Neil Ellis Pinotage 2011

Neil Ellis 2011
Pinotage - $16.99
South Africa, Stellenbosch
Charles - 3.0 stars
Melissa - 2.5 stars

We have been getting into South African wines.  I know what you are thinking... "Wow, what a great idea to try out new regions and varietals, I've always wanted to do that myself."  Well before you give me any credit at all, I can tell you that this is the result of a spur of the moment grab of a wine due to an attractive label while the liquor store was almost closing.  The wine I'm referring to is a lovely S. African blend by the name of Secateurs by A.A. Badenhorst. It turned out to be a really good wine for a good price, and one we have bought several times since that day.  As a result we thought, hey maybe we should see if there are some other good ones from that region.  We bought a cheap Shiraz from South Africa.  It was remarkably good, but we didn't rate it or keep track of what it was.  I'll try and buy it again.  

Ok, so you are sick of me going on about how I got into South African wines.  So lets get to it.  A lot of the blends and wines in this region of the racks mention the grape "Pinotage."  I like checking out new grape varietals.  Some of them turn out to be wonderful, some are horrible, others are just better when they have a 1% next to their names.  So lets get to Pinotage.  What the hell is it, and why don't I see it very often.  Well its a cross between Pinot Noir and Cape Cinsaut developed by a vitaculture professor in South Africa.  This was back in 1945 and its gone through some ups and downs, but it remains a grape more or less only grown in South Africa.

Its known for having cherries and other tart flavors and bringing a dose of tannins along.  Apparently one of the other well known characteristics of the wine is that it can smell like Acetone (nail polish remover) if it is bad, or fermented incorrectly due to is the tendency to develop isoamyl acetate during the winemaking process. It can be thought of the Zinfandel of South Africa and is known for producing a rustic red product.  It is very hardy and fairly easy to grow, but it sounds like it takes some skill to produce some good wines from this grape.

To me, it comes across like a spanish red.  Its got a lot of fruit forward flavors, followed by decent body and a heaping dose of tannins.  Its concentrated and flavorful and it makes me want to try some other Pinotage wines.  Because of the price, I don't know if I'll be revisiting this one in particular, but I'm hoping to find some in the $10-$15 range.

Secateurs Red Blend 2011

Secateurs 2011
by A.A. Badenhorst
Red Blend $13.99
64% Shiraz
26% Cinsault
6% Grenache
2% Mourvedre
2% Pinotage
Coastal Region, South Africa
13.5% Alcohol
Charles - 3.0 stars
Melissa - 3.5 stars

Its got a big bouquet, spicy dark fruits, earthy clay and forest richness, black coffee, plums, brown sugar, molasses.  Its a big wine.  I think I'm a little out of line making this comparison, but it reminds me of an Orin Swift Wine. I don't know if they have a "Locations" wine for South Africa, but if they did, I imagine it would taste a bit like this, but be hotter overall.

Its moderately dark in color, with very little contrast, also a slight tinge of purple.

I taste dark cherries. Undertones of plum. Overall its pretty fruit forward for me, which contrasts with the earthy complex notes in the aroma. It leaves me wanting a little bit for more tannins, but it has a nice finish and finishes lighter than it begins.

I like this wine, and I'll buy it again. Actually in all truthfulness this is the second time I've purchased it, and I've enjoyed it both times.  Cheers.

Kiler Grove Trbbiano 2012

Kiler Grove 2012
Trebbiano $14.80
Paso Robles, CA
14.5% Alcohol
Charles 4.0 stars
Melissa - 3.5 stars
I did a graphic design favor for my friend's little sister and she got me a gift certificate for a winery here in Salt Lake City. It was a very thoughtful gift and quite surprising because I didn't even know we had a winery right under our noses.  I was finally able to get over there for a tasting and it turns out its not too far away.  So we loaded up on our bikes and rode down the street to this winery in the middle of an industrial district here in Utah.
To be honest, I was expecting this to be horrible.  I've been on a couple of tours in podunk Kentucky and they were beyond horrible.  Looking at the website and these wine labels I knew what I was in for, but hey, I had a gift certificate for an alcoholic product so I was gonna drink whatever they were pouring.
The facility itself was pretty well maintained and had all the looks of a winery, so we walked right and took a seat at the tasting bar.  Its not a huge surprise that we were the only people there, but we were greeted immediately by a charming knowledgable sommelier.  She introduced herself and began pouring as she talked about the winery.  Apparently this couple from Utah bought some land in Paso Robles and has been making wine for about 8 years.  They make most of it down in California, but they do make some batches here in Utah from grapes both from CA and some from Idaho.  I guess that was the first clue that these wines might actually be worth tasting, and one after another we were surprised and impressed!  The whites were made in the french style so they were dry and very tasty.  No super sweet whites here, and we were so pleased that we even bought this Trebbiano!  Actually all of the wines were more than drinkable, they were enjoyable.  We ended up purchasing the Trebbiano and the Grenache.  To be honest, I can't wait to go back!
So lets get down to business here.  The Trebbiano is a white grape and you may recognize it as Ugni blanc as its known in France (grown in the St. Emilion region). Its the most widely planted grape in the world.The wine is bright and clear with a very light canary color.  It smells very fruity, notes of citrus, melon, peach, apricot and pear. It has high acidity and you get that on the tongue but its also dryer than you would expect.  I wonder if thats from the 10% Sauv Blanc that they add.  Its bright, light and enjoyable to drink.  It makes me think of summer, and while I'm drinking it I'm already missing the summer that is quickly fading away.  Perhaps if I drink enough summer will hold on for a little bit longer. 

Sinfo Tempranillo 2011

Sinfo 2011
Tempranillo $11.99
Tinto Roble, Spain
13.5% Alcohol
Charles- 2.5 Stars
Melissa - 2.5 Stars

Its been forever since I've posted a review, and truthfully its because I was at the store last week and was looking at wines I knew that Ive had before and I couldn't remember for the life of me whether I liked them or not.  Its a shame too because some of them were on sale.  So I'm trying to get back at it, so in the future I won't miss out on any deals.  And hopefully some of you out there can enjoy some good wines I end up bumping into.

This is a tempranillo I bought, because its simply the most reliable grape for us.  Actually Granacha too, so any spanish wine seems to be a good conservative bet for us.  We've been pretty happy as a whole, and only been let down once or twice.

That being said, this wine was as you would expect when we corked it.  Its super bold and true to the tempranillo grape.  Its really dark with medium contrast, a dark earthly ruby color with quick legs and no staining on the glass.  The nose explodes with dry fruits, spices, earthiness and dark spices.  The nose comes off as hot, but its not really hot.

On the palate its dry concentrated fruits. Almost overpowering with a bold earthy taste.  Its dry and not lacking in tannins.  Ends dry and slightly bitter.  Its kind of like a bulldoser on your palate.  It has no finesse and doesn't care one bit.  If you want a super big bold wine that is unappologetic for what it is, than this is your guy.  I happened to pair it with some mussells and shrimp we were having and gee whiz that just wasnt the right pick!  I really did know better (we had already opened a Trebbiano from Paso Robles) but went ahead anyway!  Oh well.  I'm not gonna say I'm never gonna buy this again, but there are simply better spanish wines for my hard earned money.

Kaiken Cabernet 2011

Kaiken 2011

Cabernet Sauvignon $12.99

Mendoza, Argentina

14.5% Alcohol

Charles 3 stars

Melissa 2.5 stars

Looks: very dark burgundy, opaque, slow forming legs. Low contrast.

Nose: cherries, earthy, dark fruits, coffee, chocolate, slight spice, maybe clove. not a very hot nose. 

Taste : pretty tannic, peppery, not much sweetness, not strong fruit flavors. Smooth drinking.

Juan Gil Mouvédre 2011

Juan Gil 2011

Mouvédre $16.99

Jumilla, Spain

15.0% Alcohol 

Charles 3.5 stars

Melissa 3.0 stars

Visual:  Very dark color, no staining, quick legs, no contrast.  Very dark purple!

Nose: French oak comes through strong, along with spices (not pepper) and leather.  Vanilla, clove also.  Dark fruits like bing cherries.

Taste: Oak, Vanilla, Strawberry and a backbone of tannins and dryness that hangs around into the finish. 

Would like to test test vs the Olivares Monastrell.

Cline Mourvédre 2011

Cline 2011
Mourvédre $13.99
14.5% Alcohol
Sonoma, CA
Charles - 3.0 stars
Melissa - 2.5 stars

After drinking a Mourvédre last night, we just had to have another, so we bought all of the varietal that our local wine store had.  Luckily for my billfold it was only three bottles.  This was the only one from the US, so lets see how it compares to its Spanish brethren.

Visual: Raspberry colored.  Good clarity, not much contrast to speak of.  Fairly quick forming legs.  No staining.

Aroma: Chocolate, ripe dark berries, tobacco

Taste: Notable tannins. Not much complexity here.  Tastes like it smells, which is a good thing.  Fairly fruit forward and decent bodied.  Carries through into a decently long finish.

The grape itself tasted very similar.  We preferred the Spanish wine as it offered up more complexity and was a touch less tannic.

Olivares Altos de la Hoya 2011

Olivares Altos de la Hoya 2011
Monastrell (aslo known as Mourvèdre or Mataró) $11.98
Jumilla, Spain
14% alcohol
Charles - 3.75 stars
Melissa - 3.5 stars

Visual:  Deep, rich burgundy in color.  Border line purple. No staining with moderately formed legs.

Aromatics: Cherries, Plums, Dried fruits, Leather, Vanilla, Spice, and all things nice.

Sip: Starts soft on the palate and builds into big flavors expected of Spanish wine.  Medium tannin's initially but ease on the back end.  Smooth finish with lingering cherries and a pleasant spiciness which makes you look forward to the cold weather ahead.

I'll admit that I only bought this wine due to the wine spectator clipping that was loosely taped to the rack. It had a good score (90), interesting tasting notes, and a good price.  When I brought it home and started writing this review, I realized I had no idea what the hell it was.  What is "Monastrell?" Apparently its a Rhone grape (Mourvèdre) or as its called in the US, Mataró. I'll try to commit that to memory.

Mourvèdre is believed to have developed in Spain (Catalonia area) and spread into France in the 16th century. It was widely planted until the phylloxera epidemic of the 19th century. Mourvèdre didn't take well to the american root stock (that solved the phylloxera epidemic) and was replanted with other varieties as a result.

Mourvèdre is used all by itself, but is also commonly blended. GSM wines, or Southern Rhone Blends use Mourvèdre, Grenache and Syrah.  Mourvèdre is known to be fairly tannic and earthy, but is largely dependent on the terroir.


Here are some others I want to try:
California - Cline Ancient Vine Mourvèdre 2011 - $13.99

CASTANO MONASTRELL'11/12 750ml - $9.99
CASA CASTILLO MONASTRELL'10/11 - $11.99

HEWITSON OLD GARDEN MOURVED'10  $75.99

Rutherford Ranch 2009

Rutherford Ranch 2009
Cabernet Sauvignon $15.00
Napa, CA
13.5% Alcohol
2.5 stars

Tasted tart, but flavorful.  Balanced. Fruit Forward.

Easy drinking wine.

Chateau Smith 2008

Chateau Smith 2008
Cabernet Sauvignon $19.99
Washington State
Charles Smith Wines
13.5% Alcohol
2.0 Stars


Dark Red in color.


Not Very Floral.  Cherries, hints of wood.

Very Dry on the palate.

Saldo 2009

Orin Swift Saldo 2009
Red Blend $28.99 (80% Zinfandel, 9% Petit Sirah, 8% Syrah, 3% Grenache)
Napa, CA
15.5% Alcohol
3.0 Stars

Low Contrast.  Dark Color

Fragrant.  Prevalent Alcohol

Jammy, spicy and balanced.

Notes: Enjoyable but lacked the punch of flavor that abstract and prisoner have.  For the price I was expecting a bit more.

Saintsbury 2008 Pinot Noir

Saintsbury 2008
Pinot Noir $24.99
Carneros, CA
13.5% Alcohol
Charles - 2.75 stars
Judy - 3.0 stars

Nose: fresh fruit, cherries. Flowery (violets)

Taste: Silky. Crisp with a tang.

Abstract 2010

Abstract 2010
Rhone Blend $29.99 (Grenache, Petite Sirah, Syrah)
Napa, CA
15.7% Alcohol
Lauren - 4.5 stars
Judy - 3.5 stars
John - 3.5 stars
Charles - 4.0 stars

Dark, Purple-Red.  Stained legs.  Med/Low contrast.

Sweet and fruity on the nose.  Slight alcohol presence.

Concentrated fruit.  Fruit Forward.

Held up in a taste taste with the Darioush.

Sketchbook 2008

Sketchbook 2008
Cabernet Sauvignon $19.00
Mendocino, CA
13.5% Alcohol
John - 2.5 stars
Lauren - 2.0 stars
Charles 2.5 stars
Judy - 2.0 stars

smelled of campfire is the only note I have written down :(

Judging by our scores, this isn't a wine we were that pleased with.  However it should be noted that we were drinking really nice wines that night, and this one couldn't really compete.  Had we been drinking this next to a $10-$12 wine, the scores may have been much different!

Probably should re-taste.

Heitz Grignolino 2009

Heitz 2009

Grignolino $19.83

Napa, CA

13.8% alcohol 

Charles - 2.0 stars

Melissa - 1.5 stars

Visual: Pretty, dark ruby in color, low contrast, slight robing. No staining, quick forming legs.

Aromatics: Blackberries, Strawberries, Pear. Earthiness, sweet. Light molasses scent. 

Taste: Tastes as it smells, has an illusive element that remains unidentifiable though you recognize that you have been exposed to it before. Sweet initially on palate followed by tartness that continues throughout with a slight bitterness on the endnote, almost as though the wine is young.  Good dryness, tannic.  Short finish, almost abrupt in nature. Crisp flavoring with little complexity and one dimensional.  The adolescent of wine. 

Pairings: 3 Cheeses : Etorki - Sheeps milk basque from France; Young Tomme- Sharp cheddar with slight bluing through out; Garrotxa - Goat cheese from Spain.  Wine has very little flavor play with pairing. 

Notes:  Known in its native Piedmont, Italy for its acidity, and traditionally used as a table wine.  Recommeded for a hot day as a suitable replacement for a Rose.  The tartness keeps it light on the palate without any warmth provided from spice or multi-dimensional flavor profiles. Upon decanting, the wine becomes increasingly aromatic but is accompanied with a slight bitterness that is now present from start to finish. 

Mac Murray 2009

Mac Murray 2009
Pinot Noir $20.99
Sonoma, CA
13.5% Alcohol
Lauren - 3.5 stars
Judy - 3.5 stars
Charles - 3.0 stars
John Dillon - 4.0 stars
Lynn T. - 4.0 stars

Light Red, low contrast

Strawberries, very floral, soft fruits

Slightly dry taste with cherry.

Darioush 2008

Darioush 2008
Cabernet Sauvignon $85.99
14.8% Alcohol
Napa, CA
Lauren 3.5 stars
Judy - 3.5 stars
Charles - 3.5 stars
John Dillon - 4 stars

Moderate contrast, dark color (orangish red), lightly stained legs. Thick high alcohol.  Good clarity

Not very fruity. Dry fruits, leather, earth, rainy day, dirt

Tastes like it smells, low complixity.  Slightly dry.  Very long finish.

Wine opened up a lot after 1 hr.  Should have completed the full tasting again after it opened up.  Completely different wine, and for the better.  Would drink again, but would allow it to breathe before tasting.

Fleur 2011

Fleur 2011
Pinot Noir $14.99
Carneros, CA
 2.0  Stars (Melissa)
2.5 Stars (Charles)

Low contrast, good clarity.  Light color, slightly orange.

Does not stain the glass.  Legs form slow and are not prominent.

Not very hot, low alcohol content. Ripened fruits, cherries and plum.  Pretty fruit forward wine.  Maybe a bit of earthiness or moss as an overtone.

Cherries do not come through on the taste, its more dominated by black berry or plum.  Pepper on the back end, with a dry finish. Earthy tones also not present when tasting. Tannins are notable.

For this price range, there are other Pinots that I would spend my money.  Its also not really representative of what I would expect out of a Pinot.  Not necessarily terrible, but worth mentioning. Also I don't taste the Pinot grape.  That disappoints me.

Orin Swift F1 "Locations" N.V.

Orin Swift F1 “Locations” NV

I wanted to like this wine.   Actually I still want to.

I have heard a ton of good talk about F1, and I have been a cheerleader for Orin Swift forever. I think we’ve got a couple of Papillons in the cabinet, and I know there is a Mercury Head in there.

The label suggests a mysterious ambiguity, in alignment with the tradition of Orin Swift, but at the same time reminds me of those cult bumper stickers, OBX, LAX . . . you know the ones.

Aside from the shape of the bottle, and the obvious French flag, there is no indication of exactly where and when.  With these things in mind, I uncorked the bottle and took my first obligatory inhale before pouring: red fruit, cinnamon, done. Burgundy.   I announced this proudly to my wife, check marked a victory in record time, and poured two glasses.

Fail.

This wine is big, but subdued.  It is from anywhere in France than Burgundy.  Rhone is obvious and confirmed from reviews, Grenache, Carignan, and Bordeaux grapes that no one seems to commit to.  I chose not to decant the wine because I thought it was a Burgundy, maybe a misstep there.

Too subdued.  I never really got it, I never understood F1 Locations.   The dark fruit, the leather, the spice, all those things characteristic of great French wine, were still too quiet.

I’m not approaching this wine with criticism, I am admitting I didn’t understand it.  For my first entry into this blog I realize this is a rather weak debut, but I chose to blog the wine before I drank it.

A few possible conclusions: 

F1 reminded me most of what it feels like when you are having a conversation with someone who you believe has something to tell you, but is not saying it. Allusions and expressions can suggest to you that the real conversation is going on, but it’s not on the surface.

Also, maybe F1 really is a bumper sticker.  Maybe like those that show that OBX on the back of their car. They want me to recognize a place that they feel is worth recognizing, but they don’t want me to understand it, else it wouldn't be theirs to show.

Either way, I think that F1 and I need to continue our conversation.

Project Paso 2009

Project Paso 2009
Cabernet Sauvignon $10.95
Paso Robles, CA
0.5 stars

Dark red, cloudy, no contrast
Smelled of spicy dark fruits.
Tasted flat, no tannins. Not enjoyable. Will not buy again.