A Solid 8 Dollar Red

Posted on November 15, 2023 by George Heritier

“There’s nothing flashy here, and it won’t make you say ‘Wow.’ It just does what it’s supposed to, delivering an honest, food friendly glass of wine…”

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It’s not so easy to find a good red wine for $8 these days, but that’s exactly what I happened upon during my last visit to our friendly neighborhood Costco a few days ago. Like the last two selections reviewed in these pages (here and here), this is another one of those “off-the-beaten-path” wines from one of the last bastions of Malbec in France, Cahors. Comprised mostly of said Malbec, with a good dollop of Merlot to boot, this will serve in much the same way as a good Bordeaux, in that it plays well with a variety of red meat dishes, especially those that are beef-centric. Continue reading →

Make Mine Minervois

Posted on November 7, 2023 by George Heritier

“I’m always game for another good Minervois,
and this is very good Minervois indeed.”

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Minervois isn’t exactly a household name, even in the world of wine. As I said in my last report, “It’s off-the-beaten-path wines and wineries like this that keep my interest and add excitement these days,” and Minervois is certainly off the beaten path. Located in the western Languedoc region of France, Minervois is known for producing red and rosé wines, derived mainly from Grenache, Syrah, Mourvèdre and Carignane.

My appreciation for Minervois began with Chateau d’Oupia, going back to at least their 1995 bottling. I loved a certain black olive component that characterized successive vintages, and we went through a lot of the stuff. It’s been a while since I’ve had anything from this producer, because I just don’t see it around the Detroit market these days. I DID find this one last week on the shelf at Westborn Market in Berkley, and was reminded that I had enjoyed it sometime in the past, but couldn’t place it. A quick search on the old Gang of Pour site took me right to a post from 2009, and it’s clear why I have favorable, if somewhat vague, memories. The wine was very good then, and it’s very good now. Continue reading →

Malbec from Wapisa

Posted on November 1, 2023 by George Heritier

“It’s off-the-beaten-path wines and wineries like this that
keep my interest and add excitement these days…”

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Wapisa” is the indigenous Patagonian word for “whale.” Not only do whales frequent the nearby coast of our vineyards, but a local legend talks of a Wapisa that actually lived on land. Our wines, like the Wapisa, are an expression not just of their soils but of the nearby ocean as well.

My first encounter with the wines of Wapisa was just this past March, when our friendly neighborhood Costco briefly carried both the 2020 Pinot Noir and 2020 Malbec. They sold out fairly quickly, but I have seen both around town for a few bucks a bottle more, and frankly, they are worth the extra money if you should happen upon them.

I found the new vintage of Wapisa Malbec at the same Costco a few weeks ago, and immediately brought one home to try. I liked it so well, I went back a few days later, but the bin was empty. A few days after that, there was what looked like another case available, but that was last Thursday, so I don’t know if there is still any left. Like I said, this stuff sells quickly, and there’s a reason for that. It’s really quite good. Continue reading →

Bargemone

Posted on October 25, 2023 by George Heritier

“Anyone who enjoys dry rosé should keep a few bottles of this on hand…”

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Commanderie de la Bargemone Rosé has long been a favorite of ours, going back to at least 2003. I’ve been meaning to pick one up and review it here since rebooting Tasting Notes from the Underground last January, but a succession of lower priced dry rosés kept popping up, and that’s not a bad thing, since they’ve all been quite good. This one does weigh in at just above my preferred price range ($10-20), but drop one in a 6-pack for the 10% discount at Holiday Market in Royal Oak, and it comes down to $18 and change. This is perfectly acceptable for this delightful libation, and a helluva lot cheaper than our other old favorite, Domaine Tempier Bandol Rosé, which has risen in price to the point where we simply choose not to spend anywhere from $50-60 a bottle for it. (Lately, I’m feeling that way about a lot of the Kermit Lynch catalog. I mean, the wines are damned good, but the prices keep going up, and I buy less and less of them as time goes on. Perhaps that’s a good subject for a future blog entry.)

I finally decided to pick up the current vintage of Bargemone Rosé last week, and I was reminded once again why we have always enjoyed it so much in years past. Continue reading →

Another Beauty from Salento

Posted on October 17, 2023 by George Heritier

“This is a seriously good buy in red wine for this price.”

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My first encounter with the Copertino Riserva was back in 2017. It was arguably the best red on the wine list at our favorite restaurant, the now-defunct Otus Supply in Ferndale. We’d order a bottle every time we dined there, and it was a great match for things like their Wagyu Beef Tartar, Filthy Animal Pizza (pesto, pine nuts and guanciale) and Rigatoni Alla Norcina. We even bought some bottles from their takeout menu to enjoy at home, and the wine never failed to please.

Sadly, Otus Supply has gone the way of all things, but successive vintages of the Copertino are still available. I waxed rhapsodic about the 2012 and 2013 vintages last January, and I was delighted to find the latest vintage last week at Plum Market in West Bloomfield last week, so, of course, I brought some of that home to try, and was not disappointed in the least. Continue reading →

Red Wings and Red Rhônes 2023

Posted on October 12, 2023 by George Heritier

“If you’re looking for some good Red Wings Red Rhône mojo or just a couple of very good red wines to enjoy with dinner, both of these will serve admirably.”

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For me, there’s only one consolation to saying goodbye to another summer, and it’s knowing that hockey season is right around the corner. I’ve been a Detroit Red Wings fan since 1976, so I’ve seen it all, the glory years, and the gorey years. Lately, it’s been more of the latter, but hope springs eternal with every new season, and some supposed pundits think that the Wings might have a real shot at making the playoffs this campaign. Win or lose, I’ll be here, watching them play.

Back in our Gang of Pour days, I had a recurring feature that I called “Red Wings and Red Rhônes.” It started out as something of a joke, the premise being that big, hearty red Rhônes are the perfect choice to sip whilst rooting for the boys with the winged wheel on their jerseys on those cold wintery evenings. Perhaps surprisingly, the “schtick” caught on, and I reported on many selections over the years, not only from southern France, but from anywhere around the world that produced wines composed of red Rhône varietals.

Fast forward to the present, and it occurred to me that it’s high time to reboot Red Wings and Red Rhônes after picking up these two fine bottlings from Holiday Market in Royal Oak a few days ago. They are both perfect to enjoy with tonight’s Red Wings season opener against the New Jersey Devils. Continue reading →

Another Classic Provence Rosé

Posted on October 9, 2023 by George Heritier

“The word that most comes to mind when drinking this is satisfying.”

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Readers may remember how much I liked the 2021 vintage of this wine, and I am happy to report that the ‘22 is just as enjoyable. A few days ago, I ran into the current version stacked four cases high in the wine department of Holiday Market in Royal Oak for a very good price, and I didn’t hesitate to pick one up and drop it into a 6-pack for the 10% discount. Continue reading →

STUDIO Blanc by Miraval

Posted on October 4, 2023 by George Heritier

“…a solid all-around Rhone-styled white, equally suitable
as an aperitif or a dinner wine…”

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I’ve been intrigued by Château Miraval since we first tasted the Miraval Côtes de Provence Rosé in 2013. Back then, perhaps the main point of interest (for Americans, at least) was the involvement of Brad Pitt and Angelina Jolie, but the Château is actually a place dedicated to the arts, including music, cinema, theater, local food and fine wine. The winery component of the sprawling project was and still is a collaboration with the Perrin family, of Château Beaucastel fame. Brad and Angelina split up some years ago (there is an ongoing divorce and legal dispute between the two), but Pitt remains very involved in Château Miraval. We enjoyed several successive vintages of the Miraval Rosé, but until recently, that’s the only bottling we’ve seen.

A few weeks ago, I noticed a something new from Château Miraval at our local Costco, a white of all things, and I finally brought one home a few days ago. Here’re my impressions of what I found in the bottle.
Continue reading →

Bastardo’s Best Buy in White

Posted on September 22, 2023 by George Heritier

“…this just might be a perfect everyday dry white wine.”

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I am much remiss for not reviewing this wine sooner, since I’ve known and enjoyed it for some years; hell, I used to sell it in a previous life in retail. Unfortunately, I’ve been passing it over for the last few months, looking to investigate things that are new to me, but I finally dropped one into a six-pack for the 10% discount at Holiday Market in Royal Oak last week. When I twisted off the screw cap a few nights later, I was reminded again just how good this is, especially for the price.
Continue reading →

Bargain Bordeaux

Posted on September 18, 2023 by George Heritier

“…I can’t think of a better red for under $13 currently available in these parts.”

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This wine takes me back to the days when we were finding good Bordeaux for around $12 or $13 a bottle on a regular basis. Sort of…

Back in the late ‘70s and early ‘80s, we were finding, buying and drinking (often too young) the likes for Château Gloria and Château Beychevelle, and we were paying around the same price that I’m getting this one for. Of course, Gloria and Beychevelle are Left Bank wines, which are generally Cabernet Sauvignon dominant, and much more prestigious properties than Chateau Teyssier Montagne-Saint-Émilion, a Merlot based red from the Right Bank. Still, it’s hard to mistake any of these for anything other than Bordeaux, where red wine is made like nowhere else in the world. Continue reading →