2013 Dona Silvina "Fresh" Malbec

Well, now, isn't this an interesting wine? So interesting I felt the need to blow the dust off the ol' wine blog and actually write about it - something I haven't done in the last few months. I don't know how familiar you are with the term carbonic maceration, but it's a winemaking technique generally associated with the Gamay grape and used for wines like Beaujolais Nouveau. Without getting into too much geeky detail, carbonic maceration involves fermenting whole clusters of grapes in a carbon dioxde-rich environment so most of the juice ferments inside the still-intact grape. This results in a very fruity, low tannin wine intended for consumption sooner rather than later.

The grapes for the 2013 Dona Silvina Fresh Malbec, Mendoza are picked early in the season from organic vineyards and processed in a state of the art winery facility employing gravity flow and biodynamic principles. Fantastic magenta color with blueish highlights. Extremely grapey on the nose with fresh blackberry and black pepper notes. So young and fresh on the palate with effusively fruity notes and a subtle prickle of CO2 on the tip of the tongue. Quite dry on the finish, but no tannins to speak of. I rarely buy the same wine twice these days, but I might buy this again to enjoy with lighter grilled fare this summer. Wonderful this evening with grilled flank steak and chimichurri sauce. Not the best $15 Malbec I've ever had, but certainly among the most interesting.

A Tale of Two Zinfandels

Brought home a couple of bottles tonight from a hard day (yeah, right!) of tasting wine. These are two Zinfandels that we have added to our line-up this month. The Steele came in last week and the Fiddletown arrived on Monday. We re-introduced Steele to the Kansas market last fall and we have done quite well with their Pacini Vineyard Zinfandel (Mendocino) and their Writer's Block Zinfandel (Lake County). So we registered another one of their single vineyard Zins earlier this year. The Fiddletown is a new brand for us.

Dinner tonight was ground turkey mixed with a little bit of breadcrumb, seasoning and reconstituted sundried (actually, oven-dried) tomatoes from out garden. I grilled them over charcoal and then served them on onion rolls with a sundried tomato Dijonnaise. A perfect pairing with both wines.

The 2010 Steele Catfish Vineyard Zinfandel, Clear Lake hails from a vineyard planted in 1901. Yeah, that's over 100 years old. A field blend with small amounts of carignan, alicante bouschet, cabernet sauvignon , petite sirah, and cinsault. The old vine nature of the rugged, briery, brambly fruit is readily apparent. Tons of spicy raspberry and blackberry here. The wine is aged in what the winery refers to as "hybrid barrels" where the staves alternate between French and American oak. The smoky, vanilla notes from the French staves are nicely balanced with the Bourbon-like qualities from the American oak. Overall, a very nice package that toes a fine line between rustic and polished with restrained 13.8% alcohol and moderate tannins. Retails for about $20 and worth every penny of it.

The 2011 Fiddletown Cellars Old Vine Zinfandel, Amador County pours a slightly darker color than the Steele. Everything about this wine is just a little more than the Steele. More color, more alcohol, more fruit, more oak. Creamy blackberry and blueberry in the nose with a touch of residual sugar and noticeable alcohol (14.5%) on the palate. Turns quite oaky on the finish. While the wine displays a good level of extraction, the acidity keeps it from wading into that overripe/raisiny territory sometimes found in Amador County Zinfandels. Aged in a combination of French and American barrels. Retails for about $18. 

These are two excellent wines that are reasonably priced for what they represent. Your favorite of the two will probably just come down to a stylistic preference. In case you haven't guessed by now, I sell both of these wines in the great State of Kansas.

2013 Blue Plate rosé, Lodi

We've done quite well with the wines from Picnic Wine Company over the past year or so, particularly the Chenin Blanc, their first commercial release. Later additions to their line up included a Grenache and a Grenache rosé. Today we got a sneak peek at their 2013 rose; scheduled for release later this spring.

Unlike the 2012 rosé which was 100% Grenache, the 2013 Picnic Wine Company Blue Plate rosé, Lodi is a blend of Grenache and an unspecified amount of the obscure Flora grape. A genetic cross between Gewürztraminer and Semillon, Flora delivers a distinct floral spiciness on the nose as well as a mouth-coating waxiness on the palate. From what I understand, Schramsberg and Picnic Wine Company are the only two wineries who get fruit from the one vineyard still planted to Flora in California. Combined with the crushed raspberry and herb of the Grenache, this blend produces a stunning dry rosé with wonderful acidity and an long, minerally finish. I really can't wait to get this one in the warehouse and then get it circulating throughout Kansas! Quite a nice little summer sipper for $12, this should accompany all forms of salads, cold seafood and light pasta dishes as well as a sunset on the back porch.

Disclaimer: I am the wholesaler for Picnic Wine Company in the State of Kansas.

2011 Groundwork Grenache

Been working hard and selling lots of wine as of late. After listening to all the nay-sayers tell us that January was going to be a horrible month, it turned out to be pretty damn good. In fact, our gross sales in January were about the same as November and December. Granted, we put a lot of wine on sale in January so our net might not be as good as it was late last year, but we certainly didn't mail it in like others suggested we do. So I've mostly been drinking leftover bottles of wines I've tasted on retailers and restauranteurs. As well as a lot of new samples from wineries that I'm not at liberty to reveal yet. But when my wife told me she bought some salmon for dinner tonight, I thought it would be a good reason excuse to pick up a bottle of red.

The wines of Sans Liege are relatively new to the Kansas market. I saw them start to pop up here last summer or so. I actually wanted to bring them into the Amphora (now StemTime) fold at one time, but I was a little scared off by some of the higher price point wines. They have since signed on with another distributor here who has a done a good job in placing them throughout the market.

Tonight's bottle of 2011 Sans Liege Groundwork Grenache, Central Coast has a rather transparent color; much lighter than the Grenaches I'm used to seeing from Paso Robles and Santa Barbara. Offers up some nice strawberry, tart cherry, licorice and cola notes on the nose; most of which follow through on the palate. Tart and tannic in the mouth, I was hoping for a little more richness here. Long, acidic, tart red fruit on the finish with just a hint of charred oak. Overall, I wasn't terribly disappointed by this wine, but I wasn't thrilled, either. Normally priced at $20, I'm glad I only paid $14 for it at one of my retail accounts. Although it was a bit tart and acidic on its own, it paired quite nicely with tonight's broiled salmon with mashed sweet potatoes and roasted asparagus with Parmesan cheese. If you're tempted to try one of these, I would definitely recommend it with food.

2011 Colonia las Liebres Bonarda

Dinner tonight was a delicious spinach risotto topped with grilled Italian sausage. Not having any Italian wine in the cellar, I went for something that I was hoping would be pretty rustic. And I wasn't disappointed. I recently purchased the 2011 Colonia las Liebres Bonarda, Mendoza as a part of a mixed case of inexpensive wines; all of which were new to me. Very, very dark in color, the wine has beautiful aromatics of grapey blackberry preserves, bay leaf, leather and a whiff of alcohol. Thick and rich on the palate with considerable black pepper and moderate tannins. 100% stainless steel fermented and aged, so no hint of oak.A very nice wine for about $12. I wouldn't hesitate to buy this again and pair it with anything off the grill.

Originally a French grape known as Douche Noir, it is hardly grown at all in France now. Bonarda is most widely planted in Argentina today where it is second only to Malbec in acres. The grape is also grown in California where it is most commonly referred to as Charbano.

2010 Backsberg Chardonnay

I've had a fair amount of South African Chenin Blanc and Sauvignon Blancs over the years, but I don't think I've ever had a South African Chardonnay until tonight. For some reason, I expected this to be on the lean/tart apple/unoaked end of the Chardonnay spectrum. But I was pleasantly surprised to find the 2010 Backsberg Chardonnay Western Cape (South Africa) to be a very pleasant, medium-bodied Chardonnay with plenty of creamy apricot aromas and flavors. Nice acidity and balance. Long finish. I don't know how the current vintage (2011) of this drinks, but a year in bottle certainly hasn't hurt it at all. This wine is partially fermented in oak and stainless steel.

And oh, my, was it good with dinner! Pan-roasted chicken breast with braised fennel and brown rice. 

While my company distributes Backsberg wines in Kansas, we do not currently offer this one in our portfolio. It was a Christmas gift from the importer. But after having tasted it, I might have to inquire as to getting it registered in Kansas. Price unknown, but I suspect it would retail  for something less than $15.

2012 Graffigna Elevation Red Blend

Really enjoyed a bottle of 2012 Graffigna Reserve Elevation Red Blend, San Juan (Argentina) tonight with some chukar and pheasant breasts I pounded and cooked as if it were chicken Parmesan. A blend of unspecified percentages of Malbec, Cabernet Sauvignon, Syrah, Bonardo, and Tannat, the wine is inky-black in color. Black fruit, graphite, black pepper and tobacco aromas. The fruit on the palate is a bit tart, but there's good depth and spice in there. Turns a bit green and stemmy on the finish, but for $11 I can't complain too much.

I'm quite familiar with Graffigna's Malbecs and Pinot Grigios as they were always good sellers when I was working retail a few years ago. But this is a new wine; at least it is to me. Pretty sure this will be a regular next spring and summer when the weather is warmer and red meat is on the grill on a regular basis.

2011 Laudun Cotes-du-Rhone Villages (blanc)

It's been a pretty "meh" week or so as far as wine is concerned. Decent, yet uninspiring bottles of 2010 Caligiore Bonarda, 2011 Joel Gott Alakai red wine and 2010 Ancient Peaks Renegade left me satisfied yet wanting for more. Which wine finally answered the call and responded to the challenge? A white Cotes-du-Rhone? Seriously? Why, yes!

The 2011 Pierre-Henri Morel Laudun Cotes-du-Rhone Villages (blanc) is a simply stunning blend of 70% Grenache Blanc and 30% Bourboulenc. Rather pale in the glass with brassy highlights. The nose is a complex, never-ending melange of lime, white peach, pear skin and fennel. On the palate, there is more green orchard fruit as well as gardenia and candle wax. No surprise that the acidity here is mouth-watering with an impossibly long, minerally finish. What a treat! And all this for about $15. A tremendous value that deserves another visit with something other than a bowl of chicken soup.

Now it wasn't "just" a bowl of chicken soup. It wasn't from a can or made from a box of chicken stock. A few weeks ago I has to dispatch a half-dozen chickens who had outlived their usefulness. They were from our original flock from nearly 3 years ago and had stopped laying eggs for nearly a month. It's never pleasant to part with animals you have been around for a few years and this was no different. But these were farm animals who were no longer pulling their weight so it was time to cull them from the flock. These older hens make a delicious, rich, sticky stock that you'll never get from a can or box. But unfortunately the meat is very tough and still inedible; even after spending the day in a crock pot. So I ended up with a delicious broth made with onion, carrots and celery but no meat. All was fine until I got to the noodles. I learned an important lesson tonight in that you can't put fresh-dried pasta noodles in a crock pot for 30 minutes and expect good results. The noodles turned the entire concoction gluey and starchy and nearly inedible. Next time I will boil the noodles separately and add them to the finished soup.

Duck Pond Pinot Gris, Tolaini "Al Passo"

Last week, my wife's boss, a member at Highland Hideaway in SE Iowa, brought us a number of  pheasants that he shot a few weeks ago. I had the pleasure of going hunting with him there a couple of years ago and if not for the late fall hunting date, I would gladly go again.

My favorite thing to do with pheasants is to breast them out and make a stock with the remaining carcass. I season the breasts, wrap them in bacon and them hot smoke them over charcoal and maple chips for about 30 minutes. They are wonderful served over a bed of red wine risotto whose color and texture has been bolstered by a handful of wilted radicchio.

2012 Duck Pond Pinot Gris, Willamette Valley - Thoroughly enjoyed this one before dinner (and had another glass after dinner). Has that glorious, brassy color that I really appreciate in a good Pinot Gris. Herbaceous aromas and flavors of citrus and sweet green bananas with lively acidity and good minerality. I would drink this over and over again. About $15.

2009 Tolaini Al Passo, Toscana - This full-bodied blend of unspecified amounts of Sangiovese and Merlot shows a completely saturated color and a certain cloudiness that suggests a lack of filtration. The nose is dominated by a plummy herbaceousness from the Merlot but the palate is all about licorice-tinted, funky dustiness from of the Sangiovese. Wonderful acidity and tannins suggest this one could effortlessly age for another 5-7 years. Love the long, herbaceous, tart cherry finish. A faithful companion to the dinner. About $25

2012 Cep Sauvignon Blanc

On my way home from work today I bought a mixed case of wines to enjoy over the next few weeks. I bought them from a local retailer who has been very good to us and I felt like spreading a little love around. My only criteria were the wines had to be in the $15 range and they had to be something I'd never had. I certainly hope the rest of them are better than tonight's bottle.
 

I was initially drawn to the 2012 Cep Hopkins Ranch Sauvignon Blanc, Russian River Valley by the tall Alsace-shaped bottle. I don't think I've ever seen a Sauvignon Blanc bottled in one of these. Light pale color with brassy highlights. On the nose, sweetish lemon-lime notes with a hint of yeast. Smells like a flat Sprite; and I don't mean that as a compliment. The palate is flabby with more sweet-tart lemon-lime flavors. Just a train wreck. I really expected a lot more from this second label of Peay Vineyards. Reminds me of the odd 2009 O'Reilly's Pinot Gris. A bizarre, disappointing $18.

Consumed with leftover traditional Thanksgiving fare including turkey, dressing, mashed potatoes, gravy and sweet potato casserole

The Wines of Vignobles Saint-Nabor

The wines of Vignoles Saint-Nabor is a line of wines from the south of France that Amphora recently introduced into Kansas via Marquee Imports. I got a great reception when I took these around to a number of retailer and restaurant accounts in Lawrence today. Naturally, I finished off the leftovers tonight with a hearty spinach and tortellini soup.

 

The 2012 Domaine Saint Nabor Chardonnay, Pays d'Oc shows a pretty, brilliant light golden color. Very focused nose of fresh pear and apple. Pure Chardonnay fruit here with no oak influence. I'm not certain if this wine sees any oak, but if it does, it is neutral oak. More orchard fruit in the mouth with with some pear skin and a hint of fennel. Fantastic acidity and a long, minerally finish. Quite a nice wine for about $15

The 2012 Domaine Saint Nabor Gris de Nabor, Vin de Pays du Gard is my kind of rose. Pale pink in color with tremendous raspberry, mint and dried herb notes on the nose. It's bone dry on the palate, but there's enough fruit there to keep the wine from falling into that dreaded "austere" category. A delicious blend of Tempranillo(!), Grenache and Cinsault. While nice now, I can only imagine this getting better and better when the weather warms up next spring. About $13

A blend of unspecified percentages of Grenache, Syrah, Carignan and Cinsault, the 2012 Chateau Saint Nabor Cotes du Rhone has a completely opaque color. The nose is a very fruit-forward/new world style featuring blueberry cobbler and plum notes. But the palate quickly switches gears and reverts to a very traditional, Old World style Cotes du Rhone with dried raspberry and garrigue flavors. Quite peppery; especially on the finish. Nice tannins and juicy acidity leave you craving another sip. I know there are a lot of solid Cotes du Rhones out there for $16, but I think this one can go toe-to-toe with the best of them.

Lucas & Lewellen Pinot Noir and Merlot

For my 44th birthday and I decided to celebrate with a roasted chicken; one of my favorite comfort food meals. Sides were roasted sweet potatoes and braised Brussels sprouts with bacon, cranberries and pecans. Lucas & Lewellen, one of the wineries I distribute in Kansas recently sent a few samples of wines I don't currently carry but they would like for me to add to the portfolio. From the selection, I figured the Merlot and Pinot Noir would go best with tonight's dinner.

2009 Lucas & Lewellen Pinot Noir, Santa Barbara County - Pretty garnet color with just a hint of cloudiness. In the nose, beautiful aromas of vanilla, tea, black cherry and mulling spices. Maybe even a hint of forest floor in there, too. Still quite warm and vibrant on the palate with flavors of black cherry and mulling spice. Negligible tannins and good acidity indicate it's time to drink this up. Long vanilla finish. Not quite as distinctive as their Goodchild High 9 Vineyard bottling, but still a good value in the mid-teen range.

2009 Lucas & Lewellen Merlot, Santa Barbara County -Deep color shows no sign of age. A solid, medium-bodied style with fig, caramel, toast and blackberry pie notes on the nose and palate. I really like how the winemaker has balanced the richness of this wine with nice tannins while keeping it medium in body. There's lots to like in here, but it isn't overly-extracted or sweet. Just a touch of herbaceousness on the finish. I think there's a better than fair chance that we will be bringing this one to Kansas soon. Also about $16.

2007 Mount Veeder Cabernet Sauvignon

Ahh, Mount Veeder Winery. When I was still cutting my teeth on wine in the early 90s, my father-in-law told my wife and I that Mount Veeder was always a good, go-to Napa Valley Cabernet. I still remember buying a bottle of 1987 from a retailer in Atlanta for a "special dinner" back in the day. I'm pretty sure I had at least a few bottles of each of their vintages throughout the 90s and into the early part of the new millennium. I don't buy it on a regular basis any more, but I couldn't resist when I saw a few bottles of 2007 on closeout for $20 at a St. Louis grocery store last Christmas.

Things have been really hectic around the house for the last two weeks with volleyball, Cub Scouts, cheerleading, entertaining winery reps, high school football and a host of other extracurricular activities. Tonight, we had nothing on the calendar so we took the opportunity to enjoy a rare sit-down family meal with a couple of ridiculously thick ribeyes, braised Brussels sprouts and rice pilaf. I opened the last of my 2007 Mount Veeder Winery Cabernet Sauvignon, Napa Valley. Beautiful, deep garnet color doesn't show any sign of age. The nose is quite rustic with notes of brier, currant, coffee and licorice. The palate is fiercely tannic with super dry cocoa and dusty blackberry flavors. There's a hint of vegetation on the finish, but it is not in any way a detractor. If anything, it just adds a touch of complexity. I've had more than a few vintages of Mount Veeder Cabernets at the the 10-year mark and they only get better and better. I don't think this one is in any danger of going downhill any time soon, but I would drink it over the next few years before the rustic blackberry fruit fades. Frankly, I think the tannins are perfect right now with a well-marbled ribeye steak right off the charcoal grill.

2006 Bodegas Purisma "Trapio" Monastrell

Today started by bringing the suck. I popped part of an old filling out of a tooth yesterday morning so I spent an hour this morning getting it re-filled. Ironically, I broke the old filling flossing. My dentist joking said "yeah, that's how we keep you coming back!" So my tooth was throbbing for most of the afternoon. But that didn't stop me from making a nice dinner for the fam and myself. I battled a driving rainstorm to perfectly grill a flat iron steak and topped it with charmoula sauce. Sides were couscous from a box (yeah, sue me) and oven-roasted asparagus with Parmesan.

The wine I chose was the 2006 Bodegas Purisma Trapio Monastrell, Yecla. What an interesting wine. My first experience with this wine was back in the spring of 2011 when the retail store I was working for offered this as a wine of the month selection. At the time I thought it was backwards and unforgiving. But I saw the promise with a few years of age and the appropriate food. When the owners of the retail store closed up shop a few months ago for another opportunity in Colorado, I jumped on a few of these at a nice discount. And I'm very glad that I did as it has blossomed into a gorgeous wine.

Tonight's bottle boasts a saturated, cloudy garnet color that hasn't faded over the past two years. There's definitely no filtration going on here. The sweet black cherry, worn leather and licorice notes are bolstered by a delicious earthiness, a chalky texture and dry carob flavors. Beautifully balanced throughout with the fruit, tannins and acid all complementing one another. I would imagine this will continue to improve over the next few years.

When I purchased this wine, it was being distributed by one of the larger wholesalers. But it has recently been added to the Amphora portfolio. I'm very happy to be representing this wine in Kansas now and I hope that gives me the opportunity to continue to sample it for the foreseeable future. And yes, 2006 is the current vintage. Retails in the $25 range.

Hybrid wines and sweet potato soup

Felt like making a hearty soup with the chilly, rainy weather we've had of late. My wife found a pretty decent looking recipe in Cooking Light magazine which was basically cooked sweet potatoes and onion pureed with chicken stock and garnished with Parmesan cheese and crispy bacon. Really hit the spot with a black pepper/Parmesan toast.

I had some samples left over from today's sales rounds of some new wines we brought into Kansas about 2 weeks ago. The Hybrid wines are the second label of Peltier Station; a third generation family-run winery dedicated to sustainable farming in the Lodi region. The winery is named for an old train station where table grapes used to be loaded on boxcars and shipped eastward. A tip of the cap to Claire Augustine of Classique Wines, LLC and Claire Uncorked who turned me on to this winery.

2012 Hybrid Chardonnay, Lodi - This unoaked Chardonnay shows a light, clear color in the glass; as expected. Aromas of banana, mango and ripe tropical fruits leap out of the glass. A bit simple, but smells quite delicious. Spry and tangy on the palate with minerality and spritzy acidity. Might be a bit monolithic if you're into top flight Napa and Sonoma Chardonnay, but a very drinkable $10 wine.

2012 Hybrid Pinot Noir, Lodi - Yes, Virginia, there is a Pinot Noir from Lodi. And this one is pretty nice so long as you aren't an oak-a-phobe. Perfectly acceptable clear garnet color with a good dollop of hickory-scented wood/campfire accompanying the juicy raspberry and cherry notes on the nose and palate. No noticeable tannins. Finishes with vanilla bean and surprisingly nice acidity. A lot to like here for $10. Pinot Noir with a splash of Viognier.

2011 Hybrid Cabernet Sauvignon, Lodi - Deep, woodsy nose more reminiscent of forest floor and cured meat than a tooty-fruity $10 California Cabernet. Medium-bodied, Merlot-like palate with some nice dark fruit, vanilla and moderate tannins. Acidity on the finish seems a little artificial, but overall, a very nice value. Drink up.

Disclaimer: As you've probably noticed by now, I distribute this wine in Kansas.

Short Ribs, Maitake Mushrooms, Risotto and Two Wines from Steele

So I'm out making sales calls in Lawrence, KS on Wednesday at this quirky little retailer and a regular customer comes in. The owner excuses himself from our conversation, goes to the back and returns with this large brown paper bag. He places it on the counter in front of the customer and asks the customer to open it. The conversation goes something like this:

Owner: "Go ahead, open it."

Customer: (Face lights up) "Wow, that looks and smells amazing.!"

Owner: "My buddy found it out in the woods today. Interested? Go ahead and take a handful. There's plenty in there. More than I need."

Meanwhile I smell something delicious wafting across the room from a few feet away as I'm waiting for the DEA to bust in with jackboots and M-4's. Is this really happening?

Owner: (Turns to me) "You want some, too?"

What's in the bag? A pound of weed? Nope. Turns out the owner of this store is good friends with the owner of www.morelhunter.com, a professional mushroom hunter and salesman. And the morel hunter had just dropped off a basketball-sized Maitake mushroom (a.k.a. Hen-of-the-Woods) that he had found that morning. Not being one to pass on an opportunity like that, I pulled off a large hunk and took it home thinking of what I could do with it for a dinner over the next night or two.

I ended up working it into tonight's dinner of braised short ribs over a simple risotto and sauteed spinach. I don't recall ever having maitake mushrooms so I did a little internet research on them. Apparently, they fry up quite well. So instead of doing a quick saute and then stirring them into the risotto, I decided to leave them out of the risotto (hoping to keep them from turning mushy) and let them shine on their own. And what a good decision that was. Broken into pieces, these things fry up in butter into a deep, golden brown like a chicken breast. And best of all, they maintain their dense, chewy texture without turning to mush like shiitakes, criminis or portabellas. Just an amazing mushroom experience. Easily trumps any morels or porcinis I've had. I've very grateful to this retailer for this phenomenal experience and I'll be dropping off a bottle of something nice for him to enjoy at his leisure.

I had two partial bottles of red wines from Steele with me at the end of a long day of sampling retailers so I enjoyed the remnants of both with tonight's most delicious dinner. The 2010 Writer's Block Zinfandel, Lake County is from an alternate label started by Jed Steele's son a few years ago. (The label has since been turned back over to Jed.) Deep garnet color with brownish hues. Loads of black pepper, leather and earthy spice on the nose. Seems a bit alcoholic for the stated 13.8%. The palate consists of waves and waves of bittersweet cocoa, roasted coffee bean, black tea, and earthy raspberry flavors. Super long, dusty finish. A real departure from your run-of-the-mill overextracted, tooty-fruity California Zinfandel. I just can't get enough of those dusty, raspberry notes! Tannins suggest this one might reward a few years in the cellar. 92% Zinfandel and 8% Petite Sirah. About $16 full retail and a wine I distribute in Kansas.

The other wine my wife and I enjoyed was the 2010 Outcast Red Wine, Lake County. This decadent wine is a blend of 51% Syrah, 23% Zinfandel, 11% Petite Sirah, 7% Merlot, 5% Malbec and 3% Petite Verdot. Gorgeous ruby color. Deep red and blue fruits on the nose accompanied by hints of licorice and black pepper. Certainly more primary and fruit-forward than the Writer's Block Zinfandel. Seems like the small amounts of Malbec and Petite Verdot become more assertive on the palate with tobacco (Malbec) and graphite (Petite Verdot) on the palate. Constantly evolving, this is one to enjoy over a couple of hours. Nice, long plummy (Merlot?) finish. Delicious and worth every penny of $23. Another wine that I distribute in the State of Kansas.

2012 Andrew Murray "Tous les Jours" Syrah

Alright, let me go ahead and clear the air by saying that as of Monday I distribute this wine in Kansas. Got a pallet of this, and a few other Andrew Murray labels in the warehouse earlier this week. If you consider that a conflict of interest, then feel free to take this blog entry with a grain of salt.

 

The 2012 Andrew Murray Vineyards Tous les Jours Syrah, Santa Ynez Valley is Andrew's "everyday" Syrah sourced from vineyards in the Santa Ynez Valley and Paso Robles. Beautiful, completely saturated purple color with very Northern Rhone-like aromatics of smoked meat, black pepper, wintergreen and ripe blackberry.Tart blackberry and black peppercorn notes on the palate with moderate tannins and mouth-watering acidity that makes you long for the next sip. Drink sooner rather than later. Paired beautifully with a grilled flat iron steak topped with an exotic charmoula sauce. Fantastic value at $16.

2010 Primarius Pinot Noir, Oregon

Okay, okay, I told you I'd start blogging more frequently. And I have. It's not the 4-5 times per week I used to do, but I think I'm up to once a week (or so) now. Tonight's dinner was a simple roasted chicken rubbed down with assorted herbs and spices, roasted potatoes and a low-brow squash casserole. (At least I used squash from the garden.)

And with this delicious chicken, I opened a bottle of 2010 Primarius Pinot Noir, Oregon. Really light in the glass, this wine is borderline rose in color. More on that later. Pretty, earthy strawberry notes on the nose that follow through onto the palate. Hints of hickory smoke, tar and spice. Tart and austere with considerable acidity and a long, unripe strawberry finish. Not a great wine by any measure, but works well with food. Not particularly pleasant on its own after dinner. I was shocked to learn the winemaker blended 3% Syrah in this wine. I can't imagine how light the color and body would be without this addition. Not that I seek validations by mainstream wine press, but I think my impressions were very similar to those of the following reviewer in Wine & Spirits magazine: "Light and peaty, with scents of smoke and wild strawberry, this wine rallies a bit with two days of air, pulled along by its line of acidity. A well-priced red for a chicken panini." About $15.

Austin Hope "Troublemaker" (Blend 4), Paso Robles

Homemade pizza night always calls for a wine that can stand up to a trio of bold pizzas. I had some leftover 2010 Queen of Hearts Sauvignon Blanc, Santa Barbara County to go with the salmon, melted leek and fresh chive pizza. This is a wine I distribute and I really enjoy it for it's light body and lemony acidity. A great value at $12.

I always make a pepperoni pizza for my son who hasn't quite embraced the "fancy" pizza concept yet. But I have to admit to scarfing a piece or two every now and then as well. Sometimes, you just can't ignore the classics! The other pizza I made this evening featured leftover rotisserie chicken, goat cheese, radish slices and baby arugula tossed in a light vinaigrette. I know this sounds like a train wreck, but it really is delicious.

To go with the last two pizzas I opened my last bottle of NV Austin Hope Troublemaker (Blend 4), Paso Robles, a blend of 67% Syrah, 22% Mourvedre, 8% Grenache and 3% Petite Sirah. Super inky-black in the glass, this wine is all about sweet, hedonistic, grapey, primary fruit notes. There's a little dusty earthiness and acidity lurking in the glass to provide just enough balance to the sweet fruit. But make no mistake, this is all about the guilty pleasure known as Paso Robles red wine. No tannins to speak of so drink this up now with something appropriately spicy without deep analysis or pretension. I think this was about $18 before discount.

Disclaimer: I distribute the Queen of Hearts Sauvignon Blanc, but I have no business interest in Hope Family Wines.

2010 Cowan Cellars Pinot Noir and "Moaveni Vineyard" Syrah

To hell with it. I'm going to go ahead and start blogging about the wines I sell here. I'll just make sure that I disclose the information so that there is no conflict of interest. And since I'm technically paying for all of these wines anyway, I don't feel bad tasting and reviewing them here.

A few months ago we brought in a few wines from Cowan Cellars for a restaurant looking for a high-end Sonoma Coast Pinot Noir. The consultant actually asked us to bring the wines from Radio-Coteau into Kansas, but the winemaker there balked at the idea of working with an upstart distributor. So I suggested Cowan to the chef-consultant and he was good with the idea. Everyone involved loved the wines (we pitched the Pinot Noir and Syrah) so we worked them onto the restaurant list. Unfortunately, the restaurant has been in a constant state of turmoil and upheaval since opening. The manager was canned last month and I heard today that the head chef was leaving. The upshot is the restaurant hasn't gone through as much of this limited release wine as we had hoped so I took it around to retailers today trying to gin up some interest.

As is usually the case, I'm left with 1/2 to 2/3 of a bottle at the end of the day so I wind up drinking it with dinner. And tonight's dinner was perfect with the wine. The 2010 Cowan Cellars Pinot Noir, Sonoma Coast is as far from a California fruit bomb as you will ever encounter. Burgundian in nature, the color is rather light with expressive damp earth, mushroom, truffle and cherry compote on the nose. The palate reinforces the cherry-scented nose with the subtle addition of vanilla and sweet bay leaf accents. The wine sees no new oak and the alcohol is a very manageable 13.9%. The acidity is perfect with a fatty, farm-raised salmon filet marinated in teriyaki sauce and grilled to a perfect medium-rare. the earthy finish seems to go on forever and ever. Not cheap at $30, but worth every penny.

After my wife and I drained the remaining Pinot with dinner, we dove into the last of the 2010 Cowan Cellars Moaveni Vineyard Syrah, Bennett Valley. If Cowan's Pinot Noir can be described as "Burgundian," his Syrah is pure northern Rhone. Deep cranberry color, but no freakish extraction here. The nose is complex as anything I have ever encountered from a California Syrah with wintergreen, white peppercorn, summer sausage, tar and blackberry all mingling in the nostrils. The palate speaks of cool climate Syrah with preserved meat, blackberry, pepper and moderate tannins. The alcohol on this one is an incredibly restrained 13.2%. I dare you to find another California Syrah sporting a number this low. Once again, impeccably balanced with an impossibly long finish. About $28.

Although I have never met him, I feel like I have known "Florida Jim" Cowan for years now as we have been reading each others tasting notes and exchanging e-mail since the mid-90s via the the old Wine Spectator message boards and the discussion forum at www.WestCoastWine.net. Hopefully, I can talk Jim into bringing his talent to the Kansas City area some day for a wine dinner or in-store tasting.