Aug

28

The notion that Chateau Bellefont-Belcier 1998 (a combination of Merlot and Cabernet Franc from Bordeaux’s “right bank” region of St. Emilion) was produced in the same year that I graduated from college made me feel a bit like I was opening a time-capsule when I popped the cork…. not to mention, old.  But anyway, the effect of ten years’ time in a barrel/bottle was unmistakable from first whiff (a gorgeous whiff at that) through to swish and swallow.

We found the wine to be wonderfully complex, with layered aromas of green pepper, nutmeg, mellowed cherry, and hard apple cider, and flavors of apple, cherry, and nutmeg.   The acidity was remarkably brisk given the ageing, and that convinced us that this wine was probably still relatively young.

The merchant that sold us our bottle was adamant that it constituted one of the best values that he had in his shop.  Quite honestly, it was very easy for us to understand why.

Where to get it: We bought our bottle at Plumpjack Wines in Noe Valley, but note that the store was running out quickly.  You might also try using the Snooth search function under “Wine Locator” in the right hand column of this page, or visiting wine-searcher.com or winezap.com.

Aug

21

This is the bottle we drank during our anniversary dinner last Saturday at One Market (see last Monday’s post for our thoughts on the restaurant’s memorable wine list).  The restaurant’s price tag was $98, about twice as much as it would have been in a shop.

We selected Domaine Drouhin’s 2006 Willamette Valley Pinot Noir as our wine of the evening for two reasons: first, we were familiar with the winery’s excellent reputation as one of the elite producers in Oregon, and second, we were in the mood for the lighter, Burgundian style of Pinot Noir, as compared with the more fruit-forward, extracted versions produced in many parts of California.

Thanks to the wine’s brisk acidity, which instantly cleansed our palates between bites, it complimented our food perfectly.  Also, the leathery and strawberry aromas and elegant, light-intensity ruby color were candy for the senses — both caught our attention from the get-go.

This was certainly the most expensive bottle of wine that we’ve ever purchased at a restaurant (thank heavens for our gift certificate!), but it was also by far the best, as it proved itself to be an ideal companion for an exquisite meal.

Where to get it: As noted above, we bought our bottle at One Market Restaurant.  You can purchase it by visiting the winery’s web site, by using the Snooth search function under “Wine Locator” in the right hand column of this page, or by visiting wine-searcher.com or winezap.com.

Aug

14

img_3048.JPGAll else aside, if we were to judge a wine purely on how fast it disappeared from our glasses, Erben von Beulwitz’s 2006 Kabinett Riesling would be tough to out-do.  Folks, this is simply a beautiful and so very delicious wine that left us feeling sad every time we realized how fast we were drinking it down.

In the nose we found white nectarine (you can smell the sweetness — this is not a dry wine, as the 9% alcohol level suggests) and a touch of floral scents, and when tasting it we picked up flavors of nectarine and lime that lingered on.  The texture was much like nectarine or peach juice.

Let us put it this way: have you ever finished eating a perfectly ripe, juicy fruit that left you craving one, maybe two, or maybe three more?  That’s how we felt after finishing each glass of this stuff.

Where to get it: We bought our bottle at Plumpjack Wines in Noe Valley.  They ship.  You can also find it using the Snooth search function under “Wine Locator” in the right hand column of this page, or by visiting wine-searcher.com or winezap.com.

Aug

7

mckenzie-mueller-pinot-noir-2005.jpegThis is thirty-six dollars worth of Pinot Noir, pure and simple.  In our minds, to spend that kind of money on a wine demands something wicked good, and this stuff was definitely up to snuff.

The first thing that caught our attention when pouring out glasses of McKenzie-Mueller’s Los Carneros Pinot Noir 2005 was the light intensity of its exquisite ruby color.  This is not the stereotypically (and fashionably) heavily extracted California style of Pinot Noir, but rather the lighter, European style that we tend to prefer.

Upon sniffing our glasses, we picked up vanilla, wood, berry, and cherry scents, along with a touch of marzipan, and in the mouth we found smokey cherry and berry flavors.  The finish lingered on for a while.  Best of all was the near perfect balance, with light tannin and medium acidity that gave this wine a silky smooth texture.  It was simply a pleasure to drink.

As you might have guessed from the name, the region of origin is Carneros, which straddles the southernmost Sonoma/Napa border.  We bought our bottle at the winery, and we highly, highly recommend a visit.

Where to get it: As noted above, we bought our bottle at the winery.  You can buy it directly through McKenzie-Mueller’s web site, but you can also find it using the Snooth search function under “Wine Locator” in the right hand column of this page, or by visiting wine-searcher.com or winezap.com.

Jul

24

la-grande-vignolle-2005.jpgFor today’s posting, I thought I’d switch things up a bit and write down my thoughts about our Weekend Wine as I’m tasting it.  Today’s bottle is Domaine Filliatreau’s La Grande Vignolle 2005, a Cabernet Franc from the Saumur-Champigny region of the Loire Valley.  Here goes…

I’m sitting next to my glass right now, and as I tilt it and look in I’m seeing a fairly dense ruby red, which is surprisingly only slightly lighter in color than the Ed’s Red from Tuesday’s posting.  With the first sniff, I’m picking up dark cherry and a bit of leafy greenness.  Now for a sip…. wow, as I swish it around, I’m getting a strong blast of leafy greenness with only a touch of the dark cherry.  The green flavor is lasting all the way through the finish, which is lingering as I type. 

Nice balance: it’s light on acidity but also fairly light in alcohol, and the tannin gives it good backbone.  I’m really liking the soft, fruit-juicy texture.

Not bad at all!!

This is an unfiltered wine, so there’s a little bit of expected sediment.  

Where to get it: We bought our bottle at Plumpjack Wines in Noe Valley.  They ship.  You can also find it using the Snooth search function under “Wine Locator” in the right hand column of this page, or by visiting wine-searcher.com or winezap.com.   

Jul

17

martinsancho-verdejo-ruedo.jpgWe bought our bottle of Martinsancho Rueda Verdejo 2007, from the Rueda region of northern Spain, last weekend while picking up supplies for our picnic in Mill Valley (see Monday’s posting for more about the picnic site).  For those of you unfamiliar with Verdejo, click here for a neat description provided by Denomination of Origin Rueda’s official web site.       

Picture this: 75 degrees; clear, sunny skies; the smell of redwoods in the air; and a chilly glass of golden-colored, dry, well-balanced white wine in hand.  As you might imagine, the wine complimented our outing perfectly.

We found lots of apples in the nose along with a significant degree of nuttiness.  There were also green scents and flavors typical of a Sauvignon Blanc – which we felt it resembled more than any other varietal – but the finish was nice and limey.

Where to get it: We bought our bottle at Mill Valley Market.  You can also find it using the Snooth search function under “Wine Locator” in the right hand column of this page, or by visiting wine-searcher.com or winezap.com.

     

Jul

10

curtis-syrah-2004.jpgOur Weekend Wine for this week, Curtis Ambassador’s Vineyard Syrah 2004, hails from California’s Santa Ynez Valley, right near Santa Barbara.  

The Curtis Syrah is yet another one of those wines that almost makes you forget that you’re drinking a beverage made from grapes.  It had exotic scents of prune and spice (maybe cinnamon gum right out of the wrapper?), and flavors of black pepper, blueberry, and cherry, all of which we enjoyed.  It was also big, but not gargantuan, in body – we found it so delicious that its high alcohol content (hefty at 15.5%) was barely noticeable.

Where to get it: We bought our bottle at Plumjack on Fillmore Street in San Francisco.  You can also find it using the Snooth search function under “Wine Locator” in the right hand column of this page, or by visiting wine-searcher.com or winezap.com. 

Jul

3

macon-bussieres2006.jpgThe Manciat-Poncet Mâcon Bussières Rouge 2006 is half Pinot Noir and half Gamay (the grape of Beaujolais, in the south of Burgundy), and it hails from the Mâcon Bussières AOC of Burgundy. 

On first sniff, we found the scent of leather and a little bit of cherry emanating from our glasses, and when we sipped, we picked up cherry and raspberry flavor and felt a nice zing of acidity, with spice coming through on the finish.  We dug the filling texture.  

If you’re looking for a Pinot Noir under $20, we think it’s actually worth considering this as a solid alternative (being as it is, a blend).

Where to get it: We bought our bottle at Plumpjack Wines in Noe Valley.  They ship.  You can also find it using the Snooth search function under “Wine Locator” in the right hand column of this page, or by visiting wine-searcher.com or winezap.com. 

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