Cavit Pinot Grigio '07

Country: Italy

Thoughts: From time to time, we do break out a review of some of the larger bottles that my wife (or others) drink; two long-ago examples are the Beringer and Redwood Creek. My wife is a pretty avid Cavit drinker, but even she found this a little disappointing. I can't say I disagreed. The smell, I texted to myself (hey, my logbook is buried in an unknown box somewhere) was "questionable" - something wasn't right. The taste wasn't great either; I'd love to tell you more about it, but there really isn't anything to tell. Everything was muted and really had no flavor whatsoever. Unlike the Kenwood, this had been in the real fridge for some time. Still, even with that knowledge, I was hoping for something more - the hint of something not dulled by the coldness, the promise of something exciting if it were kept at the right temp. I did not find it.

Do-over? Both other larger bottles would be better choices

Final Grade: C-

Kenwood Chardonnay '06

Country: USA

Region: California

Thoughts: This wasn't my pick to bust out of the wine fridge; but that's OK. My wife, rather unwittingly, chose another 2006 chardonnay from California. But not to worry; I've got to get through them all, no matter the varietal, vintage or location. (You can see the review of the first one, La Crema, just below - or here if you're browsing through the archives.) This one held its own vs. the first, except for one key area: the nose. I mean, I realize I had just finished grilling and there was a chance, however slight, that my nose was still distracted by the steaks and the wonderful seasoning on them. But my wife conferred that the nose was hiding, nowhere to be found. (And this had only recently transferred to the main fridge, so a too-cold serving temp was not an excuse.) The taste held up well; more vibrant than the former with a bit of mineral to it as well. It should be noted, however, that I can be imperceptible to certain tastes; I know this and admit my own shortcoming. The finish was above average and it seemed to be a pretty decent wine - but the lack of any sort of smell was a huge disappointment.

Do-over? Debatable, since I'm drinking wine for the entire experience

Final Grade: C+

La Crema Chardonnay '06

Country: USA
Region: California
Thoughts: The bottle sat unused in the wine fridge for some time - I hope it didn't feel neglected. Truth is, I'd been meaning to try it, but I just hadn't found the right opportunity. Monday evening proved the right opportunity - despite some initial hesitancy. I haven't always had the best luck with California chardonnays; I suppose I should give them a break, since my judgment was clouded by this disaster. I tell you that to tell you this: The bouquet was moderately fruity, with more than a hint of butter. "Oh no," I thought, "not again." But the wine ended up working out well; the taste was a diverse fruitiness and the only hint of butter was in the finish; thankfully, it was diminished. In all, it was a smooth drink that - slowly and surely - is helping me realize that not all chardonnays taste like one of my dinner rolls.
Do-over? At the right price; a very middle-of-the-road selection
Final Grade: B

Kendall-Jackson Sauvignon Blanc Vintner's Reserve '06

Country: USA
Region: California
Thoughts: We try to make it a point to stay away from the megawineries, just because there's so much available; why would one accept a Coors Light if a Red Hook were available at a comparable price? That's not meant to compare Kendall-Jackson to Coors Light; this K-J isn't bad, while I detest Coors Light (you know, that whole sex in a canoe thing). The wine isn't what I'd expect from a sauvignon blanc; then again, most of my recent SBs haven't been either. The bouquet was fruity with no hint of grassiness of Hankiness; the first sip - my first of the day, so perhaps an influencing factor - was quite an adventure. It went from subdued (not unexpected, since it spent the night in the fridge) to lively to a somewhat-harsh dryness. It recovered nicely, and subsequent tastes mellowed considerably. I found it to be a thoroughly drinkable wine, one that could certainly be enjoyed over the course of an evening. Will it send you into hysterics trying to find another bottle? Of course not, but that's not why you get a K-J in the first place. It does its job; that's all one can ask.
Do-over? I see no reason not to
Final Grade: B

Chateau de la Tour de L'Ange Bourgogne Chardonnay '07

Country: France
Thoughts: Anyway, on with it... I believe this was described to us as a white burgundy when my brother-in-law, Mark, and I sampled this at a stop off at Total Wine; it was either that or white bordeaux, and I've been having trouble remembering all weekend. At any rate, this wasn't much like the other chardonnays I've sampled; this was much more fruity and lively. The nose was citrusy, almost like you'd expect with a pinot grigio - light and, to a degree, tropical. The taste was much the same. It was more like a pinot grigio (and, in fact, better than some I've had) than anything else. The one thing that distinguished it was that it wasn't over the top in fruitiness; the lack of a fruity tsunami was welcome.
Do-over? Definitely, especially since it was a good bargain
Final Grade: B+
-- EDIT to add a better pic before recycling day; text reflects the change.

Luna di Luna '06

Country: Italy
Thoughts: Longtime readers know I've had a fair amount of success with blends in the past. So with my wife's recommendation, I picked up a LdL not long ago, a 70-30 mix of chardonnay and pinot grigio. The weighted presence of the chardonnay came through immediately in the nose; I can't tell you exactly what it was, but that scent was readily apparent. On the tongue, the taste was light and fluffy; probably more toward the sweeter end of what I would enjoy drinking. Despite my description, the finish featured a fair amount of pizazz. It wasn't quite to the level of La Barone - then again, I've yet to find a wine that is - but it was surprising nonetheless. Then again, maybe such a pairing of grapes would leave a finish that is of no surprise to veteran tasters.
Ingredients: 70 percent chardonnay, 30 percent pinot grigio
Do-over? Certainly; my wife's recommendation held up
Final Grade: A-

King Estate Pinot Gris '06

Country: USA
Region: Oregon
Thoughts: The King Estate wine had long been on my radar; I've seen it in several places where we shop for wine - Costco and Total Wine, mainly. Since my wife is from Oregon, I'd thought it would be worth a try on multiple occasions. And, to a degree, it was. The nose (and the taste as well) had a distinct mustiness to it, almost like you'd find in a scotch. That's not necessarily a bad smell; I'd just rather get it when I'm about to drink a glass of Glenlivet. Some fruitiness came through the nose, but it was a clear second fiddle to that alcohol-y smell. The taste was to my liking. There was a bit of fruitiness to it as well, but I found it to be understated and really lacking anything beyond what first hit my taste buds. So yeah, it was good enough. But it's hard to say it was anything above good.
Do-over? Eh, perhaps
Final Grade: B-

MacMurray Pinot Gris '05

Country: USA
Region: California
Thoughts: I'll refer a bit to the wine below; but hey, I put these in the order that I taste them - most recent first - so I am sorry if it requires a bit of backtracking to understand what I'm talking about. The nose on the MacMurray was only slightly (and I mean slightly) less fruity than the Black Mountain below. But this one did a far better job of delivering. The taste had much more to it; the dryness was a prominent player but remained in a supporting role. In the front was fruitiness, though picking out just what was there seemed well nigh impossible (of course, I could simply be out of practice; all of this moving in cuts down on wine tasting time). But I can assure you it was there. All in all, it rolled around the tongue nicely and hit the right spots, but I'm certain I'd want a little more fruitiness from my white pinots. Just a personal preference - but then again, this whole exercise is about personal preferences, ain't it?
Do-over? Not when there are wines better suited to my taste
Final Grade: C+

Black Mountain Vineyard Pinot Grigio '07

Country: USA
Region: Napa
Thoughts: A gorgeous label and my wife says you can't beat the price. Sadly, however, you can beat the taste: The nose was wonderfully fruity - tropical almost - and very vibrant. I anticipated the first sip and... well, it fell flat. My tongue seemed overrun by tannins; all of the fruitiness promised by the bouquet didn't come through when wine his taste bud. The whole experience was rather subdued, really. I should note that I took a sip from this after it had been open for a few days; it occurred to me as I was tasting that it may well have been too cold also. Perhaps a bit of warmth would have opened up some of the expected notes. So I will say I'd be willing to give this one a second go, despite its subpar performance in the first round.
Do-over? If only to get a more complete picture of the wine
Final Grade: C-