December of each year is the time when the most wine is sold and consumed, especially sparkling wines. Accordingly, my tasting notes include some pretty outstanding wines from holiday gatherings.

Simonet-Febvre, Cremant de Bourgogne Pinot Noir  $16.
Any French sparkling wine that is not grown in the Champagne region must be labeled Cremant. This one from Burgundy is a bargain for its price to quality ratio. The 100% Pinot Noir gives this a rich flavor that is much fuller than the Blanc de Blancs Chardonnay version. 

Stony Hill, 1999 Chardonnay, Napa
As my son Doug says “Stony Hill never disappoints”. I don’t advise holding on to most California Chardonnays for 8 years, but this is one that ages well. This tastes like a young wine and would fool any expert as to its age; it could even be decanted. 

Domaine des Baumard, 2003 Quarts de Chaume, Loire Valley
Certainly the best example of just how good the Chenin Blanc wine can be as a dessert wine and arguably the best late harvest wine of the Loire. It has subtle elegance with a lingering finish. There is a limited amount in our area, but not much. 

Kistler, 2002 Pinot Noir, Russian River Valley
WOW! There is always a discussion on what wine goes best with the traditional holiday turkey dinner. This is the one! This huge Pinot Noir reminds me only of DRC’s that I’ve had. I’ve never had a richer Pinot Noir from California. Check out my top wines of the year in January I think this one will make it. 

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La Sirena, 2000 Syrah, Napa Valley
We decanted this one hour before drinking and it could have used more time. This is a powerful wine, yet with only 13.2% alcohol its power comes from the fruit. The winemaker Heidi Petterson Barrett is one of the best in California and this wine shows why. 

Chateau Souverain, 2003 Cabernet Sauvignon, Alexander Valley $16.
This is one of the better large producers in California; they even make a good Merlot for under $20. The Cab is softer and more approachable, even when young, and the tannins are modest.

Rockbridge, 2004 Cabernet Franc, DeChiel Reserve, Virginia  $18.
Cabernet Franc may be the best red grape to be grown on the east coast. This Rockbridge from Virginia shows the subtle flavors that can be achieved. Rockbridge is a small winery just 2 miles off Route 81 and well worth a visit. 

Roland Sander, 1999 Daxheimer Doktor Riesling Trockenbeerenauslese, Rheinhessen
The computers spell check always yells at me when I enter Trockenbeerenauslese, but I will continue to drink them because they range from outstanding to unbelievable. This one was purchased by my son Doug for under $30, which is the least expensive I’ve seen since the 70’s. Deep gold color and syrupy body takes you to the rich flavors that only late, late harvest Riesling can yield.  

Raylen Vineyards & Winery, Brut Sparkling Wine, Yadkin Valley $25.
North Carolina wineries continue to expand the production of sparkling wine which is another sign of their increased sophistication. This is a blend of 60% Chardonnay, 30% Pinot Noir and 10 % Pinot Meunier. It's a soft wine because of the Chardonnay dominance, and the tell-tale small bubbles tell of the high quality of this wine. 

Chateau La Nerthe, 1998 Chateauneuf-du-Pape, Southern Rhone Valley
Their vineyard is planted with all 13 of the permitted grape varieties, however, the blend is not disclosed. A 9-year-old Chateauneuf from one of the best years in decades is really a treat, but this wine could continue to age for at least 10 more years. Balance is the word for this wine with rich flavors, and a complex finish which makes it outstanding. 

Louis Latour, 2002 Chassagne-Montrachet, Les Chenevottes 1er Cru, Cote-d’Or
See our “Special Features” about my Latour tasting. What a joy to taste one of the great white wines in the world. Soft, subtle flavors, but never doubt the backbone is there. 2002 was one of Burgundy’s best years for both whites and reds which is always important when spending more than $50 on a bottle of wine.

Rosenblum Cellars, 2005 Roussanne, Santa Barbara $20.
Santa Barbara is becoming one of my favorite wine regions for producing fine Rhone-style wines. This Roussanne, which is the best white grape grown in the Rhone Valley, combines the great value that Rosenblum offers with dynamic flavors which are the equal of all but the richest food pairings.

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Domaine Arretxea, 2002 Tannat, Cuvee Haitza, Irouleguy, France
At the Grayhound Restaurant in London I asked my son if he wanted me to pick out something interesting and I chose this wine. One of the great things about being in London is the chance to get wines not offered in NC or even most of the U. S. Irouleguy is a small, 200 hectare, wine appellation in the very southwest of France, and frankly, I have only had Tannat from the Madiran region of France and Uruguay. The wine had a deep red color and was soft but with some backbone. There was good fruit with only a hint of spice. It went very well with our lamb. 

Alión, 2003 Ribera del Duero, Spain $70. (see 5/07)
I bought this at Philglas & Swiggot which is my favorite wine shop in my son’s London neighborhood. We decanted it 30 minutes before tasting and it could have had more time in the decanter. This was a very good accompaniment for the lamb stew that my daughter-in-law prepared. The wine is supple and rich, yet not overpowering. 

Zonin, 2005 Gambellara, Marche, Italy
At the Osteria Antica Bologna, which is my son’s neighborhood Italian restaurant, we had this unique wine. Zonin is a very large producer of Italian wines and it owns the Barboursville Vineyard near Charlottesville, Virginia. The wine had a light flavor which worked well with our shared appetizer and my veal roll. 

Qupé, 2003 Syrah, Central Coast, California
The Four O Nine is a new London restaurant opened by the former chef at Chez Bruce. I wanted to show my son the wines of Qupé since I had recently written an article about them for Triad Living Magazine. The wine went perfectly with our lamb dish. It was a full, rich wine with deep flavors of Syrah and a hint of spice. At 34 British Pounds it was a bit expensive given the conversion at $2 to the Pound. 

El Candado, Pedro Ximenez Sherry, Jerez de la Frontera
After lunch at the Oriel restaurant in London, I had a glass of this PX and I was in heaven. It was thick and rich, and I can still remember the taste. It was so good I had a second glass. 

Domaine Bernard de Faix, 2005 Chablis 1er Cru Vallons $30.
This was our starter wine on the last evening in London. Chablis is my “desert island” white wine and this one was everything a Chablis should be - rich flavors with the classic mineral finish. 

Castello Banfi, 2000 Brunello di Mantalcino, Tuscany
On my last night in London I went to the Italian grocery store and bought items to prepare dinner for my son and his wife. He decided not to open my simple Italian red and went to his cellar and pulled out this not so simple wine. It was as smooth as silk and rich as well. We decanted it for about forty minutes, but it could have had more time. What a fine send off to a great trip. 

McConnell Estates, 2004 Tempranillo Wackman Ranch $17.
McConnell is a small producer in the Lodi region of California where vineyards of only a few hundred acres are called modest. I was surprised when visiting the tasting room that they offered a Tempranillo since very little is grown outside of Spain. However, this one was so good I brought a bottle back. The wine is deep in color with rich flavors, but most surprisingly it had a spicy aftertaste which the Spanish versions don’t have. 

Charles Bove 2006 Vouvray, Loire Valley
This was a wine I bought for the article I was working on with my son Doug, and I didn’t include it in the tasting review. I opened it this month and was surprised at the terrific flavors from the Chenin Blanc grape. It was slightly sweet but not over-powering. I am not generally a fan of Vouvrays, but I will check this one out again.

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Childress, 2006 Fine Swine Wine
This wine was made for the Lexington Barbeque Festivals of 2007 and is for sale only at the winery and the Festival. It’s a wine that was crafted just to accompany barbeque and is primarily made from Merlot. It has a slightly sweet taste and, yes, it does match well with Lexington’s favorite food. Now they need to produce a wine that pairs with Nana Pudding.

Lalleske, 2005 Clarry’s Barossa White, Barossa Valley $l5.
Increasingly I have been trying Chenin Blanc since it's a varietal that makes some great wines. I also am very fond of the Semillon, but I don’t think I’ve ever seen these two varietals blended before. This is 70% Semillon and 30% Chenin Blanc with a unique, very satisfying taste is unique. Leave it to the Australians to keep trying unique blends.

Domaine des Baumard, 2004 Savennieres, Loire Valley $25.
While we don’t see a lot of wines from the Loire Valley in NC, this is one to search out. The Savennieres are a Chenin Blanc based wine that has very limited production and the Baumard is one of the finest producers. This has a bold taste with rich finish. It can stand up to some of the strongest food pairings and it will age for at least 5 years.

Tablas Creek Vineyard, 2003 Esprit de Beaucastel, Paso Robles, $32.
This Rhone blend of 50% Mourvedre, 27% Syrah, 16% Grenache and 7% Counoise is an outstanding, rich red wine. The vines came from the Perrin Family estate of Chateau de Beaucastel and the California property is managed by their partner Robert Haas. At four years old this is still a youthful wine with potential to age at least 5 to 10 more years.

R. H. Phillips Vineyard, 2005 Late Harvest Viognier, Dunnigan Hills, California $17. (375 ml.)
Phillips is a large producer of wine, but this well-crafted dessert wine shows that they can make small quantities of rich, flavorful wine. Viognier is one of the world’s great grapes and as a late harvest wine it shows subtle sweetness and a richness not often seen.

Talijancich, 10 Year White Solero, Western Australia
A unique dessert wine blended with 70% Muscadelle, 20% Pedro Ximenes and 10% Verdelho. It has a brilliant red glow and the PX certainly makes it sherry-like in aroma and taste. Truly an international blend since the Muscadelle is a Bordeaux grape, the PX is Spanish and the Verdelho originates in Portugal.

Martinelli, 2005 Pinot Noir, Russian River
Known mainly for Zinfandel they make small quantities of Pinot Noir. Martinelli should certainly make more Pinots! This is as smooth and rich as a Pinot Noir can be and it would pair well with almost anything.

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2003 Kay Brothers, Shiraz Hillside, Australia   $24.
This is one big, rich wine. The bottle label recommends more bottle aging and decanting one hour prior to tasting. I think it needs more of both to smooth down. This is going to be really good when I try the next bottle I’ve cellared for another 2 to 5 years. 

2006 Les Champs des Plantes, Pouilly-Fume, Loire Valley  $16.
It is a shame that we don’t see more wines from the Loire Valley of France in our area. This Sauvignon Blanc-based wine has some of the richest fruit flavors I have had in this varietal and is a great example of the diversity of styles that this grape can produce. 

2005 Catena, Malbec, Mendoz  $20.
While Malbec is originally from Bordeaux, it’s rarely planted their any more, but the vineyards of Argentina have adopted this as their national grape. Few places can produce a Malbec as flavorful as the Argentineans and, specifically, Catena! This is a soft, mellow wine that has richness and finesse. 

2005 J, Pinotage, Sonoma Valley
Several years ago I stopped buying the South African Pinotage because they just seemed to be inferior wines and that country was doing really good things with better quality grapes. However, I was offered a glass of Pinotage while visiting the J Winery and was quite surprised to find that 12 acres of this grape was shared by 3 wineries. J’s version, only available at the winery, offered good quality fruit with a good bit of spice. There are always pleasant surprises during winery visits. 

2005 August Briggs, Pinot Meunier, Napa
One of the very few wineries that uses this grape for still wine. It is softer than most Pinot Noirs and was tasted at Mustard’s Grill in Napa with a grilled salmon. It was so good that I went to the winery and purchased a bottle. Look for more on how this wine ages in future notes. 

2003 Peju, Merlot, Napa
I had this wine at the very special Celadon Restaurant in Napa. It shows what a quality Merlot can taste like. This one had a generous amount of pepper with a finish that offered rich and complex flavors.  

1981 Sterling, Cabernet Sauvignon, Napa
I don’t have the price that I paid for this wine, but I’ll bet it was about $8. in 1985. I decanted the wine for 30 minutes to give it some air but it was delicate and I didn’t want to push it too much. With most of the tannin gone, I was left with the essence of wine that was really outstanding.

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August 07

2006 King Estate, Pinot Gris, Oregon $16.

While West Coast wines are relatively stable from vintage to vintage, I detected a major change in flavors in the 2005 version. I’m happy to say that this vintage is back to what I expect from King--Rich flavors with a slightly sweet aftertaste.

2005 Jessie’s Grove Winery, Earth, Zin & Fire Zinfandel, Lodi $15.

This is a new wine to me, but I will be having more. It is a big, rich and incredibly peppery wine.

Louis Latour, 2003 Vosne-Romanee, Burgundy $84.

Remarkably subtle in taste, this wine has complexity that shows through. These are the soft Pinot Noir flavors that we seek. This wine will improve for at least 5 years if I can wait that long to drink the other bottle in my cellar.

7 Heavenly Chards, 2005 Michael-David, Lodi $17.

This is a follow-up to their 7 Deadly Zins, and it combines Chardonnay grapes from 7 different vineyards. The well-rounded mouth feel is the signature of this wine, of which I’ve had several different vintages. Michael-David also makes the Windmill wines which are great values.

RayLen, 2005 South Mountain Vineyard Chardonnay, Yadkin Valley $16.

This is a wine that I’ve had every vintage of since it was first made in 1995. The only single vineyard-designated wine currently available from NC producers. The wines are grown on 3 acres in Morganton. The rich, complex flavors make this one of NC’s best white wines.

The Four Graces, Willamette Valley

I ordered a bottle of 2005 Pinot Blanc at the restaurant in the O. Henry Hotel in Greensboro and was very pleasantly surprised to find it had a richness that isn’t normally in Pinot Blanc. So I bought their 2005 Pinot Gris, $16. and the 2005 Pinot Noir, $30. Both blew me away with their rich flavors and smooth taste.

Perrin, Reserve Cotes du Rhone Blanc, France $11.

Owned by the Perrin family of Chateau de Beaucastel fame. It is a blend of Grenache Blanc, Bourboulenc, Marsanne, Roussane and Viognier. It is a great value and can work with a wide variety of foods.

Inama Vin Soave, Soave Classico, Veneto $14.

A blend of Garanega and Trebbiano, this wine’s color is the giveaway to the rich flavors. This is the richest Soave I’ve ever tasted.

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Parmesan cheese ageing in Emilia-Romagna, Italy

July 07

Rosenblum, 2005 Zinfandel, San Francisco Bay, California $17.

Rosenblum makes about 20 different Zins; I think this is one of the best. At this price it is a great value, with a rich, full flavor and spice that is nicely balanced. Drink over the next 3 to 4 years.

Domaine Carneros, 2001 Sparkling Wine Brut, Napa Valley $17.

Owned by Taittinger, which produces some of the best Champagne, this is one of the finest sparkling wines in California. The flavors offer a balance between the Pinot Noir and Chardonnay. It is fresh and refreshing

F. X. Pichler, 2005 Gruner Veltliner Federspiel, Austria $27.

This wine producer is considered one of the best in Austria (Rudi Pichler, his brother, is also an outstanding producer). Produced in the Wachau Valley, this still young wine had deep flavors with a hint of spice. Best after 2008.

Merry Edwards, 2003 Pinot Noir, Russian River, Sonoma

I selected this wine at Greensboro, NC’s Revival Grill from their reserve list. My dinner companions gave me “oohs” and “ahs” after tasting this wine. It was soft yet rich and was an excellent choice for a dinner where all four of us chose different entrees.

Shelton Vineyards, 2004 Port, Yadkin Valley $22. (half bottle)

Made with Cabernet Franc, this port is rich, flavorful and outstanding with the fruit not overpowered by the 19% alcohol. Shelton’s 2002 version was picked Best of Show at the Mid-Atlantic Southeastern Wine Competition; this one might be even better. No ports were made in 2003 at Shelton due to the wet weather.

Zind Humbrecht, 2004 Gewurztraminer, Alsace $23.

This was probably the 4^th bottle I’ve had, and it may be the best Gewurztraminer I’ve ever had (perhaps it might have been a Domaine Weinbach which I had in 2003, but what the heck). The spice is there and some sweetness, but it is very well balanced.

Legaris, 2003 Tinta Fina, Ribera del Duero, Spain

This estate grown Crianza is a full-flavored, rich wine for a Tempranillo. The finish is long and satisfying.

Solernera, 2004 Yecla DO, Spain $17.

I love to try new wine regions and new grape varieties. This wine is a blend of 65% Monastrell, 20% Cabernet Sauvignon, and 15% Tintorera (the new varietal). This is a rich, full-flavored wine, but not over the top. Well worth a try at this price.

Elk Cove Vineyard, 2005 Pinot Noir, Willamette Valley $29.

While anytime is great for Pinot Noir it seems that the lighter foods in the summer months are just perfect for this varietal. This Oregon wine shows why the Willamette Valley is a great source for Pinots. There is the needed richness, but with plenty of finesse.

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June 07

Talbott, 2004 Sleepy Hollow Chardonnay, Monterey

I enjoyed this wine at The Prime Rib in Washington. This is a full flavored, rich Chardonnay, one of the best in California.

Frog’s Leap, 2004 Merlot, Napa Valley

This wine went well with my prime rib dinner at The Prime Rib. This is what Merlot should taste like, not the usual drivel from California

Twomey, 2002 Merlot, Napa Valley

I tasted this wine with friends at a bring-a-bottle dinner in D.C. WOW! This may be the finest California merlot I’ve ever had.

F. Jobarn, 2000 Meursault, en la Barre, Burgundy

I selected this wine at the Raven & Peach in N. J. This is a milder Meursault than usual, but the pedigree shows through with subtle elegance.

Melville, 2004 Pinot Noir, Santa Rita Hills, Santa Barbara

First tasted at a trade tasting, I found this on the wine list at Doris & Ed’s in N. J. At the tasting it blew me away, but when I had a whole bottle it was as good as it gets. I said to the restaurant’s owner, to whom I offered a taste, that it was a “smelling” wine which means that merely smelling it is wonderful.

Qupé, 2006 Roussanne, Bien Nacido Hillside Estate, Santa Maria Valley, Santa Barbara  $39.

With friends for a dinner in my home, we enjoyed this one with 8 other Qupe wines (see the other wines reviewed in the Fall issue of Triad Living at www.triadlivingmagazine.com. When you look up Roussanne in a dictionary, you should see a photo of this bottle. It has richness, complexity yet finesse. It should continue to improve in the bottle for 6 years at least.

Pierre Sparr, 1996 Pinot Gris, Selection de Grains Nobles, Alsace

My first Grains Noble and it was terrific. The sweetness level was very rich with the flavors lingering over our dessert.

Paul Jaboulet Aine, 1998 Hermitage, La Chapelle, Rhone Valley

Arguably this wine is the finest example of the Syrah grape year in and year out. This has all of the richness you can handle yet there is the typical European finesse that you expect. This wine is near its peak now but will continue to be outstanding for several more years.

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Rhone Valley vineyards in France.

May 07

Chateau Langoa Barton, 2002 St. Julien, France $40.

For this modest price for a Bordeaux, it was outstanding. I poured this at my wine class. Decanter magazine selected M. Barton as their person of the year for 2007. It is a great wine now but will improve over at least 5 more years.

Chateau Talbot, 1986 St. Julien, France

A birthday gift from my older son, this wine is slightly past its prime but is still a terrific wine, proving that cellaring wine is important. It needs decanting to handle the sediment, but drink as soon as decanted.

Lachini Vineyards, 2003 Pinot Noir, Willamette Valley, Oregon $42.

This is an outstanding example of Oregon Pinots and why this is one of the best growing areas for this grape. It is pricy, but the age of the wine showcases the Pinot’s elegance.

Girard, 2003 Artistry, Napa Valley

A birthday gift, along with dinner, from Judi. This is a true Bordeaux blend with all five grapes represented and a Bordeaux-like structure--balanced yet with finesse. This wine will continue to improve for at least 4 more years.

Alion, 1997 Ribera del Duero, Spain

The perfect time to drink this. One of Spain’s best, it has a backbone yet is soft and subtle.

Las Rocas, 2004 Garnacha, Calatayud, Spain $9.99

This is a terrific wine, especially at under $l0. It’s a bargain and, unlike many other Garnacha wines, it is not overly spicy, but well crafted. I bought a case.

Weingut Max Ferd. Richter, 2004 Veldenzer Elisenberg Riesling Spatlese, Mosel $28.

Dr. Richter and his family have been making wine in the Mosel for over 250 years; I guess they’ve figured it out by now. His wines are outstanding. This 2004 is a bit lighter than the 02s and 01s, but it is still rich, sweet and typical for Mosel Riesling; the Pradikat shows through.

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