Wine tasting on 10-20-09

Winepath is back and all the core members were present for a change. Even Uncle E arrived on time. Present were Winepath , who was a bit under the weather, we are afraid it may be the beginning of HiNi (for H1N1) flu (hope not). We tasted six wines. We had very unusual wines and, as usual, we were not particularity good in determining the varietal and origin of the wines.

1. Regent Stammheimer Eselsberg Red 2007, Score=2+

Color is dark garnet with bluish tinge at the rim. Nose is somewhat Bordeaux-esque with mineral, pencil shaving and black fruit with a hint of earthiness. Palate is nice starting with good layered black fruit but tasted a bit flat and ending in moderate tannin. Good reasonable finish. This is a good wine but something is missing, some pointed out that it needs some acidity. We said it is in  the New World style. Because of the blue tinge, Malbec was mentioned and also Spanish. This is a very unusual wine which was painstakingly brought back from Berlin by Winepath. He had this in a winebar in Berlin and asked if he could buy a bottle. Although information on this unusual German red is impossible to find, it is said to be made of Chambourcin plus a small amount of white wine grape. Chambourcin is one of French-American hybrid which is popular in Germany. Wineath said he paid 5 euros. This one has a high PQR, only problem is you will never find one here in the U.S.

2. 2005 Ridge Vineyards "Lytton West" Dry Creek Syrah, score=3+

This one came in a sloped shoulder bottle. Color is nicely dark. Nose is the best among the 6 wines we tasted with floral note and citrus. Palate changed during the tasting but it is loaded with upfront black fruit with vanilla and caramel ending in nice firm tannin and bitter chocolate and mint finish. No black pepper or meat juice flavors as would be expected from an Aussie Shiraz. Although the consensus was syrah or syrah blend, the origin of the country for this wine was difficult to determine. French Rhone, Cote Rotie, California, Washington state,  etc but at the end, this was deemed to be Califronia Syrah, which was right on. It is interesting that Uncle E thought of Cote Rotie since it was mentioned in the wine critique below.

95 points, three stars and the top rated Syrah in the March issue of the Connoisseurs' Guide to California Wine:
"6% Viognier. There is a sense of refinement and pure precision about this bottling that not only moves it to the head of the class but sets it in a class all its own. Very deep and impeccably structured, it eschews runaway ripeness in favor of layered richness and real nuance, and it begs for comparison with the fine wines of Côte Rôtie rather than its more blustery Californian kin. It is as classy and sophisticated as local Syrah is likely to get, and it is bound to age famously by dint of balance and depth." (March, 2009)

"Ridge, the legendary Santa Cruz Mountain producer owns just over three acres of mature syrah and six acres of younger syrah vines at Lytton Springs West. The older parcels contributed exceptional depth and complexity to this wine, while the younger vines added soft tannins and a delineated fruit component. Aged for 21 months in air-dried American oak, this bold, complex wine is fruit-forward with plenty of syrah spice. Give it some air now or watch it gain complexity over the next decade."

3.  Phoenix Vineyards & Rancho Napa Wines Special Reserve Cuvee Meritage 2007, Score=2+

Color is nicely dark. Nose is bordeaux-like with slight basement smell. Palate has muted but well-layered fruit predominately black cherry leading to good firm tannin with acidic finish. The tasters oscillated between Bordeaux and Bordeaux blend from the New World. In the second tasting, Uncle-E was convinced that this is Italian, Sangiovese. Spanish was also mentioned.


Jonathan Newman – 93/100 Points
"This excellently made Bordeaux blend  has certainly become the marquee wine for Napa’s Phoenix Vineyard and winemaker/proprietor David Bader. ....Deep purple color. Dark, alluring Bordeaux nose with  black raspberry, vanilla spice and plum. Ripe fruit and full bodied with redcurrants, black cherry, blackberries and blueberries with a nice long finish. The wine was aged for over twenty months in French oak barrels.   While it's drinking beautifully right now, it is well structured, complex and has loads of fruit so it can also be cellared and enjoyed for many more years. David only makes his Rancho Napa Bordeaux blend in the most special of vintages and the 2007 is a stunning vintage. " 

ABOUT THE RANCHOS…
"In the years before California became a state most of the Napa Valley was divided into Mexican land grants known as Ranchos. This wine is names after, and our winery lies in the middle of, what once was Rancho Napa. This grant, which stretched from the city of Napa north to the town of Yountville, was created in 1838. This was just a few years before a German immigrant name Jeremiah Bader gained his citizenship in this country in 1842. We have resurrected this name from Napa’s glorious history. Our goal is to add to this history in honor of the pioneers who carved this pastoral valley out of the early California frontier; those people who, like our family, followed their dreams to a place called Napa Valley. Alcohol 14.0% by volume, 50% Cabernet Sauvignon, 36% Merlot, 14% Cabernet Franc
aged 14 months in French and American oak barrels less than 500 cases were bottled."

4.  Heredad Vina Carles Priorat 2005, score=2

Color is dark garnet. Nose has some peculiar spices and oak notes reminiscent of Lee & Perrin Worcester Sauce. Upfront palate has muted fruits, bit acidic and mild tannin. It tasted very oaky. Not our favorite tonight. Cali Cab was mentioned but it turned out to be Priorat. Not much could be found about this wine.


Description: 
"Authentic Priorat from the most rugged part of Spain. Carignan, Garnacha and Syrah. Bright black cherry color. Creamy, tannic structure. Good length with a strong, slatey minerality."

 


5. Ruston Family Vineyards Merlot 2001, score=2+

Color has definitive brown hue indicating age. Nose has peculiar medicinal or chemical note which I did not like but some did not mind or even liked it. Palate is loaded with upfront fruit predominately black fruit such as black cherry and blackberries ending in nice well-crafted tannin. It is well balanced. The consensus was California Cab but it turned out to be Merlot from Ruston. Some felt it was a nicely aged wine.

6. BALDACCI FAMILY VINEYARDS  Black Label Estate Cabernet Sauvignon 2005, score=3

Color is nice dark garnet. Nose has a bit of sulfer or stewed vegetable (cruciferous vegetables) but it dissipated somewhat after some time. Palate is loaded with fruit with smooth mouth feel leading to nice tannin. New World, cali Cab is out consensus.

Winemaker Notes:
"The Black Label Estate Baldacci Family Vineyards Cabernet Sauvignon is produced exclusively from the 17 acre Baldacci Family Vineyards Stags Leap District Vineyard. 2005 brought in wines with outstanding character due to the long cool summer. The Black Label Estate Cabernet Sauvignon is 100% Cabernet aged in 70% new French oak barrels for 20 months and bottle aged for 14 months prior to release. The integrated aromas of cigar box, rose petals, and cassis linger in this classic, Old World style Cabernet as you taste the wine. Dusty tannins highlight the ripe plum, leather and brambly notes. Hints of fig and bittersweet chocolate powder linger on the palate as the wine expands into an outstanding finish. The complexity and balance on this wine makes it enjoyable now, in its youth, but you will be rewarded to lay it down and enjoy this wine in a few years as the dense flavors soften and integrate."