Jim Kronman/SYSOP/CA 76703,431 Heitz 1974 Cabernet Sauvignon, Martha's I recently tasted the Heitz '74 Martha's and found the wine to be sound and still developing. It is packed with fruit and will be wonderful someday. OTOH, its value has skyrocketed ...
Jim Kronman/SYSOP/CA 76703,431 Montevina 1976 Estate Zinfandel We enjoyed with dinner last night Montevina 1976 Estate Zin. This wine, while almost 20 years old, still retained characteristic zin raspberry fruit and there were also anise and chocolate in evidence. There was no sign of browning in the color; this wine threw a HUGE amount of sediment. The one aspect of this bottle that was slightly out of balance was the tannins, which are still quite prominent. The interesting thing, though, was that while drinking this wine with the entrees (steak for me, roast pork for my wife), we were completely unaware of that aspect and everything seemed in perfect balance. It then struck me that this is similar to experiences I have had with Barolos: sipped alone, they seem rather rough and hard but really open up on the palate when enjoyed with the cuisine of the region.
Jim Kronman/SYSOP/CA 76703,431 Ch Calon-Segur 1978 Red Bordeaux I opened a bottle of 1978 Ch Calon-Segur tonight. This one is as good as it's ever going to be. A bit bricky in color, sweet cigar-box typical old-bordeaux nose but a bit light. Ditto in the mouth: light tannin and sweetish c-b flavor. Medium finish. It's not the best '78 bdx I've ever tasted by a long shot, but it was a pleasing accompaniment to Diane's version of osso bucco done in white wine (which was a w-a-y over-the-hill Gundlach Bundschu '77 Chard -- NO tasting notes on that one <gg>).
Jim Kronman/SYSOP/CA 76703,431 Faiveley 1971 Chambolle-Musigny "Les Amoureuses." This is as good a place as any to report in on the wine I opened for dinner last night, one appropos for Valentine's Day: Faiveley 1971 Chambolle-Musigny "Les Amoureuses." It a word, it just doesn't get any better than this. <g> The wine is fully mature but showing no signs of decay. It has a wonderful, sweet, rich nose -- CLASSIC burgundian spice, leather and hints of plums and dried fruits. Silky smooth tannins just balance the rich texture. The finish goes on and on. More good news: this is not our last bottle!
Jim Kronman/SYSOP/CA 76703,431 Parducci 1973 Petite Sirah Here's another Petite Sirah relic from the cellar: Parducci 1973, which sold for all of $3.85 when I bought it in the mid-70s. Today it's a dark ruby/brick color and full of the same sweet, sort of plummy character as the other old PSs I have reported on opening recently. It's taken a while, but I think that I am seeing a pattern develop here: these wines really DO need 20+ years to get it together. When they do, they're really wonderful. I've got a bottle of this and three of that; I wish now that I'd stocked up on CASES of these wines. <sigh>
Bob (JPB) Foster 75014,1054 Heitz 1974 Cabernet Sauvignon, Martha's As I've said here before I think the 74 Martha's is starting to decline. It's not dropping off the table but the fruit just ain't what it was. I traded my last bottle for a 85 Quinta do Noval Nacional.
Bob (JPB) Foster 75014,1054 Ch. Cantemerle 1983 Red Bordeaux When this wine was first released, Parker was nearly orgasmic over it. He raved about it being "extremely lush, ripe, intensely concentrated wine." He estimated a peak of 1994 to 2010. We had our first bottle in years last night. I think this is another Parker-miscue. It's tannins have stayed hard, the fruit is dropping (and what there is is going to the herbal leather side of the spectrum), and the finish has picked up a bitter component. I suspect this is just another of the "gee it didn't age at all like Parker said it would" reports He got seduced by the high extract, high tannins and forgot about balance. (yet again) (the bottles were bought in LA at first release and have been in temp controlled storage ever since)
Michael Laflin 75024,551 Ridge 1986 Paso Robles Zinfandel The label reports a threat of Botrytis at harvest. Color is classic ruby brickish. The nose shows heat and oak without fruit. Not spoiled, just spent. In the mouth it is thin and tart, again without fruit. This is one Zin that did not age well. Voted DPIM by my wife. (and there's another bottle)
Michael Laflin 75024,551 Ridge 1986 Zinfandel, Geyserville According to PD's comments this wine is fully mature. It makes me wonder what he likes in his Zins. This wine is ruby, garnet without purple. In the nose there is again heat, but with mature oak and raisined berries. The mouth again shows little residual fruit. There is still a fair amount of tannin with a decent acid balance and dried fruit on the finish. (OOPS another bottle of this one too!)
Michael Laflin 75024,551 Ridge 1990 Zinfandel, Geyserville Finally to appease my wife who refused to drink either of the first two I opened a 1990 Ridge Geyserville (first vintage not designated Zin because the field blend showed only 64 % Zinfandel): Deep ruby, purple color without browning. In the nose sweet berry fruit, although somewhat subdued from release. Still a real nice nose though. In the mouth it is full bodied with smooth tannins and great balance. the fruit is a bit dried out, but it retains a long, lingering fifnish. A grand older wine.
Michael Laflin 75024,551 Caymus 1979 Cabernet Sauvignon Tasted unblind: Nice ruby color to slightly brown at the edge. In the nose there was mature oakiness at first with an evolution to mature dark fruits. In the mouth the wine was tart at first with almost a complete resolution of tannins. With food (tenderloin with three mustard sauce- it's my birthday after all) the wine blended to a very nice mix of mature cabernet fruit with a long pleasant finish. It was definitely in need of food to show off.
Michael Laflin 75024,551 Ridge 1987 Zinfandel, Lytton Springs (unblind): What a difference a year makes. This wine was ruby, plum colored with hints of brown at the edge. The nose started hot, but there was a nice amount of dried raspberry fruit. In the mouth there was early tartness which resolved to a wine with diminished body, but nice balance of mature tannin, acid and some dried fruit. the finish kept geting longer and longer. Much nicer than the OOPS Zins.
Michael Laflin 75024,551 Ridge 1988 Canyon Road Zinfandel (unblind): This was another ATP selection. The back label says "We bottled it early to capture the fresh, forward ruit. It is a wine that will show well over the next three or four years and is not intended for long aging." Well PD was on target with that last part. At seven years this was more sinkbait than wine. Very bright brown color. Raisined fruit in the nose and thin and tart in the mouth. I didn't dare try this one on my wife (especially today).
Michael Laflin 75024,551 Sterling 1985 Three Palms Vineyard Red Table Wine (unblind): This not inexpensive wine was supposed to be a showcase for Sterling in the late 80's. I think RP loved it, and I think I know why (JPB, you've said I told you so enough already). Clear ruby, garnet color. In the nose there are hints of dark fruit trying to poke through but not with a lot of success. Pleasant oak is there too. In the mouth lots of tough tannins fight with the acid with NO fruit to act as referee. I think the tannins win in a TKO.
Linda D. Paulson 75702,451 August Sebastinani nv Country Merlot Okay, so it's not $25 per bottle and not event $15. It's under $10. It's August Sebastinani Country Merlot in the economy size. Fine drinking wine. It was girls' night out and my friend had just made a batch of whole wheat pizza dough. I stopped by the supermarket to pick up beverages and a dessert. Heck, pizza? Red. No questions asked. Cab? Been there. Done that. Merlot? With pizza? Let's get both, let the host decide. (7-Up for the junior set.) After a tortured eenie-meenie-miney-moe, we decided to go in unchartered vineyards. Merlot it is. Impressions? Let it sit and breathe a minute before serving. Straight out of the bottle it was bite-y and too astringent. After sitting it softened. So it's not a pricey bottle, it's a table red. And it's perfect for standing up to red sauce. We had artichoke heart pizza with a very garlicky red sauce. It stood up well and will to any tomato-garlic combination. Not a timid wine. Fine for having around for unexpected company with a hearty, tomato-y dish. Not suggested for creamy or subtle sauces or dishes. Meats? I dunno, surely NOT chicken or fish. It did go well with the Pepperidge Farms cookie assortment.
Linda D. Paulson 75702,451 Barefoot Cellars nv Cabernet Sauvingon Another delicious, yet affordable cabernet graced my palate this week. It's one of my favorite sipping cabs: Barefoot Cellars Cabernet Sauvingon. I know, I know ... it's no longer Chateau La Feet but yet it remains a highly drinkable wine, perfect with most foods. Tonight's dinner was leftover Yucatan Chicken Salad with Red Pepper Cream. A fine match. No Valentine chocolates, though I have tasted this particular cab with such a confection in the past. Open the bottle and let it breathe for quite a while. The longer it breathes, the more mellow it becomes on the back of the palate. Drink it just uncorked and it is very astringent. A beautifully deep colored liquid with lots of body. No remarkable taste, just a pleasant jucy fruit. Besides with the red onion mixed in the salad it's difficult to discern anything other than that tart sulfuric onion aftertaste. Very pleasant with the grilled chicken on the salad. This wine deserves to be one that you at least give a try. It's not a dog. It's an affordable wine -- even in a magnum, under $10. Another good wine to have on hand for sipping and probably would hold up well as an ingredient in cooked dishes (though I am not a beef fan).
Peter Creasey 75021,3606 Oudinot nv Champagne Hors d'Oeuvres served with Oudinot Champagne NV--Pale straw, many small bubbles. Dry, lively, fresh, slightest yeastiness. Dry on palate, bright, could be creamier (to my taste). Medium to short finish. The Hors d'oeuvres were magnificent very thin belini with foie gras, taco shell with tuna and tame pico de gallo, and thin cracker with chopped rabbit.
Peter Creasey 75021,3606 Sonoma Cutrer 1986 Les Pierres Sauteed Dungeness Crab, Bay Scallops and Lobster, Mushrooms on Grilled Millet Cakes with White Truffle Cream served with Sonoma Cutrer, Les Pierres '86--The first bottle was madeirized. Subsequent samples were back up to the standards of this Chardonnay that has served us so well for all these years. Medium yellow. Nice fragrant BQ of light fruits and vanillin oak. Still good stuffing on palate, somewhat muted fruit, hints of oak, nice mellowness. Medium finish. Based on this night's tasting, this wine is finally starting to show red flags as to its oncoming demise.
Peter Creasey 75021,3606 Faively 1976 Gevrey Chambertin Pan Roast Young Pheasant Breast on Scalloped Fingerling Potatoes with Yellow Foot Chanterelle Sauce served with Faively Gevrey Chambertin '76--Dark red. Gorgeous dark cherry/berry nose, oak and cedar also. Very evolved with elegant ripe dark berries, some wood, muted terroir. Medium full finish that's very pleasing. Superb Burgundy that shows signs of being on its final plateau of excellence. Goat Cheese Baked in Paper Bread on a Fennel, Celery Root, and Capsicum Salad with Citrus-Ginger Vinaigrette served with the Burgundy and Perrier water.
Peter Creasey 75021,3606 Ch Gruaud Larose 1967 Red Bordeaux Charcoaled Axis Venison Sirloin on Kasha Pilaf with a Huckleberry-Red Wine Sauce served with Ch Gruaud Larose '67 En Magnum--Dark almost inky red. Light paper on BQ, dry ripe berries, faintest tobacco. Vanillin/oaken tones, ripe dark berries, nice sweet oak, evolved complexity. Full finish that's moderate length. Several people (not I) were surprised this wine showed so well; in fact, one person declined in advance to speak on the wine because he didn't want to have to be "politically correct" with his critique...after tasting it, he laughed and said praising of the wine would have been easy and accurate.
Peter Creasey 75021,3606 Barbelrother 1985 Kirchberg Rolander Eiswein Apple Dessert Trio of Tart Titan, Calvados Custard and Apple Sorbet served with Barbelrother Kirchberg Rolander Eiswein '85--Dark amber. Hazelnuts, light, caramel. Creamy and toasty on palate, roasted nuts, rich, deep tropical fruit almost cloying, needs more acid to my taste nevertheless very enjoyable. Long full finish that's very rich.
Peter Creasey 75021,3606 Gros Frere et Soeur 1990 Hautes Cotes de Nuits Bourgogne Medium to dark red. Nice earthiness backed by sweet oak and dark cherry fruit, some spice, complex. Bright and full on palate, active tannins, good wood, assertive dark cherry fruit, smoke, nice roundness. Medium long full flavorful finish. This wine is developing nicely and seems a few years from peaking. Served with Italian braised lamb shanks, egg noodles, and English peas.
Brad S. Feldman [73362,2166] Rene-Engel 1992 Vosne-Romanee '78s are good indeed, the few I've gotten my hands on have all been more modest appelations but that Leroy was a nice surprise. Ate at NYC's Montrachet tonight and was talked into the '92 A.C. Vosne-Romanee by Rene-Engel. First '92 I've had and...not so bad (the '90 Pern-Ver Les Vergelesse I wanted was sold out... its gonna be happening more and more with this vintage...so spoiled we are). The wine really opened up when it warmed up from cellar to dining room temp. Great, earthy nose, some fiesse, good acid, not real structured but from my limited experience this is everything you could expect from a young V-R villiage wine. As for the the pan seared duckling, don't get me started...
Bob Spector/OKC 72773,1014 Reynaud 1990 Fonsalette (Update) Decided to see how the 90 Fonsalette was evolving. The bottom line answer is----not very much. Still tastes the way it did last May ... Dark purple to garnet. The nose takes a little while to open up but when it does there is quite a lot of cherries and spice. I find all of Reynaud's wines "heavy" in the mouth. That heaviness is still there, along with ripe tannins---which also haven't moderated very much. The flavors are intense cherry and nuts with leather and earth tones developing as the evening goes on. Very rich with a long sweet finish that is so typical of Reynaud.
Bob Spector/OKC 72773,1014 Chateau Donjon 1991 Minervois $7.49; imported by Dan Kravitz "Hand Picked Selections" Supposed to be a carignan, granache, syrah mix. Medium garnet to ruby. Nose and tastes of smoke, cherries, game and herbs. Medium bodied--nice slightly sweet finish. A very good wine and an excellent value. So far the Boyer-Domergue is still my favorite from the region. I think the La Tour Boisee "Cuvee Marie Claude" runs a little ahead of the rest---with Donjon, Gourgazaud, Maris and Piccinni all pretty much together as very good wines. [And I still need to try the d'Oupia]. You end up with a preference based on the grape percentages of the blend. I think the price of the Donjon makes it an excellent value.
Bruce Douglas 75140,1354 Ch. Gruad Larose 1979 Red Bordeaux Back to you with a timely '79 Bordeaux note, since they have been much in evidence around here lately. Last night (our one night in town before heading out again) the neighbors spared us the task of shopping and cooking for a single night. We carried along a 1979 Gruad Larose to share with an excellent potato soup. We warmed up with some leftovers. A 1985 Montinore Chianti and a 1985 Phelps Backus, from half filled bottles. Both predictable with the previous acidity of the chianti mostly blended into the fruit. The Gruad Larose didn't show much at first other than tannin and a slightly off nose. After a few minutes in the glass it generated the most distinctive leathery nose that I have experienced in Bordeaux. In the mouth the fruit emerged from the tannic mask and showed but not strongly. The finish was medium in length and seemed to pick up the leather component again. This wine was very different from the ripe and lush Palmer that we had a few weeks ago. The color didn't indicate any age whatsoever. Because the wine developed after a time in the glass I suspect that it would have benefitted from decanting a while before serving. I don't think that it is over the hill, but admittedly it was opened and poured to accompany a generous short lead time invitation. We have one bottle left, and I think it can wait awhile. Amazing difference to the Palmer though. We have a few 1979 first growths which I would guess are in no danger of going anywhere soon.
Dennis M. Sienko 74767,701 TKC 1993 Cabernet Sauvignon and Zinfandel Today I volunteered my services to help TKC winery pour wine at the winery in California's Shenandoah Valley. I poured the '93 TKC zinfandel barrel sample and the '92 TKC cabernet sauvignon. The '93 TKC zinfandel (of which I am now drinking a glass) will be released in about 15 months. It is the best TKC zinfandel ever. It is a huge wine with layers of jammy raspberry fruit and chocolate. Classic zin. The wine will get about 30% new french oak prior to release. The intent of the winemaker is to give the wine "a touch of oak". The '92 TKC cabernet sauvignon was made from grapes purchased from a grower in Nevada County. The wine will get 100% new french oak for two or three months prior to release in May or June of this year. The wine is very elegant and balanced. Flavors are mainly black cherry, cola and spice. The winemaker's intent, as with the zin, is to give the wine "a touch of oak". Both of these are going to be excellent wines. The cabernet is a very nice wine and a huge surprise, given its provenance. The zinfandel is an incredible wine. I have no financial interest, but am friends with the winemaker and his wife.
Dennis M. Sienko 74767,701 Heitz Cellar 1990 Cabernet Sauvignon--Napa, Bella Oaks and Martha's Diane and I visited St. Helena today, for reasons unrelated to wine. While there, we stopped by the Heitz Cellar tasting room and tasted the '90 vintage Heitz Cellar cabernet sauvignon wines. I did not take notes, but found the Napa, Bella Oaks and Martha's Vineyard to be free from the off-putting odors & tastes of the pre-1989 CS from this winery. I liked all the wines, thought them to be fine to excellent representatives of California CS, but to be over-priced to WAY overpriced in case of the Martha's Vineyard. They tasting room personnel told us that all of the magnums of the '90 Heitz MV have been sold. The prices are: Napa - $18/bottle; Bella Oaks - $27/bottle; Martha's Vineyard - $65/bottle.
John P. Riddell Jr. 73234,1016 Bouchard Pere & Fils 1992-1993 various Burgundy Last evening, I was very fortunate to attend an industry tasting sponsored by Southern Wine & Spirits and the Palace Brands Company. It took place at the famous Hotel del Coronado from 15:30 to 19:30 (evening) and featured Italian, French, Spanish, German, Japanese (Sake),and one Yugoslavian winery. For me, the high point of the tasting was meeting Jean-Francois Bouchard of Bouchard Pere & Fils. I spent nearly a half-hour talking about Burgandy wines in general and his wines in particular. I tasted, in order: Chardonnay La Vignee (1992) - very fruity, young, uncomplex - a 1993 Meursault which was somewhat more complex and bigger on the boquet, a Beaune Clos Saint Landry which was much more powerful that the preceeding wines, and finally, a 1992 Chevalier-Montrachet. The last one is a truly great white with potential for cellaring. Later, (after some food), I returned to Mr. Bouchard's table and sampled his reds: starting with Pinot Noir La Vignee, then the Beaune Marconnets, the Volnay Caillerets "Ancienne Cuvee Carnot", and finally, a glass of 1985 Le Corton. They were all excellent but the Le Corton is a monster wine that exhibits an opulence of richness.
John C. Gavin 75562,2147 Bouchard Pere & Fils 1992-1993 various Burgundy I happened to catch the Palace/Southern tour here in Los Angeles a couple of days earlier. It's hard to get a clear impression of each wine when you taste so many, especially since my friends couldn't bring ourselves to spit. For me, the highlights were: Bouchard Pere & Fils -- we also talked to Mssr Bouchard, who was gracious and informative. I rarely drink whites, but his '89 Chevalier Montrachet was the undispuited star of the show -- and at over $1200 per case, wholesale, it oughta be. Rich apple and butterscotch flavors and a huge, long finish. His Meursault, which never sees oak, was a revalation, for it had vanilla notes without the wood, and without the flintyness of Chablis. Everybody was raving about the Corton, and it was delicious, though a bit dumb.
John C. Gavin 75562,2147 Laurent Perrier ? Champagne, Grand Siecle - I loved the rose, but found the Grand Siecle to be odd. It was crisp and elegant, with a nice nutty flavor, but there was a mineral-like taste that i couldn't place and didn't like.
John C. Gavin 75562,2147 Mastroberandino ? Lacryma Christi Bianco and Taurasi - Interesting wines from a region and grapes I knew nothing about. the Lacryma Christi Bianco is worth the price for the name alone, and is also a light, quaffable white. The Taurasi is big, earthy and a little muddled.
John C. Gavin 75562,2147 Croft 1991 Port -- by the time we reached the Porto, I was feeling a little muddled, but the Vintage '91 was spicy and spectacular. I had a long conversation with the Croft representative about the fact that the wine tastes like grapes, and the fact that nobody who sells or writes about wine is ever willing to admit that particular fact. Wine is suppossed to taste like cherrys, currants, leather, tobacco, etc -- just about anything except what it's really made of.
Robin Garr/Sysop/Ky 76702,764 Penfolds 1990 Bin 389 South Australia Cabernet Sauvignon (70%)/Shiraz (30%), $15.99. Opaque garnet color, full plums, rose potpourri and oaky vanillin aromas. Rich, extracted fruit flavor, so intense that it almost seems sweet; a firm core of tannins becomes more evident with breathing in the glass, suggesting considerable aging potential, but the exuberant fruit and appropriately tart acidic backbone keep it well under control. Very good to outstanding wine, very good value. (This is the one that Penfolds ages in the previous year's American oak casks used for Grange Hermitage. It's not quite the bargain it was when it used to sell for less than $10, but still beats the socks off most CalCabs and Bordeaux at the same price point.)
Robin Garr/A-Sys/KY 76702,764 Les Jamelles 1993 Merlot Vin de Pays d'Oc $6.49. Very dark garnet color. Full black-cherry and spicy oak nose, with ripe and juicy cherry fruit well balanced by bright acidity, with soft tannins lurking in the background. Excellent food wine, made a good match with the simple pork, garlic and tomato pasta sauce reported just now in Food & Beverages. Good wine, good value.
Robin Garr/A-Sys/KY 76702,764 Cos d'Estournel 1988 Sainte-Estephe $21.99 at release in December 1991. Opaque garnet color. Leather and coffee aromas, "toast" and wood smoke, all playing around the edges of a core of blackcurrant fruit. Consistent on the palate, with plenty of soft tannins remaining. It may be a bit advanced because of the beating it's taken, but it takes a lickin' and keeps on tickin'; I'll be in no hurry to finish up the last few bottles.
Robin Garr/A-Sys/KY 76702,764 Robert Bartunek Winery Oklahoma 1993 Marchal Foch about $8. Clear garnet, very pale for a red. Odd but not really unpleasant nose, like smelling grape Kool-Aid over a freshly sanded oak floor. Undifferentiated fruit flavor, thin and tartly acidic. Competently made wine, probably limited at least in part by the inherent nature of the grape. Bartunek, of Enid, Okla., is a leader in the state's wine industry, Bob says, and recently mounted a successful legislative campaign to permit local wines to be made from out-of-state grapes, suggesting that he knows locally grown French-hybrid fruit has its limitations.
Doug Powers 75717,2654 Chave 1983-1986 Hermitage Rouge and Blanc Last night with a dinner of shrimp in cream sauce for starters and cornish game hens stuffed with wild rice, with peach tart to finish, and with one of the couples from our wine tasting group, we had the '86 Chave Hermitage Blanc, '83 Chave Hermitage Rouge, '85 Chave Hermitage Rouge, and '86 Chateau Liot (Barsac) -- my brief notes follow: '86 Chave Blanc, medium-gold color, round, buttery (but not butterscotchy in that new oak way), medium-full palate, long finish, continued to improve throughout the evening, should continue to improve; '83 Chave Rouge, showing some age in its color, initially loads of leather (JPB would NOT have liked this one), later smoky, tarry aromas, on the palate this one continued to evolve and began to show a full-bodied richness with lots of length on the finish, tons of sediment, excellent juice in a heavy, smoky, full-bodied style; '85 Chave Rouge, very youthful color, no browning, from the beginning loads of black cherry and smoky aromas, on the palate so supple it was to die for, dense, ripe, yet not heavy and of course no signs of new oak, this one seemed to need lots more time, long, long finish Last night with BBQ we had the final of the three Chave Hermitage Rouges I had brought home for last night's dinner party. The '86 had very dark ruby, nearly opaque color, with the initial supple redfruits that the the '85 showed last night and later the silky elegance the '83 showed, nice length on the finish, a solid effort that while not great is certainly very nice juice, long finish. I'd guess this one should be consumed over the next 5 or so years, though it seems at or close to its peak now.
Doug Powers 75717,2654 Chateau Liot 1986 Barsac .honey-gold color, fragrant, perfumed, ripe apricot aromas, very nice fullness on the palate, seemed close to ready but lovely fruit and finish, with loads of ripeness without being cloyingly sweet.
Doug Powers 75717,2654 Lytton Springs 1990 Zinfandel Tonight we tried another bottle of the '90 Lytton Springs "Lytton Springs" -- all that needs to be said is that Barbara asked whether the winery still had it available and shouldn't we maybe consider buying some more!!
Doug Powers 75717,2654 Durney 1979 Cabernet Sauvignon (2, 21) - my clear favorite, with a youthful color w/just the slightest hint of browning, aromas of violets, clove, and blackfruits, on the palate ripe, mature fruit w/resolved tannins, excellent weight and mouthfeel, a long finish, lovely juice that's at it's peak.
Doug Powers 75717,2654 Napa Cellars 1979 Cabernet Sauvignon (1, 10) - the overwhelming group favorite (4 firsts, 3 seconds), medium-dark ruby color, intense black cherry aromas and flavors, also tea and cedar aromas, on the palate richer and fuller than the Durney, but also still a fair degree of tannins, long finish, very nice juice, for me not quite the elegant, balanced mouthfeel of the Durney, instead more of the super-ripe, full-bodied style of CA Cab, interestingly this and the Durney were the only two wines with any noticeable sediment.
Doug Powers 75717,2654 Carneros Creek 1978 Cabernet "Reserve" (3, 26) - after the first two wines I felt there was a huge dropoff in quality, medium-dark ruby w/brickish edges, this had a bit of nail polish (ethyl acetate) aromas, also a distinct dusty (I think Dennis called it chalky) element, on the palate a bit too herbal w/somewhat drying tannins, interesting though not great.
Doug Powers 75717,2654 Jordan 1979 Cabernet Sauvignon (6, 32) - medium ruby color, for me intense bell pepper/green olive aromas, on the palate lean, weedy fruit, lacking a mid-palate, ready to drink, lacks length, not a style I much care for.
Doug Powers 75717,2654 Chateau Figeac 1979 Red Bordeaux (4, 29) - light to medium ruby color w/noticeable browning, by far the lightest in color, green bean/herbal/tobacco aromas, on the palate light to medium-bodied, short finish, probably better a few years ago.
Doug Powers 75717,2654 Beaulieu 1979 Cabernet "Private Reserve" (4, 29) - a somewhat controversial wine, medium-dark ruby color w/faint brickish edges, mature, mushroomy, oxidized aromas which told me this wine was a goner (in essence, over-the-hill like my good friend Dennis - g), decent weight on the palate but also seemed tired and lacking vibrancy, I'd hazard a guess that this was a bad bottle since I had this wine from my cellar within the past month and it was marvelous then, a clear favorite over the '80 BV we had it with.
Stephen Haynes 71666,424 Chappellet 1974 Cabernet Sauvignon (Napa Valley) Neighbors Tom and Cecily over for dinner. Main course: grilled veal chop (very nice quality from Lund's), a beef/veal reduction brown sauce, Gratin Jurassien (scalloped potatoes with heavy cream and cheese), and brocolli. Very youthful in appearance, with virtually no browning at edges. Bouquet at first very tight, but blossoming after several hours into big, middle-aged cabernet quality. Taste again was tight, with fruit present and relatively hard tannins. Acidity shows through in the finish. This may be a wine that will still improve into the next decade, but it's more likely that the fruit will go before the constitution softens.
Stephen Haynes 71666,424 Ballard Canyon 1981 Muscat (late harvest)(Santa Ynez Valley) A wonderful surprise. Served as an aperitif, with nothing but salted nuts to accompany. Big, forward muscat nose; fills the air with melony, grapey scents, enticing of the taste to follow. Late harvest (at least auslese-quality) sweetness, but wonderfully balanced by acidity; more important, as fresh and youthful tasting as when just off the retailers shelves. Seductive and complex, a definite winner! My last bottle however; wish I had more.
Stephen Haynes 71666,424 Forschungsanstalt 1983 Geisenheimer Klauserweg Riesling Eiswein (Rheingau) Served with half-homemade mincemeat pie (a la mode w/ Ben & Jerry's vanilla ice cream) ("half-homemade" because my wife likes to take the basic Crosse & Blackwell jar mincemeat and add dried fruits, cut up fresh apples, currants, molasses, and some extra rum or brandy -- yum!!!). 375 ml. bottle. Golden amber in color. Ripe late harvest Riesling scents of cooked apricots and clover honey, exploding from the wine to fill the head even several inches away from the glass. One could enjoy the wine for hours from the bouquet alone. First impression on the palate is of honey laced with lemony acidity. Unctuous sensation on the tongue and acidity creeping over the roof of the mouth. Long, seductive finish, leading me on to sniff, taste, swallow, sniff, taste, swallow, again and again. Actually overwhelmed the pie. Well-matured but with years of life left.
Stephen Haynes 71666,424 Mugneret-Gibourg 1985 Echezeaux Brick red, high clarity, with just slightest touch of browning at edges. The classic Burgundian cherry nose is just barely present. Wine is still fairly cool (55 degrees in the cellar), so this may be reason the bouquet is rather closed in immediately upon opening. Otherwise, the bouquet is pleasant, with no negatives. In the mouth, considerable fruit, but massive, rather astringent tannins. The taste is raw and young, but the balance is pretty good. With a number of minutes, the rawness diminishes, and Burgundy shows through. More of a classic pinot noir taste lingers in the finish. I'd say this wine has several years to reach maturity; I do think it can successfully make the journey, however.
Jenise Stone/SL2/Alaska 74364,741 Domaine Dujac 1982 Bonnes Mares ($115 restaurant price, Anchorage) I had it, I liked it. It took a good 45 minutes for this wine to open up and over the next hour, it kept showing a burgundy's remarkable ability to evolve. Obviously tannic and rich to start with, knowing that this was not a particularly good vintage to start with made one only dream of what an outstanding year would have been like. Good leather quality, good fruit, no "fecal" quality. Dark and opaque for a mature burgundy but probably not for a Bonnes Mares, slightly cloudy (unfiltered), and just a little amber on the rim. Tannins nicely resolved, long finish. Perfect condition for drinking now.
Jenise Stone/SL2/Alaska 74364,741 Sokol Blosser 1990 Pinot Noir, Redlands We opened a bottle of the '90 Sokol Blosser Redlands the other night, and it is about the best Oregon pinot I've had to date--I have others in my cellar that will be every bit as good and even better, but they're not ready yet! I'm extremely sorry that I have only one more bottle. Deep dark red/purple, very concentrated, massive rich cherry nose, long sweet finish. My wine guy has the '91, which I don't plan to buy, but hasn't gotten any '92's yet. Any reports?
SHARON S. HOWARD 76021,3117 Ch. Mouton-Rothschild 1982 Red Bordeaux We recently poured another bottle of the 82 Mouton. It was lovely, but could surely use more time yet. We had had an earlier last April though and thought it had softened some since that bottle.. It is really something to rave about once it opens.
Jon Lawry/GA Hobo 73352,1373 Inglenook 1982 Charbono Following up on Jim K's and Alan B's different reactions to my questions about this wine's being over the hill. It was not over the hill from an acceptability standpoint, but there wasn't a lot left from this wine either. Very light nose, a bit of leather, but no strong tannins or fruit. Taste was similar. I'm no specialist on all this, but do the tannins and fruits eventually just cancel each other out? I enjoyed the wine, mind you, with a rich stew featuring fillet mignon; it held up to it, and I wasn't disappointed, just wondering what this tasted like at bottling. With age, if this was supposed to happen, it got rich in body, but less complex in its depth.
Jon Lawry/GA Hobo 73352,1373 Shadow Creek nv Brut Champagne I scanned my databases for tasting notes on this champagne, nothing, so I'm assuming that 1) none of you have had this, or 2) you're too embarrassed that you paid money for this plonk and couldn't bring yourself to posting. I am embarrassed, yes, but I will post this. Maybe the stuff got bruised -- another clearance sale special, but I figured with the original price being about $18, and the sale price being about $5, I'd give 'er a whirl. Stinks. This brut was brutally dry, so dry as to have no flavor. Now I've had a little headcold here lately, so asked the wife to confirm. She was polite and said "It's nice to have champagne tonight." From this, I will say that the only thing good about this bubbly is the bubbles. Of course you can get sparkling water, can't you? I think it would have been better.
Jon Lawry/GA Hobo 73352,1373 Ridge 1989 Zinfandel Lytton Springs I guess I've had now three of the 1989 Ridge line of zins, all procurred at unbelievable bargain bin prices -- this one at $4!!! It has been a religious experience; zinfandel is fast becoming the wine most congruent with my soul, and bank account (g). This wine being 6 years old, and beat around a grocer's shelves, has held up very well. The first whiff showed good oak and leather, and a smooth level of fruit mix. Taste and color were lighter than the Paso Robles '89 I had a week or so ago, but the fruit in this wine is very subtle and back there, not strong. Very gentle, kind of soft, and balanced. The wine stayed about the same throughout, so I'd guess it's reached its peak. Anyone else who's had this, I'd wonder whether in its earlier days it had a brighter, more forward fruit.
Jon Lawry/GA Hobo 73352,1373 Gosset 1985 Champagne Brut Rose Grand Mellesime The fantabulous wife and I have a lot to celebrate: she was accepted for an internship next year at the U. of Georgia, I received a great job offer, which I'm agonizing over, it was Valentine's Day, and we are beginning the celebration of our tenth anniversary. I chose to start our 1985 campaigne with champagne (rhyme intended). Let me first say this is my first experience with bubbly costing more than $15, so I and my uncultivated palate jumped on, held on, and rode. The cork retaining wires broke at the twist, so I had to rescue it with the needle-nosed pliers we use to turn on the TV. The champagne is richly delicious. The bubbles are very nice and dissipate just below the surface, so there's none of that annoying surface spray I don't like. The wine is very full, but very soft, and deeper in flavor than what I've had before. I thought it had a hint of caramel both in the nose and taste. This is more than a wine, it's an experience, and my wife and I found that it fit well within the feelings of love and fear and opportunity that we are experiencing now with all our changes and our look back on our first ten years. This might sound strange, but when we reached the bottom of the bottle, we were really exhausted; our palates had had enough. We grilled some beautiful steaks, but we both couldn't fathom the idea of a complex red wine. I said it would be like going to a concert and hearing Bach's Mass in B Minor, then Beethoven's Ninth, so we popped open a couple of Molson Lights and charged into our dinner. I don't think we could have started our anniversary celebration better!
Jon Lawry/GA Hobo 73352,1373 Duckhorn Vineyards 1993 Sauvignon Blanc Out to dinner on business last night and ordered 2 glasses of the Duckhorn, one of the restaurant's house wines ($7 a glass, but who cares?). I really like this wine. It is very mellow, not demonstrating the "bite" of many sauv blancs, but also sturdy enough to balance a nicely-grilled steelhead trout. I guess I like a smoother, more reserved sauv blanc, but not so light as to have no charachter. Very enjoyable, very elegant wine.
V MICHAEL STRAUS 74732,1566 MONTDOMAINE (VIRGINIA) 1990 RED WINE, HERITAGE MONTIBELLO This wine was 45% Cabernet Franc, 35% Merlot and 20% Cabernet Sauvignon. The color was light, thin-looking red/brick. The nose was of perfume, wood and some pencil. The taste was austere cherry fruit, wood, smooth tannins with decent acid, a medium/long austere fruit finish. Not a world-beater but OK. Rate 14.5
V MICHAEL STRAUSS 74732,1566 MONTDOMAINE (VIRGINIA) 1990 CABERNET SAUVIGNON, HERITAGE The color on this 100% Cabernet Sauvignon was medium red. It had a nose of moderate fruit and alcohol. The taste was very austere fruit, wood, good tannin, bright acid, a long austere finish. A decent but unexciting wine. These two Virginia reds further added to my store of mediocre memories of Virginia wines. Rate 14
V MICHAEL STRAUSS 74732,1566 TAILLEFER 1982 POMEROL - Color was dark red. There was sort of a stinky/rubbery nose (sulphur?). It had a very austere taste -- flat fruit, decent tannin, long finish but very disappointing wine which only got worse with time. This was a really disappointing start to a tasting to which we all looked forward. Rate 12.75, 9th (the group did not rank this but did not place it last like I did).
V MICHAEL STRAUSS 74732,1566 BRANAIRE DUCRU 1982 ST. JULIEN - Color was medium dark red. Nice light perfume on the nose with classic Bordeaux pencil lead, light bottle stink which blew away, but overall seemed closed. Taste was of decently full cherry fruit, very good tannin/acid balance with a leaning to the acid side, a long finish of austere fruit, wood; a decent wine if unexciting. Rate 15.5, 7th
V MICHAEL STRAUSS 74732,1566 PRIEURE LICHINE 1982 MARGAUX - Color was dark/medium red. Light nose of flowery perfume, light wood, almost brandy-like with some lactic character, alcohol. Taste was uninspiring as all Prieure Lichines which I have tasted, with medium austere cherrylike fruit, very good tannin/acid balance, long finish of austere fruit, wood. A decent but not exciting wine which would only go well with food and seemed very old and over the hill. This wine was ranked pretty solidly last by the group, who liked it even less than I did. Rate 14.75, 8th, 9th
V MICHAEL STRAUSS 74732,1566 CALON SEGUR (IMPORTED BY NATHANIEL JOHNSTON) 1982 ST. ESTEPHE - Color was dark red. The nose was of camphor, dust, light perfume, spice of black pepper (!) and mint (!). The taste had sweet black cherry fruit, full body, alcohol, good balance of tannin and acid, very long sweet fruit finish. Rate 16.5, 5th
V MICHAEL STRAUSS 74732,1566 CALON SEGUR (IMPORTED BY CALVERT-WOODLEY) 1982 ST. ESTEPHE - Color was medium/dark red. The nose was candied perfume, light wood, light spice (there is that spice again, in retrospect), a closed but nice nose. It was a good mouthful of medium sweet dark fruit, wood, alcohol, an excellent tannin/acid balance leaning to tannin, long pleasing finish of wood, fruit and acid/tannin. A good wine. Rate 16.75, 4th, 4th
V MICHAEL STRAUSS 74732,1566 DUHART-MILON 1982 PAUILLAC - Color was dark red. Nose was nice with wood, light pencil lead, dusty perfume. In the mouth, the wine was not quite as pleasing as the nose but was well balanced between tannin and acid, had austere fruit, a long finish. A good food wine. Rate 16.25, 6th
V MICHAEL STRAUSS 74732,1566 CH. LA LAGUNE 1982 HAUT MEDOC - This bottle bore out the Buddy's and my assessment of this wine a few weeks ago. It was ranked 1st by probably all at the tasting but me (I ranked it 2nd). Its color was dark red. Nose was vanilla (wood), perfume, lead pencil, very nice but seemed young. Taste was full bodied, full austere fruit, big tannins with balancing bright acid, wood, long tannin and acid and fruit finish. A nice food wine. Rate 17.5, 2nd, 1st
V MICHAEL STRAUSS 74732,1566 LA DOMINIQUE 1982 ST. EMILION Medium/dark red. Nose has an unusual herbaceous character (lightly like pickles or black olives to me) but not bad, also minerals, vanilla wood, very nice actually. Taste was austere fruit, big tannins offset by good bright acid, wood and a long nice finish of austere fruit, wood, tannin and acid. A nice wine. Rate 16.75, 3rd, 2nd
V MICHAEL STRAUSS 74732,1566 COS D'ESTOURNEL 1982 ST. ESTEPHE - Dark red. Very nice pencil lead nose with perfume, fruit, vanilla wood. Taste was a big mouthful of good sweet fruit, excellent balance of tannin and acid, full body, long rich finish of sweet fruit, tannin, acid, wood. An excellent, big wine. Rate 19, 1st, 3rd
V MICHAEL STRAUSS 74732,1566 CH. COUTET 1970 BARSAC - Nice medium gold color. Nose of honey, botrytis, woody pungent fruit, toast. Taste of sharp pungent fruit, toast, light bitterness, botrytis, honey; a long toasty fruit finish. Rate 17
V MICHAEL STRAUSS 74732,1566 CALLAHAN 1992 ZINFANDEL, BUENA SUERTE - Color was very dark, opaque red/purple. The nose was herbaceous as before, but not unpleasant, with strong Zin fruit and alcohol. In the mouth the fruit was still very big dark rich cherry fruit with the herbaceous undertone, wood, alcohol, really big bodied, very long wood, alcohol, fruit, herbaceous finish. When I say herbaceous, it is not bad. I would *prefer* not to have it, but in this wine it is not bad to me. Rate 90+
Arthur Johnson 74176,3252 Ployez-Jacquemart nv "Extra Quality Brut" NV Champagne This little-touted Weygandt-Metzler import just might become my favorite NV champagne. Last night it was looking and tasting downright opulent with some smoked Maine salmon and rye crackers. Medium gold in the flute with pin-prick bubbles, giving off a big (for Champagne!) bouquet of pear, toast and a faint "something" that I'll call strawberry. Good in the mouth too; only complaint is that the bubbles were a tad subdued. $26 locally. Give it a try if it comes your way. (I believe it's the house bubbly at Phila's Le Bec Fin.)
Arthur Johnson 74176,3252 Calera 1993 Viognier Clear winner both for bouquet and palate. Starts out with super-pungent vanilla. Then develops a HUGE nose of apricot, honeysuckle and tropicals. Thick and rich in the mouth with super-long finish. I fault this only for acidity, which was a bit high.
Arthur Johnson 74176,3252 Horton (Virginia) 1993 Viognier Spotted it at the outset for the absence of oak. Very different attack from all the others. Develops relatively slowly. Nice florals on the bouquet as before. Terrific in the mouth! Fragrant, tongue-drenching tastes engulf the whole palate. A little dried fruit on the finish. Great Value.
Arthur Johnson 74176,3252 Beringer 1992 Viognier There's that delicious Sbragia signature. The oak holds up the longer on this one than any of the others. Apricot is the predominant note. I marked this one second only to the Calera for bouquet, but it seemed a little hollower on the palate. Very close between this and the Horton.
Arthur Johnson 74176,3252 Gaillard 1993 Condrieu Starts out similar to the Calera and Monteilletvery pungent. Then some florals develop in the nose, but not much apricot. Finally, an almost chard-like citrus develops. Identical sensations in the mouth. (NOTE: This had been bottled only weeks before. May do better when bottle-shock fades.)
Arthur Johnson 74176,3252 Domaine du Monteillet 1992 Condrieu This was my own bottle! Bouquet begins with oak like the Calera, than that blows off. Florals develop, but it's mild compared to the other four. Comparatively mild flavors on the palate. Better acid than the Gaillard (which I thought a bit flabby), and a good finish. Compared to the bottle I had in December, this was pretty tame. Think it may have simply dried out this came from the store shelf and I had cellared the other since May.
Ed Flinn/AsstOp/CT 73127,1476 Dona Sol 1992 Colchagua Valley Merlot, Estate Bottled 5.99 - Inky-deep garnet color. Full plummy smell with vanilla oak. Ripe plum and black cherry fruit. Medium body, fruit well-balanced with acid, firm tannins. Long tart finish, fruit, acid and tannins remaining in balance. Very good wine, very good value. There still are bargains from Chile!
Ed Flinn/AsstOp/CT 73127,1476 Guigal 1990 Condrieu Three years ago, I tasted the '90 Guigal Condrieu. I ran back to the store and bought two more bottles and put them away. I never forgot them, but I couldn't find the darn things, until tonight: E. Guigal 1990 Condrieu Viognier - 39.00 - Pale golden color, lots of tiny floating particles, bountiful harvest of crystals on the cork. Medium melon/apricot smell. Dry fruity flavor, melon and pear, touch of vanilla oak. Medium body, mild acid, velvet-smooth texture. Long pear finish with a touch of bitterness at the finish. Elegant and developed. Don't think I'll wait too long to finish off the other bottle.
Ed Flinn/AsstOp/CT 73127,1476 Boschendal 1993 Groot Drakenstein, Paarl "Le Petit Pavillon," Estate Wine - 5.99 - Pale straw color. Medium smell, floral, melon, oak. Dry tart melon flavor, citrusy, just a hint of spritz. Medium body. Long dry melon finish, tart. Good wine, good value.
William Engeler 74163,3245 Chateaux Figeac and De Fargues 1982/1986 St. Emilion This past November, I was lucky enough to go to St. Emilion for a few days on a business trip. We were a group of six, in the area for some filming for a television commercial for British television. We stayed at the Chateau Grand Barrail, located about 2 miles out of St. Emilion, right in the middle of the Chateau Figeac vineyards. Being November, the vines were not colorful, but you could get a good look at the various pruning techniques. The chateau was beautiful, the rooms in the new wing were very comfortable, and the older rooms had the advantage of a high ceiling. The staff was very welcoming. The first night, we went to the Chateau Plaisance, in the old town. The dinner was superb; a spectacle in the traditional French style. Perhaps it was auto-suggestion, we ordered a Magnum of Figeac 1982. Pardon the sketchy nature of my recollections, I didn't take notes. The wine was spicy and full, it was maturing, but still had a backbone of tannin. It had an earthy, mineral side to it that complimented the duck I was eating. I wonder how the single bottles are doing? With dessert, I ordered a bottle of Chateau De Fargues 1986, which was almost a religious experience to drink. It had sweetness that seemed to exist above the glass, incredible complexity that showed you a different face each sip, and a fullness that stayed with you long afterwards. If only I could find this wine here...
Tom Hemenway 75117,2002 Evesham Woods 1992 Pinot Noir and Chardonnay OK, OK, I got the hint! I tried the new Evesham Woods '92 Chard this weekend. It had nice tropical fruits, but the acid is alot higher than past regular bottlings. As you know I'm a big EW fan, but this years bottling is different than usual. It will need a year. The '92 Pinot is also a bit different. Usually his regular bottling Pinots need a year, but this one is luscious right now. It's a typical EW with earthyness, mushrooms, cherry and plum. The fruit component is much more emphasized. I understand that this is in line with 1992 in Oregon.
ALAN BOEHMER 70524,411 Benziger 1992 Pinot Blanc, Sonoma County Here is a scrumptuous Pinot Blanc that doesn't drink like an emasculated Chardonnay. Redolent of green fruit, pear, and citrus. Strong varietal character suggests Alsace. Rich, full body; alluring oak. Drinks at least as well as anything I have tasted from Chalone or Wild Horse. First rate. A perfect complement to Orzo with Crab, Mushrooms, Garlic, Fresh Herbs and Parmesan Cheese.
Mark Horvatich 76703,4163 Silverado 1992 Cabernet Sauvignon ... I tasted the '92 Silverado cab again today. Better than the first bottle, but it was still acidic and rough/tannic on the finish. Of interest, however, is something I missed the first time. Take a close look at the label -- the wine is no longer a Stags Leap District cab, it's a generic Napa Valley cab. I wonder if this is the reason why the tannins are so noticeable for a young Silverado cab...
Kerry Hauptli 76004,1610 Brunel 1990 Chateauneuf du Pape "Les Cailloux," "Selection Reflets" Kacher; $19.99; 13.5% ABV Very deep ruby color; quite full bodied. Spicy, plummy, floral nose. Quite concentrated red cherry and black berry fruit. Acidity and relatively mild tannins in pleasant balance with major fruit presence. Alcoholic warmth, as in a big Zin. Excellent wine, fair value. IMHO, when a Rhone bears the names Brunel and Kacher on the label, quality is at hand. Cuvee Commelongue is a less expensive case in point.
Mitchell Kleinman 73302,3515 Von Strasser 1991 Diamond Mountain Cabernet Sauvignon 375ML. THis one needs a while!! Tannic backdrop against deep purple fruits. Tons of character. This one is a keeper. Needs 3-5 years in the cellar. 90/100
Mitchell Kleinman 73302,3515 Lynch Bages 1991 Red Bordeaux -Not in the same league as the 89, or even the 90. Still a good sipper. It had a earthy, mushroom like smell, with a nice finish. 86/90
Mitchell Kleinman 73302,3515 Mondavi 1977 Reserve Cabernet Sauvignon Leather nose, fading fruit, but still enough to enjoy the subtle fruit that was once there. Classy, delicate wine that should be consumed quickly. Luckily I have one more left!! 89/90
Jim Holmes SL9 71773,3276 Lucas Vineyards, Interlaken, N.Y. 1992 Cayuga White Nice nose with apples and a bit of grass. Great crisp acidity with lots of green apples and a nice, almost muscat-like spicey snap. Very nice wine, and a good one to serve with food.
Jim Holmes SL9 71773,3276 R.H. Phillips 1993 Viognier EXP Dunnigan Hills, CA $10.99/500ml Rather boring nose of oak and grass with very little of the in-your-face fruit that other Viogniers I've tasted have had. Maybe a waft or two of melon, but not much else. Nice acidity in the mouth, a pretty heavy dose of oak, but again, little fruit. Nice finish with some almost sauv blanc like grassiness. Fair wine, poor value.
james rodewald 74427,136 Nichelini 1984 Petite Sirah, Napa Aged for eight years in Redwood! Cork out, room fills with winey, berry/cherry aromas. First sip shocking. Tart, thin, tannic. Wood, though not like anything I've tasted before. Wait 5 minutes, beginning to open up. A few minutes later: coming together, a bit simple in the mouth--light berries, long finish, actually went fine with sausage risotto. I was looking for more, though it was not an expensive bottle. Anyone know anything about this winery (not that I'm likely to see anything from them again)?
Russ Davis 74757,310 Far Niente 1985 Cabernet Sauvignon Nice purple color with a decent nose of fruit and spices. On the palate, soft cab flavors, but no complexity. This is a soft, easy drinking wine that non-red wine drinkers would probably love. For me, the best thing with Far Niente is the label. My score 85.
Bob Cohen/SL15/NYS 70310,562 Jean-Marc Boillot 1992 Puligny-Montrachet 1er Cru "La Truffiere" We'd sort of depleted our stock of nicer Puligny-Montrachets (a favorite wine of ours to have with some of my wife's fish and chicken dishes) and I was instructed to make sure we had a very good one for last night's dinner. Contrary to what I usually do I went out and bought something for the occasion, 1992 Puligny-Montrachet 1er Cru "La Truffiere" by Jean-Marc Boillot. Price was $51.33. The immediate taste was OK but a bit disappointing. The wine seemed a bit thin and my wife complained it didn't have as long a finish as she'd have liked. After the wine had been out a while (and warmed up a bit) we both liked it better, though I've got to say I seemed to like it better than anyone else at the table. Do whites evolve while open as reds do or had the wine just been too cold when poured? The merchant had said that the wine was a very forward one and so could be drunk last night as well as in a few years. We have one more bottle and I'm going to try to "forget" it for a few years to see if it'll be better.
Philip Smith 76304,750 Raymond Hill 1991 Cabernet Sauvignon Here's my nominee for the all time best cheap and cheerful Cabernet Sauvignon: Raymond Hill 1991. The label says that it was cellared and bottled by Ashmount at Hopland, California. I find it to be a delightful wine. Has a very good cabernet flavor. It doesn't taste like an obviously cheap and cheerful wine. One of the cheapest and cheeriest parts about this wine is that 1.5 liters go for $4.99 at Trader Joes. Buy a bunch of cases and tell 'em Uncle Phil sent you. ;-}
Jacob Shaya/ISRAEL 100274,2722 J. Drouhin 1992 Beaune - Clos des Mouches (WHITE!) Imported from Beaune 12/94 for $34 net. The beautiful white wine from the famous Beaune 1er Cru vineyard that is one of the crown jewels of the Domaine Drouhin. The first 1992 white (B) I tried. COLOR: Medium viscous yellow. NOSE: Superb aroma. Fresh apples, rich crisp clean bouquet. Very strong if not overpowering. TASTE: Delightful celebration in the mouth. Hints of honey, fresh grapes, mouth filling fat taste with a touch of youth crispiness. A pleasure on the palate! Not a great accompaniment to the shrimps because of the sweet sauce, but superb with the Vichyssoise soup. LENGTH: Very long aftertaste, developing in the mouth long after the last drop has been swallowed. TEXTURE & BALANCE: Quite 'fat' texture for such a young wine. Tannins are still felt a bit, though along with the alcohol and acidity, contribute to a perfectly balanced white (B). OVERALL: Excellent wine and excellent value. Dorit says "Order six more bottles before it'll be too late". It will surely keep at least this good for few more years. MARK: 17/20.
Jacob Shaya/ISRAEL 100274,2722 Golan Wineries 1985 Yarden - Cabernet Sauvignon S.R Bought 10/93 for $70. The most famous Israeli Yarden Cab at half price! Only 4950 bottles made of this Special-Reserve edition (and only 2 left 'chez moi'). Left open to breath for an hour. COLOR: Very dark, almost black red. No signs of paling. Even the look of it in the glass implies a very serious wine. NOSE: Velvety mixture of earth, vanilla, black-fruit, tobacco, liquorice and god knows what else. Actually, it is very difficult to tell aroma components apart, as this wine has become one homogenous entity. TASTE: Smooth, totally mature Cab. Complex but subtle taste, not especially fruity. Every sip commands attention. An excellent accompaniment to the beef stew, then to the cheese. A great wine no doubt, yet - a bit tired or maybe tiring. LENGTH: Medium length, but multi-layered, very pleasant aftertaste. TEXTURE & BALANCE: Full body though not heavy. Very elegant, aristocratically bred wine. Tannins totally resolved, weak acidity well balancing the weak tannins and adding to the feeling of a wine whose qualities do not lie in fruitiness alone. OVERALL: Obviously a very serious wine that may appeal more to the 'intellect' part of wine-lovers than to their soul. Everything about this wine (especially its market price <g>) commands respect. Though faultless, and probably rated higher by serious Cabernet experts, I find it lacking in one department - It is no match for a great (B) where words like voluptuous, enticing and seductive come to mind. MARK: 17+/20.
Michael Last 76161,2064 Trentadue 1991 Old Patch Red A great item I found is Trentadue Old Patch Red 1991 from Alexander Valley, CA It is a great big red, surprisingly well balanced. I found this beauty at Brookline Liquor Mart, Brookline, MA.
