Belleruche Cotes-du-Rhone 2008

Wine: Belleruche Cotes-du-Rhone 2008

Price: $11.99 (on sale from $14.99)

Region: Rhone Valley, France

Grape Variety: 60% Grenache, 40% Syrah

Purchased: Haskell’s Wine & Spirits, Burnsville, MN

The impetus for purchasing this bottle of wine actually came because I wanted to buy a corkscrew.  We have plenty of wine in the cellar, but I needed to purchase an opener for a gift, so I stopped at our newest wine retailer in Burnsville, Haskell’s Wine & Spirits.  I’d shopped several of their locations in other parts of the Twin Cities, but this was my first foray into their Burnsville store.  Wow, what a great idea!  I’ve never liked their practice of overloading the aisles with cases of wine, and forcing you to navigate around all of the other hapless shoppers.  Not here.  This store was very nice, with the wines organized by region and country and plenty of space to browse and enjoy.  The prices were very comparable, and I’ll definitely be back.  Well done!

On to the wine.  As I toured the wine shop, I saw this bottle and decided to take a chance.  We’ve sampled several such bottles in the past, and I immediately had visions of enjoying this bottle with a meal of roasted chicken.  I’m not sure where that picture came from, it definitely started me on a mission.  More on that later.

This was a simple wine, not terribly complex at all.  Cath probably was a little tired watching me with my nose in the glass, but I worked for a long while to determine exactly what I was experiencing.  It was bright and fruity, and after a while I realized that I was getting vanilla.  I don’t recall having that sensation before, but it was good.  Different, but good.  The flavor of the wine was similarly fruity, and entirely enjoyable.  The finish was of a medium length, and very smooth.  We did drink this bottle with a meal of roasted chicken with earthy root vegetables, and the combination was outstanding.  I could honestly go back for this one on a weekly basis and be quite happy.

This was a spur-of-the moment purchase of an inexpensive wine which turned out quite well.  I learned about a wonderful wine shop and a great new wine!

Le Vieux Donjon Chateauneuf-du-Pape 2006

Wine: Le Vieux Donjon Chateauneuf-du-Pape 2006

Price: $64.99

Region: Chateauneuf-du-Pape, France

Grape Variety: 70% Grenache, 20% Syrah, 10% Mourvedre & Cinsault

Purchased: Surdyk’s Wine & Liquor, Minneapolis, MN

This was our second bottle of Chateauneuf-du-Pape, and our first experience with Vieux Donjon.  I found it – once again – through Surdyk’s in Minneapolis, and while it’s a little expensive (okay, a lot) for an everyday wine, it seemed like it would be nice for a special occasion.  I feel confident in saying that I hit that one on the head!  I knew this would be a big, strong wine and so we decanted the bottle for 30 minutes before we enjoyed our first sip.  It would have been great to have a swallow of the wine beforehand, as a control sample, but I wasn’t smart enough to do that.  Regardless, it was supple and smooth and fantastic so I’m going to say I made the right decision.  Upon pouring, the wine had a deep ruby coloring.  We spent some time sampling the nose, and the first word out of Cathy’s mouth was “leather”.  I had to agree, and I added “musk” as well.  It was a complex and very pleasing union of leather and black cherry, with a mineral undertone of slate that made this wine extremely interesting.  The finish was smooth and wonderful, and lingered for several minutes.  We agreed that the wine was dry, in the best possible way, and it paired wonderfully with a meal of veal Osso Buco.  It was a fantastic wine, and we’d enjoy another bottle in a heartbeat.

Snoqualmie Naked Merlot 2006

Wine:  Snoqualmie Naked Merlot 2006

Price: $13.99

Region: Columbia Valley, Washington State

Grape Variety: Merlot

Purchased: Surdyk’s Wine & Liquor, Minneapolis, MN

I think it may have been the “Naked” in the label that made me look at this wine, but it turns out that had more to do with it containing organic grapes than the clothing choice of the winegrowing team. No matter, it’s a very good wine, regardless the origin of the grapes.  This particular wine had a dark red appearance, and when swirled in the glass it had pronounced legs.  I’m not sure if that tells us much, but it was a favorite test of our friend Tom Lorentz, so I just have to do it for fun every time.  The nose  was bright, with the aroma of dark cherries.  When we tasted the wine, I was quite surprised to suddenly have a hit of leather with my stone fruit.  I just didn’t expect that at all, and it shocked me at first.  The mouthfeel was dry, with medium tannins, and I wasn’t sure I was going to enjoy it.  My opinion changed markedly, though, when I sampled another taste after the first bite of our meal.  Cath fixed a delicious pork tenderloin with pomegranate-cherry sauce, and the wine just seemed to open up when the two were combined.  At that point the tannins softened markedly, and the fruit flavor really came forward.  The finish was relatively warm, and while it wasn’t lengthy by any means the overall feel was quite good.  I don’t know if I could recommend this wine for sipping alone, but when combined with the meal I thought it was quite nice.  In all, I’d classify it a winner.

Like much of the wine we drink, we found this wine at the 2009 fall wine sale at Surdyks in Minneapolis, at a very reasonable cost.

Mark West Pinot Noir 2007

 

Wine:  Mark West Pinot Noir 2007

Price: $9.99

Region: Sonoma, California

Grape Variety: Pinot Noir

Purchased: Surdyk’s Wine & Liquor, Minneapolis, MN

I’m not sure where the recommendation originated for this wine, but it’s been our go-to pinot noir for a very long time.  This particular wine had a very light red color, almost reminiscent of a rose.  I’m sure that’s an side effect from the many bottles of very deep red carmenere and cabernets we’ve been drinking lately.  It took me a moment to remember that this was indeed more normal for this type of wine, and then my expectations were reset.  The nose was very fresh, plum with a hint of citrus, and this carried over to the taste as well.  The mouthfeel was very light and bright, but it was not unsubstantial.  The finish was smooth, but not lengthy by any means.  When we serve a dish heavy with mushrooms we generally think of pinot noir, and the Mark West has never failed us.  I wouldn’t go so far as to say it is complex in its flavor, but it very ably complemented a meal of Rosemary Grilled Chicken with Mushroom sauce.  We’ve always been able to trust the Mark West brand as an inexpensive, easy to drink red , and as such we have several more bottles waiting in our cellar for savory meals such as this.

Hogue Riesling 2006

Wine:  Hogue Riesling 2006

Price: $9.99

Region: Columbia Valley, Washington State

Grape Variety: Riesling

Purchased: Surdyk’s Wine & Liquor, Minneapolis, MN

We purchased this wine as a result of a recommendation from Food & Wine Magazine, and it was another in a long line of stellar values.  We generally prefer red wines, so when we open a white it generally provides a welcome change.  This particular wine had a bright appearance with a golden hue, and we noticed that many small bubbles seemed to cling to the glass.  It wasn’t in the style of a sparkling wine, but it was definitely a change from the reds to which we’re accustomed.  The nose seemed a bit grassy, with a bit of golden straw.  In addition we found some light lemon scent.  Upon tasting the wine, we found that it was very crisp, with a predominance of honeydew melons and another hint of lemon.  The finish was relatively warm, and the overall feel was quite smooth.  We savored this bottle with a recipe of Roast Peppered Cornish Hens, and it was a terrific counterpoint for the mustard and currant jelly glaze on the birds.  In summary, we were quite pleased with this wine, and happy that we have another bottle cooling in our cellar for future enjoyment.

Like most of the wine we drink, we found this wine at the fall wine sale at Surdyks in Minneapolis, at a very reasonable cost.  It’s a terrific value, and we’ll gladly enjoy it again.

Blackstone Merlot 2006

Wine:  Blackstone Merlot 2006

Price: $6.99

Region: Woodbridge, California

Grape Variety: Merlot

Purchased: Surdyk’s Wine & Liquor, Minneapolis, MN

We had no previous experience with this particular wine, but I’d seen it mentioned in a variety of publications as one that was affordable and well-enjoyed.  It certainly delivers on both counts!  As with many merlots we’ve tasted, this was had a deep, ruby coloring which was brilliant when swirled in the glass.  The nose contained bright berries and a hint of vanilla, but it really didn’t hint at the combinations of flavor we found.  At first taste I recognized a bit of leather and some very firm tannins.  After a bit, black cherry and vanilla became more recognizable, although a low level of bitterness was there throughout the entire experience.  It wasn’t at all unpleasant, it was just another layer to the flavor.  The finish continued for some time, with the leather a just a bit of tar seeming to predominate.  We enjoyed this bottle with a Pork Roast with Whiskey Sauce, and it was when we combined the wine with the tender fats and proteins of the meat that the flavor really began to soften and shine.  It was a great combination, and we found that we both enjoyed the experience.

We found this wine at the fall wine sale at Surdyks in Minneapolis, at a very reasonable cost of $6.99 per bottle.  In our minds it’s very much a “with food” wine, but that’s no hardship at all.  It was a delicious experience, and we’ll gladly do it again.

Cline Ancient Vines Zinfandel 2006

Wine:  Cline Ancient Vines Zinfandel 2006

Price: $17.99

Region: Sonoma, California

Grape Variety: Zinfandel

Purchased: Surdyk’s Wine & Liquor, Minneapolis, MN

This wine was a very much an enjoyable journey on an Saturday evening in autumn, paired with a meal of savory roasted butternut squash and shallots over pasta.  The wine had a brilliantly dark coloring, showed some legs when swirled in the glass.  The nose made us think of dark berries and pepper, and Cath found a certain level of heat from the alcohol.  It was pleasant, and provided a firm understory for the flavors to come.  I would describe this wine as having a “grownup” flavor, definitely not berries and candy like some other wines.  We spent some time rolling it around the tongue, and the sensations that dominated could be described with terms like leather and tar and tobacco.  It sounds harsh, but in fact it was quite pleasant.  We agreed that this was no “starter” wine, but worked very well for a taster with some experience in wines.  The tannins in this wine were present, but not overpowering, and in all I would say this wine had a very balanced mouthfeel.  The finish was not overly long, but it was quite smooth and pleasant.  We were impressed by the quality feel of this wine, and felt it was a terrific match for the peppery flavor of the roasted butternut squash.

To the winemakers at Cline:  Well done!

Bodega Norton Reserva Malbec 2005

Wine:  Bodega Norton Reserva Malbec 2005

Price: $21.00

Region: Mendoza, Argentina

Grape Variety: Malbec

Purchased: Cost Plus World Market, Woodbury, MN

We’ve enjoyed the 2004 vintage of this wine previously, and I was pleased to note that the jottings from our previous tasting were very consistent.  The wine had a medium dark, ruby coloring, and was quite clear and brilliant.  The nose had hints of plum and other fruits, with a definite undertone of black pepper.  The spicy feeling carried over to the taste as well.  Rolling it around in the mouth helped us to uncover the usual fruits, but also a bit of pepper and even some rich leather.  There was quite a bit of tannin to this wine, but it seemed to open up quickly and then to provide us a long, warm finish, both smooth and lingering.

We paired this with Pizza alla Salsiccia from Cooking Light Magazine, and it perfectly complemented the flavors of sweet sausage, fennel and red onion.  In all, we judged it an excellent wine.

La Crema Chardonnay 2005

 

Wine:  La Crema Chardonnay 2005

Price: $21.00

Region: Sonoma, California

Grape Variety: Chardonnay

Purchased: Surdyk’s, Minneapolis, MN

This wine was another from the Food and Wine Magazine article on 50 wines you can always trust, and it was definitely a winner.  We had the menu in place before we even went looking for a wine in the cellar, a seared scallop and lemon orzo dish that seemed tailor-made for a bright, refreshing summer wine.  Mission accomplished!

The mouthfeel of this wine was bright, and lively, with a definite palette of green melons and pears.  I didn’t notice at first, but Cath quickly directed me to notice the somewhat buttery finish which lingered pleasantly for a long time.  The color was golden, and the nose reminded me of straw.  Refreshing is a good adjective to describe this wine.  We enjoyed the acidity in the wine, which seemed just right to cut through the rich flavor of the seared scallops.  The hint of melon paired well with the orzo, and complemented the citus of the fresh lemon juice.  It was a great match, and we’ve resolved to put in a supply of this wine.  It was terrific, without being a budget breaker.

Viognier de Pennautier 2006

Wine:  Viognier de Pennautier 2006

Price: $13.00 (or so?)

Region: Carcassonne, France

Grape Variety: Viognier

Purchased: France 44, Edina, MN

We were invited to our normal monthly dinner with brother-in-law Jim (an excellent chef!), and our task was to bring the wine to match the menu.  He was serving pork chops stuffed with sun-dried tomatoes, spinach and goat cheese, with a side of Hasselbeck potatoes.  I searched through our little wine-cellar (which amounts to about four cases of various wines), and decided on the Marc Bredif Vouvray.  I realized that we’d already brought that to one of his dinners previously, and that’s when I spied the mystery bottle of Viognier in our stock.  I was sure we purchased it following a tasting at France44, but I couldn’t remember a thing about it.  I looked in my trusty copy of Karen MacNeil’s Wine Bible, and this was the description of Viognier I found:

“If a good German riesling is like an ice-skater (fast, racy, with a cutting edge), and chardonnay is like a middle-heavyweight boxer (punchy, solid, powerful), then viognier would have to be described as a female gymnast – beautiful and perfectly shaped, with muscle but superb agility and elegance.”

Also:

“Viognier’s appeal is its exotic, honeysuckle, musky fruit, its round body, and – most of all – its mesmerizingly lanolinish texture.”

With those descriptions, I knew this had to be the wine for the evening.  And for anyone who, like me, isn’t exactly sure what “lanolinish texture” means, the dictionary defines lanolin as follows:  “a fatty substance, extracted from wool, used in ointments, cosmetics, waterproof coatings, etc. ”  That’s one of the strangest descriptors I’ve ever seen for a mouthful of wine, but this wine was terrific nonetheless!

This wine really was a compromise in mouthfeel between a riesling and a chardonnay.  In fact, I’d be willing to say it was almost like a vouvray, only with a softer feel as we swirled and tasted it.  It seemed very bright, and lively, with a finish that seemed to hang on for a few moments.  The pairing with the stuffed pork chops was highly successful.  Neither flavor was overbearing, and they complemented each other well.  When the meal was finished we each lingered over our remaining wine, savoring the flavor and complimenting our chef on an excellent meal.

As a final note, this was an excellent example of a  wine we’d never have found if it weren’t for France44 and their free tastings.  I can’t honestly say I recall the day we tasted this wine, but we were able to pull it unexpectedly from our little collection and make a good contribution to a great meal.  I’m thankful that the good people of that wonderful store make these tastings available to us.  Without them, it’s likely we never would have had this terrific wine experience.