Ruffino Chianti Classico Reserva Ducale 2006

Some people crave Jimmy Dean breakfast products, Big Macs and watch little cars going 'round and 'round really fast on a track.

I crave the Uffizi Museum, Botticelli's The Birth of Venus, statues by Raphael and Michelangelo's David.

Although it's not economically feasible to fly to Florence (unless this blog really takes off), I travel to Tuscany through the power of lasagna and Chianti.

Tuscany is one of the most aesthetically pleasing wine-producing regions of the world. Rolling hillsides and villas interspersed with decorative gardens, Renaissance sculpture, and timeless architecture alongside the sprawling centuries-old vineyards of Tuscan wines.

In Tuscany (Toscana), Chianti is the most famous of their production. Although Chianti has been traditionally produced with 100% Sangiovese grapes, Italian winemakers will sometimes use other varietals. Italian regulations stipulate that for a wine to be classified as a Chianti, it must have at least 80% Sangiovese grapes.

Chianti Classico is a region of Tuscany, and includes the region where 18th Century Chianti was strictly produced (according to an edict by Cosimo III de Medici, who specified this region as the official Chianti-producing region). The Ruffino Chianti Classico is specifically crafted from the Ruffina region found within the Chianti Classico region.

The cool breezes of the nearby Arno River affect the concentration of the Sangiovese grapes here in Ruffina. Chiantis from cooler climates tend to have higher acidity, and some of the fruit is nuanced and more subtle than in the warmer regions of Southern Italy and even Southern Tuscany.

The Ruffino Chianti Classico Reserva Ducale 2006 is a prime example of Chianti Classico produced in the Northeastern region of Tuscany. The wine is medium-body, and medium-high in acidity. The bouquet is subtle, but obvious berry, of which I could detect cherry as well as currant. Although some Chiantis offer a floral, even rosy bouquet, the Ruffino offered no such aroma. The oak was subtle and mostly noticeable at the finish, which was lasting.

The color is a ruby red, darker in the center with a slightly more brilliant hue on the rim. The flavor really kicks into gear with something spicy (such as the spiced Italian sausages added to the lasagna).

Ruffino wines enjoy a good reputation, and their product is quality.  The '06 varietal was cellar-aged for two years before being offered at market.

The Ruffino Chianti Classico Reserva Ducale 2006 is worth the $20 price tag, as it is as Chianti should be - fruity, subtle, medium-bodied and great with a delicious Tuscan meal.

A Leap Ahead: Stag's Leap 2006 Napa Valley Merlot

By Claudia Evans
Many a Merlot has been consumed and enjoyed at Chez Evans - its luscious mouth-feel, delicious plum tones and toasty finish are often what we crave with a juicy t-bone or angus hamburger.

As much as we love Merlot, we can truly say, we've never fully tasted or appreciated the Merlot grape, until Stag's Leap came into our lives.

Like a newborn baby, he was carried gently into the fold of my husband's arm one evening.

"I know you're making beef pot pie tonight and thought you might like to give this a whirl." he said.

My eyes perked up, and I licked my lips in anticipation. I recently read about how this winery caused an international sensation in the wine industry back in 1976, and helped put California on the map in terms of competing against Old World wines.

I set the table in great eagerness, and got out the large Merlot glasses (also called Bordeaux glasses), so that I could fully appreciate the aroma of this bold, deep red wine.

As I put the finishing touches on the beef pie, I opened the bottle and could smell the rich plum toasty aroma right away.

My husband peeked in on dinner, and commented on the aroma as well. "Wow, I hope that wine is as good as it smells!" he cheered.

And it was.

The color is a deep, ruby red that was so dark we could not see our fingers behind the glass.

The aroma is lush, with bursting up-front, concentrated fruit flavors you enjoy in a well-crafted California red. Stag's Leap grapes are grown in the Napa Valley, where dry volcanic ash minerals, as well as cobble, gravel and a deeper layer of sand make the vines a little on the thirsty side (and are more concentrated and full-flavored as a result).

"I love the balance," Steve says, "and the mouth-feel is rich, plush and velvety smooth."

Folks, many wines are good, enjoyable companions to a tasty meal.

And a fraction, a mere fraction of those wines are memorable - they stand apart and far above the everyday hustle and bustle of the busy supermarket and wine store aisles.

They are the Michelangelo's, the Da Vinci's, the Rafael's of the wine world.

And Stag's Leap deserves to be shelved alongside those we call the "Elite Wines" (receiving a Wine Spectator award rating of 90 and above; this particular bottle received a 93.).

The Stag's Leap Merlot, 2006 Napa Valley has ruined us for other Merlots.

At $40 the bottle, we can't afford to drink it every day, but we will gladly forgo a bottle or two in order to have this delicious bottle instead.

A Wine for All Seasons copyright © by Claudia and Steve Evans. All rights reserved.

Lobster with the Parkers Estate Sauvignon Blanc '07

By Steve and Claudia Evans

There's something about a crisp Sauvignon Blanc that pulls the flavor out of great seafood. Perhaps it's the grapefruit-like acidity that counterbalances the sweetness of broiled lobster tail in lemon butter, which we enjoyed tonight with a 2007 Parkers Estate, a fine example of Sonoma County winemaking.

The pale straw color of this aromatic varietal belies the surprisingly rich flavors of pear and melon that evolve into tangy citrus on the lingering finish. Steve detects the scent of fresh-cut grass, saying the aroma is like being on a golf course after a light spring rain.

Claudia says this Sauvignon Blanc is fruitier than other examples of the varietal she has tried, but is not as toasty as she prefers, nor does it offer the aroma or flavor of oak aging. "It is nicely balanced," she says.

At $19 the bottle, this is a good wine for its price. Parkers Estate Sauvignon Blanc adds something special with the fruity complexity playing off the tang of grapefruit, but in the not-quite $20 range, we would expect no less. The '07 is good but not a great value compared to many of the white wines we often sample in this price bracket.

This blanc was delicious with seafood and the melted French brie on baguette that we devoured as an appetizer before the lobster. Afterward, we're thinking many good California and Washington State white wines are available in the $10 range with Wine Spectator ratings equal or superior to bottles such as the Parkers Estate, which cost nearly twice as much. Still, this may be like comparing the ride in a BMW to that of a Porsche Cabriolet. Both will get you where you're going, but one does it with a bit more panache. We're not sure that paying twice as much doubles the value or is worth the difference in taste, but the Parkers Estate was still a fine complement to our broiled crustaceans dipped in melted butter.

A Wine for All Seasons Copyright © 2010 by Claudia and Steve Evans. All rights reserved.

Uncorking the Frei Brothers' '07 Merlot

By Claudia and Steve Evans

Tonight's blog grog falls in the under $20 class, though we would happily pay more for the same experience. The Frei Brothers put up a Merlot in 2007 that satisfies on every level three years later as we discovered this evening upon pulling the cork. This 120-year-old winery in Sonoma County's Dry Creek Valley is noted for producing some of the finest Merlot grapes in the United States. Their reputation is deserved.

Velvety smooth, with a plush mouth feel, we immediately noticed the distinctive aroma of dark berries in this Merlot, with notes of black cherry and a hint of vanilla on the front end. This is a nicely balanced wine, with the tannins adding some complexity to the tart taste of red fruit. It's no wonder Wine Spectator and Wine Enthusiast gave this value wine an 86 point raiting.

The Frei Brothers leave comparably priced wines sitting in the vineyard. Truth is, people who prefer the typically more nuanced flavors of Pinot Noir might be surprised by this ridiculously tasty Merlot as a fine alternative to their usual fare. Giving the wine a swirl in the glass really opens the aroma of this heady Merlot. It's delicious, has a lasting, toasty finish and is well worth the $18 price at the local grocer.

We sampled this '07 Merlot with two thick New York Strips, salted and peppered and slung across the grill until medium-rare on a cold Saturday night in late fall. Ghirardelli dark chocolates for dessert provided a delightfully sweet counterbalance to the wine, which blossomed and evolved on the tongue, revealing new layers of fruit with each bite of chocolate.

Like Kismet, destiny, the inexorable pull of fate, Merlot and Cacao chocolate were meant to be. So we let it be. If there is anything more tantalizing to the taste buds than a complex red wine enjoyed with dark chocolate, then we'd like to know.
A Wine for All Seasons copyright © 2010 by Steve and Claudia Evans. All rights reserved.

A Toasty Claret from Williamsburg Winery

By Claudia and Steve Evans
Williamsburg Winery, about an hour up the road from us coastal Virginians, put up a Claret five years ago, including 12 months spent in French oak. We are so glad they did. Without the toastiness of the oak, this Claret wouldn't be worth the wait.

This blend of 63 percent Cabernet Sauvignon and 37 percent Cabernet Franc offers aromatic nuances of red fruit, but the French oak sells the bottle. Without that oak finish this wine would be on par with the vineyard's Two Schilling Red, which sells for about half the price. The obvious care, affection and time commitment invested in this Claret gives it an edge over other Virginia blends. There's no hint of pepper or heat that we've come to expect from a full-on Cabernet Sauvignon. Cutting the blend with the lighter Cab Franc grape mellows the wine, but at some sacrifice of flavor. That said, we are die-hard Cabernet Sauvignon fans who enjoy the heavy reds. Your taste buds may warm to this lighter libation.

As always, caveat emptor when it comes to price. Williamsburg Winery on its website sells the 2005 Claret for $12 the bottle at this writing, but it goes for $16 at the Virginia Beach grocery stores we frequent.

Claudia enjoys her glass, but says for $16 she'd probably buy a different blend that has more complexity and finish, such as the comparably priced 2006 Castell del Remei Gotim Bru, a Spanish blend of four grapes that we will review next.

"As a visitor to the Williamsburg Winery, someone who has partaken of several of their varietals, the winery is a very pleasant romp in a tourist area," Claudia says. "Of all the wines I've enjoyed there, the Governor's White ($8 per bottle) is by far the best value. This 2005 Claret is twice the price, and doesn't have a lot going for it, aside from the toasty Oak finish."

Steve enjoys the subtle interplay of the two grapes in this Claret, but agrees that Williamsburg Winery, like virtually all other vineyards in Virginia, puts up at least two and sometimes three or four respectable offerings that nonetheless are outmatched by Californian, Chilean, Argentinian and French bottles that sell for half the price.

A Wine for All Seasons copyright (c) by Claudia & Steve Evans. All rights reserved.

Near Wild Heaven: 337 Cabernet Sauvignon (2008)

By Steve and Claudia Evans

This Cabernet Sauvignon satisfies so completely, you may want to crawl inside the glass and marinate. Perfect with fillet Mignon, which we prepared with brandy and shallots in a French style, à la the Barefoot Contessa.

A rich berry flavor with hints of vanilla and mocha, and a lasting finish. An incredible berry-oak flavor lingers on the palate a full minute after swallowing, which tells us this is a high quality wine for its price (about $15). Although it's a Lodi Valley, CA, Cabernet, the vines were imported from a prestigious Bordeaux vineyard, so we enjoy the best of both worlds -- a French grape with the spiciness that comes from that Lodi soil, about 70 miles northeast of San Francisco. Visit the 337 winery.

The talented vintners at 337 recommend this Cabernet with hearty cuts of beef and wild game. "Suitable for a Viking feast," the label declares. But of course. Steve wonders what Vikings serve at their feasts. Roasted reindeer? Leg of mutton falling off the bone? He sets aside such irrelevance and pours another glass, savoring the full flavor of this very berry Cabernet. "Yum," he says. "Dark cherry and a smoky taste, with black pepper heat at the finish."

"I would buy this again in a heartbeat," Claudia says, raising her glass. "It's just good quality, not flashy, and holds its own against any Cabernet at twice the price. This is not a ho-hum wine."

We tasted hints of dark cherry and black currant, with a little pepper at the end. It is not an herbaceous Cabernet, meaning it doesn't have an earthy or grassy taste. Some Cabernets carry a whiff of mushrooms, but not the 337. This wine is full-bodied  but not nearly so dry as Cabernets we've enjoyed before. The mouth feel is almost as plush as a Merlot. It's also delightfully aromatic when opened and allowed to breathe awhile. We popped a stopper in half a bottle of the 337 and enjoyed the two remaining glasses a couple of days later, when it tasted even better.

We'll be stocking up; this 337 promises to age nicely.

Claudia's thoughts evidently wander to the classics as she recites, "One sip of this will bathe the drooping spirits in delight beyond the bliss of dreams. Be wise and taste. ~ John Milton."

"I love you," Steve declares, finishing the glass and reaching for the light.

A Wine for All Seasons copyright (c) 2010 by Claudia and Steve Evans. All rights reserved.

Nasty in a Bottle: Red Mountain Laurel

By Steve and Claudia Evans

Somewhere along the Blue Ridge Parkway in the mountains of Virginia stands a vineyard with a noble mission. Chateau Morrisette advertises that an undisclosed portion of its wine sales will be donated to help treat dogs with kidney disease. As it turns out, the company's Red Mountain Laurel tastes like it may have been filtered through a dog's kidneys. Billed as a sweet, red table wine, the Red Mountain Laurel smells like Vaseline and tastes like Robitussin mixed with a melted cherry Popsicle. This is not hyperbole.

"I didn't realize that Johnson & Johnson was a vintner," says Claudia, warming to her subject as she pours the glass down the kitchen sink. "I had to use two teaspoons of Palmolive dishwashing liquid just to get the smell out of this glass. The label says, 'for the love of dogs,' but if they had any love for their customers they would discontinue this wine."

Claudia pulls the cork on a bottle of Syrah and pours a glass, she says, to get rid of the taste of the Red Mountain Laurel. I dare to try another sip in the interest of journalistic fairness. Maybe it isn't as bad as I thought.

Nope. Waste of time. It really is as nasty as Claudia says, with a stench like burning rubber, as though a teenager peeled out of the driveway in a rusted Chevy and filled the air with acrid smoke.

"Maybe it will clean the drain pipes," Claudia says, upending the bottle over the sink. The unnaturally bright red wine looks like fruit punch as it blub, blub, blubs down the drain, filling the kitchen with stink.

"That was the worst bottle of wine I ever conceived of tasting," my wife says. I raise an eyebrow, less out of surprise over a disappointing wine than the uncharacteristic vitriol that sweet Claudia brings to the table this evening. Claudia typically goes out of her way to avoid harsh criticism. Not tonight.

"Ugh!" she says. "That petroleum jelly smell won't go away."

Here's the vintner's own appraisal, as published on the Chateau Morissette website:

"This is a distinctive dessert wine made from a blend of native American grape varieties. It exhibits flavors of fresh grapes and cherries that are complemented by a sweet, smooth finish. A nice accompaniment for chocolate desserts, delicious poured over pound cake, or served as an aperitif."

One more taste, I think. Up to the lips, over the tongue. I cringe and make a face. Nasty wine. Chocolate and pound cake would be wasted on this vinegar. That fortified grape wine with the screw-off top -- the stuff that winos score downtown for $3.99 in nickels and dimes -- could not possibly be worse than Chateau Morrisette's red dessert wine. Nowhere on the label will you find the name of a varietal, the alcohol content or any other distinguishing factor beyond the company's philanthropic interest in dogs. Just don't give the poor brutes any of this wine. Red Mountain Laurel might euthanize the heartiest of our canine friends. We did not consume enough of it to gauge the impact on humans.

Could this just be a bad bottle? We don't think so. Red Mountain Laurel is on sale all over town at deep discounts, suggesting stores cannot get rid of the stuff at any price, although this wine would still be overpriced if they gave it away by the case. Drinking cough syrup could be no worse.

Manischewitz tastes like Veuve Cliquot compared to the antifreeze bottled under the Red Mountain Laurel label. Oy. El Shaddai. Spare us bad wine. Amen.

A Wine for All Seasons copyright (c) 2010 by Steve and Claudia Evans. All rights reserved.