Tastings by Gary and Allison

3 New Oysters from Sammy's Seafood - St. Petersburg, FL

2012-02-11T15:48:00.000-05:00

Earlier this morning I once again ventured northwards to visit Sammy's Seafood in St. Petersburg, FL. I had placed an order last week for a box of our favorite oysters, Maison Beau Soleil, and needed to pick those up plus some other fresh seafood including beautiful red grouper and a couple of lobster tails for the grill. I also picked up a couple of new oysters to try out:

Fisher Island (New York), Sun Hollow (Washington State) and Kusshi (British Columbia)

We are normally not big fans of "large" oysters so I was somewhat skeptical of the Fisher Islands, one of which was nearly 3 inches long. But these had the most salinity of the bunch plus packed a nice mineral and stone finish and were easily my favorites. These are grown in Block Island Sound, off the coast of eastern Connecticut and Rhode Island. They were $1.30 each.

The Sun Hollow were the smallest of the bunch, and also were the most bland of the bunch. There was very little salinity to these. Hailing from South Puget Sound in Washington. These would be ones that I would want to either dress up with some condiments or perhaps even bread up and fry. By themselves I just did not care for them. These were $1.15 each.

Finally, the Kusshi was an interesting oyster with good salinity but somewhat on the dry side. A hint of crisp flintstone on the finish was unique. This oyster in grown on the eastern side of Vancouver Island, British Columbia. Again, these I would probably recommend putting some condiments with rather than eating them straight. These were also the most expensive, at $1.75 each.

It was interesting to note that, similar to Beau Soleils, the Fisher Island and Kusshi are grown suspended as opposed to being on the seabed. This helps to keep them clean as well as protecting them from predators.

Cheers!

2001 Marques del Puerto Rioja Reserva

2012-02-11T08:57:00.001-05:00

2001 was a fantastic year for Riojas and we are always on the lookout for Reserva and Gran Reservas from this vintage. It was a real pleasure to stumble across a small stash of this Marques del Puerto Rioja Reserva 2001 at our regular wine store the other week.

This wine is a blend of 85% Tempranillo, 10% Mazuelo and 5% Graciano. Mazuelo as it is known in Spain is otherwise known as Carignan and plays an important role in southern France. Graciano is a predominantly Spanish grape used in Rioja but is also grown somewhat in Australia, France and the US.

The wine itself clearly shows that it is a traditional Rioja bottling, with a nose of dusty earth and black fruits. The palate shows some blackberry and notes of balsamic. Well balanced, with sweet tannins and notes of oak on the finish. By law, a reserva Rioja must be aged a minimum of 3 years with at least one in oak.

While it is drinking beautifully right now, we do not believe that there is a ton of life left to it. If you happen to come across any, we would recommend drinking it within short order.

Cheers!

2005 Clarendelle Bordeaux

2012-02-11T08:44:00.000-05:00

On New Year's Eve we had the extreme pleasure to open a bottle of 1988 Ch. Haut-Brion with some friends. A few days later I was looking for some new wines to try and noticed this bottle which indicates that it is "inspired by Haut-Brion" and decided to give it a try. Since then we have discovered that this is actually a new operation from the owners of Haut-Brion and is in fact made in the same style.

This is blend of 82% Merlot, 13% Cabernet Sauvignon and 5% Cabernet Franc. It is drinking unbelievably well at the moment and should continue to do so for another 5 years at least. I generally agree with Robert Parker when it comes to Bordeaux, and he rated this one as 88 points. Interestingly, Parker shows a current average cost of $35... we paid $11.99!

This wine drinks like a mature bordeaux should, with softer notes of black fruit and some earthy undertones. The tannins are well integrated, with no harshness anyway on the palate. Some vanilla and touches of tropical fruit are revealed on the finish, which lasts a good while.

If you are a fan of Bordeaux but are waiting for stuff to mature, you would do well to seek this one out for drinking right now. It is an unbelievably fantastic bottle of wine.

Cheers!

2007 Pietra Santa Merlot

2012-02-11T08:32:00.000-05:00

Not too long ago we had occasion to attend a small gathering at Winestyles here in Lakewood Ranch. As we have noted in previous posts, Winestyles specializes in smaller wineries that you will not find in a lot of stores. Knowing this, we decided to see if they could source Pietra Santa merlot for us, since it had been some time since we had last found it.

This has long been a favorite of ours and we were delighted that they were in fact able to bring it in for us. When I picked up our order the owners indicated that they had tried it and liked it so much that they had decided to stock it in the store.

The Cienega Valley is a small AVA in the Central Coast region of California. It is just about due east of Monterey and sits at about 1,100 feet of elevation. In addition to merlot they grow a variety of grapes including cabernet sauvignon and syrah, and in some microclimates chardonnay and pinot noir. Notable wineries in the area include Blossom Hill Winery, Vista Verde, Calera Wine Company, Leal Vineyards, Derose Vineyards, Flint Wine Cellars and Enz Vineyards in addition to Pietra Santa.

As we have noted in previous reviews (2003 and 2004) this Pietra Santa merlot is a big, full-bodied style that seems to be more typical of cabernet sauvignon that of merlot. The nose is full of oak nuances while the palate shows black cherry and plum profiles. There are some tannins that give this wine some structure but they are only faintly noticeable on the finish.

Cheers!

Oyster Sampler from Sammy's Seafood - St. Petersburg, FL

2012-02-05T10:58:00.001-05:00

Sammy's Seafood, in St. Petersburg, FL, is a locally owned seafood wholesale shop that was founded in 2002. The recently expanded their offerings by opening a retail side to the shop. They have an amazing array of fresh, local seafood as well as bringing in specialties from all of the country. I was particularly impressed by the diversity of oysters that they are able to source. We have been looking for a local source to buy Beau Soleil oysters, which are our favorite variety, and Sammy's is able to source them for us. Yea!

Since they just opened the retail side, and wanted to check it out I drove up yesterday morning and picked up some fresh Key West Pink shrimp that will get grilled later today, along with some Mote caviar and 4 different oysters to try.

One of the owner's, Katie Sosa helped me select some oysters based on our love of Beau Soleils. I brought home 3 each of Wild Fire Island (NY), Tomahawk (NY), Naked Cowboy (NY) and Cranberry (at least I think I got the last one right!)

Beginning in top right: Tomahawk, Naked Cowboy, Cranberry, Wild Fire Island

The Tomahawks had a nice salinity and a bit of minerality. Good, but not my favorite.

The Naked Cowboys was bright, with good salinity. A bit plumper and meaty than the others, this was my favorite of the bunch.

The Cranberrys were small, with less salinity. The shells were fairly tight, and somewhat difficult to open, making them a lot of effort for the least amount of oyster.

The Wire Fire Islands were also fairly meaty, with a crispness on the finish. Good salt content made these my second favorite of the day.

If you are in the mood for great local seafood, and you are in the area I would highly recommend checking out Sammy's Seafood. It was about a 45 minute drive for us, but will worth the effort and we will be back regularly!

Cheers

Sammy's Seafood

2875 46th Avenue North

St. Petersburg, FL 33714

(727) 322-2460

Forks & Corks 2012 - Grand Tasting

2012-01-31T17:37:00.001-05:00

So our Forks & Corks adventure continued on Sunday with the Grand Tasting. Once again held at the Ringling Museum of Art, this was a true festival of good food and wine. The weather was stunning, with not a cloud in the sky and very comfortable temperatures for an outdoor event of this magnitude.

In addition to 86 tables of wine being poured, there were numerous tables and tents where local restaurants were showcasing their offerings, along with a silent auction and live music.

We wanted to sample as many of the food offerings as we could, in addition to trying some new and exciting wines. While it was still crazy crowded, as in past years, it did not seem to be quie as intense this year... we were able to actually get to many of the tables and sample.

There were so many offerings that neither of us tried to take any kind of notes, but rather relied on the printed material and our memories.

The Crow's Nest, in Venice, FL, once again was preparing their oyster shooters - a raw oyster served in a shot glass of either bloody mary mix or mignonette sauce. They served these here last year, and I was extremely happy to see them again this year.

In addition, we sampled food from a variety of the restaurants including Derek's Culinary Casual, Andreas, Michael's on East, Blu Que Island Grill, Lobster Pot, Ortygia and mi Pueblo to mention just a few. All of the restaurants can be found by visiting Sarasota-Manateee Fresh Originals.

We also tasted a lot of new and exciting wines, as well as many perennial favorites. Some of the highlights included Bell Wine Cellars Sauvignon Blanc, Chateau D'ESCLANS Whispering Angel Rose' sparkling, Justin Isosceles, Zaca Mesa Syrah, Champagne Nicholas Feuillatte, Miner Family Vineyards Viognier, Chateaux Ferriere Margaux 2007 and 2004 and Honig Vineyard & Winery Sauvignon Blanc.

We also ran into several winemakers and owners from past events including Michael Adelsheim of Adelsheim Vineyards and Michael Honig of Honif Vineyard & Winery, in addition to the winemakers and owners we met the previous day at Forks & Corks University.

This event was a nice conclusion to the public events of the 5th Annual Forks & Corks Festival. A great weekend for everyone involved!

Cheers!

Forks & Corks University 2012 - Park 2 - Cabernet Is King

2012-01-30T18:35:00.002-05:00

Well, after we finished lunch it was time to get back to tasting some wines. This time the theme was Cabernet Is King, and we were treated to wines from California and Bordeaux. Again, there were six wineries presenting their wines and each offered two samples.

The afternoon session was lead by Andrew McNamara, Master Sommelier. Andrew is the director of find wine for Premier Beverage Company. Prior to this, he was a member of the sommelier team at Breaker's Palm Beach and was recognized as one of the best new sommeliers of 2008 by Wine & Spirits Magazine. In 2010 Andrew was appointed to the board of directors for the Guild of Sommeliers.

The first winery of the afternoon session was Oakville East Exposure, based in Oakville, CA. We tasted both a 2009 and 2008 vintage. These wines were presented by Elliot Stern, owner.

2009 Oakville East Exposure Cabernet Sauvignon

A blend of 75% cabernet sauvignon with 24% cabernet franc and 1% petit verdot. The tannins were somewhat subtle and counter-balanced elegant, dark fruit and hints of sweet oak on the finish. Not a big, powerful style but more elegant and refined.

2008 Oakville East Exposure Cabernet Sauvignon

The 2008 showed more bright fruit with a bracing acidity. This is a blend of 75% cabernet sauvignon, 17% cabernet franc and 8% petit verdot. We found it to be a bolder style that we enjoyed a bit more.

Next was Chateau Haut-Bages Liberal, which is a 5th growth Bordeaux in Pauillac. Both a 2008 and 2000 vintage were presented by the winemaker Gerard Fenouillet.

2008 Chateau Haut-Bages Liberal

Wow, this one was closed down tight and really needed some swirling to open up. A blend of 68% cabernet sauvignon and 32% merlot, it showed lots of currant and blackberry fruit with a bit of sharp tannin on the back palate. This definitely can stand some aging but will likely drink well for 10-12 years.

2000 Chateau Haut-Bages Liberal

The 2000 was typical bordeaux style from start to finish. The nose exhibited the typical "barnyard" bordeaux nose, which we find to be very unique. The wine was dusty and sere with lots of black fruit, solid tannins and nice acidity. This is drinking very well right now, though it should keep for 5-7 more years without any problems and perhaps even longer than that. This was a blend of 60% cabernet sauvignon and 40% merlot.

Our third winery was Long Meadow Ranch in Napa Valley, California. Chris Hall, VP & General Manager presented their 2008 and 2006 cabernets.

2008 Long Meadow Ranch Cabernet Sauvignon

A softer styled cabernet, with a lot of red fruit on the palate. The nose was black cherry and cedar and it had a nice, moderately long finish. 86% cabernet sauvignon, 11% merlot and 3% cabernet franc.

2006 Long Meadow Ranch Cabernet Sauvignon

This wine showed a bit more structure with rich, dark fruit both on the nose and palate. Nice, silky tannins permeated throughout and provided good balance and acidity. Drinking well now, it definitely will hold up for a while longer. This is 97% cabernet sauvignon and 3% cabernet franc. One of our favorite wines of the day.

We next were presented with two wines from Alexander Valley Vineyards by Harry Wetzel, Assistant Winemaker.

2007 Cyrus

This Bordeaux styled blend consists of 7 different lots - 3 cabernet sauvignon, 2 cabernet franc, 1 merlot and 1 petit verdot. There website does not list any additional data on the percentages of each lot or grape, but Mr. Wetzel did note that this had a lot of cabernet franc.
The wine was blended and then aged for 12 months in oak with an additional 14 months of bottle aging after that. The wine was dusty and dry up front, with firm tannins and lots of black fruit. Hints of eucalyptus on the finish.

2005 Cyrus

The 2005 was a bit softer from the extra couple of years in the bottle, but very similar to the 2007. We detected notes of lilac on the nose of this one. This one has all 5 of the bordeaux varietals blended in, and received 2 years of oak aging followed by 8 months in the bottle.
This was our favorite wine of the day (from both sessions).

We next tasted wines from Fisher Vineyards, which were presented by Cameron Fisher, sales & marketing director.

2007 Coach Insignia

With a blend of 90% cabernet sauvignon, 7% malbec and 3% cabernet franc this has a somewhat subtle nose of black fruit, pencil and hints of cocoa. On the palate we tasted black cherry, plum, notes of chocolate and a hint of oak with a bit of an earthy finish complemented with silky tannins.

2001 Coach Insignia

The nose on this one was not what we expected. Rather than being softer and more elegant as one might expect with an aged cabernet blend this was heady and rich, with sweet pepper and cedar. The palate showed ripe cherry, currant and fine, somewhat gritty tannins on the edge. The finish seemed to last forever. A blend of 76% cabernet sauvignon, 12.6% merlot, 8.4% cabernet franc and 3% malbec.

We ended the seminar with 2 cabernets from Robert Hall Winery - a 2009 and 2008 presented by Robert Hall, owner.

2009 Robert Hall Cabernet Sauvignon

This showed some sweet, red fruit on the nose and early palate with few tannins and a moderate finish. Overall, a lighter styled cabernet that would work well as a sipping wine.

2008 Robert Hall Cabernet Sauvignon

The 2008 is very similar style wise to the 2009 with a bit more dark fruit up front and firmer tannins bringing up the rear. We actually found this one to be a touch on the harsh side, with a bit of astringency on the finish.

The Cabernet Sauvignon Presenters (from left to right, seated)

Elliot Stern (Oakville East Exposure), Robert Hall (Robert Hall Winery), Cameron Fisher (Fisher Vineyards), Chris Hall (Long Meadow Ranch), Harry Wetzel IV (Alexander Valley Vineyards) and Gerard Fenouillet (Ch. Haut-Bages Liberal)

Standing: Mr. Andrew McNamara, MS (left) and Michael Klauber, Michael's on East (right)

And so we came to the end of an amazing array of great pinot noirs and cabernet sauvignons. Overall, all of the wines were enjoyable but like in any tasting there were some that we definitely enjoyed more than others. As always, these are our opinions and everyones palate is different so you may not agree with us completely. That is the beauty of this wonderful juice... there is truly something for everyone to enjoy.

We had an amazing day of tasting and want to thank all of the presenters that came and showcased their wines, as well as Michael's on East for hosting and Sarasota-Manatee Fresh Originals for pulling it together. We are already looking forward to next year!

Cheers

Forks & Corks University 2012 - Lunch & Wine Pairing

2012-01-29T10:39:00.003-05:00

All participants of the Forks & Corks University seminars, whether the half-day or full-day session, are also provided with lunch at Michael's on East. The courses are not actually prepared by Michael's but rather each course is prepared by one of the member restaurants of the Sarasota-Manatee Fresh Originals. Each course is also paired with a wine.

First up are H'ors d'Oeuvres while the dining room is setup for lunch. This year, the H'ors d'Oeuvres were presented by SoMa Diner* in downtown Bradenton, FL.

*At the time this entry is being written, their website link appears to not be working so we are including the link to their Facebook page.

White Truffle and Parmesan Egg Salad

Shitake Mushroom and Goat Cheese Toasts

Jump Lump Bluecrab Cakes, with Beet and Horseradish Remoulade

Pairings

Blanc de Blanc, JP Chenet

VYA Whisper Dry Vermouth, Quady

Unfortunately, Allison was able to only grab one of the shitake mushroom and goat cheese toasts which she said was good. Others at our table had the white truffle and parmesan egg salad and enjoyed it but no one got to try a crab cake.

The blanc de blanc was okay, but seemed to be a bit on the sweeter side. The vermouth was not as dry and tart as some can be, but still not our favorite.

The appetizer course was offered by Blu Que Island Grill on Siesta Key.

Sesame Seared Tuna

Homemade Wasabi Mashed Potatoes

Asian Dipping Sauce

Pairing

2010 Daniel Gehrs Chardonnay

The tuna was perfectly seared rare, with a generous amount of toasted seasame seeds encrusting it. Unfortunately it did not seem to be consistently cut from loin sections, as several pieces at our table were very fatty. The wasabi mashed potates were light with just enough of the wasabi spice to balance well with the tuna. The dipping sauce was a bit heavy on the seame oil but still tasty overall. The addition of seasame seeds floating on top was unnecessary in our opinion. In addition, there were a couple of small, steam carrot slices and a good bit of asian noodles. Interesting, there were two other items that we have no idea what they were supposed to be. Both of these were crunchy, with a consistency of styrofoam and no taste.

The chardonnay was a creamy, medium to full-bodied style with nice fruit. This wine is non-oaked so the lush, tropical fruit was at the forefront of the wine. Somewhat of a moderate finish. Overall, we thought it worked pretty well with the dish although something with a bit more acidity might have worked better with the richness of the tuna.

The entree course was provided by Cafe Venice, located in Venice, FL in the historical downtown district, island side.

Burgundy Braised Boneless Beef Short Ribs

Asiago Risotto

Pairing

2009 Daniel Gehrs Pinot Noir

These had a nice flavor to them but as is typical of this cut of meat, somewhat on the fatty side. Several at our table had well trimmed portions but others were more than half fat as opposed to meat. The risotto appears to have been well cooked, but perhaps a touch on the dry side.

The pinot noir was a fruit forward style, showing raspberry and currant with a nice spice undertone of white peppercorn. It worked very nicely with the rib.

Dessert was presented by The Savory Street International Cafe and Bakery in downtown Sarasota, FL.

Guava and Berries Compote Napolean

with Vanilla Pastry Cream and Homemade Puff Pastry

Tres Leches Cake

Vanilla sponge cake, peach and chantilly cream soaked in traditional Mexican three milk and liqueur sauce

Hazelnut Dacquoise filled with Expresso Italian Butter Cream

Pairing

Essencia, Quady

Tres Leches Cake, Guava and Berries Compote Napolean, Hazelnut Dacquoise

(Clockwise, from the top)

These were all interesting and unique small bite desserts. The tres leches cake was rich and moist, with a nice balance of flavor and sweetness. The guava and berries compote was a bit on the dry side but a nice balance of flavor. The hazelnut dacquioise was good but overpowered by the expresso flavors.

Essencia is a dessert wine that, while very sweet, is not overly cloying as many can be. Rich flavors of orange and just a hint of spice on the finish.

Overall, this was a nice lunch excepting the flaws noted above. We thought it was a good representation of a variety of styles that the area has to offer and the portions were about right, though we might have preferred a little bit more on the entree course.

Cheers!

Forks & Corks University 2012 - Part 1 - The World of Pinot Noir

2012-01-29T09:50:00.000-05:00

This weekend is the 5th annual Sarasota-Manatee Originals Forks & Corks Food & Wine Festival. This year we are fortunate to be able to participate in a variety of the events, and look forward to sharing our experiences with you. As in previous years, the festival actually kicks off with a number of winemaker dinners at member restaurants followed by half-day and full-day sessions at the Forks & Corks University on Saturday and the Grand Tasting on Sunday. There is also a trade specific tasting on Monday which is not open to the public, but which I am fortunate enough to attend this year as a volunteer.

We elected to attend the all day session on Forks & Corks University, with the morning session devoted to Pinot Noir, followed by lunch and then an afternoon session featuring Cabernet Sauvignon.

The Pinot Noir session was lead by Kristine Nickel who, in addition to her public relations and marketing communications agency, reviews restaurants for The Sarasota Herald-Tribune and Sarasota Magazine. Before moving to Sarasota, Kristine wrote a wine column for the Chicago Tribune which was syndicated internationally and has also been involved with the Gulf Coast Zagat book for a number of years. It was a pleasure to have the opportunity to interact with someone who has such a passion for food and wine.

The panel consisted of 6 wineries and included Pinot Noir from Burgundy, Oregon and California. Each winery presented 2 different wines, which were pre-poured and had a chance to open up somewhat prior to tasting.

The flights of Pinot Noir

The first winery to present was La Fenetre Wines. Alex Katz, general manager, presented the two wines from this winery located in Santa Barbara County, California.

2009 Bien Nacido Vineyard Pinot Noir

Aged for about 18 months, this wine showed a good balance between acidity and fruit, with sour cherry and dark raspberry showing on the palate. The nose showed lots of perfume. The finish was a bit short, with subtle notes of mocha.

2008 Las Alamos Pinot Noir

This pinot noir also had a bit of perfume on the nose but also hinted at some spice nuances. With bright fruit on a moderately full-bodied style, this was rather tasty.

The next winery was Maison Bertrand Ambroise from the Nuits-Saint-Georges region of Burgundy. The owner, Bertrand Ambroise, presented two vintages of the same wine which was a great way to taste the difference that some aging can have on pinot noir.

2008 Nuits-Saint-Georges 1er Cru "Clos de Argillierees"

The 2008 was picked later for additional grape ripeness. This wine was full-bodied, with bold cherry fruit and notes of spice both on the nose and palate. It had a good bit of acidity which provided a nice counter balance to the bold fruit. A moderately long finish. This was one of our two favorite pinot noirs of the day.

2004 Nuits-Saint-Georges 1er Cru "Clos de Argillierees"

The 2004 showed much more finesse and elegance. It was smooth and creamy, with light notes of cherry fruit up front and a smoky finish.

The third winery was Ponzi Vineyards, from the Willamette Valley of Oregon and was represented by Maria Ponzi, director of sales and marketing. Ponzi showed two Pinot Noir Reserve bottles from different vintages, again showing how these wines can evolve over time.

2008 Ponzi Vineyards Pinot Noir Reserve

The 2008 was a bit tight on the nose and only hinted at some vanilla oak and plummy fruit. A good bit of tannin indicates that this will take some aging to really open up. The body was full and rich, with a nice bit of acidity on the finish.

2001 Ponzi Vineyards Pinot Noir Reserve

In contrast to the 2008, this wine shows that the wine's acidity and fruit are very well balanced, and opens up to a lot of red cherry and smoky undertones. Light and elegant on the palate with a moderate finish, this really is a great example of well aged pinot noir. This was our second favorite wine of the day.

The fourth winery was Daedalus Cellars, also from the Willamette Valley in Oregon. The two wines were presented by Pam Walden, owner.

2008 Daedalus Cellars "Labyrinth" Pinot Noir

This pinot noir shows a bright cherry fruit on the nose, which is somewhat at odds with the palate that we thought was a bit subdued. The wine is very silky, and shows some hints of smoke and mineral on the short finish.

2008 Daedalus Cellars Willamette Valley Pinot Noir

The nose on this one was very light, not really hinting at what lay within. The palate was a bit on the funky side, with fruit, acidity and minerality all competing for attention. Overall, we thought that the structure was there but that it needed some time to settle down.

The next winery was Rex Hill Winery which is also in the Willamette Valley, Oregon. Presented by CEO Bill Hatcher were a Willamette Valley Pinot Noir and a single vineyard Pinot Noir.

2010 Rex Hill Willamette Valley Pinot Noir

For a very young pinot noir, this had a nice red fruit and spice nose. The palate was medium to full-bodied, showing sour cherry and hints of blackberry fruit but also with just a touch of greenness on the edges. This greenness, in our opinion, is just an indicator of the youth and we would expect with just a few months of aging it will disappear.

2009 Rex Hill Pinot Noir Jacob Hart

This is the estate vineyard for Rex Hill. With a bold, dark fruit nose and good acidity, spice and fruit balance on the palate this was an excellent example of Oregon pinot noir. While bold, it was also very well balanced and at times almost silky smooth. Very fine tannins flirted along the edges, indicating some good aging potential. It finished with a touch of mocha and white pepper. Very nice!

And the last winery that we tasted was Flowers Vineyard & Winery, from California. The wines were presented by Christopher Barefoot, Estate Director. We should note that the wines for the tasting were literally delivered just moments before, and as a result probably did not show as well as they could have due to shock.

2008 Flowers Vineyard & Winery "Perennial"

This wine is predominantly Pinor Noir (62%) but also has blended in some Syrah (27%), Pinot Meunier (7%) and Chardonnay (4%). The nose was dark fruit and mineral, with black pepper, plum and blackberry on the palate. We found it to be a bit on the austere side, with some tart sour apple on the finish.

2009 Flowers Vineyard & Winery Sonoma Coast Pinot Noir

The nose on this seemed rather closed down, but the palate showed some nice, bright cherry fruit and a dry, herbaceousness on the finish. Some tannins around the edges with a moderate finish.

The Pinot Noir Presenters (from left to right, seated)

Bill Hatcher (Rex Hill), Christopher Barefoot (Flowers Vineyard & Winery), Pam Walden (Daedalus Cellars), Maria Ponzi (Ponzi Vineyards), Bertrand Ambroise (Maison Bertrand Ambroise) and Alex Katz (La Fenetre Wines)

This course was an excellent representation of really good pinot noir from around the world. It really highlights what the differences in growing conditions and winemaking style can do to have so many different expressions of the same grape, while generally maintaining the characteristics that make pinot noir the wonderful wine that it is. Talking to Maria Ponzi afterward we noted how much we really do enjoy a great pinot noir, but because of the explosion of interest a few years ago after the movie Sideways came out and the subsequent price increases we had drifted away from them. After today's tasting, I think that it is a safe bet that we will be returning to these wines in the near future.

Cheers!

2009 Saint Cosme Cotes-du-Rhone

2011-12-11T11:29:00.001-05:00

I love a good Cotes-du-Rhone for the deep, rich fruit and spicy notes that these typically exhibit, and are particularly good on a cool evening when their richness has a chance to warm you from the inside-out. They work well with a variety of grilled meats and drink well by themselves.

This particular cotes-du-rhone is 100% syrah, which is unusual in that most are actually blends. It was very rich and full bodied with black currant, blackberry, toasty oak and fresh cracked black pepper notes throughout. The was a bit of acidity which hints at some aging potential, but it is drinking really well now so I am not sure that you would want to age it much more.

While a touch more expensive ($15) than many of our traditional everyday wines, this has so much potential that I just had to add it. If you follow this sort of thing, it also was one of Wine Spectator's top 100 wines of 2010 (#88) with a 90 point score.

Cheers!

2000 L'Ermitage (Roederer Estate) Brut

2011-12-11T11:26:00.001-05:00

Roederer Estate is the California owned property of Champagne Louis Roederer, and produces some very high quality sparkling wines here. I stumbled upon a bottle of L'Ermitage Brut 2000 when nosing about in our local wine store and realized that we really do not see very much vintage dated California sparkling wines and certainly none that are close to a dozen years old. As it happened to be sitting side-by-side with the NV Roederer Champagne (France) and was the same price, I decided that we needed to give it try. And are we ever glad that I did! Now, we just have to see if we can find any more of it.

This cuvee is a great subsititute for more expensive French cuvees, and really for that matter even a lot of vintage and non-vintage champagnes alike. Had we drank this blind, I would never have belived it to be a domestic sparkling wine.

The palate gives up lots of green apple, almonds and light notes of citrus. There is ample acidity which balances out the fruit nicely. Even at nearly 12 years old, the bubbles were tight and plentiful, with no perceivable loss of effervescence. The wine finishes with good yeasty notes that lasted for a long time.

When we think of opening a sparkling wine in the future, it will very likely be that we are looking for this one again. At $33.99 it is a great deal for a solid sparkling wine.

Cheers!

2010 Borsao White

2011-12-11T11:12:00.001-05:00

During a visit to the area before we moved here, we happened to stop into Wine Styles which we thought was a local wine shop but turns out to be part of a chain of stores which specialize in boutique wineries that you are not going to find most anywhere else. Over the past couple of years we have ventured in from time to time, but never on a regular basis. It seems like that is about to change. Wine Styles offers some pretty good deals including a 6 for $60 in which you pick 6 bottles of select wines and pay just $60 for them. With the unique variety of labels being offered, we think that this may be a great way to find some good valued, everyday styled wines.

I picked up our first 6 bottles last week, and this is the first one of them that we've tried.

Borsao is a pretty well known label for their red wines which we have in the past reviewed here and here. We have never seen the white, and so this seemed like a great place to start.

The 2010 Borsao White is made from 100% macabeo, which is also known as viura. The grape is often used in white Rioja wines, as well as in some Cavas and a fortified wine in France.

The Borsao was a rich, fat white wine with lots of tropical fruit and hints of citrus. There was a lot of smokiness on the finish which lasted a moderately long time. This wine was somewhat characteristic of a chardonnay except for being somewhat leaner. There was also a hint of what I think of as a "petrol" viscosity. It was a nice change of pace from typical varietals, but probably not something that I would want everyday.

Cheers!

Station 400, Lakewood Ranch FL

2011-12-04T08:45:00.001-05:00

For some months now there has been excitement building as plans were announced that Station 400 would be opening a second location in Lakewood Ranch. We have never been to the downtown location but we happy to hear that there would be a new restaurant in our neighborhood. Unfortunately, what we did not immediately realize is that this is another breakfast and lunch place. Frankly, we really do not get the whole concept of just serving breakfast and lunch but there are a bunch of these around here, including three here in Lakewood Ranch.

In the spirit of trying something new however, we decided to give it a shot for lunch and accordingly made our way there yesterday. Knowing that they have only been open for a very short period of time, we expected that some of the kinks would still be being worked out so we tried to keep that in mind.

As we entered, we were promptly greeted by the hostess. She was going to take us to a table along the windows facing Lakewood Ranch Blvd., but the one she thought was open was not ready. The only other option would have been one right by the door and so we opted to sit at the bar. This turned out to be a good move as it gave us the opportunity to notice some things that we would not have otherwise.

The menu is not extensive but does have a variety of selections.

We both decided to start with the smoked corn and crab chowder. This chowder was absolutely fantastic. You could definitely get the smokiness from the corn. In addition, generous amounts of bacon added depth to the dish. The potatoes were uniformly sized, unfortunately they were simply too small for this dish. The crab meat was quite tasty and there seemed to be ample amounts in each of our bowls. This chowder is served with a seasame coated crisp, which nice to look at had no real flavor other than seasame. This would have been a perfect dish, except for the fact that both of our bowls had thyme stems remaining (one was almost 3 inches long!).

Allison decided on the Curry Chicken Salad wrap with green apple, arugula, toasted almonds and melted brie served with a side of parmesan fries. This was a huge wrap, and she brought half of it home for later. This plate was well put together but there was a uniform look to it, without any real color to brighten the dish up. She thought that the taste was very good but was marred by an excessive amount of brie. She also could not find any of the toasted almonds. She reported that the fries were tasty but were very soggy. They appeared to have been baked as opposed to fried, but I cannot say exactly how they were prepared.

For the past couple of weeks, I have been on a fried green tomato kick and when I saw a Fried Green Tomato BLT on the menu I knew immediately what I was having. Served with crispy bacon, bibb lettuce, herb aioli and the aforementioned fried green tomatoes on a grain bread, this was a very tasty dish. I opted to have the tomato cucumber salad as a side. The tomatoes were fried perfectly, with just the right amount of breading and cooked so that there were not overly greasy. The bacon was likewise perfectly cooked. I would have like to had more of aioli on the sandwich, as it seemed hidden amongst the other flavors. The tomato cucumber salad was passable but there was too much balsamic vinegar and it was also topped with pureed olives which I do not care for.

So in the end we thougtht that the food we had was very good overall, with just some minor tweaks that we might would have liked to see. We both loved the chowder, and while I preferred my sandwich more than Allison liked her wrap neither of us was overly disappointed with our meal.

As I noted above, sitting at the bar afforded us the opportunity to notice a couple of things that did give us pause. The first is that there seemed to be quite a bit of uncertainty in the service. Again, we recognize that they have just been open for a very short while and expect as they get into a grove this will improve. The next thing that we saw was the potential for contamination of food preparation at the pick-up window. One person was checking each plate as it came up, and putting any final touches required before the server took it out. Unfortunately, I noticed that during a lull she decided to lay her cell phone down on the work surface while she was looking at it (e-mail, Facebook, etc?) Once finished she simply placed the cell phone behind the work surface but still in the midst of the prep area. And the quick wipe she did of the area where the phone was certainly did not clean the area very well. The last thing that we noticed, and really gave us pause, was that one of the chefs seemed to need to wipe his face with his arm and back of his wrist. While I do not think he ever really crossed the sanitary line (i.e., using his hand), he was disconcerted if you happened to notice it as we did.

So the bottom line is that there are definitely some growing pains that need to be overcome in service, presentation (no stems please!) and potential sanitary practice but the food was overall quite tasty. Assuming that the issues get resolved, we would likely eat lunch here again.

PDF version of the menu

Station 400
8215 Main Street
Lakewood Ranch, FL 34202
(941) 907-0648

2006 Conn Creek Cabernet Sauvignon Limited Release

2011-10-12T15:52:00.002-04:00

While on the hunt for some reasonably priced 2007 cabernet sauvignon the other day, I grabbed a bottle of this thinking that it was that stellar vintage. It was not until I got home that I realized it was actually a 2006. Fortunately for us, it proved to be a quite tasty wine at a very reasonable price and it shows promise of sticking around for a bit longer before it starts to head downhill.

A solid core of black cherry fruit, some blueberry notes, lots of cocoa and silky tannins all integrated together in a pretty full-bodied but very drinkable wine. The tannins are still showing but are fairly subdued, which makes this a very smooth wine. The fruit is nicely balanced by the acidity and the finish lingers for a good bit.

At $16 for a Napa Valley cabernet, this is a bargin. While 2006 was a good year, it did not in general produce the depth that 2007 did. However, as this wine clearly proves... great wines can come from any vintage. We would recommend giving this one a try.

Cheers!

2008 Sldgehammer Ziinfandel

2011-10-12T15:38:00.001-04:00

Always on the lookout for a reasonably priced zinfandel that is not a massive fruit bomb, I was intrigued by the comments on this one that read "nothing subtle about Sledgehammer Zinfandel - it's big, bold and persistent." Well, maybe that is what they intended for it to be but the bottle we had was anything but.

This showed a lot of red fruit. Not quite a fruit bomb, but lots of red cherry on the palate. There was some mocha and faint peppery spice that helped to tame the fruit somewhat but definitely did not balance the fruit very wel. This wine was medium-bodied with a fairly short and tepid finish that left us wanting more... of something else.

Cheers!

2008 Ridge East Bench Zinfandel

2011-10-12T15:33:00.001-04:00

I thought that we had tasted all of the different zinfandels being produced by Ridge Vineyards at one point or another, but this was a new one for us. Actually, according to their website (note that the website has the 2009 vintage information, but does provide good background to the wine in general) it has only been produced since 2006, which makes this just the 3rd vintage produced. It is also one of a very few single varietal wines made by Ridge, being 100% zinfandel.

This is a classic red zinfandel, with rich fruit and a solid, peppery spice balance. Medium to full-bodied, with red cherry, currant and hints of earthiness surrounded by fresh cracked pepper and notes of oak on the finish.

Recommended to drink over 5 to 7 years, I think that it is drinking pretty darn well right now. There is some good acidity suggesting another couple of years will not hurt this wine in the least. It comes in at 14.9% AbV so not terribly "hot" like some zinfandels can be. We paid $19.99 for the bottle, and it was well worth the money.

Cheers!

Indigenous Sarasota

2011-10-08T10:37:00.000-04:00

For a number of weeks now, Sarasota has been buzzing about the newest restaurant to open -- Indigenous Sarasota. So far, without fail, everything we have read or heard about it has been beyond positive. We were excited to try it out but wanted to give it a couple of weeks to get the opening kinks worked out so we have waited until now to make our reservations.

This past Friday, along with a couple of friends, we finally sat down in eager anticipation of the culinary wonders that would soon be coming our way.

The restaurant is set in an old house just a couple of blocks off from Main Street, Downtown Sarasota. The ambience is eclectic without being outrageous and harmonizes with rustic touches that give it a homey feel. We elected to sit outside as the weather was really nice, and quite enjoyed watching people wander through. Unfortunately, where we were seated appears to be the main walkway to the bar area set in back and so we were constantly being passed by. The tables are right up against the walkway, so it was rather tight at times when groups walked by. Otherwise the seating was fine.

The place settings were fairly basic, with smallish water glasses. The wine glasses were used for both white and red, but they were overall decent glasses with enough of a bowl that my red zinfandel had room to breathe. Sparkling wines were served in a flute.

The menu is short, just a single page in length with no clear delineation of appetizers vs. entree's except by looking at the prices. While the menu was short, it offered a good bit of variety with an emphasis on fresh, local produce which is always a plus in our book.

For appetizers we each had a separate dish:

Braised Crispy Pork Belly

Hoppin' John, Okra and Natural Jus

I ordered this and was really looking forward to it. It was very tasty. The two pieces of pork belly were very substantial at about 1 inch cubed. The hoppin' John was tasty and seemed like it maybe had a touch of brown sugar added to it. The okra was a smaller piece, cut in half lengthwise and flash fried. Very tasty but I would have preferred either a larger piece or maybe a couple of these smaller ones. This was a great dish overall.

Crispy Pressed Duck Breast

Raisin & Port Coulis, Whipped Goat Cheese

An interesting presentation that worked remarkably well. The duck breast is cut perfectly rectangular and then pressed to about one quarter of an inch thick and then crispy fried. Served atop a generous portion of the coulis, in which you could taste the raisin like a shining star, and then in turn topped with the whipped goat cheese. This dish also was very tasty.

Wild Mushroom Bisque

Truffled Rye Croutons

Our friend Dana had a bowl of this and said it was very good. A dark grayish, brown in color you could tell that it was very fresh.

3 Boys Farm Baby Greens

Great Hill Blue, Praline Bacon, Peaches, Pears, Dates & Sherry VO

A lot of stuff went into this salad. Our friend Kate found it interesting, particularly the praline bacon. Probably the least impressive appetizer of the bunch though.

We next turned our attention to the entree courses. In addition to the regular menu items, there were a couple of daily specials coined "hook to fork" and "plentiful and abundant". The hook to fork this particular evening was wreckfish, which is a white fish caught only off the coast of S. Carolina with a taste similar to grouper and a consistency similar to swordfish (a bit denser than grouper would be). The plentiful and abundant was a char. So our selections were:

"Hook to Fork"

Pan Seared Wreckfish

(I forgot to note what this was served with -- my bad)

Kate ordered this and found it to be very tasty and quite well cooked. It did have an appearance very similar to grouper. She enjoyed it a lot.

Key West Pink Shrimp

Lobster Edamame Succotash, Baked Parmesan Grits

Allison went with this one. The presentation was very interesting, with a base of the succotash with a slab of the baked grits placed on this to hold a line of perfectly cooked shrimp arranged in a row. While a great presentation, Allison thought that the execution was somewhat lacking. She noted that there was not a ton of flavor in the shrimp themselves, almost as if they were simply pan seared with no seasonings.

Braised Beef Short Ribs

"Kimmy Chi", Molasses, Black Pepper

Dana and I both went with this one. He indicated that his ribs were very meaty, whereas mine were probably half fat. While this is obviously a risk with ribs, it was disappointing to see such different cuts come out side by side. If you are wondering what "kimmy chi" is, it appeared to be a simple bok choy served undercooked. The ribs were tasty, but not the best that either of us had ever had especially considering the fat content.

So our entrees were good but did not blow us away like we were hoping for. I was also disappointed to note that my first choice of Butter Poached Alaskan King Crab was not available but our waiter did not bother to tell us this until ready to place our order.

Speaking of our waiter, we would have to give him a mixed review. On the one hand he was very knowledgeable about the menu and recommended some great pairings of both wine and beer to go with the various dishes. He was also not one that tended to hover over us the entire evening. However, he also missed a couple of key things in his service. First, Dana ordered a prosecco but was served a spumante. He also almost gave Allison a riesling instead of the pinot noir she ordered but he caught that one in time. The most serious mistake however was in the appetizer service. 3 of the 4 appetizers were brought out while my pork belly was still being prepared and did not arrive for another 4-5 minutes. While largely an error in the kitchen, I don't think that in this type of restaurant serving part of the table was appropriate. And as I mentioned, he did not hover over us all night but was also notably absent at times.

Overall, I think that everyone was happy that we made the decision to give it a try. I think we all recognize that it is still a new restaurant and there do appear to be some kinks still in the process. If I had to grade it, I would probably call it a C- overall. I think that in time we might give it another try, but it will likely be a while.

We recognize too that a lot of people around Sarasota having been giving this restaurant a lot of praise, and that's fine... everyone has different experiences. Our approach is simply to write about our experiences and perceptions. We are not being compensated in any way, and they have no idea that we would be posting on this blog. Unlike a lot of other reviewers who are getting top notch service to try and impress, we are simply a couple of customers who are seeing the real operation of the restaurant. We are happy that you are taking the time to read our blog and welcome relevant feedback.

Cheers!

Indigenous Sarasota

239 S. Links Avenue

Sarasota, FL 34236

2010 Remy Pannier Rose d'Anjou

2011-09-09T11:10:00.001-04:00

Rose d'Anjou is an appellation within the Loire for rose wines. Many, if not most, of the wines tend to be sweet but there are some exceptions such as this that are much drier. While still retaining some sweetness it was not overly so and had a nice refreshing zing to it.

In the Rose d'Anjou the predominant grape is Grolleau Noir but as this varietal has lost a lot of ground, the wines are also increasing their use of other grapes including cabernet franc, cabernet sauvignon, malbec and gamay. A couple of other grapes that are sometimes used are Pineau d'Aunis and Grolleau Gris.

As a rose, this wine should be served slightly chilled. 20 minutes in the refrigerator was just about right for me. The wine is a medium pink color, with clearing along the edges.

Notes of strawberry, white peppercorn and hints of sweet cherry fruit gave this a refreshing bite. This was somewhat lighter in weight than I would have expected but still let you know it was there. It would work wonderfully with a summer salad or chilled meats.

Overall, this was a good rose and a nice change of pace from our typical fare. Reasonably priced at $10.

Cheers!

2008 Cloudline Pinot Noir

2011-09-09T10:54:00.001-04:00

We have not been partaking of very much pinot noir lately so it was a nice change of pace to get back to a varietal that we absolutely love. It was especially nice to have found a pinot noir from Oregon that was not only very tasty, but also reasonably priced at $17.

From the moment we opened this one up we recognized that it was going to be very good. The nose was rich and full-bodied with lots of dark red fruit aroma. The inital taste was somewhat dense on the palate with very little showing, but as it opened up over just a couple of minutes the dark fruit popped into focus along with some notes of spicy oak. While it started out very dense as it evolved in the glass it became much more elegant and rich.

We really appreciated this pinot noir a lot. It worked very well with some grilled chicken we had but it would also work just fine by itself. We are already looking forward to having it again.

Cheers!

2010 Crios Torrontes

2011-08-30T09:26:00.000-04:00

As noted when we reviewed the 2008 Crios Torrontes, we have had a mixed bag of luck with this varietal. When done right, it is a really nice change up from more traditional grapes like chardonnay and sauvignon blanc; but, when it is "off" it really can throw you for a loop. This one is definitely done right.

The 2010 is similar to the 2008, but shows a bit more of the fruit and somewhat less of the acidity. Green apple leads the way, but there is also a bit of bright sweetness on the front of the palate. It finishes with a bit of lingering honeysuckle and jasmine notes.

Another good example of torrontes. If you are not familiar with the varietal, this would be a good introduction to it. Expect to pay about $10 a bottle for it.

Cheers!

Tropical Thai Restaurant - Downtown Sarasota

2011-08-28T14:54:00.000-04:00

We needed to be in Sarasota earlier today and were looking for a good lunch option on Main Street. Driving past several places that were closed, we noticed that Tropical Thai was open and decided that we would give it a try.

The decor is pretty typical Asian inspired with the notable exception of the tables, which were somewhat similar to the carved bamboo scenes you find in lacquered box frames. Each table had a glass top over a carved, 3-D scene of animals, etc. Pretty impressive display.

We started with the steamed dumplings. These were somewhat heavy on the pastry side but the filling was incredibly tasty. Even though we thought that the dumpling itself was pretty thick, it was completely cooked through and had a nice flavor to it. The dipping sauce was good, but nothing spectacular. We were disappointed to find that there were 5 dumplings on the plate, meaning we had to split the last one. Otherwise this was a great start.

For soups I went with the daily special, which turned out to be rice noodles in clear broth with sprouts. Overall the soup was good, but it was certainly not inspired either. Throw in a shrimp or two, or even just some mushrooms, and it would have been much better in my opinion. Allison went with the coconut soup which was awesome. Typically coconut soup is pretty heavy for me but this was lighter in style with less emphasis on the coconut flavor. The soup was filled with mushrooms, red bell pepper and scallions along with some really nice pieces of chicken. Next time I will likely get a bowl of this for myself.

The salad course was very uninspired, consisting of lettuce (some of which was browning), a half-slice of tomato, maybe 2 slice of cucumber, a touch of red onion and a sauce that reminded me of watered-down honey mustard. Now, don't get me wrong... the salad was okay, with the exception of the browning lettuce, but it was just so plain that it detracted from the buildup to the main course.

For her entree, Allison chose the chicken in pepper sauce. The sauce was a dark brown sauce, that was fairly light on flavor, and filled with fresh vegetables and lots of chicken. She went with the standard heat, rather than ordering it hot, and it was very mild. Definitely ask for at least medium heat if you order this. I had the shrimp ginger, which was quite tasty. The sauce had a bit more flavor than Allison's, even though it was a lighter sauce. All of my vegetables were cooked completely without being overdone, which can be an issue when cooking mixed vegetables like this. The shrimp were very well cooked but did not have a lot of flavors on their own. Both dishes were served with steamed white rice in a smaller portion that we were used to seeing in an Asian restaurant.

We did not order dessert, but they gave us a small plate of a slightly sweet fried dough somewhat similar to donut but denser. There were some chopped nuts and a sweet, creamy sauce drizzled lightly over it all. These were pretty tasty overall, just a bit heavy at the end of the meal.

Overall, we both really liked this restaurant a lot. There were some detractions but also several things that really stood out. We have been looking for a convenient place to get good Thai food and this certainly fills that need for us. We look forward to trying it again soon.

Cheers!

Tropical Thai Restaurant
1420 Main Street
Sarasota, FL 34236
(941) 364-5775

2007 Ridge Santa Cruz Mountains Estate Red Blend

2011-08-16T14:38:00.000-04:00

We are big, big fans of Ridge but in the past have really only concerned ourselves with the various bottlings of zinfandel that they produce. But, like other wineries that tend to produce one varietal very well, they also have other bottlings that can be quite tasty. This particular blend would certainly fall into this category.

The 2007 blend is 58% Cabernet Sauvignon and 42% Merlot. Even being somewhat close to an even blend, this really showcases the cabernet. The merlot plays a very important supporting role, but it is just that -- a supporting role.

Both the nose and palate of this one scream black fruit, with blackberry and currant being dominate in the taste profile. There is a good bit of acidity and fleshy tannins that suggest this is going to age well for another decade or more. The merlot works to soften the boldness of the cabernet sauvignon and lends some lighter red fruit nuances to the finish.

The majority of the juice comes from the Monte Bello vineyard, which is the famed cabernet vineyard from which Ridge produces their Monte Bello Cabernet Sauvignon so this blend has exceptional pedigree to back it up.

So, if you are a fan of the Ridge zinfandel wines or if you like full-throttle cabernet sauvignon based wines, go and find a bottle or case of this. You will not regret it.

Cheers!

2007 Turnbull "Old Bull" Red Blend

2011-08-16T14:28:00.001-04:00

While we had both previously heard of Turnbull, neither of us could ever remember trying anything from them. After this bottle, I think that we will be searching out other wines from them as this was quite tasty.

This blend appears to be predominately Cabernet Sauvignon and Merlot with a bit of other grapes thrown in for good measure. There was no information about the actual blend on either the bottle or the wineries website and what I could find on the internet was contradictory so I am not going to publish any blend information. If anyone has good, verifiable information on the blend drop us a note and we will add it to the review.

2007 was a great, if not fantastic, year for cabernet based wines in Napa Valley. These wines consistently receive high accolades from every source that I have found. This blend is no exception.

Upon opening this up we were immediately impressed by the depth of the nose. Even with no aeration immediately after opening, there was lush, dark fruit with layers of complexity that only hinted at the joy that was to come. Because this was such an open wine upon opening, we did not wait to taste it but immediately had a good sip so that we could see how it evolved with some time in the glass.

Our first tast impression was black cherry and notes of chocolate with a solid bit of tannin acidity underneath. As it opened up over the next 20-30 minutes, the layers keep unfolding and gave us some currant, mocha and a touch of saddleleather. The tannins are well integrated and very silky. This wine had a moderately long finish.

The fruit is nicely balanced by clean acidity, and this one will probably continue to age well for another 5-7 years. If you are fortunate enough to pick up some of this, I think you would be very wise to do so.

Cheers!

2010 Luccio Moscato d'Asti

2011-08-16T13:53:00.000-04:00

Allison is not a fan of Moscato d'Asti because of the sweetness it brings to the table. However, I really enjoy them on a very hot summer afternoon as they are slightly sweet, have a nice crisp acidity to them and are generally very easy to drink.

This one from Luccio was one that I do not remember ever trying and it was several dollars less than the others when I was looking for pick up a bottle so I thought I would give it a try. Most of the moscatos that I have had previously run from $13-15 a bottle; this was $10.

As you know, Moscato d'Asti has a slight effervescence but really is more of a "fizzy" style than a true sparkling wine. These are also lower in alcohol, and this one comes in at 5.5% which is actually very low for a wine.

The palate was rich with white flower, pear and hints of pineapple. The acidity was somewhat subdued but still present and the finish lingered for a good bit. I thought that the overall feel of the wine was somewhat heavy and the flavors did not seem to really mesh together but all fought for attention in a clunky manner.

Overall, I found this one to be a decent but not great representation of Moscato d'Asti. It seems to have potential but just is not quite there. If someone were to offer me a glass, I would certainly partake but find that I am unlikely to purchase it again on my own.

Cheers!

2009 La cana Albarino

2011-08-16T13:43:00.000-04:00

And we're back... hopefully things are much more settled now and we can get back to the business of sharing our thoughts about wine and other tasty things with you. We have 4 wines to review today, and then tomorrow Gary will be attending a Bordeaux blending class and will have lots of good information to share from that.

On to the wines for today...

As we have shared in the past, Albarino is one of those wines that a lot of people still do not know about; but, the good news is we think that word is getting out as we are seeing more and more of these wines being offered both retail and on restaurant wine lists. Spanish wines in generally are getting better press and reviews, and as a result we think that you will begin to see a much broader and higher quality of these wines.

This was a very typical styled Albarino with lots of peach and nectar flavors in a wine that shows a good bit of body but still has a crisp acidity undertone to it. While it was tasty by itself, putting this up with a tropical salad or fresh seafood would really bring it out.

As with most white wines, this really is not going to improve with age and a 2009 is probably pushing the outer edge of peakness. However, this one does still seem to have some life in it and I would not hesitate to recommend it for another year or so in this vintage.

We paid $15 for this wine, which seems to be a good mid-point for Albarino. We have had some less expensive and some more, but this one was about as good as we have had.

Cheers!