An Old Friend...

2005 Robert Mondavi Private Selection, Pinot Noir.

Rated 91 points by the Wine Cellar

The Robert Mondavi Pinot Noir is one of my favorites and have been looking forward to been re-acquainted with this old friend. From the central coast of California this wine, as almost all Pinot Noirs, are underrated by many wine experts. Indeed they aren't as full bodied and flavorful as other red wines, but I find Pinot Noir as an excellent all around wine that deserves better treatment.

I have kept this 2005 in my cellar since 2006 and have been opening one bottle every year. The color is still a brilliant ruby red and has undoubtedly a few more good years before it's past its prime. Very smooth, of medium complexity and body, with layers of cherry and berry flavors and a very pleasant taste of oak. Tannins and acidity balanced well. Delicate and lively, especially for an aged wine. Couldn't have asked more from this old and trusted friend.

The Wine Cellar gives it 91 points and selling under $10 this wine is of excellent value.

Castle Rock: 2008 Pinot Noir, Monterey County

Rated 91 pointa by the Wine Cellar

Produced from vineyards in the Monterey County along the central coast of California this wine is of good value. The cool breeze of Monterey Bay results in a long growing season and more time for the grapes to ripe on the vines. I bought it earlier this year, kept in my cellar and opened it a few days ago.

I was very pleased with the results--have to admit though that Pinot Noir is one of my favorites wines. Of medium body and complexity, this young wine is full of cherry and plum flavors with a pleasant lingering effect. Very smooth, well balanced and with mild tannins this wine will age well for several more years. Good companion to many Mediterranean dishes. See the Castle Rock winery for more suggestions of food and wine pairings.

The Wine Cellar gives it 91 points-- a good value...

1998 Ερμίνος--Messinian Local Red Wine

Most people are familiar with one of the the products of the Messinian region--the famous kalamata olives. This area of the Peloponnesian peninsula, however, is rich in history and culture. In addition to its famous olives, it produces excellent olive oil and is one of the best producers of red, white and rose wines.

I had the opportunity to taste one of its local red wines back in 2002. It was a 1998 Ερμίνος (Herminos) red. It was a limited family production and not certain if they are still producing under the same label. It is a blend of Cabernet Sauvignon, Grenache Rouge, and Merlot--one of my favorite blends. Deep ruby color, it was still rich in tannins but flavorful. Eight years later, it has a brilliant ruby color, rich body, well balanced, a very pleasant lingering taste, with no signs of decline. Should be good for another 2-5 years.

The Wine Cellar gives it a deserving rating of 91 points.

2003 Βερβά Red

Early in the turn of the new century my village experienced sort of a renaissance as wine making became popular again. Many "weekend-residents", as they are known because they escape from Athens to the village during the weekend and holidays, bought land in prime wine growing areas, or added and replaced their vines--those that were fortunate to own grape vines. The first vintage was in 2003 and it was my first acquaintance with local wines since I left from Greece as a teenager. The wines were French varietals--blend of Cabernet, Merlot and Syrah--and initially light-bodied, typical of a young vineyard. It had a brilliant red garnet color and the blending of all three was an excellent combination of color, taste and body.

When I first tasted the 2003 Red from the Βερβά vineyards in 2004 it was a modest red wine, light bodied and lacking character. Over the years the wine improved a bit but still remained an uninteresting one. So I was very pleased when I tried it again in May 2010. While it remains a light body--both in appearance and taste--it is now very smooth and very well balanced. While it is lean, it is also lively and refreshing. It is very good with light mediterranean food. Its color remains a brilliant ruby and it should be good for another 3-4 years in a cellar. I give it 89 points.

There is a point that should not be missed here--for the neophytes in wine ageing. The improvement in this wine from 2004 to 2010 with proper preservation is remarkable. Although it hasn't become a great wine, mostly because of the age of the vines in 2003, it is now a good wine!

1986 Chevalier de Bayard, Emissary Selection

Rated 94 points by the Wine Cellar

This is the week for 1986 French wines--so it turns out. I posted a couple of days ago a review of a 1986 Marc Bredif Vouvray white--an excellent wine, by the way--and I thought it is only fair to continue with a 1986 red as well. It is a 1986 Chevalier de Bayard that I have been aging since 1987. I bought two cases back then and have been drinking them--very slowly--on special occasions. The wine isn't a great one by French standards. In other words, it doesn't have the impressive credentials of French wines. It is a Vin de Pays from the l'Herault region--a modest wine. I bought it because it satisfied my not very sophisticated taste at that time. It had improved a bit as it matured, but I had almost forgotten that I had it. A couple of weeks ago as I was updating my cellar inventory, I noticed it and I thought it's probably way passed its prime. Worried about being embarrassed in case it's a flop, my wife and I decided to have it all by ourselves one beautiful May evening in our front patio. What a wise decision! The wine turned out to be one of the best wines I have tasted so far.

The first thing I noticed was its color. It was a brilliant ruby with no traces of brown--meaning it has a few years left before it's past its prime. With 11% alcohol, early bottles were a bit thin--perhaps its main weakness. This one, however, had a considerably improved body--one of the chief benefits of ageing wines. This wine doesn't have a great nose--no fruits, no complex flavors. Its greatest strength was an incredible round and long taste with almost perfect balance. You simply don't want the taste to end. We were so impressed with it, we decided not to drink it all that evening. We enjoyed this rare find over the next two nights. Have three bottles left and will be reporting on them in the next few years--hope it continues to improve.

I had bought this wine back in 1987 around $15 per bottle. Don't know what might cost today, but it is well worth it, for my taste. I give it 94 points!

Marc Bredif: 1986 Vouvray--Grand Annee...

Age DOES matter!

Rated 94 points by the Wine Cellar

In a recent post it was mentioned that I had the opportunity to visit the wine cellar of Marc Bredif wines in Vouvray in the Loire Valley of France this past April. What an an extraordinary experience that was! In the 2 km cellar, Marc Bredic Vouvray wines are perhaps the oldest white wines still available. Most people believe that white wines peak between 5 and 10 years--and that may be true for most wines. But the Vouvray wines we saw and tasted disprove that myth and the reason may be the almost ideal conditions of the Marc Bredif cellar.

We tasted several of the Marc Bredif wines, but the 1986 Vouvray, Grand Annee white was one of the best whites I have ever tasted--perhaps the best. Brilliant light gold color, full body, with all the wonderful complex flavors a 24 years old wine brings. Great balance of sweetness and fruits. A very pleasant lingering after taste. A truly great wine. It was the first time for me to taste a quality wine at a winemaker's cellar and undoubtedly the proper preservation of the wine does make a difference. You never know how well the wines are preserved from the time they leave the winemaker till they reach the consumer half the way around the world...

I have no illusions that I will ever taste wines that are rated in the 95 to 100 points range. And to be frank, I am not sure I would be able to fully appreciate the greatness of such wines. For that reason, I will have to rate this one nearly the top of my scale--94 points which professional wine tasters might find a bit high...I regret that I didn't bring with me a few bottles. Once I return to the US in the fall, I will try to locate the 1986 Vouvray--and if I do, hope I can afford it...

French Wine Review...

2006 Cotes du Rhone, E. Guigal-Chateau D' Ampuis

Rated 92 points by The Wine Cellar

I tasted a couple red wines before I came across this 2006 Cotes du Rhone. Although its cork was a bit dry--not preserved properly--it was an excellent pick. Brilliant in color, full bodied, well balanced with subtle cedar flavor. It had a velvety character that was very smooth and interesting at the same time. It was an excellent companion to various cheeses and a wheat/nutty bread. Will have to try it with meat and rich food, although my expectation is that it may may not be the best pairing.

I have to confess that I have been partial to Argentinean and Spanish wines with limited experience with French wines. This and a few other french wines I have tasted in my recent travel to France appear destined to change all this...

This Week's Wine Review...

2003 Chateau Souverain, Chardonnay

Rated 92 points by The Wine Cellar

March 5, 2010: In 2005 I bought a case of 2003 Chardonnay form Chateau Souverain, Sonoma County. I have tasted the wine before and was impressed with its complex character. It wasn't however till recently when I tasted it again that my opinion of it improved considerably. The wine has matured very well and it could very well be at its peak.

Winemaker Ed Killian has chosen grapes from three Sonoma County wine growing regions to create this multi-layered Chardonnay. Russian River Valley was chosen for its honeysuckle floral aromas and tropical fruit flavors; Alexander Valley for pear and peach flavors; and Carneros for its ripe-apple and lemon-citrus. French barrels gave it a toasty oak flavor.

This Chardonnay lived every bit up to the description of its winemaker. Brilliant, full-bodied, balanced, complex, concentrated, and with a subtle oak flavor it's an outstanding wine. I paid about $15/bottle in 2005 and that places it in the upper range of the wines that are in most peoples' budget--including mine. There are many wines as good in this price category but with a rating of 92 points, The Wine Cellar recommends that it is added to the inventory of even a modest cellar.

Wine and Food Party...

Another successful wine and food party was celebrated by the wine enthusiasts of the Raintree cal du sac last evening. The much anticipated annual event lived up to the expectations of everyone. Wines from France, Italy, Spain, Australia and California were paired with mouth-watering appetizers prepared by the excellent cooks of our group.

The evening started with a French Duval-Leroy Champagne accompanied by Lincet Chaource cheese. A 2005 Shiraz by RockBare of McLaren Vale, South Australia was paired with a bruschetta of roquefort cheese and fruit. A 2003 Chardonnay by Chateau Souverain, Sonoma County was paired with aged Goulda and Jarlsberg cheeses. Another bruschetta of cheese and ham was the mate of a 2008 Merlot by Lindemans from South Eastern Australia. A 2007 Yecla red wine by Castano Monastrell from Spain had a stuffed mushroom--full of spices, and chopped cheese and italian sausages-- companion. A 2002 French red wine--Vin de pays de'l Herault--was matched with a very tasty steakhouse classic tri tip by Morton's of Omaha. And a 2007 red Italian wine--Sicilia Nero D'Avola--by Epicuro paired with a delicious antipasto capped the event.

The description of this memorable evening would be incomplete without mentioning the most important ingedient that contributed to its success--the wonderful friends that we are so fortunate to have found in this warm and sunny corner of America. We can't wait for the encore event...

Wine Review...

2004, Shingleback, Cabernet Sauvignon. Rated 92 points by The Wine Cellar

Let's start with a disclosure--I am not, even by a long stretch, a wine expert and definitely not a wine critic. But I love grapes and wine and want to demystify the reviews of wines and make them a bit simpler and better understood by common folk. I say this with great respect and humility toward wine critics. So this is the inaugural post of wine reviews and wish it will give you something to cheer...

The wine I chose is a 2004, Shingleback, Cabernet Sauvignon by McLaren Vale, South Australia. In the label, the winemaker says that the wine is "named after the lizards that live happily amongst the vines. Enjoy now or cellar for up to 8 years". It is 14.o% alcohol. I bought two bottles for $16/bottle in February 2008. Drank one in 2008 and kept the other one in cellar till February 2010. Unfortunately I did not keep notes on this wine in 2008 and regret not doing so. I was very impressed with it when I tasted again a few days ago and that is the reason I decided to write about it. I rate it 92 points, one of the highest ranked wines that I have tasted and for the price it is a "best buy" for The Wine Cellar and highly recommended.

If you are like me, you rate wines as real good, good, average, and bad. Now, that's not necessarily a bad description of wine but it doesn't do justice to them. Wines want their character fully revealed. They have flavor, taste and color and we must at least try to get to know them up close and personal. The McLaren Valley winemaker describes this wine as a deep red, full-bodied wine. Blackcurrant, blueberry and dark chocolate flavours that have been enhanced by 12 months maturation in fine grained French and American oak. That's a bit better than saying merely that this is a very good wine. Read the label and, of course, get to know the wine. Discover its personality; describe its soul; bring it to life and it will reward you beyond your expectations...