FROM MY MOLESKINE TO YOU…

These past two week have been busy for me. I conducted a private tasting out at Roche Harbor that was an absolute blast. We did a single blind tasting of wines that were out of the everyday category. A Tannat from Uruguay, an Albarino from Oregon and one from Spain. We also tasted a Mouvedre a Petite Verdot and a Bonarda. It was a lot of fun and I think the group learned something and tasted some great wines. I also had my “Intimate Tasting With The Wine Maker” featuring Chris Primus from San Juan Vineyards. It was held at the vineyards under beautiful sunny skies with a backdrop of the vineyard. I will write an article about that event and post it soon.

With all this going on, I did not have much time to taste wines at home, so you will not have much to read about this week. However this does not include the wines from San Juan Vineyards which I will give you my thoughts about in a separate article. So for this week here is what I tasted and my notes and scores straight from my Moleskine to you.

2010 Marques De Caceres Rioja Rose (Spain) … $7.99
Primarily tempranillo with a little grenache thrown in (Somewhere in the neighborhood of 15 to 20%) this rose had a very interesting nose that reminded me of barbecued rhubarb with a splash of cherry juice. Rhubarb all over the front of the palate with some apricot notes on the mid-palate. Finishes nice and dry with the apricot flavors lingering. Nice hang-time on this rose. I liked it and found it quite interesting. May be a little fruit forward for some but with the dry finish it makes a nice summer time rose. 89

2010 Zenato Pinot Grigio (Veneto, Italy) … $10.99
Actually one of the first pinot grigio that I liked from way back and since I had not tasted it recently, I was curious if it still found a place in my heart. A bouquet of Granny Smith apples and minerals. Creamy with notes of peach, lime and apple. It has a beam of sweet fruit on the mid-palate backed by hints of minerality followed by a nice clean, dry finish. Yep, I still like it. 90+

2010 Marques De Caceres Rioja Blanc (Spain) … $7.99
A nose of fresh cut grass, lime and kiwi with a steely edge to it. Creamy golden delicious apples on the palate with a backside of honeysuckles. Made from 100% viura. 89

2007 Gorden Brothers Merlot (Columbia Valley, Washington) … $19,99
A little stink action on the nose with notes of blackberry soaked cedar and some black currants. Plush fruit on the palate with perfumed notes of boysenberries and cedar backed by some nice spice and white pepper notes that carry on through the finish which has good length. This is a sexy little merlot and reminded me of why I have always liked this wine from Gordon Brothers. 90

2009 Borsao Tres Picos Garnacha (Campo De Borja, Spain) … $15.99
I don’t always mention color in my notes but this one caught my attention with it’s dark almost inky appearance. A very interesting bouquet on this baby with notes of raspberry licorice spice box and an interesting doughy element that I couldn’t quite put my finger on. A very concentrated wine with notes of cherry, boysenberry, cassis and currants. Sort of a dark fruit meets red fruit action. Some pencil lead notes hit you on the front with a nice fresh mid-palate where I also got come interesting citrus notes. A little grip on the finish with notes of tar and spice that lingered for some time. Well balanced with a strong backbone of acidity that is balanced with solid fruit. This could be my pick for September, we will have to see. Drinks very good now but will get even better over the next 5-8 years. 91

2007 Hence Cellars “Cultivar” (Walla Walla, Washington) … $16.99
55% cabernet sauvignon, 10 merlot, 10 syrah, 5 cabernet franc, 10 carmenere, 5 sangiovese and 5% malbec. This is what we call in the wine biz a “kitchen sink” blend. I got a lot of raisin and char elements on the nose with hits of vanilla and mint. Ripe black currants on the front with a little mincemeat. Big black fruit on the mid-palate with hints of spice. Finished with notes of minty raisins and some minerality. Unfortunately this wine is not in it’s prime and seemed a little tired. Would have loved to try it two years ago. 81

2008 Yalumba Bush Vine Grenache (Barossa Valley, Australia) … $14.99
Core of raspberry on the nose with notes of perfumed strawberries and hints of licorice. Spicy plush dark fruit on the palate This is what I would call a “Jammy” wine. Some char elements come through on the middle with a sweet blackberry beam of fruit. Spice and ripe fruit linger on the finish which seems slightly hot from the alcohol. 88+

2009 Zind Humbrecht Gewurztraminer (Alsace, France) … $26.99
A bouquet of nuts and caramel. Very nutty on the palate backed by notes of peach and spice. Nice clean finish this wine is both heavy and light. I have tasted some great gewurz from Alsace and for some reason this one does not deliver what I am used to, especially for the price. 88+

2010 Boony Doon Vineyards Vin Gris de Cigare Rose (Central Coast, California) … $15.99
Very interesting aromas come through on this pink wine. The first thing I got was pencil shavings with some peach juice and wild flowers backed by hints of strawberries. This hits the palate with round notes of peach and cherry which mellow out a bit on the mid-palate and finishes dry with some dairy and peach notes. This rose has some guts to it but is dry enough on the finish to appeal to the “Dry” rose drinker. 90

2010 Domaine Bart Rose (Marsannay, France) … $15.99
Sometimes in my notes I’m not sure if I wrote the name correctly but that’s what I put down. 100% pinot noir this rose gave off aromas of baked apple and rhubarb. Good acidity on the palate with notes of cherry skins that permeated the palate into a lingering finish. I didn’t get much more then cherry and cherry skins on this wine but I liked it alot. Very refreshing and delicious which is what rose is all about. Right? 90

2005 Wayne Gretzky Estate Cabernet Sauvignon (Napa Valley, California) … $9,99
Red currants , oak and tobacco notes come through on the nose. A little ‘Old School” action on this cab. Good structure with notes of black currants on the front end that blend into notes of iron, tobacco leaf and faint spice notes. The oak is a little over-bearing on the finish crowding out the fruit notes. Not a bad little cab for those who like a more oak driven style, and the price is right. 87

2008 Henry Estate Pinot Noir (Oregon) … $16.99
Henry Estate Oregon Pinot has always been a great value showing good quality to price ratio. This is no exception. On the nose notes of cherries and pie crust with a back end of strawberries and tar. Round fruit on the palate but not jammy. Cherries, oak and black tea notes with hits of minerals and herbs on the finish. Good balance of acidity and fruit with just a little more oak then I personally prefer. This should appeal to most palates and it is a great price. 88+

NV Rive Della Chiesa Prosecco Brut (Veneto, Italy) … $13.99
Just in case you didn’t know, NV stands for non-vintage. Prosecco is one of the hottest tickets in sparkling wine on the market right now. Light, crisp and fruity, it is not complex but very enjoyable. This prosecco has aromas of dusty apples and pear. Red delicious apple notes dominate the palate with underlying notes of pear and hints of ginger which I found quite fascinating for a prosecco. Clean and dry on the finish. Good bubbles. 90

2009 Volver Single Vineyard Tempranillo (LaMancha, Spain) … $15.99
This tempranillo had a very interesting nose that evolved quite a bit over a couple of hours. It went from aromas of black licorice and blueberries to vanilla and boysenberries. Deep dark fruit on the palate with good structure and silky tannins. Notes of blueberries, blackberries, tobacco leaf and tar come through on a big mid-palate. A slight grip on the long finish. This wine screams for grilled meats, pizza or a bowl of chili. 90

2009 Cheriz Encruzado (Dao Portugal) … $9.99
When is the last time you tasted an Encruzado? That is the name of this white grape from Portugal and it is the first time I have experienced this wine, at least to my memory. Not much on the nose of this wine, all I got was some dusty rock elements. The palate is where this wine took off. Notes of crushed rock, grapefruit rind, peach pit, licorice and hints of cut grass come through. Good acidity up front and then it rounds out in the mid-palate and then finishes with just a little bitterness (banana skin). This wine will appeal to the wine geeks out there who like quirky little wines. I thought it was good but do not think this example of the grape will have mass appeal. If you want a palate adventure, give it a try, it’s only ten bucks…C’mon. 88

2010 Paso A Paso Verdejo (LaMancha, Spain) … $9.99
A bouquet of grapefruit, melon and a little grassy. Nice crisp acidity comes through on the palate. Good balance with notes of melon, peach and hits of grapefruit. Nice minerality on this wine making it a perfect wine to pair with shellfish. Oysters and Paso A Paso…. It doesn’t get any better. Simple but good. 88

There you go, my notes for the week and it was a good run. Normally I get a few more stinkers then this but that is o.k. with me. I hope this little addition to my blog is helpful to you and I will do my best to keep up with it. Cheers! Stan The Wine Man