Cork'd: A cool wine community!

If you haven't checked out Cork'd, you owe it to yourself to take a look. It's a free forum, like a blog site, for rating and sharing your wine experiences. It's got a simple search that helps you find wines, then share your opinions with other members.

As a user friendly site, it still has some basic bugs. The rudimentary search features make for a frustrating experience if you are looking for a particular wine. You may find 5 or 10 variations for the same wine because reviews are exact match solutions. For example, I found 7 versions of Pinot Evil reviews, all for the same wine, but labeled differently by reviewers.

As a community, it's a lot of fun. There are some real characters contributing to the wine reviews, and you may get a lot of advice. I'm not a fan of the two-sentence review. I prefer to read more about someone's experience with the wine to see if we have compatible tastes. I don't get much help from reviews like "buttery, oak, floral..." Cork'd has a good mix of both types of reviewers, though, so I may start to learn how short tasting notes can help.

Give Cork'd a whirl and add me to your list of Drinking Buddies...

Four Puppies: a Very Friendly Wine

On my last trip to Northern California, I literally stumbled upon The Wine Room in Kenwood. I started visiting tasting rooms early that morning, so stumbling was the best I could accomplish. At any rate, The Wine Room is a retail tasting room that fronts for several wineries, among them The Friendly Dog Winery. As we know, I'm a sucker for a good label and have eight dogs of my own, so I knew I would be going home with some Friendly Dog wine.

Currently, there are 5 bottles that pay homage to various famous dogs at the winery. You can select favorites like "Bingo," "Barney I" or "Barney II." I tasted all of the wines during my visit to The Wine Room, but remember very little of those tastings. It was very early, remember, and I had not enjoyed lunch, yet. I do recall leaving with a few bottles, though, because I liked the labels and noticed them again when I sobered up.

I heartily recommend Four Puppies, and not just for the cute label. It's called a "Muttage" to magnify the "cute" factor, but it is really a Bordeaux blended with Sangiovese. I'm sure that I enjoyed this wine at The Wine Room since I bought two bottles, but I really enjoyed the wine yesterday with friends. We are all of the "cute label, let's buy the wine" persuasion, so everyone got a kick out of the 4 Sheppard puppies on the bottle. We also enjoyed the full fruity flavor of this medium bodied red. It's got a big bouquet and pleased everyone's nose. One friend found it dry, but I don't agree. It's very mellow and slippery on the tongue. It's a Bordeaux, so it was a young wine and didn't have the dryness that I associate with Cabernets. It paired very well with the blue cheese burgers we enjoyed, as well as the spicy appetizers. I nibbled on Irish cheddar for my first glass, then filled my cup for my "burger course."

I recommend finding a "Forever Home" for these puppies and rescue a bottle or two for yourself. It's a very friendly wine that pleases.

Rodney Strong Pinot Noir vs. La Crema

The wine list at Bobby's in Vero Beach for service by the glass is limited but terrific. I started at the bar with a glass of La Crema's Pinot Noir. The wine satisfies. It's wonderful. Smooth and silky on the tongue. Wonderful berry flavors with no single element overpowering another essence. Excellent aromas fill the glass, and so does the wine. Bobby's bartenders pour right to the top of a generous glass. You get a very good value for your $9.

When I noticed the Rodney Strong as one of only a very few reds available by the glass, I wondered how would the RS Pinot compare to the more famous La Crema. The results: Run, do not walk, to your nearest wine shop and buy two or three bottles of the Rodney Strong.

Anytime I can enjoy a Russian River Valley Pinot, I jump at the chance, and the Rodney Strong RRV Pinot holds its own against much more expensive wines. It's absolutely wonderful. For just $15 a bottle, enjoy it as often as you can. It's a medium bodied red with full berry and soft vanilla essence. Very supple on the tongue without a hint of bitterness. It earned an 87 from The Wine Enthusiast in April 2007, and deserves your attention. Smooth throughout the glass. Now, I have to get a bottle, maybe several, for some empty spots in my wine fridge!

Barking Mad lives up to its label...

As a kid, I read comic books, so I'm very sensitive to cover art. Sometimes the comic inside lived up to its flashy cover, but sometimes not. It's the same way with wine. I'm a sucker for a great label, but often disappointed with the beverage beneath.

In this case, Reilly's Barking Mad Shiraz lives up to its label. It's a bit fierce and fiery and not for everyone. The description promises blackberry, plum, and peppery flavors and spicy oak tones. You'll lose the fruit for the pepper and other spices. On first blush, this barking dog has a big bite. You smell the pepper and a tinge of heat before drinking. Slosh this Shiraz around in your mouth to get the full effect, and you may have a tough time swallowing. It's got some spice, and there's a genuine sense of pepper on your tongue and nose.

I can't recommend this Shiraz as a friendly wine to sip with friends. I should have paid more attention to the label's description. Barking Mad expects to be served with food. Herbed lamb is offered as a suggestion, indicating that it's got a full body to stand up to bold food flavors. Unfortunately, I paired it with mixed nuts and Miami Vice, so it was a bit overpowering to me. I look forward to trying Barking Mad with spicy or bold meat dishes to see how this howler handles itself with real food. Give it a whirl if you like spicy Shiraz, but have a different bottle on hand for your less adventurous guests. Website lists it at $15, but I've seen it for $9-$11 at local wine shops, ABC, and Total Wine

See no Pinot Evil

I've read frequently in The Wall Street Journal of the glut of French wine literally being fed to farm animals or washed down drains because of over production, so I was optimistic about Pinot Evil, a Pinot Noir from France, that I found at World Market for about $6 a bottle. I admit, I bought into the hype that some great French wines were finding their way to the US for a pittance.

Unfortunately, Pinot Evil wasn't very good, though it improves with time. If you have enough time to drink a few glasses of it, the taste doesn't matter so much. I can't judge the nose because I drank two glasses while cooking. The scent of the lobster risotto was a bit strong, so I didn't get the full bouquet of Pinot Evil. By the time I had a glass and an ample helping of fresh air, I noticed only the flat-ish flavor. For a Pinot Noir, Pinot Evil lacked taste. It was a bit dry, more like a Cabernet, and didn't fill my palate with flavor.

Letting Pinot Evil breathe didn't improve its nose or flavor. This wine fell flat on my palate and my memory. Though it has a cute label and is affordable, there are other much better wines for $6-$9 for a budget evening! Total Wine and World Market find no shortage of affordable reds for your table. Just close your eyes to Pinot Evil and enjoy something new.

Hiaer 12 Bottle Wine Cellar - for your table or counter.

I didn't drink any wine this weekend, so I thought that I would review a wine fridge that I received as a gift for my birthday.

As a rule, I don't store wine as a collector. I'm much more interested in consuming than collecting and I want my wine to be ready to drink. So, the idea of a wine fridge always appealed, but the sticker shock kept me from buying anything.

Within the past two years it seems, small counter top wine cellars have become more affordable. My Dad shipped the Haier 12 bottle wine cellar to me for my birthday, and I like it so far. (Enjoying wine gives everyone around you wonderful new gift ideas!)

The product description bills it as a table top or counter top cellar. At 22 inches deep, it takes a special counter or very large table to support this fridge. It may fit a granite counter on some oversized "kitchen island" in a McMansion, but mine stays on the floor in our dining room, though it will be moving to my office soon. At just 18 inches high, it should fit nicely under my new desk and not cause a commotion.

I don’t know if the cellar has an effect on my electricity bill, but I don’t really care. It seems efficient and the Haier makes no noise at all. I don’t hear it even sitting at the dining room table in a quite room. Truly ultra quite.

Prices vary, but Walmart.com has it listed for $84.88 with free shipping to the closest store. You may also find it in stock at most locations. My local Wal*Mart has several models on the shelves. At under $100, the Haier is a bargain.

Don’t buy the hype that it’s good for reds and whites. I haven’t played with the temperature control, but if the temp is good for whites, it’s too cold for reds. If you use it for both, as I do, remember to let the reds stand out for a while before uncorking. Most people drink reds to warm and whites too cool, but one temp does not fit all.

Twelve bottles works well for me. My wife doesn’t enjoy wine, and I’m reluctant to practice polishing off entire bottles myself, so having storage for 12 at a time is great. Any more would be too big for us. Consider that if you make a purchase. I’ve seen cellars up to 24 bottles at Wal*Mart and Target for very reasonable prices.

All in all, a great little wine fridge, and an even better addition to my new office. I’m sure we’ll find a way to break it in after hours!

Chateau St. Jean

Chateau St. Jean continues to impress. They have become my favorite vineyard for their wide range of consistently outstanding wines at very modest prices. Their vineyard and winery offers more than just a touristy tour and tasting. The mansion that houses their twin tasting rooms offers visitors a range of wonderful foods, wines, and accessories. Make the trip if you are in Sonoma. http://www.chateaustjean.com/stjean/visit/map.jsp

Chateau St. Jean helped me appreciate Cabernets again. I don't have a palate for the traditional dry Cabs, so I haven't enjoyed most steak house wine lists. I tasted the Cinq Cepages a few months ago, which inspired me to experiment again with the Cabernet. The Cinq Cepages blends so many flavors, and it surprised me to actually taste a range of tones: fruits, herbs, oak, etc. It's a real treat for a special occasion because it's a bit pricey. Locally in Central Florida, I've found the Cinq Cepages for $68-$72 per bottle.

If you haven't enjoyed Chateau St. Jean, yet, don't let the price of the premium wines fool you. This winery produces wonderful wines at every price point.

The base Chardonnay is rich and buttery and very mellow for $9-$10 at Total Wine and ABC Fine Wines. I've spotted it at Sam's and Costco occasionally, too. If you like the burgundy style full Chards, you'll enjoy the range of those wines at Chateau St. Jean. It's my "go-to" housewarming gift if I know the owners enjoy white wines. A genuine throw-back to rich and buttery Chards.

My absolute favorite at Chateau St. Jean remains their wonderful 2005 Pinot Noir, Sonoma County. It tastes much bigger than a $15 wine should, and I always keep two or three bottles in my wine rack. Great fruit tones. The 2005 Pinot gave me my first experience noticing the different textures of wines on my tongue. Great mouth feel and finish. I've enjoyed it with Asian and Latin foods. I'm tempted to cook with it, but there never seems to be any left over from the dining table to find its way into the kitchen.

Rodney Strong vineyard and the Merlot

I've always been fascinated with the travel brochures for Northern California making statements like "in the heart of Silicon Valley" because Silicon Valley is all about the head. It's the brain trust of America's high-tech incubators, technology companies, web development, and other cerebral pursuits.

On a business trip to this most techo-centric locale, I couldn't resist making a detour to the real "heart" of Northern California, the wine country. In just 18 hours, I visited more than 25 vineyards or tasting rooms and sampled more than 50 wines. Truly rampant oenophelia!

I stumbled across the Rodney Strong Vineyard because it shares a parking lot with J Vineyards, and I wanted to taste wine at J. Unfortunately, J does wine and food pairings for the jet set, and I didn't see the need to pay $20 for three puff-pastries and a splash of three wines. The Rampant Oenophile tries always to be frugal with his own purse!

Instead, I found Rodney Strong with a $5 tasting menu, waived if you buy a bottle. Visit their site at http://www.rodneystrong.com/ for a full list of their impressive wines.

I love their Zinfandel and Pinot Noirs, and generous tasting samples at the vineyard. You can find many of the Rodney Strong wines locally now that Florida has relaxed its silly import laws.

Last night, I ordered a bottle of their Merlot at The French Quarter, a Vero Beach eatery known for a well stocked wine bar and exceptional food. The Merlot was a bit pricey at $29 at The French Quarter, but not available at the local wine store.

Overall, I thought the Merlot was okay, but I wouldn't order it in a restaurant again. It had great legs, a bold color, but didn't satisfy at restaurant prices. As a $10 Merlot, I might have a different opinion, but I guess that I had higher expectations at nearly $30. The Merlot just didn't hold up at that price.

It's not a full or complex wine. It has a simple flavor, rather dull, with few noticeable fruits or flavors. It paired adequately with the appetizers, salad, and sword fish, but didn't provide enhancement to the flavors of anything. Given a choice, I'll probably opt for a Rodney Strong Zin or Cab at my next outing to The French Quarter and leave the Merlot for a wine store buy.

Rampant Oenophile

Oenophiles derives from the latin "enjoys too much wine," and The Rampant Oenophile provides a forum for us to share our impressions of all things wine-y.

I am just building a collection of wines that I can drink, not that I would store for investment, so depend on hearing stories, warts and all, of the new wines I encouter. Hopefully, we can share stories, recommendations, special finds, and favorite links to enjoy the venerable draught of "the most noble and challenging of fruits."*

* Malcolm Dunn, Head Gardener to the Seventh Viscount Powerscourt, c 1867, quoted in 'Phylloxera' by Christy Campbell.