Wine Musings Vol#96

Wine of Merit: *****Chateau Pichon Longueville, Comtesse de Lalande, Paulliac, 1995: Just a wonderful wine. Nuanced nose of plum, sage, baker's chocolate, pipe tobacco. Hint of menthol. Completely integrated. Wonderful balance. Sumptuous mouthfeel, lingering finish. This wine has been described as seductive and I completely agree. A wine I was thinking about the next day. Great.

****Larkmead, LMV Salon, Napa Valley, cabernet sauvignon, 2007: Another lovely wine...and in fact a good, modern day interpretation of the 95 Pichon Lalande made in the USA. More vanilla, hazelnut in the upfront, this is a wine that unravels nuance upon nuance as it opens up evolves in the glass. Sweet black and red fruits, spiced cherry pipe tobacco, black licorice, molten chocolate. Firm structure and deep concentration suggest that this will benefit from ample cellaring, though it is hard to fault the heady, youthful exuberance. Not quite the sophisticated grande damme that the Pichon Lalande represents, but clearly a family resemblance!

***+Galardi, Terra di Lavoro, Roccamonfina, aglianico, 2004: I think I might have hit this wine at a difficult time in its evolution. It presents with super interesting notes of black raspberry preserves, graphite, licorice root, smokey tar. Mid palate does seem however a bit muted. Big finish. It is very plausible that the mid palate will expand and that the disjointed nature of the wine will abet and that the wine will synch up. A great, very artisanal iteration of a wine from the "Land of Work". I will bury remaining bottles.

***+Phillips Hill, Oppenlander vineyard, Anderson Valley, pinot noir, 2006: Refreshingly honest, high quality cool climate pinot. A delicious, queen anne cherry and rose hip base, from which emanate nuances of oolong tea, cinnamon stick and earth notes. Blood orange zest. An undercurrent of soft tannins front to back, bright acids, more red fruit and spice. Very nice purity and focus. Lovely.

***Edmunds Saint John, Heart of Gold, El Dorado County, 2008: Like an early summer breeze. A vermentino, white grenchae blend, the wine is sunny, fresh and juicy. Redolent of freshly sliced, white Jersey peaches. A touch of grilled fennel, almond and white flowers. Bright acids. A great summer sipper and wonderful QPR at $20.

***Ridge, Geyserville, Sonoma County, 1993: A field blend of zinfandel, petite syrah, carignane, alicante and mataro (mouvedre). Surprisingly fresh for its age. Brambly, peppery, mature red plum. Tobacco leaf and leather. Full, coating mouthfeel and a satisfying, long spicy, peppery finish. No real hurry to drink. A testament to this wine's longevity and structure.

Wine Musings: Vol#52

Wine of Merit: ****+Chateau Angelus, Estate, St. Emillion, Bordeaux, 1990: A very special wine. Initially requiring patience, this wine unfolds in layers. Two hours later, velvety aromas of plum, cigar tobacco, grilled meats, sage, lavender and mocha. Palate shows more mature red and black fruits, cardamom, baker’s spices and minerals. Coating. Long, thick, spicy finish. Almost timeless. This and Cheval Blanc are the wines I think of when I drink St. Emillion wines. Superb.

****Chateau Pichon Longueville, Comtesse de Lalande, Estate, Paulliac, Bordeaux, 1990: Quintessential Paulliac. This wine is controversial as it received lower scores at release. Here to, a wine that requires patience at initial pour. 3 hours later and it is still evolving and needs more time. Black and blue fruits, lead pencil (cedar+graphite), forest floor, candied violet, rosemary and chalk. Deep palate, ripe purple fruit with excellent minerality. With time the fruit becomes pronounced on the nose and palate, at once succulent and vibrant. Long, firmly tannic finish. Very much a buy these days (similar to the 83 Mouton awhile back) as it is overshadowed by other vintages and higher scores – but is very worthy (as was found out in the 83 Mouton – try buying it today).

****Kongsgaard, VioRuss, Napa Valley, viognier / roussanne, 2005: Superlative. I decided to open this bottle after tasting the Whetstone viognier. My recollection had been that this wine was significantly better than the Whetstone - could it be? Yes, Virginia, there is a Santa Clause. A completely different wine experience. Expansive, lush but not flabby or vague, this is a wine that I could bathe in happily. Soaring notes of apricot, tangerine, almond and vanilla accompany enveloping scents of Hibiscus and Lilac. More orange zest, marzipan and nutmeg on the deep palate, excellent minerality, long powdered sugar and mulling spice finish. Are you serious? Fantastic!

***++Veuve Cliquot Ponsardin, La Grande Dame, Reims, Champagne, 1990: Superb. Granny Smith apple pie. A wonderful accompanying note of lime and orange blossom. Lemon chiffon on the palate. Great acidity. Aged but not old – this wine has plenty of stuffing. A wonderful way to start a meal.

***++Spottswoode, Estate, St. Helena, Napa Valley, cabernet sauvignon, 1996: Delicious. Candied nose of blueberries, raspberries, milk chocolate, white flowers. Ripe red fruited palate, good minerals, hazelnut and coffee. Nice, spicy finish. A great wine to have with a chocolate desert! Yummy.

***Chateau Clarke, Listrac Medoc, Bodeaux, 2003: A Wonderful value. Baron Edmund Rothschild’s investment has really paid off. This is a dynamite wine at a great price (under $30). Classic, dense, chewy Bordeaux. Nose of cassis, plum, leather, forest bottom licorice and smoke. Firm, coating palate offers more black fruit, minerals, espresso and chocolate. Long, fine, firm finish. Will continue to evolve with cellaring though it offers plenty of pleasure right now. Hard to beat!

**++Bjornstad, Van der Kamp Vineyard, Sonoma Coast, pinot noir, 2005: Better. Having been generally disappointed with the Bjornstad wines, this is at least better than average. Possessing the vineyard specific length and grip that Van der Kamp is known for, this wine has good depth and minerality, suggesting it will benefit from some laying down. The nose is also deep, black cherry, cinnamon, forest floor and tea notes. Some spice box. Already throwing a ton of sediment, this feels like a pretty “sauvage” wine that will take on complexity as it ages. Long finish. Good effort.