Thursday, May 29, 2008

Brunello di Montalcino Nardi. Brief.


Great Brunello. Ruby color. Very intense and rounded tannins.
Brunello di Montalcino Silvio Nardi, 1996.

Sunday, May 25, 2008

Barbaresco. Brief.

While Barolo is considered the "King" of wines in Italy, Barbaresco is considered the "Queen". The wine is rich, thick, very aromatic and full-bodied. The grape is Nebbiolo. The price is very high.


1.- Barbaresco Gaja, 1996.
2.- Barbaresco Batasiolo, 1999.
3.- Barbaresco Marchesi di Barolo, 1999.
4.- Barbaresco Pio Cesare Il Bricco, 2001.
5.- Barbaresco Cereto Bricco Asili, 2001.
6.- Barbaresco Rio Sordo, 1997.

Dolcetto D'Alba.


Dolcetto is a black, italian grape from Piemonte. Dolcetto means "little sweet one" due to its sweetness at the haverst time. This grape from Alba produces fruity and tannic wines, typical odor, with a very distintive flavor and long aftertaste. Not to be confussed with Dolcetto from the region of Asti, which is milder.

1.- Dolcetto D'Alba. Prunotto, 2001.
2.- Dolcetto D'Alba. Rossana, 1999.
3.- Marchersi di Barolo Dolcetto D'Alba, 1999.

Marsannay Les Favieres 1999. Olivier Guyol. Brief.



Long finish. Ruby color. Pinot Noir. Aromatic. Very affordable. Nice wine that goes with everything.

Chateau Angelus. Brief.


Outstanding wine from St. Emilion. Merlot, Cabernet F. and 2% Cabernet S. The second wine is Carillon d'Angelus.


Saturday, May 24, 2008

Chateau Belair. Brief.


One of the best wines of St. Emilion. Merlot and Cabernet F. Intense aromas and tannins. Expensive. There is no second wine.

Thursday, May 22, 2008

Napa's Trio. Brief.

Three of the most renowed wines in California are Far Niente, Cabernet S., Chateau Montelena, Cabernet S., and Opus One.
Far Niente and Chateau Montelena are Cabernet S., and Opus One is a Cabernet S., Cabernet Franc, Merlot and Malbec blend.
There is no comparison among the three wines, but there's one element they all share: a great winemaking process resulting in exceptional wines.

Chateau Palmer. Brief.

Chateau Palmer is a great wine from Margaux, in Bordeaux. It is a Third Growth's blended wine made from Cabernet S., Merlot and Petit Verdot. It is strong, concentrated, and robust with rounded tannins. Long term. There is a second label from the same winery named Alter Ego.
News from Chateau Palmer's 2007 Harvest.

Artesa. Pinot Noir 2005. Brief.

Very small production. This is an aromatic and fruity wine from Napa Valley. They also produce wines from other grapes. Not blended Pinot Noir.

Franciscan Magnificat. Brief.


It is a hand-selected (Meritage) blend from more than 70% Cabernet S., 20-25% Merlot, and Malbec/Petit Verdot, from Napa. The wine is very aromatic, soft and has a long finish. It is expensive but worth the try.

Crozes-Hermitage. Brief.


It is an Appellation in the Rhone region, in France. The grape is Shiraz and little quantities of Marsanne and Rousanne. The wines are less concentrated than Hermitage. Nevertheless, they are very aromatic and fruity. Can be drunk young.
Crozes-Hermitage Rousset, 2004.

Wednesday, May 21, 2008

Chateau du Chatelard. Moulin A Vent. Brief.

Very fruity Beaujolais Cru. Crisp and light. Gamay. 3-5 years.

Tuesday, May 20, 2008

From Louis Latour 1.


1.- Beaune 1er. Cru "Vignes Franches" 2001.
2.- Beaujolais-Villages, 2002.
3.- Bonnes Mares, Grand Cru, 1997.
4.- Chambolle-Musigny 1er. Cru "Les Charmes", 1997, 1998.
5.- Chassagne-Montrachet "Morgeot", 1998, 2000.
6.- Nuits-Saint-Georges "Aux Chaignots", 1996.
7.- Clos Vougeot, 2000.

Pouilly-Fuisse. Brief.


It is an Appellation in the Maconnais region, in Bourgogne. It's also the name of the two districts in the same region, Pouilly and Fuisse. The grape is Chardonnay. The wine is rich, fresh, fruity and dry.

1.- Pouilly-Fuisse, 2002, Louis Latour.
2.- Pouilly-Fuisse 2000, Louis Jadot.
3.- Chateau des Rontets, 2002.

Monday, May 19, 2008

Montepulciano d'Abruzzo


Montepulciano is a type of grape, and is also the wine made of those grapes in the region of Abruzzo. The blend admits up to 10% Sangiovese. D.O.C., since 1968. Not to be confused with Vino Nobile di Montepulciano, which is a tuscan wine, made of a different grape. This a nice wine, affordable and soft.

1.- Montepulciano d'Abruzzo Riserva Zaccagnini, 2003.
2.- Montepulciano d'Abruzzo Caldora, 2004, 2005.
3.- Montepulciano d'Abruzzo Masciarelli, 2003.

Friday, May 16, 2008

Campaccio Terrabianca. Brief.



This is one of my favorite wines from Tuscany. Sangiovese and Cabernet S. Not too much of Cabernet, 30%, so the wine is very soft and medium concentrated. It needs time for maturity.

Campaccio, Terrabianca. 1994, 1996, 1997, 2000, 2001, 2002

Tinto Valbuena No. 5. Brief.

Ribera del Duero. Better, softer and more flavory than Tinto Pesquera. Medium-bodied. Less concentrated, younger and less expensive than Unico. Long term. Tempranillo, Cabernet S. and Merlot. Some vintages are blended with Malbec also.

Barolo Gaja. Brief.

Barolo, no matter the producer, is one if not the best, wine from Piemonte. The wine is very intense, the finish is very long, and the price is very high. Gaja is a great Barolo, and the price is not as high as others. The wine is rich and full-bodied. The grape is Nebbiolo.

Gevrey-Chambertin.



It is a french Commune situated in Bourgogne.

There are 9 Grand Cru vineyards within or near the boundaries of Gevrey-Chambertin:
1.- Chambertin-Clos de Beze
2.-Charmes-Chambertin
3.-Chapelle-Chambertin
4.-Griotte-Chambertin
5.-Latricieres-Chambertin
6.-Le Chambertin
7.-Mazis-Chambertin
8.-Ruchottes-Chambertin
9.- Mazoyeres-Chambertin
The grape is Pinot Noir.

Here is a list of some Gevrey-Chambertin.
1.- Gevrey-Chambertin A.C Faiveley, 2000
2.- Gevrey-Chambertin A.C Jean-Michel Guillon, 2001
3.-Gevrey-Chambertin A.C Nicolas Potel, 2001
4.- Gevrey-Chambertin Domaine Moillard, 2003

Thursday, May 15, 2008

Chateau Monbousquet. Brief.


This is a blended wine from St. Emilion. Mostly Merlot, and less Cabernet F., and Cabernet S. Very savory, intense, ruby-red color, and very aromatic. One of the best wines I've tasted.
Please see From my Log. 1

Chateauneuf-du-Pape Guigal. Brief.

One of the best blended wines from the Rhone area. Moderately priced. The grapes are Grenache, Shiraz and Mourvedre. Strong tannins, spicy and aromatic wine.

From my Log. 4



1.- Chambolle-Musigny, 2003, Louis Jadot.
2.- Clos Vougeot, 2002, 2003, Louis Jadot.
3.- Cecile Tremblay Vosne Romanee Les Beaumonts, 2002.
4.- Confuron Nuits-Saint-Georges Les Fleurieres, 2002.
5.- Desperriere Moulin A Vent Greneriers, 2003.
6.- Gevrey-Chambertin, Domaine Moillard, 2003.
7.- Fleurie, 2003, 2004, 2005, Louis Jadot.
8.-Beaujolais. Domaine de la Grange Menard, Cuvee "Vielles Vignes", 2005.
9.- Beaujolais-Villages. Domaine de la Grange Menard, Cuvee d'Eve, 2005.
10.- Chateau du Chatelard, 2002, 2003, 2004. Fleurie.
11.- Domaine de la Madone, 2002. Fleurie.
12.- Mireille et Daniel Rampon, 2002. Fleurie.
13.- Volnay 1er. Cru En Chevret, 2000.
14.- Moulin-A-Vent, 2005. Joseph Drouhin.
15.- Louis Latour Chassagne-Montrachet "Morgeots", 2000.
16.- Clos de la Chapelle duc de Magenta, "Morgeot", Louis Jadot, 2001.
17.- Marsannay "Les Favieres", Olivier Guyot, 1999.
18.- Cecile Tremblay Vosne Romanee "Vielles Vignes", 2005.
19.- Opus One, 1999.
20.- Marchesi di Barolo Dolcetto D'Alba, 1999.
21.- Dolcetto D'Alba, Prunotto, 1999, 2001.

Wednesday, May 14, 2008

Pingus. Brief.



This a new member from the top players in the region. Blended. The grapes are Tempranillo, Merlot and Cabernet S. Full-bodied and concentrated.

This wine is much tastier than Tinto Pesquera. It is very expensive. The second label is called Flor de Pingus.










Chateau La Fleur-Petrus. Brief.

Unclassified wine from Pomerol. Both the vineyard and the wine, belong to the same owner of Ch. Petrus, or simply Petrus, which is one of the most renowed wines of all times. Blended. Merlot and Cabernet Franc. Chateau La Fleur-Petrus is a full-bodied wine with rounded tannins and a great flavor. Young bottles are "reasonably" priced compared to old well-cellared bottles. Wines from Pomerol are very savory and easy to drink, unlike many wines from nearby areas within Bordeaux.

Chateau Ducru-Beaucaillou. Brief.


This is the name of the winery and the wine also. 1855's Second Growth. St. Julien. As all the wines in the area, it is blended. Cabernet S., Merlot, Cabernet F. and Petit Verdot. There is a second label, La Croix de Beauicaillou. Other wines from the Estate are Ch. Lalande Borie and Ch. Ducluzeau.

http://www.chateau-ducru-beaucaillou.com/

Down Under 2.

1.- Penfolds, Bin 707, 2004. Cabernet. Very strong. Full-bodied.
2.- Boarding Pass, First Class, 2004. Shiraz. Spicy.
3.- Wolf Blass, Black Label, 1999, 2002. Cabernet-Shiraz.
4.- Parson's Flat, 2002. Cabernet-Shiraz.
5.- Penfolds RWT, 2002,2003,2004. Shiraz.

Tuesday, May 13, 2008

News from Beaujolais. 2007 A "rare" harvest.


From my Log. 3


1.- Chateau Duhart-Milon. 1.996. Pauillac. Full-bodied palate with rounded tannins. Medium term. Produced by Lafite (DBR) as some other wines, including the Premier Cru Classe Chateau Lafite Rothschild.
http://www.lafite.com/en/php/vins/7_2_1.php?id_chateau=17
2.- Chateau Lafon-Rochet. 1996, 2001. St. Estephe. Very intense. Kind of dry. Earthy as all wines from St. Estephe. Long term.
3.- Chateau Lagrange. St. Julien. 1.994, 1995. Very rich. Superb flavor. Long term. Expensive.
http://www.chateau-lagrange.com/
4.- Carruades de Lafite Rothschild. 1994. This is the second label from Chateau Lafite Rothschild. Try it. You will not regret. Almost the same wine without the price tag. Long term.
5.- Chateau Latour. 1.994. Pauillac. Vey intense. Full-bodied palate and ripe tannins. Long term. Very expensive. Premier Cru Classe.
http://www.chateau-latour.com/index.html
6.- Chateau Mouton Rothschild. 1.994, 1996. Very intense. First Cru. Needs lots of time in the cellar. Could be extremelly expensive.
http://www.mouton-rothschild.com/
7.- Chateau Gloria. 1.997. St. Julien. Not classified. Very strong blend. Ripe tannins. Medium term. Moderate. Better than some classified wines.
8.- Chateau La Mission Haut-Brion. 1.996. Pessac-Leognan. Very nice and very expensive too. Super rich. Full bodied palate. Fruity aromas. Long term.
http://www.haut-brion.com/home/fr/chateau/mhb-initial.php
9.- Chateau Monbrison. 1.997. Margaux. Great tannins and flavors. Medium term. Depending on the vintage, it could be expensive. Not a lot of cases in the market...
10.- Chateau Montrose. 1.992. St. Estephe. Dry. Tannins. Nice wine. Medium-long term. Expensive.
11.- Valpolicella Solane, 2002, Santi. Inexpensive Valpolicella.
12.- Chateau de la Chaize, 2004, Brouilly. Very nice Beaujolais Cru.

Amarones 1.

Blended wine made from Rondinella, Corvina and Molinara. D.O.C awarded in 1.990.
1.- Amarone Classico della Valpolicella. Bolla. 2000. Almost every single vintage is very nice.
http://www.bolla.com/
2.- Amarone Classico della Valpolicella. Allegrini. 2001. This one is better than Bolla. Less cases produced. You can find any of these wines in almost any wine store.
3.- Amarone Classico Costasera Masi, 2004.
4.- Amarone Zenato, 2001, 2003.

Rioja and Duero.


1.- Marques de Caceres. Gran Reserva. 2001. Rioja. Rich tannins, very nice. Oak. Affordable. Great taste and goes with almost anything. There is a separate comment regarding Gaudium in this blog.
http://www.marquesdecaceres.com/
2.- Herederos del Marques de Riscal. 1996, 1998, 2000. Rioja. Tempranillo and Graciano. Very intense and flavory.
http://www.marquesderiscal.com/
3.- Castillo Ygay Tinto. 1998. Marques de Murrieta. Rioja. Tempranillo and Mazuelo. Rich and strong. Great wine.
http://www.marquesdemurrieta.com/
4.- Tinto Pesquera, 1996, 1997, 1998, 2000. Alejandro Fernandez. Ribera del Duero. Tempranillo.
5.- Baron de Chirel, Reserva, 2001. Rioja. Tempranillo and others. The best wine from Marques de Riscal.
http://www.marquesderiscal.com/

Down Under 1.


1.- Rosemount. 2001, 2002. Cabernet Sauvignon, Merlot and Petit Verdot.
2.- Morgan Simpson. 2000. Cabernet Sauvignon.
http://www.morgansimpson.com.au/
3.- Koonowia. Cabernet Sauvignon. Strong and spicy.
4.- Brothers in Arms. Shiraz. 2000. Spicy and earthy blackberry and cherries. Very aromatic finish. Nice wine.
http://www.brothersinarms.com.au/
5.- Serafino. 1.999. Very rich and spicy. Try it at least once.
http://www.mclarensonthelake.com.au/6.php
6.- Greg Norman Estates. Shiraz. 2000. This is a very nice wine. Spicy.

Brunello di Montalcino 1.

Montalcino is one of Italy's premier wine towns. It also produces Italy's most expensive and sofisticated wines: Brunello di Montalcino. Brunellos are known for its aging potential and extraordinary cellaring ability. Brunellos are very dark, well structured, with rounded tannins, very aromatic and rich.
http://www.cantinadimontalcino.it/inglese/index.htm

Il Poggione, Brunello di Montalcino Riserva, 2001
San Polo, Brunello di Montalcino, 2001
Casanova di Neri, Brunello di Montalcino, Tenuta Nuova, 2003
Nardi, Brunello di Montalcino, 2001, 2002, 2003


Ribera del Duero 1.


It consists of a 69 mile stretch of the Duero River. Ribera del Duero is a red wine region. The grape is known as Tempranillo, or Tinto Fino, or just Tinta del Pais, and it accounts for an increasing majority of vineyard acreage in the Ribera del Duero. The grape over there produces more long-lived and powerful wines than does the Tempranillo in the Rioja region. The flagship wine from this region is Vega Sicilia. They have been producing wine in this region for more than 150 years.Since the early seventies, there is a new player called Tinto Pesquera or just Pesquera, from Alejandro Fernandez. Both are unique, in any vintage, and delicious reds.
1.- Tinto Valbuena No. 5, Vega Sicilia, 1997, 1999, 2000
2.- Tinto Pesquera, Alejandro Fernandez, 1996, 1998, 2002
3.- Condado de Haza, 2004
4.- Abadia Retuerta Cuvee El Palomar, 2000
5.- Abadia Retuerta Seleccion Especial, 2003

From Louis Jadot 1.

1.- Chateau des Jacques. Moulin A Vent. Very nice Beaujolais Cru.
2.- Clos Vougeot. 2000, 2002. Pinot Noir.
3.- Beaujolais Villages. Any vintage, get it young. 2-3 years.
4.- Chambolle-Musigny. 2001. Great Pinot Noir.
5.- Chassagne-Montrachet, 2005. Amazing wine.
6.- Fleurie. 2003,2004,2005. Super Beaujolais Cru.
7.- Vosne-Romanee Les Beaux Monts, 2004. Pinot Noir. Oustanding.

From Paul Jaboulet 1.


All from the Rhone Valley...
1.- Parallele 45. Cotes-du-Rhone. Any vintage.
2.- Chateauneuf-du-Pape, Les Cedres, 1995.
3.- Crozes-Hermitage Rouge, Domaine de Thalabert, 1998
4.- Crozes-Hermitage Rouge, Les Jalets, 1997.
5.- Hermitage Rouge, La Chapelle, 1996.
6.- Crozes-Hermitage Rouge, Domaine Raymond Roure, 1994,1998.

From my Log. 2

1.- Solengo, Argiano, 2002. Great wine. Long finish. Not cheap. This is one of the top reds in Tuscany.
2.- Monte Antico, 2001. Toscana. Very affordable and fruity.
3.- Rubicon, Niebaum-Coppola, 2000. Tannic and strong. One of the best wines of Napa.
http://www.rubiconestate.com/site.php
4.- Tenuta Carlina, 1997. Brunello di Montalcino, La Togata Riserva.
5.- Casanova Di Neri, 1997. Brunello di Montalcino, Cerretalto. Full-bodied. Expensive.
6.- Chateau Hosanna, 2001, 2003. Pomerol. Full-bodied. Very expensive.
7.- Campaccio Terrabianca, 1997, 1998, 1999

Chateauneuf du Pape 1.


This is a very strong wine from the Rhone valley. It is the name of the AOC and the wine region, also.The prevailing grape is Grenache. Its spanish version is called Garnacha.The AOC allows 12 more varieties of grapes.
1.- Chateauneuf-du-Pape, Guigal, 2003. Please refer to Chateauneuf-du-Pape Guigal. Bief.
2.- Chateauneuf-du-Pape, Chateau Saint-Jean 2006.
3.- Chateauneuf-du-Pape, Vieilles Vignes Reserve, 1999.
4.- Chateauneuf-du-Pape,Tardiu Laurent, 2005.
5.- Chateau de Beaucastel, Chateauneuf-du-Pape, 2001. Well cellared, could be long term. Very dense and spicy. Moderate price.

Graves 1.


1.- Chateau La Mission Haut-Brion, 1992. Expensive. For some, it is far much better and has more taste, finish and flavors than the Premier Cru Classe Chateau Haut Brion.
http://www.haut-brion.com/home/fr/fiches/mhb.php
2.- Chateau Latour-Martillac, 1994.
3.- Chateau Carbonnieux, 1989.
4.- Domaine de Chevalier, 1994. Expensive. Black berries. Lots of tannins.
http://www.domainedechevalier.com/
5.- La Chapelle de la Mission, 1996. Second label from Chateau La Mission Haut Brion. Less expensive, very intense, long finish.

Notes from Beaujolais 2. Fleurie.


These are 3 Beaujolais Cru from 3 remarkable producers.
Well cellared, you could wait up to 5 years.
1.- Chateau du Chatelard. They also produce Moulin A Vent and Villages.
2.- Domaine de La Madone. They also produce Villages.
http://www.domaine-de-la-madone.com/
3.- Mireille et Daniel Rampon. They also produce Morgon and Villages.

Notes from Beaujolais 1. Domaine de la Grange Menard.


1.- Beaujolais. Domaine de la Grange Menard. Cuvee "Vieilles Vignes" 2005.
2.- Beaujolais-Villages. Domaine de la Grange Menard. Cuvee d'Eve 2005.
They produce Beaujolais, Beaujolais-Villages and Nouveau.
They also produce White Bourgogne from Chardonnay.

From my Log. 1


1.- Chateau Lafon-Rochet, 1994, 1996,1998
2.- Chambolle-Musigny, Louis Jadot, 2003
3.- Torre Muga, 2004
4.- Carruades de Lafite Rothschild, 2003
http://www.lafite.com/en/php/vins/7_1_4_1.php?id_vin=51

5.- Chateau La Fleur-Petrus, 2000
6.- Chateau Belair, 1994
http://www.chateaubelair.com/

7.- Valbuena No. 5, Vega Sicilia, 1997
8.- Parallele 45, Paul Jaboulet, 1997,1998, 2000, 2002, 2003
9.- Clos Vougeot, Louis Jadot, 2000, 2002
10.- Tinto Pesquera, Alejandro Fernandez, 1994, 1996, 1997
11.- Rubicon, Niebaum-Coppola, 2000
12.- Chateau Gloria, 1996
13.- Chateau Mouton Rothschild, 1996
14.- Fleurie, Louis Jadot, 2003, 2004, 2005
15.- Cantina di Montalcino, 1994
16.- Domaine La Garrique, Cotes du Rhone, 2006
17.- Chateau Monbrison, 1997
http://www.chateaumonbrison.com/winemaking-monbrison.htm
18.- Chateauneuf-du-Pape, Guigal, 2003
19.- Barolo, Batasiolo, 1998, 1999
20.- Barbaresco, Gaja, 1994
21.- Amarone Classico della Valpolicela, Allegrini, 1996, 1997
22.- Chateau Palmer, 1994
http://www.chateau-palmer.com/en1
23.- Fonterutoli, Chianti Classico, 1994
24.- Antinori Marchese, Chianti Classico Riserva, 2003
25.- Chateau Lagrange, 1994, 1996
26.- Confuron Nuits-Saint-Georges Les Fleurieres, 2002
27.- Cecile Tremblay Vosne Romanee Les Beaumonts, 2002
28.- Amon-Ra Shiraz Barossa, 2004
29.- Les Carmes Haut Brion, 2003
30.- Zaccagnini, Montepulciano D'Abruzzo, 2004
31.- Desperriere Moulin Au Vent Greneriers, 2003
32.- Flora Springs, Trilogy, 2002
33.- Franciscan, Magnificat, 2004
34.- Chateau Pichon-Longueville-Baron, 1997, 2000, 2002, 2004
http://www.pichonlongueville.com/
35.- Amarone Classico della Valpolicela, Bolla, 2000
36.- Chateau Cantenac Brown, 1994.
37.- Chateau Lascombes, 1996
http://www.chateau-lascombes.com/
38.- Chateau Monbousquet, 2003
39.- Condado de Haza, 1996, 1997, 1998
40.- Barbaresco Riserva, Borgogno, 2001
41.- Far Niente, Cave Collection, 2002
http://www.farniente.com/
42.- Ascencion Pinotage, 2002, 2001
43.- Herederos del Marques de Riscal, 1996
44.- Gaudium, 2002
http://www.marquesdecaceres.com/
45.- Marques de Caceres, Gran Reserva, 1997, 1998, 2000
http://www.marquesdecaceres.com/
46.- Shiraz, Limestone Coast, Greg Norman, 2003
47.- Shiraz Reserve, Greg Norman, 2002
48.- Chateau du Tertre, 1996
49.- Chateau Pichon Longueville Comtess de Lalande, 1996
http://www.pichon-lalande.com/
50.- Gevrey-Chambertin, Domaine Moillard, 2003
51.- Barbaresco, Banfi, 1992, 1998
52.- Brunello di Montalcino, Banfi, 2001
53.- Amarone Classico Costasera Masi, 2001, 2003
54.- Barbera d'Alba, Ruvei, 2001, 2002. Marchesi di Barolo.
55.- Chateau Duhart-Milon, 1996, 1997
56.- Parson's Flat, 2002. Cabernet-Shiraz
57.- Chateau Montelena, 1999