el Catavinos (the Winetaster)

New Blog!

2011-09-18T22:40:00.001-06:00

I have a new blog Video Game Pre Orders, this blog intends to list deals for pre order on video games available on the internet. All you have to do is look in one place to see what different vendors are offering to get the special bonuses you want.

Wine, MMMM

2008-02-26T15:56:00.000-07:00

What can I say about wine? It's delicious and healthy. Why don't I write about it? Not because I don't love it, but because circumstances don't allow me to taste enough to review it, and I just don't drink any regularly because of other life circumstances. I would love to get back into weekly tastings, but we live on the other side of town from them, so the drive once one has had some drink can be long. I enjoy wine, and I hope to make it a part of my life again in the future, until then, enjoy what you can from the reviews already in place, and drink some good wine.

Winetasting

2007-09-19T23:13:00.000-06:00

On the topic of winetasting, which I haven't taken the time to do lately, I will be phasing in a new scoring system for my tastings. We just went to a fantastic tasting at the Colorado Mountain Winefest, where I estimate I tasted at least forty wines. Having been introduced to a new system of scoring the day before, I do say that it would have been near impossible to use the new scoring in such a setting, where judging a wine takes place in a manner of seconds and not over a longer period of time. The new scoring system is a true 20 point system, while I consider Wine Spectator's system to be 20 points as well since they consider anything under 80 to be vomitous filth, this one is going to be 0 to 20, not 80 to 100. That said, I believe the system to be the UC Davis scoring method, it judges the wine on 5 different areas. The first is 0-3 points for appearance. The second is 0-6 points for aroma and bouquet, with the third category being 0-6 points for taste and texture. I really like this because it weighs the most important parts more heavily than the somewhat less important. The final categories are 0-3 points for aftertaste and 0-2 points for overall impression. This finally gives me a scorable system to use based on my own sensory observations, not just the whim of the moment as can be sometimes done when one doesn't have a defined sytem to follow. Drink up and I shall do the same and bring you better wine reviews than ever!!

Colorado Mountain Winefest

2007-09-03T19:50:00.000-06:00

The Colorado Mountain Winefest comes to Palisade and Grand Junction next weekend, it's the biggest wine event for all you Colorado Wine fans, be there and have a great time!

It's Summer! Let's Drink!

2007-06-12T09:32:00.000-06:00

Well, I haven't done much wine tasting or drinking lately, so that's why very limited postings, work has been crazy busy, and so that's it. Some wines to try would be the Australian brands in a box, they have some wonderful Shiraz in a box and the price is a lot better than by the bottle, and you don't have to worry about oxidation, so you can store the wine and drink a glass or two a day and enjoy it. It's summer and time to taste wine, so drink up, have fun, and be safe!

Denver International Winefest 2006

2006-11-02T09:31:00.000-07:00

Wine connoisseurs can swirl, smell and taste more than 360 imported and domestic wines from more than 17 countries at the 2006 Denver International Wine Festival, Nov. 2 & 4, 2006 at the Mile High Station.

Another great opportunity to taste a ton of great wine, and go on VIP Tour of front range wineries

Lulu B. Pinot Noir 2004 (France)

2006-10-27T06:57:00.000-06:00

Purchased for $8.99 at the Cork & Cap liquor store in Ft. Lupton, Colorado, enjoyed at Bob's apartment in a solo drinking of the whole bottle.

This is one of the new French wines marketed in the new world wine style, with the Pinot Noir directly on the label. From the Lulu B. Wine website comes this quote

I am the daughter of famed French winemaker Louis Bernard, so I was lucky to grow up with a rich heritage of winemaking traditions. After studying in France, I toured the world's wine regions, seeing new vineyards, meeting new winemakers and learning new world winemaking practices.

Having satisfied my need to discover, learn and explore, I returned home to my family's estate and let my renewed motivation take over.

My Syrah, Chardonnay and Pinot Noir wines are a warm and sunny expression of my Southern French terroir with the best of the New World which makes them delightful, delicious and captivating.

On to the tasting! This wine has black cherry on the nose with black cherry and grape flavors on the palate. This wine is deep with some tannin and light earthiness, not overly complex. The finish is dry and tapers off nicely. Good Pinot, good value, I give it a B! I definitely want to try their other varieties.

Biaggi's

2006-10-08T14:07:00.000-06:00

Thursday night we went out with people from Katie's work at a nice italian restaurant Biaggi's Ristorante Italiano. Wonderful place to eat, has great atmosphere, perfect lighting, wonderful walnut trim, just a great place to enjoy a good evening out with friends. I enjoyed the Chilean Sea Bass while my wife had the N.Y. Strip steak. The Bass was a wonderful choice, the steak needed A-1. I especially enjoyed the vegetables they substituted for the seared spinach, seared green beans and red peppers. The garlic mashed potatoes were wonderful too. I wouldn't recommened the steak, they didn't get the veggies or potatoes right, and the steak wasn't juicy. Biaggi's does have good Calamari Fritti (breaded fried squid), didn't even need the sauce it came with. They also have a wonderful bread to get you started while waiting for your meal, the bread is dipped in olive oil with a mix of parmesan cheeses, salt, and pepper. So, of course you want to hear about the wine. I had a glass of Vermentino, Argiolas “Costamolino”, from Italy. From the menu description "Ripe and exotic fruit with salty sea breeze-like notes. A Sardinian classic." Went very well with the Chilean Sea Bass, good white wine, I recommend it with seafood dishes or it would go well with a nice chicken or light pasta meal. Yum, Yum!

Colorado Wine Country USA

2006-10-01T21:23:00.000-06:00

I'm starting a new wine blog dedicated exclusively to Colorado wines, I'm going to call it Colorado Wine Country USA. el Catavinos will continue it's dedication to wine in general and I will be moving all Colorado postings to the new blog, enjoy!

Hardy's Stamp of Australia South Eastern Australia Shiraz: Vintage 2004

2006-09-28T12:39:00.000-06:00

Purchase this wine at Total Beverage in the 3.0 L ~~box~~ cask size for $14.98.

This is a wonderful wine! I think it needs about 5 to 10 minutes of air in the glass before you taste it, otherwise it can be a little harsh. It has a nice purple red coloring with spices and deep berries on the nose. Wonderful fruit flavors with some deep berries and just a hint of pepper, has a heavy mouthfeel. The finish is long, clean, and smooth, wonderful finisher! This wine get slightly sweeter the more air it gets, so it has a different flavor throughout your tasting. Definitely a great wine, a great buy if you want to drink wine everyday with your meals and for great health! I give it a B+! Check out the Hardy's Website.

Portuguese Douro Wine Region Celebrates 250 Years

2006-09-24T19:20:00.000-06:00

The Portuguese Douro Wine Region is celebrating it's 250th year as the world's first demarcated wine region. The region is mostly known for Port, but also has many grapes not grown in other regions, such as tinta roriz. Read more about it here. If you're not a fan of Portuguese wine, try some tawny port for dessert and get a couple bottles of some other reds from Portugal, I'm sure you'll be pleased.

Wine and the World Cup

2006-07-09T00:00:00.000-06:00

With the 2006 World Cup coming to a close it is interesting to note that the final four teams are some of Europes best wine producing countries. In fact the final features two of the best producers, Italy and France. Check out this story on World Cup Wines.

Grape Thoughts

2006-04-06T12:35:00.000-06:00

"Claret is the liquor for boys, Port for me, but he who aspires to be a hero must drink brandy."

Samuel Johnson

Ferrari-Carano 2004 Fume Blanc

2006-02-07T12:39:00.000-07:00

Price - $14.99 Size - 750 mL Tasted with my wife and two friends, Adam & Lori on Saturday, February 4, 2006.

This wine has a light golden color with quick legs and scents of grass and lemon on the nose, with a hint of oak. Has wonderful flavors of lemon and grass in a pleasantly smooth body. Has a most pleasing hint of oak. Nice long, clean and smooth finish at the end. Paired well with Parmesan and Gouda cheese and Napoleon Dynamite. Grade: B+

Anderson Valley Pinot Noir Discovery Tasting

2006-02-03T07:05:00.000-07:00

Anderson Valley Pinot Noir Discovery Tasting at Appelation America is an interesting article, let's get more American terroir and wine excitement!

Wine Tasting

2006-01-12T06:56:00.000-07:00

Since this website is primarily focused on winetasting I thought I would pass on a website with just that in mind, Local Wine Events, it's an events calendar for wine lovers, enjoy!

Wine is Fun!

2006-01-09T12:03:00.000-07:00

"Wine is, above all, pleasure. Those who would make it ponderous make it dull. People talk about the mystery of wine, yet most don't want anything to do with mystery. They want it all there in one sniff, one taste. If you keep an open mind and take each wine on its own terms, there is a world of magic to discover."

Kermit Lynch
Adventures on the Wine Route

A Very Good Year: A Wine Book You Should Read

2005-12-04T10:14:00.000-07:00

A Very Good Year: The Journey of a California Wine from Vine to Table. This book turned out to be a very insightful look into the culture of one winery, Ferrari-Carano Winery. The premise of this book is to follow the grape harvesting through winemaking and release of a single bottle of wine from California. Specifically the 2002 Fume Blanc from the Ferrari-Carano Winery.

I learned quite a bit about winemaking and grapegrowing, not all of the scientific specifics, but enough to help me understand and know more than I did before reading this book. Even has some insight into the business side of running a winery. The marketing guys have a tough time, I wouldn't want to be one of those guys, but I know a little bit about the kind of guy I would need in order to run a successful winery. I recommend this book to anyone who wants to find out more about running a winery, a great behind the scenes guide.

Why I'm Thankful

2005-11-24T06:45:00.000-07:00

To see what I'm thankful for this Thanksgiving visit my other blog here.

Two Things

2005-09-25T13:32:00.000-06:00

I just finished reading "A Very Good Year" by Mike Weiss, very good book, highly recommended if you want to know about making wine. And just last week we shared a bottle of Barolo from Italy with some friends, this was a fantastic $45 bottle of wine. I will review both in the near future. Later.

Nothing New

2005-09-13T12:35:00.000-06:00

I hate these kind of posts, but sometimes they are necessary. I am very busy working on a new business and really don't have time to write any new reviews, and haven't found someone to write in my place, you won't be seeing anything new for a while, sorry. When things get going I will probably start posting new again. Thanks.

We've Had a Breakthrough

2005-08-07T08:11:00.000-06:00

The Health Benefits of Wine Tasting is one of the events that helped launch this website. In fact I have a little summary on the back of my business card, the top 10 reasons to drink red wine everyday. This coming saturday August 13 part 2 of the Health Benefits of Wine Tasting is going to be held at Powers Liquor Mart.

In relation to this, one of our very regular attendees related her health breakthrough to me this past saturday. She has started drinking red wine regularly in the past couple months. That's the only thing that changed between getting blood tests done. I don't know the exact numbers, but her bad cholesterol went down, good cholesterol went up and her lipids improved. Like I mentioned all she did differently was drink a glass of red wine on a regular basis between her two tests. Congratulations to our esteemed friend who has started attending at the 2:30 tasting, and has always added very thoughtful comments about what we are tasting!

With that success in mind here's 10 Reasons to drink red wine everyday (1-3 glasses at most)

It's fun and it lowers stress!
It's filled with cancer-preventing anti-oxidants.
It thins the blood-preventing stroke and heart attack.
Increases vital mineral intake.
Moderate intake (1-2 glasses daily) lowers blood pressure.
Moderate intake improves cardiovascular health.
Inhibits the growth of ulcer causing bacterium.
Moderate wine drinkers get sick less often and for a shorter time.
Can improve bone density-holding off osteoporosis.
Raises levels of HDL (good) cholesterol while lowering LDL (bad) cholesterol-inhibiting blood clotting.

Bully Hill Riesling 2003 (New York)

2005-07-31T13:19:00.000-06:00

Price - $9.99 Size - 750 mL - New World Wine Tasting held on Monday July 25, 2005 at the Powers Liquor Mart in Colorado Springs with Will Gillum.

If you are familiar with the state of New York this comes from the Finger Lakes region. Has a light golden color with medium quick legs. Has a sweet nose with hints of honeysuckle. When this hits your tongue it has quite a zing right away. It is very sweet but also has a nice crispness to it. Has a nice sweet finish. Not what you would expect from a riesling because it has Johnson grapes (normally used in jelly) that are like white concord. My wife thought it tasted somewhat like mead, but not in a dessert wine way. For more information visit Bully Hill Vineyards website. Grade: B+

Trevor Jones Cabernet/Merlot 1996 (Australia)

2005-07-31T13:18:00.000-06:00

Price - $24.49 Size - 750 mL - New World Wine Tasting held on Monday July 25, 2005 at the Powers Liquor Mart in Colorado Springs with Will Gillum.

Deep burgundy coloring with medium heavy legs. Has a brown sugar and plum nose. Fruit forward flavors add a somewhat velvety body that is smooth, complex, and deep. Has a medium long finish. According to Will this wine is very typical of Napa Valley blends. I believe Will also said that he thinks this wine has already peaked and is starting to lose some of its fruit. So if you have some or get some, it might be time to drink it pretty soon. Grade: B+

Swanson Merlot 2000 (California)

2005-07-31T13:17:00.000-06:00

Price - $23.49 Size - 750 mL - New World Wine Tasting held on Monday July 25, 2005 at the Powers Liquor Mart in Colorado Springs with Will Gillum.

Medium quick legs with a deep burgundy color. Strawberry and dark cherry on the nose. Somewhat smooth wine with a little too much tannin for me. The medium length finish gets a little bitter at the end. For more information visit Swanson Vineyards website. Grade: B

Incognito Red 2001 (California)

2005-07-31T13:15:00.000-06:00

Price - $16.49 Size - 750 mL - New World Wine Tasting held on Monday July 25, 2005 at the Powers Liquor Mart in Colorado Springs with Will Gillum.

This is a Rhone style wine from California. Has heavy legs with a deep purple color. Deep cherry fruit nose with a hint of leather. The first thing I would say about this wine is that it is "chewy." This wine has deep flavors with hints of deep fruit, leather, tobacco and light spiciness. Would be good to enjoy with a cigar. Has a medium long finish. For more information visit Michael-David Vineyards website. Grade: A

Two Brothers Big Tattoo Red 2003 (Chile)

2005-07-31T13:07:00.000-06:00

Price - $9.49 Size - 750 mL - New World Wine Tasting held on Monday July 25, 2005 at the Powers Liquor Mart in Colorado Springs with Will Gillum.

This is a blend of 50% Syrah and 50% Cabernet Sauvignon. Has a deep purple color with quick running legs. Has a fruity nose with big hints of raspberry. This is a deep and complex wine with good fruit, spice and some hints of pepper. Some tannic hints in this one as well. Has a medium long clean finish. For more information visit Big Tattoo Wines website. Grade: B+

Reynolds Chardonnay 2001 (Australia)

2005-07-31T13:06:00.000-06:00

Price - $10.49 Size - 750 m L- New World Wine Tasting held on Monday July 25, 2005 at the Powers Liquor Mart in Colorado Springs with Will Gillum.

Golden amber color with quick running legs. Has a tropical fruit nose. Grapefruit and pineapple flavors with a hint of lightly flavored wood highlight this chardonnay from down under. Has a medium length finish. For more information visit Reynolds Vineyards website. Grade: B

Veramonte Chardonnay 2001 (Chile)

2005-07-31T12:58:00.000-06:00

Price - $7.49 Size - 750 mL - New World Wine Tasting held on Monday July 25, 2005 at the Powers Liquor Mart in Colorado Springs with Will Gillum.

Golden amber color with medium quick legs. Has a melon oaky nose. Lots of American oak on this one with some tropical fruit. Has a medium length oaky finish. For more information visit Veramonte Winery website. Buy Veramonte 2003 Chardonnay . Grade: C+

Kim Crawford Sauvignon Blanc 2003 (New Zealand)

2005-07-31T12:50:00.000-06:00

Price - $13.49 Size - 750 mL - New World Wine Tasting held on Monday July 25, 2005 at the Powers Liquor Mart in Colorado Springs with Will Gillum.

Light golden color with medium quick legs. It has a nice clean citrus nose. Nice flavors of citrus and melon mix to form an even flavored fuller bodied wine (for a sauvignon blanc). Has a smooth, clean, and long finish. For more information visit Kim Crawford Wines website. Buy Kim Crawford 2004 Marlborough Sauvignon Blanc . Grade: B+

Geyser Peak Sauvignon Blanc 2002 (California)

2005-07-31T12:44:00.000-06:00

Price - $9.49 Size - 750 mL - New World Wine Tasting held on Monday July 25, 2005 at the Powers Liquor Mart in Colorado Springs with Will Gillum.

Fermented in stainless steel. Lightly bubbly with quick legs. Light gold color with a pleasant citrus nose. Grapefruit and citrus flavors mix well in this light-bodied wine. Has a snappy dryness with a medium length clean finish. For more information visit Geyser Peak Winery website. Buy Geyser Peak 2004 Sauvignon Blanc. Grade: B+

Oregon Wines

2005-07-23T17:25:00.000-06:00

Nathan of Wine Merchants of Colorado thrilled us today with an Oregon wine tasting. As always Oregon proved to be the most consistent in producing high quality red wines. It was well worth it. Stay tuned for reviews for Oregon and Raymond wines.

Raymond Winery

2005-07-18T08:05:00.000-06:00

We had a good tasting this past Saturday of the Raymond Winery. I enjoyed the tastng and their offerings and will review them here shortly. I need to catch up on reviews in general, I am a few behind where I should be. This coming Saturday is going to be Oregon wine, Monday will be New World wines, and the following Saturday is going to be sparkling wines. So a lot to look forward to.

A Very Good Year: A Review In Progress

2005-06-25T21:26:00.000-06:00

A Very Good Year: The Journey of a California Wine from Vine to Table. Just last week I was sent A Very Good Year to read and review and promote. Well I have read the first thirty pages and I like what I have read so far. The premise of this book is to follow the grape harvesting through winemaking and release of a single bottle of wine from California. Specifically the 2002 Fume Blanc from the Ferrari-Carano Winery. So far a few of the key players have been introduced and everything promises to be exciting. This should complement our research for our wine documentary. Pick up a copy today, as soon as I'm done I'll give a more in-depth review, but for now it looks to be very promising.

Tastings and Notes

2005-06-24T00:16:00.000-06:00

Apparently I missed two tastings this past week, but my wife managed to get some notes for me. I honestly haven't even had time yet this week to look at them. I will get to them soon. As to the calendar idea, I still want to make an events calendar, but it's going to take more time to get it going, so it won't happen very soon. Til later, drink up!

Wine Across the Country

2005-06-21T10:09:00.000-06:00

I just spent the last week in Atlanta at the Convention for my new business. A couple of us couldn't afford to fly so we drove the 23 hours straight. I noticed that there is wine and vineyards in a wide variety of states. I think Kansas may have had a winery or two near the highway at the eastern end. Missouri had free tastings at one winery right off the highway. Their vineyards were also next to the road, so that was neat. For more information visit Missouri Wines.com.

After travelling through Illinois, Kentucky, and Tennessee when we arrived in Georgia there was instantly a billboard for a winery. This one is The Georgia Winery. All of the wineries and tasting rooms were intriguing, but there was no time to stop.

On the way home we decided to take the southern route through Mississippi, Louisiana, Texas and Oklahoma. I didn't see any wine signs that I remember in Mississippi or Louisiana, but that doesn't mean there aren't any active wineries in those states. In Texas I did see one or two wineries, but I think we weren't driving through the right place to see a lot more Texas wine.

Wouldn't it be fun to take a road trip where you visit wineries across the country? I think it would be a blast. I had fun just imagining what those places had to offer. Someday I will stop at them and enjoy a glass or two, or three.

Go Drink Wine, Have Fun, and Be Happy!

2005-06-13T22:43:00.000-06:00

I will be gone this week and most likely won't have internet access, so I will leave you with a list of upcoming wine event. Thursday at Powers Liquor Mart they are having a French wine tasting at 6:00pm and 7:30pm. The wine expert is new to tastings at Powers, so this event promises to be good. Then on Saturday again at Powers Liquor Mart Small Vineyards is doing an Italian wine tasting. They always do a fantastic job, so go! That tasting is at 1:00pm and 1:30pm. Both of the Powers Liquor Mart tastings are free, so go have fun!

This coming weekend Lafayette is having a wine festival, Friday, Saturday, and Sunday, starting with either a wine tasting party at 6:00pm or the wine dinner at 6:30. There is a cost to each event, so visit their website and plan accordingly. I would estimate being able to taste 15 to 20 wines an hour. There is a Gaelic Highlands festival in Canon City Friday through Sunday where you will be able to taste Holy Cross Abbeys wines and discover Celtic culture. This event also costs money, so plan what you most want to do.

Muga Prado Enea Gran Riserva 1995 (Spain)

2005-06-12T21:23:00.000-06:00

Price - $35.99 Size - 750 mL- Spanish Wine Tasting held on Saturday June 4, 2005 at the Powers Liquor Mart in Colorado Springs with Mike "Professor" Klaus.

Gran Reserva means this one sees 7 years aging before release. In this case 5 years are on oak and 2 in the bottle. This has a deep red color with a slight brown tinge. Has heavy legs with a cherry earthy nose. Deep flavors mix with cherries to create a smooth velvety wine. Despite all the depth and flavor this wine is not overpowering. Has a long clean finish. For more information visit Muga Wines website. Buy Muga 1995 Gran Reserva Prado Enea . Grade: A+

Muga Reserva 1999 (Spain)

2005-06-12T21:22:00.000-06:00

Price - $18.49 Size - 750 mL- Spanish Wine Tasting held on Saturday June 4, 2005 at the Powers Liquor Mart in Colorado Springs with Mike "Professor" Klaus.

The Reserva tag means this wine sees a minimum of 3 years aging before being released. This wine is a deeper red with heavy legs. Has an almost mossy nose. This wine is very smooth, slightly velvety and has nice hints of dark cherries. It's dry but not overpowering with a long good finish. For more information visit Muga Wines website. Grade: B+

Borsao Crianza Seleccion 2000 (Spain)

2005-06-12T21:21:00.000-06:00

Price - $10.49 Size - 750 mL- Spanish Wine Tasting held on Saturday June 4, 2005 at the Powers Liquor Mart in Colorado Springs with Mike "Professor" Klaus.

The Crianza term on the label means this sees a minimum of 2 years aging before release. In this particular case it sees 10 months in French and American oak and 14 months aging in the bottle. Has heavy legs with a dark red color. Earth with a hint of light fruit on the nose. When you drink this it's BAM! It just hits you with a wall of flavor. This wine is dry, spicy, peppery and has good acidity. Has a long, smooth, and deep finish. Yum! Excellent quality for this price point. Grade: A

Telmo Rodriguez Dehesa Gago Tempranillo 2002 (Spain)

2005-06-12T21:20:00.000-06:00

Price - $11.49 Size - 750 mL- Spanish Wine Tasting held on Saturday June 4, 2005 at the Powers Liquor Mart in Colorado Springs with Mike "Professor" Klaus.

This is actually made with a tempranillo clone called tinta de toro, it is a smaller grape with a thicker skin, should be more concentrated and tannic than regular tempranillo. This wine has a dark red coloring with slow legs. It has an earthy nose. Earthy flavors combine with raisin and some nice spiciness on the finish. This tannic wine has a medium length finish. Grade: C+

Borsao Vina Borgia Grenache 2002 (Spain)

2005-06-12T21:17:00.000-06:00

Price - $6.49 Size - 750 mL- Spanish Wine Tasting held on Saturday June 4, 2005 at the Powers Liquor Mart in Colorado Springs with Mike "Professor" Klaus.

Has a lighter red color with medium legs. Sugary and alcoholic nose. The first thing that came to mind was dates, yeah the fruit. Besides that it is dry, sedimented, and earthy. This wine has a long finish. Good value and quality combination. Grade: B

Muga Rosado 2003 (Spain)

2005-06-12T21:16:00.000-06:00

Price - $10.49 Size - 750 mL- Spanish Wine Tasting held on Saturday June 4, 2005 at the Powers Liquor Mart in Colorado Springs with Mike "Professor" Klaus.

This Rose is a blend of 60% Grenache, 30% Tempranillo, and 10% Viera. This has a pinkish orange color with heavy legs. Light strawberry hints on the nose. Light strawberry mixes well with fruit flavors. This dry wine has a medium-long finish that gets a touch sour at the end. For more information visit Muga Wines website. Grade: B

Nora Albarino 2002 (Spain)

2005-06-12T21:12:00.000-06:00

Price - $14.49 Size - 750 mL- Spanish Wine Tasting held on Saturday June 4, 2005 at the Powers Liquor Mart in Colorado Springs with Mike "Professor" Klaus.

The albarino grape is related to riesling, but there is some debate as to where each was planted first. Has light bubbles and is a light gold color with medium legs. Very light nose with the slightest hint of minerals. Has light flavors with some flint flavors. Gets a little sour in the middle. It has a short clean finish which is the highlight of this wine. This wine is normally paired with the catch of the day. Grade: C+

Naia Verdejo 2002 (Spain)

2005-06-12T21:07:00.000-06:00

Price - $11.49 Size - 750 mL- Spanish Wine Tasting held on Saturday June 4, 2005 at the Powers Liquor Mart in Colorado Springs with Mike "Professor" Klaus.

Light golden color with some light effervescence. Acidic and somewhat citrusy nose. Flavors of lime, mineral and light fruit combine in a pleasant crispy wine. Has a medium to long finish. Grade: B

La Morandina Moscato D'Asti 2003 (Italy)

2005-06-02T22:33:00.000-06:00

Price - $15.99 Size - 750 mL- Wines of the World Wine Tasting with Synergy Fine Wines held on Saturday March 26, 2005 at the Powers Liquor Mart in Colorado Springs.

This wine is effervescent and has a light gold color. It has a sweet fruity nose. It is sweet, fruity and refreshing. Grade: B

Montage Cabernet Sauvignon 2002 (California)

2005-06-02T22:32:00.000-06:00

Price - $8.99 Size - 750 mL- Wines of the World Wine Tasting with Synergy Fine Wines held on Saturday March 26, 2005 at the Powers Liquor Mart in Colorado Springs.

This wine is dark red with hints of honey and brown sugar on the nose. It has a good depth of flavors and is a little dry. The finish is long and somewhat spicy. Grade: B

Joel Gott Zinfandel 2003 (California)

2005-06-02T22:26:00.000-06:00

Price - $13.49 Size - 750 mL- Wines of the World Wine Tasting with Synergy Fine Wines held on Saturday March 26, 2005 at the Powers Liquor Mart in Colorado Springs.

This wine has nice fruit flavors and is easy to drink with a long finish. Grade: B+

Big Moose Red 2002 (California)

2005-06-02T22:23:00.000-06:00

Price - $9.49 Size - 750 mL- Wines of the World Wine Tasting with Synergy Fine Wines held on Saturday March 26, 2005 at the Powers Liquor Mart in Colorado Springs.

This is a blend of 85% Grenache with Syrah and Carignan taking up the rest of the mix. Has a fruity nose. There are fruit flavors but it is not especially deep. It is smooth without very much dryness and drops off quickly. Grade: C+

Vega Sindoa Tempranillo/Merlot 2003 (Spain)

2005-06-02T22:21:00.000-06:00

Price - $7.49 Size - 750 mL- Wines of the World Wine Tasting with Synergy Fine Wines held on Saturday March 26, 2005 at the Powers Liquor Mart in Colorado Springs.

This wine is a blend of 70% Tempranillo and 30% Merlot. This wine is deep red with hints of raisin and plum on the nose. It has flavors of plums, but not much flavor overall. Has a short finish. Grade: C+

Basa Blanco 2002 (Spain)

2005-06-02T22:08:00.000-06:00

Price - $9.99 Size - 750 mL- Wines of the World Wine Tasting with Synergy Fine Wines held on Saturday March 26, 2005 at the Powers Liquor Mart in Colorado Springs.

This is a blend of Sauvignon Blanc, Verdelho and Viera grapes. This wine has a light gold coloring with a sweet nose. This wine from the Rueda region is smooth, has nice acidity, but the finish is far too short. Grade: C+

Anselmi Pinot Grigio 2002 (Italy)

2005-06-02T22:04:00.000-06:00

Price - $7.99 Size - 750 mL- Wines of the World Wine Tasting with Synergy Fine Wines held on Saturday March 26, 2005 at the Powers Liquor Mart in Colorado Springs.

This wine is golden with a semi-sweet nose. This wine is smooth, acidic and has a good aftertaste. Grade: B+

Clos Mimi "Petite Rousse" Syrah 2002 What's the Final Verdict?

2005-06-01T17:10:00.000-06:00

If you've been following the reviews here I have tasted and reviewed this Syrah 3 times at the least in the past year plus. The first time I tasted it was on Saturday April 3, 2004. Here's the review:

This wine is blended from 2 single vineyards. Wine is very dark, and has heavy legs. Taste is smooth and fruity, a little bit oaky, has nice fruit with berries and raisins, good wine. Grade: B+

The second time I tasted it was just over a month ago on Saturday April 23, 2005. Here's the second review:

This wine had a foul mossy nose. The wine has a mossy flavor, too much earth, and no discernable grape flavors, maybe even a little tea flavor. For my taste, this wine was terrible, I'm not sure what others saw in this wine, though some people thought it was fantastic. If you think something else about this wine, leave me a comment. Grade: F

Whoa, wait a second, an F? I didn't understand it myself, especially after I looked over the first review again. Let's see if a third tasting will shed some light on this. A third tasting took place on Saturday May 21, 2005. Let's see what we can come up with:

Inky dark with heavy legs giving away the 15% alcohol on this one. Has dark berries and strong earthiness, almost moss, on the nose. Spicy with fruit and deep flavors. Full-bodied, slightly dry with a medium finish. For more information visit Clos Mimi website. Grade: B

Now that's better. What could be some reasons for this? I would say that it was tasting its best at the first tasting and is starting to lose fruit due to age. But what about that second terrible review? I'm not totally sure, I would say a lot of it had to do with my mood that day. Maybe I couldn't handle the earthy nose, or maybe I hurried my tasting and didn't get good notes. I would say that if you are going to get a Clos Mimi "Petite Rousse" Syrah 2002, that you should do so soon, it might just be losing too much fruit. In my limited knowledge of wine I would say this is a good example of what happens when a wine hits its peak and starts losing fruit.

Beringer Knight's Valley Cabernet Sauvignon 2000 (California)

2005-06-01T09:54:00.000-06:00

Price - $19.49 Size - 750 mL- Beringer-Blass Wine Estates Tasting held on Saturday March 26, 2005 at the Powers Liquor Mart in Colorado Springs.

Has a sweet nose with a hint of alcohol. Has a somewhat deep mix of flavors. Drops off a little fast on the finish. Wine Spectator uses this as an example of what Cabernet Sauvignon should be. Buy Beringer 2001 Knights Valley Cabernet Sauvignon . Grade: C+

Meridian Paso Robles Syrah 1999 (California)

2005-06-01T09:53:00.000-06:00

Price - $15.99 Size - 750 mL- Beringer-Blass Wine Estates Tasting held on Saturday March 26, 2005 at the Powers Liquor Mart in Colorado Springs.

This has a pleasant nose with fruit notes. Has good earthiness in the middle. Finish is pleasant with a slight sour note on the end. Grade: B

Meridian Pinot Noir 2001 (California)

2005-06-01T09:52:00.000-06:00

Price - $8.99 Size - 750 mL- Beringer-Blass Wine Estates Tasting held on Saturday March 26, 2005 at the Powers Liquor Mart in Colorado Springs.

Has a fruity nose. Decent flavor with some earthiness and dryness. Grade: C+

Chateau Souverain Chardonnay 2003 (California)

2005-06-01T09:50:00.000-06:00

Price - $12.49 Size - 750 mL- Beringer-Blass Wine Estates Tasting held on Saturday March 26, 2005 at the Powers Liquor Mart in Colorado Springs.

This has a fruity nose. This wine is oaky, spicy and has some melon flavors. This is a heartier chardonnay with a decent finish. Grade: C+

Chateau St. Jean Chardonnay 2002 (California)

2005-06-01T09:49:00.000-06:00

Price - $12.49 Size - 750 mL- Beringer-Blass Wine Estates Tasting held on Saturday March 26, 2005 at the Powers Liquor Mart in Colorado Springs.

This has a fruity melon nose. Has a light oak flavor but not much else. Grade: C

Beringer Stone Cellars Pinot Grigio 2001 (California)

2005-06-01T09:47:00.000-06:00

Price - $6.49 Size - 750 mL- Beringer-Blass Wine Estates Tasting held on Saturday March 26, 2005 at the Powers Liquor Mart in Colorado Springs.

Sweet nose on this one. Not enough flavor here and it is a little sour. Grade: C

Beringer Johannisberg Riesling 2002 (California)

2005-06-01T09:46:00.000-06:00

Price - $7.99 Size - 750 mL- Beringer-Blass Wine Estates Tasting held on Saturday March 26, 2005 at the Powers Liquor Mart in Colorado Springs.

Slightly effervescent with a golden color and a sweet nose. Decent but not impressive for Riesling. This wine is not crisp enough and feels somewhat "fat" as if there is too much sugar, makes it feel too heavy. Grade: C

Beringer White Merlot 2002 (California)

2005-06-01T09:43:00.000-06:00

Price - $5.99 Size - 750 mL- Beringer-Blass Wine Estates Tasting held on Saturday March 26, 2005 at the Powers Liquor Mart in Colorado Springs.

Light red color with a fruity nose. Nice fruit flavors combine to form a smooth, acidic, light and easy to drink wine. The best value for this tasting. Grade: B

Jean-Claude Boisset - Méditerranée Merlot - Vin de Pays D'Oc 2000 (France)

2005-05-30T20:09:00.000-06:00

Price - unknown - Size - 1.5 L - Tasted at home on Sunday, April 29. My in-laws bought this, but neither of them knows which one or where they even got it.

This wine has a deep red color with medium quick legs and some sediment, implying that it is unfiltered. The nose is semi-sweet fruit with a hint of alcohol. The wine has some tart cherries up front (mediterranean characteristic?) with a hint of raisins in the middle. Has a somewhat light flavor and light body making it food friendly. It gets dry and a touch astringent on the medium length finish. Grade: C+

La Morandina Moscato d'Asti 2003 (Italy)

2005-05-30T20:02:00.000-06:00

Price - $15.99 Size - 750 mL- Wines of the World Wine Tasting held on Saturday May 28, 2005 at the Powers Liquor Mart in Colorado Springs with Will Gillum.

This wine is called frizzante, meaning it is somewhere between a still wine and a spumante (the Italian sparkling wine). This wine is bubbly, but the bubbles go away quickly (some of that might be the fact that we weren't drinking from flutes but just normal glasses, but it shouldn't last as long as a champagne style sparkling wine anyway). Has a light gold coloring with quick running legs. Has a peachy orange nose indicative of the muscat grape. Flavors of orange and peach mix together to form a crispy, smooth, and refreshing wine. It has a nice long finish, but is never sticky sweet. Grade: B+

Martinborough Pinot Noir 2000 (New Zealand)

2005-05-30T20:01:00.000-06:00

Price - $35.99 Size - 750 mL- Wines of the World Wine Tasting held on Saturday May 28, 2005 at the Powers Liquor Mart in Colorado Springs with Will Gillum.

The bottle claims that this pinot noir is done in the old world style. Will it live up to that claim? Has a deep red color with heavy legs. Earth and tobacco on the nose. Flavors of raspberries and cherries mix together to form excellent fruit flavors and depth. Ends pleasantly with a long earthy finish. Lives up to the old world claim and then some. Excellent! Grade: A

Domaine Olivier Guyot Fixin 2000 (France)

2005-05-30T20:00:00.000-06:00

Price - $25.99 Size - 750 mL- Wines of the World Wine Tasting held on Saturday May 28, 2005 at the Powers Liquor Mart in Colorado Springs with Will Gillum.

This pinot noir from Burgundy is unfiltered, so expect a little sediment in the bottle and your glass if you don't decant it. This is a darker red with some sediment and medium-quick legs. Hints of earth and black cherry mix on the nose. Flavors of earth, spice, tart cherries and mushrooms mix together to form a wonderful smooth, silky wine. This wine is not overpowering but has a long dry finish. Grade: B+

Amity Gamay Noir 2001 (Oregon)

2005-05-30T19:58:00.000-06:00

Price - $6.99 Size - 750 mL- Wines of the World Wine Tasting held on Saturday May 28, 2005 at the Powers Liquor Mart in Colorado Springs with Will Gillum.

Has a medium red color with medium legs and an earthy nose. Flavors of earth, licorice and dark berries mix well and end in a medium length finish. This wine can handle a little chill as well, so it would be refreshing on a warm day. For more information visit Amity Vineyards website. Grade: B

Joseph Drouhin Beaujolais-Villages Nouveau 2004 (France)

2005-05-30T19:56:00.000-06:00

Price - $11.49 Size - 750 mL- Wines of the World Wine Tasting held on Saturday May 28, 2005 at the Powers Liquor Mart in Colorado Springs with Will Gillum.

Beaujolais-Villages Nouveau is meant for drinking right away and each Thanksgiving season the new ones come out. They are usually best through the winter holiday season, but this one is still tasting well. This has a red color with medium legs. Has tropical fruits and banana on the nose. Flavors of soft light fruits drop off to a slate taste. Has a medium to short finish. This wine from the gamay grape is a real quaffer and is easy to drink and would pair well with pizza and hamburgers. For more information see Joseph Drouhin's website. Grade: B

Thirsty Lizard White Shiraz 2004 (Australia)

2005-05-30T19:55:00.000-06:00

Price - $6.49 Size - 750 mL- Wines of the World Wine Tasting held on Saturday May 28, 2005 at the Powers Liquor Mart in Colorado Springs with Will Gillum.

This is a rosy ruby red color with medium heavy legs. Has a cherry fruity nose. Flavors of cherry and raspberry with a fuller body and some light dryness. Has a medium length smooth, clean finish. Would go well with something like pork tenderloin. For more information visit Thirsty Lizard website. Grade: B

Canyon Oaks White Zinfandel 2004 (California)

2005-05-30T19:54:00.000-06:00

Price - $3.49 Size - 750 mL- Wines of the World Wine Tasting held on Saturday May 28, 2005 at the Powers Liquor Mart in Colorado Springs with Will Gillum.

Has a light pink color with medium legs with honey on the nose. It is sweet with flavors of strawberries, cherries, and watermelons. Overall it is smooth and easy to drink with a short to medium crisp finish. Definitely the top value at this tasting at $3.49 Grade: B

Domaine Marc Colin "Les Cortons" Saint-Aubin 2000 (France)

2005-05-30T19:53:00.000-06:00

Price - $28.99 Size - 750 mL- Wines of the World Wine Tasting held on Saturday May 28, 2005 at the Powers Liquor Mart in Colorado Springs with Will Gillum.

This Premier Cru from France is also made of chardonnay grapes. It has a lighter golden amber color with medium heavy legs. It has a light melon nose. Has flavors of light fruit, minerals, and is crisp, acidic, and smooth. This easy drinking wine is food friendly and has a medium length finish, but is drinking at its peak, or perhaps it peaked already. Grade: B+

Chappellet Napa Chardonnay 2000 (California)

2005-05-30T19:52:00.000-06:00

Price - $18.49 Size - 750 mL- Wines of the World Wine Tasting held on Saturday May 28, 2005 at the Powers Liquor Mart in Colorado Springs with Will Gillum.

Golden amber color with medium heavy legs. Has pear on the nose with a little oak and tropical fruit as well. This wine has light fruits with subdued oak and buttery hints. Has a medium finish with a little heat on the throat. For more information visit Chappellet Winery website. Grade: C+

Montichiello de Pienza - Rosso di Toscana NV (non-vintage) (Italy)

2005-05-30T19:46:00.000-06:00

Price - unknown - gifted bottle Size - 750 mL - Tasted at home on Friday April 27. My father-in-law got this as a parting gift from the President of Italy for Christ when he was in Italy.

This Tuscan wine is IGT classified (a ranking below the top DOCG and second ranking of DOC), and as far as we could read from the label is a blend of Sangiovese and Cieliegiolo, although I couldn't find the Cieliegiolo grape listed in any books (a google search brings up only 4 hits, so it's very rare indeed). This wine has a medium red coloring and has light fruit and tart cherries on the nose. It also has somewhat heavy legs. This wine has bright tart cherry fruit with a subdued sweetness and a light body. The tart flavors continue into a medium length finish. Due to its lighter body this would be good with food, possibly some of the red pasta sauces, meat sauces and possibly pork or veal with red sauce. This is probably not something you would find unless you are in Italy, but if you do go, at least you could look for this one. Grade: B

Quady "Essensia" Orange Muscat 2002 (California)

2005-05-28T11:40:00.000-06:00

Price - $19.49 Size - 750 mL- California Wine Tasting held on Thursday May 26, 2005 at the Powers Liquor Mart in Colorado Springs with Will Gillum.

Golden orange coloring with very heavy legs. Has a fuzzy peach nose. Flavors of orange, peach and caramel mix together in a fully heavy bodied dessert wine. Is sweet but not sticky with a clean finish. For more information visit Quady Winery website. Grade: B+

Geyser Peak Cabernet Sauvignon 2000 (California)

2005-05-28T11:37:00.000-06:00

Price - $14.49 Size - 750 mL- California Wine Tasting held on Thursday May 26, 2005 at the Powers Liquor Mart in Colorado Springs with Will Gillum.

Dark purple coloring with very heavy legs that hardly move at all. Deep dark fruits on the nose. Dark blackberries and other dark fruits mix together to form a velvety deep wine. There is some tartness as well. Has a long finish and would pair well with ribs and red meat. For more information visit Geyser Peak Winery website. Buy Geyser Peak 2001 Cabernet Sauvignon . Grade: B

Franciscan Oakville Merlot 2001 (California)

2005-05-28T11:24:00.000-06:00

Price - $19.49 Size - 750 mL- California Wine Tasting held on Thursday May 26, 2005 at the Powers Liquor Mart in Colorado Springs with Will Gillum.

Heavy legs with a deep red coloring. I detect mostly alcohol and little fruit on the nose. I describe this wine as velvety smooth with a medium full flavor and nice depth. It has good dryness and a medium finish. For more information visit Franciscan Oakville website. Buy Franciscan 2002 Merlot . Grade: B+

Glass Mountain Syrah 2000 (California)

2005-05-28T11:22:00.000-06:00

Price - $6.99 Size - 750 mL- California Wine Tasting held on Thursday May 26, 2005 at the Powers Liquor Mart in Colorado Springs with Will Gillum.

Dark red with heavy legs. The nose is spicy, juicy and has pleasant hints of earth. This syrah is spicy and fruity with some earth flavors. Lighter body than most syrah. Has a long earthy finish. For more information visit Glass Mountain Wine website. Grade: B

Sebastiani Sonoma Pinot Noir 2001 (California)

2005-05-28T11:19:00.000-06:00

Price - $13.49 Size - 750 mL- California Wine Tasting held on Thursday May 26, 2005 at the Powers Liquor Mart in Colorado Springs with Will Gillum.

Dark red with heavy legs and a fruity sweet nose. Flavors of cherries, spice and some tart notes mix in a wine with medium body with nice dryness. The finish is dry and of medium length. For more information visit Sebastiani Vineyards and Winery website. Grade: B

7 Heavenly Chards 2003 (California)

2005-05-28T11:17:00.000-06:00

Price - $16.49 Size - 750 mL- California Wine Tasting held on Thursday May 26, 2005 at the Powers Liquor Mart in Colorado Springs with Will Gillum.

Golden amber with medium legs. Vanilla and honey on the nose. The wine is sweet, buttery, and juicy. It's not very dry, however and the finish is long. Not too rich or buttery, but too much for my tastes. For more information visit Michael David Vineyards website. Grade: C+

Incognito Viognier 2003 (California)

2005-05-28T11:14:00.000-06:00

Price - $16.49 Size - 750 mL- California Wine Tasting held on Thursday May 26, 2005 at the Powers Liquor Mart in Colorado Springs with Will Gillum.

This lesser known varietal has light coloring with heavy legs and a sweet nose. Good fruit including melon. Has a medium body with a medium finish that turns a tiny touch sour at the end. For more information visit Michael David Vineyards website. Grade:B

McManis Pinot Grigio 2003 (California)

2005-05-28T11:04:00.000-06:00

Price - $10.49 Size - 750 mL- California Wine Tasting held on Thursday May 26, 2005 at the Powers Liquor Mart in Colorado Springs with Will Gillum.

Light color with quick running legs. Has a flowery nose. The wine is fruity, sweet, crisp but has some bitterness. Is light bodied with a short mostly clean finish. For more information visit McManis Family Vineyards website. Grade: C+

X Winery

2005-05-26T10:44:00.000-06:00

If you have been reading my wine reviews or attend wine tastings with me you know that I love the X Winery Petite Sirah. So when I stumble across a story about X Winery on Vinography, you know I'm interested. Did you know that X Winery was the result of an MBA project? The goal of the project was to prove that California wine can be made with the best technology, sold at $20 a bottle, all while making money as a business. Congratulations to Winemaker and CEO Reed Renaurdin who is making good California wine at good prices. And they are now putting their wine into boxes (see Boxed Wine) which will save consumers even more money (about half!) X Winery is a success in both winemaking and business, good for all!

Clos Mimi "Petite Rousse" Syrah 2002 (California)

2005-05-25T11:36:00.000-06:00

Price - $16.99 Size - 750 mL- Wines for Barbeque Wine Tasting held on Saturday May 21, 2005 at the Powers Liquor Mart in Colorado Springs with Will Gillum.

Inky dark with heavy legs giving away the 15% alcohol on this one. Has dark berries and strong earthiness, almost moss, on the nose. Spicy with fruit and deep flavors. Full-bodied, slightly dry with a medium finish. For more information visit Clos Mimi website. My thoughts on 3 tastings of this wine. Grade: B

Glen Fiona Syrah 2001 (Washington)

2005-05-25T11:34:00.000-06:00

Price - $12.99 Size - 750 mL- Wines for Barbeque Wine Tasting held on Saturday May 21, 2005 at the Powers Liquor Mart in Colorado Springs with Will Gillum.

This unfiltered (many winemakers believe that filtering removes some of the essential body and flavors of a wine) is inky dark with heavy legs. Has a spicy nose with hints of rubbing alcohol. Full dark fruit flavors and hints of earth. Very full body on this one, nearly overpowering complexity. For more informatioin visit Glen Fiona Walla Walla Valley website. Grade: B

Napa Valley Cabernet Sauvignon 2001 (California)

2005-05-25T11:33:00.000-06:00

Price - $14.49 Size - 750 mL- Wines for Barbeque Wine Tasting held on Saturday May 21, 2005 at the Powers Liquor Mart in Colorado Springs with Will Gillum.

Dark red with medium legs with oak and cherry on the nose with 13.9% alcohol. Has lighter fruit flavors with a good amount of oak. This well-rounded wine is smooth with a medium finish. Would pair well with red meats and grilled meats. Buy Napa Valley Vineyards 2001 Cabernet Sauvignon . Grade: B

Easton Amador County Zinfandel 2002 (California)

2005-05-25T11:21:00.000-06:00

Price - $11.49 Size - 750 mL- Wines for Barbeque Wine Tasting held on Saturday May 21, 2005 at the Powers Liquor Mart in Colorado Springs with Will Gillum.

Deep red coloring with 14.5% alcohol. Has medium legs and raspberry on the nose. Good mix of fruit on this one. Is dry, smooth and easy to drink. For more information visit Easton and Terre Rouge Wines website. Grade: B+

Lemelson Pinot Noir Rose 2003 (Oregon)

2005-05-25T11:19:00.000-06:00

Price - $12.99 Size - 750 mL- Wines for Barbeque Wine Tasting held on Saturday May 21, 2005 at the Powers Liquor Mart in Colorado Springs with Will Gillum.

Pink coloring with quick legs and light citrus and cherry on the nose. Lots of cherries with a tart edge, spicy, earthy and easy to drink. Overall very smooth with a short but clean finish. This refreshing rose would pair nicely with salmon or pork tenderloin. For more information visit Lemelson Vineyards website. Grade: B+

J. Lohr Riverstone Chardonnay 2001 (California)

2005-05-25T11:17:00.000-06:00

Price - $10.49 Size - 750 mL- Wines for Barbeque Wine Tasting held on Saturday May 21, 2005 at the Powers Liquor Mart in Colorado Springs with Will Gillum.

Golden color with heavy legs. Oak and perhaps melon on the nose. This wine is full-bodied, buttery and oaky. Flavors of apples and peach mix with crisp acidity which ends with a decent finish. For more information visit J. Lohr Vineyard and Winery website. Grade: B

Rancho Zabaco Russian River Sauvignon Blanc 2001 (California)

2005-05-25T11:15:00.000-06:00

Price - $13.49 Size - 750 mL- Wines for Barbeque Wine Tasting held on Saturday May 21, 2005 at the Powers Liquor Mart in Colorado Springs with Will Gillum.

Rancho Zabaco is on its own a line of barbeque wines, their several levels of Zinfandel are especially good paired with barbeque. Very light color with tiny bubbles and heavy legs. Hints of honey on the nose. Flavors of citrus and grapefruit combine in this heavy bodied wine. Has a medium finish. For more information visit Rancho Zabaco website. Grade: B

Eola Hills Pinot Gris (Oregon)

2005-05-24T17:51:00.000-06:00

Price - $10.99 Size - 750 mL- Wines for Barbeque Wine Tasting held on Saturday May 21, 2005 at the Powers Liquor Mart in Colorado Springs with Will Gillum.

This wine would be known as Pinot Grigio in Italy. Light almost clear color with medium legs. Acidic crisp nose with hints of citrus. Pleasant citrus and mineral flavors combine with high acidity to form an excitingly clean and smooth wine. The wine has a medium finish and would pair well with white meats. For more information visit Eola Hills Winery website. Grade: B+

Yellow Tail Shiraz - Cabernet 2004 (Australia)

2005-05-24T16:38:00.000-06:00

Price - $5.99 Size - 750 mL - Tasted at a friend's Apartment with my wife and some of our friends on May 19, 2005.

I know you've seen the Yellow Tail display in your liquor store. So far this is my third Yellow Tail, I liked the pure Shiraz but not the Chardonnay. This is a blend of 60% Shiraz with 40% Cabernet Sauvignon. The coloring is purple with medium legs. The nose carries hints of grapes, jam, and a little alcohol, and is generally sweet. The flavors are of sweet fruit and spices, very juicy with some oak and decent dryness. My wife said it was meaty. I would call it yummy, balanced and smooth and finishes long and smooth. It would pair well with some steak and even a cigar. I did decant for 45 minutes, so if you can it would help. For more information visit Yellow Tail Wine website. Grade: B+

Baron Philippe de Rothschild Médoc 2001 (France)

2005-05-24T10:15:00.000-06:00

Price - $13.99 Size - 750 mL- Old World vs. New World Wine Tasting held on Monday May 16, 2005 at the Powers Liquor Mart in Colorado Springs with Will Gillum, comparing representative varietals from Old and New World Styles. I posted some thoughts I had before the tasting, and thoughts I had after the tasting.

This wine from Bordeaux is made up of Cabernet Sauvignon, Cabernet Franc, and Merlot and is filtered. Very dark color but clearer due to the filtering. Has medium to heavy legs with cherry and strawberry on the nose. Has a good mix of fruit and earth. Ends long with a nice hint of mushroom. Would go well with big flavored meats. For more information visit Baron Philippe de Rothschild website. Grade: A

Foris "Fly-Over" Red 1999 (Oregon)

2005-05-24T10:13:00.000-06:00

Price - $12.99 Size - 750 mL- Old World vs. New World Wine Tasting held on Monday May 16, 2005 at the Powers Liquor Mart in Colorado Springs with Will Gillum, comparing representative varietals from Old and New World Styles. I posted some thoughts I had before the tasting, and thoughts I had after the tasting.

This Bordeaux style blend is unfiltered (many people believe you can lose a lot of the character of the wine with filtering) and is 53% Merlot with Cabernet Sauvignon and Cabernet Franc making up the remaining grapes in the blend. Deep purple coloring with very heavy legs. Has a fruity, jammy nose, reminded me somewhat of grape juice. Deep raspberry and blackberry flavors with a rich mix of fruit. Very deep flavors. Good earthy finish. For more information visit Foris Vineyard Winery website. Grade: A

Sanford Pinot Noir 2000 (California)

2005-05-24T10:11:00.000-06:00

Price - $27.99 Size - 750 mL- Old World vs. New World Wine Tasting held on Monday May 16, 2005 at the Powers Liquor Mart in Colorado Springs with Will Gillum, comparing representative varietals from Old and New World Styles. I posted some thoughts I had before the tasting, and thoughts I had after the tasting.

Light red but slightly darker than the Drouhin Volnay. Has heavy legs with strawberries and fruit on the nose. Flavors of fruit, cherries and a smoky vanilla hint. Nice tannins (ageable) with big depth and a lot of body. Long finish on this one. For more information visit Sanford Winery website. Buy Sanford 2001 Pinot Noir . Grade: A

Joseph Drouhin Volnay 2001 (France)

2005-05-24T10:09:00.000-06:00

Price - $24.49 Size - 750 mL- Old World vs. New World Wine Tasting held on Monday May 16, 2005 at the Powers Liquor Mart in Colorado Springs with Will Gillum, comparing representative varietals from Old and New World Styles. I posted some thoughts I had before the tasting, and thoughts I had after the tasting.

This Pinot Noir is light red with heavy legs. Earth and juice on the nose. Pepper, earth and mushroom flavors. Earthy, complex and deep with nice acid and good dryness. Has a medium finish. Would do well with salmon. For more information see Joseph Drouhin's website. Grade: A

Rosemount Estate Traminer/Riesling 2003 (Australia)

2005-05-24T10:07:00.000-06:00

Price - $6.99 Size - 750 mL- Old World vs. New World Wine Tasting held on Monday May 16, 2005 at the Powers Liquor Mart in Colorado Springs with Will Gillum, comparing representative varietals from Old and New World Styles. I posted some thoughts I had before the tasting, and thoughts I had after the tasting.

This is a seldom seen blend of Gewürztraminer and Riesling grapes into one pleasant wine. It has a nice golden color with medium legs. Has light hints of honeysucckle on the nose. It is sweet and honeylike with a medium body, not sickly sweet, however. Good amount of acidity. The finish stays sweet and is medium length. For more information visit Rosemount Estate website. Grade: B

Joseph Cattin Muscat 2003 (Alsace)

2005-05-24T10:04:00.000-06:00

Price - $16.99 Size - 750 mL- Old World vs. New World Wine Tasting held on Monday May 16, 2005 at the Powers Liquor Mart in Colorado Springs with Will Gillum, comparing representative varietals from Old and New World Styles. I posted some thoughts I had before the tasting, and thoughts I had after the tasting.

Very light coloring with medium legs with honeysuckle and citrus on the nose. Peachy sweet flavors, like other muscat based wines I've had. Gets dry at the end and the finish is short. Grade: C+

La Crema Chardonnay 2002 (California)

2005-05-24T10:01:00.000-06:00

Price - $14.49 Size - 750 mL- Old World vs. New World Wine Tasting held on Monday May 16, 2005 at the Powers Liquor Mart in Colorado Springs with Will Gillum, comparing representative varietals from Old and New World Styles. I posted some thoughts I had before the tasting, and thoughts I had after the tasting.

Light color with quick legs. Melon and vanilla on the nose. Fruit flavors change to vanilla and butter quickly. Has a long oaky finish. For more information visit La Crema Winery website. Buy La Crema 2003 Sonoma Coast Chardonnay . Grade: C+

Sad Times at Holy Cross Abbey

2005-05-22T23:42:00.000-06:00

In today's Gazette they ran as the cover story an article about the Holy Cross Abbey and how it has little left but memories. Some pertinent information to those of you who love the Winery at Holy Cross Abbey's great selection of wines:

The Holy Cross Abbey will soon be no more.

The grand old landmark off U.S. Highway 50 is for sale for $13.5 million.

In 2002, facing the prospect of closing anyway because of their aging ranks and the dearth of new members to take their place, the monks voted to disband. Now the entire property, including the winery, which operates as a separate nonprofit, is for sale.

What would happen to the winery if, or probably when, the Abbey closes? I'm not really sure, but it would definitely be a sad day for Colorado wines. The Winery at Holy Cross Abbey is definitely putting out some exciting and tasty wines. It's nice for those of us in Colorado Springs that we don't have to drive to Palisade (5 hours) to see a winery and vineyards, Canon City is only an hour and a half at most. We do have another vineyard and winery here in town, but still it's nice to have Canon City as well.

If there is a way for me to find out more details on what would happen to the winery in the case of a sale, I will. Let's hope the new owners will say, keep on doing what you have been, your wine is exciting and needs to continue.

For a different take on this issue, I posted at my political blog about some of the other issues related to the impending closure of Holy Cross Abbey.

Joseph Drouhin Pouilly-Fuisse 2002 (France)

2005-05-22T10:25:00.000-06:00

Price - $15.99 Size - 750 mL- Old World vs. New World Wine Tasting held on Monday May 16, 2005 at the Powers Liquor Mart in Colorado Springs with Will Gillum, comparing representative varietals from Old and New World Styles. I posted some thoughts I had before the tasting, and thoughts I had after the tasting.

This wine made from chardonnay grapes has a light coloring with quick running legs. It has a citrusy nose. Flavors of minerals and light citrus fruit combine with nice acidity. Has a clean taste and is light bodied, with little or no hint of oak. Medium length clean finish. This would pair very easily with white meats as neither would be overpowering. Is a clean drinking sipping wine. For more information see Joseph Drouhin's website. Buy Joseph Drouhin 2003 Pouilly-Fuisse . Grade: B

Oregon Wine: Exciting and Favorably Regulated

2005-05-19T10:47:00.000-06:00

I have rarely found a red wine from Oregon that I did not like. In a quick look over the reviews, I couldn't find any reds from Oregon that were below a B grade. Now that's some good exciting wine. I don't remember any other region holding up that well. I love Italian, Spanish, California, but they have all let me down at some point or another. I have yet to be let down by an Oregon red. This is an exciting prospect. Oregon is the neighbor state to my birthstate of Washington and sits north of the state I lived in from the age of 2 to 7, California. In fact my parents were both born in Oregon and I still have lots of family there, so I do feel some ties to Oregon.

I found an Oregon Winery Guide I had picked up at a tasting a while back and was looking at it yesterday. I would love to take a trip through Oregon wine country, it's one of the most beautiful states and then add wine touring and you are almost in heaven. Something I found intriguing in the Winery Guide was the extent of regulation of the wine industry in Oregon, or at least the regulation of the label.

The regulations don't necessarily guarantee quality, but they are a step towards it. At least you know the wine you are drinking conforms to the law they have set up, that's not the case in California where things are wide open. I won't debate the merits of each system now, but each does have its strong points. Here now is an excerpt from the Oregon Winery Guide on label regulations:

The nation's most stringent wine labeling laws were adopted in Oregon in 1977. Then, and now, many wine labels used region and variety names that Oregon wine leaders did not believe adequately described the bottle's contents. Oregon winemakers therefore created standards that provide more accurate and meaningful information to consumers.

For example, the names of foreign regions like "Chablis" and "Champagne" are not allowed on Oregon wine labels. Oregon wine must contain at least 90 percent of the stated varietal. Nationally, 75 percent is required; Oregon allows Cabernet Sauvignon to comply with this standard, since it is traditionally blended with Merlot, Cabernet franc, etc.

Label Specifics
Winery Name: Name of the producer
Vintage: Harvest year, 95% must be from the stated year
State: Origin of grapes
Varietal: Type of grape (Pinot Noir, Pinot Gris, Riesling, etc.), 90% must be of stated varietal
Appellation: An official American Viticultural Area. Oregon has six. 100% of the grapes must be from the stated region to use the appellation.

Winery Name

Vintage

Oregon

Varietal

Appellation

Oregon wine, exciting, and you know what you're getting!