14 Hands 2009 Hot to Trot Red Blend

this nice red blend comes from washington state. it is predominantly merlot, with some cabernet sauvignon, syrah & petit verdot. it sells for the very nice price of about $10-12. we tried one of their whites some time back and enjoyed it, so this was a no brainer for us. and i love red blends. the nose had lots of blackberry and sweet jammy black cherry notes. the palate was a nice juicy mouth full of blackberry and black cherry notes. this is not a big, bold red. more fruit up front and very soft tannins and some great mocha and toast notes in the finish. great to just sip on a chilly evening, or with your favorite stew or meat dish.

Cakebread Cellars Napa Valley Syrah 2009

cakebread is one of those wineries that you hear about and want to try based on reputation. we recently had the opportunity to try a couple of their wines. the syrah sells for about $55,  which is a bit pricey for me. the nose has black cherry, some nice violet notes, and some nice earthy notes that i like. the palate had blackberry, plum, black pepper and more of the earthy notes i usually associate with syrah. lots of tannins in this at the beginning, so open it up and let it sit for a while. nice long finish of fruit and smoky earth. nice wine. didn't blow me away. i guess i expected a little more based on the price and reputation.

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!

Graham's 10 Year Tawny Port

this isn't really port season for me but i had opened this bottle a while back intending to write about it a bit sooner. i really enjoy a good port and this one was not bad for the price range of about $30, but i was left wanting a bit more. the nose was loaded with spicy apple, some floral notes and a little cocoa. the palate is where i was a bit let down. most ten year ports seem to have a lot more caramel and candied fruit. this one was a lot smokier than i expected. flavors of tart raspberry and a great deal of the nutty flavors that were okay, just different than i was used to. it did have a nice vanilla finish.

Benmarl Winery DeChaunac 2008

i visited benmarl winery in the hudson valley region of new york a while back and wrote about their proprietor's reserve. this red is a hybrid and is a very hearty grape that is grown in the northeastern u.s. and canada. the folks at benmarl do a nice job and have some very nice wines. the dechaunac has a nose of red fruit and lots of earth. i love a good earthy smell in a red wine. the palate had cherry and more of the earthy notes as well as a nice vanilla finish. this is a great red meat and pasta wine that sells for about $12.

Parducci Mendocino County Petite Sirah 2007

this is my 500th blog entry and i went to a trusted winemaker for a really nice red at a good price. parducci has a nice portfolio of wines. this one is no exception. the nose is loaded with cherry and blackberry, as well as some nice spice notes. the palate is big, bold and loaded with tannins so decanting is definitely needed. the flavors of blackberry, black cherry, spicy black pepper and some nice dark chocolate. this is a great food wine. try it with a grilled steak or hearty stew. we enjoyed this with a chicken/mushroom with vegetables and rice and it worked very well. sells for about $10-15 depending on where you are. (more expensive here in new york unfortunately)

Saurus Pinot Noir 2007

i think this is the first pinot noir i have tried from patagonia, argentina. never thought i would be talking about a pinot from argentina, and really liking it. the nose has some nice vanilla and berry aromas, along with just a subtle hint of earth. the palate is a nice, light mixture of cherry and floral violet notes. a little earth and some slightly spicy flavor in the finish rounds out this subtle beauty. a nice price of $17 on this one makes it a worthwhile wine to try. excellent wine for salmon (a go to with most pinot noir) or chicken in mushroom sauce.

Brazin Old Vine Lodi Zinfandel 2008

i really like a good, chewy zinfandel. this one from lodi california is right in my wheel house. selling for about $16, brazin is well worth a try. the nose has lots of black cherry and blackberry, some nice spice and vanilla and some mocha. the palate is very big and bold, with blackberry, plum and cocoa. there is some nice black pepper and some subtle earth notes. this is a chewy, full bodied zin with a long finish that begs for spicy red sauce pasta or a good steak. at this price it is very hard to pass up.

Chateau du Rouët Cotes de Provence Rosé 2010

a good rosé is always a difficult thing for me to find. it isn't a varietal that i am too crazy about so when i find one i like, i get pretty excited about it. i tried this french rosé at my local wine merchant recently and liked it well enough to purchase a bottle. it is a blend of 60% grenache and 40% syrah and maybe that had a great deal to do with why i liked it so much. the wine sells in the $10-12 range and has a nose of rose petals, red berries and a little dusty spice. the palate has lots of strawberry, some earthy herbal notes and some spice. the finish has some good floral notes. this should be slightly chilled, but not as much as you would a white. it needs a little more warmth to bring out some of the earthy floral flavors. good sipper on a warm day.

Stoutridge Vineyard Merlot 2008

after a little hiatus i am back with another wine from this new york producer. the merlot from stoutridge is made with grapes from long island. it is 90% merlot and 10% cab franc. it sells for about $26 and is like all their other wine, made in the old world style, unfiltered and unfined. the nose has some nice blackberry, earth and an interesting mint note. the palate is very interesting, with funky earth, lush blackberry and plum, and some nice soft tannins. awesome sipping wine! works with red meats or chicken as well. this wine is unfortunately can only be purchased at the winery. if you make it to new york and visit the shawangunk wine trail, it is well worth your time and money.

Keesha Rosé 2008

i am always searching for decent rosés' and i think i found one in this little $10 gem from california. it is a blend of mostly zinfandel, (which may be why it appealed to me), along with pinot noir, syrah, and petite sirah. the nose has some nice tropical notes as well as some floral aromas. the palate is a little bolder than many of the rosés' i have tried. lots of cranberry and a little bit of floral (rose petal). this is definitely dry and it has a nice finish. could be a nice food companion, but give it a try alone first. it was excellent as an after dinner glass!

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.

St. Innocent Pinot Noir Villages Cuvée 2009

nothing like a good willamette valley pinot noir to go with a salmon dinner. the comely brunette and i enjoyed this on recently after having it recommended by my local wine store (thanks pete!). i stray from the budget wines every once and a while and this one is a bit more than i usually spend. it retails for about $35, but it can be found quite a bit cheaper than that on-line. the nose has lots of cherry, strawberry, floral notes and some spice. the palate is a delicate blend of cherry and red raspberry, with some nice floral notes and a beautiful spicy, peppery finish. the wine definitely needed to be decanted first for about an hour. well worth a try if you can find it. it is popular and sells out quickly.

Warwick Valley Winery Cabernet Franc 2009

this is my second posting for this new york winery on the shawangunk wine trail. a definite winning effort from the folks at warwick valley. this red sells for about $16 and has aromas of black cherry, some smoke, black currant and a little oak. the palate is fruit forward with black currant, more black cherry, some nice cigar notes, and some slightly earthy flavors. the wine is very light on the palate and has a medium length finish. good pizza wine or try it with some italian fare.

Two Oceans Merlot 2009

once again i am visiting a wine from south africa. and once again, i am impressed with the flavor and the price. south africa is one wine region that is really starting to turn out some nice wines. this merlot sells for about $9 and is definitely worth a try. the nose has nice fruit aromas of strawberry and some earthy notes. the palate has blackberry, black cherry, some nice chocolate and some smokey earth notes. i also got a little green pepper note in the finish. this is a good wine with red sauce pasta dishes and hard cheeses. or try it after dinner with some dark chocolate.

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.

Bastide du Claux Malacare 2006

today i celebrate blogging for 3 years! i chose a special wine that was given to me by my daughter after she returned from a trip to paris. i am not sure about the price or if the wine is available in the usa. it is a blend of 40% syrah, 30% grenache noir, 30% carignan, and comes from the rhone region of france. i have had this bottle cellared for a couple years. after opening, i decanted it based on initial taste. the nose had lots of black fruit, some smoke and some earth, and floral aromas of violets. the palate was very tannic at first, so i decanted the wine for about an hour. the flavors were blackberry, some black currant, lots of anise/black licorice, and some slightly earthy notes. the wine was much better on its own than with the light dinner we enjoyed. it would work well with veal or beef dishes or some nice hearty cheeses. if you can find this, give it a try. it is quite tasty. cheers!

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!