The Enophillies-a Philadelphia area wine group-got together as is our wont, to celebrate the Millennium, again. There is no theme, just bring your best. Much merriment followed. Here are my wine tasting notes, such as they are.
1-2005 Chaddsford Winery Phillip Roth Vineyard Chardonnay. Pale gold. Odd, off-beat oak treatment-unlike any I have smelled before. OK mouth of Chardonnay, but it was like somebody threw in some sesame. 85/100
2-1964 Piper-Heidsieck Champagne. Yes, that’s right, the 1964. Odd story on this wine. Found when a member’s business moved into a new-for them-building. Back in a closet were two bottles of this. Anyway, it had bubbles! A deep gold/orange/ amber-kinda reminded of a lighter sherry in color. Taste has bread, slight oxidation, almonds, mushrooms. It really was a surprise that it tasted this good. 90/100
3-2004 Aubert Lauren Vineyard Chardonnay Yellow. Not cloudy this time. Nose was citrusy fruit and a hint of oak. Taste was of lifted chardonnay, with lemon/orange zest. This is what I want in a Cal Chard. 97/100
4-2002 Chateau LaTour Blanche Yellow. That young Sauternes Elmer’s glue nose, which a member proposed that that was how VA presents in Sauternes. (If so, this is one VA that will dissipate with age.) Rich nose, very young, sweet. 92/100.
5-2005 Diel Dorsheimer Burgburg Riesling Auslese Pale water/yellow. Nose was clearly the best of the 2005s I’ve had so far. Just a bouquet of floral scents, citrus. Great mouthfeel, sweet to medium sweet. Rich, dancing on a head of a pin and it works. Great. 97/100
6-1995 Chateau Montelena. Garnet. Full medium mid-aged Cal Cab nose. Mouthfeel was also good, with the beginning of the drinking plateau starting now. No TCA here. 93/100
7-1995 Chateau Mouton Rothschild. Garnet. Nose initially herbal-like the Cab franc took over. But it just continued to open in the glass. Clearly the wine that changed the most in the glass over the evening. Taste was a very good Pauillac, with herbs, spices, a touch tobacco. Clearly still young, but has a nice future. 92+/100
8-1989 Chateau Beaucastel. Oxidized. Another in my series…
9-2000 Andre Brunel Les Caillou Centenaire Pale garnet/red. Nose was red fruits, garrigue, dried herbs. Taste was mouthfilling, red fruits. Absolutely balanced. Beautiful. 98/100
10-2005 Domaine du Caillou Les Quartz Garnet. Coffee nose and espresso mouth. Some fruits poking through, but way too young. Hard to grade. 90?/100
11-2003 Bond St. Eden. Deep garnet. Touch VA on the nose-which is a negative to me-plums, black fruits. Rich mouthfeel with some spices and a touch tea. Boy, can you tell it’s the same team as Harlan. 93/100
12-2003 Abreu Madrona Ranch Cabernet Sauvignon. Deep garnet. Sweet rich fruits and florals. Amazingly balanced mouth, taste of young Cab fruits, spices and a touch dried herbs. As balanced as any Cal Cult out there. Magnificent. 97/100
13-2001 Colgin Cariad Cabernet Sauvignon Deep garnet. Nose of black fruits, dried herbs (NO dill) touch chocolate, hint of oak. Mouthfeel is rich, coffee, plums. Delish. 96/100
14-2003 Shafer Hillside Select Cabernet Sauvignon. Garnet. That sweet Shafer nose in spades. Sweet, cinnamon, cloves, red fruits. Mouthfeel is a good weight, not a blockbuster as some of the previous wines, but good. Very good. 95/100
15-2002 Shafer Hillside Select C.S. Garnet. VA on the nose-too bad-but it seemed to blow off and become integrated with time. Rich, full, big, balanced. 96/100 (Initially I liked the 2003 better because of the VA, but it seemed to disappear with time, and the score for the 2002 rose accordingly.)
16-1976 Willi Schaeffer Graacher Domprost Riesling Beerenauslese. Orange with a hint of amber. Caramel nose with orange rind. Bright acids in the mouth along with caramel, citrus fruits. Best and brightest 76 BA I’ve had. 95/100
17-2006 Navarro Cluster Select Gewurztraminer. Orange pink. Rose in both nose and sweet rosewater mouth. Very good. 93/100 Comments were that it is unusual at this sweetness level to keep a lot of the varietal character, and this does.
Again another great night with friends, food and great wines.