7/28/10

2007 Cocquelicot Estate Syrah

Maybe it’s just me, but you’ve got to love a winery that adorns their corks with “Who’s Your Poppy?” You see, Coquelicot (pronounced ko-klee-co) is French for poppy. This extraordinary wine from the Santa Ynez Valley will take your breath away. The color, for starters, is sublime: inky, deep purple. It looks elegant. The nose draws you in. I took several deep smells before I even began to taste it. Once I did, however, I was hooked. The expression of fruit is remarkable. It explodes in your mouth without being overpowering. I picked up plum and black cherries. It’s beautifully balanced and the finish lingers delightfully. It gained a silver medal in the San Francisco Chronicle’s Wine Competition and 93 points from Wine Enthusiast. At $45 (you can probably find it for less) grab yourself at least one bottle. You won’t regret it.

6/15/10

2008 Jocelyn Lonen Carneros Chardonnay

Curtis Lonen founded Jocelyn Lonen Winery in 1996 with the idea of producing world class wines. He moved his wife Susan and daughter Brandi to the Napa Valley the following year. Curtis passed away in 2004, but I met his widow Susan recently at a tasting in San Diego. My wife and I and four of our friends shared a bottle of the ’08 Jocelyn Lonen Carneros Chardonnay on a warm evening with some appetizers a few days ago. The first thing to strike me was its beautiful, golden color. On the nose I picked up lemon and apples and on drinking it I was impressed by its clean taste and lingering finish. There were a few members of the ABC (Anything But Chardonnay) contingent among us, but even they were impressed by how good this wine was. It was barelled in 100% French Oak, 50% new and and spent just the right amount of time on oak, imparting a classic buttery taste without being over-oaked. At $26, I would recommend this without hesitation.

3/15/2010

Sorry for the lengthy delay in tasting notes. Edwin Mahieu has offered to provide his excellent palate and writing skills. Today we shared a 1997 Steltzner Cabernet Sauvignon. Edwin shares the experience:

The ’97 Steltzner Vineyard’s Stags Leap District, Barrel Select Reserve Cabernet Sauvignon was a treat after a long day at work.  The dark cherry, leather, and earthy aromas fill the nose and finished off with light menthol, herbal notes.  The flavors included dark cherry and berry, but finished off with chocolate and coffee.  This ’97 had soft to medium tannins, which allowed the fruit to hang long on the palate for about 45 seconds.  This wine should hold up for another five to seven years, but is ready to drink now.  The wine is an indication of the quality that was coming out of the Stags Leap district in ’97.  This wine was a winner for about $75.00 at the Temecula Wine Company, since there is very little availability on the retail market.  Although the rating of this wine was not found, it is likely that it would rate in the low 90’s, possibly mid 90’s because of the level of complexity that this wine expressed.  If available, this would be a perfect fit for most palates that prefer Bordeaux wines, even though it is 100% Cabernet Sauvignon.  The alcohol was 13% and still had a little extra acidity left to pair with food and should go well with higher fat red meats.  Finishing this wine was more of a disappointment, since there is no more left to drink.  Seems that another Napa ’96 or ’97 will have to be found, guess the hunting will continue.

9/14/09

Italian reds

Just as Rome has its Coliseum, and Venice its canals, the many regions of Italy have distinctive grape varietals which are landmarks all their own. From Piedmont: Nebbiolo. From Tuscany: Sangiovese, the star of such favorites as Chianti Classico. I recently tasted examples of both regional offerings: a 2004 Ramale Nebbiolo by Torraccia del Piantavigna (Piedmont) and a 2005 Chianti Classico by Poggio Basso (Tuscany).

Initially tight out of the bottle, the Ramale Nebbiolo quickly opened up to release a bouquet of strawberry, cherry, plum and a slight tobacco typical of the Piedmont region. Also present on the nose was a nice, subtle smoked meat. The initial palate followed suit with tart cherry and plum carried over from the nose, joined quickly by soft cranberry and tannic structure. This Piedmont classic closed with subdued minerals and spice, the cranberry developing into a tart citrus. Throughout, the wine presented drier than its 12.5% ABV would suggest.

Showcasing Sangiovese, the Poggio Basso Chianti Classico offered a familiar nose: strawberry and spice with subtle leather coming through. On the palate, the experience was much the same with classic Sangiovese strawberries and spice. The Chianti finished cleanly with a crisp dryness and approachable structure.

Varying greatly as the Italian countryside evolves, the regional specialties of Italy take on as many different characteristics as the land itself. The above are but two examples of the landmark, regional wines, the exploration of which could take a lifetime…but what a rewarding life it would be!

9/9/09

New world, Old grapes

New world vines often breathe new life into old world varietals, offering a fresh take on time tested standards. This is true of two wines I recently enjoyed: a 2003, 100% varietal Cabernet Sauvignon by Vina Robles (San Miguel/ Paso Robles, CA) and a 2007, 100% varietal Malbec by Masia de Yabar (Temecula, CA).

Straight out of the bottle, the Vina Robles Cabernet presented beautifully with a complex, yet subtle, bouquet of dark berries, bitter cocoa and rich English pipe tobacco. The complexity of the nose carried over onto the palate which saw beautifully developed tannins and a deep, rich fruit typical of Paso’s treatment of old world mainstays like Cabernet Sauvignon. To finish, this exciting wine offered bold espresso and cocoa, and even hinted at pepper and spice.

Equally inspired by the new world treatment, Masia de Yabar’s Malbec is a world away from the meager, overlooked blending grape of its Bordeaux past. Imported from Argentina- where the varietal reaches its peak- these grapes were brought to life by the Temecula winery to create a wine which offered a bouquet of ripe fruit and floral notes, rounded out by soft vanilla (from its partially American Oak aging). The palate expressed berries and spice, and finished crisply with sweet, gentle tannins. At 13.8% ABV, this was a structured and balanced offering.

Though from varied geographical origins, these two wines showed just what can result from a new perspective on classic varietals. The grape is the same; it is the development and presentation which adapt.

7/24/09

I recently enjoyed two wines perfectly suited to these warm, Summer months: a 100% varietal Viognier by Villicana (Paso Robles) and a 53% Viognier/ 47% Marsanne by Treana (Paso Robles). Both offerings were vintage 2007.

The Villicana presented like a Viognier should, with a nose consisting mainly of green apples and citrus. A light minerality and floral notes rounded out the bouquet. The initial palate saw the apples and  minerals carry over from the nose, and the wine finished with subtle pear and citrus, making for a truly refreshing summer wine.

More complex, and equally enjoyable, was the Treana. This wine opened wirh a lovely bouquet of ripe Summer berries and stone fruits, hinting also at soft minerals and floral notes. On the palate, the Treana expressed bold dried fruits (especially apricot) on a wonderfully balanced canvas of ripe summer berries, soft minerals and citrus. The intriguing finish saw hints of almond and even allusions to white pepper and spice. The Treana was beautifully structured throughout.

Both the 100% Viognier offering from Villicana and the Viognier/Marsanne from treana were beautifullly executed wines, perfect for pairing with light, grilled Summer fair or for sipping on their own one a warm day.