WTN: Scary stuff: Chile '96-98 + Quilceda '99

Blind starter: Bocca di Gabbia Akron Cabernet Sauvignon 1998 is a very modern style wine from Marches. It has a juicy, inky nose with some Cab lift to it. Juicy and nicely acidic with some lovely tannins.

The rest were open: Casa Lapostolle: Clos Apalta 1997 has a nose of rhubarb. It is soft and juicy, not lively and frankly quite boring.

Cousino Macul: Finis Terrae 1997 has a nose of salty minerals, is tannic yet juicy.

Philippe de Rothschild & Concha y Toro: Almaviva 1996 has a nose of blueberry pie and ink and a stereotypical note of cassis. Fine acidity and long but no personality.

Montes: Alpha M 1996 is soft and blueberried. Hot.

Mondavi-Chadwick: Seña 1996 has some interest: savoury and lifted nose, a bit of rhubarb, earthy.

Vina Quebranda de Macul: Domus Aurea Cabernet Sauvignon 1996 DOA. Rye bread.

Vina Carmen: Cab S Gold Reserve 1997 Sweet Cab aromatics, stereotypical as so many Chileans are in its cassis and jam scents. Boring because all the others so like it.

Vina San Pedro: Cabo de Hornos 1997 is all about cassis and jam.

Concha y Toro: Don Melchor Cabernet Sauvignon 1997 is in a more elegant style but is still jammy.

Errazuriz: Cab S Don Maximiano Estate Reserva 1998 tears of frustration run down my cheeks. So similar to all others, yet more oak.

Errarzuriz: Don Maximiano Founder's Reserve 1998 like above, but not so sweet.

Santa Rita: Casa Real Cab S 1998 is a proper wine for a change (not so spoofy), but still not to my style.

Fincha Flichman Dedicado 1996 corked (I probably should be happy about that considering the others.... )


A depressing tasting since all were so similar. Yet it was interesting to taste through so many highly-thought-of Chileans in one go, especially since they had some age on them.


While cleaning up we opened up a couple more bottles (fully blind):

Barossa Valley Estate E & E Black Pepper Shiraz 1996 which was tarry and jammy, very Shirazy yet with a sandalwood note that made me think of a SuperTuscan at first guess. Big.

Quilceda Creek Cab Sauv 1999 was full of toasty oak, jam and some Cab lifted notes. It did have fine acidity - that I'll admit -, but otherwise was a rather pointless wine for me. Apparently this is a very pointy wine otherwise....

Scary tasting, indeed!

-O-

Someone having a garage sale, Otto.

Someone having a garage sale, Otto.

In a manner of speaking. A friend of mine (with obviously vastly different tastes from mine! ) has a cellar too full of wine, so he's putting up a series of scary tastings. Sometimes it really is a chore to drink these, but, hey!, what are friends for?

-O-

[David M. Bueker]

I'm actually surprised you didn't like the Quilceda. Pre-2002 it is a fairly well structured Cab that goes well with hearty (but not over the top) fare. 2002 and beyond it is rather more pointy.

I'm actually surprised you didn't like the Quilceda. Pre-2002 it is a fairly well structured Cab that goes well with hearty (but not over the top) fare. 2002 and beyond it is rather more pointy.

If I would write down all the things that cross my mind while tasting, my notes would be so long that no-one would read them. But the thought did cross my mind while sipping this wine, that what lies under the toastiness and the jamminess is quite pleasant - if bigger and less elegant than what my usual preferences are. So my thoughts ran in the direction, that if the oak and the fruit fade and the structure stays the same, I might enjoy this wine in the future, because, as you say, it is well structured. But I still wasn't all that convinced - maybe I am just too scared of the combination of toast and jam, but it is an instant turn-off for me. I shall try to overcome my toastandjamophobia. If someone wants to offer me a bottle in ten years, I'll be happy to try it.

-O-

[Jenise]

Otto, good notes. Your experience with the Errazurizes in particular explains why I was so surprised at the Errazuriz Vinedo Chadwick we had in Vancouver a few weeks ago--it wasn't the sweet oak bomb that all other Errazurizes have been. In fact, that wine made me surprised to see Chadwick applied to the Sena in your notes, I wasn't aware that Sena was part of the Errazuriz-Chadwick portfolio. Not that I wondered....

[James Roscoe]

If someone wants to offer me a bottle in ten years, I'll be happy to try it.

-O-

Hopefully a bunch of us will be there with you. Great notes as always!

[David M. Bueker]

While I do not have my own stash of the '99, I will be happy to offer a bottle or two of the 2001 (the last of the more "classical" vintages) in ten years or so.

Quilceda Creek Cab Sauv 1999 was full of toasty oak, jam and some Cab lifted notes. It did have fine acidity - that I'll admit -, but otherwise was a rather pointless wine for me. Apparently this is a very pointy wine otherwise....

Agreed. After 1994, the wines seem overtly oaky to me. I have not purchased a bottle since the '94 vintage.

[David M. Bueker]

It's been my pleasure to attend two extensive verticals of Quilceda. I have found that the pre-2002 vintages all have the ability to absorb their oak over time much like some of the finer Bordeaux absorb theirs over time.

Randy & Otto - do either of you like Chateau Lagrange (St. Julien)? It starts like quite oaky, and heavily toasty oaky at that.

Hi Otto-- FYI, the Finca Flichman Dedicado is from Mendoza (Argentina). Shame it was corked.... I would have loved to have your thoughts on this blend.

It's been my pleasure to attend two extensive verticals of Quilceda. I have found that the pre-2002 vintages all have the ability to absorb their oak over time much like some of the finer Bordeaux absorb theirs over time.

Randy & Otto - do either of you like Chateau Lagrange (St. Julien)? It starts like quite oaky, and heavily toasty oaky at that.

I like the Lagrange 1990 very much. On that wine alone, it's a Chateau I would like to explore more (even though the 2003 is one of the most offensive wines I have put in my mouth). If Quilceda absorbs the oak as well as the 1990 Lagrange apparently has, good. If the jamminess also fades, all the better. It's a Ch. that I have found difficult to get hold of so I can't make any generalisations on it, just talk of a couple individual wines, sorry.

Alejandro, yes I knew the Finca Flichman Dedicado is Argentine, but as it was corked I omitted the wine from the title. Only my sense of needing to include the whole tasting made me include it in the notes proper.

-O-