Henderson wine expert Gil Lempert-Schwarz writes a weekly column on wine in the Taste section of the Las Vegas Review-Journal. Lempert-Schwarz is chairman of The Wine Institute of Las Vegas, an organization that educates the public about wine, etiquette and drinking methods through seminars, tastings and special dinners.
We have reached the end of another trailblazing year with much to be thankful for in terms of exciting wines.
During the past 52 weeks, the most remarkable trend has been the increase in quality white wines. While I have bemoaned the relatively low percentage of quality whites available in comparison with reds, the situation improved in 2004. This may have been helped by some universally good vintages for white wines, such as 2001, 2002 and 2003 in many important areas of the viticultural world.
With more than 450 white wines tasted for this column, 14 made it into the paper, which accounts for more than 25 percent of total reviews. These 14 wines came from six different countries, which is further proof of the good vintages.
I tasted more than 1,200 red wines for the column in the past year, with 38 getting selected for final review, representing 12 countries and distinct viticultural regions. In fact, I've tasted more wines this year than ever before.
Unfortunately, many of the wines reviewed in the past 12 months are no longer available in retail, as they sell out quickly to savvy wine buyers and investors alike. The key, therefore, is to always get in on the deals early.
In terms of the wines of the year, judging is based on quality, value, breed and overall experience. There are several contenders for the No. 1 spot, but there can be only one winner. Here are the red and white wines of the year, as well as a couple of runners-up:
The red wine of the year is Lancaster Estate Proprietary Red Wine 1999 from the magnificent Alexander Valley, Calif., estate owned by wine wholesaler and master distributor Ted Simpkins. It was reviewed on Jan. 7, when I said this wine will hold its own against almost any competition from California for less than $200 per bottle.
In the glass, this wine is a deep blackish-red color with an opaque center going out into a crimson red rim definition and high viscosity. On the nose, the wine immediately smells classy and complex, with layers of crushed black currants, boysenberry juice, herbs de Provence, black cherry sorbet, jammy blackberry, elder fruit, oak references, crme de cassis, vanilla and underlying smoky minerals. In the mouth, it is laden with crushed blackberry, blueberry juice, loganberry, ripe plums, crme de cassis, elderberry juice, and hints of aniseed, minerals and wood. The midpalate is superbly balanced with supple tannins, going into an extended crushed black fruit, spice box, mineral finish that lingers on the tongue for more than 30 seconds. It is a great wine all around.
Runners-up are Marques de Casa Concha Cabernet Sauvignon 2002 (reviewed Aug. 11) and Chateau D'Escurac 1999 (reviewed Jan. 21).
The white wine of the year is Rock Rabbit Sauvignon Blanc 2003 from a quality-oriented producer of one of the tastiest sauvignon blancs produced in California, displaying the classic characteristics of this popular white grape varietal. It was reviewed on July 14 as a refreshing wine for summer.
In the glass, this Rock Rabbit Sauvignon Blanc is a faint yellow color with light hues of greenish tinge going out into a glass-clear rim definition and medium viscosity. On the nose, there are immediate pungent pear liqueurlike notes, warm apple sauce, crushed white currants, peach skins, nectarine juice and crushed Rainier cherries. On the palate, there is a plethora of interesting fruit characteristics, and again ripe pears, lemon rind, peach cobbler, Key lime pie and certain amounts of minerals. The wine shows great balance through the midpalate with a nice citrus zest and goes into an impressive finish that lingers with candied lime and citrus.
Runners-up among the white wines are the Franz Reh Eiswein 2001 from Germany (reviewed March 3) and the Champagne Don Perignon 1996 (reviewed Nov. 17).
A couple of my favorite wines tasted this past year include the 1928 Chateau Pichon Lalande and the 1961 Chateau Leoville Las Cases.
Red wine of the year: Lancaster Estate Proprietary Red Wine
Grapes:Merlot (59 percent), cabernet sauvignon (40 percent), cabernet franc (1 percent)
Region: Alexander Valley, Calif.
Cost: $49.99
White wine of the year: Rock Rabbit Sauvignon Blanc
Grape: Sauvignon blanc
Region: Central Coast, Calif.
Vintage: 2003
Cost: $8.99
Chumeia Cabernet Sauvignon makes nice holiday drink
Lee Nesbitt, part-owner and winemaker of Chumeia (pronounced "koo-mei-a"), explains that the name means alchemy in Greek, thereby providing the link between that ancient science to another one, namely winemaking.
While alchemy was the pursuit of turning rocks into gold, Nesbitt is on a mission to turn good-quality grapes from the vast Central Coast winegrowing region in California into great wine.
He succeeds with this tasty cabernet sauvignon. It is a pretty wine at a great price as well as an excellent choice for the Christmas table or just to share with friends during the holidays.
In the glass, this Chumeia Cabernet Sauvignon is a deep semi-opaque ruby-red color with a dense core going out into a pinkish-red rim definition with medium viscosity.
On the nose, there are soft concentrated crushed berry fruits with dominance by black currants, red currants, black cherries, loganberries, spice box, tar, crme caramel, chocolate and vanilla from oak.
In the mouth, the wine expands on the palate with promising concentration of black fruits, full-bodied structure, chewy cherry jam, blackberry sorbet, crme de cassis, currant pastilles, black English wine gums, aniseed, soft vanillin, and hints of herbs and minerals. The midpalate is nice with a balance and softness that surprises, yet has enough backbone to carry the wine through -- with plenty of fruit extract -- to a solid lengthy finish that is permeated by ripe tannins.
Chumeia Cabernet Sauvignon should drink excellently through 2006 and be the right match for duck roast or quail, which is in season.
Wine: Chumeia Vineyards Cabernet Sauvignon
Grape: Cabernet sauvignon (94 percent), merlot (6 percent)
Region: Central Coast, Calif.
Vintage: 2002
Price: $ 9.99
Over the years, Geyser Peak has changed owners many times. Since 1998, however, Geyser Peak Winery has been the leading wine brand of Jim Beam Brands, the parent company of one of the country's leading bourbons.
Daryl Groom and Mick Schroeter are at the helm of Geyser Peak, and are making some of the most medal-winning wines in California, if not the world.
Prior to moving to Sonoma County, Calif., Groom was a senior winemaker for Penfolds, which is not a bad reference either. The jovial Groom is a shrewd and no-nonsense winery operator, who makes stellar stuff in the bottle.
This chardonnay has the capacity to compete with high-priced wines from neighboring vineyards.
In the glass, this Geyser Peak Chardonnay is a pale golden yellow with crisp clarity and streaks of light green going out into a clear pale rim with medium-high viscosity.
On the nose, there are crushed white fruits, such as pear juice, Braeburn apples, soft vanilla-infused wood, white currants, custard pie, minerals and underlying lemon rind.
In the mouth, it reveals a flavorful balance between pears, apples and citrus on the fruit side and liquid minerals on the acidity side. The wine has a lovely smoothness and a fascinating full-bodied structure that delivers a superlative experience on the palate, yet is uncommonly non-Californian in style for a chardonnay from Alexander Valley, which is one of the priciest of all appellations for white wines in the Golden State. It follows through with a nice long finish and shows serious potential in competing at the highest levels among fine Burgundian whites.
It is a classy and lovely drinking wine for the holidays, and it should be enjoyed on its own or served with a lightly grilled chicken breast and some soft buttery herbed rice. Drink it now through 2006 and serve chilled to 58 degrees Fahrenheit, remembering to open the bottle about a half-hour before consumption.
Wine: Geyser Peak Winery Reserve Chardonnay
Grape: Chardonnay
Region: Alexander Valley, Calif.
Vintage: 2002
Price: $14.99
The Rhone Valley in eastern France produces some stupendous grenache- and syrah-based wines in the best appellations, and this Mon Coeur (My Heart) is no exception.
J.L. Chave is among the finest producers in the Rhone region, and although it is a small house, it produces many different wines from several of the greatest appellations in that area.
This Mon Coeur label is a blended wine with fruit from about eight different vineyards, all stringently selected for their superb quality and low-yielding vines.
The 2001 vintage is considered a great one from the Rhone Valley, and as the supply runs short and 2002 was a washout, it will be some time before we experience this quality again.
Although it is priced a little higher than my normal picks, this is one outstanding wine, even against wines three times the price, so I encourage you to experience it for yourself.
This wine is a deeply opaque dark violet-red color with a dense core going out into a slightly tinged rim definition with high viscosity.
On the nose it has pungent earthy cherry and sloe fruit with powerful herbal and peppery notes, then underlying toasty minerals, crushed plum skins, spice box and raspberry juice.
In the mouth, it is profoundly soft with powerfully earth-driven crushed black and red fruit on the palate at first. Then there's mouth-filling sweetish plum juice, crushed wild cherries, strawberry stew and earthy minerals into the midpalate, which also has young firm tannins that are not harsh, but supple and balanced. It finishes long and complex with some smoke, pepper and slight tobacco notes, but is classic Cotes du Rhone, showing great balance between fruit and acidity on the after-mouth.
It is considered a young wine and as such, it is recommended to open it about an hour before drinking. It will easily drink well through 2010, and should be great with steak au poivre or any grilled meat with perhaps a peppercorn sauce or slightly spicy sauce.
Wine: J.L. Chave Mon Coeur Cotes du Rhone
Grapes: Grenache (80 percent), syrah (20 percent)
Region: Rhone Valley, France
Vintage: 2001
Price: $17.99
A Napa cabernet for less than $13? From the greatest vintage in the past 30 years? It certainly does not happen often, but when it does, it must be taken seriously.
Carneros pinot noir pioneer Kent Rasmussen and his wife, Celia Ramsay, are behind this tremendous cabernet sauvignon that showcases the best of what can be made in a wine from purchased fruit in a blend of great proportion.
They were assisted by the blockbuster vintage Napa Valley, Calf., had in 2001, during which the grapes were brought into the wineries at the optimum ripeness, which is the key to great winemaking and wines.
Being the holiday season, this wine is a no-brainer, even as a stocking-stuffer considering the attractive packaging of the bottle.
In the glass, this Ramsay Cabernet Sauvignon is a deeply opaque ruby-red color with streaks of crimson going out into a light red to pinkish rim definition and high viscosity.
On the nose, there is an impressive onslaught of crme de cassis, boysenberry sorbet, crushed ripe Bing cherries, tobacco box and oak references with underlying soft black licorice, herbs and minerals.
In the mouth, the wine coats the palate with delicious juicy black forest fruits, crushed black currants, eucalyptus leaf, loganberry, subtle oak notes and lots of tobacco, minerals and black wine gum extract. The midpalate is well defined with soft tannins and layered black fruit, going into a plump and rather concentrated finish with notes of cassis and spice box that last for a good half-minute.
This is a wine that does not belong in this price category, but we should rejoice and load up on it for the holidays. Try it with grilled lamb chops simply rubbed with salt and pepper and cooked medium-rare. Drink it through 2010.
Wine: Ramsay Napa Valley Cabernet Sauvignon Lot No. 4
Grape: Cabernet sauvignon
Region: Napa Valley, Calif.
Vintage: 2001
Price: $12.99
One of the best wine matches for Thursday's turkey dinner is an American pinot noir. It also could be a nice classy Burgundy wine, but since this is a distinctly American holiday, it is appropriate to seek out this wine from the Golden State.
Domaine Chandon -- an offshoot of the giant Moet & Chandon, maker of great Champagnes and sparkling wines -- produces surprisingly luxurious single-varietal wines, such as pinot noir and chardonnay. This is because the same grape varietals are used in the sparkling wine process.
Domaine Chandon selects its best fruit for these limited bottlings that up until this vintage were available to buy only at the winery. Luckily, they decided to send it out in limited distribution, as this impressive wine needs to be tasted by a broader public to see just how good pinot noir can be made in California.
It is a wine that typically retails for more than $30. With its high-end packaging and greatly reduced price, this Domaine Chandon Pinot Noir is not only easy to recognize, but a perfect marriage for your Thanksgiving table.
In the glass, this Domaine Chandon Pinot Noir is a deep translucent garnet red with bright-red streaks, a faded red to glass-clear rim definition and medium-high viscosity.
On the nose, there is rich forward and wonderful fruit with red cherries, raspberries, stewed strawberries, aniseed, spices such as nutmeg and cinnamon, minerals and hints of new oak.
In the mouth, there are ripe, richly endowed and superbly concentrated red fruits with dominance by mixed berries, powerful spice under-notes, then ripe supple tannins on the powerful midpalate with hints of vanilla, caramel, red currants and minerals. The finish is fine and long with good balance, structure and complexity and hints of black cherries and allspice coming through.
This wine needs a good two hours out of the bottle to open up and show its full spectrum of flavors. As it is quite an impressive wine, it has aging abilities and will drink well through 2008.
Wine: Domaine Chandon Pinot Noir
Grape: Pinot noir
Region: Carneros, Calif.
Vintage: 2001
Price: $19.99
Arguably the greatest name in Champagne is Dom Perignon, the luxury cuvee of Moet & Chandon.
Launched in 1936, Dom Perignon is named for the legendary abbey cellar master who first blended Champagne in 1698 after spending most of his adult life trying to figure out why white wines from the Champagne region of France produced bubbliness from secondary yeast fermentation. Champagne as we know it today was wildly successful from the outset.
The 1996 vintage is not just another vintage for Dom Perignon. It represents perhaps the finest vintage of this wine since the 1964 and in between only 1973, 1985, 1988 and 1990 can be considered to have achieved this kind of greatness in the bottle. So it's a matter of getting your hands on this incredible nectar for the holidays while there's still some around.
There is a rumor that several retailers will drop the price of Dom Perignon to less than $100 for the holidays, which represents a fantastic deal. This is investment grade stuff, so drink a couple of bottles for the holidays and save some for the children and grandchildren.
In the glass, this Dom Perignon is a fine golden-colored hue of yellow showing fine trails of the tiniest bubbles coming from the bottom of the glass to the top with a clearish rim definition and medium viscosity.
On the nose, there is amazing complexity with a variety of notes ranging from wheat bread, fresh dough, crushed rye, pineapple, mango skins, toasted almonds, crushed apricot pits and nutty underlying minerality.
In the mouth, this wonderful Champagne gently caresses the taste buds and the palate with medium to full-bodied crisp white fruit flesh, crushed filbert nuts, citrus zest, intense apple and pear flavors and well-delineated minerals through the midpalate. The finish on this impressive Champagne features tremendously balanced acidity, subtle sparkliness and minerals. It lingers for a full minute on the after-mouth and is just delightful.
Serve it chilled to 36 degrees Fahrenheit in a white wineglass, rather than a Champagne flute for maximum olfactory exposure. There is no need for a food-pairing here. This legendary wine will drink well for at least 20 to 25 years.
Wine: Champagne Dom Perignon
Grape: Chardonnay (53 percent), pinot noir (47 percent)
Region: Reims, Champagne, France
Vintage: 1996
Price: $129.99
Incredible developments and transformations are taking place deep in the heart of Campania in southern Italy where a relatively new winery called Feudi di San Gregorio is found.
In little more than 15 years, Feudi di San Gregorio has emerged as a great success story in a region that, for many years, was going nowhere fast with regard to winemaking.
With the help of Italian superoenologist Riccardo Cotarella, Feudi di San Gregorio has hit the jackpot with this delicious white wine made from an ancient Italian white grape varietal, first introduced by the Greeks in the fourth century B.C.
It is not the cheapest of white wines, but worth every penny you spend on it, as it will deliver a sensational drinking experience.
In the glass, this Falanghina is a clean, light golden-hued yellow color with a citrine-colored core going out into a faint yellow to clearish rim definition with medium-high viscosity.
On the nose, there is a virtual explosion of some of the most incredible fruit ever to come out of a white wine bottle. Loads of crushed tropical fruits, such as pineapple, mango, nectarine, peach skins, banana peel and papaya core jump out at the olfactory sensors, while white floral and hints of magnolia abound with underlying minerals and Golden Delicious apples.
In the mouth, the wine continues the sensory onslaught with lovely rounded flavors of mango sorbet, white peach puree, extract of pineapple, nectarine, red apples, honeydew melon and white currants. The midpalate is tremendous in its balance between all this ripe fruit and acidity and goes into a finish that is almost surreal for a white wine, showing yet more sweetish white fruit and minerals.
This wine should be a great companion for shellfish in particular and will drink well through 2006.
Wine: Feudi di San Gregorio Falanghina
Grape: Falanghina
Region: Campania, Italy
Vintage: 2003
Price: $15.99
This is an interesting wine from one of the least-known areas of Italy.
The ancient winegrowing region of Abruzzo in central Italy has a warm and dry climate, ideal for growing grapes. The montepulciano grape has been grown there for millennia, but only recently did the wine made from this variety become widely popular, not to mention available outside of Italy, where it has been enjoyed for generations as a simple table wine.
Montepulciano is not only a native grape varietal grown there, it is virtually impossible to grow anywhere else and that is what makes this wine so unique with its approachable and delightful flavor profile.
This Montepulciano d'Abruzzo ranks high in taste and price. It is highly recommended for this time of the year when the weather gets cooler, the food gets heartier and the wines need to be sturdy.
In the glass, this Farnese Montepulciano is a deeply opaque garnet-red color with a deep crimson core going out into a tinged blood red rim definition with medium-high viscosity.
On the nose, the initial impression is that of mint-laced cherry pie, but then the wine opens up to reveal crushed black and red fruits, red plums, cherry wood, leather, undergrowth, minerals and herbs.
In the mouth, the wine has excellent concentration on the palate, showing layers of crushed black and red fruits with dominance by plums and cherries, then elderberry, loganberry, sloe fruit, cherries jubilee, compote, aniseed, earth-driven mineral components and wood references. The midpalate is juicy and cherry-fruit laden going into the solid finish that is laced with fine tannins and good length. It is a decidedly rustic food wine and therefore requires hearty Italian fare such as osso buco Milanese or spaghetti Bolognese. It should drink well through 2006.
Wine: Farnese Montepulciano d'Abruzzo
Grape: Montepulciano
Region: Farneto Valley, Italy
Vintage: 2002
Price: $6.99
New Zealand is without a doubt the place in the world where the finest sauvignon blancs outside of France are produced.
Marlborough is on New Zealand's South Island, and has proven to have the perfect conditions for growing this finesse-filled grape variety.
Winemakers Darryl Woolley and Dave Edmonds have perfected the art of creating perfectly ripe, low-yield sauvignon blancs from the giant wine company Nobilo Group's vineyard holdings in Marlborough. Their specialty is getting the maximum amount of fruit extract out of the wine, by aging it on yeast lees for three months during production. This is what gives the Drylands that distinct and supple characteristic that is linked to this particular area.
The screw cap on the bottle should not scare you off, it is becoming more common among New World wines that are not meant for long-term aging. The cap also means you don't have to finish the bottle in one sitting.
This Drylands Sauvignon Blanc is a clean faint straw-yellow color with a light golden core going out into a greenish tinged to clear rim definition with high viscosity.
On the nose, there is an overwhelmingly complex array of passion fruit, floral white fruit, gooseberries, grapefruit meat, green apple skins, orange rind and underlying citrus elements as well as minerals.
On the palate, the wine is slightly spritzy, but utterly delicious in the mouth and delivers a powerful cocktail of flavors dominated by soft medium-bodied fruit with Granny Smith apples and gooseberries, white currants, passion fruit pulp, juicy segments of grapefruit and a superbly defined balance within the wine. The midpalate is solid and harmonious, going into an impressive finish that lingers for 25 seconds or longer, showing some hints of minerality and gooseberry right at the end.
Always serve sauvignon blancs chilled to 53 degrees Fahrenheit and try with a seafood or shellfish platter. It should drink well during the next two to three years.
Wine: Drylands Marlborough Sauvignon Blanc
Grape: Sauvignon blanc
Region: Marlborough, South Island, New Zealand
Vintage: 2003
Price: $13.99
Washington state is going gangbusters with winemaking right now. Second only to California in output, the state makes a strong showing both in volume brands and serious world-class wines.
The cooler climate and varied growing conditions we find in the many interesting appellations of Washington place the state on the forefront of quality wines such as classic Bordeaux blends. This Hogue Cellars wine is a good example. Blended from three indigenous Bordeaux varietals -- cabernet sauvignon, merlot and cabernet franc -- this wine closely mimics a good quality wine from the Medoc region in Bordeaux, France.
In the glass, this Hogue Cabernet-Merlot is a deep opaque purplish-red color with a dense core going out into a fine pinkish-crimson rim definition with painted high viscosity.
On the nose, there are lovely notes of crushed brambleberries, blueberry pie, raspberry coulis, star anise, allspice, tobacco, crme de cassis, minerals, and hints of herbs and oak references.
In the mouth, the wine quickly coats the palate with extracted black fruit laced with spices, loganberry juice, huckleberries (which are a rustic variety of blueberries), earthy minerals, oak references, licorice root and essence of cassis. The midpalate is lovely and rounded with unobtrusive tannins, backed by good fruit and oak extract, and framed by a long suppleness on the finish with just another kick of anise.
It is a wonderfully concentrated wine at a good price. Drink it now through 2007 and try it with pepperoni pizza or spaghetti Bolognese.
Wine: Hogue Cellars Cabernet-Merlot
Grapes: Cabernet sauvignon (51 percent), merlot (47 percent), cabernet franc (2 percent)
Region: Columbia Valley, Wash.
Vintage: 2002
Price: $9.99
The Trinchero family of Napa Valley, Calif., is branching out into import wines, and what better place to start than Australia, in particular South Australia, where all the great little bargain wines seem to come from these days.
The Trincheros are best known for their line of wines that carry their family name as well as a boutique winery named Sutter Home, arguably the king of white zinfandel. With this tasty line of imports from Australia called Little Boomey, they are entering into another dimension of the wine business.
Little Boomey is highly recommended and competes well on both quality and price, while drinking wonderfully.
In the glass, this Little Boomey Shiraz-Cabernet is a deep dense blackish-red color with a purple core going out into a light violet to pink rim definition with high viscosity.
On the nose, there is an explosion of freshly crushed black fruits dominated by blended frozen blueberries, blackberry jam, boysenberry sorbet, spice elements, black licorice, aniseed, soft vanilla components and crme caramel.
In the mouth, the wine envelopes the taste buds with delicious crushed black fruit, again dominated by boysenberry jam, blueberry pie, essence of licorice -- which is so classic now in Australian shiraz-based wines -- spice box and soft oak references. The midpalate is balanced and rounded with unobtrusive supple tannins through to the nice black currant candylike finish.
It is a lovely wine from Down Under, priced exactly where it needs to be for wine lovers to appreciate it as an everyday drinking wine. Try it with barbecued ribs and all the fixings. It should drink well now through 2007 and is best right out of the bottle after opening.
Wine: Little Boomey Shiraz-Cabernet
Grape: Shiraz (55 percent), cabernet sauvignon (45 percent)
Region: South Australia
Vintage: 2003
Price: $7.99
Although Jeanjean is a negociant company that does not own the vineyards it sources its fruit from, it is able to exert great influence over the vinification process from which this classic southern French blend hails.
Syrah, grenache and mourvedre are three typical and indigenous grape varietals of the vast region known as Languedoc. Lodez is a wine that typifies the great value coming out of this once again hot region, and some of the greatest winemakers in the world are now jostling for position there.
In addition, this Lodez is from the heat-stricken vintage of 2003. The high temperatures matured the grapes and slashed yields across the board in Europe resulting in highly concentrated and excellent wines from most regions.
In the glass, this Lodez blended wine is a deeply opaque blackish-red color with a purple core going out into a fuchsia-pink rim definition with high viscosity.
On the New World-like nose, the wine exudes ripe crushed mixed black and red berry fruit with blackberry jam, blueberry pie, boysenberry sorbet, loganberries, Bing cherries, forest fern, licorice root and earth-driven minerals.
In the mouth, there is great black fruit concentration, sweet jammy blackberries, raspberries, blueberries and red cherries. The midpalate is succulent with huge extracted fruit and supple tannins going into a lengthy and quite otherworldly -- compared to the price of the wine -- finish.
This wine is a major surprise and if it wasn't for the slightly higher acidity in the wine, it could easily masquerade for an Australian shiraz with its superripe fruit and overall appeal. It is clearly made for the American palate. Try it with a charred rib-eye in a cabernet reduction and drink it with pleasure through 2007.
Wine: Jeanjean Lodez Coteaux du Languedoc
Grape: Syrah (50 percent), grenache (30 percent), mourvedre (20 percent)
Region: Languedoc-Roussillon, France
Vintage: 2003
Price: $6.99
Don Sebastiani and Sons are the marketing and wine gurus behind the Smoking Loon success story -- reviewed here some years ago -- and are into the groove of things with wacky wine labels.
Those of you who remember the bargain Smoking Loon will be just as pleased, if not more, with this offering called Screw Kappa Napa. The bottles have the Stelvin screw caps, which work well considering this is not a wine built for aging long-term.
This is actually great Napa Valley wine from the St. Helena district and one should not be fooled by all the shenanigans on the bottle and label.
The company has another ace up its sleeve, soon to be released in a fantastic-looking bottle, named Used Automobile Parts, which is a serious premium wine. It's great to see serious winemakers throw a little humor behind their wonderful wines, as it certainly makes for an entertaining story around the dinner table.
In the glass, this Screw Kappa Napa Cabernet Sauvignon is a deep purplish-red color with an opaque core going out into a pinkish-purple rim definition with medium-high viscosity.
On the nose, there are powerful pungent black fruit notes with crme de cassis dominating, then eucalyptus leaves, loganberries, huckleberries, caramel, vanilla, oak references, spice box and sweet tobacco.
On the palate, the wine attacks the taste buds from all directions with lavish crushed black fruits, blackberry jam, black currants, elderberry juice, caramelized cassis, cherry liqueur, aniseed, herbs and oak. It is an impressive wine through the midpalate, showing balance and structure like few other wines in this price category. The finish is equally amazing with layers of crushed black fruit and lingering for a full 30-plus seconds.
It's an impressive showing for this wine and being under screw cap certainly doesn't hurt its fruity prospects. It should drink well through 2008 and is the perfect companion for a rib-eye steak on the grill.
Wine: Screw Kappa Napa Cabernet Sauvignon 2002
Grape: Cabernet sauvignon
Region: Napa Valley, Calif.
Vintage: 2002
Price: $7.99
Jindalee wine comes to the U.S. market with the obligatory varietals of shiraz, merlot, cabernet sauvignon and chardonnay.
Out of a tasting of a large range of Australian wines in this category, I chose the Jindalee Shiraz because of the history that lies behind this vineyard. Owned by the Littore brothers, this enormous estate of 1,000 acres under vines in Geelong include some old shiraz plantings that date to the late 19th century.
Because the company has such large vineyard holdings, it is able to bring this line of Jindalee wines to market in the $5 range. Using state-of-the-art winemaking equipment and facilities, Jindalee seems to have gotten this right from the get-go. This is an outstanding wine for the money that should please the most discerning palate.
In the glass, this Jindalee Shiraz is a deeply purplish-red color with a semi-opaque core going out into a crimson-fuchsia rim definition with medium-high viscosity.
On the nose, there are interesting notes of peppered black fruit, allspice, tobacco, licorice root, crushed black cherries, black plum skins, wood notes and earthy minerals.
In the mouth, the wine is like a fruit freight train that hits the senses with loads of crushed blackberry fruit, blueberry jam, cherry concentrate, extract of sweet black plums and crme de cassis. There are slight amounts of residual sugar at play in this wine, but nothing close to other similar shiraz wines in this "colorful" category. It has a lovely fruity midpalate with good berry juice, leading into a solid, concentrated finish with good supple tannins and great length at the end.
I suspect this wine will please the American palate while not hurting the pocketbook, which sounds like the perfect everyday drinking wine. Try it with a pepperoni pizza and don't be shy with the crushed chili peppers. It will be drinking splendidly for another three to four years and shows great right out of the bottle.
Wine: Jindalee Shiraz
Grape: Shiraz
Region: Murray Darling Region, southern Australia
Vintage: 2003
Price: $5.99
This month has inspired a series of wine reviews featuring the weirdest and most provocative names in the business. This week, I am focusing on Le Snoot Merlot from the clever marketing team of Snob Hill Winery, headed by Bob Broman.
Their idea is to put a line of no-nonsense wines on the market that perform significantly better than what consumers expect in this price category. Who can complain about that philosophy?
There is much humor behind the labels and bottle designs featuring dressed-up cartoon pigs in various situations, and they can typically be found in retail stores with a neck-hanger that states: "No need to Hog, there's plenty of Le Snoot for everyone!" The motto behind the brand is equally clever: "A premium performing wine with a first-class sense of humor."
As I have often stated, it is important not to be too distracted by the marketing and instead focus on the content of the bottle, but in this case, there's serious wine behind the name.
In the glass, this Le Snoot Merlot is a deep semi-opaque ruby-red color with a nice, firm core going out into a pinkish-red rim definition with high viscosity.
On the nose, there are freshly crushed red and black berry fruits with blueberry sorbet, blackberry jam, soft toffee, vanilla, oak references, loganberries and hints of minerals.
In the mouth, the wine is opulent with crushed berry fruit -- especially blueberries and raspberries -- blackberry liqueur, then good symmetry between the fruit and tannins, appearing soft and supple through the midpalate with just a little extra kick of black fruit toward the lovely lingering finish. It has a real freshness to it, which is a nice quality for a wine in this price category and it is undoubtedly well-made.
With its impressive heavy bottle and quality content, this is not a wine to snoot at. Try it with a grilled marinated chicken breast served with a mango salsa. It should drink well through 2006 and does not necessarily need time out of the bottle prior to drinking.
Wine: Le Snoot California Merlot
Grape: Merlot (95 percent), cabernet sauvignon (5 percent)
Region: North Coast, Calif.
Vintage: 2002
Price: $9.99
This wine has an obvious double pun, especially for Las Vegas. When pronounced in any English accent, You Bet Shiraz could easily be the exclamation one is tempted to blurt out upon tasting this delicious offering from south Australia.
You Bet Shiraz just won a gold medal at the prestigious San Francisco International Wine Competition. Earlier this year, at the charity auction for UNLVino, the giant local wine tasting, one case of You Bet Shiraz went for $450.
In the glass, this wine is a dark opaque purplish-red color with a crimson to purple going into a pinkish rim definition and high viscosity.
On the nose, the wine attacks the olfactory senses with crushed black fruit dominated by cherry liqueur, blackberry juice, blueberry jam, boysenberry sorbet, oak references, as well as black licorice, which has become a dead-ringer component that always shows up in Australian shiraz wines.
In the mouth, the wine has the impact of a black fruit bomb on the palate with jammy chewy black fruit, especially boysenberry, black cherry and blueberry, then lovely rounded soft tannins through the midpalate with a touch of vanilla and a great finish that lingers for a good 30-plus seconds.
It is a well-crafted wine and a superb value, proving why Australian wine producers continue their trailblazing ways in the United States.
Try it with a pepper-crusted medium-rare beef fillet and a baked potato. You will undoubtedly find this a highly drinkable wine that can be consumed now through 2006. Let it "breathe" with the bottle open for about one hour prior to drinking.
Wine: You Bet Shiraz
Grape: Shiraz
Region: Murray Darling Region, southeastern Australia
Vintage: 2002
Price: $7.99
By Italian standards, Taurino is a young winery. Named for the family that owns this expansive estate, commercial vinification began there in the early 1970s. With a modern approach, the Taurino family has made its name by producing delicious easy-to-drink wines that go well with traditional Italian food.
Under the able guidance of well-known oenologist and consultant winemaker Severino Garafano, Taurino produces great wines that are suitable for the American palate and easy on the wallet.
The blend of two indigenous grape varietals make it an interesting wine to drink, but it is a typical style of wine from the "heel" of Italy, in the southernmost province of Apulia.
In the glass, this Taurino Salice Salentino is a dark semi-opaque garnet-red color with a bright blood-red core going out into a tinged almost brick-red rim definition with ultrahigh viscosity.
On the nose, there are pungent crushed red and black berry fruit with dominance by wild cherries, red plums, huckleberries, red currant sorbet, minerals and forest fern with underlying hints of licorice root and wet stone.
In the mouth, the wine quickly covers the palate with delicious extracted black and red fruits, including red cherries, blackberry liqueur, red currant jelly, plums, spice components, oak references and minerals. The midpalate is well-balanced and soft with more crushed black fruits and spices going into a great lingering finish that has just a touch of cranberry juice at the end.
It is a superbly made wine from a great vintage with a good amount of age on it that makes it the ideal drinking wine at the moment. It needs to be opened about 30 minutes before consumption and should drink well through 2005. Many Italian wines are suitable for pasta and pizza, but this Taurino Salice Salentino is probably among the best matches ever tasted for these types of food.
Wine: Taurino Salice Salentino Rosso Riserva DOC
Grape: Negroamaro (80 percent), malvasia rossa (20 percent)
Region: Puglia, Italy
Vintage: 1999
Price: $7.99
In a twist, this is a review of two perfectly drinkable wines, both from Falesco's Vitiano line. One is the mouthwatering rosé and the other is the bianco (white). Both are good values, too.
A Falesco Vitiano wine was my 2002 pick for red wine of the year. It is a popular import brand in the United States and deservedly so. The wines are made in Lazio, Italy, just 35 miles from Rome, in the Umbria region. The man behind this outstanding venture is Ricardo Cotarella, who is perhaps one of the greatest winemakers in Italy.
The Falesco Vitiano Rosé is a bright clean translucent red color with a light pink to clear rim definition and medium viscosity. It is essentially a "bleed" of the rosso, having been in contact with the grape skins for 24 hours or so, just enough to take the color of the red grape varietals it is made from.
The nose is full of bright cherry fruit, strawberry sorbet, raspberry coulis and hints of minerals.
On the palate, the wine is superjuicy with crushed red berry fruits, cherries and a soft uncomplicated taste that makes it ideal for this time of the year.
The Falesco Vitiano Bianco is a clean, clear, light lemon-yellow color with a crisp appearance and a glass-clean rim definition with medium viscosity.
On the nose it releases citrus plantation, Key lime pie, pear sparkler, quince and liquid minerals.
In the mouth, it is absolutely delicious and refreshing with loads of citrus rind, pomelo, lime sorbet, green apple skins and minerality. It is a superb drinking wine for hot weather, just like its rosé "brother" wine.
Both wines should be chilled to 49 degrees Fahrenheit and served as aperitifs by the glass or with light seafood dishes.
Wine: Falesco Vitiano Rosé Umbria and Bianco Umbria
Grapes: Rosé: Sangiovese (34 percent), cabernet sauvignon (33 percent), merlot (33 percent); Bianco: Vermentino (34 percent), viognier (33 percent), verdicchio (33 percent)
Region: Umbria, Italy
Vintage: 2003
Price: $8.99
Concha y Toro is on a roll in this country. It is among the top imported brands of wine in the United States. And we're not talking about wines at $50 to $100, but good-quality wines that cost $7 to $15.
Concha y Toro is one of the oldest wineries in South America, and is sitting on some of the choicest vineyards on the continent. One of these is Puente Alto vineyard, from which 100 percent of the fruit for the Marques de Casa Concha Cabernet is sourced. What is so special about this is that their top wines -- Don Melchior and Alma Viva -- come from this vineyard as well. While they sell for upward of $80, this Marques cabernet is about $15, and it tastes and drinks just like the more expensive wines.
It is without a doubt one of the most impressive bargain wines made in South America, and you can just tell from its heavy-duty expensive bottle.
Although quite youthful, it is a massive wine with complex characteristics.
In the glass, this Marques de Casa Concha Cabernet is a deep blackish-red, with complete opacity from the center out into a purplish-red rim definition with slow-moving "long legs" in the form of its high viscosity.
On the nose, the wine comes out of the glass with all guns blazing on the olfactory senses, showing massive crushed black fruit, crme de cassis, blackberry jam, boysenberry sorbet, herbs de Provence, oak references and liquid minerals.
On the palate, there is a solid structure of black fruit with spice infused wood, boysenberry juice, chewy black cherry fruit, essence of black currants, pepper-laced red fruit and juice. The midpalate is a plethora of star-anise, herbs, spices and sweet tobacco going into a 30-plus-second finish that has much juicy black fruit and soft supple tannins.
It is a monster of a wine that drinks like a dream right out of the bottle, but could use about one hour of "breathing" time. It should drink perfectly well through 2010. Try it with carne asada (dark beer-marinated flank steak) on the grill and some root vegetables alongside. It is highly recommended.
Wine: Marques de Casa Concha Cabernet Sauvignon
Grape: Cabernet sauvignon
Region: Maipo Valley, Chile
Vintage: 2002
Price: $14.99
Not many pinot noirs have made it into this column during the past five years. True pinot noir-based wines come from Burgundy, France, and the great ones there are rare and expensive, so there's no point in reviewing them because they are impossible to find.
Pinot noir-based wines from Oregon are overpriced and do not merit a review here, but the California pinots are sometimes the ticket if their producers are not consumed by the greed one normally associates with winemaking in that state.
This Martin Ray Pinot Noir under the Angeline label is right on the money, so to speak. At just less than $10 this is a pinot that most people can agree is superbly priced for the relatively high quality in the bottle.
The great thing about pinot noir wines is that they are much lighter than their merlot or cabernet counterparts and particularly suited for drinking around this time of the year.
In the glass, this Angeline Pinot Noir is bright ruby-red with a fairly translucent core going out into a garnet-red rim definition with high viscosity.
On the nose, there are immediate upfront freshly crushed and bright red fruits, red cherries, red currant juice, red plums, herbs, melted milk chocolate and minerals.
On the palate, there is fairly concentrated red berry fruit compote, red plum skins, cherry liqueur, red currant sorbet, imposing alcohol and minerals. There is a firm well-structured midpalate with a good soft nougatlike finish.
The wine is Old-World-like and can be compared with a good village Burgundy wine from Nuits St. Georges. Yet it is a lovely and subtly elegant California pinot noir that is definitely well-made. It should drink well through 2006 and will match a grilled salmon fillet on a bed of wild rice pilaf perfectly.
Wine: Martin Ray Angeline Pinot Noir
Grape: Pinot noir (88 percent), sangiovese (8 percent), other red grape varietals (4 percent)
Region: Russian River Valley, Calif.
Vintage: 2001
Price: $9.99
Chateau Les Grands Chenes is a small property in the heart of the Medoc peninsula north of the ancient city of Bordeaux, France. It has been in the hands of the Gauzy-Darricade family for more than 100 years, but only since 1981 has the current generation paid much attention to the vines.
While there is a regular Chateau Les Grands Chenes, this is the "cuvee prestige," meaning it is the supercuvee made from the oldest and best vines using low yields to maximize the extraction and concentration in the finished wine. This is a method now being employed in many areas of Bordeaux and it results in wines that are more luscious, easier to drink when young and show better upfront fruit.
Coming from the good vintage of 1999, this also is bargain. You cannot get much better wines for less than $15 in the market today, and especially something with a little age on it that is completely ready for drinking.
In the glass, this Chateau Les Grands Chenes is a deeply opaque blackish-red with dark streaks of ruby color going out into a dark purplish-ed rim definition with high viscosity.
On the nose, there are pure concentrated black currant fruits with crushed extracted brambleberries, crme de cassis, blackberry compote and sorbet, oak references, mocha notes, coffee grounds and vanilla beans.
On the palate, the wine shows highly extracted black fruits with dominance by concentrated blackberries, then spice components, black cherry wine, bitter chocolate, vanilla, oak components and mineral-like mocha. Although it is a fully mature wine at its peak, it retains a powerful appearance as a wine with great full-bodied structure. This also is marked through the midpalate and into the classic Bordeaux finish that lingers with nice complex mouth-feel through the end.
This big wine needs to be opened at least one hour before drinking and should be nice with black pepper-crusted fillet of lamb. It should drink well through 2008.
Wine: Chateau Les Grands Chenes Cuvee Prestige
Grape: Cabernet sauvignon (48 percent), merlot (40 percent), cabernet franc (12 percent)
Region: Medoc, Bordeaux, France
Vintage: 1999
Price: $12.99
Rock Rabbit Sauvignon Blanc has packaging down to a tee. This modern wine comes in a great looking clear tapered bottle with attractive lime-green labeling and capsule. As I always say, one should be wary of a wine that is packaged like this and sold at this price, but in this case, it is a winner.
This is one of the first from 2003 on the market and the fruit for it is sourced in the Central Coast of Califor nia, which is a vast winegrowing area between Santa Barbara and Paso Robles.
Rock Rabbit winery commenced operations in 2001 and is named for the small so-called "pikas" rabbits that live in mountain ranges in California. It also seems to be inspired by that trendy breed of wines from Australia named after various animals that are all the rage in U.S. wine stores.
In the glass, this Rock Rabbit Sauvignon Blanc is a faint yellow color with light hues of greenish tinge going out into a glass-clear rim definition and medium viscosity.
On the nose, there are immediate pungent pear liqueurlike notes, warm applesauce, crushed white currants, peach skins, nectarine juice and crushed Rainier cherries.
On the palate, there is a plethora of interesting fruit characteristics, but again ripe pears, lemon rind, peach cobbler, Key lime pie and certain amounts of minerals are present. The wine shows great balance through the midpalate with a nice citrus zest and goes into an impressive -- for an American sauvignon blanc -- finish that lingers with candied lime and citrus.
This is an excellent wine for summer. It can be chilled to about 50 degrees Fahrenheit and enjoyed simply by the glass as an aperitif before the meal, or with a California citrus chicken salad, best known at Claim Jumper restaurants. Based on its youth, it should drink well over the next year or two.
Wine: Rock Rabbit Sauvignon Blanc
Grape: Sauvignon blanc
Region: Central Coast, Calif.
Vintage: 2003
Price: $8.99
Spy Valley is an intriguing name for a wine but it makes sense once you know the story.
Johnson Estate decided to use the name because of a satellite communications monitoring base near its vineyards in Marlborough, New Zealand.
What is further intriguing about this wine, apart from its refreshing characteristics, is the price. Spy Valley is less than $10. This wine is good for all occasions during the hot summer months.
Spy Valley Riesling is a pale wheat straw yellow with a faint lemon-yellow core going out into a glass-clear rim definition and medium-high viscosity.
On the nose, there are exotic white fruit, lychee sorbet, elder flowers, apricot jam, peach skins, crushed almonds and marzipan, then notes of minerality and pears.
In the mouth, there is tremendous delineation and balance between the pungent white fruit and the mellow acidity. There also is characteristic Riesling fruit with lots of cooked apples and pears, then phenols, citrus rind and key lime pie. The midpalate is soft and supple with good mouth-feel and the finish is simply outstanding, lingering and teasing for quite a while.
It is a superbly made wine from this interesting estate and should drink well through 2006. It would be a great companion to spicy Thai food, as Riesling is one of the few beverages that can dull the little red chili peppers the Thais love to put in their food.
Wine: Spy Valley Riesling Marlborough
Grape: Riesling
Region: Marlborough, South Island, New Zealand
Vintage: 2002
Price: $9.99
Although the majority of wines tasted for this column tend not to make the cut, based on quality or other extenuating factors, once in a while a real surprise comes along. This Bulgarian cabernet sauvignon from top producers Vini is one of them.
Being the first Bulgarian wine to make it into this column, an explanation is required. Not unfamiliar with the wines made in this Eastern European country, I recently learned that several big-name producers from Bordeaux in France have made investments and planted great vines in this particular region.
Sliven is centrally located in Bulgaria and has had vines planted for centuries, but it's the same old story about overproduction resulting in diluted and awful wines. That is until a few years ago, when Vini decided to see just how good its wines could get.
The results are mind-boggling. When I learned of the ridiculously low price, this wine is nothing short of a vinous home run that is highly recommended for any red wine lover.
In the glass, this Vini Cabernet Sauvignon is a deeply blackish-red color with an opaque core going out into a deep crimson red rim definition with high viscosity.
On the nose, there is classic cassis fruit with crushed black currants, then concentrated blackberries, loganberries and some vanilla, smoke and minerals, as well as a soft buttery oak character.
In the mouth, the wine is full-bodied on the palate with lots of jammy black currant fruit, blackberry juice, caramelized berries and serious classy concentration and delineation, as well as complexity. The midpalate is deliciously ripe with crushed berries, and the finish shows lengthy notes of concentrated crme de cassis and smoked wood with good amounts of fruit.
This surprise shows Bulgaria may have finally arrived at making blockbuster wines for the money for the American market. The aging potential is unknown, but I would not be surprised to learn that it will drink well through 2010. Try it with steak on the grill.
Wine: Vini Cabernet Sauvignon
Grape: Cabernet sauvignon
Region: Sliven, Bulgaria
Vintage: 2000
Price: $6.99
One of Germany's superstar wine producers is Ernest Loosen. Apart from his profound wines in Berncastel, he has vineyard operations in several other parts of the country.
He also has a great joint venture in Washington state with Chateau Ste. Michelle called Eroica, which is a wine worth seeking out.
His negociant wines go by the name of J.L. Wolf and this Villa Wolf is part of the line, primarily made for the American market, as the labels are easy on the eye, without many German words to decipher.
Traditionally, German white wines are made from Riesling, but this Villa Wolf is an Alsatian grape varietal called pinot blanc, closely related to pinot gris, or pinot grigio as it is known in Italy.
In the glass, this Villa Wolf Pinot Blanc is a light straw-yellow color with a clean clear appearance and soft golden streaks going out into a clear rim definition with medium viscosity.
On the nose, there is a fantastic and layered expression of crushed white fruit, white currant trifle, gardenias, pungent Asian pears, apricots, almonds, butterscotch and supple underlying liquid mineral notes.
On the palate, the wine attacks with complex layered notes of crushed Bosc pears, crushed white currants, nectarines, pineapple juice, citrus rind, melon balls and a touch of minerality. The midpalate is absolutely gorgeous with balance between the pungent fruit and the medium acidity, which deliciously illustrates just how well-made this wine is. The finish is one of the longest ever encountered for a dry-style Riesling, lasting well more than a minute through the end.
You'll find this ridiculously low-priced wine one of the most delicious and refreshing offerings to escape the summer heat with. Remember to enjoy it slightly chilled. Try it with steamed halibut, garnished with a light citrus sauce. Drink it during the next two years.
Wine: Villa Wolf Pinot Blanc
Grape: Pinot blanc
Region: Pfalz, Germany
Vintage: 2002
Price:$8.99
It was only a matter of time before another incredible deal hit the wine retail market here. Tasting through several nice wines from the south of France, this Domaine de Girard stood out like a shining beacon in the middle of a pitch-black night.
When I learned a large local retailer purchased a parcel on closeout, it piqued my interest and the news is great for the wine consumer: The price of this little gem from the fabled 2000 vintage is less than $3 per bottle. It won't last long.
It matters that the producer, Domaine de Girard, is a serious property in the famous Languedoc region. Obviously, this is not a normal situation and the wine should not be confused with Girard from California, or Usseglio's Girard cuvee from Chateauneuf-du-Pape, but it is an absolute steal and it drinks wonderfully at the moment.
In the glass, this Domaine de Girard classically blended red wine is a deep semi-opaque crimson-red color with a slightly garnet-tinged rim definition and high viscosity.
On the nose, there are lovely notes of red fruit compote, licorice, crushed black cherries, currants, olive trees, herbs de Provence and earthy minerals.
On the palate, the wine has excellent delineation of crushed black fruits, ripe red cherries, spicy peppery characteristics, lots of herbs, minerals and notes of licorice and juniper. The midpalate is surprisingly rich with yet more red and black fruit, showing good extract and then a great finish for a wine in this price category.
This wine is a clear winner and can be compared to wines that are at least five times more expensive. It should be good with pizza and needs to be consumed during the next 12 to 18 months.
Wine: Domaine de Girard
Grapes: Grenache (50 percent), syrah (30 percent) mourvedre (20 percent)
Region: Pays de l'Aude, France
Vintage: 2000
Price: $2.99
This is only the fifth American sauvignon blanc to be selected for this column in the past five years. Sterling Vineyards is as illustrious as the name indicates with vast acres of vines in its control under the ownership of beverage giant Diageo.
The fruit, all sourced from prime sites in Napa Valley, normally would be associated with high costs. Sterling chooses to stay conservative with its pricing on this wonderful wine for the hot summer months at just less than the magical $10 mark.
While the company has a couple of other lower-end sauvignon blanc wines in its portfolio that are great in their own right, this one stands out for its quality and great value. It also is the first American wine reviewed from the excellent 2003 vintage, which will give you an impression of the kind of freshness to expect from this superb bottling.
In the glass, this Sterling Sauvignon Blanc is a faint straw-yellow color with a slight greenish tinge going out into a glass-clear rim definition with light to medium viscosity.
On the nose, there are sweetish scents of fresh pears, Scandinavian gooseberries, pomelo, citrus peel, vanilla from oak and liquid minerals, which offer a noteworthy complex range of bouquets.
On the palate, the wine follows up with the initial onslaught of crushed gooseberries, loads of white fruit, especially pomelo, and then there are subtle references to the oak barrel aging with some lovely and flavorful notes of rounded vanilla and toasty nutty qualities. The wine is firm and structured through the midpalate and offers a nice soft lingering finish, permeated by sweetish citrus, minerals and good crisp balance between fruit and acidity.
The wine should be served chilled to about 57 degrees Fahrenheit and would work well with rotisserie chicken or tomato and fresh mozzarella salad. It is good to drink during the next year or so.
Wine: Sterling Napa Valley Sauvignon Blanc
Grape: Sauvignon blanc (96 percent), pinot gris (4 percent)
Region: Napa Valley, Calif.
Vintage: 2003
Price: $9.99
Since 1385, 26 generations of the now-legendary Antinori family have been making wine in Tuscany. I think it's fair to say they are among the greatest winemaking families in the world.
"Age-old roots play an important role in our philosophy, but they have not served to inhibit our innovative spirit," said Marchese Piero Antinori, owner of the company.
In essence, this line of thinking has enveloped the entire Italian winemaking industry for the past 25 years or so. A few great winemakers -- including Antinori -- knew that, for Italian wine to move beyond the chianti in the straw flask, nontraditional thinking was needed.
As a result, the Antinori family's latest venture is this interesting tormaresca wine from Puglia, in the "heel" of Italy. It is a decidedly international blend of the native aglianico grape varietals and the well-known French varietal, cabernet sauvignon.
The result is not only tasty, but it is just less than $8, which is a superb price for this "nouveau" Italian wine.
In the glass, this tormaresca red is a firmly opaque ruby color, with garnet streaks going out into a light, slightly tinged rim definition with medium-high viscosity.
On the nose, there are ripe red and black cherries, purple plums, peppery spice notes, earthy minerals and hints of herbs de Provence, tar and tobacco box.
In the mouth, the wine has interesting and mature characteristics of wild cherries, plums, black cherry confit, elderberry fruit juice, fresh figs and slightly peppery notes over herbs and minerals. There is a lovely balanced and soft midpalate, showing yet more cherrylike fruit, and then a decent finish with a hint of sweetness at the end.
A delightful blended wine that will reach full maturity over the next couple of years, try it with a mushroom risotto, which will complement the flavors in the wine.
Wine: Tormaresca Red Wine IGT
Grape: Cabernet sauvignon (55 percent), aglianico (45 percent)
Region: Puglia, Italy
Vintage: 2000
Price: $7.99
Portugal is known for two great things in the world of wine: port wine and corks.
Virtually all of the finest port wines are produced in the famous Douro Valley.
Top-quality corks come from the bark of oak trees that have grown there for centuries and have supplied the wine trade in primarily France and Italy, but also California and Australia with what is an integral part of the wine bottles.
Little has been written about the wonderful red wines produced in Portugal, as most of them have not been available in the United States. That has changed over the past few years, as more American wine importers have picked up on the increasingly superb quality of dry red wines that are being produced in the Douro Valley by the big port shippers, primarily from traditional port grape varietals.
Wines such as this Duas Quintas Red from Ramos-Pinto are becoming increasingly popular on the basis of their powerful and consistent quality and there's no denying the interest in a wine that is blended from old-vine tinta roriz and touriga nacional grapes, normally reserved for the best vintage ports.
In the glass, this Duas Quintas Red is a deep blackish-red color with streaks of purple going out into a deep pinkish-red rim definition with high viscosity.
On the nose, it exudes warm ripe fruit dominated by jammy plums, then wild cherries, black currants, sloe fruit and blackberry liqueur with hints of mulled wine characteristics such as spice box, cloves, allspice and vanilla beans from oak.
On the palate, the wine is rich and ripe, with good penetrating crushed black fruit flavors, some spiciness, chewing tobacco, licorice root, herbs, and good balance between fruit, acidity and tannins. The midpalate is rich and mouth-filling with yet more ripe black fruit and spices, going into a nice long finish, permeated by some interesting cinnamon and aniseed notes. It is a powerful wine that needs to "breathe" for at least an hour before drinking. It is a wonderful companion to charred lamb chops, or the Macanese specialty Galinha Pirri-Pirri (African chicken).
The wine is highly recommended as a great value from a top-notch port shipper and should drink well for another three to four years.
Wine: Duas Quintas Douro Red Wine
Grape: Tinta roriz (60 percent), touriga nacional (40 percent)
Region: Douro Valley, Portugal
Vintage: 2001
Price: $8.99
Australia is now at the top of American wine drinkers' list. Not only is Yellow Tail the No. 1 imported wine brand into the United States, Australia has overtaken Italy as the leading country in the imported wine category.
Yellow Tail has had the same effect on pricing in the import category that Two Buck Chuck did in setting a bench mark for most California wines less than $10. Wines from Australia that are less than $10 must be line-priced with Yellow Tail or they don't stand a chance.
This Azure Bay Shiraz does the right thing in going head-to-head against the kangaroo juggernaut. Priced at just less than $5, it is a test of taste first and foremost and then packaging. Azure Bay's blue glass bottle is pretty and the content is delicious for the money.
In the glass, this Azure Bay Shiraz is a deep semi-opaque garnet-red color with streaks of crimson going out into a light red rim definition and high viscosity.
On the nose, there are freshly crushed black fruits with black cherries, blueberries, boysenberry, raspberry, sloe fruit and hints of spices, licorice root and peppery minerals.
In the mouth, the wine coats the palate with soft crushed black cherries, plums, black currant juice, hints of vanilla, licorice and star anise. It has a lovely midpalate with lots of fruit character. The finish is supple and the tannins are balanced with the fruit, right through to the surprisingly long ending.
It is a great achievement to have produced this blended wine -- clearly with an eye for American consumers -- using good quality raw materials and making it available for less than $5. It is highly recommended and should drink well through 2005. Try it with marinated London broil cooked medium-rare on the barbecue.
Wine: Azure Bay Shiraz
Grape: Shiraz
Region: Southeastern Australia
Vintage: 2002
Price: $4.99
With summer fast approaching, it is time to look for something lighter and more refreshing in the wine department. Pierre Sparr Alsace One is the epitome of such a wine.
The name refers to the "nouveau" style of winemaking employed here, for a wine from one of the more tradition-bound regions in France, namely Alsace. It is a region known for superb dry white wines made from one of the following grape varietals: Riesling, GewŸrztraminer, pinot blanc, pinot gris and muscat. This wine is a blend of them all, which is what makes it so unusual and interesting.
The house of Pierre Sparr has been in business in Alsace since 1680 and while the region has changed hands between France and Germany at least five times in the past 300-plus years, the winemaking style there has not. A lighter style than the overoaked and heavy chardonnays from California, this wine should delight at all levels.
In the glass, this Pierre Sparr Alsace wine is a pale citrine-yellow color with a brilliant clean and clear appearance going out into a faint glass-clear rim definition and high viscosity.
On the nose, there are warm, ripe, floral white fruit notes, with pear sparkler, apples, mango, peach, apricots, hints of crushed almonds, white cranberry juice and fine minerals.
In the mouth, the wine is rich with balmy fruit flavors, including pears, apricots and white cranberries, then nicely layered with a balanced texture through the midpalate, showing decent acidity levels, red apples and sweetish minerals. The finish is a smooth and soft one with yet more pears and hints of citrus, while retaining a good "bite" through to the end with a touch of lemon drop.
This is a well-made and refreshing wine that is medium-bodied and airy, perfectly suited for this time of the year. Enjoy it chilled to 58 degrees Fahrenheit and serve it by the glass as an aperitif or with fresh oysters.
Wine: Pierre Sparr Alsace One
Grape: Riesling, GewŸrztraminer, pinot blanc, muscat and pinot gris
Region: Alsace, France
Vintage: 2002
Price: $ 8.99
Argentinean winemaking is centered in the vast Mendoza region, which is flanked by the mighty Andes Mountains.
Made largely from traditional French grape varieties, such as this syrah from the venerable house of Balbi, the wines are of high quality, but priced in rock-bottom territory.
Bodegas Balbi was founded in the early 1930s by Juan Balbi, who was one of many winemaking pioneers arriving in Mendoza during the worldwide depression at that time.
Interestingly, while you could purchase vast tracts of vineyard land for a song and dance then, you recently could have done the same thing, as Argentina's economy virtually collapsed only a couple of years ago.
In the glass, this Balbi Syrah is an even ruby-red color with a semitranslucent appearance going out into a light red to bright pink rim definition and medium viscosity.
On the nose, there is good concentration of crushed spicy black fruit, black cherry compote with white pepper, licorice root and phenolic components.
On the palate, there is an immediate clean and quite juicy mouth-feel of crushed black cherries, red cherries jubilee, red currants, spicy plum characteristics, peppercorns and minerals.
The midpalate is incredibly soft and pleasant, giving the wine a lovely ripe tannin structure and a great finish with loads of red currants and minerals at the end. It seems obvious that this wine has never seen oak aging and it really brings out the fruit character of the syrah.
If there ever was a wine built for pepperoni pizza, this is it! It also would drink just great as a wine by the glass for any occasion. It does not require "breathing" time and will be good through 2006.
Wine: Bodegas Balbi Syrah
Grape: Syrah
Region: Mendoza, Argentina
Vintage: 2002
Price: $6.99
It has been quite a while since Argentina has gotten any play in this column, but in a recent blind tasting of a series of wines from South America, I found some gems.
Bodega Septima is a beautiful estate in the Agrelo region of Mendoza, which also happens to be one of the world's largest winegrowing areas. Nestled on a plateau 3,000 feet above sea level, the Septima vineyards, planted with the old Bordeaux grape varietal malbec come into their own.
The malbec vines there are on average about 30 years of age and produce good earthy and spicy wines typical of the varietal. Interestingly, in Bordeaux, France, where malbec originated, it is now almost extinct because it produced wines that were too hard or austere for the modern palate.
Argentina has, with its recent economic woes, become a competitor on the world wine market, as it is not faced with a currency that is soaring against the greenback, such as the Euro or the Australian dollar. That makes the wines from Argentina, already great in quality, some of the best bargains on the market and there are lots of them.
In the glass, this Septima Malbec is a deep semi-opaque crimson-red color with a firm red to slightly garnet rim definition and medium-high viscosity.
On the nose, there is an immediate pepper-infused crushed black cherry scent with spices, blackberry foliage, tobacco box, smoky oak references and earthy minerals.
In the mouth, the wine is medium-bodied with loads of spicy black fruit components, smoke character, peppercorns, spice box, tobacco and some phenolic licorice notes. The midpalate is fine with good tannin structure and the finish is a pleasant lingering one with just a touch of wild cherry juice on it. It is a wonderfully rounded, yet spicy wine that is well-made and highly recommended.
The wine can withstand spicy food and would go well with several dishes of Mexican food. Drink it now through 2006.
Wine: Bodega Septima Malbec
Grape: Malbec
Region: Mendoza, Argentina
Vintage: 2000
Price: $8.99
For the past 10 to 15 years, Spain has been making great wines, but we haven't seen much of them because most of it is consumed by Spaniards. Being one of the largest wine-producing countries in the world, this is no mean feat.
Alas, when we do find great Spanish wines, it is often in restaurants. However, this Abrazo Gran Reserva, made from an interesting trio of grape varietals, is worth seeking out.
It is a wine of good age. As a Gran Reserva it is made only in exceptional vintages, and then undergoes extensive aging, with a minimum of two years in casks and three in the bottle before being released.
While you cannot expect to see the kind of concentration of black fruit or oak-infusion that may normally be experienced with California or Australian wines, this is a refined bottle of wine and requires a slight modification of the palate in order to appreciate it.
In the glass, this Abrazo wine is a deep semi-opaque velvet-red color with a slightly garnet-tinged rim definition and high viscosity.
On the nose, the wine is classic Spain with loads of crushed ripe, slightly peppery black fruit, sloe juice, hints of green bell pepper skins, aged wood, herbs, smoke, olive oil and caraway seeds.
On the palate, there is an immediate spicy characteristic up front, followed by ripe plummy fruit, smoky notes, cooked red cherries, pomegranate, elderberry juice, earthy minerals and phenolic character. The midpalate is rounded and shows the wine's maturity with cooked fruit and dried figs, then spice elements going into a lengthy and powerful cherry stewlike finish.
It is a wonderfully mature wine with all the characteristics coming through and should work well with pot roast and mashed potatoes. It also would be a dream match with medium-aged cheeses. Drink it now through next year, but then it will have reached its peak. It is well-worth its relatively inexpensive price tag.
Wine: Abrazo Gran Reserva
Grape: Carinena (40 percent), garnacha (30 percent), tempranillo (30 percent)
Region: Zaragoza, Spain
Vintage: 1996
Price: $11.99
Having just returned from Bordeaux, France, where I tasted my way through about 700 wines out of barrel from the 2003 vintage, I can say there are some exciting things going on in the world's greatest wine region.
While there are great quality differences between wines from the so-called Right Bank, including Saint-Emilion and Pomerol, most of the wines from the upper Medoc Peninsula on the Left Bank, including St. Estephe, Pauillac and St. Julien are truly profound in the 2003 vintage.
One of the greatest producers of bargains from that area is a property called Chateau La Tour Carnet. Les Douves de Carnet (The Doves of Carnet) is the delicious second label of the chateau and in the 1999 vintage, which I found in the local market, it has reached a good mature drinking level.
It's a great little Bordeaux wine and should be a wonderful representative of the 1999 vintage while we wait for the 2003 vintage to finish aging in oak barrels.
In the glass, this Les Douves de Carnet is a deep semi-opaque ruby-red color, with crimson to garnet rim definition and medium-high viscosity.
It retains a complex nose of extracted fresh forward crushed black currant, crme de cassis, blackberry sorbet, herbs de Provence, tobacco leaf, graphite and good chalky minerals.
The wine is concentrated on the palate with a supple tannin structure, loads of black crushed fruit, boysenberries, sloe fruit and elderberry juice. The midpalate is elegant, fruity and balanced going into a lengthy firm finish in this highly drinkable wine from Bordeaux, made from a classic blend of grape varieties.
It should be a standard recommendation on Bordeaux wines to open them about an hour prior to consumption. I had it with a good salt-and-pepper-sprinkled medium-rare porterhouse on the grill, which worked like a charm. The wine should drink well during the next three to four years.
Wine: Les Douves de Carnet Bordeaux
Grape: Cabernet sauvignon (60 percent), merlot (35 percent), cabernet franc (5 percent)
Region: Haut-Medoc, Bordeaux, France
Vintage: 1999
Price: $9.99
It certainly did not take long for Three Thieves to capitalize on the success of its zinfandel "jug" wine, which I reviewed as the perfect Halloween wine in 2003. I just finished tasting several California cabernet sauvignon wines and among them was the latest release from Three Thieves, now with a purple label instead of the orange used for the zinfandel.
The wine looks identical and is presented in a glass jug reminiscent of a moonshine whiskey vessel from the 1930s with its black screw-cap. Again, you get an entire liter in the bottle -- for only $8.
It is a great wine and works just fine with the screw-cap. In fact, I had it open during a four-day period and because of the screw-cap, the wine didn't change. It's perfect for wine drinkers who want to have only a glass a day, as most doctors recommend.
In the glass, for those who don't want to chug it straight out of the jug, this Three Thieves Cabernet Sauvignon is a deep blackish-purplish red with an opaque core going out into a fuchsia-pink rim definition with medium-high viscosity.
It has just more than 14 percent alcohol, which is all over the nose in the beginning, but if you open it and let it "breathe" for about an hour, the alcohol will dissipate and reveal lovely crushed sweet red and black berry juice dominated by black currants, brambleberries, cherries, minerals and hints of spices.
In the mouth, the wine is equally pleasant, once the alcohol has "burnt" away, and reveals forward juicy berry fruit, crushed black currants, sloe fruit, elderberry juice, toast and minerals. The midpalate shows a soft underlying tannin structure that makes the wine all the more drinkable. It finishes with delicious fruit.
If the zinfandel is anything to judge by, the cabernet will sell out in a mere couple of weeks, so get it while you can and drink it up within the next year or so. Try it with traditional barbecue ribs or chicken.
Wine: Three Thieves California Cabernet Sauvignon
Grape: Cabernet sauvignon (90 percent), merlot (10 percent)
Region: California
Vintage: 2002
Price: $7.99
Yalumba is one of the most famous wine companies in Australia, producing some of the most profound wines in the Southern Hemisphere.
The Oxford Landing label was established in 1958 as the company's value-oriented line and it produces excellent varietal wines. Among these are the red wines based on the cabernet sauvignon and shiraz varieties.
The 2002 vintage was fantastic in Australia, particularly for Oxford Landing, which is situated near Adelaide in the southeastern part of the country. They were able to harvest grapes at optimum ripeness and with superb concentration. One would be hard-pressed to find anything out of California, or even France and Italy that can compete with wines like these, priced the way they are.
In the glass, this Oxford Landing blend is a deep brooding red color with streaks of purple going out into a deep-ruby to pink rim definition and medium-high viscosity.
On the nose, there are notes of soft, almost creamy black fruit with spicy cassis, blackberry juice, vanilla and caramel from oak, star anise, licorice root, rock minerals and herb undertones.
In the mouth, the wine has powerfully forward black cherry fruit with crushed boysenberry, black currants, crme de cassis, mint, black licorice and a finely balanced midpalate that has a great tannin structure, going into a completely smooth finish. Although the tannins are present, they are supple and kept nicely in check by the fruit and the structure of the wine.
This is a highly recommended Australian wine, which again shows the bargain Australian wines represent. Although the dollar has weakened considerably against the Australian dollar, just like it has against the Euro, the wines of Australia will most likely stay at reasonable price levels. Try this wine with blackened Cajun steak or perhaps a medium-rare Gruyere cheeseburger.
Wine: Yalumba Oxford Landing Cabernet-Shiraz
Grape: Cabernet Sauvignon (69 percent), shiraz (31 percent)
Region: Southeastern Australia
Vintage: 2002
Price: $6.99
Echelon winery's position in the heart of the immense Central Coast region in California places it at a prime spot to get fine fruit. In particular, it is worth noting that most of the fruit in this 2002 pinot noir comes from the Santa Lucia Highlands, which is considered to be one of the top producing areas for pinot noir in California, on account of its cooler climate.
Pinot noir is the traditional grape varietal used in and native to Burgundy, France, and while many growers in California and Oregon have struggled with producing fruit that bears any resemblance to either terroir or complexity, wineries such as Echelon are beginning to zero in on the right formula.
The 2002 vintage also is interesting, in that it was quite a difficult one, with yields cut in half naturally, creating quite small dense grapes, resulting in a good concentrated wine.
In the glass, this Echelon Pinot Noir is a deep cherry-red color with a bright red core going out into a light pinkish-red rim definition with medium viscosity.
On the nose, there is immediate warm crushed red berry compote, ripe red cherries, strawberry coulis, phenol, oak references and vanilla, with hints of anise, wet stone and minerals.
In the mouth, the wine is rich and ripe with crushed red currants, raspberry sorbet, cherry liqueur, licorice root, soft mineral character and herbs. The midpalate is fine-tuned with supple tannins and red fruit and connects with the fine finish that displays yet more fruit and something of an absinthe after-mouth.
It is a highly interesting example of well-made California pinot noir that appears rich and round and shows good pedigree. It should be good to drink now through 2006. Try it with a piece of flame-broiled swordfish over a bed of squid ink fettuccine.
Wine: Echelon Central Coast Pinot Noir
Grape: Pinot noir
Region: Santa Lucia Highlands, Monterey County, Calif.
Vintage: 2002
Price: $ 9.99
The patriotic-sounding Liberty School winery used to be the second label of legendary California cabernet producer Caymus. Once the brand had attained stature on its own, the name Caymus disappeared from the bottle.
Liberty School was sold to the aptly named Hope family in the late '80s and they have since built upon the initial success of the brand's wines.
Through long-term contracts, the Hope family has quality fruit that they are able to blend in their wines. This cabernet sauvignon is a perfect example of the quintessential California red wine with huge forward fruit. We are not looking for complexity and age-worthiness in wines such as these, we just want instant drinking satisfaction.
In addition, with the 2001 vintage, you could do little wrong if you were a grape grower in California.
In the glass, this Liberty School Cabernet Sauvignon is a deep semi-opaque crimson-purple red with streaks of ruby going out to a Burma ruby-red rim definition with medium-high viscosity.
On the nose, the wine simply explodes with delicious scents of crushed black fruit dominated by black currants, brambleberry and blackberries, then followed by vanilla, oak references, crme brulee, huckleberry jam and raspberry sorbet with touches of fine minerals.
In the mouth, the fruit is astonishing in its concentration with gobs of blackberry confiture, crme de cassis, chewy black cherry, vanilla bean, allspice and toasted oak. The midpalate is juicy with black fruit throughout, going into a lovely sweetish fruit finish that lingers for 15 seconds.
This is a great vinous surprise and a delicious wine to drink now through 2006. It is a stellar example of the kind of quality that can be produced from purchased fruit in an outstanding California vintage. Try it with salt- and pepper-rubbed top sirloin grilled rare on the open barbecue.
Wine: Liberty School California Cabernet Sauvignon
Grape: Cabernet sauvignon
Region: Paso Robles, Calif.
Vintage: 2001
Price: $ 11.99
If all things were equal, then this half-bottle of Franz Reh Eiswein from Rheinhessen in Germany would retail for about $175 to $200. Eiswein is one of the rarest phenomenons on the vinous planet.
The Riesling vines planted on steep slopes produce greatly concentrated fruit that gets "late-harvested" by pickers using only their hands. The vineyards are gone through multiple times by pickers in the late fall, following the onset of a rot that makes the grapes shrink to a raisinlike state, vaporizing the water and leaving only the sweet sticky nectar.
At the top level in Germany, there is the rare Trockenbeerenauslese, which is produced only in some vintages and is highly prized. Even after this and the onset of winter, often in early January, do the few single berries left, freeze on the vines. They are then hand-picked and pressed, whereby they produce the true Eiswein, literally meaning "ice wine."
Under normal circumstances, this would be way out of reach for most people, just in terms of quantity produced and price, but here you have an Eiswein that incredibly retails for less than $15 and it is truly the nectar of the gods in terms of sweetness and quality.
In the glass, this Franz Reh Eiswein is a deep amber-yellow color with a clean crisp appearance, streaks of golden honey going out into a light ochre yellow rim definition with huge sticky viscosity.
On the nose, it exudes an incredibly concentrated range of flavors such as honeysuckle, lichee fruit extract, peaches, tangerines, apricots, chamomile, pineapples, and marzipan.
In the mouth, you can prepare for a syrupy yet balanced medium- to full-bodied and oily textured wine that has a large concentration of honeyed fruits, including peach, mango, sweet almonds and apricots. The midpalate is thick yet textured with lovely crisp acidity, going into a large finish that just lingers with sweet fruit flavors dominated by apricot nectar.
This is a serious dessert wine that requires a classic such as pear tarte Tatin. Although made from what in Germany is called "grosslage," it will age effortlessly for 25-plus years and is a wine styled of great pedigree.
Wine: Franz Reh Eiswein Rheinhessen
Grape: Riesling
Region: Rhineland, Germany
Vintage: 2001
Price: $13.99
In Australia they apparently have nothing better to do at the moment than crank out delicious wine bargains, based on their favorite adopted French grape varietal shiraz.
In the past two to three years, Australian wines have grown in popularity in this country and the trend is continuing as more small import companies find small- to medium-sized Australian producers who can do no wrong. Of the more than 900 wineries in California, only a fraction produce really good wines, yet out of the 200 or so Australian wines imported into the United States, probably 75 percent are great wines.
This Bondi Blue Shiraz is definitely one of them. It is offered at such a ridiculous price, you should be drinking it on a weekly basis. Moreover, the 2001 vintage was considered one of the finest in Australia's history.
In the glass, this Bondi Blue Shiraz is a deep semi-opaque, blood ruby-red color with crimson streaks going out into a pinkish-red rim definition and surprisingly high viscosity.
On the nose, there are attractive jammy berry notes, freshly crushed boysenberry, blueberry sorbet, crme de cassis, vanilla and hints of black licorice.
In the mouth, this wine has an uncommonly thick, rich texture of crushed blackberries, mulberry tea, licorice root with lovely supple blueberry and elderberry fruit underlying. The midpalate is rich and glycerin-filled and the fruit is continuing through the lengthy finish, punctuated only by firm supple tannins.
Drink this excellent Aussie shiraz with some medium-rare tri-tip on the "barbie." It should be a great wine to consume over the next three to four years.
Wine: Bondi Blue Shiraz
Grape: Shiraz
Region: Southeastern Australia
Vintage: 2001
Price: $4.99
Las Vegas-based wine import company Fratelli di Vini has made inroads with its superbly packaged brand Vinuva.
Presented in a distinct eggplant-shaped bottle, the company's first two wines -- the pinot grigio in the purple bottle and the merlot in the silver bottle -- have been smashing success stories in the wine business.
Now their interesting chardonnay in a blue bottle from the northern part of Italy, near Venice, is on the market.
Joe Lucia and Salvatore Solano, the principals of the company, also are directly involved in the winemaking process in Italy, selecting the best fruit to go into their now-famous bottles.
It is not easy being based in the middle of the desert, without the benefit of a major sea port and import wine for national distribution, but Vinuva has done it and continues to bring great value wines to market.
The Vinuva Chardonnay is a highly recommended example of the Old World applications of this famous grape variety.
In the glass, Vinuva Chardonnay is a clean, crisp pale straw-yellow with a slight greenish tinge going out into a faint to glass-clear rim definition and light viscosity.
On the nose, it brims with fresh crushed honeyed white fruit, red apples, liquid chalky minerals, lemon rind and other citrus fruits.
In the mouth, it coats the palate with pleasant white fruit flavors, including winter melon, red apples, some pear characteristics, honeyed toasted hazelnuts and lovely crisp minerals.
It is a great chardonnay for the money and with a balanced, not acidic, midpalate and finish with lingering fruit, it certainly can compete with much more expensive offerings. It is a lovely wine for by-the-glass drinking and generally as an aperitif or with light fish courses.
It should drink well for a couple of years. It also would benefit from being served slightly chilled to about 58 degrees Fahrenheit.
Wine: Vinuva Chardonnay delle Venezie IGT
Grape: Chardonnay
Region: Veneto, northeastern Italy
Vintage: 2002
Price: $7.99
Most of us celebrate Valentine's Day with our significant other. For those who want to step it up a notch and perhaps add to the already planned roses and chocolate, why not get a fine bottle of champagne?
I have tasted through a range of them and found this delicious rose champagne from the region of the same name in France. This great age-worthy Laurent Perrier Rose Champagne is made from 100 percent pinot noir grapes from all Grands Crus vineyards. It gets its glorious salmon-pink color and rounded red fruit flavors from a process known as "saigneé," in which the skins of the grapes are left in contact with the juice for three days, just enough to keep it from becoming a red wine.
This wine is priced favorably, considering its rarity and the high price of the Euro.
In the glass, this Laurent Perrier Rose is a lovely salmon-pink-colored red with a great deal of fine effervescence in the form of small bubbles rising steadily from the bottom of the bowl up to the top. It has a clean, crisp appearance with a fine pinkish rim definition and medium viscosity.
On the nose, there is an immediate note of cranberry, strawberry and red currant, followed by bread dough, toast points and minerals.
In the mouth, this superb champagne coats the palate with tiny bubbles, then toasty notes of strawberry coulis, Rainier cherry sorbet and fizzy soda pop. The midpalate is apparent once the initial tingly bubbles have dissipated on the tongue and then there is ample and delicious light red currant fruit to be tasted. This champagne has a marvelous finish that lingers for quite a while with a combination of cherry Jolly Rancher and strawberry bonbons in addition to minerals and hints of citrus.
This is a great cuvee for celebrating the most romantic day of the year. It ought to be served correctly at 38 degrees Fahrenheit in a glass that is closer to a white wineglass than a champagne flute. If you have opened a bottle of champagne and cannot finish it, then put the bottle in the fridge with a metal teaspoon inserted handle first into the bottle. This will prevent the bubbles from escaping, keeping the champagne nice and fresh for days without having a cork in the neck.
Wine: Champagne Laurent Perrier Brut Rose
Grape: Pinot noir
Region: Champagne, France
Vintage: Nonvintage
Price: $49.99
Winemaker Eric Hosteins of Bordeaux, France, has done it again! While well-known for his outstanding Cru Bourgeois wine Chateau Cissac, he has become an expert in sourcing great vineyard sites in the vast Languedoc region.
This Chateau Ricardelle de L'Ile is an interesting little red wine with some special flavors that make it unique. It is blended from the traditional grape varieties found in the region, namely syrah, grenache and carignane. It also is superbly priced at less than $6, so there should be something for everyone here.
The whole surface area of the vineyard is only about 20 acres, so the production of this wine is limited to less than 6,000 cases. It is worth buying a case for casual drinking.
In the glass, this Chateau Ricardelle de L'Ile is a deep ruby-red color with garnet streaks, going out into a semi-opaque crimson-garnet rim definition with high viscosity.
On the nose, there is an interesting combination of crushed ripe black fruit, smokiness, dried figs, spice box, cedar wood, almost sweetish plum juice, wet tobacco, earthy minerals and white pepper.
In the mouth, there are forward crushed black cherries, mature plums, prune juice, interesting honeycomb, almost bee's waxlike character and then soft supple tannins that saunter through the midpalate with nice balance and a lovely finish.
This is a wine that has reached its plateau of maturity, but it is nice to drink now through the end of the year. It will be a great partner to cheeses, or any kind of meat stew, as long as it is not too spicy.
Wine: Chateau Ricardelle de L'Ile Coteaux du Languedoc
Grapes: Syrah, grenache, carignane
Region: La Clape, Languedoc, France
Vintage: 1999
Price: $5.99
Laboure-Roi is one of the larger negociant houses in Burgundy, France, with vineyard holdings in most of the best appellations.
Macon is an area slightly to the south of the rest of Burgundy and specializes in white wines based on the well-known chardonnay grape varietal. Normally, Macon wines are light and crisp, but rarely outstanding.
This Villages St. Armand wine is the exception. It is a vibrant example of Old World chardonnay from the superb 2001 vintage at a reasonable price. There's not much that can go wrong here.
Coming from such a great winemaking house, I can only surmise that this must be one of the best Macon wines that has ever been imported into the United States. This is a great beginning to the new year for the white wine category.
In the glass, this Macon Blanc is a clean, light straw-yellow in color with a star-bright appearance and maybe just a touch of a greenish hint going out to a faint yellow-clear rim definition and medium-high viscosity.
On the nose, there is wonderful sweetish white fruit, with red apples, pear skins, honeydew melon, soft notes of vanilla from oak and crisp but light minerals.
In the mouth, the wine is pure pleasure on the palate with lovely rounded white fruit flavors, mature apples, hints of citrus, and good balance between the crisp acidity and the soft fruit and minerals. It is well-defined on the midpalate with unobtrusive acidity going into a soft and supple finish that lingers with lemon rind and minerals.
It is a lovely example of Old World chardonnay at its cleanest, which makes for a nicely drinking white wine. It is good enough to be served by the glass or could be perfect with lightly seasoned grilled chicken breast. Serve it chilled to about 55 degrees Fahrenheit and drink it now through 2006.
Wine: Laboure-Roi Macon Blanc-Villages St. Armand
Grape: Chardonnay
Region: Macon, Burgundy, France
Vintage: 2001
Price: $ 7.99
Chateau D'Escurac is one of the best so-called Cru Bourgeois wines from the Medoc region of France, north of Bordeaux, which is home to the world's finest wines.
Cru Bourgeois wines are classified into three categories. There are about 450 properties in these categories and D'Escurac ranks in the second highest. Apart from that, it is a formidable little Chateau that is known for having produced some superb wines during the past 10 years.
This is a classic no-nonsense Bordeaux wine that shows all the bells and whistles of much more expensive wines, but at a fraction of the price.
In the glass, this Chateau D'Escurac is a deep, crimson-red color with a blackish-red opaque core going out into a blood-ruby red to pinkish rim definition and high viscosity.
On the nose, there is freshly crushed black currant fruit, roasted meat, lead pencil, minerals, wood references, spices, brambleberry jam, classic cassis notes and mocha.
In the mouth, the wine attacks the palate with a nicely complex and layered blend of crushed black fruit, minerals, tobacco box, spices, boysenberry and earth-driven cassis. The midpalate is finely balanced and the tannins are kept in check by the fruit. The wine finishes long and rich with good structure and excellent "bite."
A well-made wine from one of the top Cru Bourgeois estates in Bordeaux, it is a wine that can age well for another five years and should drink well with either risotto or pizza margherita. Open it about one hour before consumption and decant if possible.
Wine: Chateau D'Escurac Medoc
Grape: Cabernet sauvignon (60 percent), merlot (40 percent)
Region: Medoc, Bordeaux, France
Vintage: 1999
Price: $15.99
Marquis Philips is a relatively new joint venture in Australian winemaking, but it is one that has received a lot of attention in the past couple of years.
Dan Philips partnered with Sarah and Sparky Marquis to produce outstanding wines. Almost any description of quality with this partnership is an understatement as they have produced some of the most profound wine values ever made.
While this Holly's Blend is a highly interesting white wine, Marquis Philips red wines are so popular they are impossible to find anywhere at retail. For instance, the alter ego red to this white wine, called Sarah's Blend, is just not available anywhere.
However, this Holly's Blend is simply incredible, especially since it is made from the classic Madeira grape varietal verdelho.
In the glass, Holly's Blend is a crisp, clean greenish-tinted light yellow with clear rim definition and surprisingly high viscosity.
On the nose, the wine jumps at you with incredible richness of fruit in the forms of pineapple, tangerine, melon, apples, pears and grapefruit, then steely mineral characteristics, peach sorbet and mango pudding. Wow, what an onslaught of complexity in fruits.
In the mouth, the wine is as crisp as it looks with forward white fruit, ripe red apples, pear skins, pineapple, and hints of mandarin oranges and honey blossom. There also is slight spritz, as it is quite normal for young wines made from verdelho to show this in their youth. The wine lingers on the palate through the middle with candied apples, white peach candy and lemon drops, then finishes in an impressive way with seriously balanced flavors, showing no competition between fruit and acidity, which is important for a great white wine.
This is without a doubt one of the greatest white wines coming out of Australia and certainly the first 2003 in the American market, so grab it while you can. It will drink well over the next couple of years. Try it with a shrimp cocktail or stone crab claws.
Wine: Marquis Philips Holly's Blend
Grape: Verdelho
Region: McLaren Vale, southern Australia
Vintage: 2003
Price: $9.99
This may be one of the pricier bottles reviewed in this column, but there is good reason for it. While blind tasting my way through some of the top wines from California -- and needless to say, expensive wines -- this Lancaster Estate wine stood out among the pack and showed magnificent class. It beat wines such as Opus One ($200), which just goes to show there's value to be found at all levels.
Lancaster Estate, which usually retails for about $80, now is only one-quarter of the price of Opus One and it has all the right things going for it. Owned by wine wholesale uber-boss Ted Simpkins, Lancaster produces the finest quality wine that its great soil provides. Both the packaging and the wine ooze class and breed, so it is a brilliant offering to invest in.
In the glass, this Lancaster Estate red wine is a deep blackish-red color with an opaque center going out into a crimson red rim definition and high viscosity.
On the nose, the wine immediately smells classy and has complexity with layers of crushed black currants, boysenberry juice, herbs de Provence, black cherry sorbet, jammy blackberry, elder fruit, oak references, crme de cassis, vanilla and underlying smoky minerals.
In the mouth, there is an impressive sensory assault on the palate, laden with crushed blackberry, blueberry juice, loganberry, ripe plums, crme de cassis, elderberry juice and hints of aniseed, minerals and wood. The midpalate is superbly balanced with lovely supple tannins, going into an extended crushed black fruit, spice box, mineral finish that lingers on the tongue for well more than 30 seconds.
It is a masterfully crafted wine that will hold its own against almost any competition from California less than $200. It should continue to develop during the next decade or so and drink well for 12 to 15 years to come. Serve it after about an hour out of the bottle and try it with filet mignon, fingerling potatoes and a béarnaise sauce.
Wine: Lancaster Estate Proprietary Red Wine
Grape: Merlot (59 percent), cabernet sauvignon (40 percent), cabernet franc (1 percent)
Region: Alexander Valley, Calif.
Vintage: 1999
Price: $49.99