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W I N T E R 2
0 0 1 We recently received some new releases to sample from William Grant and Sons, Inc., five selections from the Chilean producer Luis Felipe Edwards, and four from McDowell Valley Vineyards, in Mendocino, California. We were already familiar with Luis Felipe Edwards’ Cabernet Sauvignons, as the ‘94s were Bastardo’s Best Buys a few years back; here’s what we found with their latest efforts.
1999 Luis Felipe Edwards Cabernet Sauvignon Reserva Colchagua, $11.99, 13% alc.: Dark garnet; prettier, spicier, more intense nose than the regular model, with black cherry/cassis/mint/sweet oak/vanilla/maple syrup. The flavors follow through, minus the mint, with deeper denser fruit than the regular, but it’s a little thin on the finish. Good acidity and a few years worth of tannins should find this drinking well in ‘03-’05, but oak-phobes may not like it. More good QPR here. 1999 Luis Felipe Edwards Carmenere Colchagua, $7.99, 13% alc.: (“Carmenere is known as the lost grape of Bordeaux. It was widely planted in France until the Phyloxera epidemic in the 19th century. It's only significant plantings remain in Chile, where its close resemblance to Merlot allows it to be vinified and sold as Merlot!” - www.winesofchile.com) Dark garnet; decidedly feminine bouquet shows raspberry/strawberry/cherry/red currant, with a pretty kiss of oak/vanilla, and a hint of chocolate and licorice. Medium full body, with darker fruit flavors; cassis/red currant/ hint of tobacco; not the pretty little wallflower that the nose would lead you to believe. Good tannins and acidity; a little bitter on the finish; not overly complex, but pleasant and enjoyable; a nice balance between old and new world styles. Do I have to say it again? Good QPR! 1999 Luis Felipe Edwards Merlot Colchagua, $7.99, 13% alc.: Ruby dark garnet; sweet oak vanilla/red currant/raspberry bouquet isn’t as effusive as the other LFE reds. Somewhat hard flavors of cassis/plum have a stemmy quality, but it opens and improves some with air, taking on an added tobacco nuance; rather thin on the mid-palate and finish; never does quite fill out. Easily the weakest of the four reds, but not a bad wine for the money. 2000 Luis Felipe Edwards Chardonnay Colchagua, $7.99, 13% alc.: Pale straw; sweet toasty oak/round pear flavors and aromas with enough acidity to keep it lively; rather one-dimensional, but that one dimension is pleasant enough. Decent value for the dollars.
1999 McDowell Mendocino Viognier, 82% Viognier, 9% Marsanne, 9% Roussanne, $15.60, 13.8% alc.: Medium straw; effusive apple/pear/honeysuckle explodes from the glass, and follows through on the palate with intensity, and a certain oily density. Rich and delicious, with good acidity and a fairly long finish; as it warms in the glass, a wee hint of detergent lingers vaguely in the background. 1999 McDowell Mendocino Marsanne, 77% Marsanne, 23% Roussanne, $15.60, 13.8% alc.: Pale straw; rather reticent aromatics, with only a little apple/pear peeking out; flavors echo and expand on the palate nicely, with added notes of spicy peach/melon and little floral hints. Clean, just crisp enough, good intensity and a decent finish; not quite austere in comparison to the Viognier. All in all, a nice wine that needs a nose job. 1999 McDowell Grenache Rose, 76% Grenache, 17% Cinsault, 4% Roussanne, 3% Syrah, $8.99, 13% alc.: Bright pink-rose-crimson color; bright strawberry/raspberry bouquet that follows through on the palate with a fruity intensity; nice enough for what it is, and probably best as a warm weather sipper. BACK
TO THE TOP 1997 Ridge York Creek Zinfandel, 95% Zinfandel, 5% Petite Sirah, $29.99, 15.3% alc.: This is still a youthful dark garnet, showing none of the obvious new oak that the preceding few vintages did. Lots of coffee/briar/bramble dominate the dark berries on the nose and palate, with good tannins and acidity. This is not only a welcome change from the overripe Zin that seems to be in vogue these days, it’s a style that I rather prefer. Two more years? No sweat. Three to five? You bet! Only wish I had a few more… 1999 Bogle California Petite Sirah, $10.99, 13.5% alc.: Inky dark garnet; somewhat restrained sweet plum/blackberry nose with undertones of malted milk, but the flavors really kick it up a notch, with tannins that clamp down on the finish. A very good wine for the money; one that will improve for at least a few years. “A slight fig-like flavor on the back of the tongue.” - Scott Tobias AKA The Geek. Interestingly, another taste a week later showed lots of road tar, so which is the more representative bottle? 1998 McDowell Mendocino Syrah, $5.99, 13.5% alc.: The Geek, called this inky dark garnet “a tough little wine;” ripe plum/red currant flavors and aromas; a slight note of spoiled milk is revealed when tasted side-by-side with the ’99 noted above. Leathery texture, rather than flavor; a little astringent on the finish. Like the ’99, has a touch of that “Kool-aid” nuance. Not too complex; tannins mostly resolved; nice enough, especially at the $5.99 close-out price, plus 20% off of that; only so-so QPR at the regular price of $12. 1999 Pepperwood Grove California Syrah, $6.99, 12.5% alc.: Inky garnet; sweet overripe plum/cherry/berry with milk chocolate overtones on the nose; flavors gain hints of game/coffee/toast/bacon. Shar Douglas AKA Chartreuse added impressions of “olives.” Very easy to like at first, but gets old over a few weeks of working through a case; has the same “Kool-aid” quality about it as the McDowells. 1990 Domaine Jacques Germain Beaune les Teurons, $37.99, 13% alc.: Ruby dark garnet, no brick to speak of; sea air/forest floor/big black cherry bouquet; Kim added impressions of “a cherry stick candy/powder puff/mushroom thing going on.” Flavors echo, generally, with the mushroom/forest floor flattening out the fruit somewhat; just enough acidity to keep it from being flabby, and subtle tannins in the background. Nothing special by itself, but it really goes well with chevre gratin and pork tenderloin stuffed with a walnut remesco, and nestled on caramelized onions in a reduction sauce. A nice, if unexceptional red Burgundy. 1999 Chateau La Roque Pic Saint Loup Cupa Numismae, 60% Syrah, 40% Mourvedre, $17.99, 13% alc.: Deep dark garnet; the 16 months in oak is obvious from its plush chocolate/blackfruit nature; decent acidity, and not too tannic, with a reasonably long finish. Not too complex, just deep, dark, big, plush and chocolate-y. Oak phobes may not like it, but we sure do at our house. 1998 Chateau Saint Martin de la Garrigue Cuvee Tradition Coteaux du Languedoc, $10, 12.5% alc.: Dark garnet; plum/blackberry bouquet, with subtle chocolate nuances; dense youthful fruit echoes nicely, but youthful tannins keep this a little tight, at this point. Good now, but really needs a few years to show its best. 1998 Domaine du Gros’ Nore Bandol, approx. $22, 13.5% alc.: A slightly cloudy ruby dark garnet, this exhibits a creamy strawberry/cherry nose that takes on added plum and chocolate on the palate with significant tannins and good acidity. Showing nicely now, perhaps due to apparent oak that seems atypical for Bandol, but this needs some years in the cellar to mellow. 1998 Domaine du Joncier Lirac, approx. $12, 13.5% alc.: This dark garnet tastes and smells like it has a good dose of Syrah, with big appealing plum/chocolate/violet flavors and aromas. It’s not too tannic, with good body and acidity, and was well received all around. We liked it better than the more expensive Bandol. 1997 Villa Antinori Chianti Classico Reserva, 90% Sangiovese, 10% Canaiolo, and other red varietals, 13% alc.: Dark garnet; aged in traditional Slavonian and French oak barrels for 14 months. The not overly effusive nose does show some nice dried black cherry/tobacco and a little dark chocolate that comes out with air. These impressions expand on the palate with the obligatory acidity and ample tannins for some cellaring, though it’s approachable now, with Kim’s goulash or any good tomato sauce pasta. 2-5 years should find this developing well.
1995 Marques de Murrieta Ygay Rioja Reserva, $11.99, 13% alc.: After sampling the ’96 a few weeks previous, and given the price on this model, it was an easy call to pick one up and try it. A ruby dark garnet in color, it features very dusty black cherry/vanilla flavors and aromas with leathery undertones, and a little chocolate comes out with air. This has to be the dustiest wine I’ve ever tasted, but that’s not at all a bad thing. Tannins could use another five years to mellow, though this is enjoyable now with an hour in a decanter. A very good value for the $$. 1999 Seifried Sauvignon Blanc Nelson (NZ), $15 and change (Canadian), 12% alc.: This medium straw shows an herbaceous grapefruit/lime nose that’s prettied up with floral/oak notes. It gains some detergent/mineral in the flavors, but the fruit falls off on the mid-palate and finish. Plenty of acidity here, but it’s missing something to take it to the next level. A good wine, but only that; tasted twice with consistent impressions. 1999 Fairhall Downs Sauvignon Blanc Marlborough (NZ), $15 and a little less change than the Seifried (Canadian), 13% alc.: The grapefruit/lime/green melon bouquet is just as rich, but less herbaceous than the Seifried, and it gains added creamy/spicy/ mineral notes on the palate. This has richer flavor than the Seifried, with zippy acidity, and it doesn’t peter out on the finish. This is almost like a Kiwi Rochioli, with more than enough mineral and acidity to offset the rich sweet fruit. A solid value and an excellent Sauvignon, as was the previous vintage, and the currency exchange rate makes it even better!
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© George
Heritier
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