Encompass Wine

The color is a very deep purple that fades a little toward the rim. Because this wine is so young the nose is a bit closed right now but it does give some hints of black fruit and spice box. The flavors are a harmonious mix of currant, tobacco, and plumb. The finish is tannic now and full of cedar but will soften over time. Overall this wine is very complex, very well put together and may be the best Don Melchor ever. It needs additional bottle time so resist the temptation and lay this one down for at least a year. Exceptional!

Clean and fruity on the nose. Just  hint of oak. The flavors are apple and pear and a touch of spice on the finish. Anexcellent effort for this Washington producer and it’s less than $10. If you are looking for an white everyday drinker this is your wine.

Very dark purple that looks very extracted. The nose it still a bit closed but hints of mocha and black fruit are there. Blueberry, black cherry and plumb are the most forward flavors. The fruit are wrapped in a smokey package that gives a hint of tar on the long finish. Another very good vintage for this consistent producer of affordable wines. From Chile.

The color os this wine is very dark purple. The nose gives aromas of red fruit and spice box. The flavor profile is forward but not out of balance and consists of cherry, currant, and plumb that turns a little spicy at the end. The tannins are well integrated and round. This wine is well put together and complex. It will only improve in the cellar for the next few years.

This is a very powerful wine. The nose is full of grilled meats and dark berry. On the palate the wine shows its youth and it a little on the hot side but the complex layers of dark fruit and smoky flavors show through. Also has a burst of cherry in the middle. The finish is long and with the fine grained tannins lingering. It will be interesting to see how this wine ages. At $85 it’s an indulgence for most. Alban specializes in Rhone varietals and it sources fruit mainly from the Edna Valley region of Californians Central Coast. 

The color of this wine is dark purple all the way to the rim. After about two hours in the decanter not much to speak of other than an aroma of wet newspaper. The palate delivers an almost muted seam of dusty red berries with a firm tannic structure. The fruit is not very forward at all. If you prefer a more old world expression of the grape this is more your wine. Medium bodied and good, but not special. Good value at 18 dollars.

Dark ruby/garnet in color. The nose was faint hints of floral tones and barnyard. Flavors were weak with not much complexity. Strawberry was not most forward of the fruit. Basic but not unpleasant. For around seven dollars it’s not a bad deal but there others in the same range that are better.

Nice dark garnet color with this wine. The nose is a little muted but mineral and spice box are present. The flavors are vibrant and fruit forward with blackfruit and floral undertones most prevalent. The finish is pleasant with lingering black fruit and some fine grained tannins. It’s a mix-up of Bordeaux and Rhone varietals (mostly Cabernet Sauvignon and Merlot) but for the money ($15) it’s good for a weekday drinker.

I was interested to read James Laube’s blog on Wine Spectator.com yesterday on the subject of a need for a price correction in the wine market. He makes very valid points that wine prices, like most all else, is determined by supply and demand. With the current downturn in the economy can producers really afford to correct? Land prices in Napa and Sonoma are at a all time high. Fuel prices are driving expenses on everything from delivery to the glass bottle. The “cult” wines will be less affected by all of this. Where a correction will hurt most is for those producers who make an effort to keep prices low in good times or bad. There are many producers in Napa and Sonoma who, given the current state of things, could charge a good deal more for their wines but, for what ever reason, choose not to do so. While the upper end may come down during this slowdown in the economy, those true “value” wines may have to move out of the value category just to survive and that would be a shame.

Earthy mineral aromas on the nose.The color is a deep red with purple hues. Flavors are currant, plumb, cherry and a touch of smoke. The tannins are fine grained and very well integrated. The finish is medium to long in length. This “house” wine is a blend of Cabernet Sauvignon 54%, Merlot 30%, Syrah 11%, Malbec 3%, Cabernet Franc 2% and is an exceptional value at $10.