Wines Tasted April 2, 2010

Chateau Lafon-Rochet - St. Estephe - Medoc - Bordeaux - 1970 - $NA - (Classic) - With a pale red color and brick rim, this wine showed every bit of its age.  It was a bit floculated with stirred sediment (a measure of its handling and not its storage) and decanted roughly, but was an enjoyable time machine in a bottle.  Dry cherry, currant and cranberry fruit aromas with sandlewood, tobacco and wet gravel notes added complexity.  It was dry and of low tannin, yet with acid on its side.  It was more of a, drink-and-think, than a drink-and-discuss, wine.  Left us before we left it.  Drink now if you own it....

Wines Tasted - February 8, 2010

 Chateau Durfort-Vivens - Margaux - Bordeaux - 2004 - (Classic, Classified 2nd Growth, Ager, Food Wine) - $36 - An absolute stunner at this price or any price under $100.  I'd seek this wine out on Wine Searcher myself, if you don't.  Deep garnet color with a medium garnet rim.  Classic BDX nose of crushed wet gravel, and turned compost with ripe plum, cassis and curranty cherry blossoms and rose petals.  Ripe and soft on the entry, yet always Bordeaux.  Moderate tannins with moderate+ acid and a balanced-medium+ length to the finish.  The fruit was equally well developed on the palette with obvious Merlot ripeness and structure traits.  It was my first experience with this 2nd Growth from Margaux, and I was more than impressed with it's poetic nature.  

Wines Tasted - March 1, 2010

 

Hauts de Pontet-Canet - Pauillac - Boudeaux - 2006 - (Classic, Ager, Food Wine, Earthy Style, Best Buy) - $26 - A deep clear garnet/black fading to a deep garnet rim. Opened with a nose of scorched earth, new shower curtain and rubber tires, not that it's a bad thing, just classic BDX qualities.  But as it opened the bluberry rush came on, as did the currant and chocolaty qualities, and once truely aired, it was ripe crushed plums.  That is what we expect from great Merlot dominated blends with Cabernet should evolve to.  I loved this, but my Modern wine drinking friends felt less intimate with it.  It had medium tannins for a young 2006, but with a ton of earth and gravel to each pound of fruit.  Great with a bit of Braised Pork Shoulder, as the tannins and moderate+ acidity were instantly cut by the mented fat, yum!  A great QPR on this.

Classification of Napa Valley Vineyards - 2010

  Much has been said about the 1855 Classification of Bordeaux, and much has been disputed, such as what the hell happened to St Emilion and Pomerol for God's Sake?!?  And why is Chateau "Whatever", a Third Growth, they make wine half as good as, Chateau "Awsomness", and Chateau "Awsomness" is not even Classified...
  It's these questions that the French, in their stubborness, chose never to answer for.  And it's these questions that Mr. Robert Parker and others have been battling to get rightful answers to for decades thru 100 point rating systems.  I like points, but I hate Point Chasers.  I can't stand watching someone walk in to the winery holding a Buying Guide only to skip on some wines to only taste the, "90 pointers".  That guy holding the scores in his hand isn't RP, so why would he trust only RP's opinion?  I think RP has a very good sense of taste, and an even better sense of "saleability", and this is what makes so many followers become devout in their acceptance of his "truth".
  To me it's the same as say, believing in a religion.  There's one "leader" they all listen to.  They never feel the "leader" is guiding them astray.  They continue to invest mindlessly in their "leader's" opinions and guidance.  They die never knowing the truth, which is the freedom they gave up when surrendering their thoughts to the "leader".
  Now it sounds like I'm placating, and I am.  That's why I don't score wine, I just write up my experiences with the great/memorable juice.  Do you think I only taste three wines a week?  Just think of how much good juice I have to wade thru to get you one great wine review.  Yes. I'm a snob.  But I'm a snob for ME, not for anyone else.  People are agast when I drive them thru Napa only to point out all the Vineyards that, "suck".  They say things like, "How can they all suck?" or " I like their wine!  They don't suck!!".  I just tell them, "No they don't suck, THAT vineyard sucks.  Not that producer...".  Yet they still don't get the concept until I explain that the wine they buy comes from so many other vineyards other than the one right on the Silverado Taril next the the Winery.  Some of the contributing Vineyards are stellar and make up for the failings of THAT vineyard.  Then the light comes on for them.
  This is the light I'm attempting to electrify for YOU with this Classification.

  It may take me some months to piece it all together, but be assured the information I provide will be honest, accurate(for a while at least, huh?), and supported by historical data based on grape prices(thus wine prices).
All I want to do is isolate: THE BEST PARCES OF NAPA VALLEY FOR BORDEAUX VARIETALS.
Sorry Petite Syrah, next time(Vincent Arroyo Greenwood Ranch, you would be a 1st Growth;).

Joe's Birthday Present

I bought this for Mr. Trez for his birthday a few years ago, he was nice enough to open it with us this winter.

January 23, 2009 Wines Tasted

The Following 2006 Bordeaux Wines were Tasted at the Bently Reserve in San Francisco at the Union des Grands Crus de Bordeaux tasting:
Of all the wines tasted there, I am recounting the finest, and am including recorded short notes.

Ch. Pape Clement - Pessac-Leognan - (Classic, Ager, Food Wine) - Classic Cabernet nose of black cherry, cassis and black plum.

Ch. Angelus - Saint-Emilion - (Ager, Classic, Food Wine) - Nose opened with a very Earthy component, red and black currant, pencil shavings and pure graphite. Full bodied and plump in the mouth. It had moderate high acid and tannin that was perfectly structured. More earthy than fruity now.

Ch. Figeac - Saint-Emilion - (Modern-Classic, Ager) - Expressive ripe nose of black berry syrup, layered and saturated. Firm and rigid on the palette. High in granular textured tannin.

Ch. la Gaffeliere - Saint-Emilion - (Classic, Ager) - Begins with baking spice, bittersweet chocolate, mint and black cherry fruit. Alcohol was high, tasted hot. Very minerally with that firm graphite-like tannin.

Ch. Larcis Ducasse - Saint-Emilion - (Classic, Ager, Food Wine) - Pretty nose of dried red florals, fresh blue flowers and a medley of red fruits. The only wine I'd love to drink today without regret!

Ch. Pavie-Macquin - Saint-Emilion - (Showpiece, Modern-Classic, Stand Alone, Ager) - A superstar effort and always a favorite! Powerful nose of licorice(red and black), Ripe red raspberry, red currant and framboise. Ripe and luscious in the mouth. Firm with rigid tannins, moderate-high acid and a lengthy, balanced finish. If a wine could be judged on bouguet alone, this would be in the winner's circle.

Ch. Troplong Mondot - Saint-Emilion - (Classic, Ager) - Smoky nose with sweet caramels and vanilla. But at the same time showing a rich soil/hummus and herb mix nuance. Heavy in minerality as well as wet gravels. An earthier stlye, here.

Ch. Trottevielle - Saint-Emilion - (Classic, Ager) - Pretty nose filled with red fruits, red merry mix, red raspberry, fruit-loops and a light earthy sage quality. Wet concrete flavor on the finish.

Ch. Beauregard - Saint-Emilion - (Modern-Classic, Ager, Food Wine) - Pure Merlot nose of dark plum, black cherry and liquor. Moderate tannin and acid show the softness of the merlot also. The length however was admirably long.

Ch. Clinet - Pomerol - (Modern, Ager) - Very ripe and almost raisiny with fresh red fruit, cinnamon and spice box aromas to boot. Ripe fruit turns to firm tannin and moderat-high acid. This Clinet pushes in all directions.

Ch. Gazin - Pomerol - (Food Wine, Ager, Classic) - Lighter color and transparancy tell alot about the winemaking style here(multiple rackings). Nicely balanced albeit with a heavily spiced finish. Fruit was in harmony with acid and tannin.

Ch. Petit-Village - Pomerol - (Modern-Classic, Ager) - An excellent effort full of red plum, red currant and blueberry. Ripe and lush in the mouth. Well balanced tannin/acid/fruit. A great "drinker" as is.

Ch. Clarke - Listrac-Medoc - (Ager, Classic) - Ripe nose of red currant, minerals and sweet candy with light herb notes which contrast well.

January 23, 2009 Wines Tasted

The Following 2006 Bordeaux Wines were Tasted at the Bently Reserve in San Francisco at the Union des Grands Crus de Bordeaux tasting:
Of all the wines tasted there, I am recounting the finest, and am including recorded short notes.

Whites:
Ch. Carbonnieux - Pessac-Leognan - 2006 - (Food Wine, Classic) - Lemongrass, chive, cut grass nose. With lemon and lime zest, chalk and seaspray in the mouth. Balanced with high acid.

Domaine de Chevalier - Pessac-Leognan - (Food Wine, Classic) - Strong kiwi, lychee and white peach nose. Green gooseberry and white peach on the palette. Balanced with high acid.

Ch. de Fieuzal - Pessac-Leognan - (Classic, Ager, Food Wine) - Green fig, white fig, white peart and wood smoke bouquet. Heavy smoke in the mouth, creamy. Long finish.

Ch. de France - Pessac-Leognan - (Classic, Ager, Food Wine) - Led with green melon, chive, lemon and lemon grass, and heavy spice. Smoky in the mouth, spicy and almondy.

Ch. La Louviere - Pessac-Leognan - (Classic, Ager) - Heavy matchbook nose with white peach, lime and flint. Finished with heavily smoked barrel notes.

Ch. Latour-Martillac - Pessac-Loegnan - (Modern-Classic, Showpiece) - Opened with a bouquet of green tree fruits: figs, pears, peaches, limes, plums etc. Had admirable tannin levels for a blanc de Bordeaux. Finished very smoky in the mourth.

Ch. Malartic-Lagraviere - Pessac-Leognan - (Classic, Food Wine) - Light cinnamon, chive, oregano, green apple and green fig. Light handed with the wood means more fruit in the mouth: kiwi, lime, green apple. High in acid and green in every way(except it's not underripe).

Ch. Pape Clement - Pessac-Leognan - (Classic, Ager, Food Wine) - Almond, chive, green melon and green herb mix in the nose. All that, AND smoky creamy components to boot on the finish. High in acid and balanced.

September 29, 2008 - Wines Tasted

The following 12, 2005 vintage wines were decanted for 8 hours priot to serving. They were tasted double blind out of Riedel Vinum stemware, by a panel of 15 in the Caves at Pine Ridge. The group's results are in the previous blog below. My tasting notes and order of serving are as follows:

Pavilion Rouge de Ch. Margaux 2005 - $100 - (Ager, Classic, Food Wine) - Aromas of red cherry, flint, spice, red berry, coffee, herb stems, and light cassis. On the palette this wine was fleshy with black peppercorn, red berries, and light minerl laced cherry. It showed moderate-high acid, moderate low tannin and a soft plushness not obvious to a Bordeaux. A stellar wine to sample now or thru 2020.

Ch. Rausan Segla 2005 - $175 - (Ager, Classic, Food Wine) - My second time tasting this wine since April, and it was just as impressive. Aromas of plum, Earth, mint, black cherry, bittersweet chocolate, cocoa, light red florals, cassis, cedar, and light spice box. In the mouth it was full of mineral, Earth, cocoa & black cherry. It showed moderate high levels of mineral laced tannin which remained firm throughout as well as moderate high levels of acidity. Best in 2015 to 2020 and beyond.

Dominus Estate - 2005 - $130 - (Modern, Stand Alone) - First contact reveals ripe and juicy plums, red raspberry, red cherry, red licorice, green peppers, leafy greens, green beans and peppercorns. What I call two-faced: ripe and green at the same time. In the mouth it was stemmy red berries all mixed up with bitter chocolate. Tannis were moderate but bitter and acid was moderate-low.

Hourglass - 2005 - $135 - (Modern, Showpiece, Stand Alone) - Super ripe with caramel, molasses, plum/pluot, black cherries, pomegranates, and black raspberries. It follows that all up with a mouth full ofminty and herbal plum, layered black fruit, raspberry, almost sweet tannin, but high alcohol and moderatly high tannin. As one would expect from Bob Foley this was a big brash wine with clean lines. I really enjoyed this wine.

Pine Ridge Vineyards - Fortis - 2005 - $140 - (Modern, Food Wine, Ager) - I've tasted it numerous times but it still surprised me with an explosion of black cherry and cassis as well as cinnamon, brown butter, red plum, and light cedar. Past the lips it tells a similar story: vanilla, brown sugar, light cedar, latte', cherry, plum & cassis. For a Napa Cab it displays amazing acidity which remains moderatly high alongside moderate tannin and balanced levels of fruit/alcohol.

Spottswoode - 2005 - $140 - (Classic, Ager) - Even after 8 hours in the decanter this wine remained closed to the group, but it gave up: cinnamon, clove, vanilla, red berry, light Earth, and red plum in the nose. The palette was a mirror to the bouquet: black and red cherry, Earth, dirt, mineral. As far as tannin and acid I found it to be moderat-high in tannin and moderat-low in acid. I'd hold this one until 2012 at least.

Diamond Creek - Red Rock Terrace - 2005 - $175 - (Classic, Showpiece, Ager) - The first wine to show light levels of brett, but that I sometimes like alot, this was the case here. Very ripe plums, vanilla, mint, herb mix, black cherry, spicy plum, light floras, turned Earth. The mouth was even better with eucalyptus, cola, spice, red plum, light florals, red cherry, clay and Earth qualities on the lightly minty finish. I detected a very dry wine with firm tannins and moderate acid. Fine to consume now, but 8 to 10 years wil never hurt a DC Cabernet.

Schrader Cellars - Beckstoffer To-Kalon Vineyard - 2005 - $235 - ($125 mailing list) - (Modern, Showpiece, Stand Alone) - Plums, cola, spice, and rich Cassis liquor, herbal in a cassis syrup way, tea leaf, almond, resin and nutty toast aromas are full and layered. In the mouth I used the term "lovley" to describe its red fruit, bittersweet chocolate, plum & cherry. With moderate acidity and moderate tannin this wine was soft and elegant and easy to drink. Not an ager in my mind, so drink away.

Melka Wines - Metisse - 2005 - $145 - (Modern, Showpiece) - A super ripe, almost "porty", fruit driven nose of ripe and dried Bing cherries, plums, black figs and florals. Add to that the cinnamon stick, and cassis (but no herbal nature to that), and you've got it. The mouth unloads the same fruits as the nose, with the addition of: spice and pepper, coffee and bitter chocolate. I found it very dry for such a ripe wine, a touch hot in alcohol, and moderate high in tannin. A big extracted wine which will age to and beyond 2015 but I would never risk that.

Joseph Phelps - Insignia - 2005 - $205 - (Modern, Showpiece, Ager) - One of the most closed wines in the group, but the nose did give up: ripe plum, black cherry, cinnamon, light mocha and spice. The palette was decisive with toasty caramel, brown butter, molasses, "closed" fruit, red berries, currants and red plums. (You'd think it were opened up by my notes, but it was hard to get this squeezed out. Like a lemon picked too early it just needs more bottle time to acumulate its juice.) I'd keep this locked in my cellar until 2010 at least.

Revana - 2005 - $130 - (Modern, Showpiece) - Not as stellar as the very impressive 2004. This wine opened with black fruit and florals, spice and vanilla, currants, coffee beans, and bayleaf. The mouth is filled with mint, chocolate, cherries, and obvious alcohol. A bit rough(compared to 2004s sweetness) in tannin, which was moderatly high with moderate acid. I felt the nose belied the palette. Give it a year or two to see if it softens and levels out.

Switchback Ridge - Peterson Family Vineyard - 2005 -$175 - (Modern, Showpiece) - Another Bob Foley wine that was more different than similar to the Hourglass. Very ripe and loaded with vanilla, black cherry, plum, cassis, macerated cherries, kirsch and observable alcohol. In the mouth it was warm and ripe, and very much like the nose: kirsch, plum, cassis, b. cherry, etc. Add to that some mineral and stemmyness and you've got it. The tannins were in the high level range while acid remained moderate.

September 29, 2008 - Wines Tasted

Tonight we held a blind tasting of the following 2005 vintage wines and the employee panel made the following selections (tasting notes to follow):

#1 – Fortis with 69pts
#2 – Hourglass with 66pts
#3 – Diamond Creek Red Rock Terrace with 57pts
#4 – Schrader Cellars Beckstoffer with 50pts
#5 – tie – Revana & Pavilion Rouge de Ch Margaux with 47pts each
#7 – Spootswoode with 46pts
#8 – Switchback Ridge with 42pts
#9 – Ch Rauzan Segla with 40pts
#10 – Insignia with 38pts
#11 – Melka Metisse with 27pts
#12 – Dominus with 20pts

September 17, 2008 - Wines Tasted

Chateau Roc De Pourret - St. Emilion -  2005 - $17 (futures)- (Ager, Classic, Food Wine) - When I picked this wine up I had an idea of the vintage's quality, but nothing of the producer.  This wine will make you smile.  Showing great right now, but will promise much more in the next 10 to 15 years, and at this price!  I wish I had a case.  

The wine opens with surprisingly bright and focused black currant, black cherry, red plum, bitter chocolate and clay/earth undertones.  Tight to the ground, but never lacking to express its fruit.  In the mouth  it's full bodied and rich with moderate-high acid as well as moderate but chocolaty-smokey tannins.  Good length and  tight acid on the finish.  I recommend drinking this wine now if you want an unusually open wine to test the vintage but preferably from: 2010 to 2020.