Wine Tasting on 3-7-09

Piroca is back, in one piece, from Carnival in Brazil. Uncle–K is still absent and Uncle-E had another engagement which was apparently more important than the tasting. Present were Piroca, Winepath, Jimmy, and Uncle-N and a guest appearance of Uncle-OZ. We blind tasted 6 wines. We happened to taste 3 Spanish wines.

1. Elias Mora Crianza 2005, Score=2+~3

Color is dark with blue/purple tinge on the edge. Nose has slight funk (according to Winepath but nobody else) with herbs (clove); overall pleasant if a bit closed. Palate has black fruits, toasted oak, caramel with assertive tannin and good long finish. Spain and Argentina were mentioned as well as Bordeaux (Winepath). Piroca settled for Spanish or more specifically Priorat (mentioned of Grenache). This is from Toro, Spain, and made of 100% Tinta de Toro (Tempranillo).

93 Points - Wine Spectator
"HIGHLY RECOMMENDED. Muscular tannins grip the palate of this concentrated red, but there's a dense core of cassis, currant, espresso and spice cake flavors that are focused and expressive. Impressive now, but should be more enjoyable with time. Best after 2010. 3,300 cases made. - TM"

2. Ledson Cabernet Sauvignon Sonoma 2006, Score=3

This is a classy wine. Nose has minerals especially graphite and rock dust. Palate matches the nose with somewhat austere muted fruits with nice firm tannin at the end with reasonably long lasting finish. It is in the Bordeaux style and doing a good job. We felt that this is not Bordeaux but new world wine made in a Bordeaux style. Spanish, Argentina and finally California red meritage (cab predominant) in Bordeaux style was mentioned. This was from Ledson Vineyards in Sonoma. None of us is familiar with this winery but it appears to make small production good quality wines. Bordeaux without funk nose, we liked it especially Winepath who gave a solid “3”, rest of us “2+”.

3. Clos Mogador Priorat 2006, Score=3

Nose has slight funk but not too bad. Palate is nicely fruits-forward with mixed black and red fruits which leads to nice rounded integrated tannin. Some mentioned that the mid-palate is bit thin. Overall a nice wine. Cali Cab was mentioned but also Spain since Piroca has fooled us with Spanish Grenache, which looks and tasted like high-end Cali Cab in the past. This happened to be Rhone mix from Priorat, Spain.

“Clos Mogador, Gratallops - owned by Rene Barbier, one of the leading lights of the Gratallops group, and his son. Produces only one wine, Clos Mogador, 40 per cent Grenache, 35 per cent Cabernet Sauvignon, 20 per cent Syrah and small quantities of Pinot Noir, Merlot and Mouvedre, an eclectic mixture but what a wine it produces. The 2005 Clos Mogador is the first wine in Spain entitled to the new classification of “Vi de finca Qualificada”.”

4. Familia Mayol Malbec Finca Montuiri 2004, Score=2+

Color is dark garnet without blue tinge at the rim. Nose is very strong with mineral (rusted metal) and herbs; some of us felt the nose is too pungent. Palate is much better with grilled and smoked vegetables with strong and assertive tannin and long finish. Argentinean Malbec and Spanish with Grenache were mentioned. It turned out we had just "unofficially" tasted this but did not give it a score. At the "official" tasting one day later we tasted the wine for the second time and the pungent nose was so strong it interfered with any tasting and we could not give it a score. So Piroca resubmitted this wine. We re-confirmed that the nose is bit pungent but we are not sure if keeping it in the bottle half full for the next day will indeed make this wine unpalatable. Piroca said he did exactly that and it was fine next day. So we have to see how this bottle will behave.

5. Epifanio Rivera - Erial 2006, Score=2+

Nose has funk but palate is rather gentle with hint of grapey taste and cherry. Fruits forward with mild tannin. This is a pleasant wine but lacking in complexity. This is made of 100% tempranillo from Ribera del duero, Spain.

“Aged in barrels for 10 months, of which 80% are French oak and 20% are American oak…. Erial is a lively and colorful wine that is open and clear to the nose; with flavors of mature blackberries, black licorice, and mineral reminiscences; with creamy and smoky tones from the oak wood; and a spicy finish. Neatly structured in the mouth, with friendly and well-melted tannin, beefy and concentrated fruit, extremely flavorful, balanced and with a refreshing sensation due to a balanced acidity”.

6. Ravens wood Sonoma Cabernet Sauvignon 2005, Score=2

Nose is bit close but no unpleasant order. Palate is rather simple with nice mild tannin with acidic finish. An OK wine but nothing remarkable. Some were bothered by the acidic finish