Viader Napa Proprietary Red Corley Reserve

Viader Napa Valley Proprietary Red Blend, Corley Reserve, Scount's Honor with grilled beef tenderloin for gala family celebration dinner

The entire Berganzi family came to town and gathered with clan McNees (below) to celebrate the dedication of grand-daughter Marylin, son Alec and Vivianna's baby.

Following the ceremony at Compass Church, Alec and Vivianna hosted all for a gala family dinner of grilled tenderloin beefsteak, salmon, roasted potatoes, scalloped potatoes, macaroni and cheese, and carrots. 

Alec grilled two whole beef tenderloins on the grill. Before dinner we had a selection of artisan cheeses and charcuterie followed by ceasar salad with a Champagne toast. 

We opened the wine-flight with Hill Family Estate Vineyards Napa Valley Chardonnay. 

There was so much to celebrate across the family - Marylin's dedication, Alec and Viv's second anniversary, Henry and Grace's engagement, Sean and Michelle's new home, and Johnny's birthday!

To celebrate the occasion and accompany the festive dinner, I pulled from the cellar a magnum of this Viader Napa Valley Red Blend. As I have written in these pages, this is one of the numerous "V" labels we have fun with as a tribute to our daughter-in-law, Viv. We wrote about fun with this branding in an earlier blogpost, Viader Napa Bordeaux Blend 1997.

We met proprietor winemaker Delia Viader at a tasting hosted by Binny's Chicago Lakeview back in 2005, and visited the property on lower Howell Mountain in 2008. 

Our collection of Viader spans a decade of releases dating back to the mid-nineties vintages. It was with interest to see how this vintage has held up over the years to calibrate the lifespan of the other vintages. In the style of many Viader releases, this blend of 62% Cabernet Sauvignon and 38% Cabernet Franc in the profile of a top Graves from Bordeaux.

We expanded our collection of Viader wines following our visit to the Viader winery estate on the lower reaches of Howell Mountain during our Napa Valley Howell Mountain Wine Experience 2008.  

A travelogue of photos of our visit to the Viader are shown here or a selection are featured in the follow-on blog.  

The Viader 23-acre estate sits on the lower mountain at 1200 foot elevation overlooking Napa Valley. The vineyards are planted to Cabernet Sauvignon, Cabernet Franc, Petit Verdot and Syrah. Viader is known for its Bordeaux-style blends. 

The 1200 foot elevation of the estate is significant and notable as that is the height that the fog reaches above the valley floor and hence is the point at which below is designated Napa Valley, and above it designated Howell Mountain. This climatic difference creates a distinctive terroir due to the effects of the fog on the ripening vines.  

Napa Valley view from the Viader estate

This follows our tasting last evening of another of the 'V' series of labels we enjoy with and in tribute to to Viviana, the Venge Vineyards Scout's Honor.

The 'V' is the prominent branding of the producer and winemaker Delia Viader, a remarkable and impressive lady who was born in Argentina and educated in Europe before earning graduate degrees in the U.S., a notable role model for any career minded female. Delia spent much of her formative years in Europe and in France where she earned a doctorate in Philosophy from the Sorbonne University in Paris, then pursued advanced business studies in the US at MIT, UC Berkeley and UC Davis.

Recognizing the potential Napa Valley wine industry in the 1980's, Delia acquired the Howell Mountain property and set out to create a world class wine estate, and continued studying Enology and Viticulture at University of California, Davis.  During this time she also raised her four children in the wine environment and culture.

Shown here is our meeting Delia Viader during a producer tasting evening sponsored by Binny's here in Chicago back in 2005. 

Delia Viader was a visionary pioneer in Napa Valley investing in developing a mountain estate at a time when most of the vineyard plantings were on the valley floor.

Born in Argentina, Delia Viader came to the United States after spending many years in Europe. In 1986 the love of wine Delia acquired during her time in Europe lead her to purchase a 25 acre property 1200 feet above the Napa Valley floor northeast of St. Helena on the steep, rocky slopes of Howell Mountain. During this time when 99% of Napa’s vineyards were planted on the valley floor, Delia was considered a bit crazy-headed to plant vineyards in such foreboding terroir. But it was exactly terroir that she was after.

Delia’s first release of this proprietary red blend called simply Viader, was the 1989 vintage , a blend of almost equal parts Cabernet Sauvignon and Cabernet Franc. The wine has gained an international reputation as one of the iconic wines of the Napa Valley and has become the signature wine for the winery.

 In the last few years, Delia’s children have come back to help manage and operate the business making this a true family concern. Alan Viader is Director of Operations and Winemaking, Janet Viader is Director of Marketing and Sales. Mariela Viader (married to Alan) is in charge of the Culinary Program.

Viader Napa Valley Proprietary Bordeaux Red Blend 2004

Winemaker Notes: "Since its first release in 1989, Delia Viader has made her Proprietary Blend using only the best fruit from her Howell Mountain Estate vineyards. The Viader blend of Cabernet Sauvignon and Cabernet Franc captures an ideal balance between the two varieties. The Cabernet Franc contributes to the early approachability, elegant structure and violet-like aromatics while the Cabernet Sauvignon adds complexity and character as well as providing the backbone structure for long aging potential."

"The 2004 Viader is intense, upfront, floral bouquet laced with chocolate, coffee, anise, earth and leather. Lingering, complex tannins firm up in the finish which is rounded by the powerful aromas of blackberry, blueberry and mint. Approachable now, bottle aging will further develop bouquet and complexity. Awonderfully elegant mountain beauty!"

This release was awarded 92 points by Vinous,  17.5/20 points by Jancis Robinson.

We love this blend of Napa Valley 60 percent Cabernet Sauvignon accented by the structure, grip and spice of 40 percent Cabernet Franc. At eighteen years this was wonderful, probably at the apex of its drinking window, but likely with a decade of life still left. The fill level, label and cork were all pristine. As a result, I pushed the Cellartracker drinking window for my remaining bottles of this vintage release out to 2024. I raised my earlier rating from 92 to 93 points.

Dark garnet colored, medium full bodied and firmly structured ripe black raspberry fruits with notes of coffee, mocha, leather, graphite, sweet oak and spice with firm gripping by elegantly smooth polished tannins on the long finish. 

RM 93 points. 

https://www.cellartracker.com/wine.asp?iWine=224306

https://viader.com/ 

@viader_napa

Alec followed with a big Napa Valley Cab, closing out with another Napa Valley Big Red blend from another one of our whimsical fun 'V' labels, Venge Scout's Honor Red. 

Corley Reserve Napa Valley Cabernet Sauvignon 2016

We were introduced to this wine when Alec served it at a father-brothers-sons dinner last year.  I wrote about this wine in an earlier blogpost at that time - https://unwindwine.blogspot.com/2021/05/father-son-wine-dinner.html.

This is produced by the Corley family who are long time grape growers in Napa Valley that produce a small limited amount of wine of their own label, only in extraordinary vintages. The Corley family owns and manages some of the finest vineyard properties in Napa Valley at their 80 acre Monticello Vineyards estate with vineyards and winery, tasting room, as well as culinary and hospitality center.

Founded by Jay Corley in 1970 when he began searching for sites to grow wine, in pursuit of his personal passion for Burgundian-style wines led him to plant Chardonnay and Pinot Noir in what is now known as the Oak Knoll District of Napa Valley.

They produced this wine at Monticello Winery on Big Ranch Road in the Oak Knoll District of south Napa Valley. We visited this winery estate back in the late nineties when it was operating as a custom crush facility and we did a tasting of boutique producer Elan Wines with producers Patrick and Linda Elliott-Smith. 

This was a special bottle as the boys know and are friends with one of the members of the Corley family and were able to source this special limited release bottling.Today, Corley is managed by their third generation.

Since it’s first bottling in 1982, our Corley Reserve Cabernet Sauvignon is the Corley Family flagship wine. It is sourced from each of their five estate cabernet sauvignon vineyards and the diversity of four distinct sub-Appellations - Rutherford, Yountville, St. Helena and Oak Knoll District.

This is a blend of 90% Cabernet Sauvignon, 5% Cabernet Franc and 5% Merlot.

Ken's Wine Guide Tasting Panel summed this up perfectly when they wrote about this label, "This very dark garnet colored Cabernet Sauvignon from Corley opens with a mild black currant and black licorice bouquet. On the palate, this wine is medium bodied, slightly acidic and savory. The flavor profile is a fruit forward fruit bomb featuring stewed plum and black currant with notes of graphite and toasted oak. We also detected a hint of blackberry. The finish is dry and its moderate tannins show very nice length. The Panel suggested pairing this Cab with a New York strip steak. Enjoy - KWGTP"

I echo their tasting experience and give this 92 points. Dark garnet color, medium-full body, nicely balanced and integrated blackberry and black currant fruits with notes of anise, hints of graphite and toasted oak with smooth polished moderate tannins on a lingering finish.

Winemaker notes: "Typically luscious, powerful and richly textured our Reserve is full-bodied and while ready to drink is also a wine to lay down for the years to come. This wine once again shows nice consistency and balance throughout the entire experience – from the aromatics through to the finish. The mouth-feel is rich in texture and with a finish framed by firm but rounded velvety tannins, one of the hallmarks of this wine."

Dark garnet color, medium-full body, nicely balanced and integrated blackberry and black currant fruits with notes of anise, hints of graphite and toasted oak with smooth polished moderate tannins on a lingering finish.

RM 91 points.

https://www.cellartracker.com/wine.asp?iWine=3237704

https://www.corleyfamilynapavalley.com/ 

https://twitter.com/monticellonapa 

Alec opened another Big Napa Red, another of the 'V' series of labels we enjoy with and in tribute to to Viviana, the Venge Vineyards Scout's Honor.

Venge Vineyard "Scout's Honor" Napa Red 2019

As I have written often in these pages, we've been enjoying Nils and Kirk Venge' wines since the early 1990's when Nils was featured by Wine Spectator Magazine in a 1994 article on up and coming wine producers. 

One of the labels of the Venge portfolio is Scout's Honor named for the family Labrador Retriever. I remember Scout walking the rows in the vineyards with Nils during a visit to the Rutherford Penny Lane estate back in the nineties (shown right from our 2002 visit).

This wine was initially meant to be a fun sipper for the Venge tasting room, yet it became — and remains — one of the most popular wines of the Venge portfolio which has now grown to nineteen labels. 

 Scout's Honor is based on a tradition of producing a full bodied, delicious and enjoyable red wine that can be opened and enjoyed immediately upon release however when cellared correctly it will age for 5 to 8 years.

Scout's Honor starts as a unique proprietary red blend anchored by a base of old-vine Zinfandel and builds upon that with dry-farmed Petite Sirah, old-vine Charbono, and finish with mountain vineyard Syrah.

We have been collecting this label since the earliest releases in the mid-nineties and hold a half dozen vintages. We typically keep a half dozen vintages of this label on hand for easy, enjoyable smooth sipping with everyday fare, great with BBQ, burgers, pizza to hearty cheese, beef, fruits and chocolates. I was surprised when I went to write up this tasting note that this was my first recorded tasting of this vintage.

Nil's has stepped down into retirement and winemaker and production duties are now with son Kirk who has raised the bar taking this label to new heights in recent years, earning 93 or 94 points from Wine Advocate for vintages 2013, 2014, 2015 and 2016.

 Wine buddy Andy and I visited Kirk and Nils up at the Calistoga estate and the Signal Fire Vineyard back in 2002 (shown right).  

From a branding perspective, this may be the last year you see this packaging with a paper label as the 2018 release went to a more upscale painted on glass bottle label marking, moving to a more premium positioning for this label. It remains to be seen what happens to the price point. It is already priced at the high end of the Zinfandel range, but well worth it with its sophistication and complexity and quality of the blend.

Winemaker's Notes: "Full-bodied, concentrated and gorgeous, this vintage features an assemblage of violets, dried cinnamon, white flowers, fresh cut blue herbs, and a touch of barrel toast. The palate has loads black fruits and sweet currants, pepper spice, and an enveloping masculinity of char and tannins from the Syrah, Charbono and Petite Sirah. A seamless balance and mouth coating deliciousness lead to a wine that is quite pleasing to the senses. Cellared correctly it will age for 7 to 10 years."

The 2019 blends 63% Zinfandel with smaller amounts, 16% Charbono, 12% Petite Sirah and 9% Syrah aged 50% new American Oak and the balance in once-used tight grained French Oak.

The Zinfandel was picked from two, old-vine, 60 to 100+ years old, dry-farmed vineyard sources: Venge’s Estate “Signal Fire Vineyard” and the Frediani Vineyard, both located in the heart of Calistoga. The Charbono was sourced from old, dry-farmed vines 60 to 100+ years old, also planted in the Frediani Vineyard. Robbie Mondavi’s Oso Vineyard located on Howell Mountain supplies the Petite Sirah, and, Napa’s finest Syrah from Stagecoach Vineyard, high in the mountains of the Atlas Peak AVA.

This was rated 93 points by The Wine Enthusiast.

After the more subdued and focused Viader red blend, this was a monstrous super sweet fruit bomb, begging for hearty cheese, spicy pizza pasta or dark bitter chocolates. Dark garnet purple colored, full bodied, rich, thick concentrated sweet super ripe black currant fruit with notes of that Howell Mountain cinnamon spice, violet floral notes, pepper and pain grille.

RM 90 points.  

https://www.cellartracker.com/wine.asp?iWine=3525137

https://www.vengevineyards.com/

https://twitter.com/vengevineyards

 

Napa and Columbia Valley Big Red Wine Flight

Family dinner features Napa and Columbia Valley Big Red Wine Flight

We were invited over to Ryan and Michelle's new home for a Saturday night pot luck dinner with Erin and Johnny and the grandkids. 

Erin brought pasta and Italian Beef and cupcakes and Linda took chocolate cake for a belated birthday tribute to Erin. 

Ryan had open a Mondavi Reserve Napa Valley Tokalon Cabernet and a Columbia Valley Cab so I took from our cellar a Napa and Columbia Valley Cab to compare. 

Robert Mondavi ToKalon Vineyard Oakville Napa Valley Reserve Cabernet Sauvignon 2016

With a release price of $175 and monster reviews of 96, 96, 96, 94 points, and a Cellar Selection designation, one would expect this to be an impressive bottle worthy of special occasions. Hence, our dismay and disappointment over its tasting profile tonight. Perhaps and hopefully this off-putting was bottle variation and the rest of the partial case Ryan acquired will be in-line with the pundits. 

The winemaker's notes for this bottle - ".... offers flavors of rich black berries and black plum, dried herb complexity, sweet oak spices, vanilla bean, and toasted almonds unfold in mesmerizing layers.

JebDunnuck.com gave it 96+ points and said, "The flagship 2016 Cabernet Sauvignon Reserve is a more long-term effort yet is loaded with potential. ....  hide bottle for 4-5 years and this beauty will cruise for 3 decades or so."

 

Wine Advocate also gave it 96+, James Suckling 96, 94 points Vinous, Wine Enthuiast, 93, Cellar Selection. 

 

They speak to black berries and plum, dried herbs, spices, vanilla, almond .... None of their accolades mention the over-riding notes of vegetable green pepper that permeates this bottle. Hopefully it will burn off or be lost in integration with time. 

 

RM 88 points.  

 

https://www.cellartracker.com/wine.asp?iWine=2719995

https://robertmondaviwinery.com/products/2016-robert-mondavi-winery-reserve-to-kalon-vineyard-cabernet-sauvignon-oakville-napa-valley

 

https://twitter.com/robertmondavi

 

https://robertmondaviwinery.com/

McGah Family Winery "Scarlet" Napa Valley Cabernet Sauvignon 2015

I took this Napa Valley red from our cellar. I wrote about this producer in a blogspot about their 2013 vintage release of this label.

This is crafted by winemaker Mike Smith who uses fruit for his other winery projects, sourced by Russell Bevan, for this single vineyard red, from the McGah estate vineyard on the eastern side of Rutherford. The McGah family are most notably known for co-founding the Bay area Oakland Raiders.  Sherratt Reicher, grandson of E.J. McGah, former Boston Red Sox player and second generation Oakland Raiders owner who maintained ownership interests in the Oakland Raiders football team until 2005, oversees their wine interests.  

McGah family own and operate 64 acres of vineyards in the storied Rutherford appellation on the east side of the central valley near Silverado Trail. They sell fruit to other producers and also offer Scarlett Wines under their own, recently rebranded label, named after the producer/founder's daughter. 

This is similar to the 2013 vintage release we tasted and reported in earlier blogposts. 

Awarded 92-94 points from Robert Parker's Wine Advocate and 91 points from Jeb Dunnuck. 

The Cellartracker community Average Value for this wine is listed at $122.  I consider this a key source of valuing a wine as I see the Cellartracker community as savvy and astute wine consumers and buyers. This is typically a reliable benchmark price for a wine that I will reference when considering a wine purchase. This renders our Vin Chicago purchase price at under $70 a real bargain.   

Parker's Wine Advocate wrote, "As for the 2015s, as you might expect from this high-quality vintage in Northern California, the 2015 Cabernet Sauvignon McGah Family Vineyard is a fruit bomb, and called it "in-your-face and rather flamboyant, dramatic style, are all part of its appeal and personality."Jeb Dunnuck called it 'fruitcake'.

Amazing notes of sweet caramel candy predominate, dark garnet colored, medium-full bodied, the bright full forward concentrated blackcurrant and blackberry fruits are accented by a layer of delectable sweet vanilla, almond and sweet clove and oak notes turning to ripe tannins on the long finish. 

RM 93 points.

https://www.cellartracker.com/wine.asp?iWine=2750354

Mark Ryan "Long Haul" Columbia Valley Red Wine 2015

This is produced by Mark Ryan McNeilly who founded Mark Ryan Winery in 1999 with the simple and lofty goal of making the best wine in Washington State. Mostly self-taught, Mark honed the craft of winemaking through rigorous study and the welcomed advice of some of the area's most experienced producers.

He studied wine for years before producing his first vintage. He was working as a wine distributor during the day and a server/bartender at night when he developed his passion for wine. Reading about wine making and hanging out with winemakers back in the 90's, he bought a truckload of Washington fruit, paid for from proceeds of his first vintage release. His first labels were 'Dead Horse', named for the vineyard from which it came, and this 'Long Haul', named for the road he started walking with his venture.

Ryan had this big red open from the previous evening. He and I discovered and tasted and acquired this together at the producer's tasting room in Woodinville during our  Seattle Culinary and Washington Wine Tour, Woodinville Wine Experience. 

Tonight's tasting was consistent with my notes posted from that earlier tasting at the producer.

8/25/2018 - I like this wine: 92 Points

Like many others in these pages, we tasted, and acquired this in the Woodinville tasting room. This was dark garnet colored, medium bodied, bright vibrant dark berry, accented by what some refer to as violet and spiced plum, we detected notes of dark mocha, spice, hints of cassis and cedar with firm but approachable tannins on the lingering finish.

https://unwindwine.blogspot.com/2018/09/mark-ryan-columbia-valley-wine-tasting.html

https://www.cellartracker.com/wine.asp?iWine=2781533

 

https://markryanwinery.com/

 

Eight Years in the Dessert 2019

Eight Years in the Dessert 2019 - Big Bold Red Wine Flight for festive holiday party

Alec and Vivianna hosted a holiday party and we dropped in late following the wrap-up of our own holiday dinner gathering. All our kid's and their kids were gathered with several of their friends and families.

Alec assembled a wine flight of bold expressive reds - all in magnums for holiday festive cheers. I've written often in these pages about the fun of serving wine in large format bottles, and the benefit of collecting them for long term aging and cellaring. See Wine Bottle Sizes...Bigger is Better - Right Bottle Sizes...Bigger (or Smaller) is Better.

He also served a selection of craft beers and some special whiskys.

I've written often in these pages about our fun with the Venge labels and their predominant "V", which we serve in tribute to daughter-in-law Vivianna. The Scout's Honor red blend is a crowd pleaser, one of the labels we served for our festive Thanksgiving dinner. 

I opted to taste the Orin Swift "8 Years in the Desert" label. 

The history of Orin Swift Cellars dates back to 1995 when on a lark, David Swift Phinney took a friend up on an offer and went to Florence, Italy to spend a semester “studying”. During that time, he was introduced to wine, how it was made, and got hooked. A few more years of university led to graduation and eventually a job at Robert Mondavi Winery in 1997 as a temporary harvest worker. 

Deciding that if he was going to work this hard, it would eventually have to be for himself, he founded Orin Swift Cellars in 1998; Orin is his father’s middle name and Swift is his mother’s maiden name. With two tons of zinfandel and not much else, he spent the next decade making wine for others as well as himself and grew the brand to what it is today.

Orin Swift has a broad portfolio of bold expressive wines - all with unique, distinctive, and in some cases weird or even creepy names or labels.  You be the judge ...

• Abstract
• Blank Stare
• China Doll
• Mannequin
• Machete
• Mercury Head
• Mute
• Palermo
• Papillon
• Slander
• Trigger Finger
• Veladora

Some of his labels take the artistic label to almost an extreme such as Orin Swift Machete, which features twelve different labels with photos of a Black woman sporting a machete in repose on an old Cadillac in very positions. 

Taking the labels and branding to an even further extreme, his new label, a premium blend of California Cabernet, Syrah and Merlot, Face Value, which I have yet to see or taste boasts "96 different labels, all of which depict a person with true value".

Orin Swift 8 Years in the Desert 2019

This is a Zinfandel Blend with some Syrah and Petit Syrah - three bold expressive varietals all together. What's not to like? Unless you defer to 'wimpy' wines. Lisa Perrotti-Brown of The Wine Advocate gave this 93 pts.

Garnet purple colored, medium full-bodied, not graceful or well behaved, full round concentrated, the ripe spicy brambly black and red fruits are overtaken by pepper and creosote with notes of cinnamon, clove, white pepper and graphite with earthy tree bark turning to chewy bold tannins on a long finish.

RM 90 points.

https://www.cellartracker.com/wine.asp?iWine=3792540

https://www.orinswift.com/index.cfm

 

Hemingways Bistro wine dinner

Hemingways Bistro Oak Park wine dinner with Cuvée de mon Aïeul, Lost Chapters Big Reds

For a special post holiday outing for our family members in from out of town, I arranged to conduct a private tour of the Frank Lloyd Wright Home and Studio in Oak Park, where I am a docent interpreter, followed by a walking tour of the historic neighborhood featuring some of FLW's seminal works in the Prairie style architecture. 

Afterwards, we dined at Hemingway's Bistro, one of our favorite intimate dining sites in the nearby Earnest Hemingway historic neighborhood featuring Chef Ala who brings 25 years experience to Oak Park. A certified Executive Chef with the American Culinary Federation, he has competed in numerous culinary salons around the world. In 1999, Ala was the opening Executive Chef of the Historic Allerton Hotel in Chicago after it's 80 million dollar renovation. Ala has also ran Le Meriden Hotel Restaurant and the historic legendary Chez Paul in Chicago. (Many will recall Chez Paul from it's famous scenes as the restaurant in two iconic Chicago movies, the Blues Brother (1980_and then in Ferris Bueller's Day Off (1986)).

Previously, Ala was the Chef of The Colonnade Hotel in Boston and Brasserie Jo, he was at the Boca Raton Resort and Club in Florida, and spent seven years in the Caribbean working at resorts in Puerto Rico, the U.S. and British Virgin Islands.

Hemmingway's offers classic French dishes with fresh Midwest ingredients; Beef Wellington, Steak Frites, and sumptuous Souffles are popular menu offerings, and daily specials reflect the chef's love for fresh seafood, using mostly East-coast seafood flown in from Boston daily.

 We took BYOB from our cellar, a special top rated bottle of Southern Rhone Châteauneuf-du-Pape for our authentic Provencal cuisine dinner. 

Pierre Usseglio 'Cuvée de mon Aïeul' Châteauneuf-du-Pape 2001

I recall acquiring this bottle on release two decades ago while on a business trip to the Twin Cities and stopping in Haskell's wine shop. 

This release was awarded 99 points by Robert Parker's Wine Advocate, who wrote in his review, "borderline perfection, (I seriously considered adding a point here) and a monumental Châteauneuf-du-Pape that is drinking at point." 

It was rated 93 points by Stephen Tanzer's International Wine Cellar and Wine Spectator. 

The 2001 Châteauneuf-du-Pape Cuvee de Mon Aieul is 85% Grenache and equal parts Syrah, Mourvedre, and Cinsault with a prodigious 15.8% alcohol level.

The sources for Mon Aieul are three vineyard parcels with vines averaging between 75 and 87 years of age.

Dark ruby colored, full bodied, deep rich intense complex concentrated structured briary ripe black currant, blackberry fruits accented by flavors of fig, stewed plum, spice box, olive tapenade, tobacco, black tea, game, tar and mushrooms with hints of cedar turning to firm tannins on the tangy acidic finish. 

RM 92 points.

https://www.cellartracker.com/wine.asp?iWine=6582

With the lady's dinner entrees (each ordered the daily special, halibut in beurre blanc sauce), they ordered several white wines from the broad B-T-G (By-the-Glass) selectiosn:

Chardonnay, Russian River, Lake Sonoma "18"
Viognier, Domaine Gassier "19"

Bro-in-law Bill and I ordered this big Petite Sirah from the winelist to accompany his New York Steak au Poivre and my Duck A L'Orange with braised cabbage, pommes dauphine, grand marnier sauce (I substituted the pommes au gratin - shown right).

J. McClelland Lost Chapters Petite Sirah 2017

Hemingway's Bistro has a carefully crafted winelist with selections to match the menu, many limited releases or distinctive artful labels.

This interesting label is from J. McClelland Cellars, founded in 2008 in honor of iconic California winemaker, trusted advisor and wine industry personality and long time friend of the principles, John McClelland, in honor of his six decades of service to the industry, and ten years of collaboration by founders winery Director and Winemaker Paul Scotto and viticulturist Winemaker Mark Smith.

Throughout McClelland's 60-year wine industry career he was widely recognized as an iconic figure in California wine innovation in winemaking, vineyard management, national sales, marketing and brand development. He served as Chairman of the California Wine Institute and held leadership positions in the Wine Growers Association, Association of Wine Educators and was named a Supreme Knight in Brotherhood of the Knights of the Vine. He held numerous senior positions at producers Almaden, Geyser Peak and Alderbrook. John passed away in December, 2018.

Scotto family's acquired the J. McClelland Cellars winery in the Valley's eastern hills to produce their wines.

In 2014 the team was joined by renowned and frequently awarded winemaker Mitch Cosentino, who brought many years of Napa Valley knowledge, experience and vineyard contacts to the project.

The Scotto family's winemaking heritage dates back to 1883 when Salvatore Dominic Scotto began making wine at their home on the Island of Ischia off the coast of Italy. Salvatore passed on the winemaking tradition to his son Dominic who migrated to Brooklyn, NY in 1903. He followed the Scotto family tradition by passing on his winemaking skills to his sons, who began selling five gallon crocks from the family's horse-drawn wagon. In 1946, they opened D. Scotto Wines retail store in downtown Brooklyn that sold quality wines from around the world.

Anthony Sr. sold his father's homemade wine in one gallon jugs from pushcarts and later, with his older brother Sal, created Villa Armando one of the country's oldest brands. The family moved to California in 1963.

Anthony II entered the business in 1975 and eventually became a winemaker, winery owner, exporter and consultant, passing his skills and experience to the 5th generation, Anthony III, Natalie, Paul and Michael, who together carry on the family business into the sixth generation continuing to build strong relationships with both trade and consumers while expanding distribution throughout the U.S. and eleven export markets.

In 2014, notable winemaker Mitch Cosentino joined the Scotto family and John McClelland as Consulting Winemaker for the launch of J. McClelland Cellars. Mitch's four decade winemaking career dates back to his home town Modesto 1980 and then Napa Valley since 1990 where he founded Cosentino Winery in Yountville and established pureCru Napa Valley. Mitch has garnered almost 2000 awards and medals including the prestigious "Andre Tchelistcheff Winemaker of the Year" award in 2003 and numerous awards for "Best Wine" and "Best Cabernet" of the year in multiple vintages and competitions. Mitch founded the Meritage Association (now known as the Meritage Alliance) in 1988 and produced the first American wine bottled with that designation.

The Lost Chapters brand was born in 2017, produced from varietal fruits and craft blends for the Scotto Family wine portfolio, sourced from barrel lots from select and limited "lots from each vintage that may not be seen again in future vintages". 

The Lost Chapters brand has produced award winning single or limited multiple vintage labels in Cabernet Sauvigon, Chardonnay, Sangiovese, Merlot, Petit Verdot, Pinot Noir, Cabernet Franc, Sauvignon Blanc, Meritage, and this Petite Sirah. 

The producer website writes: "When one release sells out, another will appear offering its own allure and charm. The Lost Chapters is Paul's opportunity to break away from the norm in winemaking and provide the opportunity to continue reading "the book" with each release standing on its own while complementing the whole." As such, Lost Chapters, building on the book metaphor, even applies a "volume" number in roman numeral to each label vintage release.

Hence, by design, these are invariably 'one hit wonders', specially selected from various vineyard sources in each vintage, not necessarily to be replicated, certainly not so over extended time. Fortuitous finds as they might be, they are not ones to collect for comparison tastings over vertical vintages, but rather to be relished and enjoyed. 

J. McClelland Cellars Lost Chapters Volume XIX Petite Sirah 2017

100% Napa County Petite Sirah, aged 24 months in French Oak barrels, 140 cases were produced. 

Winemaker notes: Deep purple-ruby natural color abounds. River stone minerality, black pepper, currants and black rose notes fill the aromatic profile. Flavors cross a broad spectrum of fruits: dense currants blackberries, black plums with rhubarb and peppercorns, well centered and big structured yet with a surprising suppleness on the mid-palate. It finishes long, spicy and firm with some ripe tannins.

Dark garnet colored, medium-full bodied, complex concentrated ripe blackberry, black currant and plum fruits with notes of black pepper, spice and earthy tobacco with full firm tannins on the tangy lengthy finish. 

RM 90 points. 

https://www.cellartracker.com/wine.asp?iWine=4168611

https://www.jmcclellandcellars.com/the-lost-chapters

https://hemmingwaysbistro.com/

https://www.flwright.org/ 

Thanksgiving dinner - family, food, extensive wine flight

Thanksgiving dinner features family, food and extensive wine flight (s)

For Thanksgiving dinner, we hosted a traditional holiday dinner featuring twenty-three members of extended family, fellowship, a gala feast of all the customary dishes - turkey, dressing with gravy, three different preparations of stuffing, green bean casserole, corn casserole, mashed potatoes, sweet potatoes, brussel sprouts, asparagus, fresh baked rolls, cranberry sauce/salad, mixed green salad, all accompanied by a broad flight of appropriate matching wines. 

Prior to dinner we had a selection of artisan cheeses, fresh fruits and mixed vegetables, olives and peppers, shrimp cocktail, and other accoutrements. 

I set the dinner table with glassware for a flight of wines to accompany four dinner courses, sparkling white, white, red or big red, and aperitif of dessert wine, prompting Linda to remind me it was a dinner, not a wine tasting. Of course, I disagreed ... You be the judge. 

I was prepared to open a lighter red wine, Pinot Noir, for the turkey and stuffing dressing, but the crowd overwhelmingly favored and opted for Big Reds as opposed to the more genteel Pinot. 

Our wine flight (s):

Thanksgiving Dinner White Wine Flight

• FranciaCorte Berlucci '61 Rose Sparkling Wine
• Field Recordings "Hock" Edelzwicker (Noble Blend) Alsace White Wine 2018
• Schweiger Uboldi Vineyard Sonoma Valley Sauvignon Blanc 2018
  
• Venge Vineyards Scout's Honor Napa Valley Red Blend 2015 and 2018
• Viader Vineyards "V" Petit Verdot 2001
• Del Dotto Vineyards Connoisseur Series Napa Valley Cabernet Sauvignon 2001 (Magnum)
  
• Cliff Lede "High Fidelity" Stags Leap District Red Blend 2017 
  
• Venge Vineyards Family Reserve Napa Valley Oakville Cabernet Sauvignon 2006 
• Chateau Doisy-Vedrines Grand Cru Classe Sauterne Bordeaux 2005

Thanksgiving Dinner Red Wine Flight

Watch for follow on tasting notes and reviews as we parse this selection, and follow on with several more spectacular wines during our gala holiday weekend of extensive festivities.

Big Red Wine Flight for BBQ Rib Dinner

Big Red Wine Flight for BBQ Rib Dinner

Continuing our family reunion and related festivities, Linda prepared BBQ ribs and we opened a couple Big Red Blends suited for the pairing. As is our custom, we have fun with wine labels and we served two signature wines, one, Alec's signature namesake wine, and one of the 'V' wines that we commemorate to Vivanna, this one from Venge Vineyards. Also, as Alec and Viv just acquired their new puppy, this is a tribute as this label honors the late and beloved Venge family pet and vineyard dog, Labrador Retriever, Scout.  We met Scout when we toured the vineyards with patriarch, legendary winemaker Nils Venge back in the mid-nineties. 

Lewis Cellars Alec's Blend 2003 

More on Alec's Blend 2003 from my last tasting and blog post five years ago. 

Venge Vineyards Scout's Honor 2018 

This is a mainstay of our cellar that we keep on hand for such occasions. We have a half dozen vintages of this label in our cellar, drinking and cycling the oldest, replacing it as we go with the latest current release. This is the latest, most current release in which they introduced the new branding of a painted wine bottle as opposed to the more traditional and modest glued paper label. This was our first tasting of this vintage release that just appeared in distribution in Chicagoland in recent weeks and is slated for general distribution this winter. 

This wine is based on a tradition of producing a full bodied, robust, fruit filled red wine based on old-vine Zinfandel and blended with dry-farmed Petite Sirah, old-vine Charbono, and finished with mountain vineyard Syrah. 

The result is an unpretentious, generous mouthful of red wine that we recommend be opened and enjoyed immediately upon release.

The blend for this release is 63% Zinfandel, 16% Charbono, 12% Petite Sirah, and 9% Syrah; aged in 50% new American Oak and the balance in once-used tight grained French Oak for 14 Months.

Grapes were farmed and harvested from four single vineyards in Napa Valley. The Zinfandel was picked from two, old-vine (60 to 100+ years old), dry-farmed vineyard sources: Venge’s newly acquired “Signal Fire Vineyard” estate, and the Frediani Vineyard—both located in the heart of Calistoga. The Charbono is from old, dry-farmed vines (60 to 100+ years old) also planted in the Frediani Vineyard. Robbie Mondavi’s Oso Vineyard located on Howell Mountain supplies the Petite Sirah; the Syrah from  Napa’s finest, from Stagecoach Vineyard, high in the mountains of the Atlas Peak AVA.

The Winemaker notes sum it up perfectly: "The result is an unpretentious, generous mouthful of red wine that we recommend be opened and enjoyed immediately upon release.'

"This vintage has a gorgeous, concentrated assemblage of violets, anise, honeysuckle, blue herbs, and a touch of vanillin. The palate is pure richness with loads black fruits and currants, pepper spice, and an enveloping masculinity of char and tannins from the Syrah, Charbono and Petite Sirah. A seamless balance and mouth coating deliciousness lead to a wine that is quite pleasing to the senses. Cellared correctly it will age for 5 to 8 years."

Everyone loved this wine, especially with the tangy BBQ ribs. 

RM 92 points. 

https://www.vengevineyards.com/ 

Finally, in follow up to our Mt Veeder Appellation tasting the other evening, another wine from a producer that we visited and tasted during that Napa Mt Veeder Wine Experience back in 2011.

Godspeed Mt Veeder Cabernet Sauvignon 2004 

We discovered and acquired this wine at the vineyard/producer during our Napa Mt Veeder Wine Experience back in 2011. I wrote back in 2015 about this label, "This was drinking very nicely in its twelfth year and may be at its prime, not likely to improve further with more aging. This 2004 was the best showing of this label that I have had to my recollection. This is a small production label from this boutique producer. Ironically, I saw some available just this week at Total Wine in Minnesota.' 

"Dark blackish purple/garnet colored, medium-full bodied, aromatic, black berry and black raspberry fruit flavors, a bit tight and firmly structured with tones of truffle and spice with hints of cedar, tobacco and green pepper, turning to moderate tannins on the long finish."

As this has aged another five years, it has lost some of its finesse and polish. RM 88 points.

https://www.cellartracker.com/wine.asp?iWine=1106764

  https://unwindwine.blogspot.com/2016/12/godspeed-mt-veeder-cabernet-sauvignon.html

https://www.cellartracker.com/wine.asp?iWine=1106764

 

Two Rock Solid Big Reds for Family Celebration

Two Rock Solid Big Reds for Family Celebration - Carnival of Love and Scarlet Love

For grandson Reid's birthday, son Ryan served two spectacular giant red wines, Mollydooker Carnival of Love Shiraz and a Cliff Lede Rock Block Series, Scarlet Love. It was a family gathering of cousins and in-laws, with pizza, DQ Ice Cream cake and snacks on a perfect summer day on the deck and with a bounce house and yard games.

The Mollydooker brand of wines is named for the affectionate Aussie term for 'Left-Hander' - because Sarah Marquis, the powerhouse winemaker based in McLaren Vale Australia, is a lefty!
Prior to Mollydooker, Sarah was involved in various Robert Parker high-scoring wineries including Fox Creek, Henry's Drive, Parson's Flat, Shirvington and her own label with former husband and distributor partner, Marquis Phillips.

The whimsical colorful labels are cartoonish with the premium labels styled as circus posters. This is the premium estate bottled Shiraz.

Mollydooker Carnival Of Love Shiraz 2013

This label was No.2 of the Wine Spectator Top 100 Wines of the World 2014 (Carnival of Love Shiraz 2012) and has been among 8 appearances of Mollydooker wines in the Wine Spectator Top 100.

This release was awarded 95 Points by The Wine Advocate and 94 Points by Wine Spectator.

This is produced of 100% Shiraz from a single vineyard, the 2013 Carnival of Love was aged in American oak, 97% new.

Winemaker's Notes:

Dark opaque violet with deep crimson hue, this wine bursts from the glass a dense melange of berry fruits, dark plum, licorice, and fragrant spice. The palate displays layers of sweet fruit with creamy mocha oak, black pepper hints and superbly balanced tannins, seeming to last for an eternity.

Very deep purple-black in color, full bodied, dense concentrated, complex, intense nose of blueberry preserves, creme de cassis and warm black cherries, the blackberry fruit is accented by licorice, mocha, vanilla, with notes of baking spices, toast and hints of eucalyptus, turning to supple firm velvety smooth tannins on a very long finish.

We love this style and character profile of wine with intense colour saturation, intense aromas and dense textured, super concentrated and ultra rich palate.

RM 95 points. 

https://www.cellartracker.com/wine.asp?iWine=1973768

Cliff Lede Rock Block Series Stags Leap District "Scarlet Love" 2014 

Cliff Lede Estate, Winery (right) and Wine House (left)
as seen from hillside Poetry Inn and surrounding vineyard

The Cliff Lede estate vineyard blocks (shown right) in the Stag's Leap District, called the 'Rock Blocks' as they are named after Cliff’s favorite rock songs.

The name of this blend is derived from Grateful Dead’s "Scarlet Begonias" from the Twin Peaks vineyard and from Cream’s "Sunshine of Your Love" in the flagship steep hillside Poetry vineyard above the Silverado Trail overlooking the estate across the valley.

We've visited the estate several times and our tastings there have been highlights of several of our Napa Valley trips. 

Lede describes this vineyard sources for this wine, "The Cabernet Sauvignon in “Sunshine of Your Love” is planted in shallow volcanic soil and farmed to low yields, contributing concentration and classic Stags Leap character to the backbone of the blend. “Scarlet Begonias” is a small block of Petit Verdot that provides depth, structure, and a luxurious perfume of floral and spice notes."

Ryan gets this label through his Cliff Lede club allocations. This ultra-premium label got 97 points from Robert Parker's Wine Advocate, 92 points from Vinous.

This is a blend of 94% Cabernet Sauvignon, 3% Merlot and the rest Cabernet Franc and Petit Verdot.

Dark blackish inky purple, full bodied, intense, concentrated, complex yet nicely balanced, elegant, smooth and polished black and blue fruits are accented by graphite, licorice, smoke, leather with a long silky smooth tannin laced finish. 

RM 94 points.

https://www.cellartracker.com/wine.asp?iWine=2617225

Big Red Wine Flight for Family Super Hero Birthday

Big Red Wine Flight for Gala Family Super Hero Birthday

We had a gala family gathering for Son Ryan and Michelle celebrating son/grandson Reid's birthday, my namesake to the next generation, and the next. For the superhero celebration, Ryan pulled from his cellar a flight of big reds to enjoy with his signature legendary smoked beef brisket.

The flight:

Cliff Lede Stags Leap District Napa Valley Sauvignon Blanc 2017

Rotie Cellars Washington State Southern Blend GSM 2013

El Nido Clio Jumilla Red Blend 2016

Kilikanoon Oracle Shiraz 2010

Cliff Lede Vineyards Napa Valley Sauvignon Blanc 2017

Cliff Lefe is one of our favorite producers and a visit to the Napa Valley Stag's Leap District estate has been a highlight of several of Napa Valley excursions.

In certain vintages this is our favorite Sauvignon Blanc with its bright expressive fruits - pear, lychee, passion fruit and peach with hints of grapefruit and notes of lemon citrus. This 2017 is one of those vintages - butter colored, medium bodied, crisp clean, full flavorful fruits with nicely balanced acidity.

RM 92 points.
 
https://www.cellartracker.com/wine.asp?iWine=2942346

https://cliffledevineyards.com/








Rotie Cellars Washington State Southern Blend GSM 2013

We tasted this wine at the producer in Walla Walla during our private tasting visit there opening our Walla Walla Wine Experience 2018. The 2016 vintage tasted then showed much better than this 2013 release tasted tonight.

Garnet colored, medium bodied, very green notes of bell pepper predominated over the cherry fruits spice and tobacco notes leaving an unfortunate barnyard funkiness and a bit of alcohol heat; hopefully a bottle variation and not indicative of the vintage and general release but I fear not?

A "GSM" blend of 75 % Grenache, 15 % Syrah and 10 % Mourvèdre.

RM 86 points.

https://www.cellartracker.com/wine.asp?iWine=2046400



Bodegas El Nido Jumilla Clio Red Blend 2016

This is the one Spanish wine in our cellar that we collect annually for a vertical collection that we hold for BBQ, bold cheeses and occasionally for tangy pasta. The grapes for this wine are made from 29.65 acres of Cabernet Sauvignon vineyards and 79 acres of very old Monastrell with a very low yield.

They harvest the grape with small baskets to prevent bruising and then hand select only the best grapes on triage tables. The juice is then held 24 months in French and American new oak barrels for integration, complexity and oak infusion. The result is a bold concentrated extracted fruitiness and complexity that we enjoy in a big red wine.
 
Winemaker notes - The wine exhibits a glass-coating opaque purple color with an expressive nose of pain grille, underbrush, brier, mineral, blueberry,  and  blackberry  fruit  leading  to  a  plush,  opulent  wine with great density, savory flavors, and a lengthy finish.

This is a blend of 70% Monastrell (akin to French Rhone Mourvedre) and 30% Cabernet Sauvignon.


This was dark garnet colored, full bodied, concentrated, complex, bold black and blue berry fruits with notes of pain grille, brier and mineral, with a moderate tannin laced tangy acidic finish. This vintage lacks the polish and integration of some years where it is more harmonious.

RM 91 points.

https://www.cellartracker.com/editnote.asp?iWine=3126734

 http://bodegaselnido.com/en/


Killikanoon Oracle Clare Valley South Australia Shiraz 2010

One of favorite Shiraz's, the 2014 vintage release was awarded the 'Best Shiraz in the World' by the International Wine & Spirit Competition (IWSC) in the UK.


Dark dense black inky color, full bodied, concentrated, complex, vibrant full black and blue fruits with accents of dark mocha, spice and hints of expresso, smoke and pepper with a long lingering tangy acidic and smooth moderate tannin finish.

RM 93 points.

https://www.cellartracker.com/editnote.asp?iWine=1652109

https://kilikanoon.com.au/

 @kilikanoonwines

Festive Holiday Dinner Showcases Premier Napa Reds

Festive Holiday Dinner Showcases Premier Napa Reds - Quintessa, Fantesca, Clark-Claudon, David Arthur

Three mountains and five hills of Napa Valley sourced the fruit for a flight of top Napa big reds.The greatest joy of having a wine cellar collection is to pull special bottles for a special occasion such as a festive holiday dinner. Tonight provided the opportunity to showcase a line-up of favorite Napa Reds with beef tenderloin. Linda prepared her delectable beef tenderloin and imaginative twice baked potatoes, brussel sprouts, hericot verts and fresh dinner rolls. I pulled decade plus one year old Napa big reds to highlight the meal. Showcasing our favored Napa mountain fruits profile, we tasted wines from three corners of Napa Valley.

I wrote recently about the distinctive Howell Mountain terroir. We featured Howell Mountain Clark Claudon, Fantesca Estate from the opposing Spring Mountain District, and a pair of David Arthur wines from Pritchard Hill in the southeast corner of the valley. To round out the flight, Bill brought from his cellar Quintessa from the geographic center of that triangle featuring its five hills estate, and David Arthur Elevation 1147. To accompany the flight, Bob brought a St Emilion Grand Cru Bordeaux.

Visits to the estate wineries of Fantesca, David Arthur and Quintessa have been highlights of several of our Napa Valley Wine Experience excursions, and Tom and Laurie Clark-Claudon were featured producers at one of Napa wine producer dinners. Indeed, we hold close to a dozen vintages of each of these producers - certainly of Clark Claudon and David Arthur, both in about their 25th year or so of production. For Fantesca, they've just finished their first decade since their 2004 inaugural release, when Duane and Susan Hoff took over the estate.

Prior to dinner, we featured a selection of artisan cheeses and Linda prepared her baked brie with toasted nuts and berry puree, accompanied by an Austrian Riesling and Italian aperitif wine.

The 2004 dinner entree flight ....

Fantesca Estate Winery Spring Mountain District Cabernet Sauvignon 2004

As mentioned, our visits to the spectacular Spring Mountain Estate of Duane and Susan Hoff have been highlights of our Napa wine excursions in 2007 and 2009. We hosted Duane at our home on one of his first release tours when he was traveling the country building the Fantesca brand. Their classic packaging with their etched glass bottles provide a festive bottle for such a gala dinner.

Dark garnet colored, medium-full bodied, at eleven years, the complex Spring Mountain bright forward fruit flavors of cherry, black berry and black currant are giving way to a layer of cassis, tobacco, black tea and hints of dark chocolate and dried herbs with a refined tannin finish.

RM 91 points.

https://www.cellartracker.com/wine.asp?iWine=355836

http://fantesca.com/ 



Clark Claudon Howell Mountain Cabernet Sauvignon 2004

We hold more than a dozen vintages of this wine going back to their early releases in the mid-nineties.

Deep inky garnet colored, full bodied - aromas of ripe dark berry fruits, big mouth-full of forward complex but balanced, smooth, spicy black cherry and black currant and edge of red berry fruits, tones of cassis and dark mocha and turning to a predominant forward accent of sweet smooth sweet spicy oak on the smooth tannin finish.

RM 92 points.

https://www.cellartracker.com/wine.asp?iWine=229261

http://www.clarkclaudon.com/ 





David Arthur Napa Valley Pritchard Hill Meritaggio 2004

As I have written in these pages, Meritage is the trademarked/licensed label attached to American releases of Bordeaux varietal blend wines. David Arthur uses creative license with this play on words to bring us 'Meritaggio', an Italian influenced Napa Valley blend of Bordeaux varietals accented by the Italian varietal Sangiovese - that associated with 'Super Tuscan' wines.

I thought this would provide an interesting comparison to the other Napa cabs, perhaps more approachable easier drinking early in the wine flight. Wow, what a surprise as this presented a big firm tight profile that ended up being the culmination (end) of the flight, with its firmness and complexity overpowering the rest of the wines.

As I update my records of this wine tasting depletion from our cellar, I realize we have a half dozen vintages of this label. I'll be mindful how to position this wine in future tastings.

This wine, a super Tuscan style blend anchored by Bordeaux varietal Cabernet Sauvignon (68%) with 12% Sangiovese made for an interesting diversion in the flight. The big full black berry and black raspberry fruits gave way to a layer of creosote with tones of dark mocha, black tea and leather with hints of vanilla and smoke on the firm gripping tannin finish.

RM 91 points.

https://www.cellartracker.com/wine.asp?iWine=199677

https://www.davidarthur.com/

Bill punctuated the tasting with these two bold flavorful premium Napa Cabs....

Quintessa Rutherford Napa Valley Cabernet Sauvignon 2005

The name Quintessa refers to the five hills on the Rutherford estate property. Our tasting at the stylish winery estate on Silverado Trail was a highlight of our Napa Wine Experience 2003.

This was lighter than expected and ended up being our opening red wine providing the transition from the pre-dinner whites to the big reds.

Dark garnet colored, medium-full bodied, smooth, elegant and polished with bright vibrant dark berry fruit flavors accented by huge floral bouquet, tones of violet, cola and hint of clove spice with tangy bright acidity on the smokey tannin laced finish.

RM 93 points.

Bill's notes from Cellartracker:

"Excellent transition wine from pre dinner whites to the heavier Napa cabs served with beef tenderloin. This was lather than I remembered. Still the same characteristics though. A hint of clove and spice on the nose. Bright plum, cassis and a bit of cherry on the palate with a medium finish. This needs at least 30 minutes of air to reveal the fruit and complexity. Was a but surprised that this did not have the same weight or body of the '04 Fantesca or Clark Claudon that followed."

WCC - 90 points.

https://www.cellartracker.com/wine.asp?iWine=493471

David Arthur Cabernet Sauvignon Elevation 1147 2003 

Of course the name refers to the topographical elevation of the vineyard from which this single vineyard designated fruit is sourced.

This was our last tasting of the evening so I saved some for the next day to taste again. The huge bouquet and powerful big forward blue fruits accented by licorice stood out and punctuated this. This was summed up and consistent with my tasting notes from last year for this label:

"Elevation is flawless, extraordinary in its refined elegance and harmonious balance. While full bodied it has no sense of weight in its symphony of seamlessly integrated flavors, silky smooth and polished balance of floral, dark fruit and accent tones from start to finish - lavender, sweet ripe black and blue berry fruits, whispers of cinnamon, clove, exotic spices and tobacco leaf on the soft lingering finish. At eleven years of age it seemed to be at its apex as I can't imagine it getting any better. It was delightful and delicious. I sense I drank my earlier Elevations too early to allow them to come together so nicely."

RM 95 points. 

Bill's tasting note on Cellartracker - "Love the depth and complexity of this wine. Earthy Bordeaux like nose of moss and forest floor. Blackberry, cola and tobacco on the palate. Deep indigo color. Full bodied with a long lingering finish. I have the sense that this will not improve with more age. Tannins are fully integrated."
WCC - 92 points.

https://www.cellartracker.com/wine.asp?iWine=85663

http://www.davidarthur.com/

Ninety Plus Cellars Lot 76 Saint-Emilion Grand Cru, Bordeaux, France, 2011

Bob brought this to contribute to the flight. I've written often herein about Ninety-Plus cellars negociant practice of obtaining surplus wine for private labeling. After pouring at the St Emilion Grand Cru producer's release event in Chicago last month, its hard to imagine a private label version of any of their wines. 

Deep inky garnet, medium bodied, rather subdued aromas and flavors of blackberries with under currant of purple/blue berry fruits accented by a layer of woody pain grille, earthy cedar with tight firm gripping tannins on the finish.
RM 88 points.

https://www.cellartracker.com/wine.asp?iWine=1994433

http://www.ninetypluscellars.com/wines/lot-76-saint-emilion-grand-cru-bordeaux/


Prior to dinner, we tasted a selection of whites with artisan cheeses, fresh fruit, holiday cookies and chocolates, and salad.




 


  
Freie Weingärtner Wachau / Domäne Wachau Riesling Federspiel Terrassen 2007

Straw colored, light-medium bodied, crisp clean, slightly tart citrus apple with stone fruit with bright acid finish.

RM 87 points.

https://www.cellartracker.com/wine.asp?iWine=509866






Cavalchina Passito Veneto IGT 2004

Originally straw colored, this has turned to tea color, medium bodied, the apple fruits, subtle tangerine and hint of apricot and peach flavors have given way, overtaken by tones of burnt caramel, smoke and nut on a flavorful lingering finish.

RM 87 points.

https://www.cellartracker.com/wine.asp?iWine=436980