It is Impossible to Keep Up; But Here Are Some Tasting Notes from the Last Two Weeks

Alfred Gratien Brut Classique NV (Epernay)
(Similar to Krug, cellar master Jean Pierre Jaeger ferments the wines in wooden casks. This cuvee is 45% Chardonnay, 45% Pinot Meunier, and 10% Pinot Noir) It has a nice biscuity, mineral nose with a fine persistent mousse. The nose is expressive with great apple, lime citrus, and stone fruit aromas. On the palate there are more red cherry and berry notes wrapped up in an electric citrus and mineral frame. This would work well as an aperitif or with shellfish. Electric bubbles! 91 Points

Anne Amie Cuvee Amrita 2006
(A blend of Pinot Blanc, Riesling, and Muller Thurgau from the Willamette Valley) If I didn’t know better, I’d say someone at Anne Amie knows what Pinot Blanc, Riesling and Muller Thurgau are supposed to taste and smell like. That’s pretty unlike an American winery. It is easy to identify each varietal; however they work together in this absolutely charming cuvee almost seamlessly. It has a yeasty, floral aroma similar to an Alsace Pinot Blanc, red apple aromas and soft melon flavors (like some German Muller Thurgau) and ripe peach, apricot aromas and flavors similar to an American Pac NW Riesling. There are about 10 grams of residual sugar that keep the wine soft and pleasant, while the Riesling provides enough acidity to keep the flavors buoyant. If you ever wanted to know what Liebfraumilch should taste like (but definitely does not), you should try this wine. Easy does it, this is a gulper. 87 Points

Mirabile Viognier 2005 (Sicily)
(This is fermented ½ in stainless steel and ½ in oak) A nice light golden color with incredibly enticing aromas of jasmine, peach, and apricot. The palate is quite light, considering that it comes from Sicily, and has a credible amount of lithe acidity as well. This is quite nice, if you are looking for a Viognier a bit on the lighter side. 88 Points

Lambert Bridge Zinfandel 2003 (Sonoma)
Displays a ruddy red/brown color that is pretty unappealing in such a young wine. It has lush aromas of brown sugar, briary blackberry and coffee. It is very soft, lacks great structure, but is not bad. Decent. 83 Points

Pretty Sally Shiraz 2004 (Victoria)
(20 months in French and American Oak) The 2004 Pretty Sally Shiraz has a deep, dark purple color with a very ripe and rich nose of allspice, cinnamon, and baked plum with hints of walnuts and blackberries. It is almost liqueur-like in aroma. Incredibly soft on the palate with rich flavors of raspberry preserves, but not syrupy. It is incredibly supple and delicious. This would be a magical winter warmer and should work quite well with Moroccan cuisine. 91 Points

Mount Langhi Blue Label Shiraz (Victoria) 2000
(from 80 year old vines) Very mature aromas of briary blackberry, earth, plum, berry, and spice. It holds together quite well, and it is impressive to have an Australian Shiraz taste so well after seven years. Good stuff. 87 Points

Sonnenmulde Eiswein (Burgenland) 2003
(made from Samling or Scheurebe) This displays a nice honeyed orange color with rich aromas of peach, apricot, and honey. Yet it is not overtly cloying on the palate (strange amount of acidity for a Scheurebe) with yellow raisin and yellow plum fruit on the palate. Not a bad deal at all for under $30. 90 Points