2007 Delta Vineyards Pinot Noir, Marlborough, New Zealand
Closer to a burgundian style with abundant acidity, dark raspberry fruit, and light on oak. Medium-bodied with moderately long taste. Good varietal character with moderately floral aroma. Close-out price $15; regular price $23.2005 Mount Nelson Sauvignon Blanc, Marlborough, New Zealand
Rating: Good ++
More toward the elegant than assertively herbal style, medium-bodied with good acidity, well-balanced, with a fairly long taste. Close-out price $9; regular price $16.2004 Bearboat Pinot Noir, Russian River Valley
Rating: Very Good -
Made by Piper-Sonoma, which is of course in the business of making sparkling wine. This pinot noir is in the lighter California style, with lovely perfume in the aroma and taste. Moderate intensity with red raspberry tones, no tannin or wood to speak of and good acidity. The taste is fairly long. Very well made and appealing, with a character somewhere between pinot noir and beaujolais, it probably wouldn't impress the great wine gurus. Close-out price $15; regular price $22.2003 Ockfener Bockstein Riesling Kabinett, St. Urbans-Hof, M-S-R
Rating: Very Good
Rather than a lean Saar wine, this seemed more like a Rheingau, but quite a good one. Despite 10% alcohol, it tasted closer to Spätlese than Kabinett, probably because of the very hot vintage year. Lots of peach intensity with a bit of spice, and a nice long taste. Good balancing acidity. Close-out price $12; regular price $20.2007 Moulin-à-Vent, Georges duBoeuf, France
Rating: Very Good -
Recognizably beaujolais with strawberry in the aroma and taste. Not at all heavy, it was probably on the lighter side for this appellation. Good acid balance and a moderately long taste. Giving it a bit of a chill on a warm summer day made it just right. Close-out price $11; regular price $17.2003 Vacqueyras, Pierrelongue, Maison Bouachon, France
Rating: Good ++
This wine wine evoked special interest because we tasted some very good Châteauneuf-du-Pape at the winery, but it's a bit hard, without much charm, and a touch too much wood. Moderate intensity and length. Best with food - not a sipping wine. Close-out price $15; regular price $19.2005 Niederhäuser Kertz Riesling Kabinett, Weingut Mathern, Nahe
Rating: Good +
A little disappointing only because of my expectations from Mathern. There's solid intensity and lots of peach flavors with some depth, but not the sparkle or charm that I expected - the acidity appears a bit low. The taste is moderately long. The sweetness is at the upper end of Kabinett. Altogether, I prefer the Bacharacher Hahn (just below). Close-out price $16; regular price $23.2005 Bacharacher Hahn Riesling Kabinett, Weingut Toni Jost, Hahnenhof, Mittelrhein
Rating: Good ++
There's a lot to like about this wine: nice riesling aroma and flavors of some intensity and depth, good balancing acidity, and a fairly long taste. At 10% alcohol, this has a true Kabinett-level sweetness. Toni Jost is one of the most reliable producers that I know about. Close-out price $14; regular price $24.2001 Barbaresco Riserva, Rizzi, Italy
Rating: Very Good
There's a bit of the tarriness of Barolo/Barbaresco together with cherry fruit and some, but not too much, tannin. There's some surprising softness due to less-than-expeced acidity that's reminiscent of Californian. The taste is moderately long. Close-out price $25; regular price $50.2005 Kendall-Jackson Merlot, Vintner's Reserve, California
Rating: Good ++
Better than expected - I'm not looking for complexity but there is good solid flavor identifiably in the cabernet-merlot family with some intensity and a moderately long taste. There is a touch of structure with some softness and moderate acidity. A pleasant wine. Price unknown.2007 Pinot Grigio, Graffigna Centenario, San Juan, Argentina
Rating: Good +
A pinot grigio with some flavor and interest: good intensity, moderate acidity and moderate length. Good house white at a good price. Close-out price $8; regular price $12.2005 Saint-Véran, Terroir Davayé, Domaine Michel Cheveau, France
Rating: Good +
With a bit of fatness and somewhat low acidity, this seems more in the Californian than French style. Good intensity, golden color, moderate oak,and a fairly long taste. Others will like this better than I do. Close-out price $19; regular price $27.2003 Voss Pinot Noir, Martinborough, New Zealand
Rating: Good +(+)
Seemed like there might a bit much oak on first tasting, but it gave some firmness and structure to go with the deep dark fruit. Flavorful, with good intensity and a fairly long taste, this shows why Martinborough is such a good PN region. Close-out price $25; regular price $36.
Rating: Very Good
Red-tag close-out sales this month:Whites:
2008 Wairau River Sauvignon Blanc, Marlborough, New Zealand ($10, orig. $16) 2004 Gewürztraminer, Cantina Terlan, Alto Adige, Italy ($5, orig. $10) 2005 Wehlener Sonnenuhr Riesling Kabinett, Kerpen, M-S-R ($10, orig. $16) 2005 Bernkasteler Bratenhöfchen Riesling Spätlese, Kerpen, M-S-R ($18, orig. $25) 2005 Niederhäuser Kertz Riesling Kabinett, Mathern, Nahe ($16, orig. $23) 2005 Bacharacher Hahn Riesling Kabinett, Toni Jost, Hahnenhof, Mittelrhein ($14, orig. $24) 2004 Rüdesheimer Berg Roseneck Riesling Spätlese, August Kesseler, Rheingau ($11, orig. $22)
Reds:
2002 Wither Hills Pinot Noir, Marlborough, New Zealand ($29, orig. $40) 2007 Delta Vineyard Pinot Noir, Marlborough, New Zealand ($15, orig. $23) 2006 Buena Vista Pinot Noir, Carneros ($15, orig. $23) 2004 Savannah-Chanelle Pinot Noir, Armagh Vineyard, Sonoma Coast ($22, orig. $44) 2005 Chianti Classico Riserva, Fèlsina Berardenga, Italy ($19, orig. $29) 2006 Morgon Jean Descombes, Georges Duboeuf, France ($10, orig. $15) 2007 Moulin-à-Vent, Georges Duboeuf, France ($11, orig. $17) 2004 Côtes du Rhône Villages, Les Champauvins, Domaine Grand Veneur, Alain Jaume & Fils, France ($11, orig. $22) 2007 Côtes du Rhône Rosé, "La Dame Rousse", Domaine de la Mordorée, France ($9, orig. $18)
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