Pour Boys Pre-OTBN Wine Dinner

Pour Boys Pre-OTBN Wine Dinner

Fellow 'Pour Boy' Bill came back to town to attend our annual OTBN Wine Dinner tomorrow night to be hosted this year by Dr Dan, who joined us for a pre-OTBN wine dinner.

Linda served barbecue ribs and salmon with baked potatoes, baked beans and salad. Before dinner we had a selection of artisan cheeses, fresh salsa and fruits.

Our wine flight included:

Del Dotto Cinghale Vineyard Sonoma Chardonnay 2017

Rubissow Napa Valley Mt Veeder Syrah 2013

Elderton 'Command' Barossa Single Vineyard Shiraz 2002

Marquis Philips '9' McLaren Vale Shiraz 2002

Cliff Lede Napa Valley Stags Leap District Cabernet Sauvignon 2006

Cliff Lede Napa Valley Stags Leap District Cabernet Sauvignon 2008

Del Dotto Cinghale Vineyard Fort Ross Seaview Sonoma Chardonnay 2015

Dan brought this from his cellar. This was a fitting selection since we were all together when we tasted and he acquired this label during our Del Dotto Cave Tour and Barrel Tasting at the Rutherford Estate during our Napa Sonoma Wine Experience 2017.

https://www.cellartracker.com/wine.asp?iWine=2743597

Rubissow Napa Valley Mt Veeder Syrah 2013

Bill chose this from our cellar. He wanted to try this as he recently acquired some Mt Veeder Syrah from Lagier Meredith whom we visited together during our Napa Valley Mt Veeder Wine Experience 2011. We discovered and tasted this wine when we visited the Rubissow estate high atop Mt Veeder during that trip. 

With George Rubissow at the Rubissow vineyards
and estate atop Mt Veeder

https://www.cellartracker.com/wine.asp?iWine=2586621 

https://www.rubissowwines.com/

Elderton 'Command' Barossa Single Vineyard Shiraz 2002

We acquired several bottles of this label more than a decade ago shortly after release and realize like many wines, we consumed them too soon or too early in their drinking window. In several of those tasting experiences, this wine was tight and closed. 

Tonight, this was much more vibrant and expressive, exotic but perhaps past its prime as it was taking on the raisin prune notes taking the place of the fruit.

My tasting and associated note in 2015 perhaps captured this wine at the apex of its tasting window when I wrote, "My last tasting of this was back in 2006 when I wrote "this wine was more approachable than the first time we tried it - but it still needs some time to meld and reveal its complex fruit". Well nine years later, it is smoother and more polished and is certainly approachable with its delicious melange of black and blue fruits.'

"Reiterating my initial tasting note when I wrote this was "huge, powerful, dense, richly complex, dark", tonight it was big, dense, rich and complex, but now is smooth and approachable with full forward fruits of ripe plum, candied cherry, black raspberry, and blueberry fruits with tones of black pepper, hints of anise and dark chocolate punched by firm intense tannins on a smooth and long finish."

RM 90 points. 

https://www.cellartracker.com/wine.asp?iWine=46692

Marquis Philips '9' McLaren Vale Shiraz 2002

To compare with the Elderton Command above, we pulled another 2002 South Central Australian Shiraz for a mini horizontal comparison tasting of the vintage. 

We hold nearly a decade of this label dating back to its earliest days. This vintage is the oldest and this is the last of our holdings of this release. 

This release got 96 points from Robert Parker and 91 from Wine Spectator. 

Dark inky purple color, full bodied, big nose of dark fruits with a layer of iodine accented by anise, notes of expresso on the long finish.

RM 92 points. 

https://www.cellartracker.com/wine.asp?iWine=2461

Cliff Lede Napa Valley Stags Leap District Cabernet Sauvignon 2006

Bill brought the 2008 vintage release of this label which was spectacular. For a 'mini-vertical' comparison I pulled from the cellar this 2006. We consumed the 2008 first which overshadowed this '06. Had we opened and consumed this first, it would've shown better and been more enjoyable.

This release was awarded 92 points by Wine Spectator and 91 points by  Robert Parker's Wine Advocate. 

Garnet colored, medium bodied, bright vibrant ripe red and black currant fruits with hints of dark mocha and expresso. 

RM 90 points. 

https://www.cellartracker.com/wine.asp?iWine=571785

Cliff Lede Napa Valley Stags Leap District Cabernet Sauvignon 2008

As noted above, we opened this vintage first and was more complex, integrated, balanced and harmonious, overshadowing the lesser '06 that followed. In retrospect it would've been better had we done them in reverse order. Normally, we open older vintages first but we couldn't have imagines the degree of difference in just two years.

This got the same 91 point rating by Robert Parker's Wine Advocate as the '06 but it showed much more elegantly. 

Deep garnet purple color, medium-full bodied, dense, complex, elegant, nicely balanced and integrated black berry and black currant fruits highlighted by dark mocha, floral, anise and hints of cedar and oak on a polished lingering finish.

RM 92 points.

This was a Bordeaux blend of 75% Cabernet Sauvignon, 13% Merlot, 8% Cabernet Franc, 3% Petit Verdot and 1% Malbec.

https://www.cellartracker.com/wine.asp?iWine=1069536

Elderton e Series Cabernet Shiraz 2013

Elderton e Series Cabernet Shiraz 2013

While in Springfield on business, for carry out dinner back to the hotel to watch the Cubs win the World Series, I picked up this Aussie Shiraz / Cab blend at Corkscrew Wine Emporium. After tasting the premium Elderton Command Shiraz the other evening, I chose this entry level 'e Series' Elderton as a basis of comparison. This is a blend of Cabernet and Shiraz.

Often I'll commend the QPR - quality price ratio for sub $20 wines. In this case, you get what you pay for.

Dark garnet colored, medium bodied, black berry and black cherry fruits are accented by tones of mineral, graphite and hints of camphor and a layer of vanilla, with a bit of 'heat' from the alcohol.

RM 88 points, one point lower the following evening.

https://www.cellartracker.com/wine.asp?iWine=2088398

http://www.eldertonwines.com.au

Elderton Command Shiraz Single Vineyard Shiraz

Elderton Command Shiraz Single Vineyard Shiraz (Syrah) 2002 to celebrate Cubs in the World Series

For game one of the World Series featuring my beloved Cubs, I pulled from the cellar a special premium bottle to celebrate the occasion - Elderton Command. Linda prepared grilled steak and loaded baked potatoes for pre-game dinner. As is typical, we consumed about a third of the bottle for dinner and retained the rest for the following night. Coming across as bolder and more forward, we enjoyed it the second night to celebrate the Cub's win in game two. About a 1/4 remains to taste tonight, or perhaps I'll wait till tomorrow to toast game 3, the first World Series game at Wrigley Field in my lifetime.

This is a single vineyard designated bottling from one of the top Shiraz producers in Australia which was first released in 1984. Twice in recent years, Elderton wines have been named in Top 100 Wines in the World by Wine Spectator. Sourced from vines planted in the early 1900’s, Elderton Command Shiraz has a reputation as one of Australia’s best and most sought after shiraz. Previous vintages have won awards from around the world including the World’s Best Shiraz Trophy, International Wine & Spirits Competition in 2000. The wine consistently gets high ratings from wine critics Robert Parker & Wine Spectator. Like many storied labels, this one needs time to reveal its true character and full potential.

I remember tasting this wine back on release at a restaurant and it was closed and tight with the bold concentrated fruits bottled up. (I was surprised to find this premium shiraz on the winelist at Biaggi's restaurant in Champaign, Ill. I couldn't resist at $80 which while expensive, is a wine list bargain at slightly more than retail price.) I recall tasting it again when it was about five years old and it was big and powerful, but still a bit closed and tight, almost obtuse.

Like my last previous tasting back in 2006 when I wrote "this wine was more approachable than the first time we tried it - but it still needs some time to meld and reveal its complex fruit". Well nine years later, it is smoother and more polished and is certainly approachable with its delicious melange of black and blue fruits. Reiterating my initial tasting note when I wrote this was "huge, powerful, dense, richly complex, dark", tonight it was big, dense, rich and complex, but now is a bit smoother and approachable with full forward fruits of ripe plum, blueberry, candied cherry, and black raspberry fruits with tones of camphor, black pepper, hints of anise and dark chocolate punched by firm intense tannins on a long finish.

This was perfect with the grilled steak and potato, and cheese and chocolates after dinner.

RM 93 points. This label got 95 points from James Halliday and Robert Parker and  93 points from Wine Spectator.

https://www.cellartracker.com/wine.asp?iWine=46692 

https://eldertonwines.com.au/

Elderton Command Single Vineyard Barossa Shiraz 2002

Elderton Command Single Vineyard Barossa Shiraz 2002

This is a single vineyard designated, old vine Shiraz from a site planted back around 1894, and was classified as a Barossa Centenarian Vine by the Barossa Old Vine Chapter. The site is on the banks of the North Para River that is surrounded by the growing township of Nuriootpa in the Barossa Valley wine region in south central Australia.

The historic name 'Nuriootpa' is thought to be derived from an Aboriginal word meaning ‘meeting place’, a tribute to the Aboriginals who once gathered there to trade. It is the commercial centre of the Barossa and ‘Nuri’ is the centre of the region's wine production, with more than 50 wineries in the area including some of the best-known producers including Elderton and the legendary Penfolds.

Elderton is a classic century old wine estate that was purchased by the Ashmead family in 1979 who produced their first release label in 1982. Ashmeads and their Elderton Vineyards wines have become one of the classic Australian premium wines and Command is the signature flagship of their Barossa family of Shiraz labels.

We have a mixed case of several vintages of Command dating back a dozen plus years of this wine. My last tasting of this vintage was back in 2006 when I wrote "this wine was more approachable than the first time we tried it - but it still needs some time to meld and reveal its complex fruit".

Well, nine years later, it is smoother and more polished and is certainly approachable with its delicious melange of black and blue fruits. Reiterating my initial tasting note when I wrote this was "huge, powerful, dense, richly complex, dark", tonight it was big, dense, rich and complex, but now is smoother and more approachable with full forward fruits of ripe plum, candied cherry, black raspberry, and blueberry fruits with tones of black pepper, hints of anise and dark chocolate punched by firm intense tannins on a smooth and long finish.

RM 94 points.

This was a perfect compliment to grilled sirloin steak with twice baked potatoes and peas.

https://www.cellartracker.com/wine.asp?iWine=46692

http://www.eldertonwines.com.au/

Elderton Ashmead Family Barossa Shiraz 2004

Elderton Ashmead Family Barossa Shiraz 2004

Bottle/label shown
from 2003 vintage

Fruit for Elderton Shiraz is grown exclusively on the Elderton Estate Vineyards situated on the banks of the North Para River, Nuriootpa, Barossa Valley, South Australia. The 2004 was an ideal vintage for Shiraz in the Barossa with a wonderful cool growing season allowing physiological ripeness. This Estate Shiraz has become a "benchmark" wine for the Barossa Valley.

Fabulous complement to hearty blue cheeses on simple crackers, the 2004 Elderton Ashmead Family Barossa Shiraz exhibits dark purple/black in color with dark garnet rim, medium-full bodied, moderately complex, nicely balanced wine that predominates with a lively mineral tin flavor accented by flavorful blackberry, ripe plum, cherry and blueberry fruits with hints of mocha, tobacco and cedar on a flavorful finish. Approachable and drinkable now, consider this the poor man's little brother to the more expensive Elderton 'Command' Shiraz which received 98 points from Robert Parker for this vintage but which remains closed and subdued needing more time to reveal itself. Tasted from 375ml half bottle.

RM 90 points.

https://www.cellartracker.com/wine.asp?iWine=729278

http://www.eldertonwines.com.au/