Domaine Chandon Pinot Meunier

Domaine Chandon

Pinot Meunier - 2008

Carneros, California

A quick lesson for the non winos out there... Champagne is usually a blend of 3 grapes, chardonnay, pinot noir, and pinot meunier, unless it is a "blanc de blanc" (all chardonnay) or "blanc de noir" (the pinots). While chardonnay and pinot noir are common still wine varietals, poor pinot meunier is often left in the shadows, overlooked and unknown.

Imagine my surprise at finding this under appreciated grape available, by the glass no less, at Zambrano's. I was eager to try it.

The bottle says Domaine Chandon wanted to use the grapes they've got for theor sparkling wines and make high quality still wines. I applaud them.

To put it simply: this wine is the bomb.

It is my go to everyday wine. So much so that on my 5+ visits a week to Zambrano's the lovely Teill just pours it for me, she knows it's coming!

The color is a magical ruby meets amethyst right to the edge and a lovely woody-berry-cherry-amazing nose only hints about the delicious in the glass. A deep, smooth, velvety wine melding spice, wood, dark fruit yum opens up in all corners of the mouth. Sturdy enough to stand up to any food, but delicate and demure enough to drink on a hot summer day.

Silky, spicy, delicious. It has more character than a pinot noir, but an inherent softness.

Get it. Drink it. Make this wine well known! Maybe more sparkling producers will use their extra juice to bring tbe world more delicious.

(one drawback to poor pinot meunier... It isn't well known for its ageability, drink young and drink often)

Hahn SLH Chardonnay

Hahn Wineries

Chardonnay - 2009

Santa Lucia Highlands, California

2009 is lauded as one of the best years in recent memory for California chardonnays (thank you Wine Spectator, I still shamlessly read you even if I disagree with your preferential reviews... Steps off soap box), and the Hahn 2009 chardonnay is lovely proof of that.

I am on my great summer chardonnay kick, and this chardonnay is the one I measure all others on.

The nose is a toasty buttery prelude to the toasty-vanilla-butter amazingness that awaits in the glass. Crisp and clean the finish reveals a lingering sweet butter, like a savory buttercream frosting. Amazing and more citrusy and pineappley cold, as it warms the butter flavor is more pronounced and rich. This is all acheived without an interjection of an over oaked wine making.

Basically the perfect chardonnay.

Want further encouragement? I probably go through 2 cases a week at work, and every single person lauds on how delicious it is. That and when people ask for a chard I know they'll love it so I recommend it or just pour it and tell them they will like it, I have a 100% success rate, thankyouverymuch, curtsey.

Get it. Drink it. Thank me later, or call me and we can share a bottle, or just buy me a bottle.

Spell Zinfandel

Spell

Zinfandel - 2006

Amador County, California

The daughter of Spelletich Cellars owners branched out and made a wonderful and unique zin, and I am not just talking about the psychadelic label (although it is pretty cool in a world of blah labels, 10 points for style).

Let me begin by saying this wine might be the biggest fruit bomb ever to pass my lips. It doesn't drink like the zins I am used to, it's an explosion of super ripe fruit and berries with a knockout alcohol content (16.5% who wants to get tore up?), but there is no alcohol burn or lingering astringent taste. No way, the explosion of fruit covers just about everything. Medium oaky, nary a tannin, and a bit of spice in the mid-palate makes this one yummy wine.

I would say this bottle of delicious is parked midway between a pinot and a cab as far as body, and would provide an excellent stepping stone into zins or a step up from pinots for novice red drinkers or peole who like silky fruit heavy wines.

This wine is hard to come by, my bar has it, so does Zambrano's, but I haven't come accross it in the store. Direct from the winery one of my regulars found it for $16.99 a bottle, which is a downright steal (she thought so too and bought a case after trying it the first time).

I highly recommend!

Numanthia "Termes"

Numanthia "Termes"

Tempranillo - 2007

Valdefinjas, Spain

Cef Zambrano (owner of my favorite wine bar and retail shop here in Ft. Worth) recommended this to me when I came looking for a bold interesting red (all these summer whites are great, but I need teeth staining bold every now and again). He proudly told me this wine just got a 92 from Wine Spectator, I generally find thier ratings to be inaccurate, wrought with favoritism, and douchey so I wasn't impressed initially, but I was eager to try something Cef spoke so highly of.

It. Blew. My. Mind.

I've had the 100 point Penfolds "Grange", and this was better.

At Cef's recommendation I let it decant in the glass for 30 min while I whipped up late night spicy chicken spaghetti. It sat there dark purple with ruby edges beckoning me and trying my patience (not my strongest virtue). After the obligatory wait time I gave it a sniff, chocolate covered cherries with a hint of wooded licorice rewarded my patience. The Boyfriend who "didn't want a glass" and proceeded to steal mine threw in his couch commentary "it smells like candy!"

When I finally took a sip my mouth was filled with a velvety lucious wine that exploded with flavors of chocolate, wood, spice, and a toasty almost nutty finish. The layered richness was perfectly balanced, no over-powering tannins or alcohol to detract from all the good. I could see this cellaring and improving, but knowing how good this is, it is unlikely it would last 48 hours at my house.

How much was this bottle of amazing? $31.00 yes, that cheap. Go buy it now. You'll thank me, I sure know Cef is getting a hug from me for this wonderful gem.

And yes, it was even better with the spaghetti.

Butter by JaM

Butter by Jam Cellars

Chardonnay - 2009

Napa, California

I love Jam's cab and blend, so naturally I was expecting big things from this wine, and I can say I was not disappointed!

Those of you that know me know my general aversion to chards (the only Chardonnay I ever liked was the villan in Footballers' Wive$ who famously said "darling, the bottle IS the new glass"), I normally find them icky and unimpressive. Much to my surprise this wine actually put me on my summer chardonnay kick, it's that good.

In the glass it has a light gold "vegetable oil" look with a good even tone. Immediately I was struck by the toasty vanilla nose, it burst out of the glass and could be smelled throughout the room. When I finally closed my eyes and sipped it I found light notes of honey, light oak, light spice, and of course warm butter. Delicious! It acheives a very nice buttery lingering finish without being over oaked.

The weight and creaminess of this wine makes it perfect to drink alone, but it is sturdy and bold enough to hold up to a rich fatty ribeye (which we of course ate with it). As the bottle warms from fridge cold the toasty vanilla becomes more prominant.

I love this wine and I cannot reccommend it enough. If you find it, buy it.

More important, Boyfriend likes it.