Wednesday, May 23, 2012

My Favorite Wines

I have decided to start a list of my favorite wines so I can remember what I liked for future purchases.  In the past I added them in my database but not all had a rating or notes so I'll pull this info forward and as I try the wine again.  If my tastes have changed, I will update the list.  So let's talk wine.

5 STAR
  • Armida Maple Vineyard, Dry Creek Valley Zin 2005
  • Hahn Estates Meritage 1999 (2006 rated it a 4)
  • Little Valley Winery Raspberry Champagne
  • Madrona Estate Grown Wines New World Port 2006
  • Rutherford Hill Twenty Third Anniversary Merlot 1997
  • Peju Estate Bottled Cabernet Franc 2002
  • Regusci Stags Leap District Merlot 2001
  • Rios Lovell Estate Winery Port 2004
  • Rutherford Hill Winemakers Blend 2000
  • V Sattui Gamay Rouge:  I love this cold red. It is very refreshing and good on a hot summer day.You can only purchase their wines at the winery so if heading up to Napa Valley I always check my stock before I go and replenish where needed. They also have a great cheese shop, Keifer being my favorite spread but I do a tasting each time and purchase what strikes me that day.
  • Wente Charles Wetmore Cabernet Sauvignon 2005

4 STAR
  • Bent Creek Livermore Valley Zinfandel 2006
  • Big White House Pesche Minon Champagne
  • Charles R. Vineyards Cabernet Sauvignon 2006
  • Columbia Crest Grand Estates Merlot 2001
  • Crooked Vine Winery CV Petite Sirah 2007
    • Crooked Vine Winery SR Sparkling Malvasia 2009
  • Dry Creek Vineyard Old Vine Zinfandel, Somoma County 2006
  • Fenestra Winery Lodi, Silvaspoons Vyds Touriga 2006 (We rated the 2008 White Riesling, Arryoy Seco, 2004 Merlot, Livermore Valley all a 4, the True Red, Lot#23 a 3; the 2005 Cab Sav and 2006 Petite Sirah and 2008 Sweet Viognier a 3.5-4, the 2006 Cab Franc, 2005 Cab Sav fro Liv Valley Thatcher Bay Vyd a 3-3.5; the 2006 Malbec and 2006 Zin a 2)
  • Fenestra Winery Lodi, Silvaspoons Vyds Port 2003
  • Garre Syrah 2006
  • Hahn Maritage Red Table, Central Coast 2006
  • La Posta Angel Paulucci Vineyard Malbec 2002
  • Mitchell Katz Soprano Port 2005
  • Red Feather Winery Lodi Old Vine Zin 2006
  • Smith and Hook Cabernet Sauvignon 2006:  The first one on the list will be tonight's 5/22/2012 selection.  I rate it a 4 out of 5 stars.  According to other sites it rated between a 3-4.  We purchased it at the winery awhile back, aged 6 years with minimal supervision or care (my kind of wine). It was smooth with a slight tannin's but not as peppery or strong as I usually like but going perfectly with my grilled steak and spinach vinegrette salad.   I will be looking for this at Bev Mo or heading back to the winery tasting room at Hahn Estates in Santa Lucia Highlands, CA.  I also purchased it in 1999
  • The Singing Winemaker Almond Champagne
  • Thomas Coyne Petite Sirah Livermore Valley 2005
  • V Sattui White Riesling:  For a white this was good, bought two bottles last time even though I'm not a hugh fan of white wine.
  • Gamba:  Had this in Danville at a wine bar, it was a red, maybe a cab.  Liked it a lot.
3 STAR
  • Clos du Bois Merlot 2006 (1/4/2012:  It was good but also older and made the cross country trip so maybe it was better before.  Give another try)
  • Jekel Vineyards Monterey Gewarxtraminer 2000 (waited too long;  7/30/2007 - trying with a spicy fish dish tonight.  Wasn't as sweet as expected which was good but don't know if this is because it was older)
  • McGrail Vineyards Cabernet Sauvignon Reserve 2005 (05 better than 06)
  • Riverview Cellars Vidal Ice Wine Dessert 2002 (10/1/2008:  Might have been too old because it wasn't as good as I remember when we bought it.)
  • Sequoia Grove Allen Family Shiraz 2000
  • The Singing Winemaker Port
  • Williams Selyem - Limestone Ridge at Vista Vercde Vineyard Chenin Blanc San Benito County 2009 (This was pretty good for a white, not oaky like a chardinay.)
  • Boeger Winery Barbara El Dorado 2006.  We rated it a 2 but we just drank it 6/3/2012 so we probably waited too long so I'll give it another try via a tasting.
UNRATED (I bought it so it must have been good, a good time or it is still in my collection)
  • Alpha Omega Rose 2007
    • Alpha Omega Cabernet Sauvignon 2004
    • Alpha Omega Proprietary Red 2005
  • Anaba Somoma Valley Red Table Wine 2008
  • Arthur Earl Santa Ynez Valley Nebbiolo 1997
  • Barnwood Merlot 1998
    • Barnwood Zin 1999 
  • Benessere Vineyards Pinot Grigio Napa Valley, Carneros 2007 (Mixed notes:  We drank this 8/22/2011, it was a wonderful, light, slightly fruity white wine.  I really liked it especially since I don't normally like white wines but I had it as a R1 which doesn't match)
  • Blackstone Merlot 2002
    • Blackstone Reserve 2003
  • Bodegas Aguirre Forte 6 Port 2011
  • BR Cohn Pinot Noir 2005
    • BR Cohn Doobie Red North Coast Red Table 2004
  • BV Ensemble Red Table 1999
  • Carta di Imbarro Carta diImbarro Zin 2005
  • Casillero del Diablo Cabernet Sauvignon 2004
  • Castello di Amorosa Almond Sparkling
    • Castello di Amorosa Con Amore Tawny Port
  • Castel Grisch Seneca Dream Red Table Wine
  • Castel Grisch Estate Reserve Burgundy
  • Cedar Mountain Tortuga Royale Port 2010
  • Chouinard Vineyards Viognier White (I liked all their wine, champagne and port.  I bought the Viognier and Old Vine Zin Port.)
  • Conn Creek Winery Cabernet
  • Deer Ridge Vineyards Moonstruck Blend 2007
  • Eagle Ridge Private Reserve Petite Sirah 2005 (I belive this was the peppery wine which I really liked)
  • Eckert Estate Winery Late Harvest Primitivo 2005 (not technically a port because it has no brandy but it tastes like one just thicker and sweeter)
    • Eckert Estate Winery Celebration Cuvee red table 2010
  • El Sol SF Bay cabernet 2004
  • Fulkerson Red Zeppelin Red Table wine
  • Four Chimneys Eye of the Bee Sweet Red
  • Glenora Cabernet Sauvignon 2001
  • Goose Watch Lemberger Red Table 2002
  • Greenvale Cabernet Franc 2001
  • Hahn Estates Cab 2006
  • Kendal Jackson Jackson Estates Grown Chardonnay 2005
  • Lakewood Cabernet Franc 2002
  • Les Chenes Estate Mourvedre SF Bay Livermore Valley 2008
  • Longevity Syrah 2006
  • Mitchell Katz Livermore Valley Merlot falling star 2007
    • Mitchell Katz Petite Sirah Port 2006
  • Mount Veeder Winery Cabernet Sauvignon 2000
  • Newport Vineyards White Gap 2002
  • Page Mill Winery Angela's Cuvee 2008
  • Paraiso Springs Souzao Port
  • Parducci Old Vines Cabernet Sauvignon 1995
  • Peju Province, Estate Bottled Cabernet Sauvignon 2003 (on 5/2012 didn't find one I wanted to purchase, they were very mild reds for my taste on this day)
    • Peju Provence Red Table 2006
  • Pine Ridge Vineyards Charmstone Red Table 2007
  • Prejean Merlot 2002
  • Provenance Sauvignon Blanc 2006
  • Ravens Wood Cabernet Sauvignon 2000
    • Ravens Wood Amador County Zin 1999
  • Raymond Reserve Melot 2002
  • Retzlaff Vineyards Merlot 2004
    • Retzlaff Vineyards Port
  • Reynolds Family Winery Cabernet Sauvignon Napa Valley Estate Select 2006
  • Rios Lovell Estate Winery Port Zac's Reserve Port 2011
  • Rosella's Miner Pinot Noir 2002
  • Robert Sinskey Los Carneros Merlot 2003
  • Rodrigue Molyneaux Primitivo Red Table 2007
  • Rosemount Estate Cabernet Sauvignon 1998
  • Rutherford Hill Vintage Zinfandel Port 2000
  • Ryhan Rouge-Sang 2004
  • Sawyer Cellars Meritage
  • Sebastiani Cabernet Sauvignon 2000
  • Simi Alexander Valley Cabernet Sauvignon 2000
  • St. Supery Atkins House Red Cabernet Sauvignon 1997
  • Sterling Cabernet Sauvignon 2003
  • Stony Ridge Malvasia Bianca Dessert 2005
  • Sutter Home White Cabernet 2006
  • Swedish Hill Cabernet Franc 2001
    • Swedish Hill Doobie Blues White
  • Thomas Coyne Graciano Lodi 2008
    • Thomas Coyne Port 2003
    • Thomas Coyne Confluence Red Table Wine 2002
  • V Sattui Petite Sirah North CA 2008
    • V Sattui Preston Vineyard Cabernet Sauvignon 2004
  • Ventana Orange Muscat 1996
    • Ventana Estate Bottled Merlot 1996
  • Viansa Winery Thalia Sangiovese 2005
  • Villa Mount Eden Tall Trees Cabernet Sauvignon 2000
  • Wente Crane Ridge Merlot 2004
    • Wente Morning Fog Chardonnay 2006
  • Whitehall Lane Winery Merlot 2004
  • William Harrison Vineyards Cabernet Franc2005
  • Wind Walker Winery ZinMan 2006
  • Wolf Blass Yellow Label Cabernet Sauvignon 2003

NOT A FAN
  • Mitchell Katz Sangiovese 2005:  R2
  • Plymouth Colony Red Gold Cranberry Mead:  R2 (kool aid wine - not really a wine.)

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