White Wine
           (most recent at bottom)

 

 

Oyster Bay Sauvignon Blanc
La Crema Chardonnay
French Grand Cru Chablis
Ferrari-Carano Fume  Blanc
2014 Palmer Chardonnay
2012 Di Meo Fiano Di Avellino
2017 Nic Rager Chardonnay
2015 Joel Gott Chardonnay
2017 Cletus Super Tuscan
2015 Gustave Lorentz Vin D’Alsace Pinot Blanc
2017 Benzinger Chardonnay
2017 Prisonnier Chardonnay

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Oyster Bay Sauvignon Blanc (New Zealand)  If you love citrus and you love grapefruit, then this is the Sauvignon Blanc for you!.  Its like biting into a fresh chilled pink grapefruit.   As soon as your poured a little into the glass, the citrus and grapefruit exploded , filling your nose with so much freshness.   The taste  was crisp, refreshing and dry, but not bone dry.  This has been our summer Sauvignon Blanc.   Almost any Sauvignon Blanc from the Marlborough region located in the most Northern tip of the  Southern island of  New Zealand have the same citrus grapefruit quality.  Some just more pronounced than others.  Marlborough, New Zealand’s largest winegrowing region, makes the best Sauvignon Blanc, due to the soils and enviable climate that create it.  It’s about diverse landscapes, from valleys of vines to sheltered waterways of the Marlborough Sounds.  My rating is always a solid B

 

La Crema Chardonnay    The Pinot Chardonnay grape is grown in almost every country in the world.  It can produce the most exquisite French whites ( Montrachet, to name one) or produce simple table style non descriptive white wine.   American Chardonnays can always be classified as being Light, Medium or Full bodied.  Along with little or full oak.  Another style can be classified as buttery.   This is where La Crema comes in.   Full rich, good amount of body, lots of overtones of apricot, honey, peach and a creamy buttery feel.  I rate this one a B-

 

French Chablis Premier or Grand Cru   The overall ranking system for French Chablis is as follows.  ( and I love the description I found for each of them)

 

 

Grand Cru Chablis              to share with just your partner
Premier Cru Chablis          is for when you have family
Chablis                                     you open when friends come round
Petite-Chablis                      Is for drinking with strangers

Chablis is all about simplicity and purity.  One region (Chablis),
one grape (Pinot Chardonnay) and then the actual wine makers style in producing the wine.  As with any wine, the actual soil, location, slope of the vineyard plays such an important role.  The steeper and south facing slope will produce riper and higher quality grapes. Once harvested, now the wine maker takes over and eventually determines the taste of their Chablis.  Some are heavier in oak than others.   But one thing I have always noticed.   While French Chablis normally do have a good amount of oak, its the way the French present their oak.   So many California and other country Pinot Chardonnays have an oak that you are either going to love or hate.   French oak is subtle, a touch of a fresh green apple just picked from the tree.  I have had many different French Chablis, from all the 4 categories described above.  There is no question, that he Grand Cru Chablis is a wine you must try.  Sometimes, the hardest thing to get out of your mind, is the 1970’s picture of inferior jug chablis wines.   These French Chablis need to be tasted.   All A++

 

 

Ferrari-Carano Fume Blanc  Basically, a Fume Blanc   is classified as a dry and smoky Sauvignon Blanc.  That smokey flavor comes from the wine being aged in oak.   I still have not noticed any degree of smoke with a Fume Blanc.   Their wine is fully in body than most Sauvignon Blancs   Has the slight citrus overtones along with a lemon grass nose.   It has always been so very crisp, with a little mineral flavor that just makes this such a perfectly balanced wine.  I gave this one a A-

 

 

 

Palmer 2014 Chardonnay North Fork, Long Island.  I have never been a big fan of white wines from the North Fork of Long Island.  I’ve enjoyed their Cabernet Franc and some of their red blends.   I had this with dinner tonight and was totally surprised!   It had a bit of a buttery taste to it, very soft and lush.  Lots of apricot, pear and honey going on, with some fresh green apple tartness to really balance this wine.   Low on acidity, a nice big round lingering aftertaste.   Again, very surprised for a Long Island, North Fork White.  I gave this wine a B+

 

2012 Di Meo Fiano Di Avellino  From the Campania (Naples area) of Italy.   This DOCG wine is full bodied and a very soft white.  Low on acidity, with tones of apricot and mineral flavors.   I just felt that this wine was not very interesting.  Too big for a white without any standout qualities.  The after taste was almost non existent.   First time every have the grape varietal  Fiano.
The variety has been grown in southern Italy for hundreds of years, and many researchers have suggested that this is one of Pliny the Elder’s viti apiane (although this is now widely contested). The first mention of Fiano comes in the 13th Century, and just prior to the phylloxera crisis.  My rating C-

 

 

 

 

2017 Nic Rager Chardonnay (Vin de France)

A very full bodied soft rich Chardonnay.   It had a nice golden color with fresh apple and pear aromas.  There was a touch of oak, but done ins such a enjoyable fashion.  I had this at room temperature, which is how I drink almost all of my Chardonnay.s  it had a nice rich almost sweetness aftertaste.   It wasnt until we had the bottle, did I realize it was from France!  (Hence the oak style I love).  I gave this one a B+

 

 

 

 

 

 

2015 Joel Gott Chardonnay

This was a medium bodied Chardonnay.   Lots of buttery fullness and aftertaste.   Not a lot of floral activities, no pear,apple, etc   In fact, this was a Chardonnay that I probably would not have again.   Fine for people who are just starting out with Chardonnay.   Personally, I want more characteristics  I gave this one  C

 

 

 

 

 

2017 Cletus Super Tuscan Bianco

This was the first time I have ever tasted or even heard of a White Super Tuscan wine.  Its a blend of 40% Chardonnay, 30% Sauvignon Blanc and 30% of Viognier.   It had the body of a Chardonnay, the crispness and acidity of a Sauvignon Blanc and the fullness of a Viognier.  This made for a really interesting and enjoyable wine.  It had a pale straw color with a very fragrant nose.   Aromas of apricot, honey, pear seemed to be on the forefront

I gave this wine a B rating

 

 

 

2015 Gustave Lorentz Vin D’Alsace Pinot Blanc

Had this the other night with some grilled chicken.  Served it a room temperature.  It pours a crystal clear white with lots of fruit and mineral aromas.  The taste was on the light side, but it definitely hit all the senses in my mouth.   A good clean dry finish.  Couple of days later I had it chilled and it was very refreshing.   I gave this wine a C+ rating

 

 

2017 Benzinger Chardonnay

This Chardonnay had vivid aromas of fresh fruit.   Pears, Green Apple, Melon and Kiwi fruit.  Very low in acidity, this wine was relatively big for a Chardonnay and was soft, chewy, creamy and buttery!    All the major traits I enjoy in California Chardonnays.  There was just a hint of Oak, similar in the fashion the way the French do their Chablis.

The taste was very clean and the after taste left you with all the pleasant aromas/flavor that it started out with.

I gave this wine a solid B

 

 

 

2017 Prisoner Chardonnay

Wow, best words I can use to describe this wine.  It was big, cheway, bold, soft, buttery, creamy , minimal fruits and small traces of oak.  A fantastic Chardonnay.   One that I could drink over and over again.   With all the Prisoner wines, their labels say so much… This one is BLINDFOLD. Blended with some Rhone grapes, this produces a soft, slightly acidic with with a touch of minerality.

Without a doubt, this was a crowd pleaser and I would rate this a big A

 

                                                                              

Red Wines
(most recent at bottom of list)

Gott 5
2007 Earthquake Petie-Sirah
2004 Frank Family Zinfandel
2010  Catena Malbec
2010 Dry Creek Optima Zinfandel
2010 Casalvento Chianti Classico Riserva
1961 Chateau Batailley
1934 Chateau Margaux
1967 Echzezeaux
2010 Franciscan Cabernet Sauvignon
2006 Martinelli Pinot Noir
2012 I Balzini Black Label Super Tuscan
2016 RackHouse Cabernet Sauvignon
2001 Marchesato degli Aleramici Brunello di Montalcino
Gott 14
Scott Kelly 2016 Oregon Tempranillo
Goldeneye 2016 Pinot Noir
Hartford Court 2016 Pinot Noir
Ruffino 2014 Riserva Ducale Chianti Classico
Tomaiola 2014 Toscana Super Tuscan
11*14 Oakville  2017 Cabernet Sauvignon

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 GOTT 5    Though the photo shows the GOTT 13. I have had the GOTT  5, 6 and 7.  The GOTT 5 was an amazing wine.  One of the best Cabernet Sauvignon I have had from Napa Valley.   It was everything you want in a Cabernet.  Rich, bold, full body with hints of cassis and blackberry.   A touch of a smoky taste with a good balance of chocolate.   The tannins were there, full, but very tamed. The finish was almost as good as the first sip.  Lingering, the fruit stayed with you along with a bit of light mint.   I’ve had the Gott 6 and 7, they were both very good, but did not compare to the Gott 5.   At the store I worked at, we had an in store point system (something I came up with).  Instead of assigning numbers, it was an A,B,C,D system.  The Gott 5 got a definite A++, while the 6 and 7 I rated as a C

 

 

 

2007 Earthquake Petie-Syrah 
The best way I can describe this wine was that is was BIG, very BIG.  Such full body with a rich overall taste.   The first taste just filled my mouth, hitting all points of my tongue.  Not a lot of fruit, but I felt that there was a fair amount of chocolate and mint.   Since the wine was so big, the finish was just as big.   I gave it an a B.

 

 

 

 

 

 

2004 Frank Family Zinfandel   After having this wine in California, I made sure we brought it into the store.  A bit on the pricey side ($40ish), but well worth it.   Best way to describe this one is that it is jelly-jammy with full peppery spice.  Fruit friendly, but it was hard to distinguish any particular fruit.  The alcohol content was a 15.5% which gave you the impression that this wine was a bit on the sweet side.   But so many full rich Zinfandel’s do demonstrate this trait.  I gave this one an 22A+

 

 

 

2010 Cantena Malbec  First time  I had this was when I was running a wine dinner.  The dinner theme was Dont wine for me Argentina so all my wines came from there.   There are several levels of the Cantena Malbec.  This is what I describe as the entry level, coming in around $19.   My first impression after opening the bottle was that there was a lot of tannin in there.  I let the wine breathe for about 2 hours before tasting it.   The Malbec grape has a distinctive aroma apart from many of the other mainstay red grapes.  The main fruit flavors in a glass of Argentine Malbec are blackberry, plum, and black cherry. The nuanced flavors offer milk chocolate, cocoa powder, violet flowers, leather, and, depending on the amount of oak aging, a sweet tobacco finish. It pours a very deep ruby red color with purple hues.   The aroma herewas full of ripe and dark fruit,  with hints of violet and lavender.   With the initial taste, I picked up some vanilla and chocolate/mint flavor.   The wine was bone dry, on the light side and I would say light to medium body.   The after taste left me with a very dry mouth, but the wine really did not linger.    For me, this was a B-

 

 

 

2010 Dry Creek Optima Zinfandel  –  This was a wine

I purchased from WTSO.  I originally bought the standard 4 bottles, but we enjoyed it so much, I went back in an order a full case.  I love Zinfandels, and the idea of blending a little Petite Syrah seemed so interesting.   This wine was full and robust.   At 14.9% abv, you almost tasted a touch of sweetness, but that jammy jelly appearance was soon taken over by strong peppery spices.   When first opened, this one had a bit of aggressive tannins, but after about an hour of breathing, they really tamed down.   Lots of fruit and spice here, from the moment of your first sip, while you are tasting it and the finish.  I gave this a B-

 

 

 

2010 Casalvento Chianti Classico Riserva     Another WTSO purchase. What intrigued me about this wine, was that it was a blend of Sangiovese and Cabernet  Sauvignon gapes.   I always thought that all Chiantis had to be made from 100% Sangiovese grapes and when other grapes, ie Cabernet, Merlot were blended, the wine became a Super Tuscan.   This wine was bone bone bone dry.   As with most Chiantis, this one was light in body with fruit flavors of tart and sweet cherry and some violet with a dash of plum.  By itself, this was not a very interesting wine, but pair it up with some Italian food, and it begins to shine through.   I gave it a C+

 

 

 

1961 Chateau Batailley  (Notes from my 1973 tasting) This is just one of those wines you come across and find out that its more than a gem.    No question about the ’61 vintage for Bordeaux  being touted as the best of the century.   Some may argue, but having tasted many of the other best vintages (1934, 1945, 1955, 1957, and 1959), I still side with the 1961.

Chateau Batailleyis a 5th growth Grand Cru Classe from the Pauillac appellation of Bordeaux.    The best way I can describe this wine, was that it was a close to perfect as I could ever  imagine.   Once I pulled the cork, I knew I was going to be in for a treat.   It poured such a deep ruby red and the bouquet of cassis, blackberry  and chocolate was so evident.   The initial taste was amazing, so rich , and full with just the right amount of tannins.  The wine just settled around every part of my tongue so that all the senses could pick up the best attributes of this wine.  The finish was as close  to spectacular as I can think of with any wine.  It was long and lingering, the taste of black current, hint of chocolate and mint, along with a smoky leathery taste just stayed and stayed. Overall, this was one of the best balanced wines I have ever tasted and that includes several of the 1st growths.   I am happy that I purchased a case of this 1961 back in 1973.  Unfortunately, all of these wines are now gone.  I gave this an A

 

 

 

1934 Chateau Margaux  I was very fortunate working for an excellent wine retail store on Long Island during the early 1970’s.   I had access to so many of the greatest French, German and Italian wines.   I thought nothing of buying 1 or 2 1st growth French Bordeaux every week.   Keep in mind, back then, along with an employee discount, I was paying anywhere from $30 to $50 for almost any 1st growth Bordeaux.   I had a case of Lafitte Rothschild 1961, that I paid $50 dollars a bottle for.   There were exceptions and that was for some of the real older vintages of 1st growths.   I paid about $85 for this Chateau Margaux 1934. Today, it can retail for about $1100!    We opened this wine at my house with several of my friends who were really into French wines.   This was back in early 1975.  The cork looked a bit old and I was afraid that it might fall apart as I was pulling it.   I slowly used the best cork screw I had and the cork came out to my surprise with ease and intact.

We were all blown away by the aroma and bouquet.  It was as if we just opened a fresh new wine from Bordeaux.   It was hard to distinguish, but blackberry, blueberry, mint, chocolate, cassis, smoke and more. I always referred to Chateau Lafitte Rothschild as being the King of French Bordeaux, and Chateau Margaux as the Queen of Bordeaux    The main grape used in the production of Margaux is Cabernet Sauvignon, followed by Merlot, Cabernet Franc, Petit Verdot, Malbec and Carmenere. .  I like to describe Margaux as the most floral of all French Bordeaux.

The taste was so smooth, almost like silk   I do not think I have ever had a wine that was a full, rich and soft as this Margaux.  Every possible sensory aspect you can have was taken over by this wine and it was all so very outstanding.   For a wine being that old, I would have thought the tannin would be almost gone and the color slightly brownish.   This was not the case here.   Still a brilliant red and there were enough tannins to make you appreciate the overall balance to this wine.  The finish was as great as the start was.   I still remember the lasting taste of this special Margaux.   To me, it was once in a lifetime to taste a pure classic!   I gave this an A++

 

 

 

1967 Romanee-Conti Echezeaux

I remember having this wine some time in the early 1970’s    It was one of my initial tastings of some of the great French burgundies.    The bright ruby red color really amazed me.  The bouquet was almost like taking a walk in the woods near a berry patch.   The taste was perfect,  silky on the tongue, full in body, dry but not bone dry, low on tannin, but all so very soft.  It was as the wine exploded in your mouth delighting every possible sense.   The after taste was lingering and long, full of berry, cherry, plum flavors that seemed to stay for every.   Gave this one an A+++

 

 

 

2010 Franciscan Cabernet Sauvignon  I love my Cabs from Napa Valley, but then again, I love Cabernet Sauvignon.   I first tried a 2007 Franciscan Cabernet at an in-house special wine tasting of California Cabernet.   I immediately took an immediate liking to this wine.   Of course it had all the typical characteristics of a good Cabernet, blackberry, cherry, plum, cassis,  a hint of chocolate, full and rich.   With big but easy on the palate tannins.   I think this is what I enjoyed the most about the wine.   The wine did not breather very long, yet, it was very soft.  You can just about taste the tannins, they were there, full and big, but yet so very tamed.  That made this wine even softer and fuller.   There was a perfect balance between fruit and tannin.   I still remember the aftertaste as having long lasting soft but distinct tannins.   I guess, I cant help repeating tannins for this wine.  I gave this 2010 a B+

 

 

 

2007 Martinelli Pinot Noir  Has to be my favorite United States Pinot Noir.  I first had this about 6 years ago with some friends.  Right afterwards, I searched around to purchase some.  I couldn’t find any in the local wine shops, so I finally ordered directly from the winery.  I purchased 6 bottles @ $85 apiece.  A bit pricey, but well worth it.    This wine was so very big, soft, lush and rich.  Once opened, the bouquet of berries, cherries, plums bounced out of the bottle along with hints of chocolate and a bit of minty sage.   The taste was so flavorful.  It reached every sense on your tongue and filled your mouth with pure joy.   The fullness is what made this so special, yet it had a degree of dryness to it and some earthy mild tannins that made this one of the more balanced Pinot Noirs that I have every had.   The aftertaste, well, just as exciting as the first sip.  I wish I could find more about this wine, but any search on Martinelli vineyards gives me a  Page not found 404 error.   I wounder if they stopped using the web.   But if you can find one, and they are on there to purchase, treat yourself.   I gave this one a A+

 

 

 

2012 I Balzini Black Label Super Tuscan   Another of my WTSO purchases.  As with any of the super tuscan’s I’ve tried, I let this one breathe for a long time.   Of course, I tasted it, right after I pulled the cork.  The tannins were so intense, that it was difficult to pick up any real qualities of the wine.  But as this had a chance to breath, the cherry, the plum, the soft ripened fruit began to shine through.   As with all super tuscans, this was dry with a lack of being full bodied.   But it made up for it, with more complexity in the overall bouquet and tastes.   There was chocolate, mint, eldeberry, so much going on in this wine.   I tastes it 6 hours after I opened it and it was even BETTER than after two hours.  I gave this a solid B

 

 

 

2016 RackHouse Cabernet Sauvignon  This was one very interesting Cabernet Sauvignon.  Its from the Lodi region in California.  What makes this wine unique, is that it is aged for four years on charred, oak, bourbon barrels.  Doing this, you definitely pick up some of the characteristics of bourbon, the spice, the caramel, the vanilla, some nutmeg.   Then add in the smokiness from those charred barrels.  This was a very big soft wine.  Fills your mouth with lots of berry and chocolate overtones, complimented with the smoke flavor.   The finish to this wine was just as big as the start.  I really almost consider this wine to be more of a Red blend than a pure Caberent Sauvignon.   As a Cab, I gave this one a C+ , as a blend, I gave it a B+

 

 

 

2001 Marchesato degli Aleramici Brunello di Montalcino

A real treat!  A 98 rated Brunello that I have been saving for the holiday season.  I let it breathe for about 2 1/2 hours.   Tasted a little every 30 minutes just to see how it opens up.   Bold and rich.  Lots of blackberry and cherry aroma with a good feel of ripe rich raisins.   The tannins were there, but as the wine opened up more, the full tannins became more of a velvet silk finish.  Love the earthiness of Italian wines made from the  Sangiovese grape from Tuscan and Umbria.   Finish was typical of most Italian wines, dry , nice but not very lingering  I gave this one a B++

 

 

 

 

 

Gott 2014 Napa Valley Cabernet Sauvignon

I’ve always been a big fan of Joel Gott’s wines.  His Cabernet Sauvignon 815 is really nice.  BUT you really have to try one if his GOTT xx Cabernets.   We just tasted the 14 vintage.  It during a blind taste.  The aroma was defintely Caberent with ripe cherries, a touch of mint and chocolate.   The initial taste let you know how bold the tannins were.  Even after letting it breathe for 2 hours, the tannis were right there big and bold.  This was a very young Cabernet, but also complex with some smoke and leather.   I would love to re-task this wine in lets say 3 years to see how the tannins how calmed down.  I gave this one a B

 

 

 

 

 

2016 Scott Kelly Oregon Tempranillo

This was another blind tasting wine.  The bottle had been breathing for only 30 minutes.  At first, I was thinking Italian because of a good earthy aroma.   But when I had the first sip, it definitely was not Italian.   It was medium bodied with some fruit but not very bold.  I started going though different wines from different countries, because this one was stumping me.    Last I thought of an old world Merlot since there wasn’t a lot of fruit.   I was totally shocked when I found it that it was an Oregon Tempranillo!   The grape for Riojas!   But it did not resemble any type of Spanish Tempranillo wine.  So this was a situation in where on old word grape was grown in the new world and the wine maker definitely made it a new world style    I gave this a B++

 

 

 

 

2016 Goldeneye Pinot Noir

I first had Goldeneye Pinot Noir when we visited their vineyard in 2005.  Their vineyard was amazing.  Beautiful grounds, and we fell in love with their outdoor pizza oven.   We tried 3 of their Pinots, each one was fantastic. So, I had to try this 2016.  I had it breathing for about 45 minutes.  The aroma was bursting with fresh fruit, cherry tart, blueberry and a hint of mint.  The legs were big, so I was anticipating a full wine.   The initial taste was big and fruity, but there were some big tannins which sort of overshadowed the wine.   The finish was silky, but still had tannins on my tongue.    We were tasting two Pinots that evening, so after this one was opened for over 2 hours, the tannins calmed down and then this Pinot was as delightful as I hoped it would be.   I gave this a B+

 

 

 

 

2016 Hartford Court Pinot Noir

We did a side by side tasting of this Pinot with the Goldeneye.   I was comparing the Anderson Valley vs Russian River Valley wines.   As with the Goldeneye, I let this breathe for about 45 minutes before tasting.   The aromas were more pronounced than the Goldeneye and all I could take it was berries, all types, cherry, raspberry, blackberry and more. Less legs, but this wine was so very smooth and easy drinking.  The berries continued as I was tasting this wine.   The finish was typical for a  Pinot, pleasant, dry, and not long lasting.  Initially, I liked this Pinot over the Goldeneye, but as you can read above, once the Goldeneye opened up some more, there was a big difference.  I gave this one a B

 

 

 

 

 

2014 Ruffino Riserva Ducale Chianti Classico

Let this one breathe for about 2 hours.  Still a good amount of tannins, but the overall attributes of this wine balanced everything out.   Aromas were of ripe cherry, other berries, but mostly cherry.   Earthy overtone with a hint of licorice and smoke and vanilla traces.   Medium legs, very dry, high on acidity and as I said, the tannins were up there.  Fuller than most Chianti’s I’ve hade.   Problem, because this came directly from the town of Chianti, thus allowed being called a Classico, versus the inexpensive Chiantis that can come from anywhere in the region.  Close to 100% Sangiovese grape.   I gave this one a B

 

 

 

 

 

2014 Tomaiola Toscana Super Tuscan

We did not allow this wine to breathe when we first tasted it.  It was part of an experiment with two different Italian wines.   The wine did not show the typical earthy aromas of most Tuscany wines.   The aromas were of plum, blackberry, cherry, leather, licorice and smoke. 

The taste follow suit with the aromas, especially with the cherry and smoke.   This wine was fairly big.  It was full and very soft.  Surprisingly, the tannins were very mild, which made this even more drinkable.

The finish was soft and left a very pleasant taste, making me wanting another sip.    I was very surprised that this IGT was a Super Tuscan.   Most Super Tuscans I have had in the past, I had to allow them to breath 2 to 3 hours to soften up.    The grape blend for this one is

85% Sangiovese
10%  Cabernet Sauvignon
5%     Merlot

I gave this one a solid B

 

11*14 Oakville 2017 Cabernet Sauvignon

I purchased this wine from WTSO on a hunch.  Ihad read a lot of good reviews about the Ant+Farm Winery.   Vivino listed as $99, WTSO had it as a special for $39 per bottle.     I was NOT disappointed!   First thing I noticed was the extra heavy bottle .  I’ve only had a few bottles heavy like this, one being GOTT 5.  So things started off positive..   It was a very dark cherry red.  The aroma indicated a bit of smoke and leather with lots of blackberry overtones.   The first sip was BIG and BOLD, there was a good amount of tannins, but they were soft and easy to drink.  My mouth exploded with everything I want in a Cabernet Sauvignon.  This wine is suppose to be great right up to 2035.

I gave this one a  A+