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Just a quick review on a wine you’ve gotta try next time you’re in the mood for something a little sweet. It’s Covey Run Gewurztraminer, and at first I didn’t expect much from this $10 bottle, but when I took that first wiff I knew why it’s been selling like hotcakes. The nose is full of sweet rose pettles and a mild ginny juniper, while the palate is of peach and candied golden raspberries. Drink this wine with all your favorite spicy foods to get that awesome contrast.

You may be asking yourself “Hey, what the heck makes these guys so smart? What do they know about wine?” Well nothing in particular makes me smart, but simple experience has made given me the knowledge needed to tell you what you can and can’t drink. Who the hell am I? Well, I’ll tell you:

The name’s Nate, and I don’t drink wine because I have to; I drink wine because I love it. But also I kind of have to. You see, it’s my job. I work at a sucessful wine bar in a little city called Columbia, Maryland. It’s called The Iron Bridge Wine Company and I help to manage the bar. So basically, I’m surrounded by hundreds of bottles of wine every single day, and I do my damndist to try every last one. It also does’t hurt that I’ve spent the last three years surrounded by people who know a heck of a lot more than me. Eventually some of that stuff wears off on you, even when you’re living in a constant, wine enduced haze. So that’s me. Now get back to drinking some good old fashioned vino!

Cline Cellars “Small Berry” Mourvedre, 2004, Oakley, Costa County, California

Planted in thousands of acres of vineyards by Portuguese and Italian immigrants over 100 years ago, the disease phylloxera has left behind only 600 acres in Oakley, half of which is owned by Cline Cellars. In this tiny area outside San Francisco, on the San Joaquin and Sacramento River, Cline controls some of California’s oldest vines of Zinfandel, Carignane and Mourvedre. This vineyard’s terroir plays an important role in its wine’s final character. The phylloxera resistant, sandy soil of Oakley delivers uniquely elegant personality, and nearby eucalyptus trees contribute an unmistakably minty nose and flavor. It is said that a single unnoticed eucalyptus leaf can impart this almost mentholy dynamic to an entire barrel of vino.Aside from that refreshing mint derived from eucalyptus, the grapes themselves contributed a couple of things to this wine. Small yields contribute to the intensely extracted flavors, most notably of tobacco and chocolaty plum. Tannins and acid are well balanced across the palate, which begins fruity, but finishes dry and earthy. Crack a bottle and drink it over an hour or two with your favorite lamb dish and just watch how it develops from the first glass to the last sip.This wine is in that low $30 range, which is a really tough price tag for some folks to swallow. It’s not cheap enough to drink every day, but it’s not really expensive enough when you’re trying to splurge. Take my word for it and pick this wine up while you can; you’ll thank me for it later. 

I’m not really sure. I guess because it’s fun. Plus I see it as an important public service. There are just too many people out there consuming bad wine and it makes me crazy. So stop by once in a while and see what we’re up to. We’ll keep you informed of everything, from what’s the hot new Cab on the market, to what that local wine geek means when he says his Pinot is “thick and chewy”. Let us know what you think, as long as it’s constructive and complimentary.

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.