First wine in California

I arrived in Los Angeles yesterday, not to taste wines,but to see friends. But of course wine-tasting was on my mind. We stopped in Manhattan Beach nearest to airpot. At lunch the list was 90% cali chardonnay and I was SO not in the mood for trying something so complex. The only other whites by the glass were 1 new zeal sauvignon blanc and (my choice) I think it was Monte Vina. The wine wasn't so memorable. But the giant wave that knocked Silas afterwards was!

Bleasesdale Shiraz 2005

Bremerview, Langhorne Creek. Potts Family. Rena Hirsch, winemaker. Nice dark inky color and purple ripe fruit abound! Smooth and earthy with chocolate and a hint of leather on the finish. New to Haley's; it's a 'big' shiraz at a reasonable $22.00!

Lange Estate Reserve Pinot Noir 2007

Family-owned vineyard. Willamette Valley, about 1000 cases produced. Unfiltered, deep ruby color with paler edges and nice berry -fruit and a cedar finish 6-8 months oak aged. Finish is jammy and deep.

Prinz von Hessen Reisling Kabinett

Trocken (the grapes are left later on the vine in the season, to impart sweetness). Acidic and sweet - balanced on the nose. I have to admit, that I'm not a huge fan of this style of wine, so I will try to be as impartial as possible...and I am surprized! This is very nice. I can drink this! Lily-scented and medium-bodied fruitiness is alluring. Try it!

Prinz von Hessen Reisling QBA

Rheingau, Germany. Pale, creamy color with grass and starfruit nose. Creamy, soft, mouth feel with nice acidity and pineapple on the finish.

Gougenheim Cabernet Sauvignon 2008

Valle Escondido. Mendoza Argentina. Deep brick-red. Fruit bomb with black cherry, roses, prunes and a tannic finish help to make this value-priced cab appealing to all. I think this would do well in the store.

Gougenheim Syrah, 2008

Valle Escondido. Mendoza, Argentina. Violets and chocolate covered cherries. Medium-bodied style with punchy fruit and tight tannins. May need decanting. But appealing and very drinkable.

Gougenheim Malbec 2008

Valle Escondido. Mendoza, Argentina. Richer and more tannic than the last vintage. This wine is better-suited to food. Blackberry and blueberry with a tart finish that is very pleasing.

Gougenheim Merlot 2008

Valle Escondido. Mendoza, Argentina. Warm climate merlot with deep red/ruby body and garnet edges. Tart with tobacco and red cherries. A little grassy.

Stoller Pinot Noir 2007 JV Estate

Dundee Hills. Nose is much jammier than the 2006, color is transparent rubies with clear edges. Light with black cherry and red raspberry - a hint of toast and cedar on the finish. I've always been partial to this vineyard. I've heard 2007 was a tough year in Oregon pinots, but this is still a keeper.

Gougenheim Torrontés 2007

Valle Escondido. Uncomplicated, citrusy wine that is wanting summer sun and fun! Last of this vintage, glad I tried it and hope to try the 2008 soon!

Girard Petite Sirah Old Vines 2007

Inky black with beautiful crimson edges. Rich complex witrh coffee, chocolate and blueberry flavors. A dense, big wine that is really delicious!

Girard Old Vine Zinfandel 2006

Nearly opaque, this wine appears dense and deep violet in color. Very nicely balanced oak-aged (will get more info).

I should definitely get this for the fall! PS, Paul loved it, too.

Chateau Pey La Tour Bordeaux Supérieur 2006

Vignoble Dourthe, Reserve du Chateau. Like most Bordeaux wines, this is a merlot-cabernet sauvignon blend. The nose is toasty warm with the merlot on the front. It has a rich black cherry color and red cherry flavors. The finish has a little oak and is well- balanced. Should get this wine for the fall.... Oh and did I mention, this is a 2006 a.k.a. the year in-between brilliant 2005 and stunning 2007, it should not be overlooked (though I fear it will be).

Windsor Sonoma Chardonnay 2007

Russian River Valley. Restrained nice oak balance. Creamy texture and lengthy finish, make a very drinkable wine. I wish I could carry this...but have so many other chards in this range.

Lo Tengo Torrontes 2008

Gravelly, melony scent. Tart yet full flavored. A good summer wine.

Paso Creek Cabernet Sauvignon 2006

Dark black color and big, bold, jammy fruit and ripe black cherries dominate this wine. Also 13.5% alcohol. French and American oak (25% new), gives it nice structure. A strong cabernet sauvignon that would retail under $20. Too bad it's not from Napa!

Estancia Zinfandel Paso Robles 2006

Keyes Canyon Ranches. Warm, plum jam scent. 13.5% alcohol gives it a little kick in the back. 12 months in Hungarian and American oak. I carry this wine and it's a very nice $12.99 red zinfandel.

Ruffino Chianti Superiore 2007

75% Sangiovese remainder, canailo nero, caberet sauvignon in merlot. 7 mos in stainless. Bright-cherry and a uncomplicated style. Good for the bbq, but not Italian enough for me.

Estancia Reisling Monterey County 2008

100% Monterey County fruit (Pacific Coast). Vanilla, orange and yellow raisin. The flavor is light and nondescript. I'm looking for more of a finish, perhaps I've been spoiled by some of the French and German
reislings I have in my store.

Drylands Marlborough Sauvignon Blanc 2008

Gravelly-fresh-ripe blood-orange and white grapefruit. A hint of frissee. Very nice, I probably have something in this price-point already, but think it would do well in a tasting.

Le Nain Violet 2005

Domaine de la Pertuisane. Grenache noir 50%, Syrah, 40% Carignan 10%. 30-50 year-old-vines. Aged 18 mos in French Oak. Very dark rich color. 15% alcohol makes a grippy finish. Full bodied with an apricot-black berry scent. The flavor is rich, but not particluarly smooth.

Cuvée Richette Côtes 2007

From Patrick leSec. 70% syrah, 20% genache with 10% mouvedre. Unfiltered red rhône wine. A little too much alcohol, rough.

Stafford Hill Pinot Noir 2007

Oregon Pinot Noir, Wimamette Valley. This is the second label of Holloran Estates, family-run. Sustainable/organically farmed vineyard. Some of the vineyard's vines are french pinot noir- blended with American. The wine is aged in French oak. Light, ruby colored with a full-red raspberry nose witha hint of aniseed. Toasty scent when swirled. Tastes lighter than expected but a little acidic.

Domaine de la Solitude 2008

Cotes du Rohone Blanc. Grapes: clairette, grenache blanc, viognier, roussane. (We don't have the %'s) The Chateau is in Chateauneuf du Pape. Nose is restrained- maybe the taste will tell more? Very light, almost non descript. Oak-aged and rests sur-lie.

Domaine des Saint Pierres 2007

100% Sauvignon Blanc. Pierre Prieur & Fils. Small family owned property they only grow sauvignon blanc. 12.5% alc. Nose is bright green grass and citrus and flint. Light and flinty/stony, very fresh with minimal citrus on finish. Very nice, would retail for about $20.

Crossroads Winery 2008 Sauvignon Blanc

Passion fruit-scented, this New Zealand Sauvignon Blanc is tart, acidic and bright. Very fresh with a blood-orange finish that makes me thankful its summertime. Pictured here, I tasted this with a beet-white onion-toasted pine nut salad with dijon vinaigrette. The creamy toasted texture of the pinenuts was a delicious foil to the wine.

Delivery Today!

Most of our deliveries come in on Wednesdays and Thursdays. What makes today any different? I just liked the graphics on these cases of wine. Most consumers don't get to see the designs on these. They range from plain cardboard boxes with a wine label pasted to the side (see box under Oyster Bay) to four-color super glossy works of art, like red truck and white truck. The pink box with black heart and dagger, on the upper right, is a wine called Bitch. A memorable name for a juicy 100% grenache from Australia. Only $12.99.

Chateau les Rosiers Bordeaux 2005

From Patrick Jolivet. In the far western part of Entre deux Meres. Merlot/cabernet franc and cabernet sauvignon blend. Black cherry and rich raisin on the nose. Deep red color and garnet edges. Really tight but ripe. Needs more time in the bottle / decanting could help. Will let you know later!

Grun by Familie Bauer 2008

75 % gruner veltliner, 25% malvasier Austrian soils with a gravelly nose and tart, grapefruit on the palate. Mineral and stone fruits on the finish. Lively acidity and very refreshing.

Lo Tengo Malbec 2008

From Bodega Norton, Argentina. Deep grape-red in color, with garnet edges. Aged in oak with medium body. This wine would please many palates and has a decent tannic structure. Ripe plum, and dry finish.

Casa Solar Tempranillo 2007

Aged 3 years in American oak. Smells like toasted vanilla and has a bright cherry and hints at an oaked sherry flavor on the finish. Decent, very inexpensive $6.99. Maybe I should bring this in and herald it as the new BBQ wine? 2 for 12 anyone?

Babich Marlborough Pinot Noir 2007

New Zealand. Cherry and tobacco nose, deep garnet red in color and light on the palate. Simple, though drinkable. Lacking depth.

Domaine Talmard Macon-Chardonnay 2008

Aged in stainless, planted on clay and limestone soils. 100% chardonnay grapes. Nose is gravel, fresh and clean with a hint of pepper(?) Not long finish, but very fresh and lemony.

Girard Sauvignon Blanc 2006

Napa Valley fermented in stainless. Very firm. A bit tart. Nah.

Babich Sauvignon Blanc 2008

New Zealand, Marlborough. Grapefruit nose, light color and a citrusy feel. Flinty finish, not long, but crisp.

Off the record...

New way to discuss wine: via mobile somewhere in the world. Love it!!!

I posted this note from my phone. I'm excited to see: 1) it worked and 2) i can remember how to do it again!

Tomorrow's Tuesday. Wine-tasting day at the store. What will they bring me??

A Mystery in a Boddingtons Case

This week when we received a case of Boddingtons Pub Ale for the store, there was a very cool discovery: a can of Thwaites Smooth Beer. This can, was not labeled for import, so we were excited to try it. What was inside? Thwaites? Or was it just Boddingtons in a Thwaites can?

We waited until today, so we could show our beer salesperson, Shane, the original 3 Boddingtons 4-pack pub draft can packaging with a single Thwaites can inside. We decided to taste a can of Boddies and the Thwaites side-by-side, because we wanted to know for certain that the Thwaites can contained Boddingtons Ale.

The verdict: both cans contained Boddingtons. But we're still wondering how we got a Thwaites can filled with Boddingtons on our doorstep. Just lucky, I guess.

Price isn't everything

I have a customer who came in today to thank me for selling her the Amador Foothills Katie's Cote Syrah/Grenache. She brought it over to a friend's home who she described as "people who regularly spend up to $100 on a bottle of wine". They all 'loved' this little gem. Priced at a very reasonable $17.99, this customer commented how great it is to drink a delicious wine under $20. She also "doesn't understand why her friends spend so much money on a bottle of wine, when there are so many great wines being made". I couldn't agree more!

My notes: wonderful rhone-like balance: 51% syrah and 49% grenache. This wine, from Shenandoah Valley California, has lush red raspberry flavors and an even tannin structure. Great with anything from eggplant parmigan to grilled meats to cheese platters.

ONLY 206 cases made. Get it NOW!

Melville Syrah 2007

Santa Barbara. Loaded with sweet cherry and deep, ripe pomegranate flavors. Arik says he gets 'bacon fat'. I agree! Very deep and rich. A definite contender for shelf space. I don't carry any Melville wines yet. But I should. Not to mention that it's my father-in-law's name!

Melville Pinot Noir 2007 Estate

Lompoc, California, Greg Brewer, winemaker. Fragrant, toasty and warm. Nose of lavender and blackberry. Decadent cherry-tobacco finish. I hope to bring this into the store, in the fall.

DID I say that this wine is 15.3% alcohol? You'd never know it!

Melville Viognier 2008 Verna's Estate

Santa Rita Hills Santa Barbara. Very rich and, dare I say, yummy! A spark of acidity at the end and flinty fruit in between. I'm trepidatious about bringing domestic viognier into the store. Mainly because: its a bit of an obscure grape. If you can commit to buying 3 bottles, I will get it. It's a cool-kid wine.

Domaine Houchart Côtes de Provence 2008

Another fine wine from Famille Quiot, this rose is a grenache, syrah, cinsault, cabernet sauvignon, mouvedre blend (with 5% 'other' grapes). At only $9.99, this wine is fairly dry with a light finish. A summer sipper that has been flying off the shelves! This rosé would be great in a sangria. $9.99