Wines Recently Tasted
Below are some wines we've drunk at home and on a recent visit to Seattle.
The Zinfandels from Ridge Vineyards have been among our favorites for over four decades. These two are outstanding.
2016 Ridge Lytton Springs Red Wine, Dry Creek Valley ($43) - Composed of 69% Zinfandel, 23% Petite Syrah, 6% Carignan and 2% Mataro (Mourvèdre) this shows a ruby color and intoxicating aromas of blackberry, cherry, huckleberry, rosebuds, brambles and wood smoke. The flavors are supple, yet vigorous with layers of red fruits, licorice, cocoa, and riverbed minerals. The back picks up pressed berries, cherry liqueur and spiced American oak on the way to a lingering ripe tannin finish. 19/20 points.
2016 Ridge Geyserville Red Wine, Alexander Valley ($43) - A field blend of 73% Zinfandel, 17% Carignan 7% Petite Syrah and 3% Alicante Bouschet, this displays a ruby-crimson color and seductive aromas of raspberries, blueberries, currants, red roses, sweet tobacco and spiced incense. The flavors, as well, are appealing with lavish red and blue fruits that are accented by licorice, cola, coffee beans and earth. The back picks up macerated berries, roasted nuts, kirsch and toffee followed by a lengthy ripe, smooth tannin finish. 19/20 points.
2014 Col Solare Cabernet Sauvignon, Red Mountain ($80) - We had this at the Sorrento in Seattle. I ordered it because it was on the wine list for $90. Most restaurant wines are about double of retail, so the Sorrento must have gotten a super special deal from the winery. It was bold and powerful, typical of Red Mountain Cabernet, but elegantly styled, with layers of dark fruits, licorice, dark coffee and scorched earth, along with integrated oak and a long complex finish. 19.5/20 points. A full review to be in the January issue.
2014 Woodward Canyon "Artist Series" Cabernet Sauvignon, Washington State - We had this at the Sunset Club. It was drinking nicely. Rich aromas and supple yet well defined medium full bodied flavors. The fruit just kept on coming, with intermixtures of licorice, cocoa, and earth, followed by a lengthy moderate tannin finish. 19/20 points.
2015 Felsina Chianti Classico Riserva ($34.99 - Esquin) - From Castelnuovo Beradenga in the east of the Classico region, this is a lovely, approachable Riserva. It shows a ruby-garnet color, and enticing aromas of raspberry, cherry, red plum, rose petals, tobacco, anise and incense. The flavors are supple and mouth filling, with that distinct mountainside minerality that distinguishes a Classico. The slightly nutted sweet-dry tannin finish is satiny and elegant. 18.5+/20 points.
2013 Felsina "Rancia" Chianti Classico Riserva ($59.99 - Esquin) - This top line Riserva offers a deep ruby-garnet color and an intoxicating nose of cherries, dark plums, crushed rose petals, pipe tobacco, cedar, rosemary and smoldering incense. The old vine flavors are intense and deep cored, marked by licorice, bittersweet chocolate, espresso and stony minerals. The penetration continues on the back with sensations of macerated fruits, roasted chestnuts, graphite and oak, all leading seamlessly into a lingering, satiny finish. 19+/20 points.
2014 Nozzole Chianti Classico Riserva - We had this at Assaggio, priced at $75. It came on as being in between the traditional and modern styles of Chianti Classico. Garnet colored, it possessed aromas of raspberry, cherry and plum with well structured classic flavors, marked by licorice, espresso and hillside minerals. The back picked up macerated fruits, roasted chestnuts and a long dryish finish. It paired beautifully with our risotto with wild mushrooms and beef tidbits. 19/20 points.
N/V Anne-Sophie Dubois "Ici et là" Vin de France ($28 - The Thief, Walla Walla) - "Ici et là" means "Here and there." This is interesting in that it is composed of 80% Gamaret (a crossing of Gamay and Reichensteiner, mostly grown in Switzerland) and 20% Gamay. It shows a ruby-crimson color and attractive aromas of raspberries, cherries, red currants. red roses, sweet pea flowers and white incense. The medium bodied flavors are bright and vivid, with notes of red licorice, cherry cola and granitic minerals. The back picks up framboise and creme de cassis liqueurs, followed by a pleasingly juicy moderate alcohol (12%) and tannin finish. 18.5/20 points.
2016 Fréderic et Daniel Brunier "Mégaphone" Ventoux ($24 - The Thief) - Ventoux (formerly Cotes du Ventoux - "Windy Slopes") is situated in the southwest Rhone Valley. This 80% Grenache, 20% Syrah combination shows a ruby color and aromas of raspberries, currants, mulberry, tobacco and pepper. The flavors are medium bodied yet robust, with notes of licorice, cola and wind blown scorched earth. On the back, the wine turns chewy textured, with roasted berries and nuts and charcoal, followed by a ripe, again peppery, moderate tannin finish. 18/20 points.
2016 Chateau de Saint Cosme Gigondas ($39.99 - Esquin) - This is an addition to our collection of Gigondas wines (see the posting of 24 October for previous ones). This one displays a deep ruby color and a rich, smoky nose of blackberries, currants, red plums, tobacco, garrigue, smoked meats and spiced incense. The flavors are lavish yet thick and deep cored, with black and red fruits that are infused with licorice, cocoa and granitic minerals. The back reveals sensations of pressed fruits, roasted nuts, kidskin, creme de cassis and charcoal, followed by a long spice ripe tannin finish that is lifted by bright fruit acids. 19/20 points.
A Wine Grammar Lesson
In reading wine writing by others, I run across words that have been misused. Here are a few examples.
Variety and varietal. These two words have been used as being interchangeable. That is incorrect. Variety is a noun as in "Merlot is a grape variety." Varietal is an adjective as in "This wine has good varietal character." Varietal modifies the word character. The addition of ly makes the word varietally an adverb, as in "This wine is varietally correct." Recently, I saw in a winery brochure this sentence: "Don't be fooled by the Hollywood movies and perception that merlot is not as superior as other varietals." It should be varieties, not varietals.
Pallet, palate and palette. These are homonyms, words that are similar in pronunciation, but have different meanings. But I have seen the incorrect word used in describing a wine, as in "This wine has a tasty pallet." A pallet is what one stacks cases of wine on, not a palate. A palate is in the mouth, where one tastes wine. A a palette is a plate on which an artist mixes paints. Palette can also be used to indicate variety of flavors, as in "This wine has a wonderful palette of delicious flavors."
Here is a sentence that illustrates the correct usage of these words: "The winemaker fork lifted a pallet of his wine which had a tasty palate and a palette of complex flavors."
End of wine grammar lesson of the day.
Happy Thanksgiving
Be sure to have plenty of American wine, especially Washington ones for this American traditional dinner. See last week's Review Blog below for my selections for Thanksgiving.