2008 Anakena Syrah Single Vineyard

On June 23, 2010, In Red, By dcpatton

Today I am tasting the 2008 Single Vineyard Syrah by Vina Anakena from the Rapel Valley of Chile. This 100% Syrah based wine can be found for around $14. It is aged for 6 months in oak. I’ve previously enjoyed the 2007 Anakena Single Vineyard Carmenere.

Color

In the glass this wine is a very dark purple in color similar to a lot of Syrah based wines.

Aroma

This wine has a good nose with lots of blackberry notes. There is also a earthy component which might stink to some but is quite nice to me. I enjoyed the aromas offered by this wine.

Flavor

On the attack there is a lot of sweet fruit. Strawberry comes first and then is followed by cherry which continues through the mid-palate. There is also a hint of mint in the mid-palate. The finish ends with a bit of pepper and smoke. It is not a bad finish. Overall the wine is medium bodied and not as dry as I would prefer.

Rating

This Anakena wine is not the best match for my palate. Considering it is one of their premium wines, I wanted a dryer wine with more herbaceous notes. Instead it was pretty simple and sweet. I rate it 85 points.

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2008 Cono Sur Vision Sauvignon Blanc

On June 15, 2010, In White, By dcpatton

Today I am tasting the 2008 Cono Sur Vision Sauvignon Blanc from the Casablanca Valley in Chile. This 100% Sauvignon Blanc based wine was purchased for under $14. It is aged for 4 months in stainless steel tanks. I’ve previously really enjoyed the 2008 Cono Sur Vision Pinot Noir, so I am excited to try this wine. Also, I’ve tasted the 2008 Cono Sur Sauvignon Blanc and the newer 2009 Cono Sur Sauvignon Blanc so it will be educational to try this higher end version from Vina Cono Sur.

Color

In the glass it is a creamy light straw color.

Aroma

On the nose the dominant note is the grapefruit. There is also lime and a hint of grass. Green apple and honeydew components are also present. Finally there is a fresh mineral note such as that in mineral water which makes this a wine which leads me to expect a good range of flavors on the palate.

Flavor

The attack shows the green apple which was present on the nose. There is good acidity throughout and more of a heaviness to this wine than some Sauvignon Blancs exhibit. The finish is very strong grapefruit and in the mid-palate there is a distinctive Carica papaya component similar to those from Chile. Overall this is a very nice Sauvignon Blanc which shows surprising complexity along with the freshness and acidity commonly found with this varietal.

Rating

I highly recommend this wine if you enjoy Sauvignon Blancs which show a lot of grapefruit. It is well made and I rate it 94 points.

Have you tried this wine or any of the Vision wines from Cono Sur?

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2007 Dominio de Eguren Vino de la Tierra de Castilla Protocolo

On June 8, 2010, In Red, By dcpatton

Today I am tasting the 2007 Protocolo Tinto from Dominio de Eguren in the Tierra de Castilla region of Spain. This bottle was purchased for under $7. This wine is 100% Tempranillo based and usually is aged in oak for 3 months. I’ve previously tried the 2007 Dominio de Eguren Tempranillo Vino de la Tierra de Castilla. So it will be interesting to see the difference with this offering.

Color

The color in the glass is a thin ruby red.

Aroma

On the nose I detect a dusty, earthy note and black cherry. There is a hint of black currant and after a while a lot of blackberry is showing. It is a good nose.

Flavor

The flavor of this wine is somewhat bland. It tastes thin just like the color hints that it might. There is some black cherry on the attack and mid-palate and blackberry on the finish, but it isn’t vibrant. The oak is present in the mid-palate and finish. There is a nice hint of the dustiness throughout the palate which is interesting.

Rating

For me this wine is not the best match to my palate. It seems a bit average. But the price is very fair. I rate it 83 points.

Have you tried it yet? Was it more to your liking? What flavors and aromas did you like or not like?

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2008 Williamsburg Winery Governor’s White

On June 2, 2010, In White, By dcpatton

Today I am tasting the 2008 Governor’s White from the Williamsburg Winery in Virginia. It is their best selling wine and a semi-dry table wine. This wine was purchased for under $7 and is traditionally a blend of Vidal Blanc, Muscat, Cayuga, and Gheisenheim grape varieties. All of these varieties are white grapes. Vidal Blanc usually produces sweet, fruity wine. Muscat is know for its floral character and is ancient in origin. Muscat also produces “grapey” wines. The Cayuga grapes are a New York variety which can sometimes show a musky note. My guess is that the Gheisenheim is a variety from Geisenheim, Germany which is based on Riesling. Anyone know what they are using?

Color

In the glass this wine is a light yellow, straw-like color similar to a Riesling.

Aroma

The nose is quite complex with quite a lot of different aromas showing. There are faint citrus components such as lemon and grapefruit. Dominating the nose is a musky note which might be from the Cayuga. There is also a grape juice aroma perhaps coming from the Muscat.

Flavor

The attack shows a bit of the sweetness, but not excessively. There is a overripe honeydew melon component showing. In the mid-palate I pick up a hint of an orange component. This wine is not highly acidic and surprisingly it is heavier than I would have expected. I believe it is medium-bodied. The finish is short but crisp. This should pair well with spicy food.

Rating

This wine is well priced and is a fascinating blend of grape varieties. For my palate it works better with food than on its own. I rate it 78 points.

I am excited about trying more wines from this producer as I think some of their other wines may fit my palate better. Have you tried any yet?

Credit to My Vine Spot for pointing this wine out to me in Quick Sip: Calling Governor Williamsburg!

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2008 Cono Sur Cabernet Sauvignon

On May 28, 2010, In Red, By dcpatton

Today I am tasting the 2008 Cono Sur Cabernet Sauvignon from the Valle Central region of Chile. I applaud Cono Sur for their commitment to CarbonNeutral delivery of this product. This wine was purchased for under $8 and is a blend of 85% Cabernet Sauvignon, 10% Merlot, 3% Syrah and 2% Carmenere. I have previously had the 2007 Cono Sur Cabernet Sauvignon, so it will be interesting to compare them.

Color

In the glass it is a dark purplish red color.

Aroma

There is a lot of blackberry and black currant on the nose of this wine. It is almost like a cobbler. That is to say it is very much a cooked or over ripe fruit aroma. There is a also a mint component. It is a rich full nose.

Flavor

This is definitely a fruit-forward, new world style of wine. I like the fact that it is not heavily oaked. The attack is more a mix of black and red currant. In the mid-palate I get some cherry flavors and then the finish has some minor tannins and a bit of a beef jerky note. Perhaps it is better described as a smoky note. The finish is longer than I would have expected.

Rating

For the price this is a decent everyday wine. It goes with strong flavored dishes, but for sipping on its own I find it a bit sweet for my palate. I rate it 85 points.

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2008 Bodegas Borsao Garnacha Campo de Borja Monte Oton

On May 27, 2010, In Red, By dcpatton

Today I am tasting the 2008 Monte Oton Garnacha by Bodegas Borsaoicon from the Campo de Borja region of Spain. This 100% Garnacha (Grenache) base wine was acquired for under $8. I’ve previously had the 2008 Bodegas Borsao Campo de Borja Red Wine and the 2007 Bodegas Borsao Red Wine which are blends of Garnacha and Tempranillo grapes.

Color

In the glass this wine is a nice dark garnet color.

Aroma

The first component I noticed on the nose is strawberry. There is also a woody, oak note along with a damp soil component with is nicely balanced with the fruit. An unusual pomegranate aroma is also present.

Flavor

On the attack there is a fruity character with some cherry. It transitions to a complex mid-palate with dark chocolate, chili pepper, and vegetables. There is butternut squash, tomato and eggplant. All are very minor but combine to give it a green character. The finish is herbal and shows some tannins. This is a medium bodied wine which is food friendly.

Rating

This is an interesting wine and definitely complex enough to make it a value for the money. I rate it 86 points.

Have you tried this one?

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2007 Martín Códax Rioja Ergo

On May 24, 2010, In Red, By dcpatton

Today I am tasting the 2007 Martin Codax Ergoicon from the Rioja region of Spain. This wine was acquired for under $10 and is primarily made of Tempranillo grapes. Bodegas Martin Codax is known more for the vineyards in Rias Baixas, so it will be interesting to try this wine from the Ebro River valley.

Color

In the glass it is a dark ruby red in color.

Aroma

On the nose this wine is showing a combination of dark and red fruit such as blackberry and strawberry. Typical of a Rioja wine there is also a component of oak and cedar. There is a hint of earthiness which is quite nice.

Flavor

The attack shows some strawberry and an unusual beet flavor. In the mid-palate there is a pleasant black cherry note and it finishes with more of the oak driven components. This is a medium-bodied wine and works well with grilled meats.

Rating

For my palate, this wine is an average match. The oak isn’t too offensive, but the flavors aren’t that noticeable either. I think there are many similar wines from Spain for around the same price point. I rate it 85 points.

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Monetization

On May 14, 2010, In Uncategorized, By dcpatton

As we build out the features for PalateMatch, we’ve been considering how to make enough money to pay for the service. I thought it would be interesting to hear your thoughts. Here are a couple of ideas:

  1. PalateMatch is going to provide useful ways for you to identify wines that match your palate and ways to determine what your palate is in regards to likes and dislikes. So given the service it could provide, one possible extension is to then sell products that are a good match for you via an affiliate relationship. This affiliate relationship would need to be transparent and the identification of wines could not have any relationship to the affiliate relationship.
  2. Running advertisements on the site. Online advertisements could provide enough money to make the service sustainable. Particularly if the users of the site are a well defined and desirable demographic to the advertisers. Would sign-up data help in this regard and how much could be collected without being intrusive?

What additional methods of monetization (subscriptions, …)  might be feasible for a service like PalateMatch?

Thanks for your thoughts and helping us make this a great service for you.

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2007 Almira Los Dos

On May 12, 2010, In Red, By dcpatton

Today I am tasting the 2007 Almira Los Dosicon from the Campo de Borja region of Spain. This wine is 85% Grenache (Granacha) and 15% Syrah and I acquired it for under $8. Los Dos or “both” is not aged in oak and is one of the signature offerings of Almira. The other is Los Dos En Barrica which is aged in oak.

Color

In the glass, the wine is a pretty red. Not super dark, but adequate.

Aroma

This wine literally takes over the room. The nose is intense with blackberries and black currant. There is also some earth components. Wet rich soil comes through. I also get some strawberries and red cherries. This is a great nose!

Flavor

On the attack, Los Dos is full of sweet fruit, but not over the top. The strawberry and red cherry flavors are there. The mid-palate is first class with a complex combination of cherries and hints of strawberry, black pepper and raspberry. The finish is very long and fruity. The tannins are soft and sweet, so drink this now. This is a medium-bodied red wine and it will pair with most cheese and meat dishes.

Rating

I highly recommend this wine. I am very impressed by the blend and style. The fruit and terroir are at their best here without any interference from oak. Great job Almira. I rate it 92 points. It also represents very good value.

If you haven’t tried this, I suggest you try it soon. If you have, what did you think of it?

My Wines Direct 6 Wines for $79, 468x60

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Organic Coaching

On May 11, 2010, In Education, By dcpatton

Eco Tourism

Laurie Forster, The Wine Coach, gives some good information about the environmental bottle labeling and policies of vineyards in her Green Vineyards post. Check it out to learn about organic wines, organically grown grapes, sulfites, biodynamics, and sustainability.

Now if only the USDA or FDA would standardize labeling so that we knew exactly what we are consuming.

What is your experience with discerning environmentally friendly wine?

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