Beckmen Syrah Purisima Mountain Vineyard, Santa Ynez, 2004
Big. Killer Syrah, wafting sweet and savory aromas of smoked meats, coffee, cocoa, plums, cherries and brine. Well-balanced and delicious - Beckmen nailed this wine, and I’m eager to try more from them. One of the most truly alluring New-World Syrah’s I’ve tasted in 2008.

Jakob Schneider Riesling Kabinett, Nahe 2005
How good can a $14/liter of wine can get? This good. Peaches, gravel, cherry pits and some peppery spice. The fruit ripeness is offset perfectly by the ripping clean acidity, leaving a lingering minerality. While Donnhoff might be the Maestro delivering vinous symphonies in the Nahe, this is complete and resolved, like a great sonata.

Hirsch Riesling Zobing Kamptal, 2006
Apricots, wintergreen, and a lime-wedge punch to the mouth. Lean, but not austere - it’s all there in a compact, clean package. Bone Dry. Bring on the seafood.

Dei ‘Sancta Caterina’, Toscana, 2006
A very special blend from Montepulciano - boatloads of fruit (currant, plum, and blackberries) upfront, with an earthy Tuscan core. Some larch and clove notes come through on the finish. Opulent - but it evolved a little backwards - offering more complexity and excitement right after opening, and mellowing a bit with time.

Chateau Pesquie ‘Les Terrasses’, Ventoux, 2005
A flood of raspberries and garrigue. A stupidly cheap ringer for a Chateauneuf-du-Pape, including a serious backbone of acidity and sweet fine tannins. Real, serious wine to enjoy with meats.  Drinking like a charm right now - this runs circles around wine twice it’s price.  Very accessible and a gateway wine to the Southern Rhone.

Newton Forrest Gimblett Gravels Cab-Merlot-Malbec, Hawkes Bay, 2002
Yup, I think I’m onto something. They might not get a lot of press, but I am personally loving Bordeaux blends from New Zealand. This carries aromas of black cherries with a walk through the herbs garden. It’s much more compact than similar New-World blends, but lush and ripe within it’s framework, offering real elegance and some old-world funky-charm.  Excellent. I will be trying anything I can in this space in ‘09.

Clos la Coutale, Cahors, 2005
Definitely not an Argenitine Malbec, but not some kind of old-world curiousity either. Very perfumed aromas of wild raspberries, strawberries, violets and soil. This is medium-big, slightly brutish,  but thoughtful in the end. 12.5% ABV with fresh acidity but a soft, chewey palate.  The power and richness aromatics alone make this a great value - I’d love to throw this in as a ringer in a blind-tasting of $30-50 California reds.

open that bottle you’ve been waiting to open…

happy holidays

Underneath the tree this year, I’d like health and happiness to my friends and family…
(and a few bottles of wine I’d like to try:)

Raymond Trollat Saint-Joseph Rouge
Noel Verset Cornas
Trimbach Riesling Clos Ste. Hune
Joly Coulée de Serrant
Mugnier Clos de la Marachale
and some Dönnhoff Grosses Gewächs

Please?

Rigoloccio “Il Sorvegliante” Maremma, 2005: Cabernet (Franc and Sauvignon) + Alicante. Too classy and confident to have a case of identity crisis, but definitely a ‘tweener wine - residing somewhere between Bordeaux and Tuscany, the Olde World and New World. Juicy cranberries and pepper on the front end with dusty and minerally backend. Long finish. It’s got swagger and elegance, with muscle to back it up. Very well-made and delicious.

Domaine St. Martin de la Garrigue, ‘Cuvee Tradition’, Languedoc, 2006: Rhone-Blend. Good balance and food-friendly, but nothing too exciting right now. Some funk thankfully blew off and integrated into a bit of complexity on the second day. I’d go to some other sub$15 Rhone blends in stead.

Domaine Anne Gros, Hautes-Côtes de Nuits “Cuvée Marine”, Burgundy, 2005: Chardonnay. Great wine here - showing lots od red apple, crayon/pencil box and sea-shells on the nose and palate. Not a lean Chardonnay, but great acidity and focus. With chicken, fish, and cheese all day. A winning combination of ripe, robust fruit and traditional Burgundian character.

Les Obriers de las Peira, Terrasses de Larzac, Languedoc 2006: Rhone-Blend. Strange wine this is. A mix of ripe red and black fruits, black pepper and a touch of aged balsamic on the nose. Heavily extracted, with a good punch of alcohol. A fakey sweetness on the midpalate almost takes this over the edge, but the superb finish holds the wine together. Fine and sweet tannins clearly present. A little uneven and confusing now. I personally can’t portent what this will evolve into, but it could go either way…

[EDIT] Tasted on day 2, showing a much more integrated and seductive wine. The nose came together with unctuous ripe cherry and wild herbs. The finish still rocks the house with a schisty minerality. The tannins are holding strong - I believe this is one for the cellar, and should continue to improve over the medium-long term.

~$15US 51% Merlot 49% Malbec, Hawkes Bay, New Zealand

Without warning, this wine blew my freakin’ mind - A kinda-Bordeaux blend from Hawkes Bay New Zealand, that was a bin-end impulse buy. It starts with a complex nose, earthy (sheep? wet wooly socks?), rhubarb, bing cherries and spice cabinet. The palate is juicy, poised and medium bodied - with a beam of liquid-dried-cherries and punchy acidity. There is primal umami / soy sauce / savory edge to the flavors (especially on the 2nd day) that is like catnip to me. A fleeting flavor that also reminds me of mahogany and pipe tobacco, whatever that means. I can’t put my finger on it, the whole wine is a moving target of brilliant red fruit and strange savory goodness. The finish is chock full of stones, saline, and strawberry seeds. Fowl, pork, even pasta could team up nicely.

I called my retailer, and they are sold out. I’m crushed.  Must. Have. More. Anyone have a tip?

Anyway…I had no idea that is what Merlot and Malbec can do in NZ.  I wanna taste a Syrah next?!

I think ‘09 may be the year of the Kiwi. Brilliant wine.

~$23US, 100% Syrah, Santa Barbera, California

A jammy-jam-fruit-monster done right. This is goodtime wine. Pop this, kick back, watch some Family Guy, eat some snacks and enjoy life. Don’t overthink it, like I did:

Black with magenta leggings, and explosively aromatic with smokey black and blue fruits with a little bay leaf and coconut. Thick velvety palate, chewey and sweet. Very long herby finish. Definitely Shiraz-like and very extracted. On the second day, the fruitiness was reigned in and a little acidic lift help balance. Fine-grained and sweet tannins. Some alcoholic heat and spiciness, but alltogether well-contained within the framework of the wine.  I had no luck pairing this with food - it’s just didn’t have the freshness and complimentary nature to really set anything off. Maybe Rochefort?

These two beautiful off-the-path wines kept us warm and cozy through the first snowy weekend of the season. Both of them kicked their game up when paired with foods - becoming like an ingredient or component to the dishes.

Etxegaraya, Cuvée Lehengoa 2006, Irouleguy, France

This dark and rich Tannat blend (from 150 yr old vines!?) offered aromas of black cherries with a dollup of savory goodness (peppers, meatiness, tomato?) - almost Chinon-like, but bolder. The palate was large-scaled, but wonderfully fresh - the tannins present, but much more integrated that I’d expected. An interesting orange-zest and clove note came through on the finish. With time, this wine rounded out and softened - just a joy to drink. This just rocked the house with a rustic beef stew and boiled parsley potatoes.

Domaine du Clos d’Alari, Grand Clos 2004, Cotes du Provence, France

This Syrah/Grenache blend exhibited a gemlike deep ruby color, and a mix of ripe plums, red cherries and peppery-herby aromas. Medium bodied and drinking just-right now -  there was some honest structure and soul to this bottle. Black pepper and a rustic meatiness came through on the palate. Towards the finish, some Cabernet notes emerged (currant and peppers, with a dusty tannic edge) bringing some complexity to this Southern-Rhone ringer. It was maybe a tad too hefty for the pasta dish, but from a flavor standpoint, it married so well with the proscuitto, basil, and oregano flavors.

~$12US, 100% Nero D’Avola, Sicilia, Italy

This Sicilian producer’s whole line is represented at a local retailer, and I’ve only heard great things about the quality. I can’t remember the last Nero I’ve had, but it’s been a good 5 years and I’m always on the lookout for good weeknight wines to pair with pasta. This Nero seemed to fit the bill.

I popped and poured this garnet wine, and let it get a few minute of air in the glass. On the nose, ripe red strawberry fruit was clean and clear, along with a touch of tomato skin and thatchy-patchy bramble aromas - probably the midpoint between opulence and restraint in terms of intensity. The palate was nicely polished, round and balanced - tannins, acidity and fruit all noticeable but well integrated. Medium-full bodied. The finish was surprisingly elegant with a nice vein of minerality. No sappy-sweet oak, thankfully.

Towards the end of the last glass, it clicked in my brain—this wine was drinking like a quality, broad-shouldered California Pinot Noir with some old-world flair. And it loved red sauce. In that context, this is a steal and an would make a very stong winelist buy.

~$9US, Mostly Garnacha, Almansa, Spain

This is one of those wines I had to take a chance with: Nothing on the label was familiar whatsoever, no varietal, an unknown DO,  a few curious and almost unpronounceable words, and RED SPANISH WINE in all caps.  At 8 or 9 bucks and the shop’s recommendation (with the headline “Sweet Tarts”), I gave it a try.

I’ll start by saying that this is just an unusual wine, and I love it’s honesty. The nose offers lots of stoney minerality, dried cherries, some blackberry and sun-dried tomatoes.  Surprising complexity at this price and absolutely free from obliteration via  the oak monster. On the palate there is just a searing beam of brightness and acidity, which contains the fresh bing cherry fruits, that does not let up. The finish is telling of solid winemaking and vitaculture - long and slowly tapering chalky and floral notes, and indeed, Sweet Tarts.

This acidity here almost pushes the limits of pleasurability, but when paired with fattier foods like charcuterie, cheeses, etc - it comes off like an elegant Southern Rhone with the palate of a fine Barbera d’Asti or a lean Cru Beaujolais. In a perfect world, this could use a touch more fattness in the midpalate, but I can’t complain - the overall purity and drive of this wine is rarely matched at 2-3x the asking price.

Over the long holiday (and feast), my family, friends and I got to taste quite a few wines. We hat a lot to be thankful for indeed…

Some interesting quality observations here  - and I see my own palate moving more and more old-skool in terms of the wines I really appreciate.

Here is a quick rundown:

Bodegas El Nido, Clio 2005, Jumilla, Spain: Popped and tasted. It seemed discombobulated overall and needed some air. I remember the  ‘02 evolving quite a bit, so I gave this a day with the bottle open to see if it would straighten out. Overtly oaky and cocoa-y - like a confectionary  turducken: maple-syrup-covered-caramel-covered-chocolate-covered-stewed blackberries. Stinging alcoholic bite. Not as bad as I’m making it, but clearly not showing the BEST VALUE EVER that has been associated with this wine. While little varietal flavors (Mourvedre and Cabernet Sauvignon) came through - the finish was long, resolved, and had a beautiful lavender and thyme note. I have 1 remaining bottle of the 04, which I’ll probably share with someone who appreciates the style more.

Denois Brut Blanc de Blanc, NV Languedoc, France: A super-light and fresh brut in an aperitif style. Subtle and tiny-bubbled green apple snap. Short finish. This wont be confused with a great Champagne, but offers good value in an artisan bubbly.

Reuscher-Haart Piesporter Treppchen Riesling, 2007, Mosel, Germany: Yum. 1-liter bottles to boot. Universally appreciated, but uncompromising in it’s roots. Upfront peach, chalk, and apple. Spiced with a hint of cherry. A light suggestion of fruit ripeness. A great house-white and a killer value at ~$14.

Chateau Doisy-Vedrines 2005, Sauternes, France: Big honey and apricots, spoiled by a slight but noticeably  PVC “new shower-curtain” smell that was universally noted. Fair acidity. Being my first Sauternes, I can’t say if this is a typical botrytis-thing, an off-bottle, or some strange taint. Flawed or not, I could see this working well with Rochefort, but I probably wont buy any more of it,  especially with the high level of quality in riper German Rieslings and Loire Chenins at this price.

Pierre Gonon St. Joseph 2006, Nothern Rhone, France: Now we are talking. Beautiful aromatics of olives and black pepper co-mingled with berry fruit. An agile, poised style of Syrah that surrounds the palate and transparently lifts away. Focused acidity. Some subtle bay leaf and balsam build layered complexity. It’s medium-body and the tannins have a decent grip, so I think this will integrate very nicely over the next 5-7 years. A tiny flare of alcohol towards the finish despite the low degree (13%) on label. Wine of the week.

Waterbrook Melange 2006, Washington: Toasty oak and blackberries. Not complex or long on the palate, but a well-rounded dollup of fruit in the sub $10 category.

Columbia Crest Two Vines Vineyard 10, 2005, Washington: More focused and serious than the Waterbrook, this is an even better value. Also endowed with some vanillin-oakiness, there seems to be real fruit power and enough freshness to retain balance. Lush plums and black cherry. Silly value ~$7US;  Is the ‘05 Clio 7-times better than this?