Wine tasting on December 18, 2009

This was a remarkable tasting. All core members were present. Winepath, Jimmy, Piroca and Uncles E and N. We tasted 7 good wines , except for one, all from North America. Some are quite old which came out of Uncle-E's library collection (or he realized they are off peak and downhill???). This could be this year's last tasting and it is fitting.

1. Vayniac Cabernet Sauvignon 2007, Score=3+

Color is nice dark garnet. Nose has lots of ripe fruit, dark chocolate. Palate explodes with lots of fruit especially chocolate covered black cherry. The fruit may taste a bit sweet. Nice balance between well-integrated tannin and acidity providing a good structure. Good lasting finish. Everybody like this clearly New World wine. California Cab is the consensus. This is 2 years in making. Uncle-N signed up 2 years ago and finally the wine arrived. This is a Winelibrary's Gary Vaynachuck community involved project and the wine was made at Crushpad with some inputs and participation from those who signed up for this project. The participants received many email updates of the different steps of the wine making. Althouhg Uncle-N was rather passive--participants could be involved with the wine making in person and through a web cam for the most important steps. You could buy this bottle from Winelibrary, although it is more expensive as compared to 2 years ago.

"Vayniac Cabernet Sauvignon 2007 is the first-ever truly community-made wine. Sourced from premium Napa fruit, its realization in the bottle stands as testament to the passion and hard work of wine lovers worldwide who contributed to this project over a period of 2 years.

Everything about the wine, right down to this label, was community driven. Some chimed in with input from afar, others got dirty working the crush, and a select few were able to participate in the final blending.

We're proud of this wine and all that it embodies: Family, togetherness, even a little rebelliousness. In addition, it's flat out delicious!

The Final Blend: 83% Cabernet Sauvignon from Suscol Bench (24.9%), Young Inglewood (24.9%), Godspeed (16.6%), and Carrefour (16.6%) Vineyards. 10% Merlot, 4% Petit Verdot, and 3% Cabernet Franc."

2. Bodega Colome Amalaya 2007, score=2+~3

Color is dark with a slight brownish tint. Nose has slight funk,  tar and smoke. Palate has lots of sweet fruit leading to mild tannin. Bit oaky but we liked this wine. Some thought this was too oaked. Some thought it has a Garnacha component. Winepath intially believed that this was Bordeaux but later retracted. Consensus was that this was a New World wine. Spain, California, Australia were memtioned.  Cab, Cab blends, and Cab Merlot blend were also mentioned and the final opinion was that this is probably Cali Cab.

This is from Argentina (Marbec cab blend). We liked this wine. Some did not like the nose but many did not mind or rather like the nose.

winemaker's notes:
"This wine is produced from the fruit of Argentina's signature grape, Malbec, with a smaller percentage of Cabernet Sauvignon, Syrah and Tannat. Deep red, with purple tinges, this wine offers red fruit aromas of cherries and raspberries, with a subtle hint of vanilla".

Wine Spectator 91 Points:
"Dark, with a core of crushed currant and plum fruit laced with black tea, hoisin sauce and a snappy mineral streak. Ripe, but not overblown, with a racy finish that lets sweet earth and licorice snap notes add length. Malbec, Cabernet Sauvignon, Syrah and Tannat. Drink now through 2010. 15,000 cases made. "

3. Stag's Leap Wine Cellars S.L.V. Cabernet Sauvignon 1997, Score=2+

Color is dark brown indicating some age. Nose has medicinal or somewhat chemical  with some funk and herbaceous notes. Very complex nose but we are not sure this is a very good nose. It was too cold initially and palate felt very muted but after it was warmed up some nice black fruit started coming through. Still it is rather muted. Nice well-structured tannin but it has a bit of bitter taste or a finishing bite. We thought this is European such as Italian or even French (Bordeaux).  It was surprising to see that this is Stag's leap S.L.V.  1997. For the age of this wine, tannin was still rather assertive and we can imagine that  when this was young, tannin must have been rather big. To our taste, fruit was too far gone.

Winemakers Notes
"Planted by the Warren Winiarski Family in 1970, S.L.V. achieved international fame when the very first harvest at the winery in 1973 produced a wine that" astounded the wine world by triumphing over some of France's greatest wines in a 1976 blind tasting in Paris, now commonly referred to as the “Judgement of Paris"." Thirty vintages later, S.L.V. continues to yield wines of classic elegance and structure.
Alluring aromas of cocoa powder and black cherry evolve alongside pretty floral tones and a hint of smoke. Flavors of chocolate, raspberry, and black cherry coat the mouth with a light touch of cedar and truffles that weave through the multi-layered structure for which S.L.V. is renowned. Time will take this wine to even greater heights, but it can be enjoyed now for those who appreciate the robust quality of its fruit."

4. Pride Mountain Cabernet Sauvignon 1993, score=2

Color is dark brown, again, indicating the age. Nose has a slight medicinal quality but otherwise a bit muted. Palate is again starts with muted fruit, especially at the beginig since it was too cold. Tannin was moderate but had some acidic kick in the finish. This wine felt bit flat in the mid palate. We mumbled "European", "Old World" etc but Winepath decisively said Cali Cab 1992! He was right, this was an old 1993 Pride Cab. Again, it had passed its peak. It lost most of the good fruit and the tannin structures did not allow aging this long.

We welcome releases from uncle-E's  library collection. We assumed European because of the wine and who brought it but Winepath somehow knew this is old Cali Cab.

Pride web site has listing to 1996 but not 1993. We all visited Pride and like their cab.


5. Stag's leap Cabernet Sauvignon, THE LEAP 2005, Score=2+

Color is dark garnet without any brown color. Nose has burned caramel but is nice. Palate is front loaded with good black fruit. Smooth mouth feel with buttery feel.  Mid-Palate is a bit thin leading to rather mild tannin. We all felt this is Califronia Cabernet. This happens to be another cab from Stag's leap but a much younger vintage.

Wine maker's note:
"Erosion from the Stags Leap Palisades is the source of the volcanic soil acknowledged as a contributing factor to the modern reputation for Cabernet Sauvignon in the Stags Leap District. Everything we know and love about winegrowing, our understanding of the gift of terroir, we bring to focus on this variety. The result is a classic, well-balanced Cabernet that takes full advantage of this prime location—luscious and velvety. The wine supports a complex structure with earthy aromatics and spice notes in a long finish."


6. Columbia Crest  Cabernet Sauvignon Reserve 2006, Score=2+

Color is nice dark garnet to brown. Nose has tons of vanilla. Palate upfront has lots of fruit, a massive amount  of vanilla, some spice box especially cinnamon leading to good firm tannin. Some may feel that there is  too much vanilla in this wine. We like it. Our consensus was California Cab.

This is from Washington state.

Winemaker Notes:
"The intense fruit in this Cabernet Sauvignon does not deter from the aromatics of chocolate cherry and slight mint, which precede a palate of cocoa and black cherry flavors. This is an elegant, complex wine that culminates in the perfect balance of wood and fruit on the lingering finish. While the 2006 remains unrated, the 2005 received 95 points in the Wine Spectator."




7. Caymus Special Selection 2007, Score=3+~4

Color is dark purple and garnet. Nose is very nice ( best in the today's tasting) with coffee, caramel, and dark chocolate. Palate is loaded with dark fruit upfront, nice vanilla, chocolate lingers and leading to good firm tannin. Long finish. There is no doubt this is a high-end California Cab. Knowing Piroca's track record, Caymus special selection was suggested. The only question was which year. This is the newest vintage 2007 which he just received. Some may think this is over the top but most of us really liked this wine.

winemaker's notes:
"The rich, deep ruby color reflects the magnificent depth this wine has to offer. Lush aromas of ripe black currant, black cherry and cedary oak add luxurious notes to the intense core flavors of fully ripe cassis, wild red berry, mocha and light vanilla. Polished tannins, a full-bodied mouthfeel and velvety texture weave seamlessly to support these vivid fruit impressions to the end."

Wine tasting on December 4, 2009

We did not have a tasting last Friday because of Thanksgiving. We had a special guest, for this tasting--Uncle-E's father who know which wine he likes and he likes New World Wines unlike Uncle-E. We blind tasted 6 wines. All (except one) are quite excellent and one very interesting and quite a find.

1. Burgess Cellars Ilona Howell Mountain Red Blend 2003, score=3~3+

Color is dark garnet. Nose has lots of berries with very slight earthiness. Palate shows well controlled fruit mostly back fruit, blackberries and blueberries leading to well-integrated but firm tannin. Nice lasting finish.  Cali Cab was first mentioned. Other possibilities mentioned were Spanish, Priorat, Garnacha, Temperanilo, Argentinian Cab+Malbec etc. One of the tasters said he tasted a definite Merlot component. In general, everybody liked this wine. This is a Bordeaux blend from Howell mountain.

Jonathan H. Newman, 92 rating
"This is a very nice Bordeaux blend from a small artisanal  Estate winery located in Napa’s  Howell Mountain. This wine exhibits a nice bouquet of dark cherries, vanilla, licorice and crème de cassis.  Full bodied mountain fruit with dark chocolate, eucalyptus, blackberries and a spice box. This Cabernet sauvignon, Merlot and Cab Franc blend was aged 18 months in French oak and bottle aged for several years  as it has just been released. This wine is drinking nicely now, but will be even more expressive over time and should drink well over the next eight years. Pair with a marbled steak, lamb or a roast with Yorkshire pudding."

Winemaker Notes on 2003 Ilona Howell Mountain:
"Our soon to be released 2003 exhibits an intense yet subtle core of mountain-ripened fruit that reminds us of what makes our setting so unique, even amongst our neighbors on Howell Mountain. The 2003 is an estate blend of Merlot, Cabernet Sauvignon and Cabernet Franc. It has a deep garnet hue and complex aromas of spice, black cherries and balanced levels of vanilla, due to its aging in French oak barrels for 18 months. The full, rich flavors culminate into a lush finish – characteristic of the finest Howell Mountain wines."

The Origins of Ilona:
"Long-time Burgess Cellars veteran Catherine Eddy started Ilona, and explains its origins: "Ilona is an Eastern European name which over time had evolved into Elaine, my mothers name. The woman’s profile on the label comes from an ancient Greek coin I found in Paris, and after reading many stories of Greece, got the impression that the women of that time were both very strong, yet feminine. The label and the name set the right tone for this powerful, but also soft and rounded wine.”

2. Joseph Phelps Syrah 2006, score=2+~3

This one came in a tell-tale slopped shoulder bottle which is made of rather thick heavy glass. Without  even pouring, Piroca proclaimed  that this is California Syrah which is actually correct. Color is very dark almost black with slight blue tinge. Nose has dark chocolate and black pepper. Palate shows very nice upfront black fruit with plum, black pepper (not too peppery, though) with dark chocolate and nice smooth tannin. Nice wine.

BLEND & GRAPE SOURCES:
100% Napa Valley Syrah from the Hyde Vineyard.

HARVEST DATES: October 13, 2006.
WINEMAKING DATA:
"Grapes were harvested at an average 26.0° Brix, fermented in stainless steel tanks, then aged 19 months in a combination of new French oak barrels (53%) and two-year-old French oak (47%) from coopers Ermitage, Saury, Rousseau, Sirugue and Saint Martin. The wine was blended and bottled in June, 2008.

Notes of caramel, nutmeg and heady floral aromas followed by tobacco, white pepper and black plum pave the way for great texture on the palate, velvety tannins and rich earthy flavors yielding to a persistent length."

2006 VINTAGE NOTES:
"The growing season in 2006 started slowly with bud break two weeks behind the historical average and with an abundance of moisture-rich soil from the winter rains. The spring was fairly cool with a significant amount of cloud cover and periodic rain showers. April brought five inches of rain. Bloom dates were behind the average by one week yet conditions were excellent yielding a good fruit set.

There was a record setting 10 day heat wave near the end of July. Most blocks had an exceptionally long veraison period beginning in early August, particularly with Petite Verdot and Merlot. This may have been caused by the extreme temperatures in July during berry formation. During veraison we anticipated the forecasted cooler autumn and took this time to adjust the crop; green harvesting was implemented to ensure ripening was more even."

3. Sugarloaf mountain Cabernet Sauvignon Reserve 2007, score=3

This was a pleasant surprise. Color is nice dark garnet. Nose has perfume, cherry kirsch and protein (milk whey). Palate initially felt a bit muted but in the second tasting (more air time and warmed up), it is loaded with nice sweet fruit (but not sugarfied) leading to good tannin. It has a good structure with nice long finish. We all felt this is a nice fruity new world style wine. California Cab and Spanish were mentioned. What a pleasant surprise! This is a cab from Maryland. By far the best red we ever tasted among Maryland and Northern Virginia wines (The second best is "Octagon" from Barboursville vineyard in our opinion.) This was submitted by Winepath who had a glass of this wine at Addies restaurant. After finding out what this was, he drove to Sugarloaf Mountain Vineyard and got the bottles. It is definitely worth going there for this wine. What a find!

Wine maker's note:
"This 100% Cabernet Sauvignon bottling is the big brother to the previously released 2007 Sugarloaf Mountain Vineyard Cabernet Sauvignon. The “Cab Reserve” is dense, heavy and full-bodied with
an intricate composition. It is deeply hued with carmine red and hints of orange and purple, and immediately impresses with aromas of blackberry and cassis, quince, fresh flowers and perfume.
The elegant palate is full and rich with complex notes of pepper and jam, red berries, almond and butter. Big, round tannins and a spine of acidity perfectly balance the lushness of the fruits. The long length leaves behind lingering notes of leather, mocha and black pepper."

4. Shafer Hillside Select 2003, Score=3+~4

Color is nice dark garnet with bluish hue. Nose is very fragrant with black cherry. Good upfront fruit. black cherry, blueberry etc with nice full mid palate with usual compliments of  caramel, lots of vanilla and cinnamon leading to nice well crafted tannin with long finish.  Everybody felt that this is a good example of well-made California cab. We all liked this wine. So, when this was uncovered showing the label of "Pagodes de Cos 1996", nobody could believe their eyes.
"This could not be! This did not taste anything like Bordeaux! etc". This was a prank by Uncle-E. This actually was Shafer Hillside Select 2003. Many of us visited Shafer and know how small, steep and rocky the hillside vineyard is and it is amazing this kind of wine is the result of the fruit grown there. In any case, we felt much better knowing this is Shafer Hillside select. Our palate is not totally bad.

Wine Spectator 93:
"A big, rich, bold and expansive style, with tiers of dense currant, mineral, earth, black cherry, anise and cedary oak flavors that are intense and concentrated, with the tannins showing a raw edge. Young and rambunctious. Needs lots of air or a little time in the cellar. Best from 2008 through 2013."

Parker 95:
"One of the worlds, as well as Napas, most profound Cabernet Sauvignons is the 2,000 or so case production of Shafers Hillside Select. Made from their finest parcels in Stags Leap, the wine spends nearly 32 months in 100% new oak. This is a wine that usually has 20-30 years of aging potential. 2003 Cabernet Sauvignon Hillside Select (just released) shows some graphite and pain grille notes intermixed with creme de cassis, licorice, camphor, and some spice box. Full-bodied, powerful, with fabulous fruit, silky tannins, and an intense mouthfeel, this is a gorgeous wine to drink over the next 20-25 years."

Tanzer Review 93:
"Medium ruby. Aromas of black raspberry, currant, cocoa powder, cedar, graphite, violet, licorice and sweet oak. Lush and very sweet but with lively mint and naphtha notes lifting the flavors of black cherry, dark berries and dark chocolate. Finishes with a firm edge of tannins and acids and yet this wine should give early pleasure. I find a wider range of ripeness here than in the supernal 2002."

5. Chateau Grands Chenes 2004, score=2

Color is dark. Nose has tar and earthy notes but not quite moldy basement. Palate is rather austere with thin midpalate ending in big chewy tannin. Consensus was that this is an old world or European wine. Italian (Brunello or Super Tuscan), Spanish, and Bordeaux were suggested. This was indeed Brodeaux, Medoc.

"Le Château les Grands Chênes est devenue une référence incontournable du Nord Médoc. Dans la lignée des trois millésimes précédents, le 2004 dévoile des arômes bien typés Cabernet. La puissance, la fraîcheur et l’équilibre caractérisent ce vin. Il est doté d’un bon potentiel de garde."

Enough said.

6. Caymus Special Selection 2006, Score=3+~4

This was thrown in at the last moment (not light weight, though). Color is nicely dark with slight blue purple hue. Nose is nice with perfume, fruit, and flowers. Palate has well layered "jammy" fruit, good oak derived flavors of caramel, vanilla and chocolate ending in well integrated but firm tannin with long finish. This was bit too warm when served. We all knew what this was especially knowing the shape and color of the bottle and this one was contributed by Piroca. Excellent example of good California Cab. Shafer Hillside Selct and Caymus Special Selection in one tasting are indeed extravagant (even for us).

94 points Wine Spectator:
"Complex, riveting aromas of spice, cola and sassafras join wild berry, spice, black cherry and sage notes in this full-bodied, intensely flavored, tightly focused and very persistent display of fruit that's long and lingering." (03/09)

92 points and two stars from the Connoisseurs' Guide to California Wine:
"Both of the Caymus Cabernets reviewed in this issue embrace unabashed ripeness as a defining trait, but, in this instance, the wine's rush to ripeness is balanced by a wealth of very sweet oak and well-extracted fruit. Plush and full-bodied and shot through with cassis and cocoa, the wine more than makes up in richness for what it may lack in finesse, and its slight edge of last-minute heat is easy enough to forgive. Fans of unabashedly expressive Cabernets will find lots to like here." (12/08)