Layer Cake Shiraz 2006

i purchased this wine back in november of 2007 and have had it laying in the cellar since that time. the weather outside was snowy and i wanted to just sit back and look outside watching the snow fall while i sipped a nice red wine. this one filled the need perfectly. the nose had a very pronounced chocolate note after it sat in the glass for a while, along with blackberry and spice. alcohol level was about 15% and you got that heat from the nose as well. the palate was much better and more complex after the wine opened up with time in the glass. raspberries and chocolate notes were very pronounced. this is a full, juicy, jammy red. lots of subtle tobacco and spice notes. velvet mouth feel with a long finish. sells for about $16-20 depending on where you shop. good red meat wine but i enjoyed this by itself.

96 Points 2007 Shiraz/Viognier

i tried this blend (93% shiraz, 7% viognier) at my local wine shop tasting and picked up a bottle based on the tasting for the nice price of $13. it was in the wine rack for a few months and i had forgotten about it. when i discovered it i decided to give it a revisit. the nose was very favorable with a burst of plum, some red raspberry, and nice chocolate notes. i also picked up some slight floral notes from the viognier, and some earthy, woody aromas. hopefully the taste would match the nose. the palate was not overwhelming, but grew on me as the wine opened up. initial taste was a slightly spicy blackberry and cherry with some pepper notes. not an overly complex wine but it still had some very nice floral and earth flavors that started to show as the wine got more air. the tannins were medium and the wine had a overall nice balance. try this with any winter time meal of stew or red meat, or even a pizza while watching some football.

Bohemian Highway California Chardonnay 2008

the holiday break is over. time to get back to writing about wine. i start with a budget wine for the new year. i had this wine about 4 years ago and decided to revisit a newer vintage. the nose was full of peach and and floral aromas. very crisp and enticing nose. the palate was bright and crisp, with flavors of apple and pear. some nice citrus touches in this one as well. good fruit flavor and just a little creaminess from the small amount of oak that this wine sees. great wine to pair with chicken or seafood like scallops. sells for about $10 and it was well worth the revisit.

Happy Holidays from the baldwinegeek

postings will be a bit scarce during this time surrounded by family, friends and good wine. i am tasting some good wine during this holiday season and will be posting some time during the coming week. to all who have supported me by reading the blog, have a happy holiday and a safe and prosperous new year!
cheers!
the bald wine geek

Justin 2003 Syrah Paso Robles

i have had this bottle lying for a while and had an occasion that deserved a decent wine. this is the second bottle i have had but the first time i had an opportunity to write about it. the folks at justin are well known for producing some very nice wines. how did this one stack up? the nose had plenty of black cherry, blackberry and pepper notes. also got some nice leather and earth notes. if this was anything like the last bottle i had, it was going to be well worth leaving it lay for a few years. the palate was smooth and very soft, with blackberry, subtle spice notes of pepper, and toasted oak. but the real interesting flavor to come through was the earthy, gamey flavor that i really enjoy in a red. excellent wine with beef stew, pasta, or a hearty barley soup. sells for about $24.

Maipe Malbec 2008

i follow ratings on wines to a point. i am always amazed at wines that get rated very high that i may not particularly find as spell-binding as the reviewer. this malbec falls into that class. selling for about $11, it got 90 points from robert parker. i tried it at a tasting and we either had a bad bottle or maybe the taste buds were off this night. or maybe parker was off. the nose was decent enough with plums and some spice and violet coming through. but the palate seemed a bit weak with flavors of blackberry and black pepper. the wine was a bit thin, green and tight. it opened up a little with time in the glass, but wasn't as bold as i would have hoped for. i will revisit this at some time in the future to see if it was me that was off that night or the wine.

A to Z 2008 Pinot Blanc

a little white wine during the colder months can cleanse the palate and prepare you for more good red wine. gave this offering from A to Z a try recently. i have enjoyed some of their other varietals so i was hoping this one would be on par with the fine work they have previously produced. the nose was full of citrus, melon, and minerals. good start! the palate was an initial explosion of pineapple, followed by peaches and floral flavors, finishing in crisp mineral notes. a nice, well balanced white wine that sells for about $12-14 and will pair with tomato based pasta dishes or seafood.

Hardy's 2008 Shiraz

after a nice leap to the higher end side it is back to reality and the less expensive wine. i needed a red that i could enjoy and had not tried anything from the hardy's line of boxed wines. i read a few decent reviews in wine magazines about their wines and decided to give it a try. the nose was immediately full of fruit, with red raspberry and black cherry coming through. after a bit i started to get a little more spice notes, mostly cinnamon. on the palate, a very balanced fruit forward, jammy wine, with flavors of plums and black cherries, followed by pepper and after opening up, i got some really nice chocolate notes on the finish. this is not a complex wine. very easy drinking slightly tannic red. good wine for your friday night pizza or winter stew. sells for about $16 (that's the equivalent of $4 a bottle. a bargain you may not want to pass up for an every day red).

Erath Estate Selection Dundee Hills 2006 Pinot Noir

every once in a while i have to go above my budget and pick up something a little different, maybe a little nicer than the typical grocery store wine. i went to my local wine store and asked them to recommend a sexy pinot noir. something that would really knock me out and i gave them a max price point of about $30-35. erath from oregon was their choice. they said i wouldn't be disappointed. for that price you don't want to be wasting your money. the results? a nose of cherry, lavender and a smokey, earthy note. on the palate, a delicate, well balanced wine with flavors of plums, vanilla, some interesting meat notes and a little anise. very silky in the mouth. the comely brunette and i drank this without pairing with food, but a nice salmon dinner would be a welcome companion. and i was not disappointed.

Edmeades 2007 Zinfandel

this was my wine of choice last week for thanksgiving. never tried it before but read some descriptors at my local wine store and thought it would work well with the thanksgiving foods. the nose was full of berries, but it also had some really nice earthy notes as well. the palate was full in the mouth with plums and and blackberries coming through. i also got some real nice earth and meat flavors, followed by smokey spice notes. it held its own throughout the meal, blending quite well with all the foods that were offered. this will be a go to bottle going forward. sells for about $20.