Winebork.Com - Shopping Crib Sheet

Twomey  2000  Merlot	92	C / $60.00
A library release still available at the tasting room (and for less $$ than later vintages), this is a dynamite Merlot, possessing the aromatic and flavor profile and elegance of a great Pomerol with the extra flesh and depth of a top-notch Napa Valley red. Beautiful perfume of deep berry and currant fruit mixed with espresso coffee, spices, and bittersweet chocolate. Cascades of rich flavor in the mouth precede a long, pure finish. The quality of the wine is not surprising, given that it is made by Silver Oak's winemaker Daniel Baron. Not cheap, but worth it if you can find it. - HK : 2008-05-14
Bella  2006  Syrah Sonoma County	89	B- / $28.00
Made from a blend of Lilly Hill and Belle Canyon fruit, along with grapes from the Sonoma Coast, this is exceptionally good wine for a "generic" Sonoma County appellation. Lovely deep, opaque purple color, big spicy aromas and flavors hinting at roasted meat, ground black pepper, black berries, vanilla, and blueberry crisp. Full-bodied but soft and (to my taste buds, anyway) ready to drink right now. It will be interesting to taste the single-vineyard Syrahs coming out later. - HK : 2008-05-13
San Alejandro  2004  Los Rocas Garnacha de San Alejandro	84	A / $6.99
For whatever reason, I didn't like the 2004 Las Rocas nearly as much as the 2002. While still a steal at $6.99, the 2004 in this tasting came across as a simple, somewhat tart, rustic Granache laced with cherry and kirsh-like flavors, and good depth and flavor interest for a wine in this price range. Great buy for everyday drinking, but certainly not a religious experience. - HK : 2008-05-11
Armida Winery  2005  Chardonnay Russian River	86	B- / $20.00
Clean and flavorful non-malolactic Chardonnay that is dominated by fresh pear and peach fruit with a touch of vanilla; overall, it seems to have only a minor oak influence. Dry, well-balanced, straight-ahead quaffer. - HK : 2008-05-09
Rochioli  2006  Pinot Noir Estate	90	C / $48.00
This wine is 75% from Rochioli's Sweetwater Vineyard; the remainder is a mix from their other vineyards. Brilliant ruby color. Classic nose highlighted by bing cherry, cinammon-like spice, dried roses, and hints of strawberry jam and rhubarb pie. Medium-bodied, with additional red raspberry fruit in the full flavors and finish. Very classy and polished feel overall, and it will only get better over the next several years. My house red when I become a billionaire. - HK : 2008-05-01
Taft Street  2007  Viognier	87	A / $12.00
Another in a line of excellent, pure, fruit-forward wines from Taft Street. Lovely aromas of white flowers, apricots, peaches, and a melange of spices, especially cinammon and cloves. Smooth and delicate in structure and fresh as a spring day. Great as an aperitif. (Note: purchased on sale at the winery. Normal price $16.) - HK : 2008-05-01
Bodegas Olivares  2003  Panarroz	84	A / $6.99
An impressive bargain at $6.99, though to my taste it does not merit the astonomical 90 point scores I've seen in some reviews. Impressive deep ruby red color. Tarry cherry and tart plum fruit, good balance and grip. I've been drinking this wine for close to three years and have rated it a little higher in some past tastings; it's possible it's reaching the end of its quality peak. - HK : 2008-04-29
DeLoach Vineyards  2006  Chardonnay "OFS"	88	C+ / $30.00
Definitely higher intensity and richer than the (very good) DeLoach Russian River Chardonnay, this "Our Finest Selection" bottling is a blend of selected barrels from several vineyards. With a well-balanced mix of fruit, oak, and acid, this lively Chardonnay displays spicy peach flavors along with a touch of butter and honey, round mouth feel, and clean, spicy finish. - HK : 2008-04-25
Verget  2006  St. Veran	87	A / $10.41
Excellent ripeness and density, especially for a "generic" St. Veran - though everything Verget does is above average. Mineral-rich citrus (grapefruit, orange) and pear fruit, butter and spice notes, rich buttery mouth feel, crisp if slightly short finish. This could easily be put in a blind tasting of Chardonnays costing twice as much - including nominally richer California Chardonnays - and hold its own. Has a level of complexity and flavor interest lacking in most inexpensive Chardonnays. (Purchased in an excellent mixed-case holiday special at North Berkeley. Normal retail price would be somewhat higher.) - HK : 2008-04-24
Taft Street  2005  Sauvignon Blanc	88	A / $10.00
This lively and flavorful Sauvignon Blanc shows excellent ripeness and purity. Pungent yellow grapefruit and spicy melon flavors, crisp yet round and long. This has a freshness and flavor profile that do not wear on the palate. A great everyday white, even more so when purchased for $10 on sale at the winery. The normal price is closer to $15, and it's a bargain at that price too. - HK : 2008-04-19
Taft Street  2006  Chardonnay Russian River	88	B / $22.00
This excellent Chardonnay is similar to, and as good as, a number of Russian River Chardonnays that cost at least 50% more. Fresh, balanced wine displaying a nice mix of fruit and oak flavors - apricot, spiced apple, and classic carmel/butterscotch notes preceding a finish with a touch of toasty oak. Very fairly priced for the quality. - HK : 2008-04-16
R Wines  2006  Strong Arms Shiraz	87	A / $9.99
I suspect I'm under-rating this bargain wine after drinking it so young. At this point it's rustic and somewhat hot feeling on initial impression. But once the radiation level has died down, the wine's power and excellent depth of fruit start to emerge. Absolutely opaque deep-purple in color, the wine displays meaty dark berry and blueberry flavors along with a boatload of tannin and alcohol. It has the feel of a wine that will mellow with age - for example, it tasted much more civilized after having been open for a day. Surprisingly classy wine for the price. For now, drink it with big pasta or barbecue dishes. - HK : 2008-04-13
Bella  2006  Zinfandel Belle Canyon	90	B- / $35.00
Bella is located at the farthest reaches of West Dry Creek Road, but this wine - a rich, balanced, and perfumed Zinfandel - comes from a vineyard along Canyon Road. Heady aromas of sweet currants, dark berries, bing cherries, vanilla, and a briary sandalwood-like spiciness. Big, full, long in the mouth, but not at all over-ripe and with no feeling of hotness or heaviness. All the Bella Zins are good; this one is excellent and definitely worth seeking out. - HK : 2008-04-12
Simi  2005  Cabernet Sauvignon	88	B- / $27.00
This is a flavorful, soft, ready-to-drink Cabernet. Nose displays dark currents, berries, and some herbal/coffee notes along with a hint of pencil lead. Flavors follow the nose, and the texture and balance make a good mouth impression. This is a very good wine, but lacks that extra liveliness and grip that the better Cabernet's have. But considering that Simi makes something like 170,000 cases of this wine, and its price is within reason, this is more than respectable. We've tasted some $40+ Cabernet's in tasting rooms recently that were not as good as this one. - HK : 2008-04-07
Camellia Cellars  2001  Petite-Zin Doug Rafanelli-Bacchi Vineyards	89	B- / $30.00
This rustic beefcake of a wine is a bit of a curiosity. It was apparently made by Doug Rafanelli in the deep past from several Sonoma vineyards, but bottled and sold by Camellia Cellars as a current (as of February '08) release. Whatever its history, this is an excellent wine. The Petite Sirah is dominant in the opaque purple, tooth-staining color and the heavy-duty tannins still present in the wine. But the fruit and weight of the wine stand up to the tannin nicely. Heady aromas and flavors of ripe blackberry, bittersweet chocolate, and a charred-toast-like component. A bit of a brute in texture, but perfect with big barbecue food. It's hard to know if this still-youthful wine will improve further, but that's a possiblity since at age 7 it feels like it's just coming into its own. - HK : 2008-04-06
Rosenblum  2006  Chateau La Paws Cote du Bone Blanc	85	B / $14.00
Off-dry white displays refreshing fresh fruit aromas and flavors of nectarine and peaches along with a hint of white flowers. This would be a great everyday white if it were just a few dollars cheaper. Serve it cold; I found it somewhat cloying as it warmed up. - HK : 2008-04-05
Forth  2007  Sauvignon Blanc Sanford Ranch	90	A / $19.99
Rich, extremely lively and flavorful Sauvignon Blanc. Maybe it's infanticide to open an '07 this early, but this was simply delicious from start to finish. Incandescent layers of red grapefruit and tropical fruit flavors with just the right level of acidic zip. Bone dry, balanced, and refreshing, it makes a flexible food wine. This is pretty much the absolute opposite of a bland, generic Sauvignon Blanc. It makes one take a hard look at drinking wines like this instead of often overpriced Chardonnays. - HK : 2008-03-31
Ridge Vineyards  2004  Geyserville	92	A- / $29.00
"Noble" is not a word we'd often apply to Zin, but this one has that feel. A great Zinfandel, one of the best we've tasted in some time. We confess to opening Geyservilles before their time more often than not, but in this tasting the 2004 came across as ready to drink (but with its balance, will be delicious for at least another 5 - 10 years). Beautifully structured and balanced, ripe, full, long. Complex nose displays rich blackberry and cranberry fruit notes along with mint and subtle, nicely integrated sweet oak. Layers of complex fruit flavors in the mouth, seamless texture, long finish. Great wine. - HK : 2008-03-28
Rued Winery  2005  Zinfandel Dry Creek	89	B / $25.00
This delicious, full-bodied, silky-textured Zinfandel has a late-picked feel, with a touch of sweetness in its texture. But the wine tastes neither over-ripe nor raisiny. Rather, there are layers of velvety, pure raspberry and cherry fruit, mouth-coating richness, and long fruit-dominated finish. Not particularly complex, but an excellent wine, and fairly priced in today's largely over-priced California market. - HK : 2008-03-26
Martinelli  2005  Chardonnay Russian River	87	C+ / $28.00
Attractive deep gold color, crisp texture. Reticent aromas and flavors of Meyer lemon, spiced apple, and roasted nuts. Well balanced, good with food, but simple and somewhat lacking in intensity and depth. Clearly a step below their excellent single-vineyard Chardonnays. At $28, not expensive by inflated Russian River standards, but you can definitely do better in this price range elsewhere. - HK : 2008-03-25
Verget  2000  Macon-Bussieres Le Clos	89	A / $12.00
There is a Chablis-like feel to this delicious Chardonnay. Ripe, forward nose of white flowers, peaches, and minerals along with nutmeg/cinnamon spice. Medium-body, fairly long flavors with spicy white fruits and a chalk-like mineral flavor. We've worked our way through a case of this wine over the past 5 years or so; it's never tasted better. - HK : 2008-03-13
Francois Bauer  2002  Riesling Brand	90	A / $11.99
Review of 3-8-08 ... This wine has blossomed in the past two years and comes across as more forward, rich, balanced, and complex with the extra age. The aromas and flavors display a seamless mixture of white flowers, citrus, ripe peaches, and a touch of honeyed botrytis. The wine is rich and full, yet balanced and graceful as the breeze - no sign of heaviness or clumsiness. I wish I still had a case of this left; it's an excellent Riesling that I haven't seen in a store since I bought it, and the price at that time was crazy low. Rating: 89. Original tasting, 12-30-06 ... Interesting and flavorful wine, a subdued hint of what the great Brand vineyard is capable of. This wine has a classy nose of orange blossoms, peaches, citrus oil, and minerals. Quite full in the mouth and finish with perhaps a touch of botrytis, though the acid seems a little elevated at this point. But a Grand Cru Alsatian Riesling for $11.99? - definitely worth a try. Rating: 88. - HK : 2008-03-07
Old World Winery  2002  Zinfandel Laughlin Vineyard	88	B / $21.00
Tasting of 2-29-08... This wine has filled out and developed nicely since our original tasting three years ago, and seems significantly more balanced, flavorful, and pleasurable than it did then. Complex nose displays ripe bing cherry and red currant fruit accompanied by Rhone-like notes of cedar and leather. Rich in the mouth, though with a higher-acid, more restrained feel and a higher level of earthy/woody tones compared to some of the Old World fruitbombs. This "old" Zin is drinking very well right now, but its structure and development suggest it might even continue to improve. Rating: 88. Review of 4-16-2005... Earthy, leafy cherry fruit. Good spiciness along with herbal elements and an elevated acidity, similar to some Topolos Zins we've had in the past. A Zin still in its developmental stage, but at this point not as fruity and accesssible as we're accustomed to with OWW Zins. Rating: 84. - WB team : 2008-02-27
Vincent Dureuil-Janthial  2005  Bourgogne Aligote Cuvee Unique Non-Filtre	87	A / $10.41
While Aligote is often looked down upon, this fine wine from Dureuil-Janthial is absolutely delicious. Intriguing nose displays orange/lemon citrus fruit along with yeast, pears, herbs, and a nice floral touch. Crisp and pure in the mouth. Outstanding for the price. (Purchased in an excellent mixed-case holiday special at North Berkeley. Normal retail price would be somewhat higher.) - HK : 2008-02-22
Smoking Loon  2006  Sauvignon Blanc	84	A / $5.99
Remarkably good white wine for the price, and my favorite among the inexpensive Smoking Loon wines I've tried. Remarkable varietal character and structure for a wine in this price range. Classic pungent grass/citrus aromas, soft melon-like flavors, crisp feel, clean finish. Great buy. - HK : 2008-02-20
Russian Hill  2003  Syrah Windsor Oaks Summit	88	B- / $25.00
To our taste, the 2003 Windsor Oaks Summit Syrah is a big step up from the recently tasted 2004 Estate Vineyards Syrah. From a hilltop vineyard just north of Windsor, this is a muscular, structured Syrah that has more in common with a good northern Rhone than a more typical fat, fruity California Syrah. Deep purple in color, lots of tannic grip, but with a nice dose of deep berry fruit, chocolate, and spice. A bit stern to the jaded taste buds of a Zinfandel fruitbomb lover, but this is an excellent wine that has room for development. - HK : 2008-02-19