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Wine-related Articles
The annual Wineglas reviews are in for 2009. Enjoy my unbiased look at the Twin Cities Wine Scene.
Wineglas Top Ten Wines of 2009
Over the past year I sampled some great wine and here are 10 of my favorite wines!
1. 2006 Rosenblum Kick Ranch Reserve Sonoma Syrah $$$
Color: Dark purple
Nose: Floral, coffee grounds, black pepper, dust, spices
Taste: Crushed rocks, gravel, smoke, walnuts, exotic spices
Finish: Long and super concentrated. This is a big wine with multiple layers of flavor
Evaluation: Powerful wine with some serious concentration 94 points
Five Days Later: Drinking great with coffee beans, floral, spices, raspberries, cinnamon, and blackberries. This is possibly the wine of the year for the $22 on sale 95 points
Source: Haskell's Sale $20 per bottle and a Wineglas Recommendation
SOLD OUT!!!
2. 1998 M. Chapoutier La Mordorée Côte-Rôtie $$$$$
Color: Medium purple
Nose: Grilled meat, white pepper, smoke, raspberries, floral, beautiful!
Taste: Grilled meats, smoke, white pepper, raspberries, cherry, floral and more...
Finish: Fabulous wine and balanced! One of the best Rhone's to date
Evaluation: 97 points
Source: Winestreets Spirits Bloomington (Available)
3. 2007 Joh. Jos. Christoffel Erben Urziger Wurzgarten Kabinett $$
Color: Light gold
Nose: Tangerines, lemon, floral
Taste: Delicious with tangerines, lemon, slate, grapefruit, floral with a touch of sweetness
Finish: Medium and really concentrated and balanced
Evaluation: One of the best Kabinett wines I have ever had 94 points
Source: Surdyk's (Might be available)
4. 2007 Seghesio Sonoma Zinfandel $$
Color: Medium purple
Nose: Cherry, raspberry, floral
Taste: A combo of spices, raspberries, cherries, mild oak and vanilla
Finish: Medium and mild tannins. This wine shows a nice balance of earth and fruit tones
Evaluation: A great under $20 value 92 points
Source: Minneapolis Club Member & sold out of this market
5. 2004 Larkmead Napa Valley Cabernet Sauvignon $$$$
Color: Dark purple
Nose: Cherry, plum, spice and oak
Taste: Tannic, toasted oak, vanilla, cherry, raspberries
Finish: Heavy tannins and concentrated wine
Evaluation: Loved it now and might even improve over time 94 points
Source: From a Minneapolis Private Wine Club Event. Some should be available locally
6. 2005 Zaca Mesa Estate Bottled Black Bear Santa Ynez Syrah $$$$
Color: Dark purple
Nose: Floral, blackberries, raspberries, spices
Taste: Wow! Nice combo of fruit and earth components that intermix well
Finish: Long and concentrated. It is drinking really well right now
Evaluation: A new find in 2009 and Zaca Mesa is producing some great Rhone inspired wines 95 points
Source: Served at the Wineglas/Muffuletta Wine Dinner Series
7. 2007 Fontanafredda Briccotondo Barbera $$
Color: Medium purple
Nose: Plum, blackberries, smoke, earth
Taste: Solid with concentrated fruits, smoke, and mineral
Finish: Medium and complex wine with nice acidity
Evaluation: One of Italy's best wines for under $15 91 points
Source: Several shops
8. 2008 Nobilo "Icon" Marlborough Sauvignon Blanc $$
Color: Medium gold
Nose: Wow with grapefruit, spices
Taste: Grapefruit, lemon, sour apple
Finish: A burst of acidity on this medium finishing wine
Evaluation: A great wine 91 points
Source: Sam's Club $15 a bottle
9. 2001 Chateau Montrose St.-Estephe $$$$
Color: Dark purple
Nose: Pencil lead, ripe dark fruits, coffee, spices
Taste: Concentrated wine with raspberries, pencil lead, coffee, minerals, oak
Finish: Medium and really balanced. The tannins should continue to soften over the next 5 years
Evaluation: A fan favorite at my private events throughout 2009 94 points
Source: Haskell's $50 a bottle on sale now!
2 BOTTLES LEFT
10. 2002 Betz Family Estates La Cote Rousse Red Mountain Syrah
Color: Dark purple
Nose: White pepper, coffee, minerals, raspberries
Taste: Coffee, cherry, raspberries, white pepper, chocolate
Finish: Medium and super balanced. Amazing
Evaluation: 95 points
Source: Served at the Minneapolis Wine Club Appreciation Event. Good luck getting this wine
Value Wine of the Year
2008 Dr. Loosen "Dr. L" Mosel Riesling $$
Color: Light gold
Nose: Apple, pear, mineral
Taste: Apple, pear, slate, honey
Finish: Great acidity with peach, pear, slate, honey
Evaluation: Wonderful wine! 90 points
Source: Haskell's Wine Sale $8.99
Best Wine of the Year (Price not a factor)
2006 Mollydooker Velvet Glove McClaren Vale Shiraz $200
Color: Black
Nose: Big and powerful with spice, blackberries, violets, coffee jumping out of the glass
Taste: WOW! Spice, meat, coffee, floral, some eucalyptus, and concentrated fruits
Finish: Super long and intense with some much going on
Evaluation: This is a special wine and was the only one of the tasting to over stimulate my palate. Top 3 wines of all time!!! 97+ points
Worst Wines of the Year
2006 Bodegas San Valero Manyana Tempranillo $
Color: Dirty light red
Nose: Spice
Taste: Too acidic and out of balance
Finish: Very sour and not pleasant
Evaluation: The worst wine of the year? 70 points
Advice: Hold your nose and swallow quickly!
NV Salmon Creek California Sparkling Wine $
Color: Light gold
Nose: None
Taste: Water, minerals
Finish: Short
Evaluation: Expensive water 59 points
*This is why Wineglas should plan all of your corporate events as this is what a restaurant might pour for you.
Best New Discovery
Zaca Mesa Winery
*The wines across the board were so good I did an exclusive dinner featuring their wines.
Top Wine Shop Sale of the Year
Haskell's Spring Sale
Everyone on my email blast had a chance to try before you buy and the samples they had in the Spring were better then any large public gathering (Food & Wine Show) and it was free!
Top Public Wine Tasting of the Year (Free)
Haskell's Spring Sale Tasting & Dr. Loosen Tasting Minnetonka Store
Top Public Wine Tasting of the Year (Paid)
Aritisan Vineyards Oregon Pinot Noir Tasting
$20 and the money went to charity
www.wineglas.com/thewinecompanyoregontasting.html
Best Restaurant Wine List
WA Frost on overall quality
The Melting Pot (low markups on the good wine)
Best Wine Club of the Year
Minneapolis Wine Club
Video Clip of the Year?
Caution there are some bad words in the cartoon but the concept is classic. I find the video to be spot on for most of the wine industry.
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Smoking Deals on some Inexpensive Wines (July)
Edina Liquor through July
Columbia Crest Two Vines (including Vineyard 10 Series) $4.99
2007 Columbia Crest Vineyard 10 Rose (Syrah based) $
Color: Light pink
Nose: Strawberry and mineral
Taste: Strawberry and mineral and a touch of sweetness
Finish: Short but refreshing
Evaluation: Nice wine 86 points
2005 Columbia Crest Two Vines Shiraz $
Color: Medium purple
Nose: Blackberry, plum, spices
Taste: Spices, toasted oak, plum
Finish: A little hot but this would go well with a burger
Evaluation: Another good wine for $5 86 points
2007 Columbia Crest Vineyard 10 White $
Color: Light gold
Nose: Floral, pear, peach
Taste: Mineral, floral, touch of sweetness
Finish: Short
Evaluation: 84 points
Also the Shiraz might be the best $5 ever made year in and year out!
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Wines under $15 that are worth a try
2007 Falesco Vitiano Umbria IGT $
(Equal parts Sangiovese, Cabernet, Merlot) Color: Medium purple Nose: Minerals, cherry, floral, plum Taste: Wow what great minerality combined with cherry, plum, floral Finish: Medium and concentrated. This finishes like a $40 wine Evaluation: Hard to believe this is $10. These wines come around about three times a year. 91 points (Wine of the year candidate)
2006 Pillar Box Australia Blend (Shiraz 50%, Cabernet 42%, 8% Merlot) $
Color: Dark purple
Nose: Rich with coffee, cherry, spices
Taste: Cherry, spices, coffee
Finish: Medium and good concentrated
Evaluation: Solid everyday wine 90 points
2007 Marquis Philips Sarah's Blend Shiraz $$
Color: Dark purple
Nose: Blackberries, coffee, pepper
Taste: Big fruit with blackberries, plum, pepper and spice
Finish: Low in tannins and very fruit forward
Evaluation: Very nice wine for the money every year! 90 points
NV Riondo Prosecco Rose $$
Color: Pink
Nose: Strawberry, floral
Taste: A touch of sweetness with strawberry and minerals
Finish: Really clean
Evaluation: This is a great Sparkling Wine at $11 88 points
NV Riondo Prosecco $$
Color: Light gold
Nose: Floral, mineral
Taste: Light but features floral and mineral
Finish: Short but satisfying
Evaluation: This is why points only work as the description would not sell this wine but it is good 87 points
2007 Bodegas Ateca/Zabrin de Fuego Old Vines Calatayud Garnacha $
Color: Dark purple
Nose: Cherries, spices, floral
Taste: Cherries, floral, minerals and spices
Finish: Medium and concentrated but acidity was a little off
Evaluation: For $6 a super deal 87 points
2007 Campo De Borja Tres Picos Garnacha $$
Color: Medium purple
Nose: Vibrant with floral, spices, coffee and wood jumping out of the glass
Taste: Spices, crushed rock, violets, and coffee
Finish: Medium dominated by a variety of earth tones
Evaluation: A solid wine that is a good buy every year 90 points
2007 Las Rocas de San Alejandro Calatayud Garnacha $
Color: Medium purple
Nose: Spice, cherry, violets, crushed rock
Taste: Big wine with spices, cherry, violets, minerals
Finish: Medium and concentrated
Evaluation: One of the best $10 wines in the world 90 points
And of course the 2008 Dr. Loosen Dr. L for $9 at Haskell's through Labor Day!
PLEASE PASS ON MY INFO TO ALL YOUR FRIENDS AND FAMILY MEMBERS WHO ENJOY WINE AS IT IS EXPENSIVE TO PROVIDE FREE INFORMATION TO THE GENERAL PUBLIC WITHOUT TAKING ANY ENDORSEMENTS!
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The Minneapolis Wine Club
Minnesota's only Grand Cru Public Wine Club
There are so many wine clubs in the Twin Cities. What makes the Minneapolis Wine Club different?
1. The best wine at a public club event. Grand Cru does not come up at any other.
2. No attitude. The members all share a desire to drink good wine without an attitude.
3. Great recommendations. John Glas of Wineglas recommends the best wine sales
and Internet purchasing to save you money.
4. Community. Many members now get together outside the club.
Clubs that are social but don't focus on quality wine are:
Twin Cities Uncorked
*Serving "nibbles" as they state and mystery wines are served. The wine is free from distributors (never a good formula) and education is not a focus. For the price it is not a bad option as most events are under $30. My rating 84 points
Wine Enthusiast of The Twin Cities on Meetup
Bring a bottle is usually their theme. Lots of $6 bottles for you to try and some are so old they are oxidized. A try social club and for that it works. Don't expect to learn much or try top ten wines of all time there. My favorite line from their event was a fellow wine educator stated to the crowd: "Shop for wine by where you live." Good luck if you live by a shop with bars on windows. My rating 82 points
Then there is the Food & Wine Show which is the most overpriced event period. I have been to free all day tastings that crush this! Yes people go and eat to they are full and drink till that can't stand up but you will never see Wineglas be part of such a tasteless event! For an alternative try one of the charity fundraiser's for the same price or a few more dollars more. My rating 73 points
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Great Wine Websites
Go to the Mark Squires Bulletin Board which is the best wine chat room in the world.
They do a great job offering free videos for the public and review a ton of wines every year.
Entertaining site.
Like Italian wines than check them out.
A great source to see what other wine drinkers think of a wine.
By far the best wine radio program on the planet!
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3 Days of 2004 Monbousquet Saint-Emilion Grand Cru
I get asked all the time if aging a wine matters or decanting. The answer is "Yes" and "No." A cheap $6 bottle will not improve by cellaring and will likely deteriorate over time. While the Chateau Monbousquet should be cellared for 3 to 5 more years within a temperature controlled cellar or unit you can get the most out of the wine by trying it over 3 days. Here are the results:
2004 Chateau Monbousquet Saint-Emilion $$$
Color: Dark purple
Nose: Coffee, Asian spice, floral notes
Taste: Coffee, earth, cherry, spices, clay, floral
Finish: Medium and concentrated. Firm tannins and will revisit next day
Evaluation: Currently 88-90 points
Day 2
2004 Chateau Monbousquet Saint-Emilion $$$
Color: Dark purple
Nose: Mushrooms, scorched earth, mineral
Taste: Tobacco, strong spices, cherry, flint
Finish: Medium and still concentrated with softer tannins
Evaluation: This wine is improving 91 points
Day 3
2004 Chateau Monbousquet Saint-Emilion $$$
Color: Dark purple
Nose: Mushrooms, earth, tobacco, minerals
Taste: Smoother than before with spices, tobacco, minerals, nice fruits
Finish: Medium and softer tannins than day 2.
Evaluation: While this will never be a 94 point wine it is a solid wine and at $35 a bottle a good value 91 points
Advice on reds that are $30 and above. Buy 3 and experiment right away with one and see what your palate thinks. If it is really tannic cellar it and you will be rewarded.
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Wine Streets Spirits Chateauneuf du Pape Tasting
Kozlak's Restaurant Shorewood, Minnesota
Only regular members will be invited to these events.
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Wineglas 2008 Best of the Twin Cities
You will see plenty of "Best of" in regards to wine but I am able to offer the most accurate view of wine in the Twin Cities as I don't sell wine, collect advertising dollars from wine and am not the average wine consumer. Enjoy!
Cheers,
John Glas
Wineglas
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"Why Do We Rate Wines Professionally?"
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The Wine Shop at Buon Giorno Italia
Sunday, November 23
$45 Per Person
This was the best wine tasting in Minnesota for 2008. While all Italian wines, no one offers the wines we sampled over the course of a well organized 3 hour tasting. I Nonni the Roman Italian Restaurant served a nice buffet of Italian treats.
Here are the reviews I managed to put together over the evening.
Check out the Twin Cities & Worldwide Links for more articles on the world of wine.