2009 Six Foot Six Pinot Noir

As noted in an early blog posting, I managed to pick up some wines from Australia.  I really enjoy wines from the down under; however I think this might be one of my first Australian wine review. 

An interesting label and name, Six Foot Six 2009 Pinot Noir was great. The aromas were very fruity--blackberries, cherries and some accent of grass.  As most Pinot Noir's do, the color tone was light color red.  The first swirl was nice--A fairly complex, and 'soft' wine that is slightly (and I mean very slightly), sweet.  If you have ever tried an Au Bon Climat Pinot Noir, I would say this was its younger sibling.  


I am going to give this one 4 stars.  I really liked it.  The price is decent, the complexity is really nice and the balance was just right. I purchased this one at Nissin World Delicatessen in Azabu Juban for Y2,250.  I would definitely purchase this one again. 
**PS take a look at the Rakuten link below -- looks like a good sale if you cannot make it to Nissin.  
  
Summary: Medium-body, great balance and nice finish.  Good value
Rating: 4 Stars
Purchase Cost: Y2,250 (Nissin World Delicatessen Groceries)
Other Japanese Retailers: Y2,100 (Rakuten website)
USA Retail Price: $19.95
Food:  NA

1999 Savennières Roche Aux Moines

My brother-in-law, who is quite the wine hobbyist/enthusiast, is in town visiting.  As such, I showed him my recent wine purchases which I obtained at the Ebisu Gardens, Wine Market Store and we picked the 1999 Savennières to swirl.  

I was anticipating a semi-sweet wine, but I was forewarned by my brother-in-law that this would be quite the opposite.  Situated in the Loire Valley, this Chenin Blanc was a full-body, dry wine.  The color was very beautiful -- golden yellow, crystal like hue.  Our first sniff had an apple aroma with some wool sweater scent.  The first swirl, indeed not sweet at all.  Quite dry, and had a wonderful full body texture.  We had this wine open for about another hour and the wine really developed.  More fruity (hint of Cantaloupes) towards the end and the heat index rose slightly.  


Overall, a great wine.  I'd recommend opening this one for at least 30 minutes to 1 hour.  A delicate, yet full body Chenin Blanc, this one is going to get 4 stars. 


For those who haven't visited the Wine Market in Ebisu Gardens, I would recommend a visit.  


Summary: Dry, full body Chenin Blanc
Rating: 4 Stars
Purchase Cost: Y3,150 (Ebisu Gardens, Wine Market Store)
Other Japanese Retailers: Y3,490
USA Retail Price: $22.95
Food: Cheese and Crackers (Parmesan and red cheddar)

2009 Nuits Saint Georges Les Poisets

Happy New Year!  


To kick off the 2012 entry, I decided to open a bottle which was given to me by my wife for a Christmas present!  From the Bourgogne region (Nuit Saint Georges area) this wine was really good. 


At first smell, the Pinot Noir has a mixture of dark cherries and raspberries.  Second smell and oddly enough, it also had a hint of wild mushrooms.  First swirl was very nice.  Slightly sweet; however the sweetness  dissipates quite quickly, which is followed by a nutty, creamy taste. A bit 'green'/'grassy', but the dynamics of the wine is very full, yet light and smooth at the same time. Wow, I'm impressed 


I decided to let this one open for about 30 minutes. The overall flavor and taste really improved (letting this one open is key).  The berry flavors came out and the overall balance took form.  


I am going to give this one 4 stars.  I do not know the cost as it was a xmas gift, but I think this one is on the upper end of my typical wine budget.  Thank you very much for the wonderful gift!  
This one would be great wine to bring to a elegant wine party/dinner.   


Summary: A bit green at start, but allow it to open for a bit.  Very smooth and well balanced. The wine has the classic pinot noir color tone -- light red.
Rating: 4 Stars
Purchase Cost: NA (Gift from Shibuya Tokyu Store)
Other Japanese Retailers: NA
USA Retail Price: NA
Food: NA 

Chateau Grand Tayac 2008 Margaux

A nice Bordeaux with an interesting nose. A slight scent of mint, along with pine wood and berries, the aroma was very nice.  


The first swirl was a bit hard to distinct specific flavors, but the finish was long and very smooth. Along with the berries, and wood the second sniff had a hint of nutmeg and cinnamon.  On to the second swirl... I am still having some difficulty distinguishing the taste, but the balance and texture is very nice.  


Overall I really like this wine.  I am going to rate this one 4 stars. The Chateau Grand Tayac 2008 Margaux has a nice, long finish.  A well balanced wine, which I would categorized as a medium body.

Summary: A really good wine.  I could not find another retailer/price for this particular vintage, but seems somewhat on par for the overall quality.
Rating: 4 Stars
Purchase Cost: Y3,900 (Nissin World Delicatessen Groceries)
Other Japanese Retailers: NA
USA Retail Price: $50
Food: Steak, potatoes, and broccoli (went really nicely with the meal)

2004 Marques de Caceres Rioja Reserva

Tonight's dinner was a special one as it was my mom's birthday dinner. I picked a 2004 Marques de Caceres Rioja Reserva (Spanish wine) to go along with our Italian meat sauce lasagna (no offense intended there...yes, next time I will pair with an Italian wine).  

The wine was very good.  First sniff was tough, but we definitely smelled berries and some type of wood (maybe cedar?).  First taste-- it was a full-body, rich red wine; the berries were definitely prominent in the first swirl.  We decided to take a second sniff; this time we smelled blackberries. The wood smell was still hard to define, but it was definitely present.  Now to the second taste-- even better.  The wine is very balanced and has a deep texture. The finish was probably the most notable.  Through the complexity of the wine it finishes with a distinct taste of (creamy) vanilla. I was quite impressed. 

This bottle was purchased at Kinokuniya International (near Omotesando Station); however it was in their sale bin, which had random single bottle wines on discount.  This bottle had a price tag of Y2,500. I am rating this bottle 4 stars out of 5.  The taste of vanilla really pushed this wine to the next rating level, otherwise it would have finished with a strong 3.5.  I think it would be a good wine to bring to your friend's dinner party. 

Happy Birthday Mom.

Summary: Full-body, red from Spain (good color).  The twist at the end made this wine great.
Rating: 4 Stars
Purchase Cost: Y2,500 (Kinokuniya International)
Other Japanese Retailers: Y3,080 (Rakuten Website-scroll down--last one on the list)
USA Retail Price: Around $28.99
Food: I paired with meat sauce lasagna (both the lasagna and the pairing were good!)