It is…and more.

Yes, I was turned off by its recent vintage, its still undeveloped youth. But damn! It had color, substance, body, fruit—in short, anything one would want in a good, albeit young, grenache-based wine. Far better than anything I have had from Spain in the same price range.

So it has had little or no barrel aging. But it’s excellently made and certainly reflective of what the appellation in a good vintage can offer.

Why is it so cheap? My only guess is that as well as being a very good to great vintage, 2009 also produced a surplus of juice. The J.L. Quinson label is owned by the venerable firm Pasquier DesVignes, owned by the Quinson family and located in Romanèche-Thorins, the home also of the sprawling Georges Duboeuf wine enterprise. My supposition is that Pasquier DesVignes had the juice by previous contract with growers—not uncommon in the wine business—and that cash upfront for the recent vintage was better than waiting around for the wine to age, putting it up against more well-known producers.

The upshot? A chance for us peons who prize good wine from good appellations to secure it at a too-cheap-to-believe price.

Is the wine drinkable now? You betcha. Will it be drinkable and enjoyable in 5 or 10 years? Ditto. While oak aging, which this wine lacks, adds a certain something to many wines—notably Bordeaux, Burgundy, Napa Cabernets, Italian reds and more—because of the wine’s inherent balance—not too fruity, nor too tart, nor too tannic—the oak is not so much missed.

Bottom line: If you’re near a Trader Joe’s, buy this wine. Buy a case of this wine. Lay it away in a good cellar. For $10 a bottle, you (and your progeny, if you are an old fart like me) will be more than rewarded.

I recently had a 2003 Josef Friederich Piesporter Michelsberg Spätlese Riesling. A 2003, you say? And you drank it in 2010? Yes. This wine is proof that a high-sugar content white wine CAN age and remain drinkable for quite a while (quite a while in the life of a white, anyway).

This Piesporter Michelsberg Spätlese is from the Mosel-Saar-Ruwer region, and has an alcohol content of 8.5%. It’s a beautiful straw-to-golden yellow color with a medium depth and yet quite clear. Its nose is moderate with scents of honey and peach. As one may parse, this is a sweet riesling with a medium body and smooth acidity. Along with low tannins, this is a VERY drinkable wine, and best served alone. The flavors consist of honey, peach and even a hint of citrus and pear with a nice, long finish. I was surprised by how flavorful and complex this wine has remained in seven years of aging.

All in all, a very nice surprise! It’s sweet, flavorful with a very slight effervescence, and out of a 5-star rating I give it 3.5-4. So if you find yourself with a German riesling that you might think is past its prime, open it and give it a try! I know I will.

Region: California > Napa Valley > Oakville
Date Tasted: 4/19/2010
Notes: I decanted this wine 3 hours and I would imagine it would have tasted better day 2.
Color: Medium purple
Nose: Cherry, spice, oak and vanilla
Taste: A juicy palate with good acidity.
Finish: Medium finish
Evaluation: Solid wine with plenty backbone. (92 pts.)

2004 Spring Valley Vineyard Frederick

Region: Washington > Columbia Valley > Walla Walla Valley
Date Tasted: 4/19/2010
Color: Medium purple
Nose: Earth, spices, vanilla and red pepper
Taste: Spices, vanilla, oak and red peppers
Finish: Medium finish and tannic.
Evaluation: Lacks typical Washington State fruit. (90 pts.)

2003 Owen Roe Cabernet Sauvignon DuBrul Vineyard

Region: Washington > Columbia Valley > Yakima Valley
Date Tasted: 4/19/2010
Notes: Still tannic and decanted for 3 hours.
Color: Medium purple
Nose: Leather, spice, cherry and pepper
Taste: Very complex palate with leather, spices, pepper, and oak.
Evaluation: This wine is drinking really well and should age nicely for 10 plus years. (92 pts.)

2005 Anderson’s Conn Valley Vineyards Cabernet Sauvignon Estate Reserve

Region: California > Napa Valley
Date Tasted: 4/21/2010
Color: Medium purple
Nose: Spice, oak, vanilla, smoke and cherry
Taste: What a powerhouse wine on the palate and shows a tremedous upside down the road.
Evaluation: While I enjoyed Conn Valley wines young they certainly get better with age. (93 pts.)

2004 Flora Springs Cabernet Sauvignon Out-of-sight-vineyard

Region: California > Napa Valley
Date Tasted: 4/21/2010
Color: Medium purple
Nose: Floral, cherry, chocolate, and spices
Taste: Very balanced wine and the palate has flavors bouncing all over the mouth.
Finish: Really nice use of oak and there is a medium finish on the wine. A bit of chalk comes into the finish which was interesting.
Evaluation: Wow! Well made wine! (94 pts.)

2007 Robert Craig Cabernet Sauvignon Affinity

Region: California > Napa Valley
Date Tasted: 4/21/2010
Color: Medium purple
Nose: A simple nose with spice, pepper and floral.
Taste: Good flavors but nothing like out of the bottle.
Evaluation: An interesting wine that out of the bottle was great but 4 hours of decanting it lost its edge. I will cellar the remaining 2 and see what happens. (90 pts.)

2002 Quilceda Creek Cabernet Sauvignon

Region: Washington
Date Tasted: 4/21/2010
Notes: Decanted 5 hours.
Color: Medium purple
Nose: Forest floor, spices, coffee, cherry and earth dominate the nose.
Taste: Very integrated wine with tons of complexity.
Finish: The finish is long and shows spice, floral, coffee, cherry, plum and leather.
Evaluation: Another great showing. No flaws on any part of the wine. This wine has it all and is drinking well now but I will revisit down the road. (95 pts.)

2005 Star Lane Vineyard Cabernet Sauvignon

Region: California > Central Coast > Santa Ynez Valley
Date Tasted: 4/21/2010
Color: Medium purple
Nose: Spice, floral and minerals
Taste: Palate is solid.
Finish: Medium finish
Evaluation: This is the first Cab I have tasted from Santa Ynez Valley and I think with some time this could improve a few points. (89 pts.)

Region: California > Napa Valley > Rutherford
Date Tasted: 3/23/2010
Notes: This wine review is on day 2.
Color: Medium purple
Nose: Cherry, daust, earth, oak and plum
Taste: On the palate dust, spices, floral, cherry and vanilla.
Finish: Medium and concentrated finish.
Evaluation: This is an amazing wine for the price point of $25. (92 pts.)

2007 Trinchero Cabernet Sauvignon Cloud’s Nest Vineyard

Region: California > Napa Valley > Mt. Veeder
Date Tasted: 3/23/2010
Color: Dark purple
Nose: Dust, minerals, charcoal
Taste: On the palate dust, cherry, blueberries, figs, charcoal, oak and floral.
Finish: Medium and multi layered finish.
Evaluation: Great acidity and this wine should improve a few points over the next five years. (93 pts.)

2007 Trinchero Cabernet Sauvignon Mario’s Vineyard

Region: California > Napa Valley
Date Tasted: 3/23/2010
Color: Medium purple
Nose: Smoke, dust, blackberries, floral and oak.
Taste: On the palate awesome concentration with blackberries, blueberries, smoke, dust leather and oak.
Finish: Medium, mulit layered finish with some serious punch.
Evaluation: This is a cellar selection wine. (94 pts.)

2007 Trinchero Family Estates Cabernet Sauvignon Central Park West Vineyard

Region: California > Napa Valley > St. Helena
Date Tasted: 3/23/2010
Color: Medium purple
Nose: Bacon, charcoal, tobacco, and spice.
Taste: On the palate rich with cherry, bacon, charcoal, and earth.
Finish: Medium finish.
Evaluation: Since the recorded show I did on Trinchero wines this wine improved to a solid 91 point score. (91 pts.)

2004 Achaval-Ferrer Malbec Finca Mirador

Region: Argentina > Mendoza
Date Tasted: 2/25/2010
Color: Dark purple
Nose: Very elegant with coffee, cranberries, boysenberries, and spices.
Taste: On the palate this has come around on day 2 with coffee, boysenberries, raspberries, minerals and a vary of spices.
Finish: Medium finish and balanced. On the finish a nice pepper quality is revealed.
Evaluation: Great wine! (94 pts.)

2004 Achaval-Ferrer Malbec Finca Altamira

Region: Argentina > Mendoza > Valle de Uco > La Consulta
Date Tasted: 3/2/2010
Notes: Decanted 2 hours
Color: Dark purple
Nose: Amazing with floral, blueberries, perfume, and subtle spices.
Taste: The palate is showing blueberries, spices, floral and earth.
Finish: Medium finish and this wine is extremely balanced.
Evaluation: This is the best South American wine I have ever tasted! Thank you Parker Board for the $40 a bottle price! (96 pts.)

2006 Achaval-Ferrer Malbec Finca Altamira

Region: Argentina > Mendoza > Valle de Uco > La Consulta
Date Tasted: 1/30/2010
Color: Dark purple
Nose: Amazing with floral, blackberry, coffee beans, blueberries
Taste: A chewy wine with amazing structure. The palate had an array of flavors featuring floral, blackberries, coffee beans, dust and cherries.
Finish: Long concentrated finish and drinking really well right now.
Evaluation: This is the best Malbec I have tasted to date. (95 pts.)

One thing many wine drinkers do not do is really look at a young wines ability to transform over the course of a few days. The 2004 Mas de Boislauzon Châteauneuf-du-Pape Cuvée du Quet was not a good wine on day one or two but really opened up for business on day three and four. Had I drank the bottle on the in first couple of days I would have not been a buyer of the wine, but seeing the potential I will buy a few more and cellar for five plus years.

2004 Mas de Boislauzon Châteauneuf-du-Pape Cuvée du Quet

Region: France > Rhône > Southern Rhône > Châteauneuf-du-Pape
Color: Medium color

Day One Review

Date Tasted: 2/19/2010
Nose: Spice, raspberries, and earth
Taste: On the palate spice, leather, spice, and some sweet fruit
Finish: Finish is really disappointing
Evaluation: I hope this improves the next day (88 pts.)

Day Two Review

Date Tasted: 2/20/2010
Nose: Tar, leather, spices, and floral
Taste: Palate shows heavy spices which throw off the wines overall balance
Finish: Medium finish
Evaluation: Really not my style. It is better then day one (88 pts.)

Day Four Review

Date Tasted: 2/22/2010
Nose: Aromas of white pepper, garrique, spices, raspberries and truffles
Taste: On the palate dirt, spices, garrique, pepper, raspberries and leather
Finish: Medium finish that is much less tannic then day one
Evaluation: The wine has really opened up and I really like the wine. I am always amazed and the transformation of good wine. (92 pts.)

Have fun experimenting with wine!

Cheers,

John Glas
Wineglas

Cheers!

John Glas
Wineglas

2006 Château Bellegrave

Region: France > Bordeaux > Médoc
Color: Medium purple
Nose: Gravel, raspberry and cranberry
Taste: On the palate it is a delicate wine and features raspberry, cherry, and gravel
Finish: Medium finish
Evaluation: A great introduction to Bordeaux. (88 pts.)

2005 Château Pontensac

Region: France > Bordeaux > Médoc
Color: Medium purple
Nose: Cherry, raspberries and minerals
Taste: Light with spices, raspberries, cherry and spices
Finish: Medium finish with medium tannins
Evaluation: Solid every day Bordeaux. (90 pts.)

2001 Château Montrose

Region: France > Bordeaux > Médoc > St. Estèphe
Color: Medium purple
Nose: Herbs, raspberries, pencil lead,
Taste: Concentrated with grit along with raspberries, black cherry, tobacco, earth
Finish: Medium and very elegant
Evaluation: This is a great wine (94 pts.)

2005 Château Lascombes

Region: France > Bordeaux > Médoc > Margaux
Color: Dark color
Nose: Mineral, cassis, coffee and spices
Taste: Palate is intense and really features a nice balance of fruit and earth components
Finish: This wine shows a massive finish
Evaluation: Sampled at 2 times during the tasting. At first a nice wine but not great. I decanted this wine for 3 hours and it needed another 2 at least. As many have noted not Margaux style but it is a great wine. Certainly a cellar for 10 plus years wine. (94 pts.)

2005 Château Colombier-Monpelou

Region: France > Bordeaux > Médoc > Pauillac
Color: Medium purple with aromas of c
Nose: Cranberry, oak, leather and gravel
Taste: Taste reveals cranberries, crushed rock, leather, cherry and toasted oak
Finish: The tannins are present
Evaluation: This wine should drink well for five plus years even at the Cru Bourgeois Superieur classification. (90 pts.)

2005 Waterstone Cabernet Sauvignon

Region: USA > California > Napa Valley
Date Tasted: 1/11/2010
Color: Medium red
Nose: aromas of dust, spice, cherry
Taste: The taste is great with spice, dust, cherry, and minerals
Finish: A strong finish and concentrated wine
Evaluation: The tannins are mellowing on this wine but I believe it could age another 5 years. What a great value Cabernet. Best Cab under $20.00 today. (92 pts.)

2007 Caymus Cabernet Sauvignon

Region: USA > California > Napa Valley
Date Tasted: 2/16/2010
Color: Dark color
Nose: Intense nose of spice, cherry, plum and oak
Taste: Dark fruits, vanilla, oak and spices
Finish: A medium finish and this is a balanced wine
Evaluation: No flaws evident. This is the best Caymus I have tasted in years. (93 pts.)

2005 Anderson’s Conn Valley Vineyards Cabernet Sauvignon Estate Reserve

Region: USA > California > Napa Valley
Date Tasted: 2/16/2010
Color: Dark color
Nose: Nose shows off an array of aromas with cherry, smoke, oak, plum, spices and vanilla
Taste: Big wine with the palate showing off a mix of dark fruits and earth characters
Finish: Long and concentrated finish and big tannins
Evaluation: This is a cellar selection and again the best $50.00 Napa Cab. (94 pts.)

Featured Review:

2006 Louis M. Martini Cabernet Sauvignon Napa Valley

Region: USA > California > Napa Valley
Date Tasted: 2/12/2010
Color: Medium purple
Nose: Nose with cherries, oak, and vanilla
Taste: On the palate classic toasted oak, vanilla, cherry, plums, and spice. Tannins are well represented here and paired with steak it was perfect
Finish: Really nice finish and it adds a floral element
Evaluation: For $15.83 on a case purchase a non brainer to have as an everyday Cab. Only the Waterstone ’05 is better for this price point in the last year for me. (91 pts.)

A recent review worth seeking out:

2004 Larkmead Vineyards Cabernet Sauvignon

Region: USA > California > Napa Valley
Date Tasted: 2/16/2010
Color: Dark purple
Nose: Impressive with cherry, spice, oak, plum and minerals
Taste: On the palate this wine shows off ripe fruit, oak, vanilla, spices and minerals
Finish: A medium concentrated finish with perfect balance
Evaluation: (94 pts.)

The 2005 vintage is outstanding on the Right Bank of Bordeaux. These wines were all decanted a min. of 3 hours. Also check out Cellar Tracker as it is an amazing tool to keep track of your cellar and write tasting notes.

Enjoy!

John Glas
Wineglas

2005 Château de Sales

Region: France > Bordeaux > Libournais > Pomerol
Date Tasted: 1/23/2010
Color: Medium purple
Nose: Coffee, black currants, floral
Taste: Coffee, minerals, black currants, leather, floral
Finish: This wine is balanced and has an amazing long and intense finish
Evaluation: Decanted six hours and showing beautiful! You will be rewarded with heavy decanting and day 2 tasting. A steal for $26.00! (94 pts.)

2005 Château Teyssier St. Émilion Grand Cru

Region: France > Bordeaux > Libournais > St. Émilion Grand Cru
Date Tasted: 2/14/2010
Color: Medium purple
Nose: Cherry, gravel
Taste: Cherry, gravel, plum, violets, sweet spices, coffee
Finish: Medium and concentrated with nice acidity
Evaluation: What a steal at $24.00 (91 pts.)

2005 Château Tournefeuille

Region: France > Bordeaux > Libournais > Lalande de Pomerol
Date Tasted: 2/14/2010
Color: Dark purple
Nose: Truffles, dark cherries, smoke
Taste: Floral, spices, truffles, cherry, chalk
Finish: Good acidity with medium tannins
Evaluation: Great wine for the money (93 pts.)

2005 Château La Grave a Pomerol Trigant de Boisset

Region: France > Bordeaux > Libournais > Pomerol
Date Tasted: 2/14/2010
Color: Medium purple
Nose: Gravel, blackberries, spices, vanilla
Taste: Cherries, gravel, blackberries, spice, oak
Finish: Medium concentrated finish with tons of potential
Evaluation: Decanted six hours. The third time sampling this wine with similar results (92 pts.)

2005 Château Laroque St. Émilion Grand Cru

Region: France > Bordeaux > Libournais > St. Émilion Grand Cru
Date Tasted: 2/14/2010
Color: Dark purple
Nose: Violets, dark fruits and spices
Taste: A tannic wine. Shows promise with dark fruits, violets, minerals, earth
Finish: Medium and concentrated finish that needs some cellar time
Evaluation: I won’t revisit for 5 years on this one. (88 pts.)