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

5

domaine-des-cassagnoles.jpegWhen we purchased our bottle of Domaine des Cassagnoles Reserve Selection 2006 (which consists entirely of the white varietal Gros Manseng and hails from France’s Vin de Pays Côtes de Gascogne) earlier today, it was described to us by our local wine merchant as a fantastic summer wine.  Upon tasting it this evening, we found ourselves in complete agreement.

We found a nose of apricots and toast along with plenty of apricot in the mouth.  The wine’s substantial body was complimented nicely by an abundance of acidity.  This is a savory, juicy wine with easy-to-enjoy aromas and flavors, and it would be ideal served chilled on a hot summer afternoon.  Considering the price, it would also be an excellent choice for a party or barbecue.

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

29

chateau-la-touche-muscadet-2006.jpgThere’s no doubt in our minds that some wines — especially, simple but cheap and delicious bottlings – are best appreciated when enjoyed like a regular drink (e.g., beer), without much analysis.  

The Château la Touche Muscadet, a completely dry white from the Loire Valley’s western end, is most definitely one of these wines.  While nothing fancy, its light body and excellent structural quality made it extraordinarily pleasing to kick back with while watching a bit of evening TV the other night, and its flavors of peach and lime were easy to enjoy.  

This one’s a true crowd-pleaser and a no-brainer at $13.

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

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

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. 

Jun

17

les-galets-rouges.jpgWe’re huge fans of Syrah these days.  Recently, we drank a privately produced bottle of an Israeli version, and it was off-the-charts delicious.  That prompted us to seek out more of the varietal for today’s posting, this time from France. 

Why France, you ask? Well, we’ve found that Syrah from warmer climates in the $10-$20 price range have a tendency to be a bit too heavy-bodied for our palates, and though there must be plenty of exceptions, we felt that the safe bet for today was on a Rhone red.   

Fortunately, we weren’t disappointed with our choice, the Chateau Mourgues du Gres Les Galets Rouges 2006, which hails from the Costières de Nîmes AOC of the Rhone Valley (the link is to Wikipedia).  The Chateau Mourgues du Gres – a blend predominantly of Syrah with Grenache, Mourvèdre, and Carignan – shares one important quality with the last French Syrah that we reviewed: meatiness.  We loved that aspect of the Domaine de la Bastide, and we felt no differently about the Chateau Mourgues du Gres. 

Curiously, the meat that we found was steak, and we also picked up dark cherry and spice in the nose and mouth.  The wine’s texture was only slightly tannic and had relatively soft acidity.

Granted, this was notin the league of the Israeli Syrah that originally had us craving another Syrah.  Pay more money, and ye shall surely find better.  But for the price, it’s great knowing that a wine like the Chateau Mourgues du Gres, with its unique character, exists.

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. 

Jun

12

When we opened our bottle of Le Roc Cuvée Don Quichotte 2002 – a 50-50 mix of Syrah and Négrette – the other night, it took us about a split second to recognize the scent of one of our favorite foods: black olive.  So that had my interest piqued from the get-go.

What delighted us even more, though, was when the aromas emanating from our glasses changed over the course of about 15 minutes… to a bouquet of flowers! 

Honestly, we’ve come across floral scents in white wines fairly often, but a full-on floral bouquet in a red has been totally out of the norm in our experiences.   

There were a lot of dark (and we’re talking Voldemoort dark) berry flavors going on in this one, but they complemented the wine’s flowery qualities excellently.  We also loved the mouthfeel: a little bit tannic and big on fruit, but not that heavy on alcohol — it struck a perfect balance to our tastes.

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. 

Jun

3

The Domaine de la Pépière Cuvée Granit 2006 is classified as a Vin de Pays (the link is to Wikipedia), which is a classfication level below that of the French wines, appellation d’origine contrôlée, that we’ve reviewed in the past, and the wine hails from a poducer known more for its whites — Muscadet, to be precise — than reds.     

Still, we found this blend of Cab Franc, Merlot, and Malbec from the Loire Valley to be so very nicely balanced, flavorful, and light as a feather in terms of body that we felt it was a perfect Weekday Wine candidate.

We picked up two flavors that dominated our glasses: green bell pepper and smoke.  But what this wine lacked in complexity was more than made up for in terms of its simple, easy-drinking character.  This is a crowd-pleaser that would be an excellent companion to a home-cooked meal.

Where to get it: We bought our bottle at K&L Wines in San Francisco.  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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