TaylorEason.com: Foodies unite » Red

Affordable everyday Wine review: Smoking Loon 2009 Zinfandel California

Taylor Eason — Mon, 16 Jan 2012 16:31:46 +0000

When people talk about "everyday" wine, I've sometimes wondered exactly what they mean. Is it a wine that goes with all sorts of food so it can be consumed without care? Is it a simple wine that that can appeal to many different palates? Or is it an inexpensive wine that you can afford to sip everyday? Family-owned by Sonoma County's Sebastiani and Sons, Smoking Loon wants to be all that and more.

Wine review: Chappellet 2008 Signature Cabernet Sauvignon Napa Valley

Taylor Eason — Mon, 09 Jan 2012 16:55:11 +0000

When Chappellet Winery opened its doors in 1967, 32 wineries operated in Napa. Robert Mondavi – now owned by corporate wine company Constellation – was number 31. Today, over 400 wineries share the same valley. Early on in this recession, Chappellet began combating the sales spiral by concentrating on the customer — they lowered their prices. “We wanted people to feel the love,” said Cyril Chappellet, 2nd generation winemaker. But they also stayed true to their history. This 2008 Cabernet effort tastes like it.

Wine review: Vietti 2007 Barbera d’Asti Tre Vigne

Taylor Eason — Mon, 12 Dec 2011 01:29:37 +0000

Barbera is an unfortunately overlooked red grape/wine from the Piedmont region of Italy. But it's SO tasty. Plenty of fruit but also high acidity, making it a quintessential food pairing experience. You'll find Barberas from the Asti sub region, which often have often a more feminine style (due to the soil structure in that region) and the Alba sub region, producing the yin, masculine version. Barberas from Asti, as a general rule, appeal more to my taste. And this Asti from Vietti kinda rocked my world.

Wine review: Penfolds Bin 128 2008 Shiraz Coonawarra

Taylor Eason — Fri, 02 Dec 2011 17:54:27 +0000

Most consumers have heard of Penfold's, and unfortunately have mostly tasted their somewhat generic, everyday Cabernet and Shiraz blends. But their Bin Series bottlings, made from a more exclusive, higher tier of fruit, are simply breathtaking (and worth the extra $8 or so). Established in 1962, Penfold's Bin 128 Coonawarra Shiraz series is made from grapes grown on Penfold's-owned land and produces a consistently tasty wine vintage after vintage.

Wine review: Castello d’Albola 2007 Chianti Classico

Taylor Eason — Tue, 22 Nov 2011 17:30:09 +0000

Chianti is one of the classic food wines of Italy. In this wine-soaked country, regional foods are designed to pair with regional wines. [Read about my foodie trip to Italy). They're crafty that way. Like Garanimals back in the day. In Tuscany, the locals sip Chianti, Chianti Classico and Chianti Classico Reserva (what's the difference?) with red sauces, long-simmered bean dishes and slow-roasted meats. The higher acidity of the Sangiovese grape complements the high acidity of tomato sauces but also contrasts with the delicious fat of the meat dishes. Matches made in foodie heaven.

Wine review: Delas 2009 Cotes du Rhone Saint Esprit

Taylor Eason — Fri, 11 Nov 2011 15:15:48 +0000

It seems even the traditionalist French are caving to the new consumer tastes -- producing fruity wines like their "New World" competitors that they used to deride. Perhaps the musty, dusty, fruity-free style has simply been overtaken by the up-and-coming wine buyer tastes. The Delas 2009 Cotes du Rhone Saint Esprit leads me to believe it...

Wine review: Quivira 2009 Zinfandel Dry Creek Valley

Taylor Eason — Fri, 14 Oct 2011 16:15:28 +0000

I was a bit hesitant to write about Quivira's Zin that I recently tasted blind, since I reviewed the 2008 vintage in April of this year. But I thought, what the hell, they deserve to get kudos twice in one year. These guys rock the Zinfandel. And, farming biodynamically, they're stewards of the earth.

Wine review: Elena Walch 2010 Lagrein Alto Adige (Italy)

Taylor Eason — Fri, 07 Oct 2011 16:12:41 +0000

For a few years now, the Alto Adige wine region in northeastern Italy has been a darling of mine. With a cooler climate than the rest of the heated Italian countrysides, the Pinot Grigios taste crisper, the eclectic reds are more refined and they grow a whole slew of interesting grapes from this rich, historic soil. Like Lagrein.

Wine reviews: King Estate 2009 Domaine Pinot Gris and 2008 Pinot Noir

Taylor Eason — Wed, 21 Sep 2011 02:50:18 +0000

King Estate specializes in Pinot Gris and Pinot Noir, and that's what I've been sipping on these past eight years since I met them. Still family-owned -- like most wineries in Oregon -- they've expanded their horizons with their other, more affordable (and still tasty) Acrobat Pinot Noir and Gris. I really admire what these guys have been doing.

Wine review: Trentadue 2009 Old Patch Red Alexander Valley

Taylor Eason — Tue, 06 Sep 2011 16:38:02 +0000

Red blends appear to be all the rage these days, and I'm all for it. Many times, single varietal wines can be one dimensional and flat, lacking in personality or interest. But mix in some other grapes and beautiful things happen. The Europeans, of course, have known this non-secret for eons, especially in Bordeaux, France and most parts of Spain and Italy. And Trentadue has known this for 30 years.

Wine review: Estancia 2009 Pinot Noir Monterey Pinnacles Ranch

Taylor Eason — Mon, 29 Aug 2011 16:00:25 +0000

Even generic, corporate-owned wineries like Estancia can make good wine if they have great fruit from Monterey, specifically their Pinnacles Ranch vineyard. And another thing corporate wineries have to offer is lower prices. Like under $15 for a pretty decent Pinot.

Wine review: Banfi 2008 Centine Toscana

Taylor Eason — Mon, 08 Aug 2011 16:20:05 +0000

When I explored the limitless wines of Italy's Tuscany wine region during a trip last year, I became enamored of the high quality "Toscana IGT" labeled reds. These simple table wines helped salve my weary wallet, already weathered by the leather purse and jacket shops of Florence. But they weren't just inexpensive -- they were high quality sangiovese-based reds, reminiscent of the more expensive Chianti which normally cost a lot more money but often aren't worth it.

Wine review: Cameron Hughes 2008 Cabernet Sauvignon Stag’s Leap Lot 189

Taylor Eason — Sat, 23 Jul 2011 15:10:03 +0000

At last... a Cabernet that Napa Cab obsessives can drink everyday without opening up a new equity line on the house (if you can still get those nowadays?). Winemaker Cameron Hughes approaches wines a bit differently. He's part of the growing trend of "traveling winemakers" who don't own vineyards but take advantage of the bulk market to craft wines for less money.

Wine review: Tormaresca 2008 Neprica Puglia (Italy)

Taylor Eason — Mon, 11 Jul 2011 15:49:07 +0000

Bravo to this deliciously affordable Italian red wine, made from two grapes few have heard of -- Negroamaro and Primitivo (the Italian equivalent to Zinfandel) -- and the ubiquitous Cabernet Sauvignon. Neprica also hails from an obscure region in Italy, Puglia -- the heel of the boot -- where vineyard land doesn't fall into the ranks of the absurdly expensive. Puglia (also called Apulia) is an up-and-coming wine region, having shod their former lowly, bulk wine rep, and now competes successfully in the international red blend market.

Wine review: Il Poggione 2008 Rosso di Montalcino

Taylor Eason — Sun, 03 Jul 2011 14:13:57 +0000

When I look at wine lists in Italian restaurants, it's tragic that the Chiantis are are so damn expensive. Even for the lowest "Chianti" classification (what's this?). I simply refuse to pay $40 restaurant pricing for something worth $15. So the other night, feeling the urge to spend more wisely, I ordered something a little different to pair with my savory red sauce, a Rosso di Montalcino.

Wine review: Blackstone 2007 Rubric Sonoma Reserve

Taylor Eason — Tue, 07 Jun 2011 12:25:55 +0000

I’m rarely a fan of the lower level Blackstone wines, seeing them as bland, sweet and too commercial. And, like most Rhianna songs that get played too often on the radio, I grew tired of hearing about and seeing Blackstone Merlot like everywhere when there were so many others of better quality for the same price.

Wine review: Snoqualmie Naked 2008 Merlot Columbia Valley

Taylor Eason — Mon, 16 May 2011 14:26:23 +0000

Snoqualmie is owned and operated by the fine folks who bring us Columbia Crest and Chateau Ste. Michelle wines in Washington State. Per their corporate mantra, this is a good value wine that's well made but there's one added benefit to this brand: Snoqualmie practices sustainable and organic grape growing.

Wine review: Santa Christina 2009 Chianti Superiore

Taylor Eason — Tue, 10 May 2011 14:21:33 +0000

Tuscany is home to Chianti, likely the most famous wine region on the planet. The straw baskets have been discarded for sleek bottles and modern winemaking went mainstream here about 20-25 years ago. Santa Cristina, made by Italy's Antinori wine family, is most definitely part of this modern revolution yet still maintains a traditional Chianti style.

Wine review: J Lohr 2008 Petite Sirah Tower Road Paso Robles

Taylor Eason — Sun, 01 May 2011 21:51:23 +0000

Proving that Petite Sirah is on the way up in the wine circles, J Lohr is confident enough in this grape's popularity to produce a single-vineyard offering -- from the warm growing region of Paso Robles.

Wine review: Quivira 2008 Zinfandel Dry Creek Valley

Taylor Eason — Mon, 11 Apr 2011 16:04:56 +0000

Dry Creek Valley grows some of the best Zinfandel in California and Quivira lies in the middle of it all. When I visited their biodynamically-farmed vineyards in Sonoma County a few years ago, I was pretty awed with everything they produced.