The Good Wine Guru » Wine’s Under $30

Steininger Gruner Veltliner Grand Cru Kamptal Reserve 2009

George — Tue, 20 Dec 2011 16:00:14 +0000

Varietal: 100% Gruner Veltliner
Region: Austria
Cost: $24.50

My Review: I had picked up this wine last month to open up on Thanksgiving at my parents’ house, and while it made the trip up there, in the confusion of a dozen or so people drinking and talking and having fun, it just never got opened. Oh well, just meant I had to bring it back home with me and drink another time – which just happened to be last night.

As you’ll recall back in August I had an end of summer party featuring a case of white wine, among which was a bottle of Gruner Veltliner that I quite enjoyed. Because of that I had rather high hopes for the 2009 Steininger which, unfortunately, it just didn’t quite meet.

Now, that’s not to say that the wine was bad, because it wasn’t. It was a nice golden color in the glass and I got dry aromas of some apple and a little spice that carried through to a rather dry and round mouth feel that wasn’t unenjoyable and paired quite well with a dinner of salmon and mashed potatoes. That being said, I just didn’t like it as much.

Maybe I didn’t think it was quite worth the cost, or maybe I enjoyed the bit of effervescence on the one I’d had in August that I just never quite got on this bottle. Whatever it was, while I’d hesitate to call the wine bad, I just wasn’t blown away by it.

The problem I run into here is that my limited amount of experience with Gruner Veltliner has me unsure about which of the two I’ve had is more indicative of the grape. I kind of hope it’s the former because I’d like to try more Gruner in the future, especially once summer comes back around. Definitely give it a try if somebody already has a bottle open, but I don’t know that I’d say rush out and buy it either.

Montinore Estate Reserve Pinot Noir 2009

George — Fri, 09 Dec 2011 16:00:42 +0000

Varietal: 100% Pinot Noir
Region: Willamette Valley – Oregon – USA
Cost: $22

Winemaker’s Notes: The medium garnet color introduces a bright aroma of raspberry, cherry, and cedar with hints of pie spice, sandalwood, and dried cherry. On the palate it opens to ripe cherry, red and black raspberry, and mocha accents supported by a medium plus body and full, fine grained tannins. Pairs well with grilled meats, flavorful sauces, and rich farmhouse cheeses.

My Review: This wasn’t the first time I’d had the 2009 Montinore Estate Reserve Pinot Noir, no that would have been some weeks ago at my local Fleming’s Steakhouse & Wine Bar where Mike, our favorite bartender there, convinced my wife and I to give it a try during a visit there for happy hour. We liked it so much I went online and ordered half a case of it.

The wine is a beautiful light garnet color in the glass and on the nose I got notes of raspberry and cedar that were welcoming and just invite you to take a sip. On the palate cherry, raspberry and earth notes with a touch of spice on the nice smooth finish make this an incredibly easy wine to just sip on. In addition, the wine has been certified biodynamic and organic, so if you’re looking to try a wine that has less of an impact on the environment, this is a great one.

I didn’t pair this wine with food last night, but I did have a bottle opened at my parents’ house for Thanksgiving dinner and it went quickly, going well with the spread my Mom had prepared, especially the turkey. If you want to try this wine, and I highly recommend it, and can’t find it at your local store, you can follow this link and have it shipped directly to you…just like I did. http://www.winezap.com/search/searchResults.cfm?r=181364

Thanksgiving 2011 Wine Selection

George — Wed, 23 Nov 2011 15:00:59 +0000

There are a lot of different wine sites out there giving suggestions on what you should be pouring during your Thanksgiving festivities. Since, however, it’s been fairly well established what varietals go well with the traditional Thanksgiving feast, I thought I would change it up and let you know what I’m pouring at dinner, or rather, what I’m taking up to my parents house to pour for the army-sized feast my mother will be cooking.

2009 Coastal Vines Pinot Noir – Sonoma, CA – $10

I picked up a pair of these at my local Richmond wine shop since it would have been irresponsible of me to not show up with some Pinot Noir. While there are plenty of wine sites that will be recommending $30 and $40 bottles, I don’t see the reason to break the bank when there are perfectly serviceable bottles under $20. I’ve never had this one before, so it will be interesting to try it out on Thursday.

2010 Ponga Pinot Noir – New Zealand – $14

I’ve had other Ponga varietals before (namely Sauvignon Blanc), so I’m holding out high hopes for this being a good value wine that over-performs for the price.

2010 Alamos Torrontes – Argentina – $13 (SRP) *

Much like the Ponga, I’ve had other wines from Alamos, so I’ll be interested to try this one. For those unfamiliar with Torrontes, the best approximation I can give, and the comparison I usually use, is Viognier. Given that I live in Virginia, and that I’m not bringing any Viognier myself (sorry VA Wine Marketing Board), it seems appropriate to bring something similar.

2009 Steininger Gruner Veltliner – Austria – $25

A few months back I received a case of summer white wines to try out, and of those my favorite was a Gruner Veltliner. I found it to be light, minerally, and refreshing. Since Gewurztraminer is a popular choice for Thanksgiving, I wanted to mix it up and try something a bit different though similar. As I’ve only had one Gruner (that I remember), I’ll be interested to see if this one is as enjoyable to me as the other one.

Freixenet Cordon Rosado – Spain – $12 (SRP) *

Rose’ in general has been finding its way more and more into my wine selection, as have sparkling wines. It’s only natural that they should combine. A blend of Trepat and Garnacha grapes, this wine will probably be a good selection before and during the dinner. I may use this bottle as a way to entice my parent’s neighbors that pretty much only drink bubbles to come over for a drink at some point in the evening.

2011 Christmas at Biltmore – California – $12 (SRP) *

This one will most likely get brought out for dessert, as one of the suggested pairings is pumpkin pie. A blend of Gewurztraminer, Muscat Canelli, Chenin Blanc, and Riesling, this wine has 4% residual sugar, so it’s definitely going to need something to either cut or compliment the sweetness.

2008 Foris Gewurztraminer – Oregon – $15

Since I was grabbing some Pinot Noir to bring, I of course had to bring some Gewurztraminer as well. I’m always a bit gun-shy around this particular grape, so I had my guy at my local wine shop show me to his driest Gewurztraminer. Hoping that this will go well with the feast my mom puts out.

Elyssia Pinot Noir Brut – Spain – $18 (SRP) *

A blend of Pinot Noir and Trepat (85%/15%), it will probably be a coin flip to see if this or the other sparkling rose’ makes it to the dinner table and which one gets opened up early for cocktails before dinner. I’m leaning towards dinner with this one though.

2009 Montinore Estate Reserve Pinot Noir – Oregon – $21

My wife and I actually bought half a case of this wine thanks to enjoying a glass of it so much at our local Flemings while there for happy hour. Since it’s rude to not share, I grabbed a bottle of this to throw into the selection that we’re taking up to Norther Virginia with us.

Hopefully you’ll all enjoy your Thanksgiving dinner and I hope you all have a safe Thanksgiving and have safe travels. If you feel like sharing what you’re pouring I’d certainly be interested to hear it.

Wines marked with a (*) were received as samples.

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.

Wines of Chile Blogger Tasting – Carmenere & Curry

George — Mon, 17 Oct 2011 14:00:49 +0000

This past Thursday I, along with some family and friends, got to engage in the most recent iteration of the Wines of Chile Virtual Blogger Tasting. The theme this time was Carmenere & Curry, and when I got the invite I was intrigued as I’ve enjoyed Carmenere since the first Blogger Tasting I was invited to and my wife and I have increasingly enjoyed curry and while we’ve never combined them I had read that they did pair well.

As usual, the kit included 8 bottles of wine along with a wealth of information both about the wines and the regions, along with some spices for making curry dishes and a USB thumb drive loaded with recipes and even more information about the winemakers and the vineyards. If there’s one thing I can continue to say about this tasting as that there’s no lack of information, something that I greatly appreciate. As for the wines.

2010 Emiliana Natura Carmenere ($17)

Our first wine of the night was a deep ruby in color and I got aromas of pepper, dark chocolate, pepper, and brambles. In the mouth the wine was dry with pepper, some cherry, and some of the bramble from the nose with a bit of a tart finish to it. This was my wife and my mother’s favorite wine of the night and didn’t last long after the formal part of the tasting was finished.

2008 Casa Silva Los Lingues Gran Reserva Carmenere ($22)

The second wine featured dark fruit and some of the same bramble from the first on the nose. In the mouth the wine was dry with bell pepper, bramble, and a touch of tobacco. I personally liked this wine better than the first even though they had some similar flavors.

2008 Santa Rita Medella Real Gran Reserva Carmenere ($20)

The third wine had a ton of dark fruit on the nose with some spice. I got some dark chocolate and plum on the nose, though not as much as some of the others tasting with me. In the mouth the wine displayed a subtle pepper with smooth chocolate and dark fruit. It was a stark departure from the first two wines with more fruit on less pepper than they featured.

2008 Montes Alpha Carmenere ($24)

Our fourth wine had a nose that I could only describe as musty at first, though after it opened up I did pick up some dark fruit and spice. In the mouth I got dark cherry with some dark chocolate and plum and a soft oak finish.

2009 Carmen Gran Reserva Carmenere ($17)

The fifth wine had spice and black fruit on the nose that struck me as juicy though a little bramble came out later as the wine opened up. On the palate the juiciness from the nose came up again with just a touch of pepper and some smokey fruit.

2009 Santa Carolina Reserva de Familia Carmenere ($20)

The sixth wine had a nose of black fruit and spice with a hint of dried herbs. In the mouth the wine was smooth but with what I could only describe as a “footy’ finish, though others described it as a dark almond finish which sounds far better than how I phrased it.

2009 Concha y Toro Marques de Casa Concha Carmenere ($20)

Our next to last wine had black currant and a touch of chocolate nose. In the mouth it was medium dry with some pepper and cherry and a dark chocolate note on the finish. I wasn’t in love with this wine at first, but later in the evening after it had time to open up I found it more enjoyable.

2007 Haras de Pirque Cabernet Sauvignon/Carmenere ($13)

The only blend of the evening, the blend was: 40% Cabernet Sauvignon; 37$ Carmenere; 13% Cabernet Franc; 10% Syrah. On the nose I got earth with stone and flint and just a hint of dark fruit. In the mouth the wine featured pepper, tobacco, some fruit, and more of the earth and stone notes from the nose. It wasn’t a favorite of mine personally, though others that had let the wine open up more than myself did say it was the best value, and it was a bit more enjoyable to me later in the night when it had opened up a bit.

Wrap-Up

So, the usual question to these tastings is “which was your favorite”? If I was forced to pick one it would probably be the 2008 Casa Silva Los Lingues Gran Reserva Carmenere. That being said, I did enjoy the 2009 Concha y Toro later after it had some time to open up. As the theme of the tasting was Carmenere & Curry we (meaning my wife) made a point of making some curry to taste the food with. We made the beef curry dish that we had been sent a recipe for and while it wasn’t a perfect pairing with every one of the wines, it was tasty and did pair well with some of them, so you can count me as a believer in pairing Carmenere with curry.

This probably wasn’t my favorite of the Wine of Chile tastings I’ve done (the last one, Pinot Noir & Syrah, holds that title), though it also probably wasn’t my least favorite. I think I would have enjoyed the wines, the back four in particular, had I opened them all up well ahead of time to give them lots of time to breathe, something I plan to do for the next one.

As always I want to thank both the vineyards of Chile, the winemakers, and The Thomas Collective for putting on what is easily one of the most original and entertaining tastings that I get to participate in. I always look forward to these tastings as they are informative and and a great way to try new wines.

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.

Biltmore Reserve Pinot Noir 2009

George — Thu, 29 Sep 2011 14:00:35 +0000

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

Winemaker’s Notes: Cherry red color with aromas of cherry, raspberry, peppery spices, and a touch of oak. In the mouth an elegant to full body Pinot Noir with elegant balance and good depth. Pairs well with pork tenderloin, salmon, and filet mignon.

My Review: I’ve had this wine sitting on my racks for a while, which is a bit weird since I usually don’t let Pinot last that long in my house. Regardless, last week on an evening the wife was out and I was home alone, I finally got around to opening up the bottle and I definitely regretted taking so long to get to it.

A medium-dark red color in the glass, aromas of raspberry, spice, and oak were the most noticeable to me, and on the first sip the raspberry and some cherry really came through. It wasn’t until I had finished cooking myself some dinner and paired the wine with it that I started to be really blown away.

For dinner I had cooked up a piece of salmon that I had covered in a mustard/lemon/herb mixture that while not fancy, at least added some nice flavor to it, and for a side dish I cooked up some pesto risotto since it just sounded good. Without food the wine was a good, quality, but somewhat unremarkable Pinot that I wouldn’t have told people to pass on, but that I don’t know that I would have rushed out to buy again over something else. With the food it was something else.

I don’t know if it was my particular way of cooking the food, the food in general, or something else, but when paired with the food, the wine went from good to great. All of the same raspberry, cherry, and spice notes were still there, but right at the finish there was added this mocha/espresso/coffee/chocolate note that I just found amazing. I couldn’t get enough of it. I wanted to make more food just to keep getting it.

Sadly the food, and the wine, were both gone after some time, but I can say that having had this experience, it makes me want to try the 2009 Biltmore Reserve Pinot Noir again to see if it was just what I cooked or if it’s something that I can replicate with other food pairings, because it was amazing.

If you can’t find the 2009 Biltmore Reserve Pinot Noir near you (and I haven’t seen it in my local store either), you can follow this link and have it shipped directly to you, which I recommend.

California Drinking Day 1 – Russian River Valley

George — Mon, 19 Sep 2011 14:00:40 +0000

Well I’m back, but I have to say that I had a great time on my vacation with my wife in San Francisco. Now, what trip by your resident wino to the West Coast would be complete without some time spent in wine country? Exactly. My wife and I spent two days visiting vineyards during our vacation and they were both amazing. Our first day was spent in Russian River Valley where the call of the Pinot is strong and enticing.

Rodney Strong Vineyards

George and April outside Rodney Strong

We started our day at Rodney Strong Vineyards, in no small part because I had enjoyed spending time with them during the Wine Bloggers Conference back in July and also because as a big name in the area we both figured it was as good a place to start as any.

I had reached out to the PR manager for Rodney Strong since we had met during the Bloggers Conference, and he was kind enough to spend some time showing my wife and I the vineyard, including their “winery within a winery” where they make some of their most amazing wines.

George with some Barrels behind him

After our tour we went back to the tasting room where one of their pourers, Leo (who I highly recommend seeing if you’re ever at Rodney Strong – the man knows his wine and the wines of all the best vineyards and restaurants in the area), lead us through a tasting of the Rodney Strong selection.

I won’t go over each one since they were all great, but there were a few that stood out for me. The first was actually the first wine we tasted, the 2010 Charlotte’s Home Sauvignon Blanc. Light, crisp, with a great blend of citrus and “green”, it’s a great wine and a great value at only $13.50. Perfect for the last few warm days we have left.

The 2009 Reserve Pinot Noir was so good I brought a bottle home with me (thanks Robert), with a great mix of fruit and earth with just a touch of cola. There are a lot of light, fruity Pinots out there, and there’s nothing wrong with those, but when I think of Pinot, it’s wine like this that I think of and part of me both looks forward to and dreads opening up the bottle I have. $40 might seem like a lot for some people, but trust me when I say this one is worth it.

The other big stand out, and the other bottle from Rodney Strong I brought home with me, was the 2008 Symmetry Red Meritage. A product of the “Winery within the Winery”, I had a chance to taste all the components of this wine and then the completed version at the Bloggers Conference and was impressed with it then. I continued to enjoy it so much I grabbed a bottle to bring back to Virginia with me.

I would be remiss if I didn’t mention the single vineyard Cabernet Sauvignons as well, the Alexander’s Crown, the Rockaway, and the Brother’s Ridge. All three were very good, and it was interesting to taste the differences in each from different locations. They are a bit pricey ($75), but if you’re looking for a great Cabernet to really splurge on, there are worse choices out there for more money.

Thomas George Vineyard

Our second stop of the day, courtesy of recommendations from Leo and Robert, was Thomas George Vineyard. Like most of the vineyards we would visit that day, the predominant wines we would taste were Pinot Noir, which is certainly not a bad thing.

At Thomas George, the wine that really stuck out for me was the 2009 Russian River Pinot Noir ($40). With bright fruit both on the nose and in the mouth, with a good cherry flavor and some cola in the mouth, a flavor that I find myself liking more and more in my Pinot.

The other wine that’s worth mentioning was the 2008 Lancel Creek Pinot Noir ($55). This one was darker than the 2009 RRV Pinot, with more earth on the nose and darker fruit in the mouth with a spice, slightly “footy” taste as well.

Arista Winery

George outside of Arista Winery

Next up was Arista Winery, which, like everywhere else we would visit that day, was a recommendation from Leo and Robert. The first wine we tasted is worth mentioning, the 2010 Mark David Winery Sauvignon Blanc ($36). Light citrus with peach and apricot and a touch of pith on the finish. This was a good Sauvignon Blanc with just enough body to it to let it stand up to heavier foods.

The 2009 Longbow Pinot Noir ($48) stood out to me due to a touch of smoke and a meatiness in the mouth that I found I really enjoyed. The 2009 Toboni Vineyard Pinot Noir ($58) had a chalky, earthy nose with tart fruit and a smooth finish with just a touch of minerality that I found intriguing.

The final wine we tried there was the 2009 Two Birds Pinot Noir ($68), an estate grown wine that was very smooth with great dark fruit.

Moshin Vineyards

Outside of Moshin

Moshin Vineyards had a great selection of wines, but given that there were so many, I find myself having to focus on the very best.

The 2008 Halo’s Hill Pinot Noir ($44) was great. My wife and I also tried the 2009, and if it can turn into the same thing as the 2008 Moshin should be proud. A nose of earth and spice with some leather and dark fruit in the mouth made this one a no-brainer to bring home with us.

The Whisper in the Dark ($38) is a Zinfandel Port with ruby color and raspberry flavors. This was excellent when paired with some chocolate. Both my wife and I were surprised by how much we enjoyed this wine.

The Moshin Potion #9 ($32) is a blend of Muscat, Sauvignon Blanc, and Gewurztraminer with a nose of citrus, grass, and petrol and honey in the mouth. It was sweet without being syrupy, which is something I try to avoid in my dessert wines. I’d love this with some pound cake, but as a general rule I don’t buy dessert wines since as a general rule I don’t eat desserts at home that call for them.

Iron Horse Vineyards

Oh the bubbles. Iron Horse makes more than bubbles, but when my wife and I saw their flight of bubbles on the tasting list, we jumped at it. There were quite a few good ones we got to taste, but these few jumped out. The 2007 Wedding Cuvee’ ($38) is a Blanc de Noir made with 88% Pinot and 12% Chardonnay. It was light, crisp, and dry with good flavors of strawberry.

The other that jumped out was the 1997 Joy ($179/magnum), which I honestly debated buying. 100% Chardonnay with a nose that I would expect from a bottle of Chardonnay, tiny bubbles, and light citrus flavors in the mouth that again reminded me of Chardonnay. This was a great wine and one that I’ll consider around the holidays for a party.

Red Car Wine

Our final stop of the day. A good selection of wines, but the two that really jumped out for me were the 2009 Boxcar Pinot Noir ($28) which was light with spice and earth on the nose and had a little pepper on the nose. This is a great value and my wife and I grabbed a bottle to enjoy on their patio before heading back to our hotel for the day.

The Fighter

The other wine that really jumped out was the 2007 “The Fight” Syrah. The winemaker is a big boxing fan, so each year this wine features a label with a boxer on it. The 2007 vintage is called “Knockout”. This wine was big and bold with great dark fruit and espresso ground flavors and just called out for some grilled meat.

One Down

So my wife and I survived our first day in wine country, and I have to say that anybody considering a visit to Russian River Valley would be happy to visit any or all of these vineyards. We had a great time, and I want to say thanks to everybody working at the tasting rooms for being so welcoming.

Hedges Family Estate Red Mountain 2008

George — Tue, 16 Aug 2011 14:00:55 +0000

Varietal: 36% Cabernet Sauvignon; 33% Merlot; 14% Syrah; 11% Cabernet Franc; 6% Malbec
Region: Washington – USA
Cost: $25

Winemaker’s Notes: Flagship wine of the estate, the HFE Red Mountain consistently displays dense color, firm tannins, and well-defined acidity. Always a majority blend of Cabernet Sauvignon and Merlot, this wine is suitable for drinking upon release, but will reward those with the patience to age it. This wine represents all vineyard blocks farmed within the Hedges Family Estate vineyard portfolio. A true chateau-production bottling, the HFE Red Mountain is the epitome of classic style, and one that represents the Terroir of the Red Mountain AVA in a pure and elegant form.

My Review: Oh big red wines, how I enjoy you. A couple of weeks ago the folks over at Hedges Family Estates sent me a sampling of their portfolio to check out, and included in that was two bottles of the 2008 Red Mountain. On my wife’s recent trip to South Carolina with her parents to visit her brother and his wife I sent one of those bottles with her to share with her brother. Her early report was that it was a steak wine, so the other night we grilled up some steak and lobster tails and popped open the other bottle.

I was immediately struck by how dark the wine was. Holding it up to light let pretty much none of it through and the only way I was able to really pick out any streaks of purple were from the small bubbles that resulted from the pouring.

On the nose I got dark fruit which carried through to the palate with just a hint of tobacco/smoke on the finish as well. The finish on this wine was silky smooth, like far smoother than I was expecting and maybe the smoothest finish I’ve had on a red in a long time. with the dinner of steak, lobster tails, and baked potatoes it was great. The big, bold dark fruits held up great against the grilled steak, but the smooth finish was perfect for the more delicate lobster.

I really enjoyed this wine, and it’s a great value for such a big wine that will make any steak lover happy. If you want to try it and can’t find it in your local store, you can either order it directly from Hedges Family Estates, or you can follow this link and order it.

Virginia Viognier Tasting

George — Mon, 18 Jul 2011 15:00:47 +0000

On Thursday, as something of a lead up to the 2011 Wine Bloggers Conference, I participated in a tasting of Virginia Viognier along with several other bloggers, all of us sharing our thoughts on Twitter as we tasted. I would, however, be remiss if I didn’t share my thoughts on here as well.

We started the tasting with a Horton Vineyards Sparkling Viognier (SRP $25). I’d never had a sparkling Viognier before and given my recent increased interest in all things bubbles, I was certainly looking forward to trying it when I got the bottle. The most notable note on both the nose and in the mouth was green apple, and the wine itself was crisp with big bubbles. I loved this wine and it was probably my favorite of the night and one that was quickly gone.

Next up was the 2010 Blenheim Vineyards Viognier (SRP $19). I got a bit of honey on the nose with some orange blossom on the palate and a rounded finish that was unexpected until I looked at the tasting notes and saw that some of the wine had spent time in French barrels.

Third was the 2010 King Family Vineyards Viognier (SRP $25). Honeysuckle on the nose with candied fruit in the mouth with a subtle minerality that I wasn’t expecting. This wine was also oaked, but in neutral barrels and the finish was less rounded than the Blenheim.

Fourth was the 2009 Barboursville Viognier Reserve (SRP $22). I got a slight bit of petrol on the nose and grapefruit in the mouth. The Barboursville had more acid on it than any of the others though not much in the way of floral notes. That being said I enjoyed it and would recommend it.

Finally we opened up the 2010 Cooper Vineyards Viognier (SRP $23). I got subtle floral and honeysuckle notes on the nose with pineapple in the mouth and soft, butter/oak finish which didn’t surprise me given that 40% of the wine had been aged in second-year barrels. This was probably my favorite of the still wines, which actually surprised me.

There was a sixth wine, the 2010 Deleplane Viognier (SRP $24), but my shipment got lost and I wasn’t able to taste it.

I want to thank the Virginia Wine Board and all of the organizers and vineyards for putting on a great tasting. Any time I talk with people not from Virginia I’m always talking up our Viognier, and events like this just give me more examples to show them.