Category:Expensive wine

Expensive wine 157: Ridge Geyserville 2018

by Wine Curmudgeon Posted On

Ridge Geyserville 2018 bottle
Ridge Geyserville 2018/ $34-$60

One more reason why Ridge may be the best red wine producer in the U.S.

Has it been three years since a Ridge review appeared on the blog?

There’s really no excuse for that, given how much regard I have for Ridge and that it may be the finest U.S. red wine house. Which is even more impressive given that Ridge mostly makes zinfandel and red blends with zinfandel. (Yes, and Monte Bello.)

Case in point: The Ridge Geyserville 2018 ($47, purchased, 14.7%).

The Geyserville is not my favorite Ridge; that’s either the Lytton Springs or the Three Valleys. The former is usually a bit more restrained, while the latter is less expensive (though still a fine wine). I bought this because it’s all that was available in Dallas at the height of the pandemic.

And, of course, I was not disappointed. The wine is a blend of about two-thirds zinfandel, fleshed out with carignane, petite sirah, and alicante bouschet. It was very young when I tasted it last year, but was also very rich — and the two don’t usually go with each other.

Needless to say, there is lots and lots of black fruit — plums, an odd descriptor for zinfandel – as well as blackberries, plus so much else. Maybe some spice, maybe some cedar, maybe some herbs, certainly refined tannins. And even a savory thing.

This is a very pretty wine that should age well, getting more savory as it does. One review said to let it rest for 10 years; if you do, you’re more patient than I am. This is Father’s Day wine, either as a gift or for a holiday dinner or barbecue. Highly recommended.

Expensive wine 156: Chateau des Jacques Moulin-a-Vent 2018

by Wine Curmudgeon Posted On

Chateau des Jacques Moulin-a-Vent 2018
Chateau des Jacques Moulin-a-Vent 2018/$20-$29

This is Cru Beaujolais to please not only wine geeks, but Mom

Wine geeks love what’s called Cru Beaujoalis – more expensive and better quality red wine from the Beaujolais region of France, which otherwise produces oceans of ordinary $10 wine. In fact, there’s an old joke about young sommeliers and their favorite wine, and the punchline is “Cru Beaujolais.”

So what’s the Chateau des Jacques doing here? Hey, even wine geeks are allowed to be right every once in a while.

The Chateau des Jacques Moulin-a-Vent 2018 ($27, purchased, 13.5%) is a terrific example of why Cru Beaujolais is held in such high regard. It’s made with gamay, a simpler grape, but this wine is layered, deep, and interesting. It has many notes where supermarket Beaujolais has just one. Look for some floral aromas, as well as berry fruit (just barely ripe), maybe some black pepper, and a speck of acidity to balance it all. The tannins are pushed all the way to the back, with a long and almost gravelly finish.

And, in one of those ironies that I especially appreciate, the brand is owned by French Big Wine’s Louis Jadot. No, I don’t know what the wine geeks make of that.

Highly recommended. This is a red wine that is light enough for a Mother’s Day brunch (sausage and onion frittata, perhaps), but would also pair with smoked or roast chicken for a Mother’s Day afternoon picnic or barbecue.

Imported by Kobrand

Expensive wine 155: Olivier Leflaive Bourgogne Blanc Les Sétilles 2018

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Olivier Leflaive Bourgogne Blanc Les Sétilles 2018
Olivier Leflaive Bourgogne Blanc Les Sétilles 2018/$20-$40

Ah, white Burgundy – why does it always make the WC smile so?

The first thing to know about this wine is to ignore most of the tasting notes and reviews you might see. Otherwise, you won’t want to drink it.

It’s too oaky. It’s not buttery enough. It’s too rich. It’s not complex enough.

Sigh. Why must we ruin all the things we love (and yes, baseball, that includes you)? The Big Guy brought this bottle of the Le Setilles ($30, purchased, 13%) over to WC world headquarters last fall, and we thoroughly enjoyed it.

And why not? It’s a fine bottle of chardonnay from France’s Burgundy, made by a fine producer — and even sort of affordable (in that weird, white Burgundy way). Know that this vintage is not exactly the same as some others; it’s richer and fuller, without the freshness and green apple fruit that often marks the Les Setilles. Instead, look for not quite juicy stone fruits and a bit of lemon. The oak, of course, is as integrated as it should be for this style of wine.

Does it matter that it’s different?
Nope – because, as the late and much missed Diane Teitelbaum told me all those years, wine isn’t supposed to taste the same every year.

A vintage note: There is still lots of the 2018 left, as well as the 2019 and 2020. I’d opt for the 2018, if only because the age will make the wine more interesting. And prices are all the place, too – as little as $20 at some stores.

Imported by Frederick Wildman and Sons

Expensive wine 154: Frank Family Merlot 2018

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Frank Family Merlot 2018/$38-$55

This is classic Napa Valley merlot – big and powerful, but a wine that still tastes like merlot

The Wine Curmudgeon has long been baffled by California merlot. Too many are made to taste like caberent sauvignon, because that’s what producers think their customers want. And too many are turned into cheap and unsatisfying varietals and blends, often sugared up to mask how poorly made they are.

In fact, I was so curious about why this happens that I wrote a freelance story about it.

Given all of thit I didn’t expect much from the Frank Family Merlot 2018 ($45, sample, 14.5%), which showed up out of the blue a while back. It’s not the kind of sample that I typically get (or that I ask for), but it was in the wine closet and my job is to taste wine.

So I did, and was much pleased by what I tasted. This is classic Napa Valley merlot – big, powerful, and complex, but that still tastes like merlot and not cabernet. Trust me – that doesn’t happen often enough.

No, it’s not a red Bordeaux with earthiness and minerality, even though the wine has some cabernet sauvignon and cabernet franc in it. Rather, there is the unmistakable aroma of a Napa red, with all of the herbs and cedar. The fruit is concentrated (plums, maybe, with blackberries) and it finishes long and almost soft, with a bit of baking spice.

This is definitely a food wine, and especially with beef braised in red wine.

Expensive wine 153: J. Moreau & Fils Chablis 2019

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J. Moreau
J. Moreau & Fils Chalbis 2019/$20-$30

The J. Moreau Chablis is yet another example why scores do more harm than good

The Wine Curmudgeon tries desperately not to let his disgust with scores bubble up too often. But the wine business makes that almost impossible.

The most recent example is the J. Moreau & Fils Chablis 2019 ($25, purchased, 13%), a delightful chardonnay from the Chablis region in Burgundy in France. So what score did it get on CellarTracker, the blog’s unofficial wine inventory app?

An 88.

Sigh. Is it any wonder I worry about the future of the wine business?

That’s because 88 points is about what a $12 buttery supermarket chardonnay gets — the kind that’s designed by focus groups and made to ensure that the wine has all the subtlety of a hot buttered popcorn-flavored Pop Tart.

Is this the world’s most stunning Chablis? Nope, but it’s still a fine Chablis at a more than fair price (and especially given the cost of white Burgundy these days). It’s varietally correct, with lemony apple fruit, the minerality that all Chablis should have, and a pleasing roundness in the mouth that is not richness (or buttery popcorn).

So yes, I’d buy this again – just the thing for my traditional Saturday night roast chicken, green noodles, and green salad.

Imported by Boisset America

Expensive wine 152: 10000 Hours Red Blend 2018

by Wine Curmudgeon Posted On

10,000 Hours 2018 Red Blend
10000 Hours Red Blend 2018/$28-$32

This Washington state red blend shines on several levels, and especially when it comes to value

The Wine Curmudgeon drank this wine with someone who dislikes too big, over-hyped, over-made and over-done wines even more than I do. And her conclusion: “Put this on the blog!”

So the 10000 Hours Red Blend 2018 ($30, sample, 14.5%) is here, and not only because it’s well made and speaks to its Washington state terroir, but because it offers terrific value. How often do we find a $30 wine that will age for a decade?

Because the 10000 Hours, more cabernet sauvignon than anything else, will. It’s a big wine, but not so big that you need to take a nap after a couple of glasses. It holds its high alcohol quite well, and is much more balanced than I expected.

Having said that, it’s not especially subtle, but rich, direct and full. That means lots and lots of berry fruit (the winery’s tasting notes say preserves), a bit of spice and oak, enough tannins to remind you they’re there, and some nice green herbs on the finish. It’s a food wine, certainly – big red meat, as well as stews.

And, for those of you who keep track of these things, the exact blend: 56 percent cabernet, 32 percent merlot, 7 percent petit verdot, 3 percent malbec, and 2 percent cabernet franc.

New Year’s sparkling wine 2021

by Wine Curmudgeon Posted On

new year's sparkling wine
“Wow! The WC has found some value in those sparkling wines.”

New Year’s sparkling wine 2021 recommendations, where the focus is on value

This is not a great year for sparkling wine — lots of spot shortages, lots of too high prices thanks to the sport shortages, and so on and so forth. But never fear: the WC’s focus is on value with these four wines. Keep in mind the blog’s annual wine gift guidelines and our sparkling wine primer.

• Lucien Albrecht Crémant Brut NV ($23, sample, 12.5%): This French bubbly was once one of the world’s great wine values, but the price has increased  by almost one-half since then. Having said that, it’s still worth buying — a bit soft (apples and stone fruit instead of citrus), but that’s a terroir and grape thing, given the wine is made mostly with pinot blanc in Alsace. Highly recommended. Imported by Foley Family Wines 

• Dr. Loosen Riesling Extra Dry Sekt NV ($23, sample, 12%): Very well done riesling sparkling from Germany, with wonderful balance and those tight, delicious bubbles. Quite fresh, with tart green apple fruit and not especially sweet even though it’s extra dry. Imported by Loosen Bros USA

• Bouvet Brut NV ($12, purchased, 12%): Once again, the French Bouvet is a stunning value — zippy mouth feel and lemon apple fruit in a wine that puts other $12 sparklers to shame. Buy a case! Imported by Kobrand

• Bruno Paillard Champagne Brut Premiere Cuvée NV ($56, sample, 12%): Classic Champagne, made in the crisp, fresh, and less yeasty style, and a tremendous value given what Champagne costs. Look for citrus and green apple fruit and maybe some caramel in the back.  Imported by Serendipity Imports

More about New Year’s sparkling wine
• New Year’s sparkling wine 2020
• New Year’s sparkling wine 2019
• New Year’s sparkling wine 2018
• Expensive wine 147: Laherte Freres Champagne Blanc de Blancs Brut Nature NV
• The good old days of Texas Champagne

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