03.19.08 /2005 J. Christopher Sandra Adele Vineyard

I kind of knew that Jamie was going to come over once I told him Bill was joining me while our wives were in their book club. He made it for a taste of the Skewis (he has two bottles left), and brought an Oregon Pinot that we are going to put on the list at BONDA.

J. Christopher is one of my favorite producers of Pacific Northwest juice, both whites and reds. I usually feel the Pinots need some time in the bottle, but Mike told Jamie that is was ready to drink, so we did.

On the nose, burnt oak and wet cardboard - classic J. Christopher. On the tongue following with bran, raisin, light tannins supporting dark berries with a bit of a floral undertone. Not fruity at all, with a bunch of funk on the nose and hints of white pepper.

Bill called it "derelict" while Jamie preferred "a pretty chick in a Laura Ashley dress and a black leather jacket". Whatever that means, the wine is awesome and is going on the list next week.

03.19.08 /2005 Skewis Pinot Noir Cuvee 115

It is always fun to try wine with an amigo, a cohort, a drinking buddy. Courtenay went to a book club meeting at the Russells, so Bill came over while I was watching Cooper to talk about a possible wine auction to benefit the Pequot Library. I opened a bottle of Skewis Pinot while we discussed the fact that people like to tell a story when they bring out a bottle of wine to open for guests.

Case in point, I told him my Skewis story. Jamie, Kevin and I plus our ladies went to Per Se last year. The guys had the tasting menu paired with a wine for each course. Each pairing was exquisite, and I feverishly wrote down each wine to see if we could get some for BONDA. Alas, none of them are sold in CT. We loved the Skewis particularly. Jamie called the winemaker to get some, but their production is so limited, that they really don't sell to that many restaurants. On a second call, Jamie convinced them to sell him a couple of bottles and he gave me two. This is my Skewis story.

Opening the wine felt a little guilty. I had been saving it for a bit, but really wanted to open it - it might have been too young, but delish all the same. It was sweet on the front end, but developed deep red fruit flavors in short order. There was a herbacious quality on the nose that smelled like marijuana. "High toned alcohol mixed with potting soil" is in my notes. That was a first impression. It was a touch hot, but turned totally awesome!

The Process

Just to give you an understanding of the process by which this blog is crafted. Here is a picture of my notes from a tasting a month or so ago. If I am not at home, I usually keep my notes in the back pocket of my pants, or in my jacket for a couple of days, then find them and transfer them to a drawer, then they go into a pile, which my wife usually moves - then they are lost for a day or two and then I find them and write a blog.

If at home, I usually write as I am sipping the wine. I will add some notes later where I forgot to write the name of the wine, and am still trying to remember what it could have been!

2006 Cristom Pinot Noir Mt. Jefferson Cuvee

This was unecessary to try so young, but I would love to put it on the list at BONDA. At first, it was cold and fruity - totally approachable. Brachish on the nose, with brambleberry and whafts of alcohol. Mild tannins and good acid. We are going to wait another couple of months, but it is almost ready to drink!

2005 Ridge Geyserville

This is the 40th vintage of Geyserville and we found it to be very zinny. I cannot remember the percentages, but it was a lot more Zin than previous years, with some Carignane (17%) and Petite Syrah or Alicante (6%) . Lots of raisin. Surprisingly this wine needs some time in the bottle to settle.

03.12.08 /2005 Soos Creek Sundance

Jamie brown bagged this one and asked everyone what they thought. I didn't really like it - it was much too sweet - not riesling sweet, but an icky candied cherry, brandyish kirshy. I repeatedly made my disgust known, then ate a little bit of food. The pork chop, which toned down the wine a little.

Everyone else seemed to like it, with Jamie saying, "You really don't like it? I think it is good." He decanted it and continued his disbelief.

I opened a Ridge and decided to go back to the brown bagger after awhile.

Jamie revealed it to be the Soos Creek, which we have heard is really highly rated and hard to find. Not that ratings matter, but a hard to find wine that is considered cultish is always fun and interesting to try. He just ordered it off the website at $23 or so. I love Washington State wines, especially from the Columbia Valley, but this was not a fave.

Primarily Merlot (74%?), with some Cab Sav, Cab Franc and Petit Verdot (I believe). After it mellowed a bit, I returned to enjoy medium tannins, with rich blackberry flavors, with notes of earth - but it was too damn Merlot sweet for me!

03.12.08 /2002 Nickel and Nickel John's Creek Vineyard Chardonnay

Sam brought in this wine for us to try. It was pretty subdued for a Napa Chard. I always thought Nickel and Nickel would be overdone. I have had a few, and I have found them all to be quite delightful. At first, there was a little rubbing alcohol on the nose, with hints of candy corn. Not too much oak, but soft and subtle.

Everyone agreed it was a great wine. It could have probably gone another 2 years or so, but it was good to drink that night.

03.12.08 /2006 Bio Weingut Hofer Gruner Veltliner

This German (I think) Gruner was ordered blind because it was on a post off. I didn't realize it was a liter bottle for $7! A big boy, with a beer top cap, so you have to drink it all in a sitting.

I found it really dry with hunts of grass and dried apricot. Sam, Bill Jamie and I had dinner at BONDA to make up for the cancelled wine dinner and tried a few different wines.

Bill's comment: I don'y know much about wine, but it doesn't taste like anything.
Sam's comment: It isn't horrible.

2006 Elena Walch Gerwurtztraminer Kastelaz

You know how much I love the previous vintages of this wine - 2003 and 2005 .

But this vintage, with at least 14 months in the bottle, is a different beast. Big alcohol nose with white flowers and various light aromatics - not as perfumed (yet) as previous vintages. Viscous, almost too much so, on the tongue, with an edge that reminds me a little of a highly distilled vodka (Jean Marc XO possibly?), with notes crushed juniper berries (Hendrick's Gin anyone?). All flavors I like, but not so much in this wine.

As I have tried previous vintages a year or two after their release, I know it is going to get better. I bought a case for BONDA, and we are still on the '05, so it will be around for awhile. It will be a nice foil to our savory vegetarian meal of falafel, hummus, tsatziki and salad.

03.03.08 /2000 Nikolaihof Heafezberg Gruner Veltliner

We love this wine, but, again, no one ever orders it. We cracked a bottle, but it was corked.

Bummer.

2005 Elena Walch Kastelaz Gewurztraminer

I just got back from a very boozy wedding weekend down South, and have been a little slow to update all the great wines I have tried recently. I have been carrying around notes for two weeks, from state to state!

Court and Coop went down to Florida, so I am alone. For some reason, I gravitated to making something that she loves - a rich bolognese - possibly because I did not want to leave the house and had all the ingredients.

I love Elena Walch Gerwurztraminer and saw a bottle of the '05 in my white collection and thought, why not! The real reason is that we ran out of the '03 last week and are making the transition to the '05 on Wednesday.

Super floral nose, hyacinth, honey with a rich mouthfeel. Notes of pine and alcohol (in a good way). A little acidic on the stomach, but it could just be me. Not as complex as the EW KG '03, but in time it will further evolve. We only sell about 1 bottle every two years, so I have no fear that we will get to experience the maturation.

I am always impressed by the great consistency with her wines, as they are always fantastic and can age for years on end. We used to do her Pinot Grigio by the glass, but unfortunately with the sinking dollar, the price of her wines has consistently gone up year after year. It was the wine that turned be around on Pinot Grigio, as the majority of them are horrible, but hers has a subtle delish flavor that I enjoy.

03.05.08 /2006 Fairview Pinotage

After raving about the 2002 Fairview Pinotage, I got a sample bottle of their current entry level Pinotage to try.

At first, this Pinotage had a big charcoal taste I typically associate with SA reds. But it burned off a bit to bring raspberry on the nose, with a big asphalt backbone and dark berry fruit on the finish. Medium tannins, but a little too acidic.

It has a mouthfeel of a wine that would stain your teeth!

I would drink it if served to me, however, I am not buying for the restaurant or myself.