Penfolds, 'Koonunga Hill', Shiraz Cabernet, 2006
Penfolds has been around a long time, and they make wines in a broad range of prices. Some, like the 'Grange' can be very expensive, while others are just table wine level (we reviewed a 1997 'St. Henry' Shiraz earlier). I've been a long-time fan of Penfolds. I have to admit that one of those bottles that started me into wine was a 1996 Penfolds, Bin 389.
But this is not that. This is one of the cheap Penfolds. This bottle is a surprising $10, especially considering that the store sign advertised that some place-of-repute gave it a score of 91! We're always looking for that unobtainable holy grail: great wine at a cheap price. So it was hard not to buy it (which I of course did).
The nose is very floral: hyacinth and lavender. There also some subtle vegetable matter, probably eggplant.Tastes of moss and floral. The fruit is predominantly jammy boysenberry. But also red cherry, and pomegranate. The finish is sort of a bad perfume. Pomegranate pucker and cedar.
The conclusion: Denise liked it, and I didn't. For me, it was too sweet. It's not really sweet as wines go, but it's that sweet Shiraz (if you've had it, you know what I mean). Denise gave it a 6; and me, it was a 5. Hence the compromise at 5.5.
Cost:
Rating:
5.5
Lange, Willamette Valley, Pinot Gris, 2006
The nose is pear and citrus -- and a bit of granny smith apple.
Slight melon flavors, and a subtle tangerine. Pear and lime are predominant. Just a hint of effervescence.
It's Oregon Pinot Gris, so it's light and fresh, without much spice nor any mineral or earth. Denise thinks it's too sweet, but then she doesn't really like whites much. For me, this is perfect on a hot day.
Cost:
Rating:
7.0
St. Innocent, Vitae Springs Vineyard, Pinot Gris, 2006
This was a great wine to drink here in Portland while the weather was so hot. Portland is very mild normally, but this week it hit 101 F after being more miserably cold and wet than usual for the last few months.
Anyway, this wine was quite nice. The nose was lemon! Citrus, and a bit of green apple, pear and peach.
The taste was very much: pear. Slightly buttery. A bit of lemon. Slate. And vegetable: peas, kale and arugula. Kind of spicy -- maybe a bit of lemon grass. Definitely fresh. Just what I wanted for dinner on a warm night!
Cost:
Rating:
8.0
Hamacher, Willamette Valley, Pinot Noir, 2005
Smells of vanilla and oak and cayenne pepper. Smells like velvet and roses and blueberry. Smells and tastes like your grandmothers dress in the closet with some old rose perfume. Hint of Crisp apple. Antique armoire in a dusty attic.
Very smooth. Definitely tastes of raspberry at the beginning. Then later, the taste was a strong red cherry. Hints of anise.
Finish is so calm (cold lake thing). Though, not the velvet hammer. Soothing. Just a bit on the acidic side. Cayenne and anise on the finish too.
Cost:
Rating:
8.0