In 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
In this episode, Jeff tastes his first wine of 2012… This Chinon is the bomb!
Stay Rad,
Jeff
We 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
So…
My folks have lived in Reno, Nevada for almost ten years now.
Consequently, I usually head up to the “Biggest Little City in the World” three or four times a year.
When they first moved to Reno, I would spend quite a bit of time in the casinos when I would visit my parents.
The reality is that Reno has a whole lot more going for it than gambling…
If you’re into wine (like me), there are tons of hip spots to check out (remember this one?).
Kara and I just got back from spending a couple of days in Reno, to visit my folks and to celebrate New Year’s Eve with a few friends.
Before lunch on the 31st, we decided to hit up this gem of a shop…
Craft Beer & Wine
Craft Beer & Wine is a sweet wine shop on the South end of downtown Reno. From the moment you walk into the shop, you are greeted by some wonderfully passionate, knowledgable, and unpretentious folks working there. Craft is loaded full of big variety of reasonably priced wines from all over the world (focusing on those from Europe). They also have a walk-in fridge with tons of beers. All bottles are priced to-go, but they have glasses and picnic benches in the store if you want to dink there.
The folks there helped us pick out a nice wine to enjoy…
Opening the bottle...
Vietti 2008 Barbera D’Asti Tre Vigne:
Color: A beautiful, deep, dark purple that fades to burgundy at the rim of the glass. Check it out…
See...
Nose: Fruit of blackberry, cherry, and plum. There is a nice oak component, along with a fruit roll-up aroma on the tail end.
Taste: There is some good fruit up front. Blackberries. Blueberries. Cranberry jam. Nice subtle oak spice with a hint of tobacco leaf. There is a nice acidity that wakes up the palate. As I was drinking it, I began to crave a thickly cut turkey sandwich. Mmmmmmmm… As the wine sits in the glass for a while, it opens up into some tasty, earthy, mushroom notes. Delish…
Score: A solid 89 points. This was a great way to wrap up 2011.
If you are ever in the area, you should totally hit this place up…
She’s crafty!
Stay Rad,
Jeff
What are you doing tomorrow night?
It’s New Year’s Eve!
I suppose that most of us will be staying up late.
Some of us will be with the ones we love.
Some of us will be loving the ones we’re with.
Many of us (of age) will be drinking.
But, what?
What will you be drinking this Saturday night?
Champagne, perhaps?
If so, is it a fancy bottle that you’ve been saving up to buy?
Have you been holding onto it for years?
Or…
Will you be picking up one of these?
A magnum of Cook's Brut California Champagne for less than 10 bucks... Why not?
As far as I’m concerned, I think the best route to take is the latter. If you are gonna be with a big group of people, I would never suggest bringing the fanciest bottle you’ve got.
Never…
Why?
Most folks at New Year’s Eve parties are not concerned with flavor profiles. They are not inquiring about the pedigree of the winemaker. They haven’t a care of the varietals contained in the wine.
On New Year’s Eve, most folks are looking for one thing inside their glasses…
Bubbles!
Be it California Sparkling White Wine, Champagne, Cava, or Four Loko…
Fancy up your Four Loko by pouring it into a glass.
If you bring anything sparkling to your New Year’s Eve party, you’ll be doin’ just fine.
So, I ask you…
What are you doin’ New Year’s Eve?
Stay Rad,
Jeff
If you watched the last episode of Stay Rad Wine Blog TV, you know that I’ve been straying from wine a bit over the last couple of days.
Look…
I love wine.
Love it.
But sometimes my palate begs for something different.
Lately, I’ve been craving Bloody Marys.
Known the world over as being the ultimate hangover cure, I’ve always loved the flavor profile of this tomatoey treat. If you’re lazy, you could just buy the mix… But it is so much more fun to create your own version.
So now I present to you…
The Merry Solomon!
There is nothing like a Merry Solomon when football is on the boob tube.
Here’s what you need…
2 cups of tomato juice
1/2 cup of pickle juice
1 juicy lemon
1 glug of worcestershire sauce
1 teaspoon of crushed garlic
1 tablespoon of horseradish
1 dash of sea salt
1 dash of cracked black pepper
1 rib of celery
1 dill pickle
A grip of garlic stuffed olives
Oh yeah…
And there’s vodka too.
Here’s what you do…
In a large pitcher, mix together the tomato juice and pickle juice. Squeeze in the juice of the lemon. Add in one glug of worcestershire sauce, along with the crushed garlic and horseradish. Stir it up, and add the salt and pepper to taste.
In a tall glass, place one trimmed rib of celery, then fill halfway with ice. Drop in the pickle and a grip of olives. Pour in as much vodka as you would like, but please be responsible (Let it be known that the Merry Solomon tastes great without the alcohol). Fill to the top with the tomato mixture.
Enjoy.
Repeat.
I love me some Bloody Marys. It’s a great combination of sweet tomato juice, savory spices, and that dope, acidic, pickley kick.
The best part of the Merry Solomon is that it’s a drink that you get to eat.
That being said, it never hurts to serve it with some hors d’oeuvres…
Quick and easy crostini... The menorah is optional.
Kara and I picked up some pre-made tapenades and some sour dough bread at Trader Joe’s.
I drizzled some extra virgin olive oil over the sour dough, and toasted them in the oven for 5 minutes on a pizza stone. When time was up, I spread the tapenade on each of the slices, grated some asiago over the top, and threw them (violently) back in the oven for another 3 minutes.
From left to right, red pepper, artichoke, and olive crostini. Add a few pre-made spanakopita for kicks. The vase with decorative balls, as always, is optional.
Oh man…
Just thinking about the flavors of this food, along with the Merry Solomon, makes me want one thing…
Wine!
Stay Rad,
Jeff
In this episode, Jeff takes a break from wine to try some beers from the Kirkland variety pack.
By request from Jonny Brandy, Jeff dives into the Zenato 2008 Valpolicella Superiore.
If you’d like to see the score, click here.
Stay Rad,
Jeff
In this episode, Jeff tries his luck at another blind tasting…
Stay Rad,
Jeff
Stay Rad 