Wine Musings Vol#99

For this issue of the musings we invite a special guest, John Caldarella, to take us to Bordeaux:

Chateau Pavie Macquin, St.Emilion, Bordeaux, 1999: I have found 1999 Bordeaux to be one of the most underrated vintages of Bordeaux. I have enjoyed 1999s from over a dozen Chateau ranging from Pauillac on the Left through Margaux on the Right and I have yet to be disappointed. The 99s were approachable early and have shown, at this point, to be delightful as they mature into their second decade.Tonight's example, from Saint-Emilion, has a wonderful nose of black truffle, soy, a little meat fat, and dark berry - in that order. As the wine opens the fruit becomes more expressive on the palate. While the wine is of medium body it finishes cleanly and its finely evolved tannins, quite frankly, exude character...more broken-in Benz than Jag. Lovely.




Wine of Merit: ****+Joseph Phelps, Insignia, cabernet sauvignon, Napa Valley, 1986:
Simply stated, a great wine. Surprisingly youthful. After a long decant, swirling notes of cedar, cassis, fresh plum, nicoise olive, herb de Provence and that bright, laser focused mint/eucalyptus note for which this wine has become famous. While later vintages have yielded to popular tastes, this wine remains a classic. Great structure, great balance, great finesse. Honestly, I am reminded of Mouton from the same vintage. Classic. Drink or hold.

****+ Kongsgaard, Napa Valley, chardonnay, 2005: In looking through the blog, I noted that I have posted on the 2005 Judge, but not the base chardonnay. Well, it is fabulous. Unctuous, deep, perfumed and yet precise and focused. A melange of citrus, tree blossoms, honey comb, jasmine, subtle earthiness. A hint of tobacco. Flattering on the palate but detailed with a solid mineral backbone right through to the long finish. Hard not to gush about this wine. Expensive and clearly worth it.

****Dunn, Howell Mountain, cabernet sauvignon, 1993: Amazing. A brute that is just now even interested in flexing its muscles. Deep blue/black fruits, bramble, rocky minerals. Complimentary notes of cedar and sage. Amazing purity and depth. The palate belies its heavy weight status. The finish is the knockout. If the Insignia is Mouton, this is Latour in a big vintage. It is my understanding that the cellar master of Latour, upon trying a Dunn HM wine from around this vintage, decided that he could make a Latour from this terroir. I think his effort is called Notre Vin and is finally available for sale. I totally believe it and would be interested in how that project is turning out. Honestly, with the exception of Outpost True, I am disappointed by many of the HM efforts these days. This 1993 HM reminds me of the potential!

***++ Cedric Bouchard, Roses de Jeanne, Haut Lamblee, Blanc de blancs, champagne, 2005: Ephemeral, crisp mousse and tiny bead. Bright, crisp green apple, dried apricot, marzipan, Asian pear. Crisp, dry and mineral on the palate, with a star fruit/kiwi tang. A great food champagne. 100% chardonnay with no wood and no dosage. Delicious!

***+Sottimano, Vigne Masua, Curra, barbaresco, 2000: Delicious and clearly still a baby. Wonderful notes of potpourri, licorice root, smoke and dusty, baker's chocolate are easily coaxed from the glass. Everything about this wine is big. Voluminous, coating mouth feel. Big tannic backbone. Chocolate, fruit, pepper finish. Just a meal by itself. A wine to drink while pondering the good things in life. Super.

***+Antichi Vignetti di Cantalupo, Collis Carellae, Ghemme, 1996: A Spanna of very high quality. Much more focused and sophisticated than the Vallana offering. This wine is very reminiscent of its neighboring Barolo, with nuanced aromatics of rose hip, rhubarb,white strawberry and spice. Base notes of tar and licorice root. Palate glides with bright, integrated acids front to back, more red fruit and peppery spice. Medium,fine finish. Great food wine.

***Habit, Happy Canyon, sauvignon blanc, 2009: A new wine made from grapes grown in the Santa Ynez valley, with Dave Margerum consulting. I love the label - and the wine inside as well! A sauvignon blanc that is more ultra chill than exuberant, it offers sophisticated notes of chamomile, freshly cut grass and wild flowers, accompanied by Sicilian citron and muted tropical fruit notes. The palate is suave, layered and generous, with little of that typical young SB bite, surprising as this wine sees no oak at all. While only 50 cases were made, it is worth looking for if you can find it. Happy hunting!

***Gerard Boulay, Sancerre Rose, Chavignol, 2009: As spring turns into summer, thoughts turn to beaches, picnics, flip flops...and chavignol rose. And chief amongst them Gerard Boulay's Chavignol. Juicy, energetic, pink tropical fruits, peonies, a bit of flint...everything that is needed to enjoy the weather. Structured enough to enjoy with cool summer fare but delicious solo, this wine is for me one of the telltale signs of summer. As James Taylor says, "Summer's here...I'm for that!"

**++Windgap, Russian River Valley, pinot gris, 2008: Another winner from Pax Mahle's new label. A very different iteration of pinot gris, this wine is vinified in two batches; one is whole cluster prerssed and barreled down, the other crushed and left to age on the skins. After a year or so they are blended. The resulting wine is light orange hued, more akin to a rose then a white, though it is fermented dry. Aromas and palate are fresh and vibrant, with elements of queen Anne cherry, peach, crenshaw melon and apricot. Good acids and a nice mineral note. A great summer wine (12.3% abv), it actually was best with food. Fun!

Wine Musings Vol#98

Wine of Merit: ****Woodward Canyon, Columbia Valley, cabernet sauvignon, 1989: A revelation. Superb. Very reminiscent of a Pichon Comtesse de Lalande of the same vintage. Somewhat feminine and red fruit driven, elements of nicoise olive, graphite, cassis, lavender and toasted black bread, a floral tisane note. Gliding on the palate, with more red fruit and cassis. Lingering, fine, resolving finish. Just gorgeous.

***++Leonetti Cellar, Walla Walla Valley, cabernet sauvignon, 1995: Still quite vibrant and fresh. Wonderful, nuanced cabernet notes of leather, autumn leaves and cherry pipe tobacco. Plum/Panforte and tar. Full coating palate, lovely depth and grip. Fine, tingly finish with more mint and berry fruit. Perfect drinking window. Great!

***+JC Cellars, Frediani vineyard, Napa Valley, petite syrah, 1998: I am not a big petite syrah fan. That said, this was a wonderful wine! In my cellar since release, the wine has developed wonderfully integrated black fruit, caramelized fig and spicy broad leaf cigar tobacco notes. Calla Lilly with time in the glass. Super interesting but all integrated and nuanced. Balanced, full palate, lively peppery, meaty finish. A big - and very pleasant - surprise. Wonderful!

***+Bodegas Muga, Rioja Reserva, Tempernaillo, 2001: A wonderful wine at a great value. Spicy red fruit, iron, grilled meats, saddle leather, garrigue and a touch of iodine. Great complexity with clean flavors and focus. Palate is a touch racy with good attack, more red fruit and Malabar pepper and no drop offs. Fine, long spicy finish. A dynamite food wine that continues to improve and nuance.

***+Del Dotto, Napa valley, cabernet sauvignon, 1997: Prototypical. Wonderful cassis, cedar, plum and tobacco. Pronounced creamy, chocolate mint. Great depth and richness but not overripe or exaggerated at all. Flattering, generous mouth feel front to back. Long, lingering spicy finish. Yum!

***Windgap, Fannucchi vineyard, Trousseau Gris, 2009: A lovely, lighter weight summer sipper. Bright, lemon citrus zest and juicy green apple notes. Candied ginger and cardamom. Excellent snap and acid bite. Pure mineral backbone all the way to the finish. With time in the glass, a floral, almost acacia note is added. Bring on the summer heat!

Wine Musings Vol#97

Wine of Merit: ***+Les Pagodes de Cos, St. Estephe, Bordeaux, 2000: A lovely surprise from Cos D'Estournel's second label. While 2000 has earned the reputation for some hard-as-nails wines, this is not one of them. Rich, sweet blackberry, licorice, cedar and tobacco. A hint of minerals. The palate is full, textured, fruitful and not hard edged anywhere. Lovely integration front to back, to a medium long finish with fine tannins. A pleasure.

***+ Conn Valley Vineyards, Right Bank, Napa, meritage, 2007: Another incredibly pleasing wine. A merlot/cab blend. Similar notes, with the addition of youthful exuberance. Ripe, juicy, black cherry and berry fruit. A touch of vanilla pipe tobacco. A hint of nicoise olive. Lots of baby fat. Balanced nicely hinting at aging potential and the development of tertiary complexity. Yummy right now!

***+Eric Texier, Cote Rotie, Vielles Vignes, syrah, 2005: I admit right upfront that I am a huge Texier fan. His wines sacrifice goofy extraction and ripeness for balance, integration and nuance. This wine is no exception. Inviting in almost a polite way, it offers beautifully delineated syrah aromatics of blueberry compote, wildflowers and carbonara (well cooked pancetta, pepper, a touch of something richer and creamier). The palate has pinot like flow and the finish is elegant and focused. Clearly a wine that will age well as I muddle through earlier vintages. Just wonderful. Bravo.

***Kosta Browne, Koplen vineyard, Russian River Valley, pinot noir, 2006: From the sublime...Actually, while there is no mistaking these pinot noirs for Burgundy, they offer lots of pleasure in their own way. Thick black cherry and vanilla ice cream notes, here with a note of raspberry and a nuance of something not quite as sweet, perhaps Mariage Freres Marco Polo tea. The palate is thankfully not quite as blousy, with a nice core of cherry fruit but also some malabar pepper, cola and fine tannin to the finish. This wine is better than the RRV and can probably stand another year in the cellar, though it is meant for drinking in the nearer term. Nice.

***Chateau Fuisse, Puilly Fuisse, Les Combettes, Burgundy, 2006: The theme continues to be rich wines. Initial notes of struck match from liberal use of sulphur. Then, with aeration, spicy preserved lemons, Asian pears, grilled fennel and lily of the valley. Bright and racy on the palate. Good acids with minerals and a slightly more candied citrus element. Fine, focused, spicy finish. Delicious.

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#95

Wine of Merit: **** Cliff Lede Vineyards, Poetry, Napa Valley, cabernet sauvignon, 2006: This is a magnificent wine. Very much a vin de garde. Chiseled features, this wine has profound depth, focus, concentration and structure. Muscular. Never, however, angular or out of balance or brutish in any way. Black fruit, chalky minerals, lead pencil, a hint of something more nuanced like raw tobacco leaf. One to put away with confidence. Intense.

****Ben Glaetzer, Amon-Ra, Shiraz, Barossa Valley, 2005: Equally worthy is the Amon Ra from Ben Glaetzer. A majestic wine. Deep, concentrated, deftly balanced. Blue and black fruit, an undertone of grilled meat that becomes more pronounced with air, bramble, a huge whiff of exotic, tagine spices...this wine has it all. Powerful but never lacking grace. Long, firm, graceful finish. A wonder.

***++Donnhoff, Niederhauser Hermannshohle, Nahe, Riesling Auslese, 2002: I have tracked this wine over time and it has never been better than right now. Orange blossom and oleander, petrol, dried apricot, minerals. Rich and textured, oily but not heavy in anyway. Lovely balance. Minerals and spice on the lingering finish. Delicious.

***+ Jean Claude Boisset, 1er Cru “Les Chaponnières”, Pommard, 2005: A suave Pommard made in a very natural style. Deep red fruit, pronounced chocolate covered apricot slices (I love those), mulling spice a great mineral backbone. Silky smooth palate feel with a firm structure front to back. 13% abv and the structure bode well for longer term cellaring, but hard to resist right now. I should have bought more!

***+W.S. Keyes, Howell Mountain, merlot, 2006: This was a wine that evolved significantly in the glass. Initially all about milk chocolate and caramel, it took on weight and nuance with air. Deep plum, crushed violet, grilled meat. A forest floor element. Velvety, generous mouthfeel. Long finish. From what was the Liparita vineyards. Lovely.

***+Eric Texier, Brezeme, Domaine Pergault, Villes Vignes, Cotes de Rhone, 2005: A 5 year old CdR just hitting its stride. Welcome to the world of Eric Texier. 100% Syrah, this wine is signing right now. Gorgeous, perfumed red currant, black berry fruited tisane, brier, violet, a real melange. The palate slides and glides, adding minerals and nice structure through to the fine finish. Someone suggested this is a baby Hermitage and I would agree.

***Le Clos Jordanne, Niagara, Ontario, chardonnay, 2006: Beauty, eh? (Sorry couldn't resist). Actually, this wine is a beauty. Clean, bright lemon/grapefruit notes, white pear, flinty mineral, an added element of grilled fennel on the palate, excellent acids and verve, a long, spicy finish. By pure serendipity this wine is owned and made by the Boisset family above mentioned. An excellent effort. A classy chardonnay from the great white north.

Wine Musings Vol#94

Had the pleasure of spending the day visiting Sojourn Cellars, Audelssa Vineyards and Pott Wines while on a one day scamper up to the sonoma/napa valleys.

Our first stop was Sojourn Cellars and a visit with Craig Haserot. It is clear that Craig is passionate about wine and wine making and his product reflects his choice to make his avocation into his vocation. I found the current pinots and cabernets delicious. They offer a nice balance between some of the leaner, "more natural", lower abv wines being produced out there and the more full throttle, cherry vanilla milkshake, high abv, high extract versions. It seems like a very conscious effort to find the middle ground. I guess if I had to use one word to describe Sojourn Cellars I would use the word polished. Enticing to soaring aromatics, welcoming mouth feel gliding to a long, fine finish these are delicious wines that will appeal to wine geeks and casual wine drinkers alike.

Craig kindly poured his whole line up:

***Sojourn Cellars, Sonoma County, pinot noir, 2008: Ripe, though not overly so, with lovely sonoma nuances of cherry cola and mulling spices. Palate coating and generous with a long, spicy finish. Gorgeous.

***+Sojourn Cellars, Rogers Creek vineyard, pinot noir, 2008: Perhaps the most interesting of the pinots. Nuanced, green elements, earthy truffle and a slightly more pronounced tannic profile. May benefit from some laying down. Delicious.

***Sojourn Cellars, Gaps Crown vineyard, pinot noir, 2008: Racy and fun. Red fruits, currants, malabar pepper. Maybe sorting itself out still a touch, but very promising and undoubtedly a good food wine.

***++Sojourn Cellars, Sangiacomo vineyard, pinot noir, 2008: The pride of the litter. Full, creamy but still deep and showing good concentration, this wine seems the most complete to me. Very worthy.

***+Sojourn Cellars, Mountain Terraces, cabernet sauvignon, 2006: Mountain Fruit from Sonoma. The best sonoma cabs are from the mountains and this one show many of those most desired qualities. Nicoise olive, earth, red fruit, bramble. Full and coating. Long, fine finish. Great.

***Sojourn Cellars, Sonoma Valley, cabernet sauvignon, 2006: A great buy at $39. Delicious, forward, oak, chocolate, a touch of bell pepper, plum, pipe tobacco. Full and coating. Yum!

Toward the end of the tasting Craig was kind enough to bring out two yet to be released samples: The first was the 2007 Sojourn Cellars Spring Mountain cabernet (***+). I found it surprisingly supple and integrated (but still showing that deep mountain fruit concentration) for a wine from a growing area that I most often associate with big, tannic, monster cabs. Another taster suggested to Craig that he had "tamed the monster" on this one and I have to agree. An excellent effort. The other wine was the 2008 Sojourn Cellars George III cabernet (***++). A cut above. Deeper, more interesting and nuanced, it is showing its pedigree even in these early, primary stages. A wine to watch out for. I was very impressed with these and all of the Sojourn Cellars wines.

Lunch at the EDK (truffled fries!) and then...

Off to Audelssa Vineyards , which was a new winery for me. The views from the top of Mt. Veeder are breathtaking and the folks there could not be nicer or more passionate about their estate grown wines. Of special note were the 2006 Summit cabernet blend*** and the 2006/2007 reserves***+. I believe the Sojourn Cellars Mountain Terraces is from this very same vineyard (of course they share winemakers so it would make sense). Mountain grown, black cherry and mocha driven wines with nice complementary notes of earth and smoke. Firm and full on the palate with a pronounced and very enjoyable mineral presence and very firm, tannic finish. My impression is that the reserves are made with 100% estate merlot/cab franc fruit while the Summit blend is an estate/alder springs Bordeaux blend. In many ways this estate reminds me of Jocelyn Lonen - the views, the nice people the fruited wines...lovely! Audelssa sells two crowd pleaser wines, the Zephyr GSM*** (does this also get a bit of co-fermented estate viognier? The aromatics are certainly pumped up)and theTephra**++ (a kitchen sink mix including zinfandel, syrah, cab, merlot and maybe others). Both of these less expensive wines were approachable, yummy and eminently drinkable. A strong line up. Thank you for the visit. A picture from the vineyard with the clouds parting is my new computer wallpaper. Breathtaking.

Wines of Merit: Lastly we made the hike to visit with Aaron Pott. Aaron was kind enough to share 4 of his cuvees with us, as well as a bottle of the 2007 Seven Stones, which I had tried from barrel in October. It is hard to know where to start with Aaron's wines. I find them magical. If the word of the day for Sojourn is polished, the word for Pott Wines is complete. To my palate they lack nothing. Each wine is individual, interesting, deep, complex and fulfilling in its own way. I will briefly mention that his 2007 Pantagruel**** cab franc had wonderful, Chinon like complexities that I have personally never found in a new world cab franc, though I have had quite a few (Favia, Detert, Viader, Verite, etc...). I thought it exquisite, as I found all of his wines. Amazing also were the White Cottage cab St. Ralph the Liar****, deep, concentrated HM cab bursting with fruit (I happen to love Dennis John's version as well), Kalihomanok**** from Spring Mtn (where the monster was not tamed but befriended) and the beguiling, black-as-night, Oakville grown Neruda****. Quite the tour de force.

The 2007 Seven Stones (****++) was, as it was out of barrel, otherworldly. Among the best Napa cabs I have had from any vintage - it reminded me very much of the 1994 Harlan cabs that I drank way too young. I realize that some recent comments made by the owner have made this wine controversial, but I will continue to buy all they will sell me at the asking price and consider myself lucky. A great effort.Once again, thanks to all for the visit and the hospitality. A real treat.