Showing posts with label Blue Eyed Boy. Show all posts
Showing posts with label Blue Eyed Boy. Show all posts

Friday, February 2, 2024

BBQ Ribs and Syrah

BBQ Ribs and Mollydooker Syrah 

Vacationing at our favorite getaway, Destiny Cove vacation rental in Destin Florida, with friends, we prepared a dinner of BBQ ribs, baked potatoes and grilled fresh veggies. To pair with the ribs, for one of our favorite wine food pairings, we opened a hearty Syrah/Shiraz. 

Mollydooker Blue Eye'd Boy Shiraz 2021

Friend Pat R picked this up during our visit to Total Wine in Pensacola to share during our week together. 

We've written often in these pages about the fun we have with this label and the rest of the Mollydooker portfolio of wines. Here are several previous posts on the subject:

September 10, 2022
Blue Eye'd Boy & Brunier Racines for BBQ Rib Dinner 

March 11, 2022
Blue Eye'd Boy and CDP for Italian Beef Dinner

May 5, 2012
Graduation celebration wine tasting flight

February 7, 2014
Mollydooker 'Carnival of Love' Shiraz 2011

July 4, 2023
Lede To Kalon and Greywacke showcase 4th of July Celebration

February 3, 2022
Mollydooker "Scooter" Merlot

Mollydooker Blue Eye'd Boy Shiraz 2021

This is named for the son of winemaker/producer Sarah Marquis. This is one of the signature wines we keep on hand for our love of big full throttle Shiraz, and as a wine to enjoy with our own 'Blue Eye'd Boy', our son Alec.

We hold a half dozen vintages of this label and this is the newest, latest release which we're trying here for the first time.

Winemaker Notes - Black crimson in color, this wine leaps from the glass with powerful aromatics of blueberries, fresh plum, licorice and nuances of chocolate biscuit. The seamless texture is laced with fresh berry fruit, coffee, vanilla cream and warm spice, giving us a full-bodied Shiraz with an endless depth of flavor and great length.

This was rated 92 points by Robert Parker's Wine Advocate.

Robert Parker's Wine Advocate wrote an interesting observation about this label; "Once you taste a few of a producer's wines side by side, you really start to get a feel for stylistic preference between warm vintages and cool ones. I surprise myself by saying here that I prefer the warmer vintages at Mollydooker (this does not make it right) because the sunshine and ease with which ripening can occur in a warmer year really seems to suit the plush, high-octane style being proliferated here. So, this 2021 Blue Eyed Boy Shiraz is far more on the blue fruit spectrum than the 2020 ..."

The key here is comparisons of this same label from vintage to vintage, and contrasting the resulting impact from a warm vintage vs a cool vintage. Such distinctions are best revealed through comparison tastings of one vintage alongside another or others - what is referred to as a 'vertical' tasting (as opposed to 'horizontal tasting' which would be various wines from the same vintage). 

This was dark inky colored, full bodied, powerful concentrated, full throttle big round black and blue fruits accented by spice, black tea, notes of licorice and hints of bitter dark mocha chocolate with a long full finish.

RM 92 points. 

https://www.cellartracker.com/wine.asp?iWine=4404716

https://mollydookerwines.com.au/

https://www.destinvacation.com/rentals/unit/the-cove

https://twitter.com/MollydookerWine

https://twitter.com/unwindwine

Tuesday, July 4, 2023

Lede To Kalon and Greywacke showcase 4th of July Celebration

Cliff  Lede To Kalon and Greywacke highlight 4th of July Celebration

Son Ryan hosted family and friends for a gala 4th of July celebration in what is becoming somewhat of an annual tradition. He pulled from his cellar some favorites, new discoveries and classics to accompany the BBQ feast. 

The kids/siblings .... 

It was also a dual celebration of grand-daughter Marleigh's birthday. 

 
Birthday girl face-paint.
 
First Fourth for newest grand-child/cousin Lilac.
 
Ryan and Michelle served BBQ, beef brisket, corn on the cob, mac-n-cheese and assorted salads,


Linda prepared a special 4th of July dessert, 'cherry bombs'.


And friends and neighbors brought assorted cheese and charcuterie plates, desserts and accompaniments. 


 
Entertainment consisted of a giant bounce house, serious competitive 'bags' ...
 
 
 
... and of course the traditional festive 4th of July fireworks. 

The wine flight included Sauvignon Blanc, a Bordeaux white blend, Rose, and a selection of Reds. 

 Greywacke Marlborough New Zealand Sauvignon Blanc 2022

A standout and one of Ryan's favorites for this category, this is from the Marlborough region in New Zealand, Greywacke (pronounced “grey-wacky”), named for New Zealand’s bedrock. where there is an abundance of these so-named river stones in the soil.

Producer/winemaker  Kevin Judd has contributed to and benefited from the expanding global popularity of New Zealand Sauvignon Blanc. Unveiled in 2009, Greywacke was originally launched as the name of the Judds’ first vineyard in Rapaura. Living in the Omaka Valley overlooking Marlborough’s vineyards, Kevin sources fruit from vineyards in the central Wairau Plains and the Southern Valleys.

Marlborough is the leading region producing New Zealand's distinctive style of Sauvignon blanc, it's  unique terroir produce high quality grapes comprising 90% of New Zealand's Sauvignon Blanc production. Situated at the northern tip of New Zealand’s South Island, the vineyards of Marlborough benefit from well-draining, stony soils, a dry, sunny climate and wide temperature fluctuations between day and night, a phenomenon that supports a perfect balance between berry ripeness and acidity.

The region’s primary variety is Sauvignon Blanc but also produces fruit-forward Pinot Noirs (especially where soils are clay-rich), elegant Riesling, Pinot Gris and Gewürztraminer.

Winemaker Notes - Aromas of cassis and passionfruit are first to emerge, with guava, crisp pear and white peach adding a delicious intricacy. On the palate, it is generous yet refreshing, with ripe pineapple and a lime sherbet zing, layered with elderflower and hints of citrus blossom. A classic example of Greywacke’s interpretation of the famous Marlborough style - ripe, textural and scruptious, with the volume turned well down.

This was awarded 95 points by Wine Spectator and 90 points by Vinous. 

Straw colored, light-medium bodied, complex, rich, smooth, nicely balanced acidity, notes of lemon, pineapple, passionfruit, mango and stone fruit flavors with hints of spice and florals, with lingering long, expressive finish.

RM 92 points. 

https://www.cellartracker.com/wine.asp?iWine=4512936

Château Latour-Martillac Blanc Sémillon-Sauvignon Blanc Blend 2019

This Bordeaux Blanc Sémillon-Sauvignon Blanc Blend is from Pessac-Léognan on the Left Bank, recognized for its superior reds as well as whites, Pessac-Léognan claims classified growths for both—making it quite unique in comparison to its neighboring Médoc properties. This is in the  little town of Martillac, just to the south-east of Léognan on the fringe of the city of regional anchor and namesake Bordeaux.

The Château Latour-Martillac estate takes its name from the tower which stands in the main courtyard of the château; the remnant of a fort built in the 12th century by the ancestors of Montesquieu. The structure occupied a strategic position and controlled the route between Bordeaux and Toulouse. Stones of the fort were used to build the existing château at the end of the 18th century.

In 1871, the estate was promoted by Bordeaux wine merchant Edouard Kressmann, attracted by the quality of the white wines grown on a remarkable gravelly hilltop with marked relief and outstanding exposure. Edouard's eldest son Alfred Kressmann, acquired the property in 1930 and changed the name to avoid confusion with the famous first growth namesake of the Medoc thereby Chateau Latour became Chateau LaTour-Martillac. 

Alfred Kressmann embarked on a long period of reconstruction, adding Cabernet Sauvignon to the Merlot already in place in the 30 acre vineyard which was planted primarily in white wine grapes, without touching the oldest plots. 

At the beginning of the 1930’s, Alfred Kressmann and his son Jean redesigned the label for their new vintage, inspired by the Art Deco movement which was very in vogue at that time. Their design with the gold and sandy stripes adorns the bottles to this day.

The wines of Château LaTour-Martillac gained widespread attention - the 1934 red vintage was selected by the "Wine and Spirit Benevolent Society" of London for the celebration of the coronation of His Majesty King George the VI, King of England in December 1936.

Jean achieved the family dream by acquiring the gravel slope vineyard which separated the property from the village, thereby extending the plantings to nearly 75 acres.

Today, the domain and is owned and managed by the six children of Jean Kressmann. - Tristan and Loïc, the two younger sons, manage the estate with the assistance of the best wine consultants in Bordeaux. Since the 1980’s, they have increased the area planted in Sauvignon Blanc to compliment the Semillon, the historical grape variety of the property. With one of the best gravel plots of the plateau of Martillac they produce the some of the best white wines from the Graves region. 

The Classified Growths of the Graves, long sought by the Winemakers Syndicate of the Graves, was established when the classification of Grave wines finally took place in 1953 under the authority of the National Institute of Designation of Origin. The classification recognised 16 châteaux, all in the north of the Graves region. Château LaTour-Martillac is one of only six properties classified for both red and white wines.

On the Martillac plateau, the hill dominates the property and is made up of a patchwork of gravel. These little pebbles deposited there by the river Garonne in the Quaternary period form a finely tuned mix of Quartz, Lydian, Jasper and Flint. These poor soils and drainage constitute an ideal terrain for the vine and in particular for the red grape varieties of Cabernet Sauvignon and Petit Verdot. Moving closer to the Garonne, the soils take on a different profile of clay and limestone, still with a gravel surface.
It is here that the Merlot variety grows best and also our white grape varieties of Sauvignon Blanc and Semillon. 

In 2020, a new red wine cellar was constructed with a new vat room equipped with environmentally efficient stainless steel tanks.

Château Latour-Martillac has an extensive hospitality program offering a wide range of tastings and tours at the estate.

Winemaker notes: "The 2019 Latour-Martillac is pale yellow color with sparkling highlights and has complex aromas of both floral (verbena, honeysuckle) and some exotic fruits (passion fruit) and lemon. The palate is beautifully fresh and is balanced by a delicious creaminess. In the mouth, there is elegance with the same complex, fruity aromas of white peach and ripe apricots as well as the floral note of verbena and fresh mint."

The 2019 Latour-Martillac Blanc is 58% Sauvignon Blanc og 42% Sémillon.

It was widely reviewed, awarded 95 points by Jeb Dunnuck, 94 by Wine Enthusiast, 93 by Wine Advocate and Vinous, and 92 points by Wine Spectator and Wine Cellar Insider, and 91 by Decanter.

Straw colored, medium full bodied, rich concentrated, sprites of grapefruit, lemon citrus, hints of  yellow apples and peaches with notes of what Wine Advocate calls "baking bread, almonds and spice cake".

RM 91 points. 

https://www.cellartracker.com/wine.asp?iWine=3661034

https://www.latourmartillac.com/

Mollydooker Blue Eye'd Boy McLaren Vale Shiraz 2018

This has become one of our family favorites, signature tribute wine to Son Alec (our blue eye'd boy). We whimsically open this as one of our favorite labels, a signature label for son Alec, Blue Eye'd Boy Syrah from Mollydooker, at family occasions.

This is one of several labels from this prolific producer that we collect. Producer Mollydooker offer a brand and portfolio of whimsical labels, each featuring a cartoonish character on the label. Even the brand name, Mollydooker, which is Australian lingo for a left-handed person, is a comical play on words, named for the two left handed owner/producers/founders Sarah and Sparky Marquis.  I chronicled Mollydooker brand and portfolio in a recent blogpost

As I wrote in that blogpost, the Mollydooker "Family Series" labels features photos of  Sara Marquis' two children. The 'Blue Eyed Boy' label shows Sarah’s son Luke, shown stomping grapes as a kid, who now heads up the Mollydooker Sales Team.

We love this full-throttle shiraz and collect it as part of our Mollydooker portfolio and as part of our Alec collection of labels we keep on hand to toast son Alec. We served an earlier vintage release of this wine at a graduation celebration for Alec back in his college apartment.

This is sourced from several select Vineyards in the McLaren Vale region:Coppermine Road, Gateway, Long Gully Road & Mollydooker Home, Langhorne Creek and Joppich. McLaren Vale might be one of the smaller South Australian wine regions, but it packs a big punch. Nestled between the city of Adelaide, the Sellicks Hill mountain range and the Gulf of St. Vincent, McLaren Vale is the source of some of Australia’s most intensely-flavored red wines and similarly powerful white wines.

With a mix of stony bluffs and undulating plains, dry valley winds and balmy sea breezes, the McLaren Vale region offers a wide range of soils and microclimates. Accordingly, local winemakers have found a variety of grapes that flourish there: Shiraz, Cabernet Sauvignon, Grenache, Sauvignon Blanc and Chardonnay, with Shiraz covering fully half of the region. Alternative grape varieties from Spain and Italy are increasingly in the McLaren Vale mix, too.

Early in the country’s history, McLaren Vale was the premier Australian wine region. English settler John Reynell was the first to plant grapes there – in fact, the first in all of South Australia – in 1838. Other winemakers whose names echo in the present-day industry, including Thomas Hardy and Rawson Penfold, followed soon after. Old vines thrive in McLaren Vale, with some more than 100 years old still producing high-quality wines.

Winemaker Notes for this label release - "The delicious berry fruit and spice flavors of the cooler climate wine from the Joppich Vineyard in Langhorne Creek gives the Blue Eyed Boy its crowd appeal. We blend it with McLaren Vale Shiraz to add intensity, vibrancy and richness. This Shiraz is bursting with generous with amounts of fresh plum and blueberry, accompanied by spice and licorice all sorts. Supple texture and a creamy finish features layers of biscuit cream and espresso coffee. A well weighted wine with a truly elegant finish."

"The colour and fragrance of plum provide an alluring first glance, with gentle notes of strawberry and mocha filling the aroma. Expressive, rich fruit adds elements of blueberries and molten chocolate, while subtle tannins create a silky mouthfeel. The great intensity and complexity of our 2018 Blue Eyed Boy is no exception to its past."

This was awarded 93 points by Wine Advocate and 92 points by Wine Spectator.

It was barrel fermented and matured in 100% American oak; 58% new; 42% one year old.

Dark inky purple colored, full bodied, concentrated and intense, dense, rich blackberry and black cherry fruits with notes of dark-chocolate, vanilla, tobacco, spicy clove and hints of pepper notes with a long, tongue coating finish.
 
RM 92 points.
 

https://mollydookerwines.com.au/

Cliff Lede "Beckstoffer To Kalon Vineyard" Oakville Napa Valley Cabernet Sauvignon 2019

 Napa Valley To Kalon Beckstoffer Vineyard Cabernet Sauvignon 2019

This is the ultra-premium label of the evening, one of the flagship top labels of the Cliff Lede portfolio. This was also a bit of a paradox, we probably opened too soon, this needs several more years of bottle age to settle, integrate, and come together. Indeed, Jeb Dunnuck said "this is another magical wine from this estate that will evolve for 20-25 years if stored correctly." Decanter says, "The wine has the structure for long ageing. Only time in the cellar will tell if it nicely sheds its baby fat and becomes something wholly intriguing."

This is a single vineyard designated label sourced from the legendary Napa Valley To Kalon Beckstoffer Vineyard, home to some of the premiere labels from Napa Valley top producers. As the rear label indicates, this is sourced from the Beckstoffer family's portion of the revered H.W. Crabb vineyard that dates back to the original Hermosa Vineyard developed in 1868, often considered one of Napa Valley's 'first growth' vineyards.

The Lede website says this of To Kalon Beckstoffer: "Situated on the western Oakville bench, the celebrated Beckstoffer To Kalon Vineyard has gravelly loam soils with high mineral content derived from sedimentary deposits of the volcanic Mayacamas Mountains and the alluvial fan of the Napa River. The vineyard has low organic matter content and thorough drainage, which devigorates the vines and produces small berries that are ideal for wines with intense concentration. The site is warm and sunny throughout the day, but cooled by late afternoon breezes, producing ripe Cabernet Sauvignon with lovely acidity. The blocks that make up our blend represent a diverse array of the Beckstoffer To Kalon terroir and clonal selection, creating a unique and extraordinary wine from this critically praised site." 

The 2019 Cabernet Sauvignon Beckstoffer To Kalon Vineyard is 100% Cabernet Sauvignon, a blend of three clones off this historic ranch.

 This wine underwent twenty-one months of élevage in French oak barrels, 78% of which were new.

Winemaker notes - The deep dark ruby colored 2019 Beckstoffer To Kalon boasts a brooding perfume of sultry violets, wild blackberry, and black figs. Red currant, black cherry, and mulberry preserve flavors dominate the entry tinged with cool menthol and bay laurel notes.

This label release was awarded a near perfect 99 points by Jeb Dunnuck, sequentially, 98 points by Wine Advocate, 97 points by Decanter, 96 points Vinous, and 95 points by James Suckling, and 93 points by Wine Spectator. The broad range of reviews is testament to the points its all in the eye's of the beholder.

We found this a bit awkward, slightly obtuse, with some green notes that burned off after a half hour, but this definitely needs some time to settle and integrate with some more bottle aging.

Decanter says "The wine has the structure for long ageing. Only time in the cellar will tell if it nicely sheds its baby fat and becomes something wholly intriguing."

It was dark garnet colored with inky purple hues, medium full bodied, intense, concentrated forward blackberry,  mulberry and ripe plum fruits with tones of cassis, herbs, earthy leather and tobacco with hints of cinnamon spice, menthol and cedar turning to fine grained tannins on a long lingering finish. 

RM 93 points. 

https://www.cellartracker.com/wine.asp?iWine=4235934

https://cliffledevineyards.com/

https://cliffledevineyards.com/wines/2019-cliff-lede-cabernet-sauvignon-beckstoffer-to-kalon/

Friday, March 11, 2022

Blue Eye'd Boy and CDP for Italian Beef Dinner

Blue Eye'd Boy and CDP for Italian Beef Dinner

Son Alec (our blue eye'd boy) came over for Friday night dinner with Vivianna, new mom, and new baby daughter/grand-daughter, Marylin. So, we whimsically opened one of our favorite labels, a signature label for son Alec, Blue Eye'd Boy Syrah from Mollydooker, and a Chateauneuf-du-Pape. This was in remembrance of our visit to the Rhone wine region together. 

This is one of two of what we consider our signature wines for our son Alec, along with Alec's Blend from Napa Lewis Cellars. 

For the get-together, Linda also picked up some artisan Murray's cheeses from the legendary NYC cheese purveyor. Murray's wine and cheese bistro in Greenwich Village was a favorite eatery with Alec when we visited on numerous occasions during the years he and Viv lived in Manhattan. How ironic or fortuitous that Murray's was acquired by the parent of our local grocer/marketer Marianno's and is now available here locally!

With our wine tasting, Linda served two of our favorite Murray's Cheeses, Cypress Grove Humboldt Fog and Murray's Delice de Bourgogne along with her own pimento cheese spread. 

From Murray's Cheese site: "Humboldt Fog is perhaps the most recognizable American original cheese. Handmade at Cypress Grove's Northern California creamery from local goat's milk and lightly aged, Humboldt Fog boasts a fudgy texture and tangy flavor. The creamline develops into unctuous bliss, and the rind is paper-thin and brimming with minerality. You'll know it's the Fog by the characteristic line of ash running through the center"”creamery founder Mary Keehn's nod to the French classic Morbier"” and by its birthday cake-like shape."

From the Murray's Cheese Blog, "Many people commonly mistake the dark line running through and around Humboldt Fog as blue mold. In fact, it is an edible ash made from vegetables. The fresh curd is pressed half-way into a cheesecloth-lined mold and then the powdered ash is sprinkled on top. The molds are filled the rest of the way with curd and then the outside is generously coated with ash before they begin aging.'

"Cypress Grove’s amazing goat cheeses–Humboldt Fog, with its bright white, cakey paste and gorgeous line of gray ash through the middle tops many people’s Favorite Cheese List–and if you haven’t: get to it. Based in Arcata, California, they’ve been making cheese since the early 1980s. With Mary Keehn at the heart of the operation, the company became one of the country’s foremost artisanal cheesemakers."

As seen in Town and Country Magazine December 2012 

We first discovered Delice de Bourgogne at the French Market in Delray Beach Florida. We were delighted to find it available through cheese purveyor, Murray's. 

"Murray's Delice de Bourgogne is a tribute to small scale industrial French cheese-making, a pasteurized triple creme (75% butterfat in dry matter) that marries full-fat cow milk with fresh cream, producing an unapologetically rich, whipped delight. Unlike many straightforward triple-cremes, this one has a thin, pungent mold rind that imparts straw and mushroom aromas, complementing the buttery yellow, sweet cream interior. Makes a dreamy breakfast, lunch or dessert - just add champagne!" 

While Champagne might have been in order, we had already selected the wines to pair with our dinner - some of our favorites, that we enjoy with almost anything, including these artisan cheeses.

Mollydooker Blue Eye'd Boy Syrah 2013

I pulled this from the cellar at Linda's request as it is one of her favorite labels and winestyles, and was especially appropriate with son Alec joining us for dinner as noted above, it is one of our signature wines we collect and enjoy in tribute to him. 

This is one of several labels from this prolific producer that we collect. Producer Mollydooker offer a brand and portfolio of whimsical labels, each featuring a cartoonish character on the label. Even the brand name, Mollydooker, which is Australian lingo for a left-handed person, is a comical play on words, named for the two left handed owner/producers/founders Sarah and Sparky Marquis.  I chronicled Mollydooker brand and portfolio in a recent blogpost

As I wrote in that blogpost, the Mollydooker "Family Series" labels features photos of  Sara Marquis' two children. The 'Blue Eyed Boy' label shows Sarah’s son Luke, shown stomping grapes as a kid, who now heads up the Mollydooker Sales Team.

We love this full-throttle shiraz and collect it as part of our Mollydooker portfolio and as part of our Alec collection of labels we keep on hand to toast son Alec. We served an earlier vintage release of this wine at a graduation celebration for Alec back in his college apartment.

Winemaker Notes for this label release - "The delicious berry fruit and spice flavors of the cooler climate wine from the Joppich Vineyard in Langhorne Creek gives the Blue Eyed Boy its crowd appeal. We blend it with McLaren Vale Shiraz to add intensity, vibrancy and richness. This Shiraz is bursting with generous with amounts of fresh plum and blueberry, accompanied by spice and licorice all sorts. Supple texture and a creamy finish features layers of biscuit cream and espresso coffee. A well weighted wine with a truly elegant finish."

This was awarded 92 points by Wine Spectator.

This is a full throttle powerful high octane Shiraz. If you think that is over the top with the superlatives, try this wine. It's sometimes over the top for my liking and I like big bold style wine. Linda actually likes this style. 

Some Cellartrackers talked about using the Mollydooker Shake on this wine. No wonder the producer introduced the Mollydooker 'shake' where they actually prescribe shaking the bottle before opening to awaken or to settle the fruit! We own and drink a lot of their wine and I have never gotten into the habit of doing so, perhaps tonight we should have!

Reading up on the Mollydooker Shake, it is prescribed only for still red wines of two years of age or less. It is to release the nitrogen in the bottle that they use instead of the normal sulphites commonly used to preserve wines.  Sulphites can cause an allergic asthma type reaction in some people and Mollydooker realise a lot of people are sensitive to them. So, wherever they can, they use nitrogen to protect the wine so that they can reduce the amount of sulphites.

Dark blackish garnet purple colored, full bodied, dense, rich, spicy, concentrated blackberry, blueberry and raspberry fruits accented by notes of tar, leather, tobacco and notes of oak. 

RM 91 points. 

https://www.cellartracker.com/wine.asp?iWine=1897876

I also pulled this Châteauneuf-du-Pape in remembrance of our trip with Alec and Vivianna to the region. 

Domaine Ferrand Châteauneuf-du-Pape 2005

We visited Châteauneuf-du-Pape with Alec and Vivianna during our Rhone Southern France region tour in 2019, so I pulled a blend to accompany our Italian beef dinner. 

At seventeen years, this was likely at the apex of its drinking window and profile, not likely to improve with any further aging, but showing no sign of diminution whatsoever. The fill level, foil, label, and importantly, the cork were all in perfect condition. 

This release was awarded 95 points by Robert Parker's Wine Advocate, and 94 points *Highly Recommended* by Wine Spectator.

Classic Châteauneuf du Pape blend of the GSM requisite grape varietals, 94% Grenache and the remainder Syrah, Mourvèdre and Cinsault.

Dark garnet colored, full bodied, complex, concentrated blackberry and plum fruits with notes of anise, herbs, tobacco, spice, and a bit of graphite anise with moderate tannins on the finish. 

RM 91 points.

https://www.cellartracker.com/wine.asp?iWine=324980

 

 


Sunday, October 20, 2019

Mollydooker Blue Eyed Boy Shiraz 2012

Mollydooker Blue Eyed Boy Shiraz 2012

One might say this is one of our signature wines for our son Alec, along with 'Alec's Blend from Napa Lewis Cellars. We pulled this from the cellar for sipping with cheese, fruit and chocolate with a Saturday night movie as we prepare to go visit in Alec in NYC this week.

This is a full throttle powerful high octane Shiraz. If you think that is over the top with the superlatives, try this wine. It's actually over the top for my liking and I like big bold style wine. Linda actually likes this style. some Cellartrackers talked about using the Mollydooker Shake on this wine. No wonder the producer introduced the Mollydooker 'shake' where they actually prescribe shaking the bottle before opening to awaken or to settle the fruit! We own and drink a lot of their wine and I have never gotten into the habit of doing so, perhaps tonight we should have!

Reading up on the Mollydooker Shake, it is prescribed only for still red wines of two years of age or less. It is to release the nitrogen in the bottle that they use instead of the normal sulphites commonly used to preserve wines.  Sulphites can cause an allergic asthma type reaction in some people and Mollydooker realise a lot of people are sensitive to them. So, wherever they can, they use nitrogen to protect the wine so that they can reduce the amount of sulphites.

We served an earlier vintage release of this wine at a graduation celebration for Alec back in his college apartment.

This was dark blackish inky purple, full bodied, powerful, rich forward fruit of super ripe savoury extracted raisin, notes of expresso coffee, soy and anise, with a bit of heat with almost a medicinal or metallic layer. I wonder if this is indicative of this vintage or if perhaps we held it a bit too long, or perhaps this is an aberrant bottle. We have some more of this vintage and will watch it carefully.

The pundits and Cellartracker collectors give this 92 points. I give it 88.

https://www.cellartracker.com/wine.asp?iWine=1762926

https://www.mollydookerwines.com.au/default.aspx

Saturday, March 5, 2016

Beef Wellington Napa Red Dinner

Beef Wellington Napa Red Dinner - Freemark Abbey, BV Tapestry and Robert Craig Affinity

For a wine dinner at Bill and Beth C's, Beth prepared a fabulous Beef Wellington, so Bill and I pulled together a selection of some our favorite Napa Valley Bordeaux blend wines, mainstays of our cellar collections, for the occasion. The rationale being that complex blends will result in complex wines that will complement the cuisine, rather than a narrower, 'single dimension' wine that may tend to overshadow or even overpower the food. Such wines have their place, but not for fine dining. Bill served two Freemark Abbey Napa Cabernets - the Estate and the allocated limited release Josephine.

I brought two 1997 Napa meritage blends - BV Tapestry and Robert Craig Affinity.

After a selection of artisan cheeses and biscuits, we dined on Beth's delicious Beef Wellington (right) with asparagus spears wrapped in bacon, and a spinach, egg and bacon dinner salad.

For dessert, Linda prepared a Bourbon Grand Marnier cake with puree'd strawberry honey sauce and fresh whipped cream.

The wines ...

Freemark Abbey Josephine Napa Valley Red Wine 2004

This is the flagship of the storied Freemark Abbey, named for Josephine Tychson, who in 1886 established the original winery along Route 29 just north of downtown St. Helena where Freemark Abbey still stands, becoming one of the first woman winegrowers on record.

Bill acquired this limited release allocated wine from the producer and holds a vertical selection of this as part of his extensive Freemark Abbey collection. We have visited the winery on numerous occasions including our visit there together during our Napa Wine Experience back in 2009.

Bill's tasting notes from Cellartracker for this selection sum up our tasting experience perfectly - "Despite having tasted and collected most of Ted Edwards cabs going back to the 1980's, this was the first time tasting his effort at a Bordeaux blend. I chose this specifically because Beth had chosen to prepare Beef Wellington for a dinner with friends Rick and Linda. It was worth the wait. Beautiful, dark ruby color. A slight perfume on the nose with a small hint of herbs. Complex layers of raspberry, cassis, chocolate and unsurprisingly, Rutherford dust. This was a spectacular accompaniment to the meal and to the '97 Affinity and Tapestry provided by Rick and Linda. A word of advice...it took a full three hours plus for this to truly reveal its full complexity. Prior to that time, this was a bit flat, missing the upper end brightness of the fruit. But with the appropriate time, this was pretty spectacular."

WCC - 90 points. RM - 90 point.

https://www.cellartracker.com/wine.asp?iWine=512889

Freemark Abbey Estate Napa Valley Cabernet Sauvignon 2012

This is a blockbuster release from Freemark, being a high achiever of the 2012 vintage. Wine Advocate awarded this 93 points. A blend of Bordeaux varietals, 75% Cabernet Sauvignon along with Merlot, Cabernet Franc, Petit Verdot and Malbec. This is an obvious collectable with its high QPR (quality price ratio) and abundant availability with 45000 cases produced. I look forward to watching this progress over the next decade, although Parker predicts this might be progress over the next couple of decades.

Bill's notes from Cellartracker ... 

The 2012 really lives up to Parker's high praise even at this young age. Rich, robust and full of fruit. Cherry and red raspberry on the front palate with mocha and a layer of oaky vanilla on a full bodied finish. Strongly advise letting this breathe for a minimum of two hours. There are early, youthful tannins present but my sense is that this is not a 20 year wine. But why wait. Will be out to purchase more today.

WCC - 92

https://www.cellartracker.com/wine.asp?iWine=2177010

Beaulieu Vineyards Napa Valley Tapestry Reserve Cabernet Sauvignon 1997

One of the remaining bottles of a case acquired upon release, my tasting journal index shows eleven previous tasting notes published for this wine.

Dark garnet colored, starting to show some rust orange hues and slight bricking on the edges showing some diminution from aging, medium-full bodied, an initial funkiness burned off soon after opening eventually showing and drinking fine,  like when younger.

Black berry and black cherry fruits, slight earthy leather, licorice and a tone of bark on the moderate tannin finish. Opened further and softened more over the course of the evening.

Earlier tasting notes indicated further softening and enhanced fruit revealed a day later.

RM 89 points.

http://cellartracker.com/w?192928

Robert Craig Napa Valley Affinity 1997

Robert Craig is one of the largest holdings in our cellar with a half dozen different labels going back as much as two decades for some. We've enjoyed many special visits to the winery, release parties, and special events with the producer.

Like the Tapestry above, we have a long history with this wine and still hold more than a dozen vintages including early releases dating back to the inaugural in 1993. Like the '97 Tapestry, this is one of few remaining bottles of a case we acquired back upon release. Our wine tasting journal index for this wine shows eight tasting notes over the years.

This too, is a Bordeaux style blend and also paired well, still showing vibrancy and resiliency at this stage of life. My last tasting notes for this wine a year ago said that while it most likely will not improve further with age, it seems to still stand at the apex of its drinking window and shows no sign of diminution whatsoever.

Tonight,  like the Tapestry, this bottle also showed a bit of funkiness on opening which also burned off within the first half hour.

My previous tasting notes back in 2012 cited 'this wine is more expressive than early in life showing lingering fruit and staying power'. According to those notes, this showed even better tonight with more balance and polish than that tasting. At this stage of life, that could be an indication of bottle variation but no so likely since the bottles share the same provenance.

Dark purple garnet colored, medium bodied, forward bright vibrant black berry and black raspberry fruits with a layer of cedar, tones of black tea and hints of cassis and smoke on a smooth moderate lingering tannin finish.

RM 89 points.

https://www.cellartracker.com/wine.asp?iWine=29715

http://www.robertcraigwine.com/

Mollydooker Blue Eyed Boy Shiraz 2011

From the top ranked wine team of Sarah and Sparky Marquis, their new Mollydooker label plays on the Australian colloquialism for a 'left hander'.

Bill pulled this initially to add to Beth's wine infused brown sauce for the Beef Wellington and then poured it as a perfect accompaniment to Linda's cake dessert. Weighing in at 16% alcohol, this is a bold wine that begs for big full flavorful foods such as sweet dessert or hearty cheese, not for the feint of heart, this can be an after dinner aperitif.

Some of the earlier vintages were more subdued by comparison presenting big forward polished balanced fruit bombs.

Dark inky purple ruby colored, thick tongue coating texture, massive full bodied ripe plum, black berry, black raspberry and blue berry fruits accented by a layer of clove spice, pepper, overshadowed by a flinty metal tone that I find unsettling but that the other's enjoy, which matches the fruit tones on the long tongue coating firm tannin finish.

RM 89 points.

https://www.cellartracker.com/wine.asp?iWine=1441737