Foppiano 2004 Petit Sirah

i was at a local restaurant recently with the comely brunette and we both in the mood for red wine. we ordered this bottle to go with her filet mignon and my ahi tuna steak. we were not disappointed. the nose was full of black cherry, black currant, dark chocolate, and spice. the palate was full and fruity with fairly heavy tannins that eased a bit after the wine opened up. flavors of blackberry, blueberry, more dark chocolate, and some nice black pepper notes. it worked very well with both of our meals. i would also try this with some nice pasta dishes as well. sells for about $20.
coming this weekend, thanksgiving wine recommendations.

Geyser Peak 2005 Cabernet Sauvignon

good budget wines are always a nice find, and this red is no exception. i tried the suav blanc a while back and it was not bad. the cab is better, with a little more character. the nose is full of fruit with blueberries leading the way. i got some nice plum and leather notes as well as tobacco. on the palate, black cherry, blackberry and vanilla. spice notes and a little dark chocolate as well. not a lot of tannins which was okay with me. this wine didn't need them. sells for about $10-12 and will go with most beef dishes and some good, hearty cheese also.

Small Gully Robert's Shiraz 2004

tried this interesting shiraz from australia. pretty wine. aromas of blueberries, pepper, and some interesting pencil shaving notes that also carried over into the palate. flavors of blueberry, black raspberry, the pencil shavings, leather and spicy pepper all in a well balanced, long finish. very full mouth feel, but not so bold and overpowering that your taste buds are overwhelmed. try this with a nice steak or stew, or just sit back in front of a fire place and enjoy it on its own. sells for about $16…but two and lay one for a few years, you won't be disappointed.

Fat Bastard Chardonnay 2007

i was in massachusetts recently and had some excellent clam chowder and scallops and enjoyed this white wine with the meal. the nose was full of apples, toast and vanilla. nice full palate with flavors of ripe tropical fruit and buttered popcorn. i also got some floral notes as well. the finish was not very long but very clean. retails for about $9 and is a nice go to white. it worked very nicely with the rich flavors of the chowder and scallops.

Beaulieu Vineyards Reserve Tapestry 2005

sorry for the lack of a post recently, but i was traveling and didn't have computer access. hope to make up for it right away with this post. i shared this bottle with the comely brunette at a restaurant in new york called the travelers rest, which i highly recommend by the way. we both enjoyed hearty red meat dishes which worked very well with this hearty red blend of these five grapes; cabernet sauvignon, merlot, cabernet franc, malbec and petit verdot. the nose was full of black cherry, earth, leather and spice. the flavor was big, bold and complex with black cherry, plum, anise, earth and chewy tannins. some nice cocoa and tobacco notes as well. very impressive with our meal. retails for about $40 and worth every penny. and worth laying for a while also.

Le Lapin Paso Robles Multiplicity (NV)

the final rabbit ridge le lapin entry and i will move on to some other wines. multiplicity is a blend of grapes that rabbit ridge is keeping under wraps for now. i would guess that it has zinfandel and syrah and some petite sirah in it based on the nose and the palate. the nose is black cherry, blackberry, a little plum and some spice. i get a little earth note, like forest floor as well. the palate is full of fruit and spice, with flavors of black cherry and a slight cranberry note. nice firm tannins and a medium finish. not the least bit disappointed in any of these four wines from rabbit ridge and at this $7-8 price point, good every day reds.

Le Lapin Paso Robles Petite Sirah (NV)

wine number three from rabbit ridge. the petite sirah is another nice find and sells at the same $7-8 price. the nose is full of plum, blackberry, spice and earthy notes. the flavor is fruity and tannic, with plum flavors, followed by lots of spice notes. i got some really nice earth notes as well. this is an easy drinking red that will work well with a wide variety of foods, including hearty cold weather meals like stews and roasts.

Le Lapin Paso Robles Zinfandel (NV)

as promised, more of the rabbit ridge le lapin (the rabbit) line. the zinfandel is not the biggest, boldest zin you will find, but for the price ($7-8) it is quite nice. paso robles is known for some nice syrah's and zins, and this one is no exception. the nose was fruity and complex with black cherry, blackberry, spice and anise notes coming through. on the palate, ripe blackberry and bramble fruits in a full mouth feel. this was followed by some nice black pepper notes and finished with some tobacco flavors as the wine opened up. medium tannins and a medium finish. get a nice steak or stew, or spicy italian meal together and serve this with your meal and you will be very satisfied. this wine will also lay for a bit but at this price, drink it now.

Le Lapin Paso Robles Merlot (NV)

rabbit ridge has decided to go after the two buck (now about $4) chucks of the world with their entry level le lapin (the rabbit) label. they have just released four wines which i recently tried. these wines are all blends of various vintages from the rabbit. the first under the microscope is the merlot. the nose was very interesting, with blackberry, plum, leather, earth and some spice notes all coming through. this could be real fun if the nose was any indication. on the palate, plums and berries bursting forth, followed by some nice earth flavors. i then got some licorice notes and medium tannins. the finish was medium and i was not disappointed. the wine sells for about $7-8 ($6 in the rabbit ridge tasting room) and easily tops the above mentioned chuck. spend the couple extra dollars and go after this one. great with a beef stew or burger. and look for the other three varietals which i will blog the rest of this week. all the same price. all worth buying.

Domaine Valdernier 2005 Coteaux d'Aix en Provence

french wines always seem to fascinate me. some times they are so subtle that i don't really appreciate them. this one was not so subtle and i guess that is why i was drawn to it. nose of raspberry and a nice licorice note. i also got a little dark chocolate and a very interesting herbal aroma as well. good start. the palate was at first very tannic, so i let the glass sit for a while. i was rewarded with some really nice flavors of raspberry and tart cherry. got some spice notes and herbal flavors also. the finish was medium and the price was nice at about $10. try this with a red meat dish or possibly pasta dishes.