Last wine of the night may be considered blasphemy. It was my person concoction of 1/4 each of Alban Reva, the two Saxums and the Booker. WOTN!!! 98 points!!!
•2004 Alban Vineyards Syrah Reva Alban Estate Vineyard - USA, California, Central Coast, Edna Valley (9/17/2010)
Crazy, out of control delicious. Cherries, rasberry and a dose of road tar. Perfect spot for this wine for my palate. John Alban is a magician. (96 pts.)
•2005 Saxum Syrah Bone Rock James Berry Vineyard and 44 - USA, California, Central Coast, Paso Robles (9/17/2010)
Drank side by side with the 44 month. Both seamless. Around the table, not much difference between the two bottles. The finish on the 44 was smoother and regular bottling had more of a cocoa component. Both were crazy yummy and proves Justin is a master of Rhone style wines. Blueberry was the dominant fruit with some earthiness and wet stones. One person at the tasting described the finish as a piece of blueberry pie with cream soda. Finish is still pretty tight and still has some heat fromthe alcohol. This wine will continue to age well. (95 pts.)
•2007 Booker Vineyard Vertigo 28 months - USA, California, Central Coast, Paso Robles (9/17/2010)
This was one of the upside surprises of the night. Cumin, nutmeg and all spice ont he nse. On palate, cinnamon, clove, dark cherry. This wine is chunk and layered. It has a great flavor profile, including blackberry compote and some black tea in the background. Happy to support this vineyard. Great job. (94 pts.)
•2007 Tablas Creek Esprit de Beaucastel - USA, California, Central Coast, Paso Robles (9/17/2010)
Beautiul floral nose, smooth entry. Weight of wine was more Euro than Paso. Best Espirit vintage I have had yet. Cherries, light chocolate nuances and some vanilla on nose and on finish. This wine is rocking right now. (93 pts.)
•2003 Pax Cuvée Moriah - USA, California, Sonoma County (9/17/2010)
Blueberries dominate with bright plum with smooth tannns. This wine is well knit. Some subtle gaminess. No apparent heat. Yummy (92 pts.)
•2008 Linne Calodo Rising Tides - USA, California, Central Coast, Paso Robles (9/17/2010)
Very rich wine. Syrah dominates. Meaty, chewy dark red fruit. Round, velvety bright cherry on finish. No fizz. Excellent young LC. (92 pts.)
•2009 Kinero Grenache Blanc Alice Blackseth Vineyard - USA, California, Central Coast, Paso Robles (9/17/2010)
Light, fruity, tropical fruit of pineapple, banana and citrus. Great acidity and clean finish. Nice body and decent weight. Great starter for a Rhone Ranger tasting. (90 pts.)
•2008 Robert Foley Griffin - USA, California, Napa Valley, Spring Mountain District (9/17/2010)
This wine is still a baby beast. Black ink in the glass. Young, tight, packs a punch. Dark black fruit with ample oak. Mouth puckering finish. Needs time but has the right recipe. Petite sirah dominant. (88 pts.)
Posted from CellarTracker
Friday, September 17, 2010
Sunday, September 12, 2010
Lamb and Bordeaux - A great pair! plus some others per usual!!
The night had all of the showings of a Europe/US smackdown on bordeaux blends. Heavy weight faves like Pichon Lalande and Cos against upstarts like Opus One and Dominus. Unfortunately, the Americans were leftat the gate on this flight. Could be indicative of aging Cali cab blends compared to their European cousins. However, I am not willing to give up yet. Just think we caught a couple of bottles that didn't show well. Note to self, if have multiple bottles of some of these Cali stars, try them along the way and don't just forget them in the back of the cellar. The night was dominated by terroir. With many of these wines, you felt like you were drinking them in the vineyards of the chateaux.
1997 Domaine Robert Chevillon Nuits St. Georges 1er Cru Les Roncières - France, Burgundy, Côte de Nuits, Nuits St. Georges 1er Cru (9/12/2010)
Garnet/rose mixture in glass. Great minerality, wet stone and flint. Rasberry, cranberry and pomegranate. Vibrant fruit. Excellent sense of terrior. (94 pts.)
1983 Château Cos d'Estournel - France, Bordeaux, Médoc, St. Estèphe (9/12/2010)
Old bordeaux nose of cassis, red sweet cherry, cedar, tobacco. Plenty of fruit left in this. At peak. Soft mouthfeel with essentially no tannins. (92 pts.)
Note: This wine was consumed out of sequence. Lots of decanters look the same as the night goes on!
1996 Château Grand-Puy-Lacoste - France, Bordeaux, Médoc, Pauillac (9/12/2010)
This was a big and chewy wine and is still incredibly young. Some what muted nose but the wine has lots of stuffing. Firm but sweetening tannins. A good dose cedar behind the black cherry on the palate. (94 pts.)
1986 Château Cos d'Estournel - France, Bordeaux, Médoc, St. Estèphe (9/12/2010)
This was right up there with the 86 PL. Juniper and cedar on the nose. Very smooth on entry. Elegant. Primary fruit was mature red cherry with some truffle on the finish. Hasn't developed the classic tobacco/cedar nuances that I usually get from Cos. Still fruit dominant on the nose. (96 pts.)
1986 Château Pichon Longueville Comtesse de Lalande - France, Bordeaux, Médoc, Pauillac (9/12/2010)
WOTN. Floral notes of roses on the nose. This wine is still huge, well integrated red fruit of cherry and cassis with some sweet plums. Great mouthfeel. Velvetty. (97 pts.)
1999 Dominus Estate - USA, California, Napa Valley (9/12/2010)
The wine wasn't corked or oxidized but it was flat, fruitless and missing sommething or many things. Poured down the drain. Bummer. NR (flawed)
1996 Opus One - USA, California, Napa Valley (9/12/2010)
This wine did not show well tonight. It was abit oaky, flabbby and finished with a tart/slightly sour zing. Red cherry fruit was there but th e wine is either in a wierd state or IMHO, thiese wines are constructed to be consumed young in restaraunts. (86 pts.)
1998 Barossa Valley Estate Shiraz E & E Black Pepper - Australia, South Australia, Barossa, Barossa Valley (9/12/2010)
After two disappointments with the cali cabs, this wine brought us right back into the mix. Floral nose of mostly violets. Wine smelled and tasted like blueberry pie with a cinnamon crust. Expected this to bring heat like many Aussies but it was not the case at all. THere was a nice coffee and cocoa/mocha finish after the fruit. Sweet tannins and a great finish. (95 pts.)
1998 Tenuta dell'Ornellaia Bolgheri Superiore Ornellaia - Italy, Tuscany, Bolgheri, Bolgheri Superiore (9/12/2010)
Just when we thought we were wrapping up the night, out came an Italian big gun. Tar, tabocco on nose. Rich red fruit with a tough of green pepper. This wine had great body and was elegant. Still very young. (94 pts.)
1997 Domaine Robert Chevillon Nuits St. Georges 1er Cru Les Roncières - France, Burgundy, Côte de Nuits, Nuits St. Georges 1er Cru (9/12/2010)
Garnet/rose mixture in glass. Great minerality, wet stone and flint. Rasberry, cranberry and pomegranate. Vibrant fruit. Excellent sense of terrior. (94 pts.)
1983 Château Cos d'Estournel - France, Bordeaux, Médoc, St. Estèphe (9/12/2010)
Old bordeaux nose of cassis, red sweet cherry, cedar, tobacco. Plenty of fruit left in this. At peak. Soft mouthfeel with essentially no tannins. (92 pts.)
Note: This wine was consumed out of sequence. Lots of decanters look the same as the night goes on!
1996 Château Grand-Puy-Lacoste - France, Bordeaux, Médoc, Pauillac (9/12/2010)
This was a big and chewy wine and is still incredibly young. Some what muted nose but the wine has lots of stuffing. Firm but sweetening tannins. A good dose cedar behind the black cherry on the palate. (94 pts.)
1986 Château Cos d'Estournel - France, Bordeaux, Médoc, St. Estèphe (9/12/2010)
This was right up there with the 86 PL. Juniper and cedar on the nose. Very smooth on entry. Elegant. Primary fruit was mature red cherry with some truffle on the finish. Hasn't developed the classic tobacco/cedar nuances that I usually get from Cos. Still fruit dominant on the nose. (96 pts.)
1986 Château Pichon Longueville Comtesse de Lalande - France, Bordeaux, Médoc, Pauillac (9/12/2010)
WOTN. Floral notes of roses on the nose. This wine is still huge, well integrated red fruit of cherry and cassis with some sweet plums. Great mouthfeel. Velvetty. (97 pts.)
1999 Dominus Estate - USA, California, Napa Valley (9/12/2010)
The wine wasn't corked or oxidized but it was flat, fruitless and missing sommething or many things. Poured down the drain. Bummer. NR (flawed)
1996 Opus One - USA, California, Napa Valley (9/12/2010)
This wine did not show well tonight. It was abit oaky, flabbby and finished with a tart/slightly sour zing. Red cherry fruit was there but th e wine is either in a wierd state or IMHO, thiese wines are constructed to be consumed young in restaraunts. (86 pts.)
1998 Barossa Valley Estate Shiraz E & E Black Pepper - Australia, South Australia, Barossa, Barossa Valley (9/12/2010)
After two disappointments with the cali cabs, this wine brought us right back into the mix. Floral nose of mostly violets. Wine smelled and tasted like blueberry pie with a cinnamon crust. Expected this to bring heat like many Aussies but it was not the case at all. THere was a nice coffee and cocoa/mocha finish after the fruit. Sweet tannins and a great finish. (95 pts.)
1998 Tenuta dell'Ornellaia Bolgheri Superiore Ornellaia - Italy, Tuscany, Bolgheri, Bolgheri Superiore (9/12/2010)
Just when we thought we were wrapping up the night, out came an Italian big gun. Tar, tabocco on nose. Rich red fruit with a tough of green pepper. This wine had great body and was elegant. Still very young. (94 pts.)
Saturday, September 11, 2010
Tasting notes to start the weekend. More to follow
2007 DuMOL Chardonnay Clare - USA, California, Sonoma County, Carneros (9/11/2010)
Fabulous chard. Lemon curd and creme brulle. Awesome mouthfeel from acidity and weight of the wine. Some other tropical fruits lingered in the mouth on finish. Great. (95 pts.)
2005 Jonata Winery La Fuerza de Jonata - USA, California, Central Coast, Santa Ynez Valley (9/11/2010)
This wine was a beast. It was so thick you had to chew it. Major profile of blackberry, black cherry and a forest floor/moss component that made you think your were actually drinking in the wilderness. It was my first experiment with all Petit Verdot and I think it is best used in a blend for my palate. (90 pts.)
2006 Papapietro Perry Pinot Noir Mukaida Vineyards - USA, California, Sonoma County, Sonoma Coast (9/10/2010)
Young, vibrant strawberry and raspberry fruit. Worked for me. Not cerebral. In your face calii fruit. (94 pts.)
2007 Anthill Farms Pinot Noir Anderson Valley - USA, California, North Coast, Anderson Valley (9/10/2010)
Typical murky profile in glass. Bright red fruit of raspberry, strawberry and red cherry jumped out out of the glass and ricocheted in your mouth. Light to medium in weight. Just a fun wine. (92 pts.)
2008 Kinero Grenache Blanc Alice Blackseth Vineyard - USA, California, Central Coast, Paso Robles (9/10/2010)
Beautiful deep straw color. Great way to start a wine night. Bright acidity and tropical/citrus fruit. Some of the rougher edges have mellowed out since the last tasting. Defintiely in a good window. (91 pts.)
Posted from CellarTracker
Fabulous chard. Lemon curd and creme brulle. Awesome mouthfeel from acidity and weight of the wine. Some other tropical fruits lingered in the mouth on finish. Great. (95 pts.)
2005 Jonata Winery La Fuerza de Jonata - USA, California, Central Coast, Santa Ynez Valley (9/11/2010)
This wine was a beast. It was so thick you had to chew it. Major profile of blackberry, black cherry and a forest floor/moss component that made you think your were actually drinking in the wilderness. It was my first experiment with all Petit Verdot and I think it is best used in a blend for my palate. (90 pts.)
2006 Papapietro Perry Pinot Noir Mukaida Vineyards - USA, California, Sonoma County, Sonoma Coast (9/10/2010)
Young, vibrant strawberry and raspberry fruit. Worked for me. Not cerebral. In your face calii fruit. (94 pts.)
2007 Anthill Farms Pinot Noir Anderson Valley - USA, California, North Coast, Anderson Valley (9/10/2010)
Typical murky profile in glass. Bright red fruit of raspberry, strawberry and red cherry jumped out out of the glass and ricocheted in your mouth. Light to medium in weight. Just a fun wine. (92 pts.)
2008 Kinero Grenache Blanc Alice Blackseth Vineyard - USA, California, Central Coast, Paso Robles (9/10/2010)
Beautiful deep straw color. Great way to start a wine night. Bright acidity and tropical/citrus fruit. Some of the rougher edges have mellowed out since the last tasting. Defintiely in a good window. (91 pts.)
Posted from CellarTracker
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