The Royal Tannin Bombs

This month’s Wine of the Month is the Château La Confession Grand Cru Classé Saint-Émilion 2007, 13.5% abv, $30 USD.

I again will take my lameness to yet another level and loose more of my readership – yes, I lost my notes. Again. And again.

Anyway, if you come back next month, I think you will be pleasantly surprised!

As always, I enjoyed the La Confession, so don’t hesitate to try one out when you stumble across it at your corner grocer.

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This month’s Wine of the Month is the Domaine Vigneau-Chevreau Vouvray Brut, 13% abv, $25 USD.

Well, the Bad Man (that’s me) is no fan of sparkling wine by any means, but he does love himself a good Vouvray now and again. My favourite white wine grape is (go figure) Chenin Blanc (am I the only one?) so when I ran across this in a San Francisco wine shop I snatched it up.

It’s nice, not great, because, well, it is a sparkling wine, and the carbonation diminishes the rich character of the Chenin Blanc fruit I adore, but it is an interesting alternative if you HAVE to drink something sparkly.

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This month’s Wine of the Month is the Château Croix de Labrie Grand Cru Classé Saint-Émilion 1995, 13% abv, $75 USD.

Okay, I can’t stress this enough. Château Croix de Labrie is my favourite new winery! This thing smells and tastes like what a Bordeaux, which is to say what a wine, should smell and taste like. It is fantastic – that earthy barnyard nose, sweet dark fruit, powerful and balanced, just world class all the way around.

I’ve tasted the ‘95, the ‘03, the ‘05, the ‘07, and a few others I’m sure I’m forgetting but this baby rocks!

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This month’s Wine of the Month is the Château Fonplégade Grand Cru Classé Saint-Émilion, 15% abv, $35 USD.

91% Merlot
7% Cabernet Franc
2% Cabernet Sauvignon

Okay, back to previous motif – lost the notes. I promise to pick up a bottle of this the next time I see one and give it a proper tasting. In the meantime as always know that I wouldn’t recommend it if it wasn’t an excellent example of what a great wine can be.

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This month’s Wine of the Month is Penfolds Grange South Australia 1996, 14.2% abv, $250 USD.

And YES, thank you for asking, I have the bloody tasting notes! =o)

First off what is up with this bottle – a horrid light acid green colour; yikes! Anyway, we’re professionals here at the Royal Tannin Bombs, so I better straighten up and act like one!

Rudy brick colour. The wine now we’re talking about; try to keep up. Some kind of strong floral scent; couldn’t identify the flower. Black fruit, molasses, spice, barnyard, coffee; very complex. Eventually it got into a super dark chocolate motif; very giving.

In the mouth it was sweet red fruit, plush and dry, with firm tannins and balanced acid. It was followed by a strange finish of wood and chocolate. For me, the fruit profile weighed in a little too heavy on the red fruit side of the spectrum, but the very complex nose and fully matured mouthfeel showing the perfectly integrated structure more than made up for the taste – this is truly a world class wine. It’s currently hitting on all cylinders, but for me (unless you like your wine over the hill) this is not going to get any better.

Bad Man rates this a 92.

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This month’s Wine of the Month is Orin Swift Cellars Mercury Head Napa Valley Cabernet Sauvignon 2008, 15.5% abv, $80 USD.

OMG – again with the no tasting notes. Okay, let’s wing it – you all know showgirl-style wine maker Orin Swift: The Prisoner, Papillon, Saldo, etc. etc. I hate to admit that I like the showgirl style, because it seems to imply that I’m not a serious wine aficionado, which we all know isn’t for lack of field research. So what the hell, I embrace the showgirl in me, and yes, this Swift offering perhaps more so than the more affordable wines is all that and a bag of chips.

Try one on yourself; the wine snob in you will sit up and take notice!

And yes, next month I REALLY promise to do a better job in keeping track of my dang notebook.

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This month’s Wine of the Month is the Round Pond Estate Rutherford Cabernet Sauvignon 2007, 14.5% abv, $51 USD.

Beautiful olive bottle (again, read last month’s review) with a sepia photo of, well, a round pond laced with palm trees.

Lost my tasting notes, no, wait, I think they were stolen! But we won’t mention any names. Anyway, this elegant charmer made the grade, so don’t hesitate to pick up a bottle. I promise to keep better track of my paperwork in the future.

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This month’s Wine of the Month is the Daryl Browman Family Vineyards Cavus Stags Leap District Cabernet Sauvignon 2006, 15.3% abv, $90 USD.

Encased on my favourite type of olive drab broad shouldered massively heavy bottle (think Pahlmeyer), Daryl’s Cabernet is something to behold both visually and gastronomically. Reminding me of my first experiences with Helen Turley’s Zinfandels in the 90’s, this wine begs the question “Is this really wine?”

It doesn’t taste like any wine I’ve ever had – it’s some kind of flavour busting high-octane metamorphic assault on the tastebuds and olfactory centre – more so than is conceivably possible by anything any of us would consider “wine”. But like skydiving it’s something you have to try once in your life… but you probably don’t want to make it a habit.

Well boys and girls, I lost my tasting notes so you’ll have to conduct your own field analysis on this monster; come back and share your nightmares and dreams below!

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Flameno, Road Kill, Tally Ho and The Bad Man convened at Tally’s abode for a tasting to celebrate The Bad Man’s birthday. We won’t say just how old he is but let’s just say he’s, well, old.

The Contenders

In the order tasted – TASTED BLIND, AS ALWAYS!

1. Chateau Paradis Casseuil
Domaine Barons de Rothschild (Lafite) Bordeaux 2006 12.5% $20
2. McManis Family Vineyard (Jackson’s Lafayette and BevMo)
Merlot California 2008 13.5% $7.99
3. Trentadue (Jackson’s Lafayette and BevMo)
Merlot Block 500 Alexander Valley Geyserville Estate Sonoma County 2008 14.6% $11.99
4. Rancho Zabaco (Safeway)
Zinfandel Reserve Dry Creek Valley 2007 14.9% $18

On the culinary front, Tally Ho rustled up some grits to die for – home made brisket, mashed potatoes, and broccoli. Perfection. More than perfection – the main course was followed with French vanilla bean ice cream and apple crisp!

Here’s what we thought about the wines:

1. Chateau Paradis Casseuil Rothschild Bordeaux 2006
Sharp and bitter, a soapy sourness like cleaning solution. Burned off as the night progressed, but still a very austere wooden effort. Obviously hindered by being up against the New World Show-Girl style wines on the table.
F: 4
RK: 4
TH: 4
BM: 4
Final TRTB: 4
2. McManis Family Vineyard Merlot 2008
Maple leaves, wax, sweet and warm, this number had spice and structure, a little rough around the edges but just the right amount to keep it interesting. Definitely a bargain at $8!
F: 1
RK: 2
TH: 2
BM: 3
Final TRTB: 2
3. Trentadue Merlot Block 500 Alexander Valley 2008
Road Kill picked up veggie soup, but I (ze Bad Man) found it to be all sweet spicy maple and dark fruit. A soft and zingy mouthfeel balanced with slight tannins; a real head-turner that tastes great and has a little bit of stuffing.
F: 1
RK: 3
TH: 3
BM: 1
Final TRTB: 3
4. Rancho Zabaco Zinfandel Reserve Dry Creek Valley 2007
Bright, spicy, soft on the palette with dusty tannins – Road Kill found it to go well with everything, from beef to candy!
F: 3
RK: 1
TH: 1
BM: 2
Final TRTB: 1

What does it show? That Tally Ho as always loves herself a killer Zin, and Bad Man as always loves himself a Show-Girl Merlot. I want to be snobby and go for the Bordeaux, but I sure love the accessibility and flavours of Merlot. You have to go with what you like, not what you think you are supposed to like. Bordeaux will fight and win another day – can you say Cheval Blanc?

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