Tasting Notes 8/12/11

NCWC POETRY TASTING, 8/12/2011

 CHALONE ESTATE CHARDONNAY 2009

                Choosing this wine was not very hard/It’s a classic example of excellent Chard/Fragrant aromas of apple and pear/Plus vanilla and spice, it’s almost not fair/Across your tongue the flavors will glide/Showing your palate a nice creamy ride.  $17.97.

BAILEYANA PINOT NOIR 2008

                If there’s one thing that we know/It’s quality Pinot/The Firepeak Vineyard is where this is born/When it runs out, you’re liable to mourn/Its pretty nose of soft fruit and earth/Gives a good hint of what this is worth/It’s balanced and fine, showing midpalate juice/With touches of smoke through its nice long caboose.  89 points Jim Tobin.  $19.97.

AMIZETTA MERLOT 2006

                This winery’s gorgeous, up in Napa hills/Their wines never fail to give us a thrill/Oak and black cherry on the beautiful nose/Precede complex flavors of berry, cedar and rose/We’ve loved both their Cabs, the ’04 and ‘07/And their Complexity blend is pure liquid heaven/But don’t think this one is any step down/One taste and you’ll know it’s worth keeping around.  90 points Tobin Brothers.  $19.97.

CATENA MALBEC 2008

                Argentina has always been known for its meat/But you need to have something to drink when you eat/This Malbec is excellent, so polished and rich/It will certainly scratch your wine drinking itch/With cassis and berries both boysen and black/Plus fennel and spice and toast on the back/This ain’t Buenos Aires, but it’s still pretty great/To drink this wine in any country or state.  90  points Wine Spectator.  $19.97.  

GRGICH HILLS CABERNET SAUVIGNON 2007

                For decades Mike Grgich has been making wine/His reputation has always been better than fine/He’s got a full bag of winemaking tricks/His Chard won in Paris in ‘76/This Cab is complex and so supple and deep/This is one you could put in your cellar and keep/With raspberry and currant and tobacco leaf flavors/Plus oak, herbs and pepper you really can savor.  96 points Robert Whitley.  $49.97.

MOLLYDOOKER “THE BOXER” SHIRAZ 2009

                The name may sound silly, but it’s really no joke/”Mollydooker” is Aussie for a left-handed bloke/This wine is a powerhouse, dense and juicy in the mouth/They’re obviously making some good stuff down south/It’s focused with blueberry, smoke, currant and spice/It’s a pretty fine wine at a pretty fine price.  90 points Wine Spectator.  $23.97.

GREY WOLF “BIG BAD WOLF” ZINFANDEL 2009

                My, what a big and delightful nose/And my, what rich, tasty fruit this wine shows/This wolf in glass clothing comes from Paso Robles/It’s big, bad and bold, but somehow still noble/You’ll start with a sip, then start taking more/This is one wine that’s never a bore.  90 points Bill Tobin.  $21.97.