1998 Charles Krug Reserve Napa Valley Sangiovese

1998 Charles Krug Reserve Napa Valley Sangiovese $21

Okay, so I posted notes about this one before.

This wine is truly awesome.

I was watching the last of the presidential debates while eating dinner and sipping this wine. Every time that the one that I consider to be an idiot got a chance to speak, I had to get up and move around. It was only natural to refill my glass. I was so agitated, that the next thing that I knew, the bottle was empty.

1999 E. Guigal Châteauneuf-du-Pape

1999 E. Guigal Châteauneuf-du-Pape $47

So the big wine magazine named this their 2002 wine of the year and the price went from $30 to about $50. Don’t fall for the hype; this wine is worth $30, but not $47.

It was good; it had a nice dark red color, a fruity with a touch of spice aroma, and a generally balanced taste. But, I couldn’t find any of the characteristic terroir of the appellation.

A nice wine, but I was a bit disappointed for the price.

1998 Tenuta Mormoraia Neitea Toscana Rosso

1998 Tenuta Mormoraia Neitea Toscana Rosso $29

A translation of the website can be found here.

Okay, so you are sitting in your favorite Italian restaurant, perusing the wine list. And you see this wine, and the price that they are going to soak you for is $65. Give it serious consideration, as it is not bad! If you are going to pay that much for a wine with your meal, and there are no better values, then I recommend this one.

It is a nice blend of 70% Sangiovese and 30% Cabernet Sauvignon. It is very well balanced with nice tannins. Excuse me while go see if I can buy some more…

2002 Barnett Vineyards Sangiacomo Vineyard Sonoma Valley Chardonnay

September 8, 2004
2002 Barnett Vineyards Sangiacomo Vineyard Sonoma Valley Chardonnay $15
This was highly recommended by Sonya and Richard, so I picked up a couple of bottles. It lived up to their comments. It very much reminds me of the 1999 Ridge Monte Bello Chardonnay that I love. (See here)

It has nice fruit and minerals, without the big American Oak that many have tried to get us to swallow these last few years. This is a keeper.

Rombauer

August 12, 2004

Rombauer

2002 Rombauer Carneros Chardonnay $24
Light yellow color, very clear. Typical nice Chardonnay aroma with a touch of oak and minerals (perhaps a little flint), and a little caramel or butter. Flavors include butter, oak and flint. The finish was a little harsh.

2000 Rombauer Napa Valley Merlot $25
Very dark red, nice color, no brown at all. Smoke and cherries in the aroma. Nice, smoky flavor. Not a lot of fruit, but not wimpy like the typical Merlot. The finish was better than most but not great.

2000 Rombauer Napa Valley Cabernet Sauvignon $28
Beautiful dark color. Leather aromas with a touch of black cherry and a touch of mocha. Flavor starts mild with lots of oak characteristics, leather, cedar, touch of chocolate, and a bit astringent. Keeps getting better on the finish.

2001 Rombauer El Darado Zinfandel $23
Clear dark red but not quite perfect. Ripe fruit, prune, raspberries and a lot of alcohol aromas. A bit harsh in the mouth, with a lot of alcohol, very ripe, perhaps too ripe. The finish is a bit unpleasant making you feel every taste bud. (Some folks out there really like this style, if so, go for it!)