Wine tasting on February 29, 08 (leap year)

Today is 29th of February and something strange can happen. As a result we tasted whooping 8 wines and none of them are California Cab! Present were Uncle-N, Piroca, Uncle-E, Jimmy and Winepath. Grasshopper made a very brief apprance and tasted only one.

1. Cuvee Bargeton Chateauneuf-du-Pape 2004, score=2+

The color has slight bown tinge at the rim. The nose is very interesting beside cherry, there is meaty nose (liver pate?) and minerals (almost smells like iron). Rather austere palate with black fruits and caramel finish. Rather firm nice tannin. Some thought this Pinot Noir or Grenache. As the origin, Italian, Washington State were mentioned. This one is 70% Grenache, 20% Mourvedre, 5% Cinsault, and 5% Syrah blend aged two-thirds in small barrels and one-third in foudre.

2. Aquilon Garnacha 2005, Score=3+ to 4

Piroca did it again. everybody was sure that this is one of the high-end CaliCab. The color is dark almost black. The nose is characteristic new world with tons of vanilla, caramel, hint of coconuts and predominant black cherry. Smooth mouth feel with lots of vanilla and caramel in addition to fruits. Nice structured tannin and long finish keep re-tasting caramel and vanilla.

This is the high end of the Alto Moncayo that we tasted in the last tasting. Again, we are astounded how they makes this type of new world wine from 100% Garnacha. Although this is very nice wine, some (like Uncle-E) will object saying "Grape soda pop, too much wood derived tastes". Nevertheless, this is definitely the best of the tasting.

3. Chateau Haut-Brisson St. Emillion 2004, Score=2

The nose has some cedar note (moth ball by Winepath) but no funk. The palate is austere with nice tannin and sour cherry. Short finish. Non-Australian syrah (North American but not French) was mentioned. Some thought of European in origin.

We are disappointed with this one especially in terms of finding non 2005 vintage and reasonably-priced Bordeaux.


4. Pasodoble 2005, Score=1+

The nose is not particularly pleasant; "salted plum"(if you are familiar with this item called "Umeboshi") and sardine juice. Very one dimensional taste with sour cherry and weak tannin. Hollow mid palate and short finish. What a disappointment! Some suggested that this is a bad bottle.

This is a red-blend from Argentina with a blend of 34% Cabernet Sauvignon, 33% Malbec, and 33% Syrah sourced from a 20 year old vineyard and aged for 12 months in French oak. It is hard to believe this one got 90 from WA (Jay Miller). I quote from three wine experts (Are they talking about the same wine???):

"it exhibits an expressive perfume of cedar, spice box, pepper, black currants, black cherry, and blueberry. Smooth-textured, elegant, and tasty, this nicely balanced Bordeaux look-alike...Bodegas Poesia is owned by Bordeaux proprietors Helene Garcin and Patrice Leveque, with Leveque doubling as winemaker with consultation from Dr. Alain Raynaud." - Jay Miller (WA)

"Huge Flavors and the kind of wine I would want people to buy 3 cases of."- Gary Vaynerchuk (Wine library)

"An equal part blend of Malbec, Syrah, and Cabernet Sauvignon, totally tank fermented and aged, this is a deliciously dark-fruited wine (blackberries and currants), has silky tannin, medium body, and plenty of personality." - Robert Parker.

5. Vina Cobos Cocodrilo Cab Sauv 2006, Score=3

Nose is unusual and rather closed. Some described as "wet wool" and sweet note. The palate is nice with black fruits, caramel and vanilla and smooth soft tannin. Most thought this to be North American (California) Cab. This is from Mendosa, Argentina but is made by Paul Hobbs. Not bad and it tastes similar to Cali Cab but with a much better value.






6. Edmond et David Duclaux Cote Rotie 2000, Score=2

The nose is not pleasant with "burnt" hair, rubber tire and a hint of anise. Very austere palate with short finish and one dimensional. We thought European, most likely French (not Bordeaux).






7. Valsacro Dioro Rioja 2001, score=1

I forgot to take a picture of the label (Freudian slip!). I think the vintage was 2001 but Uncle-E, please let me know if I am wrong.

The nose is most unpleasant with sulfa, "fecal", rubber and some herbal note (cut grass), in another word, smell of dog poop in your cluttered backyard with old tires piled up in the corner after mowing. Austere palate with tastes of tannin and acid. Not much fruits. The nose turned off many of us. This wine is made from 50% tempranillo, 40% grenacha (grenache or garnacha ---- so many different spelling), and 10% from mazuela (carignan).

8. CARO Amancaya Mendosa Malbec Cabernet Sauvignon 2006, Score=2+

The nose is nice as compared to the previous one particularly, with cherry and some grapiness. The palate is rather simple with some black fruits and grapy and cherry flavors. Rather short finish. Malbec blend from South America and North American Cab were mentioned. Winepath said that he and Junebug have tasted this very recently but he could not identify this wine (although many of us are spitting wines, just whatever left in the mouth makes you feel like you have drunken quite a bit and 8th wine may not have the attention this one should warrant. The 2006 Amancaya is composed of 50% Cabernet Sauvignon and 50% Malbec aged for 12 months in French oak, 25% new. It got 91 from RP.