Tasting Notes week of February 7, 2011 2008 Mazzocco Zinfandel Stone Ranch Alexander Valley color: purple, med intensity nose: med+ intensity, chocolate syrup, fino sherry, brown sugar, dry, acid med + trannin med + body med alc est 14.5 finish med + Style note: rich and concentrated Alexander Valley Zin with ripe concentrated blue [...]

2009 Martín Códax Albariño Rías Baixas (Spain, Galicia, Rías Baixas) Color: medium straw nose: med+ intensity, a certain briny nature, soft scent of ripe fruit such as peach and apricot, a sense of minerality palate: med+ intensity, dry, acid mes med+ tannin low body med alc est 12.5 finish med+ Style note: Briny minerality and [...]

  2009 Franciscan Oakville Estate Sauvignon Blanc color: pale straw – near water white nose: med intensity, grapefruit, white flowers, palate: dry, acid is med+ tannin zero body med alc est 13 finish med+ Flavors include white grapefruit, white flowers, a very light and delicate and floral approach Style note: With its light spritz of [...]

These wines would pair very well with lobster … 2007 Dierberg Chardonnay (USA, California, Central Coast, Santa Maria Valley) color: straw, med intensity nose: med intensity, very sweet butter, some golden apple palate: dry, acid is med+ tannin is low (oak?) body is med alc is est 13.5 finish is med+ Style note: Racy acidity [...]

2005 De Lorimier Mosaic (USA, California, Sonoma County, Alexander Valley)  color: Opaque, purple, scintillating aroma: med+ intensity, very balanced and elegant nose of smooth black fruit, vanilla and sweet violet suggests oak treatment palate: dry, acid med tannin med body med alc 13.5 finish med + Style note: Extremely well balanced and delicious bordeaux blend [...]

. … so I am in Canada to celebrate the Icewine festival. It is a picture perfect snowy day and my host is Inniskillin winery, who has one of the most quality wines in the region. Today the winery, located in Niagra-on-the-Lake, is covered in fresh snow. I am standing on the current site called [...]

  … so tonight I tried the 2006 Sangiovese and Malbec from de Lorimier. The varietals had nothing in common save that they are produced by the same California winery in the Alexander Valley, so other than this, there was no real "comparison." I thought they were both excellent examples of the California take on [...]

  Very exited to receive a case of de Lorimier’s new offerings … and really thrilled to see that among the goodies are two Cabernet Sauvignon 2006 from different vineyards. one is from Dry Creek Valley, Warm Springs Ranch, and the other is from the Alexander Valley, Crazy Creek Ranch. So without reading the notes [...]

This week I’ve tasted some excellent wines!     2006 Wilson Cabernet Sauvignon (USA, California, Sonoma County, Dry Creek Valley)   color – purple, medium intensity, med trans nose: med+ intensity, spice, black berry, black currant, oak palate: dry acid med tannin med+ (full, rich) body med+ alc est 15 finish med+ On the palate: complexity, [...]

… okay, so maybe it’s a bit unfair to compare a 2008 and 2007 Bourgogne from two different regions. Yet when a favorite wine store clerk suggested I try the Domaine Michel Gros 2007 (around $30, but splurge, it’s the holidays) and 2008 Domaine Rollin (mid-twenties?)I was game Both were very good, yet perhaps the [...]

  Blackstone Sonoma Reserve Pinot Noir 2009 With its velvet texture, nose of well sorted fresh grapes, and fresh flavors, this is a well balanced New World Pinot that can match many foods, especially salmon, pork, rare duck. Mazzocco Sonoma Petite Syrah Aguilera 2007 Very sleek and elegant wine that would pair well with a [...]

  Have you ever wondered about the Mencia grape? The first time I experienced it was at the Cervantes Institute in Manhattan, where wine program creator Helio San Miguel presented a checkerboard of wines made from the Mencia grape to try. Very interesting … A Do-It-Yourself and simpler approach is to ask your friendly wine [...]

  So a friend and I were at Barney’s today (a fashionable department store in NYC, with a bustling restaurant) and one look at the wine list presented an attractive opportunity to casually compare a Chianti Classico with Rosso di Montalchino. Why compare? As a student in a wine-related educational program, there’s the very real [...]

    One of the hallmarks of a good sommelier is the ability to match customers with the right wine, as well as match wine to the correct dish. Only a floor sommelier can tell you which is easier, yet one of the things I like best about Aldo Sohm, head sommelier at Le Bernardin [...]

J. Lohr is a California producer of many different varietals, and increasingly, many different vineyards. I had the good fortune recently to receive a case of 2008 wines and must say all are of exceptional quality for the price.  If I had to choose my two favorites, they would be the Chardonnay and the 2007 [...]

  Thinking of rose champagne this holiday season? Everyone loves the happy bright  cheerful color of rose champagne, and also the taste that goes along with the extra addition from the Pinot Noir. The wines below are great food wines and many can also be served as an aperatif. The wines below were part of [...]

  Have you tried a themed tasting? In studying for my MW (Master of Wine) program, I typically ask wine stores to send wine blind (wrapped in bags) to try them with a friend before dinner and deduce what they are. Just recently, I decided to ask the stores to create "themed" tastings, which is [...]

  Do you love Riesling wine? After spending three days in Germany recently on a Master of Wine sponsored trip, I am absolutely amazed at the quality, minerality, and incredible power of these wines. So you can understand that when I received a case of wines from Valckenberg recently, you can imagine my delight – [...]

  Cantina di Soave … I’ve had the occasion to taste some interesting whites this week, and all four of them would be perfect for to accompany dishes for a Thanksgiving dinner. Let’s go to Italy for the first. Cantina di Soave produces two "Soave" wines, both with very different taste profiles. If you are [...]

  You’ve heard of Franciacorta, yes? It is the high end Italian sparkler people compare to the best French champagne. In fact, give a friend a blind tasting test and that individual would be hard pressed to identify the French champagne. The reason is because Franciacorta is a specific DOCG region in the north of [...]