Jayson (Pahlmeyer) Proprietary Red 2016

Jayson (Pahlmeyer) Napa Valley Proprietary Red 2016

 

Visiting dear friends Bob and Gloria in So-FLA to console them in a tragic loss, we took this bottle in a respectful tribute to their departed son Jason. We've long collected this wine in commemoration of Jason, but expected it would be for some appropriate joyous celebration occasion. Regretably, we consumed this under very different circumstances, but want to share it with dear friends and gathered family. 

We last tasted this wine with Bob and Gloria during our visit back in March, our last getaway or outing prior to the Coronavirus shut-in. We took a 2004 vintage release of this label from our cellar for that visit.

This is Bordeaux blend of 69% Cabernet Sauvignon, 17% Merlot, 12% Cabernet Franc, 1% Malbec, and 1% Petit Verdot, sourced from Napa Valley estate and contract grower sources. It was aged in 22% for fifteen months in New French Oak barrels, then bottled with minimal fining and filtration.

 

The flagship Pahlmeyer Napa Valley Cabernet for this vintage was highly rated receiving 97 points from Vinous, 96 points from Robert Parker's Wine Advocate, James Suckling and Jeb Dunnuck, and 94 points from Wine Spectator. The Jayson blend shares some of the same cabernet fruit ias the flagship, albeit the most select lots are used in the premium label.

Jayson (Pahlmeyer) Napa Valley Proprietary Red 2016

 

This was spectacular, bright garnet colored, medium full bodied, thick concentrated but nicely balanced and integrated black berry and black raspberry fruits with notes of bittersweet chocolate, spicy oak, hints of cedar and subtle licorice with full but smooth tannins on a long finish. 

 

RM 93 points.  

https://www.pahlmeyer.com/wines/jayson/jayson-red/2016/

 https://unwindwine.blogspot.com/2016/11/pahlmeyer-jason-napa-valley-red-wine.html

https://www.cellartracker.com/wine.asp?iWine=296642

https://www.pahlmeyer.com/

https://twitter.com/Pahlmeyer 

@Pahlmeyer

 

Jayson Neiman Mini-Horizontal Tasting Flight

Jayson Neiman Mini-Horizontal Comparison Tasting Flight

Dear friends, 'brother' Bob and Gloria visiting from South Florida, Linda prepared grilled tenderloin steaks and roasted potatoes and asparagus spears. I pulled from the cellar two special wines, Pahlmeyer Jayson Napa Valley 2004 and an accompanying horizontal Neiman Cellars Napa Valley Red Blend.

We often serve Jayson label wine with Bob and Gloria in tribute to their oldest namesake son. This afforded the opportunity for a mini-horizontal comparison tasting of two similar wines, each with distinctive terroir and styles. Indeed, the last time we served this wine was with Bob and Gloria during our 'last supper' together on the eve of them moving to Florida last winter.

This was an interesting comparison of two wines where the Pahlmeyer overshadowed the Neiman by a fairly wide margin. I am not sure the disparity would have been as apparent if they weren't tasted side by side. Too bad for the Neiman, which against the Jayson, didn't live up to my recollections or expectations.

Pahlmayer Jayson Red Wine 2004

The Cellartracker tasting window lists the wine tasting window for this wine through 2013. While we often tend to hold and drink our wines long into or even past their tasting window, in this case, this wine seemed still be at its apex, while not likely to improve further with more age. I updated Cellartracker to 2018.

Like the previous tasting, "Upon opening, sweet floral and berry aromas burst forth and filled the room. Dark garnet purple colored, medium full bodied, bright vibrant full forward flavors of black raspberry with tones of blueberry, sweet currants, tangy spice and hints of sweet caramel and whisper of tobacco leaf with nicely integrated sweet tangy oak on the lingering finish."

RM 93 points.

This is Pahlmeyer's Right Bank Bordeaux style Blend (meaning predominantly Merlot over Cabernet Sauvignon) -  60% Merlot, 38% Cabernet Sauvignon, 1% Cabernet Franc, and 1% Petit Verdot. Perhaps the predominant Merlot in the mix attributed to the softer more approachable style.

https://unwindwine.blogspot.com/2016/11/pahlmeyer-jason-napa-valley-red-wine.html

https://www.cellartracker.com/wine.asp?iWine=296642

Neiman Cellars Red Wine 2004

Similar to my earlier tasting notes, this tasted more like a Bordeaux than a Napa Red Blend, with slightly more subdued fruit with more non-fruit accents such as leather, cedar and tobacco. As written earlier, "This tasted like a vibrant expressive Bordeaux, full forward complex berry fruits accented by floral, leather, tobacco leaf, some slightly earthy tones and long lingering notes of cedar with a smooth polished tannin finish that resonates with silky floral cedar mouthfeel long after tasting."

Tonight I gave this 91 points, one less than the previous 'stand-alone' tasting, perhaps due to the positioning vis a vis the bigger,brighter, more robust and sweeter Jayson. Notably, this wine is 1/3 less expensive than the Pahlmeyer, thereby perhaps delivering equivalent QPR (quality price ratio).

RM 91 points.

According to the rear label, only 230 cases were produced of this release.

https://www.cellartracker.com/wine.asp?iWine=914199

http://unwindwine.blogspot.com/2015/05/eyrie-robert-morris-special-dinner-and.html

Black Stallion Napa Cabernet - Pahlmeyer Jayson

I met up with dear friend Colonel Don Z for dinner at the Fat Canary Restaurant in the heart of historic Williamsburg, VA with colleague Danny A. When the ships sailed from the Old World to the New, they stopped in the Canary Islands for supplies. One of the important provisions brought aboard was wine, referred to as “Canary.” This fine dining restaurant is named after a reference in the Colonial Era playwright John Lyly's poem, "Oh for a Fat Canary - rich Palermo sherry ....".  A pleasant setting with great selection of starters, salads, supple soup, seafood and meat entrees with a carefully selected wine list of favorites and tempting offerings.

I saw Don's fast pace gait as he approach and soon learned he was excited and eager to meet and to share this wine discovery that he brought for our dinner - Black Stallion Napa Valley Cabernet Sauvignon. He had this recently up in Oregon and promptly ordered some to be shipped in for our dinner. It was a worthwhile effort as this wine was indeed a great discovery and highlight for a wonderful dinner. I ordered a bottle of a favorite - Pahlmeyer Jayson Red Wine to compare and complement the dinner tasting. These were great accompaniment and perfect pairing with the Foie Gras, Braised Ribs and Oyster starters, and then the Grilled Beef Tenderloin entrees. Don also brought along a Cakebread Napa Valley Chardonnay 2010 for the soup salad course and his entree.    

Black Stallion Winery Napa Valley Cabernet Sauvignon 2010

The Black Stallion continued our week long series of tastings of Cabernet Sauvignons from the Oak Knoll District, the wine grape growing Appellation in the southern end of the Napa Valley, following the Blackbird Vineyards Proprietary Red and then the Trefethen Cabernet from earlier in the week. Along with the Pahlmeyer Jayson, this continued in the style of Bordeaux style Cabernet and Merlot based blends. 

Founded in 2007 and located on the Silverdao Trail along the eastern Napa Valley floor on the grounds of a historic equestrian center, the suitably named Black Stallion Winery is another recent addition to the collection of wineries in the Oak Knoll District down at the bottom of Napa Valley. The old equestrian center's indoor track now houses the winemaking production facilities with remnants of the original 36 horse stalls still visible today.

The winery was purchased in May 2010 by the Indelicato Family, well known family-owned wine producers spanning three generations and more than 85 years of grape growing and wine making in the region. The family is now involved in all aspects of Black Stallion and their participation is evident both in the wines and the “family feel” of the winery.

Each of the varietals produced is handcrafted and blended from small vineyard lots. Each lot is fermented and aged separately until just prior to bottling when the lots are blended together to achieve wines of balance but layers of complex flavors. Black Stallion Winery strives for high quality wines that are elegant and distinctive yet approachable. This is a big league Napa Cab at an affordable price rendering a great QPR (quality price ratio).

The 2010 release is dark purple colored, full bodied with full forward aromas and flavors of  predominate cherry and black cherry fruits turning to blackberry and black raspberry with hints of cassis, mocha and spice followed by a mouth feel of fine grain tannins.
 The blend is 88% Cabernet Sauvignon, 5% Merlot, 5% Petite Sirah, and 2% Cabernet Franc.

Alcohol by volume: 14.5%

RM 90 points. 

https://www.cellartracker.com/wine.asp?iWine=1475557

http://blackstallionwinery.ewinerysolutions.com/

Pahlmeyer Jayson Red Wine 2009

This is one of my perennial favorites offering a consistently great value from top drawer Napa Valley producer Jayson Pahlmeyer's rendition of a Bordeaux blend offering.

Dark purple and garnet colored - full bodied - smooth and polished but dense tongue coating silky texture with full forward black currant and black berry fruit flavors highlighted by cassis and spicy oak with hints of cedar, tobacco, tea and leather turning to a long lingering silky smooth well integrated tannins.

Blend of 72% Cabernet Sauvignon, 20% Merlot, 4% Cabernet Franc, and 4% Malbec.

RM 91 points.


https://www.cellartracker.com/wine.asp?iWine=1346970

https://www.pahlmeyer.com/

Pahlmeyer Jayson Red Wine Blend Napa Valley 2008

Pahlmeyer “Jayson”, Red Wine Blend, Napa Valley 2008

Great accompaniment when tasted with steak dinners at Ruths Chris in New Orleans with Danny A and Chris K.
 

Dark inky purple, full bodied; ripe black berry fruits predominate with a bramble taste almost zinfandel like yet a Bordeaux blend - layers of spice, anise, cigar box with hints of dark chocolate and black olive with a long lingering moderate tannin fruit filled finish. Complex but slightly disheveled lacking polish or refined integration.

RM and Wine Spectator 89 Points

Blend: 70% Cabernet Sauvignon, 16% Merlot, 10% Cabernet Franc, 2% Petit Verdot, 2% Malbec

www.pahlmeyer.com

https://www.cellartracker.com/wine.asp?iWine=1079523