Jon Lawry/GA Hobo 73352,1373 Fetzer 1993 Gewurztraminer I have addressed this note to Jim Holmes, for in my message a few months ago bemoaning the lack of good gewurz value in the US compared to Alsace, he suggested I try the Fetzer. Thank you thank you thank you. Hope this reaches your e-mailbox. This is very nice juice. And juice it is -- very pronounced grapefruit, and a good sweet/dry balance that I love in a gewruz. I didn't find this quite as spicy as I like, but very nice to drink by itself. It did have a bit more "tang" to it, kind of a Sauv Blanc quality, which is what I DON'T like as much about the Calgewurzes, but it wasn't up front. Like the Alsacians, this had an underlying "sauciness" that made you pause and reflect. I paid about $7 for it.
Jon Lawry/GA Hobo 73352,1373 DeLoach 1991 Estate Zinfandel Another bargain bin special and I was worried it might be a bit over the hill. Don't know what this was like in its earlier days, but WOWEE, what a monster now! The fabulous wife conned me into making some pizza last night, calzones actually, and I thought -- oh, how's about a nice zin to go with? It was the wrong wine for that purpose, much too rich and clarety. This is not at all to suggest it didn't have the powerful zin fruit we all know and love. I am always amazed at how different zins can be, ranging from a rich Bordeaux style to a Beaujalais style. This one hit both ends of the spectrum! The color was light ruby, with light passing through easily, but the taste was very rich and currants and blackberry way out front. How can a wine be in so many places at the same time? I don't know, but this one is still going strong and is not over the hill at all. Don't suggest with pizza, though -- I'd go for a rich and spicy lamb or beef dish. To deal with the mismatch, I bit some calzone, chew chew chew swallow wait sip sip wait bite etc.
Robert W. Gibson 76242,1176 Cantermerle 1983. Red Bordeaux Slightly disappointed with most recent bottle. Harder than expected. Some nice berry and plum tastes implicit, but pretty strong tannins with lots of oak, leather, and earthy tastes. Pretty good mix, but wonder if its drying out. Should I hold the few bottles I have left for a few years or drink up. Parker rated this wine very high in his book, as have many others. Opinions? Thanks for the reply. To test the case, I opened a wine I am very familiar with yesterday, the 1983 Haut Bages Liberal. It was still very good, showing lots of nice berry tastes and a bit of perfume in nose, but was also closing up. Tannins much more prominent in middle than I remember, and the follow-up through was mostly tannin. My wife is British, and my experience there suggests that 1983 is far too good a year to dry up now, especially the Centermerle. (Her brother - a serious wine person - doesn't consider 83s ready to drink yet.) Your probably right and I may just hold off on 83s for a few years. Still have quite a bit of 1983 Pichon Lalande left. That's been drinking nicely for some time, but I'd not want to waste a bottle if to find it closed up.
Elliot Apter /NJ 76670,2041 Ch. DuTertre 1983 Red Bordeaux As I write this, I'm trying an 83 DuTertre, and it too seems to be closing up - the fruit isn't what it was 6 months ago. Tonite I'll open an 83 Palmer and a Ch Margaux and try them, then will post some notes.
Robin Garr/Sysop/Ky 76702,764 Zaca Mesa 1992 Zaca Vineyards Santa Barbara County Syrah $10.99. Dark ruby color. Odd, offputting perfumed floral nose, akin to the heavy and almost sickly sweet smell of funeral lilies or a rotten onion. Once past the nose, the flavor is focused on juicy strawberry fruit with a cotton-candy quality that's reminiscent of Beaujolais, but with a dry, tart and somewhat tannic quality that isn't. Awkward and klunky wine; not totally unpleasant once you get past the nose, but it's really no bargain for the price.
Robin Garr/A-Sys/KY 76702,764 Glass Mountain Quarry 1991 California Cabernet Sauvignon $7.99. Very dark garnet color. Oaky vanillins in balance with cassis fruit on the nose; good, extracted blackcurrant fruit flavor with lemony acidity in good balance. Very good wine, very good value. That praise aside, I can't help noticing that the back label puts almost excessive emphasis on the winery's Napa location and history, strongly implying that the wine is made from fabled Napa grapes -- but the cold hard fact of the appellation tells a different story. Anyone know the details on the provenance of this wine?
Robin Garr/A-Sys/KY 76702,764 Estancia 1992 Alexander Valley Cabernet Sauvignon $8.99. Full ruby color. Very oaky nose, appealing vanilla and bitter chocolate, but oak it is, and it pretty much dominates a faint hint of Cabernet fruit lurking in the background. Mouth-filling sweet oak and cherry-berry flavor, extracted fruit making up for the lack thereof in the nose, so soft and juicy that it almost seems sweet. Comes into much better balance as the oak fades after an hour in the glass, suggesting that brief cellaring might do it considerable good.
Robin Garr/A-Sys/KY 76702,764 Trefethen non-vintage Eshcol Napa Valley Cabernet Sauvignon (72%) - Merlot (28%), $7.99. Startling reddish-purple color, almost day-glo. Cedar and blackcurrant nose, typical Cabernet. Spicy oak and VERY tart, lemon-squirt acidity on the palate, over-acidity to the point of being a bit out of balance. I think an appropriate food match would bring it right back, tho.
Bob Spector/OKC 72773,1014 Tempier 1987 Bandol, "La Louffe" I finally had to try one of these. As I understand it, in 1987 and 1988 Tempier bottled this parcel separately from La Migoua. It's moderately saturated, medium color. Very reticent nose eventually shows cherries, licorice and a significant amount of tar. Good silky mouth feel, pretty good concentration and works much better with food than alone. Served with grilled lamb with a mediteranian salsa that brought out the herbs and dark cherries. There are tannins on the finish that suggest to me that the wine still have a little ways to go before maturing. Actually this reminded more of a barolo than any other Bandol I've ever had.
Bob Spector/OKC 72773,1014 Domaine Boyer-Domergue 1991 Minervois "Clos Centeilles" This is a very elegent wine. Daniel Domergue makes three cuvees in Minervois. This one is a combination of syrah, granache and mourvedre. Medium color, much lighter than your would expect given these grapes. Reticent nose offers up cedar, berries and some coffee. Berries and spices on the palate. Slightly sweet with a velvety mouth feel. This is not a big style Minervois---as you might find in a Gourgazaud. It is a very tasty elegent wine and gave me quite a different perspective on modern day Languedoc.
Bill Hudgins 71154,2246 Glass Mntn 1991 P Syrah I had never heard of this wine or winery until a month ago (news travels slowly to Tennessee<g>) but liked it a lot. Not complex, the 1991 Petite Syrah was just very fruity and flavorful, and completely ready to drink. Anybody else tried it?
Bob (JPB) Foster 75014,1054 Clos du Paradis 1992 Cuvee Unique, Coteaux d'Aix en Provence Les Baux A couple of folks had posted positive notes on this wine so I picked up a bottle at the North Berkeley Store (which was MUCH smaller than I would have thought from their mailers) Nice dark color--but I can't drink it. In fact I hate it. It reeks of a leather component that emasculates almost all the fruit. On the palate it tastes like someone took an old saddle off an old nag, fed it throught a Veg-o-matic and then liquified it. Ugh ugh ugh. Maybe I expect to much from a wine--I want it to at least have some taste of grapes. To me, this didn't. Even at under $8 it ain't worth it unless you have an unnatural fettish for leather (g)
Doug Powers 75717,2654 various California 1991-1993 Zinfandels In all fairness to Bob, since Dennis' notes will no doubt follow tomorrow (and he DIDN'T care for the LL), I think I "talked" Bob into liking the '93 Limerick Lane "Collins Vyd" (as Bob's later note re: OUR GODDESS Ms. Iris will attest, we were ALL distracted today). I personally loved the '93 LL because it's the "raspberry fruit bomb, Dry Creek, non-super oaked, yet "in-your-face-fruit-style" I love, but it's not long on "structure" (i.e., probably won't age for 3-5-10 years, though I've rarely met a Zin that did). As for the '93 St. Francis, by far the BEST color of any wine today, massively dark, not a style I love since I would be the first I admit I love accessible fruit, nonetheless a wine that in a few years should be lovely (and probably the best of the day when viewed a few years hence), my only nit is that they must use the same super-charred new oak barrels since this wine (aromatically) reminded me of the '85 and '87 Merlot Reserves from St. Francis. Other wines I liked were, in no particular order, the '93 Biale "Aldo Vyd" (but the other two Biales were disappointing, IMHO), '92 Edmeades North Coast (a somewhat simple quaffer, yet cheap), '93 Green & Red, '93 Grgich Hills, '93 Mondavi (yes, wonderful stuff, for me "second best color behind the St. Francis"), '93 Quivira, '93 Ridge "Geyserville", '93 Ridge "Pagani", '91 Ridge "Geyserville" (my second fave of the day), '91 Storybook Mountain "Estate", '93 Swan "Ziegler", '93 Turley "Hayne" and '93 Turley "Moore". I agree with Bob re: Turley pricing -- last year when I tasted these wines I loved them (and was told to "expect" prices in the range of $15-16/btl), but the $20/btl price for the Moore & Aida and the $22/btl price for the Hayne put me off big time. Nice juice but not at that price -- for comparison, K & L recently had the '90 Sorrel Hermitage "Le Greal" for $27/btl, and I'm sorry, but the latter blows these wines away at much less $$$ (of course, all IMHO)!! As for disappointments (I won't call them dogs), the following -- '93 Biale "Dyer's" and "Falleri", '93 Edmeades "Zeni", '93 Martinellis (Jackass Hill, Jackass Vineyard, & Sonoma County), both Mazzoccos ('93 & '92), '93 Morgan, '93 Peachy Canyon "Dusi" and '92 Westside, '93 Peterson "Bradford Mtn", '93 Ridge "Lytton Springs" (a major disappointment, IMHO, with simply NO mid-palate nor finish), '92 Ridge "Geyserville", '93 Rosenblum "Samsel" and Paso Robles (both excessively raisiny with drying tannins), '93 and '92 Scheutz-Oles (both seemed not fully ripe, hard and astringent, and lacking the vibrant fruit of the lovely '91), '91-'93 Storrs (a style that I find too hard and lacking the spicy, berryish varietal character I love, probably a personal style preference), '93 Storybook Mountain Estate (where's the fruit??), '93 Swan "Stellwagen" (lacks the appealing fruit of the Ziegler side-by-side), and '94 Turleys (two single vineyard wines, different vineyards than the '93s, I didn't note names, Dennis probably wrote the names down), both brutally tannic, backward, inaccessible, and, for my palate, totally devoid of varietal character, hard to believe the same people made the '93s and '94s here, disappointing (for me). I honestly did not get to the '93 Ravenswoods -- Dennis can fill in here and otherwise (as can hopefully others).
Doug Powers 75717,2654 Chateau Larmande 1982 St. Emilion Tonight for dinner we tasted the '82 Chateau Larmande (St. Emilion) and '82 La Louviere (Graves) with steak and mashed potatoes (unfortunately, with a capital "U", we were unable to attend the post-ZAP dinner in the City with Dennis and Craig, who I had REALLY wanted to meet, due to "babysitting duties") --Larmande -- medium to medium-dark ruby, brickish edge, spice, redfruits, but a trace of nail polish (VA) aromas, on the palate initially ripe and still slight yet noticeable VA, but gradually opened to reveal spicy, faintly leafy component, medium-long finish, I'd guess it's time to drink up, nice, medium-length finish.
Doug Powers 75717,2654 Ch. La Louviere 1982 Graves -- medium-dark ruby, no noticeable browning, tobacco/cigar box, with also some faint green/leafy aromas, on palate showing some maturity with faint vegetal/tobacco flavors, resolved tannins, medium-weight finish, seems a bit longer in the finish than the Larmande, while also a bit leaner, nice juice. Both of these wines were purchased in the "good ole days" of inexpensive Bordeaux (i.e., ~$75/CASE), and have aged into quite impressive wines, especially given their prices and "pedigree". I wouldn't hesitate to buy either again, though I think both need to be consumed sooner (within 1-3 years) rather than later. I'd be interested to hear from anyone who has had either recently.
Doug Powers 75717,2654 Castello di Fonterutoli 1985 Chianti Classico Riserva "Ser Lapo" Tonight with dinner of baked pork loin with onions and apples and mashed potatoes we had a bottle of 1985 Castello di Fonterutoli Chianti Classico Riserva "Ser Lapo" (97% Sangiovese, 3% Cabernet Sauvignon). Medium-dark ruby color, no signs of browning, aromas of violets, redfruits, and flowers (?), on the palate lively, ripe redfruits, medium-full yet also velvety in its mouthfeel, soft tannins yet this wine seems to have plenty of life left, long, lingering finish, one of the best bottles we've had in a long, long time (the wine seemed perfectly balanced between its fruit, tannins and lively, fresh fruit on the palate). Great juice!!
Dennis M. Sienko 74767,701 various California 1992/1993 Zinfandels My favorites were the '93 Turley's. I preferred the Hayne marginally over the Aida and Moore. Diane loved the Aida. The Ravenswood wines were OK to good in '93, definitely better than the '92's, but they will not, IMHO, be good or even acceptable QPR's when they are released this Summer. I did not like the Limerick Lane. I thought there was too much acid in the wine. The '93 TKC barrel sample was superb. Since this wine will probably be released at about $10, it should be a great QPR. Harold and Monica Nuffer, mom & pop at TKC, are friends of ours and I'll be helping them now and then when they have events there, etc. Harold likes a lot of oak in his wine, sometimes too much. I'm going to work on this wine not getting over oaked before it is released. The '93 St. Francis Old Vines is another major winner from St. Francis. I loved the color. I liked the Ridge wines, especially the '92 Geyserville. The '93 Geyserville was much lighter than the '92. There was a '92 Voss zin which I liked for it's spicy black pepper character. I thought the '93 Biale wines were good to very good, with the Aldo's vineyard slightly ahead of the Falleri and the Dyer well behind them both. My dog of the day was the '93 Topolos Rossi Ranch. There is something in that wine which just obliterates the fruit. The '93 Green & Red did not have the intense black pepper flavors that the '92 had. Grgich, Mondavi and Chateau Potelle all made very good zins, but the Chateau Potelle, at $28/bottle is outrageous. I tasted 45 zins, probably about half of the zins available to taste. My brief notes reflect these conditions... the current best buy in Sonoma zins is, again IMHO, is the '90 (yes '90) Lytton Springs Sonoma zin. At $10.50/bottle by the case from the winery, it is an incredible value. Deep, almost opaque. Just now beginning to turn from completely youthful purple. Sturdy as an oak, but with less wood and more fruit. This is a great Zin that Ridge (Paul Draper) does not like so they're selling it a the winery on the cheap. I've got about two cases, but will probably get a couple more before it is sold out sometime in the next few months. This is a zin which will age.
Dennis M. Sienko 74767,701 Mondavi 1982-1986 Cabernet Sauvignon Last night my wine tasting group, including Doug P., tasted some early and mid-eighties Mondavi CS. My tasting notes follow. The wines are shown in group rank order. The numbers in parentheses are the sum of the group ranks of the eight tasters, my ranking and my rating. '85 Mondavi Reserve CS - Medium crimson, amber at edge, thick, mature, ripe dark cherry bouquet, tight, somewhat tannic black cherry flavors, medium-long finish. Opened up lots and improved in the glass. (16, 3, 87) '82 Mondavi Napa Valley - Medium crimson, maturing ripe dried fruit & herbs bouquet, rich, chalky tannins, mature black cherry & plum flavors, medium-long finish. This wine seemed to be much younger to me. We had quite a discussion concerning whether this wine was an example of what time in the bottle can do for a wine. It was very nice CS and clearly worthy of a good rating. (22, 2, 91) '86 Mondavi Napa Valley - Medium crimson, not quite as brilliant as the others, Vegetal/floral bouquet (the vegetal component blew away very early on), ripe mellowing, mature, rich dark cherry fruit. Some tasters felt this wine was clearly corked (as you will soon read). I did not get any corkiness in the wine, but I am not sensitive to that element, so it may very well have been corked. Very long finish. This wine had at least two firsts and at least two sixths. You either liked it or you hated it, apparently depending on your sensitivity to the chemical which causes corkiness in wine. (30, 1, 93) '84 Mondavi Napa Valley - Medium light crimson, musty prune bouquet, mature coffee & mocha flavors with some faded cherry fruit. This was a mature or more than mature wine which did not excite me. (30, 4, 86) '85 Mondavi Napa Valley - Medium crimson, very ripe, raisiny bouquet, mature, simple, very much faded cherry flavors, short finish, the deadest wine of all. (31, 6, 80) '83 Mondavi Napa Valley - Medium crimson, mature dried cherry bouquet, pleasant black cherry flavor, simple, medium-short. I liked this wine more than most, but had it fifth. It was tired and over-the-hill. (39, 5, 82) All wines were tasted double-blind (we only knew that they were red) and, in my case from INAO glasses. Interesting tasting. Much of the group has gravitated away from California CS in favor of Rhones, zins and pinot noir. This tasting had some good wine in it, but most of these wines would just not go well with the food we eat regularly.
John Wildman (UK) 70374,531 J Robert ? Malvasia de Sitges You may see an occasional reference to Moscatel de Sitges, but I haven't seen a mention of Malvasia de Sitges. Bottled by J Robert, house founded in 1870, 15% Some similarities with muscat, a deep golden colour, fragrant grapy nose but a lot more honey on the tongue. Purchased on holiday and inexpensive, I think about $10, maybe less, I would not have known of its existence but for the recommendation of a restaurateur who offered me a thimbleful alongside the Crema Catalana for which the region is famous. Last night I opened my one bottle to go with sticky toffee pudding - it's a definite match. I assume like cheap dessert muscat, the remaining half bottle will be be OK in the fridge for a few weeks without special treatment.
John Wildman (UK) 70374,531 le Trulle ? Primitivo di Salento $6.00 Australian "flying winemaker" Kym Milne has been at work in Puglia, the "heel" of Italy, and the wines are being marketed with a logo of these little round dwellings called "trulle" on the label. I don't recall any notes on here yet but I expect they will be available to you. I have had the Chardonnay and found it rather dull. The Primitivo is a different kettle of fish. Robinson advises that this is Zin and has been made in the region for blending for some years. It is a deep bright red-purple with good highlights, a real "in your face" bouquet of blackberry fruit and a hint of pepper, without which it would be like neat jam. The acidity is a little low, but the structure for such a cheap wine is amazing, it gives pleasure all the way through. This tastes the way I have seen Zin described on here and I am converted to the cause.
Chris Hulland 100341,2513 Francois Martenot 1991 Moulin a Vent Sight 1.25 Smell 3.50 Taste 5.25 Quality 1.50 Total 11.50 out of max 20 My personal opinion after a whole bottle
Bruce Douglas 75140,1354 Ch. Palmer 1979 Red Bordeaux With all of the criticism and speculation about the '79 Bordeauxs lately, it was a pleasure to get home to the cellar last night. The airline meal had more or less taken the edge of our appetites, but after unpacking it seemed like a snack and a glass of wine was in order. The '79 Palmer caught my interest because of the comments here recently. OFS! Deep color with almost no fading around the edge. Concentrated and rich. A nose of berries, and very much an alive Bordeaux. Enough tanin to hold the ripe fruit in balance. Full and meaty in the mouth. This wine will last for a lot longer and we are glad to have a half dozen left.
ALAN BOEHMER 70524,411 Zaca Mesa 1992 Syrah, Chapel Vineyard $14. Cool ruby colored, medium body. Nose suggests citrus and black pepper. Bright, crisp, fresh and young tasting, suggestive of cranberries. Mild tannins, plenty of acid. Nothing complex. And certainly nothing funereal. Average quality. Much too expensive.
Alan Boehmer 70524,411 Martin Bros. 1992 Cabernet Etrusco $16.95. A most flavorful and delicious Cabernet/Sangiovese blend, designed for immediate consumption. Soft, with just enough tannin to suggest that this is serious wine. Good balance. Deep, warm, fruity. Lacking specific Cabernet characteristics, it drinks rather like a full-bodied Zinfandel. Especially recommended for occasional red wine drinkers, as it delivers a ton of fruit, softness, and a little complexity without being overly serious. Too bad it is so darned expensive.
Alan Boehmer 70524,411 Flora Springs 1992 Sauvignon Blanc, "Floreal" Echoes and suggestions of varietal type. Vinous nose with slight suggestion of aldehydes. Lacks character, drinks like all-purpose dry white. Use for cooking. Especially disappointing, because I know these guys know how to make wine.
Alan Boehmer 70524,411 Wild Horse 1989 Zinfandel, Paso Robles Wild Horse enjoys no longstanding tradition or track record with this varietal, its excellent local reputation depending upon delicious, easy to drink Cabernets and very good, understated Chardonnays. I know of no other Central Coast wineries which enjoy a comparable reputation for quality, availability, value, and consistency, particularly among restaurant-goers. The estate vineyard is planted exclusively to Chardonnay, Merlot, and Pinot Noir; so most of Ken Volk's wines are made from bought grapes. Zinfandel was added to the stable in 1988 and Ken lost no time in coming to terms with it. The 1989 Zinfandel has not done as well in published ratings as on my table, so I offer my own description: Deeply concentrated ripe fruit, 14.1%, good nose and flavor consistent with it, raspberry, plum, pepper, pleasant mouth feel, acids just right, soft tannins, moderately long finish. Wine was somewhat closed on first encounter and passed as fairly ordinary. With considerable oxygenation (overnight), the wine revealed its true colors. This is delicious wine with just a hint of the earthy, tarry Paso Robles character. Enjoyed with Pont L'Eveque and delicious homemade Swedish rye bread. Ken's 1990 is a single vineyard (undisclosed) wine. I'll report on that one in another note.
Alan Boehmer 70524,411 Fess Parker 1992 Chardonnay, Santa Barbara County Middle of the road in style and apparent quality. Tends towards leanness and understatement. Crisp, medium body. Decent varietal characteristics and lemony acidity. Oak quite noticeable.
Stephen Haynes 71666,424 Philippe Leclerc 1983 Gevrey-Chambertin "Combes aux Moines" Tonight (Stupid Bowl night) with a hearty chuck roast. Immediately after opening: Color is brick red with crystal clarity, shading into orange at the edges. Bouquet is big, filling the nose with scents of earthy ripe cherries; a near-classic Burgundian quality; slight apparent volatility. In the mouth, soft tannins, still years from being fully resolved; high acidity, with moderate fruit; a bit out of balance. Acidity follows through on the finish, with tannins remaining on the palate. .... Now to wait for the roast ... [Two hours later] With the roast, the tannins had largely resolved, some fruit remained, and the acidity seemed tamed. This is not a wine that will last too many more years. It's qualities are not seductive, appealing more to the intellect than the senses. I'm accelerating consumption of my remaining 4 bottles.
Stephen Haynes 71666,424 Chateau Benoit 1991 "Sweet Marie" (Oregon/Willamette Valley) Last of two bottles purchased at the winery. Clearly, this wine was consumed years before it should have been, but then temptation overcame my usual better sense. To quote from the label: "This wine is made in celebration of our first granddaughter, Marie Elizabeth Benoit. Sweet Marie is a blend of Riesling and Gewurztraminer. Both varieties were pressed while frozen, and fermented together to yield this unique wine. The steely, appley nuances of the Riesling and the spicy, melony qualities of the Gewurztraminer create a fascinating dialogue of aromas and flavors. 8% Residual sugar." My remarks: Floral, melony scents in the bouquet. No sign of botrytis; but pleasant nonetheless. As would be expected from such a blend, shows characteristics of both Riesling and Gewurztraminer, but not the best of either. The 12.5% alcohol shows in a hotness on the palate and in the finish. Somewhat unctuous, with fairly big taste of fruit -- apricots and apples -- that remains pleasantly in the mouth for long moments after swallowing. Enough acidity to give it good balance in its youth. I'd wonder how well this will age. A pleasant wine, very sweet, one to chill _very_ cold and consume on a hot summer evening on the back porch, not in the midst of January in Minnesota!
Stephen Haynes 71666,424 Torres 1978 Gran Coronas Riserva Cabernet Sauvignon Very nicely balanced and close to mature. Deep purplish still; dense color. Fruity bouquet with slight tinges of acetone. Tannins have largely resolved, but fruit and acidity remain nicely in balance. Somewhat bitter finish, but lasts long and moderately pleasantly. The structure clearly suggests that this wine can last many more years.
Stephen Haynes 71666,424 Sutter Home Winery 1977 Amador County Zinfandel For anyone unfortunate enough to have remaining bottles of this wine, its gone, dead, buried. Negligible fruit on top of still-present tannins, oxydized bouquet, and alcoholic finish. There was a time when this was rather a quintessential old-style Zin. I was sort of saving this last bottle to sort of see if it could sort of last. It didn't.
Mitchell Kleinman 73302,3515 St. Francis 1992 Old Vines Zinfandel -Deep, Dark purple color. Nose has oak, sweet fruit. Taste is a strong flavorful taste of fruits with a nice tannic finish. Balance is impeccable. This bottle is not in any type of funk or "closed", but that may be due to bottle variations. This went well with a BBQ'd Steak w/ Sauteed Shrooms and onions, backed potato and salad!! MMMM!!
Larry Pitts 71600,510 Renato Ratti Marcenasco 1979 Barolo Color: Red brick Slight tar in the nose. Although not dried out, a woody secondary bouquet has taken the driver's seat. The Niebello(?) grape that I'm used to in younger Italian wines was hardly recognizable to me here. Even thought the fruit has taken a back seat, I would call this wine well balanced with a healthy astringency. The finish held well and was very pleasant.
Larry Pitts 71600,510 Antoniolo 1974 Gattinara Color: Red Brick Nose of tar and dried fruit. The fruit seems to be very much intact. Much more pronounced than the 1979 Barolo I tasted a few days ago. Finish was good. Less astringent than the Barolo. I detect very little tannin in this wine which I understand may be atypical of other '74s.
Craig Thompson/SF,CA 75017,2606 La Liviniere 1992 Minervois , La Grande Condomine, Vin non filtre North Berkeley Wine barrel selection. $6.75 (case price). Checking out Hugh Johnson's World Atlas of Wine, La Liviniere is a town in the Minervois appelation, where the winery is, apparently. This is a wonderful wine. Beautiful dark red color. Nose a bit closed. On the palate, delicious, round, good mouth-feel, there must be some Mourvedre here. But the Grenache comes through, too, giving it a good balance. Tastes like there might also be a bit of Syrah. A slight taste of leather along with provencal herbs.
Craig Thompson/SF,CA 75017,2606 various 1986 Chateauneuf du Pape I got curious about '86 CdPapes after seeing the notes on the Bosquet du Pape. The '86 VT is probably at it's apex, and not all that impressive. It has lost whatever backbone it had, very little tannic structure left. Nice, rich fruit, but starting to have that "plummey" character of wines that are too old. If you have any, drink it up over the next year or so.
V MICHAEL STRAUS 74732,1566 DUCRU BEAUCAILLOU 1981 ST. JULIEN - The color was a deep red. The nose was classic Bordeaux lead pencil, wood, some fruit and a slightly disturbing chemical character. The taste was the best of this case we have had, which was still disappointing for a Ducru from a reportedly decent vintage. It had some sweet dark cherry fruit which we had not found in around 5 prior bottles and some wood, really good smooth-tannin/acid balance, a long finish of sweet fruit, wood, and a pungent character which neither of us could identify. As I said, it was disappointing for a Ducru; it would have been a decent 5th growth or so, but not super second. Decent, good, but unexciting wine; possibly (hopefully) some more development will improve it a bit. Rate 86+ VMS
Dave Sit/NYC 71360,2142 Ridge 1992 Zinfandel, Lytton Springs Speaking of Lytton Springs zins, I tried another bottle of the '92 Ridge Lytton Springs zin last week, at Ruth's Chris Steak House in Las Vegas. This wine has been controversial at best -- much discussed at the forum here. The wait-person was extrememly knowlegeable about wine, much to my delight. She brought the wine over and uncorked it. It exhibited the same problem which I detected in two of three previous bottles -- a combination of an atypical perfumey aroma and volatile acidity. I asked the wait-person to try it. She took a sniff and said it was making her eyes burn. We ordered a bottle of the '90 Silver Oak Alexander Valley cab instead, which BTW was nice but I expected a bit more flesh in the middle.
Manabu SAKUTA 100212,1601 Ch. Pichon-Lalande 1979 Red Bordeaux Today I tasted 1979 Lalande with a picture on its back. Cork; 5.5 cm long.(probably we need to describe a cork from now on) not caated by plastic. Deep scarlet red tinged orange. Good flavor of dried berries, plum. Very good aftertaste of sweet berries, plum and honey. I think this merits first growth. Importer:ODEX Japan.
Marc Bobula / York PA 74542,713 Chateau Bel Air 1990 Red Bordeaux Still a young wine with fairly intense but closed fruit in the aroma and on the palate. Very well balanced: Plenty of oak, nice but not excessive acid and fairly strong, but not overwhelming tannins. (FWIW, I do not have a *Parker Palate.* I feel he rates low-acid, high tannin wines too high ... just to give some perspective <g>) IMO, This wine should age well. Best news is the price. 12 dollars US in Baltimore, MD. Some would consider this a 'daily table' wine (at 12 bucks) but I think it deserves a slightly higher notch than that. I'd serve it with some good steaks or lamb. 89 (probably better after tannins soften a bit) I bought 6 to stash away.
Jim Kronman/SYSOP/CA 76703,431 Ch. Pichon-Lalande 1979 Red Bordeaux I tasted the '79 Ch Pichon-Lalande this past weekend. It was darned good and almost completely ready to drink (just a bit of a tannic edge left) but I was not overwhelmed. When the wines get older, it is always a case of "only great bottles and not great vintages." All in all, it turned out better than most people had predicted.
Jim Kronman/SYSOP/CA 76703,431 Montinore Vineyard 1993 Willamette Vly Chard Here is an OR Chard that I tasted quite recently: Montinore Vineyard 1993 Willamette Vly Chard bottled for Stanford Alumni Assn. (gift from a friend who went there). This is another clean and boring wine that reflects competent formula winemaking and little, if anything of chard fruit. It's got the requisite toasted oak, malolactic creamy/sweatsock character and (yes) the kick of residual sweetness. I AM SOOOOOO B-O-R-E-D by this style of wine (which is, unfortunately, almost ubiquitous these days).
Jim Kronman/SYSOP/CA 76703,431 Oakville 1974 Napa Valley Cabernet Sauvignon Now this wine isn't nectar, but considering that I paid $4.00 for it in 1976-1977, it's not half bad! Oakville 1974 Napa Valley Cab Sauv has a good bricky/ruby color and the nose has a sweet, plummy quality that is quite appealing. The wine is almost velvety on the palate, showing just enough tannin to keep it interesting. Flavors reflect the plummy quality of the nose and do not open up to show any profound complexity. There is just the slightest hint of coffee in the medium finish. It's going nowhere but it's come a long way. <g>
Peter Creasey 75021,3606 Kistler 1990 Dutton Ranch Russian River Valley Chardonnay Medium golden yellow. Nice toastiness in pungent BQ, rich and deep tropical fruits, oaken underpinnings. Excellent fullnes and depth on palate, more oak interacting with tropical/citrus fruits, Burgundian flavors, medium acidity, apealing butteriness/creaminess. Impressive finish that holds together. This is about as good as Calif Chardonnay gets and it should make old bones, at least to those of us who like age even on some white wines. Served with poached red fish with basil/pesto sauce, orzo, and beets.
Stuart Yaniger 75402,1517 various French 1983 Cote Rotie I just returned from Ampuis. During this trip, I tasted perhaps 12 or so of the '83 Cote Roties (including Guigal's), and in general, they were quite muscular wines. The Guigal was certainly the least "Cote Rotie-like" of the bunch. The best '83s, though atypically big, had that geat perfume and silky feel. There is certainly less delicacy in this vintage, but the very best one (never imported to the US, sadly) still had a finesse and balance that makes Cote Rotie the fabulous wine that it is. None of the '83s were showing any signs of tiring, with the exception of Burgaud's. I tasted the Mouline, Landonne, and Turque. ... In short, I think they're the best he's ever done. I'm still a rookie, and haven't learned how to do offline composing, so I'll have to be brief. The '91s have unusually fine tannins, even the Landonne. Though still concentrated and rich, they have less of the soupy portiness that has bothered me in some other vintages. Absolutely stunning balance. The Landonne is distinctly different than the Turque and Mouline, having a meaty, smoky aroma. The other two have very sweet, oaky perfume, with lots of bright fruit. I've been less than impressed with Turque in the past, but the '91 is super, my favorite of the three. My wife, a Cote Blonde fancier, prefers the Mouline. All three are among the best that Guigal has ever done.
james rodewald 74427,136 Apex 1990 Merlot Opened the 1990 Apex Merlot, $16.49, to go with my first home-cooked meal in a few days. Delicate nose, big hit of chocolate on the mouth, elegant and very tasty fruit, nice balance. I've said that merlot usually disappoints me, but this one definitely did not. QPR may not be there, but a very nice wine. I wish I'd tasted this one at various stages; for some reason I think it would have been an even more interesting exercise than usual. Anyone had the pleasure?
Leland E. Wines 74313,2157 S. Anderson ? Chardonnay and Sparkling Wine I would like to recommend a couple of wines from a winery (Champagnery) we (my wife & I) discovered in Napa Valley (just 30 min from where we live) called "S. Anderson". They take a great deal of pride and extra care & time in the making of there wine and you can only purchase the wine from the winery or by mail. They can be reached by calling 1-800-4bubbly, a number you can't forget. Their Chardonnay has a smooth honey and toasty flavor that is rich an concentrated. It finishes with a long full aftertaste. They use only new French Oak barrels for ageing and only use them once, after which they are sold to other winery's. Considerably more expensive but provides the best quality. Cost is about $18 for their Stags Leap District Chardonnay to $25 per bottle for their Proprietor' Reserve Chardonnay. If you are interested in top quality Champagne (Sparkling Wine), that except for recognition is equal to and aged as long in the bottle (5 years) as Dom Perignon, but at much less cost, try S.Anderson's "Blanc do Noirs". It is very smooth, creamy and is complex with vanilla, pear and nutmeg flavors. It finishes with a long full aftertaste. No, I do not work of S.Anderson or have any affiliation other that I think they are a great winery and love to visit their winery and storage caves. Living so close to the Napa Valley we actually have many "favorite" winery's, but S. Anderson is one of our most favorite. With a last name of "Wines", I have to know and enjoy my wine.
Joel Sheiner 76324,3634 Ferrari Carano 1992/1993 Chardonnay I was shopping at price club the other day and saw the 93 Ferrari Carano Chard selling for $15.99. In the past this has been a reliable Chard for company and one of my wifes favorites. I figured I'd try a bottle. Then the Wine Exchange Newsleter arrived and had a discussion of this very wine. Reading between the lines, I sensed that the 93 just wasn't the same as the 92 which I had enjoyed many times. Something about the competition in 93 being better, so the 93 didn't stand out from the crowd as much as the 92. I opened it tonight. The color is a pale yellow, as expected. The nose is overwhelming oak with some sour pear peeking through. Not very inviting, but we pressed on. The first taste is sour fruit, pears, apples and a little citrus. Then the oak comes on and never stops. The woody taste becomes overwhelming and lingers for a long, although not very enjoyable finish. As the wine sat in front of me, I found myself thinking twice about each succeeding taste. This allowed us plenty of time to let the wine develop. After about 2 hr, the initial sour fruit mellowed and a lemon citrus taste became more prominent. The oak was still there but was slightly balanced by a hint of honey. The wine definitely improved in the glass but still is not very enjoyable. I'm glad I still have some 92 to enjoy.
Jenise Stone/SL2/Alaska 74364,741 Bonny Doon 1993 Le Sophiste a Rhone style white of 100% Marsanne and Rausanne grapes (forgive me if I did not spell these names right). Although it's hard to recommend any white wine at this price, $22.50, this is an outstanding and different white wine (and I'm going to buy some anyway). Rich and substantial without being heavy, elegant fruit--grapefruit and pear, good balance, fascinatingly distinctive nose, long finish, unmistakably NOT a chardonnay or sauvignon blanc.
danny Guidry 74072,1176 Ch. LaTonnelle 1990 Red Bordeaux At the suggestion of a close friend and one whose knowledge of Bordeaux i respect greatly, I opened a bottle of the 90 Chateau la tonnelle with beef tenderloin with a Marchand du vin sauce. Unbelievable that a$7.00 bordeaux could be so wonderful. I suspect that it will not stand much cellaring but if anyone sees this wine on the shelf I suggest you give it a try. Simply put this wine tasted very much like a very mature bordeaux with lots of fruits but very soft and balanced. Our local wine shop still has many cases left at about $85 per case.
Ed Flinn/AsstOp/CT 73127,1476 Estancia 1992 Alexander Valley Cabernet Sauvignon 7.99 - Deep garnet color. Strong raspberry smell on opening, diminishes to some general fruit hidden under lashings of oak. Tart tannic berry/black cherry flavor. Medium body, plenty of acid, medium tannins. Medium-length tannic berry finish. Very good wine, good value.
Brian Wilkie 100273,3006 Mas Jullien ? Les Oeillades BTW Montpeyroux and surrounding villages have some other great wines on offer. Local buffs worship at the altar of the wines made by Jullien Ollivier of Mas Jullien, in nearby Jonquieres but, so far, I have never seen any references to his wines in the Forum. His whites are rationed each year and I now manage to get 12 bottles only per year from him as a local resident. When I first moved in here he only allowed me 6 bottles! All his reds are extraordinary and very lowly priced apart from a new red which came out last year. That is called 'Les Oeillades' made mostly of Cinsault which will keep for years and it sells for FF65. I would rate its potential as being higher/better than Daumas Gassac was 10 years ago but only time will tell!
Michael Mcnamara 75372,1154 A. Clape 1992 Le Vin des Amis Color:Dark Ruby/Purple Nose:Dusty,Lead pencil shavings,some fruit but in the backround Taste:Earthy,some fruit,basic syrah flavors Balance:fairly well balanced This wine is a vin de table.Its a good basic table wine,cost was $7.99.I thought the wine was pretty good for a 1992.Wine was packed with a good amount of flavor and had some character.Rhone lovers. would probably like this wine.
Chuck Miller/Fairburn Ga 73314,2213 Ch. Beaucastel 1986/1988/1989 Chateauneuf du Pape At the instigation of a WBJ, Michael Straus of DC, on NVN we held a blind tasting of '86, '88 & '89 Beaucastel at my German friends home yesterday. The tasters were myself, my wife Memy, Karl, his wife Louise, and Art Boccuti and his wife, Linda. Until a short time ago, Art was Southeast VP of Monsieur Henri Wines so we had a real pro to guide us. Using a trick learned from another WBJ, all three bottles were placed in -clean- white sweat socks with the tops held in place with a rubber band. Then, because she had been out of the room when I put the socks on the bottles, Memy placed numbers on each, and even made me turn my back while she did it. Here were our results based on a 20 point scale. The '89 was the clear winner with an average score of 17.67 and 4 of the 6 thinking it was the best of the three, and 5 of the 6 guessed the year correctly. The '86 was second with an average score of 15.42 with one person thinking it was the best. 3 guessed it's year correctly. The '88 was last with an average score of 15.29 with one person thinking it was the best wine. Again, 3 out of 6 guessed the year correctly. Art did a chart that proved quite interesting before the socks can off. He asked which wine had the best nose - 4 had the '89, and one each for the '86 and '88. Then he asked which wine had the best taste - this split 3 for '89 and 3 for the '86. Then he asked which wine was drinking the best right now and 4 had the '89 and one each for the '86 and '88 Here are some of the written comments on each wine (Karl didn't make any except on the '88<g>) '89 - Art - Spicy, tannic, young, bright, will develope well Memy - The best of the group - extra good! Louise - I really like this one! Linda - young Me - deep color, light aroma, mod. tannins, full, balanced. '86 - Art - More typical of Burgundy, drinking nice, no nose. Memy - Another Rhone nose, more acidic than '88, possibly needs time to mature, somewhat light. Chuck - light barnyard aroma, but pleasant; high acid, med. finish. '88 - Art - "The nose says the wine should have character and long life but the palate shows the wine is a little thin." Memy - Not much fruit - like more; In the style of Rhone, inc. the nose! Karl - A bit on the flat side Louise - I like it! Chuck - good color, little musty, slightly out of balance. Even though there are some negitive comments above, I think what Memy wrote at the bottom of her tasting sheet sums up most of out views - "Actually, I would buy all of the above." I sure am glad. We have a case of the '89 and almost two cases of the '86 in mags<VBG>. As one last comment. The '88 was the only bottle that had sediment stuck to the side of the glass, so I question Michael's idea that the '88 was fined and filtered so much that all the taste was taken out. I don't think so.
