A small sampling of our culinary treats

Lasting as long as the closing volume to Peter Jackson’s vision of The Lord of the Rings, our wine group battled through fourteen different wines, four different cheeses, some amazing appetizers (including smoked salmon) and a dinner of beef tenderloin, Varenyky, grilled veggies and broccoli salad. It was epic.

For only our second formal gathering, I have to say the bar was set quite high with this particular cast. As usual, it was heavy on the new world wines, though all three of the whites did come from Europe which I found to be interesting.

To begin the festivities, we started with some Louis Roederer Brut Premier Champagne, which was actually purchased 2 to 3 years ago. I commented to the provider (and our gracious host for this installment) I thought that was actually the best way to consume NV (non-vintage) Champagne, as the extra time in bottle typically adds some richness and nutty character to the wine. It was a solid example of the region, with nice citrus and hints of yeast and toasted nuts coming through as well. We had four cheeses to snack on (along with smoked salmon, fresh chopped liver and assorted other munchies) and I thought the Champagne went best with the Robusto. A solid above average wine, but I still prefer their domestic stuff for the money.

After that, I made un-inspired sips at two of the whites. I didn’t care for the 2007 Chateau de la Greffiere Macon-la-Roche-Vineuse, but that is just more for personal taste reasons. It was a solid example of the region and for under $20, it is a nice introduction to white Burgundy. The 2008 Vina Godeval was a 100% Godello from Spain that was one of the more interesting whites I’ve had in quite a while. It had a nice complexity to it, with stone fruit, floral notes, spice and beeswax. If you want something off the beaten path for summer, this is a solid choice. I didn’t try the 2004 Carl Ehrhard Spatlese Riesling, but I’ve had wines from this producer and they have always been solid. I really meant to get back to it after all the reds, but I totally forgot about it.

Now, onto the reds, which from beginning to end were all above average to outstanding.

2005 Tolo Cellars Asini Paso Robles Red Wine (16.2% alcohol): A $28 from the winery blend of 60% Sangiovese and 40% Zinfandel, this had been opened in bottle for 5 hours, then decanted for 2 hours the day before. It was still as peppy as your local Starbucks barista who has enjoyed too much of their own product for anyone’s good. A bright melange of red fruits and licorice on the nose (the Sangiovese) gave way to more blackberry and bramble on the palate. I’d call this a  danger Will Robinson wine because of the high alcohol and too easy to slug palate. I wouldn’t pay $28 for it, but I was more than happy to drink it.

2007 Santa Ema Amplus One: I didn’t sample because I’ve had and raved about it before.

2004 Frog’s Leap Rutherford: A very easy to drink style of Cabernet that was lacking in any real tannin, but had enough acidity to keep it from falling flat on its face. A glass of subtle, yet flavorful black currant and black cherry. If you’ve got Napa Cabs from this hot and juicy vintage, I’d start drinking them now.

2003 Stella Maris Columbia Valley Red Wine by Northstar (14.5% alcohol): A blend of 47% Cabernet Sauvignon; 45% Merlot; 4% Malbec; 4% Syrah, this was the early contender for WOTN (wine of the night) for me. Earthy smoked herbs danced with dark red cherries in a graceful manner those folks on reality TV dancing shows can only dream of. It had a long, smooth finish and was a great pairing with the beef tenderloin. A fine second label effort that is drinking in its prime right now. As the evening wore on, the wine did begin to give way a bit and wasn’t as good the second time around, but I still enjoyed it. #2 for me, as I really liked the mix of both old and new world style.

2000 The Ojai Vineyard Santa Barbara County Bien Nacido Vineyard Syrah: A bowlful of blueberries and spice, this was smooth and easy to drink. I’m not a big California Syrah person typically and while this didn’t convert me, it was a fine effort for a wine I really thought would be past prime.

2005 Kilikanoon Barossa Valley Testament Shiraz (15% alcohol): I remember when my wine sensei first touted Kilikanoon wines to me. Like many red wine newbies, it was easy to love the fruit-laden style of Barossa Valley Shiraz, like a teenage boy falls for Sports Illustrated swimsuit models. I still find Kilikanoon wines to show more restraint and deft hand in obtaining balanced and refinement from their wines, as opposed to Mollydooker where the volume knob starts at 10 and goes up from there. Unfortunately, these big Aussie bombs have fallen on hard times and for those who like them, you can often score tremendous bargains. This wine has loads of tooth-staining black fruits, with nice baking spice and vanilla notes to round out the flavors. A big wine with soft tannins, a core of acidity and big rich flavors that will overwhelm all but the biggest of food.

2001 Stags’ Leap Winery Petite Syrah (14.2% alcohol): One of our two offerings, this was one of my earliest wines-to-lay-down acquisitions. Another wine I read about in Karen McNeil’s The Wine Bible. One of the most fascinating things about this wine is how it got trashed by one publication, but then lauded by two others. If I had been paying attention, I probably would have drank this earlier. It failed to exhibit my expectation of wrestling alligators with their teeth bared that makes Petite Sirah (I have no idea why they spell it with a Y instead of an I) such a great wine. It still had nice spice, black plum and blackberry fruit with hints of toast, but it just lacked the power I expected. Yes, I know the wine is 9 years old, but I wasn’t expecting it to have totally lost its grip. From what I am now reading, it may have never really had that strong of one to begin with. A good wine, but I really was hoping for more.

1999 Pieve Santa Restituta Brunello di Montalcino Sugarille (14% alcohol): A wine from famed Italian winemaker Angelo Gaja, whom I associate more with Barolo than Brunello. I believe this wine had been opened for over 24 hours by the time we drank it and in talking with the host (and provider of this wine), we both concluded that may have been too much. While nowhere near dead or shut down, it seemed to have lost a bit of luster that you’d expect from such an expensive (retail is estimated around $130 – 140) and highly rated (91, 92, 93+) wine. Now don’t get me wrong, it didn’t suck, but it didn’t blow anybody out of the water either. It exhibited classic Brunello dark cherry, leather and floral character, but also a good bit of oak character in the smoke and chocolate notes. Tannins were relatively mild, but I should hope so after breathing as much air as this did. I think this would have been better the day before and a more fair comparison to the next wine. All in all, my third favorite.

2001 Talenti Brunello di Montalcino Pian di Conte: This was one of my first Brunellos, having tasted (and bought it for the store) it as a wine retail buyer. It was later in the day and we were the rep’s last stop, so after drinking and loving this so much, he offered me the remainder of the bottle. I corked it and proceeded to consume it later that evening, taking the same time to breathe in its perfume as I did in drinking it. When I departed my store, the owner gave me a bottle of this as a gift, as he remembered how much I loved this wine. I think the retail was $59.99. A very modern style, this drinks beautifully right now. Yes, it was a bit on the chewy side when we opened it, as it came right out of storage and was popped and poured, no decant time permitted. As the wine opened up, the spiced cherry with smoky cedar flavors sailed on in a finish that was easily in the 45+ second range. Fans of more old world, “traditional” Brunello might find this too much, but it wasn’t like we were drinking Napa Cab. You knew this was Italian, you knew this was Brunello and most important of all, you knew this was just down right tasty. While it wasn’t the overall crowd favorite (I don’t know what was), I know myself and two others were in agreement that it was ours.

Many thanks to our hosts for their generous spread of delicious food and wine, along with great hospitality. I know that myself and my wife are looking forward to the next gathering of Wineaux 75. Until then, be well, drink well and love well.

2005 Jacob's Creek Centenary Hill Shiraz (Shi-razz)

Being so blessed with so many sparkling wine samples and events attended this year, our still wine consumption is way down from normal. While my wife laments the lack of Pinot Noir samples and purchases, we still do get to enjoy some great red wines here and there. White wines were never a big thing for us, as rosés are more to our liking during the tar melting days of Summer.

Jacob’s Creek is an Australian winery that many of you may be familiar with. While I’ve always associated them with the value tier, they also make some premium wines, a fact I was not aware of before receiving this wine. FULL DISCLOSURE: I received this wine as a press sample.

The name comes from a site along the banks of Jacob’s Creek. In 1947, Fred Gamp planted a Moreton Bay fig tree to celebrate the centennial anniversary of the first commercial vineyard planting in the Barossa Valley. It was his grandfather, Johann Gramp, who planted that first vineyard. To this day, that fig tree still stands.

Older vine Shiraz goes into the production of this wine, though the age of the wines isn’t available. I’d say you can taste the elderly state of the vines in the intensity of fruit, as it doesn’t have that syrupy or raisiny character that often comes from wines produced in hot regions like the Barossa Valley. For me, this was a bit more finesse oriented and shows not all Barossa wines are the same.

Packed with black and blue berry flavors, this wine also showed the distinct eucalyptus of the region, along with some nice black olive notes, another characteristic I seem to find more in wines from here than elsewhere. Honestly, it has been a while since we drank this wine and my notes don’t reflect what we ate with it, though I’m pretty sure it was something in the red meat family. I’d say lamb or steak are your two best bets in the food pairing department.

The retail price of this wine should be around $35. Overall, I found it to be an outstanding wine and something worthy of saving in the cellar. While the tannins were very soft, I think there is plenty of acidity to keep this going for at least another 5 years. Hard to sit on it though, since it is drinking really well at this point in time.

For the money, I found it to be a bit on the pricey side, putting my value on it closer to $25, but that is an even more relative point than the taste. I doubt anyone who enjoys fine Aussie Shi-razz (that is how the Aussies pronounce it) would be disappointed in this delectable delight.

Haiku
Aussies say Shi Razz
No syrup in this delight
Bring me some moo cow

Other opinions:

• Grape Observer
• Vino Culture
• Style Gourmet

Finally: If you don’t mind taking a look at my LinkedIn profile, I’d appreciate it. If you know of someone whom I should speak with regarding a potential career opportunity, I’d also appreciate you passing it along to them. I thank you in advance.

Birdman / Big House White / Big House Red / The Lineup

About a week ago, I was fortunate enough to have been invited to dinner [FULL DISCLOSURE: Dinner and wine were provided for by the winery, so I spent nothing.] with the wine maker in charge of Big House, Georgetta Dane. Georgetta has an interesting story, one which embodies the American dream of making for a better life.

She was born in Romania and came to this country 11 years ago via a lottery where her husband was selected to receive a U.S. visa. They didn’t speak the language, but took the chance, packed up and moved to America. I don’t know the exact history of her career, but she did mention she was at Kendall-Jackson before getting the opportunity to take over the reigns of Big House.

One thing I found really fascinating was her comparison of winemaker to perfume maker. As someone who was a smell-ophile before getting into wine, I was curious for her to expound on this statement. She said with the number of varieties in the Big House brands, she had many notes to work with. She said she worked like a perfumer, establishing a base note with heavier grapes like Tannat and Petite Sirah, then added the heart notes with many of the traditional Italian grapes, finishing with bright and aromatic grapes for the top notes. I wonder if there are any other wine makers with a similar philosophy?

Big House is the label that was once owned by Randall Grahm, who sold it in 2006 to focus on more vin de terroir, a departure from the strategy of building brands and making wine like a negociant (one who purchases grapes or finished wine, then sells it…there is a lot of this, especially in the more value priced categories). Randall is an icon of the industry and if you want to get a great sense of who he is and what he is currently up to, check out these vids of him on Gary V’s show WLTV.

What is unique, besides the names and concept of the brand, is the number of varietals used in making the blended wines, Big House White and Red. [NOTE: There was a pink, but due to sluggish sales, it looks like there won't be one any more. That would be a shame as it is one of the best values in domestic rosé.] Big House Red contains 13 different grapes, the white has 4 and last year’s pink had 8.

Before I get into the wines, a quick word about our restaurant, Abbatoir. We started with the cheese sampler and two of the “Food in a Jar” selections. Our selections were the potted chicken liver with foie gras and duck rillettes. Both were nice ways to start the meal, though I’d probably switch to something lighter or skip the appetizers next time, as this is some heavy duty food. Our cheese plate was a small sampling of four, with the bleu des basques being my favorite. My second was the one that came with the honey comb, though I don’t remember which it was. You could always ask them for that one, as each cheese comes with an appropriate accoutrement. For dinner, I had the local pork sampler, which included a full sized chop, a healthy portion of tenderloin and a nice square of belly. It was decadent and a very healthy portion, easily something two could share, though you may want extra belly since that stuff is hard to share. The finish was an assortment of desserts, with the standout for me being the maple bacon beignets. Sweet, salty and smoky make for a great combination and I’d recommend stopping by just to try these. They are that good.

So, onto the wines. I didn’t take real detailed notes, so these are going to be short and sweet.

2009 Big House White – estimated retail $9.99: A blend of 56% Malvasia Bianca, 22% Muscat Canelli, 18% Viognier and 4% Rousanne, this wine is patterned after whites from the Friuli region of Italy. It was crisp and clean, with nice fruit flavors that were largely melon in tone. I found this version inferior to the amazing 2008, but still a good bottle of wine to have with summer fare like salads or fish.

2009 Big House Birdman Pinot Grigio – estimated retail $14.99: A blend of 82% Pinot Grigio, 8% Malvasia, 3% Muscat Canelli, 2% Vigonier and 5% other, I found this was the better of the two whites. I found it to have a bit more balance and fruit than the Big House White, with a smoother and longer finish. I’m not sure if it is worth the $5 more, but if you find it for $12 or so, it would be a nice selection instead of the usual plonk I find coming out of Italy in this price range.

2008 Big House Red – estimated retail $9.99: A blend of…hold on to your hats…26% Syrah, 13% Petite Sirah, 9% Grenache, 9% Montepulciano, 7% Mourvedre, 6% Sangiovese, 6% Aglianico, 6% Tannat, 5% Nero d’Avola, 4% Sagrentino, 3% Touriga, 3% Barbera and 3% Petite Verdot. I forgot to ask and now I wonder, how many different blends does Georgetta try before she comes up with her final answer. I was pleasantly surprised by this bottle, as I’ve NEVER been a fan in the past. Granted, I think I’ve only had it three times and one time of each vintage, but it has always struck me as a disjointed effort with no cohesive direction. I’m not saying this is great, but for me, it was an improvement. You could really smell the Italian varieties in the nose, but the palate was a bit more spicy and fruity than I remember. Good wine to have with burgers or BBQ.

2007 Big House The Lineup GSM – estimated retail $14.99: 43.8% Grenache, 41.4% Syrah and 14.8% Mourvedre, a lightweight tribute to the wines of the southern Rhone. I found this to be a bit light and lacking in all categories, but I also note that this probably should have been consumed first in the reds. Not recommended.

Cardinal Zin / Prodigal Son / The Slammer

2007 Big House The Slammer Syrah – estimated retail $14.99: 100% Syrah, this was also a tad lighter than one might expect given the varietal. I think I was the one least enamored with this one. Just not my cup of tea.

2006 Big House The Prodigal Son – estimated retail $14.99: 100% Petite sirah, this was my favorite wine of the evening. Full of dark fruit, chocolate and spice, this wine begs for bloody red meat fresh off the grill. While still not quite as good a value as the Bogle Petite Sirah, this makes a nice alternative to other BBQ wines and for the money, shouldn’t disappoint anyone.

2007 Cardinal Zin – estimated retail $19.99: Honestly, I only tried a little bit of this and found it to be okay, but I think you can do better for the money with other choices. Nothing bad about the wine, it just didn’t stand out like the Prodigal Son. Not recommended.

So, there are my recollections, thoughts, remembrances. Overall, I think the whites are both solid, the Big House Red has improved and the Petite sirah is the big winner amongst the “upper cell block” (aka pricier wines with names) series. As always, let your palate guide you to where you want to go and take everything me and every other wine reviewer (professional, amateur and semi-pro) say with a big old lick of salt, as your mileage will vary.

Cheers,
Kevin

Elderton wines: 2008 Unoaked Chardonnay / 2006 Tantalus Shiraz Cabernet Sauvignon / 2006 Barossa Shiraz / 2005 Command Shiraz

In my earliest days of wine education, I had a sensei who worked at a shop that did free wine tastings every Saturday. They were always packed and often times, filled with folks who were obviously there to just drink some free stuff with no intention of making a purchase. There were a handful of folks who were selectively placed on a private email list, which was peppered with carefully chosen musical lyrics as they related to the wines discussed. Additionally, there were personal stories and clues to a pass phrase. Said pass word or phrase, when it appeared, gave one the opportunity to sample something more expensive. These were premium wines that sensei truly believed were worth the money, so pours were reserved for those small handful of us considered “worthy”. Of course, you had to have the password, lest ye be left thirsting that for which had been chosen as “special”. After all, it was sensei’s own money being spent, so it was sensei’s right to choose how these special wines were dispensed.

This was where I became exposed to Elderton’s premier wine, the single vineyard shiraz known as Command. Moments after my first taste, I had a bottle in hand, wrapped in the signature maroon tissue paper with the gold foil seal. I still have that first bottle from the 2001 vintage, a wine that marked my first foray into the world of collecting wines. You can imagine how excited I was when I found out Elderton would be participating in a Taste Live event. Fortunately, I was one of six who RSVP’d in time to get a slot. The best part, Command was one of the four wines we were given to taste. Oh yes, before I forget, FULL DISCLOSURE: All the wines tasted were samples courtesy of Taste Live and Elderton wines.

The package arrived around 11AM and I opened up the box, pulling out the four wines for the evening’s tasting. I decided to give the Command a long decant, so it went into the decanter around 2:15PM. We had bought some lovely lamb chops and planned on enjoying some of the Command with them at dinner, one glass each so we still had some for the tasting event. The lamb chops were coated with a lamb rub we had obtained at PRIMAL and boy oh boy was it delicious. I did under cook the chops just a bit, but a quick minute in the microwave remedied that. I know, bad cook, but the end results were still delish and at the end of the day, that is all I’m concerned with. Accompanying the lamb were some roasted baby yukon golds and carrots.

So, onto the wines and the comments. The great thing about the Taste Live events is they are always accompanied by the winemaker. In this case, it was Cameron Ashmead, one of the two brothers who run the estate. The only disappointment was that due to the time difference (it was 11AM Wednesday in Australia when the tasting started), Cameron had to depart on time, which left Q&A to a minimum. Fortunately, he did answer a few questions as the tasting went on. I’ve included those and fellow blogger comments below each of my own assessments of the wines.[CORRECTION: I just discovered Cameron's Twitter account is gone, so I can't pull up his comments]

2008 Elderton Unoaked Chardonnay (estimated price $15 – $17): A fresh and crisp wine, with notes of green melon and pineapple. The aromas were very tropical and when you drink it, there was this pleasant reminder that spring and the time for lighter wines was right around the corner. I thought it was very food friendly and would highly recommend this for shellfish, especially for those folks who find sauvignon blanc to be too acidic.

@decaturwinedude says

• Nice nose on The Chard. Love the pale yellow color. Mouthful of melon. Little low on acidity for my palate right now.
• It was a beautiful 65 in ATL today…Wish I had some shrimp on the grill for this Chard.

@elizabethdehoff says

• Tasting the Chard — nose is really … green, sort of tropical.
• Unoaked Chardonnay: Very tropical flavors; kind of spiky herbal flavors.
• Yeah, the Chard feels a bit flat to me. I’m more a Sauv Blanc fan. Like it better than oaked Chard tho.

@sonadora says

• Getting apple and peach with tropical notes in the mouth
• The wine is coating the palate a bit

2006 Elderton Shiraz / Cabernet Sauvignon “Tantalus” (estimated price $15 – $17): A long time favorite of mine when I was in retail, I forgotten how good this wine was. For the money, this was the best buy of the night. A blend of 68% shiraz and 32% cabernet sauvignon, this was very juicy without being dense or heavy. You tend to get a lot of syrupy character from Barossa wines, or at least that is my recollection. This was the exact opposite and like my wife said, it was like black cherry jello in that you got plenty of fruit, but it was sort of bouncy on the palate. Blackberries, black cherries and some spicy clove with a great core of tangy acid makes this a great food wine that you should definitely check out.

@decaturwinedude says

• E Series Shiraz/Cab at 14%. Picking up the black fruit and mint on finish on the E. I like the low(er) alcohol here. Nicely integrated
• There is a a bunch of fruit on the E, but its not crossing the line. Decent balance achieved.

@elizabethdehoff says

• Shiraz/Cab: Nose has dark spicy fruits (plum, blackberry), faint vegetal undertones.
• I like the balance on the Cab/Shiraz — fruit, alcohol aren’t overpowering.
• The Cab/Shiraz was pleasant and mellow; paired it with English Cheddar and I think it worked well.

@sonadora says

• Very very fruit forward on the Shiraz Cabernet Sauvignon
• Macerated big blackberries and plums on the nose
• Getting some minty cocoa on the Shiraz Cabernet Sauvignon nose

2006 Elderton Barossa Shiraz (estimated retail price $25) Now we are getting into the big stuff. Barossa Valley shiraz are often overstuffed with ripe fruit and alcohol, sometimes stepping over the lines from dense and concentrated to fat and grotesque. I’m not one to shy from wines in the 14.5% and above level of alcohol, but they are many times overwhelming and a bit exhausting to drink. Sort of like going 3 rounds with Mike Tyson, when you just want to lay down and die because you are tired of the bone rattling blows. That and the fear of having your ears bitten off. This wine tiptoes along the cliff of overblown. It was filled with velvety and mouth coating black fruits, accented with oak derived spice and vanilla. A solid bottle, but a bit on the pricier side.

@decaturwinedude says

• Chocolate and plum on the nose of the Barossa Shiraz
• Really rich and opulent on the Barossa. I feel a little bit of heat, too, which may unwind and fade with some air
• If I were prepared, I’d have a nice lamb shank or ribeye with this Barossa Shiraz
• The Barossa is growing on me. It’s a mouthful of wine, ripe and juicy. I’d like to give it some more air/time

@elizabethdehoff says

• 06 Shiraz: Nose has a touch of heat, layers of laid-back fruit and spice… hmm.
• 06 Shiraz: This wine feels like it wants to sit for a while. It’s layered and spicy up front w/ good red fruits.

@sonadora says

• Some pepper spice and a hint of dark fruit to come on the Shiraz nose
• I’m enjoying the Shiraz

2005 Elderton Command Single Vineyard Shiraz (estimated retail price $80 – $90) As previously written, Command has a special place for me. The wine is sourced from a single vineyard where the vines are 108 years old. People, that is some serious age for grape vines. The older vines get, the less fruit they produce, but oh such beautiful fruit it is. Extremely concentrated, but again, no indication the grapes got baked into raisins in the scorching heat. The color is almost black, as if light itself gets absorbed into the wine with no chance of escape. This wine had been decanted for 6 1/2 hours at this point, much longer than anyone else. I didn’t try it when I first opened it, but I will say the bouquet was stunning when I decanted it. The room filled with an aroma reminiscent of blackberry pie that has been dusted with vanilla and cocoa powder. The tannins were soft and smooth by the time we finished off the bottle, with no signs of heat from the 14.5% alcohol. Just a smooth, rich, mouth filling bunch of yum. A classic Barossa shiraz that needs to sleep for a while to really hit its peak. I did get the chance to ask Cameron’s opinion on drinking windows for our 2001 and 2002 bottles. He suggested waiting until 2015 on the 2001 and 2022 for the 2002 vintage. I think he mentioned that 2001 was a warmer year, hence the quicker pace to the zenith. I look forward to drinking both…and yes, lamb will be involved.

@decaturwinedude says

• The Command is a big, big wine. Little bit oakiness, but a lot of rich, rip fruit. Balanced and suave, too
• Wow that’s dark (comment on the Command by decaturwinedude’s wife who doesn’t have a twitter account)
• The Command continues to unfold. It’s losing the oak. I’d like to lay a few down for a good number of years.
• Nice one! RT @cameronashmead We call it our grange killer.
• ooh. Little blocks of 72% cocoa dark chocolate is kicking with the Command.

@elizabethdehoff says

• Pouring 2005 Command Shiraz (decanted 1 hr). Looks dark and serious!
• 5 Command Shiraz: Nose has deep dark blackberry syrup, lots of heat, black pepper.
• 05 Command Shiraz: Acidity emerging after a few minutes in the glass. Want to see how this develops.
• Makeshift decanter didn’t do the 05 Command Shiraz any favors, but it’s opening up in the glass.
• 05 Command Shiraz is coming to life after putting it through the Vinturi.

@sonadora says

• Nice chocolate raspberry notes on the 2005 Command
• Dark dark fruit on the palate of the command. Plums, black cherry, some strong tannins
• Pouring the Command through the Vinturi
• Vinturi actually really opened up the Command

Well, that about wraps it up. All in all, the wines were all really good, with the Command showing quite well at such an early age. Of course, the decanting really helped and I wouldn’t advise popping and pouring this wine. The Tantalus was really the best value of the night and my second favorite wine period. Overall, a great showing from an Australian producer I’ve long admired.

Haiku
Wicked black liquid
Cocoa spiked berry flavors
Decadent delight

Thanks for stopping by and taking the time to read what I’ve got to say, I really appreciate it. Please pass along to friends and fellow wine lovers. I love comments, suggestions and questions. Have an awesome Wednesday!

2003 Four Vines Heretic Petite Sirah (bad cork) | NV Mumm Napa Rosé | 2006 Montes Folly Syrah | NV Bollinger Brut Champange Special Cuvée

2009 has finally gone. To finish off the year, we had a quite evening at home with a couple of friends, some delicious wines and awesome food. We started with appetizers of shrimp cocktail; smoked salmon salad; and the most decadent brie I’ve ever had (sorry, I forget the name, but the texture was like fresh butter).

The dinner menu consisted of salt and herb crusted rib roast; roasted petite yukon gold potatoes and fresh carrots; au jus made from the pan drippings, onions and crimini mushrooms; potato casserole; brussel sprouts cooked in Benton’s bacon fat (rock on!); finished with a homemade tiramisu. Man oh man was it awesome, especially the rib roast, which was melt in your mouth perfect. I also ate two big helpings of the brussel sprouts, which were simply awesome and delish.

The wines were as follows:

2003 Four Vines Heretic Petite Sirah (I’ve had too long to remember what I paid…maybe $30?) This was the originally planned wine to have with the rib roast. It comes sealed in wax, so I used the handy blade on the wine key to begin peeling off the wax. The first peel revealed the bottom of the cork, with no apparent seepage. Yay! After removing the remainder of the wax, I found the top of the cork to be soaking wet with wine and that horrid smell of vinegar wafted to my nose. Oh bad day. Popping the cork and drying it off revealed a hole, right through the core, a first time experience for me. I poured myself a small glass, in some desperate measure of insane hope that only the wine which had seeped through was vinegar. Alas, the bottle was gone, a victim of both friend and enemy to wine, oxygen. Quickly a replacement was decided upon and the loss of what may have been was put behind us. Here is a picture of the foul beast known forever more as Heretic Slayer.

Heretic Slayer

NV Mumm Napa Brut Rose ($14.99 – but I received as a gift): Second time this year I’ve had this and it was just as good as last time. Perhaps even a tad better now that I think about it. It was subtle in the fruit, with light touches of raspberry and toast, nothing overwhelming the other. It was a great pairing the appetizers we had. Great value and a new regular for us.

2006 Montes Folly Syrah (FULL DISCLOSURE: This was received as a press sample): It was decided this would be the stand-in for the now deceased Heretic. Knowing the pedigree of this wine, I went for an immediate decant. A small pour confirmed my belief that this wine would require some time to open up, as it was a bit tight and slightly tannic in the first sip.

Four hours later, when the wine was consumed, it was velvety and quite lush. Against the richness of the rib roast, it stood on its own. Blackberry and plum jam with sprinkles of espresso, vanilla and pepper, all roasted over an oak fire. Another monster alcohol level at 15%, but no signs of heat on the palate. A solid backbone of acid and moderate tannin call for cellaring, but since this was a sample and we needed a backup to our failed Petite Sirah, we committed infanticide. Being bad does have its rewards. This wine runs around $95, which is a hefty cost of admission. At that price, you better bring the heat and this one does. For those who like an intense and highly concentrated Syrah, but don’t care for the syrupy Aussie style, this may be something to seek out. Rated 5 stars by Decanter, along with a 94 from Spectator and Advocate, 93 from Enthusiast and a 90 from International Wine Cellar. I wonder how often that happens. Wish I had some more to sit on for a good 5 years.

NV Bollinger Special Cuvée I’ve had this for two years and when I bought it, it was $43.99. Nowadays, you can expect to pay around $59.99, which is getting up there. I believe everyone should age their Champagne, so go out there and get a couple of bottles, sock them away in some cool, dark and vibration free spot in preparation for next year. You will be rewarded.

Normally the Bolly is a very rich, yeasty style. They conduct the first fermentation in both steel and used (3 to 6 years of age) small barrels, providing for a richer style of wine. The reserve wines have a distinctive feature in they are stored in magnum, providing a more stable and less oxidative aging process. I also believe they use one of the lower dosages in Champagne, closer to the bottom end of Brut versus others who aim for the top where Brut and Extra Dry cross paths, giving the producer the option of labeling as either one.

This particular bottle was fascinating, in that with more age than the two previously sampled bottles (all from the same release), it actually didn’t exhibit as much of the honeyed brioche character as remembered. It was actually a bit racier in the beginning, with wonderful pear and white grapefruit character laid over the toast. As it warmed, the bready notes began to emerge, as if walking into a bakery on Sunday morning at 6AM when the first batch of bread hits the display case. This was the best bottle so far and once again, I’m saddened to not have more. A wonderful wine and a perennial favorite.

2003 Carmes de Rieussec (I think this was around $12.99 at Green’s when I bought it years ago) I know, this one didn’t make the photo. Sue me. This is the second label of Chateau Rieussec (next door neighbors to famed and out of this world expensive Chateau d’Yquem) and quite a bargain when it comes to Sauternes. Basically, the wine which gets rejected from the house bottling goes into this little gem, named after the former owners of the property, the Carmes de Langon monks. It was still very young, but quite delicious and a fine finish to the evening. It was full of pineapple, apricot and honey flavors, with plenty of baby fat and balancing acid to keep it from being overly cloying. This still has plenty of time left to continue developing, not bad since it is already six years old and cost so little. Oh yeah, it comes in a 375ml, which is fairly common for Sauternes. A top notch bargain while you wait for your primary labels to reach full maturity, something that can take quite a while with these wines. I wish there were more Sauternes of this QPR available.

So, there concludes the evening and the year known as 2009. Sure, 2010 brings a certain psychological break and hopefulness, but it will take loads of work, patience and being in the right place at the right time to get things really turned around. It also brings the beginning of my quest to sample 365+ sparkling wines known as Bubbles or Bust. December was a slow (as anticipated) month for getting samples, but I’m back at it for the beginning of the New Year. Now let the bubbles flow and the fun begin!

Haiku
Heretic lay slain
Folly comes to the rescue
Bolly still the best

Thanks for stopping by and taking the time to read and hopefully, leave a comment. Please forward this or just my site to all your friends, especially if they have any interest in bubbly! I’ll still be doing other wines and restaurants, just expect a ton of coverage on sparkling wines from all over the world, including many places you will never expect.

Cheers,
Kevin