The Wine Curmudgeon

Mini-reviews 44: Knez, Leese-Fitch, Camelot, Paul Blanck

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

• Knez Pinot Noir 2010 ($30, sample): California red was OK as far as it went, but not very interesting. The various parts were there – pinot smokiness and some black fruit – but something was missing.

• Leese-Fitch Sauvignon Blanc 2011 ($12, sample): A stunning grocery store white that I’d drink again -- just 13 percent alcohol and almost no fruit at all (for a California wine, anyway). Lots of grassiness on the aroma and an almost flinty finish.

• Camelot Chardonnay NV ($7, sample): Lots and lots of fake oak, though it does taste like California chardonnay if you like lots and lots of fake oak.

• Domaine Paul Blanck Riesling 2011 ($18, sample): Disappointing, especially considering how much I enjoy Alsace riesling. Too sweet for the alcohol level, and though it had the requisite amounts of petrol on the nose and soft, ripe white fruit, seemed out of balance.

Expensive wine 46: Chateau St. Jean Cinq Cepages 2005

This is a classic California wine, practically dating to the state’s wine pre-history. In 1990, when the first vintage was bottled, Robert Parker had barely scratched the surface of California wine.

This is a critical part of the success of Cing Cepages, a red blend that is mostly cabernet sauvignon. It has an identity that few other high-end, highly-valued, and highly-scored wines have, which give it a basis for comparison. Each vintage doesn’t exist in a vacuum, ready to be discarded when the next winemaking trend comes along.

This does not mean that the wine doesn’t change, because it should. The weather and soil aren’t constant, and different winemakers bring different approaches. But the change comes within the house style, something that doesn’t happen often enough in this country.

The 2005 ($75, sample, 14.4%) is just getting ready to enjoy, is still available, and at a discount. I had it with prime rib and Yorkshire pudding, and the pairing couldn’t have been better. Look for rich black fruit that is well forward, but complemented by  layers and layers of flavor (graphite even). This is an iconic wine, and it's easy to see why after you’ve tasted it.

Wine of the week: Alaya 2009

There’s a certain style of Spanish wine that is decidedly un-Spanish but has become a particular favorite of the Winestream media. These wines are red, often made with garnacha, and are fruitier and higher in alcohol than most Spanish wines.

Having said that, some of them are actually worth drinking. We’ve covered Evodia on the blog (and I’ll be reviewing the new vintage later this year), and the Laya ($9, purchased, 14.5% alcohol) fits into that category as well.

It’s not quite a $10 Hall of Fame wine – the oak that’s there gives it an almost Adams Extract vanilla flavor. But everything else is present for great cheap wine, including lots and lots of black fruit that is neither sweet nor extracted – just intense. Yes, the alcohol is high, but the wine handles it well and you won’t flinch when you taste it.

It’s probably a bit much to drink on its own, but it would pair with most winter dinners, including beef stew and maybe even macaroni and cheese.

Wine of the week: Falesco Vitiano Rosso 2009

Consider these quotes from the Wine Curmudgeon’s previous reviews of the various Vitiano wines:

• "I sound like a gushing school girl. …”

• “Riccardo Cotarella is a genius.”

• “How does Ricccardo Cotarella produce a wine of this quality, ship it to the U.S., overcome the high euro, and sell it for about $10?”

Needless to say, I like the wines.

The 2009 Rosso ($10, purchased) is yet another triumph – a red blend of sangiovese, cabernet sauvignon, and merlot that is not too fruity, not too alcoholic, not too tannic, and not too acidic. In other words, balanced, as all great wine should be, whether costing $10 or $100.

The 2009 is more rustic than previous vintages, with some heft and a leathery feel, but this variation is one of its charms. Most cheap wine is made to taste the same from year to year, but Cotarella’s wines are better than that.

Drink this with any red sauce or any combination of beef or chicken with red sauce. It will be back in the $10 Hall of Fame when it appears next week, a testament to the concept that cheap wine does not have to taste cheap.

Expensive wine 45: Terlato Vineyards Syrah Block #9 2007

Shortly after I started the blog, I was invited to attend a huge, big-deal wine event featuring five of California’s best-known expensive red blends, including Dominus and Opus One. The wines were all terrific, if terribly expensive and kind of same-tasting, and I had a surprisingly good time.

The irony in this – because, given that it involves the Wine Curmudgeon, there is always irony – is that none of the five were my favorite that day. The wine I liked the best was a $30 syrah from Terlato Family Vineyards, which sponsored the event. It was very little like the red blends, earthy and distinctive.

Since then, I have always appreciated Terlato’s syrah, and the Block #9 ($48, sample) did nothing to change my mind. It combines a New World focus on fruit with the Terlato earthiness that takes syrah in a direction it doesn’t go often enough.

Look for beautiful fruit, with a peppery aroma and blueberry notes that last through the entire wine. The finish isn't quite as long or what one would expect from a wine at this price; in this, it’s still young and the finish should flesh out over time.

This is Christmas beef wine, ready to drink now, or a gift for someone who wants to put it down for another couple of years. Availability may be limited, which is about the only bad thing I can say about it.

Wine of the week: Ravenswood Old Vine Vintners Zinfandel 2009

One of the things that the Wine Curmudgeon doesn’t like about this job is how cynical it has made me about grocery store wine. So many of them have been so disappointing that I’m at the point that if the front or back label uses adjectives or descriptions like reserve, old vine, or artisan, I figure the marketing department is compensating for quality (given that federal regulations for using terms like these is vague, at best).

So I expected absolutely nothing from the Ravenswood ($10, sample); that’s why it sat in the wine closet for 13 months. Shows how much I know, other than to reiterate the No. 1 rule of wine reviewing: Don’t judge the wine until you taste it.

This red is surprising in many ways, not the least of which is that it held up for a year. There is lots of sweet berry fruit in the modern zinfandel style, but it’s not unpleasant and it’s balanced by some some traditional zinfandel character (particularly pepper). It’s a nice value for $10.

Don’t worry too much if the wine you find is the current vintage and not this one. One of the good things about grocery store wines is that they are consistent in taste and style from year to year.

Two old-fashioned French wines for the holidays

In which the Wine Curmudgeon enjoyed two reasonably priced wines from Burgundy, a red and a white, that didn’t taste like they were made with the wrong grapes or came from California. In this case, old-fashioned does not mean outdated or not worth drinking. More, after the jump: