Category: Wine

Trader Joe’s Reserve Syrah

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Maker: ???

Grape: Shiraz/Syrah

Region: Mendocino Valley AVA, California, USA

Vintage: 2007

ABV: 14.7%

Notes: Certified organic, single vineyard.

Appearance: Deep purple.

Nose: wild blackberries, black currant, hint of leather

On the palate: Medium-bodied. Mixed berry jam, blueberries, chewy, some tannin.

Finish: Jammy then dry, much more tannic than on the palate, lingers for a while then fades rather quickly.

Parting words: Trader Joe’s Reserve wines are never bad, but they can occasionally be dull. I wouldn’t go so far as to call this one dull, but I’ve had more interesting Syrahs. For what it is, it delivers. There is lots of varietal character and it did well with corned beef. It would probably pair well with other rich red meats. For the price, it’s a good wine. Trader Joe’s 2007 Reserve Mendocino Syrah is recommended.

San Sebastian Vintners Red

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Maker: San Sebastian, St. Augustine, Florida, USA

Grape: Muscadine

Region: Florida

ABV: 11%

Appearance: Deep burgundy, with broad, thick legs.

Nose: Slightly musky, foxy, sweet.

On the palate: Sweet, but not cloying. Foxy grapes, clove, ginger, black licorice.

Finish: Gingery with a bit of sweetness and long, sexy, leathery tannins.

Parting words: Muscadine is a native American grape, Vitis rotundifolia. It’s so distinct, even from its American cousins, that it has its own subgenus, muscadinia. Unlike Northern and European grapes, it thrives in hot humid climates, and was a favorite wine and table grape in the Southeastern US from the 18th century on. Its skin is also very thick, it’s the only table grape that needs to be peeled to be eaten.

This is the first Muscadine wine I’ve ever had. I enjoy foxy wines made from native grape cultivars and hybrids, but I wasn’t prepared for a wine of this intensity of flavor. The more I drank, the more I liked it. But be warned, if you do not like foxy flavors in your wine (think Concord Grape juice), you will hate just about anything made with Muscadine.

I’m writing this in South Florida, a landscape that has been completely transformed over the past century to the point where it bears no resemblance to what it was for most of its history. San Sebastian Vintners Red is a link to the past, the colonial past and the ancient past of what’s now the American South. I think that’s pretty cool, but I also think it’s a pretty good wine. San Sebastian Vintners Red is recommended.

 

Domaine Bott Frères Gewürztraminer Reserve Personnelle

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Maker: Domaine Bott Frères, Ribeauville, Alsace, France

Grape: Gewürztraminer

Region: Alsace AOC, France

Vintage: 2008

ABV: 12.5%

Appearance: Old gold,

Nose: Woodruff, thyme, paper white narcissus, tangerine.

One the palate: Thick and lightly sweet. Bartlett pears, tarragon, lavender, woodruff.

Finish: Thick, sweet, herbal and floral. A voluptuous sweetness tempered by a light bitterness that clings to the roof of the mouth and the cheeks for the whole afternoon.

Parting words: I rarely buy bottles of wine based on what’s written on the back label. The presence of this stream-of-consciousness poem on the back is what drew me to  this bottle. It reads as follows:

“Robe slightly lemon yellow with an unctuous leg. In this aromatic and scented wine, one may notice aromas of the litchi [sic] fruit and hints of oriental scents. Served with dishes seasoned with spices, with chinese [sic], indonesian [sic], or indian [sic] cooking but also with cheese such as munster [sic], blue of Auvergne or Maroilles.”

Note that only the names of French places are capitalized. Do with that what you will.

At any rate, this is a thick, luscious, one might even say unctuous, wine that does pair well with spicy food or just on its own. Bott Frères Gewürz is recommended.

Huber Riesling

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Maker: Markus Huber, Reichersdorf, Traisental, Austria

Grape: Riesling

Region: Traisental DAC, Austria

Vinatge: 2008

Style: Dry

ABV: 12%

Appearance: Light gold

Nose: Dry and flinty, a bit of peach and woodruff.

On the palate: Minerals on entry, then a bit of underripe peach. Total absence of any citrus notes.

Finish: Clean and dry with a light, mineral bitterness that lingers for a long time.

Parting Words: I’ve been a Riesling fan for a long time and this is one of the driest ones I’ve ever tasted. That’s not a bad thing either. It epitomizes the Austrian style of white wines and showcases the versatility of Riesling itself. As Austrian whites become easier to find and more popular in the U.S., the gauntlet has been thrown down. North American winemakers are the best in the world. I would love to taste a Michigan, New York, or Washington dry Riesling. Get at it folks! Huber Riesling is recommended.

Emilio Moro 2007

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Maker: Bodegas Emilio Moro, Valladolid, Spain

Grape: Tinto Fino, 100% (Tempranillo)

Region: Ribera del Duero DOC, Spain

Vintage: 2007

ABV: 14%

Appearance: Deep plum with tartrate crystals and long, luscious legs.

Nose: On first pour, the it’s a bruiser, but after a few minutes in the glass it learns to behave itself better. Still, a bit of alcohol shows up but balanced with wild blackberry, oak and creamy vanilla custard.

On the palate: Medium-dry and assertive but not obnoxious. Slightly tart, blueberries, big chubby west coast blackberries and a firm smack of leather on the back end. Very enjoyable, if that’s what you’re into.

Finish: Tannic at first and a little mealy. Eventually fades to a little sweetness and a little oak and vanilla.

Parting words: This wine scared me when I first opened it. It packed a massive punch right out of the bottle and I was afraid it would be a bull in a china shop, to coin a phrase. But when rested it is a very nice beef-oriented red. Tempranillo doesn’t always do well as a soloist. I find I usually enjoy it more when it’s lightened up with some Grenache or beefed up with some Cab or Merlot. Emilio and friends have managed to make a fairly complex, food-friendly, moderately priced red with nothing but Tempranillo. ¡Gracias a vos! Or something like that. Emilio Moror 2007 (and other vintages) come highly recommended.

 

A to Z Pinot Gris

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Maker: A to Z, Dundee, Oregon USA

Grape: Pinot Gris/Grigio

Region: Oregon

Vintage: 2009

ABV: 13.5%

Appearance: Light golden straw.

Nose: Bosc pear, white grapefruit, musk melon, hint of smoke.

On the palate: Full-bodied, dry. Subdued Bosc pear, underripe peach, navel orange.

Finish: Dry, with a hint of oak tannin tapering off to a grapefruity bitterness.

Parting words: A to Z specializes in affordable Oregon varietals. Their line also includes a Pinot Noir, and a Riesling. This one has a good deal of Pinot Gris character. It is rather lacking in terroir-derived nuance, but one doesn’t expect much of that in a wine that lists an entire state on the label. This is a fine table wine that goes very well with chicken and pork. Recommended.

Heinz Eifel Eiswein

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Maker: Römerhof, Trittenheim, Rhineland-Palatinate, Germany

Grape: Silvaner?

Region: Rheinhessen, Germany

Vintage: 2009

Style: Ice wine

Appearance: Bright gold.

Nose: Mild, lemon tangerine, Bartlett pear, ,

On the palate: Thick and full-bodied. Pear, lemonheads, orange gummies, orange blossom honey.

Finish: Sweet and slightly tart. Orange sherbet, long and sweet.

Parting words: Eifel Eiswine is a refreshing, tasty dessert wine. It’s probably better in the summertime, but it’s very enjoyable in February, if a little one dimensional. That and, for an ice wine, it’s very cheap. Heinz-Eifel Rheinhessen Eiswein is recommended.

Arcturos Late Harvest Riesling

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Maker: Black Star Farms, Traverse City, Michigan, USA

Grape: Riesling

Ripeness: Late Harvest

Region: Old Mission Peninsula AVA

Vineyards: Capella & Montague Estate

Vintage: 2008

ABV: 8.5%

Appearance: Light straw

Nose: Peaches, apricots, Macintosh apples, tangerine

On the palate: Full-bodied. Lots of light, sweet fruit, with overripe peach, more Macintosh, tangerine and ruby-red grapefruit. A hint of coriander seed and green cardamom.

Finish: Long, strong finish of tart apples, more granny smith now than Macintosh.

Parting words: This is a classic Michigan Riesling from a winery that does it better than just about anybody else. The voluptuous body and sweetness calls to mind a traditional German spätlese but the Old Mission terroir puts its own delightful, unmistakable stamp on things. Complex, sensual, fruity and sweet but never cloying or flabby. Arcturos Late Harvest Riesling is all a Northern Michigan Riesling should be. This would probably still be as tasty as it is now in a year, but I had waited long enough on this one. Highly Recommended.

Trapiche Oak Cask Chardonnay

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Maker: Trapiche, Mendoza, Argentina

Importer: Wildman

Grape: Chardonnay

Region: Mendoza, Argentina

Vintage: 2009

ABV: 13.5%

Appearance: Bright gold. A very pretty wine.

Nose: Woody and creamy, a little bitter.

On the palate: Slightly sweet with a big hit of oak and brown (possibly burnt) butter. The wood is over the top and completely overwhelms whatever sweet or delicate flavors this wine may have. Its price would indicate that this is intended to be a table-quality varietal. There is so much wood here that it clashes with food and produces nasty bitter flavors, even with chicken soup.

Finish: Bitter and astringent. Even worse with food. Very unpleasant.

Parting words: My expectations for this wine were simple. I wanted a chard with a bit of wood and sweetness that would pair well with chicken. I figured Trapiche is a reputable producer, Mendoza is a fine region, Chard should be easy for them to grow there, and the time it spent in the bottle should have smoothed any rough edges it may have had, so this should satisfy my simple needs. I was wrong. This is a terrible wine, one that I wouldn’t even give to a carrion-eating scavenger like the Andean condor on the label. Trapiche Oak Cask Chardonnay is highly not recommended.

Bubbly Nouveau

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Maker: Black Star Farms, Sutton’s Bay/Traverse City, Michigan, USA

Grapes: Muscat, Cayuga

Region: Old Mission AVA, Traverse City, Michigan, USA

Style: Carbonated White Wine

Vintage: 2011 (different vintage pictured)

ABV: 7%

Appearance: Very pale, practically clear, with nice, spritely persistent bubbles.

On the palate: Sweet and foxy. The Muscat and Cayuga make their presence plainly known but are restrained (barely). Table grapes, Granny Smith apples with a hint of perfume and persimmon.

Finish: Tart and tingly but mellows within 20 seconds or so.

Parting Words: Bubbly Nouveau is a fleeting annual release from BSF. As one might expect from the name, it is recommended that this one be consumed promptly. I can’t imagine it getting much tarter than this and being enjoyable. Not everybody enjoys foxy native grape wines or Muscat but I do. This is a fun, rustic American wine that doesn’t require a lot of attention and is best drunk fast and early. Recommended.

NOTE: The original version of this review stated that Riesling was also used to make the 2011 vintage of Bubbly Nouveau. That is not correct. Thanks for the correction, @bstar2009!