Tramin 2006 Pinot Grigio

here is another very nice summer time white. nose of pears and spice. flavors of pear, peach and a crisp mineral finish. very bright, snappy wine with a nice, long finish. i had this white with an ahi tuna dinner. and it complemented the food very nicely. sells for about $14.

Passing Clouds 2004 Reserve Shiraz

this australian had a nose of blackberry, pepper, leather, and black cherry. the taste was spicy, smokey, leathery and tasted of black and red fruits. only problem was i think it really wasn't ready yet. this comes from a major producer known for their big, beautiful shiraz, so i will expect that with time in the bottle this one will get much better. it was very tight, even after decanting for an hour. way too tannic and green at this point. fortunately, i have a second bottle which i will revisit after at least another year, maybe longer. based on how tight this wine was, i am guessing i could lay this down for at least 4 years and then this wine would live up to the big nose that it displayed. priced at about $27, i would get a bottle of this and lay it for a special occasion and enjoy it with a good filet dinner.

Rayun Sauvignon Blanc 2007

here is one more wine that we purchased at a local merchant while vacationing. we are always looking for new and different sauvignon blancs and had not tried this one from chile. this one had a nose of lemon, grapefruit and some mango. on the palate it was much the same as the nose with a slight mineral taste and maybe a little fresh peach flavor thrown in. nice solid white. fresh, crisp, and best of all, inexpensive for about $8 a bottle.

Domaine Girard La Garenne Sancerre 2006

a very nice french white that was suggested at a local wine store where we vacation. this is primarily sauvignon blanc with a touch of semillion, i believe. nice citrus aroma, but different than an australian or new zealand sauv blanc. a little earthiness to it. very bright, zippy wine. minerals, lime and asparagus in a long finish. excellent summer food wine.we enjoyed this sitting on the balcony looking at the ocean, snacking on cheese and crackers. do we wish we were still there? of course. this wine sells for about $20 and we will have it again some time soon to remind us of the trip.

2006 Morgan "Twelve Clones" Santa Lucia Highlands Pinot Noir

yes, i did drink a little red wine while in the sunny climates. had to. it was the perfect pairing with a meal we enjoyed. i had scallops on a bed of portabello mushrooms and the comely brunette had a duo of swordfish and tuna. not a delicate pinot. but then it had to be to stand up to some rather spicy sea scallops. this one had a nose of leather and toast. the taste paired very well with the food. earthy tastes along with strawberry, spice, anise, and a finish of cedar. priced at about $25. another very nice pinot noir.

Luna Vineyards 2006 Pinot Grigio

it's been a while since my last post. the baldwinegeek and the comely brunette spent a week on a beach, soaking up sun and drinking some very nice wines. i'll be playing catch up over the course of the next week. the first night of the week long getaway started with this very nice bottle of pinot grigio. nose was nice with apple and citrus aromas. crisp taste of pineapple, some citrus, mineral and a long finish of green apples. the alcohol content was a little higher for a pinot grigio at 14%. but this didn't deter from the taste. it added a slight warmth. there was a nice acidic bite to the finish as well. a very nice start to the relaxing, summertime atmosphere of a vacation. priced at about $18, i think this one is well worth the price.

Concannon 2005 Pinot Gris

this is another really nice white for you to try. this pinot gris (which is different than a grigio, due to a higher alcohol content and is bigger, more full flavored wine) was a wine store tasting purchase. tried it and had to get a bottle. that was a couple months ago so did it live up to what was remembered at the tasting. yes, and then some. nose of citrus and pear. taste of lemon, melon and a minty, carraway seed or rye bread flavor in the finish. very smooth and butter like on the tongue. crisp acidity and full bodied compared to a pinot grigio. this was an excellent wine, especially for the price paid of $10. well worth another visit to the wine store for another bottle.

Cheap Red Wine (no vintage)

a friend gave me this to try saying they liked it. it was only $5.99 a bottle. was it worth that? i thought the nose was interesting. had red berries and a bit of an earthy quality to it which led me to believe the taste would be pretty good. first taste was not bad, berries, smoky, very dry, but a bit thin. as air got to it, the taste began to get a bit green with a metallic finish. not good if you are a wine. so with apologies to my friend, i was not impressed and would pass on this one in the future. there are better alternatives in a price range just a few dollars more than this one.

Fish Eye Pinot Grigio

the baldwinegeek usually doesn't go the box wine route, but sometimes you just make an exception due to the number of people you may have at a deck party. and when you pay about $15 for a 3 liter box which is equal to 4 bottles, it translates into less than $4 a bottle. a nice price. is it worth it though. i say yes. crisp and refreshing. melon, apricots some spice notes and citrus. very tasty indeed. it goes to show that sometimes you don't have to pay an arm and a leg to get a nice wine.

Chateau Ste Michelle 2007 Sauvignon Blanc

here is another reliable winery from washington state. the folks at chateau ste. michelle seem to do a nice job with whatever varietal they produce, and they do it for a reasonable price. this sauvignon blanc has a nose of grapefruit and limes. slightly grassy notes also. crisp and refreshing on the palate. flavors of citrus and a soft mineral finish. very nice with all your favorite summer time foods, or alone as a refreshing way to cool down on the deck. and the price is nice too…about $10.

Barefoot Chardonnay

this is the third varietal from barefoot that i have written about. better than the shiraz but not quite as good as the pinot grigio. nose of apples and vanilla, this wine has a creamy texture and drinks very easily. a nice summer time wine. ripe peach and green apples. nice price of about $6-7. try it if you are on a budget.

A Change of Heart…

i wrote some time back about something i described as a pizza wine. barefoot shiraz was the topic of that day. inexpensive and easy to find at just about any grocer or wine shop. we had a second bottle at the baldwinegeek house, and maybe i was in a good mood the first time i reviewed it, or maybe in a not so good mood the second time around. there aren't too many wines that i truly can say i dislike. i just have to say that compared to other bottles of shiraz i have had over the course of the last month or so, this stuff is not very good. they make a very nice, drinkable pinot grigio, but the shiraz is really not very good. too sweet. too green. almost like drinking a glass of grape juice. makes you wonder where the wine is?