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A nice evening of nice wine to sample and conversation with old friends. I have to admit that I had two different Pinot Noirs that were very different but nice for those differences. The Elizabeth Rose Pinot is much lighter in color, a bit dry with some bright fruit sneaking through whereas the Buena Vista Vinicultural Society Pinot Noir was darker, more bold but just as yummy.
The Buena Vista Carneros Merlot though was my favorite of the evening. The tasting notes don’t mention tastes of chocolate but to me this was a nice deep bold wine that has nice hints of chocolate. Normally I find chocolate notes accompanying some strong minerality. This wine lacked the minerality and allowed those flavors to linger.
Oddly enough though if you tried with the chocolate they had at the tasting table it lost the nice dark fruit flavors.
And cudos to Jai at Casa Blanca. She provided some very nice nibbles.
Where: Ninth Street Wine Market
12 Ninth Street, Augusta, GA 30901
When: Monday, November 5, 2012, 5:30-7:30 pm
Cost: $10 per person. 706-724-1442.
Here are the wines presented (click to see more):
- Il Bastardo Sangiovese 2009
- Elizabeth Rose Pinot Noir 2009
- Saint-Hilaire Brut
- Costieres de Nimes Nostre Pais 2010
- Blue Pirate Pinot Gris 2010
- Buena Vista Carneros Merlot 2009
- Buena Vista Vinicultural Society Cabernet Sauvignon 2009
- Buena Vista Vinicultural Society Pinot Noir 2009
Here are the detailed wine notes:
Il Bastardo Sangiovese 2009
Dark ruby red color. Cherry, strawberry and blackberry aromas and flavors. A fun “junior chianti” with appealing fruit. Medium bodied with pleasing tannins and fruit in the finish. Food-versatile. A great pasta wine with a rich meat sauce.
From: Tuscany, Italy
Winery: Toscano
Year: 2009
Elizabeth Rose Pinot Noir 2009
The Pinot Noir goes straight to barrel after press giving the wine a wonderful wisp of smoke from the oak influence. The wine is engaging with dark and earthy mushroom notes as well as dark cherry and a small hint of spice. Elizabeth Rose Pinot Noir is easy to drink now with the perfect balance of richness, sweet fruit, oak and elegance.–From their Website
From: Napa, California
Winery: Elizabeth Rose
Year: 2009
Saint-Hilaire Brut
Dry, toasty, smooth and clean Saint Hilaire truly captivates with an attractive yeasty aroma and luscious creamy texture. The palate is light and crisp with citrus and apple flavors and the body is just hefty enough.–From Empire Wine.com
From: Limoux, France
Winery: Saint-Hilaire
Costieres de Nimes Nostre Pais 2010
The pale yellow color tinted in green announces a wine with a great deal of freshness and purity. The complex nose reveals floral and mineral notes with accents of fresh citrus fruits. Lively and fresh, the aromas of flowers and white fruits, blends with flint. The very soft finish evinces a great deal of minerality. Enjoy now or cellar up to 3 years.–From their Website
From: Languedoc-Roussillion, France
Winery: Michel Gassier
Year: 2010
Grapes: 0% Grenache Blanc, 5% Roussanne, 5% Viognier
Blue Pirate Pinot Gris 2010
Faintest, brilliant brass tinted color. Powerful aromatics of spiced Macintosh apples, Bosq and Anjou Pears infused with vanilla extract. The creamy attach lends an impression of sweetness, which is beautifully balanced by mouth watering acidity. The fall-harvest fruits are echoed on the palate, while the spice notes of cinnamon and cardamom are even more pronounced. The flavor profile is bright, expressive and persistent. Serve with octopus bacon-wrapped seared diver scallops with star-fruit reduction.
From: Columbia Valley, Washington
Winery: Blue Pirate
Year: 2010
Buena Vista Carneros Merlot 2009
Mouthwatering aromas of ripe plum and freshly-baked rhubarb pie are accented with light notes of cranberry and black pepper. On the palate, alluring flavors of cherry and allspice complement the wine’s soft mouthfeel while well-integrated tannins lead to a long and spicy finish.–From their Website
From: Sonoma County, California
Winery: >Buena Vista Winery
Year: 2009
Buena Vista Vinicultural Society Cabernet Sauvignon 2009
Before there was a California wine industry at all, there was Buena Vista. Founded in 1857 in Sonoma, it is California’s first premium winery, boasting a history as colorful as it is proud. The original stone winery contains Sonoma’s first wine caves, and its founder, the Count of Buena Vista, laid the foundation for California viticulture when he brought thousands of premium grape vines from Europe. The Buena Vista Vinicultural Society honors our Sonoma roots and introduced to California in 1862. This Cabernet envelops your palate with mouth-watering flavors of black pepper, cherry and rich caramel.–From their Website
From: Sonoma County, California
: Buena Vista Winery
Year: 2009
Buena Vista Vinicultural Society Pinot Noir 2009
The color is deep plum and has aromas of raspberry, chocolate, toastiness. The palate is raspberry, toastiness, balanced structure, medium acidity and plush mouthfeel.
From: Sonoma County, California
Winery: :Buena Vista Winery
Year: 2009
1 Comment
Great meeting you last night Dan. This was my first wine tasting since moving to Augusta. I’m sure we’ll bump into each other at another one soon. Kudos to Ninth Street Wine Market for some very good wines and appetizers. Will certainly be a repeat customer here.