Bay Bridge Chardonnay

i picked up a few bottles of inexpensive wine recently (tight budget) and saw this one for the nice price of $4. how good or bad can it be? for that price it was worth a look. the nose was pear and some apple, not much else. maybe a little mineral. the flavor was pears and some grassy notes. a hint of butter and some mineral. very green. not much finish. drinkable, but nothing spectacular about it. probably not something i will purchase again. there was no vintage on the wine and i am not really sure if this is made by one of the larger producers (gallo, franzia) and sold under this name like two buck chuck is. sorry for the lack of a picture. no digital camera and couldn't find a photo anywhere on the internet.

Goldwater Sauvignon Blanc 2007

time for another nice patio pounder that refreshes the palate in the warm weather. this sauv blanc from new zealand has a nose of white peaches, some grapefruit and pineapple and a touch of melon. the palate is nicely balanced with some crisp acidity and flavors of tropical fruit, like pineapple and grapefruit, with touches of herbal notes and a nice long finish. perfect for sipping after a long day at the office while sitting on the deck. sells for about $17.

Jorge Ordonez 2003 Reserva Muga Rioja

after a brief hiatus i am back with this beautiful red blend from spain. primarily tempranillo, the nose was black raspberries, leather, tobacco and some cedar notes. the flavor was cherry and a bit of raspberry, with the earth and leather flavors adding to this very complex and balanced wine. decant this for optimum flavor. the tannins were not overpowering at first taste and softened some as it sat in the glass. a very silky texture throughout the tasting, this was a very nice red. sells for about $20 and is a great compliment to most beef dishes and almost any hearty food. i enjoyed this with seasoned chicken and steamed vegetables.

the baldwinegeek is on hiatus for a few days

"I love waking up in the morning not knowing what I'm gonna do or who I'm gonna meet. Just yesterday I was sleeping under a bridge, and today I'm on the grandest liner in the world drinking champagne with you fine people. I'll have some more please."

1995 Chateau Tour St. Bonnet Médoc

a gift from a friend, this bordeaux has been laying for about 6 months in my cellar, much longer in my friends cellar. special occasions should warrant special wines. with a move to a new city in the near future, i wanted to celebrate. this was purchased a long time ago for about $6-10. a bargain at the time. 1995 was one of those banner years for bordeaux. i was honored to receive this as a gift. the nose was fruity, floral, earthy mushroom and cedar. the fruit aromas came forth further as the wine opened up. on the palate, raspberry flavors came through followed by some very nice earthy notes. this was a beautifully delicate wine with subtle characteristics that changed a grew as the wine opened. very firm tannins softened nicely with air and the fruit flavors burst through. mushroom and damp forest floor notes also came through. exceptional alone or with food (we had pork ribs and corn on the cob), this was a beautiful wine. not sure if this can be found today, and you would be paying a premium for it. but the 2000 and 2005 bottles are available and the '05 can be purchased for a reasonable $20-25.

Nautilus Sauvignon Blanc 2007

interesting sauvignon blanc from new zealand. melons, grass, and lime on the nose. the palate was in many ways very typical of new zealand with lots of tropical fruit flavors, especially grapefruit and pineapple, but the interesting part was the spice note. usually you get the tart, citrus finish. this one had a white pepper note that was a different and enjoyable change. gave the wine a really nice zingy finish. good summer deck wine that will go with most summer fare. sells for about $15.

Rabbit Ranch Pinot Noir 2006

sorry for the lack of posts lately but the baldwinegeek and the comely brunette are embarking on a life changing experience of relocating to a new state and things have been a bit hectic. i am sneaking in a few wine moments when i can. i tried this new zealand pinot noir some time ago and made some notations about it. a worthy pinot at a price of about $28. the nose was raspberry, cherry, and some nice earthy notes. the taste was raspberry and a little plum. also some nice earth flavors, like forest floor. the finish was a little smoky and tannic. overall, very nice pinot.

Chateau La Pierre Levee 2005

i opened this bordeaux blend the other day on a whim. i paid about $13 for it and the 2005's are getting lots of rave reviews. the nose was plums, a little chocolate and a nice earthy note. the taste was very nice. light bodied and fruit forward with flavors of cherries and plums and firm tannins. as the wine opened up, more earth flavors started to emerge, with some nice cedar notes and some chocolate as well. the blend on this wine is mostly merlot and cabernet franc. enjoy this with a wide variety of foods or like i did, all by itself.

Chateau Ste Michelle Orphelin Red 2005

this red blend from washington is a favorite of mine. in fact i blogged on the 04 and now we get to try the 05. a blend of 56% syrah, 15% mourvedre, 10% cinsault, 8% grenache, 4% cabernet sauvignon, 3% petit verdot, 2% touriga, and 1% pinot noir and 1% viognier. wow! there is some serious blending going on here. the nose was plums, earth and spice notes. the taste was very robust and almost chewy. lots going on here. flavors of black cherry, blackberry, chocolate, a little pepper, and some vanilla. the finish was very long and enjoyable. very nice price of $14.99.

Dashwood Sauvignon Blanc 2008

i prefer red wine but in the warm weather, nothing beats a nice chilled white for the patio. this new zealand offering fits the bill and all for the nice price of about $10. the nose is citrus and tropical fruits. the flavor was very new zealand with lots of citrus and pear and some nice mineral notes in a nicely structured wine with a crisp, medium finish. perfect for all your favorite summer time dishes, you will want to go back for more of this after you finish the first bottle.