The Grape Crusader

Winery: Saint Andre de Figuiere

Bottling: 2008 Le Saint Andre Vin de Pays du Var Rose (Cabernet Sauvignon, Syrah, Cinsault & Grenache)

Importer: Paul M. Young Fine Wines

Region: France

Sub-Region: Vin de Pays du Var

Estimated Retail Price: $14

Purchase Details: Purchased from Solano Cellars in Albany, California for $13.50.

Tasting Notes: Very pale coral and salmon hue in the glass.  On the nose, delicate aromas of roses and mineral.  In the mouth and interestingly enough, this rose has flavors that are more reminiscent of white wines.  Apples and white peaches are the main flavors I remember tasting.  Unripe Safeway strawberries added actual rose flavors.  A very light-weight mouth feel and a crisp, dry finish complete the wine.
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Winery: Vineyard 29

Bottling: 2006 “Cru” Cabernet Sauvignon

Region: California

Sub-Region: Napa Valley

Estimated Retail Price: $50 – $60

Purchase Details: Purchased for $51.99 plus tax at K&L Wine Merchants in San Francisco, California.

Tasting Notes: A beautiful dark, pure garnet with some blue hues.  On the nose, sweet pencil lead, cherries, berries and herb.  In the mouth, this wine is unbelievably lush, dense chewy and concentrated.  A creamy, creme de cassis undertone, with minty herb on the extremely long finish.  The wine has a firm structure, with tannins that definitely signal that the wine could use some cellaring, but they are also velvety enough to allow for early drinking.  This is a very well-made, clean and polished wine.  A little much for me, but still a delicious and balanced effort.

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Winery: Tricycle Wine Co.

Bottling: 2006 Obsidian Ridge Cabernet Sauvignon

Region: California

Sub-Region: Red Hills Lake County, Northern California Coast

Estimated Retail Price: $28

Purchase Details: Purchased this bottle for $24.95 plus tax at San Francisco Wine Trading Company in the Sunset neighborhood of San Francisco, California.

Tasting Notes: In the glass, ominous opaque red hues.  On the nose, dark red berries, cherries, mint and cocoa.  In the mouth, intense flavors of dried cherries, dried berries, herbs, chocolate, clove and cocoa.  Chocolate covered cherries rolled in edible graphite.  How about that?  This wine has tremendous structure, balance, elegance and power all rolled up in one 750 ml bottle.  Winemaker Michael Terrien states that you can easily age this wine for 10, even 15 years.  One taste, and like me, you’ll surely agree.

This cabernet sauvignon is just as good if not better than the first vintage I ever tried, the 2003.  At that point it retailed for around $20 which made it an absolute steal.  This wine seriously crushes and outperforms any cabernet in this price range and even those in the $40-$50 range.

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Winery: Chateau Soucherie

Bottling: 2008 Rose de Loire (Not sure..Cabernet Sauvignon, Cabernet Franc or a combination of the two)

Importer: Rosenthal Wine Merchant

Region: France

Sub-Region: Loire Valley

Estimated Retail Price: $15

Purchase Details: Purchased for $15 plus tax at Arlequin Wine Merchant in the Hayes Valley neighborhood of San Francisco.

Tasting Notes: Pale salmon color hues.  On the nose, faint aromas of strawberries, roses and mineral.  On the palate, flavors hints of strawberries, lemon and citrus juices.  There’s a fair amount of acidity here that makes your mouth pucker and your face contort; in a good way of course.

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Winery: Saint Andre de Figuiere

Bottling: 2008 Cotes de Provence Rose, “Cuvee Magali” (25% Grenache, 15% Cinsault, 30% Syrah, 30% Cabernet Sauvingon)

Importer: Paul M. Young Fine Wines

Region: France

Sub-Region: Provence

Estimated Retail Price: $14

Purchase Details: Purchased from the K&L Wine Merchant in the South of Market neighborhood of San Francisco.

Tasting Notes: This wine has got one of the prettiest pale coral hues I’ve ever seen.  On the nose I get aromas of ruby grapefruit and strawberries.  In the mouth, barely ripe pink grapefruit, barely ripe strawberries, watermelon, rose water and even a little rosemary and spice.

This is a very delicate wine with a light, airy and feminine mouth-feel.  The wine finishes on a crisp and dry note.

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Winery: Domaine Richou

Bottling: 2006 Anjou Rouge “4 Chemins” (Cabernet Franc/Cabernet Sauvignon).

Importer: Vintage ‘59 Imports

Region: France

Sub-Region: Anjou, Loire Valley

Estimated Retail Price: $15

Purchase Details: Purchased for $14.99 plus tax at the K&L Wine Merchant in the South of Market neighborhood in San Francisco.

Tasting Notes: Looking at the wine in the glass, I see a dark, opaque purple core with dark red edges.  On the nose, perfumed aromas of violets, fresh dark fruit, and a little meat and pepper.  Flavors of fresh blackberries, plum, pepper and more violets lead to a lasting spicy finish.

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The back label of the bottle.

Winery: Orin Swift Cellars

Bottling: 2005 Papillon, Bordeaux Styled Red Blend (63% Cabernet Sauvignon, 19% Merlot, 9% Cabernet Franc, 7% Malbec and 2% Petite Verdot)

Region: California

Sub-Region: Napa Valley

Estimated Retail Price: $55

Purchase Details: Purchased at Tamura’s Fine Wine & Liquor in Honolulu, Hawaii.

Tasting Notes: This wine sports a dark, ruby red color in the glass.  On the nose, I smell sweet oak, cherries, berries and spice.  In the mouth, wow!  Generous loads of sweet cherries, wild berries, and a dusty spice.  The wine is dense and chewy, but more importantly, full-bodied but un-heavy.  Firm tannins and an insanely long, lip-smacking finish.

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Winery: Mollydooker Wines

Bottling: 2007 Enchanted Path – (Shiraz-Cabernet)

Region: Australia

Sub-Region: McLaren Vale

Estimated Retail Price: $80-$90

Purchase Details: A recurring theme; my buddy who already opened a host of other good stuff proceeded to continue the raiding of the cellar

Tasting Notes: Even though our palates were under assault from an army of premium juice, I was not ready to throw in the towel yet, especially with this wine now up to bat.

On the nose, herbal qualities such as mint, bay and eucalyptus.  No question that in the glass, the color of this wine was an opaque purple and black.  In the mouth, dense, dense and more dense fruit, flavor and earth.  Slick tannins and a long, lasting mouth coating finish punctuated the experience of this wine.

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I had to use a trade picture of the most recent vintage, because I didn't save the bottle. I promise, we really did drink the 2000 vintage of this wine.

Winery: Quilceda Creek Winery

Bottling: 2000 Cabernet Sauvignon

Region: Washington

Sub-Region: Columbia Valley

Estimated Retail Price: I’m sure well over $100 on retail shelves and the open market for this back vintage wine.

Purchase Details: My buddy told me he found this on the shelves at Longs’ Drugstore for $60.  This was either going to be the steal of the century or the dud of the millennium.

Tasting Notes: Prior to opening the bottle, I couldn’t believe it was going to be the second time I was going to have the opportunity to taste the same vintage of this wine.  I must have done something right in this universe to deserve another opportunity.

On the nose, molasses, earth and dark fruits.  The wine smelled rich and powerful but there was still a sense of elegance and femininity that floated up into my nostrils.

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The aft label

Winery: Once Wines

Bottling: 2007 The Table Cabernet Sauvignon

Region: California

Sub-Region: Napa Valley

Estimated Retail Price: $30

Tasting Notes: This wine was crafted with the intent to be a food-friendly wine and it does a great job at hitting the mark.  On the nose, lots of high-toned fruit such as red berries are intermingled with just a touch of dark fruits.

In the mouth, red currants, pomegranate, blackberries, a little spice and just a smidgen of oak.  The texture was unlike anything I remember as being cabernet-esque.  Elegant, medium weight, barely a trace of tannins and a slight mouth watering tartness from the refreshing acidity.

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