Wine of the Week Featured in 2004 Gayot
- ️Wed Jan 26 2011
Featured in 2004
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Taittinger 1996 Comtes de Champagne Rosé
The House of Taittinger is a great stop while in Reims,
and their Tête de Cuvée program has always
been excellent. But once in a while it’s not bad to
remind ourselves how good some of this stuff can be. And
since a trip to France is not necessarily on your agenda,
you should be thankful that there is good distribution of
this Rosé. Composed of 70% Pinot Noir with red Bouzy
(13%) and balanced with Chardonnay, this wine greets you
with a luxurious mousse, subtle amber color and plenty of
fine bubbles. Lots of red fruit comes to play on solid grounds,
with a bit of wood and slightly buttery on the nose. In
your mouth it will be a very long treat all the way to the
finish. The most interesting characteristic we noticed is
the outstanding balance. Yes, it is pricey, but it hardly
gets better than that, and if you are convinced that 2005
will be a banner year for you and a few special friends,
then this might just be the perfect bottle to ring in the
New Year.
Rating: 17/20 To
purchase, visit www.taittinger.com |
| December 23, 2004 | Champagne Deutz 1997 Brut Rosé
Should you be a Pinot Noir lover and still shy about Champagne,
you’ll have no excuse with this offering from the
prestigious House of Deutz. In fact, you might simply
fall in love with it because it’s made with 100%
Pinot Noir grapes from a special vineyard located on the
Montagne de Reims. Despite its composition, the color
remains quite light with a slight purple hue, and actually
comes from the addition of the dosage of Ay red wine.
You are greeted by small but robust bubbles and a complex
nose of red berries and tropical fruits leading to a solid
beverage with yeasty, nutty, toasty and buttery flavors.
Deeper on the palate you’ll pick out the red berries
again; all of this elegance and complexity takes you through
a very long and progressive finish. We would definitely
drink this one by itself, but it actually will hold its
own against many of the dishes you may encounter this
holiday season. Looking for a gift? You’ll be sure
to impress your guest with this talented bottle.
Rating: 16.5/20 To
purchase, visit wine.com |
| December 17, 2004 | Champagne Pommery N.V. Brut Rosé
So just when you think you’ve had them all, here
is one more great Champagne. This one’s from the
House of Pommery. Not inexpensive and not readily available,
this cuvée is quite delectable. For one thing,
this bottle has a distinct character, with a somewhat
more robust nose and taste: yeasty, heavy on the nuts.
Many layers reveal surprising flavors. Constituted primarily
with Chardonnay, they blend in Pinot Noir, and for good
measure, some Pinot Meunier. Despite the fact that the
Pinot Noir is elaborated separately as a red wine, the
finished beverage remains golden in color with not even
a salmon hue. The wine will withstand food and that’s
a good thing for those of you that want to dine on Champagne.
You may actually pair it with white meats, many desserts
and there is nothing wrong with drinking it by itself
to ring in the New Year.
Rating: 16.5/20 To
purchase, visit www.pommery.com |
| December 10, 2004 | Villiera Brut Tradition
Let’s head “Down under” for this one
and offer you a great value for your holiday celebrations.
In fact, when was the last time you tasted a sparkler
from South
Africa? You’re in luck with this one. The family-run
vineyard and winery enable the terroir to come through
into the bottle and deliver consistent quality. Pop a
bottle to release the yeasty aromas followed by scents
of sweet citrus and apples. Look at the fine mousse and
drink the elegant gold-hued juice to give your palate
good satisfaction. Enjoy this wine by itself or try it
with smoked salmon.
Rating: 13.5/20 To
purchase, visit www.villiera.com |
| December 3 , 2004 | Perrier Jouët 1999 Fleur de Champagne Blanc de Blancs
Only a couple of countries (the U.S. being one) are lucky
enough to get this new offering from the folks of the
Maison
Belle Epoque. It is a rare treat, making it quite
a pricey Champagne. But in Vintage years, you will get
100% Chardonnay from the Côte des Blancs—specifically
from the village of Cramant. Among the best, there is
no doubt that you will experience a sublime wine when
you pop this one open. As recently tasted, the wine is
crisp and fresh with a light gold color. You might sniff
flowering lilacs, ruby grapefruits and other citrus-based
scents. Behind an even mousse you will discover flavors
of honey, vanilla and apples. Thanks to a great balance,
the layering and complexity will deliver an outstanding
wine in a few years (yes, it’s okay to age Champagne).
Osetra caviar and lobster anyone? These are the things
reserved for elegant and rare occasions.
Rating: 17/20 To
purchase, visit www.perrier-jouet.com |
| November 26, 2004 | Olson Ogden 2002 Syrah
May we offer you something new from the Unti Vineyard
of the Dry Creek Valley? An emerging boutique winery sets
out to produce killer Rhone-style wines. In the future
there will be some blends but currently they are releasing
this 2002 Syrah… which you will want to age for
a bit. It is a thick deep red beverage that lets scents
of berries, violets, light spices and slight smoke escape.
Full bodied, the opaque juice is robust and complex with
flavor in layers that lead to an infinitesimal finish
with a toasted oak accent. Don’t bring this one
to a cocktail party, but rather serve it alongside an
equally robust peppered steak.
Rating: 14/20 To
purchase, visit www.olsonogdenwines.com |
| November 19, 2004 | 2000
Pellegrini Vineyards Cabernet Franc
Pellegrini Vineyards employs a vineyard management and
winemaking philosophy that focuses on the fruit, resulting
in wines that stay true to the given varietal. This holds
true with their Merlots and Chardonnays, but they also
offer an excellent Cabernet Franc. The North Fork of Long
Island is currently recognized primarily for Merlot, but
Cab Franc is an up and coming varietal that grows very
well in this young region—a region that sees weather
similar to that of Bordeaux. Pellegrini's 2000 release
was bottled unfiltered and aged in French and Hungarian
oak for 17 months. Violet and mint on the nose are complemented
by dark berries along with the wine's roundness and long,
pleasant finish. This versatile wine would pair well with
aged cheeses, duck or even a Thanksgiving turkey dinner.
Rating: 14/20 To
purchase, visit www.pellegrinivineyards.com |
| November 12, 2004 | Yorkville Cellars 1999 Richard the Lion-Heart The
trusty beloved King lends his name to this select cuvée
from a winery using only organically grown grapes. The
point here is that the finished product should taste exactly
like the terroir in which the grapes are grown, since
no chemical has destroyed the natural elements. A healthy
by-product is that you don’t ingest those chemicals
either —and you can possibly do away with some of
those pesky headaches.... One thing is for sure (and also
unusual) — it has a low alcohol content at 12.5%.
Another rare characteristic of this California wine is
that it is made up of the five Bordeaux varietals. The
result: you get a somewhat dark wine with a strawberry
and cherry nose. In the mouth it shows a medium body with
some tannins followed by a mild chocolate taste on the
finish. Good with ribs and other meats and possibly with
pasta dishes.
Rating: 13/20 To
purchase, visit www.yorkville-cellars.com |
| November 5 , 2004 | Alexander Valley Vineyards 2002 Two Barrel The
Wetzels, owners of Alexander Valley Vineyards, have developed
a privileged relationship with their Wine Club members,
and decided to collaborate on a special wine. The Two
Barrel selection, which is now produced annually (only
500 cases), is the result of a series of trials. The bottom
line is that they mix one part Syrah with one part Merlot
and get a wine that is lighter in color that you might
expect, with blueberry aromatics. In the mouth it remains
medium-bodied with soft tannins and reveals flavors of
plum and chocolate. The finish is a bit disappointing,
but then again you get a different wine that won’t
break the bank…and we think it would actually work
well with turkey.
Rating: 13/20 To
purchase, visit www.avvwine.com |
| October 29, 2004 | Baron Philippe de Rothschild, Maipo Chile 2002 Escudo Rojo We
could have titled the review bargain of the week. Or we
could have said that this is what every $40 bottle of
wine should taste like. But we will simply say that we
liked this wine very much and at an average price of $14,
you certainly can’t go wrong. Leave it to the expert
winemaking team of Baron Philippe de Rothschild to put
to use the right grapes from the right vineyards of Chile
and the proper vinification and maturing techniques. You
get a concept perfected in Bordeaux for a few centuries
with the addition of the indigenous Carmenère grape
and terroir characteristics. In the end, the wine has
a slightly different nose, but you will pick out ripe
fruits ranging from blackcurrant to dried apricots. In
the mouth a velvety beverage with creamy tannins will
linger to reveal some spice, tobacco, coffee and perfumy
vanilla. Flank steak anyone?
Rating: 14/20 To
purchase, visit www.bpdr.com |
| October 22, 2004 | Piper-Heidsieck Rosé Sauvage The
famed Champagne house in Reims just let loose a non-vintage
Rosé Sauvage, a newfangled Champagne that mixes
still red wine into the traditional Cuvée Brut
recipe. The result is a wine with a surprising dark red
hue. Beyond that, the wine is quite refreshing with citrus
flavors and blood orange character. Tack on cherry, strawberry
and plum and you get a virtual firework. Despite all this
wildness, the crisp beverage comes together in perfect
harmony and deliver elements of richness. We would love
to let this one age and pair it with roasted duck breast. To
purchase, visit www.piper-heidsieck.com |
| October 15, 2004 | Masi 2002 Masianco Masi
is located in the heart of the Valpolicella in the Verona
area. Known for its red wines, including Amarone and Recioto,
Masi also has this interesting signature white offering
(the name Masianco simply comes from combining "Masi"
with the Italian word for white, "bianco").
The wine combines two indigenous grape varieties that
are harvested and vinified separately: Pinot Grigio (75%)
is vinified immediately while Verduzzo (25%) is further
ripened on racks for three weeks after being harvested.
The combination of these two grapes produces a well-balanced,
fresh wine featuring an herbaceous, citrusy nose complemented
by pear and melon fruit in the mouth. Masianco pairs nicely
with most hors d’oeuvres and also works well with
many fish dishes. To
purchase, visit www.masi.it |
| October 8, 2004 | Summerland 2002 Odyssey-Thurlestone Vineyard Pinot Noir Looking
for a pampered Pinot? Consider Summerland’s single-vineyard
collection, a new twist for the winery that focuses on
the distinctive terroir of California’s Central
Coast. For this member of the collection, the winery staff
spent a total of six years conditioning the ancient volcanic
and marine soils of the Odyssey-Thurlestone Vineyard at
the foot of Mt. Islay before planting the first vine.
Then the grapes, which yielded about 1 ½ tons per
acre, were carefully fermented and hand-crafted into this
bottling. You get outstanding berry aromas and a full-bodied
mouthful of berry and cherry flavors. But skip the peppered
rib-eye—that would overpower this garnet-colored
gem. Try it with filet mignon with a little roasted garlic
instead.
Rating: 15/20 To
purchase, visit www.summerlandwine.com |
| Mills Reef 2000 Elspeth One Here
is that topic again about drinking wines once they’ve
aged a bit. This is a 2000 and since it’s from New
Zealand, it’s got six more months on the Northern
Hemisphere-like vintage; still you’d want to put
it away for a while. And no, it’s neither a Sauvignon
Blanc nor a Pinot Noir, but rather a good old-fashioned
Bordeaux blend with a little Syrah added for good measure.
This is a serious full-bodied offering with a very ripe
fruit component and a palate of flavors. We had it a couple
of times and were positively surprised by the handcrafted
quality. Extended cellaring did proper justice, but this
baby remains young. Should you have it now, give it a
few minutes before you sit down to eat your steak.
Rating: 14.5/20 To
purchase, visit www.millsreef.co.nz |
| Mouton Cadet Blanc 2003 Bordeaux Chardonnay,
Sauvignon Blanc or Viognier? What will it be? How about
a good old traditional White Bordeaux from a reputable
house that won’t break the bank? September oftentimes
brings with it an Indian summer, so if you find yourself
in need of a cooling agent, may we suggest this new release.
Blended of Semillion, Sauvignon Blanc and Muscadelle —
from the entre-deux-mers — this wine has a noble
character and lets you discover its multi-layers of fresh,
fruity, flowery aromas and aromatics. An inviting light
gold color lets you in on the palate of tropical scents
and flavors, citrus and licorice. Pair it with broiled
halibut with rice in a vanilla reduction.
Rating: 14.5/20 To
purchase, visit www.bpdr.com |
| Atlas Peak 2000 Consenso Cabernet Sauvignon More
and more large wineries are bottling limited production
wines, and the folks at Atlas Peak are not immune to that
trend. Take, for example, this offering from Darren Proscal.
In a base of Cabernet Sauvignon, he blends Merlot, Syrah
and Sangiovese from estate-grown grapes handpicked on
the hills directly west of the winery. Ageing lasts twenty
months in a combination of new and two year old French
oak. The result? You get a full-bodied wine with a long
multi- flavored finish. We’re talking anything from
berries to tobacco via spices. Black fruit and vanilla
characteristics would lead you to pair it with a good
steak or wild game.
Rating: 14/20 To
purchase, visit atlaspeak.com |
| D.R. Stephens 2002 Chardonnay The
long 2002 growing season in the Los Carneros appellation
produced this medium-bodied, well-balanced Chardonnay,
of which only 975 cases were made. The light golden wine
has hints of jasmine and marshmallow on the nose and provides
plenty of ripe pineapple flavors, mixed with a touch of
pie spices and a light mineral tang. Hand-harvested and
aged in 100% new French oak barrels, this offering is
the diametric opposite of heavy, buttery Chardonnays and
has a zippy, clean citrus finish. Crack a chilled Dungeoness
crab or roast some teriyaki quail and enjoy.
Rating: 14.5/20 To
purchase, visit www.drstephenswines.com |
| Piper-Heidsieck Cuvée Sublime Slip
this vibrant new offering out of its sexy purple sleeve,
and you may notice something sublime. Piper-Heidsieck
is showing its sweet side with this Demi-Sec cuvée,
but don’t be fooled by the “semi-dry”
moniker: this is a sweet sparkler. Demi-Secs by definition
contain more residual sugar, and this selection is no
exception. Winemaker Régis Camus chose Piper Heidsieck's
characteristic cuvée as a base and has accentuated
softer aromas of flowers, dried fruits, vanilla and cinnamon.
The result is a Champagne with deeper, stronger undertones.
A combination of freshness and fullness on the palate
reveals hints of caramelized pineapple, with vanilla and
cinnamon spices displaying a warm finish. Pair it with
your Labor Day Key lime pie or fruit salad to bid summer
a sweet adieu.Rating:
13/20
Are you a Champagne lover? Check out our 72-hour
Trip to Reims! |
| 2000 Clos Du Val Reserve Cabernet Sauvignon Once
upon a time, we had a Zinfandel. In fact, it was about
three years ago, and the wine was a 1972 Clos Du Val.
The point of the story is that it was one of the best
Zins we’ve ever had. The funny thing about the story
is that, not only did a Frenchman make the wine, but also
that it was the Frenchman’s first wine in California.
Bernard Portet has produced great wines over the years
and has established a reputation for indisputable quality.
This reserve cuvee won’t disappoint, even at its
‘tres’ expensive level. These heavy glass
bottles set the pace for what’s coming. You can
expect a thick, deep, dark red beverage that will soften
up over the years. It is definitely well-crafted and pleasant
in the mouth, with ripe tannins and good balance. The
long maturation in barrels gave the wine a noble style
with flavors of rich fruits, hazelnut cream and vanilla
on the long finish. Please, hold it in the cellar and
pair it with a lightly cooked duck breast.Rating:
17/20 To purchase, visit www.closduval.com |
| 2000 Atlas Peak Sangiovese There
are more and more Sangioveses coming out of California,
and the varietal is now developing a following. Oftentimes,
the primary grape is blended with Cabernet Sauvignon or
another grape; in this case we have 14% Merlot, 4% Syrah
and 2% Petit Verdot. Piero Antinori is credited for bringing
in the vines, which thrive on the east side mountains
of the Napa Valley. True to its Italian roots, the fruit
delivers a beverage with spicy character. Smooth tannins,
a good balance, ripe fruits and coffee flavors match up
to give you a pleasant wine for your summer barbecued
foods.Rating:
13/20 To purchase, visit atlaspeak.com |
| Sparkling Okunomatsu Junmai Daiginjo “FN” French
Formula One winners receive a baptism of Champagne Mumm;
Japanese drivers celebrate with sparkling Okunomatsu Junmai
Daiginjo “Formula Nippon” sake. Let’s
hope they save some of this lively brew to drink, too.
Sparkling sakes are a relatively new innovation in Japan,
and Okunomatsu, produced in the Yamaguchi Prefecture on
the western end of the island of Honshu, turns out a polished
bottling that has notes of banana and candied sugar on
the nose, with honeydew melon on the finish. The secondary
fermentation in the bottle gives the wine a lemonade-like
appearance that might be confused with unfiltered sake.
Try this lightly chilled with a sea urchin custard or
simple abalone sauté. Or save this sparkler for
the finale, such as a tropical fruit sorbet.Rating:
14.5/20 Learn
more about sake at www.sake-world.com |
| 2002
Dutton Goldfield Pinot Noir—Dutton Ranch
The good people at Dutton Goldfield are playing the single-vineyard
designate game for their Pinot program, starting with
this release. Everything is handcrafted here, and this
time they have produced 1,400 cases. This is definitely
a big boy delivering a cornucopia of scents and flavors.
You get all of your red fruits. The wine is dark and robust
but well balanced. It’s an enjoyable beverage, but
we are still far from Dijon here. Consider it a great
wine overall for your summer foods.
Rating: 15/20 Other
Pinot Noirs |
| 2002
Chateau La Paws Petite Sirah
Here is a racy offering from the folks of Rosenblum Cellars.
Grapes come from a variety of premium vineyards in California,
and the pedigree here is premium as well. Considering
the price, this a refreshing offering. Honestly, when
were you last rubbed by a Petit Syrah? A strong dark tannic
wine which will benefit from ageing, it fills your mouth
fully, and delivers layers of flavors. Herb crusted meat
dishes would work well along with dry sheep cheeses.
Rating: 14/20 Other
Reds |
| 2002
Tablas Creek Esprit de Beaucastel Blanc
Here comes the top white offering from the Franco-American
joint venture of the Haas and Perrin families. They have
scoped out a limestone plot on the Central Coast, imported
their very own plant material from France and designated
themselves as part of a special growers
association. This is a thoroughbred of a wine with
distinct character and it's quite unique for California.
Slightly chilled, the crisp and bright wine will give
you scents of white flowers, pears and peaches. Good balance
and a medium body allied with flavors of honey, apricots
and peach delivers a pleasant moment in the mouth that
lingers. Mediterranean food lovers will love it with any
of their summer meals.
Rating: 15.5/20 |
| 2001
Craneford Riesling
John Zilm produces a bunch of one-off cuvees down under.
Most of the interestingly creative stuff does not make
it to the US market, like his sparkling Shiraz, an assemblage
of Shiraz, Petit Verdot and old port Liqueur. Here is
a crisp, ultra-refreshing, steely Riesling that can be
had at a reasonable price. A positively bright, pale straw-colored
beverage greets you with scents of citrus, petals and
greenish things. In the mouth you get a medium bodied,
low alcohol and somewhat tart Granny Smith apple taste.
Perfect for a summer lunch with crab salad and avocado.
Rating: 13.5/20 |
| Silver
Spur Wines 2002 Chardonnay
Rating: 13.5/20 |
| Mumm
Napa Cuvée M
Rating: 13/20 |
| Geyser
Peak 1999 Cabernet Sauvignon Block Collection |
| Brassfield
2003 Clear Lake Pinot Grigio Rating:
13/20 |
| Rancho
Arroyo Grande 2002 Thereza Cuvée
Here you go: 460 cases of a new offering from the Central
Coast. This is an estate program from the Saucelito Canyon,
which aspires to deliver the best Southern Rhône
offering in California. The Thereza Cuvée, albeit
still very young, will be a pleasant wine. Give it a couple
of years in the bottle and you’ll have something
quite nice. The aromas showcase an earthy terroir, with
berries and spice. A well-balanced medium body leads you
to a long finish. Match it up with a peppered steak followed
with Camembert. Rating:
13/20 More Rhône Varietals |
| Burrell
School 2001 Cabernet Franc Rating:
14/20
Other
Cabernet Francs we've tasted |
| 2001
Marilyn Remark Grenache Rating:
15/20 |
| 2001
Sadler-Wells Pinot Noir
Sadler-Wells Winery, a project of industry veterans Cindy
Kenton and Jean Spear, has specialized in quality, handcrafted
Sonoma Coast wines since 1998. Their newest release, the
2001 Pinot Noir, was aged for 18 months in French oak,
and 500 cases were released in November of 2003. Rose
petals and herbs in the nose are complemented by the red
berries and spices, which characterize this medium-bodied
wine. Try with simple roasted or grilled poultry and meat.
Too many spices would overpower the wine. We enjoyed this
wine but would keep it for another five years. Rating:
14/20 |
| Saucelito
Canyon 2001 Zinfandel Reserve
The Greenoughs have resurrected what were the oldest plantings
of Zinfandel on the Central Coast. In Arroyo Grande, you
get those warm summer days and some cool nights due to
the proximity of the Pacific. You are talking of a labor
of love here with only a total of 2000 cases (mostly Zinfandels
and some Cabernet Sauvignon) produced each year in a dry-farmed
environment. The result is a good fruit concentration
for this dark, slightly brown wine with a silky feel.
Zinfandel aficionados should not pass this offering up,
with its layers of raspberry, dark chocolate, vanilla
and a bit of spice -- and a very long finish. Good acid
is here to balance the alcohol (16%), and be careful as
you may catch yourself drinking it plentifully. Enjoy
with venison and BBQ'd zucchini. Rating:
15/20 |
| EPONYMOUS
2000 Cabernet Sauvignon
Things do change over time. Having sold his eponymous
winery and not able to use his name for a while, Robert
Pepi got his new label going, and it's called: EPONYMOUS.
This ultra-premium level entry is a great concentrated
and extracted juice product. A deep red color sets the
pace for a wine that reveals itself a bit lighter in the
mouth than you'd expect, with a medium to full body and
long legs. Dark berries, chocolate, light spices and smokey
wood flavor characterize this new offering with a moderate
finish. We do like the wine quite a bit and it could be
a true winner in five years: Bravo Bob! Tri-tip anyone…?
Rating:
16/20 |
| 1999
Gruet Pinot Noir
Long before Laurent Gruet's family established their quality
Champagne house in 1952 in France, there had been a longstanding
tradition of winemaking in New Mexico dating back to the
17th century. In 1984, the family decided to expand the
operation in New Mexico, convinced that the terroir could
deliver. Over the year, we have appreciated their sparkling
wines and recognized their value. Today Gruet sparklers
are served everywhere from your house to the White House.
Later, the winery added a small production of still wines,
and with the 1999 vintage some Pinot Noir. Our bottle
delivered an interesting array of flavors reflecting the
terroir. A somewhat earthy character with dark red fruit
and scents of wood. Once again, the Gruets deliver a great
value. Go with light meats. Rating:
13/20 |
| 2002
Orogeny Pinot Noir |
| 2000
Chaddsford Merican |
| 1999
La Motte Musique |
| Estancia
2001 Cabernet Sauvignon |
| 2002
AntiqV2S Garys' Vineyard Syrah |
| Field
Stone 2000 Sangiovese |
| 1997
El Gran Vino Tinto |
| March 5, 2004 | Louis
Jadot 2002 Domaine de la Chapelle aux Loups—Saint
Veran |
| 2001
L'Aventure Estate Cuvée |
| 2001
Gargiulo Vineyards Aprile Super Oakville Blend |
| 2000
Darioush Signature Cabernet Sauvignon |
| Provenance
Vineyards 2001 Cabernet Sauvignon |
| DeLille
Cellars 2000 Chaleur Estate |
| Acorn
2000 Sangiovese
|
| Dutton
Goldfield 2001 Cherry Ridge Vineyard Syrah Russian
River Valley |
| Ravenswood
2001 Old Hill Zinfandel |
| Slaley
1999 Cabernet Sauvignon - Merlot |
(Updated: 1/26/11 JC)