Tastig on 5-9-08

Present were Uncle-E, Uncle-N, Piroca, Jimmy and Winepath. We blind tasted 5 wine. All five are quite good. As usual, the below are in the order we tasted.

1. Edge Cabernet Sauvignon 2005, Score=2 ~ 2+

Winepath carefully decanted the wine a few hours before tasting. As a result, the wine was rather warm when we first tasted it. Alcohol was quite strong in the nose and we had a difficult time discerning the aroma. We put the decanter in the refrigerator for 10 minutes and tasted again. The nose has a somewhat medicinal smell (rubber tire and turpentine or kitchen cabinet---whatever that means). The palate is better than the nose with black fruits and sour cherry finish. Good tannin and leaves slightly sweet taste. We felt this is cab may be Cali Cab or possibly Chilean.
This turned out to be “Edge” Cab Sauv 05. According to Edge Wines web site, this was produced with 100% Napa Valley fruit, and spent 16 months in French and American oak barrels, of which 30% were new. It is a blend of Cabernet and a small amount of Merlot. It was voted “BEST CABERNET SAUVIGNON UNDER $20” by Food & Wine Magazine, October 2007.
The label is stenciled on the bottle and one of the most difficult labels to photograph.

2. MolleyDooker “The Scooter” Merlot 2006, Score=2+

The nose is bit closed but floral note with cedar come through. It tasted a bit hot with good fruits and slightly sweet note. Very nice smooth mouth feel. Nice but not too assertive tannin and reasonable finish. Because of the screw top, everybody’s first reaction was Shiraz from Australia but after being told this is not shiraz, the tasters came up with “Grenache from Spain”, Oregon or Washington state Syrah, Australian Meritage “.
This is M-D The Scooter Merlot. It was a bit unexpected for M-D wines. I was expecting more candied fruits tastes but that was not very prominent. According to the AM-D website; “Our Merlot grapes come from Gemtree's vineyard in McLaren Vale, an area which has lovely fruit intensity, and Scott & Cheryl Longbottom’s vineyard in Padthaway which is renowned for highlighting the beauty and elegance of the variety.” JM at WA gave 91.

3. Chateau Pavie 2002, Score=2+ ~ 3

The nose has lots of black fruits, chocolate and mocha with distinctive smoky, rubber tire, tar or hot asphalt smell. The palate is nice with nice black fruits with smoky note, balanced acidity with long sour cherry finish. Because of nice fruits, no funky smell (wet basement), most of us initially did not think this was Bordeaux but suggested Cali cab or Bordeaux-style blend. One noted the shape of the bottle (sloped shoulders) and commented that this looks like a “Pavie” bottle. Although 02 was not a good vintage in Bordeaux, good chateaus still make a good wine. It is quite a contrast to the M-D Merlot vs. this wine. Despite the same grape varietals as a major component of both wines, the characters are quite different. We will enjoy both.

4. Torbreck Steading Red 2005, Score=2 ~3

The color is lighter than our usual reds with rosy tint. The nose is the best of this tasting with red fruits especially raspberry. The palate is also fruits-driven with strawberry raspberry jam/preserve taste with nice but mild tannin. The taster thought (correctly) Grenache. With some hint, the distinctive bottle shape gave away that this is “Torbreck”.
According to Jay Miller of WA; “The 2005 The Steading is a blend of 60% Grenache, 20% Mataro, and 20% Shiraz aged for 22 months in used French oak. David Powell's interpretation of top-of-the-line Chateauneuf du Pape” and he gave 93. FYI “Mataro” is Mourvèdre.

5. UpSlope Syrah Santa Barbara 2005, score=2+ ~ 3

The color is very dak almost black and Piroca (as usual) pronounced that this is syrah (he was right). The nose has fruits candy, vanilla and caramel. The nose said this is a fruit bomb and it is very unlike for Uncle-E to bring this type of wine. The palate is also a fruit bomb with good tannin. Definitely new-world wine. We thought this is California meritage but syrah must be the main grape. Piroca said he detected the addition of Viognier. But this appears to be 100% syrah. Here is the description from the Jaffurs Wine cellar in Santa Barbara.
“The 2005 UPSLOPE Syrah represents the best 6 barrels in the winery for the vintage. It contains the best wine from each Thompson, Bien Nacido, and Verna’s vineyards wine lots. Now in its third vintage, it is deep and extracted, but with elegance and smoothness that only careful blending can produce. “