Wine Tasting
May 01, 2008
Old Zinfandel Vine - Lodi
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Tasting Note: 1997 Ridge Lytton Springs Zinfandel
1997 Ridge Lytton Springs - USA, California, Sonoma County, Dry Creek Valley (4/30/2008)
From a 375ml bottle. Deep brick red color with some lightening at the rim. Clean expressive nose of plums and spice. Palate shows beautiful smooth fruit, acid, and integrated tannins with everything in perfect harmonious balance. A beautiful mouthful of wine at absolute peak right now. This is the kind of wine that makes everything all right with the world. The best Ridge Zins have a restrained elegance that reminds you of a four-star hotel... just like top quality aged Bordeaux. Excellent. (93 pts.)
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Two Legendary California Chardonnays
- 1998 Hanzell Chardonnay - USA, California, Sonoma County, Sonoma Valley (4/29/2008)
Dark gold color, crystal clear and gem-like. Flinty nose of ripe fruit and minerals. Medium body with layers of flavors including baked bread, and citrus, with honey on the finish. Clearly new world, but made in a very refined style. Beautiful fresh wine with elegance and complexity. (94 pts.) - 1998 Marcassin Chardonnay Marcassin Vineyard - USA, California, Sonoma County, Sonoma Coast (4/29/2008)
Deep golden color, slightly cloudy indicating no filtration. Fairly reserved nose of ripe fruit and vanilla. Medium-full body, big full tropical and lime flavors with just noticeable oak. Good finish, but ultimately lacking finesse and complexity. (92 pts.)
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April 04, 2008
Tasting Note: 2000 Ojai Syrah Melville Vineyard
2000 Ojai Syrah Melville Vineyard - USA, California, Central Coast, Santa Rita Hills (3/29/2008)
Color was a dark and opaque deep red-black with little or no lightening at the rim. Nose was very expressive showing herbs of provence, reserved elegant fruit, and cold-climate pepper. The palate showed completely dry with no California pruniness or overripeness at all. There were tastes of rich dark berries, spices, minerals and marked pepperiness. The wine showed great balancing acidity, and initially there were prominent tannins on the finish. After 20 minutes or so, the tannins began to integrate and the wine really opened up. It was still obviously Californian, but closer to a Northern Rhone profile than any other California syrah I've ever tasted, save for Edmunds St. John. No obvious oak, and certainly no excessive alcohol. Although delicious now, this has great structure and is still young with years ahead of it. Most excellent. (92 pts.)
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December 07, 2007
Celebrating Repeal Day with Twelve California Wines (1968-2005)
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November 24, 2007
Two Unusal Wines
2006 Clos Roche Blanche Touraine L'Arpent Rouge - France, Loire Valley, Touraine (11/21/2007)
Here's something new, a wine made from Pineau d'Aunis, sometimes called Chenin Noir. Light red/purple ruby color, quite light and translucent with marked thinning towards clear at the edge; remarkable looking, really. Nose of ripe fruit, brambles and dust. Medium plus body. Tastes a bit sweet and spicy, like a Beaujolais mixed with Chinese five-spice powder. Medium finish with dusty, sweet tannins and a spicy aftertaste, like an Asian candy. An interesting wine, which will be too sweet and lacking in acid for Burgundy aficionados, and a little too weird for the Beaujolais crowd. But, adventurous souls wanting a different wine for sipping on the patio on warm summer nights will be pleased. (86 pts.)
2005 Joseph Swan Vineyards Cotes du Rosa - USA, California, Sonoma County, Russian River Valley (11/21/2007)
At the winery they play a game when they pour this wine. You are told it is made from a southern Rhone varietal, and then you have to guess. If you guess Carignan(e), you guess right. The color is a dark ruby red but it isn't quite opaque. Nose shows earth and a touch of petrol and acid floating above ripe fruit that hints at California. The wine has a medium-minus body, stern tannins with a touch of bitterness and is strongly acidic. The finish is predominately tannins and acid. Because of its earthiness and relatively high acid, this wine would be easy to mistake for a French effort. The Oxford Companion to Wine says that carignan is is high in acid, tannin, color, and bitterness, but low in finesse and charm, which makes it unsuitable for early consumption and unworthy of aging. This wine is not that bad, but my take is that it is better at providing a chance to taste a wine made only from carignane than at providing real pleasure. (85 pts.)
No one did very well in figuring out what these were, and I promised to behave myself next time.
Posted by Paul at 01:59 PM | Comments (0)
September 24, 2007
1970 Charles Krug Winery (Peter Mondavi Family) Cabernet Sauvignon Vintage Selection
1970 Charles Krug Winery (Peter Mondavi Family) Cabernet Sauvignon Vintage Selection - USA, California, Napa Valley (9/23/2007)
This bottle is a time-machine taking us back to another wine making epoch. It had a orange banner across the label proclaiming "Vintage Select" and sporting the signature of Cesare Mondavi. The back label informs us that Vintage Select wines were from exceptional lots that received special treatment, including aging in oak barrels and bottle aging before release! Fill was to the bottom of the neck. Though soft, the cork came out almost whole with only a small piece at the bottom breaking off. The cork showed stain marks almost to the top. Color was dark reddish orange and opaque with only light bricking at the edge. The wine had a pronounced nose of sweet chocolate. With 12% claimed alcohol. the wine showed a medium-light body, a fairly simple taste profile, and a short finish with tannins completely resolved. We followed development in the glass for 90 minutes. There was some fading of fruit, but the wine did not fall apart. This was probably an average wine in its youth. It's most impressive current characteristic is that it is still very much alive. Not bad for a $4-6 bottle of wine (release price). (84 pts.)
California cabernets from the 60s and 70s were remarkably consistent. I've had far more dead ~1990s CA Pinot Noirs, than I have had dead CA cabs from the 70s.
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August 20, 2007
Three Views of the 2000 Shafer Relentless
The older this wine gets, the more I like it, but the lower I rate it. I can't explain that, but if you have any of this, I suggest opening a bottle with a good dry-aged steak. You'll like it.
- 2000 Shafer Relentless - USA, California, Napa Valley (8/20/2007)
Decanted for four hours, the wine exhibited a deep but not completely opaque dark red brick color. Nose is mild, with clean floral and vanilla aromas. Palate initially shows good acidity, a medium body and flavors of berries and bittersweet chocolate. Finish is marked by structural tannins, sweet fruit and balanced oak, and lasts for 30 seconds or more. This will last a long time and probably improve further, but is excellent now with sufficient decanting. A very, very nice wine. (91 pts.) - 2000 Shafer Relentless - USA, California, Napa Valley (9/27/2005)
Offline for Alex and Adam at Zuppa (San Francisco, California USA): Rich, fruity, big nose. Palate shows bittersweet chocolate and a medium-full body. Long tannic finish. Quite good wine, but far from ready. (92 pts.) - 2000 Shafer Relentless - USA, California, Napa Valley (3/13/2005)
Shafer Hillside Select Dinner (Manresa Restaurant, Los Gatos, California USA): BIG nose of berries with an undercurrent of spice and earth. Better than the '99 in almost every way. Elias Fernandez said this was primarily due to learning about the vineyard and another year of age on the vines. Palate shows ripe fruit, white pepper and spice, superb extract, medium-full body, good acidity and a tremendously long firmly tannic finish. AT LEAST two years till next bottle. This wine is treated exactly the same as the Hillside Select Cabernet with 32 months in 100% new oak (93 pts.)
Posted by Paul at 11:54 PM | Comments (0)
February 28, 2007
California Chardonnays that can pass for French
Well, I've tried this stunt before, but some things are so much fun that we want to try them over and over. I suggested to members of a monthly tasting group I attend that we try a blind flight of California chardonnays with one French chard and see what we thought. Several members of this group pride themselves on being Burg experts and they were just as certain as the attendees of The Judgement of San Francisco were that they would never mistake a California chardonnay for a white Burg.
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January 02, 2007
Top Ten Wines of 2006
In terms of wine tasting, this year has been an excellent one for your host. One tasting in particular, the Old Wines with Francois Audouze, provided the opportunity to try some legendary wines. A Happy New Year to all and may you find wines like these to drink in 2007!
- 1974 Heitz Cellars Cabernet Sauvignon Martha's Vineyard - USA, California, Napa Valley, Oakville (5/1/2006)
Old California Wines with Francois Audouze (Jack Falstaff Restaurant - San Francisco, California): I got a small taste of this and was very impressed. It had a gigantic nose of mint and eucalyptus plus cigar box. The color was a deep and dark red, still solid out to the edge. The palate showed silky tannins, plus enough ripe fruit and acidity to allow this 30+ year old to masquarade as a youngster. Had I tried this blind, I would have guessed it was from 1990 or 1991. It is a tremendous wine which I feel honored to have tasted. I did a bit of research later and found that this is a legendary wine and that my small (less than an ounce) taste was worth about $30. I don't know who brought this to the tasting, but whoever you were, may the angels smile upon you! (98 pts.) - 2001 Château Suduiraut - France, Bordeaux, Sauternais, Sauternes (1/28/2006)
The wine shows a color of sparkling medium-gold. The nose is intense and leaps out of the glass. Several folks at the table declared that they didn't need to taste it, just smelling the lush apricots, tropical fruits and minerals was a luxurious pleasure. The palate is other worldly, a nectar if there ever was one. It is thick, rich and mouth coating like apricots, hazelnuts honey and citrus fruit carefully reduced into a magic potion. I thought it could be improved by a bit more acidity, but I don’t have that many points left! Really, really, good stuff. (97 pts.) - 1970 Joseph Swan Gamay Sonoma County - USA, California, Sonoma County (5/1/2006)
Old California Wines with Francois Audouze (Jack Falstaff Restaurant - San Francisco, California): Deep, purple/black color and so dense it looks like printer's ink. It has a vibrant nose of black fruit and meats. Sitting in the glass, it looks like primal wine. The palate is amazing, mouth-coating isn't exactly right.. more like exposed tissue coating! It tastes like raspberry jam, except that it is not sweet. It has depth and intensity like a Shiraz, but it doesn't taste stewed or overripe. The finish goes on forever. The label reports 13.6% alcohol, and sure enough it proclaims "GAMAY" in big black letters. This is a legendary wine and now I know why. A 1975 review suggested decanting for three hours before drinking. The secret to this wine appears to be that "Napa Gamay" of circa 1970 is actually, Valdiguié and it was picked fairly ripe. Swan only made one other "Gamay"—in 1971 and it was a pale imitation of the 1970, reportedly because the grapes were picked too soon. Most "Napa Gamay" has been pulled up, and the odds of anyone ever seeing a wine like this again is quite slim. I saved the empty bottle as a trophy. Wow. (97 pts.) - 2001 Domaine du Pégaü Châteauneuf-du-Pape Cuvée Laurence - France, Rhône, Southern Rhône, Châteauneuf-du-Pape (12/15/2006) 95 pts.
- 2004 Aubert Chardonnay Lauren Vineyard - USA, California, Sonoma County, Sonoma Coast (4/14/2006)
This is a stunning bottle of wine. It is amazingly ripe, opulent, rich and concentrated but is somehow miraculously balanced at the same time. Cloudy in appearance and ripe and clean on the nose, the mid palate is voluptuous, viscous and mouth filling --no doubt somewhat due to the high alcohol-- but it is well integrated and not a bit hot. There is moderate, acidity to balance the fruit, and very long sweet finish. There is oak, but it is very subtle, this is not an over-oaked California chardonnay bomb. Those used to Chablis and White Burgundies might think this is sweet, but I'm sure there is no residual sugar here, just incredible fruit. (95 pts.) - 1834 Barbeito Madeira Malvazia - Portugal, Madeira (2/9/2006)
Available by the glass at Bacar in San Francisco. Good nose of caramel, molasses, and toffee but not as full and enveloping as the 1863 Boal. The nose carries right on to the palate where there are intense flavors of brown sugar, molasses, and toffee balanced with a bracing sour acidity that makes the wine seem much less sweet than it really is. The most remarkable characteristic about this wine is how it coats the inside of your mouth. You find yourself wiping off your gums with your tounge and and still tasting the wine a minute or two after your sip! Now, THAT is a finish. (94 pts.) - 1974 Freemark Abbey Cabernet Sauvignon Bosché Vineyard - USA, California, Napa Valley (5/1/2006)
Old California Wines with Francois Audouze (Jack Falstaff Restaurant - San Francisco, California): More proof that 1974 was a magical year for California Cabernet. When the cork on this 32-year old wine was pulled, ripe and vibrant aromas spilled forth. This nose didn't require swirling and coaxing, you only had to be within 3 feet of the open bottle to know something special was happening. The color was deep red, looking remarkably youthful. The palate was chewy with the still vibrant fruit perfectly balanced by juicy acidity. The tannins may have faded some over all of this time, but you wouldn't know it by the long and lingering finish. This lacked, perhaps, some complexity of bouquet and palate, but WOW, what a wine. Of all the wines from the 1970s opened during this dinner, this was the youngest. I've added an extra point to my score to celebrate the Don Juan Ponce de Leon effect. (94 pts.) - 1988 Château Lafaurie-Peyraguey - France, Bordeaux, Sauternais, Sauternes (12/15/2006) 93 pts.
- 2001 Argiano Solengo Toscana IGT - Italy, Tuscany, Toscana IGT (2/10/2006)
I took this to my local Italian place, but this is very un-Italian wine. It is a deep dark red with a shy nose of dark fruits. Very much an international/modern style, It is full-bodied with a smooth texture and is stuffed full of flavor, showing coffee and dark chocolate. It is low-acid, and the tannins, while there, are mild for these varietals. This could easily be mistaken for a California bordeaux-blend. It is delicious. After sipping it, I ordered a gigantic steak. I don't need more wine, but I think I'll stop by Wine Club today and see if they have any left. (93 pts.)
- 1970 Robert Mondavi Winery Cabernet Sauvignon Napa Valley - USA, California, Napa Valley (5/1/2006)
Old California Wines with Francois Audouze (Jack Falstaff Restaurant - San Francisco, California): Deep red color starting to show some age. Showing a super nose of tobacco and cedar, it smells exactly like aged Bordeaux. Tannins have melted into velvet and have merged with the fruit and acid in perfect balance. This doesn't quite have the complexity of the greatest Bordeauxs, but it is still going strong and it a really nice wine. After tasting it, I immediately poured a sample for a visting French wine collector, and the look on his face from the shock of recognition, and the shock of how good it was, was really fun. Mondavi's 1969 was regarded as a benchmark, and the '70 was the first "Unfiltered" which became the "Reserve" in 1971. (93 pts.)
Posted by Paul at 09:53 AM | Comments (0)
December 17, 2006
Tasting Note: 2005 Anwilka
Robert Parker opined on this wine on the eBob BBS, reporting: "Fabulous...this is the finest red wine I have ever had from South Africa...This debut release, the 2005, a blend of 37% syrah and the balance cabernet sauvignon, is world class stuff, exceptional wine...." Of course this caused a minor buying frenzy. I ordered from Garagiste and am still waiting for my bottles, but K&L Wine Merchants got a few cases, and I bought a bottle to take to a Christmas party attended primarily by wine collectors.
The wine has a great heritage, being a joint venture between Bruno Prats, former owner of Château Cos-d'Estournel, Hubert de Boüard de Laforest, co-proprietor of Château Angélus in Bordeaux, and Lowell Jooste of Klein Constantia Estate. And here is my tasting note:
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August 17, 2006
The Judgement of San Francisco
Paul Galli’s tasting note of the 2002 Varner Amphitheater Chardonnay posted on eBob, said “I defy any Burgophile to pick this as a ringer in a white burgundy tasting. Again, I find that this CA Chard is very MEEEERsault-like.” So, given this enthusiastic challenge, seven seekers after the truth met at Pesce in San Francisco to explore the proposition that New World wines can taste like White Burgundy. Attendees included Jim Varner, Ken Freeman, Dee Hornichek, Slaton Lipscomb, Leonard Maran, Steve Timko, and Paul Homchick.
We selected twelve wines to taste blind. Each attendee knew the wine they had brought and the identity of some of those attending gave strong hints of what they supplied. The wine-master-of-ceremonies announced that there were two French wines in the lineup and ten chardonnays from the New World. Participants were asked to identify the two French wines, and to be prepared to rank their top three wines. There were two flights of six wines.
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August 15, 2006
Is Parkerized the New Homogenized?
I'm a bit late to this controversy, but since the argument seems to be unending, it doesn't matter when I notice it out of the corner of my eye and pick it up. It will still be there guttering along on some wine-focused BBS next week, next month, and next year. This particular controversy is just like Washington, D.C., about which George Schultz said "Nothing ever gets settled in this town."
The sparkle this time was provided by an interview Jancis Robinson did with the St. Helena Star while she was visiting the Northern California wine country for a series of MW seminars. (Jancis Robinson on words, works, and wine gluts). Her insight (or heresy, depending on how you feel about it) was commenting on how critics influence wine. She observed that: "Probably America's two big wine commentators, Parker (Robert M. Parker, Jr.) and the Wine Spectator are doing the dictating." Robinson added, "I happen to think it's a shame that these two have such similar tastes as I honestly don't believe they are shared with the overwhelming majority of wine drinkers, and especially not by most good winemakers. One of the saddest things I hear, and not just in California, is a wine producer admitting that they make wines they don't actually like themselves, but they make them - much bigger than their own taste - because they think they'll get high points."
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August 14, 2006
Diatom Chardonnay - Mad Scientist at Work
Wine is infused with tradition. Some wine drinkers would feel set adrift without a cork screw, and some winemakers would feel as naked as a cockroach in the light without French oak barrels. But what tradition can we use to pigeonhole a fellow who talks about his wine using terms like simplicity, samurai, small, solitude, serenity, tranquility, and refinement, and then makes a 16.2% alcohol chardonnay and boasts of it's laser intensity? This is someone forging his own tradition.
Greg Brewer, a partner in Brewer-Clifton, and the wine-maker at Melville has launced a new project he is calling Diatom. Simplifying things perhaps a bit too much, this is a project to make Chardonnays that will go well with seafood... laser-focused seafood like raw oysters or sashimi. But Greg is a great writer and we don't have to simplify, we can let him speak for himself:
Vineyards selected for the diatom project are sought out for their ability to serve as voices for place. Through the small and specific sites chosen, there will be a journey through solitude, tranquility and the transitory nature of life. The challenge is to subtract all extraneous elements to arrive at the utmost level of simplicity, serenity and refinement. In order to maintain this desired purity, fermentation is carried out at a very cold temperature in neutral vessels to retain the most primary attributes of the fruit.Furthermore, malo-lactic is inhibited to avoid the distraction of that secondary level of evolution. The resultant wine is then aged on its non-disturbed lees for health and protection, and removed just before there is any risk of autolysis which could impart nondesirable yeast-like characteristics into the wine.
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July 23, 2006
Some Like it Hot - NOT ME / Why Prosecco is Cool
So, is it hot where you are? It sure is hot here. No one in San Franciso has air conditioning and when it gets close to 90 we all sorta drag our feet and wonder around like Zombies wishing we were at Stinson Beach. What to do? Well, you know what they say, "when in Rome, do as the Roman's do." I mean, "when in Venice, do as the Venicians do." That's not quite right, either. When it's HOT, do as the Venicians do. There. That's got it
When it's hot in Venice, they drink chilled Prosecco, a delicious, slightly bitter, sparkling white wine from the Veneto. Yesterday, while draging myself home from the scorching 95-degree (35 deg C) streets of Sausalito (from a trip to “Fish." ... perhaps I'll get enough energy to blog on that, too), I stopped in at K&L Wines and bought a bottle. Yummy. Here's a tasting note:
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June 19, 2006
Fine Wines of California circa 1969
Recently, I have been reading about the history of wine in America. While I have collected a couple of good overviews (American Vintage: The Rise of American Wine, and A History of Wine in America from Prohibition to the Present) the book that has been the most fun is one providing some original research: The Fine Wines of California: A discriminating buyer's guide for the consumer and connoisseur, by Robert S. Blumberg and Hurst Hannum; Doubleday & Company, Inc. Garden City, New York 1971.
This book shows just how much better off we are today than just 35 years ago. A large section of Fine Wines of California consists of many tasting notes made in 1969, and it is interesting to speculate on the utility of tasting notes (going back into the early 1960’s) not being published until three to five years after the wines have been released. The implication is that California wines stayed in distribution a lot longer then than they do now.
Thirty-five years ago, we didn’t have the 100-point scale, Robert Parker, or the commonly accepted tasting note vocabulary, and Fine Wines in California meant something quite different than it does today.
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May 16, 2006
Once in a Lifetime Old California Wine Dinner
Francois Audouze, a well known collector of old (some are really old) wines was in California for some exotic tastings. He graciously agreed to be a guest at a dinner in San Francisco where about 27 wine enthusiasts showed up to share some bottles of older California wine.
The event ended up being a bit of a madhouse, but all of the inhabitants were friendly, sharing and having a good time. It would have been nice to have had fewer wines and to follow them over an extended period during a more formal dinner, but then we wouldn't have had the opportunity to taste some really rare and legendary California wines. There were more than sixty bottles opened and I think I managed to taste nearly thirty of them. The wines below were my favorites.
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March 28, 2006
Two Very Old Wines
I recently had a chance to taste two old madeiras. An amazing experience, really. It's interesting to taste wines this old and to realize that they aren't on their last legs... not even close.
1834 Barbeito Madeira Malvazia - Portugal, Madeira (2/9/2006)
Available by the glass at Bacar in San Francisco. Good nose of caramel, molasses, and toffee but not as full and enveloping as the 1863 Boal. The nose carries right on to the palate where there are intense flavors of brown sugar, molasses, and toffee balanced with a bracing sour acidity that makes the wine seem much less sweet than it really is. The most remarkable characteristic about this wine is how it coats the inside of your mouth. You find yourself wiping off your gums with your tounge and and still tasting the wine a minute or two after your sip! Now, THAT is a finish. (94 pts.)
1863 Barbeito Madeira Boal - Portugal, Madeira (12/28/2005)
Tremendous nose of caramel, toffee and brown sugar that enveloped the table and was obvious two feet away. Clear brown color. Smooth palate, medium-full body with a marked tartness like a granny smith apple. Very smooth and a long finish. (92pts.)
Posted by Paul at 06:10 PM | Comments (0)
January 01, 2006
Top Ten Wines of 2005
It's the time for retrospective postings. Thanks to CellarTracker!.com, this year, the task is easy. It was a very good year.
2001 Shafer Cabernet Sauvignon Hillside Select - USA, California, Napa Valley, Stag's Leap District (3/13/2005)
Shafer Hillside Select Dinner (Manresa Restaurant, Los Gatos, California USA): This bottle was brought to the dinner by Elias Fernandez. It showed a big nose of ripe cabernet fruit and chocolate... lots of chocolate. The palate was incredibly unctious and full with chewy mouth-filling texture and tastes of bittersweet chocolate, spice and ripe berries. The wine showed a big, big structure with the alcohol, tannins and acidity all in the right place. A great experience. The table picked this as the best wine to drink in the future. I picked it as one of the best wines I have ever had the privilege to put in my mouth. Elias Fernandez says there have been three perfect years for Hillside Select fruit. 1994, 2001 and 2004! I can hardly wait! (98 pts.)
1996 Shafer Cabernet Sauvignon Hillside Select - USA, California, Napa Valley, Stag's Leap District (3/13/2005)
Shafer Hillside Select Dinner (Manresa Restaurant, Los Gatos, California USA): Big nose of black fruit. Great structure, very ripe, long finish, a bittersweet-chocolate monster wine. Group vote for best wine for drinking now. (97 pts.)
1990 Louis Roederer Champagne Cristal Brut - France, Champagne (12/30/2005)
Pale gold color; big nose of yeasty ripe fruit. Great attack of refreshing acidity with a mousse of a billion bubbles. Long mid palate, turning sweet on the long finish. A great bottle of wine. The best champagne I have ever tasted. (97 pts.)
1945 Sandeman Porto Vintage - Portugal, Douro, Porto (6/1/2005)
Basically unbelievable. Roy Hersh poured around the table and then asked everyone how old they thought the bottle was. I guessed 1994, the fellow next to me guessed 1992, but there were a few folks who went out on a limb and guessed 1977 and perhaps even as old as 1963. No one guessed 1945 or 1950-anything. This was still a deep dark red with just a tiny amount of lightening at the edge. The palate showed a full body with bright acidity and smooth but gripping tannins. I've never before had a wine that I thought might last a very, very, very long time; this one might last forever. Nor, do I think I've ever had ambrosia, but this just might be ambrosia smuggled down from Mt. Olympus as a gift to humanity at the end of World War II. Did I say I was impressed? This will score higher when it is really ready to drink... whenever that is. Thank you, Roy! (97 pts.)
1988 Krug Champagne Brut - France, Champagne (5/3/2005)
Medium gold color, very fine mousse, big attention-getting palate with LOADS of acidity. Sweet ripe finish. A monster wine which (at the time was) the best champagne I've ever tasted. (However, the 1990 Cristal bested it before years end).(97 pts.)
1999 Screaming Eagle Cabernet Sauvignon - USA, California, Napa Valley, Oakville (3/19/2005)
Wine Cask Futures Off-line Dinner (Wine Cask, Santa Barbara, CA USA): An inky, dark wine with no signs of age. It has an impressive nose of bittersweet chocolate, brown sugar, and cassis. The palate shows a full body, rich, thick, chewy and extracted, with layered flavors and a long pleasing finish. It's a wine that won't go away once you let it into your nose or put it in your mouth. I don't know if it is worth the asking price, but it is mighty impressive. Will likely improve with more age. (96 pts.)
1988 Château d'Yquem - France, Bordeaux, Sauternais, Sauternes (3/13/2005)
Shafer Hillside Select Dinner (Manresa Restaurant, Los Gatos, California USA): Light golden straw color, very subtle nose. Oily and viscous mouth texture very good full body,superb balancing acidity; long finish. A great bottle and a great experience. (96 pts.)
2001 Shafer Port - USA, California, Napa Valley, Stag's Leap District (3/13/2005)
Shafer Hillside Select Dinner (Manresa Restaurant, Los Gatos, California USA): Another gift to the group from Elias Fernandez. Shafer has been making Port since 1986. Why does Shafer make a port? "Because," explained Elias, "I like Port." He told a story where he and Doug excitedly took their first port into John Shafer's office for him to taste. He tasted it, grimaced and said "This is SWEET!" Yes, they explained, it's Port. "You used my grapes to make a sweet wine!!!???, said John. He was not pleased. Eventually, the need was recognized for a Shafer dessert wine at tastings and the project was given a go-ahead. The Shafer port is made from Hillside Select Cabernet grapes and is only sold at the winery. Someone asked Elias why he used HSS grapes. He replied that you have to use best grapes to make the best wine. No arguing with that. The 2001 Shafer port is almost deep black in color, with a wonderful nose and palate that is full of bittersweet chocolate and a deliciously long finish. Great stuff. (96 pts.)
1996 Château Ducru-Beaucaillou - France, Bordeaux, Médoc, St. Julien (5/4/2005)
Bon Voyage Jeff Cassetta (Some Palmers & Etc.) (Fringale Restaurant, San Francisco): Very youthfull in appearance. Nose of spice, pepper and chocolate. The palate is inviting and smooth -- a wine like Marilyn Monroe dressed in black velvet with cleavage, eating bittersweet chocolate. Lush, chewey, good acidic backbone and quite firm but sweet tannins. This is great now and is going to be something quite special with a few more years on it. (95 pts.)
1994 Chateau Montelena Cabernet Sauvignon The Montelena Estate - USA, California, Napa Valley (2/16/2005)
Impromptu eBob Offline (Fringale Restaurant, San Francisco USA): Deep and dark red, appearing very youthful. Nose of cedar and ripe fruit. The palate showed great concentration and balance with dark fruits, and a backbone of balancing acidity. Showed a medium-full body on opening and it kept improving with air and time. Tannins were smooth and contributed to the long finish. Obviously quite youthful still with a long life ahead, but a great wine that can be enjoyed right now. (95 pts.)
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December 31, 2005
Three Above Average Wines
It's the end of the year, and I have been splurging a bit...
1990 Louis Roederer Champagne Cristal Brut - France, Champagne (12/30/2005)
Pale gold color; big nose of yeasty ripe fruit. Great attack of refreshing acidity with a mousse of a billion bubbles. Long mid palate, turning sweet on the long finish. A great bottle of wine. The best champagne I have ever tasted. (97 pts.)
2001 Silver Oak Cabernet Sauvignon Alexander Valley - USA, California, Sonoma County, Alexander Valley (12/29/2005)
Dark, clear ruby-purple color. Moderate nose of dark fruits with a bit of cabernet earthiness. On the palate, low acid, medium-full body, dark chocolate and medium tannins providing the backbone. Some alcohol noticable on the finish. Quite well made; would benefit from a year or two of bottle age. (90 pts.)
1863 Barbeito Madeira Boal - Portugal, Madeira (12/28/2005)
Tremendous nose of caramel, toffee and brown sugar that enveloped the table and was obvious two feet away. Clear brown color. Smooth palate, medium-full body with a marked tartness like a granny smith apple. Very smooth and a long finish. (92 pts.)
Posted by Paul at 02:50 PM | Comments (0)
December 10, 2005
2003 CRU BEAUJOLAIS TASTING @ Nick's (12/6/2005)
Eight of us (Nick, Erica, Melanie, Diana, Malik, Jim, Eric, and Paul) got together to taste a complete collection of 2003 Cru Beaujolais. This Beaujolais vintage has generated a lot of positive commentary and we were expecting fruity, ripe, and fairly serious wines.
Paul provided the wines, Nick provided the food, and the rest of the attendees provided the camaraderie and fun.
Nick's repast included Acme Rustic Baguettes, cheeses from Cowgirl Creamery in the Ferry Building: Cypress Grove Lambchopper, Comte, and Membrillo; Bresaola (dried beef) from Mastrelli’s Delicatessen in the Ferry Building, a variety of pates: Truffle Mousse and Pate de Campagne with Black Pepper from Fabrique Délices, obtained at 24th Street Cheese Company, some homemade roasted red potatoes with thyme, salt, and olive oil, and some rotisserie chicken from Costco. Everything was delicious. I was especially impressed (because I didn't expect to be) with the Costco rotisserie chicken which has a bit of a foodie following. It was REALLY good!
Continue reading "2003 CRU BEAUJOLAIS TASTING @ Nick's (12/6/2005)"
Posted by Paul at 12:23 PM
November 29, 2005
The Last Winery in the Alphabet
In my collection at least, Domaine Zind-Humbrecht is the last winery alphabetically, but it is the first winery I think of when someone starts talking about consistently amazing wine. Some wines have more imposing reputations, for instance the first growths of Bordeaux. But, has there ever been a Bordeaux first growth that was worth its tariff every vintage? (To be sure, there are folks who wonder about those prices in any vintage).
Zind-Humbrecht has a number of strikes against it in the wine-collector game. Its wines are white, not red, and the wines aren't even made from chardonnay, they are from gewürztraminer and pinot gris. But none of this makes any difference. The wines of Zind-Humbrecht are consistently exquisite, exotic and seemingly extraterrestrial. They are floral, focused, and full. They make me smile and give thanks for living in this world.
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November 20, 2005
2002 Qupé Roussanne Bien Nacido Vineyard
2002 Qupé Roussanne Bien Nacido Vineyard - USA, California, Santa Barbara County, Santa Maria Valley (11/13/2005)
A really lush wine which starts out with a good acidic character and the taste of a green granny smith apple. This spreads out into the mid palate which is full bodied, lush and tastes of lucious apricot. The finish is long and full of sweet fruit. I really liked this wine. It is very good stuff. (91 pts.)
Posted by Paul at 10:09 AM | Comments (0)
2003 Williams Selyem Pinot Noir Allen Vineyard
2003 Williams Selyem Pinot Noir Allen Vineyard - USA, California, Sonoma County, Russian River Valley (11/18/2005)
Beautiful light ruby-red color. This is just about the friendliest, most luscious and delicious pinot noir you would ever want to meet. It is ripe and full and lush on the palate, but it is also balanced. No one would mistake this for anything even remotely French - it is red fruits all the way and tastes like velvet sunshine or a warm wet kiss. On the other hand, it isn't a Calif raisiny over-extracted fruit-bomb either. A very impressive effort; delicious now, and will age quite well. (93 pts.) (Tasted at the Farallon PinotFest) Tagged pinot.
Posted by Paul at 10:07 AM | Comments (0)
October 04, 2005
Offline for Alex and Adam at Zuppa
Adam and Alex were visiting the Bay Area from England. Christine Huang got together 10 of the usual suspects and we had a terrific tasting at Zuppa on Tuesday, September 27th, 2005.
Let's Start by Celebrating
Sparking wine (from Italy - because we were in an Italian restaurant), and an interesting bottle of white (a rousanne/viognier blend).
- N.V. Bellavista Franciacorta Cuvée Brut - Italy, Lombardia, Franciacorta
A really good sparkling white from Italy. Nice dense, mousse with good acidity and a sweet finish. I think Bellavisa Franciacorta is one of the best non-Champagne sparkling wine producers out there.(89 pts.) - 2004 Linne Calodo The Contrarian - USA, California, Central Coast, Paso Robles
I didn't take notes on this, but remember it as well made and enjoyable.
Mystery Wine
Adam and Alex brought along a wine from across the pond to see how smart us colonials were. Not too smart.
Continue reading "Offline for Alex and Adam at Zuppa"
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September 19, 2005
2002 Carlisle Syrah Sonoma County
Mike Officer started Carlisle and established a good reputation with his zinfandels. Until now, I hadn't tried his syrah, but Whoa Nellie! I have should have been paying closer attention.
2002 Carlisle Syrah Sonoma County - USA, California, Sonoma County
Wow, what a wine. The color is deep ruby like the ruby slippers in the Wizard of Oz, and the wine is fantastic, like it has come from Oz. It has a super rich nose of pepper, fruit and spice. The palate is mouth coating with a full body, great complexity and balance, and a finish that goes on for minutes. It is somewhat reminicent of an Aussie shiraz, but this wine obviously has more cold-climate characteristics. This is super stuff. I couldn't be happier with it. (94 pts.) (tasted 9/16/2005)
Posted by Paul at 10:21 AM | Comments (0)
September 07, 2005
I Love Ojai
One of my favorite producers is Adam Tolmach who makes Ojai Wines. I went to a tasting last night and took along a bottle of Ojai 2000 Thompson Special Bottling Syrah (200 cases made). It was really enjoyable. Ojai is a small producer so not everyone has a chance to try this wine, but think wine lovers everywhere owe it to themselves to track down and try this wine. To get you properly motivated, here are my Ojai tasting notes (including the bottle opened last night).
2000 Ojai Syrah Special Bottling Thompson Vineyard - USA, California, Santa Barbara County (9/6/2005)
A deep and dark purple-red wine which is almost oqaque. Nose shows ripe berries and spices. Medium-full body, lot's of extraction and with firm tannins and a long dusty finish. Although it is big, big, big, it is a balanced wine and isn't overripe or candied. If you've got some of this, save for another year, preferably two before trying. (94 pts.)
Continue reading "I Love Ojai"
Posted by Paul at 02:13 PM
June 29, 2005
Surprise! Wine Bottle Crown Cap
There has been a lot of activity in the past few years devoted to attempts to come up with a better closure for wine bottles. There are a lot of complaints about TCA taint, and anyone with old wine has seen a dry cork drop into the bottle after disintegrating. People rightly wonder why now, in the 21st century, we can't find something better to seal bottles with than tree bark.
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Posted by Paul at 06:26 PM | Comments (0)
June 18, 2005
Three Blind Cabs
I have a habit of wandering through wine stores and picking up single bottles of wine that I think might be interesting or worthy of stocking up on. But, what usually happens, is that I put the bottle aside, the wine sells out and I am stuck with all of these "tasting experiments." I decided to knock off three experiments at once and took three bottles along to dinner at my local French Bistro to taste blind.
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Posted by Paul at 11:10 AM | Comments (0)
May 08, 2005
Master of Wine Study Group Corvina Overview - Ristorante Bacco, San Francisco, CA USA (3/28/2005)
Seven students of wine got together at 7:30 p.m. to help a friend study for her Master of Wine test. Tonight's theme was wines made from Corvina.
Posted by Paul at 12:35 PM | Comments (0)
Bon Voyage Jeff Cassetta (Some Palmers & Etc..) - Fringale Restaurant, San Francisco, CA USA (5/4/2005)
In San Francisco for business, Jeff Cassetta had organized a superb Bordeaux tasting at Masa's the night before. Jeff isn't the sort of fellow to let opportunity pass by, so he had offered to bring a 1983 Palmer to a follow-up dinner the next night, but as he had to catch a red-eye flight back to Michigan, he didn't want the proceedings to last quite as long as the previous night's adventure (2am). So Jeff, Christine, Gene and I (all fugitives from the seven-hour Bordeaux Blowout the night before) gathered at 7:00 p.m. at Fringale for dinner, conversation and some wine. We started with some Champagne which I unfortunately did not take any notes on. But then it was on to the..
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March 22, 2005
Wine Cask Futures Off-Line Dinner
To properly cap off a day at the Wine Cask Futures Tasting, 18 (!) wine fanatics (including a professional or two -- and why can't someone ITB be fanatical about wine?) met for dinner at 6:30 p.m. in the European Room of the Wine Cask wine store. Why not? Restaurants have private rooms that look like a wine cellar, why not have a wine "seller" that doubles as a private room?
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Posted by Paul at 07:33 PM | Comments (0)
March 14, 2005
SHAFER HILLSIDE SELECT DINNER - Manresa Restaurant, Los Gatos, California USA (3/13/2005)
Nine wine lovers from the San Francisco Bay area got together for an evening of memorable wine and food at Manresa in Los Gatos. The tasting was devoted to sampling Shafer wines,
especially the fabulous Hillside Selects. Since the wines were so special, we wanted to have food and company that would be worthy of the wine. Chef David Kinch was kind enough to put together a seventeen-course tasting menu customized to the wines. Additionally, we were extremely fortunate in having Elias Fernandez, winemaker extraordinary from Shafer accept our invitation to join us.
Paul Homchick, Randy Wigginton, Sam Lai, Randy Cunningham, David Niederauer, Richard Leland, Ken Emery, David Sankaran, Al Osterheld and Elias Fernandez were all at the restaurant by 5:30 p.m. and the festivities started.
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March 08, 2005
2000 Krohn Porto Late Bottled Vintage
(Tasted 3/6/2005)
A very impressive and hedonistic bottle of wine. The color is a deep purple-red, nothing Tawny about this! On the nose it shows coffee and a touch of molasses. The palate is big but complex, showing firm smooth tannins, a full body and tastes of blueberries, eucalyptus and cloves. Long, lingering finish. Palate and finish are a bit rough, not unexpected at this price point and age. Why wait 30 years for your 2000 vintage port to mature? Drink this; it's certainly the best $14 bottle of port I've ever seen. Krohn is known for well-priced coheitas which I also like. (90 pts.)
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March 02, 2005
Impromptu Wine Dinner at Fringale 2/16/05
I have been remiss in chronicling my wine and food activities lately, so here is the first entry intended to remedy the situation:
"Mark NYC" posted a message on the Parker/Squires message board that he would be in San Francisco for a few days and would like to get together with some San Francisco wine collectors for an informal dinner. Bob K from Boston, saw the message and chimed in that he would also be interested in such an event. After some nudging, Gene K and I said we'd be happy to meet the prodigal duo at Fringale for an evening of wine and food. One thing lead to another and Mark NYC said his client wanted to go out to dinner at Michael Mina so he was going to have to back out of sipping wine with strangers at Fringale (imagine that! we were jealous), and Gene K was overwhelmed with work and also had to back out. It was looking dark and stormy.
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February 24, 2005
2001 Edmunds St. John Syrah Bassetti Vineyard (USA, California, San Luis Obispo)
Good nose of dark fruits and forest floor aromas. Color was a very deep purple/red. The wine looks opaque and youthful like "wine ink". The palate showed ripe fruit and a good level of extraction, but one would not call it"fruit-foward" nor is it even a bit over-extracted or pruney. The wine demands your attention and has serious structure and balance implying good aging potential. The finish lingers and reminds you of berries lying on fresh loam; 13.7% alcohol. Steve Edmunds says this will be ready to drink in 2009 and I certainly don't doubt his opinion one bit after trying the wine. This will certainly gain in points as it ages. (Dinner @ Bizou). (91 pts.) (1/28/2005)
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1990 Château Meyney (France, Bordeaux, Médoc, St. Estèphe)
From a bottle purchased on release and not perfectly (!) stored. Medium red brick with slight lightening at the edge. Nose of caramel, cigar box, and some maderization or oxidation. This wine is fully mature, with acid, tannin and fruit in perfect balance. No exidation was evident on the palate. It has a medium body and is not at all powerful or extracted. The finish is a bit short with the tannins still evident, providing some structure, but they are quite smooth. (88 pts.)
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February 17, 2005
Amontillado and Idiazabal
I know it sounds like the title of an obscure 19th century romance novel, but it is wine and cheese; sherry from Jerez and cheese from the Goierri valley of the Basque region of Spain. And together - they are heavenly.
Idiazabal is a moderately firm, aged cheese made from unpasteurized sheeps milk. It is piquant, chewy, creamy when dissolved and has a lingering aftertaste. According to the CheeseFromSpain.com website idiazabal is a good accompaniment to grilled or barbarque meats, and they even suggest melting it on top of hamburgers. Presumably, folks who do that don't have to purchase their idiazabal at Whole Foods Market like I do ($$$)!
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Posted by Paul at 11:39 AM | Comments (0) | TrackBack
February 01, 2005
2001 Turley Zinfandel Pringle Family
2001 Turley Zinfandel Pringle Family - USA, California, Napa Valley, Howell Mountain (tasted 3/9/2004)
Probably the most improbable Wine Spectator wine list award winner ever is Ashiana, an Indian restaurant located in a strip mall in the suburbian wilds of western Houston. The chef is from the Hilton in Delhi and her partner is a retired Doctor who loves to collect wine. There are lots of treasures on the list and the markups are fair (2.5 x wholesale). As you might expect, the wine list is extensive; this is how I came to try a 96-point Turley Zin with dinner (@ $90 a real bargain). I've never had a Turley produced wine before, but their reputation precedes them. But, talking about this wine can never do it justice. It was a dark, almost opaque and inky purple-red. The nose leapt out of the glass full of peppery and smoky fruit. But this eye opening event with this wine is when you put it in your mouth. It is thick and tounge-coating almost port-like, but surprisingly, there is enough acidity and fruit to keep it from being cloying. The mid-palate is satisfying and complex. Somehow the 16.2% alcohol isn't really noticeable either on the attack or the mid-palate. The finish is simply delicious with tannins completely integrated. I almost wanted to stand up and applaud giving the wine a standing ovation. (95 pts.)
Posted by Paul at 12:49 PM | Comments (0) | TrackBack
1983 Château Cheval Blanc
1983 Château Cheval Blanc - France, Bordeaux, Libournais, St. Émilion (Tasted: 2/2/2004)
Wow! WOw! WOW! When first poured, it had a nice smooth nose of tobacco which was muted in comparison to the '85 L'Eglise Clinet. After about 45 minutes the nose, though still smooth, was super big sending out tobacco and earth plus layers of other things I could sense gently tugging at my nose. The palate was smooth on the attack, smooth and mouth-filling on the mid palate, and smooth with incredible and noticably sweet tannins on the extended and delicious finish. Everything was integrated perfectly, but the more I sniffed, and the more I tasted the more there was to find. This was great wine, not a mere collection of tannins, acid and fruit. Compared to the L'Eglise which shared the table, it was both bigger, and smoother, presenting a completely integrated whole. This is drinking superbly now, but will possibly last another 10 years. But why wait? This may be the best wine you ever have! (97 pts.)
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2000 Au Bon Climat Chardonnay XX Anniversary Passant des Nuits-Blanches au Bouge
2000 Au Bon Climat Chardonnay XX Anniversary Passant des Nuits-Blanches au Bouge - USA, California, Santa Barbara County, Santa Maria Valley (tasted 4/10/2004)
A shining clear pale gold color, with a very nice nose of ripe chardonnay fruit and a bit of oak. The palate shows a good burst of California ripeness balanced by the right amount of acid, changing to a full mid palate and a long and sweet finish. This tastes like a fine white burgundy. It is reserved but has every component in place. It doesn't call attention to itself with a flashy characteristic, but gets your attention with authoritve perfection. It is delicious and is one of the best California chardonnays I have had in a long time. It is a delightful wine. (92 pts.)
UPDATE: This is the heaviest 750ml wine bottle I have ever seen. It weighs just a tick less than 2 kilos!
Posted by Paul at 12:28 PM | Comments (0) | TrackBack
January 26, 2005
2003 Boekenhoutskloof "The Chocolate Block" WBW5
I like to imagine that I am never influenced by the label on a wine bottle, unless it has the words "Chateau Margaux" or something similar on it. The truth lies elsewhere and during a recent visit to The Wine Club in San Francisco, on a mission to find something for Wine Blogging Wednesday #5 I saw a case of wine alluringly named The Chocolate Block.
While we should all be satisfied with wine that tastes like wine, for some reason, we aren't. There is a scene in Orwell's 1984 where Winston Smith gets to taste wine for the first time. He is expecting it to taste like raspberry syrup and to intoxicate him with the first sip. He is horribly disappointed in the actual experience. And, critics are constantly describing wines as tasting like cherries or maple syrup or steaks, or bacon (or, to be completely fair, even tar or a barnyard). We don't grade and evaluate wine like diamonds, it is much less scientific and much more subjective. Which is to say, the thought of a red wine that tasted like chocolate was all but irresistible, and I bought a bottle. The fact that it was made by a company named Boekenhoutskloof and was from South Africa was a definite bonus.
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Posted by Paul at 11:09 PM | Comments (0)
January 25, 2005
1977 Warre Vintage Port
I have been meaning to try Acme Chophouse @ the ballpark for quite a while. I took advantage of the Dine About Town promotion to have a meal there last Friday evening. I ended up ordering ala' carte, as I'm not eating desserts these days and the DAT menu had dessert. I ordered the Filet Mignon and it was good, but not fantastic. I always feel slightly ripped off in these high-end steak houses. Anyway, the evening was salvaged by trying a glass of 1977 Warre's Vintage Port.
It had a DEEP and dark color like an essence of port. It was rich, concentrated and lucious on the palate, with nice tannins, but a bit hot on the finish. Really good stuff. The 1977 Taylor Fladgate is supposed to be better. Now I am wondering, How Can This Be? I have two bottles of the Taylor and now I am really curious to try one. Regardless, I found the 1977 Warre VP to be really impressive. At this writing, K & L Wines has about a case of this available for $90 / bottle.
Posted by Paul at 05:16 PM | Comments (0)
1990 Shafer Cabernet Sauvignon Hillside Select
Many years ago, I read a anecdote about a young boy trying to teach himself about self control. Cream and sugar were kitchen staples that were strictly off-limits. He would put them on the countertop and stare trying to believe that he didn't want them. After several days, he decided that mind had triumphed over matter and that he could do without. To reward himself for his feat, he had some cream sweetened with sugar.
I bought two bottles of 1990 Shafer Hillside Select when it was released. They cost me $29.99 each.
Continue reading "1990 Shafer Cabernet Sauvignon Hillside Select"
Posted by Paul at 08:58 AM | Comments (0)
January 07, 2005
1999 Qupe Syrah Bien Nacido Hillside Estate
Qupe, USA, California, Santa Barbara County, Santa Maria Valley (4/30/2004)
A really elegant and delightful bottle of wine. It has a dark purple-red color, not quite opaque. The nose shows ripe bing cherries, chocolate, oak, and brown sugar. On the palate, the wine is smooth like a cashmere sweater with a satisfying and interesting mid-palate. It has a medium body and a lingering finish of creamy cherries jubilee with soft and sweet tannins. It struck me as much more of a Northern Rhone wine than a CA Central Coast one. Some might complain about too much oak, or not being good for long-term aging, but in terms of drinking at the right time and being a pleasure to drink, this was a very enjoyable and I certainly wish I had more. (92 pts.)
Posted by Paul at 11:43 AM | Comments (0)
December 12, 2004
2003 Alain Jaume Lirac Clos de Sixte
I found a bottle of this at Ferry Building Wine Merchants for $18. (Actually, I was tipped off).
2003 Alain Jaume Lirac Clos de Sixte - Lirac, Southern Rhône, Rhône, France (12/11/2004)
Whoa! Open up this bottle, and you are hit by big aromas of very ripe red fruit. I'd suggest you sit down first. The color is very deep and dark red with a touch of purple. It sparkles, but it really is deep and dark. Made from a blend of 45% Grenache, 40% Syrah, and 15% Mouvedre, this is a supercharged wine claiming 15% alcohol on the label, and I believe every percentage point. Has there ever been a French wine like this? It is thick and has tremendous extraction. The palate is rich but integrated with great smooth tannins and just enough acidity to provide some balance to the ripe, ripe fruit. The nose moderated after the bottle had been open a bit, and this isn't an especially complex wine, but it was great fun to drink with roast chicken. If this is any indication of what Rhone wines are like in 2003, hang on to your seat and your checkbook! (90 pts.)
Posted by Paul at 12:08 PM | Comments (0) | TrackBack
December 03, 2004
2003 Domaine de la Becassonne Côtes du Rhône Blanc
A real surprise - found this at Wine House SF. This is a really nice and friendly summer wine. It has a super floral nose with apricot and mango aromas and presents a fruity, mouth-filling and luscious palate. It has 13% alcohol, but it is hidden for now behind gobs of fruit. Low acidity makes it easy to drink and suggests that now is better than later. But it is so friendly and fun, that now is hardly soon enough! I like it. 89 pts (Tasted 8/23/0224)
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November 18, 2004
Training Wheels Wine Tasting Form
Every serious winegeek has a favorite wine tasting form, and so do I. After looking at a number of forms out on the Internet, I couldn't make up my mind as to which one was best; so I drew up a form that has several to choose from. It has the Parker method, the Broadbent method, and the Training Wheels method.
What's that, you say? The Training Wheels method? Although I gave it this name, it is not my invention (it was developed by Patrick Halstead of Seattle, an early user of CellarTracker!). It works especially well when you have had too much to drink and your notes are becoming increasingly terse and decreasing in intelligibility.
It poses a series of questions that you answer by entering a rating number. When you are done, add up the numbers and you have a wine rating. It seems to work well, and it is scientific enough (?) that you will be consistent in your evaluations, and you may be surprised by what you come up with. Download the Wine Tasting Form (PDF).
Posted by Paul at 05:47 PM | Comments (0) | TrackBack
November 11, 2004
1990, 1999 Château Canon-la-Gaffelière
I really like this producer. That's probably because the wine is made in the international style (e.g. California and Austrialia. Big and ripe, but still with the elegance of Bordeaux.)
- 1990 Château Canon-la-Gaffelière - St. Émilion, Libournais, Bordeaux, France (7/14/2004)
Wow! What a great wine! Color was dark red with no thinning visible at the edge. The nose was just gigantic, with tobacco, earth, some acidity and black fruit. On the palate it had a good acid backbone to start, moving on to a great mid palate. This wine is hedonistic, extracted, lush, and chewy. The finish was smooth, with mild tannins and went on for a long time. I've had three bottles of this so far. Two of them have been like this, but one - for some reason - wasn't as much fun. Other than the '83 Cheval Blanc, and the '89 Montrose, this is the best Bordeaux I've ever had. (95 pts.) - 1999 Château Canon-la-Gaffelière - St. Émilion, Libournais, Bordeaux, France (4/23/2004)
If all 99 Bordeaux were like this, 99 would be better than 2000! The wine is dark, brooding and an opaque deep red in the glass: on sight alone, no one is going to mistake this for a Haut Brion or pinot noir. It has a fine aroma, with good fruit and hints of smoky tobacco and spice. The palate gets your attention right away with its silky and mouth filling taste. It is not overly complex, but nor is it overly simple. It is full-bodied, very well balanced with an extended finish. This is an outstanding wine. (92 pts.)
Posted by Paul at 05:00 PM | Comments (0)
November 07, 2004
2001 Château Canon-la-Gaffelière
A wine from St. Émilion, Libournais, Bordeaux, France. Tasted on 11/2/2004 at Fringale. 92 points.
Ah, what a pleasure it was to drink this. The color was a deep and opaque red/purple. The nose was big, impressive and worth going back to on its own, full of cedar, tobacco and sweet fruit. The palate was chewy and big with a medium-full body. Tannins were in evidence, but are sweet and balanced giving a long finish. It is not as lush as the 1999, but it is none the less very fine. In another three years or so, the tannins will have softened, the wine will have picked up some complexity, and it will be outstanding.
Posted by Paul at 10:01 PM | Comments (0)