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Notes from a tasting of "Over 90 point/Under $30" wines - Saturday, April 2, 2005, at the Wine Exchange in Orange, CA. Twenty wines were poured for a tasting fee of $19. Overall impressions: always a good idea for a tasting, the Wine Exchange puts this event on at least once a year to show off wines with great Quality-to-Price Ratio. Everything here had to garner at least 90 points from either the Wine Advocate or the Wine Spectator. As usual, the wines run the gamut from sparklers and whites, to red and dessert wines. Usually, in most of these tastings, the wines will get better and better as you progress through the lineup from beginning to end. However, one of the benefits of having all of the wines of roughly the same calibre, is that you don't start out the even with diminished expectations. As for the wines, there really wasn't a stray dog in the pack. I do highly recommend the Keenan Merlot, though. At $22, it's a steal for this much fruit in a bottle. The Landmark Damaris Chardonnay was my favorite white, and the Charles Ellner Brut was an excellent sparkler, at a very reasonable price. |
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Charles Ellner Brut Carte d' Or - France. $26.99. Light
lemon color. Nice nose of yeasty toasty fruit. Off-sweet mouthfeel,
plush and smooth in the mouth, with a nice nutty finish. (a Wine
Spectator 93 -- about 90 in my book.) 2003
Nepenthe Sauvignon Blanc - Australia. $11.99. Nearly
clear in color. Nose of gooseberry, lemon-lime and a bit of leaf.
Initially light in mouthfeel, it seems to gain some body about mid-palate
and finishes out with nice concentration on a long finish. (a Wine
Advocate 90 -- about 89 in my book.) 2002
Rockbare Chardonnay - Adelaide Hills, S. Australia. $18.99. Light
lemon color. Nose of buttered toast, with a touch of ginger and
manzilla olive. Medium body, similar olive and ginger flavors in
mouthfeel, but fruit becomes briefer on the finish. (a Wine Spectator
91 -- about 89 in my book.) 2003
Neyers Chardonnay - Carneros. $19.99. Light
medium yellow color. Nose of apple and citron, along with some coffee
and bisquit notes. Full and chewy on the palate, very nice apple-like
flavors, and long finish. (a Wine Advocate 92 -- about 91 in my
book.) 2002
Landmark Damaris Reserve Chardonnay - California. $28.99.
Medium
yellow color. Nice sweet lemon/lime zesty nose, with additional
notes of gardenia and rose. Big mouthfeel, delicious rich flavors,
excellent balance,and very long finish. (a Wine Advocate 91 -- about
92 in my book.) 2003
Georges Duboeuf Julienas Flower - France. $9.99. Medium
garnet color. Floral and buttery in the nose, with strawberry and
raspberry aromas, and a nice toasty scent. Surprising packed with
meaty fruit, excellent balance and long finish. (a Wine Advocate
91-93 -- about 90 in my book.) 2000
Querceto Chianti Classico Riserva - Italy. $13.99. Medium
ruby garnet color. Nose of dark cherry, light toast, clove and mint.
A bit drawn in mouthfeel, with plenty of dried cherry flavors, excellent
balance and clingy tannins leading to a very long finish. (a Wine
Spectator 91 -- about 89 in my book.) 2001
Chateau Marsau - Cote de Francs. $14.99. Medium
dark ruby garnet color. Nose of black raspberry, toasted cheese
bread and sweet candle wax. Nice balance of tannins and fruit, off-sweet
dark cherry flavors, and long finish. (a Wine Advocate 90 -- about
90 in my book.) 2002
Chateau Larcisse Ducasse - St. Emilion. $29.99. Dark
ruby garnet color. Nose of dark cherry and tobacco, with a light
herbal edge. Plenty of fruit on the palate, very nice flavors and
balance, though the fruit does seem to fall off a bit on the back
end. (a Wine Spectator 92 -- about 90 in my book.) 2003
Grand Veneur Champauvin - Cote du Rhone. $11.99. Medium
dark garnet color. Nose of blackberry, leather, candle wax and floral
notes. Slightly sweet and meaty in flavor, excellent balance, long
smooth succulent finish. (a Wine Advocate 90 -- about 91 in my book.) 2001
Keenan 25th Anniversary Merlot - Napa Valley. $21.99. Very
dark ruby color. Engaging fleshy nose of cassis, plum and mint.
Huge mouthfeel, and although very extracted with apparent tannins,
the wine is still smooth and juicy through the very long finish.
This is a big wine...a really big wine! (a Wine Advocate 91 -- about
92 in my book.) 2002
Kangarilla Road Cabernet Sauvignon - Australia. $15.99. Very
dark ruby color. Dusty cassis nose, with touches of herb, chalk,
and eucalyptus. Big mouthfeel with tons of fruit, surprisingly well
balanced, , long tannic finish. (a Wine Advocate 91 -- about 90
in my book.)
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2003
Marquis Phillips Sarah's Blend - S.E. Australia. $13.99.
Dark
ruby garnet color. Butter and floral in the nose, with plenty of
black and red fruit. Slightly sweet fruit, well-balanced, smooth
long finish, with just a trace of heat. Blend of Shiraz, Cabernetand
Merlot. (a Wine Advocate 91 -- about 90 in my book.)
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No original material may be reproduced without written consent Mail & Comments - Eric Anderson |