NV Francois Montand Brut Rosé

NV Francois Montand Brut Rosé

Delicious and elegant, mild floral aroma, pleasantly dense and just the right amount of bubbly.
This is our house champagne i.e the only one I've liked enough to drink consistently ... and yet I had never reviewed it before cos I'm usually too relaxed after the bottle is empty :) Well this time I'm drinking the last glass from a bottle opened 2 days ago and its holding up beautifully.

Tasting Tags: smooth value

2005 Step Rd Chardonnay

2005 Step Rd Chardonnay

Unmistakably chardonnay - viscous, smooth, lingering citrus & oak. Medium bodied and very easy to drink. All of this at a very appealing price point makes me happy.

Tasting Tags: citrus french-oak

2005 Croix De Beaucaillou

2005 Croix De Beaucaillou

Very drinkable despite the high alcohol levels. The initial nose was very aromatic and on the tongue it has the cherry + leather flavor profile that I seem to find in all the Bordeaux I've tried. IMO this would benefit from another 5 years in the cellar and allow the wine to show its more refined side.

Update: I've been drinking out of this bottle for the last 5 days and its held up pretty well. Its paired well with spicy chicken tikka, tex-mex and even on its own.

Tasting Tags: bordeaux food-friendly

2001 Marietta Cellars Angeli Cuvee Zinfandel, Petite Sirah, Carignane

2001 Marietta Cellars Angeli Cuvee Zinfandel, Petite Sirah, Carignane

"Intense" as what came to mind as soon as I opened the bottle. This smelled more like a port than a zin. Dark chocolate and blackberries on the nose. Flavors were consistent with the aroma - pronounced chocolate & dark fruit, slightly dry. medium-long finish and immensely drinkable.
I opened the bottle a little over 3 hours ago and am finding it difficult to let go. That's rare because my usual practice is to cork it back up and drink it over 3-4 days.

Tasting Tags: berries chocolate

2003 2003 Cline Ancient Vines Mourvedre

2003 2003 Cline Ancient Vines Mourvedre

This bottle has been sitting in a temperature controlled wine fridge and was opened a scant 5 minutes ago so it hasn't had a chance to really breathe yet.

While I couldn't pick up any aromas, it still packs a wallop as far as taste is concerned. A nice blend of spice (white pepper) and jammy fruit - can't place it but something that has a hint of liquorice.

The only downside is that the alcohol content is a little high for my taste - I remember reading that it was 14.5% and it really shows!

In the time it took me to type this, the wine has softened a little and I detect some eucalyptus on the after taste.

Tasting Tags: alcohol bold high intense pepper spice

1999 Beaulieu Vineyard BV Tapestry

1999 Beaulieu Vineyard BV Tapestry

Regal. Stone & leather, very smooth, medium bodied, dark fruit and immensely drinkable. This is the kind of wine that got me hooked on Napa cabs.

Tasting Tags: dark fruit leather smooth stone

2004 Montes Alpha Chardonnay

2004 Montes Alpha Chardonnay

Vanilla & mild honey, hint of citrus. Buttery & dense. High alcohol.

Tasting Tags: buttery full-bodied

2003 La Storia Meritage

2003 La Storia Meritage

Feb2007. Its been a while since I tasted this so don't have any aroma/flavor details. However I do remember that the La Storia Zinfandel blew me away and the Meritage was just a good, though a little more restrained.

Dec2009. Eucalyptus on the nose, dark cherry flavors. Subtle and elegant, this came into its own the day after the bottle was opened.

NV Bully Hill Vineyards Love My Goat

NV Bully Hill Vineyards Love My Goat

I have tasted this twice, once during a tour of the Finger Lakes wine country along with similarly sweet, fun wines and once at home with a lineup of slightly more serious wines. Not surprisingly it tasted well the first time but didn't fare so well in the second lineup. Overall this is a good summer wine, one to drink chilled while enjoying the sun on the porch. It is light bodied with mild flavors of dried cherries and more than a hint of sweetness.

Tasting Tags: summer sweet

2004 Astoria Pinot Nero

2004 Astoria Pinot Nero

I opened this on a Sunday and drank this over a week ... it evolved very nicely. Initially it was smooth, light to medium bodied with bright fruit & eucalyptus. Also very aromatic but I couldn't quite pinpoint the scents and had a very noticeable level of alcohol. However, by the end of the week, the alcohol and bright fruit had been replaced by dried cherries, wood and a long finish. Very much the style of wine for a winter evening.