1996 WRQ Wine Tastings
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Ravenswood 1993 Zinfandel
- Nice Zin, gets better after each sip. Very good for a Zin (though
I often like Zin, they are not my favorite. (Robert)
- Later, this wine is going flat...
- Peppery with a good finish; aftera few tastings became harsh. (Gus)
- Very spicy. Cloves & pepper. Nice fruit and tannins. (Marta)
- A little spicier (imagine an Italian hand gesture) than a Cab.. It
is good. (Sally)
- Buy it, drink it, enjoy it. (Janet)
Chateau Bouila 1993 Cahors
- Tannins, dry, good but sharp finish. But a disappointment for a
Cahors lover. (Robert)
- Lots of tannins, but no finish. (Gus)
- Dry, not a lot of body. No aftertaste. (Marta)
- Dry would be adequate to serve with a Pesto pasta. (Janet)
Perrin Rhone 1994
- Nice Rhone, strong flavor. Sharp finish a bit harsh. (Robert)
- Good tannins and finish. Nice fruit. (Gus)
- Good fruits and tannins. Good balance. My favorite. (Marta)
- Stands up to the feta/garlic cheese but roars in. (Janet)
- A little drier (image the smacking of lips). Prefer the
Ravenswood. (Sally)
L.A. Ceho Zinfandel (Mexico)
- Decent Zin. somewhat uninteresting, sharp finish. (Robert)
- Alcohol taste at first, then OK. Better tasting as the longer
it was opened. (Gus)
- Pretty good for a Mexican new wine. Doesn't stand up to strong
tastes, but is a good sipping wine. (Janet)
- Lots of fruit almost Sangria. (Marta)
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Wyndham Estate 1994
- Good Fruit. More mellow on second tasting. (Gus)
- Full body, very even through several tastings
- Nice, fairly heavy, spicier. After a while, may be a tad too sweet for
my taste. 3rd favorite. (Robert)
- Smooth with a spicy kick. (Joan)
Lindemans 1994
- Tannins and spice come through (Gus)
- Turned bitter quickly
- Spicy, OK at first, going a bit downhill. Not bad, but the worst. (Robert)
Seaview McLaren Vale 1993
- Great tannins. I really like this Shiraz the most. (Gus)
- Spicy, nice. 2nd favorite. (Robert)
- Tickles and tasty. (Joan>
Rosemount Estate 1995
- Very Fruity. (Gus)
- Young, but good fruit flavor. Holds up well.
- Young, but good anyway. Impressive tannins, but not a lot of
character. (Robert)
- Sharper flavor. (Joan)
Mondavi Cabernet Sauvignon 1974
- Ooh! Aah! Fine Port quality. (Gus)
- Mmmmm...
- Wonderful, but has not breathed enough at beginning. Outstanding bouquet
and taste. OK finish. My clear favorite. (Robert)
- Woody! Napa would approve...(Joan)
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Chateau Souverain 1994
- The Black Pepper comes through. (Gus)
- Nice, heavy wine, but not as spicy as a Zinfandel. Kind of a mix between a
Cabernert and a Zinfandel. (Robert)
- The flavor stays with you. (Moira)
- Like butter. (Joan)
- A little flat, but for the most part good flavors. (Surain)
- Spicy yet smooth. Best of the day.
- Peppery and piquant. (Allison)
- Let it breathe and it will reward you.
Lanborn Family 1993 "The Hang Time"
- Very fruity, not much tannins (Gus)
- Grapey; green; fair (Bryce)
- Fruity, light, but still spicy like a Zin. Not my favorite. (Robert)
- A little tart (Moira)
- Kind of like a fruit basket lodged in your throat. Hello Hang Time! (Joan)
- Nice pepper, lots of flavor, tanic. (Surain)
- Tastes good with Altoids.
- I kept trying it and trying it, then I stopped trying because I still didn't
like it.
Ravenswood 1994 (Note: this is an outlier; way over $10; but thank you Joan)
- Full bodied, great tannins, always a splendid wine. (Gus)
- A great Zin., spicy, heavy, (blackberry). Clear favorite (Robert)
- Full, pepper, fruity. No.1. (Surain)
- Great with Ginger Snaps. (Joan)
- Mmm-good.
- Doesn't change over time, would do best with strong tasting food.
- Smooth.
Parducci 1994 (Mendicino County)
- Sucked the air out of my mouth (Allison)
- A bit harsh, short finish, (at this point I cannot read Robert's writing...)
- Tastes like it needs to breathe. The beginning is young and airy. The taste
then fills out somewhat and ends somewhat more maturely. (Surain)
- Real pucker on the first taste; after 30 minutes it opened up and had good
fruit and tannins. (Gus)
- Vanilla and Butterscotch flavors.
- Timing is everything with this wine. Starts out too dry, works into a good
full body and then goes overly buttery - What Next!
Pedroncelli 1994
- OK, a bit spicy, but the taste not wholly pleasing. Still nice. (Robert)
- Good, nice fruit and tannins, but not as full as others. Good enough for
a house wine, if the price is right. (Surain)
- Nice upon first opening; went flat/bland after 30 minutes. (Gus)
- Open it and drink it because it over from there - do not let it breathe
it spoils.
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San Francesco (Ciro Rosso Classico) 1990
- Nice, browish color, puckering tannin, though a bit softer than a Cabernet.
Good wine not quite excellent. (Robert)
- Syrupy, cough medicine...too bad cough medicine doesn't taste like this...
- Very good. The first taste has a strong kick and then it gets more mellow.
(Kathleen)
- Let it breathe and you will be rewarded with a lovely taste.
- Gets a whole lot sweeter as it sits. Best, if opened an hour before serving.
- Good, but a bit too light for my taste. (BillE)
Duca di Falaparuta (Corvo Rosso) 1993
- Nice, but a bit too mellow for my taste. (Robert)
- Very sweet - Good but is sweet.
- Too light for me. (Kathleen)
- Very mellow, nice for sipping.
- Nice wine. Smooth, easy to drink. (BillE)
Riparosso (Montepluciano d'Abruzzo) 1994
- Nice, good wine, somewhat unassertive. Dry. Color purple. (Robert)
- Good tannins and fruit. Has hints of Cherry. (Gus)
- Starts strong - with dry taste - fades quickly.
- Starts well, but fades away too quickly. Has no finish. (Kathleen)
- Young tannins, soft, finish flat.
- Decent, but a little too harsh. (BillE)
Antonio e Elio Monti (Montepluciano d'Abruzzo) 1993
- Great, heavy wine. (Robert)
- A good balanced wine. Full bodied, held its own with the Feta & Garlic
Spread.
- Very good wine, nice strong flavor.
- Holds up - smoothes out as it sits.
- Enormous complexity.
- Very classic Montepluciano nose. Hint of medicinal which is typical and
expected.
- My favorite! Good, full-bodied wine. (BillE)
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Only Diane, Robert, GusC, and then JoeA stopped by for a glass
of wine.
Columbia David Lake Signature Series Chardonnay 1994 (around $10.00)
- Sharp, Crisp, Dry, hint of pear and apricots
- Full-bodied, a little tart for me
- A little tart, very good body
Wahington Hill Semillon 1995
- Fruity, smooth, light
- Nice, a bit sharp (bland compared to the Chardonnay)
Cartuxa Vinho Tinto 1990 ($9.99 at Spanish Table)
- Heavy, full-bodied, very enjoyable - Robert
- Good Fruit, good tannins - GusC
- Words seem inadequate to describe the sensations I feel when
imbibing this fine, mellow hint of Portuguese Sunshine. - JoeA
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The winers convened on a sizzling hot Thursday afternoon (7/25) to taste some
Rose and Mourvedre wines. Tasters were AnitaD, RobertAf, MartaR, WillemK,
JoanR, EmilyG, and JamieF.
Chateau Laurent-Salasc: 1995 Couteaux du Langedoc (Rose, $7.99)
(People did not seem very impressed by this wine!)
- Crisp bouquet, would compliment most foods (Joan)
- A bit rough, somewhat bland. Not too interesting (Robert)
- Sour and tasteless (Willem).
- Yuck. Cheap.
- Tasteless and possibly giving me a headache.
Mas Champart: 1995 Saint Chinian (Rose, $9.65)
(Goes well with olives. Most people seemed to like it)
- Nice flavor.
- Goes well with food, a bit strong on the alcohol.
- Good feeling, a bit sparkling, taste is not as light as the colour (which is
good). Willem.
- I would serve this with spicy or strong foods since the flavor is so
soothing ... (Joan).
- Kind of like a Chardonnay. Not bad for a rose - still not a favorite
(Robert).
- Very light and delicate. I liked it (Emily).
Muri Veteres: 1994 Mourvedre (Spanish wine bought at The Spanish Table)
(Everybody liked it a lot. Willem's and Marta's favorite)
- The rest of the bottle is mine (Willem).
- Nice, heavy, especially after the rose's. Medium character (Robert).
- Heavy but not overpowering. This is a great wine for a winter evening.
- Serve it for the main course! (Joan)
Penfolds Bin2: 1994 Shiraz (78%) - Mourvedre (22%) (Australian wine bought
at Pete's for $8.39)
(Everybody liked it a lot. Robert's and Joan's favorite)
- Excellent, heavy, lots of tannin, clear favorite (Robert).
- Not as heavy as the Muri. Well-rounded.
- My favorite (Joan).
- Very good heavy wine, but the taste that remains I'm not that fond of
(Willem).
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Pine Ridge 1993 Merlot (over $15.00)
- Smooth, rich, full of flavor
- Spicy, nice long taste. Merlot but kind of like Cabernet
features. Score = 9. (Robert)
- Nice.
- Subtle, gets more enjoyable with every taste! Nice kick
check it out! Score = 10. (Joan)
- I'd buy this. Quite nice. (Laura)
Fetzer 1994 Merlot (under $10.00)
- Dry - Why? It says it has cherry-berry, must be unripe
vines - nice but...
- Fairly heavy. Score = 6.5. (Robert)
- Good full body. Very full and balanced. (John)
- A nice medium wine. (Joan)
- My favorite tonite...(Laura)
- Nice tanins.
Cypress 1994 Merlot (under $10.00)
- Nice but kind of bland. Score = 5.5. (Robert)
- Dry, Full body - Try it...
- Deep, full. There's a place for it in life...(Joan)
- Fruity, full flavor.
Vendange Merlot (under $10.00)
- Oak character.
- A medicinal - Friday - Long work week - I don't care.
Goes with almost any food, but heavy meat.
- Rough, but not awful. Score = 4. (Robert)
- A little to sharp for my taste. (Joan)
Rabbit Ridge 1995 Chardonnay
- Fair Chardonnay. Score = 5. (Robert)
- Great name, okay. (Joan)
Napa Ridge 1994 Chardonnay
- Nice chardonnay, smooth. Score = 6. (Robert)
- I like this white wine... (Joan)
- Good Oak flavors.
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All Cabernet Sauvignons hovering under the $10.00 mark.
Columbia 1992
- Spicy, Bold, slight bitter after taste
- Softer smoother
- Heavy Tannin, especially after being opened for a
while; very nice
- Smooth. Favorite or second favorite
(Voted Favorite after a couple of hours)
Bridgman 1993
- Smooth
- Dry a little tangy
- Cinnamon flavors
- Better than the Yakima Valley & Paul Thomas
- Tangy, tart
- Nice, good taste, some tannin, second favorite
- Smooth, Dry, Consistent
- Good
(Voted second favorite after a couple of hours)
Paul Thomas 1994
- Sweet, Immature, but not unpleasant.
- Getting better with second taste.
- Very bland at opening, improving, lots of tanin, immature
- Good Tanin
- Much better after breathing
(Voted second worst)
Yakima River 1990
- Dry, hearty
- Sharp
- Has teeth
- Good color - wins in the color dept. has that European
old mustiness quality.
- Almost medicinal after being opened a while
- Getting worse
- No wonder it was on sale!
- Deep red color, very spicy. OK but deteriorating after
opening.
- Too many teeth
(Voted first worst)
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Hoodsport 1993 White Lemberger
- Harsh!
- Cooking Wine!
- Quite Unpleasant
- Lamp Oil
- Even on Sale it's too expensive
- Not for the faint of heart
Hoodsport 1993 Lemberger-Cabernet Blend
- So-So
- Not a true lemberger
- Almost effervescent, tangy light but fruity...not a favorite
- OK
- If that's all that's left
Latah Creek 1993 Lemberger
- Nice, maybe a bit light
- Second favorite
- Not much to it - light
- Medium to good but not great
- Almost tart
- Tanic, but good
Kiona 1994 Lemberger
- Very nice, complex.
- Clear favorite
- A true Lemberger - very rich - would be good with desserts.
- Legs! Very Bold Taste.
- Yummy - very
- Nice rich flavour. Has a bit of cherries taste. Very fruity. A bit
light, not a very strong body. Nice to go with a starter or with
pork and salads.
BaronHerzog 1995 Chenin Blanc
- Quite a change from a Lemberger...OK
- "Oh, please! I mean really..."
- Nice
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Two wines and three people...hmm bad scheduling...anyway we did agree that
South African wines were good and would recommend them to others:
Backsberg 1992 Pinotage
- Nice fruit flavors
Kronendal 1992 Cabernet
- Drier and medium tannins
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Attendees: Bryce, AnneH, Kathleew, Laura, Robert, Surain, Gus, JimE, EdC,
Wendy, Marta, AnnT, Janet, Dianne.
Barnard Griffin 1993 Cabernet-Merlot
- Very entertaining on first acquaintance but seems to have an
alter ego - Unknown
- Not very complex - Surain
- Simple; light; schizophrenic on the palette - Bryce
Covey Run 1993 Merlot
- Drier that the Barnard Griffin; very nice - Laura
- Elegant, but shallow - Bryce
- Fruitier that the Washington Hills
- This is better than the Washington Hills - Ed
Columbia 1993 Merlot
- A bit harsh - Bryce
- Complex; gentle; not giving a headache yet - Wendy
- Kind of Smooth - Ed
- Apparent Favorite - Gus, Surain, Robert, Marta
Washinton Hills 1993 Merlot
- ...but I liked it... - Anne
- Kind of sweet; not in a good way - Kathleen
- Leaves you guessing - Surain
Bridgeman 1994 Chardonnay
Hyatt Vineyards 1992 Chardonnay
- Medicinal aftertaste - Unknown
Paul Thomas 1994 Chardonnay
- Quite Good - Unknown
Janet Scott Homemade Pear Wine
- Wow!
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