Wine tasting on August 28, 2009

All our regualr uncles were here. Unlces E and N, Jimmy, Winepah and Piroca and everbody were sort of on time for change. We blind tasted 7 wines; all interesting and quite diverse.

1. Domaine Famille Ligneres Montagne d'Alaric "Notre Dame" 2004, Score=2+

Nice dark ruby color. Nose has some metalic or mineral note (iron) with dark plum and cedar. Initially, nobody detected any funk in the nose but later coming back to this wine, some sensed slight funk in the nose. Nice black fruit and plum upfront ending in mild tannin and dried flower after taste. Some felt fruit was a bit too sweet. Most felt this is made in New World style. Grenache was first mentioned (with a comment "but this is not Rhone, could be Spanish"). Could this be Italian, Barbaresco? May be California either Grenache or Syrah or combination? Even French? This turned out to be mostly Syrah (5% MOURVEDRE) from Southern France, Montagne d’Alaric. We liked this wine.

Jonathan Newman - 92/100!

"This delicious single-vineyard Syrah is a fine example of what can result when an Old World producer invests in upgrading their winemaking equipment, while maintaining their commitment to traditional hands-on viticulture. In the latter part of the 1990s, they made a commitment to show that the wines of the Corbieres region are of world-class quality. Chioccioli helped develop a pioneering tank-transfer system that ensures that the grapes are handled gently throughout the winemaking process. After being fermented in stainless steel tanks, this wine was aged for 16 months in 100% new French oak. Chioccioli stirred the lees every week to give it a pleasingly round mouthfeel. This is a big, beautiful Syrah; try it with red meat."

2. Valderiz Ribera Del Duero 2003, Score=2+

(I was called out when this wine and wine 3 were tasted Winepath took notes. I tasted it later and this is my best re-construction effort of what the others said).

Nose has no funk with fruit and minerals. Upfront dark fruit especially black cherry, plum and black berry leading to a bit of "mouth puckering" big tannin. Short finish but with olive after taste. Italian, Fench and Spanish were mentioned. Cab? Unlce-E liked this one. This is from Spain, Ribera Del Duero and is Temperanillo.

"With concentration and polish, this plush red delivers ripe, fresh fruit flavors of black cherry and boysenberry, with notes of toast, coffee, mineral and anise. The tannins are big but well-integrated. A modern style. Drink now through 2015. 4,000 cases made. - TM" 91 Points - Wine Spectator

"Round, meaty, colorful and full of oak, chocolate and ripe fruit aromas. The palate is big and broad, with plum and boysenberry leading the troops. The mouthfeel deals some choppy tannins but all in all the wine has the right stuff, meaning it tastes fairly regal and offers a well-rounded feel." 90 Points - Wine Enthusiast

3. Mastroberardino Taurasi Radici 2004, Score=2+~3

Nose is a bit muted but no funk and with cedar. Palate upfront has some muted but good fruit, plum and black fruit, with "burned cloth" (by Uncle-P), smoky mint with thyme and oregano leading to relatively mild tannin. Some felt there was acidic kick at the end. Consensus was this was made in Old World, specifically Italy. Nabiolo and Brunello were mentioned as a possible varietals. This was indeed from Italy but the grape was 100% Aglianico. This is much better than the one we tasted in the past.

I could not find any scores by wine critiques for 04 but 03 appears much cheaper and got 90 from RP.

90 points Robert Parker "The estate's 2003 Taurasi is an excellent choice for readers looking for a wine that is ready to drink. It offers an intriguing array of sweet dark fruit, smoke and dried, cured meats with an attractive, plump personality. This is a fairly approachable style of Taurasi with outstanding length and fine overall balance. Anticipated maturity: 2008-2020. Mastroberardino is one of the most famous properties in Campania. The estate's legendary Taurasi Riservas of the 1960s set an early benchmark for quality in the region. Amazingly, those early wines are still in great shape." (02/08)

4. ARROCAL SELECCION RIBERA DEL DUERO 2004, Score=2+

Nose has mineral and dusty note (some said cigarette ashes). Palate is nice with upfront sweet fruit and nice well-integrated tannin. We all thought this was Califronia Cab especially since this was offered from Winpath as he just came back from Napa and he hinted that this was Cali cab (which was all misleading). We are all completely wrong (again). This is another Ribera del Duero wine and made 100% of Temperanillo. There is a blog entry (which is much more professional and he appears to know wines, not like us) about this wine.

Wine Advocate 91; "The 2004 Arrocal Seleccion is 100% Tempranillo aged for 15 months in French and American oak and bottled without filtration. The wine has a very expressive nose of pain grille, spice box, black currants, and blackberry liqueur. This is followed by a youthful, slightly reticent, tightly knit wine encapsulated in a full-bodied personality. The wine is well structured for the long-term and merits 2-4 years of cellaring. It should provide pleasure through 2020."
Issue 169, February '07

Stephen Tanzer's International Wine Cellar 91; "Bright violet. Vibrant, perfumed scents of expansive blackberry, cassis, rose and graphite. Focused, pure dark berry flavors are brightened by brisk mineral and floral pastille qualities. The wine's fine-grained tannins do not detract from its sweet, vivid fruit. Great verve here".
Issue 133, July/Aug '07

International Wine Review 91; "The delicious 2004 Selección displays a dark ruby purple color with aromas of plums, cassis, cedar, tea and tobacco. On the palate it shows good concentration of black raspberry and cassis, cedar in the background and a long satisfying finish." Issue 8, September '07

5. Barnett Cabernet Sauvignon 2004, score=2+

Color is nicely dark with nose of black fruit with spices and dusty minerals. Palate is totally New World with upfront jammy sweet black fruit with oak derived flavors leading to nicely integrated tannin. Only complaint was relatively short finish. Our consensus was this is Napa Cab. This is a nice contribution from Jimmy. We visited Barnett Vineyard in '08. We loved the view at the top of Spring Mountain. This one is their classic cab made from their "mountain" fruit.

From the mountain top deck of the Barnett Vineyard

Winemaker Notes - 'The goal in making our Spring Mountain District Cabernet Sauvignon is to produce a wine that is an expression of Spring Mountain as a whole, rather than an expression of our Estate Vineyards alone. Thus for many years we have sourced fruit from some of the finest vineyards in the higher elevations of the Mountain to produce this wine. The Spring Mountain Cabernet consists of components from our Estate Vineyards, Crowley Vineyard, and York Creek Vineyard as well as some fruit from Spring Mountain Vineyards. We are fortunate that our neighbors who so diligently farm these properties support our concept and share a small portion of this wonderful fruit with us on an annual basis. The wine is aged for 18 months in French oak barrels (60% new & 40% once used). The blend for our Spring Mountain District Cabernet Sauvignon changes with each vintage to include portions of Spring Mountain Merlot, Cabernet Franc or Petit Verdot. The blending decision takes place approximately one month before bottling and can vary widely in proportion. For example, the 2001 vintage contained 8% Merlot and 3% Cabernet Franc, the 2002 vintage 16% Cabernet Franc, 6% Merlot and 1% Petit Verdot, and the 2003 vintage was composed of 3% Cabernet Franc and 1.5% Petit Verdot."

6. Chateau Sainte Colombe, Côtes d'Castillon 2005, Score=1+

Nose has "spider web on English Box wood" (by Winepath) but otherwise lacking not even funk. Palate is austere and simple ending in resonable tannin. Our consensus was young inexpensive Bordeaux (Uncle-E is now into "value' wines but he has not been sucessful). We were not impressed.


According to Robert Parker: "One of the least expensive wines from Gerard Perse’s three Cotes de Castillon estates, the 2005 Ste-Colombe is unquestionably the softest and most immediately accessible. Its dark ruby color is followed by a concoction of ripe, sweet black currant and cherry fruit, incense, spring flowers, and spice. Drink this richly fruity 2005 over the next 4-5 years." (08/08)

According to Stephan Tanzer's International Wine Cellar: "Medium-deep red. Black cherry, licorice and a minty nuance on the nose. Juicy, penetrating and youthful, with good density and power. The wine's substantial tannins will require at least a few years of patience." (May/June 07)

7. Chateau Beaulieu Comtes de Tastes 2005, Score=1

Scored the same as wine 6 with the addition of a minus. There was some funk in the nose and nothing else. Austere, simple, and very tannic. Our consensus was inexpensive Bordeaux.

FRIDAY NIGHT TASTINGS, August 21, 2009.

We blind-tasted 5 wines, all pretty good. Present were all uncles (E, P, Jimmy, Winepath), except Uncle N who was busy elsewhere.

The first wine had a pleasant nose of plum and citrus fruit with chocolate. The taste however was acidic, but with cinnamon, cedar and lemon juice. Quite tannic. Good finish. This wine needs time. It was von Strasser Cabernet, 2006, Post Vinyard. Good wine, a 2+.

Second wine, had a rubbery, funky nose. Dark, sweet, with rosemary, camphor and cedar. Uncle E thought it to be a cali cab. He was somewhat right- Bacio Divino, California sangiovese with cab, etc. Very nice! A 3.

Wine #3 was identified by all as a cali cab. Complex, well balanced, creme brulee, with "molar-coating tannin" (uncle P). It was Avalon 2007 Cab Sauvignon from Napa-a 2+.

Next wine had a definite chocolate nose with vegetal, parsley and other green tastes. Possibly a cab franc, definitely not a French wine. Cali cab was mentioned, a nice wine. Its Moon Mountain Cab sauvignon with C. Franc, Reserve 2001-from Sonoma-nice wine, 2+.

Last wine to be tasted. Dark red, nose of dead oyster, but soon to dissipate leaving behind pleasant, if medicinal vapors. Pleasant wine, with a somewhat short finish, but we liked this wine-no real clues, possibly a new world cab. Surprise! Bordeaux, Ch. Marjosse 2005; for the reasonable price-this is a great value. A 2+ or more. It lived up to the 2005 Bordeaux vintage.

Wine tasting on August14, 2009

We had a special guest Uncle-C who appeared for the first time. Others who participated were Uncle-N, Winepath (fresh back from Napa), Uncle-E, Jimmy and Piroca. This was a rather extravagant tasting (with the contribution of a special wine from Uncle-C) and we blind tasted 6 wines. All interesting and some surprising. We were also served mozzarella, tomato (Jimmy's home grown) with basil salad courtesy of Jimmy.

1. Antinori Toscana red 2004, score2+~(3)

Color is nicely dark ruby and nose has slight funk initially but was not bad. However, coming back to this wine after tasting others, pungent funky nose became strong. (If without this unpleasant nose, this wine got solid 3). Palate starts with nice complex but somewhat austere fruit leading to firm tannin but the tasters felt acidity was a bit too much. The structure is very complex and appears to support this acidity but the tasters felt acidity and nose were two detractors. The opinions were widely varied. One said this was NOT New World, another said this is definitely New World. California Cab, Spanish, Italian, maybe French probably Rhone (Uncle-E was convinced that this was Mourvedre). California Cab was thrown in for good measure.

This turned out to be a Super Tuscan, Antinori red with Sangiovese, Cabernet Sauvignon, Merlot etc.

WS 92pts. - "tasting notes - very intense ruby red colour. nicely expressed varietal aromas with hints of black berry fruit. the palate is weighty, dense and vibrant with complex structure thanks to support of the acidity. long and lingering with hints of chocolate, coffee and marmalade in the aftertaste. the beautifully handled tannin from the wine and wood blend making tignanello a very complex, stylish and sophisticated wine. "

2. Sine Qua Non Raven Series Grenache 2006, Score=3+

Color is dark garnet. Nose is very nice (especially coming from Antinori) with predominantly black cherry and minty note. Palate is front loaded with nice fruit, layers of red and black fruit, nice full mid-palate leading to firm but well-integrated tannin and long lingering finish. Winepath liked this the best among the tasted wine (obviously he has an expensive and refined palate). Most of the tasters thought this was a high-end California cab. We also discussed any grapes (may not be ANY grapes) can be made into wines which looks and tastes like high-end Cab. Some of the Spanish wines fall into this category. For example we tasted in the past "Alto Moncayo Aquilon" (made of Garnacha) which, by all means, had all the characteristics of nice well-crafted Cab Sauv.

What a surprise! This was Sine Qua Non Raven 06 Grenache! This was the contribution of our guest taster. Although we are not sure this is worth the price but it is nevertheless a very nice wine.

RP=99 - "The 2006 Grenache Raven Series (92% Grenache and 8% Syrah with 26% whole clusters) was aged in 43% new oak, including both small barrels and demi-muids. It is a slightly smaller production (880 cases) than the 2005. The 2006 Raven Series exhibits chocolate character that very ripe Grenache can sometimes possess, along with black cherry and black currant notes. Full-bodied and seamlessly constructed, it offers hints of graphite, licorice, smoke, and meat. The chocolate component appears to be vintage specific as I have not noticed it in other SQN Grenache offerings. This beauty, a superb success in a challenging vintage, is another example of how intensive, radical work in the vineyard as well as meticulous attention to detail in both the vineyard and cellar can produce a prodigious wine in a less than stellar year." Wine Advocate, June 2008

3. 2001 Casanova di Neri Brunello di Montalcino Tenuta Nuova, score=4

Color has a bit of brown tinge indicating the age but nose is very fresh with black fruit, plum, vanilla, caramel and dark chocolate, by far the best nose among the wines we tasted. No funk. Palate is rather fruit forward with lots of black fruit, black berries, blue berries, black cherries, plum, very impressive complex layers leading to very firm but nice tannin. Long finish. Everybody thought this is probably well-made New World wine, Cab, Syrah from California or Australia. Italian Amarone was also mentioned. Most of our tasters liked this one the best.

Another surprise! this is Casanova di Neri Brunello 01. #1 wine in the WINE SPECTATOR TOP 100, 2006. We tasted this wine on July 5, 2008. The comment was very similar and we also thought this tasted like high-end Cali Cab. no doubt, this is, by far, the best Brunello we tasted.

Wine Spectator 97 - "Dark color with intense blackberry, chocolate and lightly toasted oak. Full-bodied and ultravelvety, with caressing tannins. Vanilla, chocolate and berry. Goes on for minutes. Best after 2010."

Stephen Tanzer's IWC 96 - "Medium-deep bright ruby. Beautiful, profound nose of sweet ripe cherry, pipe tobacco, almond and raspberry jam. Ripe, suave and juicy, with sweet flavors similar to the aromas, this is an absolutely seamless wine with lively harmonious acidity on a suave, never-ending finish. Though extremely concentrated, this is a uniquely refined Brunello with wonderfully suave smooth, classy tannins."

4. Clif Family Winery & Farm Kit’s Killer Cabernet Sauvignon 2005, score=2+

Color is nicely dark. Nose has some chemical or medicinal notes with protein (milk products as per Winepath), oak and vanilla. Palate is front loaded with mixed (predominately black) fruit leading to nice firm tannin. Some detected vegital aftertaste. Consensus was Cali Cab but one noted the possibility of brunello (sangiovese). This new and small winery is owned by a Clif Energy Bar guy. Not extraordinary but it is a good new world style California cab. The wine is made of 88% Cabernet Sauvignon, 12% Malbec.

"The wine is produced by Gary Erickson, the owner of Cliff Bar, of Energy Bar fame. The winemaker is Sarah Gott!
This tiny vintage is full bodied with a
very smooth finish".

"Round and expansive, the 2005 kit’s killer cab delivers aromas of blackberry, dark chocolate and hints of tobacco. Flavors of ripe black cherry, cassis and dark chocolate melt into a lingering fruit-driven finish. The tannins are complex giving this wine a strong presence and good age-ability."


5. Beaulieu - BV Georges de Latour Private Reserve 2002, Score=3

Color is nice with dark garnet. Nose is bit muted but whiff of floral scent. Palate is nice with upfront well-controlled fruit. Maybe a bit over oaked but nicely done leading to good chewy tannin. Consensus was nicely crafted classic Cali Cab. Solid 3.

winemaker's notes - "Dark, black-ruby color. The aromas reflect classic "Rutherford dust" notes of black cherry, loamy mineral-earth tones, and licorice, along with fine new oak vanilla highlights. Medium full-bodied, with deep cherry-mineral, currant –anise flavors, this vintage has a fine veneer of tannins combined with good acidity to support 10-15 years aging. Rich, supple fruit softens the texture. The sweet fragrance and taste of vanilla from the new oak add measurable length and structure in the finish. A fine wine to drink young with grilled steaks, roast leg of lamb with shallots, or a ripe wedge of Fontina or aged Vermont cheddar cheese.
In 2002, moderate to cool summer conditions gave way to a heat spell in mid-September that accelerated ripening. Fortunately, the first two weeks of October saw a return to lovely fall days, and the grapes achieved near perfect maturity, with excellent balance and bright, ripe fruit flavors."

92 pts. Enthusiast - "It’s young, dry, tight and tannic, although there’s obviously a core of ripe black currant and cherry fruit. To evaluate this wine properly, you have to know its history as one of Napa’s most agreeable Cabernets. Still, it’s not a great Georges. Hold until 2008 through 2010, but it could surprise."

6. Croze Napa Cabernet Sauvignon 2004, score=2+~3

Color shows purple tinge. Nose is nice with cherry. Some thought it has metal or iron (blood) note. Palate is very pleasant with nice forward fruit and well-integrated tannin. Everybody agree that this is a New World and probably Cali Cab. This was the one Winepath brought back from his recent Napa trip.

"The 2004 Croze wine will surpass all your expectations of Napa Cabernet. There is finesse, balance, and yes, all the true old world charm a varietally correct Cabernet can offer. You are met with sunny wildflower and musk aromas that are structured together with a blast of fresh ground pink peppercorns. The flavors have incredibly harmonious elements of worn saddle leather and rivers of fresh, blood red cassis. "
"In keeping with the winemaker’s philosophy and style, 2004 Croze is very drinkable now, but this intriguing Cabernet Sauvignon has the ideal balance for a graceful and long lived wine. It may take years to reach full potential and is a natural with a thick steak or roasted meats. It’s also perfect with anything Chocolate. Croze is always at its best when shared with a friend."

Wine tasting on August 7, 2009

We tasted 5 wines. Present were Piroca, Jimmy and Uncle-N with Uncle-E arriving bit late. Uncle-OZ made a guest appearance and brought an unusual wine. Winepath is visiting Napa still looking for a winery to purchase for his future enterprise. Except for one, the remaining 4 wines are similar in style and taste.

1. Crauford Maroon Vineyard Tattoo Cabernet Sauvignon 200, Score=3

It came in a "semi-body builder" bottle. Color is nicely dark garnet. Nose is very pleasant with blackberries, blueberries and some floral hints. Palate starts with somewhat restrained fruits especially black cherry and leading to rather firm tannin. It appears to have overtone of "bitterness" (Piroca thought it tasted somewhat like bitterness of Brussel sprouts). The tasters thought this is New World. Some suggested Merlot component. Spanish specifically Tempranillo was also suggested. Finally after some re-tasting and re-sniffing, California Cab and Cab blends were mentioned.

This is Cali Cab from Crauford winery in Napa. It is almost there but not quite in the realm of top notch California wines.

Jonathan Newman – 92/100!

"Crauford winery has just released a very limited quantity from their library of their 2003 Maroon Vineyard Napa Cabernet. This wine shows the evolution and aging potential of a big Cabernet with concentrated mountain fruit. When I first tasted this wine a year ago it was much more tightly wound with firm tannins, with flavors of blackberries and mocha predominant. But it still needed bottle ageing and aeration as it was a young wine. In a recent tasting, the wine was considerably more accessible with captivating aromas of toffee, mocha, and plumy fruit. A dark ruby colored wine with Blackcurrants, intermixed with toasty vanilla oak, espresso and dark chocolate with a touch of spice box. Barrel aged in 40% new French Oak for 24 months and only 2,000 cases were produced. It should drink well over the next seven years and will pair well with marbled steaks, roasts and lamb."

I do not know much about JN (He must be a wine expert but his comment may not be totally unbiased since he sells this wine in his internet wine store).

2. Kavaklidere Yakut Okuzgozu d'Elaz 2007, Score=2

It came in a sloped shoulder bottle (which limits the types of wines in it) but there was a surprise. Color is light ruby. Nose is predominated by sweet strawberry. Palate is light with thin mid-palate and mild tannin. Upfront, there is a Welch's grape juice type grapy note. Granache, may be Rhone, Pinot, may be Burgundy, Beaujolais were suggested. This is not a style of wine we usually favor. There is some difference in opinion; Piroca thought this was not bad acknowledging this was not our style of wine, Uncle-N thought this tasted like a thin-tasting and grapey jug wine. The score is compromise.

Surprise! This is from Turkey. I had to admit among few Turkey wines we tasted, this is probably better one.

Wine maker's note:

"Yakut, made from Boğazkere, Öküzgözü and Carignan grapes, is a very pleasant and remarkably dry red wine. It is the best-selling red wine of Turkey. It is ruby red, rather bulky, light-bodied, broad and refreshing. It should be consumed between two and four years after production. It is a good match with any kind of meal with meat, and all kind of cheese except cheese with herb or fresh cheese. It is best when consumed at 16-18 degrees C."

The grapes are very unfamiliar to us. Here are some info from Wikipedia.

"Boğazkere is a Turkish grape variety and a Turkish wine originated from Elazığ Province near the Tigris river in Southeastern region of Turkey. Its very dark red rich grape and its very well structured with dried fruit flavors and fig taste. It also gives its name to a wine produced from the grape by the certificated Boğazkere vineyards in Elazığ. The characteristics of this wine is strong body, very enjoyable long finishing, dark red color with dark blue hue, very rich and strong aromas of dried red fruits, spices."

"Öküzgözü is a Turkish grape variety and Turkish wine produced from this grape. The grape is one of the two native grape varieties of Elazığ province (the other one is Boğazkere), located on the Anatolian plateau at the north of the Taurus Mountains. The various sources of the Euphrates River in this region soften the normally harsh climate of Eastern Turkey.
Öküzgözü has rounded, dark colored grapes, which are the largest among the grape varieties grown in Turkey. The Turkish word öküzgözü literally means "ox eye".

3. Caymus Cabernet Sauvignon 2006, Score=3~3+

Color is dark and nice. Nose has nice black cherry with vanilla. Palate is definitely fruit forward with black fruits, plum and raisin with toasted oak, vanilla overtone leading into nice well-integrated but firm tannin. We say this is a well-made Cali Cab with a caveat that some Spanish could taste like this. But we were right, this is 2006 Caymus. Caymus has been such a consistently good wine. We saw 2007 pre-sale just starting. 2007 Special selection will follow soon.

92 points Wine Spectator Insider:

"Full-blown, ripe and rich, with intense and sharply focused dried currant, wild berry and blackberry fruit that's still fairly tannic at this stage. Ends with a long, persistent finish. Best from 2010 through 2015." (10/29/08)

90 points and one star from the Connoisseurs' Guide to California Wine:

"Ripeness and sweet oak are the governing traits of this very rich and wide-open wine, and it is more geared to dark chocolate and caramelly sweetness than it is to classic Cabernet fruit. That said, it is positively plush on the palate with extract to spare, so much so, in fact, as to make its hard turn to tannin and heat an acceptable sin." (December 2008)

"Established in 1972 Caymus Vineyards is one of the benchmark cabernet sauvignon producers in Napa Valley, with an enviable track record of producing some of Napa's finest reds. The 2006 is a worthy successor in this lineage of full-bodied, fruit-forward, opulent cabs. The nose starts out with alluring aromas of cherry cola, cassis and coca powder while on the palate the wine displays flavors of blackberry, crème de cassis and sweet oak. There is a lot of stuffing here and the wine is definitely still an infant with several years ahead of it to truly show its potential. A wine of immense size, structure and complexity the 2006 Caymus Cabernet Sauvignon is a high-octane wine that will handsomely reward the patient consumer in 5-10 years." (Alex Pross, Wine Club Director, K&L wines)

4. Schweiger Cabernet Sauvignon 2004, Score=2+~(3)

Color is nice dark garnet. Nose has slight earthy funky notes. Upfront fruit is rather muted but some layers of predominately black fruits. Finish has firm tannin and some acidic kick. Apparent oak-derived tastes but not particularly over oaked. It gave am impression of young wine and may need bit more bottle aging. Cali Cab and possibly Argentinian cab or Cab blends have been suggested. Again, it tries to be a good high-end Cali Cab but not quite making it.

Beverage Dynamics - 93/100 Points (Beverage Dynamics is a trade magazine in wine and food industries and I have no idea how unbiased this is and who are its wine critiques. )

"This is a rich, full-bodied Cabernet, deep in color. The nose of the wine is lively with essences of berries, plum, and toasty oak. The sweet, supple entry crescendos into a deeply intense middle; followed by a pleasant, velvety, lingering finish."

Quoted from the Winery website:

"With Fred's blessing, Andy has begun carefully experimenting with blending small amounts of our classic Merlot into our Cabernet Sauvignon to further express the beautiful fruit of our Spring Mountain Estate. Those familiar with our wines know our prior 2001 Cabernet release began a brave new world for us, as we extended our barrel aging program to further soften and round out our full mountain fruit. We continued that tradition with our 2004 Cabernet Sauvignon. The 2004 vintage came in hot, hard, and fast with beautifully intense fruit flavors
For our efforts, we have been rewarded with a rich, full-bodied Cabernet, deep in color. The nose of the wine is lively with essences of berries, plum, and toasty oak. The sweet, supple entry crescendos into a deeply intense middle; followed by a pleasant, velvety, lingering finish.

Technical Information:
Varietal Percentage: 97% Cabernet Sauvignon, 3% Merlot. Age of vines and soil type: 14-22 year old vines panted in deep volcanic soils. Alcohol: 14.6%. 32 months in 60 gal. Oak barrels: 45% new French Oak, 4% new American Oak, 47% 2-3 year old French Oak, and 4% 2-4 year old American Oak."

5. Luigi Bosca Gala 2 Cabernet Sauvignon 2006, Score=2+

Color is nice and dark. Nose has some minty note and otherwise pleasant. Upfront palate is loaded with fruit and leading to nice good but not too assertive tannin with well-controlled oak-derived flavors. For sure, it is a New World style wine. The tasters thought this was California or, may be, South American, particularly Argentinian, Cab or Cab blends. Some thought there is Merlot component.

This turned out to be Bordeaux-blend from Luigi Bosca, Argentina. The 2006 Gala II is a blend of 85% Cabernet Sauvignon spiced with 10% Cabernet Franc and 5% Merlot.

International Wine Cellar 90 points

“Bright red-ruby. Deep aromas of cassis, black cherry and licorice, lifted by fresh herbs and peppermint. Suave, fine-grained and light on its feet, with moderately ripe flavors of dark berries, fresh herbs and minerals. A medium-bodied, claret-like wine, with licorice and herbal notes giving lift and energy to the currant, plum, graphite and spice flavors. Velvety and mouthcoating, but in a rather polite style. Finishes with dusty, slightly drying tannins and a lingering herbal element.”

Wine tasting on July 31, 2009

Finally all of our club members are back from vacation. Present were Piroca and Jimmy fresh back from vacation, Winepath and Uncle-N. Uncle-E did not respond to our page and was deemed MIA. We blind tasted three quite different wines.

1. La Serena Brunello di Montalcino, 2004. Score=2+

Nose has nice black cherry and blackberry but also definitive funk is noticeable. Palate has nice upfront black fruits albeit a bit muted. Nice mid palate leading to good firm tannin and reasonably long finish. Bordeaux, Bordeaux-blend (from California or other new worlds), Italian (Brunello or Super toscan) were mentioned.
This is part of the continuous effort by Uncle-N to make our palate more sophisticated and fifth Brunello he brought to the tasting in recent months. But, we have to be honest, this is not one of our favorite kind of wines. We could have given solid 3 if not for the funky nose.

Wine Spectator 94 Points

Blackberries, roses and blueberries on the nose follow through to a full body, with silky tannins and a sweet fruit aftertaste. Lots of sweet raspberries and strawberries on the finish. A delicious red already. Best from 2010 through 2016. 1,665 cases made. –JS

2. Bodegas Carmelo Rodero Crianza Ribera del Duero, 2005. Score=3

Nose is definitely funky with black fruits. Palate is rather new world with layers of fruits especially berries, plum and hint of pepper. Nice firm tannin and long finish. Nice wine with funky nose. Compared to the Brunello, it is much more fruits forward. Syrah, Cab belnd from Australia was mentioned. Cab blend from South America and Australia was mentioned but nobody followed Uncle-E's teaching that if you can not quite place the wine to any particular style or country, think Spain.
This is a recommendation by Winepath's buddy at WWW (Wide World of Wines) and it is from Ribera del Duero, mostly made of tempranillo.

91 points from Stephen Tanzer's International Wine Cellar:

"Ruby-red color. Intensely floral nose displays spicy redcurrant and wild strawberry scents. Deeper cherry and cassis flavors are complicated by smoked meat and gently firmed by silky tannins. Quite suave, with alluring finishing sweetness and very good, clinging length." (Sept/Oct '08)

As Jose Pastor, the importer of this wine, explained it he was looking for a "modern producer that still had roots in the old-world style of Ribera del Duero," and by gosh I think he found it. As one of the long time growers for the legendary Vega Sicilia, Carmelo Rodero realized that if Vega could charge the farm for the wine they made using his grapes, why shouldn't he try his hand at making the wine and charge a whole lot less. I think you'll be pleased with the results. The Crianza is 90% Tinto Fino (Tempranillo) and 10% Cabernet Sauvignon aged for 15 months in both French and American oak. This oak influence shows more in the aromatics than in the mouth with notes of caramel and toasted vanilla bean. Counter that with cigar smoke, dried tobacco, blackberry and cedar and this shows both fruity yet rustic flavors with some nice tip-o'-the-tongue acidity. (Bryan Brick, K&L)

3. Shafer One Point Five Cabernet Sauvignon, 2005. Score=4

This one was easy. Color is dark garnet. Nose is very fragrant with fruits and floral note without any funk. It looks and smells like Cali Cab. Palate is front loaded with fruits, smooth and nice mouth feel without any hard edges leading to big but well-integrated smooth tannin along with usual vanilla, caramel and dark chocolate. No doubt this is a good Cal Cab in the new world style. Winepath went futher and carefully examined the bottle shape, height and weight of the covered bottle and concluded this was Shafer, "one point five" or possibly (wishfully) "hill side select" and he was right. Uncle-N sent this wine to some wine drinking friends in Japan. Although everybody acknowledged receiving the bottle and promised to taste it, he did not get any feed back as to if they liked it or not. Knowing how polite these people are, we assume they did not like this wine but were too polite to let Uncle-N know. Next time, we will send Barolo.

RP gave 90.

"The 2005 Cabernet Sauvignon One Point Five (99% Cabernet and 1% Petit Verdot) is a meatier, more structured wine, but slightly deeper than the 2004, with broad black currant fruit flavors intermixed with some spice box, crushed rock, and spring flowers. It is characteristic of Stags Leap in its elegance and finesse. The wine has good acidity and freshness, but is long and seamless. Drink it over the next 12-15 years." - The Wine Advocate