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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, […]
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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% […]
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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 […]
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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 […]
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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
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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% […]
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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 […]
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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 […]
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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. […]
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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:
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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 […]
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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 […]
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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 […]
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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! […]
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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 […]
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Choosing Wine for the The Out of Town Dinner Party
16 JunHigh Cotton
On a recent business trip, I attended an evening dinner party at a lovely Charleston, SC restaurant called High Cotton. I was asked to choose wine for the group of 12, which was an even mixed group of varying ages from 30-50’s, men and women.
High Cotton has two wine menus, one Reserve (on the expensive side, starting at a hundred bucks and going into the thousands), and one ‘standard’ in front of the food menu. This restaurant utilizes local providers for a very high end approach to southern cuisine, with plenty to choose from at reasonable prices.
http://www.mavericksouthernkitchens.com/highcotton/charleston/menus/
I listened to what people were discussing while viewing the menu. Some people decided quickly, others discussed options and reviewed the daily specials. I quickly scanned the reserve wine and standard wine lists. At this restaurant, wines are even more diverse than the food, which runs from vegetarian options to fish, fowl and beast in many different forms.
Had cost been no concern, I could have used the reserve wine list and started with either Montrachet or Meursault, and then slowly pained over the Burgundy red list as there are many very nice wines in this collection, but highly expensive wines are also highly specific. While I had a very appropriate wine budget from the host, I wanted wines that were slightly less specific for this group to make better overall pairings, so I quickly decided to stay with the regular list and finally selected two wines using the criteria below.
My goals: I wanted a white for the salads, appetizers, soups, and fish entrees. I looked for a semi-dry white with minerality that had no more than a hint of sweetness, featuring forward & crisp acidity but little oak or wood which might preclude it from pairing with shellfish, the salad with peach and the cold peach soup that was a daily special.
For the other wine, I wanted a medium-bodied red with some age (or a young red with excellent structure and balance) that could stand up to match the savory appetizers and heavier meats, but that could also be enjoyed on its own if someone just wanted to enjoy a glass of red. A Bordeaux blend seemed obvious after reviewing the California, Spanish, Australian and South American options.
I know the Loire valley and Vouvray well, but had not tasted this vineyard since the 1990’s. Pale straw color and a lovely floral and honeysuckle nose. First taste was clean, delicious with bright fruit- apple, pear, quince, and a touch of citrus which led into the lengthy finish. Nice and dry, balanced and delicious. I was thoroughly impressed by this bottle, and after I tasted it I looked it up quickly to see it ranked a 92/100 from Wine Spectator -score! The most important showing was when I watched my dining partners taste this wine with the salads, cold fruit and warm daily special soups, fish, and other dishes- and the results were entirely positive.
Red: Pomerol, Gombaude Guillot Bordeaux, France, 2000 ($88)
This was the only French wine on their non-reserve that had some age to it, and I knew that 2000 was a great year for the right bank, though I’ve been told not to touch right bank wines until they are 15, I felt this was a safe bet as opposed to some wines I did not know that posed greater risk in comparison. I made a mental note of a back-up wine I liked, and watched closely as it was decanted at the table. The color was a bright ruby with a slight browning on the edge, more than I’d expect for a 12 year old vintage. The nose was red fruit and flora. Cassis and red plum show as the dominant fruit, secondary notes of cherry, clay, cedar and spice box together with a touch of spicy pepper and gravel at the back. Medium finish, medium body overall, and soft tannins. The Pomerol terroir of clay and its velvety quality show nicely. When I did my quick look at the ratings I was surprised to see this wine had ratings in the mid-80’s. I disagreed with this perspective, and felt that this wine offered more- perhaps it was the age, the success in the pairing, but regardless this wine was a delicious choice.
Ordered for the table were pork belly w/ pickled watermelon, buttermilk fried oysters, and a charcuterie plate (which was phenomenal, including a house terrine, a fois gras, and a rabbit terrine). Our group ordered widely across the menu, including both hot and cold seasonal soups, salads in addition to the shared savory appetizers for the table. For main courses everything from fish to rabbit to chicken to steaks were ordered.
The table of 12 raved at both wines and the pairings with their meals. I was fully satisfied I had done my job, and we enjoyed bottles of each for the courses we poured through over several hours including shared desserts.
So other than my wine reviews, what do we take home from this dinner party?
1) Don’t be embarrassed to check your selections with the sommelier or qualified server. They know the food and have tasted it and have seen clients respond to food and wine before. They will know which dishes and wines are crowd-pleasers, and what to suggest to pair with the house favorites.
2) A good pairing improves the quality of both the wine and the food.
3) Know what you like. Heck, even if you don’t have an educated palate or strong understanding of wine, do share what you normally like so someone can help you if you are staring at a menu with things you don’t know.
à votre santé!
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Tags: Commentary, Review, Wine, Wine Commentary, Wine Review