Wine Peeps

“It is one of the ironies of the wine market today that just as the price differential between the cheapest and most expensive bottles is greater than ever, the difference in quality is probably narrower than it has ever been. There is good and bad quality at every price level.” –Jancis Robinson, How to Taste

Doesn’t a $400 bottle of wine have to be better than a $30 bottle of wine? Not necessarily. A wine can disappoint (or surprise) you at any price, whether it’s $4, $40, $400 or more. While many great wines are very expensive today, in my opinion, not many of these expensive wines are really worth their price tag.

At Thanksgiving dinner a few years ago, Mom surprised us with a 1996 Chateau Lafite Rothschild (French Bordeaux) that set her back $400, just so that we could see what a so-called “perfect” bottle of wine rated 100 points by the experts tasted like. Now I’ll have to admit, it was a very good bottle of wine. But was it worth $400 or anything close to that price? Probably not.

In fact, later during dinner, we took the remaining half bottle of the Lafite and blind tasted it against a 2000 Columbia Crest Walter Clore Private Reserve (Bordeaux-type blend from Washington). Walter Clore is widely available at about $30 per bottle. In our blind tasting, two of the four of us preferred Lafite and the other two chose Walter Clore as their favorite.

Now if it’s worth the $370 difference for you to say you drank a Lafite, fine, but we’d rather have a case of Walter Clore for the same money ourselves.

While we’re on the subject of $400 wines, in May 2006, there was a thirtieth anniversary re-tasting of the wines from the famous 1976 Judgment of Paris Tasting, the event that really put American wines, and California wines in particular, on the map. The tasting in 1976 pitted some of California’s best wines against top French wines, and the American wines won. It was one of the pivotal events in the history of wine, not so much because the Americans won but because the experts who tasted the wines could not tell which wines came from which country in the blind tasting.

In the 2006 re-tasting, it was generally thought that the French wines would have aged better and would certainly win this time. But the American wines won again. In fact, the California Cabernets swept the first five places this time around.

The point is not that French wines are no longer that good; in fact, they are probably better than ever. The point is that there are outstanding wines made today almost all over the world, and you don’t have to pay $400 per bottle (or even more in the case of many 2005 Bordeaux) to find one.

“I don’t think there’s anything rational, or sane, about paying $750 to $1,000 a bottle for any wine. That’s one reason I stopped buying Bordeaux a few years ago. It simply became too expensive for my taste…The same market that gives us scary Bordeaux prices offers us values as well, increasingly from around the world. You just have to pay attention, strike when the opportunity presents itself, and be prepared to walk away from loved ones that become too expensive.” –James Laube, Senior Editor, Wine Spectator

Our host for the June edition of Wine Blogging Wednesday, the blogosphere’s monthly virtual wine tasting event, is Dr. Debs of Good Wine Under $20. She has selected Rhone Whites as our theme. With the warm summer weather coming soon (hopefully), many of us will be looking to enjoy some nice white wines. Excellent options are wines made from one or more of the classic white grape varieties of the Rhone Valley in France, including Bourboulenc, Clairette Blanc, Grenache Blanc, Marsanne, Muscat Blanc a Petits Grains, Picardin, Picpoul/Piquepoul Blanc, Roussanne, Ugni Blanc, and Viognier. Even though these varieties are native to the Rhone Valley, these grapes are now grown in many parts of the world. Therefore, a wine does not actually have to be produced in the Rhone Valley in France to be considered a “Rhone White.”

In fact, Dr. Debs promised top billing in the roundup if we tasted wines from more than one region. So the Wine Peeps decided to blind taste one from Cotes du Rhone in France and one from the Walla Walla Valley in our home state of Washington. We selected the 2005 E. Guigal Cotes du Rhone Blanc and pitted it against the 2005 Cougar Crest Viognier. We were pleasantly surprised to find that all four of us preferred the Cougar Crest Viognier from Washington. We found it to be very fresh, crisp, and smooth which is exactly what we are looking for in a summer white. In addition, it was a perfect complement to our dinner of chicken kabobs with squash, green peppers, and zucchini served with rice.

2005 Cougar Crest Viognier (Walla Walla Valley, Washington): Faint yellow color and very clear. Sweet aromas of tree fruits, especially pear. Pear, honeysuckle, and floral flavors come through on the palate. Very fresh, crisp acidity, and a nice smooth finish.
Quality: 3.5 stars (out of 5)
QPR: 3 bangs for your buck (out of 5)
Where to Buy: Davidsons Liquors (Colorado), $17.99, Available elsewhere, $20 to $21

2005 E. Guigal Cotes du Rhone Blanc (Rhone Valley, France): 55% Viognier, 20% Roussanne, 10% Clairette, 5% Marsanne, 5% Bourboulenc, and 5% Grenache Blanc. Light straw and hay hues. Very tight nose with faint floral and pear aromas. Minerally and chalky flavors. Very plain; nothing stands out.
Quality: 2 stars (out of 5)
QPR: NR (not recommended)
Where to Buy: Davidsons Liquors (Colorado), $14.99, Available elsewhere, $11 to $15

“I’m a big fan of Shiraz…great quality and value.” –Francis Ford Coppola

While virtually every wine lover is familiar with Syrah from the Rhone Valley in France and Shiraz [sha-RAZZ] from Australia, I am more and more impressed with the quality of Shiraz/Syrah from areas not traditionally known for this grape, such as Washington and California in the United States as well as Chile and South Africa. It is beginning to look like Shiraz/Syrah might become the new Cabernet Sauvignon; a grape that dominates some regions but also makes good wine almost everywhere it is grown.

For example, legendary Penfolds Grange winemaker John Duval from Australia not only has his own Shiraz/Syrah label Down Under [Entity] but also has projects in Washington State [Sequel] and Chile [Pangea].

In California, the Wine Spectator’s James Laube says that Syrah is proving to be that state’s most versatile grape, with two dominate styles emerging. He says that “one features spicy, peppery, wild berry flavors, with tight tannins and pleasant earthy notes, modeled after the wines of Northern Rhone. The other is a riper, more opulent, berry-centered style, more reminiscent of Aussie Shiraz.”

Speaking of Australian Shiraz, many wine aficionados mistakenly think Australia is a newcomer to the wine production business because their imports to the United States have only exploded since the 1980’s. However, when you visit Australia, you quickly realize that the wine industry there is actually older than in the USA when you see winery cornerstones dated from the 1840’s and 1850’s. In fact, Australia has some of the oldest continuously producing vineyards in the world, some over 100 years old. The reason for these ancient vines is that Australia has been free from phylloxera, the pest that ravaged the vineyards of France and California making it necessary to replant vines in those areas by grafting onto phylloxera-resistant rootstock.

It will be interesting to follow the evolution of Shiraz/Syrah in the many new areas of production and see if it will in fact become the next Cab.

What is the best Shiraz/Syrah that you’ve ever had?

Today marks the second “virtual meeting” of the Wine Book Club, where bloggers and wine lovers all over the world come together for book reviews and discussions every other month after reading a selected text. Our host for this edition is Tim Elliott of Winecast and the text he selected was Noble Rot: A Bordeaux Wine Revolution by William Echikson.

Historically, Bordeaux, and the French in general, have been very stogy in their traditions and winemaking practices. However, over the past twenty years, innovators have made their mark, modernizing the production, evaluation, and marketing of French wine. The result has been richer, fruit-driven wines that can be drunk younger than in the past.

William Echikson spent six months in Bordeaux following the growing season and harvest of the 2001 vintage, studying the changes in Bordeaux.

Noble Rot reads like a novel but it is not, it’s true. It is fast-paced and tells some interesting stories about the major players in Bordeaux. Here are a few highlights from the book that I found particularly interesting. Some of these just might whet your appetite for more.

“We don’t want to become like Mondavi in the Napa Valley [and cater to tourists],” he [Count Alexandre de Lur-Saluces] said. “One must merit a visit to Yquem.”

“When I started out, the whole group of wine tasters were little more than parrots for the powers that be in Bordeaux, just repeating the accepted wisdom,” he [Robert Parker, world renowned wine critic] recalled.

In Bordeaux the wine trade’s more progressive elements view him as a savior of sorts. They have realized that the region has a lot of wine to sell and that Parker helps sell it. The American revolutionary could have championed California wines. Instead, his first love is France. He loves French wines, and Bordeaux wines in particular.

If Robert Parker is the leading fan of new wave winemakers, [Michel] Rolland [famous enologist known as the Flying Winemaker] is their guru.

As France became richer and its population moved from the land to the cities, wine became, as in Anglo-Saxon countries, a festive treat [rather than an integral part of everyday life]. Since 1960 consumption has fallen by more than half, from about forty gallons per person per year to about fifteen gallons. While that is still far more than the average two gallons a year drunk by Americans, consumption of more expensive, higher-quality wines has increased in both countries. “We’re drinking less but better” is a common phrase heard these days.

Although the economics of fine wine may no longer look so bright, the quality of elite Bordeaux has taken a giant leap forward. If innovators like [Yves] Vatelot and [Jeffrey] Davies retain their determination to keep improving despite the inevitable, often cyclical commercial setbacks, wine lovers around the world will benefit.

While I found this book to be a good read, it is not for everyone. If you are interested in learning more about Bordeaux, the people, places, and history, this could be a book for you, and you can head over to Amazon or your book retailer of choice to pick up a copy. However, if you are looking for a wine guide or basic wine information, I would suggest that you look elsewhere.

If you’ve already read the book, please leave a comment and let us know what you thought of it.

We had so much fun exploring new wines in our first Wine Century Club Tasting that we decided to do it again. We headed over to K&L Wine Merchants to order another case of wine (actually a baker’s dozen this time), each bottle containing at least one grape variety that we had not previously tasted.

We followed the same format as last time for the tasting. All four of us Wine Peeps got together one afternoon, put all 13 bottles out on the table and tasted them one-by-one, discussing them as we went.

Eleven out of the thirteen bottles we tried this time were white wines. Unfortunately, this set of wines was not as solid as the wines in the last tasting, but we did find four new wines that we would like to try again sometime.

All in all, it was another fun tasting! After checking off the boxes on our Wine Century list, Dad (John) and I both have now had over 100 different grape varieties. It’s time to turn in our applications for membership in the Wine Century Club.

Just because we’ve officially met the requirements for our Wine Century lists doesn’t mean that we are done trying new grape varieties. We have learned so much, discovered new wines, and uncovered some great values. Therefore, we’ll remain on the lookout for new varieties to try.

The next time you’re buying wine (in your local wine shop, online, or in a restaurant), consider trying something new and then come back and tell us about your experience.

Here’s a rundown of the wines that we tasted (regions listed in parentheses).

Our favorites:

2007 Dominio del Plata “Crios de Susana Balbo” Torrontes (Salta, Argentina): Grape: Torrontes. Soft, golden straw color. Fragrant aromas of apricots and magnolia blossoms with a hint of sweetness. Apricots and orange peel come through on the palate. Similar to a cross between Viognier and Sauvignon Blanc. Well-balanced with medium plus body, refreshing acidity, and a smooth finish.
Quality: 3.5 stars (out of 5)
QPR: 4 bangs for your buck (out of 5)
Where to buy: K&L Wine Merchants (California), $12.99

2005 Bleasdale Verdelho (Langhorne Creek, Australia): Grape: Verdelho. Light gold with aromas of burnt toast and butter. Too much oak for me but a great value for a California Chardonnay fan.
Quality: 3 stars (out of 5)
QPR: 4 bangs for your buck (out of 5)
Where to buy: K&L Wine Merchants (California), $9.99

2006 La Posta del Viñatero Cocina Blend (Mendoza, Argentina): Grapes: 60% Malbec, 20% Bonarda, 20% Syrah. Deep, dark, inky purple like Welch’s grape juice. Aromas of cherry pie and oak. Ripe fruit flavors with some sweetness on the back end. A good sipper with subtle tannins and a short finish.
Quality: 3 stars (out of 5)
QPR: 4 bangs for your buck (out of 5)
Where to buy: K&L Wine Merchants (California), $13.99

2006 Pra Soave Classico Superiore (Veneto, Italy): Grape: Garganega. Deep, rich gold with fruit salad aromas. Citrus, almond, nutmeg, and spice on the palate. Crisp acidity and a medium finish.
Quality: 3 stars (out of 5)
QPR: 3 bangs for your buck (out of 5)
Where to buy: K&L Wine Merchants (California), $13.99

The others:

NV Bortolomiol Prosecco Brut Prior (Veneto, Italy): Grape: Prosecco.
Quality: 2.5 stars (out of 5)
QPR: NR (not recommended)
Where to buy: K&L Wine Merchants (California), $14.95

2006 Val de Lainos Verdejo (Rueda, Spain): Grape: Verdejo.
Quality: 2.5 stars (out of 5)
QPR: NR (not recommended)
Where to buy: K&L Wine Merchants (California), $10.99

2005 Teruzzi & Puthod Vernaccia di San Gimignano (Tuscany, Italy): Grape: Vernaccia.
Quality: 2.5 stars (out of 5)
QPR: NR (not recommended)
Where to buy: K&L Wine Merchants (California), $9.95

2006 Weingut Schmelz Grüner Veltliner “Pichl Point” Federspiel (Wachau, Austria): Grape: Grüner Veltliner.
Quality: 2.5 stars (out of 5)
QPR: NR (not recommended)
Where to buy: K&L Wine Merchants (California), $15.99

2006 Emiliana “Natura” Carmenere (Colchagua Valley, Chile): Grapes: 87% Carmenere, 4% Syrah, 4% Petite Verdot, 1% Malbec.
Quality: 2.5 stars (out of 5)
QPR: NR (not recommended)
Where to buy: K&L Wine Merchants (California), $8.99

2006 Mancini Vermentino di Gallura (Sardinia, Italy): Grape: Vermentino.
Quality: 2 stars (out of 5)
QPR: NR (not recommended)
Where to buy: K&L Wine Merchants (California), $11.99

2006 Domaine de la Pépière Classique Muscadet Sèvre et Maine Sur Lie (Loire Valley, France): Grape: Melon de Bourgogne.
Quality: 2 stars (out of 5)
QPR: NR (not recommended)
Where to buy: K&L Wine Merchants (California), $11.99

2005 I Favati Fiano di Avellino (Campania, Italy): Grape: Fiano.
Quality: 1.5 stars (out of 5)
QPR: NR (not recommended)
Where to buy: K&L Wine Merchants (California), $17.99

2006 Ermacora Tocai Friulano (Friuli-Venezia Giulia, Italy): Grape: Tocai Friulano.
Quality: 1.5 stars (out of 5)
QPR: NR (not recommended)
Where to buy: K&L Wine Merchants (California), $15.99

What is the best “non-major” grape variety that you’ve ever tasted?

After attending the Unique Wines from Around the World program last month, Dad (John) and I became inspired to see just how many different grape varieties we have had through the years. We had heard about the Wine Century Club (if you’ve tasted at least 100 different grape varieties, you are qualified for membership) but had not really given it much thought until that evening. So when we returned home, we went on the Wine Century Club website and printed out a membership application which lists numerous different grape varieties. We began looking back through our tasting notes and marking off the ones that we had already had. At that point, both of our tallies were in the 70’s. Thirty more to go seemed very doable.

When we set our minds to something, we go for it and usually don’t waste much time (I’m sure this is not news to those who know us personally). And so it was with the Wine Century Club. We went online to K&L Wine Merchants and ordered a case of wine, each bottle containing at least one grape variety that we had not previously tasted. Then one evening all four of us Wine Peeps gathered for a Wine Century Club tasting. We put all 12 bottles out on the table and tasted them one-by-one, discussing them as we went, stopping to read the labels to learn more about some of them.

What a fun tasting! Not only did we try some new varieties and mark off some more boxes on our Wine Century list, but we found some wines we’d definitely like to have again and discovered some excellent values as well. Since many of these wines are relatively unknown, you are not paying for a “label.” If you are tired of drinking your stand-by Cabernet Sauvignon or Merlot all the time, I encourage you to give one of these a shot (especially one of the top four listed below which are all 5 bangs-for-your buck).

Here’s a rundown of the wines that we tasted (regions listed in parentheses).

Our favorites:

2005 Pasetti Montepulciano d’Abruzzo (Abruzzo, Italy): Grape: Montepulciano. Deep purple with pleasant aromas of blackberry and spice. Exhibits flavors of ripe, black fruits. Very well-balanced and elegant. Lively acidity, bold tannins, and a long, lingering finish.
Quality: 4 stars (out of 5)
QPR: 5 bangs for your buck (out of 5)
Where to buy: K&L Wine Merchants (California), $12.99

2006 Donnafugata Sedara Nero d’Avola (Sicily, Italy): Grape: Nero d’Avola. A bit earthy with hints of buttered popcorn on the nose. Plums, pepper, and spice come through on the palate. Medium-bodied with smooth tannins, and a medium-plus finish.
Quality: 3.5 stars (out of 5)
QPR: 5 bangs for your buck (out of 5)
Where to buy: K&L Wine Merchants (California), $12.95

2005 Madiran Domaine Berthoumieu “Charles de Batz” (Southwest France, France): Grapes: 90% Tannat, 10% Cabernet Sauvignon. Very dark and dense. Aromas of fresh cut grass leads to flavors of spice and black fruits (especially blackberries and blackcurrants). Big, bold puckery tannins with an extremely long finish. Should be even better in a few years as the tannins soften a bit.
Quality: 3.5 stars (out of 5)
QPR: 5 bangs for your buck (out of 5)
Where to buy: K&L Wine Merchants (California), $17.99

Blandy’s 5 year old Bual Madeira (Madeira, Portugal): Grape: Bual. Dark brown in color. Exhibits some maple syrup and alcohol on the nose. Well-balanced with flavors of caramel, toffee, and burnt wood. Good with dessert or as a dessert all on its own.
Quality: 3.5 stars (out of 5)
QPR: 5 bangs for your buck (out of 5)
Where to buy: K&L Wine Merchants (California), $17.99

Also good wines, just not quite as good as the first four:

2005 Vigne e Vini Schiaccianoci Negroamaro del Salento IGT (Puglia, Italy): Grapes: 85% Negroamaro, 15% Malvasia Nera.
Quality: 3 stars (out of 5)
QPR: 5 bangs for your buck (out of 5)
Where to buy: K&L Wine Merchants (California), $9.99

2005 De Conciliis Aglianico Donnaluna (Campania, Italy): Grape: Aglianico.
Quality: 3 stars (out of 5)
QPR: 4 bangs for your buck (out of 5)
Where to buy: K&L Wine Merchants (California), $17.98

2005 Scacciadiavoli Rosso di Montefalco (Umbria, Italy): Grapes: 60% Sangiovese, 15% Sagrantino, 15% Merlot, and other red grapes.
Quality: 3 stars (out of 5)
QPR: 4 bangs for your buck (out of 5)
Where to buy: K&L Wine Merchants (California), $18.99

2003 Foradori Teroldego Rotaliano (Trentino-Alto Adige, Italy): Grape: Teroldego.
Quality: 3 stars (out of 5)
QPR: 4 bangs for your buck (out of 5)
Where to buy: K&L Wine Merchants (California), $18.99

Blandy’s 5 year old Sercial Madeira (Madeira, Portugal): Grape: Sercial.
Quality: 3 stars (out of 5)
QPR: 5 bangs for your buck (out of 5)
Where to buy: K&L Wine Merchants (California), $17.99

The others:

2006 Valle dell’Acate “Il Frappato” (Sicily, Italy): Grape: Frappato.
Quality: 2.5 stars (out of 5)
QPR: NR (not recommended)
Where to buy: K&L Wine Merchants (California), $18.99

2005 Iby Zweigelt Classic (Burgenland, Austria): Grape: Zweigelt.
Quality: 2 stars (out of 5)
QPR: NR (not recommended)
Where to buy: K&L Wine Merchants (California), $11.99

2006 Clos Roche Blanche Touraine Pineau d’Aunis l’Arpente (Loire Valley, France): Grape: Pineau d’Aunis.
Quality: 1 star (out of 5)
QPR: NR (not recommended)
Where to buy: K&L Wine Merchants (California), $15.99

Gary Vaynerchuk of Wine Library TV is our host for this month’s edition of Wine Blogging Wednesday. For those that are not familiar with WBW, it is the monthly event in which wine bloggers come together to all post on the same theme on the same day. Gary selected French Cabernet Franc as our theme for April.

If you are inspired to go to your local wine shop to try some French Cabernet Franc as well, remember that you will not find a bottle of wine that specifically says “French Cabernet Franc.” France, and most countries in Europe, generally does not put the varietal name on their wine bottle labels as we do here in the United States. Therefore, you have to know something about their wine regions to know what varietals you will find there. This can make “Old World” wine buying difficult for those that are just beginning their journey in the world of wine.

French wines made predominately with Cabernet Franc can be found in a number of different regions. However, the most well-known are Chinon and Bourgueil in the Loire Valley. We decided to have one of our private tasting dinners and blind taste a Chinon and a Bourgueil against each other. To be honest, we did not particularly care for either one. The Bourgueil was decent and probably would merit another try sometime down the road, but this particular Chinon was quite disappointing. We were probably drinking both of these wines too early as they should open up and show more complexity with some age.

Cabernet Franc is most often used as a blending grape along with other red grapes, usually Cabernet Sauvignon and Merlot. I personally think it is at its best when used to add another dimension in these blends rather than as a stand-alone varietal. But if you are a fan of earthy, vegetal wines, this could be a varietal for you to explore.

2006 Catherine & Pierre Breton “Trinch!” Bourgueil: Deep ruby with vegetal aromas along with hints of earth, licorice, and a faint note of turpentine. Strawberries mixed with a little earth dominate the palate. Well-balanced with a medium finish.
Quality: 3 stars (out of 5)
QPR: 3 bangs for your buck (out of 5)
Where to Buy: Esquin (Seattle), $17.99; DrinkUpNY.com (New York), $17.99

2005 Charles Joguet Chinon Les Petites Roches: Dark, dense purple but slightly hazy. Radishes, earth, smoke, and mint are present on the nose. Predominately vegetal flavors, especially olives. Dull and boring. A mercifully short finish since it has a horrible aftertaste.
Quality: 2 stars (out of 5)
QPR: NR (not recommended)
Where to Buy: Esquin (Seattle), $21.99; WineChateau.com (New Jersey), $17.59

Our 59th wine tasting dinner on Friday evening was one of our best ever. We enjoyed the evening with wonderful friends, Mom’s (LaGayle) delicious meal, and a fabulous set of wines. Not only were all the wines good to excellent but they are all outstanding values. Never before have all six wines from one of our dinners received a QPR score of 5 bangs for your buck. If you enjoy Cabernet Sauvignon blends, you can’t go wrong by picking up any one of these bottles.

Unlike many of our previous wine tasting dinners, this set of wines did not hail from any one particular country, state, or region. Three different countries (U.S., Australia, and France) and two states (Washington and California) were represented. The common factor is that all six wines contain some Cabernet Sauvignon. Although, as you will see below, the percentages of Cab and other varietals vary.

Remember, all of these wines are good, but here’s a rundown of the group consensus rankings from 1st to last (regions listed in parentheses):

2004 Sebastiani Secolo (Sonoma County, California): 62% Cabernet Sauvignon, 16% Petit Verdot, 8% Malbec, 7% Merlot, 1% Petite Sirah. Dense, deep purple with aromas of smoke, licorice, and green pepper. Dark fruits and pepper come through on the palate. Well-balanced with smooth tannins and a long finish.
Quality: 4.5 stars (out of 5)
QPR: 5 bangs for your buck (out of 5)
Where to buy: Winerz.com (California), $27.00

2002 Columbia Crest Walter Clore Private Reserve (Columbia Valley, Washington): 63% Cabernet Sauvignon, 37% Merlot. Blackberries and dill pickle on the nose. More black fruits revealed on the palate. Robust, lively acidity, medium to full-bodied, and a long, smooth finish.
Quality: 4.5 stars (out of 5)
QPR: 5 bangs for your buck (out of 5)
Where to buy: K&L Wine Merchants (California), $21.99

2000 Chateau Moulin Riche (Saint-Julien, Medoc, Bordeaux, France): 60-65% Cabernet Sauvignon, 30-35% Merlot, and some Petit Verdot. A mix of barnyard and perfume aromas with a hint of nail polish. Tastes better than it smells. Flavors of mint and blackcurrant. Probably could benefit from decanting.
Quality: 4 stars (out of 5)
QPR: 5 bangs for your buck (out of 5)
Where to buy: Our cost, $20.00; unfortunately, no longer available

2004 Peter Lehmann Clancy’s (Barossa Valley, Australia): 43% Shiraz, 42% Cabernet Sauvignon, 15% Merlot. Vegetal aromas and flavors, especially asparagus and green pepper. Some dark fruits emerge on the palate. Well-balanced.
Quality: 3.5 stars (out of 5)
QPR: 5 bangs for your buck (out of 5)
Where to buy: MadWine (Seattle), $13.99

2005 Columbia Crest Two Vines Merlot-Cabernet (Columbia Valley, Washington): Merlot, Cabernet Franc, and Cabernet Sauvignon. Much lighter and paler than the others. Aromas and flavors of cherry and caramel. A bit of funk on the finish.
Quality: 3 stars (out of 5)
QPR: 5 bangs for your buck (out of 5)
Where to buy: WinoWorld (Idaho), $7.38 [2004 is the currently available vintage]; probably can also be found at your local wine outlet

2006 Penfolds Koonunga Hill Shiraz Cabernet (South Australia, Australia): 78% Shiraz, 22% Cabernet Sauvignon. Dark fruits dominate. Bold tannins. A little young; could benefit from some more bottle aging.
Quality: 3 stars (out of 5)
QPR: 5 bangs for your buck (out of 5)
Where to buy: Wine Exchange (California), $7.99; probably can also be found at your local wine outlet

On Friday, Dad (John) and I made the trek across the Cascade Mountains to Ellensburg to attend another one of the consumer courses offered through Central Washington University’s World Wine Program. Led by noted wine industry professional Amy Mumma, this program featured Unique Wines from Around the World.

As the program title suggests, during this course we tasted six unique wines from around the world. While many of us have our regular go-to varietals (Shiraz/Syrah, Cabernet Sauvignon, Sauvignon Blanc, etc.), this course was a fun opportunity to experiment a little and try some wines that we had never tasted before. I had only had two of them (Albariño and Amarone della Valpolicella) previously so four were completely new to me.

Surprisingly, my favorite of the evening was a dessert wine, the 2000 Royal Tokaji – Tokaji Aszu, 5 Puttonyos from Hungary. It is known as the “Wine of Kings and King of Wines.” It is very sweet but its high acidity balances out the sweetness so it does not taste sickeningly sweet. This wine is a dessert all by itself.

The 2003 Cesari Amarone della Valpolicella Classico DOC was excellent as well. While many people have had Valpolicella before, Amarone della Valpolicella is made using a completely different process. It is made in the appasimento style; the grapes are dried on straw mats for four to six months after harvest. This wine is a good sipper but would also be good with game or other meats.

Since I had little or no point of reference for these varietals, the quality ratings are based solely on my personal preferences. All of these wines have limited availability and will probably have to be special ordered from your favorite wine outlet. Prices listed are those that Amy paid when purchasing the wines for this class.

While on a regular basis I will probably stick with my go-to varietals that are more readily available, it is always a lot of fun to try something new. Bringing out one of these wines when you have friends over for dinner would certainly spark some interesting conversations. And since most of these wines are relatively unknown, many of them are very reasonably priced.

Here’s a rundown of the wines that we tasted (regions listed in parentheses):

Dessert Wine:

2000 Royal Tokaji – Tokaji Aszu, 5 Puttonyos (Tokaj-Hegyalja, Hungary): Grapes: Furmint, Harslevelu, Sarga, Muskotaly. Beautiful, brilliant amber color. Lots of spice, honey, orange, apricot, and a bit of almond on the nose. Apricot bursts out on the palate followed by flavors of honey and spice. Sweet, high acidity, and a long finish.
Quality: 4.5 stars (out of 5)
QPR: 2 bangs for your buck (out of 5)
Price: $90 (500ml)

Reds:

2003 Cesari Amarone della Valpolicella Classico DOC (Veneto, Italy): Grapes: Molinara, Rondinella, Corvina. Medium red with a slight hint of browning (which indicates some age). Aromas of cinnamon, dried cherries, and leather. Cherries prominent on the palate as well. Dry but not drying. Rich and fresh with good mouth-feel. Full-bodied yet very smooth.
Quality: 4 stars (out of 5)
QPR: 4 bangs for your buck (out of 5)
Price: $37

2004 Teliani Valley Saperavi (Kakheti, Eastern Georgia): Grape: Saperavi. Dark, opaque with strong and dense aromas of black fruits (especially plums and blackberries). Not as much fruit on the palate. Extremely tannic, medium body. Very long finish with distinct flavors of bitter baker’s chocolate.
Quality: 3.5 stars (out of 5)
QPR: 4 bangs for your buck (out of 5)
Price: $14

2000 A&G Papaioannou Pape Johannou Vineyards Nemea (Nemea AC, Greece)
Grape: Agiorgitiko.
Quality: 2.5 stars (out of 5)
QPR: NR (not recommended)
Price: $16

Whites:

2006 Laxas Winery Albariño (Rias Biaxas DO, Spain): Grape: Albariño. Clear and brilliant with a slight green tint (indicating it is from a cooler climate). Aromas of hay, kiwi, floral, and pear. More fruit on the palate than on the nose. Flavors of citrus, peach, and flowers. Soft body with a long, lingering finish. A very fresh wine, similar to Viognier.
Quality: 3.5 stars (out of 5)
QPR: 3 bangs for your buck (out of 5)
Price: $18

2005 Clos Lapeyre Jurancon Sec (Jurancon Sec AC, Southwest France)
Grape: Gros Manseng
Quality: 2.5 stars (out of 5)
QPR: NR (not recommended)
Price: $14

Through the years, we have taken a number of trips to different wine regions throughout the world. As you might expect, we have had a wide range of experiences, some great and others not so great.

We found visiting Australian cellar doors (wine tasting rooms) to be one of the great wine experiences in the world. First, there are virtually no tasting fees (at least as of 2005 when we were last there). The hosts are knowledgeable and extremely friendly. Rather than limiting you to three small tastes for a $5 or $10 fee, the Australians want you to taste all ten or 15 wines they have on display and are almost offended if you don’t. And they don’t hide the “good” stuff. We had free tastings of $70-$80 bottles of excellent wine. [I realize that Liquor Control Board laws in many states in the U.S. do not permit this same level of hospitality.]

“…I found in Australia a soulmate. And I sometimes feel as though purely by chance we’ve both been beating the same path to the same destination at the same time. Good wine; enjoyable approachable wine available to all, affordable by all. Sometimes seeking to provide the greatest pleasure for the greatest number and achieving it. Sometimes saying ‘We’re not frightened, we can equal those old-timers from Europe.’ But more often saying ‘We’re Australian, we don’t try to copy anyone. Take us for what we are and enjoy it.’” –Oz Clarke, Oz Clarke’s Australian Wine Companion

In North America, we have found the wineries and tasting rooms in Washington State and the Okanagan Valley of Canada to be the closest to Australia in their friendly attitude toward consumers.

In contrast, we have visited a number of regions that are very well-known for their wines but, for the most part, the people seem to fall short in their customer service skills. While I would recommend that any wine lover take a trip to France if the opportunity arises because of its rich wine history, many chateaus in France are not open to the public and some of those that are act like they are doing you a favor to let you taste their wines.

Napa tends to be over-crowded and charge high tasting fees. We even found some people at the tasting rooms in Napa who looked down their noses at us and their other guests while charging us all to taste their third label. [If you go wine tasting in California, we recommend that you visit Sonoma instead where we have found the wines to be just as good yet the people are much friendlier.] And finally, the most disappointing in all of our wine trips was the reception we got (or should I say didn’t get) in Oregon. Really, what do they have to be snooty about?

Now, in which of those environments do you feel an obligation to buy? For me, the easy answer is Australia. Even though I am not able to visit Australia frequently, the positive experience that we had there, not to mention the fact that they produce outstanding wines at reasonable prices, makes me want to buy their wines and encourage you to do so also.

What have been your experiences, great and not so great, as you have visited wine regions throughout the world? Please leave a comment and share your thoughts with us.