Simple Hedonisms

Posts Tagged ‘Wine Reviews’

I spend a lot of time each week tasting and evaluating wine that I purchase, as well as the occasional sample provided by a Winery. Most wines are from CA, OR and WA, with some imports, the latter usually acquired via K&L Wines in San Francisco (Their 3 month will call program is my Achilles Heel, I have cases to pick up this week.)

Given the regular time investment, I thought, why not spend a bit more time to capture the notes, and add that as blog content. Wine Reviews was not the original design of Simple Hedonisms, and it won’t become the primary content, but I have received a lot of positive feedback on the occasional ones I have done, so plan to ramp it up a bit. Also, I am pleased to announce that Palate Press, the Online Wine Magazine, will be publishing my reviews.

Feel free to post comments, questions. Contact me for shipping (or local pickup info) if you wish to submit a wine for review.

I also do a fair amount of ‘mini’ reviews on CellarTracker.com, usually via the Cor.kz iPhone app,  and have added a new tab for that. Right now is a manual export, so not updated in real time. Until I can figure out some kind of RSS or other real time linkage, I will update this tab once a week.  Until then, a real time list is available by clicking here.

I hope you enjoy the reviews, and find them useful. Cheers!

Happy 2010 (twenty-ten) from Simple Hedonisms!

This wine rated a 90 points from Wine Spectator, and is from the Mendoza region of Argentina. (I toured there a year ago.)

• Interesting blend of malbec, bonarda (yum), syrah, cab, merlot.
• Beautiful brick red color.
• Lush nose of berry. Plum, red fruit in mouth with clean finish.
• 14% alcohol.
• A great wine for only 12.99 on www.klwines.com

Only 500 cases made, and a few in stock – pounce!

I was fortunate enough to meet Kenny and Lynn this summer during my sabbatical, when I volunteered one morning to help them pick Cabernet grapes, early on a Sunday morning. (And another day Kenny let me spend the day helping with pressing.)

Courtesy of Muddy Roots

Kenny is a wine entrepreneur making wines under 3 labels, Hobo, Folk Machine, and Banyan. He sources fruit and manages vineyards from Rockpile, to Mendicino, down through Santa Cruz, and during harvest is a mad man. His wife Lynn does all the marketing and sales, in addition to their family of two girls. (Lynn just gave birth this week, congrats!)

You can taste Kenny’s wines in their tasting room in downtown Healdsburg,  Downtown Wine open 7 days a week.  You are in excellent hands with Aaron, tell him that William sent ya.

There was a great write-up on Kenny recently in Muddy Roots Magazine, rather than recant it all, check it out.

I visited Mayo for the first time a few weeks ago, during the Heart of Sonoma Valley Open House, as reviewed earlier this month.

When I learned they had a unoaked chard, I bought a bottle, blind as it wasn’t available for tasting. I have written several recent articles on unoaked chardonnay and discussed the nature and flavor profile of this style of chardonnay. I am planning a review soon, of a side by side comparison of many, so if you produce one, or know of one, let me know soon.

The marketeer in me doesn’t jazz on the term ‘unwooded’ but the description on the back label captures perfectly the essence of this style. “Ever wonder what chardonnay really tastes like underneath all that oak? We’ve made this wine for ourselves for a few years, loving the fruit forward, mineral…qualities if offers. We thought it was time to let it loose on the public.”

And I am glad they did, although its no longer on their website, so wondering if they are sold out.

This is another great expression of pure chardonnay fruit.  It doesn’t specify it did not undergo malolactic fermentation, but my guess is it didn’t.

The 2007 vintage is from the Sonoma Coast, Risk Vineyards. 454 cases made. 13.9% alcohol.

Color: Pale to medium yellow, good clarity

Aroma:  Scents of wet stone, grapefruit, and a hint of peach

In the Mouth: Bursting with citrus when it first hits the palette, pleasant taste of kiwi and peach on the mid palette,and a pleasant finish that lingers citrus and a hint of minerality.

I will repeat my mantra on drinking quality white wines: DO NOT OVERCHILL. If its been in the fridge, take it out for 15 minutes. If the glass is cold to touch, warm it in your hands. Cold masks all the aroma and flavor profiles the winemaker worked so hard to achieve.

cheers!

Is your mantra about white wine  ‘ABC’. (Anything but chardonnay.) Do you enjoy sauvignon blanc, or other white wines with crisp acidity, and bright fruit? If so hunt out the slowly growing category of chardonnays that are made without oak aging or malolactic (ML) fermentation.

There is nothing wrong with a chardonnay that is well made, and seen some oak and ML, but many have been turned off by the overly oaky, buttery chardonnays that have been being cranked out for years – we love to take a good thing to excess in the U.S. Its also a personal palette preference.

I discovered sauvignon blanc years ago, before the New Zealand craze caught on, and as a result of palette fatigue (kinda like wine ADHD) was hunting something else, and was pleased to discover this slowly emerging category of chardonnay in the US. (This is nothing new to Aussies.) I was inspired enough this was one of the two varietals I crushed this year, to also experiment with this style.

The Sonoma County Fair for the first time, amidst some controversy, had a category this year for unoaked Chardonnay, which I hope they repeat.  Like any wine, not all of these unoaked, no ML chardonnays are stellar, and a few poorly made entries seem to have portrayed the category negatively.

I generally try and/or buy any in Sonoma County I find, and have tasted quite a few. Sometime early next year, I am planning to taste through a number in comparison, so if you have suggestions, send them on.

One that I discovered this year, and enjoy regularly is from Gary Branham, a local boutique wine maker. Gary shares a tasting room with Kenny and Lynn of Hobo Wines, (I am a big fan of Kenny’s wines.)  Both of their wines are poured and available for purchase in downtown Healdsburg, at Downtown Wine. More often than not, you will be attended to by Aaron – a very knowledgeable wine aficionado. Talk less than I do, and you may learn a few things. Downtown Wine is also part of the Wine Road, and will be taking part in the Winter Wineland next month.

Color: Pale yellow, light straw, good clarity

Aroma:  A wonderful nose – full of  green apple, citrus

In the Mouth: Left on the lees (wine sediment) for 4 months gives this chardonnay nice mouth feel.

A bounty of fruit in the mouth; pineapple, green apple, grapefruit. Needless to say, a mouth watering finish, that lingers nicely.

Only 325 cases made, get some before its gone, but save a case for me!

Around $22, You can find this wine at the Downtown Tasting room, or Vine Tastings in Windsor, by the glass or bottle. (Unfortunately like most restaurants its served over chilled, masking its nuances. Cup your hands around the glass for a minute.)

Wine Geek Info

• Harvest: September 30, 2007
• Average Chemistry at Harvest: 25 Brix 3.20 pH .68 TA
• Whole Cluster Pressed
• Fermented in Stainless Steel for 25 days @ 55 degrees F
• No Malolactic fermentation ~ Left sur lie for 4 months
• Bottling: January 2007
• Chemistry at bottling: 14% alcohol 3.20 pH .68 TA
• Varietal percentage; 100% Chardonnay
• Vineyards: Foppoli Family Vineyard
• Production: 325 Cases

The Viogner Varietal

Yes, I am drinking a Rhone white varietal – if you read regularly this shouldn’t be a surprise, I regularly refer to the Rhone white wines as ‘the white wine varietal for red drinkers.’ Viognier holds a special place in my heart, as it was one of the first white wines, that weaned me off of exclusively drinking reds, some years ago.

Viognier came into vogue as a single white varietal in the last decade in the U.S. Its been planted as a blending grape, both for white and red wines, for generations. It is now widely planted all over the world, extending from Australia (where it’s commonly blended with syrah/shiraz), Chile and Argentina. It’s widely planted around the U.S. in CA, OR, and WA.

Viognier is especially known for its aromatics; it is a very floral varietal. Typical drunk young, winemakers can use a variety of techniques in production, ranging from stainless to neutral oak (new oak isn’t recommended,)) longer lees (grape residue) contact, and with or without Malolactic (ML) fermentation. Each of these can impart a difference in mouthfeel, body, structure.

Novy Family Winery

I have written before about Novy, in my review of Siduri.  Novy wines are made at Siduri, and is the label used for all their non Pinot Noir wines.

Their 2008 Viognier is a small production, only 63 cases made.

Color: light-medium straw color, clear

Aroma:  fragrant as befits the varietal.  Pear, Notes of citrus, pineapple.

In the Mouth:  Aged in Stainless only, with excellent balance, and a mouth watering acidity at finish.

Pear, pineapple, green apple, with a lingering taste of peach at finish.

I tasted this wine both chilled, and then at room temperature, and it shows its flavor and aroma characteristics much better a bit warmer….As I have written repeatedly, this is a critical factor in enjoying a well made, full bodied white wine.

This is a solid expression of Viognier, and one I recommend, at a reasonable $20 retail. Its sold at at the winery, but still available at several distributors; locals can also try Bottle Barn in Santa Rosa, where I have seen Siduri and Novy before.

cheers!

Yes, Simple Hedonisms is now doing wine reviews. I will write more later next week  about some changes for the blog these next months, but I have decided to write about the wines I taste.

Do I consider myself an expert? Hardly, I cringe when a novice asks if I am a connoisseur. After taking a number of  formal and informal classes over the years, including a 2 day sensory evaluation at UC Davis, I think my palette  range is frankly, about average. However my many years of tasting wine in many domestic and international regions, my  never tiring quest to explore wineries and try new wines, I think I have a breadth of insight to share. I also constantly challenging my palette to try new things, discover, and evolve.

Frankly, the wine blog also needs more content. I have a brevity problem – I generally only want to write things of depth, but the reality as an executive launching a start-up, I don’t have enough time at present to write the in depth articles and stories I desire.  I will not stoop to Tweeting regularly about a 3 sentence blog post, no matter what ‘experts’ say about how often you should post, but I am cognizant I need to get more writing done, and do to that I need to do some content that’s easier to create. Of course it must be of interest to you, the reader.

I buy a LOT of wine, the majority being from Sonoma County, but I dabble all regions and countries, usually through my ‘pusher’ K & L Wine, online. Since much of 250+ bottle collection comes from small wineries, I will also endeavor to occasionally review things that can be purchased via retail. Since my goal is to help you, the local or remote wine consumer, I will focus often on those small wineries.

I will accept samples to review, especially for themes of vertical tastings, like the unoaked Chardonnay round-up I’d like to do soon. I tend to stay away from negative writing, so if I don’t like the wine, or think its poorly made, likely I just won’t write about it. I will also take care to note wines that are well made, but perhaps not my own personal palate preference.

I will also amuse myself, and present the findings of, the occasional blind tasting.  Your feedback and constructive criticism is always welcomed.

Cheers!

It’s another odd night in an odd week. (Board meeting today, new Chairman of the Board, next year’s growth target now could  be 300% Year over Year, not double – will the blog or I survive? ) It’s definitely vino time!)

It’s an odd post, in that its another non Sonoma wine review, which represents 70%+  of what I buy. (Truth, it’s left from what I poured from the Xmas party I hosted tonight.)

I promise to start reviewing the many Sonoma wines I drink soon!  It’s also odd in that Torrontes is  a varietal I love from Argentina, but to whom this vintner I have given scathing remarks to in Cellartracker.com and K&L Wines.com.

I love Torrontes. I discovered it in my Christmas/New Years trip last year to Argentina as I journeyed around Uco Valley and Mendoza.

It’s an interesting white varietal for a number of reasons, and one I think traditional red wine drinkers should look at.

Virtually unknown in North America until recently, the Argentines are now trying to promote this as THE white wine of Argentina, or the Sister of Malbec. It’s a varietal worth promoting. If you like Rhone white wines like Viognier, Rousanne, or Marsanne, you will like the floral nose, body, and  mouthfeel of a Torrontes. I am generally not a fan of ‘value’ wines but you are hard pressed to spend more than $15 for a Torrontes even if you want too, and they are an amazing value at $8-12.

The origins of Torrontes are still a bit of a mystery – it has genetic relatives, but its true origins are still not known. Torrontés is also a Spanish grape variety from Galicia, but its relationship to the Argentinian varieties is uncertain.

Last year I was on a tear to try every Torrontes K&L Wines had to offer. Twice I bought a 2008 Tomero Torrontes, (once K&L, once Bottle Barn) and then one night we tasted in a wine class at SRJC. All three experiences were bad, either suffering corkage or offering off flavors and odors. I was so mad the 3rd time I wrote in CellarTracker.com I wrote ” horrid representation of this normally amazing white Argentine varietal. A bit off on the nose and REALLY bad on the finish. It saddens me greatly this could be some ones intro to Torrontes – 70 points. (80 views)”

Likewise our instructor was not pleased. For some reason that escapes me, I ordered one more bottle. I guess 3rd (purchase) is a charm. (I should mention I have bought many bottles of others and this was my only negative experience.

FINALLY this captures the essence of Torrontes.

Color: a very pale yellow color. Clear.

Aroma: characteristic floral nose. Pineapple. Hint of citrus.

In the Mouth: A plethora of fruit – peach, green apple, grapefuit. Excellent viscosity, mouthfeel, balance, with a mouth watering, acidic finish.

PLEASE drink these very lightly chilled. I am drinking mine at room temp of 65 degrees. The fragant nose and great mouthful are lost by the US habit of serving whites from the refrigerator at 45 degrees.

I welcome feedback if these wine reviews are useful, and if you’d like more, or any directional changes – a zillion blogs review wines – even though its part time for this one, I want this to be worth reading.

cheers!

One of these days I will get around to writing the article thats been in my head for ages “White wines for Red wine drinkers” – but not today.

I discovered Viognier some years ago, reading an article about it as a suggested white wine varietal (grape type) that red wine drinkers might enjoy. Rarely bottled in  the US back then as a varietal, it was produced mostly for blending. As this white Rhone (region of France) varietal has gained in popularity, it has gone through the price increase, quality decrease cycle I have witnessed other wine varietals experience. Wineries try and chase ‘trends’ – a risky venture in an industry where its 3-4 years before new vines are viable and another 12+ months before you can sell your first bottling. I don’t encourage it.

The mini Viognier craze seems to have ebbed a bit, leaving better quality on the market, and on the plus side,  a broader consumer appreciation for this varietal. Viognier is a wine I love to share with the uninitiated, especially when I find one that hasn’t been over tampered with, as we like to do in CA sometimes.

Since I am in my part time home in my flat outside Portland, tonight’s Viognier is from Penner-Ash, a 10,000/case year winery in Newberg, OR, part of the Willamette Valley. The fruit was sourced from the Rogue Valley, A Southern Oregon AVA.

The Viognier retails for ~$28 – I purchased my bottle at local grocery store. It comes in a screw top, which doesn’t surprise me – Oregon is very focused on green measures, and this winery touts it’s energy saving focus.

Viognier is a fragrant varietal, one of the reasons why it is desirable as a blending grape.

Color: A very pale yellow, with excellent clarity

Aroma: Fragrant, as a Viognier should be. Peach and citrus on the nose. A hint of green apple, spice.

In the Mouth: Viognier characteristically has good body and mouth feel. This doesn’t disappoint. Melon, tropical fruit, good mid palette, a touch of sweetness, pear. A barely detectable bit of heat (alcohol) on finish.

An excellent expression of Viognier. This is very drinkable by itself, would pair well with many cheeses and a variety of foods.

For my fellow local Sonoma County friends, I had a great viognier this weekend I didn’t review, is the 2008 Copain Viognier Tous Ensemble, under $25.

PLEASE remember to not drink good white wines over chilled – all nuances of aroma and flavor profiles are masked. In the event you don’t have a cellar, and its been in the fridge, take out at least 15+ mins before drinking,. 58-64 degrees is optimal, and most fridges are generally in the 40s.

Cheers!