The Good Wine Guru » California Wine

Gravelly Ford Pinot Noir 2009

George — Mon, 30 Jan 2012 17:50:47 +0000

Varietal: Pinot Noir
Region: California – USA
Cost: Approx $10

Winemaker’s Notes: Rich earthiness and bold robust flavors. Pairs well with full-flavored hearty meats, stews, and soups paired with rustic bread.

My Review: You ever have one of those moments when you see a bottle of wine on your rack and have absolutely no idea where it came from? I had that moment last night with my wife when we were trying to decide which bottle of wine to open up with some chili we had made for dinner. I had no memory of the wine being purchased, was confident it wasn’t a sample that had been sent to me, and didn’t remember anybody bringing it over during one of our holiday parties, and it wasn’t until I sat down to write this review that I realized where it came from – my wife and I did buy it at a local store that was offering a free tasting. This is what age does to you.

In the glass, after spending some time in a decanter, the wine was a medium-light garnet color. It wasn’t super light, but I could still see the bottom of my glass with the wine in it. On the nose I got mostly cherry notes, though the wine didn’t have a big nose even after being allowed to open up in the decanter. In the mouth I got more of the cherry notes along with some cola on the finish and very subtle hint of effervescence. It paired well with the chili, the fruit flavor actually doing a good enough job with the chili, though I think something with a bit of spice might have been even better.

To sip on the wine after we were done eating was easy enough, and while the wine certainly didn’t blow me away, as budget Pinot Noir goes I’ve certainly had a lot worse. It didn’t set my world on fire, but if you happen across it and you’re in the market for a value Pinot Noir it’s definitely worth giving a second or third thought to.

Girard Artistry 2008

George — Tue, 10 Jan 2012 17:00:30 +0000

Varietal: 59% Cabernet Sauvignon; 19% Cabernet Franc; 11% Malbec; 6% Merlot; 5% Petit Verdot
Region: Napa, California – USA
Cost: $40 (SRP)

Winemaker’s Notes: Rich garnet color goes perfectly with the holiday season and it’s aromas of toasted hazelnut and winter spices make this wine the perfect gift for anyone on your list.

My Review: Another of the bottles that I received just before the end of the year, and on an unseasonable warm day on Sunday (pushing 70 in Virginia? Really?) my wife and I decided to throw a couple of steaks on the grill and a bottle of red wine sounded like the perfect pairing.

While there are some violet streaks going through the wine, it was a nice deep red in the glass and I picked up aromas of spice and dark berry. In the mouth there was a ton of fruit, but it was by no means a “fruit bomb”. By that I mean there was plenty of body and depth to the wine that allowed the wine to present nuanced fruit flavors and have a bit of complexity and a medium-smooth finish.

Paired with some steaks, baked potatoes, and asparagus it was great. The body of the wine held up to the steak and the fruit flavors managed to go well with the veggies (potatoes are a vegetable dammit). What I really liked about the wine is that even with the body to hold up to the steak, the fruit flavors were dominant enough to make the wine enjoyable all by itself.

If the wine isn’t available near you and you want to give it a try, you can follow this link and have it shipped directly to you.

Robert Mondavi Private Selection Cabernet Sauvignon 2010

George — Wed, 07 Dec 2011 15:00:39 +0000

Varietal: 88% Cabernet Sauvignon; 5% Syrah; 3% Merlot; 2% Petit Verdot; 1% Malbec; 1% Cabernet Franc
Region: California – USA
Cost: $11 (SRP)

Winemaker’s Notes: The wine has a smooth texture and sweet, red fruit character that distinguishes California’s finest Cabernet Sauvignons, along with smoky oak, vanilla, and roasted nut accents to invigorate the palate and provide a lengthy finish. Enjoy with standing rib roasts, grilled steak, roast duck, spareribs, lasagna, or flavorful hard cheeses.

My Review: An evening where my wife was out and I was home alone with the dog to fend for myself on dinner usually only means one thing – steak, a baked potato, and a bottle of red wine to be enjoyed. There are worse ways to spend an evening. I’d been sitting on this sample until I could get around to cooking up a steak, and as tends to be the case, I’m glad I did.

There’s a line where a line goes from having good fruit to being a fruit bomb. Don’t ask me exactly where that line is, because I think that it’s different for every wine, but the 2010 Robert Mondavi Private Selection Cabernet Sauvignon did a good job of walking the line between fruity and fruit bomb.

On the nose I got dark fruit notes with a touch of roundness to it. In the mouth I got plenty of nice tart fruit, with raspberry and some blueberry being the most prevalent to me. The finish on the wine was surprisingly smooth, though with the extra varietals blended in that should come as less of a surprise than it was.

Paired with a ribeye I picked up at the local store it was a nice simple wine that didn’t try and do too much, but was more than adequate before, during, and after the meal. As value wines go, particularly for a California Cabernet, this is a good choice if you’re looking for something that’s easy to drink, and will make a good choice as a red wine option during the holiday party season thanks to the price.

Big House Red 2010

George — Wed, 30 Nov 2011 17:00:51 +0000

Varietal: Petite Sirah; Tempranillo; Syrah; Grenache; Malbec; Mourvedre; Nebeillo; Tannat; Souzao; Aglianico; Barbera; Zinfandel; Petite Verdot; Cabernet Franc; Charbano; Nero d’Avola; Sanviovese; Sagrantino
Region: California – USA
Cost: $10 (SRP)

Winemaker’s Notes: This Big House Red lives up to that old Fruit Bomb moniker that you’ve come to expect. It starts with a nose full of blackberries and raspberries, with hints of leather and spices. The palate is clean, exhibiting flavors of cranberries, roses, and a touch of rhubarb. This finish lingers, with flavors of vanilla and a touch of dark cherries in the finish. Pairs well with all grilled meats, lasagna Bolognese, grilled vegetables, or even sashimi grade Ahi tuna.

My Review: The previous version of this wine was one of those that I was torn on. I liked what they were trying to do by creating a table wine with a little bit of everything that could then go with a little bit of everything, but I felt that the attempt created a wine that just fell flat. This vintage was different.

Now, to preface, I’m not saying that the 2010 Big House Red is some revolutionary wine, but I did like it better than the previous years bottles I had tried. They’ve changed the mixture some and I think it’s for the best. On the nose I got mostly raspberry with a touch of spice and in the mouth I got dark cherry and some cranberry with a juiciness that made me feel like the Zinfandel as much as anything was coming through.

With a dinner of pizza after a trip the grocery store to stock up after the Thanksgiving holiday, a simple bottle of inexpensive red was a welcome sight and I continue to be a proponent of what Big House is doing – making nice affordable wines that might not set the world on fire, but are certainly welcome after a long day at work.

Biltmore Reserve Chardonnay Sonoma County 2010

George — Mon, 21 Nov 2011 15:00:27 +0000

Varietal: 100% Chardonnay
Region: Sonoma County – California – USA
Cost: $20 (SRP)

Winemaker’s Notes: Straw, yellow-green in color with aromas of crisp coconut, pear, and citrus. Richly expressive with great mouth-feel, good acidity, and a touch of butter. Pairs well with Lobster ala creme, seafood lasagna, braised chicken, gnocchi with brown butter, Fontina cheese.

My Review: It was a helluva weekend around my house, and while I won’t go into details, suffice it to say that Saturday called for some wine. So when my wife and I decided that our dinner would be a mix of some cheese, crackers, and somosas, a crisp white wine sounded like a great idea. Fortunately we happened to have one chilled in the fridge.

The wine was very light in the glass, with hints of green running through it, and on the nose it was crisp with notes of citrus and pear. In the mouth I got apple mostly, with nice crisp acid all the way through, which did a nice job of cutting through the slight heat on the samosas and of course went just fine with some sharp cheddar and crackers. Despite the “Reserve” label, this wine is in fact un-oaked.

I’d be lying if I said this was some revolutionary wine, but around this time of year I suspect most people are more in the market for a serviceable white and red that they can serve at holiday parties, and this certainly fits that bill. It certainly won’t make anybody stand up and take notice, but it also probably won’t make them turn up their nose and search for a glass of something else.

Robert Mondavi Private Selection Pinot Noir 2010

George — Wed, 16 Nov 2011 15:00:00 +0000

Varietal: 90% Pinot Noir; 6% Petite Sirah; 3% Syrah; 1% Merlot
Region: California – USA
Cost: $11 (SRP)

Winemaker’s Notes: Reflecting the character of a cool vintage, which fostered the development of classic varietal aromas and flavors in our Pinot Noir grapes, this vivacious red wine’s hallmark is fresh, vibrant fruit. On the nose, lovely rose petal, violet, and red cherry aromas mingle with complementary scents of smoky vanilla and nutmeg. Very soft and round with good length and richness on the palate, the wine displays supple, silky berry and cherry jam flavors. Enjoy this delectable Pinot Noir with grilled salmon, herb-roasted chicken, baked ham, or lighter pork dishes.

My Review: So remember yesterday when I talked about the bottle of 2007 Biltmore Blanc de Blancs exploding all over my kitchen? Well, since my wife and I were making salmon to go with that, and since exploding wine meant I was really going to need a drink, we decided to open up this bottle of 2010 Robert Mondavi Pinot Noir that I had received as a sample.

A light to medium red in the glass, with hints of some rust coloring, I got aromas of cherry and spice on the nose which lead into a very smooth, almost juicy wine with flavors of berry and a touch of a cola finish that I’m finding more and more on Pinot, and that I’m finding myself enjoying quite a bit.

Paired with the salmon the wines richness was a nice compliment to the fatty fish, making the entire meal just a wonderful, rich experience. For the price this was a surprisingly robust Pinot Noir, and if you’re looking for a budget wine to put out with your Thanksgiving dinner, this is certainly a good choice.

On the off chance you can’t find this wine in your local store, you can follow this link and get some shipped directly to you.

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Biltmore Estate Blanc de Blancs Methode Champenoise Brut 2007

George — Tue, 15 Nov 2011 15:00:10 +0000

Varietal: 100% Chardonnay
Region: Russian River Valley – California – USA
Cost: $25 (SRP)

Winemaker’s Notes: Pale straw in color with aromas of freshly baked bread, honey, and lime. Slightly floral with notes of yeast, lemon, and apricot. A refreshing and balanced sparkling wine with tiny bubbles and good acidity. Pairs well with slightly spicy dishes such as crawfish etouffee, fresh seafood including halibut and oysters on the half shelll, or with soft, savory cheeses such as Brie.

My Review: So I had gone back and forth on whether to enjoy this sparkling wine with my wife by ourselves, or to take it up to my parent’s house next week to have available for Thanksgiving. It’s a good thing I opened it at home. Now, before you think I’m speaking ill of the wine, I’m not. In fact, what I was able to drink of it was quite enjoyable, with light notes of acid and apples to me and good subtle notes of honey and baked bread on the nose.

No, the reason that it’s a good thing I opened the bottle at home is because it exploded. Now, I’m not going to claim to be an expert at all things sparkling wine, but I do know how to open them without them blowing up in my face, and when I eased the cork out of the bottle, the fount of wine covered the better part of my kitchen, so it’s a good thing it happened at my house on a Monday night as opposed to at my parent’s house all over Thanksgiving dinner.

The Cork That Started an Explosion

I’m not positive, but I suspect that this cork had something to do with the explosion of wine all over my kitchen. Pretty sure my floor is going to be sticky for a while. Either way, we lost half the wine, but were able to sip at the rest, and I will say that what I was able to taste was enjoyable. Mind you, I can’t speak for certain on whether or not the wine was compromised as to what the winemaker intended, but it certainly still had plenty of tiny bubbles and good crisp flavors.

I’m certain that I just got the bad luck of the draw on this sample, and to be honest if it was going to happen to somebody, it’s better that it was me with a sample that was sent to me than somebody that purchased the wine. If you’re looking for an approachable sparkling wine to put out for your holiday dinners and parties, I think that the crisp flavors will appeal to a lot of palates, even those that don’t normally drink sparkling wine.

Mandolin Syrah 2009

George — Tue, 01 Nov 2011 14:00:54 +0000

Varietal: 100% Syrah
Region: Central Coast – CA – USA
Cost: $10 (SRP)

Winemaker’s Notes: With its maritime influence, California’s Monterey region has an extended growing season that yields wines with full flavor development and great acid balance. Mandolin Syrah has a dense core of blueberry and blackberry fruit, supported by layers of spice and rich vanilla tones.

My Review: Last month I was impressed by the 2009 Mandolin Cabernet Sauvignon, so when I decided to open up the Syrah last night I had if not high expectations, at least expectations to not be let down. The wine lived up to that…sorta.

A good purple in the glass, I got aromas of spice and blackberry on the nose. In the mouth blueberry and spice were most dominant, with a touch of vanilla on the finish that I almost had to look for. With a dinner of steak, crab legs, and asparagus (oppulence, I has it), the wine was serviceable, but didn’t do anything to either bring out or counter flavors in the food.

The wine wasn’t “bad”, but neither was it something that I would go out of my way to pick up again. Maybe I had too high of hopes for it because I’d enjoyed the Cabernet so much, but the 2009 Syrah from Mandolin was just meh – nothing to brag about, but nothing to really complain about either.

I don’t know that I would necessarily dissuade somebody from getting it for a party or as a different deck wine, but if you’re looking for a Syrah to really knock your socks off, this isn’t it. That being said, if you do want to give it a try, follow this link and you can get some shipped right to you.

Apothic Red 2009

George — Fri, 28 Oct 2011 16:00:34 +0000

Varietal: Zinfandel, Merlot, Syrah
Region: California – USA
Cost: $14 (SRP)

Winemaker’s Notes: The 2009 Apothic Red reveals intense fruit aromas and flavors of rhubarb and black cherry that are complemented by hints of mocha and vanilla. The plush, velvety mouthfeel and smooth finish round out this intriguing, full-bodied red blend.

My Review: Around this time of year I start getting samples offered with Thanksgiving and Christmas not too far away. I have to say that this is the first year of writing this website that I was offered a sample for Halloween. I’d seen the various bottles of wine on shelves that were obviously trying to appeal either to the Halloween drinking crowd or goth kids too stupid to buy something that didn’t have a vampire or other creature of the night, but I’d never picked one up myself, so when I was offered a sample of the 2009 Apothic Red with Halloween coming up, I was interested since I’ve never really done a Halloween feature on here.

First of all, a talk about themed wines – in general, I don’t buy into them. That’s not to say that I don’t appreciate a cleverly named or labelled bottle that is appropriate for a specific event, but when planning my wine offerings for an event, I try not to limit myself to what’s on the label and more to what’s in the bottle to make sure it suits what food is out and also the crowd that will be drinking it.

Now, all of that being said, if I was going to put out a themed bottle of wine for a Halloween party, I could do a lot worse than the 2009 Apothic Red. Nice and dark and purple in the glass with aromas of berry and a touch of spice, in the mouth I got mostly dark, juicy fruit and a cola finish that was smooth. Like really smooth. Like this may be the smoothest finish to a wine I’ve ever had.

This wine was incredibly easy to drink, and will appeal to most palates in a non-critical wine drinking environment (read: drinking without paying much attention to what you’re drinking). There’s nothing particularly fancy about the wine, but I didn’t find it disappointing in any way, and it went well enough with a couple of frozen pizzas that my wife and I cooked up, something I imagine would be offered up at Halloween parties this weekend.

If you’re looking for a themed bottle of wine to put out for your Halloween party, I can honestly say I’d go with this one. It should be available in most of your local stores, I’ve seen it in mine, but if you can’t find it, and you’re not in a rush to try the wine, here’s a link where you can order it for yourself.

Biltmore Chardonnay Sur Lies NV American

George — Mon, 24 Oct 2011 14:00:43 +0000

Varietal: Chardonnay with a touch of Viognier and Sauvignon Blanc
Region: 71% California; 29% North Carolina
Cost: $11 (SRP)

Winemaker’s Notes: Yellow/green in color with aromas of tropical fruit, pineapple, peach, persimmon, and mint. In the mouth the wine is fresh and fruity with a touch of butter; a smooth wine with a medium body. Pairs well with seafood, chicken, pasta, and light dishes.

My Review: I’ll admit that I wasn’t sure what to expect out of this bottle. Not only did I not know what the percentages on the blend were (though I’d make a rough guess that the Viognier and Sauvignon Blanc account for less than 10% of the wine), but blending two grapes not just from different regions in a state, but from different states, seemed odd to me.

The wine was rather dark in the glass, a nice robust yellow and on the nose I got the typical Chardonnay notes of tropical fruit and pineapple. In the mouth I got more of the tropical notes with just a hint of citrus that I’ll chalk up to the “touch” of Sauvignon Blanc in the wine. Some of the wine had seen barrels, but I was pleased by how soft the finish on the wine was, especially given my wife’s distaste for oaked Chardonnay.

Paired with a dinner of grilled chicken that had been liberally seasoned and some asparagus the overall crispness of the wine did a nice job of cutting through the bit of heat on the chicken. After the food was gone it was enjoyable enough to sip on. All in all the wine wasn’t a total disappointment, though I’ll also say it didn’t really grab my attention. I think my wife summed it up best when she described the wine as “not bad” with a shrug.

If you want to give the Biltmore Chardonnay Sur Lies a try and can’t find it in your local store, you can follow this link and order it online.