Seghesio Home Ranch Zinfandel Alexander Valley 2006

the bald wine geek is two years old! let's celebrate with a nice bottle of wine! i love a good bottle of zinfandel and seghesio makes some of the best i have tried. some time back i wrote about their lower priced sonoma version. i have had this $35 bottle in my cellar for the last two years. it is ready to drink! the nose is plum, blueberry, spice and a little anise. on the palate a burst of blackberry fruit and nice, firm tannins. the alcohol level on this wine is 15.7% but you would never know it. this well balanced zin doesn't give you that high alcohol burn. the flavors at mid-palate of raspberries and licorice continue the complexity. nice long finish on this one with some herbal sage notes. really a beautiful zin. although this one would work well with a good steak dinner, try this one alone. if you follow ratings systems, this one got 91 points from wine spectator. it is a real treasure. cheers and thanks to everyone who follows the blog!

Two Years Blogging Celebration Wednesday, March 31!

look for a special wine this wednesday as i celebrate two years! thanks to all who are regular readers. thanks to all who leave me comments. thanks especially to the comely brunette for your support!

Finca El Reposo Malbec 2007

i have written about several malbecs in the last month and will add this one to the mix. i have a glass in front of me as i type. the nose is very interesting, with blackberry, earth, spice and herbs, and a little something like pencil lead. on the palate a burst of blackberry fruit surrounded by firm tannins. nice earthy flavors come through beginning at mid-palate. like the finish on this one as the complexity continues with spice flavors and some mocha and cedar. this is a wine that is great by itself, but would be really nice with grilled meats or spicy chicken dishes. sells for about $10.

Peachy Canyon Cirque du Vin 2006

here is another red blend i tried recently from paso robles. it is 25% petite sirah, 23% cab, 19% merlot, 18% syrah, and 15% cab franc. if that mixture of grapes isn't enough to get you interested, then i don't know what will. the nose was currants and spice, mostly sage, with some nice leather and earth notes as well. on the palate, a nice burst of black currant and blackberry with some nice spice notes. throw in some nice mid palate vanilla flavor and finishes off really nice with some leather and cigar notes. a very nice red bland that sells for about $15. i would have this with pasta dishes or maybe a nice steak.

Folie a Deux Cabernet Sauvignon 2006

the follow up cab i enjoyed with the crabby grape and the feisty tomato was also from the napa valley. this was an interesting comparison, with 9 years difference in the wines. the nose lacked the musty old aromas of the 97, but had plenty of the same black fruit notes. i also got some very nice spice and leather notes. on the palate this cab was much bigger and more structured, with flavors of blackberry and black cherry. there were some chocolate and leather flavors in the mid palate and finish. this wine had heartier tannins and and a longer finish. the 97 was a beautifully delicate wine and the 06 was a bolder, more brash, young son. the both stood up well to the hearty cheese and salami. i liked them both very much for their differences as well as the similar fruit and leather flavors. the folie a deux sells for about $20-25 and would lay in your cellar for quite a while, maybe mellowing to the place that the 97 girard had gone.

Girard Cabernet Sauvignon 1997

thanks to the crabby grape and the feisty tomato for inviting me over to try this napa valley cab. i in turn brought a bottle of cab which i will review also in my next entry. the 97 cab was purchased in 2001 for about $40. the nose was musty, like old library books, with subtle fruit aromas of black cherry and blackberry. we did a quick taste to see whether the wine needed to be decanted, and the decision to decant was made. on the palate this beautiful old cab was delicate, with what i called a pretty flavor. nothing overpowering, with beautifully subtle flavors of black fruits like black raspberry and blackberry. there was some very nice leather and earth flavors and nice medium tannins, and a very nice finish. we were enjoying this wine with some nice hearty cheeses and salami, and it held up very well, complementing the food nicely. this wine was most likely near it's peak and was a true joy to taste after being in the bottle for 13 years!

Devil's Lair Fifth Leg Red 2006

another blend, this one from australia, combines cab, merlot and shiraz. not sure of the specific % of each (sorry). very fruity on the nose with cassis and black cherry aromas being very pronounced. i also got some nice chocolate aromas as well. on the palate a juicy cherry, blueberry experience. very fruit forward with some spice from the shiraz. soft tannins and hints of chocolate in the finish, this is a good wine for burgers, cheese or pizza. sells for about $14. good every day red blend.

Marchesi De' Frescobaldi Mormoreto 2006

i attended the cincinnati wine festival with the comely brunette and tasted quite a few very nice wines. this was a blend that i liked quite a bit from italy. the blend is 60% cabernet sauvignon, 25% merlot, 12% cabernet franc, 3% petit verdot. the nose was blueberry and plum with spicy ginger and some green pepper. on the palate, blueberry continued to shine through with some blackberry and spice. i also got some real nice leather and tobacco flavors in a long finish with silky tannins. very complex red wine that was a joy to taste. sells for about $60 and works with beef dishes.

Ocaso Malbec 2007

i have tried some decent malbecs and recently have gotten feedback on the low end gato negro. i was not crazy about it. it was nothing special but really there is nothing else in that price category of $4, so you have to move up a few dollars to find something that is better. i would throw this one into that category. selling for about $8-9, this would be something i would spend a few extra dollars on and skip over the low end stuff. the nose is very fruit forward, with black cherry and some blackberry coming through. got a little spice and some earth notes as well. the palate was juicy blackberry, with nice firm tannins and a nice leather note in the finish. this is a wine made for food of all types. nothing over the top. just a good, solid red.

Banfi Centine Toscana 2007

i have been on a blend kick lately and this one from italy was enjoyed in the company of the comely brunette while snowed in recently. we had some leftover italian food and salad. the blend is 60% sangiovese, 20% cabernet sauvignon, 20% merlot. the nose was full of black cherry, blackberry, some plum and earthy notes. on the palate a burst of blackberry and cherry. nice earthy flavors as well as some nice cedar flavors. good solid tannins and a nice finish on this one. value priced at about $12 and works well with pasta, grilled or roasted red and white meats. worth while red blend to keep around for every day.

Red Shorts Red 2006

tried this red blend a week ago at my local wine store. the blend is mostly syrah, 70% to be exact, with 20% petite sirah, 5% cab and 5% voignier. the wine comes from lodi, california and the peirano estates. the nose was very fruity, with plenty of red berries, a little earth and spice. on the palate, a juicy burst of raspberry and boysenberry. i got some slight earth notes near the finish, but this is a fruit forward wine that screams for every day foods like burgers and pizza. sells for about $12-14. i would label this one an every day go to type wine if you like a fruit forward red. nothing too complex, just a fun, easy drinking wine.

McManis Chardonnay 2006

i have been on the reds quite a bit lately so i better throw a white wine in that i had recently. this chardonnay from california is in the lower price range that i like, selling for about $9-10. i have tried two other wines from mcmanis and was quite pleased with their value and flavor. how does there chardonnay stack up? the nose had tropical fruit notes and hints of vanilla. nothing too complex. on the palate, pears, maybe a little pineapple. sweeter than most chards, possibly from the fermentation in stainless steel. so this is not your oaky, buttery chard from california. more fruit forward. it spends a little time in french oak, which gives it the creamy mouth feel and a little zing in the finish. not bad for the price.

Midnight Full Moon Red 2006

here is another nice red blend i tried at a tasting recently. the wine comes from paso robles, california and is a blend of 50% syrah, 40% zinfandel, 10% cabernet sauvignon. the nose is full of fruit and spice, with strawberry aromas and some spicy cinnamon notes. i got a little dirty earth note as well after the wine had opened up. on the palate, lots of black raspberry flavors up front and sage notes at mid-palate and in the finish which became much more pronounced as the wine opened up. the second day i tasted this, the earthy herbal notes were really coming through and i liked the flavor even more. word to the wise, decant this wine. you won't be disappointed. this is a lighter bodied red that will pair well with every day foods like red meat dishes and pastas. sells for about $11. a great value wine.

A quote and

"With wine in hand, one reaches the happy state - where men are wise, women beautiful; and even one's children begin to look promising."
Sorry for the lack of posts recently, the baldwinegeek has been traveling and is a bit under the weather.