Sunday, May 29, 2011

Robert Sinskey Vineyards 2010 Los Carneros Vin Gris of Pinot Noir

Pale orange sunrise pink with a bit of petillance.

Ripe watermelon smell, strawberries, cherries, bit of citrus.

Strawberry flavor with watermelon, lemon and lime, petillance noticeable at the end.

Excellent light-bodied bottle, $29.99. Perfect as the humidity starts to climb.

Thursday, May 26, 2011

Alejandro Fernandez 2004 Vino de la Tierra de Castilla y Leon Dehesa La Granja

Aerated after opening.

Opaque appearance, purple at the edges.

I find it difficult to smell more than new oak, but there's black cherry and prune hiding in there.

Black cherry flavor, plum, prune, long tart finish.

Very good medium-to-full-bodied, $19.99.

Monday, May 23, 2011

Skouras 2009 Peloponnese White

60% Roditis / 40% Moscofilero.

Pale straw color.

Melon/apple smell, flowers,

Dry apple flavor, lemon, fruity but dry.

Very good light-bodied bottle, $12. Defines "food-friendly".

Friday, May 20, 2011

Chateau des Reyssiers 2009 Regnie

Served slightly chilled.

Dark purple color. Pretty violet edges.

Smell of strawberry, blackberry, oak in the background.

Strawberry and cherry flavors, oak hiding behind the fruit.

Excellent elegant light-to-medium-bodied bargain. $14.99.

Tuesday, May 17, 2011

Skouras 2008 St. George Nemea Aghiorghitiko

Nemea was home to the Nemean Lion, the slaying of which was the first Labor of Hercules (aka Heracles, Herakles) assigned after he killed his wife and children while drive by Hera.

Dark ruby color.

Smell of plums, prunes, leather, and oak.

Dry taste of black cherry, black plum, and oak. After a week of not-noticeably-oaked wines, my first glass of this seemed all out-of-balance, but subsequent glasses seemed more pleasant. Admittedly, the 13.5% ABV may have contributed.

After consideration, very good fill-bodied bottle. $18.99. My introduction to this grape.

Saturday, May 14, 2011

Chateau Ksara 2009 Bekaa Valley (Lebanon) Sunset

60% Cabernet Franc, 40% Syrah

Orange color, tinted pink. Very pretty.

Smell of strawberry, red cherry, hint of spearmint.

Dry strawberry, cherry, rose-hip flavors. Bracing acidity.

Very good light-to-medium-bodied bottle. Makes a nice early Spring aperitif. $13.99.

Wednesday, May 11, 2011

WillaKenzie 2009 Willlamette Valley Pinot Gris Estate Grown Certified Sustainable Certified Salmon Safe

Pale straw color.

Apple smell, grapefruit, orange.

Ripe melon flavor, fig, lime, barely off-dry, dries during the long ending.

Very good medium-to-full-bodied bottle, $21.99.

Sunday, May 8, 2011

Pelissero 2007 Barbaresco Nubiola

Dark ruby red.

Plum and prune smells, leather.

Dark plum, prune flavors, cinnamon.

Very good full-bodied bottle, $39.99. I believe another 5 or 10 years in the bottle will work wonders on this.

Thursday, May 5, 2011

Skouras 2009 Pelopennese Moscofilero

Extremely pale color. Distinctly petillant.

Smell of wildflowers and ripe peaches and plums.

Barely off-dry flavor of peaches, lemon, tangerine, petillant on the tongue. Perhaps a better match with spicy Asian-inspired chicken than Gewurztraminer ever was.

Excellent medium-bodied bottle, $18.99.

Sunday, May 1, 2011

Pierre Sparr 2009 Alsace Gewurztraminer

Straw color, greenish tint.

Room-filling perfume, smell of roses and gardenias, lychee.

Off-dry flavors of ripe apple, canned peach, floral notes.

Very good medium-bodied bottle, $17.88. I seek, though, a regular supply of a drier Gewurztraminer even knowing that it may end a bit bitter.