Friday, May 30th, 2008

AA Meeting, Austria and Australia

-Schmelz, Gruner Veltliner, Loibner Garten, Wachau, Austria, 2006
-Schmelz, Riesling Wachauer, Weinbirge Federspiel, Austria, 2006
-Juris, Pinot Noir, Burgenland, Austria, 2005
-Charles Cimicky, Shiraz, Trumsp, Barossa, 2006
-Glen Eldon, Cabernet Sauvignon, Barossa, 2004
-Rosenhof, Chardonnay, TBA, Neusiedlersee, Austria, 2004

Thursday, May 29th, 2008

Mixed Bag

-Weinrieder, Riesling Kuglar, Nieder, Austria, 2006
-Domaine Ostertag, Riesling Fronholz, Austria, 2006
-Domaine Ostertag, Pinot Noir Fronholz, Austria, 2006
-Grof Degenfeld, Tokaji Aszu, 6 Puttonyos, Hungary, 2000

-Edge, Cabernet Sauvignon, Napa, 2004
-Blind Trail, Pinot Noir, Central Otago, New Zealand, 2005
-Downing Family, Syrah, Oakville, 2004
-Locatelli, Cabernet Sauvignon, Paso Robles, 2003

Wednesday, May 28th, 2008

Another Wednesday/Koepke Ports

-Terlan, Terlaner, Alto Adige, 2006
-Terlan, Pinot Grigio, Alto Adige, 2006
-Terlan, Mueller Thurgau, Alto Adige, 2006
-Chateau Recougne, Bordeaux Superieur, 2005
-Chateau Le Pape, Pessac-Leognan, 2005
-Chateau Lyonnat, Lussac Saint-Emillon, 2005
-Chateau Puy Arnaud, Cotes de Castillon, Bordeaux, 2005
-Belle-Vue, Haut-Medoc, 2005
-Chateau Milles Roses, Haut Medoc, 2005

-Loom Wines, Riesling, Eden Valley, 2007
-Scherrer, Chardonnay, Helfer Vineyard, Russian River Valley, 2005
-Piccolo Rosso, Syrah, Russian River Valley, 2007
-T.R. Elliot, Pinot Noir, Three Plumes, Russian River Valley, 2005

-Koepke, Vintage Porto, 2003
-Koepke, Vintage Porto, 2000
-Koepke, Colheita Porto, 1997
-Koepke, Porto, 10 year Old
-Koepke, Colheita Porto, 1987
-Koepke, Colheita Porto, 1980
-Koepke, Porto, 20 year Old
-Koepke, Colheita Porto, 1966
-Koepke, Colheita Porto, 1967
-Koepke, Colheita Porto, 1957

Phenomenal line-up of Port. The 2000, the 20 year old, and the 1996 were the best, but the 1980 and the 1987 were also incredibly good.

Tuesday, May 27th, 2008

Gemstone Showdown

-Solena, Pinot Gris, Willamette, Oregon, 2006
-Addamo, Chardonnay, Santa Maria, 2006
-Solena, Pinot Noir, Willamette, Oregon, 2005
-Frescobaldi, Nipozzano, Chianti Rufina, Italy, 2005

-Gemstone, Facets, Cabernet/Merlot/Cab Franc, Yountville, 2004
-Frank Family, Winston Hill, Cabernet Blend, Rutherford, 2004

Both the Gemstone and Winston Hill showed beautifully. We refused to choose a winner as both wines were unique and excellent in their own right.

Monday, May 26th, 2008

Memorial Day Impromptu Tasting with Friends

-Donnhoff, Riesling Kabinett, Oberhauser Leistenberg, Germany, 2005 (excellent. round, ripe, full-bodied, a matrix of minerality)
-Alex Gambal, Cuvee les Deux Papis, Bourgogne, 2005 (very good)
-Mosby, Primitivo, Santa Ynez, 2004 (pretty bad. Void of structure, lacked acid, over-ripe fruit with some alcohol mixed in, and a dash of dirt character.)
-Mount Eden Vineyards, Cabernet Sauvignon, Santa Cruz Mtns., 2003 (good)
-Imagery, Petit Verdot, Sonoma Valley, 2004 (okay, surprisingly void of extract and density, a pretty elegant wine without much character.)
-Lewis Cellars, Mason's, Cabernet Sauvignon, Mt. Veeder, 2003 (Very flashy with lots of fruit and lots of oak. Good but not for everynight of the week.)
-Altamura, Cabernet Sauvignon, Napa, 2003 (Probably the bottle of the night. Older-school style of Napa Cab, refined and elegant but with plenty of depth.)

The Donnhoff and Altamura stood out.

Sunday, May 25th, 2008

Friend's House for Dinner

-Jorian Hill, Viognier, Santa Ynez, 2005 (good)
-Domaine Ostertag, Riesling Fronholz, Alsace, 2006 (excellent. superb acidity, bone-dry, very pure apricot flavor and orange zest)
-Samsara, Pinot Noir, Melville Vineyard, 2004 (okay, big, showing a bit of Volatile Acidity and showing too much alcohol)
-Samsara, Pinot Noir, Melville Vineyard, 2005 (better than the 2004, more integrated, fresher fruit character, still very big and brooding for Pinot.)
-Long Meadow Ranch, Cabernet Sauvignon, Napa, 1999 (had been opened for a couple days, was still showing beautifully. Older-school Napa style, more austere and refined in style. A lot of finesse and elegance.)

Saturday, May 24th, 2008

Mixed Bottles that People Contributed

-Chateau Puligny-Montrachet, Monthelie, 2005
-Altesino, Brunello di Montalcino, 2003
-Mount Eden, Cabernet Sauvignon, Santa Cruz Mountains, 2003
-Araujo, Cabernet Sauvignon, Eisele Vineyard, 1998

All four wines were smoking good. I loved each of them and wish I could drink them daily.

Friday, May 23rd, 2008

Cote d'Or

-Domaine Manciat-Poncet, Macon-Charnay, 2006
-A&P de Villaine, Aligote, Bouzeron, 2005
-Vincent Girardin, Cuvee St. Vincent, Bourgogne, 2005
-Bernard Morey, Maranges, La Fussieres, 1er Cru, 2004
-Domaine Camus-Bruchon, Savigny-Les-Beaune, 2005

-Agrapart, Blanc de Blanc, Les Sept Crus, NV
-De LaMontagna, Pinot Noir, Cristine's Vineyard, Sonoma Coast, 2005
-Joseph Family, Cabernet Sauvignon, Alexander Valley, 2005

Thursday, May 22nd, 2008

Great German Wines, Aubert Chardonnay and Aston Pinot Noir

-Arcadian, Pinot Noir, Sta. Rita Hills, 2005 (Excellent structure and acidity, austere, very good)
-Cannonball, Cabernet Sauvignon, California, 2005 (lame)
-Dr. Heyden, Rose (Pinot Noir/Portugieser), Weingut, 2007 (excellent)
-Dr. H. Thanisch, Bernkasteler Doctor, Riesling Kabinett, 2007 (very good)
-Dr. H. Thanisch, Bernkasteler Graben, Riesling Spatlese, 2005 (very good)
-Dr. H. Thanish, Bernkasteler Lay, Riesling Auslese, 2005 (excellent)
-Dr. H. Thanish, Bernkasteler Badstube, Riesling Kabinett, Mosel, 2007 (excellent)
-Dr. Fischer, Ockfener Bockstein, Riesling Kabinett, 2006 (Excellent)
-Dr. Fischer, Ockfener Bockstein, Riesling Spatlese, 2006 (Excellent)
-Georg Albrecht Schneider, Niersteiner Olberg, Gewurztraminer Auslese, 2006 (Phenomenal)

The following list is a wine company started by the Cliff Bar company. The wines are actually pretty good. Nothing exception but all very nice wines.
-Cliff, The Climber White, California, 2006
-Cliff, The Climber Red, California, 2005
-Cliff, Gary's Improv, Meritage, Napa, 2003
-Cliff, Kit's Killer Cab, Napa, 2003
-Cliff, Syrah, Napa, 2004

-Aubert, Chardonnay, Ritchie Vineyard, 2006 (great richness, depth, and persistence, however the back palate wasn't as full as the front and mid. Hopefully it will flesh out in time)
-Aston, Pinot Noir, Clone 115, 2005 (Good showing for the first bottled opened. Beautilly floral, rose petal, lavendar, and smells of Cherry Coke and Dr. Pepper. Dark purple in color, nice plumpness, bright acidity. Good wine.)

Wednesday, May 21st, 2008

-Szoke, Mantra, Irsai Oliver, 2006 (Very aromatic, light body, high acid)
-Schmelz, Gruner Veltliner, Loibner Garten, 2006 (phenomenal)
-Juris, Pinot Noir, Burgenland, 2005 (very good)
-Kaesler, GSM, Barossa, 2006
-Glen Eldon, Cabernet Sauvignon, Barossa, 2004 (Dense, rich, and good)
-Cimicky, The Autograph Shiraz, Barossa, 2004 (Very good, but expensive)
-Longboard Vineyards, Sauvignon Blanc, Russian River Valley, 2006 (okay)
-Joullian, Chardonnay, Monterey, 2006 (okay)
-Lucente, Toscana, 2005 (loved it)

Tuesday, May 20, 2008

Just another day of tasting

-Weinrieder, Riesling, Kuglar, 2006 (Excellent)
-Sieklos, Zweigelt (didn't get the rest of the info)
-Woop Woop, Shiraz, South Australia, 2006 (good)
-Epsilon, Shiraz, Barossa, 2006 (Good)
-William Fevre, Chablis, Champs Royaux, 2006 (good)
-Grandes Perrieres, Sancerre, 2006 (excellent)
-Guigal, Cotes du Rhone, 2005 (excellent)
-Guigal, Croze-Hermitage, 2004 (good)
-Guigal, Hermitage, 2003 (reduced, over-ripe, but good)
-Guigal, Cote-Rotie, 2003 (great)
-Wolf Family, Cabernet Franc, Napa, 2002 (decent)
-Chateau Gloria, St. Julien, 1995 (phenomenal)

Great wine experiences today. Felt like I learned a lot and enjoyed almost all.

Sunday, May 18th, 2008

Gina's Graduation

We drank some good wine, but took it pretty easy.

-Agrapart, Les Sept Crus, Blanc de Blanc, Champagne, NV
-Skylark, Alondra, Chardonnay, 2007
-Martinelli, Giuseppe and Luisa, Zinfandel, 2005

All the wines were stellar.

Saturday, May 17th, 2008

Michael and Elizabeth Gibbs Wedding

Michael and Elizabeth Gibbs got married and we drank some good wine.

-Dom Perignon, Brut Rose, Champage, 1996
-Didier Dagueneau, Pur Sang, Pouilly Fume, 2005
-Haut-Brion, Graves, Bordeaux, 1989
-Caymus, Cabernet Sauvignon, Special Selection, 1997

Do I need to even mention the quality of these wines? The Caymus was the one lame horse, leaving little to be desired. The Dom Rose, Dagueneau and Haut-Brion were just other worldly, perfect expression of wine. I'd suggest that if any random person, from any walk of life tasted any of these 3 wines, they would become wine lovers immediately. How can anyone deny such a delicious beverage?

I often try to retrace my wine life and what got me so entangled in this world. I don't recall a single a bottle that hooked me. I recall many bottles over a period of a couple years that lured me deeper and deeper down the rabbit hole. But I would imagine that if someones first experiance with wine was with one of these three bottles, it would change their life.

By the way, we also finished the left-overs of Friday, May 16th's post:

-D.R. Stephens, D.R. II, Cabernet Sauvignon, Napa, 2005
-Corra, Sauvignon Blanc, Napa, 2007
I have consistent thoughts and comments about these wines that were previously posted.

We also opened:

-Auteur, Pinot Noir, Manchester Ridge, Mendocino Ridge, 2006 $65
This wine received 100 points from Doug Wilder of Vinfolio. It truely was great. One of the better domestic Pinots I've experianced. It is better than most bottles of Kistler and Marcassin that I've tasted. It has all the ripeness of fruit that you'd expect, but just an infinite depth that is unreal. Layer after layer of pure fruit and spice and earth. It's got tons of intensity but also a very supple, graceful, charisma to it. This was a great bottle that just needs 1-2 years of integration and then I think it will show all it's marvel for 10 more years. Loved it!

This was a good day of drinking.

Friday, May 16th, 2008

Evening Tasting

The theme was Languedoc-Roussillon and the wines were:
-Domaine l'Hortus, Bergerie de l'Hortus, Classique Blanc, 2006
40% Chardonnay, 25% Sauvignon Blanc, 35% Viognier
-Domaine Ligneres, Las Vals Blanc, Corbieres, 2004
100% Roussanne
-Moulin de Gassac, Guilhem, Vin de Pays de l'Herault, 2006
Syrah, Grenache, Cinsault, Carignane
-Domaine l'Hortus, Bergerie de l'Hortus, Pic Saint Loup, 2005
Syrah, Grenache, Mourvedre
-Domaine Ligneres, Las Vals Rouge, Cordieres, 2003
85% Mourvedre, 15% Syrah

Then Aaron opened:
-Onix, Grenache/Carignane, Priorat, 2006
Phenomenal! $14 and richly extracted, spicy black fruits, just a stunning little bottle of wine.

And Chris opened:
-D.R. Stephens, D.R. II, Cabernet Sauvignon, Napa, 2005
Excellent. At $55 it's a great value play in the luxury cab market.

I opened:
-Corra, Sauvignon Blanc, Napa, 2007

I was slightly disappointed with the Corra Sauvignon Blanc. I had such high hopes having recently tasted her 2004 Cabernet and also having just tasted a number of excellent Loire Valley Sauvignon Blancs. Corra's SB was good, but not unique in anyway. It was somewhat thin and had pleasent SB flavor profile and bright acidity, but nothing interesting about it. I really wanted to love this wine.

Thursday, May 15th, 2008

Just another day of tasting

-Trinitas, Sauvignon Blanc, Napa, 2006 (decent)
-Trinitas, Pinot Blanc, Russian River Valley, 2006 (decent)
-Trinitas, Old Vine Cuvee, Contra Costa County, 2005 (Excellent, Mataro/Petite Sirah/Carignane blend)
-Trinitas, Old Vine Zinfandel, Contra Coasta County, 2005 (Okay)
-Trinitas, Mataro, Contra Costa Country, 2004 (Good)
-Trinitas, Petite Sirah, Lodi, 2004 (Great)
-Von Strasser, Cabernet Sauvignon, Diamond Mtn, 2005 (Excellent)
-Von Strasser, Estate Cabernet Sauvignon, Diamond Mtn, 2005 (Excellent)
-Von Strasser, Cabernet Sauvignon, Post Vineyard, Diamond Mtn, 2005 (Good)
-Von Strasser, Cabernet Sauvignon, Rainin Vineyard, Diamond Mtn, 2005 (Good)
-Von Strasser, Cabernet Sauvignon, Sori Bricco Vineyard, Diamond Mtn, 2005 (Excellent)

The Von Strasser line up was surprisingly good. I hear good things so my standards were high, but the wines met all my standards. I liked them all.

Wedesday, May 14th, 2008

Daily Wine Tasting

-Chateau des Charmes, Viognier, Niagra-on-the-Lake, 2006 (Mediocre. Fat, lacked acid)
-Sparkling Malvasia from Italy (Sweet)
-Joseph Family Vineyards, Cabernet Sauvignon, Alexander Valley, 2005 (Excellent, $40)
-Humanitas, Sauvignon Blanc, California 2006? (Nice)
-Paige 23, Viognier, Vogelsang Vineyard, 2006 (Pleasent)
-Mutt Lynch, Zinfandel, Sonoma, 2006? (Overripe, structure-less)
-Paige 23, Pinot Noir, Santa Barbara, 2006 (Delicious)
-Four Sons, Cabernet Sauvignon, Stag's Leap, 2005 (Great. Not as fleshed out as last vintage, still youthful. Should develop plumpness with a months)
-Hugl, Gruner Veltliner, Austria, 2006 (Delicious)
-White Rock, Chardonnay, Napa, 2006 (Excellent, very delicate, subtle)
-Qupe, Bien Nacido Cuvee, Viognier/Chardonnay, 2006 (Mediocre)
-Rozack, Pinot Noir, Sta. Rita Hills, 2006 (Excellent, fuller, richer texture)
-Seavey, Merlot, Napa, 2004? (Good)
-Ritchie Creek, Cabernet Sauvignon, Spring Mountain, 2004 (Well-made, but overpriced)
-Strebloe, Cabernet Sauvignon, Spring Mountain, 2003
-Grasevina Krizevci, Kalnik, 2006
-Schmelz, Gruner Veltliner, Austria, 2006
-S.C. Pannell, Sauvignon Blanc, Adelaide Hills, 2006
-Plavac Hvar, Hvar, Croatia, 2006
-Langmeil, Three Gardens, Barossa, 2005
-Revolution, Shiraz, McLaren Vale, 2006
-Massena, The Eleventh Hour, Barossa, 2004

This was a long, but educational day of tasting. Nothing phenomenal, but everything was enjoyable.

Monday, May 12th, 2008

"Reserve" on the Label Tasting

Turning Leaf, Cabernet Sauvignon, Reserve, Sonoma, 2004 <$15?
Nippozano, Chianti Rufina, Riserva, 2005 $23
Castello Ygay, Gran Reserva, Rioja, 2000 $49
Beaulieu Vineyards, George de Latour, Cabernet Sauvignon, Reserve, 1993 $30/$90 (Originally paid/current price)
Spring Mountain Vineyards, Elivette, Cabernet Sauvignon Reserve, 2004
Lewis, Cabernet Sauvignon Reserve, Napa, 2001 $125
Pride, Reserve Claret, Sring Mountain, 2002 $200-$300 (Current retail prices)

Great wines. Pride took the show, but Spring Moutain's Elivette was a surprising second. Lewis was closed the entire night. 1993 BV was awesome. The Chianti and the Rioja were also very excellent. The Turning Leaf was a joke and, as predicted, took last place. It wasn't offensive, just not on par with anything else on the table.

Saturday, May 10th, 2008

Loire Valley Tasting

Francois Chidaine, Sauvignon, Touraine, 2006 $11
Domaine de la Fontainerie, Vouvray, Moelleux, 1990 $30
Sylvain Bailly, Sancerre Rouge, La Louee, 2005 $20
Legrand, Saumur-Champigny, La Chaintree, 2005 $15
Chanteleuserie, Bourgueil, Cuvee Vieilles Vignes, 2005 $18

This was a great tasting of charming wines. Lower alcs, less oak, less intensity. The Sauvignon was an excellent value. The 18 year-old Vouvray was shockingly fresh and has plenty of life left in it. The Sancerre rouge was an ultra-elegant style of Pinot Noir with supple tannin and beautifully precise fruit. The two Cabernet Francs were delicious and nuanced. All the wines were heavy in charm and light in flamboyance. Absoluetly refreshing.

Friday, May 9th, 2008

Napa Cab

Friday evening turned into the usual impromptu tasting. It was a Napa Cab showdown.

Orin Swift, Papillon, Napa, 2005 $55
Realm, The Tempest, Napa, 2005 $60
Corra, Cabernet Sauvignon, Napa, 2004 $120

All the wines were amazing. While both the Papillon and The Tempest showed plenty of expression, complexity, density, and overall appeal, the Corra quickly established its dominance. Corra was also the most closed, but even still it was clearly on a different level. I had high expectations for the wine and I'm pleased to say that those expectations were exceeded. I'd recommend acquiring as much of it as you can find. The Papillon and The Tempest overdelivered for the price. Everyone loved all the wines.