Pinot Noir

I had given up on finding great Pinot Noirs in Argentina. At least I never really found the style that I personally like (smooth structure, earthy silky mouthfeel with aromas of strawberry style, lush but still complex, not missing the freshness) , so here is the absolute exception, so excited about it!!
Brand: Mudai
Winery: Palo Alto
Vintage: 2006
Varietal: 100% Pinot Noir
Winemaking: traditional winemaking method with long fermentation and maceration (29 days) in steel tanks (use of selective yeasts). 100% of the wine is then aged in new French (60%) and American (40%)oak barrels for 3 months. Winemaker is Luis Martinez. Only 4000 bottles made!!
Alcohol: 13%
Average Price: € 15,00
Tasting Notes: aromas are beautifully present from the beginning: strawberries, blackberries, a soft earthy note as well as a bit of smoke, and what I completely love about it …. hints of orange peel which gives it a fresh touch! This same complexity and freshness is repeated on the palate, well combined with rich red fruit and presenting a wonderful soft structured, velvety ending. And the alcohol is not even that high. Wow, the bottle was empty so quick…

Drink now through 2011

Food Pairing Suggestions: had a glass of it yesterday with some Brie cheese and it was a damn good combination. The wine just cleared out the palate entirely , no problems at all with the sticky texture of the cheese, the fruity flavors were delicious with the creamy flavors, dream team!
General rating: 4 tastevins - Categories: Fun sit down bottle:-)
Winery notes: Inside an old winery in Maipú with cane ceilings, adobe walls and long subterranean cellars obtained from former tanks, the latest technology being used is surprising. A modern mobile crusher, temperature controlled stainless steel tanks and first use oak barrels are the tools available to the enologist Luis Martinez who specialized at wineries in California. The first vintage was in 2004 and the winery counts with vines up to 35 years old.

A perfect 5 of 5

David Grega is a certified sommelier and wine consultant living in the Napa Valley; In addition David is the consulting winemaker and national sales manager for Carlotta Cellars. For more information e-mail david@carlottawines.com

Winery: Mugnier

Vintage: 2005

Grand Cru: Musigny

Varietal: 100% Pinot Noir

Average Price: $1400


Tasting Notes: Considered by many to be the wine of the vintage (knowing how great the 2005 vintage was that's saying a lot) the 2005 Mugnier Musigny is the greatest wine I have tasted this year by far, and is a candidate for greatest of all time. I have a feeling that if I taste this wine in 20 years it may take the "best ever" slot. My notes are as follows: The nose releases pure and beautiful aromas of black raspberry and black cherry with a lovely rose pedal and crushed mineral aspect. Hints of fine vanilla and cinnamon complete a unified and seducing bouquet. The palate is stunning to say the least. There is so much power in this wine yet a wonderful elegance as well. Succulent and ripe yet firmly structured with a ridiculously long and complex finish I'm in heaven...pure heaven...

Rating: 5 of 5 (Special occasion wine, sit down wine)

Cellaring: I would drink this at the earliest 2024, this wine will taste fantastic for 30+ years if cellared properly.

Grand Cru for the soul!

David Grega is a certified sommelier and wine consultant living in the Napa Valley; In addition David is the consulting winemaker and national sales manager for Carlotta Cellars. For more information e-mail david@carlottawines.com


Winery: Domaine DuJac

Vintage: 2003

Grand Cru: Clos de la Roche

Varietal: 100% Pinot Noir

Average Price: $800 (Magnum)


Tasting Notes: I won't lie, we opened this decades too early on purpose. There is only one way to get a half decent idea about how long a wine will age, and that is to taste it. Here are the notes from this stunning wine. A nose only hinting at what will someday become a host of vivid aromas. A beautiful black cherry and rhubarb note with a powerful truffle and dark turned potting soil component make this nose jump right out of the glass. On the palate this wine is dense with absolutely pristine tannins. Despite the rock solid structure, there is an elegance to this wine. To me, that combination is the mark of a truly special burgundy. After a nice long finish I'm floored by this wine. The potential is nearly endless, but if I had to put a number as far as cellaring is concerned, I would say 20 years before I try this guy again.

Rating: 4.5 of 5 (Classic wine, sit down wine)

2005 Pommard, Vincent Girardin

Winery: Vincent Girardin

Vintage: 2005

Appellation: Pommard

Varietal: Pinor Noir

Oak: 16 months 33% new French

Average Price: $32.00


Tasting notes: This ruby-coloured Cote de Baune is a very delicate and fruity experience. The nose is filled with red and dark berries, and the overall feeling of the wine is that this one is a very nice drinker. Be careful when opening one of these, it will lead you to drink more than one bottle. A good long finish with soft tannins and strong fruits covers your tongue for several minutes.


Food Pairing Suggestions: I want poultry with fruit and nuts-salad and thyme potatoes. Pork and beets. And of course - do I have to mention - fried foie gras with your favorite adding.


Winery Notes: Vincent Girardin is a fairly new producer, but he already owns parcels everywhere in Burgundy. He makes excellent soft, long lasting, easy drinking and easy enjoyable wines. His wines are always good priced, so take a closer look at the wines from this serious producer.


Rating: 3,5 for an excellent wine. Share this with your friends or sit down and enjoy on a Thursday night.

A tough Harvest down under

After several years selling wine in England and Wales, Alex Bazeley decided to learn more about wine from the ground up, touring every major wine producing country in the Southern hemisphere. Visiting fairtrade projects in South Africa, learning about Biodynamics in Australia, and learning Spanish in Argentinian wine mecca, Mendoza. All this and both 2008 harvests, working in New Zealand in the first half of the year and helping out with the crush in Napa later in the year.
Alex recently arrived back in London after 18 months on the road, read more about his epic journey at winetraveller.net

The bush fires still raging through the south of Australia are the worst in the country's history, and some of the fiercest have been in the state of Victoria where winemakers are in the middle of their busiest season.

The Yarra valley is one of Australia’s finest wine regions, especially well known for it’s sparkling wines and Pinot Noir. I was there at the start of last summer before things had dried out too much, a good time to meet up with winemakers before things got too busy, and my heart goes out to those guys during these troubled times. Australia has been in a state of drought for several years now, so there is a constant risk of fires running out of control during the Summer months. So with the summer drawing to a close down under, and the grapes becoming ready for harvest, the surrounding bush is as dry as it gets year round.

There have been over 200 fatalities, making this the second worst natural disaster in Australia's history and more than 2,000 homes have been lost in the Victorian fires since the start of February. So as well as the loss of grapes, some winemakers have been under extra pressure during their most hectic period, fearing for the safety of their friends, family and homes.

The fires have damaged and destroyed vineyards and wineries in the region, with even the historic Yering Station, Yarra's oldest winery, coming close to disaster. Narrowly escaping destruction, surrounded on all sides by fire, and the water tank empty the staff resorted to using buckets of water to keep the flames at bay. By the next morning it resembled an "Oasis in the middle of a charred landscape."

Another winery I visited last year was the relatively new ‘Giant Steps’ who source grapes from several vineyard sites around the valley

"Our single vineyards sustained some minor damage, but that did not stop us from picking some great fruit at Murrummong. Although we will have smaller crops, we are working quickly to bring in some terrific fruit. Sadly, some of our more northerly growers suffered severe damage and will not be picking. Their families are ok and our heartfelt support goes out to them."
Steve Flamsteed, Winemaker.

While only a handful of vineyards themselves have been scorched by the fires, the smoke blown over the ripe fruit clings to the grapes, making them, in some instances, so tainted with smoke that they were unsuitable for turning into wine.

The heatwave this summer will make it a difficult year for winemakers right across Southern Australia, so expect the 2009 vintage to produce some big bold wines which reflect the early ripening of the grapes. Until then though, I encourage you to go out and support the winemakers of Yarra by seeking out their wines in your local 'bottle-o' (that's wine store to you) and I have a couple of recommendations to encourage you further...

'Innocent Bystander' Pinot Noir 2007
(made at the Giant Steps Winery)

This is a lighter style, with a freshness making it very appealing, light berry fruit, raspberries and cranberries, finishing with a mineral earthiness. It also offers great value (around US$20) A nice unfussy Pinot that would be well suited to a picnic.

Yarrabank Cuvée 2003
(made at Yering Station)

A real classic fresh Champenoise style with dry toast and a zing of lemon citrus, perhaps a little rounder on the finish than most champagnes, but if I tasted it again blind, I doubt I’d be able to tell it wasn’t from Champagne.
and I just nearly fell off my chair when I saw what it goes for - around US$20 - a bargain!

Handcrafted Pinot Noir

“David Grega is a certified sommelier and wine consultant living in the Napa valley. In addition to consulting and wine writing David made wine for his own label “Bellum Cellars” in 2008. E-mail davidg@wine16.com for more information."


Winery: Sojourn Cellars

Vintage: 2007

Appellation: Sonoma Coast

Vineyard: Sangiacomo

Varietal: Pinot Noir

Winemaker: Erich Bradley

Average Price: $48

Winery Notes: Sojourn Cellars is not interested in making anything but the most expressive and well rounded wines they can produce. Specializing in Pinot Noir and Cabernet Sauvignon, Sojourns careful attention to detail starts in the vineyard. Only fruit from unique and expressive terroirs is aloud to be cultivated and carefully crafted into beautiful wines that everyone should have the pleasure of enjoying.

Tasting Notes: Bold and rich aromas of fig, black cherry and apricot give way to an alluring spice and ever so intriguing mint. The palate boasts more of the expressive fruit flavours promised on the nose with an absolutely stunning round and structured approach. Lively acidity and extremely refined tannins give way to a long and satisfying finish. This Pinot Noir is truly art in a glass.

Overall Rating: 97 points

Food Pairing Suggestions: Try this wine with your favourite poultry or pork dishes. I would especially love to see this paired with rosemary lamb chop and Pinot Noir reduction. Delicious!

Small in size, big in quality!

“David Grega is a certified sommelier and wine consultant living in the Napa valley. In addition to consulting and wine writing David made wine for his own label “Bellum Cellars” in 2008. E-mail davidg@wine16.com for more information.

Winery: Radio-Coteau

Vintage: 2006

Appellation: Sonoma Coast

Vineyard: Terra Neuma

Varietal: Pinot Noir

Winemaker: Eric Sussman

Average Price: $75

Winery Notes: Radio-Coteau is small in size yet big in quality. Eric Sussman believes in a more hands off Burgundian style of winemaking that helps instil a real sense of place in his small lot wines from the western Sonoma coast.

Tasting notes: A powerful and perfume filled nose with aromas of fresh cherry, ripe strawberry and intriguing hints of wood spice and vanilla. On the palate more of the fresh red fruits are kept in line by a stunning, well refined tannin structure. Just the right amount of acidity to give the wine an overall freshness and lift. A long and well rounded finish complements this exceptional Pinot Noir.

Overall rating: 91 points

Food Pairing Suggestions: Radio-Coteau is blessed to have a cellar master who is also a chef. There are many great recipes located on their web site www.radiocoteau.com For this Pinot Noir I recommend trying a slow roasted pork loin or seasoned squab.