I have seen a number of reviews that have "dissed" this wine.

I purchased 6 bottles at a silent auction and had no knowledge of its linage or reviews.

After sampling the wine, I find it pleasing, and look forward to sampling the other 6 bottles. Its a good wine. Smooth to the taste. Great finish.

I would recommend it to anyone.

I don't understand why anyone would "diss" this wine?

Bob

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Producer: Frei Brothers Winery
Wine:Reserve Russian River Valley Syrah
Vintage: 2004
Country: USA
Appellation: Russian River Valley
Wine Type: Red
Varietal: Syrah 98%, Viognier 2%
Grade: B+
Designation: Excellent Value
Price: $17

Frei has been around since back in the 90’s, the 1890’s. The Swiss Andrew Frei began making wine in the rural Sonoma County back then. The Frei survived the pesky phylloxera bug and then turned the winery over to his sons, Walter and Louis, in 1905 and Frei Brothers Winery began. Interestingly enough, Julio Gallo, yes, that Gallo, began buying grapes from Frei brothers back in 1930’s when the Gallos were just starting their little boutique winery in Modesto. Eventually Gallo would buy Frei Brothers in 1978. Today, Frei produces representative examples of Sonoma County wines. I recently pulled this 2004 Frei Syrah out from my secret stash wine rack where it had been aging about a lengthy week. I needed a red with backbone ready to challenge a couple of lamb steaks on the grill and I thought a Syrah was the ticket to ride. It was good bet. It’s dark, big, and meaty with a slap-in-the-face nose of plummy dark fruit and woodsy aromas. The black cherry-plum wine gets to a jammy point but doesn’t go over the edge. There’s peppery spice combined with some tar and smoke that approaches a rough edge but tapers off into a velvet softness that satisfies.

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Producer: Domaine La Bastide Saint Dominique
Wine: Cotes-du-Rhone
Vintage: 2005
Country: France
Appellation: Cotes-du-Rhone
Wine Type: Red
Varietal: Grenache 80%, Syrah 5%, Mourvedre 5%, Cinsault 5%
Grade: A-
Designation: Excellent Value
Price:$14

La Bastide Saint Dominique is small winery owned by the Bonnets in the Courthézon province of Vaucluse in the Southern Rhone. They produce excellent Chateauneuf-du-Pape and Cotes-du-Rhone wines. Their Secrets de Pignan is one of my favorites and is a 100% Grenache made from old vines. Their Cotes-du-Rhone makes a good introduction to sample the best the Bonnets winemaking prowess. The wine takes a bit of time to open up so I suggest keeping your paws to yourself for a good 20-30 minutes, perhaps decant it as well. There is an exotic nose that projects good things to come. It’s gamy and peppery with tarry pitch. The black cherry and cassis flavors emerge and the flavors blossom. The wine hints at rusticity but never goes wayward in the palate. Good structure and a good finish with notes of raisined fruit. 2005 was a good year in the Southern Rhone and this Cotes-du-Rhone drinks well now but can hold 2-3 years as well. C’est bon.

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Producer: Elio Altare
Wine: Dolcetto d’Alba
Vintage: 2005
Country: Italy
Appellation: Piedmont
Wine Type: Red
Varietal: Dolcetto
Grade: B+
Designation: Must Drink
Price:$24

Dolcetto is the lesser known grapes in Italy’s Piedmont region in the northwest hills of the boot. Foremost is the Nebbiolo which is the celebrity of the region followed by Barbera which is the most widely planted. The problem with many vintners in this region is that the Barolos and Barbarescos made from Nebbiolo require lengthy aging to become approachable with Barberas to a lesser degree. Dolcettos are simpler, fruitier reds that can be produced and marketed sooner. Therefore it’s not surprising to find that some of the best Barolo producers also make Dolcettos. Elio Altare is one of the these Barolo guys, he’s one of Piedmont’s top winemakers and an innovator. Altare’s 2005 Dolcetto d’Alba counters many of the grape’s simple image. It is dark purple if color and sets off with striking aromas of dark fruit. This melange of black cherry, raspberry, and blueberry flavors builds slowly to rich intensity. The wine is dry on the palate and shows austere tannins. It’s clean, rich, and round in composition. Lovely and easy to appreciate.

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Producer: Brancott Vineyards
Wine: South Island Pinor Noir
Vintage: 2006
Country: New Zealand
Appellation: South Island
Wine Type: Red
Varietal: Pinot Noir
Grade: B
Designation: Cheap and Good
Price: $10

New Zealand is not the first country that comes to mind when thinking of Pinot Noir. First is France followed closely by California and Oregon. But this finicky and high maintenance grape is gaining traction in other locales, one of these is New Zealand where it has demonstrated success with this inconsistent traveling varietal. This two island country in the South Pacific is known primarily for it’s exotic and zingy Sauvignon Blanc wine. However, while the cooler maritime climate doesn’t offer the most hospitable environment for great Cabernet Sauvignon or Merlot, it is more inviting to Pinot Noir. The South Island of New Zealand has some of the best vineyards and this appealing red from Brancott blends grapes from Marlborough, Waipara, and Otago wine regions. So how is this Pinot Noir? Similar to a defining terroir-driven Burgundy or a sometimes hot and jammy Californian? No, but it has its own endearing charms, like a ten-dollar price. This is an excellent value Pinot Noir with fruity strawberries and red cherry pit flavors that entice and carries a background of pepper and tar. It is supple with smooth tannins and a sleek texture. It’s not deep and profound but leans more towards a light and airy ambience. Very drinkable and a good value.

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Producer: Finca Flichman
Wine: Vino Reserva Cabernet Sauvignon
Vintage: 2004
Country: Argentina
Appellation: Mendoza
Wine Type: Red
Varietal: Cabernet Sauvignon
Grade: A-
Designation: Cheap and Good
Price:$9

Okay. All right. A truck pulls up to the house and starts unloading case after case of this Finca Flichman Reserva Cab from Argentina. You didn’t order the stuff and you have no clue why they are delivering 10 cases of this foreign Cab wine to you. Do you let them keep unloading? Do you tell them to put the wine back in the brown truck and go on their merry way? Well, if this delivery was a practical joke then the last laugh is yours. Take the wine and tip the driver. Finca Flichman is one of those old Mendoza family wineries dating back to the early part of the 20th Century. However, the family sold out to an Argentine corporation in 1983, who subsequently sold Flichman to one of Portugal’s leading wine companies, SOGRAPE. Usually when I think of a red Argentina wine my knee-jerk reaction is Malbec. Hit the left knee, Cabernet Sauvignon for Chile, hit the right, Malbec for Argentina. Ignoring my knees and that little hammer, I picked Finca Flichman’s 2004 Cabernet Sauvignon to give it a go…and it was a nice treat, especially for the price. Normally, I wouldn’t even think of buying a California Cab at less than $10. A South American? Well, I’ll give it a go. Turns out that the Finca Flichman is a regular old Cab but with a bit more fun to it than usual. It’s got that dark garnet color and it’s deeper than the price suggests. It’s meaty in the mouth of plums and black cherries with a dark and raisiny background. This is large-sized wine but not super-sized. The fruit is ripe and augmented by a base of tannins to hold it up. Spice, pepper, leather add layers of interest but overall the wine stays in balance and keeps flexing its substantial muscle without disintegrating. It’s still a bit a tight and could age in a cellar a 3-5 years. And that’s a good thing if you accept the delivery, which is what I’d recommend.

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Producer: Cennatoio Intervineas
Wine: Innominato
Vintage: 2004
Country: Italy
Appellation: Toscano I.G.T.
Wine Type: Red
Varietal: Sangiovese with small percentages of Cabernet Sauvignon and Merlot
Grade: B+
Designation: Cheap and Good
Price:$12

Cennatoio is a Chianti country winery overlooking the Tuscan hillsides of Italy’s Gallo Nero wine region. And while they produce bona fide Chianti Classico and Riserva wines, they also produce fine Toscano wines from surrounding areas outside the prescribed Chianti zone. I bumped into their 2004 Innominato at an upscale Italian restaurant in New York. We were having an early dinner to catch a show so we didn’t intend to dawdle and linger a couple of hours over dinner and wine, we wanted something quick and simple but still tasty. This is not always an easy task since as experienced wine drinkers learn, price is not always a good measurement tool to judge a wine. On this night I was having trouble picking a wine to go with our pastas and veal. I pointed to a couple of wines in our targeted price range and our waiter was less than enthusiastic. “Yes, the Barbera is fine, it’s good,” he said with little enthusiasm. He winced and rolled his eyes upwards and secreted an, “Ehh…” without rancor at my mention of a Veneto Valpolicella. I gave up my pointing exercise and just asked what he recommended in the less than upscale $30-$35 price category. “Try the Innominato. Far better. Sangiovese with some Cabernet. It will surprise you.” And what can I say, I gave our waiter a generous tip for his astute recommendation. The meal was a treat and the wine just seemed to improve after each sip. It follows the typical Chianti profile but with a more intense edge. It showed good jammy cherry and dark currant fruit with hints of green pepper and earthiness on the palate. Still young, there were some mildly gripping tannins with bright acidity to help build structure. Overall it was well-balanced and had a lingering finish that would ebb just before the next sip of wine or bite of food. If this were a thoroughbred Chianti the price would no doubt be somewhat higher but then again, you won’t be disappointed and the savings can be applied to dessert. “So, how’s the Cannoli?”

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Producer: Bodegas y Vinedos Maurodos
Wine: Prima
Vintage: 2004
Country: Spain
Appellation: Toro (Castile y León)
Wine Type: Red
Varietal: Tempranillo
Grade: A-
Designation: Must Drink
Price: $16

Toro is fast becoming the Spanish D.O.C. to watch. The Toro bodega is located in Valladolid in the Castile y León region, the one that also includes Ribero del Duero where some of Spain’s best wines are produced. Mariano Garcia, Maurodos’ winemaker, originally gained fame and prominence at Vega Sicilia in the Ribero del Duero and was drawn to Toro to showcase his winemaking magic. His 2004 Prima is made from Tempranillo and is sturdy and powerful as the region’s namesake ‘’Toro Bravo’’ bulls that roam Spain’s corridas on Sundays. This is a delicious Spanish Tempranillo with a deep purple color, a big bouquet of dark fruit, herbs, earthy brambles, and toasted oak. Rich dark cherries, cassis, and berries in the mouth that embrace with notes of leather, licorice, cedar, and spice. The mid-palate is lush and silky and balanced with good acidity. The wine shows ripe tannins and a resolving finish. Prima leans more towards a New World style wine without leaving the Continent. But hey, that fits, Toro is for bulls rather than pussycats. Prima is delicious now but it can still ratchet up a few notches with further aging. Bravo.

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Producer: Foris Vineyards Winery
Wine: Pinot Noir, Rogue Valley 2005
Vintage: 2005
Country: USA
Appellation: Rogue Valley
Wine Type: Red
Varietal: Pinot Noir
Grade: B+
Designation: Excellent Value
Price: $15

The Rogue Valley in Southern Oregon doesn’t get the attention that the Willamette Valley garners. But spotlights and hype don’t necessarily help make wine. The Rogue Valley has a diversity of climatic and geological environments for vines and wineries. In general it is warmer than the maritime influenced Willamette region and the terrain is more varied with higher mountains and contorted river valley hillsides. The climate works well with Pinot Noir, Pinot Gris, Gewurtztraminer, and Rieslings. We were dining at a swank Southwestern bistro in New York’s and wanted a Pinot to please everyone’s palate and entree. I spied this Foris Pinot Noir and thought for nostalgic reasons to choose it as our dinner companion. I was nostalgic because we had visited the winery a couple of years previously on a late autumn trek through Oregon. Foris is to the west of Medford near the Oregon Caves. It gets more maritime influences than the wine regions in the eastern part of the Rogue Valley region and their Pinot Noir shows it. The winery offers more affordable high quality wines with a homespun old world style. Their 2005 Pinot Noir drinks well and has a subtle bouquet of red fruit and lavender. It’s a medium to light bodied red that works as well with salmon as with light meats. There’s bright strawberry and raspberry fruit in the mouth, floral and floral notes, and an oak impression in the distance. There’s good acidity, endearing Pinot nuance, and an earthy must. It was an versatile wine that negotiated the table of savory and spicy complex fish and lamb dishes with dexterity. Not a taste bud boggling Pinot but very nice, very friendly and handled the food’s Southwestern heat with ease.

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Producer: Bodegas Terrazas de los Andes
Wine: Terrazas de los Andes Reserva Malbec 2004
Vintage: 2004
Country: Argentina
Appellation: Mendoza
Wine Type: Red
Varietal: Malbec
Grade: B+
Designation: Cheap and Good
Price: $10

Need a muscle-bound lug of a red that can ride herd on a Saturday evening barbecue yet drink nice and easy? Try this high Andes Malbec from Terrazas. It’s supple and rich and full-bodied that dances with dark berries and plums together with leathery smoke and chocolate and a hint of tar. There are some sturdy tannins which are not unexpected but the complex wine softens with a lingering smooth velvety finish. Probably that grilled steak will be chewier than this Argentinean Malbec, it’s a hearty and pleasing red for the price. It can probably sit for a couple of more years but the improvement will be minimal so you may as well heat up the Weber, grab some meat, and pour the wine. ¡Salud!

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Producer:Hijos de Antonio Barceló
Wine:Viña Mayor, Reserva
Vintage:2001
Country:Spain
Appellation:Ribera del Duero
Wine Type:Red
Varietal:Tempranillo
Grade:B
Designation:Excellent Value
Price:$18

Review:
More often than not, if I’m looking for a safe, food-friendly wine that won’t break my wine budget, I look to Spain—the home of Conquistadores, Generalissimo Franco, Picasso, Pamplona, Flamenco, tapas, Barcelona, and…vino. Spain’s wine industry is showing swagger in the global wine marketplace, sloughing off its sallow and insipid image for white and red wines that has been better suited for a sangria punch than as a single varietal. But nothing ever stays the same, nowadays, anyone who ignores Spanish wine is either in a state of denial or missing the boat—or both. Bodega de Viña Mayor is a winery owned by Hijos de Antonio Barceló, a family-owned wine business with several wineries operating in some of Spain’s better wine regions. They are one of the better producers in Spain and the Viña Mayor winery is located in Ribera del Duero. This 20001 Reserva is made from 100% Tempranillo (or Tinto del País as it’s known in the region) that is noted to make complex fruity wines and a mainstay of Spanish wine. The Riserva was aged for two year in French oak and shows some of this varietal’s typical characteristics. It’s tight and taut to begin with but begins to release its aromas within a few minutes. The nose reveals dark fruit and spices. The dense cherry and plum flavors are laced with rustic and earthy bits, leather, and oak. There are some chewy tannins to deal with but nothing overly harsh and the wine displays balance and a medium length finish. Not as big-bodied as some Ribera del Duero wines but not a lightweight either. Best to drink with robust food. I would drink it again but I might look for another Spanish wine first.

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Producer: WillaKenzie Estate Winery
Wine: Pinot Noir Willamette Valley
Vintage: 2005
Country: USA
Appellation: Willamette Valley
Wine Type: Red
Varietal: Pinot Noir
Grade: B+
Designation: Must Drink
Price: $23

Review:

WillaKenzie is located in Oregon’s prime Pinot Noir region of Willamette Valley. Frenchman and ex-Nasa physicist and high tech executive Bernard Lacroute with his wife, Ronni, named their winery after the Willakenzie soil of the area. Bernard grew up in a small Burgundy village so it shouldn’t be a shock that WillaKenzie prides itself on Pinot Noir that expresses the Burgundian style and character. The Lacroute’s have a gravity flow winery where Newton’s law applies rather than pumps and manmade technology handle their precious Dijon clones as the grapes are pressed and the juices fermented. This is a centuries old technique in Burgundy and is a key element to transform finicky Pinot Noir grapes into wines of finesse and complexity. I will confess, I knew little about WillaKenzie wines prior to this tasting but I spotted this one on the wine list when dining out and thought an Oregon Pinot would match our dinner selections best. Apparently I was not adrift in my thinking as our waiter commended my choice as, “Excellent.” The screw capped bottle was opened and poured. The wine looked lovely and alluring in the glass with its deep garnet color. But at first either my nose wasn’t working or the Willamette Valley Pinot was keeping a low profile, I could hardly register a whiff of wine. The first few sips were closed and the wine’s true nature difficult to discern. We held back to give the wine a chance to wake up. And I’m glad to report that it did. By the time we had finished our appetizers the WillaKenzie started to show life. Dard fruit and floral aromas found their way to our olfactory senses and brought relief. The medium-bodied wine showed concentrated plum, black cherry, and currant flavors with earthy spices and light oak woven together into a smooth velvet mouth and nuanced finish. The balanced acidity and tannins makes this an excellent wine with food. It’s ready to drink know but the wine will only get better over the next 3-4 years. Bon.

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Producer: Abadia Retuerta
Wine: Rivola—Estate Grown Sardon de Duero
Vintage: 2003
Country: Spain
Appellation: Castilla y Leon
Wine Type: Red
Varietal: Tempranillo, Cabernet Sauvignon
Grade: B+
Category: Excellent Value
Price: $17

Abadia Retuerta is an earnest Spanish bodega that makes consistently delicious wine. The winery is in the Castilla y Leon wine region of Spain in the northwestern part along the Duero Rivery Valley. Abadia Retuerta is in a section of the wine region near Vallodolid called, “The Golden Mile” because it is home to the likes of the auspicious Vega Sicilia, Pingus, and Mauro wineries. Abadia Retuerta’s bodega is just outside of the Ribera del Duero D.O. and can quite redo that prestigious region’s boundaries but that just makes them try harder. Their 2003 Rivola from their estate in Sardon de Duero is a blend of Tempranillo and Cabernet Sauvignon that has been aged in oak for one year and shows ample character in its short joven life. This is a medium-big bodied wine that emits ample aromas of cherry fruit and toasted oak to draw your attention. The mouth fills with black cherries, cloves, leathery smoke, and presents sturdy tannins that smooth out in the complex in-out balanced finish. The Rivola will hold just fine for another 2-3 years but is engaging in its present state. There’s good character here and this exotic red should match well with a wide range of food and cuisines. Bueno.

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Producer: Yalumba
Wine: Barossa 95% Shiraz & 5% Viognier
Vintage: 2004
Country: Australia
Appellation: Barossa Valley
Wine Type: Red
Varietal: Shiraz 95%, Viognier 5%
Category: Excellent Value
Grade: A-

Price: $17.00

“Yalumba.” Go ahead and say it out loud, “Yalumba.” There, you now know an aborigine word. It means, “all the land around.” Now it’s up to you to figure out what the translation means. Yalumba is one of Australia’s oldest wineries that dates back to 1849. That means Yalumba was planting vineyards and making wine about the same time as the Ol’ Sourdoughs were staking their claims and panning for gold in California. Well, not many prospectors are left in the Golden State but Yalumba apparently has struck it rich in wine. The historic winery’s 2004 Barossa Shiraz-Viognier is an excellent value and a rich and juicy red that is big and subtle, tough and silky smooth all at once. It’s 95% Shiraz with a 5% splash of Viognier. The nose has big aromas of cherries and plums and a floral softening. The mouth engrosses the senses with ripe dark fruit flavors that flows with spice and bits of chocolate through to the finish. There is a presence of tannins that keeps the body together and the finish turns to a velvety smooth finish. The Shiraz starts off masculine layers and the Viognier then presents the wine’s feminine side to make a supple yet complex wine. “Eureka!” That’s Californian that means, “I found it!”

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Producer: Bodegas Concavins
Wine: Proyecto Cu4tro
Vintage: 2000
Country: Spain
Appellation: Barbera de la Conca
Wine Type: Red
Varietal: Cabernet Sauvignon 48%, Tempranillo 32%, Mourvedre 13%, Grenache 7%
Grade: B+
Category: Excellent Value
Price: $10

Long ago as an English Literature major I was taught that all things come in threes. There was some universal mumbo-jumbo in numerology about there being balance and harmony in threes. This made sense when one thinks of the The Marx Brothers (sans Zeppo), the Holy Trinity, The Police, Menage-a-Trois, three-day weekends, and the Three Stooges…wait a minute, leave out the Stooges, who needs a poke in the eye anyway. In the this wine from Bodegas Concavins, they make a good case for four instead of three. The winery is located in Barbera de la Conca, a historic wine regions just north of the Catalonia city of Tarragona. They’ve blended four varietals of Cabernet Sauvignon, Tempranillo, Mourvedre, and Grenache. The primary Cab is from their own region with Tempranillo and Grenache coming from the surrounding regions of Tarragona and Terra Alta. The last bit of Mourvedre comes from Jumilla which is in the southern part of Spain. The “4” comes into play with four different varietals, from four different regions, and finally aged four months in oak. This is a definite Mediterranean wine with big dark fruit aromas and rich cherry-plum fruit in the mouth and it flexes with spiciness and sturdy tannins. It’s unfiltered, well-balanced and supple with a rustic flair that speaks of Spain. It’s an excellent food companion and why not invite three other friends to share? Do the math.

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Producer: Tenuta di Capezzana
Wine: Conti Contini Sangiovese
Vintage: 2004
Country: Italy
Appellation: Tuscany
Wine Type: Red
Varietal: Sangiovese
Grade: B
Designation: Cheap and Good
Price: $10.00

Wine from Tuscany is not always labeled Chianti. A case in point is this easy-drinking Sangiovese from the the Carmignano wine region about 15 miles to the east of Florence. While this winemaking region has a lot in common with Chianti and Chianti Classico wine regions to the south of Florence, Carmignano is not as restricted by the Chianti cops dictating terms to the Chianti producers. As a wine region, Carmignano has been a wine-producing region as far back as the pre-Italian Etruscans. The Tenuta di Capezzana wine estate dates back to the 16th century when it was built for the a member of the Medici family but wine has actually been made here for twelve centuries. The historic estate changed hands over time until finally the current family, the Count Alessandro Contini Bonacossi acquired the estate in the 1920’s and has since been held in the family. Carmignano is a D.O.C.G with many fine wines. This 2004 Conti Contini is a I.G.T. or a table wine that is considered typical of the indigenous region. And, while the Conti Contini isn’t technically a Chianti it would fool most people. It’s a Sangiovese that is the primary varietal used in Chianti as well as Tuscany’s Brunello di Montalcino, and Vino Nobile de Montepuliciano. It’s a clean and lively wine with bright nose of red fruit and floral bits. It has taut flavors of strawberries and cherries augmented with smoke and spice. It’s balanced with supple tannins and crisp acidity. It’s a good everyday table wine that goes well with pastas, chicken, and pork. Buon appetito!

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Producer: Chesebro Wines
Wine: Syrah
Vintage: 2003
Country: USA
Appellation: Central Coast-Carmel Valley
Wine Type: Red
Varietal: Syrah-Grenache-Mourvedre
Grade: A-
Designation: Excellent Value
Price: $17

Cheeseplate? No, no, no…”Chesebro.” I didn’t know much about this wine. No, that’s not correct, I didn’t know doodly or squat about this Syrah. My regular wineshop had it and the mystery wine was marked down from its regular $17 to $14. Let’s see, that’s a 3 buck savings, a number reminiscent of $3-Buck Chuck. No, let’s not go there, this wine wasn’t even close. There’s not much information out there on Chesebro Wines, they are a small family-owned winery located in the hills above Carmel Valley in the Monterey AVA in California. The owner, Mark Chesebro was the winemaker at Bernardus Winery in the same area, that fact alone provides solid credentials. This 2003 Syrah is blended with Grenache and Mourvèdre, a very Southern Rhône formulation except with a stronger emphasis on the Syrah rather than the Grenache. The fruit-aromatic bouquet on the Chesebro just rolled out in waves when the wine was uncorked. The color in the glass was an alluring inky dark garnet. The mouth was a fruit forward romp of black plums and cherries garnished with spice and oak. There’s a grip of tannin but it is well-behaved. There’s a savory and complex finish that fades with a wink and a nod. I would have payed the extra $3 if someone had asked.

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