Angelis Italian Dinner with Vintage California Cabs matched with a Tuscan Blend

Angelis Italian Dinner with Vintage California Cabs matched with a Tuscan Blend

Birthday celebration continues with dinner at Angeli's Italian - our  favorite local trattoria featuring a special vintage California Cabernet Sauvignon selection against a Tuscan blend. As always, the Angeli's Portabello Mushroom Ravioli and Lasagna are great accompaniments to big wines. For this special occasion dinner we pulled out a favorite Lewis Reserve Cabernet 1998 while Bill C brought a Seavey Napa Cab from the same vintage. These were matched against an interesting Merlot Sangiovese Tuscan blend Castello di Gabbiano Alleanza Toscana IGT 2006.


Lewis Cellars Napa Valley Cabernet Sauvignon Reserve 1998

Dark, full bodied, full forward complex mouthful of ripe rich almost sweet black currant, plum, black raspberry, with a layer of black cherry, anise, a hint of mocha on a long firm finish of big firm but smooth polished and nicely integrated tannins.

WS 91, RM 92, Bill C 92 points. 

Bill C notes - Very much a new world style, huge with dark fruit. Deep purple in the glass, with, herbs, spice and oak on the nose. A fruit bomb on the palate, evidencing blackberry, plum, cassis and surprisingly almost no oak. The Lewis offers a mouth filling, palate coating finish that goes on an on. As enjoyable as it is now, the Lewis seems to have plenty of time left. One can only imagine what this will be like in 10 years.

https://www.cellartracker.com/wine.asp?iWine=21629

 Seavey Napa Valley Cabernet Sauvignon 1998 

Bill brought this from his cellar and posted his review on Cellartracker.



The Seavey is drinking very well and in the sweet spot of its drinking window. The nose provides a combination of floral, moss and mineral notes. The Seavey reveals red fruit, spice, a bit of vanilla and oak on the palate. It also required a full 90 minutes to reveal its complexity. This is a traditional cab, stylistically much like a left bank Bordeaux.

Bill C 90 points.

https://www.cellartracker.com/wine.asp?iWine=8472

Castello di Gabbiano Alleanza Toscana IGT 2006

Bill's notes on the Alleanza. What a pleasant surprise! I am partial to super Tuscans with a blend of Sangiovese and Cabernet Sauvignon. The Alleanza is 70% Merlot and 30% Sangiovese and was bigger and more fruit forward than the blend implies. Bright red in the glass with an unimpressive nose, the wine opened to reveal bright fruits, cherry, raspberry on the front palate evolving to earthy, leather and mocha on the finish. It was smooth, well balanced and the Merlot softened the acidity I usually associate with Sangiovese.  

Bills rating - 87 points. 

 My earlier notes - Dark color, full bodied, nice tapestry of flavors - dark cherry, black berry, hints of violets and vanilla nicely integrated silky tannins and soft oak. 

RM rating 88 points.

https://www.cellartracker.com/wine.asp?iWine=616376


Dinner with L, Bill and Beth C and Bob and Gloria.