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: 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: 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: 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: 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: 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: 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: 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: 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: 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: 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: 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: 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.

Wine Tasting: 2013 Tous Ensemble Syrah

Copain Wines is a vineyard that sits up high on a hill overlooking California's Russian River Valley.  The winemaker is Wells Guthrie who apprenticed with the legendary Michel Chapoutier in France's Rhone Valley. They make a multitude of wines, but today we are tasting their 2013 Tous Ensemble Syrah.

Tasting Notes:
This wine is garnet in color, but shows its youth with a purplish blue hues at the edge.  Fragrances of blueberries, black cherry, and cassis rise off the glass.   Gustatorily a cranberrish pomegranate character with a sort of amaranthine tartness for the finish.  It is also quite dry and has an acute acidity, and while I think it affects the balance a bit.  I do not find it too distracting.

A decent wine for drinking.

Wine Tasting: 2013 Cakebread Cellars Chardonnay, Napa Valley

So, I've started my first foray into Winemaking.  It started off well and then ended terribly this morning losing the entire batch.  Ugh!  Well, the wine wasn't lost (I didn't know that at the time), but in hast to get to work and thinking it was ruined due to overnight exposure to the air.  I personally ruined it by dumping it down the drain.  That's another story though.  One I will probably document soon.

Anyway, because my morale was in the toilet after this mornings debacle.  I decided I would open a slightly more pricey bottle tonight to enjoy.  

Today's tasting is Cakebread Cellar's 2013 Napa Valley Chardonnay.  The Winemaker is Julianne Laks and it was aged sur lie in French oak barrels, 20% new with periodic stirring of the lees.  I note the aging for a reason which I will get to in the tasting notes.

Tasting Notes:
Citrus on the nose, though its quite faint.  On the palate there is grapefruit, lemon, and a zesty acidity that punches right through the buttery scampi sauce I had with dinner.  This Chardonnay boasts much more flavor than the aroma suggests which was a little surprising.  There is next to no oak or buttery flavoring within the wine itself which is why I choose to note the French oak aging.

Overall, it's a good Chardonnay, but I do not believe the value is there at its price point.  Cakebread Cellars has a higher end Chardonnay Reserve that I would like to try and compare.