Boyer's Wine Site

Wine of the week 1/22 – 1/28

John Boyer — Sun, 22 Jan 2012 16:08:06 +0000

The Gaucho Club Torrontes 2009 $8.95
This Torrontes has a very intense nose of lychee, apricot and violets. The balanced acidity with flavors of lychee fruit and peaches linger. Torrontes is a native grape to Argentina that has the nose similar to Gewurztraminer.

Food Pairings: Pairs well with pork, chicken, roasted vegetables, bbq or fruit salad.

Grapes: 100% Torrontes

Region: Cafayate, Argentina

Into Zin 2008 $7.95

This is a crisp, red wine with plum, blackberry and black cherry influences. Its spiciness is just the right amount to balance the fruit, so it isn’t too sweet or too dry. Pairing suggestions include steaks, lamb, hamburgers and chicken marsala.

Grapes: 100% Zinfandel

Region: Lodi, California

Wine of the week 4/25 – 4/30

John Boyer — Tue, 26 Apr 2011 01:12:01 +0000

Famega Vinho Verde $8.95
Refreshing, crisp with a tingly sparkle taste of apple tartness from the cool lucious Vinho Verde DOC region of North Western Portugal. Fâmega Vinho Verde has a delicate citrus flavor like the fragrance of a summer garden.

Pleasant and mellow, this young white wine will be the perfect accompaniment to all kinds of seafood, salads, mild cheeses, as an aperitif, or just by itself.

The alcohol content of Fâmega is 9.5% which makes it the ideal natural, low calorie white wine.

Grapes: Avesso, Azal and Pedernã
Region: Vinho Verde, Portugal

Trentadue Old Patch Red 2009 $11.95
Alexander Valley Estate Zinfandel, Petite Sirah, Carignane and Sangiovese. Nuances of brown sugar, maple and plums are showing with slight dose of oak and vanilla. On the mouth the wine is fresh and juicy with youthful brightness, finishing long and fruity. GOLD MEDAL 2011 SAN FRANCISCO CHRONICLE TASTING.

Grapes: 77% Zinfandel, 11% Petite Sirah, 11% Carignane, and 1% Sangiovese
Region: Sonoma, California

Wine of the week 4/17 – 4/23

John Boyer — Mon, 18 Apr 2011 14:04:42 +0000

Jean Sablenay Touraine Sauvignon Blanc 2009 $9.95
This is an expressive Sauvignon Blanc with delicate floral and citrus notes on the nose. These carry through to the palate which is fresh with vibrant acidity and a long satisfying finish.

Grapes: 100% Sauvignon Blanc
Region: Loire Valley, France

Quinta de Cabriz Colheita Seleccionada Dao 2008 $9.95
90 points Wine Spectator Advance: “A well-structured, muscular red, with a touch of Asian spice to the wild plum and dried raspberry flavors. Beef and mineral notes mark the finish. Distinctive, with a very sauvage allure. Drink now through 2015.” (January 31st, 2011) Composed of indigenous varieties such as Alfrocheiro, Touriga Nacional and Tinta Roriz, this lovely wine has spicy, ripe huckleberry aromas which lead to a palate of very pure, spicy, mineral, and most important of all, balanced, fruit. This is excellent wine for the money.

Grapes: Alfrocheiro, Tinta Roriz and Touriga Nacional
Region: Doa, Portugal

Wine of the week 4/10 – 4/16

John Boyer — Mon, 11 Apr 2011 12:47:03 +0000

Oveja Negra Chardonnay/Viognier 2009 $9.95
A light straw color in color. Rich fruity nose of apricot, banana and green apple with subtle mineral notes. Tropical fruits, apricot and green apple flavors with a medium body and soft, elegant finish. Pair with Thai food, seafood dishes and white sauce pastas

Grapes: 85% Chardonnay – 15% Viognier
Region: Central Valley, Chile

Santa Barbara Winery ZCS 2009 $15.95
In this synergistic blend, the Zinfandel from 50 year old vines lends the jammy fruit quality to the wine, the Carignane adds density and finish, and the Sangiovese shows off cherry aromatics and flavors. Oak aging takes place in neutral puncheons so as not to disturb the full fruit quality of ZCS. This is a very versatile, food friendly wine made to match a wide range of occasions and meals

Grapes: 70% Zinfandel, 21% Carignane, 9% Sangiovese
Region: Santa Barbara, California

Wine of the week 4/3 – 4/9

John Boyer — Mon, 04 Apr 2011 10:25:43 +0000

Thorn Clark Eden Valley Riesling 2009 $9.95
The wine is pale straw in colour. The nose is bright and lifted with lime juice, perfumed floral notes and honeysuckle characters. The palate is crisp, clean with vibrant, zingy lemon zest flavours combined with a hint of lime leaf. There is good mouthfeel, balanced with citrus fruits and natural acidity.

Grapes: 100% Riesling
Region: Barossa, Australia

Nuna Bonarda Reserve 2009 $11.95
The wine is aged for 12 months in French oak barrels to fully reveal the character of the Andean terroir.
Purple-colored Bonarda offers a fruity, fresh nose featuring plums, mulberries and violets. Fruity, forward and easy-going, Bonarda is the perfect match to Argentine bistro cuisine.

Grapes: 100% Bonarda
Region: Mendoza, Argentina

Wine of the week 3/27 – 4/2

John Boyer — Mon, 28 Mar 2011 13:45:50 +0000

Domaine de la Condemine Macon Peronne “Le Clou” 2008 $11.95
A light golden hue, floral aromas. Intense, clean and fresh on the palate. Citrus notes, bold acidity. Excellent match to seafood with butter or cream sauces or rich blue cheeses.

Grapes: 100% Chardonnay
Region: Burgundy, France

Lesse-Fitch Pinot Noir 2008 $9.95
With deep plum color, this 2008 Pinot Noir has an exotic nose of strawberry and raspberry jam with notes of fresh oregano and wild game. The palate starts with tart cherry fruit and then develops into layers of dried fruit; strawberry and figs, herbs; oregano and thyme, and earth; wild mushrooms. The acidity makes this wine very food friendly.

This wine would pair well with grilled flank steak with chimichurri and stir fried green beans with a black bean sauce, sautéed Salmon with creamed spinach and roasted parsnips, or roasted beet salad with fresh chevre, thinly sliced red onion, and arugula.

Grapes: 90% Pinot Noir, 5% Grenache, 5% Ruby Cab
Region: California

Wine of the Week 3/20 – 3/26

John Boyer — Sun, 20 Mar 2011 16:46:12 +0000

Shoofly Viognier 2008 $9.95
Fragrant citrus blossom, classic apricot and fresh fennel on the nose. The palate is rich yet refreshingly crisp. Lovely ripe cantaloupe melds seamlessly with citrus peel and zingy acidity. A red drinkers white with a twist of orange pekoe tannin on the finish.

Grapes: 100% Viognier
Region: Australia

Terra d’Oro Syrah 2006 $8.95
The 2006 Terra d’Oro Syrah is a great example of the delicious Syrah that grows on our Burke Ranch. The wine has a deep, nearly black color and the nose teases with aromas of tobacco, eucalyptus, and toasty oak, with hints of dark ripe plum. The wine is a powerhouse of flavor and aroma, with a spine of minerality that holds the whole package together; truly an iron fist in a velvet glove. Try pairing the Syrah with roasted meats and hearty cheeses for a medieval feast.

Grapes: 100% Syrah
Region: Amador County, California

Wine of the Week 2/27 – 3/5

John Boyer — Sun, 27 Feb 2011 21:57:56 +0000

Pieter Cruythoff Chenin Blanc 2010 $5.95
Chenin Blanc is the perfect every day wine that offers uncomplicated quality for the novice and connoisseur alike. Packed with upfront melon fruit, the nose charms with an abundance of guava and gooseberries as well as the signature hint of honey. The palate follows through with fruit flavors balanced by a crisp acid to ensure a fresh and fruity style of wine.
Enjoy well-chilled as a lovely crisp glass on its own but ideal for al fresco dining and with light summer fare. Beautiful with salads, anti pasti and seafood.

Grapes: 100% Chenin Blanc
Region: South Africa

Resonata Nero d’Avola 2009 $6.95
Dense ruby red with violet reflections.
Lush and ripe bouquet full of mulberries, blackberries and spice. Harmonious and well balanced with good berry fruit in a spicy background.
Food paring: Excellent with lamb, grilled and barbecued meats, dishes with olives or capers and seasoned cheeses.

Grapes: 100% Nero d’Avola
Region: Sicilia, Italy

Wine of the Week 2/20 – 2/26

John Boyer — Sun, 20 Feb 2011 20:22:48 +0000

Nuna Reserve Torrontes 2010 $11.95
Made from 100% hand-selected Torrontes from the best parcels of the estate. The grapes are carefully chosen and fermented in small lots to preserve the vineyard identity.

The Torrontés exhibits a fragrant, floral, honey-accented perfume followed by a full-bodied dry wine with a smooth texture and ripe flavors. An aromatic white wine.

Pairing suggestions: spicy and savory food, especially Chinese or Thai cuisine.

Grapes: 100% Torrontes
Region: Argentina

Don Ramon 2008 $7.95
Ruby dark garnet in color, with an effusive creamy cherry cough drop and aquarium nose; flavors turn more toward deeper, darker black cherry and raspberry on a medium to medium full bodied frame, with moderate tannins and balanced acidity. A subtle earthiness underneath the bright fruit adds some depth and complexity, making for a harmonious glass of red wine, and very good.

Grapes: 75% Grenache, 25% Tempranillo
Region: Spain

Wine of the Week 2/13 – 2/19

John Boyer — Sun, 13 Feb 2011 19:45:36 +0000

Yalumba Unwooded Chardonnay 2009 $9.95
Pale straw with light green hues, the Yalumba Y Series Unwooded Chardonnay displays aromas of honeydew melon and nashi pear, with hints of grapefruit and pineapple. The palate is silky with flavors of ripe nectarines, guava and grapefruit with a fresh acid finish. Serve with Thai chicken salad or gnocchi with sautéed prawns and a burnt butter sauce.

Grapes: 100% Chardonnay
Region: Australia

Monte Antico Toscana Super Tuscan 2006 $13.95
#61 on Wine Spectator’s Top 100 Wines of 2009 – According to James Suckling on his WineSpectator.com blog: I came across an incredible value in my office in Tuscany today. Tasting a range of wines from $10 to $25 with Neil and Maria Empson of Empson & Co., I found some excellent wines. But what was the most impressive for the money was the Monte Antico 2006. Its suggested retail is $11, and it could sell for less (like here). And it is in the market now. Granted, I have not tasted it blind yet. But it’s in the very good to outstanding range. The wine is 75 percent Sangiovese, 15 percent Merlot and 10 percent Cabernet Sauvignon. It is made from 25-year-old vines minimum, mostly from Pisa, Maremma and Chianti Classico areas. Of course, the quality of the 2006 vintage in Tuscany shined through on this wine. This is a superb Sangiovese year. The aromatic quality of Sangiovese is mind-blowing for most wines from Tuscany. The 2006 Monte Antico has beautiful plums, berries and fresh acidity.
-90 points Wine Spectator

Grapes: 85% Sangiovese, 10% Cabernet Sauvignon, 5% Merlot
Region: Toscana, Italy