Wine Spectator - 2007 Wine of the Year...and the honors go to

I know this will sound weird, but when I finally saw which wine took this year's top honor from Wine Spectator's editors, I got really excited. The reason, you see, is that I have been indulging in Chateauneuf du Pape for about the past month, AND several months ago I bought a ton of it from various vineyards. And wouldn't you know, of the 20 or so bottles I bought, I only bought a measly 3 bottles of the wine that Wine Spectator has just given it's highest honor to. I haven't tried it yet, but will now and I can assure you that come Monday there will be some tasting notes on this blog.

Note to all of you, if you've never tried a Chateauneuf du Pape, I highly recommend it. It's also important to note that this is the second Chateauneuf du Pape to make the top 10...so trust me you'll want to get your hands on some of this yum yum.

Check back on Monday for my tasting notes, as well as some others...I'm attending a dinner tomorrow night, and will try to get note from other folks, from novice to experienced wine drinkers.

NUMERO UNO

Clos des Papes Châteauneuf-du-Pape 2005 - 98 points - $80

Here's what Wine Spectator had to say about this beauty:

In the Southern Rhône's recent trio of great vintages starting with 2003, no other Châteauneuf-du-Pape domaine has produced better wines than Clos des Papes. Under Vincent Avril, quality has improved steadily, and the 2003 (97 points) was Wine Spectator's No. 2 wine in 2005.

At 98 points, the 2005 is Avril's best wine yet, displaying an enormous core of fruit and minerality along with massive structure. The Clos des Papes red (the estate also produces a white) is a blend of 65 percent Grenache, 20 percent Mourvèdre, 10 percent Syrah and other grapes from 74 acres of vines around Châteauneuf. Avril keeps yields low, picks vineyard blocks separately for ideal ripeness and vinifies the destemmed grapes in ceramic-lined vats. The wine is aged in large wooden foudres
for up to 12 months before the final blend is assembled.

This is really tight now, but it's packed with dark fig, currant, espresso, licorice and chocolate notes. Superfleshy but seriously structured, there's layer after layer of sweet spice, fruit and minerality pumping through the finish, with lots of latent depth and power. Far more backward than the 2003 and 2004 on release, but considering this typically puts on weight as it ages, it should be a monster--à la the 1990--when it reaches its peak. Best from 2009 through 2030. 7,500 cases made. –JM

Tracking Wine Spectator's top 10 of 2007 - Today #4, #3 & #2

Hey gang. As you know, we've been tracking Wine Spectator's top 10 of 2007. Now some of you may say who cares, but trust me, as we approach the holidays, you will be wondering what bottles of wine to buy for friends and loved ones, and I for one think the top 100 is a great list to work off of. While we're only tracking the top 10, you can find the other 90 from the top 100 on Wine Spectator's web site. So we've covered 10 through 5 so far, and here are the next three wonderful bottles ranking 4, 3 and 2. Tomorrow we will know the number 1 bottle according to the magazine. Anyway, here we go.

4. Antinori Toscana Tignanello 2004 - 95 points - $79

3. Le Vieux Donjon Châteauneuf-du-Pape 2005 - 95 points - $49 - **9 corks**
I actually have a dozen or so bottles of this little beauty in my wine racks, and really do enjoy it. For the price, thus far the cheapest of the top 10, I think it's absolutely outstanding.

2. Ridge Chardonnay Santa Cruz Mountains Santa Cruz Mountain Estate 2005 - 95 points - $35 - **8 corks**


That's all for now...stay tuned for the big winner tomorrow. I can assure you that whichever bottle is named #1, it will be one of the top sellers at any and all local wine shops within a few weeks.


The Vine Guy

Tasting: Clos Henri Vineyard

I enjoyed this wine over the weekend with a stuffed pork loin (red peppers, spinach and Mozzarella cheese) and a pesto pasta. I paid $24 for the bottle at Wine Library. It was my first encounter with Clos Henri.


The wine: Clos Henri Pinot Noir Marlborough 2005

Region: Marlborough, New Zealand

Color: Very light ruby, more translucent than I had expected.

Nose: BEAUTIFUL. Thing I noticed most was the floral hints, but nice cherry and other berries represented.

Taste: Very warm notes of cherry, raspberry and spice, by no means overwhelming. Through the finish the fruit picked up steam, and also noticed a touch of oak on the back end. Surprisingly, the floral notes I detected in the nose didn't hit my pallet, though there was a slight hint of grass/hay. It did have a 20 second finish that was very smooth and soft.

I really enjoyed this wine, more so than I expected. I've been enjoying New Zealand Sauvignon Blancs for a long time, and figured it was time to expand my horizons and try something else. I grabbed this bottle on sale at Wine Library at the suggestion of one of the fellas there. I thought it went perfectly with the meal. I give it an 8 cork score, though when I asked my dad to rate it 1 through 10, he gave it a 9...and he's a man that knows quite a bit about wine, producing it all his life.


Verdict: 8 Corks

Have you guys jumped on the New Zealand band wagon yet? If so, what is it that tickles your fancy at the moment?

Drink the Vine: Guest Review

Hey folks. I hope your week is going well so far. Now I know you guys are used to hearing from me and Grape Nut regarding our tastes in wine. But, I thought it'd be cool to start to offer you something different from time to time. So today, I'm happy to introduce what will become a regular monthly column...the DTV Guest Review. This seems like a fun way to get our readers perspectives on the wines they are drinking...some of which may very well be recommendations from us. So, without further ado, I am proud to introduce our first ever guest review.

This review was submitted by Jim Tax, a friend and fellow wine lover who lives in Seattle, WA. Jim has the luxury of frequently drinking the wines of Washington and Oregon (many of which don't make their way this far east). Having had the luxury of working on a project with Jim for some 2 months in Chicago last year, we frequently discussed and drank wine together. I can honestly say I trust his judgement when it comes to wine recommendations. Thanks to Jim for sending this over.

If anybody else would like to provide a guest review for next month, please email us at drinkthevine@gmail.com. We will select the best written reviews for use in future columns.

The Wine: 2005 Owen Roe Abbot’s Red Table Wine
Country: USA
Region: Oregon, Walla Walla Valley
Category: Red blend (Claret-esque)
Price: $22.99 retail ($45 in restaurant)
Decanted or Not: No

Tasting Notes:

Color: Medium Ruby Red

Nose: Not what you’d expect from Oregon (power and charm). Some oak, pepper and fruit hit the nose all at once and it is hard to tell which is the strongest. Great balance.

Taste: Plum and pepper open with a long tobacco and chocolate finish. The spice pairs it well with a hearty Italian meal and the finish makes this the perfect pairing for about any red meat. Don’t expect to have just one bottle. This wine is perfect if you have the stereo-typical Napa person that will only drink California reds. Stellar wine with a great range and smooth finish, all at a pretty good value.

The Verdict: 9 corks

Note: While I have never had this wine, I have seen this wine rated from 85 to 93 on cellartracker. So clearly it is a crowd pleaser. Jimbo, if you happen to order this puppy in bulk, I expect a bottle.

Taste of Oregon: Ratings #2 and 3

Hi folks. Yes, I know I've been slacking this week, but this little thing called my job keeps interfering with my ability to drink wine. Anyway here are two ratings, since we missed one yesterday. Both of these are wines that I've enjoyed while out at dinner recently with my wife.

Rating #2:

The Wine: Adelsheim Pinot Noir 2005

Country: USA

Region: Oregon, Willamette Valley

Category: Pinot Noir

Price: $22.99 retail ($36 in restaurant)

Decanted or Not: No

Tasting notes:

Color: Deep Ruby

The Nose: Surprisingly powerful for an Oregon Pinot. Big notes of dark ripe fruit and oak. Little spice/cinnamon.

Taste: Very open with nice plum, cherry and pepper flavors. Wonderful silky mouthfeel, with a nice long finish. Flavors of cinnamon and pepper on the finish seem to linger quite a while. I enjoyed this wine with a very hearty chicken parmesan dish at Rosies Trattoria in Randolph. It was a very nice pairing in my opinion. The wine was excellent, with lots of flavor and packed a bit of a punch.

The Verdict: 8 corks

Rating #3:

The Wine: Amavi Cellars 2003 Syrah

The Country: USA

The Region: Oregon, Walla Walla Valley

Category: Syrah

Vintage: 2003

Price: $20.99

Decanted or not: No

Tasting Notes:

Color: Dark Red

Nose: Very sweet smelling. Intense fruit and cinnamon. Light oak and earth.

Taste: Pretty straight forward. Fruit and spices from the get go...plum, blueberry, cinnamon and vanilla flavors persist. The mid-palate is relatively uneventful as the fruits and spices carry over, but are complimented by leather and pepper flavors. The finish is surprisingly tannic, but smooth, and ends with sweet notes in the aftertaste. Overall I liked it, but wasn't crazy about it. The fruit and sweetness seemed to carry through the whole thing, making it difficult to detect any other complexities in the wine. This wine was enjoyed with a whole roasted chicken seasoned with garlic, onion powder, paprika, pepper and salt. Perhaps it was a poor selection to serve with dinner that night, but i still enjoyed it.

The verdict: 7 corks

Taste of Oregon: Wine Rating #1 of 5

The Wine: Henry Estate Pinot Noir 2000 Oregon Umpqua Valley Barrel Select

Winery: Henry Estate
Country: United States

Region: Oregon, Umpqua Valley

Category: Red Table Wine

Vintage: 2000

Price: $25

Decanted or Not: No, but bottle was open for 2 hours before tasting

Alcohol: 13.5%

Tasting Notes:

The Color: Ruby

The Nose: Strawberries, some plum and a bit of earthiness on the nose.

The Taste: Sour cherries, nice acidity with great vanilla notes on the finish. This is not a New World fruit bomb. Great mouthfeel and silky texture, perfect balance of fruit with good tannins. A pinot in the Burgundian style. Very impressive. Paired very well with an aged sirloin and horseradish mashed potatoes. It's a little more than I tend spend on wines, but we'll worth it. I have to give credit to Grand Harvest Wines in Grand Central Station in New York City for pointing me in the direction of this bottle. If you've never been to this wine store, I would recommend it purely on that fact the staff is extremely knowledgeable. You'll pay a couple dollars more, but think about the real estate they're paying for, and as I said they know their sh*t. They always seem to point me in the right direction.

The Verdict: 9 Corks

Have you tried anything we've rated?

If so, we want to hear what you have to say. This is supposed to be about sharing, and it seems more like Grape Nut and I are downloading info. If you've tasted anything we've reviewed here, we are very interested in reading your assessment. Please post your comments here.

Also, from this point on we will visit a new place every other week, as opposed to every week. It will give us more time to rate wines, and give you more time to drink some of the wines we recommend here. We will visit Oregon starting Monday.

Our trip to Oregon should be a lot of fun, as the state is really producing some amazing domestic wine. And, if we're lucky, we may even get some up-close ratings from a friend in Seattle who has a lot of experience drinking wine produced in Oregon.

Stay tuned...

Taste of Spain: #3 of 5

The Wine: Bodega Felix Sanz Ciranza 2001
Country: Spain
Region Ribera Del Duero
Category: Monte Negro
Price: $20.99
Decanted or Not: Yes - 60 minutes

Tasting Notes:

Color: Deep ruby/purple

The Nose: Very big nose. Dark fruits and smoked wood. Cherries, currants and herbs.

The Taste: Flavors as big as the nose. Very powerful and dense fruit up front, without being over the top. Dark wood, earth and spices. Very nice, long finish with moderate tannins. Finish pushes those dark fruit flavors throught he back of your throat. Very, very good, but not for the faint at heart.

If you typically drink fruity Shiraz, this one may take you for a loop... it packs a nice punch! Highly recommend dacanting for at least an hour.

The Verdict: 8 corks

Taste of Argentina: #4 of 5

The Wine: Morichetti Malbec 2002 (from Lujan de Cuyo)

Country: Argentina
Region: Mendoza
Category: Malbec
Vintage: 2002
Price: $15
Decanted: No

Tasting Notes
Color: Dark red, with almost earthy color

Nose: Not overpowering, lacked a bit, some floral and red fruit smells

Taste: Yes, I know, I'm reviewing another Malbec. I've been on a mission lately to find one that is worthy of being my house red.

This wine was very smooth, almost too smooth. I found it to be lacking the punch and the earthiness I generally find in a Malbec. There were slight hints of dried cherries and other red fruit but overall I found the wine underwhelming. Legs were not prominent, so I would assume it was pretty low in alcohol. I'm not sure I would want to pair this wine with anything stronger than a mild cheese or chicken. I allowed the wine to breath for quite awhile, in an attempt to let it open up to no avail. I would not recommend this wine, I guess what I am finding most on my mission is inconsistency.

The Verdict: 6 Corks

Has anyone out there tried this bottle? If so, let me hear how off base I am (maybe I had an off bottle). Lets hear it!

Wine Blogs – Righteous or Rubbish?

Well known New York Times columnist Eric Asimov recently added a post to his blog (The Pour) titled “Let a Thousand Critics Blossom.” To sum it up in a nut shell, Mr. Asimov was intrigued at how quickly the blog culture caught on…especially on the subjects of food and wine. He points out that there are hundreds, if not zillions, of blogs written about wine, beer and spirits. And surprisingly, many of them are interesting.

Now, maybe it’s because Grape Nut and I just started this blog (make it a zillion and 1 wine blogs now), but I find that blogs in general serve a major purpose. Consider the fact that wine, like style, is subjective. Just because I like a certain wine doesn’t mean somebody else will (see Grape Nut’s post from last Friday http://drinkthevine.blogspot.com/2007/01/wsj-tastings-column.html). Doesn’t it make sense that there would be a multitude of avenues for people to gather information? Also consider that wine buying, to a great many people, can be an extremely intimidating task. Perhaps it’s because of the enormous selection, or prices, or quite simply the notion that people who drink wine are snobs. In my opinion, if a person feels they have an opinion on what they like to drink, then they should be able to share it with anyone who’s interested.

Grape Nut and I have openly stated that we are not “wine experts.” And I actually think that’s a good thing. I think the “experts” such as Robert Parker, Stephen Tanzer, and James Suckling are the ones who make wine intimidating to so many people. Decipher this rating by Mr. Parker if you will:

Inky/purple to the rim, with that extraordinary liqueur of minerals interwoven with creme de cassis, blackberries, and juicy cherries, it reveals a subtle note of smoky oak, massive body, a multilayered mid-palate and texture, incredibly high tannin, and dramatic levels of fruit, glycerin, and extract. The alcohol came in at 14% naturally in 2005, higher than in either 2000 or 2003. This is a wine of extraordinary purity, precision, and monumental aspirations.

What-choo talkin' bout Willis? While I personally respect and read the opinions of all three of these gentlemen, many people don’t understand their tasting notes or ratings. To the occasional wine drinker, this is the equivalent of asking my computer-illiterate father to follow directions on disassembling the motherboard of a computer to upgrade the processor, ram and video card. Don’t get me wrong…Robert Parker is a genius, and arguably the most influential person in the world of wine. But, he is also light-years ahead of 99% of the wine consuming public.

SO surely there must be another place to turn for wine advice and information…and that’s where blogs like this one come to the forefront. We’re just starting out, but there are a great many blogs that provide fantastic everyday, average Joe wine drinker with some really great information and wine reviews. And the best part is they are understandable.

Where do you turn for wine buying advice? Do you just tear out the Wine Spectator Top 100 list and run to the store, or do you heed the counsel of someone else? Perhaps an everyday, average Joe wine drinker with a blog? Tell us who your counselors are.

That’s all for now. Remember to swirl, sniff and swig. Cheers!