NOTES FROM ELIZABETH’S TASTING TABLE May 7, 2009
During the year the Elizabeth’s staff tastes hundreds of wines searching for the best wines we can find to offer our guests and to use for our wine dinners. Our notes describing the characteristics of the best and most interesting wines are combined into tasting notes. We will post these notes
2009 TASTING NOTES
Prepared with the assistance of the entire Elizabeth’s Serving staff, Alice, Brad and Leonard.
Tasting May 7, 2009
Londer 2007 Dry Gewurztraminer Anderson Valley, California
Under $44.00
This is a pale yellow pleasant and powerful wine with floral and spicy notes.
. Notes of apricot, rose nose and black pepper and flint flavors.. Soft, very light body with an average finish.
Pare with spicy food.
Staff Tasting May 7, 2009.
Longoria 2006 Chardonnay Sainta Rita Hills Cuvee Diana
Under $70.00
From a Wente clone. A pale yellow powerful lower alcohol soft and elegant wine. Green apple and pineapple notes with a toasty caramel crème bruele caramelized flavor. Toasty oak but not over oaked. This wine is dry smooth and balanced with a medium-full body and long finish. Staff note: “Yummy”. One of the best American Chardonnay’s you will ever taste. Not overblown or over-oaked. Like a beautiful Montrachet.
Staff Tasting May 7, 2009
Longoria 2007 Albarino, Santa Ynez Valley California, Clover Creek Vineyard
Under $48.00
A pale green/yellow wine with lemon and lime tart acidity showing flinty notes. A light bodied wine with a short lightly sour lemon drop finish.
Staff Tasting May 7, 2009
LaSirena Wines 2007 Moscato Azul Napa Valley Dry Muscat Canelli
Under $50.00
An incredible, highly rated wine by the renowned winemaker Heidi Barrett , the only winemaker who has scored three 100 rated wines– offered in a cobalt blue bottle (hence “Azul). A clear pale wine with yellow tints. Tangerine, honey and honeysuckle with flinty notes. A light tart wine with a lingering finish. This will be great with our bar-B-Que shrimp with Mango Chutney Sauce.
Staff Tasting May 7, 2009
Anne Amie 2008 Pinot Gris Willamette Valley Oregon
Under $30.00
A pale wine with yellow tints. Pleasant wine with floral, fruity and light spicy character. Lemon, lemongrass, rose petals, apple, pear and grassy flavors. This is a dry smooth, lively wine with a light yet full mouth-feel and an average finish.
Staff Tasting May 7, 2009
Anne Amie 2007 Amrita Cuvee A Willamette Valley, Oregon(Pinot Blanc with Muller Thurgau)
Under $40.00
A pleasant pale yellow wine with a floral/ fruity character. A light Jasmine nose. Peach, apricot and a light flavor of tart white grapefruit notes. A fresh lively light medium bodied wine with a lingering pleasant finish.
Staff Tasting May 7, 2009
Signorello Naoa Seta (60% Semilion and 40% Sauvignon Blanc)
Under $50.00
A pale yellow wine with a pleasant floral and fruity nose. Notes of caramel – a little sweaty. A dry wine with light body and a short finish.
Staff Tasting May 7, 2009
Pierre Gaillard 2005 Cotes du Rhone Les Gendrines
Under $50.00
A straw yellow wine mostly viognier, with a pleasant nose. Flavors of Banana, fried plantains, smoky summer sausage. A pleasant finish.
Staff Tasting May 7, 2009
Londer 2006 Anderson Valley California Pinot Noir
Under $50.00
A highly rated wine -Cherry red with a pleasant fruity nose. Spicy, raspberry, black cherry with oak flavors. A fresh acidity, medium body, round and rich, with a long finish. Grown in a high altitude in Anderson Valley.
Staff Tasting May 7, 2009
Drew 2007 Pinot Noir Monument Tree Vineyard, Anderson Valley California
Under $40.00
Winemakers Jason and Molly Drew have created this 97 point gem. Cherry red with violet tints. Bright cherry fruit light spice, chocolate covered cherries and red raspberry. A very light anise on the finish.
Staff Tasting May 7, 2009
Osso Anna 2006 Napa Valley Merlot
Under $40.00
Last years favorite Merlot. This new vintage is just as exceptional. Blackberry and plum nose with a black cherry dusty finish. Fruit from the base of Howell Mountain.
Staff Tasting May 7, 2009
Blackbird Vineyards 2006 Illustration Napa Valley Oak Knoll District Merlot
Under $150.00
A pommerol style with Cabernet Sauvignon and Cabernet Franc, made by our wine maker friend Sarah Gott. A cherry ruby red wine. Blackberry, blueberry, violet, and oak flavors. Smooth acidity, full body with a very long finish.
Staff Tasting May 7, 2009
Round Pound 2005 Oakville Napa Valley Cabernet Sauvignon
Under $120.00
A beautiful red wine with crimson tints. A pleasant fruity Character with pleasant blue berry , raspberry and dark chocolate flavors. Vanilla, leather, dusty, violet notes. A dry wine, full-bodied, with generous alcohol but no hot. This is a rich balanced wine with a long satisfying finish. A favorite. You need to visit this winery- it is gorgeous. Displays the Rutherford dust which is so famous for this area.
Staff Tasting May 7, 2009
Signorella Edge 2006 Napa Valley Stags Leap District Cabernet Sauvignon
Under $40.00
Garnet red with pronounced blackberry, blueberry, plum, currant- cassis and coffee flavors. A dry wine, supple and smooth and balanced with full body richness with a long finish. Cabernet sauvignon with 1 % Merlot.
Staff Tasting May 7, 2009
The Girl’s in the Vineyard, Red Hills Lake County 2005 Cabernet Sauvignon
Under $40.00
Made from grapes grown on Tokalon Vineyard by our friend Andy Beckstoffer . Bell pepper, smoky and spicy notes, raspberry and currant, and cedar notes .
Staff Tasting May 7, 2009
Kenward Family Vineyards Rock 2006 Judge Family Vineyard Cuvee Cooper Grenache
Under $100.00
A garnet red wine with spicy black pepper spicy meatiness with earth and herbal notes. A soft smooth average finish. This is a rockstar wine receiving 93 points. Made by the Kenward family and named after their son Cooper..
Staff Tasting May 7, 2009
Macauley 2006 Napa Valley Zinfandel
Under $60.00
This wine made by Niles Venge from grapes first planted in 1894. A powerful nose and taste a pleasant blueberry, raspberry, strawberry, oak, violets and licorice. A velvety smooth, supple full bodied balanced wine with a long finish. Avery elegant and “yummy” wine.
Staff Tasting May 7, 2009
Orin Swift 2007 Napa Valley “The Prisoner” Zinfandel and Charbono
Under $60.00
This wine made from Zinfandel, Charbono, Cabernet Sauvignon and Petite Sirah, is cherry road with a pleasant pomegranate nose. A light jammy, earthy, herbal wine. Light tannins with a medium-long finish. Very easy drinking.
Staff Tasting May 7, 2009
Outpost 2005 The Other, Howell Mountain Petit Sirah.
Under $90.00
A crimson Red wine with a pleasant fruity character. Blackberry, blueberry, plum, cedar, barnyard, and violet. A dry wine, with a velvety smooth, supple, smooth wine with a medium full body and a long pleasant finish. This is the first Petite Sirah that Leonard really liked.
Staff Tasting May 7, 2009
Pierre Gaillard Cirera 2005 Banyuls, Domaine Madeloc.
Under $90.00
100% Grenache, a dessert wine. A deep garnet red wine with raisins, prune, fig, cooked fruit, and coffee notes. Notes of cigarette ash on the nose that do not transfer to the taste.
Staff Tasting May 7, 2009
Booker Vineyard 2006 Vertigo Syrah Paso Robles.
Under $90.00
A garnet red wine with pleasant fruity and spicy character. Dark cherry and raspberry, dusty, white pepper, round and fruity.
Staff Tasting May 7, 2009
Posted on Blog 090515
Tags: wine notes
About the author
Leonard Logan's passion for wine, love of good food, and knack for entertaining has garnered him a reputation on both a local and national level. As the owner of a restaurant that has won countless awards-from "The Best Fine Dining Wine Restaurant in the United States" (Santé Magazine, 2003) to "The Award of Ultimate Distinction" (The Wine Enthusiast, 2004 and 2005) - Logan has been honing his craft since his college days at Duke University as an amateur caterer for football games and college parties.