Stan The Wine Man

When it comes to tasting and analyzing wines, there is one thing that is certain. There are good weeks and bad weeks. I have literally tasted through dozens of wines to find one worth getting excited about. And then there are the times like this past week where just about every wine I put to my lips was above average or better. Needless to say, I love it when that happens.

It is harder to run across poorly made wine these days with all the technology and refining of wine making methods. However, it is not uncommon to run across uninspiring, average wines. Just stop by Trader Joes and pick up a couple of bottles of Charles Shaw and you begin to understand what I am talking about. Their not of poor quality, they are just boring.  Well, this past week was not boring and I am happy to pass on my experience with you. Here are my tasting notes.

2009 Foxglove Chardonnay… Central Coast, California … $14.99

Very “old school” on the nose with aromas of butter, oak, peach and pears. Oak hits right up front on the palate with ripe pears coming through. Hits of butterscotch on the mid-palate leading into a finish of caramel and pears. Oak is present on this baby from start to finish. This is a retro chard for sure and will appeal to the oaked chard lover.   86 points

2009 Dreaming Tree “Crush” Red … North Coast, California … $13.99

Like many celebrities, Dave Matthews of The Dave Matthews Band has decided to jump into the world of wine production. This is a result of a collaboration of Dave Matthews and Steve Reeder, wine maker at Simi Winery.

Bright aromas of cranberries, red currants, violets and under ripe blackberries. Plush on the front of the palate with notes of black currants, dates and spice. Smooth and delicious with an underlying brown sugar component leading into a medium finish with some spice elements lingering. This is not a complex wine and may be a touch flabby, but I think it will appeal to a lot of folks.   86+ points

2009 Leese-Fitch Merlot … California … $11.99

On the nose, notes of cherries, rose pedal a little oak and some veggies on the back end. Dark fruit up front  with notes of blackberries and black plums coming through. A little spice, mocha and vanilla hit on mid-palate leading into a medium finish with a little branch/twig component coming through. Smooth, spicy and simple for twelve bucks. Not bad.  87+ points

Non-Vintage Barnard Griffin Cabernet-Merlot … Columbia Valley, Washington … $9.99

I’ve always felt that this wine represented one of the best values for an everyday red out of Washington State. It is consistently good and always around ten bucks. This version is 65% cabernet sauvignon, 33% merlot and 2% cabernet franc. Aromas of blackberries, green tea and tomato leaf. Plump on the front with notes of black currant, black plum backed by tomato stem flavors. A little sweet spice hit on the mid-palate flowing into notes of black tea and tomato stem on a medium to long finish. I like the herbaceous element to this wine, but I’m not sure if everyone will. A little Chinon like on the palate. Not as user friendly as past blends but if you are in for a little old school action, this should do.  87 points

2009 Atalaya Laya Red … Alamansa, Spain … $8.99

A blend of 70% grenache and 30% monastrell (mouvedre). Vibrant aromas of blackberries, black currants and spice with a little dust component on the back end. Nice bright core on this baby with barbecue spices, black currants and blackberries coming through on front and mid-palate. This is a plump wine but there is good acidity that drives the fruit flavors. Oak comes through on the finish with a little char and spice action. Good balance on this wine, but there may be just a little too much oak on the finish. You be the judge.  88 points

2009 Milbrandt Vineyards “Brothers Blend” … Columbia Valley, Washington … $14.99

Hefty aromas of blackberries, spice and vanilla. Blackberries, vanilla and mocha come through on the front of the palate. Barbecue spices and a little char hit on the mid-palate leading into a pleasing mocha, vanilla, chocolate and blackberry finish.This is a heady red with a long finish and lots of fruit with soft, silky tannins. I” KNOW” most folks will love this wine. It has all the qualities your looking for in a easy to drink yet BIG red with a nice price tag.   88 points

2008 J. Bookwalter “Foreshadow” Merlot … Columbia Valley, Washington … $29.99

Interesting nose on this merlot. Aromas of burnt tar, black currants, black tea and hints of brown sugar and flower stems. Plush dark fruits hit the front of the palate with a nice intensity into a mid-palate of barbecue spices that flow into a long finish of cassis, tar, spice and black plum with a little saddle soap action on the backside. This is a smooth, structured wine with silky tannins. I like this wine a lot but never like a thirty dollar price tag. However, this wine is interesting and complex enough to make it worth the thirty bucks.   90 points

Non-Vintage Terra Blanca Arch Terrace Lot 1 Red Blend … Red Mountain, Washington … $19.99

57% cabernet sauvignon, 26% syrah, 17% merlot. This is the first non-vintage Arch Terrace red blend that I am aware of. By going non-vintage, it gives the wine maker a little more leeway on what juice to use. It worked on this baby showing off the Red Mountain terroir. Aromas of red berries, rose pedal, wood, red plums with a menthol on the back end. Solid structure and excellent balance showing off notes of blueberries and bing cherries on the palate backed by a beam of brightness. Mouthwatering on the finish with spice and cassis notes with underlying chocolate.  This baby shows off the Red Mountain baked earth throughout. I am a sucker for Red Mountain juice and this represents it well.  90 points

2008 Ventisquero “Grey” Single Block Cabernet Sauvignon Trinidad Vineyard … Maipo Valley, Chile… $19.99

I think this may be one of the best cabs I have had from Chile in recent memory. A lot of the ones I try lean heavily towards the herbaceous spectrum of the flavor scale. Not so this baby. Aromas of perfumed red currants herbs, fennel and a little petroleum action. Nice deep core of black fruits on the palate backed by refined tannins. Violets, rose pedals and herbal black tea components come through on the mid-palate leading into a long finish of black currants, cassis and spice. Drinks great now, but will develop nicely over the next 10-15 years. Nice effort!  93 points

2010 Berger Zweigelt … Austria … $14.99

A lot of you might look at this one liter bottle with a pop cap and say “What is this?”. Well, it is exactly what it says it is, a Zweigelt which is the name of the grape from Austria. Zweigelt is a hybrid cross between what we know in the U.S. as lemberger (blaufrankisch) and St. Laurent. It is a lot like a pinot noir if that is helpful and it comes in at a modest 12.5% alcohol making quite user friendly.

Aromas of perfumed blackberries and dark cherries with a little menthol action on the back end. Blackberry Sweetarts and dark cherries come through on the front of the palate. There seems to be a little apple juice component on the mid-palate leading into a pleasing finish of dark cherry skins that linger. This wine is well balanced with soft acidity and silky tannins. With the low alcohol, you can confidently pop the cap and consume the 1ltr bottle with a friend.  89 points

2009 Ventisquero “Queulat” Pinot Noir Single Vineryard … Casa Blanca Valley, Chile … $14.99

Very earthy on the nose with notes of cassis and underlying dark cherries. Ripe black cherries and spice fill the front of the palate. Nice flow across the palate maintaining the fullness of the fruit and leading into a long finish with black tea notes backed by spice and petrol. Nice balance of fruit and acidity with silky smooth tannins. The Ventisquero wines continue to impress me and this pinot is a super good value. The same quality out of Oregon would fetch over twenty bucks easy! 91 points

Alandra Tinto Vino de Mesa Non-Vintage … Portugal … $4.99

Portugal continues to pump out some very nice values that are under the radar. I know there are a few of us around that understand the quality of wine coming out of this country for next to nothing, but as of now it is still waiting for mass public recognition. This little gem, is a classic example of what I am talking about.

Aromas of dusty black currants and a light hit of blackberries. Good core of black currants on the palate backed by an interesting black olive element. Tobacco leaf hits on the mid-palate, leading into a finish of white pepper, blackberries and black currants. The finish is a little thin, but that is nothing when you are only paying five bucks for this baby.  The best value I’ve tasted this week.   88- points

2008 Maggio Family Vineyards Old Vine Zinfandel … Lodi, California … $10.99

Perfumed ripe black currants on the nose with a little “meaty” element, maybe beef jerky? Ripe black currants, white pepper and brown sugar come through on the front of the palate. This is a heady zin with loads of ripe fruit flowing across the palate into a long finish of brown sugar, black currants and pepper. A lot of folks will like this zin, because it is “10” in the delicious factor. It just has a little too much of the brown sugar element for my taste.  85 points

2009 Maggio Family Vineyards Petite Sirah … Lodi, California … $10.99

Almost a blueberry/chlorine element on the nose backed by notes of black currants, vanilla and hits of brown sugar. Full notes of black fruits on the palate (blueberries and black currants) with a little spice kick. Tiny hits of tar and tobacco leaf with a little vanilla thrown in on a long finish. This wine is simple, slightly one-dimensional but not bad for the money. If your in the mood for something easy and delicious and a little out of the ordinary, I think you just found it.  87 points

2010 Blue Plate Chenin Blanc … California … $9.99

I love chenin blanc when it is done right. It can be vibrant and mineral driven with that classic wooly component that set it apart. This one does not fall into the “vibrant” category, but it has enough to make it very interesting.

Aromas of red delicious apples, peach pit and wet wool. There is a nice mineral feel on the palate with creamy notes of pear and apple backed by the wooly component that you get out of so many chenin blanc out of the Loire Valley, France. The finish is pleasing and the flavors linger. I can see this with shellfish or poultry and it is just right for sipping before a meal.  88 points

That’s my wrap up for this week. I am excited about the many values I discovered, especially the Ventisquero line of wines. I am going to go nuts with that pinot noir this spring and summer. Both the Portuguese red and the chenin blanc were nice surprises and wines that will do well in the department. Over-all it was a good week for the Moleskine and I hope it was helpful for you. Cheers! Stan The Wine Man

In my segment… “From My Moleskine To You” I fully intend to post my tasting notes for each week so you can see what is out there and how I feel about it. I have tasted many wines this month already, and for some reason have not taken as many notes as usual. So I am making it a New Years resolution to submit my tasting notes from my Moleskine to you each week, regardless if it is one wine or thirty. Here are the wines that I have tasting notes on for the first three weeks of January 2012.

2009 Root:1 Carmenere Colchagua Valley, Chile … $10.99

I have been a fan of this wine for a long time. I love the true expression of the grape with the vegetation coming through i buckets. Admittedly it is not for everyone as many like a more fruit-forward style of wine. For those looking for “Old World” wine this will fit the bill.

Aromas of green bell pepper, celery, black pepper and dark fruits. Black currants with whipped celery notes hit you on the front of the palate. A little tomato stem action on the mid-palate with hits of pepper on smooth, well structured tannins. Nice balance and good intensity on a finish featuring cassis notes. Like I mentioned, some may be put off by the vegetable notes but I like it.   89 points

2009 Cono Sur Vision Series Carmenere Cachapoal Valley Chile … $13.99

You may be wondering why there are two carmenere in a row. I was searching for a wine for our tasting “The Best Wines With Chili”, and we thought a wine from Chile would be kind of cute. Both Pete and I felt that carmenere would do the trick so these are the two I tried. Although I liked the Root:1 personally, I felt this one would appeal to a broader audience.

Aromas of minty black currants, blackberries and an interesting beef marinade element. Plums and black currants with an underlying forest floor element, framed by structured, smooth tannins. Nice leather notes come through with hits of white pepper. Nice balance and excellent structure Long finish with traces of white pepper lingering for some time. This carmenere skips the vegetation, yet has the old world feel in it. 90+ points

2010 Charles & Charles Red Columbia Valley, Washington … $9.99

Last year, I was all over this wine putting it on my top 40 for under twenty dollar list. This is an example of why you should try a new vintage before you go crazy and buy a case or more.

Interesting nose of toasty vanilla, blackberries and what seems to be hints of coconut. Very smooth and grapey with notes of blackberries coming through. I found the wine to be slightly one-dimensional. This wine has a nice delicious factor with slight hits of bacon fat on the finish. Lacks complexity. Don’t get me wrong, a lot of folks will like this wine especially as an everyday red. I am just comparing it to what it was last year and it does not measure up.  87 points

2010 Concannon Selected Vineyards Pinot Noir Central Coast, California … $7.99

Aromas of bright cherries and hints of strawberries. Very light in the aroma category. Fruit forward almost jammy notes of black cherries, blackberries and plums. Slightly thin on the finish. This comes across as a big gob of fruit. A lot of folks might like this for it’s simplicity and fruit. It certainly is tasty. However, I find that it does not represent the varietal in a very good way, which is too bad because the price is right. If you are a die hard pinot fan, do not go here.  83 points

2008 J Vineyards Pinot Noir Russian River, California … $34.99

This is when I get just a little pissed. I compare two pinot noir, and the more expensive one shows so much better then the inexpensive one. How can I do my job as the Blue Collar Wine Guy this way? Kidding aside, I feel that this pinot is a pretty good value for what you get… And yes, I would have loved to have the eight dollar version show just a little better.

Wonderful nose on this baby with notes of earth, (good start) dusty rocks, dark cherries, red plums and anise. Deep and sexy on the palate with notes of ripe black cherries and black plums nestled by soft silky tannins. There is an underlying acidity that drives the dark fruit flavors backed by hits of minerality. Seamless across the palate with a long ass finish. A little on the soft side but a stunning wine.   90 points

2009 Chateau Les Deux Cedres Bordeaux … $10.99

2009 is another classic vintage from Bordeaux. They have had an amazing run of great vintages in the first decade of the new millennium. I am always on the look-out for wines from these vintages that fall in the “other appellations”  arena. Many times they show excellent quality for the price.This is exactly what I am looking for.

Aromas of flowers, minerals, tomato stem, tobacco leaf and caramel. Black fruits, tobacco leaf and tomato stem are framed by refined, silky tannins. Notes of blackberries and red currants come through with a nice leather component on the finish backed by spice and earth. Not your typical Bordeaux but close, showing some love handles on the mid-palate. For eleven bucks, this one is hard to pass up.  90 points

2009 Columbia Crest H3 Cabernet Sauvignon Horse Heaven Hills, Washington … $13.99

Aromas of black currants, red cherries and perfumed spice. If you are going to just “Pop & Pour” this baby, here is what you will find. Round notes of brown sugar currants that penetrate through the mid-palate with an interesting leather spice and mocha hit on a fruit forward finish. This is really a tale of two wines. If I scored this on the “Pop & Pour” method I give it 86 points. If you decant it for just a little bit, the fruit subsides and the wine becomes less of a fruit bomb with the brown sugar element disappearing. Decanted, I give this wine 89-90 points.

2009 Foppiano Vineyards Petite Sirah Russian River, California … $14.99

Restrained on the nose with notes of beef and dark currants. Powerful black fruits on the palate with notes of spice and mocha on sweet tannins. Nice hit of grip and spice on a long finish with a pepper and spice hit on the back end. A classic example of never judging a wine by it’s nose. This is not as inky and bright as some can be, but it is well built and delicious.  91 points

2009 Chateau d’ Oupia Minervois, France … $11.99

Aromas of earth and blackberries with a backside of dried herbs and cassis. Loads of minerals on the palate backed by notes of leather and cassis. Nice dried herb element on the mid-palate. Little bit of a leather grip edge with hits of dusty rocks on a decently long finish.  A true “Old World” style red. 60% carignan, 30% syrah, 10% grenache.  88+ points

2010 La Coterie Cotes -du – Rhone, France … $10.99

Aromas of perfumed red flowers, herbs, vanilla and cassis. This is a very young wine and it shows. Dirty on the palate with a load of minerals that over-power the fruit. Crushed rock, blackberries, cassis. Slightly awkward with a tannic grip on the finish. This will change over the next couple of years, but I am not sure which direction it will go… Dirt or fruit.  Made with 100% organically grown fruit.  84 points

2010 Fontana Fredda Briccotondo Dolcetto Langhe, Italy … $13.99

A little “Old World” stink on the nose along with notes of blackberries and perfumed black licorice. As it airs out the aromas get deeper. Soft and plush on the palate with notes of red plums, cassis and spice. A nice little chocolate hit on the mid-palate backed by a nice core of brightness from start to finish. Finish is slightly thin. This baby screams for BBQ ribs or a peppered steak.  87 points

2008 Fonterutoli Badiola Tuscany, Italy … $12.99

Even though it hails from Chianti, because it has 30% merlot in it they cannot put Chianti on the label. Also 70% sangiovese the main grape of that region, this little red is done in what they call a “Super Tuscan” style. I love it when I stumble upon a great value from Italy.

Aromas of currants, cassis, forest floor, dried herbs and hints of pencil lead. Quite an interesting nose for a thirteen dollar wine. There is a nice intensity on the palate with concentrated blackberry and currant notes that blend into minerals and spice on the mid-palate. Nice underlying notes of chocolate and mocha that lead into a nice finish with hits of worn leather on the backside. This little gem has a lot going on and I think it is one of the best values I have run across recently. Will pair nicely with a pasta dish with red sauce, pizza, burgers a hearty stew or juicy steak.  Thinking it might be my pick of the month in February… We’ll see.  91 points

2010 Michael David Incognito White Lodi,California … $16.99

Had a nice little sit down with the Michael David rep. a couple of weeks ago and a nice line-up of wines  to taste.

This is mostly a blend of viognier (68%) and chardonnay (20%) with a splash of sauvignon blanc and roussanne. Beautiful aromas of cut grass, grapefruit, kiwi and hits of lime and minerals. Creamy on the palate with notes of grapefruit, kiwi, papaya, mango backed by a very nice minerality. This is a great white that I have over-looked for some reason. No more! 90 points

2010 Michael David 7 Heavenly Chards Lodi, California … $13.99

It’s nice to see them change the label on this wine. I fell in love with this chard a few years ago but had trouble selling it, mainly because of the label.

Interesting aromas of smoked ham and peaches. Nice and lean on the palate. More of a white Burgundy style with hits of peaches and minerals. The New World comes through on the finish with hits of butter and oak. The best of both worlds if you ask me. Nice balance and very interesting.  89+ points

2009 Michael David 7 Deadly Zins Lodi, California … $14.99

Deep aromas of strawberries, black raspberries, anise and a little hit of bacon fat. Very jammy on the nose. Jammy on the palate but not out of whack. This wine has good structure with delicious notes of mocha and blackberry that flow seamlessly across the palate finishing with notes of spice and bacon fat. One of the more interesting zins I have tried recently. I liked it!  89+ points

2009 Michael David Incognito Red Lodi, California … $16.99

A blend of syrah, cinsault, carignan, mouvedre, petite sirah, greanache and a splash of tannat. Talk about a kitchen sink red! Aromas of bacon fat (Go figure) mocha and boysenberry. Spicy on the palate with bright notes of bramble berries, mocha and vanilla. Nice charcoal hit on a long finish. Seriously good barbecue red. 89 points

2009 Michael David 6th Sense Syrah, California … $15.99

Very deep aromas of black plum and bacon. Love this aroma out of a syrah. Notes of blueberry and blackberry come through on the front of the palate. Nice spice notes on the mid-palate, leading into notes of coffee bean, mocha, bacon fat and boysenberry on a lingering, delicious finish. I love syrah, and this hits the spot.  91 points

2009 Michael David Petite Petit Lodi, California … $15.99

A little subdued on the nose with notes of boysenberry and, you guessed it… bacon fat. Flavors of blackberries are vibrant on the palate with notes of black cherries joining it on the mid-palate. Minerals and smoke with a little hit of spice and licorice come through on a long ass finish. This is petite sirah with a splash of petit verdot, thus the name Petite Petitl 90+ points

2007 Michael David Windmill Petite Sirah Lodi, California … $12.99

Aromas of black plums, boysenberries and a backside of char. Nice leather component on the palate with notes of boysenberry, mocha and hints of blueberry. Notes of vanilla and spice linger for some time on the finish. This wine is a nine in the delicious category. 89 points

2009 Michael David InkBlot Cabernet Franc Lodi, California … $37.99

Very restrained on the nose with hints of blackberry and coffee bean. Penetrating notes of coffee bean, charcoal, bacon fat (??) and boysenberry are framed by sturdy, appr0achable tannins. Very clear and precise on the palate from start to finish. Just a little over-priced if you ask me.  88 points

Well, there you have it. My first three weeks of January and hardly anything to show for it. However, I do believe I found my pick of the month for February which I am happy about. Happy drinking! Stan The Wine Man