August 25, 2008 Wines Tasted

Domaine Alfred - Chamisal Vineyards - Pinot Noir - Edna Valley - 2005 - $40 - (Classic, Ager, Food Wine) - As promised. Upon opening this wine leads off with earthy mushroom, spice, sweet basil, mint, leather, red cherry and boysenberry aromas. Complex and changing quickly from forest floor components to saddle and spice cabinet. On the palette: warm and ripe(14.5% alc) the leather and bloomy-rind elements carry on, as do the garnet-hued berries and red cherry pie spices like cinnamon, clove, anise, allspice. A medium bodied wine with moderate acid, this pinot will be right at home in the hands of a Burgundy fan, as it lies squarely in their model(though with true Californian ripeness). Watching the Napa sunset we had peppered salami and great laughter as our dinner.

BREAKING NEWS !!!!!!!!!!!!! Pine Ridge Acquires Domaine Alfred

The Gag-Order is off and the news is out! Just announced officially at 3:30PM today, The Crimson Wine Group (Pine Ridge Vineyards-Napa, CA; Archery Summit Winery-Willamette Valley, OR & Double Canyon Vineyard-Horse Heaven Hills, WA) has added Domaine Alfred of Edna Valley, CA to its portfolio of "World-Class Wine Estates".
CEO, Erle Martin made this announcement to the staff just minutes prior to this posting, and is excited to see a top notch Pinot Noir & Chardonnay Vineyard, The Chamisal Vineyard(Edna Valley's Oldest, 1972) included in the Group's holdings.
I too am excited to see the future-in-the-bottle of this incredible Estate. Notes and pairings to follow shortly, now somebody tell me where I can find a bottle of Chamasal Vineyard Pinot...!!!?

August 22, 2008 Wines Tasted

Bryant Family Vineyards - Cabernet Sauvignon - 2005 - $390 - (Ager, Modern, Stand Alone, Showpiece) - The 2005 Bryant was made by Philippe Melka and is clearly in his style: black cherry, cassis, smoky currant, barnyard, espresso and bitter chocolate lace the nose of this high octane Cabernet. Upon entry, the wine's earthiness diffuses to ripe and lightly minty currant and pure cassis syrup. A dense, full bodied wine which has both high alcohol and, "gladiator-like" tannin. A long firm finish with moderate acidity for such a ripe wine. A wine built for the cellar, it should age effortlessly until 2025. Believe it or not, we had grilled chicken drumsticks, summer squash with garlic, and baked potatoes with squab confit and butter.

-Mark Aubert has made the wine from the 2007 vintage, and preliminary exposure has foretold of greater things to come at Bryant Family Vineyards. Stay posted.


Ramey - Jericho Canyon - Cabernet Sauvignon - 2005 - $110 - (Classic, Ager, Stand Alone) - First whiff of the nose simmers up: black olives and very ripe currants, plums and cassis. More air releases the vanallin, spice box, and tarry tobacco qualities I'd expect more from the Oakville Bench rather than Calistoga's northern reaches. The vineyard had supplied Rudd for years with it's produce, but former Rudd winemaker David Ramey steals the show and the prestige with this almost, "classically" styled Cabernet. The mouth is full and lush, with medium full tannin and medium acidity. Fruit is a player in this game, but not the the soul of the wine. Secondary chocolate, olive, and earth also rise to be counted in. Should age well into 2020.

August 17, 2008 Wines Tasted

For those of you who aren't familiar with Rochioli, there is a 6 year waiting list for their single block wines. They are some of the first to EVER plant Pinot and Chard in the Russian River and are considered by most to be THE Cult wineproducer of Sonoma. These wines age very well and are classically styled with balance and site as guiding principles.

Rochioli Vineyards - Little Hill - Pinot Noir - 2006 - $70 - (Ager, Classic, Showpiece) Just received my allocation and look at me, just can't keep my hands off! That's Rochioli. Another great wine from a great producer. Classic Russian River Pinot nose of: spiced black and red cherries. Rather simple now, but aeration leads to a more nuanced wine that is packed with potential. The mouth reveals: tightly wound and focused red cherry and shades of black cherry, moderate high acidity and moderately high levels of tannin and alcohol. Not a shy 14.5%. I recommend consumption from 2010 to 2020.
I made fresh pizzas with basil pesto, cherry tomatoes, caramelized onions and julienned peppered salami. The tomatoes were just a little too sweet for a wine with this much tannin and heat, so I left them off pizza number 2.

August 16, 2008 - Wines Tasted

Bag End Cellars - Cote Rotie Style Syrah - Santa Ynez Valley - 2005 - $25 - I feel like I've discovered the next "great-one",  Dawnielle Burich is doing great things here.  The best thing about this Syrah(80%) and Viognier(20%) blend is not the price, which is fabulous, but the quality of this super small production(50 cases) wine.  A multi dimensional nose of: gamey venison and hog's bacon mingle with wild berries, sage, coffee, and lemony- tea.  In the mouth, it's dense but flirting with a crispness that makes this wine unique for a 15.5% alcohol stunner.  Black fruit and a toasty grain, mix ideally with spice and ripe plum.  Firmly tannic and warm on a long finish which alludes to good cellar potential.  Drink Now or cellar for five to eight more years(if you're one of 'those guys').  I had grilled leg of lamb, marinated in garlic confit and thyme with my sous chefs.  Cheers Lani and Janet...

August 7, 2007 Wines Tasted

The following was a tasting of Pine Ridge Winery's Merlots:

1994 Carneros Merlot – Aromas of mint, herbal tea, light caramel, dusty currant and spice; a medium bodied wine with moderate to moderate low tannin and moderate acidity; flavors of cocoa, cherry, creamy tea, currant and red apple; a dusty, chalky grain to the finish left me with ripe red apple nuance. (I recommend consumption of this wine now to 2009)

1995 Carneros Merlot – Aromas of Earth, tea, black cherry, fleshy and spicy; a medium to medium full wine in body with moderate acid but moderately high finishing tannin; flavors of coffee, red cherry, and black currant. (I recommend consumption of this wine now thru 2009)

1997 Carneros Merlot – Aromas of herb, eucalyptus, cherry pie spice and caramel; a medium full bodied wine that exhibits moderate high acidity and moderate high tannin; displayed flavors of mineral, black cherry, currant, bitter chocolate, mint and plum; the finish was firm but well grained and integrated with almost seamless transitions from mineral & earth to plum and currant. (I recommend consumption now thru early 2010)

1998 Carneros Merlot – Aromas of black cherry, current, clove, anise and bay leaf; a medium full bodied wine with moderate-high alcohol, moderate-high tannin and moderate acidity; loaded with black cherry fruit and more spice; this wine finishes with dense almost granular tannin. (I recommend consumption now thru 2010)

2005 Carneros Merlot - $45 – A big nose filled with spice, bay leaves, a gamut of berries and plums, cedar, and peppers; a medium to medium full bodied wine with moderate acidity and moderate high tannin; flavors of black plum, currant, mint, vanilla, and turned clay/earth; finish is dry and chocolaty with earth, leather, and plum. (I recommend consumption now to 2015)

2005 Crimson Creek Merlot - $37 – A fruit driven nose of black berry, raspberry, milk chocolate, bay leaves, tea, and warm butter; a medium bodied wine with moderate tannin and moderate low acid; the palette opens with black cherry, black raspberry, black tea, sweet molasses and black and green peppercorns; the finish was grand with black raspberry and raspberry tea with hints of mint and cocoa. (I recommend consumption now thru 2013)

August 8, 2008 - Wines Tasted - Double Blind

The following wines were all fantastic examples of Napa Cabernet at the highest level and I'd love to savored each and every one over the course of hours, we had 60 minutes.
They were tasted double blind, side by side, allowed to air for 1 hour, out of Riedel-Vinum stemware. A panel of 8 all judged one wine as their favorite, the Pine Ridge Fortis.

Pine Ridge Winery - Fortis 2005 - $135 - (Modern, Showpiece, Stand Alone, Ager) - The unanimous winner with 8 out of 8 firsts. Aromas of caramel, spice, currant, black cherry, pepper, cinnamon, and light cedar. A full bodied wine with moderate high tannin. The palette revealed brown butter, black cherry, currant, milk chocolate and anise. I easily picked this out as the PRW wine and judged it (3rd on nose and 2nd on palette) 1st overall.

Caymus Vineyards - Special Select - 2005 - $150 - (Modern, Showpiece, Stand Alone) - By far my favorite in the nose: profound black cherry, black raspberry, plum; super-clean well integrated wood notes.
Pure disappointment on the palette: very ripe, juicy red berry and currant, almost sweet, with a short finish and obvious heat(but not super hot). I found it to be two faced. I thought either Staglin or Caymus. Selected it (1st on nose and 5th on palette) 5th overall.

Colgin Vineyards - IX - 2005 - $400 - (Showpiece, Modern, Stand Alone) - The "ringer" of the tasting, and my first time tasting this wine. The nose blew up with spice box, black currant, plum, and heavy cassis liquor. Well perfumed and elegant in the nose. On the palette I found it a touch minty, with plum, cassis, and resin on a long finish. Definitely the hottest wine in the group in nose and mouth. Firm in tannin and moderate in acid, I thought it could be Shafer Hillside but alas, I was not prepared for a Colgin in the mix. Selected (4th in the nose and 3rd in the mouth) 3rd overall.

Dominus Estate - 2005 - $140 - (Classic, Showpiece, Ager, Food Wine) - Easily identified in the tasting due to its "differences": caramel, spice box, Earth, granular mineral notes, herb & cocoa notes all intermingle in the glass. The palette confirms this with firm tannin, bitter-sweet chocolate, cassis, plum, and a sauvage nature purely attributed to a winemaking style which embraces the Old Guard of Bordeaux more than the fruit expressive "Moderns" that adorn store shelves all throughout Napa. Selected (2nd in nose and 4th on palette) 4th overall.

Quintessa - 2005 - $135 - (Modern, Stand Alone, Ager, Showpiece) - I surely expected this wine to be sweet and hot after one whiff of its nose: cassis, plum, and very ripe almost jammy fig and pluot aromas laid heavily over light cedar and warm chocolate. Belied by a palette which was fully dry as well as being loaded with red currant, cassis, light mint and obvious french oak notes. The finish was a bit firm, chalky and warm(not hot). Selected (5th on nose and 1st on palette) 2nd overall.

August 3, 2008 - Wines Tasted

Vincent Girardin - Corton Renardes - Grand Cru - 2005 - $75 - (Ager, Classic, Food Wine) - Wow! I underestimated this wine and paid the price. It was perfect.
'A wine recommended for my palette by a good friend. Well he's a better friend now. Norman, thank you for sharing a great memory with me!'
So well balanced that I felt out of sync drinking it. Pure red berry, currant and red plum with soft but persistent tannin and moderate to moderate high acidity. Sweet and ripe without being heavy on either the oak treatment, nor the ripeness. If ever a wine of this quality and age can be called "quaffable", this is it. So easy to drink that it became a typical, "race to the bottom of the bottle". I will remember this wine for a long time.
We had a tapas feast: Miso Marinated Beef Stir-fry; Herb Spaetzle with Parmesan; Kale with Bacon Lardons, Morels and Chantarelles.