2008 Federalist "Visionary" Zinfandel, Dry Creek Valley

Holy smokes! Has it really been a month since I've posted anything here? I knew I was being lame and lazy, but I had no idea that it had gotten that bad. I'll really try to do better. But seriously, the vast majority of what I drink these days are wines distributed by Amphora that I bring home after a long day of tasting with retailers and/or restaurants. I don't want to use this site to prop up my own wines and I've had these wines so many times that I don't even bother dissecting them any more. But every once in a while, like tonight, I drink something I don't distribute.



I've recently had the 2008 Federalist Visionary Zinfandel, Alexander Valley twice and I can't say that I'm really impressed. Is it the wine? Or maybe it's because I would have aligned myself with the anti-federalists had I been around in the late 1700s? Anyway, the wine has a rather translucent, cranberry color. When the cork is first pulled, the nose is all about tart raspberry fruit. Swirlitude in a big Riedel Cabernet glass coaxes out lots of coconut-laced American oak and distinct chocolate note. Missing is any hint of pepper or spice, hallmarks I look for in a good Zinfandel. The 14.2% alcohol isn't noticeable and the wine, to its credit, has nicely-balanced acidity and tannins. Finishes rather sweet with raspberry jam and American oak. I think I paid about $25 for this when I was in St. Louis over Christmas. I've since seen it all over Kansas City for about the same price. But I doubt it is anything I would buy again.

And I have to apologize for the shoddy image that isn't properly sized or centered. I have yet to figure out the new layout at blogger.com. It used to be so simple to post stuff here and they just went and fucked everything up. (Same goes for photobucket.) I have no idea how to re-size an image now or change its orientation.

2011 J Vineyards Pinot Gris

The 2011 J Vineyards and Winery Pinot Gris, California has one of the most amazingly intense noses I've come across in recent memory. Luscious waves of tangerine, ginger, cantaloupe and white flowers tantalize the nose while honeyed melon and mineral notes tease the palate. There's a hint of residual sugar on the finish, but it does not detract from the wine's overall crisp and clean nature. Would make an excellent summertime sipper. A beautiful wine in the sub-$15 range that paired perfectly with tonight's shrimp/shiitake mushroom/spinach/bowtie pasta toss.

I must confess, I haven't had anything from Jordan/J Vineyards in probably 20 years as I tend to avoid mass-produced/name brand labels when possible. But being a big domestic Pinot Gris fan, I thought I'd take a chance on this one that I saw at a grocery store in St. Louis over Christmas.

Since the new so-called "upgraded Photobucket won't allow me to upload a picture from a url, you'll just have to look up the label for yourself if you want to know what the bottle looks like. Grrrrr.....

2006 Purisma "Trapio" Monastrell

I first had the 2006 Bodegas la Purisma Trapio Monastrell, Yecla about 6 months ago at a staff tasting for the retailer I used to work for. At the time I remember thinking it was still quite young and in desperate need of some rustic, hearty food. Going on 6 or 7 years now, the wine's color shows no sign of age. The bouquet is an amazing explosion of kirsch liqueur, new saddle leather and crushed fennel seed. Really, one of those wines you could just smell all night long. Tons of sweet cherry, game and licorice caress the palate before being hammered on the finish with ferocious tannin. The whole fruit/tannin/acid balance suggests this wine could effortlessly age another decade. I can't remember the exact price for this one, but I think it retails in the low $20 range. A stunning value.

Dinner tonight was a rich and hearty venison stew over white rice. The gamey notes from the wine were an absolute perfect match with the braised deer meat.

2010 Clayhouse Adobe White

I know I haven't been posting much here lately. I've been quite busy now that the distributorship is up and running. In my first week of peddling wine, I've succeeded in getting our wines placed in 6 or 7 retailers as well as 2 wine bars. I'm particularly proud of the fact that everyone who has ordered wine from me has taken on multiple cases of multiple wines. That tells me that our initial offering of wines from Dunning and Lucas & Lewellen was a sound choice. Not a bad start. But much, much more room for growth.

I've mostly been drinking our own wines as well as one amazing Chenin Blanc that we are bringing on as soon as the paperwork gets finalized. But I did manage to find the time to cook up a good meal of fish tacos and enjoy a delicious bottle of 2010 Clayhouse Adobe White, Central Coast tonight. I've enjoyed numerous bottles of this winery's Clayhouse Red in the past, but this was my first time with this blend of 46% Viognier, 27% Sauvignon Blanc, 16% Grenache Blanc, 9% Other White and 2% Chenin Blanc. The color is bright and clear with brassy highlights. The nose is reminiscent of a Torrontes with its effusive floral and orange blossom scents with highlights of candle wax and thyme. Crisp and tart on the palate with lemon and orange pith notes and a thick, waxy texture. No oak here, but there is a hint of yeasty smokiness from the sur lie aging. Really over-delivers for $12.99 and a true OMG wine pairing with fish tacos with shredded cabbage, homemade guacamole and chipotle crema.

Two Chateauneufs-du-Pape with Venison

2001 Domaine Grand Veneur, Chateauneuf-du-Pape - Color is starting to fade, but still retains an attractive cranberry color. Pretty, Burgundian notes of forest floor, mushroom and sweet cherry with sweet thyme playing a supporting role. On the palate it is light and very dry with cherry and thyme notes and a long, tannic finish. Enjoy now as I think this wine is at or near its peak. 70% Grenache, 20% Syrah and 10% Mourvedre.

2003 Domaine du Grand Tinel Chateauneuf-du-Pape - Cloudy, yet still retains youthful coloration. Lots of dark cherry and chocolate in the nose here. Still quite sweet with cherry and spicy raspberry fruit on the palate. Turns really dry and woody, borderline unpleasant, on the finish. Great nose and palate, but loses points for the finish.

Dinner was pan-seared tournadoes of venison tenderloin with a rustic mushroom pan sauce and smashed Yukon gold potatoes. A delicious way to finish up the father-in-law's visit.

Top 10 Wines from 2012

Here's a list of the ten best wines that I enjoyed last year. Since I don't believe in trying to compare Oregon Pinot Gris head-to-head with California Cabernet Franc or Australian Shiraz, I'm just presenting these in alphabetical order.

2006 Bodega Abel Mendoza Seleccion Personal, Rioja - I typically don't gravitate towards Rioja since most of it is aged in inexpensive American oak barrels that impart a lot of dill and Bourbon notes. But I really liked this wine for its smoke, vanilla and raspberry fruit. This was served with grilled venison backstrap with a red wine/red currant reduction sauce. My father-in-law picked this one up on clearance; regularly $60, marked down to $15.

2008 Austrian Pepper Gruner Veltliner, Niederosterreich - I've had precious few examples of this varietal, but this one really impressed me with its beautiful green apple, candle wax and petroleum notes, waxy texture and electrifying acidity. And yes, there's a subtle hint of black pepper that gets you right on the tip of the tongue. About $15.

2008 Four Vines Heretic Petite Sirah, Paso Robles - Uncanny blackberry jam, cream and French roast coffee leap from the glass. Unctuous, gelatinous texture features loads of dark cocoa and blackberry liqueur. Another great pairing with venison, this time with a blackberry pan sauce. Purchased on sale for $30, regularly $40.

1995 Chateau de la Gardine Cuvee des Generations "Gaston Philippe", AOC Chateauneuf-du-Pape - I had high expectations for this wine, but I had no idea how well it would show against the 1995 and 1998 Chateau Beaucastel. Deep black fruit with a Barolo-like nose of roses, tar and fennel bulb. Absolutely stunning. I think I paid about $75 for this back on release.

2008 Justin Vineyards Justification, Paso Robles. This blend of 65% Cabernet Franc and 35% Merlot out-dueled the delicious 2008 Dunning Cabernet Franc. The sugary, blueberry cobbler nose and tremendous blue and black fruits immediately took me back to one of my all-time favorites, the 1994 Shafer Hillside Select Cabernet Sauvignon. Another bargain bin closeout steal ($20, normally $50) compliments of my father-in-law.

2008 King Estate Domaine Pinot Gris, Oregon - My good friend Alex and his wife brought this one over for a Memorial Day paella party. I believe they purchased this at the winery. With its layers of yeast, mineral and orange-tinted fruit it was easily the best domestic Pinot Gris I have ever had. Pricey at $40, but quite a treat.

2006 Alois Kracher Beerenauslese Cuvee, Burgenland - This is the only wine on the list that I enjoyed at a restaurant last year. This was paired with Mahon cheese, kumquat jelly and housemade black pepper crackers at Atlanta's Miller Union. The wine's sweet apricot and truffle notes were absolute perfection with the buttery, pungent cheese. One of the more memorable desserts I have ever had.

2006 Linne Calodo Nemesis, Paso Robles This blend of 82% Syrah, 14% Mourvedre and 4% Grenache beat out numerous Rhone Rangers from the likes of Dunning, Tablas Creek and Terry Hoage to make the list. Chocolate-covered cherries, fresh-cracked black pepper, camphor and sweet resinous herbs burst from the glass. Uncanny balance. With grilled flank steak and charmoula sauce. About $50

1994 Penfolds Grange Shiraz, South Australia - Fine-grain American oak, mint, eucalyptus and roasted meat with a mouth-coating texture and a finish that can be measured with a sundial. A true "iron fist in a velvet glove." About $150 on release and built to last forever.

2004 Tenuta Sette Ponti Oreno, IGT Tuscany - I drank a lot of middling Italian wines and a couple of big disappointments. But our friends Ron and Suzy really blew me away with this Sangiovese/Cabernet/Merlot blend. Bewildering aroma of blueberry cobbler and fresh rosemary with ferocious tannins. Great pairing with grilled filet and shiitake risotto. Currently sells for about $100.

Wow. Looking back, I can't help but marvel at how many great wines I've been fortunate to enjoy with so many great people last year. My business partner Chris and his wife. My father-in-law. My wife's sister and her husband in Atlanta. My dear friend Alex and his wife, Kerri. My wife's college roommate Suzy and her husband Ron, also in Atlanta. And, of course, my wife. I can only hope that 2013 is as full of great wine and great friendship as last year was. Now, if you'll excuse me, we're having venison tenderloin with a selection of Chateauneufs-du-Pape this evening......

2001 Cuvaison, Galleron Cabernets

Back in Paola now, we enjoyed two nice Napa Valley Cabernets, courtesy of my father-in-law, with tonight's leftover braised legs of lamb and venison. I served them over soft, cheesy polenta. Both wines were perfectly delicious with the dinner.

2001 Galleron Cabernet Sauvignon, Napa Valley - Beautiful color. Somewhat simplistic with tart cherry and raspberry and vanilla-scented oak notes. A bit hot. Still holding on quite well with a nice balance of fruit and tannin. Finishes a bit rustic. Drink now or hold for another 3-5 years. A very nice, mature Napa Valley Cabernet. About $26 on release.

2001 Cuvaison 35th Anniversary Cabernet Sauvignon, Napa Valley - The deepest blackberry and black cherry fruits and a hit of latex in the nose. Very classy, polished French oak. Sweet cherry notes on the palate with ferocious wood tannins. Really long, dry finish. But will the fruit outlive the tannins? A great expression of rugged Mt. Veeder Cabernet Sauvignon that I would be drinking now if I had any in my cellar. $75

Had the Cuvaison not been on the table at the same time, I think everyone would have been perfectly satisfied with the Galleron. But tasted side-by-side, it was pretty obvious that the Cuvaison displayed more depth and polish than the Galleron.