2004 Wilson Gunn Shiraz (redux)

I reviewed this once before, so I'll just say it's still as good as the second time around. I opened this, had a glass, then put it in the fridge for two days. Then I pulled it out again and drank the rest. Two days of fresh oxygen really made a huge difference in this wine. It opened up nicely and had an amazing earthy flavor. Decant, decant, decant!

new release: Penfold's Grange and Penfold's Bin 707

I just picked up my allotment of the 2002 Penfold's Grange and the 2004 Penfold's Bin 707. It ain't cheap, but word on the street is this is going to be a 100pt vintage for Grange, and I just can't get over how much I love Bin 707 every time I taste it. Check back in a few years to see what I think of the 707 and in a few decades to see how I feel about the Grange. :)

2006 Justin Chardonnay

It's rare that I drink or review a white wine, but I'm in Justin's wine club, and they keep sending them. The other day we drank the Chardonnay.

It was good. Crisp, no alcohol burn, decent flavor. There was no oak, no butter... just fruit.

And that's about all I really have to say about it. Justin does everything well (except that Rose that I had--that was utter crap, but... it was a Rose).

2004 Chateau Ste Michelle Cold Creek Cabernet Sauvignon

The 2004 was not much different than the 2003. See my review of the 2003. It was slightly more oaky, but just because it was slightly younger.

2003 Chateau Ste Michelle Cold Creek Cabernet Sauvignon

Cheateau Ste Michelle is a staple of Washington restaurants and grocery stores. They're probably the first winery most people think of when they think of Washington State. Like most big wineries, they have a range of wines. Their cheapest wines are in the $10 range, and they're drinkable. But if you just take a step up to their Single Vineyard wines, such as the Cold Creek Cabernet, the quality jumps quite a bit.

Generally you can pick up the Cold Creek in grocery stores for about $22. I've always had a soft spot for this wine. I generally keep a few bottles from every vintage on hand. It's a great drinking wine, and I'd put it head-to-head with a lot of $30 and $40 California wines.

So the other night, on a whim, I opened the 2003 Chateau Ste Michelle Cold Creek Cabernet Sauvignon to see how it was doing. It's done. Drink it now. It's probably at its peak. It was smooth, a little velvety, a little earthy and a little oaky. Mellow tannins, nothing bad going on. Nothing spectacular, but eminently drinkable. All you readers out there spending less than $9 on cheap Australian Shiraz should give this a whirl. Go on... splurge.