Some recently consumed wines, purchased locally and opened with meals:

2007 Gruet Pinot Noir "Cuvée Gilbert Gruet" ($20)
nose: cherryish fruit, veering slightly to Vicks' cough drops, varietal
character, later turning smoky
palate: rich fruit, medium-full body, balanced acidity, slightly alcoholic

This is our second encounter with the still Pinot Noir made by Gruet in
New Mexico (the first, logically enough, was at their tasting room in
Albuquerque). It's fairly big and clearly New World but isn't overdone
in any way and is quite nicely balanced. Very much in the vein of Au
Bon Climat's lower end bottlings and nicely priced as a not-very-complex
but tasty Pinot Noir.

2008 Domaine de la Garrigue Côtes du Rhône "Cuvée Romaine" ($16)
nose: slightly meaty, kirsch-like Grenache fruit, garrigue
palate: firm acidity and supple tannins, lots of fruit, earth

A classic CdR profile of cherry liqueur and meat with some herbs and
earth thrown in for the '08 version of this wine. Having had the '06
and perhaps the '05, I can say that this year's version is a bit leaner
and very food friendly. It'll probably improve with 1-2 years in the
bottle. An Eric Solomon import.

Mark Lipton

--
alt.food.wine FAQ: http://winefaq.cwdjr.net

On Feb 20, 12:41*am, Mark Lipton > wrote:
> Some recently consumed wines, purchased locally and opened with meals:
>
> 2007 Gruet Pinot Noir "Cuvée Gilbert Gruet" *($20)
> nose: cherryish fruit, veering slightly to Vicks' cough drops, varietal
> character, later turning smoky
> palate: rich fruit, medium-full body, balanced acidity, slightly alcoholic
>
> This is our second encounter with the still Pinot Noir made by Gruet in
> New Mexico (the first, logically enough, was at their tasting room in
> Albuquerque). *It's fairly big and clearly New World but isn't overdone
> in any way and is quite nicely balanced. *Very much in the vein of Au
> Bon Climat's lower end bottlings and nicely priced as a not-very-complex
> but tasty Pinot Noir.
>
> 2008 Domaine de la Garrigue Côtes du Rhône "Cuvée Romaine" ($16)
> nose: slightly meaty, kirsch-like Grenache fruit, garrigue
> palate: firm acidity and supple tannins, lots of fruit, earth
>
> A classic CdR profile of cherry liqueur and meat with some herbs and
> earth thrown in for the '08 version of this wine. *Having had the '06
> and perhaps the '05, I can say that this year's version is a bit leaner
> and very food friendly. *It'll probably improve with 1-2 years in the
> bottle. *An Eric Solomon import.
>
> Mark Lipton
>
> --
> alt.food.wine FAQ: *http://winefaq.cwdjr.net

thanks for notes, I've only had bubbly Gruet. CdR sounds good/.

"Mark Lipton" > wrote in message
...
> Some recently consumed wines, purchased locally and opened with meals:
>
> 2007 Gruet Pinot Noir "Cuvée Gilbert Gruet" ($20)
> nose: cherryish fruit, veering slightly to Vicks' cough drops, varietal
> character, later turning smoky
> palate: rich fruit, medium-full body, balanced acidity, slightly alcoholic
>
Hi Mark,
Is the 'slightly to Vicks cough drops' indicative of eucalyptus growing in
the vineyard? I've heard that leaves a distinct mark on the flavor of the
wine? Not sure if that grows in the NM high desert as much as throughout
California.

Jon

On 2/24/10 1:17 PM, Zeppo wrote:

>>
> Hi Mark,
> Is the 'slightly to Vicks cough drops' indicative of eucalyptus growing
> in the vineyard? I've heard that leaves a distinct mark on the flavor of
> the wine? Not sure if that grows in the NM high desert as much as
> throughout California.

Hi, Jon!
No, not a eucalyptus smell (something that's quite familiar to me
after 20 years spent among them in the SF Bay Area), but rather the
taste of cherry coughdrops -- not something I seek out in wine, but
neither do I find it repellent. For a good whack o' eucalyptus, try any
of the red wines of Cline and/or Sean Thackery. Both of them have it in
spades IMO. Some people claim to get it also in Heitz Cabernets, but to
me that's more like mint, a related smell.

Mark Lipton


--
alt.food.wine FAQ: http://winefaq.cwdjr.net

"Mark Lipton" > wrote in message
...
> On 2/24/10 1:17 PM, Zeppo wrote:
>
>>>
>> Hi Mark,
>> Is the 'slightly to Vicks cough drops' indicative of eucalyptus growing
>> in the vineyard? I've heard that leaves a distinct mark on the flavor of
>> the wine? Not sure if that grows in the NM high desert as much as
>> throughout California.
>
> Hi, Jon!
> No, not a eucalyptus smell (something that's quite familiar to me
> after 20 years spent among them in the SF Bay Area), but rather the taste
> of cherry coughdrops -- not something I seek out in wine, but neither do I
> find it repellent. For a good whack o' eucalyptus, try any of the red
> wines of Cline and/or Sean Thackery. Both of them have it in spades IMO.
> Some people claim to get it also in Heitz Cabernets, but to me that's more
> like mint, a related smell.
>
Ah. Wrong variety of cough drop. I'll look for the Cline or Thackery.

Thanks.
Jon