Recently Jacob’s Creek, a top wine maker in Australia and the pioneer winemaker in the legendary Barossa Valley, invited wine writers to a virtual tasting. These are always enjoyable, so I happily received the five wines sent by Jacob’s Creek and joined in the online tasting. Continue reading “Jacob’s Creek Winery”
Author: Gus Clemens
Jacob’s Creek Double Barrel Shiraz 2nd Vintage
Inky ruby-purple color; liquorice and spice on the nose; chocolate and dark red fruits, cola, mint, jam on the palate. Continue reading “Jacob’s Creek Double Barrel Shiraz 2nd Vintage”
Jacob’s Creek Two Lands Shiraz 2014
Inky purple color; blackberry, plum on the nose; red fruits, cherry, big red fruit flavors on the palate. Continue reading “Jacob’s Creek Two Lands Shiraz 2014”
Jacob’s Creek Reserve Shiraz Barossa 2014
Inky color; blackberry, clove caramel nose; big body with big black fruit, plum, blackberry, reserved oak on the palate. Continue reading “Jacob’s Creek Reserve Shiraz Barossa 2014”
Jacob’s Creek Two Lands Pinot Grigio 2015
Light green-tinged yellow color; white peach, pear, apple on the nose; ripe pear, lemon, lime, golden delicious apple on the palate. Continue reading “Jacob’s Creek Two Lands Pinot Grigio 2015”
Jacob’s Creek Classic Pinot Grigio 2015
Very light straw green color; lemon, citrus, pear on the nose; lime, apple, pear on the palate. Continue reading “Jacob’s Creek Classic Pinot Grigio 2015”
Acinum Prosecco Extra Dry DOP NV
Yellow with hints of green color; green apple, grapefruit nose; grapefruit, Meyer lemon, pinch of peach on the palate. Continue reading “Acinum Prosecco Extra Dry DOP NV”
Meiomi Pinot Noir 2014
Very dark red-black color; berries and spice on the nose; big cherry bomb, blackberry, massive influence of oak, smooth texture, modest tannin, mediocre acidity on the palate.
Plush, lush, candified, jammy, clearly many grapes—many likely zin—make up a quarter of the wine (you only need 75% pinot noir grapes to label it pinot noir), massive production (700,000-plus cases a year), a Constellation Brands answer to Mark West. There are folks who will love this over-the-top fruity wine, and there will be pinot noir connoisseurs who will be appalled at this usurpation of the pinot noir name.
Constellation bought the brand from founder Joe Wagner for $315 million in 2015. This was restaurant-only play until 2008; it was a low-end pinot for the “value” side of a wine list that would sell for enough bucks that even disappointed sippers would not complain because they would not admit to being suckers.
Meiomi means “coast” in native Wappo and Yuki tribes. The wine comes from vineyards in Sonoma, Monterey, and Santa Barbara. Grapes likely are not the vineyards’ best, but the excess from their over-production parcels.
This is not insufferable plonk, but it is not why you drink pinot noir. There is no delicacy, no nuance, no elegance. There is huge amount of oak used as pancake makeup to make up for the melange of mediocre grapes in this effort. Good pinot noir is Audrey Hepburn. This is female impersonator of Pamela Anderson. $20-22
Domaine Sarrail Rosé D’Été Limited Edition 2015
Pale pink color; citrus, jasmine on the nose; rich in the mouth with nectarine and yeasty dough on the palate. Continue reading “Domaine Sarrail Rosé D’Été Limited Edition 2015”
Château de Fontlade Saint-Qvinis Rosé 2014
Delicate pink color; strawberry, some peach, rose nose; subtle strawberry, peach on the palate. Continue reading “Château de Fontlade Saint-Qvinis Rosé 2014”