Friday evenings from 5 to 6:30pm are busy at Enotria. They had a 5 dollar tasting last Friday focused on wines from New Zealand and Australia. All four wines were of better quality than the previous six whites I’d tried at the Tuesday night tasting.
1. Alpha Domus Viognier 2005 Hawkes Bay, NZ
2. The Crossings Pinot Noir 2006 Marlborough, NZ
3. Nevis Bluff Pinot Noir 2002 Gibbston, Central Otago, NZ
4. Penfolds ‘St. Henri’ Shiraz 2002 South Australia
The Viognier was made in a dry style with some acid and a significant oak component. This is a serious Viognier, not like the tropical ones being made for Trader Joe’s. Peach and other floral notes. Almost a little bitter which I didn’t expect. 13% alcohol. $20. The 2006 Pinot Noir was a bright wine with cherry, sour cherry in the mouth with a slightly glycerin texture. I expected it to be higher in alcohol but it was only 13.5% as well. $14. The 2002 Pinot Noir was smoky strawberry with more sour cherry and a plummy taste. $25. The last and the best was the Penfolds ‘St. Henri’ Shiraz. This wine is five years old, but it has the eucalyptus, herbal notes I associate with good quality Northern Rhone wines. It is made in a fruitier style than Northern Rhone. $42.50. All four wines were lower in cost compared to their equivalents in other countries. For instance I would expect the older Pinot to be 20 dollars more if it came from Oregon and the Shiraz as well.
Filed under: wine tasting |
A Summer picnic 
Hi !
I am quite interested in what you write because it allows me, who is involved in wine export, to better understand the feelings of someone who drinks wine, especially when this person is a lady.
So I have one question. About the 2002 Pinot Noir, you say that “you expected it to higher in alcohol” which was ONLY 13.5%. I am really interested in understanding your feeling about alcohol content : do you prefer a high level of it and why ? do you think that alcohol is adding a value to the taste ? do you think that a wine with a lower lever is less good ?
Lionel
this is a very late reply, but my comment meant that the wine felt like it had a high amount of alcohol. i generally prefer low alcohol wine.