Wine Tasting on 5-9-09

We had a rather extravagant tasting in honor of our guest speaker and taster Uncle-G from Texas where viticulture and good wines are extremely plentiful. Present were Uncle-N, Jimmy, Winepath, Piroca, and Uncle-E with a guest appearance of honorable Uncle-G. We tasted 7 wines. We have a collection of interesting wines. Our guest taster proved to be very formidable.

1. Bell Cellars Napa Cabernet 2005, score=2+

This was the recommendation of Uncle-G. Nice cab nose without any funk and with some mineral dusts. Nice upfront sweet fruits with a bit bitter and acidic finish (mouth puckering). Spanish, Argentinean, Cab blend etc was suggested but most of us felt this is Cali cab. This turned out to be 2005 Bell Cabernet. Apparently P. Verdot, Merot, Malbec and Cab Franc are also added to this cab sauv. This one was just received this afternoon and may have not have had enough time to settle in and surely would have benefited from more aeration or decanting. Good solid cab.

“Our Cabernet sauvignon, deep ruby in color, has rich, ripe cherry, cassis and blackberry fruit aromas. Soft tannins and sweet oak combine with a gentle hint of pepper and spice to yield a full-bodied wine with excellent balance and a long lingering finish. The four different Cabernet clones give the wine a multi-layered dimension to the palate. The long growing season at the Truchard Vineyard in the cool Carneros district yields grapes with deep color and great natural acidity. The Beckstoffer Georges III Vineyard on the Conn Creek alluvial fan adjacent to Caymus in Rutherford delivers classic mid-valley fruit and supple tannins and "Rutherford Dust" earth flavors. The Petit Verdot adds depth to the color and a tannic richness, while the Merlot, Malbec and Cabernet franc bring softness, acidity and fruit respectively. Crafted in a rich, concentrated European style, this wine pairs well with flavorful, full-bodied meals, and will develop a harmonious smoothness with age. Excellent today, the wine will also reward those with the patience to cellar it.” 91 Points - Robert Parker (Wine Advocate)

2. Château Pavie Macquin St. Emilion 2006, Score=3

This is an interesting wine. Nose is nice with black cherry and no funk (absolutely no funk). Palate shows somewhat restrained but plenty of fruits to begin and transitions into good supportive tannin with a chocolate note. Some thought it had a short finish, some disagreed. Some thought this could not be Bordeaux; too fruity and no funk. Uncle-G proclaimed this could be Bordeaux specifically 03 and some heated discussions ensued. Malbec, Timparanillo, Brunello were also mentioned as a possibility. This happened to be, indeed, Brodeaux, not 03 but 2006. (Uncle-G did one of his winner’s dances around the room routine.) This is from one of the Pavie estates, Pavie-Maquin. Quoteing from Wikipedia; “The winery is one of three Pavie estates, along with Château Pavie and Château Pavie-Decesse, located in the Right Bank of France’s Bordeaux wine region in the commune of Saint-Émilion in the department of Gironde. Having risen in esteem in the 1990s, it was promoted to Premier Grand Cru Classé in 2006.”
This kind of wine proves that some of the Bordeaux château are adapting new techniques like cold soaking and producing highly extracted wines without any basement smells.

Wine Advocate: “As of this vintage, Pavie Macquin is entitled to a premier grand cru classe designation in the revised classification of the wines of St.-Emilion (suspended in March because of pending litigation). Overseen by the dynamic duo of Nicolas Thienpont and Stephane Derenoncourt, the 2006, a blend of 70% Merlot, 25% Cabernet Franc, and 5% Cabernet Sauvignon, should turn out to be one of the top wines of the vintage. It boasts an inky/blue/purple color as well as an extraordinary bouquet of charcoal, blackberries, blueberries, licorice, and smoke. Full-bodied, powerful, and rich, it is nearly as prodigious as the virtually perfect 2005. An amazing wine for the vintage, it clearly emerges from a magnificent terroir. Anticipated maturity: 2013-2030. Score range: 92-95. Score: 95”. —Robert Parker, April 2007.

Wine Spectator
“This is very, very good, with silky tannins, full body and a long finish. All in balance and rich. Floral, with lots of berry character. Very pretty wine. Score range: 92-94. Score: 94.” —James Suckling, 2007.

3. Chappellet "Signature" Napa Cabernet Sauvignon 2006, Score=3

Nose is nice with sweet cherry with floral note of violet and lilac without any funk. Palate is fruits-forward with nice firm tannin laced with caramel and chocolate. Nice lingering finish. Cali cab, Cab franc or possibly Rhone were mentioned. Some thought this tastes too sweet (not residual sugar sweet). We tasted 05 vintage on November 24, 2008 and gave a similar score.

94 points Wine Spectator: "Assertive herb, anise, blackberry and wild berry fruit is tight, firm, tannic and well-structured, picking up depth and length on the finish. Best from 2010 through 2016. 7,650 cases made."

WS Online Tasting Highlight April 27, 2009. “For more than 30 years, the "Signature" Cabernet Sauvignon has been Chappellet's flagship wine. The 2006 is balanced and graceful while still packing the power of mountain fruit. Freshly-bruised herbs, plum and cherry fruit and a hint of stone carry from the wine's bouquet to its bold palate. Lots of spicy oak lingers on the finish. Enjoy now with some decanting or lay down for a few years.”

4. Chateau Haut Brion Pessac-Leognan 2001, No Score

This is quite a change from the previous three. Color is brown indicating age or oxidation. Nose is interesting with meat juice, wet leather with spices. Palate is disappointing with rather austere start and flat ending. Most of us thought this is Bordeaux. But certainly not our favorite tonight. Some even thought this could be Burgundy. What a surprise! This is the almighty Chateau Haut Brion 2001. Now the discussion raged. Piroca who brought this thought all Haut Brion tasted this way. Uncle-G and E who apparently both drink Haut Brion and other expensive Bordeaux regularly said this was a bad bottle. Piroca retorted saying, “You never have blind-tasted this wine. The name of the wine certainly influences your assessment of this wine etc”. For the rest of us, regardless, this is not the wine we seek out.

Just to remind ourselves and again quoting from our ultimate source; “Château Haut-Brion is a Bordeaux wine estate, rated a First Growth in the Bordeaux Wine Official Classification of 1855, the only estate from outside Médoc to be included. It is located in Pessac, Graves near the city of Bordeaux. Located in the Graves region, in the appellation Pessac-Léognan.”

Rating: 95
"Haut-Brion's 2001, which was bottled late (the end of September, 2003), possesses an unmistakable nobility as well as a burgeoning complexity. Plum/purple to the rim, this blend of 52% Merlot, 36% Cabernet Sauvignon, and 12% Cabernet Franc is playing it close to the vest, having closed down considerably after bottling. Nevertheless, it reveals pure notes of sweet and sour cherries, black currants, licorice, smoke, and crushed stones. Medium-bodied with excellent purity, firm tannin, and an angular, structured finish, it requires 5-7 years of cellaring. Anticipated maturity: 2009-2020+." Robert Parker's Wine Advocate #153 (Robert Parker, 06/01/2004).

5. Araujo Cabernet Sauvignon Eisele Vineyard Napa Valley 2002, Score=4

This one is easy. High-end Cali cab! Nice clean nose of black cherry. Upfront palate is loaded with lots of black fruits, nice oak-derived tastes characteristic of Cali Cab, nice smooth mouth feel and well-crafted but firm tannin. Only question is which one? One of the Haran estate wines? Merus? This turned out to be Araujo 02.

98-100 points Robert Parker: "A potential candidate for perfection is the exquisite 2002 Cabernet Sauvignon Eisele Vineyard. A 1,650-case blend of 92% Cabernet Sauvignon, 5% Cabernet Franc, and 3% Petit Verdot made from extremely low yields, it boasts superb intensity, flavor, elegance, and nobility in addition to a marvelously complex nose of minerals, licorice, cedar, creme de cassis, vanilla, and spice. Exceptionally rich, nuanced, and precise, it is a magnificent expression of Cabernet Sauvignon that offers the elegance of a Bordeaux with the power and potency of Napa Valley Cabernet. A tour de force, this wine can be drunk now or cellared for up to two decades. Organic/biodynamic (not certified)”.

6. Familia Mayol Pircas Vineyard Bonarda 2006, score=2+

This is an interesting wine. Nose has minerals and some chemicals. Piroca noted a floral nose. Nice fruity wine with rather mild tannin. Merlot blend was mentioned. Uncle-G mentioned “Bonarda” from Argentina somehow (amazingly he was correct!).

TASTING NOTES from the Winery website:
“Intense color. Blue hints with violet hues characteristic of a complex Bonarda. Fresh and quite fragrant floral aromas. Light on the palate but rather spicy; with juicy mint flavours and fresh blackberries. Mild tannins. An easy wine to enjoy with light cheeses and pasta.” Just to educate our selves; “Bonard” apparently demotes at least three different grape varietals. One of them is called Charbono in California, which is grown in Argentina as Bonarda. A per our ultimate source Wikipedia “It originates in Savoie, where it is known as Corbeau or Douce Noir ("Sweet Black"), but is not the same as Piedmont's Dolcetto. This grape is known in Italy as Dolce Nero ("Sweet Black") and it is believed that the same translations of these two grape names has led to the frequently-quoted statement that they are the same grape. Dolcetto ripens early and makes a light, fruity wine, while Charbono is very late to ripen and makes wines of great substance.”

7. Radio-Coteau Zinfandel Von Weidlic 2006, score=2+

Nose has some black pepper. Nice palate with mixed fruits ending in mild tannin. Again Merlot blend was mentioned. Winepath uttered “Zim”. He was right.
I am not sure who’s tasting note this is.
“Bright boysenberry and raspberry bramble, cinnamon, milk chocolate, anise, iron, menthol, white flower and black pepper can be found on the sophisticated bouquet. The focused but supple midpalate tempers its berry, mineral and potpourri flavors with light tannins. The pure, juicy, midweight finish lingers with classic old–vine notes of berry bramble and pepper spice. Will drink through at least 2010.”