Top 100 Wine Blogs

Featured Entries:
-
Domaine Rose-Dieu Plan de Dieu, 2014
Domaine Rose-Dieu 2014 “Plan De Dieu”, 14.5% ABV, Approx $16/bottle in 2016. Most wine lovers have favorites when it comes to Côtes du Rhône village-level wines. This one I found locally for about $16, but I’ve seen as low as $12 online! Domaine Rose Dieu’s Plan De Dieu, a full-bodied, spicy blend of Grenache, Syrah, […]
-
Troon Takes Orange Wine to the Next Level
Troon Vineyards 2019 Kubli Bench Amber, Estate Orange Wine; Applegate Valley AVA, OR. 13.3% ABV, MSRP $30/bottle. Kubli Bench Amber is an orange wine from Troon Vineyards, a Demeter BioDynamic, Certified Organic winery in the Applegate Valley AVA, located in the southwestern region of Oregon. The Kubli Bench Amber is a blend of 74% […]
-
Smith Madrone: Blurring the Lines Between Old and New World Wines.
I recently had the opportunity to join in a live tasting of four wines I’d highly enjoyed a year ago. The winery, Smith-Madrone, is one of the best under-the-radar labels you can find. I’m still surprised their prices have not sky-rocketed, but their wines are selling out faster every year and their value is among […]
-
Wines of the Dão
When I think about wines with tremendous value, my first reaction is the Iberian Peninsula. But move over Spain, the wines of Portugal are coming through! OK, so is this really new? Maybe you’ve tried some Portuguese wines before. But this IS new, unless you have truly paid serious attention to the wines of the Dão […]
-
Old World Flavors From a New World Vineyard: Lucas & Lewellen Toccata Classico 2015
Lucas & Lewellen Toccata 2015 Classico Red Wine, Santa Barbara County, California, USA. 14.7%ABV, SRP is $29/bottle. Sample Provided. Winemaker Megan McGrath Gates blended 50% sangiovese, 30% cabernet sauvignon, and 5% each of merlot, cab franc, petite verdot, and freisa , from Santa Barbara County’s Los Alamos and Valley View vineyards. Color is a medium […]
Recent Reviews
-
Troon Takes Orange Wine to the Next Level
Troon Vineyards 2019 Kubli Bench Amber, Estate Orange Wine; Applegate Valley AVA, OR. 13.3% ABV, MSRP $30/bottle. Kubli Bench Amber is an orange wine from Troon Vineyards, a Demeter BioDynamic, Certified Organic winery in the Applegate Valley AVA, located in the southwestern region of Oregon. The Kubli Bench Amber is a blend of 74% […]
-
Smith Madrone: Blurring the Lines Between Old and New World Wines.
I recently had the opportunity to join in a live tasting of four wines I’d highly enjoyed a year ago. The winery, Smith-Madrone, is one of the best under-the-radar labels you can find. I’m still surprised their prices have not sky-rocketed, but their wines are selling out faster every year and their value is among […]
-
Wines of the Dão
When I think about wines with tremendous value, my first reaction is the Iberian Peninsula. But move over Spain, the wines of Portugal are coming through! OK, so is this really new? Maybe you’ve tried some Portuguese wines before. But this IS new, unless you have truly paid serious attention to the wines of the Dão […]
-
2016 Aridus Graciano and Syrah from Cochise County, Arizona
Aridus 2016 Graciano, Cochise County, Arizona. %14.4 ABV, SRP $37/bottle. By Jim vanBergen, JvBUnCorked. All Rights Reserved. Copyright by Jim van Bergen, JvB UnCorked 2019. May Not Be Duplicated Without Permission. Color is an opaque purple center with dark ruby edging. The nose shows black and blue fruit compote, eucalyptus, and a subtle herbal blend. […]
-
Pazo Torrado Albariño Rias Baixas, Galicia
Pazo Torrado Albariño 2017, D.O. Rías Baixas, Galicia, Spain. 12.5%ABV, SRP around $11/bottle. All Rights Reserved. Copyright by Jim van Bergen, JvB UnCorked 2019. May Not Be Duplicated Without Permission. By Jim van Bergen, JvBUnCorked Color is a translucent medium straw. The nose offers a luxurious floral aroma, hyacinth, orchid and pineapple. […]
Recent Commentary:
-
Evening Land 2011 Bourgogne Rouge
My love of pinot noir began with Burgundy and expanded rapidly around the world. More than ten years ago, I was attending an Oregon regional tasting and had been severely impressed with an Evening Land wine I tasted from the Eola-Amity Hills AVA of the Willamette Valley. When I found out they were also making […]
-
Enjoying Aged White Wine & Pierre Morey 2011 Bourgogne Aligoté
Let me start with a wine review: Pierre Morey, 2011 Bourgogne Aligoté, Meursalt, Cote D’Or, France. 12% ABV; Case purchase in 2013 for $17/bottle. At nine years of age, the color has only slightly deepened to a maturing pale gold. Aroma is light and mellow, reductive of dried wildflowers and lemon zest. On the palate, the […]
-
New Year’s Bottles and my “Dry” January
Several close friends decided to have a dry January. Everyone understands the idea, you’re dieting off the weight that got put on over the holidays, and your liver could use a break. While I had some time off from work, I saw my doctor and had my blood work done- so I know my liver […]
-
Flattery in Wine?
When people make fun of your passions, or when personal and professional interests crossover, it must be a sign your blog is doing something right. Right? A friend of mine texted me today with this gem: It was funny, in a laughing-at-Sideways kind of moment. But now I’m suddenly feeling like a glass of merlot! […]
-
What You Learn When Pouring for Others
I love pouring wine for others. I recently donated several cases of wine to a fundraiser, and in addition to the wine, I poured glasses to the attendees. They walked up to a wine bar, I asked them what they liked to drink, and then poured them a taste. Sometimes I poured them tastes from […]
Archive:
- September 2021 (1)
- July 2021 (1)
- February 2021 (1)
- January 2021 (3)
- December 2020 (3)
- November 2020 (1)
- October 2020 (2)
- September 2020 (1)
- August 2020 (1)
- June 2020 (1)
- April 2020 (2)
- March 2020 (3)
- February 2020 (3)
- January 2020 (2)
- December 2019 (3)
- November 2019 (3)
- October 2019 (3)
- September 2019 (3)
- August 2019 (4)
- July 2019 (3)
- June 2019 (2)
- May 2019 (4)
- April 2019 (4)
- March 2019 (2)
- February 2019 (5)
- January 2019 (2)
- December 2018 (5)
- November 2018 (4)
- October 2018 (4)
- September 2018 (3)
- August 2018 (5)
- July 2018 (5)
- June 2018 (6)
- May 2018 (6)
- April 2018 (4)
- March 2018 (5)
- February 2018 (4)
- January 2018 (4)
- December 2017 (4)
- November 2017 (6)
- October 2017 (7)
- September 2017 (3)
- August 2017 (5)
- July 2017 (8)
- June 2017 (9)
- May 2017 (5)
- April 2017 (4)
- March 2017 (3)
- February 2017 (5)
- January 2017 (3)
- December 2016 (5)
- November 2016 (4)
- October 2016 (6)
- September 2016 (8)
- August 2016 (4)
- July 2016 (5)
- June 2016 (4)
- May 2016 (5)
- April 2016 (5)
- March 2016 (7)
- February 2016 (4)
- January 2016 (6)
- December 2015 (5)
- November 2015 (5)
- October 2015 (5)
- September 2015 (2)
- August 2015 (6)
- July 2015 (7)
- June 2015 (3)
- May 2015 (5)
- April 2015 (5)
- March 2015 (5)
- February 2015 (3)
- January 2015 (5)
- December 2014 (5)
- November 2014 (7)
- October 2014 (5)
- September 2014 (5)
- August 2014 (5)
- July 2014 (8)
- June 2014 (5)
- May 2014 (5)
- April 2014 (4)
- March 2014 (5)
- February 2014 (5)
- January 2014 (5)
- December 2013 (3)
- November 2013 (5)
- October 2013 (5)
- September 2013 (5)
- August 2013 (5)
- July 2013 (2)
- June 2013 (7)
- May 2013 (8)
- April 2013 (3)
- March 2013 (9)
- February 2013 (6)
- January 2013 (5)
- December 2012 (9)
- November 2012 (6)
- October 2012 (5)
- September 2012 (7)
- August 2012 (7)
- July 2012 (8)
- June 2012 (11)
- May 2012 (12)
- April 2012 (1)
- April 2011 (3)
- March 2011 (2)
- January 2011 (1)
- November 2010 (1)
A gentle Sauvignon Blanc and an introduction to Sauternes!
2 JunChateau de Fontaine-Audon 2010. A pale straw color, very fresh & light white, nose of lemon and grapefruit, slight lemon forward on the palate. It’s subtle, gentle (all Sauv blanc grapes) with minerality that really tastes of flint, from the local terroir of the eastern Loire valley. It’s yummy, delicate- a real apertif wine. Pairs well with milder cheeses, crudite, dried or cut fruit and can go with entrees but best on its own before the meal (hence apertif) or with an appetizer course. I served this recently for cocktails and it was perfect, everyone enjoyed it and as we started dinner we moved to a Sauvignon Blanc from another region with more punch to pair well with the meal. A lovely bottle when you need something gentle, sophisticated, and relaxed. About $20/bottle. Pictured on the left of the photograph.
On the right side of the photo is 2007 Domaine de Grange Neuve Monbazillac, a Sauternes– a wine I enjoy, yet I don’t drink very often. Still, I should take an opportunity to mention to those of you who don’t know this wine:
–Sauternes is a classic “dessert” wine even thought it’s famous for being served at the start of a meal during a savory appetizer course. It’s a very sweet wine, grapes are grown specifically to grow the fungus Botrytis Cinerea which causes the grapes to partially raisin- also known as ‘noble rot’. To make this sweet wine, the maker stops the yeast’s process mid-fermentation which allows a high sugar content in the mixture.
-This wine is classically paired with either dessert course, or early in the meal in a small and savory course with a specific, rich flavor- such as fois gras- (goose liver pate) as an appetizer, where I feel it has its greatest appeal for pairing. Cleansing the palate after a very rich bite, a Sauternes has sweetness and crisp acidity which demonstrates the massive difference between the two – and the mouth’s response to the savory and it’s shocked reaction to the sweet- is a spectacular human reaction which can cause great joy especially in foodies! It’s an amazing combination, and when fine restaurants offer fois gras as a course they often offer a Sauternes by the glass to pair- and this is absolutely the best time to try this pairing– in a restaurant that has spent careful time evaluating a great pairing to provide success!
-Sauternes wines are made from familiar grapes (Semillon, Sauvignon Blanc and Muscadelle) in the area just southeast of Bordeaux region of France along the river Garonne. The production and quality creation of this rare wine is very costly and the wines can be highly expensive as a result. Many Sauternes are sold by the half bottle (375ml) but I find a glass to be an even better buy- sometimes as low as $13/glass in a restaurant, when pairing I’m happy to have just a few sips and you might choose to share the tasting process with your fellow dining partners.
-Color is one of the obvious factors of a Sauternes. Expect to see either a rich amber, a deep yellow moving into yellow, or the color may drift as far from sunlight towards brass even as far as a deep, aging copper- much like a quality single malt scotch, and the wine is usually paired with an obviously sugary nose. I have been on this tangent too long! Allow me to return to the note!
The 2007 Domaine de Grange Neuve Monbazillac is a Sauternes and I saw that it won best in class in ’05 and ’07, then I noticed it was being sold in a 750ml bottle for $19.99- a steal for a decent Sauternes. So I bought it, and tried that night with a blue cheese. Color was amber with a hint of orange sunset. With a nose of honeysuckle, the palate is first gently and then fully sweet, with hints of pear, apricot, and lots of clover honey and gentle acidity for a crisp finish. It’s a very well made Sauternes and is a bargain in the world of French delicacies, when a Chateau d’Yquem starts around $400 for a half bottle, but the lower tier starts for passable examples around $40- so you can see, I find this an excellent bargain at $20/bottle, and a great treat to share. Remember with a sweet wine, a little goes a long way and it’s ideal to pour a ½ serving with a savory course just for a little couple of tastes. I paired this with several blue cheeses and enjoyed it fully, but only for a half glass before I was sated by the sweetness- much like eating a Godiva truffle, a little goes a long way!
Enjoy!
Share this:
Like this:
Related
Tags: Review, Wine, Wine Commentary, Wine Review