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THE WINE TASTER
By Robin Garr
The Courier-Journal, Aug. 23, 1989
A number of excellent "new releases" have recently become available in
this market. White wines, except for a few wood-aged Chardonnays, typically
reach the market within a year or so after the vintage, but finer
reds, which require a year to several years of age in barrel and bottle,
often turn up only three to four years after the harvest.
(The narrative section of this week's Wine Taster column, a short
dissertation on matching food and wine, is archived separately as WINEFD.RG
in LIB 4.)
Here are my notes on a number of recent arrivals.
(4 stars) Cain Cellars Napa Valley Carneros Chardonnay, 1987. This clear,
bright brass-colored wine has a rich, complex aroma of cooking apples with
hints of pineapple and chestnuts. Its flavor is very full-bodied, almost
buttery, with fresh fruit and crisp acidity lingering. It is very good now
but will probably get even better after a year in the bottle. ($16.75)
(4 stars) Parducci Mendocino County Cabernet Sauvignon, 1986. (Cab-air-nay
So-veen-yawn.) Ever-reliable Parducci scores again with this excellent,
moderately priced Cabernet. The clear, dark-garnet wine has an excellent
scent of ripe currants with just a touch of bitter chocolate. Its smooth,
mouth-filling flavor is full of lingering fruit that tastes as fresh as wine
grapes, and -- as is Parducci's policy -- oak is present only as an accent,
not a dominant characteristic. ($9.59)
(4 stars) The Monterey Vineyard Monterey County Pinot Noir, 1987. (Pee-no
Nwahr.) This clear, bright reddish-orange wine breathes a delicious aroma of
cherries, pumpkin-pie spice and subtle vanilla, and its silky-smooth flavor
bursts with juicy wine grapes. If it lacks the complexity of a great
Burgundy, it makes up for it with sippable refreshment. ($8.50)
(4 stars) Sterling Vineyards Napa Valley Sauvignon Blanc, 1988.
(So-veen-yawn Blawnc.) The delightful scent of this clear, light
brass-colored wine mingles a subtle grassy quality with a hint of fresh
canteloupe. Abundant fruit and crisp, lemony acid are balanced in its
excellent flavor; it's a welcome variation from the ubiquitious Chardonnay.
($8.99)
(3 1/2 stars) Simi Sonoma County Cabernet Sauvignon, 1985. Cedar, currants
and vanilla, the classic scents of a Bordeaux-style Cabernet Sauvignon, are
well balanced in the appetizing aroma of this clear, dark-garnet wine. An
earthy edge and nuances of cherries and fresh herbs add notes of interest to
its fresh, fruity flavor. It's an excellent table wine, but I'm not sure I'd
follow the label's advice about saving it until the mid-1990s unless you have
a cool, quiet wine cellar. ($14.99)
(3 1/2 stars) Chateau Gloria St.-Julien, 1986. (Sahn Zho-lay-awn.) This
popular label, among the first arrivals of 1986 Bordeaux in this market,
suggests that the vintage is meant for cellaring, not early consumption. Its
aroma is showing only light hints of cedar and pine, and its fruity, herbal
flavor is enclosed by heavy tannic acid that will take years to mellow. I'd
advise drinking the 1985 and 1983 Chateau Gloria, which are still widely
available, and saving this one for the mid-1990s. ($14.99)
(3 1/2 stars) Fetzer California "Sundial" Chardonnay, 1988. This pale
brass-colored wine ofers a good scent of fresh apples and a simple,
satisfying flavor of fresh fruit and crisp acidity. ($6.69)
(3 1/2 stars) Kendall-Jackson California "Vintner's Reserve" Chardonnay,
1987. Ripe cooking apples dominate the aroma of this clear, light
greenish-gold wine, with overtones of musky melon and fresh pineapple. Its
flavor adds ample oak and perhaps a touch of sweetness to fresh fruit and
light acidity. ($9.99)
(3 1/2 stars) Domaine Cordier Texas Sauvignon Blanc, 1988. This clear,
pale-straw colored wine has an extremely grassy aroma, like mowing the lawn
after a rain, with herbal notes of basil and sage. Its soft, fresh flavor
offers simple fruit and perhaps the barest touch of sweetness. ($5.59)
(3 1/2 stars) Franciscan Oakville Estate Napa Valley Cabernet Sauvignon,
1985. This clear, dark ruby-red wine has an enticing aroma of currants,
vanilla and a dash of chocolate; its flavor is surprisingly soft and fruity,
with lemony acidity present but almost concealed beneath the ripe, juicy
grapes. ($8.59)
"The Wine Taster" appears every other Wednesday in The Louisville
Courier-Journal Food Section. Wine and Food Critic Robin Garr rates table
wines available in the Louisville area, using a one- to five-star scale
determined by quality and value. Send suggestions or questions in care of The
Courier-Journal, 525 W. Broadway, Louisville, Ky. 40202, call (502) 582-4647,
or leave a message for 73125,70.