After a brief hiatus, I'm back!

Sometimes I need a break.  Just a little bit of time to mentally, physically & spiritually regroup.  Basically, I start feeling guilty about all the bad things I eat and drink and the overall neglected state of my body that I feel the need to occasionally take a step back for a few weeks and cleanse.  My first step back was a small one, but the good news is that it's been so long since the nectar of the god's has touched my lips that I was buzzed after just one glass.

Francis Ford Coppola - Votre Sante 2010 Pinot Noir

It's fall and that means it's time for some deep red to match the changing leaves.  I am truly a fan of all things Coppola and this was no different.

Cranberry in color and scent, with subtle notes of cinnamon, brown sugar & oak.  A mouthful that was tart yet crisp & robust with a deep grainy woodsy flavor. 

This wine was many different things.  Perhaps my palate was awakened once again after not having suffered from the typical abuse I so regularly dish out by eating crappy food & drowning myself in cheap wine.  Seriously, this was a stellar bottle of $15 wine that I would buy time and time again. And to top that, they design was a little more artsy than the standard variety.  I'm not sure if it makes any difference, but I mentioned it anyway. 

With that, I bid you farewell.

Until next time.

Cheers,
ES

*Damn right, I took this picture myself with the new iPhone.  Love it!

This is what happens when you try to write a wine blog and haven't been drinking.

I have not consumed a drop of alcohol in over two weeks.  Perhaps my timing could have been better but it's just a little late summer break to help cleanse the body & mind.  In the spirit of honesty, I do want a drink every single day and openly admit that I have a problem, it's called the LIRR.  Surprisingly, I have yet to cave.

Anyway...I found something interesting to write aside from silly reviews about my cheap frugal wine habits and drunken random day trips to the east end.  The WSJ was kind enough to recommend a free, yes free iPad/iPhone app for those who love wine but are perhaps too short on funds to afford paying the $1.99 average fee. It's called "Hello Vino" and is as user friendly as user friendly can be.  Hello Vino helps suggest a proper bottle of wine based on meal choice, cost, personal taste or region. It will even suggest a meal to go with a bottle you may already have in your rack. Each sub folder custom tailors choices based on your situation by asking  a series of basic questions which the HV app whittles down to a  final list of 3 distinct choices. The suggested wines are broken down into rated wines, random choices & value selections.  Each complete with a general description and average price per bottle.

Did you follow all of that?  I probably just made it more confusing than it really is.

Typically speaking, I like to do a little research before purchasing a bottle or sometimes even enjoy exploring the rows for something that peaks my interest.  Sadly, I am often in too much of a hurry to browse so this app helps take a lot of the guesswork out of choosing the right bottle of wine. It's simple and quick and is sincerely the best free wine app I've seen thus far.  If you're looking for ease, this should be your one and only stop.  But don't take it from me, download it today and see for yourself. 

Although I haven't actually tried the wines they suggest, I'll be back in the saddle soon enough.  It might be perfectly suited to help find the right wine pairing with whatever you're grilling this Labor Day.  Or it might tell you that the bottle of Boone's Farms your sketchy neighbor brought over goes great with a hot dog that was dropped on the ground.  You never know?

Until next time...

Cheers,
ES

 

Last Night's Bottle - Croteaux - 2010 Chloe Rose Sauvignon Blanc

Let me start by saying if I haven't already that there is one clear favorite when it comes to L.I. wines.  The vineyard is Croteaux.  Modeled after the famed region of Provence, these guys have got it right.  From the friendly atmosphere to the quaint tasting room & french styled garden out back right down to every last nail in the refurbished barn, this is by far a must see when visiting the North Fork.  I will stop gushing there as I would prefer it remain a somewhat closely guarded secret among the 5 (or less) people that read this blog and hope it remains that way.

About the wine, it's good.  It's real good...especially if Rose is your thing.  I genuinely believe that aside from the bold reds we have grown accustomed to on Long Island, the production of Rose seems to be on the upswing.  And if it's not, it should be.  Buying the first bottle Croteaux Chloe Rose was originally more of a gimmick purchase for me simply because it's named after my dog.  The fact that the wine is amazing was very pleasant surprise.  For the sake of this being a wine blog and not a dog blog I should probably give you a quick brief of my notes.

My notes: Sweet with notes of ripe citrus and a subtle presence of rose petals.  Dainty, floral & extremely light.  Pleasant & refreshing with a long lasting yet not overzealous mouthful of grapefruit finish.

Simply put, you should all grab a bottle or case and see for yourself.  I sincerely doubt you will disapprove.  If you do, I will take the rest of what you don't finish (at no cost) and save it for myself. :)

In all seriousness, I have thoroughly enjoyed every single bottle of wine I have brought home from here. In addition to the countless hours I've spent lounging in the garden as if it were my own.  If you find yourself venturing east, be certain to make this a stop on your tour.  Although I won't tell you where exactly it is. Some things are better left a secret.

Until next time...
Cheers,
ES

www.croteaux.com

Friday night wine class

I don’t typically like to spend my spare time in the city when I’m not working.   Unfortunately, my view of the city has been spoiled by the fact that I hike the corridor of misery from Penn Station to Times Sq. almost every day.  But occasionally you can lure me to stay a few extra hours by offering drinks and/or the occasional meal. 

This past Friday, I had the opportunity to attend a Wine 101 class offered by NYCwineclass.com.  In a nutshell, the class was a quick (and I mean quick) opportunity to learn some basics about wine (and cheese) in the comfort of a converted apartment above Landmark Wines on 23^rd Street.  There were 10 wines matched with 5 cheeses in addition to some olives and as much bread as you could pile onto your plate.  Our instructor breezed through each wine 1x1 while politely ignoring questions as he went along in order to adhere to the 2 hour schedule. 

Without sounding overly negative, I found this class to be exactly as what it was billed…a basic introduction to wine.  The average person could obtain this same knowledge from just about anywhere.  The real value was in the tasting.  The variety of wines paired with cheese was commendable and certainly opened my eyes to a few labels/regions that I don’t often dedicate enough attention to.  If nothing else, this was a fine opportunity to sample a few items outside my preferential box.  In addition, the wines are chosen so that we could taste the differences that climate, region & production have on specific varietals.  Lastly, the finale consisted of a blind tasting that accentuated how less expensive wines can in fact taste better their well heeled cousins.

Below is the list of 6 wines I actually have notes on.  As time wore one, my interest wavered a bit and I spent more time chatting than paying attention to what exactly was being poured into my glass.  My apologies for not being more descriptive, but as I said, the class was moving along rather quickly.

Florian Mollet, Pouilly Fume, Loire Valley, France 2010 - Fresh meadow, lemon zest, grassy with hints of citrus. A cooler climate wine.

Chateau St. Jean, Fume Blanc, Sonoma County, CA 2009 - Sweeter than the Florian, tart with mineral notes that was mildly buttery and hints of smoke.

Charles Smith, Riesling, Kung Fu Girl, Columbia Valley, WA 2010 - Spritzy & sharp ripeness with a finely balanced sweetness. Flavors of pear & green apple.

E. Guigal, Cotes-du-Rhone Blanc, Rhone Valley, France 2010 - Lighter, but with more bite & acidity than the Charles smith counterpart. Better choice for pairing with spicy foods.

Gros Frere et Soeur, Hautes-Cotes-deNuits, Burgundy, France 2006 - Light, mildly acidic with a smooth leathery finish.

Saintsbury, Pinot Noir, Carneros, CA 2009 - More acidic than the Gros Frer, flush with overripe red fruits, spice & flinty mouth.

Overall review:

The (+)

-          The class provided a basic introduction and understanding of wine for true beginners.

-          Wines & cheeses were balanced beautifully and were delightfully different from one another.

-          Solid overall variety.

-          Service was polite & attentive.

The (-)

-          The instructor was very quick to glance over most details & questions.

-          Demeanor of the class was not very relaxed.

-          Breadth of information was lacking.

-          The overall content of the class was as basic as basic gets.

-          I suppose a little music might have been nice.

Until next time…

Cheers,

ES

Last night's bottle - Maipe 2010 Cabernet Sauvignon

Every time I go to the wine store with the intention on buying something specific, I walk out with an entirely different bottle.  I'm still reading Unquenchable which has continued to give me new ideas. Last night's goal was to roll home with an Argentinian Malbec. Swing & a miss...I came home with Cabernet.

It's been awhile but it would make sense that I've preached the goodness of S.American wines based on cost alone.  And after sampling more than just a few bottles, the quality is never really lacking.  It's safe to say that I am always pleasantly surprised.  I'm not sure when the surprise will wear off and I'll simply accept that S.America churns out some damn good wine.

From the bottle:
Produced in a sub region of Mendoza, Argentina,  Luján de Cuyo, by the Pelizzatti family, Maipe wines are committed to making excellent wines and strive themselves on quality. The region in which their grapes are grown is located 3,000 feet above sea level in the foothills of the Andes Mountains. The region is very cool in climate and ideal for the grapes they grow. They have 32 hectares of Cabernet Sauvignon and are situated on deep and textured soil. The name Maipe originates from the "Lord of the Winds" by ancient Andean people. Their Cabernet Sauvignon is grown on 35 year old vines and is 100% Cabernet Sauvignon. The wine is aged for 3 months in 10% aged American oak before being bottled.

My notes:
The coloring was most impressive.  Deep red with an amber hue.  The bouquet ripe with floral notes & a soft metallic feel.  Smooth at first with a subtle edginess.  A well balanced contrast.

The flavor is reminiscent of a blonde oak that is smooth yet not overly pronounced. The metallic properties carry through the palate as well.  There is a rich caramel-like sweetness that mixes flawlessly with a spiciness. It's a somewhat unlikely combination that I felt blended really well with one another.

The wine wasn't deep with flavor, but I like that.  It's a fine line when all the different notes jump out at you and compliment rather than compete with one another.  The more I drink I find the more difficult is is to achieve such a goal. 

This was a decent bottle of wine.  For $9, I would try it again.  Not necessarily something I'll keep in the regular rotation, but worth another purchase should the opportunity present itself.

And with that, I leave you.

Until next time...

Cheers,
ES

*I did not take this picture and those are not my fake flowers.

Where did all the wine coolers go?

A long time ago there was something called a wine cooler.  For those of us who grew up in the 80's-90's you most definitely should remember these guys.

Bartles & Jaymes

  

Whatever happened to them anyway?

Anyway, the allure of wine coolers (for me at least) was that they packed a higher ABV than most beers at the time, but were sweeter and more feminine than beer. Before long, your friends would ridicule and threaten to kick your ass if they ever saw a wine cooler touch your lips again.  This never happened to me, but I saw it happen to a "friend" once. ;) Then came Zima...that's a whole different story.

Jump ahead to 2012.  Drinking good wine is now a show of status.  Talking about wine is borderline pretentious. But knowing what kind of wine to drink and when is simply just helpful when trying to decide what to buy in a seemingly endless maze of choices isn't wrong at all.  Summer is upon us and it seems that Moscato wines are getting some additional attention lately.  Moscat grapes are sweet and therefore the wine is sweet as well.  Add to the fact that many labels are infusing with additional fruit flavor(s), you've got your modern version of a wine cooler.  The good news is that Muscato comes in big people bottles and not 4-packs.

At last week's Father's day cookout, my sister was kind enough to corner the market on Lunae's Sparkling Moscato & Peach.  Keep in mind that during BBQ time I am purely a beer guy. It's much easier and masculine looking for me to drink a beer that sip a glass of wine while holding a spatula.  But then comes the time where I can put the grill away and drink whatever I want & I turned to the Muscato.

Here's my breakdown.  It was light, sweet & pleasant. Maybe a little too sweet. In no way would I say this tasted like any other wine I typically like to drink, but it definitely does the trick on a hot (almost) summer day.  Cutting to the chase, this is a refreshing bottle for a BBQ.  For people who don't usually drink wine, this is might be considered a gateway. It may or may not open your mind to new & different things.   

As for the winemaker's notes, here's what I could find:

"Lunae is the first ever sparkling Moscato from Asti Italy infused with natural peach. This new wine is sweet and refreshing. It is perfect as a chilled cocktail or as the base for many exciting new drinks."

Until next time.

Cheers,

ES



At long last...

In short, it has been an absolutely hellish few months.  Thankfully and without jinxing myself, the craziness seems to have subsided...for now.  I'd like to dedicate this entry to my best buddy Romeo.  For those of you who know me personally, you understand how special he was not only to me but to any/everyone who knew him.

There is no psychiatrist in the world like a puppy licking your face.  ~Ben Williams

To be perfectly honest I've been drinking a lot lately, but just haven't found the heart to sit down and take notes or write about anything.  Let's say that I have re-discovered the medicinal properties of a nice bottle of wine.

As for last night, I started reading a new book about wine called "Unquenchable" by Natalie MacLean.  Ms. MacLean wrote the book based on the premise that she could travel & discover some really great wines in the $15-20 range.  I think that for most of the people who are casual drinkers of wine, this is the price point that's comfortable for most of us.  And if it's not within your comfort zone, it most certainly is within mine.  Her first chapter referenced the best bargains from the most notable regions of the Australian and their famed Shiraz.  Why not start there?

I stopped off @ the pharmacy, local wine shop with my new guide in hand and picked up the only bottle I could find with a name that had been mentioned in the book.  Of course it was not entirely unreasonable for me to assume that most every wine shop carry the big labels that are most aggressively marketed as opposed to something actually worth drinking.  Ironically, this was the second most expensive ($19.99...I probably overpaid) bottle of Austrilian red they carried and the bottle hadn't even been dusted off in at least a few months.  This is what I found.

2008 Peter Lehmann Layers Red, Barossa

This bottle of Australian red from the Barossa Valley was fleshy and bold. Full of red fruit, tangy with a mildly spicy undertone.  Upon first taste I realized the book was in fact correct. This was not just another ordinary wine.  It was smooth, yet possessed a heartiness that was even keeled with a hint of smokiness that I'd have more likely expected to find with a dry aged cheese.  I also felt there was a woodsiness that lingered for a moment or two. 

I wouldn't sit here and lie about how much I liked this if I didn't like this wine.  It was something a little different for me and I truly enjoyed some of the subtle notes that I don't usually find in a regular bottle of wine.  As was mentioned in the book, the Barossa Valley wines have much to offer in terms of both value and quality.  If you're looking to mix it up, don't hesitate to read the label and find something similar.  It might be as much of a surprise to you as it was me.

  http://www.nataliemaclean.com/

Cheers,

ES

Last Night's Bottle - Ducourt 2010 Bordeaux Sauvignon Blanc

A few random thoughts.

I'm having a hard time figuring out if Pinterest is going to be next social media giant?  As of right now, I don't really get it.  Next thought...

I was also contemplating if I should rename this portion of the blog "Today's Bottle" because I am strongly considering drinking while @ work.  Not really, but wouldn't that be fun for me?  Anyway...

As part of the bottle notes I needed to catch up on, I recently bought a bottle of Ducourt 2010 Bordeaux Sauvignon Blanc.  I realize that I don't write about white wine, but it would seem that my tastes are seasonal as I am sure are most of yours.  Considering that winter ended 3 months early this year, now is as good a time as any to start with the spring/summer series of whites.

The Ducourt was something different for me.  I can't say I have ever had it before and because I don't often find myself drinking the "french stuff", today was a good opportunity for me to spread my wings.  The wine is soft and airy.  A subtle green hue with citrus & floral notes give way to a splash of melon & lingering grapefruit that is delicate & elegant at the same time.  Perfect.summer.wine.

This Ducourt slides right in as a new favorite of mine.  Perfect for either dinner or a sunset, it will not disappoint. As it stands, I have continued the streak of not paying more than $15 for a bottle in as long as I can remember so fear not, this will not drain your wallet.  Unless you go back the next time and decide to instead buy a case.  If so, save me a bottle.

Until next time...

Cheers,
ES   

http://www.ducourt.com/uk/index.php

Last Night's Bottle - Dreaming Tree 2009 Cabernet Sauvignon

I've been in my house for 2 years and live near about 37 different win/liquor stores...ok, maybe more like 4-5.  Anyway, at the bottom of my hill (yes, I live atop the only hill on LI) there is a small liquor store that I have avoided like the plague since day 1. I can't say that I have any reason for having avoided the place for so long other than that it is the most convenient and prefer to  make everything in life just a bit more difficult than necessary.  Having said that, dinner was almost ready and I was in need of a bottle of wine in a pinch.  Sadly, I do not keep much on standby because I tend to drink what I have. Some call it a problem, I call it a passion. ;)

I am happy to announce that the small mom & pop down the block was just fine for a quickie.  After maybe 5 minutes I happened upon a bottle of Dreaming Tree Cabernet that I secretly knew was produced by Dave Matthews, the moonlighting winemaker.  I snatched it up, brought it home & popped the bottle with super- hero like quickness.  Thankfully, my quick decision making paid off.

Knowing that Mr. Matthews is very involved with environmental causes led me to believe that I had bought this wine for all the right reasons.  Aside from my feeling like I was somehow doing something environmentally friendly, I found the wine to actually be pretty damn good. 

Notes of blackberry, cherry & a red earthiness with a black cherry hue were a fine start.  The mouth had a certain finesse to it.  Fruity to start with a dryer finish and a hint and I meant hint of tartness.  This was a welcome contrast to wines that explode in your mouth like a Starburst commercial.  I was pleased to say the least.

I would recommend this as simply a good drinking wine.  No need to pair it with anything if you choose not to.  It would be socially acceptable to just stand around drinking a bottle alone among friends.  It was certainly a nice surprise to find a bottle this satisfying on such short notice.  Especially if you bring it home and put the Dave Matthews station on Pandora prompting you to remember why you liked him in the first place.

A few interesting notes about Dreaming Tree:

Lightweight bottles manufactured with clean-burning natural gas

100% recycled paper labels

Black ink printing—no bleaching, reduced toxins and heavy metals

Natural corks from sustainable farms

http://www.dreamingtreewines.com/

Last Night's Bottle - Antigal 1 Malbec 2008

Before I go on, it's important for me to point out:

1.I didn't really drink this bottle last night

and

2.I'm not entirely sure if this is Antigal "One" or Antigal "Uno".  Choose at your own risk.

Anyway...this is a really pretty bottle of wine. I say "pretty" because I don't necessarily have any more descriptives worthy of mention.  If I have mentioned this before, please forgive me for saying it again, but so much of the wine I've been drinking lately has really been lacking in depth.  I suppose that maybe it has to do with the price point. On the other hand, I've had some really good wine for less than $20 some even less than $15 and even a very select few closer to $10.  Therefore, I refuse to use price point as an excuse for lousy wine.

Speaking of lousy...uh, I mean inexpensive pretty wine, Antigal comes in a dark and ominous bottle with a very fancy plastic #1 strapped to it.  It is most definitely an eye catcher if nothing else.  As for the wine inside, it would only be fair to say that it wasn't entirely bad.  It had a deep violet color which I have come to expect from most Malbec wines.  Aromas of blackberry & dark rich fruit were certainly enticing.  Yet the mouth was drier than expected, the oak was mild, yet the fruit was consistent with the dark red berry nose. 

But as I said before, there was a lack of depth.  The flavors that were there tended to drop off rather than than linger.  There was a somewhat synthetic feel to it.  Not in the sense that I was drinking chemicals, but when you taste something natural it should tend to stick around for awhile.  That was not the case here.

With that, I'd rate this wine a pass.  There is more to be had for less.  Of course I would never suggest not trying something if it interests you,  but if $15 means more to you than a mediocre wine in a pretty bottle I have said my part.

Until next time...

Cheers,
ES

http://bodegaantigal.com/

And now for something a little different.

With a new iPad comes a new interest in the world of apps.  More specifically, the world of FREE apps.  What I've learned so far that free doesn't necessarily mean free.  Free typically means "scaled down crappy version of something better that we'll allow you to sample in hopes that you pay full price for the real thing." Did you get all that? In addition, the list of apps differs between iPads & iPhones which I found odd.

In the world of wine apps, there tends to be a lot of stuff out there that really has nothing to do with wine.  If I were to type wine into the search field, a host of apps would pop up listing everything from wine fashion (I have no idea what that even means) to wine stores.  In addition, only a handful of said apps are "free".  Leave it to me to sort through that mess an report back on a few that I came across and whether or not they were actually useful?

1. wine.com - When this app actually wants to work it's basically an eWine Store.  Although, it is helpful in allowing the user to search by region and keep a wish list of wines they may want to try later.  Wines are listed with price and points rating so if that's what floats your boat then by all means start sailing.

2. wine - Aside from the originality of the name, this app is as simple as it gets.  Assuming you're either wi-fi or 3G enabled, this application allows you to search local wineries, vineyards & wine stores based on GPS location. It also lists some general contact info which is helpful if your making decisions on the fly.  I did notice that some of the info was a bit outdated, but I guess that's part of the fun of free. 

3. average joe wine - At first glance, this seemed a most promising application.  A simple yet effective concept that allows users to write their own wine reviews and share them with other users.  Wine can be searched by region which helps narrow things down.  But guess what?  Apparently I am the only person who knows about Average Joe.  In trying to search about 10 local wines, I was able to retrieve info on 0 of them.  This was obviously as effective as the blind choices I make just about every time I walk into a liquor store.

4. winestein - Now we're getting somewhere. Winestein takes the mystery out of choosing what wine to pair with what dish.  The user is prompted to either type in a specific ingredient or meal and BAM, Winestein knows exactly what you should be serving with that meal.  Or vice versa which allows one to type in a type of wine and thus spits out a food to match.

5. wine terms - Let me see...what is the easiest way for me to describe this app?  This is a glossary of wine terms arranged in alphabetical order...duh!  Want to sound cool among other wine geeks?  Here's your chance.

So that should get you started.  One of these days I'll most likely throw my blackberry onto the LIRR tracks, go out buy myself an iPhone and perhaps see if there are some better phone specific apps to be had.  In the mean time, have fun with what I've given you.

Until next time...

Cheers,
ES

as if they needed more publicity!

Last Night's Bottle - More Tales From Organica

It's become a bit of a treasure hunt at the wine store(s) lately.  The market for organic wine is obviously lacking in terms of selection and IMHO, quality.  So every time I stumble upon a new label I typically grab one for the road and move on.  My latest discovery in the organic category is the Releaf 2009 red blend which consists of 50% Cabernet Sauvignon, 30% Merlot & 20% Shiraz.

As far as blends go, I'm usually on the fence.  There really seems to be no middle ground for me.  I very rarely find myself either loving or hating specific blends.  I am happy to report that this time was no different.

Based on the varietals alone, this seemed like a promising endeavor.  Or perhaps it's just that I have an unnatural fetish for red wine?  Aromas of blackberry, vanilla with a hint of oak continued to peak my interest.  Flavors of plum, cranberry & black licorice provided some nice acidity & a little bit of a bite.  On a personal level, I do not like the taste of black licorice, but this wasn't enough to be a complete turnoff for me.

All that said, the wine was less complex than I'd have liked.  It was also thinner than I'd have preferred.  But at the same time, it was entirely drinkable.  Rated against some of the other organics I've recently sampled, this held up pretty well.  Although after only having two glasses, I woke up with a college sized hangover the next day.  It may simply be the fact that I've been working my tail off lately and completely exhausted, but something I felt worth mentioning.  Caveat emptor.

Until next time.

Cheers,
ES

http://www.prestigewinegroup.com

 

Last Night's Bottle - A sequel to last week's 90+ post

I forgot to mention that I picked up a second bottle of 90+ on last week's trip to the Alcohol Store.  Only this time it was the Pinot Noir instead of the Cab.  After sharing such a wonderfully inebriated view of the last bottle, I was hoping to channel a little more of that same magic.

Let's start with this.  The Cabernet was the better of the two buys.  Stop reading now if you care not to read my usual rambling about yet another bottle of red wine.  Should you choose to read on, you won't regret my use of fancy descriptive terms like earthy, fleshy & melange.  (Melange is pronounced with a heavy French accent while wearing a beret & smoking a long filtered cigarette. *Striped shirt optional).  Like a bohemian after 2 or 3 Red Bull. If you made sense of that, give yourself +2.

The Pinot was without a doubt consistently thinner than the cab but obviously a direct result of the variety of grape.  It has a certain earthinesss to it.  Coupled with scents of rose & cranberry.  All of which were nice & light.

The taste was fleshy & clean on the palate. Jammy with a subtle tartness.  Cranberry & apple mixed with plum.  It was a potpourri melange of fruit flavor.  Not overwhelming, but apparent.

With that, I share with you this.  The 90+ does a pretty good wine for the price.  It improves your use & pronunciation of French sounding words, it goes down easy on the palate assuming you find it for under $20/bottle.  The Cabernet beats the Pinot in 1 out of 2 taste tests, but in either instance I don't feel as if you will be overly disappointed.

Jusqu'à la prochaine fois. (I google translated that last part).

Cheers,
ES

Last Night's Bottle - 90+ Cellars 2009 Cabernet Sauvignon

After a long day on campus trying to figure out how the heck managerial accounting is going to change my life, the need for a good bottle of wine afterward increases tenfold.  I often spend time roaming the aisles of the wine store like a homeless person wanders the streets of Manhattan. 

This week I stumbled upon the "staff pick of the week" display (which is a fancy way of saying overstock) only to find the entire cache of 90+ Cellars on sale for a few bucks off the regular price.  So yeah, it's safe to say I took the bait and ran with it.

Let me get this out of the way and say that this bottle was a homerun.  Or at the very least, a booming triple off the wall in deep right.

It was somewhat surprising to find a scent consistent with a warm spiciness, tart raspberry & oak.  Upon reading the bottle, they hit on black raspberry, red currant, tobacco & toasty oak.  That's pretty close.

The wine is full for a medium bodied red . Rich & dark with an almost smoky, deep reaching, fruit flavor.  In sum, it has a distinctly masculine feel.  Without question this would couple well with juicy red steak or a fine cigar in a leather chair. 

So perhaps I just needed a good drink after staring at numbers all day or maybe I've been drinking too much organic stuff lately. In either scenario, this was a nice chance of pace.  I wish I had bought more.

Until next time...

Cheers,
ES

http://www.ninetypluscellars.com/

Last Night's Bottle - Frey Vineyards Organic 2009 Zinfandel

Last night was a football night, actually THE football night and football nights are dedicated to beer.  But the night before, we stumbled upon a bottle of something new and more interestingly, something organic. 

Frey Vineyards produces a line of wholly organic & sustainable wines on their ranch in Menodocino Country, CA.  As I am constantly on the hunt for organics, I was hoping this was going to be "the one".  Hoping this would be the first bottle of organic wine that really blew my doors off.

I popped the bottle and noticed that maybe it's time for a new rabbit.  It's been almost 10 years and while she's seen a good life, it may be time to put her to rest.  She just doesn't hop like she used to.  Nevertheless, the bottle opened and so we drank.

The wine itself was full of plum and spice aromas and a rich crimson color. Flavors of black cherry & currant were unmistakable, but this wine was too hot, too harsh & tart for my taste.  I allowed it to breathe a bit and followed one sip with another and another until ultimately my mind was made up. This just wasn't what I had hoped for.

It's hard for me to bash on a vineyard that goes to such great length to produce quality organic wines with a commitment to sustainability.  But sadly, this just wasn't my cup of juice.  For all that's granola in the world and for those who seek it, be my guest.  But if you're reading this perhaps you were looking for some direction before buying a bottle.  I won't ever say that I told you so.

Until next time...

Cheers,
ES

http://www.freywine.com/index.html

Last Night's Bottle - Wolffer Estate 2007 Pinot Noir

The new first semester starts tomorrow & I have been drinking more this week in anticipation of what lies ahead in addition to the fact that I won't be able to check in as often once I have "real" work to do.

So for my final hurrah before the work kicks in we decided to blast open another bottle of LI's finest, the Wolffer Estate 2007 Pinot Noir.  If I'm not mistaken, this was a pickup from last year's birthday bender.

Wolffer Estate 2007 Pinot Noir

Strong mineral, spice & tobacco aromas jump from the glass and up your nose like a punch in a bar fight.  Ok, perhaps it's a bit more subtle than that.  The bouquet is lively and I'll simply leave it at that.

Smooth flavors of vanilla, oak & dark fruits lend themselves to richer than expected tannins.  A medium bodied wine with a lean long finish.

I found the wine to be somewhat lacking in texture, but the bottle still possessed admirable character.  Generally speaking, pinot tends to be a stubborn grape to harvest & perfect in winemanking.  Obviously, there are storied vineyards that have the edge over the LI offerings simply based on climate and experience alone.  But Wolffer does a fine job of producing a classy yet distinctive pinot noir on the South Fork, that's right...South Fork of the island.  For what LI wines have to offer in this category, I would rate this as a buy.  Easily this wine is better served over dinner than to hand off to those greedy guests who only stop by because they know you don't skimp out when it comes to the juice.

So until next time...wish me luck.  I'm off to learn more about how to get rich and die trying.

Cheers,
ES

http://www.wolffer.com/

Last Night's Bottle - Palmer 2007 Merlot

A few weeks ago I misplaced some notes I made about the Palmer 2007 Merlot.  And last night I discovered that we had another bottle on the rack and that it was time to do it all over again.  Then a funny thing happened on my way to the computer, I found my original notes.  The good news is that not much had changed since the last time which proves to me that I'm pretty consistent with my reviews.  As for my overall mental capacity, that remains horribly inconsistent.

Palmer 2007 Merlot

For those outside of LI, Palmer is one of the large scale premier wineries of the NoFo.  I also heard recently (within the last year) that they were currently up for sale.  Had I known, I wouldn't have spent my millions in the bars of upstate NY as an undergrad.

As for the wine.

I have found many LI wines to be especially earthy.  Obviously there is a distinct characteristic to the soil here.  But in many cases the reds seem to be under ripe.  The flavors aren't as rich as I would hope.  It's not necessarily a bad thing, it's mainly a matter of preference.

The Palmer possesses an earthy aroma with notes of plum & oak.  The wine is soft with tannins, fleshy with flinty undertones and a modest amount of acidity.

Upon final thought, I found it to be flat & somewhat simple.  The flavors were not as layered as I would have preferred.  And as previously mentioned, somewhat underdeveloped.  Having tried most if not all of the Palmer offerings I would suggest passing on the Merlot. On the other hand, I strongly recommend their Sauvignon Blanc.  It is by far one of my favorites of the East End.  And if you have the time get out to their tasting room, it too should not be missed.

Until next time...

Cheers,
ES

http://www.palmervineyards.com/

Last Night's Bottle - 2009 Cupcake Red Velvet

Sometimes I tend to be biased when it comes to wine.  It's safe to say we probably all are to some extent.  I tend towards red as opposed to white, I don't usally like wines Pindar that don't indicate what varietal they are & I almost always shy away from fancy girly names & labels.  And then there is Cupcake.  This bottle broke 2 of my 3 general rules.  But as they say, some rules are made to be broken.

While I do prefer the standards, I am not ignorant to the fact that some of the best new winemaking is heavy on blends.  Some might feel that blends might disguise the fact that the grapes used in them are not grade A.  Although a valid discussion, the casual drinker will not often find there to be a difference.  For me, it allows winemakers to get more creative and bring something to the market that you haven't already had before.

The 2009 Red Velvet may not be the holy grail of an inexpensive blend, but I assure you that you will most likely not be disappointed. This wine is a blend of 47% Zinfandel, 29% Merlot, 19% Cabernet Sauvignon, and 5% Petite Sirah.

The nose provided a mix of creamy yet jammy aromas.  Notes of cranberry, cocoa & blackberry stood out almost immediately.

The palate was strikingly similar.  Medium bodied, yet lively at the same time.  Velvety Silky texture mixed with dark fruits & mocha with an extended finish.  A well rounded wine but perhaps a touch too sweet.

I often find myself trying to place wines in their proper environment.  In this instance my vote would be for a good starting wine.  What I mean by this is that it fits in nicely at either the very beginning or end of the evening.  Not something I would encourage you to place on your dinner table, but perfectly good to hand off to your guests when they trade you their coats at door.  And no, I wouldn't dare to suggest serving it with Red Velvet cupcakes.  I'll leave that for the marketing geniuses to figure out how much raw creativity oozes from making such a statement.

And with that, I leave you. 

Until next time...

Cheers,
ES

http://www.cupcakevineyard.com/

I may have had something to drink over the holiday.

Casalini 2010 Pinot Grigio

Considering most of the holiday break was spent doing things around the house I had been neglecting the rest of the year, it wasn't quite the restful 10 days I had been hoping for.  Nevertheless, I found time to drink a bottle here & there.

The bottle was a gift and most likely a lift from our guest's own liquor cabinet.  Oh stop, we've all done this.  Re-gifting wine is as common as changing one's underpants...it happens everyday.  Moving on...

Contrary to the time of year, I was somewhat excited to enjoy a bottle of what I would typically classify a summer wine.  I drink so much of the red stuff that this was a welcome change of pace.

The Casalini was as expected.  Light & fruity (apple & lemon) with a crisp finish.  While I did find it to be a  bit flat at first, it is more obviously a fault of mine than of the wine itself.  I need a few sips to really find a wine's groove. Upon second & even thirds, there was a mildly grassy feel and even provided some of the bite I initially thought had been absent. 

Overall, I wouldn't classify this as one of the most complex wines I've ever had but it was bland fine.  Definitely not terrible.  Although, I would quickly suggest something else at this price point ($9.99).  Yet at the same time, I wouldn't expect that you would be kicked off the picnic blanket if you brought a bottle of this along to share.  Perhaps one of it's strongest qualities is that it's a screw off which makes it a little easier to pop on a whim.

I hope you all had a Happy New Year and look forward to what lies ahead.

Until next time.

Cheers,
E.S.