2006 Sequoia Grove Napa Valley Cabernet Sauvignon

 

This is a great example of classic California cab! The pour is a deep red, almost black, and is just enough darker than the usual cab to intrigue the drinker.

The nose is layered and fantastic, beginning with blackberries and cherries. These aromas are followed by notes of vanilla and dry tobacco. There is something spicy about the nose as well (classic California cab)...something bolder than simple black pepper, like the whole peppercorn before crushing it in the pepper mill. I like the aromatic blend of this wine, it is very linear but not too intense.

The palate opens with flavors of black currants, black raspberries, blackberries and mild tannins. The midpalate is flecked with herbal anise and soft cocoa notes. The finish is long....so very long, but brilliantly done. The tannins are perfectly interlaced with the spicy black pepper from the nose and the sweet blackberry from the forepalate. The finish is smoky and, as I mentioned, very long and enjoyable.

Retail: $40

Rating: 92

I love this cab, I'll be looking for it on special at wine shops around Denver and I'm looking forward to the next glass I get to enjoy. My friend Martin and I enjoyed this bottle with a meal including espresso rubbed duck at Wine Experience Cafe. The wine is brilliantly balanced and would also be great with steak, mushroom dishes, and lamb...I would also enjoy a glass of this on a summer evening on a back porch.

2002 Roggio Del Filare Rosso Piceno Superiore

 

Wow! What a fantastic bottle of Italian wine! It is a combination of Montepulciano (70%) and Sangiovese (30%) grapes and it is aged in French oak barrels. I had a tasters portion, then decanted the bottle for a few hours before the first full glass.

The pour is a bright, concentrated ruby red...very beautiful. Minimal legs for a 13.5% abv wine. The nose is intense but still smooth (especially after decanting), beginning with lots of fruit: black cherry, blackberry, red raspberries and a hint of bing cherries too. The bouquet is well rounded with lots of oaky notes to complement the fruit aromas as well.

The palate is where this wine comes to life; there is something full and almost chewy (in a good/great way) about the wine as soon as it enters your mouth. The forepalate is light and fruity (black cherries and raspberries) with a noticable but very enjoyable hint of tannins in the fruit. The wine almost tastes warm on the midpalate even though it is a few degrees below room temperature; the fruit continues with just a slightly more sour note: the bing cherry flavor from the nose. The finish is relatively short but it is so well put together with blackberries and light, crisp tannins that you are looking forward to the next taste before the flavors have left the palate.

Retail: $46

Rating: 93

This wine pairs beautifully with Italian red sauce, dishes with spicy sausage, as well as flank steak.

I'm not usually a fan of Italian reds because they seem to be too alcohol driven for my palate right now, but this one is brilliantly done and the last 9 years of aging did this wine a great deal of good I think. I would recommend this for someone branching out/up in price range for a special bottle of red; I'll be looking for a sale to pick up another bottle or two for the cellar.

2009 Domaine de la Patience Chardonnay

 

This certified organic Languedoc (southern Rhone) wine is 100% Chardonnay. It is made from 13 year old vines and aged three months in concrete, creating a 13% abv wine.

The pour is pale yellow and the swirl yields neat, simple legs. The nose opens with notes of nectarine and a mineral coolness. There are also aromas of pineapple acidity, a little lemon rind, and a faint sweet floral note.

The forepalate is strong with flavors of acidic oranges and sweet peaches. It is well balanced and enjoyable as the palate progresses. The midpalate continues with fruity sweetness but there are also complex notes of vanilla extract and a more pineapple acidity than the citrus that began on the tongue. The finish is relatively long for a chardonnay, and the palate is left with notes of sweet peaches.

Retail: $14

Rating: 91
This wine would be best paired with seafood, salads, grilled veggies, or by itself, chilled down to about 12 degrees C, on a warm summer afternoon. I enjoyed this with steamed mussels and a light arugula salad.

2008 Simon Bize Bourgogne 'Les Champlains'

 

This white burgundy from the Cotes du Beaune (north of Lyon) is a great value and a good example of French/California contrast in 100% chardonnay wines. The 'Les Champlains' was two-thirds barrel fermented and one-third stainless steel fermented.

The nose offers a lot to the drinker, beginning with pears and apples, and finishing with sweet apple blossoms, other floral notes, and a touch of both a minty freshness and wet gritty earth. The flavors evolve into this brilliant mixture over the course of about 20 minutes in the glass with occasional swirling.

The palate begins with crisp clean apple flavors, including both its acidity and sweetness. The midpalate is slightly sweeter, and the pears and floral notes make their reappearance. The finish is long and intentionally acidic once again, but there is a soothing oaky flavor that relaxes the palate and prepares the drinker for the next sip.

Retail: $18

Rating: 91
I would recommend this to all chardonnay drinkers who would like to try something a bit different, a little sharper and less buttery than the typical California chardonnay. Tasty tasty!...especially for <$20 white burgundy grapes. I had this by the glass at Bin 71 in Manhattan; I would recommend visiting Bin 71 for great paninis, great service and a fantastic wine list.

2007 Luigi Bosca Malbec

This Argentinian wine is one of my favorite malbecs...it is both strong in drinkability and complexity! I enjoyed this by the glass at Wine Experience Cafe and World Cellar (Southlands, Aurora, CO). The pour is a deep ruby/purple and the legs are thick and juicy.

The nose is fruity straightaway, lots of red raspberries and blackberries. There is also a touch of black pepper spice, very common in Malbec, but this one is different; directly following the spice note there is a green tobacco leaf aroma that really gets my attention in a good way. It's a soft aroma, especially following the sharp pepper note, and it really rounds out the nose for this fantastic wine.

The palate is just as exciting as the nose. The forepalate is led by soft and sweet tannins with a mainly raspberry flavor; this is the earliest I've enjoyed tannins in a malbec, and they are so well balanced that it is both drinkable and excitingly complex. The midpalate has the occasional hint of wet tobacco from the nose along with the fruity raspberry flavor. The finish distinct and long; it is dominated by ripe red fruit and there is a touch of sea salt with the tannic conclusion. The salty end leaves you looking forward to the next sip with great anticipation and makes this a fantastic buy.

Retail: $20
Rating: 92
This is a fantastic example of where Argentinian wines are headed and what many of them should strive to become. I would pair this with spicy barbecue, anything with chili powder, spicy sausage, and most any Italian tomato-based dishes. At the Wine Experience Cafe I enjoyed this with a rare hanger steak with a spicy seasoning, and it was fantastic!

2008 Stéphane Tissot - Trousseau Singulier

Trousseau is one of the principle red grapes from the Jura region of France (the same region as the last wine I wrote about). The grapes are grown in low-yielding vineyards and winemaker Stéphane Tissot uses a biodynamic process with no chemicals or synthetic pesticides to make this amazing wine.

The pour is lighter red than many people would expect; it almost looks like a Burgundy to me. I think it's beautiful, and the interesting color peaks an interest in the wine drinker.

The nose is bold and beautifully delicious. There was a big kick of black pepper surrounded by bold red fruit, strawberries and raspberries. There is also an aroma of something else, something wet and earthy - all I can think of is hiking in a rainforest and kicking up a little wet dirt on the forest floor.

The palate is where this wine really comes to life. The red fruit from the nose hits the tongue straightaway, followed by some tight tannins that surprise the tongue and give this wine a feeling that its alive. The midpalate is strong with sugary fruit and a really nice acidic note. The finish brings it all together with a bit of the black pepper from the nose, and the aftertaste includes a bit of the wet earthy flavor from the nose. What a brilliantly designed, complex bottle of wine; it will be on my mind in many wine shops in the future.

Retail: $58
Rating: 93

2008 Côtes du Jura Domaine Alain Labet en Chalasse

This is a similar label, but instead of the 'Fleur de Savavnin' the label should say 'en Chalasse' (but I forgot to take a picture).  The Jura region is on the eastern border of France:

 

This wine is 100% Chardonnay and the pour is golden yellow.  The nose is intense at first but after a little swirl, more flavors are revealed and the intensity is more in-check. The aromas are well balanced including smooth floral notes, light acidic citrus and a nutty almond scent too.

The palate is sharp and doesn't hold back. It leads with acid and minerality along with a little peach sweetness. The midpalate is dominated by sweet pear and apple notes with a milder acidity. While the wine is in my mouth I get another hint of the floral aroma from the nose; it really ties the wine together.

I really like where this wine is going but I'm not sure it made it to its destination (especially for the price); I think the palate was a bit simple but it was tied together very well. I love French reds and I've been branching out to try more French whites, but I'm still searching for a different terroir.

Rating: 89

Retail: $45