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Wine Sales in the Twin Cities
Wine reviewing is an important element for you the consumer as professionals like myself can guide you towards the best wines. Some of my competitors will say drink what you like but that would be like saying remodel your house. As the only serious wine reviewer in the state for the general public, I provide the best advice on what to buy. Since I don't sell wine for a living like my 2 main competitors, I give quality scores to wines that WOW me. Price is never a factor in my criteria when handing out scores.
If you have not taken one of my classes then many of my reviews won't apply as in order to taste what I taste you must follow a tasting process. Check out the Twin Cities Wine Club or Minneapolis Wine Club calendar and enroll in a class to truly appreciate the world of wine.
WINE SHOP SALES WILL ALWAYS INDICATE THE DATES OF THE SALES.
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Hennepin Lake(Click here for more wines)
BEST SALE OF THE YEAR COMING SOON!
Wines of the Month available at Hennepin Lake (October)
2005 Yangarra "Old Vines" McClaren Vale Grenache $$$
Color: Dark purple
Nose: Blackberry, floral, black pepper
Taste: Great acidity, black pepper, floral, blueberries, blackberries
Finish: Long and Intense with mild tannins
Evaluation: This wine is smoking! One of the top wines under $20 this year 93 points
2005 Chateau Ste. Michelle Indian Wells Cabernet Sauvignon $13.95
Color: Dark purple
Nose: Forest floor, cherry, plum, spice, oak
Taste: Wow! Forest floor, cherry, plum, spice, oak, not too tannic
Finish: Intense and powerful
Evaluation: Best wine ever for under $10 to date. 92 points
WINE OF THE YEAR SO FAR FOR THE PRICE AND QUALITY
2007 Dr. Loosen Wehlener Sonnenuhr Spatlese Riesling $27
Color: Medium gold
Nose: Peach, pear, slate, honey
Taste: Good balance with peach, honey, slate, and tropical fruits
Finish: Medium and concentrated
Evaluation: The 07 is one of my favorite German Vintages in the last 10 years 92 points
2006 Conquista Reserve Mendoza Malbec $15.99
Color: Dark purple
Nose: Cherry, mineral, spice, plum
Taste: Really balanced and smooth wine with amazing complexity
Finish: Medium
Evaluation: This is the best Malbec producer at this price point 90 points
2007 Dr. Loosen "Dr. L" Mosel Riesling $$
Color: Light gold
Nose: Apple, pear, mineral
Taste: Apple, pear, slate, honey
Finish: Great acidity with peach, pear, slate, honey
Evaluation: Wonderful wine! 90 points
2006 Chappellet Mountain Cuvee Cabernet Sauvignon Blend $20.95
Color: Dark purple
Nose: Plum, spice
Taste: Plum, spice, floral, mineral
Finish: Medium and balanced
Evaluation: Solid effort. One of the better at this price points 89 points
2007 Tommasi Vermantino $$
Color: Medium gold
Nose: Peach, honey, floral
Taste: Peach, floral, mineral, honey, pineapple
Finish: Medium and balanced
Evaluation: Excellent Italian white! 89 points
2006 Las Vascos Colchagua Valley $16.95
Color: Dark purple
Nose: Cinnamon, spice, plum
Taste: Spices, plum and earth
Finish: Medium with a different style then the US cabs
Evaluation: A fun Chilean wine 87 points
2005 Hess Collection Mount Veeder Napa Valley Cabernet Sauvignon $20.95
Color: Dark purple
Nose: Smoke, vanilla, cherry
Taste: Smoke, vanilla, cherry
Finish: Medium but a bit tannic
Evaluation: The best Hess in years 87 points
St. Hallett Barossa Valley Shiraz $16.95
Color: Medium purple
Nose: Plum, mineral
Taste: Off a bit with plum, mineral, and spices
Finish: Not intense like Marquis Philips for the same price
Evaluation: 86 points
2007 Chateau Bonnet Entre-Deux Mers White Bordeaux Blend $12.59
Color: Light gold
Nose: Tropical fruits
Taste: Lemon and crisp acidity
Finish: Medium
Evaluation: Good dry White Bordeaux wine 86 points
NV Nino Franco Rustico Prosecco $13.95
Color: Light gold
Nose: Not a lot there
Taste: Lemon, chalk soil, orange peal, tart and a little bitter
Finish: Little bitter
Evaluation: This is one of the better Prosecco producers so I would buy US and Champagne over Prosecco 86 points
2005 Ruffino Chardonnay Toscana $
Color: Light gold
Nose: Floral, lemon, tropical fruit
Taste: Tropical fruit, floral and mineral, no oak on this one
Finish: Shorter with nice fruit
Evaluation: Not bad for under $10 86 points
2005 Cantele Primitivo Salento Puglia Region $
Color: Medium purple
Nose: Tobacco, plum, cherry
Taste: Earth, tobacco, plum
Finish: Medium
Evaluation: Simple sipping wine 84 points
2006 Penfolds Koonunga Hill Shiraz/Cabernet South Australia $7.99
Color: Light purple
Nose: Big floral, mineral, blackberries
Taste: Sharp acid little too much with spice, blackberries and a little watered down
Finish: Short
Evaluation: Not the 91 points from Jay Miller of Parker but decant wine for the money 83 points
Highly Recommended (Make sure you get the right Vintage) SOME MIGHT BE SOLD OUT!
US (These will be updated once the sale starts)
2005 Patz & Hall Napa Valley Chardonnay $33.95
2005 Cliff Lede Claret $27.95
2004 Etude Napa Valley Cabernet $69.95
2005 Columbia Crest Grand Estates Merlot $7.99
2005 Whitehall Lane Napa Valley Merlot $23.99
2005 Fess Parker Pinot Noir $21.95
2006 Cliff Lede Sauvignon Blanc $19.95
NV Gloria Ferrer Brut Sparkling Wine $14.95
2003 Argyle Brut Sparkling Wine $19.95
World
NV Piper Heidsieck Brut Champagne $22.99
2005 Domaine du Vieux Telegraphe Chateauneuf-du-Pape $30.95
2006 Inama Soave $14.99
2006 Felluga Pinot Grigio $13.95
2005 Cecchi Chianti Classico $12.59
2003 Damilano Barolo $34.95
2005 Artadi Vinas de Gain $24.95
2006 Can Blau Monsant $13.95
2006 Conquista Reserve Malbec $15.99
2006 Conquista Malbec $5.49
2006 Catena Malbec $16.95
2006 Marquis Philips Shiraz $13.95
2006 Dr. Loosen "Dr. L" Riesling $10.99
2007 Kim Crawford Sauvignon Blanc $12.95
2004 Petaluma Chardonnay $21.95
2006 Marquis Philips Shiraz 9 $30.95
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Lakeside Wine & Spirits(Click here for more wine)
Mention John Glas and receive 25% a case or more.
Wines of the Month available at Lakeside
2005 Stangeland Estate Reserve Willamette Valley Pinot Noir $$$$
Color: Medium purple
Nose: Asian Spice, truffles, violets, floral, cinnamon
Taste: Spice, great acidity, raspberry, strawberry
Finish: Medium and complex
Evaluation: Really solid wine with tons of potential 93 points
2005 Ayoub Dundee Hills Willamette Valley $$$$
Color: Dark purple
Nose: Cranberry, plum, cherry, raspberry, lots of legs
Taste: Sweet cherries, floral, spice, mineral, cranberries
Finish: Up front floral, mineral and spice and weaves into a mouthful of ripe fruit
Evaluation: My favorite Pinot Noir of all time! 95 points
2005 Bouchard Aine & Fils Cuvee Signature Fixin $$$
Color: Light purple
Nose: Asian spices, rose petals, mineral
Taste: Asian spices, cranberries, mineral, shoe leather, rose petals
Finish: Intense burst and settles into an elegant wine
Evaluation: About as good as Burgundy gets for under $30 90 points
2007 Chris Ringland Cr Shiraz $$
Color: Dark purple
Nose: Blackberry, spice, black pepper
Taste: Buttery notes with blackberries, plum, black pepper
Finish: Big wine
Evaluation: A steal at the price 92 points
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Haskell's
October 1 to 25
reward for coming to the sight!!!!!
Tuesday, October 21
Haskell's Minnetonka
Dr. Loosen Wines from Germany
Starts at 5:30 pm (FREE)
Great lineup of wines!!!
If you missed this tasting you missed out big time!!!
12900 Wayzata Blvd.
Minnetonka, MN 55305
952-544-4456
2003 Jean Thevenet Domaine Emilian Gillet Vire-Clesse $$$ (Burgundy)
Color: Medium gold
Nose: Powerful with pear, lemon, minerals
Taste: Rich with pear, apple, minerals, and very refreshing
Finish: Not heavy oak with rich fruits and minerals
Evaluation: Perfect for Chardonnay lovers who don't like oak 91 points
2005 A to Z Oregon Pinot Noir $14.99
Color: Light purple
Nose: Spice, raspberry
Taste: Smooth with mild spice, raspberry, cherry
Finish: Medium
Evaluation: Buy 89 points
2006 Bodegas Martin Codax Rias Baixas Albarino $$
Color: Light gold
Nose: Floral, citrus, mineral
Taste: A touch of sweetness with floral, citrus, mineral
Finish: Medium and balanced
Evaluation: The best Albarino to date 88 points
2005 Fattoria di Felsina Castelnuovo Berardenga Chianti Classico $14.95
Color: Medium purple
Nose: Strawberry, spice,
Taste: Nice acidity with violets, spice, crushed rock
Finish: Medium and intense
Evaluation: One of the best producers from Chianti 89 points
2006 Di Majo Norante Terre Degli Osci Sangiovese $9.99
Color: Medium purple
Nose: Violets, cherry, mushrooms
Taste: Spices, violets, sweet fruits
Finish: A touch of sweetness with violets, spices, and cranberries
Evaluation: Solid effort for $10 87 points
2006 Villa Santoni Pinot Grigio $11.99
Color: Light gold
Nose: Mineral, pear
Taste: Light wine
Finish: Medium with some mineral and pear notes
Evaluation: Simple but refreshing 85 points
2004 Bosquet des Papes Cotes du Rhone $9.99
Color: Medium purple
Nose: Cherry, smoke
Taste: Smooth wine with a fruit forward style
Finish: Cherry, plum, smoke on this medium finish
Evaluation: Good value 85 points
2007 Bodegas Escorihuela Don Miguel Gascon Mendoza Malbec $
Color: Dark purple
Nose: Plum, spice, earth
Taste: Smooth wine with cherry, plum, earth
Finish: Medium
Evaluation: Solid 87 points
2007 Dantello Pinot Grigio $
Color: Light gold
Nose: Mineral
Taste: Mineral
Finish: Mineral
Evaluation: Boring 80 points
2006 MacMurray Central Coast Pinot Gris $$
Color: Light gold
Nose: Floral
Taste: Bitter and too much floral
Finish: Medium
Evaluation: Pass 82 points
NO BRAINER BUYS
2003 Groom Shiraz Australia $19.99
2007 Dr. Loosen "Dr. L" Riesling $8.99 BEST BUY!
2005 Chateau Ste. Michelle Indian Wells Cabernet Sauvignon $12.99 BEST BUY!
2005 Avalon Napa Valley Cabernet Sauvignon $9.99
2006 Razors Edge Shiraz $9.99
2006 Conquista Malbec $5.99
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Surdyk's Wine Sale
October 7 to 25
Free In-store Events
Friday & Saturday October 17-18
Jean-Christophe Calvet of Aquitaine Wine Company Red Bordeaux Tasting (free)
Friday & Saturday October 24-25
Rombauer Winery and Bishop's Peak Winery (free)
2005 Las Rocas de San Alejandro Vinas Viejas Garnacha $15.49
Color: Medium purple
Nose: Intense with spice, oak, vanilla, and blueberries
Taste: Spice, oak, vanilla, raspberries, blueberries, and coffee
Finish: LONG and intense. A balanced wine!
Evaluation: Incredible value for under $20. 93 points
2006 Columbia Crest Vineyard 10 Red Blend (Syrah, Sangiovese, Cabernet Sauvignon, Grenache and other) $5.49
Color: Medium purple
Nose: Oak, plum, cherry, and Intense
Taste: Spice, oak, vanilla, mineral, plum, cherry
Finish: Intense and concentrated
Evaluation: Best red under $10 ever. Tastes like a $50 wine. 92 points
2005 Chateau Behere Pauillac $31.99
Color: Dark purple
Nose: Spice, pencil lead, smoke
Taste: Earth style wine
Finish: Medium and really balanced
Evaluation: Try this at $32 to see if you like Bordeaux 91 points
2006 Chateau Mongravey Margaux $26.99
Color: Medium purple
Nose: Cherry, plum, earth
Taste: Fruit forward and not tannic
Finish: Medium and really drinking well right now
Evaluation: 91 points
2006 Tommasi "Rafael" Valpolicella $$
Color: Medium purple
Nose: Spice, violets, plum
Taste: Spice, violets, plum, cinnamon
Finish: Medium and quite balanced
Evaluation: Try this Valpolicella today! 90 points
2006 Columbia Crest Vineyard 10 White Wine (Chardonnay, Sauvignon Blanc and Semilion) $5.49
Color: Light gold
Nose: Mineral, pear, peach, and intense
Taste: Sweet, golden apples, mineral, spice
Finish: Medium and intense with good acidity
Evaluation: Another winner for the best winery in the world under the $10 price point
89 points
2006 Gemtree McClaren Vale Chardonnay $14.99
Color: Medium gold
Nose: Tropical fruit and mineral
Taste: Nice fruit forward style with tropical fruit, apple, and mineral
Finish: Medium and refreshing
Evaluation: Solid non oaked wine 88 points
2005 Sterling Vintner's Collection Cabernet Sauvignon $8.99
Color: Dark purple
Nose: Spice, plum
Taste: Plum, spice, and cherry
Finish: Very smooth and balanced
Evaluation: Great price 88 points
2006 Yalumba Y Series Shiraz/Viognier $8.99
Color: Medium purple
Nose: Violets, crushed rock
Taste: Fragrent with violets, spice, crushed rock. The Viognier gives it a nice kick
Finish: Medium
Evaluation: 86 points
2005 Chateau Bellevue Peycharneau Superieur Bordeaux Blend $14.99
Color: Dark purple
Nose: Menthol, Cinnamon
Taste: Minty with spice and oak
Finish: Minty and medium finish
Evaluation: Not a bad wine but the mint is not Bordeaux like 85 points
2006 Bogle Vineyards California Petite Sirah $8.99
Color: Medium purple
Nose: Blackberry, spice
Taste: Blackberry, spice, floral
Finish: Medium
Evaluation: Good everyday wine 85 points
2006 Alfred Merkelbach Urziger Wurzgarten Auslese Riesling $18.99
Color: Light gold
Nose: Slate, peach, pineapple,
Taste: Sweet with peach, pear, slate, honey
Finish: Medium with good acidity but a little to floral for my taste
Evaluation: Inexpensive Auslese that shows 85 points
NO BRAINER BUYS!
2007 Leitz Rudescheimer Klosterlay Kabinett Riesling $12.99
2006 Selbach-Oster Zeltinger Sonnenuhr Spatlese Riesling $21.99
2007 Hoffman-Simon Piesporter Goldtropfchen Kabinett Riesling $13.99
More to come...
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Sale ended October 4 but click on the link above to check out some wines from the sale.
2004 Helix Pomatia Columbia Valley Red Blend $$$
45% Merlot, 26% Cabernet Sauvignon, 19% Syrah, 10% Cabernet Franc
Color: Dark purple
Nose: A little musty with cherry, plum, pepper
Taste: Smooth wine with a balance of fruit and earth components
Finish: Medium and elegant
Evaluation: Best wine for the price at this tasting 92 points
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