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Dec 03, 2007Clos Du Val Napa Valley Cabernet Sauvignon, 1994
1994 Clos du Val 'Napa Valley' Cabernet Sauvignon
Tasted from a large commercial cellar, November 30, 2007.
Ruby colored with a slightly garnet edge. Delicate on the nose with notes of ripe red cherries and almond blossoms supported by subtle hints of saddle leather and forest floor. Supple, soft, and round, and exceptionally well balanced with with well integrated notes of dark chocolate and vanilla, silky tannins and a long supple vintage. Clearly capable of an additional 2-3 years of cellaring, though best consumed within the next 4 years.
Dec 03, 2007Burgess Cabernet Sauvignon Napa Valley, 1994
1994 Burgess 'Napa Valley' Cabernet Sauvignon
Tasted from a large commercial cellar, Nov. 30, 2007
Very deep in color with just hints of garnet peeking out from under hues of ruby. Ripe aromas of fresh cherries, red plums, and hints of baking spices. Subtle and well integrated with distinctive notes of smoky, mesquite grilled steak. Very supple and elegant on the palate with loads of fruit and super silky tannins. Probably has at least another 5-7 years to go, but totally irresistible now. This is a remarkably smooth, undervalued delight.
Dec 03, 2007Freemark Abbey Winery Cabernet Sauvignon Bosche Vineyard Napa Valley, 1994
1994 Freemark Abbey 'Boché Estate' Napa Valley Cabernet Sauvignon (25th anniversary bottling) *$129.00/bottle*
Tasted from a large commercial cellar on Nov 30, 2007.
Always a favorite since I first tasted it when it was a current release, this wine has only continued to pile on heaps of distinction and subtlety. Very deep ruby/black-garnet hued with a nice clear ring of glycerin at the edge, showing few visible signs of age. A super-beautiful nose of ripe black bing cherries and grilled steak with exotic Asian spices and cassis. Super silky, lush and very, very subtle. Absolutely seamless and delicious. So well integrated it is difficult to pin-point the individual elements, giving the wine an almost ethereal presence on the palate. Incredibly long, with a symphonic opulence and understated elegance. This wine is remarkably well balanced and should continue to evolve at a glacial pace having reached a rare and seldom equaled plateau of maturity and stability.
Dec 03, 2007Joseph Phelps Cabernet Sauvignon Napa Valley, 1994
1994 Joseph Phelps 'Napa Valley' Cabernet Sauvignon
From a large commercial cellar tasted Nov 30, 2007.
Unbelievably youthful! Packed with the darkest black cherries and lushest currant fruit. Very deep, plush and velvety with great richness and a magnanimous intensity and noble bearing that demands long, slow sips. While not as subtle to my tastes as the Freemark Abbey, this wine shows remarkable vitality for it's it's nearly 14 years of age. I suspect well stored this wine could be capable of another 10 years or more in a cool dark location. This still shows a remarkable consistency and definition of flavors that with no degradation for it's exposure to copious amounts of oxygen as I swirled it with maniacal zeal for several hours.
Dec 02, 2007Tuscan Moon Sangiovese, 2005
Got some spice and chocolate notes on the nose. This wine has a good taste to it, but I wouldn't say it's typical sangiovese. It's leaning more towards an oaked out $5 bottle of cab or something. It seems balanced, a little wet, but it's totally drinkable.
Dec 02, 2007Sterling Napa Valley Merlot, 2002
Cherry, ripe fruit with hints of Vanilla. Smooth finish leaving a rich cigar flavor behind. Nice mouth feel
Dec 01, 2007Franz Gojer-Glogglhof Lagrein Riserva, 2005
Impenetrable pigeon blood ruby with garnet rim. The bouquet is fairly rich, though in the air, with hardwood ash mingled with cedar and some oaky sweetness, and moderate berry fruit. On the palate it's full, and savory, with moderate fruit laced with sandalwood. The oak is a touch too predominate and overshadows the fruit, giving what a fellow taster calls "grip," but the fruit isn't as there as I'd have liked. It also suffered the vintage.
Nov 30, 2007Castle Rock Pinot Noir, 2006
This thing needed lots of time. After being opened for over an hour it began to develop some nice notes. Little spice with light fruit and a smooth/refreshing finish. Nice bottle for the price. Pairs well with almost anything, Had it with a yellow curry and spinich salad.
Nov 28, 2007Ajello Furat Sicilia, 2004
This wine really tastes like a splendidly rich black forest cake. Tastes of dark chocolate infused with cherry and raspberry syrup lead to a nice and smooth cohiba cigar finish. Made with 25% Nero d'Avola, Sicily's signature red grape, this was a great introduction to Sicilian wine for me... can't wait to try others.
Nov 28, 2007Chateau Haut-Bailly Pessac-Leognan, 2000
A fantastic nose of raspberry, anise, wood, and rich dark fruits. But the taste screams young age! Very, very tart and thin, with a little red brick dust for fun. I wish there was a lot more on the palate to rave about, but unfortunately, this wine doesn't seem to bring it. I worked the hell out of it for hours--decanting, whisking, swirling, somersaults? ... just trying to bring out the true intention of the winemakers, but I somehow couldn't quite get there. I finally got some black pepper out of the finish, just barely.
Lacking richness and boldness on the palate, this wine displayed incredible tartness and immaturity (because it's French vs CA?). The nose was phenomenal, but that's about it. If it actually tasted like this 20 years from now (I might have opened it a few years before prime), and I thought the same thing, I would say I'm not a fan of French Bordeaux vs California meritage blends.
For some reason I'd like more out of a 7 year old French Bordeaux, but maybe I just don't like French Bordeaux's.
Nov 28, 2007Chateau Haut-Bailly Pessac-Leognan, 2000
Rich, grapey nose with notes of candy, tobacco, menthol, and chocolate. Huge spice and young tannins on the palate -- beautiful, but very restrained. Don't drink this wine yet, it needs 5 more years minimum.
I'm a California boy, and have a hard time nailing down the finer notes of french bordeaux. Beef jerky, tobacco, and smoke hit you on a thin mouthfeel. The finish is long, with hints of spice and olives. I like this wine, but, like all french wine, it needs density. Nonetheless, it has a lengthy, peppery finish and is very enjoyable.
Nov 27, 2007Rombauer Chardonnay
Wonderful rich buttery flavor. Balances nicely with its floral notes. Golden yellow in color. Mouthfeel is supple with a slightly dry finish. One of my favorite Chards.
Nov 27, 2007Seghesio Zinfandel Sonoma County
Huge jammy zin. Huge mouthfeel with wonderfully smooth tannins. One of my favorite Zins.
Nov 27, 2007Cline Ancient Vines Zinfandel
Very smooth. Nice jammy flavor full of berries. A mouthfull but doesn't over do it.
Nov 27, 2007Francis Coppola Rosso Classic, NV
My favorite everyday wine. Nice mouthfull with supple berry flavors. Medium finish.
Nov 22, 2007Beringer Founders' Estate Cabernet Sauvignon, 2004
Delicious with very mild after taste, great for the price
Nov 19, 2007Rancho Sisquoc Cabernet Sauvignon, 2005
Nose: Tomato, jalapeno
Mouthfeel: Sour Cherry, cedar, thin
Finish: Crisp, light and dry
Nov 19, 2007Stonehedge Reserve Napa Valley Cabernet Sauvignon, 2003
Nose: Oak, Elmer's glue
Mouthfeel: buttery, truffle-y, yet light and silky
Finish: Maintains richness, more butter, and crystal clean.
Nov 19, 2007Francis Coppola Diamond Series Celestial Blue Label Malbec, 2005
Rich, curranty, and relatively full bodied. Some sweet anis and pepper on the nose. Nice finish, a little tart. I like it.
Nov 14, 2007Yellow Tail Pinot Grigio
Light/faint green tea aromas. Tangy, but still flat. Fast finish -- might make a nice sipper if you just want a buzz on a sat afternoon.
Nov 14, 2007Tuscan Moon Sangiovese
Faint notes of light cherry and wood. Clean mouthfeel, light, but consistent. Lightning quick finish. Pleasant, but needs more tannins.
Nov 14, 2007Rabbit Ridge Paso Robles Syrah, 2004
Not as spicy as I would like out of a syrah. I'm not sure what to make of this. It seems totally oaked out, but has a nice dry mouthfeel, and coats all over.
I'm gonna say if you're into saving some cash, and are into drinkable wines that might not display the true varietal characteristics, then hit this up. I think it's totally drinkable at this price point.
Nov 11, 2007Robert Hall Sauvignon Blanc, 2006
This is my style sauv blanc, it reminds me of NZ sauv blancs.
Aromas were as expected from a sauv blanc, with a citrus and vegetable nose. One the palate the same characteristics persisted. I tasted some lemon, apple, grass, and other vegetable flavors. The acidity was well balanced with some sweetness.
The finish was dry and spicy, but didn't last too long. I thought this was a good deal for the money.
Nov 09, 2007Trimbach Riesling, 2004
With a nose of freshly squeezed lemon, the first taste of this Riesling feels like biting into a granny smith apple. Light bodied with high levels of acidity, this might be a good one to accompany a nice curry dish.
Nov 09, 2007Chateau Rayas Chateauneuf Du Pape Reserve, 2004
I have this problem now, because I have fallen in love with a $150 wine. Oops.
If I can't buy it, at least I can describe it. I tasted a suite of reds from Chateau Rayas, a top estate in the Southern Rhone. If Southern Rhone wines are considered wild and full-flavored, the Chateau Rayas wines would be the elegant misfits among them. They all have in common flavors of tomato, overripe grapefruit, tarragon, some menthol, and violet.
If it's hard to imagine all those flavors tasting good together (a sort of Bloody Mary gone bad), you'll understand my love for the 2004 Chateauneuf especially when I say: while all the wines we tasted were complex and interesting, this one was perfectly balanced and flawless. It somehow managed to make tomato + citrus + tangy herbs + sweet violet taste like they were always meant to go together. And this from 100% Grenache, aged in 70+ year old barrels that have never been cleaned.
And the finish is like nothing else I've ever had. The tomato and citrus drops out, leaving violet and structured tannins.
