Minireviews 10: Kim Crawford, J Brut Rose, Willm Gentil, Two Hands

Reviews of wines that don’t need their own post, but are worth noting for one reason or another. Look for it on the final Friday of each month.

• Kim Crawford Sauvignon Blanc 2009 ($19, sample): This remains quality wine, with telltale New Zealand grapefruit and a round, full, tropical fruit middle. But it's not $12 any more, and I have trouble wrapping my head around that.

• J Brut Rose NV ($25, sample): Very nice California sparkling wine, soft with lots of strawberry fruit and clean tight bubbles.The question that the consumer has to answer: Is it twice as good as something like Gruet, which is half the price?

• Willim Gentil 2007 ($13, purchased): This Alsatian white blend offers value. More importantly, though, it's a wine for people who don't drink much wine, with honeysuckle flavors, some oiliness, and a bit of sweetness.

• Two Hands Angels Share Shiraz 2008 ($25, sample): I don't drink much traditional, over-the-top, Aussie shiraz. But when I do, the Two Hands wines are the ones I prefer. Always well made and interesting.

wine reviews, Kim Crawford, J sparkling wine, Willim, Alsatian wine, shiraz, sauvignon blanc, Two Hands

Comments

[Craig]

the Kim Crawford is, in my mind, a perfect example of what happens to well-made, inexpensive wine: the price keeps inching upwards while the quality dips, sometimes just barely, downward (another great example - the Joseph Phelps Rhone blend "Mistral," which used to be priced in the mid-teens, but consistently inched upwards to $30+ before they sold the brand to someone late last year). The KC is still a good buy, especially if you're a CostCo member, where it's $12.99, if I recall correctly.

[Craig]

Correction: Phelps sold the brand (to Ventana Vineyards) in mid-2008. Time flies!

[Craig]

Aaaaand at the risk of dominating Jeff's blog, I'm dismayed to learn that Ventana is selling the 2006 Le Mistral for $45 a bottle. (last post, I promise)

[Hampers]

What a wonderful post, beautifully written. It captures these wines so well.