Monthly Archives: June 2010

Review: Hennessy Black Cognac

Posted on June 30, 2010 by Christopher Null| 11 Comments

First let’s cover the color: Hennessy Black, a spinoff of standard Hennessy cognac designed as a cocktail ingredient, is not black. It’s a dark gold color, much like any cognac you’re likely to encounter.

A blend of up to 45 eaux-de-vie, Hennessy Black is aged five years and dropped into a wholly opaque bottle designed to evoke the night.

The palate of this cognac is, to put it bluntly, rough. It has that back-of-the-throat bite that reminds me of young armagnac, though there is more fruit on the front of the palate. Fortunately, the sweeter notes that are there has good flavor, with citrus and perfumed cedar moderate in the mix.

But Hennessy Black suffers from its youth. The wood notes are rustic and have a turpentine character that really mars the finish. Not overly sweet like many young cognacs, it suffers from being too far on the other side of the fence. Stick with standard Hennessy.

UPDATE: At the behest of fellow drinks writer Camper English, I tried Hennessy Black with Coke, and it does indeed make for a better mixer than a straight spirit. The Coke is particularly effective at masking Black’s rougher flavors, and its sweetness is more prominent in the mix. That said, I shudder for the hangover young club-goers will have after a night of drinking these…

80 proof.

C- / $40 / hennessyblack.com

Hennessy Black Review: Hennessy Black Cognac

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Posted in Brandy, Cognac, Rated C-, Reviews

Top Picks from Pinot Days 2010

Posted on June 30, 2010 by Christopher Null| Leave a comment

Tasting through a smaller selection of wines at the trade portion of this year’s Pinot Days event in San Francisco, the printed matter on what Pinot Noir wines was being offered was scarce (OK, there was none), but the wines were plentiful. Here’s a selection of what I considered to be the best wines being poured, with a few notes.

Best of Pinot Days 2010 – Tasting Notes

2007 Chamisal Pinot Noir Edna Valley Pinot Noir – tight now, but with a good balance

2008 August West Graham Family Vineyard Pinot Noir – lovely, with dark fruit notes

2008 August West Rosella’s Vineyard Pinot Noir – much like the Graham

2008 Merry Edwards Olivet Lane Pinot Noir – closed, but with rich undertones

2008 Sequana Sundawg Ridge Green Valley Pinot Noir – all three of these surprisingly similar, solid expressions

2008 Sequana Dutton Ranch Green Valley Pinot Noir

2008 Sequana Sarmento Vineyard Santa Lucia Pinot Noir

2008 Le Cadeau Rocheux Pinot Noir – best of this winery’s four expressions

2008 Rusack Santa Barbara County Pinot Noir – very fresh, one of my favorites of the event

2006 Fort Ross Symposium Pinot Noir – great expression of this grape, better than the reserve bottlings

2007 Domaine Chandon Pinot Noir – very easygoing and smooth

2008 Sojourn Cellars Sangiacomo Pinot Noir – deep and rich

2008 Sojourn Cellars Gap’s Crown Pinot Noir – even bigger, perhaps my top wine today

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Posted in Reviews, Wine

Review: 2007 Spring Valley Vineyard Uriah Walla Walla Valley Red Wine

Posted on June 30, 2010 by Christopher Null| Leave a comment

Intense to the point of bursting with dark chocolate, nuts, and over-ripe raspberries, this is Washington state winemaking at its best. You might think Cabernet, but the lack of any real tannin is a giveaway that this blend has none. The mix: 60% Merlot, 28% Cabernet Franc, 6% Petit Verdot, and 6% Malbec. Silky and lush, the old-timey man on the bottle (an ancestor of the winemakers, named, you guessed it, Uriah) may have you figuring you’re in for a dusty and hoary encounter. Not so. Uriah is a smooth operator that you’ll want to savor.

A / $50 / springvalleyvineyard.com

2007 Spring Valley Vyd Uriah Walla Walla Valley Red Wine Review: 2007 Spring Valley Vineyard Uriah Walla Walla Valley Red Wine

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Posted in Rated A, Reviews, Wine

Six European Rose Wines For Summer

Posted on June 29, 2010 by Christopher Null| Leave a comment

hb rose Six European Rose Wines For SummerWe’ve already given you the lowdown on summer whites. Now let’s look at summer pinks — rose wines from all over Europe, ready for savoring while the kids try to drown each other in the pool. Did we mention cheap? No? OK, we’ll mention it now!

All six of these wines come courtesy of importer Frederick Wildman.

France / 2009 Hecht & Bannier Languedoc Rose / $12 / A- / bigger than most, with a distinct strawberry character, tart and full bodied (pictured)

France / 2009 Jaboulet Parallele 45 “P45″ Rose / $12 / A- / fruity but leaner, with crisp acidity

France / 2009 Pascal Jolivet Altitude Rose / $16 / B+ / Pinot Noir-based, quite tart, with a bigger body

Spain / 2009 El Coto Rosado / $10 / B / quite harmless and easygoing, much like El Coto Bianco

Italy / 2009 La Scolca Rosa Chiara / $16 / B+ / made from Cortese grapes; has strong perfume notes and a jammy, blueberry finish; intriguing but odd; available only in NY and NJ

Italy / 2009 Santi Rose “Infinito” / $11 / B / not much to it, with strawberries up front and a little perfume on the finish

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Posted in Rated A-, Rated B, Rated B+, Reviews, Wine

Review: Ilegal Mezcal

Posted on June 28, 2010 by Christopher Null| 6 Comments

Puritans, be advised: Two Ls or three, Ilegal Mezcal is certainly legal, although the rustic labels and wax-sealed cork stoppers may make you think otherwise.

This small batch mezcal from the Oaxaca region of Mexico is hand numbered and produced in very small lots (typically under 2,000 bottles per lot). All 100 percent agave, of course, and all three are 80 proof. All three bottles reviewed below are part of lot #1.

Ilegal Mezcal Joven – Far less smoky than most mezcals, this is a smooth and velvety mezcal that could easily pass for a slightly brash tequila. Zesty with huge agave character up front, then a tangy lemon and citrus finish. The body is moderate and a touch hot, but it’s refined and easygoing. If you like your mezcal on the smoky side, I expect this won’t strike your fancy. Most of you will love the hell out of it. A- / $55

Ilegal Mezcal Reposado – After 4 to 5 months in new oak, Ilegal takes on a whole new character, buttery in the body and showing more smoke, with a butterscotch, creme brulee-like tone to it. Actually too sweet by quite a bit, I appreciate the attempt to balance savory smoke with sweet candy, but it comes off as a bit wild and unbalanced. B+ / $70

Ilegal Mezcal Anejo (pictured) – Spends a full year in oak, and the characteristics of the Reposado are amped up even further. More smoke, and more sweetness. Almost bacon-like with the blend of sweet and savory. This has a bit more balance but its richness is almost too decadent. A very powerful and unique mezcal, and pricy. B+ / $100

ilegalmezcal.com

ilegal mezcal Review: Ilegal Mezcal

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Posted in Mezcal, Rated A-, Rated B+, Reviews, Tequila

Tasting Report: Madeira Wine 2010

Posted on June 28, 2010 by Christopher Null| Leave a comment

To call Madeira poorly understood would be charitable. This truly ancient fortified wine from an eponymous island off the coast of (and part of) Portugal dates back to the 1400s and comes in infinite varieties. Sadly, the only one most drinkers are likely to have ever encountered is the cheap bottle carried by the local grocery store, rarely used for anything more than the occasional recipe.

Madeira grew to popularity after it was fortified and shipped to the New World during the 1500s, the heat and motion from the journey transforming a rough beverage into something different and special. Though modern Madeira is no longer shipped around the world, it is still kept warm during the aging process (called estufagem) in order to simulate the voyage.

Very little Madeira is single-vintage in origin, and even those wines with a year on the label may not be entirely from that vintage. Legally, only 85% of the grapes in a bottle have to come from that year’s harvest. Instead, you’ll find a wide variety of places, production styles, and other descriptors cluttering up the typical Madeira label.

The taste of Madeira is difficult to describe, something of a bastard child of Port and Sherry, featuring as many variations as those two wines comprise. Quality is even more wildly variable, as my tasting notes from a recent gathering of Madeira producers will surely indicate. (Grab that 1922 D’Oliveira if you can, a mere $460 a bottle!)

Tasting Report – Madeira Wine 2010

NV Blandy’s Sercial 10 Years Old / C+ / a bit skunky

1968 Blandy’s Vintage Bual / B / unthrilling

1997 Cossart Gordon Harvest Bual / B- / unripe

NV Henriques & Henriques Finest Full Rich 5 Years Old / C+ / thick, angry

NV Henriques & Henriques 10 Years Old Malmsey / B+ / richer, with more fruit and nutmeg

NV Henriques & Henriques 15 Years Old Boal / B- / over sweet to the point of cloying

NV Broadbent Fine Rich 5 Years Old / A- / Port-like with a bright sweetness, best young Madeira of the tasting

NV Broadbent Malmsey 10 Years Old / B+ / too tart, minerally and powerful

1998 Justinos Madeira Fine Rich Colheita / A- / quite lovely, with a good body and a raisiny fruitiness

1969 D’Oliveira Reserve Sercial / C- / odd, golden color, wholly off in tone

1988 D’Oliveira Harvest Terrantez / C

1973 D’Oliveira Reserve Verdelho / B+ / better balance

1989 D’Oliveira Harvest Malmsey / B+ / still fruity and lush

1968 D’Oliveira Reserve Boal / B+ / solid flavor, deep gold color

1922 D’Oliveira Reserve Boal / A / best Madeira of event (and almost 90 years old); amazingly rich, huge, silky sweet body

NV Barbeito Historic Series Sercial Charleston Special Reserve / B

1988 Barbeito Sercial Fraqueira / B- / rough hewn

NV Barbeito VB Reserve Lote 2 Casks 12d & 46a / A / blend of 2 regions, well balanced and special

2001 Barbeito Boal Casks 48 & 84 / A- / very Port like, despite gold color

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Posted in Port & Sherry, Reviews, Wine

Review: Samuel Adams Pint Glass

Posted on June 26, 2010 by Christopher Null| 1 Comment

There are nearly as many types of beer glasses out there as there are wine glasses. A few years back Samuel Adams created this custom glass — designed specifically for its Boston Lager — and unlike any other beer glass in my collection.

sam adams beer glass 230x300 Review: Samuel Adams Pint GlassI’ll let the company explain: “The brewers worked with a team of world-renowned sensory experts to develop a glass that would enhance the tasting experience of Boston Lager, similar to the way different wine glasses are designed to enhance the flavor of wines.   The glass features the turbulator, which is a bead on the inside rim, this creates turbulence as you sip the beer, releasing the aroma.  It has a laser etched nucleation site at the bottom that creates bubbles to maintain flavor release. Bubbles come up from the bottom, similar to a champagne glass.”

I tried it out (with some Pliny the Elder) and agree that it really is a great glass. It has weight, unlike some delicate crystal glassware, which feels like it will break apart in your hand and which doesn’t keep your beer cold enough. The outward turned lip makes it easy to drink from. And — bonus — it fits easily in the dishwasher at the end of the night.

At $30 for four glasses (cheaper if you shop around), it’s also a great deal.

A / $30 for 4 / samueladams.com

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Posted in Barware, Beer, Rated A, Reviews

Review: Whipahol Whipped Lightning

Posted on June 25, 2010 by Christopher Null| 1 Comment

Sadly we don’t have a category for this: Alcohol-infused, flavored whipped cream.

That crazy conjecture is what Whipahol’s Whipped Lightning is: Flavored cream (and it is cream, not non-dairy topping), injected with alcohol and compressed air to fluff it up. It’s available in nine flavors, none of which is “whipped cream.”

That’s because you need flavoring to cover up the heavy, heavy alcohol character here. 36.5 proof doesn’t sound like much, but for some reason in whipped form it’s overbearing. Dip a tiny tip of a spoon into Whipped Lightning to taste it and you’re likely to grimace from the alcoholic burn.

The idea of course is that you spray this stuff atop your Bailey’s or chocolate-flavored novelty shot (or, who knows, take it to the beach for betting purposes), making the drink’s presentation all the better while spiking the alcohol content further. Utimately it’s more for show than for anything it adds to the flavor of a cocktail.

Mileage varies considerably for each flavor. Of the six versions I tried, Spiced Vanilla was the easiest to handle, while Tropical Passion was probably my least favorite of the bunch. To be sure, all the varieties are relatively muted, flavor-wise. In all forms, alcohol is the primary characteristic, and any flavoring agent takes a backseat. A chemical aftertaste is relatively common, which I suspect is due mainly to the alcohol and the propellant.

I’m not giving this one a rating; the idea is too wacky and unique for me to even fathom one. It’s certainly something worth having around if you’re really out-there with your mixology (refrigeration is not required nor even recommended). Only the brave need apply.

$10 per 375ml can / whippedlightning.com

Tropical Passion whipped lightning Review: Whipahol Whipped Lightning

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Posted in Garnishes, Mixers, Reviews

Dom Perignon’s Latest Champagnes, Courtesy Winemaker Richard Geoffrey

Posted on June 25, 2010 by Christopher Null| Leave a comment

Few brands enjoy the status that Dom Perignon has — and has had, literally for centuries. I had the good fortune to meet the Champagne house’s Chef de Cave Richard Geoffrey, who flew in to San Francisco to give us a guided tour of his latest releases — cracking open a few thousand dollars worth of bubbly on a weekday afternoon to remind me why Dom has the reputation for which it’s renowned. It’s a hard life, but someone has to do it.

Prices are current and estimated — they vary wildly.

Dom Perignon New Release Tasting Report

2002 Dom Perignon Vintage Champagne / $150 / A / A huge nose on this one that fades into a floral and light body. There’s a touch of yeast on the nose, but inhale deep and you’ll get a whiff of the sea — brine and iodine, a little saltiness in the finish. Gorgeous. 52% Chardonnay, 48% Pinot Noir.

1996 Dom Perignon Vintage Champagne / $250-plus / A / Hard to find now, Geoffrey brought this to compare with the 1996 Oenotheque (more on that in a minute). Considered a tough vintage, Dom has done wonders with it, unveiling a fuller-bodied Champagne with more sweetness and less earthiness. Big on fruit, this is drinking wonderfully now. Bottled in 2003. 55% Chardonnay, 45% Pinot Noir.

1996 Dom Perignon Oenotheque Champagne / $349 / B+ / The Oenotheque line is a curiosity: It’s the same wine as the 1996 Vintage Champagne, but it’s been sitting on the lees for 7 extra years, bottled in 2010 instead of 2003. Sitting on the yeast for that much extra time gives this wine a harder edge, and I think it’s not nearly as fresh as the Vintage ’96. Geoffrey calls this “re-release” wine “truer to Dom Perignon’s spirit”, with a woodsy, smoky note and some sharpness on the tongue. I prefer the Vintage version by a mile, but I may be in the minority on this one. (Geoffrey also says he has more 1996 in the caves and he plans a third release of this wine in maybe another 20 years. Bring your wallet.)

2000 Dom Perignon Rose Vintage Champagne / $349 / B+ / Don’t be surprised by the color: The pink Dom is the least sweet wine of the bunch, with the most effervescence of the group. 52% Pinot Noir and 48% Chardonnay, I found this wine to have the least amount of character in the group, though perfectly drinkable and, as with any Rose, much more fun to look at.

domperignon.com

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Posted in Rated A, Rated B+, Reviews, Wine

Tequila: It’s What’s For Dinner?

Posted on June 25, 2010 by Christopher Null| 2 Comments

Try this experiment: Next time you have a fine meal in front of you, open up a bottle of tequila and see how well it goes with dinner.

I had the chance to do this, courtesy of an event put on at San Francisco’s Jardiniere restaurant, thrown by Partida Tequila and Folio Fine Wine Partners, which is run by winemaker Michael Mondavi.

The idea: Pair a wonderful dinner with both Mondavi’s best wines and the full lineup of Partida, and let diners decide what they want to drink with each course.

It’s a curious experiment, and one which garnered considerable discussion — plus a lengthy post about the event from San Francisco restaurant critic Michael Bauer.

Check out Bauer’s missive and you’ll see him enthusing about the idea of pairing tequila with your meal: Sweetbreads and anejo Partida are “made in heaven,” in his book. Bauer even says the wines were upstaged by the tequila’s “novelty.”

Perhaps that part about the novelty factor is true, but for my money, the wines unilaterally made a better pairing with every dish, with the exception of dessert: Bauer is right on there, noting that the Partida Elegante (a smooth extra anejo tequila) was a perfect match with traditional Mexican desserts that included flan and a mini churro with Mexican hot chocolate. Mondavi’s Moscato was a distant second in that race.

But with dinner, I found myself turning time and time again to the Isabel Mondavi Chardonnay with a scallop appetizer and both Cabernets poured — Emblem and M by Michael Mondavi — with the hearty pork main dish. Tequila just wasn’t a fit with the savory stuff, and, more to the point, it was just far too strong, overpowering the delicate nature of the food. There’s also the simple issue of the function of a beverage: Having something to help “wash down” your food. A nice gulp of wine is fine — perfect, even — to help that pork belly go down. Try the same thing with tequila and you’ll kill yourself.

Either way it’s still an interesting experiment to try on your own. Set up a rich meal with a bottle of wine and a quality reposado tequila (probably the most versatile of the tequila expressions when it comes to food pairings), and see where things go. Some, like Bauer, may find themselves drifting toward Mexico’s finest. But I suspect most will end the night with empty wine glasses while the tequila goes largely ignored.

Folio Wine Event 2 Tequila: Its Whats For Dinner?

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Posted in Tequila, Wine