Wines with friends

2002 Graf Hardegg, Viognier V:
Sherried nose with apricot and vinous tones; less oxidized in the mouth with a rich, full, round delivery that is balanced and flavorful; medium length finish. Perhaps, this bottle was damaged but the oxidation here was unattractive; in its absence I think this Austrian wine would have been lovely. 13.5% alcohol, imported by Wildman and about $50; I’d not pay that again.

2002 Overnoy/Houillon, Arbois-Pupillin:
Unlike other recent bottles, this bottle showed very young and had more a red color than orange; still, beautifully scented poulsard with pomegranate and cherry flavors accented with earth tones, good depth, somewhat tannic but still a lightweight elegance overall and good length. Not for everyone but I find this wine a bit of a changeling and quite fascinating. 12.5% alcohol, imported by Louis Dressner and about $22; I’d buy it again at that price.

1993 Laurel Glen, Cabernet Sauvignon Sonoma Mountain:
Despite its 14 years there is still plenty of grip and bright acidity backing the powerful cassis and blackberry flavors that are accented with lots of secondary bottle bouquet and palate development in the earthy, leather-toned spectrum, no evident wood, great depth, immense complexity, excellent balance and, although still not fully resolved, the overall is a wine of great character and style. Lots of years left in the cellar but quite compelling now. Had substantial sediment that required decanting. 12.5% alcohol, $40 on release and surely worth more. Magnificent!

Best, Jim

Jim,
Those Laurel Glens from the late 1980's early to mid 1990s were excellent wines for the most part and I'm still kicking myself for not loading up on them. I have not tried any recent vintages and am wondering if they are still made in the same style or has LG succumbed to the high alcohol/high extraction model of wine making??
Wondering William

I have not tried any recent vintages and am wondering if they are still made in the same style or has LG succumbed to the high alcohol/high extraction model of wine making??
Wondering William

WW,
I hear they changed and not for the better but, like you, have no first hand knowledge.
Best, Jim

[Robin Garr]

Jim,
Those Laurel Glens from the late 1980's early to mid 1990s were excellent wines for the most part and I'm still kicking myself for not loading up on them. I have not tried any recent vintages and am wondering if they are still made in the same style or has LG succumbed to the high alcohol/high extraction model of wine making??
Wondering William

I don't think they've changed, and I think Patrick Campbell (maybe along with Steve Edmunds) would be one of the last wine makers in America to go over to the Dark Side.

They're not for early enjoyment, though. Save your bucks and buy Laurel Glen's second label Counterpoint (which is excellent) for that. These babies need a decade to come into their own (with the possible exception of the 1989, which was very bretty indeed.

Here's my July 2004 report on the 1999. Somewhere around here I've got a single bottle of the 2002, but it would be a real waste to open it any time soon.

<b>Laurel Glen 1999 Sonoma Mountain Cabernet Sauvignon</b> ($42.99)

Very dark purple, almost black, the wine pours with a rich, grapey bluish color that signals youth. Because of its immaturity, I opened it 90 minutes before dinner, decanting it into a clean container to allow aeration. First tasted immediately after opening, it's intriguing but very young, offering deep, brooding plum and currant aromas with grace notes of spice; pleasant and fairly forward for a young wine but requiring swirling to bring out. On the palate it shows black fruit, tart acidity and smooth but drying tannins that become quite astringent in the finish. After an hour and a half, it opens up somewhat, displaying good blackberry and tart cherry aromas and fresh, clean black-fruit flavors over good lemony acidity; tannins are still quite evident but have become secondary to the fruit, and rare steak on the dinner table further ameliorates the tannins and brings up the wine's fruit. Over the course of the evening, the wine's tannic astringency continues to soften with exposure to air, and four hours after opening it has developed considerable complexity, adding subtle notes of roses, menthol, sweet leather and herbal thyme. A tannic backbone remains - this is, after all, a wine meant for aging - but with the combination of extended "breathing" and an appropriate food match, it's quite drinkable now. (July 24, 2004)