Extremely pale straw color, slightly petillant.
Melon, floral smell.
Off-dry taste of apple pie, pear, citrus hints. Petillance is quite noticeable.
A bit simple, but seems a good value for $14.99.
1 year ago
Wednesday, April 29, 2009
Saturday, April 25, 2009
Potel-Aviron 2004 Chenas Vieilles Vignes
Over the years I've enjoyed many bottles of wine from Georges Duboeuf, so it's with mixed feelings that I read that the makers of tonight's bottle, Nicolas Potel and Stephane Aviron, represent a sort of anti-Duboeuf.
Duboeuf will always be associated, fairly or not (*), with the great marketing success he made with Beaujolais Nouveau and the process of carbonic maceration fermentation. Burgundy vigneron and eleveur Potel uses, in Beaujolais, extended skin contact, traditional (yeast-mediated) fermentation, and a percentage of new oak barrels, techniques often thought of as 'new style' Beaujolais. Demonstrating that the old style still dominates the market is that the word 'Beaujolais' appears nowhere on the label of this wine.
I aerated this vigorously and let it rest briefly after opening.
Smell of blackberry and cherry, notes of talcum.
Blackberry and cherry flavors, gentle but firm tannins, well-integrated oak. Medium-to-full-bodied, matches well with steak and vegetables and with biscuit and cheddar.
A surprising Beaujolais wine, an excellent bottle for $16.99. I've not lost my appreciation for the Duboeuf style, but my eyes have been opened to another way.
Duboeuf will always be associated, fairly or not (*), with the great marketing success he made with Beaujolais Nouveau and the process of carbonic maceration fermentation. Burgundy vigneron and eleveur Potel uses, in Beaujolais, extended skin contact, traditional (yeast-mediated) fermentation, and a percentage of new oak barrels, techniques often thought of as 'new style' Beaujolais. Demonstrating that the old style still dominates the market is that the word 'Beaujolais' appears nowhere on the label of this wine.
I aerated this vigorously and let it rest briefly after opening.
Smell of blackberry and cherry, notes of talcum.
Blackberry and cherry flavors, gentle but firm tannins, well-integrated oak. Medium-to-full-bodied, matches well with steak and vegetables and with biscuit and cheddar.
A surprising Beaujolais wine, an excellent bottle for $16.99. I've not lost my appreciation for the Duboeuf style, but my eyes have been opened to another way.
Monday, April 20, 2009
Chateau Pey la Tour 2007 Bordeaux
I aerated this vigorously and let it rest briefly after opening.
Dark ruby color, but less dark than Merlot usually is, in my experience.
Cherry smell with leather and oak.
Watery taste of cherry and berry, unsweetened tea.
Lacks concentration, a light-weight, not a good match for a full-flavored meal. A disappointing bottle for $13.99.
The label says this is 77% Merlot, 14% Cabernet Sauvignon, 8% Cabernet Franc, 1% Petit Verdot.
Dark ruby color, but less dark than Merlot usually is, in my experience.
Cherry smell with leather and oak.
Watery taste of cherry and berry, unsweetened tea.
Lacks concentration, a light-weight, not a good match for a full-flavored meal. A disappointing bottle for $13.99.
The label says this is 77% Merlot, 14% Cabernet Sauvignon, 8% Cabernet Franc, 1% Petit Verdot.
Saturday, April 18, 2009
Pitule 2007 Moscato d'Asti
Not as fizzy as Champagne, but distinctly fizzy just the same. Frizzante. Very pale straw color.
Fresh fragrant fruit smell, lychee, pear, and melon.
Sweet honeyed apple and pear taste, made a pleasant match with roast turkey & stuffing. I skipped the cranberries, though.
A good buy for $12.99.
Fresh fragrant fruit smell, lychee, pear, and melon.
Sweet honeyed apple and pear taste, made a pleasant match with roast turkey & stuffing. I skipped the cranberries, though.
A good buy for $12.99.
Monday, April 13, 2009
Quinta do Encontro 2004 Bairrada
I aerated this vigorously and let it rest briefly after opening.
Opaque purple color.
Plum, black cherry, prune smell.
Fruity black cherry, berry flavor, tart, mild tannins, pleasant absence of the too-oaky character I've found in so many Iberian wines.
A very nice bottle for $12.99, not a showstopper, but just what I look for when pulling a cork for dinner: cheap and cheerful!
Opaque purple color.
Plum, black cherry, prune smell.
Fruity black cherry, berry flavor, tart, mild tannins, pleasant absence of the too-oaky character I've found in so many Iberian wines.
A very nice bottle for $12.99, not a showstopper, but just what I look for when pulling a cork for dinner: cheap and cheerful!
Thursday, April 9, 2009
Vinum Africa 2006 Stellenbosch Chenin Blanc
Pale straw color.
Melon smell, peach, floral, a bit of citrus.
Dry fruity flavor, melon, peach, petillant, thick texture. Alcohol warmth and smoke at the finish.
An entirely reasonable bottle for $14.99. I'm pleased.
Melon smell, peach, floral, a bit of citrus.
Dry fruity flavor, melon, peach, petillant, thick texture. Alcohol warmth and smoke at the finish.
An entirely reasonable bottle for $14.99. I'm pleased.
Sunday, April 5, 2009
Athesia nv Trentino Lagrein
I aerated this vigorously and let it rest for a day after opening.
Dark purple color.
Smell of oak and leather.
Tart cherry flavor, over-tart. I think.
An adequate wine for $14.99. In all, I could skip paying this much for it again. I'd be happier if it was $8/bottle.
Not bad as a pizza wine or spaghetti wine. but budget Chianti will do that, too, for less than $15.
A subsequent bottle, opened a few days later and not aerated, was not greatly different, but for some licorice smell and flavor.
Dark purple color.
Smell of oak and leather.
Tart cherry flavor, over-tart. I think.
An adequate wine for $14.99. In all, I could skip paying this much for it again. I'd be happier if it was $8/bottle.
Not bad as a pizza wine or spaghetti wine. but budget Chianti will do that, too, for less than $15.
A subsequent bottle, opened a few days later and not aerated, was not greatly different, but for some licorice smell and flavor.
Friday, April 3, 2009
meta
The latest bottle fills me with uncertainty. My current internet wine-seller has a three bottle minimum per wine, so I'll use that to my advantage and finish a second bottle before I post.
Wednesday, April 1, 2009
Domaine Baron 2007 Touraine Sauvignon Blanc Les Vieilles Vignes
I've long had mixed feelings about Sauvignon Blanc; finding dry Sauv Blanc to often exhibit a 'mouthful of fat' mouth-feel, an oleaginous thickness that I've found disgusting, but I greatly admire Sauternes and new world analogues: sweet Sémillon / Sauv Blanc blends on which I dote. I feel obliged to keep trying this noble grape at irregular intervals.
Medium straw color.
Honeydew melon smell.
Tart off-dry fruity taste of melon, white grape juice, Bartlett pear, sugar cane. Slightly petillant.
This is an appealing wine for $12.49. I particularly appreciate the absence of the smell and flavor of lawn clippings, which I often detect in Sauvignon Blanc.
Medium straw color.
Honeydew melon smell.
Tart off-dry fruity taste of melon, white grape juice, Bartlett pear, sugar cane. Slightly petillant.
This is an appealing wine for $12.49. I particularly appreciate the absence of the smell and flavor of lawn clippings, which I often detect in Sauvignon Blanc.
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