The 89 Project

Riva Ranch

2010-04-01T04:57:00.000-07:00

*Disclaimer: I received this wine as a sample in order to participate in a Taste Live Event. Content originally published on Wannabe Wino.

I liked this Chardonnay the best of the wines from the Wente Taste Live Event. I know, it's saying something when Chard is my favorite, as I tend to drift away from Chardonnay many times. However, I really enjoyed this wine. Apparently I'm not alone as it got an 89 from the Wine Spectator back in July, so I'll be cross-posting this entry over on The 89 Project....does anyone post there anymore? The wine is the 2008 Wente Riva Ranch Chardonnay, clocking in at 13.5% alcohol by volume with a real cork closure and retailing for around $17.

On the nose I got pear, apple, apple cider, spice, lots oh pear, a bit of cream, and white flowers. In the mouth a little oak and butter popped up, but I thought it was well integrated and found the oak to be on the toasty side. I also got more cream notes, round apples, pears, spice, white flowers, and tropical notes. I thought the Chard had some nice acidity on the finish to round out the hints of oak and butter. Overall, I really enjoyed this wine.

Mourvedre My Darling, Mourvedre

2009-10-16T15:55:00.000-07:00

*Disclaimer: I received this wine as a sample from the PR folks for Quivira Winery

Content Originally Posted on my blog, Wannabe Wino.

I feel like that commercial for hair club for men...I'm not only the founder, I'm a client too...I've been a member of the Quivira Wine Club for going on 4 years now. I have tons of their wines in my basement. I usually tend to sit on the reds for a bit though, so I'm happy to have a chance to taste them earlier through sampling so I can decide what more to order for myself and how long to hold my own bottles. Now, I also LOVE LOVE LOVE Mouredre, Monastrell, Mataro, whatever you want to call it. One of my favorite "obscure" grapes. Tonight I pulled the 2006 Quivira Mourvedre from the basement, thinking it might work well with a pot roast I had made. I'm guessing this retails for around $30....I know I paid $27 for the one I got in a club shipment, it had a real cork closure and clocked in at 14.8% alcohol by volume. It appears this vintage received a score of 89 from Wine Enthusiast, so I'm going to go ahead and cross post this blog over on the 89 Project.

On the nose I found campfire smoke...I love that smell in wine, black fruit, blackberry, boysenberry, cedar, vanilla, chocolate, spice, and herbs. It had that dark brooding nose I love in wine. In the mouth, more black fruit with black cherry thrown in, blackberry, herbs, chocolate and pepper, also some tart raspberries lurking in the background. The wine had nice tannins that will see it through a few years, though we really enjoyed it now with our pot roast!

Patrick Lesec's "Bouquet" is One Fine Value Wine

2009-07-23T16:49:00.000-07:00

There are plenty of choices from France's Cotes du Rhone area in your local wine shop. You will find the Grenache- and Syrah-based wines plentiful in any good shop worthy of your business.

There are so many wines to choose from, most quite tasty, it's hard to remember anything truly outstanding. Or at least outstanding enough to remember the name or write it down. That might be true until you sample the wines of Patrick Lesec.

A 2005 bottle of Lesec's Cotes Du Rhone Bouquet was nothing short of remarkable for the price point. For $12.99 you're going to have a great bottle of wine that will hold up to most dinner dishes.

It's a terrific wine with herbal notes, a big ripe and rich flavor, but still medium bodied and smooth on the finish. And for the real wine geeks, the first taste of this wine screamed "DIRT!" If you want to taste the "terroir" the soil and environment where the wine is made, or better understand the concept, find a bottle of Patrick Lesec's Bouquet.

Robert Parker, Wine Advocate, gave this juice an 89 rating. I thought it was every bit that good. Most of us are influenced by the price point though more than Parker. If you buy your wine on a budget,try this wine.

It's a cliche' but this is far better wine than the price point!

This is also posted at my blog Grape Sense - A Glass Half Full.

I Spy...

2009-07-07T03:40:00.000-07:00

This is a cross post from my blog Wannabe Wino. This wine received an 89 from the Wine Spectator.

*Disclaimer: I received this wine as a sample from Spy Valley Winery.

With my little eye a wine that's an excellent buy! (Oh, and I rhyme too!) I first came across Spy Valley wines at the 2008 Wine Blogger Conference (woohoo, only 18 days until I meet up with my wine blog friends again!) and then had a chance to try them again at the New Zealand Winemakers' Tasting in Dc. Folks from the winery contacted me and offered to send along a more complete sampling of their offerings, so I will have 5 wines to bring you over the next weeks! We first tried the 2008 Spy Valley Sauvignon Blanc. It clocked in at 13% alcohol by volume, had a screw cap closure, and retails for as low as $12 on the internet.

On the nose I found lime, grapefruit, citrus, crushed stone, lemon, and tropical undertones. The nose smelled like a wine that would be tart and crisp, and the mouth did not disappoint! In the mouth I got grapefruit, lime, almost a hint of green apple, tart citrus, passion fruit, and an herbal quality. I found the wine to be really tart, extremely refreshing, and with great acidity and structure. We drank it with grilled pork chops and corn on the cob, sitting on our back patio enjoying a lovely evening.

A French Cotes-du-Rhone Past Its Prime?

2009-06-28T14:29:00.000-07:00

I always make a big batch of pasta sauce, meat, etc. on Sunday nights. Then I eat it a time or two again during the week.

I did just that recently and went to look for a bottle of wine. I didn't have any Italian wines or a Garnacha, both of which I like with Italian.

I grabbed a bottle of French wine I bought on recommendation and popped it open. The wine was a 2003 Chateau Pesquie Les Terrasses. It had a smooth flavor but nothing interesting on the front of the palate. It had a lively Grenache (French) or Garnacha (Spanish) spice flavor on the finish. But, I thought the wine was a little flat initially.

I popped open the Internet to see what I could learn. I learned it was 70 percent Grenache and 30 percent Syrah - therefore, the nice finish. Robert Parker liked this wine and gave it an 89! But then something colored my opinion. Parker said the wine would be best in 2007.

I wish I had thought of that, and it makes sense. That being said, it was a okay glass of wine - not great. I wish I had tasted it in its prime.

The winery is a storied wine-making estate in Provence. New owners took the winery over in the 80s and have made a name for themselves with these French wines. You can find this wine in the $11-$12 range.

The point of this post is that some times the Internet can teach you things. I'm not sure I always agree with Robert Parker or Wine Spectator's ratings, but it's useful information to educate your palate. The glass of wine I tasted didn't warrant an 89, but maybe Parker was right - perhaps it was a tad past its best days.

Send comment or questions to: hewitthoward@gmail.com

Nothing wrong with a little bubbly

2009-06-25T10:00:00.000-07:00

*This wine was rated 89 by Antonio Galloni in the Wine Advocate December 2008

There has been plenty to celebrate lately. I started a new job (and finished the first two weeks without being shown the door!), Leah graduated from Cornell Medical School, my friends are all reasonably happy and healthy, and it is almost summer.

So Friday night, after a nice dinner of appetizers at Land, I decided it was time to pop some bubbly. I had a bottle of J. Lassalle Premier Cru Champagne NV in the cooler and decided it was well time to open it up and see what was inside.

Leah and I found ourselves very relaxed, with some music playing, bubbly in flutes in our hands, and in good company.

The wine was fantastic. For me there were really pleasant olive notes, some doughy overtones, and just a slight bitterness at the end which I found was very enjoyable. Made me want to go in for another sip, and another. Before long, we had finished the bottle, and the first sip was just as enjoyable as the last. The bubbles were very nice and small and plentiful to the last drop in the bottle.

This bottle was a gift (not a sample) and I very much thank the person who gave it to me. The intention was to expand my wine education and it certainly did that. Before this bottle I had not had many good experiences with sparkling wines. This was an eye opener, and definitely made me want to go out in search of more grower-producer labels.

1997 Les Cailloux (Lucien et André Brunel) Châteauneuf-du-Pape

2009-06-18T07:31:00.000-07:00

Cross-posted from 2 Days per Bottle, based on an 89-point review from Stephen Tanzer's International Wine Cellar, January/February 2000, Issue #88.

Type Red
Producer Les Cailloux (Lucien et André Brunel)
Variety Red Rhone Blend
Designation n/a
Vineyard n/a
Country France
Region Rhône
SubRegion Southern Rhône
Appellation Châteauneuf-du-Pape

This wine has the Big Wooden Guy scratching his head a bit.

Night One

The color clearly says this is an older wine. It is translucent and brick-red with orange edges. The nose is interesting, tarragon, thyme, cherry, and a little crushed limestone. The palate is complex. It starts with dried cherries then loads tarragon, thyme, sage and leather on top. On the mid-palate the cherries go from dried to tart and add some strawberries, while carrying the spices along from the attack. Lavender also shows up on the mid-palate. The finish is long.

Night Two

Most of the fruit is gone from the nose on Night Two. Instead, it is redolent with leafy spices and dried flowers. There are still a few cherries on the palate but they are resting on a deep bed of violets, lavender, tarragon, thyme and sage.

Conclusion

This is an interesting, even curious, wine. It is not fantastic, or particularly special, but it very pleasantly shows what happens when good wine spends some time in the cellar, long enough to let the fruit fade and the spices and flowers come forward.

This work is licensed under a
Creative Commons Attribution-Noncommercial-No Derivative Works 3.0 United States License.

Cedar Creek Ehrenfelser 2008 ($19)

2009-05-31T18:57:00.000-07:00

This is what Canadian wine geeks like me wait for all winter -- the spring release of the Okanagan whites. Ah, and was it ever worth waiting for.

If you love aromatic whites like I do, you need to taste Cedar Creek's Ehrenfelser. It's a wine to die for. Killer tropical fruit bomb nose -- papaya, pineapple, and mango with floral honeysuckle. On the palate, more tropical fruit dominated by tangerine. It's classed as off dry but I don't find it sweet at all. Glorious balance, nice acidity. Heavenly.

Anthony Gismondi, he of the fabulous shoulders, gives this wine a 89. I give it a yum.

The Ehrenfelser was released on May 1. Taylorwood Wines in Vancouver's Yaletown has 3 cases left and there may be more to be found throughout Vancouver, but it's going to be sold out in a month or two, so get yours now.

(Originally posted on Full Bodied)

Cono Sur Vision Riesling 'Quiltranam' 2007

2009-05-12T10:30:00.000-07:00

Category: White Wine
Varietal: Riesling
Producer: Cono Sur
Name: Vision Riesling 'Quiltranam'
Vintage: 2007
Country: Chile
Region: Bio Bio Valley
Appellation: Bio Bio Valley
Alcohol Content: 13.5%
Price Range: $10

Color & Clarity
The Cono Sur Vision Riesling 'Quiltranam' 2007 is a very sharp, golden yellow with slight greenish edges. The overall quality is clear — so clear, that the center can be quite watery.

Nose
The aroma of the Cono Sur Riesling is young and fresh, zesty and lemony. It almost tingles in the nose with mineral and citrus scents, but it loses a tremendous amount of this by the next day.

Palate
As with the aromas, the taste of the Cono Sur Riesling is characterized by zesty, crisp, citrus flavors — primarily grapefruit, but with some mineral notes at the end. It's not especially complex and might prove to be a little on the sweet side for some but it has a nice, medium body and a moderate, short flavor intensity that works well in a variety of circumstances. It's acid levels work very well — strong enough to make the wine crisp, but not overwhelmingly so. You could sip it alone or pair it with food.

Food Pairing

Pairing Cono Sur Vision Riesling with Cheeses

Cheddar Cheese: Cono Sur Riesling is at best mediocre with cheddar.

Swiss Cheese: This is a nasty combination and should be avoided.

Aged Gouda: This Riesling is neutral with aged Gouda — not great, but not horrible.

Pairing Cono Sur Vision Riesling with Meats

Chicken Sausage: The Cono Sur Riesling is good with mild chicken sausage, becoming a bit more sweet without losing its acidity.

Salmon Burger: This is a neutral pairing and I expect that the Cono Sur Riesling would work reasonably well with other fish dishes as well.

Pairing Cono Sur Vision Riesling with Main Dishes

Chicken Versailles: The Cono Sur Riesling becomes more tart and dry when paired with this dish, producing an even more crisp and refreshing finish. This is definitely recommended and other baked or fried chicken dishes would probably work equally well.

Creamy Ranch Dressing: You may not pick a wine just to go with the salad, but it helps if the salad doesn't conflict with the wine. In this case, the Cono Sur Riesling becomes mellow and sweeter when eaten with a salad with ranch dressing. The apple flavors come out more strongly as well, which was surprising.

Salted Rosemary Potatoes: Although the Cono Sur Riesling isn't an inherently complex wine, the salt and rosemary made it taste that way. This pairing is worth having all on its own.

Roast Turkey with Gravy, Stuffing: The Cono Sur Riesling goes reasonably well with turkey — it's not outstanding, but it makes for a decent combination if you want a crisp white wine to go with roast turkey.

Cross-posted from A Taste of Wine

Helfrich Vin d'Alsace Riesling 2007

2009-04-30T09:49:00.000-07:00

Category: White Wine
Varietal: Riesling
Producer: Helfrich
Vintage: 2007
Country: France
Region: Alsace
Appellation: Alsace
Alcohol Content: 12.5%
Price Range: $10-15

Color & Clarity
The Helfrich 2007 Reisling is a clear, pale yellow wine with green tinges around the edges.

Nose
The positive, moderate aromas of the Helfrich 2007 Reisling are a combination of citrus and herbaceous elements. None are quite strong enough to identify clearly, but the blend is quite pleasant.

Palate
The Helfrich 2007 Reisling starts out with positive citrus flavors then moves to a crisp, dry, mineral finish of moderate length. In fact, the finish is a bit drier than the initial impression would suggest and the acidity of this wine develops over time.

Overall it's medium dry, light bodied, and reasonably well balanced. My wife, who has generally liked sweeter Rieslings, was very happy with this and now has more interest in trying and experimenting with drier Rieslings. It's a moderately complex wine that will probably continue to be worth drinking over the next couple of years, so if you can find it at a good price it should prove to be a decent value.

Although this Helfrich Riesling only received a score of 89 from Wine Spectator, I was really impressed by its flavors and how well it paired with fish. In comparison, the 2005 Hugel et Fils Riesling is widely considered an especially good vintage, but I didn't like it nearly as much. I'll get this Helfrich Riesling again and I'll recommend it highly to others, even those unsure about dry Rieslings, but I won't go out of my way to get the Hugel Riesling again.

Food Pairing
The acidity of the Helfrich 2007 Reisling makes it a bit too tart for my taste if I were just sitting and sipping it, but this wine really shines when paired with the right food. I had this Riesling with some salmon which really brought out the wine's citrus flavors and increased the aromas the developed in the back of my throat.

It was even better when a creamy dill sauce was added to the salmon, making the Riesling much smoother and sweeter. This also brought out an increased tingling just on the tip of my tongue. The Helfrich 2007 Reisling also went fairly well with asparagus and hollandaise sauce, which also made the wine a bit smoother and sweeter. You would be safe pairing this with just about any dish based on fatty fish and/or with creamy sauces.

Cross-Posted from A Taste of Wine

2005 J. J. Prum Kabinett Riesling ($30)

2009-04-22T07:15:00.000-07:00

Check out the Chateau Petrogasm review of this wine:

Woodward Canyon: Nelm's Road in Walla Walla

2009-04-16T09:50:00.001-07:00

Here's a wine that I could almost make some peace with when it comes to an 89 score, but the only reason is due to the fact it's a "second" label. And at the same time, in spite of the fact it is a "second label," it's a second label for a world class winery.

Nelm's Road is the second label for Woodward Canyon. Woodward Canyon is one of the oldest wineries in the Walla Walla Valley and has had more than it's share of 90+ scores from the likes of Parker, 'Spectator and the 'Enthusiast. Woodward Canyon started producing their second label in 1998, offering Merlot and Cabernet Sauvignon from Walla Walla and Washington State grapes. I know damn good and well, "Woody's" second label could stand up to a lot of high-end wines in a blind tasting. It's that good.

Nelms Road Merlot - 2007 received an 89 from the Wine Enthusiast. What I love about the Nelms Road reds, is I always know I'm getting a quality wine made with quality fruit. And typically these reds show off the essence of the Walla Walla Valley - - dark dried fruits, especially cherry. These wines are earthy and with the right elements, they can be cellared for about five years. And at $21, how can you beat the price for such quality?

It's a well kept secret!

2009-03-27T18:30:00.000-07:00

Recently, the good PR folks from The Wines of Chile (@RobBralow) sent me a surprise box of wine samples. In this box, held a treat for the sense, and an 89 pointer. Ok fine, really it was 88 points by the Spectator but it was voted a Best Buy.

The 2006 Viu Secreto Malbec hails from the Colchagua Valley region of Chile. The Colchagua Valley lies about 80 miles southwest of Santiago, and has a moderate climate. It has often been compared to Napa in many ways, but I bet you won't find a Napa Malbec at this price point!

This Malbec is priced at a fighting $10-15, and is worth every penny in my opinion. I immediately smell a smokey richness, with fennel and herbs. It is a rich and chewy wine, which one would expect in the over $20 category, but is a treat at this price point. On the palate, there is heavy plum and herb, with an earthy richness. I also taste lavendar and a nice pepper overtone.

Chile has become my go to region for budget minded wines. I have personally tasted several Cabernet blends that are priced around $10 and are a STEAL. Particular varietals that do well in Chile are Cabernet Sauvignon, Malbec, and Sauvingnon Blanc. I'm still exploring other varietals, so please stay tuned!

Walk, don't run to your local shop for this gem!

Cross posted to Luscious Lushes

Value Alert: 2007 Altos Las Hormigas Malbec

2009-03-27T09:37:00.000-07:00

This is a cross-post from The Wellesley Wine Press. This wine received 89 points from The Wine Advocate.

Whenever a wine publication produces a list of wines that includes "top" wines -and- "value" wines, I always look for the value wine that sneaks into the list of top wines in spite of its lower price. This week's WWP Value Alert highlights one of those wines, the 2007 Altos Los Hormigas Malbec from Argentina.

I first heard of this wine from a piece in the Wall Street Journal. They tasted Malbecs ranging from $10 to $25 and this Altos Las Hormigas (at $10.99) was their favorite irrespective of price. Wine Spectator also thought highly of this one, rating it 87 points.

I had a bottle of this recently and was really pleased with it- absolutely delicious:

2007 Altos Las Hormigas Malbec - Argentina, Mendoza (2/28/2009)
Wow! Very nice. 91 the first night, 88 the second. Very impressive QPR here- will buy again. (90 pts.)

Posted from CellarTracker

Where to find it:

Hingham Wine Merchant in Hingham, MA
Blanch ards in West Roxbury, MA
Winestone in Brookline, MA
Others? Leave a comment below and I'll add it to the list.

If Malbec is not your thing, you might be interested in this 92-point, $12 Italian red. Willing to spend a little more? Perhaps this 93-point, sub-$20 California Zinfandel would be interesting to you. If you prefer white wines, then maybe this excellent $10 domestic Riesling would hit the spot.

Do you like hearing about incredible quality-to-price ratio wines like these? If so, please consider subscribing to the Wellesley Wine Press so you'll never miss an update.

Question of the Day: Have you tried this one? If so, what did you think? If not, what are some of your favorite Aregentinian Malbecs?

The Countess of Montecillo

2009-03-11T08:27:00.000-07:00

Wow, two 89 wines that I reviewed in a row after having none for months. Truly amazing.

There are few things I enjoy more than sitting around and chatting about wine with a winemaker, especially a winemaker that has been making wine for over 30 years. There is such a sense of ease and enjoyment that comes from a wine where the winemaker knows that she does not need to over work it.

I had the privilege of attending a lunch with Maria Martinez-Sierra, who has been making wine for the past 34 years. She has been working with the Osbourne family, the owners of Bodegas Montecillo in Rioja, since they started making wine. The Osbourne’s took over ownership of Bodegas Montecillo in 1973, at first producing only sherry and brandy. The winery itself was founded in 1874 and is the third oldest winery in Rioja, or so it claims.

Maria was one of the first women winemakers in Rioja as well as one of the first winemakers to make her wines with 100% Tempranillo. In fact, Maria has a particular devotion to indigenous Spanish varietals, such as Tempranillo and Albariño. With the rise of demand for Tempranillo from Rioja, it seems that Maria is a visionary, with more surprises on the way. During the tasting Maria brought out a tank sample of a 2008 Albariño from Rias Baixas and it was beautiful. The wine was fresh, crisp and so sippable that I could probably have finished off the bottle by myself – luckily there were others that were there to hold me back. This is the winery’s first vintage of white wine and I am glad that they let Maria talk them into it.

Those of us that attended the tasting were able to sit around very informally and just chat with Maria about her philosophies. Her views on vintages were really interesting to me. When asked about how she decides to make her wine into a Crianza, a Reserva, or a Gran Reserva she said, “When the vintage is not up to the standards, I won’t make the wine.” By this she meant that the grapes needed to be a certain standard in order to last under the aging treatments that come with a Reserva and Gran Reserva, a very respectable philosophy of winemaking. Looking at past vintages, Maria did not make a Gran Reserva in 2002 and did not make even a Reserva in 2004.

When asked about her production volume, she noted that it changes frequently. “When the grapes are of a good quality and the conditions are right, I will make as many bottles of wine as the Osbourne family pockets can make.”

I thought that was a damn good answer.

When we tasted the red wines they were very enjoyable. My favorite of the three was the Gran Reserva 2001. It was beautifully young and juicy with red fruit on the nose and got more floral the longer it would sit in the glass. The taste was smooth and silky with cherries and blackberries on the taste. I think what I most enjoyed was that the oak used did not overwhelm the fruit. There was a great balance. And at the price of $25 a bottle, it’s a great deal!

The Montecillo Gran Reserva 2001 was rated an 89 by Thomas Matthews at Wine Spectator and Josh Raynolds at the International Wine Cellar, given a 91 by contributor Michael Schachner at Wine Enthusiast. I did not find a rating for it on the Wine Advocate's website. After giving it quite a bit of thought I would agree with the dreaded 89 rating. It was a very good wine, but it was not greatness in a glass, which is what I think the 90-100 point range should be.

Everyone is crazy on Argentina

2009-03-06T11:08:00.000-08:00

I have been ITCHING to review a wine on the Wine Post that was 89 points for this blog. I was asked so many months ago if I wanted to contribute and I said YES PLEASE. And then sat on my hands for forever. But now... away we go!

It really is incredible how the everyday drinker latches onto a grape. In the US, Merlot had a good run (with plenty still on the shelves) and gave way to Pinot Noir after Sideways knocked over a few bottles. Now the grape of the moment: Malbec!

Even though I think this is a fad that will one day be replaced by another fad (although it may stick around… when are people going to leave White Zinfandel and Chardonnay?), there is one major difference: Malbec from Argentina is damn tasty.

There is a lot of wine flooding in from Argentina these days. In fact, Argentina is now the fourth largest importer of wine into the US, behind Italy, Australia, and France. However, more than half of that wine is bulk wine.

What is bulk wine? Let’s think about how wine in brought into the U.S. for a moment. When shipping overseas, most producers put their wines on very large tankers. They have to bottle the wines, put the appropriate labels on them (do not get me started on labeling laws), put them in boxes, and then deliver them to the appropriate port where a ship will take the wines on board and drop them off in a port in the U.S. where customs the opens the boxes and looks to make sure all importing laws are being upheld.

Have you ever lifted a box of wine? It is heavy, which adds cost in the shipping. Well, what if you decide to simply put all the wine into large plastic containers and bottle the wine wherever you decide to send it. That would save money on shipping and you can bring more wine in at the same time. The problem is that the wines almost never have the interest and the life that a bottled wine has. You can find bulk wine from every country, especially right now when producers are doing everything they can to keep prices down.

But, I digress. We are talking about the good stuff here and there is not much better than the Bodegas Salentein Reserve Malbec 2006 from the Uco Valley in Mendoza, Argentina. This wine was very good, with a beautiful deep velvety purple color. There was a very nice vibrant freshness in the wine when I stuck my nose in the glass, accented by ripe red fruits. The vibrancy continued in my mouth where I found some cherry, black raspberry and cranberry flavors. Towards the end of the finish there was some nice spicy richness to it.

I looked up what the experts said, and I found that Jay Miller at the Wine Advocate gave this wine an 89. Finally, a wine I can post on the 89 project! Michael Schachner at the Wine Enthusiast gave this wine a 90. Wine Spectator gave this wine a 75. I was confused because I did not think the wine publications posted anything that was given less than an 85. When I saw the notes it looked like the Wine Spectator received a few bad bottles when they were doing their review. A real shame, because I think this is a great wine. On wine-searcher.com I found this wine between $17 and $22.

2006 Di Majo Norante Sangiovese Terre degli Osci IGT

2009-03-06T09:52:00.000-08:00

Type: Red
Producer: Di Majo Norante
Variety: Sangiovese
Country: Italy
Region: Molise
Appellation: Terre degli Osci IGT
Price: $9.99

The Little Wooden Guy is disappointed, and that's not really fair to the wine. At $9.99, it delivers a decent bang for the buck. No, he is disappointed because it failed to meet its promise, and herein lies one of the real problems with rating wines. The shelf-hanger said:

Wine Advocate - December 2007 - 89 points - Great Values from Italy

"The 2006 Sangiovese Terre Degli Osci is simply gorgeous. This superbly balanced red offers generous, super-ripe blueberry, spice and sweet toasted oak along with a soft, accessible personality."*

Hey, $9.99 for that? What a bargain! And then, disappointment. On the one hand, it suckered me into buying it. On the other hand, I was disappointed where I should have been thrilled- for $9.99 this wine really delivered. So I guess the question is, do they want a large number of individual sales, or a smaller number of multiple sales and loyal customers?

Night One

The nose opens with big aromas, starting with rubber and dark ripe fruit, blackcurrant and plum, followed by spices, primarily pepper and cardamom.

The palate, too, opens with rubber, followed by black pepper, blackberries, plums, and lots of florals, including violets and roses. Vanilla comes out on the finish. Mouth-feel is very smooth.

Night Two

The nose is much lighter on Night Two, more fruity, opening with cherries and raspberries, plus the cherry pits.

The palate is far simpler on Night Two, as well. Cherries and raspberries, some spice including white pepper, not any significant changes on the mid-palate, and a hint of nutmeg added on the finish.

*I am not a big fan of wine ratings and rarely buy anything based upon shelf-hangers, but as the manager of The 89 Project, if see and "89" under $10, I really have to buy it.

Pointless

2009-03-04T22:48:00.000-08:00

I received my invitation to participate in The 89 Project with relish. With the revolutionary spark of an old hippie I thought to myself "right on" and "power to the people"! After all, Wine Camp is a points-free zone because I can think of few things that have driven us to the bland wine world of today more than the 100 point scale. So when I recieved my invitation I was ready to go, to become the Abbie Hoffman of points and blister the blog with righteous indignation about passed over wines.

Then as the days spread into weeks, that spread into months and before I know it probably years, I have yet to place a single post on The 89 Project. What's my problem? After all I could not agree more with the concept that hundreds, if not thousands, of beautiful wines are condemned to the neither here nor there purgatory of getting 89 points in a world that only cares for 90+ wines. So what was my problem?

The 89 Project has made me realize how far out of the mainstream of the wine world I've drifted. Not having followed The Wine Spectator or The Wine Advocate for some years now I just don't know what they're talking about anymore. I couldn't name an 89 or a 90 if my life depended on it. It's not so much that I want to fight the pointy people anymore as much as I just don't care.

In the past, although I never gave points on Wine Camp or, my previous blog VinoCibo, I used to score wines for my own personal edification. Three or four years ago even that drifted away as I concentrated more and more on how wine and food made me feel instead of trying to reach for an absurd codification or ranking.

So I apologize to the the dedicated writers of The 89 Project for my silence, but I have nothing left to say about points other than they are pointless. Thank you for continuing the fight against the the stupidity of the 100 point scale. While I may have tired of the fight, I am glad a new generation has taken up the cause.

wine blog

2009-02-23T16:38:00.000-08:00

This is a cross post from my blog, Wannabe Wino. This wine earned an 89 from the Wine Advocate. Since we're still talking about it days later, at $13, it's a fantastic value...and scoop it up for the QPR! Thanks for the 89 Wine Advocate, it's probably keeping the price lower!

Red wine is multiplying and having babies in my basement. We used to have just slightly more red wine than white wine down there....the red lived in 9 wine racks and the white lived in one old wine rack and 7 styrafoam shipper halves. Now, the red wine takes up the original 9 racks, plus the old rack, and more than 4 of the styrafoam shippers. I'm not really sure how that happened, but I think I need to start collecting some more white wine. My selection is dismal at the moment. So that would explain why I'm quickly drinking the few whites I got in my Domaine547 shipment last week!

On our ski trip, we decided that fondue would make a great meal after a day on the mountain. However, when I packed to go, I realized I had absolutely no bone dry Riesling in the basement to take with us. (My usual choice with fondue.) So instead I grabbed the 2007 Clos Roche Blanche Sauvignon Blanc that I bought from Domaine547 for $13. It clocked in at 12.5% alcohol by volume, had a plastic cork, and hails from France.

On the nose I found grassy aromas, citrus, hay, lemon, herbs, tropical notes, and star fruit. I also thought I detected a hint of wet stone. In the mouth I got flavors of lemon, fresh cut grass, herbs, pineapple, stones, minerals, and other tropical fruit. Overall, I found the wine to be light and refreshing, and it went fabulously well both in the fondue and with it. At $13, this is a great bargain...Matt is still talking about it days later!

2005 Margalit Cabernet Franc

2009-02-22T14:34:00.000-08:00

This is a cross-post for an Israeli Cabernet Franc that received an 89 rating from the Wine Spectator. I have been recently posting reviews about numerous Israeli wines and you can visit my website for more.

Margalit Winery, founded in 1989, was the first boutique winery in Israel and is owned and operated by Yair Margalit and his son Asaf. The winery is located close to the Mediterranean, about halfway between Tel Aviv and Haifa. Their two vineyards are located in the upper Galilee Mountains and the village of Binyamina.

They only produce approximately 1600 cases a year, all of the grapes having been hand harvested and using only free run juice. They have a passion for Bordeaux grapes so concentrate on growing those.

The 2005 Margalit Cabernet Franc ($54.99) is 100% Cabernet Franc and has an alcohol content of 14.9%. I was a bit hesistant about this wine as I am usually not a big fan of this grape because it often has a green/vegetal taste I dislike. But to my pleasant surprise, this wine lacked those flavors. In fact, it reminded me far more of a Syrah.

It was a dark red in color with a nose of berries and a touch of spice. On the palate, the spice was much more prominent, like a spicy Syrah, though there were also nice black cherry, plum and raspberry flavors. The tannins were moderate and the finish was long and enjoyable. Plenty of complexity, a nice structure and very satisfying. This was a Cabernet Franc that I very much enjoyed.

Fabulous Washington State Riesling

2009-02-16T09:10:00.000-08:00

This is a cross-post for a Riesling that received an 89-point rating from one of the major wine magazines. I think it's very good QPR.

This year, one of my goals is to learn more about Washington wine. I'm starting my journey this month, and decided to take my first steps with a white wine.

Washington may be better known for its Cabernet Sauvignons and Merlots, but it makes white wine, too. The climate seems especially well-suited to Rhone varietals and Riesling. It's been a while since I had a Riesling, so I picked the latter.

The 2006 Long Shadows Poet's Leap Riesling was a very good QPR choice. ($20, Wild Walla Walla Wine Woman; available elsewhere for $17-$24) While higher in price than many domestic Rieslings, it has character and finesse. It comes from fruit grown in the Columbia Valley, which is Washington state's largest appellation. It includes within it six other smaller AVAs, and the most plentifully planted grapes are Merlot, Cabernet Sauvignon, and Chardonnay. Syrah and Riesling are also planted there in what qualifies (for Washington, anyway) as a "desert" climate of less rain and damp maritime influence.

This excellent domestic Riesling had aromas of seaspray, apples, peaches, and a hint of petrol--kind of like driving through an oceanside fruit orchard in a beat-up pickup truck. There was a slight spritz on the palate, along with flavors of melon, peach, and apple. The wine's aftertaste was juicy and a touch off-dry. This wine receives consistently high reviews from wine critics, and sells out quickly (both the 2007 and 2006 bottles are already sold out at the winery) so if you see some, nab it.

An aromatic, fruity, and flavorful wine such as this one is perfect with spicy Asian food. I made a doubtless inauthentic but extremely good stirfry of chicken, Chinese eggplant, oyster sauce, chiles, onion, garlic, and basil and it was delicious with the wine. The bottle's slight sweetness meant there was no acidic clash between the spices in the food and the fruitiness of the wine.

I'm off to a good start with my Washington wine lessons. Next month--a red.

Forget 89 points--how about unrated wines?

2009-02-13T19:04:00.000-08:00

Portfolio.com

This blog is about finding wines that are good, even great, that didn't score so well with the mainstream critics. How about a wine that's never been scored at all? When I was in Washington this summer visiting my parents in Walla Walla, I stopped in to visit a few wineries along the way. One of those was Hedges in the Red Mountain AVA, Washington's hot new AVA that's producing some of the best wines in the state. But Pete, Hedges' winemaker, said they don't go in for those blockbuster wines. They want to make wines that work with food and reflect the Red Mountain terroir. A few years ago, they made the decision to stop sending their wines in for scoring.

As a writer I'm always on the lookout for ideas, and a seed of an idea was planted here. I went home and pitched the story to Portfolio, and it published today. At first I wondered if I could find other wineries that, like Hedges, had made the decision not to submit their wines for scoring. It turns out I had more sources than I could use, and plenty of stunning wines to choose from for the sidebar.

The reasons aren't what you might think, like the wines are bad and the winemakers were afraid of a low score. Instead, many winemakers don't submit on principle, or else as a deliberate business decision. Read the story to find out more.

Vinos Sin-Ley M4 Monastrell 2006

2009-02-08T18:13:00.000-08:00

While other vintages of this producer came away with numbers that would appeal to any "Score Whore" out there, the 2006 was assigned 89. Since I love both the 89 Project and the varietal, monastrell, how could I resist? I snatched the bottle up.
The winemaker's notes say:The 2006 M4 is from Bullas. Dark ruby-colored, this strong effort has a classy nose of smoke, pencil lead, mineral, and blueberry. Ripe and mouth-filling, the wine is well-balanced and long in the finish. "Robert Parker's The Wine Advocate89 Points.

Hmmm. Yes, I definitely agree. Very pretty color. Less fruit than I would have expected and a lot more mineral notes. While this is a tasty, easy drinking wine, it had a little too large a scoop of the bitterness that can drive people away from mourvedre. Examples I prefer are the delightful Juan Gill Monastrell or Cline we had at Wine Bar Wednesdays past. Opened several days, the aroma converted to cocoa powder dusted blueberries and the flavors became more chocolaty with a solid core of dark berry. At $11.99, this is a nice every day wine. It is worth picking up especially if you like less fruit forward wines and want to try something different.

N.V. Chartogne-Taillet Champagne Brut

2009-01-21T19:11:00.000-08:00

Type: White - Sparkling
Producer: Chartogne-Taillet
Variety: Champagne Blend (Pinot Noir and Chardonnay)
Designation: Brut
Country: France
SubRegion: Champagne
Appellation: Champagne

The Wooden Guys are amazed at all the apples in this wine.

This N.V. wine got two different 89 ratings, one from Steve Tanzer on December 1, 2005, and another from Wine Spectator on October 15, 2003. Funny thing about N.V. wines, though, you get to use the 89 rating, even when it applies to something disgorged at an entirely different time. Looking at those two reviews, it's pretty clear this champagne is not consistent from year to year. Is that good or bad? I can't really say. I know the big houses strive for consistency, but isn't the fact that grower champagnes do a better job of letting the grapes and terroir do the talking one of the charms of these gems?

89 pts. Tanzer on 12/1/2005

Light gold color. Fresh aromas of orange blossom, acacia and honeysuckle, with a suggestion of grilled nuts. Round and supple, with deep, almost sweet flavors of mango, apricot and yellow plum. Frothy and suave, with ripe orchard fruit flavors and notes of pear and apple. The delicate, almost weightless finish is subtle, fine and long.

89 pts. Spectator on 10/15/2003

Starts with a yeasty, baking bread aroma. Fresh, firm and satisfying for its apple, citrus and wheat notes. Nicely balanced and textured. Drink now.

Night One

The color is pale straw, with a very slightly copper-colored tint.

The nose is apples. No, make that APPLES!! Not fresh tart green apples, but more like one of those half-baked without any sugar or spices. Once it cooks, add just a teaspoon of warm caramel, and that is what this wine smells like.

The palate is interesting. Imagine lining up every apple you ever ate, from tartest to sweetest, then back to tart again, and quickly taking a bit out of each one, and you get what happens from attack to mid-palate. It's dry, don't get me wrong, but the impression of apple is there the whole time.

Night Two

Like Night One, the nose is huge with apples, apples, apples, and a little dollop of caramel.

And like Night One, the palate runs through a bite of every apple you ever taste, though now the tart ones are more pronounced. Still, the only possible impression of this wine is APPLE. The mid-palate adds just a bit of baguette, but mostly, it's still apples.

This is also a good time to answer the obvious question- how did I make champagne last two nights? It's called a champagne saver, and a picture of mine is below. It pushes down into the bottle to make a seal, then the wings fold down over the lip of the bottle keeping it tight. The next night it opens with a "pop!" and you can't tell it had been opened the night before.

Sonoma-Loeb 2006 Sonoma County Chardonnay - Private Reserve

2009-01-18T20:59:00.000-08:00

I'm going to commit a wine faux-pas and say that I actually prefer - nay, crave - full-bodied white wine in the winter. Of course, I live in southern California, where our January temps reach August-worthy highs - but oh, those winter nights. By my romantic, gas-powered fireplace. With the patio door cracked open.

Smirk.

At the wine bar I lend my talents to on Saturdays (Heritage Wine Bar, Pasadena) our pre-New Year's menu included a lovely Chardonnay by the glass - Sonoma-Loeb 2006 Chardonnay, Sonoma County. Being that it was screamingly popular with the clientele and always my first choice for an "end of shift" glass, I was surprised when a patron claimed it was "too oaky." Her feedback caused me to do a second tasting - and to see what number on the Spectator scale the wine received.

Who'd have thunk it? 89 points. At my "re-tasting," I found caramel apples, vanilla and counter-ripened pear on the nose. The mouthfeel was creamy and dense, but with a slight tap-dance that lightened the load, ending with delicious creme brulee, butter and - there you have it - gentle oak. In fact, this time around I noticed an almost puckery note to the finish that made me think it walked a thin line between just enough and too much oak.

That must have been what swayed the Spectator away from 90.

Being that oaked-or-not is very much a Chardonnay buzz-phrase currently, and that I am quite the champion of the oak + Chardonnay relationship (faux-pas #2?), I do not agree with the 89-point badge. I think Sonoma-Loeb made a hell of a seductive Chardonnay for the price ($30), and whilst I understand some folks prefer a little less barrel action with their Chard, it works very well here. In fact, I think I'll go downstairs (yes, I live above said wine bar) and buy another bottle now.

Smoking Hot and Full Bodied

2009-01-13T15:18:00.001-08:00

Smoking Hot and Full Bodied!

Ahh can life get any better than that? It's a hot California day reaching up into the eighties! Yep you read that right the eighties! Welcome to So-Cal! Heading out to do some swimming today and catch some sun! Ahh don't be jealous, just a perk of living here. But I digress back to the task at hand.

The other night I fire up the grill and get it smoking hot! I have had this phat Tri-Tip marinating all day, along side broiled red potatoes with an EVO spice glaze and an ear of white Corn! So here's the match up a Sebastiani 2004 Alexander Valley Cabernet Sauvignon 14.4% ALC, 14 months on American and French Oak before release, paired against a Grain fed Tri-Tip Steak. Talking serious perfection!

From the first splash to enter my glass to last drop from the bottle, the wine delivered an awe inspiring performance, in a word stellar. I know, I know you think that's over the top, but for $23.95 it deserved every bit of the word, stellar. In the glass this wine was an opaque brooding storm of violet hue, now that's what I call extraction baby! This cab delivered so much palate coating dark fruit flavors and aromas, with subtle mocha nuances on the long and lingering finish I had to check the price again.
The year 2004 was indeed a very good year for Cabernet in Napa and Sonoma! Looking around the web I see I picked up this wine $10.00 to $15.00 less than advertised prices, score! Another QPR winner!

Now the folks at WS thought a little less of it than I did and scored it 89 points, which is considered very good a wine with special qualities. But personally I scored this beauty a whopping 91 pt's, that's if I were in the business of scoring wines. Which I am not, but I do know what I like and I challenge anyone to grab a bottle of this wine and find giving this Cabernet any less than 90 points! I look forward to hearing back about your experiences.

Until next time Cheers Everyone!

Twitter Taste Live Tastes Blind

2009-01-13T04:00:00.000-08:00

A few weeks ago I participated in the 89 Project's contribution to Twitter Taste Live. We all got 4 wine shipped to us wrapped in foil and numbered. Each of the wines had been given an 89 score from a major wine rating source. The purpose was to taste the wines blind as a fun exercise and determine if we agreed or not with the 89 score.

The first wine was a 2006 Jean-Marc Brocard Domaine Sainte Claire Chablis. It clocked in at 13%, had a real cork closure, and I purchased it as part of a tasting pack from Bin Ends Wine.

On the nose I found lemon, melons, something sweetish...honey, almonds, and minerals. I liked the nose on this wine, it smelled like the wine would have great acidity. In the mouth I got lemon, citrus, apple, minerals, and orange rind.

This turned out to be my favorite of the 4 wines of the evening. I guessed that it was a Sauvignon Blanc/Semillion blend, but clearly I was very very wrong. I thought this one deserved better than an 89, I would buy it again.

2005 Rolf Binder/Veritas Halliwell

2008-12-23T08:22:00.000-08:00

Cross-posted from 2 Days per Bottle. This wine received an "89" from Harvey Steinman at Wine Spectator. He said:

Bright and juicy, with lively acidity to balance the fresh berry and spice flavors, which linger effectively on the generous finish. Drink now through 2009. 3,000 cases imported. Score: 89. —Harvey Steiman, October 15, 2006.

Curiously, Robert Parker gave it a "92":

Wine Advocate- A sexy, knock-out effort for drinking over the next 5-7 years is the 2005 Shiraz/Grenache Halliwell. This aromatic blend of 60% Shiraz and 40% Grenache offers up notes of blueberries, raspberries, cherries, earth, spice, and a hint of oak. It is full-bodied with juicy, concentrated flavors, supple tannins, and a velvety, opulent finish. Score: 92. —Robert Parker, October 2006.

and Joe Czerwinski gave it a "91":

Wine Enthusiast This is 60% Shiraz and 40% Grenache, with the Grenache providing some volume and roundness while the Shiraz provides the more assertive flavor notes. It’s a heady blend of sweet—cola—and savory—black olive and coffee—notes, with a long, supple finish. Drink now–2015. Score: 91. —Joe Czerwinski, November 01, 2007.

I love reviews. Read those three, then mine, and tell me if any of us tried the same wine. That said, I think in this case Czerwinski and Parker are a lot closer. Really, I can't imagine any reason this just got an "89" other than a price south of $20.00.

Type Red
Producer Rolf Binder/Veritas
Variety 60% Shiraz 40% Grenache
Designation Halliwell
Country Australia
Region South Australia
SubRegion Barossa
Appellation Barossa Valley
Price $19.49

The Little Wooden Guy signals "TOUCHDOWN!" This is startlingly good stuff for the dollar. Heck, it's just good stuff.

Night One

The color is very dark, turning to purple-tinged scarlet at the edges.

The nose starts with a bit of barnyard must and earthiness, probably from the grenache. It also has plenty of fruit, starting with creamy blueberries, plus the dusty, fruity smell of a bag of dried strawberries. There is also a touch of fennel.

The palate is deep and rich, with a very smooth full mouth feel. Blueberries and blackberries in cream, plus a hint of licorice, open the attack. Some tart red fruit shows up on the mid-palate. Toward the finish, add vanilla and pepper. The finish is long. This is very nice, well balanced with fruit and sweet silky tannins.

Night Two

The nose of Night Two is still fruity, but darker than on Night One, adding blackberries and elderberries to the creamy blueberries. The pepper shows up earlier on Night Two, on the attack rather than toward the finish. The fennel is still there.

The attack is very prickly peppery plus loads of black fruit, especially blackberry and elderberry. Vanilla, ample and espresso glow on the mid-palate. Tannins are very smooth and sweet. Finish is long.

This is very good. When you factor in a price under $20, it is terrific. Grenache tempers the jammy fruitiness of Barossa Valley shiraz.

Twitter Taste Live - The 89 Project Round-Up

2008-12-16T05:05:00.000-08:00

This review is just of Night Two from the weekend's Twitter Taste Live, sponsored by The 89 Project. For Night One with all the Wine Twitters, watch the video, courtesy of 1 Wide Dude:

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The Wooden Guys had a good time, but the consensus was that the Rivola was not in the same league as the rest of the wines.

2007 Jean-Marc Brocard Chablis Domaine Sainte Claire Vieilles Vignes

Type White
Producer Jean-Marc Brocard
Variety Chardonnay
Designation Vieilles Vignes
Vineyard Domaine Sainte Claire
Country France
Region Burgundy
SubRegion Chablis
Appellation Chablis

Night Two

The nose has tart apple, lime, and some minerality. From Night One to Night Two this lost a lot of fruit on the palate. It is tart and stony. There is some apple there, but it is the tart and green. Butter makes an appearance at the very end of the mid-palate and echoes lightly on the finish.

2005 Abadia Retuerta Vino de la Tierra Castilla y León Rívola

Type Red
Producer Abadia Retuerta
Variety Tempranillo Blend
Designation Rívola
Vineyard n/a
Country Spain
Region Castilla y León
SubRegion Sardon de Duero
Appellation Vino de la Tierra Castilla y León

Night Two

Oak-city on roller skates. Oh wait a second, there's a single teaspoon of blackcurrant jelly there. Unfortunately, it was crushed when the lighting struck and felled the oak tree. The lighting gave it that toasty smell.

Okay, let's take a sip, shall we? Blackberries, lots of blackberries, some cedar, and lots of vanilla. It devolves into a brown sugar/vanilla mess. The finish is short and sudden.

Honestly, I have no idea how anybody ever rated this 89.

2006 Clos La Coutale Cahors

Type Red
Producer Clos La Coutale
Variety Malbec Blend
Designation n/a
Vineyard n/a
Country France
Region Southwest France
SubRegion n/a
Appellation Cahors

Night Two

The nose has nutty, meaty smells underlying some dark fruit. Hiding behind it is a small hint of cherry, probably from the little bit of Merlot blended in. On the palate, black fruit dominates, but there is a lot more there. There is a meaty flavor like a crisp end-piece of prime rib, beefy and smoky. There is also a bit of vegetal taste, tobacco, like whole leaves hanging in a cigar shop on Calle Ocho. Tannins and acid are well balanced and pronounced, suggesting some more cellar time might be possible. Tannins are not quite smooth. "Dusty" would be a better description.

2006 Kilikanoon Shiraz The Lackey

Type Red
Producer Kilikanoon
Variety Shiraz
Designation The Lackey
Vineyard n/a
Country Australia
Region South Australia

Night Two

Bright red fruit, plums, spices, pepper and a touch of cedar all are on the nose. The palate has dark fruit, pepper, and some meatiness. At first, it was reminiscent of bacon, but a better comparison is actually Bresaola, Italian dried beef. It has the same nutty cured dried meaty flavor, especially at the back side-edges of the tongue. Tannins are smooth and sweet. Finish is long. This is nice, quite nice.

The 89 Project on Twitter Taste Live!

2008-12-13T15:38:00.001-08:00

Since tonight (8PM ET) is the first 89 Project appearance on Twitter Taste Live, I thought I'd post the CoverItLive stream that I'll be following (and contributing to) for the event. Enjoy!

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Cheers!

Seleccion Especial

2008-12-11T11:14:00.000-08:00

The Abadia Retuerta, Estate Grown in Rioja, Sardon De Duero 2003, 14% alc. In the glass a thin violet colored rim that segued to an opaque velvet curtain core. This wonderful wine is a blend expressing Tempranillo’s richness at 75%, Merlot’s roundness at 5% and Cabernet Sauvignon’s aromatic elegance coming in at 20%. Which for my palate made like a visit to a tobacco store humidor, breathing in all the wonderful aromas deeply and a lithe compote of dark fruits and well worn saddle leather, followed my a long palate coating finish. In a word yum!

Mr. Parker rated this wine 89 Pt's. I would say it requires a least hedonistic 91 Pt's. This is huge wine for the price. It is selling for $19.99 @ Bevmo and was a wine I tasted in my wine class @ ISG. This could be a everyday drinker and just happened to pair ever so nicely with some smoked beef sausage one of my classmates most graciously provided. My recommendation is purchase a six pack if you can and if storage is not an issue or buy one for an upcoming holiday party or gift giving occasion to show off your epicurean taste! Until next time Cheers!

2008-12-03T22:44:00.000-08:00

'05 Waterbrook Melange, Washington This wine was given an 89 rating by the Wine Specatator (reviewer(s) unknown) in 2007. Waterbrook Melange 2005 is made by Eric Rindal and the Waterbrook Winery is located in Touchet, Washington in the Columbia Valley AVA. It is called Melange because it is a blend of 5 varietals including 40% Merlot, 32% Cabernet Sauvignon, 18% Sangiovese, 7% Cabernet Franc, 3% Syrah.
Color: deep garnet with a light magenta rim.
Nose: every sniff carried a different aroma: 1st:chalk 2nd: spicy oak 3rd: black fruit ie; black plum, blackberry, black cherry cola 4th: leather 5th: Dr. Pepper!
This is how all of the aromas come together... nice complexity...

Mouthfeel: cherry/pomegranate/leather finish with a medium plus linger. What is this wine lacking that the Wine Spectator could only bestow an 89 upon it? It has balance, acidity, supple tannins. It is not an oaky fruit bomb (thank god). It is more subtle and smooth. Does it not represent the terroir of the Columbia Valley? Are the 5 varietals not as well-blended as they could be? I am looking forward to addressing these and other issues in rating a wine during our blind tasting of 89 point wines in the Twitter Taste Live event coming up on December 13th www.twittertastelive.com For a better idea of how this will work visit www.lusciouslushes.com This is one of the best under $10 wines I have reviewed. It is lovely and satisfying. Well, I am giving it a 90 so there, WS! -BrixChick Xandria

'06 Te Kairanga Pinot Noir, Martinborough, New Zealand

2008-12-02T18:44:00.000-08:00

'06 Te Kairanga Pinot Noir, Martinborough, New Zealand ($16.29). The nicest thing about tracking down 89 point wines that I love is that usually they are priced attractively,. This was no exception,. At only $16.29, this compared favorably with examples costing more than twice as much. It was suggested that this be opened six hours before service to let the complexity of flavors and aromas build. I was only able to open it 2 hours ahead of time, but I found that my trusty Vinturi http://www.vinturi.com/home.html improved the wine. The nose on this was spicy---redolent of pepper and plums. While it initially had a slightly bitter grapefruitish flavor, the Vinturi smoothed out the flavors to a Burgundian plummy taste, still redolent with tasty spice. A delicious example of a rare creature: a value Pinot Noir!

'05 Wishing Tree Shiraz, Australia

2008-12-01T18:24:00.000-08:00

'05 Wishing Tree Shiraz, Australia ($12.29). At $12.29, this wine was a bargain. Beautiful dark Shiraz color, balanced acidity with aromas of cinnamon roll, licorice and smoked meat. I enjoyed the fruit forward nature of it, especially combined with its dryness. That, along with the tannins made it a very food friendly wine. A tasty wine and a great bargain! At my 89 project party, we tasted it against '05 Jim Barry The Lodge Shiraz ($19.99). Once again, I pinned the 89 on the wrong wine. This example was similar, but had a little less robustness of fruit in the flavors along with an almost brandy-like and licorice-y aromas. Still both were inky dark examples with lots of red and black fruit flavors and nice spice. When planning the party, it was kind of hard to track down "89 point" wines. One thing that was helpful, was http://www.wine.com/. One of the fields they let you search by is "ratings". So, try this at home, but be careful. While it's fun and interesting to track down wine by ratings as an experiment, experiential evidence is a much more rewarding way to find fun, interesting wines.

'06 MacRostie Chardonnay

2008-11-30T21:45:00.001-08:00

Another 89 point wine. '06 MacRostie Chardonnay ($23.99) I had this a few weeks ago at a party I threw to take a look at the differences between wines rated 89 points and as similar as I could find 90 point versions to find out if I could spot the differences. Since I found a few examples, I thought it would be fun to hear what others had to say, so I invited such luminaries as Luscious Lush Thea, Dr. Xeno (Ward) and Tom from San Jose along with , of course, the other Brix Chick, Xandria. Six people---Seven bottles of wine (with a little absinthe chaser) Good times! And material for more than one post of course. So I'll start with my notes on the chardonnays. Normally I rate wines 1 - 10 based on how much I like them. But I fudged a little on this one and just attempted to hang the "89" on the right bottle. I found the MacRostie to have a richer hue and a "better" taste. It had a slightly citrusy taste and hints of more recognizeable (to me) flavors of apples and pears. It had some oak on it, which seemed to produce an almost spicy taste. So I rated it higher.

I was wrong.

When we peeled back the wrappings on the bottle, the '06 Columbia Crest Grand Estates Chardonnay ($12.29) was the actual 90 point "winner". Although the color wasn't as nice and the initial nose was of gasoline, this wine took its time opening up and then eventually had a more floral quality to its aromas. It was more food friendly than the MacRostie chardonnay. My fellow wineaux totally had it pegged. In several cases, they like the MacRostie better, but indicated that they thought it was the 89 point wine. Since both the wines were agreeable examples of local chardonnays, I felt like we were all winners. Tasting them blind was a super fun exercise and let me stop and focus on #3 vs. #4 without the influence of labels, price or reputation. Interesting...
More on the other matchups later...

Don't forget the Pinot Blanc

2008-11-26T22:07:00.000-08:00

I can just hear this wine saying, "Marsha. Marsha! MARSHA!". First, It's a pinot blanc, not noir. Then, it got an 89 while it's more illustrious sibling snagged a 90. Still, I was fortunate enough to get to try it at a recent outing to Solano Cellars in Albany, CA.

2007 Ponzi Pinot Blanc, Willamette Valley ($17) The color was a very clear, very pale yellow. It had a medium +body. It displayed aromas of savory fruit. I particularly liked the sweetly citrus scent and and fragrance of exotic fruit. Because the nose was sweet, I expected the wine to be as well, but it was dry. Dry and fruity with flavors of coconut and lemongrass. The finish was exotic citrus. This wine made us want to go out and find more Thai food. http://www.ponziwines.com/wines/pinot-blanc.asp

89 Point wine wins Wine of the Week!

2008-11-25T21:48:00.000-08:00

Okay, so it won in Baltimore. Nevertheless, we applaud the achivement of this '06 Rosenblum Heritage Clones Petite Sirah I had been lucky enough to have this wine at a fun Italian restaraunt in Cupertino, Fontana's. My table found it to be a great companion to the hearty Italian fare, but also smooth and complex enough to be enjoyed by our guest who was watching his girlish figure and opted for a salad. The wine had flavors of berries, chocolate and coffee. Still, with its 14.8% alcohol and balanced acidity, it was food friendly and stood up nicely to Fontana's delicious sauces. The black fruit flavor came forward and made it a wine we could enjoy while waiting, as well as a bottle that we found enjoyable throughout the meal. The mocha finish even made it compatible with the chocolate dessert we somehow managed to squeeze in. Aged in American and French oak, the vines go back 80-100 years, representing a long tradition of Petite Sirah in the area near San Francisco, Contra Costa county. Petite Sirah is a dark wine guaranteed to stain your teeth Wine lover's purple. After the long two days of meetings we endured, we were happy for the giggles. So even though Wine Spectator only gave it an 89, the Baltimore Sun singled it out for wine of the week, And more importantly, our server suggested it as a great option for us. Despite its ignominious ranking, its quality and,Rosenblum's leadership in good value petite sirah is carrying this little gem along. However, I noticed that the online wine list at Fontana's does not list this! So I called to make sure a) it was still available and b)I was not hallucinating. Funny! The menu does call out those offerings that received 91 points or more. If you do find yourself in Cupertino and need a place for dinner, try Fontana's http://www.fontanasitalian.com/index.htm. And while you're at it, give an 89 point wine a chance. You won't be sorry

Kicking it at Kick Ranch

2008-11-25T18:56:00.000-08:00

On Day 1 of the Wine Blogger Conference, if you arrived early enough before the first “official” event, you had the opportunity to head out to Kick Ranch Vineyard for lunch and a tasting. The tasting consisted of 12 wineries who source grapes from Kick Ranch pouring some of their current selections. I originally thought this would be an event where each winery would pour the Syrah they make from Kick Ranch grapes, for example, but instead, the wineries seemed to be pouring lots of stuff from both Kick Ranch and from other vineyards. The owners of Kick Ranch provided a delicious lunch for us, which I went straight for, having not eaten a thing but 2 slices of toast when I left Murphys way earlier in the day! I only managed to taste my way through what 8 of the wineries had to offer, I ran out of time and needed to head back to Santa Rosa in time for the “speed dating” tasting, which I already wrote about here.

As it turns out, and as dhonig kindly pointed out, four of the wines I tasted garnered 89 points from various wine media folks! So I've cross posted those 4 wines here, and you can read about the whole Kick Ranch experience here.

2006 Pax Cuvee Christine: Syrah. Bright red fruit, flowers, berries, vanilla, toast, violets, slight chocoalte, spice, pepper, dark, tannic.

2006 Lynmar Russian River Valley Pinot Noir: Smoke, leather, earth, strawberry, raspberry, nice red fruit.

2006 Enkidu Kick Ranch Syrah: Black cherry, floral, spice, toasted oak, brown sugar, tannins earth.

2005 Enkidu Fazekas Petite Sirah: Dark chocolate, black fruit, vanilla, dark, slight red fruit on the edges, tannic. I loved this wine!

Of these, my favorite was the Enkidu Fazekas Petite Sirah. I can't believe this only got an 89, I found it to be gorgeous, and if they were selling it there, I would have easily tucked some into my take home cases. Then again, we all know I adore Petite Sirah, so that may just be my bias showing through! ;)

Twitter Taste Live #8

2008-11-24T07:58:00.000-08:00

The 89 Project is hosting Twitter Taste Live: The 89 Project. It will be TTL's very first BLIND tasting. Every participant will receive four bagged bottles (no cheating, don't look at the cork), and we will all discuss what it is, where it's from, and why we think it got an 89 score. Not just that, but you might be able to get that four-pack free:

The 89 Project and Twitter Taste Live are delighted to announce a contest for Twitter Taste Live #8, December 13 at 8 Eastern. This TTL is sponsored by The 89 Project, will be TTL's first blind tasting, and will feature four 89-rated wines from around the world. The contest winner will receive the blind four-pack free, including shipping. The contest rules are simple. The joint member of TTL and The 89 Project who puts up the most new posts over at The 89 Project from right now through December 3 wins. Don't cheat. The posting has to be for a wine rated 89 by ommercial media. That is it. Pretty simple, really. So go find yourself some 89-rated wines and get drinking (that's the easy part), then get posting. Ties will be broken by lot. Even if you don't win, all joint members of Twitter Taste Live and The 89 Project members will receive an additional 10% discount off the usual TTL 20% discount from regular retail price. So if you haven't signed up yet, get to it. We will see you at TTL#8.

Sanchez Romate Marismeño

2008-11-22T09:28:00.000-08:00

Hola! David has asked me to cross-post. The Sanchez Romate Marismeño below got 89 from Wine Spectator on 31st October 2005. I'm not sure why, perhaps they thought it was a oxidised. It is rounder than most Finos. Being a European I don't really get the points thing, but I guess it can mean make or break for anyone trying to get into the US market. I think both theses sherries are worth more than 89!

It's very windy in Jerez today, the "levante" is blowing. Nothing better than to retreat indoors and try some sherry. Two finos from medium-sized bodegas: Alvaro Domecq "La Janda" and Sanchez Romate "Marismeño".

Romate remains in the ownership of local families, and have not joined the trend of cashing in and moving out of the centre of town. They must be sitting on some valuable real estate! Alvaro Domecq are less central but also in town. Control of Alvaro Domecq was recently gained by Manuel Jove, a spanish billionaire.

The Alvaro Domecq "La Janda" has a typical pale golden colour, the Sanchez Romate "Marismeño" also pale and golden but with perhaps a touch more colour than the La Janda.".

On the nose they are very different. The La Janda seems light for a fino, and has clean, green, stalky aromas. The Marismeño is not pronounced either and has a sweet, fruity nose which reminds me of grated ripe apple.

The La Janda is light, clean and crisp in the mouth. A bit like biting into a Granny Smith. There is a flavour of flor, which did not come through so strongly on the nose. There is a more rounded, fuller feel to the Marismeño and the flavour is of ripe apple.".

I think the La Janda would go very well with salty, grilled prawns and the Marismeño, ice cold, on its own as an aperitif.".

Hofer Gruner Veltiner 2007

2008-11-20T07:00:00.000-08:00

(cross-posted by the delightful Gretchen Roberts from Everyday Wine.

If you're not familiar with this wine, there are a couple of things you should know about Gruner Veltliner:

1. It’s the hot new wine of sommeliers and chefs around the country, so if you drink it you’re in the know.

2. Gru-Vee, as it’s sometimes called, absolutely deserves its celeb status, as it’s one of the most food-friendly wines around.

I found the most interesting bottle of Gruner Veltliner at the wine store; it was in a dark green liter bottle (larger than a standard wine bottle by 250 mL, or almost 2 extra glasses) with a bottle cap lid. Cheap, or great find? I wondered. Then I turned the bottle over and saw the winning words: “A Terry Theise Estate Selection” (see page 34 of the catalog for his wonderful description).

Terry Theise is arguably the best cool-climate white wine importer around; if you see his name on a bottle of German or Austrian wine or Champagne, you can snap it up and be assured of its quality, complexity, finesse, and charm. Wine geeks read his catalogs for entertainment because, though he’s in the sales business, his lovely prose reflects his passion for the growers and vineyards he works with.

The Hofer was just $15.99, and with the extra ounces an excellent deal. I’m pretty decent at reading wine labels, even those super-confusing French and German bottles, but I have to admit this one had me stumped. It was just a jumble of Austrian words, and I had to turn to good old Google to help me solve the riddle. Turns out the producer is Hofer, the grapes were grown in Auersthal, and the estate is certified organic. I checked it out on Wine Enthusiast's free ratings, and though the '07 wasn't rated, the '05 got an 89. Bingo: time for an 89 Project cross-post.

The Gru-Vee, true to its cool-climate roots, was fresh and acidic, not unlike cool-climate Sauvignon Blanc. Also like Sauv Blanc, GV has a grapefruity varietal character and is extremely food-friendly. But that’s where the similarities end: while Sauvignon Blanc often tastes herbal and grassy, Gruner Veltliner has what’s often referred to as “peppery” notes, as in black pepper. It sounds strange for a white wine, but it’s absolutely true, and that’s probably part of the reason it’s so great with food. Just don’t gulp it alone, because the acidity that makes food sing will turn your stomach inside out alone.

Price: $15.99 (about prices)

Rating: Great Value (about ratings)

1999 Clos Fourtet, St. Emilion Grand Cru, Bordeaux ($50)

2008-11-19T07:52:00.000-08:00

This wine got RP 89-91 in 2000, 89-91 in 2001, and 88 in 2000. Poor thing, it's kind of like Anglo-Saxon law. Few people care to study it or, in the case of this wine, drink it because it sounds "too mature" (RP) and "superficial" (RP), read "boring." Yet if they gave it a chance, they would find that it is a hidden treasure of exciting flavors.

Cheers,

Wine Reviews at Chateau Petrogasm

Malbec: Old Vines vs. New Vines

2008-11-14T11:17:00.000-08:00

Malbec, known as one of the six red grapes allowed in a bottle of Bordeaux, has been found mostly in the Cahors region of Southwestern France. This dark and inky juiced grape was later introduced to Argentina in 1868. Often referred to as Côt in France, lost it's popularity in the 1950's when a frost devastated about 75% of the vineyards. However, Malbec remained the premier grape in Argentina and eventually found it's way to California and Washington and especially in Walla Walla, Washington.

If you have been keeping up with the 89 Project blog, I blogged an earlier article regarding aMaurice Cellars Malbec - 2005. aMaurice is a winery from the Walla Walla Valley and I actually craved this wine after the first sip at the winery. It was "s_w_o_o_n" worthy! I rationed my first bottle for three evenings and every evening it became more interesting. The color was an inky plum color and the nose wafted out dark fruit - reminding me of a treasured family recipe of huckleberry coffee cake made from the berries we picked during our summers in Montana. The other nice surprise was the finish - graham crackers! The second evening it was if the flavors built up and became even more intense but with dark deep cocoa added. The third evening, the intense flavors remained but with a pleasant bit of spice in the finish.

So as Teddy Roosevelt once said over a cup of coffee served to him in Nashville, Tennessee - - "it was good to the last drop." And unfortunately Dr. Jay Miller never asked my opinion about the wine, because Parker pointed it an 89 - only 89.

Last week, we celebrated the evening of the election with another Malbec - - one from Mendoza, Argentina. And to make this even more interesting, the Malbec fruit was hand picked from vines that were over 90 years old.

Gourlart Grand Vin Malbec was also a 2005 vintage like the Malbec from aMaurice Cellars. The color was a deep red. There wasn't quite an inkiness going on, but definite shades of violet came through in the color. At first I thought it had an extemely complex nose - it was almost difficult to define. Perhaps due to terroir that was not directly familiar to me? But later notes of ripe dark berries, chocolate and spice came out of the glass. The tannins were balanced and the acids were "juicy." I also picked up a familiar spiciness that was heavy on the oak - - in fact this wine had spent 14 months in 100% new French oak. I also noticed that in another year or six-months this wine would be needing some decanting - which is not a bad thing.

How did I feel about this particular Malbec from Argentina? It wasn't quite "s_w_o_o_n" worthy of the local Malbec, but it was definitely "crush" worthy (And remember, my "crush"worthy and "s_w_o_o_n" worthy may be different than your idea of "crush" worthy and "s_w_o_o_n" worthy). One very important thing: at first sip, I knew it was not of familiar terroir and would have almost guessed this Malbec to be a French wine.

While both wines are Malbecs and of the same vintage, it is very difficult to say which one is the better wine. It's all about taste and style - each wine bringing something different to the person savoring the liquid. Comparing the two wines could also depend on how you pair them with particular foods. The Goulart Grand Vin definitely screamed for some spicy foods such as Tex-Mex and Cajun influenced food. The aMaurice Cellars would be accented wonderfully with a charcuterie and/or cheese plate, or an herbal induced rich beef stew, beef stroganoff or even a tomato sauce enhanced pasta dish.

And when it came to points how did the Goulart Grand Vin - 2005 from Mendoza, Argentina with fruit picked from 90 year old vines compare with the aMaurice Cellars - 2005 from Walla Walla, WA picked from relatively newer vines? Well, the Wine Spectator gave the Goulart Grand Vin - - drum roll - - 89 points.

Now this is where you will allow me to jump up on my soap box. As we know, 89 points can kill the sale of a very delicious and well-made wine. Personally, I feel that those who over look a wine because it received an 89 are really missing out on some well-made and interesting wines. And for argument's sake, let's say if the Malbec from aMaurice Cellars received 90 or 91 points, some "narrow-pointed minded" people might over look the Goulart Grand Vin because of it's mere 89 points. Or if the Goulart Grand Vin received a 90 or 91, the aMaurice Cellars Malbec with it's 89 points could also be forsaken. The point is that the crushworthy wine was an excellent wine, but missing a component that I personally enjoy in a wine that the swoonworthy wine had. So, if the crushworthy wine received a 91 and I forsake the swoonworthy wine because of the 89 points - I am the one losing out. Me - the consumer. And isn't that (forgive me here) the point of the points? My taste buds and Dr. Jay Miller's are not the same! How can you pit each wine against each other - it's like the flaw of the Oscars. How do you give an Oscar to the best movie of the year when your choices are a comedy, romance, western and a sci-fi? To sum it up - -

To choose one of these Malbecs over the other - - it can't be done because missing out on either wine - - well, you are just missing out - - period.

Wine Blogging Wednesday #51 (Baked Goods) gets some 89s

2008-11-13T06:00:00.000-08:00

Following is a re-post of this month's Wine Blogging Wednesday from 1WineDude.com. Our fearless 89 Project leader pointed out there there are 2 wines in my write-up that are 89-pointers (I'd not checked any scores before obtaining the wines that I reviewed):

"Wine Spectator - December 23, 2005

BLANDY'S Sercial Madeira 5 Year Old NV (89 points, $21)
Dried apricot, golden raisin and smoky flavors fill this fresh and lively Madiera. Balanced, and edged with lush spicy notes, which linger on the creamy finish. Try on ice as an aperitif. Drink now through 2010.

-Kim Marcus
---------------------------

Blandy's Malmsey 10 Year

KM Wine Spectator 12/31/05
89/100"

These wines (especially the Malmsey) were very good, and certainly worthy of attention (no matter what the WS score...). Enjoy!

Welcome to Wine Blogging Wednesday #51(WineDude)!
Dude here is hosting the 51st edition of the venerable WBW, and today's theme is "Baked Goods" - reviews of wines that are deliberately heated (aka "Madeirized"), and we're also allowing reviews of sweet Fortified wines to be included. For the scoop on how Wine Blogging Wednesday works, check out the WBW site. More details on the background of the theme can be found here.

Now... let's get this funk started!

I love Madeira. Love is a strong word. And I love Madeira.

It's often sweet, incredibly tasty, high in refreshing acidity, and because it's already been exposed to oxygen and heat (which would utterly destroy normal wines), it's virtually indestructible.

A Madeira wine from 1935 will pretty much taste the same today as it did in 1935, even if opened and enjoyed tablespoon by luscious tablespoon from then until now. Not only is it tasty, indestructible, and food-friendly, it also boasts an abv of 19% or more. It's a bad-ass wine!

Normally, I'd expound on the storied history of Madeira, and give you background on the traditional styles of Madeira, food pairings, etc.

But...

Rather than take you through the history of Madeira wine - which I figured might be covered by one or more of the other fine WBW participants anyway (and if not can easily be found in detailed play-by-play on the web) - I thought I'd instead show you, by way of comparison, just how bad-ass Madeira actually is.

Let's compare kick-ass, indestructible Madeira to the so-called "Invincible" IRON MAN:

	The "Invincible" IRON MAN	Totally Kick-Ass Indestructible Madeira
Abilities	Superhuman strength, Repulsor-ray technology, Genius-level intellect	Intense aroma , Mouth-watering acidity , Ass-kicking 19%+ abv Edge: Madeira
Protection	Bullet-proof, temperature-resistant armor - TIE	Impervious to hot ovens, attic temperatures, and long, perilous sea voyages - TIE
Creator	Stan Lee	The Dutch Armada Edge: Madeira
Nemesis	The Mandarin , Alcoholism , Soft spot for Pepper Pots , Very large magnets Edge: IRON MAN	Cork Taint
Tastes Like	Metal alloy	Nuts, caramel, dried figs. - Edge: Madeira
Result of Oxidation	Rust	Characteristics of nuts and honey Edge: Madeira

No contest: Madeira totally trumps IRON MAN, 5-2.

Anyway, traditional Madeira comes in four flavors of grapes, each chosen to highlight a particular style of the wine, examples of which I tasted in comparison (witness below).

Notice how the color of each wine gets darker? This is a key to the style, which range from dry and nutty to lusciously sweet and caramely (is that a word...?):

Blandy's Dry Sercial (Aged 5 Years in oak): Made from the Sercial grape, grown in the cooler high-altitude regions of the Madeira island. Sherry-like, nutty (almonds, baby!) with searing acidity. Pass the hors d'oeuvres!

Blandy's 5 Year Vedelho: Made from Verdelho (also grown in the cooler Northern part of the island) - Sherry-like, but this time its darker and more 'Oloroso-ish'; the oak is more pronounced, and there's touch of sweetness balancing the acidity.

Cossart Gordon Medium Rich Bual (15 years): From the Bual grape (probably my favorite) from the warmer southern portion of Madeira, it ripens to higher levels so it can be made into a sweeter style. And sweet it is - as in sweet fig, vanilla, and hazelnut, with a long nutty finish.

Blandy's Malmsey 10 Year: Malmsey is the malvasia grape, grown in the warmest and lowest-altitude regions of Madeira. These wines can become ultra-indestructible and typically have a near-perfect balance between acidity and sweetness. In this case, the wine is bursting with burnt caramel, rum, honey, and smoke, with a smooth, luscious mouthfeel.

Now do you see why I use the word "love" when I'm talking Madeira?

Just don't tell Mrs. Dudette... she might get jealous...

Cheers!
(images: 1winedude.com, malone.blogs.com, historyguy.com, wikimedia.org, sahistory.org.za, d210.tv, wilsoncrfeekwinery.com, fruitsstar.com, purplemissues.blogspot.com)

Campbells Rutherglen Muscat NV

2008-11-12T14:46:00.000-08:00

Hello, 89 Project readers. The following post is taken from the Wine Blogging Wednesday #51 post on my blog Bloviatrix. As stated in my post, this wine received a rating of 91/100 from Stephen Tanzer of International Wine Cellar (actually in summer of 2006), but also received a more recent rating of 88/100 from the Wine Spectator, which averages to 89.5. I have also noticed it receiving a 92/100 from the Wine Spectator in a different recent vintage (blend). Despite the efforts at Campbells winery to maintain consistency from year to year in this Solera-process blended dessert wine, perhaps there has been variation from year to year. The only reason I could think that this wine would rate an 88 or 89/100 is that while delectable and very well-made, it perhaps lacks some complexity that would set as a truly top-tier fortified muscat. My post is following.

This month's Wine Blogging Wednesday theme is hosted by 1 Wine Dude blogger Joe Roberts. This fun theme is "baked goods", literally wines that have been maderized (or heated) such as Madeira. The theme has been extended to include wines that have been fortified as well. I have chosen this month the Campbells Rutherglen Muscat, which is a dessert wine made from the Muscat grape (fortified with grape spirits). Rutherglen is an area in Northeast Victoria, southeast Australia that is famous for distinctive fortified Muscat and Tokay dessert wines. Campbells has been in the winemaking business since 1870, which is impressive.

I purchased this 375ml bottle a few months ago at a New Hampshire State Liquor Store in Nashua for about $15. Was I attracted to the fine old Scottish name on the bottle? Perhaps. Was I lured in by the big Decanter Gold Medal label on the front? Sure. Do I appreciate a delicious fortified sticky? Absolutely.

According to the Campbells web site, the wine is made using the Solera system, that is, from a blend of wines from several vintages, hence there is no vintage on the label. The alcohol by volume (ABV) is a relatively modest 17%. This wine recently received a 91of 100 from tough wine critic Stephen Tanzer of International Wine Cellar, which says to me it must have some special qualities.

I have to be honest- I only had a small glass of this before a guest quaffed the whole thing. It just really tastes good, especially if you have any kind of sweet tooth. I'm always happy to be a good host :-). But I did take down some tasting notes. The nose reminded me right off the bat of plum pudding and hard sauce that I used to have sometimes on holidays as a child. It's so funny that on Campbells web page describing the wine they state that it pairs well with plum pudding and hard sauce. That made me chuckle. Also prominent on the nose are candied raisin and burnt caramel. I sensed also on the nose something that reminded me of cognac, but more unctuous. The finish is good and very pleasant. I'll probably try to round up another bottle of this at some point!

2007 Sportoletti Assisi Rosso

2008-11-11T14:09:00.000-08:00

This wine hits both of the honig nails on the head. It tastes great after one night open on the counter (see 2daysperbottle), and it’s rated 89 points in the Wine Advocate (see the 89project).

It’s the 2007 Sportoletti Assisi Rosso, wherein Assisi Rosso is a DOC. One that does not appear in the Oxford Companion to Wine, the text for all WSET students. This wine has a record of 90-point reviews — in ‘01, ‘04, ‘05 and ‘06 — and it is delicious and affordable, priced under $20.

The DOC is centered around the Umbrian city of Assisi, famous for its saint, Francis, and applied to a rosso, a bianco, a rosato and a novello. The DOC calls for the rosso to be at least 50 to 70 percent sangiovese; this wine is 50 percent of that variety blended with 30 percent merlot and 20 percent cabernet sauvignon.The consultant is Riccardo Cotarella, who in 1998 was dubbed by Parker as the Michel Rolland of Italy. It’s a medium-deep bright ruby with purple highlilghts and youthful aromas of milk chocolate, plum, vanilla and cloves. It’s dry with a high alcohol content (a surprising 14 percent) that is balanced by lively acid, light tannins and clear fruit flavors of sour cherries, red fruit and some spice. It’s not too complex, but has a medium to long finish that stretches back on the palate. Get some.

As to why this wine gets an 89 rather than a 90, I think the fame of the winemaker, who consults all over Italy and in France, regularly attracts the 90 points. It's probably not going to get much more because it's made to be drunk young and simple and sell for less than $20. 2007 was a little too hot in Umbria and the wine shows it in the high alcohol. It obviously still works, but the other vintages showed better balance.

DOMAINE CARNEROS BRUT CARNEROS 2004

2008-11-09T12:00:00.000-08:00

I think I am the first to review a sparkler on this site, yet regardless, one of the best-drinking sparklers out of California is Taittinger’s Domaine Carneros Brut, which year-in-and-year-out, proves to be a phenomenal wine for the price. Especially these days, if you want sparklers, most of us need to look for something domestic (unless you’re thinking Cava).

The press, which fluctuates on sparklers (reviewing them only every so often – some producers go two or three years between reviews) is usually quite exemplary for Domaine Carneros, with the Brut Carneros usually scoring well. On the 2004, the interesting thing is that it gleaned an 89 from Wine Spectator and an 85 from Wine Enthusiast.

Spectator’s description goes like this: “Appealing aromas of Gala apple, toasted almond and vanilla lead to focused, creamy Asian pear and spice flavors that finish with a vibrant crispness. Drink now through 2012.” Sounds good, right?

Enthusiast doesn’t seem as convinced: “The vintage was a very ripe one, and the heat shows. It’s very forward, almost jammy, in sweet strawberry and peach flavors. This robs the wine of some elegance, but it’s still an attractive sipper.” Okay, so -4 points for just being a 2004? Or there was too much alcohol poking through?

My take on this wine goes something like this: aside from Roederer Estate Brut NV from Anderson Valley, you’d be hard-pressed to find a better sparkler from California. Light-to-medium-bodied, with creamy stone fruit, toast and nuttiness buoyed by lively effervescence and acidity, this wine gives you long-lasting pleasure on the palate, making it perfect for anything celebratory, like an Obama victory, right?

89 rated wines around the blogosphere

2008-11-09T07:16:00.000-08:00

As hard as it is to believe, there are still a few wine bloggers that have yet to join The 89 Project. I will try to bring you their reviews of 89-rated wines when I find them, to link to them and to encourage them to join the project, as well as to increase the visibility of these wines.

The first one today comes from Confessions of a Wino, and its review of Château Durfort-Vivens 2003. I won't steal the whole reveiw, but in summary:

Very impressive wine, though, and I would always choose a Margaux if I had more than two sous to rub together.

Go on over, give the review a look, and don't forget to leave comments encouraging him to join The 89 Project.

Cline Small Berry Mourvedre (WE 89)

2008-11-07T12:30:00.000-08:00

I had the Cline Small Berry Mourvedre, most recently, last Thursday night. I confess, I adore this wine and used to visit a restaurant that carried it just so that I could drink it on a weekly basis. But, I moved away from that city about a year ago, and had completely forgotten about this little gem of a wine. Until last Thursday. When I saw it on the wine list, I knew we had to revisit it.

When you first open the Small Berry, you get tons of tobacco and leather on the nose. Really heady stuff, so give it a good 30 minutes to decant before proceeding. Then the palate is very cigar box and spicy jam, some raisin and prune hide in there too. The tannins are satiny and elegant, with just enough linger to let you know that you just had something really good.

We had this wine with ostrich and elk and it was fabulous. It really stood up to the gamey flavors of our dishes while not overpowering them. It also went really well with the salty bleu cheeses we had proceeding the meal.

I have only seen this wine in restaurants so far, but I know you can order it from on-line retailers. Every time I check, it is around $30, and well worth it. This wine is easily an 89, every time I have had it, it doesn't disappoint. I think that it is varietal-y correct, consistent and worth a try.

Chateau Haute-Bailly 2001

2008-11-05T19:03:00.000-08:00

This wine got an 89 rating from Stephen Tanzer's International Wine Cellar, May/June 2004, Issue #114

from 2 Days per Bottle.

Grand Cru Classe' de Graves
Pessac-Leognan
$45.98 in Indianapolis, Indiana
12.5% alcohol by volume
imported by USA Wine Imports, New York, NY

This bottle of wine is a floral delight. On Night One it seems promise years of cellar growth to come, but we will know more about that on Night Two.

Night One

Purple flowers, lavendar and lilac, just float out of the glass, along with some dark plum and plum skins. On the palate the same flowers take center stage. There is fruit there, too, but it is hidden behind strong tannins that scream out for more years in the cellar. Plums, nee plum skins, are the primary fruit, but more will surely come out of hiding on Night Two. I hope you will join me to see if my prediction comes true.

Night Two

Floral aromas once again lead the nose on Night Two, but the additional time with some air brought out black fruit, more blackberry than blackcurrant, but both were there. The palate has more to offer than on Night One, but the overall impression is that this could use more time. Pencil lead, cassis, and tart plum skins are slowly wrapped in firm tannins as it moves from initial attack to mid-palate, where a hint of unsweetened chocolate makes a quick appearance. Acids and tannins are both pwoerful, but well-balanced. The finish is long.

This is pretty good but still young. The sense of it is that it is just waking up now, just starting to come out of a closed phase. It might well be much better in as little as a year or two. There is plenty of backbone, acid and tannins, to give it time to grow and knit together.

Is this an 89? No, perhaps not. To me an 89 is something that is technically perfect but just barely missing "that certain something," or having "that certain something" while also having an obvious but minor flaw. This wine is good, but not technically perfect. It also doesn't really have anything particularly special about it. It is certainly a more than competent wine, but it is not borderline great.

88 - The Number of The Beast?

2008-10-24T06:00:00.000-07:00

Another ditty for The 89 Project has me tasting a devil of a wine that good ol' Wine Enthusiast dubbed a "Best Buy" and gave 88 points (hey, it's not technically an 89, but it's close enough for government work, right?): Concha y Toro's 2007 "Casillero del Diablo" Chardonnay Reserve (Casablanca Valley, Chile).

Speak of the Devil. And just in time for Halloween, too.

You know how for some lower-budget wines, you read the tasting descriptor on the back of the bottle and it sort of, but not really, describes how the wine tastes to you; or worse, seems to be describing a completely different wine than the one that you're drinking?

This is not one of those times. The descriptor on the back of the Casillero del Diablo bottle is frighteningly (get it?) accurate:

"A crisp [editor's note: i.e., it's got decent acidity] Chardonnay [well, duh] packed with tropical fruit flavors [there is definately some grapefruit and melon going down in this puppy] "and subtle hints of vanilla [the oak doesn't skewer your nostrils like a wooden pitchfork]. Medium bodied with good balance [it's not a booze-hound from hell] and a fresh finish [i.e., the finish is short but it's good]."

Color me impressed. Especially for a wine this cheap (about $10 USD).

Normally the 89-point range is the Number of the Beast, the veritable wine kiss o' death. But Concha y Toro ought to be very pleased with this rating at this price point. If anything, it's a testament to how well poised Chile is to rule the wine world at some point in the not-too-distant future.

Sure, the CdD Reserve is far from complex. But it's got the Fire. It has the Force. It has the power to make it's evil take it's course!

YeeeeeeeeeeeeEEEEAAAAHHHHHHHHH!!!!!!!!!!!
[Insert trademark Bruce Dickinson awesome butt-kicking heavy metal scream here].

Cheers!
images: (1winedude.com, ironmaidenwallpaper.com)

From the grave yard of 89 point wines

2008-10-21T05:51:00.001-07:00

I have been delinquent in my posting to the 89 Project so this is my first post. I usually don’t buy wines for their rating but happened to have this wine at a wine bar the other day. I used my handy dandy Wine Spectator mobile app on the iPhone and checked the rating of the wine and low and behold it was 89 points.

The wine I picked up is the 2005 Esporao Red Reserve from Portugal. The Esporao winery is located in the Alentejo (DOC) region of Portugal, 180 Km east of Lisbon, in Reguengos de Monsaraz. The 2005 Red is comprised of 40% Aragonês , 30% Cabernet Sauvignon and 30% Trincadeira. The vineyards for the grapes lie on primarily granit and loamy clay soil and the vines are trained on a Double Guyot style system. This wine has the added benefit of giving me two new wines to add toward my Wine Century Club list.

My Tasting Notes-

Nose – Raisin, prune, grilled meat, wood
Taste – Blueberry, pomegranate, strawberry shortcake and raspberry
Mouthfeel – medium body, fairly high acidity and firm tannins
Finish – long length, fuzzy from the tannins and nice red fruit flavors

This was a great wine that regardless of rating and I would purchase it again. It was 18.99 from Whole Foods here in Richmond which I think is a good price for the quality of the wine. We had the wine with a cheesy, veggie, noodley casserole and it paired great, very nice for a chilly fall evening. In addition to the notes I put above, the nose was slightly reminiscent of a good Port, go figure!

Cheers!

An 89-Point Merlot from Umbria That Even Miles Would Like

2008-10-13T07:44:00.000-07:00

Merlot has really been kicked around the block since Sideways. In spite of the fact that Miles downs a considerable amount of Merlot in a fast food restaurant at the end of the film, large numbers of people now refuse to drink Merlot on general principle.

This is good news for you and me. Because Merlot can be fabulous. Not everybody makes their Merlot grapes into blackberry jam. Some actually make it into wine. And because of the dip in demand, there is some great Merlot out there in the market that is priced to sell.

I just had an Umbrian example of Merlot, and it was fantastic--and it in no way resembled a simple, over-oaked fruit bomb or a breakfast spread. Instead, the 2004 Falesco Pesano Merlot was an excellent QPR steal for just under $12. I purchased the bottle back before this blog was born in early July 2006 for $11.99 at Costco. A quick search on Vinquire revealed that if you want a bottle of the stuff now, you can expect to pay $25.99 at the one retailer who sells it online. More recent vintages can be had for between $11.99 and $16.99 in case you want to try your luck.

What did I experience when I pulled the cork? The first thing I smelled was fresh-ground coffee. Yes, not a breakfast spread, but a breakfast drink. This was followed by another breakfast smell: bacon fat. The combination was enticing and mouth-watering. In the flavors, I tasted cherry, blackberry, and more coffee bean. There was a smoky aftertaste that was quite distinctive. This was a lot of wine for $12 and I think that it probably benefited from the 2+ years that it received in my various storage spaces. We had it with meatloaf and potatoes, which was a perfect pairing for the meaty and smoky flavors in the wine, but you could just as easily pair this with a roast or stew. Yes, you could have it with an In 'n Out Burger if you must be like Miles.

One of the wine mags gave this an 89, which in my opinion is just plain silliness--just as it was just plain silliness to give the Falesco Vitiano reviewed by Katie P below an 89. This wine was distinctive, widely available when it was released, and worth every penny that it cost and then some. If the more recent versions of this wine are anywhere near this good (and CellarTracker reviews of the 2005 vintage suggest it is) then you should grab this if you see it. You're in for a real treat.

RANCHO ZABACO HERITAGE VINES ZINFANDEL 2005

2008-10-09T12:00:00.000-07:00

One of the great unexpected values in Zinfandel has always been the Rancho Zabaco Heritage Vines Zinfandel 2005, though you wouldn’t quite know it from the reviews. This is all that all California Zin fan wants – medium-bodied, smooth mouthfeel, notes of brambly raspberries and chocolate-covered cherries, well-balanced, and juicy all the way through – yet it seems there is some inherent bias against Zin in recent years. Not sure if the reviewers just besmirch a Zin simply because it was produced in an “off” vintage, but here’s another good, solid Zin value offered up to the 89-point boneyard.

Two of the arguably lesser-used wine mags in the business, Connoisseur’s Guide to California Wine and Wine Enthusiast, both award this tasty Zin 89 points.

Connoisseur’s Guide reviews it this way: “Well-concentrated blackberry aromas take a decided turn towards cabernet and dried fruits without giving up their attractiveness, and the full-bodied fleshy, slightly-soft palate impressions that follow bring along flavors that are both dense and tannin-impacted. Time is on its side if you care to put some in your cellar, but service with savory meats like garlicky leg of lamb will help it show well now.”

As for Wine Enthusiast: “Gallo did a great job with this wine, producing 31,000 cases, and yet making the wine smooth, balanced and delicious. It’s quintessential Sonoma Zin, with briary flavors of wild cherries and raspberries, and coatings of chocolate, anisette, bacon and spices.”

Neither of these reviews possesses anything negative, other than Connoisseur’s mentioning that its aromas “take a decided turn towards cabernet” inferring that it is not necessarily varietally correct. Aside from that allusion, you’d think that this wine deserves at least a 90. By the definition of the Parker scale, the score is probably correct, but the line between an 89 and a 90 point rating is as vast as the Sahara, and shaded completely gray. Perhaps the QPR is a bit askew, but I didn’t think that that was part of the criteria in reviewing, given that these folks are supposed to be tasting blind (aren’t they?).

Nevertheless, this wine deserves a try. Scores be damned!

Marquis Philips S2 Cabernet Sauvignon 2006

2008-10-08T07:04:00.000-07:00

Wine rating systems are imperfect, but often useful. To get the most out of them it helps to be familiar with the reviewer’s palate — if he or she consistently likes the same sort of things you do and has similar criticisms of those you don’t, then you can give their opinions a higher degree of credence.

Consider, then, the Marquis Philips S2 Cabernet Sauvignon. Since its first vintage in 2001 through the 2005, Robert Parker’s newsletter, The Wine Advocate, has rated it in the 90s. Parker really liked the ’05 vintage and awarded it 94 points, making it a really good deal at about $35 per bottle. And that vintage is indeed a Parker-style wine — big, jammy and highly extracted, with lots of fruit and complexity.

Then came the ’06, and the Advocate gave the S2 an 89-point score and a vague review. But it wasn’t a Parker review; it was written by Jay Miller. Regardless of who actually wrote the review, the effect was the same: Now S2 was perceived as an expensive 89-point wine.

So, the ’06 didn’t sell as well as previous vintages. The result: If you look around, you can find it on sale for a lot less than $35 (I got mine for $19.99). And for twenty bucks, it’s a helluva wine!

This is an Aussie Cab that a Californian could love, with cedar on the nose and blackberries and cassis on the palate. Its tannins provide structure without pucker, and its finish is long and dry. It’s a big wine but a refined one, less jammy and more elegant. And it carries its 15.9 percent charge of alcohol gracefully, with no hints of bitterness or heat.

It benefits from half an hour in a decanter, and continues to open and develop in the glass. Short-term cellaring would achieve the same thing — this would be a good wine to buy a case of and revisit every six months. And I’ll bet that even if you paid full price, you wouldn’t be sorry.

“If I don't stand my own ground, how can I find my way out of this maze...”

2008-10-07T06:52:00.000-07:00

If you’re standing in the aisle of a local wine shop, browsing the shelf talkers in the Italian section, and you find 2 bottles standing next to each other, one that costs about $10 and was rated 89 by Wine Spectator or Wine Advocate, and the other also costing $10 which was rated 90, which would you more likely pick up? What the hell exactly is the difference between an 89 and a 90 rating for a bottle of wine? Apparently, the difference is sales. Given a level playing field (same varietal, similar pricing, etc.), the wine that gets to go home with consumers is almost always the higher rated wine, even if it’s a one point difference. These 89-rated wines, lovingly called the redheaded stepchildren of the wine industry, often get the shitty end of the stick when it comes to shelf presence and sales because they miss the 90-point hurdle by an inch or two—according to the wine reviewers that steer the market, that is.

89 seems to be the kiss of death—so close and yet so far—but in an almost arbitrary way. What is it that keeps a bottle from hitting the elusive 90 milestone? Is it well made, structured and nicely priced but just doesn’t soak your shorts? Or is it the one that’s priced at a point that you expect a lot from, and it fails to deliver the goods? How, in the name of all that is holy, do you taste a friggin’ one point difference in wines? It’s a stigma, and it’s bull crap. So in the name of giving 89-point wines a second chance, in hopes that someone won’t give them a cold shoulder next time they see them on a shelf, let’s dig for gold…

Falesco Vitiano 2006 – A red blend from Umbria containing cabernet sauvignon, merlot and sangiovese. Over the last few years, this wine has teetered between 88s and 89s in the big rags. The Spectator’s most recent review? “The 2006 Vitiano Rosso is another intense, deeply flavored wine. This powerful effort bursts from the glass with an array of jammy plums, cherries, cassis, graphite and minerals. It will offer much pleasure now and over the next few years and is a terrific value for the money.” It was even listed among the WS’s Top 53 Wines of Value in Italy. It generally sells for about 10 bucks.

Here were my tasting notes from a while back: “13% alcohol. Dark garnet. Smoke and violets on the nose, with a little earthiness and minerality. Lots of plum. Very spicy finish, mellow tannins. Good acidity—can sit for a couple of years.

89? 90? Do we really give a crap? It’s a great wine with an even better QPR. Stop thinking that the one sitting next to it is somehow substantially better because of one point, will you please? Give the underdog a chance once in a while, cuz he may just be your next best friend.

Pineau d'Aunis: the 89-Point Grape

2008-10-01T19:36:00.000-07:00

When I read the wine magazines--and yes, I do read them--there are times when I see an 89-point review and it seems like a travesty, based on what I think a wine delivers in terms of flavor and bang for the buck. Then there are are times when an 89-point review seems like over-inflated hype, for exactly the same reasons.

And then there are the times when I wonder if a wine has received an 89-point review from a major magazine because somebody lost their nerve on the way to a 90+ rating and settled for something a little more safe. It often happens when the grape is weird, or unfashionable, or both. It can even happen when the winemaker or region is weird and/or unfashionable.

Today I'm reviewing just such a wine: the 2004 Domaine de Bellivière Coteaux du Loir Le Rouge-Gorge. ($14.99, K & L Wines; the 2005 vintage is available from other merchants for $17-$25) It received an 89 from Spectator, and try as I might I wasn't able to find any Pineau d'Aunis that had ever received more than an 89 from the magazine. (I could be wrong on this point, but I spent 3 hours looking through the database before I gave up. If I am wrong, I'm sure that someone from WS headquarters will be by to correct me.) This 89-point and below niche for Pineau d'Aunis is surprising, given the fact that the wines are often described as exhibiting textbook varietal characteristics. So what's the deal?

I'm not the only person asking this kind of question regarding wine scores. If you want to see what other writers are wondering about wine scores, check out dhonig's collaborative 89 Project blog. For those of you who aren't familiar with this effort, dhonig gathered up a bunch of interested folks and asked them to be on the lookout for wines that received 89-point ratings from the major wine critics. 89-point wines are, in the words of dhonig, "the red-headed step children of the wine world." The 89 Project gives us a chance to take a second look at some overlooked wines and, in doing so, discover some truly interesting and often affordable treasures that those who are slavish to shelftalkers will see right through at the store.

Treasures just like Pineau d'Aunis. Domaine de Bellivière is a family-owned winery in the Loire that specializes in making wine from two of the region's traditional grapes: Chenin Blanc and Pineau d'Aunis. While Chenin Blanc has gained some traction among American wine drinkrs, Pineau d'Aunis is a relative rarity over here. And it's not likely to become any more widely accepted, given the fact that the wine normally scores below 90 points with most wine critics.

One of the reasons for these scores may be that Pineau d'Aunis will simply not be to everyone's taste. It's a grape that actually seems to try to make you wrinkle up your face and wonder what you're drinking. The defining character of Pineau d'Aunis is often "pine"--a slightly resinous, green, and herbal quality to the wine that some people react to as if you'd just poured Pine-Sol into their Pinot Noir.

So what was my reaction to the 2004 Domaine de Bellivière Coteaux du Loir Le Rouge-Gorge? At first I was reminded of a gamay from the Beaujolais by its dark ruby color and the light-medium body of the wine. The aromas of topsoil and forest floor were also not unlike Beaujolais, which I often find has a wonderful earthiness. The flavors of cherry, earth, and spice were strong and definite, which will make some people love it,and others hate it. Pineau d'Aunis is at its best--like many wines--with food. This is not really a stand-alone wine unless you are wanting to come to terms with it on an intellectual level. This is only going to work with food, and then think about something earthy like mushrooms, truffles, beans, and charcuterie.

This is not a big fruitbomb: fat and sassy and easy to love. What it is, however, is textbook Pineau d'Aunis. And for under $15, it is certainly a very good QPR choice if you are looking for a traditional bottling of a very special grape. As such, shouldn't it get more than a B+? I sure think so, and so does Parker who didn't lose his nerve and gave it a 90 instead of an 89. Are there other grapes that routinely get consigned to the under-90 bin? If so, let me know what they are because I'd love to try some more of them. If they're as interesting as Pineau d'Aunis, they'll spice up my evening glass of wine for years to come.

A wine by any other point, tastes as sweet...

2008-09-26T09:13:00.000-07:00

Or does it?

Last night, I attended the first of what I hope will be many Project 89 parties, with The Brix Chicks Liza & Xandria, Ward Kadel of WineLog and others. During our tasting, we tasted matched pairs of American Chardonnay, New Zealand Pinot Noir, and Australian Shiraz. One wine was given an 89 rating and one was given a 90 or above rating by one of the major critics. As we tasted these wines blind, we didn't know as we were drinking them, which was the "better" wine and which was not. I asked our team to give them our own ratings first and then reveal the "expert" opinions afterwards, to see if we agreed.

All wines were purchased from Wine.com and can be found at various sources for less (click the link to search on Vinquire!)

First up, Chardonnay from North America.

2006 Columbia Crest Grand Estates Columbia Valley Chardonnay

Medium golden lemon color, with a nose of butterscotch, oak and straw.
I found tons of lemon, custard, and a zingy lemon zest flavor followed by flinty mineral flavors with a bit of chalk and vanilla finish. I did see a little bit of a musty aftertaste, but over all really enjoyed this wine.

I gave it 88 points. Wine Spectator gave it 90.

Even though I'm not typically a chard person, I would buy this wine for it's ease of drinking, particularly for a party.

2006 MacRostie Carneros Chardonnay

The MacRostie was again, a very pale yellow color which I love in a Chard. It signals to me that it will not be an overoaked, over malolactic fermentation Sundial type wine. Thank god for that! On the nose, again there were tons of lemon and lemon zest aromas, with a hint of caramel & sandlewood.

This wine had a lot of spritz to it, and was almost bitter with it's citrus flavor. I thought it tasted a lot like flat 7-Up. And not in a good way, since there was a sharp aftertaste on the long finish.

I gave it an 86, primary because of the funky finish, although it was much better with food than without.

Wine Spectator gives it an 89.

Next, the Pinots. Both were from New Zealand, but each from a distinct area known for Piont Noir. Now I love me a NZ Pinot, so I was really excited about this pair.

2006 Amisfield Central Otago Pinot Noir

The Amisfield was a gorgeous garnet red color, with earth, cherry kir, ceder and a slight mint nose.

When I first tasted this wine, there was massive bright red fruit; it was definately a lighter more traditional style of Pinot Noir, and it's juicy cranberry, straweberry and cherry flavors really pop out. There was a long fruit finish, that kept my mouth watering after the wine was gone.

Wine Enthusiast gave this wine a 91, Wine Spectator gave it a 90.

I gave this wine an 89.

2006 Te Kairanga Martinbourough Pinot Noir

The Te Kairanga was the first wine that brought out the Venturi, a handy dandy aeration device that forces a wine to act like it has been decanted and opens it up. Before we used the Venturi however, I noticed that this wine had a cloudy deep ruby color, much different from the first Pinot we tasted.

There were strong cherry cola flavors, with dried cherries and strong earth with musty leaves.
On the first taste, I really did not like this wine at all, and gave it an 84. After running it through the Venturi twice, I still found it to be lacking and had a strange finish, although I did increase my score to 85.

Wine Enthusiast and Wine Spectator both gave it an 88.

Finally, we threw in two big boys from Australia to really pack a punch.

2005 Wishing Tree Western Australia Shiraz

This was a deep dark and brooding wine. On the nose, I found dark red fruits, and smoked meat.

It was lighter than I expected for the color and style, but was very pleasant with the cherry, raspberry and juicy fruit flavors.

I gave this wine an 89.

Wine Spectator also gave it an 89, while Wine Enthusiast gave it a lowly 86.

2005 Jim Barry "The Lodge" Clare Valley Shiraz

The deep blood red color of the Lodge smelled like dusty blackberries.
It was full bodied, but tasted slightly sour to me.

Even after running it through the Venturi, I still didn't care for this Shiraz, and only gave it an 87.

Robert Parker gave it a 90, as did Wine Spectator.

My question is, given that the Amisfield Pinot was $39.99, and the Te Kairanga was $19.79, is one point really worth a 200% price increase? I don't think so. If the Te Kairanga was given a 90 instead of an 89 would it be priced at $39? Probably. Are there other $20 wines that are undervalued? You bet.

I hope to do another 89 Project Party soon to taste more pairs!

The power of points is in marketing, not in enjoyment. So I say, points be damned and go out and drink what you like!

Happy Drinking!

Hiding Those Points

2008-09-21T14:21:00.000-07:00

Yesterday, I attended an anniversary wine tasting at a local wine store, Wine Sense, and there were several different distributors there showcasing some of their newest wines. Most of the distributors did not have sales materials at their tables but a couple did.

At one of those tables, the distributor had a shelf talker for the 2004 Richard Hamilton Gumprs Shiraz, basically just a quote from Robert Parker and its score, 89 points. Part of Parker's quote stated: "It will provide immense pleasure over the next 2-4 years."

I chatted with the distributor about the wine, the score and The 89 Project. He was in agreement that an 89 score can be the kiss of death for a wine, and that scores really should not dictate which wines to purchase and enjoy. In fact, he decided to remove the shelf talker from his table so that no one else would see the score and so they could judge the wine on its own merits. I was pleased that he did this and maybe there will be one less distributor pushing wine just because of its scores. Maybe all of us can get involved in conversations with distributors and try to persuade them not to use scores as much in their advertising.

As for the wine itself, refer back to Parker's quote from above. Why is a wine that provides "immense pleasure" only worth 89 points? That does not seem to make much sense. Those who buy only 90+ point wines would deprive themselve of a wine that Parker claims could bring them "immense pleasure."

I found this wine to be an atypical Aussie Shiraz. First, it had more of a light red color unlike some of the usual inky dark Shirazes. Though this wine had some delicious red fruit, especially cherry and raspberry, it was not a fruit bomb. It had a lighter body and was not jammy at all. It seemed more like a Rhone wine than the usual Aussie. It had decent complexity and a moderate finish. And at $20, this wine is a good value. Did Parker score this wine below 90 points because it was not a typical Aussie Shiraz? We shall never know.

Where the Rubber Hits the Glass: d'Arenberg 2005 'The Custodian' Grenache

2008-09-13T13:24:00.000-07:00

OK, so technically this one is an 88 (Wine Spectator). So sue me - it's close enough. And to make it even more intriguing... Stephen Tanzer of the International Wine Cellar gave it a... 90!

d'Arenberg 2005 'The Custodian' Grenache (McLaren Vale, Australia):

I'm gonna have to go ahead and disagree with the tasting notes on this one...

This wine is more full bodied, as you'd expect from Grenache it packs a buttload of booze (14.5% abv). Yes, it's got jammy fruit, along with lots and lots of berries (strawberry, cranberry...). But it feels a little 'hot', and gives the impression that this vintage is not fully representative of the big, explosive fruit that McLaren can deliver in warm years (2005 was a bit on the cool side for them).

Now, while technically I agree with WS on their sub-90 ruling, I don't agree with them on the core reasons for that ruling.

That's because I get something out of this wine that I think I shouldn't. It's floating just above the fruit after the mid-palate and it's seriously disrupting my enjoyment of the finish on this otherwise tasty sucker.

Rubber. Sniff-sniff. Damn! There is it again.

I confirmed this with some dinner guests who shared the wine (and no, we did not eat tire for dinner). They're not wine geeks, but once I pointed it out to them, there was no mistaking it.

My verdict: overall point reduction due to, well, Reduction.

Cheers!

Kiss My...

2008-09-12T06:00:00.000-07:00

Last night I had dinner with a group of friends and one of my dining companions is a tasting room manager at a winery. Anne has at least 10 years of tasting room experience and the majority of those years in the winery environment have been in management.

One of the various topics at our dining table turned into the point system. Now mind you, we didn't spend a lot of time on the discussion, because the table of four (and we are all in the wine industry) are already in agreement that the present point system is flawed. Out of the blue I asked Anne, "So in theory, tell me about the 89 points that your bottle of wine received." To which she replied - -

"The kiss of death."

Quinta do Roriz Prazo de Roriz 2004

2008-09-11T00:00:00.000-07:00

Portuguese reds are still a bit of an anomaly, at least in this market (the Midwest). Yet while the majority of them are robust, delicious blends of grapes like Tinto Roriz, Touriga Nacional and Touriga Franca, as is the Prazo de Roriz 2004, many of them are expensive, and therefore, not easily viable to sell. However, unlike many Portuguese reds, the Prazo de Roriz 2004 is very affordable.

What strikes me funny, in relation to the 89 project is that this wine, with a novella for tasting notes present, is the score Parker gave it: 89 points. The first sentence of the review sets the tone for the critique: “The 2004 Prazo de Roriz provides tons of value for the money, and is one of the fine deals in this report.” So what holds it back from a 90?

Ageworthiness.

Because as my favorite reviewer, Dr. Jay Miller, who handles the Portugal beat for Parker, declares at almost the very end of the review: “The only criticism here is that this is a wine to drink young, and it has little upside in the cellar, which usually constrains my scoring.”
Amazing. How many consumers buy a wine based upon cellar potential? When most wine is meant to drink within the first year it was made? And this is a 2004, when many Spanish counterparts are on 2006. I am confused.

Personally, I find this wine to be an incredible drink for under $15. It has resounding fresh red fruit flavors, with delicious spice undertones, and a vibrancy throughout that I find missing in a lot of red wines. I would argue that many would confuse this with a California Zinfandel, but that there is a really much more going on than brambly jamminess equated with many Zins. This wine is very balanced, and extremely well-made.

The round-up of scores for this beauty are Wine Spectator, 90 points (they obviously felt it worthy of that 1 extra point), Stephen Tanzer, 88 points, Wine Enthusiast, 89 points, and Wine & Spirits, 86 points. And within all those reviews, not one thing derogatory mentioned about the wine. Take away the points, and all are fairly glowing criticisms.

So the only thing bad about this wine is it’s a “drink now” wine. Hmm. As a wine consumer, I would find that hard to perceive as a bad thing when I am probably taking it home to drink tonight. But that's just me.

2007 Kim Crawford Sauvignon Blanc

2008-09-10T05:49:00.000-07:00

I couldn't stop drinking it.

I'll never be a candidate for alcoholism because a migraine will set in long before I've had enough to become truly and fabulously wasted, so with that kind of medical history I've gotten very good at keeping my intake in check.

What could be called a liability helps me write better about wines, I think, because I allow myself to truly linger over the nuances instead of just taking big swigs for the buzz.

But last night, when I poured the 2007 Kim Crawford Sauvignon Blanc, I never wanted the experience to end. It was deliciously fruity with a solid backbone of acidity and grapefruit scents that charmed and invigorated. I've had the Kim Crawford before, but this time it was like falling in love with your best friend after you finally realize he has amazing, previously-overlooked qualities. I had to cut myself off after two glasses, and it was hard. Very hard.

I drank the Sauv Blanc with a steamed artichoke dipped in lemon butter. The two are a perfect match, but I found it to be even more true this time. The wine refreshed and cleansed the palate like no other wine, not even an extra-dry bubbly, could do after an artichoke.

Wine Enthusiast gave the 2007 an 89, and I don't know about the others. But if you're looking for artichoke's soulmate, look no further.

àMaurice Cellars Malbec - 2005

2008-09-09T13:11:00.000-07:00

What the hell?

I just received my Fall Newsletter from àMaurice Cellars. In the newsletter they announced their new wine scores from Dr. Jay Miller of the Wine Advocate. àMaurice is a family-owned boutique winery located in the foothills of the Blue Mountains in Walla Walla, WA. It’s a young winery with, I think, two vintages behind them. Their current production at this point is 2,200 cases and they expect to at least build to 4,000. Some of their wines are estate as they own 15 acres of vineyards, however they also purchase some contract fruit.

Last year during their Fall Release I stopped by and sampled their new wines. They were all very "swoon" worthy, but I was especially captivated with their Malbec and so was everyone else as they sold out - - quickly.

You know how after a day of wine tasting, if you taste too many wines or even get caught up in the winery’s ambiance, where you think all of the wines are the best until you taste them again after the fact? Alas, there always seems to be one wine out of the batch you purchased that just isn’t quite what you remembered. So a few months after the fact, I got to thinking - - was that bottle of àMaurice Malbec really as good as I thought it was when I first tasted it at the winery. Well, there’s only one way to tell - - open the bottle - - and I did - -

In fact, it was so good I rationed it for three evenings and with every day, it became more interesting and just as tasty as the first night I opened it. A beautiful inky plum color with a nose of dark fruit. It reminded me of a huckleberry coffee cake from a favorite family recipe made with the berries we picked during our vacations in Montana. On the first evening I opened the bottle of àMaurice Malbec, the wine ended with a graham cracker finish. The next evening the wine seemed more intense with the same flavors, but with dark cocoa added. The third and final evening, the wine remained to be full bodied but with a pleasant bit of spice at the end. For me, I felt this wine, even on the third day, had all of the components that I enjoy in a red wine. Have you ever been sad to see a bottle of wine empty? And it wasn’t about the alcohol, it was all about the pleasure of the taste - - to the last drop.

The wine left such an impression on me, I called Anna at àMaurice and told her I needed to have that Malbec to sell in my shop - - NOW! I took a big chance hearing rumors they were on their last bottles, but was delighted when Anna and Tom "found" a few bottles for my shop! So to make a long story short, I was really excited to see what Dr. Jay Miller had to say about the àMaurice Cellars Malbec - 2005. He gave this beautiful bottle of wine - - drum roll - - 89 points!

One more time - what the hell?

Helix Merlot - 2005 Washington State

2008-08-27T11:31:00.000-07:00

There’s a lot of Merlot that comes out of Washington State, and especially Walla Walla. I can remember the day when Walla Walla received all kinds of accolades and high scores for their Merlot. In the mean time, other red grapes from the Walla Walla Valley have appeared: Syrah, Sangiovese, Cabernet Franc, Carmenere, Nebbiolo, and Cinsault have taken some of the attention away from our faithful and steady Merlot. It’s been a grape that has not let us down, and when California was talking smack about "merlot is only a blending grape" we proved differently producing a single variety (attn: wine blogging police - or is it "varietal?") wines and have received world acclaim.

Reininger Winery made a smart move creating their second label, Helix, in 2004. For the Helix label, Reininger sources fruit from the larger Columbia Valley. This allows Reininger to increase production and expand distribution. This also allows the Reininger label to continue to maintain a limited production. The Reininger label is produced with fruit that is sourced from only the Walla Walla Valley. Helix can target a new group of wine lovers while keeping costs down. When I discovered the Helix Merlot - 2005 received a 89 from the Wine Enthusiast, I had to wonder why? Is it because of a second label thinking it should not be as good or is the real problem here - - another Merlot? I also thought about those "pointy people" who walk into a winery or wine store only wanting to buy 90+ scored wine, and often without tasting. What wines do they drink for every day sipping and especially when their pointy-friends are not around? Do they drink costly 90+ scored wines? Perhaps they are secret 89 secret sippers when nobody is looking.

My opinion: this is a Merlot that you could take to a dinner party and still be proud of it at $22. Overall, it is 97% Merlot with a touch of Cabernet Sauvignon. At the first sip of this dark wine, the taste is full bodied with hints of cherries. It’s a mouthful with just a hint of spice and cedar. This Helix Merlot should definitely paired and enjoyed with foods, such as a native Washington State salmon to grilled vegetables or beef. A pocket full of Hershey kisses works for me.

This ain't no blending grape. It’s a Merlot that can stand up to the best - - even stand up to a Merlot with 90 or 91 points!

L'Ecole No. 89

2008-08-27T10:05:00.000-07:00

The Walla Walla stalwart L'Ecole No. 41 is no stranger to 90+ point wine ratings in the established wine mags. So I was particularly happy to find their 2004 Columbia Valley Merlot, an 89 point score proudly displayed below it on the wine store shelf.

How does a winery that's often the darling of established wine mags. sink below the "90" threshold?

Probably because it scored 89 at Wine Spectator... and a 90 nearly everywhere else!

Now, that one is just too good to pass up for the 89 Project, right?

It might also explain why they thought they could get away with charging well over $20 per bottle on this sucker...

Anyway, the L'Ecole No. 41 2004 Columbia Valley Merlot just qualifies as a single-varietal labeling, being 80% Merlot, 12% Cabernet Franc, 6% Cabernet Sauvignon, and 2% Petit Verdot (presumably for good measure).

What I liked most about the big mag. reviews on this wine is how similar they all are. You tell me - which one do you think is the 89-pointer review:

1) "This is a classy, sophisticated wine, blended from a wide range of Washington vineyards. It’s really a Right Bank-styled Bordeaux blend. Berries and spice, chocolate and herb, and many other lightly applied nuances make this a pleasure to sip."

2) "Crisp in texture and generous in flavor, offering currant and blackberry fruit that’s shaded with herbal notes as the finish lingers. Drink now through 2008."

3) "Deep garnet color with a brick rim. Dark chocolate covered fruit, mocha, and roasted nut aromas. A round entry leads to a dry-yet-fruity medium-full bodied palate with baked plum, baker’s chocolate, and spicy, mocha flavors. Finishes with a long, toasty oak and fresh plum skin fade."

Yeah, I thought so.

Kind of helps to prove one of the points of the 89 Project, right?

Somehow, WS decided to dip below the 90 mark when reviewing this wine. Why? To start answering that question, I'll offer my take on this wine:

It's almost Zin-level big and jammy. One whiff, and you know that you boarded the bus to "over 14% abv land" so if that's not your ticket, you'd better get off now. Blueberry and blackberry aromas jump up at you from the glass. When I say jump up at you, I mean like "two house pets greeting you at the door" jump up.

"Ohhh! Oh! Me first! Me FIRST!"

"Noooo! ME! Pet ME FIRST!!!"

It's not a coordinated effort.

The finish has herbs on it, for sure, but they are aflame in the unmistakable astringency of booziness.

It's not a bad wine by any stretch, but it's a total brute of Merlot, and you need to be in the mood for that.

This could be one instance where I actually *agree* with Wine Spectator (a rare occasion indeed), if the intent of dropping below 90 points was to give this wine a level of separation from more refined Merlot offerings. Theirs was the 2nd review, by the way.

File this one in the "pretty good, but I expected a bit more from you guys" category.

Cheers!

Short Post on a Tasty Petite Sirah

2008-08-25T18:16:00.000-07:00

Hello all-my first cross-post to the 89 Project! Dhonig alerted me to the fact that one of the wines I posted about in my Petite Sirah posting today scored an 89 from the Wine Enthusiast. Perhaps they just aren't enthusiastic about Petite Sirah, because this was an excellent wine. Of course, it's now 10 years old, so perhaps the reviewers would have a different opinion after tasting it with 10 years of age!

Among the great line up for the Petite Sirah Tasting with the PSychos on Friday night was the 1998 Stag's Leap Petite Sirah from Napa. The wine needed quite a bit of time in the decanter, but eventually opened up to be a great wine. Given the time it needed, I imagine it has quite a bit of age left in it.

The wine had a classic Petite Sirah nose, blueberry, cream, vanilla, smoke and licorice. In the mouth it showed more vanilla, some licorice, lots of blueberry (I underlined it 3 times to make sure I remembered!), milk chocolate, and some other dark fruit. We had the wine with both bitter and dark chocolate, which really made the flavors come alive.

You can read about the Stag's Leap, and the other Petite Sirahs in the evening's line up in my post, here.

2002 Warrenmang Grand Pyrenees, Australia

2008-08-25T17:43:00.000-07:00

A well made wine with a blend of 34% Shiraz, 33% Cabernet Franc and 33% Cabernet Sauvignon from the Pyrenees in Southern Australia. This growing region is making a name for itself here in the states and I am seeing new producers making quality wines. This is a monster of a wine and needs a little breathing time. Aromas of raspberry chocolate ganache, fresh tobacco leaf and fresh sage.

On the palate the chocolate onslaught continues with more cherry than raspberry in the mix. Spicy and smooth, the flavors spread like a silk chocolate blanket in your mouth. The finish is long and lingering. Pair this wine with grilled meats, smoked dry rubs, or any full flavored strong cheeses.

Price: $30
ABV: 14.5%

~Marc Hinton @ Enobytes

Wine Biz Radio

2008-08-25T12:59:00.000-07:00

The 89 Project on Wine Biz Radio, Monday, August 25, 2008. Click the picture:

By George, I think They've Got It!

2008-08-24T14:32:00.000-07:00

As Gilbert & Sullivan once wrote, "Here's a howdy-do":

If the 89 Project is meant to give a modest amount of additional publicity to wines that might otherwise go unnoticed, what do you do with a wine that is actively promoting its 89 point status?

If it's Georges Duboeuf's 2006 Chardonnay Reserve (Vin de Pays D'oc), you drink it. And enjoy it. Because it's good, and at $10 (or under) you could drink a lot of this wine - even on a tight budget.

Duboeuf is not an outfit armed with dummies. Known as le roi du Beaujolais, they are one of the largest French wine merchants, with as much marketing muscle and resources behind them as probably any big wine operation in France.

With the 2006 Chardonnay Reserve, Duboeuf seems to be playing up the 89 point status (see inset pic for an in-store example). With a snazzy opaque bottle and a card proudly announcing its 89 point Wine Advocate score, it's almost daring you to ignore it.

"Hey, boss, check me out over here. I'm cheap. And I damn nearly got a 90. Go ahead. Pass me up. Make my day!"

As for the wine: The nose is a bit muted and a little out of balance with the alcohol dominating. On the palate, though, there's tropical fruit and sweet vanilla. While the fruit isn't complex, the wine has enough balance to be crowd-pleasing and make it a bit of a steal at its current price.

So go ahead. Pass this wine up just because it's an 89.

Duboeuf dares ya.

Cheers!

Did the Wine Spectator Eat Crow Paired with a Glass of Blush from the Osteria L'Intrepido Menu?

2008-08-23T10:31:00.000-07:00

In Portland, Oregon last week at the meeting of the American Society for Wine Economists, a presentation was given by wine writer, Robin Goldstein. Apparently, he performed a "sting operation" on the Wine Spectator Restaurant Awards. In summary:

1. A fake restaurant was created - Osteria L'Intrepido.
2. Location of fake restaurant was in Milan, Italy.
3. A website for fake restaurant - Osteria L’Intrepido was designed.
4. A wine list was built using the lowest scoring Italian wines from the Wine Spectator magazine.
5. Fake restaurant enters Wine Spectator Restaurant Awards.
6.TA-DAAAA!!! Fake restaurant wins "Wine Spectator Award of Excellence!"

At this time the Wine Spectator hasn't said much other than it was an elaborate hoax. They have only acknowledged this on their WS Forum, their chat-message board - nothing front page at this time. However, I have to rebuke a comment on the forum from James Molesworth, Senior Editor of the WS. "This is the problem with the 'blogosphere'. It's a lazy person's journalism. No one does any real research, but rather they just slap some hyperlinks up and throw a little conjecture at the wall, and presto! you get some hits and traffic..."

James, I would like to give the Wine Spectator the benefit of the doubt until all of the facts are in. In the mean time, don't bottle all of the blogosphere together with one cork. That kind of defensive response is often typical if guilt is involved. So, let's not shift blame on everybody else and let's keep with the topic at hand, shall we? Besides, if blogging is a lazy person's journalism, then why does the WS participate in the blogosphere and why is the 89 Project blogging for free?

And my point and exactly does all of the above have to do with the 89 Project? If Goldstein's "research" proves to be with merit, then wineries and winemakers may ponder the credibility of their scores from the Wine Spectator and especially those scores below 90 points that have influenced and turned away wine sales from the high-point driven wine consumer.

Another pretty bottle

2008-08-11T07:56:00.000-07:00

I've said before that, unlike most women, I don't buy wine because it has a pretty label, but this is the second time I've been suckered into buying a pretty bottle: A nonvintage Segura Viudas Brut Reserva Cava, which scored an 89 with Wine Enthusiast. This Spanish Cava is made from Spanish grapes using the traditional Champagne method (which basically means that the second fermentation, where the bubbles are produced, is done in the bottle, creating a more complex wine and smaller bubbles).

This bubbly has been in my fridge for a few months now, and I opened it the night we got back from vacation, when the laundry was piled up, the fridge was bare, and sushi takeout sounded like the best post-vacation meal idea ever. The Cava was fruity, fresh, and fragrant, slightly yeasty but not overly so, and a perfect accompaniment to the sushi.

The bottle has a grapevine-inscribed metal coaster on the bottom and the Segura Viudas crest on top. Of course, the heavy bottle isn't doing much for my carbon footprint, but it's so lovely, I think I'll keep it since I can't toss it into the recycling bin anyway.

Price: $14.49 (about prices)

Rating: Great value (about ratings)

Longhop Old Vine Grenache 2005 Adelaide Plains

2008-08-06T08:52:00.000-07:00

We've had this wine open in our store over the past two days, so I figured it's a good time to give it a pop. Before I get to my thoughts on this selection, here are a couple of interesting points:

The 2005 vintage scored 89pts from WA, the 2006 scored 91pts, from the quotes below who can tell which is the 91 pointer?

"exhibits strawberry, raspberry, pepper, spice, and background wood characteristics. This fruit-forward, medium to full-bodied, soft Grenache is best consumed over the next several years."
"exhibits notes of garrigue, black cherry, and raspberry. Layered and ripe, with gobs of spicy flavor, soft tannins, and excellent length, it can be enjoyed now and over the next 6-8 years."

This brings another dimension to the debate... text... the actual review which is ignored by so many as they quickly scan the document looking for the next rock star to add to the cellar. Or worse... the next purchase for the shelves of the shop! ...But that is a topic for another day. A topic, we probably don't want to get into! My point... very often you'll find the text review to be much more complimentary than the number, but that is meaningless. As a former importer I can tell you; my basement is filled with case cards with great text but no 9- in the top corner. They make good kindling for a fire, but that's about it!
Point 2: WS gave this one an 84, WA gave it an 89, that's a five point spread. Not huge, but sizeable enough. I remember a few years back, a certain Ribera del Duero clocked in at 91 points in one publication and got panned with a 78 in another. Bad bottles aside, how can this be? If a point system is the "best" method to judge quality, how can one wine score so differently? What the point system doesn't account for is palate preference. We're all different, we all like different wines. A score can absolutely be part of your buying decision but you need to trust your own palate above all others.
Oh, and one more problem with 9-'s. Producer's (some, few) now build wine's in order to secure a 90+. And you can't blame them, it's the difference between an empty warehouse and a full one. That's a slippery slope, one that will lead to the extinction of terroir.

Enough rambling, back to the wine in front of me. I like it. In fact, I like it a lot, and I'm not a bid Aussie type of guy. Yes, it's a powerhouse, the fruit is packed in there, and the alcohol is way too high for my typical taste at 15%, but I've found myself continually going back for another taste. That's how a wine should be judged. Do you want another glass? Yes or no? Also, I should note, this stood up very well over night, just a touch of heat on the finish, but the fruit was still very pure.

For us, here at Bin Ends, we love 89's! Many times it will allow us to sell the wine at up to a 45% savings, and judging by the reviews above, I'd take the $16 bottle over the over the $30 bottle any day of the week.

The Wannabe

2008-08-05T16:00:00.000-07:00

A recent discussion, from a featured blog in a prominent wine magazine, brought up the term, "wannabe wine critic." And of course the topic of discussion that led to this name was the usual suspect: the wine point system. The author of the blog suggested that the wannabe wine critics (referring to the majority of the wine bloggers) are better advised to find something more constructive to do than bash the 100-point wine system. Okay...okay, so even I'll admit that this bash has a tendency to be deja vu.

But looming around the corner is another "wannabe." This wannabe is also a product of the 100-point wine system. It plays with the pure-hearted tasting room attendants and the eager wine store owners, leaving them in a mixed state of euphoria, yet frustration. It makes the believers of terroir tremble. And who exactly is this other - - "wannabe?"

When the point system was created it was a good thing - - it was a base for the wine consumer to help guide their palate and assist in their wine purchases. And as we know, the point system can bring glory to a wine or - - death. In my opinion, the main thing the point system is guilty of is creating a monster out of the wine consumer. Now if you want to use the term, "wannabe," there's two sides to this: the point system has created a bunch of "wannabe wine aficionados!" A group that live their social lives and their wine purchases by wine points - - and obviously they do not trust their own palates. In the wine retail environment, more times than I care to count, I've witnessed a customer walk in the door with his sole mission to be about the highly-pointed wine. Often buying at least a case and when asked if he wanted to taste the wine he was buying, usually shrugged it off. These wine buyers rarely tasted. And of course, we all knew those cases would be his new trophy to share with other "trophy hunters."

At a B&B, overheard a conversation from other guests who "only visit wineries with 90 points and above wines." They were oblivious that the winemaker has to enter the wines to be judged and pointed. What you say? The wine point fairy doesn’t come to them? Too bad for these wannabe wine aficionados to be missing out on some real jewels - - excellent, yet affordable wines and possible up-and-coming wines by ignoring those who are not subscribing to a point system. These actions and comments from wannabe wine aficionados remind me of cartoons of caveman beating their chests because they built a bigger fire or a locker room of men bragging about who has the longest...ummm...wine stem on their glass.

Sure, don't get me wrong - - there is nothing better than selling a case or two of wine to a customer and certainly, his dollar doesn't look any different from those who do not subscribe to points. To explain this feeling is like selling your first car, a car full of memories and a set of wheels you babied for years. But you sell it to the highest bidder who will use it to race at the local demolition derby. And there is also a bit of disappointment when you know the "wannabe wine aficionado" would not be able to tell me the difference in taste from the 89 Syrah and the 90 Cabernet, let alone will never understand how and why the wine judge arrived at his/her decision. And perhaps, just maybe lurking in the wannabe wine aficionado's subconscious is the inadequacies of trusting their own palate. Will they be able to admit to other wannabe wine aficionados they enjoyed a wine that scored a whopping 88? Will they be the laugh of the McMansion neighborhood gourmet supper club if they bring a bottle of wine that was given anything less than a 90?

Okay, so maybe I am guilty of being silly and the romantic wine aficionado dinosaur who is about the craft, the science, the terroir and even the personality and story of the winemaker, instead of being one of the cool kids by enjoying the wine for the points. What is this - - doesn't anybody trust their own taste buds anymore? At my home, during an evening of wine tasting with friends, we "wannabe wine critics" talk about the craftsmanship and personality of the wine and it isn't the scores and the points that brings the wine to the dinner table - - and after all, isn't that really the point?

The 89 Project gets noticed

2008-08-05T13:33:00.000-07:00

Our own 1WineDude seems to have started the trouble with his post, The Trouble with Wine Ratings. The article is a fairly even-handed description of the weaknesses of the 100-point system. Then a funny thing happened. One of the guys who makes a living using the 100-point system took offense. Please note, I do not know Steve Heimoff, he is probably a delightful fellow, and by his own admission he was cranky and hungover when he wrote his article. That said, it was a pretty typical lashing out by traditional print media at bloggers. Mr. Heimoff completely misunderstood what the Dude was writing, and that misunderstanding formed the basis for the attack:

1WD concludes by bashing — not us critics — but the consumers who like and trust us.... Then, astonishingly, he announces that he and some other bloggers who are fed up with the 100-point system are launching their own, alternative wine rating system, “The 89 Project.” It purportedly will take wines that the rest of us critics give 89 points (which is famous in the industry for being the kiss of death because it’s not 90) and have the members of the 89 project review them.

This is a little like rifling through the stuff celebrities throw out in their recycling bins to find something valuable or saleable. Or maybe I’m just cranky and hung over this morning because the airport experience has really funked me out and I’m in a bad mood. Anyhow — the wannabe wine critics out there are better advised to find something more constructive to do than bash the 100-point system. It’s not a career builder.

The Dude responded, pointing out:

If you take a look at the 89 Project home page, you'll find that its charter is to try to bring exposure to the wines that fail to meet a 90 or above score in the 100 point scale - these wines are perennially doomed to lower sales figures, because consumers consider the 1 point difference between a 90 and an 89 score to be substantial (but probably not so for a 93 vs. a 94).

So, this is *not* an alternative rating system - it's simply a review of these wines in our own voices. I don't plan to give any of these wines a review based on a scale - I simply describe what I taste and explain if I think it's good value for money (or not).

I was a bit less gentle, rather gleefully jumping all over what Steve probably, in retrospect, would admit was a pretty bad analogy, the whole celebrity trash thing:

Reallly? Are you now saying that when you rate a wine a 90 it is worth keeping, but when you rate it an 89 you, the self-identified “celebrity,” are discarding it? That really does put the lie to the idea that an 89 really is a very good rating, and that you are not aware of your actions when you make that 1% arbitrary distinction. This arrogance is particularly absurd in the wine-rating world, where you and other, well, I guess you want us to call you “celebrities” now, can vary in your own arbitrary ratings by half a dozen points or more.

Aside from my own crankiness, and for that I apologize, I found this exchange fascinating. This was a well-known and well-respected wine reviewer admitting what The 89 Project is all about, that one point difference from 90 down to 89 is the equivalent of throwing the wine in the garbage. That seems a rather ignominious end for a 1% (actually, 2%, since the 100-point scale starts at 51, but what the heck, let's play along with the myth) difference based upon an individual's qualitative judgment.

Catie, our own Walla Walla Wine Woman, chimed in from the perspective of a wine retailer, observing:

In the wine retail environment, more times than I care to count has a customer walked in the door with his sole mission to be about the highly-pointed wine, bought two cases and when asked if they wanted to at least taste the wine they were buying, usually shrugged it off. They rarely tasted. And of course, we all knew those cases would be his new trophy to share with other “trophy hunters.” At a B&B, overheard conversation from other guests: they “only visited wineries that sold wine with 94 points and above, being oblivious that the winemaker has to enter the wines, the wine point fairy usually come to them? Too bad for these wine posers, to be missing out on some real jewels and possible up and coming wines by ignoring those who are not subscribing to a point system. These actions from posers remind me of stories I have read of caveman beating their chests because they built a bigger fire or a locker room of men bragging…never mind.

Steve, to his credit, responded with a similar story.

Alex, from Eating Leeds, responded as well, saying:

My understanding of the 89 Project is that, amongst other things, it aims to question the consumer’s reliance on the points system. It is NOT positing a replacement - it’s more a case of, OK, let’s look at wines that have scored 89 points and see what we think. That’s very similar to saying “let’s only buy wines at x pricepoint/made from y grape and see what we think”.

Alex gets it.

Steve, thank you for the kind wishes and the publicity. Thank you also for the opportunity to clarify the purpose behind The 89 Project. We are all wine lovers. I would venture to say that if we were all in the same room our mutual love of wine would make us friends. I hope you don't mind, friend, if we keep digging through your trash once in a while, because one man's trash really can be another's treasure.

Bodegas Juan Gil Juan Gil 2005

2008-08-04T10:02:00.000-07:00

As a retailer, I am amazed by the number of people who won’t buy a wine that it 89 points. “What’s so wrong with 89 points out of 100?” I think to myself. I worked my butt off in high school to get 89 points, which was a B by the way, so I don’t see the issue. Yet so many of our customers think if it isn’t 90 or above, why bother? Well, along comes a spot light on the shortcomings of that thought process, The 89 Project, and I have been invited to help enlighten the masses. I humbly offer my first contribution to the site with the Bodegas Juan Gil Juan Gil 2005 from Jumilla.

This amazing red from the Spanish importer Jorge Ordonez is 100% pure Monastrell (Mourvedre) and demonstrates what is so amazing about the region of Jumilla. Big, bold, jammy fruit, expressive aromas, and full-bodied complexity – these are all attributes that you would expect the reviewers to be all over. And you’d be wrong.

Both Wine Spectator and Stephen Tanzer rewarded the Juan Gill with 89 points. Here are their reviews:

(Wine Spectator) “An expressive red, with blackberry, kirsch, chocolate and cola flavors in a plush texture. A modern style, but notes of game and leather keep this grounded. Monastrell. Drink now through 2011.” [Nov. 15, 2007]

(Stephen Tanzer) “Inky violet. Intense floral, spice and red berry aromas offer striking pungency and clarity. Sweet red fruit on the palate, dusted by sexy oak spices and gaining a suave gingerbread quality on the close. With its sweet finish and impressive silky persistence, this reminds me of a Southern Rhone wine.” [Sept/Oct. 2007]

My impression of both of these reviews is that the wine is really good. So why the 89 points? There isn’t any tell-tale indication of how they came up with just 89 points. And to be fair, the Wine Advocate gave the wine 90+ though Dr. Jay Miller, who I find to be incredibly lazy, posted no accompanying tasting notes – so there is no telling what made him give this wine the 90+ score.

The whole ratings scale is obtuse, yet nothing more mindboggling than all the 89 pointers out there. Do yourself a favor, and find yourself a wine with an 89 point score. Buy it, try it, and you will most certainly love it. And perhaps you may be influenced a bit to see the wine scores for what they truly are – crap.

Joseph Drouhin Bourgogne Véro 2005

2008-08-01T19:20:00.000-07:00

[Cross-posted from 2 Days per Bottle.]

Wine Advocate (89) David Schildknecht said it had refreshing brightness & called it a victory for consumers.

The little wooden guy, on the other hand, is not pleased with this wine. Read on to find out why.

France
Burgundy
Bourgogne
$19.99
12.5% alcohol

The color is very light clear red. The nose opens tart and fruity, sour cherry and strawberries. The fruit sweetens after the initial tartness, smelling candied with brown sugar or maple. There is also just enough of a whiff of earth to tell you it is likely French.

The palate opens all sour fruit, sour cherries and sour strawberries. That sweetens a little on the finish, adding a sense of red licorice. Tannins were slightly drying but smooth.

Will this close down on night two, or will it soften and open up, revealing something other than red fruit? Let us find out together.

NIGHT TWO

Sour cherries and strawberries still lead the nose, but there is also some caramel and some sage. It actually seems, on the nose, to have closed a bit from night one. The palate is still sour cherries, but deeper, a bit richer, with blackberries throw in instead of the sweeter strawberries of the night before. A little Dr. Pepper followed, then a hint of spice. Overwhelmingly, though the sour cherries and blackberries dominated from start to finish, without significant transition to midpalate or finish.

This is a disappointingly one-dimensional wine. Yes, I know, at $19.99 it is practically free by the standards of 2005 Burgundy, but why bother? There are far more interesting wines from other regions for the same amount of scratch.

This strikes me as a pure QPR 89, a rating based upon its price in relation to the astronomical '05 Burgundy market. I would be willing to bet David Schildknecht would not be able to pick this out of a random case of pinot plonk one time out of ten in a blind tasting.

Reflections on 89 points

2008-07-28T08:02:00.000-07:00

Like many people who review wine, I use the 100 point scale. It's not because I think this is the best system -- and I've proposed alternatives -- it's just the current industry standard. When I was invited to write here, my first thought was to just get my latest review from my blog and cross-post with some additional detail on why I rated the wine 89 and not 90. But in looking back, I see that 89 has become a more popular score for me so I wanted to reflect on why for my first post here at The 89 Project.

Let's look at my pair of Rieslings from Wine Blogging Wednesday 45. Both earned 89. Why? Because I liked them both about the same. They were tasted side-by-side over a couple days and I couldn't pick one over the other. But why not 88 or 87?

To answer that, I have to go back to the mechanics of how I score wine. When I somewhat reluctantly adopted the 100-point scale a few years ago, I looked at how Robert Parker did his reviews. He helpfully posts this on his website. So I follow this same process with each element rated on it's own, then a total score tallied afterward. In a large tasting, this final score does not get calculated until after all wines have been tasted. In the case of the Rieslings, both wines scored the same amount of total points but the individual elements were different.

So is this a precise science? No, but I do try to keep my scores as consistent as possible when tasting a group of wines. But what makes a wine a 90 and not 89 is probably a more interesting question. And the answer is, "something extra."

Let's face it, there are more very good wines on the market today than at any time in history. Between modern winemaking and viticulture techniques there has been an equalization in quality across the world. Great wines are coming from the old and new world at almost every price point so no country has a lock on wine quality (branding, however, is another story). So with that as the backdrop, I interpret "something extra" as going beyond just well made, varietally correct, nicely balanced wines. It is definitely a subjective judgement but you know it when it's encountered.

So I guess this is a long way of saying that the difference between an 89 and a 90 is not an objective calculation but a subjective judgment. But you probably already knew that...

The Boom is in the Bottle

2008-07-28T05:03:00.000-07:00

From Walla Walla Wine Cellar Blog and amyrootvik.com

2006 BOOMTOWN “UNOAKED” CHARDONNAY WITH 4% SAUVIGNON BLANC

Ah, Boomtown Chardonnay! We’ve decided to feature this delicious, refreshing, delectable wine on our homepage. Chad and Corey at Dusted Valley have always been great to work with, producing vintage after vintage of kick butt wines. And now there’s a whole new line of Boomtown wines that are so ridiculously priced it feels almost like giving away gold.

Scoring 89 points this Chardonnay is on the threshold. This is such a great place to be, really. You know it's good, but it's affordable. No guilt if you want it NOW instead of leaving it cellared for any period of time. It is well made, structured, and has the acidity to pair wonderfully with food. I love the crisp, citrus and fuji apple experience of this Chardonnay.

For those of you who made our Bling & Wine event, you were able to try the stuff. We sold through our entire stock that night. Now we’ve got more on hand and have placed it in a most prominent position. Front and center. Loud and Proud!

As you can see, Wine & Spirits listed Boomtown as one of the top 100 value brands of 2008, for what it’s worth. We’re not huge into the numbers game here. But we (the Wine Cellar team) agree that this wine is a great buy.

89 points. What would be the tipping point? All I know is that, sales and numbers aside, I love this little surprise. Dusted Valley is relatively widely distributed, so do try it. I'll hope for a Monday afternoon on the back patio, sipping Boomtown Chardonnay, soaking up sunshine and drinking in wonder.

And I'd love to discuss why the Chardonnay scored 89 and the Syrah scored 90. Hmm... interesting. Very very interesting...

Crios de Susana Balbo Rose of Malbec 2007

2008-07-27T09:13:00.000-07:00

From 2 Days per Bottle.

89 Points, Jay Miller/eRobertParker.com #174, Dec 2007.

Mendoza, Argentina
13.8% alcohol

As the little wooden guy is pointing out, this came with a screw-top. He didn't mind. he really liked this wine.

From the bottlenotes:

Wines under my Crios (offspring) label display ripe fruit flavors, excellent balance, and are meant to be enjoyed in their vibrant youth. This rose is produced using the traditional "saignee" method, a blending of the lightly - colored juice from the skins of my fermenting old-vine Malbec grapes at just the right time to generate a brilliant red color. Old-vine Malbec grapes create a richer, spicier wine than most other roses from around the world, wich gives the wine memorable flexibility to pair with a wide fange of foods. And like my own crios, this Rose of Malbec is extremely lovable and fun to be around.

The color was bright translucent pink, the color of cranapple juice.

The nose was sweet, strawberry, candied cherries and some spic, maybe cloves and ginger. It was full-bodied, a true child of the juice and the skins, rather than just the juice, with the skins in the role of a distant uncle. The palate opened with sweet fruit, strawberry and cherries, but a firm midpalate of smoke, cloves and ginger said this was a serious wine. Then it got playful again, ending in candied fruit and ginger, like a fresh holiday fruit cake.

SECOND NIGHT

Close your eyes and take a sniff- is that a glass of wine or am I in a room full of strawberries? Nope, not just strawberries, there are some Ruby Red graefruit here, too, and cinammon.

Sip it. Strawberries first, just like the nose, a touch of cocoa powder that reminds you it comes from malbec grapes, then the same Ruby Red grapefruit and cinammon from the nose. Some of the cherries from night one join for the finish.

This is a good rose. It is bright, acidic, fresh, and even just slightly tannic. This is a rose that reminds you it really does come from a red grape, not just a tinted white.