Allspice

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  November 2009

  Estancia Pinot Noir 2007

  Snoothrank: Starting at $14^.99

  deep garnet color. taste black cherry, plum, allspice and vanilla. a lot of tannin. long finish.

  Wine review by taylharr

  
  
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  November 2009

  Rodney Strong Chalk Hill Chardonnay 2007

  Snoothrank:

  Typical Sonoma (Northern California) nose of wild meadow flowers in June with a ... oak barrique, ginger and allspice followed by a clean, medium finish. A well-crafted, satisfying draft if a bit hot. Recommended for any summer patio offering - especially with seafood appetizers

  Wine review by zufrieden

  
  

• October 2009

  Five Decades of Oddero with Isabella Oddero Isabella Oddero in the cellars   ... bouillon, dried onion and allspice tone. In the mouth this still has some flesh, which is well balanced by the relatively soft structure that remains. It gains more richness as it sits in the glass... Read moreFive Decades of Oddero with Isabella Oddero Isabella Oddero in the cellars   ... bouillon, dried onion and allspice tone. In the mouth this still has some flesh, which is well balanced by the relatively soft structure that remains. It gains more richness as it sits in the glass and the sweet edge of maderization gives an impression of sweetness to the cranberry/rhubarb fruit. There is a nice spice element that adds to the moderately long finish and a touch of burnished orange peel on the finale. The palate is fresher than the nose here but if this bottle is indicative these should be consumed sooner rather than later. 88pts 1970 Barolo The aromatics here present quite a contrast with a fresh, crisp celery note intertwined in the sweet black cherry core of fruit. There are hints of sweet tea, veal stock and fresh shitakes adding complexity but there is also a touch of rum on the nose that is a little off-putting. On the palate this is large scaled if soft with a wonderfully plush texture to the cherry and rhubarb fruit with hints of tar and subtle spice tones drawing out the moderately long finish. 90pts 1971 Barolo The cork on this bottle was pristine and the condition of the wine was exceptional. Such a deep color and such reticence on the nose that one would be forgiven thinking this was decades younger. The nose opens with a huge fresh celery note that is slowly subsumed by wonderfully sweet and fresh black currant and black cherry fruit tones.  With air the nuances of coffee, cigarette ash and burnt raisin tones add their detail to the bouquet though a touch of volatility does emerge, adding lift but also a bit of glue to the nose. In the mouth this is elegant with superb balance. The ripe, round tannins remain well concealed in a plush core of fruit. The lovely mouthfeel is complimented by the earthy floral tones and bitter cherry fruit the wine retains but the finish does reveal a bit of heat and the tannins gain a slight powdery edge with time in the glass. This is filled with fruit yet it lacks a touch a detail. It may very well continue to improve in the bottle. 91pts 1974 Barolo This really has a lovely fruity quality on the nose with a lightness and brightness that still makes this smell quite youthful. There are nice notes of dandelion, pigskin, dry earth and licorice that add nice detail to the fresh black cherry fruit. In the mouth this has such purity and real finesse. It is clean and polished with a great core of mineral tinged black cherry fruit, superb length and a sleek, refreshing feel. It is elegant; a touch simple and perhaps even delicate by Barolo standards but is pure joy to drink. Each note is so precise and clear here that you don’t need any more complexity to be completely satisfied. 94pts 1978 Barolo Reticent on the nose yet evolving rich hints of macerated flowers, sandalwood, tar and wet animal fur in the glass. This is continues to be decidedly matte feeling with plenty of fleshy fruit backed up by rich, slightly chewy tannins. The fruit is dark with earthy, leathery tones and excellent length but this still has a touch of an undeveloped feel. It’s rich and lusty if a touch rustic and may remain so. 92pts 1989 Barolo Vigna Rionda The aromatic on this are superbly layered and still very fruity with hints of iron, smoke, smoldering herbs and dusty earth embedded in sweet notes of cherry, candied strawberry and strawberry and cream fruit tones. In the mouth the tannins remain ripe yet rigid giving the mouth an excellent, precise feel. This is rich and powerful and the fruit is just beginning to yield the stage to the emerging tertiary notes but remains wonderfully youthful. 93pts 2001 Barolo Mondoca di Bussia Soprana The nose combines very fruity and intense notes of candied black raspberry fruit and cactus leaves with hints of cigarette smoke, clove and vanilla giving this a bit of a modern appearance. Big, rich and chewy in the mouth with big tannins and a dark core of confiture of black fruits. There are nuanced of espresso foam, licorice and backing spices adding accent notes on the long finish but this is still very youthful and showing lots of baby fat. 92pts 2004 Barolo Spicy on the nose, with jammy red currant fruits and a touch of carob. Lovely fresh tannins and rich fruit give this a soft, round feel with ripe wild cherry and boysenberry fruit that is fresh and intense if a bit simple and dilute on the finish. A fine Basic Barolo 88pts 2004 Barolo Villero A real step up in refinement over the base Barolo with red fruits on the nose accented with clay soil tones rose petals, sweet sassafras, spicy savory tones and a liquory black fruit top note. This offers up a really layered and complex. Set of aromatics.  Deceptively soft at first, the wine snaps together on the mid-palate with well-balanced, crisp, faceted tannins and prominent yet integrated acids framing the bitter cherry fruit. There are lovely herbal, medicinal tones that draw out the inner core of sweetness of the fruit and add resonance on the long finish. A very promising wine but one that is best left alone for a decade. 91pts    (hide)

  From the article Isabella Oddero Visits New York

  
  
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  October 2009

  Frankland Estate Shiraz Estate Isolation Ridge 2004

  Snoothrank:

  The nose on this wine is a veritable spice box with notes of ginger, mace, and allspice over notes of pepper, earth, tobacco and blue fruits. All of this spice also translates to the mouth but here it is joined by a wall of rather aggressive and drying tannins. the finish gains a bit... Read moreThe nose on this wine is a veritable spice box with notes of ginger, mace, and allspice over notes of pepper, earth, tobacco and blue fruits. All of this spice also translates to the mouth but here it is joined by a wall of rather aggressive and drying tannins. the finish gains a bit of sweetness from the wood with a mocha, almond note and shows a resurgence of the fruit promised on the nose but this is a wine that needs additional cellaring to allow the tannins to soften and recede. The balance appears to be here and this has a particularly dense feel to it but it;s best to let it rest for 2-3 years before trying again. 87pts    (hide)

  Wine review by Gregory Dal Piaz

  
  
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  October 2009

  Barolo Oddero 1967

  Snoothrank:

  This starts off bit funky on the nose transitioning from the barnyard to a ... bouillon, dried onion and allspice tone. In the mouth this still has some flesh, which is well balanced by the relatively soft structure that remains. It gains more richness as it sits in the glass and... Read moreThis starts off bit funky on the nose transitioning from the barnyard to a ... bouillon, dried onion and allspice tone. In the mouth this still has some flesh, which is well balanced by the relatively soft structure that remains. It gains more richness as it sits in the glass and the sweet edge of maderization gives an impression of sweetness to the cranberry/rhubarb fruit. There is a nice spice element that adds to the moderately long finish and a touch of burnished orange peel on the finale. The palate is fresher than the nose here but if this bottle is indicative these should be consumed sooner rather than later. 88pt    (hide)

  Wine review by Gregory Dal Piaz

  
  

• October 2009

    Pairing red wine with poultry?   It seems like every holiday season I see ... zest with hints of clove and allspice.  Not only was this a perfect wine for the dinner before us, but it would be a showstopper with a Thanksgiving turkey.  The last time I sampled this 2007 was... Read more  Pairing red wine with poultry?   It seems like every holiday season I see ... zest with hints of clove and allspice.  Not only was this a perfect wine for the dinner before us, but it would be a showstopper with a Thanksgiving turkey.  The last time I sampled this 2007 was immediately after its release, and the fruit was powerful and concentrated, but over the last six months the concentration has backed off a bit, making this a wonderful candidate for food pairing and leaving me with an impression of pure elegance. So I say, surprise your friends or family with a roast chicken in the near future and pair it with a Pinot Noir.  Not only will you incite your guests with nostalgic glee but I also think you’ll find a match made in heaven. My idea of a perfect Roast Chicken   This technique may take a lot of space on a page to spell out but once you’ve tried it you’ll realize how easy it really is. Firstly, invest in a digital instant read thermometer, which can be found in almost any home and kitchen store.  Once you own one you will always wonder how you ever lived without it.  The fact is that the thermometers roasts come with from the supermarket are completely unreliable, hence the reason we end up with a lot of overcooked poultry at holiday meals.  Imagine never having to guess if your roast is done and never making the fatal mistake of overcooking to dryness. My second suggestion is to not only season the skin of the roast but to also season under the skin.  It’s really not as hard as it sounds.  I’ve supplied a recipe below for a garlic and herb rub, which is applied under the skin.  While the roast is cooking, the garlic and herbs are shielded from the overwhelming heat of the oven, allowing them to cook perfectly as they are steamed by the juices of the bird.  The flavors intermingle during the cooking process, and the end result is a crispy skin over a perfectly seasoned and flavored piece of poultry.  You don’t need to worry about basting, and you won’t even need gravy for the finished product.  However, I’d never pass up the ability to turn the pan drippings and fond into a sauce. Click here for a printable pdf file of this recipe. To serve 4 to 6 people Roast 11 6-8 lbs Whole Chicken (remove neck, heart and liver from inner cavity.) ½ Lemon 2 sprigs Rosemary 2 Tbls Canola oil 4 carrots (peeled and cut into four pieces each) 6 cloves of garlic (crushed) 3 stalks celery (rough cut) 2 onions (rough cut) 1 c Chicken stock ½ c White Wine (Remember, if don’t like drinking it, don’t cook with it.) 2 Tbls butter Kosher Salt Pepper   Rub 5 - 6 cloves of garlic chopped fine 2 sprigs Rosemary (leaves removed and chopped fine) 1 tsp lemon juice 1 Tbls EV Olive Oil 1 tsp kosher salt ½ tsp Ground Black Pepper Technique 1. Preheat oven to 400 degrees.  2. Place ingredients for the rub in a Motor & Pestle and grind together until it forms a thick paste.  3. Use your hands to loosen the skin around the breast of the chicken.  You should be able to slide your fingers under the skin and across each breast, but be careful not to tear the skin.  Do the same around the thighs and into the legs.  4. Using your hands, take about a ¼ of the prepared rub and slide under the skin of one of the breasts.  Message the rub into the meat and distribute evenly under the skin.  Repeat this process with the other breast and the two thighs.  5. Place the half lemon and Rosemary sprigs in the inner cavity of the chick. 6. With a sharp knife, cut the wings from the chicken at the joint closest to the body.  If you don’t do this, they will overcook.  Wings serve a better purpose in the roasting pan where they will lend more flavor to the sauce. 7. Using butcher twine, tie the two drumsticks together so that they form a closure over the chicken’s inner cavity. 8. Rub the chicken down with canola oil and generously season the skin with salt and pepper. 9. Place the chicken on a roasting rack over some rough-cut vegetables (carrots, onions, celery, and garlic work great, and don’t forget those wings.) 10. If you have an instant read thermometer (which you really should), insert it into the thickest part of the breast, but be very careful not touch any bone with the thermometer. 11.  Place the bird in the oven and forget about it for at least an hour.  After an hour, check on it.  What you’re looking for is to make sure that the skin is not browning too deeply.  Once you feel that the skin is dark enough, cover the top of the bird (not the entire roasting pan) with a small sheet of aluminum foil and reduce the oven heat to 375. 12. When your instant read thermometer reads 155 degrees (it took about 2 ¼ hours for mine), pull the bird from the oven (leave the thermometer in the roast), take it out of the roasting pan and place it on a surface in your kitchen covered in aluminum foil.  Don’t worry; the roast will achieve 165 degrees while resting on the countertop. Note: this roast does not require a sauce.  If cooked to perfection it will be juicy enough and tasty enough that the sauce may dull the well defined flavors but it certainly can’t hurt to have, just in case.  Not to mention, it can always be used to dress a side dish, like mashed potatoes for a real family style meal. 11. To make a sauce, hold the roasting pan at an angle to allow any excess fat to collect at one side.  You do not need to remove all the fat, but remove any excess with a spoon.  Now place the roasting pan over the burners of your stovetop and set the burners to medium heat.  Pour the wine into the pan and use a spoon to scrape the bottom of the pan as the wine cooks down.  Next add the chicken stock and continue to cook until a sauce begins to form.  Season lightly and taste.  You’ll probably find the acidity to be a little high but the butter in the next step will help even that out. 12. Pour the contents of the roasting pan through a strainer and into a bowl to collect the vegetables and any solids.  The solids can be thrown away at this time.  Add the two tbls butter to the jus and stir to bring it together.  Taste and season again if necessary. 13. Slice your chicken onto warmed plates, dress it with the sauce if desired and serve    (hide)

  From the article Pairing red wine with poultry?

  
  
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  September 2009

  A.P. Vin Kanzler Vineyard Pinot Noir Sonoma Coast 2007

  Snoothrank:

  Having been opened for an hour before tasting, showed rich raspberry, dusty ... zest with hints of clove and allspice. Not only was this a perfect wine for the dinner before us, but it would be a showstopper with a Thanksgiving turkey. The last time I sampled this 2007 was... Read moreHaving been opened for an hour before tasting, showed rich raspberry, dusty ... zest with hints of clove and allspice. Not only was this a perfect wine for the dinner before us, but it would be a showstopper with a Thanksgiving turkey. The last time I sampled this 2007 was immediately after its release, and the fruit was powerful and concentrated, but over the last six months the concentration has backed off a bit, making this a wonderful candidate for food pairing and leaving me with an impression of pure elegance    (hide)

  Wine review by Eric Guido

  
  
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  September 2009

  The Colonial Estate 'Exile' Barossa Valley 2005

  Snoothrank:

  Big aromas of allspice, tar, leather, berries, a little smoke. Rich jammy fruity dark berry flavors that are concentrated and long.

  Wine review by honu5554

  
  
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  September 2009

  Michael Pozzan Winery Annabella Pinot Noir 2007

  Snoothrank:

  - lightly smoky and tarry but ultimately earthy cola, clove and allspice tinged black cherry fruit. While decidedly new world on the nose there is a bit of restraint and that earthiness that keeps this interesting. - Medium bodied with good intensity to the earthy, slightly tarry... Read more- lightly smoky and tarry but ultimately earthy cola, clove and allspice tinged black cherry fruit. While decidedly new world on the nose there is a bit of restraint and that earthiness that keeps this interesting. - Medium bodied with good intensity to the earthy, slightly tarry black cherry and boysenberry fruit with a nice base of tannin and bright acid offering good support. There’s a nice purity to the fruit even though the oak makes itself known and a nice herbal flourish on the finish gives this an added level of complexity. This could use a bit more length but at this price it’s pretty much a steal. Pair this with a nice grilled salmon dish. 87pts    (hide)

  Wine review by Gregory Dal Piaz

  
  
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  September 2009

  A. P. Vin Pinot Noir Kanzler Vineyard 2007

  Snoothrank:

  Opened for an hour before tasting. Nose showed rich raspberry, dusty dried ... zest with hints of clove and allspice. Nice medium long finish. Over the last six months the concentration has backed off a bit and left a more elegant wine but with less stuffing. Overall, this bottle... Read moreOpened for an hour before tasting. Nose showed rich raspberry, dusty dried ... zest with hints of clove and allspice. Nice medium long finish. Over the last six months the concentration has backed off a bit and left a more elegant wine but with less stuffing. Overall, this bottle has taken a small step down from my past experience    (hide)

  Wine review by Eric Guido

  
  

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