Wine Tasting on 1-9-09

This was the first tasting of year 2009. Present were Winpath, Jimmy, and Uncle-N. Piroca was gallivanting around Spain and Uncle-E was absent due to other urgent business. We blind tasted 4 wines; all of them good but not outstanding and again, we proved ourselves that none of us (at least three of us) could tell anything about wine (for that matter, anything else).

1. Possums Vineyard Shiraz 2005, score=2

Nose has slightest funk with cherry, dusty minerals. Palate shows jammy fruits with rather strong acidity ending in mild tannin. Not bad but rather simple and jammy fruits with slight sweet note may not be for everybody’s taste. Consensus was California Merlot but again, we are so wrong. This is Possums Vineyard Shiraz 2005 from McLaren Vale. The name came from names of the joint owners Dr. John Possingham and Ms Carol Summers. Judging from the pictures of the animals on the label, Australian Possum is quite different from North American (Op)possum.

From the Winery web page “A full bodied wine with purple and violet hues with flavors of ripe berry fruits and smoky oak characters from ageing in a mixture of French and American oak barrels. Awarded 4 Stars Wine State magazine April 2008”.

2. Andrew Will Red Champoux Vineyard Yakima Valley 2000, Score=2+

Dark garnet color with nice nose of black cherry with hints of wet leather, tar and green pepper but no funk. Palate is bit austere but nice black fruits leading to firm but not too bitter tannin. The tasters were suggesting Spanish for no reason. This happened to be red meritage (Bordeaux style) from Washington State.

"An assemblage of 52% Cabernet Sauvignon, 28% Cabernet Franc, and 20% Merlot. Its blackberry and plum-scented nose leads to a thick, fat, lushly textured core of cassis liqueur, blackberries, and cherries. Medium to full-bodied, it is a rich, deep, beautifully crafted offering. Drink it over the next 10 years." 90 Points - Robert M. Parker, Jr.'s, The Wine Advocate, Issue 144.

3. Havens Black & Blue 2005, Score=2+ ~ 3

Nose is rather complex with strong jus de viande and herbs (rosemary, sage) in addition to cedar. Palate shows good black fruits, particularly blueberry, with nice firm tannin. Tasters suggested European and South American as an origin but they were all wrong. This is from Havens Vineyards in Napa.

Our ultimate expert says; 93 Points - Robert Parker (Wine Advocate)
"Slightly better than the 2004, the 2005 retains the same style, but possesses better acidity, a deeper color, and a fleshier, richer mouthfeel. Havens co-ferments the Syrah and Cabernet Sauvignon (which can't be easy) for the Black and Blue Proprietary Red Wine, and in 2005, the result is a seamless, full-bodied, opulent, dense ruby/purple-hued wine with a sweet nose of camphor, acacia flowers, blackberries, pepper, and a hint of roasted meats. This is a ripe, refreshing effort because of the good acidity this vintage provided. It should drink well for a decade or more."

4. Havens Merlot 2005, score=2+ ~ 3

This tasted like a good Cali Cab. Nice color with good nose of vanilla and oak. Palate is also fruit forward with black cherry and nice tannin and oak-derived tastes. We thought this was Cali cab but was Merlot. This is just coincidence that both of us brought Havens wines!

winemaker's notes:
“Our 2005 Napa Valley Merlot is now showing the potential of this vintage: bright fruit, layers of complexity, charming texture. It is a wine of texture, engaging the sense of depth on the palate. In the choice between immediacy and complexity, this wine leans ever so slightly to complexity, a tendency we are happy with. But you will enjoy it from the first taste, since 2005 gives us plenty of ripe fruit character to enjoy, even as it teases us with interesting notes we can’t quite name.

“Good ruby-red. Reticent aromas of black cherry, redcurrant, licorice and tobacco leaf. Juicy, leanish and moderately concentrated, with a red currant flavor complicated by a floral element. A bit dry and dusty on the back end, in need of more thrust." Steve Tanzer's International Wine Cellar, 88 points.