Pascual Toso, Magdalena Toso        2002

From California Chardonnay to Argentinean Malbec, Paul Hobbs does it all. He’s a true North American winemaker, but lately he’s found a new passion south of the border. His Argentinean wines range in price from as low as $20 up to a couple hundred.

Hobbs is so versatile, he’s even found time to consult with other wineries, including one of my personal favorites: Argentina’s Pascal Toso. He’s currently working as one of the winemakers for Magdalena Toso; a $100 Mendoza Malbec which exemplifies Hobb’s brilliance with this varietal. The wine is big and bold, yet elegant and well structured. The 24 months of oak aging add vanilla and smoke on the nose. The palate is full of ripe plum and raspberries, with a finish of chocolate and coffee. It’s showing well now, though better after an hour of decanter time. The 5% Cabernet also adds structure and aging ability, so drink this monster over the next 10 years.

This is a great wine for Memorial Day barbequing. Beef, lamb and game meats, especially smoked, work well with big Malbec like this one.

No not the stuffed tiger. I’m talking about Paul Hobbs, one of California’s most brilliant wine makers. If you love California Cabernet and Chardonnay, well look no further than the Hobbs family of wines. A versatile winemaker, Hobbs’ Argentinian projects have yielded some of the countries finest wines. His Malbecs, the old world varietal which has been reborn in South America as a well respected grape for winemaking, are unparalleled for their quality; a fact which is made clear by their record breaking price tags. Over the next month, I’ll continue to brown nose in a series of Paul Hobbs related reviews. Keep your eyes open for them, as you will definitely want to try these wines.

Rijk’s Chardonnay, 2003, Tulbagh, South Africa                 $32
 

The most well known, and yielding possibly the most well respected white wine, Chardonnay is a complex grape which is grown all over the world. From the bright, citric, acidic illustrations of Burgundian Chardonnay, to the deep oak and butter character of classic California Chard, and even in the form of sparkling wine from Champagne, this varietal is universally appreciated. The 2003 vintage for Chardonnay in Tulbagh was exceptional, and it definitely shows in Rijk’s current release.
 

This is a real meat-n-potatoes kind of Chardonnay. Rich and creamy on the palate with plenty of well balanced butter and oak. The fruits are reminiscent of pear and peach with a warm vanilla finish. Not for the faint of heart, this Chard in almost too much for lighter fish dishes. Pair it with broiled poultry and potatoes with fresh herbs and a cream sauce.    

The Appellation d’Origine Controlee system divides the region into four classifications: Petit Chablis, Chablis, Chablis Premier Cru and Chablis Grand Cru.  In the case of William Fevre’s “Fourchaume”, we are talking Premier Cru (1er Cru).   The Premier Crus are situated on a series of hillsides both on the left and right side of the river Serein. The best Premier Crus are located on the right bank facing the southwest (notably, Fourchaume vineyard, located one mile to the north). The soil is a unique combination of clay and chalk called “Kimmeridgian”, named after the period of history and the English town of Kimmeridge.  The earth is supposedly littered with fossils of oysters giving the wines a unique profile of aromas and flavors.
 

 A lovely nose of green fruits, salt and lemon are found in this lovely specimen.  The palate shows lots of concentration and again the classic apple. There are some “grippy” fruits that linger long with the finish and some faint grapefruit flavors that arrive as faintly as they depart.  Overall, an amazing tribute to a classic wine region.

Rijk’s Shiraz, 2002, Tulbagh, South Africa

Shiraz, a grape which has enjoyed greatly increased popularity in recent years, is, in actuality, simply a new name for an old French varietal: Syrah. The Australians and South Africans adopted this name to pay homage to the ancient Iranian city of Shiraz, the place where winemaking is rumored to have begun.

Rijk’s offering is a rich, savory experience; hearty and full as I believe Shiraz should be. First impressions on the nose are black currant and pepper, which are joined by licorice and other dark fruits on the palate. Well structured tannins linger on the palate, along with toasty oak. This wine will be great for the next 10 years. Enjoy it with heartier meets like beef, venison and lamb.

A few months ago I wrote a post about Rijk’s Pinotage. I hailed Rijk’s as possibly the most capable of all the South African producers. I stand by this claim, and intend to support it with some upcoming posts that will review their Shiraz and Chardonnay. If you can get your hands on these wines make sure and scoop a few up. I’ll be following up with some very favorable reviews over the next few weeks. Cheers for now!

Okay here’s a quick one for you.  I rarely drink a South African Chenin Blanc. My good friend insited on the quality here so we gave it a shot.  I was pleasantly surprised, not amazed, but none the less surprised.  Stellenbosch is a huge wine making area of South Africa located roughly 30 miles East of Cape Town.  Chenin makes up about 30 percent of all the vines in South Africa and is known in the area as “Steen”.  This particular Steen has a nice round fruit flavor of honeydew, with notes of grassy minerality.  The Forrester website would state the wine presents a “refreshingly long finish”.  Here I would strongly disagree!  The wine is refreshing; the finish is however, anything but long.  Regardless, we got a great deal for this bottle at only $11.  Find it at this price and it’s worth a case!

Puligny-Montrachet is in the near the southernmost regions of Burgundy.  Its cool climate and temperate breezes make for awesome Chardonnay production.  In this region, coopers are known to employ unique barrel-making techniques.  A cooper would normally bend the casks of a barrel, clamp them in place, and patiently wait for the appropriate bow.   Not in Puligny-Montrachet!  Here the casks are steamed to create the curve.  This steaming creates an oatmeal flavor in the wines of this region (95% of which are Chardonnay).  Besides the interesting cooperage, what makes Puligny-Montrachet so special? More than anything else it is the balance and harmony. The result is a finesse and breed that sets Puligny-Montrachet apart. In addition, Pulignys are noted for having a steely, vibrant core in the very center of their flavors.  

Chateau Genot-Boulanger produces an amazing bottle with the 2003 “Les Folatieres”.  A nose like your standing in an apple and peach grove.  A whirlwind of flavor grabs you with every fatty imbibe.  Nuts, fresh flowers and honey fight to capture you every taste bud.

Burgundy produces a huge selection of wines within its boarders.  Each town represents a sub-viniculture area where wine may be produced.  Most people think Burgundian wine to be only Pinot Noir; however much of the wine produced here is Chardonnay.  Named after the town found in Burgundy, chardonnay began its days in this beautiful landscape.  More specifically, most of the southern vineyards produce almost nothing but Chardonnay.  These wines are often aged in a combination of both barrel and stainless, and go through little to no malolactic fermentation.  The result is a dry, crisp wine with no heavy butter, and a classic minerality.  In my next three posts I will review three of my favorite Burgundian whites.

There’s an epidemic in this country. Beringer alone is making over eight million cases of White Zinfandel a year, and Americans are actually drinking this stuff. I mean people in Europe are eating chocolate covered bugs, but they won’t touch this completely unsophisticated, quintessential American interpretation of “wine”. The truth is there are a lot of options out there for all you White Zin drinkers that won’t have all of us wine geeks snickering at you from the next table. You want it fruity? No problem. You want it sweet? No problem. You even want it pink? We got that, too. So if you’re tired of looking the fool when you’re drinking wine with friends, or if you just can’t find anything to drink when you’re hanging at The Bridge, (that’s  my wine bar) well give these wines a whirl; you’ll thank me for it.

Reichsgraf von Kesselstatt, RK Riesling, 2005, Mosel-Saar-Ruwer, Germany      $18

White Zin is frequently described as being off-dry, or semi-sweet. If this is why you like it – because it reminds you more of grape juice than of wine – well than you should definitely spend some time exploring the world of Riesling. There are both dry and sweet examples, but if you’re a big White Zin fan, I’d recommend something like the RK Riesling from Reichsgraf von Kesselstatt, with subtle sugar and balanced acidity. German winemakers have been producing Riesling for centuries, and von Kesselstatt recently celebrated their 650^th anniversary, so I think it’s safe to say these guys have the experience to produce some pretty awesome stuff.

I prefer Riesling to White Zinfandel because of its superior complexity and brilliance. The sugar brings balance and substance to the wine, instead of disguising the wines true nature as in White Zin. The RK Riesling is fruit forward and citric, as Riesling should be, with delightful minerality throughout. Sweet but not sugary, and acidic but definitely not sour, this wine is nothing if not well-balanced. Pair with all your favorite spicy dishes and Asian cuisine.

Piazzo Comm. Armando, Moscato d’Asti, 2005, Piedmont, Italy      $15

So, Riesling isn’t fun enough for you? Maybe you’re a little attached to the excitement of drinking pink? Well when you want fun you can’t beat bubbles. Moscato d’Asti, from the southeastern corner of the Piedmont region in Italy, is an effervescent sparkler called frizante; which means it has about half the bubbles of a traditional sparkling wine. The mild sweetness is balanced by lively acidity and accented by a beautiful, fragrant nose.

This example of Moscato d’Asti displays a bright floral nose of honeysuckle and aromatic herbs. Sweet peaches and honey, coupled with the refreshing tingle of tiny bubbles and a clean finish, make for an exciting taste adventure. Drink this wine soon and often with all your fruity desserts, or even as an aperitif.  

Dominio del Plata, Crios de Susana Balbo, Rosé of Malbec, 2006, Mendoza, Argentina      $15  

Alright, if it absolutely has to be pink lets look into wines that actually say “rosé” on the label. Enter Susana Balbo: one of Argentina’s premier winemakers, and a woman working in a male dominated Argentinean industry. Producing a wider variety of wines than any other Argentinean producer, and being the first winemaker from Argentina to work as a consultant outside of her country has given Susana an unparalleled level of experience in South American winemaking.

Susana Balbo’s “Crios” line of wine is her second label. Meaning “offspring”, the Crios wines are inspired by her two children and meant to be consumed while they are still young and vibrant; two words which describe her 2006 Rosé of Malbec perfectly. The nose contains tons of strawberry fruit which is joined by cherries and licorice spice on the palate. The subtle sweetness is surprising from such a deep, brooding rosé; perfect for any White Zin enthusiast. Pair this wine with all sorts of food, especially when you have trouble deciding between red and white.     

California Chardonnay, like other wines from the same state, commonly contains similar threads from bottle to bottle.  Two of my favorites are butter and oak.  The flavor of strong oak is imparted by using younger oak barrels.  The second is butter, imparted by malolactic or secondary fermentation.  This is a process of a change in wine where tart malic acid is converted to softer-tasting lactic acid.  This is a bacterial fermentation similar to the making of yogurt or sour cream.  A wine undergoing malolactic conversion will be cloudy due to the presence of bacteria, and may have an uncanny smell of buttered popcorn.

Mount Eden “Wolff Vineyard” Chardonnay, Edna Valley, California, 2004

In 1976 Edna Valley wine pioneer Andy Macgregor began the production of what is now known as Mount Eden’s Wolff Vineyard Chardonnay.   This vineyard is one of the oldest in the entire Central Coast of California.  Rich butter form a heavy malolactic fermentation adds to a great full mouth feel.  Round and luscious tropical fruits dominate this wine on the front. With a very complicated palate, it is a shining example of one of the yummiest chardonnays grown in California’s Central Coast area.

Marimar Estate “Dobles Lias” Chardonnay, Russian River Valley, Sonoma, California, 2003

This is what I call a BIG chardonnay.  At first glance I noticed the very dark hue, and extreme viscous nature of the wine.  This viscosity comes from an extremely high lees to wine ratio, by which the wine is aged 21 months sur lie.  Lees are essentially the left over yeasts in the bottom of a barrel after fermentation.  The winemaker actually adds extra lees from other barrels and then stirs them in to incorporate the extra yeast.  This stirring is a Burgundian technique called “Batonage”.  The final product is a wine with double lees, or “Dobles Lias”.  This extended lees aging creates notes of toasty biscuits.  We have some very interesting layers of nutty flavor, and a touch of spice. The butter creates a powerhouse of texture, not to be overdone by the strong new oak heavily imparted on this wine.  Amazingly well balanced, with a crisp finish and lingering aftertaste.

Dutton Goldfield “Dutton Ranch” Chardonnay, Russian River Valley, Sonoma, California, 2004

The Dutton Ranch Chardonnay is produced from grapes grown in the coolest climates of the Russian River Valley.  Foggy mornings, warm afternoons, and a cooling evening breeze from the Pacific Ocean make this the ideal climate for Chardonnay grapes.  Made with 100% barrel and malolactic fermentation, the batonage occurs twice monthly, and the wine is aged for 10 months in French barrels (50% new oak).  While both American and French oak contribute tannin and aroma, French oak contains more tannins and flavor components and has a less obviously “oaky” flavor and smell than American oak. The wine displays a core of citrus overlaid by pear and peach, and the nose displays spice and seedy overtones. The wine is particularly lush, with some cool notes of tangerine and lime.

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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.