STAN’S PICK FOR SEPTEMBER ’11…

Posted on September 2, 2011 by Stan The Wine Man

For some unknown reason, it makes me nervous to pick a wine as a recommendation for an entire month. I worry that someone might buy it and not like it. I realize that when you are in the business that I am in you must have thick skin. I analyze and score wines for the benefit of my readers and put myself in the position to be criticized for my choices. I accept that, but it still does not take the nerves away. That being said, I sort of went out on a limb with this pick because it fits my palate but may not appeal to a broader audience of wine drinkers. Read the review carefully before you go out and buy this wine. Make sure it is something you would like to try. As for myself, I think it is a great value for what it offers.

2007 Grilos Vinho Tinto Red Dao, Portugal… $7.99

This red is a blend of Touriga Nacional, Tinta Roriz (Tempranillo) and Alforcheiro. Touriga Nacional is the main grape used in the making of Port and contributes intense color, flavor and aromas. This is quite evident in this eight dollar blend. Aromas of blackberries, red currants, wood and earth come through on the nose. On the palate I was amazed at the complexity this inexpensive red has. Notes of tobacco, cherry and cassis come through on the front of the palate with even a hint of cranberries. On the mid-palate this wine brightens up with the cranberry and cassis notes penetrating into a finish of medium length. I detected some tiny hits of spice throughout. Excellent structure, good balance with a tiny “grip” on the palate near the finish. On the back label it says that the wine can be enjoyed now or put away in the cellar for a few years. They are not kidding. This wine may not be for those who are looking for a fruit forward style of wine, but I found it quite intriguing and was impressed with the quality for only eight bucks.

If you want a good bang for the buck, and like wines that are “Old World” in style this is a diamond in the rough. It has four years of age already and is still bright and vibrant. Dare I say, it reminds me a bit of a youthful Barbaresco. Seriously good wine at a seriously good price. If you want to experiment on aging wine this may be the one to do it with considering the investment. Buy a few bottles and tuck them away for about four more years. I think you will have a nice surprise awaiting you. 90 points

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ODE TO VAYNERCHUK…

Posted on August 30, 2011 by Stan The Wine Man

I can remember the first time a good friend of mine told me to check out this person who does wine reviews on the internet. He told me I would get a kick out of this guy who was a little off center but fun to watch. I checked it out and thought to myself, here is a guy that takes the same approach to the wine world that I do. I was hooked. I didn’t watch him religiously, but I tried to get a few episodes of Wine Library TV in every week hosted by Gary Vaynerchuk.

“Hello everyone and welcome to Wine Library TV. I am your host Gary Vay-Ner-Chuk and this my friends is the Thunder Show, the internet’s MOST PASSIONATE WINE PROGRAM…” This is the way he started out every episode. He was both dynamic and knowledgeable with a “Jersey” attitude that came through. He appealed to the younger generation simply because he knew there lingo and spoke about wine using the terms that they could relate to. He had a New York Jets bucket and an action figure of some sort sitting in front of him nearly every episode. He would drink wine and analyze it either straight up or in a blind format. He did his best to educate or as he would put it “Nerd it up”. Sometimes he would have a guest on the program related to wine, and many times they were big names. Jorge Ordonez, Jancis Robinson, Randall Graham, George Tabor and Kermit Lynch to name a few.

Gary has a great palate, or as we say he understands what he is drinking and also has a good barometer for what most people like. This is due in part to the fact that he worked in the retail side of wine. His father Sasha owns a liquor store in New Jersey and Gary eventually took things over becoming the General Manager of the business. Gary took sales from somewhere in the 2 to 4 million dollar mark to nearly 60 million dollars, making his presence as a successful business man. He spent many hours in his early career hustling wine on the floor helping customers make the right choice in their purchase. This experience was invaluable for him when he started his video wine program.

Gary’s true passion lies in business, and although he loves wine and the wine world, he loves being an entrepreneur. He is big into Angel Investing and he loves to give motivational talks. I do not believe there are many out there that understand the value of Social Networking better then Gary. He has recently written his third book entitled “The Thank You Economy” in which he preaches the value of the Social Network to businesses in particular. His book “Crush It” is still one of my favorites that I refer to often as I develop my own skills in social networking.

He ran with Wine Library TV for five years doing one-thousand episodes. He retired from that format and soon started “The Daily Grape” which was similar to his prior show but much shorter and one that he could do on the road since that is where he was most of the time. It was a good program but lacked the steam that he had generated with Wine Library. He had trouble (which is understandable) keeping it going on a daily basis. Recently, he announced his permanent retirement from video blogging (The Daily Grape & Wine Library TV) and said that he is on to other passions which include nurturing his entrepreneurial spirit. and spending time with his daughter and wife.

Gary will be sadly missed. I for my part learned many things from Gary and I enjoyed the format that he developed. I made comments on his video blog and even criticized him from time to time. Gary was always gracious when responding to criticism and I believe he truly cares about people. There is nothing fake about this man and although he has an ego he is truly interested in those that support him. I for my part do not believe that we have seen an end to his video wine interests. Someday, and it may be sooner then we think, Gary will pop up somewhere on the internet with a video about wine.

I wish Gary well and look forward to seeing what he is up to next. Cheers! Stan The Wine Man.

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FROM MY MOLESKINE TO YOU…

Posted on August 17, 2011 by Stan The Wine Man

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

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STAN’S PICK FOR AUGUST…

Posted on August 1, 2011 by Stan The Wine Man

2008 Tamas Estates Double Decker Red Central Coast, California … $8.99

The sun is out and the barbecue is as busy as ever. Hot dogs, hamburgers, steaks, ribs or whatever we feel like eating that can be put on the grill. There is nothing better then sitting out on the deck on a warm day and enjoying friends, family and food. What wine do you pop and pour for these occasions? If you are like me, you want something good but cheap since you will probably be pouring a lot of it. And, if you are like me you do not want to compromise quality just to save a few bucks. This makes it just a little harder, but if you put forth the effort you will be rewarded.

This offering from Tamas Estates is pay dirt! A blend of cabernet sauvignon, petite sirah and barbera, this red is made for the grill. Smooth and easy to drink but no whimp. Dark fruits on the palate with an interesting smokey edge to it. Flavors of dark cherries and blackberries come through on the front and mid-palate with a polished edge to the finish. When I pay only nine bucks for a bottle of wine, the first thing I look for is whether or not the wine tastes a little fake. This wine has no make-up at all, it is the real deal. The other bonus? It is only 13.5% alcohol which means you will not get blasted by alcohol and bombed after a couple of glasses. My pick for the grill and for the month of August, the Tamas Double Decker Red is a real bargain, and a great wine. 89 points

Cheers! Stan The Wine Man

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