The other night I was looking for something inexpensive to open, as I only wanted a glass of wine and needed the rest for cooking. I found the Cycles Gladiator 2007  Merlot in my stash which I think I paid a whopping $7 for, so that sounded about right.

I remembered reading in one of my wine magazines that one of the older vintages rated pretty high for a wine this cheap, so I was a little excited to take my first sniff and sip. The sniff was pretty good. A little hot (strong smell of alcohol) but it had some nice cherry aromas. It seemed solid for a cheap Merlot, as some can be very sweet and floral.

Next was the sip. At first it wasn’t bad either. It seemed to have decent texture and the fruit carried through from the bouquet to the palate. But on the finish, it had a funny and very distinguishable taste. There was a bitter eucalyptus flavor that almost tasted like cough syrup…hmmmmm.

I thought this was odd, even though some Merlots from the Central Coast can have a pleasant herbal component to them. But this was so prominent that it really was taking away from the wine….in my humble opinion of course.

So I went to check out my two favorite wine review mags, Wine Enthusiast and Wine Spectator, to see what the pros had to say. What I found was quite interesting. To be fair, neither of them had reviewed the 2007 vintage yet, but both had reviewed the 2005 and came up with very different opinions. I posted them both below so you can see how two wine tasting professionals can have completely different tastes, palates and notes that they pull from the same exact wine.

I want to stress again that I am not pointing this out to downplay or put down the professional wine reviewers. They are educated, skilled and have been at this for a long time. My point is to show that EVERYONE has different tastes, no matter how experienced they may be. So my suggestion is if you find a wine reviewer that you notice has the same taste as you, like WWG for example 😉 …Follow that man/woman!! He, or she, is probably tasting a hell of a lot more wines than you are, so you’re sure to find out about some great new wines to try!

Oh, and the moral of the story….go for the Columbia Crest Two Vines Cabernet-Merlot or the Blackstone Merlot instead of the Cycles Gladiator.

 

WINE ENTHUSIAST REVIEW

 Cycles Gladiator 2005 Merlot

• Wine Enthusiast Rating: 88
• Price: $10
• Varietal: Merlot
• Appellation: Central Coast, US, Central Coast
• Alcohol: 13.5%
• Bottle Size: 750 ml
• Case Production: 10000
• Category: Red
• Importer: Wimbledon Wine Company
• Published in Magazine: 7/1/2007
• Published to Web: 7/1/2007

Reviews:

What an interesting wine this is. Classic California Merlot, soft and rich, with a burst of cherry, raspberry and mocha flavors, and spicy, smoky vanilla from considerable new oak. But the addition of Petite Sirah, Syrah and Cab Sauvignon give it added depth, texture and nuance. At this price, stock up by the case. – S.H. (7/1/2007) – 88

WINE SPECTATOR REVIEW

Merlot Central Coast 2005

Score: 68

Release Price: $10

Region: California

Issue: Web Only – 2008

Review:

Lean and herbal, with muted cherry aromas and flavors and chewy tannins. 10,000 cases made – TF

With Christmas come and gone, and the hangovers cleared up, it’s time to figure out what kind of sparkling wine to drink for New Year’s Eve. I don’t say Champagne as only sparkling wine from the Champagne region of France can use that name. Yes, they tend to be expensive. But there are lots of great value options coming out of Italy (Prosecco), Spain (Cava) and even here in the States.

If you’re looking to stay under $10, your best bet is to stay with a Cava. You can find the  Freixenet Cordon Negro almost everywhere (solid black bottle) and it is quite tasty. Cristalino Brut is also readily available and a nice Cava option.  If you would rather drink something from California, Korbel Brut and Rose are both excellent value options.

 In the world of Prosecco, I find there to be two clear standouts in the $10-15 price range. La Marca and Zardetto both make a very clean and fruit driven Prosecco, which is not always the case as sometimes Prosecco can be a little too sweet. Again, both are carried at most wine stores, but Rye Brook Wine and Spirit Shop seems to have best prices around for both. Check out the link…http://www.ryebrookwines.com/results?query=prosecco&mv_click_map=Go&mv_click_Go=

 If you are willing to jump up to the $15-25 price range, we start getting into some really high quality California Sparkling whites and roses. Remember, in red wines it is the skins that give it the color. Most of the time they will use Pinot Noir and/or Chardonnay for the sparkling wine (like they do in Champagne), so these can have a lot of body to them.

 My favorites have to be the Gloria Ferrer Brut or Rose, the Schramsberg Mirabelle Brut Rose and the Domaine Carneros Brut (which is partly owned by the Champagne veterans Taittinger).  All score in the high 80’s to low 90’s and are extremely well made wines, even if you wanted to drink them with a meal.

 Once you’re spending over $25, you can start getting into the real Champagnes….and it is very tough to find a bad one! Some are made in the crisp and dry style, such as the Piper Heidsieck or the Moet and Chandon White Star (these are ones that I prefer). Others have an older style to them, where you get a bit of a yeast element. Veuve Clicquot Yellow Label is a classic and made in this style as well as Pommery Brut Royal. Regardless of which you go with, all are delicious and festive options for New Year’s Eve.

 Lastly, if 2009 was a great year and you want to go all out, it’ll cost you but you will drink some of the best juice that comes out of France (including the Grand and Premier Cru Bordeaux and Burgundy wines). Vintage Louis Roederer Cristal and Veuve Clicquot La Grand Dame are a couple of the most popular (just ask Jay-Z 😉  These will have that classic Champagne yeast component. But for my tastes, I prefer a classic vintage Dom Perignon or Krug Brut. No matter what you decide to celebrate with, have a very Happy and SAFE New Year’s!

With Christmas just a few days away, I’m sure everyone is planning their menus. It can be tough to narrow down which wines will go well with your families’ Christmas Eve or Day meal, as there are so many different meals that people like to prepare.

 My family, like most Italian families, does the traditional seafood Christmas Eve meal.  If you are cooking the fish in a marinara or Fra diavolo sauce, I would stick with the reds. I find the Italian wines from Tuscany to work the best. The fruit and spice in these wines really comes to life when drinking them with the shellfish and red sauce combo.

On the super value side the Vitiano Falesco and Banfi Centine are a couple of favorites. Both are Super Tuscan blends (Cab, Merlot and Sangiovese) and run from $7.50-11.

For around $15-20 you can move up to the Allegrini Palazzo della Torre.  It is a different style blend that includes some dried fruit (similar to how they make Amarone) which gives it a great texture. It consistently gets high ratings, and with good reason. The same goes for the Monsanto Chianti Classico. You really can’t go wrong with either of these for under $20.

If you really want to splurge, check out the Argiano Solengo IGT Super Tuscan blend or the Pio Cesare Barolo. Both will run $40-60, but are outstanding Italian wines that rival some of the cult wines that run 3-4 times their price. These are serious, yet fun, wines for this meal.

Some folks do the seafood in a white wine, or olive oil, based sauce. In this case you really have a lot of options. I like Chardonnay with the hearty shellfish, Columbia Crest Grand Estates being my favorite on the value side.  I just had the Sterling Napa Chardonnay the other night with a shrimp dish and was very impressed. That should also run under $17. And of course the standard Italian whites, Pinot Grigio and Gavi, will pair extremely well with this style too.

One thing I want to mention about Pinot Grigio…everyone flocks to Santa Margherita. Granted, it is a delicious wine, but there are so many others out there in the same ballpark without the name and that don’t cost $20. A-Mano makes an excellent one for under $10, and so does Zenato. Are they as good? Depending on your palate and what you like, they may not be or they may be better! It just goes back to sometimes you are simply paying for the name.

As for the Christmas Day meal, that usually involves more meats, potatoes, veggies, etc….so you really can use a lot of the same pairings I mentioned in the Thanksgiving wines post. However, if you are going Ham or Pork, a nice Cab will do the trick as opposed to the Turkey where Zin is really the way to go.

 There are so many options with California Cabernet that it is hard to go through them all. I will say this; Sonoma and Paso Robles will give you the best values. Right now I am really digging the Louis Martini Sonoma Cab and the Castle Rock Paso Robles, both for under $12. The Justin Paso Robles Cab and the Beringer Knights Valley are a big step up and run $17-25.

As for the big dogs, when you are spending over $30 on a Napa Cab, it’s pretty tough to find a bad one. So ask the salesperson at your wine store to give you a hand as to what is on sale or a better value than others.

 As for where to get these wines in Westchester, Rye Brook Wine and Spirits  http://www.ryebrookwines.com  really has a great system for ordering online and being able to pick up your order at the store. They will even deliver for free if you are close enough and order enough wine. However, the online sale prices can be SIGNIFICANTLY lower than the in store prices, so be sure to place the order online.

Wishing you and yours a very Merry Christmas!! ….I’ll leave off the Happy New Year part as the New Year’s Bubbles post will be coming next week 😉

That’s right….Wine Enthusiast has come out with it’s Top 100 Wines of the Year, and topping the list is this Pinot from the Santa Maria Valley. It is an amazing wine, and drinks like a Pinot 2-3 times it’s price! Their Chardonnay from Katherine’s Vineyard is also excellent, which I have mentioned in the past as well. (Check out my posts on what kind of wine to bring to a friend’s house and PF Changs).

You can find this Pinot for under $20 at a lot of wine shops. If you want to get it online, JJ Buckley has it at a very good price. Below is the link, and if you call and ask for Alex Shaw (a former Westchester wine guy as well) I am sure he can help you out. Tell him I sent ya…..

http://www.jjbuckley.com/2006-Cambria-Pinot-Noir-Non-Estate-Julias-Vineyard/p~2006~11095~750

….and here is the link to Wine Enthusiast’s Top 100 Wines of the Year

http://www.winemag.com/Media/PublicationsArticle/Top%20Wines%20of%202009.pdf

Below is the link to purchase this beauty at the Rye Brook Wine and Spirit Shop. This wine typically retails for about $14-20 anywhere else.  It’s a great way to taste a traditional style Medoc (region within Bordeaux) wine at a fraction of the price of others that are of the same quality.  Just be sure to purchase it online, even if you want to pick it up at the store. Their online sales are much cheaper than some of their in store prices. Enoy!

http://www.ryebrookwines.com/r/products/chateau-greysac-medoc-2004?id=YYbZ38tL

Put on your yamaca, it’s time for Hanukkah! Although I don’t celebrate Hanukkah, many of my friends do and I love to partake in the festive dinners that go along with this holiday. I do not, however, love Manischewitz. No offense to those who do.  As I always say everyone has different tastes. But if you are with me, and I gather many of you are, here are a few other Kosher alternatives.

Two words….Baron Herzog. This winery makes quality value Kosher wine from all over California, and most of the wines are under $15 a bottle. The Cabernet and Old Vine Zinfandel (from Lodi) are the standouts, with the Chardonnay and Sauvignon Blanc being nice options on the white side.

Bartenura makes an array of Italian wines that run around the same price. Like Baron Herzog, all of their varietal (grape) options are solid.  The Moscato, which is a sweet, desert style wine, is delicious and usually runs under $10.

Teal Lake, a winery in Southeastern Australia, is also putting out some respectable Kosher options. True to the area, the Shiraz and Cabernets rise above their other wines. But the Chardonnay has a lot going for it as well, made in the cleaner, lean, fruit style. These wines also run anywhere from $10-15.

But if you’re willing to break the bank a bit, Hagafen, located in the heart of Napa Valley, is the way to go. Their Pinot Noir and Cabernet are both outstanding, but literally every wine they put out is a winner. The price tag will run anywhere from $15-40 on the whites and $30-50 on the reds, so you may need to skimp out on the Latkes a little if you want to serve these gems 😉

Locally, The Westchester Wine Warehouse on Route 119 in White Plains seems to have the best Kosher wine inventory at pretty fair prices. However, if you purchase a case (mixed or the same bottle) at The Wine Warehouse they will give a 15% discount, which is well worth it since they have a very large selection of wines in general. Enjoy….and Happy Hanukkah!!

Don’t you just love this time of year? Everything that the fall brings in is just a treat for all the senses. The leaves changing colors, the clean and crisp air, the pumpkin flavored…..well, everything, football in all its glory, and of course, Thanksgiving. I always find Thanksgiving to be the purest of holidays. There’s no stress about buying presents, dealing with the angry mobs at the mall and no having to remember to keep that whole Santa thing a secret around the little ones (especially after a couple of Egg Nogs!!).

Thanksgiving is all about being thankful for everything that you have, giving something back to those less fortunate, spending time with family and friends, eating hedonistic amounts of turkey, potatoes, stuffing and whatever funky soufflé comes out of the family cookbook, and of course, enjoying the wines that are being served for the day.

            Because of all the different foods, flavors, spices and textures that are typically part of the Thanksgiving meal, there are so many pairing options that will work based on the types of wine you prefer. The one thing to try and avoid is overpowering the meal with the wine. So you may want to shy away from those huge California Cabs as they can be a bit much. But if you want to go with a fun red wine, the one that my family and I love to drink at Thanksgiving is Zinfandel.

Similar to Cabernet, there will be lots of fruit right up front. But the nice part about Zin is that it is typically not as oaked, which can give wines that buttery, woody, vanilla flavor. What you get with the Zins is usually lots of spice, pepper, and hints of the oak characteristics. Match that up with turkey and stuffing and you have a winning combo. It is also arguably one of the oldest grapes grown in the US, so you’re doing your job as a Patriot as well.

Some of my favorites on the value side will be anything from Ravenswood, Rosenblum or Rancho Zabaco. Barefoot Cellars and Pepperwood Grove have Zinfandels for under $7 that are really tasty, especially for the price. If you are willing to spend a little more St. Francis and Seghesio put out some of the best Zins around, and the Turley Zins are truly the Gold Standard. In general, if you can find a Zinfandel that comes from Lodi, Amador, Dry Creek or Napa (all areas in Cali) you will be in great shape.

In the Rhone Valley of France, there are lots of Cotes du Rhones wines that are made up of Syrah, Grenache and sometimes Mourvedre (can be called GSM blends in Australia and California). Like the Zinfandel, these wines should have a nice spice and pepper component. But wines from this area of France tend to be a bit earthier and more subtle. There should still be lots of berry and fruit flavors, which will go really well with everything (especially the cranberry sauce!!).

Some very reasonable ones come from E. Guigal, Perrin & Fils, Louis Bernard and Delas. Chateau de Beaucastel puts out a Cotes du Rhones that will run about $25-30 but it is well worth the price from a value perspective….drinks close to their Chateauneuf du Pape (we’ll get into that in another post but for those who don’t know that is some kick ass French wine!)

There are those that will argue that white wines are the way to go with Thanksgiving dinner. While I tend to enjoy the reds more with this meal, I can’t say I fully disagree with the theory. When Chardonnays have that nice acidity to it (which makes them really clean and crisp) combined with the apple, pear and hint of vanilla flavors, it certainly makes sense to match that up with the turkey and all the trimmings. I would probably avoid the huge oaky, buttery ones though. The same way the big Cali Cabs can overpower the meal, the same goes for the big Chards.

 However, if you can grab a Chardonnay from Castle Rock, Columbia Crest, Echelon, or Acacia you will find those desirable characteristics at a great price. For about $20 you can move up to the Cambria Katherine’s Vineyard Chardonnay from the Santa Maria Valley. This one drinks like a Chard twice its price. It has this wonderful smoky flavor, without being overpowering, that would work really well for Turkey day.

Lastly, there is a large contingency in the wine world that feels Riesling is hands down the best pairing for Thanksgiving dinner. I certainly would not argue against it, but if I am going to serve a sweet style wine with a meal I would go with the Gewurztraminer any day of the week (especially that Thursday!). Gewurz will be sweet like Riesling, but also possesses nice floral, peach and tropical fruit flavors that are very food friendly. The great part is that it is grown in many places of the world that can provide a bit of a cooler climate where it can flourish, which leads to some great deals.

Chateau St. Michelle (Washington) is one of my favorite values, as well as Trimbach and Wilim Vineyards from Alsace, France. Also, if you find anything with a Dr. in front of it from Germany (i.e. Dr. Loosen), you’ve got yourself a winner. The Dr. Konstantin Frank Gewurztraminer from the Finger Lakes in NY is a very well made wine and a great way to keep it local, well sort of…..

Once again, the main thing is to serve something that you know you will enjoy, and hopefully your guests will too. So if you have a huge Italian family who feels any wine not made in Italy is pure crap, ignore everything I said above, go grab some Chianti and Gavi (which would also totally work with this meal) and enjoy! Here’s wishing everyone a very happy and healthy Thanksgiving, from my family to yours….Salute!

     As I was sitting down to post the latest installment of WWG, my thought was to focus on some interesting white wines I have recently tasted that are truly made for the changing of the season. But just as I got started, my friend emailed me with a request to write a blog that would help him choose an appropriate wine to bring to someone’s house when invited over for dinner. I thought this was a great idea and needed to be addressed ASAP, as I know it is a common dilemma. So the blog on Fall and Winter Whites will just have to wait….

First off, you DO NOT need to spend a lot of money to get a really nice bottle. There are those in the wine world that believe the more expensive the bottle, the better the wine. Nonsense! That is not to say that very expensive wines are not good, most of them are delicious. But a lot of times you are paying for the name brand, or the rarity of the wine.

Many wine shops will carry some of their own labels that you can’t really find anywhere else. They are typically wines that are made at some of the better known wineries in California, but instead of bottling it, the wineries sell it to a secondary label. By grabbing some of these lesser known brands, you are getting good quality fruit without having to pay the price for the name.  Each store has their own gems so ask your local merchant if they have any wines they carry exclusively. I know the Bottle King chain throughout NJ has a few (Dickson Mills Cab and Chard being my favorites), and Zachy’s in Scarsdale has the Bookster label which has solid wines across the board.

So I guess my first point is not to buy something just because it is expensive. If you know that your hosts are fans of a particular wine, and they are of the belief that more expensive is better, than by all means grab a bottle of Silver Oak, Cakebread or Caymus Cabernet. You won’t go wrong. But if you would rather reach for something on the value side, try bringing the Artesa Cabernet or the Justin Winery Cabernet from Paso Robles. If you look at the wine magazine ratings, a lot of these less expensive wines are rated higher than the big dogs anyway!

Another good tip is to bring a wine that you know your hosts enjoy or can connect with. If your friend is a fan of the Kendall Jackson Chardonnay, which is one of the most popular around (and a great go to wine), try bringing something similar she may have not tried before, like the Chateau St. Jean Sonoma Chardonnay. Or maybe your host and hostess just got back from a vacation in Italy. So a Chianti Classico or a Super Tuscan (a red blend usually consisting of Sangiovese, Cabernet and Merlot grapes) may help remind them of their trip, and it shows that you’ve actually been listening to their stories.

I also like to try and bring wines that come from the hosts family’s country of origin.  It works out wonderfully for those whose families come from Spain, France, Italy, Argentina or Hungary. My wife’s parents both came over from Hungary, so I tried to bring over Tokaji, some of the best white desert wine made in the world, as much as possible! Since it tends to carry a bit of a hefty price tag however,  it’s now more for special occasions.  Beware….if you are visiting friends of Irish or English descent, you may want to avoid this strategy unless you’re bringing over beer (which could also work out well!!).

Lastly, try and bring something that you know YOU would enjoy drinking. Many hosts will open up the wines that people bring as gifts. It’s not a rule, but unless they have some sort of a collection or have fully stocked up for the evening, chances are that your wine will be served. So go with something at least from an area that you are familiar with so you can be confident it will be enjoyable and won’t disappoint.

It is difficult to put together a list of what to bring as there are so many different variables involved. But below I have tried to put together some options based on different varietals (the grape used for producing the wine i.e. Cabernet, Chardonnay, Merlot, etc) , prices and wines that are readily available at most wine shops. I also want to add that if you ever are looking for a specific recommendation, idea, or just have a general question about wine, feel free to post a comment. I check this blog often and will be able to respond pretty quickly most of the time. Salute!

WINERIES THAT HAVE GREAT VALUE WINES ACROSS THE BOARD:

Columbia Crest, Beringer, Artesa, Kendall Jackson, King Estate, Geyser Peak, Castle Rock, Barton and Guestier (B & G), Banfi, Veramonte, Wolf Blass and Peter Lehman.

SPARKLING WINE/CHAMPAGNE

Under $15

Gruet Brut and Brut Rose (New Mexico….Really it is from New Mexico and delicious!!)

Korbel Brut Rose (California)

Freixenet Cordon Negro Brut (Spain)

La Marca Prosecco (Italy)

$16-$30

Mumm Cuvee Napa Brut ( California….don’t let the Meet the Parents stigma fool you)

J Brut Rose and Cuvee 20 Brut (California)

Schramsberg Mirabelle Brut and Rose (California….the Rose got 93 Pts from Spectator)

$31 and up

Basically any Champagne you pick out above this price will be delicious, a few of my favorites are Piper-Heidsieck, Veuve Clicquot, Henriot Brut Souverain, Nicolas Feuillatte and the Moet and Chandon family of Champagnes.

WHITES

Under $15

King Estate Pinot Gris (Oregon)

Pine Ridge Chenin Blanc/Viogner (California)

Columbia Crest Grand Estates Chardonnay (Washington)

Brancott Sauvignon Blanc (New Zealand….Marlborough great area for Sauvignon Blanc in general).

Zenato Pinot Grigio (Italy)

$16-30

Cambria Katherine’s Vineyard Chardonnay (California….one of my new favorites)

Cakebread Sauvignon Blanc (California)

Pio Cesare Cortese Di Gavi (Italy)

Louis Latour Chassagne Montrachet (France)

Dr. Konstantin Frank Riesling (New York)

$31 and up

Mer Soleil Chardonnay (California)

Far Niente Chardonnay (California)

E. Guigal Condrieu (France)

Joseph Drouhin Mersault (France)

Cloudy Bay Te Koko Sauvignon Blanc (New Zealand)

REDS

Under $15

Louis M Martini Sonoma Cabernet Sauvignon (California….all their Cabs are great)

Angeline Pinot Noir (California)

Columbia Crest H3 Merlot (Washington)

Banfi Centine (Italy…great Super Tuscan value)

Delas Cotes Du Ventoux (France)

Bodegas Hijos de Juan Gil (Spain)

$16-30

Beringer Knights Valley Cabernet (California)

Cambria Julia’s Vineyard Pinot Noir (California)

Whitehall Lane Merlot (California)

Tenuta Dell Ornellaia Le Volte (Italy…2nd label from one of best wineries in Italy)

Chateau de Clairefont Margaux (France)

Mollydooker The Boxer Shiraz (Australia….great boutique winery)

$31 and up

Ruffino Chianti Classico Riserva Ducale Gold Label (Italy)

The Prisoner from Orin Swift (California….amazing Zin/Syrah blend)

D’Arenberg The Dead Arm Shiraz (Australia)

Turley Zinfandel (California…there are many different vineyards….ALL excellent!)

Chateau La Nerthe Chateauneuf du Pape (France)

Archery Summit Pinot Noir (Oregon…again, there are a few different vineyards, but all are great depending on what you want to spend)