Sometimes, when you travel to California or to a wine country anywhere, you get caught up in the moment and buy wines as a memory for the trip. That special bottle to open another time to remind you of the trip. Soemtimes, the wines disappoint and sometimes they deliver that specialness that made you buy it in the first place. Luckily, the wines that we re-visited last night from our napa trip this past summer hit a homerun back in Florida. Can't wait for the other cases to arrive in November to continue to see if we were caught in the moment or caught holding the proverbial bag.
2007 Kapcsandy Family Winery Estate Cuvée State Lane Vineyard - USA, California, Napa Valley, Yountville (10/17/2010)
Just fab. Once again, the cab slightly hid behind the delicious merlot fruit. Plums, cassis, cherries. A great earthiness in the mid palate that reminded me of being in the diagonally plan red vines with Lou. Way too early. It will get better but so what. Life is short! (96 pts.)
2008 Château Boswell Chardonnay True Course - USA, California, Sonoma County, Russian River Valley (10/17/2010)
Love when you buy a wine on a trip to Napa tastes as good when you are in the moment there. Great citrus profile of tropical fruits, lemon curd and a creme brulle finish. Color reminded me of some Aubert chards - a bit cloudy. Great acidity and an elegant finish. (94 pts.)
Sunday, October 17, 2010
Tasting Notes from a European Free For All
2006 Bodegas AAlto Ribera del Duero AAlto - Spain, Castilla y León, Ribera del Duero (10/17/2010)
Wine of the Tasting. Cocoa, coffee on nose. Lighter in style than the Bassseta. Great deep red cherry fruit. A hint of mintiness and green pepper. Memorable. Well balanced. (95 pts.)
2006 Bodegas Alto Moncayo Campo de Borja - Spain, Aragón, Campo de Borja (10/17/2010)
Stupendous grenache. Wow! Chewy rasberry. Kaboom in mouth. Man, Spanairds due grenacha right. When it's good, its great. (94 pts.)
1998 Luigi Pira Barolo Marenca - Italy, Piedmont, Langhe, Barolo (10/17/2010)
Delicate. Could have guessed an aged Sea Smoke Ten if it was blind. NIce backbone. A touch acidic at back end. Mature cherries and mushrooms. Heavy tannins with a memorable earthiness. Got better toward end of tasting when I revisited it. (93 pts.)
2005 mas alta Priorat La Basseta - Spain, Catalunya, Priorat (10/17/2010)
Chocalte covered cherries. Huge wine. Some called it "Parkerized" - a bit manipulated. Great food wine. Some acid on finish. (93 pts.)
2006 Orma Toscana IGT - Italy, Tuscany, Toscana IGT (10/17/2010)
This wine is still a juvenile. Tight. Brooding fruits flavors of plum with some black pepper. (90 pts.)
2008 Murphy-Goode Sauvignon Blanc The Fumé - USA, California, North Coast (10/17/2010)
Palate cleanser and warm upper before European wine tasting. Light, crisp and clean. Lemon intertwined with lemon grass. Wellintergrated acidity and decent tartness. Nice finish. Never have low expectations on Sauv Blanc. Often surprised to the upside. (88 pts.)
2003 Paul Jaboulet Aîné Hermitage La Chapelle - France, Rhône, Northern Rhône, Hermitage (10/17/2010)
Dark with some reduction on the nose. Lilacs protrude from glass with some funk. Lots of subtlety to the mix of dark berry and forest floor. Wine had an oxidization issue though and wasn't its best showing. (87 pts.)
Wine of the Tasting. Cocoa, coffee on nose. Lighter in style than the Bassseta. Great deep red cherry fruit. A hint of mintiness and green pepper. Memorable. Well balanced. (95 pts.)
2006 Bodegas Alto Moncayo Campo de Borja - Spain, Aragón, Campo de Borja (10/17/2010)
Stupendous grenache. Wow! Chewy rasberry. Kaboom in mouth. Man, Spanairds due grenacha right. When it's good, its great. (94 pts.)
1998 Luigi Pira Barolo Marenca - Italy, Piedmont, Langhe, Barolo (10/17/2010)
Delicate. Could have guessed an aged Sea Smoke Ten if it was blind. NIce backbone. A touch acidic at back end. Mature cherries and mushrooms. Heavy tannins with a memorable earthiness. Got better toward end of tasting when I revisited it. (93 pts.)
2005 mas alta Priorat La Basseta - Spain, Catalunya, Priorat (10/17/2010)
Chocalte covered cherries. Huge wine. Some called it "Parkerized" - a bit manipulated. Great food wine. Some acid on finish. (93 pts.)
2006 Orma Toscana IGT - Italy, Tuscany, Toscana IGT (10/17/2010)
This wine is still a juvenile. Tight. Brooding fruits flavors of plum with some black pepper. (90 pts.)
2008 Murphy-Goode Sauvignon Blanc The Fumé - USA, California, North Coast (10/17/2010)
Palate cleanser and warm upper before European wine tasting. Light, crisp and clean. Lemon intertwined with lemon grass. Wellintergrated acidity and decent tartness. Nice finish. Never have low expectations on Sauv Blanc. Often surprised to the upside. (88 pts.)
2003 Paul Jaboulet Aîné Hermitage La Chapelle - France, Rhône, Northern Rhône, Hermitage (10/17/2010)
Dark with some reduction on the nose. Lilacs protrude from glass with some funk. Lots of subtlety to the mix of dark berry and forest floor. Wine had an oxidization issue though and wasn't its best showing. (87 pts.)
Sunday, October 10, 2010
Andrew's Bar Mitzvah Celebration: 1997
WE started with a pre-party tasting. Straight out of the small glasses they give you in the bathroom of Marriott hotels. Could be a lot worse.
•2005 Cliff Lede Cabernet Sauvignon Poetry Poetry Stags Leap District - USA, California, Napa Valley, Stags Leap District (10/10/2010)
This wine totally delivered. Violets and field flowers on the nose with cherry and baked blueberry pie on the palate. Amazing structure to this wine. A strong backbone carries the intense fruit through each phase of the palate. It is a baby but delish now. (94 pts.)
•2007 Plumpjack Cabernet Sauvignon Estate - USA, California, Napa Valley, Oakville (10/10/2010)
Love this wine once again. Cocoa,back cherry, cassis and some vanilla. Ample oak but staysin the background. Hedonistic. Could age for a long time but why wait. I call this a Fedex wine - it delivers. (93 pts.)
Popped and poured all of these wines at the party. We were not good sharers!
•1997 Silver Oak Cabernet Sauvignon Alexander Valley - USA, California, Sonoma County, Alexander Valley (10/10/2010)
I take back my comments on this vineyard. Sometimes I feel like it doesn't age well. This vintage held up beautifully. Sweet smooth tannins follow ripe, mature red cherries. It won't get much better. Drink now.. (94 pts.)
•1997 Joseph Phelps Insignia - USA, California, Napa Valley (10/10/2010)
Ooh la la. Loved it. Cassis, black cherry and forest moss dominate this heavy weight. This still has years ahead of itself. Absolutely stunning. Amazing mouthfeel, texture and a very long finish. (96 pts.)
•1997 Château Grand-Puy-Lacoste - France, Bordeaux, Médoc, Pauillac (10/10/2010)
Well integrated fruit and woody notes. Some tobacco, cedar on thE and I initial hit to the palate. Sweet, soft tannins followed by light red cherry compote. Really nice. In the right spot for my taste. (92 pts.)
•1997 Graham Porto Vintage - Portugal, Douro, Porto (10/10/2010)
Sweet plums and dark berry fruIt. Too young still. A bit disjointed. Has the right recipe, just needs time. (91 pts.)
•2005 Cliff Lede Cabernet Sauvignon Poetry Poetry Stags Leap District - USA, California, Napa Valley, Stags Leap District (10/10/2010)
This wine totally delivered. Violets and field flowers on the nose with cherry and baked blueberry pie on the palate. Amazing structure to this wine. A strong backbone carries the intense fruit through each phase of the palate. It is a baby but delish now. (94 pts.)
•2007 Plumpjack Cabernet Sauvignon Estate - USA, California, Napa Valley, Oakville (10/10/2010)
Love this wine once again. Cocoa,back cherry, cassis and some vanilla. Ample oak but staysin the background. Hedonistic. Could age for a long time but why wait. I call this a Fedex wine - it delivers. (93 pts.)
Popped and poured all of these wines at the party. We were not good sharers!
•1997 Silver Oak Cabernet Sauvignon Alexander Valley - USA, California, Sonoma County, Alexander Valley (10/10/2010)
I take back my comments on this vineyard. Sometimes I feel like it doesn't age well. This vintage held up beautifully. Sweet smooth tannins follow ripe, mature red cherries. It won't get much better. Drink now.. (94 pts.)
•1997 Joseph Phelps Insignia - USA, California, Napa Valley (10/10/2010)
Ooh la la. Loved it. Cassis, black cherry and forest moss dominate this heavy weight. This still has years ahead of itself. Absolutely stunning. Amazing mouthfeel, texture and a very long finish. (96 pts.)
•1997 Château Grand-Puy-Lacoste - France, Bordeaux, Médoc, Pauillac (10/10/2010)
Well integrated fruit and woody notes. Some tobacco, cedar on thE and I initial hit to the palate. Sweet, soft tannins followed by light red cherry compote. Really nice. In the right spot for my taste. (92 pts.)
•1997 Graham Porto Vintage - Portugal, Douro, Porto (10/10/2010)
Sweet plums and dark berry fruIt. Too young still. A bit disjointed. Has the right recipe, just needs time. (91 pts.)
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