Weekend Wines...

[jddoyle]

First tasting note post for me so I hope that it helps someone. Tasted over one evening with grilled beef tenderloin, roasted potatoes and a simple salad.

Marques de Murrieta 2000 Rioja Neonato

For the price ($12), this is a deep ruby, fantastic medium bodied wine. Started out a bit sweet, with red fruits, most noticably strawberry, but opened up to reveal smoke and underbrush, without ever losing the red fruits. The finish was pretty long, though as the first wine on a Friday night after a long week, the wine itself didn't last long so I didn't really get a good chance to check the finish. Tannins were there, smooth but a little drying which evolved out over the 45 minutes it took to drink the bottle. I would bet the bottle would give a couple of more years, but why bother? Excellent start to the evening.

2001 Feraud-Brunel Gigondas

We opened this wine while it was still a little cool from the cellar. Upon opening, not much there, very little nose, which smelled faintly of blackberry and anise and very little on the palate. The color was deep purple to the rim. I decided to come back to this later after the next bottle. After about an hour and a half of being in the glass, this wine evolved into a full bodied wine, showing spice and stoney-earth. There was loads of white pepper with blueberry and tar, a good bit of oak and firm, present tannins with a long, spicy finish. After the wait, it was very good, though from what I could taste it could use a while in the cellar. I am going to open another in two years, though my bet (for what it's worth) is another five would do it better. ($21.99)

1999 Finca Sobreno Seleccion Especial

Wine of the night right here. This was an amazing bottle of wine. HUGE nose of chocolate, tar, raspberry and chocolate (really, even the non-wine fanatics at the table instantly said "chocolate" when they smelled it). Full bodied and deep red, in the mouth it tasted of leather, tar, and chocolate covered blackberries with a long, long, powerful finish. The tannins were smooth and not overpowering, but definitely there. I would guess this will hold out for at least another 5 years and it would be worth it to try, if I can last that long! ($25.99)

2001 Shooting Star Lake County Syrah

We were at dessert at this point and this went really well with a rich chocolate cake. Cherry red and simple but does it's job, it is sweet with rich red raspberry and cherry flavors. Medium-light in weight, the tannins were slight but sweet and not drying. The best way that I can describe this is to say that this would be like a Beaujolais made with Syrah, which to me isn't a bad thing. Won't last long but worth the $12.00.

Jay Doyle