NOVEMBER 6, 2011…FROM THE MOLESKINE TO YOU

I fully intended to write this article on a weekly basis, and that is still my plan. However, when I looked at the last article, it was posted in August. Gasp! Please forgive me for being negligent in my duties since my whole purpose in writing this information is to give you some guidance in your buying decisions. I will do my best to keep up, but if I don’t I hope you do not hold it against me. Life is hard enough without pressure.

I actually had the chance to review quite a few wines this last week so here you go… From my Moleskine to you.

2010 Cadaretta sbs (Sauvignon Bland/Semillon) Columbia Valley, Washington … $24.99
I have fallen in love. Bracing aromas of lime, grass and kiwi come through on the nose. Just smelling it makes me drool. Vibrant on the palate with notes of crushed rock, kiwi, lime and some grass notes. This is New Zealand Sauvignon Blanc meets Bordeaux blanc. I know the price is over twenty bucks, but it is worth all of that and more. I could name (and I won’t) at least four white blends of equal or lesser quality from Washington State of similar varietals that go for over thirty bucks. This is a value! 94 points

2009 Haut Mayne Grand Vin Bordeaux, France … $14.99
40% cabernet franc, 30% cabernet sauvignon. Spice, rose pedal, cedar and anise come through on the nose. A lighter style Bordeaux with a lot of finesse. Notes of red flowers, spice and black tea with underlying leather, wood and earth tones. I think this is a sleeping giant that needs some time in the bottle and then watch out. 2009 is a classic Bordeaux vintage so keep on the watch for these lower tier wines, a lot of them are super values. 89 points

2009 Chateau De Marsan Bordeaux Superiour … $13.99
50% Merlot, 40% Cabernet Franc and 10% Cabernet Sauvignon
Aromas of mint, wood, red flowers and cassis. There is a nice minerality on this wine with notes of iron, saddle leather and currants. This is a very dry Bordeaux with a leather and earth driven finish. This is “Old World” Bordeaux Baby! If you are looking for some of this love then this is the wine for you. 88+ points

2009 Chateau Blouin Bordeaux … $9.99
80% Merlot & 20% Cabernet Sauvignon
A nose of leather, cherry, mocha and roasted coffee bean. Leather and minerals on the palate backed by notes of rose pedal and cassis. Old world all the way on the finish with notes of leather, earth, currants and cassis. If you are seeking some “old world” love, for the price this is a steal. 88 points

2009 Pecchenino Dolcetto di Dogliani … $16.99
Dolcetto is a hidden secret from Italy, and when kept to low yields produces some delightful reds. This wine exhibits aromas of rose pedals, perfumed blackberries and cocoa powder. On the palate this wine is fat up front with notes of blackberries and chocolate. Fresher on the mid-palate flowing into a finish that displays some nice acidity and notes of black cherry. This would be a great red for ribs. 89 points

2008 Dievole Chianti Tuscany, Italy … $9.99
Aromas of red flowers, wet cedar, cherry and hits of vanilla. Cedar and tart cherries on the front of the palate. A little fatter on the mid with a leather hit on the finish. 86 points

2008 Mercer Estates Merlot Columbia Valley, Washington … $19.99
85% Merlot, 10% Cabernet Sauvignon & 5% Syran
I have decided that the Mercer Estate reds are all about wood. If you are a fan of oak driven wines, you are going to love these, so do not let my review and score jade you.
This merlot is quite restrained on the nose, maybe a little rose pedal comes through. Nice iron notes backed by mocha, red flowers and black tea up front. The oak over-powers the flavors starting at the mid-palate and intensifying on the finish. I felt like I had splinters in my mouth when I was done. The fruit could balance out the wood over the next 5-8 years on this one. 84 points

2008 Mercer Estates Cabernet Sauvignon Columbia Valley, Washington … $19.99
85% Cabernet Sauvignon, 10% Merlot, 5% Syrah
Oak all over the nose on this one with notes of cherry and currants coming through. Lots of oak on the palate with notes of spice and currants with a mocha hit on the finish.There is a nice core of black cherry in this wine that cannot rise above the wood. Again, this wine could balance out over the next 5-8 years, but I am not confident it will 83 points

2009 Dead Canyon Cabernet Sauvignon Horse Heaven Hills, Washington … $13.99
This is part of the Mercer Estates portfolio. Aromas of red plums, blackberries, perfumed herbs and hints of green vegetation. Lots of tomato leaf comes through on the front of the palate. Almost reminds me of a cabernet franc. Some sour cherry notes come through on the mid-palate with underlying bacon fat notes. (Probably from the 7% syrah). The finish has a lot of cherry pit action going on. A very interesting wine and if you are a cabernet franc fan I think you will dig this wine. I am not sure if it is for everyone. 85 points

2010 Wine Out West “Gone Fish’in Riesling Yakima Valley, Washington … $10.99
After tasting a couple of white wines from the Mercer Estates portfolio, including this riesling, I am convinced that whites are the wine makers strong point.
Wonderful aromas of ripe apples, grass and peaches. Creamy on the front of the palate with notes of lemon, melon and grass with a herbal element coming through. Intriguing finish with notes of applesauce and spice which finish clean and crisp. I can see this being on my table for the Thanksgiving celebration. 92+ points

2009 Mercer Estates Riesling Yakima Valley, Washington … $12.99
Alsace all over the nose with notes of beach ball and melon with a slight sweetness coming through. Creamy notes of apricots, peaches and a slight hit of sugar cane. The finish dries out a bit with notes of apple skin coming through. Very much a traditional style riesling and a lot more interesting then so many on the market. 90 points

2010 Mercer Estates Pinot Gris Columbia Valley, Washington … $13.99
Loads of stone fruits come through on the nose. Nice fullness on the palate with notes of peaches, nectarines and apricots. The finish is nice and clean with some crushed rock notes coming through. 90 points

2010 Mercer Estates Chardonnay Columbia Valley, Washington … $13.99
Fresh aromas of pear and apple. Nice and creamy on the palate with notes of pear, yeast and toast. Slightly disjointed on the mid-palate and finish with notes of bitter apple skins coming through. 86 points

2009 Mercer Estates Sauvignon Blanc Columbia Valley, Washington … $12.99
Very nice aromas of melon, grapefruit and fresh cut grass. Creamy notes of fresh cut grass, crushed rock and melon with hits of lemon grass. Nice intensity of flavors on the mid-palate and finish. I do not have a lot of domestic sauvignon blanc that I like, but this is in my top ten. 90 points

2007 Brian Carter Cellars Byzance Columbia Valley, Washington … $24.99
I am fast becoming a huge fan of Brian Carter Cellars. I have yet to taste a bad wine from this winery. This is a Rhone style blend of grenache, syrah and mouvedre. Dense aromas on the nose of dark fruits, smoke and char. Full bodied on the palate with notes of currants, dark cherries and boysenberries. It expands on the mid-palate and flows into an intense finish of tobacco, dark fruits, char and pepper with a little barbecue spice hit. 92 points

2008 Hahn Estates Cabernet Sauvignon California … $11.99
A bouquet of mint, meat tenderizer and a little eucalyptus. Ripe on the front of the palate with notes of black currants, dark cherries and underlying brown sugar notes. Sweet tannins and some structure with a herbal, eucalyptus, tomato stem finish. This wine is smooth and delicious and just a little to fruity for my taste. It could be a crowd favorite and a great value. 86 points

2007 Lucas & Lewellen Pinot Noir Santa Barbara, California … $11.99
A very interesting effort by this winery. If you are into tight wound-up pinot with a heavy dose of acidity then this is for you. There are moments in my life when I crave such a bottle, but they are few and far between. This is one of those wines. Very light on the nose exhibiting aromas of sour cherries and cranberries with tiny hits of soil. Tart cherries come through on the palate with light notes of soil and green vegetation. Very simple, but tastes like pinot. 83 points

2008 Hahn Estates Pinot Noir Monterey County, California … $11.99
Aromas of earth, strawberries and cherries. Ripe fruits up front with a nice earthiness to it, Black cherries come through with a backbone of cranberries and black licorice. There is a nice edge of earth throughout the palate. The only thing I see lacking in this wine is acidity which makes it slightly softer and flabbier then I like in a pinot. If you want a soft, easy to drink pinot noir, then seek this out. 85 points

Joel Gott Relative Red California … $11.99
A blend of zinfandel, syrah and cabernet sauvignon. Aromas of mixed berry jam and black currants. On the palate it was surprisingly thin in comparison to what I thought I was going to get from the nose. Notes of mixed berries and very light on the finish. Easy to drink but not much there. 84 points

Non-Vintage BookMark by BookWalter Columbia Valley, Washington … $9.99
A blend of merlot, cabernet sauvignon and syrah. Aromas of barbecue spices, char and just a tiny hit of stink with notes of blackberries and currants coming through. Plush, silky fruit up front. Black fruits with a back edge of tar and barbecue spice. Big and fat on the finish with sweet tannins and spice with hits of honey and tar. I liked this wine because it is plush with a raw edge to it. It’s Ray Lewis in a ballerina dress. 88 points

2010 Trentadue Winery Old Patch Red California … $10.99
54% zinfandel, 31% petite sirah, 11% carignan and 4% tempranillo. On the nose there is welches grape jam, blackberries and a little strawberry hit. Nice jammy notes of blackberries, dark cherries and hits of spice. Not a fruit bomb at all, this wine is balanced with soft tannins and a medium finish. This baby goes down easy. 87+ points

2007 Casanova Della Spinetta Toscana Sangiovese Tuscany, Italy … ?
Sorry I couldn’t find the price on this one, the vendor forgot to write it on the bottle.
Aromas of wet cedar, leather, tomato stem, baked earth and perfumed cassis. Sweet tannins and dark fruits with prominent oak flavors. Spice and sweet tannins on a medium finish. This wine seems one dimensional… Dark fruits and wood. Not much there no matter what you pay for it. 83 points

2010 Sensual Cabernet Sauvignon Mendoza, Argentina … $6.99
I was excited about these wines because as you know, I like to find great wines that are cheap. Unfortunately this did not deliver. Restrained on the nose with light notes of blackberries, brown sugar and black currants. Jammy and hot on the palate with notes of black cherries, black currants, raisins and spice. Too ripe and hot (alcohol) for me and amazingly it had a weak finish. 80 points

2009 Sensual Malbec Mendoza, Argentina … $6.99
Aromas of earth, black currants and dates. Plush and fat notes of currants, spice and black plums. Very jammy and a little hot, but a little more balanced then the cab and a longer finish. 86 points

2010 Vina Borgia Garnacha Campo De Borja, Spain … $6.99
Aromas of grape jam mixed with ripe blackberries. Very light and fruity on the palate with notes of strawberries and grape jam with underlying spice notes that stick around on the finish. There is no complexity to this wine, but it is tasty and goes down easy. Would be a great wine for Sangria. 85 points

2009 Rex Hill Vineyards Pinot Noir Willamette Valley, Oregon … $24.99
Very interesting aromas of Dark Cherries, black tea and some iron elements. It’s like there is a little rust on the cherries. I like it. Nice and full on the palate with notes of ripe black cherries, black tea, minerals with a little tar action on a long finish. Nice and creamy on the palate with good balance of fruit and acidity. A little old world style with some new world love. 91 points

Another week under the belt and the notes locked in my Moleskine. Hopefully you found something you might want to try and save some of your hard earned money by not wasting it on a bad wine. Life’s too short to drink bad wine.

I would also like to know if this post is helpful and interesting to you. Please comment and let me know. I am working on adding some pictures to my blog to spice it up a bit. Stay tuned. Cheers! Stan The Wine Man