Dick Benjamin offers a pourT was a good start to the New Year. I spoke to one taster, Katherine, who said she liked all of the wines and how well they tasted with the cheeses they had this evening.
One wine she especially liked, which I have to agree was a very nice wine, was the Peirano Estate Petite Sirah, which has some nice fruit forward yet dark flavors, with some nice tannins that went well with a slight smokey taste.
I have to say that I was also impressed with the Chateau St Jean Signature Red. This is a great wine to sit and sip with friends and nibble on some cheese. I’ve come to appreciate blends more and more and this one has lots to offer.
There was definitely a good crowd Friday night. When I left around 6:20 they were lining up at the door. I’m already looking forward to the Third Thursday tasting on the 17th.
Where: Wine World, 133 Georgia Ave., North Augusta, SC
803-279-9522
When: Friday, January 4, 2013, 5 to 8 pm
Cost: $5, with rebate on the purchase of 1 bottle of the featured wines.
Here are the wines to be presented (click to see more):
- Louis Metaireau Muscadet Sevre et Maine 2011
- Schreckbichl Pfefferer Moscato Gallio 2011
- Oppenheimer Krötenbrunner Spätlese 2009
- Chateau St Jean Signature Red 2010
- Malbec Cèdre Heritage 2010
- Peirano Estate Petite Sirah 2011 [scrollGallery id=574]
Here are the detailed wine notes:
Louis Metaireau Muscadet Sevre et Maine 2011
One of the world’s great fish wines from the mouth of the Loire River in France. It is pale straw with a hint of green. Fresh herbal and citrus aromas with distinct minerality. Nicely defined flavors, with straight, well defined acidity. Buoyant, mineral and lemon flavors. spiced up by an appealing spritz. An ideal companion to fish and shellfish.
From: France
Winery: Louis Metaireau
Year: 2011
Schreckbichl Pfefferer Moscato Gallio 2011
Pfefferer Moscato Giallo is a dry muscat with racy, snappy fruit. Loaded with a festive, zesty personality! Intense, beautiful flavors. Mouthwatering, slightly off-dry character. A perfect aperitif. Fine match for with spicy foods.
From: Vigneti delle Dolomiti IGT, Italy
: Schreckbichl
Year: 2011
Oppenheimer Krötenbrunner Spätlese 2009
Late-harvest Riesling of exceptionally good quality for a bargain price. Enticing floral aromas lead to rich, ripe fruit flavors. Its late-harvest light sweetness is well-balanced by a pleasant, refreshing acidity. Aperitif. A fine match for a wide variety of dishes: Asian cuisine, spicy lighter
dishes, salads with a fruit element.
From: Rheinhessen, Germany
: Schnitziour Muller
Year: 2009
Chateau St Jean Signature Red 2010
A stunning blend of blend of Cabernet Sauvignon, Merlot, Zinfandel, Petite Sirah, Syrah and Malbec which shows plush notes of blackberry, mocha and spice. The nose erupts with black currants, spice, strawberry and cherry notes, dark chocolate and ripe plums. It’s a symphony of flavors in the mouth, with lovely supple tannins, acidity for balance, nice integration of oak and bold fruit flavors.
From: California
Winery: Chateau St Jean
Year: 2010
Malbec Cèdre Heritage 2010
Dick recalls in his early days of wine exploration, reading about the exciting red wines from southwest France– the “black wine of Cahors”, Malbec from just upriver from Bordeaux. This is a great example of Cahors. Plenty of vibrant acidity graces this muscular red, with flavors of blackberry preserves and dried plum and a finish with notes of dried herb and spice. (Malbec–but not from Argentina.) Drink it with grilled red meat and rich cheeses like extra aged Gouda.
From: Cahors, France
Winery: Château du Cèdre
Year: 2010
Peirano Estate Petite Sirah 2011
The senses are tempted by an array of black raspberry, spice, coffee, cocoa, cola and white pepper. The palate is filled with ripe boysenberry, black raspberry, plum and sweet black cherry and firm tannins, with a hint of smoke and dark chocolate. Enjoy this wine along with a nice grilled steak, baked potato with all the fixings, and good friends. This is a wine that can please immensely now and age gracefully for several years to come.
From: Lodi, California
Winery: Peirano Estate
Year: 2011
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