Oyster Bay Sauvignon Blanc - 2014

Oyster Bay Sauvignon Blanc - 2014

Marlborough, New Zealand

Nose: Lemon, Lime, Grapefruit, Lemon Pith, Lemon-Lime Soda

Palate: Lemon-Lime Soda, Jalapeno, Lemon, Lime, Grapefruit Pith

Fermentation: Stainless Steel, short lees contact

The holiday season is a perfect time to try wines that friends and family bring to dinner parties. Often these wines are purchased at grocery stores or corner markets on their way to the gatherings. Such was the case with the 2014 Oyster Bay Sauvignon Blanc that I tasted last week.

Initially the nose on this wine was very expressive of fresh citrus fruit and pith. Then as the wine started to reach room temperature it showed more of a lemon-lime soda expression, which was also very noticeable on my palate. I had to really search for other aromas at this point, because once I was hit with the "Sprite soda" notes, it was difficult for me see beyond this characteristic. There were notes of grapefruit and lemon pith on the nose, but it did lack the standard "grassy" notes that most people describe smelling in New Zealand Sauvignon Blancs.

On the palate the "Sprite soda" tones were very pronounced as the wine started to approach room temperature. I should mention that many people will not drink white wines at room temperature and therefore may not notice some of the same qualities mentioned here. However when evaluating wines for their full expressions, its best to allow all the wines to reach room temperature, but I digress.... I was pleasantly surprised to find a nice jalapeno note on the palate of this wine, something that I always enjoy in sauvignon blancs when matched with their citrus components. The grapefruit pith characteristics were also nice.

I was a bit perplexed by the mouth-feel of the wine, as it had much more weight than I had expected. It was more medium-bodied than I typically find with New Zealand Sauvignon Blancs. I went the Oyster Bay's website to see if I could find more details about the wine production methods, and only came up with a couple of possibilities: 1) The 2014 vintage was warmer and drier than their average years, which could have allowed their grapes to become more ripe than normal. 2) The vinification notes did not mention any grape varietals for this wine. Although Sauvignon Blanc is on the label, there could be up to 15% of other grape varietals blended into the wine, and the wine could still be listed as single varietal on the label. I would say that some of the weight comes from very ripe grapes, but I think most of it comes from other varietals blended in. Sure the website stated, "short lees contact" but I couldn't find any hints of yeast notes in the wine and the round, weighted mouth-feel of this wine.

Lastly this acidity of this wine was less than enjoyable for me, instead of being striking and racy, it was unpleasantly harsh. I believe this is from the wine being acidified at the winery in an attempt to balance the possible over-ripeness of the juice. Again, most people are not going to drink white wines at room temperature, so don't consider this attribute as a fatal flaw, just make sure you serve this wine cold and most people will not even notice the harsh acidity.

Price to quality wise, I would give this wine a C and this is strictly speaking on the retail price of this wine verses the quality of wine for its varietal(s). This aspect of evaluation does not take into consideration that this wine had to come all the way from New Zealand to Portland, Maine before it was poured into my glass. Its not fair to compare a $12 NZ Sauvignon Blanc to a $12 French Sauvignon Blanc, or a $12 Spanish Sauvignon Blanc when living on the east coast of the United States. It simply costs so much more money to bring a wine from NZ to the east coast, than it does to bring one from Europe to the east coast. Considering this, I would personally prefer to drink a $12 Bordeaux Blanc, or a $12 Touraine Sauvignon Blanc, or $12 Rueda Sauvignon Blanc.

As for aging this wine...don't! In fact don't ever think about aging Sauvignon Blancs unless they blended with semillon and are from Sauternes or Lupiac France.

Galen's Score: 85 points

Retail Cost: $12

Distributed by: National Distributors

** Ok, so I totally over analysed a $12 bottle of wine, but I got wrapped up in the moment of picking out the flaws. Im not saying this wine is bad or undrinkable. It was just not what I expect from a NZ sauv blanc, which is a little unfair to say about a $12 NZ sauv blanc. That's like looking for sports car performance with econo-car pricing.

Burgo Viejo Crianza Rioja - 2010

Burgo Viejo Crianza Rioja - 2010
Rioja, Spain

Nose: Juicy red cherry, Red raspberry, Vanilla.

Palate: Red raspberry, red cherry, currant, plum, moss, bark, and a touch of clove.

Color: Medium garnet, with a touch of brick color nearing the edge.

Grapes: 90% Tempranillo, 10% Graciano

Aged: American oak for 12 months, then bottle aged 6 months before release.

This wine is a touch of "New-World" fruit with "Old-World" finesse and acidity. You can be sure this wine is an all around crowd pleaser with nice clean fruit on the front of the palate and slightly rustic savory notes, which finish with nice lingering tannins. The acidity is bright and still very fresh tasting for this 2010 crianza. Don't be afraid to bring this crianza to a party, because everyone who likes red wine will enjoy this.

Bodegas Burgo Viejo is a fairly large producer in the Rioja Baja, a hot and dry region know for producing very ripe grapes. The estate boasts nearly 500 acres of vineyards, most of which is dedicated to the Tempranillo grape, but also include lesser amounts of Graciano, Garnacha, Carignan and Viura. But back to the wine itself...

The ripe red cherry and raspberry notes are quite pleasant, not overly rich or stewed, rather pronounced and integrated with the notes of currant, plum, and bark. The acidity is bright from beginning to end and at times a little bracing, but this characteristic would match well with some sharp cheese or braised meat. The tannins are present and distinct, but not aggressive or overly astringent, which allows this wine to be approachable for most people.

Although I personally prefer a more "Old-World" style of wine, I find Burgo Viejo Crianza to be a nice, approachable wine with something for everyone. I could see this being a go-to wine for most, there's enough layers of fruit and savory notes to enjoy, especially when considering the cost. Price to quality wise, I would give this wine an A-, because the fruit, acidity and tannins are all in balance with each other, there are no prominent faults in the wine, and it wouldn't over power most foods.

This wine is ready to drink now; it will become more savory with a little age, but the tannins will definitely drop out within 3-5 years and you might be left with an undesirable, acidic wine. At this price, you should just enjoy it from now until 2016.

Galen's Score: 89 points

Retail Cost: $13

Distributed by: Mariner Beverages

Barrel 27 - Right Hand Man Syrah - 2012

Barrel 27 - Right Hand Man Syrah - 2012
Central Coast, California

Nose: Dark cherry, red raspberry, cocoa.

Palate: Ripe raspberry, dark cherry, black tea, orange zest, soft tannins

Color: Dark purple throughout, nearly opaque.

Normally this isn't my style of wine: big, rich, robust, a quintessential "New-World juicy flavors" kind of wine with high alcohol. In fact this beast is listed at 15.2% abv, which means this wine could even be well over 16% abv; typically a huge turn off for me. But Im very surprised by the 2012 Right Hand Man Syrah, because it is well balanced with perfectly integrated fruit, a nice backbone of glycerin, and bursting with flavor. The acidity is bright and balanced, and the tannins are smooth and supple.

The fruit is clean and shows tons of layers. I gotta say this wine really delivers great flavors and wonderful balance all around. Im glad the winemaker chose to make this bombastic syrah in this style, and not to create a sort of mimic blend based on European regions, such as Cote-Rotie. It's nice to see this wine's individuality which allowed the extremely ripe grapes to really burst with flavor on the palate. I wish this wine showed a little more expression on the nose, as its slightly subdued at room temperature. With this much flavor on the palate I expected more pronounce aromas. Yet

I also wish I had some chocolate right now, because this wine is screaming for a sweet paring. Im just one glass deep and Im already starting to feel the buzz, but I'm still surprised that it still doesn't taste boozy or hot. Bring this juice bomb to your next holiday gathering and get granny lit-up on a glass or two, she needs to get her crunk on!

Price to quality wise I would give the Right Hand Man a B+, it definitely brings a lot to the table and demonstrates quality wine-making at a reasonable price. It's not an everyday wine for my bank account, but it won't make you go broke either. Ultimately, if you like really big, juicy wines, then you will love this. For those looking for a more subtle and delicate wine, you should be ready to get kicking in the teeth with this one.

This wine is ready to drink now or within the next couple of years. The soft, smooth tannins and the rich, ripe fruit will not improve with age. This is a buy-now, drink-now kind of wine.

Retail Cost: $21 

Distributed by: Mariner Beverages

Galen's Score: 91 points

Georges Duboeuf 2009 La Trinquee Julienas

Hello, long lost reader(s) (in case there are more than one of you). I have been chiding myself for once again neglecting the blog for so long, which I guess has finally paid off in that I was quite motivated upon arriving at home this evening to open some wine and write about it. I happened to choose this bottle without even thinking about the fact that it is a great opportunity to briefly mention the 2009 vintage of Beaujolais. It seems that 2009 is being universally heralded, by professional critics and savvy consumers, as a great vintage for Beaujolais, probably the best in a very long time. The wines I have tried so far have displayed greater depth, concentration, and tannin (not in a bad way at all) than most of the Beaujolais I am used to. I am seeing a tendency towards greater ripeness levels and greater extraction. Once thing that has really surprised me is how much I like this wine, which I tried recently at a tasting of, surprise, surprise, 2009 Cru Beaujolais. (please see the previous entry on Foillard's Morgon if you'd like a description of that term) I was surprised when this wine was unveiled because I have been rather underwhelmed by the Duboeuf crus that I've tasted in past vintages. This wine performed extremely well in its group at the recent tasting. So much so that I rushed out and bought 4 bottles, for the staggering sum of $15 apiece. If you want some Beaujolais from this vintage to lay down in your cellar for some years, I would highly recommend Marcel Lapierre 2009 Morgon. If you want something to enjoy now and over the next couple of years (during which time I suspect this wine will improve, if not even for 3-5 years), I can enthusiastically suggest this one. Here's a tasting note:

2009 Georges Duboeuf La Trinquee Julienas- distributed by Pine State, around $15 retail
The first thing I notice is a relatively dark color for the Gamay grape. It's still ruby, but pretty dark without being opaque. The nose is very pretty. It is quite floral and the fruit is quite pronounced, showing red and black cherry along with strawberry. There's also an earthiness, like fresh, clean soil, a bit of spice, and a slight green stemmy character that's helping to provide great balance for all of that fruit. I will note that greenness is often a negative element for me, but this wine smells in no way underripe. It's as if I'm smelling wild strawberries which are still on the plant, so I can get a faint whiff of the green parts of the plant in a good, natural way. The palate is more of the same. The dark cherries really show their stuff here, with the red fruit taking back stage at first, which is not what I usually expect from cru Beaujolais, but it is what I've come to expect from some of the wines from this vintage. The red fruit becomes more prevalent as the flavor progresses. There's plenty of concentration of flavor here to balance the tannins, which are significant yet superfine in texture. There's a tea component from the midpalate on that I really enjoy. The wine is so delicious that I've just practically chugged about half a glass while looking for further descriptors. All of the elements from the nose are present on the palate in varying degrees, and everything goes great together. There's really no awkwardness or imbalance in this wine. The fruit is a little candied on the nose, and there is a slight grapey component to the palate; I know these are part of what some people don't like about Beaujolais. But believe me, these characteristics are mild, so much so that I really think this wine is practically universally appealing. In fact, it's outstanding. 90 points from me, and I suspect that in another year or two this will be in an even better place than it is now. Do yourself a favor and go try a bottle. For that matter, try a bunch of '09 crus. Your palate will thank you, and so will your wallet as most are under $30 (many under $20) for wines that can be surprisingly good for those prices. I'll leave you with this thought: the Lapierre Morgon is even better than this wine. Try that, too. Thanks for reading. Please leave comments if you have anything to say.

Toques et Clochers Limoux Océanique 2008

As seasonally as I seem to be drinking lately, I think I'll get this one last white in before what seems like an inevitable descent into the darkness of red wine season. Plus, I didn't have many reds around that are available in Maine as I haven't been buying much wine lately. I also just learned something and eliminated one of my nasty, unfounded preconceptions about wine (generalizations about wine are true even less often that generalizations about many other things -- and, yes, I realize that I have just made one) so I'd like to share my newfound knowledge with all three of you who probably read this blog. Limoux is an appellation in the Languedoc region in southern France. I often think Chardonnay (yes, this is a Chardonnay) and Pinot Noir should not be grown in the Languedoc in general and that the main reason they are is pure marketability. Particularly with Pinot Noir, and to a lesser extent Chardonnay, any plonk with a pretty label and a relatively low price seems to sell in the US. I think a lot of growers and producers in the Languedoc have capitalized on that by growing grapes for which their region is unsuited due to the warmth of its growing season. There's a LOT of very bad Vin de Pays d'Oc (Languedoc/Roussillon) Chardonnay and Pinot Noir out there and it is pretty sad that people continue to buy it. So, I was unfairly prejudiced against these varieties in this fairly vast region that contains many different mesoclimates (for those too lazy to look it up, a mesoclimate is the climate of a single site or specific area, often mislabeled "microclimate"). Well, this wine was suggested to me and I decided to try it. I then came home and looked up the region to discover that it is in the foothills of the Pyrenees and its vineyards are cooler than most (all?) others in the Languedoc due to their elevation and distance from the Mediterranean's influence. I guess I should have figured out that it might be fairly cool here since the appellation is best known for sparkling wines. I also shouldn't lump such a large area together and might want, in the future, to have at least some faith that wines carrying specific appellations (Appellation Controlee as you see on the front label of this wine) might be better than mass produced Vin de Pays wine (which is a lower designation according to French wine law but is not necessarily inferior wine). I am drinking this wine at a cool room temperature, maybe 60-65 degrees Farenheit, which is how I generally prefer Chardonnay.

Toques et Cochers Limoux Oceanique 2008 -- 100% (gasp) Chardonnay -- This wine is distributed by Easterly and costs about $19 retail.

The first thing that jumps out at me about the nose on this wine is the freshness. I get a slight SO2 burn, but it's not affecting the aromatics at all and I would bet that 20-30 minutes in a decanter would clear that right up. The wine just smells fun. It's got a distinct chalky minerality, as well as fresh lemon, pear, and yellow apple components with really well integrated and not too strong butter and toasty oak notes. I'm getting just a hint of a candied element, which I generally don't like, but it's slight enough that it's making the fruit aromas seem fresher and sweeter to me, so I hesitantly say that I actually like it here. The palate starts off with the more candied fruit, but that leads to a midpalate that's well balanced, less candied, and very much like the nose, which I like a lot. The finish shows more of that minerality I got on the nose, along with a little of the caramel that I often get in what I consider overdone (think 1980s Californian) Chardonnays. That detracts just a bit, but overall I like this wine quite a bit and I tend to be really down on a lot of Chardonnays. I'm certainly not going to call this outstanding (in my scale of [poor-acceptable-good-very good-outstanding-classic]), but I do think it's very good, which for under $20 Chardonnay impresses me. I like that it's medium bodied with decent acidity and seems lively and fun to drink. I'm sure it's reasonably food friendly, but it's working great just to lift my spirits on a dreary, rainy evening. The aromas and flavors seem nicely focused and delineated. I rarely drink Chardonnay (as I've said before) and I often have trouble pulling out individual flavor descriptors, but that wasn't the case at all here. I'll go ahead and score this wine an 86, which for me, for this category, is a solid buy. I will ask that you please pay more attention to my tasting notes and verbal quality description scale ("very good" for this wine) than to my numerical scores as the latter can make an ever evolving product whose evaluation can be affected by setting and time seem perhaps too specific and absolute. Personally, I like scores for my own reference. I have considered eliminating my use of them in this blog and altogether many times, and I'm interested in what you might think about that, so please leave a comment and let me know your opinion if you feel one way or the other (or if you prefer the 20 point scale, which seems better in some ways but I'm just not used to it). I've also decided again not to include specific retailers in the blog, as was the original plan. If you are interested in finding this or any wine mentioned you can probably get your favorite retailer to special order it or you can email me (missatiejacket@yahoo.com) and I'll let you know where I found it.

Kendall Jackson Chardonnay and a good wine

So,
there have been some surprised reactions in the comments of the last
entry to the fact that I drink very little Chardonnay, and almost none
that's under $30. One person suggested that I should review
Kendall-Jackson Chardonnay before calling it "run of the mill" (which I
already called it, so, yes, I have some negative preconceptions which I
promise to do my best to ignore while tasting this wine). I don't think
there's anything wrong with a lot of the inexpensive Chardonnays out
there, it's just that they bore the daylights out of me. Almost every
one I've tasted (and here, as everywhere in the wine world, there are
exceptions) tastes generic and has nothing unique to offer. Part of the
issue is probably that Chardonnay is not an aromatic grape variety. In
extremely good examples it will show the character of the place and way
it was grown, including the character of the weather that growing
season. Lesser examples generally do not show such character, so they
simply taste like the results of winemaking decisions. The strain(s) of
yeast, the oak regime, and the amount of malolactic conversion (the
conversion of malic acid to lactic acid which results in a fuller
mouthfeel, softer acidity, and buttery flavor from the resulting
compound known as diacetyl), fermentation temperature and vessel, etc --
these things are what give the wine its flavor. This is still largely
true for better examples of Chardonnay, but those better examples tend
to have far greater depth of flavor, which is due in part, I believe, to
the wines showing a sense of place. As I can't really back up that
assertion scientifically, I will at least stand by the idea that the
greater examples will show something unique. Inexpensive wines besides
Chardonnay often have no problem showing unique, interesting qualities,
which is why I drink a lot of other white wines and almost no
Chardonnay. I know I've rambled and been a bit redundant, but I'm
trying to give an adequate explanation for and introduction to the ideas
that led to this tasting. Now that you think I'll definitely hate this
wine because of my preconceptions, let's begin. First, I will say that
I always do my best to evaluate wines objectively and that I would have
no problem with humbly admitting how wrong I was and how great this
wine is. Please see my post about Cru Beaujolais if you doubt this
fact. I tasted these wines several days ago but didn't get around to posting until today -- the tasting notes were written when I originally tasted the wines.


Kendall-Jackson 2008 Vintner's
Reserve Chardonnay, available almost anywhere that sells
wine for about $13

The first things that jump out at me on the nose are butter and oak. I
also get a bit of sweet yellow apple and a little yeastiness. The
palate shows those same components with some caramel. It kind of tastes
like a buttered caramel apple with a little nutritional yeast sprinkled
on top. There's also some lemon that I'm noticing now. It also tastes
like many dozens of other Chardonnays I've tried. I do believe there's
a little residual sugar here to increase the perception of fruit. I
suspect that this is because without it, the wine would really just
taste like butter, oak, and yeast. The wine is good, but so simple and
industrial tasting that it's just into that category from acceptable,
where I would have to be finding minor faults or significant imbalance.
The sweetness bothers me (for all you "I only like dry wine" people:
this is not a dry wine!), but there is some decent acidity here. The
more I taste it, though, the more it tastes like fruit juice mixed with
oak essence and some vodka. Understand that I'm getting that impression
as the wine warms. White wine at room temperature will not hide any
faults or imperfections. If you completely disagree with my assessment,
I urge you to try this wine at room temperature. I'm sure this will
alienate some readers, but I can't give this wine any more than 80
points. I will not finish the bottle. Plus, notice that their
"Vintner's Reserve" is actually their least expensive bottling. That's
deceptive marketing if you ask me. With so much wine out there, please,
even if you like this stuff, try some new things.

Now, on to a wine that I propose as an alternative to the KJ. It's not
Chardonnay, not because there aren't some decent ones out there at that
price, but because they're few and far between and I didn't track one
down today. What I did track down is another inexpensive wine from a
major category: a Pinot Grigio.


Re Teodorico 2008 Pinot
Grigio, Veneto -- I got this wine at Browne Trading and
it's distributed by Mariner. They have it priced at $12 and it was even
less for the tasting today.

I'm getting some dusty, haylike, even nutty character from the nose.
It's also got a bit of a stony minerality. Underneath this there is
some ripe citrus fruit and even some tropical fruit. The palate opens
with a nice combination of everything the nose had, and just as the
midpalate makes its way into the finish, the fruit really kicks up a
notch, showing some lemon, starfruit, and other fruits that I'm not
quite discerning (I should have tasted this wine first, but also my
palate is not in top form today). This wine seems brighter and more
alive than the KJ. Instead of feeling like I'm drinking an industrial
product, I feel like I'm drinking an energetic, fun wine that is simple
and straightforward but that's okay. For considerably less money than
the KJ, here's a wine I enjoy drinking. It's also in the "good" range
for me, but significantly higher at 84 points. Here's an example of
where scoring falls short, though. I'm sure you can tell by my writing
that I like this wine a LOT more than the last one. I know it's an
unfair comparison as they're different varieties, but I think
inexpensive Italian Pinot Grigio is, in general, pretty much just as bad
as inexpensive Chardonnay. They usually just taste like lemon, hay, and nothing else
and have bitter finishes. This wine has a lot more going on and, most
importantly, doesn't taste like other wines I can remember having. If
Browne Trading keeps their tasting price, which was considerably less
than $12, I would suggest picking up a few of these for what's left of
the warm weather.

If you now hate me, completely disagree, or think 80 is way too nice to the KJ (believe me, if I based my score more on personal preference than what I perceive as level of quality, it would not be in the "good" category, which would allow me to score it lower), let me know in the comments. I enjoy the interaction and it's nice to know someone is reading. For those who were completely bored by this entry, thanks for reading to the end and I will try to review something more interesting next time.

Dr. von Bassermann-Jordan 2006 Riesling trocken, Pfalz

What's better on a nice Summer day than a dry, entry level German Riesling from a good producer? Okay, maybe a Grosses Gewachs/Erste Lage/Erste Gewachs from a good producer. But right now this wine is quite enjoyable. This wine would be great for breaking down those preconceptions of "Riesling is always sweet" or "I know there are dry Rieslings out there, but the German stuff is always sweet" or whatever variation on that theme we wine retail salespeople hear all too often. I'm not going to pretend to be some serious Riesling advocate. There are plenty of those out there who have been at it a lot longer than I've been drinking wine. I'm also not going to hop on the "Riesling is underappreciated and I'm just the wine nerd to tell you all about it" bandwagon. Plenty of wine writers wax poetic about the variety so often that it sometimes seems that Riesling is the most talked about underappreciated variety there could be. Plus I kind of don't want the general public to "get it" because I like the pricing structure that's currently in place and I don't want to see another category price itself out of my reach in the high end. Sure, Riesling in its many forms offers a dizzying array of possible, extremely good, food pairings. I will say that, despite my love of the dry stuff, the off dry versions seem the most flexible to me. That's not to say this dry version wouldn't go well with a wide variety of foods. It would. It's also downright delicious on its own as long as you can handle a good dose of acidity. Well, enough rambling.

Bassermann-Jordan 2006 Riesling Trocken, QbA, Pfalz -- I got this at Old Port Wine Merchants for $18 and it's distributed by Central:
The nose is of fairly light intensity (medium minus) and shows pretty pear and apple components along with a bit of a melon aroma, all of which are balanced by a distinct, slatey minerality and a slight flinty or struck match smell. I also notice a bit of paraffin and a floral character. These components are woven together quite well and sort of subtly caress my sense of smell, making me eager to taste the wine.
The palate is quite similar, though the minerality is a little more pronounced and the fruit a tiny bit less pronounced than each was on the nose. I have come to expect that from many of these dry rieslings. The attack is fairly tight, but the flavors flesh out nicely on the midpalate and into the finish. The whole experience, with the floral, fruit and stony components, reminds me of, ironically, a nice summer day. It's really a pretty wine. There isn't a lot of complexity here, but there doesn't need to be. I am more than happy for the price I paid and will probably pick up another bottle soon. I think this is very good and would give it 88-89 points.

I will say here that I always welcome others' opinions on these categories or specific wines. Please, if you have anything to say about this post, leave a comment. I do read them and I will respond, though I'm not always prompt. Even if you have had this wine and hated it and want to tell me that you think I'm a poor taster, leave a comment to that effect. I do really like to see some kind of name there so I can respond, but any comment is better than none. Thanks for reading.