Read an interesting OP-Ed piece in the WSJ. It was written by a winery owner (Jim Dyke Jr of Mira Winery in Napa) who has been told by the federal Alcohol and Tobacco Tax and Trade Bureau (TTB)to stop selling wine that has been stored in Charleston, SC harbor.The reason for the ban is the wine could be unsafe to drink. The winery chose Charleston harbor after much research. They needed to find water with the correct temperature, currents and light. The idea is to find an environment in which the wine will age quicker. /http://blogs.mercurynews.com/eat-drink-play/2015/03/20/ocean-aged-wine-may-illegal/
Apparently the TTB has actually issued an advisory on the dangers of ocean aged wine.http://www.ttb.gov/announcements/ttb-announcement-underwater-storage-of-wine.pdf Wow. Wish they paid this much attention to railroad safety.
Baltimore
Spent the Preakness weekend in Baltimore. Found a restaurant that was good. The WineMarket Bistro. http://winemarketbistro.com/ They have a wineshop where you pick out your wine and they charge you $8 to drink it at dinner. We had a good 2010 St Emillion. 2010 Château Fombrauge St. Émilion Grand Cru Red Bordeaux Blend. The food included Rock bass, shrimp and pork dumplings, fried oysters and charred brussel sprouts. Everything was good and the ambiance was great. We ate the bar. Cal Ripken was eating there when we entered but we did not notice him.
Summer Wine
The Domaine Drouhin 2014 Rose was great. It is light to medium bodied, great floral bouquet, nice color and lots of flavor but delicate. Their rose is usually heavier. If you get a chance try this wine. It is only available from t he winery.
In the summer we gravitate towards lighter wines. To me a lighter wine is one with lower alcohol but still has lots of flavor.We enjoy reds and white and roses. We drink a decent amount of Cava and Champagne. WTSO has been having Champagne offers with bottle prices from $19.99 to $24.99. I have had a few of these and they have been very good. Champagnes have the highest average rating from the WS so don't be afraid to try low priced Champagne. Remember it must be from France and and say Champagne on the label
Cava's are also a house favorite. You can still find a Cava for $8- $10 and they are light, fruity and fun to drink with most food. Try red wines with fish this summer. Chill the wine a bit. The French drink chilled young Bordeaux in t he summer.
Recent Wines
2012 La Crema Pinot Noir Willamette Valley
I like this wine: 89 points
Enjoyed at Blue Bell Inn in PA. Light, good earthiness, reasonable $54 in restaurant.
2005 Eagles Trace Latitude 38 Napa Valley Red Bordeaux Blend
Really enjoyed this wine. Nice blend, good fruit and acid, tasted just right, would drink again,
2011 Domaine Lafage Vin de Pays des Côtes Catalanes Bastide Miraflors Vieilles Vignes Syrah Blend, Syrah
86 points
Very funky bouquet but tasted fine, fruit and acid but not up to WA review, Not my fav.
2010 Chalone Vineyard Pinot Noir Limited release Founder's Club exclusive
I don't like this wine: 79 points This wine has been very inconsistent and the source of the grapes is not clear. There have been lots of changes at Chalone over the last few years.
2010 Château Fombrauge St. Émilion Grand Cru Red Bordeaux Blend
- I like this wine: 91 points
Drank at restaurant in Baltimore, big wine, good acid and fruit, drank with rock bass, enjoyed the wine , would drink again, $47 at store in restaurant with $8 corkage. Will improve with age.
2013 Acacia Pinot Noir Carneros
I don't like this wine: 82 points
Not very good, some fruit but nothing much.
2014 Kim Crawford Sauvignon Blanc Marlborough
- I like this wine: 90 points
This wine gets better, light, good acid , somewhat delicate, good balance of fruit and acid, will drink again.
NV Philippe Fourrier Champagne Carte d'Or Pinot Noir
- I like this wine: 91 points WTSO
Full bodied, lots of flavor, yeasty, enjoyed with linguine with clam sauce, will drink again.
2012 Château de La Chaize Brouilly Vieilles Vignes Gamay
I like this wine: 90 points
Nice bouquet, light body but good flavor, nice acid, not much tannin but lots of earthiness, more fruit than the regular bottling, will drink again, the 2011 has more body, not for long term cellaring
2011 Domaine Bernard Defaix Chablis 1er Cru Côte de Léchet Vieilles Vignes Chardonnay
I like this wine: 90 points
Medium bodied, golden color, acid balanced with fruit, good mouth feel, an enjoyable wine, drank with scallops and oysters, would drink again if I could find it.
2006 Nervi Gattinara Nebbiolo
- I like this wine: 93 points
Earthy, tannic but the fruit balances the wine beautifully, light color, nice bouquet, medium bodied but floats, drank with lobster tails and steak, will drink again, a good value, Nebbiolo rocks.
2011 Xavier et Nicolas Barbet Moulin-à-Vent Cuvée Vieilles Vignes Gamay
I like this wine: 88 points
Earthy and tasty with enough fruit to keep things interesting, drank with grilled chicken, I would like a bit more fruit but my wife really likes this style of wine, balanced with tannins, might drink again.
2013 Ca' del Baio Langhe Nebbiolo Langhe DOC - I like this wine: 87 points
Earthy, terroir, light, lots of tannin, good with food, could use a bit more fruit, might drink again, drank with flounder, baked oysters and veggies.
NV Juvé y Camps Cava Brut Rosé Rosé Blend
I like this wine: 90 points
Good bottle. Lots of flavor, great color, drank well til the last drop, drank with paella with scallops, would drink again. Bubbles and acid balanced with fruit.
2013 Domaine Drouhin Oregon Pinot Noir Cuvée Willamette Valley
I like this wine: 92 points
Light in color and body, good earthy flavor with good balance of fruit and tannin, actually tastes like a Cru Beaujolais, which is a compliment. Would drink agai except it hard to get and not cheap. Drank with strip steak. Went down easy as we like this style of wine. This wine is only available from the winery.
2014 Domaine Drouhin Oregon Pinot Noir Édition Rosé Dundee Hills
I like this wine: 93 points
Amazin stuff, fragrant, great color, delicate fruit, beautiful finish, a substantial wine but with great finesse, previous vintages have been much heavier, one of the best roses that we have encountered, will drink again, drank with a whole black sea bass.
2004 Marquis Philips Sarah's Blend South Eastern Red Blend
- I like this wine: 92 points
Bought for my son's birthday in 06 and drank for his birthday tonight, remarkably fresh and smooth, alcohol added some spiciness, good fruit, nice bouquet, aging can create wines that can be a pleasant surprise, would drink again but will never find again, Bottle was signed by the winemaker who had just taken over at Marquis Phillips. Drank with sushi and ribs.
2009 Château Fontenil Fronsac Red Bordeaux Blend
I like this wine: 92 points
Balanced, tannins blended well, good bouquet, enjoyed the wine and stood up to some very good wines.
2007 Ruffino Modus Toscana IGT SuperTuscan Blend
I like this wine: 92 points
Heavy wine with rough tannins but drinks a bit lighter as the alcohol is not that high, good fruit, nice balance, nice bouquet, interesting wine, enjoyed with veal parm, would drink again but probably not available, wine is probably at it peak. WS gave this an awesome review.
2010 Casa Santos Lima Vinho Regional Lisboa Confidencial Reserva Red Blend
I don't like this wine: 82 points
Decent blend, nice fruit but the finish disappoints. Probably would not drink again.
2012 Château de La Chaize Brouilly Gamay
I like this wine: 87 points
Light, earthy, needs a bit more fruit but enjoyed the bottle with Arturo's pizza. Might drink again but the old vines version. We visited this winery when we were in Lyon several years ago.
2013 Beni di Batasiolo Gavi Cortese
I like this wine: 87 points
Light tasty white wine with decent flavor and lots of acid. $36 at Fornaletto at the Borgata. 12% alcohol, fun to drink.
2009 Clos Troteligotte Malbec K Lys Cahors
4/15/2015 - I like this wine: 91 points (Edit)
Very nice wine with good acid for a Malbec, not a fruit bomb like many Argentinean malbecs. Would drink again.
2008 Caymus Cabernet Sauvignon Special Selection Napa Valley
I like this wine: 93 points
Big wine, started out fruity but tannin asserted itself as time passed, balanced, enjoyed the wine, will drink again, nothing can justify the price.
2013 Dominique Cornin Mâcon-Chaintré Les Serreudières Chardonnay
I like this wine: 87 points
Tart, crisp white, clean taste, just enough fruit to keep it interesting, drank with salmon, might drink again.
2011 Domaine le Murmurium Ventoux Syrah Sublime
I wrote: 85 points
Ok wine. Nothing special. Balanced with some fruit.
2010 Herdade do Esporão Vinho Regional Alentejano Monte Velho Red Blend
I don't like this wine: 80 points
Funky bouquet, sour finish, OK fruit, not for me. Drank with with cheese. Will not drink again.
2002 Frank Family Vineyards Cabernet Sauvignon Winston Hill Rutherford
I like this wine: 93 points
Complex wine with some age to it, drank with friends, spicy,jammy, but more subtle than one expects, cab is not my favorite grape but this wine is distinctive and went well with lamb and spinach pie. Probably will not have an opportunity to drink again. C'est la vie.
2009 Château Les Grands Maréchaux Blaye Côtes de Bordeaux Red Bordeaux Blend
I like this wine: 91 points
This wine really rocked last night, we opened after drinking a very good Calfornia Cab, this wine had good bouquet, lots of flavor, nice balance, not jammy but lots of fruit, maybe this wine is finally coming around or is their bottle inconsistency, drank with friends, food was lamb brochettes and spinach pie, will drink again.
2012 Domaine Drouhin Oregon Pinot Noir Dundee Hills
I like this wine: 92 points
Complex, subtle and great flavor, drinks easily, nice bouquet, an enjoyable wine, drank with friends while eating cheeses, oysters, and other small plates, will drink again. My friend who professed not to like Oregon PN's, really liked this wine.
2013 Ghiaccio Forte Morellino di Scansano Vigne del Passero Sangiovese Blend, Sangiovese
I wrote: 86 points
A bit grapey, lots of flavor, nothing special, might try again.
2008 Nervi Gattinara Nebbiolo
I wrote: 86 points
Tart wine, a bit funky, light ,more tannin than fruit at this time,the 06 is drinking much better now. Tasted at the WL at seminar with the winery owner.
2006 Nervi Gattinara Vigneto Molsino Nebbiolo
I like this wine: 91 points
Balanced and smooth, medium bodied, nice bouquet, tasted at WL at seminar with winery owner, enjoyed the wine and would drink again except that the wine is quite pricey at $80. Less tannic than many Barolos. Stick to the 06 Gattinara at $27.
2013 Domaine des Valanges Mâcon-Davaye Chardonnay
I like this wine: 89 points
Good solid white Burgundy; fruit and acid in good balance, medium bodied, drank with stuffed flounder; will drink again. good value.
2012 Columbia Crest Cabernet Sauvignon H3 Horse Heaven Hills
I like this wine: 90 points
Second try of this wine. Good bouquet, medium bodied, very nice fruit with smooth tannin, turned a bit sour as we drank it but overall I liked it alot better than the first bottle. A very good value. Might drink again.
2009 Sokol Blosser Pinot Noir Estate Cuvée Dundee Hills
I wrote: 88 points
Interesting wine, spicy but probably due to high alcohol content, earthy with some complexity but the wine lacked something.
Food
First of the year NJ Strawberries today at the farmer's market. Really enjoying them today.
Montclair Bread http://www.montclairbread.com/ is expanding and they have a funding request on Kickstarter. https://www.kickstarter.com/projects/1561531723/montclair-bread-co They have the best ancient grains bread and they are making the wildest and best donuts anywhere. We still love the basic jelly donut.
We are off to Portugal in the near future and should have some good stuff to report.
Enjoy.
