2010 Clos Marie L’Olivette Pic Saint Loup, Languedoc, France
Half Syrah and half Grenache, this value vino picks up a certain savoriness from the vineyard, which is not far from the ocean’s salty breeze. But whereas Clos Marie’s Manon white bottling shows more of a saline quality, this savoriness merely… Read more
2009 Penley Estate ‘Chertsey,’ Coonawarra, Australia
This Bordeaux-style blend (Cabernet Sauvignon, Merlot and Cabernet Franc) is translucent ruby in hue, lightening at the edges. When first uncorked, the wine is super tight, with eucalyptus, tar and earth notes dominating the aroma. Sampled again one… Read more
2009 San Antonio Winery ‘Limited Reserve Red,’ Paso Robles
This limited, 95th anniversary bottling is a proprietary mix of Bordeaux and Rhone varietals, selected from highly acclaimed Paso Robles vineyards by Maddalena Brands. And it’s a big mouthful of red — lots of dark berry fruits, with notes of… Read more
2010 La Fleur d’Amelie Rouge, Bordeaux
(By Chateau de Sours.) Translucent ruby/crimson color. As the vineyard is a stone’s throw from Pomerol, it is no surprise that this red blend is primarily (75%) Merlot. The other grapes are Cabernet Franc (20%) and Petit Verdot (5%). A flowery… Read more
2004 Domaine Viticole Renouard ‘Scamandre,’ Rhone Valley, France
At least lately, I have opened far too many Rhone Valley wines, only to be a bit underwhelmed by their supposed intense / flavor-forward tendencies. Is green fruit to blame? A string of bad luck? I can’t speak for more current vintages, but… Read more
2010 Clos du Tue-Boeuf Cheverny Rouge, Loire Valley, France
Thierry and Jean-Marie Puzelat aren’t new to natural winemaking, but it’s not for reverence or cultish personality that so many wine caves and restaurants in Paris serve the brothers’ wines. Nor is it for the fact that their estate has some historic… Read more
2010 Greg Norman Cabernet-Merlot, Limestone Coast, Australia
Opaque purple/crimson color. A forward nose of fresh, dark, brambly berries is complemented by cedar, eucalyptus, tobacco and vanilla. Bright and sassy as it enters the palate, the wine picks up an additional flavor of fleshy currant. Medium in… Read more
2009 Dry Creek Vineyard ‘The Mariner,’ Dry Creek Valley
Nearly opaque dark ruby/crimson color. The nose of this Bordeaux-styled red blend (43% Cabernet Sauvignon, 37% Merlot, 10% Malbec, 5% Petit Verdot and 5% Cabernet Franc) is immediately engaging, with woodspice notes of cinnamon, toast, vanilla and… Read more
2010 Roanoke Vineyards ‘Marco Tulio,’ North Fork of Long Island
One way to keep peace in a wine family is to name a wine after one’s father-in-law. That’s the story of this red blend, which honors the father of owner Richard Pisacano’s wife: Don Marco Tulio. The wine has a gorgeous, fruit-forward nose of… Read more
2009 Roanoke Vineyards ‘Prime Number,’ North Fork of Long Island
This Bordeaux-style red blend consists of 56% Cabernet Sauvignon, 41% Merlot and 3% Cabernet Franc. With its complex flavor spectrum ranging from cherry to vanilla and from blackberry to cola, this wine could easily be mistaken for a Napa Valley… Read more
