We had an impromptu mini-wine tasting at Uncle-N's. Both Jimmy and Piroca are on vacation and we did not have a regular tasting. Both of us had to work on Saturday so why not some tasting in the evening? Usually J-bug joins us for such tastings but she is on foreign assignment. Present were Winepath, Lady-SEA and Uncle-N. We had a special barrel tasting of Winepath's opus--his latest vintage, and then blind tasted 4 wines, all of them were quite good. Besides the ususal cheeses, we had very thin cracker-like rosemary
Focaccia bread, sauteed protabella mushroom in Fino sherry and thyme, baked sardine in olive oil with bay leaves, lemon and tomato and finally we had "wagu" or "Kobe" style (American) tenderloin. All the dishes went well with these wines.
1. Chateau Winepath Cabernet Sauvignon 2008 Barrel tasting
Color is light garnet and very clear reminiscent of Burgundy. Compared to a few of his previous vintages, there is no turbidity (as per Winepath this vintage is fined against the advice of RP and MR). Nose is very nice with floral note with red fruits. No funky or unpleasant nose. Palate reflects the nose and color; upfront is mixed red fruits which leads to rather mild tannin. Balanced acidity without overly acidic. Overall, it is pretty good, although we would not have guessed this is Cab. I would say I would have mistaken this for a young Romanee Conti.
We think this one is ready to be bottled. If any reader is interested, Winepath may start taking mailing lists and decide on the price soon. I suspect, knowing the quality of the barrel tasting, the price will be equal to good vintage Romanee Conti.
2. Anwilka South African red 2007, score=3
Color is nice dark garnet. Nose is pleasant with some smoky note but no unpleasant nose such as burned rubber or chemical. Palate is classic; not over-the-top fruits bomb but nicely layered mixed red and black fruits with nice firm but not too assertive tannin. Well balanced, muti-layered and long lasting finish. Australian Shiraz was mentioned but settled on Cab, maybe Australian, Chilean or even California. This happened to be Anwilka form Stellenbosch, South Africa. There is an
interesting article in New York Times recently about South African wines specifically Stellenbosch wines which have been maligned for having "burned rubber" nose. It may be worthwhile to read this article. Anwilka certainly does not show any unpleasant nose. This is a mix of Syrah and Cab but tasted more like cab than Syrah.
96 Points - Gary Vaynerchuk "Colour: Deep ruby at core, with fresh, youthful ruby rim. Nose: Abundant blackcurrant & blackberry fruit aromas with exotic spiciness adding to the aromatic complexity. Palate: Exhibits hallmarks of a classically-styled wine: linear, concentrated dark berry and plum fruit flavours are perfectly balanced by the supple tannins and fresh acidity, evident through to the positive, flavourful finish. Moderate alcohol and judicious oaking contribute perceptibly to freshness & elegance. Potential: Accessible now, but can be enjoyed within the next 8-10 years. 50% Syrah, 46% Cabernet Sauvignon, 4% Petit Verdot." -Winery
3. Anaperenna 2006, score=3
Color is nicely dark. Nose has lot of berries (raspberry and blueberry) and hint of black pepper and faint brunt rubber smell. Again, palate is nice without being fruits bomb. Nice firm tannin and slightly acidic finish. Nice wine. All thought this had to be a Cab; California, Australia or Argentina. This turned out to be "Anaperenna 2006" from Barossa valley. it is made of predominantly Shiraz somewhat similar to Anwilka but again we though this tasted more like Cab than Shiraz. We have tasted the previous vintage (2005) from the wine maker Ben Glaetzer when it was called "Godolphin" on November 24, 08 and gave 2+~3+ score. 2006 is as good as 2005. Godolphin appears to be name of the breed of horse and/or stable and a trademark dispute made him change the name but not the symbol on the label.
94-97 Points - Jay Miller - The Wine Advocate, "The 2006 Shiraz (75%) - Cabernet Sauvignon (25%) 'Anaperenna' is the wine formerly known as Godolphin, the change resulting from a trademark dispute. It was aged for 15 months in new French and American oak. Opaque purple, it offers a sensational bouquet of pain grille, scorched earth, meat, game, blueberry, and black currants. This is followed by a surprisingly elegant yet powerful, structured wine with gobs of spicy fruit, ripe tannins, and a plush texture. The long, 60-second finish is succulent and sweet. Give this classy wine 4-6 years in the cellar and enjoy it through 2030."
Color is nice dark garnet. Nose is very pleasant with black fruits. Palate is fruit forward, most fruit bomb-ish among the wines tasted tonight. No rough edges and ending in well-integrated tannin, nice finish. This indeed tastes like a classic Cali cab. and it was. Ths is 2005 Pride mountain Cab. 58% from Napa and 42% from Sonoma. Most of our members have visited Pride one time or another. On the top of Spring mountain, Pride saddles Sonoma and Napa counties and produces fruit form both sides.
Wine Advocate Review
Rated 96-98 "Even more impressive (than the 2005 Reserve Claret) is the 2005 Cabernet Sauvignon Reserve. Its inky/purple hue is accompanied by aromas and flavors of incense, pain grille, blackberries, blueberries, and cassis. It is a rich, dense, full-bodied, pure, layered effort that should
drink well for 15 or so years."
Wine Tasting Notes. "Displaying blue fruit notes ranging from mulberry and blueberry to cassis, this dense, weighty wine is not afraid to flaunt its personality. Coffee, anise and tobacco flavors can be found in its depth, while the finish lingers for over a minute. Tannic yet jammy Cabernet Sauvignon grapes from our 25-year old Rock Arch vineyard make up the backbone of this wine, while our more unctuous Quartz Hill and Rim Rock vineyards round out the mid-palate and add finesse. The blend is polished with 0.5% Petit Verdot to add acid and spice. Approachable when young by those who are not intimidated by its heft, this wine will reveal layers of complexity as it evolves over the next 15 to 20 years."
5. Dominio Del Plata Malbec "Susana Balbo Signature", 2007, Score=2+
Color
has bright with purple tinge. Nose has dusty note or wet brick or mineral tones. Palate is full of berries (strawberry, raspberry, blackberry, blueberry) ending in rather mild tannin. Not much of acidic or lemony taste. We thought this could be cab or Grenache but did not think of Malbec.
Wine Review:" This very impressive Malbec from Susana Balbo finished in 4th place in our recent blind tasting. This very dark purple offering opens with a black raspberry and toasted oak like bouquet. On the palate, this medium bodied wine is balanced, with no hard edges. It displays juicy and mouthwatering black raspberry flavors with notes of oak mixed in. The finish is quite dry and its tannins linger for quite some time. Many of the panelist thought this wine could be even better with some cellar time. If you could not resist, you could decant it and enjoy it now with a steak with a béarnaise sauce. Enjoy" – KWGTP
Winemaker Notes: "Beautiful deep violet color with exploding aromas of blackberry, black cherry, and violets framed by hints of oak and mint. The wonderful aromas are mirrored on the palate, and they are joined by ripe plum fruit and a hint of toasty vanilla, bittersweet chocolate, and a hint of mint on the finish. This is a ripe & rich style of wine, but the Cabernet adds structure, reigning in the fruit and focusing it into a long finish. Pairs well with a wide range of foods from beef and pork to game birds or even meat-based pastas."
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