Two 1990 Ceretto Barolos- The Test Of Time

Over the years, one of my favorite Barolo producers has been the Ceretto estate- "old school" Nebbiolo crafters. I have had the pleasure of experiencing their 1978. 1979, and 1982 vintages from various vineyards (please see this succinct description offered by my friends at Italian Wine Merchants in New York City). I had been able to purchase some of their 1990 vintage back in the mid-nineties. I laid them down in my upstate wine cellar and tried them in 2001 (11 years old). I wrote reviews of them back then and was sure that more cellar time would reap more sublime benefits. So I purposely opened the two heavyweights (Bricco Rocche Brunate and Prapo) on 10-21-09, without even looking at my previous 2001 notes. So now, these wines were just under 20 years old. I will now write up my tasting notes from both periods:
Brunate
6-1-2001 Notes#26106
Brick red (mature); some browning (even on the edges)
Smoky, peppery fruit (mature)
Steely fruit, with some spice; tannins slightly apparent- dusty, with a charcoal/mineral/sulphur component
Stylish and ready now or within the next 5 to 10 years.
10-21-2009 Notes#26156
Brick red (mature) some rim browning
Stewed fruits, wild field mushrooms, some tar/smoke, "textbook" mature Barolo spices, faint flower and ripe dark plum
Lush fruit (dark berries- black/boysen), still some silky tannins (balance), dark chocolate/licorice, wild game/animal notes; moderate finish
Prapo
6-1-2001 Notes#6482
Darker, deeper red than Brunate; pale brownish near the rim
Spicy, leather, aftershave, game, forest floor, mushroom; rich Nebbiolo fruit w/tannins still present; tar, licorice,plum- complex; mineral/sulphur; more concentrated than Brunate (although not an advantage or detriment); built for longevity (10-15 maybe 20 years), although accessible (some sediment). *
10-21-2009 Notes#6308
Slightly more youthful color than Brunate- less browning, pale rim
Tobacco, menthol, then violets; dark cherry with a medicinal note
Tar/leather/tobacco/zippy berries (raspberry)- no real cherry or dried fruits; moderate tannins (not overbearing); liqueur-like finesse; apricot; elegant
Eplogue
So as you can see, there were some consistencies across the years- these wines probably have the 25-30 year lifeline- a testament to the Ceretto estate and the vintage.

I'm Back

Sorry everyone- I am back with some new entries that are still on the market. I was busier than ever (boring or exciting details will be supplied if you e-ask) but now I am back on the mark. One sidetrack I will divulge is a posting (or 2) on my California friend's site regarding my take on some of the wines offered at our Trader Joe's Wine store here on 14th Street (NYC). Other than that- her we go:

2007 Parducci Pinot Noir (Mendocino CA) ($12)- Brick red/ pale rim; Slight dried fruit with candied cherry and a cocoa element; alcohol burn and leather; Light to medium body with tart PN fruit/ some tannins; Short to moderate finish.

Revised an earlier post of the 2007 Augustinos Pinot Noir Reserva (Chile)- check it here

2005 Chateau Rudelle (St. Emilion/ 100% Merlot) ($10)- Deep red/ pale rim; Graphite with subdued fruit (not ripe?)/ herbal element; Tannic, but not closed- Subdued black currant fruit with a medicinal characteristic- no strong alcohol component; Moderate finish. Not showing a brilliant ripeness which is typical for 2005 Bordeaux...

2007 Simone Special Reserve Merlot (Chile) ($10)- Deep red/ pale rim; Aromatic nose with smoky Merlot fruit and herbal notes; Ripe and easy on the palate with an integration of ripe fruit/spices/graphite ; short to moderate finish- easy drinking.

Many more reviews will follow-

The NYC Trader Joe's Experience

So, as you know, I have been on a relentless pursuit of NYC's most affordable wines. I have finally checked out Trader Joe's- on 14th Street just East of the termination of Irving Street ( the extension of Lexington Avenue after 21st Street- from 20th Street to 14th Street (going South). But let me stop the map references- this store has major low budget wine buying potential. I initially went in looking for wines under $15/20 per bottle, but was enamored with "$10 and under" offerings I saw as potential, "try one bottle and see" decisions. I dove in and with total experimentation ( first time tasting all the way), here are my notes:

2008 D'Aquino Orvieto Classico ($5)- Pale gold, with some green highlights. Delicate nose with some floral, mineral, and perfume notes. Light and delicate on the palate, with pleasant notes continuing. No real complexity here; charming with nothing really standing out (may be over-produced?).

2008 Epicuro Vermentino Lazio ($6)- Light yellow/gold. Aromatic nose, with ripe, mineral tinged fruit and some alcohol/acid burn. Character and flavor components dance on the palate, with a characteristic Old World Vermentino profile- melon and limestone flavors. Great acid balance (crisp). Moderate finish. A winner at this price point.

2008 Chateau des Cleons Muscadet ($7)- Golden color with some green highlights. Crisp, green apple nose with some floral and perfume notes. Crisp and flavorful on the palate (above flavors following) with a flinty aspect as well. Great balance and moderate finish. A winner at this price point.

NV Blason de Bourgogne Cremant ($10)- Light yellow/ good effervescence. Faint fruit and mineral tones on the nose. Totally disappears on the palate- no fruit or mineral, just the bubbles with a slight feel of alcohol. (?)

2008 Jean-Luc Colombo CDR Blanc ($10)- Pale gold. Mineral notes (wet slate and limestone) present, with some subtle fruit and floral notes. An initial banana flavor on the palate, (which eventually dissipates), with medium to full acidity. Delicate fruit tones follow with good balance and some minerality. Good entry level Rhone white wine.

2005 Three Knights Chardonnay (Russian River) ($7)- Platinum/ pale gold- some green tones. Very ripe nose, with melon, citrus fruits, and floral notes. Hints of orange peel. Slight limestone (soil) and vanilla (barrel) components. Lively burst on the palate, with everything above showing up- but with great acidic balance. Short finish, but this wine delivers for the price point. Russian River pedigree and great bottle age for a $7 wine.

2008 Caves Perrieres Pouilly Fume ($12)- Entry level Sauv Blanc from the birthplace of this varietal. Straddles both Old and New World components in the best attributes each has to offer (please ask me to expound on this). Pleasant and not complex, but with good character. Moderate finish, and right where it should be for the price point ( i.e. no "bargain, no rip-off").

Next: The red wines.

An Old Favorite- Under weird circumstances

Here's the scoop

Sicily (Sicilia)
Red grape= Nero d'Avola (90%)
Serious producer= Colosi
Here we go...

2003 (yes there is a story behind this old vintage)
Colosi Dry Red Wine

Deep brick red- still clear to pale rim
Blockbuster aromas of dried fruit (ripe), tar, tobacco,light spices, cherry...
Stewed fruits, but still vibrant with cherries and wild game components...
Moderate finish.

Now here's the story-
Old wine stored in horrible conditions (not mine)- not a wine to lay down, a "drink upon release" type, like "MOST WINES" (just ask me and I will elaborate)

and yet... it still SURVIVED!

Even in the worst storage conditions and beyond it's expected "shelf life"
it still SURVIVED.

The short story- Colosi wines are affordable and produced with utmost quality.

But What About...

Hey Everyone,
I am getting so many tweets about what I have tried and do not like (or "buy at your own risk", etc.). As you may well perceive, there are many wines (especially at this price point) which I would "never invite to dinner again".

I am asking you all to please let me know if any of these entries would be of any interest to you.
--------- Or ---------
I am completely committed to continuing my "best of" format as well.
Please let me know...

Affordable Old World Style Pinot Noir

Here is one of the many I've found:

2007 Agustinos Pinot Noir Reserva (Bio-Bio Valley Chile)

Medium to dark brick red. Very aromatic, with "Old World" herbal (eucalyptus)/spice/soil characteristic (think Sauvigny Les Beaune). Perfumed aromas of this fruit are nuanced with sweat and some tar; slight alcohol burn.
On the palate, a spicy, ripe, racy (pepper/plum) fruit is joined by a slight note of the aforementioned alcohol (and tannins). Good acidity and balance. Moderate finish. At $11 this opens the Pinot Noir door without breaking the bank.

Sensational Spanish Red

2004 Marques de Riscal Rioja Reserva-
Brick red. Immediate ripe, spicy Tempernillo aromas with an integrated vanilla/spicy oak component. On the palate, a well-knit marriage of ripe fruit (berries), spice, and vanilla (toasted barrel), with an earthy note and some tobacco. Smooth and elegant with modest complexity. Moderate finish. 90% Tempernillo (or Tinto del Toro) and 10% Graciano and/or Mazuelo, Rioja Reservas spend a minimum of 1 year in barrel and spend 3 years in the winery (between barrel and bottle aging) before release. Marques de Riscal is Rioja's oldest operating producer (dating back to 1860). Finding this wine in the New York City market for $14, is one of the ultimate "finds" that I base this blog upon...BUT...
I will get into other tastings/ideas/beliefs/trends, etc. soon. Please feel free to write in and add your own comments.

Quick Wine Shout Out

This is a terrific white wine that has been offered at "BLOW OUT PRICES" here in NYC- some good bottle age and from a world-renowned producer- check it out:

2005 Lacryma Christi Del Vesuvio (Mastroberardino)
Deep gold- Ripe melon with hazelnut aromas- bracing (but balanced) acidity intertwined with rich ripe fruit (honey and melon). Small citrus component (a squeeze of lemon), some limestone and the hazelnuts- moderate to long finish.
100% Coda di Volpe del Vesuvio- grown nowhere else in the world... at $9 a bottle this is the buy of the summer- find it while you can.
Mastroberardino's entire lineup is worth checking out- phenomenal producer!

Hittin It

On we go:

2006 Muscadet Coteaux de la Loire (Sur Lie) Lieu-dit Les Grand Vignes

Medium gold; aromas of ripe melon with a flinty characteristic, some white peach and fresh apricot; amazingly perfumed, elegant, balanced, and refined for a Muscadet (must be the great pedigree: favorable, Grand-Cru like single vineyards, old vines, etc...). Complex with great finesse. At $13 floor*, this would be my "summer wine" by the case!

2004 Leone D'Almerita

Deep golden; aromas of citrus and pale fruits with some mineral (wet slate, etc.) and subtle floral (fresh cut flowers) notes; ripe fruit (tangerine) with balanced acidity, somewhat lean and crisp- unique blend of Catarratto Bianco (another indigenous Italian varietal) and Chardonnay. Summer singing at $13 floor*.

* Floor means before any store generated discount... this makes these prices rock!

Wines Of Summer?

The weather in NYC is April fare- but here is a summer sipper:

2007 Riesling- Auslese Selzer Osterberg- Rheinhessen (Fritz Windisch)

Pale yellow with white peach, melon and some petrol aromas. Pure elegance on the palate with great balance and ripe flavors that seem to last for over 30 seconds. At 10% alcohol this is an impressive summer sipper for $14 a bottle. (Auslese is the equivalent of "late harvest"- not vinified to burn off all the residual sugar, but not quite a dessert wine either).

Onward- Tasting Notes

Tasting away-

2007 Castagnolo Orvieto (Barberani)

Pale gold. Lemon-lime, and limestone aromas. Round, almost buttery mouthfeel, with rich, ripe fruit- moderate acidity, and alcohol on the moderate to long finish. For $13 this is an elegant white for any occasion.

2008 Verdicchio Vermentino (Vitiano- Umbria)

Light yellow, with aromas of melon and wild field flowers. Lean with good acidity and mineral notes to intertwine with the fruit components mentioned above. Moderate finish. At $9.50 this is a steal.

2007 Pinot Noir Single Vineyard- Bio Bio Valley (Anakena- Chile)

Light red/purple, with good PN spice, racy fruit and spices (cinnamon) with earth notes. Medium body with good balance- true PN characteristics- no vegetal or off-putting flavors. Moderate finish with some charcoal tones. Very impressive for $13.

Tonight's The Night

I will try to keep this as current as my schedule allows (sorry about the abrupt ending to my previous post) ... so on that note, here we go with tonight's lineup:

Contrasting 2 Pinot Noirs

As we all know Red Burgundy (yes the original Pinot Noir) has continued to escalate in price, with even the simple, entry level French Bourgogne breaking the $20 mark. Everyone is looking for affordable Pinot Noir that still tastes like their personal qualitative benchmark- a wine that brings them back to their personal romance with the grape. That being said, there are still some affordable Pinot Noirs in the marketplace- I will give you comments on current wines I think are worth trying. As always, please feel free to add your input ----------now on to the tasting notes:

6-19-2009

2006 Heron Pinot Noir ($13)

Youthful purple red, pale rim.

Expressive nose of fruit (blueberry, dark cherries), smoke, and spices, tar and leather (sweat)

Balanced- dark fruit, tannins, acidity, and spice, tar... needs time to open up ( just pour a glass and let it stand for 30 minutes or ask me for other tips)... this winemaker/ owner is totally cool- I honestly just found out about her and cannot wait to try her other wines.

2007 Wyatt Pinot Noir ($16)

Youthful purple, pale rim.

Bracing, racy raspberry fruit with smoke and earth.

Ripe, round PN fruit with balanced acid zip- cherry, blueberry, strawberry, plum flavors.

Complex yet elegant- picks up weight in the glass.

Let's get it going

Here are some of the recent values I've found in today's market (I am talking Manhattan and surrounding boroughs, but these wines should be available almost everywhere hopefully at comparable price points):

2007 Orvieto Classico (Ruffino)- more finessed and refined than in previous years, and made by a large and reputable house, this pale gold wine offers pear and honeysuckle nose and palate tones with good balance and body. So for $8 this will impress... but now , my source has gone to $10?... because it is now the 2008 vintage- still similar quality and characteristics.

For more stats: Orvieto History and Ruffino.

TBC

Welcome To My Humble Blog

So as we all know, everyone can have a blog these days, but I think I have a unique and interesting concept- trying to present interesting content for all of you who may be in the same situation as me - someone who needs to locate affordable wines in the current economic climate, but can also reminisce on the great wine tasting experiences that are etched in our memories. So please feel free to jump on this bandwagon to express your feelings, experiences, and most importantly, your connections to the great wines (on any level) that we can all enjoy.