Wine Guys / By Tom Marquardt and Patrick Darr
Some wines to try in ’09
Now that a new year has begun, it’s time for some housekeeping. Here are several wines we have tasted recently that we recommend:
• Francis Ford Coppola Director’s Cut Zinfandel Dry Creek Valley 2006 ($18). Fresh berry fruit nose, with black raspberry and ripe strawberry flavors in a very nice drinkable package. Would be great by itself or with beef or pork dishes. Very well-balanced and not overbearing.
• Fess Parker Winery & Vineyard Santa Barbara County Pinot Noir 2007 ($30). We are fond of these consistent, flavor-packed pinot noirs from Fess Parker. Forward strawberry and raspberry notes with a touch of chocolate and cranberry. It’s big enough to match duck or lamb, but would do well with fowl, too.
• Clos Pegase Cabernet Sauvignon Estate Napa Valley 2005 ($37). The blend is 97 percent cabernet sauvignon and 3 percent cabernet franc. About 41 percent of the blend is aged for 18 months in French oak barrels. This is a very impressive wine with a nose of cassis and cherries, and a bit of cedar. An amazing experience in the mouth with dominant black cherry flavors and some eucalyptus. Perfect balance in the mouth with a wonderful long finish.
• Grant Burge “The Holy Trinity” Barossa 2003 ($46). The blend is 40 percent grenache, 36 percent shiraz and 24 percent mourvedre. A wonderful melange of black raspberry and very ripe cherries in the nose and palate with subtle notes of black pepper and cedar. An awesome wine that is just plain fun to drink.
• MacMurray Ranch Pinot Noir Sonoma Coast 2006 ($24). Cherry and ripe strawberry nose and flavors, with some cinnamon spice. A nice fruit forward style that makes it pair well with lighter meats and full-flavored fish like salmon and tuna. Another in a string of very good and well priced pinot noirs from MacMurray.
• Chateau Souverain Cabernet Sauvignon Alexander Valley Sonoma County 2005 ($24). This is an amazing wine that deserves attention, beginning with the inviting cherry, plum, cinnamon and cedar nose. Cherry and lead pencil flavors linger in the mouth. This wine is a sure pleaser, and ready to drink now. Awesome!
• Kuleto Estate Cabernet Sauvignon Napa Valley 2004 ($47). A wonderful nose of sweet vanilla, intense cassis and black cherries. Pure vanilla and black cherry flavors in the mouth establish this bold wine as one that will pair well with bold-flavored beef dishes. Delicious now, or age this beauty for at least the next 3 to 5 years.
• Peter Lehman Eight Songs Shiraz Barossa 2004 ($35). Intense plum-scented nose with plum, coffee and chocolate flavors. A thoroughly enjoyable bold red wine that would enhance meals, featuring bold-flavored beef dishes. A wonderful drink.
• Jaboulet Crozes-Hermitage “Les Jalets” 2005 ($27). The 100 percent syrah comes through in the nose along with dusty berries and bacon fat. The same sensory profile is expressed in the mouth, and the wine exhibits a nice long length. The name “Les Jalets” comes from the old French word for pebbles that were deposited on the vineyard site as glaciers receded during the end of the last ice age.
• Silverado Vineyards Cabernet Sauvignon Napa Valley 2005 ($50). A wonderful melange of black cherry, cigar tobacco and earth in the nose and mouth. A nice complex wine that you can drink now, or age comfortably for at least 5 years.
• ChateauStJeanChardonnay Robert Young Vineyard Alexander Valley 2006 ($31). Another winning chardonnay from the Chateau St Jean team. Citrus, ripe fruit and toasty nose, with ripe tropical fruit flavors in the mouth and a nice toasty creamy finish. A real pleaser.
• HDV Belle Cousine Red Wine Napa Valley Los Carneros 2004 ($60). A beautiful nose with cherry, berry notes and a hint of lead pencil shavings. Great structure and elegant in the mouth that reflects a distinctive Bordeaux style but with riper fruit from this predominantly merlot blend from the famed Hyde’s vineyard. Very clean and long in the mouth, this wine is a real winner.
• Peter Lehmann of Barossa Mentor 2004 ($38). Made from 100 percent cabernet sauvignon and aged in all French oak, this wine is a delight to drink. Cherry, cassis nose with a hint of mint. Bold cabernet flavors with just the right amount of oak to balance the powerful fruit. Drink now or age for 5 to 7 years. A very complete wine.
The Wine Guys represent Relish Magazine, available in The Buffalo News the first Thursday of the month. Go to www.relishmag.com for recipes and more.
Log into MyBuffalo to post a comment
MyBuffalo is the new social network from Buffalo.com. Your MyBuffalo account lets you comment on and rate stories at buffalonews.com. You can also head over to mybuffalo.com to share your blog posts, stories, photos, and videos with the community. Join now or learn more.
Reader comments
Learn more about our moderation system.