Monday, November 30, 2009

Castillo de Monseran Garnacha 2007


tried this grenache at my local wine shop recently. very fruit forward wine. the nose was strawberries and raspberries, with some spice notes thrown in. got a little anise note as well. the palate was very fruit forward with lots of raspberry and strawberry, and a little plum. not as much of the earth and peppery spice as i would like, this one was a little short in overall depth. light tannins and a medium finish, this wine sells for about $10. i was just a little disappointed with this one. not a bad wine, just left me wanting a little more from it.

Tuesday, November 24, 2009

Lonen 2008 Chardonnay


here is another possible white for thanksgiving. not a big, oaky, buttery chard that can overpower the food, but a nice fruity crisp chard that will work well with your meal. the nose is full of tropical fruit notes, with some floral, honeysuckle, and white peach as well. the palate has more tropical fruit, with lemon and pineapple flavors leading the way. i also got some nice floral and spice flavors and a nice full mouth feel. this wine has some viognier added to the mix, giving it the floral notes. sells for about $12.

Las Rocas de San Alejandro 2007 Garnacha


thinking of something different for a thanksgiving wine? try this grenache from spain. value priced at about $12 (although you may be able to find it under $10), this wine has enough fruit and body to stand up to the turkey and dressing. the nose is loaded with dark fruits like black raspberry and black cherry. i also got some real nice spice notes, followed by some dark chocolate. the palate had many of the same characteristics as the nose, with raspberry and cherry flavors coming through. i also got an interesting red licorice note, as well as dark chocolate and some spicy pepper. very interesting wine that had fairly heavy tannins at the start, softening as the wine opened up. well worth a try.

Sunday, November 22, 2009

Thanksgiving Wine

choosing the right wine for thanksgiving dinner is not really as difficult as some people think it is. you can never do wrong gravitating towards one of two wines. red wine lovers can pick out a good zinfandel. personal preferences depend on how much you want to spend. several nice ones would include McManis Zinfandel 2007, Gnarly Head Old Vines 2006 Zinfandel, and my personal favorite, Seghesio Sonoma Zinfandel 2005. variety of price ranges here. if you are a white wine drinker, try a nice chardonnay, which has the boldness and body to stand up to rich thanksgiving meals. try something from these; A to Z 2006 Chardonnay (which is unoaked), recently blogged Fat Bastard Chardonnay 2007 , and my personal choice, Francis Coppola 2008 Chardonnay Sonoma County Director's Cut. if you are having a meal that tends to feature mushrooms and other earthy flavors without heavy spices, try a pinot noir in the red category or a viognier or sauvignon blanc in the white wine family. cheers!

Friday, November 20, 2009

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.

Wednesday, November 18, 2009

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.

Monday, November 16, 2009

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.

Thursday, November 12, 2009

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.

Tuesday, November 10, 2009

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.

Sunday, November 1, 2009

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.