Joel Gott Zinfandel

The opportune time for an aging wine; so delicate.
I dream of pulling that cork; yet fearful.
For now I am so happy to have it close by me; though it remains unopened.
I watch it mature; admiringly.
I dream of its substance; hopeful.
I think about it; feel my heart grin.
And settle for now with 2005 Joel Gott Dillian Ranch Zin.

Joel Gott
Zinfandel
Amador County

This wine perplexes me. I taste-tested it one night and absolutely hands-down LOVED it. I'd give it an 8.25 that evening. On my way home from work, I'd had no food for awhile to alter my taste. I would have bought it that night, but the price tag (for me) is a once-a-month selection.

Fast forward to this weekend. It was The Guy's b'day Saturday and I knew in the back of my mind I was going to purchase this zin for the occasion. I didn't tell him it was out of the usual "cheap" category and we had it with grilled steak and chicken and grilled red, yellow and orange peppers with sweet onion. I was completely disappointed. It tasted like almost every other wine I've had lately. He drank it without making any comment - which is a good thing because he didn't say he DIDN'T like it. However, he did not say "Wow, what is this?" And I wouldn't have said it either if I'd been trying if for the first time.

It's got to be the menu selection that killed it. I myself did have more this afternoon with my lunch of sauteed shrimp, garlic, roasted red peppers, fresh parsley, parmesean and penne. It was much better, though still not the wonderful experience that first evening I taste-tested it. Interestingly enough, when I taste-tested it, the young girl behind the counter (the owner's college-bound daughter) told me it was probably better an hour or two earlier as it had been "breathing" for 4 hours when I walked in. I laughed to myself thinking that it is a young wine and therefore would not necessarily need to breathe at all (I'm still unsettled as to the whole breathing necessity). However, now I almost wonder if there was actually a positive reaction with oxygen for this wine.

www.gottwines.com
Amador County, Dillian Ranch (this is important as there are other regions for Joel Gott Zin, same year)
$27.99 / bottle

Brulwood Merlot

Some other place, another time
Some day never comes
And life goes by.
My daily thoughts confuse me and muddle my head,
Pour me two glasses of Merlot
And give me my bed.
Awaiting sleep I let go and let be,
Comforted by the oneness I've always felt within, to the earth, sky and sea.
And when I wake, I once again trust
That what was meant to be, will find a way indeed to one day be.

2004
Brulwood Merlot
California

Would drink again.

I don't believe this can be bought mainstream. It's a restaurant only brand actually put out by Gallo Cellars (I think).

My boss is going in for surgery and will be out for six weeks. We stayed late tonight preparing for his absence. We then had dinner together at a local Italian eatery. Though it was a very pleasant environment, it was a small place and it was casual. I knew better than to ask for a wine list. When I asked our server what they had for wine, she looked perplexed and I prayed she would not say "Red or White." It was one step above that: "We have Chianti, Merlot, and Cabarnet - one kind." The label was Brulwood. I was pleasantly surprised at the softness and flavor, and though it was not intense, it was more full bodied than I ever expected.

7 out of 10

$10.99 - $12.99 / bottle (from what I could find out on-line)

Los Vascos Reserve

"So I called up the captain,
'please bring me my wine'
and he said;
'we haven’t had that spirit here since nineteen sixty nine' "
The Eagles
Hotel California (my all-time fav karaoke song - I especially love pleading that second line!)

Los Vascos
Cabarnet Sauvignon
Reserve
2004

I can't help but read this label without thinking of my brother David. "LOS VASCOS!!!!" he always says loudly and enthusiastically with a "Mehican" accent. And my girls laugh and laugh.
Very peppery and warm, hint of vanilla, wood and spice. A last hint of licorice as it goes down. More spice than I like, but a good wine overall. I think the balance is good. The finish is slightly disappointing after holding the first mouthful. Probably great served with steak. I had turkey meatballs so I can see where it might not have been as good as it could be due to my pairing it with poultry.

7.25 out of 10
www.pasternakwine.com
14.0% alc. by vol.
$16.99 / bottle

"The French Connection
(French Investment in Chile)

French Investor.................... Chilean Winery
Grand Marnier .............................. Casa Lapostolle
Domaines Lafite Rothschild.......... Los Vascos
Bruno Prats & Paul Pontalier .......Aquitania / Paul Bruno
William Fevre .................................Fevre
Chateau Larose-Trintaudon ........Casas del Toqui
Baron Philippe de Rothschild .......Concha y Toro
..........................................................(Vina Almaviva Puente Alto)

Other Foreign Investors in Chile Include:
Quintessa, California ....................Veramonte
Torres Winery, Spain ..................Miguel Torres Winery
Kendall-Jackson, California ........Vina Calina

Two Tone Farm Chardonnay

California
2004

Would drink again.

Another screw top - this is becoming the way to go. Enjoyable on its own. I tend to like "oakiness" in my chardonnay - this does not have an oak taste to it. It is all fruit (pear) and butter. I stir fried chicken with fresh ginger and garlic in olive oil and put it over Romaine with celery, grape tomatoes, freshly grated parmesean and freshly ground black peppercorns. I was just going to have olive oil and lemon over it but I had a craving for Ranch. I thought for sure the Ranch dressing would make the Chardonnay less enjoyable, but it didn't at all. This Chardonnay was good on its own and with dinner.

7.25 out of 10

St. Helena, California
13.2% alc. by vol.
$10.99 / bottle

"Malolactic Fermentation is a second fermentation that lowers tart malic acids and increases the softer lactic acids, making for a richer style wine. The result is what many wine tasters refer to as a buttery bouquet."
From "Windows on the World Complete Wine Course" by Kevin Zraly

Houghton Cabernet Shiraz Merlot

I look to the stars and then to the moon,
Longing for the straightforward life of June.
Residing within the reach of chaos awaiting a sign,
I relinquish to a blend of Cab, Shiraz, and Merlot wine.

Houghton
2004
Cabernet 71% Shiraz 20% Merlot 9%

Would drink again.

This evening's selection was enjoyable. The Houghton blend was nice on its own. The alcohol content is on the higher side, but the berry and oak combo persevered. While the berry bouquet was strong, the initial taste I experienced prior to swallowing was eucalyptus. I made lasagna and the Houghton lost something - it tasted "thinner" with the meal. However, upon reintroducing last night's Zinfandel with the meal, the Zin was better matched. Overall though, the Houghton was good.

7.25 out of 10

www. houghtonwines.com
14.5% alc. by vol.
Western Australia
$14.99 / bottle (I bought on sale for $11.99)

Wine Fact care of Kevin Zraly: "Most Cabernet Sauvignons are blended with other grapes, primarily Merlot. To use the grape variety on the label, the winemaker must use at least 75% Cabernet Sauvignon."

Rosenblum Cellars Zinfandel

Was it you, or was it me?
I felt ugly, nervous - I needed to leave.
There was a wall I couldn't see.
I just want everything to again be so fine;
I long for cherry, chocolate and anise,
Give me Paso Robles wine.

2005
Appellation Series
Paso Robles

I think I've mentioned before that Uncle Bob introduced me first to Rosenblum Cellars on one of our fine Thanksgiving gatherings. I have revisited various Rosenblum Cellars labels a few times since, but never with that initial fondness. I caught another glimpse of it tonight. Of course, I did spend a little more to get it and that's not supposed to be the focus of this blog. But I so needed it! First, I must say, I was looking for something entirely different.

I was finally cooking again from my Wine Lover's Diet book (I misplaced the book for the last few weeks and found it this evening - can you believe it was on my little black, wrought iron cookbook shelf???). I made "Soy-Glazed Salmon" and it called for a Syrah (for recipe see www.cheznatalie.com but give me a couple more hours to post). I went in search of 2004 Chilean Casa Lapostolle Cuvee Alexandre Syrah (errr, again a little out of price range - but I needed it!!!). Wine Enthusiast gave it a "90". My other favorite wine connoisseur, my main brother David, very enthusiastically introduced The Guy and I to Casa Lapostolle last holiday season. I don't remember what vintage or specific label we had, but it was good. So when I saw it written up, I longed to have it with my salmon. My local shop didn't have it, though they can order it. That didn't help me tonight with my menu.

Eventually, I chose Rosenblum's Appellation Series tonight as it recommended blackened salmon as an accompaniment. Of course, my salmon was not blackened so I knew I was risking things. Although it was OK with dinner, I thoroughly enjoyed it on its own prior to. Initial bouquet was berry-like and earthy (earthy hooks me in every time). When I held it on the tongue (we are talking wine here) it felt warm and slightly sweet which I like (not too sweet, but sweeter than dry). The finish for me was very well balanced and held a long time.

7.75 out of 10

www.rosenblumcellars.com
Zinfandel
14.9% alc. by vol.
$18.99 / bottle

Duck Pond Syrah

2003
Duck Pond
Syrah

At my local wine shop's Friday night tasting I sampled this and loved it. I think it is worth the $12.99 it can sell for. Although I do enjoy melding my wines with food, this wine had an enjoyable intensity on its own. A little berry, a little oak, a moderate intenseness. Nice balance.

7.5 out of 10

www.duckpondcellars.com
Columbia Valley
Washington State
$12.99 / bottle

Trinchero Family Merlot 2003

"I cook with wine; sometimes I even add it to food."
- W. C. Fields







Trinchero Family
2003 Merlot
Monterey County
Alcohol: 13.5%
Price: $11.99
Rating: 6.5 out of 10


When the bottle was first opened, the room filled with an immediate grapey aroma and I thought "Oh, this is going to be good." But it wasn't for me. It was disappointing. I think the "Two Buck Chuck" Shiraz might have had a little more going for it. It first tasted strong, then really dry and bitter, followed by a thin grapiness which then turned into a metallic (think aluminum can) taste - YUCK! I hate that. All right, it was probably on par with the Two Buck Chuck due to its stronger immediate taste.


http://www.trincherowinery.com/

[The Guy's take]

7 out of 10
Would try a different year

This wine was not as bad as the first impression The Gal wrote... at least that's what I keep telling myself. When I bought it, I thought, Hmmm... nice label, Montery Country Merlot, 2003 vintage... It should be ok.

Contrary to the "Yuck" adjective used earlier, I'll say the wine was a bit musty, giving you that earthen smell in the glass. When you take a sip and let it sink in, the fruit is palpable, but the mustiness and the woody aroma is hard to get past.

While I generally prefer wines with this deep earthen smell to go along with the "tannins" most wines are supposed to have, I have to say the thing that stands out about this wine is it was very drinkable with a smooth finish. It didn't have a long finish, but it did have the same "bite" for me like it did for the Gal.

It's easy to see that this wine could be overpowered by spicey food, but you would think it would be complimentary to that type of meal.

From an online description of the Trinchero winery:

In 1948, Mario Trinchero brought his wife, two sons and daughter across America from New York City to the small town of St. Helena in California's Napa Valley. The year before, Mario and his brother John, emigrants from Italy in the 1920s, had purchased a long-abandoned winery called Sutter Home. As the Trincheros begin their second 50 years in the California wine business, they have set themselves a new challenge: to use their sizeable resources to produce wines that rival the finest made in Napa Valley, wines that will honor the memory of their father. The name of this new brand is M. Trinchero.

When I was hunting around for more info on this wine, there were a number of good things said about the reserve and the 2004. So it probably makes sense to try another from this vintner.

Double Post: "Two Buck Chuck" Shiraz and Chateau Peyfol 2003 Red Bordeaux Wine

Reading last night's post, it seems like I went off a bit on an unrelated tangent. However, the point I was trying to make was how, just like food, environment can play into one's wine experience. In my case, I was melancholy from the music I'd been playing and feeling blessed looking and listening to my children while thinking about my past and their future all rolled into one. The wine enhanced that feeling and created an overall nostalgic experience. Whereas the night prior, I was in a different emotional state and was listening to classical music and even though I drank more of the wine then, it didn't seem to enhance my mood. It's the same thing as going to a great restaurant and thoroughly enjoying the food and the company you're with and ordering a wine that tastes great. I've done that and left deciding I've got to go buy a bottle of that great wine. I've bought it, brought it home, and it just doesn't taste the same. As a matter of fact, I've wondered what the heck I liked about it in the first place. The food, the music, the lighting, the company, everything plays a part in the total experience.

All right, onto today's wine experience (with less emotion I promise):

Charles Shaw Shiraz
California 2005
NAPA

Well, I finally tried it, "Two Buck Chuck" - the el cheapo "Trader Joe" phenomenon. I had the Shiraz on it's own, no food accompaniment. For $2.99 (sells for $1.99 in California) I was thinking it would taste like vinegar, but it really wasn't that bad. But it tasted more fruity than heady - the balance was off. Though there wasn't much body, there was a slightly enjoyable flavor. My mother encouraged my 88-year old grandmother and myself to keep drinking it. She said (and only as my mother can) "The more you drink the better it tastes." The three of us consumed half a bottle and surprisingly found ourselves feeling a buzz prior to our Mother's Day afternoon dinner.

To sum it up, I probably wouldn't intentionally buy it, though it might be a consideration for a large holiday party or family gathering in which lots of wine is needed on a budget. I would also definitely use it for cooking - it added great flavor to our New England Pot Roast.

6.5 out of 10


Recolte 2003
Chateau Peyfol
Cotes De Castillon
Red Bordeaux Wine

We consumed this wine with our Mother's Day Pot Roast (my grandmother's tried and true Yankee recipe). It was a nice accompaniment to the whole meal: Beef pot roast, mashed sweet potatoes, asparagus, Cauliflower, spinach salad with strawberries, and Italian bread. Though it had nice flavor, I was again missing body. I have not had a nice heady experience with any French reds which is why I usually avoid that aisle altogether (just give me California!) - they tend to taste weak to me (the exception being Uncle Bob's cellared Pomerol a couple of years ago - but that's not in the budget). This reminded me of a Beaujolais - nice light luncheon / picnic wine.

I purposefully bought a red Bordeaux because I am a lover of Merlot and felt I needed to go straight to the horse's mouth. This just wasn't the right label. I've got t0 persevere the whole French thing and I will find something before year's end.

7 out of 10

Chateau Peyfol 2003
Grand Vin de Bordeaux
$19.99 / bottle

Food Pairing Update on Clos du Bois Zin (and a little more than I bargained for)

Though I made tacos for my children, I decided to make myself some "healthy" sweet Italian sausage (made with organic chicken and sweet red pepper and green pepper) and pair it with last night's Clos du Bois Zin (which recommends Italian Sausage as an accompaniment). It was slightly better. Probably by just over one half point more. For some reason, it hit me harder. I had less wine tonight and it effected me more.

I was quietly emotional and reflective and felt the wine warming me (which felt really good). Of course my custom CD playing in the background probably played a slight part in the overall experience as well - I went from listening to my Billie Holiday collection to The Beatles "Let It Be," Kansas' "Dust in the Wind," U2's "With or Without You," Pink Floyd's "Wish You Were Here," ending with Peter Gabriel's "In Your Eyes." I watched my beautiful children and listened to them just innocently talking and told them how very much they mean to me and how much I so want them to have a happy life and surround themselves with people who care about them, and how important family is, etc. They gave me that "Oh Geez, here she goes again" look and I just smiled. I just smiled. Yup - the strength seemed to be more pronounced finishwise. Of course, my appetite has diminished over the last two days. So I haven't had as much as I normally do to eat and it therefore probably had more of an effect on me even though it was less wine (About 2 full glasses last night versus one and a half tonight). Which brings me to another point: In the Wine Lover's diet book I've pseudo been following, women are supposed to limit themselves to one glass of wine per evening meal whereas men can have two full glasses without it being a detriment to health (and brain cells). That's just not really fair.

Clos du Bois Zinfandel 2004

Clos du Bois
2004 Zinfandel
North Coast

Geyersville, CA
closdubois.com
$11.99 / bottle

Rating: Would most likely drink again with the right cuisine.
7 out of 10 (I hate my weak rating system but it's quick and best for now though I'm consuming way too many 7's)

Not bad on its own, just doesn't knock my socks off either though. A little on the dryer and bitter side for me, slightly more pepper yet enough fruit to make me take another sip. This wine would probably taste great with the right food pairing - the bottle recommends an Italian Sausage or Grilled Lamb Chop pairing (neither of which are currently part of my diet).


*California Wine Fact: Early California winemakers sent their children to study oenology at Geisenheim (Germany) or Bordeaux (France). Today, many European winemakers send their children to the University of California at Davis and to Fresno State University.

*(Taken from Kevin Zraly's "Windows On The World Complete Wine Course")

From the Clos du Bois website on their Zindfandel:

Zinfandel at its best is full-bodied and brimming with ripe raspberry and blackberry flavors, followed by a long, peppery finish. Fantastic with all sorts of foods - red-sauced pasta, roasted meats or pizza. Look for blackberry, raspberry, jam, black pepper, cherries, plum with notes of nutmeg, smoke, black tea and cloves.

[The Guy's Take]

I rate the Clos du Bois higher usually because it's the type of wine I enjoy either in a glass by itself for sipping on the porch or with a meal.

For this one I'm inclined to give it 8 out of 10

The legs on the Zin were a lot better than some of the other wine we've been trying.

Martin Ray's "Angeline" Chardonnay

Last night I dreamt
You picked me up in your old brown truck.
We went down by the river's edge and stopped time;
Under a weeping willow
We said all those things that haven't been said,
And shared an ancient bottle of wine.

Oh, sorry. My thoughts consume me. On to the wine.

Martin Ray
Angeline
2004 Chardonnay

Would drink again.

I bring Kevin Zraly's book with me to work every day (if you read these posts then you must know by now who he is so I won't keep typing his book in), as well as my latest issue of "Wine Enthusiast", and read on my breaks and lunch and/or in the wonderful traffic I am constantly in (no Officer, I did not say I read in the car while driving - I really don't, that would be CRAZY. Seriously, I don't, Mom).

Anyway, today I was perusing Kevin's wine cellar recommendations as well as "Wine Enthusiast's Buying Guide" and I didn't take notes. Later I went to my local wine shop in search of actually, Australia's "Woop Woop" Chardonnay to have with dinner and, having not found it available, I bought "Angeline" remembering it from one of my readings earlier in the day. Unfortunately, I remembered slightly wrong. It was "Angeline" but it was the wrong vintage. The recommended vintage was 2005 and I bought 2004. It wasn't bad. It just wasn't the buttery, oak-filled, woodsey vanilla I typically long for in my Chardonnay. The finish was more bitter than I care for. It did however, go well with my roasted chicken and roasted sweet potatoes I made for dinner. I think the sweet potatoes cut the bitterness and vice versa.

Once I was home and dinner was in the oven, I looked through both publications to find the "Angeline" write-up in "Wine Enthusiast" and that's when I discovered I purchased the wrong vintage. I paid $12.99 for my bottle. The recommended 2005 bottle goes for approximately $14 per bottle and, according to the magazine, " . . . is a much better wine than the '04, showing all the hallmarks of a wonderful, long hangtime vintage." Although I did somewhat enjoy the 2004, I would very much like to compare it with the 2005 and hope to do so in the near future and report on it here.

7 out of 10

Russian River Valley
Martin Ray Winery (Please visit the March archives for Martin Ray's "Red")
Santa Rosa, California
$12.99