2007 Casa d'Ambra AGLIANICO (Irpinia, Campania, Italy)

A bit on the thin, not-yet-ripe, and short side.

Black ruby color. Reticent nose of lemon-coated minerals and scorched earth, with a little (not much) spiced cherry fruit. Lean, almost spare in the mouth. Bitterish, peppery mineral flavors predominate. Some cherry brandy fruit underneath if you concentrate on it enough. Medium-bodied, with a short finish. 81. Was $15 from North Berkeley Imports (direct).

2005 Domaine Calot MORGON "Vieilles Vignes" (Beaujolais, Burgundy, France)

A pretty good Beaujolais.

Deep black garnet. Earthy, stony, hard cherry candy/plum candy scents. Lots of direct cherry fruit and hard stony flavors, bone dry, and very soft textured yet, strangely, tightly wound and austere feeling. Fully mature. 86. $23 from North Berkeley Imports (direct).

2005 Trimbach GEWURZTRAMINER (Alsace, France)

It's really hard to find a bad Trimbach white. They're not the upper echelon of Alsace, but they are consistently good and typical of their varietal and region. This was a good, flavorful, and classic Gewurz at a fair price.

Bright brassy gold color. Rich nose of lychee nuts, essence of pear, and sweet minerals. Full and broadly-flavored, with pear, lychee, rose petal and grapefruit components and a slight (but pleasant) bitterness in the long finish. Drink now, as this is an open, low acid gulper. 88. (A tad more acidity and this would have been a superstar.) Was $21 at Spec's. (Importer: Diageo Chateau & Estate Wines).

2005 Wine Guerrilla ZINFANDEL (Sonoma County)

Another winner from this Zinner. Boatloads of ripe Zin fruit.

Dark, sultry black ruby. Ridiculously fruity nose, with gobs of ripe, spicy, lush berry juice, a squeeze of ripe lemon, and some tangy spice. Broad, expansive mouthfeel, with a richness of flavor at odds with its light mouth weight. Lots of red fruit and gravelly earth flavors. Not very complex, but wonderfully fun to drink. 88. Was $20 at Spec's on Smith.

(Sorry, 2007 pictured)

2006 Rodney Strong "Chalk Hill Vineyard" CHARDONNAY (Sonoma County, Cal.)

Good, solid example of the basic, old-fashioned, oaky California Chardonnay.

Deep gold color. On the nose, spicy vanilla, intense ripe pear and apple skin fruit. Soft, viscous texture, with a bit of peppery heat, and featuring flavors of vanilla, caramel, and slightly bitter melon. Good acid balance. 87. Was a gift, but I think it's available for around $15 at Spec's.

2006 Fattoria Laila ROSSO PICENO (Marche, Italy)

Dang it. I expected more from this wine from my Italian ancestral region. It was overextracted and a bit pruney.

Fully saturated blackish blood plasma color. Pungent, sweet earthy scent over pruney fruit. Full and highly extracted, but also showing a bit of oxidation in the mouth. C. About $12 from North Berkeley Imports.

2006 Castello Romitorio ROSSO DI MONTALCINO (Tuscany, Italy)

Very good but not worth the price. Rosso di Montalcinos usually command a $5 -$10 premium over their cousins just to the north (the Chianti Classicos), but I tend towards the Chiantis. The clone of Sangiovese used in Montalcino, to my taste, tends towards darker, lower-toned flavors (which I occasionally crave); Chianti Classicos tend to have higher-toned, more cherryish fruit and a brighter mouthfeel.

This was very dark-colored with some brickish tinges at the rim. Low-toned nose whose primary component was scorched earth, along with some dark black cherry scents. Broadly-flavored, deep-toned plummy fruit, with the back end comprising mostly scorched earth and mineral notes. Lots of tannin (although it was not harsh tannin, by any stretch). Might be better and softer in a year or 2. 86+ Was pushing $25 at Spec's on Smith. (Vinifera Imports.)

2005 Paul Durdilly BEAUJOLAIS "Les Grandes Coasses" (Burgundy, France

Holding up remarkably well for a 4-year old simple Beaujolais, this wine was crisp and refreshing.

Youthful dark ruby color. Crisp, minerally scents and tart cherry aromas. Lean, light-bodied, with good, focused tart cherry flavors and tangy acidity. 86. I got it on-line from North Berkeley Imports. Lists for $11.50.

2008 Hacienda Araucano CARMENERE (Colchagua Valley, Chile)

Another excellent, good value Carmenere. This one is $11.99 at Whole Foods on Bellaire.



The color was a nearly saturated, sultry black ruby. Unlike a lot of Carmeneres I've had, this one showed off its nose as soon as I opened it (usually I find that young Carmeneres are closed-nosed until they've been open a while). Lots of rich, tobacco-y, coffee grounds scents with loads of ripe blackberry syrup and gravelly earth. In the mouth it displayed a soft but dense texture, and low-toned flavors of cigar box, blackberry extract, and loamy earth. Good weight and balance, with lots of soft tannin adding some nice structure. Nice now, this will be even better in a year. 88+. (Importer: Winesellers Ltd., Skokie, Ill.)

Look at the back label! (or, It's the Importers, stupid!)

Over the years, a lot of people have asked me how I choose what to buy from so many producers and yet still get very few clunkers. I think one of the most important factors with non-U.S. wine is the importer. Choosing a wine from a good importer can get you 75% of the way to an enjoyable surprise.

Seriously.

There are some really high-quality importers out there who take great care selecting what they'll bring in. Many even take care to ensure that they align themselves with wineries that share their views on what techniques make the most genuine and flavorful wine, such as yields per acre (high yields make thin, watery wine), chemical treatments (insisting on minimizing these), yeasts for fermenting (use whatever yeasts occur naturally on the grape skins), no or minimal filtering (which can strip flavor and texture), use of oak or not for ageing (it's complementary for some wines, but detracts from others).

So from now on, I'm going to try remember to list the importer in my notes. Not only should it help in choosing other wines one is not familiar with, but it will help if you want a retailer to order a particular wine for you, since he or she will know where to get it.

Here are a few off-the-top-of my head thoughts on some of the importers I think are top-notch:

ERIC SOLOMON -- One of the very best. His wines from the south of France and Spain tend to be loaded to the brim with flavor and usually not burdened with unwarranted oak.

LOUIS/DRESSNER -- Generally chooses wines that are absolutely the textbook exemplars of their appellations (French, mostly), with great balance and minimal oak.

KYSELA -- Lots of good value choices from all over France.

HAND-PICKED SELECTIONS -- Similar to Kysela in my mind. Lots of value-driven French wines with lots of flavor.

ROBERT KACHER -- Kacher's wines are usually very flavorful, unoaked, and extremely youthful tasting. I think he gets growers to bottle extra early, which frequently means that his wines benefit from decanting to get them a little more air time to develop their nose and flavors. I think Richard's stores have an exclusive with this importer (in Houston), so that's where to find them.

NORTH BERKELEY -- Hard, if not impossible to find their wines in stores here, but they now ship direct to individuals! I'm surmising they have similar philosophy to Louis/Dressner, with classic renditions of wines from the appellations in question (French, mostly, also), with great balance and minimal oak. Here's the link for ordering: http://www.northberkeleyimports.com/home/

JORGE ORDONEZ -- One of the premier Spanish wine importers; has a great line-up of flavorful, value-driven wines. Tends to favor a modern Spanish style, emphasizing lots of ripe fruit and soft textures.

PARTICK MATA "OLE" Selections -- Another great Spanish importer, I sense that he favors a crisper, less overtly ripe style than Ordonez. Lots of good values here. (Central Market carries a lot of his wines).

LEONARDO LOCASCIO -- For Italian wine values, this guy's the best. Seeks out wineries that make flavorful, classic examples of their region, at very fair prices.

VINIFERA -- Excellent importer of more high-end Italian offerings. Wines have lots of character, but I'm not sure if I can discern a "house style" here.

VIAS -- Another high-end Italian importer with lots of interesting wines.

KERMIT LYNCH -- A great selector of good value French wines, particularly from southern Burgundy (Maconnais, Beaujolais) and the Rhone Valley ands other parts of the south of France.

NEAL ROSENTHAL -- This is an excellent but idiosyncratic importer of French and Italian wines. My experience has been that he tends to favor wines in a leaner, more minerally style than many other importers at this level, but make no mistake, he's got a very good portfolio.


I'm sure this stream of consciousness post has resulted in me leaving off some good importers. As I think of more, I'll add to the list. In the meantime:

. . . when buying . . . TURN THE BOTTLE AROUND!!!!!

2005 Castello d'Albola CHIANTI CLASSICO (Tuscany, Italy)

A pretty good, lighter style Chianti that won't break the bank.

Medium-light garnet ruby. High-toned nose of crisp macerated cherries, gravelly earth, and sweet cream. Medium-light bodied, with crisp, relatively high acid flavors of lemons and chokecherries. Pretty typical of the 2005s in Chianti, which tend to have some unusual tension between good ripeness but higher than normal acidity. A refreshing, palate-cleansing style if you're in the mood for that. 85. Was about $17 at Spec's on Holcombe.

2006 "DIS-TINTO" 50% Tempranillo, 50% Syrah (Valencia, Spain)

This was a good, solid red for under $10.

Dark black ruby. Creamy caramel and dark fruit scents (blackberry and boysenberry). Full, with straightforward fruit, good balance, and nice texture. Zippo for complexity but direct and forceful. Good value. Was $9.95 at Central Market. 85.

Easter wines

Sorry -- I know I'm behind, but here are the wines we popped open for our Easter dinner (with truncated, from-memory notes).

NV Pierre Sparr CREMANT D'ALSACE Reserve Brut -- To my mind, in general, sparkling wines from Alsace are the best values in the market for bubbly. They're generally $15-$20, and have as much character as non-vintage Champagne costing twice as much or more (although because of the different varietals used in Alsace the flavor profile is a bit different). They tend to be more flavorful than the Spanish cavas as well. This one was decent, but not a great example -- crisp, citrusy fruit, bone dry, but I detected just a note of beginning oxidation. Lucien Albrecht and Rene Mure are other producers to look for in Houston.

2006 Jean-Max Roger SANCERRE "Cuvee Les Caillottes" (Loire Valley, France) -- Lean, very herbal and crisp. A tad underripe for my palate. Bone dry and refreshing, however.

2001 Delectus MERLOT "Stanton Vineyard" (Napa Valley, Cal.) -- Yes, I have often repeated the famous Merlot line from Sideways, but this wine (which our guests the Murphys brought over) floored me. Superb, rich, chocolately dark fruit on the nose. Full, and still sporting some nice tannic structure. Lots of concentration and length, but with good balance. Can even stand a few more years in a cool cellar.

2006 Linne Calodo "NEMESIS" 82% Syrah, 14% Mourvedre, 4% Grenache (Paso Robles, Cal.) -- Big disappointment for such a cult winery. Overripe and massive, but plainly out of balance, with hot, hot alcohol burning from entry to finish, obliterating the flavors.

2007 Pelissero DOLCETTO D'ALBA "Munifrina" (Piemonte, Italy)

Too lean and clean for me, especially at this price point.

Vibrant, dark ruby with purple highlights. Tart-ish nose of plummy-berry fruit with a sweet cream component. Medium-bodied and relatively lean for a Dolcetto (I like them fleshy), but with good focus and decent depth. A bit of tannin in the medium-long finish. 85. Was $22 and change at Spec's on Smith.

2005 Domaine de Pierredon COTES DU RHONE (France)

A decently-made, but soul-less modern-style Rhone wine.

Dark black ruby color. Direct, mid-toned fruity nose -- plums, berries, and the barest hint of crushed rocks and spice. Round, medium-bodied and fruity in the mouth. Decent, clean finish. 86. Was $14 at Spec's Outlet on Westheimer at Montrose.

2006 Fontevecchia VERDICCHIO DI CASTELLI DI JESI Classico Superiore (Marche, Italy)

A full-flavored but atypical Verdicchio.

Pale, brassy gold. Wonderful, Chablis-like nose of crushed limestone, straw-tinged earthiness, and apple/pear-skin fruit. Intensely minerally in the front end, with deep, earthy pear fruit coming through in the back of the palate. Relatively full body. A fleshy bruiser of a Verdicchio. Very nice. 88. I think -- but I don't remember -- that this was around $16 at Central Market.

2006 Turley ZINFANDEL "Cedarman" (Howell Mtn., Cal.)

Richard's on Westheimer and Kirby got in a few bottles of this and another Turley Zin, so, being the Zinficianado that I am, I had to get one of each.

Yup, it was really really good.

In my experience, Zinfandels from Howell Mountain tend to exhibit a pungent, resiny-minerally cracked black peppercorn component -- I remember first experiencing this with a couple bottles of '79 Cakebread Howell Mtn Zin a long time ago -- and this wine had it too.

Dark black ruby, but not as saturated as I expected. On the nose, the peppercorn thing mixed with brambly berry fruit and crushed rock powder. Rich, minerally, and focused in the mouth, with a substantial smoked meat flavor. Big on tannin, but in a soft way. Long, long finish. 91.

2006 Slipstream GRENACHE (McLaren Vale, Australia))

A nice, relatively high-acid Grenache that needs significant air time to open up.

Dark ruby, not fully saturated color. Nose very tight at first, giving up nothing but tart acid and mineral scents, but after a hour of air time, loads of ripe yet tangy raspberry scents emerge. Same with the taste, which started out lean and unforgiving, but softened and fruit-ified as it sat. Lots of pungent minerals throughout. Would be very good with richly-sauced braised meats and bolognese ragu. 87. About $17 at Spec's on Smith.

2007 Helfrich GEWURZTRAMINER (Alsace, France)

This was a great buy (for an Alsace Gewurz).

Medium gold color. Big, ripe nose of lychee, pear, and spice. Fleshy and mouthfilling, with loads of uncomplicated fruit, fully body, and a nice bit of bitter grapefruit in the finish. 87. Drink over the next year with spicy Asian dishes. Was $13 and change at Spec's on Smith.

2006 Marietta ZINFANDEL (Sonoma County)

This winery usually issues chunky, flavorful wines that offer lots of bang for the buck but sometimes are a bit less than "elegant." This one is typical (and very good).

Totally saturated black ruby, still showing some violet highlights at the rim. Classic, very ripe Zin nose of sweet, spicy raspberry and blackberry, with sweet maple syrup and crushed rock notes. Massive, jammy, almost sweet fruit envelopes the mouth, but with good, balanced acidity and a nice bit of peppery heat in the back end. 88. Very good value at $16 and change at Spec's on Smith.

(Sorry, 2005 pictured.)

2006 Cono Sur CABERNET SAUVIGNON "Vision" (Maipu Valley, Chile)

A fruity and direct (and very modern) style of Cab. Not bad for the price but a bit lacking in lacking complexity and depth.

Saturated black ruby color with violety highlights. Lots of toasty oak and milk chocolate notes on the nose, overshadowing the simple plummy fruit. Sweet cassis and blackberry flavors, with a cedary, minerally component in the background. Soft and mouthfilling, but relatively superficial in appeal. 86. Was $10 and change at Spec's on Smith.

2007 Edmeades ZINFANDEL (Mendocino County)

Fleshy and fruity, but very simple.

Rich, soft dark ruby color. Medium intensity nose of sweet brown sugar, baking spices, and fresh-pressed berry juice. Sweet and soft in the mouth, with full body, and lots of simple ripe berryish fruit (with the barest hint of minerality in the background). A decent wine, but I'd have a tough time identifying it as Zinfandel. 85. Was $15 and change at Spec's on Smith.

A whole bunch of good wines

Mom and Dad came for another visit, and for much of their visit I didn't have time to blog in real time or take detailed wine notes, but we did open up a lot of good stuff. Pretty much special occasion , not everyday quaffers, but what the hey. Here are my quick impressions of them:

2005 Daniel Dampt CHABLIS PREMIER CRU "Cotes de Lechet" -- A wine I reviewed last year, it was holding nicely, with lots of steely, earthy, austere and penetrating (unoaked) Chardonnay fruit. Was about $29 from Flickinger's Wines (on-line) in Chicago.





1989 Chateau Meyney (St. Estephe, Bordeaux) -- Despite non-optimal storage for the last 10 years, this wine has held together nicely. Loads of cedary-peanuty aged Bordeaux scents, with soft, earthy plummy fruit in the mouth.

















2006 Wine Guerrilla "Coffaro Vineyards Old Vine" ZINFANDEL (Dry Creek Valley) -- This Zin was really, really good. Big, spicy, ripe (almost jammy but not quite) nose. Rich and fat in the mouth, but with great balancing acidity keeping it from being ponderous. Spec's has some of this limited production gem for around $32.

2004 Casa Emma CHIANTI CLASSICO RISERVA -- This was a deep, brooding Chianti, with big earthy, gravelly, gingerbready notes augmenting seriously concentrated macerated cherry fruit. Long, austere finish with some well-hidden tannin. Come back and see this guy in 3-5 years and it will be amazing. About $40 at Spec's.

2005 Turkey Flat Vineyards MOURVEDRE (Barossa Valley, Australia) -- This had loads of deep, ripe blackberry fruit, with a distinctly saline minerality. Mouthfilling and deep. Was about $20 on sale at Kroger's (Yes, Kroger's!) on Westpark near Buffalo Speedway.

2006 Cristom "Eola-Amity Hills PINOT NOIR "Marjorie's Vineyard (Willamette Valley, Oregon) -- Another superb P.N. from this producer. Earthy, spicy sappy cherry nose. Mouthfilling yet exceedingly elegant, with a soft finish that lasted and lasted and lasted . . . . Wow. Was about $40 at Spec's on Smith.

2006 d'Arenberg "The Noble" RIESLING (McLaren Vale, Australia) -- This botrytised late harvest Riesling was a total surprise. Who would have expected an Aussie Riesling to compare with a German Beerenauslese? Not me. But this one did, and at a (relative) bargain price of $18 (Spec's on Smith). Honeyed apricots and peaches, very sweet, intense, flavors, yet with very good acidity for balance. Not as complex as the best German versions, but a bargain in comparison!

2005 Lolonis ZINFANDEL (Again!) (Redwood Valley, Cal.)

This wine ROCKS! (Hence the big picture.) I gave bit a glowing review last summer, and it's still drinking stunningly. If anything, I'd up the score to 91. And for $17 (Spec's on Smith), it's a total steal!

Incredibly ripe, yet lively Zin fruit explodes out of the glass. Rich, yet balanced with vibrant acidity. Mouthcoating, yet soft as silk. I love this stuff.

2007 Domaine de Colette BEAUJOLAIS-VILLAGES (France)

Not as good as the 2006, reviewed here, but still a winner.

Classic old-fashioned Beaujolais, with a light color, but vibrant ripe cherry candy and granite/mineral scents jumping out of the glass. Light-bodied, totally refreshing mouthfeel. My only gripe is that the mineral flavors predominated over the fruit in the lean, back-half of the finish. 87. Was $17 at Central Market, I think.

2006 Chateau Pesquie "Terrasses" COTES DE VENTOUX (Rhone, France)

An absolutely beautifully-rendered, elegant Rhone wine.

The color of this wine wasn't super-saturated, but the nose and flavors revealed an elegant ripeness of fruit that was remarkable, particularly after it had been opened an hour or so. Beautiful ripe raspberry, plummy fruit, with just a hint of Rhone garigue-y earthiness. Very soft texture, medium-full body, and a long finish. Not exceedingly complex or a blockbuster, but just one of those wines you just want to keep sniffing and sipping. 89. Was $14.95 at Central Market.

2007 Inama SOAVE CLASSICO (Veneto, Italy)

This was really nice, but not as nice as the 2006, previously reviewed here.

Youthful, bright light gold color. Nose full of pungent minerals and herby fruit. Crisp, balanced, and full of flavor, but with a bitter component in the flavor profile that detracted from what was otherwise a very nice white. However, the flavors would likely be a nice foil to sweetish seafood such as shrimp or scallops. 86. Was about $13 at Whole Foods on Bellaire.

2005 Patrick LeSec CHATEAUNEUF DU PAPE "Marquis" (Rhone Valley, France)

This was a really nice, well-constructed wine.

Deep, saturated black ruby color. Big nose of spicy raspberry and earthy, stony, herby scents (classic "garrigue"). Deep and mouthcoating, this wine weighed in on the back of the tongue with great authority and length. Had fruit and deep, iodiney/minerally flavor components in equal measure. Gobs of soft, fine-grained tannin makes this a good candidate for another 2-3 years of cellaring if you've got a cool place to store it. Was about $34 at Spec's on Holcombe, making it one of the lower-priced Chateauneufs available. 90.

2007 Cruz de Piedra GARNACHA (Calatayud, Spain)

A good buy in a gutsy, working class red.


Bright, saturated ruby with vivid magenta highlights. The nose jumps out of the glass with ripe raspberry and crushed rock aromas. Intense fruity minerallly flavors, with good concentration, full body, but a slightly coarse texture. Would pair nicely with red meat sauces and grilled burgers. 86. Was $8.98 at Central Market on Westheimer and Weslayan.

2006 Bogle PETITE SIRAH (California)

This is a very good buy in a flavorful, soft red.

Deep color, but not nearly as deep as those $30 blockbuster Petite Sirah's that dominate the wine shop shelves. However, the upside of this limited extraction is that this wine is 1/10 as tannic as those wines, and is very drinkable. The nose and taste are very ripe and loaded with straightforward, deep-toned blackberryish fruit. Good length, balance, and texture. Not even close to complex, but lots of fun to drink. 87. This was $9.99 at Whole Foods on Bellaire.

2006 Nugan Estate SHIRAZ (Riverina, Australia)

This was a beautifully balanced wine. Not as jammy and massive as some Aussie Shirazes.

Deep, vibrant color. Sweet and ripe nose of raspberries, blackberries, and smoky balsa wood. Soft and sensual texture in the mouth, with medium-full body and lots of pure fruit. Long, rich finish. A great buy at about $11 and change at Spec's on Richmond. 90.

2008 D'Arenberg VIOGNIER MARSANNE "The Hermit Crab" (Adelaide, Australia)

Even though I'm not a huge Viognier fan, this white was loaded with character and hard not to like.

Big tropical fruit, bubble gum, and mineral nose. The nose would lead one to think that the mouthfeel would be like that of a Riesling -- light, crisp, refreshing -- but the opposite was true. The huge, off-dry fruit flavors were wrapped in a large-bodied, alcoholic frame. Long minerally finish, with significant alcoholic warmth. A distinctive wine. 89. Was $18 at Whole Foods on Bellaire.

2006 Cartlidge & Browne ZINFANDEL (Amador County, Cal.)

This was flawed, but not completely. The nose was marred by medicinal, acetate, and prune scents. In the mouth, there was some rich, balanced black cherry fruit, but overall the experience was disappointing. D. Avoid.

2006 Bodegas Agustin Cubero STYLO Old Vines GARNACHA (Calatayud, Spain)

A good, ripe, chunky Grenache. Lots of cherry, black raspberry, and crushed rock powder on the nose. Mouthfilling and relatively soft, this is a good accompaniment to pastas with red sauces and meaty stews. Good acidity in the lean but intense finish. 87. Was $12.63 at Spec's on Richmond.

2006 Navarro Correas SYRAH "Coleccion Privada" (Mendoza, Argentina)

This was a complex, balanced red at a reasonable price.

Fairly deep color. Needed a couple hours of air to unwind, but then displayed a nice nose of hot, smoky gravel and plummy, blackberryish fruit. Broad and mouthfilling, this wine had full body, lots of rich red fruit and mineral flavors, and gobs of soft tannin. It'll keep for a couple of years, but was very nice last weekend with "Matambre" (an Argentine butterflied, stuffed, rolled, braised flank steak -- yummy). 87. Was about $12 at Kroger's on Westpark.

2007 Domaine de l'Estang COTEAUX DU GIENNOIS Sauvignon Blanc (Loire Valley, France)

From a little known backwater appellation in the vicinity of Sancerre and Pouilly-Fume, this inexpensive Sauvignon Blanc was quite nice.

Nose jumps from the glass with fresh, grassy-herbal gooseberry scents. Ripe and long, but with a crisp, mouthwatering mouthfeel. Not as complex and smoky/minerally as its more exalted sibling appellations can be, but fun to drink and a good value. 87. Was around $13 at Richard's on Weslayan, if I am remembering correctly (I lost the receipt).

2007 Yalumba "Bush Vines" GRENACHE (Barossa Valley, Australia)

This is a ripe, easy-drinking, nicely-balanced, food-friendly red.

Lots of scents of ripe cherry-raspberry fruit with a minerally undertone. Broad and loose-limbed on the mouth, with minerally ripe cherry flavors, and a long, slightly hot finish. Lacks the complexity and concentration of the best Australian Grenaches, but it's hard to quibble at $13.99/bottle (on sale at Whole Foods on Bellaire). 87.

2008 Terra Andina PINOT NOIR "Reserva" (Central Valley, Chile)

I had higher hopes for this, but it turned out to be a very simple, straightforward wine.

Lots of direct, cherry and herbal scents, followed by soft, well-balanced, but simple fruity flavors. Kind of like a basic Beaujolais, but made of Pinot Noir. 80. Was $12.99 at Whole Foods on Bellaire.

2006 Domaine Charvin "à côté" VDP (Rhone Valley, France)

This is the low-end red from Domaine Charvin -- a GREAT Chateauneuf-du-Pape producer. And it is a really good buy.

Richly fruity nose -- plums, blackberries, a squeeze of lemon, and a sandstone-like earthiness. Round, plummy, and with lots of gravelly-earthiness in the mouth. Clearly lots of Grenache in this puppy. Broad mouthfeel, medium full body, and some soft tannin for texture in the finish. Very nice for drinking over the next year. 89. Was $13.99 at Houston Wine Merchant on South Shepherd.

2005 "Le Font du Vent" COTES DU RHONE VILLAGES "Notre Passion" (Rhone Valley, France)

Loaded with character in a "French" way.

Lots of plummy, lemony, minerally scents on the nose. Full and intensely minerally in the mouth, with the fruit taking a back seat to a lean, intense earthy, iodine-y component. Nice balance. Full, with good acidity and a long, lean finish. Very nice, but not for those who need the jamminess of Australian Shirazes. 87. Drink over the next 6 months. Was about $14 at Richard's.

2007 Cline "Ancient Vines" ZINFANDEL (Cal.)

Cline has another winner with the 2007 version of this widely-available, reliable Zin. I got it at Richard's on Weslayan & Bissonnet for around $15.

It deeply fruity and meltingly soft with the classic Zinfandel "spicy blackberry" fruit, and a subtle, earthy/maple syrupy note in the background. Not a blockbuster but extremely enjoyable for either a weeknight or weekend dinner. All seems in balance here for immediate enjoyment. 88.

Hiatus

I won't be posting notes on any wines for a while, at least until sometime after New Year's. Have a great holiday season.

2007 "ZESTOS" (50% Garnacha, 50% Tempranillo) (Madrid, Spain)

This was a good buy in a gutsy, blue-collar red.

Eye: Dark ruby with purple highlights.

Nose: Earthy plum juice with a stony note.

Mouth: Chunky and ripe, with low-ish acidity and some tannin that was just north of soft. Full-bodied, with a slightly hot finish. Not complex at all, but a fair amount of flavor for the buck.

Score: 85.

Cellar or drink? Drink over the next 6-9 months.

Price/store: Was about $8 or $9 at Central Market.

2006 Rodney Strong "Knotty Vines" ZINFANDEL (Sonoma County, Cal.)

A bargain Zin that's widely-available! Get some of this for weeknight dinners!

Eye: Dark, but not saturated, black, plummy ruby.

Nose: Spot-on Zinfandel nose of spicy blackberry fruit, with subtle notes of resiny pine forest and minerals.

Mouth: Ripe, rich, and soft, with decent, though not great concentration. Excellent balance and ripe, mouth-filling fruit. A classic "spaghetti red."

Score: 88.

Cellar or drink? Drink over the next year as this is not built to age.

Price/store: I lost the receipt, but I vaguely recall getting this at Randall's on Weslayan for about $14.

2005 Mommessin Chateau de Pierreux BROUILLY (Beaujolais, France)

This was an atypical, though OK, Beaujolais, tending toward the big and tannic side, not the fruity and refreshing style.

Eye: Very dark ruby with violet highlights.

Nose: Intense nose of scorched earth and very primary, crunchy plummy fruit.

Mouth: Full bodied and surprisingly tannic, this wine seems to need some time in bottle to soften a bit. Deep and tightly-wound core of black cherry/plummy fruit, with some alcoholic warmth in the finish.

Score: 83.

Cellar or drink? Hold for another year and then see if it's gotten any softer.

Price/store: $16 at Spec's on Smith.

Wines from Grandma and Nonno’s visit -- Part 6 (short-form notes)

Grandma and Nonno returned to Massachusetts today, so this is the last entry for wines from their visit. I'm going to need something to rehabilitate my liver after this visit, so many good and excellent wines did we drink. (I'm also going to need to return to my more frugal, usual fare!)

2005 Chateau de Saint Cosme GIGONDAS (Rhone, France) -- This was a ripe, youthful, and highly structured Rhone wine. Had lots of minerality and was quite tight initially, but opened to show a concentrated core of ripe cassis and raspberry extract. Pretty tannic throughout. If you have a cool cellar, keep this one another 3 years and then enjoy.

2004 Verget CHABLIS 1er CRU FOURCHAUME “Vieilles Vignes de Vaulorens” (Burgundy, France) -- this was excellent and drinking beautifully now. Ripe and complex, yet with bracing, well-integrated acidity. Featured a nose of toasty chicken broth, dry pear extract, lemons, and crushed stones. Very good concentration and length.

2006 Alto Moncayo “Veraton” (Campo de Borja, Spain) -- This was a new-styled and very concentrated Grenache. I loved the soft texture, the concentration, and the ripeness, but it was just a tad too oaky for me. The 2004 I previously reviewed was better (similar but less oaky), but this was excellent in its own way.

2005 Hubertushof LEIWENER KLOSTERGARTEN RIESLING EISWEIN (Mosel, Germany) -- A youthful but outstanding icewine, with great minerality, wonderfully ripe peachy fruit, and mouthwatering acidity. Very enjoyable now, this fragrant jailbait of a dessert wine could easily last and improve over the next 10 years or so in a cool dark cellar.

Wines from Grandma and Nonno’s visit -- Part 5 (short-form notes)

2006 Jean-Max Roger SANCERRE ROSÉ “Cuvée La Grange Dimière” (Loire, France) -- This Pinot Noir rose had a beautiful light salmon pink color, with a fresh nose of minerals, flowers, and strawberry/cherry. Refreshing and bone dry, with ripe fruit and excellent acidity.

2005 Domaine de la Noblaie CHINON “Les Chiens-Chiens” (Loire, France) -- Classic Loire Cabernet Franc nose and flavors: mineral and walnut oil, and herbal black cherry. Medium-full body and bone dry, stony black cherry skin flavors with underbrush and tomato notes.

2006 Razor’s Edge SHIRAZ (75%)-GRENACHE (25%) (McLaren Vale, Australia) -- Tastes like it’s got more Grenache than Shiraz, rather than the other way around, with great kirsch and spice aromas, medium full body, and ripe, sweet cherry/raspberry and earth flavors. Excellent buy at $13.99.

Wines from Grandma and Nonno’s visit -- Part 4 (Thanksgiving Dinner) (short-form notes)

2004 Rosenblum Santa Barbara County SYRAH “Appellation Series” -- A good buy in the usually overpriced California Syrah market, this $15 bottle had dense color, full body, and lush texture, and deep-toned roasted meat, graphite, and blackberry scents.

2002 Domaine Francois Lamarche GRANDS ECHEZEAUX (Burgundy) -- This was good, but a disappointment for its pedigree. Very lean, tart cherry and minerals flavors emerged only after long decanting, and it lacked the depth and complexity I expected from this Grand Cru vineyard. If I had tasted it blind, I would have probably guessed it was a regular village bottling from Fixin or Monthelie (due to the lean, hard style). For my money, I’ll take an Oregon Pinot Noir over Burgundy 9 times out of 10. Should have bought a lottery ticket instead. I’ll remember to give thanks next Turkey Day not to have dropped a C-note on another disappointing burgundy.

Wines from Grandma and Nonno’s visit -- Part 3 (short-form notes)

2006 Chateau Calabre MONTRAVEL (Blanc) (France) -- This 50% Sauvignon Blanc/40% Semillon/10% Muscadelle blend from the fringes of the Bordeaux region was light, very soft, and featured refreshing bitter grapefruit and mineral flavors.

2004 Castello di Bossi CHIANTI CLASSICO (Tuscany, Italy) -- Old school. This Chianti sported classic old school aromas of earth, leather, and brandy-macerated cherries, and was lean and food-friendly.

2002 Domaine Martin Schaetzel RIESLING GRAND CRU RANGEN (Alsace, France) -- ZOWIE! What a wine! Unfathomably rich, yet refreshing at the same time. Nose of apricots, honey, Earl Grey tea, and minerals. Broad, intense, and long in the mouth. This wasn’t totally dry, but was still a great pairing with pecan-wood grilled flounder and shrimp. From a biodynamic producer who flies under the radar of most wine geeks.

Wines from Grandma and Nonno’s visit -- Part 2 (short-form notes)

1998 Marcarini BAROLO “Brunate” (Piemonte, Italy) -- Seemingly lean and devoid of fruit at first, after a couple of hours of breathing in a decanter, this Barolo opened up and show classic Nebbiolo scents of dried cherries, leather, and minerals. On the palate, this wine showed a more feminine style (almost Barbaresco-ish) than I expected. Very nice and could even last a couple more years.

2001 Guilhem Durand SYRAH “Vieilles Vignes” (Southern France) -- This cheap red had been tucked away in my wine closet for several years. I had been afraid to open it because I thought it was in a state of advanced decrepitude, but figured “what the heck” and popped and decanted it. What a surprise! The color was still youthful, and the wine was full, ripe, and complex, with big scents of dried cassis, eucalyptus, and minerally, wet earth. Tannin has all dropped away , leaving a soft, long finish.

2006 Martin Schaetzel PINOT BLANC “Vieillles Vignes” (Alsace, France) -- Ripe, soft, simple, and peachy.

2006 Mollydooker SHIRAZ “The Boxer” (South Australia) -- A tremendously rich, mouth-coating wine. Loads of flavor, with minerally-graphite and cassis extract flavors predominating.

2005 Turley ZINFANDEL “Ueberroth Vineyard” (Paso Robles, Cal.) -- Intense in every sense of the word: intense boysenberry fruit, intense rock-dust minerality, intense body, and intense acidity. Great with mesquite/pecan wood grilled porterhouses.

Wines from Grandma and Nonno’s visit -- Part 1 (short-form notes)

Mom and Dad are visiting from Massachusetts, so I'm not going to have time to do the full version of the tasting notes, if experience is any guiide. So here are the Reader's Digest notes of the first batch:

2004 Verget VIRÉ -CLESSÉ “Vieilles Vignes de Roally” (Burgundy, France) -- a terrifically rich, dry, ripe, minmerally Maconnais Chardonnay with poire William and melon-scented fruit. Loaded with character, and soft as a summer breeze. Great.

2006 Luzon (Jumila, Spain) -- a great value ($8 and change) in a Monastrell/Syrah . Ripe, rich, full, balanced.

2001 Guigal CHATEAUNEUF DU PAPE (Rhone Valley, France) -- At its peak, this was a very elegantly-textured wine, with classic Provencal scents of smoky herbs from the garrigue, and iron-y cassis/blackberry fruit.

2005 Rene Barth RIESLING “Vignoble de Bennwihr” (Alsace, France) -- A classically austere style of Alsace Riesling: lots of pungent, stony minerality and lemon-lime fruit. Crisp and bone dry.

2005 Tenuta la Cipressaia CHIANTI COLLI FIORENTINI (Tuscany, Italy) -- A medium-bodied, tight but food-friendly Sangiovese, with crisp cherry mineral flavors and and some tannin in the finish.

2007 Menguante "Old Vines" GARNACHA (Carinena, Spain)

A great buy in a young, flavorful Grenache. Needs a little time in the bottle to settle down, though.

Eye: Vivid dark ruby purple.

Nose: Intensely youthful and unformed, fruity nose of crunchy raspberries and stones.

Mouth: Layers of pure, straight-up fruity. Very primary at present, but with excellent ripeness and depth. Good balance and some noticeable, youthful tannin in the back end of the palate.

Score: 87+

Cellar or drink? Pleasant enough now -- particularly with a any intensely flavored, rustic meat or pasta dish -- this wine really needs a year or two to settle down and soften up. It could be even nicer when it does.

Price/store: Was about $11 and change at Spec's on Smith.

2006 Torbreck "Woodcutter's" SHIRAZ (Barossa Valley, Australia)

A very deep-toned, exceedingly full-bodied wine.

Eye: Nearly fully saturated black black ruby, with violet highlights.

Nose: Deep, inky cassis liqueur scents with smoky cedar, a prominent eucalyptus component, and graphite in the background.

Mouth: Deep-toned flavors of spicy cassis extract, black peppercorns, tar, and grilled Italian sausage flavors. Extremely full-bodies, with noticeable alcoholic warmth in the finish. Massive and inky. Needs a rich meat or game stew to really shine.

Score: 88.

Cellar or drink? My experience is that wines with this much alcohol showing in the finish usually don't hold up that well in the cellar. The alcohol tends to burn through the fruit more over time. Drink over the next year.

Price/store: Was $18 and change at Spec's on Richmond.

2005 Domaine Schlumberger PINOT BLANC "Les Princes Abbes" (Alsace, France)

A perennial good value, the 2005 iteration of this wine is a very satisfying, if not very complex, white.

Eye: Light, bright greenish gold.

Nose: Beautifully ripe fruit melange: peach skin, apples, and watermelon, with a hint of earthy gravel.

Mouth: Gobs of fruit on entry (like fruit salad with lemon juice squeezed on top), but then tapering quickly into a crisp finish. Average concentration and weight, but still lots of fun to drink. A very nice aperitif or party wine.

Score: 87.

Cellar or drink? Drink over the next 6-8 months.

Price/store: $14 and change at Spec's on Smith.

2004 Domaine de Fenouillet BEAUMES DE VENISE "Terres Blanches" (Rhone Valley, France)

This Cotes du Rhone Villages was very elegant and flavorful.

Eye: Dark ruby garnet color.

Nose: Sultry nose of deep-toned ripe red and black berries, smoke, and lots of stony minerals.

Mouth: Broadly-flavored and mouthfilling, with lots of soft, mouth-coating tannins and long, rich flavors of cassis, blackberry, subtle iodine, and deep herbal notes. Long finish transitions from deep fruit to minerals. Very civilized, mature, and balanced.

Score: 90.

Cellar or drink? At its peak, drink this over the next year.

Price/store: $16 and change at Spec's on Smith.

2006 Joel Gott ZINFANDEL (California)

Robert Parker rated this highly (giving it a 90), but I didn't think this was a particularly distinguished Zin.

Eye: Deep plummy violet color.

Nose: Rich nose of plum jam and sweet cream, with a hint of lemon juice and sweet cream.

Mouth: Big but simple fruity flavors (sweet plum and blackberry), with a flat mouthfeel. It lacked the vibrancy and minerality I love in top-flight Zin from, say, Mendocino County or Paso Robles. This wine was chunky but unexceptional.

Score: 85.

Cellar or drink? Drink over the next year.

Price/store: Was about $18 at Whole Foods on Bellaire.

2004 Verget SAINT-VERAN "Terroirs de Davaye" (Burgundy, France)

This wine delivered lots of flavor in a big, galumphy (in a good way) style.

Eye: Very light gold with a slight lime green glint.

Nose: Loads of sweet pears and apples, with two scoops of minerally earthiness and a slight, almost cinnamony spice component.

Mouth: Big, rich, mouthfilling flavors of earth, pear and peach fruit, and a sweet minerality. Long finish with low-ish acidity. More chunky than crisp.

Score: 88.

Cellar or drink? Drink over the next 8-12 months.

Price/store: Was $19 and change at Spec's on Smith.


(Sorry -- picture of 2002)

2007 Domaine Matignon CABERNET D'ANJOU (Rose) (Loire France)

YUK. Cloyingly sweet. Avoid.

Score: F.