Tweeted Wines

Man this blog sucks. You should really follow my twitter feed @365Wines to get an accurate picture of what I am drinking!

Onto the many wines I have to review. Here is a compilation of my wine tweets over the last two weeks or so. These are directly copied from my twitter feed.

If you do not understand Twitter, it is a micro-blogging, instant messaging, text message blast, service that limits your "tweets" to 140 characters.

Mostly people answer: "What Are You Doing?" but it has become a way to share information and to inform your network of followers about your passions of the moment.

I try to tweet about the wine I am drinking and what I am experiencing, as well to ask the question, "What are you drinking?"

2004 Cadence Coda: just cracked a bottle of 2004 Cadence Coda. What are you drinking

Coda is sweetish on the nose, with blackcurrant, tannic dark cherry deliciousness. Classic American Cab Franc. they do it so well in Wash.

chill from the cellar is warming up. developing mocha, rosemary, thyme, stewed tomatoes. really sings with the sausage I am cooking.

2005 Pine Ridge Chenin Blanc: got home from a K Vintner's wine tasting and my wife was opening an '05 Pine Ridge Chenin Blanc /Viognier blend. oh well. might be dying

05 Pine Ridge Chenin much sweeter than I remember. lacks the sophistication it had in '07 - could be turning? i remember austerity

refreshing on the nose, with honeysuckle, thyme. almost reisling like on the palate: slight viscosity and touch of bitter finish

2004 Montenidoli Tradizionale: last night a had a 2004 montenidoli traditionale that was on the edge of turning. still have 4 bottles or so. maybe a BTG at BONDA

1998 Quintarelli Valpolicella: also drank a '98 Quintarelli Valpolicella. pure bliss. in-laws were over for spiral sausage and saffron risotto w/ spinach

2004 Drew Hearthstone Vineyard Syrah: cracked a bottle of '04 Drew Hearthstone Syrah. only 80 cases made. lots of cherry on the nose, robitussiny on the palate. will work.

2000 Manzoni Pinot Nero: just cracked a 2000 Manzoni Pinonero from the Langhe region. What are you drinking?

@winedrip Manzoni Pinonero 2000.at its peak.a little hot.hints of violets.sage.cinnamon.earth.medium tannins but dry.tasty but not fav

@winetweets Manzoni Pinonero 2000.at its peak.a little hot.hints of violets.sage.cinnamon.earth.medium tannins but dry.tasty but not fav

lots of stinky feet and mushrooms on this pinonero. not too much fruit and still a lot of heat. acidic on the tummy as well.

2005 Yves Cuileron Les Pierres Seches: just cracked a 2005 Yves Cuileron Les Pierres Seches from St. Joseph. What are you drinking?

stinky on the nose, violets, mud, rootstock, coffee beans. on the tongue, firm tannins, muted plum, green peppercorn, little bordeauxish

nose is opening up.although beginning to feel that this syrah needs food. not a luscious as new world, not entirely tannic but bone dry

2006 Ramey Carneros District Chardonnay: is drinking the 2006 Ramey Carneros District Chardonnay. charred oak.little effervecence. not as delicate as the 2005 Sonoma coast

anyone had the 2006 Ramey Carneros District Chardonnay? Any thoughts? Going to write blog about it after dinner.

i let the Ramey breathe a bit and warm up - much better. also needed a bit of food and fat on the palate

Wines I did not tweet about, but can wrap up in a tweet-style review:

2007 Cuilleron Marsanne: totally awesome! peach notes, with full mouth feel, hints of acidity, round finish - awesome for the price. maybe WBTG at BONDA.

2007 Drouhin Saint-Veran: present from friend. wife did not like so much. palate flat, notes of oak, crisp and steely but no bite, a little flabby.

2006 Kingston Vineyard Alazan Pinot Noir: Killer Pinot for the price. Soft oak, medium tanins, nice fruit with that Kingston edge of charred vinestock. on list at BONDA.

So, part of me thinks this is a half-assed post, but I covered a lot of wines and in a very condensed format. You don't have to read me prattling on about every sip, and get a succinct review of each bottle.

I promise I will not get behind so far again. Two kids. Corporate gig, co-owner of BONDA, social responsibilities. I love my blog and I love writing about wine, so sorry to keep you waiting for new posts!

2004 Syzygy Columbia Valley Red Wine

This is my review for the BONDA wine list: From Walla Walla, Washington, this blend of Cab Sauvignon, Syrah, Merlot and Malbec is their third vintage, and I think their best. With a beautiful nose of Pacific Northwest red fruit and forrest floor, following on the tongue with slightly sweet hints of raspberry popsicle and alcohol that quickly burn off to reveal lush, richly developed dark fruit. A great Washington “starter” wine.

We sell it for 48 bucks, and it is one of my favorite wines on the list. I had a bottle the other night with a turkey meatloaf, paprika spiked mashed potatoes and my in-laws. Big gobs of Pacific Northwest fruit, medium tannins - simply divine. Still could use a few years in the bottle to tame the fruit, but pretty awesome now. I had the 2002 & '03 but didn't think they were "there" just yet. I am very jazzed this wine rocks so hard.

Jim said it is just the type of wine he likes to drink. I agree.

2004 Jean-Marc Morey Santenay La Comme Dessus

This Pinot Noir from Burgundy, Santenay to be exact, is pretty damn good - especially for the price. Jamie bought two cases on Mike 's recommendation, and thank you Mike.

On the nose, austere, yet with playful bits of candied red fruit - charred oak in the background, and soil. It is a Rosenthal Selection - hand picked by Neal Rosenthal, the famous wine importer, and there have been maybe one wine or two that have not been delish from his import book - at any price point. I think we will sell this Santenay at BONDA in the $60 range - but I have to check.

The first sip carries the austerity of the nose, with nods to terroir, hints of dirt and stone, raspberry syrup high notes (but not syrupy, just concentrated), cedar on the finish. A really fruity Burgundy - but not in a bad way - it still has depth and soul, but possibly made for a more main stream US palate?

There is an AHA! moment mid palate when I realized that this is a great wine. Not terribly flashy like a California Pinot, and not unapproachable or horribly expensive as I view most Burgundies. Like Cinderella, this wine is just right for me.

I am making an evolved pasta dish. I was at BONDA doing inventory, and remembered I had chipotle butter I made last weekend, and corn from last week's farm share. Jamie suggested throwing in some red pepper and basil, then topping it with cheddar - he asked is I was going to bake it - and then it became a mac and cheese with locatelli romano, 24 month old Canadian Cheddar, 1/2 and 1/2 roux, with shells, corn, red pepper, onions and garlic. A simple dish to throw together.

Tasting this Pinot, I'm sure it will be an awesome complement.

2004 Cianferoni Doccio a Matteo

Please see my review of the 2001 to see the personal history of this wine.

So after loving the 2001, I ordered a case for BONDA, only to be delivered the 2004. Jamie and I drank a bottle in May, but it was nowhere near ready to drink. Luckily I arranged with Colman to get a few bottles of the 2001 and traded him 3 2004s.

Anyway, I grabbed a bottle of the 2004 to see if it was ready, and it sort of is. I didn't decant it, but poured a glass and let it sit for about and hour. One the nose, wafts of alcohol, black plum, black pepper, with high notes of elderberry. On the tongue, tight tannins, with rich fruit.

The tannins really need to settle on this vintage. It went well with the bolognese I made, but on its own, it is way too tight.

Needs to sit for 2 years probably as the 2001 is now drinking awesomely!

2004 Poggio Trevalle Larcille

This is the new vintage of my favorite wine from Morellino di Scansano, a Coastal region in Tuscany. To pair, my wife envisioned a Tuscan Style pasta with roasted cauliflower, garlic, onions and tomato. The 2003 Larcille is one of my favorite Italian wines for everyday drinking.

The nose on the 2004 is closed, with elderberry, fennel, violet and notes of alcohol. Also closed up on the palate, with black licorice, anise, and cough syrup dominating. Mild tannins, but great structure and a bit dry. Will revisit in a 1/2 hour or so. Very jazzed to put this wine on the BONDA list for next week. Our Italian selection has been neglected over the warm weather.

I took the bottle from Jamie's cellar about 2 hours ago, but it is a little warm. Either my kitchen is too hot, or we need to adjust the temp in the cellar.

04.12.08/ SWT 2004 Arrocol

I was leaving when Kelly wanted to have another glass, so Sam opened a bottle of some Argentine or Chilean Cab, or Syrah blend. I did not take a picture or right it down. In Sam's handwriting: Alex HATES, think likes it smells like a used condom on fire. His notes: "tannic, Big League Chew Grape".

Maybe we will revisit on a fresh palate. It is really hard to drink anything after the beauty that is the Turley White Coat!

04.12.08/ SWT 2004 Soos Creek Artist's Series #5 Red Wine

This is the 2nd Soos Creek we have tried, and it is still not drinking right. "Tight as a....", was Jamie's comment - you can add your own allusion. It took forever to show some fruit.

Red currant and white pepper on the nose - with tons of alcohol. On the tongue, bIg candied strawberry, jammy jam jam of raspberry. Sam: "Gobs of inkberry on the nose, plum, inky, raspberry tart." He really liked it.

I liked it better than the Sundance, but want to try more of their other wines. I was also in a bit of a palate funk as everything tasted really sweet to me.

05.08.08 /2004 Walnut City WineWorks Reserve Pinot Noir

My father really likes this wine, and brought four bottles to my house last summer when he came to visit to see Cooper and the fam. At the time, I did not really like this wine. Again, there are so many great Oregon Pinots at $25 that I do not need to waste my time drinking this one.

We had some folks over for dinner last Friday and I needed a decent wine to braise some short ribs to make short rib and beef burgers. I saw the Walnut Creek and thought it doesn't suck. I took a swig off the bottle and it was decent. A lot more balance and structure than the last time I drank it.

I used most of the bottle for the braise, but took a few more pulls from the bottle. Note: a very classy way to drink wine if you do not want to dirty a glass. I remember when I was in Prague in the summer 1996, we bought some bread, cheese, a cheap bottle of burgundy, pushed the cork in and drank it on the bridge, straight from the bottle. Or in Napa the summer of '95 on the lake with a bottle of Don Quixote, taking pulls. But I digress.

This wine is better than I originally thought, but I still wouldn't buy it, but I would drink it if I liked the person who was serving it to me. That is the rating!

05.10.08 /2004 Rimu Grove Nelson Pinot Noir

Court and I ran into Liz Fath who invited us to her house for a drink. Her husband, John, gave me this bottle of New Zealand Pinot and asked me to drink it and give him my opinion. He has more wine than he can drink in his lifetime, 1000s of cases of bordeaux, burgundy, cult californians, rhones, etc.... and is the nicest guy, knows more about wine than anyone I know, and very generous. HE believes like me that wine is meant to be drunk!

The Pinot is better than I thought it would be. An interesting flavor of inflating water wings, or any sort of polyurathane inflatable device. That taste when you start to blow into it. I like that taste. Hints of fruit came out with bruised raspberry, and cherry oak. Very subtle, which I thought was surprising. Jamie liked it a bit more than me, and it would be great to do by the glass at BONDA, depending on the price.

This was the last wine I drank before Courtenay gave birth, just 5 hours after I finished the bottle.

04.12.08/ Sam's Wine Tasting 2004 Broadley Pinot Noir

Kelly was away in New York for a dinner with her Bon Apetit buddies, and left Sam to babysit the kids. He invited Jamie and I over after dinner to try a few wines. The first we cracked was a Broadley Shea Pinot Noir from 2004 (I think). I should have taken better notes, but asked Jamie to be the note taker as I was a little beat. And now I am suffering, as I am trying to decipher the notes.

I remember liking this wine more that I thought I would. It kept bugging me that I couldn't remember the connection, then I did a few days later - Mike is a big fan of the wine when he is out of their imported Oregon Pinots.

"Pinot Like No Pinot" is the heading. Slightly orange at the rim for such a young wine. Rusty, faints whiffs of raspberry but not sweet with floral notes of rose petals. Cedar and ash on the tongue with mild tannins. There was a debate about pencil lead vs. soil. I think we left it undecided.

In Sam's handwriting: smells like a used condom with minimum viscosity a slight dash of KY. I don't know if this refered to the Broadley, or one of the other 4 wines we tasted.

I'll post more on the rest.

2004 La Torre Rosso Di Motalcino

This is one of the four wines that was served at my birthday dinner party. I had never heard of the producer, but it is quite nice - from Rosenthal. Jamie left a bottle at my house last week, so I figured I would try it on a fresh palate, as the last time I had it, I had imbibed a Hendrick's Gibson and some Bastianich Tocai.

On the nose, immense black fruit with woody notes, cigar box, button mushrooms, beefy hints hints of earth and licorice. A little closed on the palate, with fine tannins, and some high cherry notes. Plush mouth feel with a a dry finish. Good on its own, but would benefit from food.

03.31.08 /2004 Torre Dei Beati Montepulciano D’Abruzzo Cocciapazza

This is a wine that Jamie has loved for a few years, and finally we decided to put it on the BONDA list for $58 - very good wine, and extremely good Italian wine for that price.

Stinky on the nose, with notes of restrained fruit and hints of menthol. Plush mouthfeel with lingering tannins. Needs to blow off for about 15 mins. Lots of dirty diaper stink with good Italian funk. Needs food.

The Cooper Srs. and Jrs. came over last night with pizza from Luigi's and salad. The wine has been a lingering bottle to try for a few weeks, so we finally cracked it, as I want to put it on the list. A good pairing - surprisingly.

02.14.08 / 2004 Williams Selyem Allen Vineyard Chardonnay

Valentine's Day is a good excuse to drink good wine. Courtenay has been feeling run down and in a bad mood so I let her choose a wine for us to drink. Of course she chose her favorite, Williams Selyem, and our last bottle of Chard.

It was premature to open it, but delish. Flavors of ripe pineapple, vanilla, oak. It needed some time to mellow out, but it really rocked after a bit. I made chicken under a brick with a pea, gruyere and asparagus risotto. She dug it and we had a great night!

01.25.08 / 2004 Williams Selyem Pinot Noir Peay Vineyard

If you have read my previous Williams Selyem post , you know I am a big fan of Bob's wines. Albeit a new fan of two years. I met the Peay brothers' sister in Bridgehampton a few years back and have been looking for their wines ever since. They make Pinot Noir and Chardonnay from the Sonoma Coast which are supposed to be excellent, they also sell their fruit. Truth be told, I haven't looked that hard, just in stores, at restaurants and CT distributors (of which there are none).

Our friends Jay and Jayma came for a visit, and WS is one of Jay's favorite producers. I have been saving the Peay Vineyard Pinot, since I was only alloted one, ever, and thought it the perfect time to open it. I brought home some zaza from Pepe's and Modern to do a little taste test. Pepe's straight up cheese won, of course.

I was very disappointed with the wine. There was nothing wrong with it, quite tasty. It had the tell tale WS style, light raspberry, soft tannins, etc.... there just was not anything special about it. At $75 from the vineyard, and two years of looking at the bottle, I expected a lot!

Oh well, we will see if I ever get alloted any more. Next round is at the end of the month. Court finally got on the list as well, so hopefully we will have more buying power!

02.07.08 / 2004 Dom. Des Champs Vignons Chinon

I went into NYC for three meetings yesterday and took the train back to Westport to see Jamie @ BONDA. I had a very finite time, as Courtenay was on her way to pick me up, so I opened one of the wines I bought from Mackin, the 2004 Dom. Des Champs Vignons Chinon. A village level Chinon that was posted and he was looking to unload for a great price.

We had it as the 12th wine or in the tasting, and both agreed that it was a powerful, yet elegant wine. Below is my write up for the wine list. We are selling it by the glass at $9 a pop.

From Chinon, France this wines is stinky on the nose and mellow on the palate. Featuring whafts of charcoal, soil and leather, muted fruit with medium tannins, and a lingering finish. For those who like a real vigneron produced wine of the earth. Great pair with Bacon!

01.13.08 Dinner Party at Jamie and Kim's

We started off the night with a great magnum of NV Prosecco, which went into











a 2004 Scheuller Riesling from Alsace, into



















a Mag of 2003 Cabernet Sauvignon from Alto Adige, into











a 1978 Barolo into











a 1998 Barolo.



The Russells, Kingstons, Court and myself were the guests. All the wines were great. The Mags were a Christmas gift from Rob Mackin, I brought the Schueller, Bill brought the '78 Barolo and Sam brought the '98 Barolo. Jamie made some great hors d'oeurves, a parsnip soup, and a beef bourginon from BONDA.

A good time all around.

2004 Battle Alsace v. California: '04 Schuller Pinot Noir no. 24 v. '04 Kynsi Edna Valley Pinot Noir

This was a surprising upset as the Schuller won the battle. I wanted to have Alsace represented during our fondue dinner, and it was a shining example of a red from a traditionally white wine region and winemaker. Distributed by the Fountainhead, Schuller's Pinots can be really funky to the point of undrinkable - varying from vintage to vintage and bottle to bottle.

Muted fruit with sulphur, tar and dark chocolate jammed you on the tongue with a slight effervecence and pleasant finish. The Kynsi, a Pinot that I have had at least 8 bottles of this year and love dearly, was suprisingly sweet and yeasty. It is Californian but not a big fruit bomb - against the Schuller and with the fondue, it was like candied raspberry water.

12.20.07 2004 Ch. Haut Baradieu

A Bordeaux from St. Estephe (possible my favorite Bordeaux region) that I thought was pleasant and inexpensive when I bought it for the BONDA list. Super fruit forward off the bat with tight tannins and a sexy mauve color. Totally quaffable for its youth. Tell tale green pepper and thyme on the nose with dusty dark berries on the palate.

It needs a little while for the tannins to dissipate, but a $35 Bordeaux at a restaurant this good cannot be found anywhere else.

Knowing very little about Bordeaux, hopefully it is not a wine usually found in a bargain bin in the supermarket!

2004 McCrea Roussanne

I loved the 2002 vintage of this wine but it was way too expensive for the restaurant, as no one would order a $54 Roussanne from Washington State. Our distributor offered us a deal, so I bought a case of the 2004. Cuttings from the Tablas Creek Beaucastel vines - another great American Roussanne - this white is one of the nine white Rhone grapes, usually blended with Marsanne and others, but shines with this single varietal bottling.

With a nose of peach blossoms and sweet pea, hinting cumin with notes of nutmeg and white pepper - very complex with sweet and savory essense. On the tongue, not super rich, but not flabby either - dried apricot, notes of lychee but not too sweet or cloying. Candied grapes, maybe muscat, and a bass note of something....

Courtenay tasted it and wished she could drink more, so I know it is a great wine!

2004 La Spinetta Langhe Nebiollo

In Bridgehampton for the weekend. Zilia cooked an osso bucco for dinner with some friends and figured I would supply a nice Italian to compliment the dish. I went to Morrells and found the La Spinetta.

I wasn't that impressed for the price - $83. It had good fruit and a nice balance of tannins and acid, but I would not buy it again.