Wine Drinking at Uncle N's on June 18. 2010

We again decided to change the venue and gathered at Uncle N's. Present were Grasshopper with Auntie A (guest), Jimmy, Piroca, Uncle M (guest), Winepath, Uncle-N and Lady SEA. Uncle E was seeing somebody important off at the airport and could not make it. Although we started out as a sort of formal tasting--with two wines in decanters and all other wines covered and even spit cups were provided, in the end the companionship, food and good cheer took over and we did not take any notes. So it became wine party. Since it was an unusually nice day, we were outside on the deck. During the imbibing, in addition to the usual flowers and fauna of the backyard, a large mama deer ambled out of the woods adding to the entertainment. The neighbors pixie-like dog, who has a fondness for Uncle-N's grill particularly when roasted chicken is involved stuck her head through the hedgerow to see what was going on. Later the fire flies were spectacular.

We started the wines with homemade pizzas (by request); pizza margherita (fresh mozzarella, homemade tomato sauce and fresh basil), pizza topped with smoked mozzarella, marinated artichoke hearts and three kinds of olives, pizza topped with caramelized onion, goat cheese and roasted pine nuts. No pictures were taken unfortunately. Due to the outdoor venue, the main course was barbecued chicken, oven fried potatoes, and grilled asparagus. Dessert was whiskey bread pudding with whiskey sauce.

We had 9 wines.

1. Philip Togni Cabernet Sauvignon, 2004

This was served decanted. About one year ago, we tasted this wine and at that time, we thought it was very tannic. This time, it did not taste too tannic but has a musty nose which is slightly bothersome.

95 Points - Robert Parker (Wine Advocate)
"Readers looking for more ripeness, opulence, and an extroverted character should check out the 2004 Cabernet Sauvignon Estate, which is actually a larger crop than 2005. This sensational dense purple-colored effort boasts delicious blueberry, black raspberry, cassis, licorice, and olive-like notes. In the mouth, there is more creme de cassis as well as background toasty oak, structure, and tannin. I don’t think there has ever been a vintage where Philip Togni has cheated anybody on flavor intensity or tannic structure as his wines always last, even in lighter vintages, for twenty or more years. The 2004 will benefit from 4-5 years of bottle age, and should last for 25-30 years. It is, atypically for the vintage, front-end loaded."

91 points - Stephen Tanzer, May/June 2007
"includes about 15% merlot and bits of cabernet franc and petit verdot) Full medium ruby. Black raspberry, chocolate, minerals, tobacco, earth and a gamey nuance on the rather musky nose. Sweeter, broader and finer-grained than the 2005, in a distinctly easygoing, pliant style for this mountain cabernet. Highly nuanced flavors of plum syrup, violet, smoke and minerals. Though plenty tannic, here the tannins are not dry. Incidentally, Togni told me that the crop level at his estate is "the major variable affecting wine quality," but I prefer the balance and sweetness of this wine to the 2005, a year that featured a smaller crop."

2. Joseph Phelps Syrah 2007

Color is intense dark purple. Nose has black pepper. Some thouhgt this is Malbec mainly because the color. Nice wine.

Joseph Phelps 2007 Syrah Napa Valley (from i-winereview.com)
"A gorgeous and elegant Napa Valley Syrah with a powerful, aromatic bouquet and a savory, well-structured palate that’s generous with its flavors of blackberry, herbs, smoke, and roasted meat, finishing with chalky, ripe tannins. The wine is about 40 percent whole cluster, and it is aged 19 months in a mix of new and two year old used medium toast French oak. This is 100% Syrah from the Hyde Vineyard."




3. Cheap Red Wine by Vin Ordinaire
This was submitted to test our taste. Color is definitly light and  was drinkable but simple wine. Pinot and Grenache were mentioned. Did we pass?

This in a non vintage "red table wine" from Vin Ordinaire, Ltd.
you could read review by a blogger here.












4. Domaine Mas Du BouQuet Vacqueras 2007

We thouhgt this was Rhone blend. Again, nice wine.

90 points Stephen Tanzer's International Wine Cellar:
"Deep ruby. Rich blackberry and kirsch aromas are complicated by candied flowers, anise and garrigue, with a sexy note of cola coming up with air. Sweet dark berry flavors coat the palate, firmed by fine-grained tannins that are quickly absorbed by the fruit. This sweet, long wine is already very alluring." (01/09)

89-91 points Robert Parker:
"The general style is one of fruity, good quality, commercially-styled wines that represent very good value, and are immediately appealing. All of the 2007s are fruit-laden, lush, and best drunk in their first 3-5 years of life. The sumptuous Domaine Le Mas du Bouquet, 60% Grenache, 30% Syrah, and 10% Mourvedre, is aged in tank prior to early bottling" (02/09)

5. Peter Michael 'Les Pavots" 2002

Color has brown hue indicating the age.

94 points, Robert Parker, Wine Advocate
May 2005
"...showing a near-roasted ripeness, with aromas of black raspberry, licorice, minerals and flowers. Thick, dense and superripe, with compelling sweetness and layers of dark fruit flavor. Wonderfully full and deep wine with extraordinary palate coverage. The finish offers explosive persistence..."

98 points, Robert Parker, Wine Advocate
February 2004
"...Dense purple-colored with an extraordinary nose of melted licorice, white chocolate, creme de cassis, licorice, and incense, the wine hits the palate with a silky opulence, and marvelous, full-bodied power, but it is light on its feet, with great delineation, vibrancy, and freshness. Superb purity and a finish that goes on for 50+ seconds is the stuff of modern-day California legends..."

94 points, Stephen Tanzer
May 2005
"Cooler on the nose than the 2002 despite showing a near-roasted ripeness, with aromas of black raspberry, licorice, minerals and flowers. Thick, dense and superripe, with compelling sweetness and layers of dark fruit flavor. Wonderfully full and deep wine with extraordinary palate coverage. The finish offers explosive persistence and the thoroughly ripe, sweet tannins reach the front teeth. This has really del ivered on its early promise."


88 points, Wine Spectator
July 2005
"Rich, concentrated and complex, it's also a bit earthy and reduced. The core flavors of currant, anise, leather, fresh-brewed coffee and sage are dense and multifaceted..."

6. Merus Cabernet Sauvignon 2007

This came in a heavy body builder bottle. Nose is classic Cal Cab. Upfront loaded with black fruit laced with caramel, vanilla and dark chocolate. We knew this is a high-end california cab but which one is the only question. I was on the pinion that this is 07 Caymus Special selection but I was wrong.


96+ points by Robert Parker:
"As for their own wines, all of which come from southern Napa sites in Oak Knoll and Coombsville, the 2005 is certainly one of the finest wines they have yet made. A 1,000-case blend of 94% Cabernet Sauvignon and the rest Petit Verdot and Malbec, the wine is dense purple-colored to the rim, with an exquisite nose of charcoal, graphite, and blackberry liqueur. Full-bodied, with great power, richness, and sensational length, this wine will benefit from 4-5 years of bottle-age and last three decades." - Robert Parker, Wine Advocate # 174 (Dec 2007)

7. Pride Cabernet Sauvignon 2007

This was brought out without cover. We all liked this one. The deck God, however, must have been feeling left out and required its due. I knocked over the bottle while setting up the candles (LED battery powered) and our Deck God got most of this wine--the boards drinking thirstily. Sorry.


"This is it - the release we’ve all been waiting for – our big estate Cabernet Sauvignon from the exciting and age-worthy 2007 vintage. With ample structure, blue-black fruit and great aging potential, this phenomenal wine is reminiscent of past vintages of our Reserve Cabernet. The nose expresses gorgeous flavors of cassis, black raspberry compote, cocoa and blueberry. The mouth is firm yet round, with intense flavors that evolve in the glass and balance the wine’s structure. The final blend is composed of 82% Cabernet Sauvignon, 12% Merlot from our Wind Whistle and Callie’s vineyard blocks, and 6% Petit Verdot. The wine was blended and bottled in July 2009, and has been bottle aged for four months." -The Winery

8. Ramey Claret 2006

This was our old favorite. It did not impress us as much as it did in the past. Are we getting jaded?

91 points by Wine Spectator

"Offers aromas of ripe plum and berry, with spice and sage. Though firm and full-bodied, this reveals a sense of elegance and finesse, ending with integrated tannins. Cabernet Sauvignon, Malbec, Merlot, Syrah, Cabernet Franc and Petit Verdot. Best from 2010 through 2016."—James Laube, November 15, 2009.

88 pints by Wine Advocate

"The 2006 Claret has turned out to be less impressive than I initially believed. Made in an up-front, fruity style, it possesses a dark ruby/purple color, notes of licorice, spice box, roasted herbs, and red as well as black currants. This soft red is good to excellent, but not as stunning as I had hoped.

Score: 88." —Robert Parker, December 2008.

9. Clos Mogador Priorat 2005

Piroca and company enjoyed this wine when they were visiting Spain last year. According to Piroca, this wine did not taste as good now as he remembered it tasting when he had it in Spain with nice tapas. It has a funky nose and is a bit on the austere side but otherwise it's good. We could not give it a 98, however.

P.S. This wine was tasted the next day (about a half bottle left) and it was much better than when we first tasted it. The funk nose dissipated and the wine had complex layers of taste.

98 points by Jay Miller, February 2008. Wine Advocate
"The 2005 Clos Mogador is the first wine in Spain entitled to the new classification of “Vi de finca Qualificada”. The estate is 20 hectares composing a single vineyard. The Garnacha wines are 80+ years of age while the other varieties (Carinena, Cabernet Sauvignon, Syrah) have been planted since the early 1980s. Average yields are under 10 hectoliters per hectare and only 2000 cases are produced. The winery has never purchased outside fruit. The wine is deep purple-colored with a superb bouquet of toasty oak, pencil lead, mineral, blackberry and black cherry. This leads to an opulent, dense, packed, structured wine with 6-8 years of aging potential. Super-concentrated, sweetly-fruited, and complex, this tour de force of a wine will drink well from 2012 to 2040. "