2010 Romain Parisis "Cuvee Signee" CHINON (Loire Valley, France)

A straightforward, zesty, bone dry Cab Franc.  Not a lot of depth, and just barely ripe enough, but it's got a lot of vivacity.  It seemed thin and underripe on night one, but the second night it filled out a bit and was much more pleasurable.

Youthful medium ruby still with a hint of violet.  The nose has classic Chinon scents of machine oil, dried fall leaves, and tart black cherry.  You can smell the acidity that's about to hit you.  Lots of barely ripe cherry fruit in the mouth, with a substantial streak of dried underbrush and minerals.  Clean, medium-long finish with loads of acids, keeping it very fresh.  I had it with fried chicken and it went very well.  B, though if it had bit more depth I'd rank it higher.  This was $12.99 at Total Wine in Fairfax, making it a pretty decent value.

2010 La Celestiere CHATEAUNEUF-DU-PAPE "Tradition" (Southern Rhone, France)

This is a chewy, extremely young wine.  Lots of potential, but not nearly ready to drink.  It really only opened up on the third night I had it open.

Saturated, youthful-looking black ruby.  The first night, the nose was somewhat reduced but showed lots of ripe, raw dark berry fruit.  On night three, the nose was still youthful and one-dimensional, but showed beautifully ripe dark cherry, plummy fruit and sweet, warm sandstone scents.  On entry, there's loads of ripe dark fruit, very good concentration, and a wheel barrow-full of chewy tannin.  The finish is long.  Each of the three nights a little more complexity came through, suggesting a wine that would benefit from several years of cellaring.  I'm going to try to forget about my other three bottles for at least a couple of years and then re-visit it.  Right now, a B.  In 5-8 years, maybe an A.  If you do open it over the next 2 years, decant it in a wide decanter and pour it through a Vinturi to try to aerate it as much as possible.  Was $24.99 from WTSO.com.  Imported by Votto Vines, Hamden, CT.

2012 "Le Paradou" GRENACHE (Southern France)

This is a very food-friendly everynight wine.  It was actually like two different wines on night one and night two.

Very dark, nearly saturated ruby-violet.  On night one, the nose was very typical of a wine bottled early without any oak aging -- tight, slightly reduced pungent berry extract.  Night two (after being under a Vacu-Vin enclosure for 24 hours), it was much softer and loose-limbed, displaying richly fruity scents of blackberry, plummy juice, and a bit of rhubarb. A pungent, metallic minerally note was present too.  Rich, concentrated enough, and bone dry in the mouth, with flavors of slightly dried raspberry skins and lots of stony minerality.  Relatively full bodied, this wine had lots of soft tannin, and a very clean finish.  There's no complexity, but it's got nice flavor and texture, and it avoids the high alcohol/low acid issue that is a risk with Grenache.  B.  I got mine for $9.99 from Zachys.com.  Imported by IPO Wines, NYC.

2008 Joseph Drouhin BEAUNE PREMIER CRU (Burgundy, France)

This is from purchased (not estate) grapes.  Made from a mixture of vineyards that are all premier cru level.  This is a delicate yet persistent rendition of a Pinot Noir.

Light ruby garnet color.  Delicate but interesting nose of ripe cherry extract with a slightly sour note, enveloped in warm, earthy, gravelly scents.  Lithe in the mouth, bone dry flavors of earthy, winey cherries and loads of minerals immediately hit the palate, but in a very light framework.  Very linear, the wine stays light and almost ethereal in texture yet the flavors linger.  A wee bit of tannin adds a physical presence.  Drinking really well now (though it likes air: it was better the second night after being under  a Vacu-Vin enclosure), I think this will last another 1 to maybe 3 years.  B+.  Was $29.99 from WTSO.com, so not that great a bargain relative to other wines, but a good bargain as compared to usually fairly expensive Joseph Drouhin wines.

2010 Luigi Righetti VALPOLICELLA CLASSICO SUPERIORE RIPASSO "Campolieti" (Veneto, Italy)

This was really good.  Mouthwatering acids balanced nicely by beautifully ripe fruit.  I really liked the 2009 of this wine, and this is just as good if not a bit better.

Vivid dark ruby color.  Nose took a while to open up, but eventually yielded inviting scents of ripe mixed berries, ripe plums, fruitcake, and a wee bit of earthiness.  Very crisp, but ripe and smooth in the mouth.  Just a pure pleasure to drink.  Medium full body, the antithesis of heavy, but with nice concentration of ripe, winey plums and blackberry.  Long, pure-tasting finish.  This is a great choice with any tomatoey Italian pasta or braise.  Will last at least 2-3 years and maybe longer. Was $15.99 at Trader Joe's at Bailey's Crossroads.  A-.  Imported by Prestige Wine Imports, NYC.

2008 Fontanabianca BARBARESCO "Bordini" (Piemonte, Italy)

Jaysus!  This was like putting a skinny badger in your mouth.  Fiercely tannic and unfriendly.  I kept the bottle open, uncorked, for a full 24 hours to see if it softened a bit, and it did, but not by much.  If you have this, forget about it for 10 years, and maybe -- maybe -- it will come around.  If you don't have it, don't get it.

Color is a deceptively unsaturated medium dark ruby garnet.  The first night, the nose was all dry underbrush and scorchiness.  Little fruit.  Night two, it was a bit better.  Dry gravel, minerals, and tart cherry on the nose.  In the mouth, the first thing that hits isn't the flavor but the texture: very aggressive tannin puckers the mouth before it can register any flavors!  On night one, I got nothing but tannin. On night two, I at least got some cherry fruit to go along with the "dried leaves"/scorchy trademark of an overextracted wine.  I'm not sure this will ever come around.  I can't give it a letter grade.  Let's just say "?" I got this for $29.99 from WTSO.com, making it a bad value and making me feel foolish.

Top 10 dirty words (or phrases) for wine

When I see these words on the front label, back label, or in promotional materials or tasting notes for a wine, I immediately am skeptical:

1. "Aged in French oak ___% new" -- if it's a Spanish or Italian wine;
2. "Super Tuscan" -- I will not drink a f__cking Merlot (or Cab) from Tuscany (also, see #1 above), especially if the vines are taking up valuable space in the Chianti Classico zone;
3. "Scorched earth" in tasting notes -- usually signifies a bitter, overextracted wine;
4. Alcohol 15% or higher -- a few Zins and Grenache based wines can handle it, but not many;
5. Chardonnays from anywhere but Burgundy;
6. Riesling from California or Australia -- with certain exceptions.  In lower latitudes where the sun is intense, wines picked early to mimic German low alcohol levels and high acidity usually aren't phenologically ripe yet, and so just taste green;
7. Malbec --  Most of those from Argentina are overripe, overoaked, and many have gritty tannins.  The ones from the Loire (where it's called "Cot") are lean and mean.  Those from southwest France are frequently scorchy and bitter and too tannic.  I just don't get why this crap is so popular, other than the easy-to-pronounce name, which people apparently enjoy saying;
8. Georges Duboeuf -- industrial Beaujolais;
9. Louis Latour reds -- do they still quasi-Pasteurize their reds?  I don't know, but they did it for so long, with flat-tasting lifeless wine the result, that I will not throw money away on these unless I'm absolutely sure they don't anymore; and
10. "Chocolate" in the tasting notes -- this means the combination of overripe fruit and way too much new, toasty French oak.

I know I'm overgeneralizing here, and there are exceptions, but I'm just telling you how I initially react to these words.  I have limited money, so I don't usually plunk it down when these initial warning signs are present.

2008 "DFJ" Touriga Nacional/Touriga Franga (Lisboa, Portugal)

This was inexpensive, but I had reasonably high hopes for it, since it's from a relatively cool climate area.  But it was like any typical overripe "international style" red you can get from some industrial Argentina Malbec or Chilean Carmenere.  (I've never met a Malbec I really liked, though I have had a Carmenere or two that were quite good, though most are overripe fruit bombs.)  Plus it's at the end of its life.  The second day, it was flatness and showed a bit of oxidation, even though I had stored it under a Vacu-Vin.  Not a good sign.  C-.  Was $10.99 from the European Import Store on Pershing and Washington in Arlington.

2010 Jean-Paul Brun FLEURIE "Terres Dorées" (Beaujolais, France)

Another old school Beaujolais from this producer.  If you like your Beaujolais lean and minerally, this is for you.

Dark ruby garnet.  Dark smoky, rocky minerals take the lead in the nose, with hard cherry candy fruit scents.  Lean, crisp, and persistent in the mouth.  With minerals from start to finish, and crunchy cherry, plum fruit.  Great acids and some very fine tannins mark the finish.  This is not vacuous, fruity, fun Beaujolais, but a wine made for dinner duty.  B+.  If memory serves, I got this for around $21 at table and Vine in West Springfield, MA when I was up there last fall.  Imported by Louis/Dressner Selections.

(Sorry, 2009 depicted.)

2012 Altes Herencia GARNATXA NEGRA (Tierra Alta, Spain)

This was a fantastic value, but it needs a lot of air to hit its stride.

Vibrant, dark, violet-tinged ruby.  The first night, the nose was almost reduced, showing a little of that tank stink.  Nights two and three it really started to shine.  Loads of ripe, lively dark raspberry and dark cherry fruit, augmented by loads of stony minerality.  Straightforward flavors of lightly spicy, very pure tasting dark raspberry extract.  Fairly full-bodied but with really nice balance.  Hard to stop drinking.  A fantastic weeknight dinner wine.  Decant this a few hours ahead of time, and use a Vinturi type aerator if you have one.  B+.  This was $10.99 from Zachys.com, making it, as mentioned above, a great value.

2010 JL Chave COTES DU RHONE "Mon Coeur" (Southern France)

A dark and clearly Syrah-based CDR.  Nice if you like the style (I'm more of a Grenache man).  But it's too pricey at this quality level.

Saturated black ruby with violet overtones.  Nose leads with loads of rocky minerals and some lightly scorched earth.  Dark and low-toned flavors, again showing scorched earth, blackberry skin, and aged beefy notes.  Quite a bit of tannin and body, but it's got decent acids.  Not a lot of complexity, but a bruiser that has lots of character.  B.  This was around $20, I believe, from Zachys.com.  Imported by Erin Cannon Imports, Manhasset, NY.

(Sorry, 2008 depicted.)

2012 Beckley Family Vineyards ZINFANDEL "Reserve" (Dry Creek Valley, Cal.)

Not my style of Zinfandel.  Anymore, at least.  15 years ago, I think I liked this style a bit more.  A massively ripe fruit bomb, with low acids and a fair amount of heat in the finish.

Dark blackish ruby.  Rich nose of smoky ripe blackberry syrup and a bit of fruitcake.  Weighty but a bit dead-textured in the mouth.  Lots of low-toned blackberry ooze fruit.  No acid to speak of and very heavy body.  Fairly simple.  Here's my simile: Like drinking the liquid version of an old 20-lb. barbell you found at an estate sale of some guy who recently died at age 93.  Not that there's anything wrong with that.  Actually, there is. C-.  Was $15.99 from WTSO.com.
 

2010 Rutherford Ranch Old Vine ZINFANDEL (Napa Valley, CA)

A unique style of Zinfandel.  But it's pretty good and not very expensive.

Startling light color for a Zin.  Basically a medium light ruby.  The first night, the nose was kind of funky, throwing off some stewed prune and acetate notes.  But the next night was much better.  There was a melange of superripe blackberry, fragrant baking spices, and warm sandstone.  Full-bodied and loose-jointed in the mouth, maybe lacking a bit of focus and concentration, but with lots of minerally blackberry fruit swimming around.  A bit of heat shows through in the finish (it's 15% for Pete's sake), but it's not out of balance.  Drink over the next year.  This would be very nice with winey beef stews and pot roasts.  B/B+.  Was $14.99 at Total Wine in Fairfax.

2010 I Giusti & Zanza "Nemorino" (Tuscany, Italy)

I usually don't buy non-DOC Italian wines, especially from Tuscany, because they're usually non-indigenous varietals and tend to be heavily oaked and "international" in style.  I hate that shit on principle.  But my research indicated that this 60% Syrah, 20% Sangiovese, 20% (f*cking) Merlot is aged only in large casks for a short period, and was grown organically near Pisa.  So I gave it a shot.  I like it.

The first night it was very tight and unyielding.  I got nothing out of it.  Good thing I didn't review it then.  But I put it under Vacu-Vin for two days and came back to on night 3.  Much better.

Very dark, black ruby with violet highlights.  On night 3 the nose showed very precise dark cherry fruit, framed nicely by slightly smoky, rock dusty- minerals.  Concentrated, focused fruit in the mouth, with nice persistence and texture.  Medium-full body and great acids.  Finishes just a tad shorter than I'd like, but is very pleasurable.  The fact that it took so long to show itself tells me this wine will age nicely for a few years.  If you're going to drink it in the next 12 months, be sure to decant it in a huge decanter several hours ahead of time.  This wine will go well with a wide range of dishes. B+.  Was $14.99 from WTSO.com.  Imported by Superior Wines, Cranford, NJ.

PS -- I have to say, the label just sucks.  Really stupid.

2010 Mas de Gourgonnier LES BAUX DE PROVENCE (Southern France)

A disappointing rendition of this usually outstanding value. I expected a lot more, especially from the terrific 2010 vintage.

Dark, blackish ruby.  The first night, the nose gave up nothing, and the flavors gave up nothing either.  There was some weight, but that was it.  The second night, after being re-opened a few hours, the nose showed some tangy berries and some high-pitched rock dust.  It was clean and minerally in the mouth, with good acids, showing some simple berry fruit and some underbrush notes.  Decent finish.   C+.  Was $14.99 from Table and Vine in West Springfield, MA. Imported by Ideal Wine & Spirits, Medford, MA.  Decent quaffing material, but not nearly the standard this domaine usually puts out.

(Sorry, 2007 depicted.)

Update:  Oddly, I just realized I previously reviewed this over a year ago and gave it a much better review then.  It was a different importer, which leads me to think there might be different cuvees for different buyers.  Or maybe it just got worse, but the notes are so different that it seems like a totally different wine.  Very odd.

2011 Allegrini VALPOLICELLA (Veneto, Italy)

Solid, basic Valpo.  Nothing special, but it won't disappoint either.  A little on the burly side for this appellation.

Basic dark ruby color.  Vinous nose of dark cherry, with a slightly macerated note, along with some smoky, gravelly notes.  Mouthfilling, with loads of crunchy dark cherry fruit and a decent wallop of alcohol for a straight Valpo.   Pretty good acids, and just a wee bit of soft tannin.  Medium long, clean finish.  A good pasta/pizza/burgers choice.  I had it with braised pork chops, and it went very well.  B.  The $14.99 pricetag makes it only a "meh" value.  Got it at Total Wine in Mclean, VA.  Imported by Leonard LoCascio.

What's been going on with Alsace Rieslings?

Is it me or . . . . does it seem like more and more Alsace Riesling producers are leaving significant residual sugar in their Rieslings?

This is a trend I've noticed over the last 10-15 years.  Before that, most Alsace Rieslings tended to be bone dry, very minerally and austere.  I loved them.  But in American retail stores back then, that presented a problem.  If you said "Riesling" to most customers back then, they shook their heads:  "No, I don't want a sweet wine."  If you tried to tell them that most Alsace Rieslings aren't sweet, it wouldn't change their mind.  They didn't want to try it.  And as for those who wanted sweet Rieslings, well, they would be disappointed.  So I suppose Alsace producers began to collectively realize that they may as well align the wines with (wrong-headed) consumer expectations.  And that's my theory on what happened.  Also, Parker's gushing on and on about Zind-Humbrecht's and Weinbach's sometimes sweeter cuvees didn't help, I'm sure.

But the problem is that Alsace producers pick their Riesling grapes at higher sugar and lower acid levels than, say, Rheingau and Mosel producers, so leaving residual sugar in a Riesling with 13% alcohol results in varying degrees of cloyingness.  Ironically, the big old line houses of Trimbach and Hugel still seem (at least with their higher level Rieslings) to have stuck with the more austere, dry style.  But I haven't recently had one of those, so maybe they've changed too.

Bummer.

Anyone have a different view?  Anyone know of any basic, entry level Alsace Rieslings that hew to the old, bone dry, austere style?

Update:  My brother sent me a link to a NY Times article about this issue that came our about 2 years ago.  Glad to see I'm not the only one who has noticed the problem, though the article suggests that Alsace producers may be going back to dry.  I hope so.

2012 Simonnet-Febvre SAINT-BRIS (Northern Burgundy, France)

I think the Saint-Bris area produces some of the best value Sauvignon Blancs in the world.  They're crisp, minerally, refreshing, and can serve as an aperitif or an accompaniment to a wide variety of lighter dinner fare.  This one's an excellent value and is a very typical, very well made exemplar.

Extremely pale, crystal clear gold color, with a slight greenish glint.  Lively nose of clean gooseberry/green apple fruit, with a squeeze of lemon, along with a gun flinty, stony mineraliness.  Bone dry, with loads of chalky minerals framing very clean, tart green apple fruit  Great acidity and a clean, fairly long finish punctuated by a tiny bitter herb note. B+.  Was $11.99 on sale at Whole Foods in Arlington.  Imported by Louis Latour, Inc. of San Rafael, CA.

2009 Savignola Paolina CHIANTI CLASSICO RISERVA (Tuscany, Italy)

A darker-styled, minerally, low-toned Chianti.  Tending towards Brunello in style.  I usually am partial to the leaner, brighter, cherryish style, but this is still very nice.

Very dark black ruby color.  Very subtle nose of dark cherry/plum brandy, high-toned wood smoke, and schisty minerals.  Dark, clingy, and very minerally in the mouth.  Full-bodied, with a good amount of fine-grained tannins.  A roasted pine/rosemary resinous note lingers at the end of the finish.  B+.  While the higher-toned style of Chianti would be fine accompaniments to tomato-sauced pasta dishes and meat and tomato braises, this is a wine for grilled steaks or lamb chops.  Was $18.99 from WTSO.com.  Imported by Superior Wines, Cranford, NJ.

2012 Chateau de Segries COTES DU RHONE (Southern France)

This is a very good value.  Lots of character, nice texture, and it is pretty cheap.  50% Grenache, 30% Syrah, 10% Cinsault, 10% Carignan. 

Very dark, black ruby with violet highlights.  Inviting nose of raspberry compote, baking spices, and minerally sandstone.  Loads of flavor, generally at the lower register.  Black raspberry, dark cherry, loads of dark minerals.  Full-bodied, but with pretty good acids.  It's also very clingy, with a long finish and a nice complement of dusty tannins.  Should last and improve over the next two years.  B+.  Was $12.99 at Total Wine in Mclean, VA.  Imported by Kysela Pere et Fils.