Keenan Napa Valley Merlot 2003

 Keenan Napa Valley Spring Mountain District Merlot 2003

With left over BBQ and pizza, searching for an accompanying red wine, I pulled from the cellar this vintage Napa Merlot for the occasion. At nearly two decades of age, I presumed this was not too old, but not too young for enjoyable sipping. 

This is from Keenan Winery and Vineyards, high up Spring Mountain, above the town of St Helena in the Mayacamas Range, the western wall that forms Napa Valley below. There they farm 50 acres of vineyards with estate grown Bordeaux varietals Cabernet Sauvignon, Merlot and Cabernet Franc, as well as some Chardonnay and Zinfandel. 

As shown in the rear label, this wine was crafted by Nils Venge as consulting winemaker to Keenan. 

We visited the rustic Keenan Winery estate during our Napa Valley Wine Experience back in 2007, when we tasted and acquired this bottle as part of a mixed case selection including some large format bottles.

I had fun with this label gifting a magnum of one of their special reserve bottlings to a friend of the same name for a special holiday dinner back during that era.

Keenan Napa Valley Spring Mountain District Merlot 2003

At nineteen years, this wine, obtained at the winery near time of release has since then been cellared in our home subterranean cellar. 

As is routinely the case with such bottles, this was starting to show slight signs of diminution from age, the fill level, label, foil,and most importantly, the cork were all in ideal condition, appropriate for the age. 

The cork came out cleanly and easily using ah 'ahso' two pronged cork puller. 

The wine showed a dark blackish inky color with a bright garnet rim, medium full bodied, forward tangy full blackberry and black currant fruits with a predominate layer of smoke, earthy leather and notes of cigar box and hints of creosote, with tongue coating tannins on a lingering finish.

RM 88 points. 

https://www.cellartracker.com/wine.asp?iWine=265403

https://www.keenanwinery.com/

https://twitter.com/keenanWinery

 

Wine and Dine at Trattoria Fiamma MGM LAS

Wine and Dine at Trattoria Fiamma at MGM Grand Las Vegas - Massolino, Keenan and BV Tapestry

For a client dinner in Las Vegas we dined at Trattoria Fiamma at MGM Grand Hotel and Casino. Diners selected beef and other wine friendly dishes. From the winelist I selected an obligatory Italian, a Massolino Barolo, and then two well known popular Napa reds - BV Tapestry Reserve and Keenan Merlot. 

Only the largest cities offer the culinary selection of Las Vegas which also commands big city prices. The major hotels and casinos feature the world's greatest chefs' restaurants and the broadest range of dining choices. Each hotel is more sensational than the next. 

The MGM Grand features the incomparable Joël Robuchon French restaurant, Emeril's highly acclaimed New Orleans Fish House (where we dined last year during this same event), Tom Colicchio's Craftsteak (where we dined two years ago at this event), Shibuya swank Japanese sushi restaurant that offers over 125 sakes, and Fiamma Trattoria (left) with sophisticated traditional Italian cuisine.

Each offers impeccable service, knowledgeable wait staffs and sommelier wine service with award winning winelists.

Equally sensational as the surroundings are the architecture and design of the dining rooms and their eye-popping showcase wine cellars.  A stop in Joël Robuchon to view the menu and winelist revealed rare selections such as 1947 Château d'Yquem for $37000 (see our tasting of the fabulous Château d'Yquem 1986 this same week). The major hotel/casinos have upscale restaurant that offer such treasures - (see my blogposts on the fabulous Aureole Restaurant). Such a gathering in such close proximity is truly a Las Vegas sensation making it a culinary destination in its own right.

Our business focused non-wine enthusiast crowd called for a modicum of reasonableness in moderate wine selections. Hence, I chose some carefully selected, moderate priced well known predictably pleasant, easy drinking reds that would appeal to the group. The extensive winelists offer choices in all price ranges and styles. The disparate styles of the three wines suited the range of entree selections. 

I've learned that such encounters often result in a wine discovery for some of the diners who want to note the wine and try to obtain some to repeat the experience back home, hence I selected a couple wines that are generally available that provide repeatable quality enjoyable drinking at reasonable prices. 

We Midwesterners were basically meat and potatoes guys who feasted on a Midwestern style beef faire that was in abundance on the menu despite the Italian cuisine. All were excellent and great accompaniments to the red wine flight.

• Barolo Braised Short Rib with Orange Gremolata, Yukon Gold Potato Puree, Cipollini Onions, Baby Carrots

•  Beef Tenderloin Marsala with Tagliatelle Pasta, and Mushroom Marsala Sauce

• Beef Tenderloin Filet Mignon with Red Wine Garlic Sauce, Yukon Gold Potato Puree, and Garden Vegetables 

The wines ...

 Massolino Serralunga d'Alba Barolo 2008

This is a Nebbiolo varietal based red. Much lighter than I expected - slightly astringent. 

Light brick garnet colored, medium-light bodied, aromas and flavors of  slightly tart cherry, strawberry, herbs, tobacco, clove spice, rose petals with hints of tar with soft, medium tannins on the moderate finish.

RM 87 points. 

https://www.cellartracker.com/wine.asp?iWine=1314983

 

Keenan Spring Mountain Merlot 2012

We're big fans of Keenan Spring Mountain Bordeaux varietals. We visited the winery during our Napa Valley Wine Experience 2007.

Nice approachable easy drinking red, even in its youth - could've passed for a Cabernet, perfect for the occasion, cuisine and a reasonable value, even for Las Vegas. 

Dark garnet colored, medium bodied, floral aromas, ripe black raspberry and black cherry fruits, hints of mocha, coffee, bell pepper, oak and smoke with a firm Cab like tannin finish.

72% estate grown and 28% Carneros fruit.

RM 89 points.

https://www.cellartracker.com/wine.asp?iWine=2057406&

Beaulieau Vineyards Napa Valley Tapestry Reserve 2011

This is a meritage, meaning it is a Bordeaux Blend - Cabernet Sauvignon, Cabernet Franc, Merlot, and some Petit Verdot and Malbec. Another approachable easy drinking red ideal for this setting and cuisine.

Dark garnet colored, medium bodied, black berry core with tones of cassis, graphite and clove spice and a hint of cedar on the moderate finish.

RM 89 points. 

https://www.cellartracker.com/notes.asp?iWine=1843548&

Anniversary and birth year labels highlight celebration dinner

Fun with wine - Anniversary and birth year labels highlight celebration dinner

For a gala family reunion celebration dinner we opened some commemorative Anniversary labels and a special birth year wine for the special occasion.  Sister Jan and her family came in from So-Cal for the family gathering. We celebrated a 35th and 40th anniversary, a milestone 90th birthday, recent birth of grandson Richard Reid, and upcoming marriage of niece Krysta.

For the occasion we opened a selection of Napa Sonoma Cabernets - a magnum of bride-to-be Krista's birth year 1989 Silver Oak, a 35th Anniversary label Keenan Spring Mtn, and Caymus commemorative 40th Anniversary 1 Liter Napa Estate Cabernets.

We held the dinner at Theo's Steakhouse in Highland. DJ and the rest of the Theo's staff did a spectacular job accommodating our BYOB wine, serving our group of fourteen, and the dinner preparations were superb - meeting or exceeding our expectations in every respect.

An unexpected special treat of the evening was the performance of the live entertainment whose repertoire appealed to and was enjoyed by all four generations in our group.

We started the evening with a champagne toast from a white sparkler from the winelist. The featured red wines were a journey and presentation of the contrast of diverse styles, terroir, profiles and vintages of Napa / Sonoma Cabernet Sauvignon. The wines were a perfect accompaniment to the salad with accent blue cheese, grilled steaks, and chocolate layer cake finale.

Perhaps entering the finale stages of its prime drinking window, the more modest and muted style of the Sonoma Alexander Valley were a sharp contrast to the full throttle big bold expressive '12 Caymus and the more complex Keenan Spring Mountain Cabs.


Silver Oak Alexander Valley Cabernet Sauvignon 1989 (Magnum)

My cellar records indicate that we hold fifteen different vintages of this label dating back to the eighties so this is a wine we know well and enjoy often.

Continuing a tradition of large format bottles for special family occasions, I pulled and brought this birth year magnum from the cellar. At twenty six years, this was showing its age in the rust brickish color showing on the edges.

Muted upon opening, the expressive signature layers of 'silver' oak emerged and amplified over the course of the evening. The slightly astringent acidic black berry fruit was punctuated by a layer of leather, earthy tobacco leaf and black tea before giving way to the layer of oak that permeated the finish. This was a special bottle that showed its heritage and terroir well.

RM 88 points. 

https://www.cellartracker.com/wine.asp?iWine=41259

http://www.silveroak.com/



Keenan Spring Mountain Cabernet Sauvignon 2011 (35th Anniversary Edition Label) 

We visited Keenan Winery high atop Spring Mountain during our Napa Wine Experience 2007.

This was the most complex, balanced and polished of the three wines.

Dark garnet colored, medium bodied, black berry and black raspberry fruits give to way tones of tobacco and a hint of coffee turning to moderate lingering tannins on the finish.

RM 89 points.

https://www.cellartracker.com/wine.asp?iWine=2070520

http://www.keenanwinery.com




Caymus Vineyards Estate Napa Valley Cabernet Sauvignon 2012 (40th Anniversary Label) 

From a special release 1 Liter bottle, by far the most popular wine of the evening was the Caymus '12.

Dark inky purple, full bodied, big brooding ripe tongue coating plum, black and blue berry fruits predominate turning to a layer of mocha chocolate with a hint of cassis on a big finish.

RM 93 points.

https://www.cellartracker.com/wine.asp?iWine=1805868

www.caymusvineyards.com

Hall and Keenan Napa Cabernet Duo - Haan Prestige Shiraz

Hall and Keenan Napa Cabernet Duo - Haan Prestige Barossa Shiraz

Three big reds compliment steak dinner at favorite local bistro

For a hearty dinner with friends Gayle and Mark at Angelis Italian, our favorite local bistro we tasted two big Napa Cabernets against a vintage Australian Shiraz - Hall 2006 and Keenan 2010 Napa Valley Cabernet Sauvignons, and Haan Prestige Barossa Shiraz 2003. We recently visited Hall Vineyards' magnificent Rutherford Estate during our Napa Valley Wine Experience 2013 so I wanted to revisit  one of my personally highest rated Hall Cabernets that we're holding in our cellar. The Keenan is currently available at Wine Discount Center so I wanted to taste it against a benchmark wine contemplating further purchases. In earlier tasting notes I likened it to a big juicy fruit forward Australian shiraz so a comparison tasting was in order.

Hall Napa Valley Cabernet Sauvignon 2006

The Hall stood up to earlier accolades and indeed compared most favorably with the big bold Aussie Shiraz, and provided a comparison benchmark to stand up aside the Keenan.

From my earlier notes, the Hall presented "Dark inky color, rich, dense, concentrated, style, full-bodied, fruit forward ripe sweet currant, ripe black raspberry, plum, black cherry fruits, mocha and hints of black licorice with a long soft tannin finish.Has the rich thick jammy fruit of a south Australian Shiraz."  I would emphasize big, full, concentrated fruits with a firm tannic backbone. In this evening's tasting it met my highest expectations and stood over the Shiraz, the other Cab and was indeed a perfect complement to the New York strip steak dinner.

RM 93 points.

https://www.cellartracker.com/wine.asp?iWine=761928

http://www.hallwines.com/




Keenan Napa Valley Cabernet Sauvignon 2009

Some of our favorite Napa Cabernets come from Spring Mountain District above the town of St Helena in the Mayacamas Range on the western slope of Napa Valley - Fantesca, Pride, Lail, and of course Paloma with their award winning Merlots. We visited Keenan Winery up on Spring Mountain during our Napa Wine Experience 2007.
We've had fun serving this wine with friend Jim Keenan.

Medium bodied, forward fruit flavors of blackberry and cherry, floral with a layer of licorice and hints of spice and coffee with moderate, soft tannins.

100% Cabernet Sauvignon - 73% from Spring Mountain, 27% from Pope Valley. 

RM 90 points.

https://www.cellartracker.com/wine.asp?iWine=1482065

http://www.keenanwinery.com/

Photo from our 2007 Keenan Vineyards visit high up Spring Mountain.

Keenan vineyard high up Spring Mountain

Haan Prestige Barossa Valley Shiraz 2003

The ladies preferred this more approachable wine with its full flavorful fruits to the firmer, tighter more structured and concentrated Cabernets.

Medium bodied, spicy, earthy leathery super ripe black berry fruit, touch of menthol, hint of vanilla on a long spice finish.

RM 89 points.
 
http://cellartracker.com/w?174207