Jim Kronman/SYSOP/CA 76703,431 Faiveley 1976 Chambertin Clos de Beze ... we opened a really good one tonight! Faiveley 1976 Chambertin Clos de Beze was spectacular. On top of its game. Rich, complex aromas typical of the vineyard. Smooth, lush, silky texture (and just a bit of tannin left). The flavors matched the nose and had excellent depth and a long finish. And guess what: not a hint of "barnyard," although there were certainly sweet "earthy" aspects to the aroma and flavors. A superb wine.
Tom Brudzinski/SL4,12/Md 74130,3070 Andean Vineyards 1983 Mendoza Valley Malbec 12.5% Nice deep color, initially appealing taste with noticable tannins. Beyond that, there was nothing. The wine was there but the taste was not. I had matched it with a vegetarian stew from a Moosewood recipe. I don't feel that it would be fair for me to draw any conclusions about Chilean Malbecs from this experience. Though a gift, I have seen it for $8.95. I guess that a twelve year old wine at that price can't be expected to offer much. This bottle didn't. I need to try some other Chilean Malbec soon, since it's GOTTA be better. Does Malbec have a "dumb" stage? If so, I must have caught it.
Robin Garr/Sysop/Ky 76702,764 Rosenblum Cellars 1992 Contra Costa County Zinfandel $8.49. Dark ruby color, with a classic Zin nose of blackberries, fighting oaky vanillins -- and winning. Ripe, jammy berry fruit flavor balanced by lemony acidity, some alcoholic warmth and soft, barely perceptible tannins, all consistent in a longish finish. Very good wine, very good value.
Robin Garr/A-Sys/KY 76702,764 Regis Minet 1993 Vieilles Vignes Pouilly Fume $11.99. Clear straw color, with a fresh scent of honeydew melon and Sauvignon grassiness in restraint. Crisp, citric fruit flavors, mouth-filling and ripe, well balanced with steely acidity. Clean citric (grapefruit) flavors in a long finish. Very good wine, good value. (A Kermit Lynch import.)
Robin Garr/A-Sys/KY 76702,764 Vichon 1991 "Coastal Selection" California Cabernet Sauvignon $7.99. Very dark garnet. Dark chocolate, cassis and oaky vanillin aromas lead into a full, ripe blackcurrant fruit flavor with lemony acidity in good balance; soft, barely perceptible tannins and clean fruit in a reasonably long finish. Surprising finesse in a low-end Cabernet: Very good wine, very good value.
Robin Garr/A-Sys/KY 76702,764 Fetzer 1993 California Gewurztraminer $4.99. Clear straw color. Peaches and apricots on the nose, with a crisp, light flavor, definitely some residual sugar but it seems to be drying out a bit. Clean, slightly bitter quality in a medium-long finish. Very good wine, very good value. (I'm still not getting any of the grapefruit aroma and flavor or the petillance that some others have reported in this wine. Bottle or shipment variation or palate differences, damfino. It's still a great five-buck sipper!)
Robin Garr/A-Sys/KY 76702,764 Buehler Vineyards 1993 Napa Valley Zinfandel (receipt missing; under $10) Clear, dark ruby color. Remarkable strawberry aroma and flavor, ripe and juicy fruit, sweet on the attack but dries out as it crosses the palate, adding a burst of lemon-squirt acidity. Very much a Beaujolais-style Zin, but flavorful and delicious sipping. Clearly not an ager, as it softens and eventually falls apart after an hour in the glass; but for short-term drinking, it's a real bowl-o-fruit.
Robin Garr/A-Sys/KY 76702,764 Chateau Potelle 1993 Napa Valley Sauvignon Blanc (receipt missing; under $10) Brilliant clear straw color. Excellent Sauvignon aroma, restrained grass and citric lemon. Rich, almost unctuous fruit on the palate, with a marked pear-like flavor backed by firm and steely acidity. Clean and consistent in a long finish. Very good wine; exceptional match with baby coho salmon baked with a stuffing of sauteed eggplant, finocchio, onions, garlic and ginger.
Robin Garr/A-Sys/KY 76702,764 Gallo/Jekel 1992 Chardonnays Finally, a "shootout." Seeking to give an honest evaluation to the new (1992) release of the Gallo Northern Sonoma Chardonnay (a gift from Gallo's Dan Solomon), I put it up in a double-blind tasting against the '92 Jekel Vineyards 1992 Gravelstone Chard, also a competent Chard, although one-third the price of the Gallo). The results: The Gallo's clearly a finer wine, although the Jekel certainly wins on QPR.
Robin Garr/A-Sys/KY 76702,764 Gallo 1992 Northern Sonoma Chardonnay $30 suggested retail. Clear, light brass color. Subtle, not in-your-face lemon and wildflower scents, with a hint of the chestnut quality of a fine white Burgundy. Flavors consistent with the nose, seem understated at first but blossom to a rich, full flavor with time in the glass, heady with a remarkable 14.5% alcohol. It definitely earns a position in the top rank of CalChards, although that's not saying much in light of the sorry state of the competition. Very good wine, questionable value.
Robin Garr/A-Sys/KY 76702,764 Jekel Vineyards 1992 "Gravelstone" Arroyo Seco (CA) Chardonnay $9.99 suggested retail. Clear pale greenish-gold color. Oaky vanillin in counterpoint with rich pineapple scents; oaky pineapple and pear flavors backed by soft, barely sufficient acidity leading to a medium-long finish. Well above "fighting varietal" quality, but short on QPR even at the ten-buck price.
Mark Streger 74032,3714 Beringer 1989 Bancroft Howell Mtn Merlot Awesome - Very sturdy and concentrated taste with no tanins or oxidations. Tasted great right out of the bottle and got even better as the meal went on.
Jon Lawry/GA Hobo 73352,1373 Pierre Sparr 1992 Pinot Blanc Reserve Here's something I'm noticing about myself: I really enjoy the great variety of red wines and will probably enjoy a very wide range as favorites for the rest of my life. But as for whites, I seem to be drawn to a smaller and smaller grouping as time goes on. Interestingly, this is getting me to drink white wines more often as I'm really finding some great stuff within the narrower interests. My favorite genre is becoming the wines of Alsace. For me I like white wine to be fresh and stimulating, but full of bright flavor, but not too nutty or tangy or grassy. Alsacian wines really do this for me -- they have the freshness of a German wine, some of the flavor of French or California whites, and have a lightness that is not unlike champagne. The Sparr set me back about $7, and though not the best Alsacian I've had, still presented itself well in the foregoing descriptions. One thing I noticed which might sound strange, but on the first mouthful I held the wine in my mouth and a distinct wave of freshness rose up around my tongue. I thought I was imagining, so I took another mouthful and it was really there. Wild. I could drink this stuff for breakfast! Maybe I will.
Jon Lawry/GA Hobo 73352,1373 Fetzer 1992 Zinfandel Barrel Select I went wine shopping and decided to acquire 4 bottles of different wines all under $8. This one ran me $7.69. Well worth every penny, this zinfandel is more in a claret style, lots of tannin, but not overly-oaked. I could have mistaken this for a syrah, but just a bit lighter to the taste. Great value in my opinion, and great with a grilled rib roast. My father-in-law even thought it was a good match for the food and he's a white zin fan.
Peter Creasey 75021,3606 Jayer Gilles 1988 Hautes Cotes de Nuits Bourgogne Medium pale yellow. Pungent toasty Corton-like nose, wonderful tropical fruits, some oak. Concentrated on palate, rich melon fruits with great toastiness, good oak, fine acid. Long full finish that hangs together. This Bobby Kacher import is remarkable...it is a splitting image for Corton- Charlemagne but only at around $18. Has anyone had subsequent vintages? Served with red fish meuniere, rice and broccoli.
Peter Creasey 75021,3606 Ch Brane Cantenac 1977 Red Bordeaux. Medium red, brickish edge. Perfumed, mild cigar box, medium ripe berry fruits, elegant. Light to medium body, good integration, ripe berries, some cedar, evolved tannins, some complexity/personality. Served with smoked white fish, then braised sweet breads with light Alfredo sauce, rice, and sauteed spinach.
Peter Creasey 75021,3606 Groth 1990 Napa Valley Chardonnay Medium golden yellow. Buttery tropical fruits liberally sprinkled with oaky tones, elegant. Smooth and buttery on palate, nice creaminess, good oak, tropical fruits with hint of green banana, moderate acid for grip, a tad toasty. Nice long full flavorful finish. Served with fried catfish, couscous, and green peas.
Craig Thompson/SF,CA 75017,2606 Tempier 1992 Bandol, Cuvee Classique Well, I had to celebrate the trouncing of the Dallas Cowgirls by our great 49ers last night, so why not with the new release of the '92 Tempier Cuvee Classique? It was a good choice. This is really a different Tempier. The color was very light (for a Bandol) which at first worried me a little. I am used to their wines being opaque. On the palate, though, it was delicious. Not tannic at all (again, very unusual for Tempier) but with lucious, rich, Mourvedre flavors. It seemed very clean (I almost hate to use that word!) with none of the "off" flavors so many find offensive. I'm pretty sure even JPB would be hardpressed to find this wine undrinkable. No barnyards, no merde, no mushrooms, just delicious, rich Mourvedre fruit. This wine is tasting very good now and will be a joy to drink while waiting for the '88s, '89s and '90s to age.
V MICHAEL STRAUS 74732,1566 CUVAISON 1974 ZINFANDEL - The color, to both of us, defied very much age; it was clear, very dark red and only by straining could we find what MAY have been a hint of brick. The nose was excellent with great complexity of tar, light hints of (to me) spice, perhaps a touch too much wood, alcohol. The taste was smooth as silk, surprisingly strong, full bodied, with an ephemeral sweet fruit which showed it had very little time left, smooth tannins, light crisp acid for very good balance and a long finish with wood, alcohol and very old sweet fruit. An excellent glass of wine and very pleasing. The second day, this wine was completely over the hill, indicating that it had only a short life left -- but not bad for a 21 year old "minor" grape. Rate 88 This was the first time the Buddy said (with one of our old zins) she could not tell or get close to the grape variety (she was tasting double blind). I asked if it could be Cabernet or Merlot or a Rhone grape and she said "no". The closest she could get was that what seemed to be its earthiness indicated that it might be an Italian grape, but nothing French or certainly not Cabernet Sauvignon. She liked it a lot, even before unveiling. VMS
Bruce Douglas 75140,1354 Drouhin 1979 Clos de Mouches ... we recently received via an "auto parts" shipment a box of the Drouhin 1979 Clos de Mouches (R). We let it sit for a few days and then opened the first one. The wine may be on the down hill side, but it has a long way to go before it hits bottom. Ironically the wine was a gift to some friends of ours and they didn't like it. The color was light and it was influenced by terroir. <gg> We'll just have to drink the rest of it.
timothy j. baker 76170,1417 Pinnacles 1990 Pinot Noir $12. This one is from Monterey County. The color is a faded cherry red, with some cloudiness that I imagine is due to the fact that the wine is unfiltered and unfined. The nose is a bit dusty (reminding me of visits to my uncle's Agway feed store 30 years ago) and a bit sweet, and the palate echoes that. California PNs frequently have a kind of candy-apple sweetness that can be cloying when too evident. This one has just a pleasant touch of that sweetness. A good wine for the price.
Robin Arnott 100321,2172 Ch Giscours 1987 Red Bordeaux Tasted this at the weekend. Good colour, deep red; light on the palate with a hint of vanilla; reasonable length; excellent bouquet. 87, as you know, wasn't the best year in Bordeaux and this is a wine for drinking now. Don't hold on to your stocks too long!
Robin Arnott 100321,2172 Cloudy Bay, NZ 1994 Sauvingnon Blanc Sauvingnon Blanc from South Island, New Zealand. I bought this in Oddbins in London in December when they were rationing customers to two bottles apiece - it was that scarce. Vintage apparently hadn't been large. Price was around 9/bottle. My wife took a taste and said 'Wow!' Positively the best Sauv Blanc this year. Excellent bouquet, good clear colour with a real greeny/yellow tinge; very well balanced wine; taste was sharpish with mellow overtones and very long aftertaste; full of fruit and lively on the palate. Worth every penny and I've only one bottle left!
Bob Spector/OKC 72773,1014 Chateau du Grand Prebois 1993 Cotes du Rhone This is interesting. The bottle says that this estate, located in Orange--north of CdP, is owned by the Perrins of Chateau Beaucastel. Upon digging through Livingstone-Learmonth, I came across a passage that says the Perrin's purchased this estate in 1990 from the Mayor of Janquieres, Louis Biscarat. [LL writes this as tho anyone acquainted with French politics ought to know who this is?!?]. LL also indicates that Francois Perrin lives at Grand Prebois. Oh, yes, the wine---somewhat of a disappointment. It appears to be a grenache/syrah mix with a somewhat reticent nose. There are some berries and spice. It's a medium weight wine that would go nicely with a roasted chicken. Maybe I expected too much because of the Perrin name. But this is nowhere near a Coudoulet; actually It's about the same level as Vielle Ferme although it costs a dollor or so more. I wonder whether this is the first vintage of Grand Prebois the Perrrins have released. Maybe things will get better with future releases. In the meantime, if I was going to buy a 93 Cotes d Rhone, my choice, at the moment, is the Brusset Cairrane.
Bob Spector/OKC 72773,1014 Coulee de Serrant 1991 Nicholas Joly 1991 was, everyone agrees, a horrible year for the Loire. However, this wine, which was on special from the Wine Exchange at $19.99 is a very pleasant surprise. Color is a light gold---close to a three-four year old spatlese. Very intriguing nose that, if I was having this wine blind, I would have first said burgundy. Earth, resin, some sherry, fruit makes this a very nice bottle of wine. Tastes develop into honey and minerals as the wine develops in the glass. The only real problem is that the finish is a little bit thin and sharp. I would put this 91 at about the same level of development as the 86s I've been drinking. It's nice to find a vintage of this wine that does not require 8-10 of cellaring to be drinkable. BTW, Hugh Johnson was right---it goes very well with salmon.
Bob Spector/OKC 72773,1014 Chateau de Gourgazaud 1991 Minervois The 91 Gourgazaud is quite a nice wine. The 20% mourvedre in the blend isn't showing much right now. The syrah is clearly predominating in the blend. There is quite a bit more leather and some barnyard that earlier versions. Lots of up front fruit and a good mouthfeel. Finishes a little austere and tannic----could probably use some time. I've found that these do age nicely. I'ld put the 91 above the 90 but not quite up to the level of the 89---which I thought was very good. Price is getting up there----now over $10 here (Sigh---I remember the 89 was only $6-7).
Arthur Johnson 74176,3252 Whitcraft 1993 Bien Nacido Vineyard "Q" Block Pinot Noir ... I opened the first of my small stash of 1993 Whitcraft Bien Nacido Vineyard "Q" Block Pinot Noir (why are these Central Coast wines always such a mouthful? <g>) -- and didn't want to to forget to thank you heartily for the recommendation. This is my first experience with a Whitcraft PN and all I gotta say is -- gimme more! I had it with a group of wine-lovers, at an evening where we also poured, among other wines, a '92 Au Bon Climat Bien Nacido and an '84 Calera Jensen Mt. Harlan. While the first was lovely and the second was excellent, the "Q" blew them both away. My note: Coming up against tough competition, this flowery stranger seduced us. Beautiful, brilliant shade of ruby. Outrageously fragrant bouquet of violets, strawberries and Michigan cherries. (Tried a little after it had been open three hours and the violets were pumping even stronger.) Washes the palate in fruit with a long strawberry-violet finish. Oh mama! (Is it too late to nab any more?)
Arthur Johnson 74176,3252 Domaine Rapet Pere et Fils 1988 Bourgogne "En Bully" - This bottle, bought a year ago for $17.99 at a merchant's suggestion, is a wonderful example of why so many people run from the Burgundy shelves. I purchased two bottles at the time; the first was pale and so brettanomyces-infected that I still shudder at the memory of the bouquet. I left it open for three days. Everything blew off but the brett. The second was opened last night. Deep ruby, no barnyard in the bouquet, but nothing much else either. Faint whiffs of cherries and vanilla if you really used your imagination. Waited an hour for it to develop. No dice. Tasted finally. Yuck. Tart, thin and short. Would have waited to see how it went with dinner, but the acid was turning my stomach. Dumped it down the drain and reached for a MUCH better bottle of (cheap) '91 CalCab ...
Arthur Johnson 74176,3252 Glass Mountain 1991 Cabernet Sauvignon I went to the cellar for this one after sadly dumping a wretched '88 Burg down the drain. It was, therefore, still at 53F when I pulled the cork. Initially I sniffed a bouquet of bellpepper and currants with a touch of chocolate. But the veggies faded as the wine warmed, plums and chocolate came up front and the fruit as a whole intensified. The second two glasses were delicious. Good weight in the mouth and supple, medium-weight tannins. A little short on the finish. I pronounce this very good value at $7.99. Haven't had Markham's regular bottling lately but this second label is a little gem.
Arthur Johnson 74176,3252 Faiveley 1991 Mercurey "Les Mauverennes." After that horrid experience with the 88 generic Burg, I needed something to wash the memory from my mouth. So the next night I opened one of my reliable village reds. This stuff wasn't showing too well back in October 1994 and at the time I just chalked it up to a chillier-than-usual bottle and slight sinusitis. Happily, I was right. Tonight it was showing its good stuff -- deep ruby in the glass, offering up a fairly simple but piercingly intense nose of cherry-vanilla, with a shading of cedar sawdust. Tannins have lessened some but still whack the palate a little - not unpleasantly - and fruit is just as generous as at release. Really hasn't budged much. Lovely juice, the price doesn't bust the bank balance and this time Yak can't say "I told you so." In a good year (like 1990 or 1989), Rully and Mercurey can offer up delicious Burg at decent QPR.
Arthur Johnson 74176,3252 DRC 1985 La Tache Posting this just so you won't think I'm a total peasant, Yak. <g> Had the good fortune to be offered this at a large dinner last weekend. It was the sole Burg in a sea of Bordeaux and got my vote (surprise, surprise) as one of the two wines of the evening. It certainly lasted the longest for me! My allotment was only a small glass - but the bouquet of cherry, strawberry, spicy earth and teeny-tiny-taste-of-merde was so satisfying, I kept it unsipped for 2 hours and just inhaled from time to time, which I guess makes it fairly good QPR. When I finally caved in and drank, it was so intense on the palate I had to munch a roll afterward to give the other wines a decent chance. A couple of folks commented they were expecting better -- that it was muted and confirmed suspicions the '85s are drying out -- but I can't say I agreed. More likely, they had already put their shnozzes out of calibration with some of the big Bordeaux at the table.
Alex M. (NJ) 75572,1772 Niebaum Coppola 1980 Rubicon After allowing the wine to breathe for an hour, the initial mouthful was disappointing. Its expected bounty of fruit had faded somewhat, yet the nose and color was still terrific. It absolutely does not compare with other vintages of the same (i.e. '82, '84 and '87). I gather 15 years is the limit to this bottle.
Alex M. (NJ) 75572,1772 Pine Ridge 1989 Merlot Hey, now this has possibilities... What a nose full of Berries, Cherries... and the taste is not reminding me of other Merlots I've had in the past... It's just "bigger" (fruitier, shall I say). One thing's for sure; it has none of the OVERwoodiness that its sister Pine Ridge Cabernet of the same vintage ('89 or '87) has.
Jacob Shaya/ISRAEL 100274,2722 Dom Esmonin 1989 Gevrey-Chambertin 'Villages' To add to your story. Yesterday we went out to a very good restaurant. Next table there were four people that brought their own wine to drink in the restaurant. As the owner is a nice lady that loves wine, and her wine list is limited to Israeli ones, she does not object to the practice as long as she gets to taste everything <g>. This owner knows I love Bourgogne and considers me an 'expert'. As soon as we set down she tells the people with the wine that they should let me comment on it as apparently they brought two red (B). Now their wines were NOT generic or Haute-Cote-de-Something. Not at all! One bottle was Gevrey-Chambertin 1er Cru 1986 by Serafin. No vineyard name, just a blend of supposedly 1er Cru wines. The second was a Vosne-Romanee ('Villages') 1988 by Antonin Rodet. They invited me to their table and proudly had me taste their wine. What can I tell you. I mumbled something about 1986 being a mediocre vintage, and 1988 tannic and too young to enjoy (both true). But I think of these people. I don't know where, how, or why they got these two bottles. But if I were given these as an example of (B), I'd sure be quick to adopt VMS's attitude. Just few days ago, we had an excellent Gevrey-Chambertin 'Villages' wine ('89, Dom Esmonin) and an extraordinary Gevrey-Chambertin 1er Cru (Les Cazetiers '85, Jadot). Both, I believe, a bit more expensive than their two counterparts in the restaurant. A bit, but not much. The wines though were two different worlds altogether. Moral? In Bourgogne, in order to really enjoy what you pay for, make sure you get all three components of the big "V" to be top ones. Namely: Vineyard, Vintage and Vintner!
Jacob Shaya/ISRAEL 100274,2722 Jadot 1985 Gevrey-Chambertin 1er Cru (Les Cazetiers To add to your story. Yesterday we went out to a very good restaurant. Next table there were four people that brought their own wine to drink in the restaurant. As the owner is a nice lady that loves wine, and her wine list is limited to Israeli ones, she does not object to the practice as long as she gets to taste everything <g>. This owner knows I love Bourgogne and considers me an 'expert'. As soon as we set down she tells the people with the wine that they should let me comment on it as apparently they brought two red (B). Now their wines were NOT generic or Haute-Cote-de-Something. Not at all! One bottle was Gevrey-Chambertin 1er Cru 1986 by Serafin. No vineyard name, just a blend of supposedly 1er Cru wines. The second was a Vosne-Romanee ('Villages') 1988 by Antonin Rodet. They invited me to their table and proudly had me taste their wine. What can I tell you. I mumbled something about 1986 being a mediocre vintage, and 1988 tannic and too young to enjoy (both true). But I think of these people. I don't know where, how, or why they got these two bottles. But if I were given these as an example of (B), I'd sure be quick to adopt VMS's attitude. Just few days ago, we had an excellent Gevrey-Chambertin 'Villages' wine ('89, Dom Esmonin) and an extraordinary Gevrey-Chambertin 1er Cru (Les Cazetiers '85, Jadot). Both, I believe, a bit more expensive than their two counterparts in the restaurant. A bit, but not much. The wines though were two different worlds altogether. Moral? In Bourgogne, in order to really enjoy what you pay for, make sure you get all three components of the big "V" to be top ones. Namely: Vineyard, Vintage and Vintner!
Jacob Shaya/ISRAEL 100274,2722 Coonawara 1988 Terra Rosa (First Growth) Cabernet Sauvignon, Parker Estate In the "Open Letter to W Spectat" thread, I have offered an opinion that a great, but unfamiliar, wine can and should be recognized on its own merit, without any necessary reference to familiar or favorite taste. To test this "theory", we opened tonight an Australian wine that qualified at least in the "unknown" category. This wine was claimed to be excellent by three different sources: Hugh Johnson in his Wine Pocket Encyclopedia. Keith Latham, an Australian forumite who raved about this wine. My father who gave it to me (he lives in Sydney and is very wine-literate). According to the label, the wine is a meritage of Cab Sav, Cab Blanc and Merlot. It was aged in French and American new oak small barrels, and the vintage was less than 1000 cases. It also claimed to be in the 'Top 100' in the 1991 International Sydney Competition (whatever this is). COLOR: Very deep dark-red, almost totally opaque. NOSE: Immense and dominant UNFAMILIAR bouquet. Not fruity or flowery, more like pungent undergrowth. Not Brett, but some kind of peppery, earthy rot. Nothing like (B) smell though. It was so strong that for a long time it masked everything else. Only the oak and the typically 'smoky' Australian quality, joined the dominant unidentified ingredient. TASTE: When swallowed in mouthful, the same 'mysterious' substance dominated the palate. A bitterish taste, though very smooth, un-tannic texture. But when a small quantity was held in the mouth, and air inhaled through closed lips, a whole peacock-tail of nuances kept on developing, with alcohol and acidity to give a vibrant wholesome taste. LENGTH: Very very long almost sweet after-taste, in full contrast to the first impact of every sip. TEXTURE & BALANCE: Even this is hard for me to asses. In spite the austerity and the dominance, I wouldn't call it a full-bodied wine in the sense that an Israeli good Cab Sav or certain Cote de Nuits are. It had a very stylish delicacy. Yet it was certainly not light-bodied wine in any sense. Alcohol and acidity in good balance (especially when small quantities are sipped). OVERALL: I cannot say I really liked this wine very much (Dorit liked it even less. Well, she did not have a theory to prove <g>). Yet I can honestly say it has many good qualities, and no faults whatsoever. It is certainly a well-made complex wine. It develops beautifully in the mouth and leaves a long pleasant after-taste. Maybe is main impact on nose and palate are of the 'acquired-taste' type? Dinner BTW, consisted of: salmon carpaccio in balsamic oil, sauteed zucchini, steak Tartar with small potatoes, cheese, cherries in cream. The wine did not go well with any of the dishes. It was always better by itself. Strange little 'great' wine, no doubt <g>. MARK: (scratching my head) OK 17/20
Michael Laflin 75024,551 Silverado 1985/1986 Napa Cabernet Sauvignon Two Silverado Cabs tasted on consecutive nights with differing outcomes (unblind). 1985 Napa Cabernet. Given as a Christmas gift and experienced with the recipient. Dark color to near inky black. Nice nose of cAssis, dark fruits and oak. In the mouth WOW! If I could have every CA Cab like this I'd be ecstatic. There was a rich bodied wine with great balance of full, round, mature tannins and a good acid backbone. Long, pleasant finish. This wine cried out for more. 1986 Napa Cabernet. I resisted the temptation to pull another bottle of the 85 (barely). This wine also has deep dark colorartion. The nose is a bit hot but seems to have better fruit qualities. In the mouth it needs a litle more time. The tannins are a bit more prominent and hard. There is a lot of cherry fruit behind it. I think that this one will continue to improve. Mike in ABQ.
Ken Cribbs 72420,163 Ch. Cheval Blanc 1979 St. Emilion We opened a '79 Ch. Cheval Blanc last evening. It had been meticulously stored over the last 14 years. Based on earlier tastings three and six years ago, we expected it to be thin and more than a bit into its down-slide . . . but we were pleasantly surprised. Nothing even approaching the legendary '82 Cheval Blanc, but wonderul nonetheless. I think this bottle had reached its delicious peak. The color was gorgeous and not the slightest bit brown. Tannins were almost completely exhausted, but the nose and flavors were fairly intense and wonderful for the first hour after decanting. It had round, slightly cedary, ripe-plum-on- blackcherry notes that swirled and shifted and filled our mouths and caressed our palates, bringing an otherwise animated conversation to a halt several times. My charming companion uttered soft moans of pleasure (she's pretty demonstrative, vocally, about good Bordeaux). At the end of an hour it went flat fairly quickly, typical of a high-yield year like 1979. It had loads of grapey sediment (which I'll add to my next batch of brownies). Drink up, soon, if you're lucky enough to have a few of these left in your cellar.
ALAN BOEHMER 70524,411 Windsor Vineyards 1989 Merlot FAITH (TN) A Sermon "Now faith is the substance of things hoped for; the evidence of things not seen [tasted]." --St. Paul It was with great trepidation that I discovered in a recent issue of the Wine Spectator that virtually no American wines other than Cabernet Sauvignon should be cellared longer than 8 or 9 years. At least, none of the current crop being reported. Even the noble Cabernet was given a limited venue and I was advised to "start drinking [my] 1984, 1985, and 1986s," as though I hadn't already. The article prompted me to take a quick inventory of my cellar. To my great dismay, more than 10% of my wine was already over the hill. And not all of these were Cabernets. There were Merlots in peril; the Spectator warned that these would most likely be herbal and weedy. All the old Chardonnays...gone, unless I happened to possess the very best bottles. The Zinfandel ("drink now through...")...gone. And since nobody in this hemisphere knew how to make Pinot Noir ten years ago, my few remaining examples were already D.O.A. Despair reigned. But it is at our moment of greatest distress that God speaks to us. "Out of the depths, I call to Thee," said the Psalmist; "O let me not be ashamed." Might God have saved the old Pinots to deliver me from embarrassment? Wine collectors are a lot like saints. They strive in the face of almost insurmountable temptation to exercise the classic virtues of patience, self-discipline, and faith. It is faith that drives them, when told by those who know about such things that their wine will peak in seven to nine years, to hold it for fifteen or twenty. And for what purpose? If the wine is guaranteed to be delicious in nine years, why hold out any longer? Because they have renounced the world and its delusions, preferring, rather, the vicissitudes of faith. And God rewards the faithful. For some time I have restricted myself to wines marked "Drink Now" in my cellar inventory. I readily admit that my thirst for the Cabernet Sauvignon family goes largely unfulfilled, either because the wine is just too expensive for me to drink alone or because those who know about such things say it is not yet ready. Unknown Cabernets, Merlots, and Cabernet Francs are always held at least five years. It does not require a great act of faith to do this. Even Cabernets vinted for the short haul drink well after such a limited cellaring. But the thought of precious Merlots evolving steadily into compost is enough to try the faith of any wine-loving saint. Looking again at my cellar database, I noted that the current value of my collection, before lunch, was $6,880. Not much compared to the value of any serious collection, but pretty valuable to a lowly Classical musician who might be expected to work his tail off for half a day in order to ameliorate his collection by a single good bottle. The thought of dying Chardonnays, Zinfandels growing steadily flaccid and Merlots turning weedy proved too disconcerting to bear. I thought, at least, to make the sign of the cross as I approached the wine shed; but since I was acting impulsively and turning a deaf ear to the promptings of faith, I refrained. Two bottles were selected, not very old, but representative of what was potentially sliding into ignonimity: a 1987 Petite Sirah and a 1989 Merlot, both from Windsor Vineyards. Faith and the Cellar Database said Hold Till 1997; the Wine Spectator said Drink Now Before It's Too Late. Windsor Vineyards has been deprecated by many wine lovers because of its marketing ploys and uneven quality. Nevertheless, there are examples of superior wine from this producer, especially in good years (which these were not), and I was hoping that the current selections would confirm that notion. Serious wine evaluation at my house is best conducted over lunch, with sunlight streaming through open doors and windows and composure at its height. Wine with dinner must compete with candlelight, fires, the distraction of owls outside and guests within; and other diversions such as Jeopardy. To complement the wine, a scrumptious ox tail soup was prepared and Italian olive oil poured into a silver tastevin rescued from a gift shop in Beaune. First, the Petite Sirah. For an eight year old wine, this one was disappointing. It looked and drank as though it had been made yesterday, but for a slightly developed nose. I did not think the structure of this wine would support the ten or more additional years needed for it to start opening up. It was simple and pleasant; and may have been worth the $7 someone had paid for it. The Merlot was a Winemaster's Selection and needed to perform considerably better to justify the $25 price which had been handwritten on a label which also proclaimed in Zapf Chancery Script that it was Compliments of the Nitty-Gritty Corporation. The giver had taken the trouble to note that it bore a rating of 84, presumably from the very publication which had prompted me to drink it quickly before the weeds set in. The wine was given every opportunity to show its stuff. It was poured into a Riedel Bordeaux glass to strains of the Brahms Variations on a Theme of Haydn. The food was selected to complement it perfectly, as it did. The wine was swirled, backlit by glorious sunlight. Faith swelled. Expectations were elevated. The wine cried out for my attention in rich garnet colors; the glass adorned with long, elegant legs. The nose belied the wine's relatively youthful age, suggesting dusty cherries and tea. This will be a lovely wine, said Faith. The Wine Spectator was right. But had I not been expecting weeds, I might mave found green tea instead. "Weeds" is a nasty word, redolent with unpleasant associations like Cow's Lip and Mugwort. Wouldn't "wild grass" do as well? Or just "herbs?" The Windsor Merlot was not at all unpleasant. Not worth $25, but very nice, nevertheless. I put all unpleasantness out of mind and tried again. Well, the dust was definitely there, along with very good fruit and a delightful lightness on the palate which one only finds in old wines. I think I'm going to cellar the rest of this stuff for another few years, Spectator be damned. It's probably half dumb just now, anyway. Glory is just around the corner, I'm sure. What was that again that St. Paul said? "Faith is the substance of things hoped for..."
james rodewald 74427,136 Stag's Leap Winery 1991 Petite Sirah $13, Yum. Rich, balanced, great stuff. Gotta get some more.
james rodewald 74427,136 Estancia 1991 Meritage (red of course), $11, Yum. Seems in balance, though it may be even better in another year.
james rodewald 74427,136 Cline 1990 Carignane Yum. Surprisingly long finish, though comes up short in the middle. Nice flavors, good with the pork tenderloin.
james rodewald 74427,136 Bocage 1989 Merlot blah. Some fruit, a bit tart, something unpleasant on the nose. I have no idea where, when, or why I bought this.
Steve Somermeyer 72410,115 Ridge Sonoma Valley and Limerick Lane 1990 Zinfandels At least once a week, Kimberly and I "escape" away and head down to our lake cabin to grill a big hamburger, cook some fries, enjoy some wine, and wind down, at least in the winter, in front of a big fire. This week we took 2 '90 zins to compare - Ridge Sonoma Valley and Limerick Lane. The Ridge is a familier wine for us but it was the first time to try Limerick Lane. The LL was a huge surprise for us - Not only was the nose still very full of fruit but in the mouth it was very full and jammy. Tons of black cherry that lasted through a long finish. Compared to the LL, the Ridge seemed flat and thin. We like to taste them just prior to the meal and then see how they stack up with the meal. The Limerick Lane was, if anything, better when tasted in between bites of a medium rare burger with a healthy dose of cajun spices and grilled onions. The Ridge was better with the food than alone but still couldn't hold a candle to the opulent fruit of the LL. Now the best part of all - We bought the Limerick Lane at Sam's in Chicago in December for $3.99! What a deal with the only down side that we only bought 3 bottles just to try. Is this typical for Limerick Lane zins to hit one up the side of the head with a basket of fruit?
Doug Powers 75717,2654 Domaine la Roquette 1989 Chateauneuf du Pape (2, 16) - medium to medium-dark ruby, probably darkest color of flight, wild herbs, pepper, faintly earthy, on palate medium-full bodied with spicy, peppery, ripe, sweet redfruits, lovely, round mouthfeel, still some tannin but loads of depth and a long, rich finish, very nice juice. (This property is now owned by the Bruniers of VT fame)
Doug Powers 75717,2654 Galet des Papes 1989 Chateauneuf du Pape (3, 16) - this is one of Don Quattlebaum's imports (ex-P*), medium ruby color, no browning, intense berry (raspberry?) aromas, also some wild herbs, on the palate this was the "fruit bomb" of the group, intense, explosive raspberry fruit, ripe and round, soft, lush mouthfeel, without the slight tannic edge some of the other wines possessed, I'm not sure either this wine or the Roquette will last as long as the next two but they're awfully pleasant now, intense, ripe, explosively fruity finish, nice juice.
Doug Powers 75717,2654 Vieux Donjon 1989 Chateauneuf du Pape (1, 10) - medium ruby, wild herbs with a little leather/barnyard (brett??) in the aromas, on the palate medium-full rich, ripe, peppery and spicy fruit, still quite tannic for a CDP, this one needs time and will probably be the winner of this group if tasted 5 years from now, excellent length, perennially one of my favorite CDPs vintage after vintage, good or bad.
Doug Powers 75717,2654 Clos des Papes 1989 Chateauneuf du Pape (3, 16) - this and the Galet des Papes finished in a dead heat among the group rank, with identical numbers of 2ds, etc., medium ruby color, black cherry, spice, black pepper aromas, medium-bodied on the palate, excellent acidity, continued to improve and take on weight as the night went on, still quite obviously tannic and backward (especially compared to the first two wines above), again a wine in need of more time in the cellar, though it should evolve into an excellent bottle in 5 or so more years.
Doug Powers 75717,2654 Domaine de Montpertuis 1989 Chateauneuf du Pape (6, 27) - medium ruby color, bizarre aromas of chemical, tending toward diesel fuel, better on the palate with some weight and length, but something is definitely wrong with this one, though it seemed neither corked nor excessive VA, so I'm not sure whether this was simply a bad bottle (no signs of leakage or poor handling on the bottle or cork) ???
Doug Powers 75717,2654 Chapoutier 1989 Chateauneuf du Pape, "La Bernadine" (5, 20) - light color that was way too light for a CDP (IMHO), initially horsey/barnyard aromas, later mushroom aromas, OK fruit on the palate but seemed to lack the complexity of the other wines in this flight, some tasters liked this, I found it simple and even less pleasing than the previous wine (which had a serious flaw), no signs that this was a bad bottle like the Montpertuis, rather it just was light in color and body.
Dan Fredman 71532,2513 Louis Jadot 1978 Le Montrachet .....Michael Jackson would kill for a nose like this. <g> Medium gold color but with complex caramel boquet overtones, very, very rich vanilla characteristics, a touch thin on the palate but it didn't matter, the aroma kept getting better, even after over three hours in the glass.
Dan Fredman 71532,2513 Leflaive 1982 Chevalier-Montrachet ....No boquet to speak of but was a much better match with the food than the Jadot. It had a nice long finish. A wonderful chardonnay but I don't know that I'd go $130/bottle. Nice to have the opportunity to taste it though.
Dan Fredman 71532,2513 Leroy 1959 Grands-Echezeaux ......Extremely tight on first pouring, it opened up a bunch over a couple of hours. It didn't have that funkiness I associate with great Burgundy. It was very young tasting and I would not have figured it for a wine that old. This bottle prompted much discussion comparing the Leroy style to that of DRC, with the general consensus being that we all prefer the DRC. The Leroy was technically perfect but didn't (as Clive Coates puts it) really "sing". The experience of drinking the Leroy (as opposed to DRC) would be sort of like living with a super model but eventually marrying the girl next door (assuming you live in Bel Air or Palm Beach and the girl next door's last name is Rockefeller).
Dan Fredman 71532,2513 Guigal 1978 La Mouline and La Landonne ......This was the most closed-in La Mouline I've ever tasted. Where on previous occaisions the wine was lush and seductive, tonight it was tight and young and wasn't showing much in terms of aroma (this bottle was purchased on release and stored in a 50-degree cellar). On the other hand, the La Landonne was the most approachable 78 La Landonne I've had. There was at least more than a hint of seductive Guigal oakiness and a fuller nose than I expected from the wine. The grilled hare in Merlot sauce helped cut through the tannin. We have decided to give the Guigals about another ten years to see how they develop. It was a very interesting tasting and proved (once again) how important storage is to the development of a bottle of great wine.
Bob (JPB) Foster 75014,1054 Benziger 1992 Zinfandel A few months back I posted a very positive TN on this wine--the problem was it had not been released yet. It also took a gold medal at the Sonoma County Fair. Well, it's out now (Wine Exchange for $8.99)It's a very nice Zin --big rich forward berry flavors, solid but soft tannins, with more of a ripe cherry (rather than a tart cherry) flavor, good depth and balance on the palate, long rich Zin finish. I'd have posted a rave review but at 14% alcohol it is just a tad hot on the finish. Tasty stuff and the perfect balance for a fresh pizza with lots of spicy meats. The food covers a lot of the alcohol on the finish. It's a wine you want to drink.We'd polished off most of the bottle before we realized it. Yummy. (It had been my #1 in a blind tasting at the California Grapevine a few months back) At this price it's a very good buy. [1982 Benziger Sonoma Zin]
