The Laughing Wolf

Their Creekstone 2002 Georgia Cabernet Sauvignon, was a very pleasant surprise. While not as full-bodied as some other Cabs, it was rich with fruit and spice, and was good with food. A little pricy for what you get, at least in comparison with other U.S. Cabs, but not bad and it bodes very well for the future of Georgia Wines

The Creekstone 2003 Georgia Viognier was an outstanding wine. There are lots of floral notes and light white fruits in the nose, but the taste is absolutely dry. The body was fair, and it paired very well with cheeses and even some meats. If you are looking for a very good example of what a Viognier can be, this is a wine to check out.

While not at Habersham, in the last few weeks I have also had the opportunity to sample A*MANO 2001 Primitivo Puglia (Indicazione Georgrafica Tipica). The Primitivo is the parent vine of Zinfandel (or so I am told) and it carries the robust flavors of that grape, but adds to it something a bit more. This was an excellent wine, particularly with the $7 price tag. Something well worth trying and it will stand up to medium foods quite well.

While it is not a wine, I did get to try a Rogue Imperial Pale Ale. Delightful, especially for warm weather, with strong hops providing a (very) sharp edge to a decent body. Who, me enjoying myself?

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L’Ecole No. 41 2002 Columbia Valley Barrel Fermented Semillon. The colour was a nice pale gold and the nose was crisp, sweet, and somewhat buttery. The mouth starts light and builds with a mix of crisp and sweet fruit and come vine, and buttery notes along the side on the finish.

House of Nobilio 2003 Marlborough Pinot Gris. This entry from New Zealand has a clear pale gold colour and crisp nose of fruit, with apple predominating. The mouth feel is solid and strong with sweet apple.

Fortius Tempranillo 1998 Navarro D.O. This Spanish wine has a dark garnet colour and a nose filled with chocolate and jam, and just a hint of leather. The mouthfeel is different, slightly bitter at the start but moving into red fruit. Fair.

Speri Valpolicella 2001. This Italian entry is a light garnet colour and a nose of musty leather. The mouthfeel is fair, with fruit and leather predominating, and a nice finish.

Monsanto Chianti Classico 1999. The nice ruby colour leads to a fair nose and a solid, tangy mouthfeel. Red fruit comes under, along with a nice finish.

Bodegas Monticillo 2002 White Wine. A delightfully very pale yellow colour more reminiscent of flowers than anything else leads to a nice nose that is light and crisp, full of green grape, pear, and hints of tropical fruits and minerals. The mouthfeel is fair, at best, the taste of the fruit being diluted; yet, past the initial taste one can find some crispness and a bit of sweet/tart going on the sides. While lacking in body, this would make a very good hot weather wine simply to enjoy outside on a summer day.

Osborne Solaz. This wine is 80 percent Tempranillo and 20 percent Cabernet Sauvignon and has a nice red/purple colour leading to a nose crisp with fruit, chocolate, and spice. The mouthfeel is fair, with tastes of ripe plum and chocolate predominating with hints of spice following. The finish is okay.

Bodegas Monticillo Crianza 1998. This 100 percent Tempranillo wine has a slightly odd red/brown colour and a fair – but light – nose of leather with hints of spice. The mouthfeel is stronger than the nose, and filled with fruit and berries, spice, and a nice hint of mocha.

Bodegas Monticillo Reserva 1998. The colour is dark garnet and the nose is full of chocolate and leather, with spice under. The fair mouth has a slight tart and crisp texture to it, and rich with plums and other red fruits, along with subtle notes of chocolate and spice. Not bad.

First up was a Victor Hugo 2002 Rose, made from Syrah grapes. No, not the writer, but interesting all the same. The colour was garnet and the nose was both sweet and tart. The mouth was tart, giving way to fruit and grape skins. A very different rose, but with some interesting possibilities.

Next up was a Ruston Sauvignon Blanc 2002 from Napa Valley. The colour was a clear pale straw, with a sharp nose of vine with spice that extended out into fruitiness. The mouth was nice, with a mixture of sweet with fruit and tartness. This led into some interesting tropical fruit flavors and a nice finish. A bit different, but it would go very well with a number of dishes.

The next offering was Victor Hugo 2001 Zinfandel. The ruby red colour leads to a nose of tobacco and spice, while the mouthfeel is surprisingly mellow. Tobacco is followed by fruit, spice, and a nice and slightly sweet finish.

The fourth offering of the day was Victor Hugo 2000 Cabernet Sauvignon. Again, a ruby red colour with a nice nose of tobacco over leather, what I consider a nice barn smell, with some mineral under. The mouthfeel was fair, lighter than anticipated from the nose, tobacco giving way to fruit and an okay finish.

The final wine of the day was Victor Hugo Oppulence, 1999, and it was an interesting treat. The colour is a solid ruby with an equally solid nose of tobacco and spice. The mouthfeel was fair, starting with tobacco with dark chocolate leading to spice notes and a nice finish. The flavors were interesting, and the result of the blending of 40 percent cabernet franc, 33 percent merlot, 20 percent cabernet sauvignon, and 7 percent petite verdot.

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The first wine of the day was Montesol Rueda Classico 2002. This is a 50/50 blend of Verdejo and Viura grapes. The colour is a nice pale straw, and the nose is rich with citrus and fruit, with just a bare hint of honeysuckle. The mouthfeel was nice, crisp with green fruit and citrus, with a hint of honey towards the side. The finish was pleasant, and it would make a good warm weather wine and one for lighter fare.

The second wine of the day was Pasil Pie Franco Rueda Superior White 2003, and the name is not wrong. The wine is 100 percent Verdejo grapes, something I have not had before. The colour is again a pale straw, but the nose is strong and filled with grapefruit and citrus with a hint of flowers all over fruit in the base. The mouthfeel is solid, with grapefruit and citrus again dominating at the start, but with fruit under with hints of floral notes on the side. The finish is very nice, and this full-bodied full-flavor wine can hold its own with most food and would be excellent even with a spicy paella.

The next wine was a red, Roblemar Jumilla 2001. It is a 50/50 blend of Tempranillo and Monastrell grapes. The colour is a deep ruby red and the strong rich nose is filled with chocolate, leather, and coffee. The mouthfeel is nice, though not as strong as the nose, and filled with chocolate, leather, spice, and tobacco in a complex delight. The finish is dry, and pleasant.

The next wine was Valdegracia Rebera del Guadiana 1998, and is 100 percent Tempranilo. The colour is a nice ruby red, and the nose is rich and earthy with tobacoo and toast with notes of vanilla on swirling. The mouth starts light to medium, and builds to a full, smooth pleasure filled with tobacco and spices. The flavors combine for a delightful taste with a good finish.

The final wine was Senorio del Aguila Carinena 1994 Reserva, and is a blend of Tempranillo and Cabernet Sauvignon grapes. The deep ruby colour is followed by a sharp nose of sherry, spice, and caramel over deeply buried fruit. The mouthfeel is nice with spice and sweet notes with fruit under. The finish is good, with the sherry once again providing notes at the finish.

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The first wine was Wente Monterey Arroxo Seco 2003 Reisling. The colour is a clear pale gold with a nice nose of grape, apple, and mineral: sweet. The mouthfeel is nice, sweet going to tart with green fruit and a slight bite of wood and vine. Finishes sweet on the side.

The second wine of the day was Le Rime 2003 Banfi Chardonnay Pinot Grigo. The colour was a very pale straw, with a slightly sparm nose of pear and floral notes with a hint of wood. The mouthfeel starts sharp with wood and fruit buried under. The bitter start fades to a slight sweetness on finish. Interesting.

The third wine was Bogle 2002 Sauvignon Blanc. The colour is almost clear with just a faint straw colour. The nose is sharp and slightly musty with apple under. The mouthfeel is bitter going to tart. There are strong citrus notes, and it does go slightly sweet on finish, but not nearly enough as it is still quite bitter, causing one’s mouth pucker like sucking on a sour lemon. One of the worst things I have drunk in years.

The fourth wine was Planeta La Segretta Blanco 2003 from Sicily. The colour is a nice gold colour with a nose of grape and honey with hints of flowers. The mouth starts bitter/tart start woody with fruit and sweet coming out on the finish.

The fifth wine of the day was Red Truck 2002 California Red Table Wine. It has a nice clear garnet colour and a nice full nose of leather with chocolate, plums, and red fruit coming out over time. The mouthfeel is good with leather and chocolate with fruit and spice emerging on sides on finish. The overall finish is fair.

The final wine of the day was Planeta La Segreta 2003 Rossa. The colour is a clear ruby, with a nose of old leather and tobacco. The mouthfeel is medium with leather and spice with a faint fruit coming out. The finish is pleasant.

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First, look at the colour and the clarity. While there are some wines that should not be clear, the majority of what you are going to deal with every day should be clear. It used to be that clarity was a good indicator that the vintner was doing things right, while cloudy, murky, or wines with particles floating in it indicated that corners may have been cut and conditions during making and aging were less than ideal. This could indicate a bad wine, or it could indicate something that might make you blind. Today, it most likely means that vintner has done things right, including having a good knowledge of filtering/cold filtering.

The colour should indicate something about the wine. Very pale, almost clear wines for example, can indicate both a light wine and one that is delicate or has a single strong component. The richer the colour, the more robust it is likely to be. Ports, for example, are clear yet so rich in colour as to be very dark. None of this is an absolute indicator, but it serves as a guide. If you get a Chardonnay, for example, that is a very dark colour you may want to proceed with caution.

Once you have examined the colour and clarity, smell the wine. Take a whiff as it is just as it was poured into the glass. What smell or smells first hit your nose? What follows? Are there small smells, or notes, that show up later? Usually, this first sniff is dominated by one particular odor, but other notes can still emerge.

Now, swirl the wine in the glass. Smell it as you swirl, and then once you stop. How has the scent changed? Have new scents emerged? If not, the odds are it is not going to be a great glass of wine. The scent should be complex, a symphony if you will.

Appreciate it as a whole, but take it apart too. Do you smell fruit? If so, what types of fruit? You can smell a variety of apples, grapes, berries (blueberry, raspberry, blackberry, etc.), plums, pears, lemons, limes, grapefruit, and more. You can smell earth and minerals, tobacco, chocolate, jams, flowers, and vines. When you smell these odors, try to narrow them down a bit to to identify the specifics, such as Granny Smith apples, dark chocolate, mission figs, etc. When people talk of tobacco they rarely mean as in a cigarette – they mean a tobacco barn or something similar. To get a better understanding of this flavor, find a tobacco barn or get with a good cigar store that can let you smell the major types of tobacco. Look for spices such as white pepper, black pepper, red pepper, cinnamon, cassis, cardamom, cloves, nutmegs, basil, dill, and other common spices and herbs. Look for all the elements.

Now, taste the wine. The human tongue is an amazing thing, and an extremely sensitive and sophisticated sensor. As the wine enters your mouth, look at how it feels and tastes at the tip of the tongue, the body, and along the sides. How does it feel in your mouth: full, so-so, or weak. How it “fills” your mouth speaks volumes to a wine.

Repeat a similar process as with smelling: break it down to the components. Draw out the individual flavors and look at how they are put together. Often, flavors can differ from the scent, so seek out those difference and appreciate them. For example, a white wine may have a buttery taste that does not appear in the nose (smell), or a red wine may have spices that show up at different times and different parts of the tongue.

Run some air through the wine to see what new flavors come out. This can be done with tact, but it is crucial to releasing more flavors and things that might be hidden.

Now, consider it as a whole flavor like a meal. Have all the flavors come together? Has it lived up to the nose and colour? Do the different parts complement each other in a positive way?

Finally, how does it finish? Does it leave a bitter taste in the mouth? Sweet? Cloyingly sweet? Sour? Or does it provide a nice finish that fades slowly out? Do any new flavors or concepts show up on the finish? How does it taste in your mouth a minute or three after you swallow?

In a truly good wine, everything should now come together as a whole. The scent, the taste, the mouthfeel, and even the colour should combine to produce a symphony within the mouth.

As a final thought, consider that much of life can be treated as a glass of wine. If we take the time to appreciate all the individual parts, the whole can be appreciate anew.

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The first wine was Hinman Vineyards 2002 Oregon Riesling. It has a clear straw colour and a crisp sweet nose of vine and flowers over green apple. The mouthfeel is nice, sweet but not overly sweet with flavors of green apple and grapes, with a following note of honeysuckle nectar and a nice finish.

The second wine was Hinman Vineyards 2001 Oregon Pinot Gris. It has a clear/straw pale colour and a nose that is light yet sharp with fruit when it does come out. The mouthfeel is medium and nicely balanced with grape and green fruit, and a sharp finish with hints of spice and mineral.

The third wine was Cooper Mountain Vineyards 1999 Willamette Valley Estate Bottled Oregon Chardonnay. The colour is a very pale gold and the nose is different: earthy in a way reminiscent of beef stew, followed by wood. The mouthfeel is full with a dry start of earth and mineral over fruit, with a faint vine/wood taste coming out. It has a pleasant finish that is slightly sweet but crisp.

The fourth wine was Rabbit Ridge 2003 Paso Robles Rabbit Rose. The colour was a light raspberry red with a nose of sweet red fruit, reminiscent of a snow cone. The mouthfeel was sharp and sweet, with medium mineral over raspberry and red berries, with some spice and white pepper showing up on the finish.

The final wine was Rabbit Ridge 2001 Paso Robles Brunello Clone Sangiovese. It has a celar deep cherry red colour and a nice nose of leather with a hint of spice. The mouthfeel was medium to medium-light and filled with leather, chocolate, and red fruit under mineral, with spice on the sides at the finish.

A very nice tasting, so you should come on out and take part.

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I am not the best person to ask about what food with what wine, simply because I don’t believe in the so-called rules. Given the lack of flavor in most mass-produced meats, what you really are looking for are wines that will go with the spices and flavors that are added. This holds true to a certain extent even with good meats. Before I can even think of answering, I need to know the type and quality of meat, how it is to be prepared, spices, etc. With that knowledge, I may select a white wine to go with beef, or a new port to go with fish.

Given this, I was a bit intrigued by the announcement of the wine tasting at Pauli’s this week, because the wines were all developed specifically to go with wild game. A bit different, to say the least, but interesting. The Wild Game blends came about as a form of joint venture between Mossy Oak, the camouflage people and River Wild Winery. I was very pleasantly surprised yesterday by the products.

We started with Trout Blend, a mixture of Chardonnay, Sauvignon Blanc, and Viosnier. It had a nice straw colour that went well with a crisp nose of vine and wood misxed with dry green fruit. The crispness continued with the mouthfeel filled with pear, apple, and hints of wood and spice. The finish was quite pleasant, and it is a good warm weather white.

Next up was the waterfoul blend, made from Syrah, Grenache, and Mouvedre. The colour was purple-red, and the nice nose was filled with leather and plums, with hints of spice. The mouthfeel was good, with a dry start that fills with fruit and leather. There was a slight sweetness on the sides with the finish, and it was not a heavy wine despite the richness.

Turkey blend was next, made from Zinfandel, Grenache, and Petit Syrah. The medium-red colour was rich, and the nose quite good being filled with leather and spice. The mouthfeel was good, filled with spice and fruit over leather, and the finish crisp with a slight bitterness.

The final wine was Venison Blend, made from Cabernet Sauvignon, Merlot, and Cabernet Franc. A nice purple colour leads to a good nose of tobacco and leather with hints of chocolate and fruit. The mouthfeel was rich with ripe red fruit and chocolate, with spices and leather under. A delightfully complex wine.

My one regret was not being able to try the wines with appropriate foods. While I did try some with some of the snackage set out by Pauli’s, the result though good simply made me long even more for the real thing. These wines are quite good on their own, but I also think that they will go well with appropriate foods. I will also admit to being taken with the Trout, Waterfoul, and Venison, and particularly taken with the Venison.

Enjoy!

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We started with Eden Valley 2002 Reisling, which had a very pale straw colour and a nice nose filled with vine and sharp fruit. The mouthfeel was nice, dry, and filled with pear and green fruit that gave way to wood on the finish.

Next up was Clancy’s 2002 Red, a Bordeaux-style blend of 54% Shiraz, 29% Cabernet Saugvignon, 12% Merlot, and 5% Cabernet Franc. The nose was very nice, filled with plums, rich red fruit, chocolate, and a hint of spice. The mouthfeel, however, was medium with a slight bitterness, some fruit, and a small bit of unsweetened chocolate. It is a shame that everything went into the nose, for if it had lived up to the nose this would be a very good wine.

Following that was a 2001 Barossa Shiraz. The nose was earthy with leather, a bit different from the typical Shiraz. The mouth was nice and full, filled with old leather with hints of fruit under, and a suggestion of chocolate on the finish. Not your typical Shiraz on many levels.

The final red wine was a 2001 Barossa Cabernet Sauvignon. The nose was quite nice, filled with leather and berries. The mouthfeel was fair, with leather slowly giving way to fruit and a fair finish.

The final wine of the day was a dessert wine, a 2001 Botrytis Semillon. The strong gold colour led to a nose of hay and flowers. The mouthfeel starts sharp, then brings forth sweet flowers and fruit on a fair finish. The floral notes mean that you should pick your dessert with care, to avoid any clash.

The tasting started with an offering from MacMurray Ranch, which was founded by actor Fred MacMurray of My Three Sons fame. His daughter has taken over the ranch and they concentrate on two varieties: Pinot Gris and Pinot Noir. They have two versions of the latter, apparently, and one of the former. What we sampled was MacMurray Ranch Russian River Valley Pinot Gris 2002. While my taste was still a bit off from a late lunch, I enjoyed this white wine. It had a very pale straw color, almost clear in certain light, which complemented the nice nose filled with hay, green fruit, and a hint of citrus. The mouthfeel was good with lots of fruit: pear, green apple, and with hint of grapefruit and citrus towards the finish. It was not too sweet, not too tart, with what may have been some wood on the finish. Overall, a refreshing white and a good start to the tasting.

The second wine we tried was MacMurray Ranch 2002 Sonoma Coast Pinot Noir. Good colour, and a medium-light nose of leather, tobacco, and bramble. The mouthfeel was light, and ran from a sweet start to a tart finish, with tastes of plums and red fruit, and some nice leather on the finish.

Our third wine was Frei Brothers Reserve Dry Creek Valley Merlot 2002. It had a good colour and a medium nose that was sharp, but solid with fruit and leather. The mouthfeel was good and filled with red berries, fruit, and a delightful amount of spice, especially cinnamon. While a little light, it was not bad and well worth a try.

The fourth wine was atypical, and very different. The best I can describe it was barn. Not a nice clean barn filled with warm scents of clean leather and fresh hay, but an old barn not well maintained. This is the best description/analogy I have for the Marcelina 1999 Napa Valley Merlot. The wine buyer at Pauli’s likes it, but admits that it will not fit most palates. The nose is very musty, and not in a nice way. The sharp mouthfeel has some fruit in it, but is very earthy. The wine buyer described tasting tar in it, and I would revert back to my barn description and something else. If you have the chance to taste it, do so, as it is atypical and probably a good thing to try for the experience. I do not, however, recommend you buy a bottle just to taste it as I cannot recommend it.

The final wine, however, was also atypical and a treat. The wine buyer termed it “eccentric” and I like that descriptor because it is delightfully different. Wynn's Coonawarra Estate Coonawarra Cabernet Sauvignon has a good deep purple red colour that is somewhat opaque. The nose is quite nice, and filled with leather and tobacco with fruit under. The mouthfeel is good and solid, and filled with leather and tobacco, with sweet red berries on the side at the finish. This is not a typical cabernet at all, and to my mind combines the best of Pinot Noir, Syrah/Shiraz, and Merlot with the complexity of a good Cabernet. The result is something very different, but very good. I would love to get a case or two of this wine to enjoy over the next five years, to see how it ages for I have the feeling this will either age very well, or reach its peak within two years. If you do get the chance to try it, I recommend you do so.

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We started with a 2000 Chablis from Roland Lavantureux. The nose was light yet sharp with scents of hay and light fruit. The medium mouth was sharp and dry strong mineral, slight wood, and citrus under on the finish. The result was not pleasing, and the only thing I could think of for it was to pear it with something extremely sweet.

The second wine, Castle Rock 2002 Napa Valley Sauvigon Blanc, made up for it a bit. It had a nice nose of pineapple and tropical fruit, followed by a medium mouth that was slighty crisp but with subdued flavors of fruit and mineral. If it had lived up to its nose, it would have been a very good wine.

The third wine was Jewel 2002 Viognier from California. The rich nose was filled with red delicous apple and bosc pear, and the medium to full mouthfeel was crisp and sweet with fruit. A nice finish. While sweeter than my normal like, it would pair well with good white cheeses.

The fourth wine was Qupe 2002 Syrah. It had a nice nose of leather and chocolate with fruit under. The tart mouthfeel revealed fruit – and a bitter finish. This was another wine that if it had lived up to its nose, it would have been very good. As it is, I do not recommend it.

The final wine of the tasting was Napanook 2000. The nose held leather and fruit, and the medium mouthfeel also contained leather and fruit. The finish, however, was not good.

The best wine of the day was not a part of the official tasting, but was offered to me when I arrive a bit early. It had been opened the previous day, and it had held up very well. I was quite pleased with the Mason Napa Valley Sauvignon Blanc 2002. It has a very nice nose of citrus and fruit, and a medium mouthfeel with flavors of citrus and green fruit with a slight crisp finish. This is not a bad summer day wine, and would pair well with fruit and cheese on a hot afternoon.

One thing to keep in mind for wines is that they are not just for drinking. For example, the Jewel above would be excellent for poaching a firm white fish or even some salmon. Take a covered pot, or some aluminum foil to make a container, and place the fish within. Season, and consider using some fresh dill or other herbs appropriate to the fish. Pour in some of the wine, seal, and cook.

Another thing to keep in mind at a tasting, is if you consistently get a reading – such as a mineral note to the nose – no matter the type of wine, it may be the glass. Even minute traces of soap or chemical can throw things off, and if you have hard water the mineral notes you get may be from said local water when used to wash and rinse. Just a thought to keep in mind.

Enjoy your day!

We started with Chase-Limogere Brut sparkling wine from Madera, California. The nose was agreeably sharp with mineral and fruit, and went to a mouthfeel that was sharp at the start, but almost immediately grew wet and sweet. It had a nice finish with notes of pear and Granny Smith apple. Like many sparkling wines, it was a bit sweet, but not bad for less than $7.00.

Next on the list was Van Ruiten-Taylor Reserve 2001 Lake Country Sauvignon Blanc. A crisp nose of pear and green berries gives way to a medium mouth filled with fruit. Slightly bitter on the finish, but pleasant.

The third wine of the day was Ca’del Solo 2002 California Big House White table wine. This is a blend of about every white in the book, with the result of a nose that is sweet with fruit and hay and a medium mouthfeel of a variety of fruit. Mineral comes in on the finish, along with some slight wood notes.

The final white of the day was a delight, De Wetshof Estate 2001 Chardonnay from South Africa. The nose was crisp and woody, with fruit under. The crisp mouthfeel reveals wood, giving way to fruit on the long stretch. The finish is nice, and even nicer in my opinion is the way the wood does not overpower the fruit and other flavors in the wine. For those looking for a more traditional chardonnay that is much more than oak notes, this is a nice one to try. I'm telling you, keep your eyes on the South African wines...

The first red of the day was Ca’ del Solo Big House Red, again a mixture of about every red under the sun. The mixed nose reveals fruit, chocolate, and leather, and the medium mouth reveals a slightly sweet taste with fruit and leather then coming out. It was not as good on the finish, but was interesting.

The final wine of the day was Willamette Valley Pinot Noir, a most interesting surprise in that it in no way can be considered a textbook pinot. The nose is interesting, dusty leather and berries. The medium mouthfeel brings out berries and leather, with chocolate coming in long into the finish, with the finish itself being slightly sharp. Not at all what one expects from a pinot noir, but an interesting and fun wine to try.

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At Pauli’s yesterday, we tasted six wines from Graham Beck Wines and I had a very large surprise. Actually there were several surprises, but the major one was in the number of wines I really liked and can recommend. When you do tastings, you encounter a large percentage that are at best average, with many of the remainder falling well below that. Out of the six tasted yesterday, I can recommend all six and strongly recommend three for the summer.

We started with Graham Beck Waterside White 2002, which is a blend of Chardonnay and Columbard grapes. Now, I admit that I am part of the backlash against Chardonnay because so many have become so one-dimensional, and that dimension is oak. This delightful wine shows what you can do with Chardonnay when you have balance. The nose was quite nice, with dusty flowers holding forth over fruit. This followed into the body, which has a good mouthfeel, crisp at the start going rich with tropical fruit. The finish is nice, with green pear and kiwi showing up at the sides. Not a trace of oak anywhere, and a refreshing white to sip on a hot summer afternoon, either by itself or with fruit and light cheeses.

The second wine was Graham Beck Sauvignon Blanc 2003, which starts with a grassy citrus nose that has some complex undertones to it, and finishes with green berries. The sharp, crisp mouthfeel gives way to rich green fruit. The finish shows steel and mineral flavors that round out this very enjoyable wine. My one regret when trying it was that I was not able to have had it with some Persian chicken I had the other day, as I feel it would have been a perfect complement to it. This is a wine to try.

The third selection was Graham Beck BV Brut sparkling wine. Another pleasant surprise, it started with a crisp nose full of light fruit with hints of fresh bread. The crispness continued with the mouthfeel, which showcased light fruit balanced with minerals, and a good round finish.

With that, we moved into the reds and a truly wonderful wine: Graham Beck Railroad Red Cabernet Sauvignon/Shiraz 2001. While I have found a few blends to be interesting, most have not been terribly good. Indeed, I would go so far as to say that in many cases, the vinter had managed to get the worst aspects of each variety into the blend. That is clearly not the case here, with a near-perfect marriage being made. The result is a rich nose of chocolate, rich red fruit, and hits of smoke and leather. The nice mouthfeel is full of chocolate, leather, rich red berries, and hints of spice. The finish was quite nice, and I was quite taken with the complexity exhibited. This is not a wine for cellaring, but to enjoy now, either by itself or best yet with good food.

By comparison, the Graham Beck Shiraz 2001 suffered a bit but was still a very good wine. A rich nose of leather and tobacco over fruit leads to a medium mouth with a slow start. This builds to flavors of pepper, leather, chocolate and fruit as one would expect from a good Shiraz. Given that it was developed to be aged, I would love to try this same one again over time to see how it progresses.

The final wine was Graham Beck Pinno Pinotage 2002. Pinotage is an interesting varietal, invented in South Africa in 1925. This particular wine starts with a light nose that builds to tobacco with spice over lots of fruit in the base. The fruits are not just the standard reds, but also there are hints of the tropics and banana in the mix. The nice mouthfeel includes tobacco, banana, red fruit and plums, and goes into a soft finish. A very different treat for the palate.

None of these were wines I would kick out of the cellar, and I would love to add some to the cellar. The Waterside and Sauvignon Blanc would be great additions for the summer, and the Railroad Red is one I would love to have for grilling. Anyone wanting to get on my good side could do far worse than to call Pauli’s and make me a gift of any of these six. In short, if you missed this tasting, you missed a very good treat.

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We started with a 2002 Esperanza Sauvignon Blanc from Spain. The clear straw colour was nice, and the initially sharp nose muted to pear and green apple. The taste was crisp, with green pear combining with some citrus notes that moved to a wood and lime taste at the finish. This might make a very good wine to have on a warm summer afternoon with crisp fruit and mild cheese.

The second wine was 2002 Domaine Joseph Drouhin St. Veran. I don’t buy french anymore, but have no problem drinking it. This was indeed no problem to drink, with a clear straw colour and a nice nose of fruit with minerals underneath. This carried on with the solid mouthfeel, with fruit and rock flavors. The fruits were high in the taste, with the minerals solid underneath. The result was refreshing, with a slightly sweet finish.

The third wine was a 2002 Renwood Select Series Viognier from California. A clear straw colour and nice nose filled with red apple, followed by fruits and flowers, paved the way into an enjoyable wine. The apple flavor came forward at once, followed by other fruits, then melon at the finish. This was a good medium body wine that is not too dry and not too sweet, and should be good with sharper cheeses and crisp fruit.

The fourth wine was NV Lolonis Redwood Valley Carignane. Carignane is a blending grape, but is showcased here on its own. The colour is purple/red, and the wine has a slightly sharp nose of leather and chocolate. The mouthfeel is surprisingly lite, with flavors of leather, berries, and chocolate giving way to tannin on the finish. It is a dry finish, but nicely done.

Our fifth wine was the real treat of the day, 2001 d’Arry’s Original. This Southern Australian wine has a rich purple colour and a sharp, strong nose of leather and spice. It is nicely complex with a solid, yet lite, mouthfeel. Red fruits and berries combine with leather and several spices for a delightful taste. This is a good wine to enjoy on its own, or in combination with solid or robust foods. I was very unsurprised to find out that it earned a 90 from the Wine Advocate, and give it high marks myself.

The final wine of the day was 1999 Foris “Flyover Red.” This everyday red wine has a nice purple colour with a very understated nose of slight mustiness over tobacco and fruit, with a hint of mocha on the side. The mouthfeel was very different, what I can only describe as being encapsulated and needing time to let the capsule dissolve to bring forth the flavors. The nose gave good hint to these, with fruit, chocolate, and tannin holding forth, and a hint of coffee on the sides at the finish. A fair wine, especially for a vin-du-pays.

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The problem is that there are so many good wines out there. There are a variety of varieties, and to be honest, my favorites shift depending on what I am eating or doing at the time. For example, on a warm day eating some fruit and mild cheese, I am going to want a nice white wine, such as the Montinore Vineyards Willamette Valley Oregon 2000 Gewurtraminer I http://laughingwolf.net/archives/000742.htmlreviewed recently.

So, I am not going to answer the question all at once, but rather take it a piece at the time. Today, I am going to list some of my favorite drinking wines. These are wines I have in the evening, with cheese or such, or with a meal. For now, I am finding that I really like red wines such as Syrah/Shiraz, Pinot Noir, and Zinfandels. Here are a few of them:

Codice: Red Spanish table wine, enjoyable with cheddars and other light to medium cheeses.

Hill of Content Old Vine: An Australian Clare Valley Grenache Shiraz that goes well with food or can be enjoyed on its own.

Anapamu: A California North Coast Pinot Noir that is wonderful to drink by itself or with food.

While I have just begun to explore them, I have had a good start with the Lindeman’s Australian wines and the Cartlidge and Browne wines. They are well worth checking out.

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The tasting started with NV Charles de Fere Blanc de Blancs Brut, a sparkling wine from just beyond the Champagne region. Pale straw colour, crisp nose with apple and bear, with the apple carrying through to the mouth. Slight spice comes in as well, with butter on the edges. Different.

Next on the list was a 2002 William Fevre Chablis “Champ Royaux” Burgandy. It has a very pale colour and a sharp nose of mineral and chalk, with some fruit. The mineral continues into the mouth, with dry white fruit and wood on the finish.

Following that was a 2000 Louis Bernard Cote-du-Rhone. It had a rich red colour and an earthy, slightly sharp nose with hints of sour cherries. The body was medium, slightly sharp like the nose, with red fruit and minerals.

The 2001 Domaine de la Mordoree Lirac Rouge, Rhone Valley had a deep purple fading to red colour and a nose of leather, vine, and spice. The mouthfeel was began nice, starting full, with flavors of toast and leather that faded into a light finish.

The final wine was a 2001 Louis Bernard Chateauneuf-du-Pape, Rhone Valley. It had a purple colour that faded to an anemic blood colour and a nose with hints of smoke and leather over red fruit. It was at best a medium body wine with leather on the sides and red fruit. It had a rather unpleasant aftertaste that became noticeable after a few minutes time.

None of these are recommended, but I may have some other good ones to share soon.

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Here are the rough notes:
Estancia Pinot Grigo 2002 California
almost clear very faint straw colour
crisp nose pear fresh straw
crisp start fresh green pear mellowing sweeter with apple notes, nice fruit finish

Franciscan Oakville Estate Napa Valley Chardonnay 2001
clear yellow colour
buttery nose
buttery oak taste butter and fruit with woody undertones going to a crisp oak finish
A very pleasant surprise.

Estancia Cabernet Sauvignon California 2000
red garnet colour
mild nose, earthy with some fruit
tart mouthfeel going mellow fast, fruit with faint hint of leather.
Average

Chimney Rock Cabernet Sauvignon Stag Leap District Napa Valley 2001
nice red colour garnet and ruby
crisp nose bramble and leather
medium body red fruit and leather, tart finish

Sokol Blosser Watershed Block Pinot Noir 1999
deep purple red colour
sharp nose vines tobacco leather
mild start building to full mouthfeel, red fruit to tobaco to leather, good finish
Interesting

While not a part of the tasting, I was recently introduced to two excellent wines for less than $10.00 a bottle. Cartilidge and Browne Zinfandel proved to be quite nice, and a bit different. Lindemans Reserve South Australia Shiraz proved to be very good as well. I hope to explore more of these wines soon.

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Montinore Vineyards Willamette Valley Oregon 2000 Gewurtraminer
Sharp crisp nose, slightly astringent with notes of straw and greenery. Very pale yellow colour. Mouth was sweet, green apples giving way to buttery notes and a nice finish. An excellent example of type and great with cheeses and fruits. Went extremely well with Drunken Goat Cheese. Recommended.

Wild Hare 2002 California Chardonnay
Nose subdued, woody. Straw colour. Mouth somewhat bitter, strong oak edging to slight sweetness on sides and on finish. Oak major taste and component. If you are a beaver…

Rabbit Ridge 1999 California Montepiano
Nice nose of tobacco, leather, and a hint of vine. Rich purple/red colour. Mouth starts low and has a slow build to strong dark fruit/cherry, with coffee and tobacco on finish. Slightly earthy. Not bad.

Rabbit Ridge 1998 Allure (Grenache/Syrah blend)
Nose of tobacco and cedar. Nice red colour. Good body, red fruit, tobacco, a hint of chocolate, and the cedar carries through from the nose. Also not bad.

It is worth noting that Rabbit Ridge prides itself on a variety of good flavors in inexpensive wine. The Allure was the best example of this I’ve had in a while.

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Rabbit Ridge Chardonnay 2001 has a pale straw colour with a sharp nose of hay, oak, and pear. The mouthfeel is astringent, with wood predominating the taste, citrus high notes, and some granny smith apple rounding it out. A fair wine for lovers of oaky chardonnays.

Rabbit Ridge Merlot 2001 has a dark garnet colour with a medium nose of fruit and leather. The body is medium-light and a taste of red plum and fruits with leather sides. A fair wine.

Rabbit Ridge Cabernet 2000 has a dark red colour with a soft nose full of leather, tobacco, and spice. The body is good, with leather, tobacco, dark fruit filling the mouth, and an under of spice and side notes of pepper, cinnamon and cassis, along with some anise. A nice cab.

Rabbit Ridge Zinfandel 2000 was the surprise of the day, as this is not your typical zin by any means. It has a surprisingly pale, clear ruby colour to start, and a nose filled with new leather and leaf spices such as basil and thyme accompanied by a heavy black pepper scent on the finish. The medium body is followed by a taste of leaves and leaf spices, with side pepper and spices on the side and dark fruit very under. A very interesting and different wine.

Rabbit Ridge Zinfandel 2001, by contrast, is much more typical of “traditional” zins. The colour is midway between ruby and grape, with a good nose of old leather and spice. The nice body is followed by a taste of red fruit forward, spice back, and sides of leather and tobacco on the finish. A good “typical” zin.

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The first wine was Groot Constantia 1999 sauvignon blanc. It has a nice straw colour, a crisp nose of hay and light green fruit, with a hint of vanilla and citrus. This is followed by a very light taste that is tart-crisp, with straw, sour apple. and vanilla rounding it out.

The second wine was De Wetshof Estate Lesca chardonnay, 2001. The pale straw colour is nice, and it has a sharp nose with fruit, wood, and a light citrus overtone. The taste is that of fruit with apple, lemon, and grapefruit leading, with oak following. The finish is astringent in a pleasant way. Not overly woody, so refreshing.

The third wine was KWV 1999 shiraz. It starts with a nice ruby colour followed by a good nose of red fruit, chocolate, and a hint of leather. The body was light, and the taste filled with blackberry and leather.

The fourth wine was Roodeberg 2000, a blend. It has a nice deep red colour and a good nose filled with spice, leather, loam, and fruit. The taste starts with a slight pucker followed by fruit, clove, cinnamon, and leather. It has a good finish, nice complexity, and was a very good wine for a blend.

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