Category Archives: 60 Second Reviews

60 Second Wine Review — Finca Flichman Dedicado

Amber LeBeau in 60 Second Reviews, Wine reviews

Published on July 28, 2018

A few quick thoughts on the 2010 Finca Flichman Dedicado from Mendoza, Argentina.

The Geekery

Finca Flichman was founded in 1910 though its origins actually date back to 1893 when a Jewish immigrant from Poland, Sami Flichman, first planted vines in the Barrancas region of Maipú southeast of Mendoza.

In 1998 the winery was acquired by the Portuguese firm SoGrape where it is now part of a portfolio that includes the port houses of Sandeman, Offley and Ferreira as well as Mateus, Quinta de Azevedo, Quinta dos Carvalhais, Casa Ferreirinha, Herdade do Peso, Grão Vasco, Vila Regia, Silk & Spice and Gazela.

Outside of Portugal, SoGrape also manages the production and distribution of Bodegas LAN in Rioja, Chateau Los Boldos in Chile and Framingham in New Zealand.

For the Dedicado series, the wines are exclusively sourced from the high altitude vineyards of the Tupungato (averages 4200 feet) in the Uco Valley. Germán Berra is the winemaker with Italian enologist Alberto Antonini (of Frescobaldi, Antinori and Col D’Orcia fame) consulting.

The blend varies each year with the 2010 a blend of 70% Cabernet Sauvignon, 25% Malbec and 5% Syrah. Around 1500 cases are made.

The Wine

Lots of spice notes in this complex Cab blend–especially tobacco spice.

Medium-plus intensity nose. Very spicy with a mix of tobacco spice, black pepper and oak spices–allspice and clove. Underneath is some dark fruit like currant and plums.

On the palate the fruit becomes a tad more pronounced but the cornucopia of spices are still running the show with each one jockeying for favor as the wine evolves in the glass. Medium-plus tannins are firm but soften with around 45 minutes of air. Medium-plus acidity maintains freshness and balances the full-bodied fruit. Long finish ends on the spice–particularly tobacco.

The Verdict

This is a wine begging to be paired with a juicy prime-rib steak. It’s something worth savoring over the course of a long dinner.

For $30-35, this wine offers a lot of heft and depth. Truthfully, it is probably under-priced compared to equivalent quality wines from California and Washington.

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60 Second Wine Review — Achaval Ferrer Finca Bella Vista

Amber LeBeau in 60 Second Reviews, Wine reviews

Published on July 25, 2018

A few quick thoughts on the 2013 Achaval Ferrer Finca Bella Vista Malbec from Mendoza.

The Geekery

Achaval Ferrer was founded in 1998 when friends Santiago Achával and Manuel Ferrer joined Italian winemaker Roberto Cipresso and Tiziano Siviero in a new venture to focus on single vineyard Malbecs.

In 2011, Cipresso and Siviero sold their shares and a majority stake of the winery to the spirits firm SPI Group which owns the vodka brand Stolichnaya as well as the Italian wineries Marchesi de’ Frescobaldi (with Michael Mondavi), Tenuta dell’Ornellaia, Castelgiocondo and Luce della Vite.

Located in the Perdriel region of Luján de Cuyo outside of Mendoza, the Bella Vista vineyard was first planted in 1910 on its own rootstock. Sitting at an elevation of over 3200 feet, many of the century-plus vines are still in use producing a tiny yield of around 1 ton per acre. At this low yield, it takes the crop of 3 vines to produce enough grapes for 1 bottle of wine.

The wine is aged for 15 months in 100% new French oak barrels with around 1500 cases produced.

The Wine

Despite all the rich jammy fruit, there is an odd herbal tomato leaf character that gets more stemmy on the palate.

Medium intensity nose. Very jammy dark fruit–black cherry and black plum. Moderate oak spice with clove. More surprising is the distinctive tomato-leaf herbalness accompanying the dark fruit.

On the palate, the rich dark fruit carry through–as does the herbalness which morphs into more stemmy-ness. High tannins have a firm edge and chalky texture but aren’t biting. Medium acidity and probably a high pH adds some softness to the rich fruit. The finish is fruit forward but dies pretty quickly.

The Verdict

This wine has an odd combination of very ripe and very under-ripe flavors that certainly has me a bit baffled at what happened in the vineyard and winery this year.

At $90-110, it’s hard to say that this wine is worth the premium above the winery’s basic Malbec ($30) or Quimera blend ($40).

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60 Second Wine Review — Domaine Rochette Côte de Brouilly

Amber LeBeau in 60 Second Reviews, Wine reviews

Published on July 16, 2018

A few quick thoughts on the 2013 Domaine Rochette Côte de Brouilly from Beaujolais.

The Geekery

Domaine Rochette was founded by Joël and Chantal Rochette in 1981 with 15 ha (37 acres) of vines. In 2009, the Rochettes were joined by their son, Matthieu, who is charge of winemaking.

Joël is the great-great grandson of Joseph Jambon, the 19th century Villié-Morgon vintner, and is a member of the notable Beaujolais winemaking family that today includes several estates such as Jambon Père et Fils, Philippe Jambon and Domaine Marc Jambon.

Among the Rochette family’s holdings are vines in 4 of the 10 crus of Beaujolais–Côte de Brouilly, Régnié, Brouilly and Morgon–with many parcels over 100 years of age.

The vineyards of Côte de Brouilly are located on the slopes of the ancient volcano, Mount Brouilly. The granite and diorite-rich soils of the slopes are tended to by around 50 growers, producing wines that Hugh Johnson notes in his Wine Companion are characterize by their strength and concentration as well as “high-tone scent of violets” that develop with bottle age.

Around 300-350 cases a year are made.

The Wine

Photo by fr:Utilisateur:Nataraja. Uploaded to Wikimedia Commons under CC-BY-SA-3.0

The cinnamon spice note is more pronounced on the nose than the palate.

Medium intensity nose with red fruits–candied cherries, currants–and some cinnamon spice. The nose actually reminds me of Mike & Ike Hot Tamales candies. There is a subtle floral element but its hard to make out behind the spice.

On the palate, the red fruits carry through but the cinnamon spice is toned down quite a bit. In its place is a little brambly earthiness but the medium-plus acidity and juicy red fruit is the dominant note. Medium tannins are firm but not biting. Moderate finish ends on the fruit.

The Verdict

While the lively acidity and juicy fruit are still holding up, I wonder if the “high-tone” floral notes and added layers of complexity have came and went in this bottle’s evolution.

Still, for around $15-20, this is certainly a very food-friendly and enjoyable Gamay.

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60 Second Wine Review — Jordan Cabernet Sauvignon

Amber LeBeau in 60 Second Reviews, Wine reviews

Published on July 13, 2018

A few quick thoughts on the 2012 Jordan Cabernet Sauvignon from the Alexander Valley.

The Geekery

Founded in 1972 by Tom and Sally Jordan with the goal of making Bordeaux-style Cabernet Sauvignon in Sonoma, Jordan Winery remains family-owned today with son John Jordan managing the estate.

To assist with the vineyard plantings and inaugural vintages, the Jordans hired André Tchelistcheff as consultant to work with winemaker Rob Davis–who is still in charge of wine production at the winery.

Located in the Alexander Valley close to the east side of the Russian River near Geyserville, Jordan Winery own 112 acres of estate fruit that is sustainably farmed. For the 2012 Cabernet Sauvignon, they utilize their own estate fruit as well as that from 16 contract vineyards.

The wine is a blend of 77% Cabernet Sauvignon, 16% Merlot, 5% Petit Verdot and 2% Malbec with 90% of the fruit coming from the Alexander Valley, 8% from Mendocino County and from 2% Dry Creek Valley. Around 81,000 cases were made.

The Wine

Medium-intensity nose with a mix of red and dark fruit–currants and cherries. Subtle French oak baking spices like cinnamon and clove round out the bouquet.

A nice mix of red and dark cherries characterize this wine.

Those mix of red and dark fruits carry through on the palate with medium-plus acidity and very ripe medium-plus tannins. The oak becomes a bit more pronounced with vanilla and toastiness joining the spice notes from the nose. Moderate length finish ends on the still lively and juicy fruit.

The Verdict

In a blind tasting, I more likely would’ve peg this for a Washington Cabernet than necessarily a California one. It’s clear that Jordan values more balance and elegance versus the hedonistic, lushness you see in many Cali Cabs.

At $55-65 retail (and quite a bit more at restaurants), you are paying a bit of a premium compared to what you could get for equivalent pricing in Washington (or Bordeaux). But there is no doubt that this Jordan Cabernet is well made and enjoyable to drink.

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60 Second Wine Review — Kicker Cane Alexander Valley Cabernet Sauvignon

Amber LeBeau in 60 Second Reviews, Wine reviews

Published on July 7, 2018

A few quick thoughts on the 2014 Kicker Cane Alexander Valley Cabernet Sauvignon from the Francis Ford Coppola Family of Wines.

The Geekery

Kicker Cane is made by the Coppola family whose modern history in winemaking dates back to the 1970s when Francis Ford Coppola purchased the historic Inglenook estate in Napa.

James Laube notes in California’s Great Cabernets that originally Coppola wanted to keep a low profile in the wine industry and had André Tchelistcheff oversee the management and winemaking of his early vintages.

Today the Coppola family’s holdings have grown into an extensive portfolio of wines that includes Francis Ford Coppola Presents, Director’s Cut, Sofia sparkling wine, Archimedes, Storytellers Wines, Votre Santé, Press Run Wine, Virginia Dare Winery and American Pioneer Wine Growers along with Inglenook (formerly Rubicon Estate and Niebaum-Coppola) and Kicker Cane.

The Kicker Cane series of wines are produced by Sandy Walheim and focuses on Cabernet Sauvignon grown in different regions of the North Coast with particular highlights on the the Rutherford AVA in Napa Valley and Alexander Valley AVA in Sonoma County. Prior to working for Coppola (where she also heads up winemaking for Virginia Dare), Walheim worked in Napa at the Robert Mondavi Winery, Beringer, Cain Vineyards as well as at Simi Winery in Sonoma.

The Wine

Very strong oak flavors characterize this wine.

Medium-plus intensity nose. Red fruits–currants, plums and cherry–with noticeable oak spice and coconut.

On the palate, those red fruits carry through and have a juicy element with medium-plus acidity. The oak also carries through and makes it present known. Ample vanilla adds weight to the ripe medium-plus tannins. Moderate length finish ends on the oak spice.

The Verdict

At $18-23, this is a very oak-driven Alexander Valley Cabernet (a la “a baby Silver Oak”). It would certainly appeal to those who enjoy those oaky styles.

It does have enough acidity for balance though. That would make this wine a solid restaurant pour and pairing for weighty dishes like meat.

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60 Second Whiskey Review — Ardbeg Perpetuum

Amber LeBeau in 60 Second Reviews, Whiskey, Whiskey reviews

Published on July 3, 2018

A few quick thoughts on the Ardbeg Perpetuum Scotch single malt whiskey.

The Geekery

In Whisky Classified David Wishart notes that Ardbeg was founded in 1815 by John MacDougall on the southeast coast of Islay at the site of a popular landing spot for smugglers.

The source of the distilleries’ soft water is the nearby Loch Uigeadail. The water flows over peat bogs on the way to the distillery giving Ardbeg peaty water to go with the peated malt.

Today Ardbeg is owned by Louis Vuitton Moët Hennessy (LVMH) where it is part of a portfolio that includes fellow distillery Glenmorangie as well as Belevedere Vodka and Champagne houses Dom Perignon, Veuve Clicquot, Krug and Ruinart.

The Perpetuum was a special limited edition bottling released in 2015 to commemorate the 200th anniversary of Ardbeg’s founding. A non-age statement (NAS) whiskey, the Perpetuum is a blend of batches that have been aged in a combination of ex-bourbon and Sherry casks.

The Whiskey

The combination of sweet and savory smoke in this whiskey reminds me of bacon-wrapped bananas.

Medium-plus intensity nose. Distinctly iodine and bandages with some earthy forest floor.

On the palate, those medicinal elements give way to a savory meatiness that is very intriguing–like cured salume. Noticeable sweetness on the tip of the tongue suggests some tropical fruit character like bananas. A little on the light side at 47.4% ABV but well balanced with no need to add water or ice.

The Verdict

Full disclosure–I’m not a smokey-peaty whiskey fan in the slightest. I greatly prefer more malt driven whiskies where cereal, fruit and spice notes take center-stage like those of Glenfarclas, Glenmorangie and Balblair–though I can appreciate some elements of salinity and subtle smoke from island whiskies like Talisker and Oban.

That said, while the Ardbeg Perpetuum is too peaty for me, it is a well-made whiskey. It certainly has complexity which would merit its $90-100 price for those who appreciate this style more.

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60 Second Wine Review — Clos Pegase Mitsuko’s Vineyard Pinot noir

Amber LeBeau in 60 Second Reviews, Wine reviews

Published on June 29, 2018

A few quick thoughts on the 2012 Clos Pegase Mitsuko’s Vineyard Pinot noir from the Carneros AVA.

The Geekery

Clos Pegase was founded in 1983 by Jan Shrem, a publisher and art collector, and his wife, Mitsuko, with André Tchelistcheff making the first vintages at Rombaurer.

Charles Sullivan describes in Napa Wine: A History that when word got out of the Shrems’ plans for combining a winery with an art museum, many locals initially opposed what they thought was “a Disneyland approach to winemaking”. But the winery and grounds designed by architect Michael Graves opened to the public in 1987.

In 2013 Clos Pegase was acquired by Vintage Wine Estates and today is part of a portfolio of wines that includes B.R. Cohn, Buried Cane, Cameron Hughes, Emily, Firesteed, Game of Thrones wines, Girard, Layer Cake, Sculptor and Swanson.

In 2010, Clos Pegase appointed Richard Sowalsky as winemaker. Prior to joining, he previously worked at William Hill and Robert Mondavi Winery. He remained at Clos Pegase for a couple years following the acquisition with Vintage’s head winemaker, Marco Di Giulio, consulting. In 2016 Robin Akhurst, a protege of Thomas Rivers Brown at Maybach and Schrader, took over head winemaking duties.

The Mitsuko’s Vineyard covers 365 acres on the Napa side of the Carneros AVA. Around 2800 cases were made in 2012.

The Wine

Medium intensity. Lots of overt oak–vanilla, cinnamon and clove–with some subtle red cherry fruit.

With the faded fruit, strong oak flavors dominate this Pinot.

On the palate, the faint cherry fruit becomes a little more pronounced but so does the strong oak notes–particularly the spice. Medium-plus acidity and medium tannins have decent balance. Short finish lingers on the oak.

The Verdict

I remembered enjoying this wine much more a couple years ago. It’s clear that the fruit has faded quite a bit with the oak running the show.

At $30-35, you are paying a premium for its quality level but if you’re really craving oak then it may fit your style. Otherwise seek out newer vintages.

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60 Second Wine Review — Calcareous Vin Gris Cuvee

Amber LeBeau in 60 Second Reviews, Wine reviews

Published on June 27, 2018

A few quick thoughts on the 2017 Calcareous Vin Gris Cuvée from Paso Robles.

The Geekery

Calcareous was founded in 2000 by the father-daughter team of Lloyd Messer and Dana Brown on a calcareous limestone plateau on the western side of the Paso Robles AVA. While Lloyd passed away in 2006, Dana has continued exploring the unique terroir of their vineyards which includes the 442 acre Calcareous Estate, the nearby 12 acre Kate’s Vineyard and 15 acre Carver Vineyard in the York Mountain AVA.

The Vin Gris is majority Mourvèdre with some Grenache, Malbec, Syrah and Zinfandel used depending on the vintage. While the Mourvèdre and Grenache are usually produced via the vin gris method of treating the red grapes like white wine grapes with direct pressing, the other varieties in the blend are added via letting the wine spend a short period in contact with the lees from red wine fermentation.

This technique of lees inclusion adds color, phenolic texture and weight to the rosé. The wine then spends around 6 months aging in neutral French barrels to add additional depth.

Around 450-500 cases a year are produced.

The Wine

Medium-plus intensity nose. A mix of red fruits–strawberry, cherry–and some very intriguing fresh orange blossoms. There is also cinnamon and peppery spice aromatics.

From the fragrant floral orange blossom notes of the nose to rich blood orange flavors of the palate, this rosé has a lot of character.

The palate of the rosé is noticeably dry and weighty with medium-plus acidity and medium-bodied fruit. The red fruits still dominate with the floral orange blossoms giving way to richer blood orange fruit. The spice notes from the nose don’t carry through but the moderate finish ends on the lively acidity and fresh red fruit notes.

The Verdict

At around $25-30, this is a pricey rosé but it is an exceptionally character-driven one that still hits the spot for refreshing summertime sipper.

The balance and mouthfeel are the most impressive making this rosé worth the splurge.

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60 Second Wine Review — Flowers Pinot noir

Amber LeBeau in 60 Second Reviews, Wine reviews

Published on June 22, 2018

A few quick thoughts on the 2013 Flowers Pinot noir from the Sonoma Coast.

The Geekery

Flowers Winery began in 1989 when Joan and Walt Flowers purchased a few hundred acres in the northern Sonoma Coast AVA only about 2 miles from the Pacific Ocean. The prevailing wisdom was that cold ocean winds would be too cool to properly ripen even Burgundian varieties like Chardonnay and Pinot noir but the Flowers started planting Camp Meeting Ridge Vineyard in 1991.

Over the next couple decades, Flowers would pioneer what would eventually be recognized as the Fort Ross-Seaview AVA in 2011. Today many notable wineries have joined Flowers in planting vineyards or sourcing fruit here–including Helenthal, Hirsch, Littorai, Martinelli, Marcassin, Pahlmeyer, Peter Michael, Siduri and Williams Selyem.

In 2009, Flowers Winery was acquired by Huneeus Vintners where it joined a portfolio that now includes Benton Lane, Faust, Illumination, Leviathan, Neyen, Quintessa, Primus, Ritual and Veramonte.

Since 2010 all of the estate vineyards of Flowers have been converted to either biodynamic or organic viticulture with the winery employing native yeast fermentation. The wine was aged 11 months in French oak barrels (25% new). Around 22,000 cases were produced.

The Wine

Medium-intensity nose. A mix of red fruit and floral notes that aren’t very defined. Feels like this wine has faded a bit.

This Pinot has an interesting rhubarb note.

The red fruits carried through on the palate and become more defined as cherry with an interesting, earthy rhubarb note. The floral notes disappear but are replaced with some black tea spice notes that I find appealing in many northern Willamette Pinots. Medium-plus acidity and soft medium tannins are well balanced. The moderate-length finish ends on earthy rhubarb.

The Verdict

While not dead at all, it definitely seems like this wine is on the tail-end of its life cycle and was probably delivering a lot more pleasure 2 to 3 years ago.

At around $45-50, it’s not a screaming value at all and, again, I would probably seek out newer vintages at that price.

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60 Second Wine Review — Champagne Hediard Euro Cup Edition

Amber LeBeau in 60 Second Reviews, Champagne, Wine reviews

Published on June 20, 2018

With the 2018 World Cup in full swing, I decided to revisit Champagne Hediard’s NV Brut produced for the 2016 Euro Cup tournament that was won by Portugal. (Go Seleções de Portugal!)

The Geekery

Based in Paris, Hediard is a luxury grocery founded in 1854 by Ferdinand Hédiard. With France hosting the 2016 Euro Cup tournament, Hediard created a special limited release bottling for the official Champagne of the competition.

Partnering with Champagne Mailly, the wine is sourced from Grand Cru vineyards in the Montagne de Reims. A blend of 75% Pinot noir and 25% Chardonnay, the Champagne follows the standard Mailly recipe. It was likely was made in a similar Mailly style that Essi Avellan notes in the Christie’s Encyclopedia of Champagne & Sparkling Wine includes aging the base wine and dosage in oak barrels previously used by Chateau Margaux for their Pavillon Blanc.

The final blends for Mailly NV typically include reserve wines up to 10 years of age. The finished wine then spends at least 24 months aging on the lees before being bottled with a dosage of 9 g/l.

The Wine

This Champagne smells like buttermilk biscuits out of the oven.

Medium-plus intensity nose. Very toasty and earthy–like buttermilk biscuits. Around the edges there is some pomelo citrus peel.

On the palate, the toasty flavors carry through but you can sense some of the age. The bubbles are not as lively as a newer release NV, but the mouthfeel is exceptionally creamy. The wine is considerably drier than what I would expect from 9 g/l with the racy acidity and citrus notes being more pronounced. Moderate length finish ends on the creamy toastiness.

The Verdict

I’ve had this wine several times over the last couple of years. While it still has some life, you can certainly tell that it’s on its last legs. It won’t go much beyond the next two years or so.

Still, at $35-40, it’s a very solidly made Champagne that is perfect for toasting your favorite team’s success.