For the last four years I have put on a tasting event with the theme… “Ten Under Ten In October.” It has a nice ring to it, and it has allowed me the opportunity to search high and low for some excellent values. We did it again this month and I think we hit gold when it came to some very nice wines in that magical “under ten bucks” slot.
The overall winner of the night for the tasters (based on what was ordered) was the Foppiano Lot 96 petite sirah. We poured three whites and seven reds rolling in at under ten, and in the tradition of the event I let the sales rep. bring in a favorite that had no price requirements. Ted Seifert from Unique Wines decided on Peachy Canyon “Incredible Red” zinfandel which went for a stupid price of only eleven bucks. It was also a big hit! So, all together there were eleven wines to taste.
Of the whites, a little table wine from the region of Gers near the Pyrenees called Domaine Fontan showed very well. It happens to be one of my favorites. A blend of Gros Manseng, Ugni Blanc, Colombard and Sauvignon Blanc it is a “Ten” in the delicious factor. Before I get carried away on this wine, let me get started on my review of the wines from this event.
Let’s get started with my favorite white…
2011 Domaine Fontan Cuvee de Mousquetaires (Cotes de Gascogne, Soutwest France)
A blend of 59% Colombard, 18% Ugni Blanc, 16% Gros Manseng and 7% Sauvignon Blanc this white is a steal for money. Aromas of gooseberries, grapefruit and white flowers, just smelling it made my mouth water. Racy on the palate with mouthwatering acidity it hits you with white grapefruit, gooseberry and lychee notes that dance across the palate with bold intensity. There is a nice backbone of minerals that penetrate into a long, delicious, dry finish. I am a huge New Zealand Sauvignon Blanc fan and this one will replace any of those for me.
Serve this baby all by itself or with oysters, clams, mussels and even bring it out for that sushi party. I realize it is a mouthful of wine to pronounce, so just remember Domaine Fontan white from France. 92 points
2011 Vina Ventisquero “Yali Wetland” Sauvignon Blanc (Chile)
Wow, was this a nice surprise for me and the group. Not only was it under ten bucks, it was downright great sauvignon blanc. Aromas of cut grass, kiwi, lemon and hits of gooseberry. Very New Zealand like. Zippy on the palate with grassy minerality up front. It fattens up a bit on the mid-palate with notes of grapefruit leading into a grassy grapefruit finish. Nice balance of fruit and acidity with a delicious long finish. For under ten bucks, this is hard to beat. 90 points
2011 La Cote Blanche Macon-Villages Chardonnay (Macon, France)
Aromas of pears, apples and minerals with just a slight hit of stink. Very simple on the palate with notes of pears and minerals followed by a dry apple/grass finish. Good balance, just a little thin and simple. Not bad and certainly something you could chug down without a thought. 86 points
2010 Vina Ventisquero Reserva Pinot Noir (Casablanca Valley, Chile)
Aromas of under ripe cherries, black tea, tobacco leaf and a little earth. I really like the nose on this pinot. Black tea notes, tobacco leaf and cherries come through on the front of the palate with just a touch of green vegetation. Acidity hits on the back of the mid-palate with black tea and cherry notes coming through on the finish. This is really an “Old School” Burgundian style pinot noir with bright acidity backing the fruit. For the money, it’s a great wine if you like the style. 88 points
2010 Zestos Red (Madrid, Spain)
50 % Tempranillo/50% Garnacha (Grenache) … On the nose, a combination of boysenberry and grape jam. It’s just like sticking your nose right in the jar of jam. Marionberry jam all the way on the palate with a hit of tart blackberry and tobacco on the medium finish. This is a delicious little red that would be a nice compliment to burgers or hot dogs. 86 points
2011 Oak Grove Cabernet Sauvignon (California)
A little restrained on the nose with dusty cherry and currant notes coming through. Light on the palate with some cherry and tobacco notes. Smooth tannins and a thin finish. At eight bucks, it is not complex yet it shows the cab elements nicely. Oak Grove wines continue to impress me for delivering varietal correct wines for next to nothing. 86 points
2010 Casa Santos Lima “Lab” Tinto (Lisboa, Portugal)
A blend of 35% castelao, 25% tinto roriz, 25% syrah and 15% touriga nacional. Aromas of black currants, tobacco and leather. A very deep and dark nose with a dusty element to it. Notes of blackberries, blueberries and currants show on the front of the palate with a backbone of tobacco leaf. The core of fruit maintains through the mid-palate and flows into a finish of tobacco leaf, currants and blackberries. This is a lot of wine for the price. 88+ points
2011 Quattro Mani Montepulciano d’ Abbruzzo (Abbruzzo, Italy)
Aromas of black olives, oak, leather and dusty black currants. Bright red currants up front with oak notes backed by notes of vanilla and chocolate. Blackberries and cola notes come through on the mid-palate with a lingering finish. A little thin and simple with a bright edge. 86 points
2010 Domaine de Couron Cotes-du-Rhone
Grape jam, currants, minerals with a little tar and earth on the nose. Alcohol comes through a little. Earthy almost meaty element on the palate. Blackberries and tobacco leaf come through on the mid-palate leading into a little tannic grip on the medium finish with a hit of spice. Just a little thin from start to finish. 86 points
2009 Foppiano Vineyards “Lot 96” Petite Sirah (Sonoma County, California)
As I pointed out, this was the hands down favorite at the wine tasting. Although it was not my top choice, (although close) I can understand the appeal. Aromas of perfumed black currants and spice with a minty blackberry element coming through. Flavors of black olive, wood, currants and boysenberries on the palate. There is a nice intensity of fruit with a backbone of freshness. Hits of oak on the mid and finish backed by dark fruits with tar and tobacco leaf on the spicy finish. Again, I have to say that this is a lot of wine for the money and will match up nicely with stews, burgers, pizza or grilled meats. 88+ points
2010 Peachy Canyon “Incredible Red” Zinfandel (Paso Robles, California)
This is an incredible value ( No pun intended) in zinfandel from Paso Robles. Balanced intensity on the nose of raspberries and cherries with hits of chocolate. Bright on the palate with a core of black raspberries, cherries and spice that flows across the palate into a nice long finish. Great zin for burgers, pizza ribs or simply by itself. This is for a zin lover that wants a great value. 89 points
As you can see, it was a great tasting with some excellent values. I personally loved the Peachy Canyon zin, with the Lab Tinto from Portugal and the Foppiano coming in at a close second for the reds.
It was a lighter crowd but very enthusiastic. Next month we celebrate wines for the holidays with Gabriel from Cavatappi Distributing. Until then, I hope you have some great wine experiences and see you in November. Cheers! Stan
