Paloma Merlot and Lewis Cabernet Sauvignon at Wildwood Restaurant Geneva

Paloma Merlot and Lewis Cabernet Sauvignon

For our first visit restaurant experience to Wildwood Restaurant in Geneva, IL with Bill and Beth C, L and I took a bottle of Paloma Napa Valley Merlot 2003 which we thought would complement a wide assortment of entree selections from the dinner menu. We ended up ordering a range of entrees from Arborjack seafood to Prime Rib to Roasted Duck. The Paloma which follows in the footsteps of the blockbuster 2001 vintage that was Wine Spectator's Wine of the Year that year did not disappoint. While earlier reviews of this wine were more modest, tonight it lived up to the reputation it earned with the WS prestigious selection. From the extensive winelist Bill and I both zero'd in on the same selection, the O'Shaughnessy Howell Mountain Cabernet Sauvignon 2008, however while listed, it was not available. By this time we were well in to the Paloma which was turning out to be spectacular, so we 'upgraded' our second choice from Van Strasser Diamond Mountain to the 2009 release of Lewis Cellars Cabernet Sauvignon.

PALOMA Spring Mountain District Merlot 2003

Consistent with my earlier tasting notes, this was even better than I expected and remembered, medium full bodied, smooth polished, complex harmonious symphony of finely integrated aromas and flavors - predominant sweet black currant, red raspberry, milk chocolate, a hint of ripe plum, sweet oak and a bit of burnt sugar caramel on the long smooth polished finish.This was a great compliment to the roasted duck in strawberry and cherry vinegrette sauce.  

RM 93 points. 

https://www.cellartracker.com/wine.asp?iWine=109466 

http://www.palomavineyard.com/ 

 Lewis Cellars Cabernet Sauvignon 2009

Historically, this is one my favorite Napa Cabs, having had many memorable bottles over the years. Matched up against the Paloma was a tall order, and coming off the spectacular showing of the Lewis Cellars Alec's Blend the other night we chose the Lewis Cab 2009. This promises to be a blockbuster with its initial 94 point rating from Wine Spectator. My experience is that this wine drinks well young, not needing many years to be approachable and  reveal its potential. Bill was a bit skeptical of its readiness to drink. I think we were both right. It was very good and drinking quite well already, but it will clearly still improve with a half dozen years of cellaring to soften and round out a bit of its edginess. In retrospect, I wish I'd ordered the New York strip steak. This would've made for a dynamite combination. The Lewis was too much wine for the Roasted Duck! Still it was delicious!

Big full bodied, a bit tight, forward complex ripe black berry and black currant fruits with spicy oak, hints of vanilla, mocha and a layer of cedar on the lingering tannin finish. 

RM 92 points.

Based on and encapsulating the producers' notes, respected merchant K&L summarizes this wine: "2009's long, cool growing season produced low yields of concentrated, fragrant berries with high natural acidity in the hillside vineyards of Calistoga and Oak Knoll that are the source for Lewis' Napa Valley Cabernet, resulting in a perfumed and complex wine with incredible finesse. Though still powerful and rich in the signature Lewis style, elegance and refinement displace the brawn of past vintages.The nose leads with scents of blackcurrant, rose petal, and baking spice, accented by hints of savory herbs, forest floor, and toasty oak. This leads to a rich yet refined palate, where layers of juicy fruit and oak spice are framed by acidity and fine tannins. Graphite and hints of cocoa lightly dust the lingering tannins, as the wine finishes clean and surprisingly light on its feet." 

https://www.cellartracker.com/wine.asp?iWine=1206262

http://www.lewiscellars.com/ 

Bruno Desaunay-Bissey Grands-Echezeaux Vieilles Vignes, Burgundy, Côte de Nuits, Grands-Echezeaux Grand Cru, 2003

  

Before setting out for dinner, Bill opened this Bruno Desaunay-Bissey Grands-Echezeaux Burgundy, 2003. It was medium bodied, garnet colored, and exhibited full floral bouquet, earthy leather, subdued fruits of slightly tart black cherry and blackberry, with a layer of tobacco and spice box on the moderate tannin finish.

RM 86.

https://www.cellartracker.com/wine.asp?iWine=1328723

Alec's Blend, Robert Craig Affinity, Penn Shore Diamond

Celebration Family Dinner - Alec's Blend, Robert Craig Affinity, Penn Shore Diamond

For son Alec's last night home before setting off for the east coast embarking on his professional career, we gathered for a gala family farewell dinner. Linda served up tenderloin beef skewers, twice baked potatoes, green beans almondine, grilled lobster tails, and for desert her decadent flowerless chocolate cake with fresh berries and whipped cream. For the special occasion and gathering, to complement the tenderloin beef skewers of the surf and turf. we naturally served up some of our favorite wines - Lewis Cellars Alec's Blend, 2005, and perennial favorite Robert Craig Affinity Napa Valley Cabernet Sauvignon, 1997. To accompany the lobster tails we served a recent discovery, Penn Shore Winery and Vineyards, Lake Erie Diamond. We tasted and picked up this wine at the winery during our recent trip to the East Coast and the Lake Erie, Niagara and Finger Lakes wine regions.

Watch for more reports from our trip, wine discoveries and tastings.


Lewis Cellars Napa Valley Alec's Blend 2005

The 2005 Lewis Cellars Alec's Blend Napa Valley Red Wine Blend is a blend of 70% Syrah and 30% Cabernet Sauvignon. It is dark inky purple color, full bodied, rich, opulent, forward fruit of black berry and black raspberry with a layer of blueberry, cherry cola and vanilla, smooth sweet oak and a hint of chocolate truffle flavors with highlighting silky chewy tannins on a long lingering finish. This is delicious - the most tasteful, fully flavored, smoothest and most polished Alec's Blend of all the vintages we have tasted.

RM 93 points. 

http://www.lewiscellars.com/

https://www.cellartracker.com/wine.asp?iWine=393500  




Robert Craig Affinity Napa Valley Cabernet Sauvignon 1997

My Winesite features six tasting notes of previous bottles of this wine from the case we bought at the winery in Napa Valley a dozen years ago. This bottle was the most expressive of any in my recollection over the last ten years. It was rich, medium full bodied, dark garnet colored - fruit filled with black currant, black berry, raspberry, cassis and earthy leather reminiscent of a left bank Bordeaux with silky tannins on the finish. (82% Cabernet Sauvignon, 15% Merlot, 3% Cabernet Franc).

This wine is now more expressive than the earlier tasting notes, finally fully revealing itself and its full potential with lingering fruit and staying power. The 1997 vintage was praised at the time yet the panned follow on 1998 vintage has been more enjoyable over the last several years. Finally the '97 is awakening and revealing itself, when we're down to the last five of our twelve bottles. It will be fun to see how this continues to evolve, and how long it lasts in its glory.

This is Robert Craig's Cabernet Blend from his three mountains (Mt Veeder, Howell Mountain and Spring Mountain) and a (Napa) Valley collection. Known for its good value and early drinking ability, this fifteen year old is holding up well. We have these wines dating back to the inaugural 1993 vintage in our cellar.
RM 92 points.


https://www.cellartracker.com/wine.asp?iWine=29715

From our Robert Craig vertical collection that is highlighted regularly in this blog. Click on the Robert Craig link for more features.

Penn Shore Winery Lake Erie Diamond

This month we traveled east and stopped enroute to visit the Lake Erie wine district which spans the south eastern shore straddling both sides of the New York and Pennsylvania state line. The area developed around the turn of the last century growing fruit for Welch's Grapejuice. Today, they take in 80000 tons of grapes per year. The Lake Erie Appellation evolved and grew to over 150 producers who produces a range of wines from Riesling and Ice Wine to Cabernet Sauvignon and Franc and even Pinot Noir.

We visited Penn Shore Winery and Vineyards, one of the first one encounters when heading east from Erie, Pennsylvania towards New York, on picturesque Route 5, the Lake Erie Wine Trail. It sits on the outskirts of the quaint town of North East. There we tasted a flight of wines including Noiret, Cabernet Sauvignon, Merlot, Vidal Blanc and Diamond - the highlight of the lot and the only NV (non-vintage designation). Diamond is actually the name of the grape varietal. It is grown locally but is not popular anywhere else.

The Penn Shore Lake Erie Diamond is honey colored, full bodied, rich, almost thick and syrupy. They say on the label it is semi-sweet with fruit character and this sums it up well. It has aromas of sweet petunias, vanilla and clove with flavors of vanilla, clove and a hint of honey turning to pink grapefruit on the finish. Its more suited to sipping unless consumed with dry aged cheese, or in our case, it was a great compliment to the grilled lobster tails of our surf and turf dinner. Its a great QPR (quality to price ratio)at under $10.

RM 88 points.

http://www.pennshore.com/

https://www.cellartracker.com/wine.asp?iWine=1441210

More to come. 

Coudoulet de Beaucastel 2009 - Flinders Shiraz

Château de Beaucastel "Coudoulet de Beaucastel" Côtes du Rhône Rouge 2009

In the Southern Rhone River Valley in South Central France sits Château de Beaucastel, located north of Avignon, five kilometres south-east of Orange at the northern limit of the Châteauneuf du Pape appellation. Coudoulet de Beaucastel is known as 'Baby Beaucastel', the second wine of this storied producer to the flagship Chateau Beaucastel, one of the premier producers in the historic Chateauneuf-du-Pape, known for age-worthy big bold complex wines. We visited Beaucastel during our Rhone Wine Experience in 1999.

Chateau Beaucastel Vineyards - Chateauneuf-du-Pape

Coudoulet fruit is grown in a 15 acre vineyard that lies to the east of Beaucastel on the other side of the A7 autoroute. The geology of the soil at Beaucastel and Coudoulet are composed of a layer of marine limestone, rounded stones (or "galets") that contribute much to the wines of Beaucastel as they retain the intense heat of the Mediterranean sun during the day then slowly disperse it to the vines during the night. This provides a head start to the vines in springtime. The long dry Mediterranean summers often can stress the vineyard for lack of water resulting in intense powerful fruit. The resistance built into Beaucastel's vine stock from 30 years of continuous organic culture allows the vineyard to come through periods of drought with few problems. Because the rocky soil is porous and aerated, the vineyards at Beaucastel have developed root systems that penetrate deep into the rocky earth in their search for water. 

 
As shown above, the vines in the Southern Rhone are cut low to the ground to protect them from the mistral winds that rush up the river valley from the Mediterranean during the winter.  

Coudoulet and Beaucastel are age-worthy wines due to the high proportion (up to 30%) of Mourvedre, a grape that provides a tannic backbone and resistance to oxidation that ensures long life. Mourvedre introduces aromas of leather, tobacco, and spice to the blend. Beaucastel and Coudoulet vineyards are at the northern edge of the growing region of Mourvedre. It it often considered that the best expressions of a varietal come from the cooler parts of their growing areas.

The other primary varietal in Beaucastel wines is Grenache which gives Coudoulet the rounded fullness and intense fruit that is typical of Côtes du Rhône. The remainder of the blend is equal parts Syrah and Cinsault representing about 20% each, that provide tannins and aromatic complexity to Coudoulet. 

Chateauneuf-du-Pape appellation covenants allow up to thirteen different varietals in the blend resulting in complex and often very sophisticated wines. Côtes du Rhône wines from the adjacent appellation are relatively simpler and generally more affordable offering high QPR - Quality to Price ratios compared to their bigger more complex neighbors. This is also the case with Coudoulet being a fraction of the price of its big brother Chateau de Beaucastel.  

Irazu Restaurant - Bucktown, Chicago

We met Ryan and Michelle at BYOB Irazu Restaurant in tony Bucktown about six blocks from their place and they brought along this Coudoulet de Beaucastel Côtes du Rhône Red 2009. 

Deep ruby purple color, medium.full bodied - very ripe, bold, forward, expressive structured, jammy and dry with aromas and flavors of black cherry and blackberry fruits, herb, grilled meat, leather with hints of pepper and spice with a mineral layer on the lingering moderate tannin finish.

RM 89 points. RP 89-91. 

 
Grenache 30%, Mourvèdre 30%, Syrah 20%, Cinsault 20%.

  

https://www.cellartracker.com/wine.asp?iWine=1015626

http://www.beaucastel.com/ 

Flinders Run Shiraz Southern Flinders Ranges South Australia 2006

We brought along one of favorite big Syrahs, Flinders Run. We love this wine and consider it a benchmark representation of Southern Australian Shiraz at its very best, and at a pricepoint between $25-30 it offers relative great QPR.

The 2006 Flinders is dark inky purple, full bodied, powerfully scented bouquet of dark berries, smoky minerals and fresh flowers bursting with flavors of thick chewy black raspberry, blueberry and cassis with layers of nut, vanilla and hints of mocha flavors on a tongue coating lingering finish.

My earlier tasting notes from last year; "Dark garnet color - full bodied. Mouthful of forward chewy spicy ripe plum blackberry, blueberry and notes of licorice coat the tongue, toasty oak and a layer of vanilla almond on the full long, pure finish. Slight heat and mineral edge is subsiding but detracts from the fruit a bit. Not quite as smooth as the 2005 vintage but delicious none-the-less".


RM 92 points, RP 91, WS 92.

As good as this wine is, we like the 2005 even better! These wines are big and forward and might be 'over-the-top' for the more timid!

https://www.cellartracker.com/wine.asp?iWine=579974

Syrah - Shiraz !?!

Lagier-Meredith Napa Valley
Mt Veeder Syrah is produced in
the Rhone Style

Stephen Lagier and Carole Meredith produce the Lagier-Meredith label Syrah based Rhone style wines from their mountain top estate high above Yountville on Mt Veeder in Napa Valley. As we are such huge fans of Syrah and Shiraz, I always wondered about the differences in the various Syrah/Shiraz varietals from the old world (France) and the new world (Australia and the US). I found the answer during our visit to Lagier-Meredith Vineyards in Napa Valley during our Napa Valley Mt Veeder tour last spring.

Stephen Lagier and
Carole Meredith

Carole Meredith was a professor in the Department of Viticulture and Enology at the University of California at Davis where she conducted research in grape genetics. Her research group used DNA typing methods to discover the origins of some of the greatest old wine varieties, including Cabernet Sauvignon, Chardonnay, Zinfandel and Syrah. Carol Meredith is a geneticist and has studied and specializes in the Syrah varietal. She attests the Syrahs from Australia and Napa are the same as their ancestors from the old world Rhone River valley where they have been grown since the 16th Century. Lagier-Meredith produce Syrah varietal wines that are true to their heritage as they strive to produce wines in the traditional Rhone style.

Clarendon Hills Clarendon Piggott Range Syrah 2004

Clarendon Hills Clarendon Piggott Range Syrah 2004, Conn Creek Anthology 2008

The Capital Grill offers a quality carefully selected
variety of wines.

For our anniversary dinner we chose the Capital Grille (Lombard) where we knew we could match our most favored wine with a comparable dinner and entrees for a memorable dining experience. We took two exquisite bottles we were anxious to taste, secure in the knowledge their spectacular wine list could match our selections if need be. Planning on a perfectly grilled steak I took along a mouthwatering wine to match - Clarendon Hills Clarendon Piggott Range Syrah 2004.  

We first tasted this wine during our Napa Valley Wine Experience 2003, when AJ brought a 1997 bottle BYOB to Bistro Jeanty in Yountille, Napa Valley with friends, AJ and Liat. I still remember it as one of the richest, most polished and full flavored Syrahs I had ever tasted. With this backdrop, I chose this for our anniversary celebration dinner. We also took along a Plumpjack Reserve Napa Valley Cabernet Sauvignon 1995 in remembrance of our memorable visit to the winery where we tasted and purchased this wine. Indeed, the fabulous Capital Grill cellar (shown above) offered this wine albeit from the 2008 vintage. The atmosphere, dinner and service were spectacular fitting every expectation for this special occasion. Jay was our server and did a superb job.

http://www.thecapitalgrille.com/

We feasted on the the Piggott Range, a spectacular complement to my perfectly 'Pittsburgh' prepared Sirloin and Linda's sliced Filet of Beef. It 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. 

RM 94 points. 

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

http://www.clarendonhills.com.au/

This luscious Australian Syrah was given a 96 point rating by Robert Parker, stating "A superstar effort, it reveals off-the-chart richness, complexity and intensity. Floral-scented, exhibiting a distinctive minerality along with wonderful blackberry and cassis fruit, and a hint of wood. The mid-palate and finish are both long, textured and intense. It needs 2-3 years of bottle age and should keep for a minimum of 2 decades."

This winery Clarendon Hills is the namesake of the town and area around Clarendon which was established in 1845. Many of the vineyards surrounding the winery are over seventy years old; the gnarly and twisted bush vines are dry farmed and the grapes are hand picked. The soil profiles of each vineyard are very different with the Piggott Range known for the rock and shale. This is a hillside vineyard planted in the 1960's adjacent to the Onkaparinga Valley. The soil there is notable by it's absence rather predominant with solid rock and shale torturing the vine roots to reach deep for nutrients to survive. Low yields rarely exceeding two tonnes/acre produce deeply rich fruit with firm structure and tannins.  

To accompany the after dinner dessert medley, Capital Grill served us Conn Creek Anthology Napa Valley Cabernet Sauvignon 2008. Garnet colored, medium bodied, moderately complex, smooth and polished, the Anthology complements the chocolate and fruit petit fores with berries and floral violets turning to black cherry and mocha flavors with refined tannins on the long, lingering finish. 

RM 89 points.

Blend: 66% Cabernet Sauvignon, 12% Malbec, 11% Merlot, 7% Petite Verdot, 4% Cabernet Franc

Conn Creek located in the historic Rutherford district along the Silverado Trail has been producing Napa Valley wines since the mid-1970's. Their flagship, Anthology is named for a Greek word that refers to a collection of literary or artistic works akin to its Bordeaux blend made from a collection of Napa Valley’s notable vineyards and diverse AVAs for growing Bordeaux varieties.Grapes are sourced from nearly all of Napa Valley’s appellations to provide great variety and options in crafting Conn Creek's flagship wine. The 2008 Anthology includes vineyard lots selected from the following appellations: Cabernet Sauvignon from Atlas Peak - Stagecoach Vineyard, Stags Leap District, Howell Mountain - Hughes Vineyards, St. Helena - Collins Vineyard, Oakville - Stanton Vineyard, Calistoga - Surber & Frediani Vineyards, Yountville - Herrick Vineyard, Carneros - Truchard Vineyard, and Mount Veeder: Cabernet Franc from St. Helena - Carpenter Vineyard, Atlas Peak - Stagecoach Vineyard, and Spring Mountain; Merlot from St. Helena - Collins Vineyard, and Atlas Peak - Stagecoach; Petit Verdot from Yountville - Tall Trees; and Malbec from Yountville - Herrick. 

https://www.cellartracker.com/wine.asp?iWine=1420800

http://www.conncreek.com/

Paradigm Napa Valley Oakville Cabernet Sauvignon 1994

Paradigm Napa Valley Oakville Cabernet Sauvignon 1994

This is one of the remaining bottles of a case we picked up following our visit to the winery during our Napa Valley Wine Experience back in 1999.  This is one of the joys of a wine cellar - to conduct periodic comparison tastings over the years to see how a wine ages. We tasted this at home with some artisan cheeses, grilled beef tenderloin, roasted potatoes and grilled asparagus.

Paradigm Napa Valley Oakville Cabernet Sauvignon 1994 - My last tasting notes were a year and half ago on this blog as part of a "diverse-cabernet-bordeaux-blend_tasting" , and previously three years earlier; both notes consistent with this time. 

 

This bottle took an hour to open and shed an initial slight tart cherry edge, which it did. Dark inky color - medium to full bodied. Full forward black cherry and black raspberry fruit flavors starting to show its age a bit with earth and leather emerging over the subtle currant, ripe plum, cedar and a hint of anise on a full firm finish. Earlier notes talk of a milk chocolate layer which was very subtle. I would say the aging of this bottle seemed no more-so than the previous tasting as it is holding its fruit quite well. RM 91 - WS 92.

http://www.paradigmwinery.com/

http://cellartracker.com/w?5051

Inniskillin Niagara on the Lake Wine Experience

Niagara on the Lake - Inniskillin Wine Experience

Desert wine is nectar in a glass - essence of honey, apricot, violets - there is nothing like it under the sun. Among the absolute finest desert wines in the world are ice wines - wines from grapes allowed to lie on the vine beyond ripening, then past the winter freeze such that as much as eighty percent of the juice in the grape is frozen leaving behind but all the sugars in the remaining twenty percent of the juice. Such is ice wine which in North America comes from a small area in the Pacific Northwest where Inniskillin Okanagan operates in Oliver, British Columbia, and from Niagara-on-the-Lake, a small strip of land between the western tip of  Lake Ontario to the north and the eastern tip of Lake Erie on the south. The small land mass adjacent to the Niagara escarpment there traps the air to protect the grape vines.

When the temperature reaches 8 degrees fahrenheit the conditions are right to harvest the grapes and collect the extracted sugar rich grapes suited for ice wine. Inniskillin Wines in the Niagara on the Lake appellation, licensed in 1974, the first winery to be licensed since 1929, has been producing and specializing in perfecting ice wines since 1984. Their Vidal Ice Wine from the 1989 vintage received the prestigious Grand Prix d'Honneur at Vinexpo in France. Inniskillin produces ice wine from several varieties of grapes including Vidal, Riesling, Chardonnay and even Cabernet Franc. They even produce a sparkling ice wine, which in other realms might be considered an oxymoron. Their 2006 Vidal Sparkling Ice Wine and 2007 Riesling Ice Wine won the Premio Speciale Gran Vinitaly "World Cup of Wine" in 2007.

We love desert wines and serve them with salads, artisan cheeses and of course with deserts ranging cake to petit fours to dark chocolates. So  when it came time to visit Niagara on the Lake, our whole focus was on Inniskillin, the house of ice wine. 

Readers of this blog know we have a fairly extensive cellar, with numerous desert wines from the world's finest producers from the finest wine regions - late harvest rieslings from California, Sauternes from Bordeaux, Trockenberenauleses (TBA's) from Germany and Austria, and of course ice wines from the Niagara escarpment.

Inniskillin, named for the Irish village from where GI's hailed who were stationed in the area during the great WWII, has 120 acres of vines, and purchases grapes from local producers from another 250 acres to source the grapes for their wines. Their specialty and flagship wines are ice wines.

During our visit to Niagara and Inniskillin, we were honored to meet the legendary Don Zeraldo, one of the founders and former co-owners of Inniskillin. He was responsible for championing the creation of the Niagara on the Lake AVA, and with the oenology institute there that grants certificates and degrees in viticulture and oenology. And of course with the development and perfection of ice wines in partnership with Karl Kaiser, the father of Niagara on the Lake ice wine.

The tour of Inniskillin starts in the visitor's center, rumored to have been partly designed by Frank Lloyd Wright (more on that later). One then tours the vineyards, source of the Vidal and Chardonnay grapes for Inniskillin wines, followed by the crush area.

The tour visits the cellars and sees a movie of the legacy and heritage of Inniskillin wines featuring the vision and work on Don Zeraldo and Ken Kaiser. One sees the working Inniskillin cellars seeing aging wine in both barrels and bottles, culminating in seeing the wine library featuring bottle storage from the early vintages from the mid-eighties through  recent vintages.

Finally one is treated to a tasting in the tasting room which in fair weather is outdoors, or otherwise indoors in the visitor center. We were treated to the public tour tasting and then a special tasting of select Innikillin wines. We tasted the following Inniskilllin wines:

Inniskillin Vidal Ice Wine 2008

Inniskillin Sparkling Ice Wine 2010

Inniskillin Shiraz Cabernet 2010

Inniskillin Kaiser Legacy Ice Wine 2004

Inniskillin Cabernet Franc Ice Wine 2010

 


Inniskillin Winery and Frank Lloyd Wright - the Wright legend and inspired decor

The staff at Inniskillin spoke to the connection between the winery and Frank Lloyd Wright. The legend of Wright and Inniskillin  is that the property was owned by the Larkin family during the period when they commissioned Wright to design the Larkin Corporation headquarters building in Buffalo. The current winery visitors' center is situated in a barn that was built at that time. The recent owners of the winery decorated the buildings and grounds whth Frank Lloyd Wright inspired decor such as light fixtures, ironwork and windows. One window (below) is a reproduction or knock-off of the famous 'ballon' design windows from the Avery Coonley kindergarten in Riverside, Illinois. An original of these windows is displayed in the Art Institute of Chicago and they are the basis for many popular designs.

Ironically, the dual purpose of our to Niagara region was to visit Inniskillin and to tour the  Darwin Martin House and Complex in Buffalo, designed by Frank Lloyd Wright around the turn of the last century during his golden era of the Prairie Style of architecture. As a docent interpreter for the Wright Home and Studio in Oak Park, Illinois for the Frank Lloyd Wright Preservation Trust, I was also the research captain for Wright Plus 2012 for the William Martin House in Oak Park. William Martin commissioned Wright to design his home in Oak Park in 1903. During this time, he introduced his younger brother Darwin Martin to Wright. This lead to the commission for Wright to develop the Martin House and related buildings, and eventually the Larkin Building. Darwin Martin was the financial officer for the Larkin family and their soap and home products company.

In speaking with Don Zeraldo, former principle of Inniskillin. I intimated that I didn't buy into any theory of a connection between Wright and the winery property. He acknowledged that while this was a popular legend, there is no hard evidence of such a connection.

Some of the Wright inspired decor is shown here.

Vintage Dominus and Two Emerging Napa Cabernets

Long time friends Pat and Maureen poured out the cellar (pun intended) for our visit to Bluebell in suburban Philadelphia and an intimate poolside visit and dinner. An interesting selection of a Napa Valley classic big red Dominus and a couple of delightful new Napa Cabernet discoveries that they found at the local wine shop.    

Erba Mountainside Napa Valley Cabernet Sauvignon 2005

Wow, what a find in this new emerging Napa Cab. Watch for great things to come from this exciting new producer Paul Erba, proprietor, and winemaker Denis Malbec. 

Starting in 1998, Paul and Debbie Erba planted the five Bordeaux varietals  (Cabernet Sauvignon, Merlot, Cabernet Franc, Petit Verdot and Malbec) and some Syrah high on the steep rocky volcanic soil slopes of Atlas Peak at 1100 to 1550 feet above south east Napa Valley. Seventy percent of the vineyard planting are Cabernet Sauvignon. Their first release of this wine was in 2003 followed by inaugural releases of Cabernet Sauvignon, Merlot and Syrah in 2006.

Winemaker Denis Malbec studied viticulture and oenology  in France and worked for the storied first growth Chateau Latour starting as one of the cellar workers in 1993 and moved up to enologist and cellar master in 1994, making the vintages from 1994 to 1999. Denis consults several boutique wineries in and around the Napa Valley including Kapcsàndy Family Winery, Blankiet Estate in Yountville, and Captûre Wines and Respite in Sonoma.
 

Taking some points from the winemakers' notes, this big cab has dark inky purple color, big full bodied, bouquet of cassis liqueur, graphite, violets and smoke give way to big forward flavors bold blackberry, blueberry and plum with subtle spice, tobacco and leather accents giving a supple lush mouthfeel. The long finish exhibits polished tannins with a nice balance of vanilla and toasted oak. We started with this Cabernet and it was fabulous with artisan cheeses and starters. It would be superb with dark chocolate!
Blend of 89% Cabernet Sauvignon, 3% Cabernet Franc, 6% Merlot, 2% Petit Verdot.
 

RM 93 points. 
 

Readers of this blog will know that we love big bold mountain fruit wines. I've not seen this wine before but will definitely be on the lookout for this label for great drinking now and collecting for future enjoyment.
 
http://www.erbavineyards.com/ 

https://www.cellartracker.com/wine.asp?iWine=106401 

Dominus Estate 1999

The 1999 vintage of the iconic Dominus was Number 11 on Wine Spectators Top 100 Wines of 2002! This vintage was characterized by its extremely long growing season - a season where patience eventually paid dividends in the form of wine with outstanding character and complexity. 

This wine is very Bordeaux-like, true to its heritage and blend of  75% Cabernet Sauvignon, 13% Cabernet Franc, 9% Merlot, and 3% Petit Verdot. 

The 1999 Dominus is dark garnet colored, complex and polished - a symphony of integrated flavors and silky smooth tannins - not a big powerful wine but certainly full bodied and flavorful. Delicate floral bouquet gives way to black berry and black cherry fruits with a long fragrant finish of soft oak, spice and hint of cedar and leather earthiness. 

We last tasted this wine Dec 8, 2005 in Chicago at a Dominus Napa Valley Red Wine vertical tasting with the producer Edouard Mouiex that featured Dominus from vintages 1996, 1998, 1999, 2000, 2001, and 2002. My Tasting Notes and Commentary at that time said it needed more time. My rating for that tasting was the same as this time.

We have one bottle left from a case of 1986 Dominus that we pulled from and tasted periodically over a decade and a half, when it burst open with fragrance and complex flavors to fully reveal itself, by which time we were down to the final couple of bottles. I remember at that time exclaiming, 'THIS is what Dominus is all about!" I sense the 1999 was similarly subdued withholding its true character and potential that will fully emerge in a couple more years, or perhaps this is all it has to offer. I look forward to opportunities to find out!

We saved this one for dinner and it was the perfect complement to the sirloin steak with roasted potatoes and green beans.

RM 91 points. 

http://dominusestate.com/

https://www.cellartracker.com/wine.asp?iWine=140

Oliver Hill Oakville Napa Valley Cabernet Sauvignon 2005

Another discovery of a new emerging producer of Napa Cabernets, Oliver Hill is not to be confused with the Australian producer of jammy Syrahs with the same name. This is the collaboration of college roommates Mike Oliver, the grower, and Jerry Hill, the wine maker/owner. Mike provides Cabernet and Pinot Noir grapes and Jerry handcrafts wine in small batches producing less than 500 cases a year. 
This 2005 Oakville, Cabernet Sauvignon is their first commercial release the using the Oliver Vineyard Cabernet grapes sourced from Cabernet Sauvignon vineyard clone 7 planted in 1993. The 100% Cabernet from the Oliver Vineyard, Oakville is barrel aged 36 months in French Oak.

The 2005 Oakville Cabernet medium to full bodied with aromas and flavors of black berry and cherry fruits, hints of dark plum, cola, mocha and cinnamon with lingering soft tannins on the finish. Released at $28 an advertised in the $20-25 range, this wine represents great QPR (quality to price ratio) in a Napa Cabernet.

RM 88 points. 

http://www.oliverhillwines.com/

Foley Santa Rita Hills Rancho Santa Rosa Pinot Noir 2009

On our trip east we stayed in  picturesque Pittsford, NY. We picked this up in the tony Pittford Wine Shop and then enjoyed it BYOB up the street.

The fruit comes from Foley's Rancho Santa Rosa, part of the original Spanish Land Grant, and one of Santa Barbara's most historic properties. Planted into a steep hillside in one of the coolest parts of the Santa Ynez Valley, the site is ideal for growing bright, structured Pinot Noir. Aged in 50% new French oak barrels, which smooth the wine's texture and add spicy notes that complement the crisp acidity.  

The Foley Pinot Noir 2009 was medium bodied, opaque garnet colored, rich, concentrated, black berry and black cherry fruits, marionberry and cranberry with spicy dusty rose, sweet soft oak and a backbone of silky tannins and firm natural acidity.

RM 91 points. 


https://www.cellartracker.com/wine.asp?iWine=1222493 

http://www.foleywines.com/

Elderton Ashmead Family Barossa Shiraz 2004

Elderton Ashmead Family Barossa Shiraz 2004

Bottle/label shown
from 2003 vintage

Fruit for Elderton Shiraz is grown exclusively on the Elderton Estate Vineyards situated on the banks of the North Para River, Nuriootpa, Barossa Valley, South Australia. The 2004 was an ideal vintage for Shiraz in the Barossa with a wonderful cool growing season allowing physiological ripeness. This Estate Shiraz has become a "benchmark" wine for the Barossa Valley.

Fabulous complement to hearty blue cheeses on simple crackers, the 2004 Elderton Ashmead Family Barossa Shiraz exhibits dark purple/black in color with dark garnet rim, medium-full bodied, moderately complex, nicely balanced wine that predominates with a lively mineral tin flavor accented by flavorful blackberry, ripe plum, cherry and blueberry fruits with hints of mocha, tobacco and cedar on a flavorful finish. Approachable and drinkable now, consider this the poor man's little brother to the more expensive Elderton 'Command' Shiraz which received 98 points from Robert Parker for this vintage but which remains closed and subdued needing more time to reveal itself. Tasted from 375ml half bottle.

RM 90 points.

https://www.cellartracker.com/wine.asp?iWine=729278

http://www.eldertonwines.com.au/

Art Institute Garden Summer Lunch Wines

Art Institute Garden Summer Lunch Wines

One of Linda's favorite eateries in the whole world, sitting by the fountain under summer sun in the McKinlock Garden Court Restaurant at the Art Institute of Chicago. Long-time members, we frequent this idyllic setting several times a year. They have a delightful summer menu with an imaginative, modest but appropriate wine pairing menu selection. Today's visit to the Art Institute was for the Roy Lichtenstein special exhibit.

To accompany L's Chicken Curry Salad she had a 2010 Spanish Albarino from Martín Códax from the Rias Baixas Salnés Valley Spain. I had a grilled pork loin with chantarelle mushrooms, leeks, carmelized onions and arugula accompanied by Chateau Mont-Redon Cotes-du-Rhone 2010.

 

Martín Códax Rias Baixas Salnés Valley Spain Albarino 2010 

Round, medium-full bodied, light pale straw-yellow green colour with a touch of ripe lemon. Bright and slightly sparkling color. Full  elegant aromas and flavors of green apples, citrus, grapefruit, a hint of peach with a tangy outgoing freshness.

RM 87 points.

https://www.cellartracker.com/wine.asp?iWine=1136215

Château Mont-Redon Côtes du Rhône 2010

We visited Chateau Mont Redon during our Rhone Valley Wine Experience. It sits in the slopes overlooking the Rhone River Valley adjacent to their Chateauneuf-du-Papes estate on the route from the village of Chateauneuf-du-Pape to Roquenauer up to l'Orange heading north from town.

The rocky river terrain with its classic stony, limestone-clay plains produces dense intense dark fruit coaxed to maturity and ripeness by the persistent sun.

The 2010 Cotes-du-Rhone is typically aromatic, simple easy drinking medium-full bodied, garnet colored, dark cherry and red berry fruits, with a layer of spice, smoke and anise with a hint of black pepper.

RM 86 points.

Mont Redon vineyard - note the rocky soil and low cut
vines to help them withstand the mistral winds.

https://www.cellartracker.com/wine.asp?iWine=1193611

http://www.chateaumontredon.fr/

Art Institute Garden Court Roast Pork Loin

Art Institute of Chicago - Lichtenstein Banners

Art Institute of Chicago - Modern Wing

Robert Craig Affinity Napa Valley Cabernet Sauvignon 1998

Robert Craig Affinity Napa Valley Cabernet Sauvignon 1998

Perennial favorite high QPR (quality to price ratio) wine - we own this label going back to the inaugural vintage in 1993. We've featured Robert Craig at numerous tasting events and have visited the Napa town tasting room and the winery atop Howell Mountain for harvest parties and special tastings. See our winery visits at Robert Craig Napa Howell Mountain Wine Experience 2008, and Robert Craig Howell Mountain Harvest Party '09, See our Robert Craig featured wine producer dinners during our Napa Wine Experience 1998 and Napa Wine Experience 1999.

While the 1998 vintage of Napa Valley Cabernet Sauvignons was panned at the time and then substantially overshadowed by the blockbuster 1997, we're finding the 1998 to be more fun and interesting to drink these days. The 1997's tend to be more subdued and even closed, the 1998's regularly surprise and exceed expectations, except for those of us who have grown accustomed to this paradox. This was the case again with this 1998 which was brighter, more lively and much more expressive than earlier tastings and than expected. 

Medium to full bodied, dark garnet color, big forward flavors of black cherry, cherry, raspberry and currant with a tinge of alcohol, layer of anise and graphite on a slightly astringent moderate tannin finish. Amazing life left in this fourteen year old from a modest and unappreciated vintage.

RM 90 points. Legacy ratings - RP and WA 91 and WS 87. 

Tasted BYOB with L at Angeli's Italian Restaurant in Naperville, our favorite neighborhood Italian Trattoria. 

https://www.cellartracker.com/wine.asp?iWine=6322 

http://robertcraigwine.ewinerysolutions.com//index.cfm


  

Bodegas El Nido Jumilla Clio 2009

I came home from a long day of windshield time and L was preparing beef skewers on the grill. I asked what kind of wine she wanted and she said, "Something Big!!". So, I served up a surprise. What? A tasty, full bodied, serious drinking wine from where? Jumilla, Spain? Just because my expectations were so low doesnt diminish the results of this blockbuster tasting. As noted in an earlier blog, we're huge fans of big fruit filled Syrahs and this stood with the best of them, with none of that metallic, mineral or creosote that I expected of a Spanish Red. A blend of  70% Monastrell (and 30% cabernet sauvignon) which I now know is aka Mouvedre which is the M in GSM - Genache, Mouvedre and Syrah, a popular blend in the Rhone River Valley as well as South Central Australia. Now I learn that the chief winemaker for this wine is Chris Ringland of R Wines as in big fruity Aussie Shiraz. - is there a pattern emerging here? 

The 2009 Bodegas El Nido Jumilla Clio, much like the 2004, is another in a series of show stoppers, consistently over-achieving, full-bodied reds. Look at this track record (all scores from Robert Parker's Wine Advocate): 2003 - 96 points; 2004 - 97 points; 2005 - 95 points; 2006 - 95 points; 2007 - 94 points, 2008 -94 points. 

While I found this to be not as fruit filled and oppulant as the earlier tasting of the 2004 (see my earlier blog of the 2004 Bodegas El Nido Jumilla Clio), the 2009 gets high marks and glowing reviews indeed. Glass-coating opaque purple color, full bodied with a full bouquet of black fruits - black berry, black currant and black cherry, a layer of smoke, anise and expresso with a long lingering subtle oak moderate tannin finish. Give it time to open. It was more approachable ninety minutes later... but we were finished by then. While not inexpensive at $40, it does pack a lot for that pricepoint and delivers a reasonable QPR (quality price ratio) even at that level. and it lists for more in a lot of places. 

RM 91 points.  

https://www.cellartracker.com/wine.asp?iWine=1248745

http://www.orowines.com/ 

See the Rhone Report who gives it a 95+:
"Possibly my favorite vintage of this to date, the brilliant 2009 Bodegas El Nido Jumilla Clio, mostly old vine Monastrell that?s aged in new French oak, boasts awesome aromatics of smoky blackberry and creme de cassis that?s intermixed with notions of roasted coffee, chocolate, mineral, and sweet spice on the nose. Full-bodied, impeccably balanced, and awesomely fresh and focused, this blockbuster has layers of sweet fruit and texture, ripe tannin, and a detailed, clean finish. While no doubt a seriously fruited wine that carries a shine of classy oak, it has real depth, character, and structure. It's beautiful now with a decant, but should be even better with 2-3 years of bottle age, and drink well for a decade or longer. I'm a huge fan and this is all around impressive!"

International Wine Report 92+
"The 2009 Clio is made in a very modern style. The color on this is deep purple almost black, it is packed tightly with blackberry jam, blueberry, sweet currant, spice, citrus peel, toasty oak, espresso and crushed floral. This is deeply layered, dense and racy with polished tannins that explode on your palate. This finish doses out more black fruit and chocolaty espresso notes that linger. This is delicious and hard to resist, so give this a few hours of air-time if drinking now."

Chateau Tanunda "Chateau" 100 Year Old Vines Barossa Shiraz

Chateau Tanunda "The Chateau" 100 Year Old Vines Eden Valley Barossa Shiraz 

Full bodied, complex, concentrated, full lingering tannins predominate the dense, black and blue berry fruits with hints of liquorice, plum and spice and spicy oak.

RM 93 points.

The Barossa is home to some of the world’s oldest Shiraz vines and the grapes for this wine come from hundred year old vines from a high altitude, one acre single vineyard in the Eden Valley.


We discovered this wine at the Wine Spectator Grand Tour in Chicago when it was being poured by Chateau Tanunda's Dagmar O'Neill. Only 100 cases were produced. We orchestrated a purchase of nine three packs in OWC's (shown below) which we split amongst the wine team, pictured below.

Tasted with/at Eric & Cathy's - a perfect combination with bar-b-que'd boneless pork loin ribs and roast with Shoup's famous Indiana Bar-B-Que sauce.

Shown at left are the three pack OWC (Original Wood Cases of
Chateau Tanunda "The Chateau" 100 Year Old Vines Eden Valley Barossa Shiraz.

https://www.cellartracker.com/wine.asp?iWine=937673

http://www.chateautanunda.com/

OTB - Open That Bottle! Wine team at Grand Tour Chicago -
(L-R) Rick, Ernie, Bill, Dan, Eric and Lyle.

Here are Bill's notes from Cellartracker.

"WOW! A real heavyweight and a spectacular bottle of wine. Deep indigo color. Clings to the glass. Full of fruit as expected but rounder and better balanced than most Aussie Shiraz. Does not express the tangy almost medicinal taste associated with the better Shiraz."

Bill C - 96 points. 



 

Mitolo G.A.M. McLaren Vale Shiraz 2003

Mitolo G.A.M. McLaren Vale South Australia Shiraz 2003

We love Aussie Shiraz and we drink a lot of it. This one is classic example of how it at times is over-hyped. Its a big complex, fruity wine with long lingering tannins, but in my opinion, it lacks the breadth, depth, concentration and complexity implied by its stupendous reviews.

The 2003 Mitolo G.A.M. is named for the initials of producer Frank Mitolo's three children: Gemma, Alexander and Marco, a notable tribute indeed. The family owned winery of Frank and Simone Mitolo was joined in partnership by Winemaker Ben Glaetzer in 2001. Fruit for this label is sourced from the single Chinese Block vineyard in the Willunga District at the southern end of McLaren Vale, an hour south of Adelaide. The 2003 growing season had almost perfect ripening conditions from veraison through to harvest that yielded limited quantities of incredibly full flavoured and deep coloured fruit.

The juice was aged in fine grained French oak (70% new plus 30% one and two year old French/American oak). The product resulted in a dense ruby purple color, full bodied, complex flavors of blackberries, black currant, leather, hints of blueberry, cassis, licorice and a layer of spicy oak on a lingering gripping tannin finish. 

Robert Parker gave this wine a rating of  96-100 points and said, "This complex 2003 comes across as a hypothetical blend of a great La Mission-Haut-Brion from Bordeaux and a Rhone Valley Hermitage such as Chapoutier’s Pavillon. Everything is seamlessly integrated into this tour de force in winemaking"


K&L say of this wine - "Winemaker Mitolo delivers wines that express purity of varietal flavour, show elegance of structure with soft tannins whilst being rich, powerful and complex. All the grapes are picked on flavour ripeness which contributes to the soft, ripe tannins and vibrant fruit which is a key characteristic of all Mitolo wines. G.A.M. is opulent and robust, with a focus on finesse and multilayered complexity. It exhibits typical Mitolo softness and richness."

I found the wine to be polished, full bodied, fruit forward with gripping body and tannins, but more subdued than and not a big as the grand rating suggest, or than other labels of near vintages.

Tasted BYOB with L at Angeli's Italian Restaurant in Naperville, our favorite neighborhood Italian Trattoria. 

I give it 91 points.

https://www.cellartracker.com/wine.asp?iWine=32822

http://www.mitolowines.com.au/product/G-A-M--Shiraz

Lail Blueprint Napa Valley Cabernet Sauvignon 2008

Upon perusing the winelist at Woodmont Grill/Houston's Steak House in Bethesda, this wine popped out as an obvious choice that I wanted to try, and to compare to an earlier vintage of which I had a positive memory. I must admit I was disappointed. I realize now I was comparing this 'second' label with their flagship Daniel Cuvee which is named in a tribute to third generation patriarch and producer dating back to the original Inglenook Vineyards.

Lail Vineyard’s have a rich Napa history reaching back five generations to Gustav Niebaum founder of Inglenook. John Daniel who ran Inglenook which evolved over the generations to the present Lail Vineyards is third generation great granduncle of current generation owner/producer Robin Daniel Lail.

Lail have teamed with legendary winemaker Phillipe Melka who holds degrees in geology, agronomy and enology and 15 years of experience in France, Australia, Italy, and is known to produce a mix of old and new world style wines expressing the 'terrior' or sense of place of the vineyards - the relationship between the terrain, climate, soil, and the wine - crafted to achieve the highest quality the source site can offer.


I'm a big fan of winemaker Phillipe Melka and always welcome a chance to sample his handywork.

This Blueprint Cabernet Sauvignon is made from fruit purchased from four separate vineyards in addition to Lail estate. It strives to provide classic Napa Cabernet Sauvignon at a more approachable price.

The 2008 Blueprint exhibits medium to full body, dark ruby/purple color, somewhat subdued black current and black cherry fruits accented with hints of licorice and roasted herbs with soft delicate tannins on a modest finish. The blend is 85% Cabernet Sauvignon and 15% Merlot.

RM 88 points.

https://www.cellartracker.com/wine.asp?iWine=1086294

http://www.lail-vineyards.com/

http://www.hillstone.com/#/restaurants/woodmontGrill/ 

Landing in DC suburb Bethesda, we were waiting for our dinner table at Woodmont Grill who offered a selection of various wines by the glass. We were able to continue our Zinfandel 'flight' from the previous evening with two more Napa Valley Zinfandel based blends.

Brown Estate Napa Valley Zinfandel 2010

From the Chiles Valley, this is Brown's Estate Zinfandel, an expression of their house style. Medium-full bodied, moderately spicy black raspberry, black cherry and black currant fruits, flavors accented by dusty earth, briary asphalt, a touch spice, and toasty oak. A little too earthy with creosote overtaking the berry fruits for my taste.
 
RM 87 points. Robert Parker 91 points. Connoisseurs Guide 91 points.

http://www.brownestate.com/wines

https://www.cellartracker.com/wine.asp?iWine=1082991

 

Duckhorn Paraduxx Napa Valley Red Wine 2008

Medium to full bodied, dark and brambly, with black raspberry and black cherry fruits, cedar, dried sage, tobacco leaf and hints of dark chocolate and subtle hints of pepper, cinnamon, and clove spice.

RM 88 points. 

Blend of 68% Zinfandel, 24% Cabernet Sauvignon, 7% Merlot, 1% Cabernet Franc 

https://www.cellartracker.com/wine.asp?iWine=1074154

http://www.paraduxx.com/

Tasted w/  Danny, George, and Nelson.