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.

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!

Chateau La Croix du Duc 2009 Bordeaux

2009 bordeaux's are getting rave reviews for good reason. sometimes it pays to let them get some bottle time, like this one. this is mostly merlot, about 90%, with the rest split between cab and cab franc. selling for about $10-12, la croix du duc has some really nice aromas of earth, blackberry, and some chocolate. the palate was not yet fully developed, perhaps a little too young to drink it. there were hints of what is to come, with black currant and coffee, and subtle earth and some cedar. but mostly it was just not as pronounced as it probably will be in a few years. so if you have a place to store wine, pick up a couple of bottles of this and wait patiently. i think you will reap the benefits with time.

Lenore 2007 Columbia Valley Syrah

washington state cult winery corvidae makes some really nice wines. their syrah is priced right at about $15 and is a real find. the nose has red fruit, smoke, and earth notes. the palate has lots of dark fruit. black currant, blueberry, and black raspberry. then the terroir makes its presence known. lots of ash, earth and smokey notes come through. this wine definitely needs some air before you drink it. the tannins are fairly bold when the wine is first opened. decant or pour a glass and walk away for an hour. then enjoy it by itself or with a hearty stew, ribs, or a burger.

Thelema Cabernet Sauvignon 2007

my last south african bottle has officially been opened. unfortunately it probably should have been laid down for several years as it has plenty of aging potential, and it is still tasting a bit young. thelema is also from the stellenbosch region and is from one of the highest elevation vineyards in south africa. the nose has lots of black cherry, blackberry and spice. i also got some eucalyptus aromas. the palate is a little tight and tannic at first. it opens nicely after the wine sits in the glass for a bit. nice black currant and blackberry flavors, with smoky cedar,  mint and earth tones in the long finish. this one sells for about $40 and has definite aging possibilities. if you are into the point rating system, this one has consistently scored 90 points or better in wine spectator for 11 years. i enjoyed this with spaghetti with steamed veggies over the top. it will work with any red meat or stew as well.

Oak Spring Winery Cabernet Sauvignon 2005

this is the final pennsylvania wine i have in my collection. in my opinion i saved the best for last. selling for about $20, this cab is aged in stainless steel with oak chips added to the mix for about 6 months if i remember correctly. the results are very interesting. the nose is fruity with black cherry, blackberry, spice and some bell pepper. the palate was very fruit forward, with black currant and blackberry flavors. the were some nice tannins and spice, along with plum and some vanilla in the finish. much more to my liking than some of the sweeter offerings that i tried in pennsylvania.

Darby + Joan Cabernet Sauvignon 2008

wine tastings are the best place to try new wines. that is where i get a great deal of the material i write about. this barossa valley, australia cab is from a recent tasting and was a bit different from the napa variety cabs. a little more playful and not as big. the nose had plum and cherry notes and a little herbal aroma. the palate was fruit-forward with black currant and some cherry. i also picked up some licorice notes in the finish. a very jammy cab that will pair well with some nice cheese or maybe a little chocolate. sells for about $10-12.

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.

Gato Negro Malbec 2009

i wrote about the 08 vintage a while back and revisited the 09 to see how it compared to the 08. it is pretty much on the same level with the 08. the nose was very fruity, with black currant aromas. also got some spicy notes and a little inky aroma as well. the palate was black currant, blackberry and some spicy pepper flavors. the body was a little thin but it is a 2009 so maybe time in the bottle? but this is meant to be consumed now. the finish was not very long but not bad. good pizza wine. i had a few comments about other malbecs in this price range but quite frankly, there really aren't any at the $3.99 that this sells for. i will mention a few others that are slightly more expensive and a bit better flavor, most notably alamos and notro, which sees no oak but was very tasty. once again,the gato negro is about what you would expect for the $4 price, nothing too special but very drinkable.

Wyndham Estate Bin 444 2005 Cabernet Sauvignon

bargain shoppers looking for decent reds to enjoy can turn to wyndham estates for good wines at around $10 like this cab. blackberries, black currant, chocolate and minty spice on the nose. on the palate, a full bodied red that had flavors of black currant and plums, followed by some very nice smokey notes. this is a very easy drinking cab that will work well with red meat or pasta dishes, or enjoy it by itself on the deck watching the leaves change.

Dignus Crianza 2004

spanish wines have intrigued me lately and this one is no exception. a blend of 50% tempranillo, 25% merlot and 25% cabernet sauvignon, this red has a nose of black cherry, licorice and some nice earthy forest floor. the flavor is black currant and earth with some licorice thrown in as well. nice easy tannins and very drinkable and the price is nice too, selling for $12. well worth a try and this will pair with lots of summer grilled foods, barbecue, and burgers. even pizza.

Helix Pomatia Columbia Valley 2005

i was the guest pourer at a recent wine tasting and this was the final wine in a group of six that i poured. this blend of 53% cabernet sauvignon, 31% merlot, 8% syrah, and 8% cab franc from washington received mixed reviews mostly because it needed to be decanted. i took a bottle home and gave it some time to breathe and was rewarded for that. the nose was black cherry, leather, dark chocolate, and some tobacco notes. the wine had promise. during the tasting the palate was overly tannic, but with time in the glass the tannins softened, allowing this wine to open up and really shine. black currant, plum, chocolate, earth and some coffee notes all came through. the tannins no longer overpowered you and the balance this wine exhibited was beautiful. the wine sells for about $20, and will work very well with a nice steak or pork meal.

Marquis Phillips Sarah's Blend 2007

at a recent wine tasting i was told this was worth a try. at $14, i said, why not. this is a wine that is made in australia in collaboration with american wine maker dan phillips. the blend is 60% shiraz, 25% cabernet sauvignon, 10% merlot and 5% cabernet franc from mclaren vale vineyards. the nose is big and jammy with plums, spice, almond and chocolate aromas. the taste was black currant and a bit warm with a 15% alcohol content, which was a bit of a distraction to the flavor. i got some spicy notes and struggled a bit with the tannins at first as they were a bit bold as well. after letting the wine sit for a while in the glass, the nose mellowed and i got more chocolate aromas. the palate also softened up and there was a little more flavor coming through, with black pepper and dark chocolate the predominant flavors. overall not a bad red blend but it requires decanting and patience.

Torres Sangre de Toro 2007

i was at wine tasting at our local merchant, and they were pouring 4 varietals from this spanish wine maker. i brought a bottle of this home at a cost of $9. it was a blend of grenache and carignan from the catalunya area. the nose was blackberries and spice. there was also an undertone of earthy mushroom that i always find intriguing. the palate was black currant, some warm spice notes and a nice licorice finish. it had a nice long finish and the tannins were not too overpowering. well worth the price. and look for the little bull hanging on the neck.

Gato Negro 2008 Malbec

i am always on the lookout for the low priced, high quality wine. i tried this malbec which sells for about $4 a bottle. the nose was spice and blackberry. nothing too complex. the palate was a bit green, but had some nice spice notes that you typically find in malbecs from argentina. this was more fruit forward, with juicy black currant flavors. there was a little bit of licorice that came through as the wine got more air. not a bad malbec for the price. i've had better ones in this price range.

Toro Spada 2006

another wine in the cheaper category that i had recently, spada is a spanish red that is made from tinto di toro, the local name for tempranillo. from what i have read, this wine spends no time in oak, yet because of the grape, it has some very interesting characteristics that would lead you to believe it was oaked. the nose was blackberry, spice and it had a sweeter cordial note as well. on the palate black currant, leather, licorice with medium tannins and a spicy pepper finish. not a bad wine for the nice price of $10.

Joseph Drouhin Laforet Pinot Noir 2005

this is the second french pinot noir i have tried. i tried one before i began this blog page, but i do remember i was a bit disappointed. this one was a bit better. very subtle. on the the nose, red berries and a bit of a band aid or eucalyptus like note. a bit odd. i expected something a bit more earthy. i did a little research on the wine and found that the harvest is basically split into two, where part ages in oak and part in stainless steel. they really want the fruity, berry flavor to come through. and it does. on the palate, the wine is light, and fruity with flavors of raspberry and currant. soft and easy tannins and not a whole lot of finish. priced at about $20 a bottle, this pinot noir left me a bit unsatisfied. i expect a whole lot more complexity and flavor. this is more of a burgers and cold cuts kind of wine. sorry, but just not impressed.

Pinecrest 2005 Pinotage

the nose was the first thing i noticed on this south african beauty. leather, black cherry, tobacco, tar. huge aromas and the wine had not even opened up yet. smooth, medium tannins and a full mouth feel. tastes of black currant, long lingering finish with some nut or meat like undertones. very nice wine. i had read a few things about pinotage not being a very good grape, but this sure didn't come across as a bad wine. quite the opposite. and for the price of about $17, this is worth buying a few and laying them down for a while. i have had this bottle for about a year and it is very nice. and it gets better as it opens up.

Señorío de P.Peciña Cosecha 2006

a first time for the baldwinegeek with this blend. i couldn't find a lot of info about it and the label told me next to nothing, but the blend seems to be primarily tempranillo with a little garnacha and graciano. interesting nose of black cherry, dark chocolate and a hint of licorice and spice. maybe a little bay leaf??? on the palate, the currant and pepper come through. medium tannins and a spicy finish. hints of leather and a cherry cordial flavor. i will revisit this one after it sits out a bit to see if it opens up a little more. it is a little tight at first taste. it opened up a bit more after a while in the glass. more of the leather and some hints of vanilla came through. overall, a very nice red for the nice price of about $12.