 Wine
Best Wines of 2009
by Dennis Sodomka
In honor of the Best of Augusta issue, let’s look at some of the good stuff I’ve come across while writing this column. I want to tell you about some of what I’ve found, but I’d also like to hear from you about your discoveries.
One of the great things about drinking wine is that there always is a great discovery waiting out there. There will be a great new Cabernet Sauvignon or a hot new winemaker trying new techniques (or returning to old techniques) that will knock your socks off. Guaranteed.
All that’s required is that you try some new wines. Every time I think I’ve had the best wine I could possibly find, something else comes along. There are so many variables in wine you don’t have to limit yourself to one or two favorites. You can have favorites for every occasion, from the weekend barbecue to the fancy dinner with your boss to sitting on the porch reminiscing with your spouse. Price has almost nothing to do with quality. You can find a $10 wine that tastes better to you than a $40 wine.
I’m often asked what my favorite wine is. I try to answer, but I think I frustrate people because I can’t name one specific favorite. It’s like asking who is your favorite child. You love them all in different ways.
Here are some of the best wine and wine-related items I have come across in the last year or so.
>> J Vineyards & Winery. I reviewed their Pinot Noir, Chardonnay and Pinot Gris and found them all outstanding. They are a little pricey, but the quality makes it worth the expense. The Pinot Noir is about $38, the Chardonnay $35 and the Pinot Gris $20. Winemaker George Bursick goes to extraordinary lengths to produce fine wine. His Pinot Noir rivals the best Burgundies and beats the French prices.
>> Ravenswood Winery. Known primarily for producing great Zinfandels, Ravenswood offers three flights of wines that are great values in each price range. The Vineyard Designates wines come from grapes grown in a particular plot of land that has special characteristics. They range from $25 to $90 a bottle. The County Series features grapes from one county, priced between $15 and $25, and the Vintners Blend takes the best grapes from around California and sells them for about $10 to $12 a bottle. Their motto is “No Wimpy Wines” and they live up to it.
>> Luzon Jumilla. This Spanish red is a silky smooth Monastrell-Syrah blend that sells for less than $10. Monastrell produces some approachable wines that pair well with meat cooked on a grill.
>> Frank Family Vineyards. Operating in the historic Larkmead winery in Napa Valley, this winery produces outstanding Chardonnay and Cabernet Sauvignon, as well as excellent sparkling wines. Visiting the winery is a singular experience, as Dennis Zablosky keeps everyone entertained and involved during tastings. The regular Chardonnay is $32.50 and the reserve $55.
>> Woodbridge by Robert Mondavi. They make outstanding everyday wines that are perfect for parties or other large gatherings. You’ll never go wrong by serving their Cabernet Sauvignon, Merlot, Chardonnay or other varietals. They cost about $15 to $18 for 1.5 liters.
>> Cabernet Sauvignon: Saddleback Cellars, $50-plus, (winemaker Nils Venge known as the king of cabs); Joseph Phelps, $54 to $200; Opolo, $30 to $45. Also other great reds: 337, $10; Bennett Lane Maximus Red Feasting Wine, $35; Martin Estates, $45 to $120.
>> Pinot Noir: Tandem Sangiocomo Vineyard, $48; Orogeny, Oregon, $40; Morey St. Denis (a village in Burgundy that produces some of the best wine in the Cote d’Or), a range of prices; Nuits St. George, a village in the Cote d’Nuits that also produces great reds.
>> Bordeaux: Chateau Pichon-Lalande (about $100); Chateau Lynch-Bages (about $65); many lesser crus priced at under $30. (Check with your favorite wine shop.)
>> Other reds: Turley Zinfandel ($20 to $100, sold only at the winery); Venge Scout’s Honor ($38); Petite Petit (Petite Syrah blend), $18.
>> White wines: Justin Sauvignon Blanc, $15; Sonoma-Cutrer Sonoma Coast Chardonnay, $25; Clos Pegase Sauvignon Blanc, Mitsuko’s Vineyard, $21; The Four Graces Pinot Gris, Oregon, $18; Buena Vista Carneros Pinot Gris, $22.
>> Sparkling wines: Mumm Napa Brut Prestige and Brut Rose, $20 to $25; Biltmore Estate Blanc de Noir, $25; Gruet sparkling wines from New Mexico, $15 to $25.
>> Wine accessories: Wine aerator ($35 to $40), helps red wines breath as you pour, really enhances the flavor of reds; Bennett Lane Maximus Chocolate wine sauce, $18, available only at the winery.
Dennis Sodomka and fellow wine and spirits enthusiast Dan Doughtie have launched a website devoted to wine, beer and spirits. It’s at www.bottlereport.com. In addition to their input on wine and beer preferences, the website also offers a complete calendar listing of wine events and photos from local wine tastings.
“We’re really trying to pull people in the wine community together,” says Sodomka. “There are a lot of people in the Augusta area who are interested in wine and like suggestions about what to try. The website is a way they can interact with each other. We invite comments on all the events and if people have wine-related photos we can post those too.
“Though the website has a serious side with its calendar and lists of wines to be tasted, it’s all about fun. Wine makes people happy and the website reflects that. Beer and wine drinkers are starting to discover the site because traffic has grown steadily since we began a few months ago.”
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