Wine Tasting At San Diego Wine Company

Yesterday hubby and I decided to head north and hit the weekly wine tasting at San Diego Wine Company. It's typically a really good deal, 10 pours for $10 with at least one or two of the wine being a highly-rated wine. At this tasting there were a couple of standout wines, some I just didn't care for but overall a great way to get back into official tasting mode. Below are the wines in order poured and my notes from the tasting:

Husch 2008 "Mendocino" Sauvignon Blanc: Not a bad little wine but far from my favorite Sauvignon Blanc. Nice nose, hints of lemon and grapefruit and touch of "green" on the nose. I found the taste a little bitter (reminded me a little bit of citrus rind on the finish) but it may have been that the wine was too cold at the time of the pour. Crisp and light, didn't speak to me.

Buehler 2008 "Russian River" Chardonnay: Clear, tinted yellow. Light, citrusy with a touch of apricot on the nose. Not a bad chardonnay, round and slightly creamy, definitely malolactic fermentation happening but not OVERLY manipulated.

Chehalem 2008 "Willamette Valley" 3 Vineyard Pinot Gris: Very light in color, hints of lemon, tangerine, and I swear honeysuckle on the nose. Finish has a hint of spice with is quite good.

O'Reilly's 2008 "Oregon" Pinot Noir: Good Pinot Noir at a good price. Garnet, nice legs. Chocolate, strawberry, and a touch of raspberry on the nose. Good body, nice acid/fruit blend supported by soft tannins for a surprisingly long finish.

Nick Goldschmidt 2007 "Marlborough" Boulder Bank Pinot Noir: Pretty good Pinot, darker in color than the O'Reilly with hints of roasted meat on the nose in addition to the nice mix of blue and red fruits. Good mouthfeel, vyer soft tannins, medium finish. Between the two I'd take the O'Reilly though.

Cermeno 2007 "Toro" Tinto de Toro: In case you don't know, "Tinto de Toro" is another name for Tempranillo. Lovley color. Dried fruits and a touch of spice and cedar on the nose. Rich, slightly spicy on the tongue. Good acid, sfot tannins, medium finish.

Bored Doe 2006 "South Africa": Read the name again slowly... "Bored Doe"... Bordeaux! This from the people who bring us "Goats Do Roam" (can you figure that one out? * smile*), this is a classic Bordeaux blend of Cabernet Sauvigonon, Merlot, Malbec, Cabernet Franc, and Petit Verdot. Deep, dark color. Nice nose of dark fruits, hints of violets and cedar. Nicely priced wine, made me want to fire up the grill and make some big juicy burgers to go with it.

Lake Sonoma 2006 "Alexander Valley" Cabernet Sauvignon: Here the tasting really beings to hit some excellent offerings. Deep rich red, lovely blend of red and black fruits with some licorice, cedar, and cocoa. Full bodied, solid (but not harsh) tannins with balanced acid make this a well-priced wine that can age a while if you want.I found the finish a little short but an overall excellent experience.

Gran Cermeno 2006 "Toro" Crianza: Wow, nice! Blackberries, vanilla, hints of cedar. Medium/full bodied, find blend of promised fruits, acid, and tannins for a long finish. Rated a 90 by Tanzer, grab up some at the great price of $11.95 a bottle!

WCP Cellars 2005 "Paso Robles" Cripple Creek Vineyard Zinfandel: This is the one that came home with us. Nice jammy fruits, spicy peppers and I swear hints of spearmint (hubby mentioned that too so I don't think it just a faulty nose). Medium/full bodied, fine fruit and acid with just enough tannins to make the mouth feel spicy and tingly.

Number of wines reviewed in 2010: 14