Duo of 1996 Vintage Reds - Robert Craig Mt Veeder - Lafon-Rochet

Duo of 1996 Vintage Reds for Birthday Celebration Dinner - Robert Craig Mt Veeder - Lafon-Rochet St Estephe

To celebrate friends Bill and Beth C's birthdays we drank two contrasting style 1996 vintage reds. I pulled a Robert Craig Napa Valley Mt Veeder Cabernet Sauvignon while Bill brought a Lafon-Rochet St Estephe Bordeaux. To use the 'shape' metaphor in explaining the contrasting styles, the Craig with its single varietal Cabernet mountain fruit was 'narrower' but 'deeper' while the more complex blend of the St Estephe was 'wider' but more 'shallow'. Understandably, the Craig exhibited big round forward fruit flavors. The Bordeaux, while the fruit was more subdued, was more complex with multiple dimensions and combinations of flavors of graphite, earth, leather and spice accenting the black fruits. 

We celebrated dinner at Angeli's Italian Restaurant in Naperville, our favorite local trattoria. Breaking normal conventions of feasting on their pasta entrees, Bill and I both selected Angelis' Filet Porto to accompany our wines - a grilled filet of beef in a port wine sauce with spinach, mushrooms, and sun-dried tomatoes. Beth chose the Tri-color Tortellini in Pesto cream sauce while L chose the asparagus ravioli.  

A surprise highlight of the wine focused dinner was the perfect pairing of the St Estephe with the starter of Angelis' baked stuffed mushrooms stuffed with Italian sausage topped with mozzarella cheese. Another highlight was the perfect complement of the pairing of the Robert Craig Cabernet with the Port Wine sauce and the sweet tones of the sun-dried tomatoes.

Prior to dinner at home, we opened a gala Pierre Gimonnet Brut Cuis 1er Cru NV Champagne with cheeses, fresh fruits and mixed nuts. Back at home afterwards, we opened a near 1996 vintage Warre's Quinta da Cavadhina Vintage Porto 1995 with Linda's sinfully delicious flowerless chocolate cake with fresh berries.


Robert Craig Napa Valley Cabernet Sauvignons

We've long been fans of Robert Craig and his family of appellation specific Napa Valley Cabernet Sauvignons featuring mountain fruits from three different Napa Mountains, Mt Veeder, Howell Mountain, and Spring Mountain District, and sometimes supplemented by another offering from Mt George.

We first met Robert back in the early 1990's when he was producing his handcrafted wines up on Atlas Peak. Robert started his winemaking career up on Mt Veeder and as such, this was his first Mountain designated release offering under the Robert Craig label, and fittingly, it is his favorite.

Shortly thereafter he released a Howell Mountain label which is typically my favorite, up until the limited release of his Spring Mountain District Cabernet in 2007 which I like even more! All the while, he also offers his Affinity Napa Valley Cabernet Sauvignon which is a blend sourced from the numerous locations as well as the valley floor, a wine produced for more affordable early drinking.

We've met with the Robert and Lynn Craig and various members of their team numerous  times during our Napa Wine Experiences (1998), during their visits here to Chicago, and have visited their Howell Mountain winery harvest parties and special events, and of course their tasting room in town in Napa.

Perhaps our most memorable Robert Craig experience was a special luncheon we held up at the winery during our Napa Howell Mountain Wine Experience 2008 - Robert Craig on the lawn overlooking the vineyards, the valley below, and the opposing Mayacamas range across the Valley. A photo of that picturesque setting (shown above) was Linda's screensaver for years and the subject of one of her oil paintings.

Looking at the index of our cellar inventory and tasting notes for the Robert Craig wines including Mt Veeder Cab, one can see we still have or have already drinkage every vintage of this wine dating back to the inaugural release in 1993.

We attended the Robert Craig Howell Mountain Harvest Party '09 (the four of us with Rachel pictured left) event, and have visited the Napa town tasting room with Bill and Beth, so it was only fitting we selected this wine for their celebration dinner. 



Robert Craig Napa Valley Mt Veeder Cabernet Sauvignon 1996

This surprising vibrancy of the fruit of this seventeen year old attests to the longevity of these wines although its a bit more subdued than earlier years as it is approaching the end of its drinking window. Still medium to full bodied, moderately firm with dark purple color it showed juicy round full and forward black fruits of blackberry and black currant with a subtle layer of leather setting in, with cedar and hints of vanilla bean and creme de cassis, a touch of pencil lead on the finish with moderate lingering tannins. 

RM 90 points. 

https://www.cellartracker.com/wine.asp?iWine=15141

Château Lafon-Rochet St. Estephe Bordeaux 1996

Bill's tasting notes of the Lafon-Rochet from Cellartracker.

Medium garnet color. Damp earth, musty with a very slight hint of floral on the nose. This opened a bit tight but over 2 hours began to reveal much more fruit than I expected from a 17 year old St. Estephe. Medium bodied, some light fruit, cherry, cassis and plum on the palate. Also revealed some minerality, vanilla and a bit of oak. Nicely balanced with modest tannins and layered flavors. Really pleasant surprise.

WCC (and RM) 90 points.

https://www.cellartracker.com/wine.asp?iWine=8570





Warre's Quinta da Cavadhina Vintage Porto 1995

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


RM 89 points. 

This was one of WINE SPECTATOR’S Top 10 Dessert Wines for 1998

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

http://www.warre.com/section.php?id=777 

Godspeed Napa Valley Mt Veeder Cabernet 1998

Godspeed Napa Valley Mt Veeder Cabernet Sauvignon 1998

Godspeed Vineyards on Napa Valley Mt Veeder

We visited Godspeed Vineyards (left) during our Napa Valley Mt Veeder Appellation tour last spring when we picked up this wine in regular and 375 half bottles. Consistent tasting notes with earlier tasting although my recollection is that tonight this wine showed a little more fruit than previous tasting. Never-the-less, it is showing its age and diminishing as the fruit is giving way to other elements. 

The initial black cherry and black berry fruits have given way to a frontal layer of anise with cedar and leather giving way to a hint of raisiny fig and touch of dark chocolate with firm lingering musty tannins. While perhaps best suited for pizza or heady cheeses. it was a great complement tonight to a grilled tenderloin steak with spicy pepper spinach and grilled mushrooms.. Drank from a 375 bottle picked up at the winery last spring.

RM 84 points.

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

Duo of Napa Valley Cabernet Sauvignons with Beef Tenderloin Dinner

A pair of Napa Valley Cabernets from Calistoga with beef tenderloin family dinner on Alec's last night at home before returning home to Sandy ravaged New Jersey. With Alec's colleague Kyle. Following recent tastings of Sterling Vineyards Napa Valley Cabernet Sauvignon 2009 and 2010, we pulled a 2006 from the cellar. For a comparison tasting we pulled another Calistoga area Napa Cabernet, Elizabeth Spencer Napa Valley Cabernet Sauvignon Proprietor Blended Special Cuvee 2009. After dinner we had a Chateau Raymond-Lafon Sauternes 2003 with a selection of artisan cheese cakes.

Elizabeth Spencer Napa Valley Cabernet Sauvignon Proprietor Blended Special Cuvee 2009

Elizabeth Spencer is a husband and wife wine-making partnership that produces small lots from fruit sourced from growers throughout Napa Valley. Only 60 barrels of the 09 Napa Cabernet were produced, a hand-crafted blend of 88% Cabernet Sauvignon, 11% Merlot, and 1% Cabernet Franc from premier growers St. Helena, Howell Mountain, Yountville, Oakville, Rutherford and Mount Veeder districts.

Dark garnet colored, full bodied, this shows bright vibrant full forward complex black and red berry and plum fruit flavors, accented by clove spice and hints of dark chocolate. with velvety mouthfeel, and naturally balanced acidity turning to firm integrated tannins on the finish.

RM 90 points. 

https://www.cellartracker.com/wine.asp?iWine=1311721

http://www.elizabethspencerwines.com/wines/
 
Sterling Vineyards Napa Valley Cabernet Sauvignon 2006

We enjoyed two recent vintages of this wine that exceeded our expectations so I was anxious to try this earlier vintage release in comparison. (See unwindwine.blogspot.com journal posting).

This wine was dark inky purple color, medium bodied with subdued briary black berry and hints of sweet strawberry fruits accented by clove, allspice, tones of creosote, smoke, and black licorice turning to a layer of firm dry tongue coating tannins on the lingering  finish. A blend of Cabernet Sauvignons from Napa Valley 88%, Knights Valley Sonoma County 8% and Lake County 5%.

Opposite the Spencer above with its bold vibrant forward berry fruits, the Sterling came across as smooth, polished with its more subdued style, this was the preferred choice of Johnny and Kyle.

RM 88 points.

https://www.cellartracker.com/wine.asp?iWine=464915 

http://www.sterlingvineyards.com/

Chateau Raymond-Lafon Sauternes Bordeaux 2003

Light honey colored, medium to full bodied, unctuous sweet pear and slight hint of honey, apricot fruit and vanilla bean with a tone of sweet nut and subtle smoke on a lingering tongue coating finish.

RM 91 points.

https://www.cellartracker.com/wine.asp?iWine=54954

20 year 93 napa cabs - Freemark Bosche - Del Dotto

Twenty year old Del Dotto and Freemark Bosche '93 Napa Cabs for 2013 New Years Eve Dinner

To celebrate the New Year 2013 at Bill and Beth C's, we featured twenty year old 1993 vintage Napa cabs for a gala dinner. Bill pulled a 1993 Freemark Abbey Bosche Vineyard and I brought a Del Dotto Rutherford to accompany beef tenderloins with shallots and mushrooms, escalloped potatoes and green beans. Prior to dinner we had lobster medallions in drawn butter accompanied with a flight of elegant whites highlighted by Fantesca Sonoma County Russian River Valley Chardonnay 2008. Other whites included Domaine Servin Les Clos Chablis grand Cru 2009 and 90+ Cellars Lot 2 Marlborough New Zealand Sauvignon Blanc 2011. To ring in the New Year, the evening culminated in Bill serving a Bollinger NV Champagne. 

Fantesca Sonoma County Russian River Valley Chardonnay 2008

We first tasted this wine at the winery with Bill and Beth during our Napa Valley Wine Experience 2009 visit to Spring Mountain. Heidi Barrett had just joined Duane & Susan Hoff at Fantesca as consulting winemaker and this was the legendary winemaker's first ever Chardonnay, showcased in this video on the producer's website. A superb accomplishment, indeed, in this refined Burgundian styled release fitting its elegant etched bottle and wood case packaging.

Butter colored, medium bodied, a symphony of well integrated and smooth crisp, bright, flavors of tropical fruit, melon, hints of lychee and under current of subtle citrus with a pleasant long lingering finish.

RM 92 points. 

Bill's tasting notes for this wine from Cellartracker:

Golden straw color in the glass. An interesting contrast to the '07. The '08 has overtones of peach and melon on the palate. The '07 leans more toward citrus flavors. Both are very clean and crisp on the palate, making Fantesca my favorite Chardonnay although I prefer the citrusy version. Very light on the oak. 

WC 92 points. 

https://www.cellartracker.com/wine.asp?iWine=872831

http://www.fantesca.com

90+ Cellars Lot 2 Marlborough New Zealand Sauvignon Blanc 2011

I've been looking for the right opportunity to write about this new label.  90+ Cellars has burst on the scene in recent years offering a wide selection of private labeled wines from around the world including Argentinan Malbec, Italian Pinot Grigio, Australian Shiraz and this New Zealand Sauvignon Blanc. They buy and resell excess production from various producers under their own 'negotiant' label, often at a fraction of the offer's branded offering price. While such arrangements are typically discreet so as not to undermine the branding and pricing of the supplier/producer, the cat was let out of the bag so to speak when one of their recent offerings still had the original authentic corks in the bottles. Note the labels will  typically be very generic in nature regarding the source of the contents. Check the 'Lot number' on the label to identify each unique offering or to distinguish between various offerings similarly labeled.

90+ Cellars recent promotional tasting at local merchant

Don't count on all labels or subsequent releases to be this good since their offerings will vary from year to year based on what they can negotiate with their producer suppliers, but for the moment, this one is worth checking out.   

Under wide distribution, I've seen their displays of their family of wines at mega merchants Binny's here in Chicagoland to Super Buy Right Liquors in Thoms River New Jersey. This is a prime example of what in some cases are extraordinary high QPR value offerings (QPR - quality to price ratio). 
 
This Sauvignon Blanc is vibrantly expressive with tropical and citrus fruits with ripe melon and lychee with hints of herbal and gooseberry notes. Distributors notes - "Fresh, sweet fruit and crisp acid gives balance and an elegant structure with a smooth finish, a classic New Zealand sauvignon blanc".

RM 90 points. 

http://www.ninetypluscellars.com/

The Cabs ...

My unwindwine.blogspot.com here features many tasting journal postings for these two Napa Valley Cabernets - Del Dotto and Freemark Abbey. New Years eve provided the perfect opportunity to showcase this mini horizontal of these two 93's side by side. 

 I believe the '93 Del Dotto Cabernet was their inaugural vintage release. We've written about discovering Del Dotto back in the early years following their feature in Wine Spectator as one of the 'Undiscovered' new emerging producers on the Napa scene. (See series of Del Dotto features on our unwindwine blogspot.  http://unwindwine.blogspot.com/search/label/Del%20Dotto ).  

The '93 represents the oldest Del Dotto in our cellar and the beginning of a dozen year vertical of this wine. As such, this was the oldest Del Dotto cab we'd ever tasted and our first tasting ever of this vintage. I was anxious to see how this had held up and what this meant for our remaining collection holdings.

 D e l D o t t o Rutherford Estate C a b e r n e t S a u v i g n o n 1993 

Based on previous positive tastings of aged Del Dotto cabs, I was not surprised to find this twenty year old still holding up well. We decanted and aerated this upon opening, about two hours before tasting. The only sign of diminution might have been a slight astringency on opening which would be the case according to the tasting notes from the producer and from Wine Spectator for this release, shown below. The wine was most expressive about an hour after opening and then mellowed and softened a bit for the rest of the evening.

This wine was dark inky purple colored as seen in the carafe adjacent to the bottle, and full bodied. It opened with big full forward aromas and flavors of complex floral, cedar and spice with layers of concentrated fruit - cherry, black berry and plum, giving way to toasty oak and hints of cassis on a lingering floral and black fruit filled finish.

The blend is 90% Cabernet Sauvignon, 5% Merlot and 5% Cabernet Franc. This was barrel Aged for 27 months in 100% New French & American Oak. 

RM 91 points.

https://www.cellartracker.com/wine.asp?iWine=1000450

Winemakers notes:  
Big, slightly soft, plum jam, berry, violet, vanilla, toast nose, that leaves a slightly floral impression. Lush, softly textured and forward plum, berry, spice cake flavors. It has a supple and gently mouth coating finish lit up by plum, black fig, violet, toast and baking spice notes.
Only 497 cases produced.

Wine Spectators notes: "Packs a wallop with its rich heart of earthy currant, mineral, spice and cedary oak flavors. Smooth and rich, given its size and concentration of fruit flavors. Drinkable now, but should age into the next century with ease. 497 cases made." (04/07) 92 points. 

Freemark Abbey Cabernet Sauvignon Bosché Vineyard 1993

Like the Del Dotto above, we have much experience with this wine and have featured it in several earlier wine journal postings - see http://unwindwine.blogspot.com/search/label/Bosche including our recent mini vertical tasting of near vintage 91 and 92 releases of this wine.

This was an interesting tasting of these two '93s Napa Cabs, showing two contrasting styles with the Del Dotto exemplifying bold, forward fruit filled new world against the more subdued, complex old world Bordeaux like style of the Freemark Abbey Bosche', indicative of its longer history pedigree and pursuit of this label.


The Freemark was dark garnet colored with medium body, Bordeaux like earthy leather, graphite and creosote tones accent the cedar, mint and the black berry and black cherry highlights with a subdued finish. 

RM 87 points. 

Bills earlier tasting notes for this wine from Cellartracker:    

Medium red color with slight bricking around the rim. Some cedar and mint on the nose. No noticeable tannins, fairly simple but still significant fruit. Nice bottle of wine but time to drink.

Medium garnet color with a touch of orange on the rim. Opened with a musty nose but evolved over time to reveal some floral notes. On the palate, this evoked overtones of old world bordeaux with terroir dominating fruit. There were still hints of mint and eucalyptus that I normally associate with Bosche. 

https://www.cellartracker.com/wine.asp?iWine=13406 

More to come ...

Arrowood Sonoma County Cabernet Sauvignon 2008

Arrowood Sonoma County Cabernet Sauvignon 2008

Anyone thinking Sonoma Cabs are a step down from the king of cabs, Napa, haven't had Arrowood Sonoma Cabernet Sauvignons. We've been fans of this Arrowood Cab for a long time and have selections in our cellar dating back to the 1991 vintage. This 2008 release is another in the series of fruit forward, flavorful wines and is as good as any in memory.   

I was a bit dubious when I picked this up at Wine Discount Center for under $25. The label was redesigned and gone was the long standing yellow-gold foil top, replaced by one burgundy colored but still bearing the Arrowood logo on the crown. 

'Traditional' Arrowood
branding

Furthermore, I noted that this label cites Sonoma County versus Sonoma Valley as the source of fruit, meaning they've reached beyond the Vally to outskirts north in Sonoma County. Unlike Napa Valley where most of its appellations are in the valley bowl or in the mountain districts that overlook the valley from both sides, adjoining Sonoma Valley, straddling Napa on the opposite western slope of the Mayacamas Range, has several appellations in the Sonoma County up north and reaching all the way out to the Pacific Coast. A view of my Arrowood label library shows this is typically County but shifted to Valley in the 2007 release.

These upper reaches of Sonoma have much more varied topographies and climates as they reach north and to the west to approach the coast. This provides for much more variation and different characteristics in the fruit due to distinctively different 'terrior'. Indeed, some such appellations such as Sonoma Coast are known for Pinot Noir rather  than Cabernet Sauvignon based on its suitability to such a different grape varietal. 

The point is that Cabernets from the northern and western Sonoma appellations will vary widely with softer, less structure and lower tannins due to the cooler climes. They produce fine wines, just ones with a different profile. An prime example of such differences can be seen in the wildly popular Silver Oak brand with its Napa Valley and Alexander Valley labelings. Hence I was cautious in approaching this Sonoma County Cabernet, wondering if perhaps it was a 'lesser' offering than the traditional Sonoma Valley release. 

This confusion or wonderment is exacerbated by the fact that the Arrowood website features only its single vineyard designated wines and its Cabernet Sauvignon, Réserve Spéciale  wines from the 2005 and 2006 vintages. They cite on their website, "The 2007 vintage was one of exceptional quality. We were so impressed we decided to single out small lots of four Sonoma Valley vineyards and show them off on their own. Available in limited quantities are Arrowood vineyard designate Cabernet Sauvignon's from Lasseter Vineyards, Smothers-Remick Ridge Vineyards, and Murray Ranch Vineyard. We invite you to indulge in the nuances of these individual Cabernet's from some of Sonoma's finest vineyards." There is no mention of the 2008 vintage release on their website whatsoever. 

Lastly,  the mystery deepens as Arrowood Cabernet has disappeared from the shelves of Chicagoland wine superstore Binny's, our usual merchant due to their broad and deep offering at discount prices, and vast number of locations as they have expanded dramatically in recent years. They show it as 'discontinued' meaning its no longer offered by their distributor. Never-the-less, it is available at Wine Disccount Center for the bargain price under $24. In the past we have paid as much as $35-40 and sometimes up to $45 for 'this' wine.  

I believe the variation in labeling may be due to the fact that  they source their fruits from varied lots in the Valley and up in the County, and determine which go into the mix with each release according to what that year's harvest yields as they might have done in 2007? This is a common practice with all producers - although many carry multiple labels for the different offerings - see Mondavi, Beringer and Sterling where I explain these variations, as examples. Then this is coupled with a simple re-design of the label and change in foil for this 2008 release? 

In any event, this wine did not disappoint and was a wonderful pop and pour drinker - especially at this reduced price-point! I'll keep you posted as this unfolds further.

We enjoyed this wine with Alec and Sean at Angeli's Italian - our favorite local Naperville Italian Trattoria.  

We've enjoyed visiting the Arrowood Vineyards & Winery sitting in the rolling hills overlooking the serene valley on several of our Sonoma Valley visits. Its one of the highlights wine destinations when visiting the valley. 

Arrowood Sonoma Valley Cabernet Sauvignon is produced from fruits from the vineyards neighboring the winery from a mix of mountain and hillside vineyard sites. The Sonoma Valley hillside vineyards give structure to the intense and concentrated Cabernet Sauvignon. The blend of Sonoma Valley and Sonoma County fruit in this release is undetermined. It drinks like traditional  Sonoma Valley releases.

This wine was medium-full bodied, dark garnet/purple color, this Cabernet is very expressive with full forward rich aromas and flavors of layers of spicy fruits - raspberry, ripe currant and black cherries with a layer of cola and hints of sweet oak, tobacco and chocolate in the background with lingering soft round tannins on the smooth finish. 

Arrowood cabernet continues to be a high achiever at a reasonable price resulting a great value high QPR at around $25.

RM 91 points. 


https://www.cellartracker.com/wine.asp?iWine=1320646


Notably, this wine has a very similar profile and was reviewed very much like the 2007 which I reviewed in these pages last spring - see http://unwindwine.blogspot.com/2012/03/arrowood-sonoma-valley-cabernet.html.

 https://www.cellartracker.com/wine.asp?iWine=542192

http://www.arrowoodwinery.com/