2001 Meursault, Domaine Ballot-Millot & Fils, France
Both the age and the price were a warning of the wine being past its prime; if so, it wasn't by too much. The color was a deep gold with a tinge of bronze. The white burgundy character is somewhat subdued - the acidity is good, but the overall intensity is moderate. Moderately long taste. Close-out price $10; regular price $25.2005 Cossack Riesling, Ferngrove Vineyards Estate, Frankland River, Western Australia
Rating: Good +
Dry, with a bit of austerity, riesling character in aroma and taste, medium-bodied, with moderately long taste. There's a lack of charm that's hard to describe, not mustiness exactly, but not the brightness of an Austrian or Alsatian riesling. Close-out price $12; regular price $18.Thanksgiving wines to accompany our now traditional dinner, and then left-overs the next day; all but one came from Binney's (formerly Sam's) in Chicago:
Rating: Good2007 Ürziger Würzgarten Riesling Kabinett, Dr. Hermann, M-S-R2006 Frei Brothers Reserve Pinot Noir, Russian River Valley, Northern Sonoma
Kabinett-level sweetness, good acidity, nice riesling aroma and taste. and good length. Very similar to the Schloss Lieser (just below) with just a trace more depth. Tastes young, and should gain with some age. Regular price $22.2007 Schloss Lieser Riesling Kabinett, M-S-R
Rating: Very Good -
Very similar to the Ürziger Würzgarten (just above), with a bit of effervescence in the glass. Will gain with some age. Regular price $20.2007 Wild Earth Pinot Noir, Central Otago, New Zealand
Rating: Very Good -
Lots of depth and flavor, dark color, some tannin and oak, along with good acidity. Some alcohol heat at 14.5%, but not heavy, with PN varietal character, some firmness and complexity, and a long taste. Very good now, and sure to develop with age. Regular price $28.2007 Vision Cellars Pinot Noir, Sonoma County
Rating: Very, Very Good
Moderate depth, flavorful, nicely aromatic, good acidity, light on tannin and oak. Color on the lighter side. There's a bit of backbone and none of the California sweetness, along with a fairly long taste. Regular price $26.2007 Calera Pinot Noir, Central Coast
Rating: Very Good -
A blend from many vineyards, mainly in Monterey and San Benito counties. Lovely aromatic style, color a bit light, medium-bodied with just a touch of firmness. Well-balanced - good acidity with light oak and tannin. Fairly long cherry/raspberry taste. Regular price $23.2008 Rodney Strong Pinot Noir, Russian River Valley, California
Rating: Very Good
Somewhat reluctant to reveal its PN character, with subdued aroma. Fairly dark color, with firmness in the blackberry/cherry fruit, and a moderately long taste. A bit more than medium-bodied. Price unknown.2008 Jackson Estate Sauvignon Blanc, Marlborough, New Zealand
Rating: Good +
Classic Marlborough flavors, some grassiness, very good acidity, dry without austerity; good overall balance and fairly long taste. Regular price $17.2006 Sonoma-Cutrer Chardonnay, Sonoma Coast
Rating: Very Good -
There is some butteriness and vanillin oak, but in proportion to match varietal fruit in this medium-bodied chardonnay. There's good acidity as well, along with some complexity and a fairly long taste. Not quite lean but not heavy either, it certainly avoids many of the excesses of many California chardonnays. Regular price $20.2008 Muscadet de Sevre et Maine, sur Lie, Domaine de la Pepière, France
Rating: Very Good -
As in previous years, a very good base for kir, having the requisite strong acidity as well as some character of its own. Consistently dependable. Regular price $11.
Rating: Good +
Buttery aroma and taste at the start, and somewhat closed as well. Opened up nicely during the meal, with Californian perfume and cherry flavors, but also some depth and some firmness. Fairly long taste. Close-out price $17; regular price $26.2006 Pinot Bianco, Jermann, Venezia Giulia
Rating: Very Good -
The label declares it as Sylvio's vendange, with a 36 and the dates 1971-2006, so it is presumably a special edition. Full-flavored, more than medium-bodied, only moderate acidity with some honey notes. There is a softness that that seems to signal some residual sugar. This wine is trying to be a chardonnay with Californian character. The taste is fairly long. Could be a difficult food match, but works well as a sipping wine. Close-out price $17; regular price $34.2004 Belle Glos Pinot Noir, Clark & Telephone Vineyard, Santa Maria Valley
Rating: Good ++
Lots of dark-cherry flavor, deep dark color, varietal PN character comes through, mild tannin and some oak. There's a touch of softness that could use a bit more backbone. The taste is fairly long. The bottle is instantly recognizable by the sloping red wax seal. Close-out price $24; regular price $35.2004 Chablis 1er Cru, Fourchaume-Vaulorent, Domaine Fèvre (Nathalie & Gilles), France
Rating: Good ++
In a word: undistinguished. Hard to tell exactly what it is, because there's not the chablis flintiness nor the white burgundy character of fruit, acidity and oak in balance; all the characteristics are somewhat subdued despite moderate intensity and some body, and a moderately long taste. Close-out price $10; regular price $20 (half-bottle).1995 Alderbrook Zinfandel, Old Vine - Old clone, California
Rating: Good +
Age has given this wine some complexity, with a touch of cinnamon and clove. Although dark in color with some orange, it has moderate intensity rather than being overpowering with good depth. There's a bit of tannin, and good acidity which has probably allowed it to age gracefully. The taste is reasonably long with perhaps a touch of port likeness. Close-out price $5.2004 Montes Alpha Merlot, Apalta Vineyard, Colchagua Valley, Chile
Rating: Very Good
Very dark and intense, juicy, almost zinfandel- or malbec-like in concentration. Moderate acidity, some softness, and good length. Needs very flavorful food. Close-out price $13; regular price $22.2006 Côtes du Rhône, le Clos du Caillou, Vieilles vignes, vin non filtré, France
Rating: Good ++
Flavorful, a bit fleshy, with less of the firmness I might expect. A bit of tannin, and a moderately long taste. Sale price $20.2008 Niersteiner Grüner Veltliner trocken, J. & H. A. Strub, Rheinhessen
Rating: Good ++
And now for something completely different, a Grüner Veltliner from Germany instead of Austria! This one is a complete success, dry, with refreshing acidity as well as good intensity and some depth. Fairly long taste too. Sale price $13.2002 Serriger Schloss Saarsteiner Riesling Spätlese, Schloss Saarstein, M-S-R
Rating: Good ++
A good accompaniment to chicken roasted with potatoes and onions. Spätlese sweetness was a good match, along with good acidity and nice riesling aroma and flavors. Fairly long taste, but intensity could have been up a little. Close-out price $17; regular price $25.NV Peachy Canyon Zinfandel, Incredible Red, Bin 104, Paso Robles
Rating: Good ++
What's not worth trying about a $4 zinfandel from a name producer? Although non-vintage, it's probably from about 1995, and definitely showing its age. The color has a lot of orange to it, and the flavors show some tealeaf in them. There is good acidity and moderate intensity, unusual for a zinfandel but both a plus, and moderate length. It went quite well with a white fish prepared with tomatoes and olives. Close-out price $4.2008 Cristina Ascheri Gavi, Italy
Rating: Good +
A favorite wine from a good producer, this one has somewhat less intensity and a bit more softness than I remember from previous versions. There's good acidity and varietal gavi character, along with a moderately long taste. It seemed to gain soem intensity and depth over time. Close-out price $10; regular price $16.2008 Over the Edge Pinot Noir, Escarpment Vineyard, Martinborough, New Zealand
Rating: Good +
This may have been mispriced on the high side, given that it's described as "an immediately accessible wine". It's probably a second label from Escarpment Vineyard, from the fine pinot noir Martinborough area. Still, it has good Burgundian character, with substantial acidity and some tannin for firmness, as well as some California-type perfume. Moderate intensity and good length. Close-out price $27; regular price $40.2008 Whitehaven Sauvignon Blanc, Marlborough, New Zealand
Rating: Good ++
Dry and quite austere, with high acidity and some typical NZ grassiness. Moderate intensity and good length. Best as a food wine - it doesn't have quite enough charm for sipping. Close-out price $14; regular price $20.
Rating: Good ++
Red-tag close-out sales this month:Whites:
2008 Gavi, Cristina Ascheri, Italy ($10, orig. $16) 2006 Sauvignon, Sanct Valentin, St. Michael-Eppan, Südtirol-Alto Adige, Italy ($12, orig. $22) 2006 Meddersheimer Rheingrafenberg Riesling Spätlese**, Helmut Hexamer, Nahe ($10, orig. $??) 2008 Niersteiner Grüner Veltliner trocken, J. & H. A. Strub, Rheinhessen ($13, orig. $??) 2004 Chablis Premier Cru, Fourchaume-Vaulorent, Domaine Fèvre (Nathalie & Gilles), France ($10, orig. $20)
[Half-bottle]2005 Cossack Riesling, Ferngrove Vineyards Estate, Frankland River, Western Australia
[About time to try an Aussie riesling]($12, orig. $18) 2004 Pouilly-Fuissé, Terroirs rares, Christophe Cordier, France ($26, orig. $40) 2001 Meursault, Ballot-Millot & Fils, France
[More than a bit old, but worth a try at this price]($10, orig. $25)
Reds:
2006 Belle Glos Pinot Noir, Clark & Telephone Vineyard, Santa Maria Valley ($23, orig. $35) 2006 Frei Brothers Pinot Noir Reserve, Russian River Valley ($13, orig. $22) 2006 Domaine Serene Pinot Noir, Yamhill Cuvée, Willamette Valley ($23, orig. $35) 2007 North Valley Pinot Noir, Willamette Valley
[Apparently a second label for Soter]($20, orig. $30) 2003 Over the Edge Pinot Noir, Escarpment, Martinborough, New Zealand ($27, orig. $40) 2000 Chateauneuf-du-Pape, Domaine Moulin-Tacussel, France ($23, orig. $36) 2006 Côtes du Rhône, vin non filtré, cuvée unique, Le Clos du Caillou, France
[A North Berkeley Imports Selection]($20, orig. $??) 1995 Peachy Canyon Zinfandel, Westside, Paso Robles
[This and the ones below - old wines at very low prices; let's take a chance]($8, orig. $??) NV Peachy Canyon Zinfandel, Incredible Red, Bin 104, Paso Robles ($4, orig. $??) 1995 Alderbrook Zinfandel, Old vine - old clone, Sonoma County ($5, orig. $??) 2004 Buzzard Tree Meritage - Red Table Wine, Norman Vineyards, Paso Robles ($4, orig. $??) 2006 Savigny-les-Beaune Premier Cru, Serpentières, Joseph Drouhin, France ($25, orig. $33) 2006 Bricco S, Giacomo Nebbiolo d'Alba, Podere di Rivalta di la Morra - Verdunoa, Ascheri, Italy ($15, orig. $23)
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