Wilson Vineyards 2001 Petite Sirah
$9.99
(Label at right is from '99 vintage, 2001 is a bit different)

I really like this Petite Sirah. It's a good valued big red that fits the big meaty meals from the BBQ or the frying pan. Wilson Vineyards is a family operation form Clarksburg and they are producing fantastic wines of great value. Other highlights from them are the 2003 Merlot(tasting notes will soon follow), 2003 Petite Sirah, and their Late Harvest Chenin Blanc,Isabella.

Color: The color is typical of a Petite Sirah, inky purple, although the edges are turning brick red from a little oxidation. It's okay, it's okay, it just means that maybe it should be drunk sooner rather than later.

Nose: The nose on this Petite reminds me of an Aussie red. It has a strong fruit forward strawberry jam aroma with sweet rhubarb. Subtle notes of licorice and Crayola crayon also come into play to bring some more complexity. It does have some aromas of aging, a little acetaldehyde but not enough to disappoint.

Palate: The wine has good acidity making it cut through the oils of the sausage and fried potatoes I ate with it. Petite Sirah typically has a lot of tannin and this one does. The tannins are chewy and concentrate on the midpalate. The wine is balanced well on the palate with the acidity matching the tannin well so that it lingers on the back of your tastebuds for a long time.

Overall: Well, overall I really like this wine.... right now. At this moment in the wines life, everything seems to be melded together and working in the wines favor. But... I think the wine is aging too fast. The tannin is going to be strong for years and the acidity is not going to dissipate any time soon. So, that leaves the rest; the nose and the color. I think that after a couple more years the fruit forward aromas in this wine will fall away and the color will get lighter and lighter. But again, it is very drinkable now.

I give it a B

Wolf Blass Yellow Label, South Australia, 2002 Cabernet Sauvignon
$10.99

I had this wine on Thanksgiving and I probably should have waited. It was too big and tannic to go with the Turkey but on its own it was not too bad.

Color: Dark purple with sharp bright edges, no sign of early oxidation.

Nose: Nice, damp earth, leather notes backed by stone fruit of ripe cherry and plum. After a while the wine opens up to chocolate, coffee and slight mint aromas.

Palate: Could use a lot more aging. There are a lot of seed tannins (a sign of rough fruit handling) roughing up your palate and the wine finishes very quickly. There is a lot of acidity that accentuates the tannin. The alcohol is 13.5% which is very modest for an Aussie red, and as far as mouthfeel, the alcohol really sits on the sidelines.

Overall: I really like the nose on this wine but the palate seems really unbalanced and chaotic to me. Maybe with a few years in the bottle it will mellow out and be more enjoyable, but at this price wine should be made for drinking now.

I give it a B-

Quivira 2002 Syrah, Wine Creek Ranch
~$24.00

I pulled this wine from my collection last night to have with dinner and we were very pleased. It is drinking great right now and I wouldn't hold it too much longer. It is showing some signs of accelerated aging but again, it is fantastic right now. Unfortunately I made an awesome Thai dish that didn't go with the wine at all, it was too spicy, but I just had water with dinner and the wine for dessert.

Color: Nice color but showing aging already. The edges are turning a brick red surrounding a dark purple/burgundy core.

Nose: The nose is phenomenal, we sat at the table for 30 minutes just talking about the nose and how it changes. It starts with jammy cherry and rose petal notes from the bottle and then opens up to chocolate, sweet tobacco, cracked pepper corns, and coffee aromas after sitting in the glass for a while. It is a wine that changes quickly as it oxidizes in the glass and gives you more and more to go back to. I had a good time smelling this one.

Palate: This wine is very well balanced. It doesn't leave you puckered with acidity but has enough to cut through the viscosity and tannins of the wine on the palate. The wine covers the whole palate and tannins are soft and lingering. It is a big wine that you continue to feel and taste for a long time.

Overall: I like this wine a lot. Keep it for steak night or at least something from the grill. I would try and drink the whole bottle at the time of opening because it will oxidize quickly. If you can't drink it all, put it in the fridge and then let it warm to room temp. before opening it again.

I give it an A-

Stephen Vincent, 2002 Crimson, California
$11.99
(Sorry, no label)

This is a wine that I poured at a tasting last Saturday at Sherlocks Wine Merchants, and it was the favorite of the pouring. It is a blend of Cabernet Sauvignon and Syrah but it is a lighter style with good acidity and soft tannins. It will go great with the Thanksgiving ham and fixins. It is drinking great now and may benefit from a couple more years of aging to drop the acidity a bit but I would drink it within the next 5 years.

Color: The wine has nice color, a bit light for a Cab-Syrah blend, do I dare say it has a Crimson color as its name suggests? Its color is a nice red violet with crisp young edges.

Nose: Strong berry fruit characters of cherry and strawberry. The fruit gives way to coffee liqueur and a violets with some dried floral or potpourri notes.

Palate: The tartness of the wine comes through quickly and then diminishes leaving a sweet rhubarb taste. The mouthfeel is good with soft tannins covering the midpalate aswell as leaving a long finish.

Overall: I like this wine for its simpleness and food friendly attitude. The winemaker obviously tried to make a wine that was not showey and just a simple red wine to have with food and enjoy with people. He/She succedded beautifully and you can't beat the price.

I give it a B

Rawson's Retreat, Cabernet Sauvignon, South Eastern Australia, Vintage 2004. From Penfolds.
~$10.00
(label to right is from 2003, 2004 is a bit different)
My first post will be about this wonderful and well priced wine. These are the types of wine that I look forward to finding and putting in this blog, excellent quality and exceptional value. Rawson's Retreat is a work horse for Penfolds being one of their bigger volume wines but it's value is unaffected. It is a reflection of the true Aussie style with ultra ripe notes, like their Shiraz, but being cab, it still has a nice soft tannin core. This is an easy drinking wine that is drinking nicely now and will go well with just about anything you serve on the Thanksgiving table but it will also benefit from a few more years of cellaring.

Color: Beautiful, dark ruby red with sharp purple edges and viscous legs.
Nose: This is a true aussie cab with the fruit forward cherry and strawberry but it has
nice dusty leather notes and hints of white pepper and mint.

Palate: Lots of tart acidity and a bit week in the mid-palate but with food it becomes much nicer. Tannins are soft helping to give the wine nice body. I had it with a tomato based shrimp pasta (it was excellent) and the acidity of the tomatoes balanced with the wines acidity and made the wine taste sweeter, they paired together very well. The wine is labeled at %14 alcohol but is smooth and not burning.

Overall: The wine on its own leaves you wanting more on the palate but with food it becomes nicer, for the price you can not ask for more on the nose and color is fantastic.

I give it a B+