JANUARY   2 0 0 2  
T A S T I N G  N O T E S 

Our friends at William Grant and Sons, Inc. sent us several new selections from their portfolio to sample, and after giving them a little time to rest from their travel, here’s what we tasted.

1999 McDowell Reserve Syrah McDowell Valley, $24.00, 14.2% alc.: The first McDowell Reserve Syrah we’ve had the pleasure of trying, this underwent four to five weeks of extended maceration, and spent eighteen months in two-year old medium toast Radoux French and American oak barrels. It’s an inky dark garnet with sea air/aquarium/plum and berry aromatics that follow through on the palate with good acidity and tannins that will continue to soften over at least the next few years, yet don’t keep one from enjoying it now. Full bodied, it finishes on an earthy note, and there’s a pretty floral nuance that emerges with air. Nothing exceptional here, but well made and enjoyable.

2000 McDowell Mendocino Viognier, $16, 84% Viognier, 16% Roussanne, 13.8% alc.: This medium straw, though not quite as exuberant as last year’s model, exhibits fragrant citrus/pear aromatics with hints of honeysuckle and peach. Flavors of peach and pear wash across the palate with good intensity right on through the reasonably long finish, just a bit of bitterness, a somewhat oily texture, and more than enough acidity to keep it lively. There’s nothing flashy here, just a solid, dependable white that will make a good summer sipper on the back deck. This was fermented in stainless steel tanks and aged sur lees in the tank for four months.

2000 McDowell Mendocino Grenache Rose, $9, 76% Grenache, 17% Cinsault, 4% Roussanne, 3% Syrah, 13.2% alc.: This pleasant salmon/rose colored wine features reticent strawberry/watermelon aromas that need a little coaxing with swirlatude, but they’re there, and decent enough. Flavors echo and pick it up a notch or three on a medium to medium-full bodied frame, showing some density and good acidity. Dry and showing some good intensity of fruit. Nothing special about the finish; it's not too long and not too short. I started out drinking wines like this more years ago than I care to think about, and it brings back some pleasant memories. Decent QPR, and like last year’s model, a good summer sipper.

2000 Fonterutoli Poggio alla Badiola Toscana I.T.G., $12.99, 94% Sangiovese, 3% Cabernet Sauvignon, 3% Merlot, 13% alc.: Castello di Fonterutoli, owned by the Mazzei family, strives for a "modern style" with this and the following selection, which translates into the use of various degrees of aging in American oak. This ruby dark garnet saw six months in small barrels after fermentation in stainless steel; we tasted it and the next two bottles with old friends Rod and Haden Leon while noshing on a variety of delicious homemade pizzas. Medium bodied, it features pleasant black cherry, red licorice flavors and aromas with a kiss of oak and vanilla, soft tannins, good acidity and a decent finish. Rod found it "very balanced and pleasant," and I would agree that it is a good every day Italian pizza wine, but there are better to be found for as much money or less. 

1999 Mazzei Belguardo Morellino di Scansano DOC, $19.99, 100% Sangiovese, 13% alc.: A darker garnet than the Badiola, and a little more complex, with darker flavors and aromas of candied black cherry and a note of leather that adds some interest. It has soft tannins, good acidity and a little longer finish than the Badiola. And, it’s even better with pizza, but I wouldn’t pay twenty bucks for it.

1999 Fonterutoli Chianti Classico D.O.C.G., $24.99, 100% Sangiovese, 13.5% alc.: This is easily and obviously the best wine of the three, but unfortunately, the one we tasted was slightly corked. Still, we were able to get a read on it, and found a deep dark garnet, pinky-purple at the rim with a rich, floral black cherry nose that follows through on the palate with added notes of spice, chocolate and tar. There’s the obligatory acidity again, and at least three to five years worth of tannins to mellow. It has good intensity and concentration, and can be enjoyed now with an hour or so in a decanter.

These wines, while ranging from pleasant enough to quite enjoyable, were not as impressive as the selections from Barone Ricasoli that the folks from William Grant sent us to try last summer. What’s more, the corks of the Belguardo and the Chianti Classico appeared to be of somewhat questionable quality (the Badiola had a plastic stopper). The bottom line is that I’d feel more friendly towards these if they were priced at $3-5 less.

2000 Marco Negri Moscato d’Asti, 375 ml, $7.99, 7% alc.: We’re not exactly strangers to Moscato d’Asti; Canadian Zinfan has opened several for us over the last four years or so when we’ve trekked to Château Zin-Can, and we’ve always found them to be delightful. But this Marco Negri is not quite like anything we’ve had before. The grapes for the wine are carefully pressed, put into stainless steel tanks and immediately cooled to a temperature of -2°C, the state in which it remains until it is ready to be bottled. A medium straw, with the obligatory "spritz," and flavors and aromas of lemon custard/vanilla/pear/herb, I found it reminiscent of some kind of sugary confection, and Kim called it "kind of cloying." It finishes nicely enough, if not overly long, and while not a bad wine by any means, it needs the right food, and/or a warm summer setting to best enjoy it. I have to admit, I sipped two glasses over a few hours, and I enjoyed it more and more, but never could quite come to terms with its somewhat heavy "confection" quality. An interesting wine, to say the very least.

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OTHER RECENT TASTES

1997 Havens Napa Merlot Carneros Reserve, $25.99, 13.8% alc.: We picked up this dark garnet after reading califusa’s recent Havens feature and we weren’t disappointed by what we found in the bottle. It exudes a deep dark cassis/plum/black currant bouquet with subtle chocolate/aquarium/oak overtones that echoes and expands on the palate with significant tannins and good acidity. Not your average wimpy Merlot, this has nice rich gutsy fruit and needs some time in the cellar, say 3-5 years anyway. Good stuff!

1997 Siduri Sonoma Mountain Pinot Noir Van Der Kamp Vineyard Old Vines, 14.1% alc.: My first taste of this ruby garnet in nearly two years, it’s coming along very nicely; in fact I liked it much better than the last time. It’s showing a pretty plum/candied black cherry bouquet with hint of cinnamon and tar, or "pine sap," as Mark Smith interpreted that last nuance. Flavors echo on a medium bodied frame, with good acidity and a few years of unobtrusive tannins hanging around. It gains subtle hints of chocolate and vanilla as it opens with air, and is showing a nice elegance as it matures. Very nice.

1997 David Bruce Chalone Pinot Noir, 13.5% alc.: Another one last tasted about the same time as the Siduri Van Der Kamp, this ruby dark garnet features toasty oak (not at all overdone) over smoky black cherry flavors and aromas and just a hint of buttered popcorn on the nose. Bigger bodied and bigger flavors than the Siduri, with more concentration and intensity, good acidity and some tannins that don’t detract from the enjoyment of drinking it right now. It finishes nicely, with a little earth, and was a delicious match with Mark Smith’s grilled salmon, his wife Laurie’s potato/apple gratin and Kim’s stuffed eggplant.

1997 Ponzi Willamette Valley Pinot Noir Reserve, $19.99, 13% alc.: It’s interesting to compare my notes on this ruby dark garnet with those taken just last spring. The nose isn’t as upfront as the Siduri or the David Bruce, but it does show some intense black cherry and white pepper. It’s not as generous on the palate as the other two either, showing deep dark intensity, more pepper, good acidity and a good five years worth of tannins. Everyone kept commenting on the pepper, which eventually disappeared from the nose, but not the flavors. A solid wine that should still be around when the Siduri and the Bruce are past their prime.

1999 Edna Valley Vineyard Edna Valley Pinot Noir Paragon, $18.99, 13.9% alc.: Pretty ruby garnet in color, with a smoky black cherry bouquet accentuated by a little earthy tar that is not unfriendly. Flavors echo, with more earth and tar, a nice dense viscosity, medium full body, good acidity and a few years worth of tannins that don't prevent it from being enjoyable now. A good Pinot at a fair price.

1999 Chehalem 3 Vineyard Willamette Pinot Noir, $26.99, 13% alc.: Good deep dark garnet in color, with a smoky Pinot plum/black cherry bouquet with hints of coffee/rhubarb/chocolate. Daughter Rosie says it smells like the cottage she spent many summers at during her teens. The flavors echo on a medium full-bodied frame, but lose some intensity from the mid-palate on back. A good wine that I’d like a lot better for about $7 less.

1999 Belle Pente Willamette Pinot Noir, $19.99, 13.2% alc.: Ruby dark garnet with a smoky black cherry/coffee; flavors echo, with good acidity and a few years worth of tannins. Like the Chehalem, it loses a little something on the mid-palate, but unlike the Chehalem, it only costs $20.

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2000 Voss Napa Sauvignon Blanc, $17.99, 13% alc.: I’ve been hearing about this wine for a while now; I actually had a bottle of the ’99 in my hand at a grocery store in Napa last September, and walked out without buying it. Doh! This pale straw has a big cat spray/sweaty armpit/grapefruit/pear nose that just doesn’t quit. The flavors echo and expand, with a dense mouthfeel, lemon squirt acidity and a nice long finish. Intense, rich and delicious, this is undoubtedly one of the two or three best California Sauvignon Blancs I’ve ever had the pleasure to taste, and reminds me once again why I don’t spend much money on the "C" grape.

1999 Voss Napa Sauvignon Blanc, $17.99, 12% alc.: Like the 2000 model, this is also a pale straw in color, showing straightforward grapefruit/pear flavors and aromas that are rich and enjoyable, but lack the lemon squirt acidity and the cat spray/armpit qualities of the current version. Still, it has more than enough zip to keep it lively, and a decent if not overly long finish. A solid Sauvignon, and no doubt, but I have to wonder if it might not have been better six months to a year ago.

1999 Mason Napa Sauvignon Blanc, $16.99, 13% alc.: Like the ’99 Voss, this medium straw features straightforward grapefruit/pear flavors and aromas, but they are shaded with added grassy/mineral notes and a hint of spiciness that add complexity and interest. There’s more zip to the acidity here too, and yet it has a smooth mouthfeel at the same time. The minerality seems to have more in common with New Zealand Sauvignons than those from Napa. Good stuff here; better than the 2000 bottling.

2000 Mason Napa Sauvignon Blanc, $17.99, 13% alc.: Medium straw, with grapefruit/pear/cat spray/armpit flavors and aromas that aren’t quite as concentrated or expressive as the as the ’99 version. Good acidity in this, and a decent finish make for a very good glass of Sauvignon.

1998 Rochioli Russian River Valley Sauvignon Blanc, 13.5% alc.: Medium straw, with a grapefruit/pear/hints of sweaty armpit/sea air nose; the bold rich flavors echo and expand with good acidity and a nice finish. Larry Meehan added an impression of "apricot." This may well hold a while longer, but I like where it’s at right now, and I’d drink up.

1999 Rochioli Russian River Valley Sauvignon Blanc, 13.5% alc.: Medium straw, with a reticent nose of grapefruit/sweet cicely; the flavors really pick up the ball and run with a nice minerality, zippy acidity and a good finish.

2000 Rochioli Russian River Valley Sauvignon Blanc, 13.5% alc.: Medium straw, with a grapefruit/apple/pear bouquet showing just a bit of the old sweaty armpit. The richest of the three on the palate, showing added notes of toasty oak, and "sweet peas," according to Mr. Meehan. There is of course the requisite acidity and a good long finish, and I was not alone in naming this as my favorite of the three. Jon "Bigdog" Cook said that this is drinking better early than any other vintage he remembers, and Larry and I agreed. Really nice stuff!

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1995 Château de Belcier Côtes de Castillon, $15, 12.5% alc.: The infamous Mr. E showed up at our door recently with a bottle of this tasty dark garnet "Grand Vin de Bordeaux." At first, it seemed an innocuous little thing, showing pleasant enough flavors and aromas of plum/cassis/berry/violet/earth, and "a lot of mint," according to our esteemed guest. It has decent acidity and at least a few years worth of tannins, but it just kept opening and opening, gaining notes of cedar and tobacco and becoming more harmonious with every sip. A very nice wine for the money, and proof that you don’t have to sacrifice an arm and a leg to find a warm, satisfying bottle of vino these days.

1999 Serge Dagueneau Les Pentes Pouilly-Fume, $13.99, 12.5% alc.: Not much on the nose of this medium straw, just a little grapefruit/pear; but the flavors echo with more exuberance and good acidity. Fair enough for 14 bucks, but not up to past vintages. 

1999 Laurent Gregoire Domaine de Beauregard Muscadet Sevre et Maine Sur Lie, $9.99, 12% alc.: I’ve found that the wines from the Weygandt-Metzler portfolio are almost invariably of high quality (not to mention most enjoyable), and this medium straw is yet another case in point. Nice notes of wet stones, green apples and sea air waft up from the glass, and echo in the surprisingly rich flavors, with an added hint of detergent on the reasonably long finish. There’s good acidity here, and I wondered if I didn’t detect just a hint of some very subtle, unobtrusive oak. The wines of Muscadet can be bland and austere, but happily, this is anything but, providing a satisfying summer sipper at a friendly price.

1995 A. Fernandez Condado de Haza Ribera del Duero, $16.99, 13% alc.: Given the quality/price ratio of this pretty dark garnet, I should have bought it by the case back when it was available. The nose is all plum and dark berries, with hints of barnyard and tobacco and subtle overtones of oak that pay little compliments, and it gains a floral quality as it opens. The flavors echo, with an added earthy nuance, a smooth mouthfeel and a nice finish. Balanced, claret-like and satisfying, it’s "not real complex, but tastes like a solid $30-40 Cabernet that you’d get now," according to Cousin Larry Meehan. There’s one left in the cellar from heck, and I’ll let it sit for another year or two.

1997 Monsordo, approx. $33, 13% alc.: Scott "the Geek" Tobias has this habit of showing up at our door with Italian reds that neither he nor we have ever heard of, but invariably, they turn out to be good. According to the back of the bottle, this dark garnet from the Langhe region of Italy is bottled for Azienda agricola Monsordo by Ceretto; the front of the bottle is a faux Braille motif. Scott said it smells "like a good cranberry sauce," with flavors of "berry and a little leather." I got bitter cherries and a weird kind of crude oil/petroleum overtone to the flavors and aromas that is more enjoyable than it might sound. There’s good acidity and tannic structure to this, and yet it has a smooth, almost plush mouthfeel, and as it opens with air, the leather and petroleum really come out, along with black cherries toward the end of the bottle. Scott and I enjoyed this wine, while Kim was less enthusiastic. All in all, a very interesting, and rather unusual red wine.

1997 Badia Coltibuono Chianti Classico Reserva, $33.99, 13.5% alc.: I really like this smoky ruby dark garnet, with its perfumed black cherry/bitter cherry/licorice bouquet that shows smoky undertones of underbrush. These follow through on the palate with silky tannins, excellent acidity, a smooth mouthfeel and a long finish. It shows beautifully, even without food, and should only improve over the next several years.

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