2008 Kingston Family Vineyards SYRAH "Lucero" (Casablanca Valley, Chile)

Eh.  So "international" in style I wouldn't have had a clue what it was or where it was from if I couldn't see the label.  Dark, ripe, very oaky, and with a short finish.  It could be an over-oaked, young vine Cabernet, Merlot, or Syrah from California, France, Italy, Spain, Australia, or South America.

Since drinking a really good Chilean Syrah from Chono, I've been looking for another one of that caliber and have invariably been disappointed.

I don't get the point of making or drinking a wine like this.  It's not flawed or anything, it's just terminally uninteresting.  Was $15 and change on sale from zachys.com, and not worth half that.  C-. 

2011 Christian Lauverjat SANCERRE ROSÉ "Moulin des Vrillères" (Loire, France)

One of the few things I like about hot weather is that it's an excuse to pop a bottle of my favorite type of rosé:  Sancerre.  Pinot Noir, from very chalky soil and a cool climate.  Trifecta for fragrant, vibrant rosé!  This one is really nice.

Absolutely glowingly crystalline light salmon-pink color.  Exuberant nose -- lightly earthy and yeasty, loads of bright stony minerals, fruit conjuring strawberry, golden cherry, and grape.  Bone dry, with bright acids, it comes on minerally, molts into cherry pit and strawberry fruit, and finishes with clean, clingy, intense, slightly bitter minerality.  In other words, lots going on, particularly for a rosé.  A-.  Was $21 at Whole Foods in Arlington (Clarendon).  That's more than basic rosés from the south of France, but it's worth it when looking for something more than just a thirst-slaker.  Imported by Elite Wine Imports, Lorton, VA.

2007 Fattoria Vignavecchia CHIANTI CLASSICO RISERVA (Tuscany, Italy)

Beautiful, textbook Chianti Classico.  Gorgeous, focused fruit, medium-full body, minerality, elegance, and excellent balance.  I can't imagine a Sangiovese I'd like more than this.

Vibrant, stunningly crystalline black ruby color.  Laser-focused fresh and dried cherry fruit, along with schist-strewn fragrant gravel and a hint of new leather.  Fills the mouth with ripe clingy deep cherry fruit and intense minerality, in a soft, dry, and improbably lithe package.  Good acidity too. A barely noticeable amount of very fine-grained tannin provides some texture, and the finish is long and pure.  I like that the fruit and terroir shine through and there's no noticeable oak component.  A.  Was $18.99 from Wines Til Sold Out (wtso.com) making it a great value.  Imported by Superior Wines, Cranford, NJ.

2009 Jean-Marie Arnoux VACQUEYRAS (Rhone Valley, France)

More on the austere than generous side (which is surprising for the vintage), it's a rustic but serviceable Rhone.  It wouldn't faze me if this were an $8 Cotes du Rhone (though even at that price I wouldn't buy it again), but at $20, it's way overpriced.

Dark black ruby.  Fairly intense but rather severe nose of iodine, scorched earth, and blackberry skins.  Dark, low-toned, bitter-tinged flavors of scorched earth and blackberry skin.  Lots of gritty tannin too, though the finish is clingy and long.  Seems to lack energy.  Drink up, because this isn't going to get any better.  C.  Was $19.99 at Total Wine in McLean.  Imported by Wm. Deutsch  & Sons, White Plains, NY.

2008 William Knuttel PINOT NOIR (Sonoma Coast, Cal.)

This is one of the best moderately-priced Pinot Noirs I've encountered.  Flavorful, fragrant, complex, and soft.

Medium ruby with a slight ambering at the rim.  Engaging nose with lots of stuff going on:  Soft, sappy cherries, peat moss, maple syrup, root beer, and crushed stone.  Instantly mouth-filling, with ripe, dried sweet cherry syrup, smoked meat, lots of stony minerals, and a smoky not-quite-as-sharp-as-graphite-but-still-darkish component that clings to the sides of the mouth.  Lengthy finish that you wish would be even longer.  Fairly full body.  A teensy bit of tannin. My only quibble is that the acidity is lower than I'd ideally like.  A-.  So much more enjoyable than 50% of the Burgundy Premier Crus out there at double the price.  Was $22.99 from WineAccess.com.

2009 Vincent Girardin FLEURIE "Domaine de la Chapelle" "Vieilles Vignes" (Beaujolais, France)

I usually go for old-school, traditional-tasting wines.  Particularly with Beaujolais, where the old school has tight, intensely stony, refreshing and linear wines, and the new school (DeBouef and many of the negociants) is, to my taste, muddled, sometimes flabby, and usually uninteresting. This one is not old school, but, dang, it's good!  This is how modern style should be done.

Strikingly deep, pure, violet-tinged ruby.  Wonderfully inviting nose of juicy plums and sweet, dark cherries along with a tangy, powdered stone note.  Bone dry, yet ripe and juicy in the mouth.  Nicely structured, with refreshing acids and a little but of very fine-grained tannin.  Nice purity.  A joy to drink.  Great balance too.  The only thing it lacks is a bit more minerally complexity, but it's Beaujolais, so maybe I'm being too analytically hard on it.  A-.  Imported by Vineyard Brands, I got this for $14.99 from Winex.com.

2009 Martin Schaetzel PINOT BLANC "Cuvee Reserve" (Alsace, France)

A textbook example of this inexpensive Alsace staple.  When done right, an Alsace Pinot Blanc can be (to me, anyway) a lot more fun to drink than its more famous and well-distributed price-point competitors, the inexpensive Chardonnays from Macon.

Light, bright silvery-gold with a nice light green glint.  Inviting nose of orange blosson and honey-inflected golden delicious apples.  Bone dry, ripe, soft, and energetic in the mouth.  Loads of minerally apple and pear-skin fruit fills the mouth, with surprising body.  Finish is very minerally and long, with a little alcoholic heat that is surprising given how fun and casual the nose and initial flavors seem.  B+.  Was $16.99 from Whole Foods in Old Towne Alexandria (I think).  Imported by ViniFrance Imports, Alexandria.

2009 William Knuttel "Musica Vina" ZINFANDEL (Sonoma County, Cal.)

A solid, flavorful, if not elegant, Zin.  Pretty decent value.

Nice, lively, dark ruby color.  Nose shows good blackberry/boysenberry fruit, accompanied by a note of brown sugar and a rustic, slightly scorched earthy/minerally streak.  Mouthfilling and chunky, with good flavor density.  Dusty tannin coats the mouth as low-toned, low acid blackberry skin fruit and a peaty/iodiney/irony component fill the taste buds.  Long and clingy.  It's a rustic style of Zin, and far from elegant, but it was a pretty good value at $12.99 from Wines Til Sold Out (wtso.com).  B.  Would work very well with pasta with red meat sauces or red-sauced pizza.

2009 Jimenez-Landi "Sotorrondero" MENTRIDA (Central Spain)

A wine from an area I'm not familiar with in central Spain, it's composed of Syrah primarily and actually tastes more French then Spanish.

Gorgeous, deeply-tinted dark ruby-violet.  Medium intensity nose of blackberry with a minute, sour twist.  Powdered sandstone is there too, with scorched earth notes and a wisp of high-toned smoke.  Dry, clingy entry, with slightly vegetal dark cherry fruit mixed with dry unsweetened chocolate and lots of powdered stone notes.  Good acids and lots of fine-grained, puckery tannins are the physical characteristics.  It's a unique wine that I probably would have placed as a Carignane-based wine from the Languedoc region of France had I not known what it was.  B.  Imported by Eric Solomon's European Cellars, this was $16.99 from The Wine Exchange (winex.com).

2007 Cavalier Bartolomeo BAROLO "Solanotto Altenasso" (Piemonte, Italy)

This is a very good Barolo that was -- surprisingly for a Barolo -- a good buy.  Big, fairly open, identifiably Nebbiolo, and nicely structured.

Deep, dark ruby color with just the barest hint of amber at the edge of the rim.  Extroverted nose of winey dark cherries, balsamic notes (including a bit of volatile acidity, though not enough to worry about), spiced balsa wood, and loamy earth.  In other words, pretty complex.  Burly and mouthfilling, it's got a boatload of tannin, but is showing lots of flavor right now:  deeply minerally black cherry and loads of dark, schisty earth.  Leaves the mouth reluctantly, with puckery tannins and acid, as well as long-lasting dark minerals.  Very full-bodied.  Kind of like a loud, gregarious 6'5" defensive lineman.  B+.  Got this for $24.99 from Wines Til Sold Out (wtso.com).  Imported by Superior Wines, Crannford, NY.

2008 Sausal "Century Vines" Zinfandel (Alexander Valley, Cal.)

A structured, fully mature Zin.  Not as overtly fruity or massive as one might expect from a Zin from vines that were 131 years old at harvest.  But still very good.  This is a Zin that needs grilled beef or lamb to really shine.

Dark blackish ruby-garnet color.  Not fully saturated.  Medium intensity nose of dark blackberry fruit with a slight wisp of prune, along with a low-toned minerally/graphite note.  Intensely minerally in the mouth, with a clingy, pervasive iodiney/graphite streak that fades into a slight bitterness.  There's fruit there too, in the form of blackberries macerating on their skins.  Bone dry, with a fair amount of tannin and pretty good acids.  The overall impression is that this Zin favors structure over fruit.  Grilled meat will bring the fruit out more than other dishes will.  Drink over the next 12-18 months.  B.  Was $19.99 from Wines Til Sold Out (wtso.com).

(Sorry, 2002 depicted)

2010 Domaine Dupré RÉGNIÉ "Vignes de 1918" (Beaujolais, France)

Fragrant, ripe, fleshy, and eminently quaffable.  Not as crisp and minerally as I would have expected from a traditional producer in this vintage, but it was a very good value at $12.99.

Intensely vivid magenta-tinged ruby.  Ripe cherry, plummy fruit with a very subtle high-toned smoky, rocky note.  Fleshy and a little tannic in the mouth, but with very pleasing ripeness,  it's a tad less tightly-wound and concentrated as I usually look for in a Beaujolais.  But despite its atypical character, I enjoyed it a lot.  Decent acids keep it from being too flat, and it went really well with a hamburger from the local Five Guys.  B.  I got this from Wines Til Sold Out on the web at wtso.com. Imported by Serge Dore Selections.

(Sorry, 2009 depicted).

2009 Three Vineyards CARIGNANE "Lucchesi" (Contra Costa County, Cal.)

This is a remarkable wine.  From 100+ year-old Carignane vines, on their original rootstock, planted in deep, sandy soil.  It's fragrant, rich, balanced, and long.

Dark deep ruby color.  Very fragrant, with scents of ripe blackberry and plum, a sweet light earthy note, and smoky balsa wood.  In the mouth, it's weighty and instantly mouth-filling.  Loads of clingy, minerally, iodiney notes accenting very low-toned deep blackberry juice.  Lots of soft tannin, and a very pure, deep berry-skin finish.  I know I've said that Carignane is a grape that simply cannot achieve greatness, but I was wrong.  This is by far the best Carignane I've ever had.  A.  I got this for $19 from WineAccess.com.  I would love to be able to insert this bottle blind into a tasting of 2009 Chateauneufs, as it would certainly be at the top of the list, and at half the price of most of the better estates.  Readers would be well-advised to sign up for email offerings from these guys because it's hard to find Three Vineyard wines anywhere else.

2009 Fattoria ColSanto "Ruris" (Umbria, Italy)

This is a non-DOC blend of 70% Sangiovese, 20% Merlot, and 10% Sagrantino.  It is a very rustic mouthful of wine, and got more enjoyable over the course of three days after initially being opened. But it's cheap, and not a bad gulper to have with rustic tomato/meat/cheese pasta dishes.
Relatively innocuous dark ruby color.  The first day, the nose seemed sharp and overextracted.  By the third day it was pretty good.  Lots of tart cherry fruit and angular cracked stony scents.   Drying, slightly sour cherry fruit fills the mouth, with some dry earthiness, as well, and it's all transported along on a wave of acidity and some aggressive, not-so-soft tannin.  Finished clean, but leaves the mouth somewhat puckered.  I know these notes don't make this wine sound so good, but I actually kind of enjoyed it (with food -- without food, it's way too taxing).  C+/B-.  I think this was around 9 or 10 bucks at Whole Foods in Clarendon.  Imported by Siema Wines, Springfield, VA.

2009 Chateau de Nages COSTIERES DE NIMES "Vieilles Vignes" (Rhone Valley, France)

This 50/50 Grenache/Syrah is terrific.  Soft-textured, open, but densely-flavored.  Drinking really well now, but should hold for another 2 years or so.

Pure, dark blackish ruby.  Low-toned, deep nose of dark blackberry extract shot-through with smoked meats and shovels-full of sandstone.  Deep, minerally, iodine-infused flavors immediately fill every nook and cranny in the mouth, with a deep, dark slightly bitter fruit component I can only say tastes like fermented, crushed blackberry pomace. Loads of tannin that's neither coarse nor soft, and fairly low acidity, but it doesn't seem over-extracted or out of balance.  Just deep and clingy.  B+, maybe a little more.  $14.99 at Total Wine in McLean, VA.  Imported by Saranty Imports, White Plains, NY.

2008 Beckley Family Vineyards ZINFANDEL Reserve (Napa Valley)

A really nice, structured ripe, balanced Zin.  I am not exactly sure why Napa Valley Zins tend to have a more structured, subdued, "Claret" (i.e., Bordeaux) like feel than their Dry Creek, Mendocino, Sonoma Valley, or Paso Robles counterparts, but they do.  This one has both the typical Napa structure and great Zin character.

Very dark pure, black ruby color.  The first night it was a bit closed on the nose, but two days later (sealed with a Vacu-Vin) it really blossomed.  Deep dark vibrant blackberry fruit, together with a graphite/gravelly note on the nose.  In the mouth, it explodes with flavor, coating the mouth with pure, ripe Zinfandel dark berry fruit, with a terrific sweet iron/iodiney note that expanded as the finish wore on.  Excellent structure, with a lot of fine-grained tannin and decent acidity.  This will hold and maybe even improve for another 2-3 years.  A-.  Was $14.99 from WTSO.com, making it an excellent value.

2009 Domaine Laleure-Piot PERNAND-VERGELESSES PREMIER CRU (White Burgundy)

This was an extreme wine.  So minerally and brothy that it's hard to believe grapes had anything to do with it.  Not my cup of tea, but I know several wine geeks who would love this style.

Medium light, pewter-inflected gold color.  Nose very closed the first day, even with pouring through a Vinturi. Day 2 the nose was more extroverted, smelling like an emulsion of freshly-pulverized limestone dust, chicken broth, and tart green apple/lemon peel.  Quickly attacks the palate with very lean, minerally, straw-tinged earthy and brothy flavors.  The mineraliness clings long in the mouth, and there's good acidity (duh), but where's the fruit?  Mineraliness is great as a complexity-adder, but there's got to be fruit there to add to.  Right now, this is a C-.  But I've experienced white burgundies that blossom from green and closed to real beauties in 2 or 3 years.  I don't know if this is one, but it's probably better to wait and hope than drink now.  Was $22 from WTSO.com.

(Sorry:  2005 shown)

2009 Weber PINOT NOIR "Mishelle" (Santa Rita Hills, Cal.)

I got this for a song ($10) as a close-out, and it's really good!  Loads of pure Pinot fruit in a crisp, almost tart style, but with excellent varietal character, very good concentration, and great balance.

Medium dark ruby with a magenta tinge.  Nose of pure cherry with pomegranate, along with a whisper of root beer and sandstone.  Lively, crisp, penetrating fruit on entry, first filling the mouth and then turning into mineral-laced cherry extract as the finish wore on.  Just a bit of tannin providing physical structure. I would put this up against all but the top Beaune Premier Crus any day.  I'm not sure if they have any left, but you should check out the Winex (a very good Orange County, Cal., retailer) website and find out.  B+.  This could age nicely for a couple of years.

My 1000th post!!! 2009 Busi CHIANTI RUFINA (Tuscany, Italy)

I love Chianti Rufina.  It's a region northeast of both the Chianti Classico region and indeed west of Firenze.  It tends to be a little leaner, lighter in body, and crisper than Chiantis from the Classico region, and this one is true to its type.  They can be extraordinarily food-friendly wines.

Bright color of spectrally-pure ruby.  Fairly animated nose of crisp cherries and cherry liqueur, along with the prototypical Chianti minerally earthiness I refer to as "schisty gravel."  Crisp, aggressive, high-toned flavors of stony minerals and cherries that linger, gradually (and this is unusual) molting from more minerally into more pure cherry as the finish goes on.  Usually, it's the other way around with most wines.  Nice crisp but unobtrusive acids, and some very fine-grained but puckery tannin comprise the physical characteristics.  A very notable value at $9.99.  Got this at The Italian Store on Lee Highway in Arlington.  Imported by Kysela Pere et Fils.  B+.

2009 Domaine des Roy TOURAINE Blanc "Les Silex" Loire Valley, France)

Although it doesn't say, this is certainly a Sauvignon Blanc.  And a really good one.  Better than most Sancerre and Pouilly-Fume out there, and cheaper too.

The first night it was funkily earthy, but on the second night it really blossomed.  Light gold with silver and  brassy glints.  Piercing and intense nose of green apple and lemon/lime fruit, with distinct notes of chicken broth shot-through with crushed limestone.  Big, mouthwatering, crisp flavors aggressively coat the palate, with loads of lemon-drenched green apple and a brothy minerality.  Long, clean, interesting finish with great persistence and vibrant acids.  Would be fantastic with shellfish.  Drink over the next 2 years and enjoy.  A-.  Imported by Thomas Calder Selections, this was $14.99 at Arrowine in Arlington.

2010 Domaine de Dionysos CAIRANNE Cotes du Rhone Villages "La Cigalette"(Southern France)

Intensely earthy and closed on day 1, it really blossomed on day 2.  Almost like two different wines.  It's a really flavorful but civilized Rhone blend of 50% Grenache, 35% Syrah, 10 % Mourvedre, and 5% Carignane.

Incredibly vibrant -- almost vibrating! -- magenta-tinged deep ruby.  Intensely stony, lively nose.  Crunchy plums and red berries, shot through with rock dust and a barely perceptible rosemary/pine resin note in the back.  Incredibly pure-tasting.  Dry, but with ripe cherry liqueur flavors, minus the alcohol and sweetness, and again with the rock dust.  Loads of fine-grained tannin, good acids, and a very lengthy, stony, pure finish.  A very nice wine.  But if you're drinking it over the next 18 months, be sure to let it breathe or pour it through a Vinturi.  A-.  Imported by Serge Dore Selections.  Was $12.99 from WTSO.com, making it an excellent buy.

Osél RUCHÈ di Castagnole Monferrato (Piemonte, Italy)

Yet another Ruchè!  I hadn't seen one in decades and now in a period of two months I see two different ones in Arlington. Go figure.  This one has lots of flavor, but is in a very modern, fruity style.  It's good, but I like the character of the more traditional style better. 


It's got a very bright ruby color.  Loads of red and black fruits (mostly plums and dark cherry) in the nose, with a very subtle stony note.  Mouthfilling fruit, but in a very soft and open style.  Texturally it's like a new-styled Beaujolais/Cotes du Rhone cross.  It seems like it would take a slight chill nicely and serve as a great hot weather cook-out red.  But drink it before 2012 is up.  B-.  Imported by Siema Wines of Springfield, VA, it was $9 at Whole Foods in Clarendon.

2010 Roger et Didier Raimbault SANCERRE "Les Belles Cotes" (Loire, France)

A good, balanced, fresh and typical Sauvignon Blanc from this region.  Good value.

 Very pale silvery-gold color.  Lively nose of green apple and lemon/lime fruit, with a little grassy herbaceousness, and significant notes of chicken broth and rain-soaked limestone.  Fresh, zingy, brothy and green apply in the mouth, with modest concentration.  Good acids keep it very fresh, and a clean, mouthwatering, if a little short, finish.  It's not super distinguished, but it would be pretty darn hard to find a better white at this price point ($16.99).  Got it from Wines Til Sold Out.  Imported by Serge Dore Selections, NY.  B.

2010 Sobon Estate ZINFANDEL "Old Vines" (Amador County, Cal.)

I don't usually buy Zins from Amador County, because in the 1980s and 1990s I had several that were very cloying and simple -- not as vibrant, complex, and zesty as from places like Dry Creek and Paso Robles.  But I recently gave this one a shot and it is a winner!  Everything in balance, lots of flavors, and good energy.

Dark ruby with violet highlights.  Great nose of lively, tangy, rich blackberries, and loads of sandstone-y, balsa wood notes.  Mouthcoating flavors, but not the least bit heavy, showing very nice balance for a Zin.  Pretty good acicity and a wee bit of soft tannin.  Very pure flavors of ripe, spicy blackberry and black cherry fruit and loads of stony minerals.  This would go really nicely with all sorts of red sauces, meat braises, grilled meat, etc.  Which is really what I love most about Zinfandels -- their food-friendliness.  At least when they're not pushing 16% alc. (This one was a more modest -- for Zin -- 14.9%.)  A-.  Was only $12.99 at Total Wine in McLean, VA.

2009 Domaine Carpy "Les Pins" FITOU (Southwest France)

I haven't had many Fitous, but they've all been good, and good values.  Including this one.  It's an appellation that's arid, hot, stony, and right up against the Mediterranean.  A blend primarily of Grenache, Syrah, Carignane and Mourvedre (the 4 Musketeers?).

Beautiful dark ruby color.  Very nice nose of perfumed rock dust, dark minerals, and ripe black cherry and blackberries.  Very pure-tasting dark cherry-berry fruit and powdered black stones fill the mouth.  Loads of very fine-grained nano-tannins.  Medium full body and darn good acidity for a wine from this region, adding up to very nice balance and mouthfeel.  A wicked good value at $8.99.  Got it at Whole Foods in Clarendon.  Whoever picks out the wines for that store does a nice job picking out an array of nice values.  Imported by Dionysis Imports, Manassas, VA.  B+.

2008 Volpetti CESANESE LAZIO (Lazio, Central Italy)

This wine was both exciting and disappointing.  Exciting because I do not remember ever drinking a wine made from the Cesanese varietal (apparently indigenous to this area) and it had unique, very intense, somewhat spiced fruity scents and a very soft texture, along with some good concentration and good acids.  But disappointing because this particular wine had very noticeable residual sugar; so much that it made the wine a bit cloying in the mouth.  If they had fermented it dry, I think this would have been very special.  In its current, more-than-slightly-sweet form, it's a C.  I'd like to taste a fully dry one.  Was $10 at Whole Foods in Clarendon, and I saw it in The Italian Store on Lee Highway (Arlington) for a little more.  Imported by Siema Wines, Springfield, VA.

2010 DeAngelis ROSSO PICENO (Marche, Italy)

I feel about this wine the way that the right wing must feel about Romney.  The words say one thing but the reality is very watered down.  This is an Italian copy of a Beaujolais.  Not even a real Beaujolais . . . a Georges DeBoeuf industrial candy Beaujolais.

Bright ruby color with a thin sheen of micro bubbles.  Fruity nose of tangy plums and strawberry along with a cherry soda component.  Cherry and peach juice fruit in the mouth, with no tannin, a soft texture with a faint prickle of CO2, and a fruit-juicy clean finish.  More like a soft drink or fruit smoothie than a wine.  Not that it's unpleasant, but WTF?  C-.  Was under $10 at Whole Foods in Clarendon.  Imported by Potomac Selections, Landover, MD.

UPDATE:  You know what?  Now that I've slept on it, I've changed my mind.  F.  This is a travesty.  Is there technically anything wrong with it?  No.  Does it taste and smell pleasant?  Yes.  But it is so wrong for a supposed Marchegiano Montepulciano/Sangiovese blend.

2009 Col des Vents CORBIERES (Southern France)

This dirt cheap wine was very good.  Worth buying in quantity.  Focused, balanced, deep, and satisfying.  It's 50% Carignane, 35% Grenache, and 15% Syrah.

Fairly saturated black ruby.  Nose a little shy, but showing very delineated scents of black raspberry and dark cherry juice poured over freshly-cracked clean dark stones.  Soft, concentrated, and with great balance, this wine coats the mouth with rich dark cherry fruit and some very fine-grained tannin.  Loads of clean stony minerals too.  Good acids for a wine from this region (which can be brutally hot), showing not only the 2009 vintage's blessings but also someone's careful attention to when to pick. Buy this wine by the case and drink with dinners over the next year or two.  B+.  Was $7 freakin' .99 at Whole Foods in Clarendon.  Imported by value seeking importer Kysela Pere et Fils, Winchester, VA.

2009 Castillo de Maluenda "Punto y Coma" GARNACHA "Vinas Viejas" (Calatayud, Spain)

This is a macho, burly Garnacha -- a varietal that, if anything, I would typically liken to a fleshy, voluptuous woman.

Vibrant, pure-refracting dark ruby.  The first night it was very closed and showed highly extracted scents of scorched earth virtually overshadowing the raspberry fruit.  Night two it mellowed, and the fruit came more to the fore: lots of tight, crunchy crushed raspberries poured over a powdery mass of freshly-pulverized stones.  Loads of micro-tannin coat the mouth in the back half of the palate.  The finish is all stones.  Good acids too.  This wine actually needs a couple of years, during which the tannins and angularity should mellow and the fruit should move forward even more.  Very unique style of Grenache.  B+.  Was $12.99 at European Foods on Washington Blvd and Pershing in Arlington.  Imported by Monsieur Touton Selections.

2010 "Les Heretiques" Red (Herault, Southern France)

From the owners of the respected Chateau d'Oupia in the Languedoc region, this cheap blend of Carignane and Syrah is a young, zesty, and well-made weekday dinner wine.  If drunk in 2012, however, give it some air time, as the nose and flavors are quite closed at first.

Deep, dark, ruby/violet.  Not especially complex on the nose, but with enticing aromas of equal parts clean, stony minerality and ripe but tangy dark berries.  Lively, tangy berry fruit hits the palate first, then broadens out and shows a soft texture and nice ripeness.  A little tannin in the clean-as-a-whistle finish.  Just a dynamite dinner accompaniment at a bargain price.  B+.  Was $10.99 at Whole Foods between Wilson and Clarendon Blvds in Arlington.  Imported by one of my favorites, Louis/Dressner Selections (which is why I even tried such a cryptically-labeled wine in the first place).

2009 Three Vineyards MATARO "Spinelli Vineyard" (Contra Costa County, Cal.)

A wine that juxtaposes lusciousness with balance.  Really fine.  Is it the 125-yr. old vines (that's not a typo) or great winemaking?  Probably both.  Get some.

Dark black ruby with violet highlights.  Nose of perfectly ripe dark berries, along with notes of dark liquid minerals, fresh parsley and sandalwood.  Mouthfilling and mouthcoating rich fruit, primarily dark, ripe, iodine-laced blackberry extract.  Gobs of very soft tannin give great structure, and the wine has depth yet is not heavy.  Decent acids, and a long finish.  Just a joy to drink.  A.  Was $19.99 from WineAccess.com.

2009 Domaine de la Chapelle des Bois FLEURIE "Cuvee Vieilles Vignes de la Cadole" (Beaujolais, France)

Very pure smelling and tasting but lacking concentration enough even for a Beaujolais.

Bright, crystalline deep ruby color.  Light intensity nose:  cherries and clean, cracked rocks are discernable, but you have to sniff with some focus to get it.  Nice attack of pure hard cherry candy fruit and loads of stony minerals, but they're evanescent, disappearing quickly.  Some tannins remain in the mouth, and the wine has nice freshness, but the flavors bolt for the exit too fast.  Disappointing.  C+.  Imported by Neal Rosenthal, I think I got this at Houston Wine Merchant a few months ago (before I moved to Virginia).  I think it was around $25, so it was decidedly not a good value.

Wine trends I don't like #1

Argentine Malbecs are everywhere, and they seem to be taking up shelf space at the expense of Aussie reds, particularly the Aussie Grenaches, which I love.  To me, Malbecs just aren't that interesting.  Earthy and coarse by nature, the trend in Argentina seems to be to try to bypass those characteristics by harvesting them much riper and oaking the crap out of them.  Count me out.  Haven't had one I really liked in a very long time . . . was it a Tikal?  Anyway, Australia is definitely considered uncool these days.  Not sure why.  I really miss seeing those old vine Grenaches on store shelves.  Big, ripe, yet food friendly, with warm, complex aromatics.  Bring them back please.

2009 Quivira ZINFANDEL (Dry Creek Valley, Cal)

I almost poured this wine down the drain shortly after I opened it because it was so weird initially.  I'm glad I put it away and drank it the next night, because the time helped it a lot.

Bright intense ruby color. The first day, the nose was just bizarre.  First, there was a ton of that pungent, American oak smell I associate with old school Rioja, but it was coupled with an almost cartoonishly exaggerated tangy, rhubarby/boysenberryish fruit--almost like it was concocted in a New Jersey food lab.  So I put the Vacu-Vin on it and forgot about it for a day.  The next night, it was far more normal.  The American oak smell was gone and a pure, bright, blackberryish fruit emerged.  There was good concentration in the mouth, but with nice balance.  Clingy, pure, deep fruit, a long finish, and pretty good acidity.  Almost imperceptible tannin added some frame to it.  Very nice  dinner accompaniment.  Scored on the second night, I would give it a B+.  Give this wine LOTS of air time to come around.  Was $19.99 at Arrowine in Arlington.

2009 Monchiero LANGHE NEBBIOLO (Piemonte, Italy)

Tasted blind, I'm not sure I'd be able to place this as a Nebbiolo.  But knowing what it is, I can see some varietal character, but in a youthful, simple style.

Light, bright ruby red color.  Straightforward fruity aromas of cherry, plum, and a little strawberry.  A bit more depth and grip than the light color and bouncy, fruity nose would lead you to expect.  Good acids and noticeable tannin, but little complexity.  Clingy flavors of dark cherry and some roasted herbal resin.  Fun to drink.  But tastes like it's from very young vines.  B. Was $16 and change at Arrowine in Arlington. (I've got to get out more . . .  seems like Arrowine is the only place I ever have time to do any wine shopping.)  Imported by Scoperta Importing Co., Cleveland Heights, OH.

2009 Dragonia "Old Vine" GARNACHA (Carinena, Spain)

A good value, pure-tasting, easy-drinking wine for weekday dinners.  Not especially concentrated but the flavors are very nice.

Absolutely pure-looking ruby.  And I mean ruby, as in, take a ruby, and imagine it's a liquid.  Nose is likely freshly put-up ripe raspberry jam, with a very subtle hint of clean cracked stones.  Ripe and mouthfilling, with ripe raspberry fruit, good acids, full body, and a bit of soft tannin for structure.  Not particularly concentrated, but fun to guzzle with dinner.  B.  Drink over the next year.  Was $9.99 at Arrowine in Arlington.  Imported by A W Direct, Inc, of Novato, CA.

2010 Domaine les Ondines COTES DU RHONE "La Buissonnade" (Southern France)

A good, cheap entry level Cotes du Rhone.  At its price point, it delivers.

Luminescent dark ruby/violet.  Medium intensity nose of ripe, spicy, black raspberries, tart acidity (yes, you can smell the acidity), and high-toned stoniness.  Dark spicy blackberry/black cherry fruit with loads of rocky minerals and a teensy bit of iodiney burnt herbs.  Not terribly concentrated, and the finish thins out quicker than I'd like, but the flavors and balance make this a nice, refreshing weekday dinner accompaniment.  B.  Imported by Wine Traditions of Falls Church, VA, this wine was $9.99 at Arrowine in Arlington.

(Sorry, 2007 depicted).

2008 Podere Canneta SAN GIMIGNANO ROSSO "Zenit" (Tuscany, Italy)

From the Tuscan town known for, in my view, one of the most overrated white wines in the world, this Sangiovese-based red is basically akin to a good Chianti, which is, unsurprisingly, the larger region within which this town is located.  Are there better Chiantis at this pricepoint?  Maybe a few.  But this is very tasty and also is a conversation piece because of its unusual appellation.

Dark ruby garnet.  Very typically Chianti-like nose of dry gravelly/schisty earthiness infusing winey cherries.  Bone dry in the mouth, with good acids and a cheek-coating dose of soft tannins.  Flavors of dry leather and earthy chokecherries.  Fairly-full bodied, with lots of schisty minerals and a slight bit of heat in the fairly long finish.  B.  Was $14.99 at The Italian Store (Lee Hwy & Spout Run, in Arlington).  Imported by Michael R. Downey Selections, Woodbridge, VA.

2009 Boas Vinhas DAO (Portugal)

A very easy-drinking wine that will go with practically anything you could make for dinner (except fish).  And it's inexpensive.

Dark ruby color.  Loads of spicy plummy fruit accented by some subtle rocky minerality.  Ripe, fruity, and very soft in the mouth.  Not particularly concentrated, but goes down very easy with food (what the French call "gouyelant," I believe).  Fairly low in acidity, but pure and clean on the finish.  Drink over the next year.  B.  Was $9.99 at Arrowine.  Imported by Wine in Motion, New Jersey (which I've never heard of).  40% Touriga Nacional, 30% Tinta Roriz, 30% Alfrocheiro (never heard of that last varietal).

2006 Robert Young Winery "Red Winery Road" CABERNET SAUVIGNON (Alexander Valley, Cal.)

I don't drink many California Cabs (they're pricey and many are the furthest thing from food-friendly) but I do have a weakness for the occasional Alexander Valley wine.  They tend to be softer, broader, and friendlier, with a clean, loamy earthiness.  This one is pretty typical of the genre.

Soft-hued dark ruby.  Rich, ripe cassis/blackberry fruit, accented with a modest amount of sweet vanillin from the French oak and the open Alexander Valley earthiness there in the background.  Soft and mouthfilling, with dark-toned ripe red fruit and a mouth-coating sweet graphite component.  Finishes dry and very minerally, still with some soft tannin.  Would pair nicely with roast prime rib or an Argentine-style beef cutlet "Milanese."  B+.  I got this from WTSO.com for $30 several months ago.

2009 Domaine Nebout SAINT-POURCAIN (Central France)

From an area in Central France directly west of Macon -- and near no other appellations I know of -- this blend of Gamay and Pinot Noir is not necessarily a great wine (in terms of what excites wine critics) but is a fantastically flexible dinner wine.

Very light ruby garnet color.  At first the nose displayed a fair amount of barnyardy earthiness, but with air the earthiness receded and the wine showed off tangy grapey-crisp cherry scents with an earthiness that reminded me of river stones. Barely medium light-bodied, but with minerally crisp cherry and lemon juice flavors, great acids, a soft texture, and a refreshing finish.  I went fantastically with leftover provencal chicken (here's the recipe).  I wish it were a bit cheaper, but certainly give this a shot to see how a wine SHOULD fit in with a meal.  (Hint, it shouldn't be something that contrasts so vividly that it distracts your attention away from the meal, but should feel like a complementary liquid extension of the food.)  In the abstract, this is a B.  With the chicken, it was an A.  Was $14.99 at Arrowine in Arlington.  Imported by Dionysis Imports, Manassas, VA.

2010 Viejo Isaias Clasico BONARDA (Mendoza, Argentina)

Typical modern "international style" red.  Big, fleshy, extracted, and oaky . . . but it's almost impossible to tell what is is and where it's from.

Almost fully-saturated black ruby.  Oaky nose, featuring loads of baker's chocolate and some jammy dark berry fruit underneath.  Dark, chocolatey flavors as well.  In terms of flavor intensity, there's a lot here, but it tastes more like some labor-intensive mocha drink from Starbucks than a Bonarda (which should have loads of red berry fruit and good acids).  If you like the oaky, way ripe, very extracted "international style," you'll like this more than I did.  To me, this is a C+.  Was $9.99 at the Clarendon-area Whole Foods in Arlington.  Imported by Kysela Pere et Fils. 

2009 Laurent Martray BROUILLY Vieilles Vignes "Combiaty" (Beaujolais region, France)

Fruity and fun, this wine satisfies in a simple, straightforward way.  At least if you're, like me, a Beaujolais fan.

Brilliant, crystalline ruby color.  Very bright, vibrant, crunchy, grapey scents, with a light note of clean, stony minerality.  Medium-light bodied, with dry, clean crisp cherry and grape flavors, fading into a stony finish.  Great acidity makes it feel very crisp and refreshing.  Very clean, medium length finish.  A great accompaniment to light dinners.  (I had it with spicy Thai basil chicken, however, which kind of overwhelmed the wine.)  B.  Was $15.99 at Arrowine.  Imported by Elite Wine Imports, Lorton, VA.

2009 Santo Cristo GARNACHA (Campo de Borja, Spain)

Yet another pure-tasting, deeply-flavored Spanish Grenache at a bargain price.  Sometimes I just crave that straightforward, succulent raspberry extract fruit that these Iberian beauties frequently deliver.  No, they don't have the complexity of Chateauneufs, but they're 1/4 of the price.

Crystalline dark ruby with magenta highlights.  Stunningly vibrant, deep, electric nose of reduced ripe raspberry extract, lemons, and clean, cracked river stones. Full-bodied, intense flavors of black raspberry and black cherry fruit, with a dark, clean minerality in the finish.  Mouthfilling and weighty, but with good acids, this wine is a great choice for weekday casseroles, stews, and braises.  Heck, this would be plenty fun on one of those weekends between paychecks.  Not complex, but it satisfies.  Drink over the next year.  B+.  Imported by Europvin USA, this was $9.99 at Arrowine in Arlington.

A Bleg: Intel on DC/Northern Virginia area wine shops

Here's a "bleg" (blog beg) to any readers either living in the DC/Northern Virginia area or otherwise familiar with the wine shops there:

What are your views on the best wine shops around? Keep in mind that my preferences are for stores with a broad selection from offbeat or otherwise underappreciated regions and grapes.  I really don't care who's got the best selection of first growth Bordeaux, DRC, or cult cabs.  I'm familiar with Arrowine in Arlington, which I think is exactly the kind of shop I love.  Please include comments about why you like any shops you mention.

Thanks!

The First Virginia Post: 2009 Crivelli RUCHÉ DI CASTAGNOLE MONFERRATO (Piemonte, Italy)

Well, I finally have a computer and an Internet connection here, so I guess it's time for my first post.  And this wine is unique and very good.  Ruché (or Ruchet) is a varietal indigenous to Piemonte, but there are not many who grow it.  I haven't seen one since I lived in NYC in the mid-80s (from Giuseppe Scarpa), so it was a treat to see it in Arlington (and at a reasonable price).  Loads of unique fragrance, a smooth texture, and a light, refreshing feel in the mouth characterize this very food flexible wine.

Light, vivid ruby color.  The fragrance is ridiculous, bright, licorice-inflected dark plum candy fruit and a vivid cracked stone note.  Smooth, loaded with ripe, clingy fruit, but with good acidity and medium weight.  Gorgeously rich, but not heavy, plummy fruit. Not a wine to age, enjoy this over the next 12-18 months with pastas, pizza, Chinese take out, or, like I did, with take out from Crisp and Juicy, my favorite South American cheap roast chicken joint (in Arlington).  B+.  Was $15.99 at Arrowine (which is on the same block as Crisp and Juicy).  Imported by Michael R. Downey Selections of Lorton, VA.

Happy 2012 and Big Changes

In two days I will be moving from Houston to Northern Virginia to take an exciting new job.  I'll have to change the name of the wine blog, I guess, since Virginia is more of a purple state than a red state.  But having visited that area many, many times for vacations and holidays (many members of my wife's extended family are in that area), I know of several interesting wine shops and hope to discover many more.  So my plan is to keep on blogging after I get settled in.  There may be a brief (or slightly more than brief) hiatus, however, during the transition.

Best wishes to all of my blog visitors for the new year!

2010 Chateau L'Ermitage COSTIERES DE NIMES Rose (Rhone Valley, France)

A great value in a crisp, fresh, dry, flavorful rose.

Very light bubblegum pink with coppery highlights. Beautifully fruity nose of strawberry, watermelon, and crisp grapes, with a note of brothy earthiness adding some complexity.  Direct, fresh, and fairly full-bodied for a rose, yet not heavy at all.  Loads of minerally crisp cherryish fruit, and a clean, buoyant finish.  B+.  Imported by Miller Squared.  I think I got this for around $10 at Spec's on Weslayan, but I'm not 100% sure.

(Sorry: 2008 depicted)

2007 Domaine Philippe Gilbert MENETOU-SALON Rouge (Loire Valley, France

I had heard of and enjoyed red Sancerre before, but I did not know until I saw this wine that the nearby town of Menetou-Salon (known for its Sauvignon Blanc-based whites) made any red at all.  This was a very nice, lean, light, minerally Pinot Noir.

Light garnet color with some amber at the rim.  Intensely earthy/barnyardy at first, but that blew off after a while and the wine displayed classic PN scents of minerally-infused, zippy but sappy cherry fruit and dry spice cake.  Fills the mouth with flavors but feels very light on its feet, with bone-dry spiced cherry extract and a long, stony/minerally finish.  Excellent acids.  Long, clingy finish.  Very distinctive. A-.  Imported by Neal Rosenthal, I got this for about $30 at Houston Wine Merchant.

(Sorry: 2006 pictured)

2007 La Bastide Blanche BANDOL (Provence, France)

This was a classic example of a Bandol red -- deep, a little rustic in texture (from the Mourvedre) but slowly opening with air time to reveal great, earthy scents and deep flavors.  Would be fantastic with a French pot roast like a daube.

Nearly saturated black ruby with a brick tint.  Closed and unyielding at first, but after being opened a few days under  Vacu-Vin closure, it showed a very fragrant, low-toned nose of ripe berry and plum fruit, with lots of sweaty, earthy scents.  Still very tannic-feeling in the mouth, but with nicely-developed, ripe flavors of fragrant earth, spicy dark berry fruit, and a hint of minerally baker's chocolate.  Long, tannic finish.  This will keep and improve for 4-7 years in a cool cellar.  Impressive, traditionally-styled Bandol.  A.  Imported by Weygandt-Metzler, I can't remember where I got this or for how much.  Sorry!

2007 Mounts Family Winery ZINFANDEL (Dry Creek Valley)

A large-scaled, nicely-rendered Zin.  Harmonious and rich.

Dark ruby-garnet color.  Closed nose at first, but opened the second day (under a Vacu-Vin closure) to reveal lovely, sweet black raspberry scents, along with sweet wisps of high-toned woodsmoke and brown sugar.  Full-bodied, rich, and deep, with ripe, mouthcoating fruit and a subdued, earthy/minerally component that grows on the long, warm finish.  B+.  Was about $23 at Houston Wine Merchant.

2005 Chateau Caronne-Ste. Gemme HAUT-MEDOC (Bordeaux, France)

A decent, but unexciting, Bordeaux.  A little too thin and diluted for my taste.

Dark black ruby color with some brick at the rim.  Medium intensity nose of slightly scorched gravel, old cedar shavings, and a bit of bright plummy fruit.  Fades in the mouth quickly, however, ending with drying tannins and scorched mineral, brambly blackberry, and dried leave flavors.  B-.  About $20 at Spec's.  Not worth it.

2007 Dry Creek Vineyards "Old Vine" ZINFANDEL (Dry Creek Valley)

A very nicely-done, larger framed but balanced Zin.  For those who favor a lusher, richer style of Zin.

Nearly saturated black ruby color.  Rich nose of spicy blackberry syrup, and crumbling, warm sandstone.  Deep and mouthfilling, it features stone-infused dark berry fruit and a long, warm, intensely clingy finish.  Very full-bodied, but avoids being ponderous or out of balance.  A real mouthful.  B+.  This was a gift, but Spec's sells it for just under $25.