Competition Winners Announced

The winners of the 70th annual Los Angeles International Wine & Spirits Competition were announced today and the list is an impressive one! A box wine, a Scotch whisky, repeat winners (Armida Winery and baseball legend Tommy Lasorda) and so much more! Take a look at the winners here then check out the buzz on [...]

Source: http://blogs.fairplex.com/blog/wine/?p=78

Semillon Viognier Chenin Blanc Gewurztraminer Muscat

Smith-Madrone Riesling 2009

I have to admit that I don’t drink a lot of white wine in the dead of a Minnesota winter. But when I saw a sample of the almost mythical Smith-Madrone Riesling, I had to see what was in the bottle. The last time I tasted Smith-Madrone Riesling was a tank sample with winemaker Charles Smith. I [...]

Smith-Madrone Riesling 2009 originally appeared on Winecast. Licensed under Creative Commons.

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shiraz syrah cabernet sauvignon pinot gris pinot blanc

May is Bocce Month in Wine Country

This is an unofficial declaration that May is Bocce Month in Wine Country. Why choose May as Bocce month? May is the ideal month to plan an outdoor activity in wine country like Bocce. The weather is at its best for a little physical activity. Continue reading

Source: http://www.winecountrygetaways.com/napablog/may-is-bocce-month-in-wine-country/

Pinot Grigio Barbaresco Semillon Viognier Chenin Blanc

Long Shadows Saggi

Founded by Washington wine pioneer Allen Shoup, Long Shadows Vintners is a collection of ultra-premium wineries comprised of internationally acclaimed winemakers from the major wine regions of the world. Each winemaker is a partner in a unique winery dedicated to producing a single Columbia Valley wine representing a ?best of type? that reflects the winemaker’s [...]

Long Shadows Saggi was originally posted on Wine Peeps. Wine Peeps - Your link to great QPR wines from Washington State and beyond.

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burgundy shiraz syrah cabernet sauvignon pinot gris

Is the 2009 Belle Glos Meiomi as Good as the 2008?

Get 50% off shipping when you purchase six or more bottles of French wine with promo code "drink84"

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No, it's not. At least not for me, of the three bottles of the 09 I've tasted and compared to the eight bottles of the 08 I've tasted.

That said, it's still a good value in California Pinot Noir. The 09 is just lacking that little something extra the 08 had - and still has. I thought the 2008 was a 92 point wine and while the 2009 doesn't reach that same level of excitement for me, it is coming to market at very compelling prices. Whereas I'd never seen the 08 available for less than $19.99 I've seen the 09 for as little as $17.59 at Costco locations in Massachusetts and Arizona.

This price adjustment could be related to an intentional decision Caymus Vineyards (Belle Glos is Caymus' Pinot Noir label) made to drop their wine prices in response to the economic downturn that began a couple years ago. Gotta love a company that has a sense for market trends and eases pricing a bit at just the right time. I've seen Caymus Special Selection drop from around $125 to $99 and Conundrum from $20 to $15. I haven't seen Caymus drop below $55 yet however - have you?

Here are my notes: 

2009 Belle Glos Meiomi Pinot Noir

I was very interested to try the 09 vintage of this wine after thoroughly enjoying the 08 (92 pts across a half-dozen bottles). The signature sweet spice is still there but I also get ample chimney smoke at Christmas. It's a little unusual - we'll see whether I sense it in future bottles. But I still think this is a solid wine. Will buy more for sure.

89/100 WWP: Very Good 

Recommendation: If you see the 08 around buy it. There's not much left in the market and the 09s are replacing the 08s at most all high volume retailers. That said the 09 is still a pretty good play - especially south of $18.

Question of the Day: What do you think? Is 2009 as good as the 2008?


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Barbera Barolo Pinot Grigio Barbaresco Semillon