theCorkHead.com

theCorkHead.com

The online home of Mark “The Cork Head” Stuart, Certified Wine Professional, speaker/educator, judge, and columnist.

Click here for more info

Bookmark and Share
PrevFebruary
S M T W T F S
 1234
567891011
12131415161718
19202122232425
26272829  
Blog >

Archive by tag 'wine'

2007 Conn Creek Cabernet Sauvignon Napa Valley

Added on 12/13/11 at 12:34 pm

So I was wasting a little time at the Vons grocery store in Pacific Beach last week and came across the 2007 Conn Creek Cabernet Sauvignon Napa Valley.

Like most winos I know, we are all suckers for a fairly priced Napa wine, and get especially excited when it is from the famed 2007 vintage.  So, I plunked a couple of them in my 10% discount 6 pack carrier and headed for self checkout.

It isn’t often I use the word “lovely” when describing cabernet sauvignon, but in this case it absolutely fits.  It offered a sound structure for mid-term cellaring, but was soft enough around the edges to please right now.

Over the 2 hours I tasted it, the wine  provided twists and turns as to what it predominantly offered…all I can ask from a bottle priced under $20!

I guess my palate still has it, as I see Wine Enthusiast gave it 93 points.  Certainly one of the best deals around.

Quality, complexity, and varietally correct.  Pick some up and confidently enjoy!

Bookmark and Share

2009 Robert Mondavi Winery Cabernet Sauvignon Napa Valley

Added on 11/07/11 at 5:24 pm

2009 Robert Mondavi Winery Cabernet Sauvignon Napa Valley

It has been a while since I have had time to post about some of my favorite wines of the year, and I’m glad to have a little now before Monday Night Football to post about what may qualify as my go-to cabernet for 2011.

The folks at Folsom and Associates, the marketing arm for Robert Mondavi Winery, sent me this one a few months ago to give it a test run.  Coming off the staggeringly good 2007 vintage, it has been a while since I tasted something that gave me pause.  This one did.

Retail $28, buy widely available for far less, the 2009 RMW Cab is all it should be:  voluptuous,  with a hearty combination of full ripe tannins, balancing acidity, and complex barrel flavors of cinnamon toast, dark berry fruit, and a whisper of cabernet “sauvage”.

Perhaps one of the reasons I liked it so much is that it barely qualifies to be labeled as a cabernet sauvignon at all, with only 75% of the blend being CS.  Merlot, cabernet franc, and a few percentage points of common blending varietals all come together adding to a wine I just might like a hint better than it’s 2007 counterpart.

High praise indeed.

Bookmark and Share

2008 La Follette Sangiacomo Vineyard Pinot Noir

Added on 12/20/10 at 3:16 pm

Words such as complex, concentrated, and elegant are thrown about in the wine world like balls in a McDonald’s play pen enclosure.

Well, I’m here to tell you that no 3 words could be more accurate than when applied to the 2008 La Follette Sangiacomo Vineyard Pinot Noir.  A wine that is nothing short of magnificent.  Read More

Bookmark and Share

World Wine Challenge CD-ROM

Added on 12/10/10 at 8:18 am

world wine challengeCD-ROM author Barry Wiss, CWE, is a leader in the Society of Wine Educators, Vice President of Communications and Trade Relations at Trinchero Family Winery, and helped write The Napa Valley Intensive course for The Culinary Institute of America. Yup…he’s qualified.

Basically it is a question and answer game.  If you get the question correct, you move on to another random corner of the wine world.  If you are incorrect, it spells out why.  Multiple players may participate or one can study on their own. Read More

Bookmark and Share

Best Wine with Thanksgiving Dinner

Added on 11/04/10 at 11:53 am
2007 Bonterra Viognier Mendocino County

2007 Bonterra Viognier Mendocino County

When I think of Thanksgiving dishes, I think quantity, variety, and aromatics.  Choosing a wine that matches these traits while offering up a little contrast to make things interesting is often the best choice for such a complex meal.  But how does one find a wine that works with turkey, creamed corn, and green bean casserole all at the same time?

Quantity:  Lots of food, lots of guests, and a long time at the table.  The wine should be lower than average in alcohol…I mean yeah…we’ll be watching football and having fun all day, right?  But, lower alcohol shouldn’t mean it doesn’t have the body style necessary to stand up to all the cream and gravy.  For contrast, the wine should have a little zing of acidity to cut through our close friend’s delectable sausage stuffing.

Variety:   This wine should be complex.  With a dozen different dishes, and some strong ones at that, the wine should bring lots of different aromas and flavorsto the table.

Aromatics:  Thanksgiving is the most aromatic of traditional American meals so it stands to reason we’ll need something with a high degree of aromatics so the food does not diminish its partner.

The winner? 2007 Bonterra Viognier, Mendocino County.

This cool climate wine has under 14% alcohol, offers both floral and fruit aromatics, and has a medium-full and creamy mouth feel.  Without question it is consistently year in and year out one of the great values in viognier, and it is widely available around the country for around $15.  Did I mention it is also Certified Organic?

Remember, its not what is in your glass, but who you share it with.

And, if you use this coupon, you’ll get a discount of $5 of any $75 purchase too!

Bookmark and Share

Most Exciting Wine Find of the Summer

Added on 08/27/10 at 11:07 am
Solis Wine Bottle

2009 Solis Winery Fiano Estate

So I can’t say I was angry, but I will say I was disappointed. The wine was nothing short of superb, but my fellow panelists simply didn’t get it.

To set the stage, the “other” whites category at large wine competitions are, shall we say, is The Land of the Misfit Toys. If you’ve never tasted these sorts of wines, well, generally you aren’t missing much. Often times they are comprised of the end-lots of what didn’t make the cut of better quality wines, all mixed up, given a fancy name and sold over the counter at tasting rooms. A winery marketing director will pay a small fee to enter the obscure blend into the competition hoping it will get some recognition to help sell the inventory which would otherwise be flushed. Read More

Bookmark and Share

Two for One Wine Classes

Added on 04/29/10 at 5:20 pm

Buy one wine class, get the 2nd one free!

I’ve proclaimed 2010 as “The Year of Happiness”.

Heck, local real estate prices have been on the rise for 8 consecutive months and the stock market has risen nearly 37% over the last year. We certainly have not seen that in a while!

Now is the time to treat yourself (or your Mom!) to something special, and I’m here to offer my own little incentive to do so.  Keep this email as a “Buy one super fun entertaining and informative wine class, get one super fun entertaining and informative wine class free” coupon.* Read More

Bookmark and Share

The Magic of Sparkling Wine

Added on 04/18/10 at 8:16 am

Accidents can sometimes result in glorious revelations. The evolution of sparkling wine is certainly a delicious example.

Centuries ago, temperature controlled environments in which to produce wines were not available. The now famous wine destination of Champagne, located about an hour-an-a-half drive north and east of Paris, experiences very cool fall and winter temperatures. Cold enough to slow down and eventually halt the fermentation process of the wines being produced. Early winemakers would see that fermentation had stopped and therefore bottled what they had Read More

Bookmark and Share

Wine Pioneer Continues Trendsetting

Added on 02/23/10 at 8:33 am

While working on his M.A. in psychology, Eddie Osterland became fascinated with the world of wine. So much so that he altered career paths and became the United States very first Master Sommelier.

His unique story began in the 1960’s when wine in the United States was not what it is today. Truth be told, at the time there were actually more orchards than vineyards in the Napa Valley. To receive the best instruction available he would be forced to move overseas. Read More

Bookmark and Share

Early Olympics Recap…with Wine

Added on 02/14/10 at 8:58 am

Isn’t is refreshing to watch athletes compete at the highest level of their sport and express the joy they have without pretense?

I was struck by an interview with Alpine Skier Lindsey Vonn as she politely and calmly answered all the questions she was asked with poise and charm…and with a conviction to be the very best.  Her passion was palpable.  Her commitment infectious.  She was simply being herself.  Expressing her thoughts.

Shortly thereafter, in the setting of a friendly Pro-Am in conjunction with the PGA Tour, Tom Brady started doing Read More

Bookmark and Share