Stalkers & Gawkers
My my, what an uproar was created by last week's picture post detailing a night of debauchery by various wine geeks and Molinari's staff members.
First, T-Bud lays into me and tells me it's uncool to post pictures of her being herself...
"Hey dude, What happened to 'What happens at the Avenue stays at the Avenue.'...?"
...because her hubs might see the pics (which I think he already saw).
Then LoLo tells me she wants her ass shot off the blog as well. And not only that, but I was scolded for not accrediting her ass shot to her and just leaving it anonymous.
So what started as one of the better posts I've ever written is now becoming one of the lamest, most mundane posts I've ever done. All offending pictures will soon be, or have already been removed, but maybe I'll throw down a wee small link just for the perv old men...
Behave yourselves, children. I be only the messenger and observer. And you can't kill the messenger simply because your debauch becomes my bloggernet entertainment.
So this week's post will stick to the tradtional, straight-ahead wine critic-style which has made us already famous in the 'burbs of greater Cleveburg.
Fritz Windisch Sekt
2003 Bodenheimer St.Alban
A Corky classic, this had lost most of its fizz by the time I got to try it. The caliber of the fruit was acceptable, while by no means being exceptional. The minerality was uncharacteristically strong for Rheinhessen Riesling and there was some sweetness which made the trocken label somewhat misleading. I'd buy it as long as it cost about $12 or less.
Fritz Windisch Dronfelder
2004 Heimersheimer Rotenfels
I'll be honest and admit that I have no experience critiquing Dornfelder or any other German red wines. That being said, this could be the best example ever of Dornfelder or the stinking worst example ever and I wouldn't know the difference. If you're one of those wine folks who asks for a sweet red, or you like to mix Pepsi with your wines (a la the Romanians) then this is the wine for you.
Matanzas Creek 2001 Sonoma County Syrah
Matanzas Creek is somehwat famous for rich, supple Merlot and decent Chardonnay, but this is the first Syrah I'd ever had from them. Big upfront fruit with plenty of alcohol and a midpalate mouthfeel that leaves you wanting some substance.
Stick to Merlot, Mr.Matanzas.
Cusumano 2004 Syrah Sicilia
Coming directly on the heels of the Matanzas was the Cusumano Syrah. At $11, this wine had better texture and mouthfeel with a very unique kind of clove and spice fruit profile. While that particular flavour profile might be a bit odd to a seasoned Syrah drinker, this bottle presented an awesome value and is far more worthy of your buck that out first Syrah of the day.
Rosenblum 2003 Sonoma County Syrah
Hillside Vineyards
Since we were in the mode of Syrah, we tasted this third in the line and it was mighty big. I guess you could call it Syrah made in a Zinfandel style. Huge extraction and powerful flavours are typical of Rosenblum wines and this had much more character than our other Sonoma Syrah. Quite a bit over the top, but very pleasing if you're a jammy Cali Syrah fan.
2001 House of Morande Cabernet Sauvignon
Maipo Valley, Chile
Yup, I sell the Morande products, so this review is biased. This is my favourite wine in the Morande portfolio beacuse it's as close as you can come to European flavour from a non-European wine. Excellent fruit profile with mild alcohol that is barely evident. That being said, I did think the wine was a little soft on the midpalate and I'd like to have a little more texture. I hope the wine is just in a dumb stage because right now it's underwhelming for a $40 bottle.
Sterling Vineyards 2002 Cabernet Sauvignon
Napa Valley Reserve
Dark fruits abound up front with a distinct liquorice flavour. The texture, as expected, becomes thin midway through and the fininsh was short and choppy. I didn't ask how much, but I'm sure this bottle is over $50 and certainly doesn't deliver at this point.
Elyse 2001 Napa Valley Syrah
So after our first round of Syrah, T-Bud jumped in with the Elyse wines. This Syrah had much more fruit pedigree than the Sonoma products and was truly elegant and restrained. Rich fruit flavours and some pepper made this wine tasty without being fully thick and extracted.
I don't drink tons of Cali wine, but I'm starting to understand why Napa folks just call Sonoma
'the other valley'...
Elyse 2003 Napa Valley Zinfandel
Morisoli Vineyard
Trying these Elyse wines, I was reminded of the wines of both George Hendry and Smith-Madrone. These are wineries that produce luxury California wines that actually have some substance without becoming monolithic monstorisities or excercises in masturbatory winemaking. This Zinfandel specifically reminded me of one of the Hendry Zins we tasted months ago. Full of structure, finesse, and length, this wine doesn't really blow you away, but leaves the drinker feeling satisfied and balanced in a Zin/Zen way.
Elyse 2001 Napa/Sonoma Marsanne
Now when they pulled out this wine, they cautioned that it wasn't cold enough and wasn't drinking well. I beg to differ. This wine was served at just the right temperature and there were no off flavours or damage to the wine.
The basic problem with this wine is that it is truly an amalgamation that should not be. Like I told T-Bud, this is great fruit put to waste. The intensity and vibrance of the fruit made me understand that the vines were well-tended and harvested at super-ripeness. It was the winemakers' clumsy treatment that made me scowl.
This Marsanne had a sweet and viscous nose, which I detest in Rhone-style whites. That trend continued with an oily, fat mouthfeel with only the slightest bit of acid to be found. Pile on the French oak treatment to further enrich an already overly-weighty mouthfeel and you have the makings of a wine that should not be.
Now I understand that when it comes to ratings and self-indulgent wine snobs, bigger always means better, so it would come as no surprise to me if The Wine Spectator gave this Marsanne about 94 points. But from a drinker's point of view, this is an almost unbearably contrived style.
What I wouldn't give to find a luxury California winery that made a Rhone-style white which had all the vibrance, liveliness, and freshness that white Rhone grapes can offer, while retaining that austerity, purity, and perfumed bone-dryness combined with intense fruit character which makes these wines some of the finest food-matching whites money can buy.
Elyse 2002 Napa Valley Cabernet Sauvignon
Tietjen Vineyard
Cool. We get to try both a Sterling and an Elyse 2002 Napa Cab in quick succession. So in this apples-to-apples comparison, I found the Elyse to far outperform the Sterling. Weighty mouthfeel, vibrant and intense fruit, fresh snappy acids and a gracefully tannic finish that should come around in a few years made this Elyse Cab a real ass-kicker.
Wait 'til this one gets a big Parker rating then you can hang it on your wall like a Renoir...
When you drink wine like this, you gotta wonder why the McWinesnobs bother with that Silver Oak and Caymus bullshit...?
Elyse 2001 D'Aventure
And to finish off the Elyse wines, Chefguy RJ popped a bottle of L'Aventure - a Grenache blend trying to show some Rhone-ish-ness. Priced far more reasonably than the other Elyse signature reds, this wine had plenty of texture (perhaps having the most mouthfeel of ANY Elyse wine) and was quite pleasant. For the plebian wine drinker, this would be a great chance to try an affordable wine from a winery whose prices might exclude the everyday drinker.
Still far too intense and alcoholic to mimic the Rhone Valley, this L'Aventure may be the most user-friendly of all the Elyse products.
Everybody's Goin' to the Scotch Hop
In addition to the usual wine snobbishness, LoLo and Sledge had organized a Scotch tasting with a Scot Scotch Master. I didn't get his name, but I bet you can tell which guy in the picture is the Scot Scotch Master. My only hope here is that afterward they didn't take him to the Avenue for a repeat of last week's performance...
And just for kicks, here's a guide to matching fast food and wine. Yum!
First, T-Bud lays into me and tells me it's uncool to post pictures of her being herself...
"Hey dude, What happened to 'What happens at the Avenue stays at the Avenue.'...?"
...because her hubs might see the pics (which I think he already saw).
Then LoLo tells me she wants her ass shot off the blog as well. And not only that, but I was scolded for not accrediting her ass shot to her and just leaving it anonymous.
So what started as one of the better posts I've ever written is now becoming one of the lamest, most mundane posts I've ever done. All offending pictures will soon be, or have already been removed, but maybe I'll throw down a wee small link just for the perv old men...
Behave yourselves, children. I be only the messenger and observer. And you can't kill the messenger simply because your debauch becomes my bloggernet entertainment.
So this week's post will stick to the tradtional, straight-ahead wine critic-style which has made us already famous in the 'burbs of greater Cleveburg.
Fritz Windisch Sekt
2003 Bodenheimer St.Alban
A Corky classic, this had lost most of its fizz by the time I got to try it. The caliber of the fruit was acceptable, while by no means being exceptional. The minerality was uncharacteristically strong for Rheinhessen Riesling and there was some sweetness which made the trocken label somewhat misleading. I'd buy it as long as it cost about $12 or less.
Fritz Windisch Dronfelder
2004 Heimersheimer Rotenfels
I'll be honest and admit that I have no experience critiquing Dornfelder or any other German red wines. That being said, this could be the best example ever of Dornfelder or the stinking worst example ever and I wouldn't know the difference. If you're one of those wine folks who asks for a sweet red, or you like to mix Pepsi with your wines (a la the Romanians) then this is the wine for you.
Matanzas Creek 2001 Sonoma County Syrah
Matanzas Creek is somehwat famous for rich, supple Merlot and decent Chardonnay, but this is the first Syrah I'd ever had from them. Big upfront fruit with plenty of alcohol and a midpalate mouthfeel that leaves you wanting some substance.
Stick to Merlot, Mr.Matanzas.
Cusumano 2004 Syrah Sicilia
Coming directly on the heels of the Matanzas was the Cusumano Syrah. At $11, this wine had better texture and mouthfeel with a very unique kind of clove and spice fruit profile. While that particular flavour profile might be a bit odd to a seasoned Syrah drinker, this bottle presented an awesome value and is far more worthy of your buck that out first Syrah of the day.
Rosenblum 2003 Sonoma County Syrah
Hillside Vineyards
Since we were in the mode of Syrah, we tasted this third in the line and it was mighty big. I guess you could call it Syrah made in a Zinfandel style. Huge extraction and powerful flavours are typical of Rosenblum wines and this had much more character than our other Sonoma Syrah. Quite a bit over the top, but very pleasing if you're a jammy Cali Syrah fan.
2001 House of Morande Cabernet Sauvignon
Maipo Valley, Chile
Yup, I sell the Morande products, so this review is biased. This is my favourite wine in the Morande portfolio beacuse it's as close as you can come to European flavour from a non-European wine. Excellent fruit profile with mild alcohol that is barely evident. That being said, I did think the wine was a little soft on the midpalate and I'd like to have a little more texture. I hope the wine is just in a dumb stage because right now it's underwhelming for a $40 bottle.
Sterling Vineyards 2002 Cabernet Sauvignon
Napa Valley Reserve
Dark fruits abound up front with a distinct liquorice flavour. The texture, as expected, becomes thin midway through and the fininsh was short and choppy. I didn't ask how much, but I'm sure this bottle is over $50 and certainly doesn't deliver at this point.
Elyse 2001 Napa Valley Syrah
So after our first round of Syrah, T-Bud jumped in with the Elyse wines. This Syrah had much more fruit pedigree than the Sonoma products and was truly elegant and restrained. Rich fruit flavours and some pepper made this wine tasty without being fully thick and extracted.
I don't drink tons of Cali wine, but I'm starting to understand why Napa folks just call Sonoma
'the other valley'...
Elyse 2003 Napa Valley Zinfandel
Morisoli Vineyard
Trying these Elyse wines, I was reminded of the wines of both George Hendry and Smith-Madrone. These are wineries that produce luxury California wines that actually have some substance without becoming monolithic monstorisities or excercises in masturbatory winemaking. This Zinfandel specifically reminded me of one of the Hendry Zins we tasted months ago. Full of structure, finesse, and length, this wine doesn't really blow you away, but leaves the drinker feeling satisfied and balanced in a Zin/Zen way.
Elyse 2001 Napa/Sonoma Marsanne
Now when they pulled out this wine, they cautioned that it wasn't cold enough and wasn't drinking well. I beg to differ. This wine was served at just the right temperature and there were no off flavours or damage to the wine.
The basic problem with this wine is that it is truly an amalgamation that should not be. Like I told T-Bud, this is great fruit put to waste. The intensity and vibrance of the fruit made me understand that the vines were well-tended and harvested at super-ripeness. It was the winemakers' clumsy treatment that made me scowl.
This Marsanne had a sweet and viscous nose, which I detest in Rhone-style whites. That trend continued with an oily, fat mouthfeel with only the slightest bit of acid to be found. Pile on the French oak treatment to further enrich an already overly-weighty mouthfeel and you have the makings of a wine that should not be.
Now I understand that when it comes to ratings and self-indulgent wine snobs, bigger always means better, so it would come as no surprise to me if The Wine Spectator gave this Marsanne about 94 points. But from a drinker's point of view, this is an almost unbearably contrived style.
What I wouldn't give to find a luxury California winery that made a Rhone-style white which had all the vibrance, liveliness, and freshness that white Rhone grapes can offer, while retaining that austerity, purity, and perfumed bone-dryness combined with intense fruit character which makes these wines some of the finest food-matching whites money can buy.
Elyse 2002 Napa Valley Cabernet Sauvignon
Tietjen Vineyard
Cool. We get to try both a Sterling and an Elyse 2002 Napa Cab in quick succession. So in this apples-to-apples comparison, I found the Elyse to far outperform the Sterling. Weighty mouthfeel, vibrant and intense fruit, fresh snappy acids and a gracefully tannic finish that should come around in a few years made this Elyse Cab a real ass-kicker.
Wait 'til this one gets a big Parker rating then you can hang it on your wall like a Renoir...
When you drink wine like this, you gotta wonder why the McWinesnobs bother with that Silver Oak and Caymus bullshit...?
Elyse 2001 D'Aventure
And to finish off the Elyse wines, Chefguy RJ popped a bottle of L'Aventure - a Grenache blend trying to show some Rhone-ish-ness. Priced far more reasonably than the other Elyse signature reds, this wine had plenty of texture (perhaps having the most mouthfeel of ANY Elyse wine) and was quite pleasant. For the plebian wine drinker, this would be a great chance to try an affordable wine from a winery whose prices might exclude the everyday drinker.
Still far too intense and alcoholic to mimic the Rhone Valley, this L'Aventure may be the most user-friendly of all the Elyse products.
Everybody's Goin' to the Scotch Hop
In addition to the usual wine snobbishness, LoLo and Sledge had organized a Scotch tasting with a Scot Scotch Master. I didn't get his name, but I bet you can tell which guy in the picture is the Scot Scotch Master. My only hope here is that afterward they didn't take him to the Avenue for a repeat of last week's performance...
And just for kicks, here's a guide to matching fast food and wine. Yum!
posted by BWIII @ 9:38 AM
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