Mumm Napa Cuvée M Sparkling Wine Napa Valley, CA
$20. An off dry (3.5% dosage) sparker made from chardonnay (48%) and pinot noir (43%) plus who knows what else. I bought this direct back in Feb 2004 and it was lost in the cellar. It really hasn’t aged well at all. The toasted biscuit and white fruit nose is still there, the sweet, ripe stone fruit flavors have faded but it has developed a fairly bitter aftertaste. Yes, it has picked up some creaminess but the bitterness is distracting. Drink these fresh not after a couple of years
2004 Corvo Bianco Sicily, IT
$10 Imp: AV Imports, Columbia MD. 11%abv. 80% insolia, 20% grecanico.
Decent flavors of honeydew and white peach with some minerality and good citrusy zip. There is some bitter almond in the finish from the grecanico. Very clean and refreshing.
2004 Naia Blanco Rueda, SP
$14 100% verdejo.
Lots of crisp, zippy grapefruit, lemon and orange fruit flavors in this wine from Jorge Ordoñez. Very fresh and lively. So much better than the travesty of ’03.
1999 Willespie Cabernet Franc Margaret River, WA, AUS.
$14, Imp: Oz Pacific Wines, MA. 14%abv. 77% cab franc, 23% cab sauv.
Very deep purple with excellent aromas of fresh plums and dark fruit with the oak starting to fade and some dried violets, earth and leather developing since I had this last. Not heavy in the mouth. Nice fruit taste with solid dusty tannins. Certainly not the typical Aussie fruit bomb. Good depth.
2004 Perrin Réserve Côtes du Rhône Rouge, Southern Rhone, FR.
Imp: Vineyard Brands, AL. 13%abv. 60% grenache, 20% syrah, 20% mourvèdre.
Screwcap! Good ripe red fruit and spice with moderate tannins. Nothing too complex but it’s a nice quaffable wine.
2004 cascina ‘tavijn Ruché di Castagnole Monferrato Piedmont, IT
$20 Imp: Dressner. 14% abv.
This is just the most pleasing wine. Lots of fruit, nice mineral, this time I get hit with anise and berries. Wonderful acidity and mild tannins. I love this stuff.