Wine Tasting: 2013 Orin Swift Department 66 Grenache

A tough day at work deserves a great wine to enjoy!

Today's wine is a 2013 Orin Swift Department 66 Grenache. (D66)

Tasting Notes:
Beautiful dark maroon in color. Gravel and dried fruits in the nose. On the palette a very adventurous almost sweet balsamic like flavors without the high acidity and stewed fruit flavors. Long finish and very well balanced.

Final Thoughts:
A stunningly bold out of the gate makes this wine a real eye opener. It is fantastic.

Wine Tasting: 2015 De Morgenzon Chardonnay

This evening we are going with a very nice South African Chardonnay with dinner.

Tasting Notes:
Quite light in color with mellow citrus and rubber scents. Very lightly oaked and lemony with a dry honeydew essence with late hints of earthen overtones. Decent finish and acidity to make this an enjoyable vino with dinner.

Final Thoughts:
As they say, South African wines are some of the best values on the market today.  This one is no different.  It's quite delicious and at a good price.

Wine Tasting: 2013 Luke Goldschmidt Cabernet Sauvignon

Couple of long days at work and tonight.  Just a tasting and then I'm going to kick back and just enjoy the wine.

Tasting Notes:
Dark garnet in color with black cherry, raisin, and licorice on the nose.   Cranberry, dates and lavender on the palette.   Comes off as a bit thin, but the abundance of power flavors surprises and the long finish keeps your attention.   Nice acidic balance.

Final Thoughts:
Not a home-run, but yet.  Still quite good and well worth the $22US.

Wine Tasting: 2014 Predator Old Vine Zinfandel

Tonight's wine was an interesting story.  I purchased this wine to "top up" my Lodi Old Vine Zinfandel wine that I'm making. (yes, I'm a home winemaker!)   Topping up is something you do to fill the wine container so their is minimal air in on the wine.  Oxygen turns wine to vinegar, I must minimize my wine's exposure.

2014 Predator Old Vine Zinfandel

Tasting Notes:
Medium bodied and crimson in color.   Very interesting cranberry, kiwi, and bubblegum on the nose.  Juicy pomegranate and black cherry with a dried fruit medley.  Bold, but not overly heavy, fruit forward with a long and nicely balanced finish.

Final Thoughts:  This wine was an eye opener.  I wasn't expecting too much, I just wanted to good enough to top up with.  Very flavorful, juicy, without being a heavy jammy wine, but still jammy like you expect from a great Zinfandel.  I like it!

Wine Tasting: 2009 Château La Cardonne

I've been slacking a bit and not taking or posting my notes.  It's been quite busy, but I need not let that stop me.

Tonight Vive la France!

2009 Château La Cardonne

Tasting Notes:
Deep currant in color, with scents of pomegranate, cherry and a wet slate. Flavors of black cherry, sage, Brazil nuts, with a late tobacco finish.

Final Thoughts:
Bit acidic early, so even at seven years old, it still needed a few minutes to breath.  Better paired than on it's own.

Wine Tasting: 2014 Columbia Crest Horse Haven Hills Reserve Chenin Blanc

Tonight's wine is a wine I've been really excited to try and I'm happy to say it did not disappoint!

2014 Columbia Crest Horse Haven Hills Reserve Chenin Blanc

Tasting Notes:
Light straw in color with scents of pineapple and lemongrass.  Flavors of lemon, lime, pear and light apricot.  Light, lively, just beautiful.

Final Thoughts:
I'm a huge fan of Chenin Blanc and this is a good one.

Wine Tasting: 2014 Columbia Crest Grand Estates Limited Release Gold Red Blend

I ordered a dozen wines from the Columbia Crest Wine Club.  Tonight I am tasting the Grand Estates Limited Release Gold Red Blend.

Tasting Notes:
Medium+ body and dark garnet in color with medium legs.     Nice fragrances of blueberries and radishes.  Up front savory flavors of cranberry and red plum followed up by a late sour cherry.  A smooth, but not silky texture and a mellow acidic finish.

Final Thoughts:
Very good for $12US.  Much better than most $12 off the shelf American wines you find.

Wine Tasting: 2009 Fossacolle Brunello di Montalcino

Tonight I'm going with a Brunello.   I had two of these, but opened the first one with company and didn't get a chance to take tasting notes.  I saved this one specifically so I could take notes.

2009 Fossacolle Brunello di Montalcino

Tasting Notes:
Fully bodied and dark ruby in color (definitely not brown) with scents of licorices, and bramble fruit. On the palette black cherry with a raw tobacco and volcanic rock. A spirited finish and nice acidic balance.

Final Thoughts:
Good quality and tasty Brunello.  I feel it lacks some of the wow factor I expected from it, but generally a very good wine.

Wine Tasting: 2014 Columbia Crest Chardonnay Unoaked Reserve Estate

I'm really becoming a huge fan of Washington wines.  I received my wine club order from Columbia Crest not too long ago and one of the wines they sent was an unoaked reserve Chardonnay.   2014 Columbia Crest Chardonnay Unoaked Reserve Estate

Tasting Notes:
Light golden straw in color. Light and crisp scents of citrus and dried fruit. Voracious honeydew accented with lemon and slight hints of lime buried in the late balanced acidity. Medium bodied with smooth texture and very nice finish.

Final Thoughts:
While I generally lean towards oaked Chardonnay, I do not like them heavily oaked. This is a very good unoaked Chardonnay. One I'm very happy with.  Excellent wine!

Wine Tastings: 2014 McManis Family Vineyards Viognier

The other day I was looking for a white to have for pairing purposes.  While poking around the shop, I noticed a Viognier.  I've tasted very few Viognier as most of the time, I have tried wines that were blended with Viognier.

They were generally pretty good and had a distinct flavor to them.  This bottle was only $10US, but it seem to get somewhat decent reviews, so I picked it up.

Tasting Notes:
Light gold in color. Medium plus body with aromatics of wet gravel and light lemon lime scents. Creamy flavors of citrus and honeydew that comes off semi sweet initially and then tails into nice tangy finish.

Final Thoughts:
One of the better $10 wines I've purchased in some time.  QPR heaven.

Wine Tasting: 2014 Orbit Pinot Noir, Russian River Valley

I visited my local wine shop today and there was an distributor there offering tastings of their products.  I tried three of them and found one to be to my liking and picked up a bottle of it.  

You would think this wine is it, but it's not.  They were also tasting an Orbit wine, but it was the Cabernet Sauvignon.  The bottle I picked up was also a Cab, just not the Orbit which I did try, but was all that fond of.

While perusing the Pinot Noir section, I noticed they had an Orbit Pinot Noir.  Given the Cab didn't spark much interest, I don't actually know why I was drawn to it.   Well, tonight that is what we're tasting.  2014 Orbit Pinot Noir from California's Russian River Valley.

Tasting Notes:
A beautiful translucent ruby hue. Thin scents of pomegranate and volcanic rock. Buoyant fruit flavors of red cherry, backed with light plum and a red apple rind. Very fruit forward and quite lively.

Final Thoughts:
Better than expected from an $18US Pinot Noir and definitely a surprise from my Orbit Cab tasting initial thoughts.  Though I tend to really like many of the Pinot Noir's coming out of the Russian River Valley. (Miro being one of my favorites)

Wine Tasting: 2006 Casanuova delle Cerbaie Brunello di Montalcino

This evening we are going with a nice Brunello who's window is just opening up.  A 2006 Casanuova delle Cerbaie Brunello di Montalcino.

I picked up two of these from a shop (online) in New Jersey.  Occasionally I'm able to grab some great deals from them and this was definitely one of them.

Tasting Notes:
A beautiful translucent black cherry in color.  Scents of prune, apricot, and cloves.  Flavors of red plum,  leather, clay, and tobacco.  Medium bodied, tannic, with a nice balanced acidity.

Final Thoughts:
Very nice! Not too heavy, but carries a bounty of flavors and complexity.

Wine Tasting: 2012 Bodegas Breca Old Vine Garnacha

Tonight I decided I wanted to relax and try something with a little change of pace.  That would be the 2012 Bodegas Breca Old Vine Garnacha.

Tasting Notes:
A very dark cranberry sauce like color with scents of cranberry and wet granite. Flavors of allspice and fruitcake jump out at me with late batanicals and an eathen minerality.

Final Thoughts:
Quite smooth and very tasty with a late acidity followed up with a slight warming sensation.  Excellent.  Tonight, I'm a happy man.

Wine Tasting: 2013 Castello di Neive Barbera d'Alba Messoirano

Tonight it's Italian for dinner with an Italian pair.

Tasting Notes:
Deep dark violet in color while bright luscious berries on the nose. On the palette, audacious flavors of pomegranate, sour cherry, and hints of passion fruit that I would describe more as tart than piquant. A round texture with a late acidic punch.

Final Thoughts:
A bold and interesting wine, but a bit sharp for my tastes.  That's two in a row!

Wine Tasting: 2013 Leeuwin Estate Art Series Riesling

Continuing with the summer whites, we are going with a 2013 Leeuwin Estate Art Series Dry Riesling.

Tasting Notes:
Almost colorless, and scents of decaying rubber and insecticide. Not exactly pleasing to the nose. The wine tastes of lemon lime with grapefruit accents. As the flavoring suggest, the wine has quite a tart punch to it. More so than your standard dry wine fare. Given my description, the wine is still quite good and has a silky smooth texture even with it’s tart finish.

Final Thoughts:
A tad tart for my tastes, but you can taste the quality of this wine and of course that's what you expect from Leeuwin Estate Art Series wines.  If you're into tart this would pair well with a salad with a vinaigrette dressing or something similar.

Wine Tasting: 2013 Bodegas Juan Gil Monastrell, Jumilla

I have a bad habit when I'm roaming my local wine shops.   I like to pick up a few bottles to taste and my local wine shop starts giving discounts at six bottles, so I always end up looking for a last bottle or two to round out the number to six bottles.

I decided I wanted to try another Spanish wine so I went to the Spain section.  After poking around a bit, I found this rather bland labeled wine.  2013 Juan Gil Monastrell from Jumilla.

Tasting Notes:
Hues of Ruby and Violet with gratuitous scents of blueberry, plum, and black cherry.  Powerful flavors of dark fruits, citrus zest, and late earthen mineralities flourish with this wine.

Final Thoughts:
Wow!  For $15US, this is an incredible deal!  It's not silky smooth like some of the really great wines, but this wine is an eye opener.  Big and bold and just great tasting and very aromatic.  If you see it sitting on the self at your local wine shop and you love trying new wines.  You would be doing yourself a disservice if you didn't pick up a bottle to try.

Wine Tasting: 2012 Mythic Block Malbec

I've had a few Mythic wines and while many tend to be popular.  I've found them mostly good, but nothing nothing that I found really special.  Today's wine is probably the most expensive one I've tried so far, but it's not a budget buster either at around $29US.

Tasting Notes:
Medium bodied and violet in color with a peppery black plum on the noise.  On the palette, a black cherry and blueberry mix with hints of pomegranate.  Potent bouquet of flavors, yet lean on body and texture.

Final Thoughts:
Malbec wines (beyond blends that include Malbec) are a wine that I'm only lightly familiar with as I've only tried 10-20 of them.  Some where rough, others were okay, but I haven't had one knock my socks off.  This one is better than most that I've had.  I like this wine, though I can definitely see why it's a popular blending wine.  The Malbec grape has a lot of interesting characteristics that can give red blends a lot of depth.  Maybe if one day my winemaking skills reach the point of making real red blends.

Wine Tasting: 2014 Decoy Sauvignon Blanc

With summer coming to a close.  It's time to get in all the nice summer wines.   Today I'm going with a 2014 Decoy Sauvignon Blanc.  My last Decoy wine was not pleasing. (2012 Decoy Zinfandel)

Tasting Notes:
Light gold in color. Aromas of citrus and wet wool. Flavors of honeydew with a savory lemony citrus backing. Bright and beautiful with a light smooth texture.

Final Thoughts:
I find this Decoy Sauvignon Blanc exceptional compared to the 2012 Decoy Zinfandel.  This is a Sauvignon Blanc that I would happily keep in stock for a standard pairing with cheeses and other finger food pairings.  It's a winner.

Wine Tasting: 2013 Mer Soleil Chardonnay Reserve

Tonight I'm having shrimp scampi and a Chardonnay to match.

Tasting Notes:
Light gold in color, modest scents of citrus and lemongrass. On the palate, tenacious buttery cantaloupe, with hints of lemon, and kiwi. Full bodied and lusciously smooth.

Final thoughts;
This is a beautiful Chardonnay.  While my expectations were high for this Chardonnay, it exceeded them quite a bit.  This is definitely a talking wine.

Wine Tasting: 2014 Vigne Regali (Banfi) Gavi Principessa Gavia

Sunday afternoon watching the Olympics deserves a nice cool and crisp Italian white.   So we are going with a 2014 Vigne Regali (Banfi) Gavi Principessa Gavia.

Tasting Notes:
Straw in color, with citrus with a light rubbery scents.  Bright flavors of green apple, lemon lime, and St. Augustine grass.  Decent finish with a late tartness and boasts a sharp acidity.

Final thoughts:
Very nice, though the tart finish is a bit more that I would like.  Overall it does not detract from my enjoyment of this wine on such a warm and humid day.

Wine Tasting: 2011 Chateau Ste. Michelle Cabernet Sauvignon Cold Creek Vineyard

My last wine tasting update was also a Chateau Ste. Michelle Cabernet Sauvignon.  The 2013 Indian Well I believe it was.  Today it's the 2011 Cold Creek Vineyard Cabernet Sauvignon.

Tasting Notes:
Dark violet in color with lavender and dark fruit rind on the nose.   Medium to medium plus body,  fairly smooth with tart raspberry, cherry, with a medium wet granite finish.

Final thoughts:
Good, but not great.  I had noted in the Indian Wells tasting notes that Chateau Ste. Michelle had better wines than the Indian Wells, this is definitely one of them.  Though, this one comes with a larger price tag too boot.  I still feel the QPR is a little low on this wine though.

Wine Tasting: 2013 Chateau Ste. Michelle Cabernet Sauvignon Indian Wells

This evening I decided upon a wine I just picked up as a sixth bottle of a wine purchase.  I was really only looking for the five wines, but my local wine shop gives a 5% discount on six and well.  This one was practically free with the discount on the others.

Tasting Notes:
Dark violet in color, blueberry, cherry, and red beet on the nose. Black current, black olive, and wet granite on the palate. Semi-smooth with a long finish.

Final thoughts:
It's okay.  You won't impress anyone with it.  Chateau Ste. Michelle has a lot better offerings if you're looking for a good wine.

Wine Tasting: 2014 Crowdsource Cabernet Sauvignon

My shippment of 2014 Crowdsource Cabernet Sauvignon came in not long ago.  I recieved three bottles of it.  With three bottles, I figured it was worth opening one early and let the other two age.

Tasting Notes:
Dark ink in color, with scents of black cherry, plum, and licorice.  Powerful flavors of a tart plum, fig, potting soil, and tobacco.  Fully bodied though not as full as some and semi-smooth which I expect will improve with a little more time.

Final thoughts:
A quality wine with a very pronounced and juicy flavor profile.  It's definitely an interesting wine and of course it's a discussion wine with it's bold flavor and the fact that it's a history making wine being the first publicly crowdsourced wine!

Wine Tasting: 2012 Domaine de la Janasse Côtes du Rhône Villages Terre d'Argile

Time to practice my French!  Well, French wine drinking anyhow!  Tonight's fare is 2012 Domaine de la Janasse Côtes du Rhône Villages Terre d'Argile.

Tasting Notes:
Dark garnet in color with a medium plus body.  Licorice, red fruit, with a light minerality in the aromas.   Juicy and smooth sporting black cherry, red plum, and cranberry on the palate.  Nice acidic balance.

Final thoughts:
Not too bad.  French wine is gaining a stigma where you have to spend a lot to get a decent French wine.  Given that France is supposed to make lots of great wine you would expect to find decently priced wine that is very good.  Thought it seems many French wines come with bloated price tags that do not match their quality.  This one I'm happy to say is well worth it's price tag coming in at under $20US.

Wine Tasting: 2013 Honey Bee Sweet Riesling

Tonight's wine is Honey Bee Sweet Riesling.  I was looking for a new wine at my local shop to pair with the Cajun dishes I make often.  I generally prefer semi-sweet with my Cajun dishes, but I decided to go ahead and try their recommendation.

Tasting Notes:
Blonde in color with light rubber and citrus aromas. Fully bodied and sweet, but not overpoweringly so. Pineapple, vanilla, and honey with also some lemon citrus notes.

Final Thoughts:
I like it.  Quite tasty and while slightly sweeter than I prefer with my Cajun dishes, it still worked nicely enough.

On a side note, this is the first wine that I ever had to add to CellarTracker.com. I've added new vintages, but never an entirely new wine.

Wine Tasting: 2010 Terre di Bo Amarone della Valpolicella Classico

Tonight is a trip to Italy.  One of my favorite places to visit!  Of course, Italy's best wines can compete on any vino stage.

Amarone is usually a dry wine, but this one is more semi-sweet.

Tasting Notes:
Black cherry in color.  Full bodied with slow legs.  Luscious red fruit and eucalyptus on the nose.  Deep velvety raspberry and black cherry with smoky overtones.

Final Thoughts:
Not overly complex, but enough to be a beautiful bouquet of thick rich fruit and body that grabs your attention.  Needless to say.  I am enjoying this wine.

Wine Tasting: 2014 Andrew Rich Pinot Noir

Tonight's wine is an oregonian wine from the Willamette Valley.  More specifically, 2014 Andrew Rich's Heart's Gate Pinot Noir.

Tasting Notes:
A nice ruby color.  Pomegranate and cherry on the nose.   Flavors of blueberry, red plum, dried fruit with a touch of vanilla.  A slight bit tart, medium bodied, with a late acidic pinch at the end that burns off with a little time to breath.

Final Thoughts:
A decent drinkable Pinot Noir.  Very little pizzazz and really nothing special.  Definitely a negative QPR. I would say it’s priced about $3-$6 above what it should be. ($22US)

Wine Tasting: 2013 Tin Barn Zinfandel - Los Chamizal Vineyards

This evening we are going with 2013 Tin Barn Zinfandel from the Los Chamizal Vineyard in Sonoma California. The winemaker is Michael Lancaster.

Tasting Notes:
Inky maroon in color, with a peppery black currant on the nose. On the palate, cranberry, red plum, and smoky leather. Smooth with a late propulsive bite from the semi-stout ABV. (15.8%)

Final Thoughts:
The wine is good, but not "great". The semi-stout ABV is unobtrusive as does not detract from this wine at all. I would say this is a drinking Zinfandel rather than a pairing one.

Wine Tasting: 2011 Stag's Leap Hands of Time

Given I'm making a Stag's Leap Merlot in my home winemaking, I wanted to give a try to Stag's Leap Hands of Time red blend.  The friends I've made in winemaking, gave great reviews to the Merlot kit, so I had high expectations for this wine.  (well, higher than expected)

Tasting Notes:
Dark crimson in color with red fruits and all-spice on the nose. Sour plum, cranberry and radish on the palette. The sour verges on slightly bitter. Medium legs, A smooth base, but thrown off a bit by the sour and acidity.

Final Thoughts:
Not really a fan.  I checked the bottle/cork.  The bottle was fine.  2011 was a bad year for Napa, so I expect it was definitely part of the issue.  I still would have expected better of Stag's Leap.

Vin de ce soir 2011 Château Cormeil-Figeac Saint-Emilion Grand Cru.   I picked this up at a really nice wine shop near my house.  The shop owner commented when I was checking out that it was a good choice.

Tasting Notes:
Luscious red fruit along with an earthen potting soil and wet gravely aromas.   On the palate, more red fruit just more flat than the aromas were.  Again, more earthen flavors this time more volcanic rock than wet gravel.  I expected more, but am not getting it.

Final Thoughts:
Not bad, but more plain that good.  I wonder if maybe something is off about the bottle since I expected better with the recommendation from the owner who I know is a good judge of wine.  I did not taste anything off about it.  Just tasted like a rather plain jane red blended wine.

Wine Tasting: 2015 Mulderbosch Cabernet Sauvignon Rosé

I've been trying more Rosé wines. Haven't had the chance to make many notes on them, but here is one.

Tasting Notes:
Smells of rose petals. (fitting) On the palete, a zing of marmalade, lemon, and lime followed up by softer florals on the finish.

Final Thoughts:
Light, not too sweet, not too dry. With a slight chili on the wine combined with the light citrus notes makes for a nice little evening summer wine to relax with.

Wine Tasting: 2013 Terrazas de Los Andes Malbec Reserva

In light of Argentina beating the US the other night in COPA America.  I decided I would buy an Agentinian wine.  That's what I'm tasting tonight though not necessarily due to the fact that Agentina lost last night to Chile.

Tasting Notes:
Surprisingly faint aromas overall, though I do smell hints of blueberry and a red cherry. Flavors of tart black current, dates, pepper, and granite.

Final Thoughts:
Interesting, though the flavors don't necessarily agree with my palette though I could see others finding it much more palatable.

  

Wine Tasting: 2013 Columbia Crest H3 Cabernet Sauvignon

I actually had this wine the other night, but I'm only getting around to posting my thoughts tonight.

I must say, that I am definitely becoming more of a Washington State wine fan of late.  Though I must admit a winemaking friend of mine who is really a fan of Washington wines  has really made me examine more Washington wines.

So, this wine is the 2013 Columbia Crest H3 Cabernet Sauvignon.

Tasting Notes:
Garnet in color with scents of plum, and licorice. Cranberry, with earthen flavors of forest floor and minerals with a long peppery finish. Smooth, but not quite silky. Good body and the alcohol punches forward, yet the bold flavors and long finish make it blend well.

Final Thoughts;
I enjoyed this wine, though another winemaking acquaintance of mine said he didn't qutie appreciate the 2014 version of this same wine.  Could be age, could just be a lacking wine.  Anyway, I do like the 2013 vintage.

Wine Tasting: 2012 Decoy Zinfandel

I've recently tried Duckhorn's Goldeye and thought it was fantastic.  Today, I wanted to try another one of their products.  The Decoy line of Zinfandel.  The 2012 vintage to be exact.

Tasting Notes:
Burgundy in color with medium legs.  Jammy red fruit on the nose, On the palate I would a completely sugarless raspberry.  The point that it's is on the edge of being outright bitter.  The acidity is quite high out of the bottle, but it burns off after a bit, though not enough to vastly improve the wine.  The wine is thin lacking the body you generally expect from a big Zinfandel.

Final Thoughts:
I'm a huge fan of big fat jammy Zinfandel.  I'm not a fan of this wine as it definitely is not one of those.  This is however, my first Decoy wine. I really enjoy Duckhorn's Goldeneye wines.  I hope other wines in the Decoy line do not disappoint as this one does.

Wine Tasting: 2013 Doran Vineyards Chenin Blanc

Tonight's wine is one of a white grape that interest me quite a bit. A South African Chenin Blanc.   Specifically, the 2013 Barrell Fermented Doran Chenin Blanc.

I'm really becoming a fan of Chenin Blanc.  While many white grape wines have a specific profile.  I've tasted Chenin Blancs that are surprisingly different.  In many cases, if I didn't know they were a specific varietal. I would think they could be blends of several known whites.

Tasting Notes:
Straw in color with a grapefruit and guava aromas.  The flavors start off as a mellow citrusy truffle and then quickly explode as the acidity brings limon, lime and apircot forward.
Final Thoughts:
This wine has a very interesting taste profile. Specifically the way it starts off mellow almost flat, then springs to life with a fantastic acidtiy and bursting with flavor.  Definitely a thumbs up!

Wine Tasting: 2014 Meiomi Pinot Noir

On the docket tonight is a wine that I've been meaning to try for some time, but there always seemed to be an excuse to open a different wine.

Meiomi Wines is a fairly well known brand.  I've tried one of their Chardonnays.  Tonight is their 2014 Pinor Noir and the grapes are sourced from three different locations within California. Monterrey County, Sonoma County, and Santa Brabara County.

Tasting Notes:

Scents of cranberry sauce and spices.  Fruit forward flavors with tangy strawberries, pomegranate, sour cherry following up with a smokey finish.  The wine is smooth and quite tasty.

Final Thoughts:

This is a tasty wine.  When I have company come over, especially company that doesn't visit often, I like to open a good wine.  This is a wine I would open with an infrequent visitor.

Wine Tasting: 2014 Selbach-Oster Riesling feinherb

Tonight's wine comes at the recommendation of a G+ wine friend of mine (+Margret P.) I haven't tried too many Rieslings, but the ones I've had. I've been quite impressed with.  Margret gave me a few recommendations, and this was one of them.

Tasting Notes:
Straw in color.  Aromas of citrus fruit, honeydew and rubber.  Flavors of Limon, light grapefruit, and pear.  A slightly highened acidity, though it works well with the vivid citrus structure.  It's smooth even with the acidiy and has a bit more body that I expected.

Final Thoughts:
Almost Sauvignon Blanc like, yet it still has the Riesling character.  Very interesting, and very good!

Wine Tasting: 2010 Yering Station Village Shiraz Viognier

Tonight's fare is a 2010 Yering Station Village Shiraz.  It's a blend of 95% Shiraz and 5% Viognier aged in French Oak.

Tasting Notes:
Dark purple in color.  On the nose I Raspberry, plum, hints of raddish, and black tea.  On the palate, I have a stewed cranberry of sort, vocanic rock, and a brazilian nut with hints of tobacco.  Medium plus body with a slight hint of higher acidity that burned off within minutes of the pour.

Final Thoughts:
It's a good wine for it's price point. ($14US)

Wine Tasting: 2012 Château Fleur Cardinale

Tonight's wine is a 2012 Château Fleur Cardinale Saint-Émilion Grand Cru.  It was paired with a Pasta Rigatoni with Italian Sausage.

Tasting Notes:
Dark inky like purple with scents of bramble and dark fruit.  Black cherry, raisin, black current and a bit of peat moss on the palate.  Not only full bodied, but a ripe full flavor with good structure to match.

Final Thoughts:
This is beautiful now, but I bet it will only get better. It's a keeper!

Wine Tasting: 2013 Columbia Crest Wautoma Springs Vineyards Reserve

Tonight was the night to ensure my Columbia Crest Wine Club shipment wasn't tainted by the heat during shipping. (a week shipping and 90F+ heat) I would have rather cellared it, but I needed to know if I had to send it back.

I like the packaging.  Simple yet elegant black and gold label with winemaking notes on the front of the label.  An ornate cork that is quite attractive.  

Tasting Notes:
A dark lushish purple and surprisingly fast legs.  On the nose there is florals, blueberry and an earthen minerality.  Medium bodied, yet very juicy with flavors of plum, black cherry and allspice.  It finishes is quite long and it begs for another taste.

Final Thoughts:
A bit thin and young, but very good none the less.  It doesn't appear tainted by heat during shipping.  I recieved two in my shipment and I may purchase another to replace this one in my cellar.

Wine Tasting: 2014 Intrinsic Cabernet Sauvignon

Tonight's wine is a very youthful wine.  I choose this wine from a friend of mine who loves Washington wines not to mention it has a fantastic wine label!

It's 2014 Intrinsic Cabernet Sauvignon from the Intrinsic Wine Company which is owned by Ste. Michelle and the winemaker is the head winemaker for Columbia Crest.  Juan Muñoz Oca.

Generally, I would drop a 2014 Cab/Sauv in the cellar and wait for it, but I wanted to try this one.  If it was good, I would pick up a couple of more bottles to age a bit.

Tasting Notes:
Dark purple and it’s youth can really be seen at the edges. Red fruit, mainly plum rind on the nose. Really minimal aromas at this point. On the palate, it’s very fruit forward and juicy, but comes off a bit thin. It has an edge to it like a young wine will and with some decanting would probably open up a bit more.

Final Thoughts:
I would say this wine is a buy and hold. It definitely has upside. Hopefully it being a bit thin doesn't hurt in the long run.  Though I think it will be fine.

Wine Tasting: 2013 Rama Cabernet Sauvignon

Today we are going with a 2013 Rama Cabernet Sauvignon from the Napa Valley region.  The winemaker is Mario Bazán who immigrated from Oaxaca, Mexico back in 1973.

Tasting Notes:
Dark garnet in color with aromas of peppery red fruit and tar. On the palate its silky smooth with a red plum, slight sour cherry and damp peat moss. A medium minus acidity that keeps the wine well balanced.

Final Thoughts:
Very smooth, easy drinking.  Great everyday wine, but better than your average table wine.  I like it.

Wine Tasting: 2011 Banknote Counterfeit Zinfandel

Today's wine is comes from one of my favorite value wine producers.  Banknote's Counterfeit series wines.

Banknote is an interesting story.  They do not have their own vineyards.  They produce their wines from purchased grapes.  The proprietor is a graphic designer who re-creates old bank notes as art.  When he was trying to decide on a name for his wine, his son or daughter (can't recall who, I was told the story by the wines local distributor) said that Pete should use his art on the bottle and Banknote Counterfeit was born.

Tasting Notes:
Gorgeous ruby red in color, classic rose petals and radish on the nose.  Vivid raspberry jam and earthen spices with a tart finish.  Fifteen minutes in the decanter softens the acidity to reach a very nice balance.

Final Thoughts:
Just like Banknote's Cabernet Sauvignon, this wine is an excellent value wine.  Well worth it's price point. ($18 US)

Wine Tasting: 2013 Kenneth Volk Pinot Noir

This evening, a 2013 Kenneth Volk Pinot Noir.  I had three bottles of this wine.  I tasted the first one quite some time ago, but didn't record any notes. (I do remember it though)

The second bottle was given away as a gift.  Not my first choice, but he is a Pinot Noir fan and wanted a bottle and this was the only Pinot Noir I had on hand at the time.

Tasting Notes:
Ruby redish with violet hues showing a bit of youth.  Minerals, spices and a splash of red fruit on the nose.  Plum rind, florals, and allspice fill out the juicy flavors with a medium finish.  Strong acidity that requires decanting to soften.

Final Thoughts:
With some age, I believe this could can be much better.  Decanting is an absolute must.  You will be punch-drunk by the acidity if you do not.  Within 30 minutes, the wine opens and burns off the extreme acidity.

Wine Tasting: 2012 Goldeneye Anderson Valley Pinot Noir

Delicious!  Well, I'm getting ahead of myself.  Today's wine is Goldeneye's 2012 Anderson Valley Pinot Noir.

Goldeneye is Duckhorn's upper echelon wine label and as I've clearly already stated.  This wine does not disappoint.  While I haven't yet visited Duckhorn's Vineyard in California.  It is supposed to be one of the more highly rated Vineyards to visit.  Keep that in mind if you plan a visit to Napa Valley.

Tasting Notes:
Caliginously garnet in color, medium bodied with a warming alcohol level. Fruit forward with strawberry and raspberry jam on the nose and cherries, strawberries, and rose petals on the tongue. Very juicy with a long finish and a potent acidity that blends well with the progressive fruit flavors.

Final Thoughts:  I believe I've already made this obvious.  This was in delicious and well worth it's price point. ($40-$45 US)

Wine Tasting: 2013 Ashan Chardonnay, Kestrel Vineyard

Like sands through an hour glass.  So drains the wine from my glass!  Today I am tasting Kestrel Vineyards 2013 Ashan Chardonnay created by winemaker Chris Goman.  Their website states that their vines are the oldest in the state.  (Washington State)

Tasting Notes:
Yellow gold, very faint on the nose. Mostly rubber and citrus though as I noted, the fragrance is quite weak. It's medium bodied, dry with a heavy punch of acidity. Flavors of apricot, lemon, and a touch of grapefruit.

Final Thoughts:
I think the wine has good quality, but not exactly my tastes. It may have had to do with the wine pairng being a shrimp scampi that had a touch of lemon zest competing with it.  I have another bottle.  Next time I will try it without the pairing or find a more suitable pairing for it.

Wine Tasting: 2013 Andrew Murray's Tous les Jours Syrah

I've started Winemaking recently and my first wine is a Barbossa Valley Shiraz.  It's in the secondary fermentation phase now and tomorrow I will be racking it and beginning the clearing phase.  When this happens, I need to top the wine up (fill the container to the top) to keep as much oxygen as I can out of the wine.

So you usually have a choice of three things.  Use marbles, water, or wine to fill up the space.  I don't have marbles (and they can break glass carboys), water will water the wine down.  So, I'm going with using wine!  I purchased this wine to do the top up with.

Anyhow, since I have it.  Why not do an official tasting?

Tasting Notes:
Full bodied and dark ink in the middle with a cranberry color at the edges.  Smells of blueberry and cranberry.  Showing flavors of blackberry and raspberry jam.  Quite smooth with a very long finish that sports a heady acidity.

Final thoughts:  Decent, but not great.  It's probably fine for topping up my homemade wine, but I'm leaning towards using my Schild Estate Shiraz.  It's much better than this offering, but I'm not sure it's going to matter since I'm mixing it with just under six gallons of other wine.

Wine Tasting: 2012 Martinelli Zinfandel Vigneto di Evo

Up to bat this evening is a big Zinfandel.  To be more specific, Martinelli's 2012 Vigneto di Evo Zinfandel.  This wine was crafted by Bryan Kvamme of Martinelli Winery in California's Russian River Valley and 876 cases were produced.

Tasting Notes:
Full bodied and crimson in color.  Scents of rose petals and red fruit.  Adventurous florals and allspice along with hints of black cherry and plum.  Definitely a muscular alcohol (17.2% ABV) though it surprisingly doesn't necessarily daunt the audacious forward flavors.

Final thoughts:
Very bold in the line of some of the great Australian Barbossa Valley Shiraz.  This is a very good wine though definitely not something you would drink everyday.  Something you pull out when guest come by who enjoy bold wines as I do.

Wine Tasting: 2013 Ravines Dry Riesling, Fingler Lakes

Tonight's dinner is Gumbo and for many of my favorite Cajun dishes, a Riesling is my preferred wine pairing.

The wine is Ravines 2013 Dry Riesling from the Finger Lakes region of New York State.  Ravines has been making quite a bit of noise recently for a few of their white wines and that includes their dry Riesling.

Tasting Notes:
Greenish gold and medium plus body. Smooth and juciy with a perfectly matching alcohol level. (12.5% ABV) Scents of citrus, rubber, and green raisins on the nose and semi-tart honeydew and a light lemon zest on the palate. Very good acidity and finish. Nicely balanced wine.

Final thoughts: This is a very good wine.  I try a lot of wines and many are very good, but I don't continue to buy them all.  I can definitely say it will be on my buy list.

Wine Tasting: 2013 Alpha Omega II Chardonnay

Tonight's wine choice was about the dinner pairing.  So the meal selected the wine and that wine is Alpha Omega's "II" Chardonnay.  The meal was broiled Salmon in a Orange and Lime marinade over rice with fresh steamed green beans splashed with garlic and butter herb.

I would talk about the winery, but Alpha Omega is pretty popular due to it's Cabernet Sauvignon.  An introduction probably isn't needed.  If it is, I recommend you pick up a bottle of their Cabernet Sauvignon.  It's worthy of it's price point.

Tasting Notes:
This wine is a smooth medium bodied wine with good acidity that can cut through butter or cream with ease.  It smells of citrus and rubber hose.  On the palate, it shows a rubbery lemon and honeydew impressions with a buttery oak finish.  Very well balanced, this wine is prime structure now.

Final thoughts:  This is a very good Chardonnay.  It's price point is around a quarter of what it's big brother (Cab/Sauv) is and it's definitely a great value wine at around $24 US.  The pairing this citrus wine with a citrus marinated Salmon, hit the spot.