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.

Friday, July 29, 2005

McWilliams (Henwood Estate), Chardonnay, 2003

From the bottle, the McWilliams is produced from grapes harvested in South Eastern Australia. This chardonnay is 13.5 percent alcohol by volume and should be good with grilled salmon steak or rosted chicken.

Where did I find it: Fry’s.

What did I pair it with: Assortment of nuts and cheeses

Appearance: Light golden yellow

Smell: Honeydew melon

Taste: Dried toast and vanilla

Price: $11.69
Quality rating: 86/100
Value rating: 47.28/60

Takeaway: This wine was slightly surprising, though perhaps I’ll now put more stock into the Sidney Wine Show competition trophies – if you like toasty chardonnays, you’ll like this. It wasn’t overly oaky, just enough to malolactic fermentation to ease the bite. At this price, it isn’t shabby. Drink up!

Monday, July 25, 2005

Pavilion, Cabernet Sauvignon, 2002

From the bottle, the Pavilion is obtained from grapes harvested on the north coast of California. This cab is 13.8 percent alcohol by volume and should be good with most meats.

Where did I find it: Purchased at AZ Wine

What did I pair it with: Burgers and chicken

Appearance: Deep ruby red with firm legs.

Smell: Pruny currant and licorice spices.

Taste: Nice mouth feel, albeit a short one – bone-dry berries are the defining characteristic.

Price: $11.99
Quality rating: 84/100
Value rating: 46.17/60

Takeaway: Though not as good of a stand-alone wine as I would like, it did pair pretty well with both the burgers and the chicken, so if you prefer to drink wine with meats, this will do. Otherwise, skip it for something less expensive.

Tuesday, July 19, 2005

Liberty School, Cabernet Sauvignon, 2002

From the bottle, the cabernet is a California designation (same as Hawk Crest), meaning that it is made from grapes harvested from anywhere in California. This cab is 13.8 percent alcohol by volume (same as Hawk Crest) and also like Hawk Crest is produced under a label known for making very good wines [Caymus makes Liberty School and Stag’s Leap makes Hawk Crest].

Where did I find it: AZ Wines

What did I pair it with: Bunless bacon cheeseburgers

Appearance: Plum red w/ murky pink edges

Smell: A bit hot on the nose, with slight hints of pepper and cherries

Taste: Sour berries and light tannins zip through the mouth, leaving a stinging feeling on the tongue that one expects more with a Mike’s Hard Lemonade, but not with a moderately priced Cabernet.

Price: $12.49
Quality rating: 82/100
Value rating: 45.0/60

Takeaway: If I could blend the berry taste of Liberty School and the tannins/mouth feel of Hawk Crest, I might end up with a wine worth buying again. This one falls a bit short – though the label doesn’t say, I’m fairly certain that the California designation means not from Napa/Sonoma…the grapes really do taste second rate.

Saturday, July 16, 2005

Hawk Crest, Cabernet Sauvignon, 2002

From the bottle, the cabernet is a California designation, meaning that it is made from grapes harvested from anywhere in California. This cab is 13.8 percent alcohol by volume and should be an agreeable table wine.

Where did I find it: AZ Wines

What did I pair it with: Chicken Parmesan

Appearance: Deep red with brownish hues

Smell: Light dusty spices and a hint of cherries.

Taste: The tannins are medium, the mouth feel is decent, and the finish is dusty dry – however, there wasn’t anything particularly distinguishing.

Price: $10.49
Quality rating: 85/100
Value rating: 47.27/60

Takeaway: This wine might just need to age, giving up very little on the nose and palate, though for a Stag’s Leap wine I wasn’t very impressed. There are better California cabernets out there for under $10.

Friday, July 08, 2005

Jacob's Creek, Shiraz (Reserve), 2001

From the bottle, the reserve Shiraz is sourced from grapes harvested in Southern Australia (presumably Barossa valley). This shiraz is 14.5 percent alcohol by volume and should be good with red meats.

Where did I find it: Purchased at Fry’s (on sale)

What did I pair it with: Burgers

Appearance: Crimson with brown hues and good legs

Smell: A little hot, with underlying notes of leather and cassis.

Taste: It doesn’t taste hot (thankfully) – it has a good mouthfeel, spicy, sour cherry tannins, and a mostly dry, dusty finish.

Price: $7.00
Quality rating: 84/100
Value rating: 49.14/60

Takeaway: Part three of the Australian Shiraz tastings…the wine is pretty simple and a little hot on the nose, but certainly not undrinkable (especially when considering the price). If you’re just starting out, or really love decent wines at low prices, then this wine is for you. However, if you have more discriminating tastes (or a really sensitive sniffer in this case), there are better wines out there to quaff.

Thursday, July 07, 2005

Rosemount Estate, Shiraz (Diamond Label), 2003

From the bottle, the diamond label Shiraz is sourced from grapes harvested in South Eastern Australia. This shiraz is 14.0 percent alcohol by volume.

Where did I find it: Purchased at Fry’s

What did I pair it with: Fried Chicken

Appearance: Purplish cranberry red, with decent legs

Smell: Slightly caustic cherries and peppery prunes

Taste: A bit overblown, which makes the palate confusing. I get some sour cherries and peppery notes, but they are mostly masked by the burn of alcohol.

Price: $7.20
Quality rating: 80/100
Value rating: 46.94/60

Takeaway: Another in the non-bottom-label Australian Shiraz series…this one was disappointing though. The heavy alcohol smell/taste might have matched up better with stronger foods, but I don’t think I’d care to pair this wine with much of anything. For a few more dollars, you’ll get much better quality on the Wolf Blass.

Wednesday, July 06, 2005

Wolf Blass, Shiraz (President's Selection), 2002

From the bottle, the President’s Selection Shiraz is made from select grapes harvested in South Australia. This shiraz is a hefty 15.0 percent alcohol by volume.

Where did I find it: Purchased at Costco

What did I pair it with: A brick of mozzarella

Appearance: Deep red, almost black, with thick legs

Smell: Bouquet of butterscotch, sandalwood, pepper, and smoked meat

Taste: Initial taste of anise and cherries gives way to juicy, jammy tannins and what I can only describe as pot roast – the finish is shorter than I would have liked, ending on a note of freshly ground pepper.

Price: $12.99
Quality rating: 90/100
Value rating: 48.85/60

Takeaway: I love the value plays; I recently purchased several slightly higher-end Australian shirazes from the main producers (Wolf Blass, Jacob’s Creek, Rosemount Estate), hoping to compare to both the lower end and higher end shirazes from the Barossa Valley -- it was better than I was expecting, and now can't wait to try the Gold label. A 90 quality at $12.99 is a buy in my book; a few flaws kept it from getting a higher score, but that didn’t stop us from finishing the bottle!