Fairfield County Wine Tasting Appreciation Society Merlot Dinner

Yes, the name is a bit of a joke. Some friends of mine (6 of them) started coming to BONDA three years ago once a month for Open That Bottle Night.

They would choose a wine theme, Shiraz, California, 2003 Pinot, etc.... and each contribute a bottle and judge who brought the best. Jamie and I would dip in here and there, trying some of the wines and adding our two cents.

The natural evolution turned to pairing 2 people together to bring in better wines, which begat buying wines at auction for the group. I have been participating off an on for the last 18 months, and was lucky enough to make it to last night's Merlot tasting.

The first wine was a 750 ml of 2003 Etude Merlot from Napa Valley. It was sweet on the nose, with a medium body and mild tannins. Not a lot of fruit for a Cali Merlot - which is good -but a handful of oak, and a hint of bitterness in the finish. We were having a bit of Roaring Forties blue cheese, which I thought "muted" the wine - Sam said "it goes well!"

Quotes:

"smooth", "straight forward", "playing it safe", "solid", "I could drink this everyday" - although I think this was facetious.

Next up was a magnum of 2001 Fisher Vineyards 157 Estate Merlot. We decanted this for about an hour, maybe more and drank it with our first course, mostly bacon dishes. I had bacon with fingerling potatoes and onions, which really complemented the vino.

On the nose, I thought the Fisher resembled a Montepulciano, specifically a 1998 Pepe. Super high toned fruit, with acetone, fig and cherry. I was in love with the nose, I wanted to drink the nose. On the palate it was a little disappointing with mild fruit, medium tannins and a touch of bitterness in the finish. It definitely did not live up to the nose. Sam said it tasted like rotten tomatoes.

It was great to try these Merlots as they really bucked the thought of Cali Merlot being big fruit bombs.

The last Magnum we had was a 2003 Peterson Family Merlot. Unfortunately my pen ran out of ink, but this wine was awesome and won the night. Bizarre in that it did not resemble a Merlot, but more like a well balanced Zin. Gobs of black fruit, spice, with a touch of oak. After decanting for two hours, it could have gone longer. This wine with last for at least 15 years. Go buy some now!

Sorry I forgot to take some pics, but it was a busy night at the restaurant and Jamie left early!

2005 Kistler Les Noisetiers

These UStream vids are fun. Here's me and Court talking about Kistler.

No comments:

2006 Tamarack Cellars Firehouse Red

From Columbia Valley, a six grape blend: Syrah, Cab Sauvignon, Cab Franc, Malbec, Merlot and uno mas, I think - no notes. You know I love Washington State wines and funky blends.

On the nose off the bottle, I thought it was all Napa bomb oak. Jamie tried it first: "I really like it, but you won't."

Is it like the Sous Creek I asked? "Yes, but Sous Creek is much better, this has tons of oak".

Definitely charcoaled oak /ash on the palate and nose. Firm tannins, with hints of cellar floor, high toned cherry - but still super young. Plenty of better Wash wines to drink, but Tamarack shows promise and is not so expensive as others.

Would drink Syzygy Red Wine over this right now, but their current release is 2004, and this is 2006 - so lets revisit in awhile. Not going on the BONDA list quite yet, but at $50 it will be an easy wine to sell for Napa Cab heads and I can get behind it!

More Quick Tweet Style Reviews

I have to say I really like the tweet style review of wines from my previous post this evening. I have some notes on some wines from other tastings, so instead of writing full posts, I am going to repeat my quick shot reviews.

Please comment if you like this style or dislike this style. I will not do it for every wine - after all this is a blog, not posterous, tumblr or twitter!

That being said, here are some quick shots. If you didn't know, this is a blog about drinking 365 Wines in 365 Days, so I better fulfill my promise!

2006 Mudhouse Pinot Noir: Screwtop bliss. BTG Pinot from New Zealand for BONDA. Nose: Bright cherry, moss, vibrant violet. Sauteed raspberry on the palate, zip in the finish. great fruit!

2006 Bastianich Tocai: great BTG for BONDA. refreshingly light, interestingly yeasty, with floral notes, light mushroom depth, high citrus notes in finish, perfect for fall!

2005 Betz Family Clos De Betz: sitting down after long night at BONDA with Betz and a filet. much softer than expected. super soft, super mild tannins, hints of oak, black fruit, simply divine.

2005 Betz Family La Serene Syrah: no one buys this at BONDA. cracked a bottle, it was off. Jamie called it!

2006 Cristom Mt. Jefferson Cuvee Pinot Noir

When I was sick a few weeks back, some friends of Court came to visit and went to dinner at BONDA. I asked Jamie what they cracked and he paused. He then told me this Cristom is drinking mighty fine. As soon as I got better, I opened a bottle for myself.

Here are my notes:

The nose is pure heaven: oregano, green pepper, ripe red fruit, basil, driftwood, yeasty bread dough with a touch of alcohol.

On the palate, medium tannins, tame fruit, touch of oak with roasted plum.

Not as killer as Jamie would have led me to believe, but definitely drinking well now.

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!

Charles Smith /K Vintners Tasting

Has anyone been following my twitter feed @365Wines?  You can also see the last 5 tweets on the left hand feed. I am finding that I can tweet about a wine that I am drinking at the moment - to live the tasting - then go back and create a blog post about how I experienced the wine. If you are on Twitter, please follow, and let me know about your feed and I will follow you back!

I had a focused tasting tonight at BONDA for the Charles Smith /K Vintners' portfolio in CT - a fantastic Washington State producer. Artisan Wines (run by our friend Rob Makin) had K Vintner's in CT and NY for many years, but they decided to go with a larger NY distrib, and thus Rob let them go in CT, as it is a much smaller market. We have carried their Syrahs by in the past and currently have the '04 Milbrandt Syrah on the list.

Luckily, Opici picked up the portfolio and I got to try all the new wines. The wine maker, Charles Smith sold his House Wine label, and with the profits started an eponymous second label, focused on single varietal, single vineyard wines. The wines are all "entry level" at $12 to $20 a bottle, but definitely do not taste like wines that inexpensive.

Our Opici salesperson Anna Lisa arranged the tasting for me with her K Vintners rep who regaled me with tales of the winemaker and the history of the wines. It was the last stop of their for the day at 5:45, so it might have been a little rushed.

First up was the Holy Cow Chardonnay, which was a treat. Great Northwest fruit with little maloactic fermentation, a bit of oak - but great fruit. Very European in style. I think the rep called it a New Old World wine. Next was the Kung Fu Girl Riesling which was also tasty - not at all cloying - with a touch of viscosity, but a great expression of Riesling that wasn't sweet, nor bitter.

The K Vintner '06 Viognier was next. I ordered a few bottles for the restaurant. It was heavenly. Great floral notes, with mild oak, and a great mouth feel. On the red side, Charles Smith Holy Cow Merlot was quite delish - for a Merlot. Sweet notes, but not cherry soda - great backbone of spice, with dark Northwest berries and balanced by soft tannins. I bought a case to do by the glass.

My favorite was the Charles Smith Boom Boom Syrah which was named after a voluptuous red head he once dated.  Awesome fruit bursting off the bat with blue and black berries, roasted pluots, mild tannins.  I ordered two cases for the future.  I would definitely have this wine as my winter house wine.

I did not like the Chateau Smith Cabernet Sauvignon, which had 10% Malbec and 5% Cab Franc.  It's not that I didn't like it, per se, but I thought it was a bit over-priced for $20 a bottle retail, and the rep oversold it a bit. If it was served to me I would drink it, but I would be disappointed if I bought it at a store or ordered it at a restaurant.

We have carried the Milbrant Waluke Slope Syrah for a few vintages, '01 - '04, but missed the '05.  The '06 was super tight and showed little fruit.  The rep said it had been flown on on Monday, so it was probably bottle shocked.

Overall I really enjoyed Charles Smith's new wines and would recommend buying a bottle or having a glass if you find it.  Especially the Boom Boom Syrah and the Kung Fu Girl Riesling - because you know, Girls and Rieslings kick ass!

Once Again, I am Behind

BUT THIS IS THE REASON WHY!

2003 St. Innocent Pinot Noir White Rose Vineyard

Once again, my wife has abandoned me and our two sons, Cooper and Gray. I am supposed to be at BONDA for the 1st Fairfield County Wine Tasting Appreciation Society dinner, however due to a scheduling mix-up, I am with the boys and Court is with her girls at a birthday dinner at the Fat Cat.

As Cooper dances to Jack Johnson's Curious George soundtrack, I am cracking a bottle of my favorite Pinot, the White Rose Vineyard bottling for Oregon producer, St. Innocent. This is a very special wine for me as it is the first Oregon Pinot Noir I had where I realized that this was my thing. I had drunk some Benton Lane, and few other so so producers and liked Oregon Pinot, but the 2002 St. Innocent White Rose really made me say, YES, this is what I like in a Pinot Noir.

I bought a case of 2003 and have two or three bottles left.

10.02.08: I was so disappointed with this wine after all the build-up that I couldn't finish this post. I think I had a dead bottle. It wasn't bad, but it had no life.

09/23/08: Westry Abbey Ridge Pinot Noir 2006

As a follow-up to my previous posting on our new Westry aquisitions for BONDA, here are my notes from the Abbey Ridge:

almost no nose, too young? Jim says "good table wine". slowly developing, little medicinal, with tight tannins.

If I recall, this was the 2nd Birthday Dinner for Jim (F-I-L) in Nantucket with Jamie, Kim, Court, Mellie (M-I-L). We decided to put the Abbey Ridge on hold, and went to the Oracle, then decided on opening a third wine (we were at home and not going anywhere). I didn't take any more notes on the Pinots, but we did enjoy them, however they are still too young for BONDA. One wine we did open was a Queen of Hearts Merlot that was a gift from the Cooper's neighbors. It looked very interesting as a small producer from Mendicino (I think). Unfortunately, it was corked!

2002 Rafferty's Rules Angels Share Shiraz

This is a bit of a cheater post, as I opened a bottle of this Shiraz for a friend, Hillary, who wanted a glass of red wine - and I did not want to drink. I have been sitting on this bottle for a few months, waiting to try it again. It is on the list at BONDA for about $30 and I have always thought it is a great deal. The distributor had been trying to get rid of this vintage to make way for the '03 and was selling it at bargain basement pricing!

Here is my write up from the wine list:

From McClaren Vale, Australia, this Shiraz is blended from three of my favorite sources down under: McClaren Vale, Heathcote, and Langhorne Creek. From the producer: “the ultimate hedonistic expression of Shiraz. Velvety smooth, rich and spicy, packed with blackberry and plum flavours framed by the judicious use of oak. This vintage retains the family identity of Rafferty’s Shiraz – pleasure.”

The "Angel's Share" refers to the portion lost evaporation due to barrel maturation. A few winemakers use this designate for their wines, however I always thought it was the wine at the top of the barrel - which is almost true.

Anyway, I have a little bit of a cold, so this wine tastes (to me) like eucalyptus, Robitussin DM, big black cherry, black plum, medium tannins (but not enough to support the fruit) with a long alcoholic finish. Could definitely use more time in the bottle to mellow these flavors. My friend tastes none of this in her glass, and thinks the wine is divine. Jamie is coming over later, so I will save him a glass, and see how off my palate really is!

2002 Ruston Napa Valley Cabernet Sauvignon

Ruston the only Napa Cab we have on the wine list at BONDA right now. We just like it. It has big fruit, anchored with some oak, and character which a lot of Californian wines do not seem to have and a fantastically long finish and we can sell it for $74. We are on the '04 at the restaurant, but my father-in-law still has a few bottles of the case of '02 he bought in 2006.

He grilled a ribeye, which really made the wine sing. It is still a big monster, and can sit for years, but the tannins have mellowed - lots of anise, blackberry, charred oak, with hints of earth and soil. Totally delish.

Please Comment if You Have Any Thoughts

I am trying to improve this blog. Please comment if you have any thoughts on how I could do so, and I will try to add any functionality I can.

I took off the advertising - I made about $0.48 cents in 6 months - not that the point was to make money, but it was an experiment.

I am trying to take bottle pics with a real camera instead of my iPhone - but not always the case. Sam asked for better pics since he is into the labels, so when I can, I do.

I started a Twitter feed @365Wines if you would like to follow - please do so.

I started a Tumblr for 365Wines as well, although I haven't updated it yet. I am looking for a way to write blog posts from my iPhone. I think Tumblr can take text messages, and I also started a Posterous for 365Wines, although I haven't used it yet. If there was some way to feed it all into this blog - email, text and web posts.

I'm sure this technology exists, I just haven't figured it out yet.

Thank you for your input.

Cheers!

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.

2007 Harkamp Sauvignon Blanc Steil

Yeah, I know what you are thinking, an Austrian Sauvignon Blanc? A little pricier than a Chilean, but cheaper than the same quality in a Californian Sav Blanc. We have it on the list at BONDA for $42 - and it is killer.

Classic ruby red grapefruit /cat pee on the nose with notes of gravely soil. Following on the palate, but with something more…terrior I dare say? A sensible Austrian soul? Citrus and acid on the back palate with a flinty minerality, limestone, peach pit and citrusy starfruit. Long finish with a hint of a bitter edge.

Definitely a wine to try if you see it. Only make a few hundred cases make it to the US, so check it out!

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.

2005 Westry Oracle Vineyard Pinot Noir

From Oregon, we had the 2006 in Nantucket, and I found this bottle in my cellar tonight, so I thought I would try it. I am thoroughly disappointed and am not enjoying it. First off, this Pinot is a little acidic and is making my tummy hurt. On the nose, it is hot, and has an aroma of wet green leaves, dirty soil, and shitake?

On the tongue, no fruit, with hints of wet cigar and cedar, more than firm tannins, and an unpleasant finish. It is a pity because I really love their Willamette Valley bottling and could drink it all day.

2005 Ch. Miraval Coteaux Varois en Provence

From the Rolle grape, this wine could be passing its prime. Fading citrus hints with round floral notes. Much better last summer, but not a big seller at BONDA. I think there are two bottles left, which I will mostly take off the list.

2005 Music Savignon

We had this Sauvignon Blanc down a the beach last week. Flavors of grapefruit are fading with lemon zest, and floral notes. Jamie thinks it is fading and I am inclined to agree.

2006 Cantina Tramin Gerwurztraminer

From Alto Adige, the beloved border region of Italy, this Gewurztraminer is the entry level Gerwurzt for Tramin, and I think it is the bees knees. I first had this wine at Pasta Nostra, when we also had their Pinot Nero. I ordered a few cases for BONDA the next day.

At first sip, a little viscous, with rose petals, pineapple and guava on the nose and a touch of spicy white pepper. Courtenay gets grapefruit and lavender on her palate, which I disagree with - but she is entitled to her opinion. We do agree on a stargazer lilly fragrance - not overwhelming, but comforting.

After awhile, the viscosity gives way to a touch of acidity, and round flavors of anise, rubber plant, petroleum jelly, and citrus zest. These are all very pleasant tastes, and I highly recommend this wine.