The Good Wine Guru » leather

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”.

Santa Julia Reserva Cabernet Sauvignon 2009

George — Mon, 23 May 2011 15:00:38 +0000

Varietal: 100% Cabernet Sauvignon
Region: Mendoza – Argentina
Cost: $12 (SRP)

Winemaker’s Notes: Ruby color with purple hues of good intensity. Complex aromas of ripe fruits such as cherries, black cherries, and plums as well as vanilla, leather, tobacco, and spices such as black pepper and paprika. Full-bodied, sweet tannins, rich red wine with good balance and complexity and a long finish. Pairs well with grilled red meat and pastas.

My Review: If you’ll recall, a few weeks ago I was lucky enough to attend a lunch featuring several Santa Julia wines. During that lunch, the third course was a steak paired with a reserve cabernet sauvignon and a reserve malbec. While I enjoyed them, and the steak, the chimichurri topping on the steak had quite a bit of heat to it, and sorta fried my palate a little, making it hard to be sure I’d gotten a good sense of the wines. Fortunately, I was able to get a sample of the wines sent over so I could check them out again without my mouth being on fire (though that steak was still delicious).

This past weekend my wife and I decided to do a surf and turf dinner (gorgeous weather makes me want to grill), and since it’d had originally been paired with a steak, it seemed appropriate to that I should do so again. After cooking up a couple of NY Strips and a lobster tail, we sat down with our dinner and bottle of wine.

In the glass the wine was a dark red color with slashes of purple. On the nose I didn’t get a specific aroma so much as a generic red fruit smell that I typically associate with cherry. In the mouth the cherry flavors came through much more, especially with a tartness on the end that wasn’t tannic. In fact the finish was very light on the tannins, which was nice considering the lobster tails on the plate.

This wine was another example of why I wines from South America continue to find their way into my house. Argentina, Chile, and really everything I’ve had from the continent in general, are putting out good, quality wines at prices that make it very enticing to try new things since they’re priced to move. If you want to give the 2009 Santa Julia Reserva Cabernet Sauvignon a try, and I recommend you do, and you can’t find it in your local store (I haven’t seen it at mine yet either), you can follow this link and have some shipped to you directly.

Maison du Midi Plan de Dieu Cotes du Rhone Villages 2005

George — Wed, 04 Aug 2010 16:00:44 +0000

Varietal: 95% Grenache; 5% Mourvedre
Region: Rhone – France
Cost: $20

Deep purple in color with aromas of leather, licorice, berry, and cassis. Earthy flavors with dark berries and a hint of licorice and pepper. Pairs well with pasta bolognese and beef.

Recommendations: French wine is one area where I have a serious weakness in making selections. It’s not that I haven’t enjoyed French wine when drinking it, but only that it wasn’t a region I indulged in when I first got into wine, and as I’ve gotten older and expanded my wine horizons, it’s still been missed in favor of other regions. I’ve decided it’s time to rectify this situation.

During a trip to my local Richmond wine shop for a tasting, I confronted the owner about my problem and asked him to help me. He helped me pick out a couple of bottles, one of which, the 2005 Maison du Midi, was actually on the employee recommended list. Two people recommending a wine to me is usually enough to make me buy it.

My wife and I paired the Maison du Midi with a simple dinner of pasta bolognese, and we both said the same thing about it. Earthy. Aromas of licorice, creme de cassis, and leather blended well with earthy flavors of dark fruit and a hint of cassis and pepper. I very much enjoyed the wine partly because it paired quite well with the meal, and also because I’m a fan of earthy wines.

This is the second Rhone I’ve had in recent months, and it’s quickly becoming a region I’m intrigued by. While I’m still learning about French wine, I suspect it’s going to be an education that I enjoy. I very much enjoyed the 2005 Maison du Midi and will have to keep it in mind for future purchases.

Di Majo Norante Sangiovese 2008

George — Thu, 28 Jan 2010 17:00:23 +0000

Varietal: Sanviovese
Region: Italy
Cost: $10

Violets, berries, spices and leather on the nose of this garnet colored wine with flavors of ripe fruit that pair with pizza, pasta, and grilled meats.

Recommendations: I grabbed this bottle of wine at a local store because, quite frankly, the price point was too good to pass on for a Sangiovese that had been highly rated by The Wine Advocate and Wine Spectator in previous years. Also, as Chianti is my first love of red wine, I have a hard time walking away from any Sangiovese.

Paired with a meal of pasta with red sauce and ground Italian sausage, the dryness of this wine was a perfect compliment. A bit of ripe fruit on the palate does take the edge off the wine, making it enjoyable well after the meal is gone (my mark of a good wine), and the price means you can pick this wine up in bulk to keep around for any occasion.

If you’re not a fan of dry wines, you might want to pass on this one, but if you are a fan of Chianti or any dry wine, or are looking to get into them, this is absolutely one you should pick up – easily one of the best values I’ve found for any red wine.

2007 Viu Manent Carmenere

George — Wed, 25 Nov 2009 17:00:56 +0000

Varietal: Carmenere
Region: Chile
Cost: $14

Deep ruby red in color with black cherry, plum, and sweet herbs. Mocha, dates, dark chocolate, leather on the palate with rounded tannins. Pair with lamb chops, green peppers.

Recommendations: About three weeks ago I participated in an online blogger tasting hosted by Wines of Chile. They sent us eight bottles to sample during while giving us access to the representatives from each vineyard via webcams and a live chat forum.

My wife and I sampled all of the wines, and while there certainly wasn’t a single one we didn’t enjoy, the Viu Manent was far and away our favorite. A lot of pepper on the nose, and by pepper I mean green pepper, where different, but enjoyable, and went well with the leather and rounded tannins on the palate, especially as the wine had time to open up.

While we didn’t really pair it with anything beyond something to much on (cheese and crackers), the thought of pairing this with lamb chops or stuffed green peppers is enticing enough to make me want to try my hand at making them.

Whether you’re already a fan of Carmenere or are just getting into it, I would highly recommend the Viu Manent, especially at this price point. It’s a great wine with a great nose and lots of great flavors.