These are notes from a get together earlier in the month.
Starters:
2004 Louis Jadot Savigny les Beaunes Blanc Aux Vergelesses This is a bit shy aromatically at first, eventually showing notes of lemon peel, chalk and soft minerality. It is more expressive in the mouth, with flavors of lemon sour ball or lemon-flavored Italian ice draped over a soft frame. Some chalky oak and soft caramel notes come in on the finish, which also sports enough acid lift to keep the whole thing fresh.
1998 Zind-Humbrecht Gewurztraminer Turkheim Deep gold color. This offers up a lush nose of honeysuckle and orange blossom, exotic tropical fruits, a crisp minerally edge and a faint note of skunky fern. It seems a tad sweet on the attack, but it quickly turns crisply dry, with a very strong mineral streak. It is medium-bodied and oily-textured, finishing with a smoky, spicy accent.
Blind reds:
2001 Ridge Zinfandel Pagani Ranch Sonoma Valley 88% Zinfandel, 8% Alicante, 4% Petite Sirah. The nose here is warm and inviting, with aromas of roasted cherries, blueberry preserves, sun-baked earth, dried red currants, and very faint tobacco leaf. It offers up a very nice mouthful of wine, with a seamless feel and a level of fruit concentration that seems just right—not too over-done, yet solidly viscous. The mixed berry fruit profile is wild and brambly, with a good acidic tang. Some tannins do rise up toward the finish, but not in an onerous way. It is an excellent all-around wine with no one thing standing out—just a solid package overall.
2004 Turley Zinfandel Pesenti Whereas I was not sure about wine #1, this had a clear Zinfandel bouquet right off the bat. Briery berries galore, a hint of spirits, soft dirt, green leafiness and deeper plum notes are all present in the evidently young nose. On the palate, it is a big, plush, warm mouthful of wine, with a big blast of sweet roasted fruits. Surprisingly soft and juicy tannins are pretty decently integrated. The finish is moderately oaky and dry, but features pretty good length. I think this definitely needs some time. My guess was an ’03 Turley Zin.
2002 Roar Pinot Noir Garys’ Vineyard This is a bottle that I brought and it was very badly CORKED. Andy graciously replaced it with the following wine from his cellar:
2005 Siduri Pinot Noir Keefer Ranch Vineyard Russian River Valley This wine is a bit cloudy in appearance. It offers up a nose of raspberries and strawberries, cola, soft dirt, nettles and a sort of juicy bright gooseberry counterpoint kind of thing. It has a nice creamy, leesy, sappy set of qualities to the mouthfeel, which is very nice and pleasing to drink. Flavors of cocoa and classy red fruits, as well as notes of smoke are at the core of the wine, which finishes clean and very well balanced. My guess was an ’03 Loring Pinot Noir.
2005 Louis Jadot Beaune 1er Cru Clos des Ursules The bright, vibrant nose is very fruity and rather alive and kicking. However, it feels a bit young and awkward, like a teenager who is all elbows and knees right now. In the mouth, it is quite tangy with taut acidity, which makes it very, very dry and a bit bracingly austere. Yet, there are lots of bright berry fruits at the core that could bode well for the future. My guess was (slight drumroll…) an ’05 Cote de Beaune.
1989 Chateau La Cardonne Medoc Blair might have been the first one to use the term catbox to describe the nose here, and he was dead on. This smells simultaneously of turds and cat pee, along with the dirty sand. Eventually, some of that fades and other notes like horse hair, berries, dark cherry and rawhide leather slide in. In the mouth, it is rather cool and aloof, with crisp blackberry fruit and some bitter chalky tannins. It feels a bit under-ripe, with a high acid profile. And as others picked up on, as well, there is a big hole evident in the mid-palate.
1989 Chateau Ducru Beaucaillou Saint Julien This opens with an extremely nice nose of plush velvety melted chocolate, mocha, dried leather and faint cedar. In the mouth, it is pretty rich and decadent. There are some big tannins, but also a good shot of juicy acidity. It is not too thick or extracted, yet achieves an effortless sense of full-bodiedness while maintaining excellent freshness. This is a wine that marries elegance with power in seemingly equal amounts. My guess was a late 90’s Cali Meritage. WAY off.
1996 Havens Wine Cellars Bourriquot Napa Valley This is a beauty on the nose, with bridle leather, incense, spice cake, sweet earth, tar and roasted red fruit aromas combining in an engaging and pretty package. It has lovely weight and elegant balance in the mouth, and impresses with its great length. It is medium-bodied, with flavors of warm red fruit. The texture is smooth and lithe, which combines with the other elements to give the wine excellent presence. I was guessing 80’s Bordeaux. Probably my WOTN.
1999 Robert Mondavi Winery Cabernet Sauvignon Reserve To-Kalon Napa Valley Aromas of blackberry, dark espresso grounds, rich earth, dark caramel, plum and cedar can be found on the highly expressive nose. For the most part, it is cool and dark in the mouth, with plum and leafy flavors, along with a certain exotic flair. It is plush and juicy, with chewy tannins but no real rough edges to speak of. My guess was a ’97 Napa floor Cabernet.
1998 Chateau Troplong Mondot Saint Emilion One finds aromas of fresh berries, dark forest elements, black currants and a gentle eucalyptus note on the nose here. It is very pleasing in the mouth, with rich dark chocolate-covered cherries, black raspberries and a hint of warmth. Some chalky tannins and warm red fruits frame the finish.
1997 Gallo of Sonoma Cabernet Sauvignon Stefani Vineyard Dry Creek Valley This displays a nose of sweet berry compote, cassis and warm baked cherry pie. It is juicy and rich in the mouth, with good amplitude, notable drive and good length. Flavors of berries and chocolate lead to a nice easy finish for a wine that is easy to like.
After hours:
1995 Chateau Montus Madiran Gamy funk, brambly berries, nuts, clean leather, tobacco leaf, green pepper, chestnuts and roasted red fruits make up a decidedly pleasant, old-world kind of nose. In the mouth, however, it feels rustic and a bit rough-hewn. It is dark-fruited, with a cool acidic crunch that grows throughout the mid-palate. It is very dry and somewhat austere around the edges. It warms up and rounds out a bit with aggressive swirling, but probably needs a longer decant than we were able to provide. Still, a fun end to a great day.
-Michael
