Saturday, February 26, 2011

Chateau des Jacques 2006 Moulin-a-Vent Clos du Grand Carquelin

I begin an exploration of a trio of Louis Jadot / Chateau des Jacques single-vineyard cru Moulin-a-Vents, with a bit of age on them!

Deep garnet color.

Cherry / berry smells, with a bit of vanilla oak,

Warm cherry/blackberry/strawberry/blueberry fruit flavors, restrained oak.

Fairly complex, full-bodied Beaujolais, $28.23 / bottle. As serious a Beaujolais as I've ever had. I don't think I've before had a Beaujolais that could stand up to a dose of new oak, but it's not out of place here.

Wednesday, February 23, 2011

Chateau Moulin-Favre 2009 Chiroubles Vieilles Vignes

Deep near-opaque garnet color.

Mild strawberry and blackberry smells, alcohol smell develops.

Berry / cherry flavor, warm finish.

Good light-to-medium-weight $17.99 bottle. Fairly high-alcohol Cru Beaujolais without special merit. Once a common style, I take it.

Friday, February 18, 2011

Robert Sinskey Vineyards 2009 Los Carneros Abraxas "Vin de Terroir" Scintilla Sonoma Vineyard

47% Pinot Gris, 23% Riesling, 17% Gewurztraminer, 13% Pinot Blanc.

Pale color of mass-market American lager, petillance forms many bubbles on the glass.

Sweet smell of baked apple, with cinnamon, bunches of showy flowers, a whole rack of jars from Spice Islands (tm), fresh sun-dried laundry.

Dry fruity flavor, ripe apples and pears, acid at the end is emphasized by considerable petillance on the tongue.

Excellent medium-to-dull-bodied sipping white for $39.99/bottle, quite a reward for the nose and the palate.

Update: A subsequent bottle proved a nice accompaniment for a supermarket-prepared hot lunch of a "General's Chicken" that was spicy-hot and near-Polynesian sweet.

Tuesday, February 15, 2011

Conti Sertoli Salis 2004 Terrazze Retiche de Sondrio IGT Il Saloncello

Dark purple maroon color.

Cherry, cassis, and raspberry smells, some new oak.

Soft cherry/berry flavor at the beginining, acid builds to the end. Oh! Isn't food-friendly just what wine ought to be?

Excellent medium-to-full-bodied bottle for $24.99. If you'd asked for my favorite red six months ago I might have named Barbera. Now, though, Nebbiolo is coming up fast.

Saturday, February 12, 2011

Chateau des Jacques 2009 Moulin-a-Vent

Very dark garnet color.

Full blackberry smell with a hint of wood.

Very fruity blackberry, strawberry flavors, good intensity through the long end.

Excellent medium-bodied wine at $18.99 / bottle.

Wednesday, February 9, 2011

Chateau de Bonhoste 2009 Bordeaux Blanc

Very pale color, slightly petillant.

Smells of pear, citrus, lawn, and cat box.

Dry flavors of pear, lime, an unidentifiable organic.

Good medium-bodied bottle for $15.99. Like the Domaine Saint Roch 2009 Touraine Sauvignon I recent;y enjoyed, this is nice, but a step less so.

Sunday, February 6, 2011

Domaine Saint Roch 2009 Touraine Sauvignon

Very pale straw color. One review I read said goldenrod: I don't agree.

Smell of ginger ale, pear, hints of freshly mowed grass and cat-pee.

Dry pear flavor, lime, mineral.

Very good medium bodied wine for $16.99. Historically, I'm repelled by the mouthfeel of Sauvignon Blanc. Wonder where I learned that, this is quite nice.

Thursday, February 3, 2011

Cesarini Sforza 2002 Trento "Tridentum"

Restrained long-lasting streams of tiny-to-small bubbles.

Apple smell, toast.

Dry apple and pear flavors, touch of cherry by the end.

Good fruit-forward medium-bodied Champenoise 80% Chardonnay / 20% Pinot Noir Italian fizz @ $24.99 / bottle. (It's not your father's Spumante!)