Thursday Tasting Notes

2006 Chard-On-Yeah! $10
Monterey County, California 13.5% abv
Creamy pear and red apple open the nose, with star fruit and tropical fruit hints. Almost overbearing acidity at first, but mellows after a moment in the glass to offer pear and pineapple flavors. The mid-palate has creamy apple flavors and yeasty highlights. A crisp, clean tasting Unoaked chardonnay that holds onto its varietal character. Finishes with flavors of toasted nuts, Fuji apples and lime juice. A well made wine for drinking with friends- just chill down and serve with cheese and cracker trays. A nicely done house wine for World Market, made by Trinchero Family Estates (Folie a Deux, Napa Cellars, etc).

2004 Wrangler Cabernet Sauvignon $10
Columbia Valley, WA 13.5% abv
Aromas of Blackberries, medium-heavy toasted oak, plums, soy sauce and toasted sesame seeds. Juicy plum flavors with some currant and soy spice behind. Medium bodied tannins- acids are a little flat though. Mellow through the mid-palate, showing blueberry notes. Finishes with berry fruit, pepper, sesame and star anise spice. There is nice fruit here, but it’s overshadowed by the weird soy-sesame flavors and left unsupported by the too mild acids. I think that there is potential from this winery- they just aren’t quite there yet.

2005 Pine & Post Merlot $7
Columbia Valley, WA 13.5% abv
Opens with spicy blackberry, cloves and plum in the nose. Light to medium bodied, with plum and blackberry flavors coming through on the palate. Slightly bitter in the middle, leading to a short finish with only mild spice. Included here only because of the next review.

2005 Pine & Post Chardonnay $7
Columbia Valley, WA 13% abv
Creamy green apple notes in the nose, set off by ginger, lychee and bread yeast smells. Firmly medium bodied with tangerine flavored acids. Nice pear and apple flavors, especially strong in the middle. Mango flavors come out on the far side of the palate, along with creamy vanilla and guava notes. There are some caramelized sugar hints at the finish, lime flavors come out. A very nice chardonnay for the price- pair with tilefish over lemon scented rice pilaf, braised chicken or ginger spiced pork.