2004 Darioush Shiraz Signature

Type: Red
Producer: Darioush
Variety: Shiraz
Designation: Signature
Country: USA
Region: California
SubRegion: Napa Valley
Appellation: Napa Valley
Price: $39.99 (sale) in Carmel, Indiana



Night One

Be careful not to put your nose too deeply into the glass. This wine forms a fist and punches straight up right at your schnoz. The bottle says "Alcohol 14.9% by volume." Don't believe it. Under US label laws that means the alcohol can be as high as 15.9%, and if I had a gas chromatograph in the junk drawer I would be willing to bet it will ring the 16+ bell. Lots of other big aromas are packed in that fist, including blackberries, very ripe and deeply bruised black cherries, black pepper, freshly ground nutmeg, dark chocolate and cocoa. This is one of those noses you can get caught up in, forgetting to drink the wine for quite a long time.

The palate is equally overpowering. The attack opens with huge bruised dark fruit and black pepper. A whole smorgasbord of flavors flash across the mid-palate, starting with plum skins and nutmeg, then adding dark chocolate, coffee, and a tiny grating of dried orange peel. The tannins are surprisingly gritty, but sweet, adding a cheek-drying leather to the finish, which is quite long.

Night Two should be interesting.

Night Two

I do not have detailed notes from Night Two. A friend came over and we just drank the rest of the bottle together. My general impressions were of a great big sweet woody wine, an Aussie Shiraz doppelganger. Tannins smoothed out significantly, the finish was quite long. At $40, it was okay for the price, but I was back in the same store a few days later and did not feel compelled to pick up any more of it. At the retail $69, I would not even consider buying a bottle.








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2004 Bradford Mountain Syrah Grist Vineyard

Type Red
Producer Bradford Mountain
Variety Syrah
Vineyard Grist Vineyard
Cases produced 700
French and American oak, 30% new
Country USA
Region California
SubRegion Sonoma County
Appellation Dry Creek Valley
Disclosure This was received as an unsolicited free sample.



The Big Wooden Guy is impressed - Bradford Mountain clearly has a nice hand with Syrah.

Night One

On Night One this was tasted as part of a multi-bottle vertical tasting.

Blackberry and sage made up the nose of this wine.

On the palate, fresh blackcurrant and creme de cassis, together make up the fruit. The sage from the nose is there, too. Redder fruit, including strawberry, showed up on the mid-palate. The mouth-feel was velvety, the tannins extremely smooth. The finish was mid-length. The first impression everybody had was that this first of three Syrahs was superior to the Grist Valley Zinfandels.

Night Two

The Night Two nose is really interesting. There are several different aromas, but the unique one is the sweet woody smokey smell, not of a fire, but of the smoldering of a woodburning iron. It also has blackberry and creme de cassis.

The palate has blackcurrant, fresh and liquor, some sage, and, as it shifts to the mid-palate, applewood-smoked bacon. Throughout the entire palate, way off in the background, is a undercurrent of toasted wood. Tannins are fine, smooth, and mouth-coating.

This is good, but I suspect it will continue to improve with several more years in the cellar. Right now, the fruit is still jammy and dominating, but there are enough interesting possibilities beneath it that some years allowing it to calm down, might pay off brilliantly.





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2004 Bradford Mountain Zinfandel Grist Vineyard

Type Red
Producer Bradford Mountain
Variety Zinfandel
Vineyard Grist Vineyard
Country USA
Region California
SubRegion Sonoma County
Appellation Dry Creek Valley
Disclosure This was received as an unsolicited free sample.



The Little Wooden Guy is torn, because the fruit is very good, but it is ultimately overwhelmed by oak, and he is not a fan of the gratuitous use of wood.

Night One

On Night One this was tasted as part of a multi-bottle vertical tasting.

The nose was full and sweet, with a kick of black pepper. Fruit on the nose was blackberry and black cherry.

The opening attack on the palate was true to the nose, with blackberries, black cherry and black pepper. Licorice appeared on the mid-palate, but was soon overwhelmed by vanilla and cedar. Tannins were mild and smooth. Based upon the vanilla, it seemed like more than 40% new oak.

Night Two

The cherry was more dominating on the nose, and a bit tarter than on Night One. Black pepper was there, too.

Vanilla and cherry were more apparent on the palate, the wood continuing to take a major role in the wine.

This was good, but not great, wine. I was a bit put off by the oak, because the vanilla overwhelmed what seemed like terrific fruit.





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2004 Nicolas Potel Savigny-lès-Beaune Vieilles Vignes

Type: Red
Producer: Nicolas Potel
Variety: Pinot Noir
Designation: Vieilles Vignes
Country: France
Region: Burgundy
SubRegion: Côte de Beaune
Appellation: Savigny-lès-Beaune
From Bin Ends Wine as part of Twitter Taste Live



The Little Wooden Guy finds this wine a bit confusing. It underwent huge changes from Night One to Night Two, and seemed incredibly tight. It was good on Night One, but a little tight. It was nowhere near as good on Night Two, and a lot tighter, actually offering promise of being better than it showed on Night One. At a $28 price point, it is probably best to treat this as a "drink now," but if you buy half a case or more, hide one away at the back of the cellar or closet, and maybe you will have a pleasant surprise in a few years.

Night One

The nose open with the light barnyard funk that often promises something good to come. It is not overwhelming fresh barnyard, more like one you walk into and just know, "animals used to live here." Red fruit comes to the nose behind the funk, cherries and strawberries, and a touch of cranberry. It also has a touch of smoky meatiness, a little bit like the crisp end of a prime rib. The nose also offers up clear minerality, a sense of crushed limestone, like walking through a quarry.

Red fruit dominates the palate, tart, not sweet, like tiny wild cherries and strawberries. The flavors get deeper and broader as it goes through the classic pinot arc. The mid-palate adds some sage and a rich smoked meat flavor, more like rich fatty dark smoked duck than like bacon. Tannins hit home on the finish, tight and dry. The finish is rather long, but drops just short of a sense of "this goes on forever."

The wine still seems tight, all bound up in tartness and tannins, offering a glimpse of what it might be with more time in the cellar. It should be interesting to see if Night Two verifies the future promise, or if it falls short.

Night Two

The fruit on the nose is red, but very light. Crushed rock minerality is quite strong. Fruit is strawberry and cranberry. It also has just a touch of sweet pickle and sage.

The fruit on the palate is definitely red, but it's hard to put my finger on it. Cherries are there for sure, but the strawberries are gone. There is something there a bit tart and sour, ... RHUBARB! Yup, rhubarb. It also has that tiny touch of sweet pickle from the nose. Crushed limestone shows up on the mid-palate. The rich smoked meatiness from Night One is gone. Florals, lavender I think, show up late, on the finish and a good ten to twenty seconds after you drink it.

This wine is simply tight, very tight. I think it might benefit from some more time in the cellar.

2004 Elyse Nero Misto

Type: Red
Producer: Elyse
Variety: Red Blend
Designation: Nero Misto
Country: USA
Region: California
SubRegion: Napa Valley
Appellation: Napa Valley



The Little Wooden Guy did not get to try this one. We had it at the office, for the monthly Wine at Work Wednesday tasting.

This one is a true "kitchen sink" blend, with:

Zinfandel 28%
Petite Sirah 26%
Carignan 14%
Primitivo 13%
Syrah 10%
Gamay Noir 4%
Barbera 2%
Alicante Bouschet
Grand Noir
Petite Verdot
Valdiguié

Yes, Zinfandel and Primitivo are the same thing. I guess they did not want to say it was mostly Zinfandel. Or perhaps they were using two different clones, one coming from Italy where it has been known for years as "Primitivo."

The wine is dark, very dark. Indeed, it is black but for the very edges, which are a deep purple trending toward the red.

The nose is just loaded with black licorice. The fruit is secondary to the nose, and it is primarily red- raspberries, very dark cherries, perhaps a touch of redcurrant. The heavy Zinfandel/Primitivo portion of the blend is clear with the black pepper coming through after the fruit.

Interesting. The palate is darker than the nose. The attack opens with black fruit, not red fruit. Blackberries, elderberries, with perhaps a blueberry or two, but not many, thrown in. That changes quickly, though, at the mid-palate, where the black licorice announces its presence. As it moves from mid-palate toward the finish, red fruit appears and gets progressively sweeter. First raspberries, then black cherries, and finally ripe strawberries at the very end. The finish is of moderate length and leaves a residual sense of black pepper and red fruit. Tannins are very smooth. Mouthfeel is full but not quite oily.

I need to think on this one a little bit. As an exercise in wine tasting, it is fascinating. As a wine, is it too much of everything and not enough of anything? Does it flash through too many things?

2004 Eikendal Vineyards Classique Stellenbosch

Type: Red
Producer: Eikendal Vineyards
Variety: Red Bordeaux Blend
Designation: Classique
Country: South Africa
Region: Coastal Region
SubRegion: Stellenbosch
Appellation: Stellenbosch
Price: $20.00
From: The Wine Spies



The Little Wooden Guy is pleased to introduce you to this fascinating wine from South Africa.

Night One

The nose, is a little green, reminiscent of a South American, rather than South African, red. Past that there are definite blackcurrants, a bit of green olives, and some cloves.

Interesting. A blend of red and black fruits, blackberries and blackcurrant, plus the bright tart acidity of cranberries. There is also fair amount of cedar. Cocoa, then coffee, show up on the mid-palate. Tart red fruit lingers on the finish.

The overall impression is a very fresh bright acidic wine, but it carries that off without being thin or just fruity, a la Beaujolais. No, this is far more full-bodied, bringing firm tannins and a good mouth feel along with the fruit.

I am quite interested in seeing what happens on Night Two with this one.

Night Two

Again, the nose starts out green. It really has not changed much from Night One, blackcurrants, green olives and some cloves. It is a little more floral, some violets added to the mix.

Night Two finds the wine a little softer, a little darker. There is still a nice blend of red and black fruits. The acidity is a little less obvious, the fruit sweeter. Vanilla joins the cocoa and coffee on the mid-palate.

This is nice wine.

2004 Couly-Dutheil Chinon La Baronnie Madeleine

Type: Red
Producer: Couly-Dutheil
Variety: Cabernet Franc
Designation: La Baronnie Madeleine
Country: France
Region: Loire Valley
SubRegion: Touraine
Appellation: Chinon

$13.99 at Costco, in Indianapolis, Indiana



The Big Wooden Guy isn't sure if he should drink it or smoke it.

Night One

The classic identifying odor of Cabernet Franc is tobacco leaf. If you can't place that in your library of odor memories, find the nearest Costco and buy a bottle of this wine. The fruit is either non-existent or merely shut down. What you get is wave after wave of tobacco leaf. Smelling this wine is like walking through the back room of a cigar shop on Calle Ocho in Miami or Ybor City near Tampa (and perhaps, when we finally get done with our useless and counter-productive decades-long idiocy with Cuba, Havana).

Tobacco dominates the palate as well as the nose. If you sip some in, breathe in some air, swirl it around and really try, you can find some red fruit, cranberries and red currants. There is even dark chocolate on the mid-palate. However, tobacco is the dominating feature. The finish is medium length, as is the mouth feel. Acids are bright. Tannins make a light backbone, not overpowering but clearly there and wanting more time to integrate.

Night Two

A night made some difference, but I fear not enough. Tobacco still leads the nose. It has added some eucalyptus and menthol, plus a hint of fennel. On the palate, too, tobacco keeps the lead,with the addition of black olives. Now though, the eucalyptus shows up on the mid-palate.

Acidity remains very bright, along with light tannins, offering a good backbone for additional maturity. Will fruit appear later? Perhaps. It is hard to tell if it is merely shut down or non-existent. This wine, though, provides a classroom demonstration of what "tobacco" means in Cab Franc, and for a mere $13 is worth buying two bottles- one for the lesson, and another to see what happens in 2012.

Cruising the Caribbean and drinking wine

I took the wife and kidlets on a seven day cruise of the Western Caribbean last week. Lots of stops of T-shirts and shells, and endless buffet of mediocre food, great service and food that didn't match for dinner, and a genuinely boring wine list. But wait, I brought some of my own wine. Or at least, I tried. The ship was out of Miami. My mom lives in Miami. I sent her boyfriend a list of wines to buy and his wine ***SUPERSTORE*** did not have a single one out of a dozen or more. Rest assured, the wine guy said, here are some bottles that he'll LOOOOVE, if he liked those. Let's see how that worked out, shall we?

I suggested Chateau Branaire-Ducru 1999. They didn't have it. Their substitute?

Arthurs, Cotes de Castillon 2004

Grand vin de Bordeaux
13% alc

Night One

The nose was green, herbaceous & hot, hiding a tiny little bit of black fruit & blueberries. The overall smell was of unripe wine, stems & leaves. It did not improve on the palate, which was all green, stems & leaves. There was a little black fruit. Very dry leathery tannins overpowered everything else.

Night Two

Blackcurrants & blackberries lead the nose, which has far more fruit and less green on nt 2. It seems hot & makes me wonder about the alcohol level. The palate was less green, showing blackberry and a touch of sage, but it ends with very strong overpowering tannins that dry out the mouth and leave little but leather & plum skins.

I suggested Groom Shiraz 2004. They didn't have it. The substitute?

Thorn Clarke Terra-Barossa Shiraz 2006

This was pretty good stuff.

Night One

The nose was very powerful, but not merely a fruit bomb. It brought coffee & black pepper, and blackberries. The palate brought blackberries & pepper, some coffee, softening on the mid-palate to more mild plums & black cherries. It had a long finish & fine sweet tannins, slightly drying, promising plenty more life in the cellar.

Night Two

The nose was blackberries & black pepper, with some black cherry. The palate was blueberry & black cherry, and sweet tannins. The mid-palate evolved to vanilla, cedar & cream. It was very creamy & soft. Fruity but not a fruit bomb. It had a long tooth-coating finish. Very good.

I went to a wine tasting on board the ship. It was a special tasting set up for frequent cruisers (my mother cruises all the time an gave me her tickets). I was a bit surprised to see just how they low-balled the wine selection for their best customers. It was also very fast, lacking sufficient time to really explore the wines, or to take very good notes.

First up was Caliterras Sauvignon Blanc, '07

The color was very light, an almost clear gold. The nose brought lemon zest, pink grapefruit & ginger. The ginger was not overpowering but was very evident. As soon as I mentioned it everybody at the table nodded their heads, as if it was the smell they were trying to put their fingers on. The initial attack was grapefruit and grass. Th ginger from the nose showed up clearly on the mid-palate. The finish was medium length. The mouth feel was slightly oily, and the overall impression a little fat.

Second up was Stone Cellars Chardonnay, '07

The color was pale straw. The nose was pure caramel apple. The same apples and caramel showed up on attack, along with some lemon zest. The apple-taste changed a bit on the mid-palate, moving from fresh apples to baked apples, vanilla & brown sugar. The vanilla seemed to just get stronger and stronger throughout, the wood eventually taking over. The overall impression was very fat and woody.

Third up was, by far, the most interesting wine in the tasting, Footprint Syrah '07.

I have never smelled such obvious coffee-grounds in a bottle of wine. The coffee was just screamingly obvious, along with some black pepper and blackberry. Very interesting. The coffee was there on the attack, too, along with unsweetened chocolate, burned rubber & blackberries. The tasting was ripping right along, but this is worth a follow-up with some more time to explore.

Stone Cellars Cabernet Sauvignon '06

Initially, the nose was interesting, even promising. There was the signature Cabernet blackcurrant, but that was not all. It also brought a surprising amount of mint. In fact, the mint was so clear I could identify it not just as mint, but specifically as wintergreen. There was also, alas, enough vanilla, or should I say VANILLA, to hint of oak to come. On the palate, too, there was promised, ultimately crushed by wood. Eucalyptus joined the blackcurrant and mint, but it all devolved quickly into vanilla and wood. This was a potentially pretty good wine absolutely crushed by efforts to make it mainstream and generic.

Finally, we had a reisling, Leonard Kreusch Reisling spatlese late harvest '07.

The nose was very sweet, offering not just pears, but the juice of canned pears. There were apples, too, along with the key lime from a key lime pie, rather than pure juice. Apples disappeared on the palate, leaving primarily pears plus a little key lime. We got hustled out to clear space for the first dinner seating so I can't say much more.

My overall impression was not overly enthusiastic. The wine list was a little thin. Mark-ups were not bad (about double, when they had a captive audience), but selections were pretty low-end with a few very high end "name" wines, like Opus 1 and Darioush. What it was really missing were the good wines in the middle.

Sembro Tempranillo 2004

Ribera del Duoro
Spain
100% Tempranillo
2004
13.5% Alcohol

Night One

The smell of this wine is absolutely delicious, brown sugar and tea, bing cherries and plums. If I weren't so anxious to drink it, I would eat it immediately. On the palate, this is a very interesting wine. It is medium bodied, balanced nicely between acid and tannins. The taste is almost pinot-like, but without the pinot arc, opening with black tea, cherries and brown sugar, moving to herbs and leather, before finishing with smooth leather and dry fruit.

I am betting this is going to be darned good on Night Two.

Night Two

The nose changed a lot overnight. Now it is a beefy mulberry with black olives and eucalyptus. The palate, too, matured tremendously. It blends black fruit, blackberries and plum skins, with red fruit, cranberries and tart cherries. The mid-palate has smoked meat, brown sugar and softer fruits, leading into a finish with very fine-grained mouth-drying tannins.

This is a very nice bottle of wine, worthy of another five year in the cellar.

Michel-Schlumberger Merlot Dry Creek Valley 2004

First, absolutely HUGE credit to Schlumberger for a very simple reason- they sent me wine in recycled paper packaging, not styrofoam. Do you have any idea how completely INSANE it makes me to see wineries that claim to be "organic," or "biodynamic," or at least "concerned about the environment," only to get bottles of wine packed in something that will last a grazillion years in a landfill? They will also be moving to soy-based ink. Credit where credit is due. Thank you Schlumberger.

What can I tell you? The Wooden Guys are torn. Michel Schlumberger and Schlumberger winery were incredibly kind to send out four bottles for a Live Twitter Tasting. On the other hand, we just have to give honest reviews. The wooden guys did not love any of the Schlumberger wines. The most complete notes are on the Merlot, below. We also tried the Chardonnay (way too woody and buttery- the wooden guys were not amused), the Cabernet (EXTREMELY tannic on Night one, with a hint of a scent I never got on the nose of a wine before- Tabasco), and the Syrah (by far the best of the bunch, a good wine, not overblown or jammy, terroir forward and well balanced. It showed significant improvement from Night One to Night Two, and is recommended).

here are my notes from Twitter on the Syrah, and Cabernet:

Syrah

Nice nose- not Aussie fruit bomb, more terroir-driven.

some blackberry under the tannins, lots of leather to finish. New wine in a new leather wine skin.

the syrah is just starting to open now (after about an hour).

The syrah is coming into its own. Open nose, cherries & blueberries, vanilla, and an earthy touch of mackeral (it works). ... Mackeral? Tiny fishy smell in the background- rich, not foul. like adding anchovy paste for richness, not flavor.

Cabernet Sauvignon

2 Days per Bottle here, so I started last night. Mulberry jam & tobacco leaves, then ... wait for it .. Tobasco! Just for a second or two. On the palate, verry tannic, even bitter, with blackcurrants and violets hiding beneath.

Now, on to the Merlot:

Estate Bottled Wine
14.3% alcohol
Dry Creek Valley
California

From the bottlenotes:

Michel-Schlumberger established a name for its superbly structured Merlot in th early 19902, and this rendition caries that banner with aplomb. Blended with Malbec, Petit Verdot, Cabernet Franc and Carmanere, this long, spicy Merlot has a nicely etched profile that gives its lush fruit unusual finesse. The grapes for this wine come from several select vineyard parcels that grow in our small pocket canyon in western Dry Creek Valley.

Night One

Deep black cherries, vanilla, and a hint of toasted almonds on the nose.

There is a lot of red fruit on the palate, cherries and raspberries. It gets a bit more tart on the midpalate, then blends smoothly into mild soft tannins. The finish comes up a little short, falling off quickly, leaving some dry leather on the cheeks from tannins.

Night Two

Red cherries and some cassis, and a touch of balsam make up the nose. On the palate, tart cherries up front with some chocolate appearing on the midpalate. Tannins are smooth. Mouth feel is a little thin. The fruit, once again, dies quickly, leaving leather and not much else for the finish.

Domaine de l'Oratoire St Martin Côtes du Rhône Villages Cairanne Réserve des Seigneurs 2004

Cotes du Rhone Villages
France
14% alcohol
$26.99

The little wooden guy is pleased to make a new friend.

The nose opens with definite minerality, red fruit cooled on a bed of cold crushed rocks. The fruit smells are light, cranberry and strawberry, the flowers and tobacco. It is a little closed immediately after opening.

"Oh my that's interesting!" That was my immediate thought when I tasted this wine. First, it was absolutely nothing like the nose. Strawberries and cola, licorice and tobacco, all meet on the attack. Mid-palate is dark cherries, pastry and vanilla, then it ends with sea salt and olives. This is really interesting. Tannins are clearly present but not drying, and fine. Finish is very long, and the after-taste continues to evolve just like the wine in your mouth.

Two hours later- The nose is still fairly closed, giving up mostly strawberry and mineral. If I smelled it blind I would guess pinot noir. Tannins are far more dominant now. Strawberries and cola are there, but more concentrated, darker, and black pepper has joined the band. Tobacco is more dominant on the midpalate and the licorice has entirely disappeared, with black pepper flowing throughout the wine's narrative. The end, also, is more tannic, a taste of strong black tea washing over the olives. I was wondering after the first try whether this would be too flabby, lacking in tannins, to last for any length of time. Now, though, a tannic backbone is not just making an appearance, but dominating. It should really be interesting to see what it does on night two.

Two more hours later- Now, for the first time, this smells like a southern Rhone wine. It has that barnyard bouquet I have come to expect, along with smoked meat, pepper and dark fruits. Dark fruit, pepper, orange peel, and meat make a mouth-filling palate. The tannins are smoother, silkier, but still firmly making themselves known, providing a strong foundation. Tobacco shows up on the midpalate, and the finish is still long.

NIGHT TWO

Barnyard, licorice, and meat open the nose, but it quickly settles down into sweet caramel, vanilla and flowers. The nose is entirely different than NIGHT ONE. Blackberries and blackcurrants, then smoked meat and tobacco, finishing with firm tannins and unsweetened cranberries. The finish lingers, with a memory of cranberry and tobacco.

This is a very interesting wine, rapidly evolving and showing terrific complexity and depth, particularly for the price point, $27.

Norton Reserva Malbec 2004

Lujan de Cayo
Mendoza
Argentina

The little wooden guy shrugs- not great, not bad, and a pretty good price. What's not to like?

From the bottle notes:

Bodega Norton was founded in 1895 at the highest point of the Mendoza River Valley. The estate winery is located in the foothills of the Andes, at altitudes ranging begtwen 850 and 1100 meters above sea level.

"Reserva" is made from carefully selected grapes from vineyards more than 30 years old. The wine is aged 12 months in rench oak barels and then additionally in botles before release.

Our people's passion, together with the harmonious coexistence of fruit and wood over time, have made this a great wine, characterized by elegance and complexity.

The nose of this wine is very powerful, baking bread, black plums and meat, then espresso and cocoa.

Chocolate covered cherries open the palate, folowed by leather and sour cherries. Mouth feel is a little thin, tannins are dusty, and it just feels a bit out of balance. Fruit is not overpowering. Tanins are not overpowering. Alcohol is not overpowering. Nothing stands out as too much or too little, so I have a hard time saying exactly what does not work, but it feels like a jigsaw puzzle that makes a nice picture, but none of the pieces quite fit together. On the other hand, this is an $8 bottle of wine, and at that price point getting a nice picture is a frickin' miracle.

SECOND NIGHT

Vanilla, blackberries and cocoa open the nose, which is far lighter than the night before. The wine is warmer than the night before, because I did not store it in the cellar overnight. That may also explain why it was so much hotter, the alcohol making its presence far more obtrusive.

Vanilla and blueberry pie with pepper open the palate. There is a midpalate to this $9 wine, which adds cocoa and leather. Tannins are a bit dusty. The finish is suprisingly long but turns sour at the very end.

This is not a great wine, but it is a great bargain. It is better balanced than the first night. It is also a very good example of a reasoanbly priced malbec. If you have tried it, or you want to introduce a friend to the grape, this is a good way to go.

Groom Shiraz 2004

Barossa Valley, South Australia
$34.98 in Indianapolis
13.03% alcohol
Maturation: 15 months, 100% American oak hogsheads
(25% new, 60% 1-year old, 15% 2-year old)

The little guy in the picture just loved this wine.

From the winemaker:

Overall, the 2004 vintage in Australia proved to be quite a challenge for winemakers and viticulturists. A roller-coaster ride, in fact. After the drought conditions of 2003 the high winter rainfall that followed was most welcome. We were off to a great start, and our hopes soared. In contrast, December, mid-season for vine growth, was the hottest we had seen in 10 years. January brought mild, windy weather but was followed by searing heat in February. Thankfully toward the end of the month the heat wave broke, and the rest of the vintage saw cool, sunny days that allowed the fruit to ripen slowly under much more gentle conditions. Harvest itself was late, well into April.

The 2004 Shiraz typifies our desire to allow the vineyard and the climatic conditions of the year to be expressed in the resultant wine. This wine is deep and rich in color, interestingly exhibiting characters of white and black peppercorn, classic characteristics of Shiraz grown in cooler climates. This is representative, along with slightly lower p/h and alcohol content, of the mild, cool finish to the season. The wine is earthy with plum undertones and has beautiful, natural acidity evident on the finish. This is a delicious food friendly wine that will age for many years. Enjoy!

FIRST NIGHT

The color was deep garnet. The nose gave up dark cherries and plums, pepper and nutmeg. It was wonderfully promising, offering a suggestion of a well-balanced wine. it kept that promise, too, opening with cherries, plums, vanilla and white pepper, then caramel and blackberry. It was fruity, but a strong backbone of smooth tannins and good acidity gave it great balance.

SECOND NIGHT

I did not put the bottle back in the cellar between night one and night two, so the second night was tasted at room temperature. The nose on night two was plums and raspberries. The palate opened with blueberry, plums and vanilla, with a midpalate of black fruit and a bit of oak. Tannins were even softer than the night before, even silky, and the backbone was still firm enough to balance the sweetness.

This wine was not cheap, at $34 a bottle, but I would put this up against any $50-$75 big name Australian shiraz, and have another bottle left to drink later. Maybe the key was a mere 25% new oak, rather than the 100% new oak of the big blowsy fruit bombs floating over from the land down under these days.

Yalumba Shiraz & Viognier 2004

Barossa, South Australia
95% Shiraz, 5% Viognier

This is a blend I usually like, but this one was too sweet. The second night showed big improvement, but still not something I would run out and buy again.

FIRST NIGHT

The first aromas out of the glass were brown sugar and maple. Several minutes later some red berries showed up and, curiously, a bit of cucumber. The palate started with black fruit and plum skins, then the brown sugar and vanilla took over in an overly-sweet midpalate. The finish was short and too much like a Sweet Tart for my personal tastes.

SECOND NIGHT

The nose was better balanced on night two, showing cherry and vanilla, but not overpoweringly sweet. Strawberry and black cherry were up front on the palate, vanilla and pepper joined on the midpalate. That was the first hint of spice, or balance. The finish was mid-length with obvious alcohol. It was far better than the first night, so if you have some of this hang on to it for a while or decant it. But, unless you like big sweet vanilla fruit, don't run out now to get your wine store's last bottle.

Pedroncelli Petite Sirah 2004

Sonomoa County
Dry Creek Vineyards
14.8% alcohol

The Bottlenotes:

Only hand picked grape from the Dry Creek Vineyards are used for this wine. Our Petite Sirah offers aromas and flavors of spicy black pepper, ripe blackberry and black cherry. This is a full-bodied wine with firm tannins. Our family has lived and tended vins in Dry Creek Valley, northern Sonoma County, since 1927. We're proud of our heritage and proudly offer this Petite Sirah as a complement to your favorite meal.

The Pedroncelli Family

Deep inky black color with purple edges.

Vanilla, black pepper and toasted coconut open the aroma, soon followed by cinammon and tobacco. Blackberry and vanilla, pepper, and bitter hash tannins. The midpalate is bitter, cocoa made an appearance for a moment, but was overpowered by the bitterness, which extended through the finish.

SECOND NIGHT

What a difference a day makes. This is why I started "2 Days per Bottle." I promise, this is the same wine I tried last night.

The nose now shows fruit first, blackberries and black cherries, plus a bit of brown sugar. The first sip is a mouthfull of blackberries, then ripe cherries, some plums, brown sugar and a touch of pepper. It ends with vanilla topping on a blackberry pie. Tannins are far finer and softer than the night before. the finish is still dry, but the bitterness is all gone. This softened into a very nice wine.

Forefathers McLaren Vale Shiraz 2004

Australia
McLaren Vale
14.4% alcohol

From the bottle notes:

Forefathers is a collection of single vineyard, single varietal wines produced in the most renown appellations of the New Wrold. The exceptional combination of exposure, soil and climate in these apellations stamp their signature on the classic varietals. In turn, these new World appellations have become the "forefather" or new benchmark for these wines.

In your hand is a wine created by winemaker Nick Goldschmidt from shiraz grapes grown on a prime 15-acre vineyard on Coppermine Road in the McLaren Vale. This wine is rich with notes of plum, spice and sweet vanilla.

This was a dark shiny new purple, just what you would expect from a new shiraz.

It is from Australia. Between that and the bottle notes of "plum, spice and sweet vanilla" I expect an oaky fruit-bomb. That is not, however, what shows up first on the nose. The first whiff is barnyard and earth, more Rhone than Australia. Plums, blackberries and pepper follow, but this does not scream "AUSTRALIA!!!," at least not on the nose. On the palate, a bit more so, though not completely spoofulated. Blackberry and vanilla are there for sure, but there is also spice and cedar and, to my surprise, some tobacco. On night one, this was a fairly well balanced wine.

SECOND NIGHT

Cedar and spice, then vanilla and blueberries, are the second-night nose. Plums, spice, and a touch of tobacco open the palate and is then sweetened by brown sugar and vanilla on the midpalate, followed by blackberries and vanilla. The feel is rich, mouth-filling.vvThe finish is long, the tanins smooth and sweet.

This is good wine. It is not great wine, for it lacks any delicacy, but it is certainly good, well balanced, and quite reasonably priced at about $20. I have about half a glass left. Perhaps we can see how it fares on night three.

Nope, I need to pull back on this one a bit. By the time I was halfway through a glass it had become cloying, all brown sugar and vanilla. I was fooled up front, but as the glass went on it just seemed to get sweeter and sweeter.

Steltzner Vineyards Claret 2004

Napa Valley
14.5% Aclohol
$16.99 in Indianapolis, IN

From the bottle notes:

Since 1965 our Family has been dedicated to producing wines of exceptional quality in the heart of the Stags Leap District. Napa Valley Claret is a blend of tranditional Bordeaux varietals. Our blend is based on the appeal of age-old Bordeaux red wines, but crafted today to reveal fleshy berry flavors.

Lift a glass of Stltzner Vineyards Clare in toast to friends and family in lesure and good cheer!

The nose explodes with fruit, blackcurrants and blackberries, with a touch of clove and a hint of lavendar, followed by plums. The perfume of this nose is delicious.

Blackberry and blackcurrant are sweetened on the palate with blueberries. There is vanilla, but not huge oak, and velvety sweet tannins like silk. The finish is long and brings in some mint and eucalyptus along with berry pie.

This is fruity but not overblown or overoaked. I do not know the exact blend, but would guess it is merlot-heavy based on the up front fruit, with a lot of Cabernet Sauvignon, based on the currants.

SECOND NIGHT

The nose is still wondefully sweet with fruit, a bit of cherry now joins the black fruit, with cedar and some florals.

Blackcurrants and blackberries, plus some tart cherries open the palate, joined by a hint of olive before turning to spice. The midpalate is a blackberry, cherry, and clove pie, and it ends with slightly drying smooth tannins and yes, still a touch of eucalyptus.

This is a good wine with a fantastic QPR. It is good now and seems to have a good bit of life left in it. You don't have to drink it now, but if you can find some you should buy it now.

Azienda Agricola Lohsa Mandrone di Lohsa Maremma Toscana IGT 2004

13.5% alcohol
$21.99

This was an interesting two-night trip. The color was medium garnet, slightly cloudy, with clear edges.

The nose of this wine exploded with leather, white chocolate, plums and toasted nuts. There was also another scent, was it fruity or floral?, hiding in the back, something I could not quite put my finger on. Stay tuned for the second night, when it makes a big appearance.

The palate had dark, very dark but not burned, toast, cranberry, and black cherry up front, tobacco, white chocolate and smooth dry leather tannins on the midpalate, and a long finish. On the first night this was full bodied, mouth coating, but apparently very young.

On the second night that mysterious scent made its appearance again, this time front and center. It was mango. Yup, mango. Not mango from a can, or jelly, but real, honest-to-goodness fresh mango from the Indian River, specifically Merritt Island, Florida. There was also some white chocolate and flowers, mostly three day old hibiscus and roses. Bring it to your mouth and take one last quick sniff and lavender shows up, too.

On the second night it still seemed young on the palate. It was tight and dry. Cranberries and fresh plm skins give the sour, plus the tiny clear wild cherries you find growing in Michigan, up near Traverse City. Tobacco and leather are there, too.

This could use a lot more time in the cellar, maybe five years or more, going on the last two nights. There is a lot of wine here and it shows on the nose, but the palate is still too tight to show its best.