Wine tasting on November 20, 2009

Present were Winepath, Uncle-N, Jimmy and a guest appearance of Uncle-OZ. Piroca had another engagement and Uncle-E was again MIA. We had a special tasting of Chateau Winepath Grand Vin Cabernet Sauvignon 2008. Then, we blind tasted 4 wines. All 4 were quite decent.

1. Chateau Winepath Grand Vin Cabernet Sauvignon 2008, No score given

This is the formal debut of Winepath's Grand Vin 08 which was just bottled last week. Since it is too young to be evaluated properly, we will postpone scoring his wine. Color is nice dark garnet without turbidity (the best color so far of all Chateau Winepath vintages).  Nose, well, nose is a bit of a problem. It has a bit of turpentine or lacquer or solvent-like note. Since this nose was much stronger at the barrel tasting, this may dissipate further (let's hope). Palate is more classic Brodeaux-like with muted black fruit leading to nice moderate tannin and good long finish. Another problem may be that there is an acidic edge which makes this wine tasting a bit unbalanced.

We are very impressed that Winepath single handedly created quite a wine. Winepath himself could add more comments (he did, see below) here. Let us try his wine, may be one year or so later and see how it will develop.

Winemaker's notes: The Cabernet sauvignon grapes were from California's Central Valley and Napa Valley. Fresh grapes were stemmed by hand, crushed and cold-soaked for 36 hours prior to fermentation, which lasted six days at an average of 69 degrees F. The heavy cap was broken by hand twice a day during fermentation. When the Brix sank to 0 (starting at 24.5) the juice was pressed using an Italian vertical bladder press. The wine was aged in a new small 7.9 gallon French oak barrel for 13 months before bottling. The estimated alcohol content was 14%.

We thought Winepath should send his grand vin to RP since he lives rather close. If he gave this wine a high score his wines could become another cult wine.

2. Saggi 2007, Score=2+~3

Color is nice dark garnet with bluish tinge. Nose is pleasant with some meat and herbs, particularly sumac (like Merguez sausage as per Winepath). Palate is bit subdued with mixed black fruit with some blueberry taste leading to nice well-crafted tannin. Some felt this was too acidic others felt the acidity was well balanced. It has a nice long finish. Spanish (Tempranillo), California red blend with Merlot and P. Verdot (because of blue color) and Argentinian Malbec (may be because of blue color and sumac/lemony nose?) were suggested. We have tasted the 2004 vintage of this wine "Saggi". This is an interesting wine from Washington state, Columbia Valley. The Vineyard is called "Long Shadow" and several different wine makers from outside make different style wines. This one, Saggi, (I was told that "saggi" means "wise or wisdom" in Italian) is a North American version of a Super Tuscan. The wine makers are Ambrogio and Giovanni Folonari. Here is some info from the Long Shadow Vineyard web site.

"The Folonaris are among Italy’s oldest and most prestigious Tuscan wine families with a winemaking history dating back to the late 1700s.
Tasting Notes: Fresh, bright fruit combines with delicate notes of ripe, wild strawberry and well-integrated wood spice. A slight earthiness enhances the wine’s complexity and flavor. Silky in texture with a lengthy finish."

Vintage: "The Columbia Valley experienced an unusual heat wave in the spring of 2007 just before bloom that resulted in smaller-than-average berries, adding concentration and flavor to the grapes. Good set after bloom, ideal summer conditions and a mild September marked by warm days and cool nights allowed the grapes to ripen slowly and evenly, resulting in wines distinctive for their excellent natural acidity and deep, intense flavor."

Winemaking: "Hand-picked grapes were fermented in two-ton tanks, with particular care given to the Sangiovese, a delicate grape that requires gentle handling to avoid green character. To add richness on the mid-palate, the Folonaris extended Sangiovese maceration on the skins for 25 - 35 days. The wine was aged 18 months in 55% new French oak barrels, with the used barrels selected to enhance the wine’s fruit character and allow the Sangiovese to express itself.
Vineyards: Giovanni Folonari is a frequent visitor to the Columbia Valley and has quickly found the vineyards that allow him to craft a wine that combines Columbia Valley terroir with Tuscan style. Relying on vineyards that have been the primary source of this wine in previous vintages, Giovanni selected Sangiovese predominately grown in the Horse Heaven Hills for its balance and bright fruit character. Horse Heaven Cabernet Sauvignon, from Alder Ridge Vineyard and The Benches, adds complexity and earthiness. Yakima Valley Syrah contributes to the wine’s balance and freshness."

Alcohol: 14.6% pH: 3.75 TA: 0.58 grams / 100ml Blend: 43% Sangiovese 36% Cabernet Sauvignon 21% Syrah Release date: October 2009 Production: 2,145 cases

3. Tait "The ball buster" red 2007, Score=3+

This one came in with a screw top bottle. Color is dark with slight brownish hue. Nose is good and pleasant. Palate is very fruit forward with plum and black fruit  leading to nice well-integrated tannin. Finish is a bit short. Everybody liked this wine and the consensus was Cali Cab. This is "the ball buster" from Barossa, a mixture of Shiraz, Cab, and Merlot. We had the 05 vintage before and gave score=3. High PQR.

92 points from Robert Parker's Wine Advocate: "The Ball Buster blend has been an annual Best Buy and, even at the current asking price, the 2007 The Ball Buster is an awesome value (at least for hedonists). It is composed of 72% Shiraz, 17% Cabernet Sauvignon, and 11% Merlot aged for 12 months in seasoned French and American oak. Opaque purple-colored, it has a nose of cedar, leather, spice box, and blueberry that leaps from the glass. This is followed by a plush, full-bodied wine with gobs of flavor and superior length. This easy-to-understand effort defines the meaning of over-delivering and will do so for another four years."

90 Points from International Wine Cellar: "Ruby-red. Spicy red and dark berry aromas are deepened by licorice and pungent herbs. Sharply focused raspberry and cassis flavors are firmed by fine-grained tannins and gain sweetness with air. Nothing outsized here-I can't help but notice that the name doesn't really fit. Finishes with very good energy."

Winemaker's note: "The grapes that make up the Ball Buster blend are sourced from different vineyard locations throughout the Barossa. Vineyard sites are chosen to ensure that the resultant fruit is intense and that cropping levels do not exceed 3.5 tones an acre; typically these are clay soils on the fringes of the Barossa. Each vineyard site is visited twice a week during the maturing season to ensure that the fruit is maturing slowly and that water is only applied when necessary. Picking is only done when the grapes are physiologically ripe. The age of the vineyards that make up the 2007. All grapes are picked when physiologically ripe to obtain peak ripeness in terms of sugar and flavor. The grapes are de-stemmed into open fermenters, pH is adjusted and fermentation takes place over 7-10 days at a temperature of approx 24 degrees centigrade. Plunging and or pumping over takes place 3 times a day. The wine is then pressed using a Basket Press. Juice is then transferred to tank or Barrel to undergo Malo-lactic fermentation. Each batch is kept separate to determine on a year by year basis the quality of the fruit from that vineyard. All wine is racked and returned to barrel 2 to 3 times during the 12 moth period to ensure a clean wine that does not need any fining or filtration."

4. Robert Mondavi Cabernet Sauvignon 2005, Score=2+~3

Color is nicely dark. Nose has slight funk or earthiness but not unpleasant. Palate shows upfront well-controlled or a bit muted black fruit but well layered and ending in nice firm tannin. Good lasting finish. Consensus was California cab either Napa or Sonoma.

93 points from the Wine News: "Violet hue. Pretty nose with tobacco, leather and plum scents. Nice blend of black fruit and graphite have the great backing of cedar-laced tannins. Tart, drying notes on the finish with hints of maple and focused tannins." (Oct/Nov 2008)

91 points Stephen Tanzers International Wine Cellar: "Medium ruby-red. Currant, tobacco and menthol on the nose: classic Oakville cabernet. Then broad, lush and sweet, with very ripe flavors of plum, currant, chocolate and tobacco nicely lifted by minerality. Finishes broad, with huge but ripe tannins and noteworthy length. I find this fresher and less extreme than the Stag's Leap bottling."

90 from WaS and 91 from WE.

winemaker's notes: "This Cabernet Sauvignon has deep, expressive aromas and flavors of berry and black currant with nuances of mocha, violets and spice. The fruit envelops an elegant structure with firm, velvety tannins and excellent length. The wine's personality comes from the soils and climates of vineyards located in the geographic center of Napa Valley. Fermentation with both native and cultured yeast strains gives layers of nuance to the wine, and extended skin contact intensifies varietal complexity and softens tannins. The wine was aged in French oak château barrels and bottled it without filtration to capture the full flavor profile and lush texture."

5. Red dust Shiraz 2007, score=3

Color is dark brown with a pleasant nose. Palate is loaded with fruit, somewhat sugarfied but not bad, ending in mild tannin with rosemary, herb finish. All of us liked this wine. This turned out to be "Reddust" Shiraz from Australia. It has a very high PQR since I can find it from $9-13 on the Internet.

More information from Wine legacy web site:

"Distinctive Australian terroir produces distinctive Australian wines! As you’ve just learned, it’s taken the Australians a few decades, but little by little they’re zeroing in on the regions with the best terroirs. They didn’t have to look very far to come up with the name of this wine! This type of red earth is found only in some regions of Australia.

The striking image below gives you a pretty clear idea of just what the soil looks like. The color comes from iron oxides and it’s claimed to produce wines that are more refined and elegant.

A taste of Red Dust Shiraz will prove that fact to you. While the grapes benefit from the same warm, sunny climate of the Adelaide Hills that allows them to achieve perfect ripeness, they don’t get the overripe, jammy flavors that characterize Shiraz from some other regions in Australia.

The other secret to producing a wine with more elegance is the judicious use of oak. In the early days of New World winemaking, a lot of people were, shall we say, overenthusiastic in their use of oak on both red and white wines. The result was out-of-balance, heavy, tannic wines. Thankfully most have become less heavy-handed and have learned how to use oak to complement the natural fruit flavors without overwhelming them. In Red Dust, the oak is apparent but it makes up just one component in the whole. The personality of the Shiraz shines through with the sweet, spicy character of the oak playing an important yet secondary supporting role. Discover a stylish and well-balanced wine, you won’t regret it! This wine has the potential to age for another year or two, but enjoy it when the fruit is still youthful. Any red meat would flatter this Shiraz or serve it with an herbed pilaf of wild rice and lentils."

Wine tasting on January 15, 2010

All the uncles were present including Winepath, Piroca, Jimmy, Uncle-N and Uncle-E and a guest appearance from Uncle-OZ. We tasted 7 wines. Except for the first one, all the others were  blind tasted. The first one, d'Arenberg, Winepath had the night before and he really liked it and brought the rest for us to taste. All the wines were quite good except for one.

1. D'arenberg Ironstone Pressings 2004, Score=3+

This was brought in by Winepath who tasted it last night and was very impressed. Being generous and sharing, he brought this in for us to taste. Color is nicely dark. Nose has cedar and sandal wood notes. Palate explodes with fruit, mostly black fruit including plum. Some felt the fruit was a bit sweet. Almost viscous silky mouth feel. Tannin is good and firm but not too much with rather long finish. For a Grenache based wine, this is much more heavy duty than one would expect. d'Arenberg makes some good ones. We were not as blown away as Winepath was but thought this was still a quite impressive wine. Their Dead-arm Shiraz has been our favorite.

94 Points - Robert Parker (Wine Advocate)
"The flagship blend of Grenache, Shiraz, and Mourvedre, the 2004 The Ironstone Pressings, is stunning. A full-bodied, powerful red, it displays notes of kirsch, tapenade , blackberries, dusty loamy earth, pepper, and spice. Rich, structured, intense flavors cascade over the palate with fabulous fruit purity and density. This stunner should drink well for 12-15 years."

From the winery
"In its youth, d’Arenberg’s Ironstone Pressings has a deep, dark plum purple colour matched by just as intense black cherry, raspberry, spice, cedar, dark chocolate, liquorice, tobacco, mixed spice and brooding ripe blackberry aromas. Mulberry, ripe plum and fresh pepper spice dominate the rich full bodied palate before a long, intense, rolling, dark gritty cherry tannin finish. After quite some time in bottle the intense colour fruit aromas and dusty gripping tannins tone down, the colour moving towards brown ruby red. Eventually the Grenache and Shiraz blossom as rich, sweet, violet like scents, with spicy, cedary and tobacco based aromas before malty sweet dark chocolate flavours and crunchy, chewy textured black olive, spicy ginger and long fleshy textures. Serve at room temperature 16 – 24 ?C. now or in the next 3- 25 years with rich, full-flavoured foods like lamb shanks, pork fillets, goulashes, Russian cabbage dishes and game, even with warm chicken soups and cous cous, classic roast lamb and rump steaks. Also good with veal shanks and oxtail. Serve after decanting as an older wine."

2. Two Hands Wines Charlie's Patch Napa Valley Cabernet Sauvignon 2006, Score=3+~4

Color is dark with purple tinge. Nose is very pleasent with chocolate and coffee. Palate is impressive with black fruit such as black berries and blueberries mixed with black cherries laced with vanilla, caramel and dark chocolate leading to big assertive tannin. It has a good structure and long lasting finish. Most of us felt that this was the best of the tasting. California cab with Petit Verdot or Merlot component was suggested. Some thought this is one of Bond. This is Cab from Two hands Napa. We have tasted their second label Cab from Two hands Napa before which was 2006 "Some days are Diamond" and gave 2+~3. This one "Charlies Patch" is defnitely more upscale and refined. Very complex wine.

92 Points Stephen Tanzer International Wine Cellar, May/Jun 09
"Good deep medium ruby. Smoky, ripe aromas of black fruits, licorice and spicy oak. Juicy and concentrated, with its sweet black fruit flavors given clarity and lift by lovely harmonious acidity. Here the firm tannins seem a bit more sweet and suave, and the wine's spine is nicely balanced by mid-palate ripeness of black fruits. Structured to reward aging. Made mostly from Spring Mountain fruit, but also includes a bit from Oakville and Howell Mountain."

90+ points Robert Parker Wine Advocate # 180 (Dec 2008)  
"The exceptional 2006 Cabernet Sauvignon Charlie’s Patch (from hillside vineyards) boasts a deep ruby/purple color followed by notes of black currants, licorice, and spicy oak, full-bodied power, and plenty of structure in the back end. The tannins are still elevated, but this is unquestionably a candidate for long-term aging. Anticipated maturity: 2011-2020+. Two Hands, which is well-known for their exceptional portfolio of wines from southern Australia, has branched out into Napa Valley, with the irrepressible Michael Twelftree and his partner, Richard Mintz, making serious Cabernet Sauvignon. There are about 600 cases of his luxury priced Charlie’s Patch, and 400 cases of the second wine, Some Days Are Diamonds. Both cuvees are made at the Outpost Winery on Howell Mountain, with winemaker Thomas Brown overseeing the production. www.twohandswines.com"

3. Salvestrin Estate Vineyard Cabernet Sauvignon 2005, Score=3

Color is dark garnet. Nose has some smoky note with perfume and citrus (Piroca sensed some funk but the rest of us did not). Palate is a bit muted but well-controlled black fruit coming through with well-integrated tannin. We felt acidity was a bit much. Argentinian Malbec and Cali Cab were suggested. Indeed this is Califronia Cab.

92 points Wine Enthusiast (12/31/2008)
"A beautiful young Cab that continues Salvestrin’s unbroken track record of the last several years. Dry and rich in tannins, it shows enormously concentrated fruit flavors of currants, blackberries, black cherries, mocha and spice. Gorgeous now, and should improve over the next decade."

From the Vineyard
"Varietal Composition: 97% Cabernet Sauvignon 3% Merlot, Appellation: St. Helena, Harvest Date: 9/25/2005, Aging: 23 months, Alcohol %: 14.80%

It all began when Italian immigrants John and Emma Salvestrin fell in love with St. Helena while visiting friends in the early 1920’s. In 1932 they purchased a portion of the historic Crane Ranch, including the Victorian home of Dr. Crane.  With the repeal of prohibition in 1933, they started selling grapes and the industry began to grow again. Ed Salvestrin, who grew up on the family vineyard, continued to grow quality grapes through the 60’s, 70’s and 80’s preserving the family legacy for future generations. He still lives on site and frequently tends to his fruit trees (apples, pomegranates, grapefruit, persimmon) when he’s not helping out in the vineyard. In 1987, Rich Salvestrin completed his degree in viticulture from Fresno State University. He returned to the family vineyard to help farm and also to expand the families grape growing business to include winemaking. 1994 was the inaugural vintage of Salvestrin Cabernet Sauvignon and in 2001 the estate winery was constructed amongst the family vines. Today, three generations live on the 26 acre property and look forward to the time that Rich and Shannon’s three young daughters will become 4th generation owners and winemakers."

4. Reddust Shiraz 2007, score=2~2+

Color is a bit light and transparent especially in comparison with the first three wines. We sensed melting candle wax in the nose with jammy fruit. Palate has plenty of sweet fruit but mid-palate is a bit hollow and felt flat. Medium tannin finishes the wine. California Zimfandel was suggested.

This was thrown in by Uncle-N. We tasted this first in November last year.  We were all impressed at that time and thought this wine was quite good and has a very high PQR ($10). The second time we tasted it (I was not there), our tasteres did not like it. So this was meant to be a tie breaker to see how we reacted to this wine. Especially coming after the previous 3 wines, we still thought it was a drinkable wine but we were not as impressed as we were the first time we tasted it. Everything is relative.

From the Winery web pages.

"Distinctive Australian terroir produces distinctive Australian wines! As you’ve just learned, it’s taken the Australians a few decades, but little by little they’re zeroing in on the regions with the best terroirs. They didn’t have to look very far to come up with the name of this wine! This type of red earth is found only in some regions of Australia.

The striking image below gives you a pretty clear idea of just what the soil looks like. The color comes from iron oxides and it’s claimed to produce wines that are more refined and elegant.

A taste of Red Dust Shiraz will prove that fact to you. While the grapes benefit from the same warm, sunny climate of the Adelaide Hills that allows them to achieve perfect ripeness, they don’t get the overripe, jammy flavors that characterize Shiraz from some other regions in Australia.

The other secret to producing a wine with more elegance is the judicious use of oak. In the early days of New World winemaking, a lot of people were, shall we say, overenthusiastic in their use of oak on both red and white wines. The result was out-of-balance, heavy, tannic wines. Thankfully most have become less heavy-handed and have learned how to use oak to complement the natural fruit flavors without overwhelming them. In Red Dust, the oak is apparent but it makes up just one component in the whole. The personality of the Shiraz shines through with the sweet, spicy character of the oak playing an important yet secondary supporting role. Discover a stylish and well-balanced wine, you won’t regret it! This wine has the potential to age for another year or two, but enjoy it when the fruit is still youthful. Any red meat would flatter this Shiraz or serve it with an herbed pilaf of wild rice and lentils."

5. Casa Lapostolle Clos Apalta 2001, Score=2+~3


Color is dark garnet. Nose has some funk with sulfa which dissipated after some aeration. A hint of chocolate was detected as well. Palate has nice sweet fruit leading to big tannin. Relatively long finish. When we came back to this wine for the second time, it tasted better. Although the funky nose suggested old world the fruit-laden palate does not go with that assumption. We ended up with "may be syrah from California or Oregon" which was totally off the mark. This is one of the best 100 wines by Wine Spectator from Casa Lapostolle, Chile.

90 points Wine Advocate Issue 159

"The Clos Apalta luxury cuvee, primarily based on an old vine, non-irrigated Carmenere parcel, remains one of Chile's standard-bearers. The medium to full-bodied 2001 Clos Apalta explodes from the glass with powerful scents of black raspberries, cassis liqueur, and hints of mocha. An elegant yet immensely ripe wine, it offers spicy black cherry flavors in its bright, high-toned, and tannin-laced character."

95 points Wine Spectator

"Stunning purity, with concentrated plum, boysenberry and raspberry fruit that just glides across the palate, buttressed by superfine yet muscular tannins. Suave toast, coconut butter and spice notes along with alluring chocolate and black tea hints chime in on the long finish. A superb combination of fruit and elegance. 4,885 cases made".

We do not think we will give "95" for this wine.

6. Lehmann Clancy's 2006, Score=2+

This one came in a funky bottle--over filled and with a screw top. Without tasting, we thought of Australia. But despite all this, this wine had a decent taste. Color is dark garnet. Nose is pleasant with some cocoa flavor. Plate is rich in black fruit leading to rather big tannin. We felt this wine was too tannic and too acidic. Australian Shiraz cab blend was suggested.

This is one of Lehmann wines. Clancy's blend is composed of Shiraz (49%), Cab Sauv (33%) and Merlot (18%). Reportedly Wine Spectator gave 88 points but I can not confirm it.

From the Winery web page

"Peter Lehmann’s Clancy’s blend has become a firm favourite with lovers of red wine around the world. We follow the pioneering Australian tradition of blending Shiraz with Cabernet Sauvignon, but give it our own touch with the incorporation of Merlot to give a soft, approachable and richly enjoyable red wine.

Successive vintages of this wine have gained major recognition around the world for being an exceptional wine at a very fair price. America’s leading wine magazine, Wine Spectator, has selected Clancy’s in its prestigious Top 100 Wines of the Year listing on no less than four occasions since 1997, and selected the 2004 vintage to appear in its inaugural list of the world’s Top 100 Wine Values."

7. Château Croizet Bages 1997, Score=2-


Color is light brown indicating age. Nose is unadulterated moldy basement smell with green vegetables. Palate is muted with a flat mid palate leading to mild tannin. Our consensus was aged Bordeaux. Least favorite of all the wines we tasted tonight.

Nothing much I can find about this particular wine. Here is the information about the winery (Wikipedia).

"Château Croizet Bages is a winery in the Pauillac appellation of the Bordeaux region of France. The wine produced here was classified as one of eighteen Cinquièmes Crus (Fifth Growths) in the Bordeaux Wine Official Classification of 1855."

Wine tasting on August14, 2009

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

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


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

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

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

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

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

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

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

Wine Tasting on 3-7-09

Piroca is back, in one piece, from Carnival in Brazil. Uncle–K is still absent and Uncle-E had another engagement which was apparently more important than the tasting. Present were Piroca, Winepath, Jimmy, and Uncle-N and a guest appearance of Uncle-OZ. We blind tasted 6 wines. We happened to taste 3 Spanish wines.

1. Elias Mora Crianza 2005, Score=2+~3

Color is dark with blue/purple tinge on the edge. Nose has slight funk (according to Winepath but nobody else) with herbs (clove); overall pleasant if a bit closed. Palate has black fruits, toasted oak, caramel with assertive tannin and good long finish. Spain and Argentina were mentioned as well as Bordeaux (Winepath). Piroca settled for Spanish or more specifically Priorat (mentioned of Grenache). This is from Toro, Spain, and made of 100% Tinta de Toro (Tempranillo).

93 Points - Wine Spectator
"HIGHLY RECOMMENDED. Muscular tannins grip the palate of this concentrated red, but there's a dense core of cassis, currant, espresso and spice cake flavors that are focused and expressive. Impressive now, but should be more enjoyable with time. Best after 2010. 3,300 cases made. - TM"

2. Ledson Cabernet Sauvignon Sonoma 2006, Score=3

This is a classy wine. Nose has minerals especially graphite and rock dust. Palate matches the nose with somewhat austere muted fruits with nice firm tannin at the end with reasonably long lasting finish. It is in the Bordeaux style and doing a good job. We felt that this is not Bordeaux but new world wine made in a Bordeaux style. Spanish, Argentina and finally California red meritage (cab predominant) in Bordeaux style was mentioned. This was from Ledson Vineyards in Sonoma. None of us is familiar with this winery but it appears to make small production good quality wines. Bordeaux without funk nose, we liked it especially Winepath who gave a solid “3”, rest of us “2+”.

3. Clos Mogador Priorat 2006, Score=3

Nose has slight funk but not too bad. Palate is nicely fruits-forward with mixed black and red fruits which leads to nice rounded integrated tannin. Some mentioned that the mid-palate is bit thin. Overall a nice wine. Cali Cab was mentioned but also Spain since Piroca has fooled us with Spanish Grenache, which looks and tasted like high-end Cali Cab in the past. This happened to be Rhone mix from Priorat, Spain.

“Clos Mogador, Gratallops - owned by Rene Barbier, one of the leading lights of the Gratallops group, and his son. Produces only one wine, Clos Mogador, 40 per cent Grenache, 35 per cent Cabernet Sauvignon, 20 per cent Syrah and small quantities of Pinot Noir, Merlot and Mouvedre, an eclectic mixture but what a wine it produces. The 2005 Clos Mogador is the first wine in Spain entitled to the new classification of “Vi de finca Qualificada”.”

4. Familia Mayol Malbec Finca Montuiri 2004, Score=2+

Color is dark garnet without blue tinge at the rim. Nose is very strong with mineral (rusted metal) and herbs; some of us felt the nose is too pungent. Palate is much better with grilled and smoked vegetables with strong and assertive tannin and long finish. Argentinean Malbec and Spanish with Grenache were mentioned. It turned out we had just "unofficially" tasted this but did not give it a score. At the "official" tasting one day later we tasted the wine for the second time and the pungent nose was so strong it interfered with any tasting and we could not give it a score. So Piroca resubmitted this wine. We re-confirmed that the nose is bit pungent but we are not sure if keeping it in the bottle half full for the next day will indeed make this wine unpalatable. Piroca said he did exactly that and it was fine next day. So we have to see how this bottle will behave.

5. Epifanio Rivera - Erial 2006, Score=2+

Nose has funk but palate is rather gentle with hint of grapey taste and cherry. Fruits forward with mild tannin. This is a pleasant wine but lacking in complexity. This is made of 100% tempranillo from Ribera del duero, Spain.

“Aged in barrels for 10 months, of which 80% are French oak and 20% are American oak…. Erial is a lively and colorful wine that is open and clear to the nose; with flavors of mature blackberries, black licorice, and mineral reminiscences; with creamy and smoky tones from the oak wood; and a spicy finish. Neatly structured in the mouth, with friendly and well-melted tannin, beefy and concentrated fruit, extremely flavorful, balanced and with a refreshing sensation due to a balanced acidity”.

6. Ravens wood Sonoma Cabernet Sauvignon 2005, Score=2

Nose is bit close but no unpleasant order. Palate is rather simple with nice mild tannin with acidic finish. An OK wine but nothing remarkable. Some were bothered by the acidic finish

Wine tasting on 4-9-10

We had a full attendance and blind tasted 7 wines. Present were Uncle-E, Uncle-N, Jimmy, Piroca and Winepath. Piroca took extra steps and used decoy bottles and made fancy cover-ups to make double disguises which, of course, took us up a wrong path. With few exceptions (namely the last two), the wines we tasted were good.

1. RayLen Cabernet Sauvignon (North Carolina) 2007, Score=2+

Color is dark garnet. Nose has green pepper, slight funk with soapy note but, on balance, it is not unpleasant. Palate has nice upfront mixed black and red fruit with a hint of grapey and sweet tastes leading to rather rough hewed tannin with crisp acidity. Everybody thought this is quite a drinkable wine. Spanish, may be tempranillo, was mentioned. After Uncle-N's comment that this was a very unusual wine, some were convinced this is Cab Frank from Barboursville, Virginia. It was not from Virginia but another near-by state.--North Carolina. This wine is remarkably good. Only rare red wines from Maryland and Virginia we tasted get our passing mark but this one certainly did.

From RayLen vineyard webpage:
"Aged for nine months in a blend of new and seasoned oak, give the Cabernet Sauvignon its rich flavor and body. Luscious tones of leather, tobacco, dark chocolate and brown spices make this wine a must-have. Pairs well with your favorite leather chair, a roaring fire, and a fine cigar."


2.  Poggio Il Castellare Sant Antimo Cervio Cabernet Sauvignon 2007, Score=3

Color is nicely dark with nose of vanilla, toasted oak, and mint. Palate is fruit forward laced with vanilla, caramel and a hint of coffee ending in nicely integrated smooth tannin. Some felt this wine is over oaked. But the rest of us felt this is quite OK. California Cabernet was the consensus with possibly Tempranillo thrown in at the last moment. I know people will say this is Cali cab. I wonder if Tenuta Poggio Il Castellare (which is a fine maker of Brunello) made this wine for American taste just for export. In any case we liked this wine but did not suspect this is from Italy.

Wine Spectator 93 Points
"Wonderful aromas of crushed berries, with fresh herbs and mineral, follow through to a full body, with soft, velvety tannins and a long, caressing finish. Very fine. Best after 2011. –JS"


3. Babcock Cabernet Sauvignon "Nucleus" 2005, Score=3+

This was a special submission from Doug S. from Santa Barbara. Thank you, Doug.

Color is dark garnet with slight brown tinge indicating some age. Nose has cherry, herbs, tar, burned rubber and smoke (which some liked). Palate is loaded with well-controlled black fruit with layers of flavours leading to big assertive tannin and lingering long finish. We all liked this wine. Definitely New World. North American Rhone blend, California Cab ("Ridge" was mentioned). This is Babcock's "Terroir Exclusive series"

"Like its Terroir Exclusives sibling The Loin, Nucleus comes from Estelle Vineyard. Whereas The Loin is the filet mignon being 100% Cabernet Sauvignon from an idyllic little rock covered hillside, Nucleus is a little bigger and represents more of the middle ranch. Having a little more space allows one to plant a smidgen of the other noble varietals, Merlot and Petit Verdot, and to try multiple clones of Cabernet Sauvignon as well.

At the Estelle Vineyard, Nucleus will be the future crux of the issue when it comes time to formulate a world-class blend. While the first Nucleus is legally a Cabernet Sauvignon (75%), in the future you just might see the label NUCLEUS, and noth'n else. Finally, there is one thing that Nucleus and The Loin have in common, those ubiquitous, beautiful rocks."

4. Erna Schein Fat Boy 2006, Score=3+
The bottle was clad with paper even on the neck of the bottle. The bottle shape is odd with a short neck,  stubby and heavy. Color is nice dark ruby. Nose is the best among the wines tasted tonight with exotic tropical fruits, specifically starfruit and jammy note. Palate is fruit forward with predominately black fruit with herbs, caramel, and vanilla with minty overtone leading to good firm tannin and a long nice finish. We all liked this one. Cali cab and cab blend were what we thought this is. When this was uncovered, we noticed a characteristic shape of the top of the bottle. Indeed this was submitted in a decoy bottle of 2002 Insignia but we could not believe this is Insignia. It turns out this is a right bank blend from Erna Schein with an unusually large amount of P. Verdot.


















WINE SPECTATOR REVIEW: 92 POINTS 
"Sleek and stylish, yet complex, offering red currant, clove and spice notes, with rich, layered black cherry, mocha and espresso flavors that take on momentum toward ripe but deep tannins. Merlot, Cabernet Sauvignon, Petit Verdot and Cabernet Franc. Drink now through 2014. 375 cases made". - TF (Jul 31, 2009)

90 POINTS from WINE ADVOCATE:
"The outstanding 2006 Fat Boy (a 375-case blend of 56% Merlot, 25% Cabernet Sauvignon, and the rest Petit Verdot and Cabernet Franc) exhibits espresso, coffee, black cherry jam, charcoal, and pain grille characteristics. As its name suggests, this is a fat, succulent wine with loads of fruit, glycerin, purity, and length. Enjoy it over the next 5-7 years."

WINEMAKER NOTES:
"Fat Boy is back, with an updated look and all of the power and richness of its predecessors. This wine exhibits a deep, dark ruby color with an intriguing nose of cocoa powder, clove, tobacco and cedar. Great structure and unctuous texture are complemented by the mouth-filling flavors of chocolate cherry cordial and espresso, all leading to an earthy finish of vanilla, leather and violets. 56% Merlot, 25% Cabernet Sauvignon, 13% Petit Verdot, 6% Cabernet Franc. 375 cases produced."

5. Buccella Cabernet Sauvignon 2007, score=3+~(4)

The bottle was  very strange. It was made of a heavy, big thick glass but Uncle-E detected that it had a sloped shoulder which was disguised by paper. So, from the bottle, it has to be something like syrah or shiraz. Color is very dark with a hint of purple tinge. Nose has some burnt coffee but rather pleasant. No black pepper. No meat juice. Palate is nice with upfront loaded fruit mostly black fruit, plum laced with nice oak-derived flavors leading to big firm tannin and nice lasting finish. Some felt an acidic kick at the end. Acidity was more pronounced after aerating for some time. The bottle threw us off. Although we felt that from the bottle shape, it has to be Aussie Shiraz, it does not have a characteristic black pepper and jus de viande. When it was unveiled, we all said this could not be a sine qua non.  The bottle was sine qua non "Just for the love of it". Again this was Piroca's double disguise trick. Although the tasters like this wine, Uncle-E was not impressed with it.



96 points by Robert Paker, The Wine Advocate:
"The blockbuster 2007 Cabernet Sauvignon is more primary, but it does display enormous fruit concentration, massive body, and wonderful purity, balance, and elegance. It is an extraordinarily promising 2007 with awesome fruit, depth and richness as well as a long finish. This offering will be even better with 5-7 years of bottle age, and should keep for 20+ years. Buccella, under the guidance of well-known winemaking consultant Celia Masyczek has fashioned brilliant Cabernet Sauvignons in both 2006 and 2007. The 2007s are slightly more powerful, backward wines (alcohol levels range from the upper 14% to low 15%), but they have enough structure as well as sensational concentration and depth to support the tannins"

6. Famiglia Bianchi Cabernet sauvignon 2006, score=1+

Color is dark brown/garnet. Nose is unpleasant with chemical and dusty tones. Palate is rather thin, flat, one dimensional and rather tannic at the end. This is the least favorite among the 7 wines tasted. We guessed Hungarian or Romanian wine but it was from Argentina. It certainly competes with Eastern European reds but not with "the best from around the world".

Wine markers note:

"A classic Cabernet Sauvignon that can compete with the best from around the world, this wine has an intense red/purple color and an enjoyable, complex nose that is reminiscent of berries, spice, cedar, chocolate and much more. The nose carries through to the palate, delivering rich, full texture and berry-spicy-cedar flavors. It is a well-balanced wine with a lingering, pleasing finish."

88 points from Wine Enthusiast

"Solid, sweet-styled Cab, this starts out with dark, piercing berry and asphalt aromas, which are followed by an appealing blast of dark-fruit flavors. Turns more aggressive and rugged as it opens, but stays the course."—Michael Schachner, May 01, 2008.

87 points from Wine Spectator

"A ripe, polished, modern style, with lush raspberry and blackberry fruit layered with a suave cocoa note. Sweet, fleshy finish.

Score: 87." —James Molesworth, 2009.

7. Lamborghini (La Fiorita) Campoleone Umbria 2000, Score=2
Color is dark brown indicating age. Nose is similar to Bianchi above--unpleasant, smelling of chemicals and dust. Palate is very austere ending in very large tannin. Definitely an old world wine. Bordeaux was mentioned but no "basement" smell. Jimmy thought it was Tuscan and he was right. This wine may be better with food such as steak as the wine maker's note states.

Lamborghini
"Deep purple in color with intense aromas of wild berries. Explodes on the palate with loads of fruit and big structure. Lots of fine tannins insure aging potential yet the wine exhibits the signature soft touch of Riccardo Cotarella. Recommended with hearty dishes like roasted meats and game."

91 points from Wine Enthusiast
"A 50% Merlot-50% Sangiovese blend that has aromas of vanilla and new leather. The flavors of currants and cedar combine with big tannins in this powerful wine. Give this one some time. Drink 2004–2010." - February 01, 2003.

Wine tasting on 7-5-08

Present were Uncle-N, Winepath, Piroca and guest appearance of Brother-M, Lady-SEA, and JBug. It was held at Uncle-N’s for a change. We started with two sauvignon blanc; one from Loire and another from Napa. Then blind tasted 4 reds. Finally we tasted syrah-based sparkling wine (Goose bumps). Uncle-E was absent and Jimmy went to beach with his family. We are not going to score these and we did not really taste but we were just enjoying the wines and the intent of this note is purely for the record so that we know what we enjoyed.

1. Domaine Merlin Cherrier Sancerre 2005

A classic Sancerre from Merlin Cherrier. Nice mineral nose. Crisp tart acidity without any wood derived flavor.

2. Rudd Sauvignon Blanc 2006

This one is quite different in style. Very crisp with acidity almost feels like effervescence. Nice green apple.

These two nice summer wines were enjoyed with many interesting and tasty assorted cheeses each with a different distinctive character; one particular smelly cheese later became a bit of a problem (quarantined in double-fastener zip-lock bag) but while we are tasting the cheese, the smell did not bother us. Nice acidity of both sauvignon blanc went very well with the rich taste of these cheeses.
We also enjoyed “smoked salmon” pizza. The base of which is made of pizza bread with chives in it, crème freche, smoked salmon and topped with more chives. Again, the smoked salmon went very well with these crisp whites.
One more pizza hot from the oven; caramelized onion with goat cheese black olive, and pine nuts. Again the sweetness of the onion went very well with the sauvignon blanc.
Now we are into the reds.

3. Casanova di Neri Brunello di Montalcino Tenuta Nuova Sangiovese Grosso 2001

Nose has nice vanilla and caramel with very slight earthiness. The palate is nice with good black fruits, long finish and supporting firm tannin. We thought this is a high-end Cali cab and were astounded to learn that this is Brunello. Here are quotes from all the experts;

92 points, Robert Parker, Wine Advocate (December 2006): The 2001 Brunello di Montalcino Tenuta Nuova is Neri’s modern-styled Brunello. It is made from vines planted in the southern part of the zone and aged in small oak barrels. It displays a darker, almost saturated color and notable concentration with masses of sweet dark fruit, smoke and licorice flavors that flow onto the palate with exceptional length and balance in a powerful, brooding style. Anticipated maturity: 2011-2021.

91 points, Wine Enthusiast (April 2006); A beautiful showing thanks to rich red fruit, pomegranate, blackberry, plum, menthol and heavy toasted notes such as clove, vanilla, almond and coconut. Rich, supple and inky, this is a big, bold wine that should be opened 5–10 years from now.

97 points, Wine Spectator (April 2006); Dark color with intense blackberry, chocolate and lightly toasted oak. Full-bodied and ultravelvety, with caressing tannins. Vanilla, chocolate and berry. Goes on for minutes. Best after 2010. 4,830 cases made. (JS).

3. Lokoya Mount Veeder Cabernet Sauvignon 2002

Nice wine and mostly because Uncle-N contributed it, two tasters thought this was Spanish--but they were wrong. Piroca had tasted this before. Big tannin was mellowed out but could have bottle aged more. Here are what experts said.

96 points, Robert Parker, Wine Advocates (February 2005); The magnificent 2002 Cabernet Sauvignon Mount Veeder boasts an extraordinary perfume of lead pencil shavings intermixed with charcoal, blueberries, blackberries, and cassis. This provocative Cabernet possesses the highest tannin level, but also the most concentration, texture, and depth. As it sits in the glass, scents of flowers, espresso roast, and black fruits emerge. A tour de force in Cabernet Sauvignon, it requires 4-5 years of aging, and should last for two decades.

93 points, Stephen Tanzer (June 2005); Good full ruby. Elemental, extremely primary nose features grapey blackberry, licorice and violet pastille. Big, sweet, broad and creamy; a huge, powerful wine with slightly rustic flavors of dark chocolate and minerals. Finishes with compelling sweetness of fruit, and very broad tannins that arrive late. From a block of vines that was recently torn out due to phylloxera. The richest of this trio of cabernets. Winemaker Chris Carpenter notes that the intention here is to make three wines of place by using "neutral" winemaking techniques. "The only difference among the wines is maceration times," he added. All three of these bottlings are close to 15% alcohol. 93(+?) points

94 points, Wine Enthusiast (May 2005); There’s something almost Zinny about this wine, with its brambly, briary notes of wild blueberries and blackberries and sun-warmed summer bark and dust. It possesses fabulous intensity, but those mountain tannins are palate-numbing, and they shut down the finish...

3. Veraison Stagecoach Vineyard Synchrony 2002

We had this before (please see the previous blog entry) but both Uncle-N and Winepath (as usual) could not identify this wine. Definitely new world style with nice almost sweet fruits. Cab and Syrah blend were mentioned. This is cab blend including cab franc, Marbec and Merlot. Then we tasted #4, Uncle-N and Piroca said they tasted very very similar and even suggested they could be the same wines.

4. Veraison Stagecoach Vineyard Cabernet Sauvignon 2002

This is from the same vineyard and same vintage but 100% cab.

These wonderful reds were paired with;

Fillet mignon Carpaccio-style (medium rare) with tangy sauce (soy source, mirin, balsamic vinegar with grated ginger and au jus) and sautéed garlic bits accompanied by baby arugula and black bean corn salad (cilantro, cumin and jalapeño pepper).

Chicken meatballs flavored with shitake mushroom and nutmeg in Italian tomato sauce and fresh basil; Shitake mushroom risotto (unfortunately, this was made ahead of time and sat in the pan and then finished but it was over cooked and had the consistency of rice porridge).

5. Mollydooker Goosebumps Sparkling Shiraz 2006

Very interesting sparkling wine. The color is dark red like any Shiraz but bubbly. Not sweet (no sugar sweet) as you may expect but has lots of sweet fruits with creamy bubbles. “The Shiraz has been selected from Scott & Cheryl Longbottoms' vineyard in Padthaway and Darren & Belinda Joppichs' vineyard in Langhorne Creek, both of which are producing grapes which exude incredible flavor and complexity.”

This was paired with wonderful desserts contributed by Winepath and Lady-SEA; Winepath brought the most spectacular cake. It was a flourless multi-layer walnut cake. The rich taste of caramelized walnuts suffused the cake’ unctuous texture combining with the butter icing melting in the mouth. The decoration was intricate and professional. The favor and texture paired beautifully with the wine. Its hard to imagine such a cake can be made outside a Viennese pastry shop. Lady-SEA contributed a collection of Pennsylvania Dutch cookies; miniature shoo-fly pie cookies, soft sugar cookies and date nut bites.

Tasting on October 5, 2007

4 wines were tasted blind. The tasters are Winepath, Uncle N, Piroca, and Jimmy.
This is ordered from low to high score.

All tasters, please edit as you see fit.

*********************************************************
4. Clos Du Bois 2004 Cab Sauv

Score=2

Mineral dust nose, Austere with simple tannin taste. Not much fruits.

3. St. Clement 2004 Cab Sauv

Score=3

Black cherry and funk (not as bad as European wines) on the nose. Sour cherry taste with good tannin structure. Skimpy mid palate and short finish. Skimpy?

2. Leviathan 2005 Red Meritage

Score=3

Nice dark fruits on the nose. Lots of fruits with slightly sugarfied taste. Rounded tannin easy to drink. Short finish.

1. Seavey 2003 Cab Sauv:

Score=4

Best of the tasting. Classic California Cab. Great nose of black fruits and vanilla. Lots of fruits (cherry, black berry, blue berry). Very structure tannin. Good mid palate but relatively short finish.