Enobytes Wine Blog

Once in a while, you find a wine that actually tastes like the description on the bottle and these are very rare. In fact, I thought non-existent anymore.  But as I say frequently, (mostly to myself) “I would like to be wrong more often” and this is exactly one of those times.

I was introduced to the ’07 Gilbert Cellars Syrah, Doc Stewart Estate Vineyard, Wahluke Slope under extreme circumstances for a wine reviewer.  It was the third night of the recent wine bloggers conference in Walla Walla, there were over three hundred attendees, and more wine shoved in my face than I have seen in a long time.

By comparison, it was almost like attending the Boston Wine Expo for three days, sixteen hours a day with probably just as much wine.  So on the third night of the WBC 2010 we attended a great dinner sponsored by the Washington Wine Commission. Every table had two producers’ wines on it and this winery was not at my table.

This wine was being poured at the table behind me where my friend Andrew Lazorchak, developer of the Soiree was sitting and of course he was demonstrating the Soiree.  As he was pouring at a distance of probably four feet from me, I could smell the depth and complexity of this wine. When something stands out like that, the “MacDaddy” is reaching out with an empty glass looking for some love. Read the rest of this entry »

Q: What’s the best way to quickly bring up the temperature of my red wine? Is a microwave recommended?

A: I rarely use microwaves. Period…and I certainly wouldn’t recommend using it to heat up wine. Some colleagues disagree. Wine columnist Matt Kramer once touted its use and I’ve heard that some winemakers and others use the technique. Sommeliers? You gotta be joking.

Polling twitter and facebook, wine drinkers and experts agreed that microwaving  Read the rest of this entry »

I’ve entered Anthony Bourdain’s Medium Raw Challenge. The rules are simple. Answer the question, “What does it mean to cook food well?”

If you enjoy my ramblings below, share the love and vote for my entry.  I’ll forever be indebted!

~ Macdaddy Marc

Who Cares

Who cares? Not just about food, or wine, or why one should always cook well, but who really f**k’n cares? What do you care about and how much do you care? If it happens to be about food that is fantastic, but we must care and care a lot.

This caring thing is much bigger than we may have ever contemplated and it’s connected to the fabric that connects all of us as human beings. The oneness of being that is often only associated with eastern religions and clean LSD experiences shows it’s presence every time you step up to the stove. In fact, it taunts you.

For me, it’s the spirit that manifests itself in all your senses that makes you grab a sauté pan with vigor to make every dish better even though you’ve made it ten thousand times before.  Viola! Now you know when you are at the corner of  Read the rest of this entry »

Helen Turley first discovered the Upper Barn (an old-clone chardonnay plot) on the Alexander Mountain Estate over a decade ago. Today, this location has been the source for some of California’s best Chardonnays.

Perched at at elevation of 1,800 feet, the ’08 Stonestreet Alexander Mountain Estate Upper Barn Chardonnay is a shining example of the fruit harvested from this plot. It’s fruit forward, full-bodied, rich and creamy wine with notes of tropical citrus, pear, honey and lemon flavors finishing with bright acidity and mineral.

Tastes like: Poached pears with lemon and honey sauce

Pairs nicely with: Freshly cracked crab with lemon-butter sauce; 50th anniversaries and birthdays; non-scheduled sex; Lobster Ravioli with Crabmeat Cream Sauce; first dates; A French Riviera beach walk on the Mediterranean Sea.

Cellaring: Drink now or cellar through 2012 if you have the willpower to wait.

Case production: 326

Rating: 93 | $65 | 14.5% ABV

Find this wine: Vinquire | WineZap.com

Back in the early seventies some of my first California wine experiences began in Lodi because back then I was stationed at Castle AFB. At that point in time almost all the grapes from the region went to the Gallo, Rossi or Mondavi family. The region now is home to high quality wines made by fourth and fifth generation winegrowers and it is really no surprise. The area has always been able to produce quality; just back then quantity was the name of the game.

On a recent trip to judge the California State Fair home winemaking competition, I was fortunate enough to be reintroduced to the region by Mark Chandler the Executive Director of the Lodi – Woodbridge Winegrape Commission and what a fantastic job he and his staff did. The day culminated with a paella dinner that was probably the best paella I have ever been served.

I was first introduced to Harney Lane wines during dinner at the home of Robert Perry (Culinarian, Viticulturist, Olive Oil Producer and Host extraordinaire) where he and Jonathan Wetmore (Culinarian, Vineyard Manager and Winemaker) made the previously mentioned Paella, again it was phenomenal.

I was curious about the rest of the wines he makes that were not served at the dinner. Even though I had been on a journey for three days where I tasted wine while being hosted by one of Napa’s top producers, judged a wine competition and was hosted on a tour of Lodi’s wineries, I opted to stay one more day just so I could go to Harney Lane and find out if my investigative gut feeling was correct. Read the rest of this entry »

I really liked this wine as I have a fondness for the Lodi appellation wines that goes back to the seventies when I was a young soldier stationed at Castle AFB.

Lodi has changed over the years and in a good way.  Now more than ever, great wines are being made there. The use of rotary fermentation seems to also be gaining popularity in this appellation. Aging in new French and American oak for 12 months adds some complexity to the final product as well.

The fact that this varietal was their first production gets me very excited about trying the next vintage. I also appreciate the quickness Lodi growers and vintners move when they think a different grape might do well in their climate.

It seems they also have the ability to adapt other growing techniques that they may have not embraced in the past; such as deficit irrigation, crop thinning and leaf pulling to maintain proper growth and ripening.

The aromas are consistent with the character of Malbec’s dark berry and spice. The flavor profile brings little out of the ordinary but for a first vintage the fruit exudes depth that usually takes decades to achieve including balanced acidity and a good amount of tannins. I look forward to preparing meals in the future where this wine will be served. ~Marc Hinton

Rating: 89 | $14 | 13.8% ABV

Find this wine to buy: Vinquire | WineZap.com

Why didn’t I find time to visit Oyon while we were in Rioja? That’s the city where this wine comes from and the vineyards I’m sure are there as well. 90% Tempranillo and 10% Mazuelo, this wine would have been worth going out of my way to meet the folks who made it.

As this wine opens and starts to breathe (please allow yourself enough time to let this one aerate or if you must, use one of those nifty bottle-top aeration devices like the Soiree) dark fruit spice and vanilla shows on the nose.

The wine sees 18 months barrel time and another 24 months of bottle aging. Soft tannins and elegant texture, the rich ripe fruit on the palate lingers and the finish is pleasant enough to take small sips as you will want to experience the finish over and over again.

This wine would go great with grilled leg of Lamb or an earthy mushroom risotto. ~Marc Hinton

Rating: 90 | $20 | 13.5% ABV

Find this wine to buy: Vinquire | WineZap.com

Independence Day 2010 brought big expectations from the start to the finish — activities, wine and cuisine. No let down here. A yellowfin tuna appetizer with pickled ginger, tamari and wasabi led to a seriously grilled Kobe steak and a Port demi-glace served with all the accompaniments any great steak should have like a baked potato with fresh chives, apple wood smoked pepper bacon and sour cream served with grilled fresh corn on the cob.

A native of Cape Town, South Africa, Stonestreet’s winemaker Graham Weerts move to Sonoma County took him to the far side of the globe. However, the similarities between the two areas’ climate, soil-type and arduous growing conditions made him feel immediately at home. ~Stonestreet Wines

The 2006 Stonestreet Christopher’s Alexander Valley Cabernet was a perfect pairing for the steak; a bit of a bruiser with enough elegance to get the job done. This wine rocked it in a serious way; strong and solid the Alexander valley fruit brought the terroir of Sonoma greatness and will rival all challengers from Napa.  I ‘ve personally experienced the rift between the two AVA’s recently and was surprised at how deep this annoying but prevalent dispute goes on. Read the rest of this entry »

A few posts back I was raving over the great quality pizza being served at Apizza Scholls out on Hawthorne St. in Portland. As I mentioned we would return soon to give a full review and here it is.

We definitely rate it a solid “Get off your ass and go”.  It came very close to receiving the highest rating, “You would pass up your own mothers funeral to eat here” with only the service taking a hit, the food was top notch on every visit.

When you visit Apizza Scholls, always remember to enter in the bar area not the door that looks like you would take to enter the restaurant. You will just have to go back outside and go next door to put your name on a list and get a beer or glass of wine to while away the time during your wait. The wait is not that bad just come thirsty and check out one of the fine selections they have on tap; on this visit I choose the Lava Cap IPA. It was a great beer to prime my appetite before ordering some awesome pizza. Read the rest of this entry »

This blend of 85% Cabernet Sauvignon 10% Cabernet Franc and 5% Merlot was a stunner. After befriending a very nice couple in the tasting room where I spend my days when I am not writing about wine I was regaled with a story of a wine that I had probably not heard of nor tasted that was worth seeking out.

Imagine my surprise when Daniel Florence, a nice young man who is a financial advisor for Waddell & Reed shows up a few days later with a bottle of this wine that he was so very proud to have discovered and rightly so.

It is absolutely the best wine I have tasted this year slightly edging out even some of the best samples during our recent trip to Spain. I was told by Daniel our friend Scott Behrens formerly of the “Wine Behrens”, which is now called Friendly Vine out in Forest Grove looked for this wine for a long time and it was very hard to get.

He recited some story about tracking it down at a retail store back east. After doing a little research it turns out the local distributor, Domaine Selections, still lists the wine in their book here in Portland.

After calling Domaine Selections, it turns out they were out of the 2003 Gala 2. I will say if you get a chance to try any vintage of this wine anywhere it would be worth checking out.  Luigi Bosca makes serious wines that should be cherished and admired. ~Marc Hinton

Rating: 96 | $30 | 14.5% ABV

Find this wine: Vinquire | WineZap.com