In this episode, Jeff tries two wines from Lindeman’s Bin Series…
Wines Tasted in This Episode:
Lindeman’s 2010 Bin 99 Pinot Noir
Lindeman’s 2010 Bin 50 Shiraz
Stay Rad Wine Blog TV Episode 16: #AussieWine on Australia G’day
January 26, 2012Baby Showers and Brewskis
January 23, 2012Kara and I hit up a baby shower last weekend near Sacramento.
Check out the art I made with some left-over clothespins from one of the games…
Lincoln Logs in the Ghetto
On the way back from the baby shower, we stopped by the Pyramid Alehouse in Walnut Creek with some friends for dinner.
The restaurant was fairly packed, so we decided to get a drink in the bar while we waited for our table.
The Bar at the Alehouse
The four of us split a pitcher of the Draught Pale Ale…
Pyramid Draught Pale Ale
For a pale ale, this bad boy was amber in color. The beer had a medium head. It had a clean aroma and flavor. The palate was quite malty. There was not so much as a hint of hops to it.
The beer was okay, just not what I expected.
Score: 3 (out of 5) bottle caps
We finished up the pitcher…
Where'd it all go?
And were promptly seated… behind the bar.
The view from out table behind the bar.
We ordered up another round…
A view through the brew...
And I got myself the Black and Blue Burger…
You gots ta order it medium, foo.
The burger was covered with cajun spices, smothered with crumbled blue cheese, and topped with a scattering of shoe string onions…
Delicious!
Kara ordered some sweet potato fries with curry. I could not help but dip each of my fries into her curry sauce.
Super dope!
The food at the Pyramid Alehouse was pretty good. I just wish the beer was better…
You know what I’m sayin, baby.
Stay Rad,
Jeff
Drowning My Sorrows in Guac or Let’s Go Pats… I Guess
January 22, 2012Look…
You know I’m a 49er fan, so I feel I need to backtrack to earlier this day…
There was so much hope…
I made this killer guac!
Killer!
We were headed over to visit some friends to see the NFC Championship Game.
Niners…
Giants…
Winner goes to the Super Bowl against the Patriots…
Loser goes home.
Considering this was a football party, I was prepared for copious amounts of “junk food”.
Knowing this, I was on the lookout for the perfect wine to pair for the event.
Here’s what I chose…
Piper Sonoma Brut sparkling wine...
Here’s how it went down…
Color: Pale yellow.
Nose: The aroma was dominated by lime fruit with a bit of peach, followed by a touch of yeast.
Taste: This is a mineral driven wine. Tons of river rocks covered with a lime fruit acidity. There is a medium finish of fresh-baked sour dough bread. Quite dope.
Score: 88
First, I paired the wine with some potato chips… The acidity cut right through the fatiness of the chips to give a round and smooth finish.
Next, I tried the Piper Sonoma with some guacamole… The crisp wine provided a nice contrast to the creaminess of the guac.
Back to the game…
You can look up the final score on the interweb.
All I remember is that we went to overtime…
My buddies and I decided to text pictures of food to each other for luck.
Dave Thevegtetarian sent me a picture of pizza dough, so I fired back with this…
Cheese Balls!
He came back with some mixed nuts, so I shot this pic…
Deviled Eggs... Ewwwwwwwwww!!!!!!!!!
Next thing I knew, the Giants kicked a field goal to win the game…
Shucks!
The crowd scattered in an instant.
Now I’m home, and I just don’t know what to do…
At least I got this guac…
Let's go Pats... I guess.
Thanks for a great season, Niners.
Stay Rad,
Jeff
Stay Rad Wine Blog TV Episode 15: What a Treat
January 20, 2012Jeff gets another blind wine to try. A treat? Let’s find out…
Wine tasted in this Episode…
Rex-Goliath NV Cabernet Sauvignon (The NV stands for Non-Vintage… or Not VeryAwesome)
Stay Rad Wine Blog TV Episode 14: Que Syrah Syrah
January 19, 2012In this episode, Jeff honors the first big rain of the season with the Sterling 2008 Vintner’s Collection Central Coast Syrah.
Stay Rad,
Jeff
Where did everybody go? A lazy Sunday at Sarah’s Vineyard.
January 16, 2012I know. I know.
Sundays tend to be pretty quiet… for many a reason.
Fridays and Saturdays are meant for staying up late. For going all out.
I get it.
Sundays are all about rest… recovery… relaxation.
You’ve got to recharge for the work week.
Sundays are meant for TV’s and burritos.
But not this Sunday.
Not in the middle of the weekend when we celebrate the life of Dr. Martin Luther King Jr.
Not when we have Monday off.
Not all of us.
Not most of us.
But many of us.
At least more than usual.
Not on a clear day in the mid sixties in the middle of January.
On days like this, you must go wine tasting.
You must.
How else are you going to celebrate life… That, and a Forty Niner victory.
So, when Kara and I showed up to Sarah’s Vineyard in Gilroy, I just had to wonder…
Where did everybody go? A lazy day at Sarah's Vineyard.
When we walked through the doors of the tasting room at Sarah’s Vineyard, we were shocked to discover that we were the only guests there.
At one o’clock.
On a Sunday.
During a three-day weekend.
When the wine is this good!
Here’s how it went down…
Sarah’s Vineyard 2010 Jour de Joie:
This is a very clean white Rhone blend of Roussanne, Marsanne, and Grenache Blanc. Nice floral notes, with a touch of oak. A bit oily, but in a good way. Give it an 86+.
One thing that’s neat about the location of Sarah’s Vineyard is that straddles both the Santa Cruz Mountains and Santa Clara Valley appellations. Both growing their own grapes, and sourcing from nearby vineyards, they have the ability to display the microclimatic influences of fruit that is grown just a few miles apart. This is never more true when we were able to compare two of their current Chardonnays.
Sarah’s Vineyard 2009 Santa Cruz Mountains Chardonnay:
This Chardonnay has some good red apple and asian pear fruit, rounded out by lemon-flavored acidity and custard. A food-friendly wine that can stand on its own. 87+
Sarah's Vineyard 2009 Central Coast Chardonnay
Sarah’s Vineyard 2009 Central Coast Chardonnay:
In contrast with the Santa Cruz Mountains effort, this Central Coast Chardonnay is a citrus-driven wine. Think grapefruit juice and orange zest. There is a beautiful, creamy finish to this one. Give it a solid 88.
Sarah’s Vineyard 2008 Cote de Madone:
A Silver Medal winner in the 2011 SF Chronicle Wine Competition, one could consider the Cote de Madone Rhone blend to be their flagship wine. This blend of Grenache, Syrah, Mourvedre, Carignane, and Counoise brings a dark red to purple color to the glass. There is a huge nose of cherry and leather. The palate is loaded with dark fruit, spice, and a rich, meaty finish. Good stuff! 89
Sarah's Vineyard 2007 Fifty Fifty
Sarah’s Vineyard 2007 Fifty Fifty:
Sometimes, you don’t have to over-complicate wine. Sometimes you just do an even blend of Cabernet Sauvignon and Merlot, and let the fruit speak for itself. This wine is simple. This wine is reserved. This wine has depth. Cherries and blueberries up front give way to a long finish of leather and spice. The subtle use of oak allows the Santa Clara Valley to speak to your palate. My palate likes what it hears. 89+
Sarah’s Vineyard 2007 Santa Cruz Mountains Merlot:
A great nose of soil and chocolate. The palate is dominated by juicy dark cherries and fine tannins. A very nice cool-climate Merlot. 89
To finish off our flight, our server poured us something special…
Sarah's Vineyard 2007 Nuits d'Enfer... Yeah... It's special.
Say it with me... "New-Ee Dawn-Fair!"
Sarah’s Vineyard 2007 Nuits d’Enfer:
Have you ever “painted the town red”? That’s what it means when a French dude talks about the “Nights of Hell” (the literal translation of Nuits d’Enfer). This red wine is mainly Merlot, with a touch of Charbono and Cabernet Sauvignon. There is a BIG hit of blue and black fruit on this nose. On the palate, the wine is powdery fine with its tannic structure. Good blueberry fruit gives way to tobacco and spice. At 20 bucks, this is a great wine if you plan on tying one on… Or… if you just wanna taste something really good. You should get this. 90+
We had a great time as Sarah’s Vineyards, and you will too.
Lazy Sundays be damned.
Stay Rad,
Jeff
Apocalypse Wow!
January 15, 2012So…
A few weeks back, I got a text from my old friend Nick Thedrummer with a photo of the Francis Coppola Monterey County Pinot Noir that read…
You should do a Stay Rad episode about this one. I’d be interested to see what you u think cause I found this to be pretty damn delicious
My reply?
I’ve had other Coppolas, but not the peen-o
I’ll check it out
You know that all the Diamond Collection wines from Francis Coppola (the movie director turned wine maker) can be found almost everywhere… and they are always a good value, so I made a mental note of the wine. The last time I was in Target, I saw the wine for 19 bucks, but I was in the mood for something else… so I let it slide (and subsequently forgot about it).
Last week, I came up on some tickets for the 49ers vs Saints playoff game. Kara was gonna be out of town, so I asked Nick if he wanted to go.
He was hella down.
So…
Early this past Saturday morning, Nick and I met up to head out to the game.
Once we got to the parking lot outside of Candlestick Park, I was prepared to throw back some brewskies when Nick pulled out this badboy…
Francis Coppola 2010 Monterey County Pinot Noir
Never one to turn down a taste of the grape juice, I was all…
Let’s do this!
So…
Let’s do this!
Clear plastic cup. You know what's up.
Color: Classic burgundy in color. Very light… As Pinot Noir should be.
Nose: This wine has a big, fruit-forward nose dominated by blackberry. There are secondary aromas of green bell pepper and rubber.
Taste: This “value” wine has mad layers of flavor. There is a huge, black pepper explosion with a twist of lemon juice up front that gives way to some good strawberry fruit. I was surprised by the loooooooooong leather baseball glove finish.
Score: No doubt. This wine was delicous. As much as I love the varietal, I have trouble picking out Pinot Noirs at the store without tasting them because they are often over-priced. With as many gems (like this one) as there are at this price point, there are twice as many disappointments. The Coppola is not one of them. Give it an 89, and don’t wait until the apocalypse to pick this one up. Get it now!
The wine really set the mood for what turned out to be a pretty awesome day…
A view of The Stick from the lot. The bay gave way to an amazing combination of sea salt and rotten eggs.
Gearing Up!
Game Time!
"Who's got it better than us?"
"Noooooooooooobody!"
Niners Win!
Victory Lap
Candlestick Park at night. The blurry white stuff is trash. It never looked so beautiful.
Stay Rad,
Jeff
Stay Rad Wine Blog TV Episode 13: Two Wines… Two Vines
January 13, 2012In this episode, Jeff tastes two wines from Columbia Crest’s Two Vines Series along with a ribeye steak. Hey… his wife is out of town. What would you do?
Columbia Crest 2009 Two Vines Merlot-Cabernet
Columbia Crest 2009 Two Vines Cabernet Sauvignon
Stay Rad,
Jeff
Stay Rad Wine Blog TV Episode 12: Chinon You Cuvee Diamond
January 7, 2012In this episode, Jeff tastes his first wine of 2012… This Chinon is the bomb!
Stay Rad,
Jeff
The Rad List: The Raddest of the Rad from 2011
January 3, 2012We are only three days into the new year (2012 incase you forgot), but I feel I’ve been late to the party in putting together my “Best Wines of 2011” list.
On the real…
I’ve been reading these wrap-up posts on other blogs since the beginning of December.
The reason why I’ve been slow on delivering my own list is two-fold:
1. Knowing that I would be tasting quite a bit of wine over my winter vacation, I wanted to make sure to wait until the very end of 2011 to put together my list.
2. I wanted to come up with a unique angle with which to approach my “Top Wines of 2011” list. The reality is that there is nothing original about making these lists. Nothing. Even blogging about why these lists are not original is not original.
But, I have to make one…
I have to.
It’s my way of putting a nice little bow on my first (half) year of wine blogging.
What you are about to read is an alphabetical list of my most memorable wines from 2011. These are not necessarily the top scoring wines that I tasted in 2011 (for that, just take a look at my Rad Wine Reviews page). These are the wines that were delicious, thought-provoking, and just plain rad. Along with each wine, I’ll give you the reason why I picked them, as well as my original tasting notes.
So…
Without further ado…
The Rad List: The Raddest of the Rad from 2011
1. Argyle 2009 Nuthouse Pinot Noir – 93
I tasted this delicious Oregon Pinot Noir (the one in the middle of the table) at one of Cin-Cin Wine Bar’s tasting events, and have been obsessing about it ever since. Though pricey, I wish I would have bought a bottle or two. Here are my original tasting notes…
Argyle 2009 Nuthouse Pinot Noir (Dundee $61): Quite possibly the best Pinot Noir I have ever had the pleasure of tasting. The gentleman serving the wine informed us that the Nuthouse vineyard used to be a nut farm. In the wine, you can definitely taste the earthy flavors from the soil. There is a bigtime macadamia and marcona almond presence in the mid-palate of this wine. Plenty of herbaceous notes on the finish… particularly rosemary. You have to try this. 93 big ass points.
2. Aver Family Vineyards 2007 Blessings Petite Sirah – 92
I just had to put in this wine from Aver Family Vineyards. This is an amazing wine from a small producer in Gilroy, CA.
Color: DARK Ruby Red… DARK!
Nose: Inky blueberry and chalk. Dope!
Taste: If this wine were a country music band, it would be called Big and Rich, because it is big and rich. The tannins are round and rad. There’s a bunch of ripe, lingering blue and blackberry fruit on the palate. It’s F-ing D-Lish!
Score: A BIG 92 for a BIG wine.
Mmmmmmmmmm…
3. BV 2009 Coastal Estates Cabernet Sauvignon – 88 – 89+ (Depending on whether or not you are using a blender…)
Look…
This is not the best wine on the list.
Some may find it to be the worst.
But…
What other wine are you going to put in a blender?
Please note that YouTube made me chop the video in half. Watch part 4.1 first, silly!
And now, part 4.2…
4. Chateau Gombaude Guillot 1996 Pomerol – 93
I did a huge Bordeaux tasting at Cin-Cin Wine Bar a while back. This wine (second from the right) turned me on to the wonder and majesty of the Pomerol region of Bordeaux, France.
Chateau Gombaude Guillot 1996 Pomerol ($60): Oh my! The nose this wine is just dope! Loads of juicy blackberry get smoothed out with tannins of delicious cigar tobacco leaf. Wow! Sometimes I wish you could taste these things with me. Wow! 93
5. Chateau Haut-Peyraguey 2005 Sauternes – 91
I’m loving Sauternes… THEE dessert wine of Bordeaux. This one (pictured on the far left) was pretty much my favorite from 2011. Let’s go to the notes…
Chateau Haut-Peyraguey 2005 Sauternes ($56): Jon capped off our tasting with this Permier Cru chateau from the epic 2005 vintage. In comparison to the L’Alliance, the Haut-Peyraguey is much more reserved with its fruit. This is a yeast-driven Sauternes (the way I think it should be). This dessert wine has a good sweetness, but it is not obnoxious. 91
Not obnoxious indeed.
6. Justin 2008 Cabernet Sauvignon, Paso Robles, California – 91
Justin case you wanted to know what I thought of this one…
Color: This wine is a dark beet red.
Nose: There is an immediate smell of lush dark plums. There are hints of smoke, leather, and blackberry. There is also this chalky mocha thing that I love. You know me by now. I’m a teacher. I love chalk!
Taste: Up front, there is a tart cran-raspberry cocktail flavor. The tannins are very soft, round, and pleasant. Probably because it is free run juice; it is very silky. It has a long, tart, mouth-watering finish. There is just a little bit of a buttery pie crust (or maybe crescent roll) component.
I’m a big fan of the Justin. This wine would pair well with a thick bloody steak. Give it a 91, and buy it.
I’m Justin love with this one.
7. Kirkland Signature 2009 Cuvee de Nalys Chateauneuf-du-Pape – 91
Money can’t buy you class, but it can buy you a killer Chateauneuf-du-Pape at CostCo.
Don’t look at me like that!
Here…
Next, we hit up the Kirkland Signature 2009 Cuvee de Nalys Chateauneuf-du-Pape from CostCo. A blend of 59% Grenache, 25% Syrah, 4% Vaccarese, 4% Counoise, 3% Mourvedre, 3% Muscardin, and 2% Cinsault, the Cuvee de Nalys is sourced from 3 of the premier vineyards of the region.
Color: Dark ruby red. Darker than the Quinson.
Nose: Big chalk, raspberry, and orange zest.
Taste: There are some nice powdery tannins that coat the whole mouth. It’s hella smooth. The fruit is cranberry and orange. I’ve never really experienced orange as a flavor profile on a red wine before. Though it was unexpected, I loved it! There are some spices of clove and nutmeg on the back-end. I’m getting some tires as well.
Score: This would be the perfect wine for a festive holiday meal (if only there were one of those days coming up soon… if only). Rad! 91
8. L’Authentique la Caumette NV Red Table Wine – 88 (90 w/ food)
A perfect example of why you drink wine with food… Plus, that burger was awesome.
Color: This wine is as red as red can get without being black. I’m talking BLACK! It’s what I would envision the back alley of Fangtasia from True Blood to look like.
Nose: My fist thought is of orange zest. Very ripe, but acidic in nature. There is a chalky feel to this nose. I love chalk. Throughout it all, there is a red raspberry fruit that balances everything out.
Taste: On the initial attack, there are these extremely dry, mouth-filling tannins. They are lasting 30+ seconds, easily. Dee-lish!
There is that same orange zest component that I smelled earlier, but it is rounded out with hints of lemon and lime. There is this not-so-ripe strawberry flavor that is really nice. Great acidity!
I just took my first bite of the burger…
It is F-ing Amazing!
The beefiness of the burger, paired with the lactic notes of the blue cheese and tanginess of the aioli bring out some chocolaty tones from the wine. It gives my entire mouth a rich milky feel.
You have to respect this wine for what it is. A red table wine. What do we put on our tables?
Food.
By itself, the wine is a solid 88. With food? Give it a 90. This is the perfect wine for a weeknight meal with the wife. And a steal at 5 bucks.
Pair it with Pizza, Pasta, Burgers, the Bachelorette, and possibly the Bad Girls Club. This wine is THAT versatile!
9. Mas Que Vinos 2007 Ercavio Tempranillo Roble – 90
From my first wine review for Stay Rad…
Color: This wine is a DARK ruby. There is a not quite rusty rose color along the outer edge of the glass.
Nose: One sniff of this tempranillo filled my mouth with cocoa powder. You know how you’ll be opening a packet of instant cocoa and a cloud of powder wafts up to your nose? THAT kind of cocoa powder. The chalkiness of the nose also reminds me of opening the box for a new bicycle tube. There is a green component to this wine as well. Slightly minty. A little like fresh lettuce from the garden. There is a deep note of plum.
Taste: I don’t want this to throw you off. My first thought in drinking this wine was of a grapefruit. Imagine that tart citrus component of a grapefruit. Now take away the mouth-puckering sour aspect. I guess I’d call it essence of grapefruit.
I’ve got to tell you, I could not have asked for a better wine to score first for you. This is THE threshold for me. I’m giving it 90 points, and I’m telling you that you MUST try this.
10. Ridge 2009 Perrone Cabernet Franc – 92
You know I could not have done a “Best Of” post without mentioning Ridge. The Perrone is not necessarily the best Ridge I tasted in 2011, but it is the most interesting. It’s also a wine that most folks will never be able to taste. Plus… You get to laugh at my lack of pinky strength on these notes…
11. Sonoma-Cutrer 2007 The Cutrer Chardonnay – 91
Though I do love the varietal, this is the only Chardonnay on the list. These notes were taken while folks in white clothes played croquet in the distance…
2007 The Cutrer Chardonnay ($35): For me, this was the pick of the litter. A classic, rich and viscous, creamy chardonnay. This guy was big, but not goopy. The Cutrer showed balance and restraint. You must try this 91-pointer.
12. F.E. Trimbach 2008 Riesling, Alsace, France – 91
The wine that changed everything for me (much like the movie “NeverEnding Story”). I order it almost every time I see it on a wine list at a restaurant.Color: The Trimbach was a straw yellow.
Nose: The Trimbach was hella complex on the nose. Tons of small, not quite ripe, green apples. White raisins. There’s this crushed vitamin C characteristic that is really cool. There’s also a little lime, fig, and motor oil. The Rock Biter would also appreciate the lime stone minerality of it.
Taste: This is where it gets fun. The Trimbach is RAZOR SHARP in its acidity. I never understood the whole “Razor blades on the tongue” description that Gary Vaynerchuk talks about until I tasted this Riesling. This is intense! There’s a ton of lime and grapefruit on the palate. There are also hints of green apple skin and walnut. But really… the star of this wine is the dry, sharp, mouth-watering acidity.
Score: By all accounts, the Trimbach was everything I’ve read about Alsatian Rieslings, but nothing I could have ever expected. This wine is a game changer for me. I could write about this wine until my fingers fall off, and you still wouldn’t understand it. Much like The Nothing, I need you to know how great this is. Give it a 91. Buy it. Save it as an aperitif to a fancy seafood dinner at home.
Well…
There you go.
This was a really fun (half) year of tasting and blogging.
I’m looking forward to seeing what 2012 has in store.
Thanks for reading, everybody…
Stay Rad,
Jeff
Stay Rad 