Wine Musings Vol#69

Wine of Merit: ***+White Cottage Ranch, Howell Mountain, cabernet sauvignon, 1995: Really I think this is the wine I was hoping for when we popped the cork on the Dunn 1990, perhaps with the added depth that Dunn is so noted for. Lovely. Nicely nuanced black fruit, bramble and licorice root. The fruit retains its White Cottage signature juiciness but has toned down the exuberance a bit. This wine really vindicates owner/winemaker Dennis Johns’ fervent point of view that wines need not be austere upon release to age well…the secret ingredient is balance. By the way, if you ever get a chance to venture out to the area, make an appointment to visit with Dennis. His exubernace is wonderful...and catching. 13 years out and the wine flows front to back with nary a drop out, offering wonderful mountain fruit flavors, integration, great mouth feel and a middle weight, peppery sweet finish that invites you back for more. And I will oblige! Delicious.

***+Aubert, Reuling vineyard, Sonoma Coast, pinot noir, 2004: Having recently tried the UV vineyard, I thought it would be opportune to try the other vineyard designate, the Reuling. I find the wines to be similar. Big, powerful pinot noir. Not as abrasive or extracted as many of the recently popular Central Coast offerings (Sea Smoke, Melville) but still more masculine iterations of the varietal. Black cherry liquor, peppermint candy syrup, church incense, all commingle to create a heady mélange. The palate follows suit, mouth filling, a touch vague. And it brings the heat. Finish is powerful as well. I wonder if this will all come around with time…I am currently a skeptic. Candidly I appreciate the style…but it is not really for me.

***Ridge, Jimsomare ranch, Santa Cruz Mountains, cabernet sauvignon, 1994 (ATP): I will admit to not having a lot of success with the ATP program, which ended up being a kind of island of the misfit toys thing that Ridge did (maybe they still do) with small lots of interesting varietals, vineyards and blends. I am happy to report that this wine is one of the exceptions. Even though Draper suggests that this wine was more near term than not, the experience dictates that this is exactly the right time to drink this wine. Perfectly integrated, the wine still boasts lovely, feminine red berry, cassis fruit, spice and a fair touch of American oak. The palate is racy and lively but not overly so and very much a pleasure, perhaps adding a nice touch of minerals. Here again, no thinning in the middle, no drop off at the lively, peppery end. A lovely food wine with roasted rosemary infused poultry and some red potatoes. Very nice indeed.

**++Double Diamond, Bomber X, Lake County, cabernet sauvignon, 2005: As anyone can tell you, I am a huge Thomas Brown fan. That said, this wine is really not made in my style. And I know it is not the fruit, as this is pretty much the same area from which 75 Cellars makes their great QPR cab (see 75 cellars review). This wine is made more in the Plump Jack, Husic style with more extraction, chocolate covered raisin, plum and Asian spice style The palate is lively if a bit racy, the presence of oak pronounced, the finish firm with a touch of green wood right at the end. I know these wines are made by Schrader to offer a low price alternative to his estate wines. And I think many will like this wine very much and find it a bargain. But the 2006 letter just came out with a price increase to $30 a bottle…and I will not be ordering.

Wine Musings Vol#28

From notes taken Febuary, 2007:

Wine of Merit: ***++Fritz Haag Riesling Braunberger Juffer Sonnenuhr Spatlese, 2005: Killer wine from a dynamite vintage. White flowers, lichee, lemon curd. Sweeet! Very primal still, will add complexity and nuance with age. But who could possibly wait?

**++Beringer Bancroft Ranch, Merlot, 1992: A true tragedy. This wine was nothing short of magnificent 2 years ago. It has now slipped over the peak. The nose offers up lush red fruit, maybe a bit stewed, not much else. The palate is still lively but a shadow of its former self. I have one more bottle and I will open it with low expectations.

***++Jasper Hill Georgia’s Paddock, shiraz, 1995: I have had inconsistent notes on this wine. This last bottle was nothing short of spectacular. Perfect, mature syrah fruit, it has added weight and complexity to go beyond the syrupy, blackberry fruit that often drives these aussie wines. I gave it lots of air and it did seriously well.

***White Cottage Ranch, Sangiovese, 1996: This, on the other hand, is still a ton o fun. Ripe red and blackberry fruit, saddle leather, spice and black pepper. Not youthful, but yummy. Amy digs it.

***Chasseur, Dutton Ranch Shop Block, chardonnay, 1998: Funny wine. At first this wine seemed oxidized to me. The color had an almost sauterne golden hue. The wine had a bit of a funky, muted nose to start off with. Later, it opened up to show top flight Riesling-like white flowers and Anjou pear, some tobacco and slate. Excellent minerality, this was a crowd favorite. Go figure.

***Blackford, Sonoma Coast chardonnay, 1998: Made by Dave Cronin, the winemaker over at Beuhler. Really nice, handcrafted chard. Corton notes of linseed, buttered popcorn, lemon custard. Zesty palate with lively acids. Integrated vanilla oak and spice. Still pretty form for the age and vintage. Nice.

Wine Musings Vol#18

From notes taken May, 2006:

Wine of Merit: ****Ridge Montebello, 1996: If the Whitehall is all charm, the Ridge is about stature and sophistication. A classic claret. More tightly wound, this wine is deep and well structured. Great cassis, bramble, black fruit and minerals. Some tobacco. The palate shows a deft touch, perfect depth and great integration. The finish is amazingly long. With time the wine loosens up a bit to show a cassis liqueur and flower nose. Drink or hold. Montebello continues to be a first growth among cali wines, IMHO and the 1996 is a lovely example of its pedigree and tradition.

***+Behrens & Hitchcock, Staglin Vineyard Cabernet , 1994: Big and juicy. Exhibiting much of the Staglin vineyard class and elegance, this wine still is unapologetically upfront. Lush, deep black cherry liquor and cassis waft from the glass. The palate offers the same, with lead pencil and potpourri spice. Palate is soft but very coating, deep and even throughout. Spicy, sweet finish. This wine borders on flabby but in the end pulls it off. I hate the stupid use of the word “hedonistic” when describing wine and yet…Drink or hold a bit, though it seems like it is pumping on all cylinders right now.

***Robert Ampeau Savigny Les Baune, 1990: Robert Ampeau is an eccentric. He decides when his wines are ready to drink and then releases them. I believe his current vintage for this wine is 1990 (others are releasing their 2004s)! Light ruby in color – this is a mature wine, though not in any way shape or form over the hill. Feminine, delicate nose of rose petal, bing cherry and chai tea notes, with progressively more pronounced cola. A smidge astringent on the finish, though the palate is generous. Very worthy and a delicious savigny. A testament to fine wine making.

***++ Whitehall Lane Reserve, 1996: Wow! This is amazingly expressive. Jammy, forward red and black fruit, fleshy peach, lavender and mocha notes. Thick licorice and truffles nuances. Amazingly youthful. Lavish oak, though perfectly integrated. Tannins are pronounced but sweet and furry on the finish. Not flabby but very pronounced. This wine will age well for another 10 years, taking on more complexity as the fruit unravels a bit. A great wine to have by itself or with cheese. Yum!

***Gary Farrell Allen / Rochioli Chardonnay, 1999: Surprisingly Fresh. Bright lemon zest, crème brulee, blood orange. Some candied fruit on the nose. Palate shows lavish oak, though it integrates nicely. Finish is firm with more spicy oak notes. Delicious.

**++Jory Lions Oak vineyard, Sangre de Donahue, Syrah 1998: Nice, Sideways Syrah. A bit jammy and fat given its age, the wine boasts blueberry / boysenberry and oak notes, with some garrigue and chocolate. Palate is a bit flabby but pleasant. A good drinker.

***White Cottage Ranch zinfandel, 1995: I have already waxed lyrical about White Cottage. This wine is holding up perfectly and shows freshness, depth and mountain fruit a plenty. Exactly what one should hope for in Napa zins with some bottle age. Smokin!

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.

Wine Musings Vol#12

Notes taken Febuary, 2006:

****Barnett Vineyards, Rattlesnake Vineyard cabernet, 1995: Timeless, mountain cabernet. These are the Barnett’s best vines, right under the feet of the winery, on a severely sloped parcel @ 2,000 ft. elevation over on Spring Mountain. Beautiful balance, elegant black licorice, briar and berry fruit. A strong but integrated backbone suggests good structure for aging but it is tempting to drink it all right now. The youth of the wine makes the fruit the most dominant trait, with notes of tar and mineral just underneath the surface. New oak complements, but does not dominate. Great now, better in a few. $50 at the winery back in the day (now about $100) and easily worth it.

***Schoffit, Clos St. Theobald, Rangen, Gewurtz, 2000: Stayin’ sweet. This wine was a bit awkward awhile ago but has hit its stride perfectly. Bright, golden hue, the nose shows fresh beach nut, grilled peach and oolong tea notes. The palate is viscous but not heavy, showing more tropical fruit and honeyed spice. Finish is even with no bitterness. A great buy @ $25. Nice!

**++Domaine de Chevalier, 1996: Graves Bordeaux at a reasonable price ($39). At initial opening the wine exhibits some noteworthy bret, almost an old school Gruaud funk, which I dig but many do not. Extended airing and a few days vacu-vinned in the fridge lets us get more into the wine. Still a bit “barnyardy”, this wine exhibits lots of minerals and mature black fruit, with dark molasses, camphor and cigar box highlights. A bit feminine, there is also a floral note and soft lavender on the palate. Mid palate is thinning, though the finish is quite firm. A very good drink, if not as seamless as one might wish for. An old world claret that makes no excuses. While it will not come into balance, I think it will continue to improve with time. Very good.

***Pichon Baron, 1996: A very good effort for this well regarded, Paulliac Chateau. Developing aromas of tobacco, espresso bean and black fruit right from the glass. Still somewhat reticent, the palate seems a touch thin but firm, with more blackberry, smoke and graphite. I am betting that this wine will further develop and open up more with a few more years of bottle age, though I am not sure if it has the stuffing to really show the depth of character that this winery offers in truly great (1989) vintages. Buy more (It’s out there at $50)? On the fence – mostly because it is the boys’ birth year.

**++White Cottage Sangiovese, 1996: Cal Ital. I have always been a fan of Dennis Johns. He is exuberant and bright, and his wines are always ripe, fresh and delicious with excellent purity of fruit. The knock, if any, is that his wines drink young. I would say that they are delicious ( and yes maybe better) young, but age as well as most. Case in point, this wine. Initially very reticent, with time and air it shows coy mountain fruit and minerals, Malabar pepper, toffee and violets. Much less of the saddle leather and red fruit that it showed when young. The body of the wine is still firm and consistent through to the finish. It really has not developed tertiary complexity, just toned down some from its initial exuberance. Still worth drinking if less of a show. Seek out White Cottage wines and you will never be disappointed.

***+St. Clement Orropas, 1992: This is also a Dennis Johns wine. Named after the owners of St. Clement (Saporro spelled backwards), it is a meritage blend with its fair share of merlot (15%) and some cab franc. Maturing color, this wine has hit its peak, rewarding the patient. The nose of this wine is wide open, showing opulent, perfumed plummy fruit, potpourri, and crushed roses. The palate is rich, velvety and resolved, offering licorice and mocha to a fine finish. A St. Emillion styled wine from Napa Valley. Still very polished and not dull at all, this wine will not hold much longer and should be consumed now. Excellent effort for the vintage.