A good Chianti is a real pleasure.  It's so easy to drink; the light texture slides down the throat and.  But good Chianti at a reasonable price is the exception, and a lot of Chianti is either bitter or else just plain weak.  

Aziano is not Rufffino's high end Chianti, but it's dependably good, with the kind of soft flavors that make good foods taste even better.  I was a little surprised that the '97 was so good; Chianti is not generally considered a long-aging vino.  But this tasted fine.  A delicious accompaniment to Norma's split-pea soup.

This is a great wine wine at a great price.  Wholefoods is really starting to stand out in my mind for just that.  I love the Rhone, and all its imitators from California to South Africa to Australia.  This is a fun bottle with bold peppery spiciness and a pungent flavor of raspberries.  Worth looking for.

Again, I exaggerate...  but here's a rip on wine snobbery that might as well have been written about me.  Everything this guy says has come out of my mouth.  I've also met this girl, and she wasn't impressed by me either.  Hope you enjoy:

http://www.theonion.com/onion3837/point-counterpoint_wines.html

Rodney Strong, 1997 Merlot, Alexander Valley, Sonoma, CA.  Recommendation: Drink  I've reviewed this wine before (March 9, 2002) and that bottle was also supplied by Aaron.  This time it was a birthday gift, and a very welcome one.  I already had another Merlot open, but quickly put it aside in favor of this one.  The 97 is only getting better, and I want to reemphasize the praise I gave it back in March.  A great example of just how great a Merlot can be.

Abacela, 1999 Merlot, Umpqua Valley, Oregon.  $17  Recommendation: Don't Drink  Here's the bottle I pushed aside.  This is one of two non-Pinot Noirs in the mixed case I brought back from Oregon (the other one is a Pinot Gris).  I've never heard of an Oregon Merlot, and now I know why.  $17 for something this tart and harsh!  It made a great marinade for the lamb chops, and was descent to sip on...  but nothing to brag about.

Back so soon?  (see Oct. 4 review)  Yeah, I was so impressed with this humble Crianza that I had to grab another bottle.  Back in my days at the wine company I got in the habit (probably a bad habit) of stowing a bottle of wine along on business trips.  It can actually be pretty nice to relax in a hotel room, sip a little red and watch HBO.  It's cheaper than drinking in the lobby bar...  that's for damn sure.  

This time I was hanging out in the Posada Royale in Simi Valley, on a visit to our Moorpark office.  I only got through half the bottle while watching Proof of Life with Russell Crowe and Meg Ryan.  Not a bad flick, but it had been a long day and I was due to give a presentation the next morning.

Bridgeview "Blue Moon", 2000 Pinot Noir, Oregon.  $14.  Recommendation: Drink  This is probably the best so far of the ten Oregon Pinot Noirs I brought home (although it may be a toss up between this and Van Duzer).  A great Pinot with all the depth of color, flavor and texture you could possibly ask for in a $14 bottle.  Very nice.  Looking at the Bridgeview web site, I'm very interested in their many offerings.  They are making a lot of exotic stuff up there, including Gewurtz, Pinot Gris, Late Harvest Riesling, and even a Muller Thurgau.  But how to get it into Texas?  Sing with me...  Breaking the law, breaking the law.

Tudal, 1998 Zinfandel, Napa, California.  $22.  Recommendation: Drink  Another fabulous wine from Tudal.  Cory's father stumbled across this family winery on a trip to Napa several years back and now Cory's a dedicated fan as well.  I would be if I could afford the luxury.  They make great wine.  Cory recently obtained a mixed case, and I committed to buying three bottles off of him.  Even that much is going to hurt.  

Now, I'm hesitant to say this...  because it's a bold statement to make...  but this is the best Zinfandel I've ever tasted.  There!  I've said it, and I can't take it back.  I mean it.  I can't remember any other Zin making this kind of impression on me.  Rich, rich spice and lush dry fruit flavors.  Serious tones of dark earth and clay.  It dug a groove down the middle of my tongue.  Drinking a Zin like this is not a good idea, unless you can afford to do it all the time (I can't).  This is my new yard stick, against which Zinfandel must be measured.  I'm sure this is what I'll be thinking of the next time I have a lesser Zin.  

For a momentary departure from the recent string of Oregon wines, a visit to Washington state, their neighbor to the north.  I've always had a lot of respect for Washington wines, but Columbia Crest has been a little too generic...  sort of a Kendall Jackson of the Pacific Northwest.  However, their new Grand Estate line is really something worth checking out.  This was quite a Cab under ten bucks.  The wine had a great texture and a slight hint of cola flavor on the tongue (Julie didn't taste it, and says I'm crazy).  Not quite a Best Bottle, but very close.

Well, ok, maybe my reviews aren't as influential as The Wine Spectator or Robert Parker, but I'm really starting to get some responses from the industry, completely unsolicited.  Here's the run down:

• Some months back I received an email from someone at the Tudal Winery in Napa.  While they appreciated my glowing reviews of both Tractor Shed Red and their Napa Cab, they apparently took exception to my description of the founder as a "wealthy eccentric" in my Jan. 8, 2002 review.  So be it...
• That's nothing compared to the tongue-lashing I took for my Aug. 16, 2002 description of the Stone Wolf label as "cheesy".  Linda, the self described "Stone Wolf den mother", proceeded to give me a lesson in branding, consumer buying habits and market dynamics that would have made any MBA professor smile.  I must admit, the label would certainly stand out on a crowded shelf, and it's even starting to grow on me.  My thanks to Linda for setting me straight.  She did, of course, appreciate the positive review.
• Finally, and best of all, there's the email I received from a gentleman in Alabama who imports South American wine.  He brings many Argentine labels into the U.S. under the name Bodegas De Mendoza.  In my May 14, 2002 review of his Alta Vista Malbec I said it was "killer...  Merlot smooth with Cabernet bite" and named it a Best Bottle.  Now he wants to send me some other wines to try and review.  Am I interested?  You bet!  Here's a guy who has really caught the spirit of Jacob's Wine Page (see rule #2, at top).

So there you have it.  Actual email from actual wine professionals.  I didn't send these people links.  They're out there, everyday, taking active stewardship of their brands.  And boom! they find themselves face to face with my ranting and raving.  How cool is that?  Attention wine industry...  keep those emails coming!

I'm the first to admit, I don't know much about Spanish wines.  In most stores you find Rioja (nothing wrong with that) and sometimes you run into swill labeled "sangria", and that's about it.  Now I know the Spanish make (and consume) a lot a lot of wine, but here in the U.S. we see very little variety.  That's why I'm always eager to snatch up a bottle like this and give it a try.

Condesa de Longanza comes from La Mancha (there's a little drawing of Don Quixote on the back!)  A very mature four year old Tempranillo with more depth and dusky-cedar flavor than I've found in some Rioja Reservas at twice the price.  Julie points out that the clean, uncluttered flavor makes this a great "starter" red wine for someone looking to move beyond the kiddie stuff.  A serious wine, and a serious deal under $8.  That's why I'm calling it a Best Bottle, and why I'll be looking for more unknown Spanish wines in the future.