Whitehall Lane Napa Valley Merlot 2002

Whitehall Lane Napa Valley Merlot 2002

We hold a mixed case of Bordeaux varietals from this producer, including a mini-vertical of Reserve Cabs, whom we've passed along Hwy 29 in South Napa Valley many times. It deserves a visit on one of our upcoming trips.

At twelve years of age, it is time to drink this in the coming year or so. Opened and tasted, then pumped and vacuum stoppered, and re-tasted a couple days later to reveal an evolving and improved, increased complexity tasting profile. It was a good accompaniment to beef steak and roasted potatoes, and then later with smoked Gouda cheese.

Dark ruby colored, medium bodied, aromatic berry fruits, tobacco and floral, complex medley of black berry fruits, tones of tobacco leaf, anise and hints of mocha and black tea. On second tasting a couple days later, there was a layer of sweet cognac on the mid-palate that was faint on initial opening but almost predominate later. Nice polished dusty tannins highlight the moderate smoky black berry,  tea and cognac layered finish.

RM 89 points.

https://www.cellartracker.com/notes.asp?iWine=62190

http://www.whitehalllane.com/

Kilikanoon Testament Barossa Shiraz 2004

Kilikanoon Testament Shiraz 2004

On a cold blustery snowy Chicago winter evening, we ventured out to Angelis, our local neighborhood Trattoria for a hearty wine and dine meal. We took this Kilikanoon Testament Shiraz, BYOB which turned out to be a perfect complement to both our entree selections - Linda's Butternut Squash Gnochi (think brown sugar - to which she has them add spinach), and my Pasta and Peas with Italian Sausage in Vodka Cream Sauce - a winter favorite (see below).

For a starter, we had Angeli's extraordinary clam chowder which is the best anywhere with its thick, chewy smoky bacon undertones.

Kilikanoon Testament Barossa Valley Shiraz 2004

Perhaps it was the warm ambiance and the food pairing, or the dozen years of age added to this wine, but tonight, while consistent with earlier tasting notes, it was even more delicious and tasty than I remember. This typifies everything we love in a hearty Shiraz with its rich, concentrated, complex succulent fruit flavors.

Dark inky purple colored, full bodied, the blackberry, blueberry and black cherry fruits are accented by a layer of creosote expresso with tones of cigar box and cedar with hints of mocha, black pepper and anise on the lingering chewy tannin finish.

Upon opening and for the first hour, the non-fruit tones detract a bit from the polish and finesse of the wine in my opinion hence it is perhaps best consumed with hearty food, dark chocolate or full cheese. The next day this was balanced, nicely polished and harmonious.

RM 92 points. 

https://www.cellartracker.com/wine.asp?iWine=292243 


http://www.kilikanoon.com.au/

Angeli's Pasta and Peas
with Italian Sausage in Vodka Cream Sauce

Angeli's decadent Butternut Squash Gnochi
(with some spinach added)

Carmenet Moon Mountain Estate Reserve Sonoma Valley Meritage 1995

Carmenet Moon Mountain Estate Reserve Sonoma Valley Meritage 1995

A bona fide Meritage. Tasted at home with beef roast, potatoes, gravy, and artisan cheese with cracked black pepper crackers.

Last of several bottles. Consistent with earlier and previous tasting notes of this same wine and format - showing gradual further diminution from aging, opening with a slight barnyard funkiness before giving way to the vibrant fruits. From earlier post - dark, medium bodied, slightly earthy and leathery revealing its age, overpowering the berry currant, smoke, cedar and herb with moderate tannins.

From 375ml. Blend of 79% Cabernet Sauvignon, 19% Cabernet Franc, and 2% Petit Verdot. Not too late but time to drink up.

RM 87 points, reduced from 88 previously.

https://www.cellartracker.com/wine.asp?iWine=63738 

Château Ducru-Beaucaillou 1988 with Waterleaf Glenn Ellyn French inspired dinner

Château Ducru-Beaucaillou 1988 with French inspired dinner at Waterleaf in Glen Ellyn

We dined with son Ryan and D-in-law Michelle at the Waterleaf restaurant in the Culinary Arts Center at COD (College of DuPage) in Glen Ellyn. I took BYOB from the cellar this Château Ducru-Beaucaillou 1988. The aged Bordeaux was a perfect accompaniment to the French inspired cuisine.

Waterleaf features a pric fixe selection of choice of starter, entree and dessert which two of us selected.

To pair with my BYOB wine, as a starter I had the Chicken Liver Mousse with Cherry Compote and Toast Points.

For entree selections, I had the Grand Marnier Coffee Glazed Duck Breast with Carrot Puree and Raspberry Reduction (left), and Ryan had the Filet Au Poivre with Potato Croquettes and Pea Puree (below).

Before dinner we had the Henry Mandois Brut Champagne, NV, and then with the girls' seafood entrees, we ordered Chappellet Napa Valley Chenin Blanc 2011 from the Wine Spectator award winning winelist.

For dinner entrees, Linda had the Sea Bass and Michelle had the Crusted Scallops (shown below).

Waterleaf's service was a bit lacking as it was a bit slow and inattentive. While the pairing of our vintage Bordeaux with the pate, steak and duck were highlights of the meal, the wine service was slow and a bit awkward. It took three requests for them to finally decant and serve our wine, which by the time it was in the glass we were almost finished with the pate starter. When the entrees were finally served, the duck entree was warm, not hot. Service aside, all the food selections were delicious with nice picturesque presentations, as shown. 

For desserts, we had the Sorbet Selection, the Maple (Creme) Brulee (which was void of Maple?) (below) and another.

Château Ducru-Beaucaillou St Julien Bordeaux 1988

Before heading to the restaurant I opened and decanted the Ducru for three hours, then recorked it. The cork was perfect and the fill level of the bottle was 1/4 up the neck.

The color was bright ruby with no sign of diminution from age. Upon opening the room filled with huge aromas of violets, berry fruits, green pepper, leather and cigar box. The wine was medium bodied, with complex bright flavors of black berry, black cherry with earthy tobacco leaf, very modest tannins and a short finish.

RM 89 points.

https://www.cellartracker.com/wine.asp?iWine=21784

http://www.cod.edu/waterleaf/index.aspx 

Waterleaf Sea Bass was superb

Waterleaf Crusted Scallops

Waterleaf Filet Au Poivre with Potato Croquettes
and Pea Puree

Waterleaf Maple Creme Brulee

Waterleaf Sorbet Selection - Chocolate, Berry, and Ginger

Mouton Rothschild's Wine Label Artist Series Releases

Mouton Rothschild's Wine Label Artist Series 2010 Release and 2012 Unveiling 

As we turn the calendar to a new year, we start the clock on a new vintage year for wines produced that are harvested from grapes during this calendar year.  I wrote this week about this milestone and the release of new labels with the vintage designation and the special attention afforded the new release of collector's labels. As part of my continued fun with, and study of wines, and the branding and packaging of such, see my blog on the annual release of Marilyn Merlot featuring an exclusive label photograph of the starlet actress Marilyn Monroe.

We're holding 1990
Mouton -
birth year wine of our
youngest son

No producer in the world captures the imagination or attention of wine collectors more than the premier first growth designated Chateau Mouton Rothschild with their annual series of artist and art inspired labels. 

There are a number of producers from around the world that have created an artist series of labels - one with images of the producer, one with artwork by the producer, ones with flowers, ducks, artist renderings of their winery and vineyards, or just collections of art in various forms. The is only one Mouton Rothschild who are the standard bearer extraordinaire for the practice.

Each year a renowned artist is commissioned to do the artwork for that vintage label. The featured artist is said to be paid ten cases of various vintages of the classic Chateau Mouton Rothschild for their work, which is significant since the wine can command close to a thousand dollars per bottle in top vintages.  

Many a collector can only dream of collecting a 'vertical' collection of the line of Mouton releases each with the unique release of a featured artist' dedicated work of art to adorn that vintage release of the wine. 

Mouton Rothschild labels have been produced by the world's most famous contemporary artists, Chagall (1970), Dali (1958), Picasso (1973), Miro (1969), Andy Warhol (1975), as well as other luminaries such as Prince Charles (2004) and Hollywood director John Huston (1982). Many other producers have established artist series, but there is only one Mouton Rothschild.

In 1945, Mouton patriarch Baron Philippe de Rothschild conceived the original idea of crowning the Mouton label with a work of art created for this purpose by famous artists: These have included paintings by Miró, Chagall, Braque, Picasso, Warhol, Bacon, Balthus, amongst others. Only 4 vintages have not had Artist's labels: 1953 which celebrated the initial purchase of the Mouton property, 1977 when the British Queen Mother stayed at Mouton and the Baron dedicated that year's vintage to her, 2000 where the label is enameled in gold with a reproduction of Jakob Schenauer's Augsburg Ram (see library), and 2003 which is devoted to Baron Nathaniel de Rothschild depicted in a period photograph celebrating the 150th anniversary of 1853 acquisition of the Mouton estate by the family (see library). 

Another interesting anomaly in the annual release occurred in 1993. The label by Balthus depicted a charcoal on parchment drawing of a young girl reclining in the nude. Since it is a frontal view, the label was considered inappropriate and was withdrawn from the US marketplace, replaced by a blank label variation with the  image removed against the background. I acquired and hold both versions in our collection. 

In my continued study of the art of Mouton label artists, I've created in my label library collection on my WineSite, comparative works of art showing the label art relative to other works of art by the featured artist. Shown in the collection at The Art Institute of Chicago is a print by Balthus featuring a young girl fully clad but in a highly seductive naughty pose. There is also a charcoal sketch by Balthus shown in the collection very similar to the label art that was removed - see Seated Girl, 1966 . 

Latest 2010 Mouton
release

We've just recently seen arrival of bottles of the 2010 release and its artistic label designed by American artist Jeff Koons (see left). This label is of interest since this vintage year is the birth year of our first grandchild and we're acquiring and assembling a special horizontal collection of select bottles from the year. 

In the coming months, we should see the arrival of Chateau Mouton Rothschild from the 2011 vintage with its artist inspired label. The latency in the release of the wine is due to the aging of the wine in barrels for an extended period of time before it is bottled and subsequently released, two to three years after the actual harvest. 

The 2011 label features brightly colored "sinuous, random" undulating shapes, in a style attributable to French artist Guy de Rougemont. Chateau Mouton Rothschild says the artwork encompasses "the clarity of vines in sunshine to the darkness of the cellars – all the stages of the birth of a great wine."

And with the new year also comes the recent announcement by the producer of their selection of the artist and art to adorn the 2012 vintage release label. So it is that the heralded Chateau recently announced the unveiling of the next vintage label with its special artwork.  

They recently revealed that the 2012 label (see below) was designed by Spanish abstract artist Miquel Barceló who used the château’s emblem, the ram, as a highlight and focal point for the work. The label features a watercolour abstract representation of two rutting rams standing on their hind legs set against a muted background of a green pasture amidst a blue sky and white clouds.  

1981 Mouton - our
daughter's birth year wine

Considered one of the most influential living Spanish artists, born in Felanitx, Majorca, the 57-year-old has had his work exhibited at the Paris Museum of Modern Art and the Louvre. He also works in sculpture, drawing, ceramics and cast iron, in addition to painting.

One of his most noted works, is the Miquel Barceló decorated ceiling of the Human Rights and Alliance of Civilizations Room, used by the United Nations Human Rights Council, in the Palace of Nations in Geneva. 

The work of art is a massive sculptural installation in the domed ceiling, officially presented to the United Nations by the Spanish government. The chamber was inaugurated by the King and Queen of Spain, U.N. Secretary-General Ban Ki-moon, the prime ministers of Spain and Turkey, and Swiss president Pascal Couchepin. The massive 16,000 ft ² (1,500 m²) project used 100 tons of paint, took a year to produce and cost $23 million.

Our wine budget doesn't allow for acquiring Mouton with each vintage, only special years as 'special occasion' wines. Most wine consumers are limited to normal conventions of wine acquisition - every day wines, once a week or once a month wines, once a year wines, and once in a lifetime or special occasion wines. 

As the top first growth wines have escalated exorbinantly in price in recent years, they're exclusivity is limited to the well heeled few, or those acquiring special bottles for very special occasions. 

Such is the case of our collection of Mouton releases for special years such as the birth years of our kids. Even then, as those prices escalated upwards to $1000 or more per bottle, I thinned those collections to but a mere few single digit bottles. 

Shown left is the 1982 Mouton Rothschild, commemorative bottle of #1 son Ryan's birthyear! 

Shown herein are the labels of some of those special bottles. 

See my complete Mouton Label Library collection and study at  http://www.mcnees.org/winesite/labels/label_library_pages/French_wine_label_pages/MR-Lbls/Label_Library_Mouton_Rothschild.htm .

Happy New Year!

Mouton 2012 label featuring
art by Miquel Barceló

Mouton 2011 label featuring
art by Guy de Rougemont

1993 Mouton 'blank' label
with inappropriate image
removed

Hice Cellars Paso Robles Cabernet Franc 2006

Hice Cellars Paso Robles Cabernet Franc 2006

For a simple wine fruit and cheese setting at home, we opened this obscure small boutique producer offering from Paso Robles. While simple easy drinking juice, it actually exceeded my modest expectations.  We picked this up at auction in a caveat emptor purchase which turned out to be a high QPR acquisition.

Ruby colored, medium bodied, rather simple, single dimensional but pleasant easy drinking black cherry and loganberry fruits with a moderate earthy tone of tobacco leaf and tree bark on a moderate tannin finish.


RM 87 points.


https://www.cellartracker.com/wine.asp?iWine=1080582

Marilyn Merlot 2012 Label Unveiling / Release

Marilyn Merlot 2012 Label Unveiling / Release

The turn of the calendar each year starts a new vintage year for wines and unveils new releases for each label. For collectors interested in maintaining a 'vertical' collection of a wine - sequential or multiple vintages of the same label, its another vintage selection to add to the line. Awaiting the new vintage label of a collector's series, such as an artist series or a photo series, is a special happening. See my blog "Marilyn Merlot and Norma Jean Wines - (Now That's) A Study in Branding". The anticipation of one such new release was met this week with the arrival of the 2012 vintage release of Nova Wines' Marilyn Merlot in local stores.

I've written about the branding phenomenon of this quirky label that has taken on much fanfare and for some an almost cult following. The 2012 label represents the 28th release of the Napa Valley Merlot featuring a label adorning the famous starlet actress. I admit I've fallen for the scheme and pick up a bottle each year to add to my 'vertical' collection that now spans more than a dozen years. And we continue to have fun gifting these bottles for special occasions and appropriate recipients.

This year's label is stylish and elegant with its black background showcasing the starlet's platinum hair, fair skin and luscious red lips, matching the red Marilyn signature.

According to the producer, this year's label photograph is from “The Black Cape Sitting” by Milton Greene.  It was shot in New York, 1955. Marilyn spent that whole year out of public view, living with the Greene family."

Nova Wines with their Marilyn series hold the exclusive license to Marilyn Monroe photography for such use.

The producer's tasting notes for the wines are: "Deep rich, youthful, purple hues are evidenced in the glass with aromas that have pleasing intensity.  Hints of cassis, raspberry, spice, and rhubarb are well integrated in the nose.  From entry to finish this wine has an even, alluring presence on the palate with a nicely balanced medium body.  The flavors follow the aromas with added nuances of red currants and oak nicely integrated with the vinous fruit and a moderately lingering finish augmented by a touch of chili pepper"

We'll review this wine in an upcoming tasting journal post.

https://www.cellartracker.com/wine.asp?iWine=1781492

http://www.marilynwines.com/

Del Dotto Giovani's Tuscan Reserve Napa Valley Sangiovese Blend 1997

Del Dotto Giovani's Tuscan Reserve Napa Valley Sangiovese Blend 1997

Excerpts repeated from earlier blog postings - People often ask me how one learns about tasting wines with all its variations, and I jokingly reply, practice, practice, practice (See my Wine Tasting 101). More seriously, perhaps I should say focus, focus, focus. Since most folks, like us, have limited resources, time, money, and opportunities to taste wines, focusing on one country, region or even varietal will help develop a vocabulary and familiarity with a particular wine type, style, region, varietal and even vintage. Learn one, then a couple, then expand.

Readers of this blog know we collect and favor Bordeaux varietals (Cabernet Sauvignon, Merlot, Cabernet Franc, and Petit Verdot) from the US and France, and to a lesser degree Shiraz. That said, we do not collect or focus on Italian varietals or producers. We find it a particularly challenging endeavor with the myriad or varietals, regions and producers. Our Italian collection is extremely limited, so when we visited our favorite neighborhood Italian Trattoria, Angelis Italian, for a casual dinner, we pulled from the cellar this Sangiovese (Italian varietal) blend from California Napa Valley.

We have about a decade of vintages in our vertical collection of this label and we're starting to wind down those from the nineties, including this 1997, a much heralded vintage that was supposed to be long-lived.

I've written about Nils Venge and Del Dotto and their venturing into the Italian Sangiovese varietal in Napa Valley. Del Dotto, working with then winemaker, legendary Nils Venge were one of the first producers to experiment with Sangiovese in Napa Valley. Indeed, their first plantings were at the Estate along the Highway 29 at Zinfandel Lane just south of the town of St Helena. Today, Del Dotto have a magnificent cellar tasting facility at that location in the heart of Napa Valley that is a must visit for those wanting an immersion tasting and tour experience.

This is a Sangiovese based blend, named after Giovanni Del Dotto, son of the Del Dottos. David and Yolanda Del Dotto were featured producers at several of our winemaker dinners at our Napa Valley Wine Experiences during the mid to late nineties and after the millenium,  including those in 1998, 1999, 2002 and 2003. Del Dotto was one of the Up and Coming Napa Producers featured back in "The Undiscovered Dozen" 1994 Wine Spectator article. We discovered them then and started collecting their flagship Napa Cabernet and eventually adding this Tuscan Reserve and their Cabernet Franc. Del Dotto remain one of our favorite Napa producers whose wines from their early days continue to impress with their longevity and endurance. We still collect and hold a vertical of Del Dotto Cabernets going back to their 1992 inaugural vintage.

I remember first discovering this wine and buying it at the Wine Stop wine shop in Burlingame near SFO back in the mid-nineties, and then obtaining more from the producer over the years. I recall the early releases of this label came in 500ml bottles rather than normal 750's.

Consistent with earlier tasting notes ... but showing its age further, medium body, but the bright ruby color is starting to take on a tinge of rust brown on the rim as it starts to reach the end of its aging drinking window - aromatics of black berry and woody cedar, slight earthiness starting to show age but a couple years life left - slightly tart black cherry fruit with tones of anise and spice turning to moderate silky tannins on a pleasant lingering finish.

RM 88 points.

https://www.cellartracker.com/wine.asp?iWine=35492

http://www.deldottovineyards.com/

Mayacamas Mt Veeder Napa Valley Chardonnay 2007

Mayacamas Mt Veeder Napa Valley Chardonnay 2007

For Christmas dinner Linda and Alec prepared surf and turf - beef tenderloin and lobster tails, which we paired with Mayacamas Chardonnay.  We tasted and obtained this wine at the winery during our Mt Veeder Appellation trip Napa Valley Wine Experience 2011. It was Linda's favorite Chardonnay of the trip and this is the last bottle acquired then. With their rather limited production, when we do see this wine in distribution it doesn't last long. The current 2012 release is currently available here around Chicago at Binny's, the wine mega merchant superstore so we've been able to replenish our cellar stock of this wine.

The medium bodied Mayacamas was clean and crisp and displayed an interesting vanilla like sweet cashew nut tone, the producer calls it almond, and fig, with nice balance and acidity ... both the producer and K&L refer to melon or cantaloupe, with a tone of stoniness and subtle French oak.

RM 88 points.

Bill C's notes on this wine from our tasting last Spring - "Medium, golden, straw color. Light nose of pear and a hint of citrus. A really delicious, nicely balanced but somewhat unconventional Chardonnay. We struggled a bit to identify the flavor profile, ultimately settling on notes of pecan or maybe cashew. Certainly there was some fruit as well, a bit of apple or pear. Really enjoyed this and tasted side by side with a 2007 Brewer Clifton Chardonnay from Sta. Rita Hills. Another somewhat unconventional Chardonnay with citrus overtones.

https://www.cellartracker.com/wine.asp?iWine=863799

Livingston Moffett Napa Cab with Beef Wellington

Livingston Moffett Napa Cab with Beef Wellington

For a family Christmas dinner Linda prepared a beef tenderloin Wellington, just like a week ago at our festive holiday wine dinner. For this occasion I opened a vintage 1997 Napa Cabernet from magnum.

Livingston Moffet Stanley's Selection Napa Valley Cabernet Sauvignon 1997

We have several bottles from several vintages of Moffett Howell Mountain Cabernet which we love. While this is the same producer, today's Moffett wines are sourced from a different Howell Mountain property. John and Diane Livingston sold the property they worked for two decades and purchased another property which is now run by their son Trent Moffett. Moffett Vineyard consists of 20 Acres of prime Howell Mountain land and sits at 1,500 feet elevation, high above the Napa Valley floor.

The “Stanley” in Stanley's Selection is a family name in the Livingston clan. John Livingston is a geologist and is adept at finding vineyards suitable for Stanley's Selection. Working the Howell Mountain slopes overlooking Napa Valley, he seeks the optimum combination of stony hillside soils, eastern exposures and unique microclimates - all the elements of what the French call terroir. The vineyards selected are only a few acres in size, too small for big wineries but ideal for this boutique selection. 

We have two bottles of this left - one 750 and one in magnum. Based on how this has aged since last tasting, its probably time to drink the 750 soon as it may have aged less gracefully than this magnum.

Dark garnet colored, medium bodied, black cherry and currant fruits, medium to firm tannins and acid balanced with cherry, a bit leather, spice and plum with tone of cedar on the finish.

RM 89 points. 

https://www.cellartracker.com/wine.asp?iWine=162762


http://moffettvineyards.com/




Once again, Linda prepared her fabulous beef tenderloin wellington.

See the transformation below.