2004 Chateau Cantemerle

This red wine is from the AOC (Appellation d'Origine Contrôlée ) of Haut-Médoc on the left bank of the Gironde estuary. I partook in an interesting bottle of the 2004 Chateau Cantemerle. Although most vintages of Cantemerle are in the range of this blend, 50% Cabernet Sauvignon, 40% Merlot, 5% Cabernet Franc and 5% Petit Verdot, I could not confirm the 2004 blend. The Chateau produces around 25,000 cases of this cuvee each vintage. This property has a long history of being used for winemaking, some believe it dates back to the 1100’s. It is considered to be classified as one of eighteen Cinquièmes Crus (Fifth Growths) in the Bordeaux Wine Official Classification of 1855.

On the nose: Very subtle burnt toast with a twinge of Vicks cough drops. Intriguing. Bordeaux with some age can go either way, having the dusty tannins that prove to make it enjoyable and hold the fruit together or being a monolithic juggernaut pounding you into submission with back breaking tight tannins that will never give way to the fruit. Fortunately for me, this bottle has the dusty kind. This bottle is not a top tier chateau by the region’s standards, but the quality is on the uptick and I applaud the owners of this Domaine for keeping true to their roots and producing a wine which gives great examples of why Bordeaux blends are loved by so many. Slight pepper notes come with a second twirl in the glass. Some cigar box and potting soil. I would definitely consider this to be a bit austere.

Palate: Tannins are still there, but the life of this wine is turning. Would consume in the next three years. 2004 was not a great year in Bordeaux and was overshadowed by, 2005 which some consider to be the best of the decade (until 2009 – the wine press loves to anoint a vintage “Best Ever”, so be aware). Would pair this with some pan roasted sweetbreads with sweet & sour cipollini onions. (Sidenote: sweetbreads are neither sweet or a form of bread, discuss amongst yourselves?). This wine is as smooth as Paul Newman in the 1967 film classic Cool Hand Luke. Very tart and savory. It holds the tongue’s attention with some weight and length.

Rating Scale (out of 5 +):

+++

Price: $25 in 2004 (probably find it for around $40-$50 now)

"What we've got here is failure to communicate"

 

2004 Antonio Vallana e Figlio Gattinara

This red wine is from Northern Piedmont, Alto Piemonte. I had a delightful bottle of the 2004 Antonio Vallana e Figlio Gattinara. It is 100% Nebbiolo. The long and short of it is the family that produces this wine has a long and storied history in the wine business which dates back to the 18^th century, but they did not start producing wine until 1937. The wines from this particular estate were such a precious commodity in the States during the middle of the 20^th century. People in the know knew this was a tried and true red wine that could be trusted to give copious amounts of pleasure. The family had some hard times and unfortunately a death in the family, Antonio Vallana. He passed away very young and was originally slated to take the lead at the winery. This impacted the wines in a bad way and for a couple decades the quality could not be relied upon. Now 2 young family members (Marina and Francis Fogarty-Vallana) have taken the reigns and are trying to recreate their yesteryear magic.

On the nose: Is this a Barolo? Taste it blind and I dare you to not think it’s a Barolo or Barbaresco. Dries the mouth a lot on approach, but you kind of get used to it so the rest isn’t as abrasive as the first sip. Needs some protein to go along with this, maybe a nice veal spiedini. This attacks the taste buds like Zinedine Zidane’s forehead to the chest of Marco Materazzi ala 2006 World Cup Final. Ouch! Lesson to be learned, don’t talk smack about a French guy’s sister.

Palate: Sunday gravy would be nice with this. Not much on the nose initially, sense of tightly wound tannins. Decanted and revisited 2 hours later. Now we are talking. Dried rose pedal, button mushroom and some fresh coco. I would take this over half the Nebbiolo based Italian wines out there that I have tasted in the last 2 years and it is probably half the price. Great value. All the stuffing here to last over a decade.

Rating Scale (out of 5 +):

+++½

Price: $22

"No Goal"

 

 

2012 Mulheimer Sonnenlay Zeppelin Richter

This white wine is from Germany.  I twisted the cap on the 2012 Mulheimer Sonnenlay Zeppelin Richter Riesling many times this past summer. This particular vineyard has been in the same family since 1643.  It is managed by Dr. Dirk Max Ferdinand Richter, the 9^th generation managing the vineyard.  These grapes come from growers in Mülheim an der Mosel, a small and narrow mountainous wine commune Over the Hills and Far Away in Western Germany.  It is said that this is the only mountain in Europe fully dedicated to wine growing.  The label on this wine is rather pretty.  It has a picture of a fanciful airship, a Zeppelin, and the reason being is that Mülheimer Sonnenla was served onboard the Hindenburg.

On the nose: This vino is hitting the air on the snare drum and cymbal like only Bonzo can. “There’s a lady who’s sure all that glitters is gold” … this wine follows suit with a perfect shade.  It hits all the high notes like only Mr. Plant can with a little bit of Tangerine* scent as well as lays the line down like John Paul Jones can. OK, so I had Led Zeppelin IV album cover poster above my bed, kill me.  The aromas are rather nice, kind of like The Ocean*.  It kept my attention for the time the bottle was opened. If you grab a bottle, I guarantee you will not feel like a Fool in the Rain.

Palate: Did I forget someone. Oh this smacks the taste of apricot in your mouth like one of Jimmy Page’s guitar hooks. Definitely would be nice with some seafood.  Maybe a salmon filet.  Unfortunately, even though this is a great value for a Riesling, it doesn’t inspire with new tastes as The Song Remains the Same.  Has all the fixings of a Riesling, little residual sugar, punch of acidity, and Custard Pie. This wine doesn’t get All My Love. Let me stop before I Ramble On too much….

*(artistic license taken)

Rating Scale (out of 5 +):

+++

Price: $14

"Nobody’s Fault but Mine…for drinking this wine" 

I did it. 10 Zeppelin song titles in one review….Thank you

2007 Cougar Crest Reserve Syrah

This red wine is from the Southeastern part of Washington State.  I popped the cork on a bottle of the 2007 Cougar Crest Reserve Syrah made by a rather unknown winemaker Deborah Hansen. Deborah’s original calling had nothing to do with the wine business.  Actually, she earned her degree to become a pharmacist. I am happy that she scrapped her dreams of being a friendly smile behind the counter at our local Walgreens® and found her true calling on the craggy soil of Walla Walla Valley. Let’s not try and avoid the obvious and ignore the horrendous name given to this Vineyard.  Cougar plus Crest denotes a very weird, rather peculiar image. Maybe they need a good Advertising and Public Relations guy?  Any takers?  Besides the atrocious nomenclature, this wine has a lot of stuffing.

On the nose: This is like a Tiny Dancer (don’t hold me closer Elton John!) that glides across each nostril and questions each from where such a stupefying concocted scent could be born.  Well the answer to that question is Walla Walla Valley in good ol’ Washington State.  The perfume of this beauty is plentiful. Think of delicate rose pedals being laid out on a Gulf Coast beach to be dried out.  A nice sea breeze hits your face and you breathe in at that exact moment.  A little allspice and some sweet orange bell peppers to round things out.

Palate: Has me wondering why I haven’t had more Syrah from Washington, shame on me.  This can easily pass for a ten year old Côte-Rôtie created by Marcel Guigal that would run into the hundreds of dollars.  Love the length. I actually still think I am tasting some lingering flavors from this wine when I write this review.  Easily in the top 5 wines that I have tasted this year.  I would not bother to lay this bottle down for any time as it’s hitting its stride right now.  Not the easiest bottle to find and most of the bottles are available in the Northwest.  I picked up 4 bottles on a whim from www.wtso.com. Happy Drinking!

Rating Scale (out of 5 +):

++++½

Price: $40 – I got my bottles for $20 apiece.  Keep an eye out, you may get lucky….

"Those are some real ugly sunglasses" 

2010 Côtes du Rhône Rouge Adissat

Côtes du Rhône

 

This red wine is from the Southeastern part of France, in the Rhone region. I had a rather charming bottle of the 2010 Côtes du Rhône Rouge Adissat by Philippe Cambiea. Philippe, a jovial gentleman of imposing size, had a 15 year stint in the rugby world and I believe he brings the same passion and grit to his winemaking. His skills are usually on display with such stunning Châteauneuf-du-Pape as the 2010 Domaine Giraud "Gallimardes.” That 2010 vintage from the Rhone region was one for the ages, 97 points by Bob, and many believe it will produce some monumental bottles lasting more than three decades. However, this bottle is far more pedestrian and should be consumed in the near term, so I obliged.

 

On the nose: Lovely lavender laced licorice. Let’s liken this to a late lazy Saturday afternoon loafing in the Lily Rose patch. Very floral. For the price, the nose is fairly one dimensional, which is expected. Has a lot of the characteristics you’ve come to know and love from a sub $15 red….Oak, berries, and some more oak.

 

Palate: Sweet figs with beets. Razor focus on the entry. Like Razor Ramon and his crippling finishing move, The Razor’s Edge. I apologize for yet another WWF® (now WWE®) reference (let’s just say I bothered my parents into submission to purchase many pay-per-view events as a 8 year old), the Survivor Series was my favorite. Not the most profound wine I have had in the last 6 months, but I would not hesitate to give this up as a sacrificial bottle in defense of the greater good (your cellar).

 

Rating Scale (out of 5 +):

 

++½

 

Price: $12

 

"Say....hello....ToTheBadGuy!"

 

 

 

 

 

2010 Clos Blancheau James Berry Vineyard Chardonnay

Chardonnay

 

This white wine is from Paso Robles on the Central Coast of California. I guzzled the 2010 Clos Blancheau James Berry Vineyard Chardonnay a few nights ago. This wine has an interesting background as James Berry Vineyard is most commonly known for its prized Syrah, which is sold directly from such Vineyards as Saxum to a select few lucky oenophiles. This wine trades in the secondary market at prices well north of $150. So it comes as a surprise to me that a sub $25 chardonnay would be produced in the same area, when they can rip up the vines and replant some red grapes, charging six times the price for the resulting Syrah. However, let's not try to think too hard about why they are producing this white and dive right in.

 

On the nose: This could easily pass as being from France. Stone and rock. Minerality is at the forefront. Not much oak when you get your schnozz deep into the glass, which is a rather pleasant surprise with the new trend of added oakiness in Cali Chardonnays. Trace amounts of melon and butter get an honorable mention.

 

Palate: Star fruit and a hint of lime. Racy acidy that will cut through some fat and would be a darling match with some seafood. Take a nice red Caribbean crab called Sebastian from Disney®'s The Little Mermaid, dump him in a pot of boiling water, add some Old Bay® to your liking and call it a day. Yummy in my tummy. I apologize in advance to all the little 5 year old girls out there who haven't seen this animated classic yet.

 

Rating Scale (out of 5 +):

+++

 

Price: $20

 

Under the Sea…

 

2006 Dancing Hares Red

Cabernet Sauvignon/Merlot/Cabernet Franc

 

This red wine is from the Napa Valley, at the bottom of Howell Mountain to be exact. I had a bottle of the 2006 Dancing Hares Red. The blend is made of 58% Cabernet Sauvignon, 25% Merlot and 17% Cabernet Franc, these varietal combinations are typically found in Bordeaux blend. The team that is involved with the creation of this project is a “who’s who” of Napa and the wine consulting world including Michel Rolland (known for turning around many French chateaus and guilty of Parkerizing many wines to gain big scores), Andy Ericson (ever hear of a small little vineyard called Screaming Eagle? Well he was the wine maker there…enough said) and David Abreu (the vineyard manager who has been associated with such respected Cali Cabs as Harlan Estate, Colgin Cellars, Bryant Family Vineyard, and Abreu’s eponymous Vineyard). Only 300 cases were made of this cuvee.

 

On the nose: Daddy likes. This is right up my alley. Very classic Napa fruit with aromas of chocolate shavings and smoke. I would imagine this is probably how a bottle of Inglenook would have smelled way back when. Not overly extracted. Really subtle smell of all the right things. Wood, leather and fresh dirt.

 

Palate: The bottle is very fancy, with little etched rabbits holding hands and looking like they are dancing around a Maypole or something … hence the name. Very, very dusty. Imagine Dusty "The American Dream" Rhodes (for whom polka dots were not very sliming) did a pile driver to some poor merlot grapes. Tannins are sweet and have some backbone. This will easily last 15+ years. Would be a nice addition to anyone’s cellar, if you don’t mind parting with a C-note.

 

Rating Scale (out of 5 +):

++++¼

 

Price: $100

 

Watch out for the Polka Dot Drop ...