We tried
Nebbia sparkling wine
Schramsberg blanc de noirs brut 2004
La Reve Domaine Carneros by Taittinger blanc de blancs brut 2000
I believe everyone liked them all but you can comment yourselves. My favorite was the La Reve. Yummmmm. Good food, good wine, good peoples.
We didn't talk about wine club for November.
Who is hosting and what's the theme?
Just had a bottle of this delicious Sangiovese from Tuscan Moon with a yummy pasta with chicken and mushroom sauce that we whipped up. This wine is very smooth, with sweet fruity overtones of berries and plums. It's dangerously drinkable!
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Our wine club Chilean offering is the Terrunyo Carmenere from Concha y Toro.
| Block 27, Peumo Vineyard in Rapel Valley, Chile |
| 85% Carménère 12% Cabernet Sauvignon 3% Cabernet Franc |
| Harvested by hand in April. The wine is aged in new and used French oak barriques for 13 months followed by an additional 8 months in the bottle. |
| Color: Dark, deep red. Bouquet: Hints of berries, chocolate, cigar box, pepper and mineral notes. Taste: Tasty and full-bodied with a bright, deep red color. It is an elegant, powerful wine which lingers in the mouth. Alcohol Content: 13.9% Total Acidity: 5.74 g/l |
amplus one 2004 is what we (sm) are bringing to wine club chile.
here is what we have found on the winery and the wine...
Another one of T.G.I.C’s first imports, Santa Ema was established by Pedro Pavone, the son of Italian winemakers from Piedmont in Italy. Having arrived in the Maipo valley of Chile in 1917, Pedro was an engineer by trade and spent his early years grape growing for other wineries, having planted his first vineyards in 1931 and harvesting his first cabernet, Merlot and sauvignon Blanc grapes four years later. He then established the winery with his son Felix in 1955. Santa Ema produces Chardonnay, cabernet sauvignon, Merlot and Sauvignon Blanc in addition to a reserve range, Barrel Select line, and a Bordeaux-style red blend called “Catalina” which consistently earns praise for each vintage. Santa Ema was named one of the 20 “World’s Finest value Brands” by Wine Spectator in 2005.
From Wine & Spirits| 92pts Santa Ema | $19 |
| 2004 Maipo Amplus One Rich with exotic spices, sweet red cherry and mulberry flavors, this wine's tannins keep it balanced, instilled with energy. (W&S 6/07) T.G.I.C. Importers, Woodland Hills, CA Amplus, a blend of 70 percent cabernet sauvignon, 26 percent syrah and 4 percent carignan, amps up Santa Ema’s smooth, rich style with an enchanting mix of chocolate and exotic spice aromas and sweet red cherry and mulberry flavors. It would be too much if it weren’t for the tannins, which gently yet firmly support the fullness of the wine and instill it with energy. | |
hi lovelies!!!
i was thinking-STOP-giggling dawn, i do it sometimes.
since november end marks is beaujolais release december
meeting should be beaujolais themed.
yummy...
Gary from Winelibrary TV (WLTV) just blogged about wine from Chile. Check it out!!!
This was the wine we brought to Bordeaux the Bordeaux night.
A really lifted nose, showing fresh blackcurrant and berry fruits. The tannins are completely in keeping with the fruit and acidity. I get lots of toasted oak on the palet. Ripe and supple presence, really crisp style with freshness. This is a nice example of good Bordeaux. A perfect wine to pair with any red meat. This is probably true of most Bordeaux reds.
Marius Rating: 90
Read more about the history of this wine and about Bordeaux wines in general at http://www.thewinedoctor.com
I bought this today for August wine club
2004 Cono Sur Limited 20 Barrels Cabernet Sauvignon, Maipo Valley, $25.
High-toned oak that’s softly sweet. Hugely concentrated. Rich berry, with oak, chocolate, plum, coffee and cedar flavors. Rich and regal and generous. Long, engaging finish. Decant. Outstanding.
Anyone interested in checking out this event on July 18th?
South American Superstars: The Wines of Argentina & Chile
It's at the Bambuddah Lounge - the old Backflip
canada, why are you such a quiet nation?
you may not do much, you may not say much,
but some of what you say and do...
canadians are funny.
they produce wonderful maple products that pair well with their fabulous bacon products.
they endure harsh winters producing some of the greatest grapes imaginable which they use brilliantly to make paradise in a bottle...
tonight we savoured a bottle of jackson-triggs proprietors reserve vidal icewine 2003.
this was an amazingly well balanced wine.
thick and smoothe, subtle and creamy.
bursting with mango, apricot, dried apricot, golden raisin and a hint of vanilla.
this wine stands well alone but i would love to have paired it with a yummy extra creamy, slightly warm creme brulee-not too sweet-heavy on the vanilla.
the cream, the texture and the vanilla would really set this off.
we picked it up at costco for $15.99, 187ml bottle, well worth it.
well...
this will not be the lengthiest of reviews.
this bordeaux had quite possibly the loveliest bouquet.
my nose was in heaven, my mouth anxious...
the glass was full of juicy, luscious berries with an elegant floral hint.
the taste was quite different.
it started fruity, earthy, leathery, but had a very dry middle.
i believe it would have benefited greatly from some airing...
to me, this wine lacked a smoothe balance, it wasnt a bad wine.
but, i believe there are better.
it is, in my opinion, hard to go wrong with a bordeaux, what i did learn from this tasting night was as far as this selection went, there were no "bad" bordeauxs, just "better".
should you need a good red for a smokey, meaty or strong cheese occasion, grab a bordeaux.
This wine is the winer of from our latest wine club meeting. Here is some infromation from there Website.
Château Haut-Corbin's history has played an important part in that of the entire Libourne area. When the Aquitaine region owed allegiance to the English crown, Haut-Corbin was part of a large fiefdom belonging to Edward, Prince of Wales (and son of Edward III of England), referred to as Black Prince by historians. Over the centuries, the fiefdom was broken up, giving rise to a series of smaller estates in the northen part of Saint-Emilion appellation with the word "Corbin" in their name. Despite this ancient past, Château Haut-Corbin has had a low-profile story, only rarely appearing in written documents describing the Libourne area. Although Haut-Corbin's history may have been lacklustre, its soil most certainly is not, and the estate attained the enviable status of Grand Cru Classé de Saint-Emilion.
Located 600 meters from the finest Pomerol vineyards, Haut-Corbin
produces wines combining the vigour of Pomerol and the elegance
of Saint-Emilion . When the Mutuelles d'Assurance du Bâtiment
et des Travaux Publics took over the Château in 1986, they
decided to do everything in their power to enhance this promising
estate's reputation.
The vineyards are planted on a beautiful rise. There is blown sand on top, covering a layer of clayey soil. Futher down, the soil is heavier, with a mixture of clay and gravel. This composes a somewhat heterogeneous terroir which reflected in the complexity of the wine. Merlot accounts for almost two thirds of grape varieties planted at Haut-Corbin, and gives the wine its wonderful silky character. Good sun exposure and fairly warm soil also foster good ripening of cabernet sauvignon, which makes up 25% of the total, and contributes excellent structure to the wine. Cabernet franc (10%) adds fruitiness and finesse.
Château Haut-Corbin's old vines are one of its chief assets. Having miraculously escaped the dreadful frost of 1956, the vineyard s a respectable 45 to 50years old. Proper ripening is a constant priority here. This is achieved by carefully thinning out the leaves in August. The 6 hectares of vines are harvested in just three days . Picking is enterely done by hand, and the grapes are systematically sorted before being crushed. The cellar was renovated and modernised in 1994.
A series of small, 90 hectolitre cement tanks in an entire temperature-controlled vat room enables wine from each plot to be made separately before blending. After alcoholic fermentation , long, gentle maceration lasting approximately 30days, extracts the finest components from the grapes. New oak barrels have never been a major priority at Haut-Corbin, where only 40% of new barrels are used every year. Like the use
of spices in cooking , barrel-ageing should be a subtle process, never altering the wine's true nature. Beyond the shadow of a doubt, Haut-Corbin belongs to the aristocracy of Bordeaux wines. It has a lovely fruity palate (blackcurrant and blackberry), a touch of oak, and occasional hints of menthol and spice. Haut-Corbin has intrinsic class, considerable power and brilliant complexity- in average as well as great vintages.
Knowledgeable wine tasters recognise Château Haut-Corbin as one of the finest grands crus classés in Saint-Emilion.
Château Cantenac-Brown is a winery in the Margaux appellation of the Bordeaux region of France. This wine is a blend of 75% Cabernet Sauvignon, 17% Merlot, 8% Cabernet Franc. The average time spent in barrels is 16 to 20 months and the average age of vines is 25 years. The offers generous amounts of soft, easygoing blackcurrant fruit, medium body and a soft finish. Great with red meats.
Somebody went to the trouble in making the ultimate Wine Google Map.
Check it out http://www.winesandtimes.com/ covers the entire USA.
After Marius found that SF wine event pretty late in the game, I thought it might be helpful to have a public calendar for this group where we could list wine related events. I created a google calendar (sorry Jim - we can switch to Yahoo! calendars if it ever gets any better) and everyone should be able to see it here
Vino Club Calendar
You have to have a gmail account and google calendars in order to be able to make changes in it. If you are interested in doing that send me your gmail address so I can give you access - mine is dawnmg .
Marius - in the settings area there is a way to feed the calendar right into a page so maybe you can just get it published onto the side of the blog or something?
I've posted a few things to get us started. K&L wines seems to have lots of great tasting events. There is one right near mine & Michelle's work - fun! There is one in Redwood City too for Marius & Shannon.
Their March Newsletter has a nice section on Bordeaux. I'll probably buy one of these for our next meeting: K&L Wine Merchants March Newsletter (PDF file)
jezt gehts los!
alright people...
finally, i am in munich sipping the loveliest 2005 qualitatswein mit predikat.
silky, sweet, dried apricot, honey, nice tecture, neither too thick nor too thin.
this is bottled for export, so i am thinking it could be found stateside.
i am believing all the things i have heard of 2005...
and this is definitely the start of something good.
most of me is really fighting the urge to murder this bottle tonight so i can do it
again to another tomorrow!
i would say, this is on par with tears of dew, only not so thick.
very yummy.
8 euros.
Here are a couple of maps to give you a better idea where the different Bordeaux regions are. For more info on the regions and what type of wines and grapes they produce, please checkout the Wine Doctor again.
I found a site that is a great resource to learn about French wines. The Wine Doctor has allot of information on Bordeaux wines and all the individual wine estates. I will steal a couple of his articles and post them on our Blog, for educational purposes.
This Bordeaux classification, together with the classification of Sauternes, predates all others still in use today by more than a century. It was originally drawn up by the Bordeaux Chamber of Commerce for the 1855 Exposition Universelle de Paris, at the request of Emperor Napoleon III. The Bordeaux négociants already had firmly established league tables, based largely on price (and therefore quality), and this knowledge formed the basis for this particular Bordeaux classification.
Since 1855 there has been only one change in this Bordeaux classification, that being the elevation of Mouton-Rothschild from second to first growth in 1973. This inflexibility is the main flaw of the 1855 classification, as many of the Bordeaux chateaux merit promotion or demotion based on their current performances.
Premiers Crus
Deuxièmes Crus
Troisièmes Crus
Quatrièmes Crus
Cinquièmes Crus
Jim and I just got the latest Food & Wine magazine and low and behold there is a little blurb that recommends 5 bordeaux under $25. I thought I would share them in case anyone needs a little help with their selection for our next meeting - I know I sure do!
Chateau Bonnet Rouge ($12)
Chateau Greysac ($16)
Chateau Cap de Faugeres ($17)
Chateau Charmail ($20)
Chateau Gigault Cuvee Viva ($23
this wine needs decanting. it doesnt not drink well out of the bottle. enjoyable, hints of cherry, berries, full bodied and smoothe. Many reviewers are finding this syrah off or hot, i think they should have let it sit a little longer. i wasnt expecting much and would definitely drink again, would definitely buy again, i was pleasantly surprised by this wine. -shannon
Torbeck Vintners is one of the top Australian wineries.
Here is what Robert Parker had to say about the wine maker Dave Powell.
'Dave Powell, unquestionably one of the world's finest wine producers, has an uncanny ability to discover old vine Barossa vineyards, and then secure long term contracts for their fruit.'
The Wine Advocate Issue #161 (October 2005) Robert Parker
Pale gold. Crisp scents of peach, ripe pear and dried apricot. Plump and juicy on the palate, with a clean, brisk peach flavor that is in no way cloying. Impressive for its svelte, focused character (too much sweet muscat comes off as flabby!). Finishes with focus and pretty floral notes. This would be great with salty or blue cheeses.
Winemaker Comments
Consistently recognized for its outstanding quality, the previous 2004
vintage offering of this wine was awarded a Best of Class of Region Gold
Medal at the 2006 California State Fair Wine Competition, and Wine
Enthusiast Magazine commented eloquently on our 2003 vintage of
this wine as follows: “It’s time to admit this wine into the elite of California
dessert sippers. It’s always dependably rewarding in apricot, wild honey and vanilla flavors, unctuously sweet, and well-balanced in acids.”
And later, “Paso Robles is making a play for the most congenial home for
sweet Muscat...” more
Our second meeting came and went.
The theme was sweet wines, as it was Shannons birthday and Shannon loves her sweets...
We tasted a great variety and over all enjoyed the experience.
Here is the lineup start to finish:
Torbreck Bothie 2004.
EOS Tears of Dew 2005
Royal Tokaji 5 puttonyos 2005
R.L. Buller & Sons Fine Victoria Muscat NV
Blandys Madeira 5 year Malmsy
april brings us dawns choice, bordeaux!!!
and Shannon will be joining via satellite.
(i warn you, marius has been researching for next meet...)
Ever on the hunt for a new yummy dessert wine, marius and i picked up a bottle of 2000 5 puttonyos Royal Tokaji. It is a delightful wine. While a 5 puttonyos it is still not too sweet, a good compromise wine when dealing with sweet and non sweet tooths. The Tokaji is smooth, sophisticated, well balanced with a long silky finish. Oak, Walnut, Apricot, Apple, Pear, Honey are all present along with a citrus sour. Reminiscent of a calvados, brandy, even reminds me of the sadly no longer produced York Mountain Sherry.
I am absolutely dying to taste the '99 Essencia. At $500 a bottle, Marius suggested I find myself a Sugar Daddy. Perhaps I should settle for a 6 puttonyos?
TOKAJI’S ROYAL CONNECTION AND RENAISSANCE
The first Tokaji Aszú (toh-KAY ah-SOO) wine was created in the 1600s, perhaps by accident — a harvest delayed by threat of enemy invasion. In 1700, Tokaj became the first European region to have its vineyards classified, its uniquely varied terroirs and climates rated Primae Classis, Secundae Classis, Tertius Classis (“1st Growth, 2nd Growth, 3rd Growth”) by Prince Rakoczi of Transylvania. This classification system is still used in Hungary today. Louis XIV of France (1638 - 1715) declared Tokaji “the wine of Kings and the King of wines”, while in the 18th century, Catherine the Great stationed soldiers in Tokaj to protect her vineyards.
Quality production ended with World Wars I and II and the Communist takeover of Hungarian winemaking. Aszú grapes were used for mass production in factories, with vineyard distinctions lost in giant tanks. Tokaji’s renaissance began after the collapse of communism with The Royal Tokaji Wine Company (RTWC) in 1989, inspired by well-known wine author, Hugh Johnson, and others. RTWC’s founders started the winery in an effort to preserve what they considered a dying art. “I couldn’t resist bringing back to life a wine that had been so renowned centuries ago,” says Johnson.
For More information:
Royal Tokaji
Wilson Daniels Ltd.
Adorned with a picture of Nazi leader Adolf Hitler, the bottle of red Fuhrerwein was expected to sell for only $1,560, but was ultimately sold for nearly five times that by Britain's Plymouth Auction Rooms, the BBC said. This is pretty sad.
A rare bottle of Nazi red wine from World War II, whose age makes it undrinkable, was sold recently in Britain for a surprising final auction bid of $7,790.
Castoro Cellars was founded by the husband and wife team of Niels and Bimmer Udsen with a warm and welcoming style. The winery was named after the Italian translation of Niels’ long-time nickname, “Beaver,” prompting the motto “Dam Fine Wine.” From the wine cellar to the tasting room, all who contribute to Castoro wines hold strongly to the belief that high quality wines should be accessible to all consumers.
Picked up this bottle of Muscat Canelli at Trader Joe's. Very fragrant with lots of Peach and Apricot aromas. Some hint of apple and citrus. The taste unfortunately is not very well balanced. After the initial sweet peach and apple taste is followed by rubber alcohol and a bitter after taste. But for 5.95 it is not a bad sweet wine.
A new technique for preserving grapes for mass-market wine may prevent the drink causing allergies, a study says.
First official meet has come and gone. How did it go? You tell us. As memory serves us, it was a great time with great wines. Once secretary come around from her Syrah bliss tasting notes will be posted. Meeting two will be Saturday, March 3, 8:00 pm. Theme for tasting will be Dessert Wines. More details to come.
Gustav Niebaum Captain's Reserve Pinot Noir 2005 more details
Cline Syrah California 2005 more details
Garretson "The Bulladoir" Syrah, Paso Robles more details and video review
Eagel Castle Syrah 2000 more details
Twenty Rows Grappler 2004 more details and video review
Excellent dessert wine. Bough this wine at Trader Joe's for 19.95$, I feel this is well priced wine and if you like Trockenbeerenauslese go buy it now. This wine is made from the Ortega grape, which is used for white wine blending in the Rheinhessen region of Germany. The wine is very nicely balanced with strong notes of honey, apricot and peach. Silky feel on the tongue with citrus notes.
Marius' Rating: 91
“Wow, this wine is tannic”!
“…lush plummy fruit supported by a fine tannic structure…”
We’ve all heard the sentence and the phrase just above, and as the title says, the word is thrown around like a Nerf football in a college stadium parking lot, but perhaps for that very reason, my instincts tell me that many wine drinkers, if really pressed for an answer, couldn’t define the term with any real precision. Let’s have a look…
you heard me.
i am neither robert parker nor am i wine spectator.
i am not comfortable with current point system of this blog.
might i suggest we move to a more personalized standard?
My favorite chef/writer Anthony Bourdain tells why the food network is not a place where 'real cooks' are shown....."I find myself riveted by its awfulness, like watching a multi-car accident in slow motion. Mesmerized at the ascent of the Ready-Made bobblehead personalities, and the not-so-subtle shunting aside of the Old School chefs..."
read more | digg story
Bought this wine on wine.woot.com and happy I did. Very nice Wine.
The color of this wine is dark ruby with a heavy fruit noise. Lots of strawberry jam, clear vanilla and oak and hints of rose. Soft tannens makes this wine feel lighter then I would have expected. I had this wine with a roasted chicken and it turned out to be a great paring. Had to go 88 because the finish was to short.
Marius' Rating: 88
Cost: 14$
well...first pinot i would willingly and gladly drink again-with food.
delicate subtle strawberry, definite hints of choco and coffee, vanilla and oak.
what i dont care for which is typical pinot is the high acidity and overwhelming pepper.
to me, pinots dont seem full bodied enough to carry these forces.
Shannons Rating: 87
We bought this port on Dawns birthday wine trip to Sonoma Valley. The Benziger Winery is a must see if your planning a trip to Sonoma. This full bodied ruby red port is made from Dragonsleaf Vineyard Syrah and a splash of Shell Creek Vineyards Petite Syrah. It has an intense fruit aroma of blackberry and cherry, it is well balanced and has a nice long finish. Basically, really, really good. Sweet enough for those with a sweet tooth but not too sweet for those without. Great with dark chocolate and yes, as winemaker suggests, a nice Brie, we actually paired it with a french triple cream and it was fantastic...yes, we broke the Port rule of only pairing Port with Stilton...We're rebels like that. ;)
Alcohol: 19.5%
Total acidity: .39
pH: 3.96,
Residual sugar: 7.52.
Cost: 35$ (at winery)
Our Rating: 92
Here is what we are going to bring for our first meeting. This is the wine that gave us the idea to start a Wine Club.
Varietal Composition:
96% Syrah
4% Viognier
Finished Chemistry:
16.7% Alcohol
3.86 pH
0.72 TA
hi everyone!
you are invited to our first ever wine tasting meet up!
in the future we would like to meet the first saturday
of each month with a tasting theme. this time, please
just bring your favorite bottle (one bottle per couple),
this will serve as an introductory to everyones taste
meeting.
-marius & shannon
