December 2007

Veraison 2004 Cabernet Sauvignon, Stagecoach Vineyard

The Award-Winning Wine:
Veraison 2004 Cabernet Sauvignon, Stagecoach Vineyard

Reason for Reviewing:
Veraison 2004 Cabernet Sauvignon, Stagecoach Vineyard, was a Double Gold Medal Winners at the recently completed Fine American Wine Competition, which "is believed to be the first-ever U.S. wine competition to limit entries to American products with a threshold wine value."

Noteworthy:
Krupp Brothers Estates has named their Bordeaux-style wines Veraison, a viticultural term referring to the crucial time during ripening when the grapes' skin color deepens from an opaque green to a dark purple.

Winery Notes:
Deep red/crimson with black hues; the 2004 "Stagecoach Vineyard" Cabernet Sauvignon exemplifies Cabernet... Aromas of blackberries, dark cherries and plums are interspersed with notes of dark chocolate, mocha, currants and sage. ...It delivers the same ripe fruit flavors on the palate; blueberries, raspberries, blackcurrant and dark cherry, all the time retaining a beautiful savory nature, cedar and cigar box. The mouthfeel is finely knit, with firm fine tannins which lead to a long finish.

AlaWine Notes:
Veraison 2004 Cabernet Sauvignon pours as a deep, dark ruby color in the glass. Aromas of ripe red fruits radiate to the nose. Rich flavors of black cherry, blackberry, and blackcurrant fill the palate in a smooth mouthfeel, offset by firm tannins in an herbaceous context with cedar and tobacco leaf highlights, and a long finish.

Bottom Line:
Veraison 2004 Cabernet Sauvignon, Stagecoach Vineyard, is a rich, full-bodied Cab, smooth and satisfying, with interesting layers of flavor and complexity, and a spicy finish. Pair with thick cuts of red meat or lamb. Suggested retail price is $50. Overall composite score: 97 points.

DH Lescombes 2004 New Mexico Cabernet Sauvignon

The Award-Winning Wine:
DH Lescombes 2004 New Mexico Cabernet Sauvignon

Reason for Reviewing:
DH Lescombes 2004 New Mexico Cabernet Sauvignon earned Double Gold Medal honors at the 2007 Houston Livestock Show and Rodeo International Wine Competition and also won Best of Class for red Wine at the 2007 New Mexico Wine Festival.

Winery Notes:
Our current vintage Cabernet has an inviting nose of toasted oak and plum. A taste reveals black currant and berry flavors which are well integrated with the oak. Great body and smooth tannins.

AlaWine Notes:
DH Lescombes 2004 New Mexico Cabernet Sauvignon presents as a deep ruby color on pouring. It has a nose of blackcurrant and ripe dark cherry. Those fruit flavors carry over onto the palate in an mocha context and lead to a very long dry, toasted oak, moderately herbal, finish

Bottom Line:
DH Lescombes 2004 New Mexico Cabernet Sauvignon is a dry and hardy Cab with a smooth mouthfeel and strong finish. Pair with thick cuts of meat, including beef, lamb, ham, or pork chops. Suggested retail price is $21. Overall composite score: 94 points.

Hall 2006 Sauvignon Blanc Napa Valley

The Award-Winning Wine:
Hall 2006 Sauvignon Blanc Napa Valley

Reason for Reviewing:
Hall 2006 Sauvignon Blanc earned Double Gold Medal honors at the Fine American Wine Competition, which "is believed to be the first-ever U.S. wine competition to limit entries to American products with a threshold wine value."

Noteworthy:
Hall's Napa Valley Collection includes wines sourced from select fruit from their five estate vineyards. This wine has been crafted from three premier Napa Valley vineyards that lend distinctive expressions of the varietal.

Winery Notes:
The wine offers aromas of passion fruit, pear blossom, and zesty citrus. Ruby red grapefruit leaps from the glass and continues through the lengthy palate, framed by a lively acidity that delivers a clean crisp rise in the mid-palate. Lemon grass and hints of butterscotch linger with a silky texture...

AlaWine Notes:
Hall 2006 Sauvignon Blanc comes in a clear bottle and pours as a pretty pale straw yellow color in the glass. Aromas of mown grass and banana waft to the nose in a floral context. Green apple and grapefruit fill the palate in a smooth mouthfeel, balanced by a crisp, citrusy (lemon-lime) acidity, with a long, satisfying finish.

Bottom Line:
Hall 2006 Sauvignon Blanc, Napa Valley, is a well-integrated, fruit filled white wine with interesting complexities, and a flavorful and fulfilling finish. Suggested retail price is $20. Overall composite score: 95 points.

American Wine Society Double Golds 2007

From more than 1,000 entries, 11 wines from 10 wineries across the U.S. earned top-honor Double Gold Medal awards at the 2007 American Wine Society Commercial Wine Competition.

Ackerman Winery, Iowa
2006 Red Raspberry, Double Gold
2006 Apricot, Double Gold

Chateau Frank, New York
NV Celebre, Double Gold

Chateau Ste. Michelle, Washington
2004 Ethos Syrah, Columbia Valley, Double Gold

Domenico Wines, California
2004 Alexander Valley Meritage, Double Gold

Flickerwood Wine Cellars, Pennsylvania
2006 Flickerberry Dew, Double Gold

Michael-David Winery, California
2005 Earthquake Petite Sirah, Double Gold

Simon Creek Vineyard, Wisconsin
2006 Door County Cherry, Double Gold

Soaring Wings Winery, Nebraska
2006 Moon Struck, Double Gold

St. Julian Wine Company, Michigan
NV Solera Cream Sherry, Double Gold

St. James Winery, Missouri
2003 Norton, Double Gold

For complete results, click here.

Michael~David Winery 2004 6th Sense Syrah

The Award-Winning Wine:
Michael~David Winery 2004 6th Sense Syrah

Reason for Reviewing:
Michael~David Winery 2004 6th Sense Syrah earned the Top Red Wine & Champion Double Gold Medal awards at the recently completed 2008 Houston Livestock Show and Rodeo International Wine Competition.

Noteworthy:
In 1850, amid the Gold Rush, Captain Charles Weber, founder of Stockton, California, brought grape cuttings to the Lodi, California area. Michael and David Phillips represent the fifth generation of growers there. The Phillips family has been farming since their Great Great Grandfather Andrew Harshner and his wife Lucille homesteaded 160 acres near the town of Lodi, following the Civil War in the 1860's.

Winery Notes:
Awaken your sixth sense to this shadowy concoction of spine-tingling intensity. Smoky layers of white pepper, cigar box cedar, and toasty mesquite meld easily with spicy plum, and rich gooseberry.

AlaWine Notes:
Michael~David Winery 2004 6th Sense Syrah displays as an inky dark garnet color. Striking aromas of ripe dark fruits radiate from the glass in an earthy, smoky tobacco context. Full, rich fruit flavors of dark berries, whole plum, and blackcurrant fill the palate and hold their flavors through a long and smooth moderately peppery finish.

Bottom Line:
Sublimely smooth with rich, ripe fruit, Michael~David Winery 2004 6th Sense Syrah is a very quaffable and satisfying syrah. Likely to please a wide range of dinner-guest palates, serve with Bar-B-Que or grilled red meats. It's an outstanding value at a suggested retail price of $17. Overall composite score: 98 points.

2007 Jefferson Cup Winners

The Jefferson Cup is a different sort of wine competition; it is an invitational in which 650 wines were pre-selected as exemplifying viticulture and winemaking in America. This year, the judges chose just over 325 wines to receive the "Certificate of American Merit;" 113 wines earned "American Examples of Greatness;" Fifty-one wines were selected as Jefferson Cup honorees, and from among those 51 honored wines, the judges picked thirteen wines to be awarded the Jefferson Cups. The 2007 Jefferson Cup winners are:

For Sparkling Wine:
* Gloria Ferrer Blanc de Noirs nv California

For White Vinifera Wine:
* Fox Run Vineyards Riesling Reserve 2006 Seneca Lake
* Clos du Bois Chardonnay Calcaire 2004 Russian River Valley

For White Non-Vinifera Wine:
* Adam Puchta Vignoles nv Missouri

For Red Vinifera Wine:
* Eagle's Trace Vineyards Pinot Noir Valhalla Vineyards 2005 Napa Valley
* Wild Horse Winery Pinot Noir Cheval Sauvage 2005 Santa Maria Valley
* Seghesio Family Vineyards Venom 2004 Alexander Valley
* Bridlewood Estate Syrah Reserve 2004 Central Coast
* Delille Cellars Cabernet Sauvignon Grand Ciel 2004 Red Mountain
* Rodney Strong Vineyards Symmetry 2004 Alexander Valley
* Dry Creek Vineyard Zinfandel Old Vine 2005 Dry Creek Valley

For Dessert Wine:
* Chalet Debonne' Ice Wine Vidal Blanc 2006 Grand River Valley, Ohio
* St. Julian Wine Company Solera Cream Sherry nv Lake Michigan Shore

Brennan Vineyards 2006 Viognier

The Award-Winning Wine:
Brennan Vineyards 2006 Viognier

Reason for Reviewing:
Brennan Vineyards 2006 Viognier earned awards for Top Texas Wine (Grand Star Award), Reserve Champion and Texas Champion Double Gold at the recently completed 2008 Houston Livestock Show and Rodeo International Wine Competition.

Noteworthy:
Brennan Vineyards reside at the junction of Texas' two most acclaimed wine regions, the Hill Country and the Texas High Plains.

Winery Notes:
Brennan Vineyards 2006 Viognier is an exceptional wine with the aroma and flavor of apricots and a prolonged, wonderful finish.

AlaWine Notes:
Brennan Vineyards 2006 Viognier pours as a medium straw-yellow in the glass and exudes fragrant aromas of apricot, honey and orange blossom. On the palate, fresh apricot flavors are joined by white peach in a creamy, smooth front end. A crisp acidity with citrus and lime flavors balance the full fruit flavors through a very long finish.

Bottom Line:
Brennan Vineyards 2006 Viognier is a crisp and clean, fruit-forward white wine with an interesting complexity, well integrated and well balanced. It features complementary fresh fruit flavors in a smooth mouthfeel, and a satisfying finish. Suggested retail price is $16. Overall composite score: 96 points.

Top 9 Chardonnays, 2007 Chardonnay Shootout

226 Chardonnays were blind tasted at the 2007 Chardonnay Shootout and 50 received a top rating of four hearts, "Love at First Sip." Here are the top nine award winners, with scores of 93 points and higher:

* Ventana Vineyards 2005 Ventana Vineyard Chardonnay, Arroyo Seco, $18
* Valley of the Moon Winery 2006 Chardonnay, Sonoma County, $14
* Sky Saddle 2005 Arthur Baron Vineyards Chardonnay, Russian River Valley, $24
* Stonestreet Alexander Mountain Estate 2005 Chardonnay, Alexander Valley, $28
* Bogle Vineyards 2006 Chardonnay, California, $9
* Cakebread Cellars 2005 Chardonnay, Napa Valley, $36
* Mayacamas Vineyards 2004 Chardonnay, Mount Veeder-Napa Valley, $35
* Mitchelton Chardonnay 2006 Estate Grown Chardonnay, Goulburn River, Victoria, Australia, $15
* Willowbrook 2004 Chardonnay, Russian River Valley, $28

Click here for a complete list from Affairs of the Vine.

Texas Wines Step Up at Houston Competition

With Texas wines receiving 60 Champion, Reserve Champion and Texas Champion awards, "Texas wines more than doubled their success in this year's [Houston Livestock Show and Rodeo International Wine] competition over last year," said Texas Agriculture Commissioner Todd Staples.

Brennan Vineyards 2006 Viognier won Double Gold Reserve Champion and Texas Champion honors at the 2008 competition, as well as the title of Top Texas Wine for the very first time. Messina Hof Winery in Bryan has won Top Texas Wine for the past four years.

Other Texas wineries awarded Gold Champion and Gold Reserve Champion were:
* Llano Estacado Winery 2005 Cellar Reserve Cabernet Sauvignon: Texas Gold Champion
* Messina Hof Paulo Meritage 2002: Texas Gold Champion
* Messina Hof Riesling Father & Son Cuvee 2006: Texas Gold Champion
* Bruno & George Candlelight Strawberry Wine: Gold Reserve Champion
* Bruno & George Yellow Jacket Raspberry Wine: Gold Champion
* CapRock Winery Amarone Della Valpolicella DOC 2003: Gold Champion
* Haak Vineyards and Winery Blue Label SemiSweet Blanc du Bois 2006: Gold Champion, Texas Gold Champion

Honig 2005 Cabernet Sauvignon, Napa Valley

The Award-Winning Wine:
Honig Vineyard and Winery 2005 Cabernet Sauvignon, Napa Valley

Reason for Reviewing:
Honig 2005 Cabernet Sauvignon, Napa Valley, was a Double Gold Medal Winner at the recently completed Fine American Wine Competition.

Noteworthy:
The Honig family dedicates their wines to their patriarch, Louis Honig, who passed away before he could realize his dream of retiring one day from his San Francisco advertising business and making wine from his vineyard in Rutherford. The family donates wine to charity auctions all over the country; they host political and community events at their vineyard, and they are active in the sustainable farming movement and utilize solar power.

Winery Notes:
Vibrant ripe red fruit aromas, framed by spice, vanilla and tea. Round and supple on the palate, finishing with lengthy, rich cocoa power tannins.

AlaWine Notes:
Dark garnet in the glass, Honig 2005 Cabernet Sauvignon, Napa Valley, radiates hearty aromas of blackberry and blackcurrant in an earthy context. Ripe red and blackberries fill the palate in a smooth mouthfeel, framed by complementary tannins through a spicy long finish.

Bottom Line:
Comprised of 95% Cabernet, 3% Petit Verdot, 2% Cabernet Franc, Honig 2005 Cabernet Sauvignon is a rich and robust, smooth, well balanced, well integrated, delicious and satisfying Napa Cab. Suggested retail price is $40. Overall composite score: 97 points.

Virginia's Governor’s Cup Wine Competition Winners

From a field of more than 350 Virginia wine entries in this year’s Governor’s Cup Wine Competition, Barboursville Vineyards won the distinguished 2007 Governor’s Cup for their 1998 Cabernet Sauvignon Reserve. Horton Vineyards won the Best White Wine award for their 2006 Petit Manseng, and Oakencroft Vineyard and Winerytook top honors for the Best Dessert Wine for their 2005 Encore Late Harvest Dessert. For a complete list of all medal winners, click here.

Pacific Rim Winemakers 2006 Chenin Blanc

The Award-Winning Wine:
Pacific Rim Winemakers 2006 Chenin Blanc

Reason for Reviewing:
Pacific Rim 2006 Chenin Blanc won both the Top White Wine and Champion Double Gold awards at the November Houston International Wine Competition and Double Gold and Best of Class awards at the recently completed Washington Tri-Cities Wine Festival.

Winery Notes:
The wine is vividly bright with flavors of pear, quince and grapefruit essence with an eruption of floral aromas. An inspired complement to shellfish, grilled fish, soft cheeses and Middle Eastern food. The juice is fermented in stainless steel tanks (No oak, no malolactic)...

AlaWine Notes:
Pacific Rim 2006 Chenin Blanc pours as a pale straw yellow, and blossoms on the nose with very floral fragrant aromas of apple and pear. Juicy pear and green apple flavors fill the palate in a slightly sweet, creamy mouthfeel. A grapefurity, crisp acidity embraces the full fruit flavors through a very long finish.

Bottom Line:
Pacific Rim Winemakers 2006 Chenin Blanc is a slightly sweet, full-fruit-flavored, delicious wine. Very quaffable, it is well balanced, well integrated, and ultimately a very satisfying white wine. Pair with seafood and light desserts. An excellent value at a suggested retail price is $9.99. Overall composite score: 97 points.