The Wine Curmudgeon

Wine of the week: Robert Hall Rhone de Robles 2011

The Wine Curmudgeon practically gushed about this wine during my recent chat with Robert Hall winemaker Don Brady, so more details are in order. The first is that this is the kind of California wine that undoes so much of the damage caused by the rest of California’s wines.

How much so? The night after I drank this, I drank a similar sort of red blend made by a popular Napa producer that cost a couple of bucks more. There was no comparison, and I was quite shocked that the Rhone du Robles ($15, sample) came off of so much better. But why not? It isn’t too fruity, too oaky, or too alcoholic.

Look for some red fruit, which Brady makes a special effort to keep to sensible levels, as well as a structure that shows something besides fruit, including some very pleasant tannins. This is a terrific food wine; think Thanksgiving, modern French bistro or even something as old-fashioned as steak frites. Highly recommended, though not, unfortunately, always easy to find.

Wine of the week: Ludovicus Blanco 2011

Last week’s discussion about the book “Grape-a-hol” made me wonder: Do I do enough to find $10 wine that doesn’t taste like grape juice with alcohol? Are the wines I review worthy of being reviewed?

Then I found the Ludovicus ($10, sample) in my database, and felt a whole lot better about what I do and how I do it. This Spanish white is the kind of wine that the big milt-national wine companies claim they make, but know, deep down, that they don’t even try to do. It has a little bit of citrus fruit, but this wine isn’t about fruit. Rather, it’s made with the Spanish version of grenache blanc, so it has spiciness, minerality, and even a bit of honey – a combination that I don’t taste in a lot of other wines. It’s surprisingly complex and yet still drinkable at the spur of the moment, something else that hardly ever happens.

I wrote in my notes “No idea how this wine can be this good at this price.” It’s almost certain to make the 2013 $10 Hall of Fame, and is highly recommended – another reason why Ole is Spain’s best wine importer.

Wine of the week: 14 Hands Hot to Trot Red 2010

Chateau Ste. Michelle, the Washington state multi-national that does the 14 Hands, is on a roll. It placed four brands in the top 20 in a recent survey of best-selling $10 wines, only one less than E&J Gallo and as many as Constellation and The Wine Group (which does Cupcake) combined. That’s a very Rocky-like performance given how powerful its competitors are.

Equally as impressive is that a 14 Hands wine is a wine of the week for the second time this year (despite this one’s very silly name). I try not to do that sort of thing, but it’s difficult to overlook 14 Hands’ combination of quality and value. Which, no doubt, is why Chateau Ste. Michelle sells so much wine.

The Hot to Trot ($9, purchased) is a red blend – mostly merlot, syrah and cabernet sauvignon – that is simple but well made. It doesn’t try to do too much, and it doesn’t taste like winemaker Keith Kenison used his chemistry set to take it in any one direction. Look for some spice and lots of black fruit and that earthy Washington state feel, especially in the back.

Very nicely done for the price, and should please anyone who wants a glass of red wine but doesn’t want to make a big issue of it. Pair it with basic red wine food like meat loaf and mashed potatoes.

Wine of the week: Beni di Batasiolo Gavi 2011

Gavi is one of those Italian wines that lingers in a netherworld – not as popular as pinot grigio or even Soave and not always easy to find. But when it’s done well, it’s a wine that makes you go, “Wow, why was I wasting my time with all that crappy pinot grigo?”

Case in point is the Beni di Batasiolo ($14, purchased), which was everything I hoped it would be. This white wine is made with the cortese grape in Piedmont, where it has to vie for attention with some of the best-known Italian red wines, Barbaresco and Barolo among them. Is it any wonder it gets lost in the shuffle?

This wine has bright and fresh lemon fruit, some stoniness (or was that bitter almonds?), and low alcohol – the kind of balance that the best Italian white wines are known for. It’s surprisingly versatile, whether you drink it chilled on its own, with grilled seafood, or even with Tuesday night takeout.

Wine of the week: The Other Red 2009

Let’s get the bad news out of the way first. This wine now costs as much as $15 a bottle. Which, as much as the Wine Curmudgeon likes it and as much as I respect the producer, Lodi’s Peirano Estate, is a lot of money for what it is.

Fortunately, The Other (purchased) can still be found for as little as $10. When that’s the case, it’s the kind of wine that makes writing the blog such a pleasure. This vintage is a blend of moslty cabernet sauvignon and merlot, with 10 percent syrah, and is fruitier than usual (cherry). But it has enough acid and tannins for balance, as well as just 13.8 percent alcohol. The difference in alcohol between this and 14.5 percent wine, over the course of a bottle, is not only noticeable, but enjoyable -- a weeknight dinner without getting buzzed.

Note, too, that the cherry is real fruit, not the fake, candied kind that is the current style as winemakers try to give the impression of sweetness in dry wine.

It does seem a little thin in the back, but that may be a function of age. Three years is a long time for this kind of wine to last. But The Other remains one of the best California-style red blends available, and has never disappointed me. Serve this with any casual red meat dinner.

Wine of the week: Hess Select Sauvignon Blanc 2011

One of the things that makes the Wine Curmudgeon so cranky about California wine is that the state produces lots of cheap wine of decent quality and lots of expensive wine of decent quality. What it doesn’t do nearly enough is produce cheap wine of expensive wine quality. That’s why there are always so few California wines in the $10 Hall of Fame.

Which is why I was so happy to taste the Hess ($11, sample). Hess is a top-flight $20 and up producer, and always shows up on lists of wines to buy that deliver quality and value. And now they’re making a very impressive cheap sauvignon blanc.

This is a wine that that is balanced, crisp and fresh, and isn’t bothered by Hess’ policy of oaking even wines -- like this -- that usually don't need oak. In this, it’s all California, all the time, which means no dominating citrus like a New Zealand sauvignon blanc, but lots and lots grassiness – the smell of a new mown lawn. There’s even what seems to be lemongrass, for those who look for those kinds of descriptors.

Serve this chilled on its own or with grilled or boiled seafood. It’s a terrific Sunday afternoon porch sipping wine as the days get cooler, and would even be worth keeping around the house as the holidays approach.

Wine of the week: Feudo Arancio Stemmari Sangiovese 2010

The display at the wine shop did its job: “Sangiovese from Sicily!” How could the Wine Curmudgeon pass that up?

That’s because Italian sangiovese usually comes from just one place, Tuscany, and it makes some of the most famous wines in the world. It’s also not cheap. The Stemmari ($8, purchased), on the other hand, was cheap and comes from a part of the world hardly known for sangiovese. But regular visitors here know how much I appreciate the Sicilian wine renaissance, and Feudo Arancia is a top-notch Sicilian producer.

The Stemmari did not disappoint. No one will ever confuse it with a high-end Chianti or Super Tuscan, two of the best-known Tuscan sangioveses, but it tastes exactly like sangiovese. To be honest, I had my doubts whether it would. The wine is a little short, in that its flavors end abruptly, but what is there is varietally correct – sour cherries, a little earthiness, a little cedar. It’s just not as well developed as in a better quality wine.

Which does not imply there is anything wrong with the Stemmari, and especially at this price. You get more than $8 worth. Drink this with any red sauce, pizza, and even burgers. Just don’t tell a wine snob it’s from Sicily until after they taste it.