Description:
Via Terra Garnacha Blanca 2006.. 2006 Heartland Stickleback - Southern Australia.. Altos Las Hormigas 2006 Malbec.. Marraso 2006 Cabernet Sauvignon..
Contents:
Via Terra Garnacha Blanca 2006
This is the lightest wine I've ever had in my life. This $10 Spanish gem from Sam's Wine was lighter than water. The Garnacha Blanca, or Grenache Blanc to most, was very similar (and good alternative) to a Pinot Grigio with the mild sweetness, but didn't share the strong flavors. The initial sweetness immediately drys up on your tongue. We sipped this wine without food and it received many compliments from our guests. I'm guessing shrimp on the barbie or a good whitefish such as halibut with a fruity/summer topping would help bring out the flavors even more. 6.5/10 rating from the group - definitely worth a try this summer on a hot night.
2006 Heartland Stickleback - Southern Australia
The "Stickleback" not only has a cool name and logo...you get 3 types of grape in one bottle. It's 52% Cabernet Sauvignon, 33% Shiraz, & 15% Grenache in this Red Blend from South Australia. Very bold on the nose and tongue. In fact, let this bad boy cool out in a decanter for an hour or two. The first sip was strong, but two days later it's perfect. Smells of tobacco and very peppery, big flavors. Rich and juicy fruit in this one from Ben Glaetzer. Coffee flavors in the finish. I'm a big fan, but it's not for the faint of heart. 7/10 rating. $9 at Costco.
Altos Las Hormigas 2006 Malbec
The translated name is "The High Ants"...mmmm, sounds lovely. Bold fruit in this one. Oak and tannins on the nose. Not overly spicy, but a hint of pepper with the dark cherry and plum flavors. For $9 (at sam's wine), a very good value and a 6.5/10 rating in the under $10 category.
You'll want to pair this with a bold dish, read meat or pasta. Has gone well with my grilled meats the last two nights (burgers & those delicious new Johnsonville Turkey Cheddar Sausages (only 100 calories each)). A good intro to Malbecs, if you haven't had the purple pleasure.
Marraso 2006 Cabernet Sauvignon
Ordered this one at an Italian restaurant in Portland last week - had to cork it and trunk the remaining half because I was driving. I enjoyed another glass of this while I devoured my Beef N Cheddar from Arby's the next day at lunch. The Marraso really brought out the onions on the bun. Classy, I know. Chicago doesn't have any Arby's anymore and I fill that gap in my heart with that tasty gray roast beef whenever I can.
It was $20 at the restaurant and $9-10 online, with many sites notating it as a best buy. It was too grapey for us and there wasn't a finish to blog about. Vanilla and cedar on the nose. 4/10 rating. And I just have to mention the back of the bottle contained two of the longest run on sentences I've ever read...Babel Fish can't do it all my Argentinian friends.
Edgefield Winery: 2006 Umbrella Jimmy Rose
We stayed at the McMenamins resort at the Edgefield Winery while visiting the Portland area over the last weekend. I wasn't impressed with many/any of the wines I tasted there, but the overall experience was great...and I stuck to the excellent microbrews.
After a long afternoon hike up Multnomah Falls, the Umbrella Jimmy Rose was a decent choice for a cool down. It wasn't too sweet and had a nice strawberry flavor. The story about Umbrella Jimmy was the best part - as Edgefield had been a poor farm in the early/mid 1900s, Umbrella Jimmy was a boxer who received his nickname from mending umbrellas around town. Unfortunately, this wine is no knockout. 3.5/10 rating @ $20 at the winery.
Nelms Road 2006 Cabernet Sauvignon
A good Cab from Woodward Canyon winery in Walla Walla, Washington. She has a great oaky/vanilla flavor on the finish that accompany the tannins and black cherry flavors nicely. It's the third day this bottle has been open and the acidity has increased a bit, but is still excellent with the 2nd day was the best. It's not the cheapest wine ($19 @ Samswine.com), but it's worth a splurge; 8/10 rating. Ah, the tiny town of Walla Walla, Washington...also home of that crazy chick from Real World Chicago/MTV/Playboy, Tonya.
Kim Crawford 2006 Pino Noir
Kim is from Marlborough, New Zealand, and her Sauvignon Blanc popularity certainly overshadows her reds. In fact, I wasn't even aware she produced a Pinot Noir. Floral and grapefruit on the nose followed by a very smooth sip of a light wine. Flavors of subtle grapefruit with strawberries and cherry - Good finish. Went well with my Firecracker Salmon and edamame...but the cherry became a bit much with the second glass.
$12.50 at Costco. 6/10 rating, happy with this selection but not thrilled. And disregard my reflection in the bottle pic. ;)
De Bortoli 2006 Petite Sirah "dB Selection"
Excellent $6 wine! 8.5 out of 10 in the Under $10 category. I picked this up at Sam's Wine in Chicago, but it can be found online for $6.99 or so...easily worth double it's price.
Blueberry is the first flavor I notice, but it's not overwhelming. Slight tannis on the finish that makes it work well. Very nice for any night and we'd not be ashamed to serve this to guests. Fine work from the De Bortoli winery of South Eastern Australia. Go get a bottle!
2005 Eroica Riesling - Ch. Ste. Michelle
A little background on why this is the first of a very small number of Rieslings reviewed on this site... It was 2001, and I made the gutsy call to take a gal to a sushi restaurant for our first date. For wine, I stuck to a fine Riesling...a variety most everyone likes, and is especially known as an "entry wine" as they are only a few sugar notches away from a blended boat drink ;). Years passed (and I guess it went well, because we are married now), but I've never lived down making such a "novice" play on the wine choice. Can't win 'em all. I'll be toughing out this bottle on my own over the next many days. Rieslings are "too sweet" for her...guess that's why she ended up with me.
To the bottle...
OK, why not just put the "t" in the name 'cause that's what everyone is thinking. Second, why does it say "Dr. Loosen" at the bottom? With it's sexy name and sleek look, it has to be targeting a younger market. But the Dr. Loosen label & $24 price tag don't quite support that hypothesis. Flavors of a big ripe juicy peach and a light mandarin orange highlight this sweet selection. Pretty good, 7/10 rating and went quite well with my Jerk Chicken as it cooled the flames.
P.S. I just Googled "Eroica" and apparently it's the name of Beethoven's 3rd Symphony. It's also Italian for 'Hero'. Dr. L has a pretty big noggin to compare this to either ;)
Peter Lehmann 2004 Clancy's Blend
That gold sticker on the side says "Top 100 wine values under $25, 90 Points, Wine Spectator". Found this Aussie blend at Costco for $14. This 2004 Barossa is 43% Shiraz, 42% Cabernet Sauvignon, & 15% Merlot. It's above average, in the 6.5-7/10 range, when rated against $10-20 bottles.
You immediately taste dark fruit like blackberries (that's the shiraz a-talkin'), but the cabernet comes out with some medium tannins quickly after, especially felt in my nose on the exhale (yes, very odd indeed). Overall, it's a very smooth wine and the grape blend goes together quite nicely. Not the best sippin' wine without food as it leaves the mouth a bit gummy.
Beringer Founders' Estate Cabernet Sauvignon
This 2005 cheapo was only $6.99 at Costco. Tastes like an under $10 wine, but it's not bad and exceeded my expectations of the mass generated Beringer winery. File under 'pizza wine' for when you don't want to drop coin on something fancy. Smell is of mostly tannins, flavors of mostly cherry, with an alcoholy tannin filled finish that drys up without much lingering flavor. The wine actually has some legs, but legs are not an indicator of quality, which i recently read somewhere. I give this a 6/10 rating when comparing to other under $10 wines, assuming you can deal with the strong tannins.
Ridge Three Valleys Zinfandel, 2006
It was the Ridge vineyard that started my love affair with zinfandel. The Three Valleys is the least expensive of their selection at ~$20. It's actually only 80% zin, complemented with a blend of petite sirah, carignane, & grenache grapes. You can't go wrong with any Ridge zin, and it's a personal favorite with spicy sushi.
Not overpowering on the fruit flavors as zin's can be, this one is more noted for it's spicy finish. Looking forward to it's paring with burgers from the meat market tonight. 6.5/10 - give it a shot, but I think you can find some smaller, less known vineyards with better zinfandel for the same price.
2005 Ajello Furat Sicilia
This Nero d'Avola from Sicily first caught my eye on a menu at a Frasca, an Italian wood oven pizza restaurant & wine bar across the street from us, and I've had it a few times since. Last night, it was our selection at Rose Angelis to accompany the over-ordering of pasta we all partook in. It's actually a red blend with cabernet, merlot, and syrah grapes complementing the Nero d'Avola flavors.
As my best reviews will come from my couch where I can focus on flavors, I can't say I remember many particulars other than it's a great Italian wine when you are looking for something a less dry and a bit more sweet than your typical chianti. Oak and vanilla flavors in the finish. "Spot on," says one from our party. 7/10 rating. It's in the mid-$30 at these mentioned restaurants, but can be found online for ~$18.
2005 Rosenblum North Coast Zinfandel
While trying to kill the 1.5 hour wait for Rose Angeles, our party of 4 went across the street to Maeve to kill a bottle and start the evening. Our friends from Sydney were in town and mentioned they had never had a zinfandel wine and were curious to try it. Knowing I needed a wine to impress, the Klinker Brick I reviewed last week caught my eye on the menu. After placing our order, our sorry excuse for a waitress started to open a bottle which I didn't recognize (the Klinker has a pretty distinct bottle shape and label). "Oh, we were out of that, but this is close." Well, it was a Zinfandel...the 2005 Rosenblum North Coast Zinfandel, but the similarities ended there. This wine was very sweet, much too sweet for us. Deep blackberry/currant flavors, little finish.
As the bill came, they charged us $38 for the Klinker and if it wasn't for us meddling kids, this washed up waitress probably would have completed the bait and switch. I found the Rosenblum for $14-19 online. 1/10 rating for both the wine and having wine at Maeve.
P.S. We did learn something interesting from our Aussie friends during this bottle: In Australia, they do not use the word 'fanny' to refer to one's backside. In fact, they use it to refer to a very close area that appears on only females. When I asked if Scott had a 'fanny pack', the reaction was truly priceless.
Study: Pesticides found in euro wine
After all of the studies on how healthy wine can be (in moderation, of course), here's the latest:
PARIS, April 4 (UPI) -- A European environmental group said pesticides used on grapes were found in 35 of the 40 bottles of wine they tested.
Pesticide Action Network Europe, working with groups on Austria, France and Germany, said a study found pesticides in all the conventional wines, and a low level of pesticide residues in one of six organic wines. The analysis revealed 24 different pesticide contaminants in the wines. Didn't a Simpson's episode once warn us of these atrocities? At least we've got North & South America, New Zealand & Australian bottles to choose from. It's not a news flash for me that most of the over processed, genetically altered, franken-food is going to kill me. At least I'll die with a full belly and a smile...
Chateau Malbec 2005 Bordeaux
It's been over 60 degrees (that's over 16 Celsius, my good international readers) all weekend so as I write this on Sunday night, I am exhausted. The wife is out with friends for dinner, I put the little one to bed, and cooked a 12oz. NY strip steak on the grill and had the last glass of this bottle with it. With all of the weekend activity, my back was killing me, so I took some fine "back medicine" which lead to putting on a 1974 Dead show. By the time the meat came off the barbie and enjoyed a sip, I was in Wonderland. The wine complemented my rare meat very well. In fact, we opened this bottle on Thursday and sipped it while watching some Wife Swap, but weren't big fans due to strong acidity and heavy tannins. Lesson learned, the 2005 Chateau Malbec Bordeaux needs a big steak, pharmaceuticals, and some Grateful Dead for optimal enjoyment.
Klinker Brick 2005 Old Vine Zinfandel
That's a might fine wine. Oak on the nose, oak lingering on the long finish, along with pepper/spice. This finish is worth waiting for with every sip...drink her slooooow. Cherry, plum and subtle strawberry help this full-bodied zin bring home a big mouthful of goodness. The spicy finish helps balance out that big fruit flavor at the start.
A great wine, but due to the high $17 price point at Sam's Wine, I'm giving it a strong 7. Remember, my goal is to find the best "cheap" wines, under $15. If it was $5 bucks less, you'd be drinking an 8.5. That said, fine work from Klinker Brick Winery in Lodi, CA.
Saint Clair Pioneer Block Pinot Noir
I was on a quest to find a wine my cedar plank salmon wouldn't overpower. The Saint Clair Sawcut 4 Pinot Noir, along with reducing some pepper, garlic, and shallots, seemed to work, but wasn't perfect. Pre-dinner, there were rave reviews but the spicy fish did take away from the complexities. Immediate flavors of black cherries & plum...even a cherry cola flavor. Oaky finish. For $22 at Costco, I expected a bit better, but still a solid 7.5/10 rating. Another "tin top" from NZ with good marks.
Alban Viognier Central Coast 2005 @ Sola
The jury was out on recommending this one. The Alban Viognier Central Coast caught our eye on the wine menu at Sola last night, which is one of our favorite neighborhood restaurants. The four of us did agree that it didn't go with any of our meals (salmon, tile fish, or mahi), which is a polite way of saying we didn't like it. You can find it online for around $30, and the restaurant had it priced at $55. We did finish the bottle but wouldn't order it again. Note we had the 2005, not the 2004 as pictured.
The wine had nearly 16% alcohol, which was evident in the finish along with grapefruit and possibly peach or lemon flavors. Tropical fruits on the nose; it certainly smelled better than it tasted.
T. T-R-U. T-R-U-C-K, keep on TRUCKIN' all the way...past this one. 3 or 4 for the rating out of 10 - maybe we needed a different dish, probably chicken, to make this work.
Two Angels High Valley Sauvignon Blanc 2006
Crisp & dry, that's how I like my Sauvignon Blancs...and this would be the opposite. The Two Angels is a smooth, simple wine with melon flavors, and grapefruit on the tail end. Props on the great raised artwork on the label. Created in 1591, it's around the theme of jovial inebriation and the resulting trauma of the morning after (click pic to view larger size). The 14.2% alcohol will help this image come to life, sans wings.
$13 at Costco. This Napa Sauvignon reminds me that the good stuff comes from New Zealand. 5.5/10 rating. Give this a try if you are trying to get into Sauvignon Blancs, but not if you like 'em crisp & dry like me. Wine Enthusiast gave this one a 91 rating and other good reviews are out there. Feel free to comment if you disagree with my mediocre rating for this mediocre wine.
Pascual Toso Malbec - Maipu Vineyards, Mendoza
This wine had me at "91 points" and "$8.99". Unfortunately, it only lived up to the $8.99 half of the call to action. A light, soft start on this 2006 Malbec, but a long, long peppery finish. The few sips before dinner were good; I was looking to give it a 6/10 rating. But, the label should have a warning "don't drink with leftover steak fajitas" because that 91 rating quickly became a 19 (no offense Mr. Montana). The Pascual Toso nets out at 5/10. If it's any better tomorrow when we finish it (and won't be having fajitas), I'll update this.
Lesson learned: advertising can lie. Good to know. ;)
Radio-Conteau Savoy Pinot Noir 2005 @ Aigre Doux
Wow, fantastic. This is the first restaurant photo AWineAWeek has seen, and it was worth your wait. Unfortunately, this is way out of the realm of my $15 cheap wine target, so it's not even fair to compare it on my rating scale. At $50 a bottle, even the vineyard is sold out online. The Radio-Coteau Savoy could possibly be the best pinot noir I've had - had complex, full flavors - surprising for a Pinot. As I was dining with seven others, everyone commented on it's excellence. John Battelle, who is from wine country (Marin), certainly knew what he was doing when he chose this California gem. We dined at Aigre Doux in Chicago, which was a delicious, overpriced French restaurant (I wonder what they marked this wine up to). Venison, duck, and suckling pig were a few of the treats enjoyed with the 3 bottles wine. I hope to find this wine somewhere so I can enjoy it again. It's amazing how a great wine makes for a great night.
A shout out to Mr. Aaron Goldman, who snapped this photo and is currently in the hospital as his wife went into labor this afternoon. AG: may tonight's champaign be as delicious as last night's wine. Cheers!
Terrazas de los Andes Reserva Malbec 2005
A fine malbec from the Mendoza region of Argentina. It needed a good 45 minutes to breathe before the full flavor and smell came out (initially very cigary in smell & tannins were too strong), but turned out delicious. The Terrazas de los Andes Reserva is a deep reddish purple as you'd expect from a malbec. Intense cherry & berry flavors without being too fruity and a long, toasty finish (some vanilla flavors in there?). Floral tones on the nose. A very similar wine to the La Forge Syrah we had earlier in the week (very strong), but with less bite and not quite as dry. Due the more expensive price tag of $14 @ Costco, I'm going with a 7/10 rating. Well done Argentinians.
UPDATE: drink this one in the dark...it leaves a bad case of the wine teeth!
P.S. Shout out to the Drake ballers - great comeback today, thought you had 'em in OT. Awesome season, thanks.
Winner: La Forge Estate Syrah 2006
Excellent surprise for Wednesday Wine Night (it was a long day at work, lay off). Very strong and very dry. Although I'm sipping it on the couch right now, it deserves a big steak or red pasta with it. Not much could overpower this bold French Syrah. 8/10 stars. At $9.99, it's the first sub-$10 wine to make my top tier list. Smokey campfire smells and a loooooong finish. So dry, i'm not sure I'm swallowing anything ;). This wine is not for the faint of heart. It was a reco from Sam's Wine, although their description was a bit over the top:
This wine smells like breakfast, with it’s aromas of blueberry jam, toast, bacon and coffee with cream. They go on to say it embarrasses many $30 syrahs - that I can agree with!
A non-dry Sauvignon Blanc? Matua Valley is it.
The color of the bottle made this a St. Paddy's Day winner. While walking my dog this afternoon, the realization of being a father set in. I passed at least 10 bars with lines around the corner - lines full of drunken leprechauns and other green oddities. The smell of beer and green barf was in the air indeed. ...and I was walking my dog ;)
So after fighting this mild depression with a few Guini (Guinesses isn't a word) I cooked a wonderful dinner of crab cakes and green beans and enjoyed this wine. If you live in Chicago and haven't discovered Dirk's Fish house on Clybourn, you are missing out - $5 cakes w/ a horseradish-mustard sauce on the side.
I digress: how was the wine? Excellent. Surprisingly not as dry as a typical Sauvignon Blanc and a bit tart - some bite on the sides of your tongue. A sweet finish. The bottle speaks of pear and gooseberry flavors, but I'd be lying if I knew what a gooseberry tasted like. It was a gift someone brought over, so I'm not sure where it can be found, but I saw it online for about $15 (p.s., you bring over wine, I'm going to look it up and judge it, so be careful). 7.5/10.
Happy St. Paddy's Day!
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