Pinot Noir a Light Refreshing Elegant Red Wine

Castle Rock 2008 Pinot Noir is from the vineyards in Mendocino County in California.  This a affordable elegant wine that cost fifteen dollars.  I think this is a wonderful way to start Spring off.

Castle Rock Winery is was established in 1994.  It is one of the fastest growing winery in its industry with a reputation for producing high quality of wines at affordable prices.  I have enjoyed reading Castle Rocks website.  There are some very interesting points on their site.  Here is a quote

Wine drunk by itself tastes different from wine served with food, because wine acts on on food in a similar way to spice. The acids, tannins and sugars in the wine interact with the food to provide different taste sensations. Wine can enhance the flavor of food. A good match will bring out the nuances and enhance the unique characteristics of both. 

There are many more interesting facts that you should check out on their website in regards to food and wine, Castle Rock on Food.


Castle Rock uses Pinot Noir grapes from Mendocino County.  The first Pinot Noir grapes were grown in the Burgundy region of France.  In California the head waters of the Russian river that create a fertile a rugged landscape for the vineyards in Mendocino County.  The first vineyards in Mendocino were planted in 1860s.  The crisp falls, wet winters, warm summers and cool springs make the perfect condition for growing the Pinot Noir grapes.  This is similar weather to the growing condition in the Burgundy region of France.

Lets take a look at the wines label.

• First we see the Castle Rock emblem and when the winery was established, 1994.
• Next we see the name of the winery, Castle Rock.
• Year the wine was produced, 2008.
• Type of wine, Pinot Noir.
• Region the grapes were grown in, Mendocino County.
• Next it tells use that the wine is a product of California
• Then we see that it was cellared and bottled by castle rock winery in the city of Sonoma California.

The smell is a very subtle of sweet strawberries and raspberries.  I do fine a very subtle taste of cinnamon when trying alone but when trying with the steak it brings out the cinnamon more.  I really enjoy the light refreshing taste of the strawberries and raspberries. This is a wonderful and elegant light red wine.

I paired this with shepherds pie made with lamb.  I really can not say if this was paired right.  I could not eat the shepherds pie.  The ground lamb was to over powering for my taste buds.  It reminded me of deer meat.  I know lamb is not a game meat but this is how my palette can describe it.  I love leg of lamb but not ground lamb.  Now I have decided to try this with a steak with spinach, mushrooms, and provolone cheese.  I real enjoyed it with the steak.  The Pinot Nior really brought out the flavors of the spinach and mushrooms.  I think this wine would also be good to serve with a cheese appetizer. 

Colette and John Bancraft choose Castle Rock Pinot Noir 2008 for Wine of the Week for in Saint Petersberg Times March 10, 2010.  Colette Bancraft is the Times' book editor. John Bancraft is a freelance writer specializing in wine, food and travel.  This is their review for the Saint Petersburg times.

    The 2008 Castle Rock Mendocino County Pinot Nior (about $15 at supermarkets and elsewhere) is something of an anomaly. For a wine that offers such a delights of the palate, it offers very little to the nose.  The winemaker suggests subtle aromas of violets and rose but we would swear to that. 
    We will, however, sign on enthusiastically to his description of this California pinot as one showing "complex flavors and long silky textures."  Up front we tasted red currant, blackberry, strawberry and raspberry with just a touch of cinnamon.  These lovely layers lingered on the tongue before giving way to a medium-long smooth finish spiked by subtle notes of anise and coffee.
    This pinot is worth drinking on its own but if pairing it with food we would lean toward assertive but homey fare like spice rubbed pork loin or fat burgers dressed in blue cheese.

I disagree with their smell.  The first time I swirled and smelled the wine I got a wonderful delightful smell of strawberries and raspberries.  To me this has been one of the best smelling wines I have tried.   I think they could have chilled their bottle to long causing the smell to be to subtle or non at all.  Chilling your wine at the right temperature is important.  Here you can find a serving and storage chart for each type of wine.  I do own a wine cooler that has a side for red wines and a side for white wines.  It really helps out getting the wines at the correct serving temperature.  It will truly make a difference in the smell and taste of the wine.  I do find a very subtle taste of cinnamon alone and more with the steak.  I really enjoy and agree with light refreshing taste of the strawberries and raspberries.  I do not agree with the "lingered on the tongue before giving way to a medium-long smooth finish spiked by subtle notes of anise and coffee."  I feel that it gives away to the strawberries after the cinnamon pass.

Three Regions of France!

This 2006 Macon-Vergisson La Roche is produced by Verget with grapes from three different regions of France, Macon, Coted'Or, and Chablis.  The 2006 Macon-Vergisson La Roche is a chardonnay that cost eighteen dollars.

Jean-Marie Guffens was a wine broker for five years and then he created his dream in 1990, Verget.  He travels around vineyards looking for the best grapes in France.  He conveys that "the best wine is made using the best grapes."  The Verget team work with the vineyards to determine when the best time to pick the grapes with rigorous analysis.  When they determine the best time to pick the grapes the Verget's team hand picks the grapes from each vineyard and places them in 40kg crates to preserve them.  They are then placed in Vegret's cellars to preserve their valuable condition.  Read more about Verget and Mr. Guffens wine adventure. 

In the Chablis region of France the chardonnay grape is grown in a more clay and chalk in the soil giving it a more mineral and citrus character.  In the Cote d'Or region and Macon region in France has warmer weather allowing a little longer growing time. These two regions have higher elevation giving the chardonnay grape a more tropical fruit flavors.

Lets look at label:

• The year it was produced, 2006.
• The name of the wine, Macon Vergisson.
• The Verget Estate that it was produced at is listed next.  Appellation Macon Vergisson Controlee.
• The far bottom right corner has the Verget symbol.

I find this wine to be Trocken.  Trocken means the wine is dry.  To make a wine dry they usally ferment the grapes until there is not sugar left.  So no matter how ripe and sweet the grapes are the wine ends of being dry.  I found a hint of green apple in the taste and a strong mineral taste.  This wine smells minerals and a light apple smell.  I feel that the mineral taste and the wine being to dry isn't something I like.  I paired this wine with tequila shrimp and citrus.  I feel that any seafood that doesn't have a sweet taste to the palette would be good with this wine.  The dryness of this wine would not complement any sweet foods.  If you like a dry wine I think you would like this wine. 

Robert Parker for Wine Advocate rates this wine at 88 and gave this review:

The 2006 Macon-Vergission La Roache smells of ripe apricot, buddleia, lemon and chalk dust.  Quite soft in texture and expansive, yet somehow refreshing on the palate, this relaxed, early drinking responded well to a regimen split evenly between stainless steel and barrels a third of which were new.

In the Macon, at least, Jean_Marie Guffen is convinced that in 2006 "you had the choice between picking too early or picking to late.  I choose the former.  The sugar levels were high in either case, the acidity was low and the grapes were beginning to rot"  guffens ran his picking crew ragged between Macon, Coted'Or, and Chabli, with more felicitous results in the two last named sectors.  (For notes on the 2006 Chablis at Verget, please consult my report in issue 179.)  In the Cote d'Or, Guffens was more successful this year than in 2005, a vintage he thinks is in general over rated and unlikelu to stand the test of time.  He was sparing with batonnage in 2006, and as always highly selective in pressing and in retention of lees(meaning he had fewer to work with).

 I disagree with Robert Parker all the little he did say.  I did not smell the lemon or apricot.  I thought the mineral smell overpowered the wine.  He doesn't say anything about this wine being dry and it is very dry.  There is no mention of a mineral taste either.  I did not find it refreshing.

The International Wine Cellar gave the 2006 Macon-Vergisson La Roache 90 along with this review:

Medium chartreuse-green color. Smoky, mineral-accented pear and peach scents are deepened by iodine and toasty lees. Pliant orchard fruits on the palate, with a bitter pear skin quality adding dryness and carrying into the finish. Finishes with firm mineral grip.

I feel this review is more appropriate for this wine except he gave the wine a 90.  I didn't smell the peach.  I can see were he gets the pear.  I found it to be more of a green apple but sometimes that is do to people having different pallets.  This wine is very dry and he is right about the "firm mineral grip."

The Chalone Vineyard in Monterey County California

This week I am trying a Sauvignon Blanc from the Chalone Vineyard from the Monterey County in California.  California wine is something we drink in our house often.  My husband travels to California for his work and ships wine back to our house.

Chalone Vinyard was establised in 1966 by a man named Graff.  The Chalone Estate have properties in Edna Valley Vineyards in San Luis Obispo County, Carmenet in Sonoma County, Jade Mountain on Mount Veeder, Acacia Winery in Carneros, and Canoe Ridge in Washington.  This wine came from the their oldest producing vineyard in Monterey County on the northern slop of Chalone Peak.  The vineyard sets on the Gavilan Mountain range which is at the base of an extinct volcano bordering the Pinnacles National Monument.  Chalone Vineyard has a limestone based soil, which is one of the few wineries in the United States growing grapes in this type of soil. There are marinia influnce to the help create a special features to the grapes.  The cool winds and fog that is brought down from the Salines Valelly from the Monterey Bay allowing the grapes to ripen slower. This helps create a fresher acids and enhancing the flavors. Their name not only came from the Chalone Peak but also a Native American Tribe the Chalone or Chollen.  You can read more about the vineyards at their website Chalone Vineyard.

Lets look at the label of the Sauvignon Blanc

• First we see that the wine is from the Chalone Vineyard.
• Next we see the wine is from the Monterey County in California.
• THen we see the year of the wine, 2008 and thepe of wine, Sauvigon Blanc.
• Right below that we see once again its from the Monterey County in California.
• Next it tells us "The pioneer in Monterey since 1966"

Lets smell the wine.  Remember to always smell from the top of the glass after swirling the wine.  There are strong aromas of lemongrass, passion fruit and grapefruit.  The Saubignon Blanc has a strong citrus, herb, lemon and melon taste.

This wine is great paired with salads topped with seafood.  I had it with a salad topped with ahi tuna.  This wine would also go great with any seafood and chicken.  I think the lemongrass will work well with any leafy greens.

 Here is Amy Corron Power gives her review for the Chalone Sauvignon Blanc 2008 for her blog Another Wine Blog.

Rich and creamy with bright tropical and citrus notes, this is perfect for those who don’t like the average Sauvignon Blanc. Flavors of lemongrass and passion fruit, dancing with hints of lemon zest and grapefruit, this is a perfectly delightful wine to go with a fresh summer salad or flavorful Thai food. Joe had prepared a Southwest Spinach Salad with avocado, grilled, cumin-rubbed chicken breast, queso fresco, and a cilantro and lime dressing, and we needed a wine for pairing. When I called out the list of white wines in the chiller, the Sauvignon Blanc seemed like the only possible choice.

Wow I agree with her.  It is like I read her review before I paired the Chalone Sauvignon Blanc 2008 with my ahi tuna salad.  I did not read her review till after I wrote mine.  This is the only review I can find about this wine.  The only thing I can disagree with is the creamy taste.  Just dont see creamy in a wine especially a dry white wine.

The Bodegas Luzon Estate

Another wonderful wine from Spain that has very unique qualities.  Alotos de Luzon 2005 is a unique thats grapes come from two different vineyards. I purchased the wine for seventeen dollars.  Bodegas Luzon is an the estate in Spain that produces this wine. The Gil family founded the Bodegas Luzon estate in 1916.  Read more about the estate at Bodegas Luzon.

Bodegas Luzon is an estate located in the mountains of Jumilla. The grapes for Alotos de Luzon were hand selected from two vineyards.  The Monastrell grape is harvested from 50 year old vines from the Montesinos Vineyard.  The Cabernet Sauvignon grape and the Tempranillo grapes come from 20 year old vines from the Castillo de Lzon Vineyard.  The moutains of Jumilla soil is very chalky, gravily soil that causes the grapes to struggle against hte harsh climate.  The Altos de Luzon 2005 is a blend of three grapes. Which fifty percent of the wine comes from the Monastrell grape, twenty five percent from the Cabernet Sauvigon and twenty five percent from the Tempranillo. The grapes were harvested into small boxes then ferminted in stainless steel.  The wine is carefully undergoes malolactic fermentation and is aged in French and American oak barrels for 12 months. After the Bodegas Luzon estate fermintes the wine it is carefully aged in French and American barrels for 12 months.

Looking at the label.

• The wine label tells us the name at the top.
• Next is the year, 2005.
• Followed by the region the wine was produced in.

The aroma is intense with blackberries and plums.  Along with the aroma hints of the warm spices and oak. The flavors are full of plums, blackberries and warm spices with a hint taste of oak.  This wine goes great with veal parmigiane.  I would suggest other Italian food also.

Here Thomas Matthews gives his review on the Altos de Luzon for the Wine Spectator.

89 Points - "This plush red delivers ripe, sweet blackberry and kirsch flavors backed by chocolate and cola from oak, with appealing earthy accents. The tannins are well-integrated, the structure balanced. Drink now through 2011." —Thomas Matthews, Wine Spectator, November 15, 2007.

I really dont taste the tannins in this wine.  I love the hint of oak yet I do not understand what he means by the cola from the oak.  I did do some research and all I found is Kalimotxo.  Which is fifty percent wine and fifty percent cola.

Here Jay Miller gives his review of thw Altos de Luzon 2005 for the Wine Advocate.

89 Points - "The 2005 Altos de Luzon is 50% old-vine Monastrell, 25% Cabernet Sauvignon, and 25% Tempranillo (not commonly seen in Jumilla). It was barrel fermented in new French and American oak where it remained for 12 months. Dark ruby-colored, it offers up an enticing perfume of mineral, garrigue, blueberry, and blackberry. Layered and ripe with enough structure to evolve for 2-3 years, this pleasing effort can be enjoyed now and over the next 8-10 years." —Jay Miller, The Wine Advocate, February 2008. (more info)

I do not see where Jay gives us a review on the taste of the wine.  He gave history and aroma.  I did not smell the mineral and garrigue aroma from the wine.  I wish he would have express more on the wonderful flavors of plums, blackberries and oak.