My wine tasting last weekend included an upper tier wine from Robert Mondavi. It was their Napa Valley Cabernet Sauvignon ($28). I'm not a fan of the lower tier Mondavi wines, but this wine was lovely. In this instance, price does make a difference.
Robert Mondavi 2008 Napa Valley Cabernet Sauvignon is a blend of 85% Cabernet Sauvignon, 7% Merlot,5% Cabernet Franc, 2% Syrah, 1% Petit Verdot. In the plastic tasting cup the only distinct aroma was dark cherry. However, the wine was quite flavorful with berry and a subtle hint of coffee. Mild tannins and smooth. Balanced. Customers enjoyed this.
Winemaker's Notes: This powerful, concentrated Cabernet Sauvignon opens with aromas of juicy black cherries and Italian plums, seamlessly transitioning to flavors of ripe dark fruit. Its rich, fleshy texture, lengthy finish, and impeccable balance impart a regal maturity to this wine that belies its true age.
I am not a fan of Root 1 wines. However, I do enjoy Sauviginon Blanc and the 2011 vintage is hitting the shelves. With that I had to taste Root 1 Sauvignon Blanc. Even though their other varietals are not my favorite I was not about to discount their Sauvignon Blanc. Besides, I wanted to taste a Sauvignon Blanc that was not from New Zealand.
Root 1 2011 Sauvignon Blanc is from Casablanca Valley, Chile. What a pleasant wine! The aroma was a delightful grapefruit and grassiness, as was the flavor with a hint of minerality. It was enjoyable to have a Sauvignon Blanc that was not your typical New Zealand fruit forward grapefruit, lemon, lime. It was low in acidity and had a nice finish. Crisp. Clean. Highly recommend.
Winemaker's Notes: "Pale green in color, concentrated aromas with tropical fruit and citrus notes. Great acidity with fresh lime and grapefruit balanced by soft minerality on the palate. Bright and crisp with rich fruit expression and an elegant finish.
FOOD PAIRINGS: Root: 1 Sauvignon Blanc is crisp, refreshing and pairs delightfully well with many types of foods. Try it with fresh summer salads, grilled oysters, or baked salmon. A great match with smoked ham and cheesy potato casserole, or lemon-herbed chicken with spring vegetable risotto."
Tormaresca Neprica has been on the shelves at Fresh Market for several months. It keeps selling out each time it comes into the store. This was a wine I had to taste.
Tormaresca 2009 Neprica ($12) is from Puglia, Italy and the Antinori Family (Villa Antinori). This is a blend of Negroamaro, Primitivo (Zinfandel) and Cabernet Sauvignon. A jammy aroma of berry and black cherry with a hint of tobacco and smoke. A flavor of tobacco and smoke with a hint of black cherry. The finish is long and the body is medium. Smooth. Low tannins. Nicely balanced. I can see why customers enjoy this and why it always sells out. The perfect accompaniment to an Italian meal.
Winemaker's Notes: Intense ruby red in color with violet hues. Aromas of red fruits and black cherry dominate the nose, complimented by light floral notes. Soft and flavorful on the palate with balanced acidity and subtle tannins.
The preparations for Thanksgiving are over, but the hustle and bustle of Christmas is now here. It seems that I am going non-stop. I have found so many wines to taste and review. I have also had a number of new wines for my tastings. Definitely - So much wine, So little time! Let me start with a wine I purchased for Thanksgiving - Fox Run Vineyards 2009 Riesling.
Fox Run 2009 Rielsing is from upstate New York, in the Finger Lakes region. I had wonderful visions of a delicious wine. A riesling would be a nice compliment to our Thanksgiving meal. But, it was only a vision and in actuality this wine fell quite short. There were no tantalizing aromas and a mouth feel and flavor of water. It was very disappointing to all of us at the dinner table. The winemaker's notes does not even come close to describing the wine we drank.
Winemaker's Notes: Loads of tree fruit aromas, especially nectarine and tangerine, are found in this fragrant wine. The palate is perfectly balanced, with a soft yet zesty finish. The slight sweetness makes this Riesling incredibly versatile. Lovers of rich, complex wines will find this wine highly cellar-worthy.
As luck would have it, after opening my bottle of Big House Red (which I reviewed on November 17th) I had a tasting with it this weekend. WOW! Customers enjoyed this and it flew off the table. It wasn't as popular as Big House White (reviewed on November 10th) - which I might add is out of stock in the warehouse - but still a hit. For $8 they are both good value everyday wines.
The second wine tasted out, was Robert Mondavi 2010 Private Selection Chardonnay. The grapes come from various growing regions 61% Monterey County, 33% San Benito County, 6% Santa Barbara County. It is 98% Chardonnay blended with 1% Muscat Canelli, 1% Malvasia Bianca. Their 2009 Chardonnay was one of the first wines I reviewed (March 20th). All though the 2009 is a slightly different blend, I can say the 2009 and 2010 are consistent. Both are very acidic killing any flavor and shutting down my palate. Not balanced. Not enjoyable. Customers did not like.
Winemaker's Notes: The natural roundness of our Chardonnay was enhanced by partial barrel and malolactic fermentation coupled with extended aging on the yeast lees, resulting in a luscious, complex wine. The nose reveals lemon blossom, pineapple, and peach aromas with smoky oak nuances along with enticing vanilla spice and toasty brown sugar flavors. The creamy, mouthfilling palate creates a lush impression and is balanced by a rich, lingering finish.
Yesterday's tasting was for Chateau St. Jean 2010 Chardonnay and Bogle 2009 Petite Sirah.
November 1st, I reviewed several Chateau St. Jean wines - Fume Blanc, 2009 Chardonnay, Merlot, Cabernet, and Cinq Cepages. All were quite nice. Chateau St. Jean's 2010 Chardonnay ($11) is no different. As with the 2009, it is your classic chardonnay. A hint of creaminess and lemon. Balanced and easy to pair with food. Customers did enjoy this Chardonnay.
Winemaker's Notes: ... shows notes of pear, lemon cream, and hazelnut.
Bogle 2009 Petite Sirah ($11) was ... okay. A hint of dark fruit on the nose, the flavor was light tobacco and leather. It was nicely balanced and the tannins were mild, but this was not a complex wine and very much one note. Customers even remarked that it was lacking something. I'd drink this with a casual meal - burger or pizza. Not a wine I'd find relaxing and enjoyable while I'm cooking which is what I love to do.
Winemaker's Notes: "Voluptuous and full-bodied on the entry, the heady aromas of black currants and plums awaken the senses. Lusciously jammy and inky in appearance, the concentrated fruit wraps itself around tones of pipe tobacco, leather and cocoa, to mesmerize the palate. Juniper and spice seduce the supple tannins, as this wine finishes long and lingering, but not before a final touch of acidity charms the balanced mouthfeel yet again.
Try this unique wine with rich meat dishes of lamb, pork or game and their hearty sauces."
I had the opportunity to taste Layer Cake 2009 Shiraz ($16). This is 100% Shiraz from south Australia sourcing the grapes from McLaren Vale. Aging is 50% in new French oak. It has a fabulous and lush cherry aroma. There is a flash of fruit and chocolate on the palate which is quickly overpowered by a lingering pepper finish. The tannins are light. When I do my wine tastings, I must say that this is very popular and a customer favorite.
Winemaker's Notes: Dark, dense and creamy, complex aromas of black plum, Bing cherry, blackberry and pepper merge with licorice, tobacco, mocha and dark chocolate. This is one inky Shiraz; an explosion of dark, super ripe, wild blackberry, with a touch of cigar box finishing with a mélange of exotic spices. A pure fruit bomb…complete from attack through a long, lingering finish. Chefs will save this cake for themselves
Robert Mondavi 2008 Napa Valley Cabernet Sauvignon is a blend of 85% Cabernet Sauvignon, 7% Merlot,5% Cabernet Franc, 2% Syrah, 1% Petit Verdot. In the plastic tasting cup the only distinct aroma was dark cherry. However, the wine was quite flavorful with berry and a subtle hint of coffee. Mild tannins and smooth. Balanced. Customers enjoyed this. 
