Top 10 Wines of 2011

Just for fun I thought I'd put together a list of my favorite wines from the past 12 months of gustatory indulgence. I didn't take vintage into account as this isn't a list of my favorite wines released in 2011. It's just anything that I really enjoyed over the past calendar year. I decided to immediately disqualify wines that I had inconsistent results with and prices are all over the map; ranging from $10 to about $50. It was tough cutting the list from 125 or so down to 10, but here's my best attempt, in alphabetical order, with a link to my original note:

2008 Argiolas Korem, IGT Isola dei Nuraghi - Bovale Sardo? What is that? A kind of beef? A famous opera singer? Nope It's a grape that pretty much only grows on the island of Sardinia. And if this one doesn't make you a believer in Bovale Sardo then maybe you should just stick to Sangiovese and Barbera.

2008 Bennett Lane Turn 4 Cabernet Sauvignon, Napa Valley - I tried a lot of California Cabernets last year (no surprise there, huh?) and this was my favorite. Decadent fruit, licorice, judicious oak and good tannins for a very easy-to-swallow $25. What's not to like?

2006 Casar de Burbia, D.O. Bierzo - Like Bovale Sardo, this is a grape that I only discovered recently. Just a beautiful combination of rustic fruit, licorice and oak. If they grew Zinfandel in Spain, this is what it would taste like. And a great pairing with paella!

2010 Charles & Charles rose, Columbia Valley - Summertime to me is rose time. And of all the ones I enjoyed last year, this 100% Syrah version really stood out. Bold and dry - this isn't your aunt's White Zinfandel. A bit too chilly outside now to be drinking this wine, but as soon as it warms up again, I'll be buying again. Highly recommended with tuna tartare.

2005/7 Cuvelier los Andes Grand Vin, Mendoza - The best wine(s) I've ever had from Argentina. I was fortunate to have two vintages of this last year and since I couldn't decide which one I liked better, I just both on the list. Mostly Malbec with smaller amounts of Cabernet, Merlot, Syrah and Petit Verdot. Grill a slab of beef and allow this wine's Bordeaux roots to shine.

2008/9 Dunning Ridge Top Zinfandel, Paso Robles - Another one where I had multiple vintages and just couldn't pick one. I've written a lot about Dunning's wines and their picturesque B&B in Paso Robles and I'll continue to write about them. Not sure what kind of distribution this small, family-owned winery has outside of California, but I encourage everyone to sign up for their wine club. Their Cabernets and Syrahs are also outstanding.

2009 Sean Minor Red Wine, Napa Valley - This highly-anticipated Petit Verdot-heavy blend finally hit Kansas City last fall and I couldn't wait to get my hands on a bottle. If I had to pick one California label synonymous with "value" these days it would be Sean Minor. Even this, his most expensive wine, retails for under $20. And his $15 Pinot Noirs, Cabernets and Chardonnays are a steal, too. Buy this wine and anything else that says "Sean Minor" on the label.

2007 Kent Rasmussen Esoterica Chavez-Leeds Vineyard Petit Sirah, Rutherford - No jammy, tooty-fruity nonsense in this one. What we have here is a benchmark for structured, serious, rustic Petit Sirah that, sadly, seems to be harder and harder to find these days. Wonderful acidity and that trademark "Rutherford dust," too.

2010 Tablas Creek Patelin Blanc, Paso Robles - Another one that took a while to reach Kansas City, but it was worth the wait. I cant imagine a better white wine to pair with Mediterranean cuisine than this floral, honeyed white Rhone-style blend. Can't wait for the Patelin red that is supposed to reach Kansas early in 2012.

2007 Terlan Pinot Bianco, Alto Adige - One of the first wines I drank in 2011 and still one of the best. Oh, the tropical fruit and wet stone profile that this one offers! Artichokes are notoriously difficult to pair with wine, but this one pulled it off without a hitch.

Venison and two wines that don't suck.....

2005 Cuvaison ATS Selection Two Estates, Napa Valley - I'm not sure of the exact blend of this wine, but the winery website says the current vintage (2008) is 64% Merlot, 30% Cabernet Sauvignon and 6% Malbec sourced from vineyards on Mt. Veeder and in Carneros. If this is the approximate blend/source of the 2005, then I can say this is very full-bodied for a Merlot blend. Decadent nose of Dark cherries, milk chocolate, cedar, vanilla and just a hint of game. Delicious cherry/vanilla flavors on the palate with still considerable tannins and a long, chocolaty finish.My father-in-law has been a member of Cuvaison's wine club for the better part of two decades now and I've been lucky to have tasted most of the the top-of-the-line ATS Selection Cabs and Chards and they continue to impress. About $50



2004 Fattoria La Lecciaia Brunello di Montalcino - Beautiful reddish-brown color that one expects from a top notch Brunello. The nose here is classic Tuscan with the bright raspberry fruit, fennel bulb, rust and hints of cedar and dark earth - just a pleasure to smell from a big ol' Riedel glass! Rich and rustic on the palate with sweet cherries, licorice and monstrous, dusty tannins. Nice balance here of fruit, tannins and acid suggest this wine could easily go another decade (or longer) in the cellar. $40

For dinner, I cut one of our venison backstraps (a country term for loin) into 2" steaks and pan-seared them in olive oil and butter for about 2 minutes on each side. I removed the steaks from the pan and set them aside to rest. In the pan, I built a sauce with chopped shallots, Maker's Mark Bourbon, veal stock and blackberry jam. After reducing and straining the sauce I added some fresh, lightly crushed blackberries. Sides were wild rice with cranberries and pecans and haricot vert. I'm not normally one to toot my own horn, but the meal was superb. I think the fruitiness of the Cuvaison ended up making it the better wine pairing as the sauce seemed to accentuate the Brunello's acidity.

Austin Hope Troublemaker

Had the non-vintage Austin Hope Troublemaker (Blend 2), Paso Robles tonight with a devilishly good grilled flank steak with charmoula sauce. A blend of 73% Syrah, 12% Grenache, 8% Petite Sirah and 7% Mourvedre, the Troublemaker shows a vibrant cranberry color in the glass. Primal, tart cherry and raspberry aromas gradually give way to licorice notes. Quite acidic on the palate with well-defined raspberry, black pepper and leathery flavors. Moderately tannic with no trace of oak. Clipped finish. A bit tart and acidic to enjoy as a sipper, but the mouth-watering acidity leaves you begging for another sip after each bite of food. Nice, atypical, food-friendly Paso blend for under $20

2007 Alain Jaume "Les Valats" Cotes-du-Rhone

Opened the 2007 Alain Jaume Les Valats Rasteau, Cotes-du-Rhone Villages with tonight's bacon-wrapped/smoked pheasant breast. This negociant wine from Domaine Grand Veneur is a dense and chewy blend of 90% Grenache and 10% Syrah that nicely evolves in the glass over the course of a meal. Initially shows a lot of funky earth, campfire and meaty aromas and flavors. As it opens up in the glass, it reveals layers of dry cocoa, sweet/tart raspberry and hickory wood. Tannins are moderate at best, but the orange peel-flavored acidity is off the charts. Long, dry woody finish. Could develop into something nice with a couple of years in the cellar.

The pheasant was, in a word, superb. Might be the best pheasant I've ever grilled. I sprinkled each breast with kosher salt, black pepper and herbs de Provence before wrapping in a slice of apple wood smoked bacon. I then grilled the breasts (indirect heat) over charcoal augmented with apple wood chips. Sides were roasted sweet potatoes with butter and rosemary and a mixed green salad with an orange-Sherry vinaigrette.

2007 Hess Allomi Vyd. Cabernet

My small clutch of 2007 Hess Allomi Vineyard Cabernet Sauvignon, Napa Valley has been hit or miss; mostly miss. I drank my last bottle tonight and thankfully the relationship ended on something of a happy note. Consider it a break-up when both parties agree to part ways. Nothing to complain about with the color. Nose seems somewhat woody and stemmy, but there's plenty of sweet cherry fruit in there, too. The palate starts off nice and smooth, but turns tart and alcoholic on the finish. tannins are fierce, but I fear there isn't enough fruit for this wine to age very well. Finishes with lots of wood and dry bay leaf characteristics. Nice enough with dinner, but just a bit too dry and tart for my preferences. About $25.

Dinner was a delicious venison stroganoff made with meat from a doe I shot last week on my property during deer season. I've heard horror stories about how dry and tough venison meat is, but this was buttery tender. I'm not sure exactly which cut I used as the processor just labelled it "venison roast" but it resembled a smaller version of a beef rump roast.

Some really belated Thanksgiving notes...

Yikes! I just saw these languishing in a note on my iPhone. Perhaps they will be of use to those of you who enjoy a traditional Thanksgiving dinner (turkey, dressing, cranberries, etc., etc.) at Christmas, too:

2010 Esperto Pinot Grigio, IGT Venezie - Pretty nose of wet stone and red apples. Rich and full-bodied with a rocky, mineral-driven palate. Might be a bit one dimensional with the rocky stuff, but I kind of dig it. Really dry with good acidity.

2009 Garnet Pinot Noir, Monterrey - Distinctive for its unusual complexity for a Pinot Noir in this price range. Sweet cranberry and raspberry nose seamlessly moves into meaty/salami notes with a touch of sweet herb. Almost Rhone-like with the fruit profile, meat and spice notes. The fruit on the palate is a bit tart, but there's good acidity in there. A nice, food friendly style. $15

2009 Sean Minor Pinot Noir, Carneros - What more can I say about this wine? Still my favorite Pinot value with its effusive black cherry, vanilla and thyme notes. Medium bodied with nice tannins. Quite dry. A steal at $15

2009 Block Nine Caidens Vineyards Pinot Noir, California - Lightest color of the three Pinot Noirs. Dried bay leaf notes on the nose. Doesn't seem nearly as fruity as previous bottles. Dry cocoa and woody flavors on the palate. I need to try this again and see if this was just a bad bottle. A normally reliable $12

2010 Schug Sauvignon Blanc, Sonoma Coast - This is another wine that seemed really atypical from previous enjoyable bottles. Very herbaceous compared to previous bottles with vegetal/tomato leaf and tart grapefruit aromas and flavors. Bright acidity, but a bit too New Zealand for my tastes. Where's the sweet California fruit and the floral Sauvignon Musque nose?

2008 Andrew Will Cabernet Sauvignon, Columbia Valley - This was a popular wine after dinner, but it isn't my cup of tea at all. Heavy American oak/coconut nose. Toasty, tart blackberry fruit on the palate eventually gives way to resurgent American oak. Dry cocoa finish. Monolithic. Seems quite formulaic to me. $15

2010 Tinto Negro Reserve Malbec

Had an interesting evening with the 2010 Tinto Negro Uco Valley Reserve Malbec, Mendoza tonight. Until tonight, I don't think I'd ever had an Uco Valley Malbec or any other Malbec described (according to the back label) as "cool climate." The color is as dark, if not darker than any other Malbec I've ever had. One of those wines so dark that it literally sucks the light out of the room. The nose is a melange of herbal cherry notes reminiscent of cherry cough syrup or Jagermeister. More cough syrup flavor on the palate accompanied by some odd carob and maple notes. No alcohol to note. Serious tannins. The wine is aged in French oak (10% new) for 9 months, but I don't detect any oak notes. About $20

Are those medicinal notes typical for cool climate Malbec? Not sure I really ejoyed this wine tonight with my BBQ turkey, baked beans and cole slaw, but it certainly was a unique learning experience.

Two from Spain

Tried a couple of Spanish wines on Saturday. The first was recommended to me by a customer who had special ordered a case and kindly let me buy a bottle. The Rioja is one of the wines we are featuring in our Wine of the Month club:

2010 Penelope Sanchez Garnacha/Syrah, D.O. Borja - Pretty magenta color. Heady, alcoholic, raspberry/mocha nose. Suffers a bit from that dry, herbal, "bay leaf" sensation on the palate. Nice $10 daily drinker, but nothing more. I'm a little confused by some of the critical praise for this one as I've had better Spanish Garnacha in this price range (Las Rocas, Menguante, Tres Picos)

2005 Marques de Caceras Reserva, Rioja - The anti-Rioja. Impenetrable color. Aged in 100% French oak that drifts towards smoke and vanilla rather than the normal aromas of pickle and Bourbon associated with Riojas aged in American hogsheads. Massive tannins. Leathery, blackberry palate with a subtle floral note. Should age quite well. A Rioja for those who prefer Cabernet Sauvignon to Pinot Noir. About $25.