The Wine Cask Blog

Amisfield Pinot Noir 2005 wine review by (PB)

noreply@blogger.com (PB) — Fri, 10 Jul 2009 21:16:00 +0000

This highly touted New Zealand Pinot from the central Otago has pronounced aromas of Pinot fruit with sour dried cherries and light cocoa that fades and then rises again.

Palate--Slightly tart milk chocolate, tannins and light fruit that tapers off.

This Pinot is clearly in the new world style where a crisp presentation is what its all about. It really is quite a different wine than what you might find in Burgundy but then again, you don't have to mortgage your home to buy one either. I believe (NW) paid about $35 for this quaff and raise a glass we did!

BeauLieu Vineyards Reserve "Tapestry" 2000 wine review by (PB)

noreply@blogger.com (PB) — Thu, 09 Jul 2009 22:45:00 +0000

(NW) served this wine blind to us at a recent Boston fete. It was a deep garnet with big deep green pepper front with rich, dark fruit and leather and then rose petals, sweet black cherry with maple smoked bacon hints. Later, it is dusty with dried fruit and powdered chocolate and violets. Talk about complex...

Palate--cedar front with sweet presentation with notes of bread, plush maturing tannins, and a smoke finish on cedar and light cocoa. This is a mature wine and why we love B.V.'s Tapestry.

Before (NW) unveiled the wine, my wife asked, "Could this be Tapestry?" I--the expert--shrugged the suggestion off with a blatant, "No!"

Hey, you can't win them all so raise a glass!

Nova Tempranillo 2003 wine review by (PB)

noreply@blogger.com (PB) — Thu, 09 Jul 2009 22:27:00 +0000

This *Crianza wine has a purple garnet hue with robust, thick aromas of dark ripe berry and plum mixture with some hints of spice and bread with slight tinge of pepper.

Palate--over ripe fruit with intense, heavy texture with tannic foundation and a sweet underlayer of dark chocolate--wow! With some air, another layer of sweet cherry emerges.

This is a Ribera Del Douro where values are abundant and this is one at $10. Raise a glass today!

(*"Crianza" means the wine has spent one year in oak aging.)

Camigliano Brunello Di Montalcino 2001 wine review by (PB)

noreply@blogger.com (PB) — Wed, 08 Jul 2009 21:41:00 +0000

A great occasion deserves a great wine so why not Brunello? It is my lover's and my 36th wedding anniversary and the lasagna is in the oven. I opened this wine at noon to let it breathe as most Brunellos need lots of air time and to my surprise this wine was showing some maturity on the rim and in the bouquet.

Sweet tobacco and bright candied cherry fill the bouquet with ample cedar notes.
Palate--The wine is supple with relaxed tannins (mature) bright cherry fruit over stewed prune hints with a cedar presence. This wine is peak right now and will not get any better I don't believe. It is mature and begging to be enjoyed. Perhaps this is why it was on sale when I bought it at $40 on a recent trip to Phoenix.

At any rate, it will be the perfect accompaniment to an awesome lasagna and a brilliant wife who makes water blush in her presence. How blessed I am so raise a glass to 36 faithful years to each other and that my friends is infinitely more rare than the rarest Le Pin or Petrus and worth 10 times as much!

Ranschbacher Konigsgarten 1976 Beerenauslese Eiswein wine review by (PB)

noreply@blogger.com (PB) — Tue, 07 Jul 2009 21:26:00 +0000

This rare treat was only fitting to be opened made from the vintage 200 years after the Declaration of Independence was proclaimed. We had no idea what to expect except that it could very easily still be vibrant as this is precisely the kind of white wine made for aging. What did it reveal 33 years after it was made?

The color on the anxious pour was a remarkable amber hue that looked like it was fitting for a gem stone set as a pendant.

The bouquet was honeyed with stewed fruit with dill and orange rind aromas that were amazing.

Palate--Elegant rich and velvety thick and marvelous. Flavors of stewed peaches with caramel notes and perfectly balanced between luscious sweetness and solid acid.

This wine came from the basement of my mother-in-law who bought it on release after a trip to Germany. No label was available on line that I could find nor could I reference a price. Suffice it to say, this is a wine to remember! Raise a glass to Ed and Mary...

Duval-Leroy Champagne (NV) Brut wine review by (PB)

noreply@blogger.com (PB) — Tue, 07 Jul 2009 21:22:00 +0000

Celebrating on the 4th of July with (NW) and his brood we started off with this from his ample cellar. It has a straw hue with nutty, vanilla aromas.

Palate--fine stream of bubbles with up front nuttiness and light citrus. A refreshing and delightful sparkler from THE region called "Champagne." About $30. Raise a glass indeed.

Castle Rock Pinot Noir 2007 wine review by (PB)

noreply@blogger.com (PB) — Tue, 07 Jul 2009 21:16:00 +0000

Made from *Mendocino grapes this wine is a young purple with solid Pinot aromas with a slightly stinky Pinot nose and a Grenache-like cherry presence.

Palate--Sweet presence of fruity cherry and quite well made finishing nicely.

At the $12 price point, this is a wine worth picking up and a decent value so raise a glass.

*Castle Rock sources their grapes from various locales and states the locale on the label so pay attention to all the information available to you when buying wine.

Chateau Lafaurie-Peyraguey Sauternes 1998 Wine Review (NW)

noreply@blogger.com (NW) — Tue, 07 Jul 2009 00:11:00 +0000

Tasting notes:

Apricot and fig on the nose

Dense and thickly textured on the palate

Orange peel, honey, and cashew berry on the finish

This wine is probably hitting its stride about now. It has a lot of apricot and orange peel surrounded by some other interesting layers. While not a benchmark wine, it delivers classic Sauternes qualities and is a pleasure to sip.

I was treated to this wine by a friend who always manages to producer a good bottle of wine no matter what the circumstances. This wine runs approximately $55, but he said he scored a great deal at a local wine shop.

Raise a glass!

Chateau Bellevue Rougier Bordeaux 2005 Wine Review (NW)

noreply@blogger.com (NW) — Tue, 07 Jul 2009 00:03:00 +0000

Tasting notes:

Cherry, currants, and spice on the nose

Moderately dense and fruity on the palate

Red berries, herbs, and touches of vanilla and tobacco on the finish

Here's a good, solid value from the great 2005 Bordeaux vintage. Had I known, I would have bought more at $13.

What this wine has over many others in the same value price category is a layering effect of fruit, herbs, and spice. According to the producer, the dominant grape is Merlot at 60%, accompanied by the other classic Bordeaux grapes.

Grab it if you see it...and raise a glass!

Columbia Winery 2005 Chardonnay wine review by Billy

noreply@blogger.com (Billy) — Sun, 05 Jul 2009 02:18:00 +0000

Nose:astringent and chemically upon opening, butterscotch minnerals underneath. The acetone smell should blow off after a bit but give it some time.
Palate:strong acids make this crisp but it lacks refreshing character.
Finish:apples and daisys.

Overall: this Chardonnay from Washington's Columbia valley is not the best. I like the mineraly-ness of the wine but it lacks the refinement required to pull off a fine, minnerals forward wine. Schizophrenic between buttery chardonnay and steely french whites. Raise a glass of something else

Rosenblum Syrah Solano County England-Shaw Vineyard 2005 wine review by (PB)

noreply@blogger.com (PB) — Fri, 03 Jul 2009 20:32:00 +0000

Real time review:
On the eve of the celebration of our independence as a nation I am slow cooking some ribs on my Weber with REAL charcoal--always the purist...

I just opened this bottle to celebrate such an auspicious occasion.

This wine is a deep black cherry colored with jammy plum aromas.
Palate is a bit coarse with austere fruit and chewy tannins. I will decant this sucker as I know there is much more there!

An hour later, it is relaxed with vibrant black cherry aromas, plum and sweet spices.
Palate has relaxed tannins, big ripe dark fruit and bready notes with a nice lingering finish. I paid $26 for this and it is nice but I would rather spend the same amount on one of their many single vineyard Zins. Raise a glass to the brave men and women who fought for our right to be free!

Umathum St. Laurent 2004 wine review by (PB)

noreply@blogger.com (PB) — Thu, 02 Jul 2009 22:20:00 +0000

This was another of the Austrian wines (Billy) of this blog, brought back from his trip. This one is a red and St.Laurent is the name of the grape. In the glass the hue looks like it should be a Syrah, deep and intense. The nose reminds me of a Malbec with heavy , dark aromas of berry fruit and sweet dill notes.

Palate--well balanced, bready, a bit "hot" with a sweet impression and more berries. Soft tannins round out this rather tasty wine even if finishing rather abruptly. I believe this wine is a bit pricey-- in the $30-$50 range. For the price, I'm not sure I would make the splurge again but it wasn't my dime and it was a "new" grape for me so raise a glass!

Chateau De Pommard 2000 wine review by (PB)

noreply@blogger.com (PB) — Wed, 01 Jul 2009 13:01:00 +0000

On opening the sight was not pretty. *Bricking at this young age for a Burgundy was tell tale of bad storage or a bad cork or both.

On the nose the wine had a gentle spice core with gentle cherry and licorice emerging.

Palate--Cherry and spice up front with minerals, bread, and more minerals on the finish. The wine was austere but I suspect this was a result of its oxidation. It was still very drinkable but quite ordinary when this wine should have been fairly impressive. Not a good representation of the wine.

(*Bricking is the appearance of the wine taking the color of bricks which is due to oxidation. Bricking by itself does not necessarily mean the wine is "bad" but it does mean the wine MAY be bad as it has aged. For this particular wine to show such "age" was not appropriate. As it turned out, (Billy) of this blog who supplied the wine paid $28 which was half price of what it sold at. This may be why it was being dumped for half off.)

Chasselas 2006 wine review by (PB)

noreply@blogger.com (PB) — Wed, 01 Jul 2009 12:48:00 +0000

On a recent trip to Switzerland, (Billy) of this blog, brought back some indigenous wines. This one, made from the Chasselas grape was a white that is pale gold, with a subtle bouquet of caramel underneath the fruit with a light touch of banana. Unique!

In the mouth this wine is loaded with minerals, is bone dry, fruit that I cannot even relate to anything I know, and has a very nutty finish like some champagnes.

Take advantage of your business travelings to explore wines you will never see anywhere else and raise a glass. (Sorry no picture of the label available.)

St. Francis 2006 Old Vines Zinfandel wine review by Billy

noreply@blogger.com (Billy) — Sat, 27 Jun 2009 00:48:00 +0000

Nose: Peppery Cedar spice (classic Zin!) and a dark berry cream on the nose.
Palate: Good structure, unassuming and uncomplex but sticking to what it knows well and doing it well!
Finish: soft and dark berries come back for a small but fine finish.

Overall: a nice 2006 california (sonoma) zin. I am eating it with pizza with which it goes perfectly! PB paid about $24 for this.

Ironstone Vineyards Obsession "Symphony" 2007 wine review by (PB)

noreply@blogger.com (PB) — Sat, 27 Jun 2009 00:09:00 +0000

Pale straw hue with bubbles rising in the bottle. "Symphony" is actually the grape created in the 60's in Calif. from the Muscat and Grenache Gris.
It has a wonderfully, powerfully floral and tropical fruit filled bouquet that is sweet and wowing!

In the mouth, this wine is intense with balance and sweetness on a foundation of vibrant acidity loaded with tropical fruit flavors, stone fruit, green apples and is really a super quaffing wine for a hot summer's day. Chill it down and raise a glass of this value.

It costs a mere $9 and that from a store with elevated prices so you could probably find it for even less. In the words of my wife--"It's like a blond summer day."

Ribeauville Vin de l'A. Grand Reserve 2004 Bergheim wine review by Billy

noreply@blogger.com (Billy) — Thu, 25 Jun 2009 00:45:00 +0000

Nose: Spicy, steely with Honeyed tropical fruit, lemon grass
Palate: supple and rich with a delicate structure but a feel that spreads throughout the mouth for a delightful summer time refreshment.
Finish: beautiful and lingering stoney textures, creamed honey and melon, sweet grass and sugar cane.
Overall: This special bottle was given to me by a friend in Europe recently. It is a blend of Riesling, Pinot Gris and Gewurztraminer from Alsace but the Bergheim region specifically which sets the bottle apart from other Alsacians. It is a pretty gold gilt in the glass. Gorgeous.

A beautiful bottle shared with my parents enjoyed with gratitude and fond memories of my friends.

Ai Colli Amarone della Valpolicella 2005 Vivaldi wine review by Billy

noreply@blogger.com (Billy) — Wed, 24 Jun 2009 13:56:00 +0000

Nose: Cherry Chocolate, wet tobacco and cedar spice hints
Palate: Very soft feel bordering on a sweet limpness, soft and round tannins provide the most structure.
Finish:resurgence of big and juicy black and blueberries

Overall: The nose is nice, the feel in the mouth leaves something to be desired but the finish is extraordinary. I paid about 95 Swiss Francs for this. There are definitely better wines to be had at that price, but there was still something special about this wine.

Barolo Beni di Batasiolo 2004 wine review by Billy

noreply@blogger.com (Billy) — Wed, 24 Jun 2009 13:46:00 +0000

Nose: Hazelnut husk and acorn aromas spiked with truffle (wonderfully earthy!), black cracked pepper, spicy plum and blackberry
Palate:big mouth feel with chewy tannins and a structure that is firm though short-lived
Finish: juicy berries with a long lingering oaky elegance that slowly decrescendos to a woody character.

Overall: let this breathe after opening. It will open up with berries and more layers on the palate and finish. As it breathes the nose opens up with a rich spicy cedar blackberry profile with smokey hints while the tannins soften on the palate and the finish becomes more of a uniform cedar. I paid about 75 swiss Francs for this on a recent trip to Switzerland and shared the bottle with colleagues. Wonderful!

The Formula Shiraz 2004 wine review by (PB)

noreply@blogger.com (PB) — Wed, 24 Jun 2009 03:00:00 +0000

Sitting in Minneapolis doing a real time review with (Billy) of this blog. Dark black cherry hue with intense black cherry and berry nose with crushed dried autumn leaves and spice.

Burning unique palate with bitter mocha and unsweetened fudge, salty, musty flavors that are awkward. I didn't let this breathe and perhaps that will help but...fruit finish.

If this improves with air, I'll note it subsequently. In the $16 price point, raise a glass of something else like Mclaren Vale Tapestry Shiraz.

St Francis Sonoma County Claret 2003 Wine Review (NW)

noreply@blogger.com (NW) — Sun, 21 Jun 2009 00:06:00 +0000

Tasting notes:

Mixed berries, plum, cedar, and vanilla on the nose

Full-bodied on the palate

More berries on the finish, with cedar and anise layers

I recently had the St Francis Sonoma County Cabernet Sauvignon from the same vintage, so it's interesting to see the similarities. Both wines exhibit a nice cedar layer, but this Claret has extra depth and more integration of flavors. Of course, it's more of a deliberate blend- in this case it includes Merlot, Cabernet Sauvignon, and Zinfandel.

This wine was on the wine list at a chain restaurant and it stuck out because everything on the list seemed to be 2006 or 2007, but here was an '03. It paired well with a small filet and side dishes. The menu price was $48 which is a total rip off as the wine typically retails for $18 or less.

Raise a glass- and hopefully one that costs you a bit less!

Racemi PietraLuna Negramaro del Selento 2006 Wine Review (NW)

noreply@blogger.com (NW) — Sat, 20 Jun 2009 23:54:00 +0000

Tasting notes:

Lavendar, cherry, pepper, and earthy notes on the nose

Youthful and fruity on the palate

Cherry, red plum, and lightly spiced on the finish

This is a youthful, fruity wine that will prove to be versatile with food and a nice option for a summer night when you really want a red wine. I can picture it with cold pasta salad, antipasti, or just about anything starchy.

Head off the beaten path for a bottle of Negramaro, a lesser know grape varietal that has typically finds its home in southern Italy. I paid $13 for the bottle at a gourmet cheese shop, but you'll likely find it closer to $10. Raise a glass!

Casa Lapostolle Cabernet Sauvignon 2006 "Cuvee Alexander" wine review by (PB)

noreply@blogger.com (PB) — Fri, 19 Jun 2009 23:05:00 +0000

Dark purple hue with pronounced black fruit and berry nose with slight vegetal hints and baker's chocolate.

Palate--rich flavors of bitter chocolate, blackberries that are ripe with dark plum notes, bread finishing with firm tannins and fruit.

Obviously young and will improve for a few years. Tends to always be a value and at $14 on sale, this is a good value to be sure so raise a glass.

McWilliams Hanwood Estates Riesling 2007 wine review by (PB)

noreply@blogger.com (PB) — Thu, 18 Jun 2009 00:12:00 +0000

Pale golden with big, sweet, creme brulee aromas and powdery, light citrus. Nice!

Palate BIG acid, which I love, with lemon and light unripe grapefruit. Fruity and cleansing and at $9 this Aussie varietal is a keeper so raise a glass!

Chateau Ste. Michelle "Indian Wells" Riesling 2007 wine review by (PB)

noreply@blogger.com (PB) — Mon, 15 Jun 2009 20:05:00 +0000

Straw hue with big tropical fruit compote aromas with pineapple life savers which gives way a day later to Granny Smith apples and peaches.

Palate--Ultra fruity and a touch sweet with an off dry presence and acid foundation that could use a bit more oomph. Finishes with fruit galore and lingers.

This is an $11 wine value and the Rieslings are really showing ridiculously well from the west coast and Pacific Northwest. So chill it down, raise a glass and just say, "Ahhhhhhh!" and who knows? Summer may yet show up in New England...