World Wine Weblog

A Hard Core Wine Tasting Experience at Lavanda

I met my friend Jane for an after-work drink at Lavanda Restaurant and Wine Bar in downtown Palo Alto last week. Jane is one of my favorite people -- even though she still hasn't responded to my invitation to join the self-disclosure movement on her blog -- and it's always fun to get together with her. Both of us love wine, and neither of us had visited Lavanda yet, so it seemed like a natural choice.

We were delighted to discover that there was a special wine tasting / release party that evening, with winemaker Dave Corey (shown below left) of Core Wine Company offering a lineup of his most recently released wines:

• 2004 Red 163 (14% Mourvedre, 56% Grenache, 30% Syrah),
  
• 2004 Elevation Sensation (another GSM blend, but with grapes more predominantly from his own vineyard)
  
• 2004 Hard Core (Grenache, Syrah and Cabernet)
  
• 2004 Soft Core (Grenache Blanc, Rousanne and Marsanne) -- actually, I can't remember now if that really is the name of the wine, or the name he wanted to use.
  

All of these wines were great -- representing the deeper and fuller end of the Grenache [Blanc] spectrum (and thus, more appealing to me than the lighter variations of the varietal). The Hard Core was the standout for me, where the little bit of cab really added a significant amount of power to the blend. Jane liked the Elevation Sensation best (that was my second favorite). Dave also has a predominantly Mourvedre blend and a Tempranillo. I want to track down some of these at a wine shop (and soon, as I think they are selling out).

Jane had to leave, but I didn't have dinner yet, and a pasta dish with Sardines looked very appetizing (and the kind of thing I would never cook at home), so I stayed on, and enjoyed a glass of the Turchi Syrah -- which was not included in the initial 3-glass tasting flight -- to accompany that. The meal was also accompanied by very interesting and engaging discussion with Matt Kahn (shown above right), a Professor of Design in the Art School at Stanford, who offered his views on art and design, and described some of his wine-related travels. He also highly recommended the Klinker Brick Zinfandel, so I'll have to go back there sometime ... perhaps when Jane and Matt can both be there, so the three of us can enjoy some fine wine and conversation together.

Viña Ventisquero 2004 Root:1

Wow, yet another fabulous $10 cabernet, this one from Chile, and bigger and more intense than the Columbia Crest Grand Estates I recently wrote about ... and [thus] I like it even better.  Root:1 is a 85% Cabernet Sauvignon / 15% Syrah blend from Colchagua Valley, the result of a partnership between Viña Ventisquero from Rancagua, Chile, and the Click Wine Group here in Seattle.  The name stems from the fact that the grapes used in this wine are taken from vines from the original European rootstock, rather than those grafted onto other roots.

I picked up a bottle from VinElla in Woodinvillle after Steve, the proprietor, turned me on to the wine during what appears to be a perpetual informal tasting at the wine shop.  It was my first visit, and I was delighted to see they also have a great selection of Amarones and Zinfandels; I'll be picking up more of the Root:1 (and probably others) next time I stop in.

Here are the tasting notes from the Root:1 web site:

Intense, cherry red in color, with ripe berry notes, including raspberries, blueberries, blackberries and plums. Attractive aromas of coffee and dark chocolate combine with a touch of tobacco, smoke and vanilla, into a rich structure with soft tannins. A full-bodied wine with a long and concentrated finish accented with fruity, smoky notes.

And here's what Vin Ella has to say on their web page:

Peter Click, owner of Click Importing and Distribution in Seattle created this little project, a collaboration with Ventisquera, S.A., one of Chile’s largest wine groups. They hired Felipe Tosso, formerly of Concha y Toro, to make this with grapes from two of Chile’s legendary vineyards, Apalta and Trinidad. It’s 85% Cab and 15% Syrah, has beautiful, supple structure, deep fruit, a satiny texture, lovely terroir notes, and a rich, chewy feel. It’s just simply far more wine for the money than 90% of the wines sitting on wine shop shelves, nowadays. As a bottle of Cabernet, I’d put it up against nearly everything I’ve tasted under $25 and under $15, it’s equaled by only one bottle I’ve ever found. They made a lot of it and I don’t know how widely Click distributes this but I can bet that you won’t find many bargain Cabs that top it, no matter where you are.

Marquis Philips 2004 Shiraz: A Wine of Mythic Proportions

Wow!  I have enjoyed every vintage of the MP Shiraz over the past four years.  This year's vintage is another outstanding example ... and, from what I've heard, perhaps the last.  The wine seems a bit more balanced than in past vintages -- it is drinking superbly right now, even without decanting.  The Wine Club provides some background information on why this is such a remarkable bottling:

2004 was a stunning year for 2004 Marquis Philips Shiraz and the Marquis Philips SEA wines in general. However, 2004 will not be considered a great year for the glamorous icon wines of Australia. 2004 did not produce the concentration needed for reserve level wine in South Australia. So, they exercised extreme restraint and selection at Marquis Philips and graded all the wine designated for Integrity and almost all for Shiraz 9 into Marquis Philips SEA Shiraz. Their loss is our gain, so to speak, that is to say, 2004 MP Shiraz may be the very “best ever, almost up to reserve level” as reported by Dan Philips. The same rigorous selection standards led to delicious Merlot, Cabernet and hence Sarah's Blend, which is, as usual, a blend of the Shiraz, Cabernet and Merlot. 2004 Marquis Philips SEA wines should be fun and excellent buy because there is almost no viable competition at the price point. This would be an excellent opportunity to stock up on your favorite Marquis Philips wines at this fantastic price for this exceptional vintage.

They also provide a far more detailed description than I would have composed:

The stunning 2004 Shiraz should be one of the best ever! All the wine enough to make the reserve level of the icon wines. It exhibits notes of blackberry liquor intermixed with hints of licorice, pepper, and chocolate. It is full-bodied, and viscous, wonderful intensity, superb purity, and a layered, seamless personality, it is meant to be drunk young, but will age surprisingly well given its intensity.

Oh, and the reason I used "mythic" in the title is not only because of the quality of the wine itself (especially given the price) but becuase of the "roogle" (a mythical cross between a kangaroo and an eagle that is, or has been, pictured on all MP bottle labels).

New Vintages of McCrea Wines at Seattle Wine Company

I sampled several of the latest releases from McCrea Cellars at the Seatte Wine Company yesterday.  As I noted earlier, McCrea is one of my favorite Washington wineries, consistently producing outstanding Rhone varietals.  There was a great selection being offered for tasting, incluging two 2004 whites -- Viognier ($19) and Rousanne ($19) -- five 2003 reds -- Grenache ($25), Counoise ($25), Mourvedre ($25), the Washington State Syrah ($25) and the Sirocco blend ($28) -- and the 2002 Late Harvest Viognier.  This was my first time trying the Rousanne and Grenache, and I found them and the others to be up to the same high level of quality I remember from the last vintage.  All of them are fruit-forward, full-throttled wines ... the kind I like best.  The Mourvedre was my favorite, followed closely by the Sirocco and Grenache.  This was my first visit to the Seattle Wine Company (which does not yet have a web site), but I am now on their mailing list and look forward to future tastings there.

2003 Red Flyer: Wine-label-centered Sociality

Another great value from Trader Joe's ($6 per bottle), Red Flyer is an inky-dark wine, with medium to full body, and a lot of spice.  The bottle label is pretty catchy, and the overall marketing quotient is pretty high throughout (with a sci-fi / Star Wars theme and a subtle, perhaps unintended, reference to a wagon many of us may remember from childhood).  I'm especially drawn to the intention expressed on the label that the bottle itself is intended as a conversation piece, a variation on the theme of object-centered sociality I blogged about on my main blog yesterday.  Unlike many other wines with a significant marketing emphasis (Marilyn Merlot comes to mind), this one is a pretty good value.  I plan to pick up some more to see if it has the intended [conversational] effect when served to a larger group.

Name: Red Flyer Wine
Home Planet Coordinates: California, U.S., Earth
Fruit Harvested from Original Life Source: Fall, 2003
Top Secret Vinifera Composition: Syrah, Mourvedre, Grenache, Carignane
Laboratory Data: Acid, pH, Alcohol
Prepared for Colonization in Small Wooden Containment Devices for 11 Months
12-Bottle Units Created for Human Consumption: 15,000
Monetary Output: $8.99
Invasion Begins: March 15, 2005

Red Flyer represents an emerging new genre of wines that I am referring to as "entertainment wines." These wines offer exceptional value and serve as the centerpiece of any dining experience. The fanciful themed label was designed to replicate old sci-fi movie posters, specifically "War of the Worlds" and is meant to spark conversation, bring a smile to the face and laughter to the heart.

This secret blend of Syrah, Mouvedre, Grenache, Carignan, and Clone X is blended in the tradition of the French Rhone wines. Clone X, the secret ingredient, was smuggled from outer space in the hyperbolic chamber of one of the forward thinking grays.

[Update, 15-May-2005: This wine is produced by Hahn Estates.]

[Update, 25-June-2005: The secret ingredient is Durif, aka Petite Sirah.]

Purple Moon 2003 California Shiraz

Another great bang-for-the-buck wine at Trader Joe's, at $4 per bottle.  I've been enjoying a string of great-tasting, inexpensive "moon" wines lately from TJ's.  The label on the Shiraz says "Purple Moon Winery", whereas the labels on the Zinfandel and Viogner said "Full Moon Winery" but Manteca, CA, is listed as the origin for both wineries, and given the similarity of the names and labels, I suspect it's the same wine company.  The label suggests pairing it with "bold, spicy sauces that have a touch of sweetness" ... it went just dandy with the leftover pasta and marinara from the other night, which was paired then with the 1993 Tomassi Amarone.  The two wines are clearly in different leagues, with the Purple Moon being more in my price comfort zone these days.  I'd buy this wine again.

[BTW, searching for other reviews of this wine led me to Bernie's Bargain Wine Reviews, a blog after my own heart -- with more information than I typically post, and photos too!]