served and removed stemware with attention and timeliness and was always extremely polite. I am a frequent diner – and yet wish I dined there more often.It should be noted that most, nearly all, of the wines were provided by Thomas Rivers Brown, the noted Napa / Sonoma (by way of South Carolina) wine maker. In fact, Thomas is the wine maker for all of these noted wines, thus creating a theme for the evening. Many of the wines have yet even to be released to the public or have published tasting notes available of which I am aware – some even enjoying an inaugural release in the 2005 vintage - making it a real pleasure and special occasion to try them. To the wines (in order of tasting, not by merit):
**++Nicholson Ranch, Cuvee Natalie Reserve, Sonoma Valley, chardonnay, 2005: I am afraid the start was less than auspicious. Clearly made in a very popular style, the cuvee Natalie is a flamboyant, unctuous white wine, fat with lemony, tropical fruit, vanilla and thickly oaked. It unfortunately, to my palate, lacks the depth, complexity and concentration to really pull off this kind of signature (I think Pahlmeyer succeeds here very nicely). It was best described by one taster as “A coconut cream pie served on a slab of oak”. I perhaps would have made it a lemon meringue, coconut cream pie, but otherwise tend to agree. Again, perhaps exaggerated but not a bad wine. Moving on.
****Rivers-Marie, Summa Vineyard, Sonoma Coast, pinot noir 2006: This wine, by contrast, was my favorite of the evening, though it was not the consensus blue ribbon (in fact I am not sure if it was necessarily even the "best" wine of the evening; just the one I enjoyed drinking the most). Wonderful, fragrant, fresh, perhaps a bit delicate, this wine exudes a deep, feminine rose petal, lavender, orange tisane quality that just lures me in. Clearly very young, I think it will add weight with further bottle time, but it is so hard to stay away from now. The palate is lively but still extremely fine and deep, adding cola, licorice root and pink peppercorn notes from attack all the way through to the lingering, finely grained finish, where the fruit darkens just slightly and adds a forest floor element. Really a great drink.
****GTS, Seaver Family Vineyard, Diamond Mountain, cabernet sauvignon 2005 (release June 2008): Wonderful. The first ever release for this wine (in fact it is not really even yet released), it bodes extremely well for the label. Amy’s favorite wine of the evening. All finesse and balance, this wine wins you over with subtlety and grace. Mostly red fruit driven, it is fairly open knit and nuanced, adding wonderful lavender, plum, forest floor and chocolate. Some noted an alluring black powder, graphite element (I admit to not
having ever smelled black powder – this one taster was an ex-marine!) that added to the complexity of the wine. Well oaked, the vanilla is complementary and perfectly integrated, doing what oak is supposed to do, buoying the fruit’s natural elements, not overmatching them. The palate too is extremely inviting, balanced and integrated with more dark fruit, cigar leaf and espresso bean. Finish is long, spicy and sweet. I really enjoyed this wine very much and look forward to drinking more of it as it adds some bottle age.***+Two Hands, Charlie’s Patch, Napa Valley, cabernet sauvignon, 2005: Wow! Hold on to your hats. If you were expecting the smooth, silky, round fruity “Bella’s Garden” shiraz experience you had better regroup! This is a monster of a wine. Massive, deep, laser focused notes of blue and black fruits, menthol, pine and chalk prick up the ears and make you take immediate notice. The palate is a bottomless well lined with granite, deep, deep deep with excellent minerlaity and structure that will make you wince. The finish is almost searing and of ridiculous length, though I have to say this wine has believe it or not softened since I tasted it in barrel. A true vin de garde in the old school, Randy Dunn of the early 80s sense. Given how packed, how stuffed this wine is, I am sure it will reward patience in the cellar. Only caveat is that if this wine lacks anything, it may be balance…perhaps it will sort itself out with time. Again, an inaugural effort.
****Outpost Winery, True Vineyard, Howell Mountain, cabernet sauvignon, 2005 (release May 2008): Many selected this wine as their wine of the evening. It was a complete unknown to us and we had no expectations when opening it (though I am a huge fan of the Outpost Howell Mountain zinfandels). As it turns out, in many ways it was the belle of the ball, stately, manicured, “complete” as one taster suggested, this wine posseses stature and depth that makes you pause and admire. Wonderful concentration and balance, it is very Bordelaise in its purposefulness and composition (and in its varietal assembly as it turns out - though mostly cab). Still, its purity and focus VERY much belie its Napa Valley roots. Deep, dark, blue black fruits, perfumed violet, subtle tones of briar, amazing minerlaity – like liquid slate, all perfectly integrated, this wine is pure elegance. Wonderful, coating palate deftly balanced from entry to long, steely yet fine, tannic finish. Velvet glove / iron fist? Yup. To think this is the inaugural vintage. What kind of wine can this vineyard make when it has settled in? Word to the wise…get in line now! I have no idea of the price point and honestly care very little: this wine is a buy.
***Maybach Family Vineyards, Materium, Oakville, cabernet sauvignon, 2005 (release May 2008): Finally, a known commodity! The 2004 Maybach was one of my wines of the Polaner Puck building tasting awhile back – and I was quick to secure a few bottles, even at $110 a pop. I will say that the 2005 does not disappoint, though it does not approach the 2004 effort. Like the Seaver, this wine is open and inviting. Perhaps lacking the structure and depth of the Seaver, this may lay a bit flatter, though it does offer yummy flavor and aroma nuances of licorice root, red fruit, smoke, lavender and spice box. The palate is of medium weight and perfectly balanced adding peppery chocolate and a wonderful creamy palate feel ending in fine, sweet tannins. I will drink this wine with great pleasure while await the supposed-to-be mind blowing 2006.
***Diamond Terrace, Howell Mountain, cabernet sauvignon, 2005 (release June 2008): Interesting that Thomas would select a wine made by a winery on Diamond Mountain, with estate grapes from Diamond Mountain, that was made from Howell mountain fruit. Only 95 cases of this were made. I think it was perhaps my least favorite of the TRB wines, though certainly worthy. It is made in a very heralded, extracted style, that has done very well for wines like Husic and Plump Jack. Raisin-y, stewed plum, chocolaty, almond and baker’s spices waft from the glass. The palate offers more overripe fruit and briar. I cannot but help think of a chocolate, prune Danish (or even better hamantaschen – it is close to Purim!) Amy quips, “This wine is so chocolaty it should come wrapped in foil!” – It is very much a dessert by itself. I am sure Parker will love this Turley-like cab…so if scores matter to you – go out and grab it! While better than any Husic or Plump Jack made, it is still not really my style of cabernet.
****Schrader, ToKalon Beckstoffer vineyard, Oakville, cabernet sauvignon, 2005: Ahhh yes – the Fred Schrader wines. Well, here we are. These wines blew my mind in barrel…and they are better in bottle. Thomas is on a mission with these wines. He has set out to prove just how good the ToKalon Vineyard product is and, even with the vineyards accolades firmly in place, how it can be consistently transformed into something other worldly given the right touch. These wines remind me of the New England Patriots…they show up and simply play their game, regardless of conditions. Good vintage? Tough vintage? Hardly matters – these wines always excel. I guess this is supposed to be the base wine, though there is nothing base about it. A great assembly of soy, red and black currant fruit, cassis, sassy rubbing spices, floral lavender and herbs, this wine has endless, layered depth, amazing purity and wonderful concentration. The palate is voluminous, the wine itself voluptuous and toned at the same time. All kept in perfect balance. Fantastic.
****+Schrader, T-6, ToKalon Beckstoffer vineyard, Oakville, cabernet sauvignon, 2005: The T-6 really echoes all of the “Schrader” Schrader notes, with an even stronger emphasis on the candied violet element within the profile. Perhaps more singularly focused on purity and concentration, this wine is like an Olympic gymnast doing a perfect floor routine – focused, intense, no loose footwork, nothing out of place. Amazing minerality, “a touch of white pepper” was a common comment made. Outstanding.
****Schrader, CCS, ToKalon Beckstoffer vineyard, Oakville, cabernet sauvignon, 2005: For many, this was the wine of the tasting. All of the above notes, with perhaps a rounder, more flamboyant essence to it. I detected an added note of Vienna roasted coffee bean, which added yet more nuance and sophistication to the nose and palate. Still, do not be misled – this wine is about the fruit. Just jam packed, waves and waves of it. Wow. Really a wine you almost surrender all of your sense to. Dynamite in all the ways a wine can be dynamite!
In the end, I think the stated preferences for specific wines said more about the tasters than the wines themselves. All were well made, without exception. If you were more of a purist and appreciated stature, the Outpost must have been very highly rated. A hedonist? The Schrader wines were hard to beat. Looking for a wine you can spoon with after your love affair? The GTS was gentle, deep and warm. All in all…a wonderful tour de force. Thanks Thomas!
