The Wine Thread

[aldukes]

I'm on a late fall white wine kick lately so I'm pushing back the Clos de los Siete.
I'm really into Vouvray right now- Vouvray is always 100% Chenin Blanc.

Producer: Domaine de Vaufuget
Vintage: 2007
Region: Taurine ,Loire, France
Price: $11

Sight: Clear, bright straw color
Nose: Apple, pear, lime, charcoal, white flowers
Palate: Apple, citrus, lots of chalk, slight almond sweetness,touch of copper on the finish (in a good way)

Very simple wine with great fruit flavors and enough acid to cut through the Mexican food I had it with. Touch of sweetness, even a little salty too.

[SmokinApe]

I am about 1/2 way through a bottle of this Cab Sav, pretty decent stuff... From a local vineyard in NOVA, Tarara...

[CoventryCat86]

Originally Posted by aldukes

I'm on a late fall white wine kick lately so I'm pushing back the Clos de los Siete.
I'm really into Vouvray right now- Vouvray is always 100% Chenin Blanc.

Producer: Domaine de Vaufuget
Vintage: 2007
Region: Taurine ,Loire, France
Price: $11

Sight: Clear, bright straw color
Nose: Apple, pear, lime, charcoal, white flowers
Palate: Apple, citrus, lots of chalk, slight almond sweetness,touch of copper on the finish (in a good way)

Very simple wine with great fruit flavors and enough acid to cut through the Mexican food I had it with. Touch of sweetness, even a little salty too.

NICE!!

Not that I'm a huge wine expert but the subject certainly does interest me and I could talk about it for a long time but I'll try and keep this relatively short:

Vouvray is a very nice and little known fairly dry white. My ex-wife/fiance (don't ask, LMAO!) Kathleen, is the Tasting Room Manager at Hopkins Vineyard in western Connecticut. She know a lot about wine (from drinking A LOT of it, LOL!) and likes Vouvray (as you said, made from Chenin Blanc grapes) and she also likes Pinot Grigio. We both like drier wines.

Hopkins Vineyard is the largest of the 30 or so vineyards in Connecticut and by largest, I say by the number of acres of grapes they grow (~35 acres). Sharpe Hill in Pomfret, CT claims they are the "largest" based on total number of cases sold per year because they import quite a few of their grapes and juices. Almost all of Hopkins' wines are "estate grown" meaning they grow the grapes there in Warren, CT on their property.

Kathleen played a big part in designing a new European-style Rose (drier than what most people think of when you talk about Rose), it's called "Lady Rose" but you can't find it on their website because it's new this year. Since it was an experiment, they only made 130 cases and it sold out in ten weeks. They hope to make quite a bit more for next year so be sure to watch for it on their site. I'll post back here when it's available.

Cabernet Sauvignon grapes are damn near impossible to grow in Connecticut so a few of the vineyards here grow Cabernet Franc grapes which is sometimes called the "grandfather" of the Cabernet Sauvignon grape. Cab Francs tend to be drier than most Cabernet Sauvignons and are not quite as full bodied as your average Cabernet Sauvignon. Hopkins' Cab Franc is IMO the BEST one you'll find from CT vineyards. The 2005 was fantastic but it just sold out last weekend (I got one of the last cases!). And yes, it noticeably varies from year to year. The 2002 was a great one and the 2003 was "not good" when it first came out but as the year went on, it seemed to markedly improve in the bottle. 2004 was a bad growing year here in CT so what little Cab Franc grapes they grew all went into the Red Barn Red blend so there was no Cabernet Franc from Hopkins in 2004.

Hopkins also makes two very good sparkling wines, Gold Label and Silver Label and I love them both.

I'm also a huge Bordeaux fan along with Cabernet Sauvignon. Bordeauxs are blends with mostly Cabernet Sauvignon grapes, along with a little Merlot and sometimes a little Cabernet Franc thrown in along with Petit Verdot. I've never had a first growth label Bordeaux (since most are high three figures per bottle) but I've had a second growth one and it was wonderful (Chateau Lascombes Margaux 2003). Check out the "Bordeaux Wine Official Classification of 1855" to see what I'm talking about.

I'm still trying to figure out the difference between a "grape" (Cabernet Franc) and a "region" (ie "Bordeaux"). One of these days, I hope to "get it", LOL!

The world of wine is very similar to cigars, drink what you like and like what you drink. Fancy, expensive wines are nice but there are some great wines out there for $10.00 to $15.00 a bottle.

By the way, GREAT THREAD!

[CoventryCat86]

For any of you guys in the Sonoma/Napa region in California, you live in what many consider the best area in the WORLD for wine!

I'd love to make a trip out there some day! I'd also really enjoy a trip to France at some point in my life. I'd definitely make the Bordeaux region my #1 priority.

[aldukes]

Originally Posted by CoventryCat86

there are some great wines out there for $10.00 to $15.00 a bottle.

Now we're talking. I agree with the statement, but I think its a little more complex than that. There are some great values if you look for the right things.

Good Napa Chardonnay for under $15- not happening-instead try some Albarino or Vinho Verde or some Sav blanc from NZ (although this is becoming harder to find at this price point). Because of marketing budgets, taxes, inflation-good wine from CA at this price are very hard to find.

[aldukes]

So, I bought a bottle of '06 Clos de los Siete last night.

Sight: Medium Clear/medium purple/ stained tears
Nose: Black Cherry, sweet plum / chocolate, burnt caramel
Palate: Black Cherry, blueberry / chocolate, green forest (fern), lots of wood coming through

This wine is a powerhouse at 15% alcohol, lots of tannin. My mouth was purple and my tongue was beat up after 2 glasses. I don't think this wine is ready yet- after 45 min decanting, it was still extremely tight- a struggle to get aroma and tastes out of the wine. I would suggest buying 2 bottles, opening one in 6-8 months then again this time in '09.

[SmokinApe]

I was sippin' on the Pinot Noir last night and enjoyed it quite a bit... I was gifted this bottle last x-mas and just decided to open it... It's probably cheap swill...

[mosesbotbol]

Originally Posted by aldukes

So, I bought a bottle of '06 Clos de los Siete last night.

Sight: Medium Clear/medium purple/ stained tears
Nose: Black Cherry, sweet plum / chocolate, burnt caramel
Palate: Black Cherry, blueberry / chocolate, green forest (fern), lots of wood coming through

This wine is a powerhouse at 15% alcohol, lots of tannin.

Not a fan of this wine, too much alcohol and manipulation to make it taste like something. Certainly, for new world wines it is good, but not my style of wine. This wine should sit anothe 5+ years before drinking again. I remember the wood and alcohol...

It seems to be the way of new world wines, raise the alcohol in fermentation to mask the lack of concentration or whatever else they are masking...

[mosesbotbol]

Originally Posted by aldukes

Good Napa Chardonnay for under $15- not happening

Washington State is making some decent Chard's for around $15

The problem with some CA Chard's is they can be too oaky. It's fine balance to add depth, but not make it too toasty/buttery.

Chard's from France can be had around $15; don't laugh, but I have bought several Chablis at that price point... Last year, I found some Mersault's under $20 too! A local B&M was dumping William Fevre White Burgundy like it was a fire sale. Took advantage of that one!

[cbsmokin]

I enjoyed some 2002 Pepper Bridge Cabernet Sauvignon the other night. It's difficult to find under $50. Anyone had it before? If you have can you recommend something as an alternative?

[mosesbotbol]

Originally Posted by cbsmokin

I enjoyed some 2002 Pepper Bridge Cabernet Sauvignon the other night. It's difficult to find under $50. Anyone had it before? If you have can you recommend something as an alternative?

Have not had this wine, but Wine Spectator says, "Not a big wine, almost elegant in structure, with dark cherry, pepper and dusky herb flavors that persist on the chewy, smoky finish. Needs time to flesh out. Best after 2008. 3,059 cases made - 88 points" Washington St. wine.

That fits the bill of a ton of CA Cab's. I am not too up on CA wines, but try Ridge or Diamond Creek (a little expensive but worth it).

Something a little more affordable, Beringer's Knights Valley is tempting at under $30.00.

Originally Posted by cbsmokin

I enjoyed some 2002 Pepper Bridge Cabernet Sauvignon the other night. It's difficult to find under $50. Anyone had it before? If you have can you recommend something as an alternative?

Pepper Bridge is a little expensive IMHO for what it is, but has a very distinct Walla Walla flavor profile. You could try other wines from the same vineyards (pepperbridge and 7 hills). For that style I very much like Beresan which should be about $30-$35. The owner Tom Waliser is the vineyard manager for both of the above vineyards, and his estate vineyards are pretty excellent.

Others somewhat similar and a little less expensive than pepper Bridge are Basel Cab Pheasant Run Vineyard, Hightower Pepperbridge vineyard, Fidelitas Walla Walla cab and Dusted Valley Walla Walla cab. There are a ton more but those come to mind quickly.

~Vitis

[King James]

My neighbor really enjoys red wine. I think she will drink just about any wine, so she isn't very picky and will drink cheaper bottles... but I was wondering what a nice mid-range bottle would be to get for Christmas?