Friday Night Tasting November 19

This was a small tasting in attendance were Piroca and Jimmy. There were two covered bottles.

1. Robert Mondavi Cabernet Sauvignon Napa Valley

This was a very pleasant wine. The smell and taste was that of a typical Cali Cab. We both liked the smell better then the taste. It was deep in color with the taste of black fruits oaky and rich. No official score was give but I will give it a 2+ with a side note that uncle P was impressed with its PQR.

2. Robert Mondavi "Reserve" Napa Cabernet Sauvignon 2004

This is a wonderful wine! It is very complex with great depth. The smell has the richness that lingers. There is no need to drink just breath deeply and enjoy. Very dense purple color. Taste and smell of anise, smoky oak, cedar, black currants, spice, and leather. The is rich and long. This wine gets a 4+

The 2004 Mondavi is in the top 10 of the Wine Spectator 2007 top 100 list. It has a blend mostly form To-Kalon of 86% Cabernet Sauvignon, 12% Cabernet Franc, and the rest Petit Verdot

Friday Night Tastings, November 12, 2010

Tonight, there was a full complement of Aunties and Uncles, except Lady Sea and Uncle N, who could not make it. Our gracious host, uncle P, hosted the event offering some incredible wines and excellent hors d'oeuvres. Special guests were Auntie A and Uncle Grasshopper, Auntie Junebug with a cameo appearance of Uncle M. Most wines came uncovered.
This one, the Caymus 2007 is a favorite with the group, a truly excellent wine. Dark red rich creme brulee, vanilla and expresso coffee. Enormous on the palate, a classic, chewable wine. A long, lingering finish; it is too bad you have to swallow it.
It is amazing how this vineyard maintains high quality year after year. An easy 4+!

The Matriarch, 2006

This wine never disappoints the drinker. As a matriarch should, the 2006 is a very mature wine, even though is just four years old. The silky rich quality is always there, delivering the high-octane knock-out. A 4, for sure.

Kobalt, 2005

Kobalt wines tend to be tannic, if tasted before their time. This one was mellow and very good, without offering a tremendous fruit punch. Herbal notes with light cherry and cassis. A bit short finish. Still, excellent, a 3+.

Paul Hobbs, 2006

A great wine, as usual from the perfectionist Paul Hobbs. Dark, rich, apricot and ripe figs, blueberry with lemon zest and thyme. excellent. As far as I know, Hobbs does not believe in mixing grape types, it is always 100% of one varietal. Great, 3+ to 4. for instance

Chateau Latour, 2001

Legendary bottle. Excellent Bordeaux nose but without much funk; taste is wonderful for those who like these wines. Uncle E was very impressed, but the rest of Uncles and Aunties were less enthusiastic. Uncle P declared that he did not like "old wines". this may not be popular among devoted oenologist sophisticates, but I definitely share his view. Still, a good wine, 3+.

Chateauneuf du Pape, Clos mont Olivet

Ok, so this the another wine that we schlept back from France, using trains, planes, cars, and raw manpower and packed tightly in socks and underwear to keep it safe. The nose was ok, but the color (transparent, would put a pinot to shame) was disappointing. Taste: very weak, just like the color, without much flavor or character. Few were impressed with this wine. We had much better Rhone wines in France but this was not worth the effort. A 2, or less.

Caymus 1994

This bottle was covered up. We guessed it had to be an aged Italian, probably a Piedmont, uncle E's favorite. European, with flattish well-aged nose and taste, herbby, cedar and rosemary. To our great surprise, it was an early Caymus, 1994.
Uncle E swore that it was properly stored at 55F in his cellar, but he was disappointed by the wine's performance. We thought that it was an interesting wine, even though it had past its prime. We are familiar with this feeling...A 2.

Tenuto del Portale

A bottle of aglianico. A south Italian favorite with many. A good, fragrant nose with a fair taste, fruity but young, whatever that means. A 2.

In Flagrante, SQN

As it was one week ago, this promising SQN did not live up to its reputation. We suspected that it was not the genuine item, being part of the same vertical flight. Drinkable, but medicinal with cassis undertones. A 2+.

TASTING ON SATURDAY NIGHT, NOVEMBER 6, 2010

After three months absence, we are back in business. Present were Uncles P, Winepath and Auntie Jbug. We had some interesting (if not all great), wines tonight. We also had some home made foccacia to go along the wines. Some of the wines were brought back by us from our trip in the south of France. The photo is from a remote catalan village called Llo, in the French Pyrenees where we stayed in a 16th century inn.

Sine Qua Non, a doubtful vertical flight.

Uncle P brought us 2 opened bottles of Sine Qua Non, which represent a vertical sample of 1997 and 1998 from this well known boutique winery. He told us that he obtained these a while ago via the internet and after tasting them on Friday with Uncle Jimmy, they reached the conclusion that these wines were probably not SQN. We agreed with this. The nose on the wines was smokey and slightly sulfurous. Both wines, the 1997 in particular, were thin, flat and very unremarkable. They certainly did not taste like the great SQN should have, according to RP. While we cannot prove this, judging by the taste, these two wines are probably not SQN, and possibly were counterfeit wines.

A Languedoc-Rousillon meritage.

This wine, was bought together with the syrah (see the following item), from a winery in Languedoc-Roussillon, and it is a Merlot (60%) and cabernet (40%) meritage; quite pleasant but not as good as it originally tasted to us. Fruity, but young and thin wine, a 2.

Bourdic vineyards, Syrah

We cannot believe that we brought this wine back, all the way from France, fighting railway workers', firemen', garbage-men' and airline employee's strikes- just to taste this ,grapey, thin and uneventful wine. A 1+. At the time we tried it (in a little stone hamlet, not far from Avignon) it tasted fine, our host was very pleasant. See the attached photo of the church clock tower of the village.

Shafer, Hillside Select, 2002

To improve the mood, following the previous unremarkable crop of wines, Uncle P has offered the wonderful Hillside Select by Shafer. As before, this wine was in its prime, with the smokey, heavy (oily) nose and wonderful cassis, dark fruit, virginia tobacco and cinnamon flavors. You could almost chew this wine. An easy 4 to 4+!

The bridge of St. Benezet and the papal castle in Avignon

This is the famous Avignon bridge on the Rhone. It was named after St Benezet, who, as a shepherd boy, was helping eleventh century pilgrims cross the furious Rhone river. His grave is in a chapel on the bridge itself. If you are familiar with the song (..."sur" le pont d'Avignon, on y danse, on y danse..go on, sing if you'd like), you also must know that it was originally"sous", i.e under not "sur" le pont, that people were dancing to live music. After multiple destructive cycles by man and nature, only about half of this bridge is still standing. The "anti-popes'" palace can be seen in the background. One of these (there were nine) popes, namely John the XXII, had actually declared in the fourteenth century that the local wine was "le vin du Pape". Since this time, the Chateauneuf-du-Pape has evolved into a small but very famous wine region. The Rhone is the fastest river in France and it certainly resists most bridging attempts.

Retasting of Caliterra Tributo Carmere/Malbec 2006

Vina Caliterra Tributo Edicion Limitada Colchagua Valley Carmenere/Malbec 2006

We could not have our regular tasting this Friday. But I have something to add to last Friday's tasting notes. In the last tasting, we described this wine's nose as "quite assertive with chemical, skunky somewhat BO'ish notes" and "not sure how we differ on the perception of the nose from these professional tasters".

Since then, we (Uncle N and Lady SEA) tasted this wine twice and were pleasantly surprised (I had 3 bottles left and wasn't inclined to just throw them out). While the nose we experienced in last Friday's tasting was not pleasant at all, the nose for these two other bottles was quite all right. It had a nice black cherry/currant with some minerals and without any of the unpleasant chemical smell. The palate was the same as we tasted the previous Friday and it was not bad at all. So, this wine is indeed quite good and based on these subsequent tastings I will give it a solid 3 or even 3+. The only question is why did the first bottle have such an unpleasant nose? Was the bottle contaminated with some chemicals or was it the famous bad miasma of the venue interacting with the wine?

Wine tasting on July 16, 2010

This was indeed a hard week. It has been very hot as well--not to mention the earthquake. Buying wines on-line is getting to be a bit difficult in this weather. In any case, we had a tasting. Present were Uncle N and E, Piroca, and Winepath. Jimmy was on vacation. We tasted an  interestig mix of 5 wines including, God forbid, Bordeaux, and its extreme opposite Sloan.

1. Edna valley Cabernet Sauvignon 2007, Score=2

Color is dark garnet, slightly lighter than our usual wines. Nose is  somewhat muted. Because it was a bit warm, it also smelled alcoholic. Palate is rather muted but has some black fruit. It tasted very acidic to some, leading to rather moderate tannin. Piroca thought, though, it showed strong "tannicity", if such a word exists. Reasonable finish. We thought this was New World Cab. This one turned out to be from Edna Valley.

Winemaker's notes:
"Dark raspberry, blackberry and cassis take the lead in our 2007 Cabernet Sauvignon, tinged with sweet earth and toasted oak. Layers of rich forest fruit unfold across the midpalate, accented by anise and dusty cocoa. Neither daunting nor heavy, this Cabernet Sauvignon is a perfect marriage of robust character and smooth drinkability. The full flavors and well-balanced acids pair  well with rich, creamy foods such as chicken Cordon Bleu or seared steak dressed in herb butter."


2. Vina Caliterra Tributo Edicion Limitada Colchagua Valley Carmenere/Malbec 2006, score=2+

Color is dark garnet without any blue hue that we could detect. Nose is quite assertive with chemical, skunky somewhat BO'ish notes. Palate is much nicer than the nose with good upfront fruit laced with herbal note leading to moderate tannin with some acidic kick and reasonably lingering finish. Cab, Syrah, Italian, and Spanish were words uttered. This is an unusual blend of 60% Carmenere and 40% Malbec from Chile. I was a bit disappointed especially that the nose was not pleasant. I am not sure how we differ on the perception of the nose from these professional tasters below.

P.S. Please see an additional tasting note on this wine.

90 points by Jay Miller Wine Advocate # 179 (Oct 2008)
"The 2006 Tributo Edicion Limitada Carmenere (60%)-Malbec (40%) was barrel-fermented and aged for 14 months in French and American oak. It exhibits a nose of pain grille, pencil lead, spice box, black currant, and blackberry. This leads to a medium to full-bodied wine with layered fruit, savory black fruit flavors, and enough structure to evolve for 1-2 years. It will be at its best from 2010 to 2018. Caliterra’s less expensive Reserva lineup did not move me but the Tribute portfolio was excellent. Each of the wines spent 14 months in French and American oak."

90 points by  International Wine 

"Calitera’s blend of 60% Carmenere and 40% Malbec is a successful cuvée in which each variety complements the other. The Carmenere is soft and aromatic with low acidity, while the Malbec contributes fruity, floral aromas, tannic structure, and acidity. Dark ruby in color the wine exhibits a ripe nose of dark red fruit, blackberries, and smoky oak. It has good depth of flavor, excellent structure and balance and a long finish without any green notes."

By caliterra.com

Winemaker´s Notes: 

"This enchanting limited release is a unique exponent of what South America can give to the world by blending the two most distinctive vine varieties of the south cone. The delicate union between 60% Carmenère and 40% Malbec results in a wine with a beautiful deep red colour, fresh aromas, notes of ripe fruit, tobacco and rain forest. The Carmenère delivers a silky spicy edge while the Malbec stands out for its strength and sweetness. On the palate, the wine shows a great length, personality and elegance."

3. Cameron Hughes Lot 136 Cabernet Sauvignon Napa valley 2007, score=2+~3

Color is nice dark garnet. Nose is very pleasant with cherry note without any funk. Palate is also pleasant with upfront black fruit laced with vanilla and caramel leaving sweet taste in your mouth and ending in rather smooth well-integrated tannin. Finish is not bad. For some, the sweet taste was too much. Our consensus was Cali cab. This is one of Cameron Hughes wine which we got into after it was featured in WSJ. Among three lots we (at least some of us) tasted, this one appears to be the best. 

If you are interested, please read the WSJ article (the link above). He buys wines from well-known wine makers which would have been bottled and sold much more expensively using their own labels. Because of the economic down-turn, these wineries have extra-inventories that Cameron Huges buys and bottles under the "Cameron Hughes" label, simply naming the wine by lot number such as Lot 136. Initially, we could only get them through the website but now we see them everywhere from neighborhood wine stores to Costco. One of the problems is that if you find something you like and want to buy more, that particular lot may be all sold out. 
   

4.Chateau Canon la Gaffeliere 2003 score=2

Color is brown indicating either age or accelerated oxidation. Nose is funky with rubber tire and BO'ish notes. Palate is much better with very gentle smooth mouth feel with controlled sweet fruit with cedar overtones leading to mild tannin. The midpalate felt flat, though. We thought this was Italian or Bordeaux and came down on the side of Bordeaux. As per Uncle E, this was stored in his garage which may have seen some 80F temperature in recent days. Whether this wine was affected by this or this wine was supposed to taste like this reamins uncertain.

89 points by Rober Parker 

One of St.-Emilion’s most consistently high quality estates, particularly since the late 1980s, this 50-acre estate is situated on clay and limestone soils in the appellation’s southern sector. The vineyard consists of 55% Merlot, 40% Cabernet Franc, and 5% Cabernet Sauvignon. Performing slightly better from bottle than it did from cask, the 2003 is a soft, relatively evolved style of wine. Up-front and forward, with a complex, perfumed (smoke, incense, fruitcake) style, it offers creme de cassis, cherry, plum, fig, incense, and cedar characteristics on the palate. The round, opulent attack quickly fades in the finish. Nevertheless, it possesses plenty of appeal, and is the most accessible Canon-La-Gaffeliere I have tasted. Drink it over the next decade."

Winemaker's notes:
"Remarkably well-structured, always elegant, and unfailingly long on the palate, Château Canon La Gaffelière eloquently illustrates Stephan von Neipperg's new orientation.
A rather "intellectual" wine with a great deal of finesse that is relatively open even in its youth... There is always a floral side to enhance its fruitiness, with hints of forest floor. A great pleasure on both the nose and the palate. Fine and delicate."

5. Sloan Proprietary Red 2006, score=3+~4-

Color is very dark garnet, almost black. Nose is very pleasant with lilac and dark chocolate. Palate is definitely New World with complex back fruit laced with vanilla leading to firm big tannin. We thought the tannin was still a bit too big and overly oaky. We all thought this is a high-end Cali cab (came in a big body builder bottle). This is Sloan 2006. Some of us may even prefer their second label "Asterisk" which we tasted before. Certainly this wine will evolve as it bottle ages. As per Prioca, among the all expensive high-end cali cab he tastes this one may be the least favorite of his.

98 points, Robert Parker, Wine Advocate December 2009

"The 2006 is performing even better from bottle than it did from barrel. Sloan and McClellan decided to bottle it later than usual, recognizing the rugged, tough tannins of the vintage could be sweetened up with longer barrel aging. Their strategy worked. The wine’s dense ruby/purple color is followed by notes of white chocolate, burning embers, creme de cassis, coffee, and scorched earth (think Haut-Brion or La Mission Haut-Brion). It possesses terrific structure, melted, well-integrated tannins, full body, and is already bursting with complexity. A great success, it is one of the vintage’s most thrilling wines. Drink it over the next 20-25 years."

93-96 points, Stephen Tanzer May 2008

"Deep ruby. Superripe aromas of blueberry, liquid graphite, violet, licorice and dark chocolate. Large-scaled, dense and primary; more muscular and a bit less harmonious at this early stage than the 2005 but also wonderfully creamy. Not quite as sweet yet on the back end, but brooding, tooth-dusting tannins and a sappy mineral pungency give this wine great structure for further development in barrel and a long life in bottle. Winemaker Martha McClellan told me she has been barrel-fermenting a growing portion of the merlot here, which typically makes up about 10% or 12% of the blend."

Wine Tastig on July 9, 2010

Last week, Winepath and I could not attend the wine tasting and the rest of the crew appeared to move off site and ended up doing serious bar hopping including the wine bar "Cork".  This week we were back in our regular venue. Present were Uncle E, Uncle N, Winepath, Piroca and Jimmy. We had a special guest, honorable Uncle G from Texas. We blind tasted 7 wines.

1. Chateau Cote Montpezat 2000, Score=2

This wine got a mixed review and also is noted for a quick change after some aeration. Color has distinctive brown tinge indicating age and our guest precisely pinpointed "10 years" for the age of this wine. Nose has some tabacco with black cherry. Palate is muted with cedar and herbs and a hint of chocolate ending in moderate tannin and rather long finish. It left the  mouth somewhat dry. Some complained this wine taste "thin" throughout. Italian, Northern Rhone, and finally possible Bordeaux were also mentioned. In the second tasting, the nose attained some funk and the palate became very flat. Our special guest liked this wine initially but in the end, nobody liked this wine. This is a  Bordeaux or, more precisely, Cotes de Castillon. We have tasted this before and we did not like it then but I bought this back (fortunately my last bottle) for our guest since he said he liked Bordeaux. This is what we said then;

"Color is dark garnet. Nose has slight funk with herbs, lanolin and green pepper. Palate is rather austere with muted black fruits with mid palate of bacon or roasted meat ending in firm tannin and well-matched acidity. Uncle-E said “weak on fruits but strong in structure”. Initial impression was Italian (winepath), French (Uncle-E) but not Bordeaux, probably Southern France. But after some re-sniffing and re-tasting and some unintended help from Uncle-N, consensus was that this was from France probably Bordeaux. This was indeed Bordeaux, Cotes de Castillon to be exact (right bank) and made of 70% Merlot, 20% Cabernet Franc and 10 % Cabernet Sauvignon. So our tasters were pretty on the money."

6. Bodegas Y Vinedos Maurodos Toro San Román 2004, Score=2+~3

Color is dark garnet with faint blue hue. Nose is very nice with some coconut and buttery notes. Palate has nice upfront black fruit with caramel and vanilla leaving some sweetness in the mouth.  Tannin is firm but well-integrated. Reasonable finish. This is a rather big wine. Spanish was first mentioned; garnacha, tempranillo and, "may be from Priorat" were among the words uttered. Uncle E thought this was Aussi Cab. This is San Roman from Toro made of 100% Tinto de Toro (Tempranillo). We tasted 03 vintage before.  This one was selected as #7 of Top 100 by WE in 2008 but we were not as impressed as WE and WS did.

95 points by Wine Enthusiast
Editor's Choice #7 Top 100 2008
"About as good as it gets in terms of a powerful, fully oaked modern wine that still guards its core identity while offering plenty of straightforward drinking pleasure. San Roman in 2004 is a high-speed train with agile fruit and bracing acidity more dominating than, say, tannic might or alcoholic heat. Among the brave new world of modern wines from Toro this is one of the very best. 6,500 cases produced. M.S. (6/1/2008)"

94 points by Wine Spectator
Top 100: 2008, Rank: 36
"Alluring plum, blackberry, cola and spice cake flavors are rich and balanced in this expressive Spanish red. There's plenty of structure, but it doesn't get in the way of the flavors, and the spicy, floral finish is long and fresh. Best after 2009. 6,100 cases made. –TM  Nov 30, 2008"

92 points by Jay Miller Wine Advocate # 175 (Feb 2008)
"The 2004 San Roman, 100% Tinta de Toro, was aged for 22 months in French and American oak, mostly new, prior to bottling without filtration. It is purple-colored with a lovely perfume of toasty oak, mineral, spice box, violet, lavender, and blackberry. Sweet, layered, and structured, this muscular effort will evolve for 5-7 years in the cellar and drink well through 2025." 

3. Glaymond Landrace Shiraz/Mataro Barossa valley 2003, Score=2+

Color is dark garnet/brown. Because of the brown tinge, our guest said it was about 8 years old (which is not far off at all). Nose has some sewer funk but it is not strong. It does not have any black pepper or jus de viande note. Palate is a bit on the austere side but has good black fruit especially cassis laced with herbs such as mint and rather asertive "oak" ending in a big chewy tannin. Right bank Brodeaux, Priorat, Aussie cab or Shiraz were among the wines mentioned. This is indeed from Barossa valley but it is a rather interesting mix of 60% shiraz and 40% Mataro (Mourvedre). We tasted another Glaymond (Grenache) from the same vintage. This is a very interesting wine and is rather elusive wine to find any professional reviews.

90 Points -The Wine Advocate
"The earth and spice- driven 2003 Landrace is a blend of 60% Shiraz and 40% Mataro. With tremendous intensity as well as an austere, earthy personality, it offers hints of incense, black tea, cranberries, and black currants. This big, deep, chewy red should be enjoyed over the next decade."

4. Matriach 2006, score=3+

Color is very dark blackish garnet. Nose is nice but has a hint of funk with caramel and vanilla. Palate is front loaded with layers and layers of black fruit with usual caramel and vanilla but rather complex. We felt this is a tad over-oaked and tannin is quite big and a bit rough drying out the mouth.  But this is clearly the style most of us love. Our verdict was a high-end Cali cab. This is Matriarch 2006. We have tasted this before. This wine is still a bit too young and definitely requires some bottle aging.

92 Points by James Laube, Wine Spectator (November 2009)"Delicious, pure, rich and structured, with ripe cherry, plum, blackberry, mineral, anise and sage flavors that gain weight and depth. Full-bodied and firmly tannic, ending on a pleasant earthy note. Drink now through 2016."

90 Points by Robert Parker The Wine Advocate (December 2009)

"Starting with the Matriarch, this wine is the easiest to drink young. Dark plum/purple, with plenty of smoke, black currants, espresso roast, oak, and chocolate, the 2006 is dense, round, and best drunk over the next decade."

5. Rodney Strong Cabernet Sauvignon 2007, Score=2+

This was an extra bottle Uncle N brought up since we finished tasting the previous 4 wines and Uncle E still had not shown up. Color is dark garnet with purple hue. Nose has no funk and has some black pepper and sweet fruit. Palate is nicely loaded with black fruit with buttery and oaky notes leading to well-crafted tannin. Cab, Spanish, Shiraz were mentioned. This is a classic cab from Alexander valley. There is nothing spectacular but would be a nice everyday wine.

91 Points - Wine & Spirits
"Cool dark cherry flavors build on this wine's lovely texture. It's light in weight, but the flavor continues straight through, finishing on resinous spice. Ready to drink with rare prime rib."
 
From the Winery
"The Alexander Valley signature profile is evident in this delicious cabernet: bold fruit aromas and flavors centered on red plum and boysenberry, and a rich and mouthfilling texture with soft tannins, all of which we’ve framed in the finest oak barrels for 21 months. Enjoy over the next 3 to 6 years.
Rod Strong recognized the Alexander Valley as an ideal place to grow cabernet sauvignon as far back as 1971, when he planted our first cabernet vineyard on a hill known as Alexander’s Crown. Today, we proudly farm over 200 acres of estate cabernet on the benches and hillsides above the valley floor, where cabernet displays the finest expression of the Alexander Valley terroir."


6. Ramey Jericho Canyon Vineyard 750ML 2001, Score=3+~4


Color is dark garnet. Nose is a classic cab nose, very pleasant without any funk and with herbal notes such as mint, fennel and rosemary. Palate is nicely layered with black fruit laced with caramel, dark chocolate and vanilla which is not overdone and very well controlled. Tannin is good and silky smooth with a lingering long finish.  For most of us, this was the favorite of the evening. This was Uncle E's last bottle. It is amazing to have such different scores between RP and WS but we are definitely aligned with RP. We have tasted 05 vintage before.

96 points by Robert Parker (Feb 2005)
"The top wine, the Jericho Canyon Proprietary Red, emerges from a vineyard northeast of Calistoga. The inky/purple-colored 2001 Jericho Canyon Proprietary Red offers up a sumptuous perfume of licorice, espresso roast, graphite, blackberries, and currants. Unctuously-textured, with tremendous purity, high tannin, and a long finish, it reminds me of the old style vintages of Mayacamas Cabernet Sauvignon from the late sixties to the mid-seventies."

89 points by Wine Spectator (Feb 29 2004)
"Pushes ripeness to the max, with the blackberry and wild berry flavors approaching pruny. Rich, concentrated and well-balanced, those who enjoy ripeness will find this well-done; others may find it over done in ripeness. Cabernet Sauvignon, Merlot and Cabernet Franc. Best from 2005 through 2012. 1,700 cases made. –JL "

7. Joseh Phelps Cabernet Sauvignon 2005, Score=3+

When we thought we had finished the tasting, Jimmy brought out this bottle. Color is nice dark garnet (the color of Cali Cab which we are very familiar with). Nose has very faint "sweaty foot' protein-related funk but is otherwise pleasent. Palate is nicely loaded with mixed fruit with black fruit predomiating laced with usual vanilla and caramel leading to nicely integrated smooth tannin and with a resonable finish. We thought this was a classic well made Cali cab but because of the nose, considered Chilean cab as well. I should have recognize this one. We tasted this before several times.

91 Points, Stephen Tanzer's International Wine Cellar - "Good full ruby. Very primary aromas of blackberry, cassis and bitter chocolate. Broad and suave; not as sweet as the 2004 but there's no shortage of size here. Boasts lovely vibrancy and finishes with sweet tannins and excellent length."

90 points and one star from the Connoisseurs' Guide to California Wine:
"Here is a deep and yet relatively winsome young Cabernet that strikes a different stance than those in the brooding, muscle-bound crowd. Rich and wide open with sweet fruit and oak to spare, it is an overt and hedonistic wine whose pleasures need no searching to find. It has tannin enough for structure and it shows the right kind of grip at the finish, and its great virtues of plentiful fruit and fine balance are the prerequisites for a half-dozen years of further growth." (August 2008)

Stats from the Winery:
"BLEND & GRAPE SOURCES:90% Cabernet Sauvignon, 6% Merlot and 4% Petite Verdot from estate-owned vineyards (75%) and independent growers (25%).
HARVEST DATES: September 10 – November 3, 2005.
WINEMAKING DATA:Grapes were harvested at an average 24.7º Brix, fermented in stainless steel tanks, then aged 18 months in a combination of new French and American oak barrels (50%) and two-year-old oak (50%) from coopers Sylvain, Demptos, Nadalie, Canton, Taransaud, Vicard and World Cooperage."

Mica Cabernet Sauvignon 2006, the second label of Buccella

Winepath and the others were raving about this wine but on the two occasions they tried it, I was not at the tasting (I am not sure that was intentional on their part or not). Finally Winepath got a bottle for me from Dean and Deluca. But before I could bust into the bottle, I injured my foot and I was in a removable walking cast and on NSAID for several days which precluded me from tasting any wine. Finally things were looking up and I had my chance.
We totally agree with Winepath that this is excellent. Nose is very distinctive and similar to Buccella wines. Deep black cherry aroma laced with caramel. This does not describe it adequately but it is rather unique.  Palate is very nicely front loaded with layers of black fruit, berries with caramel and vanilla but everything comes together so nicely with smooth glycerin mouth feel leading to firm but silky tannin and long lingering finish. This has a better PQR than Buccella and is almost as good.

Wine tasting on June 25, 2010

We were back in our regular venue and our tasters again complained about oak miasmas. Present were Uncle E, Uncle N, Winepath and Piroca. Jimmy was on vacation. For a change, uncle E was first to arrive. We blind tasted 6 wines but one of them appears to have gone bad while stored in Uncle E's bathroom.

1.Bodegas Castan Solanera 2005, Score=2+

Color is dark garnet with a brownish hue. Nose has no funk with lemon oil and cherry. Palate is a bit muted but the black cherry came through leading to somewhat "powdery" tannin with rather strong acidity at the end. We thought this was a New World wine; red blends with many grapes and guessed South America, specifically Chile being the country of origin. Of course we were wrong. This is from Spain. This is a new wine region of Spain in the "sunny" South. This is not bad (although the acidity bothers me). It has a high PQR.

winemaker's notes:"The name comes from "Finca La Solana" - very sunny in Spanish. From 40+ year old vines.
Varieties: 65% Monastrell, 20% Cabernet Sauvignon, 15% Garnacha Tintorera"

90 points by International Wine Cellar:

"Saturated purple. Smoky raspberry and cherry on the nose, with a sexy mocha quality adding complexity. Fleshy, round dark fruit liqueur flavors caress rather than pummel the palate. Gentle tannins arrive late to add structure but this is all about silky, juicy fruit."

From K&L wine:

"91 points and listed as a "Spanish Wine Bargain Under $20" by Robert Parker's Wine Advocate, no tasting note given. 90 points from Stephen Tanzer's International Wine Cellar: ........ Solanera is a slightly unusual blend of 65% Monastrell, 20% Cabernet Sauvignon and 15% Tintorera from the warm climate region of Yecla. What is not unusual about it is it bold rich flavors. There is something that reminds me here of great Cotes-du-Rhone or even Chateauneuf-du-Pape, there is that same sort of deep tar like concentration, all counter-balanced by a fine, fresh, herbal character. Fine cracked white pepper and beef au jus define the aromatics here, this is not shy about what it contains. Sappy but bone dry, this has a coating, glycerin-like boysenberry fruit feel to it all the while fennel and wild thyme refresh and clean the palate. All this is bound together nicely by grainy tannins that melt away easily enough. (Bryan Brick, K&L) "

2. Optima Wine Cellars Dry Creek Valley Unfiltered Zinfandel 2006, Score=2+


Color is dark garnet and slightly lighter than our usual suspects. Nose is muted but no funk. Palate has nice upfront black fruit, blue berry, black berry, and plum laced with caramel and vanilla ending in moderate tannin. Piroca did not like this wine and said acidic and thin. But he is the only one who said this was Zin. The rest thought this was New World cab. This is from Winepath's Sonoma estate neighbour. It is made of 90% Zinfandel, 10% Petite Sirah and the winemaker is Mike Duffy.

90 points By Wine Enthusiast:
"Some Zins are “claret style,” made with the elegant structure of Cabernet Sauvignon. Not this one. It’s pure, classic Dry Creek, showing that region’s robust, slightly rustic tannins, explosive wild berry fruit and loads of briary, peppery tannins. It’s a very fine Zin that calls for upscale beef, pork and chicken dishes."  S.H.   (12/31/2009)

By Optima Winery
"The 2006 Zinfandel is a ripe full-flavored, exceptionally easy going Zinfandel. The wine delivers the regions classic robust wild berry fruit, balanced by creamy vanilla. The tannins are smooth and round and the expansive mid-palate leads to a firm and persistent finish. The balance of this quintessential Zinfandel allows great versatility with food. The 2006 vintage was produced from fruit grown on the eastern bench of Dry Creek Valley, 200 feet above the valley floor. The vineyard experiences cool, foggy mornings and rather hot days. Because there is a substantial difference between daytime and nighttime temperatures, the growing season lasts longer, so the grapes mature more slowly. Harvested on October 22, 2006, at 26.5 degrees brix, the fruit was gently crushed and destemmed, and fermented 10 days to dryness. Following pressing, the wine was clarified natu-rally by settling, and them moved to small oak cooperage where it aged for 12 months. We used a blend of sixty gallon French and American oak barrels to both enhance and complement the wonderful berry aromas."

3. Maroon Spring Mountain Cabernet Sauvignon 2007, Score=3

Color is nice dark garnet but has distinctive blue or purple hue. Nose is perfumey with some resin character. Palate is front loaded with fruit mostly black fruit especially black cherry laced with vanilla and dark chocolate leading to big chewy tannin. There is sweetness in the mid palate. Our tasters were a bit buffled. Based on the purple color, Malbec, Syrah and Petite verdot were considered but the palate is more like Cali cab. All agreed that this is New World wine. Spanish, may be Garnacha, was memtioned trying to explain the sweetness this wine has. We tasted two vintages (03 and 05) wines from this winery under the name of "Crauford" and  we liked them. With the  '07 vintage, they started using the "Maroon" name for their wines. This wine contains 9% Merlot.

By Marron Winery.com
"This wine is full of red and blue berry aromas. It has a bright fruit profile. It also has some nice lighter tones of floral aromas and well-integrated oak on the nose. It is a medium bodied wine with very nice balance and well integrated tannins. The flavors are a little darker than the aromas suggest, following through with chocolate, berry, cocoa and black licorice. There is s subtle grip of light chewy tannins on the finish. This wine is best served after an hour of decanting."

By Jonathan Newman:
"Paul Maroon, who has owned many choice vineyards in Napa Valley has just started producing wine under his own Maroon label with the release of the gorgeous 2007 Napa Valley Cabernet Vintage. Many of Maroon’s wines were vented under the Crauford label for almost the past decade. In addition to his ultra premium Maroon Vineyard Cabernet, he has introduced two additional Cabernets, including a beauty from the Spring Mountain District. Spring Mountain is known for growing very distinct dark and intense Cabernets and received AVA recognition in 1993, and is home to prominent wineries like Behrens and Hitchcock, Cain, Paloma and Newton. It is located above the Town of St. Helena on the Eastern slopes of the Mayacamas Mountains and it contains only about 30 wineries. The Maroon Spring Mountain Cabernet by winemaker Chris Corley has a luscious mix of black, red and blue fruits, including black cherries, dark plum, cassis and dark chocolate with touches of a nutmeg spice box. This wine is should be aerated or decanted and is best drank from 2011 to 2016. Only 1,000 cases produced. (J.N.)"


4. Asterisk Red by Sloan 2005, score=3+~4

Color is very dark garnet. Nose is nice but some protein (jus  de viande) note and some mentioned "blood"-like note. Palate is loaded with back fruit laced with usual vanilla, chocolate plus minerals and herbal, vegital characters (in a good way) leading to big chewy tannin and a long lingering finish. This tasted really like a high-end Cali Cab. We all liked it. We tasted this wine previously.

This is the second label of the cult winery "Sloan" and not much was written about it.


5. Neal Cabernet sauvignon 2002, Score=3+~4

Color is dark garnet. Nose has no funk and has a classic cab nose. Palate is nicely fruit loaded with black cherry, blueberry etc. Maybe a bit on the oaky side but a nice wine with firm tannin and long finish. Our consensus was Cali Cab.

92 points by Wine Spectater, (11/15/2005) "A bold, ripe, seductive style that packs in lots of flashy mocha and chocolaty oak, but also a delicious core of vivid blackberry, cherry and currant flavors. On the finish, the flavors come together in a rich, harmonious way. Best from 2007 through 2013. 133 cases made."

From the winery:
"November 15, 2004 - When the 2002 wines were youngsters in early 2003, we recognized the fact that the intensity of color, flavor and structure were such that we expected a longer aging period was needed to achieve the balance we strive for. Just like in our farming operations, every procedure is determined by what the vines and wines require for the highest quality. Repeating the same formula as was used the previous year won’t allow us to improve, and trying to stay within a schedule just for marketing purposes is not the way to make the best wine."
 
6. Valsacro Dioro Rioja 2001, No score

We tasted this twice before. Forewarned from previous experience, this time most of us only sniffed and did not allow this wine to cross our lips. Nose has pungent vinegary character and we deemed this wine "turned" and undrinkable. Uncle E won't give up on this wine. But trust us, bad miasma from the bathroom has not improved this stuff--Please do not bring this wine again, Uncle E. At least, he knew something like this might happen so, as a backup, he brought the Neal. Good thinking.

The first time we tasted this we  gave a 1 and said;
"The nose is most unpleasant with sulfa, "fecal", rubber and some herbal note (cut grass), in another word, smell of dog poop in your cluttered backyard with old tires piled up in the corner after mowing. Austere palate with tastes of tannin and acid. Not much fruits. The nose turned off many of us. This wine is made from 50% tempranillo, 40% grenacha (grenache or garnacha ---- so many different spelling), and 10% from mazuela (carignan)."

The second time we tasted it we gave score of 2 (improvement) and said;
"Color is dark brown/garnet. Nose has some sweaty feet notes but this is not too strong initially. Palate is bit austere but with some black fruit with coffee (espresso) component and chocolate leading to firm tannin and crisp acidity in the back end. After some air time, the nose became a bit strong to me but others did not mind it as much as I did. This turned out to be Rioja. I thought the label looks familiar. We tasted this before. At that time, we did not like this wine at all and gave a score of 1. "

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. "

Wine tasting on 6-11-2010

This was not quite a wine tasting. At the last moment, Piroca suggested we taste wines at his new place where he just moved in. Present were Jimmy, Prioca and Uncle-N. Uncle-E arrived just before Uncle-N had to leave for another engagement. Winepath was out of town on business and vicariously joined in by text messaging. Upon arrival we had an incident. When we entered the house, we smelled incense from the scented candle Piroca had burning.
There was also a whiff of Bordeaux-like funk which the smell of the candle could not cover up. What happened was a little mouse somehow fell into a narrow and deep space between two cabinets in the kitchen and met his creator. He now imparted a heavy Bordeaux-like aroma. Jimmy's excellent handy man skills come into use. He put crushed dry ice from the top of the cabinets and left it for 30 minutes and then took off the bottom piece of wood which was sealing the bottom of the narrow space between the cabinets. The operation was a success. Even solidly frozen, the little fellow was quite pungent. R.I.P. (and their comment on the deleterious effect of the oak smell miasma imparted on the wine at our other venue.) Finally, we could evaluate the nose of the wines without too much interference. We really did not do a tasting so I will just record what we had. I am sure more bottles were opened after I left.

1. Fattoria Viticcio Chianti Classico Riserva 2006


I knew we would not like this wine but this got 93 points and #35 of 100 best wines of 2009 by Wine Spectator and I could not resist. It was rather austere. This is not our type of wine. Chianti Clasico Reserva made of 95% Sangiovese, 5% Merlot from Tuscany.

93 points By Wine Spectator, Issue: Oct 15, 2009
Top 100: 2009, Rank: 35
"Designation: Highly Recommended
Fabulous aromas of blackberry, dark chocolate and flowers follow through to a full-bodied palate, with supersilky tannins and amazing richness and subtlety. Goes on for minutes on the palate. Best from 2010 through 2015. 2,345 cases made." –JS

91 ponts By Wine Enthusiast, 6/1/2009
"Lush richness and velvety concentration set this wine apart from most Chianti Classico. The blend includes 15% Merlot (which is a lot) and you can really taste spice, chocolate fudge and black cherry. Determined oak notes reveal themselves in the mouth and add to the wine’s overall richness." M.L. 

2. Pride Merlot 2006

We tasted the 05 vintage of this wine and liked it then and gave 3+. The 2006 vintage is also good. Using their advantage of having vineyards straddling both Sonoma and Napa counties, the 58% of the fruit is from Sonoma side and 42% from Napa side and also has some cabernet fruit. We will definitely give over 90.

92 points by Connoisseurs' Guide:

"Wispy suggestions of loam and briar are almost obscured by chocolate and cherries in the highly ripe aromas of this one, but, the wine judiciously takes a step back in the mouth from excess and eschews simple ripeness in favor of sweet oak and deep, fully extracted fruit. Its pushy tannins do get in the way of early enjoyment, but it is certain to smooth and expand over half a decade or more. "

89 points by Wine Spectator:

"Dense and rich, displaying currant, licorice and spice aromas, with concentrated plum, espresso and loamy flavors that finish with firm, minerally tannins. Best from 2011 through 2015. Tasted twice, with consistent notes. 6,077 cases made. "

winemaker's notes:"From our vineyard atop Spring Mountain, the 2006 vintage produced wines of generous richness and expressive aromatics, and our Merlot is no exception. Red cherry, raspberry, cocoa and tar notes in the nose frame a broad wine with plenty of stuffing. With the first sip, the sensuous mouthfeel leads into the wine's more serious side, as weighty but sweet tannins extend into a minutes-long finish. The blend is made up of 81% Clone 181 Merlot, contributing classic red fruit and bright acidity, 7% Clone 3 Merlot, adding heady floral and black fruit notes, and 11% Cabernet Sauvignon from our terraced Canyon Ranch vineyard block, bringing structure and focus to the final cuvée. A wine for Cabernet lovers, our Merlot is no wine to underestimate, and will continue to evolve over ten to twelve years in the bottle."

3. Hess 19 block cuvee 2006

Piroca initially thought this had a dead mouse nose but apparently that was indeed from the dead mouse and this wine has fine nose after all. A very decent wine, indeed.


92 points by Wine Enthusiast:

"A very fine wine, basically a Bordeaux blend except with a splash of Syrah, which adds a meat and violet flower note to the ripe, powerful black currants. New oak shows up in the smoky, cedary overlay. It’s a tannicly dry wine, in the way of Napa mountain Cabs, but so balanced and refined, you can drink it now. Should develop through 2012."

winemaker's notes:"From the highest elevations of our Mount Veeder vineyards, early ripening red varietals have been planted for their compatibility with these vineyards specific growing conditions. The result is a layered Cabernet Sauvignon based wine with pronounced fruit characteristics that are balanced by supple tannins."

4. Girard Diamond Mountain Cabernet Sauvignon 2005


Nice wine. Tasted like a classic Napa cab.

95 Poiint by Wine Enthusiast

"Where Girard’s estate Cab is beautiful now, their Diamond Mountain bottling is one for the cellar. Veteran winemaker Marco DiGiulio has applied his considerable experience, with classic results. The wine is marked by firm tannins that make it astringent and sticky. But underneath all that is an explosion of currant, plum, licorice, chocolate and spicy curry flavor that dazzles. Should easily age for a long time in a proper cellar. Production was a paltry 325 cases, and worth the search. "

92 points by Wine Advocate:

"Slightly more earthy, displaying hints of burning embers, creme de cassis, new saddle leather, plums, and spice, is the full-bodied, powerful, opaque ruby/purple-tinged 2005 Cabernet Sauvignon Diamond Mountain. With loads of potential, with 2-3 years of cellaring, it should turn out to be as good as the Pritchard Hill. When Leslie Rudd purchased the old Girard estate, resurrected a new winery, and replanted much of the Oakville vineyards, the Rudd Estate became increasingly well-known, and the name “Girard” was seemingly forgotten. However, these Girard cuvees beg for attention."

91 points by Wine Spectator:

"Offers a smooth, rich core of earthy currant, wild berry, mineral and sage, along with the structure, focus, concentration and depth to merit your attention. Ends with a long, layered, complex finish. Best from 2011 through 2018. 325 cases made."

winemaker's notes:"The 2005 vintage offers lush blackberry, anise and cherry at the beginning, with hints of clove layered throughout. Extended maceration ensures soft, integrated tannins. This medium to full-bodied Cabernet is very approachable now with proper decanting, and should age well for 20 years."

5. Bressler Cabernet Sauvignon 2005

This one has a bit musty nose but otherwise a fine wine. This wine is made from 87% Cabernet Sauvignon, 6% Cabernet Franc, 4% Merlot, 3% Petite Verdot. Piroca tells us that their praised vines' roots were infested with nematodes and they had to rip them all up.

From the Winery website:

Tasting notes from Mia Klein:

"The 2005 vintage gave ample rain in the winter, charging up the soil water profile for a very nice growing season. Temperatures were moderate and consistent from early spring through October. Both the mature, established Cabernet Sauvignon vines and the now five year old Cabernet Franc, Merlot, and Petite Verdot vines produced some wonderful juice.

In terms of volume and concentration this is one of the most exceptional Bressler has produced, with aromas of dark chocolate, black truffle,  raspberry and blackberry fruits, malty caramel, and lavender notes. In the mouth the tannins are almost silky fine with a very long finish and the mid palate offers some rich flavors.  The wine has plenty of structure and intensity for good aging, but with plenty enough finesse for enjoyment in the near term.

This wines shows well young but will continue to improve over the next several years."