RisqueSommelier.com

Mendocino Wine Company 2005 Zig Zag Zin Zinfandel, Mendocino County, CA

“Mendocino County, where the roads zig zag through the coastal mountains”, like some of Risqué’s LUSHES after so much Zin. PS, never drink and drive, a chauffeur is always Risqué’s preference. This 100% Zinfandel is barrel aged 18 months on French and American oak that really delivers an indulgence to your nose and certainly doesn’t short change the palette.

Gorgeous amethystine garnet colors scintillate with spicy scents of nutmeg and cinnamon and clinging long legs against the glass. Layers of ripe tart cherry, cola and caramelized coffee eventually dissipate into tall standing Lebanon cedar and stimulating orange zest. White pepper engorges the mouth while a supportive tannic structure peaks with tart cherry, ripe boysenberry, vanilla and settles into notes of cherry blossom tea.

A path may zig and a path may zag, but this path will lead anyone “just a little gay” to a zinfandel worthy of your adoration and pure luscious enjoyment. This Zin is certain to improve over the next five years. Drink some now, squirrel some away and anticipate the later.

Alcohol 14.5% ($15)

Pahlmeyer 2005 Pinot Noir, Sonoma Coast    

Risqué finds there are times when he feels like working out… and then… times where he feels not.  Today is a not… however as a connoisseur and critique of both the muscle-bound gym bunny and fine wine, today, Risqué found quite the substitution.  Pahlmeyer 2005 Pinot Noir is quite enjoyably palatable on the tongue and a nice muscular replacement for the muscle flexing gaydom.

Foxen 2005 Chenin Blanc, Ernesto Wickenden Vineyard “Old Vines”, Santa Maria Valley

While enjoying a beautiful drive through the rolling green country side of San Luis Obispo, Risqué and LUSHES in tow ran across a funky little shack on the side of the road.  As it turned out it was the infamous Foxen tasting shack that was once featured in Sideways…you know, that wine movie.  Ok, Ok, Ok…in spite of the movie and unbeknownst to Risqué, Foxen has some pretty scintillating wines.      

Risqué couldn’t help himself but to try all the fabulous libation offerings especially since Risqué’s most high supreme LUSH sacrificed a scared pork offering (little pink plastic piggy) to the alter shrine inside of the wholly Mecca of Foxen… they felt blessed by the gods of Foxen and all were chanting…”If you don’t know Dick….or Bill…you don’t know Foxen”.

Hues of parchment lead to the first intoxicating waft of ripe luscious quince, following with hints of wet hay, abundant warm honeysuckle, Meyer lemon and a light essence of pear.  The taste has a crisp acidic topicality with some light toasted notes hinting at caramelized Granny Smith apple, however lingering, the palette finishes fresh and crisp with a svelte clinging body.   

Although Risqué flows with his own standard, Wine Enthusiast offered a well deserved 92 points.  By now everyone knows Risqué’s life has been enriched by a lot of Dick…and now we have to add Bill.

Alcohol 14.2% ($20)

Leona Valley Winery 2005 ILYO, Leona Valley, CA

After being invited to a barrel tasting at one of Risqué’s pet favorites, Leona Valley Winery, he was turned on to an exciting new Red wine blend I+L+Y=O that will be “coming out” in the fall of 2008. Risqué sampled this very young, but beautiful boy, at this point holding enormous potential! The nose is OUTRAGEOUS and the pallet falling nicely in line. ILYO stands for “When Man (I) and the Divine Ratio of Nature (L) come together in perfect Harmony (Y), the result is ILYO = Oneness of Man with the Divine (O)

“ILYO is the one all the others (referring toLeonaValley’s wines) have been leading to. This is why we did it. This is what all our hopes and dreams are riding on. I don’t believe killer cult wines happen by accident. A lot of effort and a lot of people pulling for it is what will make it happen. The wine is worthy”, said David Reynolds the owner of Leona Valley Winery.

“Everything humanly and spiritually possible has been done both logically and philosophically guaranteeing our absolute best possible effort aimed toward a divine, maybe even perfect wine. …All things are fluid and we too are fluid and flexible adjusting our every action to keep in step with whatever Mother Nature brings us from one season to the next. Being that focused and that in tuned with all things composing the terroir of this wine, we will without a doubt produce ILYO year after year, truly reflecting the absolute best possible results with what nature and extreme human efforts along with creative ingenuity give us.”

This wine is derived from four different barrels totaling 200 cases and will be offered as an allotment available only to Leona Valley Winery Club members on a first come first serve basis. Although the release is expected to take place in the fall, the winery is already collecting a waiting list. Being the first in line, Risqué recommends you become a member to enjoy their existing “wines of a rare nature” and make sure your name is on the list… at oneness with the Divine (O).

Show Risqué someone who doesn’t lust for chocolate cake and Risqué will show you someone who would not qualify as one of Risqué’s LUSHES.  Ah, but wait!  Let Risqué offer some liquid salvation.  Layer Cake’s 100% Shiraz delivers on the labels promise and will make a chocolate deviant out of you for sure.   

 The color is a dark ruby red with a plum rim. The rich nose reveals layers of deep dark fruit with concentrated cherry, Swiss mocha, decadent dark chocolate, cedary spice and oak.  Amazing is the taste, as it truly delivers everything in the nose. The beautiful layered palate ends with an indulgently long luscious satin fruit-filled finish. 

Slather me in layer cake and don’t forget to lick my beaters! But heed Risqué’s words, “The high alcohol content may leave you licking more than the beaters…

Alcohol 14.9% ($17)

Montes Alpha 2005 Cabernet Sauvignon, D.O. Colchagua Valley, Chile 

Assuming the Alpha position is everything in Business, Society, Sex (doesn’t mean you are not a top) and in Wine.  This wine barks dominance as a Chilean Cabernet Sauvignon that is off the leash.   

In glass the wine is “best in show” with a beautiful deep ruby color.  As Risqué buries his nose deep in the aromas, the first sniff is a big grape scent with developing characteristics of exotic spice; cinnamon, nutmeg and cedar shavings with licorice and a little tar all wrapped up in a toasty French oak woodiness.  The delish flavors evolve… tart cherry, rhubarb, tannic oak, high percentage cocoa chocolate and some thick cut smoked peppered bacon.  The medium tannic smoky taste is trained into a pleasing subordinate soft balance and fruity trick filled finish. 

Risqué has put a leash on his desires to drink it all now.  Instead, he highly recommends you cuddle at least a kennel’s worth (case) and place this Big Dog in your cellar and whip it (don’t do this to your dog or boyfriend) into obedience as it is definitely going to improve with age.  

Alcohol: 13.5% ($15)

Talley Vineyards 2005 Rincon Vineyard Chardonnay, Arroyo Grande Valley, CA

Last month Risqué had the undeniable pleasure of visiting Talley Vineyards Tasting Room in the delicious Central Coast of California. He and his favorite LUSHES quickly filed into Talley Vineyards tasting room as they were running out of “tastinglight”… time to encounter as many vineyards as they could in one day. Since Risqué heard Talley Vineyards had a nice tasting room, he looked in excitement to find they offered an exclusive “Chardonnay” tasting menu… his favorite of the hour. Risqué stated with great release that “the Talley Vineyards 2005 Rincon Vineyard was “truly a Talleywacker of a Chardonnay!”

At first glance the wine is cloudy or what the vinophiles would call unfiltered. The nose produces the juicy scent of green apples and pear with a twist of tangy lemon. Tasting reveals some very tropical yet dry toasty notes with hints of spice and a nice minerally wet stone finish. The wine paired well with a simple platter of goat cheese, Dubliner white cheddar, slices of dry salami and crackers, all purchased in the tasting room.

Risqué could not have enjoyed his wonderful Talleywacker Chardonnay more as he stood looking over the Talley Vineyards… with the soft fog and stunning view… unless they would have invited him and his favorite Risqué to recline in their gorgeous private tasting room… they obviously didn’t know who Risqué was… maybe next time.

Alcohol 14.5% ($40)

Charles Dickens on Syrah 

It was the best of wines. It was the worst of wines.  It has a hint of petulance.  It has a hint of splendor.  I had a bouquet deceptively grassy.  It had a bouquet sharply rich in character.  It had a texture soft and flabby.  It had a texture tight and compressed.  It had an expressive sultry nuance.  It had a hedonistic oily nuance.  Drinking it was a far, far better thing that I have ever done before.

Malcolm Kushner, Vintage Humor for Wine Lovers, 2003

For those of you who enjoyed the painting by Geoffrey Laurence “Steven and Steven”, the painting is currently available at Altitude Fine Art and he has new work added to the ‘painting’ section of his website.  “I like very much what you wrote about the work and it is indeed true that I strive to put those things into my paintings, most of all too just get people to FEEL stuff when they look at it. We all need to love and help each other more to survive these times.”Geoffrey Laurence