Thursday, January 28, 2010

I was more curious about what a Claret wine would taste like... and then I discovered that this is more than just a trashed $5 bottle of wine ,,,









BED & BREAKFAST
Welcome to The Homestead Bed and Breakfast. Located beside the Becker Vineyards winery, it is the original homestead log cabin of the Heinrick Peese Family.

Richard and Bunny Becker now own the Peese log cabin - the Homestead Bed and Breakfast. They renovated the log cabin into a bed and breakfast. The décor is rustic and accented with antiques. In the living room, you’ll find a charming wooden couch and a potbelly stove. There are two staircases (one inside, one outside the cabin) to the loft where a snug queen size bed awaits. The bathroom, with a claw foot tub, and kitchen are located off the living room.

Click here for an in-depth look into the B&B history.


http://www.beckervineyards.com/wines.htm
Becker Vineyards can only ship wine to the following states:
CA, CO, FL, IA, IL, LA, MN, MO, NM, OH, TX, VA, WV

A person of legal age must sign to receive the wine shipment. Please choose an address where someone can sign for it. Shipping companies cannot leave packages containing alcohol if someone is not home nor of legal age.

For orders needed by Christmas: Please place your Out of State orders by Monday, Dec. 14 and Texas orders by Thursday, Dec. 17.

For orders exceeding 5 cases or other
wine shipping questions please call 830-644-2681
or email beckervyds@beecreek.net


2007 Claret

It was carefully matured in French and American oak barrels for 15 months.

This rich and complex wine produces essences of raspberries, chocolate and spices.

Blends: 65% Cabernet Sauvignon, 24% Merlot, 7% Cabernet Franc, 2% Malbec, 2% Petite Verdot.

Food Compliments: lamb, burgers, pheasant or quail.

$16.95 per bottle


Wow... I picked this one out of the Albertson's $5 a bottle basket today.
Nice full red from Texas!

FREDDALLAS

Saturday, January 23, 2010

As life goes, I bumped into the Lindemans Bin 99 Pinot Noir 2000 at Tom Thumb today... I don't like it as much as the Little Penquin...



And so it goes... I compared the prices at Tom Thumb.
The Lindemans is a buck more than the Little Penquin.
Both are from Australia. The Lindemans is dated. The Little Penquin is not. If you google Lindemans Pinot Noir 2009, you come up with no meaningful review, I will list two...
For my money, and I am not planning to buy a bottle of Lindemans to prove my point, I would just purchase the Little Penquin for about the same money as the Lindemans.


Review #1
http://www.cheapwinereviews.com/lindemans-bin-99-pinot-noir-2004

skbreese's Full Review: 1999 Lindemans Bin 99 Pinot Noir 2006
Australian Wines have grown in worldwide popularity within the last few years. In fact, the Australian wine industry is currently the 4th largest exporter of wines in the world. I have recently begun sampling a variety of Australian wines, the latest of which is Lindemans Bin 99 Pinot Noir. Lindemans produces a variety of wines under the Bin series including the Chardonnay, Sauvignon Blanc, Pinot Grigio, Reisling, Semillion Chardonnay, Shiraz, Merlot, and Cabernet Sauvignon.

The Company:

Founded by Dr. Henry J. Lindeman, a graduate of London's St. Bartholomew Hospital, Dr. Lindeman discovered wine making while traveling in Europe in the 1830's, when he became fascinated by wine's health benefits. He planted his first vineyard in 1843 in New South Wales, Australia. According to the company's website, Lindemans has emerged as the number one Australian wine brand in the world, with Lindeman's simple philosophy, "the purpose of wine is to bring happiness.

Taste:

The Lindemans Bin 99 Pinot Noir is a soft, red, wine with a fresh, fruity fragrance. It is a moderately complex, balanced, semi-dry wine with a hint of spice and strawberry, and a rather weak, slightly musty finish. Due to it's lack of bold flavor, I recommend paring it with pasta, poultry, veal, or vegetarian dishes that will compliment its medium bodied, semi-sweet, quality.

Characteristics:

Color: Ruby red
Complexity: medium
Fragrance: Light, fruity
ABV: 13.5%

Overal Recommendation:

Those looking for a bold tasting, semi-dry, wine will likely be disappointed with Lindemans Bin 99 Pinot Noir. However, is an affordable, widely available, red wine, perfect for those looking for the health advantages of a red wine, without an overpowering flavor. It is a nice compliment to blander dishes such as poultry and pasta. Although there are more flavorful Australian wines available on the market, Lindemans Bin 99 Pinot Noir is a nicely balanced, easy drinking wine, for those who enjoy slightly sweet, fruity, semi-dry wines, without a strong aftertaste. Although, I'm not sure it lives up to its purpose of bringing happiness, this wine offers a pleasant enough taste for casual wine drinkers.

Recommended:
Yes

Year: Earlier
Winery Name: Lindemans
Varietal: Pinot Noir
Designation: Australian
Country: Australia
State or Region: Hunter Valley
Price: 5.99
Wine Rating Scale: Drinkable

Review #2
http://albinnyc.blogspot.com/2009/04/lindemans-bin-99-pinot-noir-2008-549.html

Saturday, April 18, 2009
Lindemans Bin 99 Pinot Noir 2008 $5.49 ***

This is my fourth outing with a Lindemans wine. It is all things Australia today, Australia in the bottle, Australia on the TV (way too long a movie - but not AS awful as the critics said). I am skipping the Vegemite though (shudder). Since I have enjoyed all of the Lindemans so far, I am expecting that this Pinot Noir will hold to the status quo.

First sip as the pilaf is simmering and the steak is sizzling on the grill, this is a perfectly adequate wine. Fresh, fruity with a dry bite as an aftertaste. No tannins. For the price, I'd keep a couple of bottles on hand for those nights when you want wine but don't want to open up an exceptional bottle. There is a sharp aftertaste. Next glass will be with a run through the Vinturi - and I am curious to see what the change will be.

Well, I have to say that the vinturi is still my best purchase of 2009. It brought this wine to a new mellow level. The weirdness is, now I can taste some tannin (furryish tongue) but the wine is ever so better. Totally quaffable. I'd serve it for a dinner when I want to impress people (and still be cheap).

Menu:
Caprese Salad
Skirt Steak
Broccoli Pilaf
Chocolate and Vanilla Ice Cream

The wine was GREAT with the Steak. Lindeman's, even your fake cork is a good one. A good utilitarian way to save some money and enjoy a good wine. Trader Joe's Wine Shop and the Linedman's Winery are a good match.

Oh, and if you are reading this blog because you are trying to save some money and still live well, I have a tip for you - regarding chef's knives. Ditch your ego and forgo designer knives (and knife sets). I invested $13.10 on a Victorinox 8" Chef's knife and $25.42 7" Victrorinox Santoku along with the 3" Pradel Inox that I bought in Paris at a grocery store, are the knives I use the most - and I love them (my other designer knives languish in their Wustoff block). My guests care about the food that I serve them, not the label on the utensil that I prepped the food with. I've found that keeping my ego in check has saved me thousands - well worth it!
Posted by ALBinNYC at 6:17 PM
Labels: *** Three Star, Australia, beef, Red

Friday, January 22, 2010

I was at a grocery store on Saturday, and a product demonstrator was offering little sips of the Little Penquin Pinot Noir... I liked this one..

But... I did a short google search and found someone online that in 2007, did not like this wine all that much. So, why post it?

Because, you need to develop a nose for what YOU LIKE.

You also need to find some reviewer that likes what you like or at least can give you a consistant base line for judgement - someone that has a developed nose.

For that purpose, I think you will find Cheap Wine Reviews (see below) a useful website.

I like Tim Lemke's writing style and his tasting note for this wine, even if I did not have the same problem with the NOSE of this wine... it might just be MY NOSE is no longer any good for writing wine reviews or notes.

In any case , I still like this Little Red Wine from Down Under, the country of Australia, where they do have Little Penguins.

Freddallas

NOTE about Vinetage Date on the Label : When the bottle does not have a vinetage or year date on the label, you have no way of knowing what year(s) of grape crops were blended to make the wine. In the case of a Varietal like Pinot Noir, you have no way of knowing how much Pinot Noir is in the wine itself --- No date tells you that the wine in the bottle is LESS of the Pinot Noir grape that you might expect... it can drop off to 51% in some countries and some states in the USA if there is NO DATE on the label.

The date might tell you what year's crop was used and how much of a specific varietal grape is used in the blending, but it will not tell you how it tastes.
That comes when you open it.

Notice that in Tim Lemke 's review below that Wine, unlike Coke, varies from year to year, even for the same Brand/Wineyard offering. That's both the joy and disappointment of drinking wine, folks!

Freddallas.... now on to Little Penquin Pinot Noir!







http://www.thelittlepenguin.com/wines/pinotnoir

How to get the most out of drinking the Little Penguin wines.

The Basics:
1.Open a bottle of wine.
2.Pour it in a glass.
3.Open your mouth.
4.Tip wine into your mouth.
5.Swallow. (preferably before reaching full capacity)
6.Enjoy. (In moderation, of course.)
This may sound simple to you, but to a penguin this is no small task. There are some more advanced steps that can make you look like an experienced wine drinker. (If that kind of thing is important to you.)

1.Look at the wine.
Hold the glass by the stem (It's called stemware, get it?) and tip it away from you, preferably against a white background. Examine it carefully for color and clarity. (A furrowed brow or inquisitive gaze may enhance the authoritarian effect here.) Is it bright or dull? Intense or muted? Clear or cloudy?

2.Smell the wine.
Swirl the wine in the glass, paying special attention to avoid wearing it on your shirt or blouse. Then smell the wine. Unlike penguins (for obvious reasons when you consider their diet) our sense of smell is incredibly important in how our sense of taste works. Swirling enhances the smell of the wine by releasing any exciting fruit aromas and allowing it to react with air. You will want to take one big sniff. Go ahead stick your schnoz all the way in there. Then describe what you smell.

3.Sip the wine.
Finally, take a generous sip and let the wine rest in your mouth. It may help to aspirate, or draw a little air into your mouth, but gargling is considered inappropriate. Consider the wine. What does it taste like? How does it feel? At this point, you can either choose to spit or to swallow the wine. Either way, you will get the full effect of the taste. If spitting, try to avoid the general direction of other people and restrain from making loogy sounds.

4.Take note.
So, what did you think? Write it down - what it smelled like, your first impressions, the aftertaste. More importantly, did you like it? If you did, go ahead and have another sip, no one will blame you.

5.Repeat.
Do it all over again, just with a different wine. You might want to have a drink of water and a bite of bread to "cleanse your palate" before moving to the next wine.

6.Enjoy!

http://cheapwineratings.com/2007/09/18/little-penguin-pinot-noir-waddle-on/

Little Penguin Pinot Noir – Waddle On…My Quest for Good Cheap Pinot Noir continues with a cheapy from South Eastern Australia produced by the Little Penguin. This Penguin has a nice fruity center, but a little bit of funk at both ends.

OK… should I explain that, or let your imagination do the work?


I’ll explain.

The Good

the Little Penguin Pinot Noir 2006 has a nice, fruity palate. Strawberry, blueberry and currant make it almost a fruit bomb. There is also a hint of spice, but it falls short. I would have liked a bit more spice. It also has a nice velvety mouth feel.

The Funk

The nose is a bit of a turn off. I can only describe it as a combination of sweaty socks and strawberries. I was almost afraid to taste it after my first wiff. (This is the point where if I were Gary Vaynerchuk I would stuff a sweaty sock into my mouth to prove that I know understand sweaty socks… but trust me, I know this smell.)

That is part of the funk, but I did say “funk at both ends.” One being the nose, the other end being the finish where the Little Penguin left me with a touch of a metallic aftertaste.

Net-net

While there were some funk-a-delics to this Pinot Noir, it only cost about $6. Not bad. And if you expect a $6 Pinot to totally kick ass you’re going to be disappointed. I didn’t dump this bottle, but it wasn’t awesome either. I gave it an 80. Give it a few minutes to open up and you’ll enjoy it a lot more. But, I would recommend you waddle past this one, and try something else.

Wine: the Little Penguin
Varietal: Pinot Noir
Alcohol: 13.5%
Rating: 80


A Quest for Good Cheap Pinot Noir

I was almost ready to write up this summary on my Quest for a Good, Cheap Pinot Noir when I noticed that more recent vintages of my top two picks were on the shelves. To be relevant to those shopping now, I had to pick them up to ensure they are worthy of top picks.

And wouldn’t you know it… the newer vintages didn’t hold up.

So what does that mean?
There is no clear winner.
Yep, the naysayers won (those bastards). There is not a great, cheap pinot noir that I could find. That said, there are some decent mediocre ones.

One of the frustrations of a cheap wine aficionado is that sometimes your picks just don’t work out. The good news is, when that happens it’s only a few bucks and not a $40+ bottle of disappointing wine.

So what were the top picks that didn’t work out with more recent vintages?

•Rosemount Estate Pinot Noir 2004 was my original top pick with a rating of 89.
•Mark West Vin de Corse Pinot Noir 2005 was my second pick with an 88.
The 2006 vintage of Rosemount Estate Pinot Noir dropped to an 84 rating. It’s still an OK bottle of wine, but it’s nothing exceptional. It offers cherry, apple and vanilla on the nose. It has a somewhat fruity palate with strawberry, plum and apple, but all are subtle. The tannins are soft and it has a medium length finish that lacks complexity. It also cost a dollar more than the 2004 vintage cost me… damn inflation!

The 2006 vintage of Mark West Pinot Noir fared a little better. Now I should note that Mark West puts out Pinot Noir from different regions and the only 2006 release that I’ve found is from California versus the 2005 I tasted with French grapes. The 2006 Mark West has a smoke, vanilla, red raspberry and cherry on the nose. I did enjoy the nice, warm mouth feel. Plum, cherry, raspberry and earth make up the palate. It has dry tannins and a medium length finish. I gave it an 86.

Others Worth Mentioning

I gave a reluctant 88 to 47 Pound Rooster Pinot Noir from HRM Rex-Goliath! Wines. The reason it’s a reluctant 88 is that it has no vintage. As you can see with the Rosemount Estate example above, there can be quite a difference from one vintage to the next. I don’t like wines that keep vintage a mystery as I just don’t know what I’m getting.

Another worth mentioning is the Pepperwood Grove Pinot Noir 2005. I gave it an 87 and I can still remember the crisp spiciness of this wine. It was enjoyable. I’m sure the 2006 is on the shelves by now and I haven’t tried it yet… that will be up to you.

The Ratings Chart

As a part of my summaries I like to include a chart of all my wine ratings for that category so that you can get a quick glance at what I tasted and how it rated.

Brand
Year
Region
Rating
Price

Rosemount Estate
2004
Australia
89
$8.99

Mark West – Vin de Corse
2005
France
88
$10.99

47 Pound Rooster
N/A
California
88
$9.99

Pepperwood Grove
2005
California
87
$6.99

Mark West – Appelation California
2006
California
86
$10.99

Meridian
2005
California
85
$9.49

Castle Rock
2006
California
85
$14.99

Rosemount Estate
2006
Australia
84
$9.99

Beringer Founder’s Estate
2004
California
83
$9.99

Robert Mondavi – Woodbridge
2005
California
82
$6.99

Three Thieves
2005
California
82
$9.99

The Little Penguin
2006
Australia
80
$5.99

Mezzacorona
2005
Italy
78
$7.99

Blackstone
2005
California
73
$7.99

About Cheap Wine Ratings

Cheap Wine Ratings is all about finding good wine at affordable prices.

For years we’ve been searching for the best value wines. It’s a quest to identify good wines for everyday drinking and hidden gems that you may have to hunt a little bit to find. Wading through all the choices and finding the best picks is no easy task, so we wanted to share our findings with other wine lovers like you. And thus, cheapwineratings.com was born.

The process for rating wines on this site is systematic, with numerous qualitative characteristics evaluated to determine a wine’s rating. That rating is coupled with a descriptive review to give you a sense of how good a wine is and why you’ll enjoy it—or not. We provide ratings based on a 100 point system, but don’t just go by the numbers… there are a lot nuances and personal preferences that will determine your personal favorites and we hope that our tasting notes help you pick those out.

While we use a 100 point system, most wines we review end up somewhere between the mid-70’s to the low-90’s. If you go by the numbers, here’s a good way to think about them:

•80 and below: Don’t bother
•81-83: Drinkable wine
•84-86: Good
•87-89: Very good
•90+: Exceptional
The general rule of thumb on cheapwineratings.com is that wines featured will be $20 or less. We may go over that price occasionally, but that will be rare and noted. In our opinion, you don’t need to spend a lot to get great wine, you just need to make informed choices.

Who’s Behind Cheap Wine Ratings?

This site was founded by Tim Lemke in Cincinnati, Ohio. He’s not a sommelier or anything fancy like that. But he is an avid wine consumer with a knowledgeable palate and a diligent approach to evaluating wines. Tim does most of the reviews on the site, with a little help from wife, Robyn.

Feedback and suggestions are encouraged.
You can contact Tim by sending an e-mail to tim@cheapwineratings.com

Friday, January 15, 2010

2010 is an election year, so it is a great time to sample wines at fund raisers and party club meetings...



I was at a Texas Democrat fund raiser where they were pouring (Gallo) Turning Leaf Pinot Noir. Not expecting much, I was pleasantly surprised. For what must be $8 wine, I found some actual varietal character. There was a definite hint of good old Pinot on the nose and the mouth had the classic cherry taste I associate with Pinot Noirs from the lighter side of the spectrum. It looks like a Rose, so this is not a big surprise either. There was even a hint of tannins on the (admittedly short) finish. It went perfectly with a Greek pizza from Pizza Hut as I listened to the party faithful hope that Texas would be a bit less RED this year.

If you live near a World Market store, you need to sign up for the FREE World Market Explorer Club membership


http://www.worldmarket.com/storeLocator/index.jsp?camp=email:winev8wk50:eD:storefinder

Sunday, January 3, 2010

I was at a New Years supper and they were serving Smoking Loon wines... wonderful Merlot and my favorite Pinot Noir



Tasting notes: Smoking Loon Pinot Noir is a classic Pinot Noir.

The nose of this light burgundy-hued wine is packed with fresh raspberries, integrated oak, and bright rose petal aromatics. Fresh and nuanced, Smooking Loon Pinot Noir shows really nice dark fruit flavor, full of marionberry and bourbon-soaked cherries. A touch of French oak gives this wine ample body and balance, and it finishes with just a hint of cassis and blueberry jam. Fruit-forward and with good acidity, this wine can be served on its own or paired with food equally well.

Tasting Notes: Smoking Loon Merlot is NOT JUST ANOTHER California Merlot

This Merlot is dark garnet in color and has aromas of fresh basil, blueberries, and Bing cherries. With good richness without being too heavy on the palate, the flavors of fresh cherry pie, sweet plum, and soft cinnamon spiked cranberry dressing finishing with notes of rich, vanilla French oak and delicate cherry and strawberry flavors.

Smoking Loon is the creation of Don Sebastiani and his two sons. Read the history, the Sebastiani family has been in the wine making business in California for over 150 years. The Sebastiani Brand was sold in 2000: Smooking Loon was born from Don Sebastiani and his sons. Wine craftmanship you can taste in their wines.

http://www.donandsons.com/history/

Their wines.
http://www.donandsons.com/threeloosescrews/smokingloon/