Château du Tertre Grand Cru Classe Margaux 2011

Château du Tertre Grand Cru Classe Margaux 2011

With left over grilled ribeye beefsteak from the other night, I opened this classic Left Bank Bordeaux for dinner food and wine pairing. 

Château du Tertre is a Fifth Growth property in Margaux, one of the oldest properties not just in Margaux, but in the entire Left Bank dating back to 1143. The name, “Tertre,” refers to its geography, the word tertre means, “hill,” or, “rising ground," referring to the location, a couple km inland from the Gironde River estuary, the Margaux terroirs there are the highest, with one of the most elevated gravel outcrops of the Médoc.

The estate sits in the hamlet of Arsac, where it has historically been called “beautiful Tertre d’Arsac”, just 4 km south of the Chambres de Margaux in the Margaux village centre where we stayed during our Margaux Bordeaux region tour in 2019,  just a 1/2 km south of the village perimeter. 

The footprint of the 52 hectares, 125 acres of vineyards, has not changed much since the 1855 Classification when it was designated Margaux Grand Cru Classe. The graveled, sloping soils are planted to customary Bordeaux varietals - Cabernet Sauvignon, Merlot, Cabernet Franc and Petit Verdot, with the majority of the vines planted near an ambient forest, which yields cooler temperatures and preserves the freshness of the wines.

The estate began to rise to prominence in the 1700's, when it was owned Pierre Mitchell of Bordeaux, known as a famous glassblower. Mitchell was known to have created the first jeroboam (a five liter bottle), and given his expertise in crafting glass bottles, it is likely that the first wines in Bordeaux were bottled at Château du Tertre.  

The Château du Tertre estate was very popular with the Dutch wine market and was acquired by Henri de Koenigswarter from the Netherlands before being taken over by the Cruse family, a famous négociant, in the 1900s.  

During the turbulent disruption of World War II, the estate fell into disrepair and its sterling reputation declined as a result. 

In 1961, the property was acquired by Philippe Gasqueton, the well-known owner of Château Calon Ségur in Saint Estèphe, who embarked on the long, intensive process of turning the estate around.  

1n 1997, Dutch businessman, Eric Albada Jelgersma bought the estate and invested in the large-scale overall restructuring, returning its former noble personality to the Chateau du Tertre. Since March 2021 the Helfrich family has taken over the property with the intent to continuing the tradition and pursuit of excellence.

The viticultural team is headed by Alexander Van Beek, who made some critical changes such as eliminating machine harvesting.  Frédéric Ardouin from Château Latour was hired as Technical Director and winemaker in 2008, and the property has been on the rise ever since with biodynamic transformation of the viticulture and rebuilding of the production facilities with new technology. Château du Tertre wines are known to be versatile, able to be enjoyed younger with one to two hours decanting and show improvement with 10 years of bottle age. 

 

Château du Tertre Grand Cru Classe Margaux 2011

 

This release was awarded 92 points by Wine Enthusiast and Jane Anson of Decanter.com, 91 points by James Suckling, 90 points by Wine Spectator, and 88 points by Robert Parker Jr., The Wine Advocate.

 

Dense dark garnet purple colored, medium bodied, floral notes with black berry fruits with notes of anise, black tea, earth and leather with supple tannins and well behaved acidity on the finish. 

RM 90 points. 

https://www.cellartracker.com/wine.asp?iWine=1362619 

http://chateaudutertre.fr/en/home/

 

https://twitter.com/tertre_gcc 

 

@Tertre_gcc

Montemercurio 'Messaggero' at Palinuro Italian Katy

Montemercurio 'Messaggero' at Palinuro Italian Restaurant Katy

For a team workshop with our tech team in Houston, we held a dinner at Palinuro Italian restaurant in Katy (TX). Since their opening in 2019, owner/manager Gabriele and staff have developed a reputation for innovative Italian cuisine in the style of his southern Italian seaside hometown Palinuro, after which the restaurant is named. 

Gabriele applies skills honed over 15 years in the restaurant industry mastering old world techniques of handmade pasta, finest ingredients and imaginative preparations and presentations, in a trendy comfortable hospitable setting.

Executive Chef Paolo also has Italian roots, on the Italian island of Sardinia, and has been developing his culinary skills for over 40 years in Italy and in restaurants in Santa Monica, West Hollywood, and Beverly Hills.

I studied the menu earlier in the day and pre-selected my dinner entree choices, but when our host and server, Jorge, presented the daily specials, I opted for the Vitello Marsalla, grilled veal chop marinaded with fresh herbs and garlic served in a marsala sauce with mashed potatoes and spinach. 

Others in our group selected the Sea Bass, but when we exceeded the number of available plates, several deferred to an alternate, the special substitution Salmon offering. 

Jorge also promoted the pasta special featuring Fettucini served in a highly recommended house specialty Truffle Parmesan Reggiano sauce with fresh shaved truffle. This was presented in and served from a large cheese wheel at tableside (shown right). 

I requested a side dish of this special selection and it was fantastic, an incredibly delicious preparation of truffle, cheese and pasta, a new reference benchmark for Fetuccini Alfredo.   

Everything was exceptional from the soup and salads to the entrees and the dessert course. All were served with stylish presentations and attentive professional service. The dinner was spectacular in all respects and definitely worth checking out, and we'll look forward to returning if the occasion rises.

From the winelist I selected an Le Volte dell’Ornellaia, the baby brother of a fabulous wine we had at a dinner recently at Italian Village, Chicago. This wine was not available and Jorge suggested and offered this Super Tuscan instead.

Palinuro don't show their winelist on their website. When presented, I was surprised and impressed by the Palinuro winelist, while somewhat small or limited, it offered a creative and thoughtful selection - all Italian, especially the aged bottles such as this one (even though the vintages were not shown), and the super premium labels such as the grand vin flagship Ornellaia.

Montemercurio Messaggero Vino Nobile di Montepulciano DOCG 2011

From the Palinuro winelist we were served this big red that proved to be a wonderful choice and an ideal pairing with our Italian fare, and a high QPR - quality price ratio, value selection.

Montemercurio is a small estate located just outside the town of Montepulciano, a medieval Renaissance hill town in the Italian province of Siena in southern Tuscany. It is located about 75 miles southeast of Florence, 115 miles north of Rome.

Montepulciano is also the center of the so-named wine-producing region, known for producing Vino Nobile di Montepulciano, the DOCG designated (Denominazione di origine controllata e garantita) name for the Brunello di Montalcino and Chianti Classico labels, the principal red wines of Tuscany.

Montepulciano wines are made primarily from the Sangiovese grape varietal (known locally as Prugnolo gentile), from a minimum of 70 to 100%, sometimes blended with Canaiolo Nero and small amounts of other local varieties such as Mammolo. The DOCG wines are aged for 2 years, at least 1 year in oak barrels, and for three years if it is a "riserva". (The wine should not be confused with Montepulciano d'Abruzzo, a red wine made from the Montepulciano grape in the Abruzzo region of east-central Italy.)

Azienda Agricola Montemercurio is owned by the Anselmi/Luciani family, run by Marco Anselmi. The estate was developed by Marco's grandfather, Damo, who planted many of the vines over 60 years ago. The estate terroir consists of clay and limestone soils sitting at an altitude of 450 meters. 

The Messaggero labeled wine is aged in large Slavonian oak barrels for 3 years, followed by a minimum of 18 months bottle. Marco refuses to release his wines until he feels they are ready to drink, consequently his current release may be five years behind what other producers in the region are selling.

Montemercurio Messaggero is 100% Sangiovese, crafted from the careful selection of the best Sangiovese grapes that have been cultivated in the optimum zones of the DOC region from those vineyards that produce grapes of the highest quality.

Dark garnet color with brick highlights, medium bodied, complex and powerful yet approachable with concentrated black cherry fruits with notes of leather and tobacco with hints of mint, tea and mineral with firm round tannins on the finish. 

RM 91 points. 

This was an ideal accompaniment to the zesty and flavorful Italian dishes - an excellent recommendation - and at ten years of age - nicely integrated and mature, likely at the apex of its drinking window. 

https://www.cellartracker.com/editnote.asp?iWine=3049585

https://www.montemercurio.com

 

https://www.palinuroitalian.com/

https://www.montemercurio.com/en/press/85-vinous-antonio-galloni-2.html 

Spring Valley Katherine Cabernet Franc for lively sipping

Spring Valley Katherine Cabernet Franc for lively sipping

It was a bit poignant getting an announcement from this producer about ShariLee's (Corkrum - Derby) birthday yesterday, the matriarch of Spring Valley Vineyards in Walla Walla. Sharilee (pronounced Sher’ a lee) Corkrum Derby, is granddaughter of Spring Valley founder Uriah Corkrum. We paid tribute recently to her husband Dean Derby on his passing just last month. 

Family owned and operated Spring Valley Vineyards goes back three generations to ShariLee's father Frederick, and grandparents, Uriah and Katherine Corkrum. All the wines in the SVV portfolio sport a namesake label of one of the family members. As members of their Family Circle club we hold a mini vertical and horizontal collection of all these wines dating back up to a decade. 

So it was fitting I pulled a Spring Valley wine last night for casual sipping with biscuits, cheese and holiday treats by the fire, watching a movie. I opted for the Katherine Cabernet Franc, 2011, the oldest in our collection of this label.

I've written in these pages about our visits to Spring Valley Vineyards in Walla Walla, and meeting Dean Derby, writing a tribute to him on his passing recently. One of the highlights of our trip to Walla Walla was when we had the pleasure of meeting Dean Derby during our visit to the vineyards during our Walla Walla Wine Experience in 2019.

Spring Valley Vineyard Cabernet Franc Walla Walla Valley Katherine Corkrum 2011

 Spring Valley Vineyards Katherine Cabernet Franc 2011

This Cabernet Franc label is named in honor of founder Uriah Corkrum’s wife Katherine, a native of Wales who immigrated to Walla Walla Territory in 1897.

Katherine Williams arrived in the Walla Walla Valley from Hay-On-Wye, Wales to visit her brother David, who was married to Uriah’s sister Rado Corkrum. Katherine and Uriah were married in 1897, and had four sons, including Frederick Corkrum.

This label is from grapes planted in 1995. It was first released in 2002. 

This vintage release is a blend of 90% Cabernet Franc, 5% Malbec, and 5% Petit Verdot.

It was awarded 90 points by Wine Spectator and 89 points by Wine Enthusiast. 

Winemaker Notes - The 2011 vintage is very floral with predominant notes of violet. Rounding out the nose are aromas of dry herbs and hints of orange peel, white pepper and currant. On the palate, fresh red berries, cassis and strawberry. This wine has plenty of texture and is rich mid-palate, but has a soft and creamy finish.  

At a decade, this was garnet colored with a very slight brownish tinge, medium bodied, spicy black currant, raspberry and black cherry fruits with notes of white pepper, tobacco, spice and herbs with a moderate soft finish. 

RM 89 points.

https://www.cellartracker.com/wine.asp?iWine=1659841

https://www.springvalleyvineyard.com/ 

Italian Village Team Dinner

Team Wine and Dine Dinner at  Italian Village Chicago

After fifteen months of Covid shut-in WFH - (Work From Home) controlled work rules, we brought my leadership team into Chicago for re-engagement and strategic planning. 

I hosted a dinner at our regular roost, my mainstay wine and dine site, Italian Village Chicago. This is our go-to site for such occasions given its proximity to the office, extraordinary winelist, dependable food service from the three restaurants, kitchens, chefs under one roof, and long standing friendship with Wine Director Jared Gelband. 

As is our custom, we dined in one of the private dining rooms, Seeking Italian varietal wines for the Italian cuisine,  Jared selected the initial wine course from special selections off the extensive winelist, and I selected a second follow on wine. I mentioned Barolo as a starter wine and Jared pulled an aged ten year old 2011 vintage from the cellar. To follow suit, I selected from the winelist another 2011 release wine for a mini-horizontal. As is customary, I selected a 'bigger' more exuberant wine so as not to be overshadowed or overpowered by the first selection. 

Aurelio Settimo Rocche Dell Anunziata Barolo 2011

For native Italian faire we selected Italian varietal and produced wines. I suggested Barolo, a delicious red wine from the Piedmont region of Northern Italy. 

Barolo is made strictly from Nebbiolo grapes. The Nebbiolo grape does not travel well and is high maintenance, hence it has not been adopted by other regions and gained wider popularity beyond the Piemontese slopes of Northern Italy. It is much like another finicky or fickle grape varietal, Pinot Noir, Nebbiolo is a reflection and expression of its terroir, and displays the subtleties of its environment. 

The center of the universe for production of this varietal based world class exclusive and age-worthy red wines made from Nebbiolo is the Barolo wine region. The region consists of five core townships: La Morra, Monforte d’Alba, Serralunga d’Alba, Castiglione Falletto and the Barolo village itself, as well as a few outlying villages. 

The landscape of Barolo, characterized by prominent and castle-topped hills, is full of history and romance centered on the Nebbiolo grape. Barolo wines are known for their signature character profile: “tar and roses” aromas, a deceptively light garnet color, but full presence on the palate and plenty of tannins and acidity. A well-made Barolo wine will be complex and big with and aging profile that at its best needs 10-15 years before its ready to drink, and can further age for several decades. 

Jared pulled from the vast Italian Village cellar and decade old Aurelio Settimo Rocche Dell Anunziata. This is a single vineyard designated label, the flagship top label for the reputable producer.

This producer and label dates back to 1962. Long before that, Domenico Settimo settled in the hamlet of Annunziata in the area known as La Morra in Piemonte in 1943, in an old farmhouse built at the end of the 19th century. Up until 1962 Settimos were farmers, working the land (vineyards, fruit trees, hazelnuts) and breeding animals (hens, rabbits, cows). They produced some grapes that were sold to big local wineries except a small amount that they held back for the family to produce wine for themselves, friends and relatives.

In the late 1950s, Domenico began bottling some of the wine under the Settimo Domenico label. Son, Aurelio worked by his side and learned how special the land and its terroir were. After Domenico died in 1962 Aurelio decided to specialize solely on growing grapes and producing wine.

Aurelio began extending the winery and growing production but 50% of the grapes grown on the estate continued to be sold to the larger local wineries up until 1974. Since that 1974 vintage all the production has been vinified on site. The estate vineyards cover 14 acres and have been planted and replanted over the years such that the vines range in age between 18 and 46 years, mostly planted in Nebbiolo, with a couple with Dolcetto. The estate’s 8.5 acre prime vineyard, considered to be one of the area’s very finest crus, is the celebrated Rocche Dell’Annunziata. The remaining 5.5 acres of Nebbiolo is used for their standard estate Barolo DOCG.

Since 2007, Aurelio’s daughter, Tiziana has been at the helm managing the company, holding to the long held philosophy to focus on quality and maintain respect for tradition. They produce only red DOC wines, exclusively from their own grapes. Their vineyards, all in Annunziata hamlet adjacent to the cellar, are cultivated with Nebbiolo for Barolo grapes. The best of those are set aside for the prestigeous cru Rocche dell’Annunziata. A small part is dedicated to dolcetto vine. 

 

This was dark garnet with brick edges in colour, medium full bodied with aromatic plum, blackberry and black cherry fruits with earthy peppercorn, rose, and notes of cigar box, licorice and spice with a dry acidic rounded finish.

 

RM 89 points. 

 

https://www.cellartracker.com/wine.asp?iWine=2197886

http://aureliosettimo.com/en/

https://twitter.com/AURELIOSETTIMO

 

Allegrini Amarone della Volpolicella Classico 2011

We moved to a bigger bolder wine for the entree course, selecting another 2011 vintage release for a mini-horizontal comparison, a perfect pairing with spicy pasta and dark Marsalla sauces. 

This DOCG Amarone della Valpolicella Classico from Allegriniis is always popular and one of the most awarded wines of its class and highest esteemed producers in Italy. 

Drawing on more than six generations of Veneto winegrowing tradition and a long running serious of successful vintage releasesm Allegrini has received its 30th Tre Bicchieri (“Three Glasses”) award from Gambero Rosso in 2014, placing it among the top producers in Italy. Individually, Allegrini Amarone has received 16 Tre Bicchieri designations, more than any other Amarone.

Family owned and operated by the Allegrini family, which has had roots in the Valpolicella since the sixteenth century, they have nearly 250 acres of hillside vineyards in the Classico zone. All Allegrini  wines are 100% from grapes grown in the Estate’s vineyards. 

Amarone is the result of unique production technique where Corvina, Corvinone, Rondinella and Oseleta grapes are left to air dry at least until December, checked daily to ensure perfectly healthy grapes. Lengthy refining and aging finally yields a red wine that has become emblematic of Italian oenology, alongside Barolo and Brunello di Montalcino. The result is wine with imposing structure and depth, as much in its aromas of mature fruit and spices, as on the palate, where the alcohol is sustained by the right degree of acidity and refined tannins.

 

This release was awarded 93 points by Wine Spectator and Wine Enthusiast. 91 by James Suckling.

 

Dark ruby colored, full bodied and firm structure, expressive vibrant intense classic ripened raisin flavored dark cherry and raspberry fruits fronted by spice and herb notes with accents of graphite, mocha, mineral and licorice. 

 

RM 92 points.  

https://www.cellartracker.com/wine.asp?iWine=1492745

 

https://www.allegrini.it/

 

https://twitter.com/AllegriniGroup

@AllegriniGroup

https://italianvillage-chicago.com/

https://twitter.com/italianvlg

@italianvlg 

 

 

 

 

Lewis Cellars Alec's Blend 2011

 Lewis Cellars Alec's Blend 2011

With wife Vivianna in NYC/CT for the weekend, son Alec hung out with us and neighbors over the weekend. After golfing with Chris and Andy, they came over to check out our cellar and Alec naturally pulled his 'signature' Alec's Blend for a tasting with pate' and artisan cheeses. 

As written often in these pages, we have fun with this branding, with its signature 'L' on the label, ala Laverne and Shirley, or Linda, or her mother Lucy, or our daughter Erin Leigh, or her daughter, our first grandchild/daughter Lucy!

Lewis Cellars wines are family favorites for all occasions, punctuated by this namesake Blend for son Alec. Indeed, Lewis Cabernets are some of favorites and we have a decade long vertical of Alec's as well as their Cabs, dating back to this '97. 

This blend is dedicated to Randy and Debbie Lewis' first grandson Alec, who was born on the day of the harvest of the grapes for this wine (for the '97 vintage), hence the namesake!

Our visit to the Lewis estate and Chateau were a highlight of our Napa Valley Wine 2017 Experience as well as visit and private tasting there by Alec and Vivianna on their firestorm shortened honeymoon last year. 

This 2011 vintage release was the oldest of a half dozen vintages we hold in our cellar of this label. I was concerned about its age, not only being the oldest in our holdings at ten years, but also a slight off-vintage overall in Napa. 

This vintage release is a blend of 61% Syrah, 33% Merlot and 6% Cabernet Sauvignon. 

Indeed, at ten years, this was starting to show its age a bit and was showing some slight diminution with a slight funk beginning to set in. It wasn't likely due to provenance as the fill level, label and notably the cork were all in perfect condition. Some, but not all, of the funk did burn off a bit after some settling time.

Dark garnet colored, medium-full bodied, moderately intense brambly black berry and black raspberry fruits with notes of vanilla, hints of that classic Alec's Blend cinnamon clove spice and pepper, with some tones of black tea, wet wood and graphite setting in, with moderate tannins and acidity on the finish. 

RM 88 points - probably off a couple points due to its age.

https://www.cellartracker.com/wine.asp?iWine=1670123

http://www.lewiscellars.com

@lewiscellars

St Emilion duo for Tomahawk beefsteak dinner

St Emilion duo for Tomahawk beefsteak dinner 

Dr Dan and Linda joined us for Saturday night dinner - (my) Linda prepared grilled Tomahawk ribeye steaks with mashed potatoes and haricut verts. Dan brought from his cellar a 1er Grand Cru Classe Chateau Canon St. Emilion so I pulled another St Emilion Grand Cru Classe' for a comparison tasting. 

Prior to dinner we had a special select Domaine Carneros sparkling wine brought by Dan that we tasted with a broad selection of artisan cheeses.

We finished the evening with a duo of chocolates, Linda's homemade chocolate brownies alongside a chocolate cake brought by Dan and Linda. With the chocolate flight we sipped a Warre's Vintage Port.

 
Taittinger Domane Carneros Le Rêve Sparkling Wine 2011

This is from the famous French Champagne house Taittinger, whose US presence dates back to when Claude Taittinger of the noble family began searching for a worthy U.S. counterpart in the late 1970s. In 1987 he selected a 138-acre parcel in the heart of Carneros, down at the bottom of Napa Valley near where the Napa and Sonoma valleys intersect. There he established the California sparkling wine house, Domaine Carneros, capable of producing a luxury blanc de blancs in the style of Taittinger’s Comtes de Champagne in France. He hired Eileen Crane as founding CEO and winemaker to oversee the development of the winery and vineyards and to produce a quintessential California expression of the Taittinger style in Carneros. Of course, authentic Champagne is only produced in the Champagne region in northern France, all others are simply 'sparkling wines', even those produced in the méthode traditionnelle champagne method and style.

Their first California cuvée, appropriately named Le Rêve (the dream), was this blanc de blancs, crafted of 100 percent estate-grown Chardonnay. 

The Domaine Carneros château is a California wine country landmark along the Sonoma highway connecting Napa and Sonoma valley, completed in 1989. It's architecture was inspired by the classic 18th century Château de la Marquetterie in Champagne, France - home of Champagne Taittinger.

In 2020, after a successful career spanning 42 years, Crane passed the torch to a new CEO, Remi Cohen, who now carries on the Taittinger tradition of visionary female leadership. Ushering in a new era of Domaine Carneros, Cohen brings two decades of experience in all facets of the wine industry to the château. Crane also passed the torch as head sparkling winemaker to new sparkling winemaker, Zak Miller, who worked for over a decade with Eileen as a member of the winemaking team.

The heart of Domaine Carneros has always been around sparkling wines, with distinctive styles ranging from the classic vintage-specific-dated Brut cuvée, to the luxury Le Rêve Blanc de Blancs. Domaine Carneros farms 6 vineyards in the Carneros AVA, four of them within 4 miles of the Chateau. The Estate Vineyards now total 400 acres, 225+acres devoted to Pinot noir and 125+ acres planted with Chardonnay.

Le Rêve is the ultra-premium flagship label, a highly respected tête de cuvée - Domaine Carneros' finest sparkling wine that has frequently been named America’s Best Sparkling. French for “the dream,” Le Rêve is crafted from 100% estate-grown Chardonnay, crafted from five organically grown estate clones of Chardonnay, produced using the traditional method of Champagne, and aged in the bottle for a remarkable, unheard of five to six years sur lie before release.

From the Winery: The 2011 growing season experienced frost in the vineyard and ended the season with a very cool summer, resulting in a reduced crop size resulting in rich concentrated fruit.

Golden colored, medium bodied, intensely flavorful with notes of lemon citrus, apple and pear with hints of lime, wet stone and spice and what Wine Spectator refers to a fresh ginger on a tangy lingering acidic finish. 

RM 91 points. This release was awarded 95 Points by Wine Enthusiast,  94 by Insider, and 93 Points by Wine Spectator.

https://www.cellartracker.com/wine.asp?iWine=2546107

https://www.domainecarneros.com/

https://twitter.com/domainecarneros

Château Canon 1er Grand Cru Classe' St-Emilion 2011

We tasted this label during the Union des Grands Crus de Bordeaux (UGCB) 2011 Vintage Release Tour Tasting in Chicago, back in 2014. This is one of our absolute favorites from the Bordeaux Right Bank appellation St Emilion. We've enjoyed this label dating back to the memorable 1983 vintage. The Chateau Canon property is owned by the proprietors of the haute couture house of Chanel.

 

This is a blend of 70% Merlot, 30% Cabernet Franc, with 13.55% alcohol, aged in 70% new oak.  

 

This release was rated 93-95 points by Wine Enthusiast. 93 points by James Suckling, 90-92 points Stephen Tanzer's International Wine Cellar, and  91 points by Wine Spectator.

 

Tonight's tasting was consistent with my tasting notes from that tasting back in 2014, but actually improved from a decade of aging. Wine Spectator cited for this label, best drinking through 2022. 

Château Canon - Dark garnet colored, medium full bodied, floral aromas with firm, concentrated sweet red and black raspberry fruits accented with tones of kirsch and tobacco leaf with firm but silky soft tannins on the long smooth lingering finish.  

Tonight, RM 92Points, improved from 91 points for the release tasting. 

https://www.cellartracker.com/wine.asp?iWine=1366531

Château Vignot St. Émilion Grand Cru Classe' 2007

To pair and compare with the Château Canon, I pulled from the cellar this St. Émilion from a near mid-term vintage. I thought and hoped I had a bottle of the Château Canon but I was mistaken.

This Grand Cru is a class lower than the 1er Grand Cru of the Canon and the rankings accurately fit their tasting profiles with it being less complex, less polished and smaller in its presence. It did improve further after being open for 60-90 minutes to more closely resemble the bigger rival, but it never reached its more lofty standing.

Dark garnet colored, medium bodied, slightly 'flat' or flabby in comparison to the Canon, notes of dusty floral, dark berry, notes of tobacco, leather, spice and subtle oak with moderate tannins on the lingering finish. 

RM 87 points. 

https://www.cellartracker.com/wine.asp?iWine=528220

With the chocolate course we opened this twenty-five year old vintage port which was probably at the apex of its drinking window and profile. We hold this label going back to the kids' birthyear vintages in 1982, 1985 and 1990, so watch for further tastings of this label in future family dinners and celebrations.

Warre's Porto Vintage Quinta da Cavadinha 1995

We featured this wine during a tasting back in 2017. Consistent with that earlier tasting notes. 

Dark blackish garnet coffee colored - full bodied, a bit of an edge of sweet black fruits, layer of smokey creosote with hint of expresso, cedar and cassis and dark black cherry on the finish. 

RM 89 points.

https://unwindwine.blogspot.com/2017/02/after-dinner-trio-el-nido-jumilla-clio.html

https://www.cellartracker.com/wine.asp?iWine=3721

https://www.warre.com/home.php

Clarendon Hills "Piggott Range Vineyard" Syrah Duo

Clarendon Hills "Piggott Range Vineyard" Syrah Duo followed by pair of Rubissows

With the ladies gathered in town for a bridal shower for daughter-in-law Vivianna, the guys hung out sipping a medley of fine wines. Dr Dan brought from his cellar a Clarendon Hills "Piggott Range Vineyard" Syrah so I pulled another vintage of the same label for a mini-vertical comparison tasting. 

We've had several memorable tastings of this label going back to the '97 vintage including a special anniversary dinner and several of our wine group special events featuring this 2004 release. Links to these various tastings are featured below. I wrote about Clarendon Hills in one of those earlier blogposts. 

This Piggott Range vineyard designated label is by far my favorite of the Clarendon Hills portfolio even when compared to their flagship super premium Astralis label. I wrote about a trio of Clarendon Hills labels in a blogpost comparison tasting last fall, "Trio of Clarendon Hills labels - Astralis, Bakers Gully and Romas".

.

Clarendon Hills "Piggott Range Vineyard" Syrah McLaren Vale South Australia 2011

This vintage release of this label was not as big or fruit filled as the other releases I have tasted, taking on a little bit more menthol and acidity than the more complex concentrated fruit flavors of the 2004 that we paired and compared. One Cellartracker reviewer MMack gave it 92 points and compared it to a CDP (Chateauneuf du Pape). Vivino reviewer DcLaxFan also likened it to a Rhone, he wrote "From a winery founded by a biochemist, the Syrah opens with a nose of smoked meat, mulberry, tapenade, and plum. Savory mouth of prunes, brisket, cassis, and earth. A wild, smoky, meaty feel like a Rhône Vacqueyras."

RM 91 points. 

https://www.cellartracker.com/wine.asp?iWine=1953014

Tasty and big never-the-less, the 2004 put it in its place with a more classic big powerful concentrated fruit Piggott Range profile.

Clarendon Hills Syrah Piggott Range Vineyard 2004

Consistent with earlier tasting notes, this exhibited a rich dark purple color, full bodied, and full smooth polished aromas and flavors of raspberries, blueberry, blueberries and smoked meat with notes of spice and floral elements with hints of oak with nicely integrated silky tannins on the lingering finish.

The rich extracted fruit however did not succumb to the last tasting of this label when the fruit seemed more ripe or extracted so as to be a bit more raisiny with a subtle tone of graphite or a metallic note - perhaps or most likely attributable to aging at this stage of life - fifteen years of age.

RM 92 points. 

https://www.cellartracker.com/wine.asp?iWine=153424

Previous tastings of this label:

https://unwindwine.blogspot.com/2019/11/bbq-ribs-and-syrah-syrah.html 

http://unwindwine.blogspot.com/2012/08/clarendon-hills-clarendon-piggott-range.html

https://unwindwine.blogspot.com/2015/10/cityscape-syrah-zin-bbq-ribs-wine.html 

https://clarendonhills.com.au/

Calera Ryan Vineyard Pinot Noir 2011

Calera Vineyards Mt Harlan Ryan Vineyard Pinot Noir 2011

For a midweek dinner, Linda served baked ham and scalloped potatoes. I pulled from the cellar this Calera Pinot Noir from Mt Harlan near Hollister in North Central California.

This is a single vineyard designated wine from the Ryan Vineyard. Readers of these pages know we primarily collect, drink and enjoy Bordeaux varietals and to a lesser degree Rhones. This is one of the very few Pinot Noirs we hold in our cellar. The reason for holding this label is part due to the classic history and legacy of this producer, and, the whimsical fun that this vineyard designated label shares the name of Ryan our oldest son. 

We don't do a lot of Pinots, opting instead for bigger, bolder, fuller bodied, darker more fruit forward wines. There are occasions when a lighter, more delicate subtle wine is more suitable and Pinot Noir, the wine of Burgundy is ideal. Such wines are not simpler however and can often be equally complex and even elegant.

Ten year old Pinot
vs Cabernet

As I have often written in these pages, our cellar is full of labels selected as signature labels for a family member or friend due to Vineyard names, special bottlings, or logos on the bottle as remembrances or tributes to someone special. These selections are in addition to our penchant for collecting wines from birth year and anniversary and special occasion year vintages as well.

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Add to all this exuberance the selection of the producer Calera Vineyards and its founder winemaker Josh Jenson who is the epitome of Pinot Noir in California, or perhaps America.

I have written that I initially learned about Josh Jenson and his legendary Calera Vineyards were featured in Marq Devillier's wonderful 1994 book - "The Heartbreak Grape: A California Winemaker's Search for the Perfect Pinot Noir". The story tells the tale of Josh's quest to grow the very finnicky Pinot Noir grape in California in the early days before Pinot was cultivated here. In pursuit of his dream to create authentic Burgundian style wines, he sought to find the place in California suitable to achieve that goal. 

Devillers tells of Jenson's quest and research to find the right terrior - all the attributes of the right location, soil, climate, drainage, and other nuances of 'place' that make up the character and personality of a wine from grapes of a particular site. Josh chose Mt. Harlan, an area not then know for grapes or winemaking. 

The rest, as they say, is history. While it is a human interest tale, it also provides a rich insight into the challenges and travails of setting up a winery, and a business, and achieving one's dream to make noteworthy wines. 

Calera’s Mt. Harlan Vineyards are located in Hollister, California, in the Gavilan Mountains, 25 miles east of the Monterey Bay. After much research and searching, Jenson found and selected this site 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.

Calera Pinot Noirs are single vineyard designated meaning they are each named for and produced from fruit sourced from one vineyard each. Their five vineyards planted in Pinot Noir are named for Josh's father (Jenson), Mills, a neighbor who mentored Josh in his early years, Reed, for one of Josh's dear friends and early investors, and in this case Selleck, for a family friend whom Josh attributes to introducing him to wine.

In 2002, the Ryan label appeared, named for Calera's vineyard manager since 1979. We've had fun with this wine collecting it for our #1 Ryan, serving it in celebration of his wedding a few years ago, and holding it in our cellar for special Ryan oriented occasions, or just fun occasions shared together such as tonight!

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.

The Calera organically farmed Mt. Harlan vineyards are in the Gavilan Mountains, 25 miles east of Monterey Bay. The Ryan Vineyard, like Calera's others, has limestone soils, which are prized above any other soil type for growing Pinot Noir. Combined with the vineyard's average elevation of 2,200 feet--among the highest and coolest in California--the result is structured, intense Pinot.

Interesting that the latest wave of development in vineyard plantings for Burgundian varietals, Pinot Noir and Chardonnay, is in the western reaches of Sonoma County along the Sonoma Coast. Producers are calling these cool climate wines for the coastal breezes and fog encroaching and enveloping the vineyards from the Pacific Ocean. 

We toured the region and stayed in the remote town of Botega Bay during our Napa/Sonoma County Wine Experience in 2017. 

Winemaker notes for this release: "Graceful aromas of rose petal, tea, cassis, and clay accent a beautiful strawberry brick hue. This 2011 Ryan is firmly structured and intense with classic Mt. Harlan mineral purity. Mouthwatering flavor of cranberry, sour cherry and calcium offer fascinating tension with the taut, well integrated tannins offering a bright and very complex wine, and definitely a candidate for cellaring."

Calera Ryan Vineyard Mt Harlan Pinot Noir 2011

We hold a half dozen vintages of this label in our cellar as one of our 'signature' wines we hold in fun tribute to son Ryan.  

I still hold several bottles dating back to the 2010 and 2011 vintages. Normally I would select the older vintage but I chose the 2011, believing it might be the 'lesser' vintage, from a less ageworthy vintage. This is based on the lackluster vintage up further north in the Napa region. Alas, what a pleasant surprise that was very enjoyable, showing well, and holding up well showing no diminution of age whatsoever at ten years of age, exceeding my expectations on both counts. I raised my personal rating score of this label from earlier tasting (s).

Winemaker notes for this release suggest it is a 'candidate for cellaring': "Graceful aromas of rose petal, tea, cassis, and clay accent a beautiful strawberry brick hue. This 2011 Ryan is firmly structured and intense with classic Mt. Harlan mineral purity. Mouthwatering flavor of cranberry, sour cherry and calcium offer fascinating tension with the taut, well integrated tannins offering a bright and very complex wine, and definitely a candidate for cellaring." 

Pundit Allen Meadows of Burghound suggests 'drinking this on the younger side with an appropriate dish,' and Vinous said 2014 it 'should drink well for many year's. Robert Parker's Wine Advocate Jeb Dunnuck in 2014 wrote, 'Overall, it’s a structured effort that should be given another handful of years in the cellar, and consumed over the following decade.

I suspect at ten years, we're drinking this wine at the apex of its drinking window. The label from the bottle was in perfect condition (shown above).

This release was awarded 93 points by Robert Parker's Wine Advocate, 92 points by Vinous

Consistent with our last tasting of this wine, ironically a year ago this week, and our previous tasting for this label which we served for the family Thanksgiving diner back in 2015, this was translucent ruby red colored, medium light bodied, scent of dusty rose, cherry and raspberry fruit flavors with a hint of cola, clove spice, leather and earthy mushroom turning to fine grained delicate tannins on the moderate lingering finish.

RM 90 points.

https://www.cellartracker.com/wine.asp?iWine=1774888

https://unwindwine.blogspot.com/2015/11/thanksgiving-feast-features-diverse.html

https://www.calerawine.com/

https://twitter.com/calerawine  @CaleraWine

Force Majeure Collaboration Series II Ciel du Cheval Vineyard 2011

Force Majeure Collaboration Series II Ciel du Cheval Vineyard 2011 

Wanting a nice Syrah for a BBQ rib dinner, I pulled from the cellar the oldest vintage of our collection of this producer's labels. Our visit to Force Majeure Vineyards was one of the highlights of our Walla Walla Wine Experience in 2018. 

Marketing Director and wife of winemaker Todd, Carrie Alexander was kind enough to host us and help arrange some of our wine tastings and winery visits. 

We assembled a collection of Force Majeure wines after hosting Carrie and winemaker Todd Alexander here in Chicago during their release tour back in 2017.

This vintage release if from the previous generation winemaker at Force Majeure. Force Majeure Vineyards was originally called Grand Reve which means “great dream” in French. It was founded in Woodinville, near Seattle, in 2004. It was a collaboration between businessman Paul McBride and vineyard manager Ryan Johnson who spent a decade managing vineyards in Eastern Washington’s prestigious Red Mountain AVA. He and McBride wanted to focus on Rhone-style varietals and they were soon winning raves and ratings from Wine Advocate and other reviews. 

McBride and his wife Susan changed the winery name to Force Majeure. They hired winemaker Todd Alexander who was previously winemaker at Bryant Family Vineyard in Napa Valley to oversee winemaking.  

Jeb Dunnick of Wine Advocate has called Force Majeure “One of my favorite estates in Washington… This label is comprised of Red Mountain fruit, with grapes sourced from the crème de la crème Ciel du Cheval vineyard. 

Today, Force Majeure wines are increasingly from their estate Force Majeure Vineyard on a steep, rocky site on the upper slopes of Red Mountain and their Walla Walla estate vineyard as more and more plots come online. 

Force Majeure Collaboration Series II Ciel du Cheval Vineyard 2011

This is a blend of 96% Syrah, 2% Viognier and 2% Rousanne. It was aged two years in 33% new French, 67% neutral French barrels. 

Dark garnet colored, medium-full bodied, concentrated but nicely balanced, smooth but more subdued blackberry and dried cherry fruits with notes of olive tapenad, spice, leather and hints of black pepper with fine acidity and tannins on the lingering finish,  a nice accompaniment to our BBQ rib dinner. . 

RM 90 points.

https://www.cellartracker.com/wine.asp?iWine=1788978

https://forcemajeurevineyards.com/wp/

Long Shadows Pirouette and Lewis Chardonnay

Long Shadows Pirouette and Lewis Chardonnay BYOB at Carnivore & The Queen Supper Club

For a Saturday night outing we dined with neighbors/friends Mark and Shirley at a new local eatery that bills itself as a Supper Club.

Whimsically named, Carnivore & The Queen Supper Club is designed after a bygone area of nostalgic dining, a contemporary revival of a classic prohibition-era supper club with a 'casual vibe & approachable classic food'.

Carnivore & The Queen is the work of husband-and-wife team Chris Matus and Kelli Lodico-Matus. It is located down the street from Lisle (Illinois) in adjacent Downers Grove at the intersection of Maple and Belmont Avenues.

It actually opened a year ago February in a strip mall that I drive past several times a week to/from the nearby train station from where I commute into the City, but only noticed it recently, and immediately earmarked it for a visit.

Their concept is a Supper Club, an independently owned fine and fun dining destination with ambiance and decor reflecting that of the owners style and offerings, thoughtful dishes intended for sharing, a showcase for the owners’ family recipes, treating diners to an evening-long experience.

Lodico-Matus came up with the name while on a walk one day. “The name Carnivore & the Queen to me sounded indulgent, grandiose, and a bit … theatrical?” she says. “I thought it described our personalities … and it stuck! Everything on the menu is foods we like to eat and indulge in, with no guilt."

They offer daily menus featuring their recipes and the seasons' local ingredients from localvor  farmers, fishmongers & ranchers. They strive to deliver an experience that both their mothers provided, like gathering the family around the dinner table every night. There is a price-fix three course and a five course offering. There is also a menu offering with wine pairings accompaniment.

By 630 pm the restaurant was full and by 700 there was a crowd at the bar waiting for tables. It was lively and vibrant and very socialable and comfortable, like a neighborhood favorite eatery should be! We were very comfortable at the tall tabletop adjacent the bar despite the crowd. We look forward to returning again.

We've already noted their Friday Beer Battered Walleye Special, and their Sundays Only Queen's Blue Ribbon Fried Chicken Dinner. The optional up-charge to the five course supper is the hot ticket and reasonable value.  

Prior to dinner we had the special plate of olives, beets, veggies and relishes with salads. The wedge salad was delightful.

With the salad and anti-pasta courses we ordered from the winelist Charles Heidsieck Brut Reserve Champagne.

For our dinner entrees Mark ordered the sea scallops, Linda the chicken breast, and Shirley and I both had the NY Strip. Linda never orders chicken but was compelled to do so tonight and she liked it. I ordered my regular favorite, 'Pittsburgh' style preparation - charred with hot pink center, and it was done perfectly!

'Pittsburgh' style New York Strip with wedge potatos.

We took BYOB two special bottles from our cellar to celebrate Linda's recent birthday and the festive gathering occasion, Lewis Cellars Chardonnay and Long Shadows Pirouette.

 Lewis Cellars Sonoma County Russian River Valley Chardonnay 2004

My recent tasting notes just last month for this label: Perfect complement to lobster tails. Ideal drinking window for this is five to ten years. At sixteen, this is past its apex and showing its age turning from golden straw colored to honey brown, and the fruits are starting to take on notes of smoke. This was delicious none-the-less, but time to drink.

RM 88 points.

My earlier tasting notes from 2018 for this label: This is clearly crafted in the California versus the classic Burgundian style with layers of big rich oak, straw colored, medium bodied, note of of creamy vanilla, green apple, hints of nut and stone, nice acidic balance for crisp pleasurable drinking. Its density calls for drinking with food and was perfect with our buttery lobster.

RM 90 points

https://www.cellartracker.com/wine.asp?iWine=1072448

https://unwindwine.blogspot.com/2018/06/lewis-sonoma-rrv-chardonnay-2004.html

Long Shadows "Pirouette" Columbia Valley Red 2011

Another label from the Long Shadows Collection, this is crafted by legendary world renouned winemakers Augustin Huneeus Sr. and Philippe Melka. I recently had the 2016 release of this label at a business dinner and it was outstanding. Hence I was eager to try to an aged vintage release of this label from my cellar.

This is a classic Bordeaux Blend of 53% Cabernet Sauvignon, 23% Merlot, 15% Petit Verdot, 5% Cabernet Franc and 4% Malbec; aged for 22 months in 75% new French oak;

Robert Parker's Wine Advocate gave this 93 points,  Stephen Tanzer's International Wine Cellar gave it 92 points.

Dark garnet colored, medium-full-bodied, deep, rich, complex, nicely balanced, well integrated flavors of black berry and black currant with notes of cassis, licorice, coffee, dark bitter chocolate and hints of floral violets, with ample, finely polished tannin on the lengthy finish.

RM 92 points.

https://www.cellartracker.com/wine.asp?iWine=1735080

https://carnivoreandthequeen.com/

Masciarelli Montepulciano d'Abruzzo

Vintage Masciarelli Montepulciano d'Abruzzo and Carpineto Poggio Sant' Enrico Toscana at Italian Village Business Dinner

We had a mid-week business dinner with my team and a key partner visiting from overseas. We dined at our regular dinner meeting site Italian Village Chicago, as I wrote in a recent blogpost.

While my staff pokes fun at me for being such a creature of habit, our guests don't know any better and are well served by the experience. Wine Director Jared Gelband took good care of us as usual with a couple exemplary wines suited to the occasion and to our dinner selections.

The depth of the Italian Village cellar, with over ten thousand bottles, allows them to hold and serve a wine that is going on ten or beyond twenty years of age, at or near its prime drinking window, as opposed to turning their inventory and serving wines early and young.

Normally, as I did at another business dinner the next evening, I would take the opportunity to taste several wines, ordering a different wine with each bottle. Tonight, contrary to my usual practice, this was so good, we drank three bottles of the same label.

Gianni Masciarelli Montepulciano d'Abruzzo Riserva Villa Gemma 2011 

Montepulciano d'Abruzzo is made from the Montepulciano wine varietal grape in the Abruzzo region of east-central Italy, not to be confused with Vino Nobile di Montepulciano, the Tuscan wine made from Sangiovese  grapes. Montepulciano d'Abruzzo was classified as Denominazione di origine controllata (DOC) in 1968. Montepulciano d'Abruzzo is one of the most widely exported DOC wines in Italy.

Founded in 1981, Masciarelli and its wines have become a standard-bearer for Abruzzo. Since the age of 22, producer  Gianni Masciarelli has dedicated his life to his home of Abruzzo and its native grape varieties to produce world-class wines. He focused on intense rigorous vineyard management, reducing yields, working organically, thereby greatly increasing fruit quality.

In the winery, he adopted new conventions of gently and precisely handling fruit, and introducing French barriques to add depth and complexity to his wines, resulting in better integration of tannin. The work of Gianni and his wife Marina Cvetic in the vineyards and the winery has been rewarded with 29 Tre Bicchieri and they are today recognized as a groundbreaking and iconic winery in Italy.

Started in Gianni Masciarelli's grandfather's basement, Villa Gemma highlights the best of Abruzzo, showcasing the terroir of the region and the Montepulciano grapes of Abruzzo.

Villa Gemma Montepulciano d'Abruzzo produces powerful, intense wine of character and complexity, with deep fruit and complex earthy and spicy secondary characteristics that represent the highest achievement of the potential from the Montepulciano grape in Abruzzo.

This wine is produced from a single designated site in Montepulciano, from the Colle Cave vineyard in Chieti, the vineyard directly behind the house of Gianni's grandfather, and where his grandfather first started making wine in 1930. This terroir of the steep-sloped site consists of limestone, clay and gravel, and the historic traditional pergola vine training has been replaced by the modern day French Guyot training system.

This is the winery’s flagship label, produced from 100% Montepulciano d’Abruzzo. It embodies all the style and taste of the winemaker Gianni Masciarelli in an austere and complex Montepulciano D’Abruzzo Villa Gemma that represents a perfect interpretation of Abruzzo’s most noble grape, now fairly acknowledged in the world map of viticulture that counts.

Dark blackish garnet colored, full bodied, intensely structured, rich, complex, powerful yet graceful at the same time, ripe black and red fruits with hints of anise and toasted nut and oak, the tannins are restrained and silky smooth on the polished and elegant finish. 

RM 93 points.  

James Suckling rated this wine 94 points.

https://www.cellartracker.com/wine.asp?iWine=2321957

@MasciarelliVini 

Our second wine of the evening was this Toscano IGT Sangiovese. 

Carpineto Poggio Sant' Enrico Toscana IGT Sangiovese 1999

As I write this, I reached back to Jared to make sure I had the correct label. Even though I saved the cork for reference, it mentioned the producer and Appodiati which is their name for their Single Vineyard Collection. 

Carpineto Single-Vineyard-Collection wines are only produced in great vintage years. The vineyards are selected based on the vintage results showing exceptional characteristics, which fully exemplify and glorify the terroir - the microclimatic characteristics of each area. The wines are crafted for very long ageing and are bottled without undergoing any kind of treatment. They are released only after a minimum of 5 years of bottle ageing.

This is 100% Sangiovese sourced from the Poggio Sant’Enrico Piccolo vineyard that was planted in 1978.

Ironically, as I researched this further, I noted that we drank the exact same label a year ago, almost to the date, with my same leadership team.

Tonight's experience was consistent with my tasting notes of a year ago when I wrote: 

"At nineteen (now twenty) years of age, this is at the apex of its drinking window but not likely to improve with further cellaring, rather more likely to start to diminish from here forward. '

"Dark, deep, blackish-ruby colored, full bodied with firm backbone of bold, intense black berry and ripe plum fruits, notes of black pepper, hints of smoke, leather and subtle vanilla with a long lingering supple tannin finish."

RM 90 points.

https://www.cellartracker.com/wine.asp?iWine=101164
 
https://unwindwine.blogspot.com/2018/08/italian-village-chicago-for-reliable.html

www.carpineto.com