Wine Outlook

Here I am, already breaking my own rules after only a couple days. But Wine Blogging Wednesday #36 is upon us— the three-year anniversary—no less…and the other blog isn’t live yet. So my notes must live here for now, despite the fact this has nothing to do with Rosenblum.

Lenn, the eminent founder, picked a fantastic theme: naked Chardonnay. Why is it perfect? Other than the fact that my southern drawl really shows when I say the word ‘nekkid,’ I am a big fan of Chardonnay minus any oak. For years I avoided the grape completely, fearing that buttery richness which so many wineries (especially in California) take over the top. Now, granted, give me some crab legs with a ramekin of heated butter, and that match is made in heaven. But that particular style overpowers most other food. Therefore, I say, “Undress the Chardonnay!”

Frantic that I would miss this WBW as I did the last two, I looked around Trader Joe’s as I was picking up a few groceries for the week. In the Chardonnay section, I only saw one unoaked version for almost $40, out of my budget right now. But then lightning struck,and I went to the Australia section (where they tend to like that style), and found the 2005 Evans & Tate Underground Series Unwooded Chardonnay for a mere $3.99. Four dollars: could it be any good? Well, I think it’s fair to middlin’ –at least– when considering the price. Other details: screwcap with alcohol of 14.5%. Lemon, apple, and wet stone on the nose, with more of the same on the palate. I also detected small amounts of cream (result of malolactic fermentation and not oak, I’m guessing) as well as some grassy notes. Dry, but not very acidic.

According to the website, Evans & Tate seems to make most of their wines with grapes from Margaret River, but this particular wine had Western Australia on the label. I couldn’t find any news about the Underground Series, but it seems to be their less expensive wines perhaps because the grapes are coming from other areas. Regardless, the name sounds fun, as if it were more elusive and harder to find. The information is, anyway. I saw this wine listed on other websites from $8-10. So, if you’re gonna get this one, definitely get it at Trader Joe’s.

Today is Friday, I know. I’m not that mixed up. However, I wanted to draw attention to Marcus and his round-up of Wine Blogging Wednesday #33. I was included despite my missing the price range….

So many new wines to look for.

Catie over at Through the Walla Walla Grape Vine has already posted the theme for #34: Cabernet Sauvignon, from Washington, of course. June 13 is the big day, but see her post for more details.

Wine Blogging Wednesday

Wine Blogging Wednesday got away from me this time. When picking up a bottle of wine after a long day of work, I knew there was more to it than just grabbing something from Languedoc-Roussillon but could not remember the specifics. Hopefully, Doktor Weingolb won’t be too hard on me because Trader Joe’s didn’t have any choices over $5. (That, and I usually adhere to the WBW rules very well….) Apparently, this southern region of France is known for producing wines of great value, with the $15-30 category representing the ideal range. It seems that many vineyards are passed down through families, and the wine-making techniques are simple and inexpensive. For example: using concrete containers instead of new oak barrels and bottling off-site.

The bottle that followed me home this time was 2005 Chapelle du Bois Syrah. Syrah comes in as the third most-planted grape, after Carignan and Grenache. Though the Languedoc produces the most Vin de Table, this particular wine is Vin de Pays. However, this also seems to be the region most likely to have the AC qualifications ignored in favor of making good wine without the fuss. This particular wine had notes of bell pepper and cherry on the nose. The palate was fairly hot initially, though the heat quickly subsided. It very fruity, with cherry and currant, and what I first attributed to dirt turned out to be more like gravel. I enjoyed it, especially for that price, but the wine did not go well with my BBQ chicken pizza. Perhaps the big, spicy California Syrahs I’m used to clouded my pairing abilities. But I can’t hold that against this one.

….Farley Walker

Wine Blogging Wednesday, Languedoc-Roussillon, 2005 Chapelle du Bois Syrah

I must say, I’ve never had so much fun with a Wine Blogging Wednesday before. (Many thanks to the guys at The Wine Cask for the theme.)

Having already decided I would use wines from the Thomas Fogarty tasting menu– due to budget constraints– it seemed obvious (suddenly, as a light bulb went off on a foggy Saturday afternoon) to enlist the help of customers who came in. Therefore, I made the comparison between the 2003 Thomas Fogarty Chardonnay and the 2003 Thomas Fogarty Reserve Chardonnay a blind one for myself and my guinea pigs.

I chose those particular Santa Cruz Mountains wines–even though it was the last random bottle of the regular and the reserve’s almost gone–because they were the best controlled comparison. The two wines were both blended from the same four vineyards on our mountaintop estate. Both went through malolactic fermentation and were stirred on the lees regularly.The regular version ($26) was aged for 12 months in American and French oak–with 2/3 finished in stainless steel– and was the winner of gold and silver medals at various competitions. The reserve ($38), aged in French oak for about 14 months, was a much smaller production and a winery exclusive.

So what’s the verdict? (more…)

Wine Blogging Wednesday, 2003 Thomas Fogarty Chardonnay, 2003 Thomas Fogarty Reserve Chardonnay

I gave the Hardy’s Shiraz one more try. After all, I had bought my wines for Wine Blogging Wednesday in advance but waited until the night before to try them. And unfortunately, I was still suffering from a bout of overindulgence from the leftovers of the previous night’s tasting. Therefore, half of the Sofia Mini went undrunk and I only took a few sips of the Hardy’s.

Tonight I made a loose version of Shepherd’s Pie by browning ground lamb, then adding chopped onions, carrots, and garlic. A little flour and red wine (yes, from a box) then poured into a pie crust and topped with thinly sliced potatoes and Irish cheese. The food definitely brought out more from the Shiraz, especially as the pie was heavily peppered. Still.

At least I kept an open mind about it.

box wines, Hardy’s shiraz

This month’s Wine Blogging Wednesday theme is a little off the beaten path: Roger over at Box Wines chose non-traditional packaging. Initially skeptical, I became excited about the possibility. If the wine were actually good, I would suddenly have wine with an extended shelf life and could therefore avoid pouring so much out.

The first wine I tried is already dear to me. The Coppola ‘Sofia’ Blanc de Blancs is one of my favorite sparkling wines. (See previous post.) It’s happy and easy to drink with its citrus, apple, and pear flavors. But what could be more fun than putting it in a pink can and attaching a straw? Perfect to take on a picnic or on a romantic walk down a beach. I highly recommend buying yourself a Sofia Mini 4 pack for around $12 at Bevmo.

At $14.99 from Bevmo, the 2004 Hardy’s Shiraz wine box could have been a great value, seeing how it equals 4 bottles. However, that was not to be the case. On the nose I found pepper and heavy alcohol. The palate wasn’t any better: very thin, rather bitter, with very little fruit or any other flavors. *Coming back to it the next day, I did find some berry essence and changed my mind about not even using this for Sangria.

I’m still open to finding a good box of wine. So here’s to hoping someone else had better luck.

Wine Blogging Wednesday, Coppola ‘Sofia’ Blanc de Blancs, 2004 Hardy’s Shiraz, boxed wine

….Farley Walker

Wine Blogging Wednesday is already upon us. Luckily, the category of New World Syrah was an easy one to fill. Though I already had several Syrahs from California (and just recently bought two more on my Napa day trip), I decided to fight the onset of cellar palate and go outside the States. And as France was out….

The first was the 2004 Eventide Cellar Shiraz ($15 from K & L) from Wellington, South Africa.(100% Shiraz, 12 months in American oak) It was pleasant enough, with aromas and flavors of pepper, raspberry, clove, and eucalyptus. Perhaps part of the problem was my lackluster meal, but I wasn’t extremely excited about this one. Less than 24 hours later, I retasted to find the wine smoother, with more spice and the suggestion of cocoa.

The other wine I reviewed was The Black Chook ($17 from Beltramo’s), a NV sparkling Shiraz from Southeastern Australia. From what I could find, it’s made by Woop Woop Wines, and much of the fruit comes from the McLaren Vale. No info on percentages, except that it was made from mainly 3-yr-old Shiraz, with a bit of newer grapes to add generous helpings of fruit. When trying to make sure this was mostly Shiraz, I discovered ‘chook’ means ‘chicken,’ which seems rather appropriate considering my obsession with the Biale Black Chicken Zin.

*I should probably begin this by saying I adore sparkling reds and tend to be less critical of them due to my enthusiasm and the rare occasion of drinking them. They are always such a surprise: the combination of heavy and light… bubbles and rich, red colors. This particular bubbly smelled of raspberry jam and chocolate and leaned toward being a good breakfast wine with its flavors of raspberry muffins and coffee. (more…)

Wine Blogging Wednesday #30 has been posted and the deadline is quickly approaching, due to impending holidays. The topic is right up my alley, though, as I’ve been very enamored with Syrah lately. Tim at Winecast wants it to be New World versions, so I’m thinking South Africa or a return to Australia, as Shiraz was one of my first real loves. Granted, it would be easy to grab one of the several I have in different locations around the apartment, but I’m going to look beyond California.

Details are available at his site, but Feb. 7 is the day to get entries in, even if you don’t have a blog and want to join in. It’s a great way to be a part of the wine conversation that’s getting louder all the time.

Wine Blogging Wednesday #30, New World Syrah

For Wine Blogging Wednesday #29: Thanks to Fork & Bottle for hosting.

Not too long ago, our winemaker asked me to help him with a letter to his Martella club members, concerning his attraction to biodynamic wines and decision to make more of them. So I read Hugh Courtney’s 40+ page introduction to What Is Biodynamics?: A Way to Heal and Revitalize the Earth : Seven Lectures to get an idea of the practice. While it’s often likened to organic farming, it goes much deeper than that.
In Courtney’s own words:
…the biodynamic attitude toward the Earth as a living being…traditional agriculture and even individual organic or chemical farmers may also have that attitude. While that may be true, the attitude in other forms of agriculture is confined to the realm of feeling, while the biodynamic farmer puts his feelings specifically into actual physical world practice through the use of the biodynamic preparations.

Well, those preparations might make some people shiver just a bit. Ingredients for the nine preparations range from rather basic chamomile,yarrow, and cow manure to the more out-there vessels for holding them: cow horns, a stag’s bladder, and the fresh skull of a domestic animal. However, the use of these preparations has been known to help make for an earlier harvest, increase topsoil, and provide relief in drought conditions.

And as long as I don’t think too much about the how of it, I can appreciate the why, as well as the results.

Since Michael Martella inspired my interest in the first place, I’ll review the 2003 Martella Mendocino ‘Fairbairn Ranch’ Syrah first. It’s made with Demeter-certified grapes that come from a vineyard owned by Joe and Julie Golden, including 5% Petite Syrah. I love this wine because it’s always changing. Sometimes I get black pepper, raspberry, and plum. Later I might get a little tobacco and cedar. Then another time I’ll find licorice and tea. Whatever flavors jump out, the strong tannins are consistent– making this one that you want to drink half the first night and save the rest for later–to see what else you can find. (more…)

Wine Blogging Wednesday #29, 2003 Martella Mendocino ‘Fairbairn Ranch’ Syrah

I’m excited to be a part of Wine Blogging Wednesday, especially since this month’s topic is sparkling wine: one of my all-time-favorite all-purpose wines. It cheers me up when I’m sad, makes me happier when I’m in a good mood. Something about the bubbles… whether they make the alcohol hit you faster or not, it’s the feeling of festivity that gets me every time. Some people think they need a special occasion to open a bottle, but it just isn’t the case. I say, “Let the wine be occasion enough.”

Plus, any wine that can go with appetizers, salads, pizzas, entrees, and desserts must be for me. With that being said, I will share just how much I truly appreciate this stuff with a poem I wrote summer before last. (more…)