Wattle Creek Malbec - an Enigma

One of our inconsistently favorite wines is Wattle Creek's Malbec. We say "inconsistently" because it is very, very good, but every fourth bottle or so is a dud. It's not corked, spoiled, or bad in any discernable way. It just doesn't taste quite as good as usual. Weird.

We affectionately refer to Wattle Creek's Malbec as the "crack deal" because they only sell it to wine club members, but they'll let you taste it in their wine room in San Francisco's Ghirardelli Square. That's how we got hooked and joined the club. We tried it, loved it, and then talked ourselves into joining the wine club so we could buy some of that Malbec. Only a wine lover could work that sort of logic to agree to regular shipments of additional wine just to buy a few prized bottles.

Sally enjoying Wattle Creek Malbec at Bistro WestLast night, we brought a bottle of 2006 Wattle Creek Malbec to Bistro West in Carlsbad, CA. It had hints of plum and earth on the nose, rich plum with a little bright fruit on the front palate, and a mixture of earth and tannins on the finish. Unfortunately, this bottle was one of the occasional ones that didn't stand out. It was a little flabby and not as smooth and luscious as this wine can be at its best.

If this were our one and only try, we'd say "Eh" and move on to something else. But, we know that this wine has great potential and we have additional bottles in our collection that are sure to be outstanding. Given how much wine we drink, this sort of thing is bound to happen from time to time (see: "Every bottle can't be a winner").

One last thought -- we're pretty sure, though not certain, the issue lies on the winery side and not in our own storage. Why? Because we've experienced the same problem in Wattle Creek's own tasting room. On our last visit, we tasted two wines that weren't quite as good as we remembered, but the quality of the wine increased considerably when our host opened fresh bottles.

2007 Signaterra Pinot Noir by Benziger

We enjoy discovering secondary, smaller production wines, produced by more well-known wineries.  (like Aia by Miner Family).  On a trip to Sonoma Valley a few years ago, we were introduced to Signaterra wines while visiting Benziger. 

In 2009, Benziger launched a new, small production line of signature wines called Signaterra.  The line consists of three wines: Sauvignon Blanc, Three Blocks (Bordeaux-style blend) and a Pinot Noir from Bella Luna Vineyard in the Russian River Valley.  We enjoyed the wine so much, we picked up a bottle of the 2007 Pinot Noir to bring home.  This past weekend, we popped the cork and enjoyed while dining at Bo-Beau in Ocean Beach.  It was a perfect pairing!

This wine has a very typical earthy nose for a Russian River Pinot Noir. The taste was well balanced with bright red fruits (raspberry and cherry) finishing with earthy tones and a little spice.  When the bottle was first opened, there was a light acidic finish that burned off shortly and developed in to a nice, smooth finish.  If you enjoy a pinot that is balanced between fruit and earthiness, you’ll definitely enjoy this one!

Signaterra by Benziger is now available nationally in 27 markets including California, New York, Florida, Texas and North Carolina. The suggested retail is $49 for the Pinot Noir.  Check out this 3 minute video for more information on the overall line.

Why we always bring our own wine to restaurants

We always bring our own wine to restaurants. OK, almost always. The exceptions being times when we aren't drinking wine, are making an unplanned stop, or are traveling to a state whose draconian liquor laws forbid it. (Here's a great article from Wine Spectator that gives a state-by-state overview.)

Why bring our own wine? I'll give you three great reasons:

1. It's cheaper

Restaurants typically mark-up their wine 2 - 3 times the retail price. This means it's almost always cheaper to bring in your own bottle, even after the typical $15 - $20 corkage fee. For example, one of our go to Chardonnays is Sonoma Cutrer Sonoma Coast. It typically goes for $45 at a restaurant, but as a BevMo club member, I can pick up a bottle for $21.54 including sales tax. Add in a $15 corkage fee and my total at the restaurant is $36.54. 

2. You know it

Staring at a restaurant wine list can feel a lot like trying to complete the New York Times crossword puzzle. Sure, you might recognize a few things, but most of the clues don't make any sense. Why take chances on an expensive wine you've never heard of when you can bring a bottle that you know you'll love?

3. You can't get it there

Sally and I buy a lot of wines that aren't widely distributed and some are sold exclusively through the winery. That means many of the wines we enjoy can't be found on a restaurant wine list, so the only way to open a bottle when dining out is to bring a bottle with us.

If you aren't sure if bringing your own wine is legal in your state, or if your favorite restaurant will allow it, the best way to find out is to call. Ask the person for their corkage policy and they'll gladly tell you the rules and the cost. Or, you can always do what we do and just show up with a nice bottle, offer to share a little, and hope for the best!

Enjoying a bottle of 2007 Wattle Creek Shiraz at Terra American Bistro

Wine Pairings for Your Memorial Day BBQ

As the somewhat official start to summer, it’s pretty much a requirement to fire up the BBQ on Memorial Day.  Truth be told, a nice cold beer (especially Shiner!) is my usual go-to beverage to enjoy with meat fresh off the grill.  However, a tasty wine also puts a smile on my face.  Whether you like your meat simply smoked, or with sauce, you can’t go wrong pairing an Australian Shiraz or a California Zinfandel with any kind of BBQ.  

Here are a couple of readily available wines under $20 you may want pick up for your BBQ ~

Layer Cake Shiraz (~$12)
Bold spice, black plums and dark chocolate, with a long creamy finish that hangs around in the mouth for a while.  It would hold up to the spiciest sauces around!

Penfolds Koonunga Hill Shiraz (~10)
Full of juicy blackberry fruit aromas and flavors, chocolaty, smooth ripe tannins and some savory oak nuances.  Pass me the spare ribs, please!

Cline Zinfandel (~10)
Smooth structure with rich, berry flavors finishing with a touch of spice and hints of vanilla.  This easy drinker pairs well with a variety of smoked meats. 

Ridge Lytton Springs Zinfandel (~20)
The 2009 Lytton Springs scored 95 points with Robert Parker’s Wine Advocate.  We’ve always said you can’t go wrong with Ridge, and this is no exception.  Black fruit, plums, licorice and smoke.  Bring on the brisket!

2009 Ridge Ponzo Zinfandel. (~30)
Ok, so this goes over the $20 qualifier, but… if you’re willing to splurge a bit and can get your hands on a bottle, this is one of the best wines we’ve tasted this year.  Highly recommend.  It may just be the star of your BBQ.  MMMMM….

All wines available at BevMo and Specs 

Call Me a Cab Party

Last night we hosted a dinner party for national Call Me a Cab Night. Made up holiday? Sure it is, but why not? We had a lot of fun.

The grape of the evening was Cabernet Sauvignon, so we served several bottles that we had picked up on our travels along with some very Cab-friendly food. 

The Wines

As our guests arrived, we started them off with a splash of 2010 Mayacamas Sauvignon Blanc. Sauvignon Blanc is a parent grape of Cabernet Sauvignon, so it was a good way to sneak in a refreshing white wine while sticking to our theme.

Next, it was on to the Cabs. All of these wines were blind tasted with bread, crackers, and a selection of cheeses: reserve cheddar, balsamic bellavitano, and feta blended with lemon, basil, and cracked peppercorn.

2006 Brandlin Cabernet Sauvignon
2004 Heitz Cellar Bella Oaks Vineyard Cabernet Sauvignon
2007 Vincent Arroyo Cabernet Savignon

These Cabs all reflect our preferences -- fruit forward, a little bold, slightly young, with solid tannins that pair well with food or make the wine interesting on its own. Our guests thoroughly enjoyed each of the wines and we had fun comparing the different flavor profiles when we tasted them side by side. 

The Food

After our blind tasting, we revealed the wines and poured some more so each person could enjoy their favorite with dinner. Our menu consisted of molasses bourbon marinated tri-tip, scalloped potatoes with asiago cheese, and arugala salad. Dessert consisted of milk chocolate squares and pears topped with blue cheese and honey, both of which went very well with a 2006 Elyse Cabernet Sauvignon Port.

The Winner

There was no clear-cut favorite and all of the wines were rated very good, but the 2007 Vincent Arroyo drew the most votes as a top pick.