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Specs:
2005 Domaine Gerard Seguin Gevrey-Chambertin, Vieilles Vignes
Gevrey-Chambertin (
Côte d'Nuits)
France
13% Alcohol
100% Pinot Noir
$39.00
Notes:
Pinot Noir from the Côte d'Nuits region of France's Burgundy have quickly become my go to wines. The wines coming from the Gevrey-Chambertin commune of this region have yet to let me down. Yes... They are on the pricey side, however, you pay for quality and this Pinot Noir is just that. Gevrey-Chambertin's Burgundies are known worldwide for their complexity as well as for their production of quality Grand Cru wines.
In the glass, the wine is a clear, deep, crimson color with primary aromas of leather and earth, and hints of ripe strawberry and cherry. There is also a woody component to the nose with baking spice, accents of clove and cinammon. In the mouth, it is smooth and silky yet still light. With the red fruit flavors on the forefront, the earthiness becomes more apparent on the palate and the leather and wood finish it off. There is a spicy characteristic to the wine that really balances out the lush fruit along with the mineralistic and acidic qualities adding some complexity. The finish is medium in length ending with a cigar box flavor on the tongue.
Because this Pinot Noir is so light and feminine you would want to pair it with dishes that match its body. Cured meats like salumi and pancetta , grilled low fat meats, and steak tartare would really compliment one another. As far as dessert goes I would suggest this wine as the dessert in itself.
Specs:
2008 Valle dell'Acate, Case Ibidini, Nero di'Avola
Sicily
13% Alcohol
100% Nero d'Avola
$13.00
Notes:
While exploring the wines of Italy and Sicily I stumbled upon this tasty Nero d'Avola from the southeastern region of Bidini in Sicily. This wine comes from a quality Sicilian producer however, this is one of their more buyer friendly wines which seems to have some of the same flavors and complexities of their more expensive counterparts. This region's hot Mediterranean climate produces rich ripe fruit flavors which is evident in the 2008 Valle dell'Acat Nero d'Avola. This wines flavor profile and dominant qualities are quite similar to France's Beaujolais style wines made from the Gamay grape.
In the glass the wine is bright and clear with intense ruby concentration with fuchsia around the rim. On the nose there are bold fruit aromas of ripe red cherry and raspberry with a hint of an herbal note like fresh mint. There is a very slight wood and spice characteristic, however hardly noticeable. The palate mirrors the nose of the wine with fruit and a short to medium finish. This wine is no way complex or life changing however it is great to drink with food or served slightly chilled on a warm day. I would suggest this as an everyday drinking or table wine if you are looking for something light and satisfying to the palate and your wallet.
I would pair this wine with tomato based dishes like pasta, hearty beef ragu with pappardelle, fresh pizza and light grilling meats like tri-tip. Like I had preciously mentioned, it is also refreshing on its own slightly chilled and the relatively low alcohol is great to serve at parties and events. The 2008 Valle dell'Acate, Case Ibidini, Nero d'Avola can be purchased through K & L Wine Merchants throughout the Bay Area. Cin Cin!
Specs:
2005 Rubicon Estate Cabernet Franc
Napa ValleyCalifornia
14.3% Alcohol
78% Cabernet Franc, 22% Cabernet Sauvignon
$56.00
http://www.rubiconestate.com/flash.php
Notes:
Cabernet Franc isn't usually my go to varietal as it tends to lack alot of flavor and complexity. This grape is usually a blending agent in wines like Cabernet Sauvignon and Merlot and is often added in small doses to add acidity and spice to these sometimes fruity varietals. When I opened this bottle I wasn't really sure what to expect as this wine is a little over 3/4 Cab Franc. Upon first smell and taste I knew I had been wrong about this bottle.
In the glass the wine is a deep garnet and almost opaque in the glass, with rich crimson around the edges. On the nose the aromas are intense and lush. Scents of red and black fruit like cherries, blackberries and raspberry stand out as the fruit while vanilla, cigar box and baking spices round out the bouquet. On the palate the wine is silky-smooth and round. The tannins and acid balance one another out extremely well which adds to the velvety mouthfeel. Flavors of ripe red cherry, oak, tobacco, and cloves mirror the aromas on the nose. The wine is powerful and full of flavor and complexity with a long finish and lingering aftertaste of oak and cherry. This is a beautiful wine from a quality producer who consistently puts out beautiful estate wines; the eye for detail is evident in this perfectly balanced Cabernet Franc blend. This wine will do well with aging up to 10 years however if perfect to drink now. It will only get better.
As far as food pairings, this can be enjoyed solely on its own or paired with heavy meats and game. Italian fare like short ribs with tagliatelle or hearty tomato dishes would compliment the bold favors.
Specs:
2006 Domaine Jean-Paul/Stephane Magnien Chambolle-Musigny 1er Cru "Sentiers"
Chambolle-Musigny (Côte-d'Or)
France
13.5% Alcohol
100% Pinot Noir
$54.00
Notes:
Burgundy's are quickly becoming my go-to wines for special occasions, important dinners and well, any other night really. The complexity and flavors that come from Frances Burgundy region are like nothing you have experienced. This wine comes from Côte-d'Or's village of Chambolle-Musigny. This area is known for their high quality Pinot Noir that can usually be characterized as rich, silky if you know your producer. The key to all French wines is just that. Know your producer.
This wine's producer is labeled as Premier or (1er Cru) so you know you are getting a good quality wine off the bat. In the glass the wine is clear with medium intensity and shows garnet hues with some brick coloring around the edges. The aromas are clean and developed with cola, red cherry, baking spice and vanilla scents. The intensity on the nose is moderate and in no way overpowering. On the palate the wine has medium plus acid and moderate tannins and is nicely balanced in the mouth with flavors of cola, cherry, red raspberry and cigar box. The flavors are bright, fresh and beautifully present with a medium silky smooth finish.
Seeing as this is a high quality burgundy with some good acid and present tannins this wine can definitely be cellared for some additional time; perhaps 5-10 years. As far as pairings go; this would pair beautifully with beef stews, oven roasted chicken, mushroom dishes, as well as creamy cheeses like Brie and Epoisses. For dessert, hearty raspberry tarts or strawberry pie would compliment the fruit in the wine nicely. I would suggest buying two bottles... One to drink now and one to cellar. This can be purchased locally through K & L Wine Merchants.
Specs:
2007 T-Vine Cellars Petite Sirah
Napa ValleyCalifornia
14.1% Alcohol
100% Petite Sirah
$36.00
Notes:
Drinkers are usually confused by the "Petite" in the Petite Sirah varietal. However, Petite Sirah's aren't light in any way but exactly the opposite. These wines are typically dark, fruity as have pretty high tannins but in a good way...The T-Vine Petite Sirah is just that; dark, tannic, rich and fruity. The warm climate of Napa helps to get these berries to their perfect ripeness and it really shows in the bottle.
In the glass the wine is dark and basically opaque with ruby tones and fuchsia at the wines edges. On the nose there are dark black fruits, cinnamon, licorice and is pretty moderate in intensity. In the mouth the wine has a full mouthfeel and is quite viscous. The wine is moderate in acid and tannins with flavors of jammy fruits like raspberry and blackberry and a big kick of blue fruits like blueberry and boysenberry. The finish is complex and lengthy and ends with some earthy tones and hints of cigar box and tobacco. This wine is silky, smooth and very elegant. The mix of moderate tannin and acid with the punch of fruit and oak really balances the wine perfectly.
This wine is beautiful on its own with all its complex flavors and can pair really nicely with rich fatty foods. Juicy grilled steaks, pork tenderloin with cranberry, and desserts like blueberry crisp with vanilla ice cream would be divine. If you have yet to try a Petite Sirah I suggest you start here.
Specs:
2008 Domaine Auchere Sancerre
SancerreFrance
12.5% Alcohol
100% Sauvignon Blanc
$20.00
Notes:
Before I discovered Sauvignon Blanc from Sancerre I rarely ordered or purchased Sauvignon Blanc. For some reason as a whole they are never truly satisfying taste-wise; they seem to fall flat. However, the wines that come from this chalky soiled, cool region in the Loire Valley of France offer something that you cannot find in the Sauvignon Blanc's here in the states. The wines produced in Sancerre generally have a crisp acidic quality that is so fresh and divine. This wine is just that.
In the glass, the wine shows a clear straw color with hints of light green. On the nose the smell has great intensity with a sharp mineralistic aroma as well as hints of citrus like grapefruit, lime and lemon as well as white florals. In the mouth this wine has a perfect acidity. The acid mixed with fruit flavors of green apple, grapefruit, pear, lemon, and lime really show off the great complexity of this wine. When you add the fruit to the acid with mineral and florals of orange blossom and white flowers; you get a racy power-packed wine. The finish is long and the flavors carry through to the very end. Be forewarned this wine is extremely dangerous and numerous bottles can quite easily be consumed in short amounts of time.
This wine is great for a summer day or paired with acidic dishes like chicken piccata or fresh fish with lemon. It would also pair really well with fruity desserts like a key lime tart. The 2008 Domaine Auchere Sancerre can be purchased in San Francisco through Blackwell's Wines and Spirits.
Specs:
2008 Writer's Block Counoise
Lake CountyCalifornia
13.5% Alcohol
100% Counoise
$16.00
http://www.steelewines.com/
Notes:
I recently tasted this at a blind tasting and was pretty impressed with the flavors and aromas of this wine. The consensus of Pinot Noir was across the board at first smell and taste, even through to the end of the guessing game. With reveal came some surprised faces. Counoise?! What is Counoise?! This grape isn't a varietal usually found on its own, especially not in California. The grape itself is known mainly as a blending agent in Rhone and Châteauneuf-du-Pape wines. Surprisingly enough the Writer's Block Counoise stood strongly in the glass and definitely held it's own.
In the glass a clear garnet color is present, similar to the color of the average Pinot Noir. On the nose, bright fruit aromas are what first hits you. Scents of ripe cherry, raspberry, plum, cinnamon and baking spice with a hint of toasty oak. On the palate the wine is silky and round with a substantial mouthfeel. The flavors are pretty high in intensity and quite fruit forward with juicy red cherries, raspberry, currant, baking spices, and oak. The wine ends off nicely with a roasted nuttiness on the end of the finish. It is beautifully drawn out with a great complexity and interesting aftertaste. The wine is well balanced and really enjoyable; especially for this price. It is unavailable in retail stores and is quite a small production, just under 300 cases if I remember correctly. Orders can be placed through the Steele Winery website.
