GotWines.net

Australian Wine has Taken off like a bat outta hell in the last fifteen years.  This has created a major export for the Aussies, nearly increasing five fold in as many years.  Their major wine has come to be shiraz.  The name of the grape Shiraz was taken from that of the city of Shiraz in Persia, where the process of wine making possibly originated 7000 years ago. The Shiraz grape was introduced into Australia in 1832 by James Bubsy, an immigrant who brought vine clippings from Europe with him.

For many years, Australia Shiraz producers have added up to 4% Viognier to their Shiraz to add apricot tones to the wine’s nose and palette.  My absolute favorite three are featured here.

Elderton “Comand” Shiraz, Barossa Valley, Australia, 2002

 
Up is down, down is up with this one!  There are incredible attributes of intensity within a very dense wine.  However, for all the power and depth of flavor there is a remarkable display of elegance.  Imagine grabbing a ripe plum from the Clark Farm across the street, throw in some fresh Virginia blackberries, and finish it off with some dark chocolate swiss truffles from the dessert menu, and you have a good idea of some of the prominent flavors found in this exquiset bottle.  Don’t expect the flavors to die off quick either.  You’ll practically have to brush your teeth to get rid of this finish.   

Torbreck Vineyards “Descendant” Shiraz, Barossa Valley, 2002

 

The Descendant is a single vineyard Shiraz-Viognier. The name implies that the wine is the “descendent” of David Powell’s flagship wine, RunRig.  The wine exhibits tar and black olive, offset wonderfully by the jasmine and apricot aromatics of Viognier. Smooth and supple, it’s juicy and slightly jammy, ripe and concentrated, this big boy is what I call balanced!  Try this perfect wine with some nice roast beast for an awesome aussie holiday!

Molly Dooker “Carnival of Love” Shiraz, Australia, 2005
 
The husband and wife winemaking team of Sparky and Sarah Marquis (mar-QWISS) are synonymous with the finest wines to emerge from Australia’s respected landscape.  Here they have created a PERFECT specimen of Australian shiraz.  The bouquet is full of licorice, chocolate and spice.  There are some really cool layers of espresso, raisin and vanilla coated oak.  Again, opulent yet elegant, this powerhouse can be soft and sexy.  There is a silky and creamy mid-palate structure that leads you into a teeth staining, killer of a finish.

Spiros Hatziyiannis, Santorini, Greece, 2002

I love a wine tastes great for a good value, but I also love it when the wine has a great story.  Wine can be a conversation piece just as it can be a delicious intoxicating beverage.  In the case of Spyros Hatziyiannis, this story comes from the region.  On the breathtaking island of Santorini, the production of wine dates back to the time of the Bronze Age. After the devastating volcanic explosion in 1650 the island was covered with volcanic ash.  This catastrophe created the foundation for perfect soil conditions which now produce very distinctive wines. Known for black, volcanic soil beaches, and whitewashed houses, the Aegean island of Santorini is ideal for very dry wines made primarily from Assyrtiko grapes. The average age of the root stock of these vines are 70 years, and many vines date back 150 years or more. 

Spyros Hatziyiannis itself exhibits strong pear and mineral aromas on the bouquet, with just a hint of anise.  The flavors are similar to the nose with some pinot grigio-esque citrus with a fine degree of complexity. The wine has some great tart end notes that are surprisingly rich. 

Santiago Ruiz, Albarino, Rias Baixas, Spain, 2005

Again we have a wine rich in tradition and lure.  So the story goes, when the winemaker’s daughter was getting married he created a hand drawn map for attendees to the ceremony.  He also created a treasure map to one of the best wine producers in this region of Spain, as well as the label for the bottle. 

Strong pear on the nose, the wine has an extreme bouquet, with notes of apple and honeysuckle.  On the front the taste is similar to the nose but with added apricot and a hint of grapefruit.  You defiantly will notice the bone dry texture on the back notes which are very a powerful tart citrus.  This comes to very lemon or lime juice taste on the back.  This albarino is a  great deal at the Bridge for $19.  After all, as Rob would say, Pinot Grigio is sooooo 5 minutes ago.

Arabako Txakolina, “Xaramant” Txakoli, Basque, Spain, 2005

First of all, there are some very funny pronunciations here.  Don’t be scared, as we’ll walk you through them.  The title phonetically is [Ara-back-o Chak-o-lina, “Zara-mont”, Chak-o-lee]  This Basque wine contains some amazing Pinot Grigio similar notes.   Some of the care put into this wine is evident in the Basque word meanings.  First, Xaramant means Charming in Basque, and this light white definitely displays a charm as all 120 acres of plantings are almost entirely consumed by the local fishermen.  The local grape is Hondarribi Zuri and fermented entirely in steel.  Zuri means white in Basque, and shows true to the light effervescence of the aroma. This is a good example of the kind of modernization of a lot of older Spanish regions are going for.

I’ve found some almost Sauvignon Blanc notes of grass and juicy fruit present, but the ringing flavor is lemon-lime citrus so common to a Pinot Grigio.  Fill your gullet with fish or chicken on this one.  Try it with feta or cucumber for a true taste adventure sure to please the buds.

Pikes “EWP”,  Shiraz, Australia, 2002
 
It’s kind of funny because despite the label proudly displaying a pike (a freshwater game fish), pike are not native to Australia.  This once again leads me to believe hat all Aussies a little nutty, but damn they can produce some good wines.  The EWP Reserve is no exception.  The owner of the vineyard is Neil Pike, who inherited the property from his great grandfather father Edgar Walter Pike.  The initials of this name created the dedication, “EWP reserve”. This very special shiraz comes from a designated section of the Gill’s Farm vineyard block.  Super flavors of ripe berry, and some more notes of oak here than my other selections.  The familiar hints of chocolate add structure to a beefy finish.  Enjoy this fabulous wine for a decade or longer.

What is a Meritage?  “Meritage,” pronounced like “heritage” is an invented word that combines the words “merit” and “heritage”.  A Meritage wine is defined by the Meritage association as a hand-crafted wine blended from the traditional “noble” Bordeaux varietals including: Cabernet Sauvignon, Merlot, Cabernet Franc, and Petit Verdot and Malbec. 

Geyser Peak Reserve ‘Alexandre Meritage’, Sonoma County, California, 2002

A deep, dark, entirely opaque color lends clues to the complexity of this wine. The aromas are of blueberry with surprising hints of herbaceous mint. Think dark on the front notes as I’ve noticed ripe cherry and blackberry. On the back there comes a battle of juicy fruit, versus tannin and oak.  Both add a multilayer complexity to a stellar wine.  Approachable, but expect a finish that keeps going as you let this Meritage breathe; and let it breathe you shall.
Trentadue  ‘La Storia’ Meritage 2003 
 
A Bordeaux blend of 74 percent Merlot, 17 percent Cabernet Sauvignon, and 9 percent Cabernet Franc. This wine is well balanced, smooth and deep.  An “almost” Merlot with huge fruit and outstanding tannic structure. This choice displays Bordeaux grapes at their best.  Very dark, inky color, this Meritage exhibits dense and concentrated fruit with sweet oak flavors.  Normally ratings and awards don’t mean much to me, but these must be noted as they are from some of the best in the country.  DOUBLE GOLD, BEST OF PREMIUIM RED - San Francisco International Wine Competition   DOUBLE GOLD, BEST PREMIUM RED - 2006 San Francisco Competition  GOLD - 2006 Orange County Wine Competition  98 POINTS, BEST MERITAGE IN CALIFORNIA - 2006 California State Fair
Chateau Ste Michelle, ‘Artist Series’, Meritage, 2001
Wow, wow, wow…. I don’t know that there are better words to describe this pinnacle of true Meritage wines.  A nose of anise, roses, and rich cherry, this blend of Cabernet Sauvignon,  Merlot, and  Malbec, is an overpowering, highly dynamic wine.  Almost hard water-esque, it covers the tongue with notes of dark fruit, tobacco, and anise.  A full-bodied wine, this intense muscular finish will leave you wanting cases. Drink it for a decade with the best steak you can find!

George Shinas utilizes his all consuming passion for perfection and time honored traditions to create some amazing handcrafted wines.   Shinas minimizes the use of irrigation, a practice by which many French winemakers claim, curbs standardization of wines across vintages.   The Winery also employs a horizontal trellis system, which allows for ideal fruit exposure which ripens the fruit to perfection.

The grapes are also left on the vines much longer than on average.  This allows for more intense round flavors. The grapes are all harvested by hand with only the very best quality being selected.  The nose smells of fresh Black Cavendish pipe tobacco.  Some tasty notes of spices and black cherry permeate this beauty of bottle.  This wine stays true to its name; definitely a guilty pleasure.

Here are the December Wine Bargains.  Remember, Frequent Winers (that’s you) get 20 percent off on a case of 12 bottles (mix or match).  Feel free to stop by and pick out your wines or send us an e-mail and we’ll have it pulled and ready when you arrive. 

Sparkling & White Wines:

Charles Bove Brut, Loire Valley, France $12
Impress your friends with this delightful bottle of bubbly.  It’s made in the Champagne method, so it doesn’t have that Coca-cola burn and won’t give you a headache.  It has beautiful pear, green apple and hazelnut notes with a hint of toast on the finish.
 
Undurraga Sauvignon Blanc, Maipo Valley, Chile  $8
On the zippy side with honeydew melon, grapefruit and herbs.  Reminds me of New Zealand in a very ripe vintage.
 
Arrogant Frog, White Ribet, Chardonnay/Viognier, Languedoc, France $10
I really like this blend.  Both grapes are full bodied, but I think the Viognier adds beautiful floral and peach aromatics.  Cute label, too.
 
Parker Station Chardonnay, Santa Barbara, California $15  $12
In typical Fess Parker style, this guy is rich and toasty with gobs of buttery baked apple fruit.
 
Black Oak Riesling, California $8
A slam-dunk for any holiday party.  Pretty honeyed pear and apricot notes with a soft but not cloying finish.
 
Red Wines:

Wagtail Pinot Noir, Yarra Valley, Australia  $11
Fully ripe, but avoids the stewy flavors I often find in Australian Pinot Noir.  It’s vanilla, raspberry & blueberry scented with a rich, smooth finish.
 
Mommy’s Time Out Primitivo, Apulia, Italy $8
Italian Zinfandel, Baby!  Jammy raspberry fruit with lots of spice. 
 
Colonia Las Liebres Bonarda, Mendoza, Argentina $9
From the folks at Altos las Hormigas, this perennial Wine Spectator ‘Best Buy’ is made from the oft-maligned Bonarda grape.  This 30 year old vineyard produced a burly, brambly wine with inky black color and a wallop of  blackberry fruit.
 
Saturday Red, California $10/ 1L
Hey!  We did really well with this wine in the spring and decided to bring it back for the holidays.  A broad shouldered, jammy blend of Zinfandel, Carignane, & Merlot.
 
Knife & Fork Merlot, South Eastern Australia $10 / 1L
Great Slammin’ Wine.  It has soft plummy fruit with a touch of spicy American oak.  At $10 for a liter, it’s a no brainier.
 
Redhead Studio ‘Yard Dog Red’ Petite Verdot, Mclaren Vale, Australia  $12
Petite Verdot is a traditional Bordeaux varietal that has fallen out of favor there because it ripens late.  It does really well in the warm, dry South Australian climate.  It reminds me of Cabernet Sauvignon with it?s power and structure but has an added earthy component.
 
14 Hands Cabernet Sauvignon, Columbia Valley, Washington $11
This wine has an extremely high yummy factor.  It’s rich and velvety with dusty cocoa and perfectly ripe cherry and blackberry fruit.

We’re open early at 9:00 a.m. on Saturday and Sunday for convenient wine shopping!!Questions?? or to place an order…. Simply reply to this e-mail, stop by or call 410-997-3456.

With a long and sordid history, the fortified wine known as port has endured for some four centuries. The wine originated in the Douro Valley in north eastern Portugal, and all true port still comes from this region, though many quality producers in other countries are making fine ‘port style’ wines. Basically this means that brandy is added to the fermenting grape juice when about half of the sugar is still unfermented. This provides a sweet wine with high alcohol content.

Personally, I can’t think of a better accompaniment for the rapidly approaching cold weather and holiday company than a nice glass of tawny port. Whether it’s a roaring fire or a rich chocolate dessert, nothing pairs quite like a bold, silky-sweet port. 

Taylor Fladgate 10 year Tawny - $45

An Iron Bridge staple, the Taylor Fladgate 10 year Tawny Port has been on our menu for years. It’s great with the bread pudding, and is a bottle everyone should have on their shelf at home. It’s a 750mL bottle, which can be large for dessert wines, and you only need a couple ounces, but it’ll taste fresh for months after being corked. Tawnys tend to be nutty in character when compared to their fruitier cousins, ruby ports. Taylor’s 10 year certainly has a vanilla walnut flavor on the palate, but it’s layered with dark fruit and orange peel. It’s mildly sweet and has a long finish. Taylor is one of the oldest and most well respected houses in Portugal, so you can trust them to do things right.
 
Fonseca 20 year Tawny - $54

Those 10 extra years provide a more subtle, elegant wine. The woody, nutty character found in tawny ports is still apparent, but the wine is overall more delicate than its 10 year old counterpart. The nose is reminiscent of plum and cinnamon, while the palate is full of dried fig and tea. The oak is clear in the bouquet and in the mouth. Personally, I’ve found that these 20 year old tawnys are generally the best bag for your buck ports available. Try this one with some lighter chocolate desserts this holiday season.

Yalumba Museum Reserve Antique Tawny, NV - $17

Ok, so it’s Australian, not Portuguese, but when you get your first taste of this ‘port style’ wine you’ll understand why I had to include it. The nose is of oak with spicy, dried fruit. Sweet cocoa and caramel are followed on the palate by a rich, nutty finish. Along with Californian, Australian producers are creating some of the finest ports available outside of Portugal. Don’t let the price tag fool you, this wine is delicious; an amazing value.

I Consider myself a serious beer drinker and a novice in the world of wine drinking and my budget is definitely smaller than that of a serious wine connoisseur. The bottles I usually buy range between $10-$20, with a $20 Bottle being a bottle I buy for a special occassion. With this said I bought two bottles of the Simi 2003 Cabernet Sauvignon to enjoy over the Thanksgiving Holidays and paid $20 a piece for them.

My wife and I had a Simi wine with her father in Florida a couple of years ago. I honestly don’t know what the type was we had then.  It was a red and she liked it a lot and is always saying, “Get Simi, Get Simi.”  So, when I was doing my alcohol shopping for Thanksgiving this year and I had already gotten my beer selections of Troeg’s Mad Elf Christmas brew and Atlantic Brewing Company’s Coal Porter, I went for my wine and saw Simi and decided to splurge for my lady.  We had the first bottle with my parents and brother on Thanksgiving day.  We enjoyed the wine before our annual turkey dinner while we were snacking on some of my mom’s wonderful mexican dip and chips and hummus. The wine was definitely a hit with my family.  My wife loved it as much as she remembered and it fulfilled her “Get Simi, Get Simi” cravings.  My brother who probably has the most sophisticated tastes out of the group there loved it and mumbled something about berries and tasting wet and I thought hmmm, isn’t it liquid, but that’s beside the point.  I loved it and would describe it as being very smooth with no offensive bitter flavors, which I sometimes hear as being tannins as well as a nice berry taste that stuck with me for the period between sips.  I love wines that are smooth bordering on velvety with no bitterness and offering my tongue some suddle flavors to enjoy.  I definitely found that with this wine and would utter my wife’s words “Get Simi, Get Simi” along with her.  The second bottle was enjoyed two days later at my mother-in-laws house.  My brother-in-law got most of it and thought it was a good wine for the price.

Here are the Iron Bridge November Wine Bargains.  Remember, Frequent Winers (that’s you) get 20% off on a case of 12 bottles (mix or match).  Feel free to stop by and pick out your wines or send us an e-mail and we’ll have it pulled and ready when you arrive.
 
In addition, we’ve started a monthly wine newletter.  You can check it out at www.thevinofile.com. 

Codorniu Brut, Classico N.V., Penedes, Spain $10
So, knowing all of you were going to need some bubbles for the holidays, I took one for the team.  I gathered a bunch of sparkling wine samples, barricaded myself in the house, put on the ‘Lord of the Rings Trilogy’ and tasted through them all.  The Codorniu outperformed everybody.  It’s bright and lively with pretty citrus and pear on the front palate, but it finishes with a creamy note that doesn?t make it austere.
 
Merle Antico Garganega / Pinot Grigio, Veneto, Italy $8
Garganega is the Soave grape.  It has a softer almond and pear quality that blends well with the racy, citrus that Pinot Grigio provides.  Fun, fresh, crisp, salad and seafood white.
 
La Noble Chardonnay, Languedoc, France $10
From the higher elevation vineyards in the Mediterranean influenced south of France.  Relatively unadulterated, it shows red delicious apple tones with a freshness from the lack of oak.
 
Black Oak Chardonnay, California $8
The opposite end of the spectrum, this wine is rich and buttery with baked apple and pineapple notes.  Allegedly fermented in French and American oak.
 
K’esling, Mosel-Saar-Ruwer, Germany $12
If you swing by my house on Thanksgiving (and you’re all invited), we?ll have Riesling on the table. Amazingly versatile, it’s one of the few wines that can cover all of the turkey day dishes.  Wines from the Mosel have a distinct mineral character from the slate in the soil.  This wine also shows pretty honeyed pear, flowers and orange citrus, wrapped in a slight sweetness that is kept clean with a finish of bracing acidity.
 
 
Red Wines:
 
Vina Antigua Sangiovese/Bonarda, Argentina $7
Bright cranberry fruit and earthy spice from the Sangiovese blend with the dark, brooding rustic blue fruits of Bonarda.
 
Colle Sori Montepulciano d?Abruzzo, Abruzzi, Italy $7
Surprisingly soft and supple for Montepulciano, it has pretty forest berry and underbrush notes.  Perfect with pizza and spaghetti.
 
Domaine Loyer Bastie Merlot, Languedoc, France $10
Looking for a merlot that tastes like merlot?  No washed out vegetal, stewy, herbal notes?  This has ripe plummy fruit with a nice dose of spice and grip.
 
Chateau Reynier, Bordeaux, France $12
All of the 2005 Bordeaux wines I?ve tasted have been really delicious.  This wine smells gorgeous with dusty cocoa & blackberry fruit.  The palate is rich with notes of coffee grinds and spicy black fruits.
 
Vivir, Vivir Tempranillo, Ribera del Duero, Spain $10
Really solid Tempranillo for this price range.  Rich and full bodied with cedary black cherry fruit and spicy American oak.
 
Milton Park Shiraz, South Australia $10
A perennial Best Buy in the wine press, this wines had spicy blueberry and jammy raspberry fruit with some grip on the finish.
 
Sol de Chile Syrah $11
Beautifully ripe with dark and brooding flavors of smoky black raspberries and some rustic saddle leather and spice notes.
 
We’re open early at 9:00 a.m. on Saturday and Sunday for convenient wine shopping!  Questions?? or to place an order…. stop by or call 410-997-3456

Robin Lail is a person we affectionately describe as ‘Napa Royalty’. Her great granduncle Gustav Niebaum founded Inglenook Vineyards back in 1879, a winery which was considered by many to be the finest in the country. Her father, John Daniel Jr., worked along side the legendary Robert Mondavi to lay the first building blocks of what is today the Napa Valley appellation. After a five year apprenticeship with Mondavi beginning in 1977, Robin went on to co-found both Dominus and Merryvale. Along with her husband Jon, she sold her Dominus and Merryvale interests, and opened Lail Vineyards in 1995. They make three wines at Lail, and they’re all top notch. 

J. Daniel Cuvee, 2003 - $135

Lail labels the J. Daniel Cuvee, named for John Daniel Jr., their ‘flagship’ wine, and when you taste it, you can see why. The 2003 offering is 100% Cabernet Sauvignon, but sacrifices none of its elegance for the depth and muscle it displays. I know what you’re thinking: ‘Hey! Doesn’t cuvee mean it’s a blend'’ Well, yes it does, though not a blend of different grape varietals. In this case the word cuvee implies a blend of different appellations within Napa; both Howell Mountain and Oakville.
 
Production is small (just 800 cases!), but we at the Iron Bridge grabbed enough to go around. When you try this wine, look for plum and cassis on the nose, along with earth and smoke from long aging in the primarily new French oak barrels. There are smooth tannins on the palate, and while it’s big California Cab, its balance makes this wine remarkably approachable now. So grab a couple bottles and decant one now to drink with a nice, juicy steak, and lay the others down for 5 to 15 years.
 
Blueprint, 2003 - $55

Blueprint is Lail’s proprietary blend of Cabernet and Merlot, and is intended to be a simpler version, or ‘outline’, of the J. Daniel Cuvee. Like its big brother, Blueprint is full and elegant, and the grapes hail from both Howell Mountain and Oakville, but with a little St. Helena, and Yountville mixed in. At Lail, the staff prides themselves on producing wines that compliment a meal, and this wines depth of character makes it a great accompaniment for everything from grilled meats to roast chicken and salmon. 

This wine is full bodied with lots of earthy fig flavors, and plum on both the palate and the nose. Aged for 20 months in 40% new French oak, the wine has a smoky, beef jerky bouquet. Winemaker Philippe Melka produced a little more of this than the J. Daniel Cuvee, but at 1400 cases, it’s not exactly Beringer White Zin. So run, don’t walk, to the Iron Bridge and pick up some of this delicious wine. 

Georgia, 2004 - $100 

Back in 2002, Lail Vineyards expanded their tiny selection, and moved in a completely new direction by bottling their first white wine. The %100 Sauvignon Blanc was released to celebrate the birth of Robin Lail’s granddaughter, Georgia Eileen Dixon. Created in a more Bordeaux-like style than most other fruit forward, California Sauvignon Blancs, this wine displays a citric, floral nose, along with a crisp acidity and refreshing minerality. Look for tropical fruit and vanilla on the palate, with only light oak characteristics, despite being oak aged for a lengthy 21 months.  

Expensive Sauvignon Blanc you say’ Well yeah, but trust me it’s worth it, and at a minuscule 180 cases, you may want to jump on this while it’s still around. Drink this wine only slightly chilled with white fish and meats over the next 5-10 years.