Stan The Wine Man

The Mullis Center tasting this month focused on appropriate wines for the ensuing holidays, taking into consideration the food that will be served and of course celebratory bubbles. All of the wines in the line-up sans the Limoux sparkling wine (My pick) were chosen by Gabriel, wine salesperson for Cavatappi Distributing. Normally I have more of an input in the selection process, but I really wanted to see what Gabe could do on his own. He went a little on the expensive side, and I was curious how that would be received by my wine group. There were some great wines and some that did not show as well as I would have liked. Here is my personal take on the wines we tasted and, most importantly…What did the group like as a whole!

2009 Anteche Blanquette de Limoux Sparkling Wine (Languedoc-Roussillon, France) … $12.99
Since this was my personal choice, you know I already like it. On the nose there is an applesauce/lemon zest element with hits of Red Delicious apples. The bubbles are slightly bigger then I like but the flavors more then make up for that. On the dry side with notes of apples and bread dough with a dry finish of lemon-lime. For thirteen bucks this baby delivers, and the crowd agreed. This was one of the top sellers at the event, and there was a lot of positive feed-back. 87 points

Non-Vintage Roederer Estate Brut Sparkling Wine (Anderson Valley, California) … $21.99
This was a good call by Gabe. I love this sparkling wine and for the next couple of months it’s coming in at $19.99 retail, which is an awesome value.
A little marzipan action on the nose with hits of yeast, nuts and ripe pears. Almost perfumed… I love it! Again, the bubbles were a little big for me but not bad. Notes of pears, marzipan, bread dough followed by a long pear and citrus infused finish. Being as these folks are originally from Champagne there is no surprise that it is done in the same style. 90 points (There was a good reaction from the tasters, but with that thirteen dollar gem sitting close by it was hard to spring for the more expensive bubbles.)

2011 Tre Fili Pinot Grigio (Veneto, Italy) … $9.99
It’s hard to miss with pinot grigio. It is still all the rage, and second only to chardonnay in sales in the United States.
Aromas of Red Delicious apples with a hint of sweetness. Very light with subtle mineral notes. Round on the front of the palate with notes of apples. A toasty element shows up on the mid-palate leading into a toasty almost bitter apple driven finish. This is a very simple white that is just a touch awkward on the finish. Not the favorite of the tasters and certainly not mine. 84 points

2010 Blue Mountain Chardonnay (Okanogan, Canada) … $21.99
The nose shows round pear and apple notes with a nice freshness. Hits of oak come through along with a dusty minerality. Full bodied on the front of the palate with round pear and apple notes along with a hit of pineapple. Seamless flow across the palate with a nice core of acidity and minerals. A little oak shows up on the long finish with hits of pear and pineapple. This is sort of a Napa Valley meets Chablis version of chardonnay. Great price for the quality of juice. I have to say that we had a lot of anti-chard folks at the tasting so I can’t really judge how many secretly liked it. Do I need to remind all my friends that it is o.k. to like chardonnay! 93 points

2010 Fabla Tempranillo-Garnacha (Calatayud, Spain) … $7.99
This is what I would define as a “simple” red. Grape jam on the nose with notes of blackberries and a splash of tar. Very jammy on the palate with a grape/blackberry component. A little hit of tar and spice on the backside followed by a thin, simple finish. I’ve tasted a lot of inexpensive, great values out of Spain so the competition is rough. I think this one falls a bit short of my expectations. 85 points

2009 Soter Vineyards North Valley Pinot Noir (Willamette Valley, Oregon) … $31.99
Aromas of dusty minerals, earth, red cherries, cassis and hits of bread dough… Yes, I said bread dough. Dark cherries on the palate with a deep structure and polished tannins. A nice minerality comes through on the mid-palate leading into a finish of spice, cherries and tobacco leaf. There is a nice balance of acidity and fruit meaning this will age nicely over the next 5-10 years. Like most pinot out of the Willamette Valley this is not cheap. That being said, a pinot of this quality coming out of Burgundy may be three times the price. This wine was very popular at the event. 89+ points

2009 Duas Quintas By Adriano Red (Douro, Portugal) … $12.99
I have been having some nice experiences with these value reds coming out of Portugal. This one is a blend of tinto roriz (tempranilo), touriga nacional and touriga franca. Stinky dark fruits on the nose with a beefy element to it. Dark fruits on the front of the palate with sweet tannins. A little tobacco leaf and earth show up on the mid-palate leading into some leather and spice on the finish that has a little “grip” to it. Good balance and structure, showing some nice complexity and a lingering finish. For thirteen bucks this is a lot of wine, and it was well received by the group. 90 points

2010 Pendulum Red (Columbia Valley, Washington) … $14.99
This wine had a very sultry, deep and seductive nose with notes of dark fruits and chocolate backed by a hit of oak. Plump but balanced notes of dark fruits up front with a hit of spice. Some wood shows on the mid-palate flowing into a long finish of dark fruits (blackberries and dark cherries) chocolate, spice and minerals. There is a little grip on the back end of the finish. This wine just received a big score in the Wine Spectator and I think it deserved the attention. The tasters liked it too. 91 points

2011 Syncline Subduction Red (Columbia Valley, Washington) … $19.99
This is the definition of a kitchen sink blend. Mouvedre, grenache, syrah, carignan, counoise and cinsault are the grapes that make up this wine. A little restrained on the nose with notes of blackberries and black licorice. I think this wine scores big in the delicious category. Grape jam, blackberry jam and a dark cherry beam come through on the palate. There is a “bright” jammy component on this wine from start to finish, with a nice white pepper and tar hit on the back end. I thought it was a little boring, but it was definitely a very delicious wine. 88 points

2009 Luigi Bosca Malbec (Mendoza, Argentina) … $19.99
Aromas of tobacco leaf, black olive, dusty bark, black currants and a little “stink” action. Black plums and currants come through on approachable, structured tannins. There is tobacco leaf all over this wine. The power of the fruit builds through the mid-palate leading into a spicy, dark fruit and tar finish that lingers for some time. I know a lot of you out there have become accustomed to ten dollar malbec. I don’t blame you for seeking those out, because they are great values. However, if you reach out a little to a higher price point I believe you will be pleasantly surprised. Twenty bucks for this wine is a good value. 94 points (A favorite of many of the tasters)

2009 Chateau Haut-Beausejour Bordeaux (Saint-Estephe Bordeaux, France)… $34.99
I’ve been finding some really great values in Bordeaux from the outstanding ’09 vintage, many of which are going for under fifteen bucks. This is definitely a different level not only in price, but in quality.
Like a good Bordeaux, this had a little “stink” on the nose along with earthy notes of currants, leather and tobacco leaf. Very alluring if you are a huge Bordeaux fan. Beautifully seamless on the palate with notes of black currants, cherry, tobacco leaf and a floral component. Fresh acidity backs the excellent structure on this wine leading into a long finish of spice, leather, cherries and currants. This is a beauty, showing depth, structure, acidity and fruit. Drinkable now, but will improve over the next 8 to 12 years. 95 points (I think the price point was pushing it a little for my group, but it didn’t stop them from enjoying it.)

2009 Neyers Syrah “Old Lakeville Road” (Sonoma, California) … $37.99
If you want to know what a large dose of oak can do to a syrah, give this one a try. Deep sensuous aromas of blueberries, blackberries,and a hit of menthol. Intense and concentrated on the palate showing a little bit of heat from the alcohol. Notes of blackberries and bacon fat up front with oak rearing it’s head on the mid-palate in spades going all the way through the spice driven finish. The oak never over-powers the intense fruit, but it still leaves slivers in your gums. 89 points ( I didn’t get a lot of feedback on this wine, but I know that an oak driven thirty-plus dollar syrah is a tough sell)

Non-Vintage Ramos Pinto Collector Reserva Porto (Douro Valley, Portugal) … $18.99
I will be the first to admit that I have a hard time rating Port. It’s like rating a chocolate cake or chocolate pudding. It’s sweet, it’s delicious and unless they totally blew it and you like sweets, you are going to like it.
Ruby in color. Notes of ripe currants, mincemeat, anise and chocolate come through on the nose. Black currants and chocolate all over the palate with an underlying brown sugar component. Some nice spices come through on the clean finish with hits of chocolate and coffee bean. Nice balance and not overly sweet. 92 points
(I think everyone who likes something sweet and delicious enjoyed this one, it’s hard not to. It’s also a nice value for a full bottle. )

So we had some nice wines to choose from for the holidays. I think Gabe did a fair job choosing the wines sans the pinot grigio. The prices were a little steep on some of the items, especially the syrah. I know my people, and I know they are willing to spend money if it is a good value. However, it is nice to have a few more value driven wines to choose from. Live and learn as they say.
I am looking forward to having Chuck Reininger up in December for the “Intimate Tasting With The Wine Maker” event. Until then, have a wonderful Thanksgiving and good times with your families. Cheers! Stan The Wine Man

I was thrilled to have a chance to taste through the entire line-up of MollyDooker wines recently sans Scooter Merlot. For those of you unfamiliar with this winery, it is located in McLaren Vale, southern Australia. The wine makers and owners are Sarah and Sparky Marquis. If the last name sounds a little familiar, it is because they were at one time wine makers for a winery in Australia called Marquis Philips. The Marquis Philips wines were always top sellers at the store I work at. They had a red called Sarah’s Blend named of course after Sarah Marquis.

Sarah and Sparky parted ways with that winery and struck out on their own. Their talent for wine making and vineyard management have shown up in spades with their MollyDooker wines. They produce three level of wines. The Lefty wines, the Party wines and the Love wines. I would like to take the time to share with you my thoughts as I tasted though the line-up.

LEFTY WINES

2011 MollyDooker Violinist Verdelho (Mclaren Vale, Australia) … 24.99

Verdelho is not a grape varietal you hear about a lot. It is most commonly used in the Spanish wines of Madeira. And by the way, this is the only white they produce.

Aromas of Mango, papaya and peach backed by a nice mineral element. I actually get a little Froot Loop action on the nose. On the palate there are notes of mandarin orange, papaya and lemon with a hit of fresh cut grass.The mandarin notes linger for some time with a hit of Lemon Pledge on the long finish. This is loaded with sweet fruit notes, which are balanced out by a nice freshness from start to finish. I know it’s twenty-five bucks, but I also know that many folks don’t bat an eye at spending that on a chard. This is worth the price tag.  92 points

2011 MollyDooker Maitre D’ Cabernet Sauvignon (Mclaren Vale, Australia)… 24.99

Aromas of toast, bright cherries  and red berries with a little hit of red licorice. Black plums and currants coat the front of the palate without going over-the-top. Dark cherry notes come through on the mid-palate and finish with a spicy, toasty edge that lingers. There is a nice backbone of acidity on this wine, letting me know that it will age nicely for the at least five more years.  91 points

2011 MollyDooker Two Left Feet (Mclaren Vale, Australia) … 24.99

A blend of 72% shiraz, 14% cab and 14% merlot. This wine is a little restrained on the nose with dusty red fruit notes coming through with hits of licorice and caramel.  Powerful caramel, spice and black currant notes hit from start to finish backed by a current of balanced acidity giving it a nice fresh edge.  Again, this will be a wine that will improve over the next five years.  90 points

2011 MollyDooker “The Boxer” Shiraz (Mclaren Vale, Australia) … 24.99

Aromas of black tea. red currants, toasted marshmallow and caramel notes. Excellent structure and balance. Caramelized blueberry and black currant notes come through up front with dark cherry showing up on the mid-palate. It finishes with a nice spicy edge that lingers for some time. Again, this is a wine that has a couple of years left in it to improve.  91 points

PARTY WINES

2011 Gigglepot Cabernet Sauvignon  (Mclaren Vale, Australia) … 49.99

Sweet aromas of toasty cherries and blackberries. Black licorice and black currants drench the palate. Some wood notes show up on the mid-palate along with a nice density of black fruits and spice. Incredibly long, fresh finish that punctuates a very pleasing experience. ( The label has a picture of their daughter laughing away when she was much younger of course.)  94 points

2011 “Blue-Eyed Boy”Shiraz (McLaren Vale, Australia) … 49.99

Heady dark fruit aromas with a bright, mineral edge. This baby packs your palate with dense dark cherry notes backed by a nice minerality on sweet tannins. Spice shows up on the mid-palate as it glides across the mouth into an incredibly long finish of caramel and black currants. Like its siblings, this wine is silky smooth and delicious with excellent balance and a backbone of freshness that implies it will age nicley.  95 points ( Can you guess who is pictured on this label at a much younger age?)

LOVE WINES

2011 Enchanted Path Shiraz – Cabernet Sauvignon (McLaren Vale, Australia) … 89.99

Tasting this wine, you definitely know you have hit a different level. There is an interesting freshness to the nose with notes of wood, dark cherries and black currants. This baby is intense on the palate, smacking your taste buds and saying “HELLO”! It borderlines on hedonistic yet it has such good structure it never goes over-the-top. Notes of black currants, licorice and dark cherries with an undertow of black tea. It flows seamlessly across the palate on silky tannins into a finish that goes on and on. I think I can still taste it!  Is it worth the ninety dollar price tag? Absolutely. 71% shiraz, 29% cabernet sauvignon.   96 points

2011 Carnival of Love Shiraz (McLaren Vale, Australia) … 89.99

Some interesting floral notes come through on the nose along with mint, black licorice and dark cherries. I love the aromas on this wine. Blackberries and currants hit you on the front of the palate with a little root beer action coming through in the middle. It coats the palate without getting goopy because of the nice structure and freshness that comes through. Seamless from start to finish with caramel and spice coming through on another long finish. Does this one deserve the ninety dollar price tag? Of course it does, but I like the Enchanted Path a little better.  92 points

2011 Velvet Glove Shiraz (McLaren Vale, Australia) … 189.99

Now we’re talking some serious bucks. Before I give you my thoughts, I just want to let you know that this wine was treated in new American oak three different times, or as one wine maker told me… 300% new oak… Wow! With barrels going for around seven hundred to a thousand dollars a barrel, you can begin to understand why this wine demands a higher price. That being said, I had never heard before this of any winery that treats their wine with so much new oak. How would the fruit hold up to so much lumber? Let’s see.

Wonderful aromas of rose pedal, tobacco leaf, black currants, toast and a little ginger and eucalyptus coming through. Intense dark fruit notes backed by an interesting citrus element. Toasty wood notes come in on the mid-palate, but they are not dominate. This wine is seamless and silky on the palate as it flows into a long, long finish of dark fruits, tobacco leaf, leather and herbs. A solid, well balanced structured wine that will age nicely over the next 10 to 15 years.  I love syrah, and this one has to go down as one of my favorites. Believe me, I didn’t want to like it so much at this price, but I just can’t help myself. There are some Cote-Rotie out there (syrah from Northern Rhone) that are going for $400 a bottle that are not two hundred dollars better then this gem. Just to put it in perspective.  97 points

I recently had a chance to interview Sarah Marquis and I learned so much from our discussion.

http://blog.seattlepi.com/bluecollarwineguy/2012/10/23/mollydooker-heads-down-bottoms-up/

I have been a fan of their wines from the beginning, and although they are not considered an inexpensive choice, they do represent top notch wines that can be enjoyed at a reasonable price for the quality. If you are in the mood to celebrate a special occasion, or would just like to treat yourself to something special, look up Mollydooker! Stan The Wine Man