May 14, 2012
NYC Wine Tasting Group, 1st Outdoor Meetup
2010 Kung Fu Girl Riesling (Washington State) – Riesling grape
Vivid, distinctive and immensely appealing for its juicy Winesap apple, apricot and citrus flavors, finishing with zing to balance the sweetness. Rated 90 Wine Spectator
2010 Drylands Sauvignon Blanc Marlborough (New Zealand) – Sauvignon Blanc grape
Agressively pungent and herbal without being over the top, this is Sauvignon Blanc that screams of its origins. Grapefruit and passion fruit flavors wash easily across the palate, leaving plenty of grassy herbaceousness in their wake, and a crisp, lingering finish. Rated 91 and a Best Buy from The Wine Enthusiast
2010 Talbott Kali Hart Chardonnay Monterey (California) – Chardonnay grape
The 2010 “Kali Hart” Chardonnay is 100% estate grown fruit from Talbott’s Sleepy Hollow Vineyard, located on a sand and gravel benchland in the cool Santa Lucia Highlands, thirteen miles south of Monterey. It was fermented in stainless steel with a portion racked to mostly used French oak, and aged for nine months on the lees prior to bottling. While the 2009 vintage was riper, 2010 is brighter and more tropical in nature, with aromas and flavors of pineapple and lemon-lime accented by creamy vanilla and baking spice. The palate is creamy and rich with nicely balanced acidity and nutty flavors at the finish. “Kali Hart” remains a great value in California Chardonnay. If you are looking for a cleany made Chardonnay that offers richness and complexity without overtly oaky flavors, “Kali Hart” is hard to beat. klwines.com
2006 Bodegas Poeisa Clos de Los Andes Malbec (Argentina) – Malbec grape
“The 2006 Clos des Andes is 100% Malbec sourced from an 80-year-old vineyard in Lujan de Cuyo and aged for 12 months in 50% new French oak. Dark ruby/purple in color, it offers up an alluring bouquet of pain grille, pencil lead, spice box, and black cherry. This leads to a wine with excellent density, layered fruit, and spicy black fruit flavors nicely concealing enough structure for 2-3 years of further development. This rich, well-balanced effort will be at its best from 2010 to 2019.” Rated 92 The Wine Advocate
2008 Stolpman Syrah Santa Ynez Valley (California) – Syrah/Shiraz grape
Vivid ruby. An intensely perfumed, spicy bouquet displays red and dark berries, potpourri and Asian spices, with a hint of woodsmoke. Sappy, penetrating and sweet, with spicy red- and blackcurrant flavors and a velvety texture. The spicy and floral notes carry through a long, pure alluringly sweet finish. This could be drunk now or over the next five to seven years. Rated 92 Stephen Tanzer’s International Wine Cellar
2009 De Martino Legado Cabernet Sauvignon Reserve Maipo Valley (Chile) – Cabernet Sauvignon grape
The 2009 Legado Reserva Cabernet Sauvignon spent 12 months in mostly seasoned French oak barriques. It sports an enticing bouquet of cedar, spice box, violets, tobacco, and black currants leading to a wine which is tasty but lean on the mid-palate. The Wine Advocate