Weekend at Bernie's

I recently had two wines from Chateau de Bertinerie, Cotes de Bordeaux. Both were from the 2006 vintage and labeled as cru reserve. First up: the 100% Sauvignon Blanc. A lush nose leads you to complex citrus flavors and subtle fruit. This wine is aged in all new oak, which is balanced out by the acidity for a nicely structured finish. Then came the 30% Cabernet Sauvignon, 10% Cabernet Franc, 60% Merlot. This is a classic French blend with good structure and aromatics, along with a nice helping of red fruits, but a little too spicy in the finish to have on its own. So invite some friends over (or rent them) and make a hardy stew, get some crusty French bread, and dip away until there is no more.

Not a fan of the hills

Tried some of the Penfold's Koonunga Hills wines one more time. The last time I do that! First up was the 2007 Chardonnay. The citrus flavors fight with the oak, and the wine has no balance. Number two, and this would be an apt description of this wine, was the 2006 Cabernet/Merlot blend. This wine is bitter and thin. Last and I mean least was the 2006 Shiraz: light on the berries, with a surprisingly sharp finish. NEVER AGAIN!