was in Jerez in October , and one night I had dinner at La Carbona with Peter Liem and Eduardo Ojeda, the cellar master at La Guita and Valdespino. It is a new release called La Bout du Clos, a wine made entirely from that same vineyard in Ambonnay, from the 2004 vintage. Well, of the last few months anyway. And more Sherry.

I can’t help but exclaim, looking at the large, crude, roughly hewn 12th century wine press in the equally antiquated looking cellar. In 2004 he was able to buy out other family members so that he could make the wine he wants to make, and after my tasting today must concur it was fabulous. “Your grandfather actaually used that press!”

With the oysters I drank a relatively unknown but incredibly delicious and interesting wine, the 2004 Michel Loriot Pinot Meunier Vieilles Vignes Brut , $75. If you want to try it, Astor Wines has it on the shelves right now, and I hear that a few other shops are considering carrying it - in a few weeks try Uva or Slope Cellars in Brooklyn.

With this we drank two different Inflorescence Brut Blanc de Noirs , the 2008 and 2009. preferred the 2008 with its rich, resonant fruit and complex depth, its baseline of minerality. The 09 might be more of a wine to drink young, and the 2008 seems to be a great candidate for the cellar. It retails for about $85.

The 2008 vintage of Henschke Hill of Grace has not yet been released. Stephen Henschke became enamored with the technology when he presented a paper at a conference in Germany in 2004. And Henschke agrees that the evolution is slow, akin to magnums that are considered the ideal size for cellaring.

Levi tested all of the wines before the dinner and at one point he said to me "The 2004 Les Chalasses.wow, it's drinking pretty well right now." Anyway, we drank Les Chalasses from 2004 and 2008, and I thought they were both excellent wines. Domaine Ganevat is in the Jura, in a town called Rotalier. And indeed it was.

Wines included: Angels Gate Winery Mountainview 2008. Burrowing Owl Estate Winery 2008. Cave Spring Cellars Blancs de Blancs Brut 2004. Cave Spring Cellars CSV 2007. Closson Chase Vineyards Closson Chase Vineyard 2008. Colaneri Estate Winery ‘Paese’ 2008. Flatrock Cellars Reserve 2007.

On my recent trip to the Loire, I got an excellent chance to explore this issue at the cellars of none other than Domaine Bernard Baudry in Chinon, one of my favorite producers in the Loire. The tannins are fine; the wine in 2009 exhibits fine tannins while the 2008 could benefit from more bottle age (or a good decant).

Following my interview with Jean-Marie Fourrier, I was lucky enough to have the opportunity to attend a Domaine Fourrier tasting that featured several wines from the 2008 and 2009 vintages. Equally instructive is tasting the same wines from 2008 and 2009. 2008 Domaine Fourrier Gevrey-Chambertin Aux Echézeaux. Yes, 100 year old.

Three wines were from the Yalumba Vineyard and three were picked from Erics's cellar. Yalumba The Scribbler 2008 65% Cabernet Sauvignon and 35% Shiraz showing aromas of oak, raw wood and ripe cherries while on the palate hints of violets, black pepper and a spicy intensity. Table

would have pulled out a nice Gewurztraminer if I had one, but settled for a Fontana Candida Frascati Superiore DOC 2008. Getting time to clean out the old wine fridge. Shirley keeps doing her part by challenging me to come up with a pairing for some of her weird dinner experiments. Here the grapes for Frascati are grown.

Stoney Lonsesome Estates 2008 Reserve. I love it when Shirley decides to experiment in the kitchen. It either means we end up going out to dinner or I am in for a special treat. What I do know is that she cooked skinless chicken breast in apple juice with oyster mushrooms, slices of gala apples and diced mint fresh from the garden.

I don't often go with Shirley and Pam to the Saturday morning Central New York Regional Farmer's Market, but I made an exception today. was also out of bed early enough to tag along, which is unusual. did stop at one and tasted their 2007 Meritage. It seems to be that the wine always is a bit different, no, a lot different than what I remembered.

I've been holding out on the wine reviews until everything gets back to normal after my surgery. At present, my Cardiologist has OK'd 3-4 oz. of wine per day and, for me, that just don't cut it. do cheat a bit and I also skip some evenings. That is what happened with the first bottles I opened. little lighter bodied than what I'm used to in Zin.

Our next visit was the wines of Groupo Italiano Vini (GIV) which completed the acquisition of Bolla in 2008. The tasting was held in what looked to be a multi-million dollar tasting room in his very high tech cellar, with the floor of the maturation room studded with blue lights like the jetway of an airplane. And New York? Day 2.

Last March I posted a press release on a new collection of artisan wines in an innovative attractive new package. An international wine collection with six brands and ten items packaged in a new exciting premium 3L wine cask from the Octavin Home Wine Bar ™. The Chardonnay was not impressive. Definitely a good party wine.

This week I decided to open a dry and semi-dry from the same winery to compare and I chose one of the nicest Rieslings so far; Chateau Lafayette Reneau 2008. With May and New York Riesling month coming to close soon, it is safe to say that I tasted more Riesling this month than any one year in my life. Why, I'm not sure. Truly enjoyable.

He headed back up to the valley that same afternoon to make his best offer, and Cakebread Cellars was born. served with pasta and ultra-fresh peas and morels, 2004 Merlot (the real winner)and the 2006 Syrah paired with Steak, and the 2008 Zinfandel served with the dessert course shown below. cakebread cake.

My choice for the evening was a 2008 semi-dry Riesling( $14 ) from the Long Point Winery. This past Monday evening was a first for me on-line. Because of my work schedule and Shirley's extra long 'honey-do' list I never have the chance to do a tweet up on Twitter or follow a wine party on Facebook. All from the Seneca Lake wineries.

The first one I opened was the Zugibe semi-dry 2008( $14 ). This past weeks edition of the Syracuse New Times, a weekly alternative newspaper published in Syracuse, New York, contained an interesting article on Finger Lakes Riesling. Evan is passionate about Finger Lakes wines and authors some of the most interesting articles on the subject.

By 1839, his first underground cellars were dug and Mr. Jacques fermented his first wine vintage. Those cellars, the oldest and largest in America, are still in use today at Brotherhood Winery. The two wines we tasted were the 2008 Riesling and the 2008 'dry' Riesling. Doing so seemed almost impossible. Enough history.

The 2008 Red Tail Ridge semi-dry Riesling was suggested by my sister-in-law. Just finished watching the movie "Avatar" while sipping on my first Riesling of the summer. Finger Lakes Riesling of course. This month is Riesling month in New York and this will be the first of many I'll enjoy over the next 30 days. Sound good? What else is better!

Recently, the wife and I have been discussing a possible trip to California next year. few of the issues are for how long and where. Of course my choice would be Napa Valley, Sonoma Valley or Russian River Valley, the home of some of the best wines in the world. Oh, I'm sorry, did I leave out Paso Robles, Lodi, Central Coast or Livermore Valley.

For this tasting I was joined by Rosemary Gray, the Champagne, Austria, Germany, and Sake wine buyer and a manager at Chambers Street Wines , Ben Hagen, the wine buyer at Slope Cellars , one of my favorite Brooklyn retailers, and Dan Melia who runs the US operations for Mosel Wine Merchant. But the inexpensive red wines of Provence? It is 12.5%

The first of the Zin's I recently stocked up on is the Rancho Zabaco Dry Creek Valley 2004 Reserve. The 2004 vintage is 96% Zinfandel and 4% Petite Sirah. I'm leaving Chile(till later) and heading over to California to try a few more Zin's. Deep dark fruit aromas with some cherry. Hey, you're never too old to learn. Not that I am old??

Tonight I uncorked another Carmenere from Concha y Toro , the Casillero del Diablo 2008 Reserve. This is the third of the Carmenere wines I tasted this month. As I stated in my previous two articles, Carmenere is one of the wines I've pushed aside in the past, but have placed on a list to re-examine in 2010. I'm still not sold on Carmenere.

It's been a few years since I tasted Carmenere. If I remember right, it was a take it or leave it, nothing special, too many other fine wines, don't shop for wine. My last review confirmed that feeling, but in a very serious attempt to expand a lazy palate I purchased a few different labels to compare. The first was disappointing.

Wish I had a nice Canadian wine tonight so I could toast the Canadian Olympic Hockey Team on their winning of the Gold medal. am not an avid hockey fan, but I do watch occasionally and tonight enjoyed one of the best ever games. Instead, I uncorked an Arboleda Carmenère 2006 from the Colchagua Valley of Chile. Bring on the steaks!!! Wine Acidity: 5.31

Think my taste buds are back. I've been having a few problems with red wines since finishing some prescribed meds a few weeks ago. No matter what was tried I was getting a very musty taste. opened a few old reliables thinking there must have been some bad bottles in the rack, but they turned out to be the same. Bogle Winery 2007. Great value!!

The winery is Cline Cellars. One of the first wineries on the road to wine country, Cline Cellars is located 45 minutes north of San Francisco in Sonoma-Carneros. The tasting room is located in an 1850s farmhouse and the wine is the Cline Cellars Cashmere 2008. This disease is not reserved for just women.

Sometimes when you least expect it, you open what may becomes your new favorite bottle of wine. Tonight I opened one of my remaining bottles of Finger Lakes wine purchased at my last tour in December. An Atwater Estate Vineyards , Cabernet-Merlot 2007. blend of 53% Cabernet Sauvignon and 47% Merlot. Can't do much better than that. Alcohol: 13.0%

Big break in weather today here in Central New York. Temperatures will reach about 30F. Must be the annual January thaw! To celebrate I figured to open one of my usually reserved for warm weather whites. My choice is one that was recently purchased at Lakewood Vineyards on Seneca Lake at the December 'Deck the Halls" event. 2007 Riesling.

Somewhere among my 50 New Year's resolutions (99.9% failure rate) was to leave my wine comfort zone more often as I continue to expand my trapped palate. To do so, I will have to taste, I mean drink, more wines that I never tried or wines I just never liked. So, to start off the new year I opened one of my least favorite wines, Zinfandel.

While visiting Damiani Wine Cellars on Seneca Lake this past spring I tasted an excellent Syrah and I was sold. Syrah has always been one to those wines I could take or leave it. Almost all that I had ever tasted were the Shiraz from Australia. From that day on I was a fan. enjoyed the Syrah with Shirley's three bean chili.

This has been one fantastic year of enlightenment for me when it comes to all things wine. Believe I may do a year end article on the subject. If I do, I will have to include the German grape, Dornfelder as one of the highlights. Dornfelder is a cross between Helfensteiner and Heroldrebe grapes. It is the 3rd most planted red wine grape in Germany.

** Disclaimer: I received these wines from Martellotto Wine s One of the benefits of writing a wine blog is the occasional UPS delivery of wine to taste and review on the blog. It can also be disappointing when the wine received is one that I don't normally drink or one that I have a hard time with. Now Cabs I have no problem with.

Thanks to my son, this past weekend I opened a dry Riesling from Lamoreaux Landing Wine Cellars located in Lodi, NY, on the east side of Seneca Lake and my first stop on the annual " Deck the Halls " event on Dec. Can't seem to find a Finger Lakes Riesling I don't like. have to say his timing was impeccable. g/L pH: 2.93

Tonight I added another favorite place to eat in Syracuse, Joey's Italian Restaurant. Shirley and I have been dining here for the last 10 years and it seems that the food just keeps getting better and better. Best of all is the fabulous and always changing wine list. The only downside is the lack of New York wines on the list and no NY reds.

We selected our two favorite wines, in order, identified the wine that we'd pick for long term cellaring, and also identified one outlier wine - a wine that is different from the others, if there should be one. 2008 Overnoy/Houill on Poulsard Arbois Pupillin , $36, Louis/Dressner Selections. This is one for the cellar, I would say.

Now I have a few and tonight I chose a 2008 Reserve Reisling from Fox Run Vineyards. Thankfu lly for me, a no sugar guy, the 2008 vintage is a dry Riesling, 1.0% Only in years when ripening conditions are outstanding will this wine be produced and the 2008 is well worth it. The downside of this Riesling is the price.

passed over many of my favorites before keeping out a Billsboro Winery Sauvignon Blanc 2008. I think it gets a little scary when you choose a not so good wine for three consecutive nights. That happened this week. But, halllelujah, tonight was a bit more successful. pulled every bottle of white wine I had (about 20). Not a great buy, but.

no sooner sat down on Friday when he brought out a Glenora Wine Cellars Gewurztraminer. Glenora Wine Cellars has been producing award winning wines in the Finger Lakes Region of New York State for more than 32 years. Of course, the lounge is owned by my son and his fiance and has become our regular hang out since opening one year ago.

About two years ago I found a special deal on a gift pack of two wines from Candoni Wines. The gift pack wasn't what sold Shirley and I on the purchase, it was the label. The gift pack included a bottle of Merlot and a bottle of Pinot Grigio, of which we opened at a dinner dance held during my annual military reunion. First, the label. for $11.

The winner was; Row House Cellars White Table Wine NV, brought home from a recent visit to the White Springs Winery in Geneva NY. believe this is the first year of Row House Cellars. Alright, here's my dilemma or at least one of them. Tonight Shirley and daughter Pam are making 'halupkies' for dinner. That only added to the dilemma.

2008 Domaine de la Pépière Muscadet de Sèvre-et-Maine Sur Lie Clos des Briords , $16, Louis/Dressner Selections. thought the 2007 was delicious at first too but it was also very angular and sharp, needing time in the cellar find its inner harmony. I'm pretty sure that 2008 was a difficult vintage in Muscadet and yields were way down.

Tonight I dug into my modest wine vault and found a Ravines Wine Cellars , Cabernet Franc 2007. There comes a time when you believe that a certain wine just can't get any better. hope I never get to that point in my lifetime. have my favorite Finger Lakes wineries and my favorite Finger Lakes wines. Such is the case today! It has! Great Buy!

Such is the case of the 2007 Damiani Wine Cellars Meritage. It seems every winery in the Finger Lakes has a Meritage. Most are nice bordeaux style blends that are very popular and very tasty and very distinct to each winery. Years ago I struggled to find one to like, now I am finding it difficult to taste one I don't like.

Just gorgeous wine, worth seeking out and cellaring. think I'm going to skip squash and move directly to duck confit. -- Lyle Fass suggested that I try the Bernard Baudry 2008 Chinon Rosé in a comment on my recent rosé post. The President and his wife aren't the only ones who travel for date night. And $27 is the new $22.

2008 Grosset Wines Polish Hill Riesling, Clare Valley. 2004 Wynns Coonawarra Estate John Riddoch, Cabernet Sauvignon, Coonawarra. 2004 Mt Langi Ghiran Langi Shiraz, Grampians. 2004 Penfolds RWT Shiraz, Barossa Valley. 2004 Dalwhinnie Eagle Series Shiraz, Pyrenees. 2008 Angullong Sauvignon Blanc, Orange.

In the spring of 2008 I learned that the winemaking prodigy behind Pax Wine Cellars, monsieur Pax Mahle, was leaving the eponymously named venture and striking out on his own, once again. and a 2006 Sonoma Coast Syrah Prices range from $32 to $45, about 30% less than Pax Wine Cellars. Emails for more information went unreturned.

Our first wine, a 2005 Hendry Zinfandel Block 28 Napa ** put on weight after decanting but failed to achieve the qualitative heights of the 2004 in terms of concentration and depth. An interesting wine nonetheless, and this will only get more interesting with a couple years in the cellar, but not as good for me as the 2006 offerings.

was operating on about 3 hours of airplane sleep and a magnum of 2008 Adrenalin by Brooklynguy. demurred, and he chose a bottle of 2004 Mugneret-Gibourg Vosne-Romanée. If money were no object, I would buy that 04 we had with out lunch for my own cellar. My TGV high speed train arrived in Dijon at noon. Uh-uh, no way.

Based on my utterly informal and amateur observations, there are some 2005 Muscadets that will cellar very well, and others that might not improve all that much. wonder how they'll stack up against their unheralded brethren from the "classic" 2004 vintage, for example. The top vineyard in the estate and always a wine worth cellaring.

Although I am not a fan of the 2005, my commitment to cellaring my '02s and '04s is renewed. I'm in a really great wine group now, and great ones are hard to find, trust me. This is a great one because the people are intelligent, easy going, and excellent company. And because our wine tastes are quite diverse. Pear and honey cake for dessert.

Some are Good Values , others are Cellar Selections , all are American. Robert Mondavi Napa Valley Merlot 2004 ** a very good merlot with blueberry notes and solid body that can be had for under $20 Bryce Vineyard Pinot Noir 2004 * ripe and succulent but with sufficient acidity to hold it all together. But more on that, later.

But he went down to his cellar and returned with 5 bottles, lined them up on a long wooden table, and simply smiled. Galarej Barolo 2004 DOCG This Barolo is made from 100% Nebbiolo grapes with colors of deep garnet and a nose of cherries, raspberries, herbs and spice. alcohol content.

Those were a Seavey cabernet and a Hansell chardonnay I purchased at Scotto's Wine Cellar nearby before we left. 2004 Mouton Cadet Bordeaux. 2004 Cantina Zuccagnini Montepulciano d'Abruzzo Riserva * (Previously reviewed) Nice bright fruit this tasting, with good acidity and a lightly silty texture. drink beer.  Pirque, Chile.

Here are some of the big shots that just didn't do it for me: 2004 Chapoutier Hermitage Blanc Chante-Alouette ($90) 2005 Chapoutier Hermitage Monier de la Sizeranne ($115) 2005 Delas Fr è res Hermitage Les Bessards and Marquise de la Tourette ($?) I recently participated in the Wine & Spirits Northern Rhône tasting panel. Small world

2004 Napa Valley Merlot **+ Thoroughly enjoyable. This opened up very nicely after a few hours, but never really showed the complexity and big fruit of the 2004 Merlot. I've never really understood why many critics say California wine should not be cellared. was keen to jump on the bandwagon, but what the hell did I know? dared.

In honor of their 20th anniversary, the Dressner folk dug into the cellar and set out a load of wines from their inaugural vintage. The 2004 Vieille Vignes de Cramant was focused and lovely with floral notes, although quite closed. think the 2007 Baudry Les Granges is the best Les Granges since 2004. How thoughtful is that?

Audrey, reading Wine Spectator in Lake Tahoe, Spring 2008) So it was with glee and trepidation that I ordered one ticket for the California Wine Experience at the Marriot in NYC - but mostly glee. Bond "Pluribus" Napa Valley 2004 ** did not display the depth and concentration I hoped for from a 2004 Bond. love their events.

Bryce Vineyard Willamette Valley 2004 * From a four acre vineyard (planted by hand, FYI) in the Ribbon Ridge AVA, which is tended by family, this pinot noir is young and vibrant without being fruity. Cellar selection. Cellar selection. Sea Smoke "Botella" Santa Rita Hills 2004. Reminds me why I love Oregon. In any event.

I visited Sherry Lehmann yesterday to meet Warren Winarski of Stag's Leap Wine Cellars. The 2004 S.L.V. The 2004 Cask 23 was similar to the S.L.V. It goes without saying that Warren is a legendary Napa producer and that I was very excited to meet him. tasted the Artemis cabernet sauvignon and Karia chardonnay only briefly.

Good as hell, we stashed the leftovers from the party in the cellar A Wine Spectator 90+ wine according to my mom - when did she start paying attention to such things? and a good value (it must be, since she served it at a shower for our friend's daughter) this is the kind of Montepulciano d'Abruzzo that reminds me of thin crust pizza.

Be that as it may, are we supposed to give up entirely on building our modest wine cellars? can cut down on buying new shoes and underwear, but no fine wine for the cellar - that would be an undo hardship. 2004 Produttori del Barbaresco , $29, Vias Imports. Bring your lunch to work - why pay almost 10 bucks for it every day?

So wasn't Deetrane lucky that one of the head honchos at Acker Merrall, where he cellars all of his wine, contacted him say that another client was looking to buy Brunello with a few years of age under $100 a bottle. Listen - I don't always have time to write something grand for this blog. Very busy times lately, as you know.

Back then I guess I thought I would want to cellar and drink this wine 20 years down the road. In the end I found some great stuff, wines that I will cellar for as long as I would have the Bordeaux. I was recently given the gift of two Grand Crus and two 1er Crus, both by excellent producers in Burgundy. traded for them.

2004 Château Pontet-Canet , $41. You're going to tell me that it needs 20 years in the cellar, that I drank it too young. Do you realize that in New York City in just over a week from now, about 400,000 kids, literally, are going to write short essays with almost the exact same title as this post? Another summer comes to an end.

Coeur D' Alene Cellars founded in 2002 is located in Coeur D'Alene Idaho just east of the Northeastern border of Washington State. Coeur D'Alene Cellars focuses mostly on the Rhone varietals Syrah and Viognier along with Cabernet Franc and the of course the usual suspects Cabernet Sauvignon and Chardonnay. Idaho? Yes, Idaho. Cheers

This is the one that I must buy for my own cellar. 2004 Produttori del Barbaresco. should pull the few bottles I have out of the cellar and drink them over the next year or two. The more I learn about wine, the more I realize that I don't know. Even within the wine regions I know, I don't really know anything. Who knew.

Raspberry liquor color. Pungent red berry aroma that is hot and tart on the palate. Long warm finish

Blackberry and purple color with blackberry and rich, round peppercorns on the nose. Nicely fleshy and robust in the mouth, with pepper and licorice notes. Silky and mildly sweet on the finish

It isn't a wine to be cellared, but its forest berries and nice structure made it a very nice quaffer, especially at $9 a bottle. Of distinction among the reds was the "Marques de Tosos Reserva 2004 (Cainena) made with 40% each grenache & tempranillo & 20% cabernet. But I found out today. It is in Spain. The "8.0.1

These are natural wines - vineyards are organically farmed, fermentation is accomplished using yeasts on the grapes and in the cellar, and there are no further manipulations to the juice. Here are some notes on wines I've had over in the past month or so: 2004 Puzelat Tour aine Pineau D'Aunis La Tesni è res , $18. Everything is good.

Boutari "Kallista" 2004 * I would tell you what this wine was all about if I could read the back label in modern Greek. The flood plains recede in Iowa, Al Gore endorses Obama, and I finally have a chance to note some of the wines we've been swirling around here. It's been a crazy week, sort of. Listed in no particular order. and peaches.

The sec in particular demands years in a cold cellar in order to truly express itself. The middle digits signify the vintage, in this case 2004 and the final digit indicates that this is lot 1, the first disgorgement. NV Foreau Vouvray Brut , $25, Rosenthal Imports. love Foreau's still wines. My bottle said L2041. No dice

The 2005, while less aromatic and less accessible than the spectacular 2004, is denser, darker, and more robust. This was $30 at retail on the Upper West Side, which is a 50% price jump from the 2004, so it falls somewhere between house-wine price and Cellar Selection, but I'd still put a couple bottles aside to see how they evolve

Not surprisingly, the 2005 Banneret is just as gorgeous as the 2004. Successive and integrated layers of sour cherry cola, red currants, quince, ripe oranges, and pinewood, with a mellow peppermint note riding the wood. Underneath it all there's some raw meat, and as the wine opens up - chocolate and mild, whole pepper notes. breath-taker

One of the most interesting wines I've tasted recently was this Domaine du Banneret Chateauneuf du Pape 2004 A deep purple, nearly opaque. Old oak on the nose, huge, gorgeous liquid blackberry on top with chocolate, mint, and mellow cola. For more information, check out the estate's website at: [link] l Or visit: [link

Zinfandel is a very common varietal in Sonoma county and I tried 2 Zins at Sausal; the 2004 Family Zinfandel & the 2005 Private reserve Zin. It was actually the 2004 "old vine" Estate Alexander Valley Zin that I liked most. The wine is then kept in the winery cellar for 18 months before being released. Serious pretension.

Ben Hagan, one of the wine buyers at Slope Cellars in Park Slope, Brooklyn recommends (Slope Cellars prices listed) : Whites: 2006 Caves de Saumur Saumur Les Pouches, $13, LVDH Imports (100% Chenin Blanc). 2004 Sandro Fay Rosso del Valtellina, $13.50, Omni Wines importer (100% Nebbiolo). range. Yup, it costs over $1.50 So there.

So off to Chase Wine Cellars to visit my (new) friend Jeff Blaum. From Chase Cellars I called the people of The Terraces Winery. had a 2004 " The Sisters " Cab made with 8% Cab Franc. My day began in LA with an early flight from LAX to SFO. rented a car at SFO and made my way to wine country. Havens had some really nice wine.

Straccali Sangiovese Di Toscana 2004 IGT This is a 100% Sangiovese red wine made from grapes from various locations in Tuscany, Italy. Fattoria Del Cerro Vino Nobile di Montepulciano 2004 DOCG This DOCG from Montepulciano, Tuscany, Italy is made from 80% Prugnolo Gentile (a Sangiovese clone) and a 20% blend of Canaiolo Nero and Mammolo.

tasted some nice Chardonnays by Foxglove/ Varner Wines , L'Angevin , DuMol and Neiman cellars. Drew Neiman of Neiman Cellars is someone I had not met before, but whom I engaged in conversation as I noticed a wine I was familiar with on his table. Sadly Pam was not there, but her 2005 Cab Franc & 2004 Cab Sauv were.

It may need a little time to cellar? Other wines worth mentioning (listed alphabetically) Andrew Will 2006 Sorella ($53); Axios 2004 Cabernet Sauvignon * (retail $100) and 2006 Cabernet Sauvignon * ($95); Barnett 2006 Spring Mtn. Eric Baugher (left) Sean McBride (right) holding bottles of 2006 and 2007 Monte Bello. French wines!

I only began cellaring wine a few years ago, so if I drink a mature wine at home it means that I bought a wine that some one else cellared for me. Because in most micro climates the weather never really got hot enough for long enough, the wines do not typically have the stuffing that requires long term cellaring in order to tame.

The Vouvray Brut was tasty as usual, but my goodness, the 2004 Vouvray Brut (only in magnum for some reason) was just fantastic. The grapes fermented very slowly for a year in the cold cellar. I went to the Polaner Spring Portfolio Tasting today at Gotham Hall in Manhattan. But of course I missed some great stuff. Pinon's wines.

©photo 2008 by Dave Trieger This 2004 DOCG from Montepulciano , Tuscany , Italy is made from 80% Prugnolo Gentile (a Sangiovese clone) and a 20% blend of Canaiolo Nero and Mammolo. In the $20 neighborhood, this is a good vintage to drink now but you can also cellar it for a few years. This winner can be found at The Wine Room

There are some citrus notes, too, mostly lemon, and a little honey, perhaps from aging in the cellar. I opened this bottle of Boutari yesterday to celebrate the first 70 degree day of the year. It's a very nice expression of assyrtiko, Santorini's predominant grape, which I brought back from Santorini in 2006.

Aside from Baumard and Foreau, this is actually somewhat representative of what I have sleeping in the cellar too. And the Voillot was mostly the 2004 Vielle Vignes, a delicious wine. When I was thinking about splurging on wine, I also started wondering about my overall drinking habits. Montevertine - who knew?

Although there are problems with the wines in general (too sweet to my palate), on the whole I much prefer them to the 2004's we tasted during our recent Five Nights of Oregon Pinot festivities. This is from a parcel of younger vines, and the wine is not meant for extended cellaring. And one of them was excellent by any standard.

is as follows: "One question I still have about red wines is how long to cellar them before drinking. Remembering a 1996 Hagafen Cabernet Sauvignon that I bought and saved until 2004 I knew this was a question I needed to address. I received a very good question from a reader yesterday. The question by Wayne W. What is your opinion?

Joseph "Offerus" from 2005 ($20, 1 star) was the best vintage of this wine I have tried going back to 2004, 2003, and 2001. In my experience this wine drinks very well very young and will not live in the cellar. 2005 is one of the most fabled vintages in French history. The question is: Will the wines live up to the hype? Chave St.

Alright, maybe the 2004 Puffeney Arbois Pinot Noir , $27, was okay, but I just don't see what all the fuss is about. 2004 Tissot Arbois Poulsard , $18. 2004 Puffeney Arbois Pinot Noir, $27. Whites 2004 Montbourgeau L'Etoile Blanc , $21 - tastes like sherry, but better than any sherry I've had. Not even a little bit.

Will they cellar forever? For an in-depth appraisal of Lafouge's many wines, check out Brooklynwineguy's blog at: Brooklynguy's Wine and Food Blog: 2004 Lafouge Auxey-Duresses 1er Cru Les Duresses.) 2005 Burgundy! Like most wine lovers I've been awaiting the arrival of the 2005 vintage of Burgundy with baited breath. To the prices?

Deep dark purple red with minor iridescence. Oaky texture, musk, forrest and black currants. Awesomely tight, elegant, and restrained.just loaded with perfume and fruit and every minute that goes by reveals more complexity. Godzilla finish

read somewhere that the wines of Calon-S é gur require about 86 years of cellaring before they drink well, so I decanted almost four hours in advance and kept my fingers crossed. We drank a 2004, a vintage that might not need as much time to unwind as say, 2000, 2003, or 2005. I'm not trying to stoke the fires of the debate. Anyway.We

The Muri-Gries Estate & Monastery Wine Cellar (how would you like to be the person to answer the phone at that place?) The Laimburg Winery "Selyet" Pinot Nero Riserva 2004 was a standout at a table of reserve Pinots. I was fortunate to be able to attend the Alto Adige Grand Tasting this afternoon. new record high for me. Not me.

» The Book Kick-Off Season January 24, 2008 Forget the Super Bowl, book season was kicked off with a wine gathering at my house to intro the aforementioned mistake-riddled galley. 5- 2004 Olivier Cousin Pur Breton $15 Grapes: Cabernet Franc Anjou, Loire (one of the nights winners! What I was in charge of? Many thanks! hate this.

No two vintages of Monte Bello taste the same, and each vintage evolves in the cellar. have tasted Monte Bello cabernets from 1976, 1985, 1986, 1989, 1993, 1997, 1998, 1999, 2000, 2001, and 2004, and I am constantly amazed by the wine's ability to age gracefully. By contrast, the 2004 Monte Bello is a pinnacle of restraint.