2002 Hawley Pinot Noir, Oehlman Vineyard, Russian River Valley
This wine has received over three years of ageing since I brought the bottle back from Geyserville, Northern Sonoma (back when one could still carry liquids on planes). It has developed, filled out, and softened its tannins to become a complex wine with a bit of backbone. Varietal aroma and taste, with warm but not sweet red fruit, and some light spices. Medium-bodied with depth, and a long taste. Regular price $35 (in 2004).2002 Saint-Romain, Louis Jadot, France
Rating: Excellent
See note of June 2004, when I first tasted this wine in a shop in Geyserville that featured small local wineries.
All the attributes of a good white burgundy, with acidity, fruit and wood well in balance. Medium-bodied, with a fairly long taste. I wish I'd gotten more of these at a special close-out sale, but all the bottles were soon gone. Close-out price $16, regular price $28.2002 Majus, Ajello, Sicilia, Italy
Rating: Very Good -
Fairly innocuous and mild, good acidity, cleanly made, but with little depth, intensity or length. Described on the label as 70% Grillo and 30% Catarratto, most likely local grape varieties. Close-out price $9, regular price $13.2001 Forestville Pinot Noir, Sonoma Reserve, Russian River Valley
Rating: Good
Good varietal PN character in aroma and taste. Medium-bodied with a somewhat jammy softness - there's no firmness from tannin or wood here. The taste has some complexity (age may have helped) and is fairly long. Close-out price $30, regular price $50.2001 Botrytis Semillon, Peter Lehmann, Barossa Australia
Rating: Good ++
A new winery to me, and a little research showed some interesting background. Apparently this was a Gold medal winner at the 2003 San Francisco Chronicle Wine Competition in the $15.99 and under category, priced at $12.99, along with the 2001 Echelon PN (there were two Double Gold medalists). Forestville is one of many vineyards and labels owned by Bronco Wine Co., one of the biggest U.S. wine producers, perhaps best known for Trader Joe's Two-Buck Chuck. The wine tasted here is a great deal for $13, but one has to wonder where the $50 price tag came from. Did the wine store make a mistake, or was it taken in by a distributor?
This Aussie "sticky" used to be called Semillon Sauternes before the French wine law apparently caught up with it. I remember it fondly as having a honeyed apricot character with a lot of depth and length. Regrettably, this one is not at that level. The late-harvest sweetness is there as well as good acidity, but there's not much complexity or depth, and the taste is none too long. Close-out price $9, regular price $12 (half-bottle).2005 Muscadet de Sevre et Maine, sur Lie, Domaine de la Pepière, France
Rating: Good
Note added Nov. 2008: I'm pleased that another half-bottle opened recently showed all the memorable characteristics of the past; apparently the bottle above had oxidized badly. This one had the honey-apricot flavors with the good acidity. Luscious to sip, with good intensity and fairly long taste. It may not have the depth to want to savor each drop, but is altogether quite good.
Rating: Very Good -
A great bargain because it's quite a good wine. Tastes of tart apple with moderate intensity and good length. Very dry without austerity. This has been a favorite of mine as a base for kir since aligoté priced itself out of range as a mixing wine, but deserves attention for its own sake. Close-out price $7, regular price $10.2004 Bourgogne Aligoté, Domaine Robert Chevillon, France
Rating: Good ++
Too pricy as a base for kir, but the close-out price brought it into range. It's well-made, dry, with good acidity, but not too much in the way of flavor interest. Medium-bodied, moderate length. Close-out price $12, regular price $17.2001 Bernkasteler Bratenhöfchen Riesling Spätlese, Kerpen, M-S-R
Rating: Good
Also very similar to the Bopparder Hamm Feuerlay (below). Golden color, with nice riesling aroma and taste. Easy to drink, with fairly long taste. Could have a little more intensity. Served with Christmas roast goose leftovers. Regular price $19.2001 Meddersheimer Rheingrafenberg Riesling Spätlese*, Hexamer, Nahe
Rating: Very Good -
Very similar to the Bopparder Hamm Feuerlay (just below), with just a touch less sweetness and some spiciness. Deep golden color, and good riesling varietal character. Fairly long taste, with some complexity. The * designation is for a higher grade of Spätlese. Served with Christmas roast goose. Regular price $16.2001 Bopparder Hamm Feuerlay Riesling Spätlese, Weingart, Mittelrhein
Rating: Very Good
Deep golden color. Sweetness toward Kabinett end of Spätlese. Lovely riesling aroma, with taste of peach and pineapple, and good acidity. Fairly long taste; could have just a little more intensity. Served with Christmas roast goose. Close-out price $15, regular price $20.2005 Hill of Content Pinot Noir, Adelaide Hills, Australia
Rating: Very Good -
Sour-cherry fruit, with lots of acidity, some floral aroma, medium body and moderate length. Little noticeable tannin or wood, both held well in check. A good dinner wine with burgundian character. Regular price $19, less 20% discount.2005 Drylands Pinot Noir, Marlborough, New Zealand
Rating: Good ++
Not really distinguishable from the Hill of Content PN (just above). Regular price $20, less 20% discount.2007 Oyster Bay Sauvignon Blanc, Marlborough, New Zealand
Rating: Good ++
Just a little more intensity (by direct comparison) than the Kim Crawford, and less expensive besides. Also has a bit of austerity. Based on these two wines, let's hope that the experimentation of a bit of residual sugar in NZ SBs has ended. Sale price $9.2007 Kim Crawford Sauvignon Blanc, Marlborough, New Zealand
Rating: Very Good
Another season, and 2007 promises to be a good one. Some grassiness and very good acidity, in a somewhat austere style. Moderate intensity and good length. Sale price $14.2004 Vision Cellars White Wine, California
Rating: Very Good -
Note added 2/25/09: Used as a prototypical NZ SB in a class on New Zealand wines. The wine seemed to smoothed out some from the previous description: whatever austerity there had been was softened, and the grassiness subdued, all into a very balanced wine, with a distinct grapefruit aroma and taste. It was even better than before, "very good" without qualification.
The label says that this is 70% sauvignon blanc, 30% pinot gris, so let's count it as a sauvignon blanc. Medium-bodied, lots of intensity with a spicy-floral character, sort of viognier with some depth. Moderate acidity, fairly long taste. Close-out price $15, regular price $20.2005 Sula Vineyards Sauvignon Blnac, Nashik, India
Rating: Very Good
Yes, India is now making wine, and this one is well made and quite good. A touch of grassiness, moderate acidity, a touch of wood, flavors a bit mild, but they hold up. Moderately long taste. Close-out price $13, regular price $16.2005 Malbec Reserva, Altos Las Hormigas, Mendoza, Argentina
Rating: Good ++
Very deep dark red with purplish tinge, intense juicy blackberryish fruit reminiscent of zinfandel, as is the 14.5% alcohol. Some tannin and wood, nothing excessive; a little more acidity would help. Moderately long taste. Except for the acidity this might develop well over a number of years Close-out price $15, regular price $22.2004 Domaine Coteau Pinot Noir, Yamhill County, Oregon
Rating: Good ++
Some pinot noir aroma, medium-bodied with fairly dark color. Some tannin (the label says "unfiltered"), but also a bit of residual sugar. Somewhat low acidity gives the wine a certain flatness and reduces the flavor interest and length. Altogether, it's not what I expect in an Oregon pinot noir; it's closer to Californian but without the floral aroma. Best served with dishes like roast chicken that can tolerate a touch of sweetness. Wine Spectator gave this a 91, which certainly makes me wonder what style they prefer. Close-out price $26, regular price $40.2002 WillaKenzie Pinot Blanc, Willamette Valley, Oregon
Rating: Good +
Tending toward full-bodied, good depth and intensity, but also soft, with noticeable residual sugar and low acidity. I suspect that the grapes were very ripe and were highly extracted. The wine may please some but is off-putting to me. Served with something that mitigatde the off-dry character: roast chicken. Close-out price $14, regular price $20.2004 Bourgogne, "La Combe", non filtrée, Dureuil-Janthial, France
Rating: Good -
A smaller-scale white burgundy, but with good varietal character. Bracing acidity, a bit light in intensity but with good chardonnay fruit, and balancing vanillin wood. Fairly long taste with flavor interest. Seemed to improve over several days. Close-out price $19, regular price $25.2001 La Bête Pinot Noir, Archery Summit Vineyard, Oregon
Rating: Good ++
Oregon firmness with good cherry fruit, some depth and a fairly long taste. Varietal character in moderate aroma and taste. Inobtrusive tannin, but just a tinge of bitterness from wood. Close-out price $20, regular price unknown.2006 Dog Point Sauvignon Blanc, Marlborough, New Zealand
Rating: Good ++
Quality justified by the price. This SB has elegance as well as substance. Good acidity, medium-bodied, SB character without grassiness, and a long taste. An 2006 Oyster Bay Sauvignon Blanc, open at the same time, was quite good but did not offer the complexity that the Dog Point did. Close-out price $15, regular price $22.2004 Tenuta delle Terre Nere Rosso, Calderara Sottana, Etna, Italy
Rating: Very Good +
A new region, a new wine, and quite a good one. From volcanic soil around Mt. Etna, with very good acidity, a bit of tarriness that resembles Barolo but without the heaviness. Medium-bodied, with noticeable tannin, good warm fruit with a firm backbone, and a long taste with some complexity. This wine should age for a few years to become even better. Close-out price $16, regular price $23.
Rating: Very Good +
Red-tag close-out sales this month:Whites:
2005 Majus (70% Grillo, 30% Catarratto), Ajello, Sicilia, Italy ($9, orig. $13) 2005 Sula Sauvignon Blanc, Nashik, India ($13, orig. $16) 2006 Dog Point Sauvignon Blanc, Marlborough, New Zealand ($15, orig. $22) 2002 WillaKenzie Pinot Blanc, Willamette Valley, Oregon ($14, orig. $20) 2004 Vision Cellars White Wine, California ($15, orig. $20) 2004 Bourgogne, "La Combe", non filtrée, Vincent Dureuil-Janthial, France ($19, orig. $25) 2004 Meddersheimer Rheingrafenberg Riesling "Quarzit" (QbA), Hexamer, Nahe ($10, orig. $20)
Reds:
2004 Tenuta delle Terre Nere Rosso, Calderara Sottana, Etna, Italy ($16, orig. $23) 2004 Domaine Coteau Pinot Noir, Yamhill County, Oregon ($26, orig. $40) 2001 Forestville Sonoma Reserve Pinot Noir, Russian River Valley ($30, orig. $50)
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