15 QPR wines tasted lately

[Bucko]

2006 Barossa Vines (Grant Burge), Chardonnay, Barossa, Australia, $15, 3,000 cases: You’ll find a mélange of aromas and flavors – melons, peaches, kiwi fruit and a hint of butter. Medium-bodied, creamy and nicely balanced, the wine has a fruity finish; 87/90.

2006 Chateau St. Jean, Chardonnay, Sonoma County, Calif., $14: Here’s a nicely priced wine that really delivers. The nose reveals pears, citrus and smoke, but the palate shows less obvious oak than the nose portends. Medium bodied, creamy and well balanced; 86/89.

2005 Crow Canyon, Chardonnay, California, $7: Straw gold with peach and smoke nuances on the nose. Crisp, balanced and fruity, this quaffer far outstrips its competition. Buy a case for those big parties; 84/88.

2006 De Loach, Chardonnay, Russian River Valley, Calif., $16, 30,000 cases: Here’s a dandy value chard from De Loach. Oak is only a bit player here, letting the pears, green apples and lemons shine through. Bright acidity makes this a terrific food wine – think lemon chicken; 87/90.

2005 Chateau de la Greffiere, Macon-La Roche-Vineuse Blanc, “Sous le Bois,” France, $14: Apples, pears and smoke highlight the nose, but the oak seems to disappear on the palate. You’ll find a lean, crisp wine that is food and price friendly; 86/88.

2005 Domaine des Aubuisieres, Cuvee de Silex, Vouvray, France, $18: Fig aromas are upfront, with citrus peel and baked peach nuances. Brisk acidity adds character to the wine. Long and flavorful, this is a nice vouvray at an affordable price; 88/90.

2006 Domaine la Bastide, Viognier, Vin de Pays d’Hauterive, France, $14: Sporting a brass hue, the wine does not have a classic Viognier nose, but you’ll find white peach and citrus rind nuances. Lean and crisp, this one begs for shellfish; 85/87.

2006 Domaine des Cassanoles, Vin de Pays des Cotes de Gasgogne, France, $9: This straw-gold wine smells and tastes exactly like a sauvignon blanc, but the grapes making up the blend are Ugni Blanc, Colombard and Petite Manseng. Crisp and food friendly, the wine is a good value; 85/88.

2004 Mourchon, Cotes du Rhone Villages Seguret, Grande Reserve, France, $18: This is a serious Cotes du Rhone and a terrific value. The wine is packed with blackberry and currant aromas and flavors, with traces of earth and garrigue. Buy by the case; 89/90.

2005 Borgianni, Chianti D.O.C.G., Italy, $13, 10,000 cases: Bright red fruit and wormwood accents carry from nose to palate. Tannins are obvious but ripe. This is a good-value quaffer for your next plate of spaghetti; 85/87.

2006 Kyra, Chenin Blanc, Columbia Valley, Wash., $12: Green fig and grapefruit zest scents greet the nose. Off-dry, crisp and fruity, this is a refreshing quaffer at a fair price; 86/87.

2007 Zolo, Torrontes, Mendoza, Argentina, $10: This is very similar to Muscat on the palate and a nice change of pace. Crisp, dry and fruity, at a killer price; 87/90.

2006 Cooper Hill (by Cooper Mountain), Pinot Noir, Willamette Valley, Ore., $16: Who says Oregon does not make any drinkable inexpensive pinots? Here’s a fun wine to drink at an affordable price. Straightforward, fruity and fun to drink for the black cherry and vanilla highlights; 85/88.

2006 De Loach, Pinot Noir, California, $12, 16,800 cases: Defined by red cherries, cranberries and smoky oak, the wine is light and very flavorful for the price class. Excellent value; 84/88.

2005 Barossa Vines (Grant Burge), Shiraz, Barossa, Australia, $15, 15,000 cases imported: The aromas are a pleasant mix of raspberries, red cherries, old leather and smoke. Well balanced, fruity and very crisp – perfect for that backyard barbecue; 86/89.

[Innkeeper]

Thanks Bucko, some great possibilities there.

[TheEngineer]

Great timing! that it being thanks giving this weekend.... [img]http://wines.com/ubb/smile.gif[/img] the CDN one.

[TheEngineer]

Found the De Loaches today at the NH shop at the MA/NH boarder and a nice price too. thanks again.

[Bucko]

That's SRP -- what did you find it for, ten bucks?

[Innkeeper]

Which NH shop did you find it in? The state doesn't even have it on their statewide inventory.

http://www.nh.gov/liquor/index.shtml

[TheEngineer]

It was the one off of I93. All De Loaches were $10.99.