Branson Coach House Barossa Greenock Block Shiraz 2004

Branson Coach House Barossa Greenock Block Single Vineyard Shiraz 2004

For dinner on the patio at Angelis Italian, our favorite neighborhood trattoria on a perfect summer evening, we took this big bold Aussie Shiraz, BYOB.

I discovered and tasted this wine with Wine Manager Bill and the Aussie wine buyer at the wine desk at Binny's in Glen Ellyn back upon release. I liked it so much I bought their entire allocation which was only a couple six packs. Tonight I broke open that last remaining case from that purchase. At a dozen years of age, this is aging gracefully, showing no signs of diminution whatsoever.

Dark inky purple color, full bodied, full aromas and flavors of black fruits, a hint of raspberry and blueberry, accented by tones of graphite & mineral on a smooth polished moderate tannin finish.

RM 92 points.

https://www.cellartracker.com/wine.asp?iWine=246545

Ladera Howell Mountain Malbec 2006

Ladera Howell Mountain Malbec 2006

We discovered and acquired this wine during our visit to the winery back in 2008. Ladera specialize in Bordeaux varietal wines, most notably Cabernet Sauvignon, but they also offer this lesser known, more obscure Malbec varietal based wine. In Bordeaux Malbec is blended to introduce dark color and full body into the wine.

The Malbec grape is a thin-skinned grape that requires more sun and heat than the leading Bordeaux varietals Cabernet Sauvignon and Merlot to mature. Hence it is well suited to the more consistent, warm and sunny climate of Napa Valley. It is used in the blend to introduce deep color, full body associated with ample tannin, and a fruity plum-like flavor to add complexity to Bordeaux based blends.

We took this to Angeli's, our favorite local Italian trattoria, BYOB for a mid-week dinner.

Tonights tasting was consistent with an earlier tasting note when I wrote, "Dark color - full bodied - full firm forward fruits - a bit flabby on opening but overcame the funkiness to reveal black berry and cherry fruit flavors, a layer of spice, hints of leather and a touch of cedar on a long finish." This was a good complement to our hearty Italian fare.

RM 90 points.

https://www.cellartracker.com/wine.asp?iWine=523712

http://www.laderavineyards.com/

Del Dotto Napa Valley Cabernet Franc 2002

Del Dotto Napa Valley Cabernet Franc 2002

For a casual mid-week dinner at Angeli's Italian, our favorite neighborhood Italian trattoria, we took BYOB this limited release bottle of Del Dotto Napa Valley Cabernet Franc 2002. This follows our recent tasting of the 1997 vintage release of this same label. The 2002 vintage was much more presentable lacking the diminution of the fruit in the older vintage, a surprising difference considering only five years separation, and the much heralded reputation of the '97.

This showed similarly to my previous tasting notes for this label from six years earlier when I wrote: "Dark garnet color, full bodied, bright cinnamon spice, raspberry, hint of cedar and mocha on a big, long silky smooth tannin finish."

The only difference (from my earlier 93 point rating) might be the reduction of a couple points for slightly expressive and less vibrant fruits, but still exceptional and impressive at 91 points.

https://www.cellartracker.com/wine.asp?iWine=19187

http://www.deldottovineyards.com/

Del Dotto Napa Valley Cabernet Franc 1997

Del Dotto Napa Valley Cabernet Franc 1997

Dining at Angeli's Italian, our favorite neighborhood trattoria, we took a BYOB Del Dotto Napa Valley Cabernet Franc 1997 which went perfectly with their Portabella Mushroom Ravioli and its marsala wine cream sauce. Tonight they had a special beet salad and their spectacular customary Boston clam chowder.

Del Dotto were a featured producer from several of our wine producer dinners during that era. Today, the magnificent Del Dotto winey and cave facility on the edge of the Rutherford appellation at the south entry to St Helena is one of the highlights of visits to Napa Valley.

We have but a few remaining bottles of our case of the Del Dotto Cab Franc from the limited release of 240 cases produced.  I recall taking this to a holiday party back in the day and it was the highlight of the evening. At this stage, this is showing its age and reaching the last chapter of its drinking window.

The Del Dotto was dark garnet colored, starting to show a slight bit of a rust hue and haziness from its age, medium to full bodied, a bit tart cherry and black raspberry on opening, giving way to a layer of sweet berry turning to leather, tobacco leaf and damp earth on the slightly musty finish. As cited in tasting notes last year, time to drink up.

RM 86 points.

https://www.cellartracker.com/wine.asp?iWine=35491

http://www.deldottovineyards.com/  

Viader 'V' 2002 Proprietary Napa Red Blend

Viader 'V' 2002 Proprietary Napa Valley Red Blend for gala family dinner

With son Alec visiting home from NYC with g-friend Viviana to run the Naperville 1/2 Marathon on her birthday weekend, it seemed only fitting we pull out a bottle of 'V' for our gala family dinner celebration. This might be considered the flagship label of Viader. The 'V' has a double significance - it stands not only for Viader, but it also represents Petit Verdot, the core varietal in this Bordeaux blend. We featured this wine BYOB from a Magnum with our dinner at Angeli's Italian, our favorite neighborhood trattoria.

We discovered this limited release wine during our visit to the Viader Estate on lower Howell Mountain back in 2008. 

The “V” label is an exclusive Viader blend of Petit Verdot, to showcase the unique character of the the Petit Verdot varietal.  The fruit is sourced from a small three quarter acre vineyard plot in the northeast corner of the Viader Estate where the ground is particularly rocky resulting in especially small yields rendering highly concentrated fruit. Petit Verdot typically represents a miniscule percentage of a Bordeaux blend. It is included for its dark color and firm backbone to complement the other varietals, Cabernet Sauvignon, Merlot, and or Cabernet Franc. 
 


Viader 'V' Napa Valley Red Blend 2002

The blend for the 2002 release was 72% Petit Verdot, 25% Cabernet Sauvignon, and 3% Cabernet Franc, almost upside down from a 'normal' Bordeaux blend.


This was dark garnet colored, medium-full bodied, bursting with bright vibrant black raspberry, ripe plum and currant fruits, accented by a layer of mocha, hints of leather and earth on a tangy bright silky smooth but firm tannin lingering finish.

RM 93 points.

https://www.cellartracker.com/wine.asp?iWine=70507

http://www.viader.com/ 

Del Dotto Vineyards Napa Valley Giovannis Tuscan Reserve 1997

Del Dotto Vineyards Napa Valley Giovannis Tuscan Reserve 1997

Our exploration of the 1997 Napa Valley vintage continues. We followed the horizontal flight of 1997 Napa Cabernets at the gala New Year's Eve dinner, with a '97 Napa Valley Cabernet Franc we tasted last evening with artisan cheeses and fresh fruit, and roast beef for a casual dinner. So when we went out to dine at Angeli's Italian, our favorite local trattoria, we took BYOB this Del Dotto Vineyards Napa Valley Giovannis Tuscan Reserve from the same vintage.

I've written in these pages often that we don't collect Italian wines in our cellar. The need to focus on a finite number of varietals and regions to develop knowledge and remain current, coupled with the realities of budget and space dictate setting some limits. So, while we don't keep a collection of Italian varietals and labels, this Napa Valley blend based on the Italian varietal Sangiovese is our placeholder and selection when we go out for Italian dining. We've tasted this label at this restaurant numerous times - a good pairing with several menu selections including tonight's Portabella Mushroom Ravioli in brown sauce. 

For another festive Holiday dinner, last month, we did a tasting of several aged Napa Cabernets (shown left) that included a Sangiovese as part of the horizontal comparison (tasting of several wines from the same vintage). The Sangiovese stood out and was a surprise of the tasting with it ending up being the biggest and firmest wine of the evening. So, I was interested to do this comparison against the recent flights of Cabernets from the same vintage. 

I've written often that one of the joy's we get from our cellar is being able to conduct comparison tastings such as this, multiple wines from the same vintage (a horizontal tasting) or the same wine across a range of vintages (a vertical tasting). Another joy is tasting the same wine over time to see how it evolves. To effectively track this requires tasting notes, hence this vehicle to record and track my tasting experiences. I keep a comprehensive log of all my tasting notes which is linked here and above.

Del Dotto Vineyards Napa Valley Giovannis Tuscan Reserve 1997

This is one of the last bottles of a case we obtained on release back in the late nineties. 

Just last quarter we tasted this wine when I wrote:

Consistent with earlier tasting notes ... medium bodied - dark blackish ruby color starting to take on a slightly brownish rust color at the rim; aromatics of black berry and woody cedar with a tone of creosote/tar and a slight earthy funkiness showing its age, eventually giving way to slightly tart black cherry fruit with tones of leather and hints of anise and spice turning to moderate silky tannins on a lingering finish of soft oak.

Like the '97 Napa Cab Franc tasted the other night, this too is showing its age and is clearly in the last chapter of its life, still showing fruit and a shadow of it true character, but it is time to drink up.

RM 87 points.

https://www.cellartracker.com/wine.asp?iWine=35492

Rick, Linda and Dave Del Dotto - a long time ago

As written often in these pages, Del Dotto are one of our favorite producers whom we've featured several times at our wine producer dinners and have visited them at their various Napa Valley locations over the years. Del Dotto events and winery visits have been the highlight of many of our Napa Experiences and should be on one's shortlist for a Napa Valley trip. 

The Del Dotto Winery and Tasting Cave facility is on Highway 29 at Zinfandel Lane on the south end of St Helena on the edge of the Rutherford Appellation. 

www.deldottovineyards.com

Del Dotto Giovannis Tuscan Reserve Angelis Italian

Del Dotto Giovanni's Tuscan Reserve 1997 BYOB at Angeli's Italian

For a holiday weekend Sunday night late dinner at Angeli's Italian, our local neighborhood trattoria, we took this 'Cal-Ital' 'Tuscan Reserve' from Del Dotto Vineyards BYOB. At eighteen years of age, this Napa Valley Blend is showing its age but still holding its own for pleasurable drinking matched with food.

Readers of this blog know we don't collect or drink very many Italian wines. This 'Cal-Ital' (California wine based on Sangiovese, a Italian varietal grape) is one our staples in the cellar for taking to our local Italian diner for Italian eating. It was a nice complement to Linda's bruschetta and my Veal Pesto special, and the chocolate and seasalt caramel gelato after dinner.

Del Dotto Giovanni's Tuscan Reserve 1997

Named for Dave and Yolanda Del Dotto's #1 son, Giovanni,  this is a limited release blend of Sangiovese, and lesser amounts of Cabernet Sauvignon and Merlot.

This is one of the last bottles of a case we obtained on release back in the late nineties. Consistent with earlier tasting notes ... medium bodied - dark blackish ruby color starting to take on a slightly brownish rust color at the rim; aromatics of black berry and woody cedar with a tone of creosote/tar and a slight earthy funkiness showing its age, eventually giving way to slightly tart black cherry fruit with tones of leather and hints of dark chocolate and spice turning to moderate silky tannins on a pleasant lingering finish of soft oak.

RM 88 points.

https://www.cellartracker.com/wine.asp?iWine=35492

http://www.deldottovineyards.com/

http://www.angeliscatering.com/

Neiman Cellars Red Wine Caldwell Vineyard 1999

Neiman Cellars Red Wine Caldwell Vineyard 1999

For an impromptu mid-week dinner w/ L at our neighborhood trattoria, Angeli's Italian, we took this BYOB selection from the cellar. This is the sixth vintage of this label we've tried and the oldest at time of drinking, and our first taste of this vintage. Hence, the advanced age may be a determinant of its tasting profile as much as the vintage characteristics. I sense this is at its apex but nearing the end of its prime drinking window. It was a great accompaniment to Angeli's hearty Pasta and Peas with Vodka Cream Sauce.

Only 130 cases were produced of this vintage release. This was not as complex, smooth or polished as the last bottle we had in late spring which was from the 2004 vintage.

Dark blackish garnet colored, full bodied, thick chewy concentrated complex super ripe black and blue berry fruits predominate with tones of cassis, leather and smoky oak. Bright acidity with full textured mouthfeel tannins on the lingering tangy finish.

RM 90 points.

https://www.cellartracker.com/wine.asp?iWine=48712

www.angeliscatering.com 

Diverse Big Reds for Angelis Italian Dinner

Diverse Big Reds for Angelis Italian Dinner

For a wine dine get together with two wine buddy friends Don K and TRR, we took some special bottles BYOB to our regular meeting place for such occasions, Angeli's Italian, our favorite neighborhood trattoria. Don came by to pick up fifty bottles of wine I had acquired for his cellar as part of my consolidated buying for myself and my wine buddies. We learned our lesson and started this practice years ago to avoid bidding against each other for the same wines at auction! Also it allows us to pool our resources for greater buying influence/power, and to spread the spoils of allocated wines. Don brought a Wallis Family Estate Napa Diamond Mtn Cab while Tom brought a classic Tignanello 1999. Both wines were perfect accompaniments to the Italian Sausage and Peppers starter and the hearty pasta dishes.

Wallis Family Estate Napa Valley Diamond Mountain Cabernet Sauvignon 2010

An interesting discovery by Don, this boutique producer label is
crafted by legendary winemaker Thomas Rivers Brown, ala TRB.
Thomas, from South Carolina, attended the University of Virginia before moving west to Napa Valley soon after graduating. He started his wine career working for Turley Wine Cellars in 1997. Today, he is winemaker for over a dozen wine brands including Schrader, Maybach, Revana, and Outpost, specializing in premium Cabernet. He has produced multiple perfect 100 point wines, notably "Old Sparky" by Schrader Cellars leading to being awarded Winemaker of the Year in 2010 by Food & Wine. 

He hooked with up Wallis starting with the 2009 vintage release. This  label is sourced from fruit their 13 acres of vineyards in Diamond Mountain District at an elevation between 600 to 800 feet. They grow Bordeaux varietals Cabernet (75%), Cab Franc and Petit Verdot.

The vineyards are part of an 85 acre property on Diamond Mountain Road in Calistoga acquired by Wallis in 1975. The property came with an old stone Castle built in 1906 by Jacques Pacheteau, which they are turning into a classic stylish tasting room, and a Barn built in the late 1800’s designed by W.H. Corlett. Fruit from the vineyards planted in 1997 was initially sold to David Ramey of Ramey Wine Cellars from 2001-2003, and then to Chris Carpenter of Lokoya Winery from 2004-2005. From 2006, Wallis has produced wine for themselves under their own label. Wallis Family Estate currently produce their wines at Thomas' new winery venture at Mending Wall Winery on Silverado Trail in St. Helena.


Dark blackish garnet colored, medium-full bodied, slightly lean moderate black cherry and berry fruits accented by a layer of tar, smoke and spice. Somewhat closed and tight on opening it opened after an hour and much moreso the next evening to aromatic floral and incense, ending in powerful, intense, acid laced tannins on the finish.

RM 89 points.

https://www.cellartracker.com/wine.asp?iWine=1413534

http://www.wallisestate.com/

Antinori Tignanello Toscana IGT 1999

We've shared this wine with TRR a couple times over the years. Classic SuperTuscan Blend hitting its stride in its fifteenth year, perhaps at the apex of its tasting window. Consistent with my notes from earlier tastings.

Deep Ruby colored, medium-full bodied, forward bright vibrant mouthful of black cherry predominates with notes of currant, spice, and hints of tobacco and leather on a lingering silky tannin finish.




RM 91 points.

https://www.cellartracker.com/wine.asp?iWine=96168

Hazyblur Baroota South Australia Shiraz 2002

Hazyblur Baroota South Australia Shiraz 2002

Following yesterday's tasting of Hazyblur Adelaide Plains South Australia Shiraz 2002, and the realization it is time to drink these '02's, we pulled this other last remaining bottle to take BYOB to Angeli's Italian, our favorite neighborhood trattoria. As written before, we're dining there less often since they raised their prices and started charging a $20 corkage fee which we feel is a too high. This is the same fee we paid at Flemings Prime Steakhouse in Chicago recently, for vastly superior wine service - the difference akin to a prop vs a jet.

This is the last vintage that showed the old label packaging/branding (shown below), before switching in 2003 to the new branding with the larger more modernistic stylish larger graphic label scheme - gold for Baroota and McLaren Vale, green for Kangaroo Island, as shown in photo (left) from our New Year's eve horizontal tasting in 2009.

As with the 2002 yesterday, its time to drink as this label too has entered the last phase of its drinking window, with the fruit taking on a more ripe raisiny character and the berry and plum flavors starting to give way to non fruit tones of leather, wood and smoke or tar.

Taking into account the slight diminution of the fruits as described above, tonight this showed consistency with our last tasting which was in 2009. Full bodied, super ripe plum, blackberry and currants with hints of and hint of cedar, leather and licorice on the full firm lingering finish. Still this showed better than the Adelaide Plains from the same vintage last evening.

RM 89 points. 

https://www.cellartracker.com/wine.asp?iWine=25284

Azelia San Rocco Barolo 2001

Azelia di Luigi Scavino San Rocco Barolo (Nebbiolo) 2001

Readers of this blog know we don't do a lot of Italian wines. Less than 1% of our cellar is in Italian labels. There are so many appellations and varietals and producers across all the regions, I advise folks to find one you like and focus on a few to develop knowledge and understanding of that area, and then move on. We focus on Bordeaux and Bordeaux varietals (Cabernet Sauvignon, Merlot, Cabernet Franc, Petit Verdot...) and Rhone and its varietals (which includes Syrah/Shiraz and thus includes Australia's popular varietal).

I admit, I am not well versed in Italian wine regions and their associated grape varietals. I've written before that in the 'new world', we name or label our wines based on the primary grape varietal in the bottle. In the 'old world', they, (the French, Italians, Germans), name the wine for the region or appellation, and its up to the consumer to understand the applicable wine grape varietal associated with that area. For example, Left Bank Bordeaux appellations (growing areas) such as St Julien and Paulliac are Cabernet Sauvignon based blends, while Right Bank Bordeaux such as St Emilion and Pomerol are Merlot based blends.

In this case of Italy and Barolo, the wines are based on the Nebbiolo grape varietal.  Perhaps this is obvious, but the neophyte, or even learned wine geeks who don't know Italian wines, don't necessarily know the association of Sangiovese or Nebbiolo varietals and their regions and appellations, Barolo, Piedmont, Tuscany etc.

Skip ahead if this is known and basic, or bear with me if you're interested in learning these fundamentals of Barolo which is a Denominazione di Origine Controllata e Garantita (DOCG) (aka appellation in France or AVA (American (Agriculture) Viticultural Area) in America) in the northern Italian region of Piedmont. Barolos are red wines made primarily from the Nebbiolo grape varietal. Within the Piedmont Barolo DOCG are the communes of Barolo, (in this case) Castiglione Falletto and Serralunga d'Alba, and parts of the communes of Cherasco, Diano d'Alba, Grinzane Cavour, La Morra, Monforte d'Alba, Novello, Roddi and Verduno. These sub-appellations as they might be called in America, are mentioned on the label, but are secondary to the region name. To many, me included, this adds to the confusion of interpreting or parsing an Italian wine label.

Barolo wines tend to be bold, full bodied, tannic, firm, concentrated and long lived with tasting characteristics of black fruits, tar, rose petals and smoke.
 
Readers of this blog will also know that we dine regularly at Angeli's Italian, our local trattoria, and when we do, we're limited in our Italian focused BYOB selections if we want to stay true to the native food wine pairing.

Tonight, for a casual mid-week dinner, I pulled this bottle from our limited Italian selection in the cellar with little foresight or understanding on what to expect in this fourteen year old. Wow, what a nice surprise. This Barolo was a blockbuster, a perfect accompaniment to our entree selections, Portabella Mushroom Ravioli with ricotta cheese, sauteed in marsala wine cream sauce, and the daily special, Asparagus Ravioli.

Dark garnet colored, full bodied, expressive complex concentrated but nicely integrated fruits of blackberry and black currant fruits highlighted by tones of tar, anise and smoke, and subdued earth and tobacco leaf notes, turning to firm but smooth polished tannins on the lingering tongue puckering finish.

I will look forward to exploring and adding more Barolo including this label to our wine acquisitions and selections in the future.

RM 92 points.

https://www.cellartracker.com/wine.asp?iWine=101319

http://www.azelia.it/it/

Venge Napa Valley Penny Lane Family Reserve Sangiovese 2000

Venge Vineyards, Oakville, Napa Valley, Penny Lane Vineyard Family Reserve Sangiovese 2000

AJ and I with Nil's Venge tasting this wine
at Tra Vigne in St Helena

I've written often in this blog about our fondness for Venge Family Reserve wines and Nil Venge's pioneering with Sangiovese varietal wines in Napa Valley. We don't hold much Sangiovese that isn't the artwork of Venge, whether it be under his label, Del Dotto, or some of the other boutique Napa labels that he crafted as consulting winemaker.

I wrote just last week here in this blog in a review of another Venge label that Nil's has turned over the reigns of the family vineyards and winemaking business to son Kirk. Despite the fact our Cellartracker record shows we're out of this vintage, yet still holding two other vintages, this bottle is the second to last bottle we found in the cellar from that which we tasted and acquired during our Napa Wine Experience 2002 - Venge Vineyards, Rossini Ranch winery visit back in 2002. 

This is the last of the Venge brand Sangioveses that have been the mainstay of many BYOB wine dinners where we've taken bottles to Angeli's Italian, our favorite neighborhood trattoria over the last several years. As always, this was a perfect complement to Angeli's fabulous signature pasta and peas with Italian sausage in vodka cream sauce, and eggplant parmigiana.

Unlike the last tasting notes of this wine, fifteen months ago, where it was written to be showing its age, tonight this fifteen year old was at the peak of its drinking window and showed absolutely no diminution from aging. Polished and smooth for a Sangiovese, the 2000 is dark inky garnet color, medium bodied, balanced, with flavorful predominant ripe black cherry and blackberry fruit flavors at its core highlighted, by a layer of herb and anise notes and touch of leather and tobacco. It has a flavorful lush long smooth polished finish.

RM 91 points.

https://www.cellartracker.com/wine.asp?iWine=17566

http://www.vengevineyards.com/


 

Del Dotto Gio Tuscan Reserve - Spring Valley Uriah Highlight Angeli's Italian Dinner

Del Dotto Gio Tuscan Reserve - Spring Valley Uriah Highlight Angeli's Italian Dinner

For a Saturday evening dinner outing with Gary and Laurie M. at Angeli's Italian, our favorite neighborhood trattoria, we took two mature vintage reds BYOB from the cellar - 1997 Del Dotto Giovanni's Tuscan Reserve and 2003 Spring Valley Vineyard Uriah red wine. As usual the carefully prepared with fresh ingredients and homemade pasta was great featuring seasonal favorites Pasta and Peas with Italian Sausage in Vodka Cream Sauce, Clam Chowder and Angelis Special Salad. Angelis has raised their  corkage fee to $20 which we feel is too high and will detract from and reduce the frequency of the dining experience.

Del Dotto Napa Valley Giovanni's Tuscan Reserve 1997

We don't collect Italian wines and they represent perhaps a mere 1% of our cellar. This Sangiovese based blend is the closest we come to an Italian accompaniment so it is a lead wine we take to Italian dinners. I have written often in this bog about Del Dotto pioneering efforts with Sangiovese in Napa Valley and this wine.

These is the second to last bottle from a case of this vintage. Initially, upon opening this was consistent with earlier tasting notes ... medium bodied - ruby color starting to take on a slightly brownish rust color at the rim; aromatics of black berry and woody cedar and a slight earthy funkiness showing its age, eventually giving way to slightly tart black cherry fruit with tones of leather, anise and spice turning to moderate silky tannins on a pleasant lingering finish of soft oak. We saved a third of the bottle and the next evening the tangy dark fruits were accented by cedar and floral tones with a smokey oak tannin on the finish.

RM 88 points.

https://www.cellartracker.com/wine.asp?iWine=148343

 

Spring Valley Vineyard Walla Walla Valley Uriah Red Wine 2003

This is the oldest of ten vintages we hold of this wine and is the last bottle from this year. This is a Merlot based Bordeaux blend. At fourteen years its likely at the apex of its tasting window/curve.

Dark garnet colored, medium to full bodied, bright vibrant flavors of black berry, cherry and currants with tones of tea and cigar box turning to mild tannins and  lively acidity on the long, silky, finish.

RM 90 points.

https://www.cellartracker.com/wine.asp?iWine=148343

Kilikanoon Testament Barossa Shiraz 2004

Kilikanoon Testament Shiraz 2004

On a cold blustery snowy Chicago winter evening, we ventured out to Angelis, our local neighborhood Trattoria for a hearty wine and dine meal. We took this Kilikanoon Testament Shiraz, BYOB which turned out to be a perfect complement to both our entree selections - Linda's Butternut Squash Gnochi (think brown sugar - to which she has them add spinach), and my Pasta and Peas with Italian Sausage in Vodka Cream Sauce - a winter favorite (see below).

For a starter, we had Angeli's extraordinary clam chowder which is the best anywhere with its thick, chewy smoky bacon undertones.

Kilikanoon Testament Barossa Valley Shiraz 2004

Perhaps it was the warm ambiance and the food pairing, or the dozen years of age added to this wine, but tonight, while consistent with earlier tasting notes, it was even more delicious and tasty than I remember. This typifies everything we love in a hearty Shiraz with its rich, concentrated, complex succulent fruit flavors.

Dark inky purple colored, full bodied, the blackberry, blueberry and black cherry fruits are accented by a layer of creosote expresso with tones of cigar box and cedar with hints of mocha, black pepper and anise on the lingering chewy tannin finish.

Upon opening and for the first hour, the non-fruit tones detract a bit from the polish and finesse of the wine in my opinion hence it is perhaps best consumed with hearty food, dark chocolate or full cheese. The next day this was balanced, nicely polished and harmonious.

RM 92 points. 

https://www.cellartracker.com/wine.asp?iWine=292243 


http://www.kilikanoon.com.au/

Angeli's Pasta and Peas
with Italian Sausage in Vodka Cream Sauce

Angeli's decadent Butternut Squash Gnochi
(with some spinach added)

Del Dotto Giovani's Tuscan Reserve Napa Valley Sangiovese Blend 1997

Del Dotto Giovani's Tuscan Reserve Napa Valley Sangiovese Blend 1997

Excerpts repeated from earlier blog postings - People often ask me how one learns about tasting wines with all its variations, and I jokingly reply, practice, practice, practice (See my Wine Tasting 101). More seriously, perhaps I should say focus, focus, focus. Since most folks, like us, have limited resources, time, money, and opportunities to taste wines, focusing on one country, region or even varietal will help develop a vocabulary and familiarity with a particular wine type, style, region, varietal and even vintage. Learn one, then a couple, then expand.

Readers of this blog know we collect and favor Bordeaux varietals (Cabernet Sauvignon, Merlot, Cabernet Franc, and Petit Verdot) from the US and France, and to a lesser degree Shiraz. That said, we do not collect or focus on Italian varietals or producers. We find it a particularly challenging endeavor with the myriad or varietals, regions and producers. Our Italian collection is extremely limited, so when we visited our favorite neighborhood Italian Trattoria, Angelis Italian, for a casual dinner, we pulled from the cellar this Sangiovese (Italian varietal) blend from California Napa Valley.

We have about a decade of vintages in our vertical collection of this label and we're starting to wind down those from the nineties, including this 1997, a much heralded vintage that was supposed to be long-lived.

I've written about Nils Venge and Del Dotto and their venturing into the Italian Sangiovese varietal in Napa Valley. Del Dotto, working with then winemaker, legendary Nils Venge were one of the first producers to experiment with Sangiovese in Napa Valley. Indeed, their first plantings were at the Estate along the Highway 29 at Zinfandel Lane just south of the town of St Helena. Today, Del Dotto have a magnificent cellar tasting facility at that location in the heart of Napa Valley that is a must visit for those wanting an immersion tasting and tour experience.

This is a Sangiovese based blend, named after Giovanni Del Dotto, son of the Del Dottos. David and Yolanda Del Dotto were featured producers at several of our winemaker dinners at our Napa Valley Wine Experiences during the mid to late nineties and after the millenium,  including those in 1998, 1999, 2002 and 2003. Del Dotto was one of the Up and Coming Napa Producers featured back in "The Undiscovered Dozen" 1994 Wine Spectator article. We discovered them then and started collecting their flagship Napa Cabernet and eventually adding this Tuscan Reserve and their Cabernet Franc. Del Dotto remain one of our favorite Napa producers whose wines from their early days continue to impress with their longevity and endurance. We still collect and hold a vertical of Del Dotto Cabernets going back to their 1992 inaugural vintage.

I remember first discovering this wine and buying it at the Wine Stop wine shop in Burlingame near SFO back in the mid-nineties, and then obtaining more from the producer over the years. I recall the early releases of this label came in 500ml bottles rather than normal 750's.

Consistent with earlier tasting notes ... but showing its age further, medium body, but the bright ruby color is starting to take on a tinge of rust brown on the rim as it starts to reach the end of its aging drinking window - aromatics of black berry and woody cedar, slight earthiness starting to show age but a couple years life left - slightly tart black cherry fruit with tones of anise and spice turning to moderate silky tannins on a pleasant lingering finish.

RM 88 points.

https://www.cellartracker.com/wine.asp?iWine=35492

http://www.deldottovineyards.com/

Mr. Riggs McLaren Vale vs 90+ Cellars Lot 101 Shiraz

Mr. Riggs McLaren Vale Shiraz 2003 

Ironically, just like tonight, we last tasted a 2004 vintage of this wine BYOB at Angeli's Restaurant, our favorite neighborhood trattoria, which was also just like our earlier tasting of the 2002 vintage of this same wine, and an additional Shiraz, with L and  same friends Gayle and Mark B at the same restaurant.

This was strikingly similar to earlier tasting notes of the 2002 release. In early 2009 I wrote about the '02, "Ink color, immense, intense full bodied fruit forward - almost over ripe rich thick extracted fruit, almost Amarone like. Black berry, raisiny black cherry, graphite, black licorice. The Mr Riggs needs a big accompaniment to offset its ripe full forward fruit - perhaps dark chocolate or an English stilton!" I stand on those words, however, five years later, the black berry fruits are giving way a bit showing their age and becoming a slight bit flabby.

Like the earlier vintages, this release also comes in the overweight thick glass bottle packaging. 

Back in 2009, I gave the earlier vintage 91 points. Tonight, five years later I give the '03 88 points.


https://www.cellartracker.com/wine.asp?iWine=58629

Ninety Plus Cellars Lot 101 Syrah 2009

Like the earlier tasting, we brought another Shiraz that presented a contrast in styles and regions, and age, of the same varietal. Tonight, we brought a 2009 vintage Shiraz from Columbia Valley, Washington. I've raved about this wine several times in this blog and tonight, like before, it didn't disappoint. I've stated that this may be one of our favorite drinking wines in our cellar right now, certainly at this price point!

Compared to the forward, obtuse Mr Riggs, the Lot 101 Shiraz came across as smooth, polished and elegant.

Dark inky garnet colored, medium to full bodied, this full throttle Syrah reveals layers of blackberry and black currants fruits with tones of sweet vanilla, caramel and spice with hints of black pepper on a lingering smooth silky tannin finish.

RM 92 points.

https://www.cellartracker.com/wine.asp?iWine=1742790

http://www.ninetypluscellars.com/wines/lot-101-collectors-series-syrah

Constant Cab Franc and Eileen Hardy Shiraz

Constant Cabernet Franc and Eileen Hardy Shiraz

Friday night dinner at Angelis, our favorite neighborhood trattoria featured two BYOB selections from our cellars. Bill and Beth brought a Constant Diamond Mountain Cabernet Franc and I brought a Eileen Hardy Shiraz. A contrast in styles and states of two upscale labels at two stages of their aging window.

The four of us with J&B and Freddie Constant

While different in style, both wines complemented perfectly my pasta with hearty bolognese sauce and italian sausage. 

We visited the spectacular picturesque Constant Vineyards estate high atop Diamond Mountain during our Diamond Mountain Appellation Napa Valley Wine Experience in 2011.

Sadly, Freddie Constant passed away earlier this year so we toasted a tribute to the colorful memorable producer.

Constant Diamond Mountain Estate Vineyards

The Constant estate sits at the peak of Diamond Mountain in the Mayacamas Range that separates Napa and Sonoma Valleys. Constant is the highest and perhaps oldest winery in the region and is the only vineyard that spans both Napa and Sonoma faces.

The Diamond Mountain District appellation, one of the smaller Napa wine districts, sits just south of and above the town of Calistoga in the northwest corner of Napa Valley. The sun drenched slopes with their rocky terrain and volcanic soil produce rich concentrated Bordeaux varietal fruit and are home to some of the most notable and prestigious labels including the namesake label Diamond Mountain vineyards. Our afternoon on the mountaintop retreat was one of the more memorable settings from our many Napa Valley trips.

Constant Diamond Mountain Winery Diamond Mountain District Estate Cabernet Franc 2007

Bright dark ruby/purple colored, medium to full bodied, this was bright vibrant full forward black berry and currant fruit with a bold punch of sweet almost cinnamon spice accented by tones of mocha chocolate, soft sweet oak with dusty lush pleasing tongue coating lingering tannins.

RM 93 points. 

Bill's notes from Cellartacker - "Deep purple color. Light nose of fig and light floral aromas belie a wonderfully flavored Cab Franc. Opens with a bit of sweetness on the front palate, cocoa on the mid palate, silky tannins and a long lingering finish highlighted by cassis and a touch of oak. A wonderful accompaniment to smoky, bacon infused chowder and prosciutto wrapped, stuffed chicken breast in a sweet and spicy pepper sauce.

WCC 92 points.

https://www.cellartracker.com/wine.asp?iWine=694548

http://www.constantwine.com/


Hardys "Eileen Hardy" McLaren Vale-Padthaway-Clare South Australia Shiraz 1999


This is literally the signature wine of the legendary historic Hardy brand, bearing the mark of Eileen Hardy, the matriarch of the house of Hardy. The best shiraz from each vintage is released under the Eileen Hardy label.

Hardy have been producing wine in the region since Thomas Hardy purchased the Tintara vineyards and winery in McLaren Vale back in the 1870's. Thomas Hardy wines were the first Australian wines to be awarded prestigious Gold medals at the International Wine Shows in Bordeaux in 1882 and in Paris in 1889.

Tom Mayfield Hardy, Thomas Hardy’s grandson, continued the family business in the footsteps of his father and grandfather. When he was tragically killed in a plane crash, his wife, Eileen Hardy, and his cousin, Kenneth Hardy, took over the business. Thomas Walter Hardy, Tom and Eileen Hardy’s eldest son, becomes the fourth generation of the Hardy family to enter the family business. 

To celebrate the 80th birthday of the iconic matriarch, Eileen Hardy, her children created this Eileen Hardy Shiraz label as its flagship shiraz containing the best from each vintage.

I don't know if it was the contrast in style, indication of the vintage, or just a closed period in the aging of this wine, but the Hardy's Eileen Hardy Shiraz was overshadowed by the bold bright vibrant Constant Cab Franc. The metaphor I often use to describe such a contrast is one is a foot wide and four inches deep (Hardy), while the other (Constant) is four inches wide and a foot deep!

The Hardy came across more like a Cabernet than a Shiraz, with its firm complexity, while the Constant was true to the profile of Cabernet Franc, spicy, and bold, showing why it is used as a blending wine to brighten and accent the Bordeaux Blend. At this stage, tonight, this vintage didn't live up to the hype of the label.

Dark garnet colored and medium bodied, the 1999 Hardy showed complex black cherry and black berry fruits accented by spice, earthy leather with hints of tar, cedar, anise and oak with fine grained subtle tannins on the finish.

RM 89 points.

https://www.cellartracker.com/wine.asp?iWine=12189

http://hardyswines.com/us/

Sterling Three Palms Merlot with Rib-eye Steak

Sterling Vineyards 'Three Palms' Merlot Compliments Rib-eye Steak 

The fifteen year old single vineyard designated Napa Merlot I took BYOB to dinner at Angeli's Italian, our favorite neighborhood trattoria, was the perfect pairing with the dinner special, boneless rib-eye in a red wine reduction with rosemary sauce with roasted red potatoes and steamed asparagus. Linda had the other dinner special, sea scallops.

Sterling Vineyards was one of the first large commercial wineries in Napa Valley, formed in 1964. We visited Sterling Winery, up in north Napa Valley on the main trail just south of Calistoga, with its amusement park aerial tram that takes visitors up to the visitors center, on our first trip to Napa Valley back in the early eighties.

We're big fans of Napa Valley Cabernet Sauvignon, our favorite wine, but we have always associated Sterling with the other Bordeaux varietal, Merlot.

Sterling released the first vintage dated Merlot and Cabernet Sauvignon Bordeaux varietals in 1969. Previously, Merlot was primarily considered a blending wine. The first Three Palms Vineyard single vineyard designated select Merlot was released in 1985.

At fifteen years of age, this was still vibrant and expressive, most likely at the apex of its drinking window, but certainly not likely to improve from further aging.

Dark garnet colored, full bodied, complex but well balanced, intense firm core of plum and black cherry, with tones of toasty oak and spice, hints of cedar and vanilla yielding to firm tannins on the tangy spicy finish.

RM 89 points.

https://www.cellartracker.com/wine.asp?iWine=72207

http://www.sterlingvineyards.com

http://www.angeliscatering.com/

Mr Riggs McLaren Vale Shiraz 2004

Mr Riggs McLaren Vale Shiraz 2004

For a relaxing dinner on the patio at our favorite neighborhood trattoria, Angelis Italian, we took this aged Mr Riggs McLaren Vale Shiraz, BYOB from the cellar. The large heavy oversize bottle packaging hints at what is to come.

This wine typifies everything we love in a Aussie Shiraz - big, thick, chewy, sweet forward fruits - a perfect compliment to the Italian pasta and soup with red meat, tomato and ricotta cheese. It was sinfully good with the caramel and sea salt gelato. I can't wait to finish the remaining partial bottle tonight with some hearty cheese. I'm already mourning the fact we only have a few bottles of this left in the cellar. I pushed the CT (Cellartracker) drinking window out a couple more years too.

Dark inky garnet colored, full bodied, rich, concentrated, complex, full forward sweet black and blue berry fruits, accented by a layer of mineral and tones of sweet caramel, cassis and graphite on a lingering tongue coating full tannin finish.

RM 93 points.

https://www.cellartracker.com/wine.asp?iWine=128274

Vintage Napa Reds vs Bold Barolo

Vintage Napa Reds vs Bold Barolo

For a spontaneous dinner on the patio at our neighborhood trattoria Angeli's Italian with friends Bill and Beth, I took BYOB two vintage 1996 Napa reds - Paradigm Oakville Cabernet and Liparita Howell Mountain Merlot. Bill brought a bruising Barolo that showed its muscle as a complement to the Italian sausage and pasta. This was an interesting contrast in new world and old world varietals as well as a nine year old vs eighteen year olds that one might think are nearing the end of their years.

We still hold almost a case of Paradigm Cabernet from several mid-nineties vintages so I am tracking their aging and drinkability with interest.

We visited Paradigm during our Napa Wine Experience back in 1999. I recall tasting the Liparita from barrel at the Oakville custom crush facility with then winemkaer Gove Celia during our Napa visit back in 1998. Both of these wines are showing their age, probably beyond their apex, or any chance for improvement, but still within their drinking window. Both show some diminution of fruit, giving way to non-fruit charcoal and earth tones. Yet, each revealed some of its native fruit character at some point during the evening.


Liparita Napa Valley Howell Mountain Merlot 1996

We know that to bear the Howell Mountain appellation that the fruit for this wine had to be sourced from vineyards above 1200 foot elevation, the level of the normal fog line. I don't recall, or perhaps never knew the source. This '96 surprisingly showed bright and vibrant red berry fruit after being open for about an hour.  As written in this blog, we tasted this wine from a magnum from our cellar last year and those notes indicated more stable and complexity in the fruit - another indicator of the enhanced aging of wine in a larger format bottle such as a magnum.

Notes from magnum tasting - Dark garnet colored - medium-full bodied - black cherry, black berry fruits still holding for this seventeen year old - perhaps aided by larger format magnum, tones of cedar, spicy oak, subtle leather and earth - moderate smooth well integrated tannins on a lingering finish. $66 at Dean & Deluca in Napa (upon release)

(Then) RM 89 points. Tonight this wine rated 88 points due to the slight diminution of fruit as noted above.

http://www.cellartracker.com/wine.asp?iWine=219362

The current Liparita label is under different ownership from the label around the milenium. 

Paradigm Napa Valley Oakville Cabernet Sauvignon 1996

Despite having a case of this wine in various vintages from this era, my only record of tasting this wine was during our Napa visit back in 1999. This was our last bottle from 1996, the remaining bottles are from 1994, 1995, and 2001-02. Ren & Marilyn Harris have owned the property since the eighties, producing wine under the Paradigm label since 1991. Today the winemaker for Paradigm is the legendary Heidi Barrett.

I opened, decanted and then rebottled and recorked this wine an hour before setting out for the restaurant. Upon decanting it released huge aroma's of berry fruits and some floral. After opening for serving the fruit was a bit muted for almost an hour before revealing black berry, black cherry and hints of sweet black raspberry, giving way to a layer of charcoal, anise and spice. Tannins were moderate on the lingering finish. This wine is still showing okay but should be consumed over the next few years.

RM 88 points.

https://www.cellartracker.com/wine.asp?iWine=5876

http://www.paradigmwinery.com


Franco Molino Barolo Villero Riserva Nebbiolo 2005

From a country with a mind-boggling 600 different grape varietals, one of the better known and more popular is Nebbiolo which produces lightly-colored red wines which can be highly tannic in youth with scents of tar and roses, that soften and become more approachable with some age. Nebbiolo grapes are characteristically found in red wines from the Barolo DOCG (Denominazione di Origine Controllata e Garantita) or appellation in the northern Italian region of Piedmont.

Bill's tasting notes from Cellartracker - "Big, bold and fruit forward. Took some time (about an hour) for the "heat" to blow off but when it did we were left with a nicely balanced Italian with notes of raspberry, cherry and a bit of pepper. Finish was medium in duration. Really delicious with a spicy sausage, pasta dish. An interesting comparison side by side with a pair of '96 Napa wines."

WCC 88 points. 

Bright dark ruby colored, full bodied, moderately complex, concentrated flavorful forward red and dark berry fruits with hints of spice, creosote and leather, finishing with firm structure and a smooth polished tannin backbone.

RM 89 points. 

https://www.cellartracker.com/wine.asp?iWine=1288598