The Good Wine Guru » French Oak Reds

Hedges Family Estate DLD Syrah 2009

George — Tue, 04 Oct 2011 14:00:03 +0000

Varietal: 100% Syrah
Region: Red Mountain – Washington – USA
Cost: $25

Winemaker’s Notes: Earth, fennel spice and structure, the hallmarks of a great Red Mountain syrah, framed by classic French Oak barrels.

My Review: With the wife out of town for a work conference that can mean only one thing – George is cooking steak and drinking red wine. The grill fired up and a steak cooking away, I pulled out one of my always handy corkscrews (since I have like a dozen of them) and popped open the 2009 Hedges DLD Syrah.

The first thing I noticed about the wine was the deep purple color in the glass. On the nose I got aromas of dark fruit and spice, both of which carried over to the palate. That, however, was not what I loved about this wine. Through the fruit and juicy flavors came a note of meat/smoke/bacon that I just loved. By itself it was great, but when paired with a freshly grilled steak, it was sublime.

Even after the steak was gone, the wine continued to be enjoyable, the smoke/meat/bacon note that was so great with the food, subtle enough without it to not make the wine unenjoyable without something to munch on.

For the price this was a great value on a steak wine, and definitely one work checking out, especially if you’re a fan of Syrah. I appreciated the smooth finish, the good fruit, and the unique meaty note. If you don’t like meat, this might not be the wine for you.

Concannon Conservancy Crimson & Clover 2009

George — Tue, 06 Sep 2011 14:00:55 +0000

Varietal: 50% Petite Sirah; 25% Cabernet Sauvignon; 15% Syrah; 10% Zinfandel
Region: Livermore Valley – California – USA
Cost: $15 (SRP)

Winemaker’s Notes: The 2009 Crimson & Clover Conservancy is a velvety blend of signature Livermore varietal. Aromas of currant, clove, and vanilla lead into bright fruit flavors of blackberry on the palate. The spicy finish is soft and long with hints of leather and tobacco. Pairs well with black pepper-crusted filet mignon with goat cheese or grilled artichoke with tarragon aioli.

My Review: Given as how during my upcoming trip to San Francisco (we leave tomorrow and this day can’t end quick enough) I plan to visit Concannon Vineyards, I wanted to try the 2009 Crimson & Clover before heading out to avoid any awkward silences in regards to the bottle of wine sitting lonely at my home back in Virginia.

With Labor Day weekend upon us my wife and I knew we would be grilling, so in between getting laundry done and bags packed for our vacation, we threw a couple of steaks and lobster tails on the grill. Well, rather, we tried to, but then the grill ran out of gas and so we had to finish them inside using the oven. It all still worked out, especially when paired with the wine.

In the glass the 2009 Crimson & Clover was dark, though not so dark as to not let light through. On the nose I got a bit of dark fruit and a hint of spice. In the mouth there was an explosion of berry flavor, with juicy blackberry jumping right to the front.

While I didn’t pick up a ton of spice on the finish, there were hints, and the finish definitely lingers on for a bit, something I enjoy in my red wines. Paired with the steaks and lobster it was a good, with the juicy fruit flavors complimenting the steaks that at least had a little grill flavor to them thanks to at least getting seared before the propane tank ran out.

I’ve yet to have a bad experience with the Concannon wines I’ve been sent, and part of what continues to attract me to them is that they are quality wines at a great price point. This is a good value wine to enjoy as we wrap up the summer and the grilling season, and is a nice tribute by John Concannon to his father Jim, the “Father of America’s First Petite Sirah”.

A Memorial Day Weekend Trip to VA Wine Country

George — Wed, 01 Jun 2011 15:00:40 +0000

I hope everybody had a fun and safe Memorial Day weekend filled with friends, family, cookouts, and good wine. On Saturday my wife and I decided to jump on the Virginia Wine Trail and hit a few vineyards – some we had been to before and others we hadn’t visited yet. Four vineyards, several bottles, and a wine club membership later and we lived to tell the tale, and now I get to share it with you.

White Hall Vineyards

A shot from outside White Hall Vineyards

We started out our tasting at White Hall, partly because of the area we were looking to go tasting in, they were the first one open, but also because I we hadn’t actually been out to the tasting room in many years. On the Saturday morning we stopped in they were pouring 9 different wines and my wife and I were happy to sample them all.

We started out with two Chardonnays, the 2008 Chardonnay ($15) and the 2008 Chardonnay Reserve ($24). The stainless steel Chardonnay featured all the usual citrus and pear notes I would have expected, but had a smoother finish than I anticipated, though certainly not “oaky”. The 2008 Reserve featured a bit of oaky nuttiness on the nose and while it had the “oaked” finish I would expect, it was subtle and even my wife, who doesn’t usually care for oaked Chardonnay, preferred it to the stainless steel.

Next up was the 2009 Viognier ($17) which offered a good floral nose with rose and honeysuckle in the mouth with just a hint of sweetness on the finish. This is a great summer wine and my wife and I did actually bring a bottle of it home with us. Following the Viognier was the 2008 Pinot Gris ($17) which didn’t have much nose to it but was a nice dry wine with a good minerality on the finish. Our final white was the 2008 Petit Manseng ($16) which like the Viognier had a floral nose with tropical notes in the mouth. The best way to describe this wine is as a less floral and more sweet Viognier. A good dessert wine though.

Moving on to the reds. We started with the 2008 Merlot ($15) which had a smoky nose but was lighter in the palate with raspberry flavors. I really enjoyed this one and we made sure to grab a bottle to bring home. Following that was the 2009 Touriga ($18) with a jammy nose and soft tannins. The 2008 Petit Verdot ($20) was a stand-out for me. It was a dark reddish-purple in the glass with smoke and pepper on the nose that carried through to the palate to mix with raspberry and a nice soft tannic finish. This was arguably my favorite wine of the tasting and we made sure to grab a bottle to bring home.

We finished up the tasting with the 2007 Soliterre ($17), a dessert wine with floral and apricot notes on the nose and candied fruit on the palate. With 6% residual sugar you had better make sure to pair it with something, but I will say that had I not known how much residual sugar was in the wine I might have guessed less as it certainly wasn’t syrupy.

Our tasting complete and some wines purchased we moved on to our next stop.

Mountfair Vineyards

The entrance to the Mountfair tasting room

I’d be lying if I didn’t mention that Mountfair was a big reason we headed out to do some wine tasting. Everybody in Virginia that’s been there has nothing but good things to say about it, and what’s not to love about a vineyard that specializes in small-batch red wines?

We started off our tasting with a few sparkling wines from Thibaut-Janisson, the Blanc de Chardonnay and the Virginia FIZZ. Mountfair sells these wines for them as they don’t have their own tasting room. They were both enjoyable, one a champagne style and the other a prosecco style.

As for the actual Mountfair wines, we started off with the 2009 Merlot ($20) which is a blend of 80% Merlot and 20% Cabernet Franc. With a peppery nose I expected more of it in the palate, but the Merlot does a good job of smoothing it out and makes this a great wine for just sipping on. We grabbed a bottle of this as well, bringing our Merlot total up to 2 in as many vineyards. Next was the other of their single varietals, the 2009 Cabernet Franc ($20) which is the opposite of the Merlot at 80% Cabernet Franc and 20% Merlot. The wine was heavier in the mouth than I expected with a subtle pepper and smoke finish with good cherry notes leading the way in. We didn’t buy this one, but mostly because it lost the coin toss against the Merlot.

Next was the 2008 Indigenous ($25) a blend of 50/50 Petit Verdot and Cabernet Franc with a velvety pepper nose and a tart finish that I attributed to the Cabernet Franc. Finally we sampled the 2009 Engagement ($25) a blend of 60% Merlot, 20% Cabernet Franc, 10% Petit Verdot, and 10% Cabernet Sauvignon. This is a great wine for grilled food with a lot of the Cabernet Franc notes coming through, but with more body thanks to the Petite Verdot, Cabernet Sauvignon, and Merlot.

I really enjoyed Mountfair and before we left my wife and I even signed up for their wine club so that we’ll get shipments of their wine as their released. If you visit Mountfair or have at least tasted their wines I certainly recommend it as it’s a great value and a good way to get their signature wine, the Wooloomooloo, which pretty much sells out as soon as it’s released.

Pollak Vineyards

Inside the Pollak tasting room

My wife and I had visited Pollak a few years back just after they opened their new tasting room (which is beautiful and has a patio and deck area perfect for a picnic lunch), but wanted to head back now that the new vintages were out, especially since I enjoyed what of them I was able to taste back in February at the Virginia Wine Expo. We started out with the 2009 Chardonnay ($19) which had a creamy nose with citrus and vanilla notes on the palate and a soft, light oak hint on the finish.

Next was the 2010 Viognier ($20) with a nose of honey and peach and floral notes on the palate. This was a light wine that will be good on a hot day. Next was the 2010 Pinot Gris ($18) which was so light in the glass as to be nearly clear. This was a medium dry wine and the only thing I can really say about it is that it was so-so, and nothing to get too excited about. Next was the 2009 Durant White ($16) a blend of 60% Chardonnay, 30% Viognier, and 10% Pinot Gris. With a subtle floral nose and good tropical flavors this was easily my favorite white of the tasting and the only reason I didn’t grab a bottle to bring home is that I already have one.

Moving on to the reds we started with the 2009 Durant Red ($12) which is a 50/50 blend of Merlot and Cabernet Franc. Light red in the glass with pepper and a “meaty”, smoky aroma and a tart finish this is a good value wine, especially for those big cookouts that come up this time of year. Our next wine was the 2008 Cabernet Franc ($20) with a nose of pepper and generic red fruit with cherry on the palate.

Next was the 2008 Cabernet Sauvignon ($24) with a nose full of dark fruit and a juicy palate with soft tannins on the finish. This wine is just begging for a grilled steak and I bought a bottle to take home for just that reason. Our final sample was the 2008 Meritage ($25) a blend of 44% Cabernet Franc, 43% Merlot, and 13% Petit Verdot that has a lot of dark fruit on both the nose and the palate with a nice smooth finish. It’s very “petit verdot-y” (according to my notes) and another great steak wine that we only didn’t buy because we decided to go with the Cab Sauv.

After staying at Pollak for a bit to eat some lunch on their deck area, it was on to our final stop.

Veritas Vineyards & Winery

Behind the Veritas tasting bar

I always have a soft spot in my heart for Veritas as my wife’s brother got married there and we had, quite frankly, one helluva time. Veritas lets you select either a white tasting or a red tasting, but since my wife and I were both there, we picked one of each and shared, starting off with the whites.

First was the Scintilla ($30) a French style brut sparkling wine with apple on the nose, big bubbles and a nice dry finish. Next was the 2010 “Saddleback” Chardonnay ($18) which is done in the Chablis style and has lots of tropical notes as well as some vanilla and apple. Following up that was the 2009 “Harlequin” Chardonnay ($25) which has spent 6 months in French oak. With a buttery/oak nose I was almost surprised at how much acid I found on the palate, though it certainly wasn’t a lot. That being said both my wife and I liked the “Harlequin” much better than the “Saddleback”.

Next we tasted the 2010 Viognier ($20). Floral and honeysuckle notes on the nose with peach on the palate and a slight hint of sweetness on the finish (.7% residual sugar) made this a very typical, but very enjoyable, Virginia Viognier. The 2009 Petit Manseng ($25) had kiwi on the nose and even with 10% residual sugar was sweet without being syrupy. The 2009 Kenmar ($35) is an ice wine style made from Traminette and offering rose aromas on the nose with honey and rose water on the palate. This is a very sweet wine, but a good dessert wine if paired correctly with something like pound cake.

Moving on to the reds, we sampled the Mousseux ($30) a sparkling wine using Merlot grapes with notes of strawberry and a tartness that I actually found rather refreshing. The 2010 Rose’ ($14) is made with 46% Cabernet Franc and 54% Merlot and features .5% residual sugar. A medium-light pink in color with a strawberry nose and a dry, slight pepper/spice note on the finish that makes this a good summer wine for pairing with something like grilled chicken.

The Red Star ($18) is a blend of 37% Cabernet Franc, 37% Merlot, and 26% Chambourcin. A nose of dark fruit and pepper and a palate of smoke and cherry make this a good wine to pair with burgers. The 2009 Claret ($18) is a blend of 55% Merlot, 30% Cabernet Franc, and 15% Petit Verdot. The petit verdot really came through on this wine, with a nice juiciness to the wine and aromas of smoke and pepper that will make this another great wine for drinking with some gourmet burgers off the grill – which is why my wife and I grabbed a bottle.

Finally, the 2009 Vintner’s Reserve ($25) a blend of 40% Merlot, 40% Cabernet Franc, and 20% Petit Verdot that spent 18 months in mostly new French oak barrels. A smoky aroma with tons of dark fruit notes on the palate a nice soft tannic finish makes this a great wine to pair with a steak.

My wife and I had a great time tasting all these wines, and everybody that we dealt with at the vineyards was incredibly pleasant, knowledgeable, and friendly. If you have the chance to visit any of these vineyards I highly recommend it, and I’m already looking forward to another trip out to Virginia Wine Country to visit some other vineyards and taste some more wines.

Blenheim Vineyards Cabernet Sauvignon 2009

George — Fri, 08 Apr 2011 13:14:05 +0000

Varietal: Cabernet Sauvignon
Region: Charlottesville – Virginia – USA
Cost: $20 (SRP)

Winemaker’s Notes: Velvety accents of plum, raspberry and lilac charm the nose while flavors of lively tangerine and red apple dance across the palate. Aged in French and American oak.

My Review: I have, in the past privately amongst friends and family, and publicly on this website as well as several others, made it quite clear how big a fan of Blenheim Vineyards and their winemaker Kirsty Harmon. Thanks to the 2009 Blenheim Vineyards Cabernet Sauvignon the streak is still alive.

During the latest Virginia Wine Expo, I made it a point to stop at the Blenheim Vineyards booth where Kirsty was kind enough to take myself and my family through the tasting which of course lead to a certain inevitable ending – I came home with wine. Last night while the wife was out with a friend (read: abandoned the dog and I to our own devices), I tossed a steak on the grill and opened up a bottle.

In the glass the 2009 Cabernet Sauvignon was a nice medium-dark red. It wasn’t inky, but it wasn’t anything even approaching light either. On the nose I got nice notes of raspberry that lead into the palate with an almost tartness on the finish that I quite enjoyed. This faded as the wine continued to open up and instead turned into a nice smooth finish – both were great.

The wine was a great pairing with the steak, in part because it had just the right amount of body to be enjoyed before, during, and after the meal. The only really disappointing part about this wine is that I’m not down to two bottles which means I’m that much closer to another trip out to Blenheim Vineyards. This is the price we have to pay sometimes.

If you want to try the 2009 Blenheim Vineyards Cabernet Sauvignon, and you’re not close enough to just drive out there (which I highly recommend), you can order the wine through their website (http://www.blenheimvineyards.com) and have it shipped directly to you.

Montecillo Rioja Reserva 2003

George — Mon, 28 Mar 2011 16:00:04 +0000

Varietal: Tempranillo
Region: Rioja – Spain
Cost: $18

Winemaker’s Notes: A deep red in color with bright flavors of ripe berries and oak that will pair with duck, any red meats, and roasted vegetables.

My Review: A few weeks ago a pair of bottles showed up to my office. Whereas most samples I get have at least some tasting notes, if not a letter from the winemaker/vineyard owner/head of marketing letting me know something about the wine that might not be in the tasting notes, the two bottles of Montecillo (one the 2003 Reserva, another to be reviewed later), had nothing. In fact I took a moment to look over the shipping label to make sure that they were in fact intended for me.

Knowing what I know now, I would have at least kept the 2003 Reserva anyways.

The 2003 Montecillo Rioja Reserva was a lovely dark red in the glass, with subtle and smooth aromas of berry and spice on the nose. In the mouth, bright berries were quickly tempered with a smooth oak finish that lent body to the wine and made it a great pairing for what may have been the most perfect steak I have ever cooked. I’m just saying.

I think it’s fair to say that over my last few years of writing this site I’ve made no secret of my continuing fondness for Spanish wines, and the 2003 Montecillo Rioja Reserva is just another example of why I enjoy them so much. If you’re looking for something to pair with your next steak dinner, I definitely recommend this wine both because of it being a good pairing, and for it being a good price. If you can’t find the wine near you, follow this link and have it shipped directly to you.

2011 Virginia Governor’s Cup Gold Medal Tasting

George — Mon, 28 Feb 2011 15:00:58 +0000

It’s Virginia Wine Expo time, and before I attended the 2011 Virginia Wine Expo (thoughts to come later), I had the change to taste the gold medal winning wines that were vying for the 2011 Governor’s Cup for red wine. Those wines were:

2008 Hiddencroft Vineyards Cabernet Franc
2008 Fox Meadow Vineyards Le Renard Rouge
2008 Cooper Vineyards Norton Reserve
2009 Keswick Vineyards Cabernet Franc
2009 Afton Mountain Vineyards Cabernet Sauvignon Estate Reserve
2008 Barboursville Vineyards Petit Verdot Reserve

2008 Hiddencroft Vineyards Cabernet Franc

Arguably one of my favorite wines that I tasted, with a nice garnet color and lots of pepper both on the nose and in the mouth. I was disappointed that Hiddencroft Vineyards didn’t have a booth at the Virginia Wine Expo so that I could buy some of this wine, but it just means that I’m going to have to go out and visit their vineyard sometime soon to pick some up.

2008 Fox Meadow Vineyards Le Renard Rouge

The wine that won the 2011 Governor’s Cup (congrats guys). The Le Renard Rouge is a Meritage blend of 50% Cabernet Franc and 50% Merlot. Light red in color with flavors of black cherry and a tartness to it that will let it pair well with pasta dishes.

2008 Cooper Vineyards Norton Reserve

A 100% Norton wine that was purple in color with plenty of berry on the palate. The wine was bright and juicy in the mouth with a bit of tartness on the finish as well.

2009 Keswick Vineyards Cabernet Franc

A 100% Cabernet Franc that was another of my favorites of the tasting. Purple in the glass with plenty of pepper on the nose, cherry in the mouth, and a nice green bell pepper hint on the finish that I know some people don’t like, but I’m a big fan of, but should fade from the wine with age if it’s not to your taste. I picked up a bottle of this the next day during the Expo and you can look forward to a fuller review in the future.

2009 Afton Mountain Vineyards Cabernet Sauvignon Estate Reserve

A 100% estate grown wine aged in French Oak, there are notes of coffee on the nose and dark cherry in the mouth with a great tannic finish that just begs to be paired with a steak. Had they placed some tenderloin out to pair with the wine I honestly don’t know that I would have left their table. I was already a fan of Afton Mountain for getting me back into Gewurztraminer, but this Cabernet Sauvignon just makes me like them more.

2008 Barboursville Petit Verdot Reserve

And finally there was Barboursville. I’m a fan of Petit Verdot, so I was happy to try this. Deep ruby coloring with flavors of plum, dark olives, and just a hint of chocolate and the typical velvety finish of Petit Verdot that I find so enjoyable.

All of the gold medal winners were good and deserved both the award they won and the Governor’s Cup. Had I been choosing the award I’d be lying if it wouldn’t have gone to either Keswick, Afton Mountain, or Hiddencroft, but Fox Meadow was also very deserving of the award and I do recommend trying out their wines.

Thanks to Amy and Annette over at Virginia Wine for the invite and check back for my thoughts on the Virginia Wine Expo as a whole.

Antigal Uno Malbec 2008

George — Thu, 20 Jan 2011 17:00:41 +0000

Varietal: 100% Malbec
Region: Mendoza – Argentina
Cost: $19.99 (SRP)

Winemaker’s Notes: Intense red color with violet tones. Aromas of wild berry and dark plum with a hint of coffee. Berry and plum continue to the palate with smoke and vanilla joining through the persistent finish. Pairs well with red meat entrees, Beef Wellington, roasted leg of lamb, grilled vegetables, and semi-firm cheeses.

My Thoughts: So, if you read my post on what I served during Christmas, you know that I’ve already opened up a bottle of the 2008 Antigal Uno Malbec. However, I wasn’t taking notes, nor pairing it with anything, so I was glad to have a second bottle to review at a later time. This is that later time. Now before I launch into my review of the wine, I want to take a moment to speak on packaging.

I know that there are plenty of websites out there that speak about wines hiding inferior juice behind a splashy label, and I’ll be the first to admit that this is true. However, there’s something to be said for taking pride in your product, and wanting it to look great on the shelf as well as taste good in the glass. Antigal has done a great job of that here, with an attractive bottle design, with the raised copper number one on it, that makes the bottle stand out on the shelf and hopefully entices more people to try it. Now, on to the review.

My wife was spending dinner out with a friend, so that left me home alone to cook up a steak and take some notes for a review of the Antigal Uno Malbec. The wine is a deep red color, but if you manage to get any bubbles from pouring, you’ll instantly see the hints of violet that are present. The nose is full of berry and plum notes, and you do get that hint of coffee at the very end of the nose, but it’s subtle so I actually had to almost actually get some of the wine up my nose to really get it.

In the mouth the berry flavors in particular carried over and were nice and bright. On the back end of the wine you do get a bit of creaminess that I don’t know that I would call vanilla, but I understand how some people would. A bit of smoke and the vanilla stick with a finish that certainly lingers for a while, which is not a bad thing.

With a dinner of a NY Strip and baked potato it was a perfect compliment. The berry flavors were a nice counterpoint to the richness of my steak, while the lingering finish and more robust flavors on the end of the wine helped to compliment the steak as well. This wine is just proof of why Malbec is quickly becoming my go-to varietal for steaks.

For the price, it’s hard to argue against giving this bottle a try, and if you’re looking for a gift for the wine lover in your life, the bottle design on this alone makes it a great present. If you can’t find the 2008 Antigal Uno Malbec at your local store you can follow this link and purchase the wine online, which I highly recommend. This is one of those rare bottles that I would actually spend more than the suggested retail price, so get it while it’s at a good price, because I don’t think you’ll be disappointed.

Paradise Springs Winery

George — Mon, 27 Sep 2010 16:00:42 +0000

This past weekend I was up in Northern Virginia visiting family, helping Gray Ghost with the last of their harvest (a post for later this week), and of course drinking some wine. On Saturday my mother mentioned a new winery that had opened just up the road in Fairfax and suggested we go check it out as she had heard good things about it from friends. The good son that I am I quickly encouraged this idea.

A 30 minute drive brought us to the small winery. The small farmhouse has been outfitted with a wine bar, and while the space is admittedly a little cramped, on warmer days there’s an outdoor pavilion where they also have tastings, which is where we did our tasting, that offers more space and a nice view of the 36 acres of property.

Paradise Springs Winery is owned by Jane Kincheloe and Kirk Wiles, a mother and son, whom inherited the property from Jane’s Aunt several years ago. While not all the grapes are grown on site, Paradise Springs does manage what grapes they grow at other vineyards, instead of just buying grapes that others have grown and bringing them in.

As for the wines. We tasted eight wines: 4 whites, 1 rose, and 3 reds. Our first wine was the 2008 Sauvignon Blanc ($21). There was very light citrus on this, but what really came through to me was a petrol flavor that I didn’t find very appealing. Second was a 2008 Chardonnay ($21) that was aged in French Oak for 9 months. The oak butter finish was subtle and very enjoyable. A good one to check out for people that prefer steel Chardonnay but are trying to branch out. Next up was a 2009 Viognier ($23) that was very nice. Good floral notes made this refreshing and we actually bought a bottle of this to enjoy at the winery.

Our final white was a 2008 Vidal Blanc ($24). Featuring 1.5% residual sugar, it wasn’t what I would call sweet, though there was a subtle sweet note to it that would do a great job of cutting through spicy food such as Thai food. Next up the rose, the 2009 Nana’s Rose’ ($25). I’ll admit to having been on a bit of a rose’ kick as of late, and while this wasn’t my favorite, it was refreshing on the warm day.

Moving into the reds we started off with a 2008 Cabernet Franc ($23) that had great pepper. We actually bought a bottle of this to bring home so expect a review sometime in the future. Our second red was a 2009 Merlot ($25) that featured plenty of ripe fruit but was nice and smooth. Virginia’s been producing really good Merlot as of late and while I won’t say this one is a must have, it’s certainly worth a look if you’re checking out the state’s Merlot.

Our final taste was of the 2008 Reserve Cabernet Sauvignon ($29). Nice raspberry and blackberry flavors with enough tannins on the finish to make this a definite steak wine. Also, for a reserve, it’s very well priced. Paradise Springs also offers what they call their Apres ($43), which is a sparkling Viognier. They don’t taste it at the winery, so if you do go there and buy a bottle, I want to hear your thoughts, because I was certainly intrigued by it.

For a new winery, Paradise Springs is on the right path. There’s obviously a lot of growing for them to do, but for such a young winery they’re already producing wine they can be proud of and everybody there was incredibly friendly. Visitors are more than welcome to wander the grounds, and you can even see glass-blowing being done. If you’re in the Fairfax area and love wine, there’s not reason not to take a trip down here, and I for one look forward to checking them out again in the future to see how they’re growing.

To learn more about Paradise Springs Winery, their wine, or to get directions, visit their website at: http://www.paradisespringswinery.com .

Blenheim Vineyards King Family Merlot 2004

George — Thu, 09 Sep 2010 16:00:31 +0000

Varietal: Merlot
Region: Virginia – Charlottesville – USA
Cost: $16

Rich and intense with gobs of concentrated currants. A touch of fresh earth and blackberry flavors. This tremendoulsy complex wine has big & round delicious firm tannins with an explosive finish. Pairs well with beef, lamb, steak, and pizza.

Recommendations: Back in March when my wife and I visited vineyards just up the road from us in Charlottesville, we stopped in at Blenheim Vineyards because I had fallen in love with their Cabernet Franc at the Virginia Wine Expo the month before and needed to buy more bottles of it. While there, we did their full tasting and picked up a bottle of their King Family Merlot.

This past weekend, on Labor Day, we finally opened it. Nice and dark in the glass, with aromas of cedar, earth, and berry and flavors of cedar, currants, and a hint of cigarbox on the finish (thanks to 18 months in French Oak) with a good tannic pop at the end, it was a perfect pairing with the grilled lamb and ground sirloin burgers we made.

I know that Merlot has gotten something of a bad reputation in recent memory, and I’ll be the first to admit that when tasting wines I was always hesitant about Merlot as I’d had a lot of bad ones, but during that trip and continuing on since then I’ve been very pleased to find a string of really good Merlots, many made right here in my home state.

If you’re one of those people that have a bad impression of Merlot, give this one a try and I’m sure you’ll be pleased. It’s one I plan to pick up again the next time I visit Blenheim (which will hopefully be soon), and it’s definitely impacted my views on Merlot in a very positive way.

Concannon Conservancy Petite Sirah 2007

George — Wed, 18 Aug 2010 16:00:34 +0000

Varietal: Petite Sirah (97% Petite Sirah; 3% Petit Verdot)
Region: California – Livermore Valley – USA
Cost: $15 (SRP)

Deep red in color with aromas of fresh berry fruit and flavors of blackberries, chocolate, mocha, and plums with notes of molasses, cedarwood, and ripe mulberries complementing creak oak tones on the smooth finish. Pairs well with barbecued chicken or lamb.

Recommendations: I don’t have a lot of experience with Petite Sirah by itself, seeing it more blended in with other wines as a small piece instead of the main attraction. I had been sitting on this wine for a while, looking forward to it as I enjoyed the 2008 Concannon Conservancy Chardonnay a couple of months earlier, but regularly putting it off to have this or that wine with this or that meal. Last night I finally stopped putting it off.

I specifically threw some chicken on the grill, basting it in barbecue sauce to pair with this wine, and it was a good pairing. The flavors of plum and molasses were most noticeable to me, though I suspect that the sauce brought those flavors out more on my palate than anything and pairing the wine with something like lamb would pull out more of the other notes.

I did appreciate the smooth finish, which I’m sure the small amount of Petit Verdot had a hand in, but I do have to say that I enjoyed the wine more with food than without. That’s not so say that I didn’t enjoy the wine after the meal was gone, but I did find that the flavors I was getting were better with food than without, but that may just be my mixed feelings on molasses to be honest.

For somebody that cooks a lot of barbecue chicken or lamb, this is a good value wine that’s worth trying out. If you’re like me and you’ve had plenty of wine blended with Petite Sirah but not featuring Petite Sirah, I would definitely recommend giving this a try as I think it’ll give you a better idea of what the Petite Sirah is bringing to your other wines.