WTN: Lots of short notes from Spain, Oz, US, Rhone, Alsace

Campo Burgo Tinto Rioja 2005 - 90% Tempranillo 10% Garnacha. Spicy, has some tannic grip on the finish. Medium-bodied. Dry, meaty, dried fruit. A good quaffer at a friendly price.

Millbrook Viognier Western Australia 2004 - Verging on semi-sweet. Light. Lots of fruit skin character. Hint of smoke. Melon. Gentle wine with a good but subdued nose for a Viognier. Bitter finish. Good enough although I still don't like Viognier.

Kilikanoon Eden Valley Blacket's Vineyard Riesling 2004 - Rubber on the nose. I get this a lot in Oz Riesling. Lemon...lemon...more lemon... Where's the wine in this? Yuck!

Simi Sonoma Sauvignon Blanc 2002 - This has a bit of Semillon as well. Good mandarin orange nose. Dry, silky. Rather full for Sauvignon Blanc. Very light grassy, leafy character but no guava like I find in a lot of NZ examples. A different style but good.

Ravenswood Sonoma County Merlot 2001 - Soft, spicy, open-knit wine. Lots of alcohol at 14.5% but not hot. Coffee. A bit flabby in the finish.

Watershed Shiraz Western Australia 2003 - Medium-bodied, Old-World style wine. Lots of acid but a bit fat on the finish. Sweet baking spices on the attack but generally dry. Just a tad overoaked.

Kilikanoon Covenant Shiraz 2002 - Very dark. Impeccably balanced. Thick, concentrated but ready to drink. Espresso. No jaminess. Beautiful wine and one of my favorites from Kilikanoon.

D'Arenberg The Stump Jump GSM 2005 - Obviously Oz. Thick but not jammy. Not too sweet. Hot. Not bad.

Les Vignobles de Seyssuel Couloure 2004 - VDP des Collines Rhodaniennes. New worldy nose. Soft, light. Slightly smoky. Good food wine. Nice but nothing special.

Zind-Humbrecht Riesling Turckheim 2004 - Strong, spicy. Smells a bit like Gewurztraminer. Slightly sweet. Good stuff.

Campo Burgo Tinto Rioja 2005 - 90% Tempranillo 10% Garnacha. Spicy, has some tannic grip on the finish. Medium-bodied. Dry, meaty, dried fruit. A good quaffer at a friendly price.

Millbrook Viognier Western Australia 2004 - Verging on semi-sweet. Light. Lots of fruit skin character. Hint of smoke. Melon. Gentle wine with a good but subdued nose for a Viognier. Bitter finish. Good enough although I still don't like Viognier.

Kilikanoon Eden Valley Blacket's Vineyard Riesling 2004 - Rubber on the nose. I get this a lot in Oz Riesling. Lemon...lemon...more lemon... Where's the wine in this? Yuck!

Simi Sonoma Sauvignon Blanc 2002 - This has a bit of Semillon as well. Good mandarin orange nose. Dry, silky. Rather full for Sauvignon Blanc. Very light grassy, leafy character but no guava like I find in a lot of NZ examples. A different style but good.

Ravenswood Sonoma County Merlot 2001 - Soft, spicy, open-knit wine. Lots of alcohol at 14.5% but not hot. Coffee. A bit flabby in the finish.

Watershed Shiraz Western Australia 2003 - Medium-bodied, Old-World style wine. Lots of acid but a bit fat on the finish. Sweet baking spices on the attack but generally dry. Just a tad overoaked.

Kilikanoon Covenant Shiraz 2002 - Very dark. Impeccably balanced. Thick, concentrated but ready to drink. Espresso. No jaminess. Beautiful wine and one of my favorites from Kilikanoon.

D'Arenberg The Stump Jump GSM 2005 - Obviously Oz. Thick but not jammy. Not too sweet. Hot. Not bad.

Les Vignobles de Seyssuel Couloure 2004 - VDP des Collines Rhodaniennes. New worldy nose. Soft, light. Slightly smoky. Good food wine. Nice but nothing special.

Zind-Humbrecht Riesling Turckheim 2004 - Strong, spicy. Smells a bit like Gewurztraminer. Slightly sweet. Good stuff.

Jay,
Why do you subject yourself to all of this? Are you writing a book? Does Coad have a hex on you? Are you trying to replace RP? Understand the interest in a tempranillo as Spain can make some great quaffers at really good prices, you just have to search. I understand the Kilikanoon since you have had a good experience in the past. But the other stuff???? If it is a book or a lifestyle article on "what do drink that will not actually kill you" can I get a complimentary copy?
Walt

[James Roscoe]

Jay,
Why do you subject yourself to all of this? Are you writing a book? Does Coad have a hex on you? Are you trying to replace RP? Understand the interest in a tempranillo as Spain can make some great quaffers at really good prices, you just have to search. I understand the Kilikanoon since you have had a good experience in the past. But the other stuff???? If it is a book or a lifestyle article on "what do drink that will not actually kill you" can I get a complimentary copy?
Walt

Perhaps Jay is auditioning for a spot over on Therapy. I understand they're very selective over there.

Perhaps Jay is auditioning for a spot over on Therapy. I understand they're very selective over there.

James,
That makes sense. I once tried but was rejected because I didn't spell Bugey-Cerdon correctly. I also had trouble signing in as I used the pen name of Thor Parker. Good group of people but very selective.
Walt

[James Roscoe]

Walt LOL!!! They're a good group. I love to read their stuff. Jay is working on his repetoire though.

Walt,

Thanks for your concern. It's a sacrifice, I know, but someone needs to be there to warn others. If all this gets compiled into a book or article I'll send you an autographed copy.

What's this "Therapy" you and James are talking about? Sort of like AA for those addicted to wine less than $10.00/bottle?

Jay

Perhaps Jay is auditioning for a spot over on Therapy. I understand they're very selective over there.

James,
That makes sense. I once tried but was rejected because I didn't spell Bugey-Cerdon correctly. I also had trouble signing in as I used the pen name of Thor Parker. Good group of people but very selective.
Walt

They're selective? But they let me in....or did they? AA for under 10€ addiction is the place...

[James Roscoe]

Jay, Wine Therapy is an alternative forum for some of our prodigal children. The threads over there make for some of the most humerous reading on the web. If you want to get involved in the discussions, make sure you have your facts straight and be prepared for some sophmoric humor. That said, the participants are very intelligent and many of them participate regularly on this site. You should check them out.

Otto, they love you over there. You help keep them honest. Plus you always have your facts straight.

Perhaps Jay is auditioning for a spot over on Therapy. I understand they're very selective over there.

James,
That makes sense. I once tried but was rejected because I didn't spell Bugey-Cerdon correctly. I also had trouble signing in as I used the pen name of Thor Parker. Good group of people but very selective.
Walt

They're selective? But they let me in....or did they? AA for under 10€ addiction is the place...

Otto,
Maybe they lowered their standards. As they say, I would never want to be a member of a group that would let me join anyway.
Walt