Let me lay it out for you. It’s a Thursday night and work was awful. You had three deadlines today, one at 10:15, one at 2:00 and one at 3:30.  How did you do?  Well, you pretty much got there, but you’re still not flying high.

Yes, you are correct - you’re far too old for malt liquor (although there is a time and a place), and shots of jaegermeiter just don’t feel quite right for a Thursday.  What to do?

Enter RH Phillip’s Night Harvest Cabernet Sauvignon, preferably in a magnum.

At $9 for the 750ml, and around $17 for the mag - your night is looking up.

RH Phillips claims that their grapes are harvested at night, and that “…this concentrates the flavors in the fruit…”  I think that there is a legitimate chance that this may actually be true, although it may just be that somebody important liked the label and the marketing department was forced to invent a story to coincide.  Or maybe not.

Whatever the reason for the label and the name, the wine is very decent.  It’s a fairly dry, fairly average cab with a fairly average price tag.  While this doesn’t sound too exciting, The Night Harvest isn’t overly exciting, and it doesn’t beat you up like a couple bottles of zin might.  However, it seems like just the ticket for most week nights at home - when you want to hit it hard, but you know that you shouldn’t.

Please don’t mistake this last thought for maturity; I assure you that there is a 40oz of OE 800 somewhere in my future.

Live it up,
Ryan

Back we go, to the Finger Lakes region of New York to sample a bottle from one the area’s most interesting wineries: Bully Hill.

It would be tough to be from upstate NY and to have not heard of Bully Hill, as they are one of the most distributed wineries of the region.  While they don’t claim to have high end, elitest wines, they do serve their wine “with laughter”.  My only issue Bully Hill is that I can only find their sweet wines out here in Cincinnati, and they currently are not currently shipping to Ohio.

I’ve been to their tasting room on several occasions, and I have never had a bad time.  The only tough part about Bully Hill is that their pours can be devastating - I would recommend going on a slow day, you definitely will not be disappointed.

From the start, they ask you to grab your glass in a Genny Light Death Grip and slam their first pour.  They do not screw around at Bully Hill.  Personally, I’ve never thought that this was a bad way to start a tour, but it gets better.  One of the tasting room staff was taking requests to sing songs while impersonating Chad Kroger from Nickelback.  My favorite of the concert was “Come Sail Away”…like Chad Kroger.  Maybe you had to be there after a few glasses - but it was pretty damn funny.

Bully Hill knows their market, and they keep their wines very reasonably priced.  Whatever your taste, from Sweet Walter White, to the Meat Market Red to the Bulldog Baco (noir) - Bully Hill produces some very reasonable everyday bottles of wine.

Their 2005 Merlot weighs in at about $8 and hits you really hard right out of the bottle.  While this merlot is on the lighter side, it has a really intense nose and taste.  The dark fruit cracks you pretty hard right out of the bottle (blackberries?) and transitions to a raspberry on the palate.  While I did enjoy this bottle with a pasta, I would almost recommend pairing it with something a little stronger, like a steak, as it did tend to overpower the meal.

As they say at Bully Hill, a magnum of their Grower’s Blush (chilled) is the perfect single serving size for mowing your lawn.  Some might scoff, but I’m telling you, don’t knock it ’til you try it. It’s even more fun with a riding mower.

-Ryan

This bottle was sweet - I dearly lament its recent demise and I’m already going through withdrawal.

Tonight’s Barbera was picked up at Fresh Market for $13, and was a complete Hail-Mary.  Why so dramatic? I’ve never heard of the vineyard, had only limited experience with barberas (less than 10 - 15 in my life) - I really didn’t know what to expect.

As it turns out, I was very pleasantly surprised.  Out of the bottle, the wine appeared fairly thin as it was being poured into the decanter.  After being decanted, undisturbed for 45 minutes, the wine was liberated and dinner was served.  The barbera was happily paired with homemade “gnocchetti all’ amatriciana”, or to the layman, gnocchi with pancetta in a red sauce.

This turned out to be an awesome dinner.

The gnocchi was so light, I felt like I was devouring a cloud.  The wine complemented the gnocchi very well…so well that I started to think about how spoiled I really am, for one fleeting moment.

On the nose, I picked up strong scents of cherries and vanilla, and down the hatch all I got was bright red berries…and it’s so smooth.  Sooooooo smooth.  The flavor is very vibrant, while still remaining a lighter wine.  I am really impressed with this one - nine-ish out of ten would be my rating.

I would be interested to hear if anyone else has had any other wines by Michele Chiarlo.  Do let me know if you’ve run across any others worth trying.

Ciao!
Ryan

“That may be the most horrid thing that I have ever tasted” …was my lovely wife’s reaction to the “martini” that I have just concocted.

Before you judge me too harshly (and I know that I deserve it), please know that I work very hard to purchase and drink all of these wines for you.  Know that I do it for you.  I sacrifice my liver, day after day, to ensure that you know what bottles to pick up and what bottles to avoid.  Sometimes…just sometimes, I don’t feel like wine.  I feel like a beer.  And maybe another beer.  And then maybe I’ll try to make a pseudo-martini with whatever I have in my liquor cabinet - today was one of those days.

The ingredients, and no, it turns out that I’m not too proud to tell you are:

One healthy pour of Seagram’s Lime Flavored Gin (pretty awful on its own)
One splash of Taylor’s Dry Sherry (we only use it for cooking, and I didn’t have vermouth)
One splash of green olive brine
Two olives - one to eat on the spot and one for later

All were shaken, over ice and poured into our sole martini glass.  Sadly, I think that this glass is the widow of a forgotten pair of martini glasses that met their end the way most glasses die - they meet their maker at high velocity after a drunken fall.  Honestly, I have no idea what happened - that’s just my best guess.

Glasses aside, how did these fine ingredients taste?

Bloody awful.  I completely agree with her; this drink is shit.  My punishment?  My conscience, and some twisted issue with wasting alcohol, will not let me pour it out and just enjoy a gin and tonic, or another beer, or a bottle of wine.  This is my torture for making such a shitty drink - I will finish it, and my guess is quite rapidly.  Probably like a shot.

Happy New Year’s Eve!
-Ryan

 Revision - Posted 20 minutes later

Yes, I am an idiot - I tried it again.  Skip the olive juice and it tastes like cold gin with a little sherry coloring.  We’re rockin’ now.

-Ryan

Guest Review:

It’s gone…a sad but pleasing send off for a fantastic gift from long ago. We finished our last bottle of Mazzocco 1997 Cabernet Sauvignon to compliment our Christmas Prime rib dinner. Having received a case of wine as a gift, this was the final salute to an enduring foundation to my wine collection. But before I talk about the wine, a short dissertation on the vineyard itself. Situated in Sonoma County between the Dry Creek and Alexander Valleys , this small family owned vineyard is a pearl hidden amongst numerous larger producers of fine California wines. Best known for its single-vineyard-designate Zinfandels, they also produce award-winning Chardonnay, Merlot, Cabernet Sauvignon and more. I actually visited the vineyard in 2005, a year that the taste room host said was to be declared one of their best ever so take note and pick some up (you can still buy some on line at www.mazzocco.com).

So on to the wine. After decanting it for a short while, we dolled out small pours as the beef was being sliced. Upon first sip, my self proclaimed wine aficionado daughter and son-in-law gave me a look that said it all. Velvety smooth with wafting blackberry and plumb nose hits, it became a conversation piece. At big meals, we usually uncork several bottles and move thru them with alacrity, but we ended up making the single bottle last, between the four of us, for the entire meal, and then some. Notes of cedar, pepper, and cola were reported by those around the table. As the bottle wound its way down, the wine got better and better and every sip was savored like the last drops of water by stranded desert travelers.

So thanks to M&D for bringing the wine back from their 2000 trip. Plan to visit this fine little winery if you are even fortunate enough to travel to the Napa valley area. It is a beautiful drive up from the city of Napa and you will be rewarded with some fine wines. Enjoy!!

-Scott

Clos du Val - where to begin?

This winery was recommended to us by a our server at Domaine Carneros.  I will preface this review with the knowledge that he ended up batting .500 at the end of our trip with his recommendations.

Clos du Val is set at the base of a very scenic hill, and the tasting facility reminded me of a grand old barn.  Walking around the building from the parking lot and through some of the largest doors I’d seen in my life, I was surprised to find a smallish bar area with no one tasting and two people behind the bar.  What made this even more interesting was that the fellow who fancied himself in charge was berating the other employee behind the bar (a young woman) about some seemingly trivial detail about pouring a bottle of wine through an aerator.

Shortly thereafter, we were finally acknowledged (after being looked up and down) and asked if we were interested in a tasting.  While the tasting sheet had two tiers, we were told that we would probably only enjoy the first (cheaper) tier that consisted 50% of whites.  Off to a great start.

After this brilliant introduction to Clos du Val, I had nothing but the highest hopes for their wines.  To be totally honest, the tasting aspect of this stop was very disappointing.  The wines were very expensive, with cabs starting at $32 and topping out at $105, and also very mediocre. 

In closing, I would suggest that you not waste your time with this one.  There are so many good wineries, why bother?

On the upside, Turnbull was our next stop - and we had a completely different experience here.  Turnbull is sweet.

Happy Drinking,
Ryan

Pepperwood Grove - My favorite bottle of wine after the first bottle of wine.

I’m not being intentionally cryptic, in fact, I’m pretty damn sure that you all know what I mean.  You’ve had that first bottle and the party isn’t quite over.  You’re not ready to drink anything too hard, but you don’t want to piss away a good bottle after a good bottle.  Enter anything Pepperwood Grove!

This Shiraz happens to hail from down under, like many of the economically feasible shiraz’s available today.  However, I like it better than it’s cheaper Aussie cousins.  The PG Shiraz happens to be as dark as the night itself, and have a very decent taste.  While I won’t pretend that I get anything too specific off of this one, it hasn’t disappointed me yet.  And like most good shiraz, makes a good show of staining your teeth purple.

As many of you know, “Syrah” was originally grown in the French Bordeaux region and was moved across the ocean to Australia and then called “Hermitage”.

Personally, I think this is a load of nonsense and I’m calling BS on Wikipedia.

However, what does seem to be uncontested is the fact that Syrah is the same grape as the very popular Shiraz now grown in Australia.  The US has largely adopted it’s original name, Syrah, and has proceeded to make some very good wines.

As proof positive that I’m fond of this wine, I have purchased one half case.  It’s a nice complement to the other half of a case of Pepperwood Grove Pinot that I happened to purchase at the same time (I’m a big fan of the case discount).  This is a very drinkable wine that I don’t have to feel bad about breaking open, which makes it one of my favorites.

Laters Mates,
Ryan

*Please do not confuse “syrah” or “shiraz” with “petit syrah” which is actually a different varietal.

Where to begin?  Darioush was recommended to us by a Frenchman at Domaine Carneros, where we had a really good time.

A preview: Go to Darioush, it’s worth the $25 tasting fee.

First thoughts on Darioush: What should those pillars be holding up?  Is this some sort of Persian temple? Where did this rented Dodge Charger take me?

Darioush was one of the top three wineries that we were to visit on our little tour of Napa.  Brilliant architecture, worth stopping for even if you don’t make it in for a tasting.

After wandering in the entrance and pulling myself together enough to stop staring at the three-story indoor waterfall, we found a spot at the bar.  The tasting room staff was really professional, and my favorite thing about them was their healthy pours.  They also knew about wine and were very interesting to talk to.

The wine was awesome, but wickedly expensive.  This was probably the only winery that I really enjoyed, but at the same time, was convinced that I could not afford anything.  The cheapest wine at Darioush?  A $39 Viognier.  Very good, but I haven’t met the white yet that was worth forty bucks to me.  To be totally honest, I was too ‘overwhelmed’ at this point to really remember what we tried, with the exception of the 2005 Syrah.  Dark, smooth…and a fantastic wine.  Not a value, but fantastic. That’s about all I can recall.  It became a rough day from this point on.

Darioush - Damn good, but expensive.

-Ryan

I’m beginning to get a little sensitive.  I’m beginning to think that all of my reviews are on the positive side.  Where are the bad reviews?  We’ve all had awful wine, where is it on this site? Which wines should I stay away from? 

Truth be told, I try really hard to not drink bad wine.  Life is way too short, and we spend far too much of our busy lives committed to nonsense to add more pain by drinking shitty wine.  Please don’t jump to conclusions, I have (and still) enjoy a good glass of wine from a box.  Every now and again, we all need our fix and sometimes, just sometimes, the box will do.  I will not fall to the ground from the sheer enjoyment of said box wine, but it will do in a pinch.  The wine from a box (or jug) will not be white, pink or anything lighter than a cab - and my bank account had better be in overdraft, but I will not shun a box.  What I’m talking about is genuinely bad wine. 

The Red Bicyclette 2004 Syrah is not this mythical awful wine.  It’s really good, and I’m thinking I’ll start picking this up regularly.  The nose is extremely subtle, but if you really look for it, you can catch a faint hint a tart cranberries.  This almost-black wine is light and smooth, with an incredibly soft finish.  I would definitely by this wine again at $9.  And I take back almost everything that I’ve ever said about the French.

At first I thought that this was similar to a Cline Syrah, primarily because of the price point, but these wines are vastly different.  While the Cline is heavy and rough, the Red Bicyclette is smooth and light.  Think of a Budweiser Clydesdale vs. Seabiscuit and you have the difference in these wines, if they were horses.  However different these wines may be, at the end of the day, they are both better than box wine and not at all bad.  Some days, I may prefer the Clydesdale and others I may lean towards the thoroghbred.  At the end of the day, both of these ponies take you to the same place, but in a slightly different manner. 

The moral of this story: drink the Red Bicyclette, it’s an excellent wine and a good value.  The presentation on the bottle is also good, so don’t feel bad about bringing it to dinner at my house.

Bonsoir mes amis,
Ryan

Where to begin?  This winery is easily one of the best all-around wineries that I have visited in my short life.

Operated by Taittinger, Domaine Carneros makes one think of a lavish, French estate as you approach its sprawling grounds.  The hell of it is , Domaine Carneros IS a lavish French estate, even sporting authentic Frenchmen serving their sparkling wines.  As we were seated for our tasting (that’s right, seated outside at a table on the patio) Jean Claude, our authentic Frenchman, offered us a tasting sheet.

F’ing spectacular.

The tasting flight included a Brut, a Brut Rose and a Blanc de Blancs, all of which were really excellent.  Even the Brut Rose, which was pink in color, was an excellent wine.  Very dry and fruity, the Rose was actually a really good wine.  Also excellent was a the Brut Cuvee, this was easily one of the better sparklers that i’ve enjoyed, but it was sadly put in its place by the Blanc de Blancs - truly a formidable opponent.  This at least six year old Blanc de Blancs had everything that a luxury champagne should have: tiny bubbles, a buttery finish and a Frenchman serving it.

As I’m sitting here sipping on my gin and tonic, I’m wondering whether I was ever actually at this winery, or whether I’m just making all this nonsense up.  Luckily, I have a bottle of Brut Cuvee in my cellar to back up my story.

From the grounds, to the three sparkling wines in the tasting flight (the Blanc de Blancs is currently the sparkling wine of choice served in the White House), to our incredibly polite and helpful French server - who asked only that we “…do not mix this with orange juice”, this was a really incredible tasting.  The selection of wines at Domaine Carneros was not large, but what wines they did produce were really notable.

This is a must see winery on any trip to Napa, and one of my favorites.

Also, they are certified organic - apparently pesticides and expensive bubbly don’t mix.

Au revoir!
Ryan

The view from Domaine Carneros