. Grade=Outstanding. Reviewed this one last month, and tastes equally as good second time around.

Il Conte Moscato d’Asti 2008. Grade=Outstanding. This is a really tasty Moscato, with delicious notes of peaches, apricots and orange blossoms. Finishes light with a bit of frizzante.

Il Conte Stella Rosa 2008. Grade=Outstanding. Akin to a Brachetto d’Acqui, this sweet red has a spritzy strawberry character, with notes of red currants, red plums, mineral and nutmeg. Finishes light and semi-dry.

Good friend, foil and RNDC/Kentucky rep David came in with a trio from the Gallo portfolio. Though I tried them recently at last month’s RNDC trade show, it was cool to retry them away from the massive wino orgy that was the RNDC Wine Experience:

Laguna Chardonnay Russian River Valley 2008. Grade=Outstanding. Revert back here.

Bridlewood Chardonnay Monterey County 2009. Grade=Outstanding. I missed this one at the Trade show, and while the Laguna showed off some creaminess and rich baking spiced textures, this one was more fruit-driven, with just a hint of caramel and toffee, easy on the nutmeg, and accentuated by some nice ripe Georgia Peaches and Washington State apples.

Bridlewood Pinot Noir Monterey County 2008. Grade=Outstanding. And also here.

Big Bad Lou, our good friend and RNDC/Barkley rep, came by to test my mettle with a little brown-baggin’ – the kind I am usually up for, but with this lousy head cold, I had to pull my proverbial shit together and focus like Bobby Fisher as we trotted through 2 Tuscan wines and 5 in the bags:

Brancaia Tre IGT 2008. Grade=Outstanding. This amazing little “Super-Tuscan” blend (I am beginning to hate that descriptor though) is 80% Sangiovese, 10% Merlot and 10% Cabernet Sauvignon. Its showing of juicy red and black fruits, dusty tannins and well-balanced acidity make it a terrific, medium-to-full-bodied hit.

Brancaia Chianti Classico DOCG 2006. Grade=Outstanding. Mainly Sangiovese with just a bit of Merlot, this big Chianti Classico shows off some black cherry, cedar and earthy swagger. Clean, sturdy tannins frame notes of plum, black currants and wet stones.

The remainder in brown bags:

Abbye de St. Ferme Les Vignes du Soir Bordeaux Superieur 2006. Grade=Outstanding. I was a bit stunned by this one as I picked this wine as New World and I was dead wrong. Cab and Merlot in a Bordeaux context, this is drinking really nice. What really sleighs me though is what I will be able to sell this for, so stay tuned…

Kendall-Jackson Summation Red California 2007. Grade=Outstanding. Guess this is what the old Meritage was, a blend of Cab, Merlot and others show off a pretty nice, medium-bodied red that is soft, fruity, with a bit of jammy blueberry and blackberry fruit character.

Purple Cowboy Tenacious Red Paso Robles 2008. Grade=Outstanding. This little red blend was the only one I could guess correctly – that it was from Paso Robles. Jammy with sweet black and blue fruits, lots of peppery baking spices and some baked earth underpinnings.

Bogle Phantom California 2007. Grade=Outstanding. This has been one of our favorite wines around here, and this vintage is sure to please all you Phantom fans. Zinfandel, Mourvedre and Petite Sirah come together in a sweet-black-fruited orgy of black pepper, blueberry compote, dusty, silty tannins, and a luxurious finish.

Bogle Petite Sirah California 2007. Grade=Outstanding. This showed as my favorite of all of them and wouldn’t you believe this clocks in under $10 a bottle? A benchmark for Petite Sirah, this little monster has a lot of exuberant, juicy black fruit and baking spice. A steal!