Chalone Vineyard 2006 Monterey County Pinot Noir

Bona fides: Some years ago, when I was a volunteer sysop on Jim Kronman's WINEFORUM on CompuServe, Chalone gave me six-bottle mini-cases of their second label Gavilan Chardonnay and Pinot Noir. I've been kindly disposed towards them since.

First smell that meets the nose is oak, and plenty of it. It's difficult to smell anything underneath that, perhaps some cherry. Cherry flavor, bacon, plum. Oak flavor builds in the finish.

The next day it's still austere on the fruit, extravagant with the oak.

One thing that hasn't changed over the years, Chalone still pays homage to Burgundian wine, but with a Californian accent.

I'd buy again for $16.29, but not a full case of these, a few bottles. Interesting and fun. I believe it'd improve with a few years of cellaring, but I have no place to do that.

Sherwood Estate 2006 Marlborough Pinot Noir

My first red wine from New Zealand, but I've spent recent years drinking a basement full of older wines instead of buying much recent product, antipodean or otherwise. New Zealand Pinot Noirs have become common during those years.

The state of antipodean wine, though, is that they do love them some screwcaps. They've likewise become more common.

Medium-to-dark ruby color. Smell of leather, ripe cherry, some freshly-sharpened pencil. Cherry flavor, perhaps some plum, some dark berries.

The next day oak is a bit more evident in the flavor and ewspecially in the aroma. Because I drink a bottle over two days it makes sense to me to note differences over those days, but it's rare that a wine changes much.

I'm not in a hurry to buy this again at $15.79, but it's not an unfair price at all.

Joseph Drouhin 2007 Brouilly

I still have a couple of bottles of this old friend, my first post, the 2006 Brouilly from Joseph Drouhin. Now it's time to see about the latest vintage:

Clear medium red-purple. Doesn't seem to exhibit very much of the petilance I noted in the 2006.

Smell of strawberry, blackberry, spice notes. Fruity taste of berries, some cherry, some spice. Spicy finish. I suspect the spiciness is from some aging in oak, but I'm not certain. Not predominantly aged in new oak, I don't think.

The next day all seems little changed.

Would buy again at $17.29, but, as I said last year, I would probably look elsewhere. It's tasty, but I'm not convinced it's a $17.29 bottle.

Georges Duboeuf 2007 Morgon

Deep clear ruby color. Black cherry smell, some raspberry. Raspberry and cherry flavors, strawberry. Nice depth of flavor, long tart fruity finish.

The next day no pronounced differences.

I wouldn't buy this again for $19.79. It's nice wine, but not at this price.

Georges Duboeuf 2006 Julienas "La TrinQuee"

The Naked Vine tells us that "La Trinquée" is "the clinking glass." I think that's also known as drinky-drinky (with gesture).

Dark clear reddish purple. Spicy smell of raspberry and what is that?, hyacinth? Tart deep flavors of black cherry and raspberry. I don't get the smoky flavors that some reviews I've read note. The best way I can characterize the finish is (surprise!) fruity.

The next day maybe I can talk myself into imagining a hint of smoky smell. Still cherries and berries rule the flavor, though.

I'd happily buy this again for $13.79. I confer the Blog Ordinary thumbs-up mark of approval.

Joseph Drouhin 2005 Beaujolais-Villages

Fresh shipment of wine in, and some new-to-me Beaujolais with it. Yay!

Medium reddish-purple color. Smell of cherries and raspberries, smells grapey in a good way. Cherry-aid flavor, raspberry notes. The finish is clean but a bit short.

The next day I can sense no changes, except perhaps a bit more emphasis on the berries.

I'd buy Beaujolais-Villages again for $15.29 (Oh! for the days of the wine lake!), but this particular example suffers, however unfairly, because this is the wine I first tried to buy when the Joseph Drouhin 2005 Cote de Beaune-Villages was shipped instead. I can't help but judge this against that more expensive wine.

Beaujolais-Villages is generally thought a lesser wine than the Beaujolais crus I enjoy so much, but superior to those which can only be labeled Beaujolais.

Joseph Drouhin 2005 Cote de Beaune-Villages

Medium ruby color. Raspberry and rose smells, hints of leather. Flavors of raspberries and red cherries, trace of cranberry in the acid that well balances the fruit.

The next day I can detect no changes. I'll try to refrain from flights of organoleptic fantasy.

I ordered a $15.29 bottle of Drouhin 2005 Beaujolais-Villages. This was shipped by mistake. Lucky me! I'll treat this as the $15.29 wine it inadvertently is, in my case, and not the $24.99 wine the seller intends it to be. With that in mind, I’d gladly buy this again for $15.29, if anyone were offering.

While this isn't the product of one craftsman grower from one vineyard, demonstrating the qualities of that terroir, nor is it of awe-inspiring complexity, but this is a good honest Burgundy, and I like it very much.