Duo Mt Veeder Pym Rae Vineyard Napa Cabs

Duo of Mt Veeder Pym Rae Vineyard Napa Valley Cabernets comparative tasting

Fellow Pour Boy wine buddy Bill and Beth came in from Charleston for the weekend so Linda prepared grilled rib-eye beefsteaks with roasted potatoes and haricut verts. Linda prepared the steaks charred Pittsburgh style perfectly, as shown. 

Prior to dinner and ceasar salad we had a selection of artisan cheeses and fresh berries.

After dinner, Linda served Tuxedo chocolate cake with fresh berries and whipped cream.

Grilled Ribeye steaks prepared
Pittsburgh style served on French Bread

We scoured the cellar for an interesting and tasty wine flight and selected a mini-horizontal of two vintage wines from two different producers, sourced from the same estate and vineyard.

I wrote about the history of the Pym Rae Vineyard on Mt Veeder serving as the source for several producers over the years in this blogpost a while back. - https://unwindwine.blogspot.com/2018/06/marco-di-guilio-pym-rae-vineyard-mt.html.

We've met with Robert Craig a dozen times over the years at the winery, at a ghost winery in early years, at harvest parties, and at special dinners that we have hosted or attended.  

The Pym Rae vineyard property historically was better known as the Napa Valley vineyard and estate of Robin Williams, the comedian and actor known for his stand-up routines and his many diverse film performances including Mrs Doubtfire and Good Will Hunting, for which he won an Academy Award.

 

Rick, Robert Craig and Bill at
Howell Mtn estate harvest party.

The name Pym-Rae is a hommage to the late Robin Williams and his children after whom the vineyard was named. The inspiration behind the odd sounding Pym-Rae was the combination of the middle names of Robin's two eldest children, Zachary Pym Williams and Zelda Rae Williams.
 

The Pym-Rae vineyard was originally cultivated in about 1990, long before there was an estate chateau or active winery. The grapes were sold to various local producers including Robert Craig, Vineyard 29 and Rombauer. 

 

Robert Craig was winemaker for Robin Williams wines for more than a dozen years and when he started producing wines under his own label he sourced his Mt Veeder Cabernet Sauvignon grapes from there. We hold several decades of vintages of Robert Craig wines including this Mt Veeder label, dating back to the inaugural release in 1993.

Robert Craig's website noted the end of their supply of fruit from this vineyard; "Bob Craig consulted on the development of the late Robin Williams’ 17-acre Pym Rae vineyard in 1990 and, since then, we (have) received the majority of the fruit from this terrific property".

The entire Pym-Rae property totaled 640 acres and was purchased by Robin Williams in 1994. After his death, in August, 2014, the property was sold in January 2016 to the French Tesseron family, owners of Chateau Pontet-Canet and Tesseron Cognac. 

 

As part of the purchase they acquired homestead chateau on the property, Villa Sorriso, a massive, stunningly beautiful home, built in 2003. The 2 story Italian styled villa, 20,000 square feet, was the home of Robin Williams and included a movie theater, 5 bedrooms, 10 bathrooms, a tennis court and infinity pool in the home. Robin Williams had referred to the estate as Villa Sorriso, which is translated to “Villa of Smiles.” There the Tesserons have created the "Tesseron Estate". 

 

Last year the Tesseron Pym Rae Cabernet Sauvignon was released at $350 per bottle making these wines a terrific value in comparison.  

Marco Di Giulio Napa Valley Mt Veeder Pym Rae Vineyard Cabernet Sauvignon 2005

https://unwindwine.blogspot.com/2020/12/close-out-2020-with-diamond-mtn.html

 

This 2005 Mt. Veeder Pym-Rae Cabernet was dark inky blackish garnet colored, full bodied, powerful and massively structured. Upon opening the fruit flavored exploded from the bottle into the glass. The forward rich fruits are layered with blackberry and blueberry accented by a tone of chocolate with nuances of smoke and spice, turning to an incredibly long finish.

I wish I could find more of this label and will watch for it and buy all that I can find. Watch for the new releases from Tesseron Estate as they come on the market in the coming years.

RM 93 points.

https://www.cellartracker.com/wine.asp?iWine=1498521

An interesting comparison of two wines from two different winemakers and producers, sourced from the same fruits. In comparison, the Di Giulio was more expressive with more vibrant fruits from the onset with aromas erupting from the bottle and glass upon opening and pouring, while the Craig was tighter and more subdued. 

Over the course of an hour the wines came closer together resembling their common terroir character and profile. Then, they drifted apart again, back to their initial profile where they revealed winemaker influences as the Di Guilo presented more vibrant fruits accented by a frame of sweet oak. 

Surprisingly, the ladies both preferred the Robert Craig over the bolder more expressive Di Giulio.

Robert Craig Napa Valley Mt Veeder Cabernet Sauvignon 2005

The time before last that we served this particular label at one of our wine dinners, it was poignant tasting and reminiscing over this wine. We recalled tasting this wine with Robert Craig on numerous occasions and he recollecting this is his favorite of the vineyard selections. We talked of the recent end of the supplier relationship for this fruit source as the legendary Pym Rae Vineyard, previously owned by the late Robin Williams, was sold to a major French producer who acquired the sixteen hundred acre estate with plans to enter the Napa Valley marketplace. We recall Robert's reminiscences of Robin for whom he worked and managed the vineyards back in the nineties. 

From Robert we learned the inspiration for naming Robin's wine portfolio brand Toad Hollow was because, as a child he couldn't pronounce older brother Todd's name.

Robert Craig's 2005 Cabernet Sauvignon is complex and unusually high in alcohol. It displays aromas of blackberry and cassis with notes of chocolate and tobacco, while its fruit-forward palate offers flavors of mocha and licorice with a long finish and supple tannins.

Its dark garnet colored, black berry fruits with notes of smoke, hints of cassis, toasty oak, graphite, and spice notes offered in a medium-bodied, elegant, Margaux-like stylish, graceful wine. Drink it over the next decade."

Mt. Veeder, located on the eastern slopes of the Mayacamas range has a climate that is cooler than the valley floor below. This climate and the more difficult (less fertile) volcanic mountain soil influence the flavors of the wines from this region. Most known for both Chardonnay and Cabernet Sauvignon, Mt. Veeder is known for producing grapes of exceptional character and intensity.

Dark garnet colored, medium bodied, complex aromatic blackberry and black cherry fruits with notes of cassis, subtle spice, black tea, cigar box with hints of cedar and anise with full, ripe tannins and a hint of minerality on a long smooth finish.  

RM 91 points.  

https://www.cellartracker.com/wine.asp?iWine=458252

https://robertcraigwine.com/

@RobertCraigWine 

Clerc Milon Pauillac 1989 

With the steak dinner entrees course we opened this aged vintage Bordeaux from Bill and Beth's son Matt's birthyear that we've been holding for such an occasion.  

The 1989 Clerc-Milon is 65% Cabernet Sauvignon, 25% Merlot, and 10% Cabernet Franc. The vintage faced a warm spring that produced early flowering and the heat continued throughout the summer, leading to Clerc-Milon's earliest harvest of the twentieth century to that point. 

We drove past the Clerc Milon estate and vineyards during our Bordeaux Wine Experience in 2018, although we didn't stop as our focus for the trip the adjacent St Julien appellation. 

This wine was rated 93 points by Wine Spectator, 91 points by Vinous and 90 points by Robert Parker's Wine Advocate. 

At thirty-two years, this was holding up well, testament to the ageworthiness of fine Bordeaux from a good vintage. The fill level was appropriate for the age at lower neck level. The cork was completely saturated by still sound and intact albeit nearing end of life for its utility. It was extracted after much effort and care using a ahso two pronged cork puller. I wonder if it could have been done with a corkscrew. 

This was clearly in the waning years of its drinking window, but still presentable and enjoyable, taking into account its into its entering its fourth decade. The resulting Clerc-Milon was on par with the premier first growth flagship Mouton-Rothschild and even preferred by Robert Parker for the first time in his many years as a critic resulting a great value in comparison

Garnet colored with a slight brownish hue starting to emerge, medium bodied, the ripe blackberry and black currant fruits were beginning to give way to earthy leather, creosote, tea, herbs and hints of licorice and graphite. turning to soft tannins on the long lingering finish. 

Showing its age a bit - RM 88 points. 

https://www.cellartracker.com/wine.asp?iWine=2898

 

Château Picque Caillou Pessac-Léognan 2007

Château Picque Caillou Pessac-Léognan 2007

For casual beginning of the week sipping with dinner of left-over meatloaf and grilled vegetables, I pulled from the cellar this modest Grand Vin de Bordeaux. 

Château Picque Caillou is in the shadows of Bordeaux Merignac Airport, just 10 km on the route to the city of Bordeaux. It lies in the heart of the Pessac-Léognan appellation in central Medoc region of Bordeaux, a semi-urban area within the perimeter circular route that surrounds the city. We passed within just a few km of the site during our visit to the region in 2019.

Pessac-Léognan was created in 1987 from the northern part of the left bank Graves appellation. Before then it was simply part of Graves. Unlike many Bordeaux appellations, Pessac-Léognan is known for both red and dry white wines, although its reds are more predominant and famous. 

The appellation includes ten communes and the area’s most important châteaux, including Château Haut-Brion, the only non-Médoc estate included in the 1855 Bordeaux classification. 

There are 2,964 acres of vineyards in Pessac-Léognan with 16 classified growth estates. The main red grapes grown are Cabernet Sauvignon and Merlot, along with a small amount of Cabernet Franc. White grapes grown are Sauvignon Blanc and Semillon, with a little Muscadelle. Pessac-Léognan is considered to have the best terroir of the greater Graves region. 

Château Picque Caillou is not far from the prestigious Haut-Brion, La Mission Haut Brion and Pape Clément châteaux that are also surrounded by the urban sprawl of the city.

Once the heart of the Bordeaux vineyard, the vines of the “Graves de Bordeaux” surrounded the city. Today, Picque Caillou remains one of the last remaining vineyard sites surrounded by the all-consuming urban development that belies the respected soils and history. The 21-hectare (fifty acre) Caillou estate is named for the pebbly soils that originated from sediments deposited by the nearby Garonne River over thousands of years. Similarly, the prestigious second growth Château Ducru Beaucaillou is named for the beautiful tiny pebbles indicative of the gravelly soil further up the Gironde estuary. 

In 2006, Paulin Calvet took over the daily running of the vineyard. Coming from a long line of Bordeaux wine merchants, Paulin Calvet brought skills and experience he acquired in Libourne at the Jean-Pierre Moueix merchant house where he worked in the company of wine-growing experts Christian Moueix and Jean-Claude Berrouet. Paulin Calvet learned the subtleties of the best practices of vine-growing methods and vinification techniques practised by these two great Bordeaux wine professionals.

The wines of Picque Caillou quickly acquired higher levels of quality and consistency, soon attracting the attention of numerous wine professionals. Joining Paulin Calvet in 2007 were consultant œnologists Professor Denis Dubourdieu and Valérie Lavigne who added further technical experience and skills to the winemaking team. This served to improve the quality of the wines further, producing wines that display balance and delicacy, reflecting the style and character of the prestigious Pessac-Léognan appellation.

The estate is planted to 35% Merlot; 60% Cabernet Sauvignon; and 5% Petit Verdot red varietals, and 80% Sauvignon Blanc, and 20% Sémillon white varietals. Château Picque Caillou Red makes up around 60-70% of the total production, i.e. 65,000 to 80,000 bottles delivered in wooden cases of 12 bottles.

At fourteen years, this may be at its apex, not likely to improve further with aging, but showing no signs of diminution either. As shown, the cork was in perfect condition and the fill level was ideal as well.

At the modest entry level price point for a Grand Vin Bordeaux, in good vintage years this can offer great QPR - Quality Price Ratio, as in such years, 'all boats rise with the tide', resulting in high quality wines at good values. 

This was ruby colored, medium bodied with red and black fruits giving way to rustic, dusty herbs and spices, tobacco, floral notes and a bit of green pepper with tangy moderate tannins on the finish.  

RM 87 points. 

https://www.cellartracker.com/wine.asp?iWine=512129

http://www.picque-caillou.com/chateau-picque-caillou-pessac-leognan-en/chateau-picque-caillou.html

Château Cantemerle Haut Medoc Bordeaux 1985

Château Cantemerle Haut-Médoc 5ème Cru Classé Bordeaux 1985 

For Super Bowl festivities and feasting with son Sean on his birthday, I pulled a vintage wine from his birth year to share watching the big game.

Château Cantemerle is a Bordeaux Fifth Growth, located in the Haut-Médoc on the left bank of the Gironde river near the communes of Ludon and Macau about twenty km north of the town of Bordeaux. We passed through the village near the property on the route up to Margaux during our Bordeaux Wine Experience in 2019.

Château Cantemerle has a long rich history ic estate dating back to the 12th Century. Lord of Cantemerle bought beside Henri III of England in 1242. The chateau was part of a series of fortified structures that defended the Gironde and had its own port. The earliest records of viticulture date back to 1354 shen Lord Cantemerle paid his tithes in in clairet wine. 

When the great 1855 Classification of Bordeaux occurred, Cantermerle vineyards covered 255 adjacent to La Lagune. In 1867 Château Cantemerle received a silver medal at the World's Fair in Paris.

The modern history of the château began in 1892 when Théophile-Jean Dubos' purchased the estate which was passed down through the family until the 1980s. 

Many of Cantemerle's vineyards were pulled out during the two world wars, and were replanted in the 1980s, expanding the vineyard area from 20 hectares (50 acres) to 90ha (220 acres) by 1999. Since then, the estate has expanded considerably and has undergone modernization of the production and winemaking facilities. Production today is about 400,000 bottles each year.

The vineyards are planted to 64% Cabernet Sauvignon, 27% Merlot, 5% Cabernet Franc and 4% Petit Verdot. The vines, the majority of which are Cabernet Sauvignon, are on average 30 years old.

The soil in Cantemerle's vineyards is a mixture of silica sand and gravel, reasonably poor, thereby forcing the vines to struggle, resulting in grapes with high levels of aromatic concentration. 

Château Cantemerle Haut Medoc Bordeaux 1985 

The cork was moist and reasonably intact, however it broke and crumbled in two upon extraction, despite using a ahso two pronged cork puller (below). I removed the last quarter using a traditional screw. I was too hasty and aggressive in extraction and believe it would've remained in tact had I exercised more patience and care.

 Still holding on at thirty-five years, a testament to the ageworthiness of Bordeaux, still somewhat elegant, dark garnet colored with edges of brown starting to set in, medium bodied, the blackberry and black cherry fruits are giving way to non-fruit notes of bacon fat, cigar box, tobacco with hints of leather, tar and earth with subtle tannins on the moderate finish. 

RM 88 points. 

https://www.cellartracker.com/wine.asp?iWine=96170 

https://cantemerle.com/en/

 

Château Haut-Bailly Pessac-Léognan Grand Cru Classe 2000

Château Haut-Bailly Pessac-Léognan Grand Cru Classe 2000

On a Sunday winter snowy afternoon, Linda prepared a beef roast with carrots and onions and mashed potatoes. I pulled this hearty twenty year old Grand Cru Classe Bordeaux as the ideal wine pairing. I was pleased to find three additional bottles beyond what I show in inventory so it was an ideal selection to try something that I have more of to return to later. 

Haut-Bailly are regular participants in the annual UGCB North American Release Tour grand tasting in Chicago and we enjoy meeting them and tasting their annual release. We'll miss this event this year with the Covid crisis looming if it isn't held or reduced availability to attend as usual.

Château Haut-Bailly Pessac-Léognan Grand Cru Classe 2000

This was the best showing and most memorable tasting of this label I recall tasting. This is likely because I may have caught a top vintage at its prime drinking window, further enhanced because I had an optimal food and wine pairing. I wrote about the multiplicative impact of an ideal food and wine combination last week. 

Having been held in our cellar since acquiring upon release, the fill level, label, foil and cork were all in pristine condition.

At twenty years this seems to be just hitting its stride and appears to be at the apex of its drinking profile with several years to go yet at this level. Robert Parker's Wine Advocate in March of 2017 said  "it should continue to drink well for another 15-20 years." In 2013, James Suckling wrote of this label, "Still very youthful but starting to show its wonderful depth, structure and complexity."

This release got 94 points from  James Suckling, 92 points from Wine Enthusiast and Wine Spectator, and 91 points from  Robert Parker's Wine Advocate and Stephen Tanzer's International Wine Cellar, and Jancis Robinson gave it 17.5/ 20 points. 

Dark blackish garnet colored, medium-full bodied with nicely balanced complex bright vibrant ripe black berry and plum fruits accented by notes of tobacco and cigar box with hints of clove, cassis, cedar, leather and tar with dusty gripping fine-grained tannins on a tangy acidic long finish. 

RM 91 points.

https://www.cellartracker.com/wine.asp?iWine=16841

https://www.haut-bailly.com/en/home.html

@_Haut_Bailly_ 

Château Clinet Ronan 2016

Château Clinet Ronan Bordeaux (Merlot) 2016

I was intrigued when I saw this label in the local Binny's, Chicagoland's wine and beverage super store. We are big fan's of Château Clinet and have gotten to know Owner/Producer Ronan Laborde from the many UGCB annual release tour tastings in Chicago. Last year, he took over as President of the UGCB.  

Fellow Wine Buddy and Pour Boy Ernie S visited the Chateau during his tour of the Right Bank several years ago.

Château Clinet is one of our favorite Right Bank Bordeaux selections that we hold in our cellar dating back two decades and more.  I was confident he wouldn't affix his name to a lackluster or disappointing effort. Moreover, at a sub-twenty dollar price-point, its a safe bet as a must try. 

I picked up a bottle and brought it home and tasted it with BBQ ribs that happened to be on order for the evening. Wow, run don't walk to your local wineshop to pick up a few bottles to try for some interesting, casual, or even exotic sipping. 

I had never seen this label before and was intrigued, rightfully so by the discovery. The anticipation was heightened by the branding and packaging with the label being visually similar to the winemaker produced Michel Rolland Napa Valley Cabernet that I recently discovered and purchased. The MR Napa Cab, like the flagship Château Clinet, at a $175 pricepoint, are at the opposite end of the price spectrum, resulting in tremendous QPR - (quality price ratio) for this label.

When I researched it further, I was surprised to learn this label been around since being introduced in 2009, and has established itself as a great-value Merlot, especially considering the pedigree of the legendary world famous winemaker Michel Rolland, the 'Master of Merlot', and Château Client team. 

Château Clinet Ronan Bordeaux (Merlot) 2016

The 2016 label says it is 100% Merlot. Other releases have been noted to be Merlot based with some amounts of Cabernet Franc. Wine pundit Jeb Dunnuck, who gave this 91 points in his review, writes that this Merlot-dominated 2016 by Clinet contains 5% Cabernet Franc.

One reviewer wrote, "From the same 100-point Pomerol powerhouse team behind the famed $150+ Château Clinet, the 2016 Ronan by Clinet was already one of the best values in Bordeaux at its regular $30 price."

Upon initial opening this was a bit flabby and obtuse but after an hour it settled and actually took on an interesting profile. This was dark garnet colored, medium full bodied with black currant and plum fruits accented by an intriguing, almost exotic floral layer with herbs, truffle and notes of bittersweet dark chocolate with tongue puckering lingering tangy tannins and aromatics on the finish.  Great value in an everyday sipper!

RM 88 points. 

https://www.cellartracker.com/barcode.asp?iWine=3180769

 

 

Château Haut-Batailley Pauillac Bordeaux 2003

Château Haut-Batailley Pauillac Bordeaux 2003

Wine buddy and fellow Pour Boy Bill brought this Grand Cru Classe Bordeaux from his cellar in South Carolina for a wine dinner following our extraordinary dinner and wine flight last evening. This was a great comparison tasting opposite the just released 2018 vintage of Caymus Napa Valley Cabernet Sauvignon.

Château Haut-Batailley is another property of the legendary Borie family, one of the oldest wine producing families in Bordeaux who also own Château Ducru-Beaucaillou. Our visit to the Borie family owned classic second growth Ducru-Beaucaillou estate was one of the highlights of our trip to the Medoc last year. 

Bill brought this label to another wine dinner tasting we held three years ago. At that time I wrote that this wine as probably at the apex of its drinking window, not likely to improve further with aging. While that may be the case, it certainly is holding its own and showed very well again tonight, perhaps better than our earlier tasting, exceeding my expectations for what I was expecting from this label and vintage release. 

Bill's Cellartracker notes from the earlier tasting summed it up well - "Medium garnet with a slight touch of brown at the edges. Earthy nose with the slightest hint of lilac. A bit tight upon opening but within 20 minutes, began to reveal cassis, dark chocolate, a bit of moss and just a hint of mint."

Like our earlier tasting experience, this opened with wonderful Bordeaux aromas of earthy leather, dark fruits and floral but was firm and tight with a moderate gripping tannin backbone - yet smooth and polished rather than overbearing. We set it aside and let it open and breath for a bit which it did so very nicely over the course of the evening. It showed equally well if not better the next evening as we enjoyed the remains of the bottle.

Dark garnet colored, medium full bodied, complex black fruits with tones of cassis, floral, earthy leather, tobacco and oak, hints of spice and graphite with smooth polished dusty tannins on the lingering finish.

RM 91 points.

https://www.cellartracker.com/wine.asp?iWine=61279

https://unwindwine.blogspot.com/2017/02/freemark-abbey-cuvaison-haut-batailley.html

Big Bottle Birthyear mania for Wedding Celebration

Our Cellar Collection and Gala Wedding Celebration includes Large Format Birthyear Vintage Wines

The large format big bottle mania continues for Sean and Michelle's wedding celebration weekend, we opened several birthyear vintage wines we have collected and were saving in our cellar for just such an occasion. We opened a six liter Imperial Napa Cabernet the night before. 

Fortunately, the 1985 vintage produced age-worthy wines suitable for long-term cellaring for thirty-five years. 

People often ask me about the practice of obtaining wines from a particular vintage year. Check vintage charts for your chosen region for your favored wine (s). If that region had a difficult vintage, check the other regions of the world. Chances are you'll find at least one that had favorable age-worthy harvests suitable for collecting.

My fixation on collecting birthyear wines for our children, and now grandchildren is evident in the cellar statistics - for just the 1985 vintage year, we hold 95 bottles in different 39 wines. I believe that is overstated somewhat by the lack of removing bottles consumed over the years. Never-the-less, it reflects the challenge to consume those bottles before they waste away, and offers an opportunity for an extensive, intensive vintage study. 

For the celebration weekend, I pulled the following bottles for a horizontal comparison tasting:

From St Julien Bordeaux,

• Leoville Las Cases 
  
• Ducru Beaucaillou 
• Gruaud Larose, 

Other Bordeaux: 

• Cos d' Estournel St Estephe
  
• Pichon Longueville Comtesse de Lalande Pauillac
  
• Sociando-Mallette Haut Medoc

Others:

• Freemark Abbey Napa Valley Bosche Vineyard Cabernet Sauvignon
• Rutherford Hill Napa Valley Cabernet Sauvignon
• Dunn Vineyards Napa Valley Cabernet Sauvignon
• Flora Springs Trilogy Napa Valley Cabernet Sauvignon
• Freemark Abbey Bosche' Vineyard Napa Valley Cabernet Sauvignon
• Dow Vintage Port
• Warre's Vintage Port

For the reasons noted, we will hold the following bottles for future tastings:

We hold vertical collections of these labels hence an opportunity for a broader tasting: Chateau Palmer and Silver Oak. this includes a collection of magnums for each of our four kids' vintage birthyears. 

Amazingly, several labels have projected tasting windows for further aging and consumption several years into the future, hence hold these bottles for an anniversary or baby or other notable celebration tasting. These include, Chateau Mouton Rothschild, Dominus Estate Napa, Dunn Vineyards Howell Mtn, Diamond Creek Napa, and Chateaux Lynch Bages,  Pichon Baron and Pichon Lalande. 

We opened these bottles, in large format magnums for tasting at the reception dinner:

• Sociando-Mallette Haut Medoc
  
• Château Ducru Beaucaillou St Julien
  
• Château Gruaud Larose, St Julien
  
• Château Pichon Longueville Comtesse de Lalande Pauillac 
• Dow Vintage Port

Château Sociando-Mallette Haut Medoc 1985

Château Sociando-Mallet is a 225-acre estate in St.-Seurin-de-Cadourne, which is part of the Haut-Medoc appellation just north of the St Estephe appellation, north of the city of Pauillac, Bordeaux. 

The estate is today considered by some reviewers, including Robert M. Parker Jr., to be the jewel of the Haut-Medoc.  Though the estate is unclassified, Parker says the château makes “uncompromising wines of extremely high quality….Sociando-Mallet is easily the equal of many of the classified growths….” 

The vineyards are planted to 54% Cabernet Sauvignon, 45% Merlot and 1% Cabernet Franc.

This release got 92 points from Vinous and 91 points from Wine Spectator.

The label and foil were in good condition, the cork was soft and partially saturated but extracted almost intact using a two pronged cork puller. 

I wrote about this label back in 2010 when we also tasted it from a magnum. At that time I wrote, "Medium bodied - bright lively forward red fruit flavors highlight with hints of raspberry, black cherry, anise and leather on a moderate tannin flavorful finish.Tasted from magnum - lots of life left - no signs of age in this 25 year old. RM 90 points."

Tonight this was dark garnet color, medium bodied, black berry and black cherry fruits with notes of black truffle, smoke, black tea with subtle notes of vanilla and tangy spice on a lingering modest tannin finish. 

RM 89 points. 

https://www.cellartracker.com/wine.asp?iWine=40950

https://www.sociandomallet.com/en

@Sociando_Mallet

Château Gruaud Larose St Julien Bordeaux 1985

Our visit, tour and tasting at the Gruaud Larose estate was one of the highlights of our tour of St Julien Bordeaux a year ago last month. We hold a horizontal collection of more than a dozen vintages of Gruaud Larose dating back to 1981, daughter Erin's birthyear, and the other kids' birthyears, several including this, Sean's 1985, in large format bottles.

We shared a virtual tour of our visit to Château Gruaud-Larose estate grounds, cellar, chai, library and hospitality center in St Julien from our unwindwine blogpost in these pages. 

This release got 93 points from Wine Spectator,  91 points from  Robert Parker's Wine Advocate and 90 points from  Stephen Tanzer's International Wine Cellar. Neal Martin from K&L Wine Merchants in the SF Bay Area gave it 92 points. 

Having a reputation for long lived wines, this 1985 Gruaud Larose showed few signs of diminution from aging and seemed to have a few years of life left although it was more closed and less expressive than the other labels. Earlier in the year I wrote it was showing its age - no doubt the difference in aging effects of a small versus large format bottle. At that time I gave it 89 points.

Like the other bottles served tonight, this was also acquired upon release and has been held in our cellar since. The label, foil and fill level were all pristine, in ideal condition. The cork, like the others was a bit soft and partially saturated, but extracted intact with a two pronged cork puller.

https://unwindwine.blogspot.com/2020/03/covid19-shut-in-prompts-curbside.html

Dark garnet colored, medium to full-bodied, a bit closed and slightly subdued complex, ripe earthy blackberry and black current fruits with tones of tobacco leaf, truffle, hints of cassis and spice box, turning to slightly tart black cherry on the long floral full tannin laced finish.

RM 89 points.

https://unwindwine.blogspot.com/2020/03/covid19-shut-in-prompts-curbside.html

https://www.cellartracker.com/wine.asp?iWine=20848 

https://www.gruaud-larose.com/

 

Château Ducru Beaucaillou St Julien Bordeaux 1985

Our visit to Château Ducru Beaucaillou in Beychevelle St Julien was one of the highlights of our trip to the Medoc last year. It has long been one of the signature wines that we collected for a horizontal of vintages that includes the birthyears of our four kids including large format bottles of this label and this magnum for the 1985 vintage. 

This release got 92 points from Robert Parker's Wine Advocate and 95 Points from the Zachy's Buying Team from the wine merchant in Scarsdale, NY.

As we have held this bottle in our cellar since release back in the eighties, the bottle label, capsule and fill level were all in near perfect condition. The cork was a bit soft and slightly saturated from the bottom but extracted intact using a Ahso two pronged cork puller. The photo shown here shows the cork after having been reinserted and removed for a tasting of the remains the following day. 

This was dark garnet-colored, medium-full bodied, concentrated, pure, red and black currant fruits with a layer of cedar and notes of  truffle, damp earth, tobacco and cinnamon; a hint of mint with with super firm tannins on a long, silky finish.

RM 91 points.  

The Zachys Buying Team Notes from their trip for the 2014 releases: 

"95 Points, Zachys Buying Team: "We had this wine over dinner while in Bordeaux tasting the 2014s - easily one of the highlights of the entire trip. Perfectly mature and is currently drinking the way Bordeaux was intended to be consumed - with age and enough sweet fruit to complement the tertiary development. This wine is all about elegance, no hard edges, classic St Julien cedar, truffle, and damp earth are joined by tobacco and cinnamon. Tongue-staining, long finish. It is a wine that transports you back to old world style claret, where the wine doesn't clobb er at 12.5% alcohol. It is truly a special treat to have this wine with this provenance and condition."

 
Marilee Bostic, Certified Sommelier, Certified Specialist of Wine (CSW) and most recently, the Wine and Spirit Education Trust (WSET) Diploma in Wines and Spirits (DipWSET), works at The Grape D’Vine, a boutique wine store in Sparkill, New York, writes in her notes of this wine:

"The 1985 Ducru-Beaucaillou still packed a punch with primary aromas and flavors, including cassis, black raspberry, and soft rose petals.  Secondary notes included a layer of vanilla and chocolate mint.  Tertiary notes dominated as this wine was fully mature, with a patina of cherry pipe smoke, damp forest floor, and black truffles.  This wine was dry, with medium (+) acidity, medium alcohol, pronounced aroma and flavor intensity, medium body, and medium tannins that were velvety-soft.  The finish was no doubt long."  

 

I wrote about this wine earlier this year and gave it 93 points, when I wrote; "Dark garnet colored, medium-full bodied, muted aromas on the nose but elegant, balanced and full flavored, bright and expressive on the palate with black currant fruits accented by sensuous floral, cedar, tobacco leaf, hints of damp earth with super firm tannins and a long, silky finish."

https://unwindwine.blogspot.com/2020/01/ducru-beaucaillou-birthyear-vintage.html

Last year, in anticipation of our visit to the Chateau, we opened this label when I wrote; "Dark garnet-colored, medium- to full-bodied, Parker describes it as "a wine of extraordinary charm and elegance", a floral, cedary nose with red and black currants, plum, notes of spice and cassis, firm tannins on a long, smooth silky finish. Still has some years left but assuredly not likely to improve with further aging."

https://unwindwine.blogspot.com/2019/07/chateau-ducru-beaucaillou-1989-1985.htm

https://www.cellartracker.com/wine.asp?iWine=17635

www.chateau-ducru-beaucaillou.com

@DucruB

 

 

Château Pichon Longueville Comtesse de Lalande Pauillac Bordeaux 1985

 

We visited the estate and walked the vineyards and grounds during our visit to the Medoc last year.  This was the BOTN - best-of-the-night, showing the greatest balance, elegance and complexity with nicely integrated fruits and flavors.

This label has been my favorite of many tastings occasions and continues to be one of my perennial favorites and has more often than not surprised us with its longevity and aging potential. 

 

This release got 93 points from John Gilman and 92 points from Wine Spectator.

 

John Gilman writes, "The 1985 has aged quite beautifully and is now drinking with great style and grace. The bouquet is a superb blend of cassis, dark berries, coffee, cigar wrapper, a dollop of fresh herbs, gravel, black tea and toasty oak. On the palate the wine is pure, fullish and beautifully complex, with a good core of fruit, lovely soil signature, melted tannins and fine length and grip on the very classy finish. This is not a powerful vintage of Pichon, but it is an utterly complete one!"

 

This was also served from a magnum. 

 

While this bottle was also acquired upon release and has laid in our cellar magnum rack adjacent the other bottles, the label was soiled and had completely detached from the bottle. The capsule was rather deteriorated but the cork, while slightly soft and partially saturated, extracted intact using a two pronged cork puller. 

This was dark garnet colored, medium-full bodied, complex, elegant and polished with nicely integrated black berry and black currant fruits accented by notes of cassis, black tea, coffee hints of spice and earth with a long smooth tannin laced polished finish. 

RM 93 points.

https://www.cellartracker.com/wine.asp?iWine=1779

http://www.pichon-comtesse.com/

@PichonComtesse

Dow's Vintage Port 1985 

For after dinner sipping and to close out our vertical tasting of 1985 wines for the evening, we opened this 1985 Vintage Port. 

We hold in our cellar several cases of Vintage Port wines but only from a few select vintages, mostly birthyears of our children, and classic Vintage Port vintage years. Note that only in years with an acceptable harvest that they declare it a Vintage year and release vintage designated release wines. 

Son Sean's birthyear 1985 was such a year, hence there are 1985 vintage release ports available. Such wines are notably ageworthy for long term cellaring, hence popular collectables for cellaring and holding for special occasions - classic 'special occasion' wine! 

Note that one should ensure they have an appropriate place with temperature and humidity consistency to cellar and store wine before investing in buying bottles to cellar for an extended period of time.

This wine got 93 points from James Suckling and Vinous and 92 points from Robert Parker's Wine Advocate. 

This is classic Vintage Port, what one is supposed to taste like. Naturally, in its 35th year, we see the ageability of such a wine and the art of the possible, or what is to be expected when properly cellared. Too often, if consumed too early, they will present a medicinal or 'hot' alcohol tones until they have integrated, smoothed and settled. 

Dark black garnet colored, medium bodied, aromas of walnuts, dried fruit and fig/raisins, rich concentrated black and red-berry and ripe plum fruits nicely integrated with layers of clove spice, anise liquorice, notes of raisin, creosote and leather with a smooth long lingering clean silky smooth tongue coating finish. 

RM 92 points. 

https://www.cellartracker.com/wine.asp?iWine=1897

Clos Saint-Julien St. Emilion Bordeaux 2005

Clos Saint-Julien St. Emilion Grand Cru Bordeaux 2005 with Charcuterie and Artisan Cheese

Our series of tasting Bordeaux wines on the anniversary of our trip there continues as we vicariously relive our week in Bordeaux a year ago this week. 

Tasted at home with charcuterie, salad and artisan cheeses. This was a specially nice pairing with the toasted pecans in the salad with fresh fruits and the Kerrygold Dubliner Stout and Blueberry Lemon Goat Cheeses.

Rather strange paradox of a name that is of a different appellation from the opposite bank of Bordeaux. 

This tiny 1.2 hectare (2.5 acres) St Emilion vineyard is planted to 50/50 Merlot and Cabernet Franc. 

Dark garnet colored, medium full bodied, nicely balanced and with surprisingly bright expressive forward fruits of black cherry and black currant with notes of  cassis and spice, hints of cedar, with full plus polished approach tannins and strong acidity on the medium to long finish. 

Not nearly as polished or elegant as the 100 point St Emilion of the other evening, but at a fraction of the price, this was a reasonal, nice QPR - quality price ratio, comparison.

Lots of life left in this release, at fifteen years probably drinking at its peak, showing no diminution whatsoever, but not likely to improve any with further aging. 

Wife Linda liked the bright expressive fruits and lack of earthy leather, tobacco and oppressive tannins she dislikes in many aged Bordeaux.

RM 91 points.

https://www.cellartracker.com/wine.asp?iWine=224185

 

Big Red Flight highlights grilled steak dinner

Big Red Bordeaux Blend Flight highlights grilled steak dinner

We visited fellow Pour Boy Dr Dan and Linda and they served a wonderful dinner of grilled steaks, baked potatoes, asparagus, cheese stuffed peppers and portabello mushrooms. Dan served a spectacular flight of red wines to accompany the dinner including two Bordeaux and a Sonoma Bordeaux Blend.

Continuing our tastings of Bordeaux wines on the anniversary of our trip there a year ago this week, we started the red flight with a St Emilion Château Troplong Mondot, followed by Château Lascombs Margaux, and closing out with Les Pavots from Peter Michael.

Before dinner with a selection of artisan cheeses, olives, nuts and tapenade, I took an Andretti Montonta Reserve Napa Valley Chardonnay. One of the standout cheeses was a English Shropshire Blue Cheddar.

Château Troplong Mondot Grand Cru Classe' St Emilion Bordeaux 2005

What a treat to experience this vintage release that was awarded 100 points by Robert Parker's Wine Advocate.

The 2005 Troplong Mondot is a blend of 90% Merlot, 5% Cabernet Franc, and 5% Cabernet Sauvignon.

There was irony in drinking this amidst the Coronavirus pandemic as years earlier Robert Parker had written in his review/notes: "It was emotional tasting this wine, thinking of the late Christine Valette, who made this compelling wine while battling with considerable courage against an insidious disease. It is a great effort and a superstar of the vintage. ... it is a tour de force, and a great tribute to an incredible woman. Kudos to the late Christine Valette!"

Vinous rated this 98 points, Stephen Tanzer's International Wine Cellar and Wine Spectator both gave it 96 points.

Dense dark garnet inky purple colored, full-bodied, powerful aromatics explode from the bottle upon releasing the cork, complex yet elegant and smooth, rich intense flavors of blackberry and black raspberry with layers of cassis, mocha, spice and notes of tobacco, a hint of truffle and some subtle background oak with silky smooth tannins on the long polished finish.

RM 96 points.

https://www.cellartracker.com/wine.asp?iWine=216871

https://www.troplong-mondot.com/en/

@Troplong_Mondot

Château Lascombes Grand Cru Classe' Margaux Bordeaux 2010

This release was awarded 94 points by James Suckling, 92 points by Robert Parker's Wine Advocate and Wine Enthusiast, and 91 points by Wine Spectator, Stephen Tanzer's International Wine Cellar and Connoisser's Guide. 

This was a special treat to taste this label as a year ago this week in our trip to the Medoc, we stayed in Chambres de Marguax, literally across the lane from Château Lascombes. We walked around the property almost daily in a strolls around the commune or enroute to or from dinner in the village.

At ten years of age, this was a bit tight and closed, perhaps going through a period in this stage, deep dark garnet in color, medium to full-bodied, blackcurrant and blackberry fruits with notes of black tea, fresh herbs, and black olives with hints of clove spice, cedar and licorice, turning to chewy tannins on the finish.

RM 91 points.

https://www.cellartracker.com/wine.asp?iWine=1124602

 

https://www.chateau-lascombes.com/ 

https://twitter.com/lascombes_

Peter Michael Les Pavots Knights Valley Bordeaux Blend 2012

Peter Michael produces one of the premiere ultra-premium Bordeaux Blends from Napa Sonoma. This is the flagship wine of the Peter Michael portfolio that is highly allocated directly from the winery with occasional limited quantities in distribution. 

Peter Michael is a huge and regretable lost opportunity for me as I spent fifteen years as a senior executive with an international company headquartered in Peter Michael's home town in Newbury, Berkshire, England. Peter Michael today owns hotels, resorts, golf club and restaurants in the town. I was ten years ahead of all of this development and missed potential engagement during my almost two hundred trips to the area. I regret not getting to meet and know Peter in those early years.  His wine operations started about the time I left that position and relationship just before the turn of the century.

Les Pavots is sourced primarily from the vineyard of the same name on the slopes of Mount St. Helena in Knights Valley in Sonoma County. The vineyard spans 49 acres ascending to an elevation of nearly 1,400 feet with Merlot and Cabernet Franc Bordeaux varietals growing on the cool upper slopes and Cabernet Sauvignon just below.

The blend of Bordeaux varietals is 64% Cabernet Sauvignon, 20% Cabernet Franc, 11% Merlot and 5% Petit Verdot.

This release was awarded 96-98 points by Robert Parker's Wine Advocate,  97 points by James Suckling and 95 points by Wine Spectator.

Winemaker notes for this vintage: "Deep dark color with saturated ruby color and vermillion nuance, 2012 Les Pavots reveals a deep bouquet of Cacao powder, fudge cookies, black cherry, blueberry and blackberry, licorice, with nuances of cedar, cigar box, black tea, graphite, vanilla, a stylish ‘garrigue’ touch and black truffle. Extremely full-bodied, the wine offers the same rich, ripe fruit impressions on the palate. The mouth feel is dense and round, with elegant tannins, which lead to a long finish. Complex, the 2012 Les Pavots will age gracefully for two decades and provides a classic presentation of our estate’s terroir."

Dark inky/purple-colored, big bold, full-bodied, complex, rich, ripe dense round dark black cherry, black berry brambley fruits with nuances of spice, cedar, cigar box, black tea with hints of licorice, graphite and black truffle turning to bold tangy tannins on a long finish.

RM 94 points.

https://www.cellartracker.com/wine.asp?iWine=1684672

https://petermichaelwinery.com/wines/les-pavots/

Andretti Montonta Reserve Napa Valley Carneros Chardonnay 2014

 

We tasted and acquired this wine at the Estate winery during our Napa Valley Wine Experience 2018. 

 

The Montona series is the premium Reserve brand available at the winery and to Club members. It is named for the Croatian village, birthplace of Andretti. 

 

We have fun with this brand with Dr Dan, a fellow Hoosier and Indy 500 Race enthusiast, supporting legendary driver and car/team owner Mario Andretti.

 

This was suprisingly good, better than expected. 

 

The golden honey color has a slight rust hue that was initially disarming but the wine was fine, medium bodied, nicely balanced and polished with integrated bright expressive notes of peach, apricot and citrus fruits with notes of vanilla and soft oak on the sinewy finish. 

RM 91 points. 

https://www.cellartracker.com/wine.asp?iWine=2916387

 

https://andrettiwinery.com/

 

@AndrettiWine 

Château Talbot St Julien Bordeaux 2011

Château Talbot St Julien Bordeaux 2011

Continuing the theme of revisiting our trip to St Julien Bordeaux a year ago this week, we opened another label from a producer estate that we saw last year. We toured and did a private tasting at nearby Château Gruaud Larose that used to be part of the Cordier Family holdings. While we didn't do a tasting and tour of Château Talbot we did drive over to see the estate that sits adjacent to Gruaud Larose.

We've had the pleasure of meeting fourth generation Philippine Bignon of the Cordier family, during her visits to Chicago as part of the UGCB North American release tour. The family have been proprietors of Château Talbot for four generations dating back to the turn of the last century.

Patriarch and her Great-great-grandfather Désiré Cordier wrote in his memoirs, "to be and to remain the owner of a well respected vineyard, one must be endowed with a real aristocracy that identifies itself with the vineyard and the wine. Everything must be sacrificed for this, to be a grand cru owner, you must in some way be in love with it…”

His son Georges and then his grandson, Jean, succeeded him as the head of the estate. Under their guidance, Talbot became one of the most famous growths in the Bordeaux region.

Following the death of Jean Cordier, his daughters Lorraine and Nancy, took over Talbot, building upon the knowledge and experience of past generations, they worked together to carry on the traditions and commitment to excellence to do justice to the Grand Cru.

Today Nancy Bignon Cordier, her husband Jean-Paul, their children Philippine, Marguerite and Gustave Bignon carry on the legacy of Talbot; a long history which has always united the destiny of the family to the vineyard.

We've held this label going back almost four decades and still hold vintage releases dating back to 1985, 1986 and 1989.

Tonight, in partial vicarious revisiting our St Julien trip, and to follow on and compare to the St Julien Clos du Marquis we enjoyed the previous evening, we pulled from the cellar this almost ten year vintage release for pleasurable drinking with leftover grilled steak, bbq beef, sweet corn and balsamic vinagrette caprese tomatoes with fresh home grown basil.

Château Talbot St Julien Bordeaux 2011

This estate bottled flagship Château Talbot is sourced from the vineyards with classic St Julien Medoc gravelly soil and 50 year old vines that surround the Château, and is a blend of 60% Cabernet Sauvignon, 35% Merlot, and 5% Petit Verdot. It was aged in 50% new French oak for fifteen months.

The 2011 vintage followed the legendary vintages of 2009-2010 and therefore was perceived as an off year with warm weather and low rainfall in the spring, one hot weekend in the end of June, followed by a cold summer, rainy August and finally a hot September. As with many lesser rated vintages, especially those adjacent to a top rated vintage, the 2011 could be considered underrated thereby is more affordable and offers good drinking and reasonable ageability for a decade or more. In its ninth year, it is likely as its apex and not likely to improve with any further aging.

Dark garnet colored, light medium bodied, minimal structure with moderate backbone, bright black berry and currant fruits with notes of cassis, cedar, graphite and subtle oak with moderate underlying tannins on the lingering finish.

RM 88 points.

https://www.cellartracker.com/wine.asp?iWine=1352544

https://www.chateau-talbot.com/

@TalbotOfficial