Dear Anonymous...

Date: Thu, Mar 4, 2010 Wine Tasting

This one is going to be short and sweet, but it's been building for a while.

For me, interacting with people in the social space, blogosphere, twitter world, whatever you want to call it, is, for the most part, about good conversation with people I find to be interesting, add something to the conversation and, above all, are authentic about their involvement. So, it is with some dismay that I still continue to see comments left on my blog by the ever ubiquitous "Anonymous." The even worse part is that most of the time, comments left by "Anonymous" always tend toward the negative or, at the very least, not constructive.

I have a filter on my blog that allows me to moderate comments before posting, so I can cut out any profanity, hate or anything truly distasteful. For the record, I have never declined a comment left on my blog, nor do I have any intention to. However, as of late, it's been with great resolve that I've let "Anonymous" commenters through with rants about what they believe to be all the ills of the wine world.

My plea to all you "Anonymous's" out there - I'm more than happy to engage in meaningful conversation with you, but I'd take it a lot more seriously and everyone would get a lot more out of it if you just owned up to who you are.

Question: anyone else feel the same way or is it just me?

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Wine tasting notes from a week gone by...

Date: Sat, Feb 27, 2010 Wine Tasting

2004 Azienda Agricola Vignalta Colli Euganei Gemola
I'm actually quite surprised that this note is the first tasting note on CellarTracker - this is a very nice wine. Ripe dark fruit, tobacco and milk chocolate, with a decent finish, but narrow mid-palate. 70% Merlot / 30% Cabernet Franc gives it the lush qualities of a Merlot, with the intensity of a Cab Franc. Very nice and well balanced combination. The only downside is that we had it paired with Osso Buco and there wasn't enough acidity to cut through the richness of the meal - for me, this is a wine best enjoyed on its own. My rating: 91

2006 Zenato Valpolicella Superiore Ripassa
Plum, Cherries, Dr. Pepper, vanilla and stone. Quite nice, but wanted a little more acidity as it drank just a tad rich for my taste. Good balance and a mid-length finish. Felt a little pricey to me at $30, so not sure I would buy again. My rating: 88

1998 Robert Mondavi Winery Cabernet Sauvignon Unfiltered Reserve Napa Valley
Haven't had a Mondavi in a very long time and then picked up a case through the Constellation Brands Friends and Family at a great discount - so glad I did. But, it was a risk. The 2008 CA Cab vintage was rated as the lowest, at an 84, in the last 25 years. The best I can say is that somehow this wine snuck through and has aged nicely. Dark cherry, blood orange, vanilla and herbs, with a good up-front, mellow mid-palate, then a nice lingering finish. The tannins have settled down considerably on this, but, even at 12 years old, it still could stand some time to get better. Wine Spectator gave this an 87 at time of release. My rating: 91

2008 Allegrini Valpolicella
Picked this up as a bottle to use in an Osso Buco recipe and held a little aside for the cook. Tart cherries, pomegranate, herbs and earth, with really high acidity - should pair pretty well with the meat. My rating: 87

2007 Sea Smoke Pinot Noir Ten
This is the lowest score I've given a Sea Smoke Pinot. Not too low at a 90, but there's something missing for me about Sea Smoke the last few vintages. I don't know if it's the new(er) winemaker or what, but Sea Smoke used to blow me away...incredible tasting experiences with particularly the Botellas and Tens (not as big a fan of the Southings). So, relatively speaking the 2007 Ten is not my favorite relative to other Sea Smokes. But, against other Pinot Noir, this is still very nice. A bit young and rambunctious still, but a nice blend of dark cherries, lavender and blood orange with a hint of smoke. Incredible acidity on this wine, especially for a California Pinot Noir. My rating: 90

2008 Vinos de Terrunos Navarra Siete 7 Medium bodied wine with lots of red, tart fruit, dusty earth and barnyard - sort of a musty hay smell. Fun to experiment with, but not something I would buy again. My rating: 84

2007 Winzer Krems Grüner Veltliner Sandgrube 13
Very solid Grüner for $7. Green fruit, very dry, good acidity. I bought a case because of the price and I will be drinking more of this when the sun is out, I have the wine in a cooler full of ice (this one's best very cold) and shellfish steaming on the grill... My rating: 86

2007 Cayuse Cabernet Sauvignon Widowmaker En Chamberlin Vineyard
I have to start by saying that I am a huge fan of cayuse wines, but I will admit that they're not for everyone, both in taste and price. Widowmaker is no exception. Very interesting wine - meaty, salty, dirty wine. actually, amazing how salty this wine tastes. But, make no mistake, this is a good wine, with exceptional balance (especially for how young it is) and a long, lingering finish. another great wine from cayuse. And, if you're a fan of westerns, you really can't beat the label. My rating: 91

2007 Lucien Albrecht Gewurztraminer Reserve
Peach, apricot and honey - well balanced white, but way too sweet for my taste. My rating: 85

2006 Orogeny Pinot Noir Redding Ranch
Interesting Pinot Noir. I've tried three of these bottles now and each one is a little different. So, am commenting on the most recent bottle. Mellow fruit, smoke and cured meats - it's kind of like they took a pretty nice mid-fruit wine and left it out at the campfire overnight. Interesting. Will have to see if the other 9 bottles from my case are similar. Still, not bad and I am a big fan of Orogeny Pinot's. My rating: 87


All tasting notes first published on Grape Stories (formerly CellarTracker)

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Matthiasson wine - someone who truly gets it

Date: Tue, Feb 23, 2010 Wine Tasting

I was first introduced to Matthiasson wines at the Wine Bloggers Conference last year inNapa. As part of the tasting on the 1st day, Jill Matthiasson pouring their white wine for a "speed tasting" event in the afternoon of the first day. Speed tasting, as I so quickly found out, is like speed dating. Winemakers wind through the room, stopping at each table along the way, and have only a few minutes to pour their wines and tell the table about them. So, you can imagine that many wines got lost in the shuffle, unless the winemaker or designated pourer is overly charming, very odd or wearing something funny. Or, they could grab your attention the old fashioned way - earning it through a damn fine wine. Two producers did that for me - Bonny Doon and Matthiasson wines.

I won't get into too much detail here about Randall Grahm from Bonny Doon as he's able to get a lot of publicity on his own (and I've written about him many times before), but I would like to share a little bit about Matthiasson and why I think they get it right.

First and foremost, it's about the wine. If you don't have a wine worth celebrating, you don't get it. Plain and simple. End of story. Please don't market to me or try to convince as to why you think your wine is better than it is. Matthiasson has those wines worthy of celebration. Their white wine was the #1 stand-out wine for me over three full days and nights of tasting Napa wines, totalling in the hundreds I'm sure, but, as you can imagine, I lost count somewhere along the way.

Second, I bought some of their white wine a few weeks back and received a typed card that I thought was nice, but probably just a formality to include along with the wine. Personally, I would have been fine with just getting the wine, so I thought it was a nice gesture and I'm enough of a loyalist that I thought I'd read the card...."Thank you for your purchase...we recommend waiting a few weeks...thanks again for all your support...congrats on becoming a dad!" Wait. What? A personalized note? A winery that took the time to not only remember that we just had our first baby boy, but to also include a congratulations in my order? Unbelievable.

Now the marketer in me comes out - that one line, that one very simple line, the one that Jill probably threw in simply because of who she is, not because she wants to score points with me, will keep me loyal to Matthiasson for a very long time. Now, to be fair, we met at the Wine Bloggers Conference, chatted a bit, tried to coordinate a trip for me to help them with harvest...but, in the end, we're not life long friends or extended family or anything like that. I am a customer, a blogger and someone who has connected with Jill on occasion. To you, Jill, I'd just like to say thank you for treating me not like a customer, but, rather, someone who has chosen to take this journey with you, albeit on the sidelines as I watch you all make magnificent wines.

Now, those two things may seem trite to some of you - a good wine and a nice note, but, if you go back and read my post on what not to do (Tips for winery tasting rooms - on my soapbox), you'll see that what the Matthiasson's provided me is not typical in the wine world. That's not to say that some wineries don't provide the human touch, especially small niche wineries, but, if there's one plea I could make to all wineries - sometimes it pays to act like a small winery, to sincerely believe that every customer that walks through your door, whether they be there physically or through the internet, is critical to the success of your business. Be real about it, offer them a great product and you will be rewarded. For those of you already doing this, stay the course.

And to you, Steve and Jill Matthiasson, thank you for making the wines you do and for sharing them with care. I look forward to being a loyal customer for a long time to come.

More praise for Matthiasson wine:

• 1WineDude
• The Wine Spies
• Drink What you Like
• SFGate

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Wine tasting notes for a week gone by...

Date: Thu, Feb 18, 2010 Wine Tasting

2007 Quivira Zinfandel Wine Creek Ranch
Ripe cherry, plum and cedar all play different roles on this one, creating a wine that's too off balance. Add to that a hot finish and I think I'll pass on this one the next time around. Unfortunate, though, because I do think Quivira is putting out some decent wines, just not this one. My rating: 83 (NOTE: this bottle sent to me as a sample from the winery).

2006 Faust Cabernet Sauvignon
First had this wine at the Wine Bloggers Conference in Napa Valley last year. Good Cab with ripe red and black fruit and strong front palate. But, starts to fade mid-palate and finishes short for me. One dimensional, easy drinking wine that's worth trying, but falls short of many of its $50+ competitors. Rating: 87

2007 Domaine Drouhin Oregon Pinot Noir
Decent enough Pinot Noir with cherry, orange and floral notes, but this wine was too hot for me and I expected more from Domaine Drouhin. It also lacked a basic structure and finish. Won't be buying this again. Rating: 84

2005 Groth Cabernet Sauvignon
I just went through all the CellarTracker notes on this wine and, since they're pretty mixed, I think the bottom line is this - if you do not like big California Cabernet Sauvignon, this is not the wine for you. Plain and simple. Don't spend the $55 or the $100+ at a restaurant. You will not be happy. But, if you do like California Cabs, Groth always delivers. Strong cherry, dark berry fruits and earthy undertones - it's big, it's lush and it's fruity. I'm a big fan of the Groth offerings. Rating: 91

2007 Quivira Zinfandel Dry Creek Valley
Fruity and tart, with some distinctive Dry Creek Valley dryness and minerality. This is not a big, ripe. lush Zinfandel, so if that's your taste, this probably isn't for you. But, i liked it. the acidity brought some good life to it and i can easily imagine it paired with a nice greasy burger or pizza. My rating: 87 (NOTE: this bottle sent to me as a sample from the winery).

2006 Papapietro Perry Pinot Noir Russian River Valley
I had this wine at a restaurant on the strong recommendation of both the waiter and the sommelier and I was stunned by it - one of the better new Pinot Noirs I've had in a while. Good red fruit, floral and spice notes, with an incredibly lush and silky balance. Well priced at $45, but very small lots, so not easy to find. My rating: 92

2007 Soda Canyon Cellars Barrel Chaser
Made by Dave Phinney of Oren Swift and Prisoner fame, this one is an easy, smooth drinker, which is a bit of a shock at 15.9% alcohol. Good complexity with cherry, anise, chocolate and espresso. Not a huge finish, but just long enough to savor it. If you're a fan of the Prisoner, you will like this wine...although I'm not sure why Barrel Chaser is more expensive - I think I'd be willing to pay more for the Prisoner than I would the barrel chaser. My rating: 90

All tasting notes first published on Cellar Tracker

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Wine tasting notes from a week gone by...

Date: Mon, Feb 1, 2010 Wine Tasting

2007 Thierry et Pascale Matrot Chardonnay Bourgogne Blanc
Citrusy, pithy, minerally...off balance and a bit challenging for me. Picked up as another recommendation for a wine that pairs well with butternut squash soup, but didn't compare to the 2008 Domaine d'Ardhuy Bourgogne Blanc (tasting notes on this wine posted earlier today) - in fact, I have a full bottle of this wine left while the d"Ardhuy was finished at dinner last night (and both were served with dinner). My rating: 84

2008 Domaine d'Ardhuy Bourgogne Blanc
I went to McCarthy & Schiering wine shop in Seattle looking for a good wine to pair with butternut squash soup and, man, did they nail it with this French Chardonnay. Good wine on its own, with more crispness than a US Chardonnay. Good citrus, apple and mineral notes. But, with the soup, it was a perfect blend of flavors complimenting each other. Whenever I make butternut squash soup again, this is the wine I will have on hand to enjoy it with. My rating: 88

2008 Woodward Canyon Chardonnay
Lemon, peach, sour apple, in a crisp and full white wine. surprisingly little oak and a long, lingering finish. Really nice wine, but a bit pricey for a Washington state white wine, so keeping my rating at an 89 (don't always do this, but only in situations where i feel the QPR is off a bit). My rating: 89

2008 Lucien Albrecht Pinot Gris Cuvée Romanus
Excellent Pinot Gris and under $20. Crisp lemon and citrus, with a smooth, buttery broad palate and long finish. Recommendation from the sommelier at Cafe Campagne in Seattle and absolutely hit the mark. If I could find any of this online, I'd buy a case without hesitation. My rating: 90

2007 Domaine Roger Perrin Châteauneuf-du-Pape
Very nice Chateauneuf-du-Pape, with a huge aroma - blackberry, bacon, mocha and chestnuts. On the palate, great acidity and a decent finish. doesn't live up to all the hype of the 2007 CDP vintage, but, then again, this is a $27 bottle and I think the QPR is very high on this wine. My only regret is that I didn't buy more than I did (only bought two bottles). My rating: 90

2007 Terra Blanca Roussanne
Reserve Terra Blanca Estate Buttery/creamy, meyer lemon, leeche and some minerals. Nice, easy drinker, but may be too buttery for some tastes. My rating: 87

2006 Long Shadows Wineries Pedestal
I had a glass of this last night at the met in Seattle and didn't take too many notes, but suffice it to say this is a beautiful wine. Dark, lush, ripe fruit and so incredibly well balanced, smooth and silky. Long, lush finish and zero heat. I thought I would need to wait on the '06's that I have in my cellar, but this is already showing very well. My rating: 94

2007 Tamarack Cellars Firehouse Red
Raspberry, blackberry, mocha, smoke (from the Carménère ...rare addition for a US blend, at least in my experience) and pepper - it's lush, broad on the palate and well balanced, with a long, lingering finish. This is an incredible wine for the price (about $15) and if I can find any more, I'll pick up everything I can let my hands on. My rating: 90 And, the blend on this thing is crazy (see below) - makes me want to be there for that blending party...probably takes a week to figure it all out.

BLEND

• 31% Cabernet Sauvignon (15% Walla Walla Valley, 9% Columbia Valley, 4% Wahluke Slope, 3% Rattlesnake Hills
• 27% Syrah (17% Columbia Valley, ◦6% Horse Heaven Hills, 2% Wahluke Slope, 2% Walla Walla Valley)
• 16% Merlot (9% Walla Walla Valley, 4% Columbia Valley,2% Rattlesnake Hills, 1% Wahluke Slope
• 14% Cabernet Franc (◦8% Horse Heaven Hills, 3% Walla Walla Valley, 3% Wahluke Slope
• 7% Malbec (Columbia Valley)
• 3% Sangiovese (Columbia Valley)
• 1% Carménère (Walla Walla Valley)
• 1% Petit Verdot (Walla Walla Valley & Columbia Valley)

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Carménère taste off

Date: Sat, Jan 30, 2010 Wine Tasting

I've been experimenting a lot with Carménère lately and the good folks at Wines of Chile were gracious enough to let me in on a tasting of their selections a few months back. Unfortunately, at the time, I had to back out of the tasting so am just now finishing up the wines. Overall, a good flight of wines, some I really enjoyed, some that fell a bit flat, but none of them dogs. If you haven't tried Carménère, I suggest you try it - it's a varietal that will become more and more prominent and it's smoky features are always interesting to experiment with.

2008 Viña La Rosa Cabernet Sauvignon La Capitana Barrel Reserve This one's an easy drinker - blackberry, smoke, plum and pepper - with great balance and just enough acidity to make it come to life. versatile wine, either on its own or with a big, fatty, grilled steak. Broad on the palate all the way through, with a medium length finish. Almost scored this a 90, but the finish on this one left me wishing for more. But, good wine other than that. My rating: 88

2007 Ventisquero Carménère Grey Great nose on this one...dark berry fruits, blackcurrant, pancetta (as in pancetta still frying in the pan, filling the kitchen with its aroma)), smoke and leather. On the palate, a very full, broad mouthed, acidic, tart dark berry surprise...some of the leather, but more earthy than that, with chalk and dust elements. The finish drops off a bit for me, but this one's a keeper. I really enjoyed this wine and would love to take it with me to an Argentinian steak house. My rating: 89

2007 Santa Carolina Carménère Reserva Plum, candy apple, bacon and smoke, with, unfortunately, a funky day old prosciutto aftertaste (not sure how to describe it other than that, but if you want to try it out, leave a piece of prosciutto out on the counter for a couple hours, then taste it). Outside of that funky element, it's got a nice balance and good acidity...but, I can't get my palate past the prosciutto piece. My rating: 83

2004 Carmen Wine Maker's Reserve Day 1: Cherries, dark berries and green vegetables on the nose. Sour cherry, smoke and chalk on the palate. Medium-bodied up front with a light, hot finish. Decent enough, but not my favorite Carménère. My rating: 85 Day 2: Not going to change my rating on this wine, but it did develop a lot more overnight - the tannins smoothed our considerably and it took on a silkiness that I did not see last night on the first tasting. So, my advice is to keep most of this bottle for day 2 - you will be rewarded.

2007 Viña Cono Sur Carménère Visión On the nose, star fruit, blood orange, simple syrup and rain water (not from the sky, but the rain water captured in a pot, two days after the rain has passed - a bit musty and funky). On the palate, all bright tart fruit, smoke and pepper. crazy mix of stuff on this one. I will finish this bottle, but I doubt I'll buy another one. my rating: 85

NOTE: These wines were sent to me courtesy of Wines of Chile

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Wine for Haiti

Date: Sat, Jan 23, 2010 Wine Tasting

I don't generally recycle content, but, in this case, it's definitely worth it, given the plight of so many people in Haiti. Below is a an article form Palate Press describing their auction efforts to provide relief to Haiti from worldwide wine lovers. Please read the below and take a look at the Wine for Haiti auction catalog on Palate Press. Many thanks to David Honig for pulling this all together.

Wine For Haiti – A Global Effort

When a magnitude 7.0 earthquake hit the island January 12, the poorest country in the Western Hemisphere suffered losses beyond compare. Hundreds of thousands are now injured or homeless, and CNN reported January 18 that the death toll may top 100,000.

Palate Press has joined the relief effort for Haiti’s nine million residents. “When I saw the news from Haiti, I knew I had to do something,” said David Honig, the publisher of Palate Press. Proceeds from their “Wine for Haiti” fundraising effort will go directly to support humanitarian relief.

Honig had previously created “Brother, Can You Spare a Bottle?”, an organization that permits charities to request bottles for silent auctions. Now, Palate Press has teamed with that organization to encourage wine lovers to contribute to Haitian relief.

“If there’s one thing I learned from Brother, Can You Spare a Bottle?, it’s that the wine community is an incredibly generous and caring group of people, from the vineyard to the cellar. Combining the goal of ‘Brother, Can You Spare a Bottle?’ with the reach of PALATE PRESS: The Online Wine Magazine seemed like a natural match.”

How can you get involved? Pull something from your cellar and donate it to the cause—maybe a bottle you’ve been saving for a special occasion, or simply one from your favorite wine store—a bottle that will make wine lovers say “I’ve gotta have it!” It needn’t be a Brunello, Cab, or Bordeaux, just something special others might bid on as part of a lot.

Then, go to the Comments section of this post and post a note with your contribution to the Palate Press auction. Honig will then create auction lots for bid. Then, please come back to the site and bid on these fantastic wines.

Honig has been busy. “The response so far has been humbling, and absolutely amazing,” he said. “We had hoped to collect enough bottles to put together a case or two,” the Indianapolis, Indiana, attorney said. “Instead, the wine has been flowing in by the case, by the magnum, by the Joroboam, by the Methuselah. Wine has been contributed by individuals pulling bottles from their cellars, and by wineries donating from their libraries and special collections. An artist contributed an original Wine Goddess print, and University of California Press contributed wine books. New York vintners are competing to prove they can out-contribute California, and California will surely respond,” Honig said.

“People are dying and we can do something about it. But we can’t do it without your help,” Matt of Boozemonkey wrote to his readers on January 18. “Five dollars or five hundred—it’s not about who’s is the biggest, but if we can get a little generosity from everyone, that will make for a hell of a lot of wine, a hell of a lot of donations at the auction and please believe me that every dollar counts in Haiti right now.”

Within minutes of Matt’s post to his blog, several Australian wineries donated cases. Wine bloggers soon began adding the logo to their sites, and other wineries lined up to contribute, including 2 Mates, Caught Redhanded, Gibbston Highgate Estate, Lankey’s Creek Wines, Lindis River Wines, The Little Wine Company, Overhill Winery, and Barristers Block.

Palate Press contributors and the US wine industry are stepping up at a similar pace. Already, Rodney Strong, Cornerstone Cellars, Lynfred Winery, Liebe Cellars, Twisted Oak, and others have made substantial contributions. “The generosity of the wine community is inspiring,” said Honig.

How it Works

Donors are invited to post items in the comments section of this post. Honig will then create auction lots, already underway, for bid. Lots will be posted here with a link to the individual lot. Individual 750ml bottles will be collected into larger lots, while large format bottles will be posted right away as individual lots.

Then, readers will enter a bid in the comments. Palate Press will not close bids quickly, but but once we do, the auction will end once 24 hours has passed without a bid. If a bidding war between two or three people transpires at the end of the bidding period, we will schedule a final bid at a set time to which the contestants (and anybody else lurking and waiting, but interested) agree. Honig will ship the wine to the winning bidder.

To see all the Wine for Haiti auction items, please see the Wine for Haiti Auction Catalogue.

Please direct all inquires to WineForHaiti@palatepress.com.

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Wine tasting notes from a week gone by...

Date: Wed, Jan 13, 2010 Wine Tasting

2005 Royal Tokaji Wine Co. Tokaji Aszu 5 Puttonyos Red Label
This is my first experience with Royal Tokaji, although I've heard a lot about the producer over the years. This is all caramel apple rolled in nuts, with some pear, toffee and minerals. Not too sweet, which is very much to my liking (I'm not a big ruby port fan because it's generally too sweet for me, although I am a huge tawny port fan) and an incredible balance of flavors. Still finishing for me as I write this. I gotta be honest, this one knocked my socks off and I can feel it down to my toes...I do believe I've found my new dessert wine. My rating: 93

2007 Luna Vineyards Sangiovese
Cherry, plum, menthol and heat on the nose...big fruit and hot diluted finish on the palate...not my favorite of the Luna Vineyards wines. I've just recently tasted the Merlot and the Pinot Grigio from Luna and I much prefer the Merlot to this Sangiovese. My rating: 85

2006 Quilceda Creek Red Wine Columbia Valley (USA, Washington, Columbia Valley)

Ghostwriter777 (scroll down in the tasting notes) is definitely on to something here. There's a good wine in this bottle, but it takes a lot of effort right now. I decanted mine for 3 hours and it still wasn't quite there - a bit tight and a bit hot still. But, make no mistake, this is a good wine. I can already tell there's a lush silkiness to this wine that will only get better with time. Fruit is pretty sparse on the nose, but what fruit there is is black, with some leather, mocha and vegetable notes. In the mouth, blue/blackberry, blackcurrant, cigar tobacco and black licorice, with a very broad distribution. Very well balanced, long finish, this one should be even better if aged, but not past a few years - doesn't feel like it has legs to go much past 3 - 4 years. 77% Cabernet Sauvignon, 10% Cabernet Franc, 10% Merlot, 2% Petit Verdot, 1% Malbec from Champoux, Ciel du Cheval, Galitzine, Klipsun and Tapteil vineyards. My rating: 91

2006 Andrew Will Syrah Annie Camarda Ciel du Cheval Vineyard (USA, Washington, Columbia Valley, Red Mountain)

Black raspberry,plum, spice and smoke on the nose, with a big, plump and lush mouthfeel. Well balanced, good acidity and long, lingering finish. Delicious. This is a keeper and I'm glad I have 5 more bottles to hold on to. My rating: 92

2007 Mark Ryan Viognier (USA, Washington, Columbia Valley)
Easy drinker, good lemon and citrus, but with enough non-oakey richness to make it satisfying and mouth filling. Mid-$20's is a bit much for a viognier, but it's a good white and I'll probably buy some more to have on hand. My rating: 87

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Twitter Taste Live - Ridge Vineyards

Date: Sat, Jan 9, 2010 Wine Tasting

For those of us fully entrenched in the online wine world, there are few better places to be or better things to do than partake in Twitter TasteLive. Billed as the "world's premiere wine tasting community," TasteLive hosts events on a regular basis in which bloggers like myself and others "get together" in the virtual world to share tasting notes and thoughts about the chosen wines for the night. Kind of like a big tasting of a winery's new wines, but with people spread out all over the world...literally...giving those of us partaking a way to get involved with our friends and peers and share what we think, while also giving the wineries an opportunity to share their wines, get exposure and interact with the online wine community.

Needless to say, for those who love wine and the social aspects of the online wine world, this is a no-brainer activity. It's not easy, I must admit - as I try to simultaneously pay attention to dozens of twitterers saying their peace, write this blog post and post my tasting notes on Cellar Tracker! (and my wife says I can't multi-task...) - but, the payoff is huge and, to be perfectly plain about it, just a lot of fun.

So, why keep all that fun to myself? I mean if you're not following along on TasteLive or on Twitter, then I might as well share my tasting notes with you. The format will be verbatim from my Tweets - I can only multi-task so much. (NOTE: these are only my tasting notes - if you want to see everyone's tasting notes from tonight's events, you can search on "ridgewines" or "ttl" on Twitter).

On to the wines...on tonight's TasteLive, four wines from Ridge Vineyards in Santa Cruz, California.

2007 Ridge Chardonnay Santa Cruz Mountains

• Nice nose on the chardonnay - lemon, starfruit, just a little pineapple and some good grass and minerals
• Pretty rich and robust nose, actually, more than I see on most Chardonnay
• Wow - that first sip threw me off. Given the nose, I expected something a little oakier and much more creamy. Very nice surprise.
• Lemon, green fruit, minerals & grass on the Chard mouth. Long, lingering finish, altho a bit hot as the wine warmed up
• [100% Chardonnay]
  

2007 Ridge Carignane Buchignani Ranch

• Something very interesting on the nose of the Carignane - mincemeat? french onion soup? Anybody else picking up on the complexities?
• Carignane has a very nice blueberry upfront and then a good balance of dark fruits and acidity - would be a nice pairing wine
• Carignane really has some nice acidity on it
• [100% hillside grown old vine Carignane]
  

2006 Ridge Zinfandel Caboose Nervo Vineyard

• [in response to @enobytes] Completely agree - the color on the Caboose is very dark
• Nose on the Caboose is ripe, plummy, jammy, sweet, like a train ran over a box of ripe fruit & splattered it all over the station walls
• Caboose was extremely tight for me when I first opened it, but has opened up considerably - let this one sit a while before drinking
• [96% Zinfandel, 4% Petite Sirah]
  

2007 Ridge Lytton Springs

• The 2007 Lytton Springs is what I'm talking about - have always loved this wine from
• Lytton Springs aroma - cherry, chocolate, sweet pipe tobacco and wet, sappy tree bark - I love the nose on this wine
• Lytton Springs - immediate balance on the palate, not overripe, good acid, strong tannins, finishing all the way through
• I want to pair the LS with a juicy, blue cheese bacon burger - preferably from red mill in Seattle - or Girl & the Fig burger in Sonoma
• The LS gets better with every sip - such good balance and the finish is looooong
• [71% Zinfandel, 22% Petite Sirah, 7% Carignane]
  

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Chronicle Wines

Date: Mon, Jan 4, 2010 Wine Tasting

It seems like it's been a while since I sat down to a tasting of wines I knew absolutely nothing about. No history. No word of mouth. No tasting notes on Cellar Tracker. No Twitter comments. Not even a mention from the too many wine shop proprietors on my wine shop route (not as consistent as, say, a USPS mail route, but at times could be mistaken for one).

So it is with Chronicle wines, a small lot artisan producer of Pinot Noir and Zinfandel from Sonoma and Mendocino. Two Pinot Noirs and two Zinfandels, produced by two accomplished winemakers in Ted Lemon (long Burgundy background at Domaine Dujac and Domaine Guy Roulot in Meursault, to name a few) and Dan Cederquist (who spent 10 years at DeLoach specializing in Old Vine Zinfandel), this was looking to be an interesting tasting.

And, indeed it was, particularly with the Zinfandels. Looking back, somewhere along the line, I started to lose touch with most Zinfandels, partly because I came across too many over-ripe, seriously jammy takes on the varietal and partly because I got distracted with so many other great wines in this world. But, the Chronicle Zinfandels are unique in comparison to the Zinfandels I'm used to - they're lighter, more acidic, not as jammy on the palate. Almost felt more like an Italian wine, like a Nebbiolo, than a Zin, with light color and heavy tannins. Very interesting and unexpected.


So, on to the tasting notes:

2006 Chronicle Pinot Noir Sonoma Coast
Very light aroma, some floral notes, dark ripe cherry and a touch of watermelon and menthol. Opens up considerably in the mouth. Big front-end, attacking the front palate with blackberry, cherry, spice, earth and pith. Loses some of it's punch mid-palate, but then returns for a long finish, albeit a hot one. Overall, this is a soft, lightweight Pinot, without much acid and not too aggressive. My rating: 87

What Chronicle has to say: The Sonoma Coast shows spice, floral and sandalwood notes, with pronounced alpine strawberry and Bing cherry. The attack is sweet, with plenty of structure and well-integrated tannins. The wine is fresh with moderate weight. A soft, velvety mid-palate gradually gives way to a long and lively finish.

2006 Chronicle Pinot Noir Cerise Vineyard
Bigger nose than the 2006 Chronicle Sonoma Coast, but not by much. Light fruit on the aroma, with floral notes, cherry and milk chocolate. A nice ride through the palate, hitting warmly up front and then growing into a spicy, peppery, earthy finish. Good acidity on this one. Not a fruity Pinot Noir, so if that's your taste, probably not the one for you. My rating: 88

What Chronicle has to say: The Cerise Vineyard shows intriguing herbal and brushy aromas with brambly blackberry and raspberry patch. The woodsy notes frame a dense and chewy, altogether serious mid-palate. This wine has good lift, structure, and concentration with a strong backbone and dense tannins that will reward patience and cellaring.

2006 Chronicle Zinfandel Bacigalupi Vineyard
Very interesting nose on this one - black licorice and chocolate covered strawberries in a Christmas tree lot. It's remarkably light for a Zinfandel, both in color and mouth feel, making it unlike any other Zinfandel I've tried before. It almost drinks more like Nebbiolo than a Zinfandel, which might explain the different elements - could be that the fruit wasn't able to stand up to the oak elements. A bit of a pithy, dry finish, so if that's not your gig, this isn't for you. But, overall, I quite enjoyed this wine. If you're a Zin fanatic, I don't think this is the Zin you would pick to get your fix. On the other hand, this is a very interesting take on Zin and puts a different spin on the varietal. My rating: 89 (caveat: not for everyone's palate)

What Chronicle has to say: The Bacigalupi Vineyard is a deep and vibrant crimson, with enticing aromas of cranberry, boysenberry and spice. The wine is medium bodied, with bold flavors of black cherry and brambly blackberry with well-integrated spice and vanilla tines from the oak. This is classic old vine Zinfandel.

2006 Chronicle Zinfandel Old Vines
Maraschino cherries, milk chocolate, licorice and pepper on the nose. Broad distribution in the mouth ending with a remarkably focused finish of dark berry fruit and pepper . This is the most multi-dimensional and complex of the four Chronicle wines and, even though it's an easy drinker, it does offer up some complexity that would incline me to go back for more. Again, as with all the Chronicle wines, a bit of a pithy, bitter finish but to my liking and not too overbearing. My favorite of the four Chronicle wines. My rating: 90

What Chronicle has to say: This wine is composed of grapes from all three of the old vine sites we sourced, located off Piner Road in the southern end of the Russian River appellation. During barrel aging, we had great fun working on the blend from these three sites. Each has its charms and brought something different to the assemblage. In our final blend Bacigalupi brings brambly blackberry flavors and mid palate richness, Gaddis brings backbone and structure, and Gambogi brings intriguing chocolate and claret-like aromatics and flavors.

What you should do: Mailing list only on these wines, so not readily available, but worth putting your name in for consideration if my tasting notes sound appealing. It feels to me like these wines could make an impact somewhere down the road and, at the very least, you may be able to get your hands on some unique, small lot wines that should age well.

NOTE: the Chronicle wines were sent to me as a sample

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Wine tasting notes from a week gone by...

Date: Sun, Jan 3, 2010 Wine Tasting

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Quick fire wine review - Odfjell and Townshend

Date: Tue, Dec 29, 2009 Wine Tasting

A few quick post-holiday wine reviews, one a Carménère from Chile, the other a Malbec from Washington state.

2007 Odfjell Carménère Armador
I've been tasting a lot of Carménère's lately, partly in thanks to Wines of Chile. I like the varietal, with its smokey and peppery notes, but I don't think it's for everyone. The Odfjell is the first one that I think is truly accessible to a large group of wine drinkers. Easily the most balanced and easy drinking of the dozen or so I've tried, this one is 100% Carménère, with blackberry, plum, tobacco, smoke and white pepper. Remarkably nice acidity, allowing the wine to slice directly through the palate, but balanced with a nice, long finish and a quick, broad mouth feel.

What you should do: BUY IT! This varietal is worth a try and, without a doubt, this is the one to experiment with.

My rating: 89

2007 Townshend Malbec
This wine was brought to my attention by my father-in-law. He is a Malbec loyalist and responsible for me exploring the Malbec varietal by introducing me to a great Terra Blanca Malbec a few years back. The Townshend is a nice fruit -forward Malbec, with dark cherry, fig and white pepper on the nose. Remarkably well balanced and full palate, especially for a wine this young. It's big and broad on the palate and then narrows into a lasting finish. All in all, this is a fantastic Malbec from Washington.

What you should do: Buy it, if you can find it. The winery does have plenty of the 2007 on hand, in the mid-$20's, so you can get it there, but I wasn't able to find it anywhere else. This may be a case wine for me - would love to have some bottles around the house.

My rating: 88

NOTE: The Odfjell was provided to me as a free sample.

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Book Review- New Classic Winemakers of California: Conversations with Steve Heimoff

Date: Mon, Dec 28, 2009 Wine Tasting

Been a while since I've done a book review, mostly because what I've been reading hasn't really captured my attention. But, about a month ago, I finished "New Classic Winemakers of California: Conversations with Steve Heimoff," a book that reignited my imagination about wine. A collection of who's who in today's wine world - Andy Beckstoffer, Heidi-Peterson Barrett, Merry Edwards and more - "Conversations" is literally that, oral histories that these accomplished and up and coming winemakers have with Steve Heimoff, the West Coast Editor of Wine Enthusiast magazine.

I read this book fast - it's easily digestible, fun to read and if you have an interest in wine and the thought process and philosophies of making wine, then this is the book for you. These are conversations that most of us aren't exposed to on a daily basis and they're very compelling.

In addition, it shows these accomplished winemakers as down-to-earth folks who have latched onto something they love and success followed. For most of them, this is not something that happened overnight, but, rather, over years and years of practice, success, failure and just plain old hard work. And, the plan wasn't to be well known winemakers (at least for most), but to just cultivate a passion that they couldn't ignore.

The best way to describe what I pulled from this book is through music. At the same time I was reading it, Pearl Jam (yes, I am an unabashed Pearl Jam loyalist) came out with their new album, Backspacer. If you buy the album on iTunes, it comes with a 10-minute video of the band that opens with Eddie talking about the creative process and what a friend once told him: "Paint a hundred [paintings], see if you're good at it. After a hundred, maybe you'll know." And that is exactly what I captured out of this book and why it was so inspiring to me - if you have an interest, a passion and calling, keep at it, keep working and you will get to where you want to be, whether that be where you thought or somewhere else that turns out to be even more satisfying. It really is true and it was unexpected that I captured that feeling through a book about wine - I mean, let's be honest, most of them aren't all that inspirational.

What you should do: Buy it. Apologies that this review came out after Christmas, but buy it for yourself - it really is an interesting read. And, I guarantee you'll look at the wine in your glass in a different way.

My rating: 92

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RJ's Wine Blog - 2009-12-25

Date: Fri, Dec 25, 2009 Wine Tasting

Photo source: Flickr: Wine Bottle Christmas Tree - Gaylord Texan Resort

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