Palaia Vineyards Lemberger 2006

while living in new york, we had many opportunities to visit many of the local wine trails along the hudson river valley. palaia vineyards is one that is definitely worth a visit. along with a very fun atmosphere, including live music, their wines are well worth it. the lemberger, grown at the sweet clover farm, is native to eastern europe. the grape is known as the pinot noir of the east. the nose has earth, spice and gooseberry characteristics. the palate is very much like pinot noir, with a more delicate flavor profile. lots of black cherry, raspberry, earthy notes and some black pepper spice. the wine sells for $16 at the vineyard. lemberger grapes are also grown in washington state, colorado, ohio and virginia. if you can find it, it is well worth a try.

Las Rocas Garnacha 2008

i wrote about this grenache a year ago and recently revisted the 2008 vintage. nice way for me to re-enter the blog page after a couple month off. this will still work as a nice thanksgiving wine and is still value priced at about $10-12. the 08 version has many similar characteristics that the 07 did. a nose of raspberries, smoke and spicy pepper. soft and easy on the palate with nice black cherry, smoky mocha, and spice. very easy drinking wine that will add to the thanksgiving flavors and won't put a huge dent in your wallet.

Rubicon 2004

it has been a long time since i have blogged. 9/11 is a good place to make a fantastic statement about american wine and a celebration of life! this wine was a gift from a rep at rubicon estates from a wine festival in cincinnati. it has been laying for quite a few years and the 10 year anniversary of 9/11 and the celebration of a new chapter in the life of myself and my wife,the comely brunette, seemed a great time to uncork a really nice bottle of wine. this is a napa standard and is smooth as silk and exquisite! a nose of blackberry, black cherry, some smoke and a little violet. on the palate more sour black cherry flavors,  vanilla, black currant and a little smokey note. so smooth with subtle tannins, this could have easily been left in the bottle for several more years. but today it was excellent! this bordeaux blend sells for about $100. CHEERS!

Home Grown Family Harvest Red 2008

a traditional california field blend of syrah, barbera, and petite sirah at about 1/3 of each. the wine is a field blend, which means all three varietals are harvested at the same time. they try to time the harvest to get the maximum out of each varietal since they don't all ripen at the same time. they are all blended together right away. this wine sees no oak, which can be a good thing. the nose has blueberry and black cherry, with a little herbal aroma (grassy) thrown in. the palate is a fruit forward, juicy mix of black cherry, black raspberry, licorice, and a little chocolate. a little tannic at first, decant this one for a bit. after a good decanting this red is silky on the tongue and the flavors of the fruit are more pronounced. enjoy this one all alone, or if you must, have it with meatloaf, other red meat dishes, or italian foods. sells for about $12-15.

Chateau Petit Courret 2009 Bordeaux

i have to admit it is difficult for me to not open a bordeaux when i only pay about $10 for the bottle. no sense laying it down for several years when i can go pick up another bottle if i like it well enough. this one falls into that zone. the nose was a not too over the top with nice red and black cherry notes, some cocoa and earth notes. the palate was a nice black cherry, slightly dusty earth and some spice notes. potential on this one is very much there if you have the patience to wait several years for this one to improve. because of the soft tannins, this is good with most red meat dishes.

Louis Martini Cabernet Sauvignon 2008

when most people think of california cabernet sauvignon, their first thought is napa. but sonoma also has some very nice cabernets, and many don't cost a small fortune. this one falls in that category, selling for about $14. the nose has loads of fruit, with cherry and bramble fruit, along with some spice (sage) and some nice earth notes. the palate has lots of black cherry and black currant, some earth and finishes with some chocolate notes. easy tannins and a long smooth finish. pairs well with stews, lamb, veal, or a spaghetti and meatball with peppers and onions in vodka sauce. great value red!

Apothic Red 2009 Winemaker's Blend

if you are in search of a good red blend, look into this one from california. it sells for a good price, about $14, and is loaded with flavor. the blend is zinfandel, syrah and merlot. the nose is very big and compelling, with vanilla, black cherry, some spicy nutmeg and dark chocolate. the palate offers up loads of fruit flavor, with black cherry and plum, some vanilla and a little earthy flavor. not too overpowering in tannins and a full, juicy feel on the tongue. this one was enjoyed with beef wellington and pan seared asparagus and mushrooms.

Foris Flyover Red 2008

my first experience with flyover red happened many years ago, and it was fascinating. it has been a favorite of mine for some time and i always try to keep a bottle or two in stock. it is a bordeaux blend of 55% merlot, 40% cabernet sauvignon and 5% cabernet franc. the blend changes from year to year so it is always worth checking out because it is never quite the same. the nose has lots of dark fruit and cocoa, with some earth and a little cigar thrown in. the palate was a bit tight and young. flavors of black cherry, plum, coffee and leather. i was actually surprised that the 08 was already on the shelf, as the folks at foris usually hold there flyover back a few years. this is worth buying two and laying one down for a few years. and at the nice price of about $13, it is worth it.

Styring Vineyards "Wit" Ridgecrest Vineyard Pinot Noir 2006

i have had the pleasure of tasting quite a few vintages from styring, and this might be the last of the 'wit' line. it comes from one of the oldest ribbon ridge vineyards, ridgecrest vineyard. the same area in oregon that styring is located. the nose is loaded with blackberry, black cherry, raspberry and spice notes. a little earth on the nose also. the palate has black cherry, spice and vanilla flavors in a long finish. excellent for sipping alone, but try this with the obvious choice of salmon or maybe some grilled tuna. sells for $55 and worth every penny. and this will lay down for some time.

Saint Gregory Pinot Noir 2006

i have tried this pinot noir in the past and got to revisit it at a recent tasting at my local wine store. this wine is from the umbrella of selections from graziano wines, and comes from 4 vineyards in 3 distinct appellations in mendocino county. a burgundian style wine, this pinot has a nose of black cherry, some spice, and some nice earthy notes. the palate is very velvety and has flavors of black cherry, black raspberry, and earth. medium tannins and a long finish. for the nice price of $18-19 (my purchase was on sale for $15), this is worth a try. and get out the grill and pick up some salmon to pair with this one.

Viking Vineyards Chambourcin (NV)

i opened this bottle that was purchased at this northern ohio vineyard this year for about $15. chambourcin is a grape that does very well in colder climates and some ohio wineries use it solo as well as a blending grape. the nose was plum, blueberry, some nice earth notes and i also got some floral (violet) aromas. the palate had lots of fruit with black cherry, some strawberry and an interesting spicy clove note in the finish. easy drinking red that went well with cheese and crackers and the next night by itself. the vineyard is well worth the visit near kent state. very nice setting and lots of nice wines to taste.

Produttori del Barbaresco Vendemmia 2005

we recently enjoyed this beautiful red with a grilled filet mignon and smashed potato dinner and it was an excellent dinner companion. the nose was blackberry, black cherry, floral aromas of violet and a little raspberry. the palate was very spicy and tannic when the bottle was first opened. as the wine opened up, the fruit flavors started to come through. black cherry and blackberry, with some nice anise and leather notes. sells for about $30 and is an excellent red meat wine.

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.

Sterling Vineyards SVR Reserve 2005

i tried this really nice blend recently with a spaghetti dinner. this blend has 78% cabernet sauvignon, 18% merlot, 2% petit verdot, and 2% petite sirah. the nose is blackberry, black cherry, black licorice, a little leather and earth. in a word, complex. on the palate, black cherry, dark chocolate/mocha, spice and a little leather. after a day, the finish changed a bit and i got more of a smokey flavor. all with nice firm tannins and a long, rich finish. this is not a wimpy red. great food wine that will work with paste, steak and a good stew. sells for about $30 and well worth the price.

Styring Vineyards "Wit" Reserve Willamette Valley Pinot Noir 2004

on to the second offering from styring, the 04 pinot noir. this red's grapes are from the forest grove area of the willamette valley in oregon. so how did the 04 compare to the 03? the first thing i noticed was the nose, which had little of the earthy quality of the 03. the 04 was very spicy on the nose, with fruit was of raspberry and blackberry. on the palate the first thing i got was very gripping tannins and spice. much more spice than the 03. black cherry fruit was very evident. this is not a wimpy pinot. it hits you right in the mouth. on the second day the tannins had relaxed quite a bit allowing the fruit to come through. i got some blackberry as well and a little less spice. i also picked up some subtle vanilla notes from the french oak. sells for $38.

Keuka Spring Lemberger 2007

on a recent trip to new york, the comely brunette and i picked up this little known varietal from the finger lakes appellation at a local wine store. the grape hails from austria and does well in cooler climates like the new york finger lakes district. the grape that it is comparable to in my mind is pinot noir, although the lemberger is a bolder, fuller bodied taste. this keuka spring red had a wonderful earthy nose, followed by some nice raspberry and black berry notes. the palate is full of black cherry, earthy notes and toasted vanilla flavors. nice mouth feel with a long, warm finish. sells for about $18 and works well with burgers or steak.

Benmarl Proprietor's Reserve Red Blend (NV)

i spent a day on the shawangunk wine trail along the hudson river in new york. much like the surprise i got when visiting ohio wineries, new york impressed me as well. benmarl winery was one of the stops i made. nice selection of wines and interesting varietals were there for the tasting. this red blend was one of my purchases on the day and the comely brunette and i finally opened the bottle. i am not sure what the blend consisted of and am trying to get that information. i will update this blog when i do. the nose was very fruit forward with loads of blackberries and black cherry aromas. nice spice notes and some slightly cedary wood too. on the palate, the fruity flavors of blackberry, with medium tannins and a nice finish. as the wine opened up, it got a little more complex, and some nice licorice flavors came through. sells for about $15 and is a very good food wine. meats, stews, even gyros, which i enjoyed with the wine. because of the limited production on these wines, they can be hard to get. if you live in the new york area, your local wine store may carry them. if you live elsewhere, i suggest visiting the winery website http://www.benmarl.com/ for more information. if you are in the new york area, the wine trail is well worth the visit.

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.

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.