PEO Social Wine Tasting

PEO Social Wine Tasting

Wife Linda's service organization had a social gathering with a wine tasting hosted by Julie, and I was delighted to comply with the invitation to curate the wine flight for them. 

Julie prepared an extensive food course with which to pair a flight of wines - a selection of artisan cheeses from brie to manchego, followed by turkey breast followed by a beef tenderloin with a coffee rub preparation which gave it a charred taste that I love. Along the way were fresh grapes and apple slices with crackers to cleanse and reset the pallet through the courses.

I pulled a white and two red wines to accompany their foods from our cellar collection. I selected aged vintage wines in that 'Goldilocks window', not too old and not too young, so as to hopefully best represent the wines, and as part of proper cellar inventory management. In the end, the wine selections nicely complemented the foods for a wonderful tasting experience that was enjoyed by all.

The opening wine was from Andretti Cellars, a fun commemoration of one of the diner member's enthusiasm, legacy and career in the auto industry with wine from the legendary International race car driver Mario Andretti. 

The wine I selected for their opening course was Villa Andretti Napa Valley Moscato 2019. 

 

We discovered and acquired this wine at the winery during our Napa Valley Wine Experience in 2019.

Andretti Winery strive to create wines that are both fruit-forward and food-friendly, wines that can be thoroughly enjoyed with a meal today or tucked away in the cellar for additional complexity. 

This is sourced from various California vineyards. Most Andretti wine are sourced from the Andretti Winery estate vineyard in the Oak Knoll appellation AVA of the Napa Valley, a 42-acre estate vineyard, planted with Pinot Grigio, Chardonnay, Sauvignon Blanc and Merlot. The Oak Knoll location is blessed with a climate is cooler than the upper reaches of the Napa Valley, yet warmer than the Carneros region to the south, making it especially conducive to growing diverse varietals such as Pinot Grigio and Chardonnay. This unique climate, combined with quick-draining soils, yields small but intensely flavored grapes, just the sort of fruit that produces the very best wines.

This was ideal with the selection of cheeses and as a pivot to the turkey breast. 

Winemaker's notes - Lovely aromas of Bartlett pear syrup, honeysuckle, lavender and orange zest practically jump out of the glass.  There is a wonderful balance between acid and sugar on the palate for someone that likes a lightly sweet wine and a finish that lasts forever with hint of Meyer lemon and limoncello.

 https://andrettiwinery.com/andretti-wines/

https://www.cellartracker.com/wine.asp?iWine=3297286  

The next wine was a Burgundian Pinot Noir to complement the turkey breast and serve as a pivot to the beef tenderloin.

Domaine Tortochot Gevrey-Chambertin "Champerrier" Vieilles Vignes Côte de Nuits 2005 

We acquired several bottles of this label back in 2011 and last tasted it in 2021 when I wrote about the producer and estate in detail in this blogpost- Domaine Tortochot Gevrey-Chambertin Champerrier Vieilles Vignes.

Vieilles Vignes meaning “old wines” in French, the label actually indicates that the grapes used to make this bottle comes from older aged vines. In Burgundy, this generally means the vines are at least twenty-five years of age or older. 

I wrote in that tasting note - "Its hard to believe but its been almost ten years since I last tasted this label from our cellar. Back then, on 12/26/2011 - I wrote: "Very open and expressive - bright berry, strawberry, mulberry, spice and wood with long moderate tannin finish."

"Consistent with my tasting ten years ago too, this had similar tasting profile and the I blindly gave it the same rating. It showed no diminution of aging whatsoever and it likely still at its apex of its drinking profile.'

"This was garnet colored, medium bodied, bright, concentrated ripe red and blue berry fruits with earthy minerality and violet notes, smooth silky texture with firm but approachable tannins."

Two years later, tonight, at fifteen years of age, the fill level, label, foil, and most importantly, the cork, were all in ideal condition. This wine remains in its prime drinking window, albeit approaching the end and will start to diminish with age in the next few years.

https://unwindwine.blogspot.com/2021/01/domaine-tortochot-gevrey-chambertin.html

Another Cellartracker review wrote: Very open and expressive - bright berry, strawberry, mulberry, spice and wood with long moderate tannin finish.

https://www.cellartracker.com/wine.asp?iWine=537162

Our hostess, Julie, was so enthused by this wine, she went down and selected from her cellar a favored Pinot Noir to try as a tasting comparison with the Burgundian Pinot. Indeed, this is the fun of a tasting with several others, the ability to share and compare several wines. 

Gary Farrell Sonoma Russian River Valley Pinot Noir 2019

We know this producer and wine well having visited the winery and estate during our Napa/Sonoma Wine Experience back in 2017. I wrote about this producer and our visit there in this earlier blogpost.

This provided a wonderful contrast in profiles and characteristics of two wines of the same varietal at different stages of their aging window.  The Tortochot Gevrey-Chambertin Champerrier was bigger, bolder, brighter and actually a bit obtuse when compared with the smoother and softer Farrell Sonoma RRV, which was more 'behaved' and approachable for enjoyable drinking. In the end, both were delightful and paired with the foods well, each favoring a cheese and meat that had the more complementary profile. 

Farrell produces a extensive profile of ultra-premium single vineyard designated Pinot Noirs and Chardonnays. This is their standard bottling blended from numerous vineyard sources.

This Russian River Selection bottling is classic Russian River Valley profile sourced and blended from several of the region’s top vineyards, taking advantage of varied climates and unique site characteristics. 

Grapes in this release are sourced from the following vineyards Hallberg, Rochioli, Toboni, Martaella, Bacigalupi, Nonella and
Pratt-Lakeview. 

The Rochioli and Bacigalupi vineyards are located in the Middle Reach subdivision, where close proximity to the river awards foggy mornings, warm and sunny days, and cool nights – the perfect balance that characterizes the Russian River Valley. The Toboni and Nonella vineyards are located in the Santa Rosa Plain, a distinctly cooler and foggier sub-region, and the Hallberg and Dutton sites within the Green Valley sub-appellation exhibit even more extreme and cooler conditions. A beautiful expression of the varietal and of the appellation’s
unique terroir, this Pinot Noir blend captures the richness, purity and elegance that are Gary Farrell Winery’s trademarks.

This release was aged 10 months in 30% new French oak.

Winemakers' notes - "Raspberries, red currant and strawberry conserve dominate the nose with underlying
tones of tobacco and forest fl oor. Hints of cola, summer jasmine, honeysuckle, and rose petals further the intrigue. The palate presents a striking brightness and purity, coupled with a generous mouthfeel that delivers fl avors of fresh cherries, garden herbs, and sweet baking spice."

This was rated 93 points by Wine Enthusiast. 

https://www.cellartracker.com/wine.asp?iWine=4157367

https://www.garyfarrellwinery.com/

Beaulieu Vineyard Tapestry Reserve Red Bordeaux Blend 2010 

This is one of our favorite go-to wines when we want a sophisticated, more complex Bordeaux Blend, rather than a single varietal Cabernet Sauvignon or Merlot. 

In the profile of a true Bordeaux Blend, Tapestry is a blend of the all classic Bordeaux varietals: Cabernet Sauvignon, Merlot, Cabernet Franc, Malbec and Petit Verdot.

We had a bottle of this label just last week when I featured it in more detail in these pages - BV Tapestry with beef bourgogne, when it was a fabulous complementary pairing with the beef. Tonight, this was an ideal pairing with the beef tenderloin - especially with the coffee rub preparation that gave it more complexity which I love.

I wrote about Tapestry a while back in a blogpost when we tasted this label at a Chicago restaurant for a team dinner; "Tapestry is a classic Napa Valley Cabernet Sauvignon based Bordeaux Blend. I consider it a go-to wine, readily available and a safe reliable choice for easy drinking or special occasions, approachable when young but capable for aging. If your overwhelmed or intimidated by the plethora of wines available and not sure what to choose or take to or serve, Tapestry is a safe choice.'

"Our Cellartracker records indicate we hold more than a dozen vintages of this label dating back to the mid-nineties.  This is a classic Napa Valley label that provides high QPR - Quality Price Ratio for a Bordeaux Blend. Its another one of those high production label that I believe does a remarkable job achieving and maintaining the level of quality in high volumes and is approachable when young but also has significant aging capability for cellaring. James Suckling says this is "A wine that harkens back to its traditions.”

The predominant Cabernet Sauvignon is sourced from the historic BV Ranches No.1 and No. 2 Napa Valley vineyards in Rutherford, selected from specific blocks of reserve-quality grapes that give Tapestry the combined attributes of rich character and softer tannins for relatively early approachability. To complement the Rutherford Bench Cabernet Sauvignon, Merlot is added from Beaulieu’s vineyard in the Los Carneros region and the remaining grapes in the Blend from various Napa Valley vineyards. 

https://www.cellartracker.com/wine.asp?iWine=1668974

https://www.bvwines.com/

Calera Ryan Vineyard Pinot Noir

Calera Mount Harlan Ryan Vineyard Pinot Noir with Cheese, Berries and Chocolates

Following our selection of Pinot Noirs tasted over the last week and a half, we continued the hit parade with another Pinot from another favorite producer and label from our cellar collection.

As featured in these pages, we had the Belle Glos Clark & Telephone Pinot Noir at the Beach Walk Café, Henderson Park Inn, in Destin FL, then the Belle Glos Las Alturas Pinot Noir at Firefly Grill Effingham, IL, then the Belle Glos RRV Dairyman Vineyard Pinot Noir upon our return home. 

So, tonight I was eager to try another Pinot from our cellar collection to continue the comparison tastings of select Pinot Noirs. As I wrote in the earlier posts, in the midst of summer, its was a nice departure from the big bold hearty Syrah's/Shiraz's we enjoy, and the robust Bordeaux varietals to the finer, more refined, less bold and burdensome Pinot Noirs. Each of these tastings were delightful and frankly, exceeded our expectations for a ideal accompaniment to our various entrees. 

 For casual sipping and pairing with food, we started with a cheese plate with assorted crackers, fresh berries, honey and chocolate. 

Linda then prepared an imaginative cheese bread baked with fresh berry compote and fresh blueberries. The combination with the paired Pinot Noir was spectacular for an extraordinary, fabulous food and wine tasting experience.

I write often in the pages about the importance of pairing the food and wine, and how it can often multiply the enjoyment of both when done properly. 

Calera Mt. Harlan Ryan Vineyard Pinot Noir 2013

With a single designated Vineyard bearing the name of our eldest son, we typically reserve this wine for a family gathering or tasting when he is with us. But, tonight's tasting was special considering the odyssey we've been on the last two weeks, with the multitude of wine and food pairings. And this is a special signature wine we collect in light it being our son's namesake vineyard.

I love telling the story about the discovery of this producer and wine. 

As featured in earlier posts in these pages:

The Calera story was chronicled in the book, "The Heart Break Grape" back in the early nineties, about the challenges and turmoils of growing the finicky grape varietal Pinot Noir. Producer Josh Jensen pioneered growing Pinot in the 'new world' starting with his search of the perfect place to grow his grapes. During college he took time off to work in the cellars in the great domaines of Burgundy and then came back to his home state California to apply what he had learned. At the time, prevailing view was that Pinot Noir could not be grown successfully in California. He set out to prove that notion wrong.

He started with the search for the perfect place starting with limestone soil, and other elements of terroir to produce wines in the style of the greatest Pinots, the Burgundy wines of France. Josh Jensen's winemaker mentors in Burgundy emphasized the importance of limestone-rich soils, as present in the Côtes d’Or, to make great Pinot Noir and Chardonnay based wines. 

He returned from France in 1971 and spent two years searching throughout California to find suitable limestone soils. He settled on the site of an old magnificently preserved 30 foot tall masonry limekiln in the Gavilan Mountains of Central California, purchasing the site in 1974, a high-elevation parcel with a limestone deposit of several million tons. Limestone had been commercially quarried there on the Jensen Mt. Harlan property a hundred years earlier. 

To this day, the kiln on the site is the centerpiece of Calera branding, featured prominently on the lables, the name “Calera” being the Spanish world for “limekiln,”

Mt Harlan is near the town of Hollister, about ninety miles south of San Fransisco, twenty five miles inland from Monterey Bay on the Pacific Coast. Mt Harlan gained the distinction of its own AVA (American Viticultural Area) in 1990, in response to the petition to the Department of the Treasury Alcohol and Tobacco Tax and Trade Bureau by Josh Jensen and the Calera Wine Company, the only commercial winery in the appellation. The appellation, the legally defined and protected geographical boundaries, also stipulates what grapes may be grown, maximum grape yields, alcohol level, and other quality factors that apply before the appellation name may legally appear on a wine bottle label. The Mt Harlan AVA is 7700 acres of which just 100 are planted in vines.

Josh planted his first 24 acres of pinot noir in 1975 in three separate parcels. In the Burgundian tradition, he named each parcel individually to recognize the terroir of each, that each would produce a distinct wine. The original vineyard designations remain to this day, the Selleck Vineyard (5 acres), Reed Vineyard (5 acres), and Jensen Vineyard (14 acres). These vineyards produced their initial tiny crop in 1978. The Ryan Vineyards, named after Jim Ryan, longtime vineyard manager were added later.  (Upper - 9.4 acres and Lower – 3.7 acres)

 Josh made Calera's first wine in 1975, 1000 cases of zinfandel, produced from purchased grapes. During his first two years as a winemaker, he made the Calera wines in a rented space in a larger nearby winery.  

Josh purchased property to build the winery in 1977, a 100 acre site on Cienega Road halfway between the vineyard and the town of Hollister. Located 1000 feet lower in elevation than the vineyard, this property had the benefits of development improvements such as a paved road,  telephone and electrical service (services which still to this day are unavailable on Mt. Harlan).

Three decades later, Calera have earned the distinction of the pioneer of American Pinot Noir. The legendary wine critic Robert Parker  has stated that: "Calera is one of the most compelling Pinot Noir specialists of not only the New World, but of Planet Earth."  

We first discovered Calera in the eighties, exploring wines from those earliest vintages. Decades later, we enjoy collecting Calera wines from the Ryan and Reed vineyards, as somewhat namesake signature wines for Son Ryan and his Reid. 

The Calera vineyards are enumerated and featured on the rear bottle label of the bottles as shown here. They are perhaps the most comprehensive and informative labels one will find anywhere on a bottle of wine. They spell out the information on the vineyard, geography, altitude, plantings, vines, the vintage and the bottling. The rear label itself makes for interesting reading, and insightful comparisons across the vineyards or vintages if one happens to have such bottles.

The Calera branding features the historic massive 30 foot tall limestone kiln that sits on the property from earlier days quarrying and processing limestone. Noting limestone in the soils of the legendary French Burgundy region, Jenson scoured the US seeking similar terroir to site his vineyards to produce Pinot Noir. He found such terroir and thoughtfully chose the property in the Central Coast region of California. The name Calera translates to 'limekiln' in in Spanish.

 So it was that we pick up releases of Calera Ryan Vineyard Pinot Noir whenever we can, and selected one for our intimate tasting this evening. 

This may be the best release of this label I have tasted, being by far the most vibrant and expressive forward fruits I can remember.

This is not a wimpy wine but powerful, yet smooth and polished, a symphony of concentrated dark berry fruit flavors with layers of black raspberry, black cherry, hints of cranberry, graphite and tones of tobacco leaf, spices of thyme, bay leaf and floral violets with a long lingering tightly wound fine grained tannins on the finish.

RM 92 points

Robert Parker's Wine Advocate and Vinous both gave this 95 points Vinous; Wine Enthusiast gave it 92 points and a Cellar Selection

https://www.cellartracker.com/wine.asp?iWine=2041534

http://www.calerawine.com/

The Heartbreak Grape,  A California Winemakers Search for the Perfect Pinot Noir by Marc de Villiers, 1994, Harper Collins

Calera’s Mt. Harlan Vineyards are located in the Gavilan Mountains 25 miles east of the Monterey Bay. The site was chosen for its limestone soils and ideal climate. At an average elevation of 2,200 feet it is among the highest and coolest vineyard sites in California. 

 

Winemaker Notes -Wafting aromas of bright strawberry and blueberry interweave with a deep, intense, earthy, enchanting palate of black cherry, sassafras and limestone minerality. This wine is big and taut and begs for bold cuisine. The generous tannins are firm yet smooth and continue into a provocative and long finish.

 

Production Notes - In 2013 we saw decreasing yields due to the second year of a drought with only 6.5 inches of rain for the entire season. Warm spring temperatures brought on an early bud break, but fortunately remained warm with no threats of frost. The summer months were fairly mild with abundant sunshine allowing us to pick the grapes with high acid and mature flavors. We picked the Ryan vineyard in three separate passes from September 4th to September 21st. Each lot was pressed 14 days after harvest, racked by gravity to French oak barrels, then aged without racking in those barrels, 30% new, for nineteen months. The lots were then combined and the resultant wine was bottled without filtration, as always.

Beau Vigne Napa Valley Proprietary Red

Beau Vigne Napa Valley Proprietary Red for elegant refined casual sipping on holiday

For our getway week at our Destiny East Cove vacation rental in Destin, FL, we took several wines from our cellar, along with some artisan cheeses, to enjoy during our week away including this Beau Vigne Napa Valley Proprietary Red.

We acquired this wine directly from the producer as it is not available in distribution in our hometown Chicagoland marketplace. It is available, however at Total Wine the super merchant stores on the east coast from Florida, including the nearest store in Pensacola, to Connecticut, as well as various Midwest cities including Indianapolis.

While best enjoyed with a grilled beefsteak, this was fabulous casual sipping with a selection of artisan cheeses. 

We first wrote about this wine when we received our shipment from the producer last fall in this featured blogpost - Beau Vigne Reserve Proprietary Red Wine.

Beau Vigne Reserve Proprietary Red Wine 2013

This producer first caught my attention when buddy Bob brought it to our Pour Boys OTBN - "Open-That-Bottle-Night" 2022 in Charleston and I pegged it as WOTN - Wine of the Night, my personal favorite. Bob picked up the bottle at his local Total Wine beverage superstore in Boca Raton Town Center. I saw the label when there and also at the new Total Wine in Indy.

So, when son Ryan got their wine club promotional mailing and shared it I was eager to pick up a mixed case of their Signature Series Bordeaux varietals including this aged vintage release from their library close-out. My shipment just arrived and I was eager to try this. It did not disappoint.

Beau Vigne (pronounced bo-veenya), was founded by Ed and Trish Snider with their first vintage release in 2002. Translated from French it means beautiful vineyard in French.

Ed’s family has a long history in Napa Valley dating back to his Swiss Italian grandfather Martin Garzoli who arrived in Napa in 1913. He grew up on a ranch in Carneros and worked on farms in Napa and Sonoma. Martin made his own wines at home in the evenings. His son John Garzoli played for the San Francisco 49ers in 1955 and went on to coach football at St. Helena High School in the center of Napa Valley where children of many vintners attended school. A number of Ed’s former students are now in the wine industry.

In 2018, they sold Beau Vigne to Don Dady and Jason Kyle from Arizona. Jason was a former NFL football player, a long snapper for five different teams including the San Francisco 49ers. In addition to his wine interests, Jason is co-owner of Press Coffee Roasters with locations in Arizona.  Partner Dady is co-founder of Annexus, a financial company in Scottsdale and also owns Seven Apart Winery in Napa Valley just north of the city of Napa. 

Beau Vigne sourced fruit for their estate wines from their 10 acre Stags Ridge Vineyard at the top of Soda Canyon Road on the slopes of Atlas Peak at about 1650 feet elevation. The site was planted to 8 acres of Cabernet Sauvignon and an acre each of Cabernet Franc and Petit Verdot. Ed sold the vineyard and it is now a part of Seven Apart Winery’s estate. Beau Vigne continues to source grapes from there and other premium vineyards in Napa Valley.

Since 2019, Beau Vigne has partnered with Appellation Trading Company to distribute Beau Vigne as part of their portfolio of brands. 

Over the years, Beau Vigne has been crafted by several highly regarded Napa Valley winemakers. Their founding winemaker was Dave Phinney who went on to develop several successful brands, most notably, Orin Swift Cellars and the Prisoner portfolio of wines. One of our favorite winemakers, Kirk Venge of Venge Vineyards has also crafted Beau Vigne wines. Today the winemaker is Julien Fayard.

Originally from France, Julien began his career as a winemaker producing quality rosé at his family’s winery in Provence. He worked at legendary Chateaux Lafite Rothschild and Smith Haut Laffite in Bordeaux before relocating to Napa Valley where he was Philippe Melka’s director of winemaking for a few years before setting out on his own.

Julien earned his Master in Agri-Business from ESA France and his Master in Winemaking from Toulouse France. In 2011, he received his MBA from UC Davis. 

Recently, Beau Vigne became part of a select collection of vintners represented at Vintner’s Collective, the city of Napa’s oldest collective tasting room. They showcase wines from an elite group of premier Napa Valley producers who do not have their own tasting rooms. Select bottlings and vintages of Beau Vigne are available for tasting and purchased there. 

Beau Vigne bottles wines under three different brands; the Legacy Series, the Signature Series and the Discovery Series.

Beau Vigne Reserve Proprietary Red Napa Valley 2013

This 2013 is a Blend of Bordeaux varietals, 70% Cabernet Sauvignon and 30% Cabernet Franc. The producer cited it amongst the best wines Beau Vigne had made to date. That says a lot since Robert Parker awarded the 2013 Beau Vigne "Cult" Napa Valley Cabernet Sauvignon 96 points in Robert Parker's Wine Advocate. He also awarded the Beau Vigne Reserve Cabernet from this vintage a stellar perfect 100 points.

Winemaker notes: "When tasted, it was still locked and loaded. Dense and dark, with notes of soil incense, violets, black cherry and black raspberry elements are also still present. The wine is full-bodied, opulent, with great vigor and delineation. This is a sensational example what happens after nine years in the bottle."

The Beau Vigne Reserve Cabernet Sauvignon from this vintage, the same fruit that forms the foundation for this blend, was awarded 100 points by Robert Parker. 

Parker wrote about that wine: "Profound, with a stunning aromatic display of blue and black fruits, charcoal, graphite, and spring flowers. The wine has a flawless entry and mouthfeel, with a full-bodied density, opulence and an incredible finish of close to a minute."

He also awarded the 2013 Beau Vigne "Cult" Napa Valley Cabernet Sauvignon 96 points in Robert Parker's Wine Advocate . That wine too contains the same Cabernet Sauvignon as in this blend. That blend contained 98:2% while this one is 70:30. Parker wrote of that wine: "Similarly styled is the 2013 Cabernet Sauvignon Cult, which is 98% Cabernet Sauvignon and 2% Cabernet Franc. The biggest cuvée of any of these wines, the color is blackish/purple as a moonless night. It offers fabulous fruit and incredible density and richness, with lots of camphor, blackberry and cassis fruit, hints of espresso bean and chocolate as well as some background oak. This is a big, full-throttle, savory style of wine that should age effortlessly for 20-25+ years (RP)."

As a blend of the same fruit as those wines, it has a similar profile. Dark blackish purple colored, full bodied, dense, rich concentrated black fruits accented by a layer of camphor that initially may be a bit unnerving to some, with notes of cassis, expresso and dark bitter mocha with some graphite and oak on the full lingering finish. 

RM 92 points. 

https://www.cellartracker.com/wine.asp?iWine=2010086

www.beauvigne.com

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

Grüner Veltliner with ham cheese fruit plate

 Grüner Veltliner casual sipping with ham cheese fruit plate

Relaxing decompress Friday night at home we prepared a simple plate of sliced ham, assorted cheese and fruits with paired wine. 

After an enjoyable lunch and delectable food and wine pairing at Queensyard at Hudson Yard in NYC, I went out and picked up the latest release of the WBTG selection - Gruner Veltliner. I wrote in more detail about Weingut Bründlmayer Grüner Veltliner in these pages at that time. 

Tonight was an earlier vintage of that label, we opened the 2019 which paired nicely with the smoked Gouda, Sharp cheddar, baked ham, crisp apples and pineapple,.

Grüner Veltliner Weingut Bründlmayer 'L&T' Kamptal, Austria 2019

This was a ideal food wine pairing accompaniment. From the producer Weingut Bründlmayer in the Lower Austrian Kamp Valley, estate vineyards' “ancient” vines, some older than 90 years of age, their most important varietal is Grüner Veltliner, the primary varietal grape in the Langenlois. 

Kamptal has very little vineyard area bordering the Danube River (unlike Wachau and Kremstal, whose vineyards run along it). The region takes its name from the river called Kamp, which traverses it north and south. Kamptal’s densely planted vineyards represent eight percent of Austria’s total, the loess and sand with some gravel and rocks, make it suitable for Grüner Veltliner, the predominant grape planted in half of the zone. 75% of the world’s Grüner Veltliner coming from Austria.

Grüner Veltliner wines cover a diverse range from pleasant “light and dry” (such as this one labeled "L+T").

Winemaker Notes - Appealing nose of apples, fresh citrus and mild flowery aromas, as well as rosewood, green peas and asparagus. Fresh and crisp with flavors of sappy fruits on the palate followed 

Light straw colored, light bodied, bright crisp tangy acidic notes of pear and green and yellow-apple with hints of citrus, lime and herbs with crisp acidity on a smooth finish. 

RM 90 points. 

https://www.cellartracker.com/wine.asp?iWine=3838485

https://www.bruendlmayer.at/en/

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

 

 

Pour Boys Wine Dinner features Dual Pauillacs

Pour Boys Wine Dinner features Dual Pauillacs and favored St Emilion and Napa Merlot

Fellow 'Pour Boy' Dr Dan and Linda came over for beef tenderloin dinner and we opened a pair of a special Pauillac label from Château Duhart-Milon.

We reminisce about this label; it anchored a mixed case of wine we gave Dan for a wedding present in a stocked wine rack forty years ago. Being newbies to fine wine at that time, I left the price tags on all the bottles so he could discern every-day wines from once-a-week or once-a-month wines. 

Château Duhart Milon Rothschild (Lafite) was the or one of the most expensive labels in that flight. Dan attributes that gift selection as part of his introduction and indoctrination to fine wine.

Tonight, I pulled from the cellar a 2003 and 2004 vintage release of Duhart-Milon for our dinner, a 'mini' vertical - multiple vintages of the same label. 

Dan brought from his cellar a opposing, Right Bank Bordeaux from Château Figeac, one of our favorite and collected St Emilions. 

Prior to dinner we had a selection of artisan cheeses and ceasar salad. With the grilled tenderloin beef au jus Linda prepared roasted au-gratin potatoes, haricot verts and carrots. 

Following dinner we enjoyed Linda's incredibly delicious decadent Salted Caramel Chocolate Mug-cake dessert.

Part of the evening was spent discussing and planning this year's upcoming OTBN - Open that bottle night, our annual wine extravaganza. 

Château Duhart-Milon Pauillac Bordeaux 2004

We drove by the Duhart-Milon winery in the village of Pauillac during our Bordeaux Wine Experience in 2019.  

This release was awarded 91 points by Robert Parker's Wine Advocate and Wine Enthusiast and 90 points by Wine & Spirits. 

This is a blend of 72% Cabernet Sauvignon and 28% Merlot.

At seventeen years, the fill level, foil, label, and most importantly, the cork were all in ideal condition for their age. 

Dark garnet color with purple hues, medium to full-bodied, very aromatic, the fruits erupted from the bottle as soon as the cork, in perfect condition, was extracted. Expressive but only slightly austere blackberry and black currant fruits with classic Pauillac tones tobacco, creme de cassis, earth, spice and hints of cedar turning to moderate tannins and a bright fresh tangy acidity.

RM 91 points.

https://www.cellartracker.com/wine.asp?iWine=118584

Château Duhart-Milon Pauillac Bordeaux 2003

This blend is 73% Cabernet Sauvignon and 27% Merlot.

Similar profile to the '04 release above being the same wine but this release was rated higher, 94 and 93 points by Robert Parker, Wine Advocate who compared to the much heralded 1982, and said "may be the finest Duhart-Milon made ... ever' and 'this is the greatest Duhart-Milon I have ever tasted.... a breakthrough effort and clearly a sleeper of the vintage".

James Suckling gave it 92-93 points and said "One of the best I have tasted from this estate." 

Those reviews were when it was about five years of age and now at seventeen, I found the '04 much better than the '03, perhaps aging differently or bottle variation, but my reviews were upside down from the pundits when comparing the two vintages. 

Parker wrote further, "Anticipated maturity: 2007-2020. Duhart is a chateau to watch as the Rothschilds (of Lafite) are making serious investments and pushing full-throttle to upgrade the quality and image of this estate." So, perhaps it is at the end of its primacy and starting to wane as it moves beyond its prime drinking window.

Jancis Robinson gave it 17/20 and write last year, "Really rather charming! At peak? But with some Lafite restraint about it. Attractive peppery edge to the sweet fruit."

I found similar profile to the '04 release above, more ruby than garnet colored, not as structured and less full fruits with slightly more acidicity on the finish. 

RM 89 points. 

https://www.cellartracker.com/wine.asp?iWine=16063

Château Figeac St Emilion Bordeaux 2010

This is one of our favorite St Emilions, a collectable that is a 'signature' label that we collected for our son Ryan's birthyear, and for a vertical collection from thereon. 

We served this wine from a double magnum at son Ryan's wedding from the 1982 vintage. We hold a vertical collection of this label as well as it being part of a horizontal selection of Bordeaux from his birth year vintage. 

We served an aged 1982 Birthyear vintage of this Figeac label for a father-son dinner with son Ryan just last month. That was testimony to the long lived ageworthiness of this label in good vintage years.

Tonight's 2010 vintage release was a blockbuster for Figeac, getting 98 points from James Suckling, 97 points from Robert Parker's Wine Advocate and Vinous, and 96 points from Wine Enthusiast and Wine Spectator. In 2013 Wine Enthusiast gave it a "*Cellar Selection* Give this wine at least 10 years."

Dan served this wine at a dinner together at his place back in 2016 when I posted about this wine.  

I sense this wine was consumed too young back in 2016 and is just now coming of age to reveal its true character and potential. In 2013 Steve Tanzer of International Wine Cellar gave it 91 points and said, "its youthfully forbidding tannins call for at least eight years of patience. It will merit an even higher score if it blossoms in the bottle."

In 2016 I posted this below. 

Château Figeac St Emilion Bordeaux 2010

Tonight was similar to our earlier experience with this label. True to the style of the Merlot based blend, this was an appropriate opening wine, a bit softer and more approachable easier drinking than the Cabernet predominant blends.

The blend of this right bank Bordeaux is 35% Cabernet Franc, 35% Cabernet Sauvignon and 30% Merlot.

Deep ruby colored, medium-full bodied, black berry fruits accented by cedar, tobacco leaf and smoke with hints of green olive, cassis and oak turning to smooth gripping tannins on the finish.

RM 91 points.

https://www.cellartracker.com/wine.asp?iWine=1130517

Tonight, this was dark inky blackish purple colored, full bodied and dense but velvety, polished and elegant, nicely integrated black fruits with tobacco, graphite, cassis, hints of spice and cigar box on a smooth soft tannin finish. 

RM 93 points.

https://www.cellartracker.com/wine.asp?iWine=1130517

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

https://twitter.com/Chateau_Figeac/

Darioush Napa Valley Merlot 2000

To round out of flight and to complement the Merlot based Right Bank Figeac, I opened this aged vintage Napa Merlot from Darioush.

We tasted and acquired this wine when Linda and I visited the Darioush estate and did a barrel tasting with winemaker Steve Devitt at the estate while the new facility and hospitality center were being built back in 2003. 

Dan accompanied us when we attended an elegant dinner hosted by Darioush at the Everest Room in Chicago back in 2004. 

And, we all visited the magnificent, opulent Darioush winery in Napa during our Napa Wine Experience in 2017. 

I have to say this wine was the surprise of the evening, exceeding my expectations. I was concerned how it would show at twenty plus years, being from a somewhat modest vintage. 

As shown the fill level, label, foil and cork were in pristine condition; another testament to the provenance of our cellar, having held this since release. This is sourced from the Darioush Estate vineyards adjacent to the winery.

This was rated 91 points by Wine Enthusiast and Wine Spectator. 

Dark blackish purple colored, medium-full bodied, rich, supple concentrated black fruits, yet elegant and polished with notes of dark mocha chocolate, herbs, hints of smoke, toasty oak and vanilla, with silky tannins on a long smooth finish. 

RM 91 points. 

https://www.cellartracker.com/wine.asp?iWine=682553

https://www.darioush.com/  

https://twitter.com/darioushwinery

 

Broad diverse flight of big reds highlight tomahawk beefsteak dinner

Broad diverse flight of big reds highlight tomahawk beefsteak dinner

A reunion of the Pour Boys wine group, me, Dr. Dan and Bill C provided an occasion for a broad diverse flight of big reds to accompany a beefsteak dinner featuring spectacular tomahawk rib-eye steaks. Linda prepared a magnificent dinner that also included medallion lobster tails, haricort verts, fingerling potatoes and cauliflower. 

 

Prior to dinner we had an extensive selection of artisan cheeses and then a ceasar salad. With the cheese course, we drank Pol Roger Reserve NV Champagne and then I opened a Château Climens Barsac from son Alec's birthyear vintage 1990. 

 

The cheese flight included:

Murray's Delice de Borgogne

Murray's Camembert

Fairlane Farms 12 year old aged cheddar

Fairlane Farms Havarti Pepper

Old Amsterdam Aged Smoked Gouda

Bayley Hazen Blue

Woolwich Dairy Triple Creme Goat Cheese

The tomahawk rib-eye beefsteaks ...

The big red wine flight was broad and diverse featuring wines from around the globe spanning three decades of vintage releases including several from son Alec's birthyear vintage 1990 that we served or hoped to serve at his recent wedding, to current recent releases. 

The flight featured producers that we have all visited together during our wine country tours such as Château St Jean, and also provided a tribute to the super second Château Leoville Las Cases that was a highlight of our trip to St Julien Bordeaux last year. Lastly, we recognized a couple of our favorite Napa Valley producers that we have visited together, Château Boswell and Fantesca who were affected by the ravages of the recent catastrophic fires there. 

Pol Roger Reserve NV Champagne

Château Climens Barsac 1990

Château  St Jean Cinq Cépages 2004

Fantesca Spring Mountain District Napa Valley Cabernet Sauvignon 2004

Château  Boswell Napa Valley Cabernet Sauvignon 2016
I review this wine in an encore tasting in this blogpost.

Château  Leoville Las Cases St Julien Bordeaux 1990

Freemark Abbey Napa Valley Bosche Vineyard 1992

Galerie Pleinaire Napa Valley Cabernet Sauvignon 2015

Clarendon Hills Astralis Clarendon Syrah 2009 

Warres Quinta da Cavadihna Vintage Port 1990

After dinner Linda served a medley of deserts with fresh berries. With the dessert flight we served another 1990 vintage release wine, Warres Quinta da Cavadihna Vintage Port 1990.

Plumpjack Founders Reserve Cabernet - Seasmoke Chardonnay - Paul Misset Clos Vougeot Vieilles Vignes

Plumpjack Founders Reserve Napa Cabernet - Seasmoke Chardonnay -
Paul Misset Clos Vougeot Vieilles Vignes Grand Cru

Fellow Pour Boy, wine buddy, Dr Dan and Linda came over for a wine dinner evening and I pulled from the cellar this vintage release Premium Napa Cabernet for the occasion. We tasted and acquired this wine during a visit to the Plumpjack estate on Oakville Crossing Road in central Napa Valley back in 1999. During that trip we hosted several winemaker dinners including one at Meadowood Resort featuring Mary Pisor, then winemaker for Plumpjack (below). We also visited Nils Venge Saddleback Vineyards who was consulting winemaker to Plumpjack in the early years. 

PlumpJack, in Oakville, was founded by Gordon Getty, the San Francisco composer and philanthropist, and Gavin Newsom, Governor of California back when he was mayor of San Francisco. 

The entrepreneurs initially opened a wine shop in San Francisco in 1992 called PlumpJack, a reference to Shakespeare’s character Sir John Falstaff, who enjoyed food and wine. The partners then founded PlumpJack winery in 1997 when they acquired 53 acres of vineyards on Oakville Cross Road. 

The PlumpJack Group expanded investment holdings in to resorts, hotels, restaurants and spas. 

Governor Newsom's father, Bill, was a lifelong friend of Gordon Getty, the son of oil magnate J. Paul Getty going back to their early years when they attended high school together. Bill Newsom later managed the Getty family trust on behalf of Gordon, estimated by Forbes to be worth more than $2 billion in 2018. Bill Newsom was so close with the family that he helped deliver the ransom money after the  famous 1973 kidnapping of J. Paul Getty’s grandson, John Paul Getty III. The Gettys’ have been instrumental patrons and supporters of Newsom and have played an important role in Gavin Newsom’s personal, professional and political life.

Plumpjack winery specializes in premium Cabernet Sauvignon, though it also makes Merlot, Chardonnay and a Syrah. Robert M. Parker Jr. notes that all the PlumpJack wines “are fabulous, thanks to the brilliant efforts of winemaker Tony Biagi and consultant Nils Venge.” 

Interestingly, a bit of wine world trivia: PlumpJack was the first Napa Valley producer to use screw caps in the packaging in 2000, starting with the their high end Founders Reserve flagship premium label. 

The PlumpJack estate winery and vineyards sit in the heart of Napa Valley’s renowned Oakville Appellation (AVA), surrounded by the 42-acre estate vineyard which has become highly regarded for the quality of its Cabernet Sauvignon. 

The winery building and the vineyard date back to the 1800s, when winemaking pioneers first took advantage of a unique position on the valley floor. The east side of the vineyard lies along the foothills of the Vaca mountain range and yields grapes with the kind of bold fruit character that comes from well-draining hillside soils. The western boundary of the estate lies in the Napa River flood zone. Here the vines take root in rich, deep clay soils, for grapes with softer, more supple varietal character. 

Oakville AVA is one of the two or three most prestigious appellations in the United States. Located in the heart of Napa Valley, it consists of 5,000 vineyard acres that produce some of the world’s most acclaimed Cabernet Sauvignon, including such California “cult” Cabs such as Screaming Eagle and Harlan Estate. 

Even before those boutique producers rose to fame in the 1990s, Oakville was already renowned as home to Robert Mondavi, Opus One and Groth Vineyards, among others. Along with the famous wineries, there are premier vineyards in the AVA, including Martha’s Vineyard and To Kalon Vineyard. To Kalon was first planted in 1868 by H.W. Crabb, one of California’s first viticultural researchers. He named the vineyard after the ancient Greek phrase for “most beautiful.” 

The Oakville appellation is ideal and favorable to the Bordeaux varietals and is best known for Cabernet Sauvignon, however Merlot, and white varietals Chardonnay and Sauvignon Blanc are also frequently planted. Oakville Cabernets are noted for their richness, complexity and weight. 

Oakville was designated as an AVA in 1993.  

We visited the Plumpjack Oakville Estate vineyards and winery again during our Napa Valley Wine Experience 2018 (below).

We served a  flight of artisan cheeses including Old Amsterdam, English Shropshire Blue, and Delice Borgnogne Brie, now available and distributed by none other than Murray's Cheese from NYC Greenwich Village Bleaker Street. 

From his cellar, Dan brought a Burgundy and Chardonnay which were ideal with the cheese and then salad course and the transition to the beefsteak dinner entree.  

SeaSmoke Santa Rita Hills Chardonnay 2013

Dr Dan brought from his cellar this limited production highly allocated estate Seasmoke Sta Rita Hills Chardonnay. He is in their wineclub and receives this label as part of his allocation. 

This release got 95 points from Robert Parker's Wine Advocate and 92 points from Wine Enthusiast.

This was wonderful, ideal with the artisan cheeses before dinner.

Golden colored, medium-full bodied, rich, warm nicely integrated white peach, stone and citrus fruits with layers of floral, buttery oak and slate minerality with nice balance of oak and acid on the full mouthfeel lingering finish. Wine Enthusiast describes "its touching intriguingly on sweet Maui onion and finishing with light vanilla-custard flavor".

RM 92 points. 

https://www.cellartracker.com/wine.asp?iWine=2044704

https://www.seasmoke.com/ 

Domaine Paul Misset Clos Vougeot Vieilles Vignes Grand Cru 2009

This was an ideal transition from the cheese and salad to the beefsteak entrees. 

As I often write in these pages, I am not a pinot guy, and hence probably don't give this the reverence or appreciation that it deserves. 

Bright ruby colored, medium bodied, tangy black cherry and red berry fruits with notes of perfume, dusty rose, asian spice and hints of pomegranate on a lingering finish. 

RM 89 points. 

https://www.cellartracker.com/wine.asp?iWine=1462329

Linda prepared grilled rib-eye beefsteaks with baked potatoes, an ideal pairing for the aged Oakville Cabernet. Dinner was preceded by Ceasar salad and followed by Linda's signature chocolate mousse with notes of expresso served with fresh berries. 

Plumpjack Founders Reserve Napa Cabernet 1996

Linda and I visited the Plumpjack estate and winery during our Napa Valley Wine Experience 2018. We tasted the current release of this label and they had on offer this vintage release in the library, available for the asking. 

At twenty five years, the wine fill level, bottle foil capsule, label and cork were in pristine condition, further testament to the ideal conditions in our cellar for long term aging, having held this bottle since acquisition on release. 

Dark inky purple colored, medium-full bodied, at twenty five years the fruits are somewhat subdued with the blackberry giving way to notes of cassis, hints of creosote and smoke with a moderate acid firm but smooth tannin laced lingering finish.

RM 90 points.

https://www.cellartracker.com/notes.asp?iWine=23912

https://plumpjackwinery.com/

https://twitter.com/plumpjackwinery

@PlumpJackWinery