4 to Spit, 4 to Sip

It’s not often that I find wines that I truly cannot stomach, but once in a while it happens. In this list I will also recommend an alternative for each. Again this is only in my opinion, but if I can help save you from wasting calories and money I will!

2005, Ridge Vineyards Santa Cruz Mountains, Cabernet Sauvignon, Central Coast, California - $40

Vibrant ruby colored. The nose was very restrictive and never really opened up. Palate reflects the traditional blackberry, cherry, and other dark fruits. Tannins are still a bit intense. Hopefully with age it will improve, but I doubt it will impact it that much. This is a very average wine at best. Very disappointing for a winery of this stature.

ES – 82 WS – 85

Alternative to Ridge Santa Cruz: Justin, Cabernet Sauvignon, Paso Robles, California - $25

2005, Joseph Faiveley Bourgogne, Pinot Noir, Burgundy, France - $20

To sight this was a very translucent and unspectacular. The nose had a slight amount of red berry and spice, but also exhibited the smell of a plastic grocery bag. The palate was similar to a cherry jolly rancher, but was very short lived. It was very thin and watery, with a drying sensation towards the end.

ES – 81 WS – 84

Alternative to Faiveley: Joseph Drouhin Laforet, Pinot Noir, Burgundy, France - $18

2007, Fleur de California, Pinot Noir, Central Coast, California - $15

Like the Faiveley, light and unspectacular. Cherry and berries on the nose and palate, but not much else. It had a very boring and short palate.

ES – 80 WS – 82

Alternative to Fleur: Greg Norman Estates, Pinot Noir, Santa Barbera, California - $15

2007, Evodia, Old Vine Garnacha, Calatayud, Spain - $10 (as mentioned in an earlier post)

The pigment is a beautiful dark purple/almost black, but that is where the exuberance ended. The nose of this wine was very disjointed with hints of wet stone/cinder block and an unusual cherry dominating with the traditional influence of spice and black pepper certainly evident. The palate took on sour cherry, spice, and oak. Contrary to other reviews that I read after, I found there to be some sharpness to this wine. This seems to be a polarizing wine.

ES – 84 WA - 88

Alternative to Evodia: Chateau Pesquie Quintessence, Côtes du Ventoux, Rhône, France - $19

All wines named in this post are available at the NH Liquor store off of Exit 6 (behind the Nashua Mall)

4 to Spit, 4 to Sip

Wine of the Week: Justin Cabernet Sauvignon

Justin Vineyards, as I said many times before, is a wonderful expression of what California represents. They are innovative, they are Earth-friendly, they are focused on healthy living, and they are quality wine.

Justin is one of the hipper wine discoveries I have made. Currently they are going through the process of becoming certified biodynamic (using natural means to tend to the grapes on the vine). They have at their core the principle of taking care of the Earth, but they also take care of their employees. They have an on-site gym and strongly encourage participation in athletic competitions and physical activity.

Overall, I think this makes them very appealing as a company, but how is the wine? I have featured their ’05 Isosceles in a couple past columns and included it in a recent wine dinner that I picked the wines for. Hence, their upper-tier wines are terrific, but how about their entry level offering?

2006, Justin Vineyards, Cabernet Sauvignon, Paso Robles, California - $25

The 2006 Justin is a lovely California Cab. It is a really deep purple and has a nose that shows of the typical dark berries and then evolves to include some spice and leather. The palate is a little less complex than the nose. Blackberry, currants and strawberry are the most perceptible flavors with a little spice. The body is in the medium-full range and the tannins are firm, yet not too overpowering.

Overall this is a really good wine and my wife absolutely loved it (she said it three separate times)! Wine Enthusiast rated this 90 pts and I am going to up them to a 91-92, because the nose was great and the palate had nice depth in the berries. This wine would pair nicely with food, especially

Wine of the Week: Justin Cabernet Sauvignon

What a night, what a meal!

A group of us got together this past Saturday for an incredible night of food, wine and camaraderie. A couple months ago I proposed having a wine dinner, during which the meals prepared would be pared with a wine to show each other off. I have been doing these Wine Extravaganza dinners with some other friends and was hoping to show how this concept really makes for a special evening with this group.

As a group, we are truly lucky (in terms of culinary experience) to have a chef and a truly gifted cook. You add these two knowledge-bases together and it is a recipe for something memorable. The wines were certainly showcased, but the dishes were equal in imagination and flavor.

The menu was the result of two very talented chefs. Jason Berkman (pictured to the right, executive chef at Legal Sea Foods, Burlington) and Chris Baker were the ones responsible for creating the dishes that paired with the wines I selected.

The result was nothing less then extraordinary. We had great food, great wine, great conversation and to cap it off, a great cigar.

Below is the menu with wine pairings (with tasting notes and ratings). If you have a chance, you must try a couple of these dishes and/or wines!

Maine Oysters
Jalapeno Relish, Lemony Cucumbers, Watermelon Gazpacho

NV, Nicolas Feuillate, Brut Rose Champagne
Epernay, France
- Perfect clarity with watermelon juice color. On the nose there was a healthy amount of strawberry and raspberry with faint yeast. The palate was of super dry strawberry and raspberry with a nice pomegranate aftertaste. Terrific acidity and very well-balanced. ES - 90

Salmon Confit
Creamed Leek and Cannellini Ragout, Fennel Salad

2008, Nobilo Icon, Sauvignon Blanc
Marlborough, New Zealand
- Wonderfully young straw/greenish hue. Nose shouted pineapple, green apple, and grapefruit. The palate was lively and crisp again showing pineapple, green apple, and grapefruit with some nice minerality at the later middle palate. Terrific acidity and balance paired the salmon perfectly. ES - 93

Spiced Rack of Lamb
Fingerling and Avocado Mash, “Bounty” Rum Compote

2006, Domaine Drouhin, Pinot Noir
Willamette Valley, Oregon
- Nicely concentrated purple hue. Nose and palate of complex black cherry with hints of oak and the palate continued with a slight trace violet. Very well-structured, nicely complex and elegant. ES - 94

Braised Beef Short Ribs
Oven Roasted Sweet Beets, Charred Belgian Endive, Crispy Onion

2005, Justin Isosceles, Meritage
Paso Robles, California
- Star wine of the night and I am not surprised. It was extremely dark purple, almost black in concentration. The nose was of blackberry, black pepper and oak. The palate was intense and rich, offering blackberry, currants, leather and smoke. The tannins were wonderfully supple. Overall this wine offered a lot of flair and panache. The Braised Short Ribs could not have been a better pairing! Decanted for an hour. ES - 95

Chocolate and Caramel Peach
Vanilla Ice Cream

1999, Chateau Pajzos Aszu 5 Puttanyos, Tokaji
Hungary
- Very surprising and delicious. This wine had a brilliant golden hue. The nose was of honey and apricot which were mirrored on the palate along with some caramel. It had a beautifully viscosity and was sweet, rich with intensity, balance and character. ES - 94

What a night, what a meal!

One to try and one to avoid like the plague

Over the course of the past year I began keeping tasting notes on some of great and awful wines that I have had. Consider this the first in a line of hopefully informative insights into what is good and what should apply for a government bailout.

Highly Recommended: 2005, Justin Vineyards Isosceles, Meritage, Paso Robles, California - $60-65

Justin Vineyards embodies what California represents in many ways. They are innovative, they are Earth-friendly, they are focused on healthy living, and they are quality wine. Justin is one of the cooler wine discoveries I have made. Currently they are going through the process of becoming certified biodynamic (using natural means to tend to the grapes on the vine). They definitely have the desire to take care of the Earth, but they also take care of their employees. They have an on-site gym and strongly encourage participation in athletic competitions and physical activity. Overall, I think this makes them very appealing as a company, but how is the wine?

The 2005 Justin Isosceles is my favorite wine of 2009 thus far! It is an amazingly complex blend, with aromas of ripe red currants and juicy dark berries that are mirrored on the palate. The palate begins with the hit of red current and then evolves into the dark berries. The berries get more and more complex and meaty as time goes on and creates a truly memorable finish.

Wine Spectator gave this bad boy a 92, but I think this is slightly lower then what it deserves. I score this a 94 verging on 95, and I am thinking there is possibly a 95 in there if cellared for another 2-5 years.

Avoid: 2004, Duckhorn, Merlot, Napa, California - $45-50

Duckhorn has a romanticized reputation like many fading Napa vineyards. Be leery if you see Duckhorn Merlot on a restaurant's wine list. It usually fetches around $100-120 (add $30-50 for Cabernet) and it is nowhere worth it! The people at Duckhorn need to go back to the drawing board, especially for a winery that prides itself on Merlot! Maybe some restructuring or new vine plantings are in order?

How bad was this wine?

The 2004 Duckhorn Merlot has probably been my least favorite moderately-expensive wine of 2009. It is not a horrible wine, but it is extremely mediocre. Now when you combine that with the price it becomes horrible! The nose is a little awkward. It has a very healthy dose of cigar, cedar and earth notes. The problem is, there is no berry anywhere to lift this up. Just strange. The palate is very thin with some berries developing over time, but unfortunately I didn't have all week to wait.

Wine Spectator gave this a 78 and I think that is actually pretty nice. I would have to give this a 76. A poor showing from a vineyard that does occasionally produce some pretty good, but over-priced, estate-grown Merlot and Cabernet.

Alternative: Since I ripped the Duckhorn Merlot, let me offer a couple to try in the same price range. A 2005 or 2006 Plumpjack Merlot from Napa (co-owned by San Fran Mayor Gavin Newsome) is a great alternative as is a mid-range St-Emilion (2005 if possible) like Chateau Pipeau.

Next time out, look past the names and try to find quality. If you are not sure, ask the waiter or wine steward, that's why they are there!

One to try and one to avoid like the plague