2010 Chapoutier Bila Haut Red

Cotes du Roussillon, France
Syrah, Grenache and Carignan Blend
92 Points

I know from my past posts, you must be thinking, "where oh where are the Cotes du Roussillon? As fortune would have it, I have a map for you!

This wine is the Maverick to Top Gun's Wine World, out of the relatively unknown (at least in local circles) Hills of Roussillon. This area is a place with many identities. It is very close to the borders of Spain and Andorra. The people are French, like their countrymen, but they are also Basque, like many Spanish.

Beloved by some, cast out by others, this region of "France" produces many solid wines that are equal, if not superior to their eastern neighbors of the Rhone Valley. In this case, we are talking about the "big 3" of the area: Grenache, Syrah and Carignan.

Now when I first tried this wine a few months ago, I learned that this wine is (A) Big and (B) Needs to breathe.

Having these instructions, a little bit of patience can go a lllloooonnnnng way. For the first 40 minutes after opening this bottle, the wine is very closed off. The nose muted as well as the flavors on the palate. After 40 minutes? (Let's say 40 minutes and 23 seconds), this wine explodes with flavors of blackberries, beef roast, bacon and pepper with an intensity that doesn't finish slowly.

Pair this wine up with game meats, steak, pork or just a glass.


It is amazing that a wine from the Cotes du Roussillon can have this kind of power! It takes conventional, snooty wines of its cousins and/or naysayers, goes into a 4G negative (inverted)dive and gives them the bird, and then takes a Polaroid. And it does all this under the price point of $15. I can't describe anymore; I could tell you, but then I'd have to kill you.

Apparently I'm not the only person that thinks highly of this wine. Robert Parker HIMSELF gave this wine a ratings range of 92-94 Points and Wine Spectator thought so much of it that they ranked it in their prestigious "Top 100" list!

Bila-Haut, you can be my wing-man any time!

2010 Bethel Heights Gewurztraminer

Eola-Amity Hills (West Salem), Oregon --Winery
Fruit sourced from the Rogue Valley (see map)
89 Points

This is my ultimate turkey wine. When I think Thanksgiving, I like Dry Riesling, I like Pinot Noir and I like Petite Sirah; but if it's available, I go for Gewurztraminer, or Gewurtz (GA-vurtz for short) every time.

This wine in particular has a great fruity-spicy nose of nutmeg, lychee blood orange, and pears. To me, on the palate, all I can think of is apple sauce being put on the table, next to the stuffing and the turkey. This wine is well balanced and ready to take on a variety of foods besides Turkey, such as Asian cuisine, Indian Cuisine, Foie Gras, Goose, Lobster, Salmon, Shrimp, and for me and this very moment... orginal Doritos!

I must show my bias in that Gewurztraminer is one of my favorite wines. It is an atypical white wine in that you think that it is a very sweet wine, but it is just a high fruit wine. It has great fruit and amazing acidity, which, in my opinion, makes it a superior wine to your everyday Chardonnays and Pinot Grigios.

I highly recommend this wine and know you will fall in love with it as much as I have!

2010 Bodegas Borsao "Tres Picos" Grenache

Campo de Borja, Spain
100% Grenache
90 Points

Before we start, here is where Campo de Borja is:

Tres Picos is the ultimate value wine for those of you out there that don't want to blow a wad of cash on high end Zinfandels or Uber-expensive Chateauneuf du Papes. It has great spice to it with heavy ripe cherry and blackberry flavors that just don't quit!

When I want a medium to full bodied wine for the night, this is one of my go-to selections. It has body, it has depth and complexity of flavor and most importantly, it is under $15.

Get it. Now.

2008 Maysara "Asha" Pinot Noir

McMinnville AVA
Oregon
Price: $39.99
Rating 94 Points

I have written a lot on visiting the Maysara winery on this blog already, so I should put my money where my mouth is and actually review some wines. Where better to start?

This first review is dedicated to Maysara's reserve wine, called "Asha."

There are many ways to explain Asha. It's definition takes on many forms. So many, that it cannot be translated into a single word, but to give you an idea, you can think of it as a "true statement."

This wine is a little closed off at first, meaning the aromas are left to be desired, but after about 45 minutes of having the bottle open, the aromas let loose and are powerful. Cherries and flowers lead the way with a hint of cedar-box. This makes for a great setup to taste.

Unctuous fruit overflows out of the glass and onto your palate. I mean, this is big for a Pinot Noir and it is absolutely delicious, having great balance, good acidity and subtle power. Overall, this wine is a "true statement" of how delicious Oregon Pinot can be.

Highly Recommended