Notes from Thursday night tasting at The Wine Museum. As only 2 wines were featured, we were encouraged to bring bottles to share.
The first two wines were from the new Montes operation in Napa.
Napa Angel Reserve Cabernet Sauvignon 2006 - Very dark. Good, sweet nose. No oak initially on the palate then it just explodes on the finish. Sickly sweet oakiness on the finish. Young, tannic. Rich, mocha, caramel, hint of licorice. Leafy tobacco. After some time, a bit of earth and graphite. Quite complex. Sleek, polished. Firm. Needs time to soften. 10 months in French oak. Could have been better if the oak were not so strong.
Napa Angel Aurelio's Selection Cabernet Sauvignon 2006 - 18 months in French oak. Nearly black. Deep, sweet nose. Well balanced and integrated. Ripe fruit. Very tannic and rich. Tight. Needs plenty of time. Showing a lot of class now, though. Much better put together than the Reserve. Excellent but better to leave alone for 3 years or so.
Spottswoode Cabernet Sauvignon 2006 - Not much of a nose Young, tannic, rich (again) but there is a refreshing acidity which brightens the wine considerably. Coffee and curry powder. Excellent and the favorite wine at our end of the table.
Pride Napa/Sonoma Merlot 2005 - Classic Merlot. Much softer than the cabs. Caramel. A bit lost in this lineup after the powerful cabs.
Balnaves of Coonawarra The Tally Reserve Cabernet Sauvignon 2006 - I have been wanting to try this wine for some time now as the Balnaves was acclaimed by James Halliday as winery of the year in 2008. Minty nose. Rather high, searing acidity. Very tight and unyielding. The acidity seems rather worrying as it overpowers everything else on the palate. Maybe better to try a bottle that was properly decanted as this one was popped and poured. Judgement reserved.
Osoyoos Larose 2006 - As Vince was back in town, naturally he had to bring a bottle of this. Tannic, a little sour and very dry. Fleshy, though. Better structured than earlier examples of this wine.
I had to leave earlier than the others but I had one glass of Champagne for the road:
Marguet Brut Rose NV - Pale, old rose. Lightish but a good way to refresh the palate after all the reds.