David Arthur Elevation 1147 and Estate Napa Cabernets 2003

 

David Arthur Elevation 1147 and Estate Napa Cabernet Sauvignons 2003

To celebrate brother Pat's visit, and to commemorate his wedding year, Bill C pulled a selection of vintage Napa Cabernet Sauvignons from the cellar including a special 2003 vintage David Arthur flagship Elevation 1147, a 1993 Vineyard 29 Estate from magnum, and a 1999 Freemark Abbey Sycamore Vineyard. I brought the David Arthur 2003 Estate Cabernet to compare against the Elevation.

To showcase the wines, Bill and Beth grilled New York strip steaks and barbecue ribs served with haricot verts and corn on the cob with mixed greens salad. Earlier we had artisan cheeses, crab stuffed champignons and after dinner accompaniments included chocolate caramels with sea salt.

Our visit to David Arthur at the end of Long Ranch Road high atop Pritchard Hill overlooking Napa Valley was one of the highlights of our Napa Wine Experience 2013.

Elevation 1147 is the vineyard named for the height at the mountaintop precipice and sources the fruit for this flagship vineyard designated label. The surrounding vineyards source the Cabernet fruit for the Estate label.

There are distinct similarities in the tasting profile of these two David Arthur wines that come from the site and reflect its terroir. The difference between them is their presentation.

David Arthur estate Cabernet Sauvignon is full bodied, complex, concentrated but nicely balanced. Full forward black berry fruits with essence of sweet spices, tobacco, leather and hints of cedar on the smooth tannin finish. As good as it is, its a shadow of its big brother, Elevation.

RM 91 points. 

Elevation is flawless, extraordinary in its refined elegance and harmonious balance. While full bodied it has no sense of weight in its symphony of seamlessly integrated flavors, silky smooth and polished balance of floral, dark fruit and accent tones from start to finish - lavender, sweet ripe black and blue berry fruits, whispers of cinnamon, clove, exotic spices and tobacco leaf on the soft lingering finish. At eleven years of age it seemed to be at its apex as I can't imagine it getting any better. It was delightful and delicious. I sense I drank my earlier Elevations too early to allow them to come together so nicely.

RM 95 points.

Bill's tasting notes from Cellartracker -

"Found this to be truly exceptional and the hit of the evening. Big, robust with cassis, blackberry and sour cherry on the front palate. Complex and layered revealing a hint of cedar and chocolate on the mid palate. We'll integrated tannins with a lingering finish. Quite elegant and balanced with a floral nose reminiscent of a Margaux though the wine itself is much bigger than a Margaux. A real treat. Friend and wine buddy Rick provided a 2003 David Arthur Estate Cab to taste side by side. Very interesting comparison. The common heritage was evident. Interestingly the estate seemed a bit thinner until it had been open over two hours at which point it really blossomed."


https://www.cellartracker.com/wine.asp?iWine=85663

http://www.davidarthur.com/

Vineyard 29 Napa Valley Estate Cabernet Sauvignon 1993

Bill's notes from last winter - Medium garnet in the glass. Still some fruit left. Nicely balanced with flavors of raspberry, sour cherry, mocha and a hint of cedar. This was the consensus favorite at "Open That Bottle Night" one year ago. A year later, it is still very tasty but tannins are fading and is not as vibrant as it was last year.

WCC 90 points.

https://www.cellartracker.com/wine.asp?iWine=72837











Freemark Abbey Sycamore Vineyard Cabernet Sauvignon 1999

https://www.cellartracker.com/wine.asp?iWine=81347 

















Freemark Abbey Napa Valley Estate Cabernet Sauvignon 2007

To round out the tasting Bill pulled this mid year vintage of Freemark Abbey Cabernet, a nice starter before dinner.

Bill's tasting notes from Cellartracker - "A nice way to kick off a gala evening with visiting family and friends. Robust and fruit forward. Deep indigo color. Will get better over the next couple of years but pretty tasty right now. Predominantly dark, black raspberry and cherry on the palate with a touch of oak. A tad smoky in a good way. Would have probably rated higher but had the misfortune of being compared to some really heavy hitters."

WCC 88 points.

https://www.cellartracker.com/wine.asp?iWine=932071


My notes -
Dark purple, medium - full bodied, black cherry and black berry fruits, smoky cedar notes with hints of oak on a firm tannin finish.

This is a blend of fruit 79% Cabernet Sauvignon and the rest mostly Merlot and fractions of Petit Verdot, Malbec and Cabernet Franc.
RM 89 points.

Marquis Philips '9' McLaren Vale Shiraz 2003

Marquis Philips '9' McLaren Vale Shiraz 2003

We took this to Angeli's, our local Italian eatery to drink with a savory meal, and finished it at our holiday barbecue at son Ryan's and Michelle's.

 This full-throttle intensely concentrated classic South Australian Shiraz burst on the scene in 2001 with direction from Robert Parker to 'run, don't walk' to your wineshop to buy this wine.  Marquis Philps was the result of a partnership between the highly respected South Australian viticulturists/winemakers, Sarah and Sparky Marquis and their importer, Dan Philips of the Grateful Palate. The Aussie - American partnership produced the whimsical Roogle character - half eagle and half kangaroo (shown on label left). The brand of Marquis Philips inexpensive wines immediately gained enormous success and a faithful following. Of course Sarah and Sparky Marquis went on to form the current follow-on brand/label Mollydooker.

While big, complex and concentrated, their '9' Shiraz has proven to be a wine to be consumed during its first 7-8 years of life as this eleven year old attests. This like others vintages held beyond ten years is showing its age as the intense fruit is giving way to a funkiness of non-fruit wood, leather and earth notes. My review back in 2004 noted the '03 was not as polished or delectable as the earlier vintage releases.

In their youth, they were big vibrant powerful wines with super rich, ripe luscious tongue-coating fruit. This release of  '9' was sourced from McLaren Vale (60%) and Padthaway (40%) in South Central Australia.

The 2003 Shiraz 9 at eleven years of age is still opaque inky purple-colored, full-bodied, complex,  intensely concentrated tongue coating notes of super ripe currants, plum but the aging fruits are taking on notes of raisin and fig with tones of espresso roast, smoked meats and leather on the layer of mocha, burnt sugar with hints of anise and white pepper. It has leathery texture on the lingering finish.

While Robert Parker and I gave this 93 points on release and in 2004, I give it 88 points at this stage of life and advise to drink it up.

https://www.cellartracker.com/notes.asp?iWine=17771

Deep Sea Santa Barbara County Pinot Noir 2009

Deep Sea Santa Barbara County Pinot Noir 2009

We tasted this easy drinking sipper with friend Dean during a visit to his Sips-on-Sherman Wineshop in Evanston, IL. We discovered the Deep Sea brand from producer Conway Family Wines downstate at the Friar Tuck's outlets in Springfield and Peoria. We were so taken with their Santa Barbara Syrah that we bought out their entire inventory. So, we were delighted to find another label from this producer, especially at our friend's shop.

This is another good QPR (Quality to Price Ratio) offering from this producer which is notable since as I've often written here, I believe good value Pinot Noir's are hard to find. The offer price here is a third off the release price from the winery.

This is a nice pleasant easy drinking Pinot that should go well with food, fruits, cheese and chocolate. Good for summer time.

Sips on Sherman also offer the Deep Sea Chardonnay. I was preoccupied picking up our special order and I forgot to pick up a bottle. I trust Dean will save one for us for our next visit to the shop or when we next get together.

Translucent bright ruby color, light medium body, dusty rose with dark cherry fruit accented by brown spices, hints of black tea and tobacco leaf on a nicely balanced modest tannin finish.

RM 88 points. 

https://www.cellartracker.com/wine.asp?iWine=1394338

http://www.deepseawines.com/

Dean N, Sips On Sherman Wineshop Proprietor

R& L tasting at Sips on Sherman, Evanston

Godspeed Mt Veeder Napa Valley Cabernet Sauvignon 1998

Godspeed Mt Veeder Napa Valley Cabernet Sauvignon 1998

Godspeed Vineyard on Mt Veeder

We bought a case of half bottles (375ml) of Godspeed Cabernet Sauvignon 1998 during a visit to the producer high atop Mt Veeder during our 2011 Napa Valley Mt Veeder Wine Experience. We knew at the time that it was nearing end of its drinking window but thought it would serve as 'pizza' wine - suitable for casual every day drinking. We didn't drink (all of) it and this is the result as its now beyond its drinking window.

Clearly past its drinking window at this stage and borderline drinkable at all. Rust bricking at the rim and a barnyard funkiness settling in on the nose and overtaking the remaining fruit tones. Tasting with some hearty cheese but likely will pour and open something else. Still consumable but life is too short for wine such as this when I know better. Perhaps some remnant as a cooking wine but caveat emptor. Drinking from a 375 bottle. Perhaps the 750 and larger are not so far gone since larger bottles generally age better than smaller ones.

https://www.cellartracker.com/wine.asp?iWine=79478

Bombing Range Horse Heaven Hills Red Blend 2010

McKinley Springs Bombing Range Horse Heaven Hills Red Blend 2010 at DOC Yorktown

A new feature wine by the glass (WBTG) at DOC Wine Bar in Yorktown Center vastly exceeded expectations. This is a red blend from the Horse Heaven Hills appellation in the southern Columbia Valley of Washington State.

This offering has a whimsical name and label depicting the WWII P-40 bomber flight training school and range that took place on the vineyard site during the war. The label is intended to serve as a tribute to the heritage of the estate as well as to those who served and are serving our country.

Linda and I tasted this with a small Butcher's Plate selection of Forestier New York pate', two cheeses - four year old aged cheddar and Wisconsin Menage, and caprese fresh mozzarella, tomato and basil bruschetta (shown).

The producer Mckinley Springs, bill themselves as "a small family owned and operated winery', yet they 'tend to 2000 acres of estate vineyards, and strive to craft wines of exceptional balance, flavor and value. (Their) vineyard’s reputation for producing award-winning wines stems from 60 years of farming and 30 years of wine growing excellence."

Today, four members of the fourth generation of the Andrews and Rowell Families grow twenty different varietals and produce ten different wines while also providing grapes to many other well known area producers. Rob Andrews, Grower, tends to the vineyards and Doug Rowell, Winemaker, oversees production.

The blend is estate Syrah (56%), Cabernet Sauvignon (22%),Cabernet Franc (12%), and Mourvedre (10%).

While this was not exceptionally polished or complex or sophisticated, it sure was tasty, a very pleasant easy drinking wine and a delightful accompaniment to our tasting selection.

Medium bodied and dark garnet colored, it was bursting with sweet plum and dark berry fruit flavors giving way to tones of clove and pepper with a hint of mocha on a moderate finish.

This wine presents a great QPR (quality price ratio) value at the release price of $16.

RM 90 points.

2010 Mckinley Springs Bombing Range Red Andrews Horse Heaven Vineyard

https://www.cellartracker.com/wine.asp?iWine=1791785

http://www.mckinleysprings.com/

Avignonesi Vino Nobile di Montepulciano 2011

Avignonesi Vino Nobile di Montepulciano 2011

  

Label shown from 2010

From the Tuscan Sub-Region of Montepulciano where the primary varietal is Sangiovese. This is the most expressive and flavorful Sangiovese I think I've ever had.  

This wine offers nice QPR (quality-price-ratio) at sub $25 for sophisticated special occasion or everyday drinking. 

Dark ruby colored, medium-full bodied with nice polish and balance presenting full forward black cherry and plum fruits accented by a layer of tobacco leaf and spice turning to tones of earth and smoke on the finish. 

RM 89 points. 

https://www.cellartracker.com/wine.asp?iWine=1781927

http://www.avignonesi.it/en

 

Atalon Napa Valley Merlot 2003

Atalon Napa Valley Merlot 2003

I pulled this ten year old bottle from the cellar for a grilled steak and pasta dinner at home. Atalon Winery’s label depicts an old Howell Mountain winery building built in the late 1800's. When they initially purchased the property, they named it Keyes Vineyard after the original founder General W.S. Keyes. They still maintain the old original building as a tribute to that era. In 2003, Atalon focused on Cabernet Sauvignon and Merlot which they believe embodied the best of what Napa Valley has to offer. They source fruit from the far reaches of Napa Valley and the surrounding mountains and bottle wines designated either Napa Valley or Mountain Estate.

Its not clear how much if any of this is 'Estate' fruit, that being from vineyards owned by the Producer. Strict appellation originale controllee (AOC) rules in Bordeaux only allow the (winery) Chateau to grace labels of Estate bottled wines. I sense the producer is taking liberties with that practice and taking advantage of the lack of such controls, other than the covenant that Napa Valley designated wine be sourced from (at least 75%) Napa Valley fruit.

The producer states Atalon’s 2003 Napa Valley Merlot is blended from four vineyards, from four different appellations. No sense of terroir here. The Winemaker Tom Peffer attributes the Carneros vineyard fruit with flavors of red cherries and herbal characters, while the hotter Oakville district adds pomegranate and soft textured tannins. He says late-picked Howell Mountain grapes offer deep dark cherry flavors, while the Stagecoach Vineyard, located between Atlas Peak and Pritchard Hill supplies minerality and red cherry flavors.

This is our only bottle of this label and the only time I've ever tried it so I have no basis of comparison or what to expect. Medium bodied, slightly opaque dark purple color - its lacks harmonious complexity one would seek from the diverse sources, it presents modest pomegranate, cherry and black cherry fruits with tones of leather, earth and dried herbs accented by hints of anise and mint on a somewhat flabby moderate tannin finish.


RM 87 Points

Blend of 98% Merlot, 2% Cabernet Sauvignon

https://www.cellartracker.com/barcode.asp?iWine=111051

http://www.atalon.com/

Conundrum California Red Wine 2011

Conundrum California Red Wine 2011

Imagine my confusion when the wife called and said she and our daughter were tasting a glass of Conundrum Red. Of course everyone knows Conundrum is a label from the Wagner family known for their legendary Caymus Napa Valley Cabernet. Since 1989 they've produced a unique white wine blend. But, alas, she was (drinking Red Conundrum). Chuck Wagner II, fifth generation Wagner winemaker, named for his grandfather, is the winemaker for this third release of this label that debuted in 2009.

Since the wife and daughter liked it I picked up a bottle during my 'weekly' visit to the local wine shop. There it was, in the red blend aisle, down towards the lower priced bottles in the moderate-low price realm. I usually walk past this section and hang out down at the far end at the high (er) priced offerings. We opened it for tasting with a grilled steak and it was a good pairing. Realistically priced at around twenty dollars, this offers pretty good QPR - (quality-price-ratio).

This is not a wimpy wine! The first hint is the aromatics that fill the room upon opening. Dark ruby colored, medium-full bodied, it punches you in the mouth with big concentrated expressive black and red berry fruit flavors and a rush of 'heat' as if from alcohol but seemingly from a layer of acidic tones that are somewhere between pine, light mint and camphor, before giving way to a medley of sweet anise, kirsch and hints of caramel vanilla flavors.

The next day, the 'heat' had burned off and the wine settled considerably but the result came across a slight bit 'flabby', which perhaps was masked by the initial frontal attack. But then, hey, this is a sub twenty dollar wine, not to be confused with Caymus Cabernet at around $60 plus.

Notably, this is not a Napa Valley blend, but rather a 'California' blend, such that the fruit is sourced from distributed sites around the state, each with its own unique characteristic terroir. As the name implies, Conundrum Red is a 'puzzling blend of varietals'. As I've written on other similar such wines, they tend to lack polish and balance due to the disparity of their individual profiles. Never-the-less, this is a big bold flavorful fruit forward drinker that would go well with hearty foods or bold cheeses or dark chocolate. Wife and daughter liked it, but a bit over the top for my preference.

RM 87

https://www.cellartracker.com/wine.asp?iWine=1636890

http://www.conundrumwines.com/

Waters Walla Walla and Audelssa Sonoma '05 Cabs

Duo of Waters Walla Walla and Audelssa Sonoma '05 Cabs highlight family dinner

With son Alec home for an extended weekend, we dined at our favorite Italian neighborhood bistro, Angeli's and took these two vintage '05 Cabernets for a comparison tasting of contrasting styles from disparate regions and terroir - Waters Walla Walla Valley and Audelssa Sonoma Valley.

Both of these wines were represented to be ageworthy sophisticated Cabs and we dutifully held on for nine years before opening. They both appear to be at the apex of their drinking window and I suspect while they may hold for several more years, I don't expect them to improve further with more age.

Audelssa Sonoma Valley Cabernet Sauvignon 2005

We discovered and purchased this wine during a Napa/Sonoma trip. Staying at the Renaissance Sonoma Spa they had the producer in for a pre-dinner tasting to showcase his wines. (The producer is now releasing wines under a new label Pangloss Cellars located in a new Tasting Room in downtown Glen Ellen in central Sonoma Valley.)

The fruit comes from the steep, western slopes of the Mayacamas Mountain range that separates Sonoma and Napa Valleys. Made from grapes from the winery's estate vineyard, and the Warm Springs Vineyard at the base of Sonoma Mountain, this is an interesting mid-priced Sonoma Valley Cab. About 1,650 cases were produced.  The winemaker is Erich Bradley who learned the craft working under  well known legendary  producers David Ramey and Dick Arrowood.

This was medium bodied, dark ruby colored, it comes off a bit 'hot' initially and shows bright vibrant sweet, dusty, complex ripe cherry notes with a slightly firm backbone and layer of slightly earthy, red and black berry, with hints of smoke, cedar and anise on a short slightly edgy tannin finish.

RM 88 points. 

https://www.cellartracker.com/wine.asp?iWine=425258

http://www.audelssa.com/


Waters Walla Walla Valley Cabernet Sauvignon 2005

Waters is an artisanal boutique winery located in Walla Walla, Washington. Since 2005, they've produced a few thousand cases of small lot bottlings each year, seeking to reflect the unique character of each varietal and the unique distinctive terrior of the source vineyard sites.

Waters sources their fruit from various sites in the region. The Cabernet Sauvignon used in their wines comes from two mature vineyards each known for their own vineyard designated labels from known producers. Cold Creek Vineyard near Yakima is owned by Chateau St. Michelle and is one of the oldest vineyards in Washington State (their block was planted in 1978). It is remote from any other vineyards and is more like its own appellation. The other is Pepper Bridge Vineyard, another well known property in the Walla Walla Valley. Water's Block 70 Cabernet was originally planted in 1998.

The winemaker and General Manager at Waters Jamie Brown might be known as a 'rockstar’ in the literal sense, and not just for his winemaking. Hailing from Walla Walla, he is a musician and after college landed in Seattle and opened and operated a successful music store. Some of his clients paid him with wine, in some cases very fine wine. Developing an interest and love for great, “old world” wines, he returned to the Walla Walla Valley to study the art of winemaking alongside winemakers such as Rusty Figgins (Glen Fiona), Eric Dunham, (Dunham Cellars of which we hold a decade vertical of their flagship Cabernet), and Jean François Pellet (Pepper Bridge and Amavi wines).

Like the Audelssa, this likely has benefited from a decade of aging and it likely at its apex of its tasting window. This was medium full bodied with a brownish tone in the dark ruby color that reflects some classic Cabernet aromatics and flavors that are apparent in this wine – tones of tar, leather, spices, and tobacco accent the sweet black berry and plum fruits before turning to some toasty oak and hint of mocha on a short moderate tannin finish.


RM 88 points.

https://www.cellartracker.com/wine.asp?iWine=512416

http://waterswinery.com/

 

Markham Napa Valley Merlot 2011

Markham Napa Valley Merlot 2011

Label from '07 release.

Markham has been a fixture in our cellar for good QPR (Quality Price Ratio) every day drinking Napa red wines since we began collecting. I particularly remember their '94 vintage Cab of which we especially enjoyed a couple cases, and a couple unique '97 and '01 Petit Syrahs that we drank over a couple years.

Every day wines are an important part of the mix of a cellar collection that comprises wines for special occasions, once a week, once a month, and once in a lifetime wines, since most of us are working with the realities of a finite budget.  

Sitting on the deck over at neighbors Matt and Amy, they served Markham Napa Valley Merlot. Markham's Estate vineyards source the Merlot fruit for this blend from their Oak Knoll site (almost 70%) with the remainder from their Yountville and Calistoga vineyards. There is a blend of 3% Cabernet Sauvignon and 1% Petite Sirah to add a bit of depth and structure to the 96% Merlot.
 

This provides good value at under $20 and is a great accompaniement to grilled meats, hearty cheeses and chocolate.

Dark Ruby colored, medium bodied, firm bing and black cherry fruit flavors with a slight edge, tones of smoky roasted nut, hints of anise, vanilla and a touch of cinnamon on a moderate tannin finish.

RM 87

https://www.cellartracker.com/wine.asp?iWine=1603980

http://www.markhamvineyards.com/

Cal Cab Release Tasting - Caymus 40th, Plumpjack, Silver Oak

Cal Cab Release Tasting - Caymus 40th, Plumpjack, Silver Oak

The special tasting today at Vin Chicago, Naperville offered the opportunity to taste three recent release Cal Cabs of three perennial favorite wines, each with its own classic style. Sharing our 40th anniversary year with Caymus and some special friends, we've been waiting with anticipation to taste the Caymus special 40th label release. Also offered today were Plumpjack Estate and Silver Oak Alexander Valley Cabernets. The tasting represented three different California Cabernet styles and showing very differently at this stage of their lives.

Caymus Vineyards Estate Napa Valley Cabernet Sauvignon 2012 

This is the 40th release of this legendary label and it features a special 40th Anniversary release label for the occasion. The 2012 vintage release also  shows the classic characteristics of Caymus Estate Cabernet at its best - early approachability and drinkability as a young wine.

Typical Caymus Cab style - dark ruby/garnet colored, medium to full bodied, nicely structured, complex but smooth, well balanced and polished, it opens with sweet ripe blackberry and raspberry flavors highlighted by layers of milk chocolate, subtle tones of cinnamon, vanilla and hints of caramel, giving way to a smooth lingering modest tannin finish.

RM 94 points.

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

http://www.caymus.com



Plumpjack Estate Napa Valley Oakville Cabernet Sauvignon 2011

Plumpjack is another one of our favorite Napa Cabernets and one of Linda's favorite winery stops in the Valley. We first discovered Plumpjack back in the early nineties shortly after their inaugural release.

We hosted a wine dinner with Mary Pisor, then Plumpjack associate winemaker under Nils Venge at the time. We did a 1995 horizontal tasting of barrel pulls of the Plumpjack Reserve against Lafite Rothschild, Cos D'Estournel, and Pichon Lalande and Venge Reserve Cab (left). The young Plumpjacks held their own very nicely.

We still hold several vintages of Estate and Reserve Plumpjack including several dating back to those early releases. Somewhere along the way, this label has crept up in price to around $100 and left behind many of its peers from that era who now look like good value in comparison. I think this is an ambitious stretch to justify the Estate at this pricepoint for this wine and its hard to recommend it at this level. There are a lot of great wines in the sub-$100 range.  

The Plumpjack Estate 2011 release has in its blend of Bordeaux Varietals 7% Petit Verdot, which adds structure and color to the Cabernet Sauvignon. The Petit Verdot influence certainly comes through.

It is dark garnet colored, medium to full bodied, firm and tight, it needs time to settle and allow its flavors to integrate and open further to reveal their native character. It showed layers of blackberry and ever so slightly astringent black cherry with slight earthiness, cinnamon spice, tobacco, spicebox and hints of cedar on a tight firm tannin lingering finish.

RM 91 points.

https://www.cellartracker.com/wine.asp?iWine=1752241

 http://www.plumpjackwinery.com/


Silver Oak Alexander Valley Cabernet Sauvignon 2009

This is one of favorite wines that impresses if not amazes us with its longevity as we hold vintages going back to the earliest releases from the early eighties.

To capture its characteristic oak profile, its held in new oak for an extended period extending its release. This emerging 2009 release shows incredible similarity to the aged vintage 1984 Napa Valley Silver Oak Cab we drank last weekend. This release shows that distinctive wood oakiness which certainly predominates in this young wine, somewhat overshadowing the dark berry fruits, spices and vanilla. It shows firm tannin structure backbone that promises for long life but which needs time to settle and allow the fruits to emerge and fully reveal themselves.  

RM 91 points.

https://www.cellartracker.com/wine.asp?iWine=1135126

http://www.silveroak.com/