Angels Landing Caberinet Sauvignon Napa Valley 2007

I went to a local wine store that I visit frequently and the manager pointed me in the direction of this wine, and can be quoted as saying "It's the best Cab. under 20.00 I've ever had in my life." This was no doubt a bold statement coming from a man of his profession. I bit.

I decanted.

I drank.

I liked.

Alot.


Color- Dark garnet.

Nose- Ripe orchard fruits and chocolate

Taste- A big bold Cab... Blackberry, chocolate, oakiness(most likely American), and layers of spicy, balanced tannins showing through in harmony during a jammy finish.

Ready to drink now; do just that!

Rating- 8.5

2007 Alexander Valley Sin Zin Zinfandell

This is my splurge for the week.  Hope it was worth the extra dough.

Nose & Look - Burgandy, clear when looking at it through a bright light.  Apple and orange citrusy notes.

Taste - Well rounded, bold up front, soft on the end.  Deeper citrus flavor during the taste than in the nose.

Rating - 8
This one is as good as I'd hoped.  Maybe I'll spend more often.

2007 Bogle Old Vine Zinfandel

This was a $10 wine from the local grocery store.  Hope it can keep up with the more expensive wines.  This was selling for $22 at a bigger wine store.

Nose & Look - Dark purple, very little red.  Cherry and strawberry, more fruit than earth.

Taste - Strong body, tannin front, lemon orange citrus mix in aftertaste.

Rating - 6
This one could pass for more, but I've had better.  Bring this to a party and tell them it was $30 and I bet they'd believe you.

2007 Trivento Amado Sur

This wine is a juicy, rich Malbec that is bolstered by smaller amounts of Bonarda and Syrah.  This one was also in my price range and I also believe it's good luck.


Nose & Look - Dark warm purple/red.  Warm smell, plum, vanilla, oak.  


Taste - The vanilla and oak are first up, plum underneath, tannin aftertaste.


Rating - 7
This one is a little crazy with oak and vanilla up front, which is a nice change from the sweeter malbec taste.

2007 Terrazas de los Andes Malbec

This was a good price at a favorite specialty drink store.  For under $15 I believe this is the sweet spot for good wine.

Nose & Look - Deep purple.  Vanilla & licorice, with cherries.  Very confident but not overpowering.

Taste - Tannins up front give it body, with the licorice/vanilla throughout.  The aftertaste is smooth with cherries. 

Rating - This is a great wine at under $15 and will be a believable $30-$50 wine

2004 Da Vinci Chianti Classico

I'm a sucker for anything Da Vinci related, whether it's his writings or inventions, and so when I saw this I was interested.  This one is at 13% alc and is straight from Italy.  Here we go...

Look & Nose - Purple to red, deep in both colors.  I let it decant for ~ 45 min.  Sweet apple, pear, low tannins. 

Taste - The sweetness takes a backseat to a rich tannin profile, small spice, and the sweetness turns up in the aftertaste.  Not too strong.

Rating - 7
This is a great medium bodied wine, a good bodied red.  This one will impress anyone at your party.

2007 Ravens Wood Vintners Blend Zinfandel

Found this for under $10 at the store and I was interested.  Here we go.

Look & Nose - Clear, rose red but not a deep red.  I let it decant for 45 min.  A nice sour maybe lemon or citrus orange.  Tannins are light.

Taste - Lightly rich, light being the operative word.  Great balance, the aftertaste containing all the tannins.  I'd say the secondary note is vanilla.

Rating - 6
I've been giving out sixes lately, but this one is a great find.  Under $10 will get you a wine that could easily fool the unacquainted. 

2008 Three Valleys Zinfandel, Sonoma County by Ridge

Ridge is a winery that needs no introduction. It's name in relation to California is along the same lines as Mercedes-Benz and Germany. I had been salivating at the thought of finally trying one of their creations. This wine is very very worth the modest $23.00 sticker price. Go buy a bottle...or 12.

Eye- Garnet, clear.

Nose- Raspberry and spice.

Taste. Whoooo man! beautifully balanced berry and spices with a layered and soft finish.

Rating- 9 and worth it!

2007 Conundrum

I picked up a 375 mL bottle for storage of half-drank full bottle wines (my precious reds). The cost was 8.99 at Central Market. This was a white meritage with no labeling of the exact grapes. One could take a very educated guess of it's contents, but ultimately the pleasure is in drinking, not thinking.

Eye- Golden, straw.

Nose- Apples, flowers.

Taste- Complex- layers of pineapple, pear and spice. Almost sweet. Very enjoyable and appealing to a variety of drinkers.

Rating- 7

BECKER VINEYARDS TRIP AND TASTING

My Trip to Becker Vineyards

On Sunday, I decided on a whim to take an afternoon trip up to Becker Vineyards to tour their facilities, grounds and tasting room. The previous week, I had drank, rated and loved their Iconoclast Cab and the experience sparked my interest in this particular vineyard.
Enjoying the beautiful hill country views during the hour drive up highway 281 and 290, I found myself excited at the thought of a quality winery being within reach of North San Antonio. Located less than 15 miles east of Fredricksburg, the 10,040 square-foot winery was easy to find off the highway. The Vintners, Richard and Bunny Becker are avid wine enthusiasts and the wines that they’ve managed to create using 100% Texas grown grapes of numerous varieties have won dozens of awards since the winery was founded in 1992.
Upon entering the winery’s entrance, I was greeted by rows of dormant grape vines on my right side. Pastures containing horses and other grazing animals were visible through the driver’s side window. As I drove up the driveway, I felt peace, relaxation and communion with the wonderful natural surroundings.
The beautiful limestone gift shop and wine tasting room’s entrance is located at the end of the gravel trail. I was immediately welcomed by Kay, a lovely lady and one of the winery’s associates who only work during weekends. She told me about the history of the winery, the dedication and pride that Dr. Becker puts into his craft and as she continued talking, I became aware of her pride in the winery as well.
Entering the tasting room through the gift shop, I was greeted by a beautiful sight- rows and rows of bottles with medals and other awards hanging from them, filling the shelves that surrounded the room. Centered in the middle was the wine bar. For ten dollars, visitors can sample up to six wines using a complimentary glass that is theirs to keep. I went this route and decided to use my credit card. Later, I found out that the cashier double charged me. I wasn’t too concerned with it however as they gladly and knowingly let me sample more than double the wines that the fee covered.
As I sampled, I had the pleasure of watching and conversing with Don and Stephanie, two employees who were happily pouring wine for the visitors while relaying the tasting notes and general wine knowledge. Stephanie was a lovely young woman and had a bubbly personality that immediately put me at ease in the already relaxed atmosphere. Don was older and handled himself with a certain courteousness and authority that suggested he knew his business there. They both shared the same enthusiasm for their work and pride in their employer as Kay had. I look forward to visiting and seeing them in the near future. I suggest you do the same if given the opportunity.
For those interested in visiting or contacting the vineyard, it’s info is listed below:

464 Becker Farms Road
Stonewall, Texas 78671
830-644-2681 phone
mailto:phonebeckervyds@beecreek.net

Hours:
Monday thru Thursday- 10 a.m. -- 5 p.m.
Friday and Saturday- 10 a.m. -- 6 p.m.
Sundays- Noon-- 6 p.m.


2007 Cabernet Sauvignon Reserve
Wilmeth Vineyard

This was a wonderful Cab that won a number of awards, most recently a gold medal and Best of Show at the San Antonio Wine Festival.
Eye- Ruby Red.
Nose- Strawberries and floral notes.
Taste- Plum, flowers and berries. Tannins are smooth and balanced. Medium bodied and well structured with a good feel and an earthy mineral finish.
Rating- 8


2007 Cabernet Sauvignon Reserve

Eye- Garnet red, clear
Nose- Cherries, oak, spice
Taste- Plum with velvety tannins. Medium body. Medium mouth feel. Finished well and vanilla snuck in at the very end.
Rating- 7.5

2007 Claret

Eye- ruby, clear
Nose- earthy, tart berries
Taste- Raspberries. Mineral notes, oak and tannins well blended and layered. This was apparently their meritage in a faux-Bordeaux fashion. I prefer French and Cali attempts better but this was enjoyable nonetheless.
Rating- 6

2008 Zinfandel

Eye- dark red
Nose- alcohol, bing cherries and vanilla
Taste- Cherries, vanilla, butter and spice. Heavy on palate. I thought it was a bit tannic- decant for a few hours or age.
Rating- 5

2008 Grenache

This dog won’t hunt; it wasn’t up to the standard of the others and certainly not of the quality of everyday Grenache’s from Catalonia or Rioja. This was the only one I didn’t care for.
Eye- garnet
Nose- blueberries, wood, alcohol
Taste- tart fruit, mineral. Poor etOH/tannin ratio.
Rating- 4

2008 Prairie Rotie

Eye- dark rose.
Nose- berries, oak
Taste- Layers or raspberry, oak, toasted nuts and well structured tannins. Smooth, long finish.
Rating- 7


2008 Cabernet Sauvignon Reserve
Newsome Vineyard

Eye- ruby
Nose- earthy, fresh fruit
Taste- Currant, berries. Oakier than the other cabs with a slight jamminess and fuller mouth feel.
Rating- 6

2008 Cabernet – Syrah Reserve

Eye- dark purple/red
Nose- cherries, vanilla and spice
Taste- well balanced marriage of cherry, vanilla and spice layers. Wonderful finish with a med. body and nice mouth feel.
Rating- 8

2008 Barbera Peter’s Prairie Vineyards
Eye- ruby
Nose- oak, fresh berries and flowers
Taste- spicy berries and vanilla. Poor etOH/tannin ratio which will be helped by decanting and possibly age.
Rating- 5.5

2008 Port
Wow!
I don’t like port but I loved this.
Sweet berry essence from syrah grapes gives vibrancy to the typically darker, heavier drink. I tasted plums and allspice. Fresh. Alive. Wonderfully balanced. Unexpected.
Rating- 8.5