Wednesday afternoon I attended a wine tasting put on by one of the wine distributors. It was a work-related tasting, but that doesn't mean it wasn't fun. I tasted a few really great bottles (and, of course, a few not-so-great bottles), and I thought I'd give you a quick list of my hits.

Let's start with the whites. I really enjoyed the Martin Ray Russian River Chardonnay 2005 (California). This was a really elegant wine with light oak, hints of vanilla and apple, and nice, long finish. Their Pinot Gris Mendocino County 2006 was quite nice, as well. It was soft in the mouth, and had a hint of peach. Very enjoyable.

Next up is the St. Urbans-hof Urban Riesling Nic Weis Selection 2006 (Germany). This wine is full of fruit and has that sweetness that makes a Riesling something special, but the finish is crisp and dry. I sometimes find that Rieslings have a cloying finish, but this one is nice and clean and delicious.

I think the most interesting white I tasted yesterday was Mas de la Dame Coin Cache Blanc 2004 (Provence, France). The wines produced here have been certified oraganic by Qualite France. The wine is a blend of 80% Semillion, 20% Clairette. What struck me about this wine was the delicious and unique spice to it. While the description says "flavors of tropical fruit, butter, and freshly baked bread," I also tasted hints of what I would call "fall spices" - nutmeg, allspice, maybe even a hint of cinnamon. This is definitely a white to enjoy in the cooler weather.

Onto the reds! My "wow" red of the afternoon was Jim Barry The Lodge Hill Shiraz 2005 (Australia). The color is a gorgeous, deep purple and the nose is yummy dark fruit - cherries and plums. You can taste the oak on this wine, but it is well-integrated with the fruit and the result is quite luscious with a long finish. Also of note, it scored an 89 with Robert Parker in October 2006.

Another perennial favorite is the B.R. Cohn (California). A few months ago I fell in love with their Merlot and I thought their Cabernet Sauvignon Olive Hill 2004 was equally impressive. It's not a big, heavy Cab by any means. It's soft, silky, and elegant. The cherry and berry flavors excited my mouth. A real winner in my book!

I also finally had the chance to try the Kanonkop Pinotage 2004 which seems to be a popular wine these days. (You can read Richard's review at Passionate Foodie.) Now, I love Pinotage. I love that earthy, gamey quality about it. So far my favorite has come from Baobab, but with all the excitement surrounding Kanonkop I thought I was sure to adore it. And while it was very good, it didn't have those qualities that I was seeking. However, it is a great wine with dark berry flavors and ripe tannins. Anyone who might be scared of Pinotage based on its reputation should give this a try, because I think it's incredibly accessible and a fine example of South African wines. I also had the opportunity to try Kanonkop's Paul Sauer 2002, which was outstanding! This was exactly what I was expecting from the Pinotage. The bouquet is ripe plum and blackberry, and then you taste wonderful earthy flavors, plus just a hint of coffee. The finish goes on and on. Truly wonderful.


Finally, dessert wines. Typically I am not fond of sweet dessert wines, but I'm starting think that I might be coming around because there were a few that really won me over. The first stand-out for me was Pacific Rim Winemakers Vin de Glaciere Muscat 2005 (Washington). This wine is a blend of mainly Muscat Canelli, with one-percent each Muscat Giallo and Viognier. It smells of a field of flowers and tastes of candied apricots, lemon, and orange blossoms. The finish is clean. I was excited about this wine and I'm looking forward to enjoying it at home in the near future!

The Tomasello Vintage Port 2005 (New Jersey) was a real winner. I know what you're thinking. Port? From New Jersery? Trust me on this one. It's produced from 100% Cabernet Sauvignon grapes, fortified, and aged in American oak barrels. The result is a deliciously sweet dessert wine that is full of raspberry flavor. I wish I could say the same of their Cherry Forte (a port-style fruit wine), but I found that it reminded me a bit too much of cough medicine. So one hit and one miss from this vineyard.

This is just a sampling of the dozens of wines I tasted. There just isn't enough time to go into detail about everything, unfortunately. If you've tasted any of these, I'd love to hear your thoughts!