Wine of Merit: ****Shibumi Knoll, Shibumi Knoll Vineyards, Napa Valley, cabernet sauvignon, 2004: Wonderfully elegant, even if perhaps a bit short of its Japanese meaning, “Effortless Perfection” (though I admire the pluck). Still…this is a classic effort. Extremely well crafted, it is reminiscent of the Lokoya wines that I cellar with enthusiasm. Stylish, somewhat reserved notes of cassis, red currant, graphite and pipe tobacco weave themselves together seamlessly. With time, these characteristics are enhanced with more redolent black fruit notes. The palate feel is pronounced but not overwhelming, its presence complementary to the flavors, coating from entry to finish, now introducing melted licorice and mint, a hint of hazelnut from the oak, adding to the wines overall gravitas and sense of balance and harmony. The finish is very firm and long but never really out of balance with the rest of the experience. Certainly a wine that will reward cellaring. I am blown away by how sophisticated this effort is, in the winery’s second vintage. One to watch with enthusiasm. At $80, expensive…and worth it. Kudos!
***+Chateau Saint Martin de la Garrigues, Le Bronzinelle, Coteaux du Languedoc
, 1999: This wine was literally and figuratively a gift. Offered to me by a dear friend, brought home gingerly from a trip to Paris, this wine is wonderful in its simplicity and exuberance. A Syrah, Grenache, Mouvedre, Carignan blend. Plush, fragrant Languedoc aromas of plump red fruit, grilled meats, bell pepper, smoke and yes garrigue waft from the glass. Velvety and round on the palate, with blackberry, briar and chocolate elements all integrated and smooth. Not that the wine is flabby – the acids are lively but nicely integrated with the flavors, all kept in balance. The finish is silky and sweet, with a touch of café au lait and wood spices. Drinking perfectly now. I don’t have the heart to tell her it is imported by Kermit Lynch and can be had for under $20 (in fact under $15). But I will tell you all – and pound the table as it is a steal. I love the Languedoc!
**++Newton, Unfiltered, chardonnay, 1994: It’s alive! A surprise find while digging through the cellar, I did not hold out much hope. Given the dark glass bottle, I could not tell the color but expected that dark, almost persimmon hue that typically suggests maderized chard. Instead…voila! A promising pale gold. Could it be? Fresh if demure aromatics of lemon curd, pineapple, mango and clover. The palate is bright and surprisingly firm…a slight sprtiz at entry, tangerine and a very nice mineral flintiness. The finish is lightly honeyed, showing a touch of tobacco and spicy oak that sadly just turns bitter at the very end. Wow! I would never have guessed this wine would have held on this long. A very nice surprise indeed.
**++Chehalem, 3 Vineyards, Willamette Valley, pinot noir, 2006: Delightful. Still sorting itself out, the 2006 Chehalem 3 vineyards, their entry pinot if you will, still offers bright, tangy cherry fruit, green tea, herbs and a nice cherry blossom element. The palate is also bright and racy, with more red fruit and licorice. Fine, spicy finish. Fairly simple, this is a nice, quaffable pinot noir. Perhaps it will add more weight and complexity with age, but for now it is pleasant and a very nice “first wine” at any meal.
A few side notes: The **Turjanis, Buena Tierra, Russian River Valley, chardonnay, 2001 and the **Chasseur, Lorenzo Vineyard, Russian River Valley, chardonnay 2003 have either passed their primes or were not very special to begin with. Funny, as both boast excellent provenance. This is the second wine from Karen Bower Turjanis that has left me tepid, the other being the Steiner pinot, it too from great grapes. Odd as she has made such great wines for Lokoya and others in the past. In this case, the nose is demure, the palate lemony and vanilla with too much oak showing through, the finish flaccid. The Chasseur is a problem. I like Bill Hunter’s wines so much when they are young…really great stuff. But even just a little bit of bottle age seems to knock his wines for a loop. Here the wine is already showing a mute nose and candied palate flavors with a touch of hazelnut, on its way to old age after only 3 years in bottle. Disappointing.
***+Chateau Saint Martin de la Garrigues, Le Bronzinelle, Coteaux du Languedoc
, 1999: This wine was literally and figuratively a gift. Offered to me by a dear friend, brought home gingerly from a trip to Paris, this wine is wonderful in its simplicity and exuberance. A Syrah, Grenache, Mouvedre, Carignan blend. Plush, fragrant Languedoc aromas of plump red fruit, grilled meats, bell pepper, smoke and yes garrigue waft from the glass. Velvety and round on the palate, with blackberry, briar and chocolate elements all integrated and smooth. Not that the wine is flabby – the acids are lively but nicely integrated with the flavors, all kept in balance. The finish is silky and sweet, with a touch of café au lait and wood spices. Drinking perfectly now. I don’t have the heart to tell her it is imported by Kermit Lynch and can be had for under $20 (in fact under $15). But I will tell you all – and pound the table as it is a steal. I love the Languedoc!**++Newton, Unfiltered, chardonnay, 1994: It’s alive! A surprise find while digging through the cellar, I did not hold out much hope. Given the dark glass bottle, I could not tell the color but expected that dark, almost persimmon hue that typically suggests maderized chard. Instead…voila! A promising pale gold. Could it be? Fresh if demure aromatics of lemon curd, pineapple, mango and clover. The palate is bright and surprisingly firm…a slight sprtiz at entry, tangerine and a very nice mineral flintiness. The finish is lightly honeyed, showing a touch of tobacco and spicy oak that sadly just turns bitter at the very end. Wow! I would never have guessed this wine would have held on this long. A very nice surprise indeed.
**++Chehalem, 3 Vineyards, Willamette Valley, pinot noir, 2006: Delightful. Still sorting itself out, the 2006 Chehalem 3 vineyards, their entry pinot if you will, still offers bright, tangy cherry fruit, green tea, herbs and a nice cherry blossom element. The palate is also bright and racy, with more red fruit and licorice. Fine, spicy finish. Fairly simple, this is a nice, quaffable pinot noir. Perhaps it will add more weight and complexity with age, but for now it is pleasant and a very nice “first wine” at any meal.
A few side notes: The **Turjanis, Buena Tierra, Russian River Valley, chardonnay, 2001 and the **Chasseur, Lorenzo Vineyard, Russian River Valley, chardonnay 2003 have either passed their primes or were not very special to begin with. Funny, as both boast excellent provenance. This is the second wine from Karen Bower Turjanis that has left me tepid, the other being the Steiner pinot, it too from great grapes. Odd as she has made such great wines for Lokoya and others in the past. In this case, the nose is demure, the palate lemony and vanilla with too much oak showing through, the finish flaccid. The Chasseur is a problem. I like Bill Hunter’s wines so much when they are young…really great stuff. But even just a little bit of bottle age seems to knock his wines for a loop. Here the wine is already showing a mute nose and candied palate flavors with a touch of hazelnut, on its way to old age after only 3 years in bottle. Disappointing.
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