There was a time in the not too distant past when I thought a white wine from Bordeaux was blasphemy. That was until I went to Bordeaux and tasted their whites. Crisp, clean and well balanced, this particular wine does nothing to disabuse of the notion that Bordeaux can produce quality reds and whites.
Winery: Chateau Les Maurins
Grape: Sémillon & Sauvignon Blanc
Region: Bordeaux, France
Year: 2006
Source: FreshDirect.com
Price: $13
Color: Light straw
Nose: A beautiful bouquet of pineapple, grass, lemon, wildflowers and vanilla.
Taste: The crisp wine present pineapple at first. Light bodied, the wine is well balanced and has a pleasant mouth feel. Other flavors I noticed were hazelnut, kiwi and grass. The exit is soft, leaving pineapple, mango and strawberry flavors. Read more »
I don’t believe I have ever tasted juniper in a wine before this one. (For those of you wondering what juniper would taste like, think about the taste of gin). If you are looking for a wine to drink once a week, I’d point to this one.
Winery: Badger Mountain
Grape: Syrah
Region: Washington, United States
Year: 2004
Source: FreshDirect.com
Price: $21
Color: Blood red.
Nose: Heavy black pepper and leather scents. An overtone of chalk hides the unmistakable hint of pencil shavings. Beyond, the wine has light strawberry and apricot notes.
Taste: The wine leads with flavors that are reminiscent of a bloody mary: Worchester, pepper, garlic salt. The medium to medium-light bodied wine moves through the mouth smoothly, giving way to soft strawberry, sweet fruits, vanilla, asparagus and a hint of juniper berry. The exit is clean, with lingering sweet fruits and leather tastes.
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Over lunch, Josh told me American Madness was looking for someone to write about wine. It so happens I like to drink wine. Thus begins a new era for this blog.
At a restaurant, I’m the guy with the wine list. If I don’t happen to grab it first, it usually finds its way to my hands after my non-oenophile friends are suddenly reminded they don’t know wine.
I’m the guy that looks at the list, finds three or four bottles that hold promise and then speaks with the sommelier. Often times, I am right in my initial selections. Other times, the sommelier may recommend a hidden gem on a list. The result is always the same; a great bottle of wine with dinner.
This knowledge and process now find themselves to the Web and this blog. I’ll attempt to provide those who may be a bit timid with a guide to a few good bottles. Why am I qualified? Well, I’m not. I have no formal wine tasting training. I have never taken a wine tasting course beyond the rudimentary lessons available when one visits a vineyard and the vintner attempts to bestow some appreciation of their product on the subject.
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