Bogle
Echelon
Hahn
Pine Ridge
Rex Goliath
Vinum
Wild Horse
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Rex Goliath 47 Pound Rooster 2001 Central Coast Pinot Noir
Here's a little contradiction in terms: good, inexpensive pinot.
Pinot Noir is a very high maintenance grape desiring a long, slow, cool growing season.
Many places in the world cannot offer pinot noir the conditions it loves,
consequently when planted in these places it tends to ripen too fast and have a "hot"
component that tastes like alcohol.
With this said; I found Rex Goliath Pinot Noir to lack that aggressively "hot" flavor.
It possessed those adjectives used to describe pricier pinots.
The nose is perfumed and earthy, on the plate there are bright flavors or raspberries and strawberries.
The mid-palate has a touch of cola. The acid and tannins were smooth.
I was impressed with the quality of this wine for the price,
especially considering it is a varietal that despises warmer/hot weather.
Retail price $8. Tasted October 5, 2003.
Surprisingly well made earning two out of three  .
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Rex Goliath NV Central Coast Merlot
That's right you read it right, Non-Vintage, a blending of several different years.
What an ingenious idea!
This bottle is 88% merlot and 12% malbec, which is another Bordeaux varietal.
The palate is soft, smooth, and candied, like toasted caramelized vanilla.
There is a touch of acidity, which helps balance the roundness of the wine.
The idea that a producer dare create a NV wine is brilliant in my opinion,
it leaves room to be consistent and room to completely different.
Retail price $8. Tasted October 5, 2003.
A great inexpensive bottle of "New World" style merlot earning one  .
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Hahn Estates 2001 Santa Luis Obispo Syrah
This bottle of syrah has those contrasting flavors that make for a good syrah.
I found a delightful amount of licorice on the palate as well as some spicy plum notes.
The finish was mid-palate is rich with deep smoky flavors and the finish linger with a touch of licorice.
The acidity was very soft and the tannins were a whisper.
I found this to be a well made syrah with notable character.
This wine is not from Monterrey, but is listed here only for reference.
Retail price $12. Tasted October 5, 2003.
Inexpensive and great quality earn Hahn Syrah two out of a possible three .
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Rex Goliath NV Central Coast Cabernet Sauvignon
This bottle is 100% cabernet sauvignon and has the structure that put cabernet on the map.
I found the fruit to be rich and dense with notes of cassis and black cherry.
The acidity makes it perfect for food, yet it has a delightful smoothness that hints of California.
The tannins are smooth with notes of white pepper.
Retail price $8. Tasted October 5, 2003.
A great buy for under $10 earning one .
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Wild Horse 2000 Central Coast Pinot Noir
is a wonderful inexpensive pinot noir.
It has ripe, bright strawberry and raspberry notes on the palate, followed by great acidity
and toasted smokey flavors with a touch of vanilla.
The flavors were seamless and extracted.
I'm impressed by the quality of this wine for the price.
Retail price $15. Tasted September 7, 2003. A solid choice for the money earning one .
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Wild Horse Monterrey 2001 Malvasia Bianca
has a perfumed nose of plumeria flowers and sliced peaches.
The palate is rich and at the same time elegant with floral notes, hints of honey,
and lychees.
The acidity allows the wine to be dry and refreshing, while the mouth-feel gives it a
rich, exotic weight.
An elegant wine that can stand up to most lighter foods.
Choose something different for your next roasted chicken or grilled salmon dinner.
Retail price $12. Tasted September 7, 2003. Elegance and versatility earn this wine two .
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Echelon 2001 Clarksburg Viognier
Wine maker Tom Westburg has the luxury of growing fruit in along the Sacramento River,
in the Clarksburg AVA. The hot days and very cool nights allow the grapes
more hang-time on the vine, which helps to develop their acidity.
As you know, acidity is important when you want to create a well balanced wine.
Viognier is a very high maintenance grape to grow, liking longer hang-time and cooler weather.
Echelon Clarksburg Viognier is a fine example of domestic style viognier.
It is very perfumed on the nose, followed up by lovely cantaloupe, pear, and floral richness on the palate.
Well made viognier is nectar and this is falls well into this category.
Not as acidic as a sauvignon blanc or pinot grigio, this wine possesses the delicate, soft, rounder
mouth-feel, yet has enough acidity to stand up to food.
Retail price $13. Tasted May 14, 2003. Domestic style beauty earning two .
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Pine Ridge 2001 Chenin Blanc-Viognier
86% Chenin Blanc and 14% Viognier.
The thing I love about Chenin Blanc is the subtle, (or sometimes not so subtle)
tangerine zest flavors that develop in your mouth as you drink it.
Chenin blanc has gotten a bad rap from its use in jug wine production.
Yet, those of us that know this grape from it's history as the main grape in the
Sancerre area of Vouvray, love it for its refreshing acidity and zesty fruit.
This wine is a complimentary blend with chenin blanc being zesty and bright and viognier rounding out
the balance with its elegance and softness.
The wine is very interesting on the nose with an array of ripe fruit flavors and
white flowers on the nose.
On the palate, the wine has that beloved tangerine zest as well as
soft mango, melon, and pear notes on the mid palate.
The acidity is magnificent.
The first time I served this wine, I paired it with a pork loin, which I stuffed with apples and crabmeat.
The pork loin was then covered in a spicy apple glaze and grilled.
The wine awed my guests as much as the pork loin.
Try something different tonight, you won't be disappointed.
Retail price $12. Tasted April 15, 2003. Zesty, zesty .
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Bogle 2001 Petite Sirah
is fruit from Clarksburg and Lodi AVAs.
Petite sirah is thought to be an ansestor of syrah and can be much more extracted and inky than most
syrahs.
Bogle's Petite Sirah is very red-violet in the glass with an assortment of black fruits on the nose.
On the palate, the wine has big, very ripe flavors of black and wild cherries and a touch of rosehips.
The finish is textured with a sweep of white pepper and toasted vanilla.
This is a very affordable, full bodied, well made petite sirah.
A great alternative to cabernet sauvignon and pairs well with cabernet dishes.
Drink it now, or stash it in your cellar for a few years, either choice will be an enjoyable one.
Retail price $12. Tasted March 3, 2003. Solid choice with one .
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Vinum Chenin Blanc 2001
is appropriately nicknamed "Chard-No-Way Cuveé."
This is one of my favorite ABC wines, (Anything But Chardonnay).
It has that great tangerine zest pizzaz that most chenin blanc claim and it also has subtle flavors of
peaches, mangoes, and apricots.
The typical high acidity of the chenin blanc varietal adds a snappy citus flavor to the finish,
while the use of French oak peaks through the finish as complimentary flavors of an orange creamsicle.
The fruit is interesting enough to sip on its own, yet the acidity makes it great to pair with cream sauces,
chicken, fish, salads, and down right savory with a pork loin.
Retail price $11. Tasted June 4, 2003. Dazzling with two .
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