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.

1994 Penfolds Grange

Last night's Christmas dinner was whole braised leg of lamb with mashed potatoes and green beans sauteed with slivered almonds. After hemming and hawing around in the cellar looking at my wines and the selections my father-in-law brought up with him I decided against the myriad of Napa Cabernets, Bordeaux, Chateauneuf-du-Papes and Brunello and just pulled the trigger on my one lonely bottle of 1994 Penfolds Grange Shiraz, South Australia. We had been joking about it earlier in the day but then I decided "why not?" I've had it since release. And we gave my father-in-law a bottle (as a Christmas gift) back when we got ours. He has always promised to share his bottle with us when he gets around to opening it so I figured tonight's bottle would just be a preview of what's to come.

The wine exceeded all expectations. And that's something I consider a tall order for a bottle of wine originally costing $150 with a current value probably somewhere well north of that. Most times I have the privilege of tasting something in this price range I'm underwhelmed and find myself wondering what the wine does to justify the tariff. But not tonight. The pretty, deep color has a youthful magenta rim and shows no trace of being old enough to vote. The nose is full with well-integrated, Bourbon-tinged American oak, mint, eucalyptus and roasted meat. In the mouth the wine shows powerful tart berry, dark cocoa powder, a mouth-coating texture and fine tannins that lead to an impossibly long finish. Ready to drink now, but this wine will probably last forever. Seems a bit more alcoholic than the stated 14% alcohol. In doing a bit of research on the wine's accessibility yesterday, I couldn't help but notice that a lot of people describe this wine as "an iron fist in a velvet glove." And although cliche, it is entirely appropriate.

Two Blockbuster Paso Robles Blends

2008 Linne Calodo Slacker, Paso Robles - 70% Syrah, 25% Grenache and 5% Mourvedre. Dark, slightly cloudy crimson color. Super extracted blackberry and black pepper nose with hints of sweet Provencal herb. Quite smooth on the palate with lots of tart blackberry flavor. Tannins are already nicely resolved. Good acidity with a heady vanilla finish. Seems a bit more polished and restrained than the handful of other wines I've had from this producer. 15.3% alcohol...and it shows. Outstanding with the food, so-so on its own. Normally $50, on closeout for $15.

2008 Four Vines Anarchy, Paso Robles - 36% Zinfandel, 35% Mourvedre and 29% Syrah - Opens with earthy Mourvedre-influenced aromas and flavors that gradually give way to sweet cherry and maple/brown sugar notes. Quite a remarkable transformation in this regard. Seamless and harmonious on the cherry- and raspberry-tinged palate and an impossibly long, luscious finish. Hides the 15.0% alcohol quite well. Much more enjoyable on its own. Normally $30, but purchased on sale for $20. Note: at the time, this wine was being produced by the Four Vines Winery. The Four Vines label has since been sold and current vintages of this wine are produced and marketed by Cypher Winery.

The embarrassment of riches continues with tonight's meal of seared tournados of venison backstrap with a blackberry demi-glace sauce, wild rice and roasted asparagus. As I mentioned above, the Linne Calodo was my preferred wine with the food, but after dinner the Four Vines really came into its own. You really couldn't go wrong with either wine.

Two California Syrahs

2006 Cuvaison Syrah, Carneros - Ridiculous raspberry liqueur and white pepper notes on the nose. Little bit of roasted coffee in there, too. Still fiercely tannic with white pepper and tart raspberry notes on the palate. Color hasn't faded a bit. 14.5% alcohol is not an issue. With the fruit concentration, I think this wine could easily hold on for another 5-7 years. A very reasonably priced $32 from a very underrated California producer.

2007 Dunning Vineyards Syrah, Paso Robles - Nothing new here. No sign of age in the glass. All of the stunning licorice, blackberry and dark, dry cocoa that I have come to expect from this wine. Beautifully balanced interplay of acidity and tannins suggest this one also has a long life ahead of it. I have two of these left in the cellar in addition to a few bottles each of the 08 and 09 vintages. About $35

Tonight's dinner was roasted Cornish game hens stuffed with a Cajun-inspired stuffing of sausage, cornbread and aromatics. Braised Brussels sprouts with dried cranberries, chopped walnuts and applewood smoked bacon also graced the plate. A terrific meal fit for the holiday season.

Amphora Distribution

Well, I finally decided what I would do with regards to the new wholesale business and this blog. I set up a separate blog for the business at amphoradistribution.blog.com where I can review and discuss the wines that we will be representing as well as those that we are considering bringing into the fold. There is a disclaimer on the site that lets everyone know that it is a business-related blog and we have an interest in pushing the wines reviewed there. That being said, I will do my best to maintain my integrity and not over-sell modest wines or gloss over negative attributes of substandard wines.

I will maintain this site for reviewing wines that are either already represented in Kansas or wines that we have no interest in selling.

In addition to the new blog, I would really appreciate all my followers here also checking out our other websites and social media outlets:

Twitter: @AmphoraDistr

Home page: http://www.amphoradistribution.com/index.html

Facebook: http://www.facebook.com/AmphoraDistr?ref=ts&fref=ts

Thanks for your support!

2010 Cryptic Red Wine

After finishing up some Christmas shopping and taking a bottle of Dunning Vin de Casa by a couple of target accounts, I came home with a little time to kill this afternoon. So I got all dressed up in my camo and hit the deer blind for a little while. I got a nice 10-point buck last week but I still had an antlerless tag to fill. Well, it's been filled now. Got a nice, medium-size doe with a pretty good shot from about 60-70 yards. After field dressing and hanging overnight, I'll take her to a local meat market for processing tomorrow morning.

After the fun of field dressing a deer, it was time to make dinner - our usual Friday night pizza night. And I wanted to open something nice and spicy to go with tonight's offerings: shrimp and pesto, andouille and roasted red pepper and pepperoni (for the kids, of course).

The 2010 Cryptic Red Wine, California is a blend of Cabernet Sauvignon, Petite Sirah and Zinfandel that shows the deep color that you would expect from this type of blend. Very briery and rustic with it's blackberry, raspberry and black pepper notes, I see what the Petite Sirah and Zinfandel add to the blend, but for the life of me I don't get any Cabernet Sauvignon characteristics. It's a bit flabby and jammy, but still much more well-behaved than the cloying Apothic Red. Long, dusty finish. Nothing profound here, but a nice $15 quaffer for pizza or burgers.

This wine falls under the umbrella of the Purple Wine Company; owners of such brands as Four Vines, Avalon and Bex.

2009 Idle Cellars Chardonnay

2009 Idle Cellars Catherine Bonneau Vineyard Chardonnay, Los Carneros - Nice, medium golden color. Starts off with a lot of sweet pineapple and peach aromas which quickly give way to drier, lemony and floral notes. On the palate, there's a oily richness to the tart, minerally, lemon flavors and a pleasant bitterness from the French oak aging. The tropical notes and nicely-balanced acidity are hallmarks of the Carneros region. About $20

Enjoyed with heavy Hors d'ouevres including roasted red pepper hummus, warm spinach dip and assorted cheeses and sausages.

2006 Terry Hoage "The Hedge" Syrah

My wife has never been a fan of high octane Paso Robles Syrah so with her out of town for the weekend, I thought this would be the perfect opportunity to open my last bottle of 2006 Terry Hoage The Hedge Syrah, Paso Robles. The Hedge is, like most of Terry's wines, named after something from his days as an All-American/All-Pro/Super Bowl Champion football player. In this case, The Hedge refers to the English privet hedge that famously surrounds the field at the University of Georgia's Sanford Stadium. Terry was an All-American defensive back in his junior and senior seasons. Perhaps you've heard the expression "Between the Hedges?" Same hedge.

Back to the wine. This has calmed down considerably since the last time I tasted this a few years ago. There was no heat whatsoever from the stated 15.5% alcohol and the tannins, once ferocious, were in perfect balance with the rest of the package. The nose and palate were packed with explosive blackberry, black pepper and roasted coffee notes as a Paso Robles Syrah should be. Somehow, I think my wife would've actually enjoyed this one. But it'll be gone by tonight so she'll never know what she missed. I seem to recall this bottle being about $40 at the winery when we purchased it back in the spring of 2009.

Sadly, this was the penultimate bottle from the 5 cases we brought back with us. The only wine left in the cellar from that trip is a bottle of 2005 Adelaida Cellars Viking Estate Cabernet Sauvignon. Guess it's time to plan another trip.

And just in case you're wondering, dinner was a delicious homemade BBQ chicken pizza made with BBQ sauce, leftover roasted chicken, shaved red onion and a generous sprinkling of chopped cilantro. A great pairing, if I must say so myself!

2008 J.R. Storey Petite Sirah Port

I didn't grow up a fan of cranberry relish as a kid since my mom's idea of cranberries at Thanksgiving involved opening a can and scooping it into a bowl. Sometimes she didn't even bother disguising the corrugation from the tin can. Then about 15 years ago my wife ran across a simple recipe for fresh cranberry relish incorporating port wine and orange zest. Now we make an improvised version of this every Thanksgiving.

I love port. All kinds of port. I love the "real" stuff from Oporto as well as late-harvest dessert style reds from California, Australia and virtually everywhere else. But my wife doesn't care for it and I don't have very many friends who do, either. So I rarely drink the stuff. Sad, because I'm sitting on about 2 cases of vintage ports from the legendary 1994 and pretty damn good 1997 vintages in the cellar. Good thing they have a near indefinite shelf life. But I digress.

After sacrificing a cup to the cranberries, the rest of the bottle of 2008 J.R. Storey Siebe Vineyard Petite Sirah Dessert Wine, Solano County was all mine. As expected, the color is a deep purplish hue that stains the glass as it slowly drips down the bowl. Fabulous notes of crushed raspberry, Grenadine and red licorice explode from the glass. On the palate, the spicy, black pepper notes so common to Petite Sirah come out as well as a chalky, mouth-filling texture. Finishes with just a hint of green. Goes down way too smoothly for something with 18% alcohol!

This is a very well-made domestic port-style wine that retails for approximately $30 for a really cute, squatty 500ml bottle. This wine was a sample from J.R. Storey Winery which, if you've been following this blog, you will know we are considering distributing in Kansas through Amphora Distribution. As I said, I really like this wine. I think it would be great with a whole range of chocolate desserts as well as blue cheese. But in my experience, ports and dessert wines in general are a tough sell in this market. Time will tell if we commit to half a palate or so of this.

2009 Idle Cellars Cabernet Sauvignon

Yesterday was my 43rd birthday and I quietly celebrated around the house by doing some work on the chicken coop and putting some deer corn out in the woods by the blind. Deer season starts November 28th and I want to be ready! Took in the inaugural Formula 1 race in Austin, TX on SPEED. When this race was announced a year or so ago, I initially had plans to attend, but the expense just didn't make sense what with starting the new business and all. So I settled for watching it and the hilarious weekly clusterf*ck known as the Kansas City Chiefs on TV.

For dinner, I went with one of my old stand-by's - grilled flank steak. I also braised the last of our (frozen) brussels sprouts from the garden with white wine, shallots and bacon. For the wine, I chose a sample that arrived last week from Sonoma's Idle Cellars. This is a very small winery that we hope to be bringing to Kansas City in the very near future. Last week, the winemaker sent me a bottle of their Cabernet Sauvignon, Merlot, Syrah and Chardonnay. The 2009 Idle Cellars Los Chamizal Vineyard Cabernet Sauvignon, Sonoma Valley shows off a beautiful, opaque ruby color. The nose starts off with loads of sweet raspberry and Provencal herb and eventually reveals layers of cigar box and roasted coffee. The palate is a bit more austere than the nose would lead one to believe with its sweet-tart raspberry and dusty notes. Quite acidic. The tannins only kick in after a solid hour of air. Hides the 15.5% alcohol quite well. Long, herbaceous finish. Should retail for about $25. A blend of 82% Cabernet Sauvignon, 12% Cabernet Franc and 6% Merlot. I really enjoyed this wine for its lean, lithe style and the acidity made it absolutely delicious with my signature garlicky/herbaceous/vinegary chimichurri sauce.

2008 J. R. Storey Grenache

2008 J. R. Storey Herder Vineyard Grenache, Paso Robles - Advanced color shows a considerable amount of bricking. But I've found this to be pretty consistent with Storey's style. He obviously isn't a winemaker whose primary concern is color extraction. On the nose, very pleasant red fruit aromas that run the gauntlet from strawberry to cherry to raspberry along with a very nice touch of saddle leather. The leathery note follows through on the soft, fruit- and vanilla-tinged palate. A whopping 15.7% alcohol may be a turn-off to some, but the wine really handles it quite well. Tannins and acidity are nicely-balanced and demure; lurking in the shadows. Despite the high alcohol, I think this would be lovely with spicy food. Drink sooner rather than later. About $20. John Ross Storey continues to show a deft hand in turning out Syrah, Grenache and Rhone-style blends from Paso Robles that are in no way over-ripe or over-extracted.

Disclaimer: This wine was received as a free sample from J.R. Storey Winery and I am (very seriously) considering representing this wine in Kansas.

2009 Chateau Brandard, Saint-Emillion

Wow. Has it really been a month since I posted a note here? Yikes! I haven't been drinking a whole lot of wine lately and the wines I've had have been rather pedestrian wines that I've already blogged about one numerous occasions. The lone exception was the delicious (but not anywhere near ready yet) 2009 Dunning Vineyards Meritage, Paso Robles. But since I was playing cards with the wife and kids while drinking it, I didn't bother to take any notes.

What have I been doing besides drinking wine? I've been quite busy putting the finishing touches on the distributorship. We've been given our liquor license by the State of Kansas and we're just waiting on final approval from the BATFE now. We have the warehouse all set up with second hand office furniture and we're wired with our phone and internet connections. As soon as we get that letter from the feds, we can start ordering wine and filling up that warehouse! I also found out that the girlfriend of one of my wife's elementary school friends owns a wine import company based out of Chicago that specializes in Spanish wines. I'm eagerly awaiting to see her portfolio and maybe acquire some samples.

And we've been busy around the farm as well. I've spent a few peaceful, yet unsuccessful days in the blind hunting turkey in the back yard. I'm hoping to serve wild turkey for Thanksgiving this year. I'm also feeding the deer and checking the trail cam getting ready for deer season in December. There's a really nice 10-point buck running around in the woods that I haven't seen until recently. Today we spent the morning in the garden pulling out roots and covering the raised beds with our all-natural mulch of chicken poop, pine shavings and vegetable scraps. No pesticides or fertilizers are used in our garden!

Anyway. Back to tonight's wine. The 2009 Chateau Brandard Bel Air Lussac Saint-Emilion is one of the last wines I got from my former employer before quitting my retail job. I believe it was one of our "Wine of the Month" offerings back in September. It has a nice cranberry color indicative of a Merlot-dominated blend. the nose is somewhat Rhone-ish with sweet raspberry, tobacco, black pepper and a good whiff of poopy diaper. On the palate, the green tobacco and earthy/barnyard/poop flavors really come to the forefront. Sadly, no hint of that raspberry that is so pretty in the nose. The acidity is ferocious and the tannins moderate. Overall, the green tobacco and barnyard notes are just too much for my California-centric palate to take. I see where someone calling himself the Wine Advocate just gave this 92 points on the strength of its "foie gras, meat and berry notes." Sorry, but I just don't get any of that. Trust me, as much as I love foie gras, I dearly wish I could find some in this bottle, but alas, I shall remain disappointed. IIRC, this retails for about $15 but I wouldn't dare pay that for another bottle.

That being said, the wine played rather nicely with tonight's dinner. The fantastically-marbled tri-tip was grilled to perfection and served with arugula oil. The earthy, peppery, green tobacco notes of the wine went really well with the earthy, peppery arugula. I would say the old rule of thumb about European wines being "food wines" definitely applies here as the wine is borderline undrinkable on its own.

2009 Yard Dog Red

Wow. This modest little Petit Verdot blend really out-kicked its coverage tonight. My parents, tee-totalers, are in town for the next two weeks and I grilled a tri-tip for dinner. Not in the mood to open anything too expensive, my last bottle of 2009 Red Heads Studio Yard Dog Red, Australia was calling my name. Still shows a beautiful, saturated color, even if it isn't quite as dark as it was a year ago. On the nose, beautiful tart cherry, dust, graphite, mineral and coffee notes. Really speaks to the rugged nature of Petit Verdot. Silky smooth on the palate with refreshingly tart cherry and cranberry notes. Nice tannins and acidity with a long, dusty finish. Really over-delivers for $10. 60% Petit Verdot, 20% Merlot and 20% Cabernet Sauvignon.

Looking for a change from my normal chimichurri sauce, I whipped up a little Italian-inspired sauce to top the perfectly-grilled tri-tip. It's a little something I've dubbed Pesto Gianni in honor of my good friend John Fodera. In a Cuisinart, whiz a couple of cloves of fresh garlic, a handful of pecans, a few cups of arugula (preferably garden-fresh), grated Parmesan, salt and pepper. When it reaches the consistency of a coarse paste, gently stir in enough olive oil to achieve the desired consistency. Great as a steak topping or tossed with cooked rotini.

NV Baumard Carte Turquoise Brut, Cremant de Loire - Pale color with barely perceptible brassy highlights and a fine mousse. Not sure what the blend is here, but judging by the earthy, slightly musky flavors I'm guessing it's mostly Chenin Blanc. Very dry and minerally, but devoid of any fruit characteristics. Unremarkable on its own, but it works pretty well with tuna tartare with Asian ingredients (cilantro, sesame oil, soy sauce, etc.) I picked this up in a clearance bin in St. Louis last December for $9.99. Original price unknown. I suppose it's decent enough for what I paid, but I'd be disappointed if I paid a "normal" price of $20 or $25.

2007 Little Red Boots Petite Sirah

My business partner Chris stopped by (okay, no one really "stops by" my place in the sticks) this afternoon for a little impromptu business meeting where we signed few documents and talked a little strategy. We called the Kansas Department of Revenue and found out that our Business Tax Application had been processed and accepted. Next stop...liquor license! While we were sitting at the table, we got the crazy idea to twist a screw cap and try another wine that we'd like to bring on board. With Chris not being very familiar with Petite Sirah, I sensed an educational opportunity to open the 2007 Little Red Boots Old Vine Petite Sirah, Solano County from J.R. Storey Winery.

Deeply colored and murky in the glass, you can immediately tell this wine has never been subjected to a filter. I love that. Huge nose of blackberry jam, black pepper, brier and a hint of sweet vanilla. I got a good dose of American oak on the nose earlier this afternoon, but by the time I came back to re-visit after dinner to take notes, it has completely subsided. The oak aging is apparent, but it is very gracious and harmonious. Huge in the mouth with the black pepper and blackberry notes. The tannins and acidity are downright massive. Okay, maybe treating this like a cocktail wine wasn't the best decision I've ever made. As delicious as this is by itself, I can't help but think it would be even better with a slab of ribs or a steak au poivre. I suppose you could keep this for a while if you're afraid of the tannins, but I would just recommend drinking it now with bold food. Worth every penny of $20

Boilerplate: This was provided free of charge by J.R. Storey Winery and I am considering distributing their wines in Kansas.

2004 Ciacci Piccolomini d'Aragona Brunello

The arugula is really hitting its stride in the garden, and I wanted to do something to feature it in tonight's meal. So I grilled a couple of extra thick ribeyes to medium-rare and fanned the slices over arugula dressed with kosher salt, black pepper, lemon-infused olive oil and shaved Parmesan. Simple. Beautiful. Perfect. It should've been the perfect foil for a Brunello di Montalcino.

The 2004 Ciacci Piccolomini d'Aragona Brunello di Montalcino shows pretty typical Brunello color with its washed-out, slightly brownish hue. Nose is initially inviting with classic notes of sweet cherry, dusty earth and fennel seed before taking a turn for the worse with odd soy/Asian spice notes and more than a hint of chili powder. But the most disturbing aspect of this wine is the strange tongue-numbing flavors on the palate reminiscent of camphor-like Szechuan peppercorns. Moderate tannins. The acidity is nicely balanced with what else there is in the bottle. A really bizarre showing for this normally consistent and excellent wine. Sadly, my last of three bottles so there probably won't be any more data points. About $40.

2010 J. Storey "Carriage Vineyard" Syrah

After a long morning and afternoon of talking to the Kansas Department of Revenue and faxing in another Mt. Everest of paperwork, I was ready to ring in the weekend with something smoky, sultry and sexy. So I put a couple of racks of babyback ribs on the smoker and three and a half hours later opened my sample bottle of 2010 J. Storey Carriage Vineyard Syrah, Paso Robles. Not as dark as I've come to expect from a Paso Robles Syrah bearing 15.2% alcohol, the wine is nonetheless blessed with stunning aromatics of blackberry, pomegranate syrup, black pepper and fragrant Mediterranean herbs. Nicely balanced in the mouth, this is no ponderous, over-extracted milkshake of a wine. Refined, moderate tannins, nice acidity and a long, silky finish complete the package. This is a wine to seek out if you're laboring under the impression that Syrah from Paso Robles is lacking in subtlety and finesse. I'm not sure where the Carriage Vineyard is located in Paso Robles, but I'm guessing it is in one of the cooler microclimates. About $25.

While beautiful on its own, I think the wine was a bit overpowered by the sticky, smoky ribs. Perhaps this was an occasion to open a Syrah from the likes of Terry Hoage or Dunning.

Oh yeah - This was provided free of charge (I did pay for expedited shipping) from the winery as I am considering distributing this wine in the Great State of Kansas.

2005 Chevriot "Reserve," Maule Valley

I've never been a great fan of Chilean wines. For some reason, regardless of price or pedigree, the reds always seems to come across to me as thin and light with an abundance of bell pepper and green tobacco notes - just not my style. With that in mind and my anti-Chilean prejudices in full swing, I opened the 2005 Chevriot Reserve, Maule Valley tonight with much fear and trepidation. I didn't buy this wine. My father-in-law left it here after one of him recent visits. He paid $6 for it, marked down from $22. I wouldn't consider paying full price for this wine. But for $6, I wouldn't hesitate to pick up a case just for meals like tonight's grilled flank steak with chimichurri sauce.


The blend in the bottle is 80% Cabernet Sauvignon and 20% Merlot; a number I find rather shocking as the plummy, mocha and green tobacco notes and light tannins really speak more of Merlot than Cabernet. Picks up more dusty tannin the longer it stays open. Quite a nice pairing with the meal, but the last glass of the night (without food) isn't very pleasant. May appeal to drinkers of Bordeaux and other more herbaceous-driven Bordeaux-style blends.

Tip of the cap to Cellar Tracker for the image......

2008 Little Red Boots "Little Red"

If you're a regular reader of my blog you probably know by now that I'm in the process of starting a new wine wholesale operation in Kansas. My partner and I took a big step today in signing a lease on a warehouse. With a business address secured, we can finally finish filing our paperwork with the state to get our liquor license and the rest of the required permits.

For the last three or four months, this project has always had this kind of "what if" cloud hanging over everything; like we could still pull the plug if for some reason we got cold feet. But with today's developments, we've crossed the Rubicon and set things on a path of no return.

For Friday night pizza night, I wanted to open something from one of the wineries that we're considering bringing on board. So I pulled my sample bottle of 2008 Little Red Boots Little Red, Paso Robles from J.R. Storey Winery. I'm not quite sure what the blend is on this vintage, but the 2009 is a combination of Grenache, Petit Sirah and Syrah. I'm confident that this particular bottle is a wine of similar breeding stock. The color is a beautiful, deep, blood red color and the nose boasts of aromas of raspberry, pomegranate, black pepper and vanilla. Those aromas effortlessly follow through onto the full-bodied palate. Wines like this (especially from Paso Robles) can tend to be somewhat soft, sweet and jammy, but this particular wine has a beautiful balance of acid and tannin and it's bone dry. There's no attempt to disguise the 14.75% alcohol, but with this much fruit behind it, not to mention a couple of hefty home made pizzas, it isn't a problem at all; at least not for me. Vanilla and raspberry notes carry on forever on the finish. This will retail for just south of $20. Edit: I have since learned from John Storey that this wine is 100% Tempranillo from two vineyards in Paso Robles.

Disclaimer: This was a free sample from the winery and I am considering distributing this wine in Kansas.

2006 JC Cellars "Ventana" Syrah

2006 JC Cellars Ventana Syrah, Aroyo Seco - A deep and brooding Syrah that takes its own sweet time to reveal its layers of cool climate treasures. The color shows no sign of aging as it still retains a deep, opaque maroon color straight out to the rim. On the nose, a beautiful array of white pepper, coffee, wintergreen and mulberry. The palate is warm (14.7% alcohol) and rich with spicy, white pepper, soy and fruit compote notes. Perfect balance of fruit and acidity with enough tannin to warrant another 5-7 years in the cellar. Just a hint of bay leaf on the long finish. This is a really, really nice wine.

Dinner was a beautifully grilled tri-tip with grilled zucchini, yellow squash, garden-fresh baby eggplant and penne pasta tossed with fresh pesto.

Normally $30, purchased on sale for $23.

2008 J.R. Storey Tempranillo

2008 J.R. Storey Cielo Grande Vineyard Tempranillo, Paso Robles - Rather light in color, reminiscent of a Pinot Noir. Displays it's Paso Robles roots with it's highly-extracted sweet cherry and caramel notes. Hints of licorice and new leather complete the package. Sweet cherry, toasty campfire and singed marshmallow on the palate. Probably at or near its peak. Moderate tannins and lower acidity suggests drinking this one sooner rather than later. Consumed with a delicious, old school southern meal of meatloaf, fried okra and smashed potatoes with chives. About $20

Note: This wine was provided by the winery as a free sample and I am considering distributing this wine.

2010 Di Majo Norante Sangiovese

The 2010 Di Majo Norante Sangiovese, IGT Terra Degli Osci is considerably darker than most other wines from this grape. I would think that would indicate a bit more extraction in the "international" style, but it isn't necessarily so. Smoky hickory and stewed plums on the nose. Rather sharp and acidic in the mouth with tart cherry notes. Neither my wife nor I could get past a first glass of this on the first night as it exhibited a rather nasty petroleum note. Seemed to calm down a bit on day two, but it is still isn't anything to get excited over, even in the sub-$10 range. Ricotta-stuffed shells baked in tomato sauce didn't do anything to balance the shrill acidity.

I've tried a bottle of this wine every couple of year now since the late 90s and I can't remember ever being impressed. I struggle to see how it consistently garners glowing praise and 90 point ratings from critics.

Jax Vineyards Tasting.

Enjoyed the evening with the vivacious Alexis Rose, national sales manager for Jax Vineyards last week. She came by the store after hours and tasted about 25 guests on four of their wines; all brand new to the Kansas market. Aside from the luxuriously rich Chardonnay, I found most of the wines to be tight, angular and quite acidic; but in a good, food-friendly kind of way. I really wish I had been able to taste these at a restaurant or wine bar where some appropriate food would have been available.

2011 Jax Vineyards Y3 Sauvignon Blanc, Napa Valley - A super dry, floral, citrusy take on Sauvignon Blanc. Notes of citrus pith, gardenia, green apple and melon. Quite tart and acidic, borderline bitter in the mouth. Surprisingly stark for a wine fermented and aged in neutral oak barrels. $16

2010 Jax Vineyards Y3 Chardonnay, Napa Valley - Talk about shifting gears! Yeasty, bready, bakery aromas and flavors backed up by brown sugar and red apple. Once again, turns a bit bitter on the finish. A delicious $20

2009 Jax Vineyards Y3 "Taureau," Napa Valley - A blend of primarily Zinfandel and Cabernet Sauvignon with smaller amounts of Petit Sirah, Cabernet Franc and Petit Verdot. Loads of toast and dill in the nose (despite being aged in French oak) that turn into plum and baking spice flavors on the palate. Black and tannic with searing acidity. Really needs some barbecue or something equally substantial on the table with it. $20

2007 Jax Vineyards Cabernet Sauvignon, Napa Valley - Massive concentration. Black cherry, espresso and an interesting note of rose petal. Tight and tannic, I suspect this one will need another 5 years to really show its stuff. Marginal value at $40

2007 Dunning Meritage

2007 Dunning Vineyards Meritage, Paso Robles - Color is about as dark as a red wine can possibly be. Really big, rustic blend of 70% Cabernet Sauvignon, 20% Merlot and 10% Cabernet Franc. A farmer's market of black fruits on the nose and palate, but there's no sweetness here as the wine is bone dry and chalky. Lots of dry cocoa powder, Provencal herb and a pleasant green note. Nice long, chalky tannic finish. Pretty sure this could go for another decade. $30 or so.

Enjoyed with a grilled venison burger topped with crumbled feta cheese, fried green tomatoes and hot pepper relish.

And since the grill was still hot, I tried a new way of cooking okra. One of my wife's co-workers said to cut it into 3/4" slices, toss with a little EVOO and s/p and cook it on aluminum foil on the grill. It didn't quite have the decadence of fried okra that is so dear to my Southern heart, but it was very, very tasty, quick and (I suppose) healthier than deep-fried. Definitely have to try that again soon.

Two more wines from Toccata

Our garden is abundant with herbs right now so I took the opportunity to plan a meal around them. I made a large batch of pesto and tossed most of it with rotini pasta. The rest I thinned out with additional olive oil and drizzled over thick slices of tomatoes. The main course was chicken that I rubbed all over with rosemary and minced thyme, rosemary, oregano and basil before grilling over charcoal. Everything was very Mediterranean and very delicious.

2010 Toccata Pinot Grigio, Santa Barbara County - Very pale color with some light green highlights. Nose of lemon peel, green seedless grape, jasmine flower and just the faintest trace of yeasty, fermentation aromas. Crisp and clean in the mouth with tart lemon, pear peel, mineral and a pleasant bitterness. Clearly the antithesis to the sweeter "California" style of Pinot Grigio that frequently hails from the West Coast. Serious, bracing acidity is tremendous with the rotini as well as the tomatoes drizzled with pesto oil. $16

2009 Toccata Classico, Santa Barbara County - Pretty, medium ruby color. Rather monolithic nose of sweet cherry with some light "woodsy" notes of oak, hickory and vanilla. On the palate, the cherry fruit turns a bit tart with lots and lots of leathery, earthy flavors. Searing acidity begs for food and it's quite nice with tomatoes drizzled with a bit or pesto oil. Turns a bit green on the finish. Negligible tannins. A blend of 50% Sangiovese, 35% Cabernet Sauvignon and 5% each of Cabernet Franc, Merlot and Freisa. Damn nice with a piece of after-dinner dark chocolate, too! $20


Disclaimer: These wines were provided free of charge from the winery and I am considering distributing these wines in Kansas.

2010 Banfi Rosso di Montalcino

One of my favorite meals is to grill up a couple of links of Italian sausages and then cover the grill with sliced zucchini, yellow squash and eggplant (baby eggplant from the garden) tossed with some olive oil and fresh Italian herbs. Tonight, I served this up over a couple of squares of toasted polenta and topped with a bit of fresh tomato sauce. Simple to prepare and absolutely delicious.

Tonight's wine of choice was the 2010 Castello Banfi Rosso di Montalcino, DOC Rosso di Montalcino. Expected brownish tint to the ruby red color; typical of Sangiovese. Rustic, rusty nose of leather, fennel seed, sour cherry and cedar. Very leathery and rustic on the palate as well, but there's a good core of sweet/tart fruit there to provide balance. The acidity is wonderful with the tomato sauce and the licorice and leather notes dance across the palate in perfect harmony with the charred notes of the grilled sausage and vegetables. About $20

2010 LWC Durell Vineyard Chardonnay

The eggplant has been streaming in from the garden at an alarming rate. We've been eating it prepared in a number of ways for the past few weeks: eggplant Parmesan, stuffed eggplant, grilled eggplant, ratatouille, etc. This morning my wife came across an Emeril Lagasse recipe for eggplant and goat cheese ravioli in a tomato cream sauce. Looked pretty good so I looked over his recipe and then set off to put my own twist on it. Great results. The kids wolfed it down and said they wanted it again tomorrow night. My wife called it "restaurant quality." I wouldn't have guessed "Chardonnay" as the recommended wine pairing (next time I think I'll go with a white Rhone-style wine), but that's what Food Network said so I played along.

Not having a whole lot of Chardonnay available in the cellar, I chose the 2010 Loring Wine Company Durell Vineyard Chardonnay, Sonoma Coast. You can tell just by looking at the deep, golden color that this is going to be a full-bodied, high octane wine. Massive nose of diacetyl, roasted peanut, brioche and baked apple. Mouth-coating richness with tropical notes and a very nice bitterness that provides balance to the sweet, buttery characteristics. I don't drink a whole lot of wine made in this style, but every once in a while you just have to indulge with a "guilty pleasure." That being said, the food and wine didn't really do anything for one another. If I get my hands on another bottle of this, I'll save it for some seared scallops or butter-poached lobster. About $40

Two Pinots and Roasted Chicken

2010 Queen of Hearts Pinot Noir, Santa Barbara County - This is the entry level label from Lucas & Lewellen and it provides plenty of bang for the buck at the $15 retail level. Nice dark color. Nose offers strawberry, black cherry and a bit of resinous rosemary. Quite smooth and harmonious on the palate with black cherry and spice notes and a certain mouth-coating buttery richness. Finishes a bit leafy. I like the fact that this is a $15 wine that carries something higher than a "California" appellation.

Two steps higher in their line-up is the 2009 Lucas & Lewellen Goodchild High 9 Vineyard Pinot Noir, Santa Barbara County. This one is quite a bit darker and the nose is just that much deeper with the black cherry, sweet earth and minty notes. Astonishing depth. After being open for two days, it still has considerable tannins reminiscent of black tea and leather. Long finish buoyed with nice acidity. Retails in the high-$20 range.

Dinner was a delicious roasted chicken accompanied by a red wine/mushroom pan sauce, steamed broccoli and baked sweet potatoes.

Note: These wines were provided by the producer and I am considering distributing these wines in Kansas.

2009 Lucas & Lewellen Malbec

Continuing with my reviews of Lucas & Lewellen wines from yesterday's tasting, tonight I finished up the bottle of 2009 Lucas & Lewellen Valley View Vineyard Malbec, Santa Barbara County. Beautiful ruby red color with this one. Copious quantities of black cherry in the nose with coffee grounds, chocolate and mint in a supporting role. Medium-bodied palate with surprisingly deft acidity. Moderate tannins. As the wine opens it starts to take on sweeter notes of sun-dried tomato. Unobtrusive oak. Seems a bit more alcoholic than the stated 14.0% but it doesn't detract from the wine's overall balance.

This wine was a fantastic pairing with tonight's dinner. I took poblano peppers from the garden, roasted and peeled them and then stuffed them with a combination of ground pork, ground venison, onion, garlic, chili powder and Monterey jack cheese. The little stuffed peppers were then baked in a tomato sauce from our garden-fresh tomatoes. Absolutely delicious!

Disclaimer: This sample was provided by the winery and I am considering distributing this winery in Kansas.

2009 Toccata Sangiovese

As you may or may not know by now, I'm busy working with a friend setting up a wine distributor to serve Johnson County and the southern suburbs of Kansas City, Kansas. Today I had a great luncheon with Michael Hartman, Director of Sales & Marketing for Lucas & Lewellen Winery. We spent about three hours talking about the industry, the winery he represents and tasting through eight to ten of his wines. Before Lucas & Lewellen was a winery, it was a grape growing operation supplying fruit to many well-known California wineries. Today, they sell about half of their grapes and make wine with the other half. They market their Italian varietals under the brand Toccata.

One of the wines we tasted today was the 2009 Toccata Sangiovese, Santa Barbara County. This wine was opened and tasted without food around lunchtime and finished at dinner over a couple of homemade pizzas. Very light, almost transparent color; not atypical for Sangiovese. The nose is alive with lighter red fruits including strawberry and ruby red grapefruit, tar and just a hint of cracked fennel seed. Medium-bodied in the mouth (it picked up a considerable amount of weight after 6+ hours of being open) with tea notes, firm tannins and terrific acidity. Finishes with more grapefruit-like acidity. No trace of oak. I really appreciate the fact that this was made without the influence of new oak or heavy-handed extraction. It speaks of good, entry level Italian Chianti and great with pizza. About $20.

Disclaimer: This wine was provided by the winery free-of-charge and I am considering distributing this wine.

2009 Star Lane Sauvignon Blanc

Been gone for the last two weeks or so at two family reunions. In a fortuitous twist of fate, my wife's family was having their bi-annual reunion in Pigeon Forge, TN the week before my family's annual reunion in Panama City FL. So we did a few days in Tennessee (cooking, whitewater rafting, cigars, drinking) before heading south to spend some time with my family (beach, pool, go-karts). I had a couple of nice wines in Tennessee, but the situation didn't really lend itself to taking notes and blogging so I just let it slide.

Switching gears, I've never been a big fan of the Olympic Games opening ceremonies. I thin it's really campy and contrived; sort of like a 5-hour long Super Bowl halftime show. But my wife and kids really get into it, complete with a spread of heavy appetizers to nosh on during the show.

While we were on vacation, the store where I work hosted the winemaker from Star Lane/Dierberg/Three Sisters. One of the wines poured in my absence was their 2009 Star Lane Vineyard Sauvignon Blanc, Happy Canyon of Santa Barbara. Thinking it would work well with cheese, crackers and my beloved braised tomato/goat cheese crostini, I opened a bottle. The wine has something of an advanced, brassy color. In the nose I get copious amounts of floral, grassy, green bell pepper aromas reminiscent of the best New Zealand Sauvignon Blancs. As the wine opens up and warms, notes of bug spray develop. Quite tart in the mouth with grapefruit and green pepper flavors. Long, acidic finish. Although clean and well made, I really don't care for this style of Sauvignon Blanc. I was really expecting something different Something a little richer with peachy notes, perhaps?) from a partially oak-aged Sauvignon Blanc from Santa Barbara. C'est la vie! About $16.

Arizona Stronghold wines.....

Arizona Stronghold is a very interesting concept. Co-owners Eric Glomski (former winemaker at David Bruce) and Maynard Keenan (Caduceus Cellars, lead singer of the band "Tool") teamed up in 2007 with the goal of overhauling the rundown Dos Cabezas Vineyard near Wilcox, AZ and making fine wines from grapes in Arizona. They took a chance on hiring an unknown winemaker, Tim White, from a winery in Virginia and they haven't looked back. I love the fact that they are primarily doing this with Rhone, Iberian and Italian grapes rather than trying to force the issue with Cabernet and Merlot.

Last week, the retailer I work for hosted a screening of "Blood Into Wine," a documentary about Glomski's and Keenan's efforts at making serious wine in Arizona. Of course, a selection of Arizona Stronghold wines were poured for guests to enjoy during the movie. Unfortunately, I wasn't able to attend the screening/tasting. But out of curiosity, I bought a few bottles to review on my own:

2010 Arizona Stronghold Mangus Red Table Wine, Cochise County (Arizona) - 71% Sangiovese, 13% Cabernet Sauvignon, 11% Malbec, 3% Petite Verdot and 2% Merlot. Has the kind of light ruby color that one would expect from a Sangiovese. Varietally-correct nose of dust, tart cherry and sweet licorice. Seems rather oaky. Tart red fruits carry the palate and there is a nice core of refreshing acidity that just doesn't quit. Although the buttery oak says "this isn't from Tuscany," I think I would still nail this as a Sangiovese if I tasted this blind. And considering the source, I think that's saying a lot about the winemaker. I've had plenty of domestic Sangioveses that aren't nearly this true to its roots. Well done and perfect with a meaty take-out pizza. You can probably find better Chianti for the same price, but I don't think $24 is out of line for a wine of this quality.

2010 Arizona Stronghold Dayden Pink Table Wine, Graham County (Arizona) - A bone dry blend of 89% Zinfandel, 9% Sangiovese and 2% Petite Sirah that should appeal to fans of old world rose from the south of France. Rusty, coppery color belies the wine's lightness and freshness. Beautiful aromatics of spice, watermelon, tart strawberry and orange citrus. On the palate, the wine is lithe and tart with prickly acidity and a long, stony finish. Thoroughly enjoyable with ceviche (bay scallops, swai, shrimp, lime juice, garlic, shallots, cilantro and avocado) and no complaints about the $16 price tag.

2010 Arizona Stronghold Dala Cabernet Sauvignon, Graham County (Arizona) - Rather light, Pinot-ish color isn't very promising. Sweet-tart cherry and wintergreen on the nose tells me this is going to be a rather light interpretation of Cabernet. Nose follows through onto the palate with tart cherry and watermelon notes punctuated with harsh oak and rough tannins. I have to say, this is by far my least favorite of the Stronghold line-up. $21

2010 Stronghold Vineyards Mandala Red Table Wine, America - I opened this after the disappointment of the Dala Cabernet. Opens with a deep color that actually leaves a little stain on the glass as it drips down after a good swirl. Very rustic, old school nose of tart blackberry, green peppercorn and a good whiff of alcohol. Turns a bit richer on the palate with cocoa and chocolate notes to accompany the blackberry and serious black pepper notes. Nice acidity and tannins in here. 39% Cinsault, 25% Syrah, 25% Petite Syrah, 5% Counoise, 4% Grenache and 2% Viognier from vineyards in Napa Valley and Paso Robles. At $22, this was thoroughly enjoyable with a venison and root vegetable pot pie. I'm curious as to why a wine from Napa and Paso would be labeled as simply "American." I wonder if they have plans to eventually shift this to a blend of California and Arizona fruit?

2009 Revelry Merlot

I can't disagree with the winemaker (or whoever wrote the label descriptor) for the 2009 Revelry Vintners Merlot, Columbia Valley. Whoever it was absolutely nailed it with descriptors of blueberry, cherry spice, cocoa and subtle oak. Medium-bodied with that tell-tale "hollow" mid-palate aspect that generally afflicts Merlot. Turns a bit green on the finish. But overall, I really like this for about $15 and it was quite nice with a grilled tri-tip. I'm very appreciative of the fact that the American oak doesn't in any way intrude on the fruit with any off-flavors of Bourbon or dill. Moderate tannins, but don't age this. Pop a cork and enjoy now!

Dandelion Vineyards Tasting

These are notes from a tasting I attended (work function) with winemaker Elena Brooks of Australia's Dandelion Vineyards on June 4. Dandelion is a relatively new operation with a pretty darn nice pedigree. I wish I could remember the details, but I believe the vineyard manager goes back a long way with d'Arenberg and some of their more impressive high-end offerings. Brooks, originally from Eastern Europe, trained at wineries all over the world before calling Australia home. Fuzzy details notwithstanding, these are excellent, single vineyard, terroir-driven wines at more than reasonable prices.

Incidentally, the word Dandelion comes from the French "Dent de Lion" (lion's tooth); hence all of the lion references in the names of the wines.

2010 Dandelion Vineyards Wonderland of the Eden Valley Riesling, Eden Valley - 100% free run juice from grapes grown in sandy, quartz-based soils. Quite minerally from start to finish with green apple and white flower notes on the nose and palate. Bone dry with a yeasty finish and fantastic acidity. I think this has some potential to age. A great option for those who like their Rieslings without traces of petroleum. $22

2009 Dandelion Vineyards Lion's Tooth of the McLaren Vale Shiraz/Riesling, McLaren Vale and Eden Valley - Shiraz co-fermented with the skins from the Dandelion Riesling. Primary and lusty with crazy berry, smoke, vanilla and licorice in addition to the yeasty/fermentation notes. The palate shows good fruit and secondary concentration, but it isn't quite as ripe as the nose would suggest. A delicate, floral perfume (no doubt from the Riesling) becomes more prominent as the wine opens up. Long French oak finish. $22

2010 Dandelion Vineyards Lionheart of the Barossa Shiraz, Barossa Valley - Staggering purple/crimson color. Very spicy with pepper and fruitcake aromas and flavors. The palate is supremely concentrated with coffee, cough syrup, dry cocoa flavors that trend towards wintergreen with air exposure. Firmly tannic. The antithesis to the deep, smoky berry found on the Lion's Tooth. $22

2009 Dandelion Vineyards Pride of the Fleurieu Peninsula Cabernet Sauvignon, South Australia - Austere and lean with sweet/tart cranberry and cherry fruit and a distinct green tobacco/herbaceousness. Telltale green peppercorn/wintergreen notes that just scream "cool climate Cabernet." Has the tannins to age. While I can appreciate the Old World style the winemaker was shooting for here, I have to admit this is not my preferred style of Cabernet Sauvignon. $22

2008 Four Vines "Anarchy" and Duck

I really love duck. I eat it every time I see it on a restaurant menu and I make it rather frequently at home. But I always seem to have the breast seared to medium-rare with some sort of savory sauce (green peppercorn/cream/brandy is my favorite) or I enjoy the leg/thigh quarter as confit. So I wanted to try something different with the duck I bought last week. I ended up smoking it over maple wood and basting frequently with a soy/molasses/sambal glaze. I was quite nervous about smoking a duck (for nearly 3 hours!) to well done, but my fears were unfounded. The duck was moist and delicious with a beautiful pink smoke ring and an amazing, sticky skin. Wow! Just tremendous!

The wine for the evening was the 2008 Four Vines Anarchy, Paso Robles. I wanted something assertive to stand up to the bold, smoky flavors of the duck and I wasn't disappointed. This blend of Zinfandel (36%), Mourvedre (35%) and Syrah (29%) is a bit lighter than I would have expected. Decent medium cranberry hue, but no inky blackness. The nose is an amazing array of roasted meat, Provencal herb, raspberry and pomegranate molasses. The sweet herb and fruity molasses flavors carry through to the palate where medium tannins and electrifying acidity carry the day. The finish goes on for nearly a minute. The molasses notes nicely reflect the flavors of the duck glaze and the acidity is particularly lovely with the fatty duck skin. Just a perfect food and wine pairing. Regularly $40, but purchased on sale for $30 last spring in Atlanta.

2008 Gnaughty Vines Zinfandel

The 2008 Gnaughty Vines Old Vine Zinfandel, Dry Creek Valley has a pleasant color; perhaps a bit lighter than expected. Straight from the bottle, the wine is really covered up by a forest of new American oak. After a while, though, the oak starts to fade a bit, revealing plenty of cherry and raspberry fruit and a good bit of spicy black pepper. Medium-full bodied with nice tannins and plenty of acid to provide balance. it isn't shy about the 15.0% alcohol, but there's plenty of fruit in there to keep it in check. Delicious with smoked pork tostadas.

For $15, I'd call this a pretty decent value. The flavor profile, while a bit lighter, is somewhat comparable to the venerable Seghesio Sonoma County Zinfandel. But I would prefer to invest a few more dollars in a bottle of Plungerhead's super peppery Dry Creek Valley Zin.

2010 NxNW Riesling

It's pretty rare that I just open a bottle of wine for the heck of it, but tonight I wanted something to sip on while I got caught up on a few episodes of Hell's Kitchen and Master Chef. So I twisted the screw cap on a bottle of 2010 NxNW Riesling, Horse Heaven Hills. I was immediately smitten by the intense honeyed melon and light petrol notes on the nose. On the palate, the bracing, green apple acidity is immediately apparent. Stone fruit and mineral characteristics become more apparent as the wine warms in the glass. And while I wouldn't call the texture oily, I like the medium weight viscosity. There is a small amount of residual sugar in the bottle (0.7 g/100ml) but for all intents and purposes I would consider this a dry Riesling. Offers really nice value in the $10 range.

2010 Massimo Malbec

You know me. It isn't a week in the ugawino household without a grilled flank steak with chimichurri and a bottle of Malbec. So I braved the brutal heat, oppressive humidity and bellowing winds (only in Kansas will you find this odd mix of crazy, hot wind and godawful humidity) to fire up the grill and deliver the perfect medium-rare flank steak. Sides were smashed potatoes with cream and parsley and green beans (from the garden) sauteed with slivered almonds and shallots (also from the garden).

Tonight's bottled offered up to the gods of the recycling bin was the 2010 Prestige Vineyards Massimo Malbec, Mendoza. Pretty ruby-red color. Inviting nose of raspberry, cherry and sweet herb. If I didn't know better, I might've guessed this was a Cotes-du-Rhone. Nice balance of fruit and spice on the palate with some green tobacco. Good tannins. Finishes a bit green. But you could do a lot worse for $10. Prestige Vineyards is an international negociant owned by DFV Wines.

1998 Argiano Solengo

For my Father's Day dinner, I grilled a couple of pork tenderloins rubbed with Italian herbs over charcoal. As the pork was grilling, I made a basic risotto. Right before the risotto was done, I stirred in some ribbons of beet greens just until they were wilted. Overall, an excellent meal. The pork was grilled to perfection and I love the earthiness the beet greens added to the risotto. I need to explore more options for beet greens.

The wine I selected for the meal was the 1998 Argiano Solengo, IGT Toscana. The first four vintages of this proprietary blend were 25% each Cabernet Sauvignon, Merlot, Sangiovese and Syrah. (Since 2000, it has been a Cabernet Sauvignon/Merlot blend.) I bought a few bottles each of the '96, '97 and '98 on release and this is the last of my small stash. Any notes I have from previous bottles are lost on files on older computers, but I don't recall being particularly impressed with any of them. This bottle, from the weakest vintage I bought, shows an advanced, brick-red color. Very woody, cedar-like nose with hints of licorice and mineral. Nearly devoid of fruit, the palate is all about Tuscan terroir of dusty licorice and road tar. Still very tannic with nice acidity to balance. Picks up some leathery notes on the finish. But at the end of the evening, this is a rather simple, tannic, cedary wine that smells and tastes like a cigar humidor. About $60 on release.

Rioja, Bierzo, Venison....

NV Ca'Momi Ca'Secco Sparkling White Wine, California - pale golden color. Very soft, refreshing California take on Prosecco. Light lemony, tropical, floral aromas and flavors. Fine mousse with bubbles that dissipate rather quickly. Surprisingly nice acidity. A blend of Chardonnay, Sauvignon Blanc, Riesling, Gewurztraminer and Muscat. Perfectly charming with cheese, summer sausage and crackers. 11.5% alcohol is a bit higher than most imported Prosecco so watch out. About $10



2009 Mohua Pinot Gris, Central Otago - Tremendous sweet melon notes on the nose and palate with a rich and oily texture. Terrific acidity. Really crisp and clean. Beautiful new world Pinot Gris for $15. I've never understood why I have such an affinity for Pinot Gris and Gewurztraminer from New Zealand when I absolutely detest the Sauvignon Blancs from there.


2006 Bodega Abel Mendoza Seleccion Personal, Rioja - Still shows a pretty nice color in the center of the glass, but starting to go maroon around the edges. Tremendous smoky, vanilla-tinged raspberry fruit with considerable tannins and a good whiff of alcohol. I'm not sure what kind of oak this is aged in, but it doesn't show any of the nasty Bourbon/dill/coconut notes that generally turn me off from Rioja aged in cheap American barrels. Easily the best Rioja I've ever had and even better with the food. $60 purchased on clearance for $15.

2006 Casar de Burbia, D.O. Bierzo - Dark from core to rim. From the Mencia grape. Pretty nose of violets, wintergreen and crushed blue fruit. Quite rustic in the mouth with rocky blue fruit, ferocious tannins and a long, pleasantly herbaceous finish. Beautiful minerality throughout. I've had really nice examples of Mencias from Bierzo and some really bad ones and this is definitely in the "really nice" camp. Equally delicious with dinner. $30

For dinner I rubbed down a couple of venison backstraps with kosher salt and Montreal steak seasoning and grilled them over charcoal to a perfect medium rare. Meanwhile, I was making a red wine/red currant jelly reduction on the stove. Served with wild rice and garden fresh green beans sauteed with slivered almonds. A beautiful way to end a couple of weeks of my wife's family coming to visit.

2009 Loring, 2010 Sean Minor Pinot Noirs

2009 Loring Wine Company Keefer Ranch Vineyard Pinot Noir, Green Valley of Russian River Valley - A Pinot Noir of almost Zinfandel-like proportions. Incredibly deep color. Rich, ripe, blueberry and cherry aromatics punctuated by black pepper, sweet herbs and light licorice flavors. Quite full-bodied with solid tannins and nice acidity. Really carries the 14.9% alcohol well. Not for traditionalists or Burgundy drinkers, but I absolutely love this stuff. One of the few single vineyard Loring Pinots available in Kansas, this retails for $50.

2010 Sean Minor Pinot Noir, Carneros - Classic light- to medium-bodied Carneros notes of strawberry and vanilla with light herbal undertones. Beautifully balanced on the palate with sweet-tart red fruit and pretty herbal shadings. This was my first taste of the 2010 Carneros bottling. Consistent with previous vintages of this, one of my favorite values in California Pinot Noir. With the 2010 vintage Sean Minor has split his Pinot Noir pricing with a Central Coast holding the line at $15 and the Carneros bottling checking in at just under $20.

For dinner I served a delicious spice-rubbed, grilled pork tenderloin with wild rice pilaf and braised Brussels sprouts. Both wines were very nice with the smoky, assertively-seasoned pork.

Some Wines from Memorial Day Weekend

2008 Austrian Pepper Gruner Veltliner, Niederosterreich - Just lovely. Beautiful nose of green apple, candle wax and petroleum. Palate mimics the nose with waxy, floral, orchard fruit notes and electrifying acidity. Texturally pleasing with a zippy, peppery finish that nips the tip of the tongue. Normally $15, marked down to a ridiculous $3.

2006 Pirathon Shiraz, Barossa - Super dark color that stains the glass as swirling subsides. Loads of Bourbon, licorice, smoke and black fruits on the nose and palate. Quite concentrated, yet nicely balanced by the acidity and tannins. Probably appealing to fans of this style, but not my thing. Regularly $26, marked down to $7.

2009 Chateau de Segries, Cotes du Rhone - Still over-delivering delicious raspberry-laced Grenache fruit and black pepper with undertones of earthy barnyard. Moderate acidity and tannins tell me this needs to be drunk soon. One bottle left in the cellar that won't be there much longer. Great with Coq au Vin. $13

2009 The Dreaming Tree Crush Red Wine, North Coast - Effusive blueberry and black pepper on the nose and palate here with a good bit of residual sugar. Finishes with a long, green, bay leaf-like note and drying tannins. A blend of 67% Merlot and 33% Zinfandel. A project of Dave Matthews and Steve Reeder, winemaker at Simi. Nothing complex here, but would make a nice partner for a burger or pizza. Very similar in style to the jammy Apothic Red. About $12

Last night (Sunday) was our 2nd Annual Memorial Day Paella Feast. We invited a couple of friends over to enjoy paella and wine with us and my wife's father. We offered two paellas: my father-in-law's cooked indoors with venison sausage and a myriad of shellfish (oysters, clams, shrimp, crawfish) and mine cooked outside over an open fire with chorizo, chicken and green beans. Both were delicious. With the two paellas we enjoyed a true embarrassment of riches. Notes are brief as I wrote them from an admittedly fuzzy memory on Monday morning:

NV Riondo Spago Nero DOC Prosecco - Drinking as deliciously as ever. Light and fizzy with intoxicating pear and ginger notes. Goes down way too easily. $10

2010 Cannonball Sauvignon Blanc, Sonoma County - Very different from previous bottles, yet still very nice. The sweet, peachy fruit was AWOL last night, replaced by lemony, mineral flavors. My friend Alex said "Very French in style." Pleasantly herbaceous. About $12

2010 Chateau de Campuget Tradition de Campuget rose, Costieres de Nimes - How lovely was this bone dry blend of 70% Syrah and 30% Grenache? Pale pink in color with juicy red berry and light underbrush flavors. $6? Are you kidding me? I could drink this all summer long.

2005 Mount Veeder Winery Cabernet Sauvignon, Napa Valley - Mount Veeder Winery's Cabernet Sauvignon was one of our original "splurge" wines when my wife and I were dating in the early 90s. Every once in a while we'd drop $20 on an '87 or '90. I was delighted to see our friends (and business partners) Chris and Janice bring a bottle of '05. Deep color with even deeper notes of tart blackberry and cocoa with monstrous tannins that beg for another 5-10 years in the cellar. About $30

2010 King Estate Signature Collection Viognier, Oregon - All of the rich, floral, peachy notes one could ever want from a domestic Viognier. Widely available and imminently gulpable.

2008 King Estate Domaine Pinot Gris, Oregon - Easily the best domestic Pinot Gris I've ever had. Layers of yeast, mineral, orange-tinted fruit and an incomparable richness. A truly stunning Oregon Pinot Gris available only at the winery. As good as it is, $40 is rather steep.

2008 Trenza Tinto, San Luis Obispo County - 35% Syrah, 31% Grenache, 22% Tempranillo and 12% Mourvedre. Seems to have shed most of its youthful fruit. An undistinguished showing.

2007 Dunning Vineyards Cabernet Sauvignon, Paso Robles - Massive and powerful, the licorice, cocoa and sweet French oak flavors were overshadowing the dark black fruits last night. Always a pleasure....

Seared Scallops and Two Older Whites

Tonight was my wife's 43rd birthday and she requested seared scallops over pureed cauliflower and a salad from the garden. We opened two older white wines that my father-in-law brought:

2004 Au Bon Climat Hildegard Estate Bottled White Table Wine, Santa Maria Valley - A new wine to me. Over the years I've had a number of Pinot Noirs and other white wines from ABC, but I've never had their top-of-the-line blend of Pinot Gris (73%), Pinot Blanc (23%) and Aligote (4%). Amazingly youthful color. I defy anyone to look at this in the glass and guess "8 year old Pinot Gris." Beautiful lemon oil and roasted peanut notes on the nose. Deliciously oily palate with nice mineral flavors. Normally $40, purchased on closeout for $9.99. Really hitting its stride about now.

2006 Cuvaison ATS Selection Chardonnay, Carneros - Thanks to my father-in-law I've had multiple vintages of this, Cuvaison's top Chardonnay bottling. But I don't recall one ever being this balanced and restrained. Beautiful color shows no sign of age. Light tropical, pineapple, buttery nose lets you now this is a California Chardonnay. Subtle hint of fennel bulb adds unexpected complexity. Rich and creamy on the palate, but there's plenty of acidity here to carry the full-bodied, toasty oak notes. Bit of burned matchstick on the bitter finish. Not terribly complex, but a wonderful pairing with the food. $55 on release ($40 to club members).

A Titanic Battle of 2008 Cabernet Francs......

The father-in-law is in town and that means I have to up my game with the food, wine and food & wine. Tonight's dinner was grilled tri-tip with garden-fresh broccoli (amazing!), couscous and garden-fresh chimichurri. Thinking the herbaceous chimichurri sauce would pair well with Cabernet Franc, I pulled one of mine and one that my father-in-law brought.

My contribution was the 2008 Dunning Vineyards Private Reserve Cabernet Franc, Paso Robles. Beautiful, impenetrable color hints at the wine's power and extraction. Wonderfully rustic notes of blackberry, licorice, sweet Provencal herb and a touch of roasted meat. Palate pretty much mimics the nose with huge tannins and nicely balanced acidity. Dusty finish goes on and on and on. A stunning example of Paso Robles Cabernet Franc. I can't remember what I paid for this, but I suspect it was around $30. I've been in Dunning's wine club for about 3 years now and this is the only bottle of this wine I've received so far. I really, really hope there is more forthcoming.

As delicious as the Dunning was, I have to say it was upstaged by the 2008 Justin Vineyards Justification, Paso Robles. This blend of 65% Cabernet Franc and 35% Merlot pours a light, uninspiring color. But the nose - oh, my god, the nose! The sugary blueberry cobbler brings to mind the heretofore incomparable 1994 Shafer Hillside Select Cabernet Sauvignon, perhaps the greatest wine I've ever had. Tremendous blue and black fruits on the palate with considerable licorice and thyme. Moderate tannins suggest this might not age quite as well as the Dunning, but both as drinking so well tonight that I wouldn't bother aging either one. Normally about $50, but purchased by my father-in-law for $19.99.

There were no losers on the table this evening. Had the Justin not been there, I would still be turning cartwheels at the awesomeness of the Dunning. But the Justification just took everything to another plane. Not that I've been in a rut or anything, but this was one of those nights that just reaffirms my passion for the grape.

Mixed Bag.......

2008 Cameron Hughes Zin Your Face Zinfandel, California - The label claims this wine is "spicy, jammy and yummy." Well, I'll give it the "jammy" bit, but that's about as far as I can go. Borderline sweet with the jammy, raisiny aromas and flavors, but that's about it. A bit alcoholic and harsh on the finish. Not a bad wine for $10, but doesn't really do anything to distinguish itself from a sea of average wines.

2007 Renwood Cranky Old Vine Zinfandel, California - Light in color, aroma and flavor. Merlot-like in its mediocrity with the light, stemmy, cherry notes and nonexistent finish. Seems really unripe. My father-in-law says this is regularly priced at $17, but he purchased it on closeout for $8. It might be worth the $8.

NV Bookwalter Winery Bookmark, Columbia Valley - This multi-vintage blend is mostly Merlot with lesser percentages of Cabernet Sauvignon and Syrah. There's a lot of plummy fruit in here, but it's buried underneath an avalanche of hickory-scented campfire oak. Substantial fruit, but little complexity or tannins here. Finishes a bit green. About $10

2008 Seghesio Barbera, Alexander Valley - Deep color. Rather bizarre nose of graham cracker, raspberry and licorice. (I think it's the graham cracker that's throwing me off here.) Lots of tart raspberry and licorice on the palate with substantial tannins. Delicious with venison meatballs in tomato sauce over pasta, but the significant acidity makes it a little difficult to enjoy on its own. Regularly $20, but purchased on closeout for $9. Highly recommended with food, even at the regular retail price.

2010 Charles & Charles Rose, Columbia Valley - This 100% Syrah rose continues to impress with its deep color and concentrated mint, strawberry and cherry nose and palate. Bone dry with prickly acidity, this is a pleasure to enjoy at a summer cookout. I've enjoyed numerous vintages of this wine and wouldn't hesitate to recommend it under any circumstances. $10