Send Me Free Wine

Wine tasting notes with an emphasis on the value proposition equation: function of quality and price. Remember, wine is relative to other wines, and so an absolute score won't tell you much other than how I felt about a particular wine on a particular day as it relates to my own set of figures. Grab a bottle and delve into the decadent nature of scoring wine on your own; and remember, imbibe responsibly.

Monday, August 29, 2005

Los Cardos, Malbec, 2004

From the bottle, this Malbec is created from grapes grown 1,000 meters above sea level in the Mendoza region of Argentina (quite possibly the best place in the world for Malbec). It is 13.5% alcohol by volume.

Where did I find it: Coscto

What did I pair it with: N/A

Appearance: Deep purple with flashes of crimson.

Smell: Barnyard, coffee, a hint of raspberries and raisins.

Palate Entry: It starts a bit bitter and tart...a bit pungent.
Mid Palate: Sour berries and bitter coffee.
Finish: The finish is a bit sharp, but is short.

Price: $6.00
Quality rating: 80/100
Value rating: 48.33/60

Takeaway: This wine was a bit better when it was first released; it hasn’t fallen apart, but is probably in a ‘tweener stage where the wine temporarily becomes somewhat bland and unbalanced. It will probably still be a little hot a year from now (note the raisin smell), but should be softer and more rounded. In the meantime, if you happen to open a bottle, have it with something buttery, to cut through the bitterness…overall, this one isn’t as good as previous years, but is still a drinkable bargain at $6.

Tuesday, August 23, 2005

MacMurray Ranch, Pinot Noir (Sonoma Coast), 2002

From the bottle, this Pinot Noir is produced from grapes grown along the Sonoma coast of California (a popular place for Pinot these days). It is 13.9% alcohol by volume.

Where did I find it: Epicurean

What did I pair it with: Garlic parmesan tilapia

Appearance: Opaque, light reddish brown, with the legs of a near 14% alcohol wine.

Smell: Strawberry rhubarb pie with a cup of coffee

Palate Entry: Whisperingly light at first, like eating strawberries with the tip of one’s tongue.
Mid Palate: Sour cherries and a darker acidity pull in the tongue to a semi-pucker
Finish: The zing of the acidity remains a full 10 seconds after sipping, though the taste of the cherry zing leaves far before that.

Price: $16.00
Quality rating: 88/100
Value rating: 47.13/60

Takeaway: This is the first California pinot I’ve had in a while that actually tasted like one. It was delicate, light, and for the alcohol content, very well balanced. A better transition from palate entry to finish would have probably pushed the wine into the 90s; I look forward to trying some future vintages, so long as “Sideways” hasn’t pushed up the price too much. If you like pinots that taste like pinots, you won’t be disappointed; if you like bigger pinots, have a Syrah.

Friday, August 19, 2005

Kendall-Jackson, Vinter's Reserve Chardonnay, 2003

From the bottle, the Vinter’s Reserve Chardonnay is produced from grapes grown all throughout California (though it tastes as though the grapes are practically a single vineyard…very nice). It has been aged in small oak barrels (primarily French) and is 13.5% alcohol by volume.

Where did I find it: Costco

What did I pair it with: Spicy BBQ wings

Appearance: Pale straw, with light legs

Smell: Mango, oak, and a toasty apple.

Palate Entry: Mangos and apple open up immediately
Mid Palate: A slight honey-citrus zings the back of the tongue
Finish: Lovely crisp oak finish, with a continual lingering of the mid palate citrus

Price: $8.89
Quality rating: 90/100
Value rating: 50.62/60

Takeaway: The wine magazines are right; Kendall-Jackson has really turned a corner. This inexpensive chardonnay will likely be my own everyday white over the next year.

Friday, August 05, 2005

2005 trip to Sonoma & Napa

We just returned from an annual trip to the Sonoma and Napa regions of California. While I’d love to recant on all the tasting rooms and various wines I sampled, it becomes very difficult, especially given the hectic schedule; taking detailed notes on all those wines would be a near impossibility. Thus, I instead decided to provide a sample of some of the wines we purchased and when we’ll be tasting them again.

On our last trip I was particularly enamored with the 2001 Syrahs and those 2001 cabernets that had been released; this time around I fell in love with many of the zinfandels (though I still bought more cabernet than anything)…now I can’t wait until next year!

B.R. Kohn, Zinfandel, 2002 – tasting in 2006
Selby, Zinfandel (Old Vine), 2002 – tasting in 2006
Unti, Syrah, 2002 – tasting in 2006
Cline, Syrah, 2002 – tasting in 2007
J Vineyards, Pinot Noir (Russian River), 2003 – tasting in 2007
Selby, Merlot (Sonoma County), 2002 – tasting in 2007
Selby, Cabernet Sauvignon (Alexander Valley), 1999 – tasting in 2007
Provenance, Cabernet Sauvignon, 2002 – tasting in 2008
Dry Creek Vineyards, Cabernet Sauvignon (Sonoma), 2001 – tasting in 2009
Husch, Cabernet Sauvignon (La Ribera Vineyards), 2001 – tasting in 2010

Laurent Miquel, Saint Chinian, Syrah Reserve, 2000

From the bottle, the Saint Chinian is produced from grapes harvested in the Languedoc region of France. It has been aged for 12 months in French oak barrels and is 13.5% alcohol by volume.

Where did I find it: A gift

What did I pair it with: Pre-dinner tasting

Appearance: Deep, dark, reddish black with brown hues

Smell: At first it was heavily barnyard, though with about an hour of aeration it began to shows signs of spice and mushrooms.

Taste: The tannins are light, but given the lovely velvet spices, wooden licorice and slow sour cherry finish, it makes up for the lack of tannins.

Price: $10.00
Quality rating: 87/100
Value rating: 48.50/60

Takeaway: This is the fourth time I tried the wine, the last time about a year ago. This wine is probably a shade past its peak, but is still pretty good, and would match well with fine cheeses.