17th Annual Central Carolina Food and Wine Festival
Medallion Center, Columbia, SC.
Tasted Friday, April 1, 2011 by Mike Kopanski with 759 views
Introduction
This is the premier tasting event of the year in Columbia, SC. The Central Carolina Community Foundation is famous for hosting this event, of course all for a charitable cause. Originally a single vendor event, now all vendors are welcome to participate. There is a lively and lucrative silent auction of hundreds of donated bottles. Wines are also for sale at reduced rates this evening. There are at least 20 food booths, with the best of Columbia being showcased. There are several hundred wines available to taste. I was only able to take notes on a couple dozen. Almost everyone in Columbia who knows why a corkscrew exists showed up. I did not bother to try and categorize these wines by table or vendor.
2006 Robert Mondavi Winery Cabernet Sauvignon Reserve 96 Points
USA, California, Napa Valley
This is as good a wine that has ever crossed my lips. From the very start, there is a balanced, focused and intense plethora of fruit and non fruit components. The nose is spectacular. There are violets with graphite minerality. There are ripe herbs, fruit, and some earth. There are layers of flavors, starting with blue and black fruits, continuing to a chocolate and licorice, and then a spicy earthiness. Seamless silky tannins. All this flavor requires some oak, which softens the edges and brings a creamy richness. Everything evolves in the mouth into a rich graphite and blackberry pie finish, with a touch of vanilla.
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2006 Clarendon Hills Grenache Clarendon 89 Points
Australia, South Australia, Fleurieu, Clarendon
One of those Australian wines that makes us want to try more. This is very much a complete wine. On one hand we have some of the typical, earthy, and in this case weedy, old world style characteristics, combined with some super ripe, almost prune like fruit. Very pleasant floral nose. Quite heavy in the mouth. Fruity, but balanced. Spicy with white pepper. Even an herbal hint. Fruit and non fruit components on the finish.
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2008 Joel Gott Cabernet Sauvignon 815 85 Points
USA, California
Hey, we try them all, like most of them, dislike very few. This is nothing special, but really nothing wrong. Might be a bit sweet. Kind of simple. Lots of ripe cherry and blueberry fruit. A very nice touch of cedar, even a little cinnamon. An easy drinking crowd pleaser.
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2009 Pine Ridge Vineyards Pinot Noir Forefront 88 Points
USA, California, Central Coast
Assembled from vineyards in 3 separate and distinct growing regions, it is not hard to imagine the characteristics imparted by each. On the nose I thought Burgundian, a slightly cooler influence from San Luis Obispo. The palate had the type of ripe balance, that almost fells like sweetness, from the warmer Santa Barbara area. Then there is some structure from the Monterrey County grapes. All in all a decent Pinot. Lots of fruit. Smooth in the mouth. Slightly earthy. Nice job.
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2008 Pine Ridge Vineyards Cabernet Sauvignon Forefront 86 Points
USA, California
This one was designed to be soft and easy drinking, and they sort of got it right. A little too much oak for my taste. It starts with vanilla on the nose and continues all the way through the finish. The addition of some Syrah brings some complexity, but the blackberry and cassis fruit is fighting to escape from the wood. They tamed the tannins and almost got everything in balance. Seems unable to show it's real personality at this time. This one may be a candidate for the vinturi, and probably some short term bottle aging would help release some of that fruit,
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2008 Pine Ridge Vineyards Merlot Crimson Creek 86 Points
USA, California, Napa Valley
I did not like this as much as the 2006. Right away the nose was a little on the green side, what I sometimes call stemmy in red Bordeaux. This carried on to the palate, with less lush fruit, and a little more tannin. Still made in a smooth elegant style. They don't attack you with fruit, but bring a balanced approach. Aside from the slight green feeling, we have medium bodied, moderate oaked, nicely integrated wine.
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2008 Renwood Barbera 86 Points
USA, California, Sierra Foothills, Amador County
I love everything from the sierra Foothills, and this is no exception. Sometimes Barbera is simple and one dimensional. The the growing conditions in the Sierra foothills almost don't allow this. The elevation and the soil, help bring us, at least to this vintage a certain rustic nose, almost like fresh dug roots, showing what is to come on the palate. I get mulberry, on the nose and on the palate, the same sharpness we got as kid eating overripe mulberries. Purple color.Not particularly acidic. Might be a touch alcoholic. Medium bodied. Moderate, maybe even light oak. Tasty, but not overpowering.
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2008 Tamás Estates Cabernet Sauvignon 84 Points
USA, California, San Francisco Bay, Livermore Valley
This is your basic grocery store red wine. Nothing wrong here, just nothing special . It has big red fruit that may be a little sweet. It seems a little manipulated. Not particularly acidic. Pretty heavy in the mouth. Soft, smooth and easy drinking. Not much oak. Some red licorice on the finish.
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2009 Sartori di Verona Pinot Grigio Delle Venezie 87 Points
Italy, Delle Venezie
I kind of liked this. A pretty complete Pinot Grigio. Has lots of things going for it. Golden color. A fresh, light bodied, soft and delicate feeling in the mouth. Very balanced. Has lemon, white pear, and a touch of tropical fruit. Nice minerality. I get some almond on the front of the palate. Does not overpower you with acid, even the finish comes out with a slight honeyed sweetness.
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2008 Bodegas San Alejandro Garnacha Calatayud Las Rocas 88 Points
Spain, Aragón, Calatayud
Made in the fruit forward, soft easy to drink style, it hard not to like this wine. It is quite the crowd pleaser around here, and very popular. It is a little on light side for color, and only medium bodied, but stocked full of flavor. They say these vines are grown at a relatively high elevation. It has some of that earthy rusticity we usually expect from Grenache. The dominant fruit is red raspberry. There is some pepper and spice. The best part is the long soft spicy fruity finish.
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2008 Stag's Leap Wine Cellars Chardonnay Karia 91 Points
USA, California, Napa Valley
I think this wine is the result of some inspired wine making. To my palate, they got it real close to right. This wine is on one hand rich and almost creamy, but on the other hand lean and elegant. They carefully stirred the lees to bring some richness, but did not over do it. They did a lot of barrel fermentation, but just enough. They did some malolactic, but only 11%. The result is layers of complexity, and a darn good tasting wine. On the nose I got what I thought was ginger, and it was confirmed on the palate. It is relatively light and medium bodied, but still has great mouth feel. There is lemon, pear, melon, spicy apple, and honey to accompany the ginger. Just the right amount of balancing acid. Honeyed acid and lemon on the finish.
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2009 Red Truck Wines Pinot Noir 85 Points
USA, California
Hey, it has lots of ripe red fruit, doesn't have any flaws, tastes like Pinot, and costs $9. It is not going to win any awards for layers of complexity, but it sure goes good with pizza. Decent fruit, and good clean wine making never go out of style. Surprisingly dark in color. Not too heavy in the mouth. Just adequate acidity. Tasty and smooth, if a little simple.
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2007 Picket Fence Pinot Noir 88 Points
USA, California, Sonoma County, Russian River Valley
Even the value priced guys get one right every once in a while. It may be the 2007 vintage made a star out of everyone, but this one came out pretty good. It is from the Russian River. The color is light, it is only medium bodied at best. What it has going for it, is lots of true Pinot Noir flavor. At first sniff and taste, I got enough gamy, meaty, spicy flavors and aromas to think about giving it the 90 point number. By the end of the glass, it did not quite hold up in the complexity department, but still quite respectable. Plenty of strawberry and bing cherry fruit. Nice balance. Spicy, fruity, and some creamy vanilla on the finish.
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2009 Seaglass Pinot Noir 85 Points
USA, California, Central Coast, Santa Barbara County
Nothing special, nothing wrong. I think we can sense the flavor and aroma profiles we expect from the Santa Barbara Pinot Noirs. It is light, but complete. We get strawberry and cherry. One of those balanced wines that may come across as a little sweet, I don't think it is. Commendable acidity. Everything is working in harmony. Soft on the palate. Pretty quiet on the finish.
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2008 Graffigna Malbec Grand Reserve 88 Points
Argentina, San Juan
This is not your usual every Argentinian Malbec. Made more in the old world style, where the non fruit flavors and aromas are as much a part of the wine as the powerful fruit forward components. Slightly floral on the nose, maybe violets. I get some meaty, and gamy flavors with the dark blueberry fruit. I get some lead pencil on the top of the mouth. Even a little minerality. Really well balanced, the alcohol is especially well integrated, as are the silky tannins. The finish shows some pepper and brown spice. Distinct, and quite a $$ deal.
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2008 Chappellet Cabernet Sauvignon Signature 92 Points
USA, California, Napa Valley
I think it may be possible to discern particular flavor, aroma, and mouth feel characteristics from Pritchart Hill in the same manner we do for say, Stags Leap, or Rutherford. I have not tried enough of these to make definitive conclusions, but I am getting a powdery earth, rocky, and mineral profile that may be unique. Would be fun to do some serious research. The rest of this wine is textbook premium Napa Valley Cabernet. Dark. Full bodied. The small amounts of Bordeaux blending varietals add some texture and flavor. Focused dark fruit with interesting and enhancing non fruit components. Rich. Refined tannins. You get no indication that the alcohol is 14.9%. Ripe finish.
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2003 Campo Viejo Rioja Gran Reserva 91 Points
Spain, La Rioja, Rioja
I think this is their current release, at more than 7 years since harvest. Very nice. Tasted with literally hundreds of wines in a large format tasting, this was the adult in the room. With all that aging, everything is smooth, rounded and sedated. But there is still plenty of civilized, mature red cherry, raspberry and strawberry fruit. There is some underlying brown spice on the nose and palate. Maybe even some dried rose buds. Perfectly refined tannins. Lush and elegant, but still plenty of fruit. The finish just keeps on coming with red licorice, tobacco, wet leaves and red fruit.
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2009 Colores Del Sol Malbec 86 Points
Argentina, Mendoza
This is not your every day Malbec. It is a lot more intense, acidic and probably oaky than your average Malbec. The vineyard has an unusually high altitude. Closer to the sun has increased the intensity and complexity quite a bit. Still has that almost black color. The typical Argentinian Malbec fruit forward profile, gives way to a more civilized, and balanced, almost old world like flavor profile. More than medium bodied. Almost too much acid. Almost too much oak. Not that well integrated, would definitely age a for several years. Looses a little on the finish. Still an unusually concentrated mouth full of wine for the price.
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2008 Domaine Houchart Côtes de Provence Rosé 88 Points
France, Provence, Côtes de Provence
Rose's from Provence are one of my favorite types of wine. Houchart is one of my favorite producers. These grapes were grown to make Rose, and have been for centuries. Even the color is a pretty distinctive salmon. The nose is floral, especially with roses. The palate is relatively light, but there still is a slight creaminess. The soft strawberry and red raspberry fruit is backed up with some mineral acidity. Roses and strawberry on the finish, with maybe some light tannins.
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2009 14 Hands Hot to Trot Red 86 Points
USA, Washington
I thought I caught a touch of sweetness on this wine. At 13.5% alcohol, there probably was a chance for this. The finish was slightly on the syrup side, which gives me some more evidence. Maybe my experience with Washington state wines is lacking. There is plenty of ripe fruit. Almost complex cranberry and strawberry. The long daylight hours, bring us sharp focused fruit. On the soft, medium bodied, easy drinking side. Not all that acidic. Little or no oak influence. The long finish (sweet?) tends toward fruit, not a lot of secondary flavors. Pleasant.
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2009 Villa Mt. Eden Pinot Noir 85 Points
USA, California, Sonoma County, Sonoma Coast
I'm going to call this Burgundian. Which to me means, chalky and a dry. There is more than usual, overlying feeling of earth and other non fruit flavors interfering with the fruit components. I like the nose, quite floral. a little earthy. This is one of those wines that is so balanced, the fruit tastes almost sweet, but I'm sure it is not. Less than medium bodied. Smooth and easy drinking. The fruit is a little shy. Would score higher without some of these off flavors.
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