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Tue, 08 Jun 2004
Greetings, grape guzzlers!
Just a few wines, then another article and a list of June classes.
Wine2You.com, 2000 NW Military Hwy, Suite 2, 78213 863-1185
Rosenblum, Petite Sirah, Pickett Road, 2002 $28.00
A ripe, rich, and earthy wine with layers of blackberry, wild berry, and black olive. Finishes with a gush of mouthcoating fruit and warm, fuzzy tannins. Opens nicely after 30 minutes. Best from 2005 through 2012. Rated 90
Jessie's Grove, Vintners Choice Old Vine Zinfandel, Lodi 2002 $14.00
Bright and tasty Zin with 15.6 alcohol and a dry finish. Good red & black fruit flavors balanced with an almost raspberry acidity. Echos back to the early 90's style. Rated 86
Judd's Hill, Cabernet Sauvignon, Napa Valley 1999 $37.90
Firm structure, with chewy, supple tannins wrapped around a tight core of currant, herb, blackberry and pencil lead. Well-focused, with a lingering aftertaste. Should age well. Best from 2005 through 2012. Rated 91 Cecil's note: I just tried some '90 and '91, they were beautiful!
A mind of the calibre of mine cannot derive its nutriment from cows.
---George Bernard Shaw On wine.
Cecil Flentge 210-863-1185
Tue, 25 May 2004
Hi,
Gettin' a mite warm, idnit?
So what a perfect time for some nice, refreshing, white wines!
Cecil 863-1185
Ca'Montini, L'Aristocratico Pinot Grigio, Trentino, Italy 2002 $15.00
"Quite ripe, with a fruit-bowl full of tastes. Clean and refreshing." (July 18, 2003)
Wall Street Journal says Good/Very good, repeat favorite.
I Also Have Half Bottles, $8.80 (.375 L.)
Beni di Batasiolo, Gavi Granée, Italy 2002 $11.00
"Ripe apple, with hints of flowers and minerals. Medium-bodied,
with a tangy finish." Wine Spectator
Godeval, Godello (100%), Valdeorras 2001 $14.00
This winery in the mountains of NW Spain has been making wine since
roman times. The Godello grape was almost extinct 20 years ago and
is believed to be one of the oldest documented grape varieties in the world.
Cecil's Note: This is sort of like a Sancerre or a Chablis, right tasty!
Seidelberg, Sauvignon Blanc, Paarl, South Africa 2002 $13.50
Racy, with lemon zest, straw and grass notes, and a juicy, tropical, lingering finish.
Clean, focused and delicious. Rated 88
Nobilo, Sauvignon Blanc Marlborough, NZ 2001 $11.00
Soft and pretty, with floral overtones to the juicy apple, passion fruit and lime flavors,
echoing nicely on the finish. Score: 87 & Best Buy
Nora, Albarino, Rias Baixas, Spain 2002 $12.90
Peach and floral notes are alluring in this round white, with apple flavors and
a pillowy texture. Crisp acidity gives it backbone. Rated 86
Tamellini, Soave Superiore, Italy 2001 $12.00
Wonderful white for the money. Pretty aromas of light pineapple, peaches and mango.
Medium-bodied, with lovely fruit and a straw and honey aftertaste, with a hint of tropical
fruit. Rated 89
Château Bonnet, Bordeaux Blanc, Entre-Deux-Mers, France 2001 $10.00
A very fresh white, with loads of sliced apple, lime and grassy character. Medium-bodied,
with good acidity and a long, lively finish.
Ch. Ragotier, Muscadelle de Sevre et Maine Sur Lie Cuvee Vieilles Vignes, France 2002 $10.00 Salted apples and minerals are found in the aromatics of the lush, rich 2002 Muscadet de Sevre et Maine Sur Lie Cuvee Vieilles Vignes. This wine reveals lovely balance, a juicy, tangy character, as well as flavors reminiscent of salty pears, sea shells, and minerals. In addition, it displays a flavor packed, lengthy finish. Drink this wonderful wine through 2005. 88 points Wine Advocate
Cecil's note: IT IS NOT Sweet! Muscadelle, not Moscato!
Chat. De Maligny, Chablis, France 2002 $19.00
Ripe and intense, with crisp pear, apple, spice and herbal notes that fold together, rendering a rich, focused and complex young wine. Drinks well now, but should hold and gain through 2005.
Four Rieslings From Australia
Leeuwin, Riesling, Art series, 2002 $22.00
Leeuwin always does a terrific job with Riesling, and their 2002 Art Series Cuvee exhibits tremendously heady, intense, lime, citrus, and mineral-laced fruit that is both precise and exuberantly aromatic. Medium-bodied, with surprising flavor intensity, good size, and a serious finish, it will provide terrific drinking through 2005. Rated 90 Robert Parker Cecil's Note: I love this stuff! Perfect with Lobster, Shrimp, Asian-style foods.
Wirra Wirra, Hand Picked Riesling, South Australia 2002 $16.00
Bright and generous with its nectarine, pear and floral aromas and flavors, finishing with
a mineral character that lasts impressively on the dry finish. Drink now through 2015.
Only 500 cases imported. Score: 89
Peter Lehmann, Riesling Eden Valley 2002 $14.00
Solid Riesling, with a dry to off-dry touch, loads of apple fruit, fine purity and ripeness, and
a tasty, crisp finish. Drink now through 2007. Score: 87 Beautiful label.
Wynns, Coonawarra Estate, Riesling, Australia 2002 $12.50
Round and fruity, a lively mouthful of pear and lemon aromas and flavors, finishing with
refreshing balance. Drink now through 2005. Score: 87
German Riesling
Moncchof, Estate Riesling, Mosel-Saar-Ruwer 2002 $13.90
Rich and laced with lime note, accented by peach and married to a firm structure. It satisfies
overall with moderate length. Drink now through 2008. Rated 87
Cat’s Phee on a Gooseberry Bush, Sauvignon Blanc, NZ 2002 $10.50
You’ve got to love a wine with a sense of humor. Some New Zealand Sauvignon Blanc very often has a distinctive, shall we say, feline odor about it. I did not hold much hope for this wine until I tried it. Blended from vineyards scattered along New Zealand’s eastern coastline, the wine is fresh and lively with lots of zip.
Cute label for cat lovers, good wine for everyone.
Sovetskoe, Sparkling Semi-Sweet, Lithuania NV $9.90
Spumante-style bubbles and enough fruit sweetness to use for dessert. Great pear flavors.
Balkan Hills, Muscat, Bulgaria 2001 $6.75
You want to think it's sweet as you inhale the aroma. Then you taste it and
it has almost no sweet, just a good citrus-melon flavor that develops the longer it's open. Rated 83
Christa, Sparkling Miskit (Muscat), Bulgaria NV $7.25
Refreshing with a good balance in acidity and ripe pear-apple flavors in this light sparkler.
Off-dry, with a touch of 'leesy' astringency on the finish. Great with seafood, poultry, or
Asian foods on a hot summer night.
Bogle, Chardonnay California 2002 $9.00
A solid value that mixes earthy pear and citrus flavors in a rustic but flavorful style.
Score: 85 Best Values
Okay, maybe a refreshing, Imported, Very Classy, Not-Like-A-White-Zin, Rose'?
Miguel Torres (Santa Digna), Cabernet Sauvignon Rose, Chile 2002 $9.90
Deliciously ripe, with bold cherry and raspberry notes, a bouncy, lively texture and
a nice, spicy finish. Rated 85
Pierre Chainier, Rose' Sec, Touraine, France 2002 $8.90
Beautiful peach juice color, clean cherry and a touch of watermelon on the nose.
Light, fruit flavors with a crisp finish. Rated 84
Now, if you like your rose' or blush to have a little sweetness ...
Thirsty Lizard, White Shiraz, South Eastern Australia 2003 $6.00
A fragrant cherry, fruit cocktail, and red berry aroma leads you into this slightly darker than white Zin wine. It is not quite as sweet as white Zin, with more cherry-red berry flavors. If you like white Zin, you will be amazed with this wine. If you typically only drink sweet wine with dessert, try it with chocolate or a cherry pie. But if you like ham with pineapple on top (pizza or not) or sweet and sour pork, try this wine with it. It does have more flavor that a white Zin but no tannin to dry out your tongue.
From the old TV show Hollywood Squares:
Peter Marshall: (The Host)
"According to French wine experts, was 1969 a good, or a bad year for wine?"
George Gobel:
"Now this has got to be a trick question because there's never been a bad year for wine."
Cecil Flentge 210-863-1185
Fri, 07 May 2004
Like the grape clusters on the vines in my back yard, there is just more and more and more!
Rieslings From Australia
Wirra Wirra, Hand Picked Riesling, South Australia 2002 $16.00
Bright and generous with its nectarine, pear and floral aromas and flavors, finishing with
a mineral character that lasts impressively on the dry finish. Drink now through 2015.
Only 500 cases imported. Score: 89
Peter Lehmann, Riesling Eden Valley 2002 $14.00
Solid Riesling, with a dry to off-dry touch, loads of apple fruit, fine purity and ripeness, and
a tasty, crisp finish. Drink now through 2007. Score: 87
Wynns, Coonawarra Estate, Riesling 2002 $12.50
Round and fruity, a lively mouthful of pear and lemon aromas and flavors, finishing with
refreshing balance. Drink now through 2005. Score: 87
Leeuwin, Riesling, Art series, 2002 $22.00
Leeuwin always does a terrific job with Riesling, and their 2002 Art Series cuvee exhibits tremendously heady, intense, lime, citrus, and mineral-laced fruit that is both precise and exuberantly aromatic. Medium-bodied, with surprising flavor intensity, good size, and a serious finish, it will provide terrific drinking through 2005. Rated 90 Robert Parker
Cecil's Note: I love this stuff! Perfect with Lobster, Shrimp, Asian-style foods.
*********
Deals
Equus, Rousanne, Paso Robles, 1999 Regular Price $16.99, now $8.00 Rating 90
(Equus is a second part of Wild Horse Winery - Special grape varieties. Rhone area varietals.)
"There is a fair amount of flinty minerality in both the roussanne and the viognier that we make," says Volk. (Volk is the Winemaker) "A sip reveals delicate flavors of mango, other melon, lemon, fig, and a piquant bit of radish in the finish. This lean, well structured white wine could meld beautifully with roasted poultry, influenced by fresh herbs."
Cecil's Note: Pam & I had a bottle, it's a lot of fun. I bought more.
Gloria Ferrer, Brut Sonoma NV @$12.00 (reg. $18)
Crisp, focused and concentrated, with a bright beam of tangy lemon and tart green apple
intensity that extends through the finish. Drink now through 2006. Rated 88 in Wine Spectator.
Dr Pauly Bergweiler, Riesling Auslese M-S-R Bernkasteler Badstube 2001 Reg $16, Now $9.50
"Very rich and ripe, with succulent peach, orange and mineral notes, all matched to a round, easygoing profile. Drink now through 2008." Score: 89 in Wine Spectator
I running a lot of Bordeaux. It is because of distributors clearance - just making way for new stuff. The amazing thing is that many are just getting into their prime. Be happy.
Chateau Loudenne, Medoc, 1996 Regularly $20 Wine2You $14.00
Very good depth of fruit for the vintage, although slightly one-dimensional. Dark purple in color, with intense aromas of blackberry and grape. Full-bodied and thick, with a velvety tannin structure. Serious effort by Loudenne. Best after 2000. Rated 87 wine spectator
Château Lanessan, Haut-Médoc, 1996 Regularly $21 Wine2You $14.00
A pretty nose of currants and blackberries. Medium-bodied, with firm tannins and plenty of fruit.
A very good wine from Lanessan. Best after 2000. Score: 87
Clos Fourtet, St.-Emilion 1997 Regularly $45.00 Wine2You $35.00
Pretty blackberry and cherry aromas. Medium-bodied, with a solid core of fruit and silky tannins. Clos Fourtet did well here. Lovely now. Drink through 2008. Score: 88
Wine Spectator rated the 1998 in Bordeaux a 90, but said it was a split vintage; monumental for Pomerol, St.-Emilion and those who picked before rain (98 points); the rest good, but slightly diluted (83 points). The next two are some of the great ones.
New - check it out.
Chateau Tournefeuille, Lalande de Pomerol 1998 Regularly $28 Wine2You $18.00
"Pretty, ripe berry, with hints of blackberries and walnuts. Medium-bodied, with fine, soft tannins and a caressing finish. Delicious." Winery next door is Petrus. Best after 2003 Rated 88
Cecil's Note: This is really full-fruit and more robust than the description of 'medium-bodied'.
La Grande Cardinale, Wine Maker's Select Bordeaux AC, 1998 $12.95
Still very youthful with a 50/50 mix of Merlot and Cabernet Sauvignon. Aged 14 months in French Oak
good red plum, cherry fruit and spice. Good, balanced acidity and a touch of chocolate on the finish.
Chateau Lyonnat, Saint Emilion 1998 Regularly $16 Wine2You $10.00
Lots of chocolate, violet, and cherry aromas. Full-bodied and very velvety, with lots of ripe tannins and a lovely cherry and berry aftertaste. Best after 2003. Rated 86
******
Château Les Hauts-Conseillants, Lalande-de-Pomerol 1996 Regularly $29.00 Wine2You $20.00
Impressive aromas of raspberries and minerals. Medium-bodied, with a good core of chewy berry and chocolate. The tannins have softened and this is drinking well now. Better than a lot of St.-Emilions and Pomerols. Drink through 2007. Score: 86
**Cecil's note: This is silky and matches well with beef.
Chateau La Faurie de Maison Neuve, Lalande de Pomerol 1995 $22 Wine2You $16.00
Cecil's notes: It was drinking as soon as we opened the bottle, but 15 minutes brought out more fruit and chocolate. Then we had it with some beef and it really made the cherry come forth. It is not a heavy wine, but it has a classic Bordeaux nose and enough age that it is quite pleasant. I give it an 88 rating.
Château La Tour Léognan, Pessac-Léognan 1996 Regularly $22 Wine2You $14.00
Attractive blackberry and cherry character, with medium body, fine tannins and a fresh, slightly short finish. Second label of Château Carbonnieux. Best after 1999. Score: 85
New Arrivals!
Castillo Peralada, Reserva Tinto 1999 $14.00
This is a rich blend of Garnacha (grenache), Carinena (Carignan), Cabernet Sauvignon, and Merlot.
Fresh cherry and raspberries on the nose and plenty of spice and acidity when you sip. Good length on the finish. Drink now through 2007. Rated 88
Seidelberg, Sauvignon Blanc, Paarl 2002 $13.50
Racy, with lemon zest, straw and grass notes, and a juicy, tropical, lingering finish.
Clean, focused and delicious. Rated 88
Château Bonnet, Bordeaux Blanc, Entre-Deux-Mers 2001 $10.00
A very fresh white, with loads of sliced apple, lime and grassy character. Medium-bodied,
with good acidity and a long, lively finish.
Luis Felipe Edwards, Cabernet Sauvignon Colchagua Gran Reserva, Chile 2000 $24.00
This is the "Dona Bernarda" blend. Ripe, with blackberry and currant fruit. Sweet overlay of toast. Fleshy finish. This wine is more toward a Meritage blend than just Cabernet. Elegant. Drink now through 2004. Score: 89
Leasingham, Shiraz-Cabernet Sauvignon Clare Valley Magnus 2001 $11.25
Firm in texture, with dark, ripe cherry and blackberry flavors, picking up a cedary, peppery
note as the flavors echo. Drink now through 2007. Score: 88
Cecil's note: This would be a good wine at $15.00, heck of a deal!
Tue, 04 May 2004
Hi,
This is a shorter list that is focused on Italian wines.
Some are pleasant quaffers, some are legends, all are fun to drink!
Another "Wine Article" at the end.
Ciao,
Cecil
Tamellini, Soave Superiore 2001 $12.00
Wonderful white for the money. Pretty aromas of light pineapple, peaches and mango. Medium-bodied, with lovely fruit and a straw and honey aftertaste, with a hint of tropical fruit. Rated 89
Ponte Tevere, Merlot di Aprilia, Italy 1998 $8.75
Ripe, with black cherry, raspberry and pomegranate tones. Impressive fruit folds into toasty oak on the finish. Drink now through 2005. Rated 86
Farnese, Montepulciano de Abruzzo, Casale Vecchio, Italy 2002 $12.00
Surprising body for the price. Good fruit, balanced acidity, and a longish finish make this a
good one to enjoy now and for several years.
Farnese, Sangiovese, Farneto Valley, Italy 2002 $8.00
Great, fresh-red-berries aroma and flavor. Enough body for a meal, but low enough
tannins to just enjoy a glass.
Castello di Vicchiomaggio, Toscana Ripa delle Mandorle, Tuscany, 1996 $16.00
Pretty Sangiovese. Loads of dried cherry and raspberry character. Medium-bodied, with medium,
velvety tannins and a flavorful finish. Score: 87, W.S.
Mazzino, Barolo, DOCG, Italy 1997 Regular $28.00 Special $16.00
An attractive, drink-me Barolo, with aromas of berries and plums, plus hints of herbs and leather. full-bodied, with soft, round tannins and a fruity finish. Drink now through 2006.
Mazzino, Barbera d'Alba, DOC, Italy 1998 Regular $18.00 Special $10.00
A delicious Barbera. Aromas of citrus, spice and plums. Medium-bodied, with fresh acidity and
a soft texture.
Avignonesi, Toscana Toro Desiderio 1999 $52.00
Big and ripe red, with loads of black licorice, tar and sultanas. Full-bodied, with big,
velvety, chewy tannins. Long, ripe fruit aftertaste. A blockbuster. Merlot and
Cabernet Sauvignon. Best after 2005.
Rated 93 and Number 50 in the Top 100 List of Wine Spectator
Allegrini, Veronese, Palazzo della Torre, Italy 1999 $18.00
A gorgeous wine. This shows beautiful perfumes of ripe fruit, with hints of spicy oak and dried flowers. Full-bodied, with superfine, silky tannins and a long, long finish. Drink now through 2008. Rated 90
Cecil Flentge 210-863-1185 wine@wine2you.com |
