2005 Chateau Chantemerle

On March 8, 2010, In Red, By dcpatton

Today I am tasting the 2005 Chateau Chantemerle from the Medoc region of France. This is a Merlot based Bordeaux blend and was purchased for under $12. The 2005 vintage was a classic year for Bordeaux so it will be interesting to see what this wine brings to the table. If you know the percentage of grape varieties that makeup this wine, I love for you to share it in the comments.

Color

In the glass this wine is a good ruby red shade.

Aroma

Heavy oak on the nose of this wine. I also detect some blackberry notes. Unfortunately it is not showing much else right now.

Flavor

On the attack there is black currant and plums. The mid-palate has black cherry and asparagus. Finishes with sour cherry and an herbaceous, woody note. This is a medium bodied wine with big tannins. It is quite astringent and needs to breathe or be put away for a while. I’d love to have some blue cheese with it.

Rating

What this wine lacked on the nose, it made up for on the palate. This is a nice break from the fruit bombs of the New World. I like it, but wish it had less oak. I rate it 86 points.

Have you tried a Medoc wine from 2005?

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2005 Château De Saint Philippe

On February 8, 2010, In Red, By dcpatton

Today I am tasting the 2005 Chateau De Saint Philippe Cotes de Castillon from the Bordeaux region of France. It was purchased for under $11. Cotes de Castillon is an AOC on the right bank region of Bordeaux where the wines are Merlot based and also contain some Cabernet Franc. I do not know the percentages for this wine. Do you?

Color

In the glass it is a dark garnet color.

Aroma

Notes of blackberry are prevalent on the nose of this wine. It also shows some black plums and a hint of raspberries. Overall a good nose.

Flavor

On the attack there is a good amount of chalky, earthiness to it. The blackberry transitions form the nose. The mid-palate has very faint notes of cherry and it finishes with mild tannins and cherries. This is a light to medium-bodied wine. Thinner than I expected, a bit simple and the fruit is too bland. It pairs well with pasta dishes and burgers.

Rating

This was a little bit disappointing. I was hoping to have found a good value from a minor AOC. I rate this 82 points.

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2008 Doulce France Vouvray Alfio Moriconi Selection

On February 7, 2010, In White, By dcpatton

Today I am tasting the 2008 Doulce France Vouvray by Bougrier Depuis from France. Like most Vouvray wines, this is probably made from 100% Chenin Blanc. I acquired this bottle for under $10. Although it has Doulce (Sweet) in the name the back label declares it to be “OFF-DRY”. Vouvray wines come in sec, demi-sec (off-dry), moelleux and doux levels of sweetness with sec being the most dry. So, I am excited to try this demi-sec version.

Color

In the glass this wine is a nice pale yellow straw color.

Aroma

On the nose there is a dominate lemon component. It is accompanied by green apple and pear. There is a hint of a floral component such as lilies. Overall it comes across as fresh and showing the aromas of raw fruits. Very pleasant.

Flavor

On the attack there is peach and apple. The mid-palate has some honeydew melon in the mix and it finishes with a hint of lemon and red grapefruit. This is a sweet wine. I was a little surprised at how sweet it tastes. Not a lot of acidity but will pair well with a desert that isn’t too sweet. I am thinking of a pound cake or lemon cake.

Rating

For my palate this wine was a bit too sweet and awkward. Perhaps I need to find a sec or even a sec-sec (dry-dry) Vouvray next. I rate it 82 points.

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2008 Domaine de la Presidente Côtes du Rhône Grands Classiques

On February 2, 2010, In Red, By dcpatton

Today I am tasting the 2008 Cotes du Rhone Grands Classiques by Domaine de la Presidente from the Southern Rhone region of France. This Rhone blend of 60% Grenache, 20% Syrah, 10% Cinsault, and 10% Carignan was purchase for under $10.

Color

In the glass it is a light, but bright ruby red.

Aroma

This is a very aromatic wine. It is bursting out of the glass and taking over the room. Strawberry and red currant are definitely present on the initial inhale. There is also a earthy clay aroma. Overall the nose has no artificial notes.

Flavor

On the attack there is a cherry component. The mid-palate has more of a sour cherry cola flavor. The finish has some mild but enjoyable tannins and a little heat, but not much else. Unfortunately, the finish does disappear quickly. This is a wine that will be at its best when consumed with food. On its own, it is just too light and simple. It will pair with pork and turkey.

Rating

For my palate, this wine is not a good match by itself. It does work with food. I rate it 80 points.

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2007 La Vieille Ferme Côtes du Ventoux Rouge

On December 2, 2009, In Red, By dcpatton

Today I am tasting the 2007 La Vieille Ferme Cotes du Ventoux Rouge by the Perrin Family from the Rhone Valley in France. This blend of Grenache, Syrah, and Cinsault was acquired for under $8. It comes in an attractive bottle with a screw-cap (yeah!) and a drawing of a rooster and a hen. It reminds me of A Year in Provence (amazon affiliate link), so I am already happy with it.

Color

In the glass it is a dark ruby red. A little darker than I expected for a Rhone Valley blend.

Aroma

There is some dark fruit on the nose at first. Blackberry is noted. I also get strawberry after a while.

Flavor

The strawberry on the attack is sweet. The mid-palate is quite strong with nice raspberry notes taking over from cherry. There is also some black pepper on the mid-palate. It finishes with licorice and smooth tannins which have a black tea flavor. It is well balanced and will pair well with food. I recommend it with chicken and pork. It isn’t quite big enough to pair well with steak.

Rating

I believe this is a decent wine for pairing with food. I rate it 88 points.

This is a widely available wine, have you tried it?

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2007 Noel Bougrier Vouvray

On November 21, 2009, In White, By dcpatton

Today we are tasting the 2007 Noel Bougrier Vouvray from the Loire Valley in France. This wine is probably 100% Chenin Blanc; although, Vouvray wines are occasionally blended with Arbois. In Vouvray, the Chenin Blanc wines are made with different levels of residual sugar. The categories are from driest to sweetest (percent risidual sugar in parens): Sec (0-0.4%), Demi-Sec (0.4-1.2%), Moullex (1.2-4.5%), and Doux (4.5% or more). The Doux is sometimes known as liquoreux. We did not find any labeling on the bottle to declare which category this wine is. We acquired this horribly labeled bottle for under $12.

Color

This wine is very golden in the glass.

Aroma

There is not a lot of aroma from this wine. It shows a little chemical component which reminds us of chlorine. It also shows some white grape juice component. Not a very good nose.

Flavor

Upon first sip of this wine, the syrupy sweetness is overwhelming. Keep this in mind if you are going to pair it with food. It must be in the Doux category because it is close to a dessert wine. Once you get past the sugar, there is apple, peach, clover honey and papaya components. Although the fruit is present it is underwhelming. Surprisingly, for a Chenin Blanc there is very little acid.

Rating

Because of the high residual sugar and the muted fruit, we didn’t enjoy this Vouvray. We rate it 82 points.
Question for you. Should I abandon ratings? Do they help you? There is a lot of discussion of this lately. What are your thoughts on it?

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2007 BV Coastal Estates Pinot Noir, Vin de Pays dOc

On November 15, 2009, In Red, By dcpatton

Today I am tasting the 2007 BV Coastal Estates Pinot Noir, Vin de Pays dOc by Beaulieu Vineyard from California. Note that this wine is actually from French vineyards in the Languedoc region. It is aged in stainless steel tanks and in oak barrels. It will be interesting to see if it is styled “old world” or “new world” or a combination. I found this bottle for under $7.

Color

It is easy to see your fingers through the wine in the glass and is a nice ruby color overall.

Aroma

The nose is medium in intensity with some earthy notes. It has wood and dirt in it similar to freshly dug up woody roots. There is also some smoky bacon components. Some fruity notes such as raspberry are also present.

Flavor

On the palate this wine is dry with slightly disappointing flavor profile. On the attack I get some sweet cherry. The mid-palate and finish show some cola flavors so that it turns into a bit of a black cherry cola. The oak also shows up on the end and there is some heat on the finish. It has some tannins and should pair well with pork or even strong fish. It does tend to be more of an “old world” style.

Rating

I was hoping for something a little more complex on the flavor side. I rate it 85 points.

More wines from Beaulieu Vineyardsicon (affiliate link)

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2005 Domaine des Rouet Chinon

On October 30, 2009, In Red, By dcpatton

Today I am tasting the 2005 Chinon from Domaine des Rouet in France. These Loire Valley wines are commonly made of Cabernet Franc blended with a small amount of Cabernet Sauvignon. I found this bottle for under $11.

Color

This wine has dark shades of purple and is a little thin.

Aroma

The nose of this wine is dominated by vegetables. Green pepper is present and some hints of thyme and other herbs. After smelling so many fruit driven noses lately, I find the aroma of this wine pleasing.

Flavor

The attack is dull, but the mid-palate has a lot to offer. There are sour red cherries and red raspberries and it finishes with some nice tannins. The finish shows some true lasting power which indicates to me that this wine could cellar well. If you like a wine to have flavor and not be over sugar driven, then this wine definitely qualifies. It may pair well with pasta and vegetables.

Rating

I like this wine. It is a bit plain and simple, but is decent. I suspect it won’t appeal to many palates and recommend having it with food. I rate it 86 points.

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2006 Chateau Bois Redon Bordeaux Superieur

On October 25, 2009, In Red, By dcpatton

Today I am tasting the 2006 Bordeaux Superieur by Chateau Bois Redon from the commune of Boisredon in France. This Bordeaux is a blend of 75% Merlot and 25% Cabernet Sauvignon, common for a right bank Bordeaux. I found this wine for under $10 locally.

Color

The color is a medium purple red. I might even mistake it for a pinot noir. It’s a little concerning.

Aroma

The nose is tight. It shows some pepper and a little cherry aromas.

Flavor

There is a pretty intense sour cherry flavor at the start and definitely in the mid-palate. The finish is pretty weak with a tiny bit of pepper. The fruit is very lack luster and the tannins are definitely bitter. This wine is young and perhaps the tannins will improve over time, but I did let it breathe for a couple of hours before tasting it. The wine doesn’t last long on the palate and leaves a bitter dry mouth feel. It is a very light wine, so it might pair with pork, but I don’t recommend drinking it alone.

Rating

Even though it is an inexpensive Bordeaux, I wouldn’t recommend purchasing this wine. I rate it 80 points.

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2008 Ropiteau Vin de Pays d’Oc Pinot Noir

On October 21, 2009, In Red, By dcpatton

Today I am tasting the 2008 Ropiteau Vin de Pays d’Oc Pinot Noir from southern France. This bottle was available for under $9. I’ve enjoyed prior vintages, so it will be interesting to try the 2008.

Color

The color in the glass is a pleasant ruby red and has the transparent character of a Pinot Noir.

Aroma

It is quite aromatic with bell pepper and spruce on the nose. Not getting much fruit though. There is a little bit of chalk there.

Flavor

Sweet strawberry and watermelon on the attack followed by some cherry in the mid-palate. The finish has some mild tannins and sour cherry. It is a fast finish. This will pair well with most light pasta dishes as well as chicken and pork.

Rating

This is a easy Pinot Noir to drink. It is pretty smooth. However it is simple. I rate it 85 points which for the price is not a bad value.

This is widely available. Have you tried it? I would love to hear about your impressions in the comments below. Did anyone else get the watermelon?

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