Brazenly Lucid Wines

YOU KNOW YOU ARE A WINE GEEK WHEN...

Brazenly Lucid — Mon, 26 Jul 2010 22:53:26 -0700

The 1982 Bordeaux vintage put Robert Parker Jr. on the map. Many wine critics at the time disagreed with Parker that this was a stellar vintage. Parker stuck to his opinion and turned out to be right! As a result, Parker started his career to becoming one of the most influential wine critics in the world.

One of my very good friends came to me with three bottles of 1982 Bordeaux that he got from his employer who collects wine. Hes asked me If I would like to try it with him. I almost wet my pants I was so excited. That is when I realized I was a helpless wine geek! I did not know what I was in for but I knew it was a one in a lifetime opportunity.

All three were from the Right Bank of Bordeaux meaning they were predominately Cabernet Sauvignon. Here are just a few quick notes on what I thought since I did not have a pen and paper to right things down.

Chateau Cos D' Estournel Grand Cru Classe Saint Estephe 1982 ...

This was the smoothest of the three. Very silky with notes of wet leather, truffles and earth. Very balanced with some acidity left in it. This was ready now with some nice fruit notes of black currants and blackberries. I was amazed at the finesse of this wine and would have never guessed it to be twenty-eight years old. Just remember that when I say this, I do not have a ton of experience tasting wines over twenty years old.

Chateau Latour Grand Vin Premier Grand Cru Pauillac 1982...

This wine was surprisingly youthful for it's age. The fruit was there but was buried by the wet wood and leather notes. I would give this wine another five years and it will probably come around. Good acidity and solidly built. I looked it up on the Internet and it goes for anywhere from $1,440.00 to $2,000.00. It was a learning experience tasting a wine this old that tasted that young.

Chateau Pichon Longueville Comtesse De Lalande Pauillac 1982

I was blown away by this wine! Black currants, dark cherries, forest floor notes, and tobacco leaves all day. This wine was so balanced,with wonderful warm spice notes on the backside of the palate. I could not get enough of this wine so when my friend gave me the choice to take any of the three wines home, this is the one I chose. I took it home and finished it off relishing every sniff and swallow. Yes it's true, I am a wine geek and proud of it.

I may never get a chance to try wines this old again but I am happy I had the opportunity .... Thanks go to my good friend Bob! .

MY DEEPEST APOLOGIES...

Brazenly Lucid — Sun, 18 Jul 2010 08:35:10 -0700

It has just hit me, that I have been neglecting my blog. This has happened before and I have made a concerted effort to never let that happen again. So much for concerted efforts! For those of you who find the information on this site helpful and interesting I will do my best to continue to give you up-to-date and pertinent information as to the wine world and related subjects. I value your support and interest and I do not want to let you down. Cheers! Stan The Wine Man

CHECK OUT MY NEW BLOG SPOT ON SEATTLEPI.COM

Brazenly Lucid — Tue, 13 Jul 2010 21:52:48 -0700

I am branching out in the wine world. Seattlepi.com has a forum for readers to share information on a blog that they set up. I am writing under "The Blue Collar Wine Guy" and I will be sharing the same kind of information that I do on this blog. I am looking forward to the exercise in writing and hope that it furthers my cause in taking the "Snob" out of wine. Check it Out!

STAN'S PICK FOR JULY 2010...

Brazenly Lucid — Mon, 05 Jul 2010 22:28:13 -0700

Trentadue Winery 2006 Old Patch Red...

Summer has finally hit the Pacific Northwest, and it is time to think about a wine that will be the perfect match for the outdoor BBQ. This zinfandel based kitchen sink blend fits the bill perfectly. Hedonistic without going over-the-top this wine displays a nose of dusty ripe blackberries. On the palate you get ripe (Not overripe) blackberries all day. Silky tannins that glide across the palate into a medium to long finish. This wine tastes like a zin with a touch of culture. A great match for anything with BBQ sauce and perfect for enjoying with friends and family all by itself I can't think of a better way to spend twelve bucks this season. Cheers! Stan the Wine Man

P.S.

I tried this wine over a three day period, and I have to tell you it did not deteriorate at all, and I thought it was a little better the second day. Not bad for a wine in this price range!

THE WHITE THAT MIGHT...

Brazenly Lucid — Mon, 28 Jun 2010 23:03:06 -0700

THE RISE OF SAUVIGNON BLANC

This may be somewhat premature but hell, that has never stopped me before. I see something on the wine horizon that is very encouraging; sauvignon blanc sales are experiencing a steady increase over the past year. This is hardly scientific since I am basing my conclusions on what I see in the store that I work in. However, this has always been a reliable barometer for me and I do not see why it should let me down now. This past Fall, Winter and Spring, sauvignon blanc sales were out of this world in a time when they tend to come to a standstill. At first I thought it was an anomaly until I heard a respected wine critic I was watching make a passing comment on the rise in sales of the aforementioned varietal.

For me, this is a breath of fresh air. I have long been discouraged over the tenacious hold pinot grigio has had in the white wine category. It started with the rise in popularity of Italian pinot grigio and eventually bled over into the domestic side. For the past four years I have had difficulty keeping up with the demand. At first, it was a good thing. Chardonnay had lost some of it’s thunder and folks were looking elsewhere to quench their thirst for white wine. I would never discourage anyone from expanding their palate horizons. The problem however lies in the fact that most pinot grigio is one-dimensional and quite boring in many ways. People started feeling comfortable with this wine knowing that they would not have to think about what they are drinking. Just take it home and glug, glug, glug. Pinot grigio is in my estimation the McDonalds of white wine; you always know what you are going to get. Far be it from me to criticize, since on many occasions I have succumbed to the craving for several McDonald’s cheeseburgers in one sitting. I too enjoy a bottle of pinot grigio from time to time. However, to stick to pinot grigio because it is safe and you do not have to think about is a tragedy! Wine is all about experimentation, adventure and diversity. If you lose that, then you have lost a part of the wine world that is so much fun and so interesting. The amount of varietals that are available on the market these days is almost incomprehensible. Here are just a few of the white wines that you should be able to find in your local wine shop.

Torrontes from Argentina, semillon, riesling, chardonnay, pinot gris (same as pinot grigio, but an entirely different style), pinot blanc, aligote, Muscadet, marsanne, roussannse, viognier, gruner veltliner, chenin blanc (Vouvray in France), albarino, gewruztraminer, verdelho, verdicchio and of course sauvignon blanc. There are of course many others, but they are not as accessible. You may be asking yourself at this time..." Why is Stan excited about sauvignon blanc? Isn’t it just as one dimensional as pinot grigio?" I think this is a fair question and one that should be addressed. The answer is no and yes. I say yes simply because there are so many poorly made domestic sauvignon blancs on the market. Case in point; I was told by a salesperson that Woodward Canyon sauvignon blanc was absolutely delicious. I took him on his word and took into account the reputation of the winery. The wine went for thirty dollars retail so I was really looking forward to giving it a try. Much to my dismay, the wine was bland and uninteresting... very one dimensional. In the same sitting, I had tried a sauvignon blanc from the Languedoc region of France, an area not know for it’s sauvignon blanc. I was quite impressed with this effort, and went back to it after the Woodward Canyon disaster. What is my point? If you want to find out just how complex and amazing sauvignon blanc can be, you in most cases need to look outside the United States. Before I go on any further, it has to be said that there are some outstanding examples of this variety in this country. I recently tasted a stellar, vibrant example of what can be done with this wine from a small winery located near Bellingham, WA. However, the majority of outstanding examples still come from France, New Zealand and now Chile.

New Zealand sauvignon blanc can send you to the moon and back when done at it’s best. I personally do not prefer the grapefruit juice versions of these wines. I swear that if you put a little milk in a glass of some of the sauvignon blanc out of this country you would have a hard time telling the difference between the wine and a glass of grapefruit juice except for the buzz in your head after a glass or two. I can certainly understand the appeal and will be happy to lead you to a bottle of Kim Crawford. I personally enjoy the versions from this country that offer up a load of zingy acridity along with grass, lemon, lime, minerality and only slight hints of grapefruit. Hard to beat a glass of this on a warm summer day out on the back porch or deck. Then there is the sauvignon blanc from Sancerre, France. If we could only get the price down then I would be in heaven. Shining examples of what can be done with this grape. Racy acidity that makes my mouth water just thinking about it. Excellent minerality along with notes of fresh cut grass, wet stone, and in most cases hints of lemon. I believe that some of the best wine for oysters is Sancerre. France also shows off sauvignon blanc out of Bordeaux. Often blended with semillon it is some of the most interesting whites that you will find on the market. A little rounder with excellent minerality along with herbal notes. I am excited to see a rise in interest for white Bordeaux. Chile is also making a mark in the sauvignon blanc world and at excellent prices. If you are looking for delicious values in sauvignon blanc look no further then our friends from South America.

Yes, sauvignon blanc like any other varietal can be boring and humdrum when made poorly. However, done well it can be exciting to the palate and quite versatile. So watch out pinot grigio, the white that might knock you out of your comfortable position in the white wine category could very well be sauvignon blanc! Here’s to keeping it real. Stan The Wine Man.

THIEVING THE BARRELS AT MOUNT BAKER VINEYARDS WITH WINEMAKER DAVID TRAYNOR....

Brazenly Lucid — Wed, 16 Jun 2010 08:53:40 -0700

First thing I want to say is that David Traynor, winemaker at Mount Baker Vineyards is one hell of a nice guy. Young, energetic, knowledgeable and a great host he has done some fantastic things at Mount Baker Vineyards. I am happy for winery owner Randy Finley whom I consider a good friend and a great winemaker in his own rights, who deserves to have someone on board who cares about the wines and winery as much as he does. I had the opportunity to barrel taste some of the '08 stuff that David is watching over. I was very impressed with the quality of juice and am looking forward to buying it in bottle. David is working on a blend that is absolutely stunning, not for it's sleekness, but for it's sturdiness and ageability. This is some "Old World" style juice that you do not see around too much anymore. A blend of several grapes including cab, malbec, petit verdot among others, this wine is chewy, well built and delicious. I believe in another five years this wine will be gold. I tasted the Copeland Vineyards Chardonnay and was blown away by the creaminess and fruit that was displayed without any malolactic fermentation. Look for some awesome chardonnay out of this winery next year. Among other '08 wines out of barrel that I tried were the cabernet sauvignon, petit verdot and tempranillo. All of these wines were showing very well with excellent depth, good fruit and acid balance. '08 is going to be a stellar vintage for Mount Baker Vineyards!

Another wine that I tried was the '09 sauvignon blanc. I believe I have mentioned on several occasions that it is difficult to find good sauvignon blanc from Washington State. Usually uninteresting it lacks minerality, complexity and flavor. There are exceptions of course; Mercer Estates, Ste Michelle Horse Heaven Hills, Milbrandt and this jewel from Mount Baker Vineyards. This sauvignon blanc had to be one of the best domestics I have had in awhile. Vibrant on the palate with notes of grass, grapefruit, lemon and lime with excellent minerality. This rivals many New Zealand sauvignon blancs and I believe once you taste it, you will be back for more. Watch the wine shelves for the release of this vintage in your local store or get on Mount Baker Vineyards mailing list by visiting their website @ www.mountbakervineyards.com.

I want to thank David and Randy for their hospitality and sharing their outstanding wines with me. Cheers! Stan The Wine Man.