Wine Musings Vol#88

Wine of Merit: ***+Les Bahans du Chateau Haut Brion, Pessac Leognan, Bordeaux, 1996: The second wine of the famed 1st growth estate. Wonderful. Classic Graves and very reminiscent of the 1st growth. Lovely autumnal and sous bois elements, minerals, dark red fruit, broad leaf tobacco and cigar box. Good structure, balance and integration but clearly ready to drink, though no drop off. A can't miss wine made for Claret lovers. I believe that 1996 Bordeaux is finally coming around. A great time to check in on them if you are cellaring that vintage.

***+Domaine Serene, Evenstad Reserve, Willamette Valley, pinot noir, 2004: Powerful, concentrated and structured pinot noir. Lovely notes of blackberry fruit, pine, nice florals, pipe tobacco and milk chocolate. With time in the glass the wine exhibits more richness on the palate and excellent length. A wine for now or maybe even better in a few years. Promising.

**+Clos Pegase, Pegase Circle Reserve Port, petite syrah, 1995: A curiosity more than anything. Very sweet, black, juicy petite fruit. A touch of spearmint and blueberry. A little grainy. Gliding palate front to back with a black fruit finish. Not a wine I would recommend nor would I avoid it entirely. Nice with a chocolate desert.

Wine Musings Vol#87

Wine of Merit: ****Kistler, Vine Hill, Russian River Valley, chardonnay, 2006: Just a lovely iteration of chardonnay. Evocative, vibrant notes of lemon oil, beeswax and clover honey waft up from the glass. The palate is full and oily with good structure, a hint of mineral and spice and a long, finish. A note of pepper and nutmeg at the end. Really great.

***+Detert Family Vineyards, Oakville, Napa Valley, cabernet franc, 2004: This wine packs a wallop. Very primary still. Thick, intense, concentrated palate with a black licorice, baker's chocolate, minerals and braised fennel. With time hints of lavender and violets. Firm finish with black pepper and maybe a chocolate covered licorice thing. Delicious, but I think I will hide this in the cellar for awhile. Quite a while!

Wine Musings Vol#86

Had the pleasure to spend some time with Roy Piper and Aaron Pott at Seven Stones last weekend. At the time we tasted the 05 and 06 from bottle, the 07 from barrel. The notes are in the order we tried them. All of these wines are of merit:

***+Seven Stones, Napa Valley, cabernet sauvignon, 2006: Decanted for an hour or so. A lovely wine by all measures. Perfumed, ripe nose of plum and black cherry, licorice root, hint of sage. Some earth and espresso grinds. The palate is coating and velvety, nice mineral focus, not blousy at all, fine tannic ledge front to back.

***++Seven Stones, Napa Valley, cabernet sauvignon, 2005: Popped and poured. Very similar notes to the 2006. Even better structure and depth. Slightly more focused, slightly better delineation. Pretty consistent. 93 pts.

****+Seven Stones, Napa Valley, cabernet sauvignon, 2007: From barrel. Wow. Home run. Not that the others are not worthy...but this wine is clearly very special. Much darker, concentrated blue/black berry fruit, deep, chiseled lead pencil, hint of chocolate mint. Rockin. Even more focus, depth, texture and minerals on the palate. Deft integration and balance. Extended minerals and a fine, super long finish. Slightly floral. Somehow, even at $150+, this wine seems like a steal when compared with others of its ilk (Araujo, Harlan, Abreu come to mind). Superlative. Run, don't walk!

Wine Musings Vol#85

Wine of Merit: ***++Laurel Glen, Counterpoint, Sonoma Mountain, cabernet sauvignon, 1991: A wonderful surprise. I have always admired this sonoma mountain producer but I was floored by the complexity, nuance and grip of this second label edition. I couldn't help but think of Figeac with its mature red/plum fruit, Indian tagine spices, loam and sois bois - but also Graves, given the pronounced graphite, smoke, autumn leaf and mineral elements as the wine expanded over time. Wonderful delineation and depth on the palate with more plum and mineral. Tannins are fine and the finish still long. Great wine punching well above its weight.

***+Schweiger Vineyards, Estate, Diamond Mountain, cabernet sauvignon, 1994: Lovely. Great, integrated mountain fruit elements. Blackberry, baker's chocolate, nicoise olives, brair. Palate is generous and coating but never fat, with a pronounced mineral note. Finish is lively but nicely built in to the overall palate impression. Just perfect to drink right now, though it will likely hold on for awhile.

***Beaulieu Vineyards, Georges de Latour, Private Reserve, Napa Valley, cabernet sauvignon, 1992: An excellent example. Not nearly as ripe as previous bottles, this wine showed elegance, stature and strength. Deep red and black fruit, cassis, licorice, chalk and menthol. Firm, integrated palate with good length and a velvety depth.

*** Richard Partridge, Napa Valley, cabernet sauvignon, 1998: I believe this was the first vintage for this winery. An auspicious start. Open knit, full aromas of chocolate covered black cherry, cassis, cedar, clove. Round mouth feel with integrated vanilla/hazelnut, plum and spice. Good balance and length. Lovely to drink now.

***Del Dotto, Napa Valley, cabernet sauvignon, 1995: Nice wine. Tangy, plump red fruit driven style. Slightly over ripe. Cafe au lait, grilled meats, a touch of gaurrigue. Oak is integrated, palate silky, finish medium length. An overall good bottle of mature Napa cabernet that should be consumed over the short term.

**++Robert Sinskey, SLD Estate, Stags Leap District, cabernet sauvignon, 2002: Very nice, if a tad underwhelming. Typical, spicy red SLV fruit. Complementary notes of grilled fennel and incense. Good fullness and weight, more fruit and with some minerals on the palate. Perhaps a bit vague. Yummy, if under performing.

Wine Musings Vol#84

Wine of Merit: ****++Chateau D’Yquem, Sauternes, Bordeaux, 1996: Ethereal. I have had this wine before and it has never performed so well. A great example of a superlative d’yquem. Honey comb, tobacco, minerals, a floral mélange of vetiver, verbena, lavender and Lilly of the Valley scent, candied citrus zest, a touch of white pepper lithe and yet serious. Wonderful depth on the palate with more orange zest and minerals. Endless finish. Just outstanding.

****+Domaine Jean-Louis Chave, Hermitage, 1996: A masterpiece. Powerful red fruit, cinnamon, white pepper, tar and briar. Amazing depth, cut and delineation. Firm palate but perfectly balanced and integrated front to back. Ridiculously long finish of pepper, soy and mineral. Great the next day and the day after that as well.

****Bodegas Vega Sicilia, Unico, Ribera del Duero, 1996: A giant. Still very primal. Surprisingly new world in its signature. Essence of blueberry, tagine spices, briar, floral acacia, vanilla bean, café au lait. Beautiful, coating, juicy palate. Good focus and length. Very fresh. Charmingly puerile, still growing into its frame.

***++Domaine des Baumard, Quarts de Chaume, Loire, 1996: Hedonism exemplified. Baked apricots covered in honey, clove, cinnamon, candied ginger, lemon custard. Deep, deep unctuous aromas. A real come hither wine. I loved it. Thick, viscous palate, medium long ripe crème anglais finish. A romp. Wonderful.

***Domaine Huet, Clos du Bourg, Moelleux, Vouvray, 1996: Somewhere in between. Not the elegance of the D’Yquem or the sensuality of the Baumard. Fresh, ripe cantaloupe aromas, a touch of watermelon, quince. Delicious and light on the palate. Lovely and refreshing.

*+Querciabella, Chianti Classico Riserva, Tuscany, 1996: Seriously maderized. Fun to taste for its volatile, creamy blackberry and cherry sherry-like qualities. But not worth drinking more than a glass. Smoke ‘em if you got ‘em.

Wine Musings Vol#83

Wine of Merit: ****+Ridge, Montebello vineyard, Santa Cruz Mountains, cabernet sauvignon, 1996: A definitive Montebello. I have had this wine a number of times but never better than right now. Wonderfully layered, nuanced, complex…a meal in a glass. Elements of broad leaf tobacco, grilled meats, blood, iron, camphor, mature plum and red fruits, truffle. Wild, montrose-like qualities. Full, concentrated palate adds more plum and Indian spices. Full on finish…but everything is packaged perfectly. As good a Montebello as the 1991 and a wonderful treat to drink or hold.

****+Chateau Grand Puy Lacoste, Estate, Paulliac, 1996: Wow. Just a dynamite wine. Powerful, vibrant. Yes, traditional Paulliac elements of black and blue fruits, graphite, menthol, minerals. Cassis. Cedar. Pipe Tobacco. But this one has a perfect suppleness to it, a finely toned musculature that just ripples. Huge palate adds licorice root, more minerals and church incense. Perfect integration with a bottomless finish. After a few sips I no longer felt like I was tasting this wine…it was more like watching a great athlete on the field of play. Big Ups.

****Dunn, Howell Mountain, cabernet sauvignon, 1996: Fabulous purity and focus. Deep, blue black berry fruit, cassis, dusty, crushed chalk. Just starting to stretch its legs now. Wonderful grip, depth and concentration. Super long but surprisingly supple finish, really great balance. The best Howell mountain I have had since the amazing 1982.

***+Araujo, Eisele vineyard, Napa Valley, cabernet sauvignon, 1996: Classically structured, a statesman of a wine. Perhaps overshadowed today by the Montebello, it still has all of those Eisele qualities that make this wine a poster child for what napa cabernet wishes it always could be. Classic Rutherford dust, cassis and black fruit, menthol, cedar. Good tannic profile from front to back, now starting to resolve. Good grip, depth and balance. Special.

***+Chateau Montelena, Estate, Napa Valley, cabernet sauvignon, 1996: Again, a classic. Showing telltale Montelena notes of slightly overripe plum, chocolate and soy. Still very youthful and promising. In good to great vintages this is accompanied by minerals, white pepper and a fullness that allows these elements to intermarry and create a wonderful mélange. Good delineation and structure but mostly a juicy, coating mouthful of wine. Delicious.

***+Chateau Montrose, Estate, St. Estephe, 1996: I was surprised by how civil and well behaved this wine is right now. Still, the blood lines are apparent. Great, mature red fruit, truffle, violets, molasses and exotic far eastern spices. A touch of iodine, butter sautéed Brussels sprouts and Malabar pepper. Not nearly as full throttle as the 90 or 89 I think this wine is a bit more contemplative but not coy. The palate is classically structured and the tannins on the long finish are fine, layered and integrated. A wonderful example of a young Bordeaux just beginning to strut its stuff.

***Chateau Pichon Longueville Baron, Estate, Paulliac, 1996: Very good and again a classic iteration of Paulliac. Blue black berry fruit, lead pencil. Wet slate. Deep, coating palate showcases plums and minerals, with some espresso bean notes. Fine, balanced, slightly drying finish. Very worthy.

***Chateau Ducru Beacaillou, Estate, St. Julien, 1996: A lovely wine. Perhaps a bit more feminine than other vintages of Ducru. Red and black berry fruit, acacia, violets, cedar, cinnamon stick. Spicy, red fruit palate that is perfectly integrated and lovingly balanced. Maybe a bit lost next to the Grand Puy Lacoste. A little tight perhaps? Still, picture perfect St. Julien.