Yearly Archives: 2007

The 2004 Saint Cosme Cotes-du-Rhone…

…is drinking beautifully. Don’t worry about the synthetic cork. I recently drank a 2000 Maculan Brentino with a synthetic cork and it was great. But this should not be about synthetic corks. Rather, just a quick note that a 14 dollar wine from two vintages ago is as pure and lovely as a Syrah that [More]

Posted in brentino, cork, cotes-du-rhone, maculan, saint cosme, syrah | Leave a comment

The Holy Grail

That’s what trying to find a good Pinot Noir under 10 bucks feels like, a quest for the impossible. I finally found one and it is from Chile. The 2007 Cono Sur Pinot Noir is available for 9 bucks and I think it is great because at this price it: 1) Tastes like Pinot Noir2) [More]

Posted in Chile, cono sur, pinot noir | 1 Comment

Carmenere

Carmenere is a grape that died out in France and has most recently come to prominence as Chile’s go-to red wine grape. I have yet to have a bad Carmenere from Chile; they are cheap and reliable. Flavor-wise, I would say that they are a little earthy, a little smoky, and have a bit of [More]

Posted in carmenere, Chile, inama | 2 Comments

Cadence Coda

The 2005 Coda is 80% Cab Franc, 20% Cab Sauv. Once again, Cadence is making the best wines in Washington. And by best I mean balanced, non-boozy, un-oaky. They have plush Washington fruit and a lot of character. I am lobbying for a 100% Cab Franc. This wine drank great on day two. I think [More]

Posted in cadence, coda, Washington | 1 Comment

Rehab: Soave

Except for Chablis, no wine’s good name has been besmirched more by big jugs (hee hee) than Soave. Inama’s basic Soave Classico is a great, distinct white that would be great with, uh, a glass. I don’t really want to say it tastes like blah blah blah. Just drink it. They also make great reds; [More]

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The Red Wine Drinker’s Rosé

Normally I like my rosés pale and bone dry, where the fruit is pretty subdued. Usually your darker rosés tend to the tutti-fruity, off-dry style. But I will admit to enjoying the 2006 The Wolftrap Rosé from South Africa. It’s a blend of Syrah, Cinsault, and Grenache. There is definitely some up-front fruit, but it [More]

Posted in rosé, South Africa, wolftrap | 2 Comments

Return of the One Liter Chug-A-Lug Jug

The Hofer Gruner Veltliner, once again, is an astounding value. You get a liter of wine for ten bucks. It’s sealed with a bottle cap in a cool green bottle; take this to a party and it will definitely be a conversation piece. The 2006 seems a bit richer than I remember the last vintage. [More]

Posted in Gruner Veltliner, hofer, theise | Leave a comment

Sauvignon Blanc Redemption

Whether its grassy and green-beany from New Zealand or boring California, I’ll pass. I do, however, have an affinity for whites from Bordeaux, where a dose of Semillion gives it a great natural richness and the Sauv Blanc keeps it fresh and lively. I am really impressed with the 2006 “Le G” de Chateau Guiraud. [More]

Posted in Bordeaux, guiraud | 4 Comments