October 2009: Bordeaux (France)

Bordeaux is the grand-daddy of wines and is home to many of the world’s great wines. The nuances of the wines coming from Left Bank appellations versus those of the Right Bank (of the Gironde River) merit their own Tasting Circle tastings; however, for this first one, Bordeaux was tasted as a group. Traditionally, Left Bank appellations have gravelly soils, are therefore better irrigated, the vines get more water and the resulting Cab-based blends are noted for their elegance, with some of the world’s finest wines (Mouton-Rothschild, Lafitte-Rothschild, Chateau Margaux, Chateau Latour, and more) coming from the Left Bank.  Right bank appellations have soils with more limestone & marl (kind of a limey-mudstone) creating wines with beautiful nuances of minerality, yet these Merlot-based blends are still smooth, elegant, delicious, with equally impressive producers: Cheval Blanc, Chateau Pavis, Chateau Angelus, to name a few.  All wines from Bordeaux are intended for consumption with food and the correct pairing will make the wine, but many of these wines are delicious fireside sippers to be enjoyed for the beauty of the wines themselves. With the holidays around the corner, we hope that our panel gives you some good suggestions:

Fernando Martinez, Chef, Purple Café & Wine Bar

EXCELLENT (90-94 points)
Chateau Larose-Trintaudon 2004 Haut Medoc Cru Bourgeois (92 points)
Region: Left Bank, Bordeaux; Retail: $25
Notes:  Nose is classic Bordeaux – eucalyptic & mineral. Subtle tobacco on back palate, rich smoky berry. Starts off very fresh in the mouth, but finishes very complex with cherry spices. (Gina)
Notes: Dark blueberry color. Some fresh grass and cloves on the nose, eucalyptus as well. Palate: some blue cheese, mint. I like the finish, elegant and very long. (Fernanado)

Chateau de Candale 2005 Saint Emilion Grand Cru (91 points)
Region: Right Bank, Bordeaux; Retail: $55
Notes: Ruby color with wonderful aromas of blackberries and black currants with some sage notes. Well-balanced, concentrated. Great acidity and tannic frame. Gorgeous dark fruit flavors with cigar and tobacco notes – delicious! (Jens)
Notes:  A nose of mint & blackberries. Dark, brooding fruit (a nice savory quality to the flavor) with a velvety texture that’s lifted by nice acidity and tannin. The mint peaks back through the finish. (Theresa)

Chateau Greysac 2003 Medoc (91 points)
Region: Left Bank, Bordeaux; Retail: $25
Notes:  Ruby, brownish color. Main bouquet of black currents and cassis. Wonderful flavors of dark fruit and cassis with some hints of leather. Great acidity and balance. Fine, smooth tannins. (Jens)
Notes:  Nose has a wet frost aroma – love it! Color is black with dark red edges. When I taste, it has a wonderful rose scented flavors of pine and tobacco with red fruits. (Gina)

Larose de Giruaud 2005 Saint Julien (91 points)
Region: Left Bank, Bordeaux; Retail: $33
Notes: Nose: Lovely little stink! Baby diapers, gamey, roasted elk meat, dried marjoram & bayleaves, cherry cola. Palate: Dusty cab franc flavors in forefront, rustic, baked plums, taut & focused tannins, winter herbs, nice warming, savory finish of cherry candy in midpalate. Long bitter, yet pleasant blood orange finish. (Ken)
Notes: Dark garnet, brick color. Aromas of fresh herbs, cherries & roasted peppers. Authentic cabernet flavors. Medium body. Balanced zesty acidity and tannins. Age-worthy. (Matt)

Chateau du Glana 2004 Saint-Julien Cru Bourgeois (90 points)
Region: Left Bank, Bordeaux; Retail: $42
Notes:  Nose: boysenberry, huckleberry, tar, creosote aromas alongside lilac. Palate: nice medium weight, silky, blackberry bramble, baking spices, currants. (Ken)
Notes:  Black olive color, bright!! Nose: pencil aromas, dry twigs & coffee. Taste: anise, almonds, steak flavor. Some how not that refined, but I love the wild side of this wine. (Fernando)

VERY GOOD (85-89 points)
Chateau de Bel-Air 2006 Lalande de Pomerol (89 points)
Region: Right Bank, Bordeaux; Retail: $30
Notes: Ruby, garnet color. Gorgeous nose of blueberries and cassis. Elegant, well-balanced, great acidity & tannins. Wonderful flavors of blackberries, blueberries, cassis and black current with notes of pencil lead and tobacco. Great finish. (Jens)
Notes:  Dark plum color. Nose: anise and some leather tones, anise seeds. Palate: red meat & black tea. Good acidity & balance. (Fernando)

Chateau Mayne-Vieil 2005 Fronsac (89 points)
Region: Right Bank, Bordeaux; Retail: $18.50
Notes:  They should bottle this as perfume! Best nose yet. [#6 in the blind lineup] Definitely get the pine and stone quality. A little cedar as well. Just enticing! A little high in alcohol. Chewy tannins – the fruit doesn’t happen until the middle – very earthy and WOW. Did I mention chewy? (Gina)
Notes: Pretty nose of fresh violets, a touch of cedar, and blackberries – nice texture – the flavor is a little overpowered by the alcohol. Out of balance right now. (Theresa)

Chateau La Croix  Chantecaille 2004 Saint Emilion Grand Cru (88 points)
Region: Right Bank, Bordeaux; Retail: $28
Notes:  Dark garnet color.  Faint citrusy hints in aroma which also includes earthy and fresh plum notes.  Nice old-school Merlot flavors but not unsubstantial finish and overall, balanced. (Matt)
Notes: Mint & blackberry nose – a little lighter weight – lacking fruit on the mid-palate but ending with good acidity. (Theresa)

Chateau Couronneau 2007 Bordeaux Superieur (87 points)
Region: Bordeaux; Retail: $19.75
Notes:  Fresh huckleberries with the leaves and vines. Nice herbaceousness. Bright red fruit on the palate. Mouth puckering acidity that makes you salivate. Just a slight bitterness on the finish. (Theresa)
Notes: bright cherry, sticks, dusty (beetroot) – like an old library, slight coffee grounds aroma, clean & pleasant, floral. Palate: violets, bitter orange pith, classic cassis, medium tannins but soft with dry, bitter finish. (Ken)

Matt Gubitosa, Winemaker, ANIMALE & Ken O'Hara, Sales Manager, A&B Imports

October Tasting Panel: Jens Strecker, Gina Gregory, Theresa Shlechta, Ken O’Hara, Matt Gubitosa, Fernando Martinez.

The following wines are in-stock or can be ordered at the following local wine shops:
Portalis Wine Shop + Wine Bar
email: info@portaliswines.com
phone: 206-783-2007

January 2009: Wine Spectator’s Top 100 (2008) – Reranked

Of the Top 100 wines that were listed in the December 2008 issue of Wine Spectator, 76 were red wines.  Of those red wines, we could find 7 currently available in the Seattle marketplace.  (This excludes a couple of high-end Bordeaux that are still available, but samples for tastings are not.)  We added in two more from previous years’ Top 100 (Terrazas & Allegrini) and just for the heck of it, the Tasting Circle Panel blind tasted these 9 wines to see how their opinions compared.  Here are the final standings:

EXCELLENT (90-94 points)

Domaine Serene 2005 “Evanstead” Reserve Pinot Noir
(TC 93 points/WS 93 points – #68/100)
Region:  Willamette Valley, Oregon; Varietals: Pinot Noir
Fresh field of strawberries & cherries on the nose. Lovely, lush mouthfeel. Bing cherries, subtle oak. Lots going on but in a refined package. Great acidity. Fantastic food wine. Lingering finish. (Theresa)  Nose: autumn spices, dried twigs, red currants, touch fennel plant, meaty. Palate: balanced, forest flavors, savory mushroom, pomegranate, nice lift. (Ken)

 

Terrazas 2003 Reserva Malbec  
(TC 92 points/WS 90 points – #85/100 in 2005)
Region:  Mendoza, Argentina; Varietals: Malbec
Forest of brambly berries, raspberry, loganberry, blackberries, total luxury, dense. Candied fruits, but not without earthen components. (Catherine) Aromas of dark fruit & plums followed by wonderful flavors of blackberries and plums. Elegant, well-balanced, great acidity & mouthfeel.  Smooth finish with fine tannins. (Jens)

 

Condado de Haza 2005 Ribera del Duero
(TC 91 points/WS 93 points – #71/100)
Region:  Ribera del Duero, Spain; Varietals: Tempranillo
Purple hue. Pomegranite with earthy, leathery tannins.  Wow – this wine has muscle, but not in the over gratuitous way. More like the nerd by day/superhero by night way. (Gina) Pretty red. Firm flavors. Roasted nuts. Pepper. Pleasant finish. Great on the palate.  Good. (Giuseppe)

 

Fattoria de Felsina 2006 Chianti Classico
(TC 91 points/WS 90 points – #51/100)
Region: Chianti, Tuscany, Italy; Varietals: Sangiovese
Excellent ruby color. Aromas of cherries with floral notes. Well-balanced with great acidity. Lots of cherry fruit with some spicy, herbal notes. Long, powerful finish with fine tannins. (Jens) Retail: $26

 

La Massa 2006 Toscana
(TC 91 points/WS 93 points – #31 of 100)
Region:  Tuscany, Italy; Varietals: Sangiovese, Merlot (SuperTuscan)
Intense ruby red. Rich and powerful, beautiful. A blockbuster. Elegant & well-balanced.  Although a bit of a hit from the alcohol. (Giuseppe) Retail: $31

 

Sierra Cantabria 2004 Rioja Crianza
(TC 91 points/WS 90 points – #71/100)
Region:  Rioja, Spain; Varietals: Tempranillo
Dark burgundy color. Blackberry, blueberry on the nose. Lovely sweetness to the fruit – just the right amount. Candied fruit. Perfect balance of fruit, tannin & acid. Long finish. (Theresa)  Nose: red & black licorice, good-n-plenty to be exact, crushed black currants, vanilla.  Palate: bing cherry, pomegranate molasses, cocoa, bitter, spicy. (Ken) Retail: $23

 

Allegrini 1997 Pallazzo della Torre Veronese
(TC 90 points/WS 92 points – #38/100 in 2001)
Region:  Veneto; Varietals: Corvina, Rondinella, Syrah, Sangiovese
Subdued aromas of cherries and dark cherries.  Powerful but very elegant. Pleasant with wonderful flavors of dark fruit and dark cherries. Excellent acidity.  Hints of spice & prunes. Elegant finish. (Jens) More bricky in color but still dark. Nose: most mature yet. Earthy, round. A little cheesy. Has an acidity similar to Parmiggiano.  Medium-dry. Still has some licorice-acidity. Balanced. (Ari)

 

VERY GOOD (85-89 points)

Chateau de Saint Cosme 2006 Gigondas
(TC 89 points/WS 92 points – #88/100)
Region:  Gigondas, Southern Rhône, France;  Varietals: Grenache, Syrah, Mourvedre
Black fruit, blueberry nose. Color is a rich magenta. Mellow-baked blackberries on the palate.  Subtle spices of clove & cinnamon. A little hot. (Gina)  Note:  This wine maybe didn’t fair as well as it should have due to not having enough time to air.  Several hours after the tasting was over, we tried it again and it had turned into a different wine:  smooth, subtle spices, beautiful. (Jens) Retail: $38.50

 

Two Hands 2007 Angel’s Share Shiraz
(TC 88 points/WS 92 points – #83/100)
Region:  Barossa Valley, Austalia; Varietals: Shiraz
On this one, the tasters either loved it:  Exotic Asian spices, star anise, punctuated blue & black fruit, wow, my favorite so far. Tar & licorice, powdered river rock, savory upswing of acid. (Catherine – 95 pts)  Or they hated it:  Really dark & thick. Aggressive nose, some solvent character, dried cherry.  Not balanced.  A little sweet.  Lacking in mid-palate.  Again with the aggressive licorice-acidity. (Ari – 80 pts)

 

Tasting Panel (Jan 20, 2008): Giuseppe Carraturo, Gina Gregory, Ari Manzin, Ken O’Hara, Catherine Reynolds, Theresa Slechta, Jens Strecker