Will be Back after a LONG While

Sorry folks, been working and other things. Have been drinking wine, but not getting my act together sufficiently to post. I will be back, but it will be awhile.



Back in awhile.

leh

1990 Dunn Cabernet

Dunn is a legend for long lived Napa Cabernet's. I opened a 1996 Howell Mountain a few months back and it was still as closed and impenetrable as the Dunn legacy would expect it to be. They do not even have tasting notes on their web site for after 1993. This 1990 was a very nice glass of wine. It was bold with very strong blackberry, but also showed the impact of age, with a very nice blended structure of tannin and acid. It was exactly what one hopes for in an older wine, but with the level of fruit, quite hard to imagine as a 1990. I have had 2003 Napa Cabs that tasted older than this bottle.




Dunn Vineyards.

Back in awhile.

leh

1995 Far Niente Cabernet

This was outstanding. Blockbuster. Burst of currant and berry on the nose with a lovely deep garnet color. The flavor was great with sweet tannins resolved beautifully into the strong fruit flavor. This wine will be great now and for at least a couple of more years, but I do not believe it will ever be better. It is rich with a hint of chocolate and great blackberry flavor. Can you tell I liked it?

Far Niente has a long history of excellent wines. It built its reputation on an excellent string of Chardonnays and extended it with the rest of its lineup. It also has a beautiful winery in the heart of Napa Valley, which is a great stopping point.



Back in awhile.

leh

1987 Caymus Cabernet

Opened, decanted and tasted right away. It was dark blackberry color, with a burst of fresh raisin (I know sounds odd, but think of the smell of raisin when you open a new bag) and dusty pencil lead. The taste was a very nicely resolved set of flavors. Unlike the Montelena (had it at the same time), it was not dominated by the acid. Everything seemed to have blended nicely together and the flavor included a nice combination of dried fruit, soft berry, and a dry mineral. The finish was not over long, but very nice. All in all, this was a nice glass of wine.

This bottle did raise the old wine/new wine questions. Even with the flavor and taste of this very nice glass of wine, I can’t help but think it would have been even better five years ago. I always have a hard time with this issue. Older equals, subtle, sublime, refined. Newer equals fruit, tannins, flavor power.

A link to Caymus.

The label is the 1994 year, looks alot like the 1987.


Back in awhile.

leh

1987 Chateau Montelena Cabernet

Opened, decanted and tasted right away. It was ruby, muddy, with the expected residual bits from the bottle. It had the dusty slightly porty scent of an older Cabernet. It had flavors of raisin and prune. The wine was slightly bitter/acidic. Usually those tastes have softened by this time in a California cab, twenty years in the bottle. The fruit was mostly gone. All in all not a special experience. I suspect ten years ago this would have been great. (See the notes on the Far Niente 1995 which I had at the same time, a completely different experience.)

Chateau Montelena is an absolutely gorgeous wineery. If you are in Napa Valley and you have not been it is highly recommended.

A link to their winemakers notes for the 1987 year release.

Back in awhile.

leh

Been Offline for Awhile, but ...

... I am always drinking wine. So, I have a backlog of posts to make up. Some will be very great wines. Plus, a couple of Roses that I have tried and enjoyed during our hot weather lately.

Back in awhile.

leh

2003 Ruffino Riserva Ducale Oro

Ruffino Chiantis are always solid. This one was no exception. Excellent structure with the right blend of acid, fruit and finish. I enjoyed this with a rib eye steak and it was great. It is the top end Ruffino Chianti, so you expect it to be good. The great thing about Ruffino is the wine is available, has a range of price options and is consistent in its delivery.

A link to Ruffino.

Back in awhile.

leh

2006 F Magnien Criots-Batard-Montrachet 6 of 9

Could not really figure this one out. It was a nice sip of wine, but even blind without the price, it was not what I look for in a Burgundy. It started with the nose. Refreshing blend of fruit, but with a flavor of orange. Not what I am used to at all. The taste was very tight. The finish turned floral in nature and was long and satisfying.

Bottle $235.00, taste $20. At that price, I just can't see the attraction.

Back in awhile.

leh

2006 Antonin Guyton Corton-Charlemagne 1 of 9

Nose was a fruit blend with what was a very faint nose of port. Others were said to have thought Cognac. But while an odd flavor smell when you read it, on the nose it very much enhanced the wine. The taste was steel, dry gravel, dusty mineral, but in the good way that fine Burgundies deliver in that way, which explains its ranking at number 1 of the flight. This would be good anywhere at any time.

Bottle $119.99, taste $12.

Back in awhile.

leh

2006 William Fevre Chablis "Les Preuses 2 of 9

Lovely wine. Great nose, of pear, apple and lemon. Wonderful flavors in the mouth with a deep satisfying finish. Very competitive for favorite of the tasting. A great combination of fruit but well balanced with acid and the result was a very satisfying fully integrated wine.

Bottle $79.99, taste $8.

Back in awhile.

leh

2006 William Fevre Chablis "Les Clos" 4 of 9

The nose was very light, a slight wafting of fruit. The initial sip was closed, but it then opened into a very classic style steely, minerally French Chardonnay. Just what you would expect in a well made Chablis.

Bottle $94.99, taste $9.

Back in awhile.

leh

2006 Bernard Morey Chassagne Motrachet "Vide Bourse" 9 of 9

I think this was me. I heard another couple of guys talking and they liked this. To me the nose was closed and the wine was over dry, almost parching on the tongue. The fruit got lost somewhere, but I can't figure out where. One of those things. I did re-taste again at the end to see if it had changed at all, but could not detect anything. By then my taste buds were getting shot. I am not a professional so I start to lose my taste after 7 or 8 wines. The nose holds nicely, but the mouth just shuts down.

Bottle $69.99, taste 7.

Back in awhile.

leh

2006 Pierre-Yves Colin-Morey Saint-Aubin "En Remilly" 3 of 9

This in many respects was the wine of the tasting for me. The price is 1/3 or less the two wines that finished ahead of it, but it was their equal.

Lovely strong pear-lemon nose, full flavor through the entire sip and classic Burgundy mineral flavors. Rich in flavor, with a bit more oak than the first three, but still bone dry and not at all prevalent oak flavor. Very nice wine. Would be great with a nice white fish.

Bottle $39.99, taste $4.

Back in awhile.

leh

2006 Oliver Leflaie Saint-Aubin "En Remilly" 7 of 9

Started with a nose of fruit, again predominantly apple. The first taste was flat. Cleared my palate again, and waited awhile to try it. The second sip was much more open. Also the nose had added some floral elements, which were nice. I would be interested in what this wine would do over an hour or two.

Bottle $39.99, taste $4.

Back in awhile.

leh

2006 Chateau Fuisse - Pouilly Fuisse "Les Brules" 5 of 9

Again a fresh apple nose, sweeter than the Xavier. The wine started slow but ended with a very polished finish of pear flavor and a bit of lemon.

Bottle $49.95, taste $5.


Back in awhile.

leh

2005 Xavier Monnot - Monthelie "Les Duresses" 8 of 9

Nice nose of fresh apple, tasted more of sour apple. Very tight and dry, not very minerally.

Bottle $39.99, taste $4.

Back in awhile.

leh

White Burgundy Tasting Notes -- Next Nine Posts

Went to the Beltramo's White Burgundy Tasting Saturday. These were all well regarded wines and you will see by the price points that they should be good for the price. Beltramo's has a simple set up for tasting. I don't make it all that often, but do make it once in awhile. In my experience the wines are well chosen with a range of price and flavor given the category. For a flight of 8-10 wines, the cost is between $50 and $80, but you can buy individual wines if you do not want to go for the whole flight. Also, since the expensive wines are often $15 to $20 per taste, you can drop the cost of the tasting to $30 by omitting one or two wines.

Format wise, I was not sure whether to put all these wines into a single post or split them up. I am going to start with this approach. They will all be pretty short notes. I will put the order of Finish in each Post Title. Just to be clear, I don't think the random finish in wines in a mixed tasting like this means all the much, but people alwasy want to know, what did you like best? So you will know.

Back in awhile.

leh

2004 Argyle Pinot Noir Nuthouse

This is a silky, black fruit, berry mostly, very long finishing Pinot. Great tasting fruit. It would be great with a lamb, or even a bit of spicy sausage. I have been drinking Oregon Pinot Noirs for awhile now. They are not every day for me as the price points, like this one tend to be over $30. This one was $42 or so at Safeway with the 10% half case discount. The good ones tend to be in the under $50 price point, rather than the under $30 price point that you can find for the California Pinot from Sonoma or Santa Barbara area.

Link to Argyle Winery online. Picture is of the 2005, but 2004 looks the same.

Back in awhile.

leh

2005 Pozzo Bacio Divino Red Blend

So this is a another fruit basket. I was eating some fresh cherries while drinking this (after a tasty stew) and the wine had almost the same powerful fruit as the cherries. It was, however, much better balanced and structured (than the cherries) with nice sweet tannins, and went really well with the stew. It is mostly sangiovese, with a bit of cabernet and a splash of petite sirah and some other stuff. Maybe that is why it had the power punch flavor I tasted. It would be great with a tasty sausage pasta.

Link to the Bacio Divino website

Back in awhile.

leh

Drink Red Wine -- Live Longer

A piece on the health benefit of red wine ran in The New York Times yesterday. It is pretty scholarly, although the volumes they discuss seem to be well beyond the capability of any wine drinkers I know. Entertaining nonetheless.

Back in awhile.

leh

2005 Chante Cigale Chateauneuf du Pape

My nose is playing tricks on me. When I take a whiff of this wine it gives a raspberry jam, but when I taste it the flavor is much heavier. It tastes of earth and dark currant and blackberry, not the lighter flavor of raspberry. I had this wine from 2003 and it was a real find. This one is less outstanding, even as it delivers a very workman Chateauneuf. My standard in this space is the Chateau de Beaucastel. It is of course at the top. This sits nicely in the 80% range. I don't think I will buy any more of this, but it was nice for a try.

A new feature will be trying to provide a link to the producers website, Chante Cigale. Plus a special item tonight, the Wikipedia entry on Chateauneuf du Pape which I think is pretty good even as it is brief, they of course include the dashes, Chante Cigale does not.

Tonight Barack Obama won the Democratic Nomination for President. While it had been a foregone conclusion for some time, tonight was the night when even the Clinton's knew that the race was moving on. I don't know that I will vote for him, but I am still proud that my country has been able to make this transition and applaud him for his effort as well.

Back in awhile.

leh

2005 LaBoure-Roi Bourgogne Blanc

A very light, not too fancy french Chardonnay. It really is an everyday drinking wine for the reasonable price of $13. However, the folks at K&L are selling it with a bit of White Burgundy blood lines, suggesting it is a class or two above where it is selling. All in all, it taste fine and certainly very drinkable, especially for the price and compared to what else is around for that price point. But, and there is a but, if you mixed it in with any of the more refined and well made (better oak, etc.) it really would not stand up to the competition in my view.

A bit of selling going on around this bottle.


Back in awhile.

leh

1996, 1997, 1999 Labegorce Margaux

A friend who is looking to better understand french wines asked me about an email from K&L with these wines. I said I thought for the price they would be worth a taste and he paid so we could drink. No better friend than that. We both agreed the 1996 was the best "deal" price to taste. The great thing about a french chateaux is that you can count on the wine being the same wine year after year. Tasting three of four vintages, each vintage with quite a bit of variation gives a very clear indication. Each of the wines had a classic Margaux nose, soft, flowery, perfume flavors. The taste of each was similar, but with distinct differences across the three. The 1996 was the most robust, even today, more fruit, more tannins, nicely sweetened. Very good structure, good to drink now, just as good in five years would be my guess. The 1997 was more subtle. The fruit came up more slowly, but was smooth. The 1999 was between the two, but had more tannin and bit less fruit. In each case it was blackberry flavored with earth/dirt type flavor. I know that does not sound great, who after all likes the flavor of dirt, but the blend is pleasing.

I would/will definitely buy more of the 1996 for the price, $40. The 97 is $30, which is a pretty good price for a ready to drink ten year old Bordeaux.


Back in awhile.

leh

2003 Domaine Carneros Vermeil "Ver May"

What a delightful Sparkling Wine (Champagne for the non-french). I was not expecting much. I got this quite awhile back as a member of their Sparkling Wine Club, where I have been a member for a long time. I enjoy their sparkling wines and their Pinot Noir which they send often is very respectable. In any case this sparkler is a Demi-Sec, or a "sweeter" sparkling wine, reminiscent of the fine over sweetened Korbel of my misspent youth. Thus I was in no hurry to open it.

That is so not fair with this wine. It is sweeter, but still a true sparkling wine. Great yeasty nose and wonderful subtle/sweet on the tongue. Really a very nice taste treat. With the tiny bubbles that is a Domaine trademark, there are all of the fine Champagne tastes and flavors in a California Sparkling wine. Pick this up if you can find it. (Note, just found out it is only available to wine club members.)

Back in awhile.

leh

2001 Vall Llach Priorat

I sure wish I had bought more of this a couple of years back. It was $70 a bottle or so, but it is a dynamite wine. Not sure why I opened this tonight to be honest, just seemed like a good idea after a difficult day. It goes down beautifully. Smooth, long finish, lovely aroma and fully blended flavors of black cherry, burnt tobacco (the good kind of taste) and sweet tannins. A great wine from an up and coming area of Spain. Truth be told a now well discovered part of Spain but in 2003, not so much. Just outside of Barcelona. If you can get this wine, any year in the last five years, even if it seems steep in price, you will not regret it. I still have a couple of the 2001 and I will be delighted to open the next one in an other two years.

It is a blend, half Carignan, then Merlot and Cabernet. Great tasting wine.

Back in awhile.

leh

2000 Sausal Zinfandel Alexander Valley Private Reserve

I drink almost no Zin anymore. I went through a phase where I drank quite a bit, all the Amador county zins, the finer Napa zins, even got my hands on a Turly or two. When I do drink it, I always wonder why it ends up being second choice whenever I am standing in the isle trying to decide what to pick out. It just does. I like it, but it does not give the wow! feeling that you get with other varietals. At least, that is me.

The Sausal, was picked up at the winery awhile ago. It was good in the tasting at the winery and so I bought a bottle to go with a couple of cabs. Drinking it now was fun. It went well with the BBQ ribs and potato salad. Strong taste of plum, almost port like. It was ready to drink, but not over the hill at all.

All in all a pretty good evening of wine. Not too much, but nice variety and most importantly pleasant company.

Back in awhile.

leh

2001 Quinault l'Enclos

Yet another Merlot, over 80% in this Bordeaux. It seems to me to be still a bit young to drink. The tannins are still showing and the fruit is buried a bit underneath it all until they come through in the finish. Rasberry and plum were the most notable flavors. I had this right after the Jayson (see other note) and then had the Jayson again right after this. The Quinault was a classical French Bordeaux style and showed some structure and balance and I believe will improve for another five years. The Jayson, it may be good in five years, but I would not expect much chance of better.

Back in awhile.

leh

2005 Jayson Red Wine (Pahlmeyer)

Big smooth creamy merlot, with enough elements to make for a very nice experience. I will admit that most merlot dominant wines are not in my wheel house. I like things dry and the trend in California making merlot more "drinkable" moved it from dry to a sweeter and in my mind less complex and ultimately less enjoyable wine. All that said, one of my favorite French Bordeaux is Angleus, which is almost always 60% or more Merlot. This is a move back in the right direction, although not as far as I as an individual would hope. It is better than just a drinkable wine. It has some nuance to it with a nice nose.

Another new add to the site, I put a label in. Not sure I will have the ambition to do this everytime, but it does make it look more professional.

Back in awhile.

leh

Collard-Picard Cuvée Selection Brut Champagne

This came in a K&L Wine Club shipment a month or so ago. We took it to a friends house for Memorial Day BBQ. I just had a quick taste, since as you will see with the next three posts I was trying new things. Not at all what I am used to in finer French sparkling wine. This one did not have the refined yeast that I am used to and very much like. Nonetheless, it was a very nice style and I would say excellent for a warm spring/summer evening sipping occasion. K&L has some fine wine notes in their club newsletter, located here: K&L Wines.

Apparently it is the meunier that dominates the wine, so it has a very refreshing splash of taste combined with the bubbles, it is excellent.

FYI, I am not an advertiser for anyone, so if I refer to anyone or anyplace as a place where I shop, it is for information only, not an advertisement.

Back in awhile.

leh

1983 Joseph Phelps Cabernet

Phelps Cabs have been great, see my earlier post on the 2005. The Insignia, Phelps top end Bordeaux style, is a signature wine from Napa and even with the volume produced it is a consistently great wine. This 1983 should have been drunk 10 years ago (just a guess). Today it exists only as tannin, acid and the remnants of flavor beaten out of existence for the most part. Kind of a sour port. A friend shared it with me, it had been kept in good storage conditions since purchase and did not taste as though the bottle had turned. It was just well past any prime and unlike some older wines where everything has faded and leaves a subtle pleasing flavor, this is just the bitter elements. It was only $13 back in the day.

Back in awhile.

leh

1996 Beaulieu Vinyards Tapestry

This was a deal of a wine when it came out. A Bordeaux style blend from Napa. A $30 wine that tasted like a $75 wine back in the day. It has not held up as well as I would have liked. It was a very strong fruit forward wine but with good balance and a very nice long finish. Today, it has lost some fruit and still has some of the tanin, so it has not really resolved as much as one would like. This is one that would have been better drunk sooner.

Back in awhile.

leh

2002 Louis Martini Cabernet Monte Rosso Vineyard

Upon first opening, it came with a nose of mocha and tabacco. Then ten minutes later there was a spice flavor added, which was almost curry like (perhaps a trick of my own nose but I was not around any curry). It settled in with a lovely flavorful scent with the fruit of currant and cherries. Very nice nose. Drinking the wine was equally enjoyable. Solid structure of fruit, moderate tannin and acid which gave a very nice finish. This is a very nice wine, and I bought it at Safeway yesterday for under $50 at the club price. I have had many $100 plus California cabs that were not at the quality level of this wine.

Back in awhile.

leh

2005 Chassagne-Montrachet 1er Cru, Vergers, Domaine Fontaine-Gagnard

My wife likes dry minerally white wines. While she has had her share of big buttery California Chardonays, about ten years ago she developed a taste for French Chardonays. This one is a great representation of what makes these wines enjoyable. It is dry yet bold in its steely gravely taste. Any yet, somewhere in the palate is a hint of apple and and lighter tastes. Very light oak and a slightly bitter finish. Hit the spot with some chicken last weekend.

Been very busy, will be adding a couple more wines over the Memorial Day weekend. Some better wines, pulled from storage for a taste.

Back in awhile.

leh

2005 Trefethen Double T Red

This went with a ribeye steak last night. It was serviceable. The fruit seemed a bit lost in the structure. It might be better in a couple of years, or the fruit might be completely gone. Difficult to be sure at this stage. More currant flavor than anything else. I think it is more or less a classic Bordeaux blend.


Back in awhile.

leh

2006 Terredora Falanghina

A great afternoon or evening sip, especially on the very hot days we have had in NorCal the last couple of days. It is sweet, refreshing and fruity. Pear, citrus and apple combine for a very agreeable wine. Also, the price for this is very reasonable at under $20. I bought it awhile ago so I am not sure where. Highly recommended as a way to cool down on a hot day.


Back in awhile.

leh

2003 Leoville Barton

Wow, this has some real punch to it, almost opulent in its structure and style. I have been drinking softer wines lately and all the sudden, bam. This one has a good balance of acid and tannin. It is too young to drink now and the fruit hangs back. I was just sipping it without food. Would be great with a BBQ hamburger or juicy steak. The main fruit flavor for me is currant, but restrained under all the structure of the wine. I bought this off winebid for about $100 all in. Parker rates it a 95. He says it will not be ready for another five years. I think he may be optimistic. It is built for the long haul. Check back in 2013.

Back in awhile.

leh

J Champagne

This was a very light, well crafted Champagne. However, I like a lot more depth in my champagne, more yeast nose, stronger bite from the acid. On the whole I think that I would not choose this again. It was served at a friends house prior to dinner. It was nice, pleasantly light and as I noted well crafted, but not really memorable. However, the evening was very relaxed an enjoyable.

Back in awhile.

leh

2006 Williams Selyem Pinot Noir Russian River

What a nice refined pinot. This wine is not the dark cherry type but rather the lighter, almost pale style that you often find in French Burgundy pinots. The flavor is nearly sweet, but the acid and light tannins give it a complete and refined finish with a wonderful understated berry, cherry flavor. California has been moving in the direction of the much fully pinot, which is a style that I enjoy as well. But it is nice to have the contrast with a very well crafted wine that really hits the tongue with defined but not overpowering flavor. Really nicely put together. I have a bottle of one of the other vineyards, which I tried one of a month or so back and it is the more full flavored, equally enjoyable.

Bought from a friend on their list for about $40, I think.

Back in awhile.

leh

1998 Muga Prado Enea Gran Reserva

Parker says "earth, cedar, tobacco, spice box, and red currants" which is pretty accurate. Mostly Tempranillo grape, and has aged very nicely. I really like the way this grape can be a very fruit forward vibrant wine or a much more refined wine depending on the winemaker's choices. This bottle with the oak treatment and aging is quite smooth, but still balanced with acid, tannin and fruit. A very nice finish as well with the spice droppig way and leaving a nice currant flavor.

Bought at Beltramo's about a week ago for under $50. Not bad for a well scored wine with ten years of age. Another great thing about the Spanish wines, price.

Back in awhile.

leh

2005 Shafer Cabernet One Point Five (Stags Leap)

Shafer a king in Napa with some very fine wines. I have tried a variety of them. They are consistently excellent, even with the relatively steep price points. A couple years back when they introduced Firebreak it was a real revelation.

The One Point Five is complex, currant, lite oak and yet quite lively on the tongue. It is the kind of wine that you can drink right now, although at the price, you may want to see what it is like when it reaches its estimated (mythical?) maturity in a couple of years. Really pleasant. I have to run off and eat some tacos. Will definitely have some more when I come back.

Back in awhile.

leh

Beautiful Day in Norcal

Could not let the day go by without noting that we are having a very nice day here in Northern California. Lovely spring weather. I will need some antihistamines tonight, but completely worth it.

Back in awhile.

leh

2005 Numanthia Termes

Opened this tonight to sip after getting home from a sushi dinner. A two wine night. Had it with a couple of those single bite candy bars, Baby Ruth and Butterfinger. It was more dry and a bit more acidic than I remember from prior Termes, maybe earlier years. Also the flavor of the grape was musty, not as fruit forward as this grape often displays. I enjoy tempranillo wines or the "Tinto de Toro" as identified by the Numanthia folks. They are very drinkable at any age, go nicely with food (or chocolate in this case) and yet have a distinctive style. They go very nicely with zesty tamales or enchiladas.

Picked this up today at Beltramo's for $23.

Back in awhile.

leh

2005 Joseph Phelps Cabernet

Opened this four nights ago. It was a power packed fruit rush. Many flavors blending very naturally like a bowl of perfectly ripened fresh fruit. Nice finish, very enjoyable to drink, even this young. Bought at Safeway for something under $50.

Tonight I am trying another glass. I leave reds on the counter at room temp after opening. I come back to them after a day or two or four. If they are turned, they end up in the sink, if not I try them again. This one has evolved into something complex, almost Bordeaux like in acid and fruit and tannin which must have been overpowered by the fruit when fresh. Another very nice glass of wine.

Back in awhile.

leh

First Post

The first post needs to be something different. So this will be different. I did not drink wine last night. I do most nights, but not last night. I had a gin and tonic. It was a new gin from the Anchor Steam Gin folks called "Genevieve." It was very unique as I have never had a gin of this type, apparently the predominant type of gin from the 18th Century (I read the bottle).

Worth a try, but I think that I like the now more "traditional" (odd to say but after more than a 100 years as the standard it does seem more traditional) than something much older made new again.

So why start a wine blog with a post about gin. Good query for anyone who stumbles upon this little experiment. It is because my enjoyment of wine is about trying new things, avoiding dogmatic views and remembering it is about a beverage primarily designed to enhance a meal. It is not about points, dollars per bottle, auction values, QPR or any of those other things. They come along with wine. I will write about them, noting points, how much something costs, etc. They are useful to inform about wine, but they do not define wine. You define wine. Yes, you! Why you? Because it is about enjoying a beverage, hopefully with friends and a meal.

Welcome to my experiment. I will be trying to post on what I drink mostly. I may add other thoughts from time to time, but success will be defined by those of you who read what I post, and maybe even comment if you choose.

Back in awhile.

leh