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| Thursday, December 1 |
| The Everyday Wine Snob - THE COMPLETE LIST |
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BARBERA
Montevina Sierra Foothills Amador County Barbera, 2002
Verrrrry looong finish with hints of fig, after a big biting tannic start. Interesting....the bottle says its "like an old cowboy they know...a bit leathery on the outside, but once you get to know him he's open, honest, and completely down to earth. " Quite an apt description, and one that truely captures this interesting bottle.Voted San Francisco Chronicle Top Bargain Wines of 2005. "The Italian varietal Barbera is perhaps the most underappreciated grape in the United States. It's widely grown but often ends up anonymously providing backbone for jug wines. When bottled on its own, it can be an outstanding dinner-table wine that combines two likable characteristics not found together often enough: a big body and palate-cleansing, food-friendly acidity.Pair with Cheeseburger, or Tomato-based Italian dish. About $7. Day 2 Rating: A- (opens nicely...)http://www.montevina.com/
CABERNET SAUVIGNON
Ironstone Vineyard, 2003 California Cabernet Sauvignon
The 2003 Ironstone Vineyards Cabernet Sauvignon was produced from fruit grown in the family vineyards located in Murphys and Lodi, California. The wine is young and needs some time to aerate upon opening...give it at least 30 minutes and you will be rewarded. It's also one reason why it gets and A for Day 2 - it really benefits from time. While not a very showy wine, its a SUPER value wine, delivering a strong fruit base with some tannic bite.http://www.ironstonevineyards.comAround $7. Serve at home with hard cheeses, grilled beef, rich food. Ratings: few and far between, but mid 80s generally. Day 2 Rating: A
Sebastiani Cabernet Sauvignon Sonoma County 2002
Gosh, it's hard to fine interesting Cabs at VinoRater's price point (one of the reasons this blog exists)! And admittedly, this is a bit of cheat, because it can be tough to find at under $12 (or even under $15), but if you can find (I did!) it it's worth the trouble! Nicely balanced, with dominating flavors of cherry and plum, this wine is smooth delight to drink. About 52,000 cases made. Pair it with a sirloin burger topped with blue cheese and grilled onions! http://www.sebastiani.com/home.aspRatings generally 90 and above. "Day 2 Rating": A
Stonehaven Winemaker's Selection 2003
Cabernet Sauvignon Finally! A strong Cabernet. It took going all the way down under to find a great Cab for under $12, but this South Australian was up to the task. This wine offers gentle cassis and red berry fruit and a silky finish. Just ready to drink in 2006 according to most. Around $9. http://www.stonehavenvineyards.com.au/ General ratings: High 80's, very good. Day 2 Rating: A-
DESSERT
Leonard Kreusch Rheinhessen Spatlese 2003
Time for dessert!The term Spatlese literally means, later harvest. The grapes were late-picked after reaching the prescribed level of ripeness. The wines are fuller-bodied and more concentrated than Kabinett wines and have a residual sugar level of 54 grams per liter. The Rheinhessen Spatlese offers a rich floral bouquet and good concentration. Hints of minerals intermingle with ftesh pear and cantaloupe flavors creating a deliciously versatile wine. It can be served as an aperitif or with a host of dishes, including barbeque chicken, broiled trout, or Szechuan Shrimp.Oh yeah, and a VERY cool blue bottle! Serve it VERY cold.Around $9. Delicious!
GRENACHE
COTO de Hayas Crianza 2002 (Grenache)
It's cold, serve the chili and pass the wine !!Check out this hearty COTO de HAYAS CRIANZA 2002, from Spain's Campo de Borja region. Full of spicy fruit fruit with a dry finish, this Spanish Grenache(60%)/Tempranillo(40%) blend hits the spot, and goes well with intense flavors. Around $10. High 80s. Day 2 Rating: A
d'Arenberg "The Stump Jump", 2004 Grenache/Shiraz/Mourvedre, South Austrialia
The bottle's spicy attitude matches the wine's spicy, grenache-driven southern Rhone style. Nice peppery flavor from the Grenache make this medium-bodied wine very drinkable and very delicious. Pairs with a wide range from grilled steak to olive oil and pasta. Oh, and the name: proudly named after an important South Australian invention - the stump jump plough. Many of McLaren's old vineyards were originally cleared using this invention. The plough saved many a vineyard owners' back and patience as the plough jumped over the most stubborn roots, saving valuable time and resources. Around $9-10.Ratings: High 80sDay 2 Rating: B+ http://www.darenberg.com.au/default2.php
MALBEC
Altos Las Hormigas, 2004 Malbec
Hailing from Mendoza Argentina, the Altos Las Hormigas Malbec is a medium bodied wine - lush, velvety, with fruity hints of berries and dark cherry. Simple, pleasing. The 2004 Malbec is limited to about 29,000 cases. http://www.altoslashormigas.com/indexN.htm Pair with Pork Roast and arugala/walnut salad. About $10.99 Ratings: Generally upper 80's
PETIT SIRAH
McManis Petit Sirah California 2004
Wow! WOw! WOW!! Succulent dark cherry and vanilla aromas are copious in this full-bodied, simple charmer from the River Junction. Very distinctive. Mmmm.... Around $9 (a great under $12 bargain wine)Pair it with a large rib-eye. Ratings: some low 90s, mostly upper 80s. Day 2 Rating: A
*A VinoRater Favorite
PINOT NOIR
Indigo Hills 2003 California Pinot Noir
A nice Pinot at a great price ($9.99). Very delicate, with a nice taste of fruit and soft tannins. So far, one of the best Pinots under $12 I've found. Hope you can find it in your area as well. I'm out to buy a few more... Around $10. Ratings generally high 80s. "Day 2" Rating: A-
Ramsay Napa Valley Pinot Noir 2003
Kent Rasmussen, a Napa Valley specialist in pinot noir, makes a low-price second-label pinot, called Ramsay, that comes from grapes blended from North Coast vineyards. Strawberries, vanilla, earthy, slightly tannic. Around $12. Ratings vary from high 80s to 91. "Day 2 Rating" : B
SYRAH/SHIRAZ
2003 Casa Barranca Arts & Crafts Syrah/Grenache Blend
Robert Parker gave this organic a 93, and I couldn't agree more!Deeply-colored, velvety-smooth blend of Syrah and Grenache made at their beautiful craftsman-style winery in Ojai California. Nice light peppery bite makes it truely interesting.Gift it, take it to a party, share it with friends, or sip with family (great taste, cool winery, fantastic name/label) - this one stands up.Is it because it's organic?...is it because there are no added sulfites?...whatever the reason it is special! Yum...Warning, only 200 cases were made, so while I got lucky and had no trouble finding it, it may not be available outside of southern california...http://www.organic-wine.com/ Pair with tangy ribs... Around $12. Ratings: very high, some 90s... Day 2 Rating: A
Elena 2004 Russian River Syrah
Simple, full taste, great price, rewarding bottle.Russian River Valley, granted official appellation standing in 1983, is now one of the most recognized AVA names in America. The appellation is internationally renowned for challenging varieties like Pinot Noir, which excels in this cool-climate, yielding highly expressive wines.Pair with a sausage tortellini with cream sauce...Around $8. Day 2 Rating: A-
Jekel Vineyards 2001 Monterey Syrah
This dry Monterey Syrah had nice deep flavors, a good tannin bite, and a a long finish. It really captures well the best of the Syrah grape - intensely fruity, big and bold, but without being overly ripe (or raisin-like) as is sometimes the case. And it's priced quite well...a real bargain.
A bit about the Monterey region (courtesy of http://www.appilationamerica.com/): This massive AVA on the eastern side of Monterey County encompasses the entire Salinas Valley, as well as part of Carmel Valley. The Salinas Valley, affectionately known as Americas salad bowl, is one of the country's most important agricultural assets, and hosts the majority of Monterey Countys large viticultural businesses. The valley is a funnel, with its mouth opening onto Monterey Bay. Here, fog rolls in between the Santa Lucia and Gabilan mountain ranges. The fog cools the valley early in the morning, while at midday a cool blast of wind sweeps through. Daytime temperatures rarely exceed 75 F., except for the southernmost reaches and in specific microclimates tucked into hillsides. With scant annual rainfall and predominately sandy soils, the valley would be arid if not for the irrigation from the Salinas River. One of the worlds longest growing seasons gives the Monterey AVA characterful wines with balanced acidity.
http://www.jekel.com/ Enjoy with a Spicy Chicken Taco Salad. Around $8 (price varies widely though, up to $14). Ratings: mostly mid 80s. Day 2 Rating: B+
Castle Rock 2003 Central Coast Syrah
Wow. What a great surprise. I love this wine! Brawny, with earthy pomegranate flavors. Loads of vanilla, cedar linger on the finish, with chewy tannins! Packs a whollup! About the Winery: Since its inception in 1994, Castle Rock Winery has built an enviable reputation for producing high quality wines at affordable prices for discerning wine lovers. This winning formula is highly successful as proven by an increasing number of customers and members of the wine press, who have given the wines glowing reviews. The company is one of the fastest growing in the industry, having sold 200,000 cases of wine in 2004, and expecting to sell 250,000 cases in 2005.Castle Rock's wines are carefully made from grapes grown in the most prestigious areas of the West Coast states - California (Napa Valley, Sonoma County, and Alexander Valley etc.), Oregon (Willamette Valley), and Washington (Columbia Valley). The company has always focused on making wines with specific appellations in order to allow the local qualities of the wine to be appreciated by connoisseurs. Around $9. Ratings generally in the high 80s. VinoRater Day 2 rating: A-
ZINFANDEL
Surprising Blend - Rosso Classic 2004
Not much was expected at $6.99, but what a great surprise; Francis Ford Coppola Presents Rosso Classic 2004, a blend of Zinfandel (47%), Cab (32%), and Syrah (21%). The 2004 Rosso has aromas of currants, engaging dark fruit and spicy clove, with a very soft tannins.A terrific value wine for home! And best of all, VERY easy to find. Around $7. Ratings in the 80's. Day 2 Rating: B
wine food and drink value wine everyday wine wine snob wine news |
posted by VINORATER (aka VR) @ 12:00 AM   |
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October 5th, 2006 Weekly Wine News Selections
How To Order Wine For A Business Dinner - Forbes.com: "The rules for handling wine at an important business dinner are pretty much commonsense and not very different from the rules for any kind of successful entertaining--be prepared, plan ahead and use the resources at your disposal"
A Vintner's Joy : "Harvest is a busy, crucial time as owners --and customers-- gather the crop "
CRITICS' PICKS: The Wine Country HARVEST BOON: "Grape expectations Now is the richest time to see -- and smell -- Wine Country in Napa and Sonoma. Harvest has begun. "
Web wine: A bountiful harvest for online shoppers: "Lately, thanks in part to a Supreme Court ruling, state law changes and Americans' growing comfort with the Web, the online wine business has been undergoing a sea change: There's a surge in the number and quality of sites devoted to educating consumers, highlighting unusual regions and, mostly, selling a lot of wine.
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The Pour: Decanting Robert Parker: "Thirty years of influence haven't curbed his thirst for wine, or a fight."
Study shows red wine cuts Alzheimer's risk : "Researchers have uncovered yet another reason to toast red wine: A glass a day could keep Alzheimer's disease at bay."
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| ABOUT ME |
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Name: VINORATER (aka VR)
Home: California, United States
About Me: WHY THIS BLOG?
Truth is, it's getting harder to find good wine at an everyday price (around $12 and under). So I've trolled respectable sources far and wide (Wine Spectator, Wine Enthusiast, Food & Wine, Robert Parker, Stephen Tanzer, New York Times, and other strong reviewers) for the "best of the best-priced", and tried every wine personally before recommending it. I also only include wines that are fairly easy to find. Plus, I've added useful info on wine pairings, wine terms, and wine news and other interesting wine info.
Let's share, and please pass on any recommendations, thoughts and critics...
Cheers!
VinoRater
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