Like many posts, this was an amazing day. We spent close to three hours with Lou. Also, we were the first people outside of the winery to taste the 2009s from barrel. Below are some brief thoughts and notes that will eventually go into CT.
First, Lou greeted us and brought us out to the vineyard next to his gorgeous home and facility next door on State Lane Road. It is truly breathtaking. We went to the back of the winery and he walked us through the meticulous farming process, from the extensive pruning of the vines, to selection and even how the vineyard was replanted to reduce the exposure the grapes during different parts of the day/year.
We moved into the winery. It was immaculate. You could literally eat of the floor. As we walked into the barrel rooms, two workers were cleaning around the holes of the barrels to ensure cleanliness.
We then moved into his boardroom/tasting room. It is casually elegant. There is a press at one end and two antique Hungarian glass thieves were works of art. On to the stories, which we know about. Lou is truly a classic overachevier and strives for excellence in every aspect of his life. His mission in life now is to beat Bordeaux and redefine excellence in Merlot. He is surely close if not there already. On to the short marathon notes. They are brief but it should not miminize the unbelievable experience. After this tasting, we stopped going to any other wineries for the last day as it would have been a buzz kill. What a day to remember.
Lou's quote of the day: "Terroir is not only the soil. It is the soil and the soul of the vineyard owner and its generational impact."
2009 Rose: I think this is already in bottle and we were not the first to taste this. It is a huge rose with bright acidity, fresh red fruit, rhubarb, some toasted baquette and is extremely well balanced.
1995 Beringer State Lane: Lou poured two vintages of these wines as the vineyard fruit used to go into the blend of Beringer Reserve. Lilacs, floral nose, mature cherry, soem vegetal tones.
1998 Beringer State Lane: Some smokey accent mixed with same floral notes, some eucalyptus and red cherry fruit
2003 Kapcsandy State Lane: Deep dark pruple, great floral notes on nose, really well integrated black cherry fruit and structure. Showed better than the last time I had it. More integrated.
2006 Kapcsandy Estate Cuvee: Chocolate, cherries, softer mouthfeel than other vintage.
2007 Endre: Great flavor profile, ripe black/red fruit, lucious
2007 Estate Cuvee: Smooth as silk, fruit burst in my mouth, bright red cherry and plum
2007 Cabernet Sauvignon: Black ink, chewy, perfect intense cab fruit, speechless
2008 Endre: Minty nose, better than 2007, big mouthfeel, plum dominated
2008 Cuvee: Medium bodied, lip smacking, black rasberries, dark fruit, tight finish. Needs lots of time. Not to self, keep paws of of these.
2008 Caberbet Sauvignon: Cabtastic!! Bottled three weeks ago, great richness to cherry fruit. Tightly wound but stuffed with everything. Has greatness ahead.
2008 Roberta's: Round, lush, chewy, WOTY for me. Bright deep red fruit flavors, grilled meat, sweet tannins, silky
2009 Roberta's Barrel Tasting: Wow. Ever read the book Outliers? This wine is an outlier. Licked my teeth for two minutes after the glass was empty. No dump bucket. Look out right bank! Better than 2008?
2007 Vino del Sol: Need to take a breath. This is powerful stuff. All merlot fruit, figs on nose and palate
2008 Vino del Sol: same flavor proflie as 2007, more complex. Liked it more and will use these wines for dessert as my older ports rest.
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