winewaves

Happy New Year

Happy New Year! Here are a few toasts to get the new year off right...  Here's to:

• Better wines at better prices.
• Fewer barriers for consumers purchasing any wine, anywhere, anytime, from any legitimate source.
• Better quality information for wine shoppers.
• More recognition for hardworking Winemakers, Vineyard Managers, field hands and cellar rats.
• Increased pageviews and income for hardworking Winebloggers.
• A non-profit Winebloggers organization and successful conference in '06.
• Better food and wine events than ever before.
• More respect for Canadian wines in the US, and US wines in Canada.
• Peace Love and Happiness, starting with the world's winegrowing regions.
• Winewaves.com going more places, interviewing more wine personalities, publishing more pictures and words, and finally going international.

Sincere thanks, and Cheers!  -Jerry

p.s.: "Happy New Year" chalkboard art by J. Donnelly.

A Good Cab Was Hard to Find in 2005

In the recent Winewaves.com Best of 2005 post, Cabernets were left out.  Only two of the wines contained significant Cabernet, both Australian: The Lucky Country 2003 red blend and Pillar Box Red 2004.  I wondered if it was just me, so I consulted Wine Spectator's Top 100 list, of which it appears 7 were Cabs, or 8 if you count Insignia, which is mostly Cab.  The average price of these 8 Cabs was $61 and change.  This is well over the price I will usually pay for any wine, unless it is a gift or a very special occasion.

I did like a few Cabernets this year, but they just weren't quite the values of other wines tasted, so they didn't make my very short lists.  The two which nearly made the list were: the organically grown Domaine Jean Bousquet Mendoza Cabernet Sauvignon 2003, and the straightforward Woop Woop Cabernet Sauvignon 2004.

A good Cab, at a good value, was hard to find this past year, despite the fact that consumers want them, and that winegrowers love to grow Cab.  Recent stories describe how in places like Washington State, Merlot is out and Cab is in, but I found much better Merlot values in '05.  Perhaps the consumer has been trained to believe you must pay a lot for a good Cab.  I will keep trying Cabs in 2006, but will continue to recommend non-Cabs until the value equation improves.  Maybe the abundant 2005 vintage in California will help.

Mount Palomar Castelletto Temecula Valley Sangiovese 2003

This year's Mount Palomar Castelletto Sangiovese is 93% Sangiovese, 4% Merlot and 3% Cabernet from Temecula Valley, primarily estate fruit. 88 points. Color: Bright cherry red translucent. Aromas: Sweet cherries and cassia spice dominate, with hints of sweet oak, vanilla and dust. The mouthfeel is light bodied, tart, with fine tannins. Ripe cherry and spice flavors are backed by hints of citrus. The finish is easy, fresh and fruity. Overall, this wine drinks like a well made lighter style Italian Chianti. Closure: Real cork. Retail: $18. Food pairing: My Mom Louise's Chili Salad (Mild Texas Chili layered on Romaine, Fritos, and topped with grated cheese).

7 Deadly Zins Lodi Zinfandel 2004

The 2004 7 Deadly Zins has arrived. Michael and David Phillips produce this popularly priced Zin from a blend of primarily (not specified) old vine Zinfandel from 7 contract growers in the Lodi Appellation. This year's 7 is 14.9% alcohol, about the same as last year's (14.8%).

Franck Lambert is Winemaker. 88 points. Color: Deep purplish candy apple red, translucent. Aromas: Blackberry, cassis, raisins, smoky oak (a bit burnt), and roasted vegetables. The mouthfeel is light to medium bodied, slightly sweet up front and then tart, with moderate tannins. Dried cherry and blackberry flavors combine with smoky, bacony, and roasted vegetable notes. The rather quick finish is fruity and dry. Closure: Real cork. Retail: $16. Food pairing: Beef stew.

Woop Woop Australia Chardonnay 2005

Woop Woop Chardonnay 2005 was made by Ben Riggs (Winemaker at Penny's Hill), from Southeastern Australia contract-grown 100% Chardonnay, and imported by Epicurean.  Woop Woop is slang for "the middle of nowhere", or what Tennesseans call "the boonies".

Vinification included cold fermentation and stabilization in stainless steel (Unwooded). 90 points. Color: Lemony straw, with a slight greenish tint. Aromas: Fresh tropical fruit, primarily pineapple, orange and grapefruit, backed by hints of spices (nutmeg, cinnamon and ginger) and cold blossoms. The mouthfeel is crisp, tart and dry with a nice round body. Tropical fruit and citrusy flavors echo in the crisp refreshing unsweet finish. Closure: Screw cap. Retail: $11. Value: Excellent.

Benton-Lane Oregon Pinot Noir 2003

Benton-Lane Oregon Pinot Noir 2003 is a blend of seven clones grown on estate vineyards in the southern Willamette Valley, between Corvallis and Eugene. "The earth is made up of well-drained brick red soils." The vineyard faces southeast, and is planted above the fog line and below the wind line.

Damian North, Winemaker, uses gentle techniques to extract from the skins while minimizing seed contact. Barrel aging was about a year in new and used French oak. 90 points. Color: Bright deep ruby, translucent. Aromas: Raspberry, black cherry, spicy vanilla oak and earthy eucalyptus notes. The mouthfeel is medium bodied, tart and minerally, fuller bodied than many Willamette Valley Pinot Noirs. Black cherry, raspberry and cassis flavors, plus citrus rind resolve into a nice firm, dry minerally finish. Closure: Screw cap.

Retail: $19. Value: Very nice. Production: 17,200 cases.

Winewaves.com Best of 2005

Winewaves.com opened for business in February, 2005, with these goals:

• First, to publish high-quality label and bottle photography, to make it easier to locate desired/recommended wines in local stores anywhere.
• Second, to cover the "waves" (i.e. the inflow and outflow) of popular wines in the $7-$30 price segment (which is 90% of what people buy where I'm based, in Nashville, Tennessee), from my point of view: that of a part-time retail wine consultant. (This is also the price range that I nearly always fall into as a consumer.)
• Third, to evaluate, describe and rate the better wines that I've actually purchased (and consumed), on an identified basis (in other words, not blind), in the context of their "breed standards".
• Fourth, by doing homework and linking to other blogs and sources, to educate myself and my readers about the wineries, terroir, winemakers and marketing facts.
• And fifth, to "connect the dots" and see if trends emerge which may be useful for buying and enjoying wine everyday.

With this last goal in mind, I present winewaves.com's Best of 2005. Here are a few short lists which, along with the label photography I've presented this year, might make it easier for you to make better choices when buying a bottle or a cartload of wines. Cheers!

Best California Winery  "California is the place you ought to be", they said in the Beverly Hillbillies theme song. With several good vintages in a row, and the spectacular 2005 vintage to look forward to, you can count on these quality and value leaders.
1. Hendry Vineyard. If you have about $30 to spend, you simply cannot go wrong with their low-volume, block-system, "agrarian" inspired wines.  Hendry Vineyard is pictured below.

2. Hall Winery.  Craig and Kathryn Hall have a beautiful aesthetic, not to mention outstanding vineyard holdings, and they are currently going the extra mile to please with their reasonably priced ($20-$30) wines.
3. Silverado Vineyards.  The "Disney" estate is located in a very high-rent district, and makes superbly balanced Napa wines at relatively attractive prices.  The whites are stellar these days, and won't cost an arm and a leg.

Best Importer  California may be a favorite of American consumers, but the rest of the world is now also catering to us, and doing it with amazing value.  The abundantly good 2004 vintage in Australia, as well as the outstanding hot 2003 vintage in France and Spain, plus consistent improvements in Argentina and Chile make for lots of choices for the American wine dollar.  Look to the back of the bottle for these consistently outstanding importers.
1. Epicurean (Seattle).  They have capitalized on Australia's bounty, bringing us the current "best bang for the buck".
2. Eric Solomon (European Cellars, Charlotte, NC).  For amazing value in reds from Spain and the Southern Rhone, pick up his latest offerings and drink up.
3. Vineyard Brands (Birmingham, AL).  Here is an excellent and nicely eclectic portfolio, with wines from nearly every winemaking country in the world, whites as well as reds, and their selections are reliable, excellent deals.

Best Winemaker  The context here is not the established "rock star" winemakers who command over-the-top prices from collectors, but people who are delivering great wines at great values, some up-and-coming, all deserving more recognition.
1. George Hendry, Hendry Vineyard, Napa.  Here is a mastermind working with stellar fruit, quietly. 
2. David Knight, Eskadale Vineyards, Langhorne Creek Australia.  David is an up-and-comer with a stellar debut, The Winners Tank.  To be fair, Reid Bosward of Kaesler Vineyards consulted with David on this wine, but give credit to Knight.  Encore!
3. Jon Emmerich, Silverado Vineyards, Stags Leap District, Napa, CA.  Jon is a hands-on experienced yet young winemaker who has Silverado hitting its stride with stellar whites and increasingly outstanding reds.
4. Greg Brewer, Melville Santa Rita Hills Estate Winery, Brewer-Clifton, and his new label called diatom, Santa Barbara County, California.  Greg is already a big name, and with Melville as platform, he will reach greater numbers of consumers with value-priced Pinot Noir, Syrah and Chardonnay that speaks volumes about the local terroir.

And Now for THE WINES:
Best Red Wine $20-$30
1. Hendry Ranch Napa Estate Pinot Noir 2003  ($30)  photo/review
2. Hall Winery Napa Valley Merlot 2002  ($28)  photo/review
3. Hartley-Ostini Hitching Post Santa Barbara County "Cork Dancer 4.2" Pinot Noir 2004  ($26)  photo/review

Best Red Wine $10-$20
1. The Winners Tank (Eskadale/Knight) Langhorne Creek Shiraz 2004  ($15)  photo/review
2. Two Hands "The Lucky Country" Barossa Valley Shiraz/Cabernet 2003  ($17)  photo/review
3. Clos Chanteduc Cotes du Rhone Red 2003  ($17)  photo/review

Best Budget Red Wine (Under $10)
Pillar Box Padthaway Red 2004  ($9)  photo/review

Best White Wine $20-$30
1. Summerland Santa Maria Valley "Bien Nacido" Chardonnay 2003  ($25)  photo/review
2. Barnett Vineyards Sonoma Valley "Sangiacomo Vineyard" Chardonnay 2003  ($26)  photo/review

Best White Wine $10-$20
1. Villa Maria Marlborough Sauvignon Blanc 2005  ($13)  photo/review
2. Silverado Vineyards Napa Valley Chardonnay 2004  ($18)  photo/review
3. Leasingham Clare Valley Magnus Riesling 2004  ($13)  photo/review

Best Budget White Wine (Under $10)
Monkey Bay Marlborough Sauvignon Blanc 2005  ($9)  photo/review

Best Rose Over $10
Chateau de Lascaux J. B. Cavalier Coteaux du Languedoc Rose 2004  ($14)  photo/review

Best Budget Rose (Under $10)
VF Rose Costieres de Nimes 2003  ($6)  photo/review

A to Z Wineworks Oregon Pinot Noir 2003

Founded in 2001 by wine industry friends, Deb and Bill Hatcher, plus Sam Tannahill and Cheryl Francis, A to Z Wineworks operate as "negociants", specializing in blending wines purchased from quality Oregon wineries.

A to Z Oregon Pinot Noir '03 is a blend of 20+ wines from 16 estates, aged in 40% new French oak. 90.5 points. Color: Deep cranberry, translucent. Aromas: Black cherry, framboise, smoky vanilla, lavender and faint cocoa scents. The mouthfeel is medium-bodied for a Pinot Noir, fleshy with tart acidity. The black cherry, cassis, baking spice and light oak flavors, plus hints of forest earth resolve warmly in the lengthy finish. Closure: Screw cap. Retail: $18. Value: Very nice.

This wine is a very nice representation of the 2003 Oregon vintage as a whole, although individual vineyard terroir has been blended out - a different approach. This approach is aimed at producing consistency vintage-to-vintage, as well as very nice value.

X Winery Red X California Winemaker's Blend 2003

X Winery's "Red X" 2003 is a blend of 50% Syrah, 16% Cabernet Sauvignon, 15% Malbec, 11% Merlot, and 8% Petite Sirah.

The grapes were sourced from Paso Robles, Napa and Lake County. Reed Renaudin is Winemaker and CEO. 7200 cases were produced. 89 points. Color: Deep crimson translucent. Aromas: Cherry, blackberry, vanilla, coffee, cedary oak nuances and hints of earth and pepper. The mouthfeel is medium-bodied, tart, with polished dusty tannins. Red and black fruit flavors, along with pepper and oak spice linger in the well-balanced finish. Closure: Real cork.  Retail: $13. Value: Very nice. Drink up.  The 2004 has been released. Food pairing: Barbecued chicken or quail.

Earl Delaille Domaine Salvard Cheverny White 2003

Domaine du Salvard Cheverny is produced from vines grown by the Delaille family, which has cultivated their 37 acre parcel since about 1930.  Location-wise, Cheverny in the east portion of Touraine near the village of Blois. This area is about 150 miles SSW of Paris, just south of the Loire River*.

This wine consists of primarily Sauvignon Blanc, plus a small amount of Chardonnay blended in. Kermit Lynch imports to the USA. 89.5 points. Color: Pale straw with a greenish tint. Aromas: Celeriac, starfruit, grapefruit, honeydew and grass. The mouthfeel is tart, crisp, and a bit peppery. Peppery grapefruit, green pea, and tart apple flavors, plus citrusy tartness and hints of mineral, resolve quickly in a palate cleansing bone dry finish. Closure: Real cork. Retail: $14. Value: Very nice.

*Pouilly-Fume, well known for Sauvignon Blanc, is east-southeast of Cheverny.