5 June 2013 2007 Echeverria Late Harvest Sauvignon Blanc

2007 Echeverria Late Harvest Sauvignon Blanc

June 5, 2013 By

2007 Echeverria Late Harvest Sauvignon BlancThis dessert wine is strikingly golden in the glass and offers ripe, juicy peach aromas. There’s a rich, coating mouthfeel, honey and fig jam flavors and a nice level of acidity on the finish of this little beauty.

The 2007 Echeverria Late Harvest Sauvignon Blanc held up nicely to the caramel panna cotta but it was paired with at a recent dinner I attended.

Pairings: Cheese course, stone fruit or caramel desserts

Style: Sweet / Dessert Wine

Grape Type(s): Sauvignon Blanc

Region: Curico Valley, Chile

Price: $19.99 (375ml)

Filed Under: Chile, Dessert Wine, Sauvignon Blanc, Wine Reviews Tagged With: , , ,
30 May 2013 2010 Selbach Oster Riesling Kabinett

2010 Selbach Oster Riesling Kabinett

May 30, 2013 By

WinesPerhaps it’s because we’ve vacationed in Mosel and visited and stayed at an inn that poured Selbach-Oster, but I just enjoy these wines tremendously.

I uncorked this German Riesling at a recent lobster dinner in Canada and it was a super pairing. On the nose it’s floral with wet stone aromas. Although a Kabinett, which tend to be slightly sweet, this wine is drier than I expected (for which I was grateful) with green apple tartness and peach lusciousness flavors. The finish is crisp on this well-balanced Mosel Riesling.

Pairings: Shellfish, seafood, grilled fish, spicy Asian food

Style: White wine

Grape Type(s): Riesling

Region: Mosel, Germany

Price: $23

Filed Under: Germany, Riesling, White Wine, Wine Reviews Tagged With: , ,
22 May 2013 2009 Marquis de Chasse Sauternes

2009 Marquis de Chasse Sauternes

May 22, 2013 By

SauternesGolden in the glass, the 2009 Marquis de Chasse Sauternes offers typical aromas of honey and dry apricot. In the mouth, it’s rich with ripe pear and honey flavors with a little nutmeg notes on the finish. Sweet yet well-balanced – very pleasant for such a young Sauternes.

Pairings: Cheese course, foie gras, most desserts

Style: White wine

Grape Type(s): Semillon,  Sauvignon Blanc,  Muscadelle

Region: Bordeaux, France

Price: $24 (500ml)

Filed Under: France, Muscadelle, Sauvignon Blanc, Semillon, Wine Reviews Tagged With: , ,
14 May 2013 2010 Albert Mann Cremant D’Alsace

2010 Albert Mann Cremant D’Alsace

May 14, 2013 By

2010 Albert Mann Cremant D'AlsaceWarmer weather’s among us and for me, that calls for bubbles. If you like French Champagne but not the cash outlay, try Cremant D’Alsace.  This Alsatian wine offers bright aromas of juicy pear and lemon zest and crisp apple flavors. Simply a super bubbly with tons of creamy, moussy bubbles great for any occasion.

Pairings: Fish, seafood, pasta with light creamy sauce, or as an aperitif

Style: Sparkling wine

Grape Type(s): Pinot Blanc, Auxerrois, Pinot Gris and Riesling

Region: Alsace, France

Price: $20

Filed Under: By Country, France, Pinot Blanc, Pinot Gris, Riesling, White Wine, Wine Reviews Tagged With: , ,
12 May 2013 2009 Villa Puccini Toscana

2009 Villa Puccini Toscana

May 12, 2013 By

2009 Villa Puccini Toscana$10 Sangiovese that’s actually good – yes, it’s possible. Medium-bodied Italian wine with a great plum nose. Fruit-forward, rich flavors. Super table wine.

Pairings: Pasta with red sauce, macaroni and cheese, roasts

Style: Red Wine

Grape Type(s): 90% Sangiovese and 10% Merlot

Region: Tuscany, Italy

Price: $10

Filed Under: Italy, Merlot, Red Wine, Sangiovese, Wine Reviews Tagged With: , ,
10 May 2013 2000 Seavey Vineyard Caravina Cabernet Sauvignon

2000 Seavey Vineyard Caravina Cabernet Sauvignon

May 10, 2013 By

2000 Caravina Napa ValleyI uncorked this wine that had been in my cellar the other and simply loved it. This Bordeaux-style wine offers earthy and stone-fruit aromas and a well-balanced, plummy-in-the-mouth Cabernet Sauvignon with all the finesse and elegance a California Cab should have.

Pairings: Grilled meats, pasta with Bolognese sauce, mild blue cheese

Style: Red Wine

Grape Type(s): Cabernet Sauvignon

Region: Napa Valley, CA, USA

Price: $65

Filed Under: Cabernet Sauvignon, Red Wine, United States, Wine Reviews Tagged With: , , ,
8 May 2013 2008 Osoyoos Larose Le Grand Vin

2008 Osoyoos Larose Le Grand Vin

May 8, 2013 By

2008 Osoyoos Larose Le Grand VinMom brought this Canadian wine down with her when she came to visit. She served it with an Easter dinner of lamb and it was a nice pairing.

This Bordeaux-style blend is an intense, deep purple/red in the glass and offers aromas of ripe berries, mocha and chocolate. I expected big, bold flavors to come through based on the sheer color and aromas of this British Columbia wine but got a medium-bodied, roundish Merlot palate with a nice level of acidity and good fruit. Well-balanced with a pleasant, slightly spiced finish. One of the better Canadian reds I’ve had.

Pairings: Grilled meats, cheese course

Style: Red Wine

Grape Type(s): 60% Merlot, 25% Cabernet Sauvignon, 7% Cabernet Franc, 5% Malbec, 3% Petit Verdot

Region: Okanagan Valley, BC, Canada

Price: $40

Filed Under: Cabernet Franc, Cabernet Sauvignon, Canada, Malbec, Merlot, Petit Verdot, Red Wine, Wine Reviews Tagged With: , , , ,

The Williams Selyem Evening

April 30, 2013 By

2007 Williams Selyem Pinot NoirEvery month, eight of us wine-minded friends visit a New Jersey BYOB restaurant for a wine-filled evening. It’s gotten to a point where each couple tries to outdo the others with not only top-notch wines, but also somewhat difficult-to-find bottles.

For last month’s dinner, I bought a bottle of 2007 Williams Selyem Pinot Noir Central Coast from a reputable online wine seller. The wine came about 4 weeks prior to the scheduled dinner and it sat on my wine bar that whole time, staring at me, urging me to uncork it.

Well, I behaved and waited for the dinner party to uncork it, but was excited to show it off as Williams Selyem wines are top-rated, somewhat hard-to-buy wines that come close to perfection, in my opinion. After everyone sat at the table, my Twitter food and wine pal, Marty, and I unpacked our bottles at the same time and Marty had a 2011 Williams Selyem Papera Vineyard Zinfandel. What a coincidence, a very pleasant coincidence! We both laughed at our good fortune and truly enjoyed each bottle.

Here are my tasting notes for both bottles:

If you have an opportunity to sample any Williams Selyem wines, jump at the chance. Winemaker Bob Cabral is a genus.

Cheers,

Veronique

Filed Under: Other Neat Things, Wine Reviews Tagged With:
29 April 2013 2011 Williams Selyem Papera Vineyard Zinfandel

2011 Williams Selyem Papera Vineyard Zinfandel

April 29, 2013 By

2011 Williams Selyem Papera Vineyard ZinfandelWas fortunate enough to have a friend bring this bottle of the 2011 Williams Selyem Papera Vineyard Zinfandel to a dinner party where I was able to sample it. What a big, bold, beautiful Zin.

The inky black color of the wine as it hit the glass was just gorgeous. The aromas of jammy dark berries with chocolaty notes were intoxicating. Who could pull away from this nose for a sip? Me, of course, but with difficulty. Ripe raspberry and blackberry flavors abound in the mouth along with fig jam and mocha undertones. Simply a big, concentrated and delicious mouthful.

Thanks Marty and Joan for sharing!

Pairings: Lamb, grilled beef or game, blue cheese

Style: Red Wine

Grape Type(s): Zinfandel

Region: Sonoma, CA, USA

Price: $70

Filed Under: Red Wine, United States, Wine Reviews, Zinfandel Tagged With: , , ,
27 April 2013 2007 Williams Selyem Pinot Noir Central Coast

2007 Williams Selyem Pinot Noir Central Coast

April 27, 2013 By

2007 Williams Selyem Pinot NoirAs a huge Pinot Noir fan (and who isn’t?), I thought this 2007 Williams Selyem Pinot Noir Central Coast was pretty outstanding. It’s not easy to find, and after buying through a reputable online seller, I was eager to sip it.

In the glass, it’s a beautiful, vibrant red color. The aromas are of dark raspberries and pumpkin pie spices with some floral notes. The palate offers big, ripe cherry flavors and that silky, velvety mouthfeel other Pinots wish they could attain. The finish is long and earthy.

Pairings: Duck, turkey, grilled chicken, any mushroom-centered dish

Style: Red Wine

Grape Type(s): Pinot Noir

Region: Central Coast, CA, USA

Price: $75

Filed Under: Pinot Noir, Red Wine, United States, Wine Reviews Tagged With: , , , ,
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