Varietal: Malbec
Region: Argentina
Cost: $20.99 (SRP)

Deep ruby red color with aromas of ripe red berries, spice, and black pepper.  Berry on the palate with soft tannins  that pairs well with roasted or grilled meats and hard cheeses.

Recommendations: I had been sitting on this wine until I decided to cook a couple of more steaks, having paired the 2007 Luigi Bosca Reserva D.O.C Malbec with some grilled meat as well, and wanting to compare the two.  Similar but different is the best way to put it.  Both the D.O.C. and the Reserva featured bold flavors of berry, with the Reserva offering pepper where the D.O.C offered mocha and spice.

The seasoning I added to my steak featured some smoke flavors, and the wine did a great job of complimenting both what the seasoning and the grill added, the berry and pepper working with the food instead as a compliment instead of as a counter note.  After the meal the wine was nice and easy to drink, with smooth tannins that weren’t overwhelmed by a steak, but weren’t too in-your-face to be enjoyed without food.

As I’ve said before, Malbec is quickly becoming my go-to wine for steaks.  If I was forced to choose between the D.O.C and the Reserva I think I would go with the D.O.C to pair with a steak again, but that’s not to say I didn’t enjoy the Reserva, only that it wasn’t as big and bold, a trait I found enjoyable in the D.O.C.  Were I looking to pair one of them with roasted meat I would probably go with the Reserva, as the smoother tannins and slightly lighter flavors would pair better.

Varietal: Rose (40% Cabernet Sauvignon; 33% Merlot; 23% Cabernet Franc; 4% Malbec)
Region: Virginia – USA
Cost: $13

A bright, vibrant pink with aromas of candied rose petals and peach.  Flavors of cherry and candy with a crisp finish.  Pairs well with Asian, Mediterranean, Mexican and vegetarian dishes.

Recommendations: During our March trip to Charlottesville to visit several vineyards, my wife and I stopped at Kluge Estate Winery and Vineyard towards the end of our first day of tasting.  Tasting several of their wines, we ended up bringing two home – one of which happened to be their Albemarle Rose.  I finally got around to opening it last night and I’m wishing I had bought another bottle of it.

First, to put it in perspective, my notes while tasting this wine boiled down to “Obnoxiously Good”.  As for my actual thoughts on the wine – the floral aroma of rose was definitely there, and while I’ve never smelled candied rose petals and thus cannot speak to the validity of that claimed aroma, there is definitely a floral, rose aroma to the wine that seems to fit with the pink color.

I got more strawberry than cherry flavor out of the wine and while it was advertised as having a “sweet” flavor, I in no way found it to be sweet, which was a good thing.  Crisp is the best word to describe this wine, which made it a great pairing for a dinner of grilled chicken with cajun seasoning with some garlic green beans and butter noodles.

The crisp, bright flavors of the wine did an excellent job of cutting through the spice of the seasoning on the chicken, and most importantly, we were sad to see the final drop fall from the bottle.  While Rose’ tends to get a bad name thanks to White Zinfandel, I’ve been warming to them more and more as I sample them, and for somebody that grills a lot of white meat during the summer months, this wine in particular has a lot of potential to find its way back into my home.

Definitely one worth trying out, especially if you’ve been hesitant on Rose’.  If you can’t find it at your local store, Kluge does ship and you can find the wine here.

Varietal: Malbec
Region: Argentina
Cost: $24.99 (SRP)

Slight violet hue with aromas of ripe cherry and plum.  Spice on the palate with hints of mocha and blackberry.  Pairs well with red meat, quail, turkey, roasts, and hard cheeses.

Recommendations: I got a sample of this wine with the suggestion that it be paired with steak, and really, who am I to disagree with a suggestion like that?  The wine itself had hints of purple running through the deep red it showed in the glass, and the aromas of cherry were far more noticeable to me than plum.

In the mouth, berry and spice were evident, with a hint of mocha on the finish that did a nice job of cutting through the higher alcohol content.  Paired with a dinner of grilled steaks with sides of mashed potatoes and green beans this was a great pairing.  When I say that this is a “steak wine” that’s not to imply that it won’t be good by itself (and indeed it was), only that it’s a big, bold wine that will hold up well to a good piece of grilled red meat.

Malbec is quickly becoming one of my go-to wines for pairing with steak, and this wine was just another example of why.  Big flavors from a full-bodied wine make it everything you’ll want in a wine to pair with a steak dinner, but complex flavors of berry and spice make it perfectly enjoyable all by itself.  Definitely one worth checking out the next time you’re throwing some steaks on the grill.

Varietal: Malbec
Region: Argentina
Cost: $20

Deep purple color with aromas of spice and berry that leads into flavors of crushed fruit, with licorice and tannins on the finish.  Pairs well with pasta, smoked meats, pizza, and really anything but seafood.

Recommendations: When I received a box of samples from the International Wine of the Month Club, I’ll admit that I was eager to open up this bottle.  My wife and I are big fans of Malbec, mostly because of how versatile the wine is.  The Urban Uco Malbec did not disappoint.  The deep purple of the wine in the glass was inviting all by itself, and the aroma of spice made it hard to take a moment before sipping the wine.

Crushed fruit and berry was immediately obvious in the mouth, which quickly faded into a licorice flavor with a subtle tannic finish.  It was great.  Paired with a dinner of pepperoni pizza, it was the perfect compliment to a simple dinner, and enjoyable well after the pizza was gone.  What was most impressive about this wine was that if I hadn’t read the label, I wouldn’t have known that the wine had 14% alcohol/volume.  Excellent job of masking a high alcohol content behind amazing flavors.

This wine has continued my growing obsession with South American wines, and if you’re a fan of wines from the region, I certainly recommend this one.  If you’ve never tried a wine from South America then I definitely recommend this one – it’s a great wine to introduce you to the great wines that our neighbor south of the Equator is producing.

Varietal: Blended Red Wine (50% Malbec; 20% Cabernet Franc; 20% Cabernet Sauvignon; 5% Petit Verdot; 5% Merlot)
Region: Argentina
Cost: $13

Deep purple in color with a hint of smoke and tobacco on the nose at first that quickly dissipates.  Dark cherry flavor with a slight tannic finish that will pair well with red meat, pastas, and BBQ.

Recommendations: Stop reading this review and go buy this wine right now.  I’ll wait.  You’re back?  Good.  I picked up this wine at one of my local wine shops after an evening tasting and Tuesday night was my chance to finally open it.  I shouldn’t have waited so long.

Deep purple in the glass with a hint of smoke and tobacco on the nose at first that fades after a bit of swirl and turns into crushed fruit aromas from the Malbec.  Dark cherry flavors that just barely hit you in the back of the jaw with just the right amount of tannins before moving into a smooth finish.  You’d never believe that this wine has 14% alcohol/volume.

I paired my wine with a steak I picked up and threw on the grill and the combination of the red meat and the flavors from the wine were amazing.  I’m pretty sure I could pair the Don Tiburcio with just about anything (or nothing at all), but I think something bold in flavor itself is called for with this blend of flavors.

While my house is currently teeming with wine bottles, I’d be lying if I said I wasn’t already planning to pick up a couple more bottles of this for the near future.  For around $13 it’s one of the best value wines I’ve had and I highly recommend going and picking up a bottle…or six.

Varietal: Blended Red Wine (Cabernet Sauvignon, Merlot, Cabernet Franc, Petit Verdot, Malbec)
Region: Napa, California – USA
Cost: $25

Deep color on this “Bourdeaux Blend” with silky flavors of fruit.  Excellent body that pairs well with most meats or with a group of friends.

Recommendations: Well, it’s official – the last bottle from my October trip to California is finally gone.  A moment of silence if we could….thank you.  I had been eying my bottle of Trefethen Double T more and more recently, trying to decide what to drink it with.  A recent grocery shopping trip made up my mind when my wife and I picked up a pair of excellent beef roasts.

Dark in the glass and with amazing flavors of fruit that were both silky and bold at the same time, the Double T was a great compliment to the beef, potatoes, and carrots that were my dinner on Saturday.  As is my usual standard for excellent wine, the Double T was just as enjoyable after the meal was gone as it was during.

Sadly, all good things must come to an end and that’s never more true than with wine.  While I do not lament opening up the bottle, I do regret that I can’t just run out to Trefethen and pick up a bottle any time I want.  However, if you’re ever in Napa Valley, I do highly recommend a visit to them as their wine is amazing and their tasting room is a great place to spend an afternoon.

While I don’t think you’ll find the Trefethen Double T in most wine shops, if you do I highly recommend grabbing a bottle and enjoying it with dinner, with family, with friends, or with all of the above.

Varietal: Malbec
Region: Argentina
Cost: $12

Deep red color with aromas of berry and tobacco.  Dark cherry, blackberry, and spice on the palate allows this wine to pair well with BBQ.

Recommendations: My wife had picked this wine up a while ago, and since we’ve been snowed in and our selection is starting to wane, we paired this wine with a meal of lemon-mustard chicken and mac n’ cheese.  The wine was fairly dark in the glass, and while I did grab a hint of berry and tobacco on the nose, the alcohol (13.5%) was what I really picked up at first sniff.

In the mouth, I was able to taste dark cherry and blackberry, but again the alcohol was prevalent until the wine was allowed to open up, helping to mellow it out.  While it went well enough with our meal, it would have paired much better with BBQ of some type, and if you pick this bottle up I would recommend that you do just that.

In the end I have a hard time recommending this wine.  While it’s not a bad value, there are better Malbecs out there for the same price and even less.  The alcohol flavor and aroma passed as the wine opened up, but it was hard to get past at first.  Pass unless you’re curious or it’s the only thing left in your wine cellar.

Varietal: Malbec
Region: Argentina
Cost: $20

Smooth on the nose with flavors of blackberry, plum, toast, and vanilla.  Dark in color, pair this wine with casual foods such as hamburger, chicken wings, pizza, pasta, or steak.

Recommendations: Having enjoyed the 2007 Gouguenheim Malbec, I was excited to receive the 2008.  The first thing I noticed about this wine was the deep purplish-red color.  On the nose the wine was subtle, which was surprising giving that it carries nearly 14% alcohol by volume.

In the mouth the Malbec was full of fruit flavor, especially blackberry.  While I was bad and didn’t pair this with anything (it was movie night in the Perry household), this is absolutely the perfect wine to pair with pizza, as the bold flavors of fruit will be a perfect pairing to the pizza sauce and toppings.

This is a great wine to keep on hand for a casual evening at home making a quick dinner after work as it will go with just about any casual, throw-together meal that you can come up with.  The 2007 was good, the 2008 is great.  Definitely worth a try.

Special thanks to the International Wine of the Month Club for supplying the wine for this review.

Our first stop was at Viansa Winery & Marketplace.  The tasting room and grounds at Viansa are nothing short of spectacular, and I recommend stopping in there just for the view.  We tried several of their wines, including their Senza Chardonnay, an unoaked Chardonnay that was light and crisp, the Reserve Chardonnay, featuring lots of butter on the nose, and a Pinot Noir that was velvety right up to the end where it showed a bit of bite.

We also tried a Zinfandel with that was jammy, with lots of cherry flavors but very little pepper and spice on the finish, much different than the Prindelo, which was very full-bodied and not at all jammy.  The Sangiovese offered a spicy nose with fruit and tannins on the palate.

We finished up at Viansa with two Cabernet Francs.  The 2004 Cab Franc was dark with with a fruity, jammy nose, and was the closest to a Virginia Cab Franc I had experienced on my trip.  The 2005 Samuele Cabernet Franc was more robust, with a peppery nose and a dry, tannic finish.

Our next stop, right down the road, was Jacuzzi Family Vineyards.  If you’re a fan of olive oil, I would recommend a stop to Jacuzzi for that alone.  They have a great selection of flavored and unflavored olive oils that are worth the drive.  But let’s be honest – that’s not the only reason I went there.

My wife and I started off with a taste of Carneros, which had a fruity nose, but was light and refreshingly crisp with flavors of citrus, peach, and cinnamon.  From there we jumped into the reds with Pinot Noir, which was dry moreso than fruity, and featured a bit of spearmint on the palate.  Next up was a Sangiovese that was very light on the palate and smooth.  We took a bottle of this wine home.

Next was a Nero d’Avola, which is a Sicilian varietal, that offered strawberry on the nose and palate.  The last two that we tried were a Barbera that had a smoky finish and is a great steak wine if there ever was one, and a Primitivo which had a very dry nose, but was very jammy and fruit forward on the palate.

Next we stopped at Sebastiani for some tasting and lunch.  Before settling down for lunch, we tried several samples, including a Carneros that showed white peach and green apple with a hint of white pepper.  Very refreshing, my wife and I bought a bottle of this to enjoy with our lunch.

Before we made it to said lunch, we also tried a very mellow Chardonnay and a White Pinot Noir that was effervescent, as well as a Pinot Noir with a great deal of spice on the nose, though not so much on the palate.  The Barbera offered anise, black cherry, and licorice and is perfect for pizza.

Finally we tried the Zinfandel, which I found to be very smooth and would be great with BBQ, and the Cabernet Sauvignon which was soft and earthy.

Our lunch finished, we traveled to Ravenswood.  To be perfectly honest, the only thing to say about Ravenswood is this:  Zinfandel.  If you’re a fan of Zinfandel than this is a stop worth making, if you’re not you’ll probably want to pass.

From there we traveled to Ledson Winery, located at a converted mansion that was absolutely beautiful.  First up was a Sauvignon Blanc with melon on the nose and a white peach, semi-sweet flavor.  This was followed by a Carneros Chardonnay, the Tres Frais, with a green apple nose and banana finish.  Very light, very balanced acidity.

From there we moved into the reds with a Sonoma County “Old Vine” Zinfandel with raspberry on the nose and leather, spice, and raisin on the palate.  This was followed by a Merlot with cherry and smoke, a Malbec with a black cherry nose and leather notes on the palate, and finally a Petite Sirah that was nothing so much as dusty and rough.

Our final stop of the day was Chateau St. Jean.  Another beautiful estate, it was only enhanced by great wine.  First up was a Pinot Blanc that was surprisingly robust for a white wine.  Next was a Chardonnay that was amazingly light for having spent 15 months in French Oak.

Next we sampled an excellent Pinot Noir and a Cabernet Sauvignon with a very smoky nose.  Our final red was a Syrah before trying a Gewurztraminer that was off-sweet and refreshing.  I’m not a fan of Gewurtztraminer and I found this one enjoyable and would certainly recommend it as a deck wine.

Unfortunately, like all things, my trip to California had to come to an end.  If you’re already in California I certainly recommend a trip to any of these vineyards, and if you’re not in California…what are you waiting for?  I want to thank all of the vineyards in both Napa and Sonoma that were so welcome to both my wife and I, and I look forward to coming out to try even more wine.

While we spent the first three days in the city, on Tuesday we finally ventured out to wine country, starting off with Napa.  The drive out there was beautiful, much like the weather we had the entire time we were on the West Coast (much to the chagrin of all of our friends back home on the East Coast).

Our first start was Trefethen Family Vineyards where we tried four different wines.  Their 2007 Chardonnay  was nice and light and very refreshing, with flavors of apple pie and a nice crisp finish.  After that we tried their 2006 Cabernet Franc, which I found to be much smoother than the Cabernet Franc that we have in Virginia, with silky tannins following hints of white pepper and chocolate covered cherries.

Our third taste was their 2006 Double T Red Wine, a Bordeaux blend made from Cabernet Sauvignon, Merlot, Cabernet Franc, Petit Verdot, and Malbec.  This wine had a great body and my wife and I actually bought a bottle to bring back to Virginia with us.

Our final tasting was a 2005 Cabernet Sauvignon with a deep ruby color.  Very smooth with black cherry and chocolate on the palate, it wasn’t at all fruity as April and I were expecting, a trend we noticed on all of the Cabernets we tasted.

Done with Trefethen, we moved on to Clos du Val just up the road.  Inside their tasting room we were greeted by a nice elderly man who soon had us tasting wine.

Clos du Val Wines

Our first taste was a white wine.  Ariadne is a blend of Semilla and Sauvignon Blanc (68%/32%) with flavors of white peach, fresh melon, and toast.  A nice acidity and no residual sugar make this a very refreshing wine that’s perfect for a day out on the patio or deck.  April and I purchased a bottle of this to enjoy outside at Clos du Val for just that purpose and I certainly recommend it for others.

Next we sampled a 2007 Chardonnay that featured aromas of pear, white peach, and citrus, which shows back up on the palate, along with some butter thanks to 10 months in French Oak barrels, which also adds to the golden color of the wine.

Moving over to reds, we started with a 2007 Pinot Noir.  Deep red color with a hint of purple, I very much enjoyed this Pinot, with silky smooth flavors of spice and black cherry to match aromas of strawberry and raspberry.

Next up was a 2006 Merlot.  While not usually a big Merlot drinker, this one was actually enjoyable.  Aromas of black fruit and black olive lead into an earthy red wine that offers flavors of spice and toast.

Finally we sampled a 2006 Cabernet Sauvignon.  Aromas of black currant and spice lead into another Cabernet that wasn’t at all fruit forward as I was expecting, instead featuring flavors of black fruit, spice, and dried herbs.

After enjoying a bottle of Ariadne outside with a light snack, my wife and I moved just down the road to Stag’s Leap Wine Cellars.

We started with the 2007 Sauvignon Blanc that featured flavors and aromas of ruby red grapefruit, mango, peach, nectarine, and guava.  A very citrusy white wine that I found very enjoyable.

The 2007 Karia Chardonnay had butter on the nose, but was a very mellow white with subtle roasted almond and vanilla cream flavors, and aromas of apple and white peach.

The 2006 Merlot was excellent.  With aromas that reminded me of Cabernet Franc more than anything, spice and cinnamon on the palate, and cherry and plum on the nose.  Very enjoyable even for somebody that isn’t a big Merlot drinker.

The 2006 Artemis Cabernet Sauvignon (featuring 8% Merlot) offers aromas of black fruit, primarily plum, and flavors of nutmeg, and especially rosemary.

The 2005 Fay Cabernet Sauvignon is 100% Cabernet that spent 24 months in French Oak offered aromas of violet, blackberry, nutmeg, and black licorice.  Flavors of chocolate, vanilla, and tobacco round out this wine that beat the French in a blind competition.

The 2005 S.L.V Cabernet Sauvignon offered earthy hints of black truffle on the nose with flavors of dark cherry and a smokiness that makes this a truly great steak wine.

Finally, the 2005 Cask23 Cabernet Sauvignon.  Aromas of black fruit and cigar box make this great on the nose, and flavors of clove, spice, and allspice make it great on the palate.

Regretfully leaving Stag’s Leap, April and I moved on to Folie a Deux before stopping for lunch.  A man cannot live on wine alone.

Folie a Deux (the makers of the Menage a Trois line of wines) started us off with a 2008 Chardonnay that was light with only a slight butter flavor, as it had spent only 7 months in French Oak.

Their 2007 Pinot Noir was very fruit forward and smooth, whereas their 2006 Cabernet Sauvignon was earthy and bold.

The 2007 Carneros Syrah from Folie a Deux had an excellent nose with tannins on the finish that made this a great pizza wine.  The 2006 Zinfandel was very light in color and was very smooth for a Zinfandel, showing very little light pepper.

Finally, the 2006 Napa Zinfandel.  Much darker than the first Zinfandel we tried and with more pepper, but still retaining the smoothness of the first.

After a stop for lunch, April and I moved on to the winery that she had been looking forward to all day, thanks to a recommendation from her sister-in-law.

Frog’s Leap Winery is a little bit off the path, but totally worth the stop.  The wine flight they offered as a tasting started with a 2007 Sauvignon Blanc with lots of grapefruit on the nose and flavors of white peach.  Very light and refreshing and a great wine for enjoying with seafood or spiced white meat.

Next was a 2007 Zinfandel with a jammy nose and flavors of cherry, clove, and allspice after spending 12 months in American Oak.

The 2006 Merlot spent 18 months in seasoned French and American oak.  Earthy with flavors of currants and dried herbs

Finally was the 2006 Rutherford, which spent 24 months in seasoned French oak.  A rich nose with black olive and flavors of earth and a slight brininess that reminded me of black olive.  I almost bought this one and would recommend it to anybody.

Our final stop of the day was Peju.  A beautiful tasting room was the perfect setting to finish our day with some great wine.  Their 2008 Chardonnay had a bit of butter both on the nose and the palate and featured a mild acidity that made it very enjoyable.

The 2008 Sauvignon Blanc had a lot of citrus on the nose with melon flavors that were very light and refreshing, which is what I love about Sauvignon Blanc.

The Provence was dark pink, being a blend of Cabernet Sauvignon, Zinfandel, and Chardonnay.  An excellent mix of sweet and dry, I actually bought a bottle of this to bring home, very unusual for me given my typical feelings towards pink wines.

The 2005 Cabernet Sauvignon was had medium-dark coloring with a nice tannic structure, smooth flavors, and a slightly smoky finish.

We finished off our day with two Cabernet Francs.  The first, a 2006 Cabernet Franc was medium-dark, much different than those we get in Virginia, and was very dry, but still milder than what we grow here at home.  The second Cabernet, a 2005 Cabernet Franc Reserve featured pepper on the nose and was very dry and enjoyable.

Our day in Napa complete, we headed back to the city to recover before heading out to Sonoma the next day (which will be written up soon, I promise).  I had a great time at all of the wineries and vineyards and recommend that anybody out there visit any and all of them.

While spending time in San Francisco had already made me want to move out to the West Coast, my time in Napa only solidified this.  Damn you Napa.