Wine Review: 2008 Chateau Recougne Bordeaux Sauvignon

Varietal: Sauvignon Blanc Wine: Bordeaux Sauvignon Label: Chateau Recougne Region: Bordeaux, France Year: 2008 Date Tasted: Nov. 2009 Notes: This bright wine is part of France's attempt to price itself back into the wine market. It is of medium body, with tastes of grapefruit, shrimp, and almond. While of only moderate complexity, it is not easily pushed around, which allows pairing with an exciting range of foods. We enjoyed this wine with Clam Tetrazini, and it fared nicely against both the seafood oils and the onions in that pasta dish. Although very young wines often benefit from a little mellowing, this wine uses the sharp flavor beautifully. Particularly given the $11 price tag on this bottle, raise a glass.

#23 - Malbec

Varietal: Malbec
Wine: Rosé Malbec Shiraz (50% Malbec, 50% Shiraz)
Label: Finca Finchman "Aberdeen Angus"
Region: Argentina
Year: 2006
Date Tasted: Spring 2008
Notes: I will update this entry with another Malbec if we sample it without another varietal mixed in, but it did wonders in this blend, mellowing the shiraz's sharpness without lightening the robustness, and making a fine pork companion.

We paired this wine with the classic Pennsylvania pork baked under sauerkraut and apples. A dry nose with a slight sweetness to the finish, the just-light-of-medium body wine carried notes of cranberry, blueberry, and nutmeg. The only detractor was a light alcohol bite, which should settle nicely with another year or two of aging.

UPDATE 9/30/10 - Review of a 100% Malbec here.

#22 - Vidal Blanc

Varietal: Vidal Blanc
Wine: Chère Marie
Label: Breaux Vineyards
Region: Virginia
Year: 2006
Date Tasted: 2008?
Notes: We gave this bottle to a friend to introduce her gently to wine via a semi-sweet. She was kind enough to share - thanks, Tif. Only later did I check and verify that this was a new varietal for us.

#21 - Viognier

Varietal: Viognier
Wine: Viognier
Label: Breaux Vineyards?
Region: Virginia
Year: ?
Date Tasted: 2006?
Notes: I will work on getting a better entry here, but this bold white was introduced to us over dinner by Rev. David C. (one benefit of attending a Presbyterian church where the pastor had spent several years in Europe!).

#20 - Zinfandel

Varietal: Zinfandel
Wine: White Zinfandel
Label: (Need to check - it was cheap)
Region: California
Year: 2004?
Date Tasted: 2005?
Notes: Probably the first wine we ever bought together, because a family member who needed some cooking wine had religious scruples against actually purchasing some. A glass later, and Zin was checked off the list, while white zin would await an actually good bottle (thank you, Dagney!) before it would be tried again.

#19 - Tempranillo

Varietal: Tempranillo
Wine: Tempranillo
Label: Catroviejo
Region: Rioja, Spain
Year: 2006
Date Tasted: Nov. 2009
Notes: A more perfect Thanksgiving turkey-and-stuffing wine I do not know - lighter bodied than the heavy reds, but lacking none of their boldness of flavor.

Beautiful fruit overtones, especially cranberry and cherry. Starts with a veritable trumpet note that glides over the sweet section of the tongue, before revealing itself dry but not biting midway across the mouth. Finishes smoothly and very satisfyingly. At under $15 a bottle, this is a can't miss wine.

#18 - Carménère

Varietal: Carménère
Wine: Carmenère
Label: Alma de Chile Riserva
Region: Chile
Year: 2006?
Date Tasted: July 2009
Notes: Amazingly peppery wine - it lets itself be known, but still good with e.g. chocolate. If you can get your hands on a bottle, do.

#17 - Cabernet Sauvignon

Varietal: Cabernet Sauvignon
Wine: Sweet Katherine
Label: Elk Run Vineyards
Region: Maryland
Year: 2007
Date Tasted: 2008?
Notes: Cab purists will probably have a heart attack over this, but Elk Run produces a full bodied sweet wine from this grape by stopping fermentation early. Created initially by accident but now continued intentionally, the Sweet Katherine is a rather nice way to finish off a heavier meal which might otherwise overpower leaner dessert wines.

#16 - Gewürztraminer

Varietal: Gewürztraminer
Wine: Gewürztraminer
Label: Elk Run Vineyard
Region: Maryland
Year: 2006
Date Tasted: 2008?
Notes:

#15 - Cabernet Franc

Varietal: Cabernet Franc
Wine: Cabernet Franc
Label: Elk Run Vineyards
Region: Maryland
Year: 2005
Date Tasted: 2008?
Notes:

#14 - Pinot Noir

Varietal: Pinot Noir
Wine: Pinot Noir
Label: Elk Run Vineyards
Region: Maryland
Year: 2005
Date Tasted: 2008?
Notes: Thank you, David H!

#13 - Concord

Varietal: Concord
Wine: Cream White Concord
Label: Manischewitz
Region: "American"
Year:
Date Tasted: 2007?
Notes: Perhaps not a favorite of wine snobs, this kosher selection is actually not quite as wildly sweet as most of Manischewitz's offerings.  That said, it will still hold its own with chocolate cake.

#12 - Muscat Blanc

Varietal: Muscat Blanc
Wine: Gelber Muskateller
Label: Strauss
Region: Steiermark, Austria
Year: 2005
Date Tasted: Dec. 2007
Notes: Review here.

#11 - Prosecco

Varietal: Prosecco
Wine: Vino Frizzante
Label: Coutine Riouda? (my Italian is poor - this could mean "Fragile - handle with care" for all I know, but these words appear about where I would expect the vintner's name)
Region: Italy
Year:
Date Tasted: 2007?
Notes:

#10 - Reisling

Varietal: Riesling
Wine: Riesling
Label: Schmitt Sohne
Region: Germany
Year: 2005
Date Tasted: Nov. 2007?
Notes:

#9 - Chardonnay

Varietal: Chardonnay
Wine: Chardonnay
Label: Thierry & Guy Fat bastard
Region: France
Year: 2006
Date Tasted: 2008?
Notes:

#8 - Viura

Varietal: Viura
Wine: Viura White
Label: Cortijo III
Region: Rioja, Spain
Year: 2004
Date Tasted: 2007?
Notes: This complex white is one of my favorite wines ever. Unfortunately, I don't seem to have taken notes on it, and so a review will have to wait.

#7 - Garganega

Varietal: Garganega
Wine: Soave
Label: La Cappuccina
Region: Verona, Italy
Year: 2006
Date Tasted: May 2009?
Notes:

#6 - Pinot Gris / Pinot Grigio

Varietal: Pinot Gris
Wine: Pinot Grigio
Label: Ecco Domani
Region: Italy
Year: 2005
Date Tasted: 2007?
Notes:

#5 - Sauvignon Blanc

Varietal: Sauvignon Blanc
Wine: Sauvignon Blanc
Label: Anakena
Region: Rapel Valley, Chile
Year: 2005
Date Tasted: 2008?
Notes:

#4 - Pinotage

Varietal: Pinotage
Wine: Pinotage
Label: Golden Kaan
Region: South Africa
Year: 2003
Date Tasted: May 2007
Notes: Review Here

The first thing to notice about the wine is the bottle (which was actually why I noticed it among the hundreds of other bottles on the shelves). The green glass/red wine black with little decoration or front labeling other than the golden African continent is bold but somewhat minimalist, an effect that pleases me.

The wine itself is

... (posted before I opened this blog)

#3 - Sangiovese

Varietal: Sangiovese
Wine: Chianti
Label: Da Vinci Riserva
Region: Italy
Year: 2003
Date Tasted: 2008?
Notes:

#2 - Shiraz

Varietal: Shiraz
Wine: Shiraz
Label: Beaulieu Vineyard Coastal Estates Private Cellars
Region: California
Year: 2002
Date Tasted: 2005?
Notes:

#1 - Merlot

Ed. Note - The first set of entries here will not be in strict chronological order, as while we have records of the wines tasted, we do not have notes as to when each imbibing occurred.

Varietal: Merlot
Wine: Merlot
Label: Breaux Vineyard
Region: Virginia
Year: 2002
Date Tasted: 2007?
Notes: