November 16th - 21st - Wines Tasted

Egelhoff Wines - 2003 - Napa - Cabernet Sauvignon - $75 - (Modern, Ager, Showpiece) - A monster nose of pure black cherry, cassis, black olive, green tea, peppery spice, kirsch and ground coffee. More closed on the palette but not shy about showing off its: black cherry, cassis, black plum, black tea and black olive arrangement. Moderatly high in alcohol; high in tannin and moderate in acid (typical of 2003).
We had a glass on Wednesday and drank the rest on Thursday...but it showed more breakdown than expected overnight. For such a tight wine I wonder about it's decant times? Any speculation?


Bryant Family Vineyards - 2001 - Napa - Cabernet Sauvignon - $350 - (Modern, Showpiece) - Dr Pepper-like aromas, teasanne, blackberry, eucalyptus/camphor, sage. Threw heavy sediment.
A medium bodied, moderate to mod low tannin, mod plus acid, Cabernet with a moderately short finish. An (14.1% alc) effort that doesn't come off as hot.

DB4 - Napa Cabernet - 2005 - $80 - (Showpiece, Modern) - The, "super second", wine of Bryant Family Vineyards. Smoky black cherry, chocolate, black olive, leather, tea, sage, and blackberries. A fullbodied, moderatly high in tannin, mountain wine with moderate acid and moderate high alcohol. A much spicier and more acidic version of the big brother. Shows off it's pomegranate, red plum and blackberry freely as it continues to open. I
Based on my tastings of recent Bryant Family wines I'd say this is very close to the Big-Brother wine, but at less than a third the cost...? It's well worth it if you're a fan.


Topaz - Late Harvest Semillon/Sauvignon Blanc - Anderson valley - 2005 - (Dessert Wine) - Orange peel, smoke, peach, florals, honey honeysuckle. Moderate acid and alcohol. Caramelized peach and nectarine as well as flambeed orange peel.


Chateau St. Michele - Grenache - Limited Release - 2005 - Columbia Valley - $28 - (Drink Now, Modern, Food Wine) - Strong cherry and cola to open, brown sugar, clove, ripe black berry and charred raspberry. A medium bodies wine which showcases moderat to moderate low tannin moderatly high acid and moderate heat from alcohol (14.5 alcohol). Blackberry almond and black raspberry lay side by side with bittersweet chocolate. Great with fresh made pissaladier of duck confit and broccolini with tomato sauce and mozzarella.

The following Pine Ridge Vineyards wines were tasted with winemaker - Stacy Clark and the winerie's VIPs to predict ageability as well as saleability of some fine older vintage wines. This is the order tasted and my notes from that tasting. (wines that follow were NOT part of the Pine Ridge Tasting)


Pine Ridge Vineyards - Andrus Reserve – 1986 – Napa Valley – (12.8%) – Dusty red berry, dried and fresh cherry nose. Moderate to moderate-high acidity and moderate-low tannin. Leads in with tart red cherry, then follows with dried Bing cherry, dried currant and tea in the mouth. A wine that has held up impressively and offers the drinker a wine meant for food today. Drink now.
Duck breast with dried currant sauce and wild rice.

Pine Ridge Vineyards - Andrus Reserve – 1990 – Napa Valley – (?%) – Opens with rose petals, black plum, black cherry, blueberry and currant aromas. Acid is in the mid range, while tannin remains moderate-low it retains a granular nature. The mouth relives the nose: black cherry, tea smoke, florals and a touch of Earth. Drink now.

Pine Ridge Vineyards – Crimson Creek Merlot – 1996 – Napa Valley – (?%) – Aromas of light brown sugar, light brown butter, red plum, red berry, cinnamon stick and hazelnut tell of a wine holding tightly to its French Oak experience. Soundly from a warm vintage with its, chocolate-praline, plum, cedar, and mint flavors. A moderate-high tannin and moderate acid wine which shows moderate alcohol as well. Drink now through 2010.

Pine Ridge Vineyards – Cabernet Sauvignon - Rutherford – 1998 – Napa Valley – (14.2%) Starts with aromas of red currant, red cherry, vanilla pastry cream, light blueberry, violet, dusty currant and green olives. The fruit in the mouth is very ripe and evocative of black cherry with vanilla, then green olive. With moderate acid, moderate tannin and moderate length, this is a drink now wine.

Pine Ridge Vineyards – Cabernet Sauvignon – Stags Leap District – 1998 – Napa Valley – (14.2%) – This wine took longer than the other 98s to open, but then unleashed: plum, leather, turned Earth, black olive & black currant. On the palette it was mostly: bittersweet chocolate covered black currants, black plums and red berries. Showed moderate-high tannin as well as moderate-high acid. Drink now or hold until 2012.

Pine Ridge Vineyards – Cabernet Sauvignon – Howell Mountain – 1998 – Napa Valley – (14.2%) – Always an impressive wine from Stacy Clark and no exception here: loaded with cola, coffee, black cherry, black berry, light clove, light cinnamon and dried cranberry. Big and brash in the mouth as Howell Mtn. should be. Moderate-high-plus tannin, moderate acid, and moderate-high alcohol here. Full of smoky plum, black currant, black cherry which carry long through the finish sailing side-by-side with the tannin. Drink now through 2015.

Pine Ridge Vineyards – Cabernet Sauvignon – Andrus Reserve – 1998 – Napa Valley – (14.1%) – (My favorite wine in this tasting by far! Formerly the prestige cuvee for Pine Ridge and a stellar example of blending.) Coconut, red currant, red berry, dried red cherries, lightly floral, and sweet with cinnamon and vanilla aromas. A ripe and sweet entrance of red and black cherry, raspberry, framboise and a conclusion of light minerality. Moderate tannin, moderate acid and warm with moderately high alcohol. Drink now for sure, it’s peaking! Or hold until 2012.

Pine Ridge Vineyards – Cabernet Sauvignon - Rutherford – 2003 – Napa Valley – (14.4%) – (My second favorite.) This wine opened up generously in the glass. It started closed and a touch green with olive and dill, but blew off to reveal the wine which “critics” hailed in its release: all ripe red currant, red berries, very fleshy cherry, red plum and cedar. In the mouth it was sweet and ripe with red berry mix, red cherry, light mineral and Earth, with chalky and dry tannins that lie in the moderate range. Acidity remained moderately low. Drink now through 2015.

Pine Ridge Vineyards – Cabernet Sauvignon – Stags Leap District – 2000 – Napa Valley – (14.1%) – Smoky, dark fruited Cabernet here. All black berry, black cherry, cassis, plum, cinnamon, tea and lightly cedary. The palette reveals more of the same, but with red fruit to boot: red currant, cranberry, tart red cherry, chocolate and cedar. A moderate-high acid, moderate tannin SLD Cab. Drink now through 2012.

Tasted seperately:

Rafanelli Vineyards – Zinfandel – Dry Creek – 2006 - $? – (Classic, Food Wine) – Red berry, floral, black plum, pluot, red apple skin, cocoa and light coconut. Firm tannin & moderate acid. A restrained Bordeaux-like wine built for food and cellar. This is a very classically styled Zinfandel from a “cult” style producer. Closed and tight, this is not a “gobby, juicy, or spicy”, zin. A Cabernet lovers wine. And a great candidate for cellaring, which is not typically in Zins DNA. Hold for 2010.

Whitcraft Winery – French Camp - Lagrien – Santa Barbara County – 2003 -(14.2%) – For those of you who have never tasted or heard about – Lagrien, it’s a grape native to North East Italy(Cool-Climate!), and produces very powerful, dark, tannic, alcoholic and acidic wines. It is the picture of excess!!! If you like PETS, try it. Almost black and opaque, this wine boasts 15.8% alc. Fully floral, red plum, pears & grape like aromas mix with hot coffee, blueberry, pencil shavings and menthol flavors. High to moderately-high acid with high tannin levels and obvious heat from alcohol. Bored with Zinfandel? Try Chris Whitcraft’s Lagrien.

Woodenhead - Pinot Russian River - 2006 - $40 - (Classic, Food Wine) - Unfined & unfiltered opaque ruby garnet. A well balanced, mid-high acid, RR Pinot which flashes it's caramel, vanilla, orange peel, bubble gum, boysenberr y and rasp/red currant red cherry and spiced tea aromas vividly. Not a Power Pinot rather a graceful wine with mid heat (14.7). Ripe and sweet fruit wood in the mouth, with lingering spice and acid...drink now or hold for 5 to 7 yrs. We had pasta with fresh tomato sauce applewood smoked bacon chard and lemon thyme w EVOO!


Mayacamas Vineyards - Napa Cabernet Sauvignon - Mt. Veeder - 1997 - $? - (Classic, Ager, Food Wine) - Tight, focused and floral in the nose. Raspberry, red currant, lavander and green tea. Dusty black cherry. This wine us showing beautifully now but can still linger for 5-8 yrs


Coroson Winery - Kronos Vineyard - Cabernet Sauvignon - 2003 - $98 - (Classic, Ager, Stand Alone) - (13.8% alc.) - Black berry, red cherry, lt cassis and strong blueberry character. Light plastic aroma as well as red florals.. Mid-high tannin mid-high acid. Long mineral tannin chalky tnin that are chewey and persistant. Almost red apple skin thru finish. 1971 or 1972


Aubert - Reuling Vineyard - Sonoma Coast - Pinot Noir - 2006 - $? - (Modern, Showpiece) - My first time tasting Aubert wines and I have to say, "These are a BIG deal, so if you don't like huge wines stay away". Mushroom leads off, then: black currant, red plum, raspberry, herb tea leaf, pine and clay. Full bodied and 15.6% alc?! Tamarind, raspberry, sweet and ripe with a touch of plastic. Mid-high tannins with earthy persistence. Pleanty of fruit and heat. Raisin-like final note which lingers on the breath.