Wine Musings Vol#30

The big 30! Now we're getting somewhere! Notes taken March, 2007:

Wine of Merit: ****++Kongsgaard, The Judge, Chardonnay, 2003: Guilty! Ok – so this is a wine that cannot get more hyped – 99 RP points, 100 cases, $400 a bottle in some misguided retail establishments. And I will admit that this was my first go with the Judge. Initially, I found this wine not very forthcoming and tightly wound. The palate was the give away that this is truly a monumental wine. Multi-layered, intense, suave and refined, it took some concentration to recognize everything that was going on – peaches, blood orange, herbs, slate – it was all there. Further, as the wine sat in the glass and aired – more of the intensity of the palate showed through. Buttered popcorn, lavender, yellow peaches, white flowers. Still, it was the palate that tantalized me with its length, depth, reserved power and sophistication. The finish only amplified the palate. I have only had Le Montrachet once, and it had this kind of depth and concentration. A wine to talk about.

***++Ducru Beaucalliou, St. Julien, 1998: I love Ducru. It is the statesman of 2nd growth Bordeaux. Wonderfully consistent, powerful but still somewhat reserved. Offering sense of place but still a firm house signature. This wine does not disappoint. Still brooding, it is showing red fruit, herbs, earth and minerals. Firm, well integrated palate. Firm, fine finish. Drink it now to enjoy what a very good, young Bordeaux has to offer or let it sit and mellow and add some depth and nuance. Either way you cannot lose. Great wine for the vintage.

***+Stags Leap, SLV Vineyard, cabernet, 1996: Really lovely. More mature and open knit, this wine also shows great SLD sense of place, with its red fruit, bramble, minerals and leather. The palate adds chocolate and pepper on the finish. Palate coating on entry and even all the way to the finish. Ready to drink now – a wine at its peak.

****Ornellaia, Bolgheri, DOC Rosso Superiore,1993: I have to admit to loving Ornellaia. I have loved it for many years (my first experience being the 1988). It did not receive the hype early on as it was a Bordeaux blend from Italy and not Sangiovese based – but I remember trying it for the first time in the early 90s and being blown away. This was not a heralded vintage, but for Ornellaia, probably should have been. The wine is now showing dark, black cherry fruit, chocolate, some raisin and kirsch liquor that is nothing short of sexy. Palate is still firm and ripe, with a sweet, fine tannic finish. This wine is simply wonderful vintage in and vintage out. Of course, now scores have caught up and the wine has become pricey…but it is still a worth it and a wonderful exhibition of what Bolgheri can do with French varietals.

**+Andrew Will, Klipsun vineyard, 2003: 60/40 Merlot/Cab blend. I tend to like AW wines very much. This particular wine is a bit angular and lean. Aromas of grilled meats and soy, along with black cherry fruit nuances and spice box. Palate is a bit zippy, not as full and coating as most AW wines I have enjoyed. Finish is puckery and a bit out of balance. Admittedly I let most of my AW wines age a bit and this is a young ‘un. Still, it doesn’t seem to have the stuffing or the balance to age for very long. Buy more? Probably not. As a side note, Andrew Will has let the vineyard contract expire with Klipsun and no longer makes this wine.

Wine Musings LTD: Paris Tasting Redux

Ok - not really. But the wines, if not the vintages, were similar. More or less. As in more Mouton and Montebello and less everything else. And we included an 89 Haut Brion that the folks in 1976 could only have dreamed about. To the wines:

**1983 Leoville Las Cases: Already passed its prime and devolving. Brickish rim. Nose has elements of tomato skin and stewed fruit, along with the signature St. Julien earth and cigar box.

***1983 Mouton Rothschild: Better than I have had before. Good solid color. Expressive nose of black fruit, tobacco, cedar and graphite. Lovely grip and surprisingly integrated finish. The mint should have told me mouton, but it just seemed too good to be the 83. Would I pay $180 a pop for this wine right now? Probably not – but it is a very good wine nonetheless.

**++1985 Ridge Montebello: I mistook this wine for the Mouton, as the Mouton was a better wine and I have a high opinion of the 85 Montebello. This was a good, not great bottle. Good fruit structure, some floral notes, good minerals with more evident wood and a big finish. Nice.

***++1984 Diamond Creek RRT: A truly lovely wine. Soft though by no means flabby – more elegant – this wine has great berry and stone fruit, violets and a mountain quality that includes bramble and lavender. I could drink a ton of this wine. The biggest favor RP ever did me was bad mouthing Diamond Creek. Wonderful.

*****1989 Haut Brion: As described above, quite the experience. Many, many layers of aromas and flavors, surprising sweetness which Dave says means that it is aging a bit (I should age this well), amazing depth and perfectly seamless integration. A quintessential wine. I think I saw John Caldarella tear up after the first sip. I don’t blame him.

***1989 Ridge Montebello: Very nice, though dwarfed in every way by the Haut Brion. It did not remind me of the great Montebellos I have had. Fairly well evolved, deep black fruit, some vegetal qualities, round mouth feel, searingly tannic.

***1989 Mouton Rothschild: I had big hopes for this wine as it is my anniversary year. A solid effort though I think not as good as other 89 Paulliac wines. Tobacco, cassis, red candied fruits. Full palate though the finish falls apart a bit. Worth drinking but not a longer term wine I don’t think.

1990 Dominus: Not a good showing for this wine. A bit funky, falling apart, red fruit, not worth writing home (or to you) about much. I have had great bottles of this wine and think it was simply an off bottle.

***++1993 Mouton Rothschild: Back on the road to Wellville. This is an outstanding wine – which exceeds my expectation. All of the Mouton elements are there, mint, black fruit, cassis, tobacco, lead pencil. Excellent concentration right through to the finish. Lovely and worth the current asking.

****1991 +Ridge Montebello: Another truly great wine. This is why I love Montebello. Great concentration, mountain fruit, minerals and violets – a deep, youthful, complex wine. Worth seeking out.

****1991 Stags Leap Cask 23: I think this was a controversial wine. I thought it was breathtaking of a fine wine. Velvety texture, satiny red fruit, pink peppercorn, rose petal, black truffle – it had Cheval Blanc like characteristics. It is definitely mature, but I thought it a very special wine – in the top 4 of the tastng.

***+1996 Ridge Montebello: I have previously posted on this wine. A great Montebello drinking great now. I thought the last bottle slightly better.

***(?)1995 Leoville Las Cases: A frustrating wine. The nose is coy and showing next to nothing. The palate is full, strong, offering great minerals and very nice balance and integration. Patience is a virtue – but right now I would bury this wine in the cellar and drink something else – hoping for some kind of awakening.

***+1997 Phelps Insignia: I thought this wine got a bit lost in the fray. Deep fruit, mocha, signature mint, slate, surprisingly firm, almost painful finish. It was delicious but seemed almost one dimensional. I have always been a huge fan of this wine from 1985 – 1991…I think it has become almost simple as it has attempted to cater to the international palate.

***1998 La Tour: Not a great LaTour, though clearly a noble wine. I do not have a strong recollection of this wine other than that I was surprised how one dimensional it was, offering deep, chalky black fruit and nice grip – but overall lacking the quality that makes me “1st growth”. I have had truly great LaTour, including the 59 / 61 / 70 / 90. This was not one of those. Nice.

****++2000 Mouton Rothschild: Another mind bending wine. Wow. What depth. Tobacco, cassis liquor, violets, mint and deeeeeeep stone fruit. Wonderful palate with minerals, red and black fruit, clove, briar. A statuesque wine. At $350 this is almost a steal.

That’s it. The 89 HB, 00 MR, 91 MB and 91 Stags are my wines of the evening, in that order. So in our 1976 Paris Tasting the French reclaim the title! All are 95 to 100 point wines, IMHO. No losers here.

Wine Musings Vol#15

From notes taken April, 2006:

Wine of Merit: ****Stags Leap Wine Cellars Napa 1990: A great surprise. This wine is downright youthful, though it has added an extra star with age. Some initial tertiary aromas of cigar box, red fruit and stags leap earth, the palate is coating and integrated, showing deep red and black fruits, Malabar pepper and minerals. No thinness at all. Drink or hold. Wonderful.

***Marius Delarche Corton Charlemagne, 1995: Initially very closed, the wine opens up to show focused meyer lemon custard and a pleasing key lime aroma. The palate is snappy with nice flintiness and white fruit, good balance, a touch of nutmeg. More puligny than corton to me. Nice.

***Ridge Montebello, 1984: Another try at this wine. Very nice, though a bit underwhelming. Seems a bit dirty to me. Not sure if it is a crushpad thing, a barrel thing or just how the wine has aged. Graves like tobacco and earth, wet slate, cedar and plum. Still pretty firm. I would have guessed something like a Pape Clement if pushed. I have 3 bottles left and will sell them.

***++Kistler Durrell Vineyard, 1995: Wow. Super mature. Touch of Madeira. Fruit driven style has receded showing dynamite complexity. Grilled pear, hazelnut, tobacco…a touch of cinnamon? Camphor nuance. Super oily palate, creamy texture. Ultimately a super interesting wine that I enjoyed very much but which MUST be drunk now.

***Kistler McCrea Vineyard, 1995: Completely different wine. Much more youthful and still fruit driven, citrus zest, carmelized banana, hazelnut gelato. Almost seemed simple after the Durrell but very pleasant.

****White Cottage Ranch Merlot, 1995: One of a handful of great Napa merlot producers. Delicious. Unassuming violets, mocha café, red licorice. Smooth, velvety palate with more mountain red fruit and briar. Perfectly balanced, no overwhelming wood, no drop off, just right. Ahhhh….

***++Lafaurie Peyraguey, Sauterne, 2001: So young. Not lush yet, showing pretty peach elements, tobacco, white flowers and some greenness. Sweetness is not accompanied by significant other flavors to make it interesting. Palate is viscous but not overly. Some tangerine lingers. Needs to put on some weight.