Month: May 2006

ZD Cabernet Savignon Reserve 1997

With its black-garnet color and tightly wound nose of black licorice and dark cherry this wine instantly shows huge potential. With some coaxing you get hints chocolate and plum in the mix. Liquid chocolate cake comes to mind after a mouthful of the wine settles on the palate. Rich in bitter chocolate, black cherries and
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Three Rivers Chardonnay Columbia Valley 1999

Uncanny scents of fresh cut pears and wildflowers fill the glass. This Chardonnay is very aromatic and youthful. On the palate it is absolutely lovely with its full-bodied tropical fruits, butterscotch, dried fig, and clove. Super long finish of glycerin fruit and vanillin toasted oak. The Three Rivers Winery Chardonnay 1999 has it all, power,
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Chateau St Jean Cinq Cepages 1996

If I am anything it is timely. No better time that the 4th of July to review what has been considered and reported to be Americas #1 wine. First off, this is a very good wine. It usually is, the 1994 version was awesome. The 1996 Cinq Cepage is a tightly wound, very young and
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Professional Wine Tasting Tips

Entire books have been written on wine tasting. One of the best known and most influential is Emile Peynaud’s The Taste of Wine. While you may never earn your living tasting wine, we want to share a few techniques used by our winemakers that can increase the pleasure of everyday drinking.

Dom Berrod Fleurie Beaujolais Cru 1998

This Berrod Beaujolais has the scents of a beautiful bouquet of flowers, green olives and wild raspberries. A slightly musty nose of dried flowers is very appealing in this wine. On the palate this soft, luscious wine exhibits a plentiful amount of vibrant cherry fruits and lavender flavors, finishing with lingering dried flowers and red
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Sean Thackerey Pleiades IX Old Vines

Here is a great example of American blending from a wine maker known for his fantastic old vine Syrah. The Pleiades is a wicked blend of Syrah, Merlot, Carignane, Petite Sirah, Zinfandel and Mourvedre. Dark ruby in color with a scents of savory herbs, spearmint/ eucalyptus, jammy red currant and coconut oil. Definite hints of
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Paoletti Merlot Napa Valley 97

Very dark in color with a meaty rich nose with scents of wet leather, cinnamon, oak and black berry. Powerful extraction on the palate with black tar and cassis flavors blending smoothly with the velvety oak. The finish is very luscious and theatrical with its thick amounts of black berry, plum and vanilla. Not just
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Finca Allende Rioja 1997

Finca Allende is a relative new comer to the Rioja world with the 1997 vintage being the third year of its production. The 1997 Allende Rioja is a powerhouse. With it glass staining black-purple color and aromas of raisin, black cherry and violets, it is obvious this is a very modern version of Rioja. The
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Taste Washington Wine Tasting

So many wines so little time, a bit clich? but extremely poignant if you attended Taste Washington. On April 9th, 85 Washington State wineries and 45 local restaurants met under one roof to put on Seattle largest exposition of its local wine and food industry. The annual event is sponsored by the Washington Wine Commission
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